This jam is now over. It ran from 2020-08-29 04:00:00 to 2020-10-02 03:59:59. View 42 entries

Looking for this year's Spooktober?  Click here!

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Use #SpooktoberVN on Twitter to be retweeted by our mascot!

The results are in for the Spooktober VN Jam!

Best Logline:
3rd: Play Dead!  "A short story about a band, their junky, broken down van, an abandoned house, and a surprisingly lively dead dog."
2nd: Devil's Door "Think collecting candy in your neighborhood is tough? Try a night of trick-or-treating down Satan's lane!"
1st: Up All Night "Unearth secrets. Solve a murder. Confront the darkness. Whatever transpires, you’re guaranteed to be up all night."

Fun fact: Up all Night was the only game to receive a perfect score in any category.

Best Thumbnail:
3rd: Oh, Terry!
2nd: Bewitched Hearts
1st: Therapy with Dr. Albert Krueger

Best Monster or Costume:
3rd: Last Meal at Cafe Mori
2nd: Were|House
1st: What Grows In the Night

Best Unity Submission, a free copy of NaniNovel for Unity:
Soft Drizzle: B-Track

Best Human Performance, $100: Nick Chang as Edward from Piece by Piece
Best Monster Performance, $100: MAHO Cody as Jack from Last Meal from Cafe Mori
Best Live Streamed Performance: TundraFlame for his Oh, Terry stream. https://www.twitch.tv/tundraflame

3rd Place, $150: Night of the Lesbian Vampire
2nd Place, $350: Last Meal at Cafe Mori
1st Place, $500: Therapy with Dr. Albert Krueger

Hi there!   We are running a Game Jam/Competition themed around the best holiday in the year.  

Halloween!

This year, we're doing things a bit differently.  Spooktober will be handled in two phases. We're starting the game jam, the first phase in September Participants will have the entire month of September to create their submissions.  Then, through the month of October, we'll invite itch users, streamers and the visual novel community to join in!

Spooktober 2020 Logo by MysteryCorgi

Allowed Themes

In this Game Jam, you are tasked for completing a spooky or Halloween themed visual novel.  This could mean...

  • A Horror Genre Visual Novel
  • A Visual Novel that takes place on the holiday
  • Individualized themes related to Halloween.  Examples: Monsters, Ghosts, Costumes, or Candy.
  • Creepypasta version of an existing work you created.

Offshoots, spin offs, and 'fan-disc' style submissions are allowed and encouraged!

Awards and Judging Criteria

We will be offering awards for the following categories!  Current cash prize pool is $1,300 USD

  • Judge Favorite: Receive the most votes from the judges!   1st Place: $500, 2nd: $350, 3rd: $150.
  • Itch.IO Favorite:  Receive the most votes from the public!
  • Best Logline:  Judged to have the best log line (1-3 sentences with what your visual novel is about.)
  • Best Thumbnail: Judged to have the best thumbnail in your submission!
  • Best Monster/Costume.
  • Best Unity Engine Submission.  Eligible for a free copy of Naninovel!
  • Best LIVE* Performance (Recorded Streams within judging period): $100
  • Best Human Voice Performance (In-Submission or Live): $100
  • Best Monster Voice Performance (In-Submission or Live): $100

 Jam ends September 30th and judging ends October 31st!  

Extensions may be requested, but it disqualifies you from prizes!

* LIVE performances must be recorded and submitted during the judging period.  Streams must feature Spooktober 2020 Jam submissions! Only ONE recording may be submitted, maximum time of of 2 hours and 30 minutes.  See the FAQ below for details.

Best voice performances may be done as part of the Jam's submission, OR as part of a LIVE performance.

Rules

  1. Tag your submissions appropriately!  If there is violence, substance abuse,  mature themes or other such things, please list the types of content within it.  Not respecting this rule will count against your submission in judging!
  2. We respectfully request that all submissions be made without explicit sexual content.  We won't complain if you change it after the jam.
  3. New assets may be worked on prior to the Jam's start time to a 'concept' state.  Concept art, outlines, visual or audio motifs and such may be established prior to the jam.  External resources are exempt from this rule as long as they are also available for usage/purchase by other participants.  
  4. Your jam submissions must be made freely available during the judging period (October 1st - 30th.) 

FAQ

How can streamers and voice actors participate via the LIVE performance categories?

For all live performances, all you need to do is stream and RECORD your live show, and submit it to us in the community section here.  If you are entering as a voice actor as part of someone else's stream, please have them submit the recording and comment as well, or reach out to us on the Discord on the above link.

