Village Gamer

Digital Leisure Inc. has launched Space Ace, the follow up title to Dragon’s Lair, designed exclusively for Nintendo’s DSiWare™ service. Available today for 800 Nintendo DSi Points, Space Ace is a fully animated classic arcade game from legendary animator Don Bluth. In this completely arcade authentic adventure, you’ll journey to rescue the beautiful Kimberly by using your Nintendo DSi™ to move and fire your lasergun. This is the first time the stunning 2D animation has been seen on a Nintendo® handheld format – No pixel graphics here!

In Space Ace you play the heroic Ace who must stop the evil Commander Borf from taking over the Earth! Borf plans to reduce all of humankind to infants and take over the planet. Only two people have the courage and strength to stop Borf and save Earth: the beautiful Kimberly and the heroic Ace. But as they approach Borf’s stronghold, Ace is hit by the Infanto Ray, changing him into a child, and Kimberly is kidnapped by the evil madman! The fate of Earth is in your hands!

Source Studio has released a demo for their space shooter game, ProtoGalaxy, on Steam for the PC ($9.99 USD). ProtoGalaxy is a multi-genre, independent game that features arcade action, smart puzzles and space exploration with a built-in level editor.

Up to four players can team up, configure their ship and upgrade their weapons in order to defend earth from powerful alien invaders. Throughout the game, players brave fierce battles, solve challenging puzzles, and explore the far reaches of the galaxy in order to end the attacks and rebuild a home for the survivors.

“ProtoGalaxy is an action game, but it has growing appeal with arcade and shooter fans,” said Alex Brown, CEO and founder of Source Studio. “The game includes a built-in editor which allows players to easily create entirely new levels. Players can share their creations online and download other people’s levels for endless game play,” Brown added.

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_RwsKVdOxA]

ProtoGalaxy Game Features:

· Level editor to create new galaxies
· Single and multi-player mode (up to 4 players)
· Array of weapon choice
· Ship customization with large selection of parts
· Use physics to solve problems
· Save progress online and play from anywhere

From somewhere in Canada, Going Loud Studios is proud to announce that its debut action side-scroller game “Zombie Accountant” is now available on the Xbox Live Indie Games marketplace. Download it today for just 80 Microsoft Points. also available on WP7.

In 2010, a terrifying zombie outbreak threatens to consume humanity and you fall victim to the undead curse, doomed to hunger for human flesh. In a startling turn of events, the army actually manages to contain and eliminate the threat. Life quickly returns to normal.

Except you’re still a zombie. And it’s tax season. Complete tax returns as fast as possible without eating your coworkers! With any luck, you can still make it to zombie partner.

Zombie Accountant Features:

* Run to the right! With increasing speed!
* Dodge your coworkers and collect tax returns to increase your multiplier and achieve a high score
* Rise through 8 ranks on your way to becoming zombie Partner
* Wonder if a zombie working for a corporation is symbolic

Celsius Game Studios has released a new trailer for its upcoming epic inertial space shooter Red Nova, which I first told you about last week. Episode 1, First Contact, opens with the player taking on a routine mission to test a number prototype fighters destined to replace the Earth Colonial Fleet’s aging Starhawk. While on this mission, your carrier, the ECF Red Nova, comes across an unknown alien fleet preparing to stage a sneak attack on the human colonies.

In order to give the Red Nova a chance to escape and warn the rest of the fleet you have volunteered to attack the aliens head-on. With a choice of any of the fighters on deck, you have to use your wits, your guns, and your ample supply of homing missiles to survive for as long as you can.

Take a peek at the video – this game is scheduled for release on iOS this month:

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7XpDXvTJRk]

Style Studio, a fashion design app from XMG Studio now has a Lite version of the only App that lets you create, customize, and share your own fashions. Tops, jackets, dresses, skirts and pants with an endless array of material and accessories. Now with both male & female models and fashions. Personalize designs with your own graphics and even use photos right from your device. The full version of Style Studio is also available on iTunes for $2.99 USD.

Style Studio: Fashion Designer has been featured by Apple as “New & Noteworthy” and a week later made the “What’s Hot!” Also featured as part of Apple’s “Fashion — Apps for the Clothes Minded” feature alongside Top Designer’s such as Chanel, D&G, Gucci, Dior, Fendi and Hugo Boss.

Have you dreamed of designing your own fashions and seeing them on a magazine cover? With Style Studio you can create your own line of custom designs from casual chic to haute couture. Dress one of the models with your designs, add some props, and lay out your very own magazine cover. Show off your talent by sending your fashions and layouts to friends on Facebook, Twitter or email.

