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[JasonPKaplan]

Hello, TIGSource Forum-goers!

You may have heard of the Game Prototype Challenge: we're a spur-of-the-moment motivator for making games, inspired in November 2010 by Toronto's Gamercamp. We've run four Challenges, and today is the start of the next iteration: #GPCv5.

The GPC inspires new and interesting games by providing two slightly contrary themes.  This month, our themes are:

COMPANION and RISING

The details: you have until 11:59pm on April 25th, 2011 to submit your game by posting a link to it on Twitter with the hashtag #GPCv5. Web deploy-able games are preferred but not required; simply provide a download link if your game is run as an executable. If you are without Twitter, and cannot sign up for an account, email [email protected] the link to your game and we will post it on our Twitter account, @GamePrototypeCh. The games will then be collected and archived on the website for easier viewing by the public.

It is recommended all developers take part in #ScreenshotSaturday as a progress milestone.  This screenshot will then be used in the archives as the thumbnail for your game, unless a second screenshot is provided for the finished game that is preferred.  If no screenshot is provided, one will be taken for you.  Screenshots are requested to be 400x300 and will be re-sized if they are not.

May the power of prototyping be with you! We hope to see many of you in one week's time with a playable prototype.

Official post here: http://gameprototypechallenge.com/post/4720449682/gpcv5-themes

[Nuprahtor]

Is it necessary to use both themes?

[JasonPKaplan]

The dual-theme nature of the Challenge is there to inspire you to make something that you otherwise wouldn't have.  That said--the point of the Challenge is to get you making games, period, so if you pull some motivation from one theme but none from the second, that's fine too.  We've had more than a few games made which only fit one theme, or barely fit either.

If it helps, try to think of one theme as design-based, and the other as thematic.  Which is which, however, will drastically change the shape of your game!

[Draknek]

I really like this pair of themes. Not sure I should be starting yet another game though, especially just two weeks before Ludum Dare...

[JasonPKaplan]

I really like this pair of themes. Not sure I should be starting yet another game though, especially just two weeks before Ludum Dare...

Well, call it practice for Ludum Dare. ;)

[JasonPKaplan]

And it's over! One week, 18 games, another successful challenge. Hope to see you at #GPCv6.

#GPCv5 Round-Up: They Get By With A Little Help From Their Friends

[JasonPKaplan]

Game Prototype Challenge version 6, a.k.a. #GPCv6, has been announced! June 13th-20th.

THE ANNOUNCEMENT

I know I say this every time, but this one should be the biggest yet! Last time we had 18 games made, bringing the total to 57 games!

GPC TRAILER

We hope to see many new people participate and making cool games!

[jotapeh]

So this will be my first GPC. Are there any themes, restrictions, etc for this one? Haven't seen anything specific about this.. Or will it be announced closer to the date?

[JasonPKaplan]

First off, welcome to the Challenge!

Themes will be announced Monday, ~noon EST.  And then we're off (thus us calling it a "spur-of-the-moment motivator"; we give the themes ar the start of the Challenge).

The two themes and the time limit of one week are really the only guidelines to the Challenge.  The tools you use and everything else is entirely up to you (though we recommend web-deployable production, because people are infinitely more likely to play something in browser than if they need to download).

Good luck!  You can follow us on Twitter or Like us on Facebook to catch the announcement as soon as it goes up.

[JasonPKaplan]

If you missed the announcement, the themes for #GPCv6 are ELECTRICITY and CLOSURE.

[namragog]

Darn. I missed, or currently am missing the boat. Hopefully, i'll be in the next one or one after. 

[jotapeh]

You missed it, but this round's entries are up here: [removed]
though from what I gather there might be very late entries? I dunno

[JasonPKaplan]

That was the preliminary archive (as in; only early posts, pre-deadline stuff) but it is being updated to the complete archive as I type this.

It will be officiated with a blog post, eventually.

I apologize for being late with the closure (zing) of this Challenge, there was a bug with Tumblr.

...also I slept in.

Hope to see even more people next round!

[jotapeh]

Woops, sorry.. took down the link to the preliminary archive. Figured it was public since you tweeted it, my bad!

[JasonPKaplan]

Oh, you didn't need to.  It's not a problem.  But here it is again:



#GPCv6 Finale Post: New Games In Summertime

There's a link in that post, but here it is direct:
The GPC Version 6 Archives
...and of course...



Announcing #GPCv7

See y'all next week!

[leonelc29]

sound interesting
Might try if i got time next week.

[mokesmoe]

Kinda funny that 22 games is how much we need to break our record, and also how much we need to reach 100 total.

[JasonPKaplan]

@mokesmoe: Well, @notsoftgames did a #GPCv6 game, but posted weeks late, and when I asked if he wanted it archived despite that he never answered.  And @nathcooper is still working on Electronauts, which is

, but also unfinished with no submission or request for archiving (I think he no longer counts it as a jam game and is just carrying it to completion for himself now). So, coulda been 23 last round... but it didn't.  It happened to turn out as it did, with the numbers as you say.  A cool coincidence, I agree.  I'm personally doubting we'll break 21 entries, though.

[JasonPKaplan]

Hey guys and gals, just a reminder that #GPCv8 will start on September 12th.



http://gameprototypechallenge.com

[JasonPKaplan]

And it's live! Themes are ARMOR and POLLINATION: http://gameprototypechallenge.com/post/10127436379/gpcv8-themes