At 10/25/12 06:59 PM, Toast wrote: Bullshit. Stop making up excuses for yourself to feel better about this. Everyone can tell themselves they have problems finishing stuff to make it easier on them to get comfortable with not finishing anything. Just submit your bot on monday for crying out loud. Don't make such a big deal out of it.

part of the problem here is that you think i'm just making excuses and i'm trying to get attention or something.
Well, i'm not. Those are quite honestly the exact reasons that I have decided not to submit anything on Monday.

the proof is in the innumerable projects I have mostly done, and the few projects I have actually completed.
mate, i'm not lying.

so, i'm asking for some help. To put it bluntly (rather than making more posts of the same issue, here) - would anyone be willing to (personally) help me try to get over this whole "fear of failure" thing, or whatever it is?

At 10/25/12 07:42 PM, Innermike wrote: Now I remember what it was about the people here I didn't like.

and what about the people that honestly need help?

Think of it this way, if your bot did achieve everything you envisioned for it and it just obliterated everyone without losing a point of health, where would be the fun in that? I bet nobody would even bother watching more than one match.
lvl 44 Pikachu vs lvl 37 Raichu - Fun battle. lvl 44 Pikachu vs lvl 100 Rayquaza - BORING.

the biggest problem is myself. I am my own worst enemy. It doesn't matter to me if it's fun or boring or whatever. As soon as I label myself a failure i'm done. External influence can affect this, but most of he time does not.

no, i'm not depressed or have a superiority complex (I might, haven't thought about it yet. That's another issue altogether either way) - but I recognize when I have a problem that I can't solve alone. This is one of them, so i'm asking for help.
Has anyone else been in this situation, and if so how did you get past it?

At 10/25/12 08:00 PM, egg82 wrote: Has anyone else been in this situation, and if so how did you get past it?

Manmode. Give zero fucks about what other people think. Bitchslap your inner self. Get to work. Hit submit.

At 10/25/12 08:08 PM, MSGhero wrote: Manmode. Give zero fucks about what other people think. Bitchslap your inner self. Get to work. Hit submit.

I usually don't give a crap what other people think, which is why external influence doesn't affect this much :P

hmm... I suppose what i'm asking is "how do I keep myself motivated?" - even when every part of me screams for me to quit the project, even for a while? The "quit the project" part gets exponentially stronger the closer to the end I get.

At 10/25/12 08:12 PM, egg82 wrote: hmm... I suppose what i'm asking is "how do I keep myself motivated?" - even when every part of me screams for me to quit the project, even for a while? The "quit the project" part gets exponentially stronger the closer to the end I get.

That's normal, just something you have to overcome. It helps to set goals and give yourself penalties for not completing them.

In the end, though, it's up to you. It's a solo quest in an MMORPG.

At 10/25/12 08:21 PM, MSGhero wrote: In the end, though, it's up to you. It's a solo quest in an MMORPG.

but I can't do it by myself >.<

someone pointed me to this, in case that helps anyone with the same problem in the future.

My dad's family doctor in Israel had a story. In the nazi concentration camp, suddenly half of the people who used to have asthma did not suffer from asthma anymore. Moral of the story? Sometimes your problems are not real problems, but only problems you make yourself believe you have when you are bathed in the luxuries of modern life. Sometimes you need to man up a bit, and calm down, take a look at things from a broader perspective and see if you might not be bullshitting yourself about your capabilities and your shortcomings.

Do try to be less of an ass in general, though. Mike does kind of have a point there.

At 10/25/12 08:12 PM, egg82 wrote: I usually don't give a crap what other people think, which is why external influence doesn't affect this much :P

Not only does this contradict what you said earlier on this page about fear of failure, but also, going through your posts it is pretty damn obvious that you care what others think.

http://www.newgrounds.com/bbs/topic/1321798

Your posts here just scream for **exactly** caring about validation among others, and a concern for what others think. A guy comes with a problem he has. Simple procedure would be to direct him to the answer of his problem and end there. Less simple procedure, is ignoring his problem, instead insisting that even a solution to his problem as he envisions it (aka bullet rebounds and maintains its shape) is wrong, and forcing upon him different solutions which he never asked for (bullet exploding upon impact with wall, or being disfigured - for realism). It should be obvious for a normal person that this is a flash game with the purpose to create media and entertain. Real-world realism **so** obviously does not matter here. And to go on about with text-walls on drag coefficient, energy calculations (joules ?? in flash games?), and proclaimed NASA equations? Someone who goes this far into trying to correct other people without realising that none of this fucking matters for a simple bullet ricochet in a flash game no doubt has very big concerns of what others think of him.

