So anyway, it came to me: Chances are, the things I want to make that are not immediately viable (comics and television, mainly) have a slight chance of never being viable. What to do, if I still want to make them? This is where the Internet comes in.
The idea: post scripts of some sort. So, even if stuff like Project G or Project N never really get off the ground, I can still scratch the itch to have them down somewhere for people to enjoy. Plus, what if some talented or influential people come across them, and are interested? Oh, the glories of the Internet!
What's taxing me: How to write them. Posting a straight-up comic book or TV script would be simple enough. On the other hand, if they will exist purely to be read by online passers-by, it doesn't work for two ways: (1) It will seem like a desperate pitch, rather than as a story on its own, and (2) The format is not really fun to read, unless you're a buff of the particular field. Too many breaks and weird formatting.
The solution I've come up with is utilizing a sort of neutral script-style, one that can be easily translated into different formats, but works as reading material on its own. The way I imagine it, it would be a combination of stage scripting and novel-style narration. The only real problem right now is how to deal with scene shifts. It really shouldn't be that hard to work around. Chapters, maybe?
Showing posts with label Ideas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ideas. Show all posts
Monday, June 29, 2009
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Going with Things
A buddy suggests that I should probably write something. He's probably right.
At work yesterday, I got a new idea for a series of undetermined medium that more or less continues something I was working on before. It was an interesting process: I started with a concept (someone taking part in a shotgun wedding) and then expanded upon events (someone punches out the mayor, and then takes on a hoard of angry rednecks). And now I have the basic idea of the series. It is all very silly.
One thing I decided: Project N2, the postapocalyptic semi-sequel to Project N, has changed to the point that one relying on the other is pointless. Although the connections between the two ideas (the shared setting and at least one character) remains, they are more or less considered different series now. I feel this is for the best, as while Project N remains primarily comedic, Project N2 is drifting away from anything resembling light comedy, although it still features goofy subject matter. I don't want it to go completely dramatic, that's just not going to work for me or the story, but it has its own tone now, separate from the thing it spun off from.
Speaking of Project N, I've been trying to figure it out for the last few weeks, and I still see a tonal clash. I've attempted to organize the story ideas into different 'cycles', where they can be set to fit eachother. Even so, the stories themselves range from silly light comedy, darker (and more down-to-earth) stuff, and completely out there oddities. Some story changes have also ostracized the supporting cast a bit, and since they are important (but that importance may be changed to better suit the current state of the concept) I'll try to work them into it. Aside from these difficulties, though, I am happy to see some much stronger story ideas come from the last little bit of brainstorming.
I've also have been coming much closer to making a card game that I am satisfied with. It still seems a bit convoluted, and some ideas aren't coming to me to cap off the thing, but it's progressing. Unfortunately, after reading up on another game, I've now got even more ideas, which essentially means I'm going to scrap what I was doing before to integrate this new stuff. Damn.
At work yesterday, I got a new idea for a series of undetermined medium that more or less continues something I was working on before. It was an interesting process: I started with a concept (someone taking part in a shotgun wedding) and then expanded upon events (someone punches out the mayor, and then takes on a hoard of angry rednecks). And now I have the basic idea of the series. It is all very silly.
One thing I decided: Project N2, the postapocalyptic semi-sequel to Project N, has changed to the point that one relying on the other is pointless. Although the connections between the two ideas (the shared setting and at least one character) remains, they are more or less considered different series now. I feel this is for the best, as while Project N remains primarily comedic, Project N2 is drifting away from anything resembling light comedy, although it still features goofy subject matter. I don't want it to go completely dramatic, that's just not going to work for me or the story, but it has its own tone now, separate from the thing it spun off from.
Speaking of Project N, I've been trying to figure it out for the last few weeks, and I still see a tonal clash. I've attempted to organize the story ideas into different 'cycles', where they can be set to fit eachother. Even so, the stories themselves range from silly light comedy, darker (and more down-to-earth) stuff, and completely out there oddities. Some story changes have also ostracized the supporting cast a bit, and since they are important (but that importance may be changed to better suit the current state of the concept) I'll try to work them into it. Aside from these difficulties, though, I am happy to see some much stronger story ideas come from the last little bit of brainstorming.
