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Dream big. ISSUE 01

From the Editor’s Desk

What if creators couldn’t create?

In the past, there was a major barrier to making creative work your day job: fnancial resources. Only those with the biggest wallets (or the biggest wallet behind them) could follow their dream to build, design, and create.

But not anymore.

New media has changed how we become part of the creative class. If you want to design a board game and sell it, you don’t have to work at Hasbro or Parker Brothers. You can crowdfund the creation and fnd customers online. Do you want to broadcast your stories to a thousand listeners? You don’t have to work your way up the ranks of a radio station. Take to the web and upload a podcast.

Creativity is now as simple as what you can make with your own skill and imagination. There are now fewer and fewer gatekeepers. If you can get online you can fnd an audience.

The clack of fngers on a keyboard. The sliding of a stylus on a tablet. The click of plastic pieces in a cardboard box. These are the sounds of a new generation.

This is how we play and how we create.

But mainstream media still treats this revolution like a fad.

We’re here to change that.

Today we launch a new era in new media, dedicated to the creative minds at work around us. We will take you in a new direction.

Welcome to Pivot.

Pivot Editor in Chief Alexander Quon Jordan Boneparty delves into the mysteries of Atlantic Canada in The Night Time Podcast

13

Darryl Wright is turning his game company Punk Science Studios into 30 Features 17 the ideal indie offce envrionment

25

Emma FitzGerald turned her love of drawing into a career in illustration. Making a name for herself with her recoginzably unique style Contents 4 Contributors 6 Dates to watch out for 8 Firewatch game strategies 9 Best cities for game development

10 How to start a podcast

Exclusive boardgame The Halifax Boardgame designers group play-test their latest included inside games page 21

34 Editorial: fair comment 36 Host the perfect game night 38 Attack of the clones 39 Brain drain 40 Etsy creators we love 41 Board room café maps 42 Social media creators to follow 43 Web-tionary Editor-in-chief/ Regina, Sask. Art director/ Halifax, N.S. Interested in tabletop board games, playing soccer and hosting Managing editor/ Rothesay, N.B. Interested in video games, Avid traveller and reader. Dungeons & Dragon’s games. painting and illustration. Documentary enthusiast. Loves good Twitter: @Alexanderquon Twitter: @haleyfaxer food, great people, wine and dogs. Twitter: @nicognaz

Copy editor/ Tilley, Alta. Photo editor/ Montreal, Que. Film buf, podcast afcionado and Internet afcionado, gamer, music nerd. all-around pop culture obsessive. People say I’m weird, and I tend to Twitter @jeftoth agree with them. Webcomic: Twitter: @GLG90 Perry Bible Fellowship

Videogame: Firewatch Podcast: Boardgame: Webcomic: Illustrator: Mike Mitchell Reply Patchwork Perry Bible All Fellowship

4 PIVOT WHAT IF

IT WASN’T SO HARD

TO...

SPARKMYPROJECT WHAT IF FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU FILL IN THE BLANKS AT SPARKMYPROJECT.COM 2016 Summer events calendar

SUN TUES April THURS SAT 2

MON WED FRI Nadeshicon 1 Red Haze/ 3 5 7 Nadeshicon 9 Enter the Winnipeg Pop Nadeshicon Gungeon Culture Expo 4 6 8 Binaries 10 12 14 16 Winnipeg Pop Dark Souls III Empty date Culture Expo 11 13 15 Cartoon Network Crossover 17 19 21 23 The Black Histrio Death 18 20 22

24 26 28 30 Gathering Lost Reavers/ The Working Dead / Dice The Song of Calgary Comic and City: All That Glitters/ events Tyrim Entertainment Expo Calgary Comic and 25 27 29 Entertainment Calgary Comic Expo and Entertainment Expo

SUN TUES May THURS SAT 1 3 5 7 Boardgame Calgary Comic MON WED FRI release and Battleborn Entertainment 2 4 6 Expo

8 10 12 14 TransOcean 2: Ottawa Rivals Comiccon 9 11 13 Doom/ Ottawa Video game 15 17 19 Comiccon 21 Ottawa release Comiccon 16 18 20 Dominion Empires / Coal GiANT 22 24 Country 26 28 Mirror’s Edge Toronto Anime Catalyst North 23 25 27 Back to the Future: OUTTATIME/ 29 31 Toronto Anime North Toronto Anime Dead Island: North Defnitive Edition 30

