It was a fragrant January morning, my love. I remember it like it was four months ago.

Global Game Jam, Melbourne, 2024. In case you're not familiar, Global Game Jam involves folks making a game from scratch in a little less than three days, and it happens at the same time all over the world!

A lot of folks do this jam in-person, in the classic game jam style: a bunch of people in a building, sleeping under their desks, living and breathing their game for a couple days. This was my first time doing a jam in that particular style, so it was super exciting. It's like going to school camp!

I'd already recruited my mate Zac, who I've worked with on Cosmic Commute and Bell's Beach. We quickly picked up Duncan, who would soon throw up the idea for Funny Business almost fully formed, and Max, who would become our sound sorcerer while also leading the entire audio team at GGJ like the biblical figure his luscious hair would suggest he is.

our beloved boys: zac, duncan and max

Global Game Jam has a theme to guide your creativity. There's a big fancy reveal video that everyone got together to watch. I don't expect much from game jam themes, but I wasn't ready for this:

"Make me laugh". The worst theme I've ever seen. Terrible.

Why is it terrible, I hear you asking? Because I'm ALREADY TRYING TO DO THAT!!!! I'm silly by nature!!! It doesn't provide interesting restrictions or direction. Oh well. We'll figure it out.

My greatest contribution to the brainstorming process was the phrase "Stone Jones", a fully formed ball of nothing from the part of my mind that just comes up with Types Of Guy, who would morph into our beloved junior manager as we fleshed out Duncan's idea for the "first day on the job at the comedy factory".

prototype stone jones isn't real, he can't hurt you

We were all prioritising having fun with the process (which you should do at game jams!!!) and that kept us going through every bump. Despite being pretty seasoned small game makers, though, we still overscoped. Classic! Turns out it's hard to make any kind of game where every beat has its own unique features. Even if you have the skills.

At one point, I wandered through every single room in the entire building looking for a graphics programmer. There was no graphics programmer. But I had a friend, who was still awake, at 1am, and saved the day. Everyone thank Max Myers for saving the cream pie mechanic!!!!

Making games is a lot of work. Even one that seems as small and simple as Funny Business. We actually had to meet up several more times after the jam to get it ready for the public! I'm so proud of how beautifully it all turned out though, with no tears, no screams, and a bit of each of our voices in the finished result :)

If you're a game maker, or considering giving it a go, I'd highly recommend trying something like Global Game Jam. It's less about the game itself and more about the experience, the memories, and the late-night shenanigans, so it's hard to go wrong. Just put yourself out there a little to make some friends :)

as a seasoned global game jammer, duncan knows it's all about the shenanigans.

You might say. *I* might say even. That the real Funny Business. Was the friends we made along the way.

yippee!!!!

Have a coffee or a tea. But not so much you'll have caffeine withdrawal for a week. Seriously. I promise it isn't worth it 💜

Siobhan