This is difficult for no reason? Can't focus!

While knowing how to do things in RPG maker is easy for me, I've reached an entire standstill and it's entirely my fault. For some reason literally nothing I do looks right and I can't focus whatsoever? I have all of my custom assets but none of them look right to me and I'll just sit for hours staring at a blank map as nothing I tile looks or feels right at all. Is there a way to put myself back on track or am I basically just doomed?

'Game Mechanics Design' is for looking at aspects of game play (e.g. skill systems, construction of classes) at a conceptual level.

[move]General Discussion[/move]

Note, 'General Discussion' is intended to be quite a place for wide ranging conversation on a subject, it is not limited to the specifics of a particular game or developer. Expect, therefore, replies which don't work for you, but which may well help someone else reading the thread who is having the same experience.

As a phenomenon, I think this hits most developers at some time or another. One common reason is that, although one might know how to do something, it is not clear why one should do something. This often stems from not being sure where the story is going, or how a character is to develop. Without a clear sense of direction, it is extremely difficult to e.g. make a map, because what is the purpose of that particular map? So maybe what needs to be done is to work outside the editor for a while, developing the story a bit further, fleshing out your characters e.g. their motivations, their personalities, their hopes, dreams, fears, likes and dislikes. Maybe spend some time looking for a music track (loads of free music on this site) to go with the map/location you've been stuck on. If you find working in the editor easy, perhaps answer a few Help queries in the Support section. In other words, if the bit you are trying to do does not inspire, work on another aspect.

I have these problems when options are too broad for what I am doing. Kinda like a teacher giving you a "do what you want to" assignment, in a sense, they are the worst cause you don't know what the heck to do XD

Either that or maybe your storyline is not developed enough and you need to add some more detail, then it'll hit ya, bet on it :)

Sounds like a mental/emotional form of burnout.

What I recommend doing is to give yourself a few tasks (especially ones that are mostly mechanical, technical, or busywork, rather than ones that require creative decisions or new ideas) that you know need to get done eventually - and do them. Make it a few days' to a single week's worth of tasks. Then just sit down and force yourself to get them done. If you find that you've zoned out, don't get mad at yourself, but just get right back to work. Work as long and hard as it takes to get that small set of tasks done. Finishing what you committed yourself to should help you get rid of the spiritual and emotional burnout - the hopelessness and self-loathing that can come from hitting a wall.

Once you've hit that high point by finishing what you've assigned yourself, it's time to take a long break (assuming that your livelihood doesn't depend on completing this in a timely manner). Pull yourself away from the program. Don't open it. For the first week, try not to think about your game at all. Do other stuff. Have fun. Treat yourself well. If you do come up with a great idea by accident, write it down in as much detail as you need to - but don't actually open up RPG Maker. Make sure you're not neglecting the things you know you need to do in life. After the first week, continue taking a break, but allow yourself to think about your game again. At some point (could very well take a few additional weeks, but shouldn't take more than a month or two), your mind will likely start thinking of things you'd like to do in your game, of creative ideas that you want to make into a reality. Once you've come up with two or three major ideas (or extensive sets of small ideas), that's a sign that you've also conquered the mental burnout - the enervation that comes from thinking about something too much for too long.

At this point, you'll be ready to get back to game-making with a fresh mind and a fresh spirit - with a mind that's as fresh as starting a game anew, but with a project that's already made a lot of progress!

Walk away. Legit get up from your computer and walk away. I am not saying quit, I am saying go for a walk, take a shower, binge watch house of cards (or some other show you like). Go out with friends, take a nap.

Walk away and give your self time to think, as a software developer there are times when I'll do this and BOOM it hits, it flows through my brain like water flowing down a raging river.

There are already some great advice here and I do not know how it fits your situation. If your problem is not lack of direction or burnout, maybe it's just kinda like blank page syndrome, you have a feeling you know what you want and you'd like to create it just perfect on the first try but are unable to just lay down the first few words (or in your case tiles) that would get you going, so you stare at your blank page in dread. My advice in that case would be to just forget about that sense of it not being perfect for a while, go ahead and create something. Almost nothing is ever going to be just right outright, just create whatever imperfection, pull forward, and then it'll be easier to come back to it as you'll actually have something to work on, you'll be able to refine it, perfect it. And you might end up scraping it altogether sometime down the road, but it will have gotten you through as a place holder, if nothing else.

Oh gosh, I don't know what to say! I honestly didn't even expect people to respond, but you all joined on with such great advice and inspiration. Thank you everyone, I think I kind of owe it to you guys to find myself and muster up the courage to finish this project.
Also, I had no idea there was a 'syndrome' for this kind of thing. It describes my situation exactly!

Aah! I know this feeling. I call it the baby-burn. It is really important to relax when you get this feeling.

- You should actually stay relaxed all the time, but that's a different topic. -

To make that feeling disappear you have to loosen your muscles from the head to the toe.

You don't need to stand up and exercise, but if you want to do that, that's fine, too!

While your muscles are losing their tension, keep your spine straight and let your head rest almost at your chest. Afterwards, just close your eyes and focus on your breathing for a while. Try to breathe in deep, hold it for one ... two seconds and exhale slowly but steady.

This will relax not just your body, but your mind will also find rest.

This will bring you back to the basics, so that when you open your eyes again, you can take another look at your project and see where you really are and what you want it to be.

You want to make a something out of that nothing? Everything begins with an idea!

Start from there and don't be too rough on your maps, they will feel and look sad when you're angry or feel anxious about the task you've given to yourself.