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{{notability}} |
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⚫ | The '''Indie Game Jam''' (IGJ) |
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{{Third-party}} |
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{{COI}} |
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⚫ | The '''Indie Game Jam''' (IGJ) was a yearly [[game jam]] held from 2002-2005. Started by a group of game designer-programmers, the event features a shared game engine technology worked on by other designer-programmers for a single long weekend. The games resulting from that weekend are then published, open-source, on the IGJ web page. Hosted in [[Oakland, California]] just before the [[Game Developers Conference]] (GDC), the IGJ runs on sponsorship and donations. |
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⚫ | IGJ is known for innovation and rapid prototyping of new gameplay ideas. After third IGJ, [[Doug Church]] comments "[..] it's kinda true that nothing works, but you just throw everyone into the middle of the fire and things come out." He comments that small experiments can lead to big developments in the field. He also notes that while IGJ may not itself revolutionize the mainstream video game industry, but may inspire individuals to innovate. Justin Hall explains that "roots of electronic entertainment life [lie in such] collaborations". |
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== Overview == |
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Numerous well known indie developers and other game industry figures have participated, including [[Jonathan Blow]], [[Doug Church]], [[Chaim Gingold]], [[Justin Hall]], [[Chris Hecker]], [[Austin Grossman]], [[Marc LeBlanc]], and [[Randy Smith (game designer)|Randy Smith]]. |
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IGJ is an important event for [[indie game]] developers that allows to develop and present ideas without [[video game publisher|publisher]] restrictions.{{sfn|Thompson|Berbank-Green|Cusworth|2007|p=83}} Hosted in [[Oakland, California]] just before the [[Game Developers Conference]], the IGJ runs on sponsorship and donations. |
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The IGJ was considered an inspiration for later game jams including the [[Nordic Game Jam]] and the [[Global Game Jam]]. |
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⚫ | IGJ is known for innovation and rapid prototyping of new gameplay ideas. After third IGJ, [[Doug Church]] comments "[..] it's kinda true that nothing works, but you just throw everyone into the middle of the fire and things come out." |
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== Yearly Game Jams == |
== Yearly Game Jams == |
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Each year, Indie Game Hame poses different questions about innovation of new settings, genres, and controls. |
Each year, Indie Game Hame poses different questions about innovation of new settings, genres, and controls. |
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* The first Indie Game Jam |
* The first Indie Game Jam named "0th Indie Game Jam." was held in March 2002. The idea for the event came from Chris Hecker and Sean Barrett, who originally presented Dogma 2001 challenge for the 2001 Game Developers Conference. Hecker described the attempt as encouragement for experimentation with technology-driven design and pointed out that video gaming industry lacked innovation being restricted by [[video game publisher|publisher]] expectations for returns. He proposed to use 10,000 [[sprite (computer graphics)|sprites]] to produce a game. During the jam 12 new games were developed by 14 developers. All games used the same engine, which Hecker noted took considerable time to produce. The engine was optimized and strived to stress the hardware. He also noted that great programmers had to be chosen due to limited time and complex coding tasks. The resulting games, while in now way complete, were presented at the [[Experimental Gameplay Workshop]] session at the 2002 GDC. The event was funded by donations, for example [[Intel]] supplied the team's [[personal computers]]. |
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* The second Indie Game Jam held in March 2003 used |
* The second Indie Game Jam held in March 2003 used [[Zack Simpson]]'s [[Shadow Garden]] technology, which used a human shadow projected on the wall as the primary interface. The IGJ again had 14 developers participating. |
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* The third Indie Game Jam was held in March 2004 and two |
* The third Indie Game Jam was held in March 2004 and two dozen developers participated. In the invitation letter, Hecker proposed to explore [[physics engine]] integration into gameplay. The engine chosen was Atman Binstock's 2D physics engine. The engine presented a challenge, because real world physics did not necessarily correspond with the engine's features. The jam explored level deformation and chaotic results from player's interaction with the physics engine. It proved difficult to focus on game design rather than physics themselves. The jam also invited a number of support stuff and [[video game artist|artists]] to polish the games. Almost all games produced used [[PlayStation 2]] [[DualShock| DualShock controller]]s. While unfamiliarity with the engine and certain technical difficulties provided a challenge, in the end the team succeeded at producing working games. |
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* The fourth Indie Game Jam held in March 2005 explored human interaction using 3D characters from ''[[The Sims]]'' video game. |
* The fourth Indie Game Jam held in March 2005 explored human interaction using 3D characters from ''[[The Sims]]'' video game. |
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== References == |
== References == |
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=== Notes === |
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{{reflist}} |
{{reflist}} |
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== Additional Reading == |
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* [[Justin Hall]] (2008) [http://books.google.com/books?id=OjIYWtqWxtAC&lpg=PA405&dq=%22Indie%20Game%20Jam%22&pg=PA403#v=onepage&q&f=false Indie Game Jam: An outlet for Innovation and Experimental Game Design] in [[Game Design Workshop]] (2nd edition) by [[Tracy Fullerton]] |
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<div class="reflist"> |
