Ignore the theme…
Okay, here I am to tell you to IGNORE THE THEME!
I don’t like themes, I have yet to find a theme that has sparked my creativity in any meaningful way. More info on this over here: “This jammer doesn’t like themes”
You don’t have to ignore the theme, but if you don’t like it, then I ask you to completely ignore it
Many of the great games in Ludum Dare history only had a vague connection to the theme, and to be fair, in many cases they might even have been better if the theme had been ignored completely.
HOWEVER:
If you do ignore the theme, then I ask that you subscribe to some other set of constraints, and mark them clearly on your submission.
Here are some suggestions for alternate constraints:
- SHARECART1000
- Speccy Jam (use ZX Spectrum attribute clash effect)
- Make a one-button game
- Random input assignments
- You’re not allowed to fix non-crash bugs, you must work around them
- Traditionally combat-oriented genre, but remove the combat
- Persistent universe, online game
- Sound-only game
- Text-only game
- Generate levels from player-supplied image files
- Suggest more in the comments below…
Comments
03. Dec 2014 · 15:16 UTC
In the past I’ve reviewed some games that were really well thought out and put together but had nothing to do with the theme. my first thought: They probably submitted a game they’ve been working on for months.
03. Dec 2014 · 18:53 UTC
Not following the theme is really against the spirit of the whole thing. The theme is as much challenge as making something.
06. Dec 2014 · 15:26 UTC
You should not submit your game to ludum dare, if you choose to ignore the ludum dare theme.
06. Dec 2014 · 15:55 UTC
I agree with Jan Peter, why do you want to participate in Ludum Dare if you don’t want to follow one of the basic rules? Find another game jam to enter.