Why Meaningful Projects Take Time (Jonathan Blow)

Here are detailed notes from the transcript:

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Detailed Notes from Transcript

Main Topics Discussed:

• The contrasting philosophies of game development: rapid iteration/quick release vs. long-term, deep development.
• The appropriate timing for each development strategy based on experience level and motivation.
• The societal value of individuals pursuing projects that "lift up the quality of things."

Key Points and Arguments:

1. Common Wisdom vs. Long-Term Development:

   • Common Wisdom (often on Twitter): Advocates for making a game quickly, getting it out fast, validating concepts early, and getting it in front of people. Discourages hiding away for many years to build one game.
   • Speaker's Project Example: The speaker describes his own 10-year project involving building a programming language, an engine, and then a game. This directly contrasts the common wisdom.

2. The Decision to Take a Long Time:

   • For the speaker, the decision to take 5-10 years happens gradually.
   • His current game was initially envisioned as a shorter "proof of concept" for the programming language, intended to use a simple engine.
   • However, his desire to do a "good version of everything" and various team dynamics led to the development of a more sophisticated engine than even their previous game's engine, despite initially hoping for simplicity.
   • The outcome: The game "looks really beautiful."

3. When Quick Iteration is the Right Advice:

   • The speaker agrees that the "common wisdom" is the right advice for someone new to games or projects generally.
   • Reasons: New developers lack experience; they are likely "miscalibrated," slow, and haven't shipped anything before.
   • Benefit: Being quick early is a good way to iterate and learn.

4. The Rationale for Long-Term, Deep Development (Speaker's Philosophy):

   • Beyond Money/Release: The speaker argues that "somebody's got to be working on... moving things forward" and improving things, not just releasing for money. There's a need for "adults in the room" concerned with "improving life in some way."
   • Motivation-Driven: For the speaker, it's about motivation. "However long it takes to do something that's genuinely meaningful is how long you should take if that's your lot in life."
   • Societal Contribution: This approach is distinct from someone simply supporting their family with a job (which is also valid). A percentage of people are needed to "lift up the quality of things" to prevent an "eternal slide into a pit."
   • Challenges: This path is often "really hard," though sometimes it can be achieved incrementally (a path the speaker admits isn't his usual way of thinking).

5. Examples and Uncertainty:

   • Recently, there have been successful "long gestating games" which might have also been first-time projects.
   • However, it's "hard to guess what's going to happen" with any strategy.
   • A critical point: We only see the successes; we don't see the numerous failures of others who adopted the same long-term strategy but "didn't have the best idea."

Important Facts or Data Mentioned:

• Speaker's Project Duration: 10 years total (language + engine + game).
• "Blueprints" Game: Mentioned as taking around 7 years to develop, and was "very, very popular."
• "Animal Well" Game: Also cited as a "very long gestating single person or close to it game," which was "very, very popular" and sold well. (Unconfirmed if it was the developer's first game).

Conclusions or Recommendations:

• For New Developers: Focus on rapid development, quick releases, and iteration to gain experience, calibrate skills, and learn efficiently.
• For Experienced or Deeply Motivated Individuals: If the goal is to create something "genuinely meaningful" that significantly "lifts up the quality of things," taking a prolonged development period (even years) can be a valid and potentially superior choice, provided one has the resources and motivation.
• General Caution: Success in game development, regardless of strategy, is inherently unpredictable. While long-term projects can lead to highly popular and successful outcomes, the unseen failures of similar approaches highlight the significant risks involved.