Setting up the procedural level generation.

In this tutorial we’ll set up schematics to generate the game level using sprite prefabs. We need 2 schematics, one for randomly spawning prefabs (walls, food, enemies) in the level and one for setting up the level.

Random Placement: Schematic

First, we’ll create the schematic to randomly place game objects in the level. The objects will be placed on fixed positions – to prevent having 2 objects at the same position, we’ll make use of variable lists storing the positions.

The Vector3 variable list will be filled in a different schematic – this schematic only handles spawning prefabs at the positions and removing the used position.

Open the Makinom editor, navigate to Schematics and create a new schematic. Change the following settings.

Settings

We need to define  initialize a local variable and add a prefab resource.

Initial Local Variables

Click on Add Variable to add a variable change. Since this schematic will be used by tagged machines sharing local variables, we need to make sure the count is reset to 0 when the schematic starts.

Prefabs

We’ll be using the resource override to spawn different game objects with this schematic. Click on Add Prefab Resource to add a prefab resource.

There isn’t anything else to do – we’ll override the prefab in the tagged machines later.

Check Variables

Add > Value > Variable > Check Variables

This node will check for variable conditions. We’ll use it to check if the count reached the maximum, i.e. if we spawned all game objects we wanted to.

The objectCount variable defining the quantity of game objects we’ll spawn will be set by the tagged machines as local start variable.

Click on Add Variable to add a variable condition.

Spawn Prefab

Add > Game Object > Prefab > Spawn Prefab

This node is used to spawn a prefab. We’ll use it to spawn a prefab at one of the Vector3 positions stored in the position local variable list.

Position

Change Variables

Add > Value > Variable > Change Variables

This node is used to change variables. We’ll use it to increase the count.

This node’s Next slot will be connected to the Check Variables node.

Click on Add Variable to add a variable change.

That’s it for the schematic – click on Save Schematic and save it as RandomPlacement in Assets/Schematics/.

Board Manager: Schematic

Next, we’ll create the schematic to set up the level. This schematic will fill the position list, create the floor and walls around the level, and start the tagged machines that’ll randomly place the other objects.

The level is set up using a defined number of rows and columns – they’ll be set up as local start variables of the machine. In the schematic, we’ll be going through the rows and columns field by field to generate positions and spawn prefabs.

The different tasks (filling the position list, creating floor and walls, randomply placing objects) will be set up on separate Node Layers. The node layer selection can be found in the upper right corner of the editor. You can connect node layers using Layer Gate nodes.

Create a new schematic and change the following settings.

The following nodes are placed in layer 0: Base Layer. Layer 0 is the default layer.

Settings

We need to define 2 local start variables, initialize 2 local variables and 3 prefab resources.

Machine Start Variables

We’ll set up local variables as Machine Start Variable for easy setup in the machine component at a later time. When using the schematic in a machine component, the defined start variables will be added automatically, using their default values.

Click on Add Start Variable to add a local start variable that will be exposed to the machine component’s inspector.

Copy the previous start variable and change the following setting.

Initial Local Variables

Click on Add Variable to add a variable change.

Copy the previous variable and change the following setting.

Prefabs

We need 3 prefab resources – the outer walls, the floor and the exit. Click on Add Prefab Resource to add the first prefab resource.

Click on Add Prefab Resource again to add another prefab resource.

Click on Add Prefab Resource to add the last prefab resource.

Fade Screen

Add > UI > Fade Screen

This node is used to fade the screen. We’ll use it to initially set the screen to black when the game first starts.

Show Dialogue

Add > UI > Dialogue > Show Dialogue

This node is used to show a dialogue. We’ll use it to display the current day (level).

Change Variables

Add > Value > Variable > Change Variables

We’ll use this node to add a position (Vector3) based on the local variables x and y to the position list.

Click on Add Variable to add a variable change.

Change Variables

Add > Value > Variable > Change Variables

Now, we’ll increase the local variable y by 1.

Click on Add Variable to add a variable change.

Check Variables

Add > Value > Variable > Check Variables

We’ll use this node it to check if y has reached the end of the row (local start variable rows).

This node’s Success slot is connected to the first Change Variables node (adding a new position into the list).

Click on Add Variable to add a variable condition.

Change Variables

Add > Value > Variable > Change Variables

Now, we’ll increase the local variable x by 1 and reset y to 1.

This node is connected to the previous node’s Failed slot.

Click on Add Variable to add a variable change.

Copy the previous variable change.

Check Variables

Add > Value > Variable > Check Variables

After increasing x, we need to check if it reached the end of the column (local start variable columns).

This node’s Success slot is connected to the first Change Variables node (adding a new position into the list).

Click on Add Variable to add a variable condition.

Gate Entry (Layer Gate)

Next, we’ll add a Layer Gate node to the reach the next layer. This node is connected to the previous node’s Failed slot.

Right click on the Failed slot and select Add > Gate to Layer > Add New Layer. This will create a new layer and add a layer gate to it.

