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Finish It! Motivation & Processes For Video Game Development

Tools & Techniques For Staying Motivated & Productive When Creating Video Games Or Apps.

Highest Rated

Created byRick Davidson, GameDev.tv Team

Last updated 9/2024

English

What you'll learn

Specific strategies for finishing your technical and creative projects.
Methods for identifying why you are getting blocked on your project and what to do about it.
The What-Why-Who-How-When process for professionally completing projects.
Agile development processes for planning, scheduling and completing tasks.

Course content

7 sections • 69 lectures • 7h 39m total length

Section 1 Introduction4:21
What this course is, and isn't, about.
Examples in Rick's life of 2 very different motivational experiences.

(UVR = 1_HL_FIN)
Course Workbook3:14
Introducing the Course Workbook.
How to copy / download your own copy of the Workbook.
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What Is Your Project?10:11
The first big question / challenge of the course - what is your project?
The important outcome of this lecture is knowing exactly what it is that you are aiming to achieve as a good outcome.
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Not A Waste Of Time2:01
A quick side note video!
The project is for you, its represents your goals and dreams and progress. Don't let other people's opinions prevent you from finishing it.
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Why This Project?11:09
Why are you working on this project? Why Finish it?
We look at what your perfect day looks like and how this project fits into that story.
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Your Powerful Why5:22
As the saying goes, "what is the why that makes you cry"?
Rick does a bit of "walking the talk" by showing you precisely why he HAS to finish his projects.
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Should. Want. Have To.6:13
Why are you working on your project - is it a "should", a "want" or a "must"?
What is your "I absolutely MUST finish this project" reason?
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Sharing And Asking Questions1:04
Details on where the best places are to ask questions and share about your project while progressing through the course.
Role Models8:39
Who is a role model that inspires you, and who you would like to be like?
What are the qualities of that person that stand out to you?
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How Will You Finish?7:02
Procrastination versus logistics.
What logistics are setting you back and need to be addressed?
Time and place, tools and tech, people and processes.
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Changes And Gaps8:24
What are the things you need to change in your physical environment?
Are there any things you need to get in order to be more productive?
Other things you absolutely need to change.
(UVR = 8_HL_FIN)
The Toughest Question2:54
"When will you get it done by"?
We are often sneaky with how we answer this question and give ourselves ways to wriggle out of it.
Intention vs. Commitment.
Honouring your word.

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Intention Vs. Commitment3:14
We introduce these two important distinctions and look at the importance of only giving your word to things you will absolutely get done.
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Ballpark Milestones9:12
When do you do your best work and when will you finish your project?
(UVR = 10_HL_FIN)
Note On The Workbook2:24
We'll be investing a lot of time and effort into the workbook, this video gives some extra context to how we'll be using it in the future.

Section 2 Introduction1:05
This section will focus on helping you get unstuck and unblocked.
Why We Procrastinate1:47
Dont know what to do.
Dont know how to do it.
Dont want to do it.
Clear Your Cache15:03
Clear your cache.
Take on one very specific task right now that you have been putting off.
Honest Assessment5:11
Identify your current skill and knowledge gaps.
What specific actions can you take to address those gaps?
Procrastination Pattern7:11
Understanding the exact steps that have lead up to your procrastination will help you see the pattern and remove them.
What exactly did you do when you were being productive?
VNT Technique11:20
The VNT (Very Next Thing) technique is a very practical and powerful way to ensure you aren't blocked.
Its critical that you are specific and not vague.
1 Minute Reminder #11:01
A quick reminder to make sure you are enjoying your project and having fun working on it.
The 4-Letter Word9:59
What are you worried about happening with your project - what could go wrong?
Why Am I Blocked?4:24
Examining the ugliest upcoming tasks you are faced with - what do you really want to avoid and / or put off?
Who Can You Ask20:15
One of the most important topics we'll cover - who is it you can ask for help when you are stuck.
Killing Distractions13:46
Identify and kill distractions to finish your project by implementing strategies like blocking time, closing tabs, using separate browsers, and turning off notifications.
Your Workflow6:45
Your workflow is totally up to you, but make sure you have some bases covered:
Some way to write down all the little details and tasks that pop into your head
Some way to write down the larger ideas that pop into your head
Some way to highlight the exact task you are working on at the moment
Work Or Don't Work2:18
So often we find ourselves doing "sort of" work. That is, sitting at our computer during work time, but not driving the project forward. This off-the-cuff video is a quick discussion about how to address this situation.
Finding Flow10:40
It's guaranteed that you've been in the state of Flow before, but you may not know how to quickly return to that state. Now that we've removed distractions (which knock you out of flow) we'll talk about how to get into Flow.
Being Specific5:09
Master specificity by committing to only what you are 100 percent certain you will complete, setting clear when dates, and building trust in your word through a seven-day promise challenge.
Setting Good Objectives2:23

