Noclip Blog #1: A Tough Few Months.

Thanks for sharing Danny. As an Australian living in Ottawa, ON for the past few years I can totally empathise with your thoughts on seasonal depression. It is awful. If one small thing doesn't go according to plan on a minus 35 degree day, it honestly feels like the end of the world. There's no need to apologise. I'm honestly blown away by the level of quality and amount of content you're putting out. Take care!

Mike

I just joined a few minutes ago so I know just about nothing as to how this site works. Does anyone look at or answer these posts.

Who are the folks who work for Patreon. Who is Danny. Thanks.

Fair play to you Danny! Hope you will feel better soon. Your work is top notch. Bogdan from Galway :-)

Please go be my patreon I'm trying to make a game and this we'll help me out

Hi guys , nice work, wish you the best luck, apologize for my bad English ... I belong to this group of people (Creando Sonrisas Venezuela) that are dedicated to helping the needy of our country. And another thing, I know it's a nuisance and it's like SPAM, but could you please see our Patreon page? you or anyone who is reading this, and see if you can help us, we really do not intend to disturb, we ask for help because the situation in our country is currently terrible, and for outsiders to help because the economy here is a disaster, the salaries here are equivalent to less than $ 5 per month, yes, per month. That's why any help, however small it may be for us, means a lot, a donation of about $ 15, which in another place would be a simple meal here, serves to feed many people. We have little time here in Patreon, but we are very happy with those who are helping us, thanks to them we have been able to do a lot. again sorry for the inconvenience. We kwow that Patreon is not a charity place , but what we do is mor than that. THANK YOU or ANYONE for at least READING THIS, Bye Sweetheart.

Not often you see honest talk like that, especially about mental health issues. Noclip is one of the best investments I've ever made but your health should always take first priority. I wish you well sir!

Mike

Hello Noclip! We are creating a social network for gamers, maybe in future you will be one of our members :)

Andrea&Elisa

Be well man. Love the videos.

Mike Tesmacher

Good man Danny. I was chatting to your brother over Christmas in town and he is incredibly proud of your success and how your doing. I was equally gushing in my praise of your work as I genuinely feel its some the absolute best gaming content out there. So we both had a great conversation about how awesome you are! You've done a great thing with NoClip. Im glad to hear your doing better. Hang in there man! Bob

Brian O'Byrne

Get better! You mental health is most important thing in this day and age. I also struggle with depression but unlike you I have not created/achieved even one tenth of what you have done. Continue creating stuff, this makes your life worth it even if it does not seem like it when you are down in a hole.

As someone who also struggles with depression, I truly appreciate your willingness to share. Feeling alone is a major component of it. Knowing that other people are fighting similar battles makes it a little easier. Glad to hear you're reaching a better place and know that the community you've built here has your back! I love what you do and I look forward to the year ahead!

Max Jahner

Much love dude! Sad to hear you've been struggling with the Season Affective Disorder - its the reason I left the US to return to Australia - but rest assured you've been bringing happiness to our lives while you've been struggling yourself. Hope that's some consolation!

Theron Miles

Danny, my brother! Thank you for sharing. I think Noclip is more than just a set of documentaries - we are a community of likeminded people who want to leave a positive legacy behind us. And you are our captain! Keep up a great work but always make time for yourself. I’m sure I speaks for all several thousands of us that we’ll take less content over longer period of time if we know that as the result we get a healthier Cap’n :)

Tohir Tillyaev

Thank you for sharing Danny. Good to hear you're doing better :)

Piotr Kostecki

I'm sure plenty of us feel exactly what you're going through, and we understand completely. Take care! You have my support, especially during the tough times.

Dave Hoffman

Take care of yourself first and foremost, Danny. The work is great but not worth burning yourself out over. We are supporters of you because you do good work but also because we care about you. The two go hand in hand. All the best, good buddy.

Kalle Färm

Despite Def Leppard's assurances, is is NOT better to burn out than fade away.

