!READ THIS! Rules, Interpretations, & FAQ Sticky

A topic by PRINCESS INTERNET CAFé created Jun 21, 2023 Views: 3,331 Replies: 97

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PRINCESS INTERNET CAFéJam Host316 days ago (2 edits)

Welcome to the jam! Once you've read the rules on the main page, here are some more specific cases to give you an idea of what you can work with.

If you can't find your specific case or situation, feel free to ask below!

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GENERAL CLARIFICATIONS

You can:

have more than a single choice or fork in your VN/story
use your existing universe so long as the player does not need prior context to understand your entry
have unlimited solid color backgrounds in menus and in-game generated by the engine, alongside your illustrated BG
use Text-To-Speech without impact on any audio limits
use any freely available asset (paid, Creative Commons, and others)
generate images from AI prompts to adapt into assets if others can reasonably achieve the same output as you using the same settings - AI-generated assets are only allowed if you own the training data. (e.g. Photoshop's content-aware fill, training an entirely separate instance of AI on exclusively your work, using ML to remix art with permission from the artist, etc.) Systems in which the training data is not owned by the dev (ChatGPT, Midjourney, Stable Diffusion, and similar) are not allowed.
provide additional information on the VN's website including separate character drawings, backstory info, banners and cover images, provided they don't make diminish the VN-only experience
use your own existing assets not specifically made for a VN/game (e.g. vacation photos, childhood drawings, old poem)
use previously created custom menu styles/GUI, even if they appeared in other games before
submit NSFW/R18 work, provided it's tagged/flagged appropriately
create additional simple shapes by code (e.g. squares, circles, etc.)
draw an image by code, but only when the results are equivalent to having a single sprite and single BG
prepare code for basic VN functions (e.g, skip, auto-forward, text history, save/load, etc.) in your engine of choice
use any engine to create a game that is considered a VN first and foremost (e.g. due to the required assets needed, an engine such as any version of RPGMaker would not be allowed)
update your game after the jam is complete (we highly recommend making it available as a separate download for posterity's sake, but this is not necessary)

You cannot:

use sprites, backgrounds, scripts or other assets made or commissioned for a different VN/game project before (even if it's unfinished or unreleased)

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ONE SPRITE

It is within the rules to:

have many facial expressions for the sprite by changing eyes, nose, eyebrows and mouth
have many off-screen actors / characters, so long as only one is visually represented by a sprite
have a character sprite that includes a separate auxiliary character that does not feature in interactions (e.g, a woman holding a baby, a pirate with a parrot, blind person with dog)
have multiple "characters" associated with one sprite, as long as those are all a part of that singular entity (e.g, a medusa with talking snake hairs, a person playing with sock puppets on their hands, etc.)
have a "suggestion" of another character represented by a shadow or a reflection with very vague detail (see Illustration/CG rules)
have an "extra item" which is a single non-central element that will be hidden (man loses a hat, child's balloon flies away) or appears.
use the single sprite for twins, clones, ghosts, swarms, etc.
mirror and otherwise transform the sprite in game
show only a portion of a sprite, including cut-outs or zooms.
have an inanimate object as the sprite (e.g. UFO, a portal, a robot)
having multiple small ambient objects as the sprite (e.g. adding traffic to the city, searchlights to prison)
fully or partially assemble a sliced up sprite in game, and apply effects to individual elements (e.g. a snowman's head)
animate parts of the sprite to achieve effects of breathing, bobbing their head, or other idle animation (this includes the usage of programs such as EmoFuri, Live2D, or Spline which do not require drawing new frames)
create minor frame-by-frame animations involving features of the face, such as blinking or mouth movement
have a single alternate movement of a single body part that is drawn differently (head, single arm) so long as it doesn't change the pose, and so long as the VN does not also use the allowed "extra item"

You may not do the following:

have multiple changes of clothes for the sprite, or any other separate layers that overlap with their non-transparent parts
use a sprite overlay to vastly transform the background (e.g. pre- and post-war city)
create extensive frame-by-frame animations of the sprite outside of parts of the face (e.g. snapping fingers, turning a hand around, etc.)
change the sprite's pose significantly (e.g. move the torso)
drawing alternate forms of hair or shaded clothes for any movement

Illustrations (CGs) can:

be used instead of a separate sprite and background
feature a character with expression changes and other alterations analog to sprites
feature simple crowd silhouettes, or suggestions of people without identifying details

Illustrations (CGs) cannot:

show multiple people in high detail
show a silhouette next to a fully shown character

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ONE BACKGROUND

It is within the rules to:

use the engine's built-in functions, code, or scripting to alter the background (e.g. blur, night filter, mirroring)
have a small looping animation (e.g. inside of train with passing scenery, waterfall)
use zooming, panning and cutting around a larger image
reveal previously obscured information or areas through pans, zooms and cuts
use layers to show a sliced up an image as a single background (no opaque parts of layers can overlap)
use custom particle effects, so long as there is only one type of particle being used (e.g, cherry blossom petals, fire, etc.)

