Welcome to the very first TOUCAN DO IT! jam! Each month we'll run a jam for at least two weeks at the end of the month with the goal of giving you (and us, tbh) a goal and focus for creating!

It's also terrific timing as June 15th is my (Beth's) birthday, and the jam starts the next day!!! 🥳 Plus it's Pride Month!!!! 🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈

Also, a huge shoutout to Rochelle: a good friend, great supporter, and long-time patron of ours! She came up with the title "Quirky Bird Word" for our monthly news posts, and now also the title ("Toucan Do It!"). Plus she's an awesome game designer, too, check out her games!

It'd also be amazing (but 100% optional) if you go through other peoples' entries and give specific compliments (like "I love the layout you used on this TTRPG, it was so easy to read and colorful!" or "OMG I tried the recipe you uploaded and it was delicious, the pan-fried peppers went so well with everything else!") on what others create. This is a great way to meet new people, feel good about yourself, and get new ideas for future creations! You absolutely don't have to comment on anything we make of course, I'm not asking you to give us compliments lol, just each other. You totally can though 🤣 

This month's focus: Hatch That Idea!

Inspired by another good friend, great supporter, awesome game designer, and long-time patron Xoe, (and titled by, believe it or not, Rochelle!) this month's (optional) focus is Hatch That Idea!

From June 16th to June 30th, we'd love it if you create (or even start working on) an idea you've had for a long time but haven't started working on yet (aside from maybe some quick notes). I wouldn't be surprised if everyone has one of these: an idea that's so amazing and perfect that we need to hone our craft before we even attempt it, or it'll never live up to how we see it.

But here's the thing: it's so much more amazing to have something made, even if it turns out meh, than to have it live as an idea forever. You'll learn and grow from the process, and even if it's terrible you can come back to it later and try again! Seriously, everything I create is absolutely awful at first 🤣 Some things end up awful in the end, too, and that's okay! Those things just don't get released; experimenting is super important and sometimes when something doesn't work, it's not your fault, it's the thing itself.

Note: the focus of the month isn't required, but it's highly encouraged :D

What kinds of things can be entered?

ANYTHING! We personally make tabletop games (and digital implementations of them in things like Screentop.gg), especially TTRPGs and lyrical games, but you can create video games, artwork, food, music, photography, stories, poetry, movies, animations, clothing, crafts, metalwork, literally anything! As long as you can make an Itch page for it, you can enter :D

Join our community (100% optional)

We would be delighted if you'd come hang out with us! We'll be talking about what we're making and sharing progress during each jam, and you can too! 👀

You can join our discord server by clicking here. Quirky Bird Games is a sister company to Weird Giraffe Games (hence the Weird Giraffe Games discord server), and you can find the official jam chat channel down under "QUIRKY BIRD GAMES", the #toucan-do-it-jams channel! Feel free to chat everywhere on the server, though, of course :D

You can also become a patron of our Patreon (or even "Follow" for free!)! This way you can get an email whenever we put out a post, including when the next jam is created and set up. Depending on the tier, patrons get the games we create (as well as most everything created by Beth and Angel Make Games), in-depth looks at our design work, and even access to a private chat where we talk about things like this jam and share & get ideas, but that's all TOTALLY unnecessary for the jam.

FAQ

Can I charge money for what I create?

Heck yeah you can, and you should! It's jam etiquette to add community copies or make what you create available for free while a jam you enter is running and, like, a week or so after, but you don't have to :D But doing so allows others who enter the jam to check out all of the entries and give feedback.

I HIGHLY recommend that if you make what you create free, please set it to "$0 or donate" instead of "no payments" if you can. This just means that when someone hits the download button, they'll be shown a screen where they can pay for what you've created. If people don't want to pay, they can just hit "no thanks"! But you'll be amazed if/when someone pays anyway, it's the greatest feeling 🧡

Speaking of feedback, what kind should I give?

Unless a creator says otherwise, give encouraging, friendly feedback. This is a two-week jam, after all, and hopefully will involve people who have never made anything or are still new to creating. Even if someone is a pro, jams are often the perfect time to experiment and try something totally different. So don't point out flaws or things that could be better, just celebrate the creation! Be specific about things you enjoy about it, if you can, as "I really loved the way you wrote this part" is so much better and more genuine than "I liked it."

Can I submit something if I submitted it into another jam?

Heck yeah! As long as it's something you (mostly) worked on during the jam period, go for it! Just please don't enter something you finished before the jam even began 🥺 

How do I win the jam?

You win by creating something, or even working toward creating something 🥳 This is an unrated game jam and there are no prizes aside from your own pride, experiences, and maybe any new people you meet :D

Is NSFW stuff allowed?

As long as you flag it as such, go for it! We want this to be a safe place for those who don't want to see NSFW content, but NSFW creations are just as valid as anything else :D

What's NOT allowed?

• Anything hateful toward any group of people, especially anything racist, sexist, homophobic, transphobic, etc. With that said, things that give a point of view from someone who has experienced those things is absolutely welcome! 
• Anything created before the jam period begins.

Note: there might be more, but like... We're really chill and welcoming, so unless you make something really atrocious I'm sure it'll be fine, and you can reach out to me to ask if you're unsure :D You can reach me at:

• Email: CataclysmicKnight[at]gmail.com
• Discord: Beth (She/Her)#8439

How can I find out about future jams?

Check us out on Discord or join our Patreon! You can find out more in the "Join our community (100% optional)" section just above the FAQ.