Mythology and gaming will intersect at Tales of Us Game Jam, an event that brings together game developers who want to make their mark by creating an original title. Game Jam will take place from September 30 to October 2 at CINETic and is organized by Tales of Us and RGDA (Romanian Game Developers Association). The event aims to showcase the local culture and the talent of young Romanian developers internationally.
The Game Jam is open to all Romanian programmers, artists and designers over 18 years of age. All developers are welcome to Game Jam, from the inexperienced to seasoned developers interested in a fun and interesting twist to their game development work. To participate in the event, you can register at the GDPR website.
The event will be a hybrid, with up to 30 seats available on site to attend CINETic and unlimited seats for those who choose to participate online. The deadline for applications is September 21, 2022..
“We are delighted that Tales Of Us has chosen Romania as one of their places to get stories and folktales. We at RGDA see a lot of potential in mixing Romanian mythology with great game design and we organized this game jam in the hope that it will be part of a larger discussion about how our folklore and folktales can be a great inspiration to create original IP games. in our country that can be successful all over the world’, says Andreea Medvedovici Per, Executive Director of RGDA.
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“My knowledge of Romania and its culture used to go beyond misplaced stereotypes of homes hung with garlic and cheesy tales about vampires. Today, our work with Tales of Us allows us to support and explore the storytelling that unfolds from those mistold narratives and one-sided stories. We are already in awe of the diversity of Romanian stories and myths we have been uncovering and can’t wait to see what they will become during a Game Jam,” says Eva Vonk, Producer and Creative Director of Tales of Us.
On September 30, the event will be opened by some of the most knowledgeable and passionate Romanian storytellers who will introduce game jam participants to the world of legends, archaic Romanian myths from various iconic areas of Romania: the Danube, Transylvania, Maramureș and many others. Through 7 authentic stories, the mentors will tell the youngsters about the nature of the characters, the symbolism of the stories, the cultural heritage and other interesting things that developers can use in the development of their games. For example, characters such as the Wandering Prince, Ileana Cosânzeana or Prince Charming, or fabulous creatures such as the dragon, the banshee, the undead or the witch, could be the main actors in the games created by the participants.
Participants will have 46 hours to develop a video game, from September 30 at 5:00 p.m. to October 2 at 4:00 p.m. Game show, judging and awards will follow that same night.
After the game jam, 3 games will be chosen to continue in a prototyping phase and, at the end of the process, one game will receive funding to be produced and become part of World of Us, the platform developed by Tales of Us.
World of Us is an upcoming mythological digital platform where kids travel, create and learn about the world around them through play. World of Us is a bridge for ancient knowledge to reach a global audience, starting with stories from regions in the Congo, Brazil, and Romania. World of Us is produced by Tales of Us.
In addition, the top 3 ranked games will receive a total of €3,000, as follows: First Place: €1,700, Second Place: €800, Third Place: €500.
More details about Game Jam can be obtained. found here.
