What's New!
| May 24 2008 |
TOJam #3 Photos have now been collected in one place for your convenience.
I just added some quick snapshots taken by Jim Munroe (thanks Jim!), be sure to check them out.
Are you Facebook friends with TOJam volunteer Christen? Be sure to check out her many Jammeriffic pics.
We're working on bringing those over.
Have we missed some shots?
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| May 22 |
Lost Items at the Jam While cleaning up after the Jam it seems a few of you left some items behind. They are...
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| May 20 |
TOJam Breaches Meatspace! Andrew Chin wrote this funky article for the National Post - and they printed it!!! Andrew visited our Jam and found some choice quotes. Thank goodness Jean-Luc and Nathan were included. What I learned from the article: 1. Our event may appear strange to the outside world. 2. We've got to start charging more for energy drinks. Thanks once again to Andrew for reporting on us. Q: Did the Post cover the Nordic Game Jam? A: No. |
| May 15 |
The Independent Games Project
created a team for TOJam. Matthew (Mazo) blogs
about working evenings while cranking out their game. That's dedication.
Matthew mentions Barry Row, a graphics floater, in his post. I'm fairly sure that Barry arrived Friday at Noon and did not sleep the entire time. Despite this, he was still more awake than me. |
| May 14 |
University of Toronto student Daniel Steger, part of mega Team Mercury, blogs about
building their ambitious game during TOJam. The game is complete, but from the sounds of it, needs some tuning.
There's still time to make it fun for June 2! DO IT. Jean-Luc will be pleased to learn that Daniel learned C# and XNA during TOJam, and wants to keep using it.
TOJam Newbie and "One Man Show" Chad Elston blogs about thriving during adversity during TOJam #3. Chad also gives a shout-out to the 'Boys Noize' music group. Hopefully they like game jams. Chad started the event with an underpowered machine, and baked in our toasty oven (the small room). Despite that, he completed a game and is looking "forward to attending next year!" As a result, we're planning on taking away his desk and chair. The fine men at Tenthline, part of TOJam Team IGP, briefly blog about their crazy weekend. They were attacked by a skylight that worked all too well. Next year skylight, revenge shall be ours. |
| May 14 |
TOJam founder Nelson Yu delivers this detailed post-mortem about his TOJam #3 experience.
Favorite line: "The game is actually fun!".
While you're there, be sure to read his other postings - there's a lot of great information.
Nelson is currently working on "The Supers", a game that will kick all of our asses.
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| May 13 |
TOJam veteran Ryan Creighton
created this wonderful blog entry about his experiences at TOJam #3.
It's a perfect, honest, hilarious summary of our event, and
a great summary of the thought process behind making a game in 3 days.
If Ryan were a chocolate bar, he'd be a Toblerone.
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| May 13 |
Dear TOJam #3 Game Makers, If you could refrain from posting your game to a public site, we would really appreciate it. We're finalizing our 2008 game page creation plan, and we'll be contacting everyone in the next day or two. We are trying to ensure we have a proper "TOJam #3 Game Launch" with as many new games as possible. That way, we have a better chance of generating interest from organizations (newspapers, game sites, that guy you hated in high school). Thanks for your understanding, and I promise we will keep a firmer schedule than last year. If you've already posted your game to a public site, leave it there. Taking back a steak from a hungry dog is dangerous, and we need your limbs intact for TOJam #4. Dear Adoring Public, Your patience will be rewarded with an organized collection of divine genius. |
| May 13 |
You've seen the team portraits, but are you prepared to view the event itself?
TOJam veteran Derek Van Vliet has taken some
fantastic photos of TOJam #3.
Derek captures the essence of TOJam.
The hastily covered up windows,
the huge main room,
the second "hot" room,
the celebration
... it seems like only yesterday. THANKS VERY MUCH DEREK!!!
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| May 12 11:00am |
TOJam #3 has FINISHED!
