Village Gamer

Canadians in Digital Media are such a busy group, and being the kind of person who likes to learn about new ideas in the digital media and business sectors, I have decided that first I need to win the new Lotto Max several times, and then I need at least a half dozen Surrogates to send out to all of the great events going on in our country – and that’s just for starters.

I received a mailout this morning announcing registration information for the Digital Interactive Gaming event taking place this November 3 and 4 in London, ON. It looks like there are going to be a lot of great speakers in attendance, and there is a wide variety of ticket pricing available for those who wish to go to DIG.

Nitobi is holding a PhoneGap Training Workshop on October 15th for those who are interested in learning how to build mobile applications in HTML and JavaScript while still taking advantage of core features of the iPhone, Android and Blackberry.

“Building apps on different mobile platforms is hard and time consuming,” said Andre Charland, CEO of Nitobi. “We designed PhoneGap for the large group of developers out there who know how to write for standard languages, like JavaScript and HTML, and who don’t have the time or inclination to learn new languages, like Objective-C. They can use PhoneGap to write an app that will work on many different phones.”

Created at iPhoneDevCamp 2008 by Nitobi, PhoneGap is an open source initiative for bringing native device capabilities to mobile browsers. PhoneGap apps are authored in HTML and JavaScript, but still take advantage of features like geolocation, camera, vibration, local storage and sound. This eight hour session will take place at UBC Robson Square, and will cost $499.00

Also from Nitobi is the Nitobi Hack Day Pirate Edition. Not many details have been released for this event as of yet, but it is scheduled to take place on October 24th at the Nitobi studios.

As many of you, our readers know, we like to publicize which Canadian companies are traveling abroad to attend international events. I had sent a request to those in charge of the Canadian Pavilion at the Tokyo Game Show a couple of weeks ago to find out who would be venturing over to the land of the rising sun. To make a long story of several emails and a 6:30am phone call much shorter, I have just now obtained a list from DFAIT Ottawa of “some of the Canadians participating” at TGS.

Alliance Numérique (QUE)
Bug-Tracker (QUE)
Complex Games (MB)
Creaform (QUE)
DARIM (BC)
Di-O-Matic (QUE)
Enzyme Testing Labs (QUE)
Gesture Tek (ONT)
Inspeck (QUE)
IUGO Mobile Entertainment (BC)
Investissement Quebec
Monde Media Solutions (QUE)
Sherpa Games (ONT)
Quebec Government
Ontario Government
BC Government

I know that our friends over at Electric Playground and Reviews on the Run are also at the Tokyo Game Show, as is the crew from Ubisoft, but if anyone else is over there and not mentioned in the list above, please let us know. I hope you are all having a great time at the show!

Edmonton – Award-winning composer Inon Zur has composed the original score for BioWare’s upcoming title Dragon Age™: Origins. Zur has been lauded for the emotional musical compositions he crafted for some of the most critically acclaimed video games including Baldur’s Gate II: Throne of Bhaal, Crysis, Fallout 3 and Prince of Persia. The dramatic score for Dragon Age: Origins will be performed live at A Night in Fantasia 2009 on September 26 at the Sydney Entertainment Centre in Australia.

The ‘Night in Fantasia 2009’ concert will feature the Eminence Symphony Orchestra, a mind-blowing choir, special guest performers and a score of popular tracks from video games including Dragon Age: Origins. Vocalist Aubrey Ashburn, singer and co-writer of the Dragon Age: Origins Elvish ballad “I Am the One,” will be performing selections from the game soundtrack by Inon Zur.

With a powerful original score recorded by the acclaimed Northwest Sinfonia Orchestra, Inon Zur’s dramatic soundtrack to Dragon Age: Origins is the perfect complement to the game’s epic, cinematic qualities, full of soaring melodies and lush, emotional orchestrations. The official soundtrack for Dragon Age: Origins will be available to purchase and download online from popular music sites when the game ships on November 3, 2009, while selected tracks from the soundtrack will be included in the Dragon Age: Origins Collector’s Edition.

The soundtrack is a collaboration between composer Inon Zur, vocalist Aubrey Ashburn and BioWare Audio Director Simon Pressey. The creative team will be presenting their work during a panel at the Hollywood Music in Media Interactive Conference on November 20-22, 2009, at the Renaissance Hollywood Hotel.

