[Back to Theme Reveal](https://www.summerengine.com/jam/summer-jam-1/reveal)

# Preparation  
Guides

Copy any section into your project management tool. Use what helps, ignore what doesn't.

## Project Management Template

Milestone-based checklist. Copy into Miro, Google Drive, or Notion.

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Summer Jam #1 - Project Milestones

[ ] Phase 1: Plan (before jam starts)
  - Decide on core fun mechanic
  - Chat with AI to create a simple plan
  - Tell AI: "The implementer is less intelligent - keep it clear and simple"

[ ] Phase 2: Create the scene
  - One milestone at a time
  - Open fresh chat, paste this milestone only

[ ] Phase 3: Core mechanic
  - Get the main gameplay loop working
  - Focus on: "Is this fun?"

[ ] Phase 4: Polish (if time)
  - Juice, feedback, one extra feature max

[ ] Phase 5: Submit
  - Record gameplay demo
  - Record 15-sec intro
  - Submit video

## Getting Started with Summer Engine

AI workflow tips, prompt engineering, milestone approach.

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Summer Engine - AI Workflow Tips

1. Planning phase: Use Opus 4.6. Ask it to create a plan. Tell it: "The person implementing this is less intelligent than you - make the plan very clear and simple to follow."

2. One milestone per chat: Don't paste your whole plan. Open a fresh chat, paste ONE milestone. Complete it. Then move to the next.

3. Milestones should be small: "Create the scene" is one. "Add player movement" is another. "Implement shooting" is another. Each should be doable in one session.

4. Core mechanic first: Decide what makes your game fun. Running? Shooting? Talking? Get that feeling right before adding anything else.

5. More prompt templates coming soon - we're working on them!

## GitHub + Versioning Setup

Step-by-step for beginners. Do this before the jam.

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GitHub + Version Control - Quick Setup

1. Create a GitHub account (github.com) if you don't have one.

2. Install Git: https://git-scm.com/downloads

3. Create a new repo on GitHub:
   - Click "New repository"
   - Name it (e.g. summer-jam-moon-game)
   - Don't add README (you have local files)

4. In your project folder, open terminal:
   git init
   git add .
   git commit -m "Initial commit - before jam"
   git branch -M main
   git remote add origin https://github.com/YOUR_USERNAME/YOUR_REPO.git
   git push -u origin main

5. During the jam: Commit often!
   git add .
   git commit -m "Added player movement"
   git push

6. Use VSCode, Cursor, or any IDE - they have built-in Git support.

## Scope Management

3-day jam reality check. Focus on the fun.

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3-Day Jam - Scope Reality Check

Success metric: "Would this be fun if polished?"

NOT: "Does this look finished?"

Focus on ONE core mechanic:
- Running through a maze
- Shooting monsters
- Walking around talking to NPCs
- Solving puzzles
- Whatever your "fun" is

Get that feeling right. Nobody expects:
- Polished graphics
- Full sound design
- Multiple levels
- A complete story

3 days = prove the concept. Polish is for later.

Ready to build?

[Accept Quest & Register](https://www.summerengine.com/jam#signup)

[Back to Theme Reveal](https://www.summerengine.com/jam/summer-jam-1/reveal)

Source: https://www.summerengine.com/jam/guides

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## Machine-readable resources

- Site index for agents: https://www.summerengine.com/llms.txt
- Full inlined content: https://www.summerengine.com/llms-full.txt
- Porting catalog: https://www.summerengine.com/llms-porting.txt
- Structured catalog: https://www.summerengine.com/agent-catalog.json
- Sitemap: https://www.summerengine.com/sitemap.xml
- Developer resources: https://www.summerengine.com/docs