I feel strongly that strategic risk management is always in effect. The sooner the programmer drops a very bad spaghetti source code, then the sooner such person will succesfully finish the next much better program. Sometimes there is a borderline situation which would allow a good decision in either case - stay or move - but Silgen's source code sounds too complicated to salvage in a reasonable time, especially under frustration.
The risks of staying with a failed program to repair it are far greater than the risks in the next new project in general. Some things can not be realized in staying with the failed code. Some bad coding habits likely will remain by staying. A new program with the desire to learn things such as modulizing under certain interfaces, inheritance vs encapsulation, discrete variables, and so forth - should be the very next stage of learning for Silgen.
Agree.
But that was exactly what I was suggesting - to abandon code but not abandon game. Even if one starts programming from scratch it usually makes sense to keep the existing non-programming design.
Also - even if you start programming from scratch you will normally end using many bits and pieces of previous codebase. The general design may be unreadable spaghetti code but simple parts and algorithms may still be well written.
Yes! We are recommending a new effort, program, and project to restart this game source code, beginning with looking at using some good lines of code in the old one. Silgen should begin now learning about things such as the "Single responsibility principle" and other already mentioned in this thread. The programmer is ready for the next stage of learning in refining this game design in preparation for the next one, while dropping the speghetti code for a fresh start on a new one for the game.
Clinton
Personal life and your private thoughts always effect your career. Research is the intellectual backbone of game development and the first order. Version Control is crucial for full management of applications and software. The better the workflow pipeline, then the greater the potential output for a quality game. Completing projects is the last but finest order.
Hey there! What you have described is actually very common from what I've seen and experienced myself.
About how the game is getting "too complex".. I know how you feel. Sometimes you program very elaborate systems which then have to interact with each other and you have to remember what all your variables are and it can get very confusing.
There are a few ways to help this.. First of all, I think it's good that the game is complicted.. When we are learning we often make a big mess of simple things.. we might use dozens of lines of code for something that one day we will only need one line of code for. But doing it the long way will actually teach you alot and later everything you learn will help you be able to keep things more simple. It's like baking a cake for the first time, you'll probably make a much bigger mess the first time you try it.
Another thing I find that helps me is simply working on your project a little bit each day. This keeps you "in touch" with your project and also keeps it moving along. You can also grab a pen and paper and write down things as you work that you might need to look up later, like a little reference note-book. Next time you can also create a detailed plan about what your game is going to consist of and what system's you'll need. When you have the overall picture in your mind it helps give you a good direction while you are working.
"Biting off more than you can chew" is something alot of us probably experience, but I think it's actually a good thing as it forces you forward into new areas of learning and expands your knowledge and skills as a game designer.
About the motivation thing.. This is very normal and it's something you have to learn to deal with if you ever want to actually finish projects and ship them.
The truth is, when you first get an idea, you just burn with excitement for the project, but that motivation always dies down as the projects get going, the challenges and hard work set in, and you get used to your own idea so it loses that "cutting edge" feeling it had when you first thought of it. You have to keep going despite these feelings. I think what alot of us game designers do is that we think of a good idea and start it... then we hit that phase where it's challenging and the motivation subsides, and we get a new cool idea so we abandon the old project and start a new one.
Then we just get stuck in a loop of unfinished ideas.
My advice is simply to make a list of the games you most want/need to complete. Whichever is at the top of the list as the one you want to finish most is the one you stick with. You tell yourself that no matter what happens, you will not work on another project until you finish the #1 priority.
And if you get an amazing new idea, bad luck! That new idea is shelved and maybe it can be the NEXT "#1 priority", but you can't touch it until you have finished the current project. Also, surround yourself with things that get you excited and motivated about your current project... This might be music that you imagine will feature in the game or the trailer for the game, or posters in your room of games that inspired you to make yours.. Stuff like that.
Oh and one more tip for getting things done.. Right click your current connection.. "Disconnect". Good luck!
