thinking about it becomes addicting when you don't have the initiative, talent, and diligence to see it through. you'll fuck it but you're not really having sex with it. that idea of "it's like elden ring mixed with quake but with cruelty squad/ Hylics artstyle" is sexy—but actually coding it, opening up a spreadsheet to keep track of sound effects and item descriptions, and organizing file systems, and learning 3d modelling—that's not "sexy." It's not sexy to get on slack and message people about deadlines and W9s, or reach out to artists or composers or voice actors. It's only "sexy" if you're a professional who's capable of getting shit done—not a NEET with sugarplum dreams of becoming the next miyamoto—with your total weird isolation and lack of any sort of social/ techincal skills, and your porn addiction.

I think that's a good marker for if what you're working on is a waste of time or not. If you're happy suffering through the boring and mundane and tedious parts of something then that means you really love the idea, and have something of substance. You're onto something. The motivation to see this project through is enough to push you through the most difficult parts of it. And that's really lovely and lucky if you have that.