You may not do the following:

create secondary versions (via multiple separate files) of the background image (e.g. blur, night version)
use masks (via multiple separate files) to create secondary versions of the background image on screen
use an image which is created in such a way that focusing on segments effectively changes scenes
remove parts of a background to create a new scene, even if parts of it were seen in the original (e.g. there is a wall a window with a view outside, and then that wall is removed so the scene is now outside completely)

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ONE THOUSAND WORDS

When in doubt, pure words counted by Google Documents are to be taken as standard.

Counts against the 1.000 word limit:

foreword / afterword / author's notes
text of all the VN's branches combined
text of choices
images of letters or longer-form text
any additional parallel language / translation
custom menu items like "Start your adventure" instead of "Start"
emoji-only statements (count as a single word)
emoji made of words (count as the amount of words in the emoji)
ellipses (a freestanding ... is considered a word by most word processors)

Does not count against the 1.000 word limit:

minigame using words if it's purely a game mechanic (does not advance story)
chapter names, even if displayed on screen
signs, posters, even if they relate to the story
short factual glossary, if explanation cannot be reasonably provided in game
in-game content warnings
credits, help / controls
user input text
emoji used to only accompany and reiterate a word or statement
repeats of blocks of text achieved by scripting (e.g. common route, recurring dream)
surplus text generated from a base text that is within the word count limit (e.g. chat bot, AI generator)
name tags, so long as they are not directly conveying narrative
image captions intended to describe visuals to players with low vision conditions for accessibility

Concerning the last point, please utilize an engine's accessibility features and do not abuse image captions to add to the narration in a way that moves it forward. We trust that participants will consider making their games more accessible to low vision readers in good faith.

If you are using Ren'Py, we suggest npckc's Caption Tool in order to add image captions to your game.

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ONE MUSIC TRACK OR ONE AMBIENT BACKGROUND NOISE

It is within the rules to:

use a looped sound effect acting as ambient background noise (e.g. rain)
use a track with multiple melodies / styles, if it existed prior to the jam, and only a single segment is looped, with another segment looped only for a special short segment / occasion.
alter the pitch or speed of audio via code

If an ambient audio file you create or find has multiple sources of different audio (e.g. a storm may have wind, rain, and thunder) and you do not control the timing of the other recorded audio, this all counts as one ambient track. If you do control the timing of other sounds, this counts as your sound effect.

You may not do the following:

create or use a track by combining composed music and ambient sounds
use a mash-up or mix of multiple songs with timed transitions (megamix, medley)
have additional menu music that loops (if the VN also has in-game music/ambient noise)

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ONE SOUND EFFECT

The single sound effect...

can be used multiple times
cannot be looped continuously (if yes, it counts as background noise per the last section)
can be made by a person different from the voice actor (we consider this to be a foley sound)
can bed altered via code

This limit does not apply to interface sounds, which are considered part of the GUI. Having different sounds assigned to button hover, activation, etc. could be an accessibility feature for low-vision players, as that's audio feedback for different actions.

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ONE VOICE ACTOR

Your entry's single voice actor...

can use use variations of voices
can have their voice modulated and processed to create completely different sounding voices
can be replaced by sound effects / beeps processed to act as voices (this does not count as the sound effect)
can speak lines not part of the VN's text, provided they don't go over 1.000 words combined

Regarding usage of voice beeps in lieu of voice acting: you may create different beeps per character as long as it remains consistent to that character.

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SPLASH SCREEN / MAIN MENU / GAME MENU ART / GUI

The main menu / title screen background is now considered part of the GUI and thus is not beholden to many of the previous year's restrictions.

It is within the rules to:

display multiple splashscreens before the start (e.g, for the jam, engine used, studio logo)
have multiple variations of the title screen / game menu background
show as many characters / objects as you'd like
show a different location from the one in the game
use a combination of the sprite and background or the one CG as the main menu
have multiple typefaces

You may not do the following:

show any part of the main menu in the flow of your script if it is different from the assets in the game

Regarding image buttons that appear to be objects: these buttons should only appear as a choice, and the images should not appear again in other parts of the game due to the fact that this can be abused to bypass the item/arm/head change limit.

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ONE THUMBNAIL ART

The restrictions for the itch thumbnail for your game's preview have now been relaxed, as we recognize that it is an important aspect of marketing your game to potential players. It is within the rules to:

show as many characters as you'd like
show a different location from the one in the game
create any animation for it, even one with multiple frames of animation

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ONE PROJECT

One person in the O2A2 jam...

can only be the primary creative lead for a single project (e.g. producer, director, author)
can additionally be a secondary creative contributor for someone else's project (e.g. draw a sprite)
can further collaborate on other projects in a non-creative role (e.g. coordination, marketing)

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OFFERING WEB BUILDS OF YOUR ENTRY

If you offer both a web and downloadable version of your game, you may optimize effects (e.g. video backgrounds) for the web build as long as the downloadable version follows the rules. You may want to note differences between versions if applicable. Please follow this rule in good faith.

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OMAKES AND FANDISC RULES

An omake means "extra," as in extra/bonus content for source material that you own or have permission to develop for. Fandisc is another term for the same concept.

