⚙️ IT RISES ⚙️

Something stirs from within the depths. A cold, mechanical whirr precedes the grinding of gears into motion. Pistons pump, vents hiss, springs creak. Like clockwork the sounds of this contraption create a rhythm that reverberates to the surface. But the purpose to which this machine stirs to motion is uncertain. Does it work to keep the world in motion, or unleash something terrible? Only time will tell...

The OPTIONAL theme for this horror jam is MACHINE - your game could have strange contraptions, be set in industrial dregs, but it's up to you! There is a SPECIAL CATEGORY to recognise games that feature an original machine that serves a story purpose or is used for a game-play mechanic.

⚙️ ABOUT ⚙️

SCREAM ZONE Jams are horror-themed game jams made to encourage devs to get their spook on! From straight-up scares to interactive fiction and role-playing games, scream jams encourage all creators to try making something spooky every few months, often based upon an optional theme or season.

⚙️ THE DATES ⚙️

SCREAM MACHINE runs from 10AM AEST April 10 to 10AM AEST April 20, with the voting ending at 10:00AM AEST April 27!

⚙️ THE SCREAM SCENE ⚙️

You can join the SCREAM ZONE Discord for announcements and conversation by clicking this link. We have a great community and welcome newcomers!

You can also join us on Twitter @SCREAMCATALOGUE and @caveware, or start a conversation on the discussion board!

⚙️ RULES ⚙️

About submissions

• Submissions for the jam should be original and based mostly on something you've made in the jam period, preferably for the jam itself.  However, using part of existing assets/projects to make setting up easier is fine! Pre-made/bought assets are cool if you have permission to use em too!
• Scary and disturbing content is welcomed, but anything that could be particularly sensitive to players should be flagged in a submission description! To make sure the jam is a positive and inclusive experience for everybody, we reserve the right to request modification or removal of really nasty stuff :) 

About voting

• There is a best game category,  and a private hosts' choice category for those games that were the highest quality overall! Also, there's a scariest game category, for the game best fitting the horror genre.
• Voting is open, but we reserve the right to take any submissions down that are clearly vote brigaded.

⚙️ FAQ ⚙️

Q. Does my game have to be a certain format?

A. Nope! We welcome games from any platform, using any engine, for any OS.  So you could write a story using Twine, or submit rules for a traditional game if you're feeling up for it!

Q. Does my game have to be a certain type/theme?

A. The jam has a loose focus on horror-themed submissions. How you interpret that is up to you, and we don't really police it! In the spirit of the jam, we do ask you make some effort to keep it in tune with the horror genre. As for the theme, it's completely optional!

Q. Can I work on multiple games?

A. As long as each game was started during the jam period, that's absolutely fine! Just don't over-work yourself!

Q. Does my game have to be finished/polished? Can I work on the submission afterwards?

A. No stress! Submit whatever you've got. Of course, you're more than welcome to keep working on the game after the jam has ended, however the jam will be closed to new uploads until the voting period is over. If this is an issue as a major bug is found in your game, we can turn off the closure for a sec, so no worries!