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OFFICIAL RULES: Feel free to ask any questions or suggest something new Sticky

A topic by angrysmile created Aug 12, 2020 Views: 1,693 Replies: 34
Viewing posts 1 to 14
Host (10 edits) (+1)

Please follow these 7 standard rules for this jam series:
  • HAVE FUN - The more you focus on winning and the less you focus on having fun... the more you miss out! If you have a great attitude and aren't under pressure, you might turn out the greatest game in history, but applying imaginary competitive stress is only hurting you! DONT! We are all starting out and having a blast doing so.
  • You may use any engine (godot, unity, ect.) as long as you can make the game within the timelimit, and it is playable on Windows. Please try to stick with engines and techniques that are for game jams. We are all starting out and should remember that. 


  • Ideally, try and make your game a web build or html build for browser play so that MAC users and others can easily play off the itch.io page itself without downloading. I understand that we all don't have the specs to do an html build, so I will not hold it against those who cannot do so. This is not a requirement, but to get you as many play as as possible.
  •  All NSFW or adult themed games must have appropriate warnings on the title. Example: “(18+) Zombie Fun” or similar. If you choose to go this route, please keep it subtle. I will personally disqualify a game from winning prizes if more than one person claims it as "offensive" or if it’s clearly too excessive. Please keep in mind that as a beginner's circle we may have a younger community, which may prevent NSFW material in future jams if submissions for this game jam are excessively inappropriate.
  •  This game jam will be solely judged by myself. This will prevent any double voting or unfair down votings. Jams with votes usually end with unfair results, so don’t fret! Uneven or unfair votes won't be a part of this community!
  •  You must make all assets and code yourself or by your team within the time frame of this jam. Any templates, plug-ins and/or pre-builds will not count in the originality department. This jam is intended to practice your critical thinking, creative and coding skills, not copy and paste.  Any of these will apply to the Originality category. Music must be royalty / copyright free and properly credited. Music and fonts are the exception. You may use any royalty free music or fonts
  • You may not post any links when commenting and you may not post a comment for the sake of self-promotion. These comments will be deleted and this type of behavior will count negatively towards your Community Spirit score. There is a section in our community to post your links
  • Once that countdown is done, you will not be able to edit your submissions any further. It is recommended that you upload your project at least 2 hours before the deadline. This is wiggle room to catch and fix last minute touches. There will be late tickets available on request if your game has game breaking bugs that need repair.


  • This isnt just another place to reupload and show off any game demos, nor is it the place to show off or try to impress anyone. This is a game jam hosted for a community of people starting out. There are sections in the itch community.
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Submitted (1 edit)

I wish assets didn't have to be self made. I'm learning to code but not that interested in getting into art at the moment. Would be fantastic if an asset pack was provided. Or mabye a separate beginners Jam with assets provided?


Anyhow, if you're an asset developer looking for someone who can do the gameDev stuff let me know 🙂. I would love to team up!

Submitted (1 edit) (+1)

You could join an artist, Elite Cow, I think there are some in the discord server. 


And by the way AngrySmile puts it, it seems that if you use pre-made assets, you won't be disqualified, you would just get a low note on Originality.

Submitted (1 edit)

I'm a 2D artist, what kind of assets do you need? (I am not teaming with you though, I'm making my own game, while also helping others...)

Submitted

Hey SaberTooth -

Thank you for the reply. I was able to find an artist and making a game for the Jam now :).

Submitted (1 edit)

oh okay, good luck on your game

I have a question on the "no premade assets" rule. Do these count as "premade assets":

  • Physics/collision libraries for the low-level frameworks
  • Alternative implementations of the existing engine functionality
  • Open source libraries for a certain type of task (i.e. pathfinding)
  • Pre-existing shaders
Host (3 edits)

Anything that is made BEFORE the beginning of the game jam would be considered premade. This doesn't mean you can't use them, this just means that the score for Originality will be greatly reduced if so. We encourage all participants to complete a game how they see fit or comfortable. As for winning a prize, all rules must be followed.

To further explain: The goal of these game jams is to help practice and apply critical thinking, creativity and memory by typing out all code and assets. Anyone can download or copy and paste, but they aren't learning nearly as much doing it that way. These rules are to promote beginners to gain muscle memory and gain skills for their future game dev goals. This isn't a rat race for first, nor is it a place to try and impress anyone. We all start somewhere.

