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

[Probotector 200X]

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.

Ooh, yes, this!

That's one thing I love about generic characters in RPGs (mainly strategy RPGs). Since they say nothing and have no real personality, I make it up in my head. When I use certain characters together enough, I form ideas for what kind of interaction they would have. The way I customize their equipment and skills also gives me ideas, sometimes for different kinds of characters. (like, say, that one time I gave a Bard in Final Fantasy Tactics a Katana and Teleport, gave me a weird idea for a character) Or, sometimes some of the strange methods of changing classes gives me ideas as well. (take the Beast Tamer's from Ogre Battle...they are bald old men in loin cloths, but when they get promoted to a Dragon Tamer, they suddenly are young, have long flowing hair, and look like girls a little, I thought they were girls the first time...so, picture a character like this! Think of a story to explain this transformation from a half-naked old man into a young warrior lady!)

Inspiration really does come from anywhere.

 

[Rose Guardian]

@Probotector200x  That sounds cool! I like that idea of aging backwards.

@RavenTDA I own Soul Calibur V as well. I actually almost filled every character creation spot with original characters.  I want to put some of my characters in a story that I made in character creation, but the problem is I can draw very well but I don't know how to sprite.

 

[LuckyLeafGames]

Man oh man, lots of things inspire me.  Movies, games, music, TV shows...but I am a natural artiste' so a lot of my creativity comes anyways, with or without those things.  But when it comes to making a game, an RPG, Final Fantasy IX is the most influential piece of work for me.  I don't copy anything, I just use that game's philosophy an\d the way it carries itself.  Hard to explain.  As for titling games, don't even sweat that...I change my title CONSTANTLY.  My game I'm developing now, has been titled Silver Screen Story, The Banished Warrior, Empire of Faith- I've now locked in a hopefully final decision for a title which is Empire Souls.

 

[Neoz Kaho]

Reading TVTropes and Wikipedia helped me a lot, and playing some games. My characters and stories are mostly started off as a total rip-off and gradually fleshed out and evolved into its own unique twist. I especially loved the games that have detailed and deep world that are worthy of exploring, because to me, RPG are not just about the characters, it's about the world they lived too. You're not forced to watch the character doing things sequentially, but allowed a chance to interact with the surroundings. That's why a great world and universe gives me a lot of new ideas. Stories doesn't need to revolve around the main characters all the time.

 

[BladesofJustice]

First of all, I think of what sort of game I want to make, and what kind of emotions I want to evoke.

For example: Do I want to make a surreal comedy game with the objective of making the player laugh? Or perhaps a heart-rending romance story with the objective of making the player cry.

I then think up a setting (e.g. A castle/fantasy realm etc) and use that as a stimulus.

Rather then thinking up an idea and making a world to fit around it, I like making the world first, then comming up with the plot. It gives a more natural feel.

Remember: every good plot needs tension and conflict. Once I have the world my game is set in, I think of what can go wrong. Evil demon lord on the loose? The king's advisor has an evil plan to take over?

On that note, try to avoid cliches.

 

[Perro the traveler]

I actually start with a group of characters and the world they live in.  "Why is this one so spunky?" "what law did this one break?" "what circumstance led to this towns way of life?" etc. and the story just about writes itself really.

There are times I actually come up with something because of someone elses flop.  Making gold from garbage basically.

If only I did so well with maps and stat callibrating.

 

[guguman]

Wow! First of, nice tread!

 Okay now the first thing to point out about my game story assembly line is that it starts with a general motive, a "theme" if you may. It can come from mostly anything, but I find that the greatest themes come from your inner self, as cheesy as that may sound. For example I take out topics or real life subjects, emotions that bug me, of which I have a strong viewpoint, and then express it in the form of a game. As I view video games as art, I believe that a message that you want to transmit is mandatory.

For example the game I'm currently working on right now is based on religion, or rather the existence of a "god". The name of the game comes relatively easy after that, mostly resuming the whole theme: "Godless".

