Village Gamer

Featuring top representation from Sony, AMD, Nvidia, Dynamic Digital Depth, Autodesk, Big Blue Bubble and more, The S-3D Gaming Alliance is pleased to announce the 3D gaming panel and presentations taking place at the upcoming Discovery 11 conference.  Held at the Metro Toronto Convention Center on May 18th and 19th, OCE’s Discovery was named as Canada’s Best Trade Show and  is the country’s  leading innovation-to-commercialization conference. Hosted by Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE), Discovery 11 brings together key players from industry, academia, government, the investment community as well as entrepreneurs and students to pursue collaboration opportunities.

“I’m looking forward to speaking at Discovery 11. This is such a unique opportunity to get an overview of the current state of 3D technology and discuss the future of 3D with other industry experts,” said Damir Slogar, CEO of Big Blue Bubble.

According to the 2011 U-Decide Initiative, 80% of gamers that don’t yet own 3D equipment are willing to play video games while wearing 3D glasses, and 92% are willing to do so with a glasses-free solution. In addition to being neck and neck with 3D Blu-Ray movies, 3D gaming has a clear advantage for technology enablers looking to reach the early adopters. According to DisplaySearch, 3D is expected to account for 50% of HDTV revenues by 2014 because it will be a standard feature in future sets.

“While everyone wants 3D gaming to take off, there are several opinions on how this will be accomplished. With nearly all the industry players and competitors at the same table, this should be very informative for press and industry alike,” said Neil Schneider, Executive Director of The S-3D Gaming Alliance, and moderator for the upcoming OCE Discovery 3D gaming panel.

In recognition of the growing importance of stereoscopic 3D gaming on mobile platforms like the Nintendo 3DS, 3D tablets, and 3D smart phones, S3DGA is also pleased to announce their latest member: Big Blue Bubble.

“S3DGA truly understands unique challenges of stereoscopic 3D gaming and by creating and defining standards helps both manufacturers and developers to deliver top quality 3D content to consumers. We are happy to be part of it”, Slogar said.

Big Blue Bubble is one of Canada’s leading game developers, and has a direct interest in stereoscopic 3D gaming on console as well as mobile platforms. BBB has garnered numerous industry awards and accolades, but the true testament of their accomplishments can be seen through the success of their games – 60 titles distributed in over 100 countries.

There will also be an introductory presentation for iGO3D, an Ontario government funded initiative to research the most effective techniques in stereoscopic 3D game development.  Attached organizations include the University of Ontario Institute of Technology, York University, the University of Waterloo, University of Western Ontario, the Ontario College of Arts and Design University (OCADU) and George Brown College. Industry partners include the S-3D Gaming Alliance (S3DGA), Electronic Arts Canada, Bedlam Games, Big Blue Bubble, Digital Extremes, Interactive Ontario and Junction VFX.

You are cordially invited to attend the 10th edition of international conference webcom, one of the largest gatherings on Web new technologies, strategies, challenges and trends for North American organizations. webcom takes place on May 11th at the ICAO (Organization of International Civil Aviation) Head Office, 999 University Street in Montreal. Tickets for the conference are $495.00, with 

webcom boasts 45 speakers, 33 case studies, panels and sessions. Among the renowned speakers, Debbie Weil, author, speaker, and expert on corporate blogs and social media, Maggie Fox, founder and CEO of Social Media Group, and Geoff Livingston, author of the award-winning book on new media “Now is Gone”.

You will also have the opportunity to meet local experts, including Michelle Blanc, Bruno Guglielminetti, Katia St-Jean, Patrick Dubé, Charlérik Lemieux, Mitch Joel and several others.

For the past five years, webcom has been offering up-to-date conferences focused on international sharing and experience for local companies, allowing them to make sure their administrators are equipped to face tomorrow’s communication and technological challenges.

