I play games, fun games. Sometimes a casual thing to get my brain a whirrin', sometimes a game like TLOZ (or GoW for you FPS types) that gets me to having grandiose ideas. Grandiose ideas can be bad, but they can also get you to work. Also, sometimes I just work on another project or start a new one, or take a break from the computer altogether. Read a book.
Also, try this. Write down a random word on a piece of paper. Then write down three related words. Then start thinking of ways to turn that into an interesting gameplay mechanic. Don't worry about characters or story, just gameplay. Never done that, but in theory it could work.
So basically, take a break and don't think about it. Not working on a project but thinking about how you should be has the same exhaustive powers as actually working on it. Take a break!
I also think creatively in other venues to help loosen up my brain. Make a goofy movie or write a short story or paint/draw something. I could go on with many ideas, but I usually come up with something new every time, so I'd be here a while.
I never run out of game ideas. I think most people are the same way.
TV and books give plenty of ideas. Had the idea of my Combatant game from watching martial arts movies while studying for physics.
Chaos Wave - got the idea of colors wiping out each other by looking at a blank (white) frame and trying to draw some things. Bad implementation, though.
I think playing games to get ideas is a rather bad idea. I'd rather get the plot or whatever for TV, then play some games to find a way to turn them into games.
Edited by Muz
Disclaimer: Any sarcasm in my posts will not be mentioned as that would ruin the purpose. It is assumed that the reader is intelligent enough to tell the difference between what is sarcasm and what is not.
I usually come up with some bizarre idea like when i say bizarre i mean waaaaaay out there. Then I try and bring it back a bit to make it less bizarre but keeping the same kind of idea. Or i take references to pop culture and make it into game ideas.
Delve deep into game design theory and you'll find there's just no stopping the ideas. Think about the games you love, and what makes them great, and how you'd love to re-create that greatness without it being anything like those games. Think where you can apply different game mechanics to different themes and ideas.
OR, look at anything completely unrelated to video games or any kind of popular media. Personally, I like finding out about nature and history, or any other awe-inspiring information about our world. Just learn about something. Anything.
Try and turn anything into a game design. Anything you see or hear about or do.
Watch and play and read anything truly classic and timeless. I recently watched Sleeping Beauty, instant inspiration, I love it. Then I had to watch pretty much all the other early Disney films, and now I have so much greatness ready to be somehow worked into a game design I don't know what to do with it.
I don't know what else to do with this post, but there's so much out there ready to be shoved into a video game, you can't possibly be running out of ideas
I agree with Muz partly--don't get your ideas from video games. Just play them to motivate you. "Hey, one day I could have something like this published." That said, I think getting ideas from TV is the same thing. As long as the idea doesn't copy off of another, it doesn't matter where you get it. There are a bajoodle of game ideas in your head, you just don't realize it because you're worried about being lazy, apparently. Take a break and they'll come!
I tend to come up with ideas when entering competitions, and carry them further into proper games, like Lilykin. Or I come up with a character design I like and make a game based around that character (although 98% of those ideas have been abandoned )
Originally Posted by -Adam- I tend to come up with ideas when entering competitions, and carry them further into proper games, like Lilykin. Or I come up with a character design I like and make a game based around that character (although 98% of those ideas have been abandoned )
That could've come from me if you changed "lilykin" to "splotches."
I could write up a creativity article if you want. It'll give me 100 DC points . it's already half done, just needs editing, because I started rambling about nothing halfway in there, lol.
Edited by Muz
Disclaimer: Any sarcasm in my posts will not be mentioned as that would ruin the purpose. It is assumed that the reader is intelligent enough to tell the difference between what is sarcasm and what is not.
Can you really write an article on creativity? :\ I always thought that was the essence of creativity, creating things spontaneously without any patterns. (Of course there ARE patterns, but very subtle ones that also work toward your favor in that people think in the same patterns, which is why they like creative things...)
I suppose you could write about writer's-block's-creative-counterpart kliker's block relief techniques. Interested to see what you have to say.
Originally Posted by OldManClayton Can you really write an article on creativity? :\ I always thought that was the essence of creativity, creating things spontaneously without any patterns. (Of course there ARE patterns, but very subtle ones that also work toward your favor in that people think in the same patterns, which is why they like creative things...)
I suppose you could write about writer's-block's-creative-counterpart kliker's block relief techniques. Interested to see what you have to say.
