Village Gamer

Reminder: Submissions for Digital Launch Pad at Banff World Media Festival Close April 22nd. ($100.00 entry fee)

The Honourable Tony Clement, Minister of Industry, will meet with representatives from the Waterloo-area information and communications technology (ICT) industry tomorrow morning to discuss issues of importance to the industry, including Canada’s forthcoming digital economy strategy. The meeting will be held at The Research Advancement Centre in Waterloo University’s Research and Technology Park.

TransGaming Studios has released a new update for Garage Inc in the iTunes App Store. The time management strategy title now features an Endless Day mode and you can now compete against other players via the Game Centre Leaderboard, fixing as many cars as your mechanics possibly can. Battle for automotive supremacy and you help Angelo work towards his dreams and fend off the Mafia.

Kung Fu Master for the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad is now available at the iTunes App Store for 99 cents USD. Developed by Big Bad Brush, this Retina Display and Game Centre-enabled features the venerable Kung Fu Master, who has fallen victim to hordes of zombies and pandas intent on stealing his magic gems and shiny gold. Show them who’s boss by mastering the bamboo poles and gathering all your gold and gems back.

Get set for some action-adventure play time with Rango The Video Game from EA and Behaviour Studios, because it will be on store shelves this March 1st. Based on the Paramount Pictures full-length animated feature film Rango, the video game invites players to continue on Rango’s wild journey through new adventures inspired by the movie. The game is set in the Old West town of ‘Dirt’ where players romp through a gritty, pint-sized, Wild West filled with wild rides, off-color characters and frantic shoot-outs.

The Quality Assurance Division of Beenox Studio in Quebec City has launched an unprecedented recruitment campaign in order to fill 100 summer jobs for video game testers this summer. Interested candidates must submit their applications (French) before Friday, March 4th. Candidates chosen for the next stage of selection will be invited to the official recruitment day on Saturday, March 19th. These summer jobs are a great opportunity for gamers. We are seeking candidates with an excellent sense of observation, are energetic and who perform as a team.

The 11th edition of the CEO Vision Forum for CEOs of technology companies in Quebec ended on a high note on Saturday, February 19. Record numbers of company CEOs and their partners participated in the “Davos” of Quebec technology organized by the Quebec Technology Association, an indication of the interest it is generating and its importance in the IT and Communications industry. The 117 CEOs who registered took advantage of the opportunity to discuss issues and business practices, recharge their batteries by listening to the well-known conference speakers and meet potential buyers and partners in the industries present.

Decision makers representing major technology buyers and an American investor participated in the VIP Salons, an excellent networking opportunity. VIPs were invited from the following organizations: Aveos, CCSR (a group of purchasing departments for educational institutions in Quebec and Ontario), Cisco, Kirchner Private Capital Group, The Desjardins Group, RBC and Public Works and Government Services Canada.

On the evening of February 17, the 2011 SGF CEO of the Year, (Claude McMaster, President and CEO, D-BOX), was chosen by the CEOs in attendance by using of secret ballots; an article on the subject will appear this week in the newspaper Les Affaires, the media partner for the Award. A video clip of the 2011 SGF CEO of the Year and interviews with the three company heads vying for the title are also available in the file on the Award.

“The ever-increasing interest shown by Directors and the exceptional support for CEO Vision on the part of governments and private partners confirms the level of confidence they have in the role the AQT plays in representing ITC companies in Quebec and in supporting their growth. My warmest thanks to all who contributed to the remarkable success of the 2011 CEO Summit”, said Nicole Martel, Chief Executive Officer of the Quebec Technology Association. Attendance at the forum is limited exclusively to industry partners, the many 2011 CEO Vision sponsors and partners actively participated in the success of the summit meeting. They are as follows:

– Prestigious Partner: Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton
– SGF CEO of the Year Award Partner: Société générale de financement
– Platinum Sponsors: BCF, BDC, The DynaVision Group, Heenan Blaikie, NATIONAL and RBC
– Gold Sponsors: Essor Insurance and GCWL-Desjardins Securities
– VIP Salons Pavilion: Public Works and Government Services Canada (partner) and Cisco (sponsor)
– Media partners: Direction informatique and Les Affaires

The Economic Development Agency of Canada and Développment économique, Innovation et Exportation Québec also provided financial support for the event. The 12th edition of CEO Vision will take place from February 23 to February 25, 2012, at the Fairmont Tremblant.

With the business world being reshaped by mobile technologies, companies are moving to embrace the highly portable, Internet-linked tablet computer. Four in 10 (40 per cent) of CIOs in a recent survey said their companies will increase the use of tablets in the next two years.

The survey was developed by Robert Half Technology, a leading provider of information technology (IT) professionals on a project and full-time basis. It was conducted by an independent research firm and is based on telephone interviews with more than 270 CIOs from companies across Canada with 100 or more employees.