The sad thing is that you're a mess at that, too. If you're going to be an ass to people or try to correct people, you should at least make sure to have flawless knowledge of the subject in which you're intending to deliver the ass-kick. I just don't know what to say when I see you ending on that half page dribble about physics that doesn't have a single thing to do with the topic in question. I don't even know what result you reached, or what's your conclusion. I don't see sense in anything that you're trying to calculate - even if we DID assume that the subject in question requires the methods of physical mechanics, and not just playing around with numbers in flash.

To those who have hung out here a while, the NG BBS is infamous for accommodating people who shit-talk others when they correct them in technical subjects like math/phys/programming. What made these people outstanding though, is that on top of being assholes, you could never catch them being wrong or lackluster in any of the conversations they'd participate in. Since this is the internet and social standards are different, I wouldn't say being an ass is all that bad, just make sure you know what you're talking about when you're being an ass, or you end up looking like a fool.

To end my post: I want to remind that really, the point I'm trying to bring across here is mostly what I wrote in the first paragraph, and the reason why I went on a bit of a rant about your posting habits is because it's more fun to criticise others than to dish out anecdotal knowledge from my father's life lessons. So yeah. The asthma thing.

At 10/25/12 08:52 PM, Toast wrote: **exactly**
**so**

Pah, I've been away from NG for too long... Why the hell am I using reddit markup in here? >.<

At 10/25/12 08:52 PM, Toast wrote: My dad's family doctor in Israel had a story. In the nazi concentration camp, suddenly half of the people who used to have asthma did not suffer from asthma anymore. Moral of the story? Sometimes your problems are not real problems, but only problems you make yourself believe you have when you are bathed in the luxuries of modern life. Sometimes you need to man up a bit, and calm down, take a look at things from a broader perspective and see if you might not be bullshitting yourself about your capabilities and your shortcomings.

I am (aren't we all?) - i'm not asking what they are because I know what they are. I like to think I know myself well enough that I can't lie to myself. Not unless I want to believe my own lie.
What i'm asking for is help in getting through this. I'm asking if anyone else has has the same issues and if they have figured out a way to at least "ignore" them so they can get things done.

Do try to be less of an ass in general, though. Mike does kind of have a point there.

o.o huh? I'm not sure what you mean.
I'm sorry if I seems like i'm being an ass or i'm trying to get attention, but i'm really not.

it's frustrating trying to defend myself when i'm asking for help.

Not only does this contradict what you said earlier on this page about fear of failure, but also, going through your posts it is pretty damn obvious that you care what others think.

I care what others think, yes, but not what they think of me. Wherever they get the knowledge from, I don't care. All I care is that people are doing the right thing with the correct information.

http://www.newgrounds.com/bbs/topic/1321798

Your posts here just scream for **exactly** caring about validation among others, and a concern for what others think. A guy comes with a problem he has. Simple procedure would be to direct him to the answer of his problem and end there. Less simple procedure, is ignoring his problem, instead insisting that even a solution to his problem as he envisions it (aka bullet rebounds and maintains its shape) is wrong, and forcing upon him different solutions which he never asked for (bullet exploding upon impact with wall, or being disfigured - for realism). It should be obvious for a normal person that this is a flash game with the purpose to create media and entertain. Real-world realism **so** obviously does not matter here. And to go on about with text-walls on drag coefficient, energy calculations (joules ?? in flash games?), and proclaimed NASA equations? Someone who goes this far into trying to correct other people without realising that none of this fucking matters for a simple bullet ricochet in a flash game no doubt has very big concerns of what others think of him.

ah, one of my "research" posts. Those are fun when i'm in the mood for them.