As someone who also suffers from depression and anxiety winter sure is a pain in the arse, the shorter days combined with working all week means the days feel more condensed and shorter and restrictive. I've never been diagnosed with SAD and don't know if you have but I guess some form of SAD comes part and parcel with depression and anxiety we know we do have. Away from the depression talk, you Jeremy and Esteban do an awesome job and not to speak for everyone, I and probably many would rather you look after yourself than put pressure and needless crunch on yourself. Keep up the awesome work :)

Steve Fiori

I've lived with depression since it first manifested in my life when I was a kid. It has a habit of surfacing at the most innopportune times, often paralysing me in my tracks. Suddenly I can't live my life, and fighting my way back to some semblance of normalcy doesn't come easy. Creative works are both my escape and my inspiration during those times, and noclip played a huge part in helping me overcome one of my most recent bouts. Danny, your work has been a continuing source of inspiration for me to aim higher, and not let weird chemical imbalances in my brain dictate what I want to achieve in life. I can't thank you enough for that. So no apologies necessary. All the hard work, dedication, and effort you've put into noclip since its inception has given me - and no doubt many others - so much to be thankful to you for. So take your time to clear away the noise, and jump back in when you're good and ready. We'll be here, eagerly awaiting your next awesome work.

As someone who has battled with depression for 21 years this year (yay celebration of diagnosis being able to legally drink in the US), you have nothing to apologise for. Not that we don't appreciate the thought. Your own mental health is priority one above all else. You do whatever you have to do to take care of yourself and your family. As long as I can afford it, I'll still be supporting you here, and loving what you create, when you can create it. As I said before, any time you're back in Ireland, I'd love to buy you a coffee/pint/whatever, just to show my appreciation for all that you do create.

Robb Twomey Dunphy

<3 <3 <3

Glad you are feeling better Danny! I'm sorry to hear about your condition and how much it affects you. Don't feel sorry, we all have our issues to deal. You do incredible work and I'll be sure to support you regardless, even if it means there is a little less content each Winter! More important you are ok and happy than trying to kill yourself making as much content as you possibly can. Much love <3

Do not apologize! Danny you have to take care of yourself too. That’s extremely important. I love what you guys do here and I am happy to wait for it instead of you doing much needed self care. I’ve been there, and it’s ok to be selfish when times are rough. Sending you good vibes and happy thoughts!

Danny, this is super timely because I just got through a bout of something very similar. I know that you know the usual suspects: Diet, exercise, sleep. But of course, it's easier said than done. My partner recently started helping me to get my sleep schedule right and regular. Between that and keeping my work/living space tidy, it's honestly done wonders for getting me back into the land of the living. If it's reassuring to hear, I had no idea you were going through a rough patch recently too, but I'm right there with you man. Just go easy on yourself. Don't put pressure on yourself to be perfect and optimally productive all the time. Take time for self-care and the small, good things. Remember: Mental health and physical health are connected! Diet, exercise, regular and restful sleep. The same habits that keep you physically healthy will help with the mental side of things too!

William Molls

Hey Danny. Sorry to hear you've had a hard time this winter; it's been a dreary one here in DC this year. Everything is starting to bloom so it's mostly over, but if you need a boost may I suggest a trip to the National Arboretum. It's always green and warm there so it's a good place to shake off the cold winter grays. Also, the cherry blossoms are at peak bloom right now. The weather is going to suck for the next couple days, but if you want to brave it, come to Kenwood in Bethesda. It's quieter than the Tidal Basin, with just as many cherry trees, and there is absolutely nothing quite like standing under a huge canopy of bright pink flowers to lift your spirits. Love your work. Be well.

Amy Soule

Thank you for sharing and please know that your work is appreciated. Take care of yourself and always put your health - both mental and physical - first.

I've had a rough year Danny. Frasier & your docs have helped keep me positive. Sincerely, thanks.

Your docs are fantastic Danny. 💜 Thank you for letting us all know how you're feeling and allowing yourself to be vulnerable. We're all here for you, through thick or thin! Allow yourself to take the breaths you need. This Winter has been a long one, remember Spring and Summer are just around the corner and i hope your SAD eases over the next while 💜

Amy Gilroy

lmao... i know i shouldn't laugh but dude... shoulda moved to Miami or something.

