First Annual Game Jam Displays Student and Alumni Programming Abilities | University of Portland

First Annual Game Jam Displays Student and Alumni Programming Abilities

Engineering

December 12, 2017

The Shiley School of Engineering recently held the first annual programming marathon known as "Game Jam" from November 17th through the 19th. This 48-hour long competition consisted of both students and alumni forming teams and using their computer science skills to program and create computer games that followed a secret theme revealed the day of the competition.

Nine teams competed this year, consisting of 35 students and six alumni, as they created their games with the theme of "the enemy is you" in mind.

"The theme is meant to be highly subjective and open-ended," stated Andrew Nuxoll, associate professor of engineering, who orchestrated the event. "The theme is not meant to restrict, but to inspire."

Teams worked nonstop for the two-day period to impress the judges, but one game proved victorious. The team that created the game titled "Rage Face," in which your character must fight the seven deadly sins, took home the first prize while "Backspace" took second, and "Forgive" took third.

The event proved to be highly entertaining and fun as all participants walked away enthusiastically. "A lot of students are already wanting to do a repeat next year," Nuxoll added. "The competition motivated the students to invest themselves in game programming and helped them to utilize what they have learned about programming."

To play any of the games created during the Game Jam, go to: https://itch.io/jam/up-jam-2017