Last time I got into a real game jam it was for Ludum Dare 33 "you're the monster" and it got me to start Super Intern Story, a game that I eventually published on Steam & Nintendo Switch. What will this event bring to me this time? :)
I'll do the solo jam for the first time, with my own 2D engine (c++) + Reaper (with a NES vst) + Paint.net.
Completely unplanned, blindly excited, somewhat unhinged… Oh what the hell, Im in! Stretch and hydrate, people. Let’s make some games!
Or at least ability to change volume with +/- keys or any other. Cause it is quite painful to play games if you are on Discord with people at the same time, sometimes games can be too loud.
I want to preface that I most of the times do not do this, but saw a post about it here and I do believe its a small thing that improves a lot in game quality. So I set upon watching a few tutorials that I will link here that I thought were at least a good starting point.
Unity: https://youtu.be/YOaYQrN1oYQ?si=UTTPC3nRhyQaF8Um
Godot: https://youtu.be/aFkRmtGiZCw?si=uaKVPwqDcmw1KiVE
Unreal Engine: https://youtu.be/6No5rKgU4Wo?si=of4ep7GiJCqH2d-o
For sure if you know of another one please comment it.
EDIT: OOops thats what I get for posting fast and during my lunch break, thanks everyone for the tips!
Looks like the automatic YouTube embeds aren't working as intended. I checked the markup and looks like the URL search parameters are being put in the wrong order. Maybe @pov can take a look at this?
Changing it to the correct format allowed the video to play:
https://www.youtube.com/embed/YOaYQrN1oYQ?autoplay=1&t=877s&ab_channel=Brackeys
Hi everyone! I'm a Sound Designer and Composer looking for a team. I've tried a few game jams before, but never had a team that actually finished something.
If you've successfully completed game jams in the past and need a dedicated sound/music person, let me know.
Check out my work samples at https://stephencshapiro.com/
Hi everyone!
It's been 5 years since my last ludum dare, and a few things have changed! I'm planning to join the upcoming edition with a couple of friends, but they aren't registered and are asked to enter an invitation code.
Can anyone help me figure out how to generate it, as I haven't been able to find information regarding it?
Hello again! My last LudumDare entry was an attempt at a "chill" LudumDare, and while it was only mostly "chill", it was a very successful weekend and I think I made a really wonderful little game. I'm hoping this time around goes just as well. I have more time this weekend, too, so I am very hopeful!
And, here again, is autumn. I usually talk about how great autumn is in this section when LudumDare falls in the, eh, fall, and this time is no exception. Man, I love autumn... I'm going to try to do more baking this season, and maybe finally works towards finding the ultimate vegan candy corn recipe... Anyway, I hope you have a wonderful weekend, and a great LudumDare.
Favorite tools list:
Engine
🌰 Construct2: HTML5 game creation software!
Graphics
🌰 Aseprite: Pixel art program!
🌰 GNU-IMP: Open source image editor!
Sound
🌰 LSDJ and bgb: Authentic Gameboy synthesizer and emulator!
🌰 Chiptone: 🆕 Superb sound effect generator/creator!
🌰 FL Studio: 🆕 Classic versatile music software!
🌰 Audacity: Open source sound editor!
Hosting
🌰 itch.io: Storefront/games host!
Because some people will be playing your game on itch, some on ludum, some will download, and the one very important button that is needed for your core mechanic will be forgotten. It happens every jam that I play some game and can't figure why it is so bad until I notice that there's some action I can do that was only referenced at itch.io.
If you update you build you WILL forget to update control at some place
Don't you want you game to be preserved for the future players? If you make a nice game some people may notice it way after the jam and maybe download it to play later. Why would you want them to no know control then...
Just enabling some UI on top of a game when pressing F1/Esc is enough. Or show them in game menu/start screen. Show them in game somewhere, please :)
Super excited to jam!! Engine: Pico8
Hey there, fellow Ludum Dare enthusiasts! I'm excited to dive into a topic that has been on my mind lately: music creation and automatic generation for the Ludum Dare Compo.
Having participated in numerous Ludum Dare events, I've realized it's high time I reevaluate my approach to crafting game music. While I can handle programming, art, animation, writing, sound effects, and more, music has always been my Achilles' heel. It feels like my ability to create original music is hovering around zero, and the thought of composing solo makes me uncomfortable.
So, here's where I need your help and insights. I see a few potential ways to bridge this gap in my skillset:
1. Sample Loops: One option is to work with pre-made sample loops. These can provide a quick and easy solution, but I wonder if it's a tad too easy. Is it fair to use these loops in the Compo? https://www.looperman.com/loops
2. Music Generators (e.g., Wolfram Tones): Another route is using music generators like Wolfram Tones. This used to be my default solution in previous events. This, however, was before the boom of AI generated content, and I wonder if using it still has benefits. If you're also going to use a tool similar to Wolfram Tones, please let me know what you are going to use! https://tones.wolfram.com/generate
3. AI-Generated Music: Lastly, there's the world of AI-generated music. To be honest, I know very little about this option. Does it feel fair and respectful to everybody who will be participating in Ludum Dare? And if it does, what are some tools/services that you would recommend me checking out?
