This fantastic logo was provided by LashGhost. If you want to spruce up your entry, you're welcome to put it in your game!
The community choice voting is open! Everyone is welcome to participate. Cast your vote here.
8 Bits to Infinity presents TWO-BUTTON JAM, a week-long game jamming challenge (April 4 - 11, 2019) to create a prototype featuring only two buttons for input.
What is 8 Bits to Infinity? A community of game developers, creatives, streamers, and gamers dedicated to refining creative skills through honest criticism and rapid iteration. We host a game jam every month! Check out past jams here.
For this jam, we're using a new approach to a theme. Instead of words or a picture, we're going to use music.
Voting will narrow down to three available songs for inspiration. We will post a pack of previously unavailable goodies related to the selected songs, including high-quality WAV stems, musical notation, and a MIDI file, to help you with the jam.
Join us on Discord to form teams, discuss the jam, and generally have a good time. :)
Looking for a team? That's another thing you can do on Discord, or see the Crowdforge page.
Rules
- You may enter one game (or unfinished prototype!) which must be original work created for this jam. You shouldn't work on the game before the jam starts, except for general-purpose code.
- For judging, the game must work on a normal monitor in Windows (no VR or unusual peripherals required - although you can implement them as an alternative). Web builds are fine. Remember to create additional builds (Mac, Linux) if you can, so more people can enjoy your game.
- All non-code assets (game design, art, fonts, audio, narrative, etc.) must be made during the jam, or freely available and credited in-game.
- Code from before the jam may be used if it's (a) from any freely available source (similar to rule #3) or (b) from your own stash of code, provided it's general purpose and not made specifically for the jam.
- You may work solo or in a team, but the maximum team size is 4.
- You must answer all submission questions completely.
- No NSFW content. This includes sexual content (including language), nudity, or excessive realistic gore/violence.
Requirement
The game must respond to no more than two buttons.
Have a question about this requirement? Check the FAQ, then ask on Discord or in the Community. We're glad to help.
FAQ
About the Requirement
Can I use keyboard / mouse / gamepad / DDR pad / Guitar Hero controller / MIDI keyboard / etc.?
Yes! But keep in mind you can only use two buttons. See the next question for some specifics about mouse and gamepad.
Can I use the mouse position, control stick, joystick, D-pad, etc.?
No. Each of these inputs on its own amounts to more than two inputs, so you cannot use them.
Can I map multiple inputs to the same "button" in the game?
Yes! Let's say one of your buttons is to jump. You can use the X key on the keyboard, the A button on a gamepad, and the right mouse button to jump. It still counts as one button, but you're giving the player more options.
Can I use multiple presses (like a double/triple click), holding a button, or pressing both buttons to do different actions?
Yes! These are all clever ways to expand the possibilities of two-button input. Be wary, however, as these complex maneuvers can make a game difficult to play.
So, can I have, for instance, two buttons and then Esc/Enter/etc. to open a menu?
Nope! "Open menu" is an action so it counts as one of your buttons.
What about Alt+F4, Alt+Enter, etc.?
If the key combo does an operating system thing like moving the window, closing the game, toggling fullscreen, etc., it's fine.
Can I make a game with only one button?
Yes! Good luck. :)
How about multiplayer?
The rules are written from a single player perspective, so they apply to each player. So, if you have more than one player, they can each have their own unique set of two buttons if you like.
Oy! This is confusing! How about an example?
Sure. Take a look at the jam logo up top. It's got two arcade buttons. Imagine these labeled as 1 and 2. Your game uses these two buttons, and that's it.
But then, this arcade machine might not be available to everyone, so you map these buttons to Xbox controller buttons A and B, keyboard keys Z and X, and the left and right mouse buttons.
In other words: Button 1 = A button = Z key = left mouse and Button 2 = B button = X key = right mouse.
About the Theme
How will the theme be delivered?
Once the theme is determined, links at the top of the page will provide downloads for the loopable song (in mp3, ogg, and wav formats), separated stems (basically instrument parts), a MIDI file (to import into any editing software), and a PDF with notation.
Do I have to use the chosen songs in my game?
