During the weekend of 27 to 29 January the fourth edition of the Global Game Jam will be held, a worldwide event all about creativity and game creation. Following the success of the first three editions, this year's meeting will be held simultaneously in 212 headquarters in 46 countries, which will host teams of young people who will work to create a complete game in a weekend. All participants are subject to the same restrictions regarding the theme, which will be announced at the beginning of the meeting.
One of the two Spanish sites for this event will be the Universidad Complutense de Madrid, thus linking its name to such prestigious universities as the University of Southern California and Carnegie Mellon, headquarters for the event in their respective cities. The event is organized by teachers of the Masters Degree in Game Development, taught in the Computer Faculty, University Complutense. Bearing in mind our experience over the previous three years, we hope to fill the 40 places available to students finishing their degrees and gaming-related training programs, along with professionals from major national studies.
A Game Jam is an intense, exciting encounter between game creators. Participants in a Game Jam meet in small groups and work to develop a complete game in a very short period of time. The objectives are to have fun and create experimental games that are original and innovative.
The Global Game Jam (GGJ) is a unique event of its kind: a Game Jam held simultaneously around the world over a 48 hour period! The 2012 Global Game Jam will start at 5.00pm on Friday 27 and end at 5.00pm on Sunday January 29, 2012 (local times in each country). All participants in the Global Game Jam will be subject to the same restrictions on the type of game to be developed. The restrictions will be announced at the beginning of the meeting and each time zone will have a different additional constraint to prevent anyone from starting work early.
The Global Game Jam is not a competition but a space for creativity, to exchange ideas and spend a intensive weekend with people passionate about game development. At the end of the event, participants and a jury of professionals in the gaming industry choose the best games. The industry jury will be formed with the collaboration of the Spanish Association of game development and entertainment software companies (DEV), the largest group of producers in the country.
The event is sponsored by the Audiovisual Cluster and collaboration from Madrid Medialab-Prado in whose facilities Madrid Game Jam 2012 will be held. Medialab-Prado also offers participants the opportunity to develop their games to the "digital wall," a screen where it is very difficult for games to go unnoticed.
Local organizers of Madrid Game Jam 2012 invite you to take advantage of the unique opportunity to participate in this event and spend a memorable weekend together doing what we like best: making games!
It will be broadcast live via USTREAM TV and in the meantime check out the video explaining the whole process: