path: root/Doc/DESIGNER.TXT

Nicholas Walkland asked:

>>I'm currently researching a feature [snip] about game design ideas 
>>and how to get developers and publishers
>>interested. Basically, it's [for] people who think they
>>have a good idea for a game [snip].
>>How to present the ideas?
>>Which companies accept these?
>>Any games (good or bad) that have arisen from straightforward game
>>plan/ideas?

Kasey Chang answered,
>Unfortunately, if you are NOT in the industry itself, it is
>practically impossible to see your idea being even considered by major
>companies, much less implemented.  Almost all companies get their 
>ideas internally, esp. now in the days
>of the sequels. In fact, I am NOT aware of ANY company that accepts
>external ideas (probably due to possibility of law suits). [snip]
>I imagine that it MAY be possible to get someone interested if one has
>a complete game design document written and polished, preferably with
>some sort of tech demo (minimal graphics), but that's more of a
>"calling card" by one programmer or a small team hoping to become a
>"studio" for a major developer, than one game enthusiast's fantasy. 

So now, I, Tom Sloper, add in my two cents:

Very well said, Kasey!  That is pretty much it, in a nutshell.  Only a little
more to add, which may help outsiders understand a little more of the reasoning
behind this admittedly unfortunate reality.
It has been said (right here at this NG) that "ideas are free" (which is
considerably more true than what I would have said: that "ideas are a dime a
dozen").  
Every employee in every game company's studio or production department (or R&D
department, whatever yawannacallit) has at least one idea for their own "dream
game."  I myself have well over half a dozen such ideas that I've been wanting
to do for years -- and I'm a "Senior Producer" (that just means I'm an /old/
producer!) at a major game publishing company.   
So let's say that somebody -- "Joe Gamefan" -- writes to me and says (after
signing a Disclosure Agreement in which we mutually agree that whatever he
tells us may in fact be something we had already thought of, in which case we
are not obligated to pay him if we had already started working on something
similar, and a bunch of other clauses that cover a wide range of possible
reasons for him to sue us for nothing more than the fact that he wrote us a
letter), "Ooh!  Ooh!  I have a great idea for a new game -- why don't you guys
do Fighter Raid (the classic Atari 2600 game originally published by my
company, Publishcom), only set in Vietnam!"  

Several problems with this idea: 

- Like, uh, you think nobody here at Publishcom ever thought of this, or
something really really close?
- Like, duh!  We LOST Vietnam, ya know???
- Like, what hardware are you suggesting we do this game on?  The Atari 2600? 
You didn't say!
- Like, who is going to buy this game, why are they going to buy it, why is it
better than a jillion other jet fighter games out there, etc., etc., etc.?
- Like, who are you anyway?  If we decide we like the idea, are you going to
program it for us?  Can you show it to me on a TV screen?  Is that all you're
sending me?  A one-sentence idea in a letter???
- Fighter Raid is a Publishcom trademark, fully owned and controlled by
Publishcom.  Now that you, Joe Gamefan, have proposed to us that we do an
updated version, is the trademark diluted?  If we do your idea, have you
somehow weaseled your way into ownership of our trademark?  What shenanigans do
our lawyers have to perform to structure the contract with you so that we
haven't somehow given away a valuable property over to you, after all you did
was write a letter?

So guess what I write back to Joe Gamefan?  "Thank you very much for your
submission.  Unfortunately, it does not fit into Publishcom's plans at this
time." Yadda yadda yadda.

I have received numerous non-industry non-professionals' ideas over the years. 
Only one of them really made me sit up and take notice, not because of the game
idea that it described, but rather because of its excellent presentation.  I
recommended that the submitter (obviously a budding artist of some spectacular
talent) continue to pursue his interests, even though we didn't follow up on
his game idea.  I never heard from him again, unfortunately, so I don't know
what he's doing now.  

I have also received numerous industry professionals' ideas in the 19 years
I've been in this industry (I /told/ you I was old!).  Guess how many of those
made me (and my employer) sit up and take notice?  Well, I don't have an exact
count for you, but it was approximately two.  Games that subsequently got
produced and published on (1) the Super Nintendo and Sega Genesis, and (2) the
Sony Playstation and Sega Saturn (the DOS version was eventually canceled).  

