Artificially Intelligent
Game Jam
MAY 20 - 22, 2023
8th Floor, Donadeo Innovation Centre for Engineering
University of Alberta
If you are interested in applied artificial intelligence within game development, whether that be for content creation, procedural generation, pathfinding, bots, analytics, or more...this is the game jam for you. AI Game Jam's purpose is to help us discover new ways in which AI might be used in game development. This is a chance to connect with like-minded game developers who are interested in finding ways to incorporate AI into all aspects of gaming.
What is the Artificially Intelligent Game Jam?
The Artificially Intelligent Game Jam is a 56-hour hybrid game jam, with a focus on finding applications for artificial intelligence in games, or making games with AI. Why do we call it the "Artificially Intelligent Game Jam"? It's because you don't need to be an AI expert to participate! Fake it 'til you make it!
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WHO CAN PARTICIPATE?
Anyone can participate! Again, you do not need to be an expert to take part in the AI Game Jam. You can participate on a team of up to five individuals. Your team can be comprised of individuals from any discipline, although we highly recommend having a blended interdisciplinary team of individuals who can program, design, and create art/sound/writing assets.
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WHAT IS THIS?
A game jam is a collaborative opportunity to connect with other game developers to build a game under specific constraints. The AI Game Jam is a judged game jam; participants' projects being will be judged by a panel of expert AI researchers, game developers, and members of industry. Winners will receive up to five All Access GDX 2023 Conference passes ($1,250 CAD value), redeemable at the GDX 2023 Conference taking place on July 19-23 in Edmonton, Alberta.
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WHEN IS THE AI GAME JAM THIS TAKING PLACE?
The AI Game Jam is taking place from 10 AM on May 20 to 7 PM on May 22. Winners will be announced at Amii's Upper Bound AI Conference. More details to come!
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WHERE IS THE AI GAME JAM GOING TO BE?
The AI Game Jam is a hybrid game jam, meaning that you can participate both online and in-person. The in-person home base will be on the 8th floor of the Donadeo Innovation Centre for Engineering at the University of Alberta. For those who attend in person, there will be snacks and light beverages available for you. The winner announcements and demos will be held on May 26 @ 10 AM at the Edmonton Unlimited headquarters in downtown Edmonton as a part of the Upper Bound AI Conference festivities.
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WHY AN AI GAME JAM?
Not only is Alberta is a world leader in AI research, but we also have a plethora of incredibly talented game developers who call this province home. As a result, we want to highlight both our expertise in AI, and game development talent.
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HOW DOES THIS GAME JAM EXIST?
The AI Game Jam is a collaboration between Interactive Arts Alberta, HackED, and the University of Alberta.
The event will be running to this tentative schedule.
(Please note, this agenda is not final and is subject to change!)
MAY
20
10 AM - Registration
11 AM - Opening Ceremony
Facility Hours: 10 AM to 6 PM
MAY
21
Facility Hours: 10 AM to 6 PM
MAY
22
7 PM - Deadline for Submission of Demo & Video
7:15 PM - Closing Ceremonies & Next Steps via Discord Livestream
Facility Hours: Closed
MAY
23
to
25
Judging
Judging will take place starting May 23 through to May 25.
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Trailer Building (Optional)
If you are interested in showing off a trailer for your AI game/project, you can craft a trailer between May 23-25.
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Trailer Submission Deadline
The deadline for trailer submission will be May 25 @ 8 PM.
MAY
26
Winner Announcements & Demo @ Upper Bound
10 AM - Winner Announcement & Game/Project Demos
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Location: Edmonton Unlimited (10107 Jasper Ave, Edmonton, AB)
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When is the signup deadline?The signup deadline is February 14 at 11:30 PM.
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What's the cost to participate?There is no cost to participate in this game jam.
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Who can register for the game jam?Whether you are a student, a hobbyist, an indie dev, or a AAA developer, you are welcome to participate in the AI Game Jam. There is no restriction to registering for the game jam. Everyone is welcome, and we encourage all humans across all intersectional identities to participate.
