I love the worker placement system in Spyrium, in which workers are placed in the intersections between cards in the 'market'. What's great about borrowing/stealing ideas is that they often grow into new innovations in future iterations of your game. In one of my games, I started out with a similar idea to Spyrium, but placing dice at the intersections between cards and then this morphed into its own really cool mechanism as the game grew.
Fantastic topic and great for newer designers. I get inspired by so many games and love seeing if I can put my own twist on certain mechanisms. I just love this hobby!
I’m a new designer and im throwing in mechanisms from everything I can to start. Chronicles of Drunagor has a great ability/equipment selection to build your character but I realized this brought so many options so I am grouping abilities into 4 or 6 on a card to create classes and specialities.
I'm preparing a PNP of Galdor's Grip right now, specifically because it'll be the first game I play that uses a "hold-everything-in-your-hand-all-at-once" system and I want to see what that's like.
New designer here. I've been really influenced by a lot of aspects presented in Rangers of ShadowDeep. I like the dark narrative and fast combat. Surprisingly enough, I've also drawn from games that break up the turn-based activations by allowing your character to influence a battle or an action even though it isn't their turn necessarily I'm having a great time watching you create. Thanks!
Even if all games are inspired by other games, you should maybe not say "stole from"... but stick to "got inspired by" or "borrowed from"...? Not a lawyer either, but just to keep yourself on the safe side. Thank you for your videos! One of them inspired a mechanic in a game I'm currently designing. It ended up being VERY different, after I put some thought in it, but it gave me the "inspiration spark" I needed! :)
That is great to hear. Happy I was able to help. In regards to the 'stealing/stole" comments, I was attempting to be sarcastic, but I should probably be more careful. You never know with humans...
Hi Jason. Yesterday i thought, I like more the system of exploration of Tin helm than Iron helm&Desolate because you have 2 options by card. So, why not suffle all cards with 1 icon by card and you extract 2 cards, and then you decide: solve these 2 or discard and solve the Next 2 without be seen. Can be much Better and crazzies the combinations. Because maybe you discard a trap and then you take 2 traps! Hahaha. Only aply 1 rule: 2 chest in first round of cards only aply 1 (or 2 chests and take 1). Or in first round (like Iron helm) you roll a dice (5-6 IS successfull and take the chest) and in second option (3-6 to successfull) but not chest garantized. And more options good... Like tin helm (fishing, campsites...). In Desolate only have 1 card to heal/gain ammo. Better different cards with different % to obtain the resource depending if IS first or second option :) This system adds one thing good: the option to balance the dificulty. Adding or sustrack good/bad cards. And the best, add different damages without spend energy/ammo using a dice. Like my variants of Desolate/Tin helm. Amazing. A Big hug!
Not sure if anyone floated this idea for a future episode, but: Are there any specific examples or cases of a mechanism/system that you considered using in one of your own games, but you just couldn't get it to work or you decided it wasn't that interesting, but then you saw something very similar used in someone else's design and you thought it DID work great and it WAS interesting? Discussing a case like that would be an interesting opportunity to really zero in on what wasn't working, what made it work, and what design lesson is to be learned.
That is an interesting thought. I will have to think on that. I cannot think of an example off the top of my head. Maybe even discussing two games that use the same mechanic and why I feel like one game does it better? Hmmmm
Another very interesting video. Here you have already answered my question about how you deal with inspiration and copyright. I should have watched this video first. ;) I like your attitude on the subject and see it similarly. Could you possibly make a video about how you get your games produced? Thanks, see you :)
I love the worker placement system in Spyrium, in which workers are placed in the intersections between cards in the 'market'. What's great about borrowing/stealing ideas is that they often grow into new innovations in future iterations of your game. In one of my games, I started out with a similar idea to Spyrium, but placing dice at the intersections between cards and then this morphed into its own really cool mechanism as the game grew.
Awesome discussion topic, thanks for sharing
Excellent video! A mechanism I'm borrowing and trying to build on is the modifier bag from Arkham Horror LCG.
Fantastic topic and great for newer designers. I get inspired by so many games and love seeing if I can put my own twist on certain mechanisms. I just love this hobby!
This hobby thrives because of the friendliness and openness of the design community. We all want to see each other thrive and grow.
I’m a new designer and im throwing in mechanisms from everything I can to start. Chronicles of Drunagor has a great ability/equipment selection to build your character but I realized this brought so many options so I am grouping abilities into 4 or 6 on a card to create classes and specialities.
Great topic. I was recently inspired by Loot the Loop for my latest game, Galdor’s Grip. Hopefully my design now inspires other designs in the future.
I'm preparing a PNP of Galdor's Grip right now, specifically because it'll be the first game I play that uses a "hold-everything-in-your-hand-all-at-once" system and I want to see what that's like.
I will have to check out both titles. Thanks for sharing.
New designer here. I've been really influenced by a lot of aspects presented in Rangers of ShadowDeep. I like the dark narrative and fast combat. Surprisingly enough, I've also drawn from games that break up the turn-based activations by allowing your character to influence a battle or an action even though it isn't their turn necessarily
I'm having a great time watching you create. Thanks!
Even if all games are inspired by other games, you should maybe not say "stole from"... but stick to "got inspired by" or "borrowed from"...? Not a lawyer either, but just to keep yourself on the safe side. Thank you for your videos! One of them inspired a mechanic in a game I'm currently designing. It ended up being VERY different, after I put some thought in it, but it gave me the "inspiration spark" I needed! :)
That is great to hear. Happy I was able to help.
In regards to the 'stealing/stole" comments, I was attempting to be sarcastic, but I should probably be more careful. You never know with humans...
Hi Jason. Yesterday i thought, I like more the system of exploration of Tin helm than Iron helm&Desolate because you have 2 options by card. So, why not suffle all cards with 1 icon by card and you extract 2 cards, and then you decide: solve these 2 or discard and solve the Next 2 without be seen. Can be much Better and crazzies the combinations. Because maybe you discard a trap and then you take 2 traps! Hahaha. Only aply 1 rule: 2 chest in first round of cards only aply 1 (or 2 chests and take 1).
Or in first round (like Iron helm) you roll a dice (5-6 IS successfull and take the chest) and in second option (3-6 to successfull) but not chest garantized. And more options good... Like tin helm (fishing, campsites...). In Desolate only have 1 card to heal/gain ammo. Better different cards with different % to obtain the resource depending if IS first or second option :)
This system adds one thing good: the option to balance the dificulty. Adding or sustrack good/bad cards.
And the best, add different damages without spend energy/ammo using a dice. Like my variants of Desolate/Tin helm. Amazing.
A Big hug!
Not sure if anyone floated this idea for a future episode, but:
Are there any specific examples or cases of a mechanism/system that you considered using in one of your own games, but you just couldn't get it to work or you decided it wasn't that interesting, but then you saw something very similar used in someone else's design and you thought it DID work great and it WAS interesting? Discussing a case like that would be an interesting opportunity to really zero in on what wasn't working, what made it work, and what design lesson is to be learned.
That is an interesting thought. I will have to think on that. I cannot think of an example off the top of my head. Maybe even discussing two games that use the same mechanic and why I feel like one game does it better? Hmmmm
Another very interesting video. Here you have already answered my question about how you deal with inspiration and copyright. I should have watched this video first. ;)
I like your attitude on the subject and see it similarly.
Could you possibly make a video about how you get your games produced?
Thanks, see you :)
I just was doing a remake of your Gate. I think that we should work together dissigning games 🥰
Have a wonderful weekend everyone