This will be my first jam in about 2 years. I'm not going in with any expectations, I'm just going to have fun with it and see how things shape up.

With that said, here's my slaughter results.

Hi All, Im 14, and LDJam 47 will be my first Ludum Dare. I've submitted 3 theme ideas, finished the theme slaughter, and set up a page on itch.io to host my game once it's done.

Is there anything else I need to do in preparation for the Compo, or am I all set for now?

Thanks!

Spending my time leading up to LD getting my software up to date beforehand, and making sure I can get test builds up successfully to itch.io. Glad I did, because getting UE4 to package an HTML5 build is a huge pain!

Just finished up the slaughter round :) Lots of great, funny, and thought-invoking ideas. I couldn't stop myself from thinking what kind of games I could make with these themes. I can't wait!

Hello LDJammers!

I'm looking to join an experienced designer or team as a Composer / Sound Designer. I've been in the video game music scene for nearly 15 years.

At Global Game Jam Tempe this year, I composed music and the led the sound design and took 1st place in Audio at our Jam site.

Looking to give your game the sonic juice it needs to energize our players and create a memorable atmosphere? My primary music genres are Jazz, Progressive Metal, and Electronic Fusion, but I have a studio with a ton of sound sets, so I can do something in whatever style our game needs.

Here are some of my previous VGM works: https://soundcloud.com/theoconfidor

If you are interested, comment here or message me.

• Silas Reinagel

god the themes in this jam are so perfect

It took a while but I finished the slaughter. Now to wait for voting. Feel free to correct my Latin in a comment to this post. Also if you put in Magical Unicorn Potato Adventure as the theme I wan't you to know that I voted yes to your theme and it joins the pantheon of automatic yeses right next to :snowman: and :snowman2:

Some ahem interesting themes this year.

Thanks(?) to the server downtime, we only have 3000 themes to go through this time! ...Unfortunately, too much of them are still terrible cliches! As a result, I'm posting this script again in case anyone needs it.

Quick usage

First, copy the following code into a text editor:

```js (() => { // Time to wait between requests, in milliseconds. Defaults to 0.5 seconds. const WAIT_MS = 500;

const wait = (ms) => {
    return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
        setTimeout(() => resolve(), ms);
    });
};

const slaughterAll = async (themes) => {
    let ok = 0;
    let failed = 0;

    for (const set of themes) {
        for (const key in set) {
            let response = await fetch(`https://api.ldjam.com/vx/theme/idea/vote/no/${key}`, {
                credentials: 'include',
            });
            await wait(WAIT_MS);

            if (response.ok) {
                console.log(`Slaughtered ${key} (${set[key]})`);
                ok += 1;
            }
            else {
                console.warn(`Error slaughtering ${key} (${set[key]}): ${response.status} ${response.statusText}`);
                failed += 1;
            }
        }
    }

    return {
        ok, failed,
    };
};

slaughterAll([
    // ---------- Paste lists after this line! ----------

    // ---------- Paste lists before this line! ----------
])
.then((results) => console.log(`Done! ${results.ok} ok, ${results.failed} failed.`));

})() ```

Then, paste one or more of these lists between the separators:

(These lists use the same keywords from last time, but are updated for Ludum Dare 47)

• (NEW!) Longer than 25 characters, or containing any brackets or commas: https://pastebin.com/df4iwVaD
• Control/buttons: https://pastebin.com/hUg1w7ey
• Virus: https://pastebin.com/pzYWYX82
• Currency: https://pastebin.com/wjwAWBfq
• Die/lose to win: https://pastebin.com/bfyjzaFw
• Thing is key: https://pastebin.com/xHJdBvtA
• You are bad: https://pastebin.com/7dFiJ8fg
• Colors: https://pastebin.com/r7XKh0eA

After you're done, the slaughterAll section should look somewhat like:

```js slaughterAll([ // ---------- Paste lists after this line! ----------

// Themes that contain: words, words, words, words, words { "12345": "theme content", "12345": "theme content", "12345": "theme content", },

// Themes that contain: words, words, words, words, words { "12345": "theme content", "12345": "theme content", "12345": "theme content", },

// ...

