| The Mac Game Jam is an opportunity for you to show off your skills in an awesome game making competition! Grab your friends to form a team with a maximum of 4 (or fly solo) as you hunker down and race to program, design, create, draw and compose for your very own game. The theme will be revealed on MARCH 17 during PLT in the Computer Lab and submissions will be locked on APRIL 2. No courses or prior experience required. |
TO FIND THE REGISTRATION GOOGLE FORM, SCROLL ALL THE WAY DOWN
Can I submit a game I've already finished working on? The majority of the code for your game must be programmed during the length of the jam. Since the theme won't be released until the jam starts, there isn't an advantage to creating a game prematurely. While you can take inspiration from some of your older projects if you have any, your game should be a new project that you have created for this jam exclusively.
What is a theme? In the context of a jam, a theme is a short expression or phrase that is provided to guide your design choices. As an example, GMTK game jam's last theme was " roll of the dice." You may interpret themes however you like, in relation to a narrative, as a game mechanic, or in another creative way. How you integrate the theme is a criterion that will be assessed (more on evaluation below.) The theme will be announced on March 17 in PLT along with some pointers on participating in the jam. The rest of the time will be given to you to start planning your games.
Who can participate? Any student currently at Archbishop MacDonald High School is eligible. Plus, you can team up with your friends or make some new ones. There is no problem if this is your first jam as this has been designed to be beginner-friendly. No prior experience or required courses necessary.
Help! I don't know how to program/draw/make music! If you know someone interested in art, in music or in computer science at MAC they may be able to help! If not, you can find art and music assets on itch.io or other sites and use them as long as their licenses permit and you give credit where it is due. Also, you DO NOT need to have prior experience with game development. Programs like Scratch and Greenfoot are beginner-friendly and you can make awesome games with them! Please note that you are allowed to have a family member or friend who does not go to MAC help with art and music, however this will be moderated differently as this jam is intended for current MAC students. You will need to include in your submission whether a MAC student made the art/music, whether a non-MAC team member made the art/music, or whether it was sourced from the internet. That being said, in the spirit of the jam THE ACTUAL GAME MUST BE DEVELOPED/PROGRAMMED BY A CURRENT MAC STUDENT TO BE CONSIDERED AS A SUBMISSION.
What do I use to make my game? You are completely free to use any Game Engine you want, such as Scratch, Greenfoot, Godot, Unity, Unreal Engine, Game Maker, etc. Your submissions must be playable on Windows. If you are a novice developer, we recommend the free options Scratch or Greenfoot. If you are an intermediate developer, we recommend Godot or Unity, which are also free.
When do I make my game? Select PLT sessions will be provided in the Computer Lab for you to collaborate. While the computers have access to Scratch and Greenfoot, you will need to use your own devices to access other game engines. Other than that, you are free to work on your game anywhere between the beginning and end dates of the jam. The vast majority of the code in your game must be made while the jam is running, so try to limit copy and pasting or rehashing old projects.
I've made my game. Now what? "When the jam enters the submission period people who want to enter the jam can navigate to the jam’s page to find a submit button. This brings up a game submission dialog where you can choose from games you've created on itch.io to submit. If you haven’t uploaded your game yet you'll be guided through the process. Because jam submissions are itch.io project pages, you get all the features that itch.io provides. Your files and screenshots are hosted, and you can design a custom game page. A nice side effect of submitting to a jam on itch.io is that you automatically now have a nice page containing your game ready to be shared and distributed." Taken from: Hosting a game jam - itch.io
→upload your game to itch.io
Who will be able to see my game? This jam is unlisted, which means it won't be featured on the itch.io page to people outside the Mac community. On the jam page, your game will be visible after you submit it, even if that is before the jam ends.
What are the prizes? The awesome prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place will be revealed very soon!
Who will evaluate my game? Your game will be assessed by the jam host (Arthur W.) and Jordan L., respective Grade 11 and Grade 12 students at MAC. Arthur is a hobby game developer and pixel artist who uses Unity. Jordan is part of Ethics Bowl, Model UN and STEM club. He also has the record on Bowser's Big Bean Burrito. The results past 1st, 2nd and 3rd won't be released, unless you specifically request your game's placement after the rating period is over.
How will my game by evaluated?
As MAC students, we know you love rubrics. Here you go!
Total: /25
| Criteria | Description | Points |
| Art | How polished is your game's presentation? Was the art made by a current MAC student? Has your team included purposeful visual FX (ex: chromatic abberation, CRT scanlines, etc.), animations, UI, and other elements that make your game standout? | /5 |
| Music and Sound FX | Is there a clear attention to audio? Was the audio made by a current MAC student? Has your team included different music tracks and implemented sound FX to improve immersion and game feel? | /5 |
| Theme Intepretation | Has your team incorporated the provided theme in a way that complements your overall game? Has your team interpreted it in a apt manner? Could a player unaware of your theme pick up on it? Or is it subtle yet purposeful? | /10 |
| Creativity | Are your game mechanics, design, and aesthetic, original and thoughtful? Do they show you've taken the time to consider these factors and come up with novel solutions? | /5 |
| Fun | Is your game enjoyable to play? Could you sit and play it for a decent length of time without getting bored? If there are any bugs/issues, do they hinder the fun or are they avoidable and minor? | /5 |
Some reminders:
- Games must be reasonably appropriate
- Your game must not have a pay-wall so we can access it
- Anything you make during the Mac Game Jam is your property. We claim no rights or ownership of your game
- Have fun! Even if your game is unfinished and janky, submit it! We'd love to see what you made.
- If you have any other questions please email Arthur at 2104146@school.ecsd.net
**SUBMISSIONS ARE CLOSED APRIL 2**
MAC Game Jam Registration
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