I know exactly what you mean. I work in customer IT, and after a full day at the computer, it's tough to sit down at one again at home. If someone ever invents a way to make computer games without a computer, I’m all ears.
I did farm labour and game dev by night for a couple of years. It helped because it forced me to move and get sunlight. And I didn't have to think very much during the day, so I never burned out.
It's great that the energy you spend in work isn't going into the void of useless information, I imagine it's creatively exhausting but at least it's all transferrable knowledge :)
Been working at a game studio so its in the same niche but depending on the day there's sometimes really no energy left to continue working on my own games. I try to reserve at least one day in the weekend to just focus on indiedev. 😄
Relatable. When I had a game dev day job, I had zero energy for personal game projects. Fortunately I had some energy left for writing and drawing, which turned into a book.
Day job is mobile app development. There are good and bad effects. Good effects is I can use some of the programming things I learn and use at work when working on my game. Bad is when I have a bad day at work and just nothing left on nights or weekends. Even so, making progress.
I work as a roboticist and machine learning engineer. It helps with becoming better at programming and math, but being able to work on something less abstract like game development on the side really recharges me creatively.
I will say that I work 2nd shift (afternoons/evenings) and that limits me to either working on my game during the morning (when I often have errands or other responsibilities) or after work (when it's after 11pm and I'm tired)
Factory work. Long hours, physically draining. Absolutely impacts my gamedev. Im lucky to get in 30 mins a day. Then when i finished the game and it takes 6 years ill expect to get flak for that.
I'm a software developer. The long hours tend to cut into my game dev time. I've also noticed that the amount of effort I put into game dev is proportional to how shitty my work-week has been lol.
Hahaha I relate to this. I tend to either have the energy go do some work or go to the gym after work and I'll convince myself every day I'll do both and often do neither
I'll start - I work in architectecture and I work long hours doing digital models and cad drawings - since I spend so much time on the computer it's what made me decide to do all of the game art traditionally! The negative is I have no fuckin time to do that lol
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There are easier outdoor jobs though!
Double edged sword of “ooh I can learn so many useful things on the job” and “no energy after work” haha
I will say that I work 2nd shift (afternoons/evenings) and that limits me to either working on my game during the morning (when I often have errands or other responsibilities) or after work (when it's after 11pm and I'm tired)
My "weekends" are my best bet,
I just do some work on the game when I can.