Can't keep my game simple...

[Hyouryuu-Na]

This is really a very big problem for me. I've been daydreaming about my game for like a year now (yes I procrastinate a lot) I'm almost always busy with exams but I try to keep my project alive by working a little on it everyday. I'm making the tilesets and designing the characters right now (they're 3d models cos I can't draw T_T)
But nowadays I'm procrastinating more than I did before. I keep thinking of ways to make my game unique and I also have some ideas. But they're hard to implement. I'm moving away from my goal by thinking about stuff (like collecting cool plugins I don't need) I don't need to work on right now at least. Yesterday I even evented a total system where the player's sanity depends on the brightness around him. And I don't even need that in my game! What is wrong with me! Ughhh -_- This is my first game. And I guess this happens to most new developers? Need some tips to keep myself on track.

 

[FrozenNorseman]

I have absolutely nothing to back this up since I'm only on my first game myself, but my suggestion would be to focus on a proof of concept.

Finish something you can show to others (with or without the cool features or plugins you dream about) and get some feedback. Constructive criticism is one of the best tools to help you stay focused, motivated and work towards a finished product that can be enjoyed by others.

 

[TheoAllen]

I keep thinking of ways to make my game unique

Here is my cent. This is mostly what makes you procrastinated more than you expect. You focused on "How to make a unique game". Because you keep thinking "A lot of people already did that. So I can't add more to it". What you probably miss is "Why people did that?".

You can try to create based from the most cliche tropes around, and then try to build around it. Learn the experience why people doing it, learn how to build the game mechanic/game balance around it. It doesn't matter if people already did it. If you never build your game because "you don't feel unique", you may never see the light of completing a project.

Completing a project is a valuable experience. You can learn how to keep the game pace. How to build up the early game stage to late game where the challenge is constantly getting difficult. You can learn how to manage the database, and maybe also learn one or two tricks along the way. Knowing what works and doesn't work. You don't need to feel unique. You just need to finish a project. The base concept of your game can be a clone from an existing game, you don't need to feel ashamed of that. After all, this is your first project.

Also a great thread from Indrah on "How to Finish a Project"

 

[Lornsteyn]

I totally know this feeling.^^
If I start a project, I always end up doing more stuff for it, than I wanted at the beginning.
Also I get often very soon ideas for a prequel or sequel or both and start writing these up. xD

 

[Finnuval]

I think we all have this at some point to some degree I usually write down everything that pops up in my head and work on several things at the same time but keeping them separate from eachother till they are more then Just am idea. That way it's out of my system and I can later decide if it'll mix well or if I should shelve it for later use. But that's me haha and Im weird

 

[taaspider]

I think this is a common trap for beginners. And as a beginner I'm trying veeeeeery hard not to fall into it!

What I'm doing specifically is lay out a plan trying to answer questions like these:

• What kind of game am I trying to build?
• Is this new feature I brainstormed really necessary to my current project, or can I archive it for another time?
• Where do my game begins, where do it finishes and what are the main plot points inbetween?
  • This question should not focus only on story/plot, but also consider how gameplay, skills, balancing and maybe even some numbers evolves as the player progresses;
  • Also, try to measure if your plan is not too big. If so, it may be a good idea to split it into multiple games and focus in the first part first (I'm struggling with this one, as my project has a very important plot point about half the game, but there's a lot happening till that... maybe too much );
• What is the major features of my game? Is there anything that can be dealt later so I can focus on my MVP (Minimum Viable Product)?
  • As a rule of thumb, I tend to leave for later anything that doesn't affect major gameplay features, unless it bothers me just too much to handle (like the RTP chibi charsets...);

Anyway, I don't think there is a formula for this. But trying to criticize my own vision and focus on the project's main features has been fruitful for me. I hope this can help you somehow!

 

[NinjaKittyProductions]

With most of my projects, I typically know what I want the beginning to be, the middle, and the end. So this is how my projects start. I design the beginning of the game, then I design the middle (or at least where I think the player will be at this time [level, items, etc.], then I design the end. The end is made with the thought "I would like the player to be this level by this time and have these items/consumables/equipment. Once I have these three designed and implemented, I then 'fill in the blanks'... for lack of a different explanation.

This approach might not work for everyone but I have found it is what helps keep me focused on my projects.

The most important thing is to be enjoying what you are doing.

 

[Wavelength]

You need to ask yourself the most important design question of all, which is: "What is my game about at its core - that is, what are the essential experiences/feelings I want to deliver for the player?"

Answer that question, and then design everything in your game in service to that core.

If an idea for a feature is cool, but it doesn't get you closer to delivering that core experience to the player, save it for another project, and focus on this one.

If a plugin looks cool, but developing around it won't get you closer to delivering that core experience, save it for another project, and focus on this one.

If a character comes into your mind that seems cool but you can't figure out how to fit her into that core experience, save her for another project, and focus on this one.

 

[bgillisp]

What you experience is a common beginner issue, and is also the reason we *heavily* suggest beginners make a short game first before trying the big project. Maybe that is what you need? Maybe try making a game with only the default engine and the RTP. No plug-ins or scripts allowed. No outside resources allowed. That should force you to keep it simple.

Otherwise, what I do if I get an idea of things to add my game is I load up a project, make some very quick and simple maps and then try the idea, see if it is any good and actually fun. If so, I usually keep it for the next project. If not, I discard it. But I usually don't add it to the main project regardless of the result.

 

[Hyouryuu-Na]

Thank you all for your suggestions ^^ They're really helpful.
I had started writing the story a while ago but I decided I'll just leave that and go on with the flow! I guess that was a bad decision.
I'll try to keep close to the main idea of the game, leaving behind unnecessary things that aren't a must, keep it simple, and release a demo or something since I think that the response will motivate me to work on it more sincerely.
Again, thank you all for your advice