[Event] Global Game Jam 24-26 January 2014

creative630

Hey all,

The Global Game Jam is coming up soonish, on the 24–26 January 2014. There are usually two locations where the jam happens in SA, namely Johannesburg and Cape Town. As the GGJ blurb says:

The structure of a jam is usually that everyone gathers on Friday late afternoon, watches a short video keynote with advice from leading game developers, and then a secret theme is announced. All sites worldwide are then challenged to make games based on that same theme, with games to be completed by Sunday afternoon.

A/Prof. Patrick Marais from UCT, who is in-charge of the Cape Town chapter, asked me to start spreading the word that the Cape Town section is open for registration! I'm sure the Jo-burg section will open up soon too.

So, who is joining us next year?!

PS: I know this announcement is posted quite early, but the organizers are wanting to get a feel for how to book venues/catering etc.

Johannesburg 2014 Registration
Cape Town 2014 Registration
Vanderbijlpark 2014 Registration

Global Game Jam 2013
Johannesburg Results

Fengol

I'm in! (for Johannesburg that is)

TheFuntastic

Arse! I'm away for a wedding that weekend. Was looking forward to this.

dammit

@Bensonance - Please make an FB event for this :)

Bensonance

Alright, the Cape Town Facebook event is up and running Capetonians: https://www.facebook.com/events/1396999533879084/?context=create

Bensonance

Joburg people, we sort of discussed it last night, but I'll ask now: Which venue would you prefer, the Microsoft Offices or Wits University, Digital Arts department? Both would be keen to have us, I believe.

Post your preferred venue so I can let @ProjectX know!

duncanbellsa

I'd prefer the Microsoft office :)

Bensonance

Okay, the Joburg Facebook Event is up too, just invite people, even though we don't have a venue yet : P.
https://www.facebook.com/events/328032794002783/?previousaction=join&source=1

Fengol

I prefer the Microsoft offices.

Tuism

MS office +1 :)

Karuji

Will we be able to use the MS offices overnight?

Fengol

@Karuji, unfortunately not. They're pretty strict on kicking everyone out but they open early again.

Karuji

@Fengol was hoping that had changed. Admittedly it was fine when I was doing audio since I went hope and made a tonne of noise and had some neat audio the next morning.

Tuism

Oh, then maybe Wits is a better venue. As much as I'm not keen to not sleep, having a deadline time before the deadline is kinda meh. That said, what time's the curfew and when do they open? Maybe it's great to actually force sleep. For our own sakes :)

Karuji

@Tuism the idea of forced sleep is really odd. People are all different. My personal preference is to work until something like 5am and sleep until 10am.

duncanbellsa

I actually don't mind either way, I'm more productive when I stick to my normal work hours. Kicking us out during the evening allows us to take a break and come back fresh :)

Fengol

@Tuism, if I remember correctly it's at about 22:00 or 23:00 and open again 7:00 or 8:00

colinGravity

Dammit, I always want to try to take part in these, but something always seems to come up! My daughters due on the 25th!

PixelJerry

I'm also in! Would also prefer the Microsoft office.

Mac

Wits for me .... that scenic route to bryanston could use a well deserved break

ProjectX

Dave Russell say we can use Microsoft. So I reckon we do it there as usual. Also, isn't the Wits Games Lab gonna be closed for maintenance and such LULz?

Bensonance

@ProjectX Wits opens again by the end of Jan, I believe :). But it sounds like Microsoft is preferred for most, so lets do it there :).

atomicdomb

I might be able to make it to the Johannesburg one!! :P Could be so much fun! What do I need to do to register to be able to attend the JoBurg event :P?

Nitrogen

I'm in for the JHB one... So do we have to clear out at 11pm and then come back in the morning?

Fengol

The PCs and things can stay but the lifeforms must leave and return in the morning

Thelangfordian

Dangnabbit... Lamb of God have their JHB show on the 25th.

Would I still be able to participate, say the Friday till Saturday afternoon, then be back Sunday morning again?

creative630

Darn I forgot about Lamb of God overlap in CT too! Guess I'll be leaving early on the Friday and feeling pretty wrecked on the Saturday :)

EvanGreenwood

Regarding CT judging. Last year I helped with the judging, but this year I am interested in participating (though I have one foot on the fence because I don't know when my deadlines are yet).

