Welcome to the very first (maybe only, we'll see how it goes) b3agz Game Jam!

£50 PRIZE TO THE WINNER!

This is intended to be a fun jam open to all comers. In keeping with the YouTube channel that spawned it, the jam is designed to be beginner-friendly. There are no restrictions on what tools you are allowed to use. You can make your game in RPGMaker, or you can code it from scratch in Assembly. You nutter.

You can also check out the Discord server if you want to talk about the jam with other entrants!

THE THEME IS "SWARM"

The Rules

• Both teams and single entries are allowed.
• You can use any assets that you are legally allowed to, whether it be creative commons assets, assets you've paid for, or something you've made.
• The game must be made during the game jam window, however.
• You can start planning your game whenever you like—or use an existing idea.
• Keep the content of your game appropriate for a younger audience. If you couldn't put it in a ESRB Teen rated game, don't put it in your game jam entry.
• A theme will be announced at the start of the jam. You do not have to incorporate this theme, but there will be a voting category on how well the theme is implemented, so not using the theme will reduce your chances of winning.
• A winner will be chosen by votes by the jam participants. Voting will be open for five days from the end of the jam.
• If there is a tie, the prize will be split between the winners.

The Incentive

The winner of the jam will receive a £50 cash prize. This prize will be paid out through PayPal, please bear this in mind before entering. If you don't have a PayPal account (and can't get one) and there is no way I can get money to you from my PayPal account, you will not be able to collect your prize. You can also choose to have your prize money sent to a charity of your choice if you wish.

There will also be a live stream by me (the nobody YouTuber running this thing) where I will play as many of the entries as I can. I don't anticipate there being so many entries that I can't play them all so there is a good chance your game will get played on-stream.

There will also be a regular video on the channel highlighting the top-voted entries.

The Voting Categories

Entries will be judged on five different categories, with the winner being the entry with the best overall score. Here are the categories along with a description of what I mean;

• Theme — How well you think the game implements the jam's theme, "Swarm".
• Fun — How fun the game is to play, ignoring all other aspects.
• Art Style — This is not "graphics". A good art style can come in anything from monochrome pixel-art to AAA computer-melting 3D.
• Sound Design — Again, we're not looking at the quality of the sound as such, but the effectiveness and cohesiveness of the audio.
• Innovation — How off-the-beaten track is the game? Does it do something new and interesting?

These categories have been chosen because it allows for a wide range of games to do well. For example, someone could make a Wolfenstein-style first-person shooter that is incredibly fun, but not very innovative.

FAQ

What game engine/tools can I use?

You can use any game engine or game-making tools you like as long as you are legally allowed to the make your game public.

What platforms do I have to build for?

I am not placing any restrictions on what platforms you build your entry for. However, bear in mind that your game is going to be voted on by the other participants. If you only release one build, and it's for MacOS, you're going to lose a lot of votes from people who can't play your game. I would recommend building to HTML5 to make easy for everyone to play your game, but it is not a requirement.

Who owns my jam entry?

You do. There is no sneaky fine print or expectation that I can do anything with your game other than play it in a YouTube video or live stream.

How are the games judged?

The games will be voted on by the participants and contributors (me, basically). There are a few different categories to vote on. The winner will be the entry with the highest overall score. Voting will open at the end of the jam and close after five days.

Is there a theme?

There is a theme, and it will be announced at the start of the jam to prevent people from making their whole game before the jam even starts!

Do I have to stick to the theme?

You do not have to stick to the theme to enter this jam, however, how well your game utilises the theme is a voting category, so sticking to the theme will increase your chances of winning.

Who is "b3agz"?

b3agz is a small-time YouTube who makes videos around game development aimed at beginner (sometimes creeping towards intermediate) developers. You can find the channel here.

Why are you running this jam?

It has been requested by several viewers over the last year or so and I crave their validation.

I have a question that isn't answered here...

The best way to find out more is by joining the Discord server and heading over the #game-jam channel.