What do you do when your motivation seems gone?

#1 1)Play a game you know will be REALLY polished, most Nintendo Titles will do. Play it, Beat it. Remeber why you invested all the time into development. Use the Polished title as a benchmark to reach.

2)Get someone who rarely plays games, watch him, don't help make a note at all the things they are confused by.

3)Get Someone who ALWAYS plays games ( but is new to your game) repeat number 2.

4) Fix those things, bring it to a level of Polish of the Nintendo Title.

5) If those don't work rember that once your game is out you will have the Credientials to attend GDC and E3.

#2 When motivation was low for me, I played my game with my testers and saw how much fun they were having, and realized how much fun I was having.

That tended to boost me right back up :)

#3 We have been working on GG for a LONG time now, yet we are not as far along as I wanted to be. Somedays (weeks) myself or one of the other GG crew would have this downer feeling. The only way to handle it is to just get up, and do the work, day in and day out. Eventually, something will happen that will bring back the spark. When the spark returns, you will be glad you hung in there:)

#4 I always play games when I'm not motivated. Like Anthony said, play Nintendo games cause they are simple and fun. Then I talk with my partner about our game, and go look at some crappy games so that you feel you have a chance. "If they can sell this, then we can sell ours." <---- Get this attitude. Also, do some small things that motivate you. If you have a local game chapter, talk to them and get added to their list of developers. We recently did here www.austingamedevelopers.com/sxsw/studios.txt and we are featured in their flyer at the SXSW event here. Really helped our motivation.

#5 When working on your own or remotely its pretty easy to have non productive "downer" days where you just don't feel motivated. In a normal office environment these days would be countered by someone who you are working with that is having a productive day and thus you feed off of their productive and positive emotions and desire to get a lot of stuff done.

Personally I found that you need to take breaks from your own game development and play something else. I personally use my Xbox for this because A) it gets me away from my computer, B) it feels more relaxing because I can be lounging on my couch and C) you just play a game without worrying about configuration BS.

To further add to the fun a number of us (ie. GG guys, Bravetree guys, 21-6 guys and MGT guys) all have Xbox Live and will play with one another weekly or bi-weekly. By doing this we catch up on things and get to play a fun casual game in a good social setting where we can joke around and entertain one another.

I would also recommend that you get out and do things. Try not to spend more than 50% of your free time working on your game because that will bring you to burnout city. Socialize with friends, go see a movie, visit with family, go partake in some sporting event, etc.

#6 My recommendation is to have several activities that you are competing in and can win at. For example I have game development, my wood floor business, game playing (especially something competitive like Orbz), excercise routines, and lots of different relationships/friends. I view each of these things as a way for me to win.

If I'm currently not winning at game development then I charge into something else, win, and then come back. This way I'm always winning at something. Sometimes you'll have that losing feeling in your game development and that'll motivate you to do good in another aspect of your life. When that other aspect goes belly up for a bit it'll recharge you on the games front.

I've drawn energy from each and every field of my life to invest it in another. I put my .plan up about getting ranked #1 in Orbz a while back. That may seem silly but it seriously helped me feel better and move on in other areas because I know I can get to the top of the heap if I just keep plugging away.

#7 @Jeff : Oh lord.. I'm so dumb.. It's just liek any other kind of "writers' block" is what you're saying.. I get this for painting and for costumes too.. and the only way through is to just force myself to do it.. I'll try that.

Interestingly enough, I find the largest part of my motivation for making games is hating the bad design of other games.. I always want to make my own games the most when I'm frustrated or annoyed with the bad way others are put together..

#8 I am reminded of a story about the question asked about how to tell a professional dancer from an amateur dancer... The answer went something like...

"On a good day, a amateur will have a good performance, and on a bad day, an amateur will have a bad performance. On a good day, a professional will have a good performance, and on a bad day, a professional will have a good performance..."

We all have ups and downs. Keep the goal in mind. Get something done everyday. If you have trouble getting started, start with something small and get it done. Count every success, big or small.

