Long term hackers: What keeps you going?

Hey. I used to be very active around the ROM hacking section a few years ago.

One problem I kept running into however was that though I had a good understanding and vision of how to hack and what I wanted to do, I was unable to stick to a project. I would start something, make a good bit of progress, then leave it in the dust and move on to something else.

Since then, many times have I attempted to revisit ROM hacking, and each time I have found myself bored before long.

This, based on what I have seen, appears to be the case for many hackers. A lot of seemingly interesting projects end up being dropped before long, and the hacker either moves on to another project (which also ends after a bit), or just disappears entirely. Looking at some of the complete hacks, the developer(s) has/have been working for years. One only needs to look at Prism, which after about 10ish years, is now just being completed. That's a long time to devote to a Pokemon hack.

So, those who have stuck with ROM hacking for a long period of time: What keeps you interested? What fuels you to continue hacking?

I've been hacking since late-2005/early-2006. I will have my 11 year anniversary on PC in February. I like Pokemon and am disappointed with the quality of games that Game Freak is giving us. They're good, don't get me wrong, but I feel like they could give us much better. For the past 7ish years, my motivation to hack is so that I can make a perfect Pokemon game for me. Pokemon hacking also sparked my interest in Computer Science as a field of study and eventually a career path, so I owe a lot to this community. Also, I figure Comp Sci people will be among the last people to have their jobs automated away, so I hope that the proper safety nets for the mass-unemployment to come are in place by the time an AI takes my job. I also stick around because I have a lot of pride in how well I can do most of the aspects of hacking (as silly as that sounds), and enjoy contributing to the community when I can.

So, my main hack that I've been working on for about 7 years is about making the perfect game for me, and it is going really well. I'll release it when it's finished. I have two sideprojects that I started to get a better handle on ASM and C as well as fix a childhood disappointment with the franchise. After I've finished with those projects (which will be a couple more years, I'm sure), I will probably pass down what I know and move on from the scene.

Not sure. I keep trying to leave but I am continuously being dragged back.

I take really long breaks, like a year+ breaks when I'm not feeling it. I always come back to the same hack though. Can't bring myself to start anew after all the time I've spent on it.