48-HOUR LONG SLEEPLES GAME MARATHON AT IZMIR UNIVERSITY OF ECONOMICS!
Digital game sector’s most important game development organization Global Game Jam’s (GGJ) Izmir leg will gather software developers, designers, and members of computer world together at Izmir University of Economics (IUE). The event, with 105 participants, 11 jury members, and an organization team of 20 people, will begin on January 29 at IUE Conference Hall.
Asst. Prof. Dr. Gazihan Alankuş, Lecturer at IUE Faculty of Engineering and Computer Sciences and Head of Event Committee for Aegean 2016 Global Game Jam, stated that the event, in which the participants developed computer games continously, took place concurrently worldwide. Alankuş said, “Participants are divided into teams of 5 and asked to develop computer games in 48 hours. Participating students, academicians, amateur and professional game developers create computer games in 48 hours with little or no sleep. This year we will be organizing the 5th game jam event where participants have a chance to meet each other and establish professional relations as the game sector gains new games.”
'Izmir Economics, One and Only in Turkey'
Game sector in our country, which is in its infancy stage, is growing and improving through such organizations, said Asst. Prof. Dr. Gazihan Alankuş and he stated the following:
“The Global Game Jam, which was initiated by International Game Developers Association (IGDA) in 2009 originally, took place in 78 countries, 518 cities with over 16 thousand 705 participants in 2015. 3 thousand 248 computer games were developed throughout the event which is very significant in terms of game sector in our country that is still in its infancy stage. These efforts are very important to us because Izmir University of Economics currently is the one and only university in Turkey offering ‘Computer Games’ education in undergraduate level. The event will begin on January 29 with a short training session and forming of the teams. And it will end on January 31 after the games are uploaded on global game jam web page followed by the presentations.”
'Izmir above Turkey Average'
Asst. Prof. Dr. Alakuş said that participants from Izmir developed 14 games which last year which were above Turkey’s average and that they hope this year the number would increase even more.
