Game development is a complex, lengthy process that starts with a creative, feasible idea. Coming up with a good idea might seem hard, but there are many ways to find inspiration
Inspiration can come in several different ways, whether through playing other games, from the real world, or it could be a completely original, creative idea that’s never existed before
In this article, we show you 5 tricks for coming up with an idea for your next game. I cover a variety of potential sources of inspiration, along with some general tips that might help you find the right idea
Solving Problems
Solving problems is one of my favorite ways to come up with a successful idea. The problem might be as simple as finding a game that’s too easy or too hard, or it could be more complex, like realizing that the solution to another game’s problem lies in adding a new element or radically changing how it’s played
For example, you might notice that movement feels slow and unengaging in a certain game, making players lose interest quickly. You could solve this by making a new, faster game, or by adding new elements like the ability to run or fly
Or you might notice that a puzzle game is too difficult, making it hard for players to solve. You could solve this by making the game easier, or by adding hints and tips in whatever style you see fit
Solving problems doesn’t have to revolve only around games—it could be about real life. Plenty of developers have found problems in their own real world and made games centered on solving them, like an adventure about overcoming a hero’s depression
The World Around You
The world around you is full of inspiration for game ideas. Go out and look at the world, and pay attention to the things that interest you. For example, you might notice that you love animals, or that you’re interested in biology—so you could create a game around any of these interests
For instance, if you love astronomy and dream of adventuring through it, why not develop a game where you travel through space and create new planets to explore, with physics systems you often see in astronomy and use for navigation, like a black hole as a source of movement energy
Or maybe a relative of yours has their own restaurant where they do interesting things—why not turn what they do into a game featuring that interesting, fun element?
Reality isn’t just nature and work—you also have stories. Novels, movies, and people’s tales can all be turned into games with a great sense of adventure
Just look around you, look at your daily and weekly life, go outside and look at the world, and ask yourself: what might be fun and worth turning into your next game idea?
A small tip: you can use image sites like Pinterest for inspiration on this
Try It Yourself
Trying other games is a great way to gain inspiration. Play games from different genres and categories, and notice what you do and don’t like about them. Also try games you didn’t think you’d enjoy—you might find something new you love in them
For example, if you like action games, try puzzle or simulation games. If you like puzzle games, flip it around and try action or simulation games. In short, try a variety of different genres
Experimentation isn’t limited to games either—you can try real-life things like cooking or going to the gym. Don’t try anything risky or time-consuming, like starting a business, but just try simple things here and there
Experimenting might help you find new ideas, or improve the ideas you already have
Different Themes
Picking a specific theme for your game can help you focus and build a game within a defined scope. The theme might be something you personally care about, something you think other players might care about, or even a completely random theme
For example, if you’re interested in history, you could create a video game centered on a historical event or figure. Just pick the field you want, define the core theme within that field, and start trying to come up with ideas from it
In game jams, a random theme is chosen, and that theme is usually determined through sites specialized in pulling random words and putting them next to each other, which gives you the required theme
Like (thestoryshack - codebeautify.org)
You can use these sites to pick a theme and focus for your next game, or even open a dictionary to a completely random page, land on any word, and see if that word inspires you to make a game
Picking a specific word/theme can help you create a game that’s more focused around that particular thing, making it interesting rather than scattered and unfocused
If you can’t come up with a theme yourself, it’s enough to just join a game jam—there, you’ll find that the organizers set the themes themselves, so you don’t need to wear yourself out trying to come up with the right word. (You can find plenty of jams through itch.io)
General Tips
Besides the tricks mentioned above, there are a few other things you can do to come up with a good idea. These are very small tips, but they might hold the key to your next game
First, read about video game production. Read books and articles about how games are developed and what makes one succeed. This might help you understand what players are looking for and what it takes to find a game idea
Second, join online gaming communities—specifically player communities, not development communities. There are plenty of forums and websites where you can interact with other players and get their feedback on your ideas
Third, don’t be afraid to ask others for help. If you’re struggling to find a game idea, talk to your friends and family, or to other game makers. They might have ideas that never crossed your mind
Fourth, ideas don’t have to be completely original—what matters most is that they’re not stolen. You can draw inspiration from other ideas, or even make the same idea but change it up to add your own personal style and new ideas
Finding a great idea can be a challenge, but it’s also an enjoyable experience. Through creative thinking, experimentation, and learning from others, you can find a successful idea that resonates with players
Summary
Here’s a summary of everything we covered in this article The game development process starts with finding an idea, and finding an idea isn’t easy. You might suddenly get an idea out of nowhere, but here are a few methods that might help you find a great one:
- Solving Problems Look for problems in other games, or even in real life, and turn solving them into a game idea
- The World Around You Reflect on the world and nature, look within yourself, and learn about other stories and tales—you might draw inspiration from something in them
- Try It Yourself Try lots of new things, new games, or life experiences—you might find something enjoyable you didn’t know about before
- General Themes Picking a word or theme first is a great approach used in game jams, so it’s a tried-and-tested method
- General Tips
- Read about game production
- Join player communities
- Ask other developers for help
- An idea doesn’t need to be original—you can draw inspiration from existing ideas
In the end, finding a great idea depends on you—you’re the developer behind the idea, and you’re the one who knows what might be a fun idea and what isn’t. So here’s this article, where I talked about fun itself and what might make your game fun—maybe it’ll inspire an idea for you :) What Is Fun, and What Are the Elements of a Fun Game?