GMC Jam Discussion The Gratified GMC Jam #6 Discussion Topic

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Perseus

Not Medusa
Forum Staff
Moderator
If you're really thankful, what do you do? You share. A game made by you.



THEME:
CONVERGENCE

RESULTS

What, when, where?
GMC Jam is a quarterly event held on the GameMaker Community that we organize to encourage people to experiment with GameMaker and make a game that will be interesting or entertaining within the limited timescale of 72 hours. It is entirely a community event - neither YoYo Games nor Playtech are officially involved in this competition, aside from providing forum space to carry it out.

The Jam has three phases:
  • discussion, held in the discussion topic; started about 2 weeks before the Jam (the discussion remains open during and for some time after the Jam, too)
  • development, the core of the Jam, the 72 hours when entries are made and posted in games topic
  • decision, when community members vote for their favorite games and provide feedback to specific entries; it lasts roughly 2 weeks after the Jam, before the results are announced
You're also cordially invited to join your fellow GMC Jam enthusiasts and regular participants on the GMC Jam Discord server.

This GMC Jam will run for 72 hours in the following timeframe:
November 24, 12:00 PM UTC - November 27, 12:00 PM UTC
Friday Noon - Monday Moon

Countdown Clock

GMC Jam Rules
The following rules will be used during this GMC Jam. The general Community Guidelines of behavior and conduct always apply. There have been no major changes since the GMC Jam #5, so you're free to skip over if you've participated in that Jam, but you're still advised to read it again for your own safety.

PARTICIPATION:
  • any GMC member is welcome to participate in GMC Jam and submit their entry
  • you may use any version of GameMaker to create an entry for the GMC Jam
  • each entry must be made by a single GMC member or a team of up to 3 people; people outside GMC can be in the team, as long as at least one GMC member is in that team
  • each participant can make or contribute to as many entries as they want, but they can only claim rewards for one of them (unless the reward is given specifically for the entry)
  • each entry must have a single post in this Jam's games topic (opened once the Jam officially starts), and no two entries can share the same post
  • the Games topic post can be used to present the entry progress; it can also contain a devlog
  • by the time the Jam ends, each Games topic post must contain a valid link to the entry's downloadable file

ENTRY:
  • the entry must be an original creation made in GameMaker specifically for the Jam, within the Jam timeframe
  • this goes without saying, but no game engines besides GameMaker can be used for creating an entry for this Jam
  • the entry might use assets (graphics, audio, scripts, extensions, Marketplace resources etc.) created before the Jam, whether by team members or someone else; however, the credits should make clear where the assets come from and which were made before the Jam
  • the creators of the entry must have rights to all of the assets; unlicensed use of resources is not allowed
  • the entry must be available as a Windows executable file, exported as a stand-alone file or as a ZIP; installers are not allowed
  • the entry might be exported to other platforms as well (such as HTML5 or Android), but the Windows executable must be available

THEME:
  • the Jam has a theme picked by the previous winner - a general idea around which the entry can be built
  • the theme is announced when the Jam officially starts, but letters of it are gradually revealed over the course of this discussion - members are allowed to guess what the theme might be
  • while incorporating the theme in the entry is not mandatory, participants are strongly encouraged to do so
  • the entry that uses the theme in the most interesting way can win best use of theme award

BEST-OF AWARDS:
  • aside from the Jam-specific theme, the games can be rated on the concept, the presentation and the story
  • the concept is related to the core gameplay mechanics idea - whether the game rules themselves are creative and entertaing or not
  • the presentation is related to the overall polish - whether the entry provides the right experience through audiovisuals, and whether it's not disrupted by bugs and errors
  • the story is related to the events or motivation present throughout the entry; it can be told through dialogue and narrative, as well as implied through game design
  • the entries excelling at these categories can win best concept, best presentation and best story awards
  • furthermore, aside from entries themselves, their devlogs can be rated; the entry with the most interesting devlog can win best devlog awards

VOTING:
  • after the Jam ends, all entries are gathered in a single ZIP with all entries for everyone to download
  • once the ZIP is available, the voting begins, and it lasts approximately 2 weeks; a longer voting period may be chosen when more than 70-80 entries are submitted
  • the voting period may be extended upon request by at most one additional week; however, not every such request must be granted, and one should show a reasonable progress with reviewing/playing the Jam entries
  • the voting is carried out in the Jam's voting topic, where each voter makes a single post for their scores and reviews
  • any GMC member may vote, whether they participated or not, but participants cannot rank or award their own entries
  • each voter must rank and post a brief comment on at least top 3 games; also, they are free to and can rank more games, in fact, as many as they want or even all
  • each voter can vote for best use of theme, concept, presentation, story and devlog
  • each voter can vote for best reviewer, but in this case their opinion is entirely non-binding - the best reviewer is eventually chosen by the Jam host after the voting ends
  • if some voters or participants are found to be cheating, their entries may be disqualified and they might be excluded from future community events
  • shortly after the voting period closes (preferably within 24 hours), the votes are summed up, and the final results announced; after that, all prizes should be distributed where applicable

