The month of mathematics in May this year is accompanied by a large number of interesting contents, exhibitions, workshops, and even plays. Special attention is drawn to competitions in which young people, students and teachers participate. This year’s organizers of the event, the Center for the Promotion of Science, the Mathematical Institute of SANU and the Nordeus Foundation, have designed activities that connect mathematics, art, gaming, and programming. One of those activities is a three-day Game Jam, a competition in the development of games on a given topic, which will be held as part of the M3 Gaming Weekend in Dorcol Platz.
In addition to the Game Jam as the central event of the M3 gaming weekend, which is organized with the support of the gaming studio Playstudios Europe, and will last from 27 to 29 May, attendees will have the opportunity to be part of the game fair of local independent teams. high school students from art schools, as well as to play modern and retro games.
Game jam is a great opportunity for young people to make their first games with the help of a mentor, gain valuable experience and connect with the professional gaming community. The teams will be joined by high school students who made their games through the Mejkers Lab program and exhibited them as part of the M3 event, in order to consolidate their knowledge and contribute as much as they can. The dynamic atmosphere and competitive spirit will be present throughout the weekend, and participants and competitors will have the opportunity to exchange ideas, talk and have fun together.
Game jam
An inspiring lecture by Michael Movel, a video game design consultant, will help participants and attendees think further about creative processes in the video game industry on Friday from 6 p.m. After that, the general director of the gaming studio Playstudios Europe, Nikola Mitić, will reveal the topic on which the teams will make their games and will officially open the competition. 13 young teams will be dedicated to creating games with the support of more than 15 mentors. The participants of the game scheme itself were selected in advance through applications in order to form teams of complementary knowledge and skills, capable of making a game in a short time.
The competition officially ends on Sunday at 5 pm, when all teams are obliged to submit their works. After that, from 18.00 to 20.30, there will be a presentation of works. At the very end, the jury chooses the best game and the winning teams expect prizes. All phases of the competition will be open to the public.
Game fair, exhibitions and other activities
There are currently several young teams in Serbia that are investing their efforts in creating games. Some of them will surely compete with world studios with their products in the future, and until then the organizers wanted to give them the opportunity to present their works as part of the M3 gaming weekend. On Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., 6 studios will present their games to the general public, get feedback, visibility and new players.
Also, on Friday from 4 pm to 5 pm in Koska bar, a panel discussion “50 years of the video game industry” will be held on the occasion of the publication of the book “Total History of Video Games” by Professor Dr. Manojlo Maravic. Dr. Ljiljana Gavrilovic from the Faculty of Philosophy, Stefan Alidini and Professor Prof. Dobrinka Kuzmanovic from the Faculty of Philology will talk about how video games arrived in Serbia, the position of women in this industry, the relationship between games and other arts, as well as sensationalist reporting on games.
In addition to the fair and panels, an exhibition of interactive art works by high school students from art schools in Belgrade and an exhibition of retro gaming consoles will be organized.
Let us remind you, the May month of mathematics this year opened on May 10 in Silos. Students, teachers and professors had the opportunity to participate in competitions such as the Edugaming competition, Tetris from my imagination, but also to attend the Mathematics and other lectures, activities and exhibitions aimed at popularizing mathematics and bringing closer the creative process of creating video games for children. teachers and all interested parties. The month of mathematics lasts until May 31, and we have before us the announcement of the winners of the competition, the awarding of prizes and other interesting programs.
GAMING WEEKEND PROGRAM 27.5-29.5.2022. – Dorcol Platz
- FRIDAY 27.05
16.00 – 17.00 – Panel discussion “50 years of the video game industry” in Koska bar
18.00 – 18.30 – Opening of the Game Jam and presentation of the topic
18.30 – 19.15 – Motivational lecture by Michael Movel
19.30 – 22.00 – Development of the concept of the game with mentors
- SATURDAY 28.05.
10.00 – 18.00 – Mentors from the gaming industry at the Game Jam
10.00 – 18.00 – Indie games fair in Koska bar
- SUNDAY 29.05
16.00 – 17.00 – Official end of the competition and submission of works
18.00 – 20.00 – Presentation of the games in front of the audience and the jury
20.00 – 20.30 – Announcement of winners and awarding of prizes