For those of you who have participated in this event, what are your takeaways? Here are my takeaways:
-Keep the game design simple. I've noticed that the games I've enjoyed playing the most have relatively simple designs and have easy-to-learn controls. For example, "Catacomb Manager" has switches that move the player character, enemies, and trigger certain obstacles or objects to help or hinder the player from reaching the exit. Controls are very easy to learn, and the design on each of the levels are very simple.
-Don't make it too hard. I've noticed that a lot of the people who played my game ("Escape From Alteris") have said that the game was very hard to complete, mostly due to the last two levels of the game. I've looked at the other games I've played that had higher overall scores than mine, and many of them were pretty easy (such as "ExtensiON," "Switch Testing Grounds," "On or Not?", etc.). I'll have to make sure that the next game I make isn't too challenging, because the one I made for the Jam was tougher than I originally planned.
As HelperWesley mentioned in the GDevelop Discord channel: "Better someone finishes the game and finds it a little too easy, than for them to quit because it's too hard. Too easy will get you a "wish it was a little harder" comment and an average rating, but too hard will get you a "this game is poorly designed" rage quit vote."
-Use free assets if possible.