What is a game jam, and why should I join this one?

Game jams are a timed competition where games are created (typically in teams) and then rated against each other. Jams are an incredible way to complete a finished project in a short period of time. You can make new connections and lasting memories, and most importantly, have fun! They are also an incredible way to add completed, polished products to portfolios.

In the Chili Code Jam, you will have one week to design and develop a full game based on the theme which will be announced on the jam start date. The creation period is Thursday, October 23st to Thursday, October 30th GMT. Voting closes and results go up on Thursday, September 6th. You can use any engine and make your game 2D or 3D.

With a one week creation time, you have pressure to work, but plenty of time to chill! Any questions? Message @navybluechilipeppers or @seeone_1 on Discord for help!

Teams can be a max size of 5 for fair voting.

• Looking for teammates? Check the team formation channel in the Discord server.
• Still can't find any? Try finding teams in other, more popular Discord servers, like #1 or #2.

1. Any contributor is allowed to vote, so please be fair. Game jams aren't about winning, but having fun!
2. All submissions must be created in the time period listed above. Premade assets must be declared and credited, and no AI is permitted in the creation of game assets.
3. Keep all content SFW.
4. Game files are locked, so please make sure you submit your best work! There will be no exceptions, so playtest your game to check for small errors (e.g. a variable set high for bug testing purposes).
5. Please don't start working in any capacity until the beginning of the game jam.
6. No Gen AI for art and music.

FAQ & useful information

• What categories are games ranked in? Gameplay/Fun, Graphics, Music and Sound, Creativity and Theme.
• What if I don't finish? What if my game is terrible? That's alright! Game jams are a great place to try your hand at development, and even if you don't finish, you'll have learned something along the way. You can still submit an unfinished game if you choose to.
• Which programs or asset resources can I use? Any! Just don't use AI when creating assets for your game, and properly credit any premade assets.
• I've never joined a game jam before, how do you submit? One teammate, typically the programmer, will upload their game to itch.io and then submit it to the game jam. The submitter can add all their teammates to the game as a contributor.
• Who can vote? Anybody marked as a contributor on game jam submissions can vote.
• Do I have to make my game have an in browser playable WebGL build? No, but a lot of jammers won't download games from the jam to their computer. You'll probably get more people voting on your game if they can play it in browser.
• Game files are locked after the submission period is over! There is no grace period, so please submit your games in time! Submit at least an hour early and playtest it to make sure there are no simple bugs (e.g. a variable set game-breakingly high for debugging, but forgetting to change it back).

So, what's unique about Chili Code Jam?

• We will play submitted games on stream for everyone! The post jam stream is a fun time for all the submitters to talk about their game and watch us (poorly) play theirs.
• There will be a comic contest hosted in the Discord! The funniest comic strip about a shrimp, as voted on by others, will receive a cash prize of $5! More details in the Discord.

If you want to sponsor Chili Code Jam, please reach out to @seeone_1 on Discord.

Any questions? Ask in the Chili Code Jam Discord!