Need Ideas...

I keep coming up with little ideas for games and start making them, but they never seem to turn into anything.

Does anybody have any ideas for simple little mobile games, or show me any current games that I could adapt because I can't think of a good idea that will actually work.

Thanks

Yeah I used to have a similar problem. Then I would start the artwork for most of the game 1st, then program later. Reason is when you do both back and forth, for some reason its mentally tiring that way. As far as game types , look at the games I made in my signature aim for those types of games.

famousgnu6

build remakes of existing games you think you can realise (start easy and enhance until it turns the wrong way - then reduce [and probably add other enhancements]).

e.g. start with a 'single player' pong clone (where the paddles move contradictory) and add some 'extras'

add some bricks in the middle - so you have a 'pong brick' clone

make the balls exploding (on some bricks)

make moving the bricks

make rotating the bricks

make the balls bound to layout (or make them warp)

add random appearing elements (spaceships, rockes, health, shields)

make the control behavior changing (direction/speed) while gameplay

in general think about games you like and try to combine parts of them.

If you can't imaging the resulting fun in gameplay just make a simple prototype to figure out.

start always with the programming prototype - good gfx is worth nothing if the gameplay is boring.

I know programmer love to see their idea with stunning gfx and artist love to see their gfx comming to life but starting with the gameplay saves a lot of time and reduce the frustration if your idea don't works.

You drive car. You can turn left or right to avoid obstacles. Llonger you drive faster you trawel so you will crash eventualy.

Idea 2

You menage caravan traweling thrue desert. You can hire worker too carry bagadge. Each worker need to eat. You can find oasa to gain some water and food. You can be hit by sandstorm, atacked by lions so you lose some worker. Player can set camp to rest or return to home and fight the desert next time.goal is to cross whole desert. Player can die from starwation lack of water or be killed by animal.

Agree with a previous poster, start with remaking simple games and then move your way up.

Imagine that you are a genius, you have a human brain that is more powerful than any known computer. Stand up, walk around and get into the mindset and physiology of someone who is confident, creative, and quick-witted. Notice how a confident person breathes, how they occupy their body and space, how they move with flair. You are a genius, so move, breathe and act like one! And it become true))

The better way to have ideas is to :

• Play games
• Having some constraints

Choose a theme from a contest/jam then try to find ideas

or play games from a jam

And sometimes, be far from the game making to free your mind, so things will come naturally.

I often use Twine to write stories, and some of them inspire me to make something with a better gameplay.

For me I write games that have an aspect of how I want RL to be. That's why I finish the game - because it's about something I care about in real life. The game doesn't have to work - what it has to do is be relevant to your real life, to a degree. It can have a ton of fantasy aspects, but it still needs to be a little bit relevant.

I also have the same problem. I start game prototypes, often with only the art ideas in my head, and then try to figure out how to put it in a gameplay environment. It hasn't worked yet. mercuryus has the right idea. I have found that remaking other games in a simpler way is far easier than trying to make them yourself.

In regard to game ideas, all you need to remember is that the player must experience progress and challenge throughout the game. For example, progress expressed by having multiple levels or a score, and challenge expressed by platforming. That is the premise of the gameplay, which then needs to be backed up with gameplay objects; coins you pick up for score gives a sense of progress, spikes and enemies present challenge.

The trouble is thinking of those gameplay objects, especially without either referring to idealism like I do, or copying another game's entire gameplay structure.

Here are a few ideas.

Platformer based on randomly shifting level objects

The player has to get from point A to point B, and the level changes around them constantly (a seed based RNG could make this interesting!). Parts of the level would glow or fade as a warning, and then change randomly. Most of the time you would be unable to progress until this happens, meaning you would need to use strategy and reflexes to succeed. I was thinking about doing this myself, but it's a bit of work to make everything happen seamlessly. Anyone interested in doing it with me to make it more worth the while?

Three boxes

This one is hard. It involves only the elements of three different boxes. One is the player, one is the goal, and one is the enemy. The player can move a set number of spaces in any one direction, and the enemy can move any number of spaces in any one direction. It also teleports occasionally just to make it interesting. The idea is to get to the goal without being caught by the enemy, and since the enemy can only move in one direction at a time, it should be possible to do so, but require at least some strategy. The AI would be really hard if you wanted to make it super difficult.

Simple arena

The player is a gladiator in an arena and must fight waves of enemies to survive. They have RPG elements like inventory, skills, etc. or just score and a good weapon.

Raider game

You are basically Liam Neeson. You go to places, people die. Progress is expressed by levels and score based on how quickly you complete levels, how many hits you take etc. and challenge is in level design and enemy placement. Basically you rush in, shoot people, and call it mission accomplished. Basic shooter.

I was considering making a topic for gameplay ideas and their gameplay objects, which people can attempt to create (and add to the OP) for practice/fun/etc. Would anyone be interested in doing this?

I'd suggest going even simpler, make a block avoider game where you have to avoid for X seconds to win, get a front screen on it and an end screen and a score submit.

Getting projects completed is more important than the idea you have for the game. It's more important to complete projects, because that gives you finished project experience points, essentially.

I keep coming up with little ideas for games and start making them, but they never seem to turn into anything.

Does anybody have any ideas for simple little mobile games, or show me any current games that I could adapt because I can't think of a good idea that will actually work.

Thanks

you have a tool in your hands that allows you to create any content you want without very much effort, and all you need is imagination.

you can make a game from absolutely anything, i mean anything. just use your imagination, it doesn't have to be a "proven gameplay" / "successful/good idea", as long as it is playable and you do something inside the game.

if you cant use your imagination, then the tool you have at disposal its pointless. im pretty sure you have a little imagination that can be put to work. your a smart person

P.S

unless the following quote applies: "i will write a book, all i need is a writer to do it for me, and a publisher to sell it for me." then this post you made makes sense.

P.P.S but as you said, you are doing tests of little ideas, the only problem is you stop yourself on publishing them, you never know what is good unless you let people see it. so just put it on internet, people will tell you if its good or not, even if you think its not going anywhere.