Charlottesville Game Developers
January 2012
Tips for Game Jams
Jeff Ward
Global Game Jam!
January 27th to January 29th
Site at the University of Virginia
What’s a Game Jam? X amount of time to make a “game” based on
a theme GGJ is “48” hours. Theme (or tech) is revealed at the event Fun way to just make a game, hone your skills,
and learn. You are forced to just “get it done”
From Experience! Game Jam Post Mortems!
2009 (Game of Nom)http://www.jeffongames.com/2009/02/jamming-postmortem/
2010 (Quest for Stick)http://www.jeffongames.com/2010/02/jamming-post-mortem-2010-edition/
2010 (Cultural Exchange)http://www.jeffongames.com/2010/08/immigration-jam-post-mortem/
Use a Tool Use a tool or framework
Unity 3D Game engine http://unity3d.com/
Angel C++ prototyping system (http://code.google.com/p/angel-engine/)
AngelXNA C#, XNA based version of Angel https://bitbucket.org/fuzzybinary/angelxna/
PyGame, Akihabara, LOVE Only restriction on GGJ is it must be available for at least x
months before the Jam
My Opinion Stick with 2D.
The third dimension will !@%$ you.
More Tools Use Source Control
Recommend mercurial or git Have a way to transfer assets
Drop box or a shared drive is easiest Don’t sweat process
You won’t have time
Know your tool You should know how to use your tool before
coming in to the jam. Or, at least someone should
Exception: If you want to learn the tool Still recommend you get with someone who knows
the tool
You will come out of the jam knowing the tool.
Ideas First go off into small groups…. … then bounce ideas in large-ish groups Avoid ideas that hinge upon “and at the
end…” Stick to the theme Keep scope small
Form Your Team Teams are probably best 3 – 8 people Work with someone you know Work with people you don’t know Work on the project that sounds most
interesting.
Development Get working immediately Have something end of day 1 Have something playable mid day 2 No new features, end of day 2
These are… guidelines as opposed to rules.
Larger Teams Get Organized
Have a way of keeping track of tasks, ideas, what needs to be done.
Have a dedicated “designer” Get them productive quickly… … even if it’s on pen and paper
Other Advice Go home. Get some sleep.
MIT GAMBIT closes it’s lab. Scope to your team
Other Advice Utilize free stuff If you don’t have an artist, get free art
http://www.lostgarden.com/search/label/free%20game%20graphics
http://letsmakegames.org/resources/art-assets-for-game-developers/
If you don’t have a coder, get free code http://www.yoyogames.com/make http://gamesalad.com/
If you have neither, make a board game!
Other Advice Don’t Compete
Take risks. Learn Something!
Have Fun!
That’s really what it’s all about!