Welcome to OMGJam5, hosted by gamedev podcast Game Dev's Quest!

Mission: 

Create a game that can be played with a single mechanic I.E. moving a character, aiming a canon, or jumping (like an infinite runner). For examples, check out the games that were made for our last game jam, OMG Jam 4! 

Themes:

1. Trick or Treat

2. Evolution 

3. Rock and Roll

FAQ

• Is this jam ranked? No, but future jams might be.
• When will Themes be announced? Themes will be announced Thursday, November 1st, the day before the jam starts.
• Do I have to use a theme? No. You can use one theme, combine themes (if applicable), or use none at all.
• Is using more than one mechanic allowed? Yes, but the idea is to keep your game simple so that you will finish the jam, regardless of your skill level. 
• Do I need to use a particular game engine? No. Use whatever engine you like, but if you aren't using one of the popular ones (Unity, Unreal, Game Maker, etc), make sure itch is able to support it.
• Can I team up? Yes, but it isn't required.
• Can I submit more than one entry? Yes, but we advise sticking to one really polished entry.
• How often does Game Dev's Quest host the OMGJam? We are hoping to host about once per quarter, or roughly 4 per year.
• I've never made a game before, should I join the game jam? Yes! This game jam is designed to help facilitate a good entry point for beginner game developers. You don't have to finish a game to participate in a game jam. Just try your best and enjoy the process!
• Where can I get help if I need it? Join our discord or use the jam community! Also, be sure to share your stream information when you are streaming your game development on twitch. Streaming is a great way to get help and help others. 
• Will GDQ be streaming all of the entries on Twitch? Depending on the number of entries, yes. Because it is hard to coordinate this, we may stream all/some games on our Twitch channel, or Taylor will stream them on his.
• Will GDQ discuss my game on the podcast? We will talk about our experience participating in OMGJam5 and will likely touch on some (but not all) of the games.
• How can I make sure my streams are seen when streaming the OMGJam? Use #OMGJam in the title of your stream.

Tips

• Plan ahead of time. Make sure to have all of your personal affairs in order so you can devote as much time as possible to jam! Talk to your family (parents, significant other, etc) to ensure you both are on the same page about you sacrificing the better part of a weekend to the gamedev gods.
• Prepare before the jam weekend. Spend some time learning your tools before the jam starts so you aren't spending a lot of time beating your head against the wall in frustration. Game jamming is a learning experience, but having a decent grasp of your tools before the jam will make the experience much better. If you need help finding resources, check out our list of tools and tutorials, or join our discord.
• Keep it simple. The whole purpose of the OMGJam is to make a simple game that you can finish in a weekend. Focus on the core mechanic of your game and don't get caught up in perfection or unnecessary features.
• Take breaks, get rest, and be healthy: Your body needs enough energy from sleep and sustenance to function at a high level. When you are feeling tired, take a break, stop looking at screens, and move! Sometimes the best way to make progress is to stop working hard and let your mind and body decompress.
• Don't beat yourself up if you don't finish. Try your best to finish! But if you don't, that's ok. Making games is hard, and if you don't finish in the allotted time, it doesn't mean you can't finish your game on your own time. Be proud that you put the effort into a creative outlet and did something!
• Test your game after you upload it. After you finish the game and upload it, make sure to test that the game works from the files you submit. A common mistake we see is that Unity developers only include just the .exe file, which won't work. If you are having trouble, do a quick google search, or ask for help in the discord or community.
• Have fun! Making games should be fun, so don't take this too seriously and just have a good time!

Rules

• Work within the time frame. The Jam is open for more than 48 hours to help people in many different times zones be able to do a two day jam. If you need a little extra time, just reach out to one of us (best way is on the discord server), and we will do our best to get your entry posted, even a little bit after the deadline.
• Do not make a game that uses any form of hate speech, we will remove it from the jam if it does. We want this to be a fun and inclusive experience for everyone who is a part of it. Please don't make us have to exclude your game from the jam by breaking this easy-to-follow rule.
• Don't use this jam as a way to sell your products to our participants. In the past, we have seen "participants" try to sell their games and assets to people participating in the jam. Please don't do this, it just gives us more work. If we see any form of monetary solicitation, we will delete it.
• Be respectful. Please treat everyone with respect and realize that this may be a person's first game they have ever created. Be proud of each other for making the effort to participate in a game jam, let alone finish a game! Use positive, constructive criticisms when helping others and reviewing their work.
• Have fun! Thanks everyone for participating. We hope this will be a challenging, rewarding, and extremely fun experience for you all! Best of luck!