Read this post in its entirety and my thoughts are with you hoping you get through this difficult time Danny. My girlfriend also struggles with seasonal depression which has been though with the long winter we are still in here in Ontario. Hopefully the spring brings you some new adventures, may it be work or fun. ♥️

Ben Bell

We’re here to support you long term Danny. Make sure you take time away, make sure you look after you family. You have a great community here at noclip, don’t ever feel pressured to put out work if it’s making you ill in the process. We’ll wait until your feeling better.

Sending love. I’m not really sure what worked for me, sensible work hours, not putting pressure on myself over the small stuff, something... but life is good now. Hope you find the right way for you Danny

James Bowman

Thanks for everything that you do, man. This is the best money I spend every month. TRULY. ♥️

Depression sucks, and even if you do everything right, it can still be hard to handle and leave you in a funk for periods of time. We're here for you (or at least our patronage is) :D Looking forward to the spring and new content!

Nicholas Sylvain

As one of your bosses, I'm just going be distant and cold and hope money will ultimately solve the problem. ;-) Patron for life. I can only speak for myself and in the darkest of times it probably doesn't matter (and it might even suck), but know this: you contribute to the happiness of a random internet person. And that's definitive.

Thank you for sharing. Living in Denmark, I know •exactly• about those long winter months and how it can affect the mood. and damn, spring feels wonderful.

Thomas Munkholt

You're top lad Danny - take it easy - take your time - you're smashing it more than you ever know as it is. All have are down times - no shame in that.

Thanks for being vulnerable. I also deal with depression and I know how stress can amplify it. Sucks. But hey, it was great meeting you at GDC. Thanks for taking time to chat about Train Jam. Take care of yourself!

Kevin O'Neil

Thank you for your honesty - please take care of yourself! You're an amazing person, and I want you to stay lit for way longer. (:

Philipp Lehner

Just having someone to talk to makes all the difference.

Glad you are starting to feel better, your work is amazing!

mcwizardry

Thanks for being open about these struggles, Danny. I remember you talking about depression on an old episode of Danswers and it's reassuring to know that it's normal for it to occasionally pop back up. It never goes away, right? We just learn to manage with it. We're only human. Be well, dude!

R.J. Nye

Danny, your work is incredible. My wife also suffers from depression and your advise on Danswers (of all things) really gave me the perspective and understanding I needed to help her through the harder days. Keep doing what you're doing and remember you have an entire community worth of support behind you.

I've heard similar sentiments expressed by other people making video on here. Perhaps running off Patreon donations puts even more pressure on people. Doing stuff with the production values you have and a small team must be an absolute motherfucker. Just keep going at your own pace. The internet already has quantity covered, what we need now is quality and you can't rush that. Make sure and schedule holidays when you can. I know a few people who are self employed for a long time and they go away a few times a year because when you work from home then sometimes you have to get away from home to really switch off entirely.

Shapey Fiend

Spring cheers from VT Danny, where it is (of course) snowing outside. I'm glad you got to the other side of this long winter; I don't have SAD but depression/anxiety are a mix I have to deal with constantly so I empathize with the situation you've been in. Regardless of the subject of an update post, I think it was worthwhile. You're still one of the rocks of the gaming industry, and you've never let us down, so please take the time to be better and be happy. And maybe soak up the sun in this wet spring! Thanks and all the best!

*hug*

Hey Danny. I’m really rubbish at helping people with depression. I’ve never suffered from it but constantly fail at trying to help my wife who deals with it daily. Anyhoo - I just wanted to say that the release of every NoClip video has become an event where I work. Nothing to do with gaming, but we’re involved in design. A bunch of us always get lunch and watch it together and discuss afterwards. You’re doing great work, bringing joy to many and doing a service for the industry. Be proud.

Wesley Bray

Thank you for sharing this with us. You've got a friend in me.

Jared Petty

I hope you're getting better Danny. Your team is amazing. Cheers from Barcelona.

