Do your work

These days, video game development teams are comprised of so many occupations, work for a disproportionately large amount of time to create a game that takes hours to complete all the while investing a huge amount of capital. It’s hard not to be impressed by their drive.

While watching a documentary about the creation of ‘The Last Of Us’ there is a section that reminded me of something I have experienced before as a designer.

[There are] those moments where you just have to sort of calm your ego down, and go back and do your work. Jeffrey Pierce

If you have an interest in video games and the time to watch the following documentary, I believe there will be a few takeaways for everyone. However, the part that resonated with me the most comes between 42:34 and 47:10, where lead actor Troy Baker discusses his approach to a very emotional scene within the video game ‘The Last Of Us’.

I am aware that my work as a designer is about hitting the beats to create emotion and fulfill the objectives of the users, but on occasion, it’s not always at the forefront of my mind.

I have previously displayed some egocentricity when working on a project due to the passion I have for creating amazing products. A great idea stirs inside me. I proceed to materialise the concept and share it with others, but yet they’re not satisfied. At one point in my past, this would have frustrated me. Now I can step back, look at it objectively, and create better work. A little egocentricity and belief in your designs can be a great thing; the key for designers is knowing when to pause and step back.