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[Mr Dumle]

Here's my current method:

- Get a vague idea of what the game will be
- Work on really complex engine specifics, preferably involving physics and 3d graphics
- Abandon and Repeat

That's all there's to it, really!

I think I'm the same type of guy. So with the game I'm working on now I made 90% of the engine, stopped, and then started doing graphics and stuff. When this worked it felt like winning in an epic battle of the mind.. against myself. 

[ink.inc]

Being a person of very little intelligence, I always start off with the art. Animations always come before code for me. Of course, I'm still working on my first game (and haven't reached the coding part yet) so I'll see how that turns out.

[alspal]

My Method:  

1.Get an idea for a character.
2.Make character/concept art and story.
3.Think of game mechanics that can be used to tell story.
4.Polish game concept.
5.Fail to find team members.
6.Put project on back burner.
7 Repeat...Repeat..Repeat.

No wonder you don't seem to be doing well.
I think you should at least have some ideas for a game first. If your main focus is on story and characters perhaps you should get into novel writing.

[s0]

Also, the whole "fail to find team members" thing. Why don't you just try to make the game on your own? Finding a "team" is virtually impossible when you're just starting out.

[BrixxieBee]

DON'T BE AFRAID TO KILL YOUR BABIES.

(There, I said it.)

I was at a talk at my school. The presenter was a lead designer for Bethesda and the one thing that stood out to me, during the entire talk, was that he mentioned we shouldn't be afraid to kill our babies. I think the obscene wording is what made it stick. Basically, just because we thought something up, designed it, developed it, programmed it, drew it up, or whatever, doesn't mean it should make the cut.

I've pondered on this and it stuck with me for a very long time. We grow emotional attachment to the things we create. This doesn't mean they're worth anything at all though. We need to learn to become objective and learn when something shouldn't make the cut (even if it's already been implemented) for whatever reason that might be (doesn't fit the style, takes away from the immersion, breaks the gameplay, etc).

So remember, killing babies is okay. As long as they're your metaphorical game design babies.

[s0]

very true. this is also why thinking of yourself as an "idea guy" when you're just starting out is bad.

[gimymblert]

I tend to create character before gameplay too
But truth i that the character is a symbol for action, getting the character right is getting the concept of gameplay right. Generally starting with a gameplay lead me to getting stuck. But that's not an advice that's just me.

[beharvenus]

Hey guys, I've finally plucked up the courage to ask for your help. Like you I love gaming and have some awesome ideas I would love to create. However I've never done even done anything like this before. Without sounding too much like a noob (even though I am), I'm wanting to find out how I can get my ideas out there, get people like you interested and involved in creating my worlds and the best ways to share and get feedback.

I've got some rough sketches (hand drawn), lots of screenshots and a script which has helped to get the ideas out of my head, but I'm no artist, director, writer or programmer. I've never built anything like this before and I really don't want things to drag out and - like a lot of posts have mentioned - lose interest or anyone else's for that matter.

How do you best pull a prototype together really quick to get feedback? How do you get that feedback easily? How easy is it to share things with this community? How do you go from prototype to first version of the game?

Sooooo many questions 

Any help would be awesome and super helpful. Please be kind as I know how I sound. I am inexperienced and very new to all of this. I just believe in my ideas and think they real potential - but then again don't you all?

[michaelplzno]

@beharvenus My goto advice is to do what you can on your own. Its not too hard to code up something basic or use a template to establish yourself. Don't try to make a giant project as your first thing, start with something reasonable.