Developers Brainstorming New Creature Ideas

[Confuted]

I'm always curious to know what developers do when they are thinking about new "unique" creatures to put into their games. Yes a lot of creatures don't tread far from reality but when they do I like to hear the thought processes.

When I played Spore for awhile, and still do occasionally, I just kinda...do whatever in the creature creator (as long as the limbs I put on make structural sense [without collisions]). Granted the Creature Creator program is rather limited especially when none of the patches seem to work (thanks EA *cough*) but sometimes even the simplest things look the best or most unique.

More in line with this thread, I'm just wondering how Crate is putting stuff together for us. Are they pulling stuff out of a hat? Looking at other artworks from other sources? Or do things just magically appear every morning when they start their computer (gnomes or witch-craft).

And another thought, would it be so far out of the question to post ideas of our own in the hopes to see "our" ideas for creatures be a reality? ;)
my favorite Spore creature 1 (http://static.spore.com/static/image/500/518/675/500518675706_lrg.png) 2 (http://static.spore.com/static/image/500/518/648/500518648202_lrg.png) *#2 actually has 4 arms but its hard to see with black...and the angle the game takes pictures in*
my other Spore creature stuff (http://www.spore.com/sporepedia#qry=ftr-creature%3Ausr-Contorted%7C2263103570%3Aview-newest) *just for ideas sake*
(http://www.spore.com/sporepedia#qry=ftr-creature%3Ausr-Contorted%7C2263103570%3Aview-newest)

[alexei]

I believe evil Medierra is a warlock. He must conjure them out of thin air.

[3B0L4]

Well, taking the entire setting into account, a grim world, a small medieval feel, a realistic looking abandoned feel, mutants/zombies, I could think up a few enemies:

- Rotting wolves: Like the Grim in Harry Potter, a big black wolf, with broad shoulders, glowing eyes, very skinny. That plus scarfy spots and a gaping hole on its side, intestines showing. Maybe even a 'pack leader', that stands up like a werewolf.
- Rotting Vultures: Vultures feast on dead animals. It would completely believable if they become rotten'/infested too if eating off of rotten/infested enemies. Maybe they could have spawn spots near props of dead cows, people or even enemies you just killed, and you just agro them because they think you're trying to steal their food. That would also be a great technical engine update, if enemies have dynamic spawn points near corpses with a percentage of actually spawning.

I'll try to think up more creatures in the meantime.

[ASYLUM101]

I believe evil Medierra is a warlock. He must conjure them out of thin air.

Basically, I think the point is, you don't wanna know how he thinks them up - he just does, and if we were to see into that mind...we would perish.

[Kardiophylax]

I hear self induced nightmares due to poor eating habits before bed works wonders.

[3B0L4]

Another topic killed by random comments on the developers psychical and mental well-being... :P

Let's make one 'I think Medierra is...'-thread, and leave it at that, and keep posts on-topic ;)

[alexei]

@3B0L4: I thought what we're talking about in the same frequency with the OP?

More in line with this thread, I'm just wondering how Crate is putting stuff together for us. Are they pulling stuff out of a hat? Looking at other artworks from other sources? Or do things just magically appear every morning when they start their computer (gnomes or witch-craft).

[eisprinzessin]

These seemingly off-topic posts are apparently are very good demonstration of how Brainstorming works ... or better of its downside - from wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brainstorming):
Although brainstorming has become a popular group technique, when applied in a traditional group setting, researchers have not found evidence of its effectiveness for enhancing either quantity or quality of ideas generated. Because of such problems as distraction, social loafing (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_loafing), evaluation apprehension, and production blocking (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Production_blocking), conventional brainstorming groups are little more effective than other types of groups, and they are actually less effective than individuals working independently. [...]
Conclusion (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brainstorming#Conclusion)
Brainstorming is a popular method of group interaction in both educational and business settings. Although it does not provide a measurable advantage in creative output, conventional brainstorming is an enjoyable exercise that is typically well received by participants.
Did the developers read that and are not brainstorming? :p Or found out themselves? :rolleyes:


But I certainly symphatise with you ... several threads I started did not receive the feedback/attention I was hoping for.

[3B0L4]

@3B0L4: I thought what we're talking about in the same frequency with the OP?

Yeah, sorry, you're right. I just hoped there was some more constructive input in these forums. You might be right, but every post here starts to develop, and almost always ends with the fact that the makers are crazy :D

Would be cool if threads like these really had some good ideas that truly contribute and maybe some could be worked their way into the real game. I've started 3 or 4 threads already, that all of them ended in the fact that the developers were crazy...

If all threads kept being hi-jacked like this, noone benefits and we could have a forum with one thread: 'post the weirdest Medierra-picture'.

