Welcome to My First Game Jam: Summer 2019! For those of you just joining us, it's been a tradition to kick things off with a little getting-to-know-you questionnaire! For the first-time game developer, things can be pretty intimidating... which is why we want to show you you're not alone! This is not a required activity— it's just meant as a way to break into the community for returning jammers and newbies alike.

We'd love for you to share your influences, passions, and jam goals with the rest of us. Who knows — you might meet a potential team member, or even a new friend!

(These questions are entirely optional; they're just here to warm things up, so feel free to skip them as needed!)

Onto the questions!

1. Hi there! What's your name? Want to introduce yourself?

2. Did you participate in the last jam we held? If so, what do you plan on doing better this time? If not, what's your reason for joining?

3. What games are your favorites? Did any of them inspire you, or made you want to make your own?

4. Do you have experience with game development? What did you do/with what engine?

5. Tell us about something you're passionate about!

6. What are your goals for this game jam?

For returning jammers:

7. Any advice to new participants?

8. What can the admins do to improve your jam experience?

9. What are some of the past works you've made for the jam? Show off your favorites!

1. Hi there! What's your name? Want to introduce yourself?

Hi! My name is Emmi 24 year old from Finland.

2. Did you participate in the last jam we held? If so, what do you plan on doing better this time? If not, what's your reason for joining?

This is my first jam. I previously joined a tabletop-rpg jam but I realised that I didn't have enough time for it so this will be my first one and I am going to complete it.

3. What games are your favorites? Did any of them inspire you, or made you want to make your own?

I enjoy rpg's and platformers the most but over the years my gaming tastes have expanded to many genres.

4. Do you have experience with game development? What did you do/with what engine?

I have no experience yet.

5. Tell us about something you're passionate about!

I am passionate about a lot of things related to art. I love the feeling of a finished drawing or when you've took a photograph from an interesting perspective. Right now I am passionate about learning game development. I have applied to a school to study video game graphics and I get to know the results of my interview on July third. I figured since I have this next month completely free I might as well dive straight in to all things game dev

6. What are your goals for this game jam?

To make a finished game. Whatever that will be.

Hello I'm Raye. I'm 21 and I'm a game art student based in SoCal. I wasn't a part of the last game jam but I joined because I've been meaning to participate in one for a while (also I need something to do this summer). 

Okami kicked off my love for games and interest for making them, although Rpgmaker horror games will always hold a special place in my heart. 

For game dev experience I haven't done too much with team projects but I've made my own assets before. I'm comfortable with 3ds Max as well as Photoshop and Clip Studio Paint. 

In terms of goals for this game jam I'm looking forward to a new experience and learning something new. I'm interested in stylized games so I'd love to be on a team with a similar aesthetic regardless of game genre (VN, rpg, etc.).

1. Hi there! What's your name? Want to introduce yourself?'

Hey, my name is Liz (short for Elizabeth)! I'm recently graduated from high school and will be attending an art school in the fall. I've been interested in game development for a while but I haven't actually made efforts towards learning coding/engines until now. 

2. Did you participate in the last jam we held? If so, what do you plan on doing better this time? If not, what's your reason for joining?

I've never made a finished game before so I figure having a deadline and some sort of pressure will force me to actually sit down and do the work. I really want to learn about coding for games since I can't code at all, and this jam will force me to at least start instead of making excuses for myself.

3. What games are your favorites? Did any of them inspire you, or made you want to make your own?

I really love Stardew Valley! That game really inspires me, especially since the developer made it on his own over the course of four years and the finished product is incredible. Besides that I've recently been playing the Witcher 3 on PS4, and it's super awesome.

4. Do you have experience with game development? What did you do/with what engine?

I don't have any experience. I tried out Unity but couldn't really make anything, and I currently have a half finished short adventure space story in Twine. That's separate from the project I'm making for this jam, but I'm hoping to at least finish that.

5. Tell us about something you're passionate about!

I'm passionate about art! I've been into drawing and painting since middle school and I transferred into a visual arts program for high school. I'm even attending an art school for college, and although I'm hoping to become a game designer in the future I was originally going to try and become a computer animator.  I then changed my mind and thought to apply that passion for story into games instead.

6. What are your goals for this game jam?

I'm hoping to complete a game that's enjoyable, but even if it sucks I'll be happy if I complete it at all. I just want to learn about the whole game making process from beginning to end from brainstorming to actually uploading it, and I hope to learn more about Unity/Twine, coding, and game design.

