The TWU Game Development program works with the Unity Game Engine. Unity has many options for low code games. We are here to assist you and make Unity as easy as possible to use for you.

However, if you want to use a different engine, you can use one of the following:

• Twine, https://twinery.org/: "You don’t need to write any code to create a simple story with Twine, but you can extend your stories with variables, conditional logic, images, CSS, and JavaScript when you're ready" (free)
• Bitsy, https://ledoux.itch.io/bitsy: "Bitsy is a little editor for little games or worlds. The goal is to make it easy to make games where you can walk around and talk to people and be somewhere" (free)

The Theme is Start Small

You can follow the theme as literally or as metaphorically as you wish, but there must be something related to the theme in your game.

The sky is generally the limit when it comes to your game! However, be wary of making a game that is too complex. You realistically have a day and a half at most to complete your games. Think of small games with basic but fun mechanics.

That being said, here are some things you can’t put in your games:

• The general rule for the Game Jam is that we are making PG-13 games. We are not making G rated kids’ games, but it is not a hardcore or gritty game experience either. You can not use graphic violence, gore, profanity, or anything else not school appropriate.
• Do not make a 3D game. Focus on making high quality 2D games.
• No gameplay involving cars. The physics are tiring.
• No multiplayer mechanics.

You have from when groups are formed on Friday night to Sunday at 5:00 pm, just before the closing event begins.

This gives you just over a day and a half to work on your game

Leave extra time to submit your game! It may take longer than you think.

You can get help in person at the Strombeck lab or online on Discord

The lab will open on Saturday from 10:00am to 5:00pm and Sunday from 1:00pm to 5:00pm. (the submission deadline!) You can work there however long or short you wish, but TWU students will be offering specific help at certain times depending on their specialty. The schedule of these helpers will be posted here when have them arranged.

Games will be judged by our wonderful Game Development faculty members.

There are 3 categories judges will be looking for:

• Fun
• Functionality
• Creativity

You can submit your game right here on the itch.io page! Click the join jam button above and follow the prompts to upload your game.

If you need help submitting your game on Sunday, there will be a general help session for submitting games at 3:00 on Sunday in the Strombeck lab.

Games need to be uploaded to itch.io first before they can be submitted to the game jam. Games can be submitted as either public or private projects.

If you are submitting a private project, please add a password option and provide it with the submission so that we can access it.

Your game must be uploaded as a free game otherwise we will not be able to play it.

Generally no.

The idea of a game jam is to use assets that you created to showcase and improve your talents. It is preferred if you make all your own assets or get one of our volunteers to help you.

It is okay to use resources that you have the rights to.

It is not okay to use copyrighted materials you don’t have the rights to. This includes music, sound effects, and art.

Keep track of which assets you use so can credit them in the description of your game.

Here are some free resources that can be used in your projects:

Music and SFX:

• Freesound.org
• filmmusic.io

Photos and Art:

• Pixabay
• Pexels

Game Assets:

The Unity asset store is a treasure trove of free and easy to use assets. Any assets available for free on the unity asset store can be used. You are encouraged to replace, adapt, and iterate upon these assets.

Free Assets by Unity

• 2D Game Kit
• Unity Playground
• Public domain itch.io assets

If you want to use Unity, the following are great tutorial resources:

• Unity Learn (official Unity tutorials)

• Brackey's How to Make A Video Game (slightly older, but great information and in easily digestible chunks)
  

• Game Maker's Toolkit Unity for Complete Beginners  (Can be complex, but very compact crash course on game making)
  

Learning an engine like Twine is more about understanding what you can do with the engine than learning its functions.

Take a look at the Twine Cookbook (the official guides and documentation) to understand the basics and investigate which Story Format would work the best for you (our volunteers probably know the most about the Harlowe format). 

The next best thing to do is to take a look at some free Twine games on itch.io and explore the different possibilities that Twine brings.