This App Features:

* Lots of clothing items to choose from including dresses, tops, skirts and pants
* Personalize your fashions with a huge variety of materials and prints which can be customized
* Add buttons, belts, bows, pockets and more.
* Import photos and images to make one-of-a-kind designs!
* Try your design on the male and female models or dress up a photo of your friends
* Lay out your own magazine ads and covers using fashions and dressed up models
* Promote your very own fashion label by sharing your designs on Facebook, Twitter, and Email

Also related to fashion, Toronto’s ModiFace has announced the availability of “MakeUp Live” — a new iPhone application that is the world’s first Augmented Reality (AR) virtual makeover tool. MakeUp Live ($0.99 USD) creates a true virtual makeup mirror by using the iPhone camera to apply cosmetics in real time directly onto the user’s own face. The application also gives step by step instructions on how to achieve one of eight trendy beauty looks, including smoky eyes, down to the brush type and shade brand and name.

“MakeUp Live is the next best thing to having your own personal makeup artist in the room with you,” said Nikkie Gatto, mobile project manager and resident beauty expert at ModiFace. “Many magazines offer ‘how to’ guides from beauty experts around the globe, and many virtual makeover tools allow women to see different products on their own photo. However, MakeUp Live takes the beauty guide and makeover tools to an entirely different level by enabling women to work alongside the tool to get it exactly right.”

“Our goal is to consistently push the boundary of what is possible when you apply state-of-the-art computer vision technology to beauty and fashion applications. MakeUp live is a perfect example of advanced technology applied to make a virtual mirror possible right on your iPhone,” said Dr. Parham Aarabi, president and founder of ModiFace.

MakeUp Live is based on ModiFace’s patent pending facial recognition technology that powers the number one virtual makeup application on the iPhone, “MakeUp.” Originally launched in November of 2009, MakeUp is a free beauty tool that allows users to virtually try on different types of makeup, including mascara, foundation, blush and eye shadow, in hundreds of shades from leading brand names like Revlon, Cover Girl, Lancôme and Clinique. On the newest version of MakeUp, users can now use their own Facebook, iPhone album, or iPhone camera photo to test out the most popular cosmetic looks on themselves.

The Citytv video iPad app which launched earlier this fall, has released another Citytv daytime favourite LIVE on the free iPad application. As of this morning, fans of CityLine hosted by Tracy Moore, can watch CityLine LIVE on their iPad between 9am-10am ET Monday thru Friday. This new addition on the iPad is yet another first, making CityLine the only Canadian daytime talk show available LIVE on iPad. Full episodes of new and past CityLine programs will also be available on the iPad, in addition to Citytv.com. The Citytv app also includes a number of convenient features, such as a TV schedule and a notification service that allows users to be reminded when their favourite shows are available on the app and on TV. Other features include the ability to share video links on Facebook, Twitter and via email. The app also saves your viewing history and favourites.

“Giving fans of CityLine the ability to watch Tracy and her team of experts every day, LIVE while commuting or at the gym is just another way Rogers is engaging audiences on multiple screens,” says Claude Galipeau, SVP & GM, Digital Media, Rogers Media Inc. “Fans no longer have to miss their favourite morning show once they leave the house — they can take CityLine with them.”

CityLine is the longest running and most successful daytime show for women in Canadian history. Host Tracy Moore brings her energy and enthusiasm along with her charismatic personality and flare for style – making her a perfect fit for Canada’s top source for the latest in home decor, food, fashion, health and beauty. CityLine engages, entertains and informs viewers across Canada with its unique live format and daily themed approach. As familiar and trusted guest experts visit the set, viewers are treated to professional tips covering such topics as décor, entertaining, fashion, beauty, home and gardening.

OpenText provided the social software that helped world leaders, diplomats and policy makers collaborate at the recent G-20 summit in Seoul, South Korea, the second time this year that its solution played a role in the event.The software was first used at the G-20 summit in Toronto in June, marking the first time social media tools had been used at a G-20 to help participants work together during the forum.

The confidential and secure social application has provided a singular, consistent knowledge platform for the G-20 summits this year and, more importantly, offered a way for officials to continue discussions on policies impacting fiscal reform and the global economy between the summits.

As with the Toronto G-20, delegates in Seoul were also able to access the OpenText application from their BlackBerrys, iPhones and iPads. The application supported multiple languages to enhance the ability of participants to collaborate and use the social software productively.

“At the G-20, officials wanted to bring continuity to the way people from around the world work with each other and share knowledge over time,” said James Latham, Chief Marketing Officer at Open Text. “The ongoing international work of the G-20 requires the kind of strong social-collaborative platform we’ve created, and we’ve seen the success so far through two G-20 summits this year.”

Given the heightened focus on security and privacy around the globe, G-20 organizers avoided use of consumer-grade social media tools, which lack enterprise-strength security controls. At the same time, social media offers better ways for people to connect, share and collaborate, than email, so a solution that combined the benefits while reducing the risks was needed. In Toronto, G-8 and G-20 summit participants who used the OpenText social networking application reported that it required minimal training and provided an intuitive web-browser experience tailored to their needs.

The Group of Twenty (G-20) Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors was established in 1999 to bring together industrialized and developing economies to discuss key issues in the global economy, in response to financial crises of the late 1990s.

