I am going to agree with T.S on this one. It is absolutely required to have a goal in mind when you start a story. If you put a story together that was just whatever popped into your mind then your goal would be just that, a random story. If that is your aim it is something you should take ownership of and exploit in your tale. I have never read a novel that had no point. I have read novels that use the nonsense and randomness of life as plot instruments, but these things are points in themselves.

I think you are headed in the right direction as far as trying to make your game original. Do your best to not make these clichés the meat of your tale, however should you use one of the clichés back it up with something innovative.

I read someone’s comment on here about not worrying to much about originality, I am going to tell you that it absolutely matters. There is a difference in sticking with one of the six boiled down plot lines etc and straying from clichés. There is no need to have a main character with amnesia who is the chosen one blah blah blah. But if you do have this character you should be inclined to set him apart from others of this nature as to make it your own. (one easy way to do this is to not make a character like this at all, but if you must don't stick to other characters just like him to a T)

Whatever you write just make sure you own it. That is what makes it original. You will find that once you have a goal in mind for your story you will be able to form your events and characters around this goal. I'll also add you should / can have more than one goal. A goal for each character individually, a goal for all characters in general, a goal for the world you are building, and of course a goal for the story overall. The last stated goal should direct all other sub-goals even if it's in a small way.



Even when you do have a point to make the problem you are having will still arise, because you still have to create and place events in order to show this point. In these scenarios you just have to keep on thinking. Use your goal to guide your thoughts and it will make these hang-ups end more quickly.

I think you will be fine once you have a goal in mind. I take it you are passionate about character creation, and the events you have in mind must be so awesome as they play out in your head. But if you have a goal the events you construct will have so much more meaning and actually propel you towards a complete story.

Good Luck!

Thanks everyone. :)

I guess it's true that you should start with the point you want to make. Though whenever I start with that step, I always end up preaching about gender equality or whatever my ephemeral religious beliefs currently are... So I've tried to make that the second step and decide on a point based on what my characters' flaws are, what they need to learn, and I've made progress. (Then again, I guess people don't notice when you do religious symbolism as long as your medium isn't respected for literary merit. I'm looking at you, Harry Potter fanbase.) I'll try what Sulphix described for fleshing it out.

I did end up going with three magic artifacts, but they aren't related to the magic elements, the game starts in the process of obtaining the second one, and the Ancient Evil(tm) that's unsealed with them is a supporting protagonist.

Well when I get an idea for a story, I think of a few random scenes, then I somehow link them together in an extremely loose way. Think of that as the story's skeleton. Then just start fleshing it out. Not like "Oh well I think people would like this kinda stuff." don't worry about the people yet. Think more along the lines of "I think it would rock out if my hero/heroin did THIS in the story." Worry about continuity later.