Ever felt unmotivated?
by Kevin Mitchell · in General Discussion · 12/11/2012 (5:23 am) · 10 replies
I've been working every day for 6 weeks and finally got an off day. I want to work on my RPG Package but my mind is so blown right now its hard to stay focused... I really want to get this done but I'm so blah its not even funny... What do you all do to get juiced again?
About the author
Riding Solo since 2005. Current Project: Fated World 2005-Present RPG Engine Tool Kit - Now available.
#2
12/11/2012 (7:43 am)
Quote:
Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm
#3
12/11/2012 (11:26 am)
I've been working everyday for a couple of weeks too. I just try to always have good sleep (not waking up earlier to start working) and every day I spend 2-3 hours on things I love to do (besides making games) 
#4
* Spend time with the wife
* Catch up on Walking Dead
* Change the 12th baby diaper
* Eat food without doing GG work at the same time
* Realize I've only played a total of 1 hour on gaming this week
* The Xanax kicks in
* The whiskey kicks in
In other words, I spend 10-12 hours a day writing code for GarageGames. When I have time that isn't owned by GG, I'd love to work on my own game, but life gets in the way and I realize I will burn out fast. Motivation gets destroyed when I realize laziness is far more fun.
What gets me juiced is when someone else gives me a feasible challenge. "Convert the entire math library into Objective-C." "Create a memory game for your niece in less than 24 hours". Stuff like that.
12/11/2012 (1:22 pm)
On nearly every single side project I've started. I get really excited because I can get a prototype of something really badass running, then I get deflated as soon as I have to do one of the following:* Spend time with the wife
* Catch up on Walking Dead
* Change the 12th baby diaper
* Eat food without doing GG work at the same time
* Realize I've only played a total of 1 hour on gaming this week
* The Xanax kicks in
* The whiskey kicks in
In other words, I spend 10-12 hours a day writing code for GarageGames. When I have time that isn't owned by GG, I'd love to work on my own game, but life gets in the way and I realize I will burn out fast. Motivation gets destroyed when I realize laziness is far more fun.
What gets me juiced is when someone else gives me a feasible challenge. "Convert the entire math library into Objective-C." "Create a memory game for your niece in less than 24 hours". Stuff like that.
#5
12/11/2012 (4:37 pm)
Mike i can really feel where you are coming from with the 10-12 hours. I usually get to work at 6-7 AM and i'm always leaving around 8-10 PM it gets exhausting fast! 
#6
12/12/2012 (2:41 am)
If I'm feeling less than motivated I usually do something else creative, play my guitar, or cello, hit the shooting range, read a book, and/or drink lots of rum. One way or another I come back to what I was doing. Taking on a challenge is often a good pick-me-up. If I continue to feel disinterested but feel the press of time, then stepping back and defining clear goals in manageable chunks is in order, then I just chip away at it. 
#7
While you work on your project some new mind-blowing, earth shattering, super awesome MORPG ideas come in and you just can't wait to finish your current project and jump into a new one.
Where is the guaranties that another project is going to be finished if you bail on your current one?
You just have to stick with it and finish it off.
12/12/2012 (6:54 am)
I hate working on my game, really pissed off. But I stay professional and just do the job.While you work on your project some new mind-blowing, earth shattering, super awesome MORPG ideas come in and you just can't wait to finish your current project and jump into a new one.
Where is the guaranties that another project is going to be finished if you bail on your current one?
You just have to stick with it and finish it off.
#8
The only difference is I did start my next project. After a couple weeks break I actually feel refreshed enough to finish making the 100 levels I planned on making on my first project. I'm draining the creative juices on level 96 though.
I especially find listening to music helps focus on game making.
I also find that being alone and at night helps.
12/12/2012 (8:23 pm)
Ha Ha, Vlad that's just about exactly the feeling I had for my current game. The only difference is I did start my next project. After a couple weeks break I actually feel refreshed enough to finish making the 100 levels I planned on making on my first project. I'm draining the creative juices on level 96 though.
I especially find listening to music helps focus on game making.
I also find that being alone and at night helps.
#9
I do my best work between 11pm and 3am.....after a 2hr nap and a fresh pot of coffee.
12/20/2012 (11:12 pm)
Quote:I especially find listening to music helps focus on game making.
I also find that being alone and at night helps.
I do my best work between 11pm and 3am.....after a 2hr nap and a fresh pot of coffee.