We're also offering dedicated time slots for cross streaming in our Discord and Twitch.  If you're interested in streaming inside our community, check this spread sheet and please comment on a cell in this google spread sheet with your show name and contact information.  As the jam progresses, more weeks in October will open up, so check back in if you don't see the days you're looking for!

Can I submit my (Other Game Jam) Jam submission too?

As long as it fits the above criteria and was created within the same time span as this jam, then yes! 

Are you looking for judges?

We are no longer seeking judges for the Jam!  Thank you for your requests and inquiries!

Are you looking for sponsors?

Yes!  If you are interested in sponsoring DevTalk+ or SpooktoberVN jam, please reach out to us in our Discord!

Who owns my game jam submission?

We claim no ownership of any jam game submitted.  We do expect that people be allowed to stream, and consume the content during the month of October freely.

Where can I ask for feedback on x, y, z?

If you have any concerns about your jam submission, whether it be a rule based on or you'd just like some feedback on improving it before submitting, check out our Discord server.

Our Sponsors

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Moonlit Works

NaniNovel

Starlight Shores by Tidal Blossoms


Submissions(42)

All submissions
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Browser playable (2)
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Windows (38)
macOS (33)
Linux (27)
Android (3)

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Interactive Fiction
What’s a girl to do when she gets two visitors at midnight who both want her- and some blood?
Visual Novel
A horror-themed visual novel about traversing a hospital in the dark, the creature that lurks within, and a radio.
Visual Novel
What if the monsters in the haunted house weren’t just wearing a costume...?
Visual Novel
Unearth secrets. Solve a murder. Confront the darkness. Whatever transpires, you’re guaranteed to be up all night.
Visual Novel
Goblin mages dungeoncrawl to redemption.
Visual Novel
After accidentally hexing your childhood friend on Halloween, embark on a journey with your cute Editor to save her.
Visual Novel
here fishy fishy f̵̥͘͠i̷̱͉͋͑s̵͙̈͘h̵͖̅y̶̜͘
Visual Novel
A taxi driver, a girl and memories.
Visual Novel
Show me how you bloom, in your darkest moment.
Visual Novel
A story about a band, their junky, broken down van, an abandoned house, and a surprisingly lively dead dog.
Visual Novel
A tiny visual novel about friendship and Halloween festivals. With an escape room!
Visual Novel
When danger awaits you only one digit away.
Visual Novel
"Piece by piece, we'll find it again..."
Visual Novel
Will you be swept off your feet, or will you end up getting ghosted?
Visual Novel
A visual novel about death, deserts, and introspection.
Visual Novel
Spooks and scares await two guys when they stop at a motel for the night
Visual Novel
Wager your soul for love and riches
Visual Novel
With a monster at its heels, a soul floats through a strange Halloween themed galaxy, encountering three short tales.
Visual Novel
Foster friendships, reveal a generational curse or even meet the devil himself!
Visual Novel
Halloween dances, demonic summoning, and you still can't find a date!
Visual Novel
The story of a perky princess and a reclusive witch, plus a sassy owl.
Visual Novel
Don't Stop Reading! What if sometimes the mail we dismiss as Junk was telling the truth?
Visual Novel
A visual novel about a monster lover
Visual Novel
Play in browser
don't leave the farm
Visual Novel
Play in browser
Will you open it?
Visual Novel
Ann spends another day hiding in her old apartment, as two disembodied voices PUN-ish her, and everyone she loves.
Visual Novel
Never sleep in class, or else.
Visual Novel
Visual Novel
A Game of Morals and guilt! How would you deal with your sociopath boyfriend!
Visual Novel
What is more valuable, Friendship or Life?
Visual Novel
A glimpse is all you will ever get. Those worlds are not for you. Not for a Wandering Vampire.
Visual Novel
A visual novel where you try to discover truths and escape a reality presented to you
Visual Novel
Think good candy is hard to come by in your neighborhood? Try trick-or-treating down Satan's!
Visual Novel
In this Cinderella-meets-Frankenstein story, a puppet tries to build herself a body to win the heart of her Beloved.
Visual Novel
Amidst the endless night, we yearn for daybreak. Say, what do you yearn for the most?
Visual Novel
Girl meets Death.
Visual Novel
A psychological horror visual novel about delusion and the effect of guilt.
Visual Novel
Life is lonely in the abyss
Interactive Fiction
Multiply or Die!
Visual Novel