CIOs were asked, “To what extent, if any, do you think your company’s use of ‘tablet’ computers will increase or decrease in the next two years?” Their responses:

Increase – 40%
Decrease – 6%
No change – 49%
Don’t know/not applicable/no answer – 5%

“More organizations are discovering that tablet computers offer yet another way to increase employee mobility, while maintaining & even improving productivity,” said Lara Dodo, Canadian regional vice president of Robert Half Technology. “It’s no secret that these computers have quickly gained popularity in the market over the last year, and CIOs have recognized the potential of these devices. However, the challenge that IT departments will soon encounter is providing enough support and security in the workplace. ”

Dodo adds that businesses will likely need to hire skilled IT professionals, either on a full-time or project basis, to help manage the implementation, maintenance, development and security of tablets. This will ensure companies makes greater tactical use of these mobile devices, in order to augment their customer service and profitability.

    - Prestigious Partner: Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton
    - SGF CEO of the Year Award Partner: Société générale de financement
    - Platinum Sponsors: BCF, BDC, The DynaVision Group, Heenan Blaikie,
      NATIONAL and RBC
    - Gold Sponsors: Essor Insurance and GCWL-Desjardins Securities
    - VIP Salons Pavilion: Public Works and Government Services Canada
      (partner) and Cisco (sponsor)
    - Media partners: Direction informatique and Les Affaires

An initiative to boost the Canadian economy through the use of high-speed networking will learn from the examples set by the Province of New Brunswick and the City of Fredericton, according to the Chair of i-CANADA. I-CANADA is backed by Canada’s largest high-tech organization, the Canadian Advanced Technology Alliance (CATA) and “ although i-CANADA has not even been officially launched yet, and we already have almost 1,000 signatures from Canadian companies, individuals and institutions pledging support for the idea,” said Bill Hutchison, chair of i-CANADA Two communities in New Brunswick — Fredericton and Moncton — have won awards as “Top Seven” finalists in the Intelligent Communities Forum’s prestigious award ceremony in New York.

“Our vision is that Canada’s networks are the rails of light carrying the engines of the Information Age,” said Bill Hutchison. “We want companies to grow and thrive in Canada because ultra-broadband provides an ecosystem of accelerated business and social innovation and growth. We consider New Brunswick to be a leader in this area as evidenced by the international Intelligent Community awards won by Moncton and Fredericton. An important i-Canada goal is to support the sharing between communities of innovative initiatives and lessons learned and certainly the rest of Canada can benefit from understanding the success formula being used in New Brunswick.”

Premier Alward has agreed to Chair the Leadership Council of i-CANADA, working with other Provincial Premiers, business leaders, and community stakeholders across the country in developing i-CANADA, the “Intelligent Nation.” “Premier Alward’s background as a human resource development and community development expert make him ideal to guide the work of i-CANADA,” said Mr. Hutchison.

Premier Alward noted that “this brings nation-wide recognition that New Brunswick is on the leading edge of developments that are defining economic growth today. I am delighted that our province will gain profile from Canadian businesses and research organizations and participate in sharing information on how to lead other global regions and communities in the creation of tomorrow’s Intelligent Communities.”

Fredericton Mayor Brad Woodside has also agreed to participate. “We are honoured that Mayor Woodside will add his considerable experience to the program,” said Mr. Hutchison.

Mayor Woodside stated “Fredericton’s long-standing reputation as an Intelligent Community dates back to the early nineties when we set our sights on growing our knowledge industries. “ Since that time, Fredericton has achieved international recognition, named twice as one of the World’s Top Seven Intelligent Communities by Intelligent Community Forum of New York, and one of the North American Cities of the Future by Financial Times of London. “We are successful because we work together – – we have been an integral partner with Enterprise Fredericton, the University of New Brunswick and Province of New Brunswick to advance our Knowledge Park. The park is currently adding two new buildings to its campus including the national Centre of Excellence in Advanced Learning Technology(CEALT), and has attracted companies like RIM and Radian6. The City of Fredericton has recognized the vital importance of intellectual infrastructure as a tool to cultivate the growth of our knowledge-based economy” said Mayor Woodside.
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For all of you Canadians lucky enough to be going to GDC San Francisco – and judging from my Twitter feed, there are a lot of you – the Trade Commissioners Service (TCS) and its partners invite Canadian companies to meet existing and new clients at the Canada Business Lounge at the W Hotel from March 1-3 and during the Canada Networking Event at Jillian’s on March 2.