Section 3 Introduction1:45
Build momentum this week by removing roadblocks, applying scheduling and task management, and turning small wins into momentum toward finishing projects.
Work Breakdown Structure8:43
A key part of figuring out the "what" of this week's priorities is your Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) which we discuss in this video.
Single Most Important5:24
Identify the single most important task to finish each day, using the workbook plan to build momentum and keep your video game development on track.
What Is Agile8:15
Throughout this course we'll be touching on Agile project management methodologies. In this video we discuss what Agile is and cover the main terms related to it.
User Stories4:48
Writing your daily actions as user stories will help provide clarity on what exactly needs to be completed.
Skin In The Game8:10
Transform should into have to by adding meaningful rewards and punishments mapped to today, this week, and this year, guided by intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, with an accountability buddy system.
Accountability Buddy6:43
Find an accountability buddy who truly supports your goals and holds you to specific, time-bound commitments with clear consequences to finish your video game development projects.
Inputs Not Outputs9:46
Focus on inputs rather than outputs to build momentum in your video game development projects. Commit to measurable actions and hours, not uncertain outcomes, to stay in a winning state.
Change Your Environment3:28
Move your desk or work from different places to spark clarity and fresh ideas, and get out of your comfort zone to fuel your game development.
Make The Commitment7:25
Build momentum by adding one percent to your daily work, turning small gains into progress. Commit now, go from amateur to professional, and contact your accountability buddy to seal promises.

Section 4 Introduction3:02
Welcome to the fourth section of the course.
Your MVP6:30
We've discussed the idea of onion design and focusing on the core features, now lets get specific with what exactly your minimum viable product is.
Create Your Backlog9:35
There are many tools to help you manage your backlog and priorities. We'll take a look at using Trello to set up your backlog.
Event-Based Milestones9:46
One of the most powerful techniques to give you a strong "why" is the Event-Based Milestone.
Committing To Inputs3:45
We look at Beeminder as a tool to keep you accountable to daily inputs.
Sharing Is Caring5:55
Its super important that you share you project with people other than yourself and your close friends. In this video we look at 3 objections people have to sharing.
Who To Share With9:51
In this video we cover the "what" and the "who" of sharing your project with other people.
How To Share Projects19:07
We discuss the process for sharing projects through social media and take a look at some example shares from an indie facebook developers group.
Negative Feedback3:59
Its important that you don't make negative feedback about your project mean something about yourself.
Iterate Not Zig Zag8:21
We often take far longer on our project than we need to because we are chasing the cool ideas or implementation. Its important to understand the difference between iteration and Zig Zag and protecting yourself from lost time.
Dealing With Scope Creep6:58
Scope Creep is not always bad, but it must be managed and not allowed to happen accidentally.
Analysis Paralysis10:04
We often get stuck in the world of analysis paralysis. We discuss 6 tips for smashing through this blockage.
Being Concrete8:48
To wrap up this section which has focused on the next 30 days, we are going to get super concrete on your commitments and actions and when things will get done.

