🎮 Developer Talk: Hyper-Casual Games & Cross-Platform Publishing 📅 Thursday, 8th May 2025 | 🕖 7 PM – 8 PM EAT 📍 Hybrid Session – Online (Discord) & In Person at Santuri Salon, The Mall, Westlands

We're thrilled to invite you to a deep-dive session into the fast-paced world of hyper-casual games and the realities of cross-platform publishing!

Join us this Thursday for an exciting talk with Evans Kiragu, CEO of Mekan Games, as he unpacks what makes hyper-casual games click, how to scale across platforms, and the behind-the-scenes journey of “The President”, a chart-topping hit that made it into the Top 10 in 13 countries on Google Play!

Whether you're a game dev, designer, or just curious about the industry—this is your chance to learn, connect, and level up your game.

Don't miss this opportunity– bring your questions and curiosity!

We have an exciting event coming up this Thursday, 1st May! We have the Unity team joining us to discuss opportunities, the Unity Road Map and getting started with the Unity AI tools (Muse)!

Do not miss out on hearing directly from the Unity Team!!

🗓 Thursday, May 1st, 2025
🕖 7:30 PM EAT | ⏱ 1hr 📍 Online | Hosted by the Jiwe Game Jams Community Register now at: (https://jiwe.io/game-jams)

The developer talk will be led by Manuel Sainsily from Unity-- Artist, Futurist, and Unity Advocate, he talk about the opportunities and the Unity Roadmap as well as he showcasing Unity’s latest AI capabilities for game development. Discover how tools like Unity Muse can help you turn ideas into prototypes faster, making your development process smooth and efficient.

If you're passionate about the future of AI in games, you don't want to miss this!

🚗 Workshop: Developing AI-Driven Cars in Unreal Engine Presented by Ian Okinda

Join us for an exciting and immersive Unreal Technical Workshop where you'll learn how to build AI-driven cars and dynamic gameplay using Unreal Engine. This hands-on session is perfect for game developers and tech enthusiasts looking to enhance their skills in AI and game development.

🗓 Date: Thursday, 25th April 2025 🕖 Time: 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM EAT 📍 Location: Hybrid – Join via Discord or in-person at Westlands The Mall, Basement, Santuri Salon

In this workshop, you’ll:

1. Hear about Ian's work on the games he has worked on

2. Explore the power of Unreal Engine for vehicle simulation

3. Get step-by-step guidance on implementing AI behaviors in vehicles

4. Engage on how to develop stunning matatu-style designs

5. Engage with an expert developer and network with the game dev community

This event is powered by Unreal Engine, the Nairobi Game Development Center, and Africa Comicade.

🎮 Workshop: Building Social Impact Games 🗓 Thursday, April 17, 2025
🕖 7:00 PM EAT | ⏱️ 1 hour 📍 Hybrid Event: Live on Discord and Physically location at Jiwe Studio at The Mall, Westlands 🎤 Hosted by the Jiwe Game Jams Community

Dive into the art of crafting games that drive change! This workshop focuses on designing meaningful narratives and amplifying community voices in game development. Learn from local innovators shaping impactful African stories through games like Death Valley, Taji, and HIRU.

Discover how culturally grounded design and social themes can turn gameplay into a powerful storytelling tool.

#Letsbuildgamesthatmatter #JiweGameJams #AfricanGaming #IndieDevAfrica #FolkloreInGames #GameDevCommunity #StorytellingThroughGames #JiweCommunity

🎮 Developer Talk: African Folklore in Games 🗓 Thursday, April 10, 2025 🕖 7:00 PM EAT | ⏱️ 1 hour 📍 Live on Jiwe’s Discord 🎤 Hosted by Wesley Kanyeria

Join us for an exciting Developer Talk featuring a panel of leading African game developers who are weaving rich folklore into interactive experiences. We’ll explore how oral traditions, ancestral myths, and local legends are being reimagined through games—why these stories matter, and how they come to life in code, art, and gameplay.

Panelists: 🇰🇪 Arnold Mwanjila (Kenya) – African Legends 🇿🇦 Khumo Moerane (South Africa) – Khamani and the Arena of the Gods 🇬🇭 Robertson Nortey (Ghana) – Sweave by Leti Arts

Expect case studies, storytelling insights, and a behind-the-scenes look at the creative and technical process of building folklore-based games.

Let’s build the future of African storytelling in games!

Kilele Fest Game Jam: Where Music Meets Gaming

Create music for preselected games while maintaining and building upon the core music theme of the chosen game.

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SCHEDULE

20th Feb: At the Creatives Garage

3:30 PM - SPEED TALK

• 30-minute Introduction to the workshop

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22nd Feb: At the Sema Classroom

12:00 PM - WORKSHOP CHECK-IN

• Roll call

12:30 PM - INTRO TO GAME MUSIC

• Video-supported walkthrough of music

12:45 PM - ROLE OF MUSIC IN GAMES

12:55 PM - DESIGN VS PRODUCTION

• Creation, recording & implementation

1:05 PM - TOOLS & SOFTWARE

• Examples: FL Studio, Ableton, Reaper, Unity & more...

1:05 PM - CONSIDERATIONS IN MUSIC MAKING

1:15 PM - DESIGN CHALLENGE

• Music composition & more...

