Creating a video game is hard. Rarely has a more obvious statement been proclaimed, but I thought I may as well reiterate the fact. I’ve never tried making a game before this past weekend when I was fortunate enough to compete in the Global Game Jam.
I think the expression goes “you can’t properly judge the taste of sausage until you’ve seen how it’s made”—it’s something along those lines. Regardless, the process of outlining and designing a game has instilled a far more profound understanding of the medium I’ve adored since I was young.
Held each January over the course of one weekend, the Global Game Jam is basically a celebration of game development. A theme is announced Friday night after participants have gathered at a local site—the closest one in Madison was at Herzing University, for anyone interested. After the theme is revealed, developers gather into groups to plan and eventually implement their ideas into a playable product.
Unlike Ludum Dare, an online game jam that happens several times a year, the Global Game Jam is predicated on gathering together and seeing how those personal relationships transfer to actual development. With that said, I completely avoided the Herzing site and plowed ahead with my roommate Brian on our project from the safe confines of his room.
This year’s theme was “we don’t see things as they are, we see them as we are.” With such a thought-provoking, existential theme sure to result in thousands of intriguing creations, Brian and I set out to create our game about conquering the hierarchy of an imaginary fraternity through an always honorable case race competition.
Seeing as I have literally zero coding experience, my jobs consisted of finding random art and music online as well as writing the narrative. Our ludicrous concept lent itself well to the sophomoric humor oftentimes employed in lampooning frat culture. Our mission statement was one word: “crap.” I would say we accomplished our mission with aplomb.
Around midday Saturday, Brian decided we would have to alter our original Match-three gameplay mechanic and switch to a more basic “Minesweeper” concept. The change had little bearing on my work, so I just kept plugging away on my various tasks. Time ticks away quickly when you’re making a game about guzzling beer.
By the time Sunday rolled around, it started to become apparent we weren’t going to be able to create the game we originally envisioned Friday night. Creating art became a hasty experience as I struggled to get Brian the assets he needed. The elaborate final scene became a bland still shot.
Even implementing text became a struggle. Brian spent most of Sunday night figuring out how to use almost everything I had done for the past two days. As I type this, the fate of “Case Crush Saga” is still in doubt. Eventually we’ll have a working game, but my main goal for this weekend was always to gauge what creating a game might actually be like.
Much like actual development, in the constricted nature of a game jam, creating a game can cause endless frustration. Time crunches aren’t always the most conducive outlets for creativity, but I’m constantly amazed by the creations developers are able to put together. As for our product, it’s hard not to be proud of anything you create, especially when you spent several minutes recording various vomit sounds in the process.
Creating another game is certainly an inviting proposition. Although perhaps not in the course of a continuously busy college weekend. Still, seeing the pitfalls and constant adjustments intrinsic to game development is an enlightening experience. The Global Game Jam will always be an event centered on inclusiveness. Even novices like myself are free to take a crack at development.
For anyone interested in the medium, it’s the perfect confluence of learning about development and time management skills. Stress is just a part of the package, but in the end I suppose the experience mostly reinforced what I already knew: Making games is hard.
Do you have an idea for your own video game? Send Adam your pitch at arparis@wisc.edu.
