Village Gamer

Toronto – CSA Standards, a leading standards-based solutions organization, today announces the launch of a suite of interactive solutions that harness the power of eLearning gaming technology to teach emergency preparedness, safety and a variety of essential skills that could mean the difference between life and death on the job for many Canadian employees.

Canada alone experiences as many as 315,000 reported time-loss injuries and 1,055 workplace fatalities in a year . CSA’s new tools for business are designed to enhance the abilities of employers, employees, students and consumers to prepare for threats and emergencies of all sizes, by giving them the ability to experience them in realistic virtual scenarios – before they happen in real life.

“To reduce injuries, workplace training must teach best safety practices and change behaviour,” says Suzanne Kiraly, President, CSA Standards. “These new interactive modules go well beyond the simple transfer of knowledge and engage users in making decisions in the workplace that are linked to real-world standards and safety guidelines. From handling hazardous materials to assessing risks to prevent major disasters, preparing workforces with safety and emergency response skills in a virtual environment could mean the difference between life and death on the job.”

CSA Standards recently purchased the assets and intellectual property created by Ottawa-based Distil Interactive, an award-winning developer of eLearning products. This expansion of its interactive online portfolio of offerings, as well as the hiring of new development staff, will drive CSA’s transition to the next level in fully interactive online learning environments. The purchase represents a significant milestone for CSA and a commitment to utilizing technology and developing products to ensure that standards for safety, health and the environment are understood and applied.

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Or she will be, as soon as I go pick up our copy from Future Shop, and then I’ll probably have to drag the Cavechild away from his game cave for tonight’s Ghoulash Bash meeting. This means that you all will have a new Cavechild review video to check out soon.

Developed by Montreal’s Artificial Mind and Movement, WET throws players into a heart-pounding, adrenaline-pumping adventure of double crosses and paybacks in which they’ll take on the role of problem fixer, Rubi Malone. Use Rubi’s dual pistols or samurai sword during any acrobatic move as you take on countless enemies in a number of exotic locations around the globe.

“We’ve worked really hard to make WET different from any other action game available”, said Patrick Fortier, Creative Director at A2M. “When players experience the game’s unique blend of gunplay, sword combat and acrobatics, they won’t want to put the controller down.”

On a mission to find the man that left you for dead, you’ll master the controls that will allow you to create the most incredible fight sequences – limited only by your own imagination. Once you are able to chain together a number of moves, including sliding down ladders, running on walls, jumping and flipping, you will be rewarded with auto-lock and slow motion advantages. Featuring the perfect mix of humor and violence, WET is a third-person shooter experience unlike any other.

Key Features:

Three Types of Gameplay – Seamlessly combines three types of gameplay: 360 degree slip-aiming mechanics, sword fighting and acrobatic abilities.

Acclaimed Writer Duppy Demitrius – Written by Demitrius who is best known for his work on the action-packed TV series 24.
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Unless you’ve been living under a proverbial rock, you will know that EA Sports’ NHL 10 has been unleashed on the masses. Somehow I think that James will be late for tonight’s Ghoulash Bash meeting because he will be immersed in the game. I forgot to ask him if he was picking his game up at Future Shop downtown, where Trevor Linden was present for the official game launch.

NHL®10 delivers a new, physical brand of hockey to match the physical and emotional intensity real-world players endure in pursuit of the Stanley Cup®. New gameplay innovations include first-person fighting, all-new board play, Battle for the Cup and Be A Tough Guy modes, and spectacular new ways to score. NHL 10 features more than 200 gameplay refinements that replicate the skill and finesse of hockey and deliver the most responsive and authentic action ever for the series.

A new first-person fighting engine enables players to trade punches with an NHL tough guy. Feel what it’s like to be on the ice in the skates of an NHL player to throw and dodge punches. Winning one-on-one battles for possession of the puck along the boards is now a test of will and skill. Utilizing an all-new board physics engine, players can use their body to shield the puck on the boards and then kick-pass it to teammates. Experience the emotion and drama of NHL playoff hockey in Battle for the Cup. Play with injuries, intimidate the opposing team, line-match to shut down superstars all in front of frenzied towel waving crowds with storylines that carry across the entire series. Plus, all-new interactive crowds bring the emotion of playoff hockey to life with towel-waving fans, glass bangers and crowds that react to the action on the ice. Players can one-time loose pucks, score from their knees, knock pucks out of the air and lift a leg to fake a shot on goal — just like real-world players. Prove you are tough enough to quiet the crowd, silence the opposition and survive a playoff run to lift the Stanley Cup in NHL 10.