I find myself at a crossroads, unsure of which path to take. Each approach has its own set of pros and cons, and I'm curious to hear your perspectives. Have you faced this dilemma before? If you plan to create music for Ludum Dare Compo, what approach are you leaning towards?
I hadn't thought about LD for a while and when it crossed my mind, I realized it was 10 days away. I took that as a sign to at least try this time. I did a game for LD48 and attempted again at 51 or something but failed in that one. So this is going to be really low pressure and if I don't make it it's alright. I'll be using the Eclipse IDE to write in Java and it's built in libraries via the Eclipse Temurin OpenJDK to construct the engine because that's how I role. I know it's kinda unconventional but it works for me. And I'm too unmotivated to learn SDL or any other C/C++ related frameworks right now. (I don't like using engines that much) I don't really know what I'll use for sound or anything, maybe GarageBand bc I'm on Mac this time around. If I manage to keep up in my studies this weekend and finish a game I will be very impressed with myself. Good luck!
ALSO: a question regarding the COMPO: Would it be against the rules for me and a friend to work solo on our own projects but in the same room and conversing about our progress and ideas? Or do we literally have to be like alone? lol
Me, mommymephala, and xdcloudy teamed up for this jam. We are game design students, and we've participated in a few game jams before, but this will be our first one in a while. We will do our best.
Hello fellow pumpkin spices!
My name is Erik and im a solo-developer from northen Sweden, where the trees slowly getting naked as the leaves are turning red! Last time i joined Ludum Dare and made it through was a jam game for LD 52! This LD is not problem free unfortunaly. I always forget to check if LD is coming up and gets booked up with other things haha! That hasn't stopped me before, so if there is time I can surely make something small for jam, depending if i like the theme! I hope we all have a wonderful time regardless!
I always do a list like this telling you the stuff im using, here it is:
🍂 GameMaker Studio 2: Gamemaker is game engine i’ve always used, and love it dearly!
🍂 Aseprite/GMS: When i need to animate something with many frames, i use Asprite! Or GMS built-in sprite editor!
🍂 BeepBox: I make music right inside there, in that little spot right there!
🍂 Bfxr & Audacity: With these, i make sounds effects that go beep and boop, pong and poik and clap and crash!
🍂 Google Drive: Here i write down my game ideas and to do lists, using the PC or phone, documenting my progress!
🍂 itch.io: This is my go-to place when uploading my games, very nice!
Have a wonderful Ludum Dare y’all! I’ll be posting updates here if i have anything exciting to post!
I have attempted a last couple few so far, and haven't really gotten far on any. But I always try. Between kids, minimal free time, etc. I will be aiming for Extra to have time to build something. It is not feasible for me to do Compo or Jam because I would at most have 3-4 hours total.
We shall see if I get any good results. I will probably be using Godot, Unity, or Heaps. Not sure atm, will be testing some more tonight.
Was there anything posted to explain why we now only did 2 rounds of voting?
I'm joking btw. This won't be my final vote but folklore will get a +1 from me for sure.
I'm pretty excited for this Ludum Dare! It feels like forever since I've done a game jam!
For this time around I'm going to be using my stdlib:
- Godot (4.1.1-Mono)
- C#
- Krita
- LMMS
- (Various SFX libraries I've found on Itch)
A new addition to which will be a custom Godot framework I've been developing rather actively that I call Squiggles Core 4X (SC4X). It's a fairly robust framework that is free and open source and it sits inside of a Godot project (crucially not as an addon) and provides a ton of extra functionality such as accessibility settings, menu management, and configuration of many different sub-features.
https://github.com/QueenOfSquiggles/Squiggles-Core-4X
If you're worried about that being against the rules, both Jam and Compo allow you to use any tools or libraries. And this framework is much like a library in many ways. Also it's not like it's a private framework, anyone else is free to use it as well if they so like! I've even gotten a documentation website up and running for it with some basic info.
A little tradition I've made for myself is to come up with a particular "bonus challenge" for myself. The first few times I did Ludum Dare the challenge was "be reasonably healthy while competing" but now that I'm more experienced I've focused this challenge for the actual game.
For this ludum dare I'm taking the challenge of making my game 2.5D. I've only ever done one 2.5D game before, and that was many years ago and in Unity on top of everything.
I hope everyone can have fun this time around! I'm really excited to see what everyone makes! Good luck to y'all!
It's not a good theme. I'm begging.
