num_pages: 275
description: Unlock the secrets to creating random mazes! Whether you're a game developer an algorithm connoisseur or simply in search of a new puzzle you're about to level up. Learn algorithms to randomly generate mazes in a variety of shapes sizes and dimensions. Bend them into Moebius strips fold them into cubes and wrap them around spheres. Stretch them into other dimensions squeeze them into arbitrary outlines and tile them in a dizzying variety of ways. From twelve little algorithms you'll discover a vast reservoir of ideas and inspiration.From video games to movies mazes are ubiquitous. Explore a dozen algorithms for generating these puzzles randomly from Binary Tree to Eller's each copiously illustrated and accompanied by working implementations in Ruby. You'll learn their pros and cons and how to choose the right one for the job.You'll start by learning six maze algorithms and transition from making mazes on paper to writing programs that generate and draw them. You'll be introduced to Dijkstra's algorithm and see how it can help solve analyze and visualize mazes. Part 2 shows you how to constrain your mazes to different shapes and outlines such as text circles hex and triangle grids and more. You'll learn techniques for culling dead-ends and for making your passages weave over and under each other. Part 3 looks at six more algorithms taking it all to the next level. You'll learn how to build your mazes in multiple dimensions and even on curved surfaces.Through it all you'll discover yourself brimming with ideas the best medicine for programmer's block burn-out and the grayest of days. By the time you're done you'll be energized and full of maze-related possibilities!What You Need:The example code requires version 2 of the Ruby programming language. Some examples depend on the ChunkyPNG library to generate PNG images and one chapter uses POV-Ray version 3.7 to render 3D graphics.
language: English
title: Mazes for Programmers: Code Your Own Twisty Little Passages
publisher: Pragmatic Bookshelf