I had a tutor back in college who had some methods of forcing out creativity. Write down dreams, draw with your non-dominant hand and a few other methods that later turned out to be design by subtraction. Then in uni I attended a lecture where they spoke about designers who absorb what they see around them in their products, even stuff like colours and juxtaposition might come from objects seen around the desk. Random stuff like that.
So maybe try playing other games similar to what you want to make, or take a whole genre back to the drawing board (this is happening a lot recently). Think up new ways of how to deal with death in games, a new method of progressing through a game or whatever.
Well I suppose where I thought wrong was that it was intuitive for everyone to soak up what you're around and observe. Oh course, things like writing down dreams and drawing with your non-dominant hand are nice tricks, so I guess there are certain techniques. In fact, just the other day I had an idea for a logo because I was trying to write my name with my right hand and got frustrated and made a cool-looking scribble.
Poobical Has some jaffa cakes in his coat pocket 3
Registered 27/11/2008
Points 54
17th April, 2009 at 21:24:02 -
For story plots and the whole backing behind games, I often tend to get a little hyper/drunk/calm and randomly talk to my friends. I mean me and my good ol' friend Mikey were talking about inflatable baboons and Rockets Propelled Ducks, which in turn has now been included in my Poob game.
Also the idea about writing down dreams, is a technique I use, because sometimes you can come up with some really weird ideas that seem new. Even though they might turn out not to work, it's still best to give them ago.
Or sometimes taking a small aspect from a game genre, like platforming and expanding it also might work. Like for example, smashing blocks, you could make a game that totally involves smashing blocks, but you got many different moves to smash blocks, and different types of blocks to smash. stuff like that might also work.
lol my two cents for the day
DaVince This fool just HAD to have a custom rating
Registered 04/09/2004
Points 7998
17th April, 2009 at 22:52:45 -
To get good game ideas you might need to be in "the mood". Don't force your thought either, or somehow evolve your train of thought from something else to a game concept.
I think you can get in the mood better when you at least have some sort of genre in mind, or when you're playing games.
Originally Posted by OldManClayton Can you really write an article on creativity? :\ I always thought that was the essence of creativity, creating things spontaneously without any patterns. (Of course there ARE patterns, but very subtle ones that also work toward your favor in that people think in the same patterns, which is why they like creative things...)
Randomness = garbage. Like that stuff on your screen when you get no reception. It is tough to write an article on creativity though
Edited by Muz
Disclaimer: Any sarcasm in my posts will not be mentioned as that would ruin the purpose. It is assumed that the reader is intelligent enough to tell the difference between what is sarcasm and what is not.
Sometimes if I find something inspiring (or I want to copy an idea cause I like it so much), you can just use that and do the very opposite to keep it more original. Such as: I love superman! So I'll make a character who is the opposite and make one who is extremely vulnerable and can't manage to help anyone.
i really dont have too many original ideas, because in my opinion there are so many games out there that could be soooo much better. i usually have a great idea when i sit down and play a game, and then think to myself, what could make this game better? games nowadays are focused so much on story and on gfx, that its like they forget that they're supposed to be making games. if they wanted to make a movie, or art, do it, but dont call it a game just because you made an interactive novel. dont get me wrong, i love a good story, and it helps the game alot, but if the game aint fun it aint fun.
That's not what I meant by spontaneous creativity. (NOTE: "(Of course there ARE patterns, but very subtle ones that also work toward your favor in that people think in the same patterns, which is why they like creative things...)") I agree that slapping together whatever comes to mind is usually awful. I meant that if you always follow a certain technique (or even shake it up and do different techniques) to think up ideas, wouldn't it start to be repetitive and not truly creative? Things like writing down dreams and stuff is fine, because it's based off of something different every time. But if you follow a pattern like, "Pick a genre and a fruit, and see if you can get them to work together" then... I dunno, it just made me think of those awful create-a-game websites where you pick either a space invaders, pac-man, or racecar movement, and then select graphics. Which of course is a gross simplification, but the idea is still there... The best creative moments are when you aren't expecting to come up with something awesome.
I don't try to find inspiration really. I just wait until it comes to me. But even then it's rarely anything profound, like a little quirk I've seen in something that might fit well into my own game.
I guess thats why my games take so damn long to make...
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Grandiose ideas can be bad, but they can also get you to work. 
Also, sometimes I just work on another project or start a new one, or take a break from the computer altogether. Read a book.
Never done that, but in theory it could work. 
I could go on with many ideas, but I usually come up with something new every time, so I'd be here a while. 
Edited by Muz
Interested to see what you have to say. 