1. Hi there! What's your name? Want to introduce yourself?

Hiya! I'm LudosGD (or just Ludos), and I'm a 20-years-old Italian engineering student!

2. Did you participate in the last jam we held? If so, what do you plan on doing better this time? If not, what's your reason for joining?

This is my first game jam (which is really appropriate,  if you think about it, since this is literally "My First Game Jam"), and I'm here to learn the whole game-development-process; also it should be fun, right? It seems to be the perfect jam to start!

3. What games are your favorites? Did any of them inspire you, or made you want to make your own?

What a really fun question! I could go on for ages about my favorite games. The game that made me fall in love with games is Pac-Man World (even though I played a lot more with Pac-Man World 2); Pokémon played a big role in my life too, with my favorite ever being HeartGold (my first one was Gold, after all); nowadays, I'm pretty much obsessed with Super Smash Bros and Magic: the Gathering (mostly in tabletop form). I play them with my friends and it's a lot of fun. I even made some Magic custom cards, and this really honed my game designing skills, helping me to seek fun in my designs. Last but not least, my favorite indie game is Doki Doki Literature Club; that game is absurdly good and well-thought.

4. Do you have experience with game development? What did you do/with what engine?

I made a prototype of a platformer with JavaScript/HTML but never finished it. Now I'm playing around with the Godot engine, and this game jam should help me learn and actually make something out of it! As for other experiences, I mostly designed prototypes of board/card games, but only as an amateur. I play those games with my friends and these experiences really taught me many lessons.

5. Tell us about something you're passionate about!

My "main" passion is game design. While actually making the thing is difficult and complicated some times, designing mechanics and creating worlds, even if only in my head, is a favorite of mine. Apart thinking about games and playing games, I love drawing stick figures with very big eyes. I'm not good at drawing but some years ago I started making doodles in my spare time and now I have developed a really simple style which is (hopefully) funny and cute. I started making them in digital and last month I started publishing some of them on Twitter. I still make them only in my spare time so I don't make many, and I have still a lot to learn, but I like them. I would love to start making some animatics/animations on youtube too but making videos is a really time-consuming activity.

6. What are your goals for this game jam?

First of all, I want to actually make something and a game jam is the perfect way to motivate myself. Maybe it will only be a platformer with one level, questionable graphics and no music, but it will be something. Second, I want to make game development workflow experience and try to publish something. Third, I want to partecipate in other game jams in the future, as this will probably be a lot of fun so, what game jam is better than "My First Game Jam" to start out? The only sad note is that I won't be able to focus 100% on this because of universitary exams; I'll still do my best though!

Good luck everyone, I can't wait to start and know all of you better! :D

1. Hi there! What's your name? Want to introduce yourself?

Hello, I'm Kaitlyn! I'm 20 years old and know nothing about coding. I'm very anxious right now.

2.  If not, what's your reason for joining?

I've wanted to learn how to make games, but I haven't been at all good at doing my edx lessons about it. I hope I learn best jumping in with both feet and figuring out things along the way, as it's certainly more fun.

3. What games are your favorites? Did any of them inspire you, or made you want to make your own?

I really liked Horizon Zero Dawn, Prey, Oxenfree and The Last of Us, and Pokemon is practically a part of me at this point. Stardew Valley is really inspired me, as it's an incredible game made by only one person.

eta: I've remembered what actually got me interested in game dev, as something I wanted to do, instead of something vague that made things I loved.

it was horse master, go play horse master - https://tommchenry.itch.io/horse-master

4. Do you have experience with game development? What did you do/with what engine?

No, not any. I used to mess around with Scratch as a kid.

5. Tell us about something you're passionate about!

I'm passionate about drawing, dogs, and nature. I've been reading a lot about dogs and learning theory recently and it's been really fun. I also love reading.

6. What are your goals for this game jam?

I'd like to learn how to make something at least, at best I'd like to finish a very basic game.

1. Hi there! What's your name? Want to introduce yourself?

Hey, I'm Olly. I'm 27 and I live in California. I'm an aspiring game dev and a writer. While I mostly write prose, for a long time now I've been wanting to make a game, specifically an epic RPG. I'm very much an amateur as unfortunately I never got into coding or art until recently.

2. Did you participate in the last jam we held? If so, what do you plan on doing better this time? If not, what's your reason for joining?

