Week 2 (Research) - This week we are given a series of videos to watch to then answer a broad question, what exactly is creativity? And how can we foster it? I will offer my pre-emptive answer before dissecting the material and then reflect upon it once I have studied the topic material to see if my perspective has indeed changed.
It is hard to define creativity; Cambridge Dictionary defines creativity as “the ability to produce or use original and unusual ideas” (Creativity, 2022). If you take the definition in its literal sense “the ability to produce [original ideas]”, then I feel like it's hard to imagine everyone possessing the ability to come up with new ideas and concepts that haven’t been discovered or used before. I’m not saying it's impossible to come up with new ideas, I’m saying that the majority of what IS has an already established history. But if it's original to the person or situation it then starts to add value (Skillicorn, 2021). The latter part of the definition, “unusual ideas” speaks more about the use of imagination in creativity. And I believe this is where my definition stems from.
Google, in association with Oxford Languages, states that creativity is “the use of imagination or original ideas to create something; inventiveness.” (Oxford Languages and Google - English | Oxford Languages, 2022). I feel like this explanation is more in-line with my definition. The use of imagination to create something of value. I believe this term is not only reserved for artists but for everyone. Creativity can sometimes be second nature, something you don’t recognize you've done until you reflect on it later.
Figure 1: Albert Einstein Quote
Creativity & Innovation by Tanya Krzywinska
The first video we are given to analyse is titled Creativity & Innovation: Games and App Development by Professor Tanya Krzywinska. In this video, Tanya Krzywinska offers her take on what creativity is and how we can foster it by using certain techniques.
Firstly, Tanya Krzywinska talks about creativity in human psychology, specifically the use of cognitive thinking to recognize patterns in nature. She refers to Gestalt theory about how human perception tends to jump to assumptions from limited information based on learned experience. Therefore, we tend to disregard things that are not important to us during our tasks. I feel like this explains why it can be difficult to come up with original ideas. Tanya then gives the example of finding blackberries and how we tend to subconsciously focus on the shape of blackberries to achieve the said task.
Items or thoughts that are not important to us during a task then become redundant, which leads us to group things (much like genres) and become aware of what’s normal. This can hinder the creative process because now there is the potential of overlooking what is not obvious and already known, therefore she goes on to explain how disruptive techniques are used to counter this.
The ICEDIP Technique
The ICEDIP method is a disruptive technique developed by Geoffrey Petty in his book, How to be Better at Creativity (Petty, 2017). Petty offers a series of phases that one must adhere to obtain a fair perspective of the known and unknown. The phases are as follows: Inspiration, Clarification, Evaluation, Distillation, Incubation, and Perspiration. By following this method, one can start by thinking outside his/her comfort zone and produce unusual ideas and thoughts. This method does well to blend creative and analytic thinking.
Inspiration – Using a variety of techniques to help foster creativity, this phase is about expressing random thoughts and ideas. There are no restrictions, rather it is encouraged that people have fun and try to generate ideas playfully. Once someone has an idea, you then move on to another phase.
Clarification – Using the brainstorm developed in the inspiration phase, you can start to define goals. Such us, what do you want to achieve? In addition, you can highlight valuable thoughts that transpired during the inspiration phase to use later.
Evaluation – You can review the idea as it starts to take shape. Ask questions such as what was good about the concept? And what could I improve?
Distillation – This phase is about editing and refining your concept, so you don’t over-scope. Make sure the idea is feasible by deciding what to leave in and take out.
Incubation – An important phase that commonly gets overlooked. You must take your time to fully understand your concept. The phrase “sleep on it” can be used in conjunction with this phase.
Perspiration – Finally, this phase is about implementing your idea and bringing your creation to life.
Reflecting upon ICEDIP
Initially, I struggle to generate ideas, the process often being long and tedious. I feel worried and anxious that I may be unintentionally replicating someone else’s work. However, I am now looking forward to using the ICEDIP method in future projects. I feel like this technique will help the creative process as I search for effective ways to develop games.
Fostering Creativity
Below are a variety of techniques one can use to help foster creativity.
Brainstorming – It is important to approach this technique with an open mind. The session should begin with a theme or problem. Once the theme has been defined, participants are encouraged to write down anything that comes to mind. Connecting keywords and phrases to maintain relations. All voices must be heard and there are no wrong answers.
