Motivation / MMOs

[Bleakwise]

I have a really hard time staying motivated in my studies/research/work. When it comes to RPGs I'm like Ozzy to coke. Well maybe not that bad, before this last bout I hadn't played one for 2 years. When a new one gets my attention.. it's all I'll do for a month or so.... just wasted. I'm just coming off a 2 month DDO binge. The only good thing to come out of it is that I now know how to play PnP D&D. So pathetic, I need to stop; I'm already super-psyched for Elder Scrolls Online.

Anyone else have/had this problem? What do you do to "stay on the wagon"?

[tod]

Please tell me when you find out.

[nevarim]

after played skyrim i'm planning to create a mmorpg skyrim style with D&D rule...

[Klaim]

Dark Soul and Demon Souls had a similar effect on my, and it have been years since I got such a feeling. However, I don't think I am as impacted as you in the end. My projects are major problems for me because I feel very bad when not working on them even a little each day. So I try to buildup a work/reward loop each day to keep motivation. However, I suspect that Dark Soul 2 will have a big impact on my productivity, so I try to work harder to make it's release (or acquisition) a reward (if I finish my release before they release it) instead of a delicious and painful obstacle to my projects (if I don't finish my release before they release it).

Also, I'm more self motivated because I have very long term goals, that helps a lot.

[Bleakwise]

Dark Soul and Demon Souls had a similar effect on my, and it have been years since I got such a feeling. However, I don't think I am as impacted as you in the end. My projects are major problems for me because I feel very bad when not working on them even a little each day. So I try to buildup a work/reward loop each day to keep motivation. However, I suspect that Dark Soul 2 will have a big impact on my productivity, so I try to work harder to make it's release (or acquisition) a reward (if I finish my release before they release it) instead of a delicious and painful obstacle to my projects (if I don't finish my release before they release it).

Also, I'm more self motivated because I have very long term goals, that helps a lot.

I'm usually not that bad. Before this last binge, I was "on the wagon" for a solid 6 months daily. I finished "Principles of Compiler Design" and Bjarne Stroustrups book in just under tree months, and picked up Petzold before getting mixed up in DDO. I'll admit I'm a bit late to the game, I started really programming when I was 30 (31 now), I mean really "programming" since these days I have loads of free time. Well, I could "program" in my teens, but homework assignments and syntax mastery hardly counts, Computer Science is not the same as Software Engineering. I spent my 20s in college and working a 9-5, but I've since solved most financial problems and can now really devote some time to it. I might have to get a job again soon, so I'm thinking of going back to school for a Mathematics degree; if I can ace the courses I'll be guaranteed a job as a math tutor, I could definitely tutor a data structures class or basic introductory C class as well.

I still need to read K&R, to get a hold on the C API and classic functions like Malloc() and what not. My focus right now is on getting the feel for more and more complex programming idioms and paradigms. Studying WinAPI has really evolved my ability to read code. I think programming languages are a-lot like natural languages in the sense that you don't go from learning your ABCs (syntax) directly to writing bestselling novels. There is a huge gap in-between there where you learn different styles/modes of writing, paragraphs, grammar, humor, wit, etc etc... Just as it is for any writer, it's important to read a-lot of classic and contemporary work. That book on compiler design was a huge eye-opener on how the C compiler works, the phases it goes through (main three being lexer, parser, linker) which has been indispensable in reading it's output.

The thing that is frustrating is that I'm not seeing a solid path to project completion. At some point I'm going to have to get a domain/wiki/forum up and really show the world what it is I want to create. Hopefully that would draw the right people into my cause. I'm thinking I need to complete some "smaller" projects first before making a full blown game, that is, some development tools, a plugin framework (or LUA integration), some AI.

I feel I'm on the right path, Software Engineers have to literally devour books/knowledge more than almost any other profession (up there with Doctor), it's just going to take dedication and persistence to get there. I need to about double my pace (time invested) before I'm 33 or give up.

[drwbns]

No graphics API studies?

[Kojack]

I'm glad I got addicted to Asheron's Call back in the early days. Now no mmo's can distract me, they all seemed nerfed compared to old school AC.

[Bleakwise]

I'm glad I got addicted to Asheron's Call back in the early days. Now no mmo's can distract me, they all seemed nerfed compared to old school AC.

Darktide? If "yes" I can see why.

[Bleakwise]

No graphics API studies?

Not yet. I'll probably study OpenGL first, then DirectX, if only because I hear OpenGL is more true to the syntax and notations that real Physicists/Mathematicians use. I'd like to master Linear Algebra and matrices first though. I hate that most schools focus on solving systems/equations, college was a waste of time in that regard. Solving for some value is fine, but when it comes to writing software it becomes more of an issue on setting up systems for a computer to solve dozens and dozens of times per second. For example I can "solve" pretty much any dot/cross product but the real problem in engine development is designing transform matrices and knowing when to apply cross/dot product to others and to each-other. I've yet to find any good online courses/books on the subject.

You gotta know this stuff in (designing) and out(solving).

[Kojack]

I'm glad I got addicted to Asheron's Call back in the early days. Now no mmo's can distract me, they all seemed nerfed compared to old school AC.

Darktide? If "yes" I can see why.

I've played on darktide, but I spent most of my time on frostfell. Reverse engineering the game data is much harder when I had to avoid player killers.

For those who haven't played AC, it was an interesting experience.
No classes, tons of skills, open terrain continent, no zones or instances, monsters with collision detection that can block you into a corner, crazy run speeds and jumping, tons of spells.

My favourite character was an unarmed fighter with item and life magic (might have had creature magic too, been a LONG time since I played). I always carried 14 weapons (unarmed fighters use special punching weapons like katars and nekodes). That's two each of the seven different elemental types (fire, acid, frost, electricity, piercing, bludgeoning, slashing), one for soloing (great base stats), another for teaming with a high level item mage (better suited to buffing).

I don't know any other game where it can take half an hour with pen and paper just to work out the correct order to put on my armour.
In AC each item could have requirements to use and buffs. I might have a pair of gloves that buff my arcane lore skill enough to equip boots which buff another stat needed to equip one helmet that buffs a skill needed for my shield, but once the shield is equipped I can go back and change the helmet to a different one to buff another skill to equip my sword, and so on. There were about 15 items to equip to be fully covered. If one item ran out of mana, you might need to repeat the entire equip/unequip process to get it recharged and activated again. I also used to use around 38 buff spells just to be ready for one enemy type (such as when fighting some olthoi I'd need acid and piercing protection buffs on each of the 10-13 pieces of armour and clothing, plus spells on my weapons).

Fun game.