Yeah BABY!
Local Winnipeg developer Devin Reimer came up with a great idea for a new game jam.
Over two days:
1. Everyone creates one “room”.
2. Each room is a separate 640×480 Flash game.
3. Each room starts with an entrance door, ends when the player gets to an exit door.
4. Gameplay, perspective, etc can be whatever each room developer chooses.
5. We’ll provide some basic Flash code templates that you can use to start building your game. Or you can start by scratch if you prefer.
6. Each game will feature a main character that will be based off of a design. Each game can interpret the design differently.
7. When the Jam is done, all the rooms will be strung together into one big, crazy game.
8. The resulting game will be released on the web!
9. We may also port the final game to the Winnitron.
We’ll be requiring that you use Flash to participate in this jam, but don’t fret! Flash is pretty easy to get into. Check out FlashGameDojo. We know we’ll have a few experienced Flash game devs on hand to help out, and there may even be a crash course in Flash game development a week or two before. 
So if you’re new to Flash, you can look at this as a great opportunity to get familiar with one of the most popular ways of developing games for the web.
But I don’t know How to Program!
Doesn’t matter! We’ll help teach you how. Or maybe you’re an artist – in which case, you don’t even need to know programming. Pair up with a programmer, or create a visual concept to inspire another group. Maybe you write music? Sound effects? Also helpful!
Because every individual or team only has to make one room, the scope of the jam is pretty small and focused – which makes this a great opportunity to jump in, even if you’ve never made a game before.
Example
You can play a template/example room by Noel Berry right over here.
Where?
The game jam will be held at New Media Manitoba, 1000 Waverley St. – Room 103
(same location as the Winnitron Jam)
Here is a Handy Map
When?
January 29-30
Probably with a setup evening on Friday the 28th.
What if I’m not in Winnipeg?
You can participate over the internet! We’ll set up some kind of chat, and hopefully some webcam stuff so you can feel like you’re really here, freezing your ass off. Just tick the option for participating remotely on the sign-up sheet so we know where you’re at.
Sign Up
If you’re planning on coming to the jam, please sign up here.
William wrote a Comment on January 4, 2011 at 3:15 am
Great idea, but you planned this jam during Global Game Jam so I’ll not be able to participate (even over the internet).
Alec Holowka wrote a Comment on January 4, 2011 at 9:05 am
Oops. But if you still want to participate, you could start your entry a bit earlier.
Ryan FitzGerald wrote a Comment on January 4, 2011 at 1:49 pm
Awesome! Great creative constraint! I wish I could be there to participate.
richtaur wrote a Comment on January 4, 2011 at 4:24 pm
Haha! Hilarious idea. The Room is … such an amazing disaster. Also check out the Newgrounds game of the same name, it’s INCREDIBLE!
Fernando Ramallo wrote a Comment on January 4, 2011 at 4:42 pm
Wow awesome idea, but I second Wiliiam. I’ll be at the GGJ during that weekend.
I’ll see what I can do.
Infinite Ammo » Blog Archive » Introducing: The WINNITRON NL wrote a Pingback on January 5, 2011 at 12:52 pm
[...] Want to be involved in making a new, crazy game for the Winnitron? Check out the Room Jam post. [...]
Terry wrote a Comment on January 6, 2011 at 4:26 am
I was wondering if there was any more info on the possibility of crash course into flash game development? I am an aspiring artist and would really like to attend! Thanks!
Flash in the Peg » Flash Game Development – FlashPunk and Flixel wrote a Pingback on January 7, 2011 at 3:24 pm
[...] meeting also serves a dual purpose. On Jan 29-30 we are holding “The Room Jam” (a game jam right here in Winnipeg). One purpose of this jam is to get lots of people to [...]
Darren wrote a Comment on January 16, 2011 at 5:53 pm
@Terry: are you in Winnipeg? If so, Flash in the Peg is holding a meeting on 19 January that will be a bit of a crash course in Flash game dev using Flixel and FlashPunk: http://www.flashinthepeg.org/2011/01/07/flash-game-development-flashpunk-and-flixel/ Hope you can make it out! If not, there may be the possibility of teaming up with somebody like me at the game jam, who can code but can’t draw to save my life.
(Hoping to make it, not yet sure if I can, though.)
Thanks!
Darren
Fel wrote a Comment on January 22, 2011 at 5:59 pm
I’m in.
Felipe Budinich wrote a Comment on January 22, 2011 at 6:00 pm
I’m in
(ignore my previous comment, i misspelt my own name haha)
Steve wrote a Comment on January 23, 2011 at 7:03 pm
What time is this on posted dates? I signed up and all, but you haven’t posted a time -anywhere-
So Many Rooms – Room Jam | AlmostLogical.com wrote a Pingback on January 28, 2011 at 7:47 pm
[...] (Jan 29,2010) is the first day of “Room Jam“, Winnipeg’s next game development [...]
So Many Rooms | Superlevel wrote a Pingback on January 31, 2011 at 3:44 pm
[...] abrufbar. Initiator des Projekts ist übrigens dieser Strahlemann. Gut gemacht, Devin!(mehr, noch mehr) von Ronja in Online, Spiele Tags: indie wettbewerb Wenn dir dieser Artikel gefallen hat, [...]
// Write something witty here » Blog Archive » SoManyRooms wrote a Pingback on February 2, 2011 at 5:59 am
[...] The Room Jam was held this weekend, a gamejam where the participants each created a flash game taking place in a room – the collection of rooms have now been merged into the game SoManyRooms. The Global Game Jam also was this weekend, so it seemed like a good idea to join the GGJ:ers in spirit rather than join in the actual event. [...]