SFML Game Jam

[Jebbs]

I was thinking today that it might be pretty cool to have some sort of SFML Game Jam. While I don't have time to put anything like this together, I was wondering what other people would think of something like this.

Having some kind of sanctioned SFML Game Jam could also help to increase awareness for SFML, which is great.

Thoughts? Ideas?

[cpolymeris]

That would be very cool, IMO. Some points that would need to be defined:

• Time window: 24, 48 hours?
• Any theme?
• Other constraints? Only SFML based games, I guess. Maybe a requirement to post the source, so that it doubles as SFML-teaching material?
• Prizes? 

[Jebbs]

That would be very cool, IMO. Some points that would need to be defined:

• Time window: 24, 48 hours?
• Any theme?
• Other constraints? Only SFML based games, I guess. Maybe a requirement to post the source, so that it doubles as SFML-teaching material?
• Prizes? 

If its for learning, maybe make it 72 hours just so that people have a chance to clean things up/slightly polish their games? I like the idea of having everything open source. The only other constraint would be(obviously) that it has to use SFML or, one of its bindings.

Definitely a theme, but we should figure out how to choose one. We could put a list of suggestions together and vote? It would be nice to have some kind of randomness of some kind when choosing a theme though.

It should be a fun little jam, so I don't know about making it a competition with prizes. Also, where would the prizes come from? I don't know about you, but I'm just a poor college student.

[Laurent]

This is an exciting idea, but I'm afraid I won't have much time to take care of that. Would you like to organize it?

[Jebbs]

This is an exciting idea, but I'm afraid I won't have much time to take care of that. Would you like to organize it?

It was never my intention to have you set it up. I know how busy you are.

Really what I was trying to do is to get people on board with this idea so that the SFML community could put some ideas together on how to get it set up and going since I figured that would be a good place to start.

[cpolymeris]

Definitely a theme, but we should figure out how to choose one. We could put a list of suggestions together and vote? It would be nice to have some kind of randomness of some kind when choosing a theme though.

I agree. In fact, participants shouldn't know the theme (or at least, the exact requirements) until the jam starts: part of the fun is designing the whole game in just a few hours or days. Easiest would be if someone who isn't participating was to chose the theme secretly, or at least announced extra constraints just before the jam.

EDIT: Or we just resort to randomness.

[Jebbs]

In fact, participants shouldn't know the theme (or at least, the exact requirements) until the jam starts

Absolutely. Perhaps we can have some kind of way to submit ideas for themes and someone(or maybe a small program) can randomly pick from all/the best submissions.

EDIT: Or we just resort to randomness.

That's pretty cool, but some of the themes are really bad. One of the ones that popped up for me was "Jello"

[fuerchter]

Would like this too if anyone was organizing it

[gostron]

I'd be willing to give it a try too. Nice idea.

[Lo-X]

Would be great =) But beware not to organize that at the same time as other events like Ludum Dare.

[Foaly]

The idea sounds really nice!

I attended a couple game jams and their way of finding a theme worked like this: A couple days before the jam everybody on their facebook page couple suggest up to three themes. Then in the beginning of the jam all the attendants could upvote or downvote every suggenstion once. The suggestion with the highest score was used.

[Jebbs]

Would be great =) But beware not to organize that at the same time as other events like Ludum Dare.

Very good point. I didn't even think about that.

I attended a couple game jams and their way of finding a theme worked like this: A couple days before the jam everybody on their facebook page couple suggest up to three themes. Then in the beginning of the jam all the attendants could upvote or downvote every suggenstion once. The suggestion with the highest score was used.

That's not a bad idea, but it takes some of the randomness out of it. Right now I'm thinking that people could email/submit their suggestions and one get's chosen at random.


Also, since people seem to like this idea so far(but no one else seems to want to take charge yet ), I'll try to write up a draft for a set of rules today and think about a system for submission and  possible how/where we want to host everything.

[eXpl0it3r]

That's not a bad idea, but it takes some of the randomness out of it. Right now I'm thinking that people could email/submit their suggestions and one get's chosen at random.

It's a good idea, but also dangerous, because some themes can be really bad and hard, so it would be better if we can vote, so we can go into a general direction everyone feels comfortable with.
We could also make it similar to Lundumdare, where we end up with a few themes and just at the starting point the actual theme is chosen at random.
So "huge list of suggestions" -> 'voting' -> "small list e.g. 5" -> 'random chosing' -> "final theme"

[Lo-X]

So "huge list of suggestions" -> 'voting' -> "small list e.g. 5" -> 'random chosing' -> "final theme"

I can only say : +1 

[Aster]

A game jam would definitely be nice, but beware that the LD is soon, and I don't think too many of us would enjoy having two jams in a one week period. :p

Maybe organizing regular jams could be a nice way to show the SFML community is alive and running.

I think that a 72 hour jam would be nice, but you could host two, one of 72 hours and another that lasts a week, and do the first on the first week, then the second on the next week.  Dunno.

Also, it's nice to have a game jam that only includes a certain library. I hate the competitive bit of the LD because of all the people using GameMaker and Unity and whatnot, when you're working your ass off in C++.

It would definitely be something I'd participate in and enjoy. I guess we'll see how the idea turns out.