Village Gamer

Starting today, March 28th and running until April 11th, Montreal software publisher Strategy First Inc will donate 20% of all titles sales from its online store to the Red Cross in an effort are to help with the Japan Relief Plan. Anyone who purchases one of the other over 300 titles available on the website will directly help the Red Cross provide relief to the victims in Japan.

Some of the available titles featured are, Dangerous Waters, Flat Out Ultimate Carnage, Jagged Alliance, Space Empires, Disciples, Darkness Within 2, TRAINZ, Making History II, Rise of Flight: Iron Cross Edition along with casual titles Cradle of Rome, Air Port Control Simulator and many more.

“For generations Japan has contributed and shaped the Video Game industry. We would like to do our part in giving back to a country and its people who have given us some of the greatest games of all time.” Says Strategy First Director Emanuel Wall, “By offering both Hardcore and Casual games we are hoping that we can offer games for everyone in the family in return for their generous donation.”

With your support the Red Cross can continue to provide life-saving medical care, shelter, supplies and most importantly – hope, to earthquake and tsunami survivors.

Along with Hard Core Strategy, and Casual Games other genres include, Simulation, Arcade Action, Racing, RPG, Adventure, Grand Strategy, and Train Simulator. All titles are available for your donation. The needs are great but you can make a difference. All funds raised will go to support the Red Cross.

Note: the Canada Media Fund has extended the first closing date for the Aboriginal Program – Production to April 4th 2011.

Reminder: Round 2 of Battle of The Apps is open for submissions until April 15th 2011.
Reminder: Microsoft Blue Sky Innovation Excellence Awards are open for submissions until April 25th 2011.

Game Production Studios has a new title on the WP7 Marketplace. Crescer is a unique Windows Phone 7 game challenges you to become the best gardener in the mobile world. Use your green thumb skills to grow the perfect plant across eight different environments while purchasing tools, upgrading your plants, earning money and expanding your bounty with new plants. Bloom supremacy is not as simple as tossing a seed in the ground and hoping for the best though, because Mother Nature is not feeling overly co-operative. You must use an assortment of tools and gardening secrets to protect your plant from all manner of environmental hazards which range from weather fronts and bug infestations to volcanic eruptions.

If you manage to make your blooms flourish, and unlock all of the game’s regular achievements, you will unlock an arcade style bonus level, where you play as Sunny “The Sunflower” and defend The Moon against evil bug invaders.

Bar Star HD time management game from Ottawa dev studio Glitchsoft has expanded to the Mac App Store. Released last summer to iTunes for the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad, Bar Star HD puts players in the action packed role of a new bar owner, mixing high fashion drinks, serving celebrity guests, and stylizing their bar with upgrades and improvements.

Bar Star HD is a true pick-up and play game that features stunning full screen graphics, intuitive controls, and super addictive gameplay featuring dynamic player characters, Chase and Artie, a brother and sister who need your help transforming their run down bar into the best upscale lounge. They earn valuable tips as they mix, serve, and upgrade their way through 50 exciting levels. Tips are then used to hire new staff including bouncers and DJs, as well as to improve the style of their bar including drink selection, the dance floor, and decor. Players will experience up to 16 different customers plus 4 celebrity guests who will visit their bar, and like any entertainment and service venue, players need to impress the clientele in order to earn the maximum amount of tips.

Bar Star HD for the Mac features:

* 50 exciting levels including a Zombie Takeover
* 16 unique customers and 4 guest stars
* Mix and pour all types of delicious drinks
* Upgrades for you’re bar including a dance floor, disco ball, plants, and drinks
* Grow your staff
* Serve customers different types of draft beer, wines and mixed cocktails
* Earn points to enhance your bartending skills
* True HD graphics
* Multiple player profiles, time attack Mode and replayable missions

Netflix, Inc. and Paramount Pictures (Viacom Inc.) have reached a new multi-year licensing agreement, adding hundreds of new movie titles, including the exclusive subscription television rights to all first-run films, for Canadian Netflix members to watch instantly on their computers and TVs.

Netflix members in Canada can enjoy theatrical hits from Paramount in the coming months starting with “The Last Airbender” and Marvel’s “Iron Man 2.” The five year agreement will add over 350 new movies available to watch instantly from Netflix in Canada, including epics like “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” “Titanic,” and “Defiance,” great comedies like “Zoolander” and “Wayne’s World,” and beloved classics like “The African Queen,” “Sabrina” (1954) and “Terms of Endearment.”

Monster Math Squad, a new CG animated series for kids has been announced by DHX Media Ltd. The series will star loveable monsters who help children develop formative math-related skills. The preschool show has been commissioned by CBC and SRC in Canada and will be produced by DHX Media’s Halifax-based studio, further boosting DHX’s library of standout preschool properties.

“We all know that preschoolers love to learn,” says Kim Wilson, Creative Head for Children’s and Youth Programming at CBC, “so taking a concept like early numeracy and pairing it with a fantastic monster world of fun is a winning combination. DHX has a history of creating wonderful user-focused programs of the highest quality so we are thrilled. ”

D-BOX Technologies Inc. will be expanding its presence in Chicago, Florida and Utah with the addition of four more theatre locations installing D-BOX motion technology seating. In Utah, the newly expanded Megaplex 17 at Thanksgiving Point in Lehi and the brand new Megaplex 14 at Legacy Crossing in Centerville will each be equipped with 30 D-BOX MFX Seats that offer moviegoers access to a completely immersive movie experience. Meanwhile, over in the Chicago area, the Rosemont 18 theatre will soon feature 36 D-BOX MFX Seats while the Parisian 20 theatre in West Palm Beach FL will install a total of 30 seats, both scheduled to be unveiled in the coming months. Additionally, Muvico Entertainment’s Thousand Oaks movie theatre in California, which introduced D-BOX in February, is preparing to install an additional 12 D-BOX MFX Seats to keep up with the demand.

