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Geek Culture / Suffering from BURNOUT!

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Pincho Paxton
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Posted: 6th Feb 2004 16:52
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Have you ever pushed your intelligence to its limits for a long period of time? Have you ever felt like you've reached a pont in your game where the AI is going to be a serious problem, and you are afraid to attempt it? Have you basically feared openening your DB editor because you know that you have to do some serious maths? Shall we call this feeling BURNOUT!!!

I remember BURNOUT when I was at school learning maths, and I got this phobia about anything mathematical. It was like the fear of spiders, or any other phobia. I was afraid of maths! I still sometimes get this with programming. I can sometimes think about something for too long, and it makes me afraid to attempt it. I have reached a point in Barricadium that I am afraid to attempt. It's not difficult really, but I have convinced myself that it is. It's the ball collision with the bricks that I am wary about. All I have to do is get the ball position, take away half the width of the ball, find the Map array which it occupies using a mathematical formula which is my scariest part because the bricks don't divide easily into the screen Width/Height, find the zone of the next brick to this array, find the zone of the second nearest brick as well, find the edge that the ball has crossed. Then it might be necessary to move the brick offscreen, maybe a second brick as well, and bounce the ball. So now I have this BURNOUT feeling, and I don't want to open DB.

Do you ever get that?

Pincho.

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OSX Using Happy Dude
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Posted: 6th Feb 2004 16:55
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Quote: "Have you ever pushed your intelligence to its limits for a long period of time?"

Nope...

It does take me a long time to start some things after thinking about them - and then once they're started they are scrapped straight away..
When doing games, I tend to need to get excited about an idea and whilst writing the code - if not then its stopped.


The place for all great plug-ins.
XP3000+,1Gb RAM,FX5600,1Mb ADSL,Router,.Net 2003 Pro & me
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Pincho Paxton
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Posted: 6th Feb 2004 16:59
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Well I want to finish this game, it's quite exciting really, (will be once I've done this collision.)

Pincho.

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Van B
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Location: Sunnyvale
Posted: 6th Feb 2004 17:22
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I tend to leave loose ends for when my brain dribbles - like I might deliberately leave something easy or fun for later, I did that with the particle effects in OIE, everytime collision got on my nerves, I'd have a play with the particles. Often I have to move away from the PC and sit somewhere comfy , and work it out on paper first. Not really because I need to, it's more to recharge my brain, give it a rest. Very often, I find ideas come to me as soon as I do something else - my best ideas come when I'm doing the dishes or trying to get asleep.

I think your worrying over very little though Pinch, you'll sort out them bricks. Remember we're all here to offer ideas and mild hinderance if you get stuck.

Completely innapropriate to say this here (sorry mods - I'll edit this if you want), but the odd 'herbal remedy' really helps me stay focussed and relaxed when I'm working - not recommending it to anyone, but maybe having a bottle of wine or something like that would keep you positive about it, you always code 10 times better when your relaxed, I don't even bother trying to code when I'm in a mood.


Van-B


The nature of Monkey was irrepressible!.
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Pincho Paxton
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Posted: 6th Feb 2004 17:27
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Well you have reminded me to do something else for awhile. I want to make a logo like the psygnosis owl. So I might do that, and have a break.

Pincho.

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Ian T
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Posted: 6th Feb 2004 18:06
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No not really. Everyone gets burned out if they've been working too hard for too long-- famous problem with game designers and programmers-- but my intelligence has certainly never given out on me.

--Mouse: Famous (Avatarless) Fighting Furball

I am the chainsaw paladin.
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CattleRustler
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Location: case modding at overclock.net
Posted: 6th Feb 2004 18:23
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Quote: "my best ideas come when I'm doing the dishes or trying to get asleep"


How true that is!

-RUST-
"What the... Mooooooooooo!"
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Pincho Paxton
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Posted: 6th Feb 2004 20:38 Edited at: 6th Feb 2004 20:44
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Must be a phobia then. I need hypnosis lol!


Anyway I mentioned making a logo earlier, and I have almost finished it. I am going for a retro feel, and a Psygnosis type logo. Does anyone know where I can get a Psygnosis font?


Pincho.

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AlecM
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Posted: 6th Feb 2004 21:06
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I have suffered from 'burnout' for other reasons too

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Dazzag
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Posted: 6th Feb 2004 21:58
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Quote: " Have you ever felt like you've reached a pont in your game where the AI is going to be a serious problem, and you are afraid to attempt it? "

Yep. You normally reach a stage where some of the main bits are there, but something tricky is in front of you. Even if you have dedicated weeks of late nights to it, still you sort of put it off little by little. Is usually because you are itching to try programming something on your mind, that will be cool. So you leave the original stuff "for a bit". And the cycle continues. 20 years later, you can't even find the original code.

