Game Developer: Populating the City-Builder of the Future: Character Diversity in Cities: Skylines II with Popul8

This is an overview of the Game Developer blog piece we wrote last month, you can find the full article here.

As cities continue to grow and diversify, so too must the virtual worlds we create in our games. The latest installment in the beloved city-building franchise, Cities: Skylines II, takes a significant leap forward in representing this diversity, thanks to the advanced character creation technology from Didimo's Popul8.

The Challenge of Character Diversity

Creating a vibrant, realistic cityscape requires more than just well-designed buildings and infrastructure. The characters that populate these cities must reflect the wide array of individuals we see in real life, each with unique features, styles, and movements. Traditional methods of character creation, however, often fall short due to their time-consuming and resource-intensive nature.

This is where Popul8 comes into play. By automating much of the character creation process, Popul8 allows developers to generate thousands of unique, high-quality characters quickly and efficiently, ensuring that every NPC (non-player character) adds to the richness of the game world.

Popul8’s Revolutionary Approach

Popul8 leverages state-of-the-art technology to streamline character creation. Here’s how it works:

1. Base Template Generation: Developers start with a base template, which can be customized with various shapes and features. This template serves as the foundation for all characters.
2. Automated Variation: Using advanced algorithms, Popul8 can create a wide array of characters by adjusting facial geometry, skin textures, body shapes, and more. This includes the ability to simulate different ages, ethnicities, and body types​​​​.
3. Texture Atlasing: To optimize memory usage and ensure smooth performance, Popul8 employs texture atlasing. This technique consolidates multiple texture overlays into a single atlas, reducing the number of draw calls and significantly improving rendering efficiency​​.
4. Animation Retargeting: Popul8 can retarget animations to fit any character, regardless of their specific shape or size. This ensures that all characters move naturally and consistently within the game world​​.

Impact on Cities: Skylines II

The integration of Popul8 into Cities: Skylines II has been transformative. Here are some key benefits observed:

• Enhanced Diversity: With Popul8, the game features a vast array of unique characters, each contributing to the city’s dynamic and realistic atmosphere. Players encounter a truly diverse population, from different ethnic backgrounds to varying ages and body types​​​​.
• Optimized Performance: Despite the increased character diversity, Popul8’s memory optimization techniques ensure that the game runs smoothly even with thousands of characters on screen. This balance of high-quality visuals and performance is crucial for maintaining an immersive gaming experience​​​​.
• Creative Flexibility: Developers have more creative freedom to design characters that fit the specific aesthetic and narrative needs of the game. Popul8’s robust toolset allows for extensive customization, ensuring that every character aligns with the game’s artistic vision​​​​.

Looking Ahead

The success of Popul8 in Cities: Skylines II marks a significant milestone in game development. As more studios adopt this technology, we can expect to see even richer, more immersive game worlds where character diversity is not just an afterthought but a core element of the player experience.

For developers and players alike, Popul8 represents a new standard in character creation, one that marries efficiency with creativity, ensuring that the cities we build, whether virtual or real, are as diverse and vibrant as the people who inhabit them.

Feel free to reach out to our team for a demo or to discuss how Popul8 can be integrated into your next project.