Intertainment Media Inc.’s social media translation interface Ortsbo has seen a 47% growth in User Engagement Minutes since the end of February, growing from 82.3 Million minutes to 121.3 Million minutes of total engagement. Other key indicators have also grown substantially with active monthly unique users, month over month, now at 8.6 Million, a 37% increase since the end of February. In the past week, Ortsbo has generated over 10.8 Million minutes of User Engagement, 6.4 Million Page Views, 3.1 Million Online Sessions and 2.2 Million Unique Users. Ortsbo, at just over 9 months since launch is at the same levels achieved by Facebook in its first 29 months.

With over 79% of Ortsbo users coming direct to www.ortsbo.com and www.ortsboqq.com, Ortsbo continues to experience strong viral growth as the vast majority of users are coming direct to the web sites, not using search engines or third party referrals. If you’ve never heard of Ortsbo, it supports global communications with instant translation capability, real time multi- lingual social media chat and instant Twitter translation allowing users to communicate with family, friends and colleagues around the world. Ortsbo provides users with the ability to break down language and cultural barriers through its easy to use, language centric interface. User demographics have continued to favor the BRIC countries with China remaining the number 1 usage country for Ortsbo followed by Brazil, the US, South Korea, Canada, Taiwan, Germany, Argentina, Russia and India. Ortsbo’s Top 10 user countries have a combined population of over 3.4 Billion people.

Capcom® has offiically announced that Resident Evil®: Operation Raccoon City, is in development at Vancouver’s Slant Six Games for the PlayStation®3, Xbox 360® and PC with a scheduled Winter 2011 release. In addition it was also confirmed that the forthcoming Nintendo 3DS™ title, Resident Evil®: The Mercenaries 3D,will ship with a playable demo of Resident Evil® Revelations.

Since the launch of the first title 15 years ago the Resident Evil® series has enjoyed phenomenal success, selling over 45 million units worldwide to date. This latest offering will take the series in a completely new direction and offer a style of gameplay yet to be seen from the franchise.

Resident Evil Outbreak Zone

Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City delivers a true third person team based shooter experience set within the dark and sinister Resident Evil universe and a reinterpretation of the events depicted in Resident Evil® 2 and Resident Evil® 3. The setting of the Resident Evil universe not only provides a rich backdrop to the action but delivers a unique and thrilling triple threat battle. Zombies and Bio-Organic Weapons (B.O.W’s) add to the mix as players not only compete against an opposing squad but also tackle this third unpredictable element, creating a brand new style of gameplay and breaking the conventions of traditional team based shooters.

It is September 1998 and the action centers once more on the ill-fated Raccoon City and the horrific consequences of the deadly T-virus outbreak from the Umbrella facility. With a cover up required, Umbrella orders an elite team into Raccoon City to destroy all evidence of the outbreak and eliminate any survivors. Hearing of this plan, the US Government dispatches its own special forces to uncover any evidence that exposes the cause of the viral infection and Umbrella’s actions. Players take on the role of an Umbrella Security Services soldier (U.S.S.), competing alone or in four player co-op in a battle against all the competing forces at play in Raccoon City.

Expect the return of original Resident Evil enemies, iconic landmarks such as the Raccoon City Police Department and fan favorite characters, including Leon S. Kennedy, who as a rookie police officer in Raccoon City is on your hit list to eliminate. Players will experience a retelling of classic moments from past titles Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 3 and watch the events unfolding from the menacing perspective of the Umbrella Security Service, giving fans the chance to rewrite the history of the Raccoon City outbreak. Read the rest of this entry »

Given that the federal budget tabled on March 22 was not adopted, the Canada Media Fund (CMF) announced today that it will shortly be releasing a preliminary program budget for the upcoming year which will not include the 100M$ program funding allocation that was proposed in the budget, as it cannot be confirmed at this time.

The CMF can only release a program budget based on confirmed sources of revenue. Therefore at this juncture, the program budget will include the projected monthly contributions from broadcast distribution undertakings, as well as the allocation of funding of 34.6M$ included in the budget of the Department of Canadian Heritage which is allocated to the CMF.

In the event that the CMF receives a further allocation of funding as a result of the adoption of a federal budget later this year, the CMF will release a supplementary program budget shortly thereafter.

Performance Envelopes will be calculated on the basis of the anticipated full program budget that was approved by the CMF Board including the $100 million funding allocation announced by the Government, in order to assist the industry with licensing and production planning. However, the contractually confirmed amounts of the Performance Envelopes will be based solely on the preliminary program budget described above.

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I for one am very concerned about what this election could mean to our Digital Media industry and all of the hard work so many of us have been doing to work towards a Digital Economy in this country. What ever your political affiliation, please, if you do nothing else leading up to this election, ask your candidates the hard questions – don’t let them wallow about with non-answers. Make them move beyond the finger-pointing and talk about the issues at hand. Do not let our industry fall back down between the cracks of the political landscape. Most of all, exercise your privilege – get out and vote on election day!

Reminder to all Canadian IDM developers: Take the Pixel To Product Digital Economy Survey. It’s important, and it only takes a few minutes. Follow Pixel To Product on Twitter at 49Pixels

So we are starting our weekend with a non-confidence vote in Parliament, which means we technically have no government and are headed for a Federal election. This also means that all of the Federal parties will be stepping up their campaigns of nastiness. As I said on Twitter earlier – please, please, please stop with the finger pointing. Instead of telling us why every other party is evil, tell Canadians truthfully why your party is awesome, be prepared to back it up with quantifiable proof, and let’s move on. Enough with the playground bully tactics, okay? Act like the intellectual adults you’re supposed to be and take the responsibility you are asking voters to give you more seriously.

