One thing to remember is that franchises don't just pop out of nowhere; they're like any other idea, at one point they had to start from scratch and earn their own popularity and status. Simple name recognition cheapens the whole deal IMO; as long as you create something that captures the public imagination in a manner that they'll 'get', you stand a much better chance of coming away with a product which both you as designer and the players and buyers will be satisfied with. And you can still create something 'original' within a licensed framework; the two best examples that spring to mind being CFTBL and Monster Bash. If it weren't for the Universal Studios name attached to them, you'd swear both games - one being about 50s movie culture and the other featuring the characters in a completely uncharacteristic scenario for laughs - were dreamed up by John and George after a hard night on the piss.

It isn't about 'crazy', it isn't even about 'funny' per se. It's about character, and despite the theme proving a bit of a no-show here in the UK, America's Most Haunted was clearly reaching for the same vibe.

I still want to make good, imaginative games with their own character. I thought I had it with CAH; it was never pitched right at the time, but I certainly wouldn't rule out giving it another go.

This is why I'd like the virtual and the real to be able to complement and essentially test-market each other more. Create a digital app version of the original themed game you'd like to make, let it find its audience, and if it proves popular enough, build it.