While creating new video games from the ground up is often a long and expensive task, especially for the big names in the video game industry, for some it is also as casual as a doing a hobby on the weekends. Others have picked game development as a side project to their usual line of work. With the advancement of technology, tools to create games as a small project as opposed to a full blown, dedicated project have been created and are accessible to almost anyone who’s interested. That being said, it’s become a trend to have “game jams” held in several locations around the world, the Philippines being one of them.

                Last January 23 to 25, 2015, Global Game Jam™, the “world’s largest game jam event”, was held at the Ateneo de Manila University, known locally as the Manila Game Jam 2015. This three-day event invited aspiring game developers around Manila to try their hand at creating and showcasing their skills by making a game all in the span of one weekend.  In this time, over 100 games were created and showcased, 32 coming from the Ateneo location.

                It is important to note that the Manila Game Jam 2015 promotes collaboration, and is not a competition. The event was open to anyone who wanted to register for it, and you don’t need to be highly experienced in your field in order to join. Even aspiring game designers and programmers could also join in the event. This gives them a chance to learn something new through their interactions with other people, and with the things they do in order to create their game.

                The game jam itself, or the process of creating the game, is just under 48 hours. Participants must then make a working game with their teams. They are all called to conceptualize, create, code, develop, test, debug, and put together the pieces the puzzle that is their game. As said in the local site of the Manila Game Jam 2015, “[t]hink of it as a hackathon focused on game development.”

                In order for us to get a sneak-peek as to what the experience is like when it comes to these game jams, we’ve interviewed Willard Othelo Torres, who also goes by the name Anheurystics, a novice game developer and a Computer Science freshman in the Ateneo. We asked him several questions regarding his experience with the Manila Game Jam 2015 and game jams in general.

Willard’s alias and logo

Q : Was this your first game jam? If not, what others have you participated in?

Willard Torres, 1 BS CS: No. First one was Ludum Dare #27, an online 48-72 hour game jam done from home. I’ve also joined GGJ 2014, and then other assorted game jams with different time spans.

Q: In those other game jams, did you also participate with the same group as the one you did in the Global Game Jam 2015?

Willard: In all except GGJ 2014 & 2015, I went solo. For GGJ, I was in different teams, with one consistent member.

Q: When did you start participating in these game jams? And what caused/inspired you to start doing so?

Willard: LD27 was around August 2013. The concept of making a game in a short time really interested me. I wanted to see if I was capable of doing so.

Q: Have you won any awards for the games you’ve created? If yes, what awards were those?

Willard: All GGJ participants get some sort of creatively-named award for participation. Some were GGJ 2014, Best Use Of Crash Test Dummy Award. GGJ 2015, Most Avant Garde.

Q: Of all the game jams you’ve attended, what are some of the more interesting themes you’ve experienced?

Willard: GGJ 2014’s theme was rather difficult. “We don’t see things as they are, we see them as we are.” The ones for LD are relatively simple: 10 seconds, etc.

Added note: For Global Game Jam 2015, the theme was “What do we do now?”

Q: Could you share one significant experience or story from attending these events? Like meet any interesting people, or have odd experiences?

Willard: For the last GGJ, I got so drowsy I started singing church hymns.

Q: As an aspiring video game developer, how much do you feel these game jams are aiding in your own development as one?

Willard: Game jams, at least the 2-3 day ones, teach coping and adapting to time and theme restrictions. I also learn a new thing/technique for each game jam I join.

Q: Considering video game development isn’t that popular in the Philippines, do you think these game jams can somehow change that?

Willard: Maybe, maybe not. I think a good way of increasing interest in game development is to promote it as early as late grade school or high school.

                It’s great that there are local events like the Manila Game Jam 2015 and online game jams such as the Ludum Dare open to interested individuals wanting to hone their skills in game development. Being held in sites like schools and universities, or even just at the comfort of their homes, also help in making these events more accessible and visible to interested people.

                If you’re an experienced game developer, you like the thrill of doing things under 48 hours, or you just want to try making games with your friends, these game jams could be just want you need.

If you want to know more about the Global Game Jam 2015, check out their website: Global Game Jam

You can play the game made by Willard and his friends by clicking here: End Game +