Creativity plays an important role in digital thriving, and developers can help generate creativity with a wealth of strategies. We’ve identified at least 20:
- Solve your way out
- Creative destruction
- Try. Die. Repeat.
- Blocks in a box
- Many paths to power
- Roleplay
- Life simulations
- Unusual abilities
- Don’t fix the glitch
- Road full of riddles
- Invent a recipe
- Combined powers
- No same way twice
- Hard constraints
- Rad mods
- Throwable objects
- Destructible objects
- Create your own courses
- Bust a custom move
- Flaunt a rich wardrobe
So as you explore the following strategies, ask yourself: How could my game generate creativity?
1. Solve your way out
Require players to build and test a novel solution before the game can continue. This approach gives players many opportunities to generate fresh, creative ideas.
2. Creative destruction
Make “killing with style” a core creative challenge. Encourage and reward players who find ingenious ways to destroy environments or enemies.
3. Try. Die. Repeat.
The “Try. Die. Repeat.” approach makes death a fresh chance for creative problem solving. If one idea doesn’t work, the player can die, die again.
4. Blocks in a box
A classic approach: give players building blocks from which to create their own environments or even games. Games oriented around building blocks are generally called sandbox games, hence the name of this strategy: blocks in a box.
5. Many paths to power
Skill trees give players a myriad of ways to customize their in-game characters. Creative builds (via these trees and related player customizations) open up new and interesting ways to play.
6. Roleplay
At the risk of oversimplification, roleplaying games are about embodying a role and making a character your own. In this way, players can bring their own personalities and creativity to the roles they choose to evolve.
7. Life simulations
In life simulation games, players get to create “real life” rules and watch them play out.
8. Unusual abilities
Give players unusual abilities that inspire creative gameplay. Consider allowing players to combine their abilities for even more creative opportunities.
9. Don’t fix the glitch
Consider leaving minor glitches in your game. You may be surprised what amazing things players can create from these.
10. Road full of riddles
This approach requires players to use their imagination to solve a series of puzzles the developer has woven into a story.
11. Invent a recipe
Some games require players to combine in-game elements without saying what will happen. This approach encourages exploration, experimentation, and creativity.
12. Combined powers
When you allow multiple players to combine their special abilities, you unlock opportunities for creative gameplay.
13. No same way twice
This approach is about making players think quickly and creativity by preventing them from using the same solution more than once or twice.
14. Hard constraints
Creativity loves constraints. Consider barriers, limiting resources, or other restrictions to generate creativity in your game.
15. Rad mods
Mods are modifications to games created by players (usually). Providing tools that enable players to “mod” your game can unlock their creativity while extending the life of the game itself.
16. Throwable objects
The ability to throw objects, especially during high-stress situations, can inspire creative and fun gameplay.
17. Destructible objects
Given the opportunity, players will find creative ways to destroy things in games. One strategy for generating creativity is to purposefully give players things to destroy.
18. Create your own courses
Some developers make their games into game creation systems that empower players to create and play their own versions of the game.
19. Bust a custom move
Give players tools to create their own fighting moves to make multiplayer engagements more interesting.
20. Flaunt a rich wardrobe
Offer a wide variety of cosmetic options to enable players to create their own personal style. Consider making the style of clothes, weapons, and other in-game items customizable.
Now what?
See more examples in Games That Invite Creativity (and Don’t Involve Building Blocks): A Speed Run.
