Village Gamer

Vancouver – After a very successful Fusion Forum Boot Camp and Presentation Day, the Top Ten Finalists were announced by New Media BC last evening at the networking mixer. Congratulations to all of you, and good luck with today’s investor meetings. The Best in Show presentation winner was Ecobuddies Interactive.

GAMES

Clicktoy
Ecobuddies Interactive

MOBILE

Aegis Mobility
AppSocial
Mobify

WEB 2.0 / SOCIAL MEDIA

Muutu
My Wedding Match
Wantsa

APPLICATIONS & NEW PLATFORMS

Mingleverse Labs
Moving Media

Montreal – On the other side of the country, Bug-Tracker has distinguished itself as a Gold winner during the National Awards ceremony, which took place at the Cirque Éloize on November 6th.

“Each year through the SME Awards, the Financial Group honors the exceptional performance of the province’s enterprises and their leaders. The nominees are passionate, involved and visionary men and women who, through their dedicated work and excellent results, have carved themselves a place in a highly competitive environment” declared Réjean Lévesque, Executive Vice-President – Retail and Commercial Banking, and Honorary President of the Gala.

“To receive this honor is a true recognition for ourselves and our teams” explained Antoine Carre, Founding President of Bug-Tracker. “We are all very proud to distinguish ourselves again by our will to excel in the management of our resources and relationships with our partners. Our reputation will now be able to continue to shine at the national level as well as on the international scene”.

Finally, the Financial Group underscored its collaboration with its trusted partners – Samson Bélair/Deloitte & Touche, IBM Canada Ltd, Bell Canada, La Presse, Le Droit and TVA – in uniting to pay homage to the boldness, determination and excellence of the best of Canadian entrepreneurship.

Two reports on the Montreal office of Bug-Tracker will be broadcast, one during the program “Salut Bonjour!” on TVA, and the second on Canal Argent, from November 27th to December 23th 2009.

Vancouver – The Masters of Digital Media (MDM) Program together with Zynga, the industry leader in social gaming, has announced the winners of the inaugural Zynga scholarships for the MDM Program at the Centre for Digital Media in Vancouver, B.C. Four students – Su Yon Sohn, Jason Chang, Ryan Nadel and Matthew Schroeter – have earned scholarships totaling $21,000.

“Congratulations to Su Yon, Jason, Ryan and Matt on winning Zynga’s first scholarships to the MDM Program,” said Dr. Gerri Sinclair, Executive Director of the MDM Program and CEO of the Centre for Digital Media at Great Northern Way Campus. “I’d also like to thank Zynga for their support through our Industry Affiliate Program and now through funding these scholarships. To have our students recognized by Zynga, the world’s leader in social gaming, is a testament to the remarkable next-gen talent pool we are developing here at the MDM Program.”

“At Zynga, we’re pleased to offer our support to Su Yon, Jason, Ryan and Matt who will be graduating in 2010,” said Colleen McCreary, Senior VP and Chief People Officer at Zynga. “Zynga commends these students on their academic excellence and for their experience in and passion for social gaming and we look forward to their contribution to Zynga’s mission of connecting the world through games.

The scholarship winners are:

• Su Yon Sohn and Jason Chang, who received $7,000 and;
• Ryan Nadel and Matthew Schroeter, who received $3,500.

The scholarship was based on talent and experience in the area of Game Design, Art or Programming.

Toronto – The Canadian New Media Awards recognize and celebrate the accomplishments of individuals and companies in the Canadian digital media industry, in 19 prestigious award categories. Winners will be announced on December 1, 2009 at a gala ceremony at The Design Exchange in Toronto. This is the night our community really comes together to showcase excellence in interactive, and celebrate the promising future of Canada’s new media industry. Read the rest of this entry »

The International Mobile Gaming Awards has put out a worldwide call for entries. In six years the competition has become the Mobile Entertainment Industry’s leading showcase for groundbreaking innovations, exceptional quality and new trends in mobile entertainment, whether made for N-Gage, iPhone, Flash, Android, Microsoft, Java, Linux, BREW, or any other platform.

