What l like about this thread is that it does not limit itself to computers, but takes everything into account that could be humanly done.

I am guilty of spending a lot of time in front of my computer. The reason for this is that I do not have a girlfriend, am not married, have no friends but a steady income. There is not much in the outside world that gives me so much joy as programming or other things that can be done on a computer. I know there is a very sad undertone in what I write but I make the best with what I want. I used to travel a lot cause I heard travelling was awesome. I found it to be boring and uninteresting, I visited all those places being called awesome and great(Dubai, New York, Sydney, ...), I walked around, visited all kinds of clubs talked to people but in fact in other countries it's no better than at home.

Yes I compensate having no social contacts with a lot of electronics. But as I said I tried out "the other world". I did not find anything as fulfilling as sitting in front of my computer. Most humans are leechers, they want entertainment and are always ready to leave when it's more entertaining somewhere else. I find that to be sad.

Anyway, these days CGI is my new hobby

CGI like 3DSMax also has a programming language, called Maxscript, which is quite good.

I don't like it anymore. I would like to try my hand at other things. My only reason(currently) for sticking with it is this foolish belief that I would be able to get a game on the Steam platform and make some extra money. Others have had success with Steam, but I don't care enough about programming anymore to follow in their footsteps. I'd like to blaze a trail in a different direction.

It has been such a long time though since 1999, I feel like I would be quitting. I just can't be bothered anymore. What do you think? (Que piensas?)

You don't have to program to be involved in making a game... hell even professional programmers often struggle finding time to get any programming done!

You don't have to program to be involved in making a game... hell even professional programmers often struggle finding time to get any programming done!

I'm more interested in character design. I also don't care for 2D or 3D graphics. I'd go back to games if I could find a way to get my real designs in the game without looking like CGI plastic or rubber.

I would argue you should not get too hung up on specific goals, like making a game or whatever. Ive never managed to get much motivation out of that myself.

Rather, relish the general awesomeness of having the computing power of your devices at your fingertips. If you will use it to make a game, or program a CNC machine (considering you work in metal industry), or just as a whetstone for your abstract thinking in general; dont fall into the trap of considering the time you spent wasted if you dont finish some stupid game or not, because I am willing to bet that it wasnt, one way or the other.

I would argue you should not get too hung up on specific goals, like making a game or whatever. Ive never managed to get much motivation out of that myself.

Rather, relish the general awesomeness of having the computing power of your devices at your fingertips.

When you have the computing power of one computer, you're a power user.
When you have the computer power of a million computers, you're a god.

Programming can get old and boring sometimes, but working on a fun project can make it exciting again. Here's a game I did...

The Grid: http://codeelf.com/games/grid/

It's the projects that make programming fun. Programming by itself is just a tool. You must get active and find something to work on... like this:

http://www.caiman.us/scripts/fw/f2739.html

or this

http://www.caiman.us/scripts/fw/f2738.html

or even this

http://www.caiman.us/scripts/fw/f2740.html

Source code included and needs to be put on SF. Now get to work!

Take a break for a couple of days. Rethink what you liked in the first place about programming, try to pick the feeling up again and remember to leave programming alone a day or two each week. So you feel too tired to play games? Well don't play them. Take a walk in the park or go out and have a drink/coke(in case you do not drink).

In fact I suggest that you do not leave programming but instead make sure to do something else one or two days at week in order to recharge yourself. Get a girlfriend could also be a good thing or if you already have a girlfriend go more out with her etc.

I think you get my idea, relax, relax and relax some more. Just don't leave programming for good.