Back in high school I had an idea for a video game that I really wanted to make, but didn't because I was focusing on learning to program instead. That was probably the right decision, because that time investment I made during those years has really paid off for me.
The game was a two-genre mashup between two very different genres, that I thought I could pull off blending together. (I still kind of think it could be done, whether or not I still think I could do it alone is a different story...)
A few years ago, someone came up with exactly the same genre mashup, and in fact the main character looked extremely close to what I had in my notes.
I was thrilled about it because I didn't just want to make it, I wanted to play it. Someone else did the work and took the risk of making it for me, and I get to fork over a few dollars and play it myself! Sure I wanted to be the one to make it, but if it existed at all that was huge.
I'm a millennial, so the first thing I did was go look it up on YouTube. And what I saw was incredibly disappointing, didn't do any of the things I was hoping it would, and frankly I didn't even bother to go buy it and play for myself. It didn't look like it had that fun factor, and it didn't do either genre justice.
Still makes me sad, and if I were to go into game development as more than a hobby, doing that game right is top of my list.
In games ideas are almost never original. I used to work with a designer who said if you think what you are doing is new you probably haven't been paying enough attention. But ideas matter very little and execution is golden. So I wouldn't worry too much if someone tried your idea.
The game was a two-genre mashup between two very different genres, that I thought I could pull off blending together. (I still kind of think it could be done, whether or not I still think I could do it alone is a different story...)
A few years ago, someone came up with exactly the same genre mashup, and in fact the main character looked extremely close to what I had in my notes.
I was thrilled about it because I didn't just want to make it, I wanted to play it. Someone else did the work and took the risk of making it for me, and I get to fork over a few dollars and play it myself! Sure I wanted to be the one to make it, but if it existed at all that was huge.
I'm a millennial, so the first thing I did was go look it up on YouTube. And what I saw was incredibly disappointing, didn't do any of the things I was hoping it would, and frankly I didn't even bother to go buy it and play for myself. It didn't look like it had that fun factor, and it didn't do either genre justice.
Still makes me sad, and if I were to go into game development as more than a hobby, doing that game right is top of my list.