The bonus is that it’s Friday, and that means tomorrow is Nintendo 3DS Launch event day, so if you’re in Toronto or Vancouver, you can get some hands-on time with the 3DS before the midnight sales events at Future Shop. Vancouver’s pre-launch event will be taking place from 6pm until midnight at TD Square (corner of Granville & Georgia streets) and then moving over to the Robson & Granville Future Shop for the midnight opening.

The Toronto pre-launch event will be taking place at Yonge-Dundas Square also from 6pm until midnight, with the midnight sales launch at the Future Shop located at 325 Yonge Street. In support of Earth Hour between 8:30pm-9:30pm, Nintendo Canada will turn off the lights and not draw any electrical power at its dedicated event space. Follow Nintendo on Twitter.

Last evening was the second iteration of the Women In Games Vancouver Martini Night, and while there weren’t as many ladies as at the first event, there was still a good turnout and new connections were made amongst those who attended. Last evening’s Chun Li Martini, created by our awesome Rogue bartender, also appeared to be a big hit; I was driving, so didn’t try it. Martini Night, which for now is supposed to be a ladies only social event, is intended to give women who work in the creative industry a place to network and talk about issues in the industry that are important to them. We hope you will come out for the next Martini Night in April – details to be announced. Follow Women In Games Vancouver on Twitter.

The Canadian Games Conference organizers would like you all to know that tickets are now on sale for both the conference and the Canadian Video Game Awards, and they’ve announced the first round of confirmed speakers. Follow the Canadian Games Conference and Canadian Video Games on Twitter.

The Canadian Games Conference is a two-day conference/exhibition that brings together some of the industry’s top innovators, businesses and talent responsible for the explosive growth of the gaming industry, providing a platform to share knowledge and develop industry partnerships. The Conference, which takes place at the Vancouver Convention Centre on May 19th and 20th will be preceded by the Canadian Video Game awards on May 18th, at the Centre for Performing Arts. The Awards will be hosted by Electric Playground’s Victor Lucas and will featuring a live performance by Video Games Live.  As an added bonus, tickets start at just $30 for CGC pass holders, $37 for ESAC and CIAIC members, or $45 for the general public. Tickets for the Awards show can be purchased through Ticketmaster.  Public voting for Game of the Year will start April 15th on the CVA website. Follow Electric Playground, Victor Lucas and Video Games Live on Twitter

Announcing the first round of confirmed sessions:

• Musing About Cloud – Denis Dyak, Silicon Knights
• How FIFA Stumbled on a New Business Model – Paul Hossack, EA
• How MMOs Really Work – Simon Ludgate, Soulrift and Craig Morrison, Funcom
• On-Line Everywhere – Cyrus Greenall, Ubisoft Vancouver
• The Design Evolution of HOARD – Tyler Sigman, Big Sandwich Games
• Use Social Media Marketing to Grow Your Studio – Matt Tanner, Snowed in Studios
• So You Want to be a Game Programmer? – Karl Schmidt, THQ
• Microsoft KINECT Showcase
• How to Self Fund Development – RBC and Export Development Canada
• Cross Platform iOS Development – Wolfgang Hamann, Koolhaus Games
• DO Sweat the Small Stuff – Kris Piotrowski, Capybara Games

Follow Export Development Canada, RBC, EA, Funcom, Ubisoft Vancouver, Big Sandwich Games, Snowed In Studios, THQ, and Capybara Games on Twitter.

The news that everyone (especially The Cavechild) has been waiting for and that you all probably already know is that THQ and Relic Entertainment announced late yesterday that Triple A title Space Marine finally has a release date – or, release month, anyway.  Set in the rich Warhammer 40,000 universe created by Games Workshop®, Space Marine is a single-player 3rd person campaign-styled action-shooter. This latest entry into the Warhammer 40 000 franchise will not only feature the brutal and feral Orks, but also the dark and sinister forces of Chaos.

Space Marine puts players into the role of one of humanity’s elite soldiers, as they battle to protect an Imperial Forge World from a millions-strong Ork invasion. But this isn’t all that faces Captain Titus of the Ultramarines. When Titus makes planet-fall, he soon realizes that the forces of Chaos are lurking in the shadows pulling the strings for their own nefarious purposes.

The addition of Chaos forces adds more variety to the Space Marine single-player campaign by complementing the animalistic and horde-like Orks with a much more powerful and strategic enemy. While Titus can dispatch dozens of Orks alone, the Chaos Space Marines are more than capable of going toe-to-toe with him, especially with the support of Renegade Militia, Tainted Psykers and Bloodletter Daemons, among other units. Space Marine is rated M for Mature by the ESRB. Follow Relic and SpaceMarine on Twitter.

Dev studio Tiny Hippos has been acquired by Research In Motion. A press release on the Tiny Hippo states that the studio is  “extremely excited about our future at RIM and continuing to grow and support Ripple. This is a great step towards our goal of providing a cross-platform mobile application development and testing tool to developers worldwide.  Specifically, we will be working to bring BlackBerry support to the Ripple product.

We also want to reassure all new and existing users that we expect that the Ripple product will continue to be offered for download and the team will continue to develop features, provide support, and help grow the mobile application developer community. We would like to extend a special thank you to all of you that have supported and believed in us.” Follow Tiny Hippos and RIM on Twitter.

Toon Boom Animation Inc. has released the first of its first line up of fun mobile apps for the iOS App Store. Toon Boom has launched Flip Boom Lite for the iPhone and iPod, a fun app that lets your fingertips doodle, scribble or draw fun animations. Flip Boom Lite is already available for the iPad and has received rave reviews. Both apps are free in the App Store and let you discover the fun of animation creation. The company will be releasing more features for their apps in future updates.

