Friendly Advice For Idea Guys

This article exists to save everyone time - mainly to avoid answering the same kinds of threads over and over again.

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Don't be the "idea guy". What's an idea guy? If you are about to or have already posted something like one of these:

“I’ve got a great idea for a game! I just need a coder or some artists to make it real.”

"I am an artist but I can't code LOL, help me make my game."

"I am a concept and need a team to make it happen."

"Anyone looking to collaborate on XXX?"

Or anything similar without tangible work beyond some plans and a bit of concept art, then congratulations. You are an idea guy.

Why That Never Works​

We’ve seen this for twenty years, and it never changes. It never goes anywhere. Here’s the truth: ideas are cheap. Everyone has them. What’s rare is execution. Writing scripts. Animating. Coding. Testing. Fixing bugs at two in the morning because something just broke again. That’s the real work.

The people who can do that work? They already have their own projects - and their own ideas. They’re not waiting around to build someone else’s dream. So when you show up with just an idea, you’re not addressing a group of blank slates waiting for direction. You’re talking to a room full of builders who are already creating. And the only people who will jump at vague “join my project” posts are other idea guys - folks with no practical skills looking for direction. It’ll feel like progress, but it’s not. It’s an illusion that ends in burnout, frustration, and a Discord server full of people who can’t actually make anything.

The Reward Trap​

Dangling “payment,” “exposure,” or “this could be big” doesn’t help. It’s not motivation - it’s a red flag. Nobody’s buying stock in your one-person “studio,” and offering “recognition” to experienced creators is borderline insulting.

What the “Idea Guys” Miss​

Here’s the part most idea guys never grasp: people with skills also have ideas. Probably dozens of them. What they lack isn’t imagination - it’s time. So if you want to collaborate, earn that time. Show something real. Make a single level. A sprite. A broken script that almost works. Start small. Learn a tool. Build a little and ask specific questions:

• “How do I fix this animation bug?”
• “How do I set up a combo chain?”
• “How do I make my character take knockback?”
• "How does collision work?"
• "What's a good tool for sprite work?"

Those are the questions that get answers - because that’s what this community exists for. People here love helping someone who’s genuinely building. When you build, even a little, you move from “idea guy” to “creator.” That’s when people start to care.

You’re Still Welcome Here​

Now, none of this means you can’t be part of the community. Builders and non-builders are welcome here. If you want to hang out, share thoughts, explore mechanics, or just talk shop, that’s great. We’re not gatekeeping - we’re giving you a reality check. You will find every other community out there has a similar stance.

In Short​

Come talk. Ask questions. Learn. Everyone starts somewhere. Just remember: enthusiasm isn’t contribution. The people here help those who do.

 

[kimono]

"Whatever you dream of doing, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it." Goethe

Thank you for these wise words: indeed, everyone has ideas, good or not so good, and the difference lies in how they are applied.
The idea of making a transformable robot to go in the air, on land or in water will give a completely different game if it is designed in 2D, 2.5D, in the form of a simulator, in action RPG or other.

Perhaps another mistake is aiming too high from the start rather than getting used to the basic processes through smaller projects.
I think there are some missing steps in building a project that also need to be learned.

For now, I haven't found a better way than to rely on the manual, try things out by launching Openbor, and ask when I don't know something