MCBACON JAM

Posts

Zeigfried_McBacon
Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.
3820
EVENT PAGE HERE: http://rpgmaker.net/events/mcbacon_jam1/


(note to staff, feel free to move this to a more appropriate section, and do so with my blessings)

Alright, inspired by THIS thread, I have decided to make a game jam specifically about working with people you normally don't or would work with. The idea is to explore new and unusual collaborations in a short time frame. Ideally, I'd like it to last a week, that way people can get a good idea of what working with their particular partners is really like, at least as much as possible within reason.

For anyone still in the dark about gamejams, allow me to quote wikipedia on the subject;"A game jam is a gathering of game developers for the purpose of planning, designing, and creating one or more games within a short span of time, usually ranging between 24 and 72 hours. Game developers are generally made up of programmers, game designers, artists, and others in game development-related fields." - source

I didn't want to call this RMNjam because:
*I'm in no position to call something that, not to mention what that'd deprive the staff or community.
*McBacon Jam seemed more appropriate, since, as it stands, I intend to organize, run it and do something not quite normal with it.

Anyways, The reason I'm making this thread is so I can iron out a few lil things before proceeding to submit whats needed to get it going. Let me know what you think folks.

UPDATE: HOW TO SIGN UP
1)Post in this topic that you would like to be a part of this
or
2)Send me a PM saying you want in
or
3) post one of these in this thread or PM it to me:

Name: The participants name (username please, real names not needed. at all)
Main skill: The persons main skill to bring to the table(or whatever they feel it is)
Other skills: A list of other things said person feels they are at least competent at. (great for when fall back roles are needed)
Engines/Languages/framework preference: Hopefully, this speaks for itself.
Prefer to work on: This should give you an idea of what this person wants to work on, genre/style wise.
Prefer NOT to work on: The exact opposite of prefer to work on; this is what the person wishes to avoid working on and may drop out.
Comment: Anything here to further add some flavor, give people a better idea about you, or express yourself.

http://rpgmaker.net/media/content/users/43049/locker/gamjamdossier.txt
or https://docs.google.com/document/d/12AuV8dhIDUqhKEFwVPWbas0QD5IJwwhyljtMk_RwseY/edit?usp=sharing

Update 2: Now with IRC channel: #mcbaconjam on irc.synirc.net (same network as RMN btw).

Teams spreadsheet: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1opR7ERU-n8F-z5yPHoEtYqnFSh_0zI8NO7g2IJFgRzA/edit#gid=0

Everything you need to know so far:
*You may still pick your teams as it stands, and it'll stay that way, so long as we have very few or no one left behind (luckily, reserves can help with a few people).
*I will announce the theme on the 21st. this is when you can begin. You will have 2 weeks to make something with your team.
*This isn't a contest; it's more like an odd sort of meet and greet with gam mak
*Future events WILL occasionally be random person teams. When they are, I'll be sure that it is made VERY clear.
COUNT
ME
IN


also we could kind of do a lottery system idk
everyone gets associated to a number, and we use random.org to set up pairs

we could also divide the participants in abilities and make up a team with something like 1 writer 1 mapper 1 artist 1 gameplay designer (???)

EDIT: additionally we could also have random user submitted themes being sorted out for the team :v hm

unity
You're magical to me.
12540
This sounds awesome! Though, is all pairing going to be done randomly, or is that just one idea?
Max McGee
with sorrow down past the fence
9159
Oh man. I think I'd really like to tentatively toss my hat in the ring for this. I need more information first, though. (Just the practical stuff, when, where, how, etc.)

Edit: Why is this in WELP and not GAME DISCUSSION AND DEVELOPMENT?
Marrend
Guardian of the Description Thread
21781
I'd probably be down for this. Though, the question of how teams are put together does seem important! If the idea is to team with people you would not team with, then, it seems like going random might be a thing. Or, I dunno, noting what was written in that other thread, and putting together people that fail to mention each other?

*quirks eyebrow*
Zeigfried_McBacon
Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.
3820
While I would like this to involve people voluntarily coming together, if that doesn't seem to work out at all based on what people are thinking, then I will (reluctantly) set it up to be randomly assigned teams.

author=Max McGee
Edit: Why is this in WELP and not GAME DISCUSSION AND DEVELOPMENT?

I was debating that this morning, and figured this section was the safest bet, though the mods are perfectly free to move this thread as they see fit.
Hmmm, I'm definitely interested in this, but I'm not entirely confident in what I can add to a team. I've also never worked in a team before...
I've never worked in a team, and that's a shame. I'd like to join this. I'm mainly eventer, can do minor sprite work, and shitty music.
Hmm... having people voluntarily choose their teammates may leave some people out. Maybe randomizing will be the best option, so you can equally distribute the participants into pairs/trio's/four-io's/something.
I'm interested.
I think it's fine if people choose their own teams with the obvious limitation that they can't have worked together before.
Or maybe you can get a couple of people to choose from somehow.... I dunno how that would work though. I don't really want it to be completely random though.
CashmereCat
Self-proclaimed Puzzle Snob
11638
Personally, I would prefer choosing your own teams because I don't think people would be fine with being randomly assigned to someone who's gonna flake out. Part of constructing a good team is choosing someone who you know is going to pull through to the end. It's no use having a partner who flakes out half way through, or you lose contact of altogether. Part of the fun is finding your partner for that team.

