Village Gamer

The ESL Literacy Network at Bow Valley College in Calgary has won the National Adult Literacy Database (NALD) 2011 Innovative Technology Award for providing ESL literacy practitioners with access to innovative online resources that inform classroom instruction and support ongoing professional development.

“The website provides an in-depth look at ESL literacy levels, learning needs, programming considerations, curriculum development and strategies for classroom instruction,” the nominator’s submission reads.

“Finding level-appropriate learning materials for adult learners with interrupted formal education is a challenge that all ESL literacy instructors face.  More than just a website, the ESL Literacy Network is a place for literacy practitioners to connect, share ideas and learn from the expertise that has been amassed at Bow Valley College.”

The content provided on the website is based on years of classroom experience at the college combined with research and feedback from ESL literacy practitioners locally, provincially, nationally and internationally.  The website recognizes that ESL literacy programs are diverse and serve different learner populations in both urban and rural contexts and in part-time and full-time settings. The ESL Literacy Network is funded by the Government of Alberta.

“The ESL Literacy Network responds to the professional development needs of practitioners by providing a forum for ongoing professional growth and development,” said the NALD Board of Directors members who comprised the selection committee for the award competition.  “The innovative website has successfully leveraged technology and the Internet to provide more than an information hub – the website provides opportunities for extensive sharing of resources and in-depth discussion and reflection on classroom practice and research.”

“Educators will benefit from this user-friendly website, which provides a pedagogical approach for curriculum development, along with strategies and resources that support ESL literacy instruction. In this era of economic restraint, educators will appreciate the reproducible photo stories that can be downloaded and used in the classroom. The technical aspects of the ESL Literacy Network’s website – navigation, accessibility, aesthetic and visual appeal – are exemplary.”

With the launch of new clear and simple international travel pricing, Canadians can travel abroad this summer knowing they automatically enjoy Telus’ most affordable roaming rates in more than 200 countries. With the launch of Telus’ new clear and simple international travel pricing, all customers get the same low roaming rates when they’re traveling. Separate bundles and passes are no longer required to take advantage of the lowest rate, making it easy and hassle-free for customers to use Telus wireless services when overseas.

“After the launch of our new HSPA+ wireless network in late 2009, Telus was able to offer our customers a true international roaming capability for the first time, ending Rogers’ monopoly in international roaming for Canadians. We quickly started working with carriers around the world to negotiate reduced roaming rates for our customers and we now want to make it as simple and affordable as possible for our customers to use their smartphones wherever they go, without coming home to a surprise on their bill,” said David Fuller, Telus Chief Marketing Officer. “We understand what our customers want and we’ve been working hard over the last few years to give them exactly what they are asking for – clear and simple rate plans without system access and 911 carrier fees, a device unlocking service, a free SMS data notification service so they know how much data they have used, and easier access to affordable long distance rates through our recently-announced Skype partnership. Today, we are adding clear, simple and affordable international roaming rates for all of our customers.”

The combination of Telus’ device unlocking service, which allows Telus customers to use local SIM cards overseas; the easy experience of using Skype for affordable long distance calling; and now greatly reduced international roaming rates add up to great news for Canadians planning to travel overseas this summer. Telus’ new clear and simple international roaming rates will be available to all Telus customers – business and consumer – in over 200 countries, starting June 27:

Toronto’s Phantom Compass, contributors to the Skatoony Home Game for marblemedia’s Skatoony TV show, among others, has launched their latest project to the masses. Points 4 People is currently in public beta and uses a unique tag to add (or subtract) points for Twitter users.

The premise for the game (as explained on the P4P site), is to provide a global points exchange and leaderboard system for Twitter users like you. Reward your friends, penalize your enemies, or vice versa. Exchanged points are broadcast via Twitter, tracked by Points 4 People and automagically popped into our leaderboards, activity feeds, and profile pages. No additional signup or permission is required. Simply reference someone in your Twitter post, add the hashtag #p4p and a positive (eg. #p4p+56) or negative number (eg. #p4p-42) of your choice.

