How do you handle motivation?

ID:1869553
 
Jun 9 2015, 2:11 pm
Throughout most of my byond-ing' I've started alot of projects which came to an end due to lack of motivation. I don't know, it's like some days I wake up and I'm sych'd to work on the game, and then a couple hours or a day after I lose all motivation.

I wanted to know if you guys have any tips or advice for STICKING to games and dealing with projects?


Jun 9 2015, 2:24 pm
I wanted to know if you guys have any tips or advice for STICKING to games and dealing with projects?

/subbed
Jun 9 2015, 5:24 pm
I decided to reactivate my account because I feel as though I can offer you some assistance. I have quite a bit of experience, you see. I've been on BYOND for 8-9 years and in that time I have failed miserably at game development, again and again, due to my lack of motivation.

You're probably thinking, "Ex-BiasMod, you fail so hard bro, how can you halp me? You ain't 1337, you 133-broke."

Well, HaxRp, I can help you by advising you to do the exact opposite of what I've done over the years.
  1. Be careful of working with negative people. Sometimes the person you're working with is full of negativity and due to their skill, both real and imagined by, they feel as though you'll deal with it. Like herpes, negativity is contagious and like any other STD, it's draining; say no and stay clear from those people.
  2. Don't get ahead of yourself ( see: HD Graphics Fail ). Set realistic goals for your game and, if need be, set milestones for yourself; such as finishing a specific system per day.
  3. Don't be too proud to ask for help. Struggling sucks, struggling on your own for hours on end sucks even more. Move on to other systems, take a break, or seek help at Dev Help; a solution can be offered by several some knowledgeable programmers.
  4. Have a spine. This goes back to being careful of who you work with. If someone is great at programming, artwork, or composing; but they're god awful at game design, you should probably stick to your guns. To clarify, I'm not saying you should be an evil dictator that's impossible to work with, we don't need a BYOND version of Christian Bale. If they leave, that's fine; there's no point purposely making a bad game and advertising it incessantly among BYOND's community.
  5. Above all else, work on something you enjoy working on. Points 1 and 4 can lead to this point, causing you to no longer feel excited about what you're making, or even find it enjoyable. In fact, it'll start to feel like a job that you can't wait to quit.
  6. Bonus: JUST DO IT!
Jun 9 2015, 7:08 pm
That HD game is actually kind of motivating itself. I never in a million years thought to see 3D on byond and that alone proves the impossible. I mean, my usual insights and hopes from finishing a project is to just...play a game I constructed for once, that FUNCTIONS.

Thank's for all the advice, I have to admit I have been surrounding myself with a bunch of idiots and people who're only interested just because they benefits or whatever it is these peeps crave for now'adays- I do think that's why most of my motivation even WITH a staff seems to drop.
Jun 9 2015, 7:29 pm
Some random thoughts:
  1. Be realistic about what you're setting out to do. If you've never finished a game before, then your next BYOND project shouldn't be an MMO. You don't need to make something ground breaking or re-invent the wheel; have your first project be something simple and doable.
  2. Don't make a game that you think other people want to play. Make a game that you want to play. If you're just learning to code then maybe don't make a game at all - simply set out with a goal to create something that interests you, ex: "I'm going to make a proof of concept for a Zelda style game".
  3. Don't rely on external motivation or approval. Getting praise and feedback from other people can be fun, but it won't keep you going.
  4. Don't go in expecting that you'll always enjoy working on your project. Sometimes you'll absolutely dread working on certain aspects of it. That's totally normal, and the way to overcome it is to stop worrying about the totality of what needs to be done, and instead just focus on the very specific next steps of the task at hand.
  5. Keep in mind that you don't have to do this; you're choosing to do it. You can stop and walk away at any time. Therefore, you either need to actually do it or be realistic with yourself and stop wasting your own time.

At the end of the day you just need to be brutally honest with yourself about what your goals are, and what it will actually take to achieve those goals. It's not going to be easy, it's not always going to be fun, and you'll definitely have days where you feel like giving up. Overcoming those challenges isn't a matter of just "keeping your eye on the prize"; you need to be absolutely sure that you want the prize before you even get started.
Jun 10 2015, 8:08 pm
Alternatively if you have good friends working alongside you, projects often stay fun and fresh for much longer. I'm working on a project with a few co-workers of mine and it's a blast.
Jun 11 2015, 6:57 am
It's simple you be a man
Jun 11 2015, 6:57 am
Cause men don't quit
Jun 11 2015, 8:32 am
In response to DanteVFenris
DanteVFenris wrote:
Cause men don't quit

President Nixon (on August 8, 1974):
Therefore, I shall resign the Presidency effective at noon tomorrow.
Jun 11 2015, 11:13 am
In response to Zecronious
Okay I had to look at a whole 4 minute video for that. Not everyone lives in usa. Heck I dont even care about the names of my own government or care what there doing.

And being a man isn't a physical thing, it's a mental ability that surpasses reason and logic. This Nixon dude clearly wasn't a man as he quit.
Jun 11 2015, 11:48 am
everything silkwizard said is what i do to push things out

simple concept that i can get playable fairly quick, can be easily described, and i don't think for a second about the story("smash bros + mario kart","2d soulsvania morpg","super crate box + hunger games")

simple art style that still can look nice. art kills 90% of games. the less art you have to do for your game, the more likely it'll be playable.

establish a basic milestone where you could leave the game and still call it "finished" any further content additions will just make it a longer game.

dont tell anyone about the game until you have a playable demo. this is a mistake a lot of people who are new to game dev make

byond theorem should be words you live by if you don't already have it memorized: "never announce something you have not yet done. try, and you will instantly lose all motivation to do it."