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[gunswordfist]

MANY, MANY years ago I remember asking myself 'What's the point of making your own game if you know everything about it?' Okay, saying it that way sounds silly. What I meant was 'Why make your own games if nothing about them will jump out and surprise you since you will already know everything about your game?' For me, a big part of playing games is being completely blown away by 'Water Cooler' moments. For a second I was like, 'What's the point if you can't truly experience those water cooler moments for yourself?' Well I of course thought it out and reminded myself that it's all about being able to craft ideal games myself and to have the opportunity to let others have fun with my games and experience those 'water cooler' moments' themselves.

So, believe it or not, this is a thread all about what drives you to make games yourself. Discuss.

[mizipzor]

Making games is a form of art, its culture. I do it part for the logical challenge it imposes, as recreation and part self realization.

[Türbo Bröther]

All my games are done in two hours each. When you only have two hours to complete the process of making a game you tend to make it up as you go along so the ending comes when it comes, if it has an ending at all because I strongly believe that endings are for suckers and it's about experiencing the process of getting there rather than what happens afterwards.

[gunswordfist]

Art...I still don't understand why games are considered art. It's not an insult of games at all. I mean, what makes anything art???

All my games are done in two hours each. When you only have two hours to complete the process of making a game you tend to make it up as you go along so the ending comes when it comes, if it has an ending at all because I strongly believe that endings are for suckers and it's about experiencing the process of getting there rather than what happens afterwards.

That's an interesting way to develope a game. I personally couldn't imagine making a game without years of planning. That's part of my whole 'ideal' thing and I can be my harshest critic (okay, only critic but still..)

[Türbo Bröther]

Art...I still don't understand why games are considered art.

Gamers possess a repressed inner-beatnik that only recently found the strength to break free. TIGSource is secretly a café, the mini-bar is nothing but short blacks and there's a place to hang your béret in the corner.

That's an interesting way to develope a game. I personally couldn't imagine making a game without years of planning.

Perhaps you should come and join us at the end of the week.

[mizipzor]

Art...I still don't understand why games are considered art. It's not an insult of games at all. I mean, what makes anything art???

I think wiki defines art rather well.

Art is the process or product of deliberately arranging elements in a way that appeals to the sense or emotions.

[Gainsworthy]

Art...I still don't understand why games are considered art.

Gamers possess a repressed inner-beatnik that only recently found the strength to break free. TIGSource is secretly a café, the mini-bar is nothing but short blacks and there's a place to hang your béret in the corner.

 

Man, I really like that.


Personally, I think this question is akin to asking "why paint when you can go to a gallery?" or "why learn the guitar when you can buy a CD?" It's for the joy of creation, so both yourself and others can see what you can do. Like mizipzor said, it's culture, and it's recreation.

Although... i've never managed to make a game before. I'm trying again as we speak, though!

[Türbo Bröther]

"why learn the guitar when you can buy a CD?"

I believe the correct term these days is now "why learn the guitar when you buy Guitar Hero".

[Hajo]

MANY, MANY years ago I remember asking myself 'What's the point of making your own game if you know everything about it?'

Procedural content generation will avoid that you know "all about it". You still know the mechanics and some outlines, though.

Edit: For me part of the point is that I like to create things, which includes games. It's fun to try new things, see if they work, create graphics, try new styles, see if they fit together, check the overall impression. Well, it's a pastime like painting or writing stories, or building models, sculpting or such ...

[gunswordfist]

Art...I still don't understand why games are considered art. It's not an insult of games at all. I mean, what makes anything art???

I think wiki defines art rather well.

Art is the process or product of deliberately arranging elements in a way that appeals to the sense or emotions.

Hmmmm...it looks like I have been trying to make art all of this time. heh heh

Art...I still don't understand why games are considered art.

Gamers possess a repressed inner-beatnik that only recently found the strength to break free. TIGSource is secretly a café, the mini-bar is nothing but short blacks and there's a place to hang your béret in the corner.

That's an interesting way to develope a game. I personally couldn't imagine making a game without years of planning.

Perhaps you should come and join us at the end of the week.

I just might do that...

Art...I still don't understand why games are considered art.

Gamers possess a repressed inner-beatnik that only recently found the strength to break free. TIGSource is secretly a café, the mini-bar is nothing but short blacks and there's a place to hang your béret in the corner.

 

Man, I really like that.


Personally, I think this question is akin to asking "why paint when you can go to a gallery?" or "why learn the guitar when you can buy a CD?" It's for the joy of creation, so both yourself and others can see what you can do. Like mizipzor said, it's culture, and it's recreation.

Although... i've never managed to make a game before. I'm trying again as we speak, though!

Yeah it is fun to create. It all makes sense.

[battlerager]

I want to recapture that magical feeling I had when playing great games in my youth.

