I've seen this mentions in a few threads. How would a "Handmade" game jam work? Obviously no engines and some limited time. One person only. But I'm not sure about libraries. Would it make sense to do everything from scratch, or only use source code?

Thoughts?

timothy.wright
I've seen this mentions in a few threads. How would a "Handmade" game jam work? Obviously no engines and some limited time. One person only. But I'm not sure about libraries. Would it make sense to do everything from scratch, or only use source code?

Thoughts?

I'm not sure that "no engines" would be a rule. Perhaps it would just be a jam where completeness is a major factor in the goal. Making something that really works well rather than a sloppily thrown-together "game."

(Just my opinion, which may be unpopular in this case, and let's face it, most cases)

I always found jams with few rules to be the most enjoyable ones. Where pretty much everything is optional and up for personal interpretation of participants.

Couldn't it be enough to say that for the Handmade Game Jam, you're supposed to make a game that YOU feel is handmade, for your own definition of handmade? It would be more inclusive that way, and inclusive is good.

If that means using libraries but not engines for one person, if it means no libraries and no engines for another, and perhaps if it means using Game Maker for yet another, would that really take anything away from the jam? Or allowing people to team up as well as going at it solo - whatever works, I'd say. It is not like it would be a competition, so rules seem rather unnecessary...

I think the important thing is to encourage people to be creative and enjoy themselves, in a safe and inclusive setting.

Mattias Gustavsson
It is not like it would be a competition, so rules seem rather unnecessary...

For me, the most fun jams are the ones that have constraints. It breeds more creativity and becomes an interesting challenge to think of something that fits the rules.

Yeah, constraints are great, and I agree they boost creativity! Just suggesting we make them opt-in rather than mandatory, and up for individual interpretation :-)

Perhaps something simple like "The game must compile in under 2 seconds".

Most of the handmade devs I follow write everything themselves. So it seems like a fun idea to have a handmade jam. I'm sure lots of questions an answers can come from doing code reviews, and because they are small projects it's easier for a beginner to get through all the code.

Abner has mentioned trying to get younger/newer programmers into the handmade mindset, and this seems like a good way.