When beginning a journey into game development, it is a good idea to study and take notes from those who have done it before. This means people who have made different philosophies to the game development process or games that have in one way or another had a major impact on the scene.
Sometimes, though, we are blinded by the majesty of the things we regard highly and attempt to emulate those in our own work. When learning something as complex as making a game, it is of course natural to follow tutorials so that we understand the underlying processes of game creation, and after doing that it is wise to look at the other games and their respective genres to see what makes them succesful. But with that comes a possible trap, conformity.
You shouldn't follow the established rules to the exact letter. Be creative! Experiment! Be a little crazy, add your spice into the mix!
Game genres are a way for us to differentiate distinct games from one another. The games in the Halo franchise are (mostly) First Person Shooters (FPS) and FIFA games sports games, for example. But once again an FPS doesn't have to be just an FPS and neither does a sports game have to be just about sport. The genres can be mixed up to create something brand new and different.
Here are a few examples of this kind of genre blending action.
Another way you might limit yourself is by thinking you must be 100% original in your creative endeavors. That all your ideas must come only from your or your team. But hey, let me tell you a secret. This course? Where do you think all the information comes from? I can tell you that we, the producers, are not smart enough to just come up with this kind of raw knowledge on our own. But we do have the capacity to collect data from many different sources, and now we have remixed all that into something new in the form of this course.
That is how every creative process functions, videogames included. As long as you don't plagiarize content, you are free to take ideas and concepts from others and give them your personal twist. Inspiration can come from anywhere you place your senses. Watch the video below to learn more, and if it interests you, it’s recommended to see the rest of the series as well.
Connect the inspirations and the corresponding films.
There are countless videogames and narratives out there, so creatign something entirely new may seem impossible – and that’s all right! In the end, it all comes down to being creative and learning from others.