I quit the jam. It’s just not for me.
I learned a few things:
- Ideas are cheap. What really matters is how they are executed. Even the most boring/preposterous idea can work amazingly with the right execution and vice versa. Also, an idea can be the exact same, but 2 people/games will execute it very differently. It’s all those micro-nuances that make up the whole game.
- For an idea to be fully executed, you need time. 1 week is not enough time for any fleshed out idea. It is only enough for an extremely rough prototype or a throwaway gimmick idea. I understand that’s the point of the jam, but it’s horrible for me.
- I can collaborate well for things I care about.
- I’m never doing another jam ever again. The time constraint is too taxing on my mental health as I like to do things on my time. Plus, the theme and it’s common interpretation are so boring.
- Just because we’re both game developers, doesn’t mean we’re the same type of game developers. I much prefer making 3D shooter games, but the jam’s limitations make that impractical. Plus, my former team members specialized in 2D games. That isn’t bad, I’m just saying.
Just putting this reply here for some closure. For myself more than anyone else.