GMC Secret Santa 2020 (Unwrapping time!)

Alice

Darts addict
Forum Staff
Moderator
Hello, fellow GMCers! It's that time of year again!
What time, you ask?

~ The "GMC Secret Santa 2020" time! ~



>> All gifts are available here! <<
(thanks for @GameDevDan for hosting the gifts page)

Sign-ups are now closed!

(The following is mostly a copypasta from last year, because yeah.)

"Uh, Wut?"


"GMC Secret Santa" is an event carried out each year where each participant makes some kind of a gift for a "Secret Pal". Then, by December 23rd all gifts are published for all participants to unwrap! Note, however, that the identity of your Santa will remain hidden - it's 'SECRET' Santa, after all.
(Feel free to check the last discussion topic as a reference for how things were done last year.)

How do I sign up?

Well, to sign up, you need to make a post in this topic before the 6th of December, 23:59 UTC saying you want to participate. You may also state your gift preferences in that post, but be careful about being too specific - you wouldn't want to give your secret Santa a headache, now would you?
On December 7th, I will make an announcement in this thread that the sign-up period is closed and I'll randomly assign "Secret Pal's" to "Secret Santa's" using the Alicination Method. Soon afterwards, you should get a message in your GMC inbox with the name of your "Secret Pal" and you can start making their gift.

Making the gift

After your "Secret Pal" is assigned, your Secret Santa present must be made and messaged to my GMC inbox before the 22nd of December, 23:59 UTC.
Don't publish it here or PM it to your secret pal; it's supposed to be SECRET.
Do take into account your pal's preferences, but try to be discreet. Use whatever means you can devise to maintain your anonymity and keep your identity a secret from your "Secret Pal" as you research his or her preferences. However, sometimes it may be fun to leave little hints to your identity within your gift. Also, and this should go without saying, the gift you give must not be mean spirited, offensive or even break the GMC rules. Additionally, the gift must not be financial (Steam keys, program licences, cash bribes, etc.).

Examples/ideas of what you could make:
  • a new avatar!
  • fan art of their avatar or one of their games.
  • banners or promo images for their games
  • music or sound effects for their WIP
  • "Let's Play" videos of their games
  • a simple game (made with GameMaker, naturally)
  • a holiday video message
  • desktop wallpapers
  • your own idea here

If at some point you find that you can't make the gift after all (due to lack of time or random circumstances such as runaway trains or time travel misfortunes), please message me about it as soon as possible, and at least 5 days before the December 22nd deadline! That way I'll have time to assign your secret pal to someone else.
Please be sure that you will be able to follow through with your obligation to create a gift. Reassigning Secret Santa's to Secret Pal's at the last minute doesn't always work out so well, as you might imagine.

The unwrapping!

By the end of December 23rd, I'll gather all the gifts and publish them for your viewing pleasure (except for those that can't be published, for one reason or another). You're free to share your joy in this topic, comment on whichever gifts others posted here, or even try to guess your Santa. Keep in mind, however, that your Santa's identity may never be revealed.

In a nutshell...
  • to sign up, write a post here before the 6th of December, 23:59 UTC
  • you can state your preferences in the sign-up post, but please, don't be too specific!
  • after sign-up is closed, your "Secret Pal" name will be messaged to your GMC inbox; you will then have over two weeks to make the gift! (until the 22nd of December, 23:59 UTC)
  • once you make the gift, message it to my GMC inbox; don't send it to your secret pal or post it here, it's supposed to be secret!
  • all gifts should be virtual, unless you want the expense of air-mailing a teddy bear to your secret pal. (This is a joke. No air-mailing allowed.)
  • when making the gift, try to think what your pal would want; also, the gift should not be rude, offensive, inappropriate, etc.
  • finally, no financial gifts (Steam keys, program licenses etc.)!
  • if you can't make your gift, please PM me as soon as possible and at least 5 days before the December 22nd deadline, so that I can assign your secret pal to someone else.
  • by the end of 23rd of December all gifts will be published here to unwrap (except for those that can't be shown here); then you may try to guess your Santa if you want ;)

Emergency Secret Santas
Also, I'm asking for volunteers to be 'Emergency Secret Santas' in case a participant is unable to fulfill their Secret Santa obligation. These volunteers will need to be able to come up with a gift very quickly on the 23rd of December.

Participants so far (sign-up post link; gift preference)


Season's Greetings and Happy Holidays to you all!

"Island of Misfit Fonts" font can be found here.
 
Last edited:

pixeltroid

Member
Sounds fun! I'm in!

As for preferences, I don't have any.

But since my skills are limited, there are some gifts that I'd be more comfortable making. So I hope this gets factored in when the giftees are assigned. :D
 
Last edited:
D

Deleted member 45063

Guest
Count me in! I have no real preferences for gifts, just surprise me!
 

