OGA Game Jam Proposal
Ok so i have realized i suck at making write ups, so i guess we can all just make it. here is my current draft, what do you all think? i think the time frame is the best this way, not to stressful and long enough to make some really cool things.
Game jam will be hosted on itch.io
Yearly time frames:
2 months (4 weeks coding , 3 week judging, 1 week break)
1 month (2 weeks coding , 1 week judging, 1 week break)
2 months (4 weeks coding , 3 week judging, 1 week break)
1 month (2 weeks coding , 1 week judging, 1 week break)
2 months (4 weeks coding , 3 week judging, 1 week break)
1 month (2 weeks coding , 1 week judging, 1 week break)
2 months (4 weeks coding , 3 week judging, 1 week break)
1 month (2 weeks coding , 1 week judging, 1 week break)
Ranking system:
- itch.io voting system for the public favorite
- Judge will score on rule criteria
Platform:
- Any platform can be used, Bonus points if engine is custom programmed. but any game engine submissions allowed.
- anyone can participate and there is no max group count.
Must have rules:
- Must contain At least a significant amount of art sourced or available at the end of the game jam from OGA
- Credit where credit is due, I.E. art that is used.
Cool to do rules:
- Bonus points for Weekly update of progress, does not need to be long just some pictures and some short explanation of your current progress. This helps us engage in the project with you and give feedback if desired.
- Bonus points for using art submitted in the last 4-6 weeks art challenges.
- Bonus points for telling the world that you're going to use a specific art piece in the comments of that piece of art. this lets other coders know you're going to use it and help avoid 2 people using the same art.
Source:
- Source code not required but appreciated but Bonus points for posting source code.
- A compiled working game needs to be submitted (Nothing worse than compiling 30 games to see if they work)
- preferably a video showcasing the game
- Bonus points for posting custom art on OGA
Rights:
- the game you make you still own all the rights to it, you may continue development if you feel like it
Prizes:
- Fun!
- Glory and Honor!
- An extra showpiece for your portfolio
- Last but not least one or both of the open game art medals (Public choice, judge choice)
Edit: Fighting with the copy past 500 page error, so i am hand typing it over ... Done... the culprit was a ' that was slightly slanted
Six week cycle seems off to me, why not just synchronize with the months?
1 month challenge
1 month voting/cool off
Just thinking that keeps it simplier to follow.
https://withthelove.itch.io/
I dont mind doing a everyother month. i just did not want to do it to close together and to short.
yeah, I gotcha, and sorry I didn't mean to jump right to dumping cold water like that.
It does seem like 2 months apart is a bit long, but I also really like the simplicity of just saying 'January Challenge' vs 'Challenge #1 - January 1 - February 15' or however we'd phrase it. The point being, keeping to a monthly or bi-monthly schedule will make it really easy for people to know when a challenge was running, when it ends, when a new one is going to start, etc. Vs going by a six week schedule where it will always be flopping around.
Love the rest though, excited to see this idea take off!
Lots of 'bonus points' for stuff, is there a formal definition of what that means, or is that just kind of guidance for the judges and participants?
https://withthelove.itch.io/
The bonus point is what the judges will use to add points when evaluating the game. But there are 2 ways to win community favoriete and judge favorite.
as for the time i do agree saying a name of the month is a lot clearer in terms of beginning and end and you can describe it in one word. i think this is a lot better than what i had. if everyone els agrees i will change it.
How do I get onto a team?
If we do a monthly, could I suggest 2 weeks coding, 1 week voting, remainder days for rest
Also, when are you thinking of starting this? I can get started whenever you're ready to say "go" :)
Seems like a really good idea actually, would love to see what people come up with. For the 3 week/month thing either or sounds fine to me, I get the 3 week thing because its limiting the time so you have to rush a bit more but I feel like the month would be a bit more conveniant for other people who do wanna participate
@trentSteel when we actually start the game jam in itch.io there will be a forum section you might have the best chance advertising yourself there if your looking for a team. otherwise its all up to you to organizing a team.
