We have been working hard to figure out some very special diversifiers for you this year, with big thanks to the following people for all their invaluble help: Ian Hamilton, Rebecca Fernandez O'Shea, Claire Wilgar, Bill Crosbie, Daniel Linssen, Jung-Sheng Lin, Mikolaj Sobocinski, Laura E. Hall, Tim Stobo, Sarah Cole, Adam Hay and Sagan Yee.
Together they helped to come up with an excellent list, along with all of you who responded to our open call for diversifier submissions this year.
Diversifiers are a great way to add a little more fun or challenge to your jam weekend. Sometimes they can be very helpful to limit your scope or refine your ideas. They are totally optional constraints you can choose to add to your GGJ18 game alongside the focus of the theme. It can help your game stand out from the crowd, and you can choose up to 4 when you submit!
This year's diversifiers are currently are also avalible in these languages:
The 2018 diversifiers are:
Sponsored
That Kind-a Game - (Sponsored by iThrive Games) - Create a game that explores how choosing kindness transforms the world
Cartographer - (Sponsored by Mapbox) - Use Mapbox's Maps SDK for Unity to incorporate geo-location data in your game
Rumbled - (Sponsored by the ESA) - Use haptics (vibration/rumble) to make your game more accessible to people who have some difficulty seeing or hearing
Accessibility
One tap for all - Create a game which can be played with one single well timed tap/click
I can see clearly now - The game has high contrast visuals, with a contrast ratio of at least 4.5 : 1 (contrast ratio checker)
Basics covered - All of the top four most commonly complained about accessibility issues are addressed: 1. Game has configurable controls 2. Any text is large and clear 3.Game does not rely on being able to hear 4. Game does not rely on being able to tell colours apart
Over to you - Give players options to configure a wide range of gameplay variables, such as speed and size
Let me see - Game has customisable colours, allowing players to change the aesthetics and contrast to their own preferences
Art
Cardboard Challenge - Use pictures of cutout cardboard for art assets
Well-Rounded - Instead of using pixel or voxel art, use round shapes or spheres
Stranger Things - Your game's ambience is inspired by an 80s pop song
My eyes are my ears - All sounds must be visualized in some form. This game shouldn't provide any less informational feedback to a player that would normally be able to hear
Stained Sprite - All art within your game looks like stained glass
Audio
Player Remixer - The game should allow the player to remix the sound effects as a core mechanic of play
Beatbox - All sounds for your game must be created using your voice or body
Toot Your Own Horn - Sounds and music must all come from acoustic or real-world sources - no synthesizers or computer-generated sounds
Write The Theme Tune, Sing The Theme Tune - Form a band with other GGJ participants and record a theme tune for your game - with lyrics
A Bold Choice - Compose the music in a style that is completely inappropriate for your game
Otamatone For Your Sins - Use an Otamatone as the lead instrument in your soundtrack
Code
.COM-pact - limit your game file size to 64k or less
Happy Birthday GGJ - Use an emulator or piece of hardware in your game development or part of your gameplay which is over 10 years old
So Sociable - Build a game that uses a social network API
Upside down - One or more game systems programmed by an artist, major art assets produced by programmers/coders
Fractalicious - Your game should predominantly feature the idea of patterns that repeat within themselves as you zoom in or expand the game world
Design
Under the Influence - The main character or vehicle can only be controlled indirectly. Example: placing barriers or obstacles to influence the movement.
I’ll be there in a minute - Your game can be played through in 30 seconds or less.
Nem tão próximos - Make a co-op game where two characters need to perform actions together but can't be too close for too long
Power down - Losing abilities is the only way for your player to progress
Look back - Create a game which uses retro controllers of any type. No modern controllers!
Created by Warren Robinett - Your game contains some kind of hidden secret or Easter egg.
Feathered Friends - Feature a bird as a protagonist or main character
Night and Day - Integrate “night” and “day” modes that must be switched between as one of the game mechanics.
Narrative
Lost in translation - Make a game which plays differently depending on language selection.
Palindrome - The game story must end the same way it began
Babe, It Just Ain't Your Story - Gameplay must take place from the point of view of a non player character.
Epistolary - Game must be completely in the form of a series of documents such as letters, diary entries, newspaper clippings, etc.
Ever After - Game must take place after the moment where most other games would have ended, i.e. after the princess has been rescued, after the final boss is defeated, after the killscreen
Say That Again - Tell the story in your game using only a made-up language, including in game text, narration and voiceover.
Unbranching? - The game has numerous beginnings, but only one ending.
Hidden Depths - The protagonist isn’t who you think they are at the beginning.
Meta
Polyglot - Localize your game in to at least two other languages.
Special:Random - Get a Random Wikipedia Article and include the topic in your game. (Be honest to yourself and don't cheat and redraw another if you don't like the first one.)
Final Countdown - Create AN ADDITIONAL game built and finished in the last hour of GGJ
Inception - Create a totally different game that can be played inside your game submission. Must also relate to the theme.