Developers can submit their games on line now and compete in an international arena with top studios and individual developers from all over the world. Awards will be given out in the following categories:

• The International Mobile Gaming Excellence in Design
• The International Mobile Gaming Excellence in Connectivity Award
• The International Mobile Gaming Excellence in Game Play Award
• The International Mobile Gaming Best Real World Game
• The International Mobile Gaming Best Casual Game Award

The following awards will also be presented:

• The International Mobile Gaming Grand Prix
• The International Mobile Gaming Operators’ Choice Award
• The International Mobile Gaming People’s Choice Award

Deadline for entries is 18 January 2010. The IMGA recognises the newest, the most exciting and the most innovative games so only those games published after 1 September 2009 are eligible. Concepts and demos for games are also eligible if the entrants can provide a playable demo or a finished game before February 8 2010 in time for the second judging round.

The awards will be handed out at the GSMA’s Mobile World Congress.

For the second year, the IMGA is looking for games using localisation technologies, such as GPS. “Last year’s launch of the new category Real World Games was clearly a success and will be continued. We think that these games have a great future. We expect many innovators to enter amazing games and demos in this category. Our collaboration with NAVTEQ and their Global LBS Challenge® will help us increase the number of entrants in this category.”

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First, congratulations to game studios Next Level Games, Bioware and Digital Extremes for being named in the Top 100 Canadian Employers.  Research In Motion was also named to the list. Next Level is consistently named as a Top Employer by several agencies, and Bioware has also won previous awards for being a Top Employer. 

Digital Leisure’s Word Searcher puzzle game has been released on WiiWare. You’ll need a sharp eye and a quick mind to complete these 100 themed word search puzzles. Word Searcher contains fun words from multiple categories including anatomy, world cities, ancient weapons and 97 other subjects. Packed with a huge assortment of subjects to choose from, there’s sure to be a puzzle everyone will enjoy. Help improve your vocabulary, memory and problem-solving skills with these addicting puzzles. Keep track of, and try to beat your own completion times again and again as words are scrambled every time you play. Get your thinking cap on and conquer all 100 today!

Ubisoft has announced that Hollywood actress Kristen Bell will reprise her role of Lucy Stillman in Assassin’s Creed II. Bell’s character will once again play a major role in the game’s intricate storyline. “Being a part of the first Assassin’s Creed video game was an amazing experience. Video games is such a creative entertainment medium, and to be able to see and play myself as a video game character was surreal,” said Kristen Bell. “As an actress, it’s both challenging and rewarding to play a complex character with this great mysterious background. I’m very happy to be Lucy once more, and I look forward to fans discovering more about her – they will be pleasantly surprised.”

Also available for viewing is a new video vignette showcasing the Assassination Arsenal. Media Labs is holding an AC2 film contest with a $10 000.00 first prize, but it’s only open to US residents over the age of 18.

EA Montreal has announced that renowned film composer Tyler Bates will be creating the impactful score for the highly anticipated third person co-op shooter Army of Two™:The 40th Day. The sought-after composer, best known for his work on the blockbuster films 300 and Watchmen, is crafting an immersive score that will highlight the epic co-operative battles gamers and their friends will face in the first major videogame release of 2010.

“Set in Shanghai in the middle of a major a disaster, Army of Two: The 40th Day dials up the action through a series of powerful scenes where players have to work together as a team to survive and escape the city,” said Lewis James, Audio Director at EA Montreal. “Tyler examined every part of the game and how players will move through the world to craft a score that truly represents their actions and the chaos unfolding around them.”

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Digital Alberta has put a call out to its members for submissions for the MEDIAfresh 2010 Awards which are dedicated to the recognition of those Alberta Digital Media Professionals and Post-Secondary students who have created outstanding projects and programs between September 2008 and November 2009. There are 13 categories and two divisions (post-secondary and professional) for you to submit to. Nominations are also open for the people’s choice Award: Innovation and Leadership in Industry or the Best Entrepreneur – Creative/Business/Technology. Submissions are open until November 30 2009, with the finalists to be announced on February 5 2010. The MEDIAfresh awards ceremony will take place February 26, 2010 in the Glen Ross Hall at Mount Royal University. The Awards will include a VIP reception, Awards Gala and After Party.

