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GAME JAM BOSS BATTLE EDITION JURY RESULTS

The Jury Ranking is ready 🙂! Once again it was not easy. So many strong entries this time that picking the top spots came down to the smallest margins. But that is exactly what we want to see, so thank you for that. 🙂

These are the results:

#1 -> Fih VS Players!! Playing as the boss in an online fishing game was a blast, and so were the lines of dialogue. Fitting music and sound effects paired with fun homemade graphics made the package complete. That is why it takes home the $125 Amazon Gift Card. 

#2 -> EVERYTHING! Against your face A unique, original gaming experience that puts your webcam to work, unlike anything else in the jam. Fun to play, full of humor, and backed by a fitting soundtrack. That is why it takes home the $75 Amazon Gift Card. 

#3 -> Good Through Bad & Cosmic Coil 🥉🥉 Tied, ex aequo, by the judges' call. One game brings cool voice acting and a storyline that fits our jam perfectly, topped off with a fun boss fight. The other is slick in its visuals and camera transitions, packed with action as you battle to destroy your own tail. Both earned third place and will split the pot. But because we really wanted to reward them, we raised each prize to $40. That is why they each take home a $40 Amazon Gift Card. 

PEOPLE VOTE SUMMARY

#1 Fih VS Players!! 
#2 MOP THEM ALL! 
#3 EVERYTHING! Against your face

Congratulations again to the winners and to all the participants for their effort 🥳!

🎉 Thank You to All Participants and Feedback Givers! (FEEDBACK AWARD) 🎉

First of all, we want to thank everyone who participated in this game jam and took the time to leave constructive feedback on the submissions. Your feedback is invaluable! Not only to the creators, but also to the spirit of the jam itself. It helps developers grow, improve, and feel encouraged to keep creating!

We are excited to announce the winner of the Feedback Award 🏆, which goes to Acuristic! 🎉

This choice was not based on any scientific calculations or exact scoring. Instead, we selected from a group of participants who, in our opinion, provided thoughtful and constructive feedback. From that group, we randomly selected this name as the award recipient.

In addition, we would like to give honorable mentions to: pacchettino, justsomepikachu, emperorzoldyck, the bit bet and many more. These individuals, and many others, also stood out for their great feedback and contributions to the jam community!

That being said, we want to emphasize that we deeply appreciate everyone who took the time to leave comments and feedback, even if your name is not mentioned here. Your efforts made a big difference to the participants and helped them improve their projects. So whether your name is listed or not: thank you from both the organizers and the participants!

We hope to see you all in the next jam, continuing to share your creativity and support for one another!

PS: We will be contacting the winners by DM and handing out the prizes as soon as possible. Starting tomorrow!

Nice job on your jam entry! 🎮😊

For something made in around 15 to 20 hours, this is a solid little game with a clear idea, a complete game loop and a good small scope.

I liked the 1v1 boss duel concept. The background track also worked well and gave the game a nice atmosphere 🎵, although I think I recognized the music, so just be a little careful with copyright when using existing tracks in future projects. Officially, copyrighted music should only be used if you have permission, a license, or the proper rights to use it.

A few constructive tips for next time: some SFX would help a lot, especially for shooting, hits, shield blocks, damage, and arena danger. Also, because this needs two local players, not everyone in a game jam will have someone nearby to play with. For future jams, you could maybe add a simple single-player mode, AI opponent, or training/test mode so more people can fully try and rate the game. 

As mentioned in another comment too, I did not really notice the knockback while playing. Maybe it was there, but it could be made a bit clearer or stronger. Upgrades could also be really cool to add in a future update or in another version of the game.

The theme is definitely present, although it could perhaps be pushed a little more so the you are the boss battle feeling comes through even stronger. ✅

Overall, I  had  fun to play. Good work. Keep going like this! 🚀💪

For a first game jam not bad at all 💪😊!
Nice job, keep it going like that!

🚨 Newsflash! Minor Deadline Extension 🚨

We've decided to extend the game jam deadline a little bit by an extra 3 hours! This gives you all some additional time for last-minute polish, final touches, and ensures everyone can submit their game without stress or network issues.

