You have the skill to program and the talent to draw, but can''t think of a good game idea? It looks like its all been done and there is no more room left for originality. Honestly, I can''t think of an all original idea that would actually work. I have base codes for an FPS, RGP and an RTS but none of them have gone anywhere. Anyone wanna give me a good idea, or some sort of starting position to thinking up good ideas. Dont want to join a team, considered it though. Thanks a lot in advance

I''m willing to bet that anyone one here who reckons they have a new and original idea may be a little wary about sharing it, myself included. However, I appreciate where your coming from so I''ll see if I can help in an indirect kind of way.

I can already see one reason you are having difficulty and that is because you are looking at genres first. Instead of thinking of a game type (FPS, RPG etc) and then moulding a game idea around it, start thinking more abstract. What do you consider to be fun - shooting things, throwing things, avoiding things etc. Start with the fun, then add the game and not the other way round.

Secondly,actively seek inspiration from anything but games. Chances are when you look to a game for an idea all you can think of is what is already present. Try reading the blurb on some books, watch animations (roadrunner cartoons). Take your lead from aything but a game, otherwise you will end up apeing that game which is not what makes an original idea.

These two points go hand in hand and although not they are not direct assistance, I hope they help.

m_wherrett-

That is very insightful and I would agree that that is your best option particleG. I have been trying to rack my brain for new ideas but I have not as yet thought of anything truly original. I think the best thing to do is just dream your perfect game, wipe away any current thoughts you have of what you can and can''t do with 3d graphics, AI etc and just dream for a while. You may find a idea pop into your head, and you can spend the next 10 years working out how to implement it (or just wait until PC''s are fast enough to do it).

Doolwind

Thank you, that is very good advice. Didn''t think of that.

Not thinking of programming is very hard when trying to think of a new game idea, for me atleast. Every time I think of combat an AI system pops into my head, every time I think of a scene the idea to use pixel/vertex shaders for some effects are already in my mind. The programming is never a problem for me, the idea is.

I will use your advice on looking at things more abstract, thank you very much for it.


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You can try what I do alot. If I see or experience something that grabs my interest and gives me reason to think, I start thinking about how it could be done into a game.

My most recent (this morning actually ) I had recently watched ''We Were Soldiers'' this past weekend for the forth or so time and happened across one of the threads on these forums about ''RTS vs. Turn Based Strategy''. Coupling this with another post at the garagegames forums, one which I helped to flesh out might I add (resulting in an agreement about Co-op games being a good area to head into...), I got smacked with the idea here...

What if your team and the opposing team (one the ''home'' team) was limited only by how much men they had to fight a battle with (like in the movie mentioned)? Players could ''land'' or be sent out to the designated battlezone in order to provide support on their side of the battle. All players fight the battle within their ranks but they also have the choice to disobey orders. Players who last longer gain more support, but not above their limit of supply -
You kill off a couple dozen and gain group leader position above a dozen guys... you hold your position well, gain another dozen... the enemy pours on the heat and starts wiping your men out and in the chaos you get pinged in the head.. so you died.. now your a different soldier onboard the next chopper in.. and it goes from there untill either team is wiped out

Game wise it could be ideal for a Team Based FPS Battleground Strategy game set in realtime, possibly MMO if it turned out to be logical to implement (at least it would be more entertaining) but if not then limited to like 100 players and the rest some decent AI.

This is the simple, snap ideas I live by

Take it or leave it, it''s your call (mention me if you use it is all I''d care for really, I''m using something similar in my MMORTS/FPS game already, this is just focused more on the FPS part but on a broader player scale ). Or better yet, find something you can reflect on (maybe AI? ).

Good luck and I hope you appreciate my help

- Christopher Dapo ~ Ronixus

I like your idea Ronixus, kind of a new take on the multiplayer FPS''s. Not sure how many of your team mates would actually listen to you as a leader. In most games people just do their own thing with little communication with the rest of the team. If you take DoD for example, they have hand-signals but how many people actually use them?

Not sure if I will use your idea (not directly atleast), but if I do use any part of it then credit will be given where credit is due.

thank you all

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