Practical Creativity

In this 2014 GDC Next session, MMO designer Raph Koster explains what science tells us about creativity, and offers practical straightforward steps that any game designer or developer can make use of in order to get more creative.

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[i_am_the_arm]

8:59 "As the budgets rise, we will see less creativity in the industry"
Couldn't be more true after 7 years

[TheZenytram]

The best technic for creativity is "let your self be BORED for a couple of minutes".

Go some where without internet and smartfone, sit and look to a wall in silence, watch the grass grow. You'd be amazing how quickly you brain come up with ideas on those situations.

[Lunareon]

This is probably the best practical guide to creativity I've seen so far, and it could easily be applied to any industry. Thanks for sharing! :)

[MGHOoL]

Practical Creativity [Summary]:

-Don't look at the core of the game but break the game down into modular inputs and subsystems and build yourself a mechanics library. Then, try to link and reskin those patterns in uncommon ways. Changing inputs (e.g. making them discrete or relative, adding force and build-up) and topology is a common way to change the theme of the game.

-Extending a stat like adding more damage and moves is not innovative. Instead, add new rules like time limit and critical damage, or maybe on yourself to push your innovation in development, such as imagining making a tactical RPG with no violence.

-Adding a verb or a goal like "cause damage" and "don't take damage" leads to a game about fighting. Adding "rescuing" gives you a defender game. To platforms, adding "fast" gives you speed-runs. Too many goals is a sandbox. You can also modify this by changing its metaphor. For example, instead of Pac Man's 'visit all spaces', you get Bristles that has 'paint all the walls' which also adds 'jump' and 'paint over' and thus 'competing'. Do that to mechanics too. Instead of 'visit all spaces', make them 'visit some spaces' which adds collectables. Then maybe make these spaces hidden, 'find those spaces', and you get secrets.

-Tell a story that isn't often hold, which you easily can get from memory. For example, you experienced learning a bike, adopting a child, traveling to a new place, moving to a new house, etc. make it into a game. Or a feeling and concept rarely expressed like Romance (how do you make a game about romance? What are the mechanics in romance? e.g. It is about flawed characters that help complete each other, they sacrifice to one another and gain things like confidence)

[bunnybreaker]

This is one of the best GDC talks I've ever seen. So much food for thought.

[helloofthebeach]

Everyone interested in making games should watch this.

There is a game about gluing though and it's Katamari Damacy.

[benjiusofficial]

Dude, this talk is immense. It's like a brain massage.

[bagandtag]

This talk was amazing. So much stuff that could come out by doing simple things.

[benjoe]

"Think back to your last vacation or a childhood memory to tell an original story."
48:20 "Adopting a child."
That's one wicked vacation!

[iCodeForBananas]

This is TRUE out of the box creative thinking. I love it.

[wowlecks]

I've seen probably hundreds of talks from people that I really admire, and this guy seems like one of the smartest out there.

[Ok_Eul-Tae]

This presentation is really getting my creative juices flowing.

[donnysen]

I have watched countless of these GDC talks.... Raph, if you somehow see this.... Thank you. Phenomenal presentation.

[fernandorendon]

40:02 not only i'm from Argentina, i'm also a student of "recreology" and you'd be amazed at the amounts of games that you can come up with using just a chalk and the floor

[rungus]

As a songwriter/writer with a ton of mental illnesses, I have to say that creativity can indeed be a heavenly spontaneous event.

[louiscorbett]

Best talk from GDC i've heard, I love this guy :-)

[muzboz]

I've had to come back at this a few times, over the years, and this time through, I really think it all clicked! :)

[Seckie]

I still come back to this after all these years.

[benjoe]

I think I will watch this 10 more times I think.

[Schematical]

Just discovered this guy and I am loving his work. Mad scientist brilliant!