Global Game Jam 2013: A little bit about the experience

Some time after (a few hours to be more precise) my last post, I embarked on a three hour journey to the countryside of Minas Gerais to participate on an experience I can only describe as incredible.

To the ones uninformed and the ones who are not familiar with the game development field, last weekend took place the 5th Global Game Jam, an international game development event. In 270 localizations in 58 different countries, programmers, artists, designers, musicians and writers got together with a single objective: to create a game in 48 hours.

With my notebook on my back and sleeping bag on my hand, me and three friends drove down to Rio Pomba, one of the host towns of the event. We were extremely well received and the structure, although it wasn't perfect, proved itself to be more than enough for a stable Jam (which was a relief considering my last experience with such event). There were two days of a lot of work, dialogue, a few disappointments and a lot of new friendships - most of them extremely talented developers.

As usual the theme was announced by the beginning of the Jam and as usual the theme was surprising:

Brasil Game Show, a little about the experience

As previously said on this post, I was from October 11th till the 14th on Brasil Game Show, the biggest videogame fair of the country, participating on the third national Game Jam. For two days, our team developed a game based on the theme presented to us on the beginning of the Jam. Those were two days filled with problems, ideas, learning and lots, LOTS of work. Everything you hope for from a first game jam.

And even though we didn't take the trophy home, it was an amazing experience, as fun and fulfilling as it was stressful. The kind that remembers me why I chose to work with game development.

But even with my feeling of self realization it is impossible to deny that the event was in many different points badly planned and structured. From the availability of internet and water to the preparation of the support team.

About disappointments and jams

A little summary of my week.

Sunday I received the news that the event I had been helping organize was not going to happen. Not because of structure or staff problems (stuff we dealt with in the beggining of the planning), but because of lack of interest. The 1º PUC Game Jam, event elaborated exclusively for the students of the course of Digital Games Development was supposed to happen from july 10 to july 13, from 8h00 to 18h00 and the winning team would have the right to represent the course on the national game jam that happens in October during Brasil Game Show. And all the participants would receive a certificate that compensates a good amount of the complementary hours needed to graduate.
Disappointment is the best word to describe what I felt (and still feel when I think about it). I do not blame the ones who had to work or were traveling on the time of the event, certain responsabilities cannot wait, but I reffuse to believe that in a course with almost two hundred students, only six had time to participate. Six. Two teams.

Monday, lots to do, too little time.