How GDevelop Helped This Team Win a Game Jam

The 8th edition of the FEJA (Festival de l'Électronique et du Jeu Vidéo d'Afrique), held from November 13th to 17th 2024, in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, marked a turning point for the African gaming scene. In a fierce game jam competition where creativity and technical mastery were essential, the team using the GDevelop game engine triumphed over rivals using Unity and Unreal Engine.

Let's dive into how they achieved this feat with insights from the coach of the winning team.

Today, we speak with Kouya Lieuh Alain-Bernard (aka Alios), coach of the victorious team, to understand how GDevelop played a crucial role in their success.

Hello Kouya, congratulations on the victory! Can you tell us more about your experience as a coach at FEJA 8?

Thank you so much! Participating in this competition was an incredible experience. I had the chance to coach several teams, including the one using GDevelop. As a long-time member and member of the GDevelop Advocates program and an experienced user, it felt natural to focus on helping them. I was able to guide the team in unlocking the full potential of the tool.

What do you think helped the GDevelop team stand out?

According to the jury, several factors worked in their favor. First, their mastery of GDevelop: the engine is designed to be quick to learn and eliminates the complexities often associated with classic game engines. It allowed the team to create a functional prototype swiftly without getting bogged down by technical issues. Fast prototyping is critical in game jams, and GDevelop helped us a lot.

Another significant advantage was the ease of crafting the gameplay loop. Unlike engines that require C++, C#, or other programming languages, GDevelop uses an Event sheet system. It’s as intuitive as writing and reading a list of conditions and actions.

Can you tell us why the jury voted for your team’s game?

The game was an adventure title inspired by the theme and traditions of our country. It featured an immersive narrative and challenging boss fights. The jury was impressed by the originality of the story and the variety of bosses integrated within such a short timeframe.

They told us during the prize-giving ceremony that our game had ticked a lot of the criteria they had for a game to be considered as such.

What makes GDevelop a good choice for game jams?

The engine allows teams to focus on what truly matters: the creation.
In a game jam, every minute is important. With GDevelop, there’s no need to write extensive code or configure a complex environment. It’s accessible to beginners and powerful for advanced users.

Additionally, its active community on the forum and Discord is a valuable resource when seeking quick help.

Any final thoughts on this FEJA 8 victory?

This victory at FEJA 8 showcases the growing talent in the African gaming scene and highlights the potential of accessible tools. I’m incredibly proud of the team and what they accomplished. With the right tools and a lot of passion, anything is possible. I hope my story will inspires more people to participate in competitions and explore the endless possibilities of game development.

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If you’re looking to join a game jam or simply create a game, GDevelop might just be the key to your success. Let’s get creating!