WOW - what a crazy weekend! ~125 people spread across ~42 teams. When the Sunday 8pm deadline hit, everyone grabbed some pizza (compliments of FUSE) and immediately started playing the games. You have to admire that singular focus. Based on overheard conversations, it appears that the theme and the goat were embraced with vigour. Cheese class, cheese movement and cheese collision detection discussions were commonplace. Over the next month, we will work on posting the amazing games (and amazingly strange games) on this site. If you attended the Jam, we will be in contact soon. Stay tuned for pinball ragdolls, moody zombies, elastic goats, and abstract shooters. The TOJam organizers thank everyone that attended the jam, the volunteers, and our sponsors. Start preparing for June 6 - The TOJam Arcade - open to the public. More info soon... |
| May 11 7:30am |
It goes without saying that Brendan Lynch is the world's greatest photographer.
Based on how quick he posted the stunning results,
he is also the fastest. Brendan took these photos between 7pm and 10pm last night, which is why many of us look so haggard (and good looking?).
This is the second year Brendan has taken team portraits for us.
Thanks again Senior Lynch, we owes ya.
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| May 11 5:43am |
Unable to sleep? Either you're at TOJam, or you're wide awake wondering what we're up to.
In the main room, there are 10 people actively programming, and 4 people asleep.
It's getting cold since a window is wide open and we can't close it without waking someone.
It's quiet - too quiet.
In the secondary room, 1 person (Matt of the Indepedent Game Project) is actively programming, and 5 people are asleep. The warmth of the secondary room is suddenly a plus. 2 people are asleep in the kitchen and Em is bravely staffing the candystand. The washroom is viciously cold. Night turns to day outside. I can hear the birds chirping. Or is that Shawn? |
| May 10 11:56pm |
I'm happy to report we have wireless Internet access!
However, ONLY wireless. Yours truly is one of the old school wired.
Needless to say, that has made updating this home page... difficult -
but NOT IMPOSSIBLE!
The intensity on display here at Innovation Toronto is intense. Aside from me, no-one is messing around. I will post a full report soon. |
| May 9 7:00pm |
TOJam #3 has STARTED!
Almost everyone took advantage of the early bird! A veritable army of coders, artists and musicians has been working since Noon. I arrived at 4:30pm and was truly shocked and awed. The sun has proven a formidable enemy. The main room has a wall of lovely windows that drenched our troops with lovely lovely sunlight. Not only was this annoying, but it was HOT - it almost overheated a system. NOW magazines, posters and tons of tape rememdied the problem. The wall is now a gigantic, ugly collage. |
| May 9 |
TOJam Early Bird has started.
30 people have arrived early and are programming like there's no tomorrow.
An amazing start.
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| May 8 |
Important updates to What To Bring .
Specfically, bring Small Bills and Coins so you can partake of the TOJam Candystand and TOJam Coffee offerings.
Full information on the page.
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| May 7 |
122 Maniacs Registered!
Not enough to topple the Nords, but more than enough to scare them.
I recommend skipping work today and mentally preparing for the assault.
Looking for inspiration? Look no further . Wondering what to bring? Wonder no more. If you want to register at the ultra last minute, contact us and we'll see what we can do. |
| May 4 |
Flash opportunity available
Through our vast news network we have been notified of a Flash development opportunity
some of you may be interested in. Here are the details...
"Toronto content developer needs a Flash programmer for web-based game. Experience preferred. This is a paying gig requiring a fast turnaround. Please forward an example of/link to relevant work, along with your contact info, a.s.a.p. Those considered will be contacted within the next few days. Thank you for applying. We will ask all candidates to submit estimates at due time." Contact: Peter Steen (peter at thehockey.net) |
| April 29 |
Registration Deadline Extended
You now have until May 7th midnight to register (next Wednesday) .
We are now able to clarify table numbers at the last minute,
which means we can handle a last minute rush.
Also, we wanted any holdouts attending GameCamp Toronto
this weekend to still have a chance to sign up.
Now that's planning.
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| April 24 |
Ludum Dare is a 48 hour virtual game jam.
