Village Gamer

Lighthouse Interactive and developer G5 Software have announced that WWII Battle Tanks: T-34 vs. Tiger, their interactive and exhilarating tank simulation game for Windows®, will be available at GamersGate.com and Direct2Drive.com beginning October 17, 2008. Lighthouse aims to wow simulation fans with yet another high quality and genre-defining simulation game.

WWII Battle Tanks: T-34 vs. Tiger allows players to experience the power of some of the most advanced tank weaponry of its time, as German and Russian forces battle head on during critical World War 2 campaigns. Its historically accurate representations of environments and vehicles (interiors and exteriors), realistic physics, and Internet and LAN multiplayer gameplay for up to sixteen players, promises to engage simulation fans in true-to-life tank warfare.

GAME SUMMARY

WWII Battle Tanks: T-34 vs. Tiger takes place in Belarus during the summer of 1944, in which the Soviet Union launched ‘Operation Bagration’, the Belarusian offensive, against the retreating German Wehrmacht. After Kursk, this was the most significant struggle of the two tank armies that resulted in the complete destruction of the German Army Group Centre and the Soviet recapture of all territories within their 1941 borders.

Read the rest of this entry »

Spore is the first of its kind for the simulation genre of video games. Playing this game takes you through the journey of being a small little cell fighting for survival slowly evolving into an actual creature that will allow you to create a tribe, civilization, and even as far as outreaching to space. I guess the sky isn’t the limit with this game.

The interface for Spore is very easy to use. A simple drag and drop interface is used for creating creatures and objects of all types. The possibilities are endless! When in a 3D world, normal WASD keys can be used to navigate as well as the mouse. The true test was to see if I could use WASD, Click-Navigation, and Mouse-Navigation — this game passes that test! You can use all 3 traditional navigation methods.

A big part of this game is the artificial intelligence. Your own creature has AI as well as your enemies and allies. One of the cool concepts I love about this game is your ability to make friends or foe. You can approach another creature that knows nothing about you. If you sing to it, you can make friends. If you bite it, it’s going to bite back and be a foe. So what if there’s a creature that you approach that already doesn’t like you? Simple! You can either be mean to it and kill it off or you could be the better creature and make friends with it. How cool is that?

Read the rest of this entry »

September 19, 2008 (Toronto, CANADA): DreamCatcher Games, a leading publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment software, today announced they have signed one of the most complete World War II games ever, War Leaders: Clash of Nations for Windows® for release in North America in October, 2008 for a suggested retail price of $39.99USD.

War Leaders: Clash of Nations, developed by Enigma Software is a unique combination of turn-based global management and Real-Time Strategy (RTS) where players will assume the role of one of the seven most important characters of WWII and be granted the power to control and manage all the main aspects of a massive war effort.

“War Leaders: Clash of Nations does a fantastic job of a creating a historical accuracy of WWII,” said Brian Gladman, Global Product Manager at DreamCatcher Games. “Not only does this game provide a full representation of historic and prototype units for each country, but players get to dive right into the roles of real WWII personalities, such as Roosevelt, Mussolini, Hitler, and Churchill.”

Read the rest of this entry »

The first annual SPARK Animation Festival was held over the past five days in Vancouver. Organized by our local ACM SIGGRAPH chapter, the event experienced a steady, high attendance and great reviews from those who attended the various panels and screenings.

SPARK’s opening event was an informal question and answer session with Mark Osborne and John Stevenson, co-directors of the Dreamworks animated feature Kung Fu Panda. Through a series of questions led by moderator Glenn Entis, the directors divulged how the film’s artists created animation which not only respected the Chinese culture, it remained true to real-life Kung Fu. In order to help understand the discipline and movement of martial arts, the studio team was led through a grueling five hour instructional session by wushu instructor Eric Chen. Further insight was gained regarding the teamwork, development milestones and philosophies behind Kung Fu Panda were shared with the audience, making it an enjoyable learning experience for all who attended. The panel discussion was followed with a special screening of Kung Fu Panda, which turned out to be a very well-done animation with a simple message – it doesn’t matter who you are, you have it within you to become your own hero.

