Better late than never. The last few days have been full of virtual machines, linking and compiling. Apparently you can't simply move a file onto another PC and expect it to run. After some tweaking I finally managed to put together a system for creating a single "AppImage" for my games making them a bit easier to distribute, at least on GNU/Linux.

Here's a hello world in a virtual machine with zero dependencies installed

Maybe I'll also have web builds next time around but that will require a bit more work. Windows builds I had to skip entirely. That just didn't work and that dreaded g++.exe still gives me nightmares.

On another note, I also had some success with a raspberry pi (ARM CPU) and also in theory this all should run on a Steam Deck but that one I can't test because I don't own one.

Hey there, Godot devs! I've maintained a project starter template on github for quite some time now. It has pre-made scenes that you'll need (title, how-to-play, credits), scene transitions (fade to and from black), a pause menu (shows on escape key) and a game over dialog (see repo readme for how to use). Plus it comes with the ability to take screenshots to make animated GIFs with, and a utility scene for creating properly sized GIFs for itch.io covers.

The github repo page is https://github.com/jhlothamer/godotprojectstarter

The repo page also contains instructions on how to use and override some basic things, but unless you run out of time you'll want to revamp the title and other scenes to your liking too.

If you're more in the mood for a video about it, I've got ya' covered!

Godot Project Starter

I also made a helper pack with even more useful utilities and components. You can checkout the github page for that here: https://github.com/jhlothamer/godothelperpack

The helper pack has a github wiki describing everything in the pack. The two things I use in every project are the SignalMgr (lets you connect signals without needing to use get_node or node paths) and the ServiceMgr (sort of like and IoC/DI container for GDScript). So you might want to check those out if you're curious.

All repos are MIT license and free to use, no attribution required or necessary. I just hope they help!

I'm a bit stressed since i didn't join a game jam since forever. Hopefully i'll manage to make something playable in 48 or 72 hours :sweat_smile:

Toolset: * Engine: Unity * 3D Art: ProBuilder, Blender * 2D Art: GIMP, Krita, Aseprite, paint.net * Audio: Bosca Ceoil, Bfxr, Audacity

I hope everybody's gonna have a great time and I can't wait to play these wonderful games that you'll create.

ps. rip echoes ;(

mine would probably be "Make connections", sorry for anyone who likes that theme lol, but I've been working on a game about connecting nodes in a graph for the past few weeks and I'm Sick Of Connections. what do you think ?

Now that @0x-void-x0 was looking at single worst theme you wanted to vote out ....

What's your absolute favorite of the final bunch of themes?

hangout and chat with other game developers who are in Ludum dare or just share what you are working on https://discord.gg/CyYZcFxxuR

I was gonna make a new Godot diorama for this LD, but didn't have the time. This one's still here though :)

It could be your wallpaper, animation for your jam music compilation video, or something :smile:

Animated (MP4, executables) and still (HD & UHD PNG) downloads:
https://github.com/outfrost/composition02/releases

I would love to know how you do it!

I usually begin by googling up the theme and watching pictures related to it. Yes, depending on the theme it can be hilarious or disturbing, but that's also inspiring. Google, Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter, Youtube... whatever. The more the merrier. Jot things down meanwhile.

Then I usually take a piece of paper and bein drawing a mindmap - you know, the theme written in a bubble in the middle, then nodes coming out from it with different ideas for stories, mechanics, feelings, whatever. I write anything that comes to my mind. IF I already have a genre in mind, perfect. But it I don't? Well, this step can take longer.

Finally I pick two or three promissing ideas and draw a mockup, see how they could look like, expand them a little bit, and 'roleplay' how it would play. The best one wins.

What about you? Do you use some proven method to come up with ideas you find interesting to work with?

This is my contribution, I hope it won't influence other's opinions :-)

hello, dear participants! first of all, i want to wish all of you good luck on ludum dare 50. i hope that it'll be fun and unique experience for all of us, especially if it's your first ludum dare (like in my case). and let's hope that the theme would be nice and also, i have a question which i haven't found in an old rules: am i allowed to use any tutorials during the development of the game? for example, if i want to create a system, that i don't know how exactly to do, am i allowed to use any existing tutorials or videos (without using of a source code, of course)

But, maybe I can use Sky Pirates for any of these themes :thinking:

Mutation: Sky Pirates that mutate into slug pirates if they get too close to clouds!

Tunnels: Sky Pirate racing game barn storming some tunnels in a giant rock island

Overgrown: Sky Pirates battle giant venus flytrap island to get the gold

Garden: Sky Pirates growing food on their flying fortress blimp!

My friend that is sitting next to me is trying to use Construct but when he presses play, it breaks his computer. Now that I have went to check it, it stopped going crazy.

