ConvChain in Javascript
ExUtumno’s ConvChain has been ported to JavaScript by K.Chplr (with the code on GitHub) so it’s easier than ever to play around with it and see what results you can come up with.
I’m fond of things that expose the inner workings of an algorithm and let you directly observe the results of each tweak. Getting inside that rapid feedback loop is vital for artists. Plus, it makes generative processes much more accessible.
(There’s another online version by Amit Patel, if you want another point of comparison, which can be handy when you’re learning to implement a new idea.)
As for the generator itself, being able to take an example pattern and generate new patterns that have a similar feel is a really handy tool to have in the toolbox. I don’t think I’ve directly talked about the idea of extension much, of multiplying a small bit of content to fill a larger or more flexible space. It’s an approach that inherently gives the result structure, in a kind of recursive reincorporation of the source pattern.
You could easily use this as part of a dungeon generator, but it’s also applicable to other things. Unusual inputs, remember? What if you use the generated image to control the spawn rate of enemies in a shmup, or the growth pattern of procedural plants? What if the player’s actions create the pattern for the next level?