SA Game Jam 2018 Planning Phase - Please check out Official Free Lives Post for Details

Hey everyone!

We are going to host the SA Game Jam from 21- 23 Septemjber 2018!

Can everyone please start sending their RSVP to limpho@freelives.net and let me know if you are coming in person. I need a head count of people to figure out where we'll host the jam.

We'll put up a FB event once we have confirmed a space. :)

Comments

  • So sad that I won't be in town for this one!
  • Do we need to be in town for the jam or can we submit our jam game online?
  • @Lungile_TheGameDev: afaik you can jam anywhere and submit your game online. That said, it's just generally really cool to jam together physically if it's possible to make it to a common venue.
  • edited
    @Lungile_TheGameDev You can submit from anywhere, so long as you're in South Africa :)

    A few of you were disappointed in the organization of the event last year. We're going to try do better this year!

    This year the total prize pool is going to be R30,000, divided up into 8 prizes (and it will be possible to win more than one of these prizes).

    Here are the rules from last year:

    The theme will be announced, and jamming commences, at 6pm on Friday the 21st of September

    Jamming ends after 48 hours at 6pm on Sunday the 23rd of September, with 2 hours grace for submitting.

    Optionally you can extend your jam to 6pm on Monday the 24th of September (after 72 hours), so long as you stipulate this in your submission. Some games need a little extra time to cook. We will try to factor in the extra time when judging.

    ENTRY CATEGORIES:
    - Student (studying full time and have a student card)
    - Hobbyist (not a student, but don't make games for a living)
    - Diversity (not a straight, white male) (PM us at the time of submission if you would like to opt into this category)
    - Overall (open to all)

    PRIZES:
    - Student, Hobbyist and Diversity category winners will each receive R3000
    - Best Art R2500
    - Best Audio R2500
    - Technical Excellence R2500
    - Best Narrative R2500
    - Overall Winner gets R5000
    - Three entrants will be invited to exhibit at during Africa Games Week in Cape Town at the end of November (more details on that nearer to the time).
    - An additional prize of a trip to Africa Games Week in Cape Town in November to be awarded at the judges' discretion (this includes a flight to Cape Town from anywhere in SA and an entry ticket to the festival, it excludes accommodation)

    TO ENTER:
    To enter the competition, start a thread titled “[SA Game Jam 2018] NameOfYourGame" in Make Games SA's “Online Competitions and Jams” category and post your progress there (makegamessa.com). Please don't post design ideas and ambitions, posting that won't help you achieve your goals.
    As you release files, edit your first post to point to the most recent versions available.
    You must include the following info:
    - Jam name (SA Game Jam 2018)
    - Project name
    - Level of experience (Professional, Hobbyist or Student)
    - 48hr entry / 72hr entry
    Please ensure that you familiarise yourself with and follow the Make Games forum guidelines! (http://makegamessa.com/discussion/4108/forum-guidelines-faq)

    PARTICIPATE FOR EXTRA POINTS!
    Other people will reply to your post with their feedback and ideas. Please do your best to take any and all feedback as positively as you can and use it to make your game better.
    Participating by engaging in feedback on your own and other entries will be taken into account.
    Fixing / tweaking your own entry based on feedback received will also be taken into account.

    JUDGING:
    The entries will be judged by a panel of judges (to be announced closer to the time), one week after the deadline.

    RULES:
    - Competition starts on 21st of September 2018
    - Deadline for entries is 24th September 2018, 20:00 (UTC+2).
    - You can enter as an individual or as a team.
    - Use whichever language, tool or development system you are comfortable in.
    - Your game must contain all files needed for it to run and should not require other bulky systems to be downloaded or installed, exceptions are browser plugins like Flash and self-contained DLLs distributed with the game.
    - While any fixes post-jam will be taken into account, the version submitted at the time of the deadline will be played and judged, so make sure it is PLAYABLE WITHOUT ADDITIONAL INFORMATION NOT CONTAINED IN THE GAME.
    - Competition is open to entry for South African residents over the age of 18.
    - You retain all copyright to your work.
    - The illegal use of copyrighted material will not be tolerated. Do not steal!
    - All risk or liability in case of copyright infringement or other legal issue resides with the entrant, Free Lives and MGSA takes no responsibility for entered games.
    - The judges’ decision is final and no negotiation will be entered into.
  • I've had a question about the venue. Just to confirm, this would be at Free Lives' offices in Cape Town?

    Though if there's enough demand, I assume you'd be happy for someone to organize a Joburg venue as well?
  • mattbenic said:
    Though if there's enough demand, I assume you'd be happy for someone to organize a Joburg venue as well?
    YES we are looking for a joburg venue, I've been asking about Microsoft but it seems like they have something on at the time. Any other ideas would be welcome :)
  • Maybe try the Goethe Institute?
  • mattbenic said:
    Maybe try the Goethe Institute?
    Yep that's one of the ones I've been talking to
  • So glad you're looking into this. I'm there like a bear if you find a venue.

    @Tuism any luck with the Goethe Institut?

    I see The Diz in braamfontein hosted Ludum Dare... Is that an option?
  • Still asking around. I've got someone else also in town if the Goethe can't come through. Microsoft can't this time.
  • I haven't actually made a game, I'm learning - a wide range of skills. Do you think I should just stick around at home and try and come up with a semblance of a game this year? And only come to the meetup next year?

    Also. Is it like a 3 day, no sleep marathon? Asking cus i'm old.
  • @CGVega: I can't think of any reason not to jam on location if you can make it. You get to learn a lot by seeing other people jamming and playtesting each other's games, never mind potentially making some new friends. :)

    (I'm not saying you're making excuses, but in my experience it's super easy to come up with reasons for putting something off. So what if you take part and don't make something you're proud of? You got to make something you wouldn't have otherwise!)

    As for the hours, I typically aim for 8-hour days personally, and take regular breaks (especially if I'm not feeling well). I worked much longer hours when I was younger, but the recovery nowadays is brutal, so I just do what I can.
    Thanked by 2Tuism francoisvn
  • edited
    @CGVega yeah, joining on location is a great vibe, helping people and being helped by people makes the experience much better than pulling your hair out at home. I've done jams in both settings and I'll always take a venue over no venue any day if I have a choice.

    And whether you sleep or not is up to you. I did one jam without sleep, and several with very little sleep. Now I basically sleep normal hours. Do whatever you're comfortable with. I recommend sleeping normalish hours, and have good healthy snacks at hand :) Sometimes you're inspired to spend more time, sometimes not. It's all flexible, there's no competition. It's chilled :)
  • Ok, cool. I'll be there then. So everyone brings their computer of choice and peripherals to the location? and jam?
  • edited
    Pretty much. Sleeping stuff if you wanna sleep there. Joburg location is still being confirmed, dunno about Cape Town. Check the other thread for details, no sense in updating two separate threads.
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