A game idea should be a GAME idea If you have an idea for a game, ask yourself this (weird) question: why should it be a game? It may sound awesome, but wouldn’t it work better as a book? A film? Anything else? There should be a clear reason why games is the best medium for it. Is the fact that a player […]
Ideas are mostly worthless “What you think is a great idea, almost certainly isn’t and likely has been thought of a hundred times and more. Ideas don’t sell, GAMES sell – no one will buy your idea. No one will make your game for you – they want to make THEIR games. Most game players think they have ideas […]
Bad ideas are new ideas Bad ideas are ideas you probably didn’t think of. They may take a turn, a way of thinking, you didn’t even dare of taking. Therefore interesting developments can be made from them.
The more ideas you have, the better you see the value in each one When you’re trying to solve a problem, don’t stop at the first solution you find. Try to think of more and you’ll better see the pros and cons for each. You may find some cons you didn’t know your first solution had. And even if it still turns out as best, you’ll have a better […]
Fresh ideas are not always the best ideas (although they may seem like at the time) Basically, don’t immediately start working on a ‘big’ idea you just had. Sleep over it and start comparing it with other ideas to see where its value lies. Sometimes you can be so excited about a ‘perfect’ new idea or solution that you don’t see its shortcomings. Remember, design should not only be judged by the […]
A starting idea doesn’t define the game Essentially, an idea for a game is just a vague starting point that gives rise to many more questions. Answering these questions, deciding what the game is, and isn’t, is a big part of what a designer will do during development.
Execution is what matters Execution is what gives an idea value, it can make even mediocre ideas shine. So don’t get stuck thinking about the perfect idea, ideas are pretty much worthless. Move on to make a prototype and learn how to execute. The better you get at that, the better you get at making games. Example: A game where […]
Look everywhere for ideas or solutions Sometimes you’re so wound up in your own game, you forget to look at others for possible ideas or solutions. Not every design problem is as unique as you might think, don’t reinvent the wheel when you don’t have to. Look at other games and how they solved it, ask for advise, watch game breakdown […]