Motivation...
Author
Reading this forum always gets me in the mood for programming something of my own. Ive been programming on small uncompleted games for some time but ive never managed to finish one really. I have basic knowledge in C/C++ and i know i could make a simple game, i even have a game idea i know will work. Im planning on programming something for the GBA platform and I have been reading tutorials and have basic understanding in how the platform works. I have idea, graphics, and all that stuff.My probelm is that i never get started.
Is anyone else experiencing the same thing or have anyone got any tips on how to really get started in the best way?
Thank you
Hi,
I think you need to design more, well not so much design more really just go into greater detail, you need to break down your game into the smallest parts that you can programme e.g. functions, when youve decided on a function like say adding to numbers together write it on paper in pesudo code. i.e
1.0 Add to numbers together
-----------------------------------
1.0 get first number form user
2.0 store first number
3.0 get second number from user
4.0 store scond number
5.0 preform calculation
6.0 store the result of added numbers
7.0 output stored result to screen
-----------------------------------
then write your function e.g
this is just a simple example and should only be looked at like that obviously your functions/proceedures will be more complicated
you get the idea, i find it helps alot to design this way as it allows me to avoid problems later on, maybe that will get you on the road to getting something completed.
hope it helps a bit anyway
cheers
I think you need to design more, well not so much design more really just go into greater detail, you need to break down your game into the smallest parts that you can programme e.g. functions, when youve decided on a function like say adding to numbers together write it on paper in pesudo code. i.e
1.0 Add to numbers together
-----------------------------------
1.0 get first number form user
2.0 store first number
3.0 get second number from user
4.0 store scond number
5.0 preform calculation
6.0 store the result of added numbers
7.0 output stored result to screen
-----------------------------------
then write your function e.g
void addnum(void){ int num,num2; scanf(blah blah blahthis is just a simple example and should only be looked at like that obviously your functions/proceedures will be more complicated
you get the idea, i find it helps alot to design this way as it allows me to avoid problems later on, maybe that will get you on the road to getting something completed.
hope it helps a bit anyway
cheers
Just come up with a good design first. Start out small, and make yourself a small library of functions that can be reused. Let your design cook for a while in your head too.
I''m often in the same boat as you, unmotivated. The only thing I can really find to motivate me is working with other people or reading other projects people are working on. I like to visit this site often just to motivate myself. Sometimes I have to force myself to start working on something but usually when I start working I don''t want to stop. It helps to also set a goal for yourself and then aim for that goal. I''m working on something with two other people and I aim to have it done by the end of the summer, its something small to get us to learn more about game programming, or rather get us started in game programming. I can''t tell you the best way to get started because for everyone that is different.
Author
I agree, i really get motivated by this site 
I''ll try to force my lazy ass to get started, cause i know ill enjoy it as im getting things done
I''ll try to force my lazy ass to get started, cause i know ill enjoy it as im getting things done
The motivation problem comes from the challenge... if it''s too easy or too hard, you lose motivation.
A lot of new game programmers lose interest because they set their sights too high and later realise the coding is impossible to them.
I lose motivation because once I''ve managed to get x, y, or z to work I have to then start tidying everything up and bugfixing things.
Like yourself, I''ve never completed a full project, there is always something left to be done, the little bits of cleaning, mainly, or the fact that it was too hard for me.
I also suffer from the problem that my coding style is evolutional, as I learn more, the stuff i coded previously becomes outdated and i have to recode it all, boring to say the least.
So if you have a set style and way of doing is (as i do now), start with a simple project that you know will challenge you in some way... eg: You''ve done something like this, but not combined with something like this...
it''s how I''m doing it now and I seem to be motivated enough to carry on.
A lot of new game programmers lose interest because they set their sights too high and later realise the coding is impossible to them.
I lose motivation because once I''ve managed to get x, y, or z to work I have to then start tidying everything up and bugfixing things.
Like yourself, I''ve never completed a full project, there is always something left to be done, the little bits of cleaning, mainly, or the fact that it was too hard for me.
I also suffer from the problem that my coding style is evolutional, as I learn more, the stuff i coded previously becomes outdated and i have to recode it all, boring to say the least.
So if you have a set style and way of doing is (as i do now), start with a simple project that you know will challenge you in some way... eg: You''ve done something like this, but not combined with something like this...
it''s how I''m doing it now and I seem to be motivated enough to carry on.
something that seems obvious but is really important: write down all your ideas. I have around 5 or 6 notepad text files saved on my desktop which I just created when I was feeling inspired and wrote a bunch of crap down. Everything from game ideas, AI ideas, mathematics, level design ideas, anything. Go into as much detail as you can. This will help give you ammunition to work on. When you''re feeling uninspired, browse through your notes and pick something to work on.
I read a quote once about a guy who was a writer and used to have difficulty getting himself motiviated to write. He said he needed the ''spirit to move him''before he could get going. Anyway the quote was something like:
"I usually need the spirit to move me before I can write, but sometimes I just have to put pen to paper and move the spirit"
And I think the moral of the story is, when you''re feeling demotivated, load up your IDE of choice, load up your project, set fingers on keyboard and just CODE! You''ll struggle for a few minutes or so but if you get though that bit, you''ll soon get into it again. If you do that every time you feel demotivated, it becomes a habit and demotivation becomes a thing of the past.
You can apply this to anything really!
Caroline M.
"I usually need the spirit to move me before I can write, but sometimes I just have to put pen to paper and move the spirit"
And I think the moral of the story is, when you''re feeling demotivated, load up your IDE of choice, load up your project, set fingers on keyboard and just CODE! You''ll struggle for a few minutes or so but if you get though that bit, you''ll soon get into it again. If you do that every time you feel demotivated, it becomes a habit and demotivation becomes a thing of the past.
You can apply this to anything really!
Caroline M.
quote:Original post by Caroline_M
And I think the moral of the story is, when you''re feeling demotivated, load up your IDE of choice, load up your project, set fingers on keyboard and just CODE! You''ll struggle for a few minutes or so but if you get though that bit, you''ll soon get into it again. If you do that every time you feel demotivated, it becomes a habit and demotivation becomes a thing of the past.
That generally works for me as long as I have the module I am going to code planned out already, if I don''t have it thought out well enough I will invariably be re-doing it, or at least reorganizing it. With my current project (my first "real" game), I have been trying to plan things out well enough, but without planning so much that I never get started. I think there is somewhat of a balance to acheive there. I think the best part about my current project is that even if I am not motivated for a while, I always end up coming back to it when I am.
Hi,
I have very little spare time and I quickly realized that me as well as most of the people can''t get at the end of a complicated game project.
That''s why I''d strongly recommend whoever had this sort of experience not to start from scratch.
For example, I see there are hundreds of people out there trying to build their engines for tile-based RPGs. Why not using one that works already, so that you don''t duplicate efforts.
--Cris
---
btw: Why not using my game engine (which is multiplayer and is not tile-based, also. See:
http://www.gamedev.net/community/forums/topic.asp?topic_id=161326
)
I have very little spare time and I quickly realized that me as well as most of the people can''t get at the end of a complicated game project.
That''s why I''d strongly recommend whoever had this sort of experience not to start from scratch.
For example, I see there are hundreds of people out there trying to build their engines for tile-based RPGs. Why not using one that works already, so that you don''t duplicate efforts.
--Cris
---
btw: Why not using my game engine (which is multiplayer and is not tile-based, also. See:
http://www.gamedev.net/community/forums/topic.asp?topic_id=161326
)
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