Village Gamer

Toronto – Together with Toronto Mayor David Miller, Microsoft Canada has announced the expansion of the successful ProTech Media Centre program to three Priority Neighbourhoods for Investment. “This is a perfect example of private and public-sector partners coming together to provide innovative opportunities in Toronto’s Priority Neighbourhoods,” said Mayor Miller. “It’s especially important that local youth have been involved in this project from the start, and that many more youth will pass through these doors. The creative possibilities and career benefits provided by ProTech are boundless.” The announcement was made at the opening of the Kennedy-Eglinton ProTech Media Centre, located within the Toronto Public Library – Kennedy/Eglinton branch at 2380 Eglinton Avenue East.

The Pro Tech program offers free digital arts and technology skills training. The expansion effort is made possible by a Microsoft Canada Unlimited Potential Community Technology Skills grant of $1 million in cash, digital learning curriculum and Microsoft-based technology. “The overwhelming success of the Rexdale ProTech Media Centre in Jamestown is motivating Microsoft Canada, the City of Toronto and community partners to expand the program to three additional neighbourhoods,” said Eric Gales, President, Microsoft Canada. “Today’s youth incorporate technology into every part of their daily lives. By providing access to technology and education we’re feeding their curiosity and creativity with the hope of generating interest in pursuing careers in technology related fields.” The City of Toronto is also supporting the program through its Partnership Opportunities Legacy Fund, which has set aside $13 million for Toronto’s 13 Priority Neighbourhoods for Investment, to be leveraged by funding from outside partners for youth-focused social and recreational infrastructure projects.
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Vancouver – The Zombie Walk has returned to the city. Taking place this weekend on August 15th, those who thirst for brains will be gathering on the north side of the Vancouver Art Gallery at Hornby and West Georgia. The zombies will begin gathering at 2pm, with the walk beginning at 3pm and lasting until 5pm. At this point in time, the route to be taken by the zombies has not been revealed, but you can find out more information on the Zombie Walk Vancouver’s Event Page on Facebook.  Thrill the World Vancouver will also be participating in the Zombie walk; this group is part of the worldwide Thriller dance event. Last year Thrill the World Vancouver raised over $1400.00 for the Vancouver Food Bank during their event which was held at Kits Beach. This year’s Thrill the World dance event will be held at 5:30pm on October 24th. This year reinforcements from across the water will be arriving via BC Ferry from the Sunshine Coast, where a new zombie colony was formed in July.

Toronto’s IGDA Chapter will be hosting a moderated discussion session on iPhone Game Development this Thursday night. The meeting, which will take place at Metro Hall Room 313, will consist of several short presentations from local developers, followed by a discussion moderated by Owen Goss, from Streaming Colour Studios. Presentations will be given by:

Jason MacIsaac and Keith Makse from Cerebral Vortex Games
Dave Wood from Cerebral Gardens
Harry Mack, Audio Designer

The session opens at 7pm, and will be followed by a social mixer at the Elephant & Castle’s back room.

BCTIA has several Vancouver events coming up, open to members, non-members and students. First up is their TechForum on Financing Tech in the Wake of an Economic Crisis, taking place on September 10 at the Sutton Place Hotel. Guest speaker for this seminar will be Doug Irwin, a founding partner of Capital West Partners. As an experienced investment and financing thought-leader, Doug will guide you through the opportunities and pitfalls of the current investment climate.

This will be followed by the annual CTO Roundtable, where BCTIA member CTOs meet to discuss this year’s hottest issues and pressing concerns. This discussion will identify the full slate of topics for the upcoming year of roundtable sessions offered by the CTO Peer Group. Last year topics ranged from technology management to talent strategy. Your input is needed for this year’s lineup. For more information on these and other upcoming BCTIA events, please see their Events Page.

If you are a student considering a variety of career paths in the IT field, don’t forget about the BCIT technology course Info Sessions taking place on August 19th and 26th at BCIT’s downtown campus. The BCIT Aerospace programme had an awesome display out at the Abbotsford Airshow this weekend.

Digital Alberta is subsidizing a delegation of Alberta gaming companies to attend GDC Austin which takes place September 15 – 18th.  If your company is interested in participating and receiving funding to do so, please email Rene Smid to request an application form by August 21, 2009.

For the first time ever, FITC comes to Edmonton for a 2 day festival with some of the most well known Flash designers and developers from around the globe.  Taking place at the NAIT, Shaw Theatre on October 17 & 18th, attendees will experience two solidly packed days of presentations. Topics covered will be both technical and creative, with presenters from around the world who have been hand-picked for their skill and talent, and all are eager to share and meet you. Flash Designers. Flash Developers. Motion Graphic Artists. Digital Artists. Students. Anyone in or having an interest in Flash and digital media should be at this event.

Also, a reminder that registration for GameOn Finance 2009 is open. GameOn Finance is taking place this October 27 and 28th in Toronto.

