Sane Game Jam

Sane Game Jame Theme: Refuge
Submission Link: http://goo.gl/forms/UMs5uy6uGv

REVISED DEADLINE: Tuesday, February 23rd at 5:00pm.


"Refuge." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 15 Feb. 2016.
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/refuge1

1. refuge (noun)

1 :  shelter or protection from danger or distress
2 :  a place that provides shelter or protection
3 :  something to which one has recourse in difficulty

Synonyms
asylum, bolt-hole [chiefly British], harbor, harborage, haven, shelter, retreat, sanctuary, sanctum

Related Words
oasis; anchorage, mooring, port; cover, screen; abode, diggings, domicile, dwelling, habitation, house, housing, lodging, lodgment (or lodgement), pad, place, quarters, residence, rest, roof; cloister, closet, covert, den, hermitage, hideaway, hideout, lair; castle, fastness, fort, fortress, palisade, redoubt, stronghold; lean-to, lee, shed, windbreak

Rhymes with refuge
deluge, gamboge

2. refuge (verb)

transitive verb :  to give refuge to   
intransitive verb :  to seek or take refuge

Synonyms
harbor, shelter

Related Words
cover, defend, protect, safeguard, screen, secure, shield, ward; domicile, house, place, quarter; shade, shadow

Near Antonyms
expose

Rhymes with refuge
deluge

Stuck?  Read How to Deal With a “Bad” Game Jam Theme by Sonny Bone http://gamedevelopment.tutsplus.com/articles/how-to-deal-with-a-bad-game-jam-theme--cms-21234  And remember, the theme is a jumping off point. Be creative, take liberties, and (most of all) have FUN!  

 













Start Time: Monday, February 15th at 9am

End Time: Saturday February 20th at midnight.

Sane Game Jam Theme: Announced HERE on February 15th at 9am.

Categories: Video games, Card games, Board games, Playground games, and "Other" games. (Individuals may submit multiple games.)

Judges: To be announced after the jam concludes.

Winners: Announced HERE Sunday February 21st.

Q. What's a game jam?

A. Most game jams happen over the course of an intense weekend, with each team creating a unique video game from scratch, based on a prompt. These are short and intense collaborations between artists, writers, and programmers. If you've never done one, put it on your bucket list!


Q. What's a 'sane' game jam? 
A. Many of us can't ditch our normal responsibilities for a full 24- to 72-hours over a weekend. Whether we work at jobs to pay for school, watch small children, care for aging parents, have military obligations, or provide volunteer services, many of us have responsibilities that supersede our desire to create what we love: games! A sane game jam also begins with a prompt, but lasts a full week instead of a weekend, so that team members can "cram in" time as they have it between work, school, and family.


Q. What if I can't program? And don't know any programmers?
A. It's the game that is important, not necessarily the technology. So if you've never programmed a line of code in your life, don't worry; go ahead and invent a card game, a board game, a playground game -- any type of game counts!


Q. Cool. But I want to learn how to make a real video game.
A. If you've always wanted to try you hand at programming, there are great introductory tools to create simple video games; the most important thing is your idea!  The Resources page on this blog includes links to game engines, which you can use to create a video game, as well as tutorials for writing code.  You can work solo or with others, you can use software, hardware, or no-ware as you desire.  There will also be workshops listed on the schedule for those who would like to learn some programming basics.


Q. Awesome! How do I start?

A. First, decide if you want to work with a team or alone.  If you want to work with others, talk to your friends and family to see who wants to make a game with you.  You can also Tweet @WAVGFest to find other folks who want to participate. Identify your skills and interests, and look for collaborators through social media.  If you're working alone, and want to try you hand at programming for the first time, check out the links of recommended software and tutorials below. 

Game Jam Pipeline

1) Brainstorm. What's your idea?  What kind of game will it be? 

2) Sketch It Out. Whether your game is a variation of poker or a reinvention of Pong, sketch it out on paper to figure out what is needed. 

3) Play Test It. Try playing a paper version of your game.  Is it playable? Is it fun?  

4) Trim it Down! A lot of folks run out of time on a game jam, but if you strip your game down to the most important parts, it's much easier to complete the game.  Instead of three levels of rabid unicorn-infested shopping mall, just make on one level; better yet, how about just one store.  Does it really need to be 3D, or will 2D work just as well? (Or better!) Keep it simple. (You only have a week, after all.) 

5) Play Test It Again. Are you happy with it? Excited about it? Cool, you're ready to move on!

6) Make a Schedule (and Stick to It!) Write a list of all the graphics that are needed, everything that needs to be coded (and break these down into simpler problems when you can), and all sound effects and music needed.  Make a schedule for the week so each participant knows what is due and when.  Give yourself plenty of time at the end for fixing problems in the game. Be realistic so you all  stick to the schedule.   If it seems impossible to do something within the given time frame, don't stress out, this is supposed to be fun! Go back and make your game simpler, more streamlined.

7) Code the 'Skeleton' of Your Game. If you're making a true video game, using stock/simple graphics or even just squares and circles as place holders while you're coding the game.  If you're collaborating with an artist, make sure you communicate what size graphics are needed, and specific game aspect ratios so the artist doesn't have to re-do any work.  Coding a skeleton without graphics also makes it easier to debug and not get distracted by making the rabid unicorn animation extra rabid.

8) Make the Graphics.  Make sure you're communicating with programmer so you know exactly what is needed for each graphic asset.  And remember your Principles of Design! Less is often more.

9) Gather Sounds and Music.  Again, make sure the sound designer communicates with the programmer and artist about what sounds are needed, and how long they should be.

10) Put It Together (But You're Not Done Yet!) Once you add graphics, and sounds to the code skeleton, other bugs and problems will show up.  Don't stress out, this is totally the nature of things. (Remember how you scheduled in time for this at the end?) Go through and revise the graphics, sounds, and/or code as needed to get the game as bug-free as possible before the deadline.

11) Play Test It Again. Actually, you've hopefully been play testing the game each step of the way!  

12) Submit the Game by the Deadline! Depending on your game and how you're submitting it, make sure that the submission is working.

13) Share It with Friends and Get Some Rest.  You earned that nice camomile tea. Enjoy it.