GCLS Game Jam

Welcome to the first Gloucester County Library System Game Jam!

What's a game jam? It's when you're given a specific time frame to make a game around a given theme. Much like a musical jam, you can create with other people, or you can work alone, the choice is up to you! The end result doesn't have to be great, the idea is just to make something, any kind of a game, no matter how small!

We want YOU to make a game! No matter your age, no matter your skill level, everyone is welcome to submit something! This isn't a contest, there will be no winner, but we will play the submissions on a live stream when the jam is over.

Join the jam by going to itch.io/jam/gcls-autumn-game-jam

Details

Your game submissions won't be ranked, this isn't a contest! It's simply a chance to try something fun and new, and share what you make with others! After the submission date is over, the library will play them on a livestream! If you don't want your game played on the livestream, let us know during submission.

You will have 7 days to create a playable game. The them of the game is Autumn!

Rules

1. Please make sure your game is playable on Windows 10 or Android

2. Nothing explicit. Please keep your game rated E for everyone!

3. Your game must be free to play. (When submitting your game on Itch.io, under pricing select 'no payments'.

Everything you need to start making games

Need help on where to start? Everything you need to get started on making your own games is below!

Game Engines

Construct 3 - Free version available with some limitations. 2D games editor aimed at non-programmers.

Godot - Free and open-source C++ based engine for 2D and 3D games.

GDevelop - Free and open-source. Make 2D games with no additional programming required.

GB Studio - A drag-and-drop editor that allows you to make top-down Game Boy games. Version 2.0 released in Beta with Game Boy Color support, as well as more types of games.

Twine - Free and open-source engine for making interactive fiction (text adventures) and making them playable as web pages.

PuzzleScript - A free and open-source puzzle game making engine.

Bitsy - A free engine for making "little games in little worlds". Using very simple graphics, you can make games where you can walk around, talk to people and interact in basic ways.

Scratch - Uses Lego-like blocks of code that snap together. Super simple, great start for an introduction into logic and computational thinking.

Unity - Free for hobbyists, Unity is used to make a variety of 2D and 3D games.

Ren'Py - A free to use visual novel game engine.

Art and Art Tools

Piskel - A free online editor for pixel art and animation.

OpenGameArt.Org - Freely available art to use in your games!

Kenny - Free game art assets, from characters to items to enemies to terrain! You can find everything you need for a game right here!

Sound Effects and Music

Bfxr- Free utility for making old school sound effects for your games.

Bosca Ceoil - Utility for creating your own music.

freesound - Creative Commons licensed sounds

Free Music Archive - Creative Commons licensed music for your projects

Game Jam Time

Paul, our teen librarian, has made a series of videos that walk through a few different game engines! Check them out in the playlist below!