# Tools for Landscape Analysis of Optimisation Problems in Procedural Content Generation for Games

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2302.08479 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2302.08479/

## Key facts

- Cited by 2 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- Builds on 10 of its 75 references that are in the map.
- First posted on arXiv 16 Feb 2023.

## Builds on (most cited first, 10 of 10)

- [COCO: A Platform for Comparing Continuous Optimizers in a Black-Box Setting](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1603.08785/) (2016)
- [Automated Algorithm Selection: Survey and Perspectives](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1811.11597/) (2018)
- [Evolving Mario Levels in the Latent Space of a Deep Convolutional Generative Adversarial Network](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1805.00728/) (2018)
- [The VGLC: The Video Game Level Corpus](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1606.07487/) (2016)
- [Benchmarking in Optimization: Best Practice and Open Issues](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2007.03488/) (2020)
- [Automated Algorithm Selection on Continuous Black-Box Problems By Combining Exploratory Landscape Analysis and Machine Learning](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1711.08921/) (2017)
- [Comprehensive Feature-Based Landscape Analysis of Continuous and Constrained Optimization Problems Using the R-Package flacco](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1708.05258/) (2017)
- [Landscape-Aware Fixed-Budget Performance Regression and Algorithm Selection for Modular CMA-ES Variants](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2006.09855/) (2020)
- [HPO X ELA: Investigating Hyperparameter Optimization Landscapes by Means of Exploratory Landscape Analysis](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2208.00220/) (2022)
- [Mario Plays on a Manifold: Generating Functional Content in Latent Space through Differential Geometry](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2206.00106/) (2022)

## Built on by (most cited first, 2 of 2)

- [Deep-ELA: Deep Exploratory Landscape Analysis with Self-Supervised Pretrained Transformers for Single- and Multi-Objective Continuous Optimization Problems](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2401.01192/) (2024)
- [A modular framework for automated evaluation of procedural content generation in serious games with deep reinforcement learning agents](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2505.16801/) (2025)

## Abstract (arXiv)

The term Procedural Content Generation (PCG) refers to the (semi-)automatic generation of game content by algorithmic means, and its methods are becoming increasingly popular in game-oriented research and industry. A special class of these methods, which is commonly known as search-based PCG, treats the given task as an optimisation problem. Such problems are predominantly tackled by evolutionary algorithms. We will demonstrate in this paper that obtaining more information about the defined optimisation problem can substantially improve our understanding of how to approach the generation of content. To do so, we present and discuss three efficient analysis tools, namely diagonal walks, the estimation of high-level properties, as well as problem similarity measures. We discuss the purpose of each of the considered methods in the context of PCG and provide guidelines for the interpretation of the results received. This way we aim to provide methods for the comparison of PCG approaches and eventually, increase the quality and practicality of generated content in industry.