Village Gamer

Montreal – Ubisoft Montreal has released the following development update featuring a conversation with 3rd Party Producer Frederic Lefrancois, who is overseeing production for Assassin’s Creed: Bloodlines. Frederic is overseeing the title’s development, working closely with Kirkland, WA development studio Griptonite. The game, which will be available this winter, is exclusively for Sony PSP. As liaison between Griptonite and Ubisoft Montreal’s Assassin’s Creed Core Team, it falls to Frederic to ensure that Bloodlines will be an outstanding game and respect all of the Assassin’s Creed brand pillars.

Click To Play Video - wmv

“Assassin’s Creed: Bloodlines” follows Altair’s story right after the events of Assassin’s Creed as he hunts down the ascending Templars in Cyprus. It’s the only game that explains the link between Assassin’s Creed and Assassin’s Creed 2. If you want to understand how Ezio is born and where the Codex comes from you need this game. Well,  time to dig out the PSP which is located somewhere in the cavechild’s domain…at least I have a few months…or maybe get the new generation…decisions, decisions…

Assassin’s Creed PSP picks up right where Assassin’s Creed ended. After the death of Robert De Sable by Altair’s blade, the Templars, led by Armand Bouchart, fled the Holy Land to settle on the island of Cyprus. Following their tracks, Altair has the firm intention to put an end to the Templars’ quest for power. Altair will help the local resistance fight the Templars’ occupation and get rid of the Templar commanders.
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Montreal – MyEvent.com, the leading provider of do-it-yourself event websites, announced it has reached over 10 million dollars in sales from event ticketing. Ticket sales occur on websites built using the class reunion, family reunion or any any event website builders.

All MyEvent.com websites include communication tools to help develop the website into a hub where everyone can view details of events, maps, hotel information, and much more. The website tools allow the organizer to manage guest lists, send emails, accept registrations, and sell tickets (by credit card) right on their website. There are also fun features such as photo albums, quizzes, polls, a guest book, music, video, and many other great website features.

The ability to sell tickets right on the website has been a critical part of the success of events that are being planned on MyEvent.com. In addition to being able to accept credit card payments without a merchant account, MyEvent.com allows event organizers to track all their statistics and create useful reports that are essential to managing a successful event.
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Vancouver – Recruiting software provider Talent Technology is expanding into international markets as part of its plans to maintain the continued growth it has seen since inception in 1999. Expansion plans have focused on Australia and Europe, but have seen the corporation create a client base in 12 countries.

Talent Technology is offering both its Resume Mirror technology components and its HireDesk applicant tracking system internationally. “Our range of technology enables us to provide solutions for job boards, software firms, recruiting firms and HR departments. We have great options for clients with existing recruiting software they want to improve or for those who want a complete, out of the box system” says Praj Patel, EVP of Talent Technology.

With a growing number of resellers and staff based in Europe, Talent Technology is making a long term commitment to international growth. Leveraging existing relationships with Oracle, SAP and Lawson provides access to international markets and the clients within that arena. Collaborating with these partners’ global sales teams and systems integrators to connect areas of expertise with customers forms the strategy behind these international partner relationships. “These connections have proven successful in accessing and supporting international clients”, says Jade Bourelle, CEO of Talent Technology. “We’ve found that by communicating via the client’s trusted provider we are able to demonstrate products with a greater knowledge of their needs.”
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EA Sports has announced that the release date for FIFA 10 will be available in stores internationally from October 2nd for the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system, Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system, Wii™ home video game system, PC, PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, Nintendo DS™, PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system and mobile.

*Volunteer Canada has harnessed the power of social media to aid in matching corporate Canada with volunteer opportunities across the country. Through the Centre for Excellence in Corporate Community Involvement, businesses and non-profits from across the country are joining the nationwide membership of Volunteer Canada in an effort to better communicate and work together in partnership as they exchange ideas, best practices, tools and resources.

“This online tool will build upon a solid foundation of corporations that have already engaged their employees to give back to their communities,” said Ruth MacKenzie, president of Volunteer Canada. “Through partnership and communication, we will ensure that this engagement meets the needs of non-profit organizations across the country.”

