Banner Image: The Maze, by William Kurelek (1953) / Listing Image: Theseus in the Minotaur's labyrinth, by Edward Burne-Jones, Background Image: Still from Twin Peaks, The Return, Part 3 - "Call For Help," Directed by David Lynch.

Update 11/30/2020 : Since there were some issues with launching this jam (it took a bit longer than usual to get publicly listed), I'm just gonna extend it for another month or so. It now goes until the very start of 2021. Maybe I'll extend it further if I feel like it or if people want me to.

What Is This?

This is a jam celebrating the submerged, convoluted spaces that stand at the threshold of perception and consensus reality. "What does that mean," I don't hear you asking. Well, to answer your non-question, I like mazes, "dungeons," and labyrinths, and I especially like mazes, "dungeons," and labyrinths that have a symbolic or metaphysical valence. If you're familiar with my work, you probably get it. Also, I felt like hosting a game jam, so here it is.

The title of the jam is also the theme. It's pretty straightforward. The labyrinth, as an archetypal construct, is always a subliminal space more than a physical structure. Explore that, as one would explore the byzantine windings of a cavernous shadow-realm.

Some Touchstones / Examples

- The Labyrinth of Knossos - while it is presented as a physical space, it serves as symbolic representation of secrecy and shame.

- The dungeons in Persona games (especially Tartarus, TVland, and the Metaverse from 3, 4, and 5 respectively) are often overtly "unreal" or otherworldly, but one can make the case that most "mega-dungeons" at least brush up against the ethereal and uncanny.

- The Navidson house from House of Leaves - I mean, I had to include this one.

- The Black Lodge / White Lodge / Purple Lodge / Dutchman's / Above A Convenience Store, from Twin Peaks - what a powerful televisual tour de force!

- Silent Hill - more or less the whole thing. 

- That one hotel maze from that one episode of Doctor Who where there was a hotel maze (The God Complex!) Also, the "Confession Dial" from the episode Heaven Sent is probably a better and more unique iteration on the theme.

- The Chalice Dungeons in Bloodborne. You could also say that most "good" soulsy games exemplify the concept throughout, but some spots are certainly more of a "numinous maze" than other spots.

- I mean, you get the idea, I think?

Rules

This here jam is going to go for two months, from this very moment to (as it currently stands) the start of December of 2020. No rankings, no pressure, and no medium or engine restrictions. Analog games and digital games are equally welcome, as are commercial and noncommercial releases. Use common sense when it comes to intellectual property laws and exercise respect and decency when it comes to attribution. 

Aside from that, the only major restriction is no fascists, bigots, or fascist sympathizers. If you have to ask what that means or who is included under that umbrella, you're probably at least flirting with sympathizer status, so take some time to consider why the simple concept of zero tolerance towards intolerance (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paradox_of_tolerance) feels so prickly to you, and either accept that you're on the wrong side of history / are the baddie or, preferably, do further soul searching and excise your demons. You can learn to be a decent human being someday, with effort, and a lot of painful introspection. But, until then, don't submit work that reflects your worldview to this jam. You'll probably just get removed and ignored. 

It goes without saying that the above restriction means no hateful content unless that content is directed at fascists, bigots, fascist sympathizers, and fascist collaborators. No racism, sexism, ableism, homophobia, transphobia, fatphobia, biphobia, etc. If you, for some ridiculous reason, feel that all of the above places constraints on your creativity or "expression," again, you're probably not the target demographic here. But if you still want to participate for some reason, consider that most jams have creative constraints baked in, and that this is kind of the point of game jams anyway, so just creatively figure out a way to demonstrate basic human decency.

If your game contains difficult content, or critical depictions (as opposed to endorsement or casual portrayal) of bigotry, feel free to submit, but please include content warnings in a prominent location, such that anyone playing the game can't possibly miss it.