Village Gamer

On September 1st officers from Richmond RCMP’s Station Targeted Action Response Team as well as officers from the Economic Crime Section arrested a 31 year old male for allegedly selling pirated copies of video games at a local Richmond business.

In April of this year Richmond’s Economic Crime Section received information from investigators at IPSA International that a video game retail business located in the Parker Place Mall was selling pirated copies of video games. IPSA International is an independent firm which provides clients with investigative consulting & risk advisory services in areas such as anti-money laundering & fraud.

On September 1st a search warrant was executed at Penguin Village Hobbies & Entertainment located in the Parker Place Mall. A search warrant was also executed on a vehicle associated to the business which was located outside the store. Numerous copies of infringed video games were seized along with electronic devices of evidentiary value.

A 31 year old Richmond resident was released from custody & will face his first court appearance on December 2nd. Police will be forwarding a charge of selling or offering for sale an infringing copy of a work or other subject matter in which a copyright subsists for Crown’s approval.

Crackle, Sony Pictures Entertainment’s premium video entertainment network is now available in Canada, it was announced today by Eric Berger, Senior VP of  Digital Networks for Sony Pictures Television (SPT).

Crackle’s unique mix of high-quality content can now be found online in Canada, as well as via distribution partners including RogersOnDemand, YouTube, Boxee, Dailymotion, and Metacafe. Advertiser supported, Crackle features high-quality original short-form series, full-length and short-form television shows, and motion pictures from the vast Sony Pictures library. The site’s content is refreshed on a regular basis and reaches a wide audience through its impressive online distribution network. Rogers Digital Media will be the ad sales agent for Crackle.com in Canada and will sell the site’s Canadian inventory across its online distribution channels. Read the rest of this entry »

EA BioWare™ has released new downloadable content for the critically-acclaimed games Dragon Age™: Origins and Mass Effect™ 2, throwing gamers back into epic battles with new stories revolving around key supporting characters in each franchise. The Dragon Age: Origins DLC pack, “Witch Hunt” ($6.99 on PlayStation® Network, 560 Microsoft points on the Xbox 360®, 560 BioWare Points on PC) features a story that reconnects players with one of the series’ original larger-than-life heroes, Morrigan. The Mass Effect 2 DLC pack, “Lair of the Shadow Broker” (800 Microsoft Points on Xbox 360, 800 BioWare Points on PC), centers around Liara, a popular character and squadmate from the original Mass Effect.

“Both ‘Witch Hunt’ and ‘Lair of the Shadow Broker’ represent our commitment to keeping the game worlds alive with high quality content, even post-launch,” said BioWare Edmonton General Manager Aaryn Flynn. “Fans are asking for more characters, more adventures and that is what we’re delivering. Morrigan and Liara are two of the most beloved characters in their respective franchises and completing these new journeys will add to the story and action of both games.”

Dragon Age: Origins “Witch Hunt” picks up Morrigan’s story after the defeat of the Archdemon and her disappearance into the shadows. Nearly a year has passed since the Archdemon’s death, and word has reached the Wardens that Morrigan has returned to Ferelden. Seeking to confirm her presence and confront her about her mysterious disappearance, players will head into the forest to tie up this last loose end once and for all. Players can either import their characters from Dragon Age: Origins and Dragon Age: Origins — Awakening or create a new, high-level hero.

In Mass Effect 2 “Lair of the Shadow Broker”, Liara T’Soni is tracking down the mysterious Shadow Broker with the hopes of recovering a kidnap victim. Liara enlists the help of Commander Shepard and his crew, chasing clues from the luxurious heights of Illium to the depths of the Shadow Broker’s own secret lair. The new DLC pack adds the Shadow Broker intel center, new research, as well as the chance to continue a relationship with Liara from the original Mass Effect.

After a very successful midnight launch at two Canadian EB Games outlets, EA Sports™ NHL® SlapShot and NHL® 11, developed by EA Canada, are now in Canadian stores. EA Sports NHL 11 for the PlayStation®3 and Xbox 360® is rated E10+, while the E rated NHL SlapShot is available exclusively for the Nintendo Wii™.

