Abstract
Problem: What does a real brainstorming session look like when developing a game idea from a single sentence into a fleshed-out concept?
Approach: Tim Cain walks through a concrete example — pitching a one-sentence game idea and then systematically exploring its setting, story, mechanics, art, and music, followed by honest self-critique of the idea's weaknesses.
Findings: Effective brainstorming follows a structured order (setting → story → mechanics → art/music), should start from a brief pitch, involve cross-disciplinary volunteers, and always end with the creator voicing their own concerns about the idea.
Key insight: If your brainstorm pitch takes more than a minute to explain, it's too complicated — and if you don't have concerns about your own idea, you're not thinking deeply enough.
The Pitch
Tim pulls an idea from one of his many idea notebooks and demonstrates what a good brainstorm pitch sounds like. The entire concept fits in two sentences:
You wake up. Someone who looks exactly like you is standing over you, tells you someone is hunting them — and therefore now hunting you, because you're their clone. Then they leave, and the door unlocks.
That's it. If your brainstorm idea takes five minutes just to cover the basics, it's too complicated. Short, sweet, and to the point is what you want.
Design Elements in Order
Tim emphasizes that design elements should be discussed in a specific order: setting first, then story, then mechanics. Each layer informs the next.
Setting
The word "clone" in the pitch might make you assume a sci-fi setting — but Tim immediately challenges that assumption. The setting is wide open:
- High-tech — traditional cloning technology
- Fantasy — clone spells exist in D&D and many fantasy games
- Shape-shifter — the person might not be a true clone at all
- Mixed — could be an Arcanum-style blend of magic and technology
- Aliens — the "clone" could be an alien trick
- Superheroes — a hero whose power is self-duplication, making you as disposable bait
The lesson: don't make assumptions based on a single word in the pitch. Keep the possibility space open.
Story
Key story questions that designers need answers to — even if the player doesn't learn them immediately:
- Who's hunting you, and why?
- Who are you — or rather, who is the original?
- Is the hunter actually the villain? Maybe the original (your template) isn't a good person, and the hunter has legitimate reasons.
Tim notes that the most interesting version might be one where the final confrontation reveals moral ambiguity — the hunter isn't necessarily wrong. These are the breadcrumbs you throw out in brainstorming to see what excites people.
Mechanics and Game Type
Before diving into specific mechanics, Tim says you need to step back and ask: what kind of game is this?
- RPG (the default assumption for his teams)
- Action game
- Narrative/story game
- Management sim
Don't spend an hour on RPG mechanics only to realize later it works better as a narrative game. Decide the game type first, then discuss mechanics.
Cross-Disciplinary Input
Brainstorming sessions should include people beyond just designers:
- Artists — what art style fits the setting and story?
- Composers — a mystery tone? Combat-heavy music? The setting and mechanics inform the musical direction.
- Anyone who volunteers — Tim stresses these sessions should always be voluntary. If someone doesn't want to attend, they don't have to.
Voice Your Concerns
Tim's strongest advice: if you don't have concerns about your own idea, you're not thinking deeply enough. His concerns about this specific pitch:
Replayability
If the game hinges on a big mystery reveal (e.g., "you're actually the original" or "you're being hunted because you committed a crime"), will anyone want to replay it? Is the team okay with making a one-and-done game?
Similarity to Existing Games
The concept — waking up with no knowledge of who you are, exploring the world to discover your identity and past actions — is very close to Planescape: Torment. Has this been done before in a way that makes pursuing it redundant? This doesn't need answering during brainstorming, but if the team decides to move forward, they need to check.
The Amnesia Problem
Tim is on record saying he dislikes amnesia as a narrative device, especially "explosive amnesia." Is being a clone — physically identical but with no memories — just amnesia with a new hat on? Can this be justified as meaningfully different? If the creator doesn't like amnesia-based games, why is he making one?
Why Brainstorming Matters
Tim acknowledges he's said before that "ideas are nothing without implementation," but brainstorming sessions serve important purposes:
- Team bonding — cross-disciplinary collaboration builds relationships
- Unlocking hidden brilliance — someone on the team may have an incredible mechanic or setting idea but can't implement it alone because they haven't figured out the story or execution. Brainstorming can bridge that gap.
- This is how Fallout got started — Tim gathered people and asked what kind of games they wanted to make
Not everyone is temperamentally suited to brainstorming sessions, but running them with structure — brief pitch, systematic exploration of design elements, cross-disciplinary input, and honest self-critique — makes them productive.