Post by Morreion on Aug 11, 2010 9:48:34 GMT -5
Angela Webb: In Her Opinion: Creativity. Where is it? (MMORPG.com)
In Her Opinion, Angie Webb thinks that creativity is a bit lacking in some of today's MMOs. Angie goes through the creative process and discusses ways to make MMOs more interesting and original. For instance: If you're designing new monsters, take a trip to the zoo. See what else Angie recommends to give today's MMOs a fresh creative look.
I see Angela's point, and the industry is in a rut partly due to lack of creativity. That being said, it seems like there are some new ideas coming out in 2011 with games like GW2, Rift, and Tera (not to mention The Secret World, whenever it comes out), so there is reason to be hopeful.
Thinking outside the box is always the trick to be able to pull off. Of course if you get too far out, your game may be too exotic; having some new systems and other ideas on an MMO framework is easier to pull off than being totally different. There's a happy medium there somewhere.
In Her Opinion, Angie Webb thinks that creativity is a bit lacking in some of today's MMOs. Angie goes through the creative process and discusses ways to make MMOs more interesting and original. For instance: If you're designing new monsters, take a trip to the zoo. See what else Angie recommends to give today's MMOs a fresh creative look.
Where is the creativity? Recent MMOs have become stale, and new creative design seems difficult to come by. Right now, all the games out there look the same. Studios are pumping out games that look identical to one other … just reskinned a bit differently. And with a lot of people, as soon as you get tired of a new one, you go back to the old stand-by: WoW. Are designers being given the support and tools they need to meet the demands of unforgiving fans?
Leaving your desk is the only way you’re going to start thinking outside of that design box. You must experience things. The more information you have in your brain to pull from, the better and more creative your ideas will become.
...For instance, if you’re designing new monsters, then take a trip to the zoo.
...For instance, if you’re designing new monsters, then take a trip to the zoo.
Exercise your mind. Read a philosophy book. Philosophy is an excellent way to help you think outside the box. Picking a philosopher with whom you completely disagree challenges your mind, and helps you think differently … as does discovering a philosopher with whom you DO agree.
The important thing is to be thinking, not about games, but about ideas.
The important thing is to be thinking, not about games, but about ideas.
Perhaps you designer types should attempt designing something you’ve never considered before.
Try a chair.
Make a plan for a new chair in the same way that you would approach a new game idea, and use the same process. Or try something new entirely. Does your design hold “weight”, in the same way as the chair should?
Try a chair.
Make a plan for a new chair in the same way that you would approach a new game idea, and use the same process. Or try something new entirely. Does your design hold “weight”, in the same way as the chair should?
I see Angela's point, and the industry is in a rut partly due to lack of creativity. That being said, it seems like there are some new ideas coming out in 2011 with games like GW2, Rift, and Tera (not to mention The Secret World, whenever it comes out), so there is reason to be hopeful.
Thinking outside the box is always the trick to be able to pull off. Of course if you get too far out, your game may be too exotic; having some new systems and other ideas on an MMO framework is easier to pull off than being totally different. There's a happy medium there somewhere.
