July 13, 2021
With the Touch the Stars Game Jam live and tons of you working hard to finish your games, it's easy to start feeling burned out. How do you avoid it? We have 3 tips to keep you going!
It happens to all of us. You push ahead with all you’ve got until the “tank is empty”, so to speak. You’ve just burned out, and now your project will never be completed.
Never say never! There are several ways to avoid burning out when creating your game, whether for this contest or anywhere else!
It’s a psychological tactic that reduces the stress that comes with having a massive task looming before you. For example, you can take the task of “making a forest” and segment it into the following: (1) draft the map on paper, (2) create the base layer with roads, (3) add the trees, shrubs, and rocks that define the paths through the map, (4) add the trees, shrubs, flowers, rocks, and other details that will flush out the map, and (5) add events to the map. When you do this, you make dealing with large tasks much, much easier.
This is a common tactic used by successful CEOs. The first thing you’ll want to do is look at what you want to accomplish today (such as working on that forest map mentioned above). Then you want to work on it, without a break, for 90 minutes, putting all of your attention into it. After 90 minutes, stop, no matter where you’re at. Then take a 30 minute break doing something completely unrelated to work. Watch a video, read an article, browse social media—anything other than work. Then do something completely different to what you just did, even if it’s for the same project, for 90-minutes. For example, the first sprint could be for that forest map, but the second could be for dialogue for your game. Repeat this until your day is done, then stop and relax.
Lastly, you need to recognize when you’re getting overwhelmed. You’ll know it because you’ll start to get distracted by all of the tasks you’re attempting to do, to the point where concentration is getting too difficult. When that happens, immediately stop working. Do something else, something fun. Read a book, play a game, go for a walk, sit outside, watch a movie, etc. Once you’re no longer feeling frantic, go back to your project.
Avoiding burnout is far easier than fixing it, so use these tactics above to get through this game jam, and all future projects, without losing your momentum or the will to complete your game.
Click below to read the full rules and how to submit your game!
Don’t own RPG Maker MZ? That’s not a problem! We’re offering RPG Maker MZ free to use through the end of July, long enough to make a game for the game jam plus an extra 8 days for you to learn even more about the new engine.
So download the latest version, make the game of your dreams, and show the world what you can do with RPG Maker MZ!
