RORock Paper Shotgun
"I was chomping at the bit to crack the code": How procedural maps became XCOM 2's biggest ambition, after Firaxis couldn't manage it in Enemy Unknown
Firaxis Games initially struggled with procedural map generation for XCOM: Enemy Unknown, opting for handcrafted levels to ensure quality. For XCOM 2, the team prioritized cracking procedural generation, developing a 'plot and parcel' system to create varied and believable maps across different environments. Key figures like Garth DeAngelis, Jake Solomon, Greg Foertsch, and Brian Hess were instrumental in overcoming the technical and design challenges.