And always, ALWAYS, take time to congratulate yourself on what you have accomplished. A success is not a success until you have enjoyed it.

#9 I find that having somewhat of a schedule helps... set milestones and set dates... if you need to even set what you need to do each day, a daily goal... that way you are motivated towards that day goal... just taking things one step at a time...

On the other hand I also find I need to force myself to sit and play something fun, play some games I enjoy, relax a bit... it helps to clear your mind a bit sometimes also

#10 Drink more Jolt Cola

#11 This kind of slowdown is probably normal when making a big context switch; moving from coding to art. Art is not all fun and games, but it sure seems like that when I'm coding.

#12 Sometime music can help...

Positive tunes..
You may laugh... but at times a tune like the one from (I think they were called like this) Living Joy..... main message of the tune is Don't Stop Moving...
and certain tunes from Prodigy and even some high energy tune from Anastacia can work wonders...

maybe have a short break... wash your face with cold water...
get back to your PC and listen to some high energy tune.

It works for me:)

#13 It might sound a bit silly, but when Im not feeling motivated to work on my project I imagine playing it in my mind - huge levels with awesome scenery, a multitude of vehicles and weapons to choose from, impressive AI, and on and on. Basically I just zone out and "play" the finished product in my mind. It also helps to generate more ideas and streamline things.
Hokuto has a great point, listening to upbeat happy music helps me work on my project. I like ATB - Its a Fine Day in particular, and even though its not upbeat, Pink Floyd to help me get motivated.
Now this is going to sound REALLY stupid, but I sometimes put on some techno tunes and just get outta my seat and groove to it in order to burn off excess energy that would probably end up causing a distraction for me (Im just a tad high energy and ADD so music helps calm me A LOT). But make sure nobody is around to see you and your curtains are closed if you take this approach ;p
And Hokuto, are you sure it wasnt ATB - Don't Stop that youre referring to?

#14 I find the worst thing for me is staring new (not neccessarily an entire project; could just be a new part). I'll just really be out of the zone to even start. When I get like this I try to give myself 5 minute goals. Things I can get done in 5 minutes. For example if I'm making a texture for a model, a goal could be to export the UV layout for the model get it up in a painting program and add one color to the whole thing. I make the goals so ridiculously simple that they are almost insignificant to the end result (basically approaching it like you were doing a tutorial). After finishing that I'll make a new goal. I find after doing it a couple of times I completely forget about making those goals and I just start getting stuff done.

The reason I do this is because I find thinking about the scope of a project is my worst enemy. When something is so large I can't grasp it I loose sight of what I need to do now, even the simplest little things and it stops me from starting. I know what needs to be done but I'm not really thinking about how (even if I've done it a hundred times before).

It doesn't always work for me but on days like that I can tell I'm getting burnt out and it may be time for a break anyway.

#15 Thank you everyone who sent me motivational tips.. I'm trying them all! :)

#16 It's easy for me. First I eat me some tasty Ramen Noodle soup. I then stare at the walls of my 8x10 room that I live in. Then if thats not enough I'll go outside and turn the key on my truck a few times and listen to it gurgle to life.

Which usually does it, but if thats still not enough I'll turn on my windshield wipers that don't work, and my turn signal which doesn't work.

If I still feel un-motivated I'll go to McDonalds and watch them work, and think about working there the rest of my life.

Ussually that solves any motivational problems.

#17 Zen_Budha's statement actually motivated me just now haha.

#18 Minor update for those tuning in: I set aside a day and cleared other projects and commissions and forced myself to get back into it. A short time after beginning, I began to hit snags and problems and that got me going. As challenges hit, I began to get very interested again.. fingers crossed :)

#19 Fail66
Do they still make Jolt Cola?

#20

Quote:If I still feel un-motivated I'll go to McDonalds and watch them work, and think about working there the rest of my life.

Yup, that does it for me.