Students tap into their humorous side as part of Global Game Jam challenge
Game enthusiasts had the chance to put their skills to the test in the annual Global Game Jam competition, which was hosted at Glasgow Caledonian University for its 15th time.
The Global Game Jam is a global video game creation challenge, which invites creators to develop a game in just 48 hours.
From Friday 26 to Sunday 28 January, students and video game developers came together to work on a game under the theme of ‘Make me laugh’ which was revealed at the start of the weekend.
The competition, which is open to anyone interested in creating a game, included some GCU students from the Computer Games programmes.
Students Jamie Dorrans, Maryam Al-Nasser, Gavin Armstrong, Aiden Turner, Finn Atkinson, Alicja Leszczynska, Chloe Diffin, Ben Reid, Taylor Cassidy and Lewis McIntyre formed a team to create ‘The Croakster’ which involved a stand-up comedy game and a trio of frog comedians.
The team involved students from a mixture of backgrounds, including Computer Games Design, Software Development and 3D Art and Animation.
Final year 3D Animation student Gavin Armstrong took part in the Global Game Jam for the first time, after taking part in a similar activity during the summer.
He explained: “When I heard about it, I thought that it would be something fun to do at the weekend! I also thought that it would be a good chance to get some experience in making a game in a different format.”
3D Animation student Maryam Al-Nasser took part for the second time.
She said: “It’s a really fun experience and it does give you the chance to work in a team and get a taste of what it’s like to work in the industry. Of course, it was a bit more stressful due to the fact we were making a game in just three days, but it was a great chance to meet other people from the industry as well.”
Regular ‘Jammer and Computer Games (Design) student Jamie Dorrans has been taking part since he studied at college, and completed two virtually during the Covid pandemic.
He added: “These events are probably one of the most important things you CAN do as a game developer looking to get a job. I remember in college, my lecturer telling me explicitly that doing the Game Jam was more important than going to class. I feel like that’s quite an extreme way of putting it, but for game developers, portfolio pieces are pretty crucial for getting a job and Game Jams are a really good way of motivating yourself to do that.”
As well as being a unique challenge for students, the Global Game Jam is also a great way for students to gain experience in creating a game in a team setting.
Jamie concluded: “Anyone looking to sign up, I'd tell them to absolutely go for it. More than being a portfolio piece, these events are just incredibly fun. Grab a group of your friends and try not to take it too seriously. Whatever state your game is in at the end, even if it's a pile of loosely strung together code, there will always be a lesson learned and fuel for your motivation next year.”
By Rachael McAlonan
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