I hope the depression gets better Danny. Noclip's going great and you are an awesome people giving work to professionals you know and get to know. Excited for all the Noclip content ahead :)

I am thankful for your courage to talk openly about your depression. You and your team's work is incredible and I have been trying to spread the word about noclip ever since I found the first doc. You add uniqueness and credibility to everything you do, so make sure you take care of yourself. Don't sweat any delays caused by looking after your health. What you and your team have to say is worth the wait. Thanks for all you do.

Seriously don’t worry about it, we all get burnt out sometimes especially when making something so amazing, mental health is always more important than anything else and anyone who says different is an idiot, glad you’re feeling better and I’m looking forward to what you have planned

Glad you’re confronting this, and being open about it. Lots of huge changes happened for you, and it makes sense it would weigh on you. I hope you’re able to keep working at it, and focusing on making yourself better!

Tory Thompson

Damn, I think you're doing an awesome job and getting lots of content out! Don't point out the spot on the wall and it probably won't ever get noticed... 😀

Warren A Scott

Hey Danny, the work you've done the past year has been amazing. I would put your health as the #1 priority, and want to continue to support you. :)

Hey Danny, I wanted to thank you for being so honest and open with the issues you face. I know it may feel to you like you took too long to say this, but just the fact that you're willing to share with us means a ton. I've always been a big proponent of being honest about yourself, and this post simply confirms once again that you're worth supporting. Keep being awesome.

Really glad to hear things are getting a bit better. Kudos for sharing something so personal too. I think it's safe to say that most if not all your supporters are more concerned with you being healthy and happy than getting an extra video or something. Take care of your self and have a great weekend ❤️

Steven Oslund

Thanks for Sharing Danny :)

Really glad you're feeling better! Have had my own experience with burn out/depression after a lot of work, so good that you are getting over it. You are doing exceptional work!

Andrey Kurenkov

Hi Danny, just wanted to say that I've been with noclip since the start and regardless of how much content you've been able to put out I've never regretted being a patron for a second. Love your work, take care of yourself. (manly fist bump emoji)

Kev Dellaq

Same, much grá dude

Hey hope things continue to get better Danny. Stay cool <3

Shane McCafferty

That SAD will get you, man. I go through it every year, and every year it's a Bad Time. This year I was coming off from some unexpected losses so it was a bit worse than normal, but it always gets better eventually and that keeps me going. My workload also doesn't even come close to yours - don't feel bad about taking some time to let your head clear, dude! That's part of what this thing is all about! I'm 100% into the stuff NoClip's been doing, but I'm 200% into you not burning out, you dig?

A Big Old Skeleton

Just wanted to add a word of encouragement. Keep it up, keep pushing forward. Even if they're smaller steps than you like, when you look back you'll still see the path traveled. We all enjoy your work, and hope you continue to enjoy doing it! Hope it continues to get better.

The work y'all do is a force of nature and being this open and honest only makes you stand even more head and shoulders above your peers. I've made no secret about the depression that's followed my own move and while under different circumstances, I fuckin' feel you, friend. However you decide to work, whatever you decide to do to help get you in a better place, we'll all still be here supporting you. Take care ♡

aurahack

Hey Danny. I feel you. I grew up in Texas where its sunny with no clouds 99% of the days. At 22 I moved with my wife to Michigan where its cloudy /cold with very short days for 5-6 months in the winter. It really hit me hard. I got use to the cold but not having sunny, warm days got to me real bad. I was there for about 10 years and I learned how to get through the winter. I learned its mostly about routine. Make yourself get up in the morning, find a gym, get exercise, thats probably the best thing. Also, get use to getting outside even when its cold. Even if its just for a 30 minute walk during the day. Something about teaching your body that the winter outside is ok. Also, make sure your work space is well lit with lots of color. Hang in there. My first few winters there were pretty bad but I got use to it.

Danny, every time you've sent out one of these surveys asking "What do you want to see more of from NoClip?" with options A, B, C, and D, I always wish there was an option E: "Slow down and take care of yourself!" You're putting out plenty of content, I bet more than most people can consume even. As a Patron I'm happiest knowing you're putting yourself as #1 and looking after your physical and mental health first.