Scotland – Canada’s team from Sheridan Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning is getting ready for the final competition at Scotland’s Dare to be Digital event. Dare ProtoPlay, which is part of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe will be taking place August 14-16. You can preview the games and check out team blogs on the Dare to be Digital web site. Entry is free for the event which is open 10am – 6pm.

Dare ProtoPlay, presented by Abertay University and powered by Intel, has grown out of the world-leading Dare to be Digital competition and aims to celebrate young talent through a mini video-games festival. It is a unique cultural event for the games industry showcasing talent, IP, research, and much more, and serves as a battleground for creativity and culture in games development.

Fourteen brand new computer games, developed by teams during this year’s Dare to be Digital competition, will fight it out at Dare ProtoPlay to win the public vote and the endorsement of a panel of industry experts.

This year’s Dare ProtoPlay will also see digital toy factory Denki present the first opportunity to play a preview of Quarrel, their new Xbox Live Arcade game. Everyone is invited to play and give feedback that will directly affect how the game looks and works when it is released in 2010..

In addition, Dare ProtoPlay will also feature several other exciting new elements: a music workshop by Yann Seznec, who will use Wacom pen tablets to create music instruments; Abertay PhD research programmes based on video games technology; a Dare iPhone game preview in association with Digital Goldfish; a special Career Workshop in association with BAFTA targeted for teenagers and much more.
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After 4 days of seminars and networking events, I was beat. But, boy was it worth it.

Day 1

The first day was devoted almost entirely to the Casual Connect Leadership Conference organized and supported by Women In Games International (WIGI) and Women In Games Vancouver (WIGeh). Numerous speakers presented a variety of topics, each with a particular interest in the role that women play in games, games play in the lives of women, and the portrayal of women in games.

As a person interested in the breakdown of stereotypes, thus allowing everyone’s true potential to shine, I was very engaged in the presentations of the day, which in the end left me feeling very hopeful and empowered about the potential of gaming.

Not long after, a set of roundtable discussions were set up with a variety of topics ranging from working as a contract vs employed worker, owning a small business, and moving up in the games industry.

A networking event followed with the inclusion of other folks from a more general Casual Connect audience, and it was a great night!

Highlight of my day: Megan Gaiser of Her Interactive’s presentation on “The Importance of Leadership”

Day 2 (Day 1 of Casual Connect officially)

Audio day! The entire day had an option to hear speakers who are professionals in the audio for casual games environment. Great ideas were shared including a glimpse into how other professionals create their sound design assets. It was entertaining, welcoming, and I learned a great deal. Speakers covered a wide range of aspects including the creation of stings, sfx, composition, recording, and producing. I would recommend this to any person interested in the audio for casual games arena. A very cohesive day in the audio stream.

Highlight of my day: Barry Dowsett of Sound Rangers on “The Birth and Life of a Sound Effect”
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New York – The Games In Education Symposium, being held this August 5 and 6 at the Hudson Valley Community College campus in the Bulmer Telecommunications Center in Troy, NY offers free attendance for all bona fide educators. While we don’t often post industry news from outside of Canada, we feel that this symposium would be of great benefit to the many Canadian educators. Even if you aren’t able to attend this year, you can always mark the date and website and then plan to attend in 2010.

The third annual Games in Education Symposium, two days of workshops and presentations about the use of computer and video games in the classroom, will take place August 5th & 6th on the Hudson Valley Community College campus in the Bulmer Telecommunications Center.

The symposium is FREE to educators from early childhood to post secondary education interested in the use of games and technology to promote learning in the 21st century. This year’s symposium will explore the practical application of interactive technologies like video games, social networks, blogs and other media to inspire and promote learning in this generation of “digital natives.”

Leading educators and experts from across the nation will discuss how they have applied video games to all curricular areas, and offer teachers a glimpse into new and exciting ways to reach their students, many of whom thrive on this technology outside of the classroom.

“We are living in a technological age in which even the very youngest of our children are being exposed to technology at home and in school at an early age,” explains Professor Nancy T. Cupolo, whose Teacher Preparation Department at Hudson Valley Community College is hosting this year’s event.
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San Francisco – The Global Game Jam™ (GGJ) today announced the 2010 Global Game Jam and is looking for additional venues to grow this year. With 1650 participants last year across 14 different time zones and 54 venues including SFU Harbour Centre in Vancouver, the GGJ produced 370 games in just 48 hours. For 2010, the goal is to triple the size of the event to 150 locations and more than 3,000 participants. The 2010 GGJ will take place January 29-31, 2010.

“We’re looking to make the 2010 Global Game Jam even more global, with more games, more people, more interaction, more fun, innovation and creativity,” said Susan Gold, founder of the Global Game Jam. “Now is when we’re starting the search for new venues, leaders and sponsors to grow the event and draw attention to the amazing diversity and talent in game development around the world.”

