Students and lecturers from ARC Academy participated in this year’s HardCore Game Jam
From January 26 to 28, the fifth edition of HardСore Game Jam took place, part of Global Game Jam 2024 – one of the gaming community’s most anticipated and beloved events. During these three days, amateurs and professionals gathered to challenge themselves and enter a race to create video games.
ПThe program of the event was filled with the most varied and stimulating activities. Participants engaged in impromptu team building and networking and had the opportunity to attend a lecture organized by ARC. There were 12 teams in total and the jam theme this year was Make Me Laugh. The competition ended on Sunday, with teams judged in three categories: art, design and development. Each of the participants could sit down and test the games of their competitors.
On the first day of the event, our lecturer in Game Programming – Boyan Spassov, presented a lecture on “Tips and tricks for participation in Game Jam”. He passed on his experience to the participants, telling them about his impressions of last year’s event editions, sharing little tricks and encouraging them to skillfully use AI in their projects. The lecture was highly appreciated by the attendees, providing them with valuable guidance and strategies.
Our talented students – Tony Karidkov /Game Design student, second year/, Kalina Stanoeva /Concept Art student, second year/ and Kostadin Tsiparov /Concept Art student, first year/, also got involved, but as participants, ready to compete and show off the skills learned from education at the Academy.
Играта, създадена от тях, е пародия на “Стани Богат”, в която въпросите са dad jokes, а ако се опиташ да използваш жокер „обади се на приятел“ ти изписва, че нямаш такива. Всеки един от стThe game they created is a parody of “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire”, where the questions are dad jokes, and if you try to use the “call a friend” joker, it says you don’t have any. Each of the students was responsible for a different part of the project. The concept of the participant and the visual aspect of the UI were created by Kalina, as well as the buttons and icons in the game. Kostadin worked on the concept of the layout of its appearance, on the character and appearance of the presenter and the participant. Tony was the “glue” of the project, helping with every single element – selecting the sound effects, editing the art and completing the blueprints.
Here is one of the questions in the game:
Why can’t dinosaurs clap?
А – Their arms are too short
B – Because Mozard didn’t play at their time
C – They’re extinct, duh!
The students also shared that at the final the other participants were extremely impressed by their game.
Thanks to the organizers and everyone who got involved on behalf of ARC Academy. We look forward to the next edition of HardCore Game Jam.