/usagi/ - U.S.A.G.I. Game Jam

Is there a theme? Also this is pretty typical for jams but submissions have to be started no earlier than June 29th, correct? (Can we have some clarification?)

Thank you for your questions!

>Is there a theme?
We originally envisioned this Jam iteration as an open cultural exchange programme between the various boards and we feared that people might find themselves forced into in-culture, board drama and identity crises, which we really do not want. So that original hard requirement was scratched.

Additionally, we do not envision this Jam as a strong competition between online personalities' production or as a CV padding exercise but more of a low-stakes collaborative workshop where leaving your comfort zone, feeling accomplished, doing weird arts and crafts, and belonging to a community are the primary goals. We also don't want to step on the toes of currently running jams (notably, the Dream Diary Jam), so there's that.

So currently the theme is loosely defined by the rules, particularly the first few DOs. Please note that I have slightly modified them based on the ambiguities. Until 29th June (one month from now), there is a lot of leeway in them, so please continue questioning us.

>submissions have to be started no earlier than June 29th, correct?
I would prefer if you placed the first metaphorical pen stroke on the game itself on 29th, yes.

But since altboards are very slow, we wanted to give everybody plenty of time to give us feedback on what we might have missed or what might be problematic. We also want to give others time to propose their dreams and ideas (be it here, at their home turf, or anywhere else they are comfortable), find people aligned with them, allocate free time, and decide whether they want to participate.

We would prefer for groups and communities to be formed with other rolls (or sushi rolls, if you prefer) but you can definitely join alone or just with your (online, real world) friends.

>generated code and synthesized voices are acceptable
>don't glorify sexual acts on minor-looking characters
Who is setting these rules?

Us. We don't want to filter out the entirety of 39chan. By law, Miku has a synthetized voice. Half of the boards we have invited also have rules specifically against glorifying sexual acts on minor-looking characters and we want them to feel welcome here.

I am personally torn on slop code. I think it will be problematic if somebody makes a game purely out of slop code and stock assets that interferes with about everything this Jam stands for. Yet I see game developers and designers use such tools as a genuine kludge, if they struggle with non-trivial programming and there's not a professional available. Yet this could be an another opportunity to normalize seeking help from others.

What's your opinion on slop code (debugging and boilerplate VS the entire thing) for the purposes of this jam?

For now, I have changed it to
>generated boilerplate/prototype code and synthesized voices are acceptable

I think it was mostly an odd couple of things to specify. I had never heard of this effort until just now, and I didnt like the sound of either of those lines. Glorifying abuse on fictional characters is not a crime. All reading that rule makes me want to do was make a loli abuse simulator, by hand of course.

I've never participated in a gamejam, but I figure it goes without saying not steal other peoples code who werent participating, and AI sounds like the same thing. I appreciate the boiler plate edit.

>Us.
In that case, I'd appreciate loli/shota content being put in the "please put content warning" section instead of the "crimes" section. Or not mention it at all because I really doubt anyroll intended on making a loli abuse simulator to begin with.

I'd be delighted to see one participant at all.

>>9
>I really doubt anyroll intended on making a loli abuse simulator
I'm not going to name names, but there's at least one roll and one kissuer who is obsessed with loli guro.

>>9
Thank you. Moved "glorifying sexual abuse on fictional child characters" to the "don't, use as motive / mentions are at your own risk" category as to prevent disasters but not to start riots.

>I really doubt anyroll intended on making a loli abuse simulator to begin with.
I really know a roll intending on making a loli abuse simulator to annoy staff.

In that case I really hope they make something cool!

I appreciate it mod-san, I will stow my pitchfork.

I don't have any time to make a game but I have a good idea of what I want to make. I'm not sure it would fit the rules though.

>>8

It's very difficult imo to differentiate between slop code and poorly-designed code made by a beginner.
It's also very difficult to differentiate between AI-generated code that has been well guided and corrected by a knowledgeable programmer, and hand-written code. So enforcing that rule will be difficult no matter what you choose.

I think truly slop code is always going to be visible in the final product as unfixable bugs, poor performance, or other weird behavior. And if it's not visible i.e. perfectly functional, is it still slop?

