Day 6: Team Formation, Ideation, Preliminary Design

Welcome to the Jam! Make sure you first watch the Keynote!

  • Welcome to the Jam!

    Welcome to Jam week! The GGJ NEXT keynote will appear here at the start of the week.

  • Form Teams

    It’s time to form your team and begin working on your games! If you haven’t already, split into your groups and start with introductions and icebreakers. It’s useful to list some of your expertise so everyone can begin to understand how they can contribute.

    If you’re jamming by yourself, have no fear! You’re ready to start ideation! Get some game ideas going and generate some preliminary designs so that you can ultimately pick one to jam on.

  • Generate Game Ideas

    We’ve gone over several different techniques for making games – You can write out the 5 parts of the game, you can use the MDA framework, you can use verbs as a way to generate games, or you can draw out system diagrams.
    These are all ways of thinking through a game idea. Spend time today coming up with ideas, and thinking them through – what do you need to make to turn that idea into a reality?

  • Build Paper Prototypes

    For the ideas you are most interested in, work on making a paper prototype. What is the core of your idea? How can you test out that idea using paper? A paper prototype allows you to test out your idea and undergo your first design loop.

Apply to run an online jam

NB: All fields are required


Please tell us which location you helped with in the past:


  1. I will make myself available for a phone or chat conversation with GGJ NEXT organizers before Jam Site approval, and for possible emergencies after approval.
  2. I understand that I am making a commitment to run a 2 week online event, including 1 week of teaching and learning, and 1 week of a jam. I agree to commit to running the structure proposed by GGJ NEXT to the best of my ability, and be available and online for both kids and GGJ staff for at least 2 hours a day during the 2 week event period.
  3. I understand that Global Game Jam Inc. is not responsible for any incidents, accidents or problems that may occur.
  4. I understand and agree the importance to the commitment of child safety, and understand that my GGJ NEXT site can only go ahead once the legal contract has been signed and returned to Global Game Jam Inc, signed by both you and the head of the organisation where you are hosting the jam.
  5. I agree to use the GGJ NEXT logo on online and printed literature when promoting the event.
  6. I agree that I and the jammers will fill in a feedback survey at the end of the jam, to help contribute towards the event's research goals.
  7. I agree to show a short keynote at the start of the jam, and jam around the theme presented in the keynote.
  8. I agree to encourage kids to compile some video footage of the output of the jam, including some 'Let's play' videos of the games (either cast from the screen or recorded with a camera).

Apply to become a mentor

NB: All fields are required


Please tell us which location you helped with in the past:


Please Specify:

  1. I will make myself available for a phone or chat conversation with GGJ NEXT organizers before Jam week
  2. I understand that Global Game Jam Inc. is not responsible for any incidents, accidents or problems that may occur.
  3. I understand and agree the importance to the commitment of child safety.
  4. I agree to use the GGJ NEXT logo on online and printed literature when promoting the event.