Tonight's topic:  Ideas and scoping

Part 1:  Generating ideas - 00:05:15

• Write down everything...EVERYTHING.  Who knows what will be inspired (pers: GA)
• Set a genre restriction and generate a few ideas from that
• Pull ideas from prior writings
• Put ideas in a common area so everyone can see / develop based on them
• Choose something you really love (extend), or hate (improve)

Part 2:  Thinning the idea pool - 00:15:15

• Merge weaker/overlapping ideas, if it makes sense to do so
• Choose a few concepts to develop further
• If idea feels shaky, hang on to it, but don’t develop it any more
• When one is selected, get behind it 100%...but be prepared to drop it 100% if needed

INTERMISSION:  Ivan Hakstok - Nothingness is Eternal - Kingdom Hearts 2 (DoD Mar 2013)

Part 3:  Allocating resorurces - 00:24:40

• Base on desire at first; story writers, mechanics design, etc
• If not all bases covered, split duties evenly, and be prepared to transfer fluidly (pers: business to tech and back; start all at the beginning of story, then migrate)
• As progress continues, specialize people, but not so much that you leave a field uncovered (for long)

Part 4:  (Re)determining project scope - 00:32:23

• Great to shoot for big, but be realistic (pers: trim first game from full to prototype right quick...sort of)
• Cut ideas / arcs dispassionately, but keep them for future use / expansion (pers: expand prototype if the _idea_ succeeds)
• Base some scope on technical and talent limitations (more on the latter)
• Trim as much as you feel is necessary, then trim a little more