“We are extremely excited about our hockey offerings this year,” says Brent Nielsen, executive producer, EA Sports. “Our NHL product is consistently one of our strongest titles on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, and this year with NHL SlapShot, we feel we’ve created a hockey experience that is unlike anything that has come before it on the Wii.”

NHL 11 marks the 20th Anniversary of the award winning EA Sports NHL franchise, by introducing a genre changing real-time physics engine that replicates the real sport like never before. With real physics powering NHL 11, every check, broken stick and bounce of the puck will now react like it does in the real world. NHL 11 also introduces a revamped faceoff system to the franchise. Now players will be given all the options that an NHL center has in the faceoff circle, giving users even more control than they have ever had in an EA Sports NHL game. In addition, the EA Sports Ultimate Hockey League makes its debut in NHL 11. In the EA Sports Ultimate Hockey League, players collect cards that represent the players on their team. With 4000 cards to collect and use, representing players from the CHL, European leagues and NHL, users must manage chemistry, training, and a salary cap as they build their squad, and take them to the ice to challenge the world.

EA Sports NHL SlapShot is the franchise’s first outing on the Wii, and it skates onto the platform by literally putting a hockey stick into the player’s hands. The hockey stick accessory*, which is included in all copies of NHL SlapShot, will allow players to pull off shooting, checking, stick handling and many more moves in the game by performing real life motions that the pros use on the ice. In addition, Peewee to Pro mode allows users to start as a youngster playing on a backyard pond and grow through Bantam leagues and the CHL before stepping on to the NHL ice. With skill growth and unlockable boosts, the Peewee to Pro Mode is one of the deepest single player career modes in an EA Sports title to date. NHL SlapShot also features Wayne Gretzky on both the cover, and in-game. Players will have a chance to play through the Great One’s career, from his humble beginnings on a frozen pond to his dominating NHL presence.

Marvel’s famous web-slinger is back in action and on store shelves in Spider-Man™: Shattered Dimensions from Activision Publishing, whose Quebec development studio Beenox has created a unique, immersive experience allowing fans to play as four distinct versions of Spider-Man in four unique worlds – Amazing, Noir, 2099 and Ultimate – in a race to save their universes against the villainous machinations of Mysterio, Carnage, Deadpool, Vulture, Kraven and more.

“The team at Beenox is giving fans an incredibly diverse Spider-Man™ video game experience,” said David Pokress, Head of Marketing for Licensed Properties, Activision Publishing, Inc. “Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions casts players in an epic action adventure where they battle in four different worlds, rife with classic villains re-interpreted within each world, offering a rich variety of gameplay and striking art styles in one unique storyline.”

Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions transports players to a variety of locations, from lush jungles and sand quarries to a futuristic NYC, and allows them to use unique gameplay styles for each Spider-Man, including stealth moves in Noir, gliding maneuvers in 2099, black-suited tendril attacks in Ultimate, and innovative web combat in Amazing.

Penned by acclaimed Marvel comic book writer Dan Slott, the story takes players on a mission to restore the magical energy of the Tablet of Order and Chaos, which has been shattered and scattered across parallel universes. Gamers are challenged to battle fan-favorite villains such as the lethal Kraven and a custom, never-before-seen Noir version of Hammerhead, in a quest to restore the fabric of reality.

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7dEbe3cY6M]

Each of the actors voicing Spider-Man in the game has portrayed the web-slinger in previous Spider-Man animated television series. Neil Patrick Harris (Amazing Spider-Man) voiced the wall-crawler in “Spider-Man: The New Animated Series” in 2003; Josh Keaton (Ultimate Spider-Man) was the voice of Spider-Man in “The Spectacular Spider-Man” from 2008-2009; Dan Gilvezan (Spider-Man 2099) starred in “Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends” from 1981-1983; and Christopher Daniel Barnes (Spider-Man Noir) voiced the iconic Super Hero™ in “Spider-Man,” the 1994 series.

Additionally, legendary Spider-Man co-creator and comic book icon Stan Lee will guide players through the storyline of Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions as the game’s narrator, and Emmy Award-winning composer Jim Dooley has created an original orchestral score for the game.

Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions is rated “T” for Teen by the ESRB and is available now on the Xbox 360®, PlayStation®3, Nintendo Wii™ and will be available soon for Windows PC, all developed by Beenox. A Nintendo DS™ version, developed by Griptonite, is also now available and features a side-scrolling adventure full of unique villains, such as the first-ever appearance of Calypso Noir and two other boss characters created exclusively for this version.

It was with great sadness over this past weekend that I learned of the passing of designer Brian Wood. Only 33 years old, Brian was fatally injured in a motor vehicle accident Friday evening on Whidbey Island in Washington state. His wife Erin, who is 6 months pregnant with their first child, was with Brian in the vehicle when it was struck head-on by another vehicle just north of Oak Harbor. Two passengers in the other vehicle also perished, and the driver of that vehicle, along with another passenger, are expected to face criminal charges relating to this tragic accident.

As many of Vancouver’s development community know, Brian was lead designer for Relic Entertainment’s Company of Heroes Online. I first met Brian back in December of 2006 when he, along with senior artist Roland Longpre, presented a post-mortem on the then brand-new Company of Heroes debut title at the Art Institute’s ARTmageddon.

Many of us will remember Brian as the guy with the kind of laugh and sense of humour that could get everyone going. A designer who believed in the importance of marrying story to gameplay, he was always on the go, a sports enthusiast and was always willing to share his knowledge of game development with those who wanted to learn. Michael will remember Brian as the guy who handed him his butt in a Company of Heroes tournament at ARTmageddon, making a big comeback in round three to steal the victory. The good-hearted banter between Roland, Brian and the gamers during the tournament showed how much Brian enjoyed being a game designer, and how important it was to him that the people playing a Company of Heroes game had a great time, even though he had their back to the trenches, so to speak. In memory of Brian, I am re-releasing the 2006 article I wrote about the Company of Heroes Mission Breakdown. Please feel free to share your memories of Brian in the comment section.

The focus of this lecture was the development team for Relic’s latest RTS release Company of Heroes, specifically Mission 7, a commando/infiltration-style mission which takes place in Normandy.

Mr. Longpre opened the lecture stating that the single most important element for a development team is communication. This stands true for every stage from concept to product shipping. The first step in developing a game is the concept stage. At this point, the game concept along with a one page outline of the game and a basic map are presented to the studio’s lead development team. If the concept is accepted and the go-ahead given to develop the game, then a basic team is formed. The actual development time for Company of Heroes was four years from concept to completion, with a development team of up to ninety members. Read the rest of this entry »

I was recently asked to go to EA Burnaby and play NHL Slapshot for  the Wii.  So Chuck Beaman (camera operator) and I grabbed the camera and headed to Burnaby (see part 1 of my video preview),We were greeted by Rick Brown a designer on the game to talk about NHL Slapshot and the new NHL Slapshot controller, and the new game modes it offers.

NHL Slapshot has been in development at EA Burnaby for a couple of years due to launch this Tuesday September 7th for the Nintendo Wii, and this game has many things going for it.

“The Great One” Wayne Gretzky (cover athlete) is available to any team you want, so just choose him from the free agent pool and add him to your squad. CHL teams are also available to play as.

EA really wanted to bring back the feeling of being a kid with one of those small sticks in your hand and the craze of living room hockey, so their solution was the NHL Slapshot game and controller.

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLw59U20Puc] Part 1

The NHL Slapshot controller is a hockey stick in your hand, with the nunchuck in the top to control your player and the Wii mote in the shaft of the stick to detect the motions. prepare to shoot,pass and hit with the stick. Taking shots is extremely easy just by flicking the stick you take a wrist shot and to take a slap shot just wind up and shoot. To hit you do a crosschecking motion with the stick holding it parallel. You can also play goaltender with the stick when you pop out the nunchuck and hold it in front of you, which all felt really well tuned and responsive.

The first prototype of this stick was actually made with a 300 dollar composite stick with the Wiimote and nunchuck inside it.

The Slapshot stick comes in the box with the game and additional ones can be bought at the place of purchase of the game.

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbS_55M7obg] Part 2

The game looks and plays a little different too compared to its big brother NHL 11. The designers had a common phrase as they made this game “What would nintendo do” so when you take a really hard slapshot or big hit you get some flames behind the puck or a satisfying thump with a hit.

