Homage or Swipe Inspiration or RipOff On the
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Homage or Swipe? Inspiration or Rip-Off? On the Origins of Game Ideas Richard Rouse III Lead Single Player Designer Kaos Studios/THQ www. paranoidproductions. com Game. X Summit/MIT Gambit Game Lab, October 2009
The Homage versus The Swipe
The Homage Joe Shuster, 1938 Todd Mc. Farlane, 1988
John Byrne, 1980
The Swipe Fantastic Four (1982) by John Byrne New Mutants (1990) by Rob Liefeld
Ronin (1983) by Frank Miller X-Force (1993) by Rob Liefeld
Nomad (1990) by James Fry Captain America (1997) by Rob Liefeld
Captain America (1969) by Jim Steranko Nomad (1990) by James Fry Captain America (1997) by Rob Liefeld
Bob Oksner, 1972 John Byrne, 1980
“Never draw what you can copy; never copy what you can trace; never trace what you can photostat and paste down. ” - Wally Wood
Antonio Del Pollaiolo, 1475 Joe Shuster, 1938
Rip-Off Inspiration
In games, we call it “cloning”. . .
1993
1994 1995 1996
1998
Nov, 1994
June, 1997
June, 1998
2001
2003 2006
2007
Game Idea Rule #1 Take existing gameplay and transpose it to a new setting Evolve the mechanics as necessary to suit that setting
Gears of War, aka “Resident Killswitch”
Gears of War, aka “Resident Killswitch”
Game Idea Rule #2 “Borrow” novel mechanics from obscure games
Game Idea Rule #3 Don’t steal your setting from another game
The “Sticky Bomb” Problem
The “Sticky Bomb” Problem
Game Idea Rule #4 Be careful borrowing an idea from popular fiction Doing supplemental research is important
Where do you get your ideas?
Where do you get your ideas? “I make them up. Out of my head. ” – Neil Gaiman
Where do you get your ideas? “Schenectady. ” – Harlan Ellison
“Ripped from the headlines”
“Ripped from the headlines”
“Ripped from the headlines”
AC-130 Co. D 4 Clip
Game Idea Rule #5 Get ideas from the documentary zeitgeist
The Kids are Alright (1979)
Game Idea Rule #6 Obscure documentary sources are great too Corollary: But real life is even better
Game Idea Rule #7 Real life is an ideal inspiration Every experience you have is an opportunity Taking an idea from real life makes it less likely someone has already beaten that idea to death
• Enemies themed after execution methods
• Enemies themed after execution methods • Horrific events on the island based on events from US history – Slave trade – Witch trials – Ethnic discrimination during WWII – Mental institution abuses – Capital punishment
Game Idea Rule #8 Have many and varied sources of inspiration
Where do you get your ideas from? • • Other Games Other Fiction/Movies/etc Non-Fiction/Documentaries/etc Your Experiences/“Real Life”
Where do you get your ideas from? EASIEST • Other Games • Other Fiction/Movies/etc • Non-Fiction/Documentaries/etc • Your Experiences/“Real Life” TRUTHIEST
Where do you get your ideas from? EASIEST • Other Games • Other Fiction/Movies/etc • Non-Fiction/Documentaries/etc • Your Experiences/“Real Life” MOST TRUE
Where do you get your ideas from? EASIEST Often this is OK • Other Games • Other Fiction/Movies/etc • Non-Fiction/Documentaries/etc • Your Experiences/“Real Life” MOST TRUE
Where do you get your ideas from? EASIEST Often this is OK • Other Games • Other Fiction/Movies/etc • Non-Fiction/Documentaries/etc • Your Experiences/“Real Life” MOST TRUE As long as you have some of this
Gameplay EASIEST Other Games Other Fiction Non-Fiction Real Life MOST TRUE Setting
Gameplay EASIEST Other Games Other Fiction Non-Fiction Real Life MOST TRUE Setting
Gameplay EASIEST Other Games Other Fiction Non-Fiction Real Life MOST TRUE Setting
Gameplay EASIEST Other Games Other Fiction Non-Fiction Real Life MOST TRUE Setting
Gameplay EASIEST Other Games Other Fiction Non-Fiction Real Life MOST TRUE Setting
Gameplay EASIEST Other Games Other Fiction Non-Fiction Real Life MOST TRUE Setting
Gameplay EASIEST Other Games Other Fiction Non-Fiction Real Life MOST TRUE Setting
Gameplay EASIEST Other Games Other Fiction Non-Fiction Real Life MOST TRUE Setting
Gameplay EASIEST Other Games Other Fiction Non-Fiction Real Life MOST TRUE Setting
Comics: Herge, Schulz, Eisner Comics: Spiegelman, Moebius Also: Frank Capra, Charles Dickens Also: Orson Welles, Virginia Woolf
Comics: Herge, Schulz, Eisner Comics: Spiegelman, Moebius Also: Frank Capra, Charles Dickens Also: Orson Welles, Virginia Woolf In Games: Sid Meier, Steve Meretzky, Shigeru Miyamoto, Fumito Ueda In Games: Will Wright, Tetsuya Mizuguchi, Chris Crawford, Dani Bunten Berry
Comics: Herge, Schulz, Eisner Comics: Spiegelman, Moebius Also: Frank Capra, Charles Dickens Also: Orson Welles, Virginia Woolf In Games: Sid Meier, Steve Meretzky, Shigeru Miyamoto, Fumito Ueda In Games: Will Wright, Tetsuya Mizuguchi, Chris Crawford, Dani Bunten Berry
Comics: Herge, Schulz, Eisner Comics: Spiegelman, Moebius Also: Frank Capra, Charles Dickens Also: Orson Welles, Virginia Woolf In Games: Sid Meier, Steve Meretzky, Shigeru Miyamoto, Fumito Ueda In Games: Will Wright, Tetsuya Mizuguchi, Chris Crawford, Dani Bunten Berry
Gameplay EASIEST Other Games Other Fiction Non-Fiction Real Life MOST TRUE Setting
Eight Game Idea Rules 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Use existing mechanics with a new setting “Borrow” mechanics from obscure games Don’t steal settings from games Research is important Get ideas from the documentary zeitgeist Obscure documentary sources are also great Real life is an ideal inspiration Have many and varied sources of inspiration
Gameplay Other Games Other Fiction Non-Fiction Real Life Setting
Questions? Slides available at: www. paranoidproductions. com Contact: rr 3@paranoidproductions. com Hearty thanks to Dan Teasdale, Coray Seifert, Amin Razi, Rob Fulop, Greg Kramer, and the GDW