Village Gamer

Quebec – The Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT), in cooperation with the Quebec-based new media association Alliance Numérique, are pleased to present an information session on the gaming industry in China. Attendees of the webinar will learn the business and revenue models in use in the operation of online video games in China; successful games in China; and criteria to meet in order to success in a video game commercialisation initiative in China.

Date: Tuesday, June 23rd
Time: 13:00 (Montreal Eastern Standard Time)
Duration: Approximately 1 hour

To participate in this live presentation, please contact Neil Swain at the Regional Office in Montreal (neil.swain-at-international-dot-gc-dot-ca) . Note that this webinar will be recorded for viewing after the live presentation.

Burnaby – Electronic Arts Inc. today revealed that 20-year-old scoring phenom Patrick Kane of the Chicago Blackhawks will be the new face of the EA Canada developed NHL® 10 videogame from EA SPORTS™. Kane is the youngest player ever chosen for the cover of the NHL franchise and his image will be on the front of all packaging when NHL 10 is available in North American retail stores this September.

Having emerged as one of the most skilled players in the NHL in just two seasons, Kane won the Calder Trophy as Rookie of the Year in 2008 and this year led the Blackhawks to the Western Conference Finals. He has scored more than 20 goals and registered more than 70 points in each of his first two seasons.

“It’s exciting to be on the cover of my favorite videogame after playing just my second year as a professional,” said Kane. “When you look back at some of the great players who have had this opportunity, it’s an honor to be a part of the EA SPORTS family and contribute to a game I’ve been playing for more than 10 years.”

EA SPORTS also announced that it has signed Canadian junior hockey scoring sensation John Tavares, expected to be the top pick in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, to promote the release of NHL 10. Tavares will join Kane, the first overall draft pick in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, as spokespersons for NHL 10.
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Calgary – Digital Alberta is pleased to announce the first in a series of upcoming workshops. These one day intensive workshops are geared to providing DA members with a unique opportunity to train directly with experts in their fields.

The First Work Shop is entitled “Digital Painting” with instructor Jaysin from the brilliant DPI Studios. He will run you through the process he uses as you follow along, creating the digital painting yourself. As an artist looking to branching into illustration, design, animation, or gaming this course offers you an opportunity to expand your portfolio and to showcase the pieces that potential employers want to see.

When: Saturday, July 18, 2009
Time: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Where: Calgary Technologies Inc. – 100 3553 31 Street NW – Calgary, AB
What you will need: Laptop, wacom tablet, PhotoShop
Cost: $ 150+ GST for Digital Alberta Members only OR Affiliated Partners (this includes snacks, full lunch and free parking)

Online registration is now open.

FSAddon Publishing has released a completely rebuilt version of their Tongass Fjords title for Microsoft Flight Simulator X. It again is a major cooperation between Holger Sandmann and Bill Womack, including the already legendary ‘Sandmann Landscape’ and also some true-to-life regional airports such as Sitka and Petersburg, the town of Petersburg and quite a few other settlements, airports, seaplane bases and harbors.

Fully compatible with Ultimate Terrain and also with most other FSX titles for the region that have been released up till now, Tongass Fjords X brings you a whole new FS world – an addition to Microsoft’s Flight Simulator X that will turn approximately 80 000 square kilometres of Southeast Alaska and northwestern British Columbia into the beautiful piece of nature that it really is.

You get a flying environment that puts you in the pilot seat flying around some of the most stunning landscapes you may find in the real world. You not only get the actual coast lines, lakes, islands, roads, rivers and glaciers installed on your FSX, but in addition some very talented people have added “things to see and things to find” for you in that rugged area of fjords, mountains, lakes and sea.

You will be able to visit many of the US Forestry Service cabins used by hunters, fishermen and hikers hidden near the many lakes and fjords. These cabins are meticulously recreated by Bill Womack, who also recreated Sitka and Petersburg airports as well as landmark objects of Sitka and along the Sitka and Petersburg harbour front. The developers have added moving ships and boats, created by Mitsuya Hamaguchi and Larry Silsbee in many different locations, not just in harbours. Spot and then follow them with your Beaver!
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Toronto – eMixEngine officially announces the successful launch of their new music mixing service. eMixEngine.com launched on June 12, 2009 to great fanfare and success as it introduces a revolutionary way for budding musicians, bands, and singers to have their music mixed and mastered by industry leading professionals in a highly affordable manner. Before eMixEngine people either had to try to do it at home themselves, and could never get the quality results, and great sound that professionals could deliver, or they had to pay expensive recording studio fees. Now music artists all around the world have a 3rd option. They can record their tracks themselves, and have industry leading professionals make it sound world class.

eMixEngine CEO, Lawrence Tepperman, believes that the market is ripe for this industry changing business model. There are over 11 million bands and musicians on MySpace alone and now that iTunes enables budding musicians to upload their music for sale right on its site, it is clear than music has become democratized…everyone can chase the dream, and they don’t need an agent, middlemen, or have to pay expensive recording studios. With eMixEngine these artists can sound like chart topping bands while typically spending less than $25 per band member on average to do so.
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