In my first book, the ersatz villain was originally a good guy. But his projects (he was a researcher) for greater good, that he wanted to enforce so much because *insert reason here* drove him insane, taking said projects to the extreme, making them evil. Any ideas for those good projects, and how to mutate them? P.S: It's a fantasy setting.
Reminds me of Doctor Connors/The Lizard from Spider-man. It's not that hard of a concept though, do you have a plot?
I don't know of any projects that could drive a person insane, unless perhaps it had to do with changing brain chemistry. Maybe something to make people less violent? The only other thing would be (regardless of project) he just worked too long, too hard, got too involved and just became obsessed with it (which wouldn't really be insanity as much as, well, obsession).
Yes, and you received it. Imagination requires exercise, too, to keep it vigorous. Also, the more you commit to relying on your own imagination, the greater your self-confidence will become. You are looking for help with basic story elements.
Not going to give you an *insert reason here* (I agree with Cogito on this point). But I will make one suggestion: Rather than start with the *insert reason here,* why not start with the character's underlying compulsion? After all, his stated reason is very likely just a manifestation of some deeper need. Does the character have an imbalanced sense of order? Is he harboring some sense that the world has done him wrong? Is he driven by some desire to prove to himself that he is worthy in some outstated way? Is he a control freak who deep-down believes that the world would be a much better place if only he could play god? The possibilities here go on and on. But I would suggest that you start with the question: What, deep-down, is wrong with this guy? Once you've got a bead on that, it will probably be easier to help him find some noble-seeming purpose he can wrap himself in as a way of making his compulsion "acceptable" to himself and to others. Then, as your story tears away that mask, we gradually discover that this guy is not "going nuts" at all. He was nuts all along, but nobody could see it.
I was thinking his wife died, and he was desperately trying to find a way to bring them back to life. He had to do slightly evil things to get this (Ex: Killing someone) and in the end he just snapped.
Why do writers' (even famous ones)seem to, more often than not, go in for the deranged/insane villain? Could it be laziness? Not all monsters are insane (fact; more people are murdered by the sane than the insane). Someone commits a despicable crime. To conclude the story the writer needs to explain, the whys and wherefores, 'he is off his rocker' job done. But, if a downright evil, sane person commits a despicable crime, to conclude the story, the writer has his work cut out for him. I think that getting into the mind of a monster of sound mind is far more interesting and needs a greater depth of explanation than, writing-off the explanation with the 'insane cop-out'. If I watch a play (as I did recently)or read a book were the villain turns out to be insane, I feel cheated - it has been done to death and what is worse, it is predictable.
You only read the title, obviously. He's NOT insane, he's just mutated his goals so much they are evil, but he thinks he is still doing the right thing.
Victor from Mary Shelly's Frankenstein can be described as somewhat a good person turned bad by blind ambition and the need to play "God". The creation of his monster ultimately results in the monster asking for a companion, to which Victor flatly denies. He becomes the monster, and the monster becomes more human than Victor himself. Although not exactly what your after the idea of "playing god" is one such theme you can explore. Similarly another idea you could explore would be a troubled father with a son who has a medical condition untreatable by modern science, the father, a genetic scientist finds a way to modify his sons DNA, but results in dire consequences. He is forced to work for an organisation that uses him to create super soldiers, and ultimately the father begins to enjoy what he does and becomes a super soldier himself....and so on. Although not new ideas, you need to find a way to make a seemingly cliché concept your own, because lets face it, everything has been done before(almost).
While I agree with Cogito and Marktx, you could always look at Dr. Fries from Batman for inspiration. He was a molecular biologist that studied cryogenics. When his wife, Nora, started to die he froze her until he could find/create a cure for the woman he loves. This drove him to taking part in illicit activities and becoming a villain.
