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Burnt out feeling

2

2toes

Guest
So, I'm not sure about others, but sometimes I'll be working on a game, and just really get bored and then think it'd be fun to work on a completely different game and come back to the current one later.
My instincts tell me that is very bad and I should rough it out, but what do you guys think? Would it be healthy to work on another project for a little and then return to the main one, or should you stick it out and focus completely on that one project?
 

JacPete

Member
So, I'm not sure about others, but sometimes I'll be working on a game, and just really get bored and then think it'd be fun to work on a completely different game and come back to the current one later.
My instincts tell me that is very bad and I should rough it out, but what do you guys think? Would it be healthy to work on another project for a little and then return to the main one, or should you stick it out and focus completely on that one project?
depends, how much time did you spend on this ? everytime i started a new project i started to stick at it. so it could happen that you loose the connection to the game that you develop at the moment. i had some same feelings when i was creating the levels from super mage world. i had the feeling i had to code another thing, but i didnt. i stayed at the project. everytime i got this feeling i decided to do something different for the project. doing some animations or a new enemy. so, i would stay at the project if i would want it to get finished. but sometimes a break isnt bad either.
 

Cpaz

Member
If I had to suggest anything, first off, ask the following questions:
1: is what's dragging you down something you normally enjoy? (Programming in general, something specific, or maybe drawing art?)
2: is it something you normally dislike? (For me that would be level design)

If it's 2, then I'd say yeah, rough it out! Because you're going to get to the interesting parts faster if you finish it.
If it's 1, then just walk away for a while, an hour, a day, maybe even a week. Just get a sense of what was causing you to not enjoy what you're doing. Trust me, it can be useful to just step back and get a different perspective on your project.
I will warn you though, don't use my suggestion for 1 as an excuse to procrastinate. Also talking from personal experience here.

Thankfully I often catch myself.


"Often"
 
J

JDSTIGER

Guest
Yeah it gets boring sometimes and I switch to another game but I don't think it's bad since you are still working.
 

Genetix

Member
This topic comes up all to often here - ultimately the best thing that you can do is walk away. Take a break from working on the project (or any projects) for 2-3 days. Go outside, play video games again (I have a problem of not playing anything while working on my own projects). Just generally give your mind a break from it. Don't force yourself to work on a project - it won't be worth it, wait until you have that itch to get back at it. If you truly love making video games you will come back and not feel burned out after a small vacation! Good luck, we all feel that way at times I imagine.
 

Yal

šŸ§ *penguin noises*
GMC Elder
This topic comes up all to often here - ultimately the best thing that you can do is walk away.
Not really. You have to walk back as well. If you distance yourself from a project, it gets progressively harder to pick it up again, and it gets progressively easier to start another one. The only way to actually finish a project is by forcing yourself to get through the boring parts near the end where you actually need to struggle to make visible progress. (Take a wild guess why I have so few finished games...)
 
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