| Venue Location | The PorterShed, Galway |
| Venue Signup | https://bit.ly/GlobalGameJamGalway |
| Discord | https://discord.gg/RJR2gx3 |
| Livestream | via Twitch |
| #GGJGalway | |
| Facebook event | |
Search results for: “portershed”
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Global Game Jam ’19 at PorterShed
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Global Game Jam ’19 at PorterShed, Galway
Dates: January 25th – 27th.
Location: PorterShed, Eyre Square, Galway.
Book tickets and get more information here.We’re teaming up with local game developer Mind Cauldron to keep our communities Global Game Jam tradition alive in Galway!
As a result, we will be running a jam-site out of the PorterShed, Galway – our favourite gamejam venue!
Global Game Jam 19 is a 48-hour game-making event with locations taking part all over the world. People participate in teams at different jam sites. We will be presenting a live stream of different jam sites, and be running a stream ourselves.
Dates: January 25th – 27th.
Location: PorterShed, Eyre Square, Galway.Book tickets and get more information here.
Currently, the jam is limited to closing times of 11pm. However, we’re now expanding our organising team to enable us to support a 48-hour jam without closing times. If you are interested in volunteering, please get in touch with Darren at info@mindcauldron.com.
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An important update regarding Global Game Jam 2025
Hello fellow Jammers,
Important announcement from Galway Game Jam:
There is a Red Weather Warning in place for Friday due to storm Éowyn. While it should have calmed by 6pm, volunteers and attendees may have difficulty making it safely to the PorterShed.
So we are moving the Friday session online to our Discord.https://discord.com/invite/S5YtdKMU7R
If you haven’t already, please join the Discord and keep an eye out for further announcements.
And please form a team via the Discord, and ask a moderator or a volunteer for assistance.
We will update our participants if anything changes. Thank you for your understanding.
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Global Game Jam returns to Galway for the 10th year!
Hello everyone! Galway Game Jam is back once again to host a site for Global Game Jam. Originally Pulse College Galway began hosting sites between 2015-2017, and from 2018 onwards, Galway Game Jam has been delighted to host a site with support from Portershed a Dó for this exciting event.
https://portershed.com/market-street/
Click the link below to view the Galway section of the Global Game Jam website and register as a jammer.
https://globalgamejam.org/jam-sites/2025/galway-global-game-jam-2025
To register, create a new user account on the globalgamejam.org website. globalgamejam.org have their own policies for privacy, data and code of conduct which you agree to when registering. Please send any game jam related queries to info@galwaygamejam.com.
Galway Game Jam will have the venue available for participants between 6p.m. and 9p.m. Friday 24th, 10a.m. and 6p.m. Saturday 25th, and 10a.m. and 6p.m. Sunday 26th of January.
Galway Game Jam has it’s own Code of Conduct, which participants agree to by attending one of our events, and can be read here :
And our Privacy Policy can be found here :
As always, our jam event is open to any person aged 18 years and older. We try to provide an environment that is about creativity, collaboration and experimentation. We will assist in team formation if you are uncertain about what you would like to be doing for the event.
Our site is also a hybrid event, meaning participants can join in person or online. Online participation is done through our Discord, a link to join can be found at the bottom of the page. Only persons aged 18 or older can join the Galway Game Jam Discord server, and server members are subject to our Code of Conduct and Privacy Policy.
Our sponsor for this year is once again Ardán, and we’re happy to have them back supporting the talent and hard work of game developers in Galway City.
We look forward to seeing many new and returning faces, and good luck for Global Game Jam 2025!
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Global Game Jam 2024 is upon us!
Hey folks! Galway Game Jam is hosting a site in Galway City for those who wish to take part in Global Game Jam 2024. Our jam site will be located at Portershed a Dó, 15 Market Street, Galway, as well as having online participation for those who can’t make it in person.
Make some fun!
Click the link below to view the Galway section of the Global Game Jam website and register as a jammer.
https://globalgamejam.org/jam-sites/2024/galway
To register, create a new user account on the globalgamejam.org website. Globalgamejam.org have their own policies for privacy, data and code of conduct which you agree to when registering. Please send any game jam related queries to info@galwaygamejam.com.
As always, our jam events is open to any person aged 18 years and older. We try to provide an environment that is about creativity, collaboration and experimentation. We will assist in team formation if you are uncertain about what you would like to be doing for the event.
We have secured a venue and sponsors for event insurance and will provide a meal, and tea / coffee for the event.
Ardán (https://ardan.ie/) are providing us with legendary levels of support. You can also reach out at info@ardan.ie with any questions you may have. Ardán also have a presence on our Discord server, so you can feel free to ask questions there.
