A game jam is an organised event which allows a group of people to work as a team, or individually, to create a game within a specified time limit.

Whilst the fun and excitement of developing a game in a short timescale is a key part of the game jam, the participants will also have guidance and mentorship from industry veterans who will help steer them away from overly complex designs and systems to allow the teams to have a viable game by the end of the event.

With no barriers to who can get involved, a game jam is a learning experience where participants need to consider design, decision making, time-management and more in a safe and constructive environment.

We are delighted to have Panda Game Manufacturing sponsor our Game Jam.

As part of their sponsorship they are providing us kits for game design and Omnidecks for the teams to use and keep!

Whilst a game jam is a new thing for Tabletop Scotland, we’ve involved a group of people who have experience of running and mentoring these types of events.

The game jam itself will be held in a corner of the event hall, which is cordoned off from the general public, so the teams can work together in relative peace.

As with many others, Tabletop Scotland’s game jam will have a specific theme the teams and individuals try to adhere to, with the theme revealed just before the game jam starts.

Throughout the day there will be people on hand to help the jammers complete their task, from sitting and playing the games to give feedback to finding the right resources to complete the game.

With printers, dice, counters and cards to hand, there should be all the tools the team needs to complete the game.

In the game jam area, there will be a playtest zone where the general public can come and play your game – even for a couple of rounds to get feedback. We’ll have a dedicated number of tables in our regular Playtest Zone for you to use throughout the convention.

We’re happy for you to try and get some players for your game on an adhoc basis too, as long as you don’t disturb people who are already involved in a game or activity.

You – both individual and team – retain all rights to any game or system you create at Tabletop Scotland.

There will be mentors and guests who have experience in publishing games, and they can be on hand to advise or suggest what you need to consider as next steps, but once you leave the event, everything you have created and any resources we have given you are yours to keep.

Tabletop games. So board, card, roleplaying, war, or a hybrid!

You can sign up for the game jam at the bottom of this page, don’t skip to the end though as we’ve got lots of stuff to tell you!

As this is our first event of this type, we have assigned space for 60 Jammers, and we will review this based on demand as we get closer to the convention.

You don’t need to be part of a team to sign up for the game jam, and everyone who signs up will be asked if they are signing for a team, as individuals or are looking for a group.

As Tabletop Scotland is all about playing together with friends and strangers we feel that should be reflected in the game jam as well.

Of course! A game jam is about working out how to solve a problem, so if you suddenly realise a friend or colleague may be able to check on your design, do some art remotely or introduce you to a publisher, then go ahead.

We’ve been at game jams where someone has come along for an hour and ended staying for the whole event, so all we ask is if they attend the venue they buy a ticket!

The mentors who are on hand during the day event will consider all the games being developed and spend time with all the teams to appraise them on several factors, such as theme, concept, teamwork, innovative design, artwork, and playable product.

We will take account of the skills within the team who are making the game, so don’t worry if you can’t do art or need help with the initial concept.

The final awards will be based on the categories, with one overall winner who the judges deem to have done the best job in the time.