Making video games is more empowering than playing them

Baltimore’s gaming community is increasingly interested in training the next generation of developers. You can see it in Sparkypants’ move to share office space at the Centre Theatre in Station North with Code in the Schools, providing both a central spot in the city and proximity to MICA.
Inside the space on Saturday, the entire community got involved as Code in the Schools organized the fourth edition of its Game Jam.
Held on the final day of Baltimore Innovation Week 2016 (and the morning after the two orgs picked up Baltimore Innovation Awards), CITS Communications Director Charlotte James said the event brought together about 60 kids in grades 6-12, representing a cross-section from the city and metro area, and bringing together boys and girls.
Jonah Rubenstein, a sixth-grader at the Friends School, got experience using the Unity game development engine.

Otto Coleman, who won recognition for creativity, teamed up with Ella Coleman and Max Hartley to create a tour through a house that felt like a distinctly October experience.

Along with Sparkypants, which offered a demo of its upcoming game, DropZone, Big Huge Games also got involved, as well as Code in the Schools Prodigy program alum Nicholas Wilkins, AOL software engineer Eliot Pearson, SmartLogic and other tech community members.