YOUR BIGGEST STRUGGLES/BLOCKS as a developer

[defunct-user]

What is your biggest struggle or what blocks you the MOST as a developer?

Say it, and maybe, just maybe, as a community, we might be able to help eachother. OR... we might be able to understand eachother more. Maybe you AREN'T alone in how you feel as a developer or with what you struggle with.  Who knows...?

No judgements. No biases. 

For me...? It's self doubt. I'm always doubting myself, that I can do things and such. It's wearing on me, and I know it's been wearing on those close to me too. That's my seemingly unbreakable block. Sometimes, it's a mild self-doubt that I push aside and trot on.

But sometimes, it's a crippling fear that I can't do ANYTHING and self-worth, and yada yada yada. Many of you have all been there. I'm sure of it. (Right?)  I'm always self-conscious of stuff like that. I'm always afraid of displeasing others... when I'm sure I should focus on not displeasing MYSELF.

(Man. That was... so hard to say.)

Mind you. It's a battle. I certainly I won't let this overcome me!

Tell me... What do YOU struggle with? What are your biggest blocks?

 

[Bukarett]

Nothing, I'm perfect and awesome~

[IMG]http://i.imgur.com/uWWGhwt.gif[/IMG]

*Buka is shot countless times*

Spoiler

Honest answer : Anything gameplay related~ Though I have someone to help (bother the hell out off) me with that ;D

 

[Engr. Adiktuzmiko]

Lack of motivation and flood of ideas... and oh, lack of time coz I'm a busy person.

 

[Dalph]

Spoiler

I have a lot of motivation, ideas, spare time and will to learn\improve but I can't finish anything because this person bothers the hell out of me all the time I'm lazy and a sick unsatisfied perfectionist.

 

[Ms Littlefish]

Mostly time. I have the drive and motivation to do just about everything I'd like to put my mind to. I don't struggle too much with failure and having to try again. But, my time is being torn 8000 different directions. 

 

[AwesomeCool]

right now it is the jitters

I tried to fight it off but the computer came back and rekt me.

like this:

 

[Heretic86]

Ive got a bunch of struggles

One is finding appropriate content that is legal.

Next is applying that content in a way that it becomes an appropriate part of my game world.

Motivation is also a challenge when things do not work exactly the way I want them to work.

Once I get to a certain stage of development, I usually playtest, then want to go back and change a bunch of stuff.  Then I get farther along and want to go back and change a bunch more stuff, all the way back to the very beginning.  I keep reimagining ways to do everything better and better.

Another issue is Time.  It takes so long to develop certain aspects that once developed, I run out of motivation to do what I just did 50 more times.

Another issue is Distractions.  Trying out other peoples concepts and ideas, or just flat out putting the project down completely and focusing on something that isnt my game.

Another issue is my projects are 99.9% Solo.  Having a team I can talk with in person that share my interests would help a lot.  The people I know just seem to be too damn dumb to do anything but entertain themselves with the aforementioned distractions.  But having a team would ultimately result in another inevitable trait inherit to having a team and that is money.  Thus, keep it solo, but that comes with its own sets of advantages and sets of challenges to be overcome.

Only thing I can say is to just keep plugging along and drive yourself to get past the tedious parts until working on a new part is satisfying again.  It cant be a job, it needs to be a Hobby because Hobbies are fun.  THats what usually keeps me going.

 

[TheoAllen]

I can do a lot of stuff, so I'm not afraid of "I can't do that thing". The problem usually lies on "What should I do?".

And these included :

1. When making a game/story, hardest part is finding the reason "why the hell the MC need to go adventure anyway?"

2. Getting started (Forum and Social Networks often distract me)

3. Bugs ... they're mean to me. I could spend hours just to kill them. And they always "RESPAWN"

4. Time management. Because I need/want to do a lot of things including non-RM stuff

5. And ended up with "why the hell I need to do this anyway? do anyone will play/use this kind of thing?"

 

[Another Ned]

Biggest block for me: Certain things I don't have any control over.

What I mean are sudden changes of plans, falling ill, paperwork, searching for a flat/job, etc.

If I'm not careful, I start getting a guilty conscience while working on a project because I'm not doing Important Thing To Do X. And if I don't stop my dear brain from sabotaging me, this means I won't be able to do anything for the next few days. Yay, frustration.

Time management is also something I struggle with, but that's mostly because I cannot plan for stuff I don't know about beforehand; and because multiple projects are way too fun for me to not have.

Everything else? There's stuff slowing me down, but I usually either cut it mercilessly, use placeholders (yay for \n[ ]! I'll never need to name anything beforehand, ever!), or, after struggling with it for hours/days, ask someone for advice. If I actually manage to do so and don't try something else. I'm really bad with asking people stuff. Which can actually be counted towards struggles.

 

[CzarSquid]

My biggest problem is looking at a blank page and saying "Now what?" This could be a map or a sprite or a character that needs to be done but I have zero clue where to start. Nine times out of ten I just do it and then something will pop up like "Oh, I could put a chair here or a rock there".

