What is a Jam?
A Game Jam is a short event where you and others work together to create a small game. Most Jams have some kind of restriction on theme or style to get you thinking about games in a new way. Game Jams are a great way to test ideas, build on your skills, and meet other awesome creative people. Do them. Future you will thank you for it.
Pirate Software runs Game Jams four times a year. Whenever a jam is coming up you can find information about it below.
Current Jam
The 12th Pirate Software Game Jam has been announced!
This game jam will not require any pre-existing skill or understanding of tools. You can compete in this jam having never made a game before even if you have no idea where to start. Trust me, you will be able to do this.
- Join Discord and find some team members!
Duration
- The Jam will start on 4/1/2023 during the daily Dev Stream!
- The Jam will end on 4/15/2023 at 6pm PST
- Make sure to check your timezones to avoid ultimate fail.
Rules
Teams
- If you need to change your team members please REPLY to your original email.
- Yes you can be on multiple teams if the teams agree to it.
- Yes you can do this Jam solo if you want to.
- No teams of more than 5 people.
- Yes you can join in late.
Submission Limits
- You must own the license to the material used to train the model if you use AI-Generated Content.
- Your game must be turned in before the posted end time.
- Your game must fit the theme.
- You cannot use pre-made art, sound effects, music, or programming assets.
The intention is for you to build your own stuff and learn from it.
Don't overthink this and try to find a way around it, just make things.
The game jam is a flex of personal skill not personal wallet. -Zafaroth
Sportsmanship
- If you do need to leave let your team know in advance.
- Do not attempt to sabotage other teams.
- Be cool to each other.
Setup
- Form up into teams.
- Come up with a team name.
- Review the rules.
- Email GoPirateSoftware+Jam@Gmail.com with your team name and members.
- Include your members Discord handles in the email.
Theme
Against The Rules
This theme revolves around creating a set of defined rules for the player and then allowing them to circumvent said rules. It's important to note that letting the player have a sense of discovery in breaking these rules is the point of this. Just explaining that a player can break the rules ruins the fun. Be innovative and interesting and you'll win.
Games in this kind of genre include Please, Don't Touch Anything, Stanley Parable, There Is No Game, and Superliminal.
Submission
The first week from 4/1/2023 to 4/8/2023 will be for a Game Design Document.
- This is a planning document that details what your game will be.
- REPLY to your game jam email with your GDD.
- You can read a sample GDD here!
The second week from 4/8/2023 to 4/15/2023 will be for the Game Prototype.
- This is a very limited working copy of your game.
- Focus on playability over anything else.
- If it doesn't run, it won't win.
- The final cutoff time for this is 6pm PST on 4/15/2023.
- Host it on itch.io and then email a link to GoPirateSoftware+Jam@Gmail.com.
- If you don't submit a valid link your submission will not be accepted.
- Winners will be announced during the daily Dev Stream!
Prizes
- 100$ for your Steam Upload Fee to get your game up on Steam.
- A Pirate Software Game Jam Laurel to display on your game publicly.
- Access to the "Game Jam Winners" channels on Discord.
- A shoutout on our official Twitter.