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Hello. I just observed the real reason why I suck at democoding. Or why I do not exactly suck at coding itself but in productivity, in results, in creating a good solid demo and in time. It is something I have noticed several times in the past but bypassed it for some reasons, never gave it enough attention. But now I had greater awareness of it and I was shocked.

I simply sit down to code something and it takes me 4+ times more to finish it than what it should originally take. Something that would take 1-2 hours and I could simply do more stuff or even do different real life stuff in between, it takes me a whole evening or day. Suddenly I realize how awfully time passes. I sit there thinking of the next line of code to write and I may loose focus or daydream or play with something on my fingers for several minutes. And then I wake up and realize it and try to focus but my mind goes elsewhere.

To not misunderstand me, I don't want necessarily with this thread to focus on disorders (although it would be interesting), in the past I never thought I would fit the profile of an ADD person as I know it (especially not ADHD, I am the silent guy) but now I have noticed that something really bad is playing and I'd be just wondering whether there are some techniques to keep focused on the democoding and not snap out of it or if someone else experiences something similar and how he gets along with it.

However, a possibility is that I am simply absent minded in parts of coding where I don't have the best interest. I've been noticing at which coding sessions I am loosing it and at which I am really focused and produce a lot (this happens once in ten times). I may be coding a new effect (I tried the freedir tunnel we were discussing) but at some trivial parts with not much interest or not something new yet a bit tricky to think and needs brain energy I may be absent minded and taking 3 hours for trivial stuff of half an hour and not realizing it. The rare cases where I am really feeling productive are when I am experimenting with some crazy idea (usually on optimization) I just thought and really want to try. But when I just have to connect parts of demos or code trivial stuff I spent a lot of time. Another side I perform ok is when I have to copy-paste code (trivial but I don't have to put mind in it, just automation), ok lame. And also usually I keep daydreaming about a demo easilly but it's hard for me to sit down and work on it. When I daydream my mind works, when I sit down to code I flat out.

Also, there is always the same feeling. Maybe I used to oppress myself to code demos even when I didn't felt ok with it. I feel some pressure inside me, almost like psychosomatic, something telling me "Oh, I am bored to just sit here and code". At this part, of course, as expected, I get a lot of those absent minded where I sit down to code and everything goes wrong, my attention shifts to other things and I loose it. Ok, maybe this is just a way for myself to say "Knock it off, I don't want to code a demo right now. Give me something else to focus on!". But what?

Optimus, nie pierdol, restore Optimus name.

Why?

you need pussy, man.
also, what Pirx said.

The beginning of the demo is 80% of the work. Once you have the first 30 secs the rest will follow.

The regime is pretty simple: try to do something every day, even if it is just one second of progression. I usually code with something else happening in the background ( on my second monitor), like, for example a film. I found these mindless movies:

http://greek-movies.eu/1980-1989/

the perfect background "noise" to keep me focused. Maybe they can help.

I know what you mean. It is similar with me. What I need to keep focused is that I shut myself off from all distractions. I close the door and put headphones on with some good music, electro-stuff without lyrics. I do not use the internet unless absolutely necessary (look something up).
Then I try to work for some time, like an 40-60 minutes or so, till I start to feel exhausted or bored or reach a certain point where I need to start something new (new type of work, new class, whatever). Then I take a break, read email, browse pouet, get coffee or so and then get back to work again.

I think the main thing is that you agree with yourself that you want to do this/have a goal. If you don't know where you want to go, you can't get there, just fumble around and get frustrated.

what navis says -- in general, beginning is 80% of the work

i have a lot of trouble focussing as well (both professional code and even more so at home), wouldnt classify it as anything though. lotsa ppl have it. hence coders who code at a certain pace all the time, and 'burst' coders (like me).

deal with it. why do you even bother discussing this :)

Sorry, my attention span is not sufficient to read and understand the entire text. (TL;DR)

Well, I do this thing too, what kept my mother worrying. But even then I just feel I don't get enough of my potential. Sometimes, I also wonder whether music or no music or other conditions would be more suitable or distract me but I haven't experimented really. I think the matter is also a matter of will, like I don't really want to code at specific time but I want to finish the demo in time.

