
I now have an inexplicable craving for cookies.
Sit down and force yourself to write something, anything, that moves your project forward in some way. I find that I feel least motivated when I'm being unproductive, which is an unfortunate downward spiral. However, if I can find a way to get things moving again, momentum builds and I'm able to keep working.
The Maw was accepted into the 2009 Independent Games Festival, so yes, it's generally considered an indie title.
I've worked with several who weren't quite at the level described in the article, but honestly weren't far behind. Back when the company I'm at was smaller (it's grown more than 10x in size over the duration I've worked here), they had a much easier time getting away with it. Now, we have better managers and better processes that help ensure these people either turn their act around or get kicked out.
Shamefully, I must admit that I nearly become one of these "quirky" developers several years back. I was young and foolish, and had gotten a lot of praise and let it go to my head. There was a turning point, though; I got a fairly negative performance review (delivered clearly but quite tactfully by my reviewer), realized I was going down the wrong path, worked hard to reverse it, and got a glowing review the next time around. So, don't give up on these people; sometimes all they need is a gentle but firm push in the right direction.
irb is quite excellent for this, assuming you like Ruby.
As you will see, I told them, in no uncertain terms, to see Figure one. -- Dave "First Strike" Pare