They are in the middle of their 11th competition, voting is currently underway, and their results are impressive.
I've played 2 of their games, and really liked them:
Tiny Hawk and ...
I'm having trouble finding the other game... I'll get back to you.
Regardless, we could learn a lot from these bozos.
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| April 21 |
We are not alone.
Since 2004, UofT students have held an annual Game Making Deathmatch.
It's a competition where participants are given three weeks to produce a game.
I was a judge at this year's event, and the results were impressive (perhaps too impressive).
The games can be found here.
I am still playing "Quanticom Systems" and "Progger", and have developed an unbeatable "Babel" strategy.
"Wheel of Space" may be the silliest adventure game you'll ever play, certainly the only one that features a potato.
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| April 18 |
Over 75 People Have Registered! Let's Celebrate, it's all right!!! |
| April 12 |
GameCamp Toronto 2 Saturday, May 3, 2008 10:00am EST - 6:00pm EST Come listen to some great speakers (including yours truly) talk about all things gaming. Among other things, hear Mare Sheppard and Raigan Burns speak without having to travel to San Fancisco. From their site: "Attendees have the opportunity to network with the other enthusiasts, learn various development tricks, and have some fun. Presenters get an opportunity to practice their pitches, share their knowledge with others and recruit young talent." The organizers are TOJam veterans, so you know they mean business. |
| April 10 |
GameTap
is spending all week looking at indie games. Critical mass has been reached. The public is aware.
2008 will be remembered as the year the independent gaming scene was legitimized.
Montreal has Ubisoft, Alberta has Bioware, Vancouver has EA.
Toronto has Metanet,
Queasy Games,
Longbow Digital Arts,
underwaterBASE,
Casually Hardcore,
Bedlam Games,
and of course US. Don't forget TransGaming,
anyone supporting the MAC community is automatically indie.
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| April 4 |
STOP THE PRESSES! The Official City of Toronto Web site has a Game Arcade.
It features the following 3 games: "Toronto Puzzle", "Dress a Moose" and "Plant a Tree".
They appear to have been made by a kind hearted soul with the best of intentions.
Alas, that doesn't prevent them from being an affront to humanity that will cripple our tourism industry.
The giant, happy "Game Scroller™" foreshadows a dark, bleak future.
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| April 3 |
TOJam #3 is ON !
May 9 - 11, 2008 (5 weeks from today)See schedule for complete details. Registrations are Live !
I repeat, TOJam #3 is accepting registrations.Click here to Register We're looking for 150 game makers, from anywhere in the world! Coders, Artists, Musicians, Designers, Monkeys - anyone with game making skill. Tell your friends, family and people you don't like. We need you. We need them. LET'S DO THIS THING! Admit it, you love the new website. |
| March 18 |
Q: Are these games? qrp by Sean Chan The Marriage by Rod Humble Passage by Jason Rohrer Personality Video Game by Cecropia A: No |
| March 7 |
If you like this home page, you'll love
Space Invaders EXTREME.
You'll also like this.
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| Feb 26 |
Have you been reading this blog?
It's Great! Funny, insightful and a dash opionated. Basically, everything these postings aspire to be.
The blog is produced by Toronto based company Untold Entertainment
and provides some of the greatest coverage of GDC 2008 you will ever read.
Here's a sample: "i wish other jobs were perceived to be as enjoyable as game design. Cab drivers could sit in the back seat while their fares drove themselves around. Students would throw themselves into their studies while their teachers kicked back in the staff room. Dogs would scoop their own poo into little baggies. What a utopia." |
| Feb 11 |
Karen Fraser
asked me to appear on her Internet radio progam
Women Like Me: A 1000 possibilities
to talk about TOJam, and the Toronto game industry (what I know about it at least :).
It was great experience, and thanks to Karen for making it all happen.
You can listen to the podcast
here.
It's 1 hour of entertaining, informative, and life changing content.