Nope! I'm brand new.  I'm joining the game jam for a few reasons: 1) I've been trying to get back into RPG Maker and relearn what I used to know, it's just hard to sit down and keep at it for a variety of reasons (ADHD, school, job hunting, etc.). 2) I wanna finish a project. Too often do I start projects and either get carried away or get distracted by a new shiny idea and never finish.  The two-week time limit will give me incentive to actually finish something, even if the something isn't very good. (Damn perfectionism!) 3) I wanna get better at coding. And art, but I don't see myself getting good enough to use custom art in 2 weeks. I figure I can worry about custom art later, if I decide to expand on my game after the game jam.

3. What games are your favorites? Did any of them inspire you, or made you want to make your own?

Shadow of the Colossus, Golden Sun, Final Fantasy 6 12 and Tactics, Kingdom Hearts, Dark Souls, Persona 3 and 5, SMT: Nocturne, Hyper Light Drifter, A Link to the Past and The Wind Waker, and oh god I could go on tbh. I primarily love RPGs and action adventure games lol. They definitely inspired me! As a kid I made a high-key Golden Sun ripoff in RM2k3 lol.

4. Do you have experience with game development? What did you do/with what engine?

I have very minimal experience with game dev. I got into RPG Maker as a kid with RM2k3, and it was a lot of fun figuring out how to utilize the program to make my game. I would just sit down and tinker with all the event commands and write everything down. The game sucked but I was having too much fun making it to care lol. Unfortunately I slacked on practicing game dev real hard in high school and didn't get back into until later in the VX Ace days. Because of this I forgot a lot of what I already learned, and relied too heavily on community scripts and, now with MV, plugins. So I'm trying to get back into RPG Maker and relearn everything, and make a few practice games with no plugins. I'm hoping this jam session can get me started on that!

5. Tell us about something you're passionate about!

Writing stories. Writing is the one thing I've always been into, even before I could actually write lol. I love to tell stories. Particularly epic fantasy stories with a focus on the characters, how they interact, how they react to the things going on around them. I'm kind of notorious among my friends for writing dark or depressing stories, and yeah, I have a thing for angsty stories I guess lol. But I do like happy stories. I guess the best way to put it is I like stories where characters earn their happy endings. This is why I've always been drawn to RPGs and action adventure games... they lend themselves to epic and emotional fantasy stories very well!!

6. What are your goals for this game jam?

I feel like I kinda already went over this a few times in this post lol so at the risk of sounding like a broken record: Finish a game. Relearn RPG Maker. Learn better time management especially. And if I can, learn some JavaScript and even pixel art, even if it's super basic and I can't do anything with it just yet. A first step is better than no step, right?

Hello everyone!

My name is Dom, im 23 years old, from Germany,  and im looking to particpate in my very first game jam!

I just finished my apprenticeship as a software developer, unfortunately not video game related at the moment. My dream is to found my very own game studio at some day in the future. Im looking to participate in different events like this one, to learn a lot and gain experience.

Through lots of tutorials, i learned some Unity, as well as ClickTeam Fusion. Im looking to use one of those for my project. I was afraid of joining game jams before, because i didnt think that i would be good enough to make a game from scratch in a short time frame like that. This is me doing the Shia and "just doing it" :D

I should be fine with coding, but when it comes to designing characters or drawing things in general, im absolutely talent free ^^ will give it my best shot though :)

Im really looking forward to show you my finished product and also trying out everyone elses games!

Have fun everyone!

Dom/Summer

Edit: Im also open for teaming, if someone is interested :)

1. Hi there! What's your name? Want to introduce yourself?

Hi, My name is Jacob, I'm 15 from New Zealand and just a small hobbyist in game design. I don't look towards getting a job in anything computer related but I still enjoy myself thinking and planning games, but never really got to actually finish games.

2. Did you participate in the last jam we held? If so, what do you plan on doing better this time? If not, what's your reason for joining?

Nah, I join because I have a pulsing idea through my head and its best to use that idea for a Jam- And its also in perfect timing with my break.

3. What games are your favorites? Did any of them inspire you, or made you want to make your own?

My only favourite game is Minecraft Alpha. It inspires me to look towards that simplicity in game creation. I'm quite a building type person.

4. Do you have experience with game development? What did you do/with what engine?

I was a small Roblox Developer for a few years... Never got with massive teams so i just stopped playing/using Roblox as a tool or for entertainment.