Peter

Reading this makes me want to give you a big ole hug. Sorry to hear about what you’ve been going through. Hope you enjoy spring and take it easy. (Or work on stuff that requires less travel or whatever you need while you get adjusted)

Michael

Thanks for updating us, Danny. I'm sorry to hear about the season depression disorder, and the burden of dealing with depression in general. I'm glad you feel comfortable sharing with your supporters, and with a therapist - that's much farther than most people would dare to go. I find that making time for walks, hikes, and just outdoor time to breathe and enjoy the woods helps me stay focused and happy. As far as NoClip goes, I couldn't be happier with the quality and quantity. Your work is head and shoulders above the competition, and I'm still excited to this day that you're dedicated to making great documentaries about games, the industry, and the people who make it up. Thanks for continually making my favorite type of video content on one of my favorite subjects. Take care of yourself! - Landon

Landon Robinson

:o Danny, I'm glad you're finally feeling better. Thanks for sharing this very personal story. I'll leave you with the words of wisdom from the famous poets, Morcheeba ;) 🎵"When it's hard out there And you gonna bail, slowdown You just seem sometimes To forget your mind slowdown Down down down down down"🎵 :D Slow down Danny, it's gonna be OK. ;)

I wasn't hit to the same degree, but man, the weather can really mess a person up. I moved to Vancouver in November, and got hit immediately with 45 days of sunlessness. What a terrible plan. I started staying up at night, because at night I could pretend that the clouds weren't there. Not a great winter. So, here's to bad times!

keithbungle

Thanks for all your hard work. Just remember to keep working on yourself. I suffer from panic and anxiety attacks where I feel like I'm dying. It's never any fun but i turned to meditation and the use of the headspace app, using an exercise bike, and a prescription medication that I take when i feel as n attack coming on. I hope you continue to feel better and to take time off for yourself.

Justin Dotson

We're in this with you man!! We support you! Weather absolutely can have the affect. Glad that spring is coming and you're starting to feel a bit better. Look forward to the content you're producing and hopefully you get to enjoy it along the way as well!

Hey Danny, thanks for sharing. Much love and glad to hear things are on the up-swing for you. It's been a long winter for a lot of us.

Thanks for the update Danny. I know the Seasonal Struggle all too well and it can be absolutely brutal. When I first moved to Alaska (on December 2, coming from the Richmond, VA area) I about lost my mind from it. Glad to hear that things are turning around for you and I appreciate you putting yourself out there like this. Summer time is coming!

Alex Hefner

Sorry to hear you were down Danny, but very happy to hear you're doing much better! Do whatever you have to do to keep your head above water, so to speak, and whatever is coming, know that many can't wait! Have a good one and enjoy that sunshine!

Brandon K Gann

This kind of post is much appreciated, and extremely relatable. Also, we all need a break, we all get burned out. Self care is really important. As a proud patron of your work, know that I (and others I'm sure) will continue supporting your work through thick and thin. 👍

Hay Danny, thank you for the detailed update. It's very gratifying to here you're doing better. We all care about you and want to support you. You the man, the boss, the captain of this fantastic ship called Noclip and we are going to stick with you depression be dammed. Much love dude.

The Mighty Pipe

I was feeling a bit down cause I hadn’t heard from you in quite some time Danny!! Keep your head up mate, and I know this is going to sound generic, but we are all eyes and ears for you brother!!

Felipe Rojo Liviero (71139834Y)

Mad love Danny, thanks for the real personal post. You've never in any way let us down, I know how it is to go through that stuff and it's a battle I'm glad you're feeling better! Soon summer will be here!!! Thanks so much for everything you've done and continue to do. Don't ever feel the need to push yourself so much I'll always be here to offer what support I can and enjoy everything you do!! take care of yourself buddy! <3

Dan Longman

Thanks for everything Danny. The output has been great, never worry about that. Take the time to get yourself where you need to be.

Quinn_Town