I treat the why question very seriously. If I’m working on something that isn’t just for survival and it cannot be connected to what I feel are the most important aspects of my life, then I’m unlikely to take interest. For me, this is the default mode of operation and it’s an intrinsic part of my ability to stay motivated and feel like I have purpose. It also seems obvious and self-evident – I don’t feel like I need to justify or explain it.
But, I’ve come to understand over the years that not everyone operates this way. I’ve met quite a few people at game development events that get stumped by the why question. People who sometimes just want to make any kind of game and have trouble coming up with ideas for what they’d actually like to make or how they’d like to improve a game they’re currently working on. I have, at times, found this shocking. I don’t mean to say that these people are bad for not knowing why or that they are worse game developers; it was just difficult for me to understand. I can’t imagine wanting to work on something without knowing why I want to.
I usually say that knowing why you are making something can lead to better decision-making when you’re deciding what or what not to do for a game. It can also help you feel more motivated, because you understand what the game is being made for and you feel more rewarded by work, because the features you are adding are for meeting that fundamental goal. Knowing why can be really motivating! Usually, this helps, but I’m a bit at a loss for how to explain my perspective.
Again, it seems self-evident to me – even if it might not actually be strictly true. Maybe the why question isn’t that important for finding purpose. It feels important to me though.