UAlbany Joins Global Game Jam
Shaun Savarese
Issue date: 10/13/08 Section: Schools
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locations that welcomed people to participate in a gathering of computer game
innovation.
The University at Albany College of Computing Science and Information hosted the 1st Annual Global Game Jam, Jan. 30 through Feb. 1, attracting students from neighboring
schools and sparking interest in the industry of computer science and technology.
Over 35 students from ten colleges and two groups of professional programmers from
two local game development studios came here to work together at the campus Fireside
lounge and in our Science Library computer laboratories.
Seven teams of gamers watched an International Game Developers Association (IGDA)
video that explained the goal to make a computer game in 48 hours. The IGDA was
inspired by the "prototypal atmosphere" of the Nordic Game Jam in Sweden.
Tobey Sauliner is a student at R.P.I and is also the C.E.O. of 1st Playable
Productions LLC, an independent game development studio in Troy, N.Y. that helped
organize the 2009 Global Game Jam.
"I attended the second annual IGDA leadership forum in San Francisco this May" said
Sauliner, "where board member proposed support for more networking events." The IGDA
has seventy-seven chapters; twenty in Europe, twelve in Asia, forty-five in the U.S.
and one in Albany.
"I am connected through the Skype network and am hearing reports of over 1,750
registered teams," said 1st Playable treasurer Elizabeth McLaren.
On 3 pm EST, Sunday Feb. 1, over 1,000 clever new games will have been invented,
submitted and uploaded to a global hub.
"We began conceptualizing this event when I met with development studios in
December," said the Director of the College of Computing and Information Women in
Technology (CCWIT) program, Jennifer Goodall.
"CCIWIT wants to raise women's interest in technological fields and I believe that
game development is a way to build that connection," said Goodall.
Mature rated video games have been perceived as violent, gory and unattractive to a
female audience.
"Not every game has to be like that," she said, "music, fashion and art themed games
can have a positive effect by teaching children to accomplish goals."
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