Have you ever heard about such a thing like game jam? The name is meant to resemble musical jams - when a group of friends hang out in their basement to improvise and create music just for the sake of fun and exploration. But instead of (or sometimes, in addition to) guitars and microphones, game jammers bring their computers to the party. The game jam traditionally takes ca. 48 hours (Friday-Sunday) and during this time participants are supposed to create a completely new game from scratch. Usually there are no restrictions towards technologies and equipment used so one can get really creative and experiment with new ideas.
Jammers in their natural habitat [1]
Game jams gather people from many different disciplines: programmers, musicians, graphic designers etc. It’s important to cooperate and share your knowledge and skills, so that you can create unique experience. Team sizes vary from lone wolfs up to even 10 people with different level of experience: beginners can learn from their experienced colleagues.
Every game needs some music in it! [1]
It may seem nearly impossible to make a video game in just one weekend and indeed many of the started projects don’t make it to the final presentations. Nonetheless, every once in a while creators get attached to their prototype and decide to continue their work on a game after the jam ends, for example, a fairly successful Polish title SUPER HOT (https://superhotgame.com/) started out as a game jam project.
Final presentations constitute the culmination of a jam [1]
That being said, it’s really not the point of a game jam to prepare a product ready for release on the market. Jamming is a wonderful opportunity for networking with people sharing the same passion, you can learn from others - because in this rapidly developing field there is always a ton of people that know much more than you and are willing to share - and simply experiment. If you have an idea for a game that you are not so sure about, then you should participate in a jam - there will be many people willing to test your game and give you constructive feedback about it. Even if your plan doesn’t work out then at least you can spend a weekend in a fun and productive way.
Remember to make breaks from work! [1]
My adventure with game jams began back when I was studying at the Warsaw University of Technology and I met people from students’ society of game development “Polygon” (http://polygon.pw.edu.pl/). They were working on hosting Warsaw site of world-wide Global Game Jam that takes place each year in winter. At first I was hesitant because I didn’t have any experience in the field and I didn’t know if I would manage to make something. It turned out that I had a great fun and learned a lot - by myself and thanks to other jammers that were willing and happy to help me and let me work with them. A year later I wanted to make my input into the community and joined the organization team, and it turned out to be the biggest game jam in Poland - Slavic Game Jam (https://www.facebook.com/slavicgamejam/). Lessons and memories I got from that are priceless.
Group photo from the second edition of Slavic Game Jam [1]
I recommend trying this to everyone who is interested in making games - no matter if you are the beginner or advanced!
[1] Pictures taken from: https://www.facebook.com/slavicgamejam
Questions:
1. Have you ever participated or heard about game jams before?
2. Do you like playing computer games? If so, what is your favourite title/genre?
3. Do you thing that playing games is a waste of time or maybe a valuable hobby?
Comments
I'm not very fond of computer games. But there were times when I could play some games all day long.
If you enjoy playing games and it helps you to relax after a hard day then I don't think it is waste of time. Although there are people who would say that it is always better, for example, to read a book or watch a film, so answer to this question is strongly subjective.
2. I prefer the console. Most of all I like racing. 3. What games for me? For me, this is entertainment in my spare time. But besides the games I have a million more entertainments, so rather I prefer live communication and outdoor walks, so I play games more often in winter when there is a day off.
As of now started to play Starcraft 2 again after year of inactivity. Friend invited me for some evening game and its was fun so we started playing on somewhat regular base.
3. Do you thing that playing games is a waste of time or maybe a valuable hobby?
It depends. If you feel happy during gaming and it's not your routine and it's not hurting you other life goals - why not?
I have never heard nor participated in game jams before, but after reading your presentation I think I am familiar with the feeling, as I have participated in few coding hackatons.
2. Do you like playing computer games? If so, what is your favourite title/genre?
I like to kill the time with computer games, but I am not a fan of them. I would say my favorite title is Hotline Miami, but surprisingly my favorite genres are fps and racing.
3. Do you thing that playing games is a waste of time or maybe a valuable hobby?
It depends on the game you're playing and unfortunately I find most of current games to be a waste, rather than valuable experience. On the other hand, I know many board games, which are just marvellous.
Yes, I like playing computer games. My favorite titles are CS GO and Fortnite. Some time ago I was playing a lot of H1Z1: King of the Kill too. Overall, MMO games.
For me it’s a valuable hobby. Thanks to MMORPG games I learned a lot of english when I was a young ;).
