Game Jam achievements!
The latest information for game jammers
T2G Game Jam Achievements
The achievement system is a system aimed at diversifying the games developed. In a sense, the achievements are a free-for-all voluntary list of secondary constraints, that the individual teams can choose to go for, or not, as they please. If they do go for one or more achievements, they get to tick off those achievements as fulfilled when submitting their game.
As stated above, the achievements are absolutely voluntary, and no points are given for achieving them. First time teams of students should focus primarily on the overall constraint, and only add in extra achievements if they all feel sure they will have something to hand in on Sunday.
Instant Online Gratification
Game requires no file downloads (browser objects are OK), and has been verified to work on IE8, FF3, Latest Safari and Latest Chrome
Singing the Body Electric
A game that uses only sound effects produced by the body, stomach gurgles, vocalisations, clapping, etc.
The Hack
Integrating external gadgets not normally associated with games (e.g. radio, electronic weights, lamps, toasters, barbells, staplers, etc.) as part of the game. This achievement requires that they upload a video of the game to YouTube and link it to the upload (they still have to hand in their game), as well as describing the construction in detail
Take Five
Game can be played to completion in less than 5 minutes
Lo-text
Game has an interactive tutorial
Over Achiever
Implemented the main constraint with 3 or more different game mechanics
Community
Game behaviour is dependent on how many people are playing it simultaneously at the same time.
Alternate Control
Game runs on a pc (Win/Mac/Linux) and is controlled with (a) device(s) other than mouse, keyboard or console controller
Universal Language
Game has absolutely no text or numbers
EGA Lives
Game uses a maximum of 16 different colors in all, including light and shading
Rules
This is voluntary. Participants do not have to go for any of the achievements if they wish not to.
Maximum of 4 Achievements. Even if the game or team fulfils more than 4 achievements, they can only choose a maximum of 4 when uploading the game, so if any, they need to choose the ones that make the most sense.
No Score. There are no virtual or real score granted for fulfilling an achievements, neither is there any prize for it. The achievements only purpose are to separate a game from others on the website. They are not a better game jammer, just because they have taken it upon themselves to fulfil more achievements.
Self-Evident. The focus is to make the achievements as self-evident as possible, which means that they can be verified by anyone downloading the game. This is in order to create as little administration from the organisers as possible (ie teams simply just tick off themselves when they submit the game what achievements they have), and to make cheating as difficult as possible (ie anyone who downloads the game can check that they hold true).
The Achievement system is meant as a motivator and helper for getting participants to try to think outside their normal scope and move away from their comfort zone.
As a principle a game jam is all about innovation, collaboration and experimentation; it must be an important aspect to try out new things.