What is Queer Joy Jam?

Queer Joy Jam is a five week game jam created by the LGBTQ+ special interest group of the IGDA. The purpose of this jam is for queer developers to explore what Queer Joy is to them. Many pieces of media portray brutal acts of homophobia and transphobia and put their queer characters through torture just for their identity. The Queer Joy Jam is not the place for that. This is a jam to celebrate queer identity as a loving embrace. 

What is Queer Joy?

Queer joy is the positive feeling in being queer and seeing queer content. This theme, otherwise, can be interpreted as you wish.

Maybe to you, queer joy is...

• Soft love stories between queer individuals
• Stories about social justice for the queer community
• Queer horror stories with vampires and werewolves
• An acceptance of queer identity by family, friends, and your community
• The feeling of creating queer work with a group of queer developers
• Or anything else! What comes to you when you think of queer joy?

Rules

1. Developers may create any kind of game for this jam and may use any engine they desire. This includes interactive fiction, visual novels, TTRPGs, etc. As long as your submission is a game, it is allowed.
2. Games may be worked on either solo or in teams.
3. Tag your submissions appropriately. If your game contains themes such as substance abuse, violence, sexual themes, etc., please use the appropriate content warnings both on your game's itch.io page and within the game itself (such as in a splash screen).
4. Absolutely no bigotry allowed. Any games that encourage or glorify topics such as racism, Islamophobia, antisemitism, etc. will be disqualified.
   1. We understand that homophobia and transphobia are sometimes tied to family or life events. If these are necessary to tell your story, please add the proper content warnings.  If homophobia or transphobia are used to berate or otherwise harm the LGBTQ+ community, your submission will be removed.
5. No use of AI-generated assets is allowed, including text, images, audio, code, etc. If your submission contains any AI-generated content, it will be removed from the jam.
   1. If you do not know how to make certain assets, you may use pre-made assets from the storefront of your choosing. Remember to credit creators for any and all assets that you use in your final project.
   2. Do not use copyrighted images, audio, etc. in your entries if you do not have the permission of the creator. Do not claim assets you did not create as your own.
6. If you choose to include sexual content in your game, please mark your project as for adults only.
   1. You can do this by using the tags 'nsfw', 'erotic', or 'adult' without having to use the metadata tab.
7. You may start working on your entry before the jam starts. Do not submit previously-published games for this jam.
   1. Submitting your Queer Joy Jam entry for multiple jams that are happening in the same timeframe as Queer Joy Jam is allowed.
   2. Using pre-made code, UI elements, or other assets is allowed. We do hope that most of your content for this jam is new. Show off the new skills you learned!
8. Submitting demos is allowed. However, we do ask that all submissions are "complete" and include no game-breaking bugs or issues.
9. Developers do not need to be members of the IGDA to submit an entry.
10. You may monetize your game. 
11. The jam hosts have the jurisdiction to disqualify any jam entries they feel are harmful or otherwise go against the rules to ensure safe conduct and play for both developers and players.

FAQ

Q: I would love to work on this game with others, but I do not know how to find contributors!

A: Developers may join the IGDA LGBTQ+ SIG Discord to find fellow participants! You do not need to be an IGDA member to join the Discord server.

There will be one elevator pitch sessions held in the Discord. It will be on June 7th at 11AM EDT. During these sessions, creators will have one minute to pitch either themselves (as a voice actor, programmer, artist, etc.) or their game ideas to a group of other jam participants. This is also the place to ask the jam runners any questions! 

Q: I did not get to finish my game during the jam period! Am I allowed to update the game after the jam period is over?

A: Yes! We would recommend uploading a separate project. Indicate which one is the jam version and which one is the complete version.

Q: Is this jam ranked?

A: No. This is an unranked jam that is meant to be a fun activity for developers to connect with one another and create something that they are proud of!

Q: Do I have to identify as LGBTQ+ to participate?

A: The LGBTQ+ SIG is a place for LGBTQ+ members and allies to socialize and create. You do not need to identify as LGBTQ+ to participate in this jam.