“Toon Boom’s fun applications lend themselves perfectly for the iPod, iPhone and iPad. You can discover how easy creating animation can be while having coffee or waiting for a meeting,” said Joan Vogelesang, President and Chief Executive Officer of Toon Boom Animation. Follow Toon Boom on Twitter.

Rock Hippo Productions Ltd is pleased to announce that after only two weeks in the open beta phase, the MicroVolts player population has soared and continues growing rapidly every day.  To celebrate its success, MicroVolts will host a number of events where players will have the opportunity to win fantastic prizes including an iPad 2.  The events start tomorrow March 26 and will continue through April 11!

To thank the active and growing community, MicroVolts will host the MicroVolts iPad 2 contest where they will be giving away two custom MicroVolts iPad 2’s.  Players who rack up 10 hours of play in one week will automatically be entered into the drawing.  The first event will take place between March 28 through April 4, and the second iPad 2 drawing for 10 hours of play will take place between April  4-11. Additionally, this weekend between March 26th and 27th, MicroVolts will give out 2,000 bonus experience points for everyone who plays at least three hours! 

MicroVolts features fast paced, third person shooter action and pits players against each other in a secret battle that has been waged and going unnoticed right in our own backyard for years.  No one knows for sure when or where the first toy declared war but rumor has it that the uprising began with four original limited edition figures, code named MicroVolts. Battle lines were drawn when Naomi, Knox, Pandora, and C.H.I.P.-the prototypes a-were soon joined by an endless number of modified versions. Now, toy figures around the world are engaged in an all-out war for valuable battery resources and supremacy of the Micro World.  All we can do now is stay out of their way and wait for a champion to be declared!

With a ton of weapons, inventive character designs, and a huge list of customization features, MicroVolts is destined to invigorate and re-energize the Free2play space. Intuitive controls and a third person view make the game easy to play and fun for both newcomers and veterans of shooter games.  Game modes include Free for All, Team Deathmatch, Item Match, Capture the Battery, and many more featuring various maps designed by toy concept. Follow Microvolts on Twitter.

Family Channel is giving viewers a sneak preview of Canadian live-action tween show Debra! on the evening of April 22nd. Produced by Cookie Jar Entertainment, Debra! follows Debra Delong, an effervescent teen with a unique style and outlook on the world who is determined to start her own business. Debra’s best friend Preston is sometimes reluctant to become embroiled in Debra’s ambitious schemes but always manages to stick by her side. Debra! was created by Andrew Nicolls and Darrel Vickers (Jimmy Neutron, Fairly OddParents, Back to the Barnyard) and marks Cookie Jar Entertainment’s first live-action series for Family Channel. Follow Family Channel on Twitter.

Absolute® Software Corporation has announced that the company will be presenting at the Government Security Conference & Expo (GovSec) on next-generation solutions for endpoint security and management of mobile devices in Washington, DC on March 31.

Geoff Glave, senior product manager at Absolute, will discuss the growing challenges facing IT in managing and securing the endpoint. He will focus on the need for a layered approach to security, which is now, more than ever, essential to an environment that consists of multiple devices across multiple platforms.

“The mobile landscape is changing dramatically for IT organizations and they need to be prepared more than ever to mitigate the risks posed by mobile data,” states Rob Chase, chief operating officer at Absolute Software. “Absolute is uniquely positioned with cross platform and device support, persistence, and emergency response services. Our solutions provide organizations with actionable intelligence to effectively secure and manage their endpoints and the valuable data on them.” Follow Absolute on Twitter.

The season finale of the TELETOON original series Total Drama World Tour premieres on Sunday, April 24 at 8 p.m. ET/PT and TELETOON is keeping everyone in suspense – even the contestants. This season’s winner will be decided by the fans through an online vote beginning Sunday, March 27, with the winning contestant revealed during the final episode on Sunday, April 24 at 8 p.m. ET/PT.

Before the winner is revealed, TELETOON will pay tribute to the three remaining contestants, Alejandro, Cody and Heather, with special episodes in the weeks leading up to the finale. One tribute episode will air on each of the first three Sundays in April at 8 p.m. ET/PT taking a look back at each of the finalists’ journeys from the beginning of this season all the way to the finale. On Sunday, April 24, the finale will air as part of a special four-episode marathon beginning at 6:30 p.m. ET/PT with the three most recent episodes followed by the season finale at 8 p.m. ET/PT.

When viewers visit the Teletoon site to fill out their ballots for the winner beginning Sunday, March 27, they can also enter a contest for the chance to be animated into their very own Total Drama character and conduct an interview with animated host Chris MacLean.

Total Drama World Tour brings an international twist and musical spin to the popular Total Drama animated franchise. This season continued the series’ hilarious tradition of parodying reality shows by bringing back some of the fan-favourite past contestants and a few exciting new faces. The crew’s latest chance at fame and fortune saw them fly all over the world for a chance at another million-dollar grand prize while facing the kind of scary, embarrassing and even disgusting challenges that Total Drama fans have come to expect. Total Drama World Tour is created and produced by Toronto’s Fresh TV Inc. Follow Teletoon on Twitter.

This year’s Canada 3.0 digital media forum will have a strong focus on industry, including an address by Canada’s Industry Minister Tony Clement, when the event is staged at the Stratford Rotary Complex in Stratford, Ontario this May 2nd through 4th. Minister Clement will speak to Canada’s place in the global digital economy on May 3.

“Our government has a clear vision of how Canada can successfully engage in the digital economy,” said Minister Clement. “Canada 3.0 brings together everyone from grassroots entrepreneurs, to industry leaders, academia, and government. It is the ideal platform to be talking about how best to position Canada for success in the digital future.”