Please upload early! We strongly recommend trying to upload your game at least a few hours before the deadline. This will help you avoid any last-minute network problems and give you time to verify that your game is playable for other participants.

⏰ New FINAL Deadline: Monday, May 25th 2026 14:00 (CET) 📅

Important: This extension is absolute and final! 😈 No further extensions will be granted. Submissions after this new deadline will unfortunately not be accepted. After the deadline the game files can not be edited anymore. You can edit your project page (description, screenshots) and you can also edit your submission fields after the deadline. The files will be released for updates after the voting period has ended. (If you delete the game files after the deadline you are in trouble because you can not upload new ones and people can not play your game.)

After the deadline the voting period starts:

Note: In our game jams, voting is restricted to submitters only. This decision was made after some teams in previous jams downvoted all competing entries. Team members are still welcome and encouraged to leave comments of course.

We also have a special Feedback Award + prize: Awarded to the participant who provides the most helpful, constructive, and insightful feedback on others’ games. This category values those who go above and beyond with thoughtful comments, tips, and encouragement to help fellow developers improve their games. This choice is not  based on any scientific calculations or exact scoring. Instead, we select from a group of participants who, in our opinion, provides thoughtful and constructive feedback. From that group, we draw a name as the award recipient.

Make these extra hours count! 💪 

Good luck, and happy jamming! 🎮 🍀 

⚔️ GOEDWARE GAME JAM: BOSS BATTLE EDITION ⚔️

The jam has started and still ±5 dev days left to create a game & battle.

You can still join us for creativity, boss battles, and game dev fun.
250+ devs already signed up!

The theme is: YOU ARE THE BOSS

🔗 Join the Challenge: GoedWare Game Jam Boss Battle Edition @ itch.io 
🌐 Connect with Us on Discord: GoedWare's Hub

Create | Clash | Conquer

⚔️ GOEDWARE GAME JAM: BOSS BATTLE EDITION ⚔️

The jam has started and still ±8 dev days left to create a game & battle.

You can still join us for creativity, boss battles, and game dev fun.
225+ devs already signed up!

The theme is: YOU ARE THE BOSS

🔗 Join the Challenge: GoedWare Game Jam Boss Battle Edition @ itch.io 
🌐 Connect with Us on Discord: GoedWare's Hub

Create | Clash | Conquer

⚔️ GOEDWARE GAME JAM: BOSS BATTLE EDITION ⚔️

The jam starts in Today (May 15th, 2026)!!

There is still time to join us for 10 days of creativity, boss battles, and game dev fun.
200+ devs already signed up!

🔗 Join the Challenge: GoedWare Game Jam Boss Battle Edition @ itch.io 
🌐 Connect with Us on Discord: GoedWare's Hub

Create | Clash | Conquer

Yes, that counts. A tower defense boss that appears every few waves is still a boss, especially if it is clearly stronger, more special, or changes the gameplay compared to regular enemies. So that fits the Boss Battle Edition theme.

And about AI-generated sprites: you can join. Our FAQ says:

“You may use AI tools to assist with coding and asset creation (such as art, music, or sound effects). However, the majority of the code must be your own work, and any AI-generated content should be used thoughtfully and ethically.”

So using AI-generated sprites is allowed, as long as you use them responsibly and make sure they do not copy, resemble, or replicate existing copyrighted content.

In addition to the main prizes sponsored by GoedWare, we also have bonus prizes generously provided by our supporting sponsors. These sponsors help make the jam even more exciting by offering extra rewards for the participants! 

CraftPix.net is an online store and resource specializing in providing high-quality premium and free 2D game assets for game developers, indie studios, and hobbyists.

__________________________________________

Bonus Prizes from Our Supporting Sponsors

In addition to the main prizes sponsored by GoedWare, we also have bonus prizes generously provided by our supporting sponsors. These sponsors help make the jam even more exciting by offering extra rewards for the participants! 

A big thank you to all our supporting sponsors for contributing these additional prizes and helping make this event even better!