The entire SPARK Festival was filled with a great mixture of fun, education and social networking. Other

Read the rest of this entry »

Through the generous sponsorship of Big Fish Games, a Women In Games International social mixer was held recently in Vancouver – an event I have long hoped for. I have received many invitations in the past to other WIGI events, but was never able to attend as they were always being held at events I wasn’t able to be at. This local event, which was held at the Goldfish Pacific Kitchen in Yaletown, was very well attended. Several of us were invited up to the future home of Big Fish Games Canada for a quick tour and informational session. I am truly envious of that office space – the dark wood beam ceiling and old exposed brick walls make for a warm, welcoming atmosphere, and I am looking forward to seeing how the studio will look once everyone is moved in.

The most exciting news to develop from the social mixer is that WIGI will be increasing their involvement in the Vancouver area, starting with a panel discussion later this fall. The details of the panel are yet to be released, but promises to be an exciting addition to the monthly educational panels hosted in Vancouver, such as those held by our local ACM SIGGRAPH chapter. If you or anyone you know would like to become involved with WIGI, please visit their site for more information.

The 2009 Game Design Expo, hosted by Vancouver Film School, is accepting submissions from game industry professionals wishing to present at Game Design Expo on February 7-8, 2009 in Vancouver, BC.

The sold-out 2008 Expo featured speakers from Bungie, BioWare, Activision, EA, and many more, and garnered unprecedented support from the media and industry. Join the conversation: play a part in your industry’s evolution and the fostering of new talent.

The Game Design Expo organizers are looking for guest speakers with something to say and a desire to share their knowledge. In particular, we welcome talks that fall into the general categories of Pre-Production, Prototyping, and Pitching. If you are interested in becoming a guest speaker at the Game Design Expo, please contact the Event Manager, Shira Gordon at 604-631-3562.

Richmond, British Columbia – September 10, 2008 – Microsoft Corporation’s first Canadian development center officially opened today in Richmond, British Columbia. The Microsoft Canada Development Centre (MCDC) currently employs over 300 of the world’s best software developers who work on over half of Microsoft’s products including Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Office, the Zune Media Player, Windows Mobile, Ad Platform, AD Search, Unified Communications, Exchange Server, Visual Studios, Silverlight and the Xbox 360.

Read the rest of this entry »

September 9, 2008. Toronto, Canada: The Adventure Company today announced the worldwide distribution of “Agatha Christie – Death on the Nile” for Windows®. With the continued success of the company’s Agatha Christie titles, the series starts again in a new genre!

Experience a thrilling Hidden Object murder mystery game aboard a paddle steamer making its way down the Nile River. Assume the role of Hercule Poirot as you investigate a savage murder and find hidden clues, interrogate suspects, and much more in Agatha Christie’s classic whodunit, Death on the Nile.

Uncover clues and evidence tied directly to the story, play mini-games along the way to help compile your evidence. When you have enough evidence, question the passengers in the salon and discover the identity of the real murderer!

Toronto, Canada – September 9, 2008 – Today leading publisher Lighthouse Interactive, part of SilverBirch Inc.’s (SVB:TSXV) videogame division, and accomplished developer Kerberos Productions announced that A Murder of Crows, the latest expansion to their highly acclaimed 4X space strategy game Sword of the Stars (PC) is now available for Pre-order exclusively at GamersGate.com. Players are required to have either Sword of the Stars: Collector’s Edition or Born of Blood in order to play this new addition to the franchise.

GAME SUMMARY
While the four civilized races battle back the voracious Zuul and seek advantage over each other, a ghost from the past returns to the galaxy in the form of the manipulative Morrigi. Already known for their dark crow-shaped attack drones and deadly traps, this race once thought long extinct, returns looking for vengeance.

Read the rest of this entry »

SEATTLE – August 29, 2008 – Big Fish Games™, the world’s leading online destination for games and interactive entertainment, today announced the launch of Azada: Ancient Magic, developed by Big Fish Games Studios and available exclusively at BigFishGames.com. Following the success of the original hit Azada, the first puzzle-adventure game developed for online digital distribution, the sequel, Azada: Ancient Magic raises the bar for games in this emerging casual genre to new heights.

“We all agreed that we didn’t want to do a quick sequel with just more one-page puzzles; we had a responsibility to the fans to take things much further,” said Emmanuel Marty, director of Big Fish Games Studios Europe. “Where Azada had pages, Azada: Ancient Magic has entire books, over 20 of them including a secret book exclusively for players who completed the original Azada.”
“Azada: Ancient Magic uses the best elements of the original game and transports players into a much deeper experience,” said Patrick Wylie of vice president of studios at Big Fish Games. “Incorporating heroes, villains, and legends from classic stories gives the game a dramatic appeal and a feeling of familiarity.”

Read the rest of this entry »