Think about how much money will roll in when you finnaly release that killer App you had dancing in your head since grade 1

No seriously tho, dont just *read* the books, apply the knowledge.
I.E.: When I learned about functions I made a simple Text Only RPG battle engine, you could only attack or heal yourself completly (limited to 2 time ), but it made me learn functions and Object Oriented Proggraming faster

(I just finished learning about functions and debugging my "game" )

I find the best way to stay motivated is to have a target. Break down the BIG thing you are shooting for and go in small perfected steps. If you wanna make pong but don''t know everything take it a step at a time. Create window -> Next add rectangles -> next add interactions with user -> next add bouncing ball -> add physics (to ball) -> next add AI. See, your staying motivated, you didn''t know shit when you started but if you take pong a step at a time you get almost instant gratification when you do small step after small step.
If you are just reading a book for the sake of knowledge and finding it hard to remeber what you are reading, make small programs that implement the concepts you are reading about. If you don''t like that idea then WHY are you reading the book? What are you trying to get out of it? Like I said the only way to learn (for myself) is to have a goal and take it one step at a time. It''s like taking a class at school. Your expected to know everything at the ends of the semester but you are made to take it one step at a time.
Hope this helps.

Wild9eR

Job description : Duct Tape

If I''m not motivated to do something, I can''t do it. If I don''t want to read a book or study samples or whatever, I can''t. I wouldn''t force myself to do so either, because that''s when it stops being fun.

Hey, is this why I suck at doing schoolwork..?

============================
Daniel Netz, Sentinel Design
"I'm not stupid, I'm from Sweden" - Unknown

Any BIG project is made of smaller parts.
By programming a part of your ''marvellous next generation game'' while learning, you keep motivated.

I apply the knowledge I acquire when I feel it''s time to me to see if I really understand how it works.

Sometimes I program little things just to try something, I was planning to add in my poject, or something I''ve seen and found fun.

I read books, I work on something not related, then I reread the book and I program @ the same time.
Notice that you''ve to think and plan before planning, even a tiny part of a project that''s important to you.

-* Sounds, music and story makes the difference between good and great games *-

For reading books, read the stuff you want to know how to do . When it comes to making a prog, here''s what I do:

1) Plan it out. Make very in-depth plans of what you want in your game (or whatever you''re making). This will determine if you''re actually going to want to finish this, as if you just shlop down some code, it won''t keep you motivated, let alone be good, because you aren''t really shooting for anything.
2) Post deadlines for yourself on a webpage or something . I do this, and it kinda motivates me because I like to keep my word, if I can.
3) As was said above, have fun! If you enjoy the coding process (and making the game in general), that really should be enough to keep you going strong.

If you code it, they will come...

Commander M
http://commanderm.8m.com
cmndrm@commanderm.8m.com