In Chapter 6 of Game Design Workshop, Tracy Fullerton goes over in some depth various methods for coming up with ideas. She also rightfully emphasizes the importance of having multiple sources of inspiration (e.g. books, music, film, photography, etc.). (169) However, in Chapter 6 Fullerton never touches on the effectiveness of some of these inspiration sources over others. In fact, the way she presents them makes it seem like all inspiration sources are created equal, when in reality this is not the case. Anyone who has had to come up with ideas (which most likely includes the person reading this) will attest that some things are more effective in generating them than others. Considering the thoroughness of Fullerton’s writing, I was at first confused and surprised that she did not touch on this area. After some brief reflection, however, I came to realize that this omission made sense. As has been detailed in other parts of Game Design Workshop and in this blog, not everyone enjoys the same things. It stands to reason then that not all things will be equally inspiring to all people.
Examining some of things that have inspired me in the past, I discovered a few insights about finding inspiration that others may find useful. Just because a person enjoys something, doesn’t mean it will provide them with ideas. I enjoy listening to music (an activity Fullerton uses as an example) and do it on a regular basis, but I cannot recall I time where it was the source of a creative concept. Another realization I had was that things that are not done for pleasure can also be sources of creativity. For example, at my previous job one of the requirements was to assist with hurricane relief in the event of such a meteorological event. While in training for this aspect of the job, I came up with an idea for a simulation game where players could experience what it’s like to go through a hurricane for various age groups and at different income levels. This led me to another insight, which is ideas don’t always come to us at the right time. While the hurricane simulation idea is one that I believe has protentional, when it first came to me I did not have the time, knowledge, or resources to elaborate on it. Now, roughly a year and a half after thinking of it, I am taking classes where that and other ideas I’ve previously had can finally be relevant. Ideas can come from expected and unexpected sources, and even if they are not useful at the time they are generated it never hurts to keep them on the backburner.
Sources
Fullerton, Tracy. “Chapter 6: Conceptualization” Game Design Workshop: A Playcentric Approach to Creating Innovative Games. 4th ed., Taylor & Francis Group LLC, 2019. PDF.
Stephanie C Smith 