Burnaby – Electronic Arts Inc. today revealed the next title in the company’s landmark skateboarding franchise: SKATE™ 3, and confirmed that it will ship in May 2010 for the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and Xbox 360®. SKATE 3, developed by EA Black Box, breaks new ground by taking all of the camaraderie and competitive excitement of real-life skateboarding and brings it to the hands of gamers. Whether online or offline, players can now team up to build the ultimate skate crew in the definitive skateboarding co-op experience. In SKATE 3, players take part in team-based challenges, compete against rival crews and leave their mark on the all-new skater’s paradise, Port Carverton.

“The social and community aspects of the SKATE franchise are something we’ve always embraced, but we’ve never done anything to the scale you’re going to see in SKATE 3,” said Senior Producer, Jason DeLong. “We’re giving gamers a very unique experience by providing them with the tools they need to build their ultimate team or to create a team comprised entirely of their online friends. From there, it’s all about proving yourself – teaming up, and throwing down.”

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Vancouver – Following a near seven-week sold-out engagement in Calgary this past spring, Ground Zero Theatre, Hit&Myth Productions and KEYSTONE are bloody thrilled to present the Vancouver premiere of Evil Dead: The Musical, based on the popular Sam Raimi cult-classic movie series, Evil Dead, and Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn and Army of Darkness. The Vancouver performance web site goes live on September 16th, in the meantime you can check out the Calgary pages.

Evil Dead: The Musical tells the all too familiar story, all told with toe-tapping songs and energetic dancing: boy and four friends break into an abandoned cabin while on a weekend getaway; boy expects to get lucky; boy discovers an ancient flesh-bound book with the power to summon the demons of Candar; boy unleashes ancient evil spirit; boy turns friends into Candarian Demons; boy fights until dawn to survive.

“The three holy trilogies of movies are Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, and Evil Dead. And, for me, Evil Dead has always reigned supreme over the other two,” says GZT’s Ryan Luhning. “From the Ash action figure that sits on my office desk, to the actual chainsaw replica from Evil Dead 2 I own, I have been a proud Deadite since I was a boy. Presenting this show in Vancouver is a dream come true.”

“When we saw Evil Dead: the Musical in Toronto, we were struck by how many of the films’ elements were cleverly incorporated into the musical,” says H&M’s Joel Cochrane. “When we talked to the Toronto producers about acquiring the rights to the show, it turned out the set was also available. We decided since it already possessed a great aesthetic, why re-invent the wheel, so Vancouver audiences are going to see our production of Evil Dead: The Musical with the original Toronto and Off-Broadway set, and of course, we won’t resist the temptation to incorporate at least a few of our own ideas, since we’re working with Bleeding Art Industries, one of Canada’s leading motion-picture and theatrical special effects companies.”

“I have been aware of Evil Dead: The Musical for quite some time now,” says Henry Kolenko of KEYSTONE. “In fact I flew out to see the New York Off-Broadway production in 2007, and it was good, but I was simply blown away by the Calgary production that I saw this past summer, especially the enhanced Splatter Zone (located in the first five rows of The Vogue Theatre – ask for The Splatter Zone when booking tickets) – Evil Dead: The Musical is definitely one of the most fun theatre experiences any audience-member could imagine. I knew immediately, that The Vogue Theatre would be the perfect venue, and Vancouver audiences would love this campy up-beat slasher musical love story.”

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Vancouver –IUGO Mobile Entertainment has announced that all three chapters of the Toy Bot Series are now available in one convenient download in the iTunes App Store. IUGO’s hit series and one of the first iPhone exclusive titles are now bundled for hours of platforming fun. The Toy Bot Diaries Compilation containing Toy Bot Diaries 1,2 and 3 is available for $3.99 US while individual chapters are now on sale for $1.99 per title. Toy Bot Diaries follows the adventures of Toy Bot who, in Chapter One, needs to recover his memory. The Toy Bot titles is one of the few iPhone/iPod games which uses fully blended controls – its tilt and touch features makes this game one of the best mobile titles ever. Add to this the high quality graphics and excellent audio for a winning combination that results in a high quality IUGO title which provides above-average amusement return for the investment.

