Sekret Santa 2023

Kate B's picture
Fri, Nov 24 2023 06:33 PM
11/24/2023 - 18:33
01/05/2024 - 18:33
Etc/GMT-7

we didn't do sekret santa last year cause "we forgot" and this year it falls unto me. Welcome back to "THE RETURN OF" Glorious Trainwrecks Sekret Satan 2023!

This year I'd like to start by addressing a query people have asked about the Sekret Santa event, because it seems a lot of you had this concern:

Q. I haven't finished a previous year's Sekret Santa, is it still okay for me to enter again this year?
A. It IS okay! please do not feel bad about entering Sekret Santa even if you couldn't finish a previous one.

We're all doing this for free, and it seems unreasonable to force someone to finish an overdue assignment without pay. this is meant to be fun, not a job.

if you didn't finish an old santa, then that is what happened and we must simply move on and accept it.

"ALL DEBTS ARE FORGIVEN"

All previously unfinished santas have been forgiven. You are now free of your debt.

I used to have a recurring nightmare where my teachers tracked me down and forced me to do all the homework I never completed. Let's not make that nightmare a reality.

Onward!

The Instructions:

Step 1: Post your list in the comments below. A short list of what you want your game to include. There are a few additional constraints to this this year, (see below)

Step 2: On 8 December, You will be told your recipient, and you will be tasked with making a game for them. You will also be invited to one of two discord servers where you can talk about developing your project without your recipient knowing! unless I forget this part! it's my first year running this

Step 3: Then you will submit your games before the soft deadline of 5th january OR ANY TIME AFTER!! I'm not the boss of you!

Additional Constraints on lists:

I noticed in recent years lists were frequently becoming longer, more complicated, and highly specific. people were treating the list like they were commissioning a specific dream game, which is not how we want this to work, or fun for the list's recipient to make something that might be out of their abilities to actually make.

Instead of enforcing rules on how much you're allowed to request, I instead wanted to just make people aware of this and determine the fairness and length of their list using their own intuition. (recommended about 4, 5, or 6 bullet points)

try and avoid requesting a specific genre, and remember to allow your recipient to play fast and loose with what you put on your list. it's their game, and you may be surprised by the end result not resembling what you had in mind! that's part of the fun!

Good luck!!!


Games made for Sekret Santa 2023

Comments

wibi's picture

have been feeling

have been feeling overwhelmed lately about game making, but making a game specifically meant for 1 person sounds more manageable

my wishlist:
* spiders!! but no killing them. there are a lot of video games with spiders (yay!) but in a lot of them you have to kill them to advance (boo :c). i want spiders that aren't there to be killed. (or bugs if you're scared of spiders, or just cool animals if you're scared of bugs.)
* version excursion. this is a broad category; i like when things are remixed from other things. i would like the game to contain at least 1 thing that has several versions of it, or several things that have a few versions of them. this could be several different versions of a level, several different versions of a song (variations on a theme!), level objects with variations on how they act, anything like that. (the game doesn't have to only be made up of these versions, e.g. if you do a level with several different versions of it, then there can still be unrelated levels)
* hovercraft.
* colored letters.
* ridiculous twist ending that makes no sense.

hugs's picture

hello santa, i ask you to

hello santa, i ask you to consider one or more of the following things and to incorporate them in a game (or not-game) as strictly or as loosely as you want to:

alissa's picture

I'd like to sign up as a

I'd like to sign up as a back-up santa! in case of an odd number of participants (cause we need an even number to do the two discord servers thing)
so if we end up with an odd number I'll participate to even it out

if that happens then my wishlist would be:
* comfy and cozy vibes
* exploration and mystery
* nature
* ambient sounds (like rain sounds, for example)
* animals (all animals are good, but if you want suggestions for animals then maybe: bunnies, possums, cats, bats or rats?)
* girl

use as few or as many of these as you want, and interpret them however you like. the most important thing is that you have fun making it! c: and try not to work yourself too hard please

Hello! First-time participant

I'm in... I'd actually prefer you take fewer than all six of my bullet points, to maximize the element of surprise:

big pixels
limited palette
maze
momentum
archeology/digging
high-stakes climax

Hansov's picture

Let's do this!

Hey everyone, I've lurked around here for a while but I figured it was about time I try joining in myself

Here's my list:
- A retro-futuristic setting (think classic Mega Man, Astro Boy, The Jetsons, original series Star Trek)
- Snow
- The color #993760
- Rod Serling (the Twilight Zone guy) popping out of a bush

Looking forward to making some games with you all!

Colonel Bleep in the

Colonel Bleep in the Snowball Zone has been unveiled. Enjoy!

another backup

I feel bad for missing out on many of these (and I was in like two?)
feel free to consider me as another backup
(making things even more complicated)

wishlist:
spiders
..with guns!
explosions (optional)
and or just something surreal (optional)
include classical paintings somehow (very optional)

planetmoss's picture

1st time doing this!