5. Tell us about something you're passionate about!

Nature, being outside, going on adventures, doing something active.

6. What are your goals for this game jam?

Of course, a working demo. But in a more complicated way of saying it... A mechanic where you can place and break polygons, and a simple world to break and place those polygons on.

Hi, I'm Pratyush! I'm a 13 year old school student who is currently learning how to code. I've know JavaScript & Java pretty well, and currently I am focusing on C#, my school is teaching VBscript. I've never participated in a game jam, but I have been watching videos on them on Youtube since 2015 and wanted to try at least one this summer.

I can't really pick a favorite game. If I was to say what genres were my favorite, I would say strategy games, fighting games, and sandboxes games (Yes, I still play Minecraft).

I've have 1 year of expierence with Unity. I have used Unity to create games and assets (Check it out on my page). I also have exprience with Notepad++.

My goal for this game jam is to learn more about game development and learn how to use Unity in a better and much effiencent way.

Just a question, I am 13 and I want to join the discord server. So can I be allowed to join your server?

Hoo hiho hello hello, I'm surprised you scrolled down this far. Welcome to my thread reply. I come with coffee, refrigerated grapes, and shotgun-style attention to detail towards creative ventures. 

I have a lot of love to give. ❤

I'd be delighted to share this lattermost thing with you, within the constructs of healthy boundaries. The consumables are all mine. (I need them).

~ ✧☆･ﾟ: I go by Wudgeous. :･ﾟ☆✧ ~

I also respond to Wudge and Wudgey. This is one of my first submissions the mortifying ordeal of being known-- this, here, right now,  I am submitting myself in human English words as best I can.  It's nice to meet you.

I have project management and leadership experience through my Day Job, arting experience through college. I've been writing and proofreading for over a decade, and coding in ren'py for about 2 years. I'm a fiercely (hyuk hyuk) indiependent  jack of all trades, and I've directed the brunt of my creative energies toward [a beloved, undisclosed personal project]. 

Slowly but surely I have yearned to direct my creative energies temporarily elsewhere. Thus, I was excited to find an environment catering to a first-time game marmalade participant.  

My goal for this game marmalade is to use this opportunity to coerce my hissing lizard brain not to struggle against mortifying ordeal of being known  make connections and create a short portfolio piece of a game. You may find me theatrical, vain and sassy sometimes, but I'm actually in fact scared of everything and quite delicate.  Please be gentle. ~

I'm currently reading The Art of Game Design, which I highly recommend. 

My  more virtually-housed sources of inspiration stem  from Undertale, Dragon Age: Origins, and Mystic Messenger. Though they're wildly different in surface-level mouthfeel, what they have in common is they helped me feel loved and offered companionship during times I felt rather alone.  This, I believe, is the most powerful attribute of video games: They have the potential to be portable, distributable vessels of love - if only for a little while. And my feral belief in this attribute is what drives me to create dating sims.  

For this game jam I will make a ren'py visual novel wherein,

❤ An AI  goes on tinder dates to learn empathy and human connection. ❤

... (I'm not gonna call it tinder, don't worry).  

Per my personal standards, each date will be represented with blinking, smiling character sprites, and scenes featuring actual conversation. The AI will have at least 3 dialogue choices per prompt. 

Per the constraints of the game jam, if I'm working on this solo, I expect to have only 2 available dates. If I get lots and lots and lots of dedicated help though, maybe we can have up to 8 dates...! Wowie!

If the AI fails to demonstrate a sufficient understanding of humans within the set time frame, the AI will be dismantled. ❤

I will like to dedicate some time to examine these other thread replies, but if you are reading this now and like the cut of my jib; ily2. Keep being your best self, you sparkling diamond.

Check out my: 

>Writing portfolio

>Team-finding post on crowdforge 

>Or tag me in the discord server to say hi!

PS; A sweet  23g added sugar word of thanks to irresponsible black unicorn Gabe, on whose tumblr blog I lurked when he posted a short video advertising this game jam. I wouldn't be here if I didn't see it. Thank u, sir.

Uh, and what can admins do to improve my jam experience? That y'all are willing to do anything is flattering, but the most I can ask for is for you to take care of yourselves. Maybe a bit of cheering on and healthy morale, if you can swing it. :) 

With meticulously longwinded love, Wudgey.