Our venue is provided by Portershed, backed by AIB (https://portershed.com/).
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Galway Game Jam 10 Year Anniversary Jam
Hey folks! Galway Game Jam presents our 10 Year Anniversary Jam!
Our hybrid jam will take place at Portershed a Dó, Market Street, Galway, and online!Galway Game Jam
Make some fun!
Click the link below to view the Galway jam-site details and register as a jammer.
To register, create a new user account on the itch.io website. Itch.io have their own policies for privacy, data and code of conduct which you agree to when registering. Please send any game jam related queries to info@galwaygamejam.com.
As always, our game jam event is open to all. It is about creativity, collaboration and experimentation. We will assist in team formation if you are uncertain about what you would like to be doing for the event.
We have secured a venue and sponsors for event insurance and will provide a meal, and tea / coffee for the event.
Thanks
Ardán will be supporting our food and drinks for the event, in addition to providing equipment on loan. Ardán are providing us with legendary levels of support in the form of the Wild Galway Games Initiative. More information will be available about this launch-pad initiative at the game jam. You can also reach out to Eoin at info@ardan.ie with any questions you may have. Ardán also have a presence on our Discord server, so you can feel free to ask questions there.
Our venue is provided by PorterShed, backed by AIB.
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Galway Game Jam Twitch recap 2022
An email landed in the Galway Game Jam inbox today with some fun stats. Ha, well I know I lost some folks with the words “fun” and “stats” together, but if I haven’t lost you yet, that means you are geeky/nerdy enough to be somewhat intrigued by the results.
These live streams occur over the course of our hybrid and virtual jams. So in a way it is a record of our commitment to providing an interesting event for our remote-jammers. Having this reminder is a nice way to share how much work goes into these events.
Broadcasts: 13 Hours Watched: 124 Days Watched: 5 Highest concurrent viewers: 22 Total Followers: 76 Channel Points: 6.9k Chat Messages: 305 Top Categories: Science & Technology Galway Game Jam Twitch recap 2022 Now we have some data, let’s look at what’s behind it.
Generally we have two people hosting a livestream at any moment. Both are either engaging with the stream or one person will be monitoring the stream, Twitch chat and our Discord server for questions and comments from our remote jammers and viewers.
The hours watched seems to be total of all viewers time spent viewing the livestream. We operated a live stream for parts of the game jams. As we had 2x 16 hour jams and 1x 24 hour jam we can estimate total of 40~48 hours of livestream. As we generally have two people involved in the stream, we can get the estimated human labor cost of the stream itself as 2x 40~48, or 80~96 hours of human labour. Not an insignificant amount!
In addition, while these live-streams are operating, the management of the jam itself is spread to yet another volunteer/organiser. So, if we multiply the base watched hours by 3, we get the human labour of running the watched-hours of livestream while also running the jam.
That’s approximately greater than 120 hours of voluntary effort, to share knowledge and encourage the local/national game development community.
Now to consider all of the effort the jammers went into making games while we where livestreaming. Well, that would take a bit more granular research! Total jammers per jam changes, and people contribute differently to projects – sometimes there are hours when people are not working directly on a game, and sometimes people wake up in the middle of the night with a game idea. So it’s more difficult to track. Suffice to say, we’ve had 22 game projects submitted this year, and these games are from teams of 1-5 people. Not everyone would watch the streams, though their work would be shared at various points if they are happy to. I wouldn’t be shocked if total hours of game making effort at Galway Game Jam events over 2022 was over 1200, for 2×16 hour jams and 1×48 hour jam. I’ll leave you to do more math if you want and please feel free to leave a comment to put my numbers straight.
Given this brief moment of napkin-math analysis to consider how these numbers add up, we would like to put in another brief moment to extend a heartfelt gratitude to all!
Thanks
Thanks to our mentors
A huge thanks to our mentors for taking part in the live streams, for sharing their passion, curiosity, interests, advice, tips, wisdom and personal journey in game dev on the stream, and for showing us all how we can build better games together. Here’s a list of mentors to date – not just over 2022 – we don’t really have many places to thank them so I thought I’d give everyone a shoutout at once (some have come back more than once):
- Carlo Azzari
- Leela Collins
- Paul Conway
- Sophia Impetus
- Jean Finley
- Jamie Galvin
- Alanna Kelly
- Jupiter Hadley
- Basil Lim
- Alastair Low
- Saoirse Lynch
- Helen Lynch
- Nik Kemski
- Angelo Nicolaou
- Dave McCabe
- Sam Redfern
- Denman Rooke
- David Ryley
- (I think I may have missed one or two people so please get in touch if you don’t see your name here!)
