Hello again.

Back from my little Christmas break. Well, we're right in the middle of megacrunch and I'm feeling just fine. I've got an entire level to make that's due by the 26th. I've got it about a third of the way done and would probably be further, except that the world seems to be falling down around us as we speak. On top of that, I don't currently have the assets I need. But everything is seeming to work out ok, because you can't implement something you don't have and, even if you had it, you couldn't implement it... because the game doesn't work. Everything would be great if that bad ole deadline didn't keep advancing toward my position. So, I'm just polishing, polishing, polishing away until the logjam come loose.

I guess one of the most important lessons of being a game designer can be observed here: when something that you're working on goes very, very wrong, your first inclination will be to despair, complain and generally get caught up in the horse latitudes of game design. Do not underestimate the attractiveness of this option. As I may or may not have said before, the most frustrating thing about game design is when the game you're trying to design stops working through no fault of your own.

You must get over this. I'd say the best way to do this is:

1) Realize when it's happening to you.
2) Suck it up.
3) Personally make sure the right people are on the job fixing your problem.
4) Make a concerted effort to find other things to do while it's being fixed. If this takes going to your lead and explaining the situation, that's what it takes.

You being totally idle is totally useless and helps neither the game nor your morale.

All this advice probably sounds like a no-brainer, but it's harder to put into practice than you may think.

Of course, you could just despair and write in your blog, like I do. :D