Global Game Jam 2023 FGJ-site in LapUAS!

Global Game Jamit 2023 start on Monday 30th in January, and last until Sunday, February 5. Most of the event organizers hold jams on the weekend – as well as the IGDA Rovaniemi hub!

IGDA will organize the #FGJ23 event site in Rovaniemi, on the premises of LapUAS (Showroom), on Friday 3rd February from 17:00. The event organizers do not offer computers, monitors or drawing tables, but if you are a university student in Rovaniemi, you can request a computer and monitors through the teachers in advance. The event borrows keyboards and mice, as well as some limited craft supplies for making board games (however, be prepared with your own board game supplies, you can ask Tuuli Nivala for more information about current materials -> first name.surname [at] lapinamk.fi).

In the Showroom you will have tables for your computer setups, LapUAS and Lumen has refrigerator and a microwave for cooking, and there will be free coffee and tea. Take enough food and drinks with you for long jamming. Snacks can be bought throughout the weekend at CafĂ© Lumen’s self-service kiosk, and the nearest Sale-store is not far away. In the evenings, it is possible to go to sauna in LapUAS’ premises, so bring a towel!

The event has the following opening hours:

FRI: 17 – 02
SAT: 08 – 02
SUN: 08 – 17

The event happens through the GGJ website and you have to register to the venue there – the final jam productions are also uploaded there! Create an account on the GGJ website and register to the Rovaniemi site. Book yourself a spot also through Eventbrite. When you arrive at the venue, you will receive more information about the facilities used and any event practices.

More Info about Global Game Jams

All the necessary jamming info can be found on the GGJ website. The theme will also be published on their website!

If you have questions about the practical aspects of the event, please contact:
Jalonen Jere, 044 5511889

Questions regarding the official GGJ will be forwarded by the IGDA Rovaniemi hub leader:
Samuli Valkama (samuli.valkama [at] igda.fi)

Autumn 2022 Jams – Gaming hype in the midst of darkness

Is there a better way to start the Autumn Vacation than with games and good company? 🎃 FrostBit brought light to a dark October weekend, and held the second Frosted Game Jams for 2022. The first Frosted Game Jams in the spring went well and raised interest of the Rovaniemi gaming community, so new jams had to, of course, be organized! From the last Jams, we made many changes and improvements based on the feedback, and again we went one step further in organizing even more epic event!

Lapland UAS had a full house when a bunch of game enthusiasts arrived to make the most amazing games from far and wide: in the end, total of 8 teams made 2D and 3D-games for computer and mobile, multiplayer and single-player games, for keyboards and controllers, of course not forgetting the revolutionary (galactic) board game.

Photo vibes from the second Jams:

How did the event go? Watch the Aftermovie!

At the Game Jams, the aim is to make a game during the weekend, with a common theme. We received feedback from the last Jams that, in addition to the main theme, “diversifiers” would be a fun addition; and we invented them! The main theme this time was “In The Middle”, and the diversifiers were “randomness, excuse, helpless”, and Saturday’s surprise diversifier was: “make the game completely against the theme”. Huh?! Yes, as usual, this is only limited by your imagination. The best thing is to see the end result, i.e. what the participants actually come up with based on these themes.

When are the next Jams at Rovaniemi again?

We will definitely see Game Jams at Rovaniemi in some form next year; whether it’s Frosted Game Jams, Global Game Jams, or even both, we’ll be sure to notify about them in time. 😎 By the way, stay tuned on FrostBit’s social media (Instagram, LinkedIn, nettisivut) as well as IGDA Rovaniemi Hub social medias (Instagram, Facebook), if you are interested in games and their development, because we want to be a part of activating the gaming industry here in the North as well. Keep your ears open and join the upcoming events! 🏃

Hey Game Jam participant! Come to Bull Bar & Grill at 2.11. Wed 18:00 to play your games!

Thanks again to Lapland University of Applied Sciences & Café Lumen for lending their facilities to the event!
Thank you IGDA Finland for partaking in organizing the event!

The FrostBit Code – YouTube Livestreams 2021

The FrostBit Live Code is a livestream event where you can grab a coffee together with our hosts, entertain and learn about a variety of buzz topics in coding/programming. The event is hosted by FrostBit Software Lab’s engineers with coding at their heart: Juhani Kuru, Matias Hiltunen and Mikko Pajula. In one hour of livestream, the hosts will discuss about a specific topic and give concrete examples and share their know how from their experiences while working in diverse projects at the Lab. Jokes and silly coding mistakes are part of the show.

Why join? To learn, be entertained and improve you coding know-how while enjoying your afternoon coffee with the coding gurus. The event is for students and general audience with minimum to an extended knowledge in coding. Disclaimer: No prior coding knowledge required to join the event!

The livestreams are broadcasted and recorded on the last Thursday of each month from 1:00 pm to 2:30 pm on the FrostBit Youtube-channel, where you can also find the older broadcasts (some months don’t have streams and we update the schedule in the email list). You can participate in the conversation during the streams in the live-chat or by contacting some of the hosts via Teams or email.

The streams are public and always in Finnish, but we aim to arrange international streams in the future. If you would like to receive a notification on your calendar, the specific stream link and more comprehensive information about the topic and upcoming streams, you can register your email address by following the link below (this newsletter is in Finnish):

THE STREAM HOSTS

MATIAS: IsÀ, koodari, paikkatietoon perustuvien AR-pelien aktiivinen kÀyttÀjÀ. 

MitÀ mahdottomampi tehtÀvÀ, sitÀ kiinnostavampi haaste.
MikÀÀn ei ole mahdotonta kunnes toisin todistetaan!
Intohimona koodaaminen: Työ ja harrastus.
Toimin web- ja mobiiliteknologioiden parissa FrostBit ohjelmistolaboratoriossa erilaisissa hankkeissa asiantuntijana ja koodarina.

JUHANI

"IsĂ€nnĂ€llĂ€ on 13 vuoden kokemus softa-alalta useasta eri projektista monella eri kielellĂ€ C++:sta C#:n, Perlin ja Javascriptin kautta Pythoniin, Javaan ja Dartiin. Parhaiten isĂ€ntĂ€ viihtyy full-stackin parissa, mutta minĂ€hĂ€n en nĂ€istĂ€ mitÀÀn ymmĂ€rrĂ€. Parasta työpĂ€ivissĂ€ on se, ettĂ€ saa nukkua isĂ€nnĂ€n jalkojen pÀÀllĂ€ lĂ€mmittĂ€en varpaita." t. Nyytti 7kk pomeranian đŸ¶
MIKKO: FrostBit-labran projekti-insinööri

Legacy-koodissa uiva vanhan liiton koodipohjalla tehty insinööri. Unelmoin siitÀ huolimatta paremmista arkkitehtuureista ja kauniimmasta koodista. Annan innokkaiden johdattaa ja pyrin innostumaan mukana. Vapaa-ajalla mieluiten koodailisin full-stack -juttuja arkea helpottamaan, kuten vesimittarin automatisoitua lukemista helpolla ui:lla. Tietotekniikan on tarkoitus helpottaa elÀmÀÀ. KÀyttöliittymien tulisi tukea kÀyttÀjÀÀ, ei turhauttaa. Jonain pÀivÀnÀ onnistumme koodaamaan itsellemme paremman elÀmÀn.

Kiinnostukset: UX-suunnittelu, Olio-ohjelmointi, paikkatieto ja helpot ratkaisut.

STREAMS IN YOUTUBE