Always seeking to provide the latest content tailored to corporate realities while making sure to stay on top of upcoming challenges, webcom has redesigned its program schedule. As such, it will now be focused on educating and promoting Québec-based organizations through its effective combination of international speakers and local business partners. Those who are curious, have a vision or develop strategies can take part in conferences grouped under the five following themes:

1. Internal communications and services
2. External marketing and communications
3. E-commerce
4. Platforms and technologies
5. Innovation and interactive experience

Besides the main conference, participants can attend two off-program activities. webcomLive is an 8-hour WebTV presentation broadcasted live from webcom and accessible online in real-time, and webcamp is workshop presented by Sylvain Carle where tech and social Web buffs can push the Web environment’s conventional limits. webcom is presented by Guidyu and made possible through the collaborations of several partners, including: Transcontinental, Bell,  w.illi.am and Massy-Forget Public Relations.

TVO, Ontario’s public educational media organization and proud supporter of Canadian documentary filmmaking, is pleased to announce that two new TVO commissioned point-of-view films will be screened at Hot Docs, North America’s largest documentary film festival.

Both films, Recessionize! For Fun and Profit! and Grinders, represent TVO’s commitment to nurturing Canadian documentary filmmakers with important stories to tell (descriptions and screening information below). And TVO is thrilled that Hot Docs 2011 is honouring documentary filmmaker Alan Zweig. TVO has had the privilege of financially supporting and partnering on all of his documentaries, including the 2010 Genie Award winner, A Hard Name.

“TVO commissions between 8-10 new point-of-view documentary films every year, more than any other Canadian broadcaster,” says Jane Jankovic, TVO’s commissioning editor for point-of-view documentaries. “We deliberately focus on point-of-view films that resonate with Canadians and spark interesting discussions and debate.”

“And with the help of generous donors, we can do even more,” adds Jankovic.

More than fifty percent of TVO’s prime-time programming is devoted to documentary films. That is 1,430 hours of documentaries per year including commissions and acquisitions. TVO offers a selection of documentaries free and online for on-demand viewing.

In 2011, TVO will launch “The Doc Studio” – an exciting new online project that will engage users in the world of documentary films and filmmaking. It will provide a comprehensive look at the works of celebrated filmmakers; showcase the work of emerging filmmakers and will take viewers behind-the-scenes with extra videos, photos and interviews.

TVO at Hot Docs 2011:

Recessionize! For Fun and Profit! Toronto filmmaker Jamie Kastner (Kike Like Me, produced in association with TVO) sets off on a black-comic road trip through California, Europe and Dubai to meet those who manage to turn the world economic crisis into opportunity. The quirky cast ranges from kids at “Camp Millionaire” and Berlin prostitutes offering eco-discounts, to the owners of a French hotel promising a hamster experience.

Saturday, May 7 at 6:30 p.m. at the TIFF Bell Lightbox 2 (rush tickets only)

Grinders Ontario filmmaker Matt Gallagher’s inside journey into the unconventional, often bizarre, underground world of illegal poker clubs. It’s a world populated by colourful characters, straight out of central casting. A world where the workday starts at midnight, runs strictly on cash and can change forever with the simple flip of a card. Matt’s intimate, first person narrative is joined by the voices of other grinders — poker players who make a small but sustainable living at the poker table.

Saturday, May 7 at 9:30 p.m. at TIFF Bell Lightbox 1
Sunday, May 8 at 6:30 p.m. at Fox Theatre (rush tickets only)

IGLOO Software, provider of community solutions in the cloud, today announced the release of a suite of self-service collaboration templates for the PlayBook^TM, at BlackBerry World in Orlando. These templates will enable mobile professionals to easily create and manage an online business community, in order to access corporate knowledge and expertise, anytime, anywhere, right from their tablet.

Communities, powered by IGLOO, allow business professionals to share files and capture knowledge, locate documents and expertise, communicate with colleagues and customers, build connections and work better together around projects. In the first iteration of the app, BlackBerry® users will be able to start an online community by choosing from a variety of business templates, including social intranet, extranet, virtual boardroom and collaborative file sharing, right from within BlackBerry App World™.

