Im attending a pretty good Polytech, my roomate is in the same boat even if he doesn't know it. He's 23 and plops his butt down every night to smoke pot and play hours upon hours of BF4 and yell at the TV. Everything else in his life is suffering, but he points fingers at everything except himself. All I can say is don't be my roommate. Gosh I hope you're not my roommate.
It's not gaming, it's lack of self-discipline.
Basically, I think, if you became this addicted to gaming, it means your brain uses it as a way to escape from reality and hard work.
And what is 3d art? Bingo! It is hard work. And afaik brain uses enormous amount of energy in order to do intellectual work. For your own good it tries to save energy, but, well, not when you actually need it.
Now, I know that any addiction is hard to overcome, and it is hard to build new habit too. I'd suggest you to start building a habit of working on your art very slowly. For example, for the next 2 weeks make it a rule: 30 minutes of work will reward you with 60 minutes of gaming. And after 3 cycles (1 cycle = work+gaming, 1.5 hrs.) it would be nice to go outside for 20 minutes walk.
Seriously, go for a walk. It is healthy for your body and your mind.
Every day I pick up my phone with a podcast (I listen to 'enterpreneur on fire', they upload new episode every single day, which is nice) and go for a walk. I walk once a day, but for good 40-80 minutes. It feels very good. I like to walk just before an evening starts and it's kind of interesting that in just a week I've formed a habit and every time it is 6 p.m. I start feeling an urge (in a good way) to go outside.
It is cold here, I wish I was living somewhere in sub tropical area Nevertheless, going for a walk is still nice.
It all comes down to self control and not having stuff handed to you on a plate , i know lots of people that say they want to be 3d Game artists , but 90% of them just like the idea of saying that and not actually working for it.
Gaming and making art for games is different, im sure lots of people will disagree with me , one is made for you to disconect, and the other is pure creating that we can take pleasure or "fullfillment" from doing so , but unlike games, it depends 100% on your willpower to work hard to reach your goals.
So basically , just because you love gaming, doesnt mean you will also love 3d art , they are two sides of the same coin.
Get your ass in line, unistall games, get a part time job , move out of your parents home and make your life quality depend 100% on you , and then trust me that youll have motivation to actually work hard
Lazerus has it right, may sound extreme to some but how badly do you want to move forward? Been trying the pomodoro technique lately, it's actually pretty good for focus
Seriously, guys, do you think it is that easy to execute this set of action "oh, just use pomodoro and set time for focused work" when you struggle with addiction and problems alike? It might be useful for already productive people, but not for those in struggle. It is also NOT a weakness, it is a problem that needs to be solved with slow, steady and continous effort.
Addiction isn't necessarily weakness. A lot of the time, addiction is a brain/genetic disease. Different people have a disposition towards being addicted to different things. Doesn't have to be substance abuse. In this case, the OP feels he's addicted to games.
Why do you play games so much? Why can't you budget your time? Why is that? Why do you need to escape so much? Do you drink a lot or smoke a lot when you play?
Internalize, ask yourself difficult questions, and if you feel you need to, go talk to someone.
Seriously, guys, do you think it is that easy to execute this set of action "oh, just use pomodoro and set time for focused work" when you struggle with addiction and problems alike?
Ok, kinda taking my words out of context...didn't really say it like that. I was simply stating what works for me as others do when a thread like this pops up - offer advice based on their own experience. I don't really get what part of that seemed like "just do this and you'll be fine" ?
I've struggled with game addiction myself a few years back, was hooked on WoW and must've played about 13-14 hours a day, so I know what I'm talking about. Had a revelation after about half a year and figured I didn't want to live my life that way anymore and completely turned it around. Its a case of summing up how important moving forward with your career is and seeing things long term, not just short term satisfaction of "I'll spend a few hours on Counterstrike and then get back to work", for example. Procrastination is a bitch.
when I was younger I for sure have had a gaming addiction or two now its alot easier to manage, I at most get addicted to a game for 2-3 days then get back to my usual addiction creating art, learning and game development.
Games give you serotonin buzzes creating gives you a much longer lasting buzz and makes you happier overall, the only games that seem to get me lately are things like terraria and starbound which mix fun gameplay with my creative nature.
1:30 focused work, 20 min stretch break. Repeat until you are at a stage were your happy.
A small suggestion about this one:
If you find yourself constantly checking the clock to see if you can give a break, it can be difficult to focus. This little program can help with that. It will be great when you get accustomed to working until the break bell rings no matter what.
