How to Jam!

Workshop Overview

Participating in a game jam is a fun and rewarding experience, but can seem daunting to a lot of people. In this workshop, we’ll explore the structures, best practices, and tips for a successful jam experience. Through personal experience and the GAMERella perspective, the workshop will cover pre-jam prep, game ideation, how to structure a jam’s development, and some core principles to stick to. The workshop will be available to jammers of all skill and experience levels, providing knowledge for first-timers up to key tips for those who have already made games.

Presenter Info

Owen Hellum (he/they) is a Unity programmer and game designer with over 7 years of experience developing personal and indie games in the engine. He works as a programmer and game designer at Studio Imugi, is an alumni of TAG (the Technoculture, Arts and Games Institute), and is a co-organizer at GAMERella. His interests lie squarely on the intersection between whimsicality, unorthodoxy, and technicality in games, and they have a strong passion for bringing unique and mechanically resonant works to life.