Game Jams
Game jams have been instrumental in shaping my game development skills, offering hands-on opportunities to experiment, collaborate, and learn. I have had the pleasure of experiencing them from various perspectives—participating, judging, and volunteering—giving me a well-rounded understanding of their impact on creativity and teamwork.
Awards
As a participant, I thrived on the challenge of creating games from scratch under tight time constraints. It is a fun and exciting way to test my abilities and grow as a game developer. Working with teams in high-energy environments has also sharpened my creativity, adaptability, and problem-solving abilities.
My team and I won best game design and most fun with our multiplayer puzzle game called "Hotfix". We also were the runner-up for the overall winner of the game jam. The theme of the game jam was "Whisper of Change".
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We incorporate that theme by giving one player the ability to change the scene through command lines and another player who has to solve the puzzle based on the changes of the first player. The second player is a bug that needs to exit various rooms through a door. These doors can only be reached with the help of the second player. The key to solving these puzzles was communication. The first player has no idea what each room looks like and needs the second player to communicate (or whisper) what changes they need to solve the puzzle (e.g. player movement or an exit door).
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My team and I won best graphics and overall winner of this Halloween-themed game jam with a turn-based puzzle game called "Possessed Possessions in a Bag". We were also the runner-up for best game design. The theme of the game jam was "Possession".
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Our interpretation of the theme was a puzzle game in which the player could possess various objects in a room and move with them. Each possible object had its own way of moving, which was inspired by chess pieces' movements. The challenge was that a mysterious being, visualised by a big eye at the top of the screen, was watching the room. After the player had moved a certain number of times, the otherwise closed eye would open. If the position of any object in the room would seem out of place (e.g. a banana on the ground), the mysterious being would move it back to its original position and close its eye again. The goal of each puzzle was to reach the exit of each room without being detected.
Judge
Being a judge in game jams has been an exciting experience that has taught me how to assess games from multiple angles, including mechanics, engagement, and presentation. It has given me a new perspective on what works in game design and how different elements contribute to a successful player experience.
As a judge for the March Game Jam 2025, I had the chance to evaluate almost 20 great submissions alongside professionals from both the industry and academia. Participants had 48 hours to develop a game based on the theme 'Parody', competing in categories such as Audio, Theme, Design, Fun, Graphics, and Overall Winner. It was impressive to see how each team interpreted the theme and approached game design under tight constraints. While selecting winners was a challenge, it was a rewarding experience to review such a variety of creative and well-executed projects.
I had the opportunity to serve as a judge alongside industry professionals, evaluating nearly 40 games created by both students and seasoned developers. The submissions showcased a diverse range of creativity and innovation, making the judging process both exciting and challenging. The submissions were judged on Game Design, Fun, Audio, Graphics, Theme and Overall Winner. With so many great entries, selecting a winner for each category was no easy task, but through collaborative discussions with the other judges, we were able to identify games that truly stood out.
I had the pleasure of judging around 20 games for my university's Halloween-themed game jam, working alongside academics in game development to assess student submissions. The games were evaluated based on Game Design, Sound Design, Fun, Theme, Graphics, and Overall Winner. The creativity and technical execution demonstrated by the students made selecting winners a tough but rewarding challenge. This experience provided a fascinating look into the inner workings of game jams, offering a new perspective on how games are reviewed and celebrated within academic and industry settings.
Volunteering
Volunteering at game jams provided a behind-the-scenes look at how these events come together, from assisting participants to handling organisational and technical tasks. It has been a great way to support fellow developers and see the event from a new perspective.
The Women's Day Game Jam celebrated women and non-binary people in game development on the weekend around Women's Day by fostering a supportive and non-competitive environment for creativity and collaboration.
As a volunteer and mentor, I assisted both organisers and participants throughout the event. I provided technical support, helping teams with coding challenges while also working alongside other volunteers to ensure the event ran smoothly and remained an inclusive, welcoming space for all.
The Women Game Jam 2024 was a global event aimed at fostering creativity and inclusivity for women and non-binary individuals in game development. Unlike traditional game jams, it focused on providing a collaborative, non-competitive environment where participants could experiment, learn, and share ideas.
As a volunteer, I assisted both participants and organisers with technical and logistical tasks to ensure the event ran smoothly. One of the biggest challenges was navigating the international aspect of the jam, as it was hosted across multiple countries and time zones. Despite these complexities, we worked hard to create an inclusive atmosphere where participants could collaborate seamlessly, regardless of location. Seeing people connect and create together across borders was a truly rewarding experience.