I've also have been coming much closer to making a card game that I am satisfied with. It still seems a bit convoluted, and some ideas aren't coming to me to cap off the thing, but it's progressing. Unfortunately, after reading up on another game, I've now got even more ideas, which essentially means I'm going to scrap what I was doing before to integrate this new stuff. Damn.
Monday, April 20, 2009
P/P
That stands for two ways I figure you can define a character: personality and pathos.
What and why, essentially. One is the surface elements of the character, the stuff the audience will generally notice and identify the character with, which includes basic stuff like likes/dislikes, habits, etc. The other is the deeper psychological aspects of the character - motivations, the emotions they feel and that inspires their personality. Although the latter can be made surface, sometimes it can remain hidden and needs to be identifed through careful examination by the audience.
We'll take the modern Punisher as an example (SORRY I'M BEING TOO LITERARY RIGHT NOW! JESUS CHRIST!). His personality is that his goal is to go out and kill criminals for revenge. His pathos is that he is a sociopath who uses revenge as justification for being a serial killer. That's not the most subtle one, but it works as a simple example.
(Alright, a more subtle example. The protagonist of the novel Flaubert's Parrot. His personality is that he is obsessed with Gustave Flaubert. His pathos is that he is a simple-minded individual who doesn't understand why things in his life go wrong, and he is constantly looking for reasoning through Flaubert's life and literature.)
Anyway, the reason I bring this up is because I noticed last night (adding more to my 'character encyclopedia' that a friend of mine challenged me to make, and has been really helping me figure out my characters a bit better) that I was focusing quite a bit on pathos and not as much on personality. This isn't necessarily a colossal problem, but its making me rethink things. It's pretty much the opposite of how things are usually created (what and then why, rather than my why and then what). So basically, I need to figure out more elements of the character's surface-level characterization so they actually seem three-dimensional.
I am reminded of a post made on one of the blogs I read went over some elements of the personalities of the world's three most well-known superheroes (Superman, Batman, and Spider-Man), identifying their cooking/eating habits in rather bizarre detail. It was able to combine both personality and pathos perfectly - Superman likes rich foods because he can't gain weight, Batman can't cook because he's rich and gets other people to do it for him, and Spider-Man is pathologically inclined to go for cheap/average things because he has spent a good part of is life poor. Stuff like that.
What I need to do is to give some of my characters hobbies.
What and why, essentially. One is the surface elements of the character, the stuff the audience will generally notice and identify the character with, which includes basic stuff like likes/dislikes, habits, etc. The other is the deeper psychological aspects of the character - motivations, the emotions they feel and that inspires their personality. Although the latter can be made surface, sometimes it can remain hidden and needs to be identifed through careful examination by the audience.
We'll take the modern Punisher as an example (SORRY I'M BEING TOO LITERARY RIGHT NOW! JESUS CHRIST!). His personality is that his goal is to go out and kill criminals for revenge. His pathos is that he is a sociopath who uses revenge as justification for being a serial killer. That's not the most subtle one, but it works as a simple example.
(Alright, a more subtle example. The protagonist of the novel Flaubert's Parrot. His personality is that he is obsessed with Gustave Flaubert. His pathos is that he is a simple-minded individual who doesn't understand why things in his life go wrong, and he is constantly looking for reasoning through Flaubert's life and literature.)
Anyway, the reason I bring this up is because I noticed last night (adding more to my 'character encyclopedia' that a friend of mine challenged me to make, and has been really helping me figure out my characters a bit better) that I was focusing quite a bit on pathos and not as much on personality. This isn't necessarily a colossal problem, but its making me rethink things. It's pretty much the opposite of how things are usually created (what and then why, rather than my why and then what). So basically, I need to figure out more elements of the character's surface-level characterization so they actually seem three-dimensional.
I am reminded of a post made on one of the blogs I read went over some elements of the personalities of the world's three most well-known superheroes (Superman, Batman, and Spider-Man), identifying their cooking/eating habits in rather bizarre detail. It was able to combine both personality and pathos perfectly - Superman likes rich foods because he can't gain weight, Batman can't cook because he's rich and gets other people to do it for him, and Spider-Man is pathologically inclined to go for cheap/average things because he has spent a good part of is life poor. Stuff like that.
What I need to do is to give some of my characters hobbies.
Saturday, April 26, 2008
From Idea to Story: Meat
One of the big problems that appears when you're writing a series: does the basic story concept fill an entire episode? Can you imagine enough events to fill the required space, and make it interesting to boot?
