Two hours to go. Thus far there have been no meltdowns, no collapses, no screaming hysteria. In fact the whole of the first ever Moray Game Jam has been marked by remarkable levels of good humour, cooperation and calm.
The teams are still working. The projects are, for the most part, looking good. Playable demos are already up and running. The competition ends at 12:50 and we’ll be looking for screenshots, artwork and more in-depth descriptions of the games so we can bring you all of coverage…
Before we dive into judging and discussion, we need to talk about the people behind the event and the organisations who made it happen.
First and foremost, Moray College in Elgin have been superb. The entire team, from the principal to the student volunteers have supported the jam in every way possible. It’s an amazing place too. If you’re ever up in Elgin check it out.
ScreenHI, is the organisation which pulled the whole jam together. They found funding, they did all of the organisation and they’ve looked after everyone – the teams, the judges, the students. This is their first ever jam, but you’d never know.
ScreenHI also runs Go North, the creative industries festival which takes place in Inverness in June. We’re already talking to the team about incorporating more game elements in the programme and should have more news on that front in the near future.
Hunted Cow are awesome. They’re a great company and they are also one of the most open, friendly and hospitable too. They even make great games – and make money. If you’ve not tried the MMO titles, or their mobile strategy games, you really should. They’re one of Scotland’s best kept secrets (despite our best efforts to make people pay attention).
The judges – Phil Harris, Dave Cook and Andrew Mulholland have not been lounging around, sloping off to the pub or swiping the pizza or bacon rolls before the teams. They’ve been mentoring, coaching, providing ad hoc play testing and keeping the teams focused and moving forward. It’s been a pleasure watching them work…
Finally, Creative Scotland need thanks for jumping in with funding to help the winning game reach the market. The organisation has shown a real willingness to engage with the games sector and find new ways to help the games market grow.
Thank you ALL for helping making the first ever Moray Game Jam happen. Whoever wins, whatever happens, this has been one of the best jams we’ve ever been involved with.
Good luck to all of the teams. We’ll see you all back here next year!
