How to Regain Passion for Projects?
How to Regain Passion for Projects?
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Last edited by TheRLG on Fri Dec 28, 2007 7:14 am, edited 1 time in total.
Been in the same situation many a time. I would even try and lie to myself and force myself not to work on my own hobbies by putting other minor stuff (like work, education, and food) first. Although I usually find that once I start working on something, i'll end up getting a lot done and get back on track. But to get over that first hump I will usually sit down for a few days and plan everything out on paper. I mean diagrams, schedules, etc. Everything on paper so I'm never without something to do and always have a checklist. Plus seeing it on paper will usually spark that "Oh man! This could really work!"
Your projects are usually what you make them. If you make them boring, then yeah, they will be boring. I know my planning on paper idea sounds boring, but you really have to discipline yourself to just do it, as you already know, it is very rare that you actually get to plan out and complete something you actually want to do in the real world. But like I said, it is what you make it. I plan with pseudocode, diagrams etc. but if your more artistically inclined, plan them with little doodles, concept art, etc. To keep the passion while working on a project, I show my progress to people, peers, etc. and ask them how I'm doing. Most of the time I get at least one person to tell me, "Hey! Good job, keep it up!" which really makes me feel like I accomplished something. Even if I get someone to just say "No, this sucks!" I don't breakdown and admit failure, I take their comments and apply them, make it better.
Just another comment, and this isn't directed at anyone, make your projects realistic. If you just learned C++ from a "Teach in 24 hours" book, and just found out how link Irrlicht. Now is not the time to start your uber-leet MMORPG with an open universe spanning 100+ planets to explore and fight super deamons rendered in realtime HRD lighting with the latest AI. Start simple, and fun. If you're making a game, try your hand a remaking an old NES game in 2D. After thats done, try remaking an old 2D NES game in 3D.
Your projects are usually what you make them. If you make them boring, then yeah, they will be boring. I know my planning on paper idea sounds boring, but you really have to discipline yourself to just do it, as you already know, it is very rare that you actually get to plan out and complete something you actually want to do in the real world. But like I said, it is what you make it. I plan with pseudocode, diagrams etc. but if your more artistically inclined, plan them with little doodles, concept art, etc. To keep the passion while working on a project, I show my progress to people, peers, etc. and ask them how I'm doing. Most of the time I get at least one person to tell me, "Hey! Good job, keep it up!" which really makes me feel like I accomplished something. Even if I get someone to just say "No, this sucks!" I don't breakdown and admit failure, I take their comments and apply them, make it better.
Just another comment, and this isn't directed at anyone, make your projects realistic. If you just learned C++ from a "Teach in 24 hours" book, and just found out how link Irrlicht. Now is not the time to start your uber-leet MMORPG with an open universe spanning 100+ planets to explore and fight super deamons rendered in realtime HRD lighting with the latest AI. Start simple, and fun. If you're making a game, try your hand a remaking an old NES game in 2D. After thats done, try remaking an old 2D NES game in 3D.
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monkeycracks
- Posts: 1029
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i lost any of my inspiration too... and cant regain it. this kind of thing rly sucks 
im not doing anything at all now and cant start, simply no ideas comes to the head. i started thinking that maybe its time to quit programming but then i realised that its the only thing i like 
i think to regain passion for the project we might need to rest. not to touch compiler for lets say week or two. i dont know if it would help, still cant keep myself from launching compiler for 10 mins and closing it because im bored 
im not doing anything at all now and cant start, simply no ideas comes to the head. i started thinking that maybe its time to quit programming but then i realised that its the only thing i like i think to regain passion for the project we might need to rest. not to touch compiler for lets say week or two. i dont know if it would help, still cant keep myself from launching compiler for 10 mins and closing it because im bored I think that might be ADD.roxaz wrote:i lost any of my inspiration too... and cant regain it. this kind of thing rly sucks
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olivehehe_03
- Posts: 157
- Joined: Tue Mar 20, 2007 8:30 am
If I get bored, I usually end up doing other stuff for a while (as in weeks, not a few hours), then I get a totally awesome idea for my game that I absolutely must add to it right now before I forget what it was and I end up coding for a week straight. Speaking of which, I need to go do some code...
Tell me what you cherish most. Give me the pleasure of taking it away.
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lostclimategames
- Posts: 331
- Joined: Sat Sep 02, 2006 4:11 am
- Location: Michigan
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having made several full projects before, i know what this feels like, the things i do, is have your favorite videogame, and lots of caffinated beverages handy and start working around 11pm, after you start to get bored, start downing as much of the caffinated beverages as you can, while playing the game, after you get a little of that in your system, go back to work, you will find that the dull monotony of this kind of work (after a little while) will start to lighten up a bit.
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For all of your 3D/2D resource needs:
For all of your 3D/2D resource needs:
I've been programming for about 5-6 years now, and i've never completed a project. At least not a game project, except for the one where you controlled a red A, and had to avoid the blue T. Points awarded for each second you lived. Ah, those where the days, when projects got finished... 
But i've set a new personal record now i think. Almost 7 months without dropping or rewriting from scratch. Yihao!
But i've set a new personal record now i think. Almost 7 months without dropping or rewriting from scratch. Yihao!
If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all.
I suggest either drinking heavily or smoking a fatty!!!
Or listen Reggae music: http://www.niceup.com/
Joke aside, the planning proposal seems to work, but it'll probably decrease fun. If one is totally demotivated i swear on doing something totally different for a while. Go for a hike or stuff like that.