I'm having this issue mainly in Project G, although Project N has it to a degree as well. The thing with Project G is that I spend quite a few stories introducing secondary characters - this proves to be a problem. I'd say SOME of these introductions have enough meat to write an entire story around, but others definitely do not. So, while I need to get these characters introduced, I also need to have something to keep the reader intrigued aside from the initial dazzle of yet another shiny new character, especially when they appear as "HI! My personality will be here soon, too!" That isn't good, either. I need a strong hook to get people intrigued with their presence. Better work at that.
For Project N, it seems a lot easier. I've been able to bond story ideas together to create some sort of super story. It helps that I generated more malleable ideas for this than Project G.
Now, how about those personalities...
I'm having this issue mainly in Project G, although Project N has it to a degree as well. The thing with Project G is that I spend quite a few stories introducing secondary characters - this proves to be a problem. I'd say SOME of these introductions have enough meat to write an entire story around, but others definitely do not. So, while I need to get these characters introduced, I also need to have something to keep the reader intrigued aside from the initial dazzle of yet another shiny new character, especially when they appear as "HI! My personality will be here soon, too!" That isn't good, either. I need a strong hook to get people intrigued with their presence. Better work at that.
For Project N, it seems a lot easier. I've been able to bond story ideas together to create some sort of super story. It helps that I generated more malleable ideas for this than Project G.
Now, how about those personalities...
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Bending Expectations
Went through a small idea surge for Project N. But not the normal Project N, the followup.
Here's how it goes: it was around the time Futurama was announced to be returning, and for one reason or another, I thought "You know what would be neat? If they brought back the show, only with a completely new cast of characters. It would totally fuck with the audience!" Of course, no one working in Hollywood is as brilliant as me, so I don't suppose this idea where ever be used in any mainstream product. However, I figured that I definitely could use it for my stuff.
At first, the idea was just there, attached to Project N like a leech. It would retain the same writing style, and setting (location-wise); but, it would take place in that ever-giving chestnut, the FUTURE. That way, I can justify the new cast and a ton of new insanity. However, that's about where the development stopped. I just couldn't get a good idea of how the characters and situation would work. It would basically be a way to continue it after the events of the first part of Project N was completed (and the ending for it is pretty final, at least thematically).
Recently, I figured it out. Project N-2 could be a thematic expansion of the first part, and that led to further development. I also read a lot about 2000 AD (but haven't actually read it. May have to change that), and that inspired me to create a certain kind of crazy future. With these two combined, I was able to start making something that I felt was less ambiguous in its purpose and more satisfying.
If you wish to know (why would you?), the theme I am trying to use is that of intelligence, and how one uses it. The general atmosphere of the first one was that everyone was stupid but the main characters - and when you're a cynical nerd like I was/am, that's what the world seems like. Most of the recurring secondary characters represented different ways intelligence can be handled - bitterness about the world around you, trying desperately to make a difference despite social problems, or manipulating the masses for your own ends. I really like this concept, and I hope I can flesh it out and make it work, and not come off as some pompous preacher or Has-no-Subtlety man.
So, Project N-2 will go a step further; instead of the main characters feeling they're the only thinkers among a crowd of dopes, the main characters of really are the only intelligent ones left. Ah, the future opens so many doors.
Basically: sometime in the future, most of the world has had part of their mental functionality disabled, but not to the level of COMPLETE retardation, just to a cartoony kind a airheadedness that I'll have to hammer out. In the particular setting, there is pretty much one intelligent family left, and that's where the main character comes from.
At the same time, there is a subplot about AI, and a sort of reversal of the usual depictions of intelligent machines in the future. Basically, computers with human-level AI were created to take over the jobs that the now partially incapacitated humans can't do, like occupations in politics and education. However, all the computers are made to never turn against humans, and they are given a bit more reason to do so than Asimov's code (which includes an idea I like quite a bit - a genetically-altered group of thugs who police the computers, mostly by smashing them into bits). So, instead of machines repressing humans, the machines themselves are being repressed. Someone must have done this before, and much better.