The Canadian Digital Media Network (CDMN) organizing Canada 3.0 2011 says the forum will examine how ICT (Information and Communications Technologies) can advance Canada’s productivity. There is also a pitch competition for early stage companies. The Road To Banff Pitch Off Contest, which is open for up to 100 Canadian early stage companies interested in pitching, getting feedback and networking, offers among other prizes 3 Grand Prizes, which consist of  an all expense paid trip to the Banff Venture Forum courtesy of the Canadian Digital Media Network and Communitech. Winners will receive travel, accommodations and conference fees to the Banff Venture Forum, Canada’s premier Venture Capital forum. In addition, Banff Venture Forum organizers will host a one day workshop for the winners that will include introductions to funders and pairing companies with a VC mentor for the conference.

“Our ‘Moonshot’ goal for Canada – that anyone can do anything online in Canada by 2017 — is what drives the discussion and action items resulting from the event,” said Kevin Tuer, Managing Director of the CDMN. There is a video contest to go with the previous statement.

Individuals, schools and post secondary institutions, corporations – all Canadians – are invited to submit a video that paints their vision of Canada as it will look in 2017. Your video can be a webcam monologue, a presentation, a story or a short film of 5 minutes or less. Select entries will be featured on the Canada 3.0 website and profiled at the Canada 3.0 venue during the conference. Three winners will each receive $500.00 in addition to the spotlight features.

In addition to the industry focus, Canada 3.0 also spans government and education, with the speaker roster including:

–        Anthony D. Williams, co-author of ‘MacroWikinomics’, ‘Rebooting Business and the World’, and ‘Wikinomics’
–        Jeremy Gutsche, innovation expert, author of Exploiting Chaos, and host of Trend Hunter TV
–        Dr. Michael Wesch, Associate Professor of Cultural Anthropology at Kansas State University and winner of the Wired Magazine Rave Award
–        Kunal Gupta, CEO of Polar Mobile, and a market leader in launching innovative mobile applications
–        Soniya Monga, Community Manager at Techvibes.com and co-host of Perpetual Radio’s Social Media Show
–        Paul Lepage, Sr. VP Telus Health and Financial Solutions in the Telus Health Solutions division

Eight sector tracks will include more than 100 speakers and expert panelists, plus interactive discussions regarding the latest in digital media-driven productivity gains in education, health, media & entertainment, telecommunications & distribution, natural resources, public sector, research, and human resources.

In addition to the ‘main tent’ presentations and sector tracks, the forum also features an Interactive Showcase area which this year comprises more than 60 exhibitors spanning industry and academia. Tuer emphasizes that the connections between participants in the forum are a key benefit of the event.

”Every year the conversation is renewed and revitalized with connections that make for lasting relationships amongst digital startups and established companies, across sectors and up and down the influence chain,” said Tuer.

Canada 3.0 2011 is enabled by Platinum sponsors: OpenText, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), Research In Motion (RIM), and supported by The City of Stratford and University of Waterloo Stratford Campus.

Digital Leisure announced this morning that the Dragon’s Lair action figures are selling fast, and there are fewer sets available now than there were before. Don’t miss your chance, get them now – $49.99 (+ shipping and taxes if applicable) gets you the starring cast of Dragon’s Lair – Dirk, Daphne, Mordroc and Singe, along with their weaponry and select items from the story. I know this group would look mighty fine on my game collectibles shelf, if I had an expense budget that wasn’t currently screaming out in pain.

New from Behaviour Interactive, Ghostbusters: Sanctum of Slime is now available on Xbox LIVE^® Arcade and Windows PC Download at Steam and Atari.com. Ghostbusters: Sanctum of Slime will be released on PlayStation®Network on March 30^th. The new four player, ghost busting adventure that will take players on a brand new paranormal experience. Players will suit up with their proton packs and assume the role of a rookie hired by the Ghostbusters to save New York City from a disaster of ghoulish proportions in either single player, or cooperative (online or local).

Play progresses as gamers explore a series of haunted environments that must be cleared of any ectoplasmic threats. The gripping adventure rages on as players encounter gigantic bosses that require a concentrated effort to defeat using a medley of highly destructive weapons including the Proton Stream, Plasma Inductor, and the Fermion Shock. The rookie Ghostbusters will face the dangers of the eerie world alone or with a ghost busting team of friends both locally or online through the game’s multiplayer capability.

Those lovably squishy and doggedly determined little blue Swarmite creatures have invaded the tubes at Xbox Live Arcade, and for only 1200 MS points you can welcome them into your home where you can dismember, squash and push them over the edge in the privacy of your living room. Yes, the long-anticipated new release from Hothead Games has been released to the masses. Get it now while the little blue guys are still breathing. You PlayStation 3 owners can also pick up Swarm for $14.99. If you want to know how many Swarmites have been sacrificed for the greater good, check out the Swarm Global Death Counter – at press time it was closing in on 2.4 million. Poor little guys!

Also available now on Steam is Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood for PC. The regular digital version is priced at $49.99USD while the Digital Deluxe version is priced at $59.99USD. The Digital Deluxe version includes all of the basics plus:

* Map of Rome
* 1 Ezio Skin – Helmschmied Drachen Armour
* 2 Exclusive Single-Player Maps: The Trajan Market & The Aqueduct
* 2 Multiplayer Characters, The Officer and The Harlequin
* The Original Codex Written by Altaïr: The history of the Assassins and art of Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood
* Multiplayer Characters Collectible Trading Cards
* Assassin’s Creed Lineage – The Complete Movie
* Making-Of Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood – Behind the Brotherhood
* Game Soundtrack: 22 songs from the original game soundtrack by Jesper Kyd

Digital Premium Edition content is only available via download, and both Steam versions also include the Animus Project 1.0, 2.0 and the Da Vinci Disappearance DLC add-ons.

