I am working alone to produce mobile games. Usually this is how I work : I’ll create a prototype of a level with the essential stuff, and if the prototype is a blast, I’ll go ahead and work my way to complete the game with whatever step feels right next. I feel like I am ambitious in my projects, but realistic as well.
After a while of development, let’s say usually halfway to completion, I start doubting the game. In the past, at that point, I’ve redone some root aspects of the game because I had no idea why I felt like the game wasn’t good anymore.
This is now the third time it has happened, and I’m starting to think it just may be me getting the wrong idea because I’ve worked on it for long periods and I can’t judge it like a customer anymore. I was wondering if there were other people in the same situation?
tl;dr : Prototypes that were really fun stop being so halfway through development. What causes this? Bad prototype initially that can’t sustain entertainment? Motivation?
Might be tied to having play-tested your game hundreds or thousands of times during development. I get the same thing. Beginning it is all new. Later it is same old same old. I play-test the heck out of my game projects though. Literally dozens of times per day.
This is a big factor in why I prefer small scope short-term projects and continually strive to increase development speed including spending minimal time on graphics. The longer a project drags on the more it feels like a second job.
meetup.com. Find some local peers to converse with. Sometimes you need a break, but more often than not simply exchanging ideas with other developers in-person and playtesting each others’ builds will respark your motivation.
Whoaa… super, I didn’t even know such site exist, already found a few Unity and game dev groups:) I think is nice to have some face to face meeting at a beer or so:) Thanks for link!
Getting to the 1/2 point is not deep enough to have implemented the aspects of game play that you thought would make your game fun if there is any originality to your concept at all.
Possible reasons:
So maybe you are quitting when you get to the point where you no longer can rely on a asset store framework and Unity to get you there because you’ve not taught yourself enough about programming and game art work. Answer: do Unity Learn Tutorials and Blender Tutorials
You are capable of doing the easy parts of the game but find that when it comes to the more complex parts that require more concentration and longer times sitting at your desk only working on that game, you find your work environment really is actually disruptive and uncomfortable. Answer: look for more bought frameworks and bought art assets to further reduce the time you must spend implementing your game and change your work area to be more comfortable. Make yourself sit and work through the disruptions to your concentration.
The game you conceptualized really is boring. I’ve thrown out a few not far past the prototype stage on realizing that. Answer: use the boring game as an excuse to create 100% original art you create yourself in Blender and Gimp, find good background music or better yet write it yourself if you’re so fortunate, to accompany the game, and turn a boring game into a visually unique and visually interesting game that relaxes the player.
This is advice I need to take myself so too as an experienced longtime programmer and amateur Blender artist so don’t think I’m ragging on you.
And of course finding a persons that has the same interests as you will help immensely but you’ll still need to address 1) - 3) above if you are to be productive.
I was sure i was going to see the “JUST DO IT” gif in here.
I’m in the same, i find prototyping to be super fun and very interesting to make. To make it ready for the end user, alot of uninteresting works come.
It’s nice to have friends, that keep telling you the game is amazing (even though they are probably lying, it doesn’t matter, it gives me enough to start creating the UI, tutorials, polishing).
There are already enough people with constructive criticism.
No but seriously, what you need is determination, not motivation. If you start doubting the project the best thing to do it to show it to people or even better, have people play it.
Sometimes when I’m bored and don’t feel like coding or making models I’ll just pour myself a nice whisky and play my game with a pen and a notepad. Start writing down notes, bugs, things I’d want, things I should take out.
This gets me hyped and the next day I can work 10-12 hours non stop.
Or you can do like that guy in the green screen and dance, dance, dance and you’ll feel better and your game work will be easier. However, you have to set up your working area with a dance area near by, e.g. if you’re at home your living room. If at the city or in apartment where this causes trouble have one of those cheap $50 iPod shuffles and go outside on the ground floor and dance. You’ll get some looks but some people will be glad to see you enjoying yourself. We used to like seeing Smokey come breakdance for us in the middle of the grocery store isle and even better he loved break dancing for us.
I completely agree. And this is the reason every big game dev company hires people to test their games. Since if they did all the testing themselves, they would very quickly grow tired of everything about it, and even at times think it’s not even that good. (I’m referencing my own experience by depicting it as a big company ).
…If you really are tired of it, try quitting. Hear me out. If you can walk away, no big loss and you go find another calling. But if you find yourself drawn back to it, pay attention to what part of it speaks to you. People say life is short, but actually life is pretty long for most people. You have time to reflect and figure this out.
There are things I never get tired of, because doing them is what I love. If what you’re doing doesn’t interest you, you will always struggle with motivation.
I don’t need motivation, got too much of it, need to learn to rest and wind down.
See, if it’s a hobby, you don’t need motivation. It’s a hobby.
If it’s a business and you’re talking about motivation then probably best to find a new business.
I’ve said how I am before, it’s not that I don’t have motivation, it’s just I have to much fear to release something that may end up being a total piece of crap but to me is really fun. If that makes any sense at all? lol.
Yeah, that’s tough. Just get it as good as you can and then when you can’t fathom spending even more time and energy on it, close your eyes and put it out there. Best to move on to the next thing after that. Check back later and see how it went.
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