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Feeling Lazy?
Feeling Lazy?
| Name: | Phil Carlisle |  |
|---|---|---|
| Date Posted: | Jul 10, 2007 | |
| Rating: |  4.5 out of 5 | |
| Public: | YES | |
| Comments: | YES | |
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| Profile Page: | View profile page for Phil Carlisle |
Blog post
I know, we all do it. We all feel lazy sometimes. I know I do.
I recently thought about how a whole community relies on GG to develop technology for them. I mean, who hasnt sat back and thought "ok, I could do this myself, but I will wait until GG release <product name/version here> with that feature in instead"??
I am sure many of you know what I mean. We kind of sit back and think wether we want to do the work, or we want to sit and let someone else do it, so we choose to sit.
But I've come to realize that sitting isnt progress. What I mean is that inevitably that road leads to a place where you never actually accomplish anything because there is always an excuse to blame someone else. It's bad enough that I let students do that kind of thing, but I'm fully capable of doing whatever thing I'm waiting for. So clearly my own lack of drive its whats causing me to sit.
Now thats off my chest, I'll leave you with this thought. If you've ever wondered why one game gets finished and another doesn't, ask yourself this... "Did they sit back, or did they get on and do?". Thats the crux of it. NEVER wait for someone else to create your technology. Employ the technology you have OR embark on your own. Dont be afraid to cut features if thats what it takes, but fundamentally, never EVER rely on someone else to do something you need. Unless of course you are fully in control of that person (paying) or have a balanced view of the risk.
We recently had a very stark choice to make regarding third party development. Our choice was that we will never rely on third party development for ANYTHING. Not because we have a "not invented here" attitude, but because if we rely on third parties, we simply never drive ourselves forward, there is always someone else to blame, or some other feature to wait for. Basically we never GET IT DONE.
Ok, might sound preachy, but I'm really just being self critical. Right now I'm in a very productive mood, have LOTS more technology I want to look at and I'm just getting on with it. I love it when I feel like this and part of this rejuvenation is the freedom from the self-inflicted shackles of waiting for someone else.
So, more info to come on various things I'm working on. Hopefully some screenshots soon too.
I recently thought about how a whole community relies on GG to develop technology for them. I mean, who hasnt sat back and thought "ok, I could do this myself, but I will wait until GG release <product name/version here> with that feature in instead"??
I am sure many of you know what I mean. We kind of sit back and think wether we want to do the work, or we want to sit and let someone else do it, so we choose to sit.
But I've come to realize that sitting isnt progress. What I mean is that inevitably that road leads to a place where you never actually accomplish anything because there is always an excuse to blame someone else. It's bad enough that I let students do that kind of thing, but I'm fully capable of doing whatever thing I'm waiting for. So clearly my own lack of drive its whats causing me to sit.
Now thats off my chest, I'll leave you with this thought. If you've ever wondered why one game gets finished and another doesn't, ask yourself this... "Did they sit back, or did they get on and do?". Thats the crux of it. NEVER wait for someone else to create your technology. Employ the technology you have OR embark on your own. Dont be afraid to cut features if thats what it takes, but fundamentally, never EVER rely on someone else to do something you need. Unless of course you are fully in control of that person (paying) or have a balanced view of the risk.
We recently had a very stark choice to make regarding third party development. Our choice was that we will never rely on third party development for ANYTHING. Not because we have a "not invented here" attitude, but because if we rely on third parties, we simply never drive ourselves forward, there is always someone else to blame, or some other feature to wait for. Basically we never GET IT DONE.
Ok, might sound preachy, but I'm really just being self critical. Right now I'm in a very productive mood, have LOTS more technology I want to look at and I'm just getting on with it. I love it when I feel like this and part of this rejuvenation is the freedom from the self-inflicted shackles of waiting for someone else.
So, more info to come on various things I'm working on. Hopefully some screenshots soon too.