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Do I need to know programming to register?You do not need to be a programmer to participate in this game jam. Games are inherently interdisciplinary, so whether you are bringing art, writing, audio, or other support, your skills are extremely valuable. Furthermore, this is a great and supportive environment for learning; it’s the best place to try something new.
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What happens at a hackathon/game jam?For 48 hours, participants work together in teams of 1 to 5 people to build a project in either an online, in-person, or hybrid environment. There is no limit on creativity. This event serves as focused time to work on your idea, alongside other like-minded game developers.
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Who is organizing this game jam?Interactive Arts Alberta and the University of Alberta's Games Den student group. Interactive Arts Alberta is a non-profit based in Edmonton that is growing capacity for games culture and game development within the province.
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I have questions beyond what the FAQ covers...Please email hello@interactiveartsalberta.org for more information. In addition, please join our community Discord @ https://discord.gg/5Ayj9hy3GA to ask the organizers questions.
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What is the theme of this game jam?The theme will be revealed at our opening ceremony.
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How should I prepare?Here are the top things you should do to prepare for this event: Sign up for a Discord account if you don't yet have one. Find a team to sign up for the event with you. Don't worry if you do not have a pre-made team; we will have time for team building on the day of the event. Brainstorm potential project ideas ahead of time if you can. Get good rest before the event starts. Since time is limited, you will likely be putting in a lot of time on each of the two days to complete your project.
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What resources do I need to participate? What is provided on-site?You will have access to the University of Alberta's WiFi, although we recommend that you download your tools beforehand to avoid any network issues. If you are attending on-site, make sure to bring your laptop, charger and any other required tech you’ll need for your hack. The facility will not be open at night, so no sleep gear will be required. Please do not bring any drugs or alcohol. If you are not sure about bringing a certain item, please send us a message ahead of time. If you are participating remotely, you will need a computer (of course). In addition, please ensure you have a good Internet connection in order to connect to the Discord server.
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Where can I find parking?Parking is available on-site for a fee over the weekend. We recommend parking in Windsor Car Park, as it is extremely close to the Donadeo Innovation Centre for Engineering.
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How do teams work for this game jam?You can come with a pre-made team, or--depending on availability of other devs, and the willingness of others--we can find you a team to join. Game jams are a great opportunity to connect with others and build a network, so even if you have a pre-made team, we would recommend being open to adopting solo devs. Conversely, if you are a solo dev, we would recommend trying to find at least one other person to work with. There will be opportunities for willing participants to look for, make or join a team before and at the game jam through the Discord and after opening ceremonies. If you want to jam as a team, be sure to be proactive during these opportunities! Alternatively, if you have a team and want to find an additional member, these are also opportunities for your team. You may have a max group size of five people, although we recommend a group size of four.
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Do I have to be at the Donadeo Innovation Centre to participate?You do not have to be physically present to participate in the game jam.
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May I work remotely on this project?Of course you can! That said, we recommend having a discussion amongst your team how you might like to work. Although the event is hybrid, and we will have various voice/chat rooms available for you, understanding how you work best (in-person, remote, or hybrid) will be up for you and your team to figure out.
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Will there be food?We will provide light refreshments (like water and pop) and snacks, but we will not serve full meals. If you have any dietary restrictions, we recommend bringing food from home. Depending on the number of in-person game jammers, we may order in some additional food.
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Can I volunteer for the game jam?We'd love to have your support for the game jam! Please send an email to hello@interactiveartsalberta.org if you are interested in volunteering.
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Can I sponsor the game jam?If you are interested in sponsoring the game jam, we are open to both monetary and in-kind sponsorship. If you are interested in sponsoring GDX more broadly, but with a focus on the Hackathon, we are also open to this opportunity! For sponsorship inquiries, please contact hello@interactiveartsalberta.org.
Donadeo Innovation Centre for Engineering
UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA
8th Floor, 116 Street NW, Edmonton, AB T6G 2E1