How Do You Get The Motivation To Develop A Game?

[LinkxPeach]

Back then, I used to develop a game all the time. Now, I feel like I lacking motivation in order for me to continue developing a game. At first, I'd know how to do some coding and used drag-n-drop actions, saved my game development files into a section without a folder. Later, on I'd start all over developing the same game from scratch because usually I don't know where to find my game development files at. What should I do? Should I create a folder to help me store my game development files, so that way I don't need to start all over developing a game from scratch and easily find my game development files? Also, so I can resume developing the same game files from where I left off to waste less time?

 

[Mana]

I started my game a couple months ago and I came across several problems too. Lack of motivation was one of them, which comes with procrastination resulting in less developing time.
So I'll share the thoughts of someone who isn't a successful developer (yet XD)

I'm developing a game because I love games, it's what I want to be my full-time job. For the first time in my life, I have what I can call a dream and my game is part of it.
Keep in mind why you started developing games. Remember the details.
When I feel demotivated usually It's because I forgot about that.

Now how to actually do it:

-The rule of thumb is routine! Work on your game every day (except Sunday). You don't need a full 8hr work every day or something like it. Give yourself a meta, start with 30min or 1hr a day and stay with it for a month or even more. If you do more, great, but never less than that.

-Start a post here!
Interact with the community is great. Believe me, it's great seeing people writing something about your work.
Don't be shy, almost everyone here is a beginner too.

-At GM use the comment tool so you won't feel lost when revising your code (drag and drop have something like it?). Also, have a notepad/wordpad or something where you write the logic you use with your game.

-GM already save your project files in a folder, so are you talking about things you didn't add yet?
Save all files related with your game at a single folder. References images, audios, ideas, etc.. So you don't need looking all over your pc to find that reference, that file etc...

- If the game you're working isn't too big already, start again can be a good idea since you can have a fresh start.

*You can work on your game at your rest day(Sunday?), if you want to and it feels like fun, but don't push yourself if you don't want. Everyone needs a rest day.
*Sleep early! (I still don't haha) The days I feel worse is when I sleep late (3 am at weekends). The days I felt "I'm on fire wooooÒoÓ" was when I was sleeping early for a couple days. At least it is how things are with me.
It doesn't matter if I sleep more than 8hrs a day, if I sleep late I'll feel all lazy and tired. There is some magic behind it @.@(circadian rhythm or something like it)
Or maybe I'm just a morning person =p

 

[LinkxPeach]

I started my game a couple months ago and I came across several problems too. Lack of motivation was one of them, which comes with procrastination resulting in less developing time.
So I'll share the thoughts of someone who isn't a successful developer (yet XD)

I'm developing a game because I love games, it's what I want to be my full-time job. For the first time in my life, I have what I can call a dream and my game is part of it.
Keep in mind why you started developing games. Remember the details.
When I feel demotivated usually It's because I forgot about that.

Now how to actually do it:

-The rule of thumb is routine! Work on your game every day (except Sunday). You don't need a full 8hr work every day or something like it. Give yourself a meta, start with 30min or 1hr a day and stay with it for a month or even more. If you do more, great, but never less than that.

-Start a post here!
Interact with the community is great. Believe me, it's great seeing people writing something about your work.
Don't be shy, almost everyone here is a beginner too.

-At GM use the comment tool so you won't feel lost when revising your code (drag and drop have something like it?). Also, have a notepad/wordpad or something where you write the logic you use with your game.

-GM already save your project files in a folder, so are you talking about things you didn't add yet?
Save all files related with your game at a single folder. References images, audios, ideas, etc.. So you don't need looking all over your pc to find that reference, that file etc...

- If the game you're working isn't too big already, start again can be a good idea since you can have a fresh start.

*You can work on your game at your rest day(Sunday?), if you want to and it feels like fun, but don't push yourself if you don't want. Everyone needs a rest day.
*Sleep early! (I still don't haha) The days I feel worse is when I sleep late (3 am at weekends). The days I felt "I'm on fire wooooÒoÓ" was when I was sleeping early for a couple days. At least it is how things are with me.
It doesn't matter if I sleep more than 8hrs a day, if I sleep late I'll feel all lazy and tired. There is some magic behind it @.@(circadian rhythm or something like it)
Or maybe I'm just a morning person =p

Ty. I was thinking about working on my game off a fresh start and creating a folder to save my project files.

 

[Cloaked Games]

Another thing that helps me out is writing a list.

Break down what you need to get done this week, or until the next update or whatever, into a list of individual tasks (large tasks should be broken down into many smaller tasks). Then do one at a time, and when you finish one, check it off the list. If you do something that wasn't on the list, add it to the list and check it off. There's satisfaction in making progress in that manner, and it helps keep you organized.

Also, figure out which types of tasks you find really fun and which ones are really boring. For example: UI coding vs coding a boss fight. Then space out the fun stuff for the end of your work day as you would normally be loosing motivation. Also which tasks may or may not be fun, but take very little effort or thinking, like posting updates to Twitter or writing character bios in your design document. You can save those for days when you're sick or tired or just plain brain-dead.

At least, those things help a lot for me. Everyone is different though.

 

[Toque]

Sometimes working on a project with a partner makes it a lot more fun. Good learning g experience. Small game with someone with similar skill level. Or completely different skills.