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* [[Richard Rouse]] and [[Steve Ogden]] (2004) [http://books.google.com/books?id=tGePP1Nu_P8C&lpg=PA530&dq=%22Indie%20Game%20Jam%22&pg=PA500#v=onepage&q&f=false Interview: [[Doug Church]]] |
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* {{Cite book |title=Game design workshop: a playcentric approach to creating innovative games |first1=Tracy |last1=Fullerton |first2=Christopher |last2=Swain |first3=Steven |last3=Hoffman |url=http://books.google.com/books?id=OjIYWtqWxtAC&pg=PA405&dq=%22Indie+Game+Jam%22&hl=en&ei=ZTh3TcDEGMmw8QO7pOWfDA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result#v=onepage&q=%22Indie%20Game%20Jam%22&f=false |isbn=978-0240809748 |publisher=[[Morgan Kaufmann]] |edition=2nd |chapter=Indie Game Jam: An outlet for Innovation and Experimental Game Design |others=Article by [[Justin Hall]] |year=2008 |ref=harv}} |
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* {{Cite book |title=Game Design: Principles, Practice, and Techniques - The Ultimate Guide for the Aspiring Game Designer |first1=Jim |last1=Thompson |first2=Barnaby |last2=Berbank-Green |first3=Nic |last3=Cusworth |isbn=978-0471968948 |publisher=Wiley |year=2007 |url=http://books.google.com/books?id=Zyh4HXuHTPMC&pg=PA83&dq=%22Indie+Game+Jam%22&hl=en&ei=0ax3TcH_C5P04ga6lsH3Bw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=4&ved=0CD0Q6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=%22Indie%20Game%20Jam%22&f=false |ref=harv}} |
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* {{Cite book |title=Game Design: Theory and Practice |first1=Richard |last1=Rouse |first2=Steve |last2=Ogden |isbn=978-1556229121 |publisher=Jones & Bartlett |edition=2nd |year=2004 |url=http://books.google.com/books?id=tGePP1Nu_P8C&pg=PA530&dq=%22Indie+Game+Jam%22&hl=en&ei=-ud5Tb-HDYT3sgbnt5HeBw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CDgQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=%22Indie%20Game%20Jam%22&f=false |others=Interview with [[Doug Church]] |ref=harv}} |
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</div> |
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==External links== |
==External links== |
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* [http://www.indiegamejam.com/ Indie Game Jam] |
* [http://www.indiegamejam.com/ Indie Game Jam] |
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⚫ | |||
⚫ | |||
* [http://software.intel.com/en-us/articles/achieving-performance-an-approach-to-optimizing-a-game-engine/ Achieving Performance: An Approach to Optimizing a Game Engine] |
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[[Category:Video game development]] |
[[Category:Video game development]] |
Revision as of 21:52, 11 March 2011
The Indie Game Jam (IGJ) was a yearly game jam held from 2002-2005. Started by a group of game designer-programmers, the event features a shared game engine technology worked on by other designer-programmers for a single long weekend. The games resulting from that weekend are then published, open-source, on the IGJ web page. Hosted in Oakland, California just before the Game Developers Conference (GDC), the IGJ runs on sponsorship and donations.
IGJ is known for innovation and rapid prototyping of new gameplay ideas. After third IGJ, Doug Church comments "[..] it's kinda true that nothing works, but you just throw everyone into the middle of the fire and things come out." He comments that small experiments can lead to big developments in the field. He also notes that while IGJ may not itself revolutionize the mainstream video game industry, but may inspire individuals to innovate. Justin Hall explains that "roots of electronic entertainment life [lie in such] collaborations".
Numerous well known indie developers and other game industry figures have participated, including Jonathan Blow, Doug Church, Chaim Gingold, Justin Hall, Chris Hecker, Austin Grossman, Marc LeBlanc, and Randy Smith.
The IGJ was considered an inspiration for later game jams including the Nordic Game Jam and the Global Game Jam.
Yearly Game Jams
Each year, Indie Game Hame poses different questions about innovation of new settings, genres, and controls.
- The first Indie Game Jam named "0th Indie Game Jam." was held in March 2002. The idea for the event came from Chris Hecker and Sean Barrett, who originally presented Dogma 2001 challenge for the 2001 Game Developers Conference. Hecker described the attempt as encouragement for experimentation with technology-driven design and pointed out that video gaming industry lacked innovation being restricted by publisher expectations for returns. He proposed to use 10,000 sprites to produce a game. During the jam 12 new games were developed by 14 developers. All games used the same engine, which Hecker noted took considerable time to produce. The engine was optimized and strived to stress the hardware. He also noted that great programmers had to be chosen due to limited time and complex coding tasks. The resulting games, while in now way complete, were presented at the Experimental Gameplay Workshop session at the 2002 GDC. The event was funded by donations, for example Intel supplied the team's personal computers.
- The second Indie Game Jam held in March 2003 used Zack Simpson's Shadow Garden technology, which used a human shadow projected on the wall as the primary interface. The IGJ again had 14 developers participating.
- The third Indie Game Jam was held in March 2004 and two dozen developers participated. In the invitation letter, Hecker proposed to explore physics engine integration into gameplay. The engine chosen was Atman Binstock's 2D physics engine. The engine presented a challenge, because real world physics did not necessarily correspond with the engine's features. The jam explored level deformation and chaotic results from player's interaction with the physics engine. It proved difficult to focus on game design rather than physics themselves. The jam also invited a number of support stuff and artists to polish the games. Almost all games produced used PlayStation 2 DualShock controllers. While unfamiliarity with the engine and certain technical difficulties provided a challenge, in the end the team succeeded at producing working games.
- The fourth Indie Game Jam held in March 2005 explored human interaction using 3D characters from The Sims video game.
References
Additional Reading
- Justin Hall (2008) Indie Game Jam: An outlet for Innovation and Experimental Game Design in Game Design Workshop (2nd edition) by Tracy Fullerton
- Richard Rouse and Steve Ogden (2004) Interview: Doug Church