It is within the rules to:

reference assets from your main game to create new assets (e.g. redrawing a sprite or BG, making a remix of a song, etc.)
reuse code from your main project to expedite development (e.g. recycling animations, code for setting up images, etc.)
use the same GUI from your main project

You may not do the following:

directly reuse any non-GUI assets you have created for your main game

We highly suggest writing your omake in a way that those unfamiliar with the source material are able to enjoy it, but this is not a requirement.

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FANGAME AND DERIVATIVE WORK RULES

Fangames or derivative works are generally unofficial works based on source material that you do not own or have express permission to develop for. The O2A2 Jam Hosts are not responsible for any cease and desist notices for individual entries should they occur.

It is within the rules to:

adapt an existing fanfic or other work you created or have permission to use into a visual novel format

You may not do the following:

directly reuse any assets from the official source material (this is piracy!)

We highly suggest writing your fangame in a way that those unfamiliar with the source material are able to enjoy it, but this is not a requirement. For your protection in the majority of cases, we also suggest turning donations and PWYW off for fangame entries.

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TRANSLATIONS/DIFFERENT LANGUAGES

In the case that you want to release a game in several languages: the restrictions on 1k words and the one VA would apply to each version.

It is within the rules to:

make a game with several languages, where the text of each version does not surpass 1000 words.
use a different VA for each language.

You may not do the following:

use more than one of any other asset that is not affected by having different languages in the game.

pumpkin spikeSubmitted316 days ago

I have an idea for an inanimate object as a character, which will be represented in the BG. Does this count against the one sprite rule? Specifically, the character will be a mirror and will not move/have pose changes.

tofurocksHostSubmitted311 days ago

Hi there! This sounds like that'd be a CG, which would take up your BG and character/sprite slot. Was there a specific kind of context that might alter the way its depicted?

pumpkin spikeSubmitted310 days ago

There are no plans to alter the BG throughout the game. At the end, I was planning to show another character (human)'s sprite, but I can just not include him if the mirror counts as a sprite/CG already.

I was brainstorming today and came up with a few other ideas and wanted to ask:

Can a GUI element be also repurposed as an image shown in the game? Ex: Color generated BG + showing the textbox for a scene.
There are no limits to custom GUI textboxes. If I make different textboxes throughout the game for the same character, would that go against the spirit of the jam?

PRINCESS INTERNET CAFéJam Host309 days ago

Hey!

I am not too sure what you mean with the first idea. Can you explain in a different way, please?
If you mean using different-styled dialogue boxes for the same character, that should be alright.

However, I’d encourage you to not overcomplicate it! We want people to have fun and not make it too hard on themselves, if that makes any sense.

pumpkin spikeSubmitted309 days ago

For example, assume the transformed textbox is now the BG of my scene.

It is clearly the GUI image for the textbox, but I've also doubled its purpose as an image/bg/sprite. Would that be allowed?

PRINCESS INTERNET CAFéJam Host299 days ago

Sorry for the delay, we're still deliberating this!

PRINCESS INTERNET CAFéJam Host292 days ago(+1)

Hi! We believe this is very interesting and kinda fancy. However, we can't help but this you are overcomplicating this WAY too much.
The spirit of O2A2 is to make a low effort game, with maybe some bells and whistles but a simple game at heart.

We'd totally encourage you to try this idea at some point, but it is not the one for this jam. I hope that makes sense!

pumpkin spikeSubmitted291 days ago

Yup, I understand! Thank you for answering all my questions!

helianthus48Submitted316 days ago (1 edit)

If I use the menu BG art for the game BG, does that count as one BG or two? Thank you!

Edit: I see that the menu art isn’t “counted,” but if I use the menu art as game BG, and then have one other BG later in the game, does that break the rules?

PRINCESS INTERNET CAFéJam Host315 days ago

Hello! That would indeed be counted as breaking the rules.

If you use 2 BGs as the game BG that’s not “only one of any asset” anymore!

helianthus48Submitted315 days ago

Ok, thanks for clarifying!

EkkoberrySubmitted315 days ago

Hello! I have a question regarding an idea I'd like to use for the jam, but I'm concerned about it's viability.

I'd like to set the VN in a prison, where the (sprite) you're talking to is behind bars. The perspective/background of the scene does not change, and otherwise it would be a single background, it's just that there's an object (the bars) between the POV character and the sprite. Here's a gif of what I'd like to be able to do.

This rule (under ONE BACKGROUND) makes it sound like it MIGHT be possible (but I'd just like to check):

use layers to show a sliced up an image as a single background (no opaque parts of layers can overlap)

I'm perfectly ok having the bars be slightly transparent if that would make it viable! And if it wouldn't, would it be possible to either merge it with the (planned NVL) textbox or have it count as my single additional item?

Apologies for (what I feel like might be) a push of the limits!

PRINCESS INTERNET CAFéJam Host292 days ago(+1)

Hi! So so sorry for the delay.

We have been thinking hard and long about this one because this is kind of similar to another ruling we've made in the past and we're not sure what's the right thing to do. We will get back to you!!!