 Next of I of course think of an "epic plot"! With a given "Epic plot twist!" That generally comes from my uncanny imagination, either at school (daydreaming type)or while on the toilet (yeah..don't judge me). But In all seriousness, I let the whole idea sink in and slowly but surely build the whole storyline in my head, which I may keep modifying, or improving in my daily life.

 Characters and dialogue and such I generally name and come up with on the spot. I also think up personalities and the character's behaviors on the spot, but I make sure they are fun, believable, and leave a powerful emotion when they die.

 And as for listening to music while I work, I do it. Always, like I always crank up the volume and headbang like I'm possessed by the spirit of a Japanese game designer that really liked the 70 to 90's rock. Hell, I'm even headbanging now while I'm writing this message.

 

[Roziel]

I started out looking for something that hasn't really been done, a genre of setting that is mostly untouched. I started with my old favorite Arcanum: Steamworks and Magika and now I have a whole notebook full of ideas. I came up with a whole bunch of mechanic ideas when I played that game mixed with some time in Skyrim. It is a HUGE project, but i've seen some pretty impressive games on steam made only by one person, so I think I can do it.

As for writing, I start with the beginning and ending, then fill in the middle. Usually with stuff I WANT to happen I write those scense next as I think of them. Then it is basically just a connect the dots. Works for my stories so far at least.

 

[West Mains]

I have really bat-poo-crazy dreams. Being a writer and having to think of plots constantly, my dreams usually have very complicated non-linear narratives, which only makes them even crazier. They tend to inspire a lot of ideas that I reflect into my work whether it's writing, music or games. 

 

[Mimironi]

I get my ideas from other games and my imagination which is the main problem because I cant stick to one idea.

*edit: I didnt realize how late the last post was ><*

 

[SLEEP]

"Good story ideas"? I'm sorry, all my stories are stupid and dumb, and inspired by things that are stupid and dumb. Creativity is an art, it doesn't have a formula for success. Unlike most people, I enter a dearth of creativity when consuming other creative media. I only look for tropes and patterns in my work once i've finished my first idea brainstorming, and also sort my ideas into a story arc once all the other basics are in place.

 

[mightydarkchocolate]

My real life experiences are some of the inspiration factors for me to come up with good idea for the game's story. Let's say, for my recent game, Ningyo Heart (doll's heart). is inspired from my real experience months before I made this game.

My friend threw a wooden doll at me when we are fighting, shouting ''you heartless prick! you are just like this doll!'' Her words didn't hurt, but the doll was. The wooden doll & her words give me idea to create a game using heart as metaphor or main theme (feelings, source of a person's inner strength) and dolls resembling emotionless or heartless person (evil).

From my working experiences in the hospital for years, I meet many patients whom had been abandoned by their families. this is the true and sad fact about how heartless some people around us could be so I  had used this to be a lesson in this game.

Of course, I really admires patient whom didn't giving up in their lives. Even they are not perfect like the rest, they still stay strong and doing the best their can and being independent. So, I shown my admiration toward these wonderful people through the main character of this game.

This is just one of the example how a life experience could become an inspiration and trigger an idea for someone to create a story for the game. Writer's block? I barely got one when making game.

 

[byronclaude]

I've seen a ton of great ideas in this forum.  Regarding my current project (my first, about 4 months into it and coming along)...  the one thing I can say is inspiration truly does come from all over the place.

Sometimes selecting a piece of music that I am determined to use and listening to it for about 5 minutes, to allow imagery to form in my mind.  Some of my coolest maps so far were developed that way, and parts of my story form around the maps.

Aside from that, I focus on characters more than story.

Create random characters with very random personality traits and backgrounds...  then let them write the story (imagine how those different types would interact with each other....    like a very foolish person paired with an impatient irritable person LOL).  It's magical.

 

[Omega Weapon]

Dreams, the ones I can remember that is.

 

[Rose Guardian]

Those are all good ideas.  Sorry I haven't replied to this lately.  I like coming up with stuff but sometimes I feel people are too picky about something I made up and I tend to get discouraged when that happens. But I like all of those ideas, I should try the ones I never did.

 

[Shades]

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?

Simple. Inject your own characters into it. They'll play by their own rules and eventually make different decisions from the originals, which will create a new set of situations.