GET JAMMING AT A GAME JAM!
You might be wondering what a Game Jam is? Basically this is where a bunch of gaming geeks like us who love game development get together to create new games. We share ideas, create new games and aim to inspire the gaming industry. A common theme is given to run through all the games that are developed and the short time allowed is to encourage creativity and innovation.
It’s set up to work in the same kind of way that a hackathon works, where there is a set timeframe, normally 24 or 72 hours, and developers work together as a team to create new games.
Pulse College often hosts 24hr and 48hr Game Jams for our students and visitors and this year we are continuing as a major host site for the Global Game Jam, taking place from Jan 20th – 22nd! This event is free for all game developers, designers, animators and sound designers. The last Jam was packed full of talent with 54 game designers who worked together to create 10 innovative games.
We have two locations for the Global Gam Jam – Dublin and Galway, so check out the one nearest to you and get yourself registered now!
So now you know how we jam, you might be wondering what’s the point of it all?
Go Global
Attending industry events is a great way for gaming professionals to meet and network. And if you want to meet influencers in the industry, the Global Game Jam is one of the very best events for developers as it’s the world’s largest game development event. Not only will you meet game developers locally, you’ll have a platform to network with other industry professionals across the world as the event takes place simultaneously in over 80 countries.
Over the course of the weekend more than 5000 games get produced! It’s one of those events that create a real buzz within the industry, not least because many of the games developed have gone on to become commercially successful in the real world, so participants get a sense that anything can happen and everything is possible. Attending the Global Game Jam is definitely something every developer should do at least once.
Take a look at some footage from last years Pulse College Global Game Jam:
Learn New Skills
If you want to learn new skills this is the perfect opportunity. Working with people from different backgrounds will open you up to new ideas and new ways of thinking. You’ll get to collaborate with other talented people and pick up new approaches.
All those techniques you learned in your game development course can now be put into practice in a high pressured environment and you can push yourself to the limit – and beyond!
Benefit from Teamwork
One of the great things about being a game developer is becoming part of the community. Getting to know other people with various skill sets and tapping into their expertise is what it’s all about. Being part of a team at a game jam and putting together a project you can be proud of is what the weekend is all about – you never know; you might even land your dream job on the back of it!
It’s a Lot of Fun
The very best learning experiences are fun and we’ve yet to meet a jammer that didn’t have a fab weekend – the time just flies by. The deadline creates lots of excitement in the room as the clock ticks down. The dedication and hard work of all the participants creates a busy, buzzy, creative atmosphere.
Who Can Attend
Here’s the good news – Anyone can attend and best of all it’s Free! When Pulse College host a game jam all our students, their friends and family are welcome to come along. The only requirement is that you have to love games and game development.
Game Development Courses
If you’re interested in learning more about attending the Global Game Jam or taking one of our design courses please get in touch or come along to one of the open days at Pulse College.
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