What you do when...

Have a rest.
Do you like to do.
Play some fun console game.
Have some drink.
Have a sleep.
Back to work.

Switch focus for some time. Processing the same thought over and over again gives no insight as you are locked on that one single target and all else fades away. Play another game or take a stroll outside. Clean your mind, don't think about forcing an idea out. Listen to yourself and all that is around you. Relax and let thoughts out of your mind's pen. I'm sure that if you do, you will be able to catch one that was squashed by the others or shyed away from revealing itself.

Make sure you don't disregard even the stupidest idea that comes to mind - it might be the first step that causes a chain reaction leading to an awesome design.

Listen to music. Every time I listen to something it makes me want to make a game that somehow feels like that music. Though I suppose it hasn't really yielded any concrete ideas for me yet.

I quit my job and spend two months doing nothing. Before the two months are done, I usually start having ideas.

Why do people write thread subjects like this?

It's called a "subject." The reason it's called a "subject" is that it should state the subject of the thread. That way people know what it's about without having to click on it.

It's not called a "first four words."

Why do people write thread subjects like this?

It's called a "subject." The reason it's called a "subject" is that it should state the subject of the thread. That way people know what it's about without having to click on it.

It's not called a "first four words."

Because this is a forum populated by rather geeky people. Geeks are known to be highly curious, and it becomes second nature to wonder what the end of a sentence is.


You clicked on the thread wondering what it was about, didn't you? It works.

Why do people write thread subjects like this?

It's called a "subject." The reason it's called a "subject" is that it should state the subject of the thread. That way people know what it's about without having to click on it.

It's not called a "first four words."

There's a forum preview button. Hover over the post and on the right side (on the non-mobile version) you'll see a preview button. Click that.

I quit my job and spend two months doing nothing. Before the two months are done, I usually start having ideas.

This may work. What's not guarantied is that the ideas you come up with are going to be related to your game or game development in general! XD

The easiest way for me to get inspired is to work on something else entirely...if you get stuck you're not going to make progress worrying about it, you NEED to step back and take another look (like cleansing the palate between sushi dishes).

I have 3 main interests that I cycle through, and I occasionally get burned out on each one of them. Each one is hard work and virtually endless study for life (music, programming, and illustration). I've been doing 2 of them professionally for most of my adult life, and the drawing I picked up in mmy mid-30s (it's my "fun" hobby for when I get old

I used to feel anxious about getting stuck or burned out but I have learned this is a natural part of the cycle..you can't get a great performance if you are constantly hammering at the same thing, I didn't get into programming and drawing because I stopped caring about music so much, its that I really needed something else to balance out my life (practicing scales for 14 hours a day is great in your 20s but it's not a good lifestyle choice and eventually your music will be stiff and uninspired).

I learned the same thing about writing software, at a certain point you max out your available effort that your brain can apply to any specific area, and the quality of your work and ideas suffers for it.

This is your mind's way of telling you to take a break. Listen to it.

The easiest way for me to get inspired is to work on something else entirely...if you get stuck you're not going to make progress worrying about it, you NEED to step back and take another look (like cleansing the palate between sushi dishes).

I have 3 main interests that I cycle through, and I occasionally get burned out on each one of them. Each one is hard work and virtually endless study for life (music, programming, and illustration). I've been doing 2 of them professionally for most of my adult life, and the drawing I picked up in mmy mid-30s (it's my "fun" hobby for when I get old

I used to feel anxious about getting stuck or burned out but I have learned this is a natural part of the cycle..you can't get a great performance if you are constantly hammering at the same thing, I didn't get into programming and drawing because I stopped caring about music so much, its that I really needed something else to balance out my life (practicing scales for 14 hours a day is great in your 20s but it's not a good lifestyle choice and eventually your music will be stiff and uninspired).

I learned the same thing about writing software, at a certain point you max out your available effort that your brain can apply to any specific area, and the quality of your work and ideas suffers for it.

This is your mind's way of telling you to take a break. Listen to it.

Its funny I have the similair interest in those 3 type of hobbies, Music, Art, and Programming. I think sub consiously we are probably attracted to them because we secretly want to be a one man game development team lol

Its funny I have the similair interest in those 3 type of hobbies, Music, Art, and Programming. I think sub consiously we are probably attracted to them because we [size="4"]secretly want to be a one man game development team lol

Secretly? I'd say that's rather obvious!

I had hoped an answer to your question would be 'clap back' when I read the title, but in your case it's lay back. Take your mind off of it for while, it'll do you good.

don't dwell on the situation
drive around
sleep
play board games
watch documentaries on nature &&// social sciences
refresh 9gag.com
???
profit

I'd read. I pull ideas from everywhere. Play other games, read random crap, watch a chick flick, see what that whole WW1 thing was about and if Hitler was in it, etc.

Something is likely on your mind that moves you. What is it?

All work and no play... leaves you totally uninspired and out of ideas for your game. So go play.

Listening to music always gives me ideas for game, especially classical.

you could spend time implementing the ideas you've been coming up with.

Pretty much, if you can't think of interesting things to do on your game do the boring things you need to do until you find more interesting stuff, and if you've done that then just release your game.

I tend to go out for a long ride, open road and the sound of a motorbike engine, when i get to where i'm going, i take some photos and relax then ride home into the sunset :-)
This always puts games into perspective for me...