XOP Black

XOP Black is a cool little shmup (shoot ‘em up). It’s actually a sequel to 2002’s XOP. Christopher (based in Toronto), one the talents behind the game sent me a message to check it out. Even if you’re not a fan of these types of games, I suggest you give this one a try. It’s good.

(note: game plays and looks better than it may seem in the video)

XOP Black is a vertical scrolling shooter – think 1942, with R-Type style graphics. The game is simple to play, but can get intense. You control a spaceship while hordes of enemies rain down upon you. There’s no explanation needed; the aliens are baddies and are simply trying to kill you – you are on the way to destruction, make your time.

The game is for Windows and was written in C and Allegro. Created just for fun, the download is totally free!

Please check out the following links:

XOP Black, XOP (the original), Allegro (gaming library)

CanDevs

New Directory Listing: Other Ocean Interactive & Sculpin QA

 

Other Ocean Interactive was originally known as Backbone Charlottetown, part of the the Backbone Entertainment group of studios under Foundation 9 Entertainment. The studio became independent in May of 2007; and is located on Prince Edward Island. Games worked on by Other Ocean include Tron/Discs of Tron (XBLA), Ultimate Mortal Kombat (DS), and Castlevania: Symphony of the Night (XBLA).

Normally I would write one separate blog entry per new directory listing. However, in this entry I have written about two companies because both companies are related. In fact, Other Ocean Interactive and Scuplin QA are sister companies. They not only share the same office space, but the founder is the same for both.

Sculpin QA is a professional video game testing and quality assurance studio. It provides testing services to Other Ocean Interactive, as well as to publishers and developers throughout the industry. Sculpin QA is relatively new having just opened its doors in December of 2007.

 Check out Other Ocean Interactive and Sculpin QA.

CanDevs

Defendoid

Defendoid is an old-school 80s style side scroller that can be played online. You control a space ship while waves and waves of alien craft try to destroy you. It’s a simple game, but gets harder the further you progress. Your ship can be upgraded with double-fire and you get 1ups. At the end of the stage you fight the boss, a big alien vessel called the Supertron!

If you expire all of your lives you can continue play, but your score resets back to zero every time. You use the arrow keys to move, and the space bar to fire. The game is by Bynaplay, 1982.

Check out Defendoid.

CanDevs

New Directory Listing: Xtreme Prototypes

Xtreme Prototypes is a game studio based in Montreal. They specialize in creating very high quality 3D add-on models for the Microsoft Flight Simulator game series.

Their current offerings are several versions of the X-15, a high-altitude experimental rocket plane from the 1950s and 60s. The X-15 model is very highly detailed, both from inside the cockpit to its sleek exterior.

Xtreme is also currently working on releasing an add-on of the legendary Canadian Avro Arrow. The Arrow was at the time the world’s most sophisticated fighter-interceptor. Even by today’s standards the Arrow was a very advanced warplane. Unfortunately due to political and other reasons, the Avro project was cancelled in 1959.

Please visit Xtreme for full product details.

CanDevs

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Canadian Gaming Record Day!

 

I’m passing on the following for Shannon of MDG Associates:

Guinness World Records is releasing the first annual Guinness World Records: Gamer’s Edition 2008!

The Guinness World Records: Gamers’ Edition 2008 is not just a collection of scores – this job has been left to the experts in scores and times – Twin Galaxies. While TG supplied the scores, Guinness World Records amassed a team of video game experts to focus on all the other record-breaking aspects of gaming, such as:

• Longest prison sentence for playing a video game – In September 2002, the UK’s Faiz Chopdat was jailed for four months for playing Tetris on his mobile phone on a plane. Nobody has been jailed longer for playing a video game

• Largest virtual beer festival – Once a year the warring factions of the Horde and the Alliance put down their arms and celebrate “Brewfest”; the world’s largest virtual beer festival.

On March 11, 2008, Guinness World Records is calling on all Canadian gamers to visit the new Gamer’s Edition website to register their record attempts for Canadian Gaming Record Day! Maybe your name will be included in next year’s edition!

Visit http://gamers.guinnessworldrecords.com on March 11, 2008 to register your record attempts. Guinness World Records HQ will be on hand that day to monitor the number of entries! Let’s set a record, Canada!

CanDevs

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Bring back jPod!

jPod is a one hour comedic television show that is broadcast on the CBC. It’s based on best-selling author Douglas Coupland’s book of the same name. jPod is a funny, quirky, intelligent show that chronicles the lives of Ethan Jarlewski and his co-workers at the fictional Vancouver-based video games company Neotronic Arts. Episodic themes include drug smuggling, gory video games, and annoying clowns. It also has Alan Thicke as Ethan’s dad, you can’t go wrong with casting like that!

However, in all its wisdom the CBC has decided not to renew the show for the 2008-2009 season. jPod is a critical hit, but it has a bad time slot (Friday nights), thus low ratings. Instead of investing in and giving a great Canadian show a chance, the CBC has cancelled it. So if you haven’t had the chance to catch jPod, you can still watch full episodes at the official CBC site:

Watch jPod here

There is also a grass-roots movement started by fans to get the show renewed for a second season. Please sign the online petition, join the Facebook group, and tell the CBC how you feel to show your support:

Online petition to bring back jPod

jPod Facebook group

Contact the CBC

So please spread the word about jPod and let’s try to make a difference!

CanDevs

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3 Day LAN Party!

There’s a 3 day LAN party being held in Montréal from March 14-16. It will be at the École de Technologie Supérieure, and will host official tournaments for games like Call of Duty 4, Counter-Strike, NHL 2008, DDR, Guitar Hero, and many more.

