Azusa Pacific University participated in the 11th Annual Global Game Jam (GGJ), an international gaming challenge which connects gamers from across the world to develop new games over a 48-hour time span. This year more than 47,000 people participated at 860 sites in 113 countries, making more than 9,000 games. APU hosted 19 game “jammers” from the Southern California region, including four APU students. These jammers collaborated for two days straight, fueled by free food and coffee, to create a total of four games which can be downloaded here. All games related to the theme this year, “What does home mean to you?” View a video from APU’s Global Game Jam event.
“The event was very successful,” said Tim Samoff, director of APU’s new Games and Interactive Media program. “Each team was comprised of a programmer, a writer, a designer, and an artist. They first talked about the theme and brainstormed ideas. Then they started writing the story, designing the characters and graphics, picking the style of the game, and choosing a game engine. All teams completed their games, which is a remarkable feat in just 48 hours.”
Samoff invited Chris Skaggs and John Bergquist from Soma Games, a video game company comprised of Christian developers based in Oregon, to present at the GGJ. Skaggs shared his story, including how he became involved in the industry and created his own company. They connected with gaming participants, including APU senior cinematic arts major Amy Lowery.
“It was an amazing networking opportunity and I’m planning on applying to work at Soma after I graduate in May,” she said.
Lowery served as a writer for her team to develop a game called Catalina, which focused on a stray kitten finding a home. Lowery has four years of experience in screenwriting, but this provided her with a unique challenge to enhance her skillset. Other members of her team worked on design, coding, and development. Lowery said her team continues to work on expanding the game.
“I’m surprised by how much we were able to do in only 48 hours,” she said. “I had so much fun. I learned a ton about what it actually takes to make a game, including the differences between writing for games and writing for film, about programming, design and development.”
Samoff said he was impressed by what the teams created in such a short time period. He said most professional games take at least two to three years to create, with a team of dozens or even hundreds.
The GGJ served as the official launch of APU’s new games and interactive media degree, which begins in the fall. The first of its kind among the 140 universities that comprise the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities, APU's program combines story and play, providing core competencies in the cultural, theoretical, artistic, and narrative aspects of game design and interactive media.
The GGJ covered several of these components that APU’s games and interactive media students will learn in depth. Samoff plans on hosting the GGJ annually on campus and is excited to see this event and the new program grow.