Are you working anywhere or going to school? (Any school, it doesn't have to be art school) Almost everyone goes through a phase of 'what am I doing with my life?' or 'what do I really want to do with my life?' So you're not alone.
I also have to ask, is it a specific game that you're addicted to? Or just in general?
It's going to take some time, but you can get there. Also you might want to consider creating a different login profile on your computer. One where you can just focus on work without game icons being right there on the desktop begging you to double click them.
I know many people go so far as to have 2 separate computers. Their work computer has absolutely no games on it.
I'd also try setting a schedule and trying your best to stick to it.
I was hugely addicted to games(mainly achievements in them) for 4-5 years before pulling myself together and pursuing a career in video game arts. How did I break that streak? Money problems, mainly. I couldn't afford to sit on my ass all day long anymore. But man, was it hard, hardest thing I ever done.
I know that feels, I stopped playing games December 31st, 2013. Just don't play any games, period, maybe just detox yourself for a few months to find out if that's the problem.
I know a lot of people in this industry think playing games is important research but I don't believe it. Sure, if you're a designer it's important but we're at the point in engine tech where we can't glean how they are doing the art without ripping textures or watching a developer how-to video. I haven't played any Naughty Dog games but I know their asset pipeline because they are generous enough to share their techniques.
Another small suggestion: I stopped using a mouse some months ago. It practically makes it impossible to play most games. I use my Wacom for most stuff which is also great for my wrist/forearm. I also have a trackball connected with which I can't play games at all.
I think taking babysteps is the way to go if it's a serious addiction. I remember having a crazy gaming addiction a few years back where I'd basically play for 16 hours straight, several days in a row. If games make you happy, then immediately cutting them out of your life is just going to take a heavy toll on your overall happiness which will lead to you being at a stage where you don't feel happy making art, or doing any other task. That isn't the way to go, sure you might be productive, sure you might have a job, but if you aren't happy then you have nothing.
I think you probably just need to show yourself that you can in fact make progress. I remember getting frustrated at making art because every time I'd show something to a friend or team member, they'd end up laughing at my work and it would just make me feel worse. This continued for months until one day, I made an asset that was actually pretty decent and I slowly started getting compliments on my work. It was at this point that I started enjoying making art a lot as videogames were no longer the only thing in my life that made me happy.
Good luck, it'll be a tough road ahead but I'm sure you can succeed.
Yeah, I think the first thing is to talk to someone to really define if it is an addiction or not. I know most campuses that offer game dev majors take this pretty seriously (or atleast mine did), but since you are home, you might want to initially reach out and make sure that this is either a real addiction, or just a weak will.
Before you do that, you are going to want to ask yourself if this is actually what you want to do. Not to sound harsh, but maybe way deep down inside you just want to play games? That's completely fine! Just before you do anything, make sure this is what you want to do with your life, or it isn't. Sadly, this is the type of career where you will have to devote your self to it with unwavering resolve if you want to make it.
I know that I've been out of work/out of school for about 10 months, and out of those 10 I think I took about "1 month" (if that) to get all the gaming "out". Really really binge, not worry about the time I play or anything just go full throttle, and by week 3 I was really bored, and all I wanted to do was art. Now I've been working on the folio and talking to community members so much that I can't really play anything without digging into it from either a technical or antithetical standpoint. (I don't recommend this, its just what happened when I inevitably fell into a gaming phase).
I don't think giving up gaming is the answer, as working in a bubble isn't really a solid practice, but if you honestly concerned with your attention to a craft you want to try to master, I would recommend trying to get something diagnosed.
Had this problem awhile ago (I think the benefits of age also solved mine). My answer was finding a different hobby and it was physical so I got those adrenaline boosts that I think a lot of people look for in games.
And I agree with lazerus on having a clean workspace even if it's digitally.
I had a full year where I was addicted to games, I would do nothing but wake up and play games then sleep at some crazy hour. We use games as a way to escape and the reasons for that could be anything - it's different person to person.
I found a way to take that energy and use it elsewhere in a way that would progress my career and it can definitely work out for you. Don't give up Maybe you just need a time-out.
Thank you all for the suggestions and support. Most of you guys are right. I know "addiction" is a misnomer; It's less about games and more about my own issues that I escape from with games.
Starcraft and Counter-Strike literally make up about 90% of gaming hours for me since I was a little latchkey child. For better or worse, I practiced the hell out of those games for my entire life-- and even though I now feel trapped to these games, I got a lot of inspiration for game design and art from them as well.