2. I loved it when I was younger, I spent few years playing MMORPG, but nowadays I don't really have time for playing games, so I've concentrated on only one - CS:GO <3
3. Nowadays "playing games" may become even work, can you imagine yourself as a game tester in a big company?
I like playing games from time to time, but I don't have much time to do so. Also, I pretty often feel like I'm wasting time and I don't get any benefit from playing them at all. That's because many games nowadays feel really generic and they don't have any real, intellectual value. That's not the case for all of them, but that's just my recent thoughts on the game market.
Playing games is a hobby like every other. It's not the rule that none of the hobbies are a waste of time as well as that all games are useless. It depends on what and how we play it. Do we develop ourselves through playing them? Do we learn anything that could be useful later in our lives?
Yes, I like playing computer games but I completely don’t have time to play any. I like playing actions and shooters.
I don’t think so. Nevertheless, it depends how much time you spend playing computer games. Computer games change the way you think and increase your reaction. After so much hours spent playing computer games I would say that it wasn’t bad at all.
Yes, I participated in two game jams, and last time my team managed to get to the third place (out of more than 20 teams in total).
2. Do you like playing computer games? If so, what is your favourite title/genre?
Yes, and it's hard to give single favorite genre of games, but there few I like the most: Planetside 2, Don't Starve, The Elder Scrolls series, and so on...
3. Do you thing that playing games is a waste of time or maybe a valuable hobby?
For me it's more valuable hobby than watching movies or series, because it require more interaction than films. And some games have much more interesting plot than most of the Hollywood blockbusters that got prizes for plots.
No, it is the first time I hear about this, however it would be nice to participate in one. I am not sure if I have the skills needed - I am not yet a programmer nor a musician or a graphic designer, so probably more of a spectator is what I'd be.
2. Do you like playing computer games? If so, what is your favourite title/genre?
I like the Witcher. I have not played it but I've seen a streamer do it and I would like to try it one day.
3. Do you think that playing games is a waste of time or maybe a valuable hobby?
I guess both. It gives you plenty of fun and creativity and it is one of the pearls of our age - that you can play as a hero in worlds so different from ours. However, in real life, apart from creativity it gives you often less than other hobbies, such as sport for example (which is good for your health).
I don’t like playing in computer games. I don’t have a time for it. I like board games because i can spend time with friends playing and have fun.
I think that if someone like it and think about games more seriously, then it’s not wasting time. I like play simple games on my phone for chill at the end of day.
I used to love playing games, now I don't have time to do this. My favorite gainer is for sure is action RPG but now I usually play short online multiplayer games like League of Legends or Fortnite.
I think that playing games can be very creative and can develop many of your not-gamers skills. I am pretty sure that there is many research on it.
Yeah, sometimes I like to sit in front of computer and play Battelfield for a couple of hours just to releax and clear my brain of any thoughts.
I think both, playing games brings almost nothing to our lives(if you're just playing it and nothing else) but it's good for our mood(if we like it ofc). I know that You can make money from it, so at the end, it brings something. Like I said, I like playing, it helps me calm my minds and sometimes forget about my thoughts.
No i didn’t
2. Do you like playing computer games? If so, what is your favourite title/genre?
I really like playing computer Games like „dishonored „ and The New version
3. Do you thing that playing games is a waste of time or maybe a valuable hobby?
It’s ance hobby same as watching series .
Yes, I love playing computer games. Before studies, I could play all the time. Now there isn't much time in the process, but I try to play when it's time. My favorite titles are games from Rockstrar and Ubisoft.
Of course it isn't a waste of time. This is a hobby for me. I think that everyone has a hobby, and playing games is definitely one of them.
Each kind of people groups should have their personal space where they can express themselves and do what they like.
2. I like playing computer games. I am a big fan of GTA series and all of Rocstar's games. I was also a fan of CODs and Battlefields but after I have tried a ARMA III I can say that CODs and Battlefields are so unrealistic that I can't play in this titles anymore.
3. I think that it only a entertainment and it is smarter way of spending time than watching a TV because in computer games you are active participant.
I like to play in computer games but I do this only when I need to relax after some type of activity.
No, but I would definitely love, to participate in it!
2. Do you like playing computer games? If so, what is your favourite title/genre?
I do like competitive games. I like to compare myself to other players, and to see my progress in a games like this.
3. Do you thing that playing games is a waste of time or maybe a valuable hobby?
I think it can become a some kind of a show like football is nowadays. It can attach a lot of people to watch, or even play. I can't wait till it happens
I think playing video games develop our abilities. I believe if something improves yourself that it's worth paying money for that.