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So that’s what I’m going to do

notch.tumblr.com

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Re: So that’s what I’m going to do

#2

Post by cmsimike »

I've had tons of projects that I've started working on, really prototyping, only to move on to something else once I figured out it wasn't something I want to invest time in, so I know where Notch is coming from. I couldn't imagine developing prototypes in a way that had tons of users watching me.

Notch knowing himself - knowing that he isn't the right person for the game, is great. I hope the community does pick up the game. This was a game that I was looking forward to playing (as I am sure most others were).

Re: So that’s what I’m going to do

#4

Post by ChuckMcM »

Nice bit of introspection. When I first started working I found I could make as much money as I could ever want by consulting and working. If you don't sleep much and you live in a consulting friendly place, its quite viable. But I too noticed that it made "home" also the "office" and you couldn't really get away from it, and that made it less fun.

So I ended up limiting my consulting considerably, and instead working on "fun" code (mostly robotics based) which as it turned out sometimes people wanted to pay for, but for the most part has been just for fun.

Notch has a wonderful gift, and while I mourn the fact that 0x10c is unlikely to ever see the light of day, I think having him make cool stuff is better than having him burn out trying to live up to the expectation momentum that 0x10c had developed.

Re: So that’s what I’m going to do

#5

Post by breckinloggins »

I can only imagine the kind of pressure someone like notch is put in from their players and fans, but there's a little more to this story than "the little side project that ended up owning me".

0x10c was a thing. It was announced, had a domain and website with documentation and updates [1], had preview videos, etc. The point is that it looked and was sold like a product, so it's perhaps understandable that lots of people were waiting excitedly for it.

That said, there'd be nothing worse than notch feeling like he had to finish the game no matter what. That would be a sure-fire recipe for a bad experience all around. I think it's great that he's given his blessing to the independent effort, because 0x10c is just the kind of project that benefits the most from a team of people who hardcore geek out on it.

[1] http://0x10c.com/

Re: So that’s what I’m going to do

#7

Post by nathas »

I think people forget that Minecraft was literally just a side project for Notch while he had a "real" job.

It was his fun thing to do when he was bored.

As a programmer, he's clearly capable, but I think he serves better as a director than someone who is trying to tackle an entire game by themselves.

Re: So that’s what I’m going to do

#9

Post by danso »

> Some people in the 0x10c community decided to work together to make their own version of their game, called Project Trillek. I find this absolutely amazing. I want to play this game so much, but I am not the right person to make it. Not any more. I’m convinced a new team with less public interest can make a vastly superior game than what I would make.

I've only read a few of the feature length articles on Notch (such as this one in the NEw Yorker: http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/elements/2013/04/the-m...) but he sounds like a real stand-up guy. I love the statement above, because it's a graceful concession as well as a statement that (hopefully) encourages creativity and innovation, even if it's among other people. What a morale booster it must be to have Notch believe that you (the team behind Trillek) can make a better game than he can.

Also, I think it's cool to be reminded that notch is also a gamer, after all, and that even he enjoys being a wide-eyed-consumer, something which he can't be when he's creating the game.

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