Low self-esteem in making a game. What do you do?

[JustAnotherMe]

@Zatch: yeah, I think that I'll just go on with all I have even though... maybe (I haven't make a WIP thread yet) this thing wouldn't get much attention... And yours actually interesting, but GL isn't something popular here ^^ (Actually, I'm not too fond of homosexual... I always get goosebumps even though I have a gay friend. But if a game is good, I don't care if it's BL or GL.

@unknown5: Aaaww, why? Every opinion is much or less important. It's okay if you have no self-esteem. That's the more reason we should get encouragement, right? Fight on!!! XD

@DaFool: Ahh, I always compare mine with games like BCM, sake-visual's, and... Hakuoki and those huge-budget commercial game... You see why I'm getting all discouraged? And, not to mention I have limited time to do this. In a week, I can spend about 8-10 hours, and that's really, really so little because I'm so slow at doing things. Especially drawing because I'm such a perfectionist who got no talent and always think that my art is suck than... you know who I compare my works with? And of course, since this is the first VN, the first time I write a novel (what are charts all about?), the first time I learn how to make sprites, the first time I learn to color anime-style (It's not too long ago when I get my first tablet, then I learned SAI... maybe about 2 months ago?), the first time I learn to make a lyric, the first time I work in a group to make this, the first time I try to manage my time for this... So many firsts. T_T

But I think your situation is harsher than mine, eh? @_@ It's really hard to maintain the popularity and get customer for a commercial game. (Me? I'll try not to buy too many games, especially because I need to save my money for my future car and house and plane tickets for travelling XP) The more important one always come first to my head if it's about money. And, I think for anyone who lives in the US or Japan or countries like that can grab a mere $20 or even $100 for a game. But I just can't! It's too much for me!! ;^;

I really need to focus myself on the small parts... I'll try not to think on how many works needed... I'll try... TAT

[Zatch]

@Zatch: yeah, I think that I'll just go on with all I have even though... maybe (I haven't make a WIP thread yet) this thing wouldn't get much attention... And yours actually interesting, but GL isn't something popular here ^^ (Actually, I'm not too fond of homosexual... I always get goosebumps even though I have a gay friend. But if a game is good, I don't care if it's BL or GL.

@unknown5: Aaaww, why? Every opinion is much or less important. It's okay if you have no self-esteem. That's the more reason we should get encouragement, right? Fight on!!! XD

@DaFool: Ahh, I always compare mine with games like BCM, sake-visual's, and... Hakuoki and those huge-budget commercial game... You see why I'm getting all discouraged? And, not to mention I have limited time to do this. In a week, I can spend about 8-10 hours, and that's really, really so little because I'm so slow at doing things. Especially drawing because I'm such a perfectionist who got no talent and always think that my art is suck than... you know who I compare my works with? And of course, since this is the first VN, the first time I write a novel (what are charts all about?), the first time I learn how to make sprites, the first time I learn to color anime-style (It's not too long ago when I get my first tablet, then I learned SAI... maybe about 2 months ago?), the first time I learn to make a lyric, the first time I work in a group to make this, the first time I try to manage my time for this... So many firsts. T_T

But I think your situation is harsher than mine, eh? @_@ It's really hard to maintain the popularity and get customer for a commercial game. (Me? I'll try not to buy too many games, especially because I need to save my money for my future car and house and plane tickets for travelling XP) The more important one always come first to my head if it's about money. And, I think for anyone who lives in the US or Japan or countries like that can grab a mere $20 or even $100 for a game. But I just can't! It's too much for me!! ;^;

I really need to focus myself on the small parts... I'll try not to think on how many works needed... I'll try... TAT

Hold right there! You can't simply compare your stuff to the big ones (BCM, sake-visual's,etc...) You will always fall short of them or you get some more help. Trust me on this. I been struggling on this for weeks and it actually made me depress. (Thanks BCM) Besides they have are paying people who are skilled at what they are. Just make a game on your own pace and don't care how long it takes. They have team and also you know everything about your game so the reading it for the first time isn't available. Let the others decide that.. One downfall of writers are we are just as nitpicky as artist are.

