Motivation

[Xen]

As many of us already know, creating a browser game from scratch can takes months/years, especially if you have had no prior coding/design experience or knowledge.
So what I am asking is how do you all keep motivated when creating your games? How do you maintain that excitement and zest you felt the first day you had the "lightbulb" moment?
Is your motivation to please others, or simply to challenge yourself?
Personally, I started making my game with the sole purpose of others getting enjoyment out of it. But I learn't very quickly that no matter how hard I tried, I would never please everyone. I got tired of people whinging about how long it was taking and not grasping how much work was actually involved. Bearing in mind when I first started my game I thought Dreamweaver was a sewing machine and Flash was what strange men in long anoraks did!
So my motivation quickly changed from doing it for others, to doing it for myself, kind of a personal challenge.
I still take on board what players want, but I have poured so much time and work into my project that I guess that is my main motivation now - not wasting all that effort.
But I can see how hundreds of budding game makers start a new game full of enthusiasm and very quickly lose that, whether it's through laziness, not realising the effort required or losing that initial motivation.
Yes we all have good and bad days, and I think its really important if you are having a bad day, just leave it. Go out for a walk, clear your head, do something completely non-game related and come back to it tomorrow. I also do a lot of writing and it's exactly the same as coding - a fresh pair of eyes and a clear head will forge a much quicker, clearer and less painful path to your final goal. I also think places like these forums are invaluable when trying to maintain motivation. Knowing that there are others in exactly the same boat as you, having proper resources and the opportunity to talk and get help from people in the know is a massive help and sometimes, comfort.
I guess my Dad was right after all, you only get out what you put in - something I am constantly having to remind myself of.
So over to you guys.

[Jackolantern]

My motivation is a little bit of both. For myself and for others who may enjoy it.

As far as people being impatient, I have learned from being in the indie/hobbyist game community for many years that you don't really announce your game until you think it is about 90% complete, because that probably about 50% complete. I see people announcing their games over and over with their first concept sketch, and if you do have interested people, they will lose interest long before it is complete. Even AAA studios make this same mistake. Some companies, like Square-Enix have the luxury of knowing that people will wait, and will show off screenshots of Final Fantasy games when they are only 20% done. But most, including the indie and hobbyist community, simply can't do that. I had to figure that out the hard way in a group I was in a few years ago

[Xen]

Yep me too. I only set up a downtime forum, but it quickly turned into a "how long do we have to wait" forum
I guess we learn by our mistakes and that's why I took it down and have continued to work on the game quietly.

[hallsofvallhalla]

This is a all important subject that plagues us all. I don't care who you are. Keeping motivation is the HARDEST thing about game development. Harder than coding or art.
One thing is not to burn yourself out. It is fine to take a week or two off. It is actually needed. People need to understand that a game is not made in a day or a week. That is why I hate game a day contests. They ruin the true design of a game. When you plan your game plan a few weeks for a vacation. Some of the best motivation for me comes from when I take a break and play someone else's game. After all it was from playing games that your first inspiration came from right? A common misconception is game devs are gamers. Not true. Once you get the addiction of building games you find you won't play others as much.

I also believe as Jack that announcing a game too early is not the best idea but it depends on the definition of announce. Showing off a work in progress in a site like this is fine. We are all developers here and our comments can help motivate you. Announcing it to the world is suicide. People outside of these communities are harsh and hateful. I don't care if you built the next WOW or COD. Someone will bash it.

[Ravinos]

I also feel a little of both. Whenever I get burnt out working on my main project I have 2 fall back projects I jump to. They require a totally different set of mechanics and challenges. By doing so I've actually learned even more that then enhances all of the projects. I'm actually learning Actionscript 3.0 right now because of one of my side projects that may end up replacing my main projects combat system.

The key is to take breaks or shift focus to something else for a bit. Also making sure your projects are planned out is a huge part to prevent becoming burnt out and frustrated.

[Torniquet]

I guess what motorvates me is the challenge and the potential it has to hit a very big community (and the potential amount of money it could earn)

but as of late it has been really hard to stay focused and on track due to one thing or another, which really has started getting to me lol. The main thing that is getting to me is the database work involved. probably because i have no real sense of imagination when i really sit and think about it lol.

it has taken me weeks to sit down and think of a half decent way of creating my crafting system (which i am still having doubts about lol) and creating the tables needed for it. and that has brought the project to a halt beacuase i refuse to move on and work on something else in the mean time lol (jus one of my funny ways of doing things lol)

In conclusion... i have realised that the database work really does suck ass and ii find it really hard to focus on that side of it... where as the coding aspect i can happily sit there for hours doing it without thinking about nothin else.

anyways. time to get to go to work :s

[Genaga]

I lack a lot of motivation which is very bad. I don't like announcing projects until they have a lot to show. The only thing that keeps me motivated is working with someone because I don't like letting people down. But at the moment current project has just me and it is suffering quite bad.

[Xen]

but as of late it has been really hard to stay focused and on track due to one thing or another, which really has started getting to me lol. The main thing that is getting to me is the database work involved. probably because i have no real sense of imagination when i really sit and think about it lol.

See I am the other way round, my imagination has a mind of its own and I have to stop myself before it elopes with my sanity! I wish I could sit and code all day, but I'm still a complete novice and it's all a bit like learning Chinese at the moment - I kinda get the drift although makes no sense

I lack a lot of motivation which is very bad. I don't like announcing projects until they have a lot to show. The only thing that keeps me motivated is working with someone because I don't like letting people down. But at the moment current project has just me and it is suffering quite bad.

At least I'm not the only one struggling on my own >.< I find it most hard when I have spent hours on some art or writing and I have no one to show it to or get feedback from, its a bit of an anti-climax Most of my friends haven't a clue about computers so when I start waffling at them about it I can see their eyes glaze over! When you are part of a team, or even when there's 2 of you, at least you can bounce off each other and if one is having a bad day, the other can pick them up and vice versa. I guess on the flip side, there's no arguements (unless you count hurling abuse at the pc) and when the game is done, the satisfaction that it is all your own work will, I'm sure be totally worth it.

[hallsofvallhalla]

Motivation also comes i waves. Like the past few days I have had a strong passion to complete QOC and have been kicking butt on it. Tons of new ideas have been flowing out of me and I think I will finally finish it. It took me taking a month away from it to get the passion back. Who knows I might lose it tomorrow though

[Xen]

Yep it does come in waves.
Glad you have been on a roll Halls, it's a great feeling isn't it when it's all flowing like that - I guess bit like a natural high. And there's never enough hours in the day when it's all going well.