    // ---------- Paste lists before this line! ----------
])

```

Finally, go to https://ldjam.com/events/ludum-dare/47/theme, and paste the entire file into the web Console (F12). Press Enter and relax!

Note: Don't refresh or close the page until "Done! X ok, X failed." is printed, or you will lose your progress. It's normal for the pie chart to not update.

Making your own lists

To make your own lists, you'll need a JSON of all themes. You may find the URL by looking at the requests sent while loading https://ldjam.com/events/ludum-dare/47/theme. The URL should look like https://api.ldjam.com/vx/theme/idea/vote/get/<some_number>.

After you have obtained the list, save it as theme.json somewhere. Then, save the following Node.js script as gen_list.js in the save folder as theme.json:

```js const fs = require('fs'); const process = require('process');

let themes = fs.readFileSync('themes.json', { encoding: 'utf8', }); themes = JSON.parse(themes);

const blacklist = process.argv.slice(2); const blacklistMap = {}; for (const word of blacklist) { blacklistMap[word] = true; }

const trailingDots = /(.)+$/; const wordSeparator = /[\W_]/;

const words = {}; const killList = {};

for (const key in themes.ideas) { const theme = themes.ideas[key]; for (let word of theme.split(wordSeparator)) { word = word.replace(trailingDots, ''); word = word.toLowerCase();

    if (word.length < 1) {
        continue;
    }

    if (blacklistMap[word]) {
        killList[key] = theme;
        break;
    }
}

}

process.stdout.write('// Themes that contain: '); process.stdout.write(blacklist.join(', ')); process.stdout.write(' '); process.stdout.write(JSON.stringify(killList, null, 4)); process.stdout.write(', '); ```

You can now generate your own lists by running this file from the command line!

node gen_list.js keyword_1 keyword_2 keyword3

123

Anyone know a better way?

I really don't understand why people are suggesting past themes like "running out of space"

People who write oxymoron stuff as a theme suggestion are the same kinda people who flush and then take a shit.

No, you are not smart for writing stuff like "sTaRt FrOm EnD", you are a clown.

Harsh venting aside, Seriously, can we limit amount of suggestions you can make from 3 to 1 lmao. Also have a duplicate removal system at least, it's annoying to see so many repeating themes. Also just don't suggest if you have nothing of value to bring, also suggest a THEME not a MECHANIC. Ty :) Also.

I need help!

I've joined a couple game jams before and I'd say I have pretty good experience developing games but, this is the first time I'll be joining a jam solo and I'm not quite sure what I'm getting myself into.

I'm a programmer and I want to try using Godot for an actual game instead of fooling around for the first time. I'll be using some assets I already have for the audio but I'm not quite sure what I'll be doing for the art. I've used Aseprite to make some pixel art before but never for an actual game and never on a deadline.

In any case I'm open for any advice or suggestions that you have for me to manage this jam for me.

I've done a lot of past Ludum Dares and each time I manage to finish something because of some simple preparation steps.

1) Prepare your tools

You need to make sure your tools are up to date and functional. For example, I use Unity, and certain build options require some setup. I usually build for web as my main target because that is what will get the most plays since it does not have Operating System compatibility issues, doesn't require installation, and is quick to link to. Knowing where you intend to upload your target builds, how to package them, and how to use the Ludum Dare submission save you time and stress.

Whether you build your own assets or use free ones also can save time as you can seek out resources to build your game BEFORE the event. If you don't intend to make your own audio for example you can find some assets and just be sure to mark your submission as not graded on audio.

2) Prototype some games

Once you've done a few game jams you should have some source code to reference and some design ideas. You will be able to reduce time spent trying to figure out how to do something.

Movement controllers are highly reusable and it helps to have some to reference.

Input controllers are also highly reusable, knowing how to select, grab, move, etc can be used in many different types of games. Troubleshooting these controllers can be extremely time consuming and are likely causes for new jammers to be unable to submit a working game.

During this prototyping, if your engine supports it, you can try out free assets. Cinemachine is built into Unity and offers an advanced camera controller with little work needed.

By prototyping some mechanics or systems you get nice reference code to use and solve future issues you would have come across.

3) Budget some time by doing it now

Do your grocery shopping, mark off the weekend on your calendar, clean up your workspace, and get chores done before the start of the jam.

Something worth planning is also finding some useful things to do when you need a break. The best games are not made by people that spend the full 72 hours coding away. People need breaks, but it's also easy to just get lost in what you do on your break, just one more game right?

Also worth mention

After yesterday's efforts, I've still got a lot to go through.

Even though there are 2695 suggestions, Theme Slaughter isn't a rapid fire process for me. For anywhere between 2 and 5 suggestions that are cliché, just bad, duplicates, etc., there is one that could potentially work, and I want to give it a second of consideration.

So how do I consider themes?

I've participated in 11 game jams so far, and every one has had some sort of theme. Most of those themes left something to be desired.

Inspiration

When I think of a good game jam theme, I think of something that provides a spark of inspiration. Like a good writing or drawing prompt, a jam theme should be a starting point for coming up with ideas. Ideas for what your game could be about, what kind of game it could be, how could it make the player feel, what environment, art style, mechanics and/or story it could have, etc. It launches your imagination in some direction, and then lets it loose.

