What do you do when your motivation seems gone?
by Quest Johnny · in General Discussion · 03/17/2005 (7:56 am) · 29 replies
I was wondering if anybody/any teams out there had encountered this problem and had any constructive advice..
My game is very near to completion. I'm in the art stage and all I need to do to finish is just a few things: animating some models, making some textures, constructing interiors, building terrain. These are things I usually find the most fun and I left purposefully to last, doing all the difficult coding/technical things first. However, I seem to lack motivation to continue, and I don't understand why. I want the game to be completed..
As a VP Dev of many years, I'm well-acquainted with the 'trickle' effect at the end of software projects: When all the major challenges are surmounted, and there is a known list of things and bugs left to do, progress usually slows to a crawl. The way we had combatted this in the past was to have a next project waiting, that usually spurred the developers on to finish. I have some ideas of what game to make next, but no definite decision, and it is not helping me to complete.
Does anyone have any helpful advice how to complete this? Completing my first game in Torque is an important milestone for me, and I very much want to do it.
My game is very near to completion. I'm in the art stage and all I need to do to finish is just a few things: animating some models, making some textures, constructing interiors, building terrain. These are things I usually find the most fun and I left purposefully to last, doing all the difficult coding/technical things first. However, I seem to lack motivation to continue, and I don't understand why. I want the game to be completed..
As a VP Dev of many years, I'm well-acquainted with the 'trickle' effect at the end of software projects: When all the major challenges are surmounted, and there is a known list of things and bugs left to do, progress usually slows to a crawl. The way we had combatted this in the past was to have a next project waiting, that usually spurred the developers on to finish. I have some ideas of what game to make next, but no definite decision, and it is not helping me to complete.
Does anyone have any helpful advice how to complete this? Completing my first game in Torque is an important milestone for me, and I very much want to do it.
About the author
#22
Nearing the end is great - you can almost smell that money :) After all, finishing is why you started in the first place - just think of all that beer :)
If that all sounds cocky - it's not meant to, it's just the right way to do it.
04/02/2005 (4:42 pm)
Planning. Pure and simple. If you have done your preparation before hand and have basic story from which comes a detailed design document, a project plan and breakdown of milesstones - you can't loose focus.Nearing the end is great - you can almost smell that money :) After all, finishing is why you started in the first place - just think of all that beer :)
If that all sounds cocky - it's not meant to, it's just the right way to do it.
#23
Sadly, we got to about the 90-95% mark and the programmer had to set the project aside indefinitely. Now that is a bummer, and one I'm not sure from which I've recovered (poured heart, soul, some $$, and three years into it).
But seriously: Give it your best effort so that no matter what you can look back and say as much. If you need testers, I'm sure there are plenty of people here willing to try out a new game (be ready for hash critiques, though!).
You might also jot down notes for a post-mortem so that you (and others, if you show us) may learn from what worked and what didn't.
Good luck!
-Eric
edit: linkage repair
04/16/2005 (3:30 pm)
I found myself in a similar situation with Trajectory Zone. I'd work hard on the game for a while, then get bummed because it wasn't happening as fast as we'd hoped. But, I'd keep chugging at it, and eventually I found that my game art had improved tremendously.Sadly, we got to about the 90-95% mark and the programmer had to set the project aside indefinitely. Now that is a bummer, and one I'm not sure from which I've recovered (poured heart, soul, some $$, and three years into it).
But seriously: Give it your best effort so that no matter what you can look back and say as much. If you need testers, I'm sure there are plenty of people here willing to try out a new game (be ready for hash critiques, though!).
You might also jot down notes for a post-mortem so that you (and others, if you show us) may learn from what worked and what didn't.
Good luck!
-Eric
edit: linkage repair
#24
Often leaving your work for a period relaxes me, and lets me think about it if I have to and come back fresh and abl to look at it from a new perspective.
04/16/2005 (5:21 pm)
Heh Rob. Thats pretty much what I do. Unless I absolutely have to because of a deadline, I save my weekends for family, friends, and getting out of the house. Often leaving your work for a period relaxes me, and lets me think about it if I have to and come back fresh and abl to look at it from a new perspective.
#25
Sometimes I watch an inspiring movie.
Music helps at times.
Getting away from your entire routine--computer and all--can help, as in talking a walk in nature or somewhere peaceful for you.
Or sometimes I smoke a doobie, but not often.
***use these examples at own risk***
04/17/2005 (3:47 am)
Yeah, I play a game too.Sometimes I watch an inspiring movie.
Music helps at times.
Getting away from your entire routine--computer and all--can help, as in talking a walk in nature or somewhere peaceful for you.
Or sometimes I smoke a doobie, but not often.
***use these examples at own risk***
#26
i do mostly 3d stuff, creating models and worlds, or 2d artworks, so i have to scribble a lot and practise in drawing is always needed.
if sitting in front of screen keeps you going down, just grab a pen and paper and scribble, draw, just switch your current occupation to something different (and also needed for your results).
on the other hand there are times, in which it is needed to push trough something. repeating the mantra "each click takes it further, each click takes it further,.." is helping..
yes,, music is also recommended for sure
yes, especially music while working, especially "idle hands are the devils plaything" by bonny prince billy (will oldham)
but that's just .. something to depend on personal likes..
ahm, anyway, just opinions.
ka
05/03/2005 (10:27 am)
I use the technique to switch my area of work sometimes.i do mostly 3d stuff, creating models and worlds, or 2d artworks, so i have to scribble a lot and practise in drawing is always needed.
if sitting in front of screen keeps you going down, just grab a pen and paper and scribble, draw, just switch your current occupation to something different (and also needed for your results).
on the other hand there are times, in which it is needed to push trough something. repeating the mantra "each click takes it further, each click takes it further,.." is helping..
yes,, music is also recommended for sure
yes, especially music while working, especially "idle hands are the devils plaything" by bonny prince billy (will oldham)
but that's just .. something to depend on personal likes..
ahm, anyway, just opinions.
ka
#27
05/03/2005 (10:31 am)
One thing I like to do is since I have a laptop with a ati 9600 mobility card I just go outside and work, on a clear sunny day it's nice to see things moving in the backround which can be a needed distraction at times. Course when I am developing on the desktop I don't have the same luxury. 
#28
Though sometimes you just need to crack the whip on yourself (so to say)
05/03/2005 (7:17 pm)
I like having a lot of things to do lol. Maybe too many, but it keeps me with many options... if I really am not getting motivated to work on one thing I have a good 6-8 other things I could be working on, usually one of them will strike my interest enough to start thinking then possibly work on.Though sometimes you just need to crack the whip on yourself (so to say)
Torque Owner Mark Barner
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