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The Canadian New Media Awards have extended their Early Bird rates until Friday September 25th, so take advantage of this extension and get your nominations in while saving $50.00. Remember to also get those nominations in for the Most Innovative Online Game (.doc file) award. This is a national competition for online games created by Canadian developers for any market or audience. Entries may include games built for single and multi-player environments.

There is still time to get your Appy Hour tickets for this Friday night at The Diamond in Vancouver. Come out and help celebrate Canada New Media Day with The Social Agency and a lot of great people from our local industry.

Digital Alberta is having a 50% off sale on their membership fees in celebration of Canada New Media Day, so if you aren’t already a member, take advantage of the savings and then take advantage of all the great events the association organizes.

Early Bird pricing for the Montreal International Game Summit ends this Friday as well, so if you are planning to attend the Summit this November, now is the time to grab your tickets. Buying your tickets early can save you $210.00 on this great event and give you the chance to hear a fantastic line-up of speakers.

The time is now to get your ticket for ACM SIGGRAPH Vancouver Chapter’s presentation of Aliens Among Us: The Visual Effects of District 9 on September 29th at the Empire Theatre. This session will feature key members of the VFX team from Image Engine and is sponsored by Vancouver Film School and Annex|Pro.

Vancouver – Glass House Games is proud to announce the release of Bugsy! a new game designed for the iPhone and iPod Touch. Bugsy is a challenging, fast-paced, fun and addicting sliding tile puzzle game designed for the iPhone and the iPod Touch. With unique gameplay, 125 levels of increasing difficulty, and 3 different types of Rogue Enemies, you are guaranteed hours of enjoyment. If you like challenging, mind-bending puzzle games, you will enjoy Bugsy – and Glass House Games is promising game updates in the near future as well, with more levels, more rogues and additional, original music.

The gameplay is simple, but very challenging and highly addicting. The objective of the game is to bloom all the flower buds at the edges of the board. You steer Bugsy towards each bud by sliding the puzzle tiles to complete the path to each bud. You complete the level when all the buds have bloomed. The game becomes more challenging and frantic as you progress.

Beware of Rogue bugs which can impede Bugsy’s progress. You can destroy the Rogues to earn bonus points. You can also earn bonus points by collecting Fruit and completing the game before the Bonus Timer runs out.

Features

-125 Levels with over 40 Level Maps
-Level Randomization to ensure high replayability
-Fight and defeat 3 Types of Rogue Enemy bugs
-Great Artwork and Original Music
-Listen to your iPod Music while playing
-2 Game Difficulty Levels
-Tutorial Levels
-Sophisticated Effects
-Game becomes more challenging as you play
-Email your High Score to your friends
-Rumble Effects

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vG64r2-JRas]

System Requirements

Compatible with iPhone and iPod Touch
Requires iPhone OS 2.2.1 or later

Bugsy! is available now for only $ 0.99 usd

Vancouver – The BC Civil Liberties Association, in partnership with the UBC School of Journalism and The Tyee, will be hosting renowned copyright and internet law expert Dr. Michael Geist at the Wise Hall in Vancouver on October 1, 2009 for a unique evening lecture.

Dr. Geist is Canada’s leading technology law expert and the guru of the Canadian movement to prevent copyright restrictions from infringing on key free speech principles including parody, artistic use, fair use, and device transferability.

A national innovator in using Web 2.0 tools like blogs and Facebook for campaigns for law reform and policy change, Dr. Geist’s advocacy, in partnership with Cory Doctorow, resulted in more than 30,000 people joining a Facebook group opposing proposed Canadian copyright law changes and ended in the tabling of the proposed changes by then Industry Minister Jim Prentice.

Those interested in attending can RSVP on the event’s Facebook page. This seminar is free.

Vancouver – Via NMBC – Twenty top Canadian Digital Media companies will present their latest ventures at the Fusion Venture Forum 2009 before Google and other top Silicon Valley investors, the only Western Canadian financing forum dedicated to digital media content and technology. The annual event will showcase early and growth stage companies that are original games, mobile & Web 2.0 and new platforms & applications ventures, on November 12, 2009 at Robson Square in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Register today for the Nov 5th Fusion Entrepreneur Boot Camp and the opportunity to be one of the 20 selected to pitch before top tier investors at the Forum including Google Ventures, Google Inc and SoftTech VC, one of the most active Angels in the Digital Media Space. If you have a new digital media venture seeking financing, please sign up early, as places are limited.

