Village Gamer

GameString is pleased to announce the Beta sign up for its free personal cloud gaming service GameString Adrenalin™.

“At GameString we asked the question ‘what if you could remotely play the PC games installed on your own computer in a browser’ – everyone told us that would be pretty cool.” said Chris Boothroyd, CEO of GameString.com. “For the cloud gaming market to really take off, we need to start with a nice easy toe-in-the water approach for game developers and publishers. What better way, than to work with what is already installed out there on PC gaming gear. Publishers don’t have to do anything different, players get to remote play a game they have already purchased and others get to watch the games being played by their friends, live.”

GameString created the specially built Adrenalin application to let gamers access the games installed on their own PC, remotely in a web browser. Adrenalin can also broadcast the remote gamers session to online video streaming services like Justin.tv for others to watch en masse. Optimized for OpenGL and DirectX, Adrenalin is designed to lets gamers play their PC games when they are away from home, invite friends to watch and even let others drive the game remotely.

“It’s like the gamers version of WebEx™ combined with Go-To-My-PC™ and ProCaster™. If you have a buddy who has just bought a killer game like StarCraft II, he can remote you in to watch and even let you try it out – but watch the smack talk, he can boot you anytime.” said Boothroyd. “If you gotta play but you are away from home, this will let you jump in and play a quick round before your boss, significant other or grandma cuffs you one.”

Vancouver’s Aftercad is pleased to announce the launch of its new Cloud Gaming technology portal GameString.com to service the rapidly growing market to develop and deploy cloud based games on the web.

“Cloud Gaming may be new but already there are a number of players in the market and game developers looking for the new edge to engage people.” said Chris Boothroyd, CEO of Aftercad. “We started with the Immersion Project earlier in the year and really hit a nerve in game developers who wanted to try out cloud gaming and eventually deploy it themselves. We decided that this market is only going to get bigger as social game developers start to ramp up production values across the board and need to deliver much more into Flash and HTML5 environments.”

Aftercad has recently expanded its 3D web publishing efforts to include GameString.com for game developers and Renderjam v2 for CAD and GIS 3D broadcasting and remote access. As cloud computing continues its assimilation of other verticals, developers are looking to cash in on the new cloud gaming methods being touted by services like Onlive, Otoy, Gaikai and others. Aftercad GameString delivers the technology to maximize this new cloud delivery method while giving developers the the ability to leverage the full power of Flash or HTML5 on the client’s computer or mobile device.

“Other methods out there rely on just the video stream and a plugin to bring the remote game play to the user in time to react and send those commands back again. This method is called ‘Soft PC-Over-IP’, will always be lag sensitive and function as a closed loop. the GameString technology however does a much better job by opening up the loop, allowing game developers to utilize the power at both ends of the wire thus greatly reducing the dependence on bandwidth alone.” said Boothroyd. “We are constantly being amazed by what we are seeing in these new game demos people are putting together. For example using Flash/Flex to create the entire UI and the Unity 3D engine rendering superb 3D on the server – the synthesis of those two things working in concert is stunning and will clearly be a tool in the developer’s arsenal next year. It is yet more validation of the superiority of our patent pending, Dual Rendering approach and we are looking for even more game developers to join us in the cloud.”

Ubisoft has launched Assassin’s Creed Project Legacy beta, a social role-playing game on Facebook Platform. Assassin’s Creed Project Legacy will serve as a companion to the gameplay experience of Assassin’s Creed® Brotherhood, which will be available on November 16, 2010 for the Sony PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft. It also marks the first time that Ubisoft has integrated a social game into a console title. Utilizing the web services functionality of Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood, players can move from game to web and web to game, unlocking hidden features throughout the Assassin’s Creed universe.

Players of Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood will be able to unlock up to 25 exclusive missions in Assassin’s Creed Project Legacy, allowing players to earn currency and experience points within the Facebook game. Assassin’s Creed Project Legacy players will also be able to unlock extra content in Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood. By piecing clues together, players will learn the hidden mysteries within the Assassin’s Creed universe.

Winnipeg’s Complex Games has announced the impending release of their latest iPhone game, but the game’s name is a total mystery! Further details about the title will be released in the following weeks, but in the meantime visitors to the game’s site can for a limited time win prizes by guessing the name of the mystery game. The game will be available on both the iPhone and the iPad.

Although there are no details available yet regarding the title, the Canadian-based game developer has promised that a game trailer will be available shortly after the winners of the contest are announced.

