Bright Shiny Object Syndrome

It seems reasonable that my very first real post on this blog is to explain the name. 'Bright Shiny Object Syndrome' is a term used to explain the process that I've observed in a number of different game designers I've worked with. BSOS is where the sufferer comes into work on any given morning and is utterly convinced of some feature or change that has occurred to them while ... playing a game ... watching TV ... going to the movies .... reading a book .. a comic..

Suddenly everything is clear!

If they are in a lead role and have any kind of sway they can put into motion tasks, changes, R&D and all the things that a well oiled team will do to support an idea.... The only problem is that often this will be replaced by another good idea or just wither and die, at the point which the sufferer notices another bright shiny object in something else.

Obviously in amongst all these bright shiny objects are some real true gems. Games don't get made by accident and someone, often multiple people, had to think of every single feature in any game you play.

Its become pretty obvious to me that developing ways to support this random creativity without letting it get so out of control that the project falls into mediocrity is the way to go in game development. I did a talk on this at GDC 2006 called 'God of War: How the Left and Right brain learned to love one another'

Link to my 2006 GDC talk.

Its a set of power point slides that describe the tools we used and the realizations we came to while making the original God of War.

It seems like it might be a good name for this blog, since I would imagine that I'm probably gonna do a bit of rambling on whatever seems important when I get up in the morning.