PRIZES:
  • top 3 entries, as well as best-of award winners, get special banners and are featured in the Hall of Fame
  • creator of the highest ranking themed entry gets the right to choose the next Jam's theme
  • aside from regular GMC Jam prizes, other GMC members can contribute the community prizes by messaging the Jam host
  • do not post community prize offers in this topic as we might miss them amidst the discussion; you're free to do so, but also send a message to the Jam host so that the prizes can be added to the pool listing below
  • the community prizes can be given to any range of places, best-of winners, reviewers, personal favourites etc.
  • the community prizes can be nearly anything - custom graphics, soundtracks, gameplay videos, software keys etc.; as long as they are not monetary prizes and they don't break community rules
  • it is community prize contributor's responsibility to give the prize; they should make sure they can deliver their promise
If you have any suggestions or comments to make about the way GMC Jam works, please consider posting them in the GMC Jam Suggestions topic. It is from your feedback that we might make this community event even better and more fun to participate in!

Community Prizes
Want to add your community prize? Send a message to the Jam host the details!
(note that you will need to handle prizes distribution on your own after the Jam, please don't pass anything through me)
YoYo Games is offering:
  • Desktop licenses for GMS2 to the top 3 games (in case of a team ending up in top 3, each member of the team will receive a separate Desktop license)
  • Temporary GMS2 Desktop licenses to everyone who's interested in participating in the GMC Jam. These licenses can be claimed right now and will remain valid until November 30, providing you with full functionality of GMS2. Create your Jam entry using it and see for yourself if you may want to purchase this wonderful iteration of GameMaker down the road. See below for more information.
  • A goodie bag to the game that comes in the 23rd place
  • speedchuck is offering to make one Let's Play video each for the top 3 placing entries, and winners of the best concept, best presentation, best story and best devlog awards.
  • JackTurbo is offering one T-shirt each to the top 3 placing entries with pixel art designs (made by him) of the winners' choice printed on them. Men's / Unisex ~ Women's ~ Preview
  • Detective Pixel is offering a copy of Momodora: Reverie Under The Moonlight on Steam to the entry placing 13th.
  • Kousenai is offering to make a fanart piece for the entry placing 4th.
  • Barvix is offering to let the 3rd, 6th and 12th placing participants to design an enemy or NPC for their WIP game Teufel.
  • Cloaked Games is offering to feature the Best Use of Theme game recipient as an Easter Egg element in their main project.
Temporary GMS2 Desktop Licenses

Claim your free temporary license now!
YoYo Games have kindly offered temporary Desktop licenses for GMS2 to everyone who's interested in creating a game for the GMC Jam. These licenses can be claimed and attached to your YoYo Accounts right now, and will expire on November 30. You'll be granted full functionality of the software via these licenses and will be able to export to Windows, Mac and Ubuntu. Create your Jam entry using GMS2, taking benefit of this golden opportunity, and see for yourself if you may want to purchase this wonderful iteration of GameMaker down the road. You'll get a discount of 10% if you wish to purchase a permanent Desktop license once the temporary one expires. Have fun!

Spread the word!
If you would like to promote the Jam, please paste the following code in your signature. Also, please remember that your signature is effective only when you are posting around forums. You might want to go ahead and give feedback in Made with GameMaker and Work in Progress forums, or maybe participate in Programming and Community Tech Support discussions.

Code:
[center][url="https://forum.yoyogames.com/index.php?threads/the-gratified-gmc-jam-6-discussion-topic.37664/"][img]https://i.imgur.com/SHoxgrI.png[/img][/url][/center]
the wonderful Jam banner has been made by @NAL
credit for topic format and instructions goes to @Alice
the countdown clock is the courtesy of @Shadow Link

r/GameMaker subreddit and its Discord server for promoting the GMC Jam

Let's get the discussion started!
 
