Many times I've been asked to explain "What is a Game Jam?", because I post a lot about this on my social media. So, here it is.

A game jam is an event whereby people get together, not to play games, but to make games. Sometimes a game jam can last from 48 hours to 2 weeks, to 1 month, depends on the specific game jam being held.

What kind of people does it take to make a game?

Anyone can make a game. If you are a game enthusiast, that is a person who has played a few games. Let's say you played the classic Tetris or Super Mario brothers game, and you found yourself saying "I would like to make a game like that?", well you are a game enthusiast.

But do I need to know how to code to make a game?

Well, if you have every intention of making a game in the likes of Call of Duty or Assassin's Creed, then most likely. But really, you want to make games for the sheer fun of making games, you DO NOT NEED TO KNOW CODE. There are numerous gaming engines out there that can help you make your game(s).

The most common you will hear is Unity and/or Unreal Engine. These gaming engines are popular and great, but you need to at least know some code, unless you working with a team to make your most awesome game. One would use Unity or Unreal or even CryEngine to make great games like Call of Duty, or should I say even, Grand Theft Auto. These engines you would use to make some great 3D games.

But without having to learn code, you can make fun 2D games with gaming engines like YoYo's GameMaker, Scirra's Construct, BuildBox and Stencyl.

But why would I even want to make games? What am I getting out of it?

While most indie game developers starting out making games as a hobbyist, do you know you making games can be turned into a business? Most indie game developers started out making games as a hobby, then they realised while they were learning, they enjoyed what they do and wanted the full benefits out of it.

Oh, you must be wondering "What is an indie game developer?", that is one person that does everything to make a game. Usually to make a great game, it takes several game developers, several game designers, artists, musicians, sound experts, even project managers, and business experts, to make top games. So, an indie game developer, again, is a game creator that does all the job of several humans to make one game. Well, granted it may not be anywhere near the likes of World of Warcraft, but it's game nonetheless. A game people, gamers, certainly enjoy playing.

My point, making games can be turned into a business. How, you may be wondering?

When I started learning to make games, I'm a gluttony for coding, so I was learning to code games in HTML5. After getting to know the basics, I put myself in hot water by participating in an online game jam. More specifically, the JS13KGames online game jam, organized by Andrzej Mazur, founder of EnclaveGames and with others supporting/sponsoring. Though to be fair I've never really completed either of my game submitted to the challenge. (Perhaps one day!)

There are many, many online game jams one can participate in. So many, it's difficult to say which one you should do (itch.io/jams). However, the most notable of game jams around the world is Global Game Jam, which occurs annually on the last weekend of January. There is also Women Game Jam, few countries have participated, but hopefully more will follow its trend.

But, then you probably wondering, again, what will you get out of participating in these game jams?

You are quite right, no one actually wins anything, very few (if any) game jams, motivate you to win any cash prizes or any other sort of prize that may interest you. Most of us participate in these game jams because we just love to do it. Or we have a game in the making and we want to make it big. So, we participate in a game jam, to get feedback from fellow developers or game testers, and after the game jam ends, we don't stop making our games, heck no! We improve on our games, we make it marketable, we put it out there, we sell our games.

But, people, have I got news for you! There are some game jams that perhaps maybe not many of us know, that is out there where you may or may not benefit financially or for famedom or recognition, take your pick.

First, the Game Developers World Championship (thegdwc.com), this is more of a game event, than a game jam, for games already in development phase, and on its way to production.

Second, and my favourite, the Game Jam+ (gamejamplus.com). This game jam has potential, it is a game jam that started in Brazil, and as at 2019 Africa and other countries joined in. This game jam takes place in four stages, with the first stage being 48 or 52 hours long where the jammers showcase/pitch their game prototype. The following stages towards the finals, the jammers continue with completing their game to be able to make it to the finals. This game jam, though it's never mentioned early on, the winners do get to win some awesome prizes. What that may be is up to the sponsors.

With that, I shall leave you here. You still have questions about game jams or anything related to games and/or game jams, feel free to ask me or share here.