Having recently finished my current game, Invaders of the 29th Dimension, I find myself in the usual state of the post project blues. This usually lasts between four and eight weeks and is generally characterised with:
1: withdrawal symptoms from the old project
2: a general disappointment that the game wasn't instantly popular
3: a desire to start something new
4: doodling and jotting down ideas
5: no energy to actually start anything new
6: understanding that popularity isn't all that important, whilst secretly harbouring a general bitterness and jealousy of developers who actually have a fan base
7: finishing whatever book I'm reading and binge watching DVDs
8: getting depressed again because I don't have the time or the energy to actually work on and completed my more ambitious ideas and falling into a kind of "it's not as if anyone's going to play it anyway" bitterness
9: reminding myself why I make games
10: "to hell with it, making games is better than not making games"
I've currently finished reading Reamde by Neal Stephenson which is apt as MMORPGs are central to the plot, so now I've just a week or so of depression and bitterness to get through :)
"to hell with it, making games is better than not making games"
Love the quote! I find myself feeling the same way any time I get pulled away from or frustrated by game development.