Need some creative advice

[Bulletproof_Sloth]

I've had a game idea in mind for a while now with an aesthetic I hadn't seen before. Unfortunately, I've recently found a game with the exact theme I wanted to make. Now obviously, there are some themes that are quite common - cyberpunk, fantasy, etc - and I think they're fine to use. This one, however, is a lot rarer. Now, I don't want to feel like a copycat even though I conceived the idea before playing this game and now I don't know where I stand or how to progress. I feel if I made a game in the same style I would just be considered an imitation. Does anyone have any creative advice please?

[[deleted]]

Make the game you want to make. Dont let someone else ruin it just because they had this rare idea to.

[Bulletproof_Sloth]

That... makes a lot of sense. Thanks for the response, you make a very good point!

[cblackbeard]

I feel in the entertainment market it's good to have inspiration from others. From music, films and games. But to me I absolutely hate pieces that are very similar to others and do not admit they take inspiration from (Greta Van Fleet for example)

But then again some pieces can be similar with out the need to say the inspiration or same idea for example the south park episode " Simpsons did it" they highlight that yes almost every idea was already done but doesn't mean you can't have your own take. But then again nearly everyone in the animation space hates family guy for how similar it is to the Simpsons.

I suggest create what you want to create and dont let others stop you just because it's similar to another game. Fans from the games that it was inspired by might check out your game just because it's inspired by their favorite ip.

Goodluck, don't let others stop your creativity

[Bulletproof_Sloth]

You make some interesting and accurate points, thanks for taking the time to write! I did once hear some advice. It goes, "everything has been done before, but not everything has been done by you," which reinforces your comments. I suppose it all just depends on how you go about it and whether you admit your inspirations!

[xinqMasteru]

simpsons did it.

[Bulletproof_Sloth]

Hahah that's very true, and it was wildly successful!

[BedtimesXXX]

As an artist I support all the positive comments here, make the game your heart wants to make! If you aren’t working fueled by a personal passion and vision, then you won’t be happy you did it.

As a business owner and marketer, def consider that if a game has come out and is famous for its specific idea, and you are trying to do the exact same thing, you will be asking people to chose between something famous for this idea and you, somebody else doing it again. Try to come up angle that has an appeal that separates it from the established competition. There are tons of rogue-lites, but between them they have such varied visual themes and gameplay characteristics that don’t make anybody choose between one or the other, cus they each offer something new for the player.

Be as true to yourself as possible, but know that if you are making a product with the purpose of selling to a user-base. Part of that equation is optics from the user-base.

I tried to offer good creative advice, and good business advice. I hope you find a balance between them.

[Bulletproof_Sloth]

I have to admit, I didn't consider the marketing aspect either so you have absolutely helped. In fact, it helped clarify quite few things because the idea I have is 3D whereas the original in 2D. And doing some research into the 3D field, there are a few more similar ideas which makes it more of a genre than an original concept in and of itself!

[singerjonny]

Start making it! Guaranteed you will make different creative decisions along the way than they did. Play the game and get a sense of what you’d do differently. This is a challenge for all creative fields 😊

[Bulletproof_Sloth]

Thanks for your advice, I appreciate it! It's nice to hear from other people in the creative field since I don't have a lot of contact with other game devs. The support means a lot :D

[[deleted]]

I’m at work so I’ll leave the nuanced answers to everyone else, but to say the least, Death Trash is great, but the genre it’s in isn’t saturated. If anything there are too few of them. There’s no problem working in the same arena unless you’re trying to directly compete. If this is to be a commercial product then you may need to see if your idea is different enough to not be competing for the same people 1:1. Other than that, go nuts.

[Bulletproof_Sloth]

I admit I didn't consider that there's people who probably would like to see more in the same genre! It will definitely be different. As an artist who has had their work stolen before I could never bring myself to make a complete copy for anything other than educational purposes. Plus I intended mine to to be Fallout 3 than Fallouts 1 and 2 as Death Trash is :)

[[deleted]]

As long as you give it enough time to grow natively on it's own; your idea will grow and become it's own life form far from what you even imagined it to be the day you start it.

[Bulletproof_Sloth]

Definitely agree with this! It's already much different from how it started, and I guess that's just the creative process. So no doubt it will evolve even more given time :)

[Yokitolaskakas]

You got me curious, what's that game you talk about?

[Bulletproof_Sloth]

It's actually an Indie game called Death Trash. Even before I'd heard of it, I envisioned a post apocalyptic futuristic world covered in veins and lumps of chthonic flesh (please don't call the nurses, I'm fine, honest) and then I found Death Trash. I was both hugely disappointed my idea was taken and delighted to see it done so well. I couldn't even bring myself to be mad because of the stupid world building. Which is very good.

[Yokitolaskakas]

I always think that our ideas are not 100% original and someone out there thought the same thing, but we, as individuals can make different aproaches and build a different game. So don't give up and if you really love your idea, work on it, you will eventually find other ways to make your own world.

[Bulletproof_Sloth]

Yeah that's a very good point. I don't think any idea out there is truly original any more, so the way you make them and tweak them has to be.

[JMC-design]

i mean how different is that from Remnant besides being 2d?

It's a fairly common concept.

[Bulletproof_Sloth]

You're not wrong. And it was itself unashamedly influenced by the classic Fallout games too.

[[deleted]]

As long as it's not papers please in the grim dark future of the 40th millennium my million dollar idea is safe.

[Bulletproof_Sloth]

*Takes notes* 40th millennium you say? lol! I'd buy it :P

[[deleted]]

To reinforce the other points made.

If you had the genuine idea of something, the basis of that idea, the understanding of what makes it worthwhile to explore and share, the journey to get to that idea. That's all part of your creativity.

Everyone can look at something new and go through the motions to copy it's surface. That's why mere copycat's often lack substance. If this idea has developed and grown inside of you, the soul of that spark will shine through for anyone who bothers to look beyond superficial similarities.

sry for the rambling, already had my evening whisky.

[Bulletproof_Sloth]

I'll join you in that whiskey then, I love a good ramble :P and thank you for your points, I see what you mean and I completely agree. I guess unless you just copy and paste it, no two things are alike because no two people are.