Diary of a Failed Game Designer

Part 1: When I work on a project be it a whole game,  a setting, or even an adventure I like to have images around for inspiration. About a month ago I started a folder on my computer I just called "cool images." Into this folder I would save images from the net that I thought were interesting or evocative. I follow a lot of art collections and groups on G+. I have a slight obsession with  large scale street art for it's scope, and small scale street art for it's energy and immediacy. I also have  strange love for  70's pulp novel covers and science fiction illustrations. I soon found  my folder filling up with  images from those influences among others. I also noticed that while thinking about my games I browsed and saved some interesting pictures. Here is the  premise I have been going with for the  past few weeks. While I'm thinking about working on a game I will  occasionally which is my habit anyway  pour through google image search for inspiration, The  

I wrote a game called AAIE. It was recently run at a Con by one of my friends and one piece of feedback he received was, "I think it should be more like D&D." I Believe in all feedback is good feedback, but that was just a bit errr .... vague. In the name of transparency and good faith I give you, this post. Things in AAIE that are not like D&D which I don't plan to fix. (Everything else is totally up for debate.) OR... (If ever asked "how is AAIE different from D&D?"  ROLL D12 on the chart below) If D&D lets you play Erol Flynn in "The adventures of Robin Hood" then AAIE lets you play Lou Costello from "Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein." The Magic system in AAIE is not based on pre written spells as it is in D&D. There is also a chance your character will grow a third useless arm out of his or her back or go insane if they cast too much. So there's that. Most times you expect your character in D&D to survive