Game jam 2025 discussion

[Ffdss]

Hey, so this year I wanna start things off by asking everyone when we should start the game jam, and for how long we wanna do it for this year. As well as discussing a theme for the jam

[sora666]

I think last year or the year before, it was thrown together rather quickly so only a few Devs participated. We should give them more time this year

[Fariel228]

i agree, I think we should delay the deadline to submit works longer, till 1st of june or end of summer

[stickthatbuttout]

One possible theme I would like to suggest is the intermediary role. What I mean by that is when someone is in a dominant position over some people but a submissive position under others. An example of this would be a school prefect, who has disciplinary powers but is also subject to discipline.

Another classic example (from fantasy rather than reality) is the idea of a teacher who can spank students but is herself also subject to being spanked by her superiors.

[deadp]

So mean like a role reverse but no a true role reverse

[Stost]

I am not a game dev. So, feel free to take the bellow with a grain of salt.

I like the idea of "the intermediary role" as a theme, but I feel it could be better described or otherwise included in the the theme, "Risk vs Reward" which I also think paints a good picture for the game jam as a whole.
I like the idea of a game where you play as a school bully beating up, spanking, giving wedgies to and otherwise tormenting your schoolmate, but still needing to evade being apprehended or else end up getting your butt thrashed as well. Difficulty could increase the more you bully with ascending foes being listed as Nerds<Normies<Jocks/Bullies<Prefects<Teachers/Staff<PTA Members<The Headmistress. Ideally this would have an RPGs system with different bullying methods having different effects, but for a game jam it could just be something easier to implement on a shorter time frame, like a puzzle system that increases in complexity.

[Stost]

I'm not a game dev. So take all this with a grain of salt.
I like the idea of "the intermediary role," however I think that the theme could better be described by the title, "Risk vs Reward," which in my opinion also paints more of a picture for the game jam's theme as a whole.
Personally, I would love to see a game where you play as a school bully terrorizing the school with wedgies, swirlies, spankings, and all sorts of other methods of bullying while also trying to evade being caught/apprehended. You could have difficulty increase based off of what foe you face and/or a heat system like GTA (though likely only the former for a game jam). The order of difficulty for each foe in ascending order would go Nerds<Normies<Jocks<Bullies<Prefects<Teachers/Staff<The Headmistress. Ideally this would be in an RPG system where each bullying method is an ability with different effects and animation with the ability to replay punishments for defeated foes, but for a game jam it would probably just be a slimmed down list of scripted win/lose scenarios and a simpler method of escalating difficulty such a puzzle system that increases in complexity.

[RedBlackDragon]

I think the same about the time limit, i think it should be at least 2 months, and for the thematic i'll suggest deal or bet themes

[OJotA]

I like the Stost idea. I'm not a game dev either.
Buy I have another idea: What about something like "Service". I mean, something like a corporation but related with spankings. An idea can be a normal corporation or company that spanked their employees. Or something like a spanking service (you asks for a person to spank they, or to spank you).
It's just an idea.

[CamSerif]

Another "Not actually a game dev here but..."
I agree with the thing about being more forgiving with the deadline. Also, I suggest two themes: Reluctant Spanker. Something to do with a teacher from a school that doesn't practice corporal punishment, now working at a school that does and...not liking that.
And finally, Personality Change. A delinquent who's never been spanked turns into an angel after being subject to it, or a goodie two-shoes who's only ever been lectured at worst gets spanked and comes back the next day ruining their near-perfect record in every way possible. Maybe even both in one story/game!

Speaking of "both at once," maybe someday we could do a jam with a secondary theme? Something like a bonus theme to try to tie the two themes together, and/or the dev for the individual game gets to choose between the top 2 or 3 themes voted on.