Parts of Australia are experiencing disastrous bushfire activity. 10 million hectares have burned, and more continues to burn. Many people have lost their homes, thousands of animals are displaced or have perished, and many of the firefighters are volunteers who are saving the country unpaid.

This is a jam which hopes to help those affected, and those who continue to fight! All games made for this jam will be sold in a bundle, with all the proceeds going to bushfire related charities. And hopefully, the games themselves will bring some new joy or experiences into the world!

The jam will take place over two weeks, though if you choose to join, don't feel you need to use all 14 days; the length is as such so as many people who want to participate can find the time to do so!

There is no set theme for this jam, participants can make a game about anything they wish. But! If you are looking for ideas, perhaps make something related to Australia? Such as...

Our odd and wonderful wildlife!
Our "interesting" cuisine!
The films we've made!
Our folklore!

Keep in mind that we can't bundle/sell anything that contains copyrighted material, and please be wary of cultural appropriation if you're not an Indigenous person of Australia but wish to make a game about their rich history and/or culture.

That's the basics! For more information, please refer to the FAQ below, and if you're still not sure about something, contact the organiser of this jam (Wonderthing).

FAQ

NOTE: Some of this information is subject to change.

Do I have to be Australian to participate?

NO! Anyone is welcome to join in.

Does the game have to be about the bushfires?

NO, in fact that could get depressing if all of them were! The games can be about whatever you like! It would be nice to see at least a few Australian themed games (such as about Australian wildlife, etc.) But really, just follow your heart!

Can I submit games I've already made to the bundle?

YES! The more the merrier, as long as your game(s) meet the other requirements. It must also not have been a previous jam game, and must be a paid game. Contact the jam organiser if you're unsure.

What genres will be accepted?

ALL game genres are accepted. You can even submit a print and play board game.

Will there be quality control?

We understand jam games can be rough so quality control will be low, though we hope the two week timeline will give enough time for some polish. But basically, if the game doesn't crash or cause other computer problems, it will be accepted. If it's discovered that the game causes computer problems after the bundle is released, it may be removed from it.

Also note, that we may not allow your game into the bundle for any reason. But it is unlikely there will be any issues!

Do I have to have an itch.io account to participate?

YES, for logistical and other reasons, you must have an itch.io account.

Does my account need to be setup to accept payments?

NO, let us worry about that!

I want to participate in the jam, but don't want my game to be in the bundle.

That's fine! Just let us know and we won't include it.

What can I do with my game after I've finished it?

It's your game, do whatever you like!

Can my game be political?

Political games relating to the bushfire tragedy are welcome, as long as they meet the rest of the guidelines (see section regarding allowed content below). Political games unrelated to the bushfires may also be welcome, however we recommend contacting the jam organiser first to make sure it will be appropriate for the bundle.

What content will be allowed?

Absolutely NO hate speech or such material will be tolerated. As for adult content, we would prefer the bundle be family friendly, or at least PG-13. However, if there are enough submissions with adult content (high level violence, sexual content, high level course language), we may release a seperate, Adults Only bundle. The minimum number of games for this to happen would be five.

Games that feature copyrighted material will also not be allowed in the bundle.

If you are unsure if your game will have appropriate content for the bundle, contact the jam organiser.

I don't know how to make games, but I still want to help!

We appreciate it! One way to help is to simply buy the bundle upon release, or even just donate to bushfire charities without it. If you're not in a position to do so, you can simply spread the word around. That's just as important as anything else!

How much will the bundle cost?

$2 will be the minimum price, with the option to pay more. NOTE: this minimum price is subject to change before release.

How long will the bundle be sold for?

One month.

Will ALL the proceeds go towards charity? 

Yes, 100% of the proceeds will go to charity.

Which charities will the money go to? 

The money will go towards helping fire fighters, people affected by the bushfires, and towards helping animals affected by the fires. The donations will be for Australia nationwide, as the bushfires are widespread. The charities that will be donated to are: 

The Australian Red Cross (Disaster Relief and Recovery Fund)
World Wildlife Fund (Help Save Koalas Fund)
NSW Rural Fire Service
Country Fire Services Foundation

If there are specific charities you DISCOURAGE us from donating to, please contact the jam organiser. 

Who is looking after the money?

The bundle will be co-op with all participants, with all the money going to the jam organiser (Wonderthing) who will then distribute the money to charities. For transparency, after each week of sales, all sale data will be posted, followed by donation receipts (with personal data omitted).

We understand this isn't an ideal situation, as we're a small developer and you have no reason to trust us. As such, we are in contact with itch.io to see if there are any options (such as having our identity verified) which will help give donators and participants more peace of mind that the money is going to the right places. The ideal result would be itch.io taking care of the money and donating on our behalf, but at the moment it's unclear if that's possible. We'll update this section if the situation changes!

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!