Creativity!

[scarlettina]

For weeks I've felt as though I was a cork trying to pop. I've been contemplating novel ideas and whining about being intimidated by the prospect of research.

Well, this morning, I woke up with the rudimentary design for a game in my head: concept, pieces, strategies, win conditions. (I've been hanging around with people like the_monkey_king and webcowgirl too long, I suspect.) Now, I'm not a game designer, I know it, and I never had any pretentions of trying to be. Most of the best game designers I know (and I know quite a few) have some engineering background, aren't afraid of numbers, and are far cleverer than the average bear. But the more I look at this idea, the more I think it just might work. Of course, this is probably the illusion of a neophyte; it's the very rare first-time author who gets it right. But ever anxious to prove my worth, I already find myself thinking about designing a board and gathering friends to test the idea.

Part of me hopes they'll indulge me. Part of me hopes they'll look at the idea and gently tell me not to quit my day job.

Comments

[shadowdaddy.livejournal.com]

I'll playtest, no problemo. You won't get it right the first time, if you accept that right off the bat then the whole process will be easier. But you make it, we play it, you make it different, then we play it again. Rinse and repeat. Sounds like fun!

[scarlettina.livejournal.com]

You're on the list!

[mysticalforest.livejournal.com]

And there're lots of ways to produce and distribute your game on the cheap, too. Just look at Cheap Ass Games.

[scarlettina.livejournal.com]

Slow down, man! ::grin:: Produce and distribute? Gee, lemme finish...hell, let me start developing it first!

In all seriousness, just like any overeager beginner, I went right to that place where the game is produced in four-color art with fancy custom pieces and is an Earth-shattering success. (That came over breakfast while I was writing up the basic idea.) Then I scaled back my thoughts and went to the Cheapass model. (That came as I exited onto I-5 on my way to work.) Then I scaled back my vision even more and went to a game I share with my friends. (That came as I exited 520 into Bellevue.) That's the place for me to start. If I set up expectations even as big as an inexpensive black-and-white game for sale and distribution, I just know I'll sabotage myself.

[mysticalforest.livejournal.com]

Proto it up with glossy paper out of your inkjet printer and use pieces from other games.

Then share it with your friends.

Then have your missiliers turn their keys on the project, so to speak. :)

[shadowdaddy.livejournal.com]

right...you want to know how it plays first!

we playtested something maybe a year ago that was largely laminated colored paper. Durable and cheap. Steal tokens from some other game, or do the cheapass thing of using pennies or whatever. You want to make sure the skeleton can support the skin!

FUN FUN FUN FUN FUN FUN!

[webcowgirl.livejournal.com]

Get your ideas right and the pieces are the least of your worries. It's amazing how cheap you can get and what can do the job right. I'd love to talk about this with you!

[the-monkey-king.livejournal.com]

Good for you! I suspect you've been around game designers long enough to have picked up rather a few tricks.

I'd love to see it when it's ready to playtest.

[scarlettina.livejournal.com]

So would I! ::grin::