How do you keep from being overwhelmed by a project?

psychopath · 10-17-2006, 05:05 PM

It occured to me today, for the first time actually, that I may be in over my head on my editor/engine project Clockwork.

Not that I don't know what i'm doing, or where to go with it, but I just get a headache thinking about all that's left to be done just to get a decent beta release out.

Part of it's my fault I suppose, since I created extra work by not planning enough before, resulting in a design oversight.

How do you guys keep yourselves from becoming overwhelmed by your own projects?

Sorry for being whiny and complainy, but it had to happen sometime ;p

System_159 · 10-17-2006, 05:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by psychopath

How do you guys keep yourselves from becoming overwhelmed by your own projects?

Slaves.

in all seriousness. If I have something really big, I find out how I can break it down into several smaller projects, so that I can have something done within a few days. Even if it is nothing special and only 1/60th of the entire project, it's nice to be able to at least look at a piece of what you've done so far.
...Don't know if that made any sense at all.

Wraithan · 10-17-2006, 05:43 PM

Just keep iterating Psycho.

**Prelude** · 10-17-2006, 06:00 PM

>How do you guys keep yourselves from becoming overwhelmed by your own projects?
I forget about it whenever I can. The best way to get overwhelmed or burnt out is to constantly work on or think about your project.

Happy_Reaper · 10-17-2006, 06:48 PM

Code:

for(;;)
{
       printf("All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy...");
}

That always works for me...

Wraithan · 10-17-2006, 07:18 PM

I get a good couple hours a thinkin in on any given project at a time. Then I go play video games and/or work. I recently rediscovered the joys of Starcraft after hearing about Starcraft: Ghost finally being cancled... Blizard under-thought then over-thought then under-thought... while(1)... on that project and look where it ended up.

I probably plan as much as I code/debug and still design flaws are all over. I am thinking about picking up a design patterns book.

Kennedy · 10-17-2006, 09:57 PM

My boss is so scater-brained that he hardly lets me work on one project for very long

.

SlyMaelstrom · 10-18-2006, 11:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kennedy

My boss is so scater-brained that he hardly lets me work on one project for very long

.

My bosses never let me work on a project for more than a few hours... at which point they fire me.

twomers · 10-18-2006, 12:33 PM

I always felt sorry for jack. The hotel used him!

To be honest, if I'm writing a program, and if there are lots of problems flying at me from all angles and I don't know how to solve any of them, I make a number of side-projects. This way, I tackle one problem at a time. In fact, I have one pernament project on my computer called 'problem_proj', where I do my smaller sub projects, then file the source in sub folders within my 'problem_proj' folder when I solve the problem ... seems slightly obsessive, eh? I think of it as organised

BobMcGee123 · 10-18-2006, 04:53 PM

Learn how to say "no" to certain aspects of your project (don't implement them, or take an easier approach) and take a break every now and again. Yes, it really can be that simple.

psychopath · 10-22-2006, 09:57 AM

Saying "no" has always been a problem for me. With everything.

I'll probably try what twomers and system_159 said; breaking it down into smaller pieces.

I've been away for the last 5 days, so I've had a nice little break from the computer. Maybe that's what I needed, because i'm now itching to get back at it again.

manutd · 10-22-2006, 10:41 AM

post it on sourceforge and get others to help with it to. This only works sif you project is actually interesting, which I think it is.

**Prelude** · 10-22-2006, 11:03 AM

>post it on sourceforge and get others to help with it to. This only works sif you project is actually interesting
And if open sourcing it is feasible.

psychopath · 10-22-2006, 11:15 AM

I would post it on SF, but I don't really have any intention of making the project open-source (yet).

**Bubba** · 10-22-2006, 01:27 PM

Projects become overwhelming when you try to do too much with too little. Make a list of features and functionality you would 'ideally' like to have. Now go through that list and pick out the ones that are 'realistically' possible given the size of your dev team, time needed to implement, etc, etc. Your list will begin to shrink quite rapidly.

Your editor does not need to do everything under the sun like 3DS Max and it won't. You cannot possibly produce a 3DS Max with the time you have and the number of people you have. And besides take a look at Blender. It does a lot, but doesn't do it all that well and the interface is horrible. But trueSpace and gameSpace from Caligari will do everything you want, will do it well, and the interface is much better.

So what is it exactly that you want this editor to be able to do and what 'functionality' do you feel lies beyond the scope of the editor. Is it for creating localized objects or can it create entire worlds? Will it have various file format exporters or are you going to simply support a format of your own design and then allow people to create exporters. This is a simple process of creating an API of sorts for loading and saving data and you can implement plug-ins to do format specific tasks.

I'd say plug-ins are the most important part of an editor. This allows you to focus more on the core code and then let the rest 'evolve' as people begin to use it and need more functionality.