*Microsoft Canada is giving students (proof of enrollment required) a chance to win $5000.00 in tuition aide along with other great prizes. Beginning today and continuing until 11:59 EDT Wednesday September 30, 2009, students and their family members can buy any Microsoft hardware product and enter online to win.

“Microsoft Canada wants to help provide students with all the tools they need to succeed, from money that could be used for their tuition to hardware.” said Charles Chang, product manager, Microsoft Canada Hardware. “It’s a challenging time to be a student. With a shrinking, competitive job market and tough economy, there is added pressure to get a good education and increasingly limited options for funding. ”
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Sainte-Adele – Enzyme Testing Labs announced today the expansion of its international state-of-the art game testing facilities, with a new facility in Madrid, Spain. This 5500 square foot addition to the current facilities increases the total size of the game testing labs to over 28 000 square feet of fully equipped and secure lab space. Enzyme already has locations in Montreal, Sainte-Adele and Tokyo.

The new facility in Madrid will specialize in multilingual linguistic testing and hardware manufacturer terminology compliance pre-certification. The facility will be staffed by an additional 85 testers, dedicated technical and project management staff and a Studio Manager.

Miguel Sepúlveda will be heading up the new Madrid studio. He is a Quality Assurance veteran certified in Testing by the British Computer Society that brings with him a wealth of experience as the new Studio Manager for Enzyme Labs new Testing facility in Madrid. Before joining Enzyme Labs, Miguel held QA management positions with Lionbridge, Vodafone and EA. As a 14 year QA veteran, Miguel specializes in large scale multilingual quality assurance projects and has managed QA for software application blockbusters in a variety of different environments such as Windows, Apple, Mobile phones and most recently on all game consoles available from the major manufacturers. “I am very excited about joining such a dynamic company and dedicated team of professionals. I look forward to expanding our relationship and presence among European video game publishers and developers by continuing to deliver the highest level of game testing services to our customers which is an Enzyme Labs trademark”, said Miguel Sepúlveda about his recent appointment.
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London – Guinness World Records and Warner Bros. Digital Distribution today announced an opportunity for iPhone and iPod touch owners to become a certified Guinness World Records holder. The top player of the new Guinness World Records game app “Video Game Score” challenge, who secures the most points by August 15, 2009 will be officially crowned the iPhone gaming champion and shortlisted for inclusion in the Guinness World Records 2010 Gamer’s Edition.

In order to participate, consumers will need to download the Guinness World Records Game from the App Store and create a GameSpy account so their score can be verified and recorded remotely. Once the app is installed players can roam the globe to find and enter anyone of 36 the solo or multi-play mini-games using a customisable avatar. To take part in the Guinness World Record contest players will need to navigate to the “Video Game Score” competition found in the Cape Canaveral area. With the press of a button, players can sync their score for each game to their GameSpy account.

Offering endless gameplay that showcases the powerful capabilities of the iPhone and iPod touch, Guinness World Records features 36 entertaining game challenges based on real life world records. These digital competitions are as wacky and bizarre as they are challenging and fun. From crushing watermelons with the player’s head and plucking feathers from a turkey, to throwing a washing machine the farthest, all using the touch screen and motion sensing technologies of the iPhone and iPod touch, the fun never stops.
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Vancouver via Alliance For Arts – The arts and cultural sector in British Columbia is facing an imminent crisis. The Service Plans for the next two years show a 40% reduction in funding for the BC Arts Council. The BC Arts Council is the largest funding body in the province; last year, more than 224 communities throughout British Columbia depended on it for support.

“The impact to the province will be devastating,” said Amir Ali Alibhai, the Executive Director of the Alliance for Arts & Culture. “The BC Arts Council supports a sector that employs 80,000 people and generates $5.2-billion annually. It is bigger than the forestry and fishing industries combined. At a time when the government is doing everything they can to create and retain jobs, why are they implementing measures that will trigger layoffs and cause organizations to reduce programming?”

According to Ministry’s own research, for every dollar invested in the arts, the province gets back $1.38 in taxes. There are also countless studies that show that arts and culture creates healthy communities, enhances education, and helps to shape our cultural identity.
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Vancouver via NMBC – Emerging Digital Media companies are invited to submit their company profiles and proposals for the DIGITAL SPRINGBOARD, an advisory service and mentorship program being administered by New Media BC and supported by the National Research Council – IRAP.