I want to create something I can be proud of. Something that makes other people happy.

Maybe make a game that some person will never forget again.

[Zaratustra]

If you play the game for the ending, you might as well watch a Let's Play on YouTube.

I actually didn't know the ending (or for that matter the plot) of Eversion until I finished making it and realized it was the only possible ending(s).

[Captain_404]

Everything I think I would say here has already been well said.

Nevertheless, I feel the need to run my mouth anyway.

As you create a game, even a game with a more detailed and fleshed out plot, things can still jump out and surprise you. I find much of my character development involves delving into the tiny dark crevices of my characters psyche's and finding those things they'll do that I wouldn't expect them to. In many ways, crafting a plot is a process of discovery all in itself. When you start, you have some vague idea of what you want, but often the deeper I get into my work, the more I realize there's a deeper theme to it than I originally intended, there's something inside it that's been buried inside of me and I didn't even know it.

Part of the process of creation is the discovery of the self through the examination of your own work. I think that's some of the joy in it.

[Inanimate]

I want to make my game ideas into games not because  of the ending, but the experience. Writing a nice, gripping end feels great. But playing, and getting to that ending is much better. I want to enjoy the gameplay and such of my idea, not the story. That's the same with other games, and that's why I am only mildly annoyed by spoilers.

[Tom Sennett]

It's a valid question, I think.

I find that games I have all planned out are much more difficult to complete than games I let develop naturally.

It's all about what you want out of your experience. Do you have a message or a story you want to tell, in specific terms, in a certain way? Then you'll get plenty of excitement out of putting your vision into action.

Or do you want to make something that will hold your interest and lead you on during the process? There was some famous painter (can't find the quote) who said that once he starts painting, the canvas has to do at least 50% of the work. I think a lot of creative endeavors turn out like that. I've found that starting with something simple, and just seeing where it takes you, is a fun and engaging way to go about game development, and will make sure you're constantly surprised by what you're making.

[Core Xii]

I'm constantly struggling with this issue.

I get an idea, get inspired, make doodles and sketches, then get bored of it because once everything is designed, all that's left is tedious work.

Also it's partly because of my personality, the INTP - The fact that I know I could make the game if I wanted to is satisfying enough, so I never actually make it.

[gunswordfist]

I want to recapture that magical feeling I had when playing great games in my youth.

I want to create something I can be proud of. Something that makes other people happy.

Maybe make a game that some person will never forget again.

Agreed! Agreed! Agreed! That's exactly what I want to do too.

Everything I think I would say here has already been well said.

Nevertheless, I feel the need to run my mouth anyway.

As you create a game, even a game with a more detailed and fleshed out plot, things can still jump out and surprise you. I find much of my character development involves delving into the tiny dark crevices of my characters psyche's and finding those things they'll do that I wouldn't expect them to. In many ways, crafting a plot is a process of discovery all in itself. When you start, you have some vague idea of what you want, but often the deeper I get into my work, the more I realize there's a deeper theme to it than I originally intended, there's something inside it that's been buried inside of me and I didn't even know it.

Part of the process of creation is the discovery of the self through the examination of your own work. I think that's some of the joy in it.

Yes there is. I know exactly what you mean from just writing a little bit.

It's a valid question, I think.

I find that games I have all planned out are much more difficult to complete than games I let develop naturally.

It's all about what you want out of your experience. Do you have a message or a story you want to tell, in specific terms, in a certain way? Then you'll get plenty of excitement out of putting your vision into action.

Or do you want to make something that will hold your interest and lead you on during the process? There was some famous painter (can't find the quote) who said that once he starts painting, the canvas has to do at least 50% of the work. I think a lot of creative endeavors turn out like that. I've found that starting with something simple, and just seeing where it takes you, is a fun and engaging way to go about game development, and will make sure you're constantly surprised by what you're making.

I might have to try that one of these days.

[r.kachowski]

the only reason I ever play chess is because of the brilliantly prerendered cutscenes.

If you play the game for the ending, you might as well watch a Let's Play on YouTube.

[mirosurabu]

Developers do not know *everything* about the game before they make it. For example, I have complete design for my conversational agent, but I still can't imagine whether it's going to be fun or not.

Why bother making toy when you know *everything* about it?

As for reasons for making games, it's hard to answer. The best answer would be: because it seems to be rewarding. How this impression is built is complex process and I cannot explain it. Some people are capable of forming tenable expectations and reward systems keeping them for longer periods of time, and some can't hold them for more than one hour. This is the main difference between successful and not successful people, I think.

As for games as art - art, as far as I understand, is a form of expression where people use imagination and associations to convey message. Usually it's used for complex messages which are hard to express using concrete verbal form.

[Don Andy]

I personally just like creating stuff and I really like games. So I just looked for something that has both and that's that.