@foz if all goes well i plan to start next month, making a game in 2 weeks is really short i thought 3 was short but 2. i know its rather long if you do a month but i want it to be a relaxing competition. by making it 4 weeks you let the participant take his or her time and make a quality game. on the other hand if your as fast as lightning there is no one stopping you from submitting more than one game.
Just to note - game jams are really meant to be short - the last one we did here, the Procedural Death Jam, you only had a week (it was actually 7 days, 23 hours and 59 mins ;p) to produce the game.
Two weeks I would say is more than enough for any sort of idea. I could even say that a 10 day coding jam would totally work as well. It takes about a week to build an idea, and then the rest of the time for polishing it.
Going longer than 2 weeks I think loses the identity of a game jam, as people can lose focus with more time - of course if you are going for challenges rather than jams, then the longer times are cool as well :)
And I wouldn't fret about having a month cool down (alternate months) - if you couldn't assign time to do it that month, then don't worry, join in on the next month - it's not as if we *have* to do something, it is just for fun :)
your right about the time frame, i was not really going for a death jam :} and i dont want to over saturate by organizing a jam to soon that way instead of stressing them.
It seems like a good idea to have a pool just reply with the number what you prefer:
1 - jam every other month and (4 weeks coding , 1 week judging, 3 weeks break)
2 - jam every month and (2 weeks coding , 1 week judging, 1 week break)
3 - jam every other month and (3 weeks coding , 1 week judging, 4 weeks break)
4 - jam every month and (3 weeks coding , 1 week judging, NO week break)
Could do with a poll. For now though: 2
1
admittedly, I was thinking of it more as a 'challenge' than a 'jam'.
Maybe I'm wrong, but I think more time = more participation.
https://withthelove.itch.io/
1
think this gives it more chance of participation, not only that you can work to participate around current projects aswell. Those that arn't so good at coding(me) allowing more time is good, those that want to do it in a quicker time, there's nothing stopping them from submitting earlier.:)
Chasersgaming | Support | Monstropolis |
I vote 2, personally. Two weeks seems like a good amount of time, whereas a month may seem overwhelming to some. Guess I'm just a fan of shorter game jams... -shrugs-
Mmm. My attendance may be sporadic, with being sick and all, but I'd go for 1 or 3. I could use a break from my usual project to clear my head anyway, and it sounds like great practice. :)
1. I want to put in as much time as possible.
@trentSteel If you want to put as much time as you can into the project then would option 1 not be best?
Yeah sorry... me not read good
Seeing how 1 and 2 seem to be the most popular maybe option 3 would be a good even ground for everyone
> Seeing how 1 and 2 seem to be the most popular maybe option 3 would
> be a good even ground for everyone
So my initial reaction to this idea was, huh? why pick the one that nobody wants?
But then I went back and read through the list again and I have to say it doesn't sound too bad.
One thought on sticking to 1, you'd have a nice even monthly schedule, w/ contest starting at the 1st of the month and ending on the last day of the month. The other arrangements lose that. Although, maybe I'm putting too much on keeping the schedule simple. I'm just the sort who has trouble remembering which day to take the trash out each week let alone anything more complex ;)
https://withthelove.itch.io/
Ok so i added an extra option to the pool, you can all still change your vote sot its fine.
I added a forth option: 4 - jam every month and (3 weeks coding , 1 week judging, NO break)
This seams to be a good middle ground, gives max jam time and still fits within the month scheduling so easy to keep track of.
If it's no break, I probably will do them very seldomly, if at all. The reason I picked 1 or 3 was because there was time off.
@capbros
I thought since 3 seemed like a mix of 1 and 2 it would be nice for both sides to be happy.
@PreciousRoy
I agree with Eliza, I think there should be some time off otherwise i feel like not as many people will participate.
Of all the options, I'd lean more on 1 & 2, with 2 being my preference, as that fits more closely with a focused game jam.
However, as 1 has had more people leaning on it, may I suggest a slight tweak to it?
