Great article on creative games

Kingzjester · 04-04-2004, 12:44 PM

Over at Gamasutra. It requires a lenghty registration, but I figure most of you are already registred. If you ain't then you don't matter, get the fuck out of my sight.

Here's the conclusion of that short but worthwhile article:

Quote:

It's a truism of the game industry that ideas are a dime a dozen--everybody's got a brilliant game idea, and no publisher or developer will pay you for an idea alone. Execution, not innovation, matters most if you want to get your game published.

And yet... in spite of the vast number of ideas swirling around, we do see an awful lot of them over and over again. The same gameplay mechanics. The same plots. The same victory conditions: drive the fastest, shoot the best, accumulate the most. I've never heard of a game in which the object was to die in glory, or to soothe the troubles of the mentally ill. That's one of the reasons that giving these design workshops is such fun. I find it exhilarating and inspiring. And I really hope, for the sake of the industry and even the medium itself, that some of the people I've taught can get into the business and bring some of these ideas to life.

Skunk in the Star Wars universe with an ice level? Anyone?

remixor · 04-04-2004, 02:30 PM

There are definitely some fascinating ideas in there. I really liked "Be a Viking" in particular. Also, someone should tip the author of the article off to Fate of Atlantis--the narrative system he describes in "Corporate Camera" which he says he's never seem before was done in FOA 12 years ago.

My assumption (I could be wrong) is that the people who end up being game designers started out as programmers, which makes sense because they'll have a good understanding of the mechanics involved in game development (likewise, it's useful for a symphonic composer to have at least some basic experience with all the different instruments used in the ensemble). However, I'd think that this arrangement might be kind of limiting, since in most cases designers are only drawn from one main field of experience. Obviously the workshops that the guy speaks about in the article weren't attended purely by programmers, and yet some great ideas were still produced. I think the industry could definitely be improved in some way by people from other walks of life breaking into design roles (I know this has happened with some adventure games, recently with people like Sokal, and I'm sure it's happened before, but it's not widespread by any means) and bringing ideas to the table a programmer may not have necessarily conceived.

Ninja Dodo · 04-04-2004, 03:12 PM

I actually went to one of Adams' workshops. We were split into different groups and ours got the Being a Child assignment. Obviously I deeply resent that our idea didn't get mentioned.

It was quite different from the practical joke one actually, I can tell a bit about it if you like.

Anyway if you ever have a chance, I totally recommend going to his workshop. It's excellent!

remixor · 04-04-2004, 03:22 PM

I've never been to one of his workshops but during GDC Marek and I attended a lecture of his, at Marek's insistence, entitled "The Philosophical Roots of Computer Game Design". It was excellent, and Adams is definitely a great speaker. I'd love to participate in one of his workshops. Ninja Dodo, where and when was the workshop you attended?

Ninja Dodo · 04-04-2004, 03:29 PM

It was at Teesside university in Middlesbrough, UK... which is where I study. He was invited over in early january and he came back later that month to give a lecture about games as an art form at the Animex festival.

Apparently Chris Crawford is going to drop by next year and Ed Hooks, who is awesome, is at Animex every year... not to mention the amazing animators ranging from Pixar to Ray Harryhausen that come to Teesside for the festival.

The Games section of Animex is still in its infancy but it is rocking already and is going to keep on rocking even more...

Did I say Animex rocks?

***Marek*** · 04-05-2004, 02:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by remixor

It was excellent, and Adams is definitely a great speaker.

It was much more serious in tone than what I had previously seen of him, but he managed to keep hold of my attention from beginning to end. It's amazing how he can end his lecture with the words "thus endeth the lesson" and not come accross as a complete asshole. I agreed with everything he said, and it was definitely one of the highlights of the GDC.

04-04-2004, 02:30 PM	#2
remixor A search for a crazy man! Last Online: 10-23-2007 06:30 AM Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: San Francisco, CA Posts: 3,987	There are definitely some fascinating ideas in there. I really liked "Be a Viking" in particular. Also, someone should tip the author of the article off to Fate of Atlantis--the narrative system he describes in "Corporate Camera" which he says he's never seem before was done in FOA 12 years ago. My assumption (I could be wrong) is that the people who end up being game designers started out as programmers, which makes sense because they'll have a good understanding of the mechanics involved in game development (likewise, it's useful for a symphonic composer to have at least some basic experience with all the different instruments used in the ensemble). However, I'd think that this arrangement might be kind of limiting, since in most cases designers are only drawn from one main field of experience. Obviously the workshops that the guy speaks about in the article weren't attended purely by programmers, and yet some great ideas were still produced. I think the industry could definitely be improved in some way by people from other walks of life breaking into design roles (I know this has happened with some adventure games, recently with people like Sokal, and I'm sure it's happened before, but it's not widespread by any means) and bringing ideas to the table a programmer may not have necessarily conceived. __________________ Chris "News Editor" Remo Some sort of Writer or Editor or Something, Idle Thumbs "Some comparisons are a little less obvious. I always think of Grim Fandango as Casablanca on acid." - Will Wright

04-04-2004, 03:22 PM	#4
remixor A search for a crazy man! Last Online: 10-23-2007 06:30 AM Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: San Francisco, CA Posts: 3,987	I've never been to one of his workshops but during GDC Marek and I attended a lecture of his, at Marek's insistence, entitled "The Philosophical Roots of Computer Game Design". It was excellent, and Adams is definitely a great speaker. I'd love to participate in one of his workshops. Ninja Dodo, where and when was the workshop you attended? __________________ Chris "News Editor" Remo Some sort of Writer or Editor or Something, Idle Thumbs "Some comparisons are a little less obvious. I always think of Grim Fandango as Casablanca on acid." - Will Wright

04-04-2004, 03:12 PM	#3
Ninja Dodo Senior Member Last Online: 10-05-2022 07:25 AM Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 2,459	I actually went to one of Adams' workshops. We were split into different groups and ours got the Being a Child assignment. Obviously I deeply resent that our idea didn't get mentioned. It was quite different from the practical joke one actually, I can tell a bit about it if you like. Anyway if you ever have a chance, I totally recommend going to his workshop. It's excellent!

04-04-2004, 03:29 PM	#5
Ninja Dodo Senior Member Last Online: 10-05-2022 07:25 AM Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 2,459	It was at Teesside university in Middlesbrough, UK... which is where I study. He was invited over in early january and he came back later that month to give a lecture about games as an art form at the Animex festival. Apparently Chris Crawford is going to drop by next year and Ed Hooks, who is awesome, is at Animex every year... not to mention the amazing animators ranging from Pixar to Ray Harryhausen that come to Teesside for the festival. The Games section of Animex is still in its infancy but it is rocking already and is going to keep on rocking even more... Did I say Animex rocks?