The IGDA has announced the dates for the second Global Game Jam 2010. The three day game development competition will take place January 29 – 31 in a massive number of locations around the world. 2009’s inaugural event saw 370 games developed in 23 countries by over 1600 participants. Registration is now being accepted for GGJ locations, please see the GGJ Wiki for further information on participating in the Jam. So far the only registered GGJ locations for Canada are Ottawa, Calgary and Hamilton.

Young Women In Business presents Leadership Lessons from Influential Women in Business. Join Business in Vancouver, Professional Women’s Network and Young Women in Business for this unique half-day event. Talk candidly in roundtable sessions led by 15 senior business women and learn about their own personal lessons in leadership. Stay for a panel discussion with three influential business women who are helping shape the future of the local business community, followed by a networking luncheon.

YWIB is also presenting Beyond P!nk, a 2-day conference taking place November 13 & 14 in Vancouver. The conference will host 350 energetic young women over an action-packed weekend. This unique, high-impact and eco-friendly conference will create a space for young women to engage in intimate workshops, partake in interactive roundtable discussions, engage with industry professionals, build lasting personal connections, and celebrate inspirational women in business. Beyond P!nk inspires through action, enriches through connection, and empowers through ideation.

This year, the conference features an interactive workshop series with extraordinary speakers, an All-Men’s Panel Lunch, the Connect! Women in Business Tradeshow, a break-out luncheon with cross-industry mentors, and a celebratory Gala dinner and Silent Auction. The goal of Beyond Pink is for delegates to walk away having been inspired with knowledge, enriched with ideas and resources, and empowered with new-found connections and friendships.

The British Columbia Technology Industry Association (BCTIA) has launched the 2010 Business Outreach Program to successfully introduce, promote and connect our industry to the world through a focused B2B matching program, supported by the 2010 Pitch Book.

The Pitch Book serves as instant promotional material that includes technological overview, key markets, benefits and corporate contact information for each participating company. Being part of the ‘who’s who’ guide to BC Tech companies means:

* Broad promotion of your technology, product or solution’s expertise and ingenuity
* Benefiting from a large-scale promotion campaign to business and media
* Access to BCTIA 2010 Business Outreach Programs including business matching and corporate hosting programs
* Potential one-on-one meetings with new customers, partners and investors

If you are interested in the 2010 Business Outreach Program and in order to help the BCTIA coordinate and support promotional activities capitalizing on the 2010 Olympic Games, please take 2-3 minutes to complete the following questionnaire. Questionnaire input deadline is Friday October 9 2009.

Telefilm Canada and the Canadian Film and Television Production Association (CFTPA) are proud to announce their latest collaboration in the form of an innovative training program that focuses on providing guidance to up and coming new media producers engaged in content creation for multi-platform delivery.

The CFTPA’s National Mentorship Program (NMP) is Canada’s launching pad for the next generation of film, television and interactive media production talent. Our five chosen interns train with the best independent producers in Canada in every facet of production – from development to post, drama to documentary. Through its diverse slate of mentorship programs, the NMP provides CFTPA members with enthusiastic and cost-effective production personnel. In return, our mentors provide one-on-one training to a dazzling new crop of emerging producers and filmmakers. The deadline for applications is set for November 2, 2009.

The CRTC is asking for public input in regards to televised programmes, carriage fees and digital media. The general public are invited to submit comments and concerns up until November 2, with the CRTC hearing scheduled for December 7 in Gatineau. Canadians can participate by filling in an online form, writing or faxing the CRTC, or by presenting at the hearings themselves. It is believed that consumer concerns regarding package choices, particularly the ability to select pay and specialty services on a stand-alone basis will be an important side issue for this session.

“We are examining various facets of the Canadian broadcasting system as it adapts to an environment that is rapidly changing,” said Konrad von Finckenstein, Q.C., Chairman of the CRTC. “We are discussing a number of regulatory changes with the industry to ensure the system’s future health. It is important that consumers make their voices heard on the issues that affect them the most.”

The Independent Games Festival (IGF) Mobile, the premiere venue that celebrates creativity and innovation on handheld platforms, has opened submissions for its third annual festival, with the overall winner awarded at the IGF Awards Ceremony, which precedes the Game Developers Choice Awards on March 11th, 2010. Both the IGF Awards Ceremony and the Game Developers Choice Awards are part of the 2010 Game Developers Conference (GDC10), which takes place in San Francisco’s Moscone Center in March.

Now in its third year, IGF Mobile has blossomed into a major showcase of the handheld form. Last year’s IGF Mobile ‘Next Great Mobile Game’ winner Reflection has been signed by Konami for Nintendo DSi, and Apple’s App Store created a special Store section just to highlight the IGF-nominated iPhone games from 2009’s IGF Mobile competition.

This year’s competition will again feature independently-developed handheld games for all mobile devices including Apple’s iPhone, other cellphone and smartphone OSes, Nintendo DS, Sony PSP, and other handheld devices. IGF Mobile submissions are now being accepted online through December 1, 2009; finalists will be announced in January 2010, and will each receive one pass to attend the 2010 Game Developers Conference.

Finalists will compete for $5,000 in prizes, including notable awards for design, art, and technology innovation in mobile game development. This year, winners in each category -with the exception of ‘Best Game’, will be announced before the show, on February 8th, 2010. Each category winner will receive $500 in spending money to come to the 2010 Game Developers Conference in March 2010 and showcase their mobile game.

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Today marks the 2nd anniversary of Canada’s National Digital Media Day, when those Canadians who work in the Digital Media industry celebrate the innovation and importance of our contributions to the Canadian and Global economy. No other industry is able to touch so many people in such a wide variety of fields as that of Digital Media. From gaming to education to every day technology, Canadians around the world can be proud of the levels of creativity and success achieved by our Digital Media industry.

If you are in Vancouver, you can join local industry members at Appy Hour which is taking place at The Diamond in Gastown. Following Appy Hour will be the6pm flash mob dance party at the corner of Powell and Carrall Streets. Remember to wear your favourite red shirt!

Another upcoming event which is still searching for an affordable and appropriate venue is Ghoulash Bash. We are currently investigating a few possibilities, but so far nothing has been confirmed. Who would’ve thought that trying to find a cool place for a Hallowe’en fund raiser for the Greater Vancouver Regional Food Banks would’ve been such a challenge. We are also looking for sponsorships, swag and twitter auction items. This Hallowe’en be a part of the first Ghoulash Bash – because everybody hungers.

Don’t forget to grab your ticket for next Tuesday’s Aliens Among Us – the Visual Effects Behind District 9 speaker session, presented by the ACM SIGGRAPH Vancouver Chapter and sponsored by Vancouver Film School and Annex|Pro. Double up on your savings for local SIGGRAPH events by becoming a member – you will get incredible value for your membership.

Congratulations are also due to our WCG Team Canada members who earned 1 gold and 3 silver medals out of a possibility of 5 medals at the WCG 2009 Pan-American Championship, which was held September 12-13 in Guadalajara, Mexico. This incredible performance put Canada in 2nd place in the overall standings just ahead of Brazil. Mexico finished on top, taking advantage of their large team and fielding about three times the number of participants than the other invited countries.

Canada’s gold came after a brilliant performance by Max Rawal and Kevin Garcia in Halo 3. Despite not having played together since their victory in Germany at the WCG 2008 Grand Finals last November, the current WCG world champions had no difficulty adding another gold medal to their collection. They each received $1000 USD for their win.

Daniel Piacampo (Guitar Hero), Alan Joseph (Virtua Fighter 5), and Brandon Schlichting (Warcraft 3) each received $700 USD for their silver medals. It was Schlichting’s first appearance in a WCG major tournament.

In the list of oddly cool web sites I’ve visited lately is the Candy Wrapper Museum. For those who want to take a nostalgic walk down Candy Lane, this site offers a look back at both the mundane and totally weird products which have been marketed to satisfy the sweet tooth everywhere. Although the site is not Canadian, there are even some Canadian candies featured.