I don't pretend to be completely "immune" to wanting attention. Of course I want some attention and some recognition. What i'm saying is what strangers think of me is completely irrelevant to my life and most of the time i'll treat it as such.

The sad thing is that you're a mess at that, too. If you're going to be an ass to people or try to correct people, you should at least make sure to have flawless knowledge of the subject in which you're intending to deliver the ass-kick. I just don't know what to say when I see you ending on that half page dribble about physics that doesn't have a single thing to do with the topic in question. I don't even know what result you reached, or what's your conclusion. I don't see sense in anything that you're trying to calculate - even if we DID assume that the subject in question requires the methods of physical mechanics, and not just playing around with numbers in flash.

thanks.

To those who have hung out here a while, the NG BBS is infamous for accommodating people who shit-talk others when they correct them in technical subjects like math/phys/programming. What made these people outstanding though, is that on top of being assholes, you could never catch them being wrong or lackluster in any of the conversations they'd participate in. Since this is the internet and social standards are different, I wouldn't say being an ass is all that bad, just make sure you know what you're talking about when you're being an ass, or you end up looking like a fool.

has it ever come to your attention that sometimes I actually like playing the fool? It's more fun than being a boring stiff in a suit.
that specific post could have gone better, yes, but I was basically trying to add some fun into it and add that i'm not perfect. It wound up getting squished down at the bottom so it didn't turn out too well. Ah, well, what can you do?

aside from that, generally there are plenty of people writing a solution to the main problem while i'm writing my posts. So instead of adding to it all, I try and look at what's going on behind the scenes and correct what I find there. Again, i'm not perfect, so I get things wrong. What's more, i'm still new to the whole AS3/OOP thing, so I get things wrong more often that I would otherwise.

To end my post: I want to remind that really, the point I'm trying to bring across here is mostly what I wrote in the first paragraph, and the reason why I went on a bit of a rant about your posting habits is because it's more fun to criticise others than to dish out anecdotal knowledge from my father's life lessons. So yeah. The asthma thing.

well, you've certainly proved that point.

At 10/25/12 05:03 PM, egg82 wrote: I kept saying everything it was going to do and I started seriously doubting myself, so I procrastinated until it was too late.

Huh. Kinda sounds like me. And I don't know how to start small because my personal standards simply won't allow it, rofl!

At least you're honest.

At 10/25/12 09:41 PM, Fooliolo wrote: Huh. Kinda sounds like me. And I don't know how to start small because my personal standards simply won't allow it, rofl!

egos are funny sometimes, aren't they? xD

At least you're honest.

I try to be. There's a few issues with being as honest as possible, and those few thing will come back and bite you in the ass pretty damn hard.
(ie. telling someone the whole truth about you when you first meet them. Nobody wants or needs that kind of weight on them. It's better for everyone if you simply lie, and then reconcile later when they actually begin to understand you.)

At 10/25/12 10:26 PM, Innermike wrote: Luis' tennis game looks like it's got some pretty schlick graphics huh? http://luiscastanon.com/images/p1_animated.gif

indie game or handheld game?

At 10/25/12 10:32 PM, egg82 wrote: indie game or handheld game?

what I meant by that was:
indie computer game or a large company's handheld game? (couldn't tell)

I will amend that to:
what's going on, now? o.o (I understand this is Luis's work, but for what?)

At 10/25/12 10:48 PM, egg82 wrote: I will amend that to:
what's going on, now? o.o (I understand this is Luis's work, but for what?)

http://luis.newgrounds.com/news/post/754646

On a separate note, lots of goats and cows are going to be slaughtered today. That is all.

At 10/25/12 10:26 PM, Innermike wrote: Luis' tennis game looks like it's got some pretty schlick graphics huh? http://luiscastanon.com/images/p1_animated.gif

Those look good, damn

At 10/25/12 11:27 PM, 4urentertainment wrote: On a separate note, lots of goats and cows are going to be slaughtered today. That is all.

I...never mind.

