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Really, for what reasons do we make games?

Started by Luckless Mar 26, 2007 at 9:06 AM 15 replies 2.7k views

Original Post

Mar 26, 2007 at 9:06 AM

For myself, the answer is fairly straight forward. It lets me do most of the things I've wanted to do in life, without having to actually do them. I have a wide range of interests, ranging from visual and written arts, to engineering and architecture, and far too many things in between. I've always enjoyed robotics, and studying how humans interact with each other, tools, and the general world around them. Designing and programming games gives me such freedom to do all of that. Why spend years going to school so I can be licenced to design a skyscraper, and then work my ass off to find someone to fund the project, when I can make said dream skyscraper as the focal point of a game? I could spend ages developing my skills in traditional visual arts, learning to paint better, but then I wouldn't have as much time to play with my other life goals in a manner that is as 'real' as a virtual world. Games let me explore art and design, human interaction with machines, writing, and I can let as many other people view this exploration as I please. (not that I have anything I'm willing to admit I programmed yet, but still working on that.) Oh, and they're fun to play when finished too. Other's thoughts and views on the idea?

AndreTheGiant

Mar 26, 2007 at 9:08 AM

I love playing games
I love programming
I love programming games

jbadams

Mar 26, 2007 at 9:13 AM

I've always enjoyed playing video games, and had great fun experimenting with small modifications to them when I was younger.

I also enjoy problem solving, and therefore also quite like programming.

It seemed natural to try out making games, and I found that even when I was just starting out and unable to get any results I really enjoyed everything I was learning.

thelovegoose

Mar 26, 2007 at 9:31 AM

For me Its a case of passing on inspiration, and the same reasons as above.
I've been inspired by loads of things people have done/made, including some games (monkey island being the first i think).
I can and intend to pass that inspiration on by making something great and maybe even moving/eye opening - the objective of most artists.
It could have been by being a footballer, a film director etc, but I feel my natural abilities and love to play best suit me to making games.

BeanDog

Mar 26, 2007 at 9:37 AM

I do it to show off to my friends. Also, I've been doing it for 15 years, and old habits die hard [smile]

gunning

Mar 26, 2007 at 9:41 AM

For the same reason any entertainer performs: it makes people happy and provides them an escape from the stresses of everyday life. What can be wrong with that?

ApochPiQ

Mar 26, 2007 at 10:34 AM

Because it's hard.

TheUnbeliever

Mar 26, 2007 at 10:52 AM

Because I like sizeable/unending projects.
Because developing an operating system didn't impress many people (what's that? A set of As and Bs, printed in a seemingly arbitrary pattern; and no, I don't care if it responds to pings).
Because it's kinda fun to play them even if I'm not much of a gamer

EDIT: What the? I just posted this and yet according to the time on the post, I managed to post it about 4 and a half hours backwards in time - and still manage to be the most recent post. o/O

sunandshadow

Mar 26, 2007 at 11:05 AM

My major motivation for making entertainments is probably "the world sucks, let's make a nice dream to escape into". I see the ideal computer game as improving upon the novel by making it interactive and prettily illustrated. Beyond that I like game dev because it is always collaborative and I am much more motivated to work on a collaborative project then a solitary one.

eal

Mar 26, 2007 at 11:34 AM

Making games gives people the ability to create simple universes and play god. That's what it is for me anyways, incorporating all my favorite ideas to create the ideal game (in my mind). Plus, when it's something other people can enjoy, that adds to the reward of the experience.

And games themselves, it's about the escape \ living your dreams.

Phantom Sage

Mar 26, 2007 at 4:13 PM

Because the devil tells me that it must be done.

necreia

Mar 26, 2007 at 5:28 PM

It's the next best thing to creating life itself-- It scratches a creative itch in a way nothing else can.

Jovan

Mar 26, 2007 at 11:49 PM

Quote:
Original post by ApochPiQ
Because it's hard.

zedz

Mar 27, 2007 at 12:15 AM

to push myself ( + cause i like solving + creating things + are very driven )
eg other hobbies, writing + recording music, weightlifting etc ie things with goals.

lc_overlord

Mar 27, 2007 at 8:50 AM

Quote:
Original post by ApochPiQ
Because it's hard.

Because it's easy.
The fun part is making it hard.
The fun part is making something no one else has tried because everyone thinks it's an insane idea.
The fun part is actually succeeding with it.

mntlinstituteflr

Mar 27, 2007 at 9:56 AM

Quote:
Original post by Kazgoroth
It seemed natural to try out making games, and I found that even when I was just starting out and unable to get any results I really enjoyed everything I was learning.

Kazgoroth, that is so true...

I make games (or try to ;)) because it's simply an interest of mine. There is often a common stereotype that all gamers or game designers people with no lives and this is certainly not true. But it is a thing I do like to spend a lot of time on. I work myself hard now so that I someday when I'm older may have a possible career in game design. Overally, it's just a hobby of mine, to hopefully become a career.

Machaira

Mar 28, 2007 at 7:33 AM

Quote:
Original post by AndreTheGiant
I love playing games
I love programming
I love programming games

QFT! If I make a couple bucks by doing it, so much the better. [grin]

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