This is my 3rd subsequent account on BGDF, I was formerly triktrak, and Hjort before that. I guess the accounts were inactive enough to warrant their disposal, but there is good reason for this due to the way my mind works when designing a game (not that I have had any real success yet). Maybe you are like this too. Tell me what you think.
On the one hand, I like the community support when someone says, "Hey that's a cool idea, you should try it out", this sometimes energizes me enough to keep working on a game in spite of my pessimistic nature. It is also nice to know I am not alone in my aspirations.
On the other hand, I find it very important to not talk about game design too much so that I don't get trapped in the hidden assumptions that run through most boardgames. I feel that in order to create things that are uniquely mine, I must keep my mind and my core ideas clean of any influences. I must become the mad hermit, to try and discover things that others have not.
Then in order to playtest you have to swing right around and become very social again. I must see if my ideas are too "out there" or if I have achieved a balance between novelty and familiarity.
Anyhow, does anyone else have the same experience?
Yort
Yes, I have played enough games, and still continue to do so on a regular basis that I know what's going on. But when I get into design, I largely shut these things out. I have often been working on a game, and a new one will come out that is enough like my own idea that I abandon it. Had I not had that knowledge and just kept working, my end product would probably have been quite different and acceptable.
Other than mechanics, I feel that the deeper and more useful knowledge of what you like about a game can give you a focus that doesn't necessarily focus on any one mechanic. For example, when playing favorite game, what happened to make people laugh, groan in despair, gloat, frantically and desperately try to salvage their position, etc. I think knowing what you like about the player interaction of a game can leave things broad enough that the specifics of other people's mechanics ideas just get in the way. Well, If I ever get published I'll know I'm right. Until then I appreciate your comments.