Is this what they call Executive Dysfunction??

[GideonWilhelm]

Putting this on "General Interests" because I feel like it could apply to any hobby, but I had a phenomenon today happen with the C++ roguelike I'm working on.  I had a plan in place, it was gonna be a simple little retail shelf stocking game to get systems in place.

I figured out how to draw the map in the terminal and procedurally place some walls, and my next step was going to be getting a character to move around the screen.  All without AI, I was very proud of myself!  But while planning this next step, my mind thought about how a Wolfenstein-style renderer could totally draw a map like this!

It was then the spiral began.  I was stuck thinking about implementing first person and 3D and all manner of software renderers and trying to design a game around the kinds of shapes that game can produce... I knew the next step was *just* to get an actor moving on the screen so I could continue to implement mechanics and actually get a game moving.  But I couldn't.  Every time I tried, I felt like I was being physically yanked back and forced to deal with the first person question.

Eventually, I just couldn't take it anymore and distracted myself with Guild Wars.  Played for a bit, browsed some guides to try and improve my odds at finally scoring Legendary Survivor, listened to some BrewStew videos about screwing around as a kid, eventually I felt fatigue and closed the game and videos, and just... figured okay, let's get this wolfenstein renderer taken care of.

But when I opened the project back up... it's like, what?  First person?  Nah, that wasn't what this project was about.  C'mon, let's get developing this old school roguelike!  As if the spiral had never happened.  I implemented a screen structure to better control the visuals, functions to manipulate it, added a second layer to the map... it's like this was the plan all along and whoever was yanking me back off this just figured they'd lay off.

I'm curious if anyone else has gone through anything like this, or if you've developed a strategy for it.  Because I would love to be able to just not have 24 hours of self-deadlock that mysteriously solves itself when I'm not looking!

[Magic16]

Maybe branch that project off, and create it however you feel like, regardless of direction. Do what feels natural for now, don't feel confined to one thing.

[GideonWilhelm]

Maybe branch that project off, and create it however you feel like, regardless of direction. Do what feels natural for now, don't feel confined to one thing.

I guess I should clarify that it felt like I couldn't write a line of code until I had fully engineered the plan and locked in a decision to implement it.  As if that was some physical requirement that my body physically refused to work until I met that requirement.  And then I let myself get distracted, and the whole obstacle just went poof.

[Magic16]

In that case, try observing the feeling in your body, but don't attach yourself to it, simply be present with it.

Well you do this, think of all the other times you felt this, and what it reminds you of, what are the other times you felt that feeling?

It may take a bit, but you're not experiencing this for no reason.