Jammer resources

The Ultimate BYOG Jammer Resources

How to succeed in BYOG (and any other game jam): make a game, submit it successfully, and take care of yourself along the way.

Before you start

  • Form a balanced team through the gamedev.in Discord — pick teammates you can trust.
  • Embrace experimentation, but plan a simple milestone schedule so you know what "done" looks like.
  • Use tools you already know rather than spending precious jam time learning new software.
  • Aim for a short and good playable experience rather than a long one.

During the jam

  • Protect your sleep and take breaks — burnout kills more jam games than bugs do.
  • Make progressive builds so you catch issues early. A good-enough playable game beats a perfect idea.
  • Accept imperfection, and pivot when you get stuck.
  • Stay active on Discord and social media — the community is part of the fun.

Submission & beyond

  • Read the submission guidelines carefully and don't leave submitting to the last minute.
  • Once you're done, play and rate other creators' games.
  • Polish your submission page with screenshots and a clear description.

Game jam secrets — extra special tips

The games that do best in jams tend to share a few things: a strong colour palette, thoughtful audio, accessible early gameplay, a bit of humour, simple graphics, and intuitive controls.

Resources for your dream jam game

Submission guidelines

Games may be disqualified for: missing a playable build, containing malware, inappropriate content, duplicates, asset flips, or other rule violations. When in doubt, ask the crew on Discord.