It’s the next day of the game jam and another full day of work. I was mostly animating all day, which meant I wasn’t having very much fun. The space man rig I got didn’t have any controllers, and because I am unfamiliar with rigging I didn’t want to waste time trying to stumble through it. I had to spend a lot of time counter animating and trying to figure out how to create a walk cycle without my character moving forward. Ultimately, I’m not very proud of the animation and I plan to go back, rig the character, and learn how to do the animations properly. Once I’m not under a time crunch I think it will come easier to me.
My teammates continue to work hard and implement impressive mechanics surprisingly fast. Everything feels like it’s coming together, and whenever I need a break from modeling and animating, I can go and see the coders and find something new every time. I’m very happy with my models, I managed to create a ton of stuff to include in my portfolio. Also, with all the work I’m doing I’m starting to feel better about the game that’s waiting for me back home. I have proved to myself in this game jam that I am able to work long and hard for a game I’m passionate about; with all the anxiety I’m feeling towards my future after I graduate, I’m gradually gaining more confidence and this trip has only spurred that onward.
We stopped for a barbeque dinner at a nearby park. I got to catch up with everyone on their progress and relax while eating good food. I learned more about the German students and what their future plans are. I also talked to Stephen and Vulker about studying abroad for a semester in my senior year when I’m completely a full game for my thesis. It would line up really well with the work that I need to do and the process they go through. We also got to play lawn games, including an America vs German drinking game that I got roped into.
I wasn’t much help after the barbeque because of how tired I was, so I decided to leave the lab because I wouldn’t make any progress anyway. Mike and I decided to go get ice cream and stop at a general store for supplies. However, both of us cannot be trusted with directions, so what should have been a five-minute walk back to the hotel ended up being 45 minutes. At least I walked off the ice cream. That wasn’t the end of our night though, as the Germans offered to get us into a small nightclub. Although I was tired from all the walking, the prospect of spending more time with our friends before we had to leave them Monday was enough to convince me to go back out. The club was so much fun and the music they played was so much fun to dance with. I was sore the next day from all the dancing. I got to talk about music and local culture and get a lot closer with some of the Germans. It was an invaluable experience (and the drinks weren’t too bad either).