Photo by Florian Belmonte

Global Game Jam

Making a game in 48h? That’s possible… with a little preparation, practice and a minimum of hours of sleep.

Jurasnake Park (Global Game Jam 2012)

Subject: Ouroboros
Action game created during GGJ2012 at Isart Digital Paris. Two players, the first one controls the jeep, the second one aims the water cannon. The goal is to remain as long as possible on track, avoiding obstacles and collecting different bonuses.

This Global Game Jam was a decisive moment when I went from being a graphic designer to a programmer, with the responsibility that implies: the risk to crash the project. To limit the risks, we decided with the graphic designer to remain in reduced staff. Once on site we joined a sound designer and started the development of the game.

The game mechanics are relatively simple, linking the almost archaic gameplay of a game like Army Moves (Dynamic, 1988) to the more recent principle of infinite runners that have appeared since ThrustBurster or Canabalt.

This Jam allowed me to confirm that I could complete a playable and functional prototype in 48h, integrating a minimum amount of graphics and audio assets. It was also an opportunity to test a character motion principle in a 2D space based on a complete physics engine (ridig bodies, collisions) but designed to give maximum control to the player. This hybrid controller was the basis for a more complex project: Astrolander.

Florian Belmonte: 2D artist
Eddy: Sound Designer
François Gutherz: Programmer

 

VR Lux (Global Game Jam 2013)

Subject: heartbeat

During the 48 hours of this game jam, I had the opportunity to work with Judith Guez and Sébastien Kuntz, two experts in virtual reality. The project made during this jam was built as an “escape game” experience, with a strong narrative and combining virtual reality with physical elements.

The player holds a candle in his hand. The physical candle is connected to a tracking device. Inside the VR simulation, the player manipulates a candle that helps him both to illuminate the scene and to interact with his environment.

Remarquably, this experiment was performed more than 3 years before the commercial release of the HTC Vive hardware.

Video game notice on Ressources of the Bibliothèque Nationale de France.

Judith Guez: VR/Game Designer
Sébastien Kuntz: VR Expert/Coder
Florian Reneau: Game Designer/Coder
Florian Costes: Sound Designer
Charles Kaing: 3D artist
François Gutherz: 3D artist

 

Co-Cy (Global Game Jam 2014)

Subject: We do not see things as they are, we see them as we are.

After a successful experience as a programmer of a jam in 48h at the GGJ2012, I wanted to enlarge my comfort zone (even if I hate this expression!) and to collaborate with a game designer in addition to the graphic/musician team that previously worked with.
I wanted to work with Douglas Alves for a long time and as he turned out to be a teacher at Isart Digital and was at the GGJ place, the opportunity came easily.

Video game notice on Ressources of the Bibliothèque Nationale de France.

Douglas Alves: 2D artist, Game Designer
Florian Dufour: Game Designer, Level Designers
Clément Anelli: Sound Designer
François Gutherz: Programmeur

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