The Canadian New Media Awards have extended their Early Bird rates until Friday September 25th, so take advantage of this extension and get your nominations in while saving $50.00. Remember to also get those nominations in for the Most Innovative Online Game (.doc file) award. This is a national competition for online games created by Canadian developers for any market or audience. Entries may include games built for single and multi-player environments.

There is still time to get your Appy Hour tickets for this Friday night at The Diamond in Vancouver. Come out and help celebrate Canada New Media Day with The Social Agency and a lot of great people from our local industry.

Digital Alberta is having a 50% off sale on their membership fees in celebration of Canada New Media Day, so if you aren’t already a member, take advantage of the savings and then take advantage of all the great events the association organizes.

Early Bird pricing for the Montreal International Game Summit ends this Friday as well, so if you are planning to attend the Summit this November, now is the time to grab your tickets. Buying your tickets early can save you $210.00 on this great event and give you the chance to hear a fantastic line-up of speakers.

The time is now to get your ticket for ACM SIGGRAPH Vancouver Chapter’s presentation of Aliens Among Us: The Visual Effects of District 9 on September 29th at the Empire Theatre. This session will feature key members of the VFX team from Image Engine and is sponsored by Vancouver Film School and Annex|Pro.

Vancouver –IUGO Mobile Entertainment has announced that all three chapters of the Toy Bot Series are now available in one convenient download in the iTunes App Store. IUGO’s hit series and one of the first iPhone exclusive titles are now bundled for hours of platforming fun. The Toy Bot Diaries Compilation containing Toy Bot Diaries 1,2 and 3 is available for $3.99 US while individual chapters are now on sale for $1.99 per title. Toy Bot Diaries follows the adventures of Toy Bot who, in Chapter One, needs to recover his memory. The Toy Bot titles is one of the few iPhone/iPod games which uses fully blended controls – its tilt and touch features makes this game one of the best mobile titles ever. Add to this the high quality graphics and excellent audio for a winning combination that results in a high quality IUGO title which provides above-average amusement return for the investment.

Kelowna – Cosmic Logic Inc., a new gaming force in the indie revolution, has officially announced details on their first game release: “Cosmic Lacrosse”. A throwback to the days of classic 2D sports games, “Cosmic Lacrosse” is an arcade-style lacrosse game with an emphasis on fun over simulation. With stylized art and sci-fi themes, it’s lacrosse like you’ve never seen it before. “Cosmic Lacrosse” will be available on Xbox Live Indie Games in Fall of 2009.

Some features in this new title include:

· Arcade-style 3-on-3 Lacrosse with fast and furious gameplay
· 3 different player classes with different attributes and unique super abilities
· 2D hand-drawn artwork by Luke Fimio
· Local multi-player and co-op

Andrew Roberts, President and CEO of Cosmic Logic, will be presenting at the Kamloops Canadian Information Processing Society’s monthly meeting, where he will be discussing how radical changes in the video game industry have created new opportunities not available only 3 years ago.

Longueuil – D-BOX Technologies Inc. has been named a 2009 EXC!TE award winner in the Home Theatre category at this year’s CEDIA expo in Atlanta, Georgia for its new Hybrid Motion System, the GPH-120. Due out in the market this fall, the

I Want This Chair

GPH-120 offers motion effects that work in perfect sync with the onscreen action for both video games and movies. A first-of-its-kind in the industry, the GPH-120 offers unmatched, realistic motion effects, creating a unique experience for movie and gaming fans alike. The company was honoured at the awards dinner during the Custom Electronic Design & Installation Association’s Banquet on September 10th.

Presented by CustomRetailer magazine, the annual EXC!TE awards honour companies whose products stand out for being innovative, high-performing and solutions-oriented for the custom installation professional. This year’s winners have an important impact on the industry, which is felt in the installers’ productivity, the dealers’ profitability, the clients’ satisfaction and the industry’s vitality.

“It has been an incredible year thus far for D-BOX Technologies,” said President and CEO, Claude Mc Master. “We are proud to be named an EXC!TE award winner at this year’s CEDIA and honored to be recognized by our peers for this new motion technology system. We have participated in CEDIA in previous years and are pleased to have the opportunity to showcase our motion technology for the entertainment industry at the show.”

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