Perhaps this is not the best place to ask, but can someone link a basic tutorial for coding a CS game? Do I have to clone a repository? Are there any requirements/dependencies? Is there a dedicated IDE or can someone write in VScode?
This is an absolutely marvelous theme, by the way. It’s so flexible that coming up with an idea may not be as much of a problem as limiting oneself to just one idea.
Have you perchance read the poem “Reflections” by R.S.Thomas? It’s one of my absolute favourites in this language. Actually no - it’s one of my favourites, full stop.
Someone should make a game inspired by this book! Maybe it should feature an immortal shapeshifting paint monster desperately searching for human connection. I bet you could call it something really on-the-nose like The Gray Painter.
I agree changing the portrait for a photo or even more modern a Vr avatar you transfer your mortality etc could make a perfect game and on theme for the jam if you or someone it is interested.
Thanks for running this! Looks like a really cool theme. This is just what I needed to get me out of my writing slump.
I got started today on a little short set in the same universe as the hosted game I’m working on. It’s about a group of students who attempt a ritual to bring them good fortune, influenced by r/threeking’s paranormal ‘recipes’ and early aughts phone and internet culture. Of course, everything goes horribly wrong, and that’s where the reflection theme comes in…
I got 1800 words done today, so that’s a good start. I’m not sure how long it’s going to be - I don’t want to take too much time out of my regular writing schedule, but it looks like it could balloon, as these things do.
I’ll be posting about it on my tumblr but would be up for joining a discord if you’re making one!
Would a search for a (cursed) mirror fit? The concept I’ve got in mind doesn’t really feel Halloween-like enough yet, but maybe I could lean less into sort-of-realistic 80 year war period and more into something a bit more fantasy-ish.
The theme is twisted mirror. Not Halloween. It can be a sugar romantic story about someone that gets in love with their reflection trying to enter in this brand new world.
lol this even can become twilight and make about a sparkling vegetarian vampire trying to recovery his mirror reflection and seduce all the virgins.
Halloween is the title of the jam not the theme
So I encourage all be creative. But yeah, somw mystery here and there fits. But horror humor exist.
My advice is this is a friendly jam. If You enjoy this current project keep going, You always can do one of my speed jam 2k games more in theme just for fun!
And lol you put a Mirror Jeeves buttler with twisted images reflecting and voila it is in theme!
Seriously, theme is easy this year. I thought seriously to make things easier this time. Not being on theme is hard
The idea I originally was working on had the MC be a demon who is summoned through a mirror. But I noticed as I write that the mirror takes the back seat.
My backup plan is a story about a doppleganger. The MC being a literal reflection of someone fits more thematically.
But My suggestion is You a great master on powers and rp mechanics in your games. to see this as a further playground for exactly that as this is not commercial.
Toy with reflection and the powers of light and reflection.
I can imagine a demon from a mirror dimension that can change the light waves and see and manipulate all that affecting animals and do stuff human cant see.
Imagine a demon or witch capable of affect bees and birds behavior.
Or making us be incapable of sleep because they destroy blue light.
You are far better than me on this. So I think for you a game heavy on mechanics could be useful.
Thing i dont recommend most people as it is advanced. But you are a seasoned writer you can put it off easily
I’m with poison_mara on this, if you’re enjoying what you’re writing keep at it!
I do think the doppelgänger theme is interesting though - what I’m writing isn’t too far off of that. Could be interesting to compare our takes at the end if you do go in that direction.
@poison_mara out of curiosity, can these demos be incorporated into later hosted games we write? My entry is beginning to fit well into a side project I’ve been working on, and I’m debating throwing it in there as a chapter within the larger work
I’ll give you the green light. Your submission for this jam, as a sneak preview / demo version of your own (larger) side project you’ve been working on, could entice people to read the full thing.
Several games thst started as jam entries are or published already or in the way of being releashed.
This is a friendly jam. But In showing the ropes to people that can end and design games many use this as a key elements for the same game but polished or a new iteration of the jam work.
It is a very important step for the jam and for the overall community when one of our games is released. So please go ahead and have fun!
As always, if people need something you all know where am I.
I’ve not written much the past few days but ended up writing over 5000 words today after deciding to combine my new concepts. Keep with the demon but the first form you take will be of one of the three magi which made me rewrite what I’ve done previously and reshuffle stuff about. Not quite finished the reworking so will continue tomorrow but I’m happier with how it is looking.
That looks really interesting and innovative so cool. I had a idea for a small thing about a Lasombra obsessed with a Mirror he can not see his reflection in. But I doubt anyone will be interested on that
