It's that time again! Our annual visual novel-making month fast approaches! You are not required to sign up for the jam page on itch to participate, but it's a good place to find others, or be found yourself. If you like to use social media, tag your work #NaNoRenO2020 and #NaNoRenO to be found.
itch.io Jam Page
What is NaNoRenO?
NaNoRenO is an annual month-long game jam in which developers are challenged to make a visual novel from start to finish. It was originally inspired by the more famous NaNoWriMo (National Novelist Writer's Month, which takes place in November). There're no restrictions on content or genre.
The most recent phrasing of the NaNoRenO rules:
- Takes place during the month of March.
- Final visual novel must be finished on or before April first. The jam deadline is slightly longer to allow for internet outages or other emergencies that prevent you from uploading your finished visual novel.
- You can only begin actual production of your game in March.
- Allowed before NaNoRenO begins:
- Brainstorming
- Plot Outlining
- Sketches that do not lead to direct production of assets
- Team Building
- Not Allowed until NaNoRenO begins:
- Sketches of sprites, CGs, backgrounds, or anything else that leads to production of assets
- Writing or coding any portion of the game
- Production of assets to be used in the game
- Use of Creative Commons material is okay.
- There are no "winners" here. Everyone who manages to release their game has completed NaNoRenO!
- You may release a buggy version of your game by the deadline and fix it up later or release a demo for NaNoRenO.
- While other game elements may be present, the final piece should be largely identified as a "visual novel."