Judging all the entries by oneself is actually quite difficult/stressful (because there are time constraints as mostly everyone is exhausted and sleepy by that point and wants to go home quickly).

So it might be nice to get a couple judges this year. The only requirements are that they have some experience making games (Patrick would ideally like someone who has made a few different types of games) and have some time on the Sunday, and aren't participating themselves.

If anyone can think of someone who could be contacted, or would like to volunteer themselves, that'd be great.

I can help with judging if I cannot participate. Two or more judges would be ideal.

edg3

Fengol said:

The PCs and things can stay but the lifeforms must leave and return in the morning

Actually, I just spoke to Dave and that has changed, we can stay through the night now at the MS office.

I am keen to be at GGJ in JHB, will be a nice exercise I think.

EvanGreenwood

Steve McIvor of Tasty Poison games can do the judging for the Cape Town Global Game Jam this year.

Fengol

I've updated the first post with the Johannesburg registration link

edg3

Registered! :D

Stray_Train

My body is ready

Bensonance

We don't have any plans for judging on the Joburg jam site - do we feel we want any?

I think it could be quite interesting to get game journos involved on this. We could try get Geoff from NAG; Zoe from Lazygamer ; someone from eGamer and @hanli to keep things academic? (Also maybe @mattbenic or @AngryMoose?)

I think it might be interesting to expose the journos to game jamming. Additionally, it's a valuable experience to be judged by the very people who would critique your game on release. Any thoughts about this?

raxter

Hello! Just got an email from the CT jam organiser. Only 17 people registered but there is likely to be more on the weekend. Can we get an announcement out (maybe on the Facebook group) to get people to register. It's important so that enough food will be prepared for the jam... and we don't want a shortage of food at the jam ;)

@creative630 or @Bensonance, either of you in charge of the Facebook site?

Bensonance

Done.

PixelJerry

Awesome! Just registered :D

SquigyXD

R to the E to the G to the I to the S to the T to the other E to the R to the another E to the D (if you know what I mean o.O )

REGISTERED!!!! ^^


CT division.

EvanGreenwood

I see your "Registered" and I raise you one "Registered".

Fengol

I just saw @cairnswm is coming to the JHB event! Super excited to have him back

Fengol

@edg3 can we email someone about getting Internet?

iPixelPierre

Where do we pay? I clicked "Join this Jam" then no payment stuff?

Fengol

I think You pay at the event. Did I miss a payment notice for JHB?

Karuji

Don't think we have a cover charge for GGJ.

Bensonance

@iPixelPierre I think if that's for the Cape Town venue, you can just pay at the door. The Joburg venue has no entrance fee though.

iPixelPierre

Yea - Cape Town :)

edg3

Uhh, sure, people coming to the JHB get together should PM me their email address and name so I can organise the guest access for the weekend. I will update THIS post with names of people as I get to adding them to my list. I need this before the 21st January.

List
@DuncanBellSA
@Fengol
@jsgbailey
@hermantulleken
@tuism
@karuji
@stray_train
@Nitrogen
@PixelJerry

Boysano

can i come to the CT event, to be part of the vibe, but not actually take part in making a game? if so do i just need to register? im to slow to jam, and dont think there are orhe GMS teams open looking?

would it be weird if i hust come and work on my project to be part of the networking, without actually taking part?

EvanGreenwood

As I understand it, there is a cover charge at the Cape Town venue, and that goes towards snacks and cool drinks.

@Boysano If you aren't participating then I'm certain there'll be no charge (assuming you don't eat snacks, otherwise there will be a cover charge) and you don't need to register if you're not eating snacks (the early registration is mostly to let Patrick know how many snacks to buy).

There have been jammers at past jams who have worked on their own games during the Global Game Jam. They were disruptive, they spent time interrupting jammers trying to show them progress of their non-jam games. That was uncool.

But if you're there to support and offer feedback then I'm sure you are welcome to come along.

Bensonance

Hey, hey - could someone add the Vanderbijlpark venue to the list at the top?

Thanks :).

Also, could someone talk to the Cape Town organiser about setting the venue hashtag to #GGJSouthAfrica ? A standerdised hashtag means everyone making games for GGJ in SA is a lot easier to find :).

creative630

Done. I'll also email Patrick about the hashtag.