Discuss: What do you do if you're Burned out?

[Simon D. Aelsi]

Very interesting responses, everyone.

 

[Matseb2611]

It depends on how you personally work best. Each person is different.

I personally always concentrate on one project at a time, because if I am to make an engaging story, I have to really immerse myself into it, and doing so with more than one universe at once is too hard. If I start another project before finishing the existing one, the chances are the existing one will never be finished, so I tend to complete things first before starting on anything new. The only exception here is if the two or more projects are in different stages of development. For example, once I release the complete beta version of one project and await feedback, I already begin work on the next project, because by the time I finish planning and resource collecting, my previous project will be fully finished.

Keeping motivation high is important. We all come across some parts in our projects that are a lot less interesting than other parts. This is in fact when you really need to give your project some attention, because if you're finding any part of it boring, the chances are the players will too, and this means the boring part needs some work. If I still struggle in those cases, I simply set that part of the game aside or just leave it as it is and continue on to the next part of the game, the part that is more fun. Because if you're working on boring bits for too long, you lose motivation.

And of course, taking breaks definitely helps. Going out for a walk, doing some physical exercise, or just socialising for example can get you refreshed and provide a boost of inspiration. After all, creativity can't be forced out of one's mind. It needs to be stimulated.

If I had to summarize all my points into one, I'd say do exactly what you want to do and work on the game the way that is most fun for you personally. You have to enjoy the process of game-making and you have to love your project enough to want to see it turn from mere ideas in your mind into a thing that other people can experience with their senses and emotions.

 

[aliensalmon]

I simply walk away from the project for a certain period of time. I listen to inspirational video game music to get those creative juices flowing.

 

[Zoltor]

I'll take a break from the project, and do other things, like writing, watching anime, playing a game, watching a movie, ect until I get remotivated.

Having multipe RM projects, is just a bad idea, It's like begging never to finish anything or to do each project half fast.

 

[Shelby]

Well I do have other projects I can work on when I get burned out on one of them, but i'm not really allowed to just quit

 

[BoluBolu]

Do you keep another project to work on?
No, for me if one thing is not finished(or I haven't finish it yet), then how can I finish the other, or how can I know if I won't burned out with this another project too? Or it's more liike I can't focus on another project if the one that is still in development is not clear yet.
Simply no .

 

Do you just walk away and rest?
play piano or guitar is my is my hobby, so I do it, or go out for a while. Not long I'll come back in front of my project.
Simply do your hobby(ies) .
 

Do you switch to something else entirely?
No, I just think, if I switch to something else entirely, then I'm an idiot, because why in the first time I start a project if in the middle of the process I throw it up?
or I will think like this, How much time I have spent to make that project, if it has eat up my time quite long(ex: 2 weeks or more) then, I will not throw it away.
Simply rethink how much time and how much strength that you have spend for the project, or why in the first time you begin the project, then it's all back to you to decide
 

 

[Stridah]

Drink alcohol,play league of legends....take a day or two off then work on something game related that is more fun to me (mapping).

 

[kj3400]

When I find it hard to work on something, I just take a break. I completely stop working on it and focus on something else, usually a video game. I don't work on another project because if I'm tired of working on one thing, I'm prolly tired of working on anything related to it. I have been known to leave projects abandoned, but only until I can find the motivation to continue it. In the end, only I can decide whether it was a worthwhile venture or not, and if it appears I have wasted my time, I drop it completely, and learn from it. Otherwise I'll just wait. I'll come around eventually.

 

[sai]

Usually if I'm burned out on something, I rest a bit and cook. Looking up and trying new recipes is a favorite thing of mine. Then I also think about other methods to tackle the thing I'm burned out on, since I'm constantly on the lookout for improvement. Learning new things, refining what I know, or breaking down a process I'm having trouble with tends to put me back into the swing.

I actually have two projects, one being a more complex project, the other simplified project. If something bothers me about the complex project, I think of it in the simple project's perspective and rebuild/streamline my process from there to work with my complex project. Seems kind of dumb, but for me, it's a constant flow of work. Progress is always put into either project.

 

[MyLordRobinson]

I haven't updated my project or opened RMVXA since November.

 

[Eurgh]

I usually just add things to it when I see fit. It's better to treat the project like a hobby, you can put a lot more hours into it that way, because you see it more as a casual thing than "I need to finish this! This project is taking ages!"

Not to mention, if you keep it as a hobby, it gives you plenty of time to think of new things to put in it; rather than finishing it THEN thinking of something new and trying to squeeze it in somewhere.

 

[hian]

I always have two projects to work on(never more) that are vastly different, this way I can change things up in order to not grow to tired of any one of them.

If I find myself growing tired of production work in general, I'll just shelve everything until I get my creative drive back. Usually I get it back after a couple of week spent enjoying other people's creative work, and just general fun, without thinking about doing anything creative myself.

If I feel tempted to do something before 2 weeks or so have passed, I'll usually force myself to not go back to work, and rather just jot down any ideas I have in a notepad file, or a notebook.

This way, my drive to carry on will reach a peak before I go back to work, and I'll have a lot of ideas ready to be explored.