作者：Sonny Bone

你正坐在电脑前，盯着时钟上的秒针。时间差不多到了。你已经完成了日程表上的安排。接下来的48个小时你将致力于快速游戏开发中，在你到目前为止的生命中，你从未像现在为做某事做好如此的准备。秒针滴答走着，游戏比赛也开始了，主题公布了，那真的是太糟糕了。

after the announcement of the theme(from gamedevelopment)

如果你曾经参与过我关于游戏比赛的分享，我便可以向你承诺这次的主题远比你所想的还糟糕。实际上，从未出现过如此“糟糕的”游戏比赛主题。但在我让你信服之前，请允许我分享一下能够帮助你尽可能获得那些创造性灵感的技巧。

分解

如果主题包含一个单词以上的内容，那就将其分解开来，并单独应对每一个单词。你可能会发现自己只搞不懂主题中的一个单词。那就从你最熟悉的那个单词开始吧。

使用辞典

单词总是会有许多不同的含义，所以你必须确保在误解前彻底理解主题可能代表的意思。

不要想当然

假设主题是关于“吃土豆。”如此你便有可能创造出一款关于需要被吃掉的土豆的游戏，但如果这是关于名为“吃”的英雄土豆的冒险游戏的话会怎样？所以请勇敢地改变思维去看待主题的意思。

环境vs游戏玩法

执行一个主题的最强大的方法便是将其带到游戏玩法中。如果你不知道如何想出一个游戏理念，那就将主题带进游戏环境或故事中。你也许不能获得最有趣的主题解释，但这总比你最终选择放弃好吧。

散散步/运运动

伊利诺伊大学的Charles Hillman的研究表示，在经过20分钟的散步与运动后，人类的大脑功能将得到提升。你可以在散步中进行思考，在行走过程中所出现的一些事物有可能会成为你的灵感来源。当你在运动后回到电脑前时，你那提升的大脑功能将带给你有效的帮助。

使用网络

这看似很明显，但在这种情境下网络总是被当成是理所当然的存在。这是当前地球上最大的信息来源，在这里你有可能就可以找到问题的答案。你只需要将主题输入谷歌中，并搜寻文本，图像和视频结果便可。你将会找到一些能够带给自己灵感的内容！

并不存在真正“糟糕的”游戏比赛主题

你必须牢记的是，当你在努力接受这样的主题时，其他人已经致力于创造惊人的想法了。你所面对的问题永远不是主题。真正的问题是你如何选择去处理它。要知道，一些真正取得成功的游戏也能够被分解成一些“糟糕的”主题。

《超级玛丽兄弟》—-“水管工不在铺设水管”

《Ico》—-“把手”

《天际》—-“尖叫”

《旅程》—-“保持安静”

所以在你因为主题感到焦躁或举手投降前，请先记住你离自己所创造出来的最棒的游戏仅有48个小时了。你只是还没想到它是什么。

（本文为游戏邦/gamerboom.com编译，拒绝任何不保留版权的转载，如需转载请联系：游戏邦）

How to Deal With a ‘Bad’ Game Jam Theme

by Sonny Bone

You’re sitting at your computer, staring at the second hand on the clock. It’s almost time. You’ve cleared your schedule. The next 48 hours will be devoted to rapid game development, and you’ve never been more prepared for anything else in your entire life. The second hand ticks, the game jam begins, the theme is announced, and it’s terrible.

Having participated in my fair share of game jams, I can promise you that it’s not nearly as terrible as you think it is. In fact, there is actually no such thing as a ‘bad’ game jam theme. But before I convince you of that, allow me to share a few tips that will help get those creative juices flowing as quickly as possible.

Break it Down

If the theme consists of more than one word, break it apart and tackle each word individually. You may find that you only have a problem with one of the words in the theme. Start with the words you’re the most comfortable with, then go from there.

Use a Dictionary

Words often have multiple meanings, so make sure you fully understand the available interpretations of a theme before dismissing it entirely.

Don’t Take it so Literally

Suppose the theme is “Eat the Potato”. Yes, you could make a game about a potato that needs to be eaten, but how about an adventure game about a heroic potato named “Eat”? Don’t be afraid to twist the meaning of a theme.

Setting vs Gameplay

The strongest way to implement a theme is to work it into the gameplay. If you’re having difficulties coming up with a gameplay idea, inject the theme into the setting or story of your game instead. You may not end up with the most interesting theme interpretation, but anything is better than giving up.

Take a Walk / Exercise

A study by Charles Hillman of the University of Illinois has shown an increase in brain function after only 20 minutes of walking/exercise. You can think while walking, and maybe you will even see something on your journey that sparks inspiration. And if not, then the increased brain activity can only help you once you get back to your computer.

Use the Internet

It seems so obvious, but the internet is often taken for granted in situations like this. It’s the single largest source of information on the planet, and the answer to your problem is out there waiting to be discovered. Type the theme into Google and search through the text, image, and video results. You WILL find something to inspire you!

There ARE No ‘Bad’ Game Jam Themes

The most important thing to remember is that while you’re struggling to accept the theme, someone else is already hard at work on an amazing idea. The problem is NEVER the theme. The real issue is how you choose to approach it. Some of the most critically and commercially successful games of all time can be broken down into ‘bad’ themes if you try hard enough.

Super Mario Brothers – “Plumbers not plumbing”

Ico – “Hand holding”

Skyrim – “Shouting”

Journey – “Be quiet”

So before you get angry at a theme announcement or throw your hands up in the air in defeat, remember that you could be less than 48 hours away from the greatest game you’ve ever made. You just haven’t thought of it yet.(source:gamedevelopment)