I can never stick with an idea

[Marine]

Over the years, I've had hundreds of game ideas and I've started them all in the Editor. The longest time I've spent on any particular one was three days.

I feel really passionate about making the map, at first, but then I just don't want to and move on to a new one, repeating and repeating and repeating. I really want to publish a game but I've never finished one.

Does anyone else have this problem, where they are just incapable of finishing a map?

 

[Meticulous]

Probably 90% of people or you'd see a lot more finished projects around Hive.

 

[Spartipilo]

Go to a psychologist. The game doesn't have the fault of you not being able to finish what you want. Start with small ideas, maybe a TD or simple character battle... Then grow up. I spent three months almost 6 hours/day and then I realized I was working on something to big... I didn't lost that time, I invested it to realize that, though I want to make maps as you do, I don't want to spend my time on it.

 

[Karzama]

I've had that for a while if I'm honest. I've got a load of maps that I haven't finished but I seem to go back to them and add bits. But if I have an idea and I get bored I do start a new map, but then I get bored of that one so I either create a new one or go back to one of my old ones and develop that a bit further. I've now got a few maps on the go, some major some minor. But they'll all get finished in the end. (Hopefully.... XD)

 

[Codric]

I have made tons of campaign maps and just never seem to stick with em'.

 

[Arhowk]

i usually make a map, find a way to improve it, make a new map with improvements, etcetc. untill i get a finished product

 

[Undead0dd]

I get this too, i've made over 30 unfinished maps (2/3rd didn't even playtest and lost it)

But for me, to keep making a map, is to try creating something that was difficult for me (in WC3, would be Trigger Enhanced spells.) When I see it work in-game, I'd be proud of myself.

 

[Jazztastic]

I usually quit halfway through a project. I'll get a stable working base, but then I'll have to go through the monotony of adding heroes, items, spells, units, and making it all balanced, and I just blanche at the idea. The biggest thing you can do it post in the map dev section. I try to make enough work each week to look like I'm actually trying at my map, and I keep the thread updated with changes. Posting a thread in map dev gives you a sense of responsibility to finish the map, otherwise you get a reputation for not finishing (cough cough "one of the best terrainers in wc3")

 

[PurgeandFire]

I have the same problem, you just gotta work on the parts that are most interesting to you. Eventually the process will become monotonous and annoying to work with, so just keep doing something new here and there. I find that it is really helpful to make systems for everything, in a separate map. This allows me to just transport it to any map so i don't have to recreate it a bajillion times.

Also, choose something you know you/others will enjoy but isn't too stressful to make. Try not to make a map that is too complicated, because those are the ones that are most difficult to complete. Start out with one of your ideas that is a bit less ambitious, and work from there.

 

[WaterKnight]

Make the conceptions beforehand and set yourself precise goals. And force yourself now and then.

 

[sonofjay]

start on a small map with simple triggers, systems, concepts, then as you near to finish it expand the complexity of your systems, concepts etc.

 

[andreasaspenberg]

i get tired of projects after a while myself. i just put them on hold for a while though and work on them again later. it helps me with getting more ideas into production while at the same time enabling me to get a break from the other project. hope it helps.

 

[Spartipilo]

Work with someone, so both hold each other.

 

[RiotApe]

yeah, i feel the exact same way. i love making maps, i make a lot. too many that my friends laugh at me every time i say "i'm making a new map". cause i never finish them.. one of the reasons why, is that when i'm almost finish, only then i find out my map's full of leaks, and it just gets too tiring to find all of them and fix them.. i'm actually working on a new one again. HAHA

 

[AntoMarc]

You described me perfectly.. I've started dozens of campaigns over the years and most of them had a great plot/concept imo, but I always quited after a couple of days/weeks. Quite amusing since I'm motivated in almost everything, but I never seem to finish one map because I lack motivation in this field.

 

[Adiktuz]

I get this when I look at new jass systems available... When better systems arrive, sometimes it seems much easier to scrap the current project and redo it from scratch rather than editing...

 

[ExMortis]

I can't even remember the last time I started a map/campaign except for the actual one. I've always modified so much that I got an error log I didn't understand, than I've lost interest at that point

 

[takakenji]

I Agree

 

[Kas]

i have MANY ideas. the problem is, i cant use the trigger editor, so im stuck with unit editing

 

[andreasaspenberg]

i couldnt use the trigger editor well either but i learned to use it well. if you need pointers on how to use the trigger editor there is plenty of people that can help you including me.

 

[Ash]

I'm a psychology student. Cool stuff, my profession. I'm really just posting in here at the moment because I want a reminder to read this thread and share some ideas with you guys when I wake up tomorrow.