Subjectively, as an experienced programmer, I can get things done a lot faster with AI assistance, with the same quality. So it seems weird to restrict it unless the aim of the jam is specifically a programming learning exercise. The difference between AI code and AI art is that AI art shortcuts the creative process and results in "art" of much reduced intentionality. But for code, every visible feature is still intentional whether coded by hand or not. Plus, the primary consumer of code is the computer… do we really care about the code's artistic merits? Who's even going to read it?

I really hate the playing the role of AI proponent, but using it for code has really accelerated development on my own game with almost no downsides. That said I respect other's decisions to not use it, and there is always the risk that my skills will degrade over time with over-reliance on AI.

>>15
Sorry I might be dragging this discussion off-topic a bit, but does it not take the joy out of programming for you?
Personally I wouldnt be impressed if you told me you used ai code to make your game, in the same way I wouldnt be impressed if you payed an intern to make your game. Though the end product may be the same as if you made it yourself, it's just not very cool anymore to me…

Sure it might be cool to see something you thought of exist, but is the real meaning not in your own struggles?

>>16
It does and it doesn't. I do miss zoning out a bit and having more mental breathing room while I code, since the pace was slower. But getting features playable earlier makes up for the loss, I think.

To be honest I don't care to impress anyone with my code. I used to be an engine-dev (because why bother if it's not your code?), but I gave that up a long time ago in favor of actually finishing something. I see AI code in the same way. Would it be cool to enginedev and work on real-time raytracing instead of game mechanics? Yes. Does it make sense if I want to get a game out the door? No. And getting a game out the door is *the* central problem every indie dev faces.

On the topic of slop code.
You can't really enforce it, as >>15 pointed out.
Instead you can simply discourage it.
Imagine having an integration jam where you give some spooky integrals for the fun of solving them. Someone could plug it into macsyma or something like that, but that defeats the whole purpose of the jam.
Well, it's the same thing.
If somebody gets the slop machine to make their games for them then that's their loss, really.

>>17 here

I have vacillated once again. Ban AI code, allow it, either is fine by me. It depends on your goals for the jam. Either option risks losing some people.

I think allowing a little AI code is dangerous though, once you're using it the tendency is to use it for as much as it is capable of doing. There would have to be a very clear line.

I’m not convinced you’d get enough complete games by August 24. You should extend the deadline a few months.

The original USAGI was about this length and games got completed. I'm convinced it's possible for a few to complete their games, especially when the game's scope is small enough and the core is thought out beforehand.

>>21

Aren't most game jams a week or even less?

>>17
>And getting a game out the door is *the* central problem every indie dev faces.
That sounds like a problem for people who care about selling a product… I think the nice thing about indie things is they can focus on enjoying their art.

But I've certainly never published a game so I have no experience to stand on here.

>>24
If anything I'd say it's the opposite. People trying to sell a product will get it released even if it's half-baked. The "focus on enjoying art" projects are the ones that drag on for years with scopes that keep inflating and frequently get dropped when life changes happen.

I'm starting to learn sdl2 to start getting into gamedev as a hobby.
I might take the opportunity of the game jam to try and make a rudimentary game within the month, but I make no promises.

Does it have to be a video game or a PC game? can I make a traditional game?

>>27
I think you can. I mean, I did advertise it to a few boards as a digital game jam (which isn't a huge issue through as this isn't a competition) but more importantly, we aren't a physical club. We don't have a clubroom where humans could meet up, have access to the physical parts of your game and like-minded rolls to play with. We don't even have the resources to organize any "official" physical play sessions / meetups, so crafting together / organizing the game would fall on your shoulders. We are not going to manufacture game sets for you either. Letting the jam lean on games that require specific expensive infrastructure might make feel some rolls uncomfortable; We have several distinct geographical groups of rolls that would be separated by design when experiencing such games, which I am not sure on.
On the other side, I did ask you to break out of the computer, and this would be an exemplary execution on that goal and I am all for bringing the games into physical space. Computers are too limiting, evil, and sad.

