Whiteboard
Idea Jam
Group
Brainstorming
WHAT WE ARE DOING
WHY WE ARE DOING IT
writing down, drawing, and sharing as many game ideas as possible on the whiteboard.
to select the future game concept that you and a partner will develop
ACTIVITY MATERIALS
Post-its
(if you want to conduct the brainstorming on the wall)
or
3 big white sheets (A0 size)
(if you want to conduct the brainstorming on tables)
1 - ENCOURAGE WILD IDEAS
2 - SUSPEND JUDGMENT
4 - BUILD ON IDEAS
5 - BE VISUAL
3 - GO FOR QUANTITY
Wild ideas can often give rise to creative leaps.
Don’t shoot down someone else’s idea.
Aim for as many ideas as possible.
Build and expand on the ideas of others.
Sketch your ideas.
ENCOURAGE
WILD IDEAS
Wild ideas can often give rise to creative leaps.
Shout out bizarre and unworkable ideas to see what they spark off. No idea is too ridiculous. State out any outlandish ideas. Exaggerate ideas to the extreme.
SUSPEND
JUDGEMENT
Don’t shoot down someone else’s idea.
The evaluation of ideas takes up valuable brain power which should be devoted to the creation if ideas. Therefore do not judge the ideas until after the brainstorming process. Note down all ideas.
GO FOR
QUANTITY
Aim for as many ideas as possible.
If the number of ideas at the end of the session is very large, there is a greater chance of finding a really good idea. Keep each idea short, do not describe it in detail - just capture its essence.
BUILD
ON IDEAS
Build and expand on the ideas of others.
Try and add extra thoughts to each idea. Use other people’s ideas as inspiration for your own. Creative people are also good listeners. Combine several of the suggested ideas to explore new possibilities.
BE
VISUAL
Sketch your ideas.
Nothing gets an idea across faster than drawing it. It doesn’t matter how terrible of a sketcher you are! It’s all about the idea behind your sketch.
BRAINSTORMING PARTS
15 MINS
INDIVIDUAL BRAINSTORM
Project Selection
15 MINS
COLLECTIVE BRAINSTORM
30 MINS
Your task is to list as many game themes/idea as possible. By the end, you'll choose one theme and expand on it.
Time to pair up! Before designing the game, each pair should briefly outline the core concept, main conflict, setting, key characters, mood, and basic gameplay mechanics.
Be prepared to share your ideas.
Everyone will speak and draw on the whiteboard.
We will break brainstorm for 10 minutes, jotting down as many game themes and concepts as possible.
1st
~ 15min
Educational Games
White board
Farming
Time is up! Time to pair up!
1st
Medical
Simulation
Trading &
Economics
Farming
Educational Games
Musical
game
Musical
game
2nd
Before designing the game, the group should briefly outline the core concept, setting, key characters/objects, mood, and basic gameplay mechanics to establish a solid foundation for the design of your game.
~ 30min
2nd
Game
Theme
Core Concept:
Is the game about exploration, completing quests, or solving puzzles?
Setting:
Where does the game take place? Consider the type of world—such as mystical forests, ancient kingdoms, or bustling cities.
Characters:
Who are the characters in the game? Are they human, creatures, or something else?
Mood and Atmosphere:
What is the overall mood of the game? Is it joyful, mysterious, calm, or perhaps tense?
Gameplay Mechanics:
How is the game played? Is it a platform or maze game? Or is it a simulation and building game, where players design or manage an environment
2nd
Riddles
Game
Core Concept: game is about exploration and solving puzzles. Players navigate through different levels of the game world, each containing riddles or logic-based puzzles that must be solved to progress.
Setting: mystical forest filled with ancient ruins. Ffilled with puzzles and secret passages that the player must explore to uncover the next riddle.
Characters: The player controls a young adventurer, a human character equipped with basic tools for exploration
Mood: The environment is serene, but the puzzles create a sense of challenge and discovery.
Gameplay Mechanics: The game is a platformer where the player moves through different levels, jumping between platforms, avoiding obstacles, and interacting with objects to unlock clues. The player must solve riddles presented by characters or within the environment to unlock doors or secret areas, progressing through the game.
EXAMPLE
DELIVERABLES
Create a post in the "Responses" tab that includes:
- Type of game/Theme
- Core concept
- Setting
- Characters
- Mood
- Gameplay mechanics
TIME TO BRAINSTORM!
Description
In this brainstorming activity, we will generate the ideas that will define the concepts of our group projects. We will start by generating idea lists individually, then as a group share all ideas on a pin-up brainstorming board with writing, drawing, post-it notes, and a lot of discussion.
Instructions
See slide 10
Deliverables
At the end of this activity, the group will have created a collective pin-up brainstorming board. With this resource, the studio facilitator should take time to partner project pairs and create project folders before the next studio session. The next studio session will begin with the sharing of project concepts and project partnerships.
Time 1hr