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[Skylar1146]

Hi all,

I have been working on games for about 4 years now. I am largely a programmer, but I can do art too. I have finished a full game to completion, and am working on going about the next one.

I always get myself in a rut, where I will have 100's of ideas, but none of them is the idea, that perfect idea that is what I want as a gamer, and as a designer. I may find an idea I like, write out some documents, work a day on it, lose faith and try to think of a new idea, then start all over again. It's a vicious cycle I have suffered ever since I started game development. I feel my game isn't fun enough, or unique, too ambitious, and most importantly: people won't like it.

What are your tips for having the willpower to push through? What do you do when you think your idea is shit? I am tired of this cycle and just want to work on something again.

[PaulWv2.017]

Even if my idea looks stupid and/or silly and something I'd be uncomfortable with other people looking at, after a night of rest or a week of time spent on other things - I remind myself and look at all the other crap that has gotten published, from print to television and gaming, and hold my idea up to the worst of those. Even my worst farts of ideas are better than some of the ones that have seen the light of day.

In a world of 7 billion people, you are never so special you're the first one to have a notion or to appreciate it - it being amazingly stupid or wonderfully amazing. What can set you apart is by doing it.

[s0]

Here's how I see things:

1. If your goal is to actually make games as an indie dev, your best idea is not necessarily your most original one or the one that most suits your tastes as a gamer (though it can be). It's the one that you're motivated and skilled enough to make it a reality. So the question you should ask yourself isn't "is this a good idea in theory?", but "can I see myself making a complete game based on this?"

2. If you have an idea, don't start working on it right away. Personally I'd even recommend against writing it down because your memory can be a good filter. Just keep it in your head for a few weeks and if you're still enthusiastic about it, then that's a good indicator (not a guarantee ofc) that you're willing to see it through to the end.

3. I know it's hard, but don't overvalue your ideas and don't get overly attached to them. Keep in mind that an idea is not a game, just the first step towards making one. This is true even if we're talking about "pure" design without the implementation. About 95% of game design is empirical work, i.e. testing and tweaking things. Don't be afraid to throw ideas out if you just can't make them work and try not to feel too bad about it.

[Skylar1146]

This is good, rational advice. Thank you guys! I am well skilled as a programmer, but can only do basic 3d modelling, animation etc. Whenever I have a game idea, it's usually includes a very detailed atmospheric world. Sadly, this is of course something I cannot do. I guess I have a hard time coming up with actually gameplay rather than worlds or scenarios. That will definitely be something i'm going to work on. I'd be a perfect fit with an artist, but as a College student, I don't really have the money to spare 

[EckartG]

First you can tell yourself a lot of people feel the same way as you do !

But you need to remember :
 - If you can see all the wrong in your idea, if anything it means that you're seing and facing the real issues with your design. No idea is perfect on paper, we just tend not to see its flaws.
- It's okay to doubt oneself but if it stops you it doesn't mean your idea is bad, it means you're scared, and it's perfectly normal and the most sane feeling you could possibly have ! Although you should not give in to that feeling, because you have to commit, and by commiting to that ideas you accept its flaws but you sort of decide to give something of yourself to it.

Anyway I felt like I had to give you all these mooshy gooey insight because I know people that feel the same way you do, and I often find myself there as well.
Also you often think you need something to express your vision but you really don't : Tom Francis talked about that about Gone Home and how the real subject of the game was absent and he's right. Game dev is about overcoming difficulties so there's always a solution !

Hope that helps!

[JWK5]

Don't wait for faith to kick in, take action. Either you'll start and keep going or you'll start and give up. Either way you'll eventually know whether the idea is something that is worth seeing through. Most artists (creators) hate just about everything they do, it is the creative curse. You just have to accept that fact and push ahead anyways.

[s0]

Real answer: