If You Created The Game You're Playing Would That Spoil The Fun For You?

[oldgamerz]

Imagine being a video game developer, or designer, and if you were making all or most of the levels and story yourself, and testing them all by yourself. Do you think you would you still enjoy the video game you were designing after it was finished?

I used to like creating levels (in the editor) in this game called "Jetpack" 2D platformer for the PC it was fun, I would first create  a level than sometimes me and my friends would challenge each other at it.

But doing this for a while even on different games it can get old after a while, I did a lot of work on video game levels that were just lost data and I never bothered to upload most of what I created,

and I never did finish any mod project that I started it's a lot of work

[dashv]

Really good question.

For me I think it would depend. I would probably still enjoy the finished product but in a different way and for different reasons. As an engineer I kind of experience this already. When an automation, software solution, or data center works as designed or exceeds expectations there is certainly some pride and joy in that. But for a game or something with a story. I’m not going to be surprised at the plot twists. I’ll already be ready for the jokes, etc.

If it’s a game like Tetris or something I could see still having fun with it. If it was an RPG (something I’ve tried to make before) I think I would get tired of it before it was finished.

[sworddude]

Imagine being a video game developer, or designer, and if you were making all or most of the levels and story yourself, and testing them all by yourself. Do you think you would you still enjoy the video game you were designing after it was finished?

[oldgamerz]

I know people enjoy things like Mario Maker, and like I said, I liked to challenge friends in JetPack. So I can see building platformer games, could still be fun. But I will admit that most times in development of a video game today, have multiple people working on the same project.

There are some people that make a ton of content for PC games, and upload it for other people to download for free.

[tripredacus]

I have been a full-time modder in the past. Doing the work certainly can spoil the fun.

[thewelshman]

Years ago, I downloaded RPGMaker and had this illusion I was going to make an awesome SNES era-inspired RPG. I found out really quick how much goes into creating a world and all in inhabits. I quickly burned out on trying to get everything just right and knowing everything that was to happen got old. I found out two things:

1.) I would rather play a game someone else made.
2.) I am not as creative as I thought I was.

[medisto]

I worked at IO-Interactive's QA department for roughly 6 years. I think I can safely say that I will never be playing Kane & Lynch 1 and 2 or Hitman: Absolution ever again

[pzeke]

That's a rhetorical question.

Yeah, it kind of is the way it was asked, but it still poses a sound argument. Think of it this way; "would you play through a video game you worked on knowing every detail of it?"

Anyway, the way I see it, I’m creating the “fun”, so that trumps the spoiling. I think I would be more concerned in making sure the end result is what I have in mind and that it meets expectations. Seeing the culmination of my work and making others happy with what I made would certainly mean a lot more. Perhaps stuff could be programmed to happen at random so that maybe in that way I could be surprised while giving the game a play through.

2.) I am not as creative as I thought I was.

Don't sell yourself short, my dude. I've wanted to make a Pokémon game myself for years with the tools available, but I've hit roadblock after roadblock for the longest time now that I've left everything stagnate. Granted, I'm still “developing" the story and such, but I would definitely like to finish it and make the game at one point in my life.

[sworddude]

That's a rhetorical question.

Yeah, it kind of is the way it was asked, but it still poses a sound argument. Think of it this way; "would you play through a video game you worked on knowing every detail of it?"

Anyway, the way I see it, I’m creating the “fun”, so that trumps the spoiling. I think I would be more concerned in making sure the end result is what I have in mind and that it meets expectations. Seeing the culmination of my work and making others happy with what I made would certainly mean a lot more. Perhaps stuff could be programmed to happen at random so that maybe in that way I could be surprised while giving the game a play through.

the title is literally If You Created The Game You're Playing Would That Spoil The Fun For You?

even if it is tetris how would knowing everything about the game testing it creating it every lvl etc yes you could still enjoy the game but there is almost no chance in hell that you would not be spoiled. ofcourse your fun will be spoiled. Your experience of having fun in the game will for sure be less and depending on what kind of game it is it's a small or very big deal.

heck in a ton of real life interviews with creators of said games including mario and zelda ones it is even mentioned by a ton of creators themselves that they have the most fun in playing games that others have created instead of their own masterpieces even when said games won multiple 1st place awards for that year and heck i would not blame them there is nothing new to explore you've probably been through the game allot even when hundreds of people work on said games. their is nothing new. people forget to realise that as a player you play a game 5 to 200+ hours yet for it to be created it takes years. as the creator you've seen the game a hell lot more than even the more hardcore players.

you know what maybe if it's a terrible crappy game that nobody wants to play maybe you'll still appreciate it more but I'm not to sure if that's a good thing.

[marvelvscapcom2]

It would completely ruin the game i'd imagine.  It'd be impossible to enjoy it as it's intended once it becomes work. Once you know every design element, and movement.  I know because I know a few game coders and developers.  It applies to music too.  When you make music,  music stops becoming what is it meant to be.  It becomes a job.  It becomes something you critique, judge,  tweak with, work on to improve.  You listen to it to judge it and make it better, not to love it from the start.   The rapper Joe Budden said it was one of his favorite parts about retiring.  Is that he could listen to music with his fan ears again.   When you are in the business, you listen to it as a artist and you see it as a project and not as a game.   You have musicians who sing the song they wrote 3,000 times by the time they are done.  200 concert tours every year.  Singing that song at every show.  Every birthday party.  After a while,  they start to wish they never wrote it.  It's engrained in their deepest nightmares.    With game coding,  you spend so much time working on the miniscule details of the same thing.  I'm sure it gets old.


After thousands of hours sitting behind a desk,  adjusting every single thing from minor puddles and lighting and dialouge.   After it's done, i'm sure you want to be as distant from it as possible.  At least for 5-10 years.  Then maybe it will be fun to revisit.  But it must really tire you out.   


I think most of the fun devs get after creating a game is other people enjoying it.   As an artist, that's how I feel about my art.  It's fun to make,  but the most enjoyment comes from what it makes others think or say.  If it makes others happy it completes it in a way.   Video Games are visual art in a way. 

[oldgamerz]

It would completely ruin the game i'd imagine.  It'd be impossible to enjoy it as it's intended once it becomes work. Once you know every design element, and movement.  I know because I know a few game coders and developers.  It applies to music too.  When you make music,  music stops becoming what is it meant to be.  It becomes a job.  It becomes something you critique, judge,  tweak with, work on to improve.  You listen to it to judge it and make it better, not to love it from the start.   The rapper Joe Budden said it was one of his favorite parts about retiring.  Is that he could listen to music with his fan ears again.   When you are in the business, you listen to it as a artist and you see it as a project and not as a game.   You have musicians who sing the song they wrote 3,000 times by the time they are done.  200 concert tours every year.  Singing that song at every show.  Every birthday party.  After a while,  they start to wish they never wrote it.  It's engrained in their deepest nightmares.    With game coding,  you spend so much time working on the miniscule details of the same thing.  I'm sure it gets old.


After thousands of hours sitting behind a desk,  adjusting every single thing from minor puddles and lighting and dialouge.   After it's done, i'm sure you want to be as distant from it as possible.  At least for 5-10 years.  Then maybe it will be fun to revisit.  But it must really tire you out.   


I think most of the fun devs get after creating a game is other people enjoying it.   As an artist, that's how I feel about my art.  It's fun to make,  but the most enjoyment comes from what it makes others think or say.  If it makes others happy it completes it in a way.   Video Games are visual art in a way.

Great Post!! made me think, I really enjoyed reading it

[pzeke]

Video Games are visual art in a way.

Yes. Yes they are. Regardless of what Hideo Kojima says, video games are art.