SCAD-Atlanta and SCAD-Savannah are two host sites to the Global Game Jam 2012. Here are a few FAQs from the official Global Game Jam website. For more information visit GlobalGameJam.org.
When is the Global Game Jam?
The GGJ is an annual event. The 2012 GGJ will start at 5pm (in your time zone) on January 27th and goes for 48 hours through January 29, 2012.
What is a Game Jam?
The goal is to come together and make a video game, or non-digital game like a board game or card game. Participants rapidly prototype game designs and hopefully inject new ideas to help grow the game industry. We share a common theme and constraints. We ask participants to create a game from beginning to end in a prescribed time (maximum of 48 hours). The brief time span is meant to help encourage creative thinking to result in small but innovative and experimental games.
What is the Global Game Jam?
The GGJ brings together talented individuals from within your community. It is a unique opportunity for people to push their skills and challenge their way of working. Participants work concurrently with developers around the globe; we rally around a central theme, and then have 48 hours to create a game. It’s our hope that we will see some very experimental realized prototypes that you can continue to work on after the jam. Many games developed in previous Game Jams have become fully realized games. The GGJ is open source, hardware & software agnostic and all projects are protected under a Creative Commons license. We encourage people to try out new ideas and push themselves, within reason. We also strongly encourage participants to remember to eat and sleep, to stay at their best!
Do I need to come to GGJ with a team already formed?
Do not come to the Jam with a team. Everyone will have some time to think and pitch an idea. Collaborate with new friends or peers you admire.
Do I need special skills to participate in the GGJ?
Although having computer skills is helpful, code experience is not necessary. Designers, developers, artists and anyone is welcome to try their hand at making a game during the GGJ.