Self goals and Targets

[IndieBoy]

I believe one of my downfalls is motivation. I could spend hours on an animation that I was doing just for fun, yet when I start a project and list the animations I need to do I won't do them cause it will take "too long". This applies for many things, not just animations. And I know I can make a game, I have proven this with my SHAG entries. So why can't I make a game at an easy pace? Well here is the test. I have set myself the goal to produce a game by Sunday night (00:00am GMT). My theme is: Space Pirates. I want to see if that 48 hours to make a game will give myself enough pressure to produce a game and a short enough time to limit my ideas.


So basically this thread is asking how do you target/motivate yourself to make a game or work on something? And am I doing the right approach? I am just interested to see what I come up with and hopefully will lose my game virginity.

Ps: Other people are welcome to join in. It is just a personal goal of mine and an experiment. Also if you are going to join in please use the same theme as myself, just comparing them would be easier.

So.. I better start then...

[bicilotti]

I demand istant notification of replies via pigeon mail

Good luck indie, I will cheer for you!

[Ghost]

First of all, best of luck on that project- or have you already achieved success? I know you can do it- the stuff you did in the SHAGs was generally well-made and solid work!

Small milestones
A nice intro, a funny dialogue, a room complete with walkable areas/walkbehinds. That are important steps and often fun enough to get that motivation kicking in.

Instant feedback, just add water
Why wait until you're done and can dish out a beta? Get some fellows and show them what you got. Rejoice in their praise and also use their questions/remarks/critics to improve. This isn't exactly teamwork, but a way of communicating your idea, and it can be highly motivating.

Tick-off list
Make a list of your puzzles- sort of a walkthrough, and tick off the stuff you already implemented. It sounds trite, but seeing on paper how well you're doing is really useful.

[OneDollar]

A nice intro, a funny dialogue, a room complete with walkable areas/walkbehinds. That are important steps and often fun enough to get that motivation kicking in.

AGS should have one of those progress bars that fills up every time you do something new. Add a second playable character for 2%!

[SSH]

Having met two other AGSers in person should have inspired you... even though some would say that neither of us have made a proper game either...

[IndieBoy]

Yeah so.. today didn't go as planned. I wanted to get back at about 4pm so I had about 8 hours straight working on this bad boy. That has been lowered to 2 hours....

So do you think it would be ok if I extend my deadline. I know I am only letting myself down, and my family down and you lot down But I will try, but I really think I need to work on this. Ad I don't want to really rush it.
So tomorrow, sometime... Maybe I could get some people to beta for me too.

[bicilotti]

Instant feedback, just add water
Why wait until you're done and can dish out a beta? Get some fellows and show them what you got. Rejoice in their praise and also use their questions/remarks/critics to improve. This isn't exactly teamwork, but a way of communicating your idea, and it can be highly motivating.

And a nice way to start a "cluster" inside the AGS community, developers need to share ideas!
And a nice way to start a friendship too!

Go go Indie!

[IndieBoy]

Damn technical problems....

or noob mistakes....

Basically I have been spending all my time trying to fix a problem rather than scripting it all. So I have to delay again.


edit: ARGH I fixed it. Okay hopefully I will post tomorrow. Right now I have had enough AGS scripting.

[Buckethead]

heads up! it will get easier. After a while you don't make so many mistakes any more or you can solve problems faster. And then scripting will be less of a pain.

[paolo]

Setting yourself the goal of writing a complete game in 48 hours is unrealistic, especially if it's the first time you've written a game. Why not give yourself, say, a month (a much more achievable target for a first game), and set yourself subgoals? That way you will get a sense of progressing little by little rather than hitting your artificial deadline all too soon and feeling that you should give up because you keep running into problems and haven't done as much as you thought you would.

Things will take time to do, and this is normal. Writing programs always takes longer than you think. Believe me, I've been programming for over 25 years as an amateur and as a professional and I still underestimate how long things will take (but don't tell my manager ).

So I'd suggest giving it another try, but over a longer time period, and breaking it down into smaller tasks. You might also find the thread "AGS tips" worth reading - there are some excellent tips there.

[bicilotti]

Setting yourself the goal of writing a complete game in 48 hours is unrealistic, especially if it's the first time you've written a game.

Agree, but Indie is not at his first experience. He just needs motivation to deliver it, and deadlines are a blessing.

[IndieBoy]

Okay taking consideration of all your comments, I might as well extend my deadline. I want to produce something I am proud of and as it stands it doesn't show my best work. Also scripting is really hard and I spent all of yesterday night trying to do it. Which ended up just swallowing the time.

Okay so friday 12pm I WILL HAVE A GAME FINISHED. Also tested by some nice people 

[radiowaves]

I have tried this. Usually you need to back up your deadlines with something. Simple empty deadline just makes people to push the deadline further. A good team can be enough motivator, a'la they both promise to finish something for certain time and then benefit from it because they need each others services on time.

[IndieBoy]

It is just to say I do have a game but I can't upload at it moment as I am rather ill. So I will upload tomorrow.


LINK:

[bicilotti]

And so it is finally here 

Here's the link to the game page (in case you've missed it).

I bet indie is hungry for feedback! Playing it now!

[Ghost]

Congratulations- this is more than just some cheap "first go", it's really a fun little game.
Experimental run's a success I'd say.

[Sylvr]

As I told you on Stickam, good work Ind. I didn't realize you had started a thread about your game. I wish I could get any sort of motivation together, I don't even work on animations hehe.

Keep up the good work.