Hello everyone! I am Daniel Morales, an undergraduate senior majoring in Computer Science. I’ve always been intrigued by how technology can transform art and design. That’s why I enrolled in this Computational Fabrication class, to explore the fascinating intersection between Computer Science and Art.
Project of Interest: Computational Design in Red Dead Redemption 2
One project that has particularly captivated my attention is the amazing visuals of Red Dead Redemption 2, developed by Rockstar Games. The vast open-world setting isn’t just a backdrop, but a masterpiece intricately crafted with computational design.
Red Dead Redemption 2 stands out, not just for its addictive storyline, but for the painstaking details embedded within every frame, landscape and interaction in the open-world game. from the realistic, dynamic weather system to the intricacies in wildlife behaviors, computational design principles are embedded into this digital realm.
Red Dead Redemption 2 was developed by Rockstar Games, a team known for going above and beyonds in the video game industry. They have a knack for combining detailed research with computational prowess to deliver life-like experiences in a virtual environment .
One of the method that stand out in Red Dead Redemption 2 is procedural generation. While many games use it to create terrains, Rockstar took it a step further. They integrated it with an AI system that dynamically populates the world, ensuring that no two experiences are the same. This AI driven procedural generation doesn’t just make the world vast, it makes it feel alive.
To me, what’s fascinating is not just the final result but the journey and ambition to achieve it. The combination of procedural generation with AI highlights the potential of computational design. It’s about crafting experiences that feel both grand in scale and deeply personal in interaction. This project is a testament to the magic that unfolds when computational science meets creative art.
Sources
Rockstar Games. (n.d.). Red Dead Redemption 2. https://www.rockstargames.com/reddeadredemption2/
Linneman, J. (2018, October 25). Red Dead Redemption 2: The Digital Foundry Analysis. Eurogamer. https://www.eurogamer.net/digitalfoundry-2018-red-dead-redemption-2-tech-analysis
Hey Daniel! I did a post pretty similar to yours, and I love to see the differences between the two projects. I find it especially interesting/funny that our human brains kind find things more natural even though they’ve come directly from an algorithm. Kind of how pure randomness doesn’t feel random at all sometimes, so we make algorithms that are more “random” than random. I unfortunately never got the chance the play Red Dead Redemption 2 but I’ll definitely need to take a look sometime!
Hello Daniel.
I also did a topic similar to your very own and I must say that Red Dead 2 was not one that was initially on my radar for a class or topic such as this, but after reading your post and doing a little digging myself. I have also come to have appreciation for this setting and algorithmic take on a procedurally generated world. Granted I myself personally find more enjoyment in sci-fi/space environments, but the rugged west of Read dead 2 is certainly something that has it’s very own beauty about it as well.
Hi Daniel, I agree the overlap of computational design and art is fascinating! I didn’t realize the world of Red Dead was procedurally generated, it looks so natural, pretty amazing for such a beautiful game.