If you are an emerging Canadian digital media company looking for a mentor to help you navigate a technical or business related challenge, please submit your proposal to Christine Lim-Labossiere, New Media BC’s Manager, Industry Development and International Partnerships by July 28, 2009.

Your proposal should include:

1. Company profile including track record and key staff (maximum 1 page),
2. Company business goals/current Projects in development (maximum 1 page),
3. Specific challenges/difficulties currently faced by company in development process or project that you require Mentorship guidance on. Please specify if it is a technical or business problem and the quantifiable targets and deliverables to be completed within a minimum period of 4 months (maximum 1 page),
4. Show reel or sample of work, if relevant (send to New Media BC, #102-577 Great Northern Way, Vancouver, BC V5T 1E1 Attention: DIGITAL SPRINGBOARD).

The DIGITAL SPRINGBOARD allows at least 6 selected companies to be matched with veteran experts in the digital media industry who will act as Mentors and provide an advisory service to these companies for a minimum period of 4 months and help them achieve their specific business/technical goals.

Eligible companies include those engaged in interactive entertainment (games), interactive design and marketing, digital animation/film and mobile content. Mentors will be identified based on the specific business goals and technical targets and will guide the companies through the challenges they are facing in their early stage of development.

There are many events coming up in Vancouver which will be beneficial to people in a variety of game development and business roles. Here is a quick run-down – if you have an event coming up which isn’t listed, please let us know. For our national readers, this applies to events happening anywhere in Canada – let us know about it, and we’ll add your industry-related event.

July 23: Social Media Marketing Boot Camp (sold out, see below)

July 23: VANArts Presents a Masterclass with Concept Artist Kevin Chen

July 24-25: Unity 3D Vancouver User’s Group Launch

July 27 – 31: GeoWeb 2009 Conference

August 1: Daisho Digital Art Workshop – Character Concept Art

August 12: Twitter For Business – Getting Results Seminar

August 19: UBC Technology Support Professional Course Info Session

September 3: VANarts Grad Show

September 15 -16: Certified ScrumMaster Training

September 16: Social Media Marketing Boot Camp

September 16 – 18: Internet Marketing Conference 2009

September 16 – 20: Spark Animation Festival

Ottawa – Playbrains, an independent game development studio specializing in the digital download arena, are excited to announce that their pride and joy, the love-child of their silicon loins, Madballs in…Babo:Invasion (MiBI) will finally be available for excitable gamers everywhere to purchase and download from Xbox LIVE® Arcade on Wednesday 15th July.

Following highly successful US and UK media press tours, the gaming journalistic community have lavished Madballs in…Babo:Invasion with a rarely seen level of praise for a debut title from a new development studio. Universal in their undiluted acclaim, The Koalition.com had no hesitation in claiming that “…this will be the best arcade game released on Xbox Live this year”, while Team Xbox stated that this was “…one of the most innovative ideas in multiplayer gameplay we’ve seen in a really long time.” Resolution-Magazine simply declared, “Without a shred of doubt, Madballs is the best Xbox LIVE Arcade title that I have ever played.”

Commenting on the impending release of Madballs in…Babo:Invasion, President of Playbrains, Scott Simpson said,

“Having spent the past two years of our lives working so hard on MiBI, the entire Playbrains team are so gratified by the response the gaming media have given our game. We always felt that we had a special title on our hands, offering an unprecedented level of gameplay features, options, depth and polish, not yet seen in a digital download title. We are unbelievably proud and excited to finally be able to let players everywhere get their headshot on…”

Madballs in…Babo:Invasion (MiBI), is available to purchase and download for 800 Microsoft poinst from Xbox LIVE® Arcade on Wednesday 15th July.

About Madballs in…Babo:Invasion

A gameplay rich, feature laden “casually hardcore” action shooter, Madballs in…Babo:Invasion (MiBI) is that rarest of gaming commodities: a genuinely unique title. Featuring the recently re-released Madballs™ characters, Oculus Orbus™ and Horn Head™, from the popular 1980’s toys best remembered for their outrageously bad looks and graphically colorful names, MiBI is an arena-based 3D shooter where players are able to design their own combat maps almost instantaneously by placing a combination of map tiles to create a never-before-seen map before gameplay starts. Truly, no two games are ever the same.

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