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?
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X amount of time to make a “game” based on a theme
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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!
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Game Jam Post Mortems!
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2009 (Game of Nom)
http://www.jeffongames.com/2009/02/jamming-postmortem/
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2010 (Quest for Stick)
http://www.jeffongames.com/2010/02/jamming-post-mortem-2010-edition/
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2010 (Cultural Exchange)
http://www.jeffongames.com/2010/08/immigration-jam-post-mortem/
Use a Tool
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Use a tool or framework
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Unity
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Angel
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C++ prototyping system
(http://code.google.com/p/angel-engine/)
AngelXNA
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3D Game engine
http://unity3d.com/
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
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Stick with 2D.
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The third dimension will !@%$ you.
More Tools
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Use Source Control
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Have a way to transfer assets
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Recommend mercurial or git
Drop box or a shared drive is easiest
Don’t sweat process
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You won’t have time
Know your tool
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You should know how to use your tool before coming in
to the jam.
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Exception: If you want to learn the tool
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Or, at least someone should
Still recommend you get with someone who knows the tool
You will come out of the jam knowing the tool.
Ideas
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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
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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
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Get working immediately
Have something end of day 1
Have something playable mid day 2
No new features, end of day 2
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These are… guidelines as opposed to rules.
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Larger Teams
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Get Organized
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Have a way of keeping track of tasks, ideas, what needs to be
done.
Have a dedicated “designer”
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Get them productive quickly…
… even if it’s on pen and paper
Other Advice
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Go home. Get some sleep.
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MIT GAMBIT closes it’s lab.
Scope to your team
Other Advice
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Utilize free stuff
If you don’t have an artist, get free art
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If you don’t have a coder, get free code
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http://www.lostgarden.com/search/label/free%20game%20graphics
http://letsmakegames.org/resources/art-assets-for-game-developers/
http://www.yoyogames.com/make
http://gamesalad.com/
If you have neither, make a board game!
Other Advice
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Don’t Compete
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Take risks. Learn Something!
Have Fun!
That’s really what it’s all about!