EkkoberrySubmitted292 days ago

No problem!! Apologies again for the awkward ruling question!

EkkoberrySubmitted292 days ago

Hi! I decided to see if I could make what I want through code alone, and I think I've found a solution that works for me (using Renpy's creator defined displayables)!

Sorry for all the grief haha- I hope this also fixes any dilemma you were having involving that previous ruling! ;a;

PRINCESS INTERNET CAFéJam Host291 days ago(+1)

Yes it does! This is fantastic. Well done!

WeePixie286 days ago(+1)

Hi, this is so useful, I was going to ask the exact same thing.

Would you be willing to share the code? I want to do something similar, but also with horizontal bars so it's more like a cage than a jail.

EkkoberrySubmitted286 days ago

Sure thing! Here's a link to a cleaned up version of the code! If you have any questions, I'm not an expert, but I don't mind trying to help!!

WeePixie285 days ago(+1)

Thank you!<3

greg kleinSubmitted315 days ago

I've been using this AI art app called Meitu that can make anime versions of selfies. They have separate filters where you kinda get the same style every time. So if I took like 5 different selfies and then used the same Meitu filter on them, would that be considered more than one sprite? It would just be slight changes in facial expressions. (These would be selfies of me, not selfies I was using without permission.)

tofurocksHostSubmitted310 days ago

Hi there, unfortunately Meitu uses training data based on stolen artwork so this would not be allowed. Additionally, there may be slight shifts in the selfies even if unintentional. We encourage you to find Creative Commons assets for your sprites or find another way to photomanipulate a photo of yourself.

greg kleinSubmitted300 days ago(+1)

Alright, yeah I realize that imitative AI like that is generally scummy. I found a 2D artist so we're good. Thank you for taking the time to reply

SasDeRider | podval01Submitted315 days ago (3 edits)

Hello, I got a question but not sure where to ask it.

I want to create a game on english and translated version. And I want to use both natural speaker of english for english verison, and translated speaker for translated version. Will this fit in rulles about "one VA" and "1000 words"? And if yes, can I make a choise before the game for selecting language and VA, in case anyone want to read on english but hear translated VA, or conversely?

P.S. I see

Counts against the 1.000 word limit:

any additional parallel language / translation

But simply not sure that I understand it correctly

P.P.S. So the main quetion is about alterntive verison of the actually ONE VA and 1000 words. Not about combine it at the same time on one playthro. I asking only because I know that there are a lot of people that do not speak english or prefere to play translated versions.

PRINCESS INTERNET CAFéJam Host299 days ago

We're going to consider each language as a different "version" of the game, even if it comes under the same file. So this should be alright!

ABlotOfInk312 days ago (3 edits)

What would the ruling be on overlaid textures? I'm thinking of adding a VHS animated texture over the background and sprite and wanted to know if that would count as an asset and therefore not be allowed, and if we'd be allowed to have more than one.

Can masks or overlays be used for minor lighting effects (like a spotlight, or lights flickering) and would they need to be drawn with math?

PRINCESS INTERNET CAFéJam Host299 days ago(+1)

You can't use overlays, I'm afraid as they'd count as an extra asset :(

You'll have to either do this in-engine or have the effect being static/baked in the images.

Melancholy MarionetteSubmitted300 days ago (9 edits)

Hey there, this is my first time participating in the jam, but I've wanted to for a couple of years now, I just never seem to have the opportunity when it's running >.< I'm hoping this time around I can finally give it a go :3

I'd like to try and create an original music track to use, but I have a couple of questions. After reading the following rules:

ONE MUSIC TRACK OR ONE AMBIENT BACKGROUND NOISE

It is within the rules to:

use a track with multiple melodies / styles, if it existed prior to the jam, and only a single segment is looped, with another segment looped only for a special short segment / occasion.

You may not do the following:

have additional menu music that loops (if the VN also has in-game music/ambient noise)

I was wondering if it would be allowed to loop a short (probably under or around 60 seconds of a track that will last around 5 minutes) segment of the track on the main menu/title screen, then play the full track during gameplay?

It's just I feel like it would irritate me if the title screen was purely silent because, as a player, it would make me wonder if the sound was broken, but at the same time, it would also feel weird to have the entire 1 track play on the title screen as well as during gameplay. By looping a small segment of the track on the title screen, it would be using the same one track, but like a minimal version of it that doesn't build up, and then goes on to play fully during gameplay.

If this is permitted, is it possible

A: For this to be achieved by cutting out that small segment as a separate file to loop?

I'm not a coding wizard and use Naninovel, so I wouldn't have a clue how to force the game to loop a specific short segment of a music track via code >.< As far as I'm aware, in the scripting language used in Naninovel, there are no parameters for controlling elements of bgm besides the volume, fade in/out, and whether or not to loop a track in its entirety. I normally like to team up with people for game jams, but I'm really busy and won't have time to try and find/work with a team for this one, so everything will be down to me.

B: To layer a simple vocal phrase within that short title screen-specific part of the loop, and remove/mute the phrase from the main full version of the track that plays during gameplay?

