Otter Game Jam Fundraising Sprint

Otter Game Jam is CSUMB’s premiere game jam event and has occurred once or twice a year since 2021.

But what is a game jam? Game Jams are community events that bring aspiring game developers together to produce a rapid prototype of an original game concept. Otter Jam takes place in the tradition of the original 2002 game jam, Ludum Dare (latin for “to give a game”).

Otter Jam usually takes place over a weekend, with special guests invited to give lectures and act as judges for the contest portion of the jam. Students are challenged to produce a published game in a short period of time on their own or with a team. The concept of “Hackathon” may provide some context for the jam. But for a game jam, artistic skills hold equal weight as programming skills.

Some of the benefits of Otter Jam for students:

• Vibrant tradition and community that should last for decades.
• Gives students networking opportunities with fellow students and special guests from the games industry.
• Development of technical (game engines, digital art, programming) and creative (art direction, storytelling, game design) skills outside of the classroom.
• A key portfolio building opportunity for game designers, artists, and programmers.