Game Jams foster innovation and experimentation. If you have ever wanted to make a game, be a part of a team, or go outside of your usual working method, then a game jam is for you. It’s all about making games and in the GGJ you’re part of a global experiment in creativity. A game jam is not for the faint of heart though. It’s two days of hard work, experimentation, little sleep, collaboration, cramped quarters, new friends, great idea, laughs, technical issues and the time of your life.
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Vancouver – As Simon Fraser University’s School for the Contemporary Arts prepares to relocate to its new home at 149 West Hastings in downtown Vancouver, three arts-savvy staffers have recently joined the project’s team.

Now helping to guide the artistic vision for SFU at Woodward’s are:

* Sabine Bitter: Curator, Audain Gallery

In addition to her teaching duties in SFU Visual Arts, internationally recognized multi-media artist Bitter will curate the Audain Visual Arts Teaching Gallery, opening in Feburary 2010. The new gallery will exhibit contemporary visual arts, and initiate a range of projects in connection with the Audain Visiting Artists program.

* Michael Boucher: Director, Cultural Development & Programming

Boucher is a seasoned director and programmer who has produced several international festivals including the World Stage Festival and International Children’s Festival in Toronto. A native Montrealer, he will serve as the university’s impresario, coordinating cultural events to ensure SFU at Woodward’s is a dynamic player in Vancouver’s arts scene. His first challenge: to oversee the production of the inaugural program, kicking off with Robert Lepage’s The Blue Dragon/Le Dragon Bleu in February, 2010 in the Fei and Milton Wong Experimental Theatre.

* Vanessa Richards: Director, Community Engagement

A native Vancouverite who came up through Vancouver’s independent arts and music scene in the 1980s, Richards will help SFU at Woodward’s to fully integrate with the surrounding community through non-academic arts initiatives. An internationally published poet, jazz musician and cultural facilitator, she has earned a reputation both at home and abroad for bold arts initiatives and intercultural collaboration. Richards’ position is funded by a grant from the Vancouver Foundation.

Vancouver – The new Vancouver Unity 3D Users Group is celebrating their official launch with a TGIF Networking Event on Friday July 24 at District 319 on Main Street.

dimeRocker.com in partnership with Unity Technologies invites all local game, web, and iPhone developers to a premiere industry Unity Networking TGIF followed the next day by a Unity Skills Workshop.

The entire initiative will be framed within a “web-ready” context, exploring how tools like Unity 3D in combination with a new breed of social gaming hives are enabling developers to create, market, and monetize console-like browser content for a growing audience of online and mobile gamers.

TGIF Schedule:

5:30pm – 6:30pm    Reception, drinks and appetizers
6:30pm – 7:30pm    Key Note followed by Q&A with Tom Higgins (Unity Evangelist, San Francisco)
7:30pm – 9:00pm+  Networking Social

Admission is $20 and includes a free drink, eats and chance to win a Unity 3D License.

The Unity Skills Workshop will be taking place on Saturday July 25 at Centre for Digital Media with Dmitry Shtainer (Unity Stealth Engineer, Vancouver). The workshop will be a day-long Unity 3D skills development event,  intended for students and professionals alike. Workshop curriculum and registration information have not yet been announced, but TGIF registrants will receive advanced email notification for the event.

Vancouver – Several founding members of Women In Games Vancouver (WIGV), along with several women (and men) from Vancouver’s game development community will be participating in a new Leadership Development Forum taking place on July 20 in Seattle. The Forum, being held one day prior to the start of Casual Connect Seattle, will offer a variety of topics relating to business, development, careers and community. Presented in partnership with the Casual Game Association, Women In Games International and the IGDA Women In Games SIG, topics will be presented on three consecutive tracks: Business, Design and Production.

Taking place at The Triple Door, the Leadership Development Forum will begin with registration and networking at 11am. Attendees will be welcomed by Jessica Tams, Managing Director at Casual Games Association and Annie Sumi Nam of WIGV. They will be followed by keynote presenter Megan Gaiser, President and CEO of Her Interactive, who will speak on the Importance of Leadership. Please read on for information on the full schedule, and a special thank you to Kerry and Kalinka Corlett over at AnnexPro for their generous sponsorship and support of WIGV’s first official international speaking event.

Anyone who is attending Casual Connect will have full access to the Leadership Development Forum. For those who only wish to attend the Leadership Forum, tickets are $25.00 (USD) and include networking, panels, roundtables and the post-event mixer.
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Vancouver – Biz Books is offering a rather unique opportunity to learn the art and craft of directing and cinematography from two of the best filmmakers in the film industry.

Course Details
This 2-Day Directing and Cinematography Course with multi Emmy award winning director/cinematographer/producer, Michael W Watkins, featuring Emmy nominated cinematographer, Joel Ransom, will be an information filled and inspiring weekend for both novice and professional filmmakers.

In this seminar, attention will be focused on how director and cinematographer work together toward a goal in creating the ’Moment’ through exploration of scene visualization, actor staging, camera blocking, positing and movement, camera/actor choreography, color, lighting, shot size, lens choice to, ultimately, express the director’s vision for the overall look of the film.

The workshop will be beneficial to professional and amateur directors alike — film enthusiasts, cameramen, corporate and home video entrepreneurs. The course will also suit actors who want to establish their directing career.
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