Finnish Game Jam ry is proud to announce our fifth jam scholarship! In collaboration with Lyst Summit we are sending TWO jammers to Copenhagen to the wonderful Lyst Game Jam (http://lyst-summit.org/game-jam/). The jam will take place in connection to Lyst Summit in 9th-11th June 2017.
To make the trip easy, we are awarding two jammers a ticket and a 300 eur for travel expenses. We are looking for prominent jammers willing to represent Finnish game jamming scene and bring back the lessons learned to the community. The candidates for the scholarship is selected based on the applications sent prior to Monday 8th May 2017 16:00 (GMT +3). Apply now!
Finnish Game Jam Scholarship Program is founded to improve the mobility of the Finnish jammers and further enhance the international collaboration of the global jamming scene.
See all the details and apply for the scholarship from here.
Each year, Finnish Game Jam ry wants to give recognition to games for their unique ways to stand from the crowd. The awarded games come from different jams organized by FGJ, including of course our biggest game jam, #FGJ17. Out of over 250 games from the 2016-2017 season, we selected eight games for their creativity, exploration, and diversity.
Social Skills Edugame Award Hi, or not, FGJ Otaniemi Joakim Isaksson, Henri Niva, Xiaoxiao Ma, Athina Giokarini, Marie Kumpulainen, Harri Dammert, Mikko Kolehmainen
This game manages to provide a true depiction of Finnish social interaction, focusing on a central aspect of our everyday life. Hi or Not touches the struggle of the social pressure experienced by many unfortunate lives – and does it with staggering relentlessness. Playing this game may expose you to excessive social situations and should be played in a controlled environment. A deep and reflective learning experience is guaranteed.
Battle of the Body Award HeatWaves, FGJ Helsinki Analog Henna Tuunainen, Iiris Sumu, Virpi Sumu
Even though the female body is often visible in media, its functions remain as a mystified taboo. Therefore, we are glad to see a game about one of the processes most women go through: the menopause. The issue has been transformed into a clever board game where the two sides of the battle – the forever young maiden and the inevitably aging hag – fight of the ownership of the body. Kudos for the brave initiative on a less explored yet important topic!
Pixel Sport Award Waveout! FGJ Oulu Tatu Meriläinen, Tuukka Lehtonen, Robin ten Wolde, Aki Latvamäki, Sampo Närhi, Sami Nyyssölä
Paying homage to the beauty of a pixel, this game portrays the future of sports entertainment game shows. As the premier game show of tomorrow, it features exhilarating athletic performances and addictive gameplay, while spot-on hosts and sound effects create a truly immersive experience. Waveout’s graphical style brings the whole together in glorious fashion, showing that only a few pixels are required to set the stage for a truly gladiatorial battle of the waves.
WINRAR Tanks it All Award 3D Wave Tank, FGJ Oulu Ilpo Alatalo, Risto Ihalainen, Tuukka Lampela, Sampo Jumisko
This tribute to oldskool action reveals a crazy twist in the core game mechanics. The wavy duel simulation of 3D Wave Tank is sure to cause confusion, chaos and hilarious moments between the players. While the circular waves from the ammunition serve as a clever way to bring complexity into an otherwise simple game, it is an interesting mechanic that could have its uses in other types of games as well. Tanks have never changed the world like this before.
For teh Science Award HeatBox, Quantum Game Jam 2016 Paavo Happonen, Samuli Jääskeläinen, Boris Sokolov, Aleksis Karme
What would be more exciting than the pursuit of true scientific advancement and the entrapment of ordinary people, with games, in VR? HeatBox, Created at Quantum Game Jam 2016, has a great potential as a gamification of a highly important nontrivial research problem for quantum physics and, specifically, for developing quantum computers. This prominent game prototype utilizes VR gameplay for outsourcing algorithmic exploration through people playing games. Using game design and quantum physics theories together is a new and exciting field which is rapidly growing and where citizen science is starting to play a major role. HeatBox will be among the great pioneers in that.
Kahen Kilon Award Siikasaurus, ASM Game Jam ’16 Samuli Jääskeläinen, Sofi Kurtti, Joonas Mäkinen, Meri Rekiranta
This game honors two important milestones in our time: Playstation 1 and the creation of one of the most memorable memes in Finland. Appropriately created at the Assembly Computer Festival, this game is a throwback to the innocent and good times of the internets and video games – with a modern flavor. With a fitting cover art and psychedelic graphics Siikasaurus induces a unique state of madness and focus for the player.
Finland has a great design history to be proud of! Thanks to Global Game Jam 2017, we now have thousands of games honoring one of the greatest designers of all times: Our very own Alvar Aalto, THE Mr. Wave. Alvar Aalto – The Experience tops all other aalto-games with an accurate recreation of our design superstar’s struggle to turn pieces of furniture into timeless classics.
Et Sinä Minua Aalto Saa Award Jack the Skipper, FGJ Joensuu Arhi Makkonen, Miikka Vihersaari, Antti Vikman, Joonas Rauha, Roope Timonen, Patrik Eronen, Ville Lapakko, Kristian Syyslehto, Roope Timonen
Audio design and the game writing bring the final touches to this overall aesthetic game experience. Jack the Skipper is a beautiful and stylistic puzzle game that excels in its voice acting and sound design. The dynamic audiotrack portrays a seasoned sailor trying to keep the cargo intact while the storm rages on. This linguistic masterpiece with polished everything brings the world alive, keeping the player both entertained and in suspense.