Our stance is that whatever you make, it needs to be accessible to others here. If your game requires special pieces, contraptions, or setups that cannot be digitally replicated / cheaply and safely obtained / DIY'd by individuals, I don't think it's a great fit. That is, unless you can find a great enough (reasonable) excuse or believe your work is a one-of-a-kind ordeal (think unique geocache hunts, real world large-scale puzzles, etc.) Please mind in mind that we want to let anyone enjoy whatever comes out of this jam: read the rules. For example, making a custom TCG with custom licensed cards would be a legal and rule minefield (e-mail us beforehand in such a case, pretty please, we pinky promise not to leak your game and to figure something out)

But please do not treat this post as gospel, please tell me what you think and if I am misunderstanding or projecting my experiences.

>>25
The world "problem" might be ambiguous here sorry.
Getting the game out the door is the main *difficulty* for an hobbiest dev, it likely wont happen. But it's not the main *concern* for hobbiest dev, they tend to care more about enjoying themselves and getting better.

Like a pro athlete who needs to win to succeed in their career might take steroids to gain an advantage. But someone who plays the sport for fun wouldn't, they'd still want to win, but they mostly care about enjoying themselves and getting better, even if it means winning less.

Perhaps the metaphor is a bit harsh, athletes have plenty of chances to win games while gamedevs only have so many chances to publish games, and ai could be considered more like a training tool and a gamejam more like a practice match, but I hope it carries my point regardless.

>>27
>>28
You could maybe put it on tabletop simulator and play with sushis!

>>28
Basically, my idea is to take an a less well known but fairly reliable occult ritual known to summon a spirit (could be good or evil) and build it into a basic tabletop puzzle game. I don't really plan on it having any unique pieces that people would have to buy or manufacture. Ideally, everything could be sourced fairly easily, DIY'd from household items with the help of imagination, or simply printed on paper and cut out at the most. In that case, I'd probably supply some pdfs.

That sounds more than reasonable, don't let me limit your creativity then, have fun! Feel free at any time to ask here for help / playtesting / whatever, if you ever feel like getting input from other rolls.

I assume that you would want to distribute your rule book as a PDF to begin with (or a webpage, perhaps?), so perhaps bundling the required scanned / computer-designed model sheets alongside it would be extra convenient. Papercraft Was a thing in homebrew games for ages, after all.

Let's say I either have an incomplete game which I'd like to update/release a significantly different version and/or which is being developed during a jam which is currently in progress. Is it acceptable to take the USAGI jam as an opportunity to work upon a significantly updated/different/bigger release of such incomplete game, or should I hold up my metaphorical pen?

>>32
tl;dr: We would rather you not but we will support you and won't remove you if you disclose it beforehand, and are okay with not being eligible for any prices (no promises about those being a thing). Should the rules be edited to add that explicitly?

We would very much prefer games be made for the jam and the work started at the date of the jam. The time constraint is a large part of the jam experience. If it's something that is public and released before the jam starts and your submission uses that as a base, in my eyes that's equivalent to using a bunch of third party assets. And that is explicitly allowed. Same goes for more game-y game engines (eg. using Luanti - Minetest, PICO-8 / Picotron / TIC-80, etc., no roblox / minecraft through please: that would violate the rules for copyright reasons as we require certain rights to host it). The other interpretation is using the jam to polish / finish your existing project that might incidentally match the theme and rules, we would rather you not do that. Maybe in future iterations. That doesn't spark "start and make for the jam" joy. Rather give us something tiny but unique (however related) than make a large part of a huge project for the jam.

Whatever you make has to be accessible by normal people (presumably without accounts or identity verification) for free and without having to play your existing game first: sequels / spinoffs are welcome, overhauling mods and addons are at your risk, additional levels / arcs / storylines / mechanics to an unreleased game are likely not desirable.

No matter what, we are not likely to delete your submission (unless you blatantly violate the rules - especially around copyright), yet we ask of you to disclose when your project is a continuation / adaptation / modification of an existing or unpublished work, to adjust any attribution, and to not hand prices to somebody who "has not made a dedicated game," and cause fairness-related arguments. That is, if we decide to give out any.

>>33
Thank you for the answer. It was an hypothetical question, as I am not, in fact, currently working on any game, though I could have joined a certain game jam in progress. Nonetheless, I've decided to hold up the metaphorical pen, and to not do any actual work on my idea other that brainstorming until USAGI jam actually starts.
While it will not apply for me, I do think a clarification about all that would be a good addition to the rules.