At BlackBerry World this week, attendees have had the opportunity to experience the future of collaboration on the world’s first professional-grade tablet:

• Online File Sharing: ability to organize, manage and share documents, such as PowerPoint files and .PDFs, right from a mobile device.
• Internal Collaboration: team collaboration tools for managing projects, interacting with people and accessing information.
• External Collaboration: information sharing and networking tools to build better relationships with customers, partners and suppliers.

“We launched our first native BlackBerry® app over two years ago now and it is truly amazing to look back and see how far workplace collaboration has come,” remarked Dan Latendre, CEO of IGLOO Software. “The rise of tablets, combined with the ubiquitous access to broadband and the emergence of cloud computing, is particularly exciting as it is taking mobile computing to the next level, enabling us to create and consume content in a totally different way.”

The IGLOO Software PlayBook™ App will be available for free on BlackBerry App World^TM.

Canadian eReader device platform Kobo has announced that the Kobo Wireless eReader is now available in Best Buy stores throughout the United States as well as in the American Best Buy online store. Now customers can visit any U.S. Best Buy location to get hands-on experience with the affordable, Kobo Wireless eReader as well as access to over 2.3 million eBooks, Newspapers and Magazines in the robust Kobo store. Starting today through May 14, 2011, U.S. Best Buy locations are offering the Onyx Kobo Wireless eReader in stores and online for the special discounted price of $99.99 in celebration of Mother’s Day. At the end of this promotion, Best Buy will resume selling the Kobo Wireless eReader for $129.99.

The Kobo Wireless eReader comes pre-loaded with 100 free eBooks, so purchasers can read right out of the box. Users can easily shop the Kobo store that offers over 2.3 million titles including today’s newest releases and bestsellers, newspapers and magazines – plus a selection of over 1 million free titles. Delivering open standards versatility (supporting ePUB, PDF and Adobe DRM), customers can also borrow eBooks from their local libraries and read them for free on the Kobo Wireless eReader.

The compact, lightweight, and simple-to-use Kobo Wireless eReader features an eInk screen that reads like print on paper and is easily customizable with a selection of font sizes and font styles. Perfect for reading on-the-go, Kobo’s Wireless eReader holds up to 1,000 eBooks and has a SD expansion slot that can increase capacity to hold up to 10,000 eBooks. Featuring a modern, clean design, with easy-to-use navigation and a unique soft quilted back, the Kobo Wireless eReader provides an intuitive user experience with access to a rich assortment of the latest content with just the press of a button.

To provide additional flexibility, free eReading applications are available online for most smartphones, desktops, laptops and tablets, and come pre-loaded on the recently released BlackBerry PlayBook. This multi-platform approach to reading freedom championed by Kobo offers consumers the ability to read across multiple devices while building a lifetime eReading library, available from anywhere, with Kobo.

“We’ve seen great success working with Best Buy in Canada and look forward to being available in-store in the U.S. with the Mother’s Day special,” said Todd Humphrey, vice president of business development, Kobo. “Having Kobo’s Wireless eReader in Best Buy stores throughout the United States and online provides the eReading public with more purchasing options and allows shoppers to compare our eReader to the competition to see the value and versatility we bring to the table. Best Buy is the ultimate electronic shopping destination, offering knowledgeable product experts and a low price guarantee.”

Kobo is changing eReading with Kobo Reading Life, an industry-first social experience that lets passionate readers, discover, track and share their love of reading. With Reading Life, Kobo users can connect with friends or book clubs and discuss their favorite books on Facebook. Statistics help users track their Reading Life, and earn awards – just for spending time reading.

