New College Swindon Games Jam: A New Path
A Mandatory Event for BTEC L3 and HND Games Design Students
1. Introduction: Charting Your Course
This three-week Game Jam challenges you to act as a small professional studio and quickly develop a playable game prototype.
The theme is 'A New Path'. We want you to capture the feelings of renewal, progress, and ambition. Your game should explore the experience of starting something new—be it a physical journey, a creative project, or a positive personal change. The mood must be uplifting and hopeful.
🗓️ Key Dates:
- Start Date: 1st December 9:30am
- Submission Deadline: 17th December, 7:00pm
- Awards Ceremony: 19th December, 10:00am (Location TBC) – Prizes will be awarded to the highest-scoring submissions!
🛑 Game Jam Rules & Constraints (For All Participants)
| Rule | Detail |
| Theme Focus | Uplifting and Positive. Focus on universal themes of hope, progress, and renewal. |
| Rating | Maximum PEGI 7. The content must be friendly and suitable for all ages. |
| Aesthetic | Choose one Retro Style and stick to it: Pixel Art (2D/Isometric) or PS1 Low-Poly (3D with chunky textures). |
| Platform | Must be playable on the web (HTML5/WebGL) (strongly preferred) and/or PC standalone. |
2. Teamwork and Deliverables 🧑💻
Team Formation (AC4: Professional Practice)
- Teams are strongly encouraged! This is an exercise in professional practice (AC4). Form a team of 2–4 people that combines different specialisms (e.g., Design, Art, Code) to share the workload.
- Solo Development is highly discouraged due to the demanding scope of this project.
Asset Usage and Academic Integrity (MANDATORY RULE)
You may use assets from asset stores (e.g., Unity Asset Store, third-party sites), BUT you must adhere to academic and professional referencing standards.
FAILURE TO REFERENCE AND LINK ALL EXTERNAL ASSETS IN YOUR INDIVIDUAL DOCUMENTATION WILL BE TREATED AS PLAGIARISM.
Required Deliverables
You must submit two items for your Jam entry:
- The Playable Game Prototype
- Promotional Poster (as an image file)
3. Game Jam Judging Criteria (100 Point Score) 🏆
The judges will only score the game artifact (including the poster) out of 100 points.
| Section (25 Points) | Focus Area | What the Judges Look For |
| 1. Concept & Context (AC1/AC2) | Fit to Theme and Innovation. | How clearly and creatively does the game use the theme 'A New Path'? Is the concept suitable for a PEGI 7 rating? |
| 2. Technical Execution (AC3) | Technical Knowledge and Skill. | How well does the game function? Is the chosen Retro Aesthetic executed with confident technical skill and consistency? |
| 3. Gameplay & Problem Solving (AC2/AC5) | Engagement and Clarity. | How engaging is the core gameplay loop? Does the game effectively solve its central design problem? Is the user experience (UI/UX) clear? |
| 4. Overall Polish & Presentation (AC5/AC4) | Finished Quality & Promotional Material. | How finished and professional does the game feel? This score includes the quality of your required promotional poster and the working QR code. |
4. Mandatory Unit Documentation (Individual Assessment)
Your personal documentation is the only element that determines your BTEC/HND unit grade. You must create a separate, detailed report (or blog/presentation) that documents your personal process and learning. This is submitted to a teams assignment, not to itch.io.
Unit Assessment Links:
| Cohort | Unit Title |
| L3 1st Years | A1 Skills Development |
| L3 2nd Years | B1 Personal Progression |
| HND 1st Years | A1 Concept and Developments |
| HND 2nd Year | B1 Personal Professional Progression |
AC1-AC5: Individual Documentation Requirements
Your paperwork must clearly evidence how you, individually, contributed to and learned from the project against the BTEC Assessment Criteria (AC1-AC5).
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