Since I've been too busy to try to even think about any new topic tonight, I'll be using my last post as a jump-off point for yet another design-related blahblah.

So, a little background: in an effort to stimulate the little group simply called the 'design team' in our company, I suggested that we should, when possible, attempt to stretch our legs a bit by doing some extra design tasks. I've been looking at a number of game dev conferences for lessons regarding design, and one of the things I found very interesting is the quick-design competition/seminar where they have several people who will be given a random topic (word, phrase, object, whatever) then in a matter of hours, they must present a rough design out of it. It's a cool exercise that should get our brains training (ahem), especially when porting games usually meant there's little room for actual 'new' design.

So I proposed that everyone in the team should participate in a design challenge just for kicks. And here's where GameCareerGuide.com's Game Design Challenge comes in. The topic at that time (April) was about "reviving the survival-horror genre" which I think was in reference to the then-just-released Resident Evil 5 (which, I've read somewhere else, is fast becoming action than horror). I emailed them the details and encouraged them to join.

Of course, I decided to join, too, since I'm getting bored with my life, so I looked for a couple of games and movies for inspiration and drafted my own concept, created some very rushed concept art, and sent everything before the deadline.

Two weeks later, the results came in: my first entry was included in the Top 3. It was a shot of euphoria that, however small, is a big deal when you're in the middle of a stressful week. Link and link!



Weeks later, I got a message from Facebook from a producer at TimeGate Studios (Section 8) congratulating me and telling me for my 'win'. I thanked him in a reply message and told him I'll keep the message as a souvenir (hey, it's rare for me to actually interact with developers from another company!). My boss told me recently that a major publisher is very interested with the concept and may be willing to fund it, provided that a detailed spec sheet is ready. I, of course, told him I'm not ready to detail the concept further because, well, the real purpose of that is just to compel my colleagues to stretch their legs a bit and nothing else! Suffice to say, it's becoming scary.

Anyway, the last part was indeed a success: some in my team joined the next challenges and were included in their respective lists as well. Now it has become a regular thing for us to talk (thru email, since we're all busy) about the upcoming challenge and just 'quick-design'.

For some of you who are interested in this sort of thing, you can always join the current challenge. It's a great exercise and even if you don't plan on joining, you can always read the entries and be inspired.


BONUS! Evolution of the idea (if I can still remember)

1. Original idea: funny horror tale where you're chased by your crazy mother-in-law, a shot-gun in her right hand, a lantern in her left. You're left running for your dear life, and it's pitch-black so you're at the mercy of the woman.
2. First problem: As an able-bodied player character, you have the ability to take the lantern, which destroys the game.
3. Solution: The lantern is chained to the mother-in-law.
4. 2nd Problem: Solution is stupid. Really, a chain?
5. Solution 2: Change character (hard as it is). Gruesome monster instead, and the light is attached to the monster.
6. 3rd Problem: You can still take the light source (tear it off from the monster)
7. Solution 3: Make the monster be the light source, that way you can't kill it.
8. There you go. :-)