Showcase your game design talent by creating a video game in the VGDO Game Jam!

(This Jam is exclusive for only University of Texas at Arlington students and alumni)

DETAILS 

Develop a video game inspired by the theme: ???. Your game can take any form or genre, whether it's a platformer, RPG, puzzle game, exploration game, or something entirely different. Use this theme as a foundation to create an experience that reflects your unique vision and creativity.

Submission Requirements:

• Only one submission per team.
• Your game must be an original creation developed specifically for this jam.
• Submit your game on itch.io in an accessible format (.exe, .apk, .html, etc.). Include any additional files necessary to play, such as assets or installation instructions.
• Alongside your submission, provide a brief description of how your game reflects the theme and any key inspirations behind it.
• You can include progress shots, concept art, or development notes to showcase your creative process.
• No 18+ Content.
• Your team is not allowed to cross-team with other teams. Your team may give suggestions or opinions on certain aspects, but assets will NOT be developed for them.
• Your team's submission must be your team's work and free of any copyrighted material. NO AI USAGE ALLOWED.

THEME

???

Note: The theme is more of an inspiration to guide your creativity. Remember, there are multiple ways that the theme may be interpreted.

Submitting Your Game to the VGDO GameJam

Follow this step-by-step guide to create, upload, and submit your game on itch.io.

1. Go to Your Dashboard: (Make sure you are signed up and logged in to itch.io.)
2. Create a New Project: Click on Create new project.
3. Enter the Title: Put your team name as well as the title of your game in the title field. (There’s no need to add “Game Jam” or any additional phrases here!)
   1. Example: Sega - Sonic the Hedgehog
4. Select the Classification: Choose the appropriate classification for your project (in this case, choose "Games").
5. Upload Your Cover Image (optional but recommended):
   1. Upload your cover image file in .png file type
6. Use the Add Screenshots button to include any relevant progress shots or videos.
7. Scroll down, upload your game using the "Upload Files" button.
   1. Please also name your files properly! Like your project name, the filename should contain both your team name and the name of the game. (Example: Team Name - Game Name)
8. Add a Description: 
   1. Write a brief description of your game, explaining how it relates to the theme and any inspirations behind it.
9. Set Visibility: Scroll down and click Save & view page to ensure everything looks correct. Then, go back to the "Edit project" page and set Visibility & access to "Public." Click Save.
10. Submit Your Project: Go back to the jam page, click Submit your project, select the correct project, and fill in the required details! (Remember, the submission page does not save your inputs until you click submit, so don’t close the page until you’re done!)
11. Take Your Time: This process may take some time, so allow yourself plenty of time to complete your submission. Don’t leave it until the last minute! If you encounter any issues uploading or submitting on itch.io, feel free ask in our Discord server.

RATING

The rating period will last for a day after the jam ends and is open to everyone, including participants. Your game will be judged on the following criteria:

• Mechanics: How innovative and unique are the mechanics compared to most games? How polished are the mechanics? Does it feel satisfying or clunky to play?
• Visuals: How does the art style look? Does the UI look clean? Are the designs and animations smooth?
• Audio: Are the sound effects satisfying? How well-written is the music? Do the music and sound effects match what is going on in the game?
• Narrative: How well does the world building enhance the gameplay? How interesting is the game's setting? Does the game resonate with you?
• Theme Adherence: How well does everything about the game reflect or interpret the theme?

Files will be locked during the voting period, but feel free to continue working on or finishing your game after the jam ends

After the rating period, the winners of the VGDO Game Jam will be announced during the VGDO general body meeting on March 28th! We will reveal the First, Second, and Third place winners, celebrating the best games of the theme.

VGDO Website