Current Supporting Sponsors: 

CraftPix.net is an online store and resource specializing in providing high-quality premium and free 2D game assets for game developers, indie studios, and hobbyists.

CraftPix.net will sponsor the following prizes for the top 3 in the public & jury ranking:

• 1-year Craftpix Membership

⚔️ GOEDWARE GAME JAM: BOSS BATTLE EDITION ⚔️

The jam starts in ±2 weeks (May 15th)!

There is still time to join us for 10 days of creativity, boss battles, and game dev fun.

🔗 Join the Challenge: GoedWare Game Jam Boss Battle Edition @ itch.io
🌐 Connect with Us on Discord: GoedWare's Hub

Create | Clash | Conquer

You can now vote for the theme on our Discord Server: GoedWare's Hub
Check the #game-jam-theme channel.
You can vote till May 10th 2026.

We’re always open to collaboration and would love to hear from you! If you'd like to support our Game Jam: for example by providing a prize, sponsoring a specific category, or contributing in another creative way, we’d be happy to chat and explore the possibilities.

Sponsorships are a great way to promote your brand, project, or company to a passionate and engaged community of developers, artists, and game lovers.

Simply leave a message below or join our Discord server and send us (GoedWare) a DM. We’ll get back to you quickly to discuss how we can make your contribution part of this special event!

Let’s make something awesome together! 🎮✨

Thanks a lot for playing and for the positive feedback!😊

You’re absolutely right about the text speed. It can definitely appear much faster, and that is something I would improve in a next version. This was a game jam prototype, so some things are still a bit rough around the edges, but feedback like this is really useful.

I’m also very happy to hear that you think the concept is cool. The idea of developing this further has definitely been floating around in my head, but no concrete plans (yet)..🚀

Thanks again for checking it out!

⚔️ GOEDWARE GAME JAM - BOSS BATTLE EDITION ⚔️

Ready to create an unforgettable boss fight?

Join us for the Boss Battle Edition of the GoedWare Game Jam, starting May 15th 2026!
Whether you're a solo developer or jamming with friends in a team, this is your chance to build something intense, creative, and memorable, then share it with a supportive community of fellow game makers.

Tagline: Create | Clash | Conquer

Over the course of 10 days, you'll challenge yourself to:

• Embrace the Theme - A surprise theme will be announced at the start to spark your creativity.
• Build an Epic Boss Battle - Every entry must feature at least one memorable boss encounter at its core.
• Collaborate & Connect - Join our Discord to meet fellow devs, get feedback, or find a team.
• Showcase Your Work - Submit your game and gain recognition through public voting and jury rankings.
• Level Up - Use this time to experiment, grow your skills, and create a boss fight players will remember.

📅 Save the Dates:

• Jam Dates: May 15th - May 25th, 2026
• Theme Reveal: May 15th, 11:00 AM (CET)
• Prizes: Yes, including public and jury prizes

🔗 Join the Challenge: GoedWare Game Jam Boss Battle Edition @ itch.io (250+ already joined)
🌐 Connect with Us on Discord: GoedWare's Hub

Engage with like-minded creators and share your progress. Let’s come together to create incredible boss battles, explore bold ideas, and celebrate the joy of game development.

⚔️Dream big, design boldly, and make your mark in the GoedWare Game Jam - Boss Battle Edition! ✨

Boss Battle Edition

Q: Does my game need to include a boss battle?
A: Yes. Every game submitted to this special edition must include at least one clear boss battle.

Q: What counts as a boss battle?
A: A boss battle should feel like a major encounter that stands out from regular gameplay. It should be more important, memorable, or unique than normal enemies or standard challenges. This can be through mechanics, presentation, difficulty, tension, phases, scale, or the overall role it plays in the game.

Q: Does the boss battle need to be combat-focused?
A: No. A boss battle does not have to be a traditional combat fight. It can also be a puzzle boss, a strategic encounter, a survival sequence, a chase, or another type of major gameplay challenge, as long as it clearly feels like a boss encounter.

Q: Does my boss have to be the final boss?
A: No. Your boss battle can happen at any point in the game. It does not need to be the final encounter, as long as it is clearly present in your submission.

