Unconvinced Pete’s Weekend Adventure: I’m Making a Game

“What are you doing this weekend?” asked my friend Kieran.
“No firm plans.”
“Want to make a game?”
I didn’t even have to think about it: “Yes.”
“There are rules…”

It was through this conversation last Wednesday that I found out about the Ludum Dare competition. It’s an occasional event where people have 48 hours to create a game with minimal advance preparation permitted, based on a theme that is voted on and then announced at the start of the 48 hours. Usually it all has to be one person’s work but this year there is a parallel event called the Jam, where teamwork is allowed, some of the rules are relaxed and the time limit is extended to 72 hours.

Kieran is an experienced programmer and it’s obvious to see where his skills will come in handy. With my own it’s more difficult to predict exactly how they will be useful. I have a good layman’s understanding of design and a knack for thrashing around ideas and concepts until they work. I also have music skills and in a pinch I can draw something that doesn’t make me want to scoop my own eyes out with a spoon.

Why am I telling you this? Well! I thought it would be fun to document our ordeal by live blogging event on this very site, as regularly as I can manage. The event goes live on Saturday at 3AM BST and you’ll be able to follow developments from a single page that should be up a few hours beforehand. In the meantime you can vote on what the theme should be.

We’ve both only dabbled in game design and work getting in the way means that the final 24 hours may be effectively a write-off, so there are certainly things stacked against us. It could be an immense failure but I intend to try anyway just for the sheer learning experience of it. Just for saying yes, I get to have a little adventure; I had no idea this was how I’d be spending my weekend. Can I help make a game in 72 hours? Join me and find out!

So remember, Saturday, 3AM BST (EST: Friday 20th, 22:00 & PST: Friday 20th, 19:00. For other dates click here). Be there!