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Inspiration

A problem many people find with working is how to get started. They worry that if something doesn't begin with a heavenly bolt of inspiration then it isn't worth nish.

WRONG!

As Nike once said to try and flog some trainers - "just do it". Once you've immersed yourself in the project inspiration will come.

Like what's just happened to us. We were reviewing our notes and looking at the drawing of the Fireman idea, suddenly we thought, "Oh, wouldn't it be funny instead of saving people, the fireman was pushing people into the flames."

OMG. IDEA.

And the game idea writes itself:

  • Sokoban style game: push the survivors into the flames
  • WEB 2.0 fashion check, make the levels user-generated by allowing people to create them in a wiki
  • Amusing name - who doesn't want to click a url with 'psycho fireman' in the title?
  • Passes the Turbo Esprit test of "it's a bit naughty"
  • Opportunity for preposterous theme-song

Theme Song

Music can really sell a web game. For our money, the tune on Jonti Picking's Atomic Badger Racing turned an average game an awesomely enjoyable experience.

Everyone sing along, Go go badger racing! Can you feel the need for badger speed?"

How to write songs

Think writing songs is hard? Well, here's the only three steps you need:

  • Pick a song that fits the attitude that you want to express. We want something RAH so we're going for something like the theme tune from Team America - except without the sweary bits!
  • Write your own lyrics to same the tune, making sure they roughly fit.
  • Find a musician and get them to write some music to these lyrics, with a similar vibe but different tune

Unleash the genius of Doghorse!

We asked Doghorse, who we worked with before, when we supplied a flash video to his rather fantastic tune Bukkake.

If you're stuck for someone to ask - and you shouldn't be, as everyone has a few friends who fancy themselves as musicians - then try a music community like FAWM.

Anyway, you want to hear the tune? Of course you do. It's blimmin' awesome!

Next week we'll write some code - woo hoo, I bet you can't wait.

And the game idea writes itself:

  • Sokoban style game: push the survivors into the flames
  • WEB 2.0 fashion check, make the levels user-generated by allowing people to create them in a wiki
  • Amusing name - who doesn't want to click a url with 'psycho fireman' in the title?
  • Passes the Turbo Esprit test of "it's a bit naughty"
  • Opportunity for preposterous theme-song

Theme Song

Music can really sell a web game. For our money, the tune on Jonti Picking's Atomic Badger Racing turned an average game an awesomely enjoyable experience.

Everyone sing along, Go go badger racing! Can you feel the need for badger speed?"

How to write songs

Think writing songs is hard? Well, here's the only three steps you need:

  • Pick a song that fits the attitude that you want to express. We want something RAH so we're going for something like the theme tune from Team America - except without the sweary bits!
  • Write your own lyrics to same the tune, making sure they roughly fit.
  • Find a musician and get them to write some music to these lyrics, with a similar vibe but different tune

Unleash the genius of Doghorse!

We asked Doghorse, who we worked with before, when we supplied a flash video to his rather fantastic tune Bukkake.

If you're stuck for someone to ask - and you shouldn't be, as everyone has a few friends who fancy themselves as musicians - then try a music community like FAWM.

Anyway, you want to hear the tune? Of course you do. It's blimmin' awesome!

Next week we'll write some code - woo hoo, I bet you can't wait.

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Showing 6 to 10 of 18 Comments

  • Comment by:
    kaolinfire
    Username:
    kaolinfire
    Posted on:
    Fri Mar 6, 2009 at 02:42 am
    Comment:
    Thank you. My brain's needed jump-starting all week. I don't know if this will have done it, in the end, but is seems like it has a good chance of it. :)
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  • Comment by:
    bucsie
    Username:
    bucsie
    Posted on:
    Mon Sep 1, 2008 at 07:59 am
    Comment:
    I'm sorry to say this but this game is sokoban with different graphics!It's not a new game,there's nothing original about it.a new game should have something different in the game-playing, otherwise why would anyone switch from the original?
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  • Comment by:
    Pewit
    Username:
    Pewit
    Posted on:
    Sat Aug 16, 2008 at 02:46 pm
    Comment:
    Just thought I'd point out that it'll never sell to the Merkins as they use 911 to call the emergency services. Other countries mainly use 112 but just to be different, Australia uses 000. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emergency_call
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  • Comment by:
    dennisspa
    Username:
    dennisspa
    Posted on:
    Fri Aug 15, 2008 at 08:37 am
    Comment:
    ...there's something weirdly addictive to us about sorting, ordering, fixing. I think most truly addictive games fall into this 'tidy up gaming' categry. So there you go, secret to making the next tetris. No need to be tabloid friendly.
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  • Comment by:
    dennisspa
    Username:
    dennisspa
    Posted on:
    Fri Aug 15, 2008 at 08:34 am
    Comment:
    There's something in our human nature that drives us to tidy up. Throw in some simple rules and you're on to a winner. It could be clearing the scattered balls on the pool table, solving a rubik's cube, aligning shapes, ordering cards, eating dots..
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