Recent Blog Posts
| List: | 11/28/08 - GDC AI sessions 09/18/08 - Tell me I'm not going crazy!! 12/05/07 - The importance of good tools for productivity 11/17/07 - Using the way back machine. 09/21/07 - Juggling cats. 09/04/07 - End of Summer. 08/27/07 - Come work with me!! 08/14/07 - The changing nature of entertainment |
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Submit your own resources!| Jay Barnson (Jul 10, 2007 at 18:47 GMT) |
Generally, I make do with the latter.
Now, if I finished games faster, that would be less of a problem, now, wouldn't it? :)
But you are right --- putting yourself in a "waiting on someone else" mode will cripple you. Period. I find myself getting into that mode for content... and then failing to take the steps I need to to make sure it gets done by someone else. Or myself.
| Joshua Dallman (Jul 10, 2007 at 19:02 GMT) |
| Kevin James (Jul 10, 2007 at 19:45 GMT) |
Quote:
"ok, I could do this myself, but I will wait until GG release <product name/version here> with that feature in instead"
I laughed out lout when I read this. Insert Torque Game Builder version 1.5 of course.
My only problem is that I don't really have any programming skills. I'm a decent Torque Scriptor, but I'm lost when it comes to C++. Still, in most cases there is a semi-decent workaround script solution, and with a little luck I can usually find it.
| Phil Carlisle (Jul 10, 2007 at 19:52 GMT) |
| Tom Bampton (Jul 10, 2007 at 19:54 GMT) |
Quote:
My problem is that I then face nightmare integration if / when GG *DOES* release a new version of whatever technology I'm using... or I have to give up on using the improvements / bug-fixes with the new version.
It depends on how late in the development cycle the official code is released.
If it's early on, you don't lose much by switching to the official code. Sure, you'll have a bit of wasted time, but in the grand scheme of things it's more or less negligible.
If it's somewhere in the middle, you have to make an intelligent evaluation of which is most appropriate and go with that.
If it's late in the development cycle, then your code is likely to be more appropriate to the project, the team already knows it intimately and it's probably better tested. Those are big enough plusses to not use the official code, in my opinion.
This completely ignores the fact that a new feature big enough to cause an issue is more than likely only going to happen in a new major version of the engine, which brings with it a whole slew of additional issues that you likely don't want to deal with mid-project.
T.
| Anton Bursch (Jul 10, 2007 at 20:07 GMT) |
| J Sears (Jul 10, 2007 at 20:53 GMT) |
So don't forget there are those of us who would LIKE to make changes before GG/third party come out with them but also CAN'T. Look at the mmo kit coming out soon from prarie. I'm sure tons of us would love to have the engine all setup to do that right now but truly don't have the ability and thus we wait. But I know plenty of us in that group are trying to learn to code, it just takes time to learn
| Ajari Wilson (Jul 10, 2007 at 20:57 GMT) |
Quote:
never EVER rely on someone else to do something you need.
These are the words I live by, and not just for game development either. To rely on someone else is to give them control over your projects and/or your life.
The ONLY reasons I would ever rely on an outsider or "new person" for anything crucial would be:
A) Because we have a shared vision and that they have proven that they are just as dedicated as I am (no longer making them an outsider).
B) Because I'm paying them and we have a signed contract saying that they will get the job done.
| David Higgins (Jul 10, 2007 at 21:54 GMT) Resource Rating: 4 |
I agree with this logic, and, at the same time, I understand that some people can't just "live by it", such as Kevin and J pointed out. However, for this niche of developers out there, the best route is to pick the best tool to do the job.
If the tool can't do it, and you can't make the tool do it -- the tool is not right for the job. In some cases, you may have the wrong job for the tools at hand. You can't build a house with a Pocket Knife and a Screw Driver (you can -- but damn, that'd be a horrible house) ... but, knowing you have a Pocket Knife and a Screw Driver, you can make a doll house.
