A Game Jam is when game developers gather together to create games under certain constraints. They can vary wildly from being solo Jams that last a few hours to large team Jams spanning over a week. Traditionally, they involve small teams working together over 48 hours. Similar to a Music Jam, the idea is to bring people together to create something and have fun in the process.
What is a Game Jam?
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for community and networking; meet your peers!
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to challenge yourself; do something you haven't done before
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for first timers, this is the best way to learn game design and development
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to actually finish a game, even if its a prototype
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to practice, get better at the skills you already have
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to experiment; use this time try out some crazy idea you have
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to have fun!
Why do a Game Jam?
External Links
Here are some links for more information on Game Jams, what they are and how to approach them:
Jamming you way into the Industry - How useful Game Jams are for getting into the Games Industry
CompoHub - Site that tracks mostly online Game Jams
Game Dev Radio #13 - Game Developer Podcast discussing various topics, including Game Jams
Roguelike Radio #54 - Podcast dedicated to Roguelikes, including talks on Game Jams
Taking your game from jam to commercial release - Article on the value of Game Jams
Global Game Jam - Website of largest Game Jam in the world run by the IGDA