2:50 PM - AWARDING CEREMONY

• Top 3 teams will be rewarded
• Winners will receive 10,000 KES and an Ableton subscription

3:00 PM - CLOSING

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WORKSHOP CHECKLIST

MUST HAVE:

• Personal Laptop
• Personal Headphones

Optional Software & Plugins:

• Kontakt
• Ableton
• FL Studio

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Link to discord - https://discord.gg/BjFnfSGkHz

Games we are doing design for: 1.Mzito(Mobile) 2.Nano(PC) 3.Night of the Undead(PC) 4.Recce Squad(Mobile)

🚀 Jiwe IO Creator Session: Featuring Urban Gurus! 🎮🔥

Join us this Sunday at 12 PM (EAT) on Discord for an exclusive Creator Session with Urban Gurus, the minds behind Nganya and The Mara Witch! 🎭👻

📌 What to Expect: 🎥 Game Showcases – A deep dive into Nganya’s thrilling matatu culture & The Mara Witch’s eerie supernatural world. 🎤 Live Q&A – Chat with the devs, learn about their journey, and ask your burning questions! 🎮 Exclusive Insights – Discover what it takes to bring these incredible African-inspired games to life!

📢 Don’t miss out! Join the discussion LIVE on Discord and experience the future of African game development.

This Wednesday, February 5th, 2025, from 5 PM to 6 PM, the creators of Ruka, winners of Best Gameplay and Game Design at the Global Game Jam held at the Nairobi Game Development Center, will be live on our Jiwe Community Discord! 🎮✨

Get exclusive insights into their creative process and how they brought their award-winning game to life. Don't miss this chance to connect, learn, and be inspired!

This Wednesday, February 5th, 2025, from 5 PM to 6 PM, the creators of Ruka, winners of Best Gameplay and Game Design at the Global Game Jam held at the Nairobi Game Development Center, will be live on our Jiwe Community Discord! 🎮✨

Get exclusive insights into their creative process and how they brought their award-winning game to life. Don't miss this chance to connect, learn, and be inspired!

Start Designing Sustainable Futures.

The Unreal Engine 5 - World Building Program is a comprehensive and beginner-friendly course designed to introduce you to the fundamental concepts and techniques of world-building and virtual production using Unreal Engine 5. Whether you have a passion for game development, architectural visualization, or cinematic storytelling, this course will equip you with the essential skills to start designing sustainable futures in the virtual realm.

In this 2 week in-person course, you will embark on an exciting journey where you will learn the basics of world-building, an integral part of creating immersive virtual experiences. You will dive into the powerful Unreal Engine 5, the industry-standard game development platform renowned for its stunning visuals and real-time rendering capabilities. Throughout the program, you will gain hands-on experience and develop a solid foundation in the art of constructing digital worlds.

Key Learning Objectives:

Introduction to Unreal Engine 5: Familiarize yourself with the Unreal Engine 5 interface, tools, and features essential for world-building and virtual production.

Environment Design: Learn the principles of environmental design, including terrain sculpting, foliage placement, and lighting techniques, to craft visually captivating and believable virtual worlds.

Level Creation: Master the process of creating interactive levels, from creating terrain and landscapes to placing objects, structures, and interactive elements that breathe life into your virtual environments.

Materials and Textures: Understand the fundamentals of material creation and texturing in Unreal Engine 5 to enhance the visual appeal and realism of your virtual worlds.

Lighting and Atmosphere: Discover advanced lighting techniques to set the mood, atmosphere, and visual tone of your virtual environments, and explore how to create day-night cycles and dynamic weather systems.

Cinematics and Virtual Production: Learn the basics of cinematic storytelling and virtual production techniques, including camera placement, sequencing, and visual effects, to create compelling narratives within your virtual worlds.

Optimization and Performance: Gain insights into optimization strategies to ensure your virtual environments run smoothly and efficiently, balancing visual fidelity and performance.

Designing Sustainable Futures: Explore the role of world-building in envisioning and designing sustainable futures, and learn how to integrate eco-conscious elements into your virtual environments, promoting environmental awareness and responsibility.

By the end of this course, you will have the knowledge and skills to create stunning virtual worlds and narratives using Unreal Engine 5. Whether you aspire to develop captivating games, immersive architectural visualizations, or cinematic experiences, this course will empower you to start shaping sustainable futures through the art of world-building. Embark on this transformative learning journey and unleash your creative potential in the realm of virtual production.

Schedule

Week 1

• Day 1: Introduction to Unreal Engine 5, and World Building Fundamentals

• Day 2: Creating Landscapes and Environment Design

• Day 3: Introduction to Blueprints

• Day 4: Introduction to Cinematics and Virtual Production in UE5

• Day 5: Optimization and Performance

Week 2

• Day 1-3: Tools and Designing Future Worlds

Added to the worlding program

Volumetric recording using Depthkit Studio which features

Depthkit records real people in color and depth, so you can tell captivating stories for the new spatial content landscape. Capture authentic human performance as holograms for teleconferencing, character assets for gaming, or digital beings for Hollywood.

Video - https://youtu.be/9gdCuYEZm4I

Photogrammetry with Leica BLK360 which features

LiDAR sensors that captures 360,000 points per second to create 3D point clouds and a camera that captures 360-degree spherical HDR images with thermal imaging.

Video - https://youtu.be/9gdCuYEZm4I

Number of slots available: 20

Put a 50% deposit to book your slot

Cost: KES 34,000

Paybill number: 4071755, account number, "Your last name"