Discussion of development of software for any "obsolete" computer or video game system. See the WSdev wiki and ObscureDev wiki for more information on certain platforms.
Introducing the first Nintendo 64 Game Jam! Ft. David Doak, Neil Voss, Allan Findlay, Snooplax
Sign up for the game jam via the discord here:
October 13th: Theme for the Game Jam is announced; Game Jam has officially started.
December 13th: Game Jam is finished; Rom files will be sent to judges for review.
December 20th: Game Jam Winner is Announced.
They're having a N64 game jam, with a set of N64 names as judges. Initial prize pool 100$.
What better excuse to install cen64, libdragon and make something for our beloved 64-bit console
Prize pool has now increased to $887.73, rules require open source code for the entry, but allow using Nintendo's SDK and microcode.
libdragon is an open source lib, allowing legal 2d development (sw or accel). Nintendo's SDK would allow 3d games, but using it is naturally illegal. They likely won't care for non-commercial stuff, but you know this already.
Rules
Each team may only submit one project.
Considering this is an N64 homebrew competition, your game must work on the console, and preferably on both PAL or NTSC systems. It is also recommended that the game be tested on (and look decent) a PC emulator as a backup in case a judge faces technical issues (for instance, hardware failure). If there are graphical inconsistencies between the Hardware and Emulators, judges will take that into account and will not penalize you for it. Focus on hardware, not on the emulator!
Your team may have up to 4 members and you may only be part of one team. If you require someone to test that your game works on a console, you are free to request someone to do so in the #n64-dev or #hardware-testing channel without needing them to be a team member. If you need team members, use #find-teams to advertise your skillset, as teams looking for members can search there!
You can use any SDK of your choice, be it libultra, libdragon, etc… Microcode is a part of the SDKs, you're free to use whatever ones you want.
The final game’s source must be publicly available on GitHub (IE Open Source), but you are free to license it as you wish (GPL, BY-NC-ND, etc…).
The game’s code must be your team’s own (IE: No using premade engines such as UltraED or leaked/decompiled code from retail games), but you are free to use any external library (eg: NuSys) that you see fit as long as they don’t conflict with rule 4. Avoid using entire SDK demos as these conflict with rule 5.
You can use third party assets, as long as you provide proper credit. We would advise against making fan games, however, as Nintendo typically goes down hard on those.
This is a Game Jam, so we expect entries to be playable (IE not a demo).
Work on your submission may only commence once the chosen theme has been announced.
Guidelines and recommendations:
Don't be a jerk. Jerks get disqualified. Remember that everyone is just trying to have fun!
Remember to take care of your personal responsibilities! Working on a game is fun, but leaving work behind will not be fun for your future self.
Do push yourself to try new things. Jams are a great environment to grow your experiences, so push your limits! The end product doesn’t matter, the learning process is what does!
Do not worry if you are struggling with 3D, graphical consistency is more important than graphical complexity. Your game's gaphics will be judged based on how pretty they look, not how impressive. 2D games won't be penalized for being 2D.
Stay in this server to stay up to date with the Jam and to converse with other developers.
If you're on Twitter or Instagram, post progress updates with the hashtag #N64BrewJam2020 to show off what you've been working hard on!
We are not expecting fully functional retail games! Even if you don't think your entry is good enough, submit it anyway! This is about promoting homebrew and having fun above all else!
How will my entry be judged?
Each judge will use the following score card.
While the judging itself will be done by the judges in their own free time, we will try to get together at least once to interview the participants and give them a chance to discuss their submission.
Can I drop out?
Yep! Simply don't submit a project, or ask a staff member to remove your submission.