“We expect this game to make #2!”, says Complex Games Lead Programmer Frano Sailer in his usually cryptic way, “once this game launches, it’s really going to hit the fan!”

Battlegoat Studios and Paradox Interactive today announced the launch of the first Supreme Ruler: Cold War developer diary. In addition, to celebrate the occasion, they have released a selection of new downloadable wallpapers.

In Supreme Ruler: Cold War, players will enter the world of the 1950’s and navigate their nation through many of the historical headlines. Prepare to battle economic challenges, unstable governments and worldwide tensions in this grand strategy experience.

“With Supreme Ruler: Cold War as our first historical title, it brings the very exciting new realm of ‘what if’ into the gameplay of Supreme Ruler,” said Stewart Braybook, Battlegoat CEO. “History tells us about the Cold War, but there are so many turning point events and personalities that the end result was never certain. Supreme Ruler: Cold War will allow players to see if they can change history, improve upon it or succumb to it.”

Game Features:

– Play as the United States or Soviet Union in Campaign Mode
– Control any Nation in Post-World War II Era in Sandbox Mode
– Use Diplomacy, Trade and Espionage to influence the policies of other nations
– Research new Technologies to give your nation an edge
– Grow and Modernize your Economy
– Control Military production and deployment, or let your Ministers take care of the details
– And when Diplomacy Fails… Sophisticated Real-Time Strategic and Tactical Control of your Military Forces
– Enhanced Graphics and Sound including New 3D Terrain
– Experience the redesigned GUI with improved On-Map feedback and streamlined controls
– Up to 16 players in Multiplayer over local network or Internet

Still with publisher Paradox Interactive, they, along with Vancouver’s Kerberos Productions have released a new engine teaser trailer for Sword of the Stars II, the follow-up hit to the 4X franchise, Sword of the Stars. The game offers an evolved version of the original six races from Sword of the Stars and its expansions, Sword of the Stars II reveals the deep, dark secret of the Suul’ka. Boasting an all new graphics engine and incorporating new ship details that allow for new fleet strategies and tactics, Sword of the Stars 2 is poised to revive the 4X space genre and is scheduled for a 2011 release.

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXuFYV-Iddk]

Edmonton’s Beamdog is happy to announce the availability of great Kalypso games such as Disciples 3, Tropico 3 and Patrician 4.

“I am delighted to form a strategic partnership with Beamdog and look forward to this exciting business development!” says Charlie Barrett Managing Director of Kalypso Media.

“I’ve just started playing Tropico 3 and so far I’m no Fidel. My island people have yet to embrace my doctrine of statue building and banana worship.” rants El Presidente of Beamdog Trent Oster.

Kalypso Media games are available for purchase now, and the offerings on Beamdog’s site includes some free trials.

JoWooD Entertainment, the BVT Group and Toronto’s DreamCatcher Interactive announce details of the planned digital services for ArcaniA – Gothic 4 and therefore react to the needs of the gaming community.

“Digital Rights Management as a module of the digital services has always been a tightrope walk between user friendliness and security of the product. ArcaniA – Gothic 4 is different here” explains Clemens Schneidhofer, JoWooD Entertainment. “With Arcania – Gothic 4 we deliver a high-quality product gamers will enjoy playing for hours. This joy and fun should not be disturbed by intrusive copy protection measures. So SecuROM is the perfect solution for us because it offers the necessary security and at the same time it fulfills our high expectations concerning costumer-friendliness.”

ArcaniA – Gothic 4 can be installed on an unlimited number of PCs and only needs to be activated once via the Internet. To play, which can be done at up to three PCs at a time, neither the original disc nor a constant internet connection is needed. The possibility of an uncomplicated transfer of license between the used PC offers a maximum of flexibility to the customer.

“The implemented digital services will be perfected by a user-friendly Auto Update Feature that informs the gamer pro-actively – without an annoying search – about the availability of a new Update and installs with the permission of the gamer right away” says Sascha Geschwendtner, Product Manager Games Services Sony DADC. “In addition other innovative solutions to increase the usability and the comfort of the game were implemented one of them being the verification of the release date. This feature allows the user to install the game in advance and to start it directly on the release date and therefore helps to avoid unnecessary waiting time to access the game-world.”

The Province of Ontario is helping The Canadian Film Centre, the country’s largest institution for advanced training in film, television and new media, continue its leadership role in developing world-class talent. This training helps Ontarians get jobs in an exciting and growing industry, while giving Ontario’s artists an opportunity to reach a broader audience with their work.