Registration is limited to 600 people at a cost of $45 per person, and prizes totalling more than $15,000 will be awarded. I think there will be door prizes and other goodies handed out too.

You have to bring your own network-ready computer and associated gear to be able to play. Looking at pictures from last year’s event, the one thing that surprised me was the number of people that still have CRT monitors. Close to 90% of the setups I saw in the pictures had CRTs, with very few people having LCDs. I used to go to LAN parties back in the day and I remember it being a pain to carry my 15 inch monitor. I can’t imaging having to lug a 17 or 19 inch one around like what most people in the pictures had.

Anyway, check out LanETS for full details.

CanDevs

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Greg Bick RIP

Greg Bick of Rockstar Toronto, a former co-worker of mine, passed away on March 1st. He was 44 and suffered an unexpected fatal heart attack. He leaves behind a wife and two children.

Greg’s game development credits included Quarantine, Dark Colony, Grand Theft Auto: London 1969, and most recently The Warriors where he was Creative Director.

Even though I hadn’t spoken to Greg in a couple of years, I still have fond memories of him while I worked at Rockstar Toronto. He was my chief interviewer way back in 2000 when I applied for the position of Gameplay Scripter at Rockstar (then known as Rockstar Games Canada). When I first walked into the interview, I figured I’d have no chance of getting hired since I really had no games development experience. But Greg insisted that if I could write simple Unix scripts, and along with my I.T. background and general enthusiasm, I’d be okay. Once he mentioned that, I felt totally confident and the rest of the interview went extremely well – I was hired within the month.

Working alongside Greg for the next 3 and a half years was mostly filled with fun and laughter. He was the type of supervisor that expected you to do your work, but was never looking over your shoulder. He would always make time to play the latest games, and would invite you into his office to share a joke or the newest viral video.

Back when Everquest was the biggest MMO, there were about 5 of us in the office that played it. Greg would come around the office during the day and lay out our raid plans for the evening’s online action. He would scour EQ info sites for the newest tips and tricks, then impart these jewels of new-found wisdom on to us newbies.

One of the only non-game related activities that we were able to share was street hockey during after-work hours. We played in the back parking lot of Rockstar (located in Oakville, Ontario by the way). Greg was a surprisingly skilled player, even though I always thought he looked like a big, burly biker dude (he actually did ride a motorcycle). He appreciated my quickness in the game and would always comment that I was built for that type of play. Greg was naturally always the team captain.

Greg would also do funny voices, specially those nasally nerd type voices – this would always make me laugh. He would imitate certain people in the office, but it would always be in jest, and never malicious. Greg was ever the calm voice, and was the standout tranquil personality even during heated debates.

So as I write this, I now realize it’s a much harder thing to do than what I first envisioned. When those good ole memories come flooding back, it definitely makes an emotional impact. Even though Greg and I were “just” co-workers, we had many shared experiences; and the fact that I can remember so many of our interactions, means that he certainly had a positive influence in my life.

Greg, buddy, you will be missed.

(Obituary, Game Credits, IGDA Memorial Page)

CanDevs

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New Directory Listing: Snappy Games

Here’s yet another Vancouver based video games company; Snappy Games. What’s in the Vancouver water? There seems to be a lot of creative talent over there. I don’t know but it’s great for the industry.

Anyhow, Dean, Lead Artist from Snappy gave me the scoop: Snappy Games is an agile game boutique dedicated to creating a versatile, robust game engine technology and top shelf video games for the Nintendo Wii and Xbox 360.

Their current project is The Crew – a fast paced platformer that uses their proprietary Toy Factory animation engine which allows for over the top interactions with the environment

Please check out Snappy Games here.

CanDevs

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New Directory Listing: Audiokinetic

Audiokinetic is a Montreal-based middleware company, focused on audio tools for PC, XBox360, PS3 and Wii. They’ve got a few high-profile clients (including well known companies like Pandemic, Bioware, and Silicon Knights) and some very interesting titles coming up using their technology.

I haven’t researched it enough to be certain, but it seems that Montreal is big in hosting middleware and 3rd party service companies. Good to know someone is creating the development tools the industry needs.

Thanks to Martin from Audiokinetic for letting me know about the company!

Check out Audiokinetic here.

CanDevs

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New Directory Listing: 31337 Recruiters

Jared from 31337 Recruiters sent me an email about his company. 31337 Recruiters is a Vancouver, BC based recruitment agency that specializes only in video game jobs.

I think this is a great idea. Although there are existing webs sites that deal exclusively with listing video game industry jobs, 31337 has a much more local feel to it.

Check out the current job listings at 31337.

CanDevs

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Site unavailable

Today I noticed that candevs.ca has been unavailable on and off throughout the day. At times I haven’t been able to access it neither through a web browser, nor through FTP. I have contacted the hosting company, and hopefully this problem will be fixed.

I’m sure it’s just a minor glitch and not a DOS attack or something malicious like that. In the meantime rest assured that CanDevs is still alive and kicking!

Update (9PM EST): I was just informed by my web host that they have been experiencing server outages due to a building power upgrade. I’m glad that they are working on the issue.

CanDevs

Email forwarding problems

I’ve just noticed that I’ve been having problems with email being sent to info@candevs.ca lately. The problem is that email hasn’t been forwarding to one of my personal email accounts; the one in question is a Rogers account. I think the email has been tagged as spam and is being deleted somewhere along the line. So I’ve just changed the forwarding address and hope that the problem has been fixed.

My apologies to those that have emailed me and I will deal with your requests ASAP!

CanDevs