Star Child Dev Log #18
Jay Ingle - lead developer, designer, and artist:
Let's say you want to make a video game in the Metroidvania style. You have a large amount of reference material, but how do you make your game unique? One way is to use The But Technique. Here's how it works.
In the original Metroid, there is a seahorse-lookin thing that rises up out of lava, and shoots at you. Like this:
So far, all we have done is copy what Metroid did. Now let's apply The But Technique. We have a seahorse-lookin thing that rises up out of the lava and shoots at you.. BUT... but what? But whatever you want! How about... a seahorse-lookin thing that rises up out of the lava and shoots at you, BUT the projectile is massive.
Now we have something much more interesting, and even unexpected. This was just the first thing I thought of. But ideas are easy when you just let them roll out of your brain:
A seahorse-lookin thing that rises up out of the lava and shoots at you..
BUT... the projectile is massive.
BUT... the seahorse rises all the way out of the lava then shoots in all directions, then explodes.
BUT... the projectile is an enemy that hits the ground and starts hunting for the player.
BUT... the projectile is a planet.
Apply The But Technique by brainstorming a list of a bunch of random alterations to the original idea, unfiltered and straight out of your own personal unique creativity. Then pick the best ones and try them out!
Now I don't remember the first time I heard about this technique, or even what it was called then, but shoutout to Dev Worm on Youtube for reminding me of it (Dev Worm has good tutorials for Godot beginners).
Let's say you want to make a video game in the Metroidvania style. You have a large amount of reference material, but how do you make your game unique? One way is to use The But Technique. Here's how it works.
In the original Metroid, there is a seahorse-lookin thing that rises up out of lava, and shoots at you. Like this:
So far, all we have done is copy what Metroid did. Now let's apply The But Technique. We have a seahorse-lookin thing that rises up out of the lava and shoots at you.. BUT... but what? But whatever you want! How about... a seahorse-lookin thing that rises up out of the lava and shoots at you, BUT the projectile is massive.
Now we have something much more interesting, and even unexpected. This was just the first thing I thought of. But ideas are easy when you just let them roll out of your brain:
A seahorse-lookin thing that rises up out of the lava and shoots at you..
BUT... the projectile is massive.
BUT... the seahorse rises all the way out of the lava then shoots in all directions, then explodes.
BUT... the projectile is an enemy that hits the ground and starts hunting for the player.
BUT... the projectile is a planet.
Apply The But Technique by brainstorming a list of a bunch of random alterations to the original idea, unfiltered and straight out of your own personal unique creativity. Then pick the best ones and try them out!
Now I don't remember the first time I heard about this technique, or even what it was called then, but shoutout to Dev Worm on Youtube for reminding me of it (Dev Worm has good tutorials for Godot beginners).