The province is investing $9 million over three years to help expand its acclaimed training programs and further develop Ontario’s screen-based and digital entertainment market. This provincial support builds on a $10 million investment in the film centre announced in 2005, and in 2009, Ontario’s foreign film and television industry contributed $946 million to the provincial economy and The International Indian Film Academy has selected Toronto to be the first North American city to host its annual Weekend and Awards in June 2011.

Growing the creative sector supports the province’s five-year Open Ontario Plan to help seize new global opportunities and turn them into jobs for Ontarians. Two Canadian Film Centre films were selected for the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival: “Champagne” and “How To Rid Your Lover Of A Negative Emotion Caused By You!”

“The Canadian Film Centre has been instrumental in promoting Ontario’s entertainment industry to the world. Our government is proud to support its growth and the key role it plays in developing our cultural industry, which creates thousands of jobs for the province,” said Michael Chan, Minister of Tourism and Culture.

“We applaud the government for recognizing the cultural and economic contribution the Canadian Film Centre makes to the province and are grateful for their continued partnership. This investment will help our talent excel at creating innovative content for global audiences,” said Slawko Klymkiw, Executive Director of the Canadian Film Centre.

THQ Inc. today announced that it has selected Joyent, a global provider of smart computing solutions with an office in Vancouver , to support THQ’s expanding presence in the social games space. THQ will use Joyent’s innovative Smart Technologies to provide a turn-key development and publishing environment to its social gaming development teams. Joyent will provide the server infrastructure, bandwidth, hosting and network operations that enable rapid prototyping and deployment of online games.

Joyent’s quick-start cloud solution and professional services will enable THQ’s developers to focus on game innovation rather than infrastructure deployment. The application of Joyent technology will allow THQ to speed time to market, lower operating costs and improve scalability.

“Joyent provides a key component of our social network strategy,” said Mike Hogan, Vice President of Online Publishing and Operations, THQ. “Using Joyent technology, we’ve been able to create an environment that allows us to provide our studios a scalable platform for developing and launching social games. By removing the complication of infrastructure deployment, we allow developers to focus on what they do best, making great games.”

“We’re pleased to be providing smart computing infrastructure to THQ’s developers,” said Chris Arisian, Joyent EVP Field Operations. “Joyent’s extensive experience supporting some of the leading developers of social games have helped us refine our technology specifically for online games. We support the entire development lifecycle and have optimized our platform to deliver an end-to-end performance and scalability required by game developers. From prototyping through production, Joyent provides the infrastructure solutions to deliver the entire game.”

Incidentally, Joyent’s Water Street studio in Vancouver does have career positions open. According to their site, Joyent is looking for a Software Engineer, a Senior Network Engineer and a Sys Admin.

On the night of September 12th, Toronto’s McCaul St was egregiously quiet. Within the walls of OCADU, however, Interactive Ontario’s IN|2010 was enjoying a strong beginning. The room, sparsely lit and ultimately subdued in atmosphere, was party to a broad assortment of digital media pioneers. The occasion was particularly blessed with its concurrence to the opening of START. Ian Kelso, the President and CEO of Interactive Ontario, described the evening best in his greeting to the crowd.

“This is a preview—it actually doesn’t start until tomorrow, but thank you for bringing us into your space.” The thanks was better expressed by the round of applause. “These shows, called Start, the goal of the program itself is to promote art games created in Toronto, and some beyond, and to let you play, and decide for yourself, what is art in the creation of video games? So I really encourage you to play and develop all the games that are here. There’s some really, really fabulous games. So you won’t be disappointed.” Read the rest of this entry »

Coinciding with the release of the Mob4Hire platform Version 4.2, Mob4Hire announced today that its online community has exceeded 50,000 mobile testers (a.k.a. “mobsters”) from 152 countries with handsets on 389 different network operators. The Mob4Hire community also includes more than 1,600 mobile app developers and market researchers from 88 countries.

The award-winning Mob4Hire community puts mobile developers and a global community of tech-savvy testers together in a marketplace for mobile testing, product feedback and market research.

Mob4Hire is experiencing a rapid increase in the number of mobile functional and usability testing projects due to the growing demand driven by the explosion of the mobile app and smartphone industry. Mob4Hire’s customer base has grown substantially with both new mobile brands as well as larger traditional brands. Some of the 1,600+ companies registered in Mob4Hire include Verisign, BBC World Trust, IMMI, O2, Truphone, Yellow Pages, MTV Brazil, Vringo and Whompster. By using Mob4Hire, project costs for developers can be reduced by 65% to 90% over traditional methods.

