OK, I can't start early, but can I start exploring DiscMaster early?
Yes, get in there! We're excited that you're keen to explore the tool and find some assets!
How do I register for the jam?
All you need to do is have one account register for the jam on itch.io and submit the game before the end of the jam. You don't need to register your team name or team members anywhere (except in the credits of your game and on the game's itch.io page, of course!).
How will the care packages be distributed?
When the jam starts, everyone who has joined the jam on itch.io will receive an email with a link to their care package.
Do I have to use the files in my care package?
No, you don't need to use the care package. It's just to help you get started with DiscMaster (if you need help).
Am I allowed to modify/sample/play with/remix/edit DiscMaster assets? Does that still count as using DiscMaster assets in terms of eligibility?
Yes, for sure! The purpose of this jam is to encourage people to explore and make use of the DiscMaster database—transformative use is very much encouraged!
Are non-digital games allowed?
Yep!
How do I submit my list of used assets?
When you submit your game to the jam on itch.io, the submission form has a text field for you to list the assets you used and whether you found them via DiscMaster. Some people are planning to list them by saving the URLs of each asset.
How do prize categories overlap? Is it possible for a game to win more than one prize?
The Tourist and Spelunker prize categories are mutually exclusive: if your game uses 100% DiscMaster assets it is only eligible for the Spelunker prize category and if your game uses 50-99.99% DiscMaster assets it is only eligible for the Tourist prize category.
The Save Our Discs prize category for implementation of the media preservation theme spans both categories, so it would be possible for the same game to win in the Save our Discs and Spelunker category, for example.
If I use modern tools (like engines, level editors, or other programs) to make my game, is it still eligible for the 100% DiscMaster assets category?
Yes, using modern tools is fine. We don't consider these sorts of tools to count as "assets".
Am I allowed to use generative AI in my game?
To stay within the spirit of the jam, do not use generative AI to create new assets. You may use AI for simple subtractive processes like background removal.
If I use a combination of DiscMaster assets and assets I've created, does my game still qualify as using 100% DiscMaster assets?
If the DiscMaster database has assets you can use, you must use them to qualify for the 100% DiscMaster assets category. For example, all fonts, textures, images, audio, and 3D models should be from the DiscMaster database.
Assets such as writing, animations or chunks of code are not available in the DiscMaster database, and so you are allowed (and expected!) to create your own.
I love the idea of this jam, but I'm not a game developer—can I join and make something else?
You're welcome to join the jam, but at present only games are eligible for prizes. Knowing that, if you still want to make art, an album or anything else, we'd love to see it!
You can also join the Discord to find a team or other projects that you can contribute to, even if you can't make a full game yourself.
Can I submit multiple entries?
You're welcome to submit multiple entries, but the same developer/team can't win multiple prizes in the same category.
Can I use DiscMaster's NSFW content in my game?
Yes, if you want! When you submit your game, you'll be asked whether your game is NSFW. Please use your own judgment—SFW games can be made using NSFW assets, and vice versa.
What's the copyright situation with the DiscMaster resources? Can I sell games made with these resources?
The DiscMaster resources are in a grey area license-wise. The resources include lots of commercial stock image CDs, and it's hard to isolate non-copyrighted images... but they're also twenty to thirty years old. The Internet Archive's advice is that you're best off not creating commercial games using these resources.
Who's "CanDev"?
CanDev is the Canberra Game Developer Community. We're a group of game developers on Ngunnawal Country in Canberra, Australia, running community and online events. But you don't need to be in Canberra or Australia to get involved in this jam! One of our organisers visited the Internet Archive during GDC and the idea of this jam came together!