#fgj17

First, for those who don’t know, a game jam is an event where you make a game in a very limited time, like 48 hours in the case of Global Game Jam. The Global Game Jam is an experience that will either bring you joy, motivation and a finished game, or despair and both physical and mental pain. Sometimes both at the same time. You probably can’t avoid the negative side effect altogether (after all, you’ll probably be working A LOT with very little to no sleep), but you can tip the scales and make the postives far outweigh the negatives. Preparing The first thing to remember about game jams is that you should mimic scouts and BE PREPARED. I’m going to assume here that you’re planning to join an official jam site as opposed to jamming from your home. Pack everything except your computer two days in advance or at least the day before - if you’re a nerd like me, you probably need your computer up until you leave for the Jam. Here’s a handy checklist of things you’ll need: -Toothbrush -Towel -Other hygiene products, like soap or tampons -A change of clothes, even if you got the official jam t-shirt (trust me, you’ll feel better when you’re not completely filthy) -A warm sweater, tired often means cold as well -Sleeping bag/blanket and something soft-ish to sleep on -Pillow, if rolling up clothes under your head isn’t your thing -Your Computer & Screen -All of the necessary chords (double check!) -Keyboard & mouse -Drawing tablet if you’re an artist -Portable music equipment if you’re a musician -Headphones -Enough food to last the first day, unless you’re sure there’s a store nearby -Wallet -Keys, etc Extras: -Gamepads or controllers -Extra screens or other equipment -Energy drinks -Pens and paper to do messy designs and ideas on If you own a PC/a desktop computer, you should give yourself at least an hour to pack it before you leave. Hurry means forgotten chords, which means either a very awkward and non-digital jam or a trip back home. It’s a good idea to pack all of your small items like chords and headphones in one bag, your screen in one, and just carry your PC as it is, since that monstrosity will never fit in a bag anyway, and you’ll end up hating yourself if the bag’s handle breaks. When you travel to them jam, you probably want to be hugging your rig the whole time, or at least stroking it gently to make sure it feels safe and doesn’t move around. You may even want to wrap the seatbelt around it because that thing is probably more important to you than your firstborn child. Another option is to put it in the trunk, but make sure it can’t move around, and that you small items can’t get crushed under anything heavy. At the Jam

When you get to the Jam, you probably need to register and maybe sign a form to allow the event show you on their stream and other possible materials. After that, follow instructions at the site and find a place to sit. If you have a team, you can set up your computers but if you’re alone, you can literally walk around asking who needs help - teams that are gathered on-site are a great way to meet new people. For me, it’s part of the experience, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Once the theme is announced, you can start working on your game. If you don’t have a team yet, ask the organizers for help - they’ll be happy to assist you. Of course you can also jam alone, but where’s the fun in that? The first thing to do is to design your game. Remember the age-old rule: KISS - keep it simple, stupid. You only have 48 hours, so concentrate on creating just a tiny game - one level or a few minutes of gameplay is a reasonable goal, and a lot of teams fail to deliver even that. Plan what you’re going to do, and stick to the plan. Don’t add more features unless you’ve already completed everything else. Every time a teammate says “hey, what about this cool thing”, slap them or if you’re nonviolent, tell them it’s gonna be in the sequel.

When you’ve worked for a few hours, you probably start feeling pretty gross. That means it’s time to be a human being again: walk around a bit, eat, go to the toilet and wash your face if that helps you. Breaks are completely okay, they help you focus and be more productive. Keeping up an acceptable level of hygiene will also make you feel better, as crazy as it sounds.