Q: Can I make a game with only one boss fight?
A: Yes! A short game built around one strong and memorable boss encounter is completely fine for this jam.

Q: Can I include more than one boss battle?
A: Yes. You are welcome to include multiple boss battles if you have the time, but one clear and memorable boss fight is enough.

Q: Can the boss be something unusual?
A: Absolutely. Your boss can be a monster, machine, rival, puzzle, strange system, overwhelming force, or something completely original. Creativity is encouraged, as long as it clearly feels like a boss encounter.

Q: Will boss design affect judging?
A: Yes. Since this is a Boss Battle Edition, the boss encounter itself is a central part of the experience and will strongly influence how players judge categories such as Boss Battle, Visuals, Audio, and Theme.

Q: Does my game need to explain how the boss works?
A: Not explicitly, but the boss fight should be readable enough that players can understand what is happening and how to respond. Clear design usually leads to a better experience.

Q: Can my game be very small in scope?
A: Yes. This jam is not about making the biggest game. A short, polished game with one creative boss encounter is often stronger than a larger but unfinished project.

General

Q: What is the theme for this jam?
A: The theme will be announced at the frontpage and on Discord when the jam begins.

Q: Who can vote?
A: In our game jams, voting is restricted to submitters only. This decision was made after some teams in previous jams downvoted all competing entries. Team members are still welcome and encouraged to leave comments of course.

Q: Who can participate?
A: Anyone! All experience levels are welcome, and you can work solo or in a team (recommended max 4 members).

Q: Can I use any game engine?
A: Yes! You can use any engine or framework, such as Unity, Godot, Unreal, GameMaker, etc. Just ensure your game fits the jam’s rules and theme.

Q: Can I submit multiple games?
A: Yes, if you have the time and energy, you’re welcome to submit more than one game!

Q: Are AI tools allowed?
A: You may use AI tools to assist with coding and asset creation (such as art, music, or sound effects). However, the majority of the code must be your own work, and any AI-generated content should be used thoughtfully and ethically. If you use AI-generated assets, make sure they respect copyright rules and do not resemble or replicate existing copyrighted content.

Q: What about music, fonts, and assets?
A: You can use royalty-free music and audio assets you own, with proper credits and licenses. Make sure all assets adhere to copyright and licensing rules. You may use assets you already own, such as those from the Unity Asset Store or Unreal Marketplace. Ensure that all assets are properly licensed and that you have permission to use them. Avoid infringing on copyrights or trademarks. Assets bought in the stores usually (99.9%) have the correct license to use them in our jam.

Q: Can I edit my game files after submitting?
A: No, submissions are locked after the deadline, so make sure everything is ready before you submit!

Q: Does my game have to be a certain format?
A: No, but remember that not all users have Windows/Mac/Linux devices. Browser-based games are a great idea to maximize accessibility. At least make sure a Windows version is available.

Q: Can I submit a game that I already started on?
A: No, it is required that all participants create their games entirely within the jam period.

Q: What are the rating categories?
A: Games will be rated on Art/Visuals, Boss Battle, Audio/Sound Design and Theme, with a special Feedback jury category for participants who provide thoughtful feedback on others’ games

Q: How many ratings do I need to be eligible for prizes?
A: Each game needs at least 10 ratings to qualify for prizes. Playing and rating other games will help increase your game’s visibility.

Q: How does the judging work?
A: In addition to community ratings, a jury panel will review games to award their favorite entries.

Q: Is there a place to connect with other participants?
A: Yes! Join our Discord Server to chat, brainstorm, and share ideas with the community.

Q: Can I submit my game to other jams?  A: Yes, you are allowed to submit your game to other jams! However, please follow these rules:

• Stick to Our Theme: Your game must adhere to the theme provided for this jam.
• No Early Starts: You can’t start working on your game before our jam officially begins, even if another jam allows it. This ensures everyone has the same amount of time to work on their games.

We encourage creativity and participation in multiple jams, but fairness to all participants is key.

Q: What if I have more questions?
A: Feel free to reach out in the Discord, and we’ll be happy to help!

Post here some handy links to free game development resources for your fellow Game Jam participants.

Some resources to help you started:

• Blender, for 3D  models and can also do 2D and/or sculpting: https://www.blender.org
• Freesound.org: https://freesound.org | License: https://freesound.org/help/faq/#wait-this-is-all-free
• 8bit Sound Generator: https://www.bfxr.net/ | License: You have full rights to all sounds made with bfxr, and are free to use them for any purposes, commercial or otherwise.
• Kenny Assets: https://kenney.nl/assets | License: CC0 1.0 Universal
• Color Scheme Generator: http://colormind.io/
• Color Scheme Designer: https://paletton.com/
• Open Game Art: https://opengameart.org | License: https://opengameart.org/content/faq#q-how-to-credit
• Piskel,  a free online editor for animated sprites & pixel art:  https://www.piskelapp.com/
• Mixamo, animations: https://www.mixamo.com/
• Tree It, free tree creation tool: http://www.evolved-software.com/treeit/treeit 
• WOWIE Asset Pack (by Jonas Tyroller): https://jonas-tyroller.itch.io/wowie-pack
• LabChirp, a powerful and versatile sound effect generator: https://labbed.itch.io/labchirp
• Kay Lousberg free Game Assets: https://kaylousberg.com/game-assets
• ChipTone, a free tool for generating sound effect: https://sfbgames.itch.io/chiptone | License: All sounds created using ChipTone are free to use for any purpose, commercial or otherwise, under the CC0 licence. 
• Beepbox, BeepBox is an online tool for sketching and sharing instrumental music: https://www.beepbox.co
• Material maker, for procedural materials: https://rodzilla.itch.io/material-maker
• Audacity for editing audio: https://www.audacityteam.org
• Game idea generator, for if you're completely stuck on an idea: http://ygd.bafta.org/resources/game-idea-generator
• Ship Mixer, create ships that perfectly fit the shmup style:  https://kenney.itch.io/ship-mixer (License see link)
• Creature Mixer, create characters that perfectly fit the platformer style:  https://kenney.itch.io/creature-mixer (License see link)
• Some amazing free CC0 low poly places/characters/props: https://elbolilloduro.itch.io/
• Texture tool:  https://www.codeandweb.com/texturepacker
• Collection of low poly stuff: https://github.com/Miziziziz/Retro3DGraphicsCollection
• Inkscape: a free and open source vector graphics creation tool. https://inkscape.org/
• LibreSprite: LibreSprite is an open source version of AseSprite. https://libresprite.github.io/#!/
• Pixel Art Sprite Mixer. It has 100 Pixel Art Top-Down Animations, attack anims, weapons, swimming, teleporting, energy charging, jumps and ninja runs + more. Also has over 400 Items/Armors.  I made it to help beginners, indies devs & game jammers. https://kingbell.itch.io/pixel-sprite-mixer
• GDD Wizard is a browser-based tool built for jam teams to plan, organize, and finish stronger. Try it out here: https://studio-erza.itch.io/gdd-wizard
• Procedural music generator: https://pernyblom.github.io/abundant-music/, CC0 licence and https://musical-artifacts.com/ has lots of publicly licensed sound fonts for rendering the midi files that abundant music generates.

Use this topic to find team members for the Game Jam or go to our discord channel:  https://discord.gg/PNMKywspdb 

@ Discord there is also a collaboration channel to look for other participants to try to find and form a team.

Feel free to ask questions about the jam here..!

Congratulations!
Please check your email. We have sent you a message about your prize for winning first place in Gameplay. You can also contact us via DM on Discord if you have it.

Please make sure we can all read the devlog link :-)!

Congratulations on your impressive not-quite-last place on the leaderboard 😉🏆!

I do not know the Battlestar Galactica board game, but I have seen the series, and that really was an inspiration for the game: a fleet of people trying to escape and having to jump in time.

Your feeling is correct. I made 2 enemy behavior types for all enemy classes: one that targets the nearest ship, and one that targets civilians. In the end, I chose to put more of the civilian-targeting ones into the waves. It seemed more exciting to me and raised the stakes, but from what you and other players have said, I probably should have balanced that differently. Another lesson learned for next time 🙂.