Incubator Games has launched its newest kids’ title. This follow-up to Kelvin’s Space Ranch is called The CO₂ Connection, which was built for Science Alberta as an educational game whose main premise is to teach kids about the extraction, compression, transportation and storage of CO₂ while decreasing Alberta’s carbon footprint. You can read the development post-mortem on the Incubator Games site and learn about the background and challenges for this game. The CO2 Connection is also available as a free download in the iTunes App Store and is compatible with the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad.

IBM and Nova Scotia’s MediaSpark Inc. have won a national tender to provide 900 Ontario schools with educational games and simulation software designed to sharpen their business and financial skills as they prepare to meet the growing demands of the 21^st Century. MediaSpark worked with IBM Canada to win the tender issued by the Ministry of Education through the Ontario Software Acquisition Program Advisory Committee.

Four of MediaSpark’s GoVenture educational games and simulation software solutions will provide students from grades seven to 12 with highly realistic simulations emphasizing Entrepreneurship, Accounting, Financial Literacy, and Personal Finance skills.

“Games and simulations are revolutionizing education,” says Mathew Georghiou, CEO of MediaSpark Inc. “We are encouraged to see Ontario take a leadership role in adopting new methods of learning. Not only will these simulations help Ontario students, but we believe they have the potential to play an important role in enhancing the grassroots entrepreneurial culture in Ontario, resulting in future prosperity.”

Learners gain experience by being immersed in simulated worlds created with advanced experiential learning and gaming techniques.  For example, in the Entrepreneurship module, students learn how to run a clothing or sporting goods store by testing their abilities with scenarios that map to real challenges faced by new entrepreneurs. They conduct business, get advice, attend training seminars or sell their companies. In the Personal Finance module, students live up to 50 years of their financial futures, virtually, making decisions about money and credit.

“Today’s students are demanding more digital applications and support for alternative learning methods,” said Ralph Chapman, Vice-President, Public Sector, IBM Canada.  “Our ability to deliver this type of advanced learning to Ontario schools provides students with the modern tools they need to better prepare themselves for the new demands of the work world.”

Historically, simulation gaming has been used extensively in the military, by athletes and by scientists to discover effective new strategies and techniques and develop the skills needed to implement them. Businesses have realized the value of this technique and are deploying their own games to create life-like simulations of real markets, customers and business situations that they deal with every day. Gaming technology is also increasingly being used in higher education institutions to complement and extend traditional teaching methods. Currently, more than 1,000 colleges and universities use IBM games in their curricula.

Two Alberta students and one from Ontario who participated last fall in a contest organized by the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada (FCAC) that encouraged enrolment in The City, have won laptop computers.  The City is an online interactive resource that teaches basic financial skills. Students learn from eight “life stage characters” who face various financial circumstances that young people can relate to. The City is a free, Web-based learning program developed by the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada (FCAC) and the British Columbia Securities Commission (BCSC). In order to qualify to win the laptops, the students had to complete four modules and score 100% on a follow-up quiz.  The three winners were then chosen randomly from a draw of all qualified entrants. A school in Toronto has a SMART Board™ thanks to the efforts of teacher Clarence Sze-chun Yeung, a math teacher at SATEC@W.A. Porter Collegiate Institute who enrolled his class in The City.

Another contest is now underway for students and teachers who enrol in The City in the second term. To be eligible, students and teachers in any Canadian province or territory must register and participate in The City before March 31, 2011. The contest rules are available on FCAC’s website

As the April 15th deadline approaches for the Canadian Digital Media Industry Survey, Pixel To Product is reaching out to the last few digital media agencies on their list. Whether you’re a web designer, information architect, social media marketer or mobile application developer, Pixel To Product is encouraging all digital media practitioners to fill out the survey. It only take 8 minutes to complete, and the final report will be made available free of charge to the community upon completion. Survey respondents get early access to the final report and will be entered into a draw to win prizes as a thank you for their participation.

The Canadian Media Production Association (CMPA) applauds the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage for recognizing the importance of fair terms of trade agreements between independent producers and vertically integrated media companies.

In its recent report to the Government of Canada on the impact of private television ownership changes, the Standing Committee recommended that the Government consider the issue of fair terms of trade agreements between independent producers and vertically integrated media companies when reviewing the Canada Media Fund.

“The Committee is to be congratulated for its timely recognition of the need for minimum standards and safeguards for Canadian independent producers in today’s increasingly integrated broadcasting ecosystem,” says Norm Bolen, the Association’s President and CEO. “We interpret the report as a clear signal of support from all political parties for independent producers and the significant role they play both in the Canadian broadcasting system and in Canada’s digital economy,” says Bolen.

“While a terms of trade arrangement has not yet been finalized, we are encouraged that the private broadcasters have remained at the bargaining table in good faith,” says John Barrack, the CMPA’s Chief Negotiator.

Also contained in the Standing Committee’s report on the impact of private television ownership changes is the recommendation that the CRTC examine the growing emergence of non-Canadian broadcast players to determine whether and how such foreign players should support Canadian cultural programming. “We see the potential for these foreign players to erode Canadian broadcasters’ current business models and weaken their ability to contribute to the creation of quality Canadian programming. Accordingly, we agree that a review is both timely and necessary,” says Bolen.