Thanks to our volunteers
And to our very own volunteers and organisers and moderators who keep incrementally improving upon the live-stream experience and dedicate their personal time to providing the world not only with a game jam, but also with a window into our humble game jam that showcases the creativity and welcoming nature of our community. 2022 Volunteers/organisers:
- Darren Kearney
- Alanna Kelly
- Brian O’Brien
Special Thanks
And a special thanks to Gabe Mullarkey, Eoin Butler Thornton, Alan Duggan, all the folks at Ardán, Galway City Council Tourism dept, Anthony Shaughnessy, Aoife Cheung, Trevor Murray and Mary Rodgers from the Portershed and Sheila, Sarah, Brian and Noreen from Galway Technology Centre for helping to make this year a success, and for supporting the local game dev community.
Thanks to you!
Over 2022’s game jams from Galway Game Jam and our Global Game Jam event, our community has created:
- Galway Game Jam 20 “Propinquity”: 7 games
- Galway Game Jam 19 “Wild” / “Wild Galway”: 8 games
- Global Game Jam ’22 “Duality”: 7 games
Game Jam Theme Games Galway Game Jam 20 “Propinquity” 7 Galway Game Jam 19 “Wild” / “Wild Galway” 8 Global Game Jam 2022 at Galway “Duality” 7 Total 22 Galway Game Jam events in 2022 Thanks for watching!
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Global Game Jam 2023 Registration Open
Hey folks! Galway Game Jam presents Global Game Jam 2023, from Portershed a Dó, Market Street, Galway!
Global Game Jam
Make some fun!
Click the link below to view the Galway jam-site details and register as a jammer.
To register, create a new user account on the globalgamejam.org website. Global Game Jam have their own policies for privacy, data and code of conduct which you agree to when registering and attending a Global Game Jam event. Please send any game jam related queries to darren.ggj@mindcauldron.com.
We are currently looking for mentors and volunteers. Get in touch with us on Discord!
You can also learn more about what Global Game Jam from their site, and ask questions on the Galway Game Jam community discord server, or indeed the Global Game Jam community discord server.
We have secured a venue and sponsors for event insurance, and are looking at getting some snacks sponsored also.
P.S. Fun fact, Galway’s jam-site has been described by Global Game Jam Regional Organiser Thom as one of the “usual suspects” for Ireland, along with IT Carlow / SETU Carlow.
This is quite a nice compliment! All the more so because we are a humble grassroots game jam community that stepped up to keep the Global Game Jam tradition going, which was first established by Pulse College staff and students in 2015 while Pulse College operated a Galway campus. Mission successful in my book, and long may it continue!—
Update Jan 26
Ardán will be supporting our food and drinks for the event, in addition to providing equipment on loan. Huge shoutout to Ardán for the support!
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Galway Game Jam 19 – HYBRID JAM!
Hi folks, it’s nearly jam time again! We are going to run a hybrid event: both virtual and venue based participation. We can’t wait to bring you our first in-person compatible jam since 2020! This event will also be part of the Wild Galway Games Initiative from Ardán and Galway City Council, look out for their theme on the day!
Theme and Diversifiers: [to be announced on the day]
When
Carve these dates out of your calendar:
- Day 1: Saturday 16th July
- Day 2: Saturday 23rd July
Where
- Jam in person: Portershed Bowling Green campus, Galway (near St. Nicholas’ church).
- Jam remotely: Join our discord server and follow us on Twitch.
- Join the jam on itch.io: https://itch.io/jam/galway-game-jam-19
- Admission: Free!
Venue Description
We will be using the Portershed’s latest facility at Bowling Green, located in the heart of Galway city.
Here we will have access to an event space which contains desks, chairs, power and internet. So, please bring your own computer/laptop and cables. There are a few small booths available for use, including a sound treated streaming booth (a dream for you audio folks who like to record bespoke sounds and Voice Overs on the day!).
We will be streaming from the venue to our Twitch channel during the event, and a large screen will showcase our virtual jammers and stream right in the space. Hopefully we can collide the seperate worlds of the hybrid jam together even more for this one.
Facilities:
- Kitchen area with tea/coffee making facility
- Accessible unisex toilets
- Open plan event area with natural light, internet and power (please bring your own laptop/computer + cables)
- Large screen in event area (used for presentation/showcase and live-stream)
- Whiteboards
- Individual meeting booths (talk with your remote team members)
- Sound-treated streaming booth (to host Galway Game Jam live-stream, but we can vacate during breaks to facilitate game audio recordings)
- Centrally located near restaurants, cafés and convenience stores.
