Procedural Generation -- Design Translation Patterns

Prerequisite skills: unity-3d-math (noise math, spatial operations), unity-data-driven (ScriptableObject configs for generation parameters), unity-editor-tools (preview tooling, custom inspectors)

These patterns address the most common procedural generation failure: Claude generates procedural content with hardcoded algorithms and no designer control. The result works once but cannot be tuned, previewed, or constrained. Designers need knobs, constraints, and preview tools -- not just algorithm code. Every generation system should expose its parameters as ScriptableObject configs, support seed-based reproducibility, and provide editor previews.

PATTERN 1: Noise-Based Generation

DESIGN INTENT: Designers want natural-feeling terrain ("rolling hills with occasional mountains") or placement ("dense forests with clearings"). They need to tune the character of randomness without touching code.

WRONG:

// Hardcoded single octave, no designer control, no reproducibility
float height = Mathf.PerlinNoise(x * 0.1f, y * 0.1f) * 10f;
terrain.SetHeight(x, y, height);