10-17-2006, 05:05 PM	#1
psychopath The Right Honourable Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Where circles begin. Posts: 1,068	How do you keep from being overwhelmed by a project? It occured to me today, for the first time actually, that I may be in over my head on my editor/engine project Clockwork. Not that I don't know what i'm doing, or where to go with it, but I just get a headache thinking about all that's left to be done just to get a decent beta release out. Part of it's my fault I suppose, since I created extra work by not planning enough before, resulting in a design oversight. How do you guys keep yourselves from becoming overwhelmed by your own projects? Sorry for being whiny and complainy, but it had to happen sometime ;p __________________ Memorial University of Newfoundland Computer Science www.daniel-cook.net Mac and OpenGL evangelist.
psychopath is offline

10-17-2006, 05:43 PM	#3
Wraithan pwns nooblars Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Portland, Or Posts: 1,094	Just keep iterating Psycho. __________________ Enlighten Yourself I'm back!
Wraithan is offline

10-17-2006, 06:00 PM	#4
Prelude Code Goddess Join Date: Sep 2001 Posts: 9,664	>How do you guys keep yourselves from becoming overwhelmed by your own projects? I forget about it whenever I can. The best way to get overwhelmed or burnt out is to constantly work on or think about your project. __________________ My best code is written with the delete key.
Prelude is offline

10-17-2006, 06:48 PM	#5
Happy_Reaper Fear the Reaper... Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada Posts: 625	Code: for(;;) { printf("All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy..."); } That always works for me... __________________ Teacher: "You connect with Internet Explorer, but what is your browser? You know, Yahoo, Webcrawler...?" It's great to see the educational system moving in the right direction
Happy_Reaper is offline

10-17-2006, 07:18 PM	#6
Wraithan pwns nooblars Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Portland, Or Posts: 1,094	I get a good couple hours a thinkin in on any given project at a time. Then I go play video games and/or work. I recently rediscovered the joys of Starcraft after hearing about Starcraft: Ghost finally being cancled... Blizard under-thought then over-thought then under-thought... while(1)... on that project and look where it ended up. I probably plan as much as I code/debug and still design flaws are all over. I am thinking about picking up a design patterns book. __________________ Enlighten Yourself I'm back!
Wraithan is offline

10-17-2006, 09:57 PM	#7
Kennedy Jaxom's & Imriel's Dad Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Alabama Posts: 877	My boss is so scater-brained that he hardly lets me work on one project for very long .
Kennedy is offline

10-18-2006, 12:33 PM	#9
twomers The superheterodyne. Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Ireland Posts: 2,215	I always felt sorry for jack. The hotel used him! To be honest, if I'm writing a program, and if there are lots of problems flying at me from all angles and I don't know how to solve any of them, I make a number of side-projects. This way, I tackle one problem at a time. In fact, I have one pernament project on my computer called 'problem_proj', where I do my smaller sub projects, then file the source in sub folders within my 'problem_proj' folder when I solve the problem ... seems slightly obsessive, eh? I think of it as organised __________________ I blag!
twomers is offline

10-18-2006, 04:53 PM	#10
BobMcGee123 ∞ Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 970	Learn how to say "no" to certain aspects of your project (don't implement them, or take an easier approach) and take a break every now and again. Yes, it really can be that simple. __________________ argus triad mingus
BobMcGee123 is offline

10-22-2006, 09:57 AM	#11
psychopath The Right Honourable Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Where circles begin. Posts: 1,068	Saying "no" has always been a problem for me. With everything. I'll probably try what twomers and system_159 said; breaking it down into smaller pieces. I've been away for the last 5 days, so I've had a nice little break from the computer. Maybe that's what I needed, because i'm now itching to get back at it again. __________________ Memorial University of Newfoundland Computer Science www.daniel-cook.net Mac and OpenGL evangelist.
psychopath is offline

10-22-2006, 10:41 AM	#12
manutd MFC killed my cat! Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Boston, Massachusetts Posts: 880	post it on sourceforge and get others to help with it to. This only works sif you project is actually interesting, which I think it is. __________________ Silence is better than unmeaning words. - Pythagoras My blog
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10-22-2006, 11:03 AM	#13
Prelude Code Goddess Join Date: Sep 2001 Posts: 9,664	>post it on sourceforge and get others to help with it to. This only works sif you project is actually interesting And if open sourcing it is feasible. __________________ My best code is written with the delete key.
Prelude is offline

10-22-2006, 11:15 AM	#14
psychopath The Right Honourable Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Where circles begin. Posts: 1,068	I would post it on SF, but I don't really have any intention of making the project open-source (yet). __________________ Memorial University of Newfoundland Computer Science www.daniel-cook.net Mac and OpenGL evangelist.
psychopath is offline

10-22-2006, 01:27 PM	#15
Bubba Super Moderator Join Date: Aug 2001 Posts: 7,817	Projects become overwhelming when you try to do too much with too little. Make a list of features and functionality you would 'ideally' like to have. Now go through that list and pick out the ones that are 'realistically' possible given the size of your dev team, time needed to implement, etc, etc. Your list will begin to shrink quite rapidly. Your editor does not need to do everything under the sun like 3DS Max and it won't. You cannot possibly produce a 3DS Max with the time you have and the number of people you have. And besides take a look at Blender. It does a lot, but doesn't do it all that well and the interface is horrible. But trueSpace and gameSpace from Caligari will do everything you want, will do it well, and the interface is much better. So what is it exactly that you want this editor to be able to do and what 'functionality' do you feel lies beyond the scope of the editor. Is it for creating localized objects or can it create entire worlds? Will it have various file format exporters or are you going to simply support a format of your own design and then allow people to create exporters. This is a simple process of creating an API of sorts for loading and saving data and you can implement plug-ins to do format specific tasks. I'd say plug-ins are the most important part of an editor. This allows you to focus more on the core code and then let the rest 'evolve' as people begin to use it and need more functionality.
Bubba is offline

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