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Global Game Jam 2016 Newsletter - Vol. 2
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#GGJ16: Jammer Registration is Go!


Jammer registration open!


Get ready to jam, because jammer registration is now open! Spread the word - anyone can now sign up to be a part of the 2016 Global Game Jam.
We already have 329 jammers signed up in 199 jam sites located in 48 countries. Check out the Live Status map for the latest updates!

No site near you? There is still time to register a jam site! If you have been thinking about registering a site, but have not got round to it yet - now is the time. Register now on our website. The only things you need to open a jam site are a dedicated organizer and a jam venue with internet access. Read our GGJ Manual and Frequently Asked Questions to learn more about setting up a site.

If your local site is not accepting registrations via the Global Game Jam website yet, check with them directly as they may have a local sign up process.

GDC Scholarships

Did you know, just by volunteering time to keep the Global Game Jam up and running, you become eligible for one of a limited number of scholarships which consist of an All Access pass to the Game Developer's Conference 2016 in San Francisco, California (March 14-18, 2016)?

 In considering the awarding of these scholarships, two criteria are used:

  1. Overall service to Global Game Jam (50%)
  2. GGJ volunteering in underrepresented regions of the world and countries where none or few GGJ sites normally participate (50%)

To participate please fill out this short survey. Application reviews will begin on December 1.

The awards are open to any current Global Game Jam organizers, regional organizers or other volunteer affiliates. 

Big thanks to the GDC organizers for giving us the means to reward our community with such a fantastic opportunity.

Defold Beta Invitations
Wanna jam faster? We have a few invites to the beta of Defold – a new free game engine from King.  Be one of the first outside of King to try it out, claim your invite on defold.com/ggj16 and read more at defold.com.

3 Month Houdini Indie Licenses

We have teamed up with SideFX Software who would like to offer 3 month licenses of Houdini Indie to all GGJ participants.

To claim a 3 month licence email indielicense@sidefx.com using the subject: "Houdini Indie for Global Game Jam" and supply the name and email address you would like the licence to be issued to. The 3 month licence will begin as soon as you receive the license email (not when you download) - so get started as soon as possible!

Here are some resources to get you started:

Side Effects Quick Start Tutorials

Game Tutor Houdini, Houdini Engine, & Unity Tutorials

Lester Banks Houdini Tutorials

If you use Houdini for any of your game projects, SideFX would love to hear about it! Email Ben Mears, SideFX's Games Community Manager, ben@sidefx.com or hit him up on Twitter @The_BenMears.

Where are they now ?

Thousands of incredible games emerge from Global Game Jam each year and many jammers go far with their work even after the event. A number of games from each GGJ go on to become smash indie hits or award-winning game experiences. Others grow from tiny weekend prototypes to fully-developed games for PC, console, mobile, and more. No matter your story, we want to hear from you! Tell us about your Global Game Jam adventure to be featured in our upcoming game spotlights.

 

Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes


From GGJ 2014 Algonquin College jam site to (briefly!) being the 3rd most watched game on Twitch, and 2nd highest selling game on Steam, Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes had a different take on the theme "We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are". 

Inspired by the new technology of an Oculus Rift, and Razer Hydra - one player is presented with a ticking time bomb while the other has a thick and complicated coded manual.  The player armed with vision, buttons and wire clippers must describe what they see, while their team mate deciphers the code. Careful verbal communication is the only possible bridge to the two perspectives. 

The game was produced by Ben Kane, Allen Pestaluky and Brian Fetter (who have gone on to form Steel Crate Games), with music provided by Liam Sauve.  
 
Brian talked to us about how being part of the Global Game Jam helped the team create a working prototype - 'Game jams bring people together with a specific purpose and a short time to accomplish it. Without that time restriction it would be too easy to fall into the trap of wanting to do everything the right way instead of the most effective way to prove out your idea's potential. We wrote a lot of quick and dirty code to get it done in under 48 hours and if we hadn't the same prototype would have taken much longer. Also having all of the other teams around you working hard to accomplish something helps drive you forward more than if your team was working in isolation.'

You can buy Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes on Steam and Humble today.
Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes PC Launch Trailer
You are trapped alone in a room with a ticking time bomb. Your friends have the manual to defuse it, but they can't see, so you're going to have to talk it out – fast!

#GGJ16 Sponsors & Supporters
Global Game Jam would not be possible without the generous support of our sponsors and supporters throughout the years. Here are some of the wonderful organizations joining us this year to support Global Game Jam 2016:
Headline Sponsors

Unity is more than just a cross-platform game engine. It's a rapid prototyping tool. It's small-team ready. Whether you decide on 2D or 3D, it builds to the cloud so you can download, test, and get back to developing. It captures the story of your players with Analytics. Unity is more than just a game engine, it's a vibrant community of developers creating games they love on the platforms they choose.

Wanna jam faster? We have a few invites to the beta of Defold – a new free game engine from King.  Be one of the first outside of King to try it out, claim your invite on defold.com/ggj16 and read more at defold.com.
Gold Sponsor

Global Game Jam welcomes Facebook on board as a Gold Sponsor for #GGJ16.

You can be part of the GGJ community on Facebook by liking our page and joining our group. It's a great space to connect and share all things Global Game Jam.
See all our other sponsors...

Are you interested in supporting Global Game Jam and joining this list of sponsors? We welcome you to review our Sponsorship Prospectus and get in touch with us via exec@globalgamejam.org if you are interested.

Thank You & Happy Jamming!

- Team #GGJ16 -
Copyright © 2015 The Global Game Jam, All rights reserved.


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