{"author_link":"\/users\/infinitycore","author_name":"infinitycore","author_uid":"infinitycore","comments":[],"epoch":1632005186,"event":"LD49","format":"md","ldjam_node_id":260057,"likes":9,"metadata":{"p_key":"158471","p_author":"infinitycore","p_authorkey":"1002463","p_urlkey":"379052","p_title":"2\/3 through dead-ifying themes","p_cat":"LDJam ","p_event":"LD49","p_time":"1632005186","p_likes":"9","p_comments":"0","p_status":"WAYBACK","us_key":"1002463","us_name":"infinitycore","us_username":"infinitycore","event_start":"1633046400","event_key":"119","event_name":"Ludum Dare 49"},"node":{"_collation":{"body_sanitizer":"TextUtils::SanitizeHTML via existing importer","event":"LD49","removed_author":false},"_superparent":258323,"_trust":7,"author":2463,"body":"I must be in a more cynical mood than usual. Normally I keep maybe 5% of the themes; this time I'm at probably 1% if that.\n\nWhat makes a theme bad:\n1. it is too vague. e.g. \"Air\"\n2. it is too specific. e.g. \"Roguelite\"\n3. it is inevitable (hi Thanos). e.g. \"game gets harder as you go\"\n\nA good theme doesn't necessarily give you an idea instantly, but can be utilized in as many creative ways as possible (i.e. it could be interpreted for mechanics, aesthetics, or story instead of locking you into only one of these). It doesn't have to be one that sounds \"intellectual\" or \"cryptic\" (like deliberate oxymorons for the most part); if anything these are infuriating, don't usually make for good games, and can feel a bit too pretentious (if it makes no sense when you think about it, it shouldn't be a theme). I've seen a number of posts in previous LD's bashing one-word themes, and I respectfully (ok, maybe not so respectfully, but still) disagree. These can be fine, as long as the word chosen is one that could be applied in many different ways, and gets you thinking creatively about how to use it (e.g. one of the best themes I've seen for a game jam was for the Global Game Jam a few years back, which was \"Heartbeat\"; heck, it even led to the \"simulator\" fad). In other words, if you are going to make a one-word theme, go with something like \"vessel\" over something like \"cat\" (no, I did not suggest either of those for themes).\n\nalso, if you want to make a game rated AO, do it on your own time; it will always be flagged if you suggest it as a theme.","comments":2,"comments-timestamp":"2021-09-19T00:32:52Z","created":"2021-09-18T22:21:02Z","files":[],"files-timestamp":0,"id":260057,"love":9,"love-timestamp":"2021-09-19T13:33:55Z","meta":[],"modified":"2021-09-19T13:33:55Z","name":"2\/3 through dead-ifying themes","node-timestamp":"2021-09-18T22:46:26Z","parent":259385,"parents":[1,5,9,258323,259385],"path":"\/events\/ludum-dare\/49\/$259385\/23-through-dead-ifying-themes","published":"2021-09-18T22:46:26Z","scope":"public","slug":"23-through-dead-ifying-themes","subsubtype":"","subtype":"","type":"post","version":797231},"node_metadata":{"n_key":"260057","n_urlkey":"379052","n_parent":"259385","n_path":"\/events\/ludum-dare\/49\/$259385\/23-through-dead-ifying-themes","n_slug":"23-through-dead-ifying-themes","n_type":"post","n_subtype":"","n_subsubtype":"","n_author":"2463","n_created":"1632003662","n_modified":"1632058435","n_version":"797231","n_status":"WAYBACK"},"source_url":"https:\/\/ldjam.com\/events\/ludum-dare\/49\/$259385\/23-through-dead-ifying-themes","text":"I must be in a more cynical mood than usual. Normally I keep maybe 5% of the themes; this time I'm at probably 1% if that.\n\nWhat makes a theme bad:\n1. it is too vague. e.g. \"Air\"\n2. it is too specific. e.g. \"Roguelite\"\n3. it is inevitable (hi Thanos). e.g. \"game gets harder as you go\"\n\nA good theme doesn't necessarily give you an idea instantly, but can be utilized in as many creative ways as possible (i.e. it could be interpreted for mechanics, aesthetics, or story instead of locking you into only one of these). It doesn't have to be one that sounds \"intellectual\" or \"cryptic\" (like deliberate oxymorons for the most part); if anything these are infuriating, don't usually make for good games, and can feel a bit too pretentious (if it makes no sense when you think about it, it shouldn't be a theme). I've seen a number of posts in previous LD's bashing one-word themes, and I respectfully (ok, maybe not so respectfully, but still) disagree. These can be fine, as long as the word chosen is one that could be applied in many different ways, and gets you thinking creatively about how to use it (e.g. one of the best themes I've seen for a game jam was for the Global Game Jam a few years back, which was \"Heartbeat\"; heck, it even led to the \"simulator\" fad). In other words, if you are going to make a one-word theme, go with something like \"vessel\" over something like \"cat\" (no, I did not suggest either of those for themes).\n\nalso, if you want to make a game rated AO, do it on your own time; it will always be flagged if you suggest it as a theme.","title":"2\/3 through dead-ifying themes","wayback_source":[]}