Well, The results are in.
The votes have been tallied, and the Winner is Tonight, by PixelPizza. The competition was incredible, and the first official Flowjam turned out to be a wild success. We had more than 60 entries, and some truly fantastic games that I can hardly believe were completed from inception to completion in two weeks.
Tonight is a deserving winner. It is a well designed game with great visuals, sound, and a bit of humor, and it's incredibly polished for such a short project. [Update] PixelPizza got his switch!:
In addition, there are some other games that deserve a special mention:
A fantastic rouguelike with amazing art, a variety of weapons to choose from, and generally just really fun gameplay.
Gorgeous pixel art, unique and creepy monsters, and an unsettling atmosphere combine to create a super interesting experience.
A hard to categorize game a about a quirky character trying to navigate a strange interactive environment. Fun and memorable.
Tight controls and great level designs combined with an interesting mechanic. Fun to play and makes great use of the theme.
Another interesting take on the theme. A platformer with tricky but interesting level designs.
The Theme is Darkness & Light
What does that mean?
That's up to you! Does it mean literally using darkness and light for your game mechanic? Maybe! Does it mean dark vs light forces, inner darkness, or some other metaphor? Sure, why not! Here are some quotes to help get your creativity flowing:
We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light. Plato
May it be a light to you in dark places, when all other lights go out. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring
I am terrified by this dark thing that sleeps in me. Sylvia Plath , The Collected Poems
I knew nothing but shadows and I thought them to be real. Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray
Tips to make your entry more appealing:
- Screenshot or make an Interesting Cover for your game. This will lead more eyes to your submission. (P.S.: Make sure the most important things like the title of your game and the main subject aren't cropped.)
- If your game doesn't have a tutorial, leave all the controls on the description in a clear way.
- Add background music and sounds. Audio is half the movie, so it’s pretty important for games too.
- Add a menu. It depends on the kind of game you are creating, but adding a menu, sure can make a difference and set the mood for what's to come.
- Add a background. You can simply change the background color on the "Game Levels" Panel.
- If you have an upgraded account, you can use the "Edit Page Theme" to make it more personal.
What's Flowjam?
Flowjam is a contest where everyone gets a limited time (two weeks) to create a complete game from start to finish, based around a single theme.
This year Flowjam will begin on January 7th, 2020, and submissions will close on January 21st, 2020.
Come join the Flowjam Discord Channel or the Flowjam 2020 Forum thread to discuss ideas, encourage each other, ask questions, or whatever else.
What's the theme?
The theme will be announced at 11:30 pm EST on January 06, 2020, thirty minutes before Flowjam kicks off.
What can I win?
The winning game developer will win their choice of either a PS4, XBox One, or Nintendo switch game console.
The winning game will also be featured on the Flowlab home page.
Why should I participate?
Making games is fun! Also, this is a chance to challenge yourself to try new ideas, improve your skills, and possibly win a new console.
Who can enter?
Anyone, from anywhere. Feel free to collaborate and help each other, but only one prize will be awarded. Entrants outside the U.S. will be responsible for any Customs or other fees incurred.
- Your game can include any art or music you have legal permission to use, but anything not created by you during the jam should be listed in the game's description.
- Don't create your game until the contest starts - on January 07, 2020 - the game creation time is listed under each game.
- Submissions will be closed on January 21, 2020 at midnight EST
- Although all entrants can vote on the game submissions, Grazer will have the final say on the official winner.
- Only games created using Flowlab can be submitted
- No purchase necessary - free accounts are welcome and encouraged to submit games!
- Use of theme How well the game adhered to and used the theme
- Game Design How interesting are the game mechanics
- Fun How fun the game is to play
- Polish How finished does the game feel
- Creativity How unique are the graphics, the mechanics, and the overall design
- Aesthetics How does the game look and sound
in Pensacola, FL
