How to create infinite unique creatures?

In a world filled with endless possibilities, where creativity and uniqueness reign supreme, the Peridots have arrived! From the moment we embarked on this journey, we knew that bringing these creatures to life would be no easy feat. Our team of engineers and designers faced the daunting challenge of crafting a generative system that would bring forth a limitless array of one-of-a-kind Peridots. Thus the revolutionary “Perigenetics System” was born. Join us on this exciting journey as we delve into the world of Peridot and explore the innovative technology that brings these creatures to life. Peridot is Niantic’s new and adorable AI-powered real-world adventure pet game. The groundbreaking and entirely novel pet simulation game stands out with its unique generative system known as the Perigenetics System. Players, which are called “keepers”, care for one-of-a-kind creatures called “Dots” and their journey in exploring the world together while raising them to adulthood. But what makes these Dots truly special is the way they are generated. Similar to real animals, each Dot has a set of unique “genes” that determine its appearance, and the game’s various generation algorithms use these genes as input. In this blog post, we will take a closer look at the engineering behind the Perigenetics System that makes each player’s Dot absolutely unique and special. To generate the unique Dots in the game, we employ a combination of techniques that involve 3D artists’ skills and algorithms. The process begins with a set of “base models” for the adult, teenage, and baby Dots created by the 3D artists. From there, the Perigenetics System applies different algorithms to generate textures, materials, plumage, horns, and even reshape the ears. Each Dot’s unique genes determine which algorithms are used to generate its appearance. For example, blend shapes are used for the ears, iterative extrusion for the horns, and cellular automata for some patterns. Although none of these algorithms are as advanced as the game’s AR technology, they work together to create a special experience for players. Are you curious to learn more how we created Perigenetics System? Check out this article - https://nianticlabs.com/news/engineering-peridot-the-generative-system?hl=en