Game Creating - I'm struggling

[Nil_ScripterAlt]

(Please tell me whether I put my post in the correct category)

Resources

Before making this topic, I have read the following posts:

How do you stay motivated on large-scale projects?

The title pretty much says it all. I have the knowledge and skills to do very large projects, but about a week after I start it I get bored with it and start something else, which results in me having about 20 unfinished projects at any point in time. How do you all stay focused and motivated to finish a project?

Breaking Development Fatigue

The following article contains advice taken from a question I prompted on Monday November 19th, 2018 titled “Struggling With Development Fatigue: How Can I Break It?”. That post goes more in depth into my own personal struggle with development fatigue and is worth the read if you are willing to spend more time reading into my personal fight. However, if you are more interested in hearing the major responses summed up along with personal research on the topic, it would be in your better interest…

https://devforum.roblox.com/t/what-keeps-you-motivated-while-creating-and-finishing-a-game/3425/1

https://devforum.roblox.com/t/how-do-you-get-yourself-through-a-block/24934/1

Creating Unique Game Ideas

Okay. So I know what you’re thinking: I can think up an original idea off the top of my head! Yeah, well, I thought that, too. Then, I tried it. And then, well, I failed. So, without further ado, let’s discover some strategies I have developed over a few years of development. There is no right or wrong way; there are only suggestions! [image] Consider Your Audience Unfortunately, it’s impossible to appeal to everyone’s taste, so you’re going to need to consider who you want to play your game…

The steps to making a game a reality

This tutorial is going to explain the steps you could take to make a game. There is no proper way to make a game a but there is a few tips and tricks you should follow. Getting your idea I know a lot of people have really amazing ideas in their head and then later resize that the game has already been made. This has certainly happened to me multiple times. However there is a few ways to think of a unique game idea. Consider who you are designing the game for and what type of games that audi…

Lack of Motivation

Every time I attempt to make something, I never finish it. I’ve noticed that I am not the only one with this problem. Ever since I started developing on Roblox, I have been fascinated by RPGs/MMORPGs. I have went to the point where I can make a game, but whenever I hit a wall, I just stop. I know people that can make games much better than I can, and they have been developing for less years.

I’ve also noticed that everything you create has math in it (I guess I’m not that smart). I’m not very strong with it. Anything that involves math, I just skip it.

Working with groups

NOPE. I have worked in a group before. It was horrible. I humiliated myself. When I started developing, I planned, beginning till the end, which date there will be a certain update. I developed until I never felt motivated to continue. Ever since, I’ve worked alone so I won’t have to be horrible in front of other people.

Unable to think of Creative Ideas

Yes, I have read of many different posts. All of those posts in short are “Take an idea, put a twist, and create it”. I understand what this means (i.e., Mad City).
However, I can’t think of something that works. If I do create something decent, it results with a generic game that has already been made. I don’t understand how people make games that are fun.

Help

For many years, I’ve been holding this back. I felt like it’s time to post this. I’d like to way to get past that wall. I don’t feel comfortable knowing that I am unable to complete something.

Thanks.

[Operatik]

The dynamic I work on for creative thinking is usually deep. Maybe developed since childhood, all my thoughts are literally an extravagance. Even the most childish thoughts I had became general ideas more or less.

My strength is in dedication and the endless possibilities to take advantage of. Unclear ideas can be less straining on plans, little more room for freedom of complementary parts for the ideas to come together.

Fascination of other works is part of inspiration. I never compare my own works with another because I believe my opus can eventually escalate to something I’d admire upon.

[Kord_K]

You can always improve your math! There are plenty of online resources that either cover mathematics in general or specifically mathematics for game developers. One of the best channels is probably “Coding Math”

As for staying motivated, I get you. There are many times where I want to work but I end up not doing anything as soon as I launch studio. Whenever I work on a big project, I always give myself a little fun side project to work on as well, so if I’m not motivated to work on my main project, I can relax and work on the side one knowing that it’s just for fun. Sometimes, silly little side projects blow up (case in point: my “The True Backrooms” game).

I wish you the best of luck!

[itsme_Xyloto]

i know what you said about the group work and humiliation, but perhaps you could find a few people on the same skill level as you, friends perhaps so that its not a stressful environment and everyones on the same page.