We also offer no rule, optional theme, practice game jams call Practice Circles. These are a ran in-between our monthly Beginners Circle. Without prizes or rules, you could use any assets or plug-ins you want to practice with there. These Beginners Circles are slightly more of a challenge to the promote growth and to gain proper, invaluable game development skills for the future

I understand that as beginners we may lean towards premade content when starting out. This is fine. Just make sure to try and type it out by hand and attempt to actually retain and learn what is happening within that code. If you are watching tutorials, watch the entire tutorial first, then re-watch it and go step by step. You also would need to credit everything properly that isn't made by you.

There is no race or rush to seem like we are further ahead than we are.  Already there is also a huge leap in ability and information retention from the beginners learning properly so far, when compared to the beginners blindly following tutorials and copying others without proper understanding

This is generally speaking for the average game engines. Of course there are more complicated processes that would be impossible to do in 2 weeks without premade content, let's stick to game development processes that you are practiced in and familiar with to get the job done in 2 weeks. Otherwise join the Practice Circle's all you want and practice until your heart is content

Hope that answers your question. We are all here to help you out along to way too.

From what I understand, you seem to discourage people from using the lower-level engines, because it's almost impossible to create a good product with them in a given span of time while being original?

Host (1 edit)

You are entitled to your opinion. We cater to many different methods that fit the time and rule restrictions of game jams. For our time constrained game jams, and if you want to participate in our game jams, we can help you learn more time efficient, universal skills to take into lower level engines. There are plenty of other game jams without such limitations.

Game jams are designed to be fast as you can within a certain time limit. You can also just make projects without any game jam limitations or restrictions and have as much free time as you please to complete what ever you choose... the sky's the limit.

Or you are more than welcome to re-read and see that we have Practice Circles without limits for special exceptions. We would rather positive community members as well.

Good luck to you
 

i'm just using a asset to make my background and character, but i changed it, i still need to credit it right?

Submitted

Can I make a devlog series of me doing this game jam?

I think that's encouraged, yeah

Submitted (1 edit)

thanks I remeber angrysmile said it somewhere...

I tried to ask before, but my question isn’t showing up now. I hope it wasn’t deleted. I was wondering about the ramifications of using my homemade game engine (which makes no assumptions about a specific game in question) without losing originality points. I don’t think it would be any different than using godot or unity except that mine isn’t as polished. But it doesn’t give me a leg up or anything. I haven’t done a jam before so I was interested in this one.

Host

Well I hope you understand this is highly illegal and I will be forced to report you to national and international authorities at once! Clearly J/K. Of course you could use something like that. These are more a place for beginners to practice, then a place to sell or promote products. As long as you participating with the intention of practice, you can use what ever method you deem fit.

As for originality, do not over stress about that because I will be interested in asking more questions about this after I see what you make. Good Luck!

Can you use Scratch?

Host

Of course.

Thank you!!!!

Submitted (1 edit)

I used to use scratch, but now I use a engine called gdevelop

I’m gonna use unity next game jam

Submitted

hello i want to know how u know if the sprite is made before the jam and can i make a video or a stream on making a game for this series  , thank yo

Host

Hello,
Yes you can use them, but according to the rules, you will not be rated as high in originality.

We HIGHLY encourage any game dev to start making a devlog series. These are a great way to create a brand for yourself and hold you more accountable to finish it.

Good Luck! I look forward to what you make! Thank you for participating

Submitted

Thank you and i meant in my first question is how you know the sprites is made before the jam time, im just curious :) 

Submitted

Angrysmile could view the source code of your game wich shows all the code (if written in html) and when that code was typed... (push CTRL and U to do this)

Submitted
Deleted 4 years ago
Submitted

so don't cheat

Submitted

im not cheater and i will never cheat and im new to making games so i want to learn not win and the last thing only the stupid cheat in the begginers jam , i was just curious how he would now if  someone copy others sprites or codes or used old sprites. 

Submitted

I know you're not a cheater, sorry If I sounded mean...

Submitted

Sorry and thank you for being friendly, good luck with your journey :) 

Submitted

good luck to you too

Submitted

Could I use Twine to make an interactive fiction game? I’m can’t draw to save my life.

Host

Absolutely! I completely understand

Submitted

I have pre-made music can I use that? (I will change the music a little to fit the candy theme)

Submitted

Can we use sky boxes from the asset store if we site them?