With much more time time being allocated for the coding, which allows for a bigger and complex game, I think allowing more time for judging (2 or 3 weeks?) would be a good idea - rather than having to speed through them all and only scratch the surface of the game.
Part of my idea of what relaxation is, is playing computer games, and I really would love to give my attention to what people have put their effort into at the same time :)
I was actually thinking 1 week to judge might be a bit rough myself.
i guess it depends on the submissions but tbh I personally would probably stuggle to try out more than 1-2 a day.
https://withthelove.itch.io/
Ok so, lets go with
1 - jam every other month and (4 weeks coding , 3 week judging, 1 weeks break)
that gives us 6 jams a year, not bad right. on the other hand i was thinking if its not to confusing and if we can post on the main paige a schedule why not alternate.
2 months
1 month
2 months
1 month
that gives us 8 jams instead of 6 and some hard paced jamming and some relaxed jamming.
That works for me!
https://withthelove.itch.io/
I could do either. :) Leaning toward the 6-monther, but I'd be happy with the alternate. Awesome!
that sounds good :)
I'm excited
Well then i gues we are a go!
All thats left to do is wait for some cool banners
http://opengameart.org/forumtopic/oga-game-jam-banner-chalange
tell your friends about this challenge, if you win people will be looking at your art for the foreseeable future. otherwise its left to me and well it would just be disappointing.
ah, so you're suggesting alternating with a month long challenge and a 2 week jam - intriguing idea...
Just to give a break down for the year (and to confirm I'm understanding this as well):
March challenge
May jam
June challenge
August jam
September challenge
November jam
If we just stick to the month long challenges, then we would have:
March, May, July, September, November
With both methods we have time to make games for Halloween and Christmas.
I do like the alternating idea - it's a great one!
Jep thats exactly what i was going for, if a jam starts it will start at the beginning of the month.
Ah, so we start with a jam?
March jam <-- in time for St Patricks day ;)
April challenge
June jam
July challenge
September jam
October challenge <-- finishes on the 28th, just in time for Halloween
December jam <-- Christmas pressy time!
Question, are we going to be having themes?
My original thought was to combine the previous weekly art challenges, so the art used would dictate the game to be created, but having this sort of schedule, as well as duration will probably want a theme to focus on.
yes we can do themes, a good example would be what you mentioned before like Halloween and Christmas
and others jams could be related to the art challenges. it is to far ahead to plan it all out but yes there will be themes. i wanted to do a little bit of everything just to keep it new and different.
I really think the themes should be tied to the art themes.
There are plenty of game jams out there, linking to the art challenges is what makes this one specual.
https://withthelove.itch.io/
Yes your right, but is the idea from the start.
The game jams and art jams could mach up in theme, although i would need to collaborate on that.
who organizes the art challenges?
currently dannorder. I think some tight collaboration with him will be for the best :)
This seems to have gone quiet... what's the news on this front?
Well starting my masters in a week so rather busy with packing. other than that i was hoping some one would feel honored to make some art for the game jams as i mentioned in this challenge. so i waited a while but no one felt like making anything as of yet so i am forced to do it but dont have to much time currently on hand. so thats kind of my excuse.
i could of course start it without the art but well this is OGA so we should at least showcase some art on the Jam page right?
How about for now we keep it low key and just internal to the OGA forums and let's gauge the level of activity?
Perhaps once some artists start seeing their work being used, it will give incentive to produce some art for the itch.io banners that we need.
Il have a go and knock something up for the banner.:)
Chasersgaming | Support | Monstropolis |
there we go, might not be any good, but its something to work on maybe.
text: http://opengameart.org/content/boxy-bold-truetype-font
background/tiles: http://opengameart.org/content/country-side-platform-tiles
sara:http://opengameart.org/content/sara-steps-in-the-right-direction
jewels:http://opengameart.org/content/gem-icons
swordsman: http://opengameart.org/content/swordsman-static-64x64
Chasersgaming | Support | Monstropolis |
Now that's some serious remixing work. Good job!