Village Gamer

The Vancouver chapter of ACM SIGGRAPH is pleased to present a special preview showing of The Tale of Despereaux this Saturday, December 13 (2:00 pm) at the VanCity Theatre on Seymour Street. The show begins at All tickets are $10.50 each for members and non-members alike, with all proceeds to benefit the Vancouver Food Bank. Tickets can be purchased online through the SIGGRAPH Vancouver site.

About The Movie:

Framestore Feature Animation, a new UK-based animation house, has just completed their first feature length film, an adaptation of Kate DiCamillo’s children’s book, The Tale of Despereaux. With a fairy tale palette and images full of whimsy and wonder, directors Sam Fell and Robert Stevenhagen, together with the talented artists at Framestore Feature Animation have brought the characters and the story magically to life. Follow Despereaux, Roscuro and Mig as they struggle to overcome their mousiness to rescue their world and their Princess from the gloom that has besieged them.

The all-star line-up of actors voicing the characters includes; Matthew Broderick, Dustin Hoffman, Kevin Kline, Robbie Coltrane, Ciaran Hinds, Christopher Lloyd, William H. Macy, Stanley Tucci, Tracey Ullman, Emma Watson and Sigourney Weaver as the story’s narrator.

Universal Studios and Framestore Feature Animation have kindly donated a print of the film, and our friends at the Vancouver International Film Centre have generously provided the space for this pre-screening event. All profits from the screening will be donated to the Greater Vancouver Food Bank Society, so come and see a great film for a great cause!

The Tale of Despereaux opens in theatres everywhere December 19 2008.

Today, Jason Michael Paul Productions, Inc. announced that video game composer Jeremy Soule will be attending the all new PLAY! concert in Edmonton, Alberta on January 9, 2009. You could be one of 150 lucky attendees to win a chance to meet with special award winning composer Jeremy Soule! Known for hits such as: Guild Wars, Guild Wars: Factions, Guild Wars: Nightfall, Guild Wars: Eye of the North, Company of Heroes, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion and the Harry Potter Series. As a result, Soule’s music is amongst the highest in circulation in the video game industry. Jeremy has also worked on major motion films such as Chronicles of Narnia and The Walk. Tickets now on sale at Ticketmaster.

Richmond, BC – Sierra Wireless today announced the availability of a new software development kit (SDK) supporting original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) using the Linux operating system. This addition expands the company’s suite of available SDKs for developers working on applications utilizing Sierra Wireless products.

“Sierra Wireless is committed to supporting the widest possible range of customers and applications for 3G mobile broadband,” said Trent Punnett, senior vice president, Marketing and Corporate Development for Sierra Wireless. “The Linux SDK allows developers integrating Sierra Wireless products into Linux-based systems – including portable devices, machine-to-machine systems, fixed wireless terminals, vending, and fleet management systems – to do so in a cost-effective way that supports their tight development schedules.”
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Toronto – Simulation fans will be pleased to know that leading video game publisher Lighthouse Interactive and developer Discus Games proudly announced that Steel Fury: Kharkov 1942 (PC) has become available at direct download sites as of today. Their exhilarating WWII tank simulation game is also available in the Online Lighthouse Interactive North-American Shop.

Do not wait any longer and plunge yourself into the monstrous roars of tanks and blaring sounds of war in the realistic tank simulation world of Steel Fury: Kharkov 1942, recreated from archives and photo references of the real-life events that took place during the World War II from May 12 to 28 in 1942.

GAME SUMMARY

Steel Fury: Kharkov 1942 is based on real-life events that took place from May 12 to 28, 1942, which engaged the Red Army in the fight of their lives. During a vicious German counterattack that began on May 17, 1942, three Soviet Armies were surrounded and were forced to fight in what has become known as the “meat grinder.” Through the monstrous roar of tanks and military vehicles, and the blaring sounds of war, players will experience bitterness at the loss of their comrades during battle and elation when they are victorious.
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London, ON – Big Blue Bubble is proud to announce that Hockey Allstar Shootout was released today on WiiWare™! The release of Hockey Allstar Shootout marks the first hockey game on the platform and is destined to become an instant fan favorite amongst sports enthusiasts and casual gamers alike.

Use the Wii Remote™ as your stick and take the shot as you compete in 3 exciting hockey skills competitions. Whether you’re competing solo or challenging your friends, Hockey Allstar Shootout will put your hockey skills to the test.

Shoot the lights out in Sharp Shooter, by breaking the targets as quick as you can. Think you have a booming slap shot? Prove it in the Power Shot hardest shot challenge. And last but not least, it’s just you versus the best goalies in the world in the Head to Head 5 puck shootout!

