BCI Game Jam 2022

I don't own a BCI - Can I still participate?

Yes! We have a number of BCI headsets available at our participating in-person sites and will work with everyone throughout the event to test and debug your game with real BCI systems. Additionally, we look to make sure the games work no matter what, so we will ask you to develop the game to be playable with keyboard and mouse for debugging purposes, but will work with you to verify it works with BCI! Also, if you are joining a participating in-person space we will have opportunities to try out the headsets for yourself. Prizes in the past have included new BCI headsets as well, so you can keep creating after the event!

I don't know anything about BCI - is that Ok?

Of course! This event is about education as well as fun. We have experts in BCI systems (design and development) as well as lived-experience experts who use BCI systems regularly who are excited to teach you more about how the systems work. To make things easier for you as well, we offer a number of free, open source tools in partnership with BCI4Kids to help you "add in" BCI functionality as seamlessly as possible. (Thanks Brian! You rock!)
Check out the tools for developing in Unity on Github and the complementary suite of backend BCI processing tools in python.

Can BCIs read my mind?

Not at all! Don't worry, we have no way of reading any specific details or thoughts from your brain activity. We are only looking for certain patterns that occur in response to different external (i.e., looking at a flashing light) or internal (i.e., imagining movement) events. Think of it the same way that a mood ring can 'read emotion'- it is just inferring from some physiological response (cold/hot hands), but has no actual insight into the complex infrastructure of emotion.

Aren't BCI systems science fiction or something you have to implant?

Nope! BCI research has been going for over two decades with pretty significant strides happening in the last 5 years. While lots of BCI systems featured in the news are implantable, there are many systems (like those we often work with) which are called "non-invasive" as they read electric signals from the scalp from a wearable headset. And don't worry - while some billionares and corporations are making media waves with BCI, they are pretty new to the game. Such groups are helping raise the general awareness that these technologies exist - and hopefully events like this show what this technology could help do!

What exactly is a game jam?

A game jam is an event where developers try to make a game as fast as possible, usually in a set period of time like 48 hours or 1 week.

What if I have never designed a game before?

No problem! We are open to developers of all levels of experience. If you have a cool idea for a game or just want to learn a new skill, this is the perfect opportunity! Keep reading the rest of this page and check out our game design basics page for some tips on how to get started.

What if I don't finish my game?

You likely will not finish your game in the 48 hours of this game jam, but that is totally fine! Commerical games typically take years to develop (plus teams of hundreds of developers and enormous budgets). Instead of trying to build an entire game, try to focus on building one core piece - you want something that is complete enough that it is playable by the end of the jam. There can (and should) be room to grow and expand on this basic concept at a later point!

Can I prepare anything in advance?

1. Go through the resources on our website to learn some game design basics, what a BCI is and how to integrate BCI into your game. There are lots of other helpful videos and resources online that you can check out on game design and tips for game jams as well.
2. Download whatever game engine/software you want to use to build your game. Check out some tutorials online to get familiar with the engine or brush up on your skills.

Plan before you jump into coding!

1. Keep it simple! Focus on one core mechanic or aspect of the game. Keeping it simple will help make sure you have a complete, playable game by the end of the 48-hour jam and will minimize possible bugs and errors.
2. Make your game relatively easy to learn and to play. In a jam, you want people to get a feel for the entire ‘demo’ of your game - not get stuck right away or get confused over how to play!
3. Narrow your scope - right from the beginning, check your plan and see if there are any ways to simplify your game.

While you are jamming

1. Don't worry about organizing your code or making it pretty (although do try to leave us some comments so we can make sure your game is playable after the jam!)
2. Check back on your scope - did you start to add any uncessary features that are taking a lot of time to implement?
3. Take lots of breaks, rest, and eat well!

Don't leave wrap up for the last minute!

1. Leave some time before the end of the jam to wrap up your game, upload it to the site, and prepare a short demo presentation to show off what you have just created!