One big difference is the ability to play their Peewee to Pro mode in which you can create a character and lead him/her through 5 different leagues (Peewee,Bantam,Junior,CHL and NHL), complete with different  game rules and team sizes. In Peewee it’s 3 on 3 but arcade style,  CHL/NHL is full 5 on 5 with all the rules and team members available.

With 4 different player models as you advance your career through Pee Wee to Pro you will visibly see your character grow with your eyes. Adding to that is their boost system which allows you to unlock for your character over 200 boosts available for completing things in the game such as getting all A’s in a game. You will also be able change your attributes as you upgrade your player.

Another first for a hockey sporting game on the Wii is online rosters and schedules, Day one players will be able to download current rosters and schedules that will update as they change over the season using the Wii’s wifi internet capabilities. It was also mentioned that it would be supported for at least 2 years so you would be able to come back to the game and update even after this current season is over and then to the next this is EA’s strategy on the WIi.

Other game modes include Stanley Cup Playoffs (best of 7 series), Free 4 all and 3 other mini games. Free 4 all has you and up to 3 friends lace up your skates and go against one goaltender to score 3 goals first  while all fighting for one puck.

The 3 other mini games are Shooter vs Goalie,2 on 2 and classic shootout. Shooter vs Goalie is player VS player where one player is the shooter and the other is the goalie using the goalie controls.

2 VS 2 is the regular game of hockey played 2 on 2.

Classic shootout is a shootout with 5 players on either side that can be played by 4 people with multipliers and bonuses for consecutive goals.

After playing 2 games against Rick (see part 2 of my video) I think Im able to say that EA provided a very high quality NHL game to the Wii that far exceeded my impressions of what a hockey game for the Wii was like. I would definitely recommend this to any one with a Wii or a great stocking stuffer for that special hockey player in your family.

So make sure you check it out and look for it on store shelves on September 7th

James Karg
email: James-at-villagegamer-dot-net

Developed by THQ’s Relic Entertainment studio, creators of the award-winning Company of Heroes® and Dawn of War® franchises, Company of Heroes Online is an online multiplayer Real-Time-Strategy game that is free to download and play. Building on the frenetic Real-Time-Strategy action of the original Company of Heroes, Company of Heroes Online offers army specialization, commander customization, and persistent progression. Players will enter each match with a unique selection of upgrades and hero units with new items and experience earned with every match played.

The Company of Heroes Online Open Beta features two different armies, the Allies and Axis, each with three different divisions offering players a choice of play style. The Open Beta features 17 different multiplayer maps, which will be split between 1v1, 2v2, 3v3 and 4v4 modes. Players of the Company of Heroes Online Open Beta will also be able to enjoy the single player campaign from Company of Heroes for free. Players can download and play the Open Beta now by going to the game’s official site.

Michael Lustenberger, Vice President of Global Brand Management – Online, commented, “There really is no barrier to entry with Company of Heroes Online. Players will be able to experience both the single player campaign and online multiplayer for free and even receive free in-game items if they register before September 8. Sign-up today and experience the critically acclaimed Company of Heroes for yourself.”

Users who register for the Company of Heroes Online Open Beta before September 8 will also receive an exclusive in-game item pack for free. This pack will include 3,000 free supply points to use in the shop, 500xp to level up the commander, one free hero unit and one free army item giving early adopters a head start on the competition.

The Honourable Peter MacKay, Minister of National Defence; Blake Goldring, Chairman of Canada Company and Chairman and CEO, AGF Management Limited; along with Rear Admiral Andrew Smith, Canadian Forces Chief of Military Personnel; today presented scholarships to eight surviving offspring of fallen Canadian Forces personnel.

The scholarships are provided as a tribute to fallen Canadian Forces personnel by a charitable business group called Canada Company. Each recipient will receive up to $16,000 each – up to $4,000 per year for up to four years – to help defray the costs of their post secondary education.

The third annual awards ceremony was conducted aboard the HMCS Frederiction. The Halifax-based frigate is currently on a five-week Canadian tour, including seven port visits along the St. Lawrence Seaway and the Great Lakes.

