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 2 *#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 *just for ideas sake*

[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]

Originally Posted by alexei

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?

Originally Posted by Confuted

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:

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, evaluation apprehension, and 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
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? Or found out themselves?


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

[3B0L4]

Originally Posted by alexei

@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

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!