Village Gamer

After nearly 5 years since the start of development, Oshawa’s premiere independent game studio NotSoft has finally released Wytches Brew – their pagan themed foray into the casual games market.

Wytches Brew features five modes of play, including an epic 52 chapter quest that has the player share a year long journey with 3 Wytches as they travel around their island brewing up magical potions for those in need. With four other play modes, including timed modes and modes with relaxed rules, Wytches Brew offers something for casual gamers of every skill level.

“We normally develop action games” said Steven J. Hill (aka bignobody), the man behind NotSoft, “but about 5 years ago we decided to challenge ourselves – could we make a casual game that we would want to play? Given the amount of times we were testing out a particular feature only to find ourselves absorbed in the game, I would say we succeeded.”

Unlike your typical Match 3, Wytches Brew challenges the player to make their matches in particular sequences as outlined by the game’s recipe book. Success creates magical brews. Too many failures and the cauldron will overflow, ending the game.

Nintendo Canada has announced that starting May 9, Nintendo will add new elements to the baseline Wii™ system package offered at retailers throughout the Americas. In addition to the intuitive, motion-sensing Wii Remote™ controller, Nunchuk™ controller and popular Wii Sports™ game that currently comes standard with each system purchase, every new unit will now also come packaged with Wii Sports Resort™ and the control-enhancing Wii MotionPlus™ accessory. In addition, consumers will be able to choose between two colour schemes for the Wii console and included controllers: original white, or a new black option. The Canadian suggested retail price of the new system package will remain at $209.99.

“Nintendo leads the way in delivering rich motion-control gaming experiences at an accessible price point,” said Ron Bertram, Nintendo of Canada’s vice-president and general manager. “By including even more of our top-quality hardware and software in the basic Wii system package, we’re extending that commitment to entertainment and value. Now more than ever, consumers can count on Nintendo to deliver inclusive fun and advanced motion controls at a mass-market price.”

Wii Sports Resort expands on the active-play fun of the original Wii Sports, with resort-themed activities such as wakeboarding, archery and swordplay. What’s more, Wii Sports Resort features the rich control enhancements of Wii MotionPlus, which allows users to dive in and enjoy precision motion-control excitement right out of the box.

Wii MotionPlus has set the standard in precision motion control by delivering an immersive, social experience unavailable on any other system. As of May 9, when both the Wii Sports Resort game and a Wii MotionPlus accessory will come standard with every new Wii console, people who purchase the system can experience this leading-edge video game technology from the moment they plug in and power up.

Previously unavailable throughout the Americas, the black version of the Wii console will offer all the groundbreaking features and functions of its white counterpart in a stylish new colour scheme. Whether they aim to colour-coordinate with other devices or simply love the way it looks, consumers throughout the Americas can add a black Wii console with matching black Wii Remote and Nunchuk controllers to their home entertainment lineup. Additional black controllers and accessories can be purchased separately.

The Owl iLibrary application, a customizable iPhone and iPod Touch application developed and deployed for TRAC (The Regional Automation Consortium) by Hybrid Forge, is now commercially available for any library powered by the Polaris ILS.

“This is the first iteration of a very powerful and convenient tool that allows patrons to interact with their library from anywhere”, said Chad Smith, CTO at Hybrid Forge. “The iPhone provides a unique user experience over conventional mobile browser interfaces and with over 80 million iPhone and iPod Touch devices sold to date, native iPhone apps are a smart choice.”

TRAC has released the Owl iLibrary application as the “TRACpac” app and it is currently being used by patrons of TRAC, four partner library systems – Yellowhead, Northern Lights, Peace and Marigold library systems. See the TRACpac app demo on YouTube.

“The TRACpac app is a great way for patrons of the member libraries to find resources online – from wherever they are, whenever they want,” said Kevin Dodds, Director of the Yellowhead Regional Library, where the idea for the app was initially conceived. “An IPhone or iPod Touch user will have instant access to the combined resources of more than 150 libraries in Alberta, with holdings of nearly three million books, DVDs and other material. Best of all, this app can be downloaded for free.”

