Rules and Eligibility

Official Registration is now open.  Every team leader and member of your team must complete the registration form.

SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS (Added 11/13/20)

  • STEP 1: Each team leader received an email with a link to accept the Terms and Conditions of the Game Jam.  Follow that link and accept the T&C.
  • STEP 2: The team leader should then check their email for instructions on submitting their entry.  This includes the location to upload their entry and the other instructions (pasted below).  Deadline for Game Submission is 11/15/2020 at 6PM ET.
  • STEP 3: Verify all contributing team members have completed the registration form.  Deadline to complete team member registration form is 11/16/2020 at 11:59PM ET.
  • STEP 4: Submit your Game Description Form, including sharing your process documentation.  Deadline to complete GDF is 11/16/2020 at 11:59PM ET.

Here are the general instructions emailed to team leaders.  The upload location is only accessible to team leaders via email:

Each team’s game jam submission must be uploaded by the Team Leader. Submissions must be in the form a single .zip folder (how to create .zip folders: Windows MacOS Linux) that includes the following:

  1. The game executable and its necessary files unless your game is web-based. For web-based games, you must include the URL for the game as the first line of your readme.txt (see below).
  2. A readme.txt with an explanation of game controls (such as “press E to interact with items”), credits (who did what) that would include any assets that your team used under license (royalty free music, creative commons 3D models, etc.), the URL for your team’s devblog, any special installation instructions, and (optionally) a URL for the game’s front-facing webpage if one was made.
  3. The .zip folder itself must use the “gamename-teamleader” naming convention. No uppercase letters, spaces, or special characters besides “-” should be used. Example: “fivenightsatfreddys-scottcawthon.zip”
A .zip folder that only contains a readme.txt is perfectly acceptable for web-based game submissions. Your team’s .zip folder must be uploaded to TBD before the deadline at 6:00 PM ET on Sunday, November 15th. Teams leaders should begin uploading their team’s submission no later than two hours before the deadline to ensure that the upload is completed on time. If the file is large (>1.5 GB), expect a longer upload time.

Updated 11/4/20

GAME JAM RULES

  • Be a gracious professional.
  • Keep it focused.
    • The prompt for the Game Jam is COOPERTITION.
    • As the Game Jam focuses on the FIRST program, content should reflect the ideals and mission of FIRST.  Inappropriate content, violence, etc, will result it automatic disqualification.
  • Share your process.
    • Teams should track their progress and development through screenshots, videos, blogs, you name it.  We don’t just want to see your final game, we want to know and see how you collaborated to get there!

TEAM RULES

  • A TEAM consists of one or more individuals who are working together to submit a single entry to the Game Jam.
  • Each team will be represented by a single TEAM LEADER.  This leader will complete the submission on behalf of the entire team.
  • You may participate on more than one TEAM.
  • You may not be the TEAM LEADER of multiple TEAMs.

GAME SUBMISSION RULES

  • Create the vast majority of the code and art assets specifically for this Game Jam.
  • Use any game engine or programming language you want if it meets all the following criteria:
    • The game can be played by a wide audience without installing any software except for the game. We suggest making your game run as an executable for Windows 10 or run in a web browser.
    • The game can be distributed for the community to play without violating any licensing or terms and conditions of the game engine.
  • Any code or art assets must adhere to the creator’s patent or copyright and licensing terms. Generally, this means you cannot use copyrighted works without receiving explicit permission from the copyright holder(s) or give proper attribution if the license requires it (i.e. some but not all Creative Commons licenses).
  • We welcome people and teams from all around the world, and will happily accept a game in any language. We will make every effort to accommodate everyone, but at this time, we can only guarantee that judges will speak English.

Details on how to submit a final game will be released to Team Leaders before the deadline.

DELIVERABLES

All teams are required to submit:

  • A completed registration form for all contributing team members.
    • Team Leaders are expected to complete this form no later than 11/13 at 11:59PM ET or you risk not receiving communication on how to submit your game.  You will be able to make edits after submission.
    • Team Members have until 11/16 at 11:59PM ET to complete the registration form at which point the form will close for everyone.
  • A Game Description Form which describes your team, experience, and your overall vision for your game, even if you were unable to completely execute a playable game.
    • Great ideas are eligible for non-technical awards consideration as long as this document is completed!
    • The deadline for submission of this form is 11/16 at 11:59PM so we suggest you wait until close to the end of the Game Jam OR after your entry is submitted to complete this form.

To be eligible for all awards and advancement in the judging process, you must also submit:

  • A playable demo of your game.  This should include at least one example of every mechanic and system in your game.  While your ambitions may be larger (“We’ll have 40 levels!”) a single, complete example of everything you can do is enough for the contest.
  • A readme.txt file that includes any special installation instructions, explanation of game controls (press “E” to use things), and credits (who did what) that would include any assets that you include under license (royalty free music, creative commons 3D models, etc.)
  • Documentation of your process.  This could be a link to a developer’s blog, a video (or link to a video) documenting what you did, or a photo gallery of screenshots (and captions!) showing where you started and what you accomplished.  (You will be able to upload these or provide links to these in the Game Description Form)

ELIGIBILITY

To be eligible to participate on a team:

  • you must be a FIRST student, alumni, or person interested in the FIRST programs.  As the Game Jam theme and prompt are all related to FIRST, having people on your team who have experience with the program will be critical.
  • you must be 13 or older.
  • you must agree to the terms and conditions of the Game Jam.
POLICIES