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[LemonScented]

When I'm trying to do creative stuff, my mind tends to touch on a whole bunch of random, seemingly unconnected stuff. Right now I'm thinking about lessons I could learn from Minecraft (specifically the crafting system, the appeal to different sorts of playing styles, and the current lack of a long-term goal), various 2D technologies (such as the pixel-perfect destructible terrain used by games like Worms and Lemmings, and whether new types of games could make use of them), the way successful "artgames" manage to contain a lot of meaning despite being really low-tech, ways to balance economics in games involving trading, and a pile of other things. My usual approach is to let these things drift around in my head, and see if they make any interesting connections. When I'm feeling driven to be a bit more formal, my main tool is Notepad. I splurge ideas down as bullet points, and perhaps elaborate on certain points as new ideas come through. It sort of helps to form those connections sometimes, but a lot of the time I find myself staring at an empty bullet point at the bottom of a really messy text file wondering what to do next.

Does anyone have any experience of using software tools, or pen & paper techniques, or software tools that emulate pen & paper techniques, to help them record ideas as they occur in a way which lends itself well to connecting them together into interesting new designs or avenues of exploration? What can you recommend? I'd like to be able to record and organise my thoughts more efficiently.

[ink.inc]

I keep a design journal; it's just a little black sketchbook that can fit in my (largish) jacket pocket. Whenever I get an idea, boom, I write it down. Naturally, 99.99999% of them are utter horseshit, but that's okay.

I have a huge cork board in my room, so I can post stuff I do up there (like my motivational posters of petri purho, among other things). But that's mostly for decoration.

Computer-wise, I just use Notepad, simply because it's lightweight and doesn't take 20 seconds to start up.
 

[george]

I recommend large drawing pads. I use an 11x14. I also use smaller journals like John Sandoval, but not in any systematic way, I just use whatever's closest. It works for me as I tend to write and rewrite ideas if they're worth developing anyway. I haven't found software that is as good for this stage as big pieces of paper.

If you're unsatisfied with linear text I recommend an outliner. I've only used Leo and Emacs but I'm sure there are others.

[Kuppo]

Freemind may be what you are looking for.
freemind.sourceforge.net

[bento_smile]

I much prefer writing stuff down on paper than using any software or anything like that. (Unless it is something I have to share, in which case, googledocs ftw.)

I have an A5-ish moleskine which is almost full of games stuff but it's mostly just design notes, lists, bad drawings and such. Oh, I'm also not too precious about it, so stick postits in wherever XD

Of course D: it's harder to connect ideas that way. Hmm, I'm thinking when it's full, but I've not finished with all the ideas in it, I'll write a list of contents on it or something... so at least I can find what's in there.

[increpare]

I've taken to use notational velocity for all of my notes...it's very easy to search through everything + add new stuff, which is handy, and syncs to an online repository.

Other than that, for directed thinking I find paper to be invaluable (transcribing to notes on computer when I end up thinking about bigger/less directed stuff).

Freemind may be what you are looking for.
freemind.sourceforge.net

Have you ever used it?  I can't work with it at all...

[Kylotan]

Mostly I just write things in Notepad (well, Notepad++) or Google Docs. I also use paper on occasion, especially when I want to force myself to be away from the computer for a while, but that's just a bit unwieldy in the end by comparison. It helps to have something you can search.

I have got some use out of Freemind in the past. There's something about the hierarchical structure that really helps me grow an idea and expand on the individual parts, and being able to cross-reference the nodes helps also. Mindmapping as a technique can help you get past mental blocks, as you can take each node as a point to brainstorm on, rather than feeling constrained by a small number of headings. It also encourages you to break out of the habit of trying to write one fluid piece of linear text, if you have such a habit.

[pelle]

I have used Freemind a few times. An ex-coworker used it all the time and was very happy with it. I think the application itself is very good, very well done keyboard shortcuts etc and lots of features. In the end I don't think you can beat just unsorted text in plain text files, for me personally. I just put everything in a big text file, keep it in version control somewhere. Paper wins in all other ways, but I avoid it because of the lack of good backup functions, version control, or ways to access it easily on a remote server (no risk forgetting to bring my notes at home when traveling).

