The Sandbox City Builder: Tokyo
Join us for an exciting new opportunity in The Sandbox: The City Builder! This community-focused event aims to bring international cultures into The Sandbox, one city at a time. Win prizes, develop your skills, enjoy the company of other creators, and immerse yourself in diverse cultures. Nine experiences will be featured on a special, dedicated ‘City Estate’ to represent one of the world’s cultural hubs!
Recreating Tokyo 🌸
Tokyo is a special city for The Sandbox, home to one of our key offices and the backdrop for many pivotal moments in the Metaverse. Tokyo’s blend of ancient tradition and cutting-edge modernity offers a unique and captivating landscape.
Imagine yourself in the Metaverse, wandering beneath the iconic Tokyo Tower or through the serene grounds of the Meiji Shrine. Every street in Tokyo has a story to tell, and we want you to bring these stories to life on The Sandbox.
Re-create the neon-lit streets of Shibuya, where technology and fashion collide, or let your community dive into the peaceful vibes of Asakusa. Each neighborhood, from the bustling streets of Shinjuku to the quiet elegance of Ginza, provides a fresh and exciting experience. Tokyo isn’t just a city — it’s an adventure waiting to unfold!
We aim to highlight the best experiences that showcase a specific monument, neighborhood, or the distinctive “vibe” of Tokyo. You can use famous landmarks or capture the essence of the city through custom ASSETs inspired by Tokyo’s architecture and culture.
Here are the elements we would like to portray on the Tokyo Estate:
- 🗼 Tokyo Tower
- 🚶 Shibuya Crossing
- 🙏 Senso-ji Temple in Asakusa
- ☁️ Tokyo Skytree
- 🏯 Imperial Palace
- 🌃 Shinjuku’s skyscrapers
- ⛩️ Meiji Shrine
- 👘 Harajuku’s fashion scene
- 🛍️ Ginza shopping district
- 🤩 Akihabara (tech and anime culture)
Feel free to draw inspiration from any era you choose. Whether it’s the Edo period’s traditional architecture, the post-war Showa period, or the ultra-modern structures of today, each experience is a unique journey through Tokyo’s rich history.
The creative freedom allows for diverse interpretations, ensuring that each experience is an exciting exploration through time.
No Gameplay mechanics are required.
Prizes 🏆
We have an outstanding 30,000 SAND up for grabs, as well as the chance to represent Tokyo on The Sandbox’s Map. You will be hosted on a dedicated Tokyo Estate owned by The Sandbox.
We will minimize showcasing the same neighborhood or monuments multiple times, so expect the selected experience to be chosen among a variety of experiences.
See the prizes below.
🥇1ST — 9TH PLACE
- 3,000 SAND + Published on our TokyoEstate
🎖️ Extra Reward
- 500 SAND
If you made a great terraforming but were not among the top 9 experiences you can still win a 500 SAND reward if selected.
In order to minimize redundancy, creators can disclose what they are working on on the Creators Forum.
We also encourage you to team up with a talented artist! Feel free to use this topic on the Forum to find a partner. This is not a requirement.
Please note that you must have a wallet which has completed KYC to receive prizes.
❔ Read more about KYC and our other Terms and Conditions.
SUBMIT YOUR ENTRY HERE BY DECEMBER 18, 2024
This City Builder starts now, on October , 2024. You may join any time as long as you submit by the December 18 deadline.
Join our Creators Forum to stay up-to-date and get access to experienced creators and expert staff who are happy to help.
Key dates
Find below all key dates connected to the event. Any changes or additions in the dates will be publicly announced.
🗓️ November 22 : The contest goes live!
🗓️ November 27 (12:30 9m UTC): Live AMA
🗓️ December 18 (4:00 pm UTC): Submissions close.
🗓️ January 1th — 24th: Votes open.
🗓️ January 30th: Winners are published on the City Estate.
How do I participate?
You must create a game with our free, no-code Game Maker software to take part in this City Builder. We also encourage you to team up with an artist or use VoxEdit to create Paris-themed ASSETs!
You must also either share your game to the Game Maker Gallery or publish the game on the Map. In addition, the game must be posted in the dedicated Forum thread (coming soon).
Please follow these steps to participate in the City Builder.
- ☑️ Create a The Sandbox account by following these steps.
- ☑️ Download our no-code Game Maker software to create your game for free here (required).
- ☑️ Download our easy-to-use VoxEdit software to create custom ASSETs for free here (optional).
- ☑️ ️️Join our Creator Forum and Discord to stay up to date, get help & feedback, and meet other creators!
- ☑️ Make sure to look at the 📚Resources section below for useful documentation to get started.
- ☑️ Share your completed experience to the Game Maker Gallery or publish on the Map.
- ☑️ Submit your entry to the submission form linked in this article.
Important rules ⚠️
Please make sure that you read all the standard Game Jam rules HERE!
City Builders are different to our regular Game Jams and some rules may differ. It is important that you read both the rules linked above and the rules specified in this article.
*Please note that, if a rule stated in this article, differs from one stated in our official documentation, the rule stated here takes precedence.
It is your responsibility to carefully read all the rules. Not following these rules will in most cases disqualify your entry.
- Software: Your game must be designed with our Game Maker software. We recommend that you use the latest version of the software and update if an update occurs during the event.
- Updating your entry: You may freely make updates to your entry throughout the event, including after the submission deadline.
- Size: Your game must be no larger than 1x1.
- Multiple Entries: You may submit more than one entry for this contest, only one entry can reach the top 9.
- Staff: The Sandbox staff and any contractors working directly with Game Jams are not permitted to enter City Builder or Game Jam competitions.
Voting 🗒️
The voting will be held externally by a judging panel made of external trusted partners. The voting will exclusively made based on following criteria :
- Visual quality (is the experience good looking ?)
- Asset quality (are assets well designed?)
- Reconstruction fidelity (does the experience recreate precisely the real place in The Sandbox?)
- Atmosphere (do I catch the city vibe in the experience?)
Gameplay mechanics won’t be considered in this Game Jam format.
Resources 📚
- Learn to use the Game Maker here.
- Learn to use VoxEdit to create ASSETs here.
- Join our community of creators on the Creators Forum, where you can ask for help, find teams to work with, read important updates, and make connections with other passionate game developers.
- Save time and buy ASSETs from our Marketplace here.
FAQs — ❓
If you have any questions or concerns, please read the rules and FAQs carefully first or consider whether the answer could be found in the resources linked above.
If you did not find an answer, we look forward to welcoming you in the Creator Forum where you can find other creators and staff who are happy to help.
