What is a Game Jam?

A Game Jam is where several developers come together over a short period of time to create a game project. Generally they have restrictions or direction (themes) to help guide the design and give inspiration to the developers. As they are short projects one or two core mechanics and features are tested, the risk is fairly low for bad ideas and new skills can be developed as generally the team sizes are small. Jams make for good learning experiences, portfolio pieces and to bring up in interviews. 

This time round, we are trialling a new format of a week-long Jam. It will give you more time to work on your game and to balance around already existing commitments.

Theme

- LEARN -

The Game Dev Group is based on three main principles Meet, Learn, Collaborate. Learning is one of the pillars of TheGDG and is what our speaker events, game jams and bootcamps are geared towards. Learning can involve so much, from reading about well-documented concepts in books to exchanging ideas on a personal level, you can learn something in every situation. We want to encourage you to interpret the theme in a way that resonates with you and that makes for engaging gameplay.

Setup

Almost all communication is via the Discord in the Game Jam section!

Find a team or decide if you are running solo.

The Discord offers helpful resources and the ability to reach out for help or advice.

Prepare to Jam by maybe selecting an engine ahead of time and speaking with your team mates if you have not yet.

Select a team name and get developing, the only way to begin is by beginning!

Rules

This is not an exhaustive list. Be respectful 🙂

You must follow the Itch.io TOS.

No teams of more than 5 people.

If you find yourself in a team of more than 5 - reach out. We might be able to make two strong smaller groups!

If you do need to leave, let your team know in advance.

Do not attempt to sabotage other teams.

No AI-Generated Content.

No Pornographic Content or Nudity.

No sexism, racism, transphobia or anything which attacks a protected minority or ethnic group. 

This will be a judgment call by us and will not be questioned. Communicate with us if you are unsure.

No Illicit Drug References.

No NFT, crypto or play to earn games. 

*You can only use assets you have the commercial license for*

Voting

The GDG Jam is open to a public vote. Anyone can vote, but the submissions that can be voted on are randomised. This should ensure that scoring is based on merit and doesn't come down to who has the biggest reach.

Page credit

Many thanks to Pirate Software for the structure outline on PirateSoftware's Jam page.