C: Potentially change the tempo and/or pitch of one of them?

I feel like I've done an awful job of trying to describe what I mean, haha. Sorry if it doesn't make much sense >.<

To try and rephrase it, I'm hoping to make an original music track as part of the jam, so it wouldn't exist prior to the jam. And I'm hoping that it's allowed to loop a small segment of the track (with an additional vocal phrase) specifically on the title screen alone, and then play the full version of the track (minus the vocal phrase) during actual gameplay.

It would still essentially just be 1 looping bgm track, but restricted to looping only a small segment of the track on the main menu, then free to loop in its entirety during gameplay. But because I'm not a coder and don't know how to achieve that through code, I'd have to manually split the track into two files in order to loop the restricted title screen part.

Since there seem to be exceptions on the title screen, I was hoping that what I'd like to do with bgm falls within these exceptions.

~~Bonus question (sorry >.<)~~

Is the use of a video background allowed anywhere? Either exclusively on the title screen, or during gameplay? For example, if you wanted to add rain to your scene, but rather than spawning it in by code as a special effect, having it animated as part of a video background.
I'm guessing that would just come under the allowance of having a short looping animation if it's baked into the background.

Thanks and I hope you have a lovely day :3

PRINCESS INTERNET CAFéJam Host292 days ago(+1)

Hello!

Sorry for the delay, but we needed to digest this one.
I'll be brief for the sake of clarity.

Yes, you may reuse a section of the OG the song (a verse, basically) for the main menu.

However:
A: I'm afraid that'd go against the rules.
B: If you figured out how to overcome A, technically you could use the VA rule to layer a vocal. The VA can say up to 1k words. So if the text of the game has less you could use the rest here.
C: If you can do this in engine, yes. But not a s a separate file, as stated in A.

Also, I wanted to again remind you that the aim of O2A2 is to make a low effort game. Please don't make it more complicated than it should be!

Melancholy MarionetteSubmitted290 days ago (4 edits) (+1)

No worries! And thanks so much for clarifying :3 Sorry I wrote so much, haha. It's a bad habit >.<

I just really enjoy trying to make original music for my projects, so it seemed like a fun challenge to create a track that could be used in multiple ways since the track itself would technically be one music asset.

If altering it in-game with code is the only thing that's allowed though, I'm probably screwed on that front, haha. Like I said, I'm not a coder x3 That's pretty much why I use Naninovel to make my games in the first place. Cos I followed a Renpy tutorial in the past and the coding aspect of it was so headache-inducing that I knew I'd never want to make a full game that way. It just completely killed the fun >.<

I can try asking in Nani's support channel to see if anyone knows if it might be possible somehow though!
EDIT: I've been informed that while it's not possible with the bgm commands, there is a roundabout way to make it work to loop a short segment of a track specifically on a title screen, so that's cool ^-^
(the layering vocals idea will have to just be done in an updated/alternative version though cos I wanted to do x3 different versions, with a different phrase each time, not voiced by the voice actor but from sample packs that I own, haha, so that would be a no go cos it would take up too many words + count as separate voices I guess!)

But it's fiiiiiine :3 I was planning to probably make an updated or alternative version post-jam anyways because I tend to always try and have 2 voice actors + 2 sprites for 1 character in my projects just to give players a choice between having a masculine and a feminine voice and be more inclusive when it comes to romance. That would obviously go against the 1 voice actor rule, so I can always make a separate version that has the 2 voice actors + the stuff I wanted to do with splitting a music file :3

Even the updated version would still stick to the spirit of the jam since I wouldn't change the word count and the track would still technically be 1 track. Even the character would still be 1 character. It's just it'll look and sound different depending on the player's preference. I can just do what was suggested on the page and keep the pure jam version as a separate download for posterity!

omegabuttonSubmitted299 days ago

Hi! My plan for my team's entry involves a character in a room with a bunch of mirrors in it, so I wanted to check: would a CG featuring multiple reflections of the same character count within the limit?

Also, would it be okay to have a version of the CG with and without the character? I think that'd be equivalent to hiding the sprite and just showing the background, but I'm not sure.

PRINCESS INTERNET CAFéJam Host292 days ago

Hi!

1. Based on the rules, the reflections should be silhouettes and not be defined at all.
2. And you can only have 1 CG OR a combination of background and sprite. So you cannot have 2 CGs.

The idea behind the jam is to make a low-effort game, so please keep this in mind!

omegabuttonSubmitted292 days ago

Got it. Thank you!

Molli291 days ago

Hello! Small question: is it against the rules for a composer to work on multiple teams provided they're only working on one music track for each?

PRINCESS INTERNET CAFéJam Host290 days ago

Hi Molli.

Absolute maximum 2. And don't overwork yourself!

HRC92Submitted291 days ago

I was thinking to make a a very minimalistic game with just text no sound or graphics which is something actually related to the story of my game, can I submit a game with just literally text made with Inky? Inky is a widely used software for text based games, thanks for your time cheers from Spain

PRINCESS INTERNET CAFéJam Host290 days ago

Hola!