Unfortunately there is a web build bug with the sound as well. That is something I will have to look into more carefully next time. I did not run into it myself, but maybe I tested too much in the editor.

So we were actually thinking along similar lines there 😄. The different civilian ships in my game also all have different bonuses. Transports give points because they are full of civilians, and also a few construction points. Cargo Haulers give more construction points. The Command Ship lets you see intel about the upcoming waves, and the Medical Ship allows you to repair. If you lose the Command Ship or the Medical Ship, you also lose the intel and repair options.

In any case, thank you very much for playing and for the kind words about the game. I am really glad you enjoyed it while playing 😊. And thank you as well for the honest and constructive feedback. I really appreciate it, and it is something I will take with me into future projects so I can improve.

Rewatching Battlestar Galactica is not exactly a punishment 😉, although it does take quite a bit of time 😅. It was a great series, and it clearly stayed with me long enough to inspire this game with the whole fleeing fleet and jumping concept.

Thank you, I am really glad you had fun with it, and thanks a lot for playing and for the thoughtful feedback, it is much appreciated 😊

I am happy the double wave attack was a positive surprise and felt a bit like a mini-boss fight. That was definitely a little bit of the intention 😄

The music could definitely have been better, with more variation and a bit more punch and intensity, especially during the battle phase. That is a very good point and something I will take with me into a future project or game.

The auto-camera suggestion is also a very good one. I would need to think a bit more about the best way to implement that, maybe some kind of smart autofocus or optional battle-follow mode...

Performance testing unfortunately did not get the attention it should have because of my poor time management, and web builds also tend to take a bigger performance hit than a Windows build. That definitely needs more focus as well. There is a low graphics quality option in the settings, but I am not actually sure how much extra performance it gives because I did not have time to test it properly. I added it in fairly quickly near the end 😅

As for the income, certain transports are what generate it. I should have explained that more clearly. It is mentioned a bit in the text, and it should also show up in the info panel when you click a ship, but it was clearly not explained well enough. The large civilian transport ships carry 1000 civilians for points and also give 20 construction points when they survive a jump. Cargo ships carry fewer civilians, but they give 100 construction points when they make it to the next jump, so both types are definitely worth protecting for both civilian and construction point reasons.😊

Thanks again for the kind words and the feedback. It really helps, and there is a lot here that I can learn from ✨

Damn those bombers 😅 😉!

Thank you for playing and glad you had fun 😊!

We do not have any upgrades or update planned for this game in the future....yet...

Really great to read that you had fun with the game 😊🚀 That makes me smile!😃

Finding a good balance for a strategy game during a 10-day jam may have been a bit too ambitious on my part, but I really did my best, and it definitely still needs a proper balance pass to make it feel even better.😅

The special abilities can help a little bit, especially if they are timed well and saved for the right moment. For example, a Destroyer can take about 90% of a bomber’s health in a single shot, instantly kill small swarm fighters, and also deal more damage to the capital enemy than most other ships. Frigates can be very useful against large groups of swarms, because their rapid fire lets them deal extra damage across multiple ships. The Battlecruiser is more about waiting for the right moment, since it launches a torpedo volley at every ship in range, so the more enemies there are, the more torpedoes it fires at once.

The transport ships actually all have different bonuses in the game😅. Maybe that did not come across clearly enough, and perhaps we should have explained that better. The regular transport ships are mostly there for points, since they carry a lot of civilians (1000), but they also give a small amount of construction points per jump. Cargo Haulers give 100 construction points per jump if they survive. The Command Ship gives you intel at the start of a jump about which enemies are coming, so if it is destroyed, you no longer see that information. The Medical Ship allows you to make repairs, so if that one is destroyed, you cannot repair anymore. So we did try to give them some differentiation 🙂😅

Thanks again for playing and for the feedback. I really appreciate it, and it is absolutely something I can learn from for future updates and projects 🙏✨

First: thank you for playing and for taking the time to leave feedback! It is really appreciated 😊.

