Tales of the Rampant Coyote
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Ye Olde Archives. Visit the new blog at http://www.rampantgames.com/blog/ - and use the following feed: http://rampantgames.com/blog/wp-rss2.php
Tuesday, May 30, 2006
Psycho Game Development Hours
So I've had a nice 3-day weekend, and I've been working 8 or 9 hour days for the last six weeks. It's been really pretty comfortable at the new job. This week, things are spiking a bit with the 10 to 11-hour days... but hopefully it's only a spike, and not an escalation.
So I'm faced with the issue: How do you keep motivation up for doing at home what you are pretty much doing at work all day? For long 11+ hour days?
I'm working on that myself. I've had some problems - I usually prefer writing games to playing them, but I've got a small Oblivion addiction. It's easy to take my short "attempt to unwind" that should only be a half hour or so and turn it into a big two, three, or four hour event.
This week will definitely be a big test.
Some things I'm trying:
#1 - Emphasis on goals - I've got some long term goals that I keep repeating to myself, trying to keep myself motivated.
#2 - Exercise - it's a great way to provide a break, unwind, and keep the brain sharp.
#3 - Varying activities. Programming is heavy at work, so I can focus a little more on non-programming tasks like web development, business stuff, and content development after hours.
#4 - Scheduling - I haven't done this yet, but I will be. I'm creating a schedule (subject to work flexibility), and I'm going to try and stick with it. I am scheduling in time with family and to "unwind" between work and other activities. And as a gamer, I'm definitely planning in some game time (it's important!)
I'll keep you posted on how it goes!
- posted by The Rampant Coyote @ 11:20 PM (Permalink)
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When I first applied for my new job, I had to think about whether or not I could continue to work on my own things as well as the things they want me to do at work. I am starting to see how tiring it might get to work non-stop each day on basically the same kind of work. The only thing that keeps me going is the knowledge that progress on my own things means I'm one step closer to making a living on my own rather than depending on some company to provide a paycheck.
It's just hard to keep that in mind sometimes. B-)
It's just hard to keep that in mind sometimes. B-)
I don't know about the scheduling part. I just keep a TODO list and find that the 10 minutes a day regime keeps me focused. I find that if I try to guesstimate when I'll be done, I more often than not get it wrong on home projects because there are too many factors out of my control.
I recently started using a TiddlyWiki to keep notes to myself. It's pretty handy, and is a single file that you can keep on your hard drive or upload to a server.
I recently started using a TiddlyWiki to keep notes to myself. It's pretty handy, and is a single file that you can keep on your hard drive or upload to a server.
When I talk about scheduling, I may be thinking more about BUDGETING the time. Stopping one activity and starting the other. Instead of having Oblivion sessions go three hours :)
Even Steve Taylor, my boss here at Wahoo (AKA NinjaBee) was concerned that the job here might hurt my productivity with Rampant Games. Now, there are weeks at ANY job where it's so busy it's hard to "get back to work" for the home business when you get home at night. And this is a rough week at work.
But what other job could I get where my boss would actually worry about my side-business?
And it comes down to the fact that this is what I LOVE DOING. My wife jokes that I'll never retire - I'll still be writing games as a crochety old octogenerian. But it is still work, which means discipline and doing game development when you really feel like vegging in front of the TV.
Even Steve Taylor, my boss here at Wahoo (AKA NinjaBee) was concerned that the job here might hurt my productivity with Rampant Games. Now, there are weeks at ANY job where it's so busy it's hard to "get back to work" for the home business when you get home at night. And this is a rough week at work.
But what other job could I get where my boss would actually worry about my side-business?
And it comes down to the fact that this is what I LOVE DOING. My wife jokes that I'll never retire - I'll still be writing games as a crochety old octogenerian. But it is still work, which means discipline and doing game development when you really feel like vegging in front of the TV.
A. I second the TODO list. At the beginning of a workday (even a truncated one), I list off some goals (taken from the week's goals, written out on Monday), and pick 'em off in order. Somehow, even if I reach a typically-unpleasant task at hour 13, it ends up seeming like small potatoes.
2. I'm horrible at sticking to an exercise regimen, so I tied it into my TV watching (treadmill = TV). As a result, I believe that TV-watching is a healthy activity that everyone should engage in: more TV = healthier, leaner Americans.
D. Varying the work helps a lot; it's nice to say, "I'm sick of trying to put this parser together," and be able to turn to the game's selling statement. I also started a new project (plug!) that should complement my everyday work.
Of course, this is probably easier when you live in a cave, by yourself. With a wife and kids (quality family time!), I'd probably need much more structure. Perhaps Jay doesn't sleep?