The Owl iLibrary for iPhone and iPod Touch includes these features:

– Search for books, CDs and DVDs online, by keyword, title, author or ISBN
-View book details such as jacket image, summary, publisher and publication date
– Display call numbers for locating items in the local library
– Place holds on resources for pick-up at their local library, view hold details, cancel a hold, and renew items currently checked-out
– Check book reviews by other visitors through your Chilifresh account
– Display their account barcode on iPhone or iPod Touch for easy check-out
– View any charges, fee and fines

For those whose travels embrace integrity, guided by an enlightened awareness, respectfully roaming the narrow path of self-determination, the shadow you cast is my refuge and my stage. For those that create fear out of uncertainty, exploiting gloom while promising deliverance, ensnaring your prey as they stumble through the fogs of self-doubt, you may consider me your adversary. For those of diminished faith and compromised temperament, my hand is out reached, to elevate you above your apprehension and out of the shadows. Yet, in the shadows, I must remain a ghost of justice filled with a need for retribution burdened by an anger never fully constrained. I am confined by the wall that divides joy from sorrow and conquest from loss, never to be released.

The Resurgence: Chronicles of the Shadow Chaser, (Trade paper-back 260 pages -$16.99USD) an action packed novel, written by Pembroke author Randal J. Belaire, was released worldwide by Lulu Press and CreateSpace on May 1, 2010. The novel will be available online through Barnes and Noble, Borders, Walden-books, Chapters/Indigo, and at online booksellers such as Amazon.com by June 30. The story is the first of a two-book series telling the origin of Canada’s newest costumed avenger. For a decade, Dr. Arthur Brown had been protecting the city of Toronto as the Shadow Chaser. But, a series of events on one unfortunate night changed his life forever. He was able to heal and move on, but the Shadow Chaser was no more. Now 20 years later, that same evil has returned to prey on the innocent. Brown, with the help of his friend, Alexander Taylor, prepares for war. Brown chooses Kevin Wolf, a dispirited seventeen-year-old, damaged by the brutal murder of a loved one, to reprise his role. But will the new Shadow Chaser be able to fend off the impending darkness, or will he descend, as did Brown, into a self-imposed abyss?

The popularity of super-heroes has skyrocketed thanks to novels, graphic novels, comic books, and major blockbuster hits such as Spider-Man, X-Men, The Dark Knight, and Iron-Man. However, author Randy Belaire feels that even though there is some representation of Canadian super-heroes in the market, there is always room for more. “We have very few Canadian based super-heroes out there. With the exception of Wolverine, Alpha Flight, and Captain Canuck, the line draws thin. With the recent success of the last ‘Wolverine’ movie, I believe there is a huge market here in Canada. When I was kid, not so long ago, I always wished that we had more Canadian super-heroes fighting crime in this country. As a kid, having a costumed crime fighter from Vancouver, Calgary, Ottawa, Montreal, or Toronto would have been awesome,” he said. I hope people will enjoy entering the world of the Shadow Chaser.”

Randy added that from what he has seen from his Facebook group, The Shadow Chaser: Enter the Shadow Crypt, many of his members are true fans and followers of the old pulp era adventures such as the Shadow, the Spider, the Phantom, and other great pulp classics of the thirties and forties. “I believe there is a resurgence of interest in the classic pulp tales of the past. Many of my members have said that Shadow Chaser, and other new heroes like him, are considered to be within the “Neo-Pulp” genre. I’m honoured and humbled to be a part of this new and exciting universe, but at the same time, I feel the old pulp style stories are still of tremendous interest to readers today.”

Groupon, a shopping website that offers a daily deal on the best local goods, services and cultural events, launched in Vancouver on April 26, 2010. In its first week, the site sold nearly 2,000 Groupons, saving local residents $25,000.

“As the largest metropolitan center in Western Canada and a ‘city of neighbourhoods,’ Vancouver is an ideal city to launch Groupon,” said Groupon founder Andrew Mason. “We’ll help residents and visitors save money on the best Vancouver has to offer while introducing new customers to top local merchants.”

Using the principles of collective buying, Groupon negotiates unprecedented deals with top businesses. Groupon subscribers receive free daily emails alerting them to the deal. These deals are only activated if a minimum number of people agree to buy, encouraging subscribers to share the promotion with family and friends via social media tools such as Facebook and Twitter. By guaranteeing a large number of new customers, Groupon creates a win-win for local merchants. So far, this innovative approach to e-commerce has generated millions in revenue for local businesses while saving more than four million subscribers more than $170 million USD.

