Report: Global Game Jam 2014 Surabaya

Global Game Jam (GGJ) held this year records the special history for Indonesian game developers. Yes, exactly in this year they take part in this 48 hours non stop game development event. Thoroughly, there are seven cities are directly registered as the site (place for event) GGJ, starts from Jakarta, Bandung, Depok, Semarang, Jogjakarta, Surabaya and Bali. Special for Global Game Jam 2014 Surabaya itself, the event is held in Hall Mojiken Studio, Jl. Kendangsari No. 51 Surabaya. First impression appears from the GGJ event is relaxed. Yes, the participants here develop game while sitting on the floor!

Committee Chairman of GGJ 2014 Surabaya, Eka Pramudita[/caption]

Global Game Jam 2014 Surabaya itself is started on 5 pm sharp, opened by speech from both committee chairman from Surabaya region and chairman of Game Developer Arek Suroboyo (GADAS), Eka Pramudita. The event later is continued with Tech/Art Talks session which is brought by Afifudin Mahdan from Elven Games who explains several trips and tricks to develop Flash game using Starling and Dragonbones. Second sharing session is continued by Adhicipta R. Wirawan, CEO of Mechanimotion and Dolanan Games who presents theme “Game, Final Product or IP Promotion?”.

After these two presentations, committee then gives time for participants to know each other while wait for time until 5 pm. The purpose of this introduction is to enable them to find matching partner in developing game suitable with each ability and skills. On 5 pm sharp, the main activity from GGJ is started by playing keynote video from center committee. Keynote video presented by Richard Lemarchand, Kaho Abe and Jenova Chen “burns the participants’ spirit” more from the unique and interesting explanations via this video. For those who haven’t seen the keynote video, you can watch it below:

And the most wanted thing has arrived. After keynote video is played, the committee starts to give the theme for this GGJ. The theme sounds unique enough and challenging:

We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are

Of course, the participants are free to interpret and pour the theme into game the way they understand the respective theme. Although the participants have already known the theme will be used, but the committee keep warning them so they won’t leak that theme into social media to respect last time zone in Hawaii which is started around next 20 hours. Yes, the Global Game Jam event follows local time zone, from developing start until result uploading time in next Sunday. Besides theme mentioned above, as I have written before, GGJ 2014 also has 14 Diversifiers which is not a must to be used, but will add “the beauty” of game if they are used. One game maximum may use four out of those fourteen theme Diversifiers.

Exactly after theme announcement, and shout together “Jam On!” which is the slogan of GGJ 2014, participants start to spread out to find their companions to “spend the weekend” in creating game. There are 25 participants recorded who join GGJ in Surabaya, that will be divided into six teams consist of four and five participants. The Committee gives reference in this team forming, that is, each team must consist of minimum one programmer and one artist.

From Duniaku observation, GGJ participants in Surabaya are not only from Surabaya but also there are jammers from other cities who join, such as Madura, Tulungagung and Jombang. The age range is also various, even there is a jammer who still studies in SMA Negeri 5 Surabaya! For three days two nights of GGJ event, committee keeps giving help to participants who are still confused with GGJ rules like arranging folder contents which needs to be uploaded, until the general rules during in the site. Committee also gives one guide set for participants which contains complete rules and manual during GGJ 2014 event.

Jammer who is seriously developing a game...[/caption]

On the second day of GGJ event, there are some games that apparently has found its ‘form”. Mostly, the participants choose to develop game side scrolling platformer, but there are many participants who choose to develop game with puzzle genre. Participants don’t need to be afraid to be burn out while creating the game, because the site is provided with a set of Xbox and Kinect as the entertainment! Actually, in event rundown there is morning exercise session on Saturday and Sunday but since participants have more fun in developing the game and choose to “exercise” in FIFA 14 so the exercise is not held. Hehe.. Also on the second day, participants also get additional entertainment with the arrivals of one package contains Omega Magazine :D

Relaxing first while gaming...[/caption]

... or while reading Omega[/caption]

May also read and comics as well...[/caption]

Check the next page to follow the excitement on third day.

Last day becomes the busy day for the participants because they are closer to the deadline until 3 pm to complete the game and upload it to GGJ official website. Actually, there is no requirement for the uploaded game to be totally finished or having good display, but the jammers apparently put the maximum effort to give their best. Some participants seem having difficulty in uploading the game because the server’s traffic to GGJ center committee is too crowded. According to terms from GGJ center committee, uploaded file can later be played and shared freely and cannot be commercialized. However, if there is any jammer who considers the creation has potential to be better game, they can give retouching and complete the uncompleted gameplay to be commercialized later.

After finished uploading each game, time has come for jammers to present their games on the stage. From six teams in Surabaya site, finally six interesting games are created, suitable with each team’s presentation about theme used in GGJ 2014. Some games look so unique and interesting enough that attract other jammers to play the game like Paranormal Between Disaster. There is also game which looks very amusing with its graphical style and interpretation such as Naked Imaginer, it successfully makes Hall Mojiken Studio rumbling because the participants’ laughter explodes.

Presentation session starts![/caption]

GGJ event series in Surabaya finally finishes on 6 pm with photo session from participants and committee together. Committee chairman of GGJ Surabaya, Eka Pramudita himself states his satisfaction on this first game jam event in Surabaya. “My impression is it’s definitely fun, I am also moved by participants who have determined effort in jamming until the completion. And the most impressive is when they present their games proudly to other participants, their expressions are really “gold”! All the efforts for 48 hours has finally paid off!”, says Eka enthusiastically.

Besides that, he also states his expectation for GGJ event in next years and game industry as a whole. “My expectation in the future, I hope game jam can be held again next year, with more mature preparation, more participants, more qualified facilities, representative and this game jam virus spread out to society.”, says Eka. “So that the game industry especially in Surabaya can be more advanced and opens up general society’s knowledge about game world and pop culture, not only being identified close to laziness, juvenile delinquency, etc.”, he continues.

See you in next GADAS event![/caption]

Curious with the games developed in 48 hours in Surabaya site? Wait for next article in Duniaku!