An open challenge to create a game prototype where the visuals are only text (letters, numbers, and standard symbols).

All skill levels are welcome, from beginner to professional.

Hosted by 8 Bits to Infinity, a game development community improving creative and technical skills through rapid iteration and honest, critical feedback. Join us on Discord, check out our website, and take a look at our past jams and challenges.

Schedule

Jam: May 7 to May 17 (1pm ET)

Community Choice voting: End of jam to May 24 (1pm ET)

Winners and ratings announced: May 31 (1pm ET)

Limitation (Required)

Create a game using only ASCII text and solid color backgrounds for visual elements.

Not sure what we mean by ASCII text? Check out this chart. Since the display characters from 0-31 and 127 differ based on system, you may only use #32-126 (decimal). No, you cannot use the "extended ASCII codes."

Look at the top games from our first Text Only Jam for inspiration and a better idea of what sort of game to make.

Theme (Semi-Optional): START SMALL

The theme is meant to be an inspiration to kickstart your game ideas. You are free to interpret it however you like.

The theme is also optional, but one of the five rating categories is Theme/Limitation, so it counts for about 10% of your score.

Challenges/Diversifiers (Optional)

Looking for additional challenge in the jam? You can use any number of diversifiers listed here.

Judging and Prizes

When the jam ends, games will be open to rating by anyone who submitted a game. The highest scoring overall game will be crowned Community Choice. Check out the Ratings Guide for how to interpret the categories.

A panel of judges will also rate games based on a rubric to determine a Judges Choice winner.

Community Choice voting will take place in the week after the jam ends. Winners will be announced and ratings released one week after voting ends to allow extra time for judges.

All winners will receive:

• The jam-winner role on the 8 Bits to Infinity Discord server
• A place in our list of jam winners
• An additional secret prize

Rules and FAQ

Jam Rules

Jam Specific Rules

• You may:
  • Use any font similar to the standard ASCII graphics as in the above chart, such as cursive, bold, all-caps, or "handwritten" fonts.
  • Draw lines with symbols like the hyphen --, pipe ||, and underscore __.
    
  • Make interactive fiction (prompt or HTML based), an ASCII game (in a terminal/console), a game using nothing but GUI, or even a 2D/3D world where the only shapes are standard ASCII characters.
  • Rotate, stretch, and flip characters, and translate anywhere--there is no requirement to lock to a grid.
    
  • Use single solid color graphics are allowed for e.g. button backgrounds. 
  • Use different colors per character (letter/symbol).
    
  • Include music and sound.
  • Use special characters for credits where required (i.e. if a name includes a character not available in the standard ASCII set).
• You may not:
  • Use fonts that introduce unusual graphics like Wingdings or extended Unicode characters like emojis.
  • Use ASCII line drawing symbols--these are part of the extended character set.
  • Use background images more sophisticated than a single solid color.
  • Use multiple colors on a single character (letter/symbol).
• There are no limitations on mechanics, engine, or genre.

Jam FAQ