Secure digital media distribution company YANGAROO Inc. has entered into an exclusive multi-year agreement with Australia’s D-Star Music Delivery Pty Ltd (“D-Star”), a member of the Shooting Star Pictures group of companies. The Shooting Star Group is one of Australia’s leading creative production businesses, servicing the entertainment industry and the corporate market. The initial focus will be on the delivery of music to radio, press and other destinations and will launch immediately, branded as D-Star, powered by DMDS. This will be followed by the delivery of full broadcast quality SD and HD music video and advertising files to television broadcasters and movie theatres throughout Australia and New Zealand.

The parties have entered into an exclusive three year renewable agreement whereby YANGAROO will provide its patented industry leading Digital Media Distribution System (DMDS), and D-Star will provide local marketing and customer support, utilizing the Shooting Star Group’s extensive resources, leading market presence and proven industry expertise.

Effective immediately new releases from major and independent record labels are available for streaming or download. New releases from the last few weeks are also available should they be required for on-air consideration.

“We are very excited to offer this new and improved service to the industry we have been servicing for many years,” said Peter Skillman, CEO of the Shooting Star Group. “We can now, not only offer the latest cutting edge technology for audio delivery, but also broadcast quality video delivery as we move forward.”

“This is another example of how we are executing on our profitable growth strategy and monetizing the investment made in DMDS 5.0,” said Scott Wambolt, CEO of YANGAROO Inc. “I look forward to a long and mutually rewarding relationship with Peter Skillman and his excellent team at the Shooting Star Group,” said Cliff Hunt, Chairman and COO of YANGAROO Inc. “The Australian and New Zealand markets are strong and growing, and we are excited about the significant new revenue opportunities that this relationship provides.”

Journalists for Human Rights (JHR), Canada’s largest media development organization, is teaming up with Maclean’s magazine in Write the Wrong, a national essay competition where students are asked to answer the question “What is the single largest problem that we face today and what do youth need to do to fix it?”

The winning essay will be published on Maclean’s website and the author will receive a Rogers Smart phone.  Five finalists will have their essay posted on the website and multimedia platform, CITIZENShift.

“Students are not the future, they are the present” says jhr’s Youth Engagement Coordinator, Ken Zolotar.  “Write the Wrong gives students the ability to share their views on global issues and Maclean’s gives them the platform to be listened to”.

jhr, a Toronto based organization, works to ensure international human rights standards are upheld by working with local media in Africa to educate and create widespread human rights awareness. Write the Wrong is a Canadian initiative that invites youth to engage in discussion about a human rights related issue, and in turn foster human rights awareness.

The winning essay will be chosen by a panel of celebrity judges including CBC’s Adrian Harewood, the David Suzuki Foundation’s Severn Cullis-Suzuki and Maclean’s Cathrin Bradbury.

Submissions are currently being accepted. The deadline is May 13^th, 2011.

3D character animation solutions developer Di-O-Matic Inc has released its complete line of character animation plugins with support for the recently released Autodesk 2012 products. As an Autodesk Authorized Developer, Di-O-Matic has updated its complete plugins product line to be fully compatible with the newest offering from Autodesk and is happy to release these updates after the recent official Autodesk release.

The new Di-O-Matic plugins compatible with Autodesk 2012 products feature significant enhancements over previous versions as most plugins received significant updates in addition to now being compatible with the newest Autodesk 2012 releases.

Key updates include:

* Voice-O-Matic,

Di-O-Matic’s automatic lipsync solution plugin for any character rig in 3ds max, Maya and Softimage has received several updates and now offers significantly better results than before.

* Morph-O-Matic v2.4,

Di-O-Matic’s morphing solution for 3ds max featuring a new Game Engine Scripting API for easier integration with game engines via MAXScript.

* Character Pack v1.5,

From muscle simulation to automatic lip synchronization, this all in one suite gathers all of Di-O-Matic’s 3ds max plugins for only 999$, a saving of more than 1400$ if purchased separately.

