Co-Create Game Jam

February 16 - 18, 2024

Online across the province and in-person 8th Floor, Donadeo Innovation Centre for Engineering, University of Alberta, 9211 116 St NW, Edmonton, AB T6G 1H9

The University of Alberta’s Games Den and Interactive Arts Alberta are teaming up to hold a game jam during reading week, from February 16-18. This game jam is intended to provide an accessible opportunity for new and veteran game developers to participate in the interdisciplinary process of making games.

As part of this game jam, there will be several opportunities to elevate the experience, including a Mentorship Café being held in collaboration with the International Game Developers Association (IGDA), some micro-talks to encourage and inspire the participants, and opportunity to work on lo-fi and hi-fi games.

Jammers of all experience levels and disciplines are welcome, this event is open to tabletop, TTRPG, and video games. This game jam is open to all Albertans, with a particular focus on students in the post-secondary system from the University of Alberta, NAIT, MacEwan, the University of Calgary, Mount Royal University, and SAIT, though all are welcome! Online participants will be able to join Discord and participate remotely, those who are in the city of Edmonton are encouraged to join in-person at the University of Alberta.

The purpose of the Co-Create Game Jam is to encourage new and veteran game developers to come together for the purpose of making cool games and building a better games industry. Co-Create Game Jam has an emphasis on “building a better games industry,” meaning that we intentionally restrict hours to prevent crunch, encourage good working habits, and award prizes based on working together vs. building the most profitable project.

Never participated in a jam before? Worry not! We will be providing icebreakers to facilitate team formation on site, and will have many folks who are eager to help answer any questions or concerns you may have both online and in-person.

Resources

The Co-Create Game Jam

The jam will be judged through a voluntary submission of projects through the game jam’s itch.io page at https://www.itch.io/. All teams who submit will receive qualitative feedback on their projects, with highly enjoyable games receiving specific kudos for their efforts.

Importantly, as this jam is intended to stress accessibility and participation, the majority of prizes will be provided as random draws. The only stipulation is that project teams must submit a final project for evaluation by judges.

There will be several categories in which individuals can submit their jam projects:

AI/ML Game/Tools
- Teams who submit in this category will receive feedback relating to how well their game used AI for production/content development, or in gameplay. If teams submitted a tool, their tool will be evaluated on the basis of its utility.
- Teams who have submitted an AI/ML Game/Tool will also have an opportunity to showcase their games at Amii’s Upper Bound during an IAA event in May.
Impact Game
- For teams submitting an impact game, they will be evaluated on the extent to which their game can create awareness around a social need, or if the game is capable of modifying social-impact behaviours. Categories for evaluation will include: “gameplay,” “social impact,” and “adherence to theme.”
- Teams who submit in this category will have a chance to showcase their game on the GDX Main Stage at K-Days.
Tabletop Game
- Tabletop game submissions will be evaluated on the basis of “appropriateness for target audience,” “ease of understanding,” “mechanics,” and “adherence to theme.”
- Teams who submit a tabletop game will receive feedback on the viability of their game as a market product, and potential improvements to bring the product to market.
- For teams submitting tabletop games, they will need to provide two of the following three requirements: a rulebook, a slide-deck detailing how to play the game, or a video explainer.
- Teams who submit in this category can take advantage of an opportunity to showcase their game at a board game cafe in 2024.
Market-Viable Game
- Teams who submit in this category believe that their game will have a viable market, and will be evaluated on the basis of: “aesthetics (sound & graphics),” “gameplay,” and “market viability according to target market.”
- Teams who submit their market viable game will receive feedback on the basis of improving the game toward saleability.

There will be merit-based awards for the following categories:

Kindness Award
- This award will be given to teams whose members’ self-evaluations demonstrate co-operation, working together, and empathy in pursuit of their goals.
Innovation Award
- This award will be given to teams who took big risks in implementing a highly innovative feature or gameplay mechanics.

WHO CAN PARTICIPATE?

Anyone can participate! While our focus is on the province of Alberta and post-secondary students, this game jam is open to the general public. Underaged participants are welcome to participate online only. Experience is not necessary. Designers, developers, artists, musicians, knitters, and gardeners are all encouraged. You can participate on a team of up to five individuals. Your team can be comprised of individuals from any discipline, although we highly recommend having a blended interdisciplinary team of individuals who can program, design, and create art/sound/writing assets.

WHAT IS THIS?

"Jam" is a reference to musical jam sessions. Similarly, the goal with a "game jam" is to come together and make a videogame, or a non-digital (analog) game like a board game or card game. Participants rapidly prototype game designs and inject new ideas to create a new product or tool. A game jam is a collaborative opportunity to connect with other game developers to build a game under specific constraints. The Co-Create Game Jam is a judged by request game jam; participants' projects being will be judged by a panel of expert AI researchers, game developers, and members of industry. Winners will receive a variety of prizes, including up to five All Access GDX 2024 Conference passes ($1,250 CAD value), redeemable at the GDX 2024 Conference taking place Edmonton, Alberta.

WHEN IS THE GAME JAM THIS TAKING PLACE?

The Co-Create Game Jam is taking place from 5 PM on February 16 to 8 PM on February 18, 2024.

WHERE IS THE AI GAME JAM GOING TO BE?

The Co-Create Game Jam is a hybrid game jam, meaning that you can participate both online and in-person. The in-person home base will be on the University of Alberta campus. For those who attend in person, there will be snacks and light beverages available for you. Online and in-person participants will be asked to join a Discord server ahead of time.

