Global Games Jam returns to Stafford with over 100 'jammers' signed up

For the 3rd year in the row Games Technology is hosting a site for the International Game Developer Association’s annual, world wide Games Jam. The 48hr event will see students, alumni, friends and professionals create teams with the aim to make an original game, on a theme decided by the IGDA, from start to finish over the weekend.

According to Nia Wearn, the Games Jam's organiser “We've grown to be one of the largest games jam's in the country, last time I checked we were certainly the biggest in England, but we've also got a great reputation for being friendly and welcoming, coupled with excellent facilities. I'm really looking forward to this one, it's great to see veteran games jammers who have graduated, gone into the industry, and are coming back for the weekend.”

Since the jam is such a concentrated development time, it has the capacity to create very firm friendships in the short space of time. There are least two groups of alumni coming back to see if they can work together, with the view to setting up an indie games companies. It's a great social event too, with everyone mixing, from first years, through to master students and alumni forming teams and working together. While the Games Jam isn't competitive, there are side contests being run for teams interested in developing on the windows phone platform, or looking into accessibility and games.

The Games Jam has become a highlight of the social calendar, with a week to go Facebook and Twitter are buzzing with excited students. In a conversation on Facebook, Rowan Davies, a 3rd year Games Design Student “ Sum up GGJ? It can be done in one word: "Unmissable" , his comment was in response to a 3rd year Gameplay Design and Production Student, David Smith “Someone just asked me to sum up Global Games Jam: 48 Hours of meeting and creating with like-minded individuals who all love games. Fast Food. Fast Friends. Fast Games. “.

The jammers will be on site in the Ruxton Technology Center for the full 48hrs, with everything kicking off at 5pm on Friday and ending by 6pm on Sunday. Nia again, “The jam teams are being asked to create videos this year so we should have great fun watching all of the different games created, All of the games are uploaded onto the Global Games Jam website and their great additions to students portfolios. It's an excellent event for the students and it's great to know we have the support of the Faculty and the University behind us”.

As ever, The Games Jam will be streamed, tweeted, blogged and videoed, with details of everything up on the Games Tech blog: http://staffsgamesacademy.tumblr.com/