Hello there,

I am a programmer struggling to think of game ideas.

I need to continue practicing creating games but I can't think of any ideas to make.

Do you guys have any ideas for 2d or 3d games? How do you come up with them?

Thanks

struggling to think of game ideas.

Then this belongs in Game Design, not Writing. Moving it.

Nicky, another discussion on this same question was held recently. Check out http://www.gamedev.net/topic/660236-suggestions-in-finding-an-interesting-game-ideas/

Also, you should read http://www.gamedev.net/topic/658344-how-do-you-get-ideas-for-new-games/

Why do you want to make a game if you don't have an idea? Why not just join forces with someone who has an idea and doesn't want to learn to program? There are hundreds, or thousands, of guys with game ideas who are clamoring for you! Have a look in the Classifieds section. I imagine a lot of them are willing to join forces with an inexperienced programmer.

Why do you want to make a game if you don't have an idea? Why not just join forces with someone who has an idea and doesn't want to learn to program? There are hundreds, or thousands, of guys with game ideas who are clamoring for you! Have a look in the Classifieds section. I imagine a lot of them are willing to join forces with an inexperienced programmer.

Hi Tom,

thanks for the replies, looks to be some good information there.

As for joining forces with someone, that sounds like a good idea.

Thanks

I steal them :)

The trick is to steal from several sources at once, since then it's called "research" and it does not have negative conotations.

Also, once I have stolen the idea I attempt to fix it (so my implementation of the stolen idea is better than the original, which is the point) and I try to mix it with other compatible ideas (which I have stolen too).

The important part is from where to steal these. Never, ever, steal anything from design forums like this one, these are unproven and you don't know if these will work, waste of time. Look for already finished, implemented and working ideas (released games ONLY).

I stopped believing in ideas after awhile. I now believe in implementations. Make one small thing after another and test until you make something fun. 1 good implementation is probably worth 10 good ideas.

Start with clones. Copy Pac-man, Tetris, Arkanoid, etc.

If your mind is the wandering type, you'll end up with something that looks nothing like Pac-man, Tetris or Arkanoid, but actually feels fresh and original, just because you've taken decisions along the way.

Also, try to mix genres.

For example, for an test we did at one of the studios I worked for, I challenged a Game Designer to come up with a mix, and he chose Tic-Tac-Toe and Rock-Paper Scissor and made a blend between the two: a very simple competitive-oriented game for mobile devices (and somehow, it was actually fun!).

Start with clones. Copy Pac-man, Tetris, Arkanoid, etc.

Note you can easily steal ideas without cloning anything :) Also I would avoid trivial mechanics like Tetris, instead try someting more content based (like RPGs or Point & Click adventure games - there is an endless possibility of plain stealing without cloning anything). Why? Because these games are already perfect :) Unless you are total genious (in which case why are you reading this topic :D) you will not be able make a better Tetris or Pac Man.

Also, try to mix genres.

That one I would not recommend. It is usually a desperate quest for forced orignality (and it rarely works). My advice would be to mix games WITHIN same genre.

Example: Orymus3, I don't think you mixed any other genres in your SpaceWar, like puzzle platformer :) You more like stealed only from other strategy games. Focused genre is MUCH, much, much better in almost all cases with so few exceptions it's not worth mentioning.

you will not be able make a better Tetris or Pac Man.

I beg to differ. These games are far from perfect, and there's room for improvement.

Whether people would recognized it nowadays is left out of the equation however. Truth be told, there's something compelling about being the first to spin a "genre" that cannot be replicated by cloning the game. Making it better doesn't mean it will make it more popular, obviously.

Orymus3, I don't think you mixed any other genres in your SpaceWar

I mixed Raptor: Call of the Shadows with VGA Planets ;) Got'cha!

Also the OP is interested in practicing coming up with ideas, not making great games. I think one learns more from creative efforts that involve tough constraints: how can you squeeze the fun out of a puzzle game meets point-and-click adventure? That's a tougher challenge than focused genre.