Castle Paradox

[Joe Man]

For a long time, longer then any of you could ever imagine (if you're all three years old), I only wrote stories when I actually got ideas that simply popped in my head. Such ideas were rare, because the thought required to come up with one was most frequently the result of a conversation, which I haven't had one of in about ten years.
Fortunately, I have come across another method of receiving ideas. Anyone with a good mind will know of this method, because it comes naturally to the intelligent. Basically, it emulates the effects of a conversation, and, if mastered, will also make you an interesting person to converse with (at least, I would say so).

Here is the process: take any random fact, such as blades are in all cultures or Aztecs are awesome, and then state WHY. For example, blades are holy items granted to humans by god and Aztecs invented poetry (both are not true, but they both are possibilities you could consider).
Sure, it would be hard to get a story from those, but you can also go deeper, and say the aztecs ate a special formula granting creativity.

As an example, I'll use the following:

[Moogle1]

Heh, that's pretty cool. Sounds like a formula for a conspiracy theory TV series.
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Slime Salad :: Independent Game Design

[LeRoy_Leo]

This is an excellent and interesting idea. I agree that this CAN come naturally to some people. Mind if I give this a try?
I thought it would be wise to ask first.

EDIT: I got a good one, but I will wait until I am given the go.
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Planning Project Blood Summons, an MMORPG which will incinerate all of the others with it's sheer brilliance...

---msw188 ---
"Seriously James, you keep rolling out the awesome like gingerbread men on a horror-movie assembly line. "

[Artimus Bena]

The way to create a unique and good story, I think, is better done by putting the characters first, not just coming up with a strange idea and putting characters in it.

Each character (just like people) should have different goals, some they can't\won't share with others. A good story allows these goals to either conflict with or help others' goals. The story should come out of the goals, and the most important goals need to tie in with concrete events in the story. If you begin by setting up everything else first, you run a high risk of making your characters flat--just saying "he did this, then he did this; then she did this to him"; and the most unique story ever will be just another dust-collector if the characters are flat.

Why is almost always more intriguing than how.
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SACRE BLEU!

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[no_shot]

[Marxy]

[chris98]

[Gizmog1]

I disagree Beans. Sometimes the best way to come up with a story, is to start with the situation, and then put a character in it. For instance Conan the Barbarian would viciously dig himself out of a 20 foot hole, where as Brer Rabbit would call for help, and try to trick his captors into freeing him. This isn't only good for stories, it can help your characters as well, by thinking of them in certain situations, and figuring out how they'd get out of it. I kind of like the thread starter's idea, I might try using it the next time we have a 48 hour or Weeklong Game making contest.

[Joe Man]

[Gizmog1]

No, no, I meant the concept of coming up with the plot. I wouldn't use any ideas from the forum in any game, only methods of obtaining ideas. Not that it's not a good idea, but it's kind of complex and unorthodox for a 48 hour entry.