How do you get productive?
#1

I'm curious to know how you guys get your flow going when coding!

Personally, it's after a big cup of coffee black as night. For some reason my body thinks 11pm-2am is the best time to be effective. Also in the morning for a little while.

To get going, I always make sure I can test the code very quickly, so I set up a command that will compile it, run the server and exit after startup.
If it's something that requires me to be in-game I either make sure to patch the GMX time to 0 (YSF), or move the code I need to test into a filterscript so I can reload it.
I also have a shortcut that allows me to search the forums (via ******), the sa-mp wiki, and ****** very quickly (Alfred, OS X).

I find it very important that I can do everything non-stop without having to wait for things. When you have to wait more than 1 second your brain will do a context switch and your focus drops slightly.


What about you?

Edit: this should probably be in "everything and nothing"
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#2

I'm the same with more effective in the morning and more often at night (around the same time as you). Music helps a lot, espically a fast song or a song I really like. Mountain dew help me a lot as there is a hell of a lot of sugar in it!

When I do start coding, I have around 4 tabs open, one for sa-mp wiki, one for ******, one for sa-mp forums and one for ******* (music).
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#3

Generally I get some Sprite/7-up in my Coca Cola glass, put some good music on and I'm good to go. While scripting, I tend to switch to other things from time to time, like ******* or forums. I can't concentrate on the same thing for a long time. After a few minutes, I go back to the scripting to continue.
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#4

Well for me, i CANNOT script while using the internet/being in shit mood/ not feeling like it, so usually i just sit in the PC in some boring ass day, and start scripting with small breaks for a period of 1/1 and a half hour, which within i keep testing ingame.
As for the scripting time i'm mostly productive in the afternoon.
Oh one more thing, i can't script when am using a laptop xD
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#5

I tend to script best when I shouldn't be scripting, such as if I have homework to do :<
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#6

Since here it's a question of when you get time to come online, I script whenever I can, and when I am not, I think about codes and efficiency. Kind of obsessive, it is frustrating sometimes. I do the same, /rcon reloadfs and ****** with the prefix 'samp.' However, I just cannot code creatively if music or something else is going on, I however can code something I have done while distracted.
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#7

Generally, I get either a sweet tea, some Gatorade, or a coffee (if it's the morning). Sometimes, on the weekends, I'll grab some beer or some bourbon and relax a bit while writing pieces of code.

I do what you do, Slice; except I start writing code from filter-scripts to begin with. I'm not the lead developer on my community's project, so I don't work out of the main source code. Instead, I write systems when I can and send them to the main developer for implementation.

I have noticed that if I have to stop and research something, I tend to lose a bit of interest. Sometimes, I need to step away, take a dump, and re-think something in my head. One thing I have noticed (even though I really should have always done this) is that writing out my ideas for the system with a pen and paper is a GREAT way to work out problems. It has lately helped me make more sense out of a lot of things. For example, I caught myself using ~5 extra variables when I could of use a single one for all 5 tasks.

I'd be interested to see some of the other ways people do this...
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#8

It's weird, but I play this in a loop and I can go on through the night.
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pSyYhRYeIM"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pSyYhRYeIM[/ame]

The filterscript method didn't really seem intuitive for me at first, but now I realize I've been doing it wrong this whole time!
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#9

It happens to me very randomly. There are days that I only play games, and you have those days where I have a lot of inspiration. When I have inspiration, I make sure I can do everything fast so I don't lose interest.
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#10

What I do is I take a glass of water and turn on some chillout music.. And as soon as the water finishes I go and fill another glass
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#11

I'm being uber productive at the minute because I have more important things to be doing... If someone could tell me how to be productive at those instead that would be awesome!
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#12

Quote:
Originally Posted by MP2
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Just wondering: Do any of you ever set deadlines?
Not strictly, but I do think sometimes like "would be awesome if I could have this finished by the end of next week". Those are not strict deadlines, but it's something to try and achieve.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Y_Less
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I'm being uber productive at the minute because I have more important things to be doing... If someone could tell me how to be productive at those instead that would be awesome!
I know that feel! It's so annoying. I always want to script when I've got no time at all... When I've got the time, it can happen that I'm too lazy to do anything.
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#13

Generally i can not concentrate much on coding, when i haven't a radio what playing
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#14

A bit of your recipe is part of mine too. I usually plan the code before, while I'm doing some mundane tasks (eating, walking to school, etc.). When I sit in front of the computer I'm a machine writing code, I can't be stopped. I usually create very many shortcuts to enable me move faster; SublimeText2 comes in handy.
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#15

I roll a joint and sit at pc, then start writing lines of code.

Marijuana is really productive for brain.

EDIT: Who gave me -REP for this post? Stupid kids learn to respect what other people says.
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#16

Quote:
Originally Posted by Face9000
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EDIT: Who gave me -REP for this post? Stupid kids learn to respect what other people says.
Because

"Marijuana is really productive for brain." is utter BS. (and no, I did no -rep you).

I get very productive close to deadlines, I usally stress before it and not get anything done, till the last minute, when it's finished I litterly relax, if it fails I'm upset

To get into a mood, just planning out ideas in my head or writing them down helps, I usally get excited and just have to code it.
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#17

Honestly, smoking a nice joint really gets my thoughts going, I'm alot more productive when coding and I'm more patient with my work, it also inspires some good ideas!

Not promoting drug use though.. if things in your life aren't going well for you, I wouldn't recommend marijuana.

Also if you have something that motivates you (such as having a successful server), that also helps.
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#18

Headphones on, a can of energy drink and some relaxing music. I could go on all night (or atleast until I feel like my work is sufficiently done).
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#19

I'm being mostly productive when I'm working on something that is interesting for me, and when its not annoying to work with (such as dialogs, I hate working with them).
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#20

from 11 pm to 2 - 3 A.M the most comic thing is that i have to get up at 7 AM to go to school, but that are the hours that i'm more productive, and are the hours that im more tired. Sometimes i think that i work in a weird way , just as MP2 i work better when i shoudnt be scripting.

And usually i work better when im listening to music, specifically dubstep or rock nacional (Soda Stereo - Intoxicados - Los tipitos - Бrbol)
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