- Car Parking available beside venue (pay-by-hour, no guarantee of free spaces)
Rules & Requirements
Code of conduct: https://galwaygamejam.com/code-of-conduct
Covid restrictions: In-person jammers, please take an Covid-19 antigen test on the morning of the jam. If your test result is positive, do not attend the venue. You are very much welcome to participate remotely, see links above for details and links.
Contact: We will provide stickers to attendees to indicate the level of contact they are happy with in a traffic-light system. Red = no contact. Yellow = Hand contact is okay. Green = Full contact is okay. If you are unsure, please ask!
Photography: If you wish to be excluded from photography please wear the no-photo badge/sticker provided. There will be some photography at the event for internal use by Ardán, as well as some photography for promotional use on social media and website by Galway Game Jam.
With support from
Ardán 
Comhairle Cathrach na Gallimhe | Galway City Council Join the jam on Discord!
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Galway Game Jam Archive
This page is an ongoing (voluntary) project to record all Galway Game Jam games in a way that people can easily find and play them.
List of Galway Game Jams
Theme Link to games Entries Type Year Propinquity itch.io/jam/galway-game-jam-20 7 Hybrid 2022 Wild / Wild Galway itch.io/jam/galway-game-jam-19 8 Hybrid 2022 The Old Gods itch.io/jam/galwaygamejam18 1 Hybrid 2021 Community Spirit itch.io/jam/galway-game-jam-17 6 Virtual 2021 Functional Magic itch.io/jam/galway-game-jam-16 9 Virtual 2020 An Epic Evil itch.io/jam/galwaygamejam15 2 Venue 2019 Care itch.io/jam/galwaygamejam14 4 Venue 2019 One Button Jam itch.io/jam/galwaygamejam13 4 Venue 2019 Limitations itch.io/jam/galway-game-jam-12 4 Venue 2019 Ministry of Silly Games itch.io/jam/galway-game-jam-11 5 Venue 2018 Extinction itch.io/jam/galway-game-jam-10 5 Venue 2018 Anthropomorphism itch.io/jam/galway-game-jam-9 3 Venue 2018 Resist! (Mod: Americana) itch.io/jam/galwaygamejam8 10 Venue 2016 Charge! itch.io/jam/galwaygamejam7 10 Venue 2016 History Re-written itch.io/jam/galwaygamejam6 8 Venue 2016 Warp itch.io/jam/galwaygamejam5 11 Venue 2016 Galway Game Jam 4 (no link) Venue 2015 Hidden Worlds (no link) Venue 2015 GameCraft Galway (no link) Venue 2014 Magnetism (no link) Venue 2013 Galway Game Jams
Global Game Jams in Galway
Here’s a list of all Global Game Jams that have taken place in Galway. The tradition of the annual Global Game Jam began in Pulse College Galway campus in 2015 organised by faculty of the Pulse College game campus. With the closure of the Galway Campus in 2019, Darren Kearney of Galway Game Jam stepped up to maintain the jammy tradition with the full support of the Pulse College Galway Site Organiser, Chris Colston. Keeping the tradition going ensured Galway could retain something positive from what it had lost with the closure of the game development campus. The annual Global Game Jam tradition in Galway has survived a global pandemic and switching from venue, to online-only, to a hybrid event and continues at a steady pace with a mix of core hobbyists, professionals and first time participants.
Theme Link to Global Game Jam jam-site page Games Registered Jammers Type Year “Duality” https://globalgamejam.org/2022/jam-sites/galway 7 43 Virtual 2022 “Lost & Found” https://globalgamejam.org/2021/jam-sites/galway 5 17 Virtual 2021 “Repair” https://globalgamejam.org/2020/jam-sites/galway-ireland 9 20 Venue 2020 “What home means to you” https://globalgamejam.org/2019/jam-sites/portershed-galway-ireland 7 15 Venue 2019 “Transmission” https://globalgamejam.org/2018/jam-sites/global-game-jam-pulse-college-galway 9 37 Venue 2018 “Waves” https://globalgamejam.org/2017/jam-sites/global-game-jam-pulse-college-galway 8 38 Venue 2017 “Ritual” https://globalgamejam.org/2016/jam-sites/pulse-college-galway 6 36 Venue 2016 “What do we do now?” https://globalgamejam.org/2015/jam-sites/pulse-college-galway 3 14 Venue 2015 Global Game Jams in Galway
List of Games made at Galway Game Jam
This is a long list, and will take a bit more time to fill out. Please forgive the incompleteness of it for the moment!
