Do you love games? Jammers who are interested in video games and streaming, web-based, or iOS / Android games, board games or card games, can compete for free in a worldwide challenge to design innovative game concepts over a food-fueled weekend. Syracuse University’s Bird Library will host Global Game Jam® (#SUGGJ19), the world’s largest game jam/game creation event, over the weekend of January 25- 27, 2019. University and community members are invited to create and pitch new game ideas to the global community in a hackathon-style environment. Syracuse University is expected to join more than 700 locations in 95 countries. The event launches Friday late afternoon in the Blackstone LaunchPad powered by Techstars in Bird Library, which will serve as the hospitality suite. The kick-off will include a short video keynote and the announcement of this year’s theme.
Game Jam open hours in the Blackstone LaunchPad at Bird Library will be:
- Friday, January 25 from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.
- Saturday, January 26 from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
- Sunday, January 27 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with final pitches that afternoon to game industry experts
Prototyping materials, software and other tools like 3D printing will be available, but participants are encouraged to bring their laptops. No coding or computer skills are required to participate, only an interest in making games. Basic design and software skills can be helpful, but are not necessary.
Learn more about the #SUGGJ19 event at http://gamejam.syr.edu/
SU Libraries and two of its programs — the Digital Scholarship Space (DSS) and the Blackstone LaunchPad — are among the co-sponsors of the event. It is also sponsored by Computer Art and Animation in the Department of Transmedia, the Department of English, and the Department of Writing Studies, Rhetoric, and Composition.
DSS is a project by Syracuse University ITS that provides students and faculty access to a variety of technologies for software design, gaming, data visualization, digital humanities projects, and digital mapping. Located in Bird Library, DSS serves both students and scholars. It features a computer lab to facilitate the development of interactive, immersive, and mobile applications, projects, and games on emerging technologies and systems including virtual, mixed, and augmented reality platforms. It is home of the Game Lab to support courses and research on digital and analog games, both for in-class usage and to be available during “open lab” hours for students, faculty, and staff. It is accessible and available to faculty, students, and staff from all departments, colleges, and schools across Syracuse University campus, and staffed by graduate students.
The Blackstone LaunchPad is Syracuse University’s innovation hub, connecting creatives, inventors and entrepreneurs with campus resources and global network. The LaunchPad offers one-stop connections, coaching and mentoring, along with specialized programs and tools to help take ideas from concept to creation.
More information about the global activities can be found at http://globalgamejam.org/
