A few weeks back I had this GREAT idea. No, it really it was. It was a game that I really wanted to play and write. I am going into a lot of detail about here now because the game will not happen now, or at least not in it's current draft.
See I did my research. I have a Ph.D. (two in fact, but I am ABD) so research is something I know well and love. And I did do my research. I looked into economic issues of the time to try to get a good idea of a monetary system. I reread news items that I thought would give me better insight. I also put together a must-read list of fiction and a must watch list of movies that fit the genre.
I even prototyped some characters.
What I *DIDN'T* do was see if this game already existed.
Which, as you can guess, it does.
What really sucks is that this game is also really, really good. They went with a different vibe than I was going for, but what they did is fantastic.
Well. Shit.
So now I have notes, drafts and a cool name. Some friends suggested I go ahead and make it, but I don't want to field questions of "Hey have you seen BLANK?" or "How is this not a copy of BLANK?"
So the ideas will go into ... well, I don't know yet really.
After talking with my kids I think I have some ideas for this stuff, but the focus will have to change. So goodbye economic data. Book lists will need to be revised. I think the movies are fine though.
6 comments:
When I started working on Slashers & Victims I had a broader idea of what the game could be. Then I found out about the game that you're talking about and decided not to expand like I'd originally planned.
Why let that stop you? In a world where we have dozens of versions of basic D&D, there's obviously room for different takes on the same subject.
The concept was so close that I think it would be better to move on.
Plus I have a LOT of things to work on so I do not lack for projects!
Having been burned this way more than once, the FIRST thing I check before putting down serious time and energy into a project is checking to see if the game already exists.
[a close second is checking to see if my preferred title has already been taken by a game or book]
Doesn't mean you can't continue with your project, but you have to know going in.
About the same thing happened to me. Right before I was about to post my set of RPG rules, I did an Internet search. I found myself having to quickly think up a new name and do a search and replace before posting.
Yeah. I am not greatly concerned about the work I did; it will find a new home. I suppose this is good really, there are other projects that are nearer and dearer to my heart and I want to make sure I do the due diligence on them.
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