Fusion ’09 is organized by New Media BC and is designed to bring Canada’s hottest digital media ventures to the attention of local and international investors, provide valuable insights into key issues in the industry and become a premium networking opportunity for digital media investors and entrepreneurs alike. For more information, please visit the event’s web site or contact Fusion’09’s Director Christine Lim-Labossiere.

For those who have never heard of Faunasphere, I will borrow a few words from the game’s official site. Please feel free to click on the thumbnails placed through out this article to get a better look at the environment and features, or hover over them for image descriptions.

Faunasphere is a “browser-based CMO (Casual Multiplayer Online) game, players adopt and care for cute and quirky creatures known as Fauna and collaborate to build and explore beautiful virtual worlds. From the creator and lead designer of Asheron’s Call, Faunasphere engages a broad casual gamer audience through non-violent game play, rich social networking elements, and an immersive storyline. The game is free to play, and features micro-transactions and premium membership to enhance the game play experience.”

Officially launched by Big Fish Games on August 12 of this year, Faunasphere has several game play features:

* Fauna lay eggs as they level up. Eggs can be hatched to create new Fauna or traded between players.

* 12 Fauna breeds to adopt and care for, with an endless array of visual variations to explore. Players can try to breed Fauna for specific traits, or can purchase special items to transform them.

* Players can customize their own corner of the world by designing a Faunasphere to shelter their Fauna. Items to decorate and improve a player’s Faunasphere can be collected via game play, traded between players, or purchased.

* Players advance through the world via unique, non-violent game play. Fauna clean up pollution and complete tasks to earn game currency and level up.

* The game can be played as a no-commitment diversion, but offers deeper involvement for committed players.

Features not listed above but which I feel are important to include:

Faunasphere is very easy to play. While reading is required, the game play is simple to pick up, the characters are cute – and sometimes very unique depending on how their caretakers have customized them, and the game’s community is incredibly friendly. That is one aspect of the game that really struck me. I know from reading through the game’s community forums that there have been problem users, just like in any online game. That said, the players who inhabit Faunasphere are friendly and even considerate. They even give you items if they think they somehow “stepped on” something you were doing or planning to do. They readily offer assistance should anyone require help with a task or cleaning up some of the higher-level pollution monsters.

For my adventures into the Faunasphere, I chose to look after one of the Hoofers, which are horse-like characters. Players can choose from a Hoofer, Sniffer or Scooter, each with its own set of attributes, likes and dislikes. Each character likes different food, comfort, beauty and amusement items. These likes and dislikes are important to bear in mind when building a faunasphere, and particularly when you create a Den for your Fauna to rejuvenate in. Your Fauna likes to be in a place which makes it happy, so it’s important to use the “Happy” items which your Fauna prefers.

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Canada – With National Digital Media Day almost upon us, there are many events happening around the country this week – here is just a small sampling; I will be updating our Events Calendar today with a fuller list of coming events.

Village Gamer will be attending Appy Hour this Friday. Presented by The Social Agency, in partnership with Rogers Communications, this event is designed to inform, connect and provide opportunities for the rapidly growing industry surrounding Apple’s i-phone. Appy Hour is taking place this Friday at The Diamond in Vancouver.

“More than ever before, app developers need information, resources and a bit of inside information from the pioneers who’ve already successfully launched with Apple’s i-phone.” Says Monica Krake, Communications Director of The Social Agency, “By bringing this community together to access expertise from pros like Michael Fergusson and Jonathan Carrigan, The Social Agency is applauding National Digital Media Day’s goal to support and promote Canada’s interactive digital community.”

Lynda Brown-Ganzert, Founder of National Digital Media Day adds that “Canada is producing some of the best digital content out there, but companies have big challenges to overcome if we want to be world-leaders in this burgeoning sector. National Digital Media Day brings the industry together to discuss these opportunities and to raise the profile of emerging talent – like the people presenting at Appy Hour.”

Meanwhile, Winnipeg’s National Digital Media Day’s celebration will take place on Thursday, September 24th- they’re getting the party on early at Shannon’s Irish Pub beginning at 5pm.

In tonight’s seminar on Understanding SEO, Web development guru Tim Lloyd and veteran marketer Pam Brain will discuss the relationship between your brand, the language associated with it and leveraging available technology to drive how your clients find you online. Learn how keywords really work on the web so that your site works harder and communicates better.