2. I'm horrible at sticking to an exercise regimen, so I tied it into my TV watching (treadmill = TV). As a result, I believe that TV-watching is a healthy activity that everyone should engage in: more TV = healthier, leaner Americans.
D. Varying the work helps a lot; it's nice to say, "I'm sick of trying to put this parser together," and be able to turn to the game's selling statement. I also started a new project (plug!) that should complement my everyday work.
Of course, this is probably easier when you live in a cave, by yourself. With a wife and kids (quality family time!), I'd probably need much more structure. Perhaps Jay doesn't sleep?
I have two non-day-job projects I need to keep productive on, and I've had a lifelong proclivity to run hot and cold with such projects...sometimes not getting back to them for months.
I'm doing better than usual right now, and here is what seems to be working:
- Don't take on a third project. I actually did this, and had to flake out on it. Ergh, hate doing that.
- Keep notes on all the ideas/tasks/etc that come to mind for the projects, so I won't forget them and don't stress about them. Since the beginning of the year I've been following the Getting Things Done methodology to great effect (it's made me a much better manager at work), and I've been keeping all my ToDo items and notes in the wonderful Mac-only application, Notebook.
- Break down the ToDo items into small achievable bits (this is part of "Getting Things Done"), so that whatever time I have available, whether 10 minutes or 2 hours, I can jump into the project and get something done.
- Get something out as soon as possible that people can play/use and provide feedback on. One of my projects is an online board game (Last Robot Standing, the highest rated game available on the BYOND system, and having players making suggestions, bug reports, and demands has been a huge motivator to keep doing incremental bits of work. It's much harder to work on a big unreleased project that has no players/users...
I'm doing better than usual right now, and here is what seems to be working:
- Don't take on a third project. I actually did this, and had to flake out on it. Ergh, hate doing that.
- Keep notes on all the ideas/tasks/etc that come to mind for the projects, so I won't forget them and don't stress about them. Since the beginning of the year I've been following the Getting Things Done methodology to great effect (it's made me a much better manager at work), and I've been keeping all my ToDo items and notes in the wonderful Mac-only application, Notebook.
- Break down the ToDo items into small achievable bits (this is part of "Getting Things Done"), so that whatever time I have available, whether 10 minutes or 2 hours, I can jump into the project and get something done.
- Get something out as soon as possible that people can play/use and provide feedback on. One of my projects is an online board game (Last Robot Standing, the highest rated game available on the BYOND system, and having players making suggestions, bug reports, and demands has been a huge motivator to keep doing incremental bits of work. It's much harder to work on a big unreleased project that has no players/users...
why work 11 hours? leave your day job after 8, thats a reasonable work day which is probably what they pay you for. I used to leave my game dev job after 8 hours. Nobody ever tried to stop me. They assume this 'peer pressure' will keep you there, but your quality of life goes up massively when you condition yourself to be immune to it. If your working 11 hour days, the games manager or producer has screwed up the schedule. let THEM work extra.
Cliff:
It's because of a non-arbitrary deadline at the end of the week.
I figure if I'm off a little, that's no big deal. I'm getting paid for the bottom line, and I know how difficult it is to be 100% accurate. So if I need to put in a few extra hours here or there to meet the bottom line, I do not have a problem with that! That's just the way things go.
But if the estimate is off a LOT, it's a management issue, and it's management that should have to correct it. 60-hour work weeks for a month or two (or MORE) at a time is a management screw-up. You have to either hire / contract more help (always difficult at the last minute), or re-scope the project. Or pray you can find a magical silver bullet (which has led to the downfall of many a company and IT department).
And in truth, I got so much done Tuesday that Wednesday wasn't nearly as bad. I got myself back on schedule. Which was the whole point.
It's because of a non-arbitrary deadline at the end of the week.
I figure if I'm off a little, that's no big deal. I'm getting paid for the bottom line, and I know how difficult it is to be 100% accurate. So if I need to put in a few extra hours here or there to meet the bottom line, I do not have a problem with that! That's just the way things go.
But if the estimate is off a LOT, it's a management issue, and it's management that should have to correct it. 60-hour work weeks for a month or two (or MORE) at a time is a management screw-up. You have to either hire / contract more help (always difficult at the last minute), or re-scope the project. Or pray you can find a magical silver bullet (which has led to the downfall of many a company and IT department).
And in truth, I got so much done Tuesday that Wednesday wasn't nearly as bad. I got myself back on schedule. Which was the whole point.
Sometimes there is also the issue of having found the happy little productivity 'zone' and easier to work 11 hours and use the momentum, then have more breathing space elsewhen. I find I do best if I can go with what's working and stick with it.
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