2021 GMG Jr. Parents Guide
Welcome!
I’m thrilled to welcome you to the 8th summer of Girls Make Games!
At GMG our entire year revolves around our summer camp program, and this year is no different. We tried our best to return to the in-person camp but decided to play it safe for just one more round - to be fair after a year of workshops, game nights and seminars, we’re pretty much pro at this virtual thing :)
Every day my team and I continue to draw inspiration from our girls. They have shown incredible resilience, empathy and courage in the face of an unthinkable challenge. As the world opens up, they’re eager to go out and build a future that is kinder, more compassionate and inclusive. One look at the games they create and you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about.
You wouldn’t think much of a summer camp, and I didn’t either until I ‘went’ to camp and met our girls. A few weeks of being surrounded by love, encouragement, inspiration and validation can be immensely powerful. This transformative experience goes so much farther than acquiring technical skills - when you’re confident in who you are and what you believe in, you are unstoppable.
A big Thank You for being a part of GMG’s summer and community; I hope your daughter/camper has the most amazing summer, and I can’t wait to meet her and play her game.
For so many of you joining us for the first time this year, I invite you to view a short documentary outlining GMG’s mission and founding story.
Here’s to another #GirlPower summer of game making!
Laila Shabir
Founder and CEO, Girls Make Games
//Virtual Camp Overview
Live, guided instruction. All camp participants will learn through group instruction led by a mentor (Camp Counselor) virtually
Small groups of 5-6 participants per Counselor
Each participant makes their own individual game to be entered to Demo Day, a chance to present their game and win prizes
Community building (i.e. make new friends!) via online games, community contests and more!
Meet industry role models: Speaker sessions and special modules led by industry experts. Learn about careers and pathways in the video games industry
GMG Jr AGE REQUIREMENT:
Open to girls (ages 8-12) based anywhere in the world!
//Guide Contents
1. Camp Logistics, Dates & Hours
2. Daily Agenda
5. Demo Day & National Competition
(August 28, 2021. Sponsored by Take Two Interactive)
//Camp Logistics, Dates & Hours
//Camp DELIVERY:
All camp instruction and interaction will be delivered via Zoom.
GMG will send out Zoom call links the week before camp begins.
//CAMP Dates:
July 12-30, 2021 (Mon-Fri only)
//CAMP Hours & Schedule:
10AM - 1:45PM daily, optional Office Hours from 1:45-2:45p.
Each camper will be assigned a 30 min time slot to meet with their Counselor.
See full breakdown in “Daily Agenda” section below.
Time zones offered: EDT or PDT
//Daily Agenda
10:00 - 11:00am
//Play Games + Game Design Discussion & Research 🎮 (Zoom)
11:00 - 12Pm
//Game Dev Instruction aka Make your Game! 👩💻 (Zoom)
12:00 - 1Pm
//Lunch Break 🥪 (independent, campers away from computer)
1:00 - 1:30pm
//Industry Speaker Session 🎤 (Zoom)
1:45 - 2:45pm [OPTIONAL]
//30 minute Daily Office Hours 👩💻 (Zoom)
Each camper will receive a 30 min time slot assigned by GMG to meet with their Counselor.
This time-slot will remain the same for the duration of camp. For example, 2:15-2:45pm daily.
Office Hour attendance is optional, but we encourage students to make the most of this time to get help and troubleshoot their projects outside of instruction time.
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//Three Week Overview
Our camp curriculum is designed to encourage exploration of game making tools in a safe, collaborative setting. Due to the virtual nature of camps this year, the curriculum has been adapted to prioritize community building through making as well as playing online games with friends old and new.
//Week 1
Introduction to fundamentals of Game Design and the game engine: Construct 3.
Each camper will start an individual game project while learning in a group setting of 5-6 peers led by a Camp Counselor.
//Week 2
Campers continue to experiment and expand their knowledge of Construct 3, building their games and creating art. The goal of the second week is to have a playable demo demonstrating core game mechanics and game world.
//Week 3
Campers spend 2-3 days polishing their games to be complete and playable, then learn to ‘pitch’ their games to their group. Campers selected to present at Demo Day will be notified at the end of camp!
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//Curriculum Topics
In a span of 3 weeks, participants cover topics including:
1. Game Design
2. FUNDAMENTALS OF Game Programming
—Game logic, using visual scripting in Construct 3
3. Game Art –
—Creating, animating and importing art assets
4. Music and Audio Engineering –
—Creating, editing, and importing game audio
5. Pitching and Presentation Skills
6. Other Highlights:
Industry Guest Speakers
Online Games and Contests
Enter Demo Day for a chance to win Prizes sponsored by GMG’s Partners - Take Two Interactive, Nintendo of America, PlayStation and more!