The Business Council of BC presents Chapter 2 in their Outlook 2020 series, Foundations For The Future, on Tuesday evening at the Pan Pacific Hotel. This session will focus on the following question: In a fast-moving international economy where knowledge is king, how can British Columbia successfully adapt and innovate to carve out a prosperous and sustainable future built on innovation, education, training and fully leveraging the value of human capital in a global economy?

The Web of Change annual retreat is taking place over on Cortes Island from the 23rd through to the 27th. Web of Change, which consistently sells out, is an event which connects senior leaders with a deep commitment to the social change movement.

Another Vancouver event beginning on the 23rd is CMOS Emerging Technologies, which takes place at SFU Harbour Centre through to September 25th. On Thursday evening, we will be attending the Art Institute of Vancouver’s Grad Presentation Night, where we’ll be getting a look at the latest in student projects. We’re looking forward to meeting another round of talented young people as well as visiting AI’s new campus on Renfrew in Vancouver.

The Connect Conference and Click Trade Show 2009 at Niagara-on-the-Lake is in full swing on day two of it three day event. Tomorrow is a workshop focusing on Entertainment, Media, and Communications: New Media: The Emerging Landscape taking place in Toronto. Meanwhile, on September 24th students and prospective students can learn more about the world of game development with the Interactive Onatrio seminar Go Into Games With Big Blue Bubble taking place at Fanshawe College. There will be a similar seminar over at the University of Toronto on September 29th with Go Into Games With Koei Canada. The Association of Registered Graphic Designers of Ontario presents their Creative Business Summit on September 24th in Toronto

Hot on the heels of a very successful Spark Animation Festival, Vancouver’s hardworking SIGGRAPH chapter has opened ticket sales for Aliens Among Us: The Visual Effects of District 9. This speaker session will feature key staff members from the team at Image Engine, who contributed over 300 visual effects shots including digital aliens to Neill Blomkamp’s directorial debut District 9.

On-set VFX Supervisor & Digital Production Manager Peter Muyzers will be moderating this post-mortem discussion with input from Shawn Walsh – VFX Executive Producer, James Stewart – Creature Supervisor, Jon Cowley – VFX Seq. Supervisor and Tim Belsher – CG Supervisor. Aliens Among Us takes place on Tuesday September 29th at the Empire Theatre. Tickets are on sale now.

UBC Sauder has an excellent offering of seminars and continuing education sessions coming up, including Strategies, Skills and Tactics of Negotiations, Fundamentals of Finance and Accounting for Non-Financial Managers, Strategic Sales Leadership,  Outlook: Getting Out of the Inbox and Software Architecture and Iterative Development Process: Managing Risk through Better Architecture.

Tomorrow night Digital Alberta is presenting a Summer After Burner event, Social Media and Consumers: Next 500 Days. Join Digital Alberta’s panel of experts to learn how consumers will be using Social Media in the next 500 days. The panel will be moderated by Norman Leach and will be comprised of Manoj Jasra, Lynda Brown, Douglas Walker and Roger Kondrat.

Business In Vancouver presents Investment in Innovation – Investing in Smart Tools For Your Business on September 24 at SFU Segal Graduate School of Business while WaveFront is presenting their WaveGuide Seminar on Mobile UI Design – User Centered Design and UI Best Practices over at the Guinness Tower Conference Centre. The New Ventures BC Awards Ceremony takes place at the SFU Segal Graduate School of Business on September 24th and is hosted by New Ventures BC.  The BCTIA is presenting the next session in their C-Suite series – Behind Your Financing Options on September 29th at the Segal Graduate School of Business.

Also of importance this month are the Focus Group Consultations which are taking place across the country. The Canada Television Fund is on the road looking for industry input. Their schedule for the remainder of this month is as follows:

September 21: Halifax
September 22: Fredericton
September 23: Charlottetown
September 24: St. John’s
September 25: Iqaluit
September 28: Calgary
September 29: Vancouver
September 30: Vancouver (Aboriginal Focus Group)

Vancouver – THQ and Relic Entertainment have released details about Warhammer® 40,000™: Dawn of War® II – Chaos Rising™, the next standalone chapter in the critically acclaimed Real-Time Strategy series, is scheduled for release on Games For Windows-LIVE in spring 2010.

Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II – Chaos Rising features a new playable army, the traitorous Chaos Space Marines, and continues the epic journey of the Blood Ravens as they battle this new, more personal enemy. Chaos Rising offers new single-player and co-op campaigns, a level cap increase from 20 to 30, more powerful war-gear and a suite of innovative multiplayer options.

“Dawn of War II took intimate brutality to another level and introduced RPG-RTS hybrid gameplay,” said Jonathan Dowdeswell, general manager, Relic Entertainment. “The epic struggle between Space Marines and the forces of Chaos lets us take those two game-play elements and create an even more intense experience – this time, the battle is personal.”

Set in the grim, war-ravaged world of Games Workshop’s vast Warhammer 40,000 science fiction universe, Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II – Chaos Rising transports players into the midst of an intergalactic war between ancient enemies. Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II – Chaos Rising introduces the Chaos Space Marines as a new playable army, continuing the single player campaign from the original Dawn of War II.

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Toronto – Presented by McLuhan Festival of the Future, The Vortex Competition is a “Dragon’s Den” styled game development event now in its fifth year. Registrants first attend a two day Vortex Boot Camp where they participate in panels and discussions “specifically designed for emerging entrepreneurs in the game industry to provide information and guidance to make their product ready for and a success in the market place.” Once the boot camp is done, participants are given an additional fifteen days to develop their game concepts and submit them for evaluation.

Important dates for the competition:

October 5: Deadline for Boot Camp Registration
October 7 and 8: Boot Camp & Networking Reception
October 23: Deadline for Competition Submissions
October 29: Announcement of Contenders
November 4 – 5: Competition & Awards Gala

Registration fees for the Vortex Boot Camp are as follows:

Boot Camp & Competition – $100.00 (Full Pass – includes Camp, Competition, Reception & Gala)
Boot Camp Registration (No Competition Entry) – $85.00 (includes Reception)
Team Boot Camp & Competition Registration – $85.00 (per team member & is a Full Pass to all events)
Boot Camp Reception & Competition Awards Gala Tickets – $ 60.00
Vortex Webcast Registration – $30.00 (watch the Camp & Competition via internet)

For those who may not be able to afford to enter the competition, the organizers are offering a limited number of scholarships to individuals or companies who meet their criteria. The number of scholarships is limited and will be evaluated on a first come, first served basis. Please submit a statement which outlines the details about you and your team, as well as a description of your project, what you believe you will gain for the Boot Camp and the Competition, and why you should be offered this scholarship.

Speakers for the 2009 Boot Camp are:

Ian Buck – High Road Communications Inc
Vikas Gupta – President & CEO, TransGaming Inc.
Andrea Sheffer – Executive Director, Bell Broadcast and New Media Fund
Blake Lewin – VP, Media and Entertainment Platforms at Turner Broadcasting
Peter Williams – Head of US Business Unit & Chief Strategic Officer, Bamboo Networks (Keynote)
David Woolford – Business Law Partner, Miller Thomson
Rob Sands – Owner, RGS Media

The chosen competitors will then enter one of two tracks – either Prototype or Concept and make their presentations to the jury panel. The presentation will last for ten minutes, followed by twenty minutes of discussion and review with the panel. Two semi-finalists from each category will be chosen. On day two of the judging competition, the four semi-finalists will make ten minute presentations to the panel. The declared winner of the Vortex Competition and will be given their prizes at the Awards Ceremony with Gala to follow. The competition’s organizers are excited to be able to offer this year’s winners mentoring by established industry executives tailored to their needs in addition to cash and other prizes as well as the opportunity to have their games commercialized through a variety of channels.

Jury Panel for the 2009 Vortex Competition:

Yannis Mallat – CEO, Ubisoft Montreal & Ubisoft Toronto
Kevin O’Leary – CBC’s Dragon’s Den
Rita Davies – Executive Director of the Culture Division of the City of Toronto
Mark Montgomery – Product Development Manager, Games & Applications for Telus
Mark Saltzman – Freelance journalist, author, lecturer, consultant, radio and TV personality

Vortex Competition entrants are also encouraged to submit their game concepts to the City of Toronto’s Game Competition, which is being held in to commemorate the city’s 175th birthday. According to the Vortex Competition’s web site, “the City of Toronto is proud to offer all competitors the opportunity to enter their game in a 175th City of Toronto Birthday Videogame Competition. The winning game will be accessible via the City of Toronto’s website which will garner the winner international exposure.” A search of Toronto’s birthday events page did not offer any further information.