The plots generally evolve from there, but also revolve around what happened to the rest of the world in THE FUTURE (which I figure right now will be about 80-100 years from now). Where is the weirdness I included in the Project N-1 seems more random (but I'll still try to develop some kind of internal logic for it all), the weirdness of Project N-2 will develop more around the condition of the world. Of course, that doesn't mean it will still totally make sense (the one idea I have right now is a cult of wet suit-wearing humans, based on Lovecraft's Deep Ones and living in the flooded US south).
Wow, I'm pretty sure this is the first time I've ever gone into the ideas and stories in-depth. Did I say I wasn't going to do this? I am boring you?
Here's how it goes: it was around the time Futurama was announced to be returning, and for one reason or another, I thought "You know what would be neat? If they brought back the show, only with a completely new cast of characters. It would totally fuck with the audience!" Of course, no one working in Hollywood is as brilliant as me, so I don't suppose this idea where ever be used in any mainstream product. However, I figured that I definitely could use it for my stuff.
At first, the idea was just there, attached to Project N like a leech. It would retain the same writing style, and setting (location-wise); but, it would take place in that ever-giving chestnut, the FUTURE. That way, I can justify the new cast and a ton of new insanity. However, that's about where the development stopped. I just couldn't get a good idea of how the characters and situation would work. It would basically be a way to continue it after the events of the first part of Project N was completed (and the ending for it is pretty final, at least thematically).
Recently, I figured it out. Project N-2 could be a thematic expansion of the first part, and that led to further development. I also read a lot about 2000 AD (but haven't actually read it. May have to change that), and that inspired me to create a certain kind of crazy future. With these two combined, I was able to start making something that I felt was less ambiguous in its purpose and more satisfying.
If you wish to know (why would you?), the theme I am trying to use is that of intelligence, and how one uses it. The general atmosphere of the first one was that everyone was stupid but the main characters - and when you're a cynical nerd like I was/am, that's what the world seems like. Most of the recurring secondary characters represented different ways intelligence can be handled - bitterness about the world around you, trying desperately to make a difference despite social problems, or manipulating the masses for your own ends. I really like this concept, and I hope I can flesh it out and make it work, and not come off as some pompous preacher or Has-no-Subtlety man.
So, Project N-2 will go a step further; instead of the main characters feeling they're the only thinkers among a crowd of dopes, the main characters of really are the only intelligent ones left. Ah, the future opens so many doors.
Basically: sometime in the future, most of the world has had part of their mental functionality disabled, but not to the level of COMPLETE retardation, just to a cartoony kind a airheadedness that I'll have to hammer out. In the particular setting, there is pretty much one intelligent family left, and that's where the main character comes from.
At the same time, there is a subplot about AI, and a sort of reversal of the usual depictions of intelligent machines in the future. Basically, computers with human-level AI were created to take over the jobs that the now partially incapacitated humans can't do, like occupations in politics and education. However, all the computers are made to never turn against humans, and they are given a bit more reason to do so than Asimov's code (which includes an idea I like quite a bit - a genetically-altered group of thugs who police the computers, mostly by smashing them into bits). So, instead of machines repressing humans, the machines themselves are being repressed. Someone must have done this before, and much better.
The plots generally evolve from there, but also revolve around what happened to the rest of the world in THE FUTURE (which I figure right now will be about 80-100 years from now). Where is the weirdness I included in the Project N-1 seems more random (but I'll still try to develop some kind of internal logic for it all), the weirdness of Project N-2 will develop more around the condition of the world. Of course, that doesn't mean it will still totally make sense (the one idea I have right now is a cult of wet suit-wearing humans, based on Lovecraft's Deep Ones and living in the flooded US south).
Wow, I'm pretty sure this is the first time I've ever gone into the ideas and stories in-depth. Did I say I wasn't going to do this? I am boring you?
Friday, April 4, 2008
Finish
Let's get that last bit of Project posting done, shall we?
Project N
This one is a bit different, as it is not a comic. Rather, it is something even more impossible to get made - a TV show. Yep, I want to step into the world of scripted television as well. Albeit, the Internet could make it easier. More on that later.
The snappiest way to sell....errr, describe it, is "20% autobiography, 80% insanity". What that entails is that it uses characters and events based off real people I know/knew and real things I have experienced, coupled with whatever ideas I can come up that sound entertaining. I'd hope the fantastic elements will drown out any sense that this just me feeling like my life is SOOOOO amazing and interesting. And they are indeed fantastic elements. Realism is not an obstacle!
