Playing the Jam Game a brief history the basic rules
and some deviations for advanced players
Sjors Houkes [NL]
Sjors Houkes Playing the Jam Game
Talk ’n Play #5
what this talk is about
something about game jams
what jamming has grown into
about the why & how
taking a step back
asking questions
making jamming better together
Sjors Houkes Playing the Jam Game
Talk ’n Play #5
Who is this guy? (and wtf does he know about game jamz?)
• Dutch Game Garden (2008-2011)
• lots of events with game devs
• Global Game Jam 2009, 2010, 2011
• 140 - 200 participants each
• game jams on film festivals
• game jams for external parties
Sjors Houkes Playing the Jam Game
Talk ’n Play #5
i went to a jam and made this
Sjors Houkes Playing the Jam Game
Talk ’n Play #5
and this
Sjors Houkes Playing the Jam Game
Talk ’n Play #5
What is game jamming?
taking a ridiculously small amount of time
which was supposed to be your spare time
to work with strangers
with unknown skills
on a an experimental game prototype
that probably never gets released
and at the end is unfinished
or simply broken.
*EVERYBODY CHEERS*
Sjors Houkes Playing the Jam Game
Talk ’n Play #5
Then why is it so popular?
Sjors Houkes Playing the Jam Game
Talk ’n Play #5
an incomplete history of indie video game jamming
2002: Indie Game Jam, Ludum Dare
2006: Nordic Game Jam, TOJam
2007: Amnesia Fortnight
2008: No More Sweden, G-Ameland
2009: Global Game Jam, BIG Jam
2011: Berlin Mini Jam
2012: Fuck This Jam, Molyjam, 7DRL, 7DFPS
2013: Full Indie Jam, more online jams
2014: Activist jams?
get to the choppah: http://compohub.net/
Sjors Houkes Playing the Jam Game
Talk ’n Play #5
activist online jams
Sjors Houkes Playing the Jam Game
Talk ’n Play #5
good things
•freedom of creation
• meeting new people
• getting help
• learning from others
• experimentation
• training improv skills
• work motivator
• good for portfolio
• felling connected, also as an industry
Sjors Houkes Playing the Jam Game
Talk ’n Play #5
questions
• are we doing too many game jams?
• are too many people joining?
• are we doing too little with the results?
• are we fostering a crunch time culture?
Sjors Houkes Playing the Jam Game
Talk ’n Play #5
let’s take a step back
• What is a jam like?
• A jam is like a game
• Theme, goal, time limit, etc.
• Organizing a jam as game design
• But: .. are we gaming or playing?
Sjors Houkes Playing the Jam Game
Talk ’n Play #5
what’s jamming?
MC battle jam session
VS
Sjors Houkes Playing the Jam Game
Talk ’n Play #5
back to the jam session
“A jam session is a musical event, process, or activity where musicians play (i.e. "jam") by improvising without extensive preparation or predefined arrangements.”
Sjors Houkes Playing the Jam Game
Talk ’n Play #5
how to jam (and make uncle bob proud)
• “do not come to the Jam with a team.”
• don’t prepare, except for materials
• do it for fun, not to prove anything
• try something new, willing to fail
Sjors Houkes Playing the Jam Game
Talk ’n Play #5
jamming is playing
• break the rules, experiment
• make it fun for YOU
• stop when you’ve had enough (sleep)
• welcome changes and suggestions
• don’t worry about quality
• share ideas (+ assets & source code!)
Sjors Houkes Playing the Jam Game
Talk ’n Play #5
lessons learned
• don’t disturb people in the first few hours
• don’t disturb people in the last few hours
• appointing roles in a team helps, especially a main game designer
• focus on just one mechanic
• get play testers in as soon as possible
• do something else for a while: go outside
• don’t drink a lot of energy drinks
• get sleep (when in a multiple-day jam)
• talk to people
• use deodorant
• disregard all the lessons above
Sjors Houkes Playing the Jam Game
Talk ’n Play #5
Things to think about (for organizers)
Zuraida Buter, executive director of the Global Game Jam
Sjors Houkes Playing the Jam Game
Talk ’n Play #5
designing the jam
• flavour: what’s this jam about?
• logistics: what do you need?
• structure: how many rules & guidance?
• social: how do you connect people?
• challenge: competition, or not?
Sjors Houkes Playing the Jam Game
Talk ’n Play #5
Who’s the winner?
• if you can afford it, NOBODY.
• results = frustration, disappointment
• competition = less freedom
• less freedom = inhibition, caution
• caution = safe, no risks.
• highlight unique qualities of games
• (and if you do want to appoint a winner, don’t call it a jam. That’s a compo.)
Sjors Houkes Playing the Jam Game
Talk ’n Play #5
we need jam innovation as well as game innovation
• other types: train jam, C64 jam, riddle jam, applied jam, xxx jams, etc.
• reflect rather than improve
• more inclusive and inviting
• more jams
• funky jam costumes
• … what do you think?
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