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Motivation in Game Design 
[size=6]Motivation in Game Design
Its may be hard, but heres some ways to motivate yourself to continue working on your game. [size=11]Most of you were inspired to make you game projects by something, a game you like, a movie you watched, an anime or manga, or even somebody. But what happens when you lose the motivation that you gain from the source? It is a very common problem, and the reason why most indy games are never completed. This article will teach you how to deal with these problems and game killers.
Its most common to lose your motivation during these times,
1. Right after you start project
2. A week after you start the project
3. A couple of months after the project and afterwards
The reason why people lose their motivation is normally due to lack of inspiration, support, resources, laziness and lack of a community.
Heres some tips to tackle these problems.
But first of all, if you've lost your motivation to continue your project just after you start it, think of a better project, you obviously don't have an interest in the project and idea, or you may not be ready to start this project.
If you've lost your motivation within the first week or so, you may just need more support, just try harder.
1. Start a community/forum
I myself find it very important to have a forum to let supporters and members post ideas and give you a little boost. It may seem tedious to set one up, especially if you lack the motivation, even though I really don't support using free online forum hosts, go ahead, sign up to one.
Invisionfree.com
-Quite fast servers
-Large database of Mods and Hacks as well as Skins
-Pages covered with ads
-Long and ugly domain names (www.s?.invisionfree.com/yourforum)
-Runs on IPB 1.3 Final (Easy to hack)
IPBFree.com
-Very fast servers
-Quite a small amount of Mods, hacks and skins available
-Small ad banner
-Nice and small domain name
-Runs on IPB 2.0
[color=#000000]Google "Free Forum Hosting" to find more options...
2. Get your inspiration from the same source..
If your inspiration was an anime, movie, book or person, get another dose of it. Oh, but what if it isn't as good the second time or there isn't any new episodes? Google the source and join a community which supports and discusses your inspirational source.
3. Get better
One common excuse for stopping game projects is that you're not good enough to make the game or continue the project. Well then, Get better! You can always read some tutorials on what you contribute to the game project, if its spriting or coding, get better at it by finding a good online site which helps you improve. If its RMVX or RMXP, you're at the right place, RRR's community is always willing to help somebody improve.
4. The common problem of not having enough time.
This one gets the better of everyone, you end up signing up for a new activity or having life issues and suddenly, it has priority over your project. The simple solution is to manage your time, or if you're lazy, stop getting yourself into more trouble or activities which will steal your time away from your project.
5. "I just don't feel like doing it anymore"
Rubbish, theres always a reason to why you can't pull the motivation to continue your project. It must be a reason which even you don't understand. Just try everything, don't give up yet, another good reason to not give up is that you'd be letting people down, and unless you're a bad person, you wouldn't want that. Unless you really don't have any supporters, maybe it would be best not to waste your time.
6. A new interest
You watched a new movie, a show, or got a new idea and you'd rather make a game on it than continue your current project. Well don't waste your time, if you are so easily taken to a new idea by something else, you're something I've been calling a dozen people on MSN, a Project Slut. Yes a project slut, thats what you are. You are easily motivated to make a new project, which often doesn't last. If you've never experienced changing projects, which I have, you should actually give it a chance, who knows? maybe this idea is better. But normally what happens is you end up failing at the new project and lose your motivation for anything, for awhile.
7. The best way to motivate yourself (Risky)
Don't lie to yourself and tell yourself and everyone else you're happy with your project, if you really feel you can no longer go on, don't give up. [color=#008080]Give yourself a break, [color=#000000]everybody needs one, once in awhile. Don't open your project files for a couple of days, longest a week and then open it and see all the hard work you've been putting into the project. This is the ultimate cure for demotivation for me.
[/color]However, this is the ultimate risk. Like many people, even me, I have tried this and eventually after my break, decide to end the project because its the easier thing to do. Sometimes, this may be for the best, but other times, this is a major waste. But again, there is a greater risk in lieing to yourself and pretending that you are motivated to work on it, that is no way to work on a project.
8. or.. you can try this.
Think about what you gain from the project, is it a money? or is it that you will feel happy finally finishing or releasing the game, or maybe its that you like the power of owning the game? Reflect on all your hard work and what you lose from giving up.
9. Finally, if all else fails, you can do this.
Post a demo or some screenshots of your game. Other members of the community you post it in will definately comment you and give you some motivation to continue on the project. However, choose where you post it carefully a den of flamers isn't the best place to post your indy game screenshots, and remember to make it look the best it can be.
10. Talk to me.
If you feel like you want to end your project, talk to me, I'm surely a very good source for motivation.
Thanks for reading my first Rpg Rpg Revolution Article, I hope this has helped Motivate you!
Magdreamer
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Tutorial:
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Motivation in Game Design |
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Date Listed:
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Sat, 07 Jun 2008 05:02:54 -0700 |
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Author:
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Magdreamer
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324 |
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