Welcome to the first Decision Space Jam (DSJ), a game design jam free for anyone to participate. Submissions for DSJ will be accepted until 2/28/24, after which there will be four weeks to playtest submissions and provide feedback. Playtesters do not have to submit a design, however all participants to submit a design are expected to playtest at least three other submissions.
The DSJ provides mechanical constraints without a thematic prompt. We encourage you to come up with interesting and unique themes. However, bear in mind the DSJ staff reserve the right to reject submissions if they are deemed offensive, so please tread carefully on sensitive subjects like colonialism. Bigotry, racism, sexism, and the likes will not be tolerated.
Feedback Submission Form
Decision Space Jam 1 - Roll & Write
For the first DSJ we have selected the following constraints:
Must be printable on a single-sided A4 or 8.5” x 11” sheet.
The input randomness of each round will be two six-sided dice, (2D6). The dice may be different colors.
The games must end after X rounds
You decide how many rounds, but it must be constant and known.
The game may end prior to that ending if the game’s mechanisms force an earlier end.
No rerolls.
No tokens. Everything must be tracked on the sheet.
Game must be playable with a regular ballpoint pen.
The game must be playable solo.
Rules may be on a separate sheet.
Scoring and Winning
To be eligible to win, a player must playtest and provide feedback on at least three other submissions. Feedback will be done using a simple feedback form. However, you may always provide additional feedback to the designer.
The DSJ staff will also act as judges, and will play all the games eligible to win (meaning the designer provided feedback on at least three other submissions).
The winning submission(s) will be discussed on the podcast.
There may be more than one winning entry, it depends on the volume of eligible submissions.
Designers may enter more than one submission, but will be required to provide feedback on three other submissions per submission. Unless specified, the earlier submission will qualify to be eligible first.
People that have not submitted any designs are free to submit feedback, but said feedback will not be counted towards winning. This is to avoid a “popularity contest”.
We encourage you to start a thread on the Decision Space Discord to discuss your design process. Please feel free to encourage, help, and provide feedback to others during the design process. We are all richer when we help each other.
Submission & Note on Constraints
Participants maintain full ownership of their designs. The constraints outlined above are intended to encourage creativity, if you want to bend or even break one of the constraints because it will make a better game, go ahead and do so. Please note, however, one of the feedback questions will be how well does the game match the constraints.
Please submit your design using the form linked below by 2/28/24 to be entered into the jam.
Please submit feedback on designs using the link below.
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DSJ Staff: Jake, Brendan, Aurore