For all of you network admin types, Sierra Wireless has unveiled its 4G LTE multi-purpose wireless gateway that leverages the power of the Verizon Wireless 4G LTE network. The Sierra Wireless AirLink™ GX440 – the first 4G version of the recently announced AirLink GX400 – delivers the higher bandwidth required by applications including high-quality wireless video surveillance, multi-data-stream wireless connections to branch locations, or mobile office applications for public safety and field service activities. Sierra Wireless is showcasing the AirLink GX440 gateway in the Sierra Wireless stand (1670) at CTIA Wireless, which runs until March 24 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando. The AirLink GX440 gateway is expected to be available in the second half of this year, and to help facilitate the 3G-to-4G transition, Sierra Wireless also announced a technology upgrade program that will reduce customer risk by allowing customers to purchase an AirLink GX400 3G gateway now and upgrade to the AirLink GX440 when it becomes available.

ViXS Systems Inc. will be collaborating with iPanel TV Inc., a technology provider focused on TV value-added business services with some of the most advanced technology and largest scale deployments in China. By integrating iPanel’s set-top box software, or middleware, into ViXS’ XCode® 4210 series of products, it enables next generation media processing capabilities in the leading Chinese set-top box middleware solution. The combination of iPanel software and ViXS also allows the deployment of streaming content to multiple devices as supported by the Chinese government’s “n-Screen” initiative. N-Screen refers to having the same content being capable of being displayed on a computer, a TV or a smart phone screen.

D-BOX Technologies Inc. is going to have global movie-goers shaking all over – the Quebec company has announced a new agreement with Germany-based FTT (the company’s first European distributor for its commercial theatre expansion) to equip a first theatre with Germany’s CinemaxX. The Mülheim theatre will feature two auditoriums with 18 and 32 D-BOX MFX Seats marking the first sale of D-BOX in Germany for commercial theatre use and will generate as well, licensing fees payable to D-BOX in accordance to the systems’ utilization.

“This agreement with FTT further advances our position in the European market with theatres now in Germany and the Netherlands,” said President and CEO of D-BOX Technologies, Claude Mc Master. “This is a great achievement for us as we look to maintain our steady growth in Europe and on a global scale. As confidence in our international distribution model continues to build, we anticipate continued expansion and similar agreements for multiple D-BOX screens.”

“We see the D-BOX experience as a new standard in cutting-edge movie entertainment,” said Thomas Ruettgers of Film Ton Technik. “This theatre will represent an outstanding showcase in Germany coupled with state-of-the-art sound and picture technologies, and high-end amenities. We foresee customers responding overwhelmingly positively to the D-BOX experience.”

Toronto’s Mood Media Corporation will be showcasing a suite of market leading in-store media products and services at the upcoming Global Shop 2011 show in Las Vegas beginning March 28, 2011. Mood Media will be debuting its latest visual solution for the North American market, which currently powers the in-store digital signage for several world brands including Nike, Foot Locker and Guess. This turnkey visual solution incorporates Moods talented creative team, a centralized content management system, and solid-state commercial grade hardware.

Mood Media will also be presenting its next generation in-store background music product known as the Trusonic MBOX 4, which is the latest version of the leading Internet-delivered audio solution for retailers today. In addition, Mood Media is debuting its “Now Playing” feature, which works with the MBOX 4’s real-time audio update capabilities, and allows store managers and customers to see song and artist data for each track currently being played via any mobile device such as an iPhone, Android or Blackberry.

Also making its debut is Mood Media’s in-store touch screen casual games kiosks for retailers, which features hit Windows & Mac games from leading publishers such as PopCap Games and Big Fish Games. These interactive kiosks use the successful sample before you purchase technology that has helped Mood Media sell millions of music albums in 2010 through major retailers.

Nova Scotia’s early stage technology companies are getting improved access to scientific and technology expertise thanks to Innovacorp’s new advisory council. The Science and Technology Advisory Council, which was announced on March 16, will be made up of researchers and industry experts in fields related to Innovacorp’s focus industries, including clean technology, life sciences and information technology.

“I’m delighted to have a group of this calibre as a resource for us and our clients,” said Clifford Gross, president and CEO of Innovacorp. “Their experience, knowledge of science and industry, and contacts in the global community will be invaluable.  The council will also be a great platform for assessing emerging science and technology issues important to Nova Scotia’s economic future.”

Members will provide Innovacorp’s clients with independent, strategic advice about relevance, quality of science, and commercialization potential. Providing Nova Scotia businesses with resources to help them compete globally is part of jobsHere, the province’s plan to grow the economy.

“I am pleased to join Innovacorp’s new advisory council, and I look forward to offering my expertise and perspective to the team,” said Richard Murphy, president of Richard Murphy and Associates Inc. “Innovacorp’s clients include some of the region’s most promising and innovative emerging technology companies. I’m eager to help that community succeed.”

The advisory council builds on Innovacorp’s approach of using a network of external experts to complement its in-house business expertise. The Nova Scotia Crown corporation’s High Performance Incubation business model has earned international recognition for helping entrepreneurs commercialize their technologies. The model incorporates incubation infrastructure, business mentoring, and seed and venture capital investment.

Joining Mr. Murphy on Innovacorp’s Science and Technology Advisory Council are:

— Richard Karsten, associate professor in the department of mathematics and statistics at Acadia University
— Ian Hill, associate professor in the department of physics and atmospheric science at Dalhousie University
— Diana Pliura, president of ALBRY Inc.

Corporate Renaissance Group (CRG), a global provider of innovative solutions that drive better business management and performance, is pleased to announce the availability of an upgrade to CRG emPerform™, its all-inclusive, web-based employee performance management solution.

Version 3.14 is the latest release available and includes administrative enhancements to several areas of emPerform’s functionality; including, eSurvey, Succession Manager, Compensation Manager, and Automated Appraisals. Some of the upgrades include enhanced availability of historical reviews, improved tagging and search functionality, and greater administrative control over succession manager templates and viewer assignment.

