What I Was Missing About Making Games

This past weekend, I decided to make a card game. I’ve always been fascinated by the minimalism of a deck of cards, yet the infinite possibilities it holds for experiences. What I mean is a standard deck of cards is a very small object. It can fit in your pocket. There are only 52 cards with two jokers sometimes included. The art and symbols are mysterious and tell their own story. With this simple and small object though, you could be entertained for countless hours by yourself, with a couple friends, or even in a much larger group. There are an unimaginable number of possibilities when it comes to the order cards will be in after shuffling.

I’ve tried and failed to create a card game or any tabletop game for that matter literally dozens of times. My goal was always to create a totally new experience. Something that wasn’t out there already. This was a bad approach. Making games has never been something I do for money, and it probably never will be. It’s something I do because I enjoy it. Games are art. Thinking about how a creation will be received by a general audience is a great way to stop the creative process in its tracks. Additionally, the biggest problem with this approach was the “blank page” syndrome it creates. When trying to create something “totally” different and new than any other experience that exists out there, anytime a mechanic, theme, or idea seems influenced or similar to something from another work of art, or in this case game, it has to be shot down to preserve the unique identity of one’s creation. This kills the creative process.

It is okay to be influenced by another work, and now I actually seek it out and define at the start of my creative process often what other works I’ll be stealing from. My creative voice will always be present in the work. Humans can’t help but imbue their own creative direction into the projects they work on. This approach gives you starting place. Something to riff on which with time will become increasingly your own. The book Steal Like An Artist by Austin Kleon explores this idea more.