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Inspired or Derivative?

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jasongreeno
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Joined: 07/31/2008

I want to make a superhero action card game like The Pathfinder Action card game. I'm wrestling with which mechanics can be inspired by the game and which need to be fresh new ideas.

How do you as designers decide what is too close and what is ok to emulate/copy when designing based on previous games? (Not in regards to copyright. I mean feeling like you aren't stealing ideas?)

questccg
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My experience

Well with my current Deck-Building Game (DBG), I am *borrowing* the mechanic from "Dominion". But this is like a core mechanic... Other games have done the same thing like "Eminent Domain"... So I think this mechanic is general enough that it can be used in very different games.

BUT in terms of emulation, I have *borrowed* the "Creature" concept from Magic: the Gathering. Not the whole game... Just the fact that a "Creature" has a couple stats. And I have transformed that to match my theme which is Space oriented. So my Starships have a "Resistance" and "Firepower" which is sorta like MtGs "Power" and "Toughness"... So I think it will be *familiar* with gamers.

AND then there was the mechanic of roles. I wanted players to be able to choose a role much like in San Juan and Puerto Rico. San Juan only allows one player to choose a role and then the others must choose a different one. I did not want to go that route, what I wanted was ROLES that gave in-game options which would vary according to the role chosen. Again, I don't think this a new mechanic - but I feel as if I have *borrowed* the mechanic from those games.

To answer your question, basically if the mechanics are general enough and you can use them in a different way, all the more power to you. I think by using or borrowing a mechanic, it adds familiarity to a game... So players who play the game will recognize elements and say: "This reminds me of X or Y..." And I think that is a positive type of feedback.

And an Idea/mechanic is FAR CRY from a finished product.

You may want to use a mechanic - but it may not work with your game. I think putting the pieces together is another aspect of game design. Don't be worried about *borrowing* mechanics or certain elements. My honest opinion is this: you'll probably start with an exact copy and then realize that it doesn't work for your game. You'll then have to re-invent it to suit your game - and that's where you make the concept yours!

Best of luck to you and your new game!

jasongreeno
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Joined: 07/31/2008
Thanks. Thats a really good

Thanks. Thats a really good insight. You have unburdened me. :)

jasongreeno
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Joined: 07/31/2008
Double post

Double post

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