[GalaxyGourmet]

I feel you. Anyone can make a game, but when it comes to ideas, that’s when most people struggle. A good idea doesn’t have to be super creative and unique to other games, because every game is different.

I’d say try and get inspiration from other games on Roblox. For example, take Jailbreak. It’s still a good idea to make a prison, even if it’s the same type of game as that. And even the simplest and smallest ideas can make the game completely different.

As for motivation, I’d say keep your game simple and well made.

[Formidable_Beast (TatterDemalion)]

I have techniques to quickly generate ideas:

Stay up at night, it’s as simple as that.

Conjuring an Idea
Creativity is measured on how much your mind wanders, lack of sleep or being sleepy reduces your focus, that means you will stumble in more ideas. Write it down even though it might not even make sense to you, or if you think it won’t work out. Try your best to not filter any ideas whatsoever. When you wake up, organize those ideas, your focus will help you in this case. Those random ideas might help inspire you and generate even more ideas. That’s the reason why some writers drink before they start writing and edit their work once their mental function is back to normal, doing so is almost the same as staying up at night. Just make sure you’re of legal age.

Remixing Games
As for remixing pre-existing games. Find games that interest you, critique it and break down what makes it fun and what you could change about it to make it better. Keep, remove, change, improve on game mechanics you want, change it enough and you might not even be able to tell that your idea started off from that. Many games are created this way, people tinker and hack games they like to improve it even further, look up Rogue-Likes they follow this basis. Rogue is also the most remixed game in existence and they follow simple 8 principles and other rogue-likes change at least a single principle to make it unique.

Starting from a sole game mechanic
Another way of creating original ideas is starting off from a single game mechanic and building that on. Let’s say you start off with an auction mechanic, maybe items are auctioned off and you have money to bid, winning an item allows you to sell it at a higher price gaining more money and repeat. Maybe a legacy mechanic where everything done will be permanent, you might start by creating a story and things that players are able to do to change the course of history. At least a third of games I design are created this way and they morph with the remixing technique sometimes.

Gamifying an idea
You can also come up with a mundane task and gamify it. I tried my best come up with the most mundane task in existence. Here comes “Laundry Day” a game I designed and yes it is about laundry, now how could I make it fun or interesting? I started off by taking everything that is required to do laundry. So it involves about cleaning clothes, so what after? I had the idea of mixing chemicals and players had to be careful or they’ll make toxic gas, then the idea of fashion shows, and players are able to wear clothes they laundered and compete for this. At some point I thought I needed to add in-game currency to monetize the game, accidentally I had the idea of players being able to launder money, as in money laundering, cleaning dirty money to get extra cash. You can be silly as much as you can, games designed with this mind set and technique will generate absurd and ‘non-generic’ games. You read this far, if you want you can PM me if you want me to gamify an idea you have.

[Scripter_123]

I do not think you should advice him to stay up at night as that is not a good idea in the health point of view.

[Formidable_Beast (TatterDemalion)]

hahaha forsooth, it does become a dangerous habit at some point and it’s true that it is dangerous to force yourself to be creative this way. The safest way to get ideas are painstakingly slow. But hey, if you want dem ideas it’s a legitimate method.

[Affenity (Visual)]

For the motivation part, I actually didn’t know how to combat this issue myself until very recently.
I was randomly watching videos on the front page of YouTube, and I stumbled onto the video “Do I lose money?! - How to stay motivated” by JerryRightEverything (not a promotion).

Basically, what he tells you is that, he gets his motivation by thinking of the future. I think his points are valid and you should check it out: https://youtu.be/WLOijOyX1P0?t=438

[Lawnmovver]

Just copy what other people are doing on steam and put in roblox.

Force yourself to complete it just so you could say “I completed something” even if its a copy.

Motivation is a lie. If you let some feeble emotions decide your actions, your work will always be unstable.

Work on something because you have to decided to work on it and go through with it, not because you are motivated even when you hit a wall (unlikely).

[DerpyMcDerpell]

If coming up with good ideas for a game is still hard, you can practise by thinking of updates for your favourite games. Imagine you’ve been hired as a game designer by the developer(s), and they want you to come up with an update that will blow players’ minds.