The Game Jam is ON!

[u/lmentiras99]

Game Jam Theme: "100 Seconds to Chaos"

Description: Players have 100 seconds to complete a challenge, facing increasing intensity and chaotic gameplay as the timer counts down.

The Jam is on, from today anyone interested will have one week to finish their game. After that there will be a two week judging period. First place will receive 100$, Second will receive 50$, and Third will receive 25$ via Zelle or PayPal (whichever your preference is).

Time Frame

• Game design 1/6/25 - 1/13/25
• Judging 1/14/25 - 1/28/25

Judging Criteria

The following criteria will be judged by a committee. Each category offers a score range from 0 to 5 points (except Juiciness, which offers up to 3 points).

Creativity (0–5 Points)

• Definition: The originality of the game's concept, mechanics, and overall design. Does the game present fresh ideas or combine familiar concepts in unexpected ways?
• Scoring Guide:
  • 0 Points: Entirely unoriginal or copied with no unique elements.
  • 1 Point: Slight creative elements but still too close to a clone.
  • 2 Points: Some creative potential, but lacks depth in execution.
  • 3 Points: Moderately creative, with interesting ideas.
  • 4 Points: Strong creativity with unique mechanics or design choices.
  • 5 Points: Highly innovative with fresh concepts or storytelling.

Fun Factor (0–5 Points)

• Definition: How enjoyable the game is to play. Does the game engage the player and keep their interest? Are the mechanics smooth and satisfying?
• Scoring Guide:
  • 0 Points: Unplayable or frustrating.
  • 1 Point: Playable but lacks engagement or reward.
  • 2 Points: Some fun moments, but pacing or controls need improvement.
  • 3 Points: Enjoyable but has rough edges.
  • 4 Points: Consistently fun, minor improvements needed.
  • 5 Points: Highly engaging and immersive throughout.

Theme Usage (0–5 Points)

• Definition: How well the game incorporates and interprets the jam's chosen theme. Is the theme central to the gameplay and narrative?
• Scoring Guide:
  • 0 Points: No incorporation of the theme.
  • 1 Point: Theme is loosely present but minimal.
  • 2 Points: Theme is present but secondary.
  • 3 Points: Theme is well-integrated but could be more prominent.
  • 4 Points: Theme plays a central role in the game.
  • 5 Points: The theme is deeply and creatively woven into the game.

Polish (0–5 Points)

• Definition: The technical quality of the game, including visuals, sound, and smoothness of gameplay. Is the game bug-free and well-executed?
• Scoring Guide:
  • 0 Points: Unplayable due to major bugs or technical issues.
  • 1 Point: Many noticeable bugs or poor design choices.
  • 2 Points: Playable but with significant issues.
  • 3 Points: Runs smoothly with minor bugs or inconsistencies.
  • 4 Points: Well-polished with few technical issues.
  • 5 Points: Highly polished with smooth performance and professional quality.

Juiciness (0–3 Points)

• Definition: The artistic and sensual quality of the game, including visuals, sound, animations, particles, and general appeal of the game.
• Scoring Guide:
  • 0 Points: Game lacks basic graphical assets, music, or SFX.
  • 1 Point: Game is artistically complete but nothing stands out.
  • 2 Points: Game has a unique art style, captivating soundtrack, or stands out in quality.
  • 3 Points: Game creates unforgettable experiences in an artistic sense, synergizing media like music, visuals, animations, or other elements.

Community Engagement Bonus

• An additional 3-point bonus will be awarded for appropriate community engagement. This includes:
  • Posting the game on the subreddit with a request for feedback.
  • Actively responding to feedback and showing a willingness to improve the game.

Curveballs

You must choose at least one to incorporate into your game design (you may choose all four if desired):

1. "Limited Visibility": Start with normal visibility but reduce it by 10% every 10 seconds. By the end, players may have only a small circle of light around them, forcing reliance on memory and skill.
2. "One Life Only": Players must complete the 100-second challenge with only one life. This curveball adds high-stakes tension, encouraging players to think carefully and make every move count.
3. "Chaos Multiplier": Every 20 seconds, the game’s speed doubles (or halves), increasing or reducing movement, attack, and animation speeds. This makes the last few seconds increasingly intense and chaotic.
4. "Mime": No text allowed: Your game must communicate instructions, objectives, and mechanics to players without using any text. This requires creative use of visuals, sounds, and context to guide players through the chaos.

Entries can be posted to https://itch.io/ and then linked to this sub with the 100k Game Jam post flair. All sub rules should be followed when posting your submission.

Thank you all and hope to see greatness.

[u/RedEagle_MGN]

Wooo 100K!

[u/alphadax]

Are .exe games allowed?
My project might be too large for web build

[u/lmentiras99 → u/alphadax]

yes they are allowed, itch.io should allow an exe build to be uploaded I believe. Even if not, yes it's still allowed but you may not get much testing aside from the judges.

[u/alphadax → u/lmentiras99]

Thanks! I got a draft working and would love to get some playtesting / feedback:

https://baconeggsrl.itch.io/chaos-room

I've no idea if it's too easy or too hard at the moment, that's the main thing.

I was able to compress it enough to get a web build, but it has a number of visual bugs. The executable should be much better.