I'm an aspiring game designer. I love games. I make time in my life for games. I spend time teaching games to my friends and family. All of that should pretty much explain why I joined BGDF.
But it's more than that.
As I've gotten more and more involved in designing my games I find that fewer and fewer people are interested in the actual decisions I'm making, the math behind why I do what I do or the design choices. I find having a discussion about complexity versus depth to be fascinating while my friends and family think I've gone off the deep end.
I need to find a community where I can look for ideas and discussion about the making of games and not just the playing of games. I still enjoy playing games, but I find a lot more of my free time has been dedicated to making games. I've spent the better part of the last six months working on a single game design. I'm on my 10th version, 4th prototype. I've realized that I've moved from being a hobby to an obsession.
As such, I need a community that understands that. Now whether or not my designs are any good is to me beside the point. I'm obsessed with the creation and perfection of a single game. Until it's done, I know that I'll not be able to stop thinking about it. It consumes me.
That is why I'm here.
Comments
Awesome post!
Not only do I agree with what you've said here, but I'm really glad you posted it! Maybe others will follow suit - I think it would be interesting to see people's motivation for joining this community :)
Welcome to BGDF!
Obsessesion - I understand
I love your post. I am currently working on my very first game design, and it is consuming me. I spend almost every free minute on my design one way or another. Sometimes it is just writing down ideas, sometimes it is playing with artwork, sometimes it is just browsing through these game designer websites looking for information and inspiration from a fellow community that both understands and provides an amazing amount of experience and expertise.
I know I am a LONG LONG way from the finish line on this design, but I get goosebumps when I think about playing a game that I made!
Good luck to you on your obsession, er, I mean game design, I look forward to seeing it!
Brad
Why Not?!
Why not join BGDF? I was a lurker here for a while before I registered and started posting, but now that I have it feels like a liberation - I finally get to give input, rather than sitting behind a blank screen shouting obscenities at a designer for not noticing the obvious, (I'm only joking).
In all seriousness, I registered once I started to finalize my first design, and I have to say that having a whole community of fellow designers in your corner really feels nice. At first I was afraid that people would try to steal my ideas, or cut me down, but instead the discussion has all been very positive and criticisms are polite and intended to guide me towards creating a better game.
It also gets your ideas out for free advertisement - when my game goes into publication, I already know a few people who might be willing to buy it. Plus, for games that I'm not designing, I can give ideas and input that might make *me* want to buy *their* games.
Why wouldn't you join? At the very least, it lets you keep a finger on the pulse of the indie-gaming market!
Why?
Because BGG is down and I have to have a fix for my addiction or my brain will explode or maybe I have had too much coffee and all the ideas can't be put down fast enough before they are all gone? :p
But seriously this is a great forum for getting feedback on mechanics, game ideas and general help on your creations. And help others likewise.
I would probably be obsessed...
...but there are just too many other things screaming for my time right now!
I really enjoy hearing how other people work through the nuts and bolts of a game design and the different perspectives of the members are invaluable.
Until joining the forum, I was having trouble finding people with the interest/patience to discuss the fine details of game mechanics. Where do you go to find someone that cares about the gaming impact of a rolled die vs. a drawn card? Or whether a modifier should be added or subtracted from the result?
If I had one wish for the forum, it would be that there was more of it!