Jonathan Blow

Join Jonathan Blow, the acclaimed game designer behind Braid and The Witness, as he dives deep into the intricacies of programming language design, particularly for game development. He discusses powerful compile-time execution and the crucial balance between safety and performance. With insights into memory safety, dependency management, and the need for better systems tools, Jonathan critiques current practices while advocating for innovative solutions. This conversation is a treasure trove for anyone interested in the future of programming languages!

Jonathan Blow, the visionary behind the games Braid and The Witness, takes us on a fascinating journey through his game development process. He reveals the innovative rewind mechanic in Braid inspired by a mailing-list debate and shares insights from early prototypes like Raspberry. Discussing his upcoming game, Order of the Sinking Star, he explains its unique structure of four standalone islands. Blow also talks about his creation of the Jai programming language aimed at addressing developer frustrations with C++. His thoughts on modern game design are equally enlightening!

You can find Jonathan on Twitter at https://twitter.com/Jonathan_Blow.Some of the highlights of the show include: The Witness: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Witness_(2016_video_game)Prince of Persia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prince_of_Persia_(1989_video_game)Prince of Persia source code: https://github.com/jmechner/Prince-of-Persia-Apple-IISprite: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sprite_(computer_graphics)Atari 800: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atari_8-bit_familyAtari CTIA (chip performing, among many other things, collision detection for the Atari 800): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CTIA_and_GTIACommodore 64: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commodore_64VIC-II (CTIA-equivalent chip found in the C64): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MOS_Technology_VIC-IISkeletal animation: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skeletal_animationGPGPU: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General-purpose_computing_on_graphics_processing_unitsGeForce 2080 Ti: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GeForce_20_seriesCell microprocessor: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cell_(microprocessor)Dennard scaling: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dennard_scalingAmdahl's Law: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amdahl%27s_lawEmbarrassingly parallel: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Embarrassingly_parallelClient-side prediction: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Client-side_predictionParticle system: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Particle_systemMinecraft: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MinecraftRed Dead Redemption 2: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Dead_Redemption_2Rewinding time to address lag: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lag#Rewind_timeChronostasis (the illusion of time standing still after eye movement): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ChronostasisCounter-strike: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Counter-Strike SimCity: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SimCityTrinity: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trinity_(video_game)Brian Moriarty: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_MoriartyInfocom: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/InfocomLost Treasures of Infocom: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lost_Treasures_of_InfocomNetrek: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NetrekApollo Computer: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_ComputerSilicon Graphics (SGI): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silicon_GraphicsTime Warner's "Full Service Network" (SGI Orlando project): https://www.nytimes.com/1994/12/12/business/time-warner-s-time-machine-for-future-video.htmlNetscape Communications: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NetscapeDoom: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doom_(1993_video_game)Wolfenstein 3D: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolfenstein_3DUltima series: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultima_(series)SGI engineers transferred to Nvidia, ca. 1999: https://www.eetimes.com/sgi-graphics-team-moves-to-nvidia/Quake: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quake_(video_game)Quake source code: https://github.com/id-Software/QuakeJohn Carmack: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_CarmackMichael Abrash: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_AbrashTotal Entertainment Network: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Total_Entertainment_Networkboo.com: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boo.comBraid: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Braid_(video_game)SIMD: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SIMDPentium U-pipe and V-pipe: https://en.wikichip.org/w/index.php?title=File:24281603.pdf&page=8Data-oriented design: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data-oriented_designJonathan's rant on Rust: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4t1K66dMhWk Catherine West's closing keynote at RustConf 2018: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKLntZcp27MJAI language: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_Blow#JAI_language"Worse is better" and the "MIT approach": https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Worse_is_betterSmart pointer: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smart_pointerD language: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D_(programming_language)Entity-component-system: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Entity_component_systemJonathan's talk "Preventing the Collapse of Civilization": https://ww...

Jonathan Blow, the renowned designer of iconic video games like 'Braid' and 'The Witness', dives deep into the crossroads of art and consciousness. He discusses how video games can foster personal growth and the importance of authentic storytelling in design. Blow contrasts genuine engagement with superficial interactions while exploring the philosophical nuances of free will. He highlights the unique potential of games as a therapeutic medium and reflects on creative challenges, urging a balance between motivation and burnout in the gaming industry.

Jonathan Blow, the mastermind behind iconic indie games like Braid and The Witness, shares insights on creating games in 2026. He discusses the challenges of marketing amid the crowded internet landscape and how pricing pressures have evolved. Blow emphasizes the importance of choosing the right platform, notably Steam, for indie success. He reveals his ambitious 10-year project, Order of the Sinking Star, describing the need for a custom programming language and engine to enhance workflow and artistic vision. His thoughts on the future of AI in game development complete this enlightening conversation.