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GAMEMAKING AND TIME MANAGEMENT. (AGAIN)
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Feldschlacht IV
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CloseI tried making this topic a few months ago, hoping it would spur discussion and draw attention to one of the biggest reasons nobody finishes their game. Unfortunately it got a few replies on the likes of 'UHHHHHHHHH' and it died. So can we try this again?
So I just got a new job, and the nature of that job pretty much affords me the time (and money) I need to do a lot of things I used to be too strapped for cash for, like joining a good gym, more time with friends/girlfriend, taking more classes, etc. However, the very same nature of said job also commands more of my time than before, which leaves me no longer able to meander on the computer as much as I used to. My day is actually more filled now! So now, more than ever, I have to utilize a better sense of time management in everything I do, from work, socializing, and leisure.
So I was thinking, this time management initiative also translates to game making, (indie) game playing, and generally being into the community. Until recently, the hours I had to spend on the computer doing nothing in particular was a curse, I'd open my game, kinda mess around in it, do something else, come back, stare at it a little bit, and the same thing translated to playing games (played the game for a bit, dicked around on Facebook, started it up again, etc) and so on. Seriously, my games new demo was supposed to be out a few weeks ago, but due to poor time management, my game making (and playing) productivity suffers.
Considering I no longer have the time (or the initiative, really) to dick around on the computer doing nothing for hours on end, I figured that sectioning my time off to particular tasks (an hour for working on my game, an hour for playing other games, for example) is not only something I pretty much have to do now anyway, but in past experience, discipling yourself to get a certain thing done in a certain timeframe is the way to go for actually getting it done.
This may seem like work; "Aww, why should I force myself into doing something by giving myself a certain timeframe to do it?", but isn't that something that all adults have to do anyway? You're certainly not going to maintain your standard of living meandering around aimlessly for hours on end.
So. This is sort of a soundoff and discussion topic. Have you guys ever sectioned off your time for things like this? How is it working for you? Would you like to give it a shot? In my experience, it really works. Also, I plan to write an article on this subject sooner or later.
So I just got a new job, and the nature of that job pretty much affords me the time (and money) I need to do a lot of things I used to be too strapped for cash for, like joining a good gym, more time with friends/girlfriend, taking more classes, etc. However, the very same nature of said job also commands more of my time than before, which leaves me no longer able to meander on the computer as much as I used to. My day is actually more filled now! So now, more than ever, I have to utilize a better sense of time management in everything I do, from work, socializing, and leisure.
So I was thinking, this time management initiative also translates to game making, (indie) game playing, and generally being into the community. Until recently, the hours I had to spend on the computer doing nothing in particular was a curse, I'd open my game, kinda mess around in it, do something else, come back, stare at it a little bit, and the same thing translated to playing games (played the game for a bit, dicked around on Facebook, started it up again, etc) and so on. Seriously, my games new demo was supposed to be out a few weeks ago, but due to poor time management, my game making (and playing) productivity suffers.
Considering I no longer have the time (or the initiative, really) to dick around on the computer doing nothing for hours on end, I figured that sectioning my time off to particular tasks (an hour for working on my game, an hour for playing other games, for example) is not only something I pretty much have to do now anyway, but in past experience, discipling yourself to get a certain thing done in a certain timeframe is the way to go for actually getting it done.
This may seem like work; "Aww, why should I force myself into doing something by giving myself a certain timeframe to do it?", but isn't that something that all adults have to do anyway? You're certainly not going to maintain your standard of living meandering around aimlessly for hours on end.
So. This is sort of a soundoff and discussion topic. Have you guys ever sectioned off your time for things like this? How is it working for you? Would you like to give it a shot? In my experience, it really works. Also, I plan to write an article on this subject sooner or later.
Giving me specific time to get something done has never worked for me. Getting shit done takes a lot of time and I certainly don't want to stop because I 'ran out of time' and then the next time I get to work I need to get my mind back in the frame when I left off.
When it comes time to get shit done, remove as many distractions as possible when you are trying to work. Unplug your computer from its network. Throw the TV remote a floor up. Turn off the phone. Close the door. Sit down and get it done.
When it comes time to get shit done, remove as many distractions as possible when you are trying to work. Unplug your computer from its network. Throw the TV remote a floor up. Turn off the phone. Close the door. Sit down and get it done.