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ParodyKnaveBob

Guest
The 72-hour license is also really neat. If I'm around for that weekend, I might spend some hours attempting (and likely failing) to install and use it on my below-specs computer $F^ J before giving up and returning to 1.4 (plus work and sleep and worship and meals and...). Here's hopin'. $¦^ J

EDIT: Sooo tired. Dur. I can already attempt a free trial. I just have to recover some info to download etc. within the next couple weeks...
 

matharoo

manualman
GameMaker Dev.
The 72-hour license is also really neat. If I'm around for that weekend, I might spend some hours attempting (and likely failing) to install and use it on my below-specs computer $F^ J before giving up and returning to 1.4 (plus work and sleep and worship and meals and...). Here's hopin'. $¦^ J
You will have a hard time if you've never used GMS2 before. Would be better for your workflow to just use GMS1.
 

dadio

Potato Overlord
GMC Elder
Nice!
Very happy to *finally* see some kind of proper "push" for this Jam.
The "why not join!" forum message will let everyone know about its existence, and those official prizes will encourage more people to enter.
Turnout's gonna be *much* better than it has been for a loooong time!
Gonna be good!
 
You will have a hard time if you've never used GMS2 before. Would be better for your workflow to just use GMS1.
Actually, the last jam I did with GMS2, my first time using it except a little bit of testing before-hand to find the major differences. That was how I transitioned over to GMS2. At the beginning it was a little slower, but it only took a few hours to get accustomed to it, and afterward I had all the benefits of GMS2 workflow. Of course, that is just my experience, it may be different for other people.

I need my to check my schedule to be certain, but my goal is to go all in on this one. I have a few ideas, and if I can find a skilled artist and a sound designer/composer I think this one will be my best jam yet. Looking forward to it.
 
D

Deleted member 467

Guest
HHHYYYYYYPPPPPPEEEEEE - wait
checks dates, and calendar to see schedule
HYPE BOIS NO EXAMS AND THANKSGIVING WEEKEND WOOHOO

Theme guesses (hopefully I'm allowed to make more than one)
Alrighty, so I counted Ten spaces (please note I can not count or read well so I might be wrong). . . some common words that could maybe work well here?
  • Weathering? Like I know weather could, not sure about weathering
  • Literature
  • Perfection
  • Maleficient
  • Punishment
So yeah, these are my guesses. They're horrible guesses but they're mine.
 

The M

Member
Looks great! I'd have loved to compete for one of those prizes but unfortunately I'll be abroad for pretty much the entirety of the jam. Good for someone else I suppose. ;)
 

ghandpivot

Member
Cool, a license for GMS2 would be nice even if I'd mean I wouldn't be able to develop for android no more. I might join this one depending on how things are looking at the time, I think it's right before I start on my bachelors so could be good timing.
 

speedchuck

Member
Man, some familiar folks in here. Dunno if anyone remembers me. I did video reviews for a GMC Jam 2.5 years ago. Also entered some. I don't really do as much game development anymore, but I'm still around.

As a prize for this November GMCJam, I'll make a let's play type video for top 3, best concept, best presentation, best story, and (yes) best devlog.

I'll be PMing this to the host. Good luck to everyone!
 
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ParodyKnaveBob

Guest
@speedchuck: Totally remember you! Past Wizard Battlers have talked about you not appearing on the new GMC and everything. $¦^ b
 
D

Deleted member 467

Guest
Man, some familiar folks in here. Dunno if anyone remembers me. I did video reviews for a GMC Jam 2.5 years ago. Also entered some. I don't really do as much game development anymore, but I'm still around.

As a prize for this November GMCJam, I'll make a let's play type video for top 3, best concept, best presentation, best story, and (yes) best devlog.

I'll be PMing this to the host. Good luck to everyone!
Hey I remember you man! Welcome back!
 

Perseus

Not Medusa
Forum Staff
Moderator
What happens if a team is in the top 3? Do each member gets a desktop license or do you have to pick one of the members to receive it?
In case of a team making it to the top 3, each member of that team will receive a separate license. In other words, there are a total of 9 Desktop licenses up for grabs (since teams are strictly restricted to 3 members each) with at least 3 being given out for sure. I've edited the first post to make this clear.

* * * * * * * * * *

before anyone asks, I'll just drop this here
It's time for the first theme letter / character revelation!

- - - - - - - E - - -

Let the theme guessing commence!​
 

Yal

🐧 *penguin noises*
GMC Elder
Woo, hype!

