Pro tip : when dealing with the idea that there are many people better than you realize that you are better than them for thinking that, and if they do to, you still are better for being thinking that they think that too. A few recursions later you are the brightest guy in the world!
Hey wait, you can't be, I am. Ok it used to work when I was 8 or 10, doesnt work anymore.
There will always be people that are better than you. Don't ever let that discourage you from doing whatever you want to do. Use those examples as inspiration, not a disincentive.
This is more a Shufflepuck Cafe[1] clone than a Pong clone.
Also note that this is sponsored by Google; I couldn't find the credits but apparently (from other comments on this post( there were three separate companies involved in making it. You're comparing the Ping clone you make for a quick technology test to a thing polished to perfection by a bunch of people.
ALSO let me note that EVERYONE starts from scratch. You're never going to be a master if you give up now; make lots of mistakes and try to not make them more than once.
He's put a lot of work into the design and aesthetics of it as well as the engine. If your project was to make a "better" pong, then you might turn up something like this. However from what I assume would be a learning exercise is usually throw-away material..
Well, my last attempts the idea was to make a Piet Mondrian pong...
But I tried to make a "better pong" too, and was still not that nice... although it was probably more or less the same amount of fun, people enjoyed playing it a bit (Also my AI was much better...)
Compete with yourself. You'll always spot failures, you'll always see when you improve. The reduction in stress will be a significant catalyst to improvement. You just have to be very honest.
I am a game developer, and when I am testing a new tech I frequently make a pong clone, I even made one with lots of items like this...
Yet the game is so much better than anything that I ever made, that I wonder if I will ever be that good :(