Analysis Paralysis is a bitch and I think we can all agree.
Anyway...
I've been really wanting to join a game jam but I haven't been able to due to my lack of expertise in coding, as in I just never really could learn properly to code games until I discovered PICO-8. This is really easy for me to learn and I think that I can really improve if I join a game jam. (Plus I want to). But there are so many game jams and I don't know which to join! There are so many that are going to happen tomorrow, or In two days, or in three!! There's a lot of jams and I really don't know which to pick.
Please help!
I just want to say that for me at least;
Jams are kinda a curse. I've been learning Lua for over 2 years now and even now I still don't feel good doing them. I did make a game in a little over a week and that felt good (albeit quite challenging.) But when learning a new language especially the field of computer science I would not persue them until you feel ready.
Like I said I've been doing this for a while and I still don't enjoy them that much.
I would advise taking your time to learn and not worrying about the end picture first but if you want to do a jam and having trouble finding something I'm sure on itch there's plently of options to choose from and just choose one you like.
{IN RESPONSE TO SmellyFishstiks}
Thank you a lot for the advice! I will definitely have to look into it.
I've been in similar shoes, I've tried picking up code on and off since I was young but it rarely stuck. Lua and Pico8 has been a great renaissance, it's far more inviting than many others. My advice is to ignore game jams, quite frankly it can be very easy to come up with ideas for games but you can only reach a decent entry with a mastery of a language. That being said, don't give up. Mess around, make something new, something we've never seen or played. I spent 4 years making a glorified walking sim in pico8, I'd do it again in a heartbeat!
What game jams have taught me is that in addition to being a mediocre game developer, I am also slow :). That said, you should definitely do it! The thing I find helpful about jams is the creative spark that someone else deciding some aspect of the game provides. Pick one with a theme or restriction or based on a genre/technique you want to learn that gets your mind turning. If a jam catches your eye but the deadline's already passed, do it anyway and just set your own timer/calendar.
@Le Dook
Oh wow, I can't even believe the amount of patience it takes to work on something for 4 years! I don't think I'd be able to do it for let alone 10 months without someone else backing me up. That's really impressive.
As a person who is human I can also confirm that I am quote slow, One of my favourite parts of a game jam are the restrictions, and of course the theme, it really helps getting my gears turning which I why I picked l PICO-8 over any other fantasy console in the first place. Although, I had never actually considered setting my own timer for missed game jams, thats a great idea! Thank you.
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