What is a Game Jam?

A Game Jam is a short event where you and others work together to create a small game. Most Jams have some kind of restriction on theme or style to get you thinking about games in a new way. Game Jams are a great way to test ideas, build on your skills, and meet other awesome creative people.

Use the discord chats to find teammates and share your progress!

https://discord.gg/gSqbTZEHtj

Theme

Chain Reactions

Rules

• Follow the Itch.io Terms of Service .
• Teams are capped at 6 people (More people != Better).
• Every entry needs a short but clear Game Design Document (GDD).
• Your game must be playable in a modern web browser (WebGL).
• If you have to step away, give your teammates notice so no one’s left hanging.
• Sabotage of other teams is strictly off-limits.
• Treat everyone with respect! 
• No AI-generated art, music, writing, or other creative media.
• No explicit sexual content or nudity.
• No references to illicit drugs.
• Use only assets you own or have a commercial license for. The goal is to build your own stuff and learn from it.

Submission

Game Design Document

• This is a planning document that details what your game will be and how you will approach making it.
• This is a required part of your submission and a best practice so don't forget it! These are here to HELP you, not be an extra step. They will help you stay focused, manage your time and scope and keep you accountable. 
• You MUST submit your GDD as a Google Drive file not a downloadable PDF
• Here is an example I personally used for a game jam submission.

Prototype

• This is a limited working copy of your game.
• Focus on playability, it is more important the game is fun, than having the best code or art.
• Your Prototype MUST run as a browser upload here on itch.io. Downloadable games will not be accepted for safety and prevention of malware.

Voting Criteria

As games are subjective media these categories are guidelines for you to follow when exploring games.  Use these criteria as loose guidelines to make the best game possible. Don't overthink it.

Design

• Does the game feel polished?
• Was the core mechanic fun and interesting?
• Does the game work and components mesh well together
• This is the most important category and counts for a lot.

Artistic Style

• Everyone’s got their own vibe—run with yours.
• You don’t need big-budget AAA polish to shine.
• Pixel art, crunchy MIDI tracks… it all drips with character.
• Trust your gut, create what feels right, and roll it out.

Theme Implementation

• Did your game follow the theme?
• How well did it follow the theme?
• Did you implement the theme in a clever and interesting way?

Cleverness

• Did you have an ingenious mechanic in your game?
• Maybe you told a story with a very interesting or unique twist.
• Do any of the mechanics make you think "ohhhh that's good"

MOST IMPORTANTLY! HAVE FUN!