WHY INCLUDE AI IN A GAME JAM?

Not only is Alberta is a world leader in AI research, but we also have a plethora of incredibly talented game developers who call this province home. As a result, we want to highlight both our expertise in AI, and game development talent.

HOW DOES THIS GAME JAM EXIST?

The Co-Create Game Jam is a collaboration between the University of Alberta's Games Den and Interactive Arts Alberta.

Code of Conduct

Agenda

The event will be running to this tentative schedule.

(Please note, this agenda is subject to change!)

FEB

Facility Hours: 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM
5:00 PM - Opening Ceremonies

5:15 PM - People Bingo Icebreakers for Team Formation

6:30 PM - Theme Reveal

7:00 PM - In-person Venue Closure

FEB

Facility Hours: 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM

Micro talks TBA

FEB

Facility Hours: 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM
5:00 PM - Deadline for Submission on itch.io

5:15 PM - Closing Ceremonies

6:30 PM - Announcement of Category Drawings

When is the signup deadline?

The signup deadline is February 14 at 11:30 PM.
What's the cost to participate?

There is no cost to participate in this game jam.
Who can register for the game jam?

Whether you are a student, a hobbyist, an indie dev, or a AAA developer, you are welcome to participate in the AI Game Jam. There is no restriction to registering for the game jam. Everyone is welcome, and we encourage all humans across all intersectional identities to participate.
Do I need to know programming to register?

You do not need to be a programmer to participate in this game jam. Games are inherently interdisciplinary, so whether you are bringing art, writing, audio, or other support, your skills are extremely valuable. Furthermore, this is a great and supportive environment for learning; it’s the best place to try something new.
What happens at a hackathon/game jam?

For 48 hours, participants work together in teams of 1 to 5 people to build a project in either an online, in-person, or hybrid environment. There is no limit on creativity. This event serves as focused time to work on your idea, alongside other like-minded game developers.
Who is organizing this game jam?

Interactive Arts Alberta and the University of Alberta's Games Den student group. Interactive Arts Alberta is a non-profit based in Edmonton that is growing capacity for games culture and game development within the province.
I have questions beyond what the FAQ covers...

Please email hello@interactiveartsalberta.org for more information. In addition, please join our community Discord @ https://discord.gg/5Ayj9hy3GA to ask the organizers questions.
What is the theme of this game jam?

The theme will be revealed at our opening ceremony.
How should I prepare?

Here are the top things you should do to prepare for this event: Sign up for a Discord account if you don't yet have one. Find a team to sign up for the event with you. Don't worry if you do not have a pre-made team; we will have time for team building on the day of the event. Brainstorm potential project ideas ahead of time if you can. Get good rest before the event starts. Since time is limited, you will likely be putting in a lot of time on each of the two days to complete your project.
What resources do I need to participate? What is provided on-site?

You will have access to the University of Alberta's WiFi, although we recommend that you download your tools beforehand to avoid any network issues. If you are attending on-site, make sure to bring your laptop, charger and any other required tech you’ll need for your hack. The facility will not be open at night, so no sleep gear will be required. Please do not bring any drugs or alcohol. If you are not sure about bringing a certain item, please send us a message ahead of time. If you are participating remotely, you will need a computer (of course). In addition, please ensure you have a good Internet connection in order to connect to the Discord server.
Where can I find parking?

Parking is available on-site for a fee over the weekend. We recommend parking in Windsor Car Park, as it is extremely close to the Donadeo Innovation Centre for Engineering.
How do teams work for this game jam?

You can come with a pre-made team, or--depending on availability of other devs, and the willingness of others--we can find you a team to join. Game jams are a great opportunity to connect with others and build a network, so even if you have a pre-made team, we would recommend being open to adopting solo devs. Conversely, if you are a solo dev, we would recommend trying to find at least one other person to work with. There will be opportunities for willing participants to look for, make or join a team before and at the game jam through the Discord and after opening ceremonies. If you want to jam as a team, be sure to be proactive during these opportunities! Alternatively, if you have a team and want to find an additional member, these are also opportunities for your team. You may have a max group size of five people, although we recommend a group size of four.
Do I have to be at the Donadeo Innovation Centre to participate?

You do not have to be physically present to participate in the game jam.
May I work remotely on this project?

Of course you can! That said, we recommend having a discussion amongst your team how you might like to work. Although the event is hybrid, and we will have various voice/chat rooms available for you, understanding how you work best (in-person, remote, or hybrid) will be up for you and your team to figure out.
Will there be food?

We will provide light refreshments (like water and pop) and snacks, but we will not serve full meals. If you have any dietary restrictions, we recommend bringing food from home. Depending on the number of in-person game jammers, we may order in some additional food.
Can I volunteer for the game jam?

We'd love to have your support for the game jam! Please send an email to hello@interactiveartsalberta.org if you are interested in volunteering.
Can I sponsor the game jam?

If you are interested in sponsoring the game jam, we are open to both monetary and in-kind sponsorship. If you are interested in sponsoring GDX more broadly, but with a focus on the Hackathon, we are also open to this opportunity! For sponsorship inquiries, please contact hello@interactiveartsalberta.org.

Donadeo Innovation Centre for Engineering

UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA

116 Street NW, Edmonton, AB T6G 2E1