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the big thing keeping me from learning to code is i just have this irrational fear that if i try to make a game, i'm gonna fuck up in a way that i can't detect until i'm weeks into it and end up having to start over from scratch
can anyone here who does code stuff like reassure me that's not a thing
@kat Seconding others' assurances here, speaking as a professional software developer and hobbyist game dev/novelist with executive dysfunction.
As long as you keep your project scope manageable, your iterations small, and learn from each project, you'll be in good shape. It's a lot like design work that way.
@jaycie i'm more worried about like bigger projects tbh, i wouldn't mind redoing something that only took a couple days, but i'm anxious about like "oops there goes a year-long project"
@kat A reasonable fear because that is nigh-inevitable. Such an outcome does leave one with learnings, experience, and reusable assets, at least.
And you don't have to commit to year-long projects, either.
@jaycie oh boy i don't know if i can deal with just losing an entire game or something because i fucked up on day one haha
@ChlorideCull @jaycie this is like an executive dysfunction anxiety thing so i'm more worried about like "why bother starting if that's how it'll end up being someday" haha
@ChlorideCull @kat I'm reminded of your recent post about art school and the realities of doing art, Kat. Lots of parallels there.
@jaycie @ChlorideCull ahaha it's less scary because you can only fuck up one painting, not an entire year's worth of them
@kat @ChlorideCull I hear you. All the more reason to start with very small projects and save the larger ones for later.
@jaycie @ChlorideCull anxiety means it's kinda hard to start small stuff without having like a worst-case plan for big stuff later haha
(alcohol)
@kat @ChlorideCull I wish I had a better answer for anxiety-based issues than "keep attempting it until the anxiety goes away (from overexposure)." (I'm inebriated ATM, BTW.)
re: (alcohol)
@jaycie @ChlorideCull my answer is "i don't have the executive function to handle losing a year of work all at once so i should just never learn programming"
re: (alcohol)
@kat @ChlorideCull I emphasize, coming from the opposite direction of "I should never learn to draw" (despite going to art school for half my college education).
re: (alcohol)
@jaycie @ChlorideCull egh yeah i should probably just give up
re: (alcohol)
@kat @ChlorideCull I think you can still pull it off!
re: (alcohol)
@kat @ChlorideCull (Sober me would agree.)
re: (alcohol)
@jaycie @ChlorideCull egh iunno if i'm good enough to do it haha
re: (alcohol)
@kat None of us are when we start, only after we've made the attempt.
@ChlorideCull @jaycie i don't mind messing up chunks and having to redo those, it's more just like "is it usually something that can be fixed, or are you completely fucked forever if something you did early on turns out to be wrong"