Having too many game ideas at one time. A good or a bad thing?

Hi There, New to the site, long time reader, first time poster

Ive been having lots of different game ideas in the past few months, from Fantasy RPG's, to games involving the American/Russian Invasion of a Holiday resort populated with mythological creatures. Thats the tip of the ice-berg.

What im trying to say is, when is the point when you have too many ideas, and not enough time? Or is life just always like that

What do you think?

 

depends how you utilize your time.

I have many ideas, if I get a new one, ill dot it down in a notepad and maybe do a rough concept to see if it has potential. right now im running 2 in development on top of updating my released app. its a lot to juggle but if you can manage your time well you're fine.

 

Write em down.

 

This bad for me cuz even if I jot it down I never get to it. Even if it's stupid I jot it cuz it could get better and you'll remember it.

 

Show us the GDD's and we'll talk.

 

GDD's (imo) when working for first games are pretty time wasting. ive managed perfectly by just having a small notepad file explaining what each thing does.

When i get home ill gather up a few screenshots to show you how I formulate my work and folders. might give you some eaze when organizing small projects.

Before doing a concept i tend to ask myself these:

Game in a paragraph
-What the game is about, whats the aim
Game mechanics
-What basic mechanics of gameplay will be required. (i.e, unlocking doors, procedual level generation, platforming)
Target Platform
-So so important
What am I looking for
-What help will you need to complete your project
Payment
-Predicted outcome

 

Start working on one and focus on it. When you realize how much work it takes to actually make the game you will slow down I guarantee.

 

I find it amusing that you disprove GDDs by presenting an excellent GDD strategy

 

To serve the role of echo here:

Write down the idea in a document you have accessible from eveywhere. iCloud sinced notepad, Evernote, Dropbox text file, whatever. Something you can access from many places and edit.

Write a one-liner of the idea there and let it rest. Forget about it and go back to work on whatever you were working (if you were working on something already.) Do not allow the new ideas to distract you from your current project. Once you are done with your current project, go back to that document and look over the list. It's likely just by reading you may not find some of them as interesting anymore. Pick the one you like the best, AND you know you can actually create, and start working on it.

Rinse and repeat.

 

I guess we have different depictions of GDDs I always see people with novel lengthed GDDs when I do most of mine in my head and just drot down notes for other to understand. its the same at college, I think all this analyzing other artists and writing essays iss bull****. its stuff you should do naturally just by looking at a piece of work. or maybe thats just me

 

If you're a new indie gamedev, you'll start noticing a single lifetime isn't enough to fulfill all extent of your imagination, and I'm guessing you're very creative, that's why you're getting so many game ideas in your head, so in your case it'll be pretty much impossible to do all the games in your list.
But it's not a bad thing, having many ideas is great! You'll just have to pick the best idea you're having atm, and go with it!

 

Having many GOOD ideas (ideas that are in indie development range) is very good, but only until you do not start developing one of this ideas. Once you have set your mind on some project and started with development it becomes burden and the best thing is to not think about them becouse otherwise they can become distraction or somethimes project killer.

 

+1

 

It's actually kinda nice because every idea seems awesome when I first think of it. By having to wait and prioritize I can let them stew in my mind for a while which usually allows me to see that most of them are stupid. It's a great weeding process.

 

+2

 

I use Springpad. They have have an iPad app and a browser plug in. I'm able to note whatever from wherever., attach related links, add tasks, etc. I think it's similar to evernote. In any event, I really find it helpful.

 

I have a tonne of game ideas. I always write them down and while writing them down I have even more. So many ideas, but so little time to implement them. I have several which I think are really good and things I'd want to see come to fruition but it takes so much time for one person. I'm trying to focus on just one or two projects now - not easy because just after I get into one thing I start getting into something else. Oh well.

I am considering though buying some tools to help like uScript and maybe a 2D tool or GUI tool, to try to help speed up development and automate some stuff.

 

Heard the cliche? Ideas are like b-holes, everyone has one and they usually stink.

An idea is rarely valuable. Success is 1% inspiration, 99% perspiration. Brainstorming rocks. Write down your ideas - keep track of your inspiration. Flesh it out if you like. Don't make a fail game, but brainstorm lots of them. And while all of this is going on, build ONE THING! Finish something real.

Me? I'm practicing my story telling. Part of my next project.

Gigi.

 

I have loads of game idears, i dont write anything about them untill i decide ill make it as if i dont remember it then it isent good enough to make.

 

If I think my idea is good enough I'll remeber it for a while