The audio issue could indeed be a bug, or it might be related to this being a WebGL build instead of a Windows build. I have noticed before that sound timing can behave a bit differently in a web build compared to a Windows build, so that is definitely something I need to look at and test better next time.

We really tried to find a balance and not make the game too difficult. We did not want it to be too easy either, but since jam games are usually only played for a short time, we tried to keep it reasonable. Sadly, it seems we did not fully succeed there 😅 Hopefully you still had fun playing though! Did you also use the special abilities? You can use them once per jump for each ship by pressing the "S" key. They can sometimes make the difference and help you survive a jump more easily, which can leave you with more money for an extra ship or repairs.

We also discovered the issue with missing moving ships... right before uploading the game. So yes, that is definitely a bug, good catch, and sorry about that 🙂 The suggestion about protecting civilian ships by you and Chris is definitely a very good one as well to keep in mind.

Maybe with the special abilities you can still make it onto the leaderboard 😉 The jumps are also a bit random in terms of where ships come from, plus or minus one ship, so sometimes you can get a lucky streak and have a slightly easier run.

Still, thanks again for playing and for all the tips and feedback. We can absolutely learn from them for an update or a future project 💪

Thank you for playing the game and for the constructive feedback! 😊 It is really appreciated!

It is great to read that the polish, UI, and VFX/SFX seem to have helped give the game a strong vibe and feel. And of course, it is always really nice to hear that you had fun with it too. That is one of the most important things for a game 😄

What you said about the balance is absolutely fair, and those are very good points. I was also trying to find the right middle ground between not making it too hard, but also not making it too easy. For a strategy game like this, that is actually quite difficult, and it really takes a lot of play sessions to get that right. With a 10-day jam, there simply was not enough time to properly fine-tune everything. So I did expect that the balance would probably not be fully there yet, but I was hoping the game would still be fun and satisfying enough to push for that final jump🚀(I hope it was). It is definitely something we need to improve, whether in updates or in future strategy games.

Using ships as shields is also a really good suggestion. There are actually two types of enemies: one that targets everything, and one that only targets the transport ships. We may have ended up adding a bit too many transport-focused enemies, so that probably needs better balancing as well, or perhaps a system where you can more deliberately protect the other ships. Definitely a good tip if we ever decide to revisit and improve that part of the game 👍

Thanks again for playing and the great feedback and for the compliments! 😊

First of all, thanks a lot for playing and for taking the time to leave feedback! I’m really happy you had a smooth, bug-free experience and enjoyed the game. That means a lot 🙂

I probably could have highlighted the special abilities a bit better. They were actually really fun to make, especially the effects, sounds, and damage impact 😄
Even if it turns out they were not really needed after all 😉 Balancing the game’s difficulty was one of the things I spent the most time thinking about. With a game jam project, you do not want it to be so hard that players give up after 2 jumps or never reach the end, but you also do not want it to feel too easy. In the end, I decided to keep it a bit more accessible, so with some decent choices most players should be able to make it through the final jump. Normally, though, balancing something like that properly takes a lot more time, testing, and ideally multiple difficulty levels. So for this jam it was still a bit of a gamble, mostly based on my own play sessions, and I just hoped it would land in a good middle ground. Not too hard, but not too easy.

I’m also really glad the camera controller stood out in a positive way. It felt important to me that players could move around comfortably and keep a good overview of the battlefield.

And I saw your great leaderboard score for number of survivors too. Very nice 🚀💪!

Thanks again for playing and for the useful feedback. Really appreciated!

Haha, yes, good catch 😄

We submitted it a little later on purpose because we first wanted to help other participants with questions about their entries for the jam, and since we are not taking part in the prizes anyway, that was fine for us 😊

We do still really appreciate the feedback though, and I am very happy you liked the old-school space game vibe 🚀 I hope you also had some fun while playing, because that is of course an important part of gaming.

Thanks a lot for playing and for the feedback 🙂

Thank you 😊✨!

