TechHui

Hawaiʻi's Technology Community

Hi Guys,

I would like to tell you all about the Global Game Jam, which I hope someone here can help me bring to Hawaii in 2011. I will personally be in Honolulu at the time, visiting my girlfriend who is working at the University. I have been making game jams for the last 5 years, among them the biggest one in the World (http://nordicgamejam.org/)

So, if we can just find a location, I will love to give advice on all the practicalities and will be on site to help out during the event itself. 

WHAT IS THE GLOBAL GAME JAM?

Global Game Jam is a 2-day long activity held at the same weekend (January 28-30, 2011) throughout the world. Global Game Jam is promoted by IGDA (International Game Development Association) to encourage new video game designers and Universities who have video/computer game education programs. The point is to spend one weekend making a game.

GGJ works by having many participating locations around the world (Jam Sites). Each Jam Site is a University or company that is sponsoring a local Jam. It is their responsibility to gather people, logisitcs and provide a space and facilities for people to make games on the Jam weekend. 

DURING THE JAM

At the beginning of the Jam, we provide some guidelines, constraints and themes. For example we say: "Games that have to do with friendship" or "Games that involve cars". Then, all the people in all different locations get into teams, and go to work simultaneously designing and programming a game that fits the constraint.

By the last day of the Jam, the teams are supposed to upload their game onto the GGJ website for everyone to play and evaluate. Locally, Jam Sites hold their own awards for best games or most interesting games. We do not have any requirements for awards or rewards.

You can find all the games that were made in January 2010 last year at http://globalgamejam.org/games. We had over 4300 people from 138 locations across the globe participate in this event. 

This year, we have commitments from 90 Jam Sites already.http://globalgamejam.org/Locations

SITE ORGANIZER RESPONSIBILITIES

At the Jam site, one local organizer is responsible for signing up the students/participants, provide logistics, space and legal paperwork for them to work. Some sites have entry fees too to cover their expenses. This is optional.
If you have an organizer who is ready to start planning, please sign up on the website at http://globalgamejam.org/apply-ggj-2011

GLOBAL GAME JAM RELATIONSHIP

Global Game Jam has no financial relationship with Jam Sites or any organizers. We only ask that all the games made be "open source" and available for the general public to download and play. The program is great in promoting Game design discipline and game companies. Last year, we had many news and magazines that covered the events and wrote about them

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This sounds like a great idea! UH's Pacific New Media College may be interested in helping with this. I suggest contacting Susan Horowitz.
Thanks for this. Yeah, we've been getting feedback from Hawaii as well, that people would like to have a site here as well :-). I've contacted Susan Horowitz, so just hope she'll be just as excited by the idea.

I also recently heard 2 different podcasts on Bytemarks Café regarding Game Development in Hawaii. Seems there is a lot of stuff bubbling up.

Cheers,
G

Hi All Group Members,

 

I just want to add that we have now succeeded in securing a location here in Honolulu for the Global Game Jam. I have therefore created it as an event here on Techhui, to be found here http://www.techhui.com/events/global-game-jam-honolulu.

 

Hope to see you there,

Gorm

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