Obviously this isn't everyone, but anyone who thinks they are in the "special" bracket of people who continue to completion, well, show me your large collection of completed games, and you are in the club. Doesn't count if you have nothing but good intentions and "serious" commitment to finishing that RPG you have been working on for X months/years.

Tis an annoying problem. And a shame. But if I am wrong then point me at the large supply of half decent completed DB games available. It's been a out a while... even DBP...

Oh, that and doing a full time job (where you program too), is a bit of a damp squid.

Cheers

I am 99% probably lying in bed right now... so don't blame me for crappy typing
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Toby Quan
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Posted: 6th Feb 2004 22:26
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Yes, yes yes, burnout.

At the end of the Alienware competition, I worked all weekend on the game. That night I went to Subway for supper, and my brain was so fried that I ordered my food, paid for it, she handed it me, and yet I still stood there. I had everything, and I should have moved on, but my brain was shot. The worker then told me, "Well, have a good night!", which woke me up and made me realize where I was, etc. etc. etc.

I got so that I couldn't even program anymore. It was fun and all, but I pushed too hard and I had to take a break.

Before the contest I got hooked on Final Fantasy 10. Now that the contest is over, I'm back at it.

Everything in moderation.

And yes, just taking a break to work on something else is a super idea! You'll come back to it in awhile and get it finished.
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Dazzag
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Posted: 6th Feb 2004 23:40 Edited at: 6th Feb 2004 23:45
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Hmmm. Think "Burnout" should be the out of your mind tired kind of burnout. Try spending about 5 hours sleeping all week in an attempt to the documention for the final year project (degree) when you found out (a bit late) you needed a minimum of 120 pages (twice printed), plus it had to be binded etc. Yawn... oh, and you have to present it to the board... kuh??????

Still, they make Pro-Plus, beer, and lots of ciggies for just such occasions... those were the days

As to the original post; I think it's more of a "grass is greener" syndrome. You just can't be bothered to write the computer player (ie. the AI), or the high score board, or widdle out the little bugs... because it's not fun anymore. You've run the damn thing 1000 times, and moving the little blokey around the 3D maze just doesn't do it anymore. I could do my first level blind folded after a while.... and then along comes the new ideas whore (mini-burnout currently after hell day at work ) which is all exciting and tempting. And you *can* see how to do it. All in a weekend too... mmmm... just leave the current project for a little amount of time... only a couple of days... just a couple.......

You know how it goes. Prove me wrong and post links to your completed hobby games/ apps (if you do it as a job that doesn't count; I've programmed entire systems/ booking modules for companies) if you disagree. And fair enough. You are not one of the crowd. You will probably start a successful solo-business and earn a bomb. Git. But unless you have such a list then you can't say you aren't effected by it. ie. first ever project doesn't count as you haven't proven anything yet, and a single project doesn't really count, as you may be 97 years old and started on it in 1968. Or something.

Slightly ranty there. But it's not as if it's a bad thing. Lots of cute snippets. And you never know, might come to something. Just my 2p opinion. That and I really am close to "burnout" today, and am really really really tired. Damn. Wish I still had those Pro-Plus tablets, and I still smoked.... grrr...

Cheers Um. That does look like a really tired bloke right?

I am 99% probably lying in bed right now... so don't blame me for crappy typing
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Dazzag
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Posted: 6th Feb 2004 23:44
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Oh, and start driving the half an hour route to work at extreme speeds through semi-rush hour traffic in a fast car. Then realise you have no recolection of *any* driving whatsoever, about half way down the motorway at about 100mph or so. Slightly wakes you up that one. Tis kind of worrying. Or realise this, and that your whole body is working *automatically* and you are just looking at it moving and stuff, all (seemingly) by itself, with you even thinking random thoughts to yourself like "Golly, I'm turning to avoid that car. Could have died there. Lucky it seems I know what I'm doing". Really freaky.

I go to bed earlier these days. Note that it wasn't my turn to drive today, so I have an excuse.

Cheers

I am 99% probably lying in bed right now... so don't blame me for crappy typing
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UnderLord
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Posted: 7th Feb 2004 00:39
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eh.....just take a nap after wards you'll be ready to tackle your big problems. But i get that feeling when ever i open the editor =P

The search continues.
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