AeroGP
64
My problem is that I dig myself too deep into work that is slightly above my level of expertise, and have to constantly come up for air and dick around a little so I can wrap my head around what needs to be done. I've learned that I can only work effectively when its something so simple for me, I can go straight to creating it and get results. If I have to spend lots of time designing and deciding how to implement, I lose myself in my own thoughts and nothing gets completed. Best-case scenario is that I get stuck in a cycle of refactoring, worse-case is that I drown in depression...
I take myself too seriously.
I take myself too seriously.
Well, this is a topic that Karsuman and I were going to address on the 16th but I guess I'll summarize now.
We are making a complete game within ~three weeks. Our first consolidated project is dated May 30th - we've only been working on it for less than two weeks and due to many To-do lists, index cards (for keeping track of bugs, variable/switch ids, skill ids, default HP values, etc.) and shared motivation we have made an incredible amount of progress; the game will be released in seven days I am very, very sure.
Time management has been extremely important. We both know exactly what we're supposed to be doing and we know it has to be done by a certain time because we consolidate our work every other evening, at which point I do a quick bugtest and do a general tidy before uploading it to our archive.
If we didn't know what each person was doing and when, we couldn't have made it this far. By telling each other "hey, good job, keep at it" and knowing what that "keep at it" is, we get stuff done.
Protip: Reward yourself. Whenever I finish mapping a large area or finish a large amount of skills, I play one day of Etrian Odyssey II.
We are making a complete game within ~three weeks. Our first consolidated project is dated May 30th - we've only been working on it for less than two weeks and due to many To-do lists, index cards (for keeping track of bugs, variable/switch ids, skill ids, default HP values, etc.) and shared motivation we have made an incredible amount of progress; the game will be released in seven days I am very, very sure.
Time management has been extremely important. We both know exactly what we're supposed to be doing and we know it has to be done by a certain time because we consolidate our work every other evening, at which point I do a quick bugtest and do a general tidy before uploading it to our archive.
If we didn't know what each person was doing and when, we couldn't have made it this far. By telling each other "hey, good job, keep at it" and knowing what that "keep at it" is, we get stuff done.
Protip: Reward yourself. Whenever I finish mapping a large area or finish a large amount of skills, I play one day of Etrian Odyssey II.
As a corollary to Craze's post, Craze and I have known each other for something like SIX YEARS so our collaboration was not born out of magic, but being knowledgeable and aware of each others skills and eccentricities. Team games are more liable to work out when you have a level of trust between everyone involved. 'such and such does this', and 'this guy does that'. That way, their is less infighting and drama and more game making.
Also, never have two knowledgeable/skilled writers working on the writing/story. You are asking for shit to hit the fan.
Also, never have two knowledgeable/skilled writers working on the writing/story. You are asking for shit to hit the fan.
The Real Brickroad
2626
You guys should write a design article that walks us through your process in creating, say, a dungeon complete with monsters and treasure. A snapshot out of one of your games as you're working on it.
Here is how Karsu and I create a dungeon:
1) Karsuman says "hey, I want a floating sky castle and a tunnel made of organs."
2) Craze expresses the limitations of available materials and a compromise is reached.
3) Karsuman manages to somehow justify the dungeon somewhere in the game.
4) Craze maps the dungeon, including locations for PC out-of-battle skills (like Gather to find herbs and Pray to revive allies) to be used.
5) Karsuman adds treasure while Craze adds monster encounters of a certain genre (called up with common events).
6) This continues twenty more times.
Note that the "puzzles" in our project are maintaining resources, managing Feats (the amount of times you can use OOB skills each day) and solving a mystery. There are no PUSH THE BARREL deals, just the player trying to figure out how to win the game.
1) Karsuman says "hey, I want a floating sky castle and a tunnel made of organs."
2) Craze expresses the limitations of available materials and a compromise is reached.
3) Karsuman manages to somehow justify the dungeon somewhere in the game.
4) Craze maps the dungeon, including locations for PC out-of-battle skills (like Gather to find herbs and Pray to revive allies) to be used.
5) Karsuman adds treasure while Craze adds monster encounters of a certain genre (called up with common events).
6) This continues twenty more times.
Note that the "puzzles" in our project are maintaining resources, managing Feats (the amount of times you can use OOB skills each day) and solving a mystery. There are no PUSH THE BARREL deals, just the player trying to figure out how to win the game.
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