I am discussing this, because maybe I will hear a good suggestion I haven't thought of.

I don't think it works for me. Usually I don't even consider trying. Once I was watching the Xardavellas show (with the paranormal shit) while trying to code something at the same time (hmm,. crazy, haven't done this before) and I couldn't focus at all (although I was trying to understand what they were saying on the show, not just as background noise)

I totally understand what you'Re talking about. here some suggestions: try other hours in the day. I know at 4pm i'm just unable to do anything but at 10pm i'm unstoppable!
Aslo for the background noise, I sometimes set my second computer on demoscene.tv. that's good for inspiration and being in demo-mod but at the end i just end up watching the demos :)

what works better is music, something without lyrics (like nectarine) is always better else you end up concentrating on them, without even knowing it.

and get away from distractions: be it irc pouet or msn. it takes way too much time! and do it for fun man! if you just can't concentrate and do the shitty stuf that's because you're bored of it. tell yourself that once you did it you can step on the next fun part.
Also for motivation keeping a todo list is essential: and i mean *keeping* don't delete the tasks that are done but put an X on them. then you'll see the progess you did ;)

and indeed alcohol, drug and the like sure won't help.

I can heartily recommend this. Works wonders for me, both professionally and for my spare-time coding..

as strange as it may sound to any sane person: I also like listening to mods/mod radio while coding. helps keeping me focused.

the first LOC are the hardest, indeed. after that, it's like in a trance or sth. :)

maybe you should troll around a bit on some website whenever coding does not satisfy your desire for attention

[x] troll around on pouet

done.

Didn't considered that much before. But yes I remember once that some electronic music without lyrics worked very well, while some greek hip hop really killed my focus :P

However, I should still investigate which parts of coding gets me in the mood and which processes slows me down.

The beginning of the demo is 80% of the work. Once you have the first 30 secs the rest will follow.

The regime is pretty simple: try to do something every day, even if it is just one second of progression. I usually code with something else happening in the background ( on my second monitor), like, for example a film. I found these mindless movies:

http://greek-movies.eu/1980-1989/

the perfect background "noise" to keep me focused. Maybe they can help.

Cool, it sometimes works.

In some other times I am too lazy or feel oppressed that I won't even start, I won't even touch the compiler for a second for days. But if I touch it then magic happens. Although I avoid it. Maybe I am just lazy or don't really want to code a demo. Is there a cure?

@Optimus: Less drama -> More coding

seriously: the hints about listening to some music (and YES, use headphones) are working well for many coders (me too ;) ). At work none of the coders ever listened to music until I entered stage :) I was (and still am) listening to loud metal music, coz it's the right thing for me. Many followed and first my boss was arguing about it -> but then he figured out: boost of productivity -> No arguing anymore.
Positive sideeffect: You can ignore people entering your room, standing beside you, until you WANT to pay attention *G*
While putting my last demo together I constantly had irc, icq, pouet, csdb and all that shit running -> waste of time!

Or just simply rub you dick 20 times while watching pr0n until you are spent. Maybe THAT lets you focus on IMPORTANT things like democoding again ;)

listen to Harold Budd (and Brian Eno)

I don't think there's anything wrong with you. It just sounds like you should do something else for a while. If you can't find a new hobby, you should at least try to code something different.
My coding interest goes on/off in cycles of about 1-2 years. In the "off" part of the cycle I'm completely uninterested in coding. When I start coding again, strangely, I find that my coding skills have improved even though I've done nothing.

Maybe your brain just needs a break to "restructure" (maybe some memory defragging, or caching of commonly used data?) so that you can start again with a freshly optimized mind.

funny that you are mentioning music, cause I was trying to post something about me not being able to concentrate at all if music's playing in the background but I am writing this as the radio is playing in the background and I just can't concentrate enough to make the post make much sense.. so there you go.

Optimus- you know what to do: stop paying your ISP and see your life improves in all aspects.

draw prototype images and make sure its something that you can accomplish.

write a todo list with time estimates.

finish what you start.