Name Game URL Event Year Propinquity Bullet Hell https://skurvy.itch.io/propinquity-bullet-hell itch.io/jam/galway-game-jam-20 2022 Goblinz https://hazabaza1.itch.io/galway-goblin-game itch.io/jam/galway-game-jam-20 2022 Propinquity 2022 (the one with the wizard) https://dunbargames.itch.io/propinquity-2022 itch.io/jam/galway-game-jam-20 2022 ChitChat https://jayebur.itch.io/chit-chat itch.io/jam/galway-game-jam-20 2022 Love Runner https://petunio123.itch.io/love-runner itch.io/jam/galway-game-jam-20 2022 Paradise https://dave-lemonade.itch.io/paradise itch.io/jam/galway-game-jam-20 2022 triangle https://7875games-by-houssem.itch.io/triangle itch.io/jam/galway-game-jam-20 2022 List of game jam creations Updated November 2022 – added Propinquity jam.
Updated December 2022 – formatting of game list heading. Added Global Game Jam listings.Maintainers:
- Darren Kearney
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Global Game Jam ’20, Galway
48 hour gamejam from Jan 31st to Feb 2nd, at PorterShed, Galway.
Please register your place here: https://globalgamejam.org/2020/jam-sites/galway-ireland
Click Join This Jam Site and follow the instructions to create an account if you have not already.
Event details are provided at the jam-site page.
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Galway Game Jam 12 – 1 day jam, Sat 30th March
Galway Game Jam 12 is coming!
Venue PorterShed, Galway Date 30th March 2019 Start-End Times 9am-9pm Saturday Admission Free Reserve your place https://galwaygamejam12.eventbrite.ie Facebook event page https://www.facebook.com/events/265358531027320 Theme / Limitation <currently being discussed on Discord> Challenge yourself to make something, learn new skills, meet people interested in game development and have fun!
This game making event will be a little different as we are planning on putting some more strict limitations in place.
Normally we select a theme that games are made around, which in general has been loosely interpreted. We have never before put a harsh limitation on the outcome of a Galway Game Jam game. This time we are considering a harsh limitation, visual or otherwise, that will create a more unifying identity to the games that are produced, and hopefully free people up through the limitation to really experiment with core gameplay.
It’s generally great for your creativity to have some limitation in place. It moves past the ‘blank page’ of infinite possibility into a possibility space that has boundaries, which is easier for us to think about with our amazing huemon brains. A theme also gives all the games from the jam a connection to each other, a shared identity from it’s source.
So, some details yet to be determined, that will be discussed on the facebook event page and our discord server over the course of the next few weeks!This event is 12 hours long. We plan to use the final hour to showcase each others games. There will be some announcements but you will are free to come and go throughout the day and are encouraged to take regular breaks.
Food will not be provided, please arrange food and snacks for yourself. The venue is centrally located, so there are plenty of options available (there is also the Saturday market!). You are permitted to eat & drink at the gamejam and are responsible for cleaning up after yourself – thank you.
You must agree to our Code of Conduct in order to participate in the jam.
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Galway Game Jam 11
Galway Game Jam 11 is coming!
Venue PorterShed, Galway Date 22-23 September 2018 Start-End Times 9am Sat – 9pm Sun Admission Free Reserve your place https://www.eventbrite.com/e/galway-game-jam-11-tickets-50316106830 Facebook event page https://www.facebook.com/events/2275983909296340/ The event starts at 0900.
This event is 24 hours long, split into two days. 9am-9pm Saturday, 9am-9pm Sunday.
We plan to use the final hour as a showcase (8pm-9pm on Sunday) so you really have 23 hours to work on and deliver your game jam entry.
Challenge yourself to make something, learn new skills, meet people interested in game development and have fun!
Food will not be provided (which is why we are able to run this gamejam for free!), please arrange food and snacks for yourself. The venue is centrally located, so there are plenty of options available. You are permitted to eat & drink at the gamejam and are responsible for cleaning up after yourself – thank you!
You do not need to be at the event all day, or even be there on time in the morning, however it is advised to be early on Saturday to get your team in order and find a good spot to work.
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Galway Game Jam 9!
Galway Game Jam 9 is happening at the PorterShed, Galway 10-11 March 2018. The event starts at 0900 10 March.
It’s also our 5th Birthday Party! So they might be cake, that might also be a lie. You’ll have to attend to jam to find out. We’re running a 24 hour jam this time, with a break overnight in between. We will probably use the last hour as a showcase (2000-2100 on Sunday). Join us and make a game in a 24 hour jam, learn new skills and meet people interested in game development and, above all, have fun!