There's actually been a few entries in the past using Ink, like my own One More Sleep🌙️ or I Am Promise. So you're good!

HRC92Submitted290 days ago

thank a lot for your response cheers

rainslicesSubmitted290 days ago

You may not do the following:

create extensive frame-by-frame animations of the sprite outside of parts of the face (e.g. snapping fingers, turning a hand around, etc.)

hello! can you clarify, does this mean that as long as the animation is in the face area it is okay to animate? the idea i have in mind is a mask (baked into the sprite/every frame) falling off the main character’s face. is that still within the rules?

PRINCESS INTERNET CAFéJam Host288 days ago

Hey! What sort of mask did you have in mind? Like a full-face? Half-face? A surgical one?

rainslicesSubmitted288 days ago

i was thinking a full face mask!

rainslicesSubmitted287 days ago

if a full mask isn’t allowed:

- have a single alternate movement of a single body part that is drawn differently (head, single arm) so long as it doesn’t change the pose, and so long as the VN does not also use the allowed “extra item”

my character is a humanoid animatronic, so instead of a full mask perhaps i can make it so that the face has a hinge and it can swing open (not animated, just the head drawn differently)? while everything else remains static (i am planning to splice up the sprite to manipulate the parts separately via code). would it technically be counted as not changing the pose? thank you!

PRINCESS INTERNET CAFéJam Host286 days ago

Personally, I think this would be a good idea and it'd be in the spirit of the jam. So yeah, go ahead with this!

We just want people to make a simple game, you see. So we're hesitant about animations with many frames, etc.

rainslicesSubmitted286 days ago

alright thank you!!

rainslicesSubmitted285 days ago

hello again! i would like to ask another further clarification,

You can:

use Text-To-Speech without impact on any audio limits

does this mean we are allowed to use text-to-speech for other spoken lines even though we already have one voice actor? thank you!

PRINCESS INTERNET CAFéJam Host285 days ago

Hi! What are you trying to achieve with this?

Text-to-speech is meant to be used for accessibility purposes.

rainslicesSubmitted285 days ago

ahh i see! i was referring to the usage of online TTS generators like this https://www.tetyys.com/SAPI4/ to generate lines not voiced by the voice actor !

PRINCESS INTERNET CAFéJam Host284 days ago

If you're trying to use TTS to voice several characters, that would be a no. TTS is meant to be used for accessibility purposes and not to bypass the VA limit. We ask people as well to use the TTS in-engine if possible.

But I'd like to remind you that you can have 1 VA, but the VA can technically do several voices. They're not limited to just the one, you know?

rainslicesSubmitted284 days ago

gotcha! thank you for reply !

G.C. KatzSubmitted288 days ago(+1)

What are the rules governing shaders? I was thinking of writing a shader to create changing gradient backgrounds.

PRINCESS INTERNET CAFéJam Host288 days ago(+1)

There are no rules! They’re not an “asset”, so no limitations.

And that sounds very cool! 💖

Lionmeow287 days ago

as long as the pose doesn't change, is there a limitation on simple tween-y animations? stuff where the pose itself isn't changed, but the entire sprite is squashed/stretched/moved around the screen in real-time?

PRINCESS INTERNET CAFéJam Host286 days ago(+1)

Hello. If you are using transforms for this, it's absolutely fine and encouraged.

HOPJAMSubmitted287 days ago

hello! i would like to apologize for sending in a query so close to the beginning of the jam. however, i was thinking about framing my project as two characters talking to each other via phone, with one party video-calling the other while the other texts.

my first question is this: i intend on letting the video-caller be the one with the sprite, but would it be possible for me to give the person texting icons that convey emotion but nothing about their appearance, or would that be considered "too detailed"?

and if this is disallowed, am i allowed to give the person texting an icon that does not change between messages, or should i forgo it entirely?

and as for my second question: my current idea on how to visually frame my project involves the two character's phones being displayed at once, with everything on-screen flattened into a single image except the character sprite and the dialogue + text messages. is this allowed?

again, i would like to apologize for sending in my query so late, and also if my questions don't make much sense as well! i wasn't quite sure how i should phrase them.

PRINCESS INTERNET CAFéJam Host285 days ago

Hi! We had to think a bit about this, but here are our answers:

1. We think this is too much, but you may have a static icon if it's cropped from the video caller via code!

2. This is okay.

HOPJAMSubmitted285 days ago

okay! thank you so much for letting me know.

HOPJAMSubmitted285 days ago

ah! actually, i had another question i wanted to ask. with the way i have dialogue set up in my project now, the entirety of one character's dialogue is skipped over by the text-to-speech system while the other's is almost completely unintelligible due to the way their dialogue is written. am i allowed to include a modified copy of the script in my project that the text-to-speech system can read from but is not shown at all to the player without it counting towards my word count?

PRINCESS INTERNET CAFéJam Host284 days ago

For the sake of accessibility, this is fine.

HOPJAMSubmitted284 days ago

okay, thank you once again!

helianthus48Submitted286 days ago

Hello, is it allowed to have more than one choice of “extra item” to be added to the sprite, but only one is ultimately added depending on the player choice? The “extra items” will be displayed as part of the BG art at first, and when player has chosen one, the one will appear on the sprite. Thank you!

