• Built in optional critique sessions to level up your project before the final submission
• A Theme and a Design Principle to provide targeted practice around good fundamentals of design
• Two different tracks to meet your schedule and ambitions
• A free VFX pack specially made by our sponsor Cartoon Coffee with 60 effects that must be used in your submission
  • PS: If you don't want to subscribe to CC's newsletter for access to the pack (although you totally should, it's extremely value packed with ways to utilize his VFX and make them your own), you can find the pack pinned in our #game-jam channel in Discord.

Casual:

1st Prize: 

Cartoon Coffee’s Ultimate Mega Pack

2nd Prize: 

Cartoon Coffee’s VFX Essentials Pack

3rd Prize: 

Cartoon Coffee’s VFX Essentials Pack

Community Favorite: $25

Most Growth: $25

Gauntlet:

1st Prize:

+ $100

2nd Prize: 

Cartoon Coffee’s VFX Essentials Pack

3rd Prize: 

Cartoon Coffee’s VFX Essentials Pack

Raffle: 4 $25 winners!

Random winners will be selected for a cash prize*

*Winners of the 1st, 2nd, or 3rd prize categories are ineligible for the raffle

PSS: Prizes will be paid out via Paypal, so you must be in a region that accepts that form of payment to be eligible to win a prize.

Learn more about them below!

The jam will have TWO different tracks, each with their own prize categories. A Casual track and a Gauntlet track. The Casual track will run for 8 (November 1 - 9) days with two optional critique sessions. These will happen during the regular stream time for Fox Hollow Games between 3 PM - 5 PM EST on the 3rd and 6th. If you want to receive a critique, but can't make it or don't want to be present for it, you can submit a request on the gamejam channel in the Fox Hollow Discord and I will get you a highlight of your relevant section.

Casual Rules:

• Teams of up to 5 individuals are allowed.
• You must own the rights to any assets used.
• No generative AI can make it into the final submission. Generative AI may be used as a tool to ideate, but MUST NOT be in the final submission.
• MUST incorporate both the theme AND the design principle!
• All work must be completed within the timeframe of the jam. Games made prior to the jam will not be allowed.
• Game may be made with any engine.

Gauntlet rules:

The Gauntlet track will run for A LIMITED TIME ONLY for the first 48 hours of the jam (1st -  10 AM EST on the 3rd). The Gauntlet is for those who want to push their skills to the absolute limit and be counted among the few brave enough to shoot for their own standalone prize pool.

• All work must be completed SOLO. No teams are allowed in the Gauntlet.
• All assets used must be created within the timeframe of the Gauntlet. No external asset packs or code snippets are allowed EXCEPT for the asset pack provided by Cartoon Coffee or any other free assets by Cartoon Coffee (such as his Essentials Pack or anything posted on his Discord). Built-in engine capabilities are allowed, but plugins are not. The idea is you are dropped on a desert island with nothing but your computer and native software.
  • Free fonts are allowed
  • Music may be created from vst and sound fonts, though recording your own is highly encouraged!
  • Sound effects must be made during the jam
• No generative AI can make it into the final submission. Generative AI may be used as a tool to ideate, but MUST NOT be in the final submission.
• MUST incorporate both the theme AND the design principle!
• All work must be completed within the timeframe of the jam. Games made prior to the jam will not be allowed.
• Game may be made with any engine.
• Clearly declare your submission as a gauntlet entry in the title as well as in your submission form.

All games submitted and eligible for judgment will be played on stream with a full analysis breakdown and discussion to help all of us become better creators.

Design Principle:  Signal-to-Noise Ratio

How much is useful to the player compared to not? What is signal, what is noise? Usually, we want as high of a ratio of signal-to-noise as possible. HOWEVER, games are an interactive medium about fun! Where's Waldo is an example of a LOW signal-to-noise ratio that makes a fun mechanic. While minimalist games are all about driving noise as close to 0 as they can. Play around with this, have fun with it, and strengthen or add this to your gamemaking toolbelt!

Theme: Chromatic

I want to see phantasmagorias of color! I want to see chromatic scales! Monochromatic, polychromatic, chromatic scales for music, anything goes here! Just make sure that you hit CHROMA hard!

NOTE: Usage of the VFX Mega Pack will be a judged category! Get creative with the 60 free assets provided by Cartoon Coffee to make something special.

Get creative about how to implement the theme! You can try to aim hard toward the technical definition, or do something entirely sideways! 

We will be judging the prize winners on the theme AND the Design principle implementation!

Join our official Discord server!

Decide whether you'll enter the Casual or Gauntlet tracks.

Choose a team name and get ready to dive into the jam!

While we encourage creativity and innovation, we also expect participants to adhere to the following guidelines:

• Follow the terms of service for itch.
• No NSFW content allowed.
• Teams must consist of no more than five members.
• Notify your team in advance if you need to withdraw.
• Respect other participants; sabotage will not be tolerated.
• Maintain a positive and inclusive atmosphere.

Violating any of these rules will disqualify you from judgment.

• Game Design Document (GDD): Provide a detailed plan outlining your game concept and mechanics. The more clearly you can document what you are trying to accomplish, the more accurate the judging will be able to be. For inspiration, see this article with examples: https://gamedevbeginner.com/how-to-write-a-game-design-document-with-examples/
  • Sample GDDs:
    • Google Doc Format:
      • In-Depth
      • Brief
    • Digital Whiteboard (FigJam) Format:
      • In-Depth & Brief in different sections
  • Your GDD can come in really any format, as long as it communicates your ideas you are trying to execute on.
• Prototype: Submit a playable version of your game that focuses on functionality and engagement. If at all possible, please submit a web build for security reasons. If you submit a build we must download in order to play, we reserve the right to exclude your game from being eligible for judging. This will be decided on a case-by-case basis.
• If you want your submission in the Gauntlet, clearly declare it as such in the title and submission form.

Entries will be evaluated on the following criteria:

• Runability: Can the game run without major crashes or errors? Remember that if you do not submit a web build, it may disqualify you from being judged.
• Theme Implementation: To what extent does the game incorporate and explore the theme?
• Ingenuity: Does the game feature innovative mechanics or storytelling elements?
• Polish: How smooth and enjoyable is the gameplay experience?
• VFX Pack Usage: How creative and effective were the effects you used from Cartoon Coffee’s pack?
• GDD: Can a complete stranger understand how your game should operate from the document alone?

PS: To be eligible for Most Growth, you MUST submit your game for at least one critique session so that we have a benchmark of progress to evaluate.

Cartoon Coffee

Hey Cartoon Coffee here,

 
If you’re making a 2d hand drawn game there’s no better place to be than the Cartoon Coffee Discord.

 
Here are some benefits: Request custom VFX for your games (Free) Download VFX other members have requested Free 2d Game Art Guides Ask questions to me directly about 2d art, animation, and VFX Share your work and get feedback from other passionate 2d game developers.

If your goal is to make stylish 2d games with tons of game feel and juice, click this link: https://discord.gg/JmtcsmK6Yu

Let’s make great games together.

-Cartoon Coffee

River Wolf Games

We are two friends who decided to start an indie studio to make the things we want to make. We don't have any full games yet, but are diligently working to create things we hope people will enjoy. 

Our plan is to always remain an independant studio so that we can make games, and other content to a standard we can stand by. Our studio may be young, but we plan on taking huge strides as we grow.

We look forward to growing with every one of our gamers!