Possibly Odd Idea for Game Jam

[Dreamtigers]

Would anyone be interested in a game jam that requires you to use pre-selected sprites and backgrounds?

It would be neat to see how different writers handle the same images. I'm not sure if an artist would be willing to create new assets for the jam, or if it's best to choose CC materials that are already available.

I'm thinking maybe two male and two female sprites would work. We probably wouldn't use CGs, since they'd force the stories in certain directions. This is all up for debate, of course.

Please forgive me if this a) has been done before b) hasn't been done before for good reason or c) is just ridiculous. And maybe the summer is already jam-packed. (Sorry, couldn't help myself there. )

[Juno]

I don't know if it's been done before, either, but I think it's a neat idea.

I'd join in if I had more free time this summer. I'd be interested in seeing the works created.

[HiddenCreature]

Sounds like a writing prompt, only in visual novel form.

Lol, I was just having a discussion in my recently made topic about finding free artists.

It sounds like it would be fun. Isn't there a saying about how if you give writers the same idea, none of them will make the same story? If your idea ever found its way into a game jam, it would be interesting to see.

[ibukichan]

That sounds like a great idea, I haven't heard of anything like that being done before!
I'm pretty busy this summer, but I'd definitely make the time to participate, so this jam should definitely happen!

[JJupiterJump]

That sounds like a totally awesome idea! I would participate (but never show what I made to anybody because y'know)

I'd love to see the different stories people were inspired to make because of the same art pieces! I don't think it's a ridiculous idea at all, and it even might help people who have trouble with art for Nano, but don't want to use CC sprites (but will in this case, because everyone else is!)

[Alte]

I say go for it!

Even if the idea has been done before, adapt it as an inspiration. (Note: none of the assets mentioned here are CC) In 2010, a group of developers overseas organized an event with limitations of using 2 students in a high school setting to create a visual novel.

From their website, there's 20 submissions, downloads are disabled due to server error.

On the same year, a different group created a shorter version called "one dot contest." Where there's strict ruling on assets.

One : A production period is one week
Two : The script have to be 20KB
Three : Finish the project along the theme
Four : You can use up to 10 backgrounds
Five : You can use up to 5 Music tracks

Year after, another rule was added: Using one character is at a minimum, up to two people is the limit.

I haven't heard of another one since then.

[Carassaurat]

A handful of years ago, Papillon organised the Adversity Competition; a handful of backgrounds were given, one sprite with various emotions, and some music tracks, plus a vague one sentence prompt. It was quite interesting, but had a few pitfalls: we ended up with 29 entries, which was quite a lot, and you could pick them only by name. The idea sort of being that you'd play them all and then vote for a winner, but I think very few people actually played all 29 of them, and nobody posted critique of all 29. Several people just handed in an entry and then didn't partake in the discussion afterwards. And if you'd only have time to play ten, there'd be a chance you'd play the ten worst; normally you can at least try to judge a novel by its cover, but not here. Back then, we were really lucky that Anarchy put in a lot of time critiquing.

Have a gander at the old threads if you're interested:
The original contest thread: http://lemmasoft.renai.us/forums/viewto ... =4&t=16987
The final discussion thread, including download link: http://lemmasoft.renai.us/forums/viewto ... 11&t=17610

[Dreamtigers]

@Juno, @HiddenCreature, @ibukichan, @JJupiterJump: Glad to hear it sounds like a neat idea! Thanks for your interest. Yup, a writing prompt in VN form was what I had in mind. And I agree, it could help people who might not otherwise use CC resources.

@Alte: Ah, I should have looked more closely at your thread about summer and winter Nanos before posting. Instead of taking attention and potential participants from more well-established jams, maybe I should suggest the idea as a (possibly optional) theme and offer to guest-host at some point, if that would be helpful.

I wonder about the jam that required creators to use at least one character. Would people otherwise make mysterious experimental works without characters? Talking backgrounds? ::has a feeling there's a more obvious reason for this::

@Carassaurat That sounds like a promising idea for a contest, particularly with Papillon as the host and some shiny prizes. I'm sorry to hear that the critiquing didn't go as well as it might have. Your and Alte's experiences are helpful for thinking about how a jam of this kind might be structured -- thanks for sharing them!

[Anne]

The only thing I don't like about this idea is that it's (unlike Nanoreno) a writers-only event.

[Juno]

The only thing I don't like about this idea is that it's (unlike Nanoreno) a writers-only event.

Not necessarily, considering what was said in the OP:

I'm not sure if an artist would be willing to create new assets for the jam, or if it's best to choose CC materials that are already available.

Pre-jam, maybe artists can volunteer to contribute certain assets like backgrounds or sprites. Same could go for other stuff, like simple GUI screens or music.

[Katta]

That won't make the artists participants unless it's something similar to this event, but vice versa: in the 1st phase artists provide, say, 2 sprites and bgs, then writers write something based on the sets.