Well Weem,
this part of my reply has less to do with what inspires me than with how I handle such things. On my main work computer I have a
General Research File in which I record things that interest me and that I think I can make use of later on.
If it is material that is of a non-fictional nature or that I will use to write an article or book on a non-fiction subject then it goes in the non-fiction section of that computerized research file. If it can or may be used for fictional material, even games, then it goes into the fictional material section of that research file.
It is also broken down into other sub-categories maybe covering genre for fiction works, or it may be annotated to refer to a certain work I'm writing, or it may be broken down into categories for later usage - Art, Science, Religion, Philosophy, Music, Invention, etc. The computer files will also contain images and pictures. Sometimes links to video or other types of media files depending upon subject matter. My computer files generally contain entries form material I've come across through media, the internet, television shows, documentaries, books, books on CD, radio, links, etc.
Also I keep a
Research Notebook (a physical notebook) that is a corollary (actually the computer files are the corollaries of my physical notebooks, I was keeping physical notebooks long before PCs were invented and popular) and is complimentary to my computer research file(s) (I also have specific research and experimentation and theory files depending upon what I am working on) and a set of other notebooks, ranging from specific physical notebooks covering specific subjects to a
General Idea Notebook (I just started my sixth one). Some of my physical notebooks are ruled and lined, for written entries, some are entirely blank sketch books so that I may both write in them and draw or sketch in them in the case I see something worth drawing (the other day I drew the forearm anatomy of a recently dead squirrel I found - I actually discovered it alive but it died before I could get it back to the house and try to save it - so instead I drew the anatomy complete and later dissected the forearms to examine the musculature and the skeleton) or want to sketch an invention, write out a musical score, etc. I also keep a small digital camera in the car and in my backpack in case I see something worth photographing.
Lastly I always carry one or more backpacks with recording equipment (digital, tape recorders, notebooks, sketch books, cameras, phones, vadding equipment, etc.) which allow me to record anything I think is interesting as well as my officer's logue-book and a travelogue. My physical feels tend to contain material I've come across through direct personal experience and observation. That's not always true, but mostly so.
In this way, all of my files are inter-linkable. I can use material from any file or notebook as source matter for any other subject I'm working on. I can use a real invention I'm working on, for example, and create a modified fictional version, and then apply that to a game. Or a scientific experiment I've watched or recorded as the basis for a fictional story. The real trouble with the physical feels though, especially as regards my physical notebooks, is that I have to generally remember exactly what notebooks contains what entries. That's good practice of my mnemonics training but after awhile, with a lot of physical notebooks, gets to be a drag and I waste a lot of time going through old entries searching for exactly the one I want. I'd like to develop some kidna filing/search system that would clue me in on what my General Idea notebooks contain but since I record in them almost anything and everything it seem sorta impossible to me without those books being converted into data and then placed on a computer and re-arranged that way. Still, it's a derma I have, to one day be able to search or scan my physical notebooks the way I can my computer files.
I'm not really "inspired" by fictional material or gaming material (in the sense I suspect your mean) when it comes to games - or anything else for that matter. Except maybe in the sense of style or method or technique in presenting material. the real world inspires me, fiction just sort of makes me think about things in new ways (sometimes) or just entertains me.
I'd hav'ta say in my case the real world inspires me, fiction just mostly entertains. Occasionally a fictional work will inspire me, like
Lost. Or even
Caprica (I'm liking the themes in that show). But usually it's stuff like history, art, religion, science, mythology, math, technology, archeology, etc. Real things inspire me cause I know I can either replicate them or even improve upon them.
Y'know, there's a whole series of novels about the Kzinti right? Or at least, Cat-like aliens that are a warrior culture.
Definitely - Larry Niven is one of my favorite writers.
I gotta agree there on both accounts.
I like the Paks a lot too though.