Kelowna – Cosmic Logic Inc., a new gaming force in the indie revolution, has officially announced details on their first game release: “Cosmic Lacrosse”. A throwback to the days of classic 2D sports games, “Cosmic Lacrosse” is an arcade-style lacrosse game with an emphasis on fun over simulation. With stylized art and sci-fi themes, it’s lacrosse like you’ve never seen it before. “Cosmic Lacrosse” will be available on Xbox Live Indie Games in Fall of 2009.

Some features in this new title include:

· Arcade-style 3-on-3 Lacrosse with fast and furious gameplay
· 3 different player classes with different attributes and unique super abilities
· 2D hand-drawn artwork by Luke Fimio
· Local multi-player and co-op

Andrew Roberts, President and CEO of Cosmic Logic, will be presenting at the Kamloops Canadian Information Processing Society’s monthly meeting, where he will be discussing how radical changes in the video game industry have created new opportunities not available only 3 years ago.

Longueuil – D-BOX Technologies Inc. has been named a 2009 EXC!TE award winner in the Home Theatre category at this year’s CEDIA expo in Atlanta, Georgia for its new Hybrid Motion System, the GPH-120. Due out in the market this fall, the

I Want This Chair

GPH-120 offers motion effects that work in perfect sync with the onscreen action for both video games and movies. A first-of-its-kind in the industry, the GPH-120 offers unmatched, realistic motion effects, creating a unique experience for movie and gaming fans alike. The company was honoured at the awards dinner during the Custom Electronic Design & Installation Association’s Banquet on September 10th.

Presented by CustomRetailer magazine, the annual EXC!TE awards honour companies whose products stand out for being innovative, high-performing and solutions-oriented for the custom installation professional. This year’s winners have an important impact on the industry, which is felt in the installers’ productivity, the dealers’ profitability, the clients’ satisfaction and the industry’s vitality.

“It has been an incredible year thus far for D-BOX Technologies,” said President and CEO, Claude Mc Master. “We are proud to be named an EXC!TE award winner at this year’s CEDIA and honored to be recognized by our peers for this new motion technology system. We have participated in CEDIA in previous years and are pleased to have the opportunity to showcase our motion technology for the entertainment industry at the show.”

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Gamer
95 minutes
Rated R
Lionsgate

We went. We saw. We were not disappointed. We weren’t in awe either, but it was still some decent escapist entertainment – just like a video game. It’s not a movie I would recommend for someone who has absolutely no involvement in video games, because much of the movie plot would be lost on them. The good points include the fact that I think they cast their lead characters well. Gerard Butler makes a very good video game hero and Michael C. Hall played a convincing digital media mogul evil end-game boss while Logan Lerman did very well as the tech-geek-MMO-FPS player.

This was a movie which was definitely meant to cater to the typical male gamer crowd as its audience, but the storyline was at least somewhat redeeming. Game world cliches were bountiful in both visual and audio moments, some very subtle, some not so subtle. I’m not sure I like that the token girl gamer got her head blown off so early in one of the levels, either.  At least there was at least one other tepidly strong female character in the movie – and I’m not talking about the female characters portrayed “in game” either.

The writers crammed as much about the gaming world into this movie as they could, and it would be very easy to miss many of the references if one wasn’t paying attention, such as the tea-bagging which occurs early in the movie or the Blade Runner costume which appears later. Then again it’s hard to miss the parallels drawn between what can go on in the gaming world and the real world, such as the waffle eating mega-sized apartment-dwelling male who overly enjoyed controlling a female character in the movie’s parody of Second Life with a “real life” game called Society.