How do you guys deal with teammates who don't communicate much or don't meet deadlines? I've had a few of these, idk if it's me and my attitude towards completion (lazy) or I'm just bad at picking people. As I type this, my artist sends me the art I asked for; but for other people I've worked with, I guess.

This question applies to game making as much as it does to Dota 2

At 10/26/12 12:04 AM, MSGhero wrote:

How do you guys deal with teammates who don't communicate much or don't meet deadlines? I've had a few of these, idk if it's me and my attitude towards completion (lazy) or I'm just bad at picking people. As I type this, my artist sends me the art I asked for; but for other people I've worked with, I guess.

They're usually hard to work with obviously, but if you cant really communicate/work together well as a team you should move on, because once you find that person you can work well as a team. you feel like you're producing magic. at times.

At 10/26/12 12:04 AM, MSGhero wrote: This question applies to game making as much as it does to Dota 2

Hit the nail on the head, my friend.

cyka

At 10/25/12 11:27 PM, 4urentertainment wrote: http://luis.newgrounds.com/news/post/754646

ahhh. Sounds pretty fun, i'll have to check it out when he releases it :P

On a separate note, lots of goats and cows are going to be slaughtered today. That is all.

new game of yours?

At 10/26/12 03:49 PM, egg82 wrote:

At 10/25/12 11:27 PM, 4urentertainment wrote: On a separate note, lots of goats and cows are going to be slaughtered today. That is all.

new game of yours?

I think he's talking about the Hajj, a muslim thing that a lot of them participate in.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hadj

"Centralized butchers sacrifice a single sheep for each pilgrim, or a cow can represent the sacrifice of seven people. The meat is then packaged and given to charity and shipped to poor people around the world."

Where I live it is illegal to butcher animals without 'drugging' them so they suffer less, however for religious purposes they've made an exception (which later got abused by companies that don't want to pay for these extra measurements for the animals and simply proclaim they butcher according to some religious standart).

I find it fascinating how so many people can stagnate so much and adhere to a set of rules created by a few greybeards from before the dark ages, but hey we're all free to do what we want.

At 10/26/12 04:00 PM, Sandremss128 wrote: I think he's talking about the Hajj, a muslim thing that a lot of them participate in.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hadj

Yeah, even the ones who aren't on pilgrimage are required to butcher something and give like a third to charity.

I find it fascinating how so many people can stagnate so much and adhere to a set of rules created by a few greybeards from before the dark ages, but hey we're all free to do what we want.

It sounds less crazy when you think of it more as adhering to a lifestyle put forth by an all-knowing omnipotent God, but let's not argue religion.

Udacity just put up a bunch of new courses, including an HTML5 game programming course, an introduction to 3D rendering and an introduction to parallel programming. A lot of this stuff is SUPER interesting and it feels like I NEED to know this stuff. So many courses, so little time!

At 10/19/12 10:45 AM, Innermike wrote: After a while though I hit a roof where my math ability really wasn't up to the caliber I needed it to be, so I paused all the actual programming and focused on my A-Level Maths and Further Maths (though I don't go in for classes anymore, I've been expelled twice now and my therapist recommends it since I have 'a problem with authority')

So wait, does that mean you're still taking Further Maths or not? Cuz I was looking forward to asking how your experience with that was. Because due to the tiny amount of people that take it, Further Maths around here is seen as this impossibly difficult holy subject that is reserved only for math deities.

At 10/27/12 04:04 AM, 4urentertainment wrote: Udacity just put up a bunch of new courses, including an HTML5 game programming course, an introduction to 3D rendering and an introduction to parallel programming. A lot of this stuff is SUPER interesting and it feels like I NEED to know this stuff. So many courses, so little time!

That sounds really interesting, although I wonder how these certificates from this site are looked upon by potential employers. But as a self development tool I think it's really interesting.

At 10/27/12 05:36 AM, Sandremss128 wrote: That sounds really interesting, although I wonder how these certificates from this site are looked upon by potential employers. But as a self development tool I think it's really interesting.

I remember there was a discussion about that a while ago on the Udacity forums as well as a bunch of articles.

