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Pachter made a career out of running with stupid ideas too, you know!
Great point about the internal sensoring -- especially in games, where criticism is fierce and swift, it's a huge advantage to not listen to that voice that tells you to tweak something to avoid the nerd-rage!
Great point about the internal sensoring -- especially in games, where criticism is fierce and swift, it's a huge advantage to not listen to that voice that tells you to tweak something to avoid the nerd-rage!
The three headed monkey was a stupid idea????
Hell, I'm gonna be as stupid as humanly possible from now on.
Also, cock-teasing us with these nuggets of awesome is so unfair. Put out and post the full interview already!!!!
Pretty please?
Hell, I'm gonna be as stupid as humanly possible from now on.
Also, cock-teasing us with these nuggets of awesome is so unfair. Put out and post the full interview already!!!!
Pretty please?
So much of what he says resonates with what I learned (or rather re-learned after forgetting) after starting to do improv. It's all about switching off the voice in the head that goes 'no, that's dumb, that's embarrassing, that's bad, think hard, say something clever and funny, now!' and just making a mental leap of faith.
If I could work for anyone I could possibly choose, in the whole world, I'd probably pick Tim Schafer.
If I could work for anyone I could possibly choose, in the whole world, I'd probably pick Tim Schafer.
I totally agree with the Goose in the head analogy. I feel the same way. It's like when you really need to come up with a good concept, you can't come up with shit so you design a FPS instead. Then a few days later you're in the shower when BAM the perfect idea hits you out of nowhere. Being creative is weird. 0_o
The best part is that his advice applies to a whole lot more than just games design. Writing, painting, even dating (only sometimes, unfortunately).
Let's all take our little negative voices in our heads out back and beat the crap out of them. =P
Let's all take our little negative voices in our heads out back and beat the crap out of them. =P
I've always liked his games, but the more I hear him talk the more and more I like him even more. More.
Interesting, and I think he is totally right. Yea your ideas may not be accepted by everyone but there are those out there that will eat them up. Like "High School Musical" from Disney. I wouldn't be caught dead watching those douchey eyed morons on TV or the big screen, but there are plenty of people that do. It was someone's idea, and they are raking in the bucks now.
Well, I always thought playing a Defense Attorney (Phoenix Wright) was a dumb idea, until I played the entire series. How wrong I was.
Maybe pushing for "stupid" ideas isnt what it should be described as, maybe it's thinking way outside the box of conventional methods to make a game as original as possible, without being as pretentious as possible.
Maybe pushing for "stupid" ideas isnt what it should be described as, maybe it's thinking way outside the box of conventional methods to make a game as original as possible, without being as pretentious as possible.
"I learned that there's this internal sensor you have in your brain..."
Reading this immediately made me think of Psychonauts.
Reading this immediately made me think of Psychonauts.
Pretty encouraging to hear! I'm going through the same thing with my game ideas. But now I think I'm willing to give other things a try.
Oh, God, I love my stupid ideas. This is exactly what I needed to hear. Thank you, Tim!
BELIEVE IN YOURSELF AND YOUR STUPIDITY
BELIEVE IN YOURSELF AND YOUR STUPIDITY
I completely agree. I make up stories in my head all the time. I have one about a guy with five personalities who gets abducted by a police force of all women who instruct him to go through parallel dimensions in order to beat a dictator that he has no opinion about.
there's also a "stupid" idea that I had when I was 13, that I decided to tell my friend about for the laughs. she liked it, and now it's a whole roleplaying 'verse between us. "stupid," indeed.
I have a lot of friends who come up with their own ideas. I hear a lot of this. "it's already been done before!" "it doesn't make any sense!" "no one will be interested!" my ass. if people just went through with their ideas more often, instead of moping about them, the world would be a much more creative place.
there's also a "stupid" idea that I had when I was 13, that I decided to tell my friend about for the laughs. she liked it, and now it's a whole roleplaying 'verse between us. "stupid," indeed.
I have a lot of friends who come up with their own ideas. I hear a lot of this. "it's already been done before!" "it doesn't make any sense!" "no one will be interested!" my ass. if people just went through with their ideas more often, instead of moping about them, the world would be a much more creative place.
I think it's funny (and appropriate) that this conversation directly relates to an element he included in Psychonauts.
he's right, there is a tool that artists use called Morning Papers, basically
every day you fill up three pages full of writing. It could be anything, you
can write "I have no ideas" for the entire 3 pages. The point is that you try
to bypass the "censors". I've heard that someone even wrote a book this way
without knowing it.
every day you fill up three pages full of writing. It could be anything, you
can write "I have no ideas" for the entire 3 pages. The point is that you try
to bypass the "censors". I've heard that someone even wrote a book this way
without knowing it.
As part of some frustration within my current situation, I've been working for an idea that is extremely silly and stupid. Not even sure if it'll go anywhere, but I'm having an absolute blast just getting it out and tinkering on it little by little. Sure, the critic still nags, but I take the time to punch it the hell out before moving on. It's hard to do, but when you can get by it, it's well worth it.
He is a important figure in the industry, for damn sure. But he is definitely not central to it, exactly because he is too creative for the executive riskophobic minds that run it.
For every game jewel he makes, there are five God of War/Halo derivative manure being launched with full budget thorw at their productions.
One crucial reason why creativity is considered a risk is because most players do want the same old same old.
As much praise as Schafer gets, a great portion of those who do the praising are the same ones that pour cash in the direction of the cookie cutter products.
@Johannhat: That's the kind of attitude that will produce some quality. Keep at it!
For every game jewel he makes, there are five God of War/Halo derivative manure being launched with full budget thorw at their productions.
One crucial reason why creativity is considered a risk is because most players do want the same old same old.
As much praise as Schafer gets, a great portion of those who do the praising are the same ones that pour cash in the direction of the cookie cutter products.
@Johannhat: That's the kind of attitude that will produce some quality. Keep at it!
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