Section 5 Introduction2:05
If you can get momentum by focusing on the week and build habits by focusing on the 30 days, then you're set up to get results with a 90 day outlook.
A Quick Note...1:37
A quick note that some folks find the video after this one a bit confronting and asked me to make a note of this.
What If We Ask What If11:19
This "What If" visualisation exercise will give you some powerful ammunition to help stay focused and motivated.
The Four Whys7:23
Jim Rohn, the leadership and self-development guru asks us four Whys. In this video we discuss those and relate them to our own projects.
Left Side / Right Side7:25
The Left Side / Right Side technique is a powerful way to know who you should be asking for help.
Marathon Not Sprint1:53
One of my favourite philosophies is that "if you work hard its not a matter of IF you'll succeed its a matter of WHEN".
Manage Your Physiology10:59
We cover the 3 most important aspects of managing your physiology and what the impacts are that they can have on your life.
Marketing Your Product8:51
The thought of our product not selling well is often a big barrier to finishing our project. We discuss some very quick tips for helping to market your product.
When To Stop19:57
Its okay to stop working on a project, so long as its for the right reasons.

Section 6 Introduction4:00
section 6 introduces ongoing maintenance to sustain momentum after finishing the structured part, guiding you to identify priorities, sustain motivation, and use bonus content to keep developing.
Using Your Workbook2:57
All the effort you put into your workbook should not be lost. Continue to look at it and use it to help you moving forward.
More To Come!0:18
Being Driven4:17
We discuss the distinction between being Motivated and Driven.
State Of Work1:58
It helps if you change your state when you are working and dress in a way that supports that.

Requirements

You should have a game, an app or a course that you are either currently working on or plan to start.
You want to be more efficient, productive or motivated when working on your creative or technical projects.

Description

If you have a technical or creative project that you want to finish (or start!), this course will help you to identify why you are getting blocked, how to stay on track and ultimately help you FINISH IT (your project that is).

We often use the word "motivation" to summarise the process of staying focused and getting our work done. But finishing challenging projects requires far more than just motivation - it requires systems, strategies, tools and planning.

In this course we start at the high level and explore how this project fits into your overall career or life goals. We look at what, exactly, your final product will look like and why on earth you are even working on your project. Often its not for very powerful reasons which can lead to some funky unproductive behaviour on our part.

We continue to drill down through your project to look at what are your very next actions, where you are blocked, what you plan to accomplish this week, this month and the next 90 days. You will learn techniques such as:

The Very Next Thing tecnhique
The Clear Your Cache technique
Your own personal approach to Finding Flow
The Work-Or-Dont-Work philosophy
The Work Breakdown Structure technique
The Accountability Buddy approach
And many more techniques for success

The goal of this course is very simple: Get you to Finish your project.

Some examples of projects that our students are working to finish are:

Video game project
App development project
Portfolio building project
Online course / study project

Looking for specific technical content? Check out our comprehensive range of game development courses.

The course follows a step-by-step Workbook which will guide you through your specific set of circumstances and help you finish your project.

The instructors of this course have spent years studying and teaching personal development. They have completed many projects as well as not completed many projects and have an acute understanding of what it takes to achieve success when you are in charge of your own milestones and deadlines.

You might be working solo on your project, but you don't have to do it alone. Come and get plugged into our communities of amazing developers on Facebook (nearly 20k), in our own TA-curated Community (17k views/day), and our student chat group (10k live at any one time).

We hope you allow us to contribute to the completion of your project!

Come join us now, you won't be disappointed!

Who this course is for:

Anyone who could use some help and support to stay focused, motivated and productive while working on their project.

Finish It! Motivation & Processes For Video Game Development

What you'll learn

Explore related topics

Course content

Your High Level Vision15 lectures • 1hr 25min

Getting Unblocked16 lectures • 1hr 58min

Building Momentum10 lectures • 1hr 4min

Building Habits13 lectures • 1hr 46min

Getting Results9 lectures • 1hr 11min

Continuous Improvement5 lectures • 14min

Continuing Your GameDev Journey1 lecture • 1min

Requirements

Description

Who this course is for: