Train Jam 2017 Educators and Students

Last year, for the first time, Cleveland Game CoOp sent 3 students from the Cleveland community who had an amazing time, made valuable connections and experienced both the international indie game community as well as GDC for the very first time.

Cleveland Game CoOp wants to provide that experience again this year to even more Cleveland students!

If you, your respective organizations, or your students, are interested in Train Jam, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Keith. If interested, Keith can also be available to speak to any of your classes or administrators as needed.

PS – If you’re a non-student and interested in attending, keep an eye out on Twitter @IndieTrainJam!! Tickets sold out last year in LESS THAN 5 MINUTES!

 

Hi Educators!

My name is John Lindvay and I am working with Adriel Wallick on coordinating this year’s Train Jam.  Train Jam is a cross-continental game jam that occurs on a train on Amtrak’s California Zephyr line, riding from Chicago, IL to San Francisco, CA on February 22nd thru 25th–the days leading up to GDC.

This will be the event’s fourth year running, and our third year of our Student Ambassador program which you can find more information about here http://trainjam.com/students.

Last year we placed 30 students onto Train Jam with the help of partnering schools from around the world. This year we are expanding the overall scope of Train Jam, most notably by renting out an entire train and adding a workshop to the day prior to the train leaving Union Station.

Our goal this year, is to fill 50 seats get a wider variety of universities to participate as well as encourage students from non-technical majors to participate as well.

This email is to help inform interested educators with what to expect for their students who end up participating in our Student Ambassador program. If you are a student, please forward this to your professors, so that we can coordinate with them. Even though the event is still several months away, we know that students and professors have many other time commitments and wanted to reach out as soon as possible.

Last year we had a mix of students who paid their own way onto Train Jam and universities who were supported their students by sponsoring their tickets in full.  We are currently working with our sponsors to solidify the ticket cost for this year’s Train Jam, we can let you know that the cost last year for the student pass was $170.

One student ticket includes the following:

• • A spot in Train Jam – a 52-hour game jam that starts in Chicago and ends in San Francisco Feb 22nd-25th, the days preceding GDC 2017.

 

• • A One day workshop with access to talks and our sponsors.

 

• • One GDC Expo pass (information about what access is granted per pass can be found here http://www.gdconf.com/attend/passes.html)

 

• • Space at a display booth at GDC to exhibit the student’s Train Jam game

 

• • Event access to software licenses provided by our sponsors

 

• • Access to 150 other talented developers to jam with, including a handful of dedicated mentors.

 

• • 52 hours worth of breathtaking views across the United States of America

 

Please let me know if this is something that interests you, and I look forward to working with you and your students on making this the best event so far!

Cheers,

John Lindvay & Adriel Wallick