JAMMING THE CURVE: COVID-19 Game Jam
Fight the COVID-19 pandemic with creativity, ingenuity and science!
Opportunity to win cash prizes and a development grant!
Jam Begins: September 15th, 2020
Jam Ends: October 1st 2nd, 2020 (extended)
Join here: https://itch.io/jam/jamming-the-curve
IndieCade, The National Academy of Sciences LabX, Games For Our Future, Seattle Indies, Georgia Tech DILAC, University of Washington Earthlab, COST, Premack Rogers PC, and Northeastern University’s Game Studio present Jamming the Curve!
Jamming the curve is a two week “slow jam” happening on the IndieCade Discord server between September 15, 2020 and October 1 October 2, 2020. (end date extended)
One of the greatest challenges of the COVID-19 Pandemic is convincing people to take the necessary actions to protect their own and others’ safety, to do what health experts call “flattening the curve.” Behavioral research shows that the two most important factors in prosocial pandemic behavior are critical thinking and belief in science. The goal of this jam is to leverage the power of games to help promote these prosocial behaviors based on science and critical thinking.
Jamming the Curve brings game developers, scientists, and researchers together for a two-week slow jam to learn from each other and show the power of games to translate data into stories, dispelling misinformation or misconceptions, and demonstrating the relationship between individual behaviors and large-scale impacts, all in a form that is easily digestible by a broader public.
The project provides gamemakers access to two simulation engines (one in Unity and one in html) developed at Georgia Tech that allow them to develop games based on epidemiological models built with real world scientific data regarding the COVID-19 pandemic. The simulation engines support the creation of games that will enable players to interact with a range of real-world variables to see different outcomes. The simulations allow game creators to model a variety of scenarios, ranging from individual stories, to small-scale systems, such as a family, grocery store, school or neighborhood, to large-scale systems like a city or an airline network. Participants are welcome to use these simulation engines or any engines or tools they are familiar and comfortable with to make digital or tabletop/physical games for this jam.
Cash Prizes and Development Grant: Five winning teams will each receive $1,000 cash and be showcased at the IndieCade Anywhere and Everywhere Festival. These winning teams will have the opportunity to further develop their idea to win a $20,000 game development grant. Prizes are being funded by LabX.
Themes: The following themes should help guide—though not limit—your creations:
Thank you to our partners and supporters!