Most of my maps are just boxes that connect to other boxes that are labeled for rooms. It helps but doesn't always translate into the room I need.

For those who struggle with motivation. JUST DO IT! Seriously, if you want to work on your project but you do not have the drive that is exactly when you need to start working. Right now! If you are looking for some motivation to start then stop wasting your time here. If you have no idea where to start just look around your project and think of something to add. Make a new monster! Make a new character! Make something new! Every single time I do something when I did not want to has helped me overcome my lack of motivation and chronic depression (had it since I was little boy).

My other problem (which might be great in some cases) is when I start working on a project I can't. stop. working. on. it. One more thing to add. Oh that doesn't work. Let me fix that. Oh I want to add this. Now it's 11o'clock D:

 

[Milennin]

My biggest block is mapping.


It's something that always takes so much time to do right and to make look nice. It drains my inspiration, having to create the 1000th rock cliff or bunch of trees without making it look the same as all the other rock cliffs/forests/whatever I'm making. Having to plan out the general lay-out to make it interesting to play through. Having to make custom tiles because I come up with stuff that I want to have in it that isn't in the RTP. Having to continuously test every tile on the map to make sure the player can't clip through anything.


Ugh, mapping is a horrible job...

 

[Ikari]

Mapping.

It takes forever for me to map and then make it correctly, because I seriously can't map for my life. I just go, "why don't I add this stuff" and then vualah I'm done, I often think.

Gameplay.

Oh, don't even get me started here. Countless times I've had where my characters become too broken or the enemies are too broken, or some random missing error or the enemies aren't interesting at all.

Double checking.

When I'm excited to release a demo and it's finished, I don't even double or triple check I go, "TIME TO RELEASE IT HUR HUR" and then boom comes all these game errors/glitches.

Distractions.

Whenever I'm about to get ready to start working on my game the Internet says, "Hey over here!" and by the time I'm finished with it it's like midnight.

 

[Milennin]

Double checking.


When I'm excited to release a demo and it's finished, I don't even double or triple check I go, "TIME TO RELEASE IT HUR HUR" and then boom comes all these game errors/glitches.

Story of my sad, sad developer's life.

 

[TheoAllen]

Distractions.

Whenever I'm about to get ready to start working on my game the Internet says, "Hey over here!" and by the time I'm finished with it it's like midnight.

And this will be like "Hey, over here! Tell your biggest block as a developer"

 

[Ikari]

And this will be like "Hey, over here! Tell your biggest block as a developer"

LOL EXACTLY

 

[Kyuukon]

Laziness.-

 

[Alexander Amnell]

Time management; time management and actually being driven to work on it when I have the time to do so...instead I usually spend the hours I have staring at the screen only to get inspired and pumped about working on my game once I no longer have time to devote to it.

 

[Probotector 200X]

I think my biggest problem is a combination of two things.

Lots of crazy ambitious ideas + lots of integrity.

See, most of my projects feature all the cool ideas I always wanted to have in RPGs. Lots of times I realize the reason why those ideas aren't in any games I've played, they all take a LOT of time and effort!

Examples:

-Multiple worlds: Usually when there's another "world" to go too, it's really small. And the "first world" is smaller than normal too. Pfft! Make several worlds each the size of the one world in a normal RPG!

-Large towns: Towns with like 6 buildings, with only 4 of which you can go into, 3 are shops and 1 is a normal civilian house...it's so weird. I want a huge town with tons of buildings, with tons of different kinds of shops and services!

-Lots of other stuff like that.

See, it's kind of ambitious to want to do that. But, it's what I really want to do. My integrity in that goal won't let me simplify things. It's like two opposing forces locking me in some state of not-doing-anything. Or something, I don't know.

 

[Heretic86]

My biggest issue?  Running out of Hot Pockets / Five Hour Energy or Coffee.

 

[Matseb2611]

Some of the issues I face as a developer:

Money. I personally would love to make a game where all resources (maybe aside from scripts) are custom, but the amount of money that will cost is just not realistic for me right now. Still though... some day.

Starting out. This is usually the slowest bit for me with any project. Creating a blank project file, glaring at that starting RTP water map, taking a deep breath, and going "How the hell am I going to start this thing?"

Scripts. Being a non-scripter and knowing virtually nothing about it, this is a big block. Any scripts that are complex to understand or have incredibly long instructions are usually avoided in favour of more user-friendly scripts.

Licenses. This is if you're making a commercial project. Those who have made or started at least one will know what I'm talking about. The number of resources that are available/free for commercial use are way limited compared to those for non-commercial. So you have to make small sacrifices here and there. You can of course pay for the occasional commercial license here and there, but this is where you have to take a look at your budget and go "I can afford that, that, and that, but not that". The worst one here are the fonts. Their licenses also don't let you distribute them in the game folder and most times don't even cover use in video games, so it's an enormous minefield, where your chances of making it through unharmed are extremely slim.