 

[Misha]

I actually completed two campaigns for my own pleasure, the troubles start when you try doing something for hive, no-one is enthusiastic or willing to stick with you over a long time period. so, naturally, you start loosing interest yourself

 

[Lightskin]

It's because we focuss on finishing it and implementing ideas instead of making it playable. A game doesn't really matter how well done it is at first, it does only matter you can get to play it and have some fun. You can improve it and get it ownage-like with time. You wouldn't belive how sucker was my map at start, now it's some of a kick-ass map imho. Everything good grows from the ground.

 

[snowman990]

I have more than 30 maps in my laptop and almost all of them are not touched for more than 2 years. There's only 2 map that I try to finish right now, but there's things that make me fucked up . First, triggering. Its so goddamn hard to create a proper trigger without leaking. Second, Idea. Because DOTA has absorb most things, some people might think the map I create is a copycat of dota. Third, Ability and Buffs making. It always make me bored on this part, because I must make some abilities that synergize with each other. And I always use too much imported model and skin that actually never got useful for my map. Also, i was work alone on my map, which make me tired a lot. There's too much disruption IRL that sometime block my map making activity. And sometime I forgot what kind of thing I want to make, increasing the percentage of more boringness.

 

[Amargaard]

I think everyone at this site have experienced that problem of yours :b

 

[JokeMaster]

My self made maps are hundrets i even started a campaign, made 3 maps for it but then i got a new idea so i made another 2 maps for a new campaign then i looked at the first one and came back. None of those maps was completed above 50%.
And looking on my hd i have over 100 unfinished models which will probably never be finished.

 

[WaterKnight]

First, triggering. Its so goddamn hard to create a proper trigger without leaking.

Leaks are hardly a problem if you use jass and consider the issue right from the start. It became a topic for GUI users only because they do not have insight of what takes place behind the scenes and lack knowledge of object and memory management. There are built-in leaks and local agent variables have to be nullified but those are either minor or there are ways to circumvent them any jass user should be aware of.

 

[Statharas]

Work with someone, so both hold each other.

If one loses motivation, both lose it.

 

[kari0003]

Imo the hard thing is to stick to the planned good idea from the beginning. If you try to implement newer and newer things, your map will lost its own propose, and from that time, you don't know what you wanted to reach = You wont be able to finish the map without enough energy+motivation.
The second is that its hard to find a bunch of players who will play this after i finish = I don't have the practical reason to make my map.
These are my problems ofc

 

[Wazzz]

a lack of motivation generally stems from the gradual realisation that your idea was bad

unfortunately there are plenty of people who don't suffer from this, but should

anyway i've stayed committed to my current idea and it is pretty much playable

i just need to sort out some things before i submit it to my thread

 

[Kala]

I start like 2 new maps every week
It's because i get an new idea so often, and the new idea seems so much better than
the previous idea, so i stop making the previous map.

And there i am, i have folder with over 150 different maps that ive made in these couple
of years.

 

[Vizel]

Really for me, my lack of motivation comes from the fact that I made a map once that was an edit of another map, added new things to it, balanced it out better, etc. Then it got stolen, credit wasn't given, and it was broken, unbalanced, and all my hard work was destroyed. The map soon became taboo, as it wasn't even fun because you could win while facerolling. Can't really come back from that kind of stigma, unfortunately.

The other thing is, for the longest time if I went into the maps list on BNet, all I ever saw was DOTA, footies and vampirism. Considering none of those games really appealed to me, and trying to host any other game ended in not getting a full house, it was really demotivating to try to make any other type of map.

Nowadays with all the bots, that isn't an issue. Now you see a much wider variety of games and people are willing to play them. With the bots doing cross realm or whatever, it makes it a lot easier to get people in games too.

But really it's the whole "I put in this much work, ut do people care? Will they play my map?" that really gets me at least. If I put in effort, I want to know people will play it. =\

 

[InfinateAnswers]

Situation: You worked for a few hours on your map today. You made alot of progress and its looking great. You save it and suddenly it stops saving, and your editor isnt responding. You lost all your work *rage quit* you are done with the map.

Something or another always happens to me where i lose all my work, i try saving more often but something still happens.

 

[Wazzz]

have you considered saving multiple versions, perhaps?

 

[Amargaard]

@IA: Yeah, that is a true motivation-killer :b

 

[InfinateAnswers]

I've tried everything, even the save every 10 minutes feature on world editor. I get a corrupt file, overwrite a good version, or i lose the file completely

 

[deepstrasz]

So most of Earth's people are lazy. Most of them don't even know how to use the trigger editor which is essential key to creating a decent map.

It takes so much time to create a good Campaign that includes: working triggers, an understandable and flourishing terrain, a good story and maybe custom music, skins and/or units.
The same goes for any map actually, depending on its size and fundamental idea.

