Global Game Jam Manila 2016 Event Aftermath: Making Games is Fun

Written by Chad

February 4, 2016

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We take a tour at some of the areas that are hosting the Manila Game Jam

Several young and aspiring game developers and students have gathered in this once in a year event where you tested out their skills and passion in creating video games. The Global Game Jam is a large game creation event, as some may say, it’s a video game hackathon version where participants must create their games within 48 hours and will follow a certain theme.

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In the Philippines, there are eight locations that are designated for the Global Game Jam, and three of them are located in Metro Manila (Ateneo de Manila University, Microsoft Office Makati and Ludo Board Game Cafe Makati). We covered all three of them for two days to see how the participants prepare and create their projects. All participants can form their team or if they are very confident, creating a game by him/herself. The program starts with some guidelines and advice on how to survive Game Jam, after a series of presentations, the theme for this year’s event was announced (Ritual), then all participants were encouraged to brainstorm their ideas with each other based on the team. And finally the fun part begins. They need to create a game based on the provided theme within 48 hours, it can be of any genre for which platform the participants may want to create.

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It is fun to see that each participants (or rather alternatively called the Game Jammers) have their own roles, from character designer to game programmer to composer and voice actor. And seeing that students are enthusiastic in their projects and experiencing grueling hours just to meet the deadline of completing the game. It may look and feel hard but what these participants will get is the experience that they can bring when they enter the game development scene or for the case of the Game Jam veterans, more lessons to learn to hone their skills.

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IGDA Manila & Let’s Play Manila had an interesting twist for this year’s Game Jam, they added a board & card game edition to the line-up, instead of creating their own video games; participants will design and create their own game as a form of card game, table top or board game. Some participants who joined this game jam explained that it was easier for them to design board games as they don’t need to perform any programming to run the game, though their biggest challenge is to make the game more balance or making the game mechanics work well, so several trial and error during numerous play tests are required.

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Another great opportunity at the event is to interact and connect with other Game Jammers, as this can lead up to a potential partnership for future ventures, and better a chance to be spotted by top developers from game publishers for a future career, plus these guys can give some advice on designing and developing games.

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In the end, Global Game Jam is not about competing, it is about learning and expressing, learning through experience in creating games, sharing your ideas with fellow Game Jammers and learning from the mistakes that you will encounter throughout the period. Expressing in a way that you can finally show your passion in games, becoming creative with the theme. And seeing their creations can really makes you happy that there is a future for game development in our country.

You can check out the rest of the photos of Global Game Jam Manila 2016 by heading to our Facebook Page

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