[alexei]

Yeah you're quite right. Many of us (me included) might not intentively tried to hijack thread but maybe one short joke lead to another and more chain of useless jokes. That's why many forum have rules about staying on topic with severe penalty for violating. We might not have to enforce such rule but like how you're doing would be suffice and proper, I think.

Contributed to this also happened because the dev here like to have jokes to and they post joke sometimes. Like how medierra said that combat would be like being punch by a drunken bear when I'm seriously create a thread about the combat feel. Although he make ups with the proper answer after several post from other people elaborate that joke. That's what happen here, here and there, and we quite used to it since January. Try track medierra post start from the early GD forum.

Still, what you're saying is quite right. We should restrain ourselves from going too far with joke until it hurt serious thread.

Cheers to the community!

[R3D]

I'm always curious to know what developers do when they are thinking about new "unique" creatures to put into their games. Yes a lot of creatures don't tread far from reality but when they do I like to hear the thought processes.

When I played Spore for awhile, and still do occasionally, I just kinda...do whatever in the creature creator (as long as the limbs I put on make structural sense [without collisions]). Granted the Creature Creator program is rather limited especially when none of the patches seem to work (thanks EA *cough*) but sometimes even the simplest things look the best or most unique.

More in line with this thread, I'm just wondering how Crate is putting stuff together for us. Are they pulling stuff out of a hat? Looking at other artworks from other sources? Or do things just magically appear every morning when they start their computer (gnomes or witch-craft).

And another thought, would it be so far out of the question to post ideas of our own in the hopes to see "our" ideas for creatures be a reality? ;)
my favorite Spore creature 1 (http://static.spore.com/static/image/500/518/675/500518675706_lrg.png) 2 (http://static.spore.com/static/image/500/518/648/500518648202_lrg.png) *#2 actually has 4 arms but its hard to see with black...and the angle the game takes pictures in*
my other Spore creature stuff (http://www.spore.com/sporepedia#qry=ftr-creature%3Ausr-Contorted%7C2263103570%3Aview-newest) *just for ideas sake*
(http://www.spore.com/sporepedia#qry=ftr-creature%3Ausr-Contorted%7C2263103570%3Aview-newest)

the posts are not off topic as we are all in the dark and they have just as much chance to be correct as anything anyone other than Crate staff makes up.

the only way you will have the first part answered is to wait for an orange name post.

as for the second of your musings there is already a topic for it so you are just creating a double thread.

monsters most wanted. (http://www.grimdawn.com/forums/showthread.php?t=504) i feel this covers your unique monster ideas equally.

[3B0L4]

Yeah, I conpletely agree with you. this community has been one of the best I've posted in with the least aggressiveness, so that probably helps in the posting of off-topic, fun posts.

I can understand we have fun here, and since there's little info, people tend to make this up and it gets out of hand ;) But there are some really interesting threads that, in my eyes, could really contribute to the game. It's too bad that, because of the hi-jacking, these threads tend to drown out, and good ideas die. So, back to the topic:

"I'm just wondering how Crate is putting stuff together for us. Are they pulling stuff out of a hat? Looking at other artworks from other sources? Or do things just magically appear every morning when they start their computer (gnomes or witch-craft)?

And another thought, would it be so far out of the question to post ideas of our own in the hopes to see "our" ideas for creatures be a reality?"

[eisprinzessin]

Try track medierra post start from the early GD forum.LOL - who's going to dig through the currently 900 posts of medierra (http://www.grimdawn.com/forums/member.php?u=1) and evil medierra (http://www.grimdawn.com/forums/member.php?u=434)? Nevertheless - I'd recommend it, too. Appart from jokes and valuable informations many of them are really nice reads.

[3B0L4]

Sigh... I give up...

[R3D]

Sigh... I give up...

there is already a topic for it

dontgive up just go to

monsters most wanted. (http://www.grimdawn.com/forums/showthread.php?t=504) i feel this covers what you want.

[3B0L4]

Thanks for the link R3D.

Meanwhile, I'll just share that i think they came up with the zombies when going to work via train... Man, people on public transport in the morning could as well be dead :P

And for the purple zombies: LSD-dispenser near the coffee machine?

[TECHNOmancer]

Another topic killed by random comments on the developers psychical and mental well-being... :P

...

I can understand we have fun here, and since there's little info, people tend to make this up and it gets out of hand ;) But there are some really interesting threads that, in my eyes, could really contribute to the game. It's too bad that, because of the hi-jacking, these threads tend to drown out, and good ideas die.

That the developers don't comment specifically on all of the ideas that are discussed in the forums does not mean that the ideas are being drown out entirely. As has been mentioned above, a lot of the comments made here are for lack of concrete information. Insofar as I can tell, Medierra and the others do an excellent job of reaching out to the community while at the same time focusing their efforts on creating the game itself. I've noticed that they spend a lot of time here, which I would interpret as reading fans' comments and considering them.

