Thank you for joining Game Jam round 2 by Backtrace.

For those who missed the closing ceremony, you can watch it on the IGDA channel. Here's the link to the video:

https://www.twitch.tv/videos/1171206012

Backtrace helps developers by identifying and reporting their bugs through error data. With this Jam, we hope to engage and grow our game developer community and to show that Backtrace is a valuable, easy-to-use tool for all game developers across all device devices.

Here is our simple Game Jam challenge: Develop an epic concept and gameplay in 56 hours or less.

Summary

Setting the stage to show off the skills and talents of game developers.

In our June Game Jam, we celebrated the inclusivity of gaming by exploring the possibilities of stories set in different realms and realities. We’ve given focus to game design which empowers developers and players who are often underrepresented in the community — a step towards making our industry more welcoming for all.

This time around, we’d like to shift our focus to you, the hardworking developers who are continuing to build a diverse and thriving community in our industry.

Our new challenge will give you a chance to showcase your skills and talent in storytelling.

Theme

Our theme for this game jam is "Share knowledge".

Dates

The Game Jam will be kicked off at 4pm EST on September 24th on the IGDA Twitch channel with a keynote and an introductory talk where we will announce the theme. The Jam will last for 56 hours starting at 4 pm EST on September 24th and end at 11:59 PM EST on September 26th. The Closing Ceremony and announcement of the winner will also be hosted on the IGDA Twitch channel on 5 pm EST on Friday October 8th.

Prize + Judging 

At the end of the jam, participants who have integrated Backtrace into their jam entry will have the chance to win the cash prize of $2,500! The winner will be determined by our expert panel of judges.

Judging Criteria:

• Use of contest themes (30 points)
• Compelling mechanics (30 points) 
• Visual style (30 points)
• Audio quality (10 points)

Rules

To qualify for this Game Jam, your game and team must follow these rules: 

Teams

• Work alone or with a team of up to 5 members
• All team members must be 18 years old or older

Game submissions

• In order to be eligible to win, you must have Backtrace’s error reporting integrated into your project for bug and error reporting purposes. (Please see the How to integrate your game into Backtrace & Integration Proof Requirements sections below for more detail)

Note: Backtrace supports these platforms: Unity, Unreal, Windows, Mac, Web,  iOS, Android, PS4, PS5, Xbox, Switch, and Stadia

• Qualified games must be played on a PC and/or playable through a web browser
• The game project must be started and fully completed within the Game Jam’s designated period, from 4 pm EST September 24th -  to 11:59 pm EST on September 26th, 2021
• NOTE: Your game must be submitted by 11:59 pm EST on September 26th to be eligible to participate in the contest and win the $2,500 cash prize!
• Submissions must include:
  • Game Name
  • Each team member’s name and email address
  • Game file - You need to upload your game to your Itch.io account page before you can submit it to the Game Jam page
  • A link to 30 - 120 seconds of gameplay footage
  • Game file - You must upload your game to Itch.io and provide a link to it so the judges can play it. Please upload either a build that can be played on a PC or through a web browser
  • Submissions must NOT contain sexually explicit, racist, sexist, or otherwise disturbing content 
• Assets: You or your team can use any assets for your game that you/they have the proper rights or legal permission for usage.

How to Integrate Your Game Into Backtrace

We recommend that you integrate your game/project with Backtrace as the first step on September 24th. It’s easy and if you have any questions, the Backtrace support team will be available to help and answer any questions you may have. Just reach out on the Backtrace Discord Server.

To Integrate with Backtrace:

1. Sign up for our free developer tier. https://backtrace.io/create/ 
2. Follow instructions  on how to integrate with Backtrace
3. Quick How to Integrate Videos
4. Unity Integration 
5. Unreal Integration 

Backtrace Integration Proof Requirements

All qualified Game Jam submissions must provide the following proof of Backtrace Integration:

1. A link to your Backtrace project instance
2. There must be at least one error report in the provided instance from during the game jam

Code of conduct:

• Treat each other with respect 
• Be mindful of your speech and behavior towards others, especially when disagreeing 
• Harassment or abuse of any form will not be tolerated 
• Use appropriate profile images and names
• Do not send unsolicited private messages to anyone 
• Do not share sexually explicit, racist, sexist, or otherwise disturbing content 
• Do not disclose personal information about anyone other than yourself 
• Do not advertise services, software, or other prods

Communities

Game development can be a challenging process. We encourage you to reach out to the Backtrace and IGDA Discord communities for additional support and help. 

Please note that you must be 13 or older to join the Discord.

• Here's what to expect on the Backtrace Discord Server:
  • Game Jam Rules + FAQ:  Rules grading methods, prizes, important links, and any FAQ as a pinned message
  • Announcements:  For announcements leading up to and throughout the game jam
  • General Discussion: Game jam discussions + introduce yourself
  • Show Off:  Share your work + progress
  • Ask the Community:  Ask any technical questions you might have
  • Build a Team:  Meet new people and possibly make a team
  • Tag yourself to identify with your functions. (Game Designer, Developer, 2D Artist, 3D Artist, Audio, etc…)
  • Find fellow participants to expand your team and get assistance with any of your Backtrace questions 
• IGDA's Discord Server - Over 3,300 game developers who can help answers your questions about game development.

Backtrace

Backtrace is a debugging platform that improves game quality, reliability, and support by bringing deep introspection and automation throughout the game error lifecycle. Spend less time debugging and reduce your mean time to resolution by using the first and only platform to combine symbolic debugging, error aggregation, and state analysis. https://backtrace.io/