We've all heard the saying "everything has already been done once" when it comes to art and creativity. Fawzi Mesmar challenged this concept at GDC 2025, explaining that ideas can be repeated, but it's our own experiences that take a common concept and make it creatively unique.One of the biggest hurdles in game development is coming up with a story. Whether you are trying to figure out the motivation driving your farmer in a cozy sim or flesh out the creepy world of a horror game, we are all aiming to be unique, original, and engaging.An original and creative idea could be the key to a successful game. But what makes an idea original? Mesmar has some specific advice for those looking to harness creativity and get away from accidentally building a hollow repeat.We are what we watchRight from the start, Mesmar pressed listeners with the question "What is creativity?" He explained that the concept of creativity is often misunderstood as just "creating something." He instead broke it down as "an idea that is unprecedented." He stated that "what we do inspires us," and it is that inspiration that creates unique ideas.In game development we see trends as certain concepts with outsize influence on writers and designers. It is especially noticeable in newer devs, who may have set out to make a game solely because they were inspired by a specific title when they were younger.Related:Via ConcernedApeVia ConcernedApeIn the cozy genre, for example, it is a joke that almost every farming sim that has come out in recent years has a protagonist who is "trying to escape the big city" for a more provincial, relaxing life. This is due to how many cozy players were inspired by and grew up with games like Harvest Moon and Stardew Valley.However, just including the ingredients isn't enough. As we saw in the recent release of Sugardew Island, copying what works with other games isn't necessarily creative. However, titles like Fields of Mistria have exploded in popularity, and have been celebrated for their creative and fresh elements. The difference between the two is how the developers injected their own personal experiences into the title.Sugardew Island has all the right ingredients for a farming sim. Players can craft, farm, raise animals, and sell their crops and products. However, it lacks any depth beyond these core mechanics, leaving players bored and unsatisfied with the gameplay loop.Fields of Mistria utilizes unique, 90s-inspired illustrations and anime-like plot points for its story while injecting adorable narrative elements like a "D&D" tabletop game played at the pub on Fridays. It's original, unique, and charming, even if it has similarities to other farming sims.Related:The takeaway here is that a creative idea has to be more than just building a game around a selection of popular mechanics from other games. It needs depth, originality, and intention. Mesmar says that "originality is making something novel," and he has a key bit of advice for those trying to achieve this.Game designers need to create with intentionMesmar explained that "to achieve creative sobriety, you need to look into yourself and understand your own experiences and constraints."To do this, creatives need to look at a concept and think about how their own experiences in life could be applied to it. Instead of making a farming game where you plant crops and sell them, maybe you make a farming game where you have to teach NPCs how to help in the gardens, as you may have with a family member as a child. The game could be centered around building a thriving community garden and selling crops at a co-op or outdoor market. By diving into personal experiences, creativity blooms into original and unique concepts, even if they are based on something common and relatable.Related:Additionally, Mesmar says that "original ideas need to have value." You could have a core memory of petting your childhood cat, but does this experience have value? If you made a cat petting game, how would it connect or provide something to a player? If you have a core memory of petting your cat and you turn it into a hyper-realistic pet-groomer simulator or a platformer where the goal is to reach cats and pet them for points, now we are talking about originality. Who wouldn't want to fight baddies to collect cat pets like reward tokens?Creative Sobriety is about being intentional and thoughtful about the ideas we develop. Mesmar encourages those trying to harness their creativity to pause, think, and meditate on the why behind their ideas. By taking the time to consider how a concept connects with you and how it could be used to reach others, you will have the ability to craft truly unique and interesting stories.