ID:266022
 
I'm always making lots of small games and trying out new mechanics but none of my games ever have the "wow factor", that little something special which makes people flock to it droves. I'm not trying to reinvent the wheel but I really do need some inspiration. So where do you guys find inspiration for your games?

Thanks :D
By playing other games and going..

Wow thats nice wonder how they do it.. Maybe i can improve on it... And away i go ^^
In response to Midgetbuster
Especially with the byond multiplayer factor. Alot of old games would be great to make them multiplayer, I just wish i had the time to make them all...
By leaving my house and doing things? Of course this only gets me "Story Inspiration", which leads to "Feature Inspiration". Saturday March 12th I was in DC outside the White House, and we say some Yemen protesters, and some for Libya. So Me and my friends talked with a lady who was there protesting some stuff going down there in Libya. You know asking her what is going on, what she wants us to do.... poking holes in her thoughts... the normal stuff.

Walking around large cities, once again like DC, I believe we walked from the center of DC to near the edge of it, then back. Going through areas like Smithsonian to China Town and such....
Brew ideas based on the things you enjoy in a game. Maybe even a game on the market, or one on Byond right now. Take attributes from different games, and think about how you could make them better.

Another route is to use someone else's idea, as long as they allow you to do so(http://squidi.net).

Inspiration though...is a tough concept to get a grasp on how to create it for yourself. In my opinion, you should figure out your goal, as they say. Do you want to earn some extra cash? Do you want to make the most popular (insert anime here) game? Are you looking for something that will entertain yourself?
Kyle_ZX wrote:
I'm always making lots of small games and trying out new mechanics but none of my games ever have the "wow factor", that little something special which makes people flock to it droves. I'm not trying to reinvent the wheel but I really do need some inspiration. So where do you guys find inspiration for your games?

Thanks :D

Inspiration can come from many places. More often than not my initial inspiration came from other games and not just byond games.

You mentioned people flocking to your game and having a "wow factor". That seems to me like you are seeking fame. The line of thinking may set you up for failure if you are programming in search of fame.

My inspiration comes directly from the programming. I look at other games to get a scope on what is currently going on, then I make efforts at making it better. Not cloning/ripping, but rather the individual pieces that craft a larger end result.

It is not really inspiration as much as it is my enjoyment for tinkering and experimenting. Often times my ideas fail but it is still fun to try. A direct enjoyment for design helps tremendously. If fame follows a new idea with a "wow factor" then congratulations. Your designs however, should be fun to create. It may help to design for yourself and then invite friends to preview your work. Just be patient and try to make fun out of it.

You also mentioned that you are making many smaller games. That is great and sets you on a course for learning. Larger games take patience and time. By completing smaller projects, you are giving yourself achievements and learning at the same time which helps boost inspiration and motivation.

If you lose inspiration and/or motivation, take a break. Find a game you enjoy and just have fun. When you are ready, the break can help you to regain what you were losing.