“The HMCS Fredericton is a fitting backdrop to honour these fine students,” said Blake Goldring. “Their parents made a commitment to serve our country and today our commitment is to help them pursue their education. Canada Company provides the means for both businesses and individuals to support our military and their families to ensure they are taken care of with ongoing initiatives like these scholarships.”

“The Government of Canada recognizes and deeply appreciates the ultimate sacrifice these families have paid for their country,” said Minister MacKay. “The Canada Company Scholarship helps the deserving children of our fallen to pursue post-secondary education and start on the road to their future careers.”

“The families of our fallen remain an important part of the Canadian Forces family who need our support,” said Rear Admiral Andrew Smith. “The Canadian Forces greatly appreciate the support that Canada Company and Canadians from coast to coast to coast have shown to the families of our fallen soldiers.”

The 2010/11 recipients of Canada Company’s educational scholarship fund awards are:

* Robert Girouard of Orillia is studying Law and Justice at Laurentian University.
* Kirsten Hess-von Kruedener of Burlington is studying at the RCC Institute of Technology Interior Design.
* Sheralynn Kennedy of Winnipeg is attending the University of Winnipeg working towards a doctorate in Psychology.
* Matthew Mellish of French Lake is attending the University of New Brunswick.
* Myriam Mercier of Quebec City is studying Nursing at Cegep de Sainte-Foy.
* Adam Naismith of Moose Jaw is studying Arts and Sciences at the University of Saskatchewan.
* Jocelyn Ranger of Pembroke is studying business at Algonquin College.
* Natasha Roberge of Hamner is studying English and Music at Laurentian University.

The Canada Company Scholarship Fund provides $4,000 per year, for up to four years, to support the post-secondary education for children who qualify. Children of Canadian Forces members who have died on duty while serving in an active role in a military mission of the Canadian Forces or reserves since January 2002 are eligible to apply. The Canada Company Scholarship Fund will provide scholarship grants to children dating back to January 1, 2002.

Canada Company scholarships have received leadership funding in the amount of $1 million from CIBC. Additional financial support was secured from Power Corporation; Peter Munk, Founder and Chairman of Barrick Gold Corporation; Jim Balsillie, Co-Chief Executive Officer of Research In Motion (RIM); RBH Inc.; The W. Garfield Weston Foundation; The TD Bank Financial Group, BMO Financial Group; Scotiabank; Standard Life; Laurentian Bank of Canada / B2B Trust and AGF Management Limited. Canada Company is calling on other members of the corporate community to contribute to this important initiative.

Canada Company oversees the fund through an independent committee, along with members of the Canadian Forces, to ensure that bereaved children have the opportunity to receive this scholarship.

One way which you can show your support for Canada Company Scholarships is to take part in the upcoming North American Van Lines Tour de Force, an exhilarating cycling trip through southern Ontario and Quebec. The bike/run will kick off at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto with celebrities in attendance including players from the Toronto Maple Leafs and former NHLer’s and will last for seven days ending in beautiful downtown Montreal. The trip will be broken down into seven 85-kilometre intervals. Cyclists can register for the entire trip or certain legs of the journey. At the end of each leg of the trip there will be a celebration in the evening.

_{editor’s note: While this article may not be directly related to Canada’s digital media industry, it is directly related to a game we all play every day: life. As a military family and supporters of our Canadian Forces,  from time to time we carry related stories. We hope that you will join us in supporting those who serve our country now and in the future, and in remembering those whose patrol has ended.}

The Mission Against Terror beta keys we first told you about on Wednesday are go going fast. To acknowledge all those who have unlocked the beta keys for M.A.T., SUBA Games has organized a special opening weekend reward – To the Victor Go The Spoils, a three-day promotion this weekend (September 3-5) that allows players to earn double the silver coins they normally would. In addition, all those who log in for the first time receive a complementary AK-47 assault rifle. Efficient, effective, and reliable; only the best for our troops! Now, what are you waiting for, soldier? Get in there, rack up those coins, then deck yourself out.

The M.A.T. closed beta release will include game modes such as Deathmatch and Team Deathmatch, along with the tried-and-true formula of elimination-style Tournament play and the highly popular Bombing mode.

