Jamming and gaming for two days only
JOBURG – Vega students are challenged to incorporate their major with program design and take part in a 'Game Jam'.
Vega students are challenged to incorporate their major with program design and take part in a ‘Game Jam’
Vega students flexed their mental muscles at a gruelling two-day Game Jam, which saw them coming together as teams to create a new digital game in just one weekend – a dramatically shorter time frame than game development usually takes.
The event is part of the Ludum Dare (LD) competition – an accelerated video game development event. It’s both the longest running and the largest online game jam in the world.
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“A game jam is a true test of mental endurance, where students work around the clock to bring a gaming idea to life, snatching an hour or two of sleep whenever they can,” said Robert Chrich, academic navigator at Vega.
Students work with like-minded people as part of a team to find ways of making their game ideas come to life, while gaining practical knowledge and expertise in each other’s disciplines.
Chrich explained that the Vega Game Jam not only benefits participants academically during their time as students, but will also broaden their horizons, career-wise and said, “The most valuable part of participating is that our students spend time actively engaged in a gaming development project. This provides a unique opportunity to grow their skill sets, build up a strong portfolio of work that demonstrates their understanding of game development to prospective employers, thus giving them a better chance of cracking it in the industry.”
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This project provides a variety of the Independent Institute of Education (IIE) design, development and creative qualifications tailored to meet gaming industry standards, and participation in the LD Game Jam is another step towards establishing Vega as the tertiary institution of choice for young people hoping to pursue careers in the gaming industry – and even more so for the students currently participating.
“This is Vega’s first Game Jam and we plan to host three of these events each year, with the intention of building them into the curriculum for all students,” said Chrich.
The Game Jam equips students with industry experience and steers them towards the digital era.
Edited by Beryl Knipe
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