I know none of these are even CLOSE to professional quality but I made stuff like this:
And a facebook app to paint scenes with my mouse:
I genuinely think the passion is in me for game art. It's just my weak ass that can't break this hurdle
Thank you all for the suggestions and support. Most of you guys are right. I know "addiction" is a misnomer; It's less about games and more about my own issues that I escape from with games.
Starcraft and Counter-Strike literally make up about 90% of gaming hours for me since I was a little latchkey child. For better or worse, I practiced the hell out of those games for my entire life-- and even though I now feel trapped to these games, I got a lot of inspiration for game design and art from them as well.
I know none of these are even CLOSE to professional quality but I made stuff like this:
And a facebook app to paint scenes with my mouse:
I genuinely think the passion is in me for game art. It's just my weak ass that can't break this hurdle
I'm sure with practice you can definitely make some professional level work. You're in a much better position than a lot of people, even if it doesn't seem that way.
Can't wait to see some of your future work here, your "amateur" level work still looks pretty nice.
Well, I had a gaming addiction once, it was called Skyrim.
On a more serious note, I personally never really had it, actually, I sometimes feel the opposite (don't play enough games and spend too much time making/modding/etc).
Your level design above looks pretty cool btw, where can we see more? (sorry if I missed a link).
I think you might need some structure and some discipline to force yourself to put in some of the time that you need to get your skills up to speed but you are starting from a fairly decent place.
I personally feel that you need to build that structure and discipline yourself, it is a pretty important set of skills to have, especially in this industry where the structure might be pretty lose and people are left on their own to create what they can by a hard and fast deadline.
Being a lead I like working with people who can manage themselves and stay on task without having to perch on the back of their chair and smack their hand with a ruler anytime their cursor wanders over to some distraction.
Someone told me once that you can make something part of your routine if you do it for 90 days.
Replies
Basically, I think, if you became this addicted to gaming, it means your brain uses it as a way to escape from reality and hard work.
And what is 3d art? Bingo! It is hard work. And afaik brain uses enormous amount of energy in order to do intellectual work. For your own good it tries to save energy, but, well, not when you actually need it.
Now, I know that any addiction is hard to overcome, and it is hard to build new habit too. I'd suggest you to start building a habit of working on your art very slowly. For example, for the next 2 weeks make it a rule: 30 minutes of work will reward you with 60 minutes of gaming. And after 3 cycles (1 cycle = work+gaming, 1.5 hrs.) it would be nice to go outside for 20 minutes walk.
Seriously, go for a walk. It is healthy for your body and your mind.
Every day I pick up my phone with a podcast (I listen to 'enterpreneur on fire', they upload new episode every single day, which is nice) and go for a walk. I walk once a day, but for good 40-80 minutes. It feels very good. I like to walk just before an evening starts and it's kind of interesting that in just a week I've formed a habit and every time it is 6 p.m. I start feeling an urge (in a good way) to go outside.
It is cold here, I wish I was living somewhere in sub tropical area
It all comes down to self control and not having stuff handed to you on a plate , i know lots of people that say they want to be 3d Game artists , but 90% of them just like the idea of saying that and not actually working for it.
Gaming and making art for games is different, im sure lots of people will disagree with me , one is made for you to disconect, and the other is pure creating that we can take pleasure or "fullfillment" from doing so , but unlike games, it depends 100% on your willpower to work hard to reach your goals.
So basically , just because you love gaming, doesnt mean you will also love 3d art , they are two sides of the same coin.
Get your ass in line, unistall games, get a part time job , move out of your parents home and make your life quality depend 100% on you , and then trust me that youll have motivation to actually work hard
Delete all the games on your system. Remove them utterly.
Clean your work area as it is now a work area.
If you are painting/working offline then disconnect your internet.
Remove all hindrances and distractions and set a routine of work and rest.
1:30 focused work, 20 min stretch break. Repeat until you are at a stage were your happy.
Weekends take time to game etc/
Why do you play games so much? Why can't you budget your time? Why is that? Why do you need to escape so much? Do you drink a lot or smoke a lot when you play?
Internalize, ask yourself difficult questions, and if you feel you need to, go talk to someone.
Ok, kinda taking my words out of context...didn't really say it like that. I was simply stating what works for me as others do when a thread like this pops up - offer advice based on their own experience. I don't really get what part of that seemed like "just do this and you'll be fine" ?