#10
Honestly I am not sure I would want to play a game that was not some kind of labor of love behind the title. I would go back to purpose: Why am I doing this? The "why" is important. What message are you trying to convey? What new novel concept are you introducing to the world of gaming? What concept am I trying to bring to the world? Imagine what it would be like to play the game for a new player. The wonder, the oops I got killed by that thing, the victories, all of it in detail in the minds eye. Personally, I think if you are not trying to somehow improve the world with your media: movies, music, games, books, etc then perhaps you should find another profession. There is already too much media out there that sucks people's souls from their bodies and leaves then lesser than if they had gone without the experience. Yes, this is harsh, but media can touch the soul with love, or it can make the soul jaded.
Here is how I see some games and movies:
Just do the world a favor and don't make TV or movie or game remake junk if you can help it. Lets see some new concepts, play out theories on sociology, commerce, the world coming together as a space race rather than arms races, improve people's lives and more. Perhaps show the history some people don't know about, like the fact the Russia almost launched twice during the cold war. This is all in our power as independent developers. We have hands down the most powerful media type at our fingertips and sometimes waste it on remakes and existing genres. Yes, in the end we need to make money by making some boiler plate game types, but push the envelope a step further each time toward your vision. What you think about you become. So think about becoming awesome and you will. It is hard work, but you will master your craft after 10,000 hours of persistence and pushing the envelope.
12/24/2012 (10:53 pm)
Understand that coders are generally only effective 8 hours in a day. This is true of other professions as well. Yes, you can do short bursts of 12 hour days, but it can severely affect your work if you don't pull the throttle back. This is based upon years of human factors studies.Honestly I am not sure I would want to play a game that was not some kind of labor of love behind the title. I would go back to purpose: Why am I doing this? The "why" is important. What message are you trying to convey? What new novel concept are you introducing to the world of gaming? What concept am I trying to bring to the world? Imagine what it would be like to play the game for a new player. The wonder, the oops I got killed by that thing, the victories, all of it in detail in the minds eye. Personally, I think if you are not trying to somehow improve the world with your media: movies, music, games, books, etc then perhaps you should find another profession. There is already too much media out there that sucks people's souls from their bodies and leaves then lesser than if they had gone without the experience. Yes, this is harsh, but media can touch the soul with love, or it can make the soul jaded.
Here is how I see some games and movies:
- Halo, gave us a vision of a future where mankind has come together to fight a totalitarian regime. Among the humans they work together to explore, and fend off their enemies. Then they scare the living crap out of you! Great theme all around.
- Jade Empire, this gave me a much greater appreciation of Chinese mythology. It also talked about in every man, no matter what stage they are in life, they still have the capacity for good or evil. It also introduced mechanics that make the game very addictive and fun.
- The Path of Neo, coupled with the movies the directors get across that maybe the world as we see it now is not as it seems. Is our history really as it is told, are we really free, can we fight back? Is death of purpose and giving up as real as it is in their virtual world? It asks the questions people are afraid to ask. This is some of the most powerful media I have seen in recent years.
- The Passion of Christ and The Patriot, these movies were made at great risk to the personal careers of everyone involved. The actors from the Passion were informed that if they make the movie they will be banned from Hollywood. So the back story of the making of this film is very very interesting. The Patriot is an attempt to show you what the founders of the USA really went through. From knowing my history, they really did not go far enough, but there is really only so much ground you can cover in 2 hours.
Just do the world a favor and don't make TV or movie or game remake junk if you can help it. Lets see some new concepts, play out theories on sociology, commerce, the world coming together as a space race rather than arms races, improve people's lives and more. Perhaps show the history some people don't know about, like the fact the Russia almost launched twice during the cold war. This is all in our power as independent developers. We have hands down the most powerful media type at our fingertips and sometimes waste it on remakes and existing genres. Yes, in the end we need to make money by making some boiler plate game types, but push the envelope a step further each time toward your vision. What you think about you become. So think about becoming awesome and you will. It is hard work, but you will master your craft after 10,000 hours of persistence and pushing the envelope.
Torque Owner DreamPharaoh
Gods and Nemesis
You can try drinking a good amount of caffeine (low sugar otherwise you will crash quickly) and taking a 10 minute nap which was suggested on Reddit. This has helped me break through some spells. It kind of lets you restart fresh for some reason, but doesn't work all the time.
Sometimes by watching a video of someone else's project is enough to get me going. I will also have several areas that I want to work on so that I can more easily gravitate towards a project portion.