Defining Awesome

In my post Creating a classic a little discussion broke through, mainly probably because my message did not get through correctly (also probably some confuse the word “classic” with “classical” hah). I made a very important comment there and I need to write this down here. This is an elaboration on creating a classic.

Is making games really any different than making any other form of art?

Listen to the old Ludwig Van, as I tell you about it. 

“Oh bliss! Bliss and heaven! …”

If you think that games and music are different surely you won’t be creating art. I know that making games is not at all different than making music. I have years of experience in both fields so I know what I’m talking about (15 years in making games and over 7 years of interest in playing and composing music). I still don’t know how to create a classic but I’m getting to it.

Everything is created out of feeling.

In the case of Chaconne, Bach felt what he wanted to achieve and then made those emotions concrete. He had written down the music in the form of notes. Johann achieved his purpose cause I feel Chaconne deeply. The same is done in making games but instead of using chords and scales you use functions and pointers.

But it isn’t that simple yes?

“…Oh, it was gorgeousness and gorgeousity made flesh…”

The thing that distinguishes great artists from any other mortal beings is the ability to push through all obstacles, no matter what and accomplish the goal. It is the ability to feel the emotion that the art must produce and carrying that through. Sometimes keeping it for years and waiting for the right moment to make it happen. Sometimes building it step by step for years, each day holding on to that feeling. This is how I make games. If I wouldn’t feel it everyday, I would stop, I would lose motivation, I would do something different. But because I want to carry out the emotions I feel and give them for people to experience I push it. Everyday I keep on adding. I never lose my vision.

I believe this is how classics are done. I would be stupid if I said I don’t want to create a classic, I do, so I hope this method works.

Music making is not different than making games. Music does not take less time to make as some people claim. Sure Bon Jovi can write a hit in 15 minutes but will he be remembered in 300 years? Some composers are remembered and I’ll tell you why.

“…It was like a bird of rarest-spun heaven metal or like silvery wine flowing in a spaceship, gravity all nonsense now…”

Wagner wrote his most famous opera “Ring of the Nibelung” over the course of 26 years. This is how deeply Norse mythology has impacted him. He felt so good about it that he held to that emotion for 26 years! The total playing time of the opera is 15 hours. Well I didn’t listen to it but we all know Ride of the Valkyries. I think that one composition was worth the effort. I also don’t have to mention that Manowar has been holding on to the idea of writing music about Norse gods for 25 years and they say it is just the beginning.

But this is about Beethoven and what you are hopefully listening to right now. He started work on his last symphony in 1818 and finished it early in 1824. However, he was interested in the Ode to Joy from a much earlier time, as early as 1793. This means that between the first thought of writing the 9th symphony and completing it there was 31 years!!! What message did he want to carry out and why was it so powerful to give him motivation for such a gargantous amount of time? The only hint we can get is from reading Ode to Joy by Schiller, the poem that inspired the theme of the 9th symphony. If you ever listen to this piece in its entirety, if you ever grasp the complexity, genius and pure joy of the melody and how it cleverly works its way to your ears, you will be forever changed. It is beyond words. One more thing to note is that in the video Ludwig (it’s from the movie Copying Beethoven) was conducting the orchestra. He was completely deaf at the time. He was also completely deaf while writing it. He did not actually HEAR his music! So there was only one thing driving him! It was THAT powerful.

…As I slooshied, I knew such lovely pictures!”

So this is what it takes. This is how long it can take to carry out a vision. This is how winners are distinguished from losers. The people that have the ability to carry and hold their message are remembered. They trust their power. It allows them to push through all life obstacles. They have the power because they believe the emotions they carry are real. Their vision and feelings are more real than anything else.

I also stand by this. I believe in myself. This is why I write these posts. I want to bring out what I know. Because I know that my feelings are absolute and the only thing that is real in this world.

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