Plan Request: Seasonal OGA Game Jams

Plan Request: Seasonal OGA Game Jams

So, last year we ran the 2018 Open Game Art Game Jam #2 (AKA The Summer Game Jam) and it went over so well that someone else decided to run the 2018 Fall-All OGA Game Jam. Thank you everyone for making those happen. It has made OGA a lot more interesting of a place.

Now, I noticed that people are planning to hold another game jam in spring, (Thank you Spring for stepping up.) and there is a conversation going on about getting the art challenges going again that took an effort to plan around the Seasonal OGA Game Jams. So I figured, "It would be nice if we had a plan for the seasonal game jams."

If possible I would like to know:

  • when they are going to run (planning, building, and judging phases).
  • who is planning to run them (so we do not come right up on one with no volunteers, or worse yet 2+ of the same jam).
  • what makes each of them special.
  • what if anything do we want to do for winners (currently it sounds like badges).

 

Now to be clear, I am not in charge of this. I just think if we are doing this as a community we should plan it out. That is why I started this thread.

Before we get going I noticed no one did a winter jam... so assuming no one else wants to do it, I am volunteering to do it next year. I am going to fill in the following sections with the idea that I am doing it in mind, but if somebody else wants it please let me know.

So lets get started...

When are they going to run.

If we do four seasonal game jams that means a new game jam begins every 3 months... sort of. The summer jam 2018 had a one month planning period followed by a one month build period and ended with a few weeks of judging. If all four game jams follow this pattern then you will end up with only a few weeks between game jams, assuming the judging does not run long. Not good or bad, just something to think about.

As a stating point this is what that would look like if each jam fit neatly into its own season. (I know that the seasons do not begin or end on these borders, but I do not think most people would call December fall or March winter either. It is probably better not to follow the seasons too closely.)

  • Spring: (Planning: March, Building: April, & Judging: May)
  • Summer: (Planning: June, Building: July, Judging: August)
  • Fall: (Planning: September, Building: October Judging: November)
  • Winter: (Planning: December, Building: January, Judging: February)

Some quick comments:

  • It might be good for Spring to be flexible because of Easter.
  • Fall's section is going to encourage halloween themed games with those dates, but I guess that is fine.
  • I like the placement of winter a lot (see the what makes them special section for why).

Who is planning to run them.

  • Spring 2019: Spring
  • Summer 2019: chasersgaming*
  • Fall 2019: withthelove*
  • Winter 2019/2020: me

chasersgaming and withthelove, you guys ran it last time are you planning on doing it again?

What makes each of them special.

In 2018 the summer game jam was laid back and pretty care free. Meanwhile the 2018 Fall All-OGA Game Jam required people to use only assets found on OGA. This gave both of them a distinct feel and made the Fall All-OGA Game Jam exciting even though the summer one had just ended. So if we are going to do several of these a year what should spring and winters gimics be? Or do we want to rely on people having different schedules drive them?

Personally, I would like to have a batton pass on the winter game jam. You design a game in December and then build someone elses design in January. (A new developer like the new year takes over where the old one left off.) I suspect this would be helpful for "game dev" new year's resolutions too.