Here's the secret formula:

1. Game ideas by a non-industry non-professional, described in a sentence (or a
few sentences) on paper -- Chances: ZERO!  Zilch.  Zip.  Forget it, it ain't
gonna happen.  Not in this lifetime, nosirreebob!  Uh-uh, no way, Jose!  Thanks
for writing, so long now!  My employer used to accept non-professional idea
submissions, but I think the official stance now is that such things are more
or less discouraged.  I haven't checked recently.

2. Games described in an impressive design document, by a very creative guy
(non-industry, non-professional) who details all the aspects of the game, its
prospective audience, its chances for success in the competitive marketplace,
with detailed sketches and illustrations, and maybe even a hint of
acknowledgment for the technical challenges inherent in the design -- Chances: 
A little better.  At the very least, we would possibly (if there were openings)
offer the creator of such a document a job as a game designer.  His game most
likely will not get made, however.

3. Games adequately described in a written concept document, supplemented by an
impressive video animation (viewable on a computer or game machine) -- Chances:
Even better yet.  One of the two games I referred to above came in to my
employer in this form.  We can see the idea, we can see that it is fun, we can
see that the creator(s) can take the idea to the next step -- a finished game
that we can sell.  The party bringing us such a submission may well get a
contract to develop the game into a real product that actually makes it to
market.  Note that anybody with the wherewithal to make such a presentation is
most likely in the industry already.

4. Game partially implemented, running on a computer or game machine --
Chances: Better still.  But the game had damn well better be really original
and exciting, or filling a niche, or in keeping with current market hot
buttons, or able to be adapted to a hot license, yadda yadda yadda.  The other
of the two games I referred to above came in to my employer in this form --
from industry professionals.

5. Game fully implemented.  All a publisher has to do is put it in a box and
it'll sell itself -- Chances: The Best.  But the game had damn well better be
really original and exciting, or filling a niche, or in keeping with current
market hot buttons, or able to be adapted to a hot license, yadda yadda yadda. 
And you had better be ready to make changes if you want Publishcom to
distribute it (and if they think it needs tweaking).  Here's the kicker -- my
employer gets these submissions in all the time, yet only one in twenty of
these do we actually pick!  

Do the math.  Games in category Five have a one in twenty chance -- and games
in category One have a zero chance.  The pattern should be clear to anyone
who's got a good sense for games.

Still don't understand why this is (why game publishers are so unreasonable)? 
Okay.  Imagine for a second that we're talking about a movie idea instead of a
game idea:
1. You have a one-sentence idea for a movie, and you are an outsider -- you
think a Hollywood studio is going to do anything with it?  Hah!
2. You have a full movie script, fully fleshed out, and/or a full movie
storyboard -- but no actors, no producer, no director -- somebody is going to
commit money to start production on it?  How?  Who?  In what lifetime?
3. You have a full script and a full storyboard, and some name actors who have
read it and found it interesting -- looking a little better -- at least you
have grounds for starting up some ulcers now, right?
4. You have a full script, a full storyboard, some name actors ready to go,
locations all lined up, equipment supplier identified, and a director who is
interested -- all you need is a movie studio producer to put up some money so
filming can start.  Those ulcers are starting to grow pretty nicely now!  Guess
what industry you are in if you are at this stage??
5. You have a completely finished, fully edited and post-produced film.  All
you need is to get it marketed and distributed.  Have those ulcers eaten their
way through the stomach lining yet?  Surely you don't work in a profession
unrelated to movie-making if you're in this position -- ???

I reiterate what I have said before at this NG:  You want to get your dream
game produced and published?  Get a job in the industry.  Work your way up and
become a producer (or above), or the president of your own company.   That's
step one.  Step two will be self-evident once you have completed step one.  In
addition to knowing what step two is, you only need one more thing (assuming
that the game idea is already world-class): luck.  And good timing (I lied when
I said there was only one more thing).

I suppose, though, in the end, that Kasey's brief statement of the reality of
this situation has not been added to in large measure by what I have said.  His
4 sentences said it all.  All I did was beat that dead horse into the
GROUND!!!!

Tom Sloper
(I have mentioned in previous posts what company I work for -- WELL, FORGET IT!
 Pretend you never heard of me before!  All I'm saying is, I'm stating my own
opinions herein, and not the opinions of my employer.  End of disclaimer.)   
:o)