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2021-10-24 04:56

ZIG

Registered: Feb 2004
Posts: 37

Coding Habits

Ok, so this is a super random question, but I would like to know how the 'high performance' demo coders approach coding nowadays - from a time management perspective.

What I am asking is, how do you balance work and democoding?

How much time would you spend coding in a week? Do you spend big chunks of time or just an hour here and there?

How effective would you be in a sitting? Like, how long does it take you to get into your code and what kind of results would you regularly get?

Finally, how much time would you spend 'experimenting' - say fooling around with an effect you are thinking doing one day of vs production of finished demos/intro etc in a given week/month etc?

Sorry to ask such weird questions, but I feel a bit stuck in making progress on coding right now with so many commitments and I just want to see if there are different ways, or maybe I am just sloooow. Good old ADHD at work. :(

Anyways, thx!
Zig/

2021-10-24 06:06

Raistlin

Registered: Mar 2007
Posts: 565

If you’re “in the zone”, code. If not, relax. That works for me.

Sometimes - usually - I’ll just do little bits of work, eg. An hour per day… other times I might be there for 8-10 hours. But… only when I’m enjoying it.

Also.. some effects I work on can take a day.. others could be a month or three.

Most of what I make ends up used .. but I have shelved a few things that haven’t quite worked out … I’m terrible at walking away from code, though, I’ll usually just rethink things into something that works…

2021-10-24 10:04

Angel of Death

Registered: Apr 2008
Posts: 210

I am probably not what you would call a 'high performance' coder but I still make stuff. A man's gotta have a hobby, right?
But I found out that without some goals or final result you wish to achieve it is quite hard to finish something.
Think up a project, chop it into smaller chunks and be sure that when you sit down you only work on one piece. And it is true that you have to kinda figure out how large/small these chunks need to be.
I, myself, am lucky in having not much responsibilities apart from keeping safe, fed and comfortable so I can work on something up to four hours a day.
Maybe it doesn't sound very adventurous or 'ADHD' but you have to approach it like any other project that needs focus and structure.
Just find a place without too many distractions and sit down and work. After a few times you're brain will adapt and know when to go to work.
And I'm sure that your family, if you have one, can leave you alone for a few hours a week.
But believe me, once you finished something and it looks good, your brain will reward you doubly for it and want more.
Happy coding! :)

2021-10-24 11:17

Case

Registered: Aug 2002
Posts: 138

I also fall into the "far from high performance coder" but i agree with raistlin. I can code for a few hours, working on one specific thing until its right or atleast working, other times if i'm not "feeling it" i will stop after a few minutes.

If you not enjoying it / making small steps then walk away and come back again. All of us are now of an age where we have a job, familly life and commitments of some sort so our retro hobby is something that we do when time permits and such we should enjoy it.

2021-10-24 17:02

chatGPZ

Registered: Dec 2001
Posts: 11119

I have a hard time hopping between projects all the time, so usually when i actually found some interesting to code on i spend every minute i can on it. Followed by long breaks :) Some of the most complex things i did on C64 emerged quickly over a couple days or just a weekend. Some other stuff (like the growing flowers in Artphosis) took months to get right.

The most important thing IMHO for getting stuff done is breaking it up into small tasks early - at least it helps me a lot to not get overwhelmed by stuff that seems super complex as a whole.

2021-10-24 18:00

algorithm

Registered: May 2002
Posts: 702

During work hours, when there are idle times, I tend to "sneak code". usually pseudocode and some relaxing manual tests to get the time ticking in notepad/excel or so

If there is even more sufficient idle time in work, i start coding (pc code or c64) without the ability to run or test the code (thats for later when indoors) - I look through the code manually to try and ensure no bugs etc.

Plus point of this method is that the idle gaps are filled in with coding/design sessions, leaving more time free for later after work

Usually (well, always) the code is finished in a working state on the same day in the evening and then its rinse/repeat for the other days

As for experimenting. Yes, a lot of stuff done but not released, usually later refined or re-coded. Some make it as a demo part for linking, some are still in the pending folders...