So, in short -- if your toolbox isn't complete, make what you can and continue adding to your toolbox with time.
ie; Keep Learning, never stop ... even the most experienced developers don't know it all, I have been developing for the past 15 years and I learn something new every day I goto work or I start a new game project.
| Andy Hawkins (Jul 10, 2007 at 23:47 GMT) |
Essentially I was procrastinating without doing any solid game dev. Is this lazy too? Probably...
Edited on Jul 10, 2007 23:47 GMT
| Jameson Bennett (Jul 11, 2007 at 01:14 GMT) Resource Rating: 5 |
| Gareth Fouche (Jul 11, 2007 at 07:26 GMT) |
About Jays problem, I've found script and a bit of careful programming very helpful in dealing with merging changes. Script is wonderful for creating core gameplay mechanics without ever touching code. Apart from AFX and some AI changes, my changes to the engine are minimal. You can achieve a HELLOVA lot with script.
But another aspect is, as you mentioned, being willing to sacrifice to get it done. The problem is most of us are enthusiastic dreamers. We have a shiny vision in our heads and spend all our time trying to achieve that fantasy, then get burnt out and give up. If you aren't willing to give up parts of that dream to the goal of simply crossing the finish line, it's unlikely you will succeed.
I know, looking at my list of desired art content, I am feeling that pressure myself. Even buying up every content pack I can get my hands on leaves me with a long list of stuff I need to do myself. As much as I wish I had a few Todd Pickens clones around to help out, at the end of the day if you aren't prepared to buckle down and do it yourself then you probably shouldn't count on it.
| Marcel Boule (Jul 11, 2007 at 08:02 GMT) |
I know it's a marketing thing, but you always feel like you'd better wait, it's frustrating when you do it yourself and then discover that it is released a few days later.
If I had a "soon but not until this date" that would be easier to decide what to develop.
| Timothy Aste (Jul 11, 2007 at 08:16 GMT) |
We only provide tools, we can't provide the game for you. It's a harsh realization, but at some point if you have no programming skills, your going to have have to find someone who can program your vision if you can't. Demos are demos, not games unfortunately. Just think of it as a WoW instance, you're eventually going to need to find someone and party up to tackle that instance since trying to go solo would be suicide unless you can do everything. :)
Yeah that's a pretty nerdy analogy...
Edited on Jul 11, 2007 08:17 GMT
| Phil Carlisle (Jul 11, 2007 at 09:10 GMT) |
So in that case, perhaps its better to JOIN someone else and help them with THIER project, especially if they are more skilled. At some point you'll either have gel'd enough that you can rely on them to do work with you and work on YOUR project, or you'll have learnt enough to tackle it alone anyway.
There's absolutely nothing wrong with people learning as they go and expanding thier horizons, but you have to start small. You wouldnt give a 1 day apprentice painter the cistene chapel to paint would you? But once someone CAN paint well enough, actually waiting for someone else should take a back seat and you should move forward by yourself.
I guess my comments are aimed more at myself than less experienced devs, but it still holds for the most part.
| Matt Huston (Jul 11, 2007 at 16:10 GMT) |
As Phil said though, this is a common characteristic with everything in game development, and I'm sure outside of it. For instance, recently I read a post where a guy was explaining how he would learn DirectX once 10 is fully out. Now that is sheer lazyness and procrastination and if he actually does take the time to learn it once it comes out, well great on him, however 99% of people who say that won't and he could of had some basic knowledge of 3d programming going into it if he started learning now.
| David Cobb (Jul 13, 2007 at 01:57 GMT) |
Fortunately, I got some contract work that came up so I have a little "procrastination" time for my game projects to wait for TGB 1.5. But I guess the key is, while I often rely on other people's code and tools for the base, I need to keep from getting lazy and not be afraid to do what I have to do in order to make progress.
GG should take all the time they need to make TGB 1.5 an awesome and stable upgrade. If they take too long for one of my projects, then I can still use it later on something else. No big deal.
| Steve Flowers (Jul 13, 2007 at 06:08 GMT) |
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