On the 25th of May Ireland is holding a referendum on whether we should keep the 8th Amendment in our constitution.

#RepealJam are organizing concurrent game jams on the 8th of April to help those affected by the 8th Amendment tell their stories and share their thoughts. Stories of maternity, unwanted pregnancy & how a lack of access to safe and legal abortion in Ireland affects all of us.

Video games are a great medium for this as anyone can make them at next to no cost, they can be shared all around the world easily, and they give the audience the chance to have a conversation with the creator. 

There are two physical locations, in Dublin & Galway, where you can meet up with others on the day and make games together, and learn how to make games if this is your first time. You are also welcome to create something at home or around the world and submit it here for others to see. And you are welcome to submit art, stories, comics, music or anything else created in relation to issues around the 8th Amendment as well.

The Eighth Amendment equates the right to life of a pregnant person with that of an embryo or foetus. This is an archaic and dangerous law. While many people have personal objections to abortion, the Pro-Choice campaign believes no one has a right to make this important and personal decision for others. There are many reasons people seek abortion, often due to medical dangers and complications. Bodily autonomy is a human right.

Donations to Together for Yes!

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Some genres of game you may be interested in creating: 

A Twine Game
If you want to make a game focused on the writing, Twine lets you create html games where you progress by clicking highlighted words or links. This is suitable for a something with a lot of choices, such as an interactive conversation, or if you want to make a game where the player has no choices at all.  

Example 1: So You've Been Called Out
Example 2: Depression Quest
How to make one!

A Bitsy Game
This is a new game making tool for lofi pixelated games. This is good choice if you don't feel comfortable creating art but you still want to make a video game in which a character moves around and talks.

Example 1: The Milk and Mitten
Example 2: Rainy Day
How to make one!

Board Game or Pen & Paper RPG
If you don't want to use computers at all, you can make a board game with physical materials! Or even a pen & paper roleplaying game, where a group of players act out and improvise their choices in scenarios you create for them.

Example 1: Monster Hearts 2
Example 2: Consentacle
How to make a Pen & Paper RPG!
How to make a Board Game!

A Flatgame
You could also create a game using your own drawings and handwriting. Flatgames are often made in Unity a game making tool that allows your game to publisher on the web but also on phones and other devices. There is a template so you can just import your own art and sounds and the game is playable immediately!

Example 1: The Craigallian Fire
Example 2: How to Sea
How to make a flatgame for absolute beginners!

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Feel free to email me at llaura.mcg@gmail.com if you have any further questions or the #RepealJam organizers at https://repealjam.github.io

This is a moderated jam. Any offensive or inflammatory material will just be deleted immediately.