Food for thought

A jam theme should make you think of something useful for coming up with those ideas. "Nature abhors a vacuum" makes me think of nature constantly filling up empty space it comes across, which makes me think of environments that could be built to represent that, which in turn makes me think of kinds of games that could be set in those environments. It's a neat brainstorming prompt. And I appreciate the wording :)

Dreamscape

Crucially, everyone should be able to easily come up with their own interpretation of the theme, based on what ideas and memories they relate it to, but they should also be able to easily understand and relate to other people's interpretations. "Dreamscape" is a really good example: everyone has their own idea of dreams and the landscapes within, there are many ways to think about them, but it's still something we can all relate to, across all of our differences.

Don't force it

Themes should not be things you try to incorporate into your game, like an object, a mechanic, or a style. These often end up limiting your creativity, without providing the inspiration to get it going in the first place. "Cooperation is key", "Randomize", "Physics", "Limited senses" are all basically saying "go find an idea, and then shoehorn this thing into it", and when voting begins, the Theme category becomes a question of "did it fit?", instead of "does your game do something interesting with the theme?". I think the latter is a better question to ask, but themes like these provide next to no common ground for the answers.

It should be needless to say, but themes should not be game ideas. I've come across a few that just looked like someone summarised their idea for a game in 5 words or less, and that just doesn't work, especially for the magnitude of LD.

Something to highlight

Sometimes a special opportunity presents itself, such as World Animal Day on October 4th. It's neat to think about possibilities for related themes, but we ought to make sure they're not too constraining. After all, 5000 games literally about the celebration of World Animal Day would get boring quickly ;) Fortunately, we have some great ones: "Circle of life", "Endangered animals", and, if you think about it, "Explore and respect".

I have a thing, what now?

Some ideas are just too generic and vague. Examples of this include "Loop", "Infinity", "Growing", "Slopes", and "Struggle". They are words, they mean something, but they have none of the nice qualities I've talked about. There's hardly any inspiration to be had, and even if there is, it's probably completely unrelated to what other people will come up with. If we make games with one of these in mind, what do they have in common? And yet again, it's a quest to keep generating random ideas until one fits somehow. A good counter-example is "Exile": it's a word, it means something, and conveys a relatable concept that can drive your imagination.

Metathemes

Accessibility and inclusivity are important factors, sometimes in unexpected ways. You have to keep in mind that this is Ludum Dare, one of the largest events of this kind, and there are no upfront requirements or limitations. "Remake your first game with what you learned" implies you need to have made a game already, but many LD participants are first time jammers, and have never made a game. "Unconventional inputs", "control with sounds", and "Virtual Reality" require you to have an input/output device that many people might not have access to. It's a great idea to host a jam around one (or multiple!) of these limitations, but they need to be known in advance.

Not all science

Of course, we are subjective, so I too kept some themes and slaughtered others purely based on whether I found them cool. "Transport" made it onto my 'yes' list for this reason, and because it didn't seem bad by any of the above metrics.

And then, of course, there were the COVID-19 themes. I don't think I need to list them here, but, in a nutshell, everything about quarantine and viruses went down the drain instantly. I hope I don't have to explain this one.

Honourable mentions

I didn't keep "Boop", "cats everywhere", or "Dead and Loving It!", but I did enjoy seeing them pop up :D

How do you consider themes?

By no means is this a ruleset or definitive guide of any sort. You're more than welcome to challenge it! Post in the comments about things you agree and disagree with, and tell me how you think Theme Slaughter should be done. We can always learn something from discussion :)

Bonus

To write this post, I needed to grab the list of themes that I've said 'yes' to so far. The website doesn't provide that out of the box, so I grabbed the JSON responses to some requests from loading the /events/ludum-dare/47/theme page, and wrote a quick Rust program to extract the right info: https://gist.github.com/outfrost/cbfd51cdcee3f9136b260befdf7730a0. 32 lines, 20 minutes. I was actually surprised how quick and easy it was!

This is like the tenth growth theme I've seen so far:

I saw tons of growth themes in Ludum Dare 46 too.

It's that time of the year again, the new Ludum Dare.

This is going to be my 4th Ludum Dare, and this time, I'll be using a game engine. Making a game from scratch is fun, however it takes too much time. This time, I'll be using a game engine I made, called Neodymium.

For people participating for the first time: Choose an engine you know the best (Unity, Gamemaker, whatever ), and don't think of super complex game ideas... You only have 2 days to finish.

Again, good luck everyone!!

So sharpening my skills, learning what's changed in software I don't use regularly enough and experimenting with some new techniques. Anyone got any good "warmup" tips for this far ahead?