Well I was stuck in solving one problem I had, then I noticed a pattern of how I had been solving it so far. So I refined it a bit to be able to solve the problem.
I was willing to be good in a game and enjoy it, while utilizing some general talents and technical skills I had.
I didn't know what kind of a goal to make exactly, except to be good and have fun. I didn't know the facts, i.e. what I had at my disposal, just the outlines.
So it went like this..
step 1:
-I want to be good and have fun
-I have 2 computers and some helpful software
-I need to study more what's written about it all and follow my instincts about what's fun
Step 2:
-I want to choose game styles X and Y as my specialties (with some detail)
-I have ability to write additional components for the software
-I need to find out how the game style is mastered and the programs written
Step 3:
-I want to make the kind of gameplay choices as written in here and here
-I can write software to handle my character's play in issues D and E
-I need to find out exactly what the software will have to for exactly the kind of characters I'm going to make
.. some steps more ..
Final step:
-I have a plan I want and need to follow, and I need nothing more.
(It doesn't have be completely planned beforehand, just divided in to manageable chunks.)
No, it isn't general problem solving. I just used it for this case; often I improvise some free-form "methods" on the spot when taking a new problem.