Irrlicht Engine

I'm 26 and I first started learning Irrlicht in 2008. I learned C++ to use Irrlicht when studying in university and made some "hacker" style applications, nothing serious. My newly developed C++ skills allowed me to take a job straight out of university working in databases for about 9 months and then I moved to an engineering software company in 2012. I work in technical support but I make a decent wage.

I hate it. I hardly ever get to write any applications, and when I do its always in MS .NET/COM which I find bloated and slow (.NET is fun to use although pointless because skills do not transfer). Management doesn't like creating new things because it means there is "more to manage".

Since then I have written my own graphics engine (immediate mode based, no fixed function, GLSL shader mandatory (GPU skinned animations), and also built in support for Newton physics). I have also written my own sockets library for WIN32. I did this just for me as a hobby.

I am not sure if the passion is starting to wane or the mystery has gone or if I have just lost the ability to be inspired by new things.

Has anyone been in a similar situation and found a way to start creating amazing projects after an extended period of severe boredom that crippled your ability to think?

Glad to know I'm not the only one out there.

For me basically it boils down to a couple things, mainly, self discipline. Whenever I set out to start programming I often feel as if I'm standing at the base of the Himalayas looking up towards the peak of the mountain who is shrouded in clouds. It's not that I don't have confidence in myself, I know I can accomplish the task at hand, but over the years my projects have grown ever so more complex, and things take weeks if not months (or as my current project stands its been close to a year) to complete. In that respect I can no longer jump from idea to finished project and quickly lose sight of the original goal. This really boils down into self discipline by pacing myself, setting small goals so I still get a sense of accomplishment, and keeping a clear image of the project in mind.

Part of why my 'passion' is gone is because the mystery of learning a new thing is no longer there, but you really just have to find something that motivates you and only you can do that.

You started programming because it was fun, if it's no longer fun you've got to either make it fun again, or find something else that is fun!

Hope this helped!