But now those smart guys who made great maps have either grown up, moved to other games or don't have time anymore.

 

[InfinateAnswers]

Well wc3 is a dying community, there are no young people comming in anymore, because its not sold on the top shelf anymore. I remember when i was a kid, i only knew about wc3 because my friend had bought it and told me to get it. The community is getting old, and now there arent alot of new really good maps comming out, and not alot of new people to play new games that look interesting. The people that still play have fallen under a routine of tuning out games on the list that dont start with the right thing like <BGN> or end with #--- so there is that huge question, will people want to play my map? its tuff and unless you start the map off in a lively community, it wont be played, it will be uploaded on epic war and forever forgotten.

 

[Mechanical Man]

The other thing is, for the longest time if I went into the maps list on BNet, all I ever saw was DOTA, footies and vampirism. Considering none of those games really appealed to me, and trying to host any other game ended in not getting a full house, it was really demotivating to try to make any other type of map.

Nowadays with all the bots, that isn't an issue. Now you see a much wider variety of games and people are willing to play them. With the bots doing cross realm or whatever, it makes it a lot easier to get people in games too.

But really it's the whole "I put in this much work, ut do people care? Will they play my map?" that really gets me at least. If I put in effort, I want to know people will play it. =\

That's why I don't make multiplayer maps

 

[Vizel]

Yes, that is indeed a good reason not to.

The only reason I'm working on the map I'm currently working on is that the 10 or so people in my gaming community that play wc3 are interested in having a new game to play. And making it ourselves allows us to make it do whatever we want it to (as long as we can figure out how, lol).

 

[sonofjay]

Mostly I dedicate my maps to myself and not to others, that keeps me motivated.

 

[Map Designer]

I only have two or three maps. one for testing new ideas/Systems etc, before adding them to the map, and the other for playing. I have two .txt file for the credits and for what I want to do, and develop my map bit by bit. I have about 20 versions of it by now. I did not finish it because I am too busy. Making unit sound sets and editing models is teasing me a bit.I am complete noob in model editing and no body is answering in hive.

First, triggering. Its so hard to create a proper trigger without leaking.

Leaking!! I did not yet know what this is: let it leak forever as long as it works.

 

[Uncle Fester]

I only have two or three maps. one for testing new ideas/Systems etc, before adding them to the map, and the other for playing. I have two .txt file for the credits and for what I want to do, and develop my map bit by bit. I have about 20 versions of it by now. I did not finish it because I am too busy. Making unit sound sets and editing models is teasing me a bit.I am complete noob in model editing and no body is answering in hive.

check out my workshop if you need models http://www.hiveworkshop.com/forums/requests-341/festering-model-workshop-208197/


map-making is not quite mine. It's the most time-consuming job on the Hive. Not even model-making takes sooo much time. I guess the main reason is the amount of time necessary for making a good map, that prevents most ppl from finishing it. At the beginning it all sounds nice, and you may have a lot of motivation, but after doing more times the same edits in triggers, new heroes, new spells etc. you get bored. Besides that, map-making is the only job in which you are only proud at final result. In model making you you will see good results much earlier and you need lesser time and labor to finish them. Making campaigns is the oddest thing i've tried. You have to work for hours on the same map, write in almost each map the same triggers again and again and it often doesn't result in the expected thing. Nevertheless, map-making & campaigning leave the biggest space for mistakes. Mistakes in a map aren't that hard to correct as modelling-mistakes.

 

[Maximum_Evil]

I mostly finish my maps, but most of my ideas are impossible because I can't find the models for it. Though I've 2 adventure maps I want to keep updating them but since my laptop is stolen and smart enough, I didn't have a backup I can't do that anymore because they're protected . And I've tried deprotecting them with tutorials on youtube but nothing seem to help so I started to create a new mmorpg map but than I got invited for Dota 2, soo yeah..

 

[deepstrasz]

So we've got lazy and selfish people then.

 

[takakenji]

Maps are Lame stop Playing wc3 and Go Get sc2

 

[InfinateAnswers]

So we've got lazy and selfish people then.

as you can see from my signature... lol

 

[Vizel]

So we've got lazy and selfish people then.

So it's selfish that I expect to be credited for what I've done?

 

[InfinateAnswers]

as a great man wrote (terry goodkind) "It is not wrong to do something memorable, and expect appraisal"

 

[GhostThruster]

I haven't started many projects. I've probs posted like 6 or 7 on the Hive, and started 1 or 2 more by myself. Of those though, only 1 was posted (unfinished) and my current project is in progress.

There were various reasons to why I stopped each project, but most were due to my mentality (basically the longer I work on something the more I think it will turn out bad).