“Groupon brings buyers and sellers together in a fun and collaborative way,” said Mason. “We offer the consumer a great deal they can’t get anywhere else and deliver the sales directly to the merchant.”

Vancouver is Groupon’s fifty-second city. During its first week in the area, Groupon’s featured deals included restaurants, a yoga studio, a florist and a cinema; upcoming deals include a culinary tour, a local museum and a popular spa. Groupon established an international presence in Canada last month with the launch of Toronto.

The Interactive Advertising Bureau of Canada today launched a new Interactive Advertising Educational Certification Program to work in concert with its industry-leading line-up of Intensive One-Day Courses In Interactive Marketing + Advertising.

The Certification Program is designed to help the industry identify both novice and seasoned marketing professionals who have invested in intensive educational instruction in order to assist them in developing and maintaining expertise in various digital marketing channels.

The Certification includes the following designations:

– Digital Learning Certificate: Earned by those who have received 8 hours of intensive instruction at any individual IAB Canada One-Day Course

– Interactive Leadership Certificate: Earned by those who have received 24 hours of intensive instruction at three IAB Canada One-Day Courses

– Interactive Master Certificate: Earned by those who have received 40 hours of intensive instruction at five IAB Canada One-Day Courses. (2 new IAB Canada Intensive One-Day Courses will be launched in 2010 to help individuals qualify for this distinction)

IAB Canada began providing formal education in Interactive Marketing + Advertising to the Canadian marketing community in 2004, with a 16-week Course created for the Atkinson Faculty Of Liberal + Professional Studies at York University. Over the two years that it was run, the Course graduated a total of 80 professionals.

Not satisfied with the pace of uptake by the industry, and with a deep understanding of the time-stressed nature of the individuals within it, IAB Canada re-developed the material into Canada’s first-ever, Intensive One-Day Course In Interactive Marketing + Online Advertising in 2006. In the four years since its inception, IAB Canada’s Intensive One-Day Course In Interactive Marketing + Online Advertising has been taught to almost 2,000 professionals across Canada.

Following the tremendous success of IAB Canada’s Intensive One-Day Course In Interactive Marketing + Online Advertising, IAB Canada has worked with its market-leading Member-companies to develop Intensive One-Day Courses In Social Media Marketing, Paid Search Marketing, Search Engine Optimization – and soon to come – Mobile Marketing.

IAB Canada’s expertise in Interactive advertising instruction was recognized by the global IAB network, when IAB Canada was asked to present Best Practices In Industry Education in association with the esteemed Interact Conference in Belgium in 2009.

“IAB Canada is a worldwide leader in digital marketing education for four main reasons,” says Paula Gignac, President, IAB Canada. “First and foremost, we lead because we’re ‘first in’ with respect to both the format (One-Day, Intensive), and the types of Courses (Interactive Mktg., Social, SEO, etc.) that we teach; second, because the people who teach our Courses live and breathe their area of expertise each and every day; third, because the tactics and techniques that are taught in the Courses are supported by the most recent and respected industry research and metrics wherever possible; and finally, because the material we teach is updated anywhere from two to four times per year with information we glean from hundreds of off- and Online resources.”

“IAB Canada’s Courses are important to take regardless of whether you have two or twenty-two years of marketing or advertising experience,” says Renata Hovorka, Group Manager, UM Canada. “These aren’t 101 Courses, these are intensive, learning experiences designed to keep even the most senior of Agency managers and CMOs up to speed with digital marketing trends that are changing even as we speak.”

Christopher Morden, Digital Marketing Manager, Volkswagen Canada agrees. “I’ve attended several of the Courses now, as have others from our company, and I encourage both Advertisers and Agencies to take advantage of the opportunities for continued learning that IAB Canada Courses offer. Volkswagen Canada is dedicated to building Interactive expertise throughout our organization, and we’re proud to be IAB Canada’s first auto manufacturer Member as well.”

Upcoming dates and locations for IAB Canada’s current round of Courses include:

Intensive One-Day Course In Interactive Marketing + Online Advertising

June 14: Vancouver
June 16: Winnipeg
June 17: Toronto

Intensive One-Day Course In Paid Search Marketing

June 22: Toronto

Intensive One-Day Course In Search Engine Optimization

June 29: Toronto