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How to Regain Passion for Projects?

Posted: Sun Apr 08, 2007 7:37 pm
by TheRLG
Post removed.

Posted: Sun Apr 08, 2007 8:35 pm
by zeno60
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.

Posted: Sun Apr 08, 2007 9:40 pm
by monkeycracks
I swap back and forth between my two projects so I don't get bored.
Doesn't work too well.

Posted: Sun Apr 08, 2007 10:45 pm
by roxaz
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 :lol:

Posted: Sun Apr 08, 2007 10:47 pm
by zeno60
roxaz wrote: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 :lol:
I think that might be ADD.

Posted: Sun Apr 08, 2007 11:00 pm
by olivehehe_03
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...

Posted: Sun Apr 08, 2007 11:11 pm
by TheRLG
Post removed.

Posted: Sun Apr 08, 2007 11:24 pm
by lostclimategames
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.

Posted: Sun Apr 08, 2007 11:43 pm
by Luben
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!

Posted: Mon Apr 09, 2007 1:30 pm
by Spintz
you just need something to spark your creativity!!

I suggest either drinking heavily or smoking a fatty!!!

Posted: Mon Apr 09, 2007 2:59 pm
by roxaz
for me drinking or smoking extinguishes creativity :roll:

Posted: Mon Apr 09, 2007 6:24 pm
by TheRLG
Post removed.

Posted: Mon Apr 09, 2007 6:36 pm
by Spintz
TheRLG wrote:Aww, nobody commented on my green Irrlicht logo... :lol:
Irrlicht needs a new logo that is nothing like it's current one!!!

Posted: Mon Apr 09, 2007 11:01 pm
by roxaz
green one looks nice but i gues original one is better. its not as nice as green but it looks solid and sereous. IRR letters backgrount is irrlicht color (logo, website...) and i gues logo just cant look in other way :)

Posted: Tue Apr 10, 2007 8:37 pm
by noreg
I suggest either drinking heavily or smoking a fatty!!!
:lol:

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.