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From lurker to poster, hoping to inspire myself!

8 replies [Last post]
Mon, 09/28/2015 - 12:42
jbship628
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Joined: 08/29/2014

Hello,

I have been lurking on the board for just over a year (basically since right after Gen Con 2014), and have gleaned a lot of useful information from the various posts here.

I have been working on a game for basically this entire time, but life, kids (3 and 5 year old), taking online classes, and probably my own lack of confidence have kept me from getting my game idea into play testing in order to see what exactly I have.

I have pages and pages of notes with everything from rules to card layout and design elements written down, and enough that I have basically a complete (rough draft) game.

I am just having a really hard time finding the motivation and time to get these ideas into play test form, making proxy game elements and actually attempting to play the game.

Right now, I seriously believe I am mentally blocking myself because I don't want to put time and effort into something, and have it be horrible.

I think I'll call it George McFly syndrome. "I just don't think I could take that kind of rejection."

So hopefully, but admitting to this mental weakness, I can spur myself into actually getting this thing done and out there. I believe the concept is solid and the core of a good game is here, I just have to test and re-test and mold in into the finished product.

Thanks all for reading, listening and any help that has been given or will be given in the future.

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Mon, 09/28/2015 - 16:06
#1
wombat929
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Joined: 04/17/2015
You can do it! index cards,

You can do it! index cards, paper, and play a game by yourself. Then, the parts that are broken can be fixed before you show it to others.

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Mon, 09/28/2015 - 16:53
#2
questccg
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Joined: 04/16/2011
If it makes you feel better...

One of my latest WIP entitled "Crystal Heroes" was just a super-psyched concept - that turns out to need real re-thinking...

So we all have great "ideas" that always don't translate to a real GOOD game. You might be forced to re-examine certain aspects or even the type of game (like in my case). Perhaps you wanted to develop a LIGHT-hearted game and realized that it's REALLY INTENSE! :P

And that's to say SH!T happens - and OFTEN ideas don't always make for the best game. They're just ideas that need tooling and refining. Until one day you actually have a GOOD game!

Best of luck with your NEW game...

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Mon, 09/28/2015 - 18:42
#3
questccg
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Oh yeah...

BTW designing from a book in where you write all your ideas and mechanics does work (at least for me). I spent 3 months writing in a book all about the game I wanted to develop.

It turned out all those ideas were NOT good! :P Well I needed to MODIFY a WHOLE LOT before I have gotten "Tradewars - Homeworld". The game has been tested in Florida, Massachusetts, Virginia and Washington D.C. Also not to mention Quebec (where I am from).

BUT I took the ideas and transformed them into the game it is now... It has taken over 2 years to do that process. I am just waiting for my boxes so that I can send me game to reviewers and see their comments...

So don't be discouraged if your "book" ideas don't all work exactly like you had planned. Cheers!

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Mon, 09/28/2015 - 22:53
#4
Orangebeard
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Joined: 10/13/2011
jbship628 wrote:I am just

jbship628 wrote:
I am just having a really hard time finding the motivation and time to get these ideas into play test form, making proxy game elements and actually attempting to play the game.

Right now, I seriously believe I am mentally blocking myself because I don't want to put time and effort into something, and have it be horrible.

Best to get the bad out of the way early...and then you will probably find the core of your idea is still solid.

I feel you on the time thing...I find I need to work in smaller bits than I would like, but it does keep things moving.

Have you made a list of the components your game will require? Physical pieces are usually easy enough to proxy, and for cards I usually just start with penny sleeves and some poster board cut to size.

Skip the fancy layout and just take a sharpie marker to an old deck of cards if you need a fast way to start making the game!

Let us know how the proxy is coming along!

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Tue, 09/29/2015 - 07:53
#5
let-off studios
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Joined: 02/07/2011
jbship628 wrote:Right now, I

jbship628 wrote:
Right now, I seriously believe I am mentally blocking myself because I don't want to put time and effort into something, and have it be horrible.

Not to sound gruff, but the only way it will become any better than it already is will be through playtesting.

Put it on the table as soon as possible. Then take the time and effort you've put into planning, and shift it into refining the game.

Good luck! :)

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Tue, 09/29/2015 - 08:11
#6
Jarec
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Joined: 12/27/2013
jbship628 wrote:everything

jbship628 wrote:
everything from rules to card layout and design elements written down

Seems that you have a card game, or one that incorporates some cards. My advice to get some physical proxies is to get a bunch of card covers (the ones that are used with MTG cards and such), and just print out your card prototypes and leave a lot of space on them to doodle any updates that come with play testing.
For me the at least, getting something physical to fiddle with is getting over the hump, and from there it's much easier to reiterate.

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Tue, 09/29/2015 - 15:21
#7
jbship628
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Joined: 08/29/2014
I appreciate the sentiment, I

I appreciate the sentiment, I really do. I think what I meant by the original sentence you quoted was that as long as the game is in my head, it feels like I have a good game. If I actually go through the process of physically making it, and it sucks, then that goes away.

Even still, you are right. Nothing will ever get accomplished in my head.

Thanks for the gruff, but true words!

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Tue, 09/29/2015 - 18:00
#8
questccg
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Again from my experience...

Ideas sound GREAT. We get an "idea" and it's like "THIS would be AWESOME!"

But fact of the matter and I have seen this with other people's designs, they don't always work (in reality and a little scrutiny).

Take for example on BGDF. There was a Blog post about having stats positioned around the cards (along the edges). And it was for a Monster game in which you could TURN the cards and have different stats. Sounds pretty neat, right? Well when you actually try this with 4 cards, it's not as flexible as it seems... Because A> When you flip one card - you need to flip another. B> that means it's only about turning 2 out of 4 cards. :P

Anyways that's what it boiled down to.

I took the time to draft cards with stats, to see if this idea was as good as the "idea sounded". Then I realized how "inflexible" this mechanic really was. So it turned out to be a very POOR mechanic.

And I have already cited examples of my own in an earlier post... But I'm sure you get the idea. Like the others I say: "Just PLAY the game..." And from there you will know how much effort you need to invest in making it a GOOD game!

Cheers...

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