Mind Maps – Mind mapping is a similar technique to brainstorming. However, participants are urged to visually organize information, rather than only generating random thoughts. Furthermore, these tend to be long sessions.
Round Robin – ‘Round Robin’ is a group exercise, where the facilitator starts by defining a problem. Once the problem has been defined, each member of the group will write down a solution. The solution will then get passed clockwise around the group. Members are then encouraged to write down a new solution depending on what they received in the previous round. This can be repeated until the best solution is found.
Opposite Thinking – This technique is often used for problem-solving. Participants start by listing assumptions about the situation/problem. They then define an opposite reality to each assumption to encourage alternate viewpoints.
Collage/Cut-up – A collage consists of a series of images stuck onto paper. Often the images are dissociated from one another leading to unusual pairings and links.
Mash-up – The ‘mash-up’ technique is renowned for bringing two opposites together. For example, participants start by defining two categories, such as Cinemas and Hospitals, they then generate elements from both categories. Once this is done, participants will combine elements and consider the implications.
Crazy Eights – ‘Crazy Eights’ is an exercise that can be carried out by a team or an individual. The activity lasts eight minutes but can be repeated as much as necessary. With a theme defined, participants start by folding a piece of paper three times into eight sections. When the timer begins, participants must come up with one idea for each minute of the exercise. Once finished, participants choose the three best ideas from all the ideas created. The idea with the most votes is then declared the winner.
SCAMPER – SCAMPER is an acronym for Substitute, Combine, Adapt, Modify, Put to other uses, Eliminate, and Rearrange. These words act as questions to ponder during the initial stage of generating ideas.
Computational Creativity
The second video we are given to analyse is called Computational Creativity by Professor Simon Colton of Digital Games Technologies at Falmouth University. In this lecture, Colton talks about the work his team has done at MetaMakers Institute as well as discussing how artificial intelligence (AI) will impact the gaming industry in years to come. One topic Colton highlights is machine learning and how eventually AI will be able to make creative artefacts such as new video games. The idea is that AI will establish a goal, attempt to achieve said goal and then possess the ability to review its creation. Initially, I was surprised by this notion, which led me to research machine learning in video games, notably, movement algorithms for non-playable characters (NPC).
Currently, many games have established NPC roaming around their levels, but a machine learning NPC could become less predictable by learning from the player and its environment. Such as the Xenomorph in the popular horror game Alien: Isolation (Alien: Isolation™, 2014). The developers at Creative Assembly created an enemy AI capable of adapting its behaviour based on player actions and progress using a series of behaviour trees and a director (a guide to the player’s location). Although this is example may not fall strictly into the category of organic machine learning AI, I feel like the results in gameplay would be similar.
Figure 2: Alien Isolation (2014)
Conclusion & Reflection
In conclusion, the lectures by Tanya Krzywinska and Simon Colton were insightful and fascinating. Much of my time this week was spent researching material around creativity, what exactly is creativity? and how can we use techniques to help foster it? I feel like my definition of creativity has been refined, and I am intrigued to use certain techniques to help aid future creative processes.
References
Dictionary.cambridge.org. 2022. Creativity. [online] Available at: <https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/creativity> [Accessed 30 January 2022].
Skillicorn, N., 2021. What is Creativity? The Definition, history and science of creativity. [online] Idea to Value. Available at: <https://www.ideatovalue.com/crea/nickskillicorn/2021/05/what-is-creativity-the-definition-history-and-science-of-creativity/> [Accessed 30 January 2022].
Languages.oup.com. 2022. Oxford Languages and Google - English | Oxford Languages. [online] Available at: <https://languages.oup.com/google-dictionary-en/> [Accessed 30 January 2022].
Krzywinska, T., 2022. Creativity & Innovation: Games and App Development.
Petty, G., 2017. HOW TO BE BETTER AT ... CREATIVITY. LULU COM.
Colton, S., 2022. Computational Creativity.
Feralinteractive.com. 2014. Alien: Isolation™ | Feral Interactive. [online] Available at: <https://www.feralinteractive.com/en/switch-games/alienisolation/> [Accessed 2 February 2022].
Stephenson, J., 2018. 6 Ways Machine Learning will be used in Game Development. [online] Logikk. Available at: <https://www.logikk.com/articles/machine-learning-in-game-development/> [Accessed 2 February 2022].
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