Global Game Jam a Success at Herzing University - Madison

Herzing University hosted a Global Game Jam 2015 site at the Madison Campus on January 23-25. This marked the 4th consecutive successful hosting of the event. This year, 43 participants formed teams to create interactive games related to the Jam’s “What do we do now?” theme.

The Global Game Jam (GGJ) is the world's largest game creation event taking place around the world at physical locations.  It is the growth of an idea that in today’s world, we can come together, be creative, share experiences, and express ourselves in a multitude of ways using video games. The weekend stirs a global creative buzz in games, at the same time exploring the process of development —be it programming, iterative design, narrative exploration or artistic expression— condensed into a 48 hour development cycle.

The GGJ encourages people with diverse backgrounds to participate and contribute to this global spread of game development and creativity. The structure of a jam typically begins with participants gathering on Friday afternoon to watch a short video with advice from leading game developers that ends with the event theme announcement. GGJ sites worldwide are challenged to develop games based on the theme by Sunday afternoon. The jam is known for fostering new friendships, increasing confidence, and sharing opportunities within the community. The jam is always intellectually challenging. People are invited to explore new technology tools while pushing themselves and testing their skills to design, develop, and test a new game within 48 hours. Projects are available for download or play at the following site: http://globalgamejam.org/2015/jam-sites/madison-wi