Please don't conclude that ideas are being ignored or discarded -- either by the developers or members of the forum -- simply because a topic diverges from the literal interpretation of the original post into one or more tangential discussions. Honestly, that's the nature of a social medium such as this one.

To return to the original post, Medierra and his cohorts haven't launched into a discussion of this specific topic. Their inspiration almost certainly comes from a host of sources: other games, stories, artwork, imagination, insanity, etc.

TECHNOmancer

[Malpheas]

And I suspect that this is a question for a post-release interview of some sort; this thread I mean.

[medierra]

That the developers don't comment specifically on all of the ideas that are discussed in the forums does not mean that the ideas are being drown out entirely.

This is true. I think I do read through a pretty large portion of all game-relevant posts, although not always right when they're being actively discussed. Occasional joke comments aren't a big deal, it only really gets out of hand when there are a couple pages of joke posts and responses in a thread. Even so, it isn't really very difficult for me to sift through them. The more pressing issue is just that I don't have a lot of time and reading legitimate discussions of ideas is much more time consuming than scrolling past humorous comments.

I don't like to get too involved in serious discussions about ideas though. I think it is better for me to maintain a little distance and keep my interactions casual. I don't want to get embroiled in debates over the merit of other people's suggestions. People get defensive about their ideas and I don't want to cause frustration or potentially hurt feelings in trying to explain why an idea won't work or isn't good.

It also would take a tremendous amount of time to write sensitively phrased and well thought-out responses to every idea on the forum. I'm not a community manager and though I generally work 12-18 hours a day 6-7 days a week, I have very limited extra time to spend on the forums. There is just never enough time in the day... We really need 36 hour days! :undecided:

[Sile]

I'm wondering if the moderators have been told to keep threads on topic yet? Seen many a hi-jacked thread here. I've probably done it myself somewhere..

[medierra]

Ok, so to answer the original question.. uhh... I'm not really sure. Muses?

I mean we have a particular setting and there are some obvious enemies like the zombies since we have the fictional context of Aetherials possessing and controlling humans and other creatures. Of course, we have the two prime bad-guy races, the Aetherials and Ch'thonics. We have rifts into other planes of existence, so that allows for all kinds of bizarre demony stuff to be wandering through that might not be in league with anyone in particular - just looking for some adventure and meal. There are corruptions caused by the mutation of living things by the Aetherial energy. I imagine there are plenty of not-so-friendly human factions wandering around trying to survive. Then there is the potential of creating other more natural but still threatening creatures that originally inhabited the world but have gotten more out of control since the cataclysm.

So, we have to consider the fictional context and what the gameplay role will be of anything we create. Then we have sort of a vague idea of what type of enemy we want but need to define the look. That can happen either by looking at other art or just evolve from someone's imaginings. Sometimes this all happens in reverse order where one of the artists has a cool idea for an enemy's appearance and then I try to figure out a role and fictional context for it.

To be honest, a lot of the time it is just sort of a haphazard process where someone is like "Dude, so like I'm going to start a new enemy model, what am I supposed to work on next?" and I'm like "Dude, oh crap, uhh... I was working on this other stuff and I forgot... what about a giant turtle but this time with lots of spikes and skulls on it?"

Heh, sorry, I may have just spawned another 30 comedic posts, but really, that's about how it goes sometimes. ;)

[medierra]

I'm wondering if the moderators have been told to keep threads on topic yet? Seen many a hi-jacked thread here. I've probably done it myself somewhere..

Hmm, I don't remember what I told them but I could ask them to be more brutal about keeping stuff on-topic. I think originally my directive was to just let people talk to keep the conversation going back when we only had 50 or 100 people on the forum. At this point there is enough activity that we can probably start to get a little tighter on thread control.

[Kluga]

I'm wondering if the moderators have been told to keep threads on topic yet? Seen many a hi-jacked thread here. I've probably done it myself somewhere..

I think it is just fairly easy to hijack threads on here because we have limited info on the game and so conversations can only go so far. I've found they have generally be thrown back on track sooner or later, but they are never diverted with malicious intentions. I'm sure moderators will get involved should a thread really get wayward or arguments or personal attacks start to develop.

[3B0L4]

"Dude, oh crap, uhh... I was working on this other stuff and I forgot... what about a giant turtle but this time with lots of spikes and skulls on it?"

Oops, another 10 threads about turtles :D JK

Yeah, it sounds like a completely natural way of creating things and making up stuff in a creative process. I'm just a little sad as we were all expecting stories about the coffin you sleep in, the virgin's blood you drink for breakfast and pictures of scary trees and such... :( JK :P