Designing Ideas: Monsters from the ID Noah Falstein

My Background in Brief Started in the games industry in 1980 Many years creating games of all sorts Sinistar, PHM Pegasus, IJTLC, IJFOA In 1996 started The Inspiracy – have worked since as a freelance designer and producer on all kinds of titles Blend Entertainment and Serious Games Mata Hari, ReMission, Cisco More at www.theinspiracy.com

Started in the games industry in 1980

Many years creating games of all sorts

Sinistar, PHM Pegasus, IJTLC, IJFOA

In 1996 started The Inspiracy – have worked since as a freelance designer and producer on all kinds of titles

Blend Entertainment and Serious Games

Mata Hari, ReMission, Cisco

More at www.theinspiracy.com

Diverse pursuits, common thread Started in video games early enough to have no established practice, experts Lucky enough to work with experts from other fields, mentors in creativity Learned many techniques, “rules of thumb” about ideas, brainstorming All about engaging your subconscious Here are some of my favorites, many from old Lucasfilm days

Started in video games early enough to have no established practice, experts

Lucky enough to work with experts from other fields, mentors in creativity

Learned many techniques, “rules of thumb” about ideas, brainstorming

All about engaging your subconscious

Here are some of my favorites, many from old Lucasfilm days

Where do ideas come from? Hal Barwood: My collaborator on FoA, Mata Hari, writer on Close Encounters, Dragonslayer and others Design is a mysterious process, planning a path through the realm of what is possible Partially a conscious activity, partially intuitive (as I found w/ my dorm room)

Hal Barwood:

My collaborator on FoA,

Mata Hari, writer on

Close Encounters, Dragonslayer and others

Design is a mysterious process, planning a path through the realm of what is possible

Partially a conscious activity, partially intuitive (as I found w/ my dorm room)

Orson Scott Card’s “Mental Bookshelf”

Set up a good environment Watering troughs and crackling fires Comfortable friends who challenge each other This is a skill that takes time to learn Different mixes of people for different ideas Lots of creative fodder – toys, movies, gadgets, books, pictures Give it time – you will need to sleep on it

Watering troughs and crackling fires

Comfortable friends who challenge each other

This is a skill that takes time to learn

Different mixes of people for different ideas

Lots of creative fodder – toys, movies, gadgets, books, pictures

Give it time – you will need to sleep on it

Cross-fertilize incompatible ideas You are finding new or rarely used neural pathways Mixing wildly different ideas or themes can create useful tension The Tempest, Freud and 50’s SF

You are finding new or rarely used neural pathways

Mixing wildly different ideas or themes can create useful tension

The Tempest, Freud and 50’s SF

Forbidden Planet

Other Mashups The Dig: Treasure of the Sierra Madre and Forbidden Planet Joss Whedon – Wild West and US/China space future Gilligan’s Island and 7 Deadly Sins

The Dig: Treasure of the Sierra Madre and Forbidden Planet

Joss Whedon – Wild West and US/China space future

Gilligan’s Island and 7 Deadly Sins

Seven Deadly Sins? Pride - the Professor Envy - Mary Ann Sloth - Gilligan Lust – Ginger Covetousness - Mr. Howell Gluttony - Mrs. Howell Anger - the Skipper

Pride - the Professor

Envy - Mary Ann

Sloth - Gilligan

Lust – Ginger

Covetousness - Mr. Howell

Gluttony - Mrs. Howell

Anger - the Skipper

Interplay and Interaction of Ideas Be aware of, but not shackled by constraints Listen to what others say Challenge assumptions – your own and others Fan the flames of partial ideas Return to earlier ideas (but also let go) Vary theme/story and gameplay mechanics

Be aware of, but not shackled by constraints

Listen to what others say

Challenge assumptions – your own and others

Fan the flames of partial ideas

Return to earlier ideas (but also let go)

Vary theme/story and gameplay mechanics

Brainstorming Fundamentals Ideas, not egos: Critique concepts, not people Review constraints but question them too No judgments – training wheels Good, not essential, to have a reason why Nothing is too odd or silly – low hit ratio It’s normal to wander – some! Focus on ideas, not how to implement

Ideas, not egos: Critique concepts, not people

Review constraints but question them too

No judgments – training wheels

Good, not essential, to have a reason why

Nothing is too odd or silly – low hit ratio

It’s normal to wander – some!

Focus on ideas, not how to implement

Brainstorming Groups Best size around 5, + or - 2 Common ground, divergent opinions Widely read, popular and classic culture Avoid including management directly (fear of firing, bane of brown-nosing) Consider field trips, resources, toys

Best size around 5, + or - 2

Common ground, divergent opinions

Widely read, popular and classic culture

Avoid including management directly (fear of firing, bane of brown-nosing)

Consider field trips, resources, toys

Solo Brainstorming Challenge is evoking different points of view Easy to get stuck in a rut, miss the obvious Write things down, revisit them External sources good, Wikipedia, Thesaurus, Dictionary, others use National Geo., field trips Sleep on it – use your subconscious

Challenge is evoking different points of view

Easy to get stuck in a rut, miss the obvious

Write things down, revisit them

External sources good, Wikipedia, Thesaurus, Dictionary, others use National Geo., field trips

Sleep on it – use your subconscious

When you get stuck Take a break, engage your subconscious Question your constraints Make lists of themes, story elements, gameplay or technical pieces Take things out of context, external input 90 degree or 180 degree flips Always push to get further down the shelf

Take a break, engage your subconscious

Question your constraints

Make lists of themes, story elements, gameplay or technical pieces

Take things out of context, external input

90 degree or 180 degree flips

Always push to get further down the shelf

Conclusions Like Hal said, mix of conscious and subconscious Use these techniques, especially the Bookshelf and mixing different ideas Be patient, your subconscious is shy

Like Hal said, mix of conscious and subconscious

Use these techniques, especially the Bookshelf and mixing different ideas

Be patient, your subconscious is shy

Your turn now… Questions?

Questions?