Phantom Compass Founding Partner & Producer/Director Tony Walsh is currently down in San Francisco, so I conducted a quick email interview with him to find out more about Points 4 People:

VG: How (and why) did you come up with the concept for Points4People?

TW: Our technical director Jos Yule had come up with the idea of Points 4 People as a secret side project. He mentioned the concept to me a few weeks ago while we were on our way to a meeting, and by the time we arrived we decided it had to get made.

As a game company we’ve been following developments in so-called “gamification” for years, and we’re fascinated by how invested people become in reward structures. Points 4 People is an experiment in this area, and we think it’s got a lot of potential for consumer and business use.

VG: How long has Points 4 People been in development?

TW: We’ve spent several weeks on the project but the development time was probably under 40 person-hours. We’re in an ongoing development phase now as we iron out bugs, test new ideas, and implement user feedback.

VG: What was the biggest challenge the studio faced in bringing Points 4 People to life?

TW: Time. We burned a lot of midnight oil immediately prior to launch.

VG: Will there be a monetization aspect to this gamification of Twitter?

TW: Absolutely. We’ve got consumer and B2B options cooking. We’re going to be very careful with how we handle the commercialization.

VG: I know you’ve only just launched – but has anyone taken the game too seriously yet? (I was meaning from an over-praising/vindictive perspective, but Tony’s answer is good news, too!)

TW:Yes, there’s already been unofficial interest from one of the world’s largest technology companies.

VG: Where do you see Points 4 People going – what is your hope for the game?

TW: We are paying close attention to what our users want and how they are using Points 4 People. As we plan for a Facebook implementation we’re also getting great feedback on the Twitter-based system and making changes on a daily basis.

VG: Thank you for your time, is there anything else you’d like to add?

TW: #p4p+1000 @villagegamer

🙂

The actors starring in the July 2011 Toronto Fringe Festival production of The Mistress’ Boyfriend – an original play written by DeeJay Dayton – are putting their improv training to work – rather than using the stage to improvise they are using the online world to further develop their characters on Facebook.

The play is the story of a Southern Preacher who has re-written the Bible, his mischievous wife, an anarchist prostitute and her ex-con boyfriend.  Told in reverse order the play is filled with mystery and murder. Each of the actors have created a facebook page and all are interacting on their event page;  posting photos and videos and developing their relationships online. The idea for this character development was the brainchild of Artsy Fartsy PR who are doing publicity for the event.

Alexis Fakouri from Artsy Fartsy PR says: “We created this concept based on the idea that every one of us has an online and a real life persona. Increasingly, people interact more with each other online than they do in person – why should these characters be any different?”

The play is showing at Theatre Passe Muraille Backspace between July 7th and 15th, 2011.  The cast: Mandy May Cheetham, DeeJay Dayton, Amanda Petryschuk, and Oliver Georgiou and directed by Alan Bee – a comedic improviser, director and producer.

The Mistress’ Boyfriend – written by Deejay Dayton and presented by Quondam Dreams of Toronto

An imperious bible publisher, an aspiring anarchist, an ex-con and a woman who will do anything for a thrill get caught up in a whirlwind of deceptions, betrayals, sex games and murder in this darkly comic melodrama. how did it all come to this?

Director: Natasha Booner
Genre: Play, Comedy
Warning: Smoking, Gunshots, Nudity, Sexual Content, Graphic Violence, Mature Language
Show Runtime: 50 minutes

Show Times:

Thursday, July – 7 7:45 PM
Friday, July 8 – 8:15 PM
Sunday, July 10 – 1:00 PM
Monday, July 11 – 2:15 PM
Tuesday, July 12 – 6:45 PM
Wednesday, July 13 – 4:45 PM
Friday, July 15 – 1:45 PM
Saturday, July 16 – 9:45 PM

Toronto studio March Entertainment has released its first Android game to the Marketplace. The bubble-popping puzzler Cranky Cat is a free to try title, with more levels available through in-app purchasing. There are more than 250 hand-crafted levels in Story and Puzzle modes, as well as three variations of “infinite” mode. A free demo can be played on the official Cranky Cat website. An Apple iOS (iPad, iPhone and iPod touch) version will arrive in the coming weeks, as well as full online and downloadable versions.