Those in the mood for a less competitive-minded shooter will be kept busy as well, with a variety of wild, white-knuckled game types. Mummy mode offers an intense survival horror experience, where a team of humans are confronted by ancient Egyptian mummies who have risen from the dead in search of you-know-what.

Complementing the exciting action of MAT are customizable characters that can be outfitted with a variety of clothing options, an item shop that contains everything a soldier needs out in the battlefield, and full Dolby™ 3D sound support, including state-of-the-art Dolby Axon™ technology which enables you to modulate your voice in real-time to change the way other players hear you-all in glorious surround-sound.

To enlist in the closed beta, players must obtain an exclusive closed beta key from the game’s official site or one of the game’s official affiliate partners. Once players have registered with the key on the M.A.T. home page, gamers can download the game client and start playing immediately. Just like M.A.T. will be upon its full release, the closed beta is totally free for players to participate in, for as long as the beta lasts. Space, however, is limited, so gamers should get their beta key today, and stay tuned for further announcements about special closed beta events and fun achievements.

Transport yourself into the near-future, not far from the present moment, where the war is already raging. Fierce battles whose stakes are no less than the future of humanity have transformed everyday men and women into warriors hell-bent on the destruction of the enemies of everything they hold dear. This is the world of M.A.T. – Mission Against Terror, Wicked Interactive’s hotly anticipated, free-to-play, online first-person shooter. There is no time to waste. No time to think or second-guess. You are either fighting this war or you are its victim.

EA Black Box and Dolby Laboratories, Inc. today announced that Need for Speed™ World, the massively multiplayer online action racing game will incorporate Dolby® Axon voice chat technology before the December holiday season. Need for Speed World combines the rush of illicit street racing, deep RPG style progression, and vehicle customization into an immersive, socially connected experience. The game will be featured at the Penny Arcade Expo in Dolby’s booth, number 612.

“In Need for Speed World, we’re able to continually update the game with new technology to provide the best MMO racing experience for our players,” said Stephane Grefford, Producer, Need for Speed World. “Working with Dolby Axon, we can give gamers a seamless channel of communication enabling in-game collaboration towards becoming the top racer. We’re excited to be the first title in North America to incorporate Dolby Axon to help enhance our players’ overall racing experience.”

“Dolby Axon helps ensure that communication among team members happens clearly and quickly when racing at over 100 miles an hour in Need for Speed World,” said Matt Tullis, Marketing Director, Games, Dolby Laboratories. “We’re really excited to be working closely with EA in bringing a new level of voice chat to their game.”

By integrating Dolby Axon into online game titles, game developers can provide players with a new level of realism in online gaming:

* Improved audio chain processing (noise suppression, echo suppression) for clear voice communication
* Surround sound voice chat over stereo headsets, stereo speakers, and 5.1 playback systems delivering realistic and exciting in-game communication with teammates
* Compatibility with any stereo headset, enabling gamers to experience clear, crisp voice quality without specialized equipment

Hothead Games is also down at PAX, featuring their two latest video games at the Penny Arcade Expo. You will find them giving hourly live game play demos of Swarm and DeathSpank: Thongs of Virtue at their Sky 1 booth on the sky bridge. Hothead’s PAX booth will also contain kiosks where show attendees can play the newest DeathSpank adventure and enter to win a number of prizes including limited edition Hothead merchandise.

“We’re really excited to be at PAX to show off Swarm and DeathSpank: Thongs of Virtue,” said Ian Wilkinson, President of Hothead. “PAX has always been a show for gamers and we appreciate the opportunity to connect directly with fans.”

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Hg0bVLdRgA]

DeathSpank: Thongs of Virtue is Hothead’s all new rapid-fire action-RPG game and is the perfect companion to Hothead’s original hit game DeathSpank that launched in July 2010. In the continuing story of venerable hero DeathSpank, players must recover six mystical thongs and bring balance and harmony to the universe. Thongs of Virtue launches on September 21 on PlayStation Network and September 22 on Xbox LIVE Arcade.

Swarm is an action platformer like no other. Players control a herd of fifty daft, pudgy and utterly fearless Swarmites, driving them through an intense and often suicidal gauntlet of death and destruction. The game features innovative mass character control, fast-paced action and comic mayhem, offering players a unique experience that will keep them playing again and again.