We’ll have some food later in the event as always – please do let us know if you have any dietary requirements because we want to include you.
Book Now
FAQ
What is the ticket money spent on?
Galway Game Jams are not for profit events. The ticket money is used to purchase food and pay for event costs (eg. renting a venue or equipement such as power leads and occasionally prizes).
When?
9am to 9pm Saturday 10th March and 9am to 9pm Sunday 11 March.
Where?
The PorterShed, Galway City
Google Maps: bit.ly/portershed
What do I need to bring?
- PC or laptop & its cables
- Keyboard & mouse etc.
- Headphones or earphones – No speakers allowed
- Any game making equipment you think you’ll need (e.g. graphics tablet, game controllers, VR headsets etc.)
- If you are travelling from outside Galway you will need to organise your own accommodation. There are hostels in the city with reasonable rates and Bed & Breakfasts on College Road are only a few minutes walk from the venue.
Do I need to be a pro gamedev to participate?
No, not at all! The gamejam is for everyone from complete beginners to professional game devs. If you’ve never done anything like this before that’s totally okay. We would recommend having a look around the interenet for some tutorials in whatever aspect of gamedev interests you the most before the event, or attending some local game dev workshops – consider bringing a friend to work with! We will try to accommodate everyone as best as we can. Keep in mind there are some lovely folks attending these gamejams that would be happy to help a fellow jammer who’s gotten stuck.
Is it for computer games or board games?
Everything! You can use the Galway Game Jam to make any type of game.
Can online/remote participants join the competition?
Yes. You must purchase an Online Competitive ticket before the ticket sales end in order to take part in the competion. For more information send us an email or leave a message on our community forums at https://itch.io/jam/galwaygamejam8.
Can I work on a project that I’ve already started?
The game jam is for making something new, however you can use the time to work on your own project. Note you won’t be allowed to enter the competition with such a project. If in doubt, message us or ask an organiser!
Can I use a game engine/library/framework/asset packs/royalty-free music etc?
Yes. Simply include the names of the technologies or libraries used in the description of your game.
Can I participate with a pre-arranged team?
Yes. As long as your team is no larger than 5 people.
Can you eat/drink at the venue?
Yes but we’d like you to observe some rules. Please use the bins for any rubbish you have. Please don’t eat or drink anything that smells strongly in the main game jam area. Please tidy up after yourself.
What kind of skills would be helpful at the gamejam?
Pretty much all of them! The aim is to make stuff and have fun making. We encourage everyone to plan for a (very) small game. For example, a game that a single person can play in their web browser and complete in a few minutes.
These skills can be handy, but by no means definitive:
- Game Design – coming up with game mechanics in systems
- Writing – weaving a story, giving depth to the game through lore.
- Programming – trying out making a game using programming language you already know, or taking some tutorials in a game engine and bring all the pieces together.
- Art – create beautiful (or horrifying) art assets, and maybe some animation
- Audio/Music – making some noise, and some music. A great way to boost percieved production quality of a game!
- Production – organisation and time management skills. If this is a strength of yours you could take the lead in making deadlines for your team to achieve at different points over the event.
- And more!
Of course you can always use the gamejam to try something new, and I totally encourage it!
Are there ID requirements or an age limit to enter the event?
The event is typically for adults. If you are under 18 years of age and want to attend, get a parent/gaurdian to contact us beforehand. info@galwaygamejam.com
What are my transport/parking options getting to the event?
There is a multi-story car park close to the venue. You may load/unload your vehicle at the front door.
Where can I contact the organiser with any questions?
You can contact us at info@galwaygamejam.com, on our facebook page or twitter.
Do I have to bring my printed ticket to the event?
No, if you have some form of ID then an event organiser will match it and check off your arrival.
What is the refund policy?
If you decide you don’t want to go to the event, please contact us before the event for a refund. 72 hours prior to the event we will no longer be able to refund tickets.
The name on the registration/ticket doesn’t match the attendee. Is that okay?
If someone else got you a ticket then that’s okay. If there are any issues then you agree to follow the course of action chosen by the organisers.
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Galway Game Jam 8
Make a game in a 12 hour jam!
Make games. Learn stuff. Meet people interested in game development and have fun!
Book Now
This gamejam we’ll be changing up a few small things in the hopes of making an even more enjoyable jam. We’ll have some food later in the event as always – please do let us know if you have any dietary requirements because we want to include you.
FAQ below.