2021-10-24 22:35

Frantic

Registered: Mar 2003
Posts: 1627

@algorithm: Outdoor coding?

2021-10-24 23:23

TheRyk

Registered: Mar 2009
Posts: 2076

When I was still commuting via train big deal, those 2 times 20 minutes on my notebook each day have been the most productive time for cracking (rather training and modding), sometimes also for intro or demo part coding. Sometimes(!) when I'm sick and can't sleep, between all that coughing I'm also surprisingly productive.

On the other hand, when you're into some kind of flow _and_ have got the time (don't report sick or quit your real life job or leave your family just to win a T Shirt at an 8 bit party), hang on. And when you're uninspired or unmotivated, let it be, for it's unlikely you'll really be productive. A good balance of beer and coffee is recommendable. Otherwise, you'll night by night end drunk having coded next to nothing.

Problematic is hitting deadlines when you're a one man army and haven't really got an idea or just ain't motivated at all. Helpful is when you team up with someone willing to crack a whip on all them lazy minions that supposed to be working on a bigger production. Unfortunately most ppl messing around with 30-sth yo systems, are minimum chaotic or even anarchist. Easier to herd cats than to command a bunch of these 8 bit dudes.

2021-10-25 00:21

algorithm

Registered: May 2002
Posts: 702

Quote: @algorithm: Outdoor coding?

No, meant coding in work (inside), and when i mentioned "indoors" i meant home :-)

2021-10-25 22:47

Monte Carlos

Registered: Jun 2004
Posts: 351

All my latest release were done in public transport. At home: No 5 minutes.

2021-10-26 19:19

Magnar

Registered: Aug 2009
Posts: 60

Hi all,
I am no real coder :) But, I try sometimes. And I guess, I can relate to the topic even as a musician.

I am most productive on late evenings or after midnight until 4-5am. This time of the day there is absolutely no pressure from anyone else, and I can sit and focus on what ever I want to do; Code, compose or draw a picture. Undisturbed. These hours also are the most silence period of the day in terms of noise from outside as well. It is perfect time for when I get very creative.

Sometimes, when deadlines requires, I go all in; I can spend easily nights and days for a couple of weeks time in order to get the production ready. This often clashes with work hours, but I tend to flex-out and flex-in on that so that my work is not affected during that hectic period of time when the demo making is "more important" because I don't want us to miss a release. I often help out with "what needs to be done". If it is music or sfx, I do that. If it is a picture or a font, I do that. If it is a demopart, I code it etc. All in for reaching the deadline, as per that moment often the whole team been griding and are rather pushed to the limit in terms of get it ready. And I somehow have a lot of energy to get things finished at that stage.

However, between releases, I am often very unproductive. I seldom prepare anything for the next gig. I am the typical guy that works when work is needed. :) So, I spend very little time experimenting. However, I can spend very much time to improve my tools and frameworks. Improving batch files for building stuff or try out new tools etc etc.

In a sitting, like during a evening I am either very productive on graphic and music or things turns to shit and I just have to quit and watch Netflix etc instead.

My code is unfortunately always full of bugs and shit, so when I code stuff I usually spend 6 hours a day finding the bugs and some more time on reaching the result I want. It usually requires many sittings, not just that one evening. When I compose MP3 songs for stuff it also takes more time than an evening because it is so much automation and programming work with the virtual effects and instruments to make it sound proper. And some pictures I draw also takes more time. I can sit with Procreate and draw with a Ipad and pen, or I can sit infront of the PC and do Photoshop stuff or more native graphic editor stuff for hours. It is very relaxing. SID songs usually is pushed out during a evening or two max. SID stuff I often manage to do very fast because I tend to use "my normal go-to type of instruments" and I make instruments very quick and then can focus on melodies and song structure much faster than in a DAW where I can search for the perfect snare sound among millions of samples for...hours. :)

So, that's me in nutshell.

Cheers Magnar

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