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Just a little sneak peak of our LD54 game, which we'll finally put out tomorrow. It got delayed a little but it's comming along nicely, and I'm quite happy with the results. I'll keep the intrigue for now, and I'll just give you the title: "Disco Diner". Maybe you can guess what it's about?

Our food serving game is out! Check it out:

https://ldjam.com/events/ludum-dare/54/disco-diner

I'll share my thoughts on why I'm not a big fan of most of these themes. And this is not to hate or complain. All these themes are definitely workable, but I want to reflect on what I tend to prefer. Other people may have other thought processes that make them prefer these kinds of themes, and I'd be happy to hear from your perspectives. So, here are some of the problems I find in some themes:

#1. Refers to high level progression mechanics:

My main problem is with themes that speak to very high level game progression mechanics. For example, "fragments" is something many games have tied to upgrades or powerups (or to open door to next world...), but it doesn't affect the core of the game in any way. Same could be said for "paths", "leave something behind". Although of course you can find other interpretations of these.

#2. Too abstract - harder for brainstorming and idea association:

Another problem I have is with some abstract words, which are uninspiring, bad creative prompts (i.e. they don't associate with as many interesting ideas, moods, concepts, etc. as some other prompts do). For example, "paths" taken literally, is a very dull concept. There are paths everywhere, but it's such a generic concept it doesn't make my mind run. Instead, if we had something like "pasture", you could think of sheep, grass, dog, shepherd, farmers, nature, plants; mechanics-wise you could think of shepherd fighting monsters and protecting sheep, or dog trying to round up sheep, or you could be the sheep, or it could be a farming or simulation game where you control plantations... See what I mean? It's easy to brainstorm. In contrast, if I think of "split", "layers", "flow", "unusual communication", or "merge", my mind almost goes blank.

#3. Hard to adapt game design a posteriori:

Somewhat tied to previous point. Creativity-inducing themes also allow for a lot of leeway changing the design. If the game isn't fun I'm free to change pretty much everything: the sheep could have stats and eat grass or could not, the farmer could have guns or melee or whatever, there could be waves or monsters or new scenarios you enter... So basically I'm allowed to do my job as a game designer.

On the other hand, with the theme "split", for example, imagine I make an action roguelike where you keep growing by eating stuff, which makes you stronger (and maybe slower), but to go to the next level you have to "split", essentially halving your size. If I implement this and it turns out it would play better if instead of halving I get to spend my size in a shop for upgrades, then I just can't do that, because that doesn't fit the theme at all. Same could be said for "leave something behind" or "cartography". Or with "chain", imagine I make an top-down shooter where you're always tied to a pole, and then, surprise surprise, the game is more fun if I remove the chain and let you move freely, but I can't do that.

#4. Too limiting if applied to mechanics:

Then there are themes that either won't affect mechanics (but rather the lore/story), or if they do they will limit the game very much to a specific mechanic or genre. Like "chains" screams physics-based. "Shelter" screams survival game. "Cartography" and "layers" can be hard for mechanics. Reflection seems kind of limiting mechanics-wise.

Note: I know "horde" is also kind of limiting, but I just feel like making a zombie game, so that's what I went with.