Game Jams – History, Technology, and Organisation

ISBN-13: 9783031151866 / Angielski / Twarda / 2022 / 122 str.

Allan Fowler; Foaad Khosmood

Opis

This book will provide a comprehensive guide to creating and managing a game jam. The book will also provide an overview of how and where game jams have been held, the type of game jams, the tools and technologies used in organising and participating in game jams. 

Spis treści

Chapter 1: What is a Game Jam?

Gorm Lai

1 Introduction

2 A Short History of Game Jams

3 Elements of a Game Jam

31 Accommodation

32 Awards

33 Catering

34 Code of Conduct

35 Types of Games

36 Games Presentations

37 Group Forming

38 Hardware & Software

39 Ice Breakers

310 Internet

311 Keynote Speakers

312 Location - Physical / Online

313 Security

314 Sponsorships

315 Standup Meetings

316 Tutorials & Workshops

317 Theme

318 Voluntary Constraints

4 Types of Game Jams

5 Why We Jam

6 Game Jam Definitions

References

Chapter 2: There is No One Way to Jam

Annakaisa Kultima, Allan Fowler & Foaad Khosmood

1 Flavours of Game Jam

2 Game Jams for Education

21 The Pedagogical Potential of Game Jams

22 Example Game Jams for Education

3 Jamming with Children

31 Challenges

32 Example Game Jams for Children

4 Game Jams and Enterprises

41 Examples of Game Jams for Enterprises

5 Conclusion

References

Chapter 3: Game Jam Organisation

Nia Wearn & Johanna Pirker

1 The Crucial Role of the Organiser

2 Before the Jam

21 Jam length and size

22 Sponsorship

23 Competition or just for fun?

24 Constraints on your games?

25 Organisation 101

26 Advertise your jam

27 Decide on a Theme

28 Work out a Timeline

29 Moving people around

210 Code of Conduct

211 Safeguarding

212 Pre Jam Information

213 Communication platforms

3 Teams

31 The perfect size

32 Team Makeup

33 Randomly assigned teams

34 Self organising teams

35 Mixing and Matching

36 Lone jammers

37 Distributed teams

38 Balance of Power in teams

4 Running an In Person Jams

41 Registration

42 Tech

43 Cables & Power

44 Stationary

Contents

45 Food

46 Sleeping Arrangements

47 Play parties and showcases

48 At the end of the jam

5 Running an Online Jam

6 Jams in the classroom

7 Cancelling a Jam

8 After a Jam

Chapter 4: Game Jam Resources

Johanna Pirker & Foaad Khosmood

1 Introduction

2 The Organising Team

3 Game Jam Logistics

31 In person logistics

32 Online/hybrid logistics

33 Online collaboration tools

4 Game Development Resources

41 Tabletop development resources

42 Computing based game development resources

43 Assets

44 Conclusion

Chapter 5: Game Jams from Around the World

Jo Summers

1 Introduction

2 Indie Game Jam 0

3 Ludum Dare

4 Nordic Game Jam

5 Global Game Jam

6 Isolation Jam

7 Sami Game Jam

8 Women Game Jam

9 Game Jams Rio Grande

10 Iran Game Development Institute

11 Train Jam

12 Splash

13 Other Transport Based Jams

131 Pirate Jam

132 FGJ Bussi

133 Finland Saunabus Jam (Jam Jam)

134 A MAZE Train Jam

135 Locomojam

14 Honorable Mentions

141 Africacomicade Gamathon

142 Code To Inspire

143 TOJam

144 Castle Jam

145 Stugan

146 #VzlaCrisisJam

147 0hr game jam

148 Fuck This Jam

149 PROCJAM

1410 Bit of Alright Jam Jam

15 Acknowledgements

References

Chapter 6: The spread of game jams

Allan Fowler

1 The Spread of Game Jams

2 Stoke ON TREND GamesJam 2021

3 Games for Change / Game Jam for Good

4 Academic Game Jams

5 Conference Game Jams

6 Paper based Game Jams

7 Board-game Game Jams

8 Corporate Game Jams

81 Unity Game Jam

82 Microsoft Game Jams

83 Epic Game Jam

84 Bevy Jam

9 Conclusion

References

Chapter 7: The Dark Side of Game Jams

Nia Wearn & Gorm Lai

1 When Jams Go Wrong

11 Problems with Jammers

12 Violations of the Code of Conducts

13 Group Projects Are Always Hell

14 How to Spot a Caffeine Overdose

2 Jammers Under Pressure

21 Unrealistic Expectations

22 Unfinished Projects

23 Competitive Elements

24 Managing Expectations

25 ‘Game Jams Make Me Realise I Hate Making Games’

3 Problems with Events

31 Theme Paralysis

32 Traumatic Jam Themes / Content & “Touchy” Subjects

33 The Unwilling and Reluctant Organiser / Staff

34 Organiser Burnout

35 Barriers to Jamming

4 The Bigger Picture

41 Making A Complete Game

42 Glorifying Crunch

43 Glorifying Unpaid Labour

References

Chapter 8: The Future of Game Jams

Annakaisa Kultima

1 Game Jam Explorers

2 Game Jams as a Growing Hobby

3 The Power of Institutions

4 Game Jams as Artivism

5 Rise of the Jam Platforms

6 Empowering Tools

7 Game Jams as Commercial Strategies

8 Paid Labour or Machine Participants?

9 Exploring New and Old Technologies

10 Big Team Game Jams

11 Sending Game Development Everywhere

12 Jam Fatigue

13 Slowing Down with Game Jams

14 Bringing Organisers Together

15 Anything Can Happen!

O autorze

Dr. Allan Fowler is a Senior Lecturer (Associate Professor in the USA) at the University of Auckland. Before returning to New Zealand he was a tenured Associate Professor in Game Design and Software Engineering in the USA. While in the USA, he taught at Columbia University in New York, the University of California (Santa Cruz), and California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly). He is originally from New Zealand and grew up in the Manawatu-Whanganui region. Allan was among the early game jam adopters and trailblazers in New Zealand, Australia and China. He has major game development experience as an academic and game industry professional. Allan has been involved in organising game jams since 2009, and has been involved in many game jams throughout the world. Allan has presented at Game Developers Conference San Francisco, DragonCon, and many academic conferences. He served as general chair for the Foundations of Digital Games conference, 2021.

 

Foaad Khosmood is Forbes Professor of Computer Engineering at California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly), and Research Director at the Institute for Advanced Technology and Public Policy IATPP. He holds a Ph.D. in computer science from University of California Santa Cruz. His research interests include natural language processing (NLP), games, AI, data science and game jams. Foaad is a co-founder and past president of Global Game Jam (GGJ). Foaad has presented at Game Developers Conference San Francisco, IndieCade, DragonCon, and many academic conferences. He served as general chair for the Foundations of Digital Games conference, 2019. At Cal poly he teaches courses on NLP, data science, games and interactive entertainment, and he advises the Cal Poly Game Development student club.

Both Allan Fowler and Foaad Khosmood created the International Conference on Game Jams, Hackathons and Game Creation Events, to date the only dedicated academic venue for game jam scholarship from all disciplines.