Five Tips For Participating In Game Jams
Game jams are great. As someone who has participated in over a dozen game jams over the last few years, I can certainly attest to that. If you’re looking to improve your game development skills and create something neat to go on your portfolio, they’re a great option. Learning how to conceive and see a project through to some level of completion in such a limited amount of time can teach you all kinds of things from planning to time management and more. Depending on the jam, there may even be some kind of prize if your game is good enough. And most important of all, they’re pretty fun.
But they can also be challenging. You’re going up against possibly dozens of other people after all. So what can you do to ensure your submission stands out above all the rest? Maybe you’re looking to enter your first game jam, maybe you’re hoping to get better and improve the quality of your submissions. Here are five tips that will hopefully help you make better game jam games!
#1 Decide Which Engine To Use
When making a game for a jam, it’s important to consider your options when it comes to game engines. Personally, I use Unity to make most of my games. It’s easy to learn, free and has various features that speed up development. Also, you can easily export your projects to WebGL so they can be uploaded and hosted online. Gamemaker Studio 2 could also be a good option, assuming you’re willing to fork over $150 for a license that allows you to export to HTML5. HaxeFlixel is a recent popular choice. Construct2 and 3 are good for making quick games but have an event limit unless you’re willing to pay. If you’re planning to be a programmer and want a game to put on your portfolio however, it’s best to use an engine that enables coding. There are many, many engines which I haven’t mentioned here so feel free to experiment with a few and see what’s right for you. You could even forgo using an engine entirely, though this may not be ideal because of the limited timeframe.
#2 Make a Plan
When starting a game jam, it’s easy to get carried away and immediately start programming and making the graphics for your game. But no matter how simple you think the idea will be to execute and how confident you feel, it’s almost always better to start planning first. You may have a clear picture of how the game will end up but it may not always be feasible to reach that point. Write your idea(s) down, start thinking about how you’re going to execute them, think about the absolute minimum you want to get done and how you can improve it once that goal has been achieved. Once you’ve got a basic plan down, start prototyping with core mechanics. Check that they’ll actually work in practice rather than just on paper. Most people know the famous quote “failing to prepare is preparing to fail” and it applies to game jams as well!
#3 Manage Your Time Effectively
Time is a resource you don’t have much of in a game jam, and because of that, it’s all the more important that you manage your time effectively. Make a list of everything you need to implement and order it in terms of what you think should have the highest priority. Does your game really need a main menu before you’ve even finished the core mechanic? Do you really need to write the game’s lore before you’ve even finished all the levels you’ve planned? Does your game really need ten different weapon types or will it still be fun and feel less bloated with only three? This may seem obvious, but it’s easy to fall off track and get wrapped up in your ideas if you’re not careful. Before you know it, the deadline will be staring you in the face and you’ll start to question whether you should have spent the entire day picking some cool music instead of finishing the core gameplay loop.
#4 Keep The Scale Small
When entering your first few game jams, it’s easy to fall into delusions of grandeur. Whether the timeframe is two days, ten or a measly few hours, you’re not going to make some big RPG with an expansive storyline and revolutionary combat system in such a short time period. Trying to make something huge will more than likely just result in your final game appearing unfinished and unfocused. When your game is being judged among a lot of other entries, it’s unlikely that the player will play for a long time anyway. Think of a simple idea and focus on making that single idea the best it can be. Try to visualise what the minimum end result should be and build on it if you get the time. Short and sweet story-based games, simple puzzle games and arcade games are usually good for keeping your game’s scale realistic while also ensuring it feels like a full, complete game. Feel free to experiment with other genres too, but know your limits and what you’re capable of producing.
#5 Be Unique
Whether your game is being compared to just a few others or a few dozen, making your game stand out is important. Try to make your game unique in style and presentation as well as gameplay. Depending on the theme, you may think you need to follow a certain formula or make your game in a certain way. This couldn’t be further from the truth! Usually game jam themes are left open to interpretation and as long as you can provide justification for how your game fits the theme, it should be accepted. You’d be surprised the ideas people can come up with! Just because the themes is ‘bugs’ doesn’t mean you have to make a game about insects. You could make a game filled with intentional ‘bugs’ or glitches. You could make a game about bugging people and listening in on their conversations. Whatever the case, don’t feel boxed in by whatever theme you’re provided with. Get creative and you’ll stand out!