// Back to Contents
//Virtual Demo Day & National Competition
Our favorite day of the year! This year creators of the top 10 games from around the country will present their game and vision to a panel of judges and live online audience. Demo Day winners will receive exciting prizes sponsored by GMG’s Partners - Take Two Interactive, Nintendo of America, PlayStation and more!!
Demo Day will take place ON SATURDAY August 28, 2021.
Watch the 2020 Virtual Demo Day
2015 Demo Day held at Computer History Museum in Mountain View, California
Meet the 2020 Finalists here, and check out the Winners from 2014-2019!
// Technical Requirements
Internet Connection
Computer mouse
Webcam and microphone
One of the Supported Browsers:
*Google Chrome 57+, Firefox 55+, Safari 11+. *Google Chrome preferred
One of the Supported OS:
Windows: Windows 7, 8, 8.1, 10 or newer
Mac: OS X / macOS 10.9 or newer
Chrome OS: Any Chrome OS device updated to v57+
Please be sure to provide administrator access or we may have to call you during camp for login information!
// Back to Contents
//Prep for Camp
Can’t wait for camp? We totally get it! :D
Here are a few things you can get started on before joining us:
• Brainstorm ideas and game genres:
One of the best parts about making games is researching and brainstorming what your game is going to be about. Make sure to take notes, draw sketches and bring them in at camp!
• Review Game Engines
Take a look at the game engine we’ll be working in: Construct 3. This is not a requirement and we’ll cover pretty much everything from scratch, so no worries if you don’t get to it!
• Play the 2020 Demo day Finalists games!
2020 Demo Day Finalists Games: https://itch.io/c/1085306/2020-girls-make-games-demo-day-finalists. All of the games are built in Construct 3 by campers. This helps give an idea of what you can do in just 2-3 weeks! :)
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//Virtual Summer Camp FAQs
What’s the best way to reach GMG?
Email support@girlsmakegames.com, tweet us @GirlsMakeGames, or call our HQ (833) 464-7877 or (833) GMG-SUPP :). Please note this number is only active for the duration of the camp, Mon-Fri, 10am-6pm EDT, July 12-30, 2021.
Where can we see more pictures of what camp looks like?
Our Facebook page is a treasure trove :) https://www.facebook.com/girlsmakegames/photos_stream
Can we miss a day(s)?
Generally that’s OK. Counselors may assign homework to make up for the lost time, and campers can spend Office Hours catching up with their Counselor.
Who are the camp counselors/teachers/speakers?
Our staff comprises of independent game developers as well as students from some of the top Computer Science and Game Design programs in the country like USC, MIT, DigiPen, and UT Austin.
Industry Guest Speakers share their expertise and journey to inspire young game devs. Past speakers include industry veterans such as Tim Schafer (creator of Psychonauts), Kellee Santiago (Journey, Flow), and Phil Spencer (President, Xbox).
How do we keep the spirit of GMG going after camp?
We’ll be sending out activity lists and ideas to keep them going after summer ends :)
What is your refund policy?
We offer 100% refunds up until 14 days prior to the first day of the camp, and none thereafter as outlined in the GMG Terms & Conditions.
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//Contact GMG
Email: support@girlsmakegames.com or fill out the contact form on the website.
Tel: (833) GMG-SUPP [(833) 464-7877]
Please note this number is only active for the duration of the camp, 10am-6pm EDT, July 12-30, 2021
Twitter: https://twitter.com/girlsmakegames
#GirlsMakeGames #GMG2021
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/girlsmakegames
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/girlsmakegames/
// Back to Contents
As camps are being held online this year, we wanted to create a sense of community for our girls. To that end, we've built a small, closed (private) website, titled “GMG World” that will only be accessed by our summer camp community.
GMG World will feature campers, staff and speaker profiles, as well as their projects/submissions, game dev tutorials and camp-wide announcements.
To get started, please have your camper fill out this brief form:
https://bit.ly/2021-gmg-world-profile
Note: Campers may choose to remain anonymous by using an alias/avatar. We would still love for them to create an entry and share a little bit about themselves (favorite games and so forth).
GMG World will go live on Thursday, July 8th. We'll drop you a line when it's ready so your camper can create their account and access all the GMG World awesomeness :)