Maze Cube Generator

Maze Cube Generator creates random multi-dimensional mazes similar to the Oskar's Cube.

Features:

• Custom maze sizes
• Custom solution lengths
• Hyper-dimensional mazes
• Finds solutions
• STL output (3D only)
• Unfolded STL for easier 3D printing (3D Only)
• Multiple metrics to guage maze difficulty

Building

To build the maze cube generator on Linux or macOS you will first need to install an appropriate compiler (e.g., llvm, gcc, or Xcode) as well as cmake.

Once the build tools are installed, compile Maze Cube Generator with:

1. cmake .
2. make

Running

Maze Cube Generator is a command-line program with options to control its behavior. Below is a list of command-line options and their purpose.

Basic:

-d size Generate a new maze with given size (size format: l,w,h or l,w,h:options, e.g., 11,11,11 or 11,11,11:r).
-h Print usage information.
-i filename.txt Load an existing maze from filename.txt as produced by -o.
-m filename.stl Write maze as STL to filename.stl.
-f filename.stl Write flattened maze as STL to filename.stl.
-o filename.txt Write maze as text to filename.txt.
-p solution.stl Write solution as STL to solution.stl (implies -s).
-r num Seed random number generator using num.
-s Find a solution to the maze.

Advanced:

-l num Generate mazes until a solution with length ≥num is found.
-k num Generate mazes until at most num disconnected regions in maze.
-g filename.gv Writes an input file for graphviz to filename.gv.

Examples

Basic random maze generation:
$ ./mcg -r 12345 -d 11,11,11 -o output.txt
Seeds the random number generator with 12345, generates a random 11x11x11 maze and stores the results in output.txt.

Larger maze with long solution:
$ ./mcg -r 1 -d 21,21,21:o -l 70 -k 1 -m maze21.stl -o maze21.txt
Seeds the random number generate with 1, generates random 21x21x21 mazes until one with a solution of 70 or more is found and all maze positions belong to the same region. The resulting maze is then stored in maze21.stl and maze21.txt.

Maze generation with optimized start & end locations:
$ ./mcg -r 12345 -d 11,11,11:o -o optimal.txt
Seeds the random number generator with 12345, generates a random 11x11x11 maze, finds start & end points that maximize solution length, and stores the results in optimal.txt.

Solve an existing maze:
$ ./mcg -i unsolved_maze.txt -s -o solved_maze.txt
Loads a maze from unsolved_maze.txt, finds the solution, and writes the maze along with the solution to solved_maze.txt.

Write 3D model of solution:
$ ./mcg -i unsolved_maze.txt -s -p solution.stl
Loads a maze from unsolved_maze.txt, finds the solution, and writes a 3D model of the solution to solution.stl.

Write unfolded/flattened model:
$ ./mcg -i maze.txt -f maze_flat.stl
Loads a maze from maze.txt and writes a flat-pack style 3D model to maze_flat.stl for easier 3D printing.

Hyper-dimensional maze:
$ ./mcg -r 1 -d 11,11,11,11:o -s -o maze4d.txt
Generates a 4-dimensional maze with size 11x11x11x11, and writes the maze along with its solution to maze4d.txt.