Fast-paced and addictive, the game features a cantankerous Victorian-era cat trying to create a youth elixir by condensing chemical compounds in a steam-powered centrifuge. Cranky Cat is March’s first game not tied to an existing intellectual property, and marks the company’s foray into “pure” casual gaming just for the fun of it. Cranky Cat is OpenFeint-enabled and was built in the Unity game engine, another first for March Entertainment, which has previously built games primarily in Flash, such as The Great Canadian Trivia Shootout and Dex Hamilton’s Bug Quest.

Last month the studio’s groundbreaking web-to-TV animated comedy series Chilly Beach became available in the U.S. for the first time on Hulu and the Hulu Plus subscription service, via a deal with distributor Duopoly. Originally produced for the CBC, Chilly Beach ran over three seasons and garnered a large and enthusiastic following through a combination of broadcast play and the property’s dynamic, interactive website.

Along with Chilly Beach, two original series-related movies released after the TV series, The World is Hot Enough and The Canadian President are also available on Hulu and Hulu Plus. The series and movies are viewable for free on Hulu.com to U.S. viewers.

“Chilly Beach was the first web-to-TV series in Canada and we are delighted to launch this flagship comedy franchise to U.S. audiences for the first time on Hulu,” said Catherine Tait, President of Duopoly. “We’ve seen impressive viewership numbers for great Canadian series like Odd Job Jack on Hulu and believe it is a valuable option for producers seeking to monetize their content in the U.S.”

ChinaJoy is the hallmark gaming industry show in mainland China. It is the best attended show with all the major market players exhibiting, speaking and networking at exhibition halls, business conferences and dinner receptions. Every year the show is visited by over 100,000 visitors (over 140,000 in 2010 event). In 2010, 17,105 professional visitors walked in the show.

There will be a Canada Pavilion at the Business-to-Business (B2B) Section of ChinaJoy 2011 co-organised by the Consulate General of Canada in Shanghai, the Alberta Beijing Office, the British-Columbia International Trade & Investment Representative Office East China, the Ontario Shanghai Office, and the Québec Government Representative Office in Shanghai.

Canadian game companies are welcome to join the pavilion either by presence at the booth to meet with visitors or to do a catalogue show. There is no cost to join the pavilion however the companies are responsible for their travel expenses.

Apart from the show, ChinaJoy also includes three major conferences: China Game Business Conference (CGBC), China Game Outsourcing Conference (CGOC), and China Game Developers Conference (CGDC). Interested companies can register online at ChinaJoy’s official website.

For detailed information on ChinaJoy 2011 and the Canada Pavilion, please contact Sandra Jiang from Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada.

Distribution360 has announced that it will be representing the worldwide, non-linear rights to the hit MTV series Undressed, on behalf of the show’s producer, at the 2011 Banff World Media Festival. Distribution360 will be looking for a home on VOD, home video, online, and mobile platforms for the 222-episode, award-winning property.

Created and executive produced by British director Roland Joffé, Undressed is an anthology series that follows the sexual and romantic relationships of young people in the Los Angeles area, featuring such notable personalities as Adam Brody, Katee Sackhoff, Brandon Routh, Jason Ritter and Chad Michael Murray. The show is known for its frank discussions on sex, promiscuous behaviour, and gay and lesbian relationships. Undressed ran for six seasons on MTV, and at its peak, aired to well over 10 million viewers per week; the show is also the recipient of a GLADD Media Award.

“We’re very excited to be showcasing this edgy and intriguing property in Banff this year,” says Stéphanie Röckmann-Portier, Head of Sales, Distribution360. “Non-linear platforms are becoming increasingly popular within the ever-evolving media landscape, and we’re thrilled to be presenting Undressed to these mediums.”

Flew The Coop is a very simple game with very simple mechanics featuring auto-run and 2D retro-styled graphics. This pick up and play title was developed by Jason Kaplan and Damian Sommer, with Troy Morrisey and Ryan Cox of Darc Productions providing the sound and music.