Karen is new to all things gaming, and it's great to see interest in TOJam stretching beyond the gaming community. Hopefully, I haven't killed that interest. I met Karen at Innovation Toronto, and they will helping us in a BIG BIG way with TOJam #3 - more info soon. I would be remiss if I did not mention ThatRadio.com. For the interview with Karen, I went to ThatRadio's broadcast centre located right at the corner of Bay & Dundas. ThatRadio's owners went out of their way to make me feel comfortable, which included a great cup of coffee. Due to the snowstorm, Karen was physically unable to attend. Without missing a beat, Hugh Reilly linked Karen (via Skype) and me (in the Studio) together. Truly it's the year 2000. |
| Feb 11 |
We're 99% sure that TOJam #3 will be held May 9 - 11, 2008.
We're 99% sure we have a location - near King and the DVP.
All will be revealed soon! In the meantime... wait!
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| Jan 26 |
The Nordic Game Jam,
now in its 3rd year, is billing itself as the "world's biggest game jam".
Given the fact 140 vikings have signed up this year, it's hard to refute that statement.
Their third Jam takes place Feb. 1-3, and I wish it wasn't so far away.
In keeping with our naming convention, may I humbly suggest compressing "Nordic Game Jam" to "NoJam".
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| Jan 25 |
Independent gaming has arrived.
Looks like the ante has been officially upped for TOJam #3. So many good independent games are being freely released that TOJam #3 can't only be about creating a game in 3 days. It needs to be about creating good games, that just happen to have been created in 3 days. Start thinking about your game designs now! Keep them small, different and stylish. Use the languages and tools you know best (TOJam may not be the best time to learn something new) YAY! IGDA's own Jason MacIsaac did a lovely writeup about the IGDA Toronto meeting. Rob & I look ready to kill anyone that interferes with our presentation. Special thanks to Paul Forest for holding Rob's mic! |
| Jan 18 |
Rob and I did a presentation about TOJam at the Jan. 16 IGDA Toronto meeting.
It was standing room only, althought that may have been thanks to the presence of IGDA heavyweight
Jason Della Rocca.
Mike Fletcher did a presentation about "one laptop per child",
which I had only passing knowledge of until this point. I came away extremely impressed,
and understood more about what they are trying to achieve. Mike was specifically seeking help creating games for the olpc laptops.
If you know Python or Pygame, consider e-mailing
to help.
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| Jan 1, 2008 |
HAPPY NEW YEAR! Unlike your friends and family, I mean it. 2007 shall be remembered as the year of "Everyday Shooter", created by game design genius (and all around nice guy) Jonathan Mak, Jon also created one of the greatest TOJam games ever - Bubble Thing. Congratulations once again to TOJam #2 floater extrodinaire Matt Hammil whose amazing (and free) game Gesundheit! will be featured at the 2008 Independent Games Festival Student Showcase. And don't forget those Comic Dice! TOJam #3 is taking shape. Shooting for May 9 - 11, 2008 - but nothing is confirmed yet. Keep your fingers primed, and your brain nimble. |
| Dec 13, 2007 |
GameCamp Toronto was fun!
I'm hoping they post a summary of the event. Otherwise, history will forget how great I was. Note: Ryan Creighton is entertaining, informative, and dangerous. Microsoft released XNA 2.0 today. Among other things, it now includes multiplayer (hopefully easy). If you're a hobby developer like me, and Adobe Flash is too slow for your needs, XNA 2.0 is an amazing option. Might have to finally chuck VB6.0. Might. Not coincidentally, the 2008 Dream-Build-Play contest starts Dec. 20 and ends Jan. 27, 2008. They want games that showcase A.I. - submit your Eliza today. Coincidentally, our friends at GarageGames have created the 2008 InstantAction Game Developer Contest. Contest ends Feb. 10, 2008, and they're looking for games that emphasize multiplayer. If only there were a framework released by Microsoft recently that made this easy. |
| Dec 07 |
GameCamp Toronto is this Saturday (Dec. 8).
