User blog:SilverHexxitFights/Making a Quality Idea: Revamped

A while ago, I created a blog on how to create a quality idea. Now I've re-made that blog into a simpler, more expansive version.

Creating a quality idea is not an easy task. It's very difficult to get one's creative processes to work well. However, it is easy to start on the road to quality by following the four easy steps of idea creation:


 * Goal-setting
 * Framework
 * Fine-tuning and balance
 * Revamping

The purpose of this guide is to walk you through each of the four steps and (hopefully) teach you how to create ideas like a pro.

Starting off
When you're creating an idea, you need to think about how it will affect Terraria, and what purpose it will serve. "It would be cool" is not a valid idea. Do we really need another Cthulhu part or another moon event? Are they at all useful for Terraria?

This brings us to the process of goal-setting. The goal is the main question: what do you want to do for Terraria? What void do you want to fill? Do you want to create a viable early-game Summoner weapon or add a new use for Steampunker gear? It's all up to you, but the goal is essentially what you want to do to make Terraria better.

Framework
Now that you've set a goal, it's time to work out the basic details for your idea. This involves the basic step of what you want it to be, where it should be in the game's progression, and about how powerful it should be - as well as what niches it should fill.

When in this step, you must consider your goal. This will often set the foundations of your idea, as it were, and help you come up with a decent framework. The framework is what I consider the most important step, as it defines your idea's nature. Keep in mind that it's much easier to define an idea relative to existing ideas rather than creating a whole new "tier" for it. Strictly speaking, it's a lot easier to give Plantera a new drop than to create a whole new gamemode for your ideas. If I had to go back and start my time on this wiki from scratch, I would never have created most of my ideas - War Mode chief among them.

Fine-tuning and balance
You're almost done with your idea! It's now time for the fine-tuning and balance stage. This is where you'll get your item all evened out, its stats defined, its quirks figured out, and its gameplay created. During this stage, you will decide its stats, obtainability, and all the fine bits that you didn't have time for in the rough stages of one and two.

Always remember that balance is key. Overpowered weapons are no fun, even if they're end-game. They don't encourage good playstyles or improvement of your skills. Overpowered bosses (100 MILLION HEARTS!!!) are even less fun, because it just turns into a boring grind that way. Keep in mind the tier of the idea!

Revamping
After posting your idea, you will probably be given feedback. This is the stage to take what others have said and use it in your idea. Don't blow off their feedback; the best idea is one that has been worked on by many minds.

Tips

 * Rarity does not justify overpoweredness. If that one guy gets his hands on that really rare weapon, he's still very capable of decimating everything.
 * Think outside the box. With no offense meant to the creators, I do not like seeing ideas that are just mechanized versions of other bosses. I believe the Re-Logic made a grave mistake in creating the mechanical bosses - at least when it comes to player suggestions.
 * Always remember that just because you think something should be added, does not mean everyone will. Take constructive criticism willingly, but don't just bow to every wish of others.
 * Remember that smaller is almost always better. It's easier to, say, fix a small hole (such as making Glass Kilns provide light) rather than creating a whole new boss.
 * Remember that you're not tasked with expanding Terraria - that's for the devs, as they know how they want to take it. Your job in creating suggestions for the game is to fix holes and make it more desirable for players.

Thank you!