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(+5)

For my first game jam, I really enjoyed the experience! I had absolutely no expectations going into this, so everything has been a pleasant surprise. I’ve been struggling a lot creatively for what feels like the past year, so this jam was a nice reminder that I can push out a quick low stakes project and still manage to find artistic fulfillment within it. Not everything has to be a huge project!

With that said, I feel like everyone else had something to say with their games while I…didn’t. My game is silly and lowkey and doesn’t do anything daring. I think the jam has opened my eyes to how lost I feel as an artist, which is a feeling I’m not used to. Before I can be the artist I want to be—and even used to be, at one point—I’ll have to confront myself. I guess it’s nice to know I am constantly changing and constantly finding areas where I can grow ^-^

Still, I really enjoy my silly little game! Writing it was fun and super easy. I had a plan, and then I did it. I got to talk a lot with my friends about the creative process and learned way more about the zootopia abortion comic than I could ever hope to know LMAO. This jam reminded me of how communal art can be, and I love it!

Playing other people’s games and commenting on their work has been so incredibly fun and fulfilling. Game devs used to intimidate me, and I’m learning that really we all just want people to play our games and share their thoughts. I’m also trying to learn how to be more intentional with my comments. My thoughts are usually just “ahh that was fun!” but because of all the other commenters, I’m trying to learn how to say why it’s fun. Because the jam is ranked, I’m also learning how to be more aware when I’m playing games. I’m noticing and appreciating things I would have usually glanced over.

If there’s anything I would do differently, maybe try to find a team? I really hate figuring out gui and audio stuff and did the absolute bare minimum for this game. If I’m on a team with someone really passionate about that kind of stuff, however, I could learn from them and try to cultivate even a fraction of that passion in myself. The other games were so creative in that aspect, and I really admire the work that was put out! In general, I’d like to be more communicative with others and see what everyone else is doing during the creative process. I truly am a locked-away-in-her-room writer, but game jams are built to be a communal thing, you know? So, even if I feel like a massive dork talking to others, I going to do my best to reach out to other people and try to cultivate that creative, communal space that I want to be a part of :)