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Milwaukee Public Library partnered with Cream City Coders, a local tech company, to bring game development to all 12 library branches this summer. As part of the MPL Teen Summer Challenge, the Game Jams offered teens the opportunity to make video games using a video game development platform called Unity.
“We were grateful for the opportunity”, stated Ben Juarez, Founder of Cream City Coders. “It’s important for our city’s youth to experience the wonder of video game design and code, especially with Unity.”
Over 300 teens participated in the challenge, where they gained points at each Game Jam by creating and submitting video games. Equipment was brought to every event for participants to create their own animations and sounds. Unity instructors were on hand at each branch to help with the more complex portions of Unity. All Game Jams were free and open to all teens.
Participants were given a Unity “shell” which had coded video game hero and enemy characters. The teens would put this code together in order to make their own style of video game. The vast majority of the games that were created are “platformers”, where a character runs and jumps on top of platforms such as streets or bridges.
The program was considered a success, and could be returning for next summer.
“The Milwaukee Public Library is so please to have worked with Cream City Coders on this year’s city wide, summer long Game Jam,” said Petra Duecker, Teen Education and Outreach Specialist at Milwaukee Public Library. “With over 125 entries to celebrate, 3 Game Jam prizes to award, and one People’s Choice winner to determine, it promises to be an exciting night!”
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Learn more about Cream City Coders at http://www.creamcitycoders.com.
Learn more about MPL at https://www.mpl.org.
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