There were many similarities between Gamer and Death Race, and even possibly Condemned. There were some excellent explosions and vehicle wrecks, but the weaponry was fairly basic with one or two upgrades. The story also brought in some interesting concepts in order to flesh out the evil digital media mogul’s dastardly plan. Without spoiling the end of the movie for those who may not yet have seen it, there is one final subtle message soon after the “boss battle” which involves some of the boss’ henchies but before the hero drives off into Game Over land with his rescued damsels in distress.

Gamer isn’t a movie which we’ll be rushing out to purchase when it’s released on DVD, but I’m sure it will take its place in gamer lore along with Hackers and War Games. We will probably catch it when it hits the small screen on Movie Central, just to see what other subleties we missed.

Vancouver – IUGO Mobile Entertainment has announced another upcoming game title for the iPhone and BlackBerry platforms. Slated for release this fall, Cliffed will allow you to challenge your friends to the most addictive race to the bottom! IUGO presents its latest sensation in casual gaming with this frantic 2D scrolling racer.

Features:

• 10 unique and playful characters to choose from
• Pick up and play! Great for all ages
• Endless game play
• Online multiplayer! Race up to 8 players in real time over 3G and wireless networks
• Local and global leaderboards
• IUGO’s new VIP program: Tell your friends, earn points and unlock an exclusive mystery character sooner
• Stylized, clean graphics
• IUGO’s signature quality and polish

Ubisoft Montreal has released three new videos for their highly anticipated titles on their YouTube channel. Gamers can get their twitch on with a commented walk-through for Assassin’s Creed 2, featuring a variety of game play scenarios with narrative from AC2 Production Manager Jean-Francois Boivin. The only disappointment I have experienced thus far in regards to AC2 is the planned product releases for the Master Assassin Limited Editions. I want the Black version, but it is apparently only being released in other parts of the world, not North America. Those of us in North America are getting the White version, which does not appear to contain all of the same perks as the Black Version, such as Ezio in black and the same number of bonus quests. The North American White version only has one bonus quest while the Black version has three, and at this time it is unknown if the Black version will be region locked. There are also rumours circulating that the Black edition is sold out. Maybe Ubisoft will have a change of heart and at least give those of us in North America the opportunity to obtain the additional two bonus quests.

Shaun White fans can see a new video dev diary for Shaun White World Stage, due for release on November 8. Featuring members of the dev team and Shaun White, gamers get an advance look at how it feels like to be in the boots of a pro snowboarder. After watching the dev diary for Splinter Cell: Conviction, we have added it to our list of “must play” games. The development team gives an excellent explanation of what gamers can expect from the latest iteration for the Splinter Cell franchise, and you can get a look at the dev video on Splinter Cell’s site.

IMC Vancouver – As the Internet grows in importance as a communication channel for business, it’s important to understand how to move away from the diminishing returns that TV, Radio and Newspapers are delivering. IMC Vancouver provides the venue for businesses, government, social activists, agencies, consultants and students to take advantage of the new, and rapidly changing, way media is being consumed. Also economic pressures are making change in the marketing world even more urgent than before.

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Toronto – Mobile application development pioneer, Cascada Mobile has announced iPhone and Android support for its popular Breeze mobile development platform, adding to its existing support for BlackBerry and Nokia smartphones. Now developers and publishers can use the Breeze Platform to easily create and distribute rich mobile applications that work on billions of mobile phones around the world, including iPhones and Android handsets, without having to rewrite their apps for each individual platform.

Using Cascada Mobile’s Breeze Platform, even the most novice web programmers and content publishers can write innovative rich mobile applications that can be installed on phones and sold in app stores. The Breeze Platform eliminates the enormous cost and complexities of writing mobile applications for thousands of different handset models and provides developers a one-stop shop for distribution across hundreds of wireless operators worldwide.

The combination of smartphones and useful and entertaining mobile applications has sparked a technology revolution, changing the way that consumers interact with and use their mobile phones. Downloads from all app stores will reach 6.67 billion applications by 2014, up from two billion this year, according to market research firm Frost & Sullivan. As of August this year the Apple App Store boasted more than one billion downloads with 65,000 mobile apps available. Most smartphone users (62 percent) download one to five applications per month, and the share of iPhone users in the same category is even higher, at 82 percent, according to Goldman Sachs.

