Developing Game Ideas - A Blog Introduction

One of my Notepads

Coming up with an idea is the easiest thing in the world. Developing an idea, now that is a difficult undertaking. Often the idea does not get any polishing beyond the initial euphoric high of the beginning brainstorming session. This period lasts anywhere from one evening at a bar to maybe a month of lunches brainstorming between bites of fast food. Never moving beyond words on paper or in my mind.

I am incredibly guilty of this. I have written down ideas in many notebooks and various mobile note taking apps; all rounded out nicely with pictures archiving whiteboard diagrams of game ideas and web apps. Years of good ideas, I would even say GREAT at the time, that are still sitting collecting dust never to see the light of day again. Each one replaced by the next great big idea that will be a huge success that would be easier to complete, more fun to work on, had a better feel, or the timing was better for the perceived market. I wanted this never ending cycle of idea overtaking idea to stop.

…and you know what… I actually did it.

teaze

I took an idea all the way through to the end of the first prototype stage without relying on anyone else to produce assets or to set deadlines. It doesn't look flashy, but it works and I learned a lot first hand and I intend to stick to this one idea all the way through to a release.

I've decided to write about what I have done, and will do along the way, as a means of perhaps inspiring others and an added reason to keep myself on a good pace of progression. I plan on writing in the format of theory: everything I have read, experienced, and learned first hand about a step of the process. Then my application of the step on this chosen idea.

What is my idea? Well, you are just going to have to read my next posts to find out as I explore: The Theory of Developing a Game Idea.