[dontkickpenguins]

I personally use paper notebooks because I tend to drawing a lot of little pictures and graphs and you can't do that with a text file which forces you to get yourself down through a keyboard. However I keep losing them. This means that I have no long term storage which hampers any attempt to link owt together so I guess I'm losing a lot. Maybe I need is a smartphone app for jotting down quick ideas and notes. I can't possibly lose a smartphone and you carry your mobile around with you all the time so it makes sense to tie a notetaking app (which you'd want access to all the time) to your phone.

I was also forced to use Freemind during uni. It doesn't turn me on but it's not a bad app for mindmaps if that's want you want.

[jotapeh]

I personally use paper notebooks because I tend to drawing a lot of little pictures and graphs and you can't do that with a text file which forces you to get yourself down through a keyboard. However I keep losing them.

Dude, the greatest thing about this is when you find a sketch/idea book that you thought was long lost. It is like finding a little gold mine of ideas. Silver lining!

See also: finding lost stash of pot

[ink.inc]

When working with ideas and concepts, I ALWAYS prefer using a physical pencil and paper.

Why?

-you can make doodles on the side
-you can't get distracted by the internets
-i like the physicality of it
-it's cool to look at

[AlexDJones]

I have a big pad of paper right next to me so that whenever I get a creative urge, or want to scribble down some code that comes to my head, it's there for reference. However, I happen to use this pad for other purposes as well, so I'm looking into purchasing a dedicated design notebook soon.

[ink.inc]

Also, I use whiteboards a lot.

[Xion]

Notepad, forever and always. I find it hard to keep ideas with physical pen+paper because my thoughts are usually there and gone in an instant, and I can type and outline and organize much faster than I write by hand. Also I tend to get caught up doodling and if it doesn't turn out well I get sidetracked trying to do it better and better until I forgot what I was even drawing it for in the first place.

[LemonScented]

FreeMind looks interesting. I'll have a play with that.

I should probably have mentioned that notebooks and oversized pads of paper form part of my mental recording process as well as notepad, generally because they're quicker, more easily accessible, and allow for pictures. But paper is harder to edit and back up, so anything which I want to keep for a while ends up in Notepad. The problem with Notepad is the lack of structure, and the lack of opportunities to glance at something and suddenly make a connection between two previously disparate trains of thought about completely different subjects and arrive at something new. I guess creativity is a pretty personal experience which is why there is no magic one-size-fits-all technology or technique where you can dump all your thoughts and ideas into a document and have them magically synthesize into genius. But personally I think I could use a little bit more technological help to help nudge the process along, which is why I'm interested in what other people use.

[BlueSweatshirt]

I've taken to use notational velocity for all of my notes...it's very easy to search through everything + add new stuff, which is handy, and syncs to an online repository.

Other than that, for directed thinking I find paper to be invaluable (transcribing to notes on computer when I end up thinking about bigger/less directed stuff).

Freemind may be what you are looking for.
freemind.sourceforge.net

Have you ever used it?  I can't work with it at all...

Notational Velocity for windows plx.

[george]

I just found a Windows clone this morning -- http://ufridman.org/notes.html.

[dontkickpenguins]

I personally use paper notebooks because I tend to drawing a lot of little pictures and graphs and you can't do that with a text file which forces you to get yourself down through a keyboard. However I keep losing them.

Dude, the greatest thing about this is when you find a sketch/idea book that you thought was long lost. It is like finding a little gold mine of ideas. Silver lining!

See also: finding lost stash of pot

You know, I'd never thought about that before. I guess you could think of it like that. Now my untidy room looks like a treasure trove of hidden treasures as opposed to some sort of bomb testing site.

[boomlinde]

Hypertext is good for connecting things .

Try something like wikidPad.

[iffi]

I tried Freemind once before and didn't especially like it, but later I tried XMind, and since then I've been using it in combination with Notepad.