6 PIVOT SUN TUES June THURS SAT 2 4 MON WED FRI 1 3 The Journey: Bob’s Story / Multiuniversum 5 7 Argo 9 11 Odin Sphere: Yeticon 6 Lefthrasir 8 10 Kirby: Planet Robobot/ Yeticon 12 14 16 18 Yeticon 13 15 17

19 21 23 25 No Man’s Sky 20 22 24 Poseidon’s Warriors Classic 26 Naval Warfare 28 30

27 29 Five things to know before you play Firewatch

Campo Santo released its debut game Firewatch in February, a mysterious frst-person exploration of the Wyoming wilderness in 1989. Before you dive in, these fve tips will help you get the most out of Firewatch’s story, world and gameplay

Bring out the camera. Firewatch will make Playthrough more than once. Though Firewatch can Instagrammers’ mouths water. Early in the game you’ll sometimes feel barren, it is brimming with things to see 1 fnd a disposable camera in an abandoned backpack. 3 that you might miss on the frst playthrough. To get the Remember to bring it out whenever you see a Kodak most out of the game, investigate the areas you wander moment. You’ll be rewarded with a presentation of into. A lot of what gives Firewatch its charm is optional for your collection near the end of the game. And PC the player and doesn’t affect the long-term completion players can pay $15 to have their shots developed and of the game. You can adopt a pet turtle, or carry around shipped worldwide! a life-sized cutout of cartoon ranger Forrest Byrnes. The game only takes four to six hours to complete, so consider going through a second time to see what The perks of the compass. Firewatch ditches the idea moments you might have missed during the frst run. of having a minimap in the corner. Instead, it maintains 2 the wilderness motif by having your character open an Read up. Some might feel reading in games slows the old-fashioned map to navigate the forests of Wyoming. pace and distracts from the fun gameplay. But to get the When you’re using the map to explore a new area, be 4 most from the plot, read every note you come across. sure to reference the compass as well. As long as you Characters you hear about in passing are only feshed out know the general direction of the next destination, in these written interactions. In order to understand the fnding the path there will be a lot easier. entire plot, you’ll need to take the time to read them. Plus, Henry will build an awesome collection of all the papers you pick up during your journey.

Radio in everything. Literally everything! In an environment that 5 plays on feelings of faceless isolation, Firewatch’s dialogue is limited to the radio conversations between Henry and fellow forest ranger, Delilah. The writing and voice acting for these two characters is top notch. So avoid missing any chance to radio in a suspicious fnd or beautiful scene to your only source of human interaction. The tone of their conversations can shift from humorous to serious in seconds, while still feeling genuine and natural. The more you talk to Delilah, the better the game is. Simple as that. 8 PIVOT Find out where Canadian Top Canadian cities for game developers have the best chance to fnd the job game development of their dreams

BC’s coastal metropolis is the place to be if you’re Vancouver (Dead Rising 2), EA Canada (FIFA, a game dev in Canada. It boasts not only the most Need for Speed), and Black Tusk Studios (Gears of game studios, but the most jobs. It’s home to some War). Already a console game dev heavyweight, of the industry’s top studios including Capcom Vancouver is fast becoming the centre of Canada’s mobile gaming industry, but Montreal and Toronto are closing the gap.

Over the past several years, tax incentives given by the province. Industry giants Ubisoft massive, with Ubisoft Montreal has established For every three dollars a game dev (Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry), accounting for over itself as a home for game company spends on its salaries in Warner Bros. Games (the 2,000 dev jobs. That development. That’s thanks Quebec, it gets a dollar back from Batman Arkham series) and puts Montreal ahead of to the Quebec government. taxpayers. That’s a pretty sweet deal Bioware Montreal (Mass Effect) Toronto, which hosts Game companies just can’t and everyone in the industry is are just some studios that call more studios but fewer ignore the generous taking note. Montreal home. The studios are total jobs. And more devs are setting up shop in Montreal every year.

On the opposite side of the game dev Indie devs like Capybara Games (Critter Crunch) spectrum is Toronto, home to a few and Queasy Games (Sound Shapes) make their Triple A devs, but also a burgeoning indie home in and around the GTA. Like Montreal, game dev scene. Developers like Rockstar Toronto is still growing. Look out for more Toronto (Max Payne 3), Ubisoft Toronto games coming out of Canada’s “centre of the (Splinter Cell, Rainbow Six), and mobile universe.” giant Zynga (FarmVille) are surrounded by numerous smaller mobile and indie game devs. PIVOT 9 What you need to start a podcast: Must-haves Microphones

A renewable idea Your idea needs to be able to generate new USB mic content on an ongoing basis. Easiest, cheapest option. Plugs directly into your computer