What inspires you to come up with good story ideas for your rpgs?

[Rose Guardian]

Just out curriousity and to help me be a better story teller and writer, what inspires you guys and girls to make an excillant story for you rpgs? Also how do you stay creative and prevent writers block?

 

[Indinera]

Epic music for me (Genesis in particular), it acts as a catalyst for my brain to visualize sequences which, put back-to-back, make a story for a game.

Also in general I like heroic stuff and I've got a pretty good imagination.

 

[Rose Guardian]

That sounds exciting! I have a good imagination as well I been told.  My only problem is getting others ti understand it because I get my ideas from certain dreams I had and it is kind of hard to put them together in a way they do not feel rushed or uninteresting.

 

[Indinera]

Make a game about your dreams then.

Just don't call it Dreamscape ahaha.

 

[CircleDrain]

Well many movies, books and games inspires me. Play other games, watch some movies and you will get many ideas.

Sometimes when I am watching in deviantart some new Artworks I will get ideas aswell

 

[Rose Guardian]

Ideas from movies and games help too.  My only questions about that is how do you keep it from copying or being too similiar to those?

 

[Roboblue]

Epic music for me (Genesis in particular), it acts as a catalyst for my brain to visualize sequences which, put back-to-back, make a story for a game.

Also in general I like heroic stuff and I've got a pretty good imagination.

Heh, I was just about to say this too. Most sequences and events that I came with for my game all came into my head due to music, mostly video game music. New or old, 8-bit or orchestrated, it's all been very helpful in giving me inspiration for not just the plot, but also the setting and history for the world I'm creating.

 

[Rose Guardian]

That's cool.  One thing I forgot to mention is my brother keeps telling me that some of my game titles don't fit the story and are just random.  A lot of times I don't know what to name my games.

 

[Espon]

I usually play suitable music depending on what I'm working on at the time, too.  I try to avoid music with lyrics though as it kind of distracts me.

Ideas from movies and games help too.  My only questions about that is how do you keep it from copying or being too similiar to those?

Can put your own spin onto it.  I wouldn't worry about it too much if this is just a hobby.  Just try not to copy actual characters, places, or reenact scenes... unless you're making a fan-game.

Don't fret too much about coming up with a title.  Often times I change my titles a few times through production as I develop a better understanding of my game.

 

[Rose Guardian]

Thank you Espon.  I change my titles somtimes too.  It is just hard to come up with one at times. Example I made a game called Shadow Sphere awhile back then realized it shouldn't be called that. I have not posted it with the updated title yet though. Also how do you keep working on something without getting destracted with an idea for a different game? This happens to me way too much and I hardly ever finish the games I have demos for.

 

[Espon]

I make a new project or a text document and dump the ideas all into it then try and go back to what I was working on before.  Usually the project or document just has basic things like character names; it's more for me to keep track of things I came up with since I may want to go back to them later or use as reference.  I might work on the new project for a few days just to unload my creativity, but I try to always finish games I've already started first.  I have like 4 or 5 projects for new ideas I've come up with that just sit there gathering dust, but my current project has been on-going for over 2 years now.

This tends to happens when I've been taking a break from RPG Makering or if a new contest comes up that I'm interested in.  Longest I stopped working on my current game is about a month when the Mysterious August contest was going... but that was more because I wanted a finished entry.

 

[dragonborn99]

Well, I think some inspirational pictures for whatever genre your game is of some inspirational music.


I also like to play some other good games like Skyrim (real good rpg) so I can get some ideas for storyline and even some ideas for main menus and game concepts

 

[Milennin]

I have some established characters that me and my friend have been using for cartoons for over 10 years, so it's easy to work with them, and put them in a game setting. Other things that inspire me are some games I've played in the past, mostly the old school Sonic games, Golden Sun, Pokémon, Fire Emblem, Final Fantasy etc. For more situational stuff, like certain events or something, music is a good source. When I listen to something cool, it's easier to come up with a kickass scenario that I could use in my game.

 

[Probotector 200X]

On the subject of music...well...sometimes I make finer details of the story as I go. Like, I plan lots of important things and stuff, but the finer details and interaction in a cutscene...I don't really do them until I'm actually putting it into my RPG. Oftentimes, I choose the song to use for the cutscene before I start writing anything (well, if it's available, like in RTP games or fangames)...and, the music sets the mood for the scene. I don't get tired of listening to the same song because it fits what I'm doing! While a different scenario, I often do this with maps too. Pick a song that I want for the type of dungeon or town I'm going to make, and listen to it while I'm making that particular map. It really makes it feel more like I'm playing a game while making it.

 

[PixelLuchi]

Music ( mainly New Age and Celtic, VG music helps too ), good games, good articles writing, myth, lore, the list goes on. Anything I get my grubby mitts on inspires me in some way. Good video game characters as well, can become Expies for my OCs.

 

[tpasmall]

A good story, in any form, is a great place for inspiration. My game draws inspiration from Star Wars, Robin Hood, Castaway, the Final Fantasy games, an album called 'Razia's Shadow' by Forgive Durden, The Arabian Nights, various Disney movies, Indiana Jones. If it's got a good story with relatable characters, run with it.

 

[Xoltox]

Not hard though. My mind nearly all the time is puffed and pumped with ideas that could blast out in a sec. Sometimes helping me sometimes.... well not. I mainly get me ideas from movies, novels, graphic novels, games etc. If you're looking for a fantasy game play a good game like Elder Scrolls V Skyrim or maybe Capcom's Dragon's Dogma etc. In sci fi my favorite is the Gears Of War Trilogy (All the 3).

 

[Emzie]

By playing other RPGs, it can give me a good story.

 

[Rose Guardian]

All those sound very good to me.  I should try listening to music while I am working on my game and see what happens

 

[RavenTDA]

I'm a little different than most and find most inspiration by just looking at random pictures. If I'm stuck in writer's block, doing this will also help me come up with things. Most times the pictures will provoke a thought and later this gets transformed into something else entirely. My current game's plot was mostly inspired by a drawing on deviantart of a princess walking up a castle's spiral staircase and there isn't even a princess in my game but it sure helped me think about ideas.

I also get really creative with any kind of "create a character". I've got like so many random stories for characters I made in Soul Calibur V it's kinda funny.

Most people find music helps but when actively writing music bothers me unless I'm writing poetry. Although it helps me when I'm making some kind of graphic. So basically if one doesn't work, try something else. There isn't a fool-proof method.