Look at me I don't even have a game out and I continue on. Every game starts the same way but separate into different branches.(Like evolution) The only advantage they have over you is they are finishing it.
*failed*
Just take your time and have fun!

[Thelo]

(Disclaimer: I do make games for a living, but have never made a VN in particular, so your mileage may vary.)

My personal main "big trick" in maintaining motivation is to show my work in progress to as many friends as I can, constantly. It's really amazing what friends can do for motivation - just chatting with them about how the project is going fills my mind with new ideas and renewed energy to move it forward. Friends will also often bring back your project to the forefront of your mind when sometimes you're about to forget it, or let it slide into obscurity - and that's the best thing that can happen. It's very often just enough to keep me going.

Keeping the dev process public really has an enormously positive influence on your project. If you keep everything super secret until a "big reveal", you're much more likely to just give up at some point and leave it unfinished forever. But if you and your friends constantly chat about it, talk about the latest exciting news in the VN's world, and share the highs and lows of development, then it will much more likely stay an "alive" project and really get done.

Yes, it may be somewhat embarrassing at first to show your far-from-finished creations with others, but I really believe that the benefits are worth it.

[purple_pockets]

I often have the same problem.
It is really terrible not knowing what to do. Or, even, what you sometimes. I think that the hardest part of doing something is getting up the motivation (or, dare I say it, courage?) What I have been told to do if something seems hard is to ask yourself why you are doing it, and then list all of the positives (and only the positives) of finishing it. Another thing is to just tell yourself to do one thing at a time. Remember, if you don't enjoy doing something, you SHOULD NOT be doing it.
And excuse me for talking about myself here for a moment, but I have always had problems with feelings of hopelessness and chronically compare what I do to other people's work. Right now, I am supposed to be making a video for class, but am afraid to do so because I am worried that my Humpty-Dumpty meets Indiana Jones idea is going to look incredibly stupid because it doesn't look nearly as good as Wallace and Gromit (its a clay animation thing). One thing that I have to do when this sort of self-loathing compare-myself-to-others problem arises is to simply look at the facts. (and you can apply this to anything, really). Number one, I am a student and this is my first time ever doing anything like this. Number two, the people that make Wallace and Gromit have a lot of people designing sets, making models, and lighting the story. Number three, as long as I get it in and do my very best, I will get an acceptable grade.
Although I am not quite sure what worries you, I will tell you that a little pep-talk with a good friend is incredibly helpful. If you are alone, listing the positives and stating the facts helps a lot. I am positive that whatever you make will be loved by a lot of people, and they will appreciate that you helped them escape the turbulance of life for a little while.

[Pugfarts]

This happened to me today. I did other things for a while. Now it's back to work!

[redeyesblackpanda]

When I see something better than my stuff, I try to note why it's better. I then work to improve those areas. It's natural that people are going to be better than you in some things. It should feel good to look at something beautiful. I try to find inspiration from such things. When you're at the top, there's not really anywhere else to go. It's more fun to have something to struggle for. That's my opinion, at least.

Good luck with your story. I'd try reading some good manga or something when you're feeling down. Bobobo is pretty funny. It makes me feel good.

[eternalwishess]

I'm glad I stumbled upon this topic. @_@ It has motivated me as well, and also tells me not to think so pessimistic all the time. I will try out Deji's technique, it seems very reasonable.

Instead of wasting your time groaning and whining about how/why others are better, and thinking you have to finish it all in one go, you should set small goals that you CAN achieve. Even if it's step-by-step and you're not moving as quickly, you're still completing something, hence the sense of accomplishment you feel after, which motivates you even more to keep on going. Eventually, you'll finish, get feedback, start a new project that has improvement because of the feedback, then publish, get feedback, start another project w/ improvement, and the cycle goes on.

Just remember, you're on LSF. You're not alone because the people here are willing to support you through your projects. xD (I'm still new here, but that's what ive seen based on my observations on this forum)

[dechorus]

Heya,

This is something we all feel, I'm sure. No film director or game designer hits the nail with their first project, we have to keep trying and trying until we finally create something we can genuinely feel proud of. Our efforts give us experience to do better work as we grow older and wiser - there's no reason to feel discouraged.

