“Make it Real” Visual Novel Jam is a game jam that promotes the use of traditional art mediums to blend with digital storytelling and technology. This is not an “anti-digital” jam (hardly!) but we believe there is nothing quite like holding something real that you made in your hands. We also think there’s a good reason that many films blend real sets, lighting and SFX with digital and think that would be cool in more indie games. And isn't there something special about writing something down in pen and ink?
Don’t worry, there are other ways to take this challenge, with more details below and in our worksheet package here, although we do encourage people to try something new!
The story component must also fit the theme. What is “Make it Real” to you? While this is a broad theme open to interpretation, here is a list of suggestions for inspiration.
| Pretend/Fake Relationship (TVTropes) | Doppelgängers and copycats |
| Becoming the Mask (TVTropes) | Truth vs. Deception |
| Mistaken Identity | Androids are People, Too (TVTropes) |
| Finding meaning in the era of AI | Second Chance Romance |
| Do Androids Dream? (TVTropes) | I Wish It Were Real (TVTropes) |
| Art Initiates Life (TVTropes) | Rewriting Reality (TVTropes) |
| Your Mind Makes it Real (TVTropes) | Fake-Real Turn (TVTropes) |
| Heel Realization (TVTropes) | ... and probably a lot more! |
You may also want to download our worksheets to help you craft your game!
Optional worksheets are provided to help you come up with the story for your game. Pick what works for you, discard what doesn’t. They are available to download here.
Although primarily a visual novel jam, any story-based game is allowed and our rules permit point-and-clicks and other narrative heavy games. However, the emphasis is on creating art using traditional media techniques or other forms of real media and that may present an additional challenge. Visual Novels tools such as Ren’Py, Tyranobuilder and Visual Novel Maker allow developers to focus on content creation (art, story) rather than building game mechanics. To get the most out of this jam, especially if you are using the jam to explore traditional media techniques for the first time, it’s a good idea to take the uncertainty out of one element of production.
Although primarily a visual novel game jam, the following game genres and mechanics are permitted:
| Visual Novel | Adventure/Visual Novel Hybrid | Interactive Fiction |
| RPG | Point-and-Click Adventure | TTRPG or other story-heavy tabletop game |
While all engines that are capable of making a story-based game are permitted, the following are recommended for their ease of use and focus on content-creation:
Ren’Py
Tyranobuilder
Visual Novel Maker
Twine
There are a few ways you can approach this jam and still fit within the jam challenge.
If making finished artwork with traditional media (or recorded music rather than using libraries) is not of interest to you or your team, you can still submit your game to this jam if the preliminary work like sketches and brainstorming, are all done in a sketchbook or by hand.
Your project meets the Brainstorming & Preliminary Work Challenge if all the following criteria are true:
Journal prompts are answered in pencil (or pen) on paper
Storyboards (if applicable) on paper or sticky notes
Characters are planned and/or sketched in a sketchbook
Backgrounds are planned and/or sketched in a sketchbook
CG (if applicable) are planned and/or sketched in a sketchbook
Worksheets filled out on paper*
* Worksheets can be copied into an existing journal or printed and filled out.
Include pictures of each phase on your social media with #MakeItRealVNJam or in a devlog or blog post.
Choose one aspect of development (GUI, Background, Sprites, CGs, Story) to make in traditional media.
| First draft of story is written offline (e.g., in longhand in a journal) | GUI artwork is made using traditional media (e.g., paper textures and hand-lettered text) |
| Background art made using traditional media (e.g., ink and colored pencil) | Sprite art is traditional (e.g., painted in watercolors and digitized) |
| CG art is entirely traditional (e.g. drawn and shaded in graphite) | Soundtrack is a recording of a musical instrument played by a team member |
Be sure to state on your game's page which aspect is made using traditional media.
All aspects of development (GUI, Background, Sprites, CGs, Story) include some traditional media or techniques, some more than others.
The following examples demonstrate some basic ways in which analog art could be combined with digital. Substitute the mediums mentioned below for the ones you want to use in your project.
The UI includes charcoal textures created by the artist, CG, backgrounds and sprites were drawn and rendered in charcoal and colorized digitally, soundtrack is royalty-free piano stock music, story is planned in a notebook and drafted in the computer.
The UI includes Public Domain artwork from Rijskmuseum, background art, CG, and sprite art are rendered in watercolor and animated in Krita, soundtrack includes both recordings by the musician and from pre-recorded libraries, first draft of story is longhand.
Background art is in gouache, and UI art, CG and Sprite art are made digitally, but incorporate painted gouache textures provided by the background artist, soundtrack includes royalty-free clips of real instruments, story is storyboarded on sticky notes.
Game stories must fit the theme. Examples are listed above and we have worksheets for figuring out how to make a game that fits the theme.
Games must fit one of the three challenge categories. See above. (Brainstorming & Preliminary Work Challenge, the One Aspect Challenge or the Tradigital Challenge)
Use of previously made hand drawn or traditional media assets is allowed. Feel free to re-purpose old traditional artwork, handmade textures or recorded instruments from a participating team member.
Public Domain use is allowed. There are no restrictions on how much artwork, music or text you use or re-purpose if it’s from the Public Domain.
Royalty-free or stock assets are allowed, with restrictions. One aspect (either background, CG/event illustration, sprite art, UI art, or soundtrack) may be royalty-free or stock.
You may submit your game to other jams, provided that is permitted by the other jam, of course.
You may sell your game, provided there is a free demo or first chapter.
No sexual content or content in violation of the TOS.
No AI-generated content: that includes but is not limited to code, artwork, UI, music, story.
The majority of your project must be made during the jam time frame (September 17th – November 14th). You can begin posting about preliminary or brainstorming work at any time!
Feel free to post using the hashtag #MakeItRealVNJam. The jam time overlaps with #Inktober (but is not affiliated with it). You could also make your project around prompts customized for your game. Other challenges include Kick Collage Art Challenge, #Drawlloween and #Drawtober. Perhaps you want to write/draw your UI elements by hand for #Scriptember. A number of other art-related challenges are listed in this article, here.
If you would like, the following badge is available and may be used on your finished games’ page or in your game provided your game fits the challenge.