Hello santa! heres my list:
- crafting
- cards
- puzzles
- rain
you dont have to include everything but you must rember to have fun!

eels's picture

hi! me as well. i also!

hello all! exciting. i enjoyed doing this before! and someone made a really cool board game activity for me previously that i loved.

kate, thanks for your guidelines.

here's things i think would be fun in a game for me for sekret santa:

* an overworld or village where you can explore and meet people or things
* dungeon
* like way too much text?
* graffiti?
* maybe like an inventory with lots and lots of inscrutable items. they don't have to matter or make sense
* i like board games, video games, journaling narrative games, using a deck of cards, etc! it's all good. board game video games are fun too.

but have fun. do it your way. thanks thanks! exciting.

NIGHTEN's picture

Sekret Santa

Dear Santa,
I know you've been busy all year, but I thank you very much for reading my letter.
This year I've been a very good boi and I would like a video game which (loosely) contain the following elements (at some point):

- At least one girl with a gun
- Good vibes
- Wires
- Gift exchange (because it's Christmas y'know)

Remember to keep the game small and to stay healthy yourself.
Thank you for making cool stuff Santa, I hope you'll receive a great game as well.

Kind regards,
- Nighten

NIGHTEN's picture

(I come here a bit as a

(I come here a bit as a tourist but I like making games and you guys seem very cool !)

Kate B's picture

welcome!

welcome!

luok's picture

my christmas wishlist

hello santa. i've been good this year.. for sekret santa i'd like:

-808 cowbells
-nonsensical textures that are random images pulled from your computers downloads file
-monkey bars
-tamagotchi

gisbrecht's picture

Aye Santa

I shall put my wish into the bin.

What I want... not much, do not feel pressured, aye?

> A mouse protagonist, of whatever stripe of mouse you wish
> the Microphones - I Felt My Size https://pwelverumandsun.bandcamp.com/track/i-felt-my-size , interpret as you wish
> A game not too difficult, for I am not good at difficult platformers
> definition 4 of 'hote' https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/hote#English or it's simple past tense 'hight' -- meaning to be named. Probably related to German heißen and Dutch heten

Best wishes to all who enter, and all towards a completion.

Blueberry Soft's picture

Simply having a wonderful Christmas time

Hey. I think I'm still in time to post a list right?

Here's me list. I'll be happy to get any game, don't stress about including much from here:

  • Being a car
  • Godzilla lurking/looming in the background
  • Upbeat Christmas music. None of that Little Drummer Boy shite.
  • Route-16 Turbo is a game that's been on my mind…: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1LGA0cjCz3Q
  • I like slightly orange yellow

I probably won't do the discord thing. So you can leave me out of that if it helps with sorting people into groups.

laleyou's picture

ahaha, well .i

ahaha, well .i say
-translation ~make something with one method and put the information up in another format, would be appreciated
-personal care ~all the decisions come from ?? and not 'advice' or small influences
-incase at any point the game becomes easy to move around in take that away, but otherwise
-no editing, anything you make has to be included. abundance and honesty go hand in hand

feel free to make fun of this list, i'm most serious about the first sentence of the last one, :)

Kate B's picture

when you say "no editing"

when you say "no editing" can you clear that up for me a little? i.e if taken literally I don't think it's possible: I assume you'll be able to edit your code and scrap bits of it if need be? otherwise that would be very difficult

does the rule apply only to assets? and if so can they be tweaked without it counting as "scrapping" the asset you changed?

laleyou's picture

I appreciate the question, i

I appreciate the question, i do mean it more on the macro scale. if you make a mistake in execution in the moment, you can undo and adjust it, i'm not talking about that as some creative constraint. i'm saying after you already make something and start forgetting where it was coming from, i want to still see it even if it obscures a final product. i think that is enough to clear up the confusion you mentioned.

it is more unclear applied to code, i could try and dive into my specific experience but it works to just lean on the other points. if your five passes of an implementation are really not at all personal then fine. and if there is something that is and you can express it another way(i realize that is the least automatic suggestion so it's only encouraged) then do that.

For one thing, should also say in case to someone else this would sound like a drag - i'm just saying i find all the individual moments of openness and desperation very exciting, and suspect it is them being swept over(or taken together and moved on) from that overly constrains me to seeing works as one dimensional. so maybe that source of joy and discomfort would resonate enough

pikachu's picture

im

edit: sorry nvm im not participating

Kate B's picture

all private messages should

all private messages should be sent out now! check your inbox.

if I fucked up, let me know

dirtywater.tube's picture

<(8V0)

how exciting!!!