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[cormack12]

Written source: https://open.substack.com/pub/aiandgames/p/how-manhattan-is-built-using-procedural
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[00:00] Intro
[01:08] Spider-Man's Manhattan
[04:19] Tiles for Miles
[06:30] Procedural Workflow
[09:45] Supporting Web-swinging
[12:43] City That Never Sleeps
[16:45] Closing

Plus they subsequently rebuilt portions of the same map for 2020's Spider-Man: Miles Morales, both to reflect changes to the city that had occurred courtesy of the previous games narrative, but also redecorating it to fit the winter weather and the holiday theme. Not to mention the expansion of the map for 2023's Spider-Man 2. All of this dictated that the team needed some sort of automation to speed up the process.

 

[SlimySnake]

I think the secret sauce is that they reused the same city for Spiderman 2018, Spiderman Miles and Spiderman 2 with only a few changes. Compare it to Horizon FW and other open world games with other cities and its largely the same exact map.

 

[MAX PAYMENT]

I think the secret sauce is that they reused the same city for Spiderman 2018, Spiderman Miles and Spiderman 2 with only a few changes. Compare it to Horizon FW and other open world games with other cities and its largely the same exact map.

Nailed it.

 

[Porticus]

Wow a procedural open world in 2024, what a surprise.

 

[mitch1971]

That was enjoyable. Thanks.

 

[mitch1971]

Wow a procedural open world in 2024, what a surprise.

Its not a procedural open world. The map was made using procedurally based methods, but the open world in the game is the final result of that.

 

[DaGwaphics]

I think the secret sauce is that they reused the same city for Spiderman 2018, Spiderman Miles and Spiderman 2 with only a few changes. Compare it to Horizon FW and other open world games with other cities and its largely the same exact map.

Isn't there like $100m of upgrades between Spiderman and Spiderman 2?

 

[shamoomoo]

I think the secret sauce is that they reused the same city for Spiderman 2018, Spiderman Miles and Spiderman 2 with only a few changes. Compare it to Horizon FW and other open world games with other cities and its largely the same exact map.

Do cities change significantly in a few years? It's unreasonable to redesign NY if most of the buildings are decent enough looking.

 

[Panajev2001a]

I think the secret sauce is that they reused the same city for Spiderman 2018, Spiderman Miles and Spiderman 2 with only a few changes. Compare it to Horizon FW and other open world games with other cities and its largely the same exact map.

I think you are being unfair here to Insomniac, there were lots of nips and tucks in Spider-man 2 and Miles Morales (the new neighbourhood winter / Xmas coat added to Miles Morales for one, improvements to most buildings textures and models for the full sequel, etc… let alone full RT in all modes and across many more objects including large bodies of water and each customised time of day lighting) that take time.

 

[Porticus]

Its not a procedural open world. The map was made using procedurally based methods, but the open world in the game is the final result of that.

Wtf that even means, is still procedural but not on runtime.

 

[nowhat]

This is news? There are a few GDC talks covering the topic that have been released years ago.





(the latter is about the tech in the first game in general - also includes what happened with "puddlegate" in the q/a part in the end)