Procedurally Generating Forest Creatures: A Long and Challenging Journey

The author spent years working on procedurally generating and animating a large number of forest creatures for their game, The Big Forest. Initially, they tried using simple parametric models, but the results were unsatisfactory. They then shifted to manual parameterization and used Principal Component Analysis to find higher-level parameters, but the results were still not ideal. Ultimately, they abandoned automated solutions and instead manually defined higher-level parameters, developing tools to assist in parameter adjustment. For animation, the author built upon previous research, using a kinematic approach and continuously refining it to achieve more natural creature movement. The entire process was challenging but also enjoyable, and the author shares their experiences of trial, error, and improvement.