Procedural generation can be supremely valuable when you need to build a big game with a tiny team, but developing games algorithmically runs the risk of obfuscating handcrafted details that make your game unique.

At GDC Europe 2015, indie game developer Mark Johnson took the stage to explore the difficult balance between handmade and algorithmic content in games that use both.

It was an informative talk that examines the benefits of each kind of content and how to balance them, focusing particularly on player-side questions of learning and game mastery, and developer-side questions of development time and effort.

Johnson went on to offer practical solutions for hiding the difference between algorithmic and handmade content (and whether this is desirable), and blending the two into a seamless whole.

If you're a game developer with an interest in procedural generation and how to mix it up with handcrafted content, it's worth your time to watch Johnson's talk for free over on the GDC Vault.

About the GDC Vault

In addition to this presentation, the GDC Vault and its new YouTube channel offers numerous other free videos, audio recordings, and slides from many of the recent Game Developers Conference events, and the service offers even more members-only content for GDC Vault subscribers.

Those who purchased All Access passes to recent events like GDC, GDC Europe, and GDC Next already have full access to GDC Vault, and interested parties can apply for the individual subscription via a GDC Vault subscription page. Group subscriptions are also available: game-related schools and development studios who sign up for GDC Vault Studio Subscriptions can receive access for their entire office or company by contacting staff via the GDC Vault group subscription page. Finally, current subscribers with access issues can contact GDC Vault technical support.

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