Now, this could easily turn into a 'LOL random story of the week LOL', but I am attempting to create a coherent 'universe' for the show, as well as linked-but-not-continuity heavy storylines. Some of my favorite shows have several standalone episodes beforehand, and then for the final few go nuts and show the thread connecting them all and tying up loose ends in an epic way. That would be what I'd want to do. Also, try to get big theme that would be represented by all the characters and their actions.
I don't think I mentioned that this would be animated yet. I know, I know, that's a pretty obvious nerd thing. Even so, I think that it would best suit the stories and some of the style things I want to do. Yes, I want to do style things.
Now, I imagine this as a TV show, but chances are that won't work out. Add in the difficulty of getting animation...animated, and this then turns into the hardest of my projects to make into an actual product. Even so, I will make a serious attempt if I get some creative credibility sometime in the future. And even if I can't get on TV, as I mentioned, the Internet provides an alternative. If I can get some suckers to do the actual drawing section (much like my comics), I can easily air it on the web. Who knows? Maybe by the time I get to chance to do my thing, this will become standard. Ah, the Internet. Finally, us slices of egomaniacal mediocrity get a chance at fame!
And that's the last of my main projects. I have a few smaller ideas that I would like to see come to fruition, and maybe sometime I'll talk about them, too. The evolution of these ideas may be interesting, although only to me. The rest of you, how many or few there are, are just unwary hitchhikers.
Project N
This one is a bit different, as it is not a comic. Rather, it is something even more impossible to get made - a TV show. Yep, I want to step into the world of scripted television as well. Albeit, the Internet could make it easier. More on that later.
The snappiest way to sell....errr, describe it, is "20% autobiography, 80% insanity". What that entails is that it uses characters and events based off real people I know/knew and real things I have experienced, coupled with whatever ideas I can come up that sound entertaining. I'd hope the fantastic elements will drown out any sense that this just me feeling like my life is SOOOOO amazing and interesting. And they are indeed fantastic elements. Realism is not an obstacle!
Now, this could easily turn into a 'LOL random story of the week LOL', but I am attempting to create a coherent 'universe' for the show, as well as linked-but-not-continuity heavy storylines. Some of my favorite shows have several standalone episodes beforehand, and then for the final few go nuts and show the thread connecting them all and tying up loose ends in an epic way. That would be what I'd want to do. Also, try to get big theme that would be represented by all the characters and their actions.
I don't think I mentioned that this would be animated yet. I know, I know, that's a pretty obvious nerd thing. Even so, I think that it would best suit the stories and some of the style things I want to do. Yes, I want to do style things.
Now, I imagine this as a TV show, but chances are that won't work out. Add in the difficulty of getting animation...animated, and this then turns into the hardest of my projects to make into an actual product. Even so, I will make a serious attempt if I get some creative credibility sometime in the future. And even if I can't get on TV, as I mentioned, the Internet provides an alternative. If I can get some suckers to do the actual drawing section (much like my comics), I can easily air it on the web. Who knows? Maybe by the time I get to chance to do my thing, this will become standard. Ah, the Internet. Finally, us slices of egomaniacal mediocrity get a chance at fame!
And that's the last of my main projects. I have a few smaller ideas that I would like to see come to fruition, and maybe sometime I'll talk about them, too. The evolution of these ideas may be interesting, although only to me. The rest of you, how many or few there are, are just unwary hitchhikers.
Friday, March 28, 2008
Life in the Projects
Yes, not everything I waste time with is stupid and just short-term nonsense. Some things I've been working on for a while, and do actually want to see through to the end. Now is about time I write an introduction to these serious projects of total seriousness.
Project A
This is a collaborative project with a friend of mine (who will know what it is upon reading the project title initial). It is a comic series with a limited (although what that limit is has not been decided yet) run, divided into a number of ‘volumes’ (or, at least that’s the plan right now). We’ve been developing it for about 6 years, although only 1 or 2 of those were of anything good.
I won’t bog anything down with pointless details, but I’ll let you know it’s a somewhat cartoonish sci-fi/action/adventure series. The actual story changes between volumes, and it is mostly made up of single issue stories with some multi parted ones thrown in when necessary. The basic structure reminds of some cartoon action series, but hopefully our book will suck less.