In addition to the game awards, Finnish Game Jam awarded Henri Sarasvirta as the Superjammer of the Year 2016 for exemplary and courageous jamming, Neogames as the Jamtivist of the Year 2016 for their remarkable and continuous support for the Finnish Game Jam, FGJ AV Team for their outstanding contribution for the game jam organizing, and Futureplay Games, Grand Cru, and Rovio for their outstanding support as the sponsors of the #FGJ17 event.
The Finnish Game Jam Awards will be held on April 26, 2017 at Steam Hellsinki and broadcasted for the whole world! The FGJ Awards is about celebrating Finnish jamming and giving recognition for creativity and the courage to stand out from the crowd.
Join us at Steam by registering through Eventbrite – everyone is invited! The event starts at 18:00, and the official program starts at 19:00. If you can’t make it, follow the broadcast on Twitch.tv/finnishgamejam.
The question will be answered by two game developers, Samuli Jääskeläinen and Jonne Harja. In May 2017, they will take a journey from Helsinki to Malmö, generating power and creating a game while they cycle. The duo travels with a tandem bike creating as clean and green game as possible. All happens in the saddle: one codes, the other one steers, while a dynamo and solar panels produce electricity.
The final destination for the team is the Nordic Game Conference where the game will be available to play. Follow the developments of the crazy ride from the official #jambike17 Facebook page or on Twitter with the hashtag #jambike. For any questions, contact jonne.harja@finnishgamejam.com.
Jonne and Samuli testing one of the tandem bike candidates on 30.3.2017.
As a part of our scholarship program, Finnish Game Jam sent Miikka Harjuntausta to the Train Jam (US) to represent the Finnish jamming scene. Miikka traveled to Chicago from where over 300 jammers boarded a train to create games during the trip all the way to San Francisco. Miikka shares his experiences and tips in this report.
Hey hey,
This is my report from Train Jam 2017. I will be writing this for you that might be participating Train Jam in the future. I made my trip with with an awesome artist called Krista Erkkilä.
Train Jam is a game jam event that takes place in a train ride from Chicago to Emeryville, eventually ending up in San Francisco. This was the 4th time it was organized, and the first year when Amtrak was involved and the whole train was reserved just for us developers. There were over 300 game developers taking part in the train jam this year, with very different background varying from students to industry veterans.Continue reading →
Finnish Game Jam’s fourth scholarship is for the legendary Train Jam, as was our very first scholarship a year ago. This time we received a record-breaking number of applications, and with many excellent candidates the selection process was especially hard.
Miikka Harjuntausta was selected with the vast experience of over 20 game jams, including every Global Game Jam since the first Finnish Game Jam in 2010. We proudly send Miikka to the Train Jam to represent the Finnish jamming scene, and are looking forward to hear from his experiences! Miikka shared his feelings before the trip:
This is huge!
I’ve been participating in different game jams ever since FGJ crew has been organising them. To me game jams are about community, good times, bad times, stress, challenge, inspiration and growth.
Game jam can be a tool to prototype new idea/concept with freedom of failure. It can be a time to learn something new, or it can be about meeting people.
It can be so many things!
I am immensely grateful that there are people who keep organising these events, and that I’ve been given this opportunity to participate in one of the most interesting jams in the world. I am happy, exited and terrified.
Thank you FGJ! Thank you Finnish Game Dev Community!
Finnish Game Jam ry is proud to announce our fourth jam scholarship! For the second time around FGJ is supporting one jammer’s participation to the Train Jam 2017 (United States).
Finnish Game Jam organization is awarding a ticket to the legendary Train Jam (http://trainjam.com/) and a 1000 Eur travel aid to a prominent jammer willing to represent Finnish game jamming scene in the United States and bringing back the lessons learned to the community. The candidate for the scholarship is selected based on the applications sent prior to Monday 30th January 2017 16:00 (GMT +2). A great applicant has participated to at least one FGJ game jam between 2010-2017 and has a broad experience on game jams in Finland (and/or elsewhere) as well as an interesting portfolio of game jam projects.
Train Jam is a great opportunity to network with international game jam community and to spend an amazing trip from Chicago to San Francisco right before the GDC (http://gdconf.com) week. Train Jam 2017 is the 4th organized annual event of 52h (or in case of the train being early on final destination, only 51h) game jam taking place in a moving train. The jam is organized by Adriel Wallick, independent from Finnish Game Jam organization.
Finnish Game Jam Scholarship Program is founded to improve the mobility of the Finnish jammers and further enhance the international collaboration of the global jamming scene.
See all the details and apply for the scholarship from here.
Finnish Game Jam ry organizes the annual jam organizer get together, Jam Jam, at the Sappee ski resort during June 30th – July 2nd 2017. This year we invite all the organizers around the world to join us!
If you are a jam organizer, would like to organize your own jam or join a team: we would love to see you at Jam Jam 2017! #FGJ18 details will be put together at Jam Jam among other game jam planning. You can also come and plan your own jam with us! Even more important, we need to chill and chat about the jamtastic world – create new ideas, share thoughts, learn from other organizers – join our forces.
Mark your calendars and stay tuned for the registration! Hope to see lots of organizers and organizers-to-be next summer!
The Finnish Game Jam Awards will be held on April 26, 2017 at Steam Hellsinki and on Twitch.tv/finnishgamejam. The FGJ Awards is about celebrating Finnish jamming and giving recognition for creativity and the courage to stand out from the crowd.
You are all invited! Keep tuned for the registration and details!
The main game jam event of the year is approaching! Global Game Jam is arranged on 20-22.1.2017 co-located with Finnish Game Jam 2017. Finland is participating with multiple locations all over the country!
Find the best location for you and register on Eventbrite! Follow our #FGJ17 event page for more detailed information and updates.
