My problem with what stuff to finish is almost the opposite. I know how to make simple games, have made Pong, Snake and a really simple shmup, but I really wish I can come up with more original game mechanics. Plus I prefer to work more on the "inner" workings of a game, especially graphics engines. I am in the process of making a 3D engine, but I don't know how I feel about using it for just a fancy 3D Snake or shmup if you get what I mean. I don't want to finish most games I start simply because I don't find them novel enough.

Maybe as game developers we sometimes force ourselves too much to be good game designers, even though it's not always necessary to be one. If I release a game to the public, I personally think that I'm expected to make a very fun game, even though I can't come up with many original game ideas.

Currently I am making a puzzle game clone, and in fact I will incorporate the 3D engine in some way, even if it's just something not directly important to the game, like providing backgrounds. Still, it's a clone of an existing game. But I think I could finish it this time, because I am incorporating the graphics engine (something I am putting more effort in), into the game for the sake of a more complete, polished product. It's turning out to be a good challenge, because I can see a real world application of the engine instead of being just a show piece. I am figuring out how to make it more adaptable for this game in particular and how to load it as a library without a fuss.

Basically, my graphics engine is my main passion, and now I am encouraging myself put it to work in a real-world situation. It will help me get through making this game from start to finish, even if the concept has been done many times before.

I know I'm leaving half of the stuff out that I could put it in and that annoys me, e.g. texture options (whether to clamp or repeat the texture) or abstracting OpenGL specific stuff (such as Texture classes w/o GLuint directly in them, more data oriented of a design). I REALISE that I could use another engine, like Ogre3D, or whatever, but whenever I do try to use it, I just hate the way that it enforces you to do things their way (plus I find it somewhat awkward programming with someone else's code, unless I've studied it and frameworks like Ogre3d takes awhile to study). But anyway, my game is 2D so I thought why not use OpenGL by itself (probably going to use legacy code because I haven't really learnt about shaders). Another thing, I've made my own entity system, which I know I can really improve but it just gets all out of hand when I try to.

[quote name='jwezorek' timestamp='1358188426' post='5021494']
You have to remember that code is never perfect. All code sucks. You can't let that stop you from writing it. This is what programming is.
[/quote]

Seconded. As well, I'd like to add my favorite concept, which keeps me motivated (and productive): "First make it work, then you can make it work better."

That first time it works, even if the algorithm is ugly, brute-force garbage, and the framerate is an ungodly 5 fps, is better than se- actually, no, I'd still rather have...anyway: it's an addictive high. It keeps you motivated, instead of almost completing it 5 times and never seeing anything for your work.

This feeling is normal. Complete something to be proud of yourself, this just happens when you see your projects working.

You are young, don't think you are failling. The great things come with time.

Hopefully.

You have to remember that code is never perfect. All code sucks. You can't let that stop you from writing it. This is what programming is.

Seconded. As well, I'd like to add my favorite concept, which keeps me motivated (and productive): "First make it work, then you can make it work better."

That first time it works, even if the algorithm is ugly, brute-force garbage, and the framerate is an ungodly 5 fps, is better than se- actually, no, I'd still rather have...anyway: it's an addictive high. It keeps you motivated, instead of almost completing it 5 times and never seeing anything for your work.

Great advice actually, makes me want to code, plan or something. But... gotta do the homework.

I know I'm leaving half of the stuff out that I could put it in and that annoys me, e.g. texture options (whether to clamp or repeat the texture) or abstracting OpenGL specific stuff (such as Texture classes w/o GLuint directly in them, more data oriented of a design). I REALISE that I could use another engine, like Ogre3D, or whatever, but whenever I do try to use it, I just hate the way that it enforces you to do things their way (plus I find it somewhat awkward programming with someone else's code, unless I've studied it and frameworks like Ogre3d takes awhile to study). But anyway, my game is 2D so I thought why not use OpenGL by itself (probably going to use legacy code because I haven't really learnt about shaders). Another thing, I've made my own entity system, which I know I can really improve but it just gets all out of hand when I try to.

The above indicates that you might be succumbing to the dark side. Don't succumb to the dark side.

Succumbing to the dark side involves slowly losing grip on software projects you are heavily emotionally invested in and leaving them in a constant unfinished state because you are too concerned with how much better your code could have been if only you had made this one decision at the very beginning, or if only you add this one clever feature to your low-level architecture and then refactor your entire codebase to use it.

You have to remember that code is never perfect. All code sucks. You can't let that stop you from writing it. This is what programming is.

Yeah I realise code is never perfect, but I just want to make my code perfect.

Do you have any programming buddies?

Actually, EmployeeNumber8 makes an awesome point. I'm noticing that my productivity and motivation stay at much higher average levels from working in a team - I also have a bunch of other gamedevs on twitter and we keep each other on track. You can lone-wolf it if you desire, but you'll be thankful for at least a little bit of a support network. Helps to wave off the depression...

Ah I wish I had a programming buddy. But, I'm currently making a game at the moment and I have an artist (which hopefully wont bail).