PRINCESS INTERNET CAFéJam Host286 days ago

Hey! The rule for the one item only was implemented so people don't overwork themselves. We're inclined to say no to this, especially if the item would be a separate drawing from the one in the BG. I'd want more clarification about this, because if it'd be the case of having the 3 items floating in the BG and then one of them disappearing from the BG and appearing on the character, that'd be an absolute "not allowed".

helianthus48Submitted285 days ago

That was the initial idea, but now that I know it's not allowed, what if the extra items don't appear in the BG, but only as player input text (or player choice as part of the story text - haven't decided)? When the player inputs/chooses the right item, then the one item appears on the sprite. Is that allowed?

PRINCESS INTERNET CAFéJam Host285 days ago

Hi, let me clarify this! The rules are about the overall content of the game (specifically, what’s in the files).

You can’t have 3 items, even if only one is shown. It’s not about how what appears in each playthrough, it’s about how much work you put into the game.

helianthus48Submitted285 days ago

Ah ok, got it, thank you!

alanisnotokay286 days ago

We have the idea of using three bars that fill up depending on the players choices as a game mechanic (depending on what bar is full you'll get a different ending). Since every bar is its own object would it be against the rules?

PRINCESS INTERNET CAFéJam Host286 days ago

Hi! Assuming the bars would be some sort of HUD, instead of actual objects in the game, you'd be fine having 3. They'd count as UI, not as an object.

Fable & Clover285 days ago

Hiya! Just wanted clarification on O2A2 this year as I've just realised I may have misinterpreted it. Is it possible for one person to participate in two projects as a GUI designer?

PRINCESS INTERNET CAFéJam Host285 days ago

That should be alright but please no more than that. Don’t overwork yourself.

rottentiefSubmitted284 days ago (2 edits)

hello! I have a couple questions and I'm sorry if they've already been answered (I had a little hunt but maybe I missed them)

1. For my character (whether a sprite or illustration I am still unsure which I will use) could a change in makeup count under "expressions" or would that be not allowed since it would be closer to having different outfits? e.g Makeup that is clean vs smudged & crying makeup or adding glitter to her cheeks?

2. If I were to get a VA on board for my project and I had the character laugh or groan while not displaying that as something like "*groans*" on screen, would I still have to count that as a word against my total? same for something like humming?

3. Could I edit the screen of a phone using code & have it count under UI? (just a fancy way of displaying text in game) or would that count too much as a background image being changed /altered ?
for more context: The phone will look like it's in camera mode taking a selfie of the MC and then when texting her friends an overlay would cover the phone screen to display the conversation between her and her friends rather than it being part of the narrative text box at the bottom of the screen.

Thank you! :)

PRINCESS INTERNET CAFéJam Host284 days ago

Hello to you!

Would count as expressions :)
Yes, as it would be counted in a word processor, so use them wisely!
Yes, there is no limit on UI. You can have as many screens or display the text as you want to (specially if it's all done in code).

rottentiefSubmitted284 days ago

Okay, thank you so much for your quick response!! ^^ <3

GluebladeSubmitted284 days ago

If I make a part of the menu where you can check which endings you've gotten, would

1) The text of the endings (such as "good ending" or "demon queen ending") count towards the world limit?

2) Would having small icons to represent each ending be considered UI elements or would it be extra art and therefore against the rules?

PRINCESS INTERNET CAFéJam Host284 days ago

1. The names of the endings would could towards the 1k words when they are displayed in the playthrough but not in the menu.

2. That's probably fine, but don't overdo it.

RedWool284 days ago

Hi, I have a question about the background. Can we use a skybox as the background?

PRINCESS INTERNET CAFéJam Host280 days ago

Hi, sorry for the delay.

Normally we tell people to work with flat assets and any 3d they do to then render as a png. What are you trying to achieve using a skybox?

RedWool280 days ago

We are having the character be a flat billboard png, with visual effects that require a 3d perspective, so the skybox will act as the background when rotating the camera.

PRINCESS INTERNET CAFéJam Host279 days ago

Hello! Yes, that’d be fine as long as that’s the only asset you’ll be using as the background!

rottentiefSubmitted283 days ago

Me again with another question! (sorry!)

I know in the rules it says repeat text via scripting doesn't count towards the word limit but what about the opposite?
I have text in game that is identical but I will need to write it in my code twice to have different font styles.
Context: text will be regular and still if the players have kept MC calm but a bold, shaking version will appear of the same line if they have made poor choices.
"oh no" vs "oh no" would I need to count this as 2 words or 4 words for the total count?

If I need to add both versions to the total do I also need to do that if the 2nd version exists for accessibility? (one line of code for shaking version shown in game, another for regular text if kinetic text is turned off)

thanks again! ^^

PRINCESS INTERNET CAFéJam Host280 days ago

Hello, it'd be cool if you were able to do this styling using variables. I know this is possible to do with Ink, and I've been told that with Ren'Py this should be possible. I don't know what you're using though. So please do try first.

