Post on 18-Dec-2015
Game Jams and Informal Learning Spaces: Playful Making for Everyone
Scott Nicholson Twitter: @snicholson
Syracuse University School of Information StudiesBecause Play Matters game labhttp:\\becauseplaymatters.com
Game Jams and Informal Learning Spaces: Playful Making for Everyone
Scott Nicholson Twitter: @snicholson
Professor of Games, Wilfrid Laurier UniversityDirector, Brantford Games Network
http:\\bgnetwork.ca
We Be Jammin’
O Overview of Game JamsO Mini Game JamO Lessons learned from Jamming
What’s a Game Jam?
From http://www.gamedevhouse.com/397/game-dev-jam-saturday-june-15th-2013/
Traditionally…
Global Game Jam(Jan 23-25, 2015)
http://globalgamejam.org
But it doesn’t have to be…
What is a game, anyway?
What is a game, anyway?
O “Form of Play with Goals and Structure” – Maroney (2001)
O What is Play?
What is a game, anyway?
O “Form of Play with Goals and Structure” – Maroney (2001)
O Figure out the PlayO Set the GoalsO Make it fair with Structure
What is a game, anyway?
O “Form of Play with Goals and Structure” – Maroney (2001)
O Figure out the PlayO Set the GoalsO Make it fair with Structure
What’s a Game Jam?
From http://www.gamedevhouse.com/397/game-dev-jam-saturday-june-15th-2013/
PLAY
What is a game, anyway?
O “Form of Play with Goals and Structure” – Maroney (2001)
O Figure out the PlayO Freedom to explore boundaries
FUN!
Menu of Fun(Hunicke, LeBlanc, Zubek 2004)
O Fantasy
O Narrative
O Challenge
O Fellowship
O Discovery
O Expression
O Sensations
O Submission
What kind of fun do you want today?
Choose Your Difficulty Level
OEasy OHard
Choose Your Difficulty Level
OEasy OHard
Form groups of 4ish
Your Challenge:
Create a New Form
of Play
Choose Your Difficulty Level
OEasyOUse what is in your pockets.
OHard
Choose Your Difficulty Level
OEasyOUse what is in your pockets.
OHardOUse only
your bodies!
You can change.
Your Challenge:
Create a New Form
of Play
Phase Two:
Play with2-3 other groups!
Elements of a Game Jam
O A core concept, technology or question
O Initial ideationO Development and PlaytestingO Specific deadlineO Sharing and Wrapup
O Playaround?O Awards?
O Post-event Distribution
How to start?
Player Experience
Theme
ComponentsMechanisms
Provide BoundariesO Game Shells
O Three-Tac-ToeO Track MeetO Existing games
O ConstraintsO TimeO ComplexityO Platform
Rules TemplateO GoalO SetupO Starting PlayerO Turn OrderO Special Rules
Reflections and Discussion
O How do you feel about the idea of using a game or play jam?
O Do you see some specific applications with which you could use a game or play jam ?
O How would you modify the structure to make it work in your context?
Don’t make games for the community.
Help the community make games for
themselves.
To learn more…
Because Play Matters game lab:http://becauseplaymatters.com
http://scottnicholson.comTwitter: @snicholson