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Analysis Paralysis

Started by Boris_amj, May 29, 2014, 06:23:22 AM

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Boris_amj

Is knowing too much bad for you ?

As I decided to start a new Banished game I became horrified at falling victim of "analysis paralysis".

I knew what buildings I needed, where to put the houses, the barns, the woodcutters, the gatherers, the herbalists, the roads, the pastures, the fishing dock, the boarding houses (well apart in case of fires) ............ AAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRGGGGGGHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I just couldn't take the first step. My hand was frozen over the mouse and my eyes were transfixed on the screen.
I was trying to completely figure out the game in my mind well in advance.

This was even worse with CotN, where there are multiple building dependencies. For example, the "peasants" and "nobles" need several set of shops to support them. Scribes and priests can fulfil several tasks, so you need to cater for all of them.
You see the picture.

Has this happened to you ?

I wish I could erase the knowledge off my mind.

As Nietzsche said: The advantage of a bad memory is that you can enjoy the same things several times for the first time.


rkelly17

Yes, @Boris_amj, I have often fallen victim to the paralysis of analysis, and unfortunately not just in gaming.

As to your Nietzsche quote, a retired colleague and I had this conversation awhile back:
"You know," we're getting old enough that we tell each other the same stories we've told before."
"True, but we're also getting old enough that we don't remember we've heard them before."

Kaldir

One of the features I really like about Banished is that all buildings are available from the start and you can paused the building proces. That way I can put the planning into the game instead of keeping it in my head. Although I'm often planning another expandion in my head when I'm laying in bed.

slink

I also have the opposite problem sometimes, when I have so many things that I was just about to try next that I can't decide which version to start on.

salamander

I've faced the same paralysis problem, not by knowing too much, but by knowing too little and having too many options.  I've literally spent hours with the game paused trying to figure out what would be the best next move.  In most of those cases, I've finally said to myself 'this is insane' and just chosen one of several options -- often with a coin toss.  That way, if it doesn't work out, it's the coin's fault, not mine.  ;D

nmid

hahaha, you hit the nail on the head Boris_amj.

In my 1.0.2 beta test, I left space for 4 layers for production buildings, but just couldn't build out my town properly.
I had  overlapping city plans in my head (starting and the mid age city) .. and was completely confused on how to get that plan on ground.

On the flip side, I sometimes end up hyper-building ... and end up with a town-hall + chapel by year 6/70 pop.

mariesalias

I don't think I've had this problem with games. With writing though, definitely. Too much information until i have no idea where to begin! :D


I do tend to be forgetful/easily distracted. I will plan out a lot of my layouts in advance, but then later I almost always change things. I prefer to think of it as being flexible rather then changeable. ;P

rkelly17

@mariesalias, I've advised some doctoral students over the years. The hardest thing is to convince people that the purpose of a dissertation is to finish, so get very clear what you are NOT writing about. You can always write the definitive book you want to write later. I have too many friends with massive amounts of data who never finish because there is always one more source to check. My wife, who is a much better writer than I am and who is one of the most succinct writers I know, is just now having to re-learn this with a project she is working on. The problem has been knowing too much about the subject (her family).

feelotraveller

Smile.

It sounds familiar.

Several times I have spent hours before unpausing a map, figuring out how many, where, adjusting overlaps, cramming in an extra dock...

So resolve yourself to start only in a state of stupidity (inebriation or sheer tiredness/distraction). 

Or find a, preferably young, friend or relative and make them supreme commander for the first year or two of game play. 

Or draw up a list of things to do (some of which you know are definitely things 'not' to do) and roll a dice to choose which one you will do first, and stick to that choice.

Or think yourself into a state of frivolity where you do all the above at once.  Play for the joy of life rather than a bank balance or investment portfolio.  And make sure to dance with tornadoes at every opportunity.  You know it makes sense Dorothy.


Demonocracy

There's been a couple of times that I've started placing the buildings and immediately have "placer's remorse" where I realize that the buildings that the villagers are building aren't what I wanted to build first at all.  And since I'm about 3 minutes into a fresh game at that point... I restart.

There.  I said it.

salamander

Admitting your problem is the first step to recovery.  ;D

Did you know, though, that you could use the removal tool to delete a placed building, instead of having to restart?

mariesalias

Quote from: rkelly17 on May 30, 2014, 07:06:01 AM
@mariesalias, I've advised some doctoral students over the years. The hardest thing is to convince people that the purpose of a dissertation is to finish, so get very clear what you are NOT writing about. You can always write the definitive book you want to write later. I have too many friends with massive amounts of data who never finish because there is always one more source to check. My wife, who is a much better writer than I am and who is one of the most succinct writers I know, is just now having to re-learn this with a project she is working on. The problem has been knowing too much about the subject (her family).

That is good advice. I think perhaps if I try to modularize it, and as you said, decide exactly what I don't want instead of obsessing over what I do want to say, that it might help me get past this issue. Thank you!