Basically the certificates themselves don't hold a lot of weight due to there being no way to confirm that you were the one who took the test or that you didn't cheat or whatever, but the things you do with what you learn matter a lot. Like people the finished certain courses made simulations or some demo products with what they learned that looked really impressive. And Sebastian Thrun, one of the original creators of Udacity eventually sent out the CV's of those guys along with what they did to some big companies like Google, recommending them.

They also said they're trying to change the way higher education works. A popular idea is that you could learn all the materials at your own pace, and at the end you pay a small fee to go physically take a test at an accredited university and there you go, you get an accredited certificate.

At 10/27/12 06:04 AM, 4urentertainment wrote: They also said they're trying to change the way higher education works. A popular idea is that you could learn all the materials at your own pace, and at the end you pay a small fee to go physically take a test at an accredited university and there you go, you get an accredited certificate.

"learning at your own pace" is what the Job Corps here in the U.S. do. It's a really nice, simple idea in theory, but it turns out to get really complex because you have people who take advantage of the system, people who don't care to be there in the first place, and people who find out that that's not what they want later on.

This is the coolest fucking thing I've ever seen:

https://flutterapp.com/

At 10/29/12 02:48 PM, 4urentertainment wrote: This is the coolest fucking thing I've ever seen:

https://flutterapp.com/

Just had a look at this from the Concerned Joe twitter post. Looks badass.

At 10/29/12 02:48 PM, 4urentertainment wrote: This is the coolest fucking thing I've ever seen:

https://flutterapp.com/

I don't want programs all up in my webcam :S

I have a tentative schedule for classes next semester, and I won't have class on Mon or Fri! I could also avoid Wed, but then I'd be in class from 8-5 on Thurs. Sadly, my advisor said one of those classes is hell and that I should take the minimum number of hours. I'm also trying to find research, but the profs haven't emailed me back after asking if I've taken certain classes...

At 10/29/12 06:49 AM, PSvils wrote: Hey guys!

Well, I githubbed my lighting engine, you can check out the source here:
https://github.com/PDeveloper/hxDynaLight

This looks cool. Personally, I always end up getting people to pay more attention when I post a demo and a simple explanation in the README.md of how the API works, maybe a simple example as well. :)

Well after a weekend of work my bot is done, funny how I only work a lot when there's something pressuring me. I find that 2 things affect my amount of work the most:

1. Pressure to finish. The bot has to be done in 1 day, better get on it.
2. Something more important. I have an exam the next day (its easy anyway but still.. more important).

I guess working on the bot kept my mind of the exam, which is in the end less stressful.
So the bot itself got.. complicated. I was first just thinking and thinking about it for days, not writing any code. I'm ashamed to say I even had to fresh up my Vector Math to do basic stuff like point-line distance between the perpendicular line from the bot I was shooting at (first took my resort in Y=aX + b but we all know how that goes with dividing by zero). In my mind there was this unbeatable perfect robot but the result... meh.
In the end I mashed SimpleAvoider (the runner bot) and PatternPizza (the shooter lol) prototypes together to create my bot. Most of its parameters are wild guesses and unsophisticated.. and there still is a weird aiming bug somewhere in there, but ah well that's how things go it's only my first battle AI anyway.

Well I'm hoping you guys also made something, I've read some disappointing messages just today here. To get you in the mood here's my bot vs 3 ExampleBots.

Example bots just attack the first bot in the list, weirdly enough when I put my own but 2nd in the list (meaning that the exampleBots will first kill one of their own before targeting my bot) my bot is first to die.

At 10/30/12 04:42 AM, Sandremss128 wrote: Example bots just attack the first bot in the list, weirdly enough when I put my own but 2nd in the list (meaning that the exampleBots will first kill one of their own before targeting my bot) my bot is first to die.

ExampleBots pick on mine and kill it fast :(

I have the same problem, I'll start working on things long after they were assigned but just before they're due.

At the last minute, I added a few lines to place mines, but that's caused more problems mainly because I never accounted for the stage boundaries. It'll place a mine then get trapped in a corner because avoiding mines is priority over everything except healing. I didn't get crazy with any velocity prediction. But my bot has rambo mode. And it's a ninja.

But yeah, those stage boundaries messed everything up >=(