If you'd have trouble finding a partner, then you could either ask to be assigned one, or create a thread or status expressing interest in finding a partner, and choose yours from the selection of replies that are keen to join you. Or you could join the IRC and ask the folks there if they want to collab for a short game.

Either way, the randomization thing would only work in my opinion if nobody flaked out and everyone participated to the end. Otherwise an extremely keen dude might end up with someone who disappears on the 2nd day, and they had no choice in the matter. :(
author=CashmereCat
Either way, the randomization thing would only work in my opinion if nobody flaked out and everyone participated to the end. Otherwise an extremely keen dude might end up with someone who disappears on the 2nd day, and they had no choice in the matter. :(

That is not going to happen. Foggetaboudid.
unity
You're magical to me.
12540
Yeah, the more I think about it, the less I think the random thing is a good idea. But teaming up for an event would be a lot of fun! :D
Yeah, I was curious about how this whole thing would be set up. I definitively prefer the idea of having balanced teams over pairs/trios or whatever. And making teams at random with the hopes that you get to team up up with the people that you like seems like the way to go. But from what I gather from the previous thread, some people have more "demand" than others...

So I was thinking, why not make tiers? Let the more popular people work as "consultants" for all the teams. This way we can all benefit from their input without straining them too much. Then maybe have a second tier of people that can help two-three teams at once doing small stuff that they feel they're good at. And finally the third tier (us commoners) would be the ones responsible of actually giving shape to these games... Uhm, Am I making any sense here? I feel in this way we can learn the most from each other.

What do you guys think?
Zeigfried_McBacon
Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.
3820
If you guys want a lil more insight on why I'm reluctant for randomization, here ya go: I didn't want to resort to doing that until this event was a success more than at least once. I want this to be a more voluntary coming together versus a sign up and *SURPRISE*, and then that leading to drop outs ASAP.

alterego, I kinda like what you're thinking as far as the tiers go. My only thing with that is, I'd only implement it if there was a strong consensus of support for it. My main goal for this is for people to come together of their own free will and work together with people they haven't worked with before (preferably, with people they've been wanting to work with).
author=alterego
So I was thinking, why not make tiers? Let the more popular people work as "consultants" for all the teams. This way we can all benefit from their input without straining them too much. Then maybe have a second tier of people that can help two-three teams at once doing small stuff that they feel they're good at. And finally the third tier (us commoners) would be the ones responsible of actually giving shape to these games... Uhm, Am I making any sense here? I feel in this way we can learn the most from each other.

What do you guys think?

I don't think this is a good idea. The higher tier would probably want to make games, not just be a consultant and do tons of work for no benefit.

If there are tiers or groups, it should be based on skills so 2 coders or 2 artists are not paired up.
Max McGee
with sorrow down past the fence
9159
I'm mean I'll be honest I am down for this if some cool and/or unexpected person unexpectedly says they want to work with me out of the blue or if I get randomly paired with someone lame.

If it's the usual "make your own teams" thing and I do my usual "too shy to ask anyone" thing, or if it's random pairings and I get paired to someone...I don't want to say 'someone lame' because I don't want to be mean, but someone kind of random that I'm not that interested in working with, well in either of those cases I'm not so down with this.

I know that's probably pretty selfish but I figure it is probably best to be honest. If this is "opportunity to work with cool different people" I am very interested but if it is just "opportunity to stress out massively over making something non-embarrassing in 72 hrs or less" then I am less interested.

But while I'm being brutally honest: as someone who has tried to organize things in the past and been screwed over by people's unexpected flakiness, my own flakiness for the purposes of this event should be considered near maximum. These days I seldom have the energy to work on my own game, which I am basically socially obligated to complete, let alone anything more whimsical. So the chance of me evaporating is just unfortunately high. It's nothing personal just my health isn't awesome which means my energy isn't high which means it is hard to keep the fires of creative endeavor stoked. and let's be honest the amount of videogames available to goof off by playing is extraordinary right now

So I mean with all those asterisks for what they're worth, there is my sign up.

I'll echo that I don't think the tier idea is a very good one.
I'm all for this~

I think the tier thing is a bad idea. I think we're all big boys and girls who are completely capable of pairing ourselves up.

Two man teams might be best, but if we're allowed uneven teams, I wouldn't mind picking up anybody who was too shy/too flaky/too much of a pariah/too whatever else to be picked immediately~<3

I'm sure I could put them to work on some slave labor~
CashmereCat
Self-proclaimed Puzzle Snob
11638
Also, it's fun to pair yourselves up. It's like asking people to go on a date with you. Sure, you might get rejected, but it grows you. Then you learn to stick with your own league.

T_T