Prototype Discussions
Being new to the forums I'm just wanting to establish whether a prototype idea for a game can be discussed before uploading/offering up an actual prototype of it? I ask this because I've been working on something (knocked up using Construct) which is super barebones, but I'd still like to discuss and get feedback and whatnot.
Comments
Toss up the barebones! Do it!
But it's usually not that good discussing ideas for prototypes that don't exist yet. Only because, while it's fun to discuss ideas, it's very easy to feel like you've already accomplished a thing just by publicly announcing the idea for it, and this hurts motivation to actually make the thing happen.
And, in the event that you don't end up going through with it, the feedback for the idea isn't a good substitute for the feedback from the actual prototype.
No-one is going to be upset if you want to have a discussion about the prototype before uploading/offering up an actual prototype of it. Most of us love arm-chair game-design. But it's dangerous to talk about something you're going to make, before you've made it.
1. You feel like you've achieved something already by talking about it
OR
2. You talked about it enough that you think the idea is bad before you even make it - and without making it you never REALLY explored what needed to be explored - it could have had the potential to become something else through playtesting and evolution, but instead it died in the womb.
Human beings are imperfect simulators. We can't claim to know how something will work out or not before the thing was actually made and actual observations are made. Remembering that is SO important.