Here is a peek in the TINS sausage factory:

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Every year, just hours before the start of TINS, I run this script to generate some random rules. (I tend to make a selection out of three rolls, in case there are too severe or conflicting rules).

As with many things in life, you have to keep moving to stay ahead! The rule-o-matic needs a constant feed of new rules to stay alive. Used rules are removed, little-liked rules sink to the bottom of the barrel where they are scraped off and discarded.

So, I need your help! Do you have suggestions for new rules? They come in four categories:

1. Genre rules. A grand sweeping rule that reverberates through the whole game.

2. Artistic rules. A stylistic, aesthetic or artistic addition to the game.

3. Technical rules. A trick, hack, or algorithm to be added to the game.

4. Bonus rules. These are optional rules that can help you in some way, usually by giving you more leeway to re-interpret the other rules.

I'll kick things off:

1. Genre rule: Abnegation aesthetic: a game to relax / zone out / unwind. (Using aesthetic in the sense of this article)

2. Artistic rule: iridescence

3. Technical rule: Generate Perlin Noise and use it for something.

4. Bonus rule: Double or nothing. You may skip one rule by doubling down on another rule: i.e. implement that rule in two completely different ways.

Genre rule: a 3D arcade racing game ala Starwars Racer
Artistic rule: keep it as low polygons as possible, with textures or colorshades
Technical rule: realistic turning/thrusting/braking
Bonus rule: You can skip one the rules if races can be played over the network

Genre - a stacking game, get it? o.O

Artistic - warm / cold / pastel / negative some sort of color effect or palette cycling

Technical - needs to involve springs, though not necessarily realistic physics

Technical - you must use ropes and ladders in your game (not necessarily graphical), but just ropes and ladders. Even a simple climbing animation would suffice. So, climbing. On any surface you wish.

Bonus - Gameshow replace one rule with some kind of game within your game

Get it, cause I was stacking the odds in my favor ;P

I'm afraid not... It will take some effort to prepare it for publication. Perhaps next year...

*Genre*

World Building - start with an empty domain (empty house, plot of land, garden, etc) that you nurture, populate, and grow. Bonus points if you can decorate your world with collectables that do not directly affect gameplay but are nice additions (flower pot for your home; items you can collect and place to decorate your domain, etc.)

*Artistic Rule*

Cuteness - Happy animals, sunny days, joyful characters full of shiny smiles and child-like color palettes. Your game must be cute and adorable, and how you apply this artistic rule is up to you.

*Technical Rule*

Timer - Game must incorporate time, or a timer, or passing time as part of the game. Milliseconds for a gold medal race, days for a plant to grow, eons for the evolution of a galaxy, anything goes.

*Bonus Rule*

Palette Swapping - You may discard any rule if you add a feature that allows the player to choose from different color schemes. Colors variations can include different outfits for the characters, gameboy-color-like palette swapping, anything is up to you.