Devlog (optional) deadline is the end of Thursday, March 19th, 2026

🚨 Newsflash! Minor Deadline Extension 🚨

We've decided to extend the game jam deadline a little bit by an extra 5 hours! This gives you all some additional time for last-minute polish, final touches, and ensures everyone can submit their game without stress or network issues.

Please upload early! We strongly recommend trying to upload your game at least a few hours before the deadline. This will help you avoid any last-minute network problems and give you time to verify that your game is playable for other participants.

⏰ New FINAL Deadline: Monday, March 16th, 2026, 16:00 (CET) 

📅 Important: This extension is absolute and final! 😈 No further extensions will be granted. Submissions after this new deadline will unfortunately not be accepted. After the deadline the game files can not be edited anymore. You can edit your project page (description, screenshots) and you can also edit your submission with devlog link after the deadline. The game files will be released for updates after the voting period has ended. (If you delete the game files after the deadline you are in trouble and people can not play your game.)

After the deadline the voting period starts:

• Note: In our game jams, voting is restricted to submitters only. This decision was made after some teams in previous jams downvoted all competing entries. Team members are still welcome and encouraged to leave comments of course.
• Devlog (optional) deadline is the end of Thursday, March 19th, 2026
• Do not forget to fill in the Easter Egg form during submission when you have included one. (optional also) 
• We also have a special Feedback Award + prize: Awarded to the participant who provides the most helpful, constructive, and insightful feedback on others’ games. This category values those who go above and beyond with thoughtful comments, tips, and encouragement to help fellow developers improve their games. This choice is not  based on any scientific calculations or exact scoring. Instead, we select from a group of participants who, in our opinion, provides thoughtful and constructive feedback. From that group, we draw a name as the award recipient.

Make these extra hours count!

Good luck and happy jamming! 🎮

You can still join us: GoedWare Game Jam #16 @ itch.io 
4 full development days left to create and finish your game..!

You can still join us: GoedWare Game Jam #16 @ itch.io 
5 full development days left to create and finish your game..!

The 16th GoedWare Game Jam is LIVE!

Theme: YOU CAN'T SAVE THEM ALL

You can still join us: GoedWare Game Jam #16 @ itch.io 
9 development days left to create and finish your game..!

Theme reveal trailer (feel free to share and like 👍😄!)

Of course, you should first try yourself to come up with a nice idea for your game using the YOU CAN'T SAVE THEM ALL theme (that is part of the fun😁), but if you get stuck and can't come up with anything...

Then maybe this mind map can give you some inspiration to come up with a nice idea or trigger your imagination to create your game:
**(You can open the image separately to zoom in and view it in more detail)

Good luck & Have Fun!!

🎮 Around 2 hours until the 16th GoedWare Game Jam! 🕹️

You can still join this next event! 275+ creators and gamedevs already did.

Mark your calendars, the jam runs March 6th – March 16th, 2026,  and you’re invited to join solo or with a team. That’s 10 full days of creativity, experimentation, collaboration, and fun!

🎮 Join Now: GoedWare Game Jam #16 @ itch.io 
📣 Theme: The theme will be revealed at the start of the jam 

Get ready to Create | Learn | Enjoy 🕹️

🎮 Around 3 days until the 16th GoedWare Game Jam! 🕹️

You can still join this next event! 180+ creators and gamedevs already did.

Mark your calendars, the jam runs March 6th – March 16th, 2026,  and you’re invited to join solo or with a team. That’s 10 full days of creativity, experimentation, collaboration, and fun!

🎮 Join Now: GoedWare Game Jam #16 @ itch.io 
📣  Theme: The theme will be revealed at the start of the jam 

Get ready to Create | Learn | Enjoy 🕹️

And godot?

We have opened the Theme Poll for our 16th GoedWare Game Jam @ Discord.

It's not easy to come up with good and fun themes, but we did our best again...😅! Choose/vote the theme/mechanic you like. From the top 5 we will choose the theme for the upcoming Game Jam. You can vote for several themes. Vote by clicking on the emoji in the Discord channel (#game-jam-theme | the poll is pinned in the channel).

You can vote till February 28th 2026.

Vote @ Discord: https://discord.gg/PNMKywspdb