Key Features

• Uses the Wii’s unique controls to mimic the motion of a real slap shot
• 3 unique hockey challenges
• Challenging AI opponents
• Explosive 3D puck physics
• Local 2 player versus mode

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Mafiaboy – How I Cracked the Internet & Why It’s Still Broken
Michael Calce with Craig Silverman
2008

Mafiaboy – How I Cracked The Internet & Why It’s Still Broken reads more like a “what I did last summer” essay combined with a school research project than a true authoritative look at the problems inherent with security and the internet. I found Mr. Calce’s tale to be built more on ego and teenage swagger than on remorse. Granted, he did learn some good coding skills in his early career, but I find it hard to believe that an otherwise seemingly well-behaved kid had no foresight into the wrongness of his activities. At times I did wonder who he was trying to convince – himself, his family, or readers – that his foray into piracy, hacking and bot herding was nothing more than an innocent quest for knowledge gone wrong.

While I understand the lure of power and being able to do something no one else (or very few) can do, Mr. Calce broke the law, and he deserved all he got. Although he cautions others against following in his footsteps as the end result is not worth the brief intoxication of power, my respect falls on the side of the RCMP and FBI agents who put an end to Mafiaboy’s thoughtless attacks. I do not feel that his inclusion of very basic internet security information in any way redeems the millions of dollars in damage and lost time he caused.

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New Title from EA SPORTS Freestyle Prioritizes Accessible Fun with Low Cost of Entry

Burnaby – Electronic Arts Inc. announced today that 3 on 3 NHL® Arcade – an all-new downloadable experience from EA SPORTS Freestyle™ – is in development at EA Canada by the team that produced the critically acclaimed NHL 09. 3 on 3 NHL Arcade is a no rules, fast paced, hockey experience that gamers of all types can enjoy. This fresh take on the NHL Hockey franchise will be available as a download in February 2009 on Xbox LIVE Arcade and the Playstation Network for 800 MS Points and $9.99, respectively.

“Available through a simple digital download, 3 on 3 NHL Arcade is perfect for sports fans who want to experience the thrill of NHL hockey at a great value without worrying about the rules of the sport,” said Dave McCarthy, vice president, EA SPORTS. “Accessibility is really important. We have worked to make sure that come February, 3 on 3 NHL Arcade is a lot of fun for players of all skill levels.”
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Vancouver – Kid vs Kat, Studio B’s new animated series, is about a little kitty whose big mean streak makes life miserable for Coop, a 10-year-old boy. When Coop’s spoiled sister Millie brings home Kat, a stray of mysterious origin, his idyllic life is turned upside-down. It’s obvious to Coop that Kat is out to get him – the problem is that he can never prove it, because by the time his Dad comes onto the smoking, debris-littered scene, all evidence pointing to the culpable Kat is gone.

Produced in association with YTV, Kid vs Kat will debut on Crunch, YTV’s Saturday morning cartoon block hosted by Andy, on Saturday, January 10 at 8:30 a.m.

Montreal – The critically acclaimed Prince of Persia franchise returns for the first time on next-generation platforms with an all-new epic journey. Developed for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC by Ubisoft Montreal, Prince of Persia hits store shelves this week with an MSRP of $59.99 CAD.

Set in a land rooted in ancient Persian mythology, the Prince finds himself caught in an epic battle between the primal forces of light and darkness: the God of Light, Ormazd versus his brother Ahriman, the destructive God of Darkness. The Prince arrives just in time to witness the destruction of the legendary Tree of Life – an act which threatens to plunge the entire world into eternal darkness. Manifested in the form of the Corruption, a dark substance that physically contaminates the land and the skies, the Prince must partner with Elika, a deadly companion, to heal the world from the evil Corruption.

Key Features

• A new hero emerges: Master the acrobatics, strategy and fighting tactics of the most agile warrior of all time. Grip fall down the face of a building, perform perfectly timed acrobatic combinations, and swing over canyons, buildings and anything that is reachable. This new rogue warrior must utilize all of his new skills, along with a whole new combat system, to battle Ahriman’s corrupted lieutenants to heal the land from the dark Corruption and restore the light.
• A new epic journey begins: Escape to experience the new fantasy world of ancient Persia. Masterful storytelling and sprawling environments will deliver to action-adventure fans an experience that rivals even the best Hollywood movies.

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Vancouver – Relic Entertainment titles Company of Heroes, Company of Heroes: Opposing Fronts and the Gold Edition of Dawn of War and Dark Crusade are now available on Steam. Released on November 27th, the Relic Super Pack is available for $49.99 USD – a great deal for some great titles – to buy each game separately, the total retail cost would be $79.96 USD.