Hello and welcome!

I am AmalgamAsh and it is time to unveil a special jam for users of Smile Game Builder.

ANNOUNCING...

The Smile Game Builder Returners 2022 Jam!

A video introduction!

THE JAM

The SGB Returners Jam is a jam hosted by me to see if I can attract the attention of every entity who has uploaded an english release either finished or unfinished in or for Smile Game Builder.  Then, to see if I can facilitate an environment in which old and new developers alike can create!

Like my previous jams, you are free to submit assets as well as game or projects, even if it's just a small selection to demonstrate a larger collection!

Submissions do not begin until MARCH but you can join and begin preparing now!

The window is long, but I have found that this helps some developers conceive more ambitious projects, and gives other developers more time to consider their project.

The jam is open to all participants and has prizes and community voting, and there are only four requirements to submit!

THE JAM THEME AND CHALLENGES!
AmalgamAsh jams are always as accessible as possible, and as such do not feature particularly restrictive challenges or themes.
With that in mind, there is a special theme connected with this jam to help motivation or allow an opportunity to re-introduce previous work,
for participants who are submitting a game or demo.
The jam theme is...

RETURNER!

This means that your game should feature a strong element of *returning.*
It is up to you how to implement this into your game!  However, should you find yourself in need of inspiration, here are some ideas (use any, or all, or none!):
-A main character (hero? villain? EVERYONE?) is from a work you've previously created.
-A main character returns to their childhood town, to find...
-A villain has returned after being thought defeated!
-A major mechanic is returning to a special place over and over.
-"Promise me you'll return."
-"We need to do everything we can to return home."
-"It's YOU!  I never thought you'd ever show your face here again!"
-"Oh no - they've returned...from the DEAD!"
-"We hoped, beyond hope, for their return.  But, some things were not meant to be..."

And now for the optional challenges!
Each challenge is completely optional!
Challenges will not affect participation in this jam.
However, I hope you will use the challenges to test your limits, or become fueled with creative energy!
Achieve a unique perspective within your limitations!

JAM CHALLENGES
-The protagonist, antagonist or tritagonist is an undead!
-the protagonist, antagonist or tritagonist is an automaton or machine of some kind!
-the protagonist, antagonist or tritagonist can transform into an animal!
-play as the villain!
-villain redemption arc!
-Create a "choose your own adventure" type game!
-Include a MINI GAME into your game!
-Limit yourself with a specific PALETTE of 16 colors!  (make sure to mention the name of your pallette, if it has one!)
-Use assets from the recent free SGB DLC, Zombies (edits allowed)!
-Use assets from the recent free SGB DLC, Extra Content Pack (edits allowed)!
-Use assets from the AmalgamAsh's Free Ceiling Pack (edits allowed)!
-if submitting a project file, use "comment" event panels to explain your systems!  DEVELOP GOOD HABITS ^_^
-at the beginning of your game, present your OWN challenge to the player!

THE JAM RULES

1.  It's made in / for SGB!

What does this mean?  I means that your game, demo, work in progress, proof of concept or project file be made using SGB (OR that your musical or graphical assets, whether they are map tiles, sprites, models, animations, UI graphics or any other visual asset, is created exclusively FOR smile game builder).

You must have made your work in Smile Game Builder, but you CAN use the unity exporter to develop your game in unity.  You can use whatever assets youd like.

What will be disqualified?:  Games made in Unity but NOT made in SGB!

2.  It's for the Jam!

What does this mean?  It means that your work (or, an update to an older version of your work) has not been published elsewhere before.  If you have already published your work somewhere else, it won't be original for the jam.  However, after you submit your work to the jam, you may distribute it anywhere you want, even at the same time.

You ARE allowed to submit a NEW version of an old project to the jam.  For more information on this, see the explanation in the FAQ below!

What will be disqualified:  Entries that have been published elsewhere before the jam!