When: 9am to 10pm Saturday 5th November. 12 hours of gamejam followed by an hour of playing the results. Typically, that’s great craic.
Where:
The PorterShed
Galway CityGoogle Maps: bit.ly/portershed
What do I need to bring?
- PC or laptop & its cables
- Keyboard & mouse etc.
- Headphones or earphones – No speakers allowed
- Any game making equipment you think you’ll need (e.g. graphics tablet, game controllers, VR headsets etc.)
- If you are travelling from outside Galway you will need to organise your own accommodation. There are hostels in the city with reasonable rates and Bed & Breakfasts on College Road are only a few minutes walk from the venue.
Do I need to be a pro gamedev to participate?
No, not at all! The gamejam is for everyone from complete beginners to professional game devs. If you’ve never done anything like this before that’s totally okay. We would recommend having a look around the interenet for some tutorials in whatever aspect of gamedev interests you the most before the event, or attending some local game dev workshops – consider bringing a friend to work with! We will try to accommodate everyone as best as we can. Keep in mind there are some lovely folks attending these gamejams that would be happy to help a fellow jammer who’s gotten stuck.
Is it for computer games or board games?
Everything! You can use the Galway Game Jam to make any type of game.
Can I take part remotely/online? Can I still join the competition?Yes.
Can online/remote participants join the competition?
Yes. You must purchase an Online Competitive ticket before the ticket sales end in order to take part in the competion. For more information send us an email or leave a message on our community forums at https://itch.io/jam/galwaygamejam8.
Can I work on a project that I’ve already started?The game jam is for making something new, however you can use the time to work on your own project. Note you won’t be allowed to enter the competition with such a project. If in doubt, message us or ask an organiser!
Can I use a game engine/library/framework/asset packs/royalty-free music etc?
Yes. Simply include the names of the technologies or libraries used in the description of your game.
Can I participate with a pre-arranged team?
Yes. As long as your team is no larger than 5 people.
Can you eat/drink at the venue?
Yes but we’d like you to observe some rules. Please use the bins for any rubbish you have. Please don’t eat or drink anything that smells strongly in the main game jam area. Please tidy up after yourself.
What kind of skills would be helpful at the gamejam?
Pretty much all of them! The aim is to make stuff and have fun making. We encourage everyone to plan for a (very) small game. For example, a game that a single person can play in their web browser and complete in a few minutes.
These skills can be handy, but by no means definitive:
- Game Design – coming up with game mechanics in systems
- Writing – weaving a story, giving depth to the game through lore.
- Programming – trying out making a game using programming language you already know, or taking some tutorials in a game engine and bring all the pieces together.
- Art – create beautiful (or horrifying) art assets, and maybe some animation
- Audio/Music – making some noise, and some music. A great way to boost percieved production quality of a game!
- Production – organisation and time management skills. If this is a strength of yours you could take the lead in making deadlines for your team to achieve at different points over the event.
- And more!
Of course you can always use the gamejam to try something new, and I totally encourage it!
Are there ID requirements or an age limit to enter the event?
The event is typically for adults. If you are under 18 years of age and want to attend, get a parent/gaurdian to contact us beforehand. info@galwaygamejam.com
What are my transport/parking options getting to the event?
There is a multi-story car park close to the venue. You may load/unload your vehicle at the front door.
Where can I contact the organiser with any questions?
You can contact us at info@galwaygamejam.com, on our facebook page or twitter.
Do I have to bring my printed ticket to the event?
No, if you have some form of ID then an event organiser will match it and check off your arrival.
What is the refund policy?
If you decide you don’t want to go to the event, please contact us before the event for a refund. 72 hours prior to the event we will no longer be able to refund tickets.
The name on the registration/ticket doesn’t match the attendee. Is that okay?
If someone else got you a ticket then that’s okay. If there are any issues then you agree to follow the course of action chosen by the organisers.
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About Us
Making games is an awesome blend of creative endeavor and technological challenge. Creativity is produced from a synthesis of observation, interaction, reaction to our reality. Creativity comes from you. And you come from your environment. A vibrant community produces more creative outcomes, more chances to encounter new ideas and connections, more opportunities to learn and grow. And, more games!
Our mission is to support the local game development scene by providing regular game jams and events that encourage experimentation, collaboration and facilitating the game making community to connect. Anyone with an interest in making games (no matter your experience) is welcome to join our next game jam to meet like-minded folks and make games!
Galway Game Jam is organised, promoted and led entirely by volunteers.
