Wow, was this guy ever ripped to shreds bout his post or what? Geez, people, can''t you take hearing a little criticism every now and then? Even if it is exaggerated...
I often tend to agree, that many games come out with regurgitated ideas, or often no real ideas behind it at all. But it''s hard for a developer. In a game I''ve been working on I started writing, started designing, started drawing, and all of a sudden I was spotting similarities to other games left right and center. I wasn''t consciously doing it, it was just a matter of me being influenced by all kinds of things I''d seen in the past. As a developer you have to worry about things like creating and optimizing and debugging and all that; your time for creativity is limited. Often you rip things off without knowing it.
I can''t speak for shameless corporations who greedily want to siphon off of other games'' popularity, but a lot of people put more work into things than you or I can imagine. And yes, on a very basic level, all the main aspects of a plot in games has been done before. Way back in the time of Shakespeare his KINDS of stories had been told before, but it was how he told them that made them special. As for gameplay, try to make a game that doesn''t fall into the category of FPS, platformer, RPG, Fighter, RTS, Puzzle, etc. It is exceedingly hard.
Be creative using new combinations, a fresh take on a classic idea. Good elements are usually remembered more than the whole anyways; case in point, Zelda Windwaker on GC. Link vs. Ganon.... "again???" some might say, but with new settings, gameplay style, and most dramatically visuals, it became a masterpiece (just my opinion of course, i know some hated it).
Anyways, thats my preachy take on this thread. =P I have a tendency to do that.
CIAO
****Cosmic****
All possible game ideas have already been done!
quote:Original post by Cosmic One
Wow, was this guy ever ripped to shreds bout his post or what? Geez, people, can''t you take hearing a little criticism every now and then? Even if it is exaggerated...
I often tend to agree, that many games come out with regurgitated ideas, or often no real ideas behind it at all. But it''s hard for a developer. In a game I''ve been working on I started writing, started designing, started drawing, and all of a sudden I was spotting similarities to other games left right and center. I wasn''t consciously doing it, it was just a matter of me being influenced by all kinds of things I''d seen in the past. As a developer you have to worry about things like creating and optimizing and debugging and all that; your time for creativity is limited. Often you rip things off without knowing it.
I can''t speak for shameless corporations who greedily want to siphon off of other games'' popularity, but a lot of people put more work into things than you or I can imagine. And yes, on a very basic level, all the main aspects of a plot in games has been done before. Way back in the time of Shakespeare his KINDS of stories had been told before, but it was how he told them that made them special. As for gameplay, try to make a game that doesn''t fall into the category of FPS, platformer, RPG, Fighter, RTS, Puzzle, etc. It is exceedingly hard.
Be creative using new combinations, a fresh take on a classic idea. Good elements are usually remembered more than the whole anyways; case in point, Zelda Windwaker on GC. Link vs. Ganon.... "again???" some might say, but with new settings, gameplay style, and most dramatically visuals, it became a masterpiece (just my opinion of course, i know some hated it).
Anyways, thats my preachy take on this thread. =P I have a tendency to do that.
CIAO
****Cosmic****
What your saying is true but its that the title of this thread "all games have been done" implies their are no more original or even slightly original ideas to do which you yourself have just said the same we all have, that is totally wrong.
There is unlimited number of songs to be created, just think of length, what can limit the length of a song (except the universe size or the size of your hard drive(s))
quote:Original post by Anonymous Poster
There is unlimited number of songs to be created, just think of length, what can limit the length of a song (except the universe size or the size of your hard drive(s))
Yeah. You could have a 22 khz sine wave playing for 1 sec, 2 secs, 3 secs... ad infinitum
Of course, there is probably only a limited set of situations / generalized game genres that people will be interested in, development of new technologies for different games notwithstanding. In fact, I believe there''s an article here on GDNet that talks about the situations that any story boils down to. What makes games unique is how they vary, how little details change from the basic formulae. Mathematical arguments aside, you can always come up with a game that is similar enough to an existing game for you to qualify it as the same "game idea", but with enough of your own little tweaks to make it a separate game.
i''m a little tired so don''t expect something ultimately smart from me, but like the note there exists a finite number of digits, but i dont believe that there exists a end to numbers. He is right on something new ideas doesn''t exists. No because everything has been invented, but because nothing is "completly" invented, everyhing comes from a modification of something that already existed.