Canada Business Lounge at the W Hotel – March 1, 2 and 3

The TCS, with support from Telefilm Canada, Export Development Canada and several partners including the Canadian Interactive Alliance, British Columbia Ministry of Tourism, Trade and Investment, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, Innovation PEI, Investissement Quebec, Montreal International, New Media Manitoba, Nova Scotia Business Inc. and Ontario Media Development Corporation, is pleased to announce that the Canada Business Lounge will be at the W Hotel during GDC 2011. The Lounge includes 3 private meeting rooms and a separate open-concept lounge that will be exclusive to Canadian companies and their clients for meetings at no cost.

Location: W Hotel, 3rd Floor, 181 – 3rd Street
Time: 8.30 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. on March 1, 2 and 3

Private Meeting Rooms: Many Canadian companies booked meeting rooms in advance. During GDC, any remaining private rooms will be made available on a first come first serve basis.

Open Concept Area: 3rd Floor and the XYZ Lounge: No reservations required. Chairs and couches will be arranged to allow for separate discussions in the Canada Business Lounge on the 3rd Floor on March 1, 2 and 3. The XYZ Lounge has been reserved exclusively for meetings with Canadian companies on March 2 and 3.

Meeting Point: There will be a TCS reception desk with officers from Brazil, Mexico, Japan, Taiwan, China, India and from across the United States and Canada to provide services, take bookings and support companies and partners.

Canada Networking Event – March 2

The Trade Commissioners Service, in partnership with Telefilm Canada, and with support from several partners including Export Development Canada, Canadian Interactive Alliance, British Columbia Ministry of Tourism, Trade and Investment, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, Innovation PEI, Investissement Quebec, Montreal International, New Media Manitoba, Nova Scotia Business Inc., Ontario Media Development Corporation and Heenan Blaikie, will host the popular Canada Networking Event at Jillian’s. In 2010, over 600 people attended, 50% of whom were international guests invited by the TCS, including Disney Interactive, Activision Blizzard, THQ, CapCom, Sony, Perfect World and Nintendo, among others.

Details: Wednesday, March 2 from 4.30 to 8.30 at Jillian’s, 101 – 4th Street (at Howard)
Invitation Required: RSVP to add your name to the mailing list.

SIGGRAPH 2011 is being held in Canada for the first time ever this year, and the conference committee is seeking cutting-edge Real-Time Live! content to be presented at this year’s  Computer Animation Festival. Taking place at the Vancouver Convention Centre, SIGGRAPH 2011 could be the chance of a lifetime for many Canadian artists, designers, programmers – heck, anyone who works in the creative sector, really. The world is once again coming to visit, and I urge every one of you out there who has the talent to create something to submit your work, your team’s work, your studio’s work – the world will be watching, will you be ready?

The SIGGRAPH committee will consider any and all content that is interactively controlled and rendered in real-time. Submissions must be able to be demonstrated in front of a live audience.

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCWKbLypEeQ]

Based on the examples of accepted real-time simulations and graphics submissions sent out with this press release, I know that there are artists and animators across this country who can – and have – produce materials for any of these areas – some people may not even realize the work was done in Canada, now is the chance to step up and shine the spotlight on your work:

* Military or industrial simulations
* Interactive animation and graphics
* Research projects
* Computer games
* Real-time art explorations
* Scientific visualizations: medical, astrophysics, astronomy
* Interactive data visualization and information graphics

“Since its debut in 2009, Real-Time Live! has featured some of the most innovative and cutting-edge work presented at SIGGRAPH’s Computer Animation Festival,” said Jason Smith, SIGGRAPH 2011 Real-Time Live! Chair. “Each year the quality and diversity in real-time submissions showcases the best work going on in the industry. This year’s program will continue this trend of dynamic innovation.”

The Real-Time Live! submission deadline is 15 April 2011. All real-time work will be reviewed by a professional jury of industry experts from traditional computer graphics, video games, and research organizations. Entries will be judged on creativity, innovation, performance, and most importantly, the ability to render in real time in front of a live audience as part of the Computer Animation Festival. The top selections will be played and demonstrated live on their respective platform (PC, PS2, PS3, Xbox 360, or Nintendo Wii).

April 15 is also the deadline for submissions to the Computer Animation Festival at SIGGRAPH 2011. The four-day, international event is celebrating its 38th year, and presents an eclectic array of computer animation genres and styles ranging from narrative character animation to scientific visualization.There is an open competition as well as an in Invited section for works created after January 2010.

Here are the categories, only finished works will be considered for inclusion, and all submissions must be uploaded at final resolution:

* Computer Animation Shorts
* Music Videos
* TV and Web Commercials
* Visualizations and Simulations
* Student Projects
* Animated Feature Films
* Visual Effects for Short Films and TV Programs
* Visual Effects for Live-Action Feature Films
* Real-Time Animation
* Miscellaneous
* Traditional and Stop Motion

Please see the Computer Animation Festival Submissions Page for complete details and guidelines.

Come on Canada – SIGGRAPH 2011 – Make It Home!