“This upgrade reinforces our commitment to providing customers with an easy-to use and flexible talent management suite” said John Smith, Director of Enterprise Business Solutions at CRG. “emPerform 3.14 includes many smaller features that were requested by customers and are aimed at making the software as user-friendly as possible”.

The Canada Media Fund (CMF) thanks the Government of Canada and particularly the Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages, the Honourable James Moore, for announcing in the Budget that the CMF will receive funding support on an ongoing basis starting April 1, 2011.

“This is a very significant commitment,” declared Louis Roquet, Chair of the CMF’s Board of Directors, “one that will enable the CMF to truly play its part in Canada’s Digital Economy Strategy by providing ongoing funding support for the creation and promotion of content for all Canadians on the platforms of their choice.”

The Government’s contribution of $100 million, combined with the funding the CMF receives from Canada’s cable and satellite distributors, will enable the CMF to provide over $350 million to the television and digital media industry in 2011-2012.

“With the help of this commitment, the CMF will continue to drive innovation and to support Canada’s creative talent in contributing to our competitiveness in the global marketplace for content,” stated Valerie Creighton, President and CEO of the CMF.  “This is most welcome news for the industry as a whole.”

Canada’s technology and digital media sectors stand to reap some major benefits from today’s budget, as laid out on the Government of Canada’s Action Plan site. In addition to the above announcement regarding the Canada Media Fund, and as stated on the Action Plan site (meaning I did not write any of the following, I grabbed it from the Government), the next phase of Canada’s Economic Action Plan sets the stage for the Digital Economy Strategy to make Canada a leader in the creation, adoption and use of digital technologies and content. Budget 2011 measures include:

• Providing $80 million in new funding over three years through the Industrial Research Assistance Program to help small and medium-sized businesses accelerate their adoption of key information and communications technologies through collaborative projects with colleges.
• Announcing $60 million over the next three years to promote increased student enrolment in key disciplines related to the digital economy.

The digital economy is woven into the fabric of our modern economy. Digital technologies power activities in all areas of the economy, from manufacturing and transportation to advanced telecommunications and Web-based services, and provide a platform for all sectors to be more innovative and productive. Leadership in the creation, adoption and use of digital technologies and content will help Canada to increase its world-class standard of living.

In the summer of 2010, the Government held nationwide consultations to seek the views of Canadian industry, creators and consumers on how Canada can build a globally competitive digital economy by 2020. Budget 2011 sets the stage for the release of Canada’s Digital Economy Strategy later this spring by introducing new measures focused on accelerating adoption of information and communications technologies at small and medium-sized businesses, preparing students for careers in the digital economy, and building Canada’s digital content through the Canada Media Fund.

As Canada enters the digital age, the small and medium-sized businesses that drive our economy have an opportunity to maximize their growth potential by adopting information and communications technologies. Colleges, with their linkages to local industry and access to cutting-edge technology and skills, are ideally placed to develop technological solutions that respond to the challenges faced by small and medium-sized businesses. The National Research Council’s Industrial Research Assistance Program has experience in working with colleges and innovative small and medium-sized businesses.

To support the development of Canada’s digital economy, Budget 2011 announces $80 million in new funding over three years for a pilot initiative, delivered through the Industrial Research Assistance Program, to support collaborative projects between colleges and small and medium-sized businesses to accelerate their adoption of information and communications technologies.

In addition, as part of the Government’s effort to strengthen Canada’s research advantage, Budget 2011 announces $53.5 million over five years to support the creation of 10 new Canada Excellence Research Chairs. Some of these new research chairs will be active in fields relevant to the Digital Economy Strategy. The Government is also renewing the Community Access Program for an additional year.

The ability of Canadians to effectively use new digital technologies will be crucial to Canada’s success in the global digital economy. Budget 2011 announces that Human Resources and Skills Development Canada will reallocate $60 million in funding over the next three years to promote enrolment in key disciplines related to the digital economy such as science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Independent Vancouver game developer Deirdra Kiai has released her first solo title, Life Flashes By, which is available via digital download for Windows, Linux and Mac computers.

Life Flashes By invites you into the world of writer Charlotte Barclay, and to quote Ms. Kiai, as she really can describe her game the best,  “Life Flashes By is a video game about success and failure in following one’s dreams, about finding love and losing it, and about feeling isolated and out of step with the rest of the world. It is a story that is at times clever and fun and at times melancholy and introspective. Most notably of all, however, it is a story best told non-linearly, which lends itself uniquely to the interactive nature of games. As a player, you won’t just be watching a plot unfold, you’ll be shaping and affecting it in a way unique to you alone.”

“Play as middle-aged novelist Charlotte Barclay as she navigates a near death experience involving vignettes from her past, while accompanied by a wisecracking spirit guide with fairy wings named Trevin,” Ms. Kiai said. “Inspired by both 2D point-and-click adventure games of the nineties and the modern ‘art games’ movement, Life Flashes By’s story combines dry, comedic wit with melancholy, existential reflection, while surrealist cartoon art, a whimsical soundtrack, and a stellar cast of voice actors round out the experience.”

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iU4T-ObavUc]

Ms. Kiai funded the game’s development herself, with a little help from supporters on KickStarter, and while Life Flashes By is a free game, players can help support future development either by making a donation of appreciation or by purchasing the Collector’s Edition for $20.00 CAD/USD or $25.00 globally. There is also a downloads page if you would like to listen to the game’s soundtrack.

The Collector’s Edition Includes:

– Hard copy of the game on DVD
– Stylish cover art signed by yours truly, the author
– “Life Flashes By: The Guided Tour”, an interactive director’s commentary
– An excerpt from the original manuscript of Charlotte’s first novel, Joined at the Hip
– Music from the game’s soundtrack, for your listening pleasure