Make a Game featuring a Character Creator!

The Creative Theme is UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES.

Join us in our Opening Stream on June 3rd and Closing Showcase Stream at twitch.tv/PIGSquad!

This jam will be fully remote.

A word on Character Creators:

• Make a game that uses a character creator, a game about character creators, or a game that IS a character creator! It's time to experiment with player input on their avatar, whether that be cosmetic, gameplay-oriented, story-focused, or whatever you can think of!
• Coven Ant, Cryptid Low-cation, Hot as Hell Paper Doll, Haste!, and Red Tag Rendezvous are good examples of PIGSquad game jam games that have character creators. 

Jam Schedule:

We will be hosting streams and other online activities to support jammers in meeting and sharing. This list will update over time. All times listed in Pacific time zone.

• May 12th, 7pm-8:30pm: Speed Meet & Team Forming in Skittish
• May 17th, 7pm-9:30pm: Talent Talks - Watch gamedev presentations on jamming and join in Twitch chat to hang out with the community
  
• May 22nd, 2pm-4pm: Game Jam Inspiration Stream - A livestream of jam games made by the PIGSquad community
• May 31st, 7pm-10pm: Art/Code Night - Cowork & Team Form in Discord with other Jammers & Community Members
• June 3rd, 7pm-10pm: Kickoff Stream - Theme Reveal, Team Forming
• June 8th, 7pm-10pm: Art/Code Night - Cowork & Team Form in Discord with other Jammers & Community Members
  
• June 20th - Submissions Due
• 23rd, 7pm-11pm: Jam Showcase - We're playing everyone's submissions on Twitch!
  

Rules & More Details:

• These jams, the opening event, and the showcase will be fully remote. Non-Portlanders are welcome to participate.
• Follow PIGSquad on social media channels for consistent updates on events, workshops, and other opportunities.
• If you'd like to participate in choosing the creative themes for each jam, voting is exclusive to our Patreon members - learn more here!
• All participants, in person or remote, must follow PIGSquad's Code of Conduct.
• We encourage you to jam with new people or on a team, but it is not required. We will be providing resources for team forming at the jam kickoff and throughout the jam timeline. Please reach out to an organizer early if you need help finding teammates.
• You may use pre-existing tools to make games, but please start your jam at the official jam start date after the Creative Theme is revealed.
• Please don't crunch! We host game jams over extended periods of time and like having open conversations with jammers about scoping projects to encourage a healthy outlook on creative production schedules. If you need help scoping, please reach out!
• Jammers retain full ownership of the games they make during Summer Slow Jams.
• Late submissions or submission updates can be accepted - just get in touch with an organizer. Please note that games must be updated on your itch page multiple days before the showcase if you'd like the updated version of your game to be played at the jam showcase.
• Extra special thanks to Ragon Dickard for creating Summer Slow Jams art! You can follow her on her website.

Summer Slow Jams:

Each summer, game makers get together to make a game project with friends and community members in a few weeks! Summer Slow Jams is a collection of game jam events happening once a month this summer, providing structure and networking opportunities for creatives in Portland and remote participants. Participate in a jam to finish a creative project, learn new things, meet new people, and share your work!

Creative themes are delivered during each kick off event then shared online, and developers are able to showcase their game jam projects at each closing event in Portland, OR (online this year). In between the dates of the kick off and closing showcase, you are encouraged to meet up with others using online channels to complete a game over whatever in-jam time period you see fit: take it slow if you need!

For more information about how to participate in Summer Slow Jams, visit pigsquad.com/summerslowjams! Summer Slow Jams this year include Character Creator Games in June, Stealth Games in July, and Boss Fight Games in August.

Tweet with the hashtag #summerslowjams and PIGSquad will retweet screenshots, video uploads, and blog posts of jam games while you're working on your games!

The Portland Indie Game Squad is a 501(c)3 organization dedicated to supporting the health and continued expansion of game developer and enthusiast communities in Portland, the Pacific Northwest, and online. We provide events, resources, and networking activities for art and technology creatives. Learn more at PIGSquad.com.

To play more games made at Portland Indie Game Squad jams, visit our itch collections!