All Di-O-Matic plugins are available for purchase directly from the Di-O-Matic online store or through any of Di-O-Matic’s authorized resellers worldwide. All Di-O-Matic commercial products come with floating licensing options and one year of premium support.

Registered users with an active support package can request the latest version of their plugins by filling the required form, while registered users with an expired support package can simply renew their support package to get the latest version.

Nintendo Canada is dropping the suggested retail price of its Wii™ system to $149.99 and including a Mario™ game with the Wii hardware. Starting May 15 at many stores across Canada, the newly priced Wii system will come in either black or white with the Mario Kart™ Wii game and a matching coloured Wii Wheel™ accessory, replacing the previously included Wii Sports™ and Wii Sports Resort™ games.

Also on May 15, Nintendo launches the new Nintendo® Selects collection of Wii games, a set of popular games that millions of people have already experienced, at a suggested retail price of $19.99. The four must-own games in this collection are The Legend of Zelda™: Twilight Princess, Animal Crossing™: City Folk, Mario™ Super Sluggers and Wii Sports, which is available for the first time as a separate software purchase. Parents and video game fans can now easily expand their library of fun, family-friendly Wii games. I’ll be keeping my eyes out for any Canadian-made titles that are designated as Nintendo Selects – if you see any, let me know.

“From the day it launched, Wii has let players of all ages and experience levels have fun with one another,” said Ron Bertram, Nintendo of Canada’s vice-president and general manager. “The new suggested retail pricing for both the hardware and select games will help create more of these magical moments for even greater numbers of people.”

With Mario Kart Wii now included with the Wii hardware, players will be able to enjoy fun go-kart racing with Mario and all his Mushroom Kingdom pals right out of the box. The Wii Remote™ Plus controller, Nunchuk™ controller and Wii Wheel included in the package will all match the hardware, meaning they will be either black or white. The new black Wii Wheel will also be available separately at a suggested retail price of $9.99.

After teasing fans on its Facebook Fan Page, Ubisoft has released a few details about Assassin’s Creed^® Revelations, the fourth installment in the critically acclaimed and immensely popular video game franchise. Developed and led by Ubisoft Montreal with the support and expertise of Ubisoft studios Annecy, Massive Entertainment, Quebec, Singapore and Bucharest, Assassin’s Creed Revelations presents the most immersive experience available in the series to date and the culmination of Ezio’s adventure. The game is set to release on the Xbox 360^®, the PlayStation^®3 and Windows PC this November.

In Assassin’s Creed Revelations, master assassin Ezio Auditore walks in the footsteps of his legendary mentor, Altaïr, on a journey of discovery and revelation. It is a perilous path – one that will take Ezio to Constantinople, the heart of the Ottoman Empire, where a growing army of Templars threatens to destabilize the region.

In addition to Ezio’s award-winning story, the acclaimed online multiplayer experience returns, refined and expanded, with more modes, more maps and more characters that allow players to test their assassin skills against others from around the world. The latest chapter in the Assassin’s Creed saga also includes revolutionary gameplay, allowing players to manipulate the construct of Desmond’s memories and the Animus to decipher the mysteries of his past and gain insight into the future.

“Delivering the final chapter of the Ezio trilogy is an important milestone in the Assassin’s Creed franchise for us and for our fans,” said Alexandre Amancio, Creative Director at Ubisoft Montreal. “Assassin’s Creed Revelations includes lots of new features and some significant surprises. We can’t wait to show our fans what we have in store at E3 this year.”

Initially launched in 2007, the first three Assassin’s Creed^® games have sold more than 28 million units worldwide, and the franchise is now established as one of the best-selling series on next generation consoles. Recognized for having some of the richest, most engrossing storytelling in the industry, Assassin’s Creed has transcended video games, branching out into other entertainment experiences such as comic books, Facebook, novels, short films and more. Additional details on Assassin’s Creed Revelations can be found in an exclusive feature in the June issue of Game Informer Magazine, available this month.