We’ve been kicking around ideas for this thing for years. We’ve been adding and removing concepts and characters in hopes of making something coherent eventually. Recently, we’ve been going about creating series bibles and first draft scripts, which would mean we are somewhat close to satisfaction. It’s a wondrous time.
One thing that seems to be slightly debated right now is tone. I always imagined this being somewhat comedic (the characters really can’t be taken that seriously). But I also agree with my friend that turning it into something more…substantial is a far better goal to shoot for. It’ll definitely require more thought in order to get it right.
Of course, all this story stuff won’t matter if we can’t find an artist. Yup, we both want to make a comic but neither of us can draw. Wacky world we live in, eh? Well, I’m sure we can convince some talented sucker to work for peanuts.
Project G
Project G is also a comic series, although I don’t have the benefit of a friend assisting me with it. Aside from that, this is pretty different from Project A…but also very similar. They actually do have some connections, but I’m going to downplay that because creating fictional universes is for losers.
This one is more of fantasy/sci-fi project, with a family bent. Given a bit more freedom with this concept, I’m going in the direction of ripping off Grant Morrison and Neil Gaiman every chance I get. Including generous helpings of psychobabble, until I realize it is pretentious and boring. Even so, I try to create as many fun, weird, and interesting ideas as possible, while actually trying to develop my characters. It’s actually difficult in some instances; some of the concepts I’ve had for a while lend to some juicy, evolving personalities, while others don’t inspire much beyond ‘the x that y!’. This is a concern for all my projects, actually. I’m not exactly always aiming for *insert valued literary giant*, but I want some level of effort in there.
But much like the other comic project, this one requires I find an artist. It becomes more difficult when I want a specific style for this comic, as well as the ability to change style on a whim. I’ve actually been trying to think of an art style that is more creative than I had been imagining in the past, but I’m not too good at that, it seems. Maybe I should’ve learned to draw…
To be continued. Yep.
Project A
This is a collaborative project with a friend of mine (who will know what it is upon reading the project title initial). It is a comic series with a limited (although what that limit is has not been decided yet) run, divided into a number of ‘volumes’ (or, at least that’s the plan right now). We’ve been developing it for about 6 years, although only 1 or 2 of those were of anything good.
I won’t bog anything down with pointless details, but I’ll let you know it’s a somewhat cartoonish sci-fi/action/adventure series. The actual story changes between volumes, and it is mostly made up of single issue stories with some multi parted ones thrown in when necessary. The basic structure reminds of some cartoon action series, but hopefully our book will suck less.
We’ve been kicking around ideas for this thing for years. We’ve been adding and removing concepts and characters in hopes of making something coherent eventually. Recently, we’ve been going about creating series bibles and first draft scripts, which would mean we are somewhat close to satisfaction. It’s a wondrous time.
One thing that seems to be slightly debated right now is tone. I always imagined this being somewhat comedic (the characters really can’t be taken that seriously). But I also agree with my friend that turning it into something more…substantial is a far better goal to shoot for. It’ll definitely require more thought in order to get it right.
Of course, all this story stuff won’t matter if we can’t find an artist. Yup, we both want to make a comic but neither of us can draw. Wacky world we live in, eh? Well, I’m sure we can convince some talented sucker to work for peanuts.
Project G
Project G is also a comic series, although I don’t have the benefit of a friend assisting me with it. Aside from that, this is pretty different from Project A…but also very similar. They actually do have some connections, but I’m going to downplay that because creating fictional universes is for losers.
This one is more of fantasy/sci-fi project, with a family bent. Given a bit more freedom with this concept, I’m going in the direction of ripping off Grant Morrison and Neil Gaiman every chance I get. Including generous helpings of psychobabble, until I realize it is pretentious and boring. Even so, I try to create as many fun, weird, and interesting ideas as possible, while actually trying to develop my characters. It’s actually difficult in some instances; some of the concepts I’ve had for a while lend to some juicy, evolving personalities, while others don’t inspire much beyond ‘the x that y!’. This is a concern for all my projects, actually. I’m not exactly always aiming for *insert valued literary giant*, but I want some level of effort in there.
But much like the other comic project, this one requires I find an artist. It becomes more difficult when I want a specific style for this comic, as well as the ability to change style on a whim. I’ve actually been trying to think of an art style that is more creative than I had been imagining in the past, but I’m not too good at that, it seems. Maybe I should’ve learned to draw…
To be continued. Yep.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
The Card Game Conundrum
Forgot to mention - the vast majority of the posts will be ideas. Since it's a lot easier to type things than make things, ya see.