The premise of this game is to help the renegade chicken avoid the Farmer in his attempts to run away from the farm. You do this by jumping on other farm animals – pigs offer a little extra bounce to chicken-powered flight, by the way. Some quick thinking strategy and running across hay bales or jumping on crows to reach the barn roof will get you to the weather vanes, which can help to propel the renegade chicken beyond the reach of the fun spoiling Farmer.

It is necessary to jump the other farm animals, because running into them is not good for your health and slows you down. Simply tap the screen for a quick jump or hold your finger down for a longer flight – sometimes a longer flight is needed, so time your taps carefully. Your success in Flew The Coop is measured in the distance you covered before being nabbed by the Farmer, and the faster you run, the more ground you’ll cover. Unless you run into the Farmer, that is.

Flew The Coop is available now on iTunes for 99 cents USD, supports Game Centre and is rated 4+. The game is compatible with iPhone, iPod touch and iPad devices running iOS 3.0 or later. I can attest to it working on a 2nd gen iPod Touch with the current operating system. The developers may port the title over to Android, WP7, and possibly XBLIG, Steam, or the Mac App Store in the future.

Paradox Interactive and Vancouver’s Kerberos Studios unravel more mysteries of the universe in a new gameplay trailer for Sword of the Stars II: The Lords of Winter, sequel to Kerberos’ hit 4X science fiction strategy game. Bigger, better, stronger, faster. Sword of the Stars II comes to your corner of the galaxy this autumn.

Features:

– Lead one of six playable factions, including a mysterious new race with an influence that was felt throughout Sword of the Stars I, as you strive for galactic dominance
– Discover highly detailed star systems featuring planetary orbits, moons, asteroid belts and different space terrain
– Experience 4X space strategy in stunning new ways with the powerful MARS 2 graphics engine
– Design and build your own ships – including the formidable new Leviathan class – with new levels of detail, including specific sub systems, allowing for more fleet strategies and tactics
– Research advanced technology, from the Fusion era to the Anti-Matter era and beyond…
– Engage in fierce multiplayer battles with up to 8 players

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zvpada4dWM4]

Sword of the Stars II: Lords of Winter offers an evolved version of the original six races from Sword of the Stars and its expansions. The game will reveal 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 II is poised to revive the 4X space genre and is scheduled for release in September, 2011.

Dragon’s Lair 2: Time Warp, developed by Digital Leisure and published by EA Mobile is the one and only true follow-up to the landmark Dragon’s Lair created by renowned animator Don Bluth. Just like the famous arcade classic, players can continue the adventures of Dirk the Daring as he bumbles his way through feats of strength and valour.

Only you, Dirk the Daring, can save Princess Daphne from the clutches of the Evil Wizard Mordroc in this fully animated arcade classic from the legendary animator and director Don Bluth. It is a dark time in all the land. The Evil Wizard Mordroc has spirited away Princess Daphne to a wrinkle in time, scheming to force her into marriage. As Dirk the Daring, you must race through time to rescue her. A bumbling old time machine (and all the courage you can muster) will transport you on your mission. But you must hurry. Once the Casket of Doom has opened, Mordroc will place the Death Ring upon Daphne’s finger in marriage – and she will be lost forever in the Time Warp!

On your quest to save Princess Daphne, you will visit 8 different dimensions and eras in time. Encounter characters from literature and history such as Alice In Wonderland, Sleeping Beauty, and Beethoven. As Dirk the Daring, you might wind up in the Garden of Eden, Ancient Egypt – or even in prehistoric times battling dinosaurs.

Customize your adventure – the responsive and intuitive controls let you play with or without move guides. You can choose to use 3, 5, or even infinite lives. And exclusively with iPhone & iPod touch, you can play through the Original version or the new Director’s Cut, which features an alternate ending. Prepare for a grandly goofy good time, whether you’re an arcade enthusiast seeking to relive the adventure or the brave of heart seeing the Daring One shriek at the sight of a monster for the first time.

Dragon’s Lair 2: Time Warp is available now in the iTunes App Store for $ 2.99 USD and is Rated 9+ for the following:

This game is compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad devices and requires iOS 3.0 or later.