How do you stay motivated on long-term game dev projects?
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Staying motivated during long-term projects can be tough, but we want to hear how you manage it.
Do you break things into small goals, find ways to stay inspired, or take breaks to recharge?
Share your tips and strategies—your approach could help someone else keep pushing forward with their own game dev journey.
Let’s keep each other going! 🚀
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People often get stressed with a new activity then look at said activity as inherently stressful. People say, "game dev is really hard" a lot. That's a bad way to start anything...
Stress spikes when a person tries to perform a task that exceeds the person's functional understanding. For instance: a person can know how to draw in linear perspective but still get flustered when the variables get so dense it's disorienting.
Especially at the beginning, try not to stress yourself out. Choose tasks you can wrap your head around to get some satisfaction then quit while you're feeling good, not when you're burnt. That last part is extremely important. You're developing a habit which means you need positive association.
People often say they quit and they don't know why... They came to the stark reality that perception of what they're capable of and what they are actually capable of do not align. It's the Dunning-Kruger Effect and it's not just you, it's everyone. Choose the lowest level task possible, find enjoyment in small victories and quit while you're having fun. You can hard grind later. For now develop a habit.
Not trying to be a know it all just been in multimedia for a long time and have watched people falter due to the same variables over and over. Perhaps knowing the stress is coming and that it's just the brain saying too much too fast even though the workload seems reasonable can help ✌️❤️ -
@NeilSenn Absolutely! This is such an important perspective, and you said it beautifully. Really appreciate you sharing this :)
The bit about quitting while you’re still feeling good? Total game-changer. So many people grind until they’re drained, then wonder why it’s hard to come back. Framing it around small, satisfying wins makes the process feel way more sustainable.
I’m curious, was there a specific moment or project where that clicked for you? Like either watching someone else burn out or catching yourself in that cycle? Love hearing those little “ah-ha” realizations; they reallyyy stick with you.
Would love to hear more thoughts from others too! 😄
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I think the big issue is people biting off more than they can chew and lose motivation. Especially for a first game.
Usually what happens, people discover an app like hyperPad realizing they can finally make games they've always dreamed of. But ignore the fact that a lot of the games they've been playing and inspired by were created by larger teams or people with years of experience.
Thats why when people start, I always recommend starting with a small game. Do something like Pong, or brick breaker. And then try to add to it, make it more unique and exciting. From this you will really learn the toolset, and not lose motivation so quickly.
You don't need to make the next GTA, or epic RPG as your first game.
Start small, and celebrate the little wins along the way.
