Getting your head right to code..

[Shockwave]

I find it really hard to get started on something sometimes.. I pick up the computer full of bright ideas and all too often I get distracted, anything can destroy the creative frame of mind, maybe someone comes to call, the dog goes ballistic, the cat is sick etc etc...

To program, for me anyway, having a good idea is simply not enough. Unless I set the right mood to code, all I'll do is sit here staring at my IDE and then think bollocks to it I'm having a game of Mahjong or Pacman instead..

I used to like to have a drink of wine to get me started.. In the old days I used to get absolutely blotto before I started to code, nowadays I have to have the TV at the right volume, the dog quiet and everything just right before I start.

Once I have started and I have something tangible it seems to be ok, I am off the mark and the house could burn down around me and it wouldn't put me off my stride.. It's just starting. It's just fucking starting.

What sort of stuff do you guys do to get started on a prod? Do you need to do stuff or can you just start??

[Clyde]

I usually find I need some good music in the background to get me motivated, and will quite often listen to Nectarine Radio via Win Amp, or if it's having trouble buffering, I'll listen to something in my collection in Media Player. And I also find that watching demos inspires me, if I get stuck on thinking of a transition or effect to go along side something.

Im quite fortunate at the moment as I live alone, so I've only got myself to distract me, or the blooming neighbours shouting out their latest problems, which can put me off, but usually I turn the volume up to drown them out.

[slinks]

first thing is to unplug the wireless internet reciever and chuck it somewhere so I don't get distracted. Next, I have to pick some music for the occasion. Something fast paced but with poor to average lyrics. I find myself thinking more about the lyrics than the code thatway for some reason. I also need something I can damage if I come accross some kind of error, which happens more often than I would like to think.

[rain_storm]

All my work begins with pen n paper I try to visualise what I want to do then break things down and see what are my options. I try to attack every problem from as many different angles as possible since the first solution is always a stop gap and later ideas are more clued in to whats required This then becomes my to do list. Once Im at the keyboard I have a clear idea of what has to be done and have hindsight on my side. Start up media player and away I go. Things just fall together themselves after that. You need patience above all. No distractions. That makes really late nights perfect. When friends are least likely to call and theres nothin on the tv anyways.

[rdc]

I have never had a problem getting started. Maybe that is because I used to have some strange offices as a consultant. Believe it or not, a company put me in an office right next to the machine shop one time. You get used to coding, writing--whatever in that sort of environment. I can block everything out, radio, TV, people and just concentrate on the task at hand, although the wife sometimes thinks I am ignoring her.
I always have too many ideas and not enough time, so I never really get  to the point where I have nothing to do.

[mike_g]

Well for me it would be:

Disconnect the internet. Make sure I got lots of free time because if I leave something for more than a few days I never get back to it. Make sure you are happy with being antisocial for sometime. After a heavy night out seems to be a good place to start. Then make sure theres lots of tea, or coffee if you prefer. Then  I'd set targets with some sort of reward scheeme, for me it would be a smoke, but a chocolate or something would be better for your health. Best make sure reward < work. Then I'd code loads, without music becuase it interferes with my brain waves unless I am doing some non-coding graphics stuff where I dont have to think, then musics good. And thats about it

[mind]

my ideas usually start out on pen and paper aswell.. i used to carry around a notebook just in case i'd come up with something during the day and dont have a computer around.

my real problem isnt starting though, its usually stopping.. once i start working on a project i find it REALLY hard to stop working on it unless im a 100% satisfied with the outcome. i have however improved on that part lately, atleast when it comes to larger projects that require a large amount of time, thank god. (thank god, according to my gf atleast )

back in the days(not that i mind it every now and then these days) i used to, like shockie said, get piss drunk and just code and code and code.. 80 or so % of my texgen was written while i was totally phased out.. lots of debugging the day after i can tell you a few bottles of wine or a few 6packs of beer and off i go

other than that, start up winamp and add the url to the kohina radio, the psytrance stream at www.di.fm  or just a bunch of good industrial/ebm/synth in general/ tunes in the playlist does the job. i have the same issue as slinks, lyrics get me off track so preferably chipmusic or psytrance

i need LOTS of cigarettes.. as soon as i get stuck somewhere(and thats often lol), fire it up and just spend the next 10 minutes browsing the code, trying to find wtf is wrong.

[Jim]

Ambient music with no lyrics.  Lots of water.  Used to be cigs and coffee but I've mostly quit the former except when I'm drunk and am drinking a lot of green tea now.  Silence otherwise - no talking, meetings, clicking, tapping, popping, sniffing, slurping, crunching.  No strip lights, good ventillation.  Basically all the things this workplace does wrong are damaging to getting your head right.

Ever tried coding and listening to one of those talking books?  It's impossible!

Jim

[Hotshot]

That very true about when come to coding that if u have internet on then it can distract you in big time which is good things to unplug then pick out good techno music and have drink a water( why do u think those Stand up Joker need some water to fuel their brain into CREATIVE to making more joke) and vice vice!

cheers

[Clanky]

The way I program:

Steps that must be done:
Step 1: Unplug the internet...
Step 2: Have the music in the background... loud enough to hear, soft enough to put you in a trance.

Then, [normally] I will just code like I sleep... but it's normally not good - so I go over it, get fustrated that something is not working... then plug the internet back in... click the Telstra Icon in the systems tray... and check my MySpace and chat on MSN while trying to think of why the program - YaBASIC only lol - is not working the way I want it too...

I do this until my mum or dad - yes still living at home... can't wait to go uni in Feburary! YAY! Got in! - tell me that I have been on it long enough. Normally one hour or two... owell... their right!

... I got into Batchelor Engineering / Information Technology [Double Degree]... SCORE!

[lilw4t3rdr0p]

Congrats Clanky!

College is the so much fun!

[taj]

Coding...wow what a question.

Frankly I need two things: deadline AND someone to work with. Then nothing stops me...even complete loss of power in the house, the PC has battery and the internet has a backup power connection and can remain up for about 6 hours. Deadline. The problem is finding someone to code with. :-(

[Shockwave]

I've always thought that you and Rbraz would work well together Taj.

[Paul]

I also need something I can damage if I come accross some kind of error

i must say this is the best game ever:D
http://www.inicia.es/de/Turbo_J/metelev1_01.swf

I havent got a problem getting going but finding ideas of things to code is difficult sometimes.

[Shockwave]

It's got to be said Paul, that is an excellent game ++Karma! 

[slinks]

The only possibile improvments I can think of would be weapons. An being able to pick up the mouse and smash it into the screen. It rule rule so much!

[Clyde]

I often find the opposite tons of ideas, but dont quite know how to start or do them; so I often posse questions on sites.    /Once Im in the swing and have a little more knowledge on the thang, and have written down the processes the brain cell usually kicks in and im on the way.     /Granted, not all bright sparks lead to anything much and often don't work.     /Nothing ventured nothing gained, and it all makes for good learning and practising especially from mistakes and the like.     /A few things I've made have actually come from something that were accidents.

[Hotshot]

I believe in "coding by Accident" then came somethings of "BIG HIT" game or demo depending how on good you are....Just ask JON HARE( Yep SWOS LEGENED as I remmy his words when he was interview talking about ORINGAL SWOS when he or other was coding SWOS by accident then they end up very BIG HIT game that they never thought it was POSSIBLE ! )

Cheers