Consider that there isn’t a NEW concepts, solely totally different mixtures of previous concepts.

Make numerous video games

The finest technique to get actually good concepts — concepts that may change into nice video games — is to make numerous video games. You ought to brainstorm up numerous stuff and make prototypes. You won’t make good video games with out numerous making an attempt issues and failing with some and iterating on what works. World of Goo and Crayon Physics each began out as small, fast prototypes (unsure about Gish).

Prototype

Prototyping permits you the liberty to check out wild concepts, determine learn how to make them shine or determine that they do not work, and never spend years of your life doing it. The years of your life come when it is time to make an actual sport.

Prototypes are available varied kinds. The two massive ones I see rather a lot are fast and soiled videogame prototypes and paper (or boardgame) prototypes. Do the only, smallest factor attainable and make that. See whether or not it really works and what wants to alter. Iterate. Then go and do the identical train with a brand new thought. Eventually, you may have a prototype that you simply MUST MAKE: one thing you’re feeling actually strongly about.

Make that.

Keep in thoughts {that a} prototype needn’t be a vertical slice of the whole expertise. More seemingly it’s just a few easy facet of an unpolished product, like some new mechanic that must be proved to be possible and enjoyable. Therefore, the time to prototype an thought can simply vary between an hour and a month relying on the complexity of the concept and the talents and instruments you possibly can leverage to get it carried out.

As a reference,
Kloonigames — Experimental Games, from Petri Purho, the creator of Crayon Physics, was “the experimental month-to-month sport undertaking”. The initiatives all the time used SDL+box2D, all the time just some hours/days. It finally created World Of Goo.

Work with different individuals

Most thought era strategies might be carried out by your self, or with a gaggle. When in a gaggle (even when “group” means “you and a accomplice”) you’ve the chance to feed off one another, and give you extra distinctive concepts due to the totally different views. Don’t underestimate different individuals, even “non-creatives” can have nice concepts.

Observe the world round you

One casual method is to watch the world round you. Watch the type of objects and interactions you’ve day-after-day. See what makes individuals glad or what captivates them. Is there any method that can be utilized as the premise of a sport? Or are you able to add it to an present sport in a method that makes one thing new? Mull it over, strive taking part in a mini prototype in your head. If it does not have potential, transfer on. If it does, make an actual prototype.

Spend quite a lot of time pondering and observing. Eventually you’ll have quite a lot of concepts that are not adequate and a few which might be.

E.g. Shigeru Miyamoto has bought his inspiration for Pikmin from watching ants.

Hit Wikipedia’s or a dictionary random web page

An answer is to hit the random web page hyperlink on Wikipedia or choose a random phrase from a dictionary just a few dozen instances till you discover some amusing matters after which construct one thing from that.

Another strategy with that is to attempt to give you 10 unhealthy sport concepts for that subject. Usually after 5-8 unhealthy concepts you’ll have a extremely good one. Then attempt to implement the essence of that concept over 2 or 3 days, setting a strict deadline earlier than you begin. Toss the consequence away and do it once more. From there on it is simply execution…

Turn off the pc, go away house

Some take their inspiration from issues fully unrelated to video games. It’s higher to exit and do stuff: journey, watch films, learn novels, do sport, simply stroll round downtown, etcetera. E.g. Shigeru Miyamoto‘s inspiration for Legend of Zelda was when he used to play within the woods as a child.

Carry a pocket book and a pen

For some, the most effective concepts come when they aren’t making an attempt to consider them: within the bathe, whereas commuting to work, having a pleasant stroll within the park, or when sleeping. Always have a pocket book and a pen with you, wherever you go, no matter you do. Then while you’re sitting again in entrance of the pc the concepts will likely be there with you in your pocket book.

Attend sport jams

Taking half in sport jams and collaborating in actions like The Experimental Gameplay Project may also help: typically inserting restrictions in your design or constructing a sport round a theme will yield some attention-grabbing concepts. How would a sport about candles play? What would a sport wherein you could possibly solely use black and white seem like? How are you able to exploit that restriction when it comes to a sport mechanic?

Take sport design lessons, learn sport design books/articles

Many universities supply lessons in sport design (although be certain they’re actually educating what you wish to be taught, because the time period is misused rather a lot).

Improve features of a sport you want

Many extremely profitable video games are merely refinements of earlier video games, determining what makes gamers take pleasure in a sure playstyle after which enhancing or offering higher gameplay. WoW is a good instance, taking cues from earlier MMOs and tweaking issues for the “widespread” gamer, and even informal avid gamers.

WoW took from Everquest, which enhanced concepts from MUDs, which had been taken from journey video games blended with old style paper and pencil Dungeons and Dragons which took from J.R.R. Tolkein. Basically, all of the previous issues are new once more in the appropriate arms.

Take an thought or two that you simply like from video games and take into consideration the method that may make a sport higher that might use these concepts. Plot out what a participant would do with a view to begin taking part in the sport, and what sorts of issues can be enjoyable for a participant to do. Many new designers merely take concepts and steal them immediately, not giving a lot thought to what the participant is meant to try this differentiates their sport, or why they need to be enjoyable. In order to face out, you should enhance on the gameplay that you simply determine is a part of the core enjoyable.

Other thought era strategies

This also called Ideation:

• Brain-storming classes
• Mindmapping
• Problem Solving
• Metaphorical Thinking
• Thinking Hats / Ego Alter
• SCAMPER
• Using Random Media To Stimulate Thoughts
• Forced Associations
• Changing Perspective Or Place
• Collaborative
• Experimentation
• Vision Circle
• Just preserve taking part in video games of every kind

Also see

Words of warning

• For some, the extra time they spend in entrance of their pc, the much less inventive they change into.
• Taking inspiration from video games can result in solely consider by-product clones of these video games, harming creativity.