I like the idea of temporary GMS2 licenses, but I already have a GMS2 license and are MUCH more comfortable working in GMS1, so I'll probably do that :p
You might wanna arrange for the YYG helpdesk to have plenty of coffee for this weekend, I wouldn't be surprised if there was an influx of stressed-out people completely new to GMS2 having issues during the jam.
 

matharoo

manualman
GameMaker Dev.
Hi, in.
That moment when you realize you're making old jokes that are no longer relevant and how your whole life is a failure because all of the choices you made have been the wrong ones because of your foolish & incompetent brain that can never get better as a result of your anti-social behavior that stems from your non-existent self-confidence
 

Yal

🐧 *penguin noises*
GMC Elder
Also, TWO SCREENS sounds like an awesome theme. Like, using two views to get different views of the game. So many creative opportunities:
  • You control two characters that can't interact directly but must cooperate to solve puzzles
  • You can use an electronic device to spot ghosts or demons but using it limits your normal view, so you need to use it wisely
  • You need to navigate a vehicle using database information and gotta keep an eye on the road as well as on your PDA to figure out what you're doing
  • You're working in a shop and have to monitor CCTV screens and your cash register at once during rush hours
  • You're in your room playing a game and things that happens in the game affects reality (like the first story in Untold Stories)
 
D

Deleted member 467

Guest
Also, TWO SCREENS sounds like an awesome theme. Like, using two views to get different views of the game. So many creative opportunities:
  • You control two characters that can't interact directly but must cooperate to solve puzzles
  • You can use an electronic device to spot ghosts or demons but using it limits your normal view, so you need to use it wisely
  • You need to navigate a vehicle using database information and gotta keep an eye on the road as well as on your PDA to figure out what you're doing
  • You're working in a shop and have to monitor CCTV screens and your cash register at once during rush hours
  • You're in your room playing a game and things that happens in the game affects reality (like the first story in Untold Stories)
I think this could be an interesting theme, too. I mean, it's like making a DS game in Game Maker. PLEASE BE THEME
 
Speaking of that sort of theme, sometimes they really annoy me. With a theme like "two screens" I feel sort of like I have to have a central gimmick. Not a bad thing of course (Portal was made on a central gimmick), but sometimes I feel like the theme prevents me from just making a good old fashioned hack-'n-slash or something.
 

andev

Member
Speaking of that sort of theme, sometimes they really annoy me. With a theme like "two screens" I feel sort of like I have to have a central gimmick. Not a bad thing of course (Portal was made on a central gimmick), but sometimes I feel like the theme prevents me from just making a good old fashioned hack-'n-slash or something.
What's stopping you making a hack-'n-slash with two screens?
 
0

0.Bytes

Guest
No idea what the theme is =p I would make a guess, but I have no idea at all
 
What's stopping you making a hack-'n-slash with two screens?
I would. My problem is just that sometimes that's not better than a regular one. I don't like to make a decision to fit a theme that makes the game worse over-all. But at the same time, that's what's fun about the themes. They force you to incorporate something new and different, and in the end, you end up with a cooler game than just a traditional one.
 

Micah_DS

Member
Nice~! After months away from GMS2, I got my game-making skills warmed up a bit again with the 1+1=3 Jam, and I also got a day off work for this jam.

My top 3 guesses:
GIVE STEAKS
WANT STEAKS
LOVE STEAKS

.. fine, here:
ATMOSPHERIC
ALIEN BELCH
8-BIT RETRO

Bonus: GOING VEGAN
(my precious steaks! nooooooo~ .. going vegan would be a 'mistake', cuz I'd 'miss steak')
 
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ParodyKnaveBob

Guest
You control two characters that can't interact directly but must cooperate to solve puzzles
Funny you mention that. In a jam on the previous GMC, "Team Auctor" (@HayManMarc, @Lukan, and I) originally intended exactly this. (The theme was "Build and Use." (Handicap, "Cannot Be a Platformer," yay Disperspective, lol.)) However, in the event anyone doesn't remember (or *gasp* does remember), we instead had sickness and Internet outage and more smashing our efforts into a wall, and (in sudden, lengthy radio silence with everyone else) I just kind of uploaded an untested, terrible, re-built-in-an-hour, "In The Year 2000" 60-second "game" with nothing the same but sprites (including placeholders), control schemes (which actually were nicely polished when documented and you had any idea what you were doing), and a painful joke or three crowbarred in. Lol. $E^ b In reality, we had a nice, functional core of a dual screen system (that I had to undo for our "entry"), and we were even fighting to keep scope creep barely in check, but alas. Good times anyway. $F^ J (And hey, team, if we ever want to try picking that up again, I expect our notes still exist somewhere, eh? eh? lol)

sometimes I feel like the theme prevents me from
The theme never prevents you from creating a game and entering it. If the theme is "zombie virus horror battle in space," you can build and enter a cute romp played straight with unicorns and rainbows and grass fields. The theme is optional. ~shrug~ $:^ J

Regards,
Bob
 
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