The Honourable Tony Clement, Minister of Industry, today announced that the Harper government is fast-tracking innovations from the lab to the marketplace through grants to five new Centres of Excellence for Commercialization and Research (CECR). This investment will create jobs and help to foster environments where researchers are able to commercialize their findings to the benefit of Canadians. The five new centres will respectively support microelectronic businesses, regenerative medicine technologies, medical imaging innovations, monitoring technologies used in Canada’s North, and the wireless industry.

“Our government understands that an innovative society and economy depend on creative thinkers whose potential is encouraged and supported,” said Minister Clement. “That’s why we are investing in the ideas, products and technologies generated by these Centres of Excellence to create jobs and businesses, help develop highly skilled people, strengthen our economy and position Canada for long-term prosperity.”

The MiQro Innovation Collaborative Centre (Bromont), the Centre for Commercialization of Regenerative Medicine (Toronto), the Centre for Imaging Technology Commercialization and Research (London), Leading Operational Observations and Knowledge for the North (St. John’s) and the Wavefront Wireless Commercialization Centre (Vancouver) will share $61.1 million over the next five years to pursue major discoveries and product innovations and bring them to the marketplace. Each of these new centres was selected following a rigorous peer review process involving expert panels and a private sector advisory board.

Dr. Suzanne Fortier, Chair of the Networks of Centres of Excellence (NCE) Steering Committee and President of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), said the CECR program plays an integral role in the government’s science and technology (S&T) strategy for a more prosperous, advanced and competitive Canada.

“We welcome these five Centres of Excellence into the NCE family,” said Dr. Fortier. “The centres help translate leading-edge research into practical solutions for Canadians, addressing many of our country’s greatest health, environmental, social and economic challenges.”

The CECR program is a cornerstone of Canada’s science and S&T strategy, launched by Prime Minister Harper in 2007. The goals of the strategy are to encourage more private sector investment in research and development, to ensure that discoveries are translated into practical applications, to build upon our strong research base to position Canada at the leading edge of discoveries, and to develop, attract and retain the highly skilled people that Canada needs to thrive in the global knowledge-based economy.

D-BOX Technologies Inc. has signed its first agreement with theatre chain Les Cinémas RGFM, to equip its Drummondville location with 24 D-BOX MFX Seats. The Cinéma RGFM Drummondville will be able to offer motion effects just in time for the release of Walt Disney Pictures’ Tron: Legacy. The auditorium will combine 3D with D-BOX’s motion technology, thus widening the offer to moviegoers.

“We are pleased to be announcing a fourth theatre in Quebec, building up our Canadian presence,” said President and CEO of D-BOX Technologies, Claude Mc Master. “In the last few months, we have made numerous theatre announcements in North America, a demonstration of the popularity our motion systems have on moviegoers.”

“We are thrilled to be offering our moviegoers D-BOX’s motion technology. This innovation blends in perfectly with our company’s philosophy to serve the public the latest technologies. On top it’s a Quebec-based company”, said Marcel Venne, president of Les Cinémas RGFM

Con fans may want to check out GottaCon, which celebrates its third anniversary this February 4 – 6th at the Pearkes Recreation Centre in the Field House Room in Victoria, BC. GottaCon will run 24 hours a day starting at 5pm Friday and will continue with non-stop gaming until 7pm Sunday night. The convention, which covers 24 000 square feet of space, has a variety of ticket options available at reasonable prices and tournament registrations are open. GottaCon is also looking for volunteers to help out during the event.

GottaCon will have all you need to survive such an adventure; contests, tournaments, vendors, demonstrations, food, drinks, entertainment and of course all types of games:

– Warhammer 40K North American Championships Qualifier
– Warhammer Fantasy North American Championships Qualifier
– Warhammer War of the Ring North American Championships Qualifier
– Warmachine Steamroller GottaCon ChampionshipsTournament
– Miniature Painting Contest
– Xbox 360 Call of Duty: Black Ops tournaments (4vs4 and Free for All)
– Xbox 360 Halo Reach tournaments (4vs4 and Free for All)
– Xbox 360 Rainbow 6: Vegas 2 Tournament (4vs4)
– Xbox 360 Gears of War 2 Tournament (2vs2)
– Xbox 360 Super Street Fighter 4 Tournament
– PC Starcraft 2 Tournaments (2vs2 and 1vs1)
– PC Call of Duty: Black Ops Tournaments (4vs4 and Free for All)
– PC Counter-Strike Source Tournament (5vs5)
– PC Left 4 Dead 2 Team Surviaval Challenge
– PC Team Fortress 2 Tournament (5vs5)
– PC Unreal Tournament Game of the Year Edition Team Death Match with Deathmatch Final
– Magic: The Gathering – VIMC M:TG Open (2011)
– World of Warcraft TCG Ashenvale Forest Realm Qualifer
– Costume Contest
– GottaCon 2011 Gamers Silent Auction