GRAND NCE will be represented at the Global Game Jam Vancouver running from January 27-29, 2012.

Not surprisingly, considering the nature of game jam events, jammers will likely be wishing that they had more appropriate tools to develop apps quickly and efficiently.

While jammers will be busy working out the details and features of their games no doubt there will be a few in the jam who will be thinking about how they can build on their jammer experience. The global game jam is about building bonds and networks and in some cases it will provide the spark for several new start-ups.

This is where GRAND comes into the picture on both counts. 

Through its commercialization and technology transfer initiative GRAND offers Vancouver jammers and more generally western Canadian jammers a solution. 

While not available for this weekend’s event, the FAARS technology developed by GRAND researchers at the University of Alberta will likely be the tool of choice at future game jams. FAARS is a framework designed for the development of mobile augmented alternative games. As it is an event-driven service oriented architecture, it offers flexibility and provides developers a set of APIs to develop a wide range of mobile games quickly. Just something the jammers wished they had in their toolbox this weekend.

To learn more about FAARS, and other GRAND technology, contact Mark Salopek, Manager, Technology Transfer and Commercialization at 604-827-3137.