“Mob4Hire’s mobile community of ‘real people on real handsets with real opinions’ are in virtually every country on the planet, which makes it very compelling for mobile developers who are looking for ways to extend their reach, decrease costs and increase software quality,” says Stephen King, Mob4Hire CEO. “Our developer base is growing by 14% per month and we have seen a 150% increase in usage of the Mob4Hire platform in the past year.”

Mob4Hire’s cost-effective “Do-It-Yourself” model allows developers and market researchers to post their own testing and research projects, requesting specific handset devices, carriers and countries. Developers who submit projects can set a flat fee for each qualified Mobster to make per test, or request that the Mobsters bid on the job when they apply to work on the project. Read the rest of this entry »

TransGaming, Inc. has unveiled a completely redesigned and innovative GameTreeTV user experience at the Intel Developer Forum (IDF) in San Francisco. Scheduled to be commercially deployed this fall to European television audiences, the GameTreeTV Platform delivers a comprehensive on-demand video game experience for consumers that is optimized for HD TV through the next generation of set-top boxes and connected consumer electronic (CE) devices based on Intel® CE Media Processors.

The GameTreeTV user experience brings an interactive and intuitive design to digital home gaming, allowing consumers to easily browse through a comprehensive catalog of content to quickly access their favorite games with ease. The design offers game developers a dynamic and visibly compelling user interface where their games can be promoted, showcased and searched easily by consumers. Each game profile in the catalog leverages a variety of video trailers, screenshots and descriptive game content, plus the Platform provides a multi-lingual localized game play experience for consumers around the world.

The release of this new interactive user experience coupled with the extensive game catalog and innovative payment models for consumers, positions GameTreeTV as the premier on-demand gaming platform for all Intel® CE Media Processor based devices. In addition, the recent launch of the GameTreeTV Authorized Developer Program now provides the rapidly growing interactive App-TV marketplace with both a rich third party game development community and a compelling gaming platform experience.

“We’ve designed what I believe to be an exceptionally innovative user experience that aligns to the high quality entertainment and interactive nature of video games. The GameTreeTV user experience is representative of the next generation of interactive platforms that consumers expect, delivering an immersive and enriching game play experience”, commented Blake Lewin, President of TransGaming Digital Home. “Our entire strategy in the design of the user interface is to deliver an interactive and engaging experience that resonates with both the caliber of our content and with the global consumer market. We believe we’ve accomplished this with great success.”

The GameTreeTV Platform will be delivered to consumers through an array of distribution vehicles such as Managed Service Operators (MSO), global OEMs (connected consumer electronics), and related digital media solutions providers. The GameTreeTV Platform will be launching this fall in select European markets and then scaling quickly through 2011 globally.

“Cable providers want to offer new services and entertainment options to their subscribers, and we believe casual gaming will be an integral part of an immersive next generation experience”, said Bob Ferreira, General Manager, Cable Segment, Intel Digital Home Group. “The GameTreeTV Platform offers a rich portfolio of video games, while set top boxes based on Intel® CE media processors provide the performance for an enjoyable user experience. TransGaming provides both rich technology and a flexible business model to fit the requirements of the cable industry.”

The full GameTreeTV experience is being showcased in the SmartTV pavilion at the Intel Developer Forum this week. GameTreeTV is launching later this fall in Europe with some of the industry’s most respected video game developers, including PopCap Games, Paramount, Sandlot Games, 2D Boy, Her Interactive, Playrix, Blitz Games and more. Combined, these developers bring hundreds of games to the global catalog that consumers will enjoy through GameTreeTV.

Cable operators, Managed Service Operators (MSOs), and CE manufacturers globally are embracing Intel’s new CE media processors and are ushering in a new generation of broadband-based interactive offerings for their digital home consumers. TransGaming is working closely with companies around the world to ensure the revolutionary gaming experience provided by GameTreeTV is available to a global consumer television audience.

If you have been considering switching to Unity 3D for game development but are unsure of where or how to start, Ryan Henson Creighton, founder of Untold Entertainment, has written a book just for you. Available now for pre-order, Unity 3D Game Development by Example Beginner’s Guide is due out later this month.

