
Pick a small topic for your creative project - graylien
https://blog.prototypr.io/dont-think-big-5ca8e7dd8b3d#.chnistvxk
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rocky1138
Whenever I work on a creative project (often), I first remember Gunpei's
advice:

枯れた技術の水平思考

or

"Lateral thinking with withered technology"

Build something unique and innovative using widely available, likely outdated,
but understood technology to surprise and delight.

[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gunpei_Yokoi](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gunpei_Yokoi)

~~~
barkingdog
I'm recalling very fond memories of my first gaming system, my Gameboy
Pocket[0]. I am also looking back at the history of the Mac OS because of
similarly fond memories of my first computer, a Macintosh SE[1] with System
6[2].

It's amazing what sorts of creativity constraints eke from design. Cheap,
powerful hardware is everywhere nowadays, but I don't see so much in the realm
of interaction design that delights me the way these machines did. Some of it
is the nostalgia factor, but I think it is also the serenity, simplicity and
purity of the medium.

160x144 monochrome pixels on the GBP, and 512x384 on the Mac. But, if I think
about it, there was so much that was accomplished there, and it makes me
question just how much I really need.

I'm going to take the rest of my day to think about recreating the pure,
simple, serene delight of what these machines made for me for the rest of my
day. Thank you, friend. You have reminded me of some of my very favorite
things.

[0]
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gunpei_Yokoi#cite_note-8](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gunpei_Yokoi#cite_note-8)

[0a]
[http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f377/stadsport/000_0254.jp...](http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f377/stadsport/000_0254.jpg)

[1]
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macintosh_SE](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macintosh_SE)

[2]
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/System_6](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/System_6)

[2a]
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/System_6#/media/File:Sys6scree...](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/System_6#/media/File:Sys6screenshotbusy.png)

~~~
detaro
You might enjoy the Pico-8, a simulator for a fictional gameboy-like console
you can program using Lua:
[http://www.lexaloffle.com/pico-8.php](http://www.lexaloffle.com/pico-8.php)

(you can play "cartridges"(=programs) others made in the browser here:
[http://www.lexaloffle.com/bbs/?cat=7&sub=2&orderby=rating](http://www.lexaloffle.com/bbs/?cat=7&sub=2&orderby=rating))

------
sitkack
Work with the medium.

Back when I started programming, I wanted graphics modes that didn't exist,
higher res, more colors, more cpu power. What I didn't realize was that I was
creating problems that were largely out of my control. I should have worked
with the existing medium and embraced what was possible.

~~~
ralphammer
I agree! I have been hunting for years the newest technical effects, learning
one programming language and graphics library after another, trying to push
things with technology just to realise at some point that this expansion of
skills can sometimes even get in the way of my creativity.

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ccalvert
If you have a big project in mind, you can get started by creating a small
project focused on an aspect of your bigger project. Since examples were
missing from the op's article, lets make one up. Suppose you want to create a
site about presidents of the United States. Start with a smaller project that
focuses on one president or on a group of presidents. For instance, the first
three presidents. Or, if you prefer a technical example, suppose you want to
create site on networking. Begin by creating a site on HTTP.

~~~
WWKong
Black presidents of US?

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pjmorris
I like the topic/contribution volume animation, and I think the idea is an
important one.

When I told her I was starting a PhD, Linda Rising said to remember that "You
don't have to drain the swamp, you just have to kill one alligator." I keep
the quote on my wall.

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unabst
Why do we even need to finish it? Finishing a project is in itself a choice. I
mean, like the article says, you might end at a ton of research and you might
not get far on your new OS per se, but if that's what you want to work on, the
more power to you. Never underestimate your ability to learn when you're
trying to actually build something.

If there is a deadline, or if there are other requirements, then let size be
determined by those. Just sounds like the author is frustrated with his
unfinished projects. Personally, I wouldn't be. I've got a ton.

~~~
davidjnelson
Thanks for the insight. It helps me feel better about all my unfinished side
projects that started out as research, because I learned so much from them. I
now apply that learning to my current efforts.

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CM30
Best example on why this advice is useful is probably Mushroom Kingdom Fusion.
The fan game was designed to be the 'ultimate' video game. Hundreds of levels,
about 30 playable characters, tens of power ups, tons of different graphics,
hundreds of enemies and bosses and a soundtrack to rival Super Smash Bros.

Eventually it crashed and burned hard, because the codebase because almost
impossible to debug and the game ridiculously unbalanced because it tried to
be everything to everyone.

I also think this game (Tobias and the Dark Sceptre) is a good example to
bring up in regards to giant topics and insane levels of ambition. It finally
got finished, but it did spent 13 years in development because of it:

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2b0tSu0QDQ0](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2b0tSu0QDQ0)

That said (and I'm probably going to be seen as insane for saying this)... I'd
prefer more people followed their dreams and tried to be ambitious than that
we got a bunch of 'safe' projects in every area. It may take time. It may
sometimes literally take decades. But whether it's research, article writing,
game development, programming or business, I still have a lot of admiration
for the people willing to put everything into a ridiculously overambitious and
unlikely project on the off chance it might work out.

~~~
vitd
In film, this is the "Heaven's Gate" problem. [0]

As for your last paragraph, I wouldn't say that being small and focused means
being "safe". In fact, it could be quite the opposite. Focus on the one thing
that makes your product (or art or whatever) different from all the rest, and
get that done ta a satisfactory level before expanding to bigger things. It's
not always applicable or possible, but being focused is unrelated to being
"safe".

[0]
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heaven%27s_Gate_(film)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heaven%27s_Gate_\(film\))

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danmaz74
Nice visuals, and probably a good suggestion from the article. But it really
lacks an example, because it's not clear at all what does author mean by
"creative project" here.

~~~
ralphammer
Thanks for the hint! I was thinking of a typical experimental design project.
The next article will contain examples!

~~~
danmaz74
Great :)

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freyir
Consider a project that is small, based on idea that's big.

Projects often end up being bigger than you plan, and you don't want to end up
in a big project based on a small idea.

~~~
eddz
Twitter and Snapchat are big projects based on small ideas. It's not
necessarily a bad thing to narrow your focus.

~~~
freyir
I'd argue they were big ideas; they were original and filled a need that
nobody else recognized. Rather small projects at the start, built on existing
technology.

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aaronbrethorst
I'd love to build a creative project that can identify superfluous animated
gifs and hide them.

~~~
ralphammer
You can already do this: [http://www.wikihow.com/Stop-Animated-Images-in-a-
Browser](http://www.wikihow.com/Stop-Animated-Images-in-a-Browser) Hope it
helps!

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kentt
I gave up on reading the article. The gifs are too distracting and annoying.

~~~
vitd
Some of them were fine, but the one that was just a static image where the
lines wiggled a little was really gratuitous. Horribly distracting.

