Art by:MV Essick

What is Ossan Jam Mini?:

Previously known as Oji Jam, this is a visual novel game jam dedicated to lovers of 2D old men and those who are just getting into the amazing world of 2D old men.  Ossan Jam Mini is a smaller version of Ossan Jam, dedicated to shorter games. 

This will have more rules than Ossan Jam. The goal is to create a complete game within the time frame.

Find a team or share your ideas in the discord!

Time Period: 

September 1st am EST - September 22nd 11:59 pm EST

Rules:

• Outlining and planning is allowed before the jam, however, all work must be completed during the time frame
• The game must be 5k words or under.
• Only 3 character sprites are allowed. (Different poses do not count as extra sprites. Different outfits do.)
• Only 3 BGs/scenes are allowed. 
• Only 3 CGs are allowed.
• All assets must be created during the jam time frame.
• Adult content is allowed, however it MUST be tagged properly with no NSFW showing in the thumbnails.  
• Use of free to use, Public Domain, and Creative Commons License resources are allowed.

What is not allowed?

• Demos, placeholder games, partial works, etc. Prologues are okay.
• No hateful, derogatory, or bigoted content.
• Absolutely no AI assets, including writing and art. 
  • If you think someone is using AI, reach out to me privately through Discord DMs, Twitter, or Bluesky so I can investigate. DO NOT make public accusations. 
  • If someone does make a comment questioning the use of AI, please notify me. I will investigate accordingly and respond to the comment.
• Any form of harassment towards other game devs will result in a ban and you will no longer be allowed to participate in Ossan Jam or Ossan Jam Mini

FAQ:

How do I make a visual novel?

Don't know where to start? I have aVN outline template (Free+) and a Super In-Depth VN outline template ($1.50) available to help you get started! You are also free to ask questions in the discord server!

What constitutes an old man?

According to Syd (old man expert), 35-45 is middle aged, 45-60 is older, and 60+ is old. Don't fight her on this, she will cry. 

There are many examples of what the young kids today deem as old, but here are some examples of what should be included and what shouldn't. 

Good Examples:

Kikuhiko - Grumpy old man. Very good

Yagi Toshinori (both forms) - Nice old man, can be strong, himbo!!

Lewis - The slightly tsundere and tired 40 year old LI in The Villainess Just Wants to Eat!!

Bad Examples:

Zhongli - Old in age, not in appearance

Aizawa - He's in his early 30s….

Nanami - Hot, but not an old man, just very stressed

So what type of old man can I have?

Personality does not matter. Since this is an appreciation for older men, we encourage you to show that through appearance as well. 

What type of game can I make?

This is a visual novel game jam. You are allowed to have other elements (visual novel hybrids are okay), but it must be a visual novel at its core.

What genre can I make?

Any genre is welcome! It can be a dating sim, horror, comedy, or even just a slice-of-life! Creativity is welcome and encouraged!

Do you have any examples of games with old men in them?:

I sure do! Pub Encounter is a game filled with older and old men! The other games I recommend are Dream Daddy, TeachersLP, and Swiped!: Double Shots of Love! (from last year's jam). There's a decent amount of games showcasing old men, so just do some searching!

You listed Zhongli as a bad example. Are we not allowed to have men thousands of years old?

You most definitely can! However, Zhongli looks young in appearance. We want to appreciate old men, including their looks, so we'd like to avoid young looking old men. 

What about fan games?

Fan games are allowed!! Just be aware of copyright!

So how old do our ossans have to be?

Ideally, 45+

If you have any more questions, make sure to ask in the community section or join the discord! Social tag is #ossanjammini2025

Have fun!