dislekcia
28-11-2007, 03:31 AM
Having just run out of rusks, I've realised how many little tricks and habits I have that keep me developing. So I thought it would be a good idea to allow people to share their quirks, tips and advice on how they stay motivated while working on a game or project...
Here are some of the things I do:
Use snacks and treats as rewards for completing things... I'll promise myself a glass of coke or a mug of something + rusks (awesome dev food, especially if you rig up an auto-dipper) if I get it right. Great motivation to keep working, especially if it's a thirsty day.
Schedule breaks. If I'm devving all day I'll make sure that I get up and move around at least every half hour. If you're really crazy busy, it helps to do something a little strenuous to get your body releasing endorphins and happy. My current fav is to do a few pull-ups once in a while.
Music. On headphones. It's difficult not getting distracted sometimes, especially in a house with other geeks. There's usually a game, movie or interesting TV series playing once people get home from work. Headphones help me isolate what I'm doing, plus they're becoming a sign to my housemates that I'm working and don't want to be disturbed.
Not beating your head against something on your own... We all hit problems, be they bugs or logic issues. Generally I'll try to figure it out until it's sorted, but sometimes you just don't feel like you're getting anywhere. That's when I go bounce the problem off someone else, preferably in person, because it's not the answer you want from them, it's the act of explaining the problem. Usually I figure out a solution while I'm explaining, instead of getting something new from the other person... Non-technical listeners help too, they ask great questions.
Paper. I write most complicated algs on paper first, I find it lets me test them in a number of situations in parallel, so I can see if they'll give the results I need without having to code them.
Feedback. All feedback is good feedback. Especially when it helps you make the game better, or it gives you a motivational boost. The trick is to keep the end product in mind so that you can feel jazzed about even the most negative feedback ever: You'll use it to get to that cool end point, don't worry about the current issues.
Game rewards. This is probably one of my biggest motivators: I won't let myself play something if I feel I've still got outstanding stuff to do. The nice thing about working from home is that I can play whenever I want, but the trick is to control how much that happens ;)
Thought that might be an interesting exercise for everyone, tell us what you do to stay working!
-D
Here are some of the things I do:
Use snacks and treats as rewards for completing things... I'll promise myself a glass of coke or a mug of something + rusks (awesome dev food, especially if you rig up an auto-dipper) if I get it right. Great motivation to keep working, especially if it's a thirsty day.
Schedule breaks. If I'm devving all day I'll make sure that I get up and move around at least every half hour. If you're really crazy busy, it helps to do something a little strenuous to get your body releasing endorphins and happy. My current fav is to do a few pull-ups once in a while.
Music. On headphones. It's difficult not getting distracted sometimes, especially in a house with other geeks. There's usually a game, movie or interesting TV series playing once people get home from work. Headphones help me isolate what I'm doing, plus they're becoming a sign to my housemates that I'm working and don't want to be disturbed.
Not beating your head against something on your own... We all hit problems, be they bugs or logic issues. Generally I'll try to figure it out until it's sorted, but sometimes you just don't feel like you're getting anywhere. That's when I go bounce the problem off someone else, preferably in person, because it's not the answer you want from them, it's the act of explaining the problem. Usually I figure out a solution while I'm explaining, instead of getting something new from the other person... Non-technical listeners help too, they ask great questions.
Paper. I write most complicated algs on paper first, I find it lets me test them in a number of situations in parallel, so I can see if they'll give the results I need without having to code them.
Feedback. All feedback is good feedback. Especially when it helps you make the game better, or it gives you a motivational boost. The trick is to keep the end product in mind so that you can feel jazzed about even the most negative feedback ever: You'll use it to get to that cool end point, don't worry about the current issues.
Game rewards. This is probably one of my biggest motivators: I won't let myself play something if I feel I've still got outstanding stuff to do. The nice thing about working from home is that I can play whenever I want, but the trick is to control how much that happens ;)
Thought that might be an interesting exercise for everyone, tell us what you do to stay working!
-D