Hey! If you're doing the compo, you'll have to make some music. I've seen some LD devlogs and a big problem that pops is that you don't know how to make music. You could choose the path of using the ugly Bosca Ceoil, or using BeepBox (which is much better for sure), but these options are limited. I've found a MUCH better option that enables you to make some banger music. You can use Bandlab! It has amazing packs of loops that can be used and you can also use separate loops. It's also free and can be downloaded on mobile ^^

https://www.bandlab.com/

Here are some examples of music I've made with Bandlab completely with loops.

https://www.bandlab.com/chickagyy/untitled-2a332b54?revId=1a60ca14-9267-ec11-94f6-a04a5e79a6b8

https://www.bandlab.com/chickagyy/untitled-da5081ba?revId=1eba2a22-3695-ec11-a507-0050f280e91e

https://www.bandlab.com/chickagyy/untitled-4c56a033?revId=6b7ec6ab-3d67-ec11-94f6-a04a5e79a6b8

I hope you all have an amazing jamming session. Good luck!

Hey friends!

I just moved abroad, so I have a lot of time to spend. What best opportunity to partecipate to LD50? This is the fourth time over the years I will partecipate to the jam, but I never delivered, mostly because those factors:

• Overscoping: I have to marry the idea that I can't create a masterpiece in two days. Keep the game simple and self-contained, don't overthink it and be aware to scope creep.
• Theme drift: sometimes I get so attached to a specific mechanic that I ram the theme into it until they fit, creating a game with a compromised mechanic and out of theme. I should start with the theme, then extrapolate a good mechanic from it.
• Lack of motivation: the tools you use could not collaborate, it happens. In that case I have to fix (or go around) the problem instead of giving up.
• Burnout: working for two day straight is not good for you: you will be energy deprived and unmotivated very soon. Instead plan your sleep, your meals and maybe also a walk. It's very useful when you are stuck!

I'm defining the tools I will use this time, I already use them and I trust them (don't betray me please):

• Engine: Unity, the swiss army knife for me. I would like to go for Godot, but I haven't really the know-how on the latter.
• Text Editor: the one and only Visual Studio Code. For notes I think I will use Notion or Obsidian.
• Image Editing: Photoshop, Krita and Tiled. Wanna try Tilemancer, looks really cool.
• 3D Modeling: Blender with Substance Painter for textures. I don't really want to do 3D stuff, but you never know.
• Sounds: BFXR or my voice and Audacity filters.

The big hole is the music. I know about Bosca Ceoil, but I'm not really a composer and I don't want to waste too much time on making music. I think I saw a tool that generates loooong and eerie ambient sound, and if it does not exists, someone should create it :joy:

Guys and gals, if you have any suggestion about music generation, I'm all ears! :v:

Besides the huge amount of source material for inspiration, open to so many intepretations, I love how it doesn't restrict mechanics at all. I have more ideas for that theme that any other before:

• A pet simulator where you need to take care of a Griffin or Cerberus.

• A Pac-Man style game where you play as the Wendigo from American Indian folklore, chasing down people to eat them.

• A stealth game where you need to avoid a Minotaur as you escape the Labyrinth.

• An idea I had for "Mirror" was a game where you're hunting Medusa, but you can't look directly at her, only her reflection around corners.

• A racing game like Mario Kart on Rainbow Road, where you're chasing a Leprechaun to the end of the rainbow to steal his pot of gold.

• A Pokémon Snap style game where you're trying to snap pictures of Bigfoot or the Loch Ness Monster.

• A quiz game featuring the Sphix.

• A sea battle simlulator where you need to fight off a Kraken.

• A simulator where you're a Mermaid having to do Seaworld-style tricks.

• The Monkey King of Chinese folklore could have mechanics based of either the cloud he rides on, or his shrinking/extending staff.

• A hunting simulator where you need to track and kill a Jackalope.

• A sumo game where you play as Paul Bunyan competing against Goliath.

Those are just what I came up with in about 5 minutes.

I know this may be unpopular with most people here but it would be really nice to have a theme that's more story-based than mechanic-based, for once. I know, you can always include a story but I'd love to see what people create with it as the focus. There are a TON of fun stories you can take and mold into a game (including Robin Hood, Cinderella and many others, which are public domain too, btw).

This would be a more challenging theme for me and maybe that's also what attracts me to it.

That said, I upvoted several other themes as I have many I like.

Can't believe these were the themes that made it to the final round... Really!? Not even gonna vote.

Anyway, very excited for my second Ludum Dare

EDIT: I might have been too harsh... Folklore is actualy a very good theme!

I already made an I'm in post but forgot to state my base code, so here it is, feel free to use it too!
https://github.com/Erkberg/UnityLibrary
On another note: I'm really lookin' forward to seeing the endless stream of your creations during the jam, it's always such a wonderful source of inspiration! :sparkles:

If you're struggling a bit with recording your game, I just published a little Unity tutorial to help with that: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7qaOeIm7wo
A picture is worth a thousand words, they say.
If that's true, then how much are videos and gifs worth? :open_mouth:

its been a while doing game dev, jam .. Jams provide some focus to work on cool ideas

Planned Tools :

Engine : GODOT

Language : GDScript

Art 2D : Krita, Paint.net

Art 3D : Blender

Server : python or nodejs

Audio : lmms

Getting my tools set ready for the Jam.. Have Fun