Theme: A Mentor
A mentor can be a wise old wizard, a gruff spaceship captain, a sentient weapon, a ghostly memory, or even a helpful UI element. They guide, challenge, and shape the protagonist—and the player's experience. In this jam, we challenge you to explore the profound, complex, or even comical relationship between a mentor and their pupil.
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Jam Rules & Guidelines
By participating in this jam, you agree to the following rules.
1. The Golden Rule: Adhere to the Theme
Your game must centrally feature the theme "A Mentor." This relationship should be a core mechanic, narrative element, or thematic foundation of your game. We encourage creative interpretations!
2. Respect & Inclusion
* All games must adhere to the Community Guidelines.
* No hate speech, discrimination, harassment, or excessive gratuitous content.
* Be respectful to all participants in the comments and on community platforms.
* No NSFW content.
3. Original Work & Assets
* Your game must be created during the jam period. You cannot submit a pre-made game.
* You may use assets you have the legal right to use, such as:
* Public domain assets.
* Creative Commons licensed assets (please provide attribution!).
* Assets you created before the jam (e.g., your own personal music pack or code library).
* You may not use assets from a commercial product or another creator without explicit permission.
4. Team Size
* You can work solo or in a team of any size. Please list all team members on your itch.io project page.
5. Tools & Engines
* You can use any game engine, framework, or toolset you like (e.g., Unity, Godot, GameMaker, Pico-8, Ren'Py, Twine, Scratch).
6. Submission Requirements
By the submission deadline, your project page must include:
* A playable build for at least one platform (Web (Required), Windows, Mac, Android, Linux).
* A brief description of your game and how it interprets the theme.
* Clear content warnings if your game contains flashing lights, mature themes, etc.
* Proper credit and attribution for any non-original assets.
7. Voting & Judging
* Participants are expected to play and rate other games. The more you rate, the fairer the results!
* Be constructive and kind in your feedback.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: What exactly counts as a "Mentor"?
A: A mentor is a character, entity, or system that provides guidance, knowledge, or growth to the player character or the player themselves. Think beyond the classic "wise old man." Some examples:
* A Narrative Guide: A ghost who gives you advice, a talking sword that teaches you its history.
* A Mechanical Guide: A UI companion that teaches you game mechanics, a debug tool that helps you "see the code" of the world.
* An Antagonistic Mentor: A villain who teaches the hero through conflict and challenge.
* An Abstract Mentor: The spirit of a lost civilization, a memory of a parent, a book of spells.
* A Subverted Mentor: A mentor who is incompetent, lying, or has a hidden agenda.
Q2: Can the player BE the mentor?
A: Absolutely! This is a fantastic and encouraged interpretation. You could create a game about training a young apprentice, managing a classroom, or programming a naive AI. The core of the theme is the relationship, not just the role.
Q3: I have a game idea I've been wanting to make. Can I use this jam for it?
A: You can only use pre-existing ideas or core assets (like a personal engine). The bulk of the game's design, code, and implementation must be done during the jam period. Don't just reskin an old project.
Q4: Can I work on my submission before the jam officially starts?
A: You can do pre-production work like brainstorming ideas, setting up software, and gathering generic asset packs. However, you cannot start coding, designing levels, or creating specific assets for your jam game until the start date.
Q5: What if I can't finish my game?
A: That's okay! Jams are about the process, learning, and community. We encourage you to submit whatever you have, even if it's a buggy prototype. A "Failed" project is better than an unfinished one you never share. Label it clearly as a "Work in Progress" (WIP).
Q6: My team needs another member! / I want to join a team!
A: Use the Community tab on the jam's itch.io page! Post in the "Teammate Finder" thread to find collaborators.
Q7: Where can I talk about the jam and get help?
A: Join the discussion on the jam's Community page. Share your progress, ask for help, and cheer on others!
Q8: Can I update my game after the submission deadline?
A: You can release post-jam patches to fix critical bugs, but the version that is judged/voted on will be the one submitted at the deadline. Please do not add major new content after the jam ends for the sake of fair judging.
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Good luck, have fun, and may your code be clean and your inspiration plentiful! We can't wait to see what you create.