However, if you can't achieve it that way then we would allow this as an exception, as it's the same text.

rottentiefSubmitted279 days ago

Okay will do!!! o7
thanks again :)

nihomiSubmitted282 days ago

Re: 1k word limit, what's the policy on repeated use of very long compound words with either no spaces or separated by punctuation (i.e. GoogleDocsCountsThisAsOneWord)? FWIW, I mainly use them for comedic effect in my script but I don't want it to seem like I'm trying to skirt the word limit, so I can cut down on them if need be.

PRINCESS INTERNET CAFéJam Host280 days ago

Honestly, Google docs may count those as separate words but you know they are several ones out together. Cut down on them as much as possible, please.

PRINCESS INTERNET CAFéJam Host280 days ago (1 edit)

Actually, let me rephrase this because I'm not sure I've been clear. We ask you to refrain from overdoing this. But when you do it, each "real word" counts as one (so CamelWordSentence is 3 words).

And also, we appreciate you asking :)

nihomiSubmitted280 days ago (1 edit)

Alright, thank you for clarifying!!

josefine77Submitted281 days ago

is postprocessing allowed? Like making everything darker for night

PRINCESS INTERNET CAFéJam Host280 days ago

Hi, this is explained in the main post under ONE BACKGROUND.

RastagongSubmitted281 days ago (1 edit)

Hello! I was wondering: is there a specific reason why Creative Commons resources with a Non-Commercial (-NC) clause were not recommended this year? Has there been trouble with them in the past? From the rules:

(this time we’re strongly suggesting that you avoid CC assets that include the Noncommercial or -NC license part!)

BY-NC might be the most common license on Flickr, which I tend to use for photographic backgrounds, but I always abide by the rules: crediting the original author clearly and with a link, and making a non-commercial work, always non-ambiguously (free now and forever, without any donations button, future paid version or anything like that).
If it’s really problematic, I’ll restrain myself to choose a photo licensed under BY alone, but that does restrict choices.

Thanks in advance!

PRINCESS INTERNET CAFéJam Host280 days ago(+1)

Hi! This is something we introduced for the Queer Edition earlier this year, and we've kinda kept around in case people wanted to monetize their games (with donations, etc.). If you do not plan to monetize it, please feel free to use -NC!!!

RastagongSubmitted280 days ago

Ah I see, this makes sense!
OK, thank you so much!!

LunaRaydueSubmitted279 days ago

Hello!! Bit of a last-minute question, I have an idea for the main menu featuring a mock newspaper article about events prior to the game. The mockup article would be used separately for promo, and in the menu a good chunk of the text would be visible. Would that be okay, or is that against the spirit of the jam to have so much text that's not in-game on the menu?

PRINCESS INTERNET CAFéJam Host277 days ago

Hello! Sorry it’s taken so long but we were unsure what to do about this one. So we were scouring the rule set to see if there’d be something there that would allow for this… We hate saying “no”, but regrettable this is one of those cases.

We’re super sorry, but we believe this would go against the rules and the spirit of the jam. However, you make definitely use it as promo material or an attachment outside of the game.

LunaRaydueSubmitted277 days ago

Understandable!! I'll use just the headline (which fits in the word count) and some scribbles to imitate words for the rest on the menu. Thank you!

MustacheSkullsSubmitted278 days ago (1 edit)

Hi! We're using rpg maker MV as the engine for our project, but I was told that it's not allowed due to the assets needed? But is still prohibited even if we don't use the primary rpg system and have plugins to make it a visual novel?

You can find an example here in the first part of the game:

https://mustacheskulls.itch.io/world-of-you

Obs: World of You doesn't have a save feature available (it can only be saved in important bits) but that can be implemented within the O2A2 game we're creating

PRINCESS INTERNET CAFéJam Host277 days ago

Hey. Yeah, the use of RPGMaker is banned in general, as stated in the general rules, because our understanding is that to have any VN sections, you need to have some sort of overworld that uses the tile system. This would clash with the rule set about the number of assets.

Now, if by using this plug-in you can completely bypass having to use an overworld, we’ll allow this, but we would’ve appreciated you had read the rules and come to us earlier.

MustacheSkullsSubmitted277 days ago

yeah, with the plugin there's no need for an overworld. It changes all the rpg aspects and turns it into a complete visual novel engine. And I understand, it's all on me for missing that part completely when reading the rules, next time we'll be more careful about it. Thanks for replying!

KittenpuppysSubmitted278 days ago

Hi! I just wanna ask a quick question, because I am unsure. For the extra item it says "which is a single non-central element that will be hidden" does that mean that the item cannot be something important to the story? In my game the character will collect a photo, and I was wondering if I could as the extra item make the sprite hold the photo. I have some photos for what I mean. Thanks in advance :D

PRINCESS INTERNET CAFéJam Host277 days ago

Hey! This is fine :)

KittenpuppysSubmitted277 days ago

thanks :D

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O2A2 2023 - Visual Novel Jam

!READ THIS! Rules, Interpretations, & FAQ Sticky