I've struggled with game addiction myself a few years back, was hooked on WoW and must've played about 13-14 hours a day, so I know what I'm talking about. Had a revelation after about half a year and figured I didn't want to live my life that way anymore and completely turned it around. Its a case of summing up how important moving forward with your career is and seeing things long term, not just short term satisfaction of "I'll spend a few hours on Counterstrike and then get back to work", for example. Procrastination is a bitch.
Games give you serotonin buzzes creating gives you a much longer lasting buzz and makes you happier overall, the only games that seem to get me lately are things like terraria and starbound which mix fun gameplay with my creative nature.
A small suggestion about this one:
If you find yourself constantly checking the clock to see if you can give a break, it can be difficult to focus. This little program can help with that. It will be great when you get accustomed to working until the break bell rings no matter what.
http://www.focusboosterapp.com/
I also have to ask, is it a specific game that you're addicted to? Or just in general?
It's going to take some time, but you can get there. Also you might want to consider creating a different login profile on your computer. One where you can just focus on work without game icons being right there on the desktop begging you to double click them.
I know many people go so far as to have 2 separate computers. Their work computer has absolutely no games on it.
I'd also try setting a schedule and trying your best to stick to it.
Step 1) Move your gaming to the couch.
Step 2) Avoid sitting on your couch.
I know a lot of people in this industry think playing games is important research but I don't believe it. Sure, if you're a designer it's important but we're at the point in engine tech where we can't glean how they are doing the art without ripping textures or watching a developer how-to video. I haven't played any Naughty Dog games but I know their asset pipeline because they are generous enough to share their techniques.
I think you probably just need to show yourself that you can in fact make progress. I remember getting frustrated at making art because every time I'd show something to a friend or team member, they'd end up laughing at my work and it would just make me feel worse. This continued for months until one day, I made an asset that was actually pretty decent and I slowly started getting compliments on my work. It was at this point that I started enjoying making art a lot as videogames were no longer the only thing in my life that made me happy.
Good luck, it'll be a tough road ahead but I'm sure you can succeed.
Cheesy analogy but very true.
Before you do that, you are going to want to ask yourself if this is actually what you want to do. Not to sound harsh, but maybe way deep down inside you just want to play games? That's completely fine! Just before you do anything, make sure this is what you want to do with your life, or it isn't. Sadly, this is the type of career where you will have to devote your self to it with unwavering resolve if you want to make it.
I know that I've been out of work/out of school for about 10 months, and out of those 10 I think I took about "1 month" (if that) to get all the gaming "out". Really really binge, not worry about the time I play or anything just go full throttle, and by week 3 I was really bored, and all I wanted to do was art. Now I've been working on the folio and talking to community members so much that I can't really play anything without digging into it from either a technical or antithetical standpoint. (I don't recommend this, its just what happened when I inevitably fell into a gaming phase).
I don't think giving up gaming is the answer, as working in a bubble isn't really a solid practice, but if you honestly concerned with your attention to a craft you want to try to master, I would recommend trying to get something diagnosed.
And I agree with lazerus on having a clean workspace even if it's digitally.
I found a way to take that energy and use it elsewhere in a way that would progress my career and it can definitely work out for you. Don't give up
Semi related video:
http://www.ted.com/talks/jane_mcgonigal_gaming_can_make_a_better_world.html
Starcraft and Counter-Strike literally make up about 90% of gaming hours for me since I was a little latchkey child. For better or worse, I practiced the hell out of those games for my entire life-- and even though I now feel trapped to these games, I got a lot of inspiration for game design and art from them as well.
I know none of these are even CLOSE to professional quality but I made stuff like this:
And a facebook app to paint scenes with my mouse:
I genuinely think the passion is in me for game art. It's just my weak ass that can't break this hurdle
..
Can't wait to see some of your future work here, your "amateur" level work still looks pretty nice.
On a more serious note, I personally never really had it, actually, I sometimes feel the opposite (don't play enough games and spend too much time making/modding/etc).
Your level design above looks pretty cool btw, where can we see more? (sorry if I missed a link).
I think you might need some structure and some discipline to force yourself to put in some of the time that you need to get your skills up to speed but you are starting from a fairly decent place.
I personally feel that you need to build that structure and discipline yourself, it is a pretty important set of skills to have, especially in this industry where the structure might be pretty lose and people are left on their own to create what they can by a hard and fast deadline.
Being a lead I like working with people who can manage themselves and stay on task without having to perch on the back of their chair and smack their hand with a ruler anytime their cursor wanders over to some distraction.
Someone told me once that you can make something part of your routine if you do it for 90 days.