anyone got any ideas on how to motivate yourself to finish programming tasks. Normally if i cant get my gl code working i give in after a while . Then i start something else . Any one have ideas to inspire an Opengl beginner
Make a list of things that have to be done. Make this list very detailed, so that big tasks are broken down to very small tasks that can be done very fast and easy.
Then when you look on that list you might want to do one or two of these things. And when you have done one, you take a pen and strike it out. I love this part!
Jan.
Write something that you really want to do, and will have fun doing.
Sorry, that’s all the help I have.
Sometimes if you get stuck, it is good to take a breather…
then start back at it.
Also start small, you are not going to be able to write quake V as your first program.
first try to do simple things and build on that… before you know it, you will have made a more complexe program.
Originally posted by roger ramjet:
anyone got any ideas on how to motivate yourself to finish programming tasks. Normally if i cant get my gl code working i give in after a while . Then i start something else . Any one have ideas to inspire an Opengl beginner
Hey,
It really helps to have an idea…which is unbelievably hard to find sometimes. Like the other posts said, start small, think of a simple program that might do something neat and go from there. Even if you dont ever finish something completely, you still get to have fun coding. If you get to the point where you have something to see, sometimes that is just good enough…unless you are working on a project for a client…eeekk, they usually prefer something a little more refined and wrapped up. But then, you would already have a defined idea…at least you would if you didnt work where I work!!!ha ha ha
Jeremy
one thing i have noticed is that you don’t want to start off with a big project. you’ll quickly get overwelmed. Start small, something easy and build and build. Add features as you go along and soon you’ll have a nice big program. But if you set out to make game (or somthing) with all kinds of cool stuff you might not know where to begin, or how to begin or once you begin you don’t know where to go (in my case). Anyway make a list and set goals 
Pretend that you are writing some amazing program that will someday be mass marketable and that you will start your own company with the program and become a millionaire.
I had the SAME problem NO motivation. Well to code anyways. I had motivation to learn, so I read all the books on OpenGL, (even understood some of it, WOW). And then i figured out how stuff worked in other parts of games. So my “FIRST” major project is the one im working on now. And I know that is wont be Quake 4, but I am REALY striving for Quake 3. I never believed in that take things slow crap, I say JUMP in with both feet, BUT. and this is a BIG BUT. LEARN things first.
I mean if i didnt know how to use Vertex arrays, i would be using gl(begin) glTriangles, etc; and my engine would SUCK. Also if i just drew EVERYTHING instead of culling HUGE amounts of data that will never be seen from current views, then my engine would SUCK. (Im not going to tell you how I do it, because its realy cool, and im not sure if it will work well yet.)
But anyways, my point is this, you may not KNOW everything you need to, but LEARN first, dont do stuff 2-1000 times. Just learn a part, say graphics, do the graphics of the engine, then learn about Collision Detecion, and do that part, before you know it, you will be right on your way. I AM AMAZED at how much i have gotten done, I cant waite till i have something marketable, so i can make some money (maybe alot, but im realistic) and QUITE my crappy job.
If the task is one that earns me money, I just tell my wife about it and that I need motivation. Then, as soon aas I finish it I get a prize 
Yeah,
but who needs anymore peanut butter and jam sandwiches…at least that is what my wife gives me… or am I missing something?
J
[This message has been edited by Jeeeez (edited 08-01-2002).]
Peanut butter and jam sandwich? Damn your lucky. All i get is Toast.