*A conversation held around December 2014
"We will host the next Finnish/Global Game Jam 2015 at our school" <-- my teacher
"Great! sounds cool!...uhhh...what we're gonna do there?"
"Its the event gathering where you make a game in 48 hours"
"...."
"Wait WHAT??
"How the HELL you possibly do that???" -_-
*dramatic music*
That is my friend, what I was thinking back then.
I went into panic-anxious-excited-mixed feeling mode because at that time i don't have any idea what is it. It's the first time for me (and our class) to participate.
The funny part was when someone asked me what is that event about, this is my answer ;
"I don't know (with confuse face)...its...well...you make games with other people...under 48 hours...sounds fun and cool...we got a free t-shirt...oh and we got a school's credit also...uhmm...yeah...like that" XD
But anyway,
We survived the whole things. Our awesome team got the job well done and we are so proud of the outcome (woohoo!).
The event was held at 23-25 January 2015 and it is worldwide. Global Game jam is the biggest game jam event ; check their website here to learn more since I'm bad at explaining things.
The first day we didn't actually start making the game. We form the team, watching some videos, getting to know each other, and blah blah...
aaaaand *drumroll* waiting for this year's theme! Its the time we were waiting for since before the D-day you don't know what's the theme will be.
This year's theme was "What do we do now".
We decided that the game will be a jumping platform with super-cute-unicorn-cat-character that need to choose what it want to do (according to the theme, d'oh!).
So, here's how it work.
The player need to choose whether it want to free the poor little chicks in the cage or to eat the tasty chicken legs. Each of the decision the player make will affect the game.
The chicks will make you slimmer, but faster the game's pace.
The tasty chicken legs will make you go fat and more fatter and harder to jump, but slowing the game's pace.
The fun part is the two player mode that either you can work together to the top, or kick others down.
Hence the name "Karma Cat" (We hope you got what we mean xp).
Here's the gameplay video or you can go to this link;
And you can actually play it also in this link. Don't forget to put the sound on, it is so awesome that it will stuck to your head after a while.
Surprisingly I though that we are going to stay up super late that we all going to transform into some brain-eating-zombie-state after the event, but it is not that bad after all.
Tired? yes.
Did I turn into zombie? barely, but fortunately not :p
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To make it simpler here's what I felt about this event :
The fun-happy part
- You met other people (did I mention about meeting other NERDS?).
- It is not a competition
- It don't need to be finished game, it's just for fun!
- You experience how you develop a games in really tight time.
- You learn how to organize better.
- I got to see how other's make a games.
- Pizza...pizza..and pizza...since everyone is lazy to move from the computer, so pizza guy are our best friend here.
- I got free t-shirt.
- School's credit.
- Like I said before...it sounds cool :p
The annoying part
- They put the live webcam whole time. I can't pick up my nose! everybody is watching!
- The class room somehow turned into a hellish-hot since there's too many people.
- Its not actually 48 hours, it is LESS than that.
- They said if you're not having fun you doing it wrong...but then if you have fun all the time, then something is wrong.
The verdict
Will I participate again? Absolutely yes!
the next year will be held at 29-31 January 2016.
Lastly, here's the photo of our awesome team member...skully-fy and pixel-fy by my friend :p
Team Karma!
Graphics : Emmi Malkki, Maureen Lukito Alkkiomäki, Moona Miettinen
Programmer : Antti Alkkiomäki, Joonas Jakobson, Sakari Malkki
Sound designer : Jan Kanerva