Overview of Unity 3D Game Development by Example Beginner’s Guide:

* Build fun, simple games using the free Unity 3D game engine even if you’ve never coded before
* Learn how to “skin” projects to make totally different games from the same file – more games, less effort!
* Deploy your games to the Internet so that your friends and family can play them
* Packed with ideas, inspiration, and advice for your own game design and development
* Stay engaged with fresh, fun writing that keeps you awake as you learn

What you will learn from this book:

* Find out how people are using the amazing new Unity 3D game engine
* Develop and customize four fun game projects, including a frantic race through hospital hallways with a still-beating human heart and a catch game with a jilted lover that morphs into a space shooter!
* Create both 2D and 3D games using free software and supplied artwork
* Add motion, gravity, collisions, and animation to your game objects using Unity 3D’s built-in systems
* Learn how to use code to control your game objects
* Create particle systems like shattering glass, sparks, and explosions
* Add sound effects to make your games more exciting
* Create static and animated backdrops using multiple cameras
* Build crucial elements you’ll use again and again, like timers, status bars, title screens, win/lose conditions, and buttons to link game screens together
* Deploy your games to the Web to share them with friends, family, and adoring fans
* Discover the difference between game skins and mechanics, to earn more money from your games

PadWorx Digital Media, Inc., an independent developer of a new category of interactive eBooks for tablet PCs, today announced that it is set to debut a series of eBooks on September 15th that combine text, gameplay and interactive touch screen technology to create a new digital book experience completely controlled by the reader. The series of interactive eBooks will be released on Apple®iPadTM in Fall 2010. There will be two debut titles, the first of which is for teens and adults, with the second title being suitable for families.

“With user interaction on almost every page, our books put the power to bring stories to life into the hands of the reader,” said Jeffery Alan Schechter, director and producer of Padworx Digital Media, Inc. “This is not your typical passive eBook experience. Because we develop our eBooks on our own game engine, our readers get engaged not only with the text of the story, but also with the interactive graphics and the gameplay elements. The reader, the graphics and the text form a partnership to create the ultimate reading experience.”

Schechter, a two-time Emmy-nominated writer and producer who is well-known for creating Contour, Mariner Software’s award-winning story development software system, founded PadWorx Digital Media in 2010 with his partner, Tod Baudais, a game programmer and the head of software for a feature animation film studio. PadWorx Digital Media is dedicated to pushing the boundaries of tablet PC capabilities in order to create unique ways for readers of all ages to experience both literature and entertainment.

Desire2Learn Incorporated (Desire2Learn), a leading provider of mission-critical enterprise eLearning solutions, is the recipient of a Best in Category Award for Learning Management based on the results of the 2010 IMS Learning and Education Technology Satisfaction and Trends (LearnSAT) survey.

For the 2010 competition, only 12 awards were made for “Best in Category.” Recipients were honored at the awards ceremony and presentation held earlier this year during the Learning Impact Conference in Long Beach, CA. Jeremy Auger, COO, Desire2Learn was on-hand to receive the award.

“Congratulations is extended to Desire2Learn on receiving this unique and meaningful award,” says Dr. Rob Abel, Chief Executive of IMS Global Learning Consortium. “It is the only award we are aware of where the end-user institutions and school districts can express their satisfaction with the vendors.”

The survey, conducted by the IMS Global Learning Consortium, in cooperation with Campus Technology magazine, is unique, for an open web-based survey, in its qualification process of the respondents and cross-check to eliminate any vendor responses or “ballot box stuffing.”

The LearnSAT report, and underlying research, is conducted to provide level of satisfaction information in the use of technology to support teaching and learning to a new and rapidly evolving marketplace. Through the LearnSAT report, those responsible for implementing and supporting solutions in this new marketplace have additional information to supplement that supplied by vendors as to the level of satisfaction expressed by current clients.

“We are honored to be the recipient of this prestigious award from IMS,” states John Baker, President & CEO, Desire2Learn. “The award provides external verification of our continuous commitment to our mission of focusing on our clients and providing them with outstanding client service and support as they continue to strive to ensure program and service excellence to their learning communities.”

A unique aspect of this research is that it also looks at trends in how these technologies are being used and supported, as well as the technologies themselves. It is based on over two years of research uncovering best practices for success in Internet-Supported learning. The IMS Global Learning Consortium LearnSAT is the learning community’s number one source for satisfaction and trends in the use of technology to support learning. Further information on the survey can be found online.

Desire2Learn was also the first LMS provider to have attained the IMS Basic Learning Tools Interoperability (IMS Basic LTI) standard. LTI is a standard developed by IMS Global Learning Consortium to allow Tool Consumers (Learning Management Systems primarily) to easily link to and pass user / organization / course information to Tool Providers (other online applications for eLearning such as wikis, simulations, protected content, assessment tools, etc.).