Evanski

Raccoon Lord
Forum Staff
Moderator
alrighty fine I'll join

I have two preferences/options I would really like but anything is welcomed, its the thought that counts!

1. I would love a new avatar/pfp
I would like the reference pic below done in the style of my current PFP
raccoon_cherrine_cleanpng.jpg
Raccoon2.png

2. For a long time i've been needing a script that acts like collision_line() but instead of objects, it checks for tiles

both are exceptionally wanted I would be the most happiest about!
but like I said its the thought that counts and anything is welcome!
 

Alice

Darts addict
Forum Staff
Moderator
I'd like to participate, too.

No avatars and no signature banners, please.
You can look through my Jam history for an inspiration.
 

Bart

WiseBart
This sounds fun. You can count me in!

I don't have preferences. Maybe one thing I don't need is a new avatar since it recently got an update.
Other than that, feel free to surprise me however you like :D
And I'll try to do the same!
 

Alice

Darts addict
Forum Staff
Moderator
And with that, the Secret Santa signups are closed!

I've sent the names of your Secret Pals via PM; check your inbox for more details. If you didn't receive a PM, please let me know.

Have fun making your gifts, everyone, and see you on 23rd for unwrapping!
 

Micah_DS

Member
@Alice Something I've been curious about is how you're hosting, yet also taking part. Doesn't that mean your Secret Santa isn't really a secret to you?

On another note, I hope everyone has been able to make their gifts and that they haven't stressed over it (or forgotten). It's felt more silent than usual without the gift table that @HayManMarc used. Perhaps I'm spoiled from that. I'm not sure which is better, to be totally silent and secretive, or to show the gift completion status, without giving away who was assigned to who.
 
D

Deleted member 45063

Guest
I can say I am a bit behind on my gift since life got in the way, so I might need to be my very own emergency santa... But I'm going to make a push after work to see if I can finish it within the timeframe(-ish)
 

Bart

WiseBart
I managed to finish my gift yesterday. Won't need an emergency santa here.

This is my first time participating in this and I must say it's fun to do. Already looking forward to tomorrow! :)
 
D

Deleted member 45063

Guest
Well, my gift has been finished. Hoping my secret santa can get at least something out of it
 

Alice

Darts addict
Forum Staff
Moderator
Just for the record, there has been a sleigh delay (been kinda overwhelmed lately) so the gifts aren't up yet. They should be up in several hours, though.
 

Bart

WiseBart
I got a nice signature with an overview of my jam games! And it looks like it fits perfectly within the allowed signature size.
I'll be using it soon but I'll wait with that until everyone has opened their gift :)

Thank you, Secret Santa! (no idea who made this, though)
 

Micah_DS

Member
Opened my gift and wow, I'm having a hard time thinking of the words to express my thankfulness, but my gift was something I honestly needed.

I may not use the exact design given, but the branding advice and motivational aspect of the gift went far beyond expectation and I'm really thankful to my Secret Santa for that.
This gift really made a rough work week feel so much better.

Merry Christmas, everyone!
 

Ninety

Member
Thank you for the kind gift, secret Santa! I’m afraid I won’t be able to play it for a few days as I’m away from my PC, but don’t think I’ve forgotten.
 

Ninety

Member
Finally had time to try out my gift! Thank you Secret Santa I love it :) Very good sprite/art work as well.
 

Micah_DS

Member
... Secret Santa 2021, RIP?

It's just a bit later than normal for sign ups to start. I get a feeling that the usual hosts are busy with other things, and that's fine. If it can't be done, it can't be done. It could be that the jam was too close, or perhaps everyone is just more busy than usual. Not sure. I'd offer to host, but I have zero experience hosting and no idea how hosts usually go about things.

Well, in case we don't get to do it this year,
allow me to spread this Christmas cheer:

 

Evanski

Raccoon Lord
Forum Staff
Moderator
... Secret Santa 2021, RIP?

It's just a bit later than normal for sign ups to start. I get a feeling that the usual hosts are busy with other things, and that's fine. If it can't be done, it can't be done. It could be that the jam was too close, or perhaps everyone is just more busy than usual. Not sure. I'd offer to host, but I have zero experience hosting and no idea how hosts usually go about things.

Well, in case we don't get to do it this year,
allow me to spread this Christmas cheer:

@Alice ?
 

HayManMarc

Member
I love hosting this event, but life is dictating my actions lately. I feel anguished that I cannot do it, and I hope someone will do it. If no one is able to step in and host in the next couple of days, I'll do it anyway, because I think it's important. Maybe even tomorrow.
 
Top