Hi everyone, I'm trying to put together a local group of designers and devs to meetup regularly for game jams. 

I want to make it fun, inviting, and valuable to people, so I'd like to ask you all:

1) What is your motivation for joining game jams?

2) What are the top three things you get from participating in game jams?

3) What elements make a good game jam?

Thanks so much for your input! Apologies if this post doesn't belong here - happy to move to the appropriate forum.

I don’t know what you mean by ‘local’ but I would be happy to join this group. My discord name-tag is Wyrmlit. Hope we can be each others support.

1. What is your motivation for joining game jams?

• I don’t want to make games if it’s only an extension of myself, I want to encourage others to try my games and I would like them to make a meaningful difference impact on you.

1. What are the top three things you get from participating in game jams?

• Confidence that I can make something by myself with a deadline attached. I don’t like short jams.
• Creating something personal to me that no one else can make or has made.
• The ability to meet passionate and talented game developers, artists and creators.

1. What elements make a good game jam?

• They do something unique, they aren’t just make x game with x theme.
• With narrative as an important focus of the jam.
• Doesn’t box you in too hard, I like to experiment with my ideas or create something I’ve had in mind for a while.
• They offer some kind of compensation or reward for participating or winning.