Our Team
- Darren Kearney – @darrencearnaigh / Mind Cauldron
Organiser, 2015-Present - Alanna Kelly – @alannakelly_ie
Organiser, Founder 2013-Present - Brian – @anotherocean
Organiser, 2020 – Present - Jamie Gavin – @ENIGMA_Studio
Volunteer, 2022 – Present
Supports
Galway Game Jam is supported by Ardán, who provide us with event insurance / public liability insurance.
We are often supported by PorterShed, who provide us with an modern, accessible and venue, with all manner of facilities available.
Galway Game Jam Team Alumni
- Jean Finley – Volunteer (Global Game Jam 2021 and more!)
- Nik Kemski – Squid Monkey Studios – Volunteer (Global Game Jam 19)
- Cian Rice – Volunteer (Global Game Jam 19)
- Kathrine Gardener – Volunteer (Global Game Jam 19)
- Sam Redfern – @psychicsoftware of Psychic Software Goblins & Grottos – Competition Prizes, Promotion, Coordination
- Paul Conway – @DoomCube of Spooky Doorway Darkside Detective – Organiser of previous jams.
Special thanks to:
- Galway Gaming Tribes – thanks for the annoucements! Galway Gaming Tribes Facebook
- Everyone at the Galway Game Developers monthly meetups.
- Shoutout to everyone at 1GAM Galway! @1gamgalway
- Gabe Mullarkey, for bridging the gap between our game making community and local institutions interested in engaging with us during the Wild Galway Games Initiative project.
You can contact us by emailing info@galwaygamejam.com.
Why game jams?
We give our time and effort because we believe making games at game jams is a fantastic hobby, and want to support that hobby for many reasons. What do you get out of a game jam?
- A personal challenge.
- A shared sense of purpose.
- A full cycle of the creative process, start to finish in a short time.
- Experience in prototyping quickly.
- A game you made yourself.
- Informal learning.
- Chance to engage with other like-minded people.
- Work to a theme or constraint, and see how other people interpret the same theme or constraint.
- Try something new.
- Do something you know well, but under the constraints and limitations of a game jam.
Why make games? Games are the new artform of computers. It could be argued that other digital artforms such as digital painting are copies of existing artforms that use computers as tools, which give more possibilities or conveniences. Video games are different. Video games are alive. Video games respond and interact. This quality gives us a means of creative expression that is only possible inside a computer. Game jams offer us a venue in which to experiment, tinker, create or collaborate in this artform outside of your shed/office or your research laboratory.
Game jams are not without negative press – many jams have unreasonable expectations on productivity and have been accused of encouraging crunch. We address the crunch-training critique by having clear start and end times each day. Game jams, being a hobby and a personal challenge, have an effect of getting us excited to create something of your own making. We think this excitement and drive is not the same as working for someone else, and can be a very positive experience if approached with an attitude of self-care.
Games are a large part of our lives, from learning to entertainment, from time-wasting to fine art, from spending time to wind down yourself, or spending time with your friends. How games get made is often mysterious, and can feel very out of reach. We like to show people they can make small experiences, something for themselves, or even for a friend or family member.
Games provide solace, joy or a welcome escape in times of poor mental or physical health. Whatever way you have encountered games, many people want to make there own, but don’t know how or where to start. We want to do our part to support the local game development community: to give people a safe place to dip their toes into the game industry, start their game-making journey, or return to jam again and make something new.
If you want to get involved too, please reach out to an organiser on Discord or at the next jam.
- Darren Kearney – @darrencearnaigh / Mind Cauldron
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Galway Game Jam 7
The third Galway Game Jam of 2016 is here! On August 27th we’ll be hosting a jam in The PorterShed, Galway’s newest tech innovation hub. PorterShed is a recently renovated open plan workspace with lots of natural light and awesome facilities. Parking will be available at the venue. It’s located right in the city centre so you’ll have lots of options for food and whatever else you like if you’re not a fan of pizza.
If you’ve never been to a gamejam before that’s cool, you can probably do more than you think, so come along! If you still feel like you lack the skills after reading that sentence then you’re in luck. We’re teaming up with the folks at Howling Hamster to deliver a series of game development workshops to get you up to speed before the gamejam. For more info on that sign up to our newsletter bit.ly/GalwayGameJamNews or follow us on social media.
@GalwayGameJamYou can get tickets here: bit.ly/GalwayGameJam7
A FAQ is provided on the ticket page.You can also sign up on our jam on itch.io if you want to take part in the competition. If you’ve any questions you can use the community forums for the jam or send us an email to info[at]galwaygamejam[dot]com
Sponsors:
The PorterShed (backed by AIB)GameCraft