That sounds really familiar! I'm a solo dev too, juggling full-time work and twin girls at home—so time is always tight. This is actually the first jam where I’ve teamed up with someone for music/sound, and that’s definitely taken a bit of the pressure off. I’m not much of an artist either, but I made all the art myself, vector-based. It’s been a great learning experience and honestly, my favorite jam so far. I can really see how much I’ve improved since last year.
Totally get that weird mix of stress and excitement at the beginning. Once the idea starts clicking though, it’s so motivating seeing it all come together. Writing things down has helped me stay on track too, even if it's just in my own little corner of Discord.
Glad to hear your project is coming together! Hope the final stretch goes smoothly—can’t wait to see everyone’s games. And I can’t wait for you all to try mine!