5 ms·

Think Labyrinth: Maze Algorithms

64 points by lobo_tuerto 11y ago

rodolphoarruda 11y ago
A little bit off-topic but... what are the cognitive benefits of solving mazes? Would it be good to increase our concentration/focus on things?
- Numberwang 11y ago
  Probably as with most problem solving, there are not many benefits apart from being better at solving the problem. Sit down and have a conversation with another person and it will impact you a lot more.
- deleted 11y ago
  [deleted]
KevanM 11y ago
I'd love these in SVG.
hugofirth 11y ago
Every time these kind of submissions come around, I feel it necessary to give a shoutout to Jamis Buck's great series of blog posts and examples on the topic: http://www.jamisbuck.org/mazes/ http://www.jamisbuck.org/mazes/ Part of my undergraduate dissertation involved generating random mazes - and these articles were a godsend.
tjl 11y ago
Not exactly mazes, but there's a good talk on generating dungeon-like levels for a rogue-like in Python from PyCon 2014, http://pyvideo.org/video/2582/castle-anthrax-dungeon-generation-techniques http://pyvideo.org/video/2582/castle-anthrax-dungeon-generat...
zevyoura 11y ago
The article "Visualizing Algorithms" by Mike Bostock has a fantastic section on mazes: http://bost.ocks.org/mike/algorithms/#maze-generation http://bost.ocks.org/mike/algorithms/#maze-generation
lomnakkus 11y ago
Somewhat off-topic comment from my experience in the Roguelike community: If you're a game designer, PLEASE DON'T PUT MAZES IN YOUR GAME! (It's a terrible crutch and doesn't make the game any more interesting or challenging. The _ONLY_ exception I know of is the Baldur's Gate: ToB/Watcher's Keep maze level. That is deterministic and actually pretty well-planned out wrt. the no-magic vs. magic-allowed zones.Try it as a Sorcerer, I challenge you!) That doesn't mean that programming a maze-generator isn't fun... just don't put in the final game.
- allworknoplay 11y ago
  The Modron Cube in Planescape: Torment was brilliant. Great place to level up and a ridiculously entertaining story.
ape4 11y ago
Just realized that a maze in a corn field is a maize maze. (Shower thoughts?)
- danjc 11y ago
  http://www.honeydewmazes.co.za http://www.honeydewmazes.co.za

64 points by lobo_tuerto 11y ago

A little bit off-topic but... what are the cognitive benefits of solving mazes? Would it be good to increase our concentration/focus on things?

Numberwang 11y ago
Probably as with most problem solving, there are not many benefits apart from being better at solving the problem. Sit down and have a conversation with another person and it will impact you a lot more.
deleted 11y ago
[deleted]

KevanM 11y ago

I'd love these in SVG.

hugofirth 11y ago

Every time these kind of submissions come around, I feel it necessary to give a shoutout to Jamis Buck's great series of blog posts and examples on the topic: http://www.jamisbuck.org/mazes/ http://www.jamisbuck.org/mazes/ Part of my undergraduate dissertation involved generating random mazes - and these articles were a godsend.

tjl 11y ago

Not exactly mazes, but there's a good talk on generating dungeon-like levels for a rogue-like in Python from PyCon 2014, http://pyvideo.org/video/2582/castle-anthrax-dungeon-generation-techniques http://pyvideo.org/video/2582/castle-anthrax-dungeon-generat...

zevyoura 11y ago

The article "Visualizing Algorithms" by Mike Bostock has a fantastic section on mazes: http://bost.ocks.org/mike/algorithms/#maze-generation http://bost.ocks.org/mike/algorithms/#maze-generation

lomnakkus 11y ago

Somewhat off-topic comment from my experience in the Roguelike community: If you're a game designer, PLEASE DON'T PUT MAZES IN YOUR GAME! (It's a terrible crutch and doesn't make the game any more interesting or challenging. The _ONLY_ exception I know of is the Baldur's Gate: ToB/Watcher's Keep maze level. That is deterministic and actually pretty well-planned out wrt. the no-magic vs. magic-allowed zones.Try it as a Sorcerer, I challenge you!) That doesn't mean that programming a maze-generator isn't fun... just don't put in the final game.

allworknoplay 11y ago
The Modron Cube in Planescape: Torment was brilliant. Great place to level up and a ridiculously entertaining story.

ape4 11y ago

Just realized that a maze in a corn field is a maize maze. (Shower thoughts?)

danjc 11y ago
http://www.honeydewmazes.co.za http://www.honeydewmazes.co.za