Public Domain Rescue Jam 2014!

Update: The Jam now had a different name, Public Domain Rescue Jam, because some other people also did a similar jam in May with the same name. Frankly, I'm completely envious and trying to come up with a way to differentiate our jams, even though mine does not have a specific theme. For now, it's still what it is.


A new year brings a new hope! And at least, it used to bring new books, and songs and stories to the public domain, until the laws got changed here in America. Thanks to a retroactively extended copyright of over 75 years, no works have, since the mid 90's, or are even going to enter into the public domain until 2019!

Stay out of this, Anderson.

​Bestgeekever thinks that copyright durations have gone from "(promoting) the Progress of Science and useful Arts"  to basically hindering creativity and creation. To create awareness of this, I bring you, the people, the Public Domain Jam, where I challenge you to create any game you like, starring characters and settings in the public domain. A Don Quixote fighting game? A puzzle attack game with Pinochio and Dracula? A bullet hell game based on Alice in Wonderland? As long as it's not under copyright (and, don't  use someone else's take on the characters. No Disney Princesses here.) do what you will.

Look at it and think to yourself: not like this.

If you're not quite sure which property you will adapt it is you're gonna do, here's some of them.
​Public Domain music

​Public Domain Superheroes

​A small list of public domain books

​List of Public Domain movies.

I'm giving you the whole month of January to really bring your best. If you don't agree with my cause, it's at least an interesting challenge, no? Here's the 3 governing criteria, explained.


Come on, bros! You're skeeving Hitler out...

Overall Quality and Enjoyability
This is the basic element of the videogame. "Is this game fun or anti-fun?" More fun is better

No more Dracalas

Rareness of the characters
Zombies and Dracula are pretty much staples of the popular culture. More obscure characters is better.

Actually, I've never seen Dracula with an Ukulele

Creativity
Did you take your own spin on the material, or did you place the characters where they always where, doing exactly what they did in the book, looking exactly like they did? More own spin is better.

Not like this dead asshole.

Pro-Public Domain
If your game has somehow presents some kind of message against excessive copyright durations, you get a cookie.

Submission open from 01/01/2015 to 01/31/2015. Stay Tuned to THIS PAGE for more information. If this Jam is a success, Bestgeekever promises to do it again next year,  maybe with a theme narrowed down.