Event & FrogJam Policy

1. Eligibility

FrogJam events are open to developers of all skill levels worldwide. You must be at least 13 years of age to participate. Participants under 18 must have parental or guardian consent.

• Individuals and teams of up to 5 members may enter.
• Each participant may only belong to one team per jam.
• FrogPad staff and judges are not eligible to submit entries.
• Accounts must be registered before the jam's application period closes.

2. Submission Rules

All submissions must be original work created during the jam period. You may use pre-existing engines, frameworks, and publicly available assets, but the core game concept and implementation must be new.

• Start time: Development may begin only after the theme is announced.
• Deadline: Submissions must be uploaded before the countdown reaches zero. Late entries will not be accepted.
• Platform: Games must be playable in a web browser or include a downloadable build for Windows, macOS, or Linux.
• Content: Submissions must not contain hate speech, explicit sexual content, or gratuitous violence.

3. Theme Compliance

Each FrogJam has a theme announced at the start of the event. Submissions should demonstrate a meaningful interpretation of the theme. Creative and unconventional interpretations are encouraged, but entries that completely ignore the theme may receive lower ratings in that category.

4. Judging & Voting

Entries are evaluated by a combination of community voting and panel judging. The judging criteria are:

• Theme interpretation — How well does the game reflect the jam theme?
• Gameplay — Is it fun, engaging, and functional?
• Creativity — Does it bring something original or unexpected?
• Polish — Art, sound, UI quality, and overall presentation.
• Technical achievement — Ambition and complexity relative to the time constraint.

Community members who submitted an entry are eligible to vote. Each voter must play and rate at least 5 other entries for their own submission to qualify for ranking.

5. Prizes & Awards

Prizes vary by event and are announced before each jam begins. Typical awards include:

• 1st Place — Cash prize, homepage feature, and a "Winner" badge.
• 2nd & 3rd Place — Smaller cash prizes and recognition badges.
• Community Choice — Voted by participants; receives a unique badge.
• Honourable Mentions — Noteworthy entries highlighted in post-jam coverage.

6. Intellectual Property

You retain full ownership of all work you create during FrogJam. By submitting, you grant FrogPad a non-exclusive, royalty-free license to display, promote, and feature your entry on the FrogPad platform, social media, and promotional materials.

You may use any engine or tool you have a valid licence for. If you use third-party assets (art, music, sound effects), you must credit them in your submission and ensure you have the right to use them.

7. Code of Conduct

All participants must adhere to the FrogPad community code of conduct. This includes:

• Treating fellow participants, judges, and organisers with respect.
• No harassment, discrimination, or targeted abuse of any kind.
• No plagiarism or submission of pre-made games as new work.
• No vote manipulation, sock-puppet accounts, or coordinated rating abuse.

Violations may result in disqualification, removal of the entry, and/or a permanent ban from future events.

8. Disqualification

FrogPad reserves the right to disqualify any entry or participant that:

• Violates the submission rules or code of conduct.
• Contains malicious code, malware, or attempts to exploit user systems.
• Was substantially developed before the jam period began.
• Infringes on third-party intellectual property without authorisation.

9. Modifications & Cancellations

FrogPad may modify event rules, timelines, or prizes in response to unforeseen circumstances. Participants will be notified of any significant changes via email and the FrogPad Discord server. In the event of a cancellation, any entry fees (if applicable) will be refunded in full.