It's going to be awesome. Not only am I speaking, but so is Paul Forest and Ryan Creighton.
It's like having Michael Jordan, Paul Forest, and Scotti Pippen not play basketball.
My sources (Jim Munroe) tell me that Pac-Mondrian was created in Toronto. Ordinarily, this would be a cause for celebration, except it makes me look somewhat like a copycat. Perhaps Rob Segal's Break Invaders will redeem your beloved TOJam organizers. He being of Benny Hinn and Kalishnitty fame. Is it a conflict of interest for TOJam organizers to talk about games they created outside of TOJam? Hell Yeah. But I've got to put something here. Quick misdirection - 27 Art Games! Thanks Kotaku. |
| Nov 12 |
Did you know about THIS?
Yes? Then why didn't you tell me?
Led by the unstoppable Jim Munroe,
artists are taking game making into their own hands. A scary, exciting thought.
Sponsored by Toronto's own Metanet Software and Queasy Games.
As an aspiring game programmer, I need to ask, "How do we stop them?"
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| Oct 24 |
Not only was Matt Hammill the lone graphics floater at TOJam #2
(single handedly elevating ~9 games to graphic nirvana),
he's also the creator of Gesundheit!.
Matt has submitted his snot game to the
2008 IGF Student Competition.
There are 125 entries this year, and 124 suck by comparison.
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| Oct 24 |
In cased you missed it, TOJam Thing creator Jonathan Mak has
single handedly created and released Everyday Shooter
on the Playstation Network.
It's the biggest reason yet to buy a PS3.
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| Oct 9 |
Two By Two creator Ryan Creighton
has started a new business that specializes in online entertainment.
Be sure to check out his awesome new company Untold Entertainment.
His flash gaming skills alone make me extremely jealous.
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| Sep 20 |
While you're still recovering from TOJam #2, we're planning TOJam #3.
We're shooting for May 2008, and 105 people!!!
The format will stay the same (any technology you want, not competitive, goats must be on poles).
Our biggest challenge, as always, is finding a location.
Our last location was brilliant (thanks Corus U!),
but we'll need something larger to support 105(!) game making machines.
Perhaps Dundas Square. I'm joking of course, but wouldn't that be AMAZING!?
While you wait for more details, why not check out the genius and somewhat juvenile "B-Game" competition at The Independent Gaming Source. The titles alone will make you laugh. This is the rare occasion where games trying to be funny, are actually funny. Looking for something more upscale? Consider creating a quick game for the upcoming Montreal Gamma event. It's like going to a cool club where there's drinking, and dancing, and grooving to the beat... "Play that funky game white boy. Play that funky game you made." |
| Aug 27 |
Big thanks to Game Set Watch,
who were kind enough (once again) to followup on the completed TOJam games.
They were smitten with Yarrgh!,
Urban Tactics and
Sex, Drugs and T3chno (in spite of the name).
GameSetWatch is one of the most informed game sites / blogs you'll find. Even their opinions are informed. Highly recommended.
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| Aug 21 |
Brandon at Insert Credit
noted that all TOJam games were finally posted.
He did not have a chance to try them all, but was "intrigued" by Urban Tactics,
Mohawk Warrior,
and Yarrgh!.
We owe Brandon bigtime - especially considering he was exposed to the rushed Mohawk Warrior (burn!).
Insert Credit focusses on games that have stayed true to their arcade roots - no casual games here.
If you're a gamer, then you're already well aware of this awesome site.
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| Aug 21 |
Independent Gaming
aka. indygamer.blogspot.com keeps their readers posted about our event, and we love them for it. They focus on hardcore indie game genres,
and highlight amazing indie games, so we need to keep it real.
If you haven't downloaded every game on their Top 10 Freeware Puzzlers 2006 , you are seriously missing out. Independent Gaming updates their blog quickly, worth visiting daily.
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| Aug 21 2007 |
Korean Indie Game Webzine Post Indie Gaming (Pig-Min) covers Noodle - in Korean.
Perfect translation provided here.
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