3.  It must be free!

What does this mean?  It means that your submission to the jam must remain free and accessible to anyone who wants to play it.  You cannot charge money for your submission.  If you want to make a paid game but still enter, you can submit a free demo, with restrictions or limitations, to the jam.

4.  You Must Own / Have Permissions to Use the Assets!

What does this mean?  It means that you must either own or have permission to use all of the assets that are contained within your game.  If you aren't planning on using any third party assets, then everything that comes with SGB will be fine.  DLC and other asset packs made for SGB will also be fine, as will your own custmoized assets.  Basically if you have the permission, license or ownership to use any assets and materials in your game, you will be fine.

What will be disqualified?:  Projects that use copyrighted music or assets which are restricted for use outside of certain other rpg making engines.

THE JAM GOAL

The goal is to get veteran creators working on new content, or to become motivated by the huge amount of new assets and techniques now available for SGB creators.

However, brand new SGB users and users that have not yet published a work anywhere can also join!

PARTICIPATION, SUBMISSIONS AND JUDGEMENT
The JOIN period for the jam will begin on Tuesday, February 1st and end Thursday, March 31st.
The SUBMISSION period will begin on Tuesday, March 1st and end Thursday, March 31st.

This technically means that you can JOIN and SUBMIT your work on the last day of the jam, March 31st, if you want.  But don't forget!

The JUDGEMENT period will begin on Friday, April 1st and last for one day per submission.
This time may be extended until the following Saturday.

For example, if three games are submitted, the judgement period will last until Saturday, April 9th.
If five games are submitted, the judgement period would be the same.
If eleven games are submitted, the judgement period will last until April 16th.
And so on.

If this is confusing, its OK.  After the SUBMISSION period ends, I will announce the JUDGEMENT period...and the FINAL JUDGEMENT DAY.

Judgement Criteria!
To determine the grand prize winner at the end of the judgement period, each work will be judged by the community of participants in a variety of categories:
Game Fun Factor / Asset Flexibility
Game Design / Asset Design
Game Narrative / Asset Completeness.

Notably, each judgement criteria is two separate categories -  one that only applies if the work is a game, and another that only applies if the work is an asset.  In this way, submitted games and assets will both compete head to head for the grand prize!

However, for those who only want to join for fun or to get their work played on the channel, don't worry about these criteria, as they won't affect your submission at all!

THE PRIZES

Finally, we get to the tasty part (not as tasty as the feeling of submitting a project)!

ALL qualifying participants of this jam will receive:

bragging rights as a participant of the first, last and only AmalgamAsh-hosted SGB Returner's Jam.
a let's play styled video or series of videos on my channel.
Global, perpetual, non-exclusive rights to use the video(s) that I produce about their work for personal or commercial use (such as advertising).

TWO community-voted RUNNERS-UP will receive:

a $50 Steam gift card (sponsored by ChakuPaku)!

The community-voted GRAND PRIZE winner of this jam will receive:

A $100 Steam gift card (sponsored by Sensha)!
A $100 Steam gift card (sponsored by ChakuPaku)!

-a $35 Sci-fi city asset pack from assetsSGB (sponsored by Jackson Meira of AssetsSGB)!
-A $10 Steam gift card (sponsored by Ash)!
-Market Pack Vol. 1 (v1.2) (sponsored by CompanionWulf)!
-Market Pack Vol. 2 (sponsored by CompanionWulf)!
-Market Pack Signs Add-On  (sponsored by CompanionWulf)!

-a 'let's-play' style interview on AmalgamAsh's channel
-A special Discord role in the AmalgamArchive indicating status as a jam winner
-A special model of a trophy only available to the jam winner.  Inferior counterfeits of this trophy will be sold on my itch.io.
-bragging rights as the winner of the first, last and only AmalgamAsh-hosted SGB Returner's Jam!

That's it, but please watch this space for updates and answers to frequently asked questions.

Now get to making!