Like Leonardo DaVinci said: Art is never finished, only abandoned. With that, my greatest advice is this: never let this kind of work consume you. We could forever work, trying to reach some level of personal satisfaction that we will never attain.

Work our best, set mild and realistic goals, have fun in the process, enjoy life. Ultimately, stories are meant to impact and enhance our lives somehow... so don't ever let making them do the opposite.

[purple_pockets]

I know I posted this in another thread, but someone suggested that I ask this here, since its kinda similar:
I know that I previously posted some reasons that sometimes keep me going on something, but how do you start when you are convinced that your ideas are, well, crappy? How do you even begin something like this? Do you just work on something silly at first, even though you know its really bad, just to get a feel for the genre? Anything that you have to say will help...

[papillon]

If you've never finished anything at all and you feel bad about your ideas, I'd suggest trying to finish something really short just so you can say to yourself that you Made Something, and then build on your skills from there. It doesn't have to be something great or even something that you show to anyone ever, but it will let you know that you are capable of going through the process.

So sure, make something silly that isn't trying to be good. Tell the love story of a red crayon and a blue crayon. If you complete it, even if it's tiny and stupid and nobody but you ever plays it, you've already taken a step further than many wannabe game developers ever will.

[modesty]

When I was a younger artist, I had a mantra: Don't compare, then despair.
The purpose of comparing my art level to others was to see what I could become, then thinking I CAN do that, then figuring out how.
For that purpose I joined many art-related communities, read books and tutorials, PRACTICED, and so on. It took time and I still lag behind some of my friends (who majored in art so there's a REASON why I'm behind. I went to school for Game Design. XD).
Being self taught or learning online will take longer and more discipline than learning in a classroom or game jam environment. There you get critical feedback, peers to bounce ideas off of for instant brainstorming. etc.

Also I kind of think that the self-esteem issue is something that changes with age. Right now I'm in my late 20s, and I'm MUCH more mellowed out and comfortable with myself than I was when I was a teenager or even a college student.

[ebi brain]

I have terrible low self-esteem. Not just in game making but in everything.
But, now, with game making, I've decided that I'll just go for it. Even if I think it is crap, You can always go back and revise things. And just talking about the game with some of my friends helps as well. Even if I don't let them read anything right now.... One of my friends often asks about my game and when it will be finished and such, and so that motivates me to go ahead and write etc. Even though I know that my first game will completely suck... And even though I find the thought of my friend playing this game terrifying.... I think the best thing is to just plunge in and learn from it.

I'm also thinking of making a thread in the skills development parts and posting lots of completed tests games in there, before starting with my bigger projects.
Hopefully my test games will be interesting enough for people to want to play and criticize them.

[unknown5]

Like Leonardo DaVinci said: Art is never finished, only abandoned.

wow ... great quote ...

[pinkmouse]

First of all, I don't believe that there has ever been an artist or writer who didn't think that their final result fell short of what they first imagined. When you make something you go over it and over it and over it, fixing the goofs, blemishes and re-doing parts as you learn more and your technique improves. That's why "a work of art is never finished, only abandoned." Leonardo da Vinci said that, and if someone as good as him felt that way, well, you're in good company.

As for the actual process, what Deji said, but with a bit of extra caution. Don't forget that it takes experience to know in advance how much work something is going to be. So as a beginner, starting something too ambitious is a mistake that you're as likely to make as any other. So don't think of scaling down as a defeat: it means you're getting better.

[Evie]

I also suffer from low self-esteem. From the answers here, I see that I'm not the only one . I always worry that my stories are silly, or that my art is awful, or other things. In times like these, good friends can do wonders. Take drawing for example: if your friends are good at it, they can help you improve. If they can only draw stick figures, they tell you your art is awsome and give you motivation (personally, I'd prefer friends in the middle). It's nice having support. The most striking example that has happened to me is when I showed a piece of my writing to my sister and she told me she thought it was real (meaning she thought it was written by a professional author ).
And as others said, art can't be perfect. It can only be improved. Well, I compare the drawings I made a year ago and I am almost ashamed, comparing them to what I draw now! (And I still feel that I have to improve much more)