To display the new layer, either double click on the on the node’s title or select it in the layer popup field in the upper right corner of the editor.

You can rename the layer by clicking on the Rename Layer icon right of the popup field – e.g. name the layer Create Level. Clicking on the icon again will stop editing the layer’s name.

The following nodes are placed in layer 1: Create Level. In this layer, we’ll create the floor and walls around the level.

Change Variables

Add > Value > Variable > Change Variables

First, we’ll set x and y to -1, because we also need to place floor and walls around the actual level (rows/columns).

This node is connected to Next slot of the Gate Exit from layer 0.

Click on Add Variable to add a variable change.

Copy the previous variable change.

Check Variables

Add > Value > Variable > Check Variables

We’ll use this node to check if we’re at the outer edge of the level, i.e. if x or y are -1 or at their maximum (rows/columns)

Click on Add Variable to add a variable condition.

Copy the previous variable condition and change the following settings.

Again, copy the prevous variable condition.

Again, copy the previous variable condition.

Spawn Prefab

Add > Game Object > Prefab > Spawn Prefab

We’ll use this node to spawn an outer wall.

This node is connected to the Success slot of the previous node – i.e. the outer wall is spawned when we ware at the edge of the level.

Position

Spawn Prefab

Add > Game Object > Prefab > Spawn Prefab

This time, we’ll spawn the floor. Copy the previous node and change the following settings.

Change Variables

Add > Value > Variable > Change Variables

Now, we’ll increase the local variable y by 1.

Click on Add Variable to add a variable change.

Check Variables

Add > Value > Variable > Check Variables

We’ll use this node it to check if y has reached the outer edge (rows).

This node’s Success slot is connected to the first Check Variables node (checking if it’s an outer edge before spawning the prefabs).

Click on Add Variable to add a variable condition.

Change Variables

Add > Value > Variable > Change Variables

Now, we’ll increase the local variable x by 1 and reset y to -1.

This node is connected to the previous node’s Failed slot.

Click on Add Variable to add a variable change.

Copy the previous variable change.

Check Variables

Add > Value > Variable > Check Variables

After increasing x, we need to check if it reached the end outer edge (columns).

This node’s Success slot is connected to the first Check Variables node (checking if it’s an outer edge before spawning the prefabs).

Click on Add Variable to add a variable condition.

Gate Entry (Layer Gate)

Next, we’ll add a Layer Gate node to the reach the next layer. This node is connected to the previous node’s Failed slot.

Right click on the Failed slot and select Add > Gate to Layer > Add New Layer. This will create a new layer and add a layer gate to it.

To display the new layer, either double click on the on the node’s title or select it in the layer popup field in the upper right corner of the editor.

You can rename the layer by clicking on the Rename Layer icon right of the popup field – e.g. name the layer Random Placement. Clicking on the icon again will stop editing the layer’s name.

The following nodes are placed on layer 2: Random Placement. In this layer, we’ll start tagged machines, spawning the in-level walls, food and enemies.

Start Tagged Machine

Add > Machine > Start Tagged Machine

This node is used to start a tagged machine. We’ll use it to start a tagged machine with the tag walls, which will use the RandomPlacement schematic to randomly place walls in the level.

This node is connected to the Next slot of the Gate Exit from layer 1.

Machine Object

Starting Object

Tag Settings

Start Tagged Machine

Add > Machine > Start Tagged Machine

We’ll use this node to start a tagged machine with the tag food, which will use the RandomPlacement schematic to randomly place food in the level.

Copy the previous node and change the following settings.

Change Variables

Add > Value > Variable > Change Variables

Before placing the enemies, we’ll set the objectCount for it in this schematic instead of the tagged machine as local start variables. The enemy count will be determined by the level used in a logarythmic calculation.

Click on Add Variable to add a variable change.

Copy the previous variable change.

Start Tagged Machine

Add > Machine > Start Tagged Machine

We’ll use this node to start a tagged machine with the tag enemies, which will use the RandomPlacement schematic to randomly place enemies in the level.

Copy one of the previous Start Tagged Machine nodes, connect it to the Change Variable node’s Next slot and change the following settings.

Spawn Prefab

Add > Game Object > Prefab > Spawn Prefab

Now, we’ll spawn the exit at the upper right corner of the level (i.e. rows – 1 and columns – 1).

Position

Fade Screen

Add > UI > Fade Screen

Now it’s time to fade in the screen.

Change Game State

Add > Game > Game > Change Game State

This node is used to change game states. We’ll use it to activate Game Running and In Control.

The game states are used to trigger the roguelike game mechanics – waiting for the player’s input and moving the enemies afterwards. This will be handled by later schematics.

Click on Add Game State to add a game state change.

Click on Add Game State again to add another state change.

And that’s it for this schematic – click on Save Schematic and save it as BoardManager in Assets/Schematics/.

The next tutorial will handle adding the level generation machines.