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Victoria – Anti-spyware giant XoftSpySE has been completely refitted by its technical developers at ParetoLogic. The new upgrade provides a brand new scanning engine, advanced tools, an enhanced user interface and the same fast scan time that characterized the earlier version of the program.

XoftSpySE Anti-Spyware 6.0 Start Page

XoftSpySE, with users numbering in the millions, has been a popular anti-malware choice from its inception. The program stressed a fast, efficient scan and removal, with a small footprint that didn’t bog down the user’s system or hog resources. These elements have been retained, but improved, recharged, and stepped up to face the changing world of malware. Malware, once limited to annoying pop-up ads, has evolved into a wide array of dangerous niches. Keyloggers, spyware, botnets, rootkits, Trojans and more can cause a slow computer, annoying pop-ups, put personal and financial information in jeopardy, and expose users to fraud.

According to Tim Lefler, Security Development Team Leader at ParetoLogic, “XoftSpySE 6.0 dramatically raises the standard for threat detection and malware removal. We’ve created the best anti-spyware tool available.” ParetoLogic built XoftSpySE’s new scanning engine with state of the art anti-malware technology, providing reliable and thorough detection and removal of spyware, adware, Trojans, keyloggers and other threats. The state-of-the-art scanning techniques promise to provide unparalleled detection and removal rates. The scanning engine has been supplemented with new spyware removal tools, including a Startup scan and BHO scan. The first allows the user to disable adware, other malware or unneeded items that run at Startup, while the second checks for Browser Helper Objects – these are typically unwanted toolbars or ads that can clutter up the user’s internet browser and cause errors.

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Surrey BC – Independent game developer KrabbitSoft has returned to its origins with the release of this Gothic Fantasy 3D Action RPG. Defined by its players as having the charm of a wonderland and the bizarre quality of a nightmare, this great psychedelic gothic romp will pique your curiosity then capture your heart.

You are a powerful Krabbit, one of a giant humanoid species with a lovable bandity, ferret inspired face and form. You have the huge ears, feet and tremendous speed and jumping ability of a rabbit. You are so agile that gravity itself cannot contain you.

KWO offers 6 playable and customizable characters. Featuring a dynamite colour engine, all 11 character surfaces can be changed at any time at the local Dye Vendor. Be as creative and unique as you can dream.

Each character commands unique ultimate powers:
As Kria – your Heavenly strike soars on golden wings to pounce and annihilate the enemy.
As Krei – your Sonic Boom obliterates every opponent within a 360 degree range.
As Cleria – your Wrath of the Valkyrie descends to hold and destroy.
As Teella Live – your Rain of Fire pounds multiple foes and expels them in all directions.
As Ogre – your Yorg dispatches a cyclonic whirlwind of your bugbear self spinning and slaying many hostiles one after the other.
As Teella, the fallen – your Wall of Fire incinerates all adversaries crossing its path.

About the story:
KrabbitWorld, lush and fertile, is home to Krabbits from eight different Realms. Following the Great Guardian War, your adversaries the Necrotechs, who resulted from a vindictively motivated combining of technology and magic with Krabbits must be stopped from endangering the Celestial Shard and returning Chaos to the land.

Key features:

* Engaging Hack n’ Slash Combat: The combo hud allows players to increase damage with every strike based on timing and accuracy.
* Choose from 4 Henchmen: Utilize RTS style Henchman hud to command your assistant.
* Character Building: Build your character to level 99 while continuing to build your unique ultimate powers to 999.
* 3D Inventory and Paper Doll System: Drag n’ drop from 3D inventory to 3D paper doll window to equip items.
* Linear & Sandbox Gameplay: The linear gameplay reveals the lore through quests but you can continue to play sandbox style by exploring forests, caverns and beaches. The Land of the Dead, coinciding with The Land of The Living, mirrors its maps.
* 6DOF Camera: Camera and character controls allow the player 6 degrees of freedom and movement abilities akin to superheroes.

Krabbit Online which is playable on either Max OSX or Windows PC offers a free demo and the full version is available for purchase via digital download for only $14.95. Krabbit Online also invites you to check out their informative and fun interactive game features page located on their site, but note that the free Unity Web Player is required for this website, which involves a very fast and easy one-click installation process.