Nope! The song is meant as inspiration. You can use it if you like, or: remix from the MIDI and/or stems, perform your own version, or even create a similar song, taking inspiration from motifs, arrangement, and/or rhythms. If you want to compose something yourself, that's also fine! Using the "feel" of the music as thematic inspiration to your game is enough.
Do I have to use all three songs?
Nope! You can use one, two, or all three, with no penalty to your score. We're looking for a strong inspiration from the song(s) you do pick. Doesn't matter how many or which one(s).
Other Questions
I'm awful at music. How can I still have cool background audio in my game?
Get free royalty-free tunes from Joshua here or from various other websites such as OpenGameArt (where you can also find Joshua's stuff). Simply google "free to use music" or "free royalty-free music" and you're sure to find something.
What about other assets, tools, and engines?
See this list of game dev / audio / art tools for things you can use.
Should I build a Windows/Mac/Linux/web/[insert system here] version?
The more builds you have, the more people will be able to access your game. Some people also prefer web versions (because running software can be spoopy) while others prefer a download (such as Joshua, who likes to keep the games archived and often struggles with web versions).
If you're using something like Unity, export versions for all systems! Most of the time, they'll work fine without any testing.
I didn't finish. Should I still submit?
Yes! A solid prototype could still win the jam, and it's worth showcasing your work to get feedback.
How can I get more people to play my game? Play the other submitted games and leave quality feedback. Be sure to politely ask the dev to play your game, so they know you want feedback.
Do I need to use the theme?
No, but it's a good chunk of your overall score, so it's a good idea.
Can I make a 2D/2.5D/3D [insert genre here] game? Can I use [insert engine/tool here]?
Yes!
Can I enter other jams with the same game?
Absolutely, as long as you follow all of the rules and time limitations for each jam. Note that we lock submissions, so you won't be able to upload new files after you submit to this jam.
Where can I ask more questions?
Ask away in the community or on Discord.
Judging
Games will be rated by a panel of judges with differing views but a shared interpretation of star values and voting categories. Judge entries and disqualified submissions will not be rated. Judging will be on the following criteria:
- Graphics: Visual presentation. How clean/consistent does it look? How fluid are the animations? Is there a clever use of color, contrast, and other visual skills? Maximum 4 stars if external assets are used.
- Audio: Auditory presentation. How well does the music/sound fit the game? External asset use can still score up to 5 stars because it's a central theme of this jam.
- Fun: Enjoyment of the game. Are the mechanics interesting? Do I want to play more?
- Innovation: How original is the game, particularly in working with the limitations of the jam?
- Technical: Complexity of implementation. Does the game push technical boundaries? Does it scream "wow, this was done under jam constraints?" Does it have special tech that makes it stand out?
- Theme: Implementation of the jam theme. How much does the game utilize the theme? How unusual is the interpretation? This differs from Audio in that it focuses specifically on the theme song.
Streams
These awesome people are streaming games from the jam to provide feedback. Follow them on Twitch to get notified when they go live, and be sure to check out the VODs (recordings) if you miss the streams!
- Joshua: April 12th at 12 noon ET
- TigerJ: April 17th at 7pm ET
- YourBr0ther: April 25th at 7pm ET
Prizes
If there are at least 10 entries (entered games, not participants), gift card prizes will be awarded based on the number of entries. Winners may choose to receive a gift card for Steam, Microsoft (Xbox) Store, PlayStation Store, or Nintendo eShop.
- 10+ entries: $5 1st place
- 30+ entries: $10 1st place, $5 2nd place
- 70+ entries: $20 1st place, $10 2nd place, $5 3rd place
Only one gift card will be granted per winning entry, regardless of team size.
Additional Prize
The winning team, if they so desire, may choose a game for Joshua to showcase on his stream on Saturday, April 20th. He will play the game for at least four hours. The game must be commercially released and either in his collection, available for free, or gifted by the team.
Twitter Prize
A "Tweeter of the Month" will be selected from Twitter. To win, share the jam and your experience using the #8bits2button hashtag.
The winner's Twitter handle will be displayed on Joshua's stream until the end of April and a link to their Twitter placed among the chatbot's random messages.
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