It is much more difficult to create a card game (especially of the collectible variety) than one would think, if one would think it at all.
1. You need to be able to create a coherent, machine-like system that has all the right rules in place and all the main mechanics balanced out. Another problem is keeping the rules simple enough for normal humans to understand, but with enough depth to contain some level of strategy.
2. You have to imagine all the different types of cards, making sure they all have a proper place and aren't just design clutter, and all the balancing and mechanical rules therein.
3. If you REALLY want to do something of quality, you have to think of interesting game concepts that are in at least some way original and convey the setting or concept you came up with. You can come up with a slight variant to Magic any time, but that's sorta boring. In fact, I've found most 'combat-oriented' games without any sort of twist are pretty dull, so I try to do something a little meatier.
4. Once you start creating cards, you have to figure out the right balance of card types for the set. It gets even more complicated when you plan for expansions. Expansions pretty much require you to keep coming up with new ideas to keep the thing fresh, too.
5. The most important thing: balancing the cards themselves. You really have to pay attention to the mechanics and all the other cards you've made, making sure you avoid including overpowered bombs and unstoppable interactions. Hell, even the actual card game producers have trouble with this, especially when they are on a schedule.
So, that's what I constantly face when I try to design card games for fun.
The main difficulties I find? I'm constantly creating rules that are so stupidly complicated even I can't get the hang of them, I don't give myself enough material (or don't think hard enough) to come up with interesting new twists and ideas for the rules, or I just feel like I'm ripping off someone else (example being my most recent project, which feels to me like a blatant copy of Decipher's rather neat Lord of the Rings system, except not nearly as smooth). So, no matter how many times I tried to come up with a system, I'm never really satisfied with it. Maybe that'll change if I keep going, do more research, and get the hang of balancing and mechanics.
And if you're wondering why I make card games for fun, it's because I like designing things. Gets the brain juices a-flowin'. Also, fuck off.
It is much more difficult to create a card game (especially of the collectible variety) than one would think, if one would think it at all.
1. You need to be able to create a coherent, machine-like system that has all the right rules in place and all the main mechanics balanced out. Another problem is keeping the rules simple enough for normal humans to understand, but with enough depth to contain some level of strategy.
2. You have to imagine all the different types of cards, making sure they all have a proper place and aren't just design clutter, and all the balancing and mechanical rules therein.
3. If you REALLY want to do something of quality, you have to think of interesting game concepts that are in at least some way original and convey the setting or concept you came up with. You can come up with a slight variant to Magic any time, but that's sorta boring. In fact, I've found most 'combat-oriented' games without any sort of twist are pretty dull, so I try to do something a little meatier.
4. Once you start creating cards, you have to figure out the right balance of card types for the set. It gets even more complicated when you plan for expansions. Expansions pretty much require you to keep coming up with new ideas to keep the thing fresh, too.
5. The most important thing: balancing the cards themselves. You really have to pay attention to the mechanics and all the other cards you've made, making sure you avoid including overpowered bombs and unstoppable interactions. Hell, even the actual card game producers have trouble with this, especially when they are on a schedule.
So, that's what I constantly face when I try to design card games for fun.
The main difficulties I find? I'm constantly creating rules that are so stupidly complicated even I can't get the hang of them, I don't give myself enough material (or don't think hard enough) to come up with interesting new twists and ideas for the rules, or I just feel like I'm ripping off someone else (example being my most recent project, which feels to me like a blatant copy of Decipher's rather neat Lord of the Rings system, except not nearly as smooth). So, no matter how many times I tried to come up with a system, I'm never really satisfied with it. Maybe that'll change if I keep going, do more research, and get the hang of balancing and mechanics.
And if you're wondering why I make card games for fun, it's because I like designing things. Gets the brain juices a-flowin'. Also, fuck off.
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Examples 5: Ideas
I will periodically post ideas for things. These will be the most impenetrable posts, so maybe I'll include something to occupy the 98% of the human population that doesn't care.
I actually have no examples, so this isn't really much of an example post. Ain't I a stinker?
I actually have no examples, so this isn't really much of an example post. Ain't I a stinker?
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