UPDATE: Pictures are here!

Well, that was fun!

We (IGDA Phoenix) put together a little Game Jam last weekend. Nothing too huge, just six or seven of us, friends and acquaintances from local studios. Instead of the traditional ‘pick a theme’ or ‘insert random quantity’ methods employed by most game jams, we decided to make this Jam’s theme “Backburner.” Essentially, pick a game idea you’ve been kicking around for a while but haven’t had time to implement. Then talk it over with some bright chaps, think about implementation for a few minutes, and dive in. Make that sucker in a weekend!

Jamming is fun because it puts the focus on what’s fun about game design and development and provides a hard-as-a-hammer deadline at the back end which really helps design ideas crystallize and prevents any kind of waffle. It’s easy to prioritize tasks and test whether or not an idea is working if you only have two days to make the whole game. I think the games that got completed are unassailably fun. Says me. Anyhow, play em and judge for yourself:

Conformity by Scott Anderson

Download Conformity here!

Controls: Click and rotate

It started out as an experimental abstract game idea that Rohit came up with about not conforming. The core of the game was the shape and I started to prototype it a couple of days before the jam. Manipulating the shape was appealing enough that I decided to work on it during the jam and put gameplay into it.

During the jam I went through a variety of failed experiments, including a raycasting collision system that didn’t quite work. In the end I ended up with something inbetween Rohit’s original experimental idea and a casual game. To me the shape looked like a web or a net and that’s how I thought up the final “fishing” mechanic.

Interestingly enough you can still apply the conformity metaphor to the game successfully. The rest state is conforming, while you conform you are always safe but can never make progress. In order to make progress you need to break the mold, but if you are too risky you will get hurt.

During the jam I went through a variety of failed experiments, including a raycasting collision system that didn’t quite work. At one point near the end of the jam the game reminded me of cheesy pornographic arcade games, so I threw in a sexy picture as a joke. In the end I ended up with something inbetween Rohit’s original experimental idea and a casual game. To me the shape looked like a web or a net and that’s how I thought up the final “fishing” mechanic.

_______________________________________________________________________

Raptor Assault by Matthew Wegner (Art by RC Torres and Wadam Mechtley)

Download Raptor Assault here!

Controls: WASD

Mostly, it was a test in executing a feel. I wanted to do everything I could think of to make it seem more like a helicopter: first with the physics control, and then with additional visuals like the grass. The ragdoll raptors were an amazing afterthought.

_______________________________________________________________________

Alone or Gravity Guy by Steve Swink (Art by R.C. “Sharkfox!” Torres)

Download Gravity Guy here!

Controls:

A, D – Rotate
Spacebar – Grab hold (when touching walls)
Click and drag – change gravity direction/amount

I started with the idea of infinite gravity control. I wanted to be able to set direction and amount of gravity at any time as much as the player wanted and see what came out of that. Also, I wanted the player to be compressed by gravity (not really in there at the moment, but I did a spring rig dude that looks pretty cool.) Other stuff I didn’t get a chance to try: enemies who affect gravity in their own way, creating ‘gravity wells’, objects that behave differently under gravitational manipulation, areas with fixed gravity directions, making a traditional platformer guy who was unaffected by his own gravity manipulation. Good times!

We started with five designer/programmers and two artists. Three created something show-able; everyone had fun. Success! I think we’ll plan for another jam in two months’ time. If you’re local in Phoenix, come on down!

4 Comments