So why bother with being original? I''m not saying to be blantantly unoriginal and copy storylines, but if you come up with an idea and realize that it looks like some other idea, why worry? Unevitably, it will.
Two years ago, I came up with what I felt was a really good storyline for an RPG. I have yet to actually code the game, but I thought it was very, very good. When I heard the Architect in Matrix: Reloaded pretty much explain my game''s storyline, I felt ill. Then I realized, does it matter? It''s different enough even if you can trace parallels between the two.
My point being, there''s no way someone can come up with something completely original. If you look at specific details, no two games are alike. If you look at global, general details, it''s a different story. How original a game is depends on how general you have to be in your analysis before it starts ressembling other ideas.
Two years ago, I came up with what I felt was a really good storyline for an RPG. I have yet to actually code the game, but I thought it was very, very good. When I heard the Architect in Matrix: Reloaded pretty much explain my game''s storyline, I felt ill. Then I realized, does it matter? It''s different enough even if you can trace parallels between the two.
My point being, there''s no way someone can come up with something completely original. If you look at specific details, no two games are alike. If you look at global, general details, it''s a different story. How original a game is depends on how general you have to be in your analysis before it starts ressembling other ideas.
But maybe its just this format (sitting at a computer) that is growing old. I can imagine that if fully interactive 3d holographic game stations become a top selling item, there will be a HUGE amount of games that have never been done before.
I think thats why you can take three books of a book shelf and they will be nothing alike. Take 3 games of a game shelf and they are probably just different variations of each other (Doom, Quake, Farcry). In books, there is no limitation at all to the scale of the adventure. The only limitation in movies is how much you want to spend. The limitation in games is how much you want to spend, what people can run on thier computers, how much time it will take to program etc, etc, etc.
So basically, we are in a entertainment type that is always being adjusted and toned down. As technology gets more and more powerfull, more NEW games that have never been done before apear (MMORPG''s).
Its not that we cant think of any totally new ideas, its because we cant think outside the technologically limiting box we are in.
I think thats why you can take three books of a book shelf and they will be nothing alike. Take 3 games of a game shelf and they are probably just different variations of each other (Doom, Quake, Farcry). In books, there is no limitation at all to the scale of the adventure. The only limitation in movies is how much you want to spend. The limitation in games is how much you want to spend, what people can run on thier computers, how much time it will take to program etc, etc, etc.
So basically, we are in a entertainment type that is always being adjusted and toned down. As technology gets more and more powerfull, more NEW games that have never been done before apear (MMORPG''s).
Its not that we cant think of any totally new ideas, its because we cant think outside the technologically limiting box we are in.
Try to create an mix of generes (Battlezone is FPS and RTS).
Here''s an game idea (Feel free to use it):
An 3d strategy game, however you control an unit and get commands from your commander (an AI). There is possible to redesign your unit with different compoents and weapons, like sensors, cloak and so on. Many features:
- Map Features (game neutral objects) can be used or manipulated, like pushing an door to open it or burn down a wood.
- Animals: Native game objects that move around.
- Unlimited AI controlled research: Each category has one research for the "thing" and an uppgrade research that can be uppgraded with an tech level (the strength of the thing is increased with 5% each level)
- AI learns
- The player can ask its commander to create is own personal base and control it like battlezone.
- The friendly and enemy units can change side or "try to be hero" (hehehe) according to the battlefield and refuse orders.
- Game saves the status of an player unit to move on to the next mission.
I dont care about any negative replies, and i do like good replies (I worked this out in a few minutes), not (c) or TM''s here (no patents either) FEEL FREE TO USE
Here''s an game idea (Feel free to use it):
An 3d strategy game, however you control an unit and get commands from your commander (an AI). There is possible to redesign your unit with different compoents and weapons, like sensors, cloak and so on. Many features:
- Map Features (game neutral objects) can be used or manipulated, like pushing an door to open it or burn down a wood.
- Animals: Native game objects that move around.
- Unlimited AI controlled research: Each category has one research for the "thing" and an uppgrade research that can be uppgraded with an tech level (the strength of the thing is increased with 5% each level)
- AI learns
- The player can ask its commander to create is own personal base and control it like battlezone.
- The friendly and enemy units can change side or "try to be hero" (hehehe) according to the battlefield and refuse orders.
- Game saves the status of an player unit to move on to the next mission.
I dont care about any negative replies, and i do like good replies (I worked this out in a few minutes), not (c) or TM''s here (no patents either) FEEL FREE TO USE
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