Welcome to the Movie Game Jam, where you create a game in 10 days inspired by your favourite movie scene!
Games based on movies have a reputation for not being that great. They're also hardly made anymore.
Thus, the aim of this jam is to show that movies can still be a great source of inspiration for interesting and innovative video games!
Action and horror movies will be the easiest (conceptually) to turn into games, but I challenge you to also consider exploring your favourite films for scenes that could be highly unique and interesting in game form!
Discord & Twitter
Come join our official Discord server (for this jam and future jams), because game jams are more fun when there's a community.
Follow the official Twitter account @MovieGameJam and make your tweets with the hashtag #MovieGameJam :)
You can also follow my personal twitter @XavierEkkel if you have any questions or just because you like living life on the edge.
Prizes
1) ~$200 in Steam game prizes given away to participants who give good game feedback and to some of my top picks.
2) A special role in our Discord server!
3) Lots of feedback from other participants and YouTubers/streamers (see below)!
4) Most importantly, the satisfaction of finishing an awesome movie-based game!
YouTube Playlist
Here's a YouTube Playlist of Movie Game Jam 'let's play' videos!
Rules
- Anyone, regardless of experience, is welcome to participate!
- You can go solo or form a team! Maximum team size is 4. You can form teams easily on our CrowdForge page (not required).
- You can use any engine, including one you made yourself!
- Games must be inspired by a movie, but should not infringe upon any copyright or trademark (so please avoid using identical names, dialogue, appearances, or music).
- Please avoid big movie spoilers in your game title, description (unless you put a spoiler warning at the top first), or screenshots.
- Don't start working on the game prior to the game jam, as it isn't fair to other participants starting from scratch. However, you may use publicly-available assets if you have the appropriate permission and mention this when submitting (there'll be a textbox).
- Your game must be free to play until the voting period is over.
- Games that are in very poor taste will be removed.
- You must have a good time doing the jam! :)
Voting
After the submission period, you'll be able to rate entries on the following categories on a scale from 1 to 5 stars:
- Overall
- Movie Interpretation (how well you convert the scene into game form and capture the spirit/feeling of the scene, which can be creative/abstract or a faithful adaptation)
- Gameplay Innovation
- Fun
- Visuals (only rate based on art assets created during the jam, not art assets created before the jam)
- Audio (only rate based on the audio created during the jam, not audio created before the jam)
The voting period will run for roughly two weeks.
Don't forget to leave feedback on any game you rate! It's more helpful than just a number, and it helps them find your game :)
FAQ
Can my game be based on more than one scene?
One scene is recommended because it will likely lead to more focused and coherent game designs, and more time for polish. However, I won't restrict the use of multiple scenes or the general movie concept if that's what you want to do and you're confident in your ability to do so!
Can I start thinking of ideas ahead of time?
Yes! Just don't start making the actual game until the start time, and remember to scale back your ideas!
What platform should I create my game for?
You are allowed to create a game for any platform; however, it is highly recommended that you create a game for the browser and/or as a Windows executable (Mac and Linux versions are a bonus - the more platforms, the better). Games created only for other platforms are less likely to be played by our YouTubers/streamers and other participants, and will receive less feedback and ratings as a result.
Do I have to use all 10 days?
Not at all! 10 days simply allows more people to participate, and allows
participants to work on the game at their own pace (rather than a
72-hour crunch). It is expected that some games will be completed
entirely in 1 or 2 days, whilst some will be completed in stages
throughout the week.
Can I use other peoples' work in my game?
We do
not take responsibility for any unauthorised uses of other peoples' work (e.g. music, sound, art)
and any consequences that may result from its use. Please use work that
you are authorised to use or that you created from scratch yourself.
Do I keep the rights to my game?
Yes! You keep the rights to everything you create for this game jam.
Is there any restriction on game engines?
Nope!
You are free to use whichever game engine you like - including your own
custom-built engines - as long as you create your game code and assets
from scratch.
Can I base my game on a TV show instead?
For this jam we'll be keeping the focus on movie scenes (there should be enough movies to choose from!) - but TV shows could very well be the focus of a future jam.
Where can I download the logo? Can I put it in my game?
You can download the logo here, and you are welcome (and encouraged) to include it as a splash screen for your game!
How do I turn a movie scene into a game?
That's part of the challenge (and the fun!). Here are some questions to get you thinking:
- What if you played from the bad guy's point of view?
- What if you were a bystander?
- What if you were controlling the most important object in the scene?
- What if the goal of your game was to prevent the scene from happening?
- What predates the scene?
- What if your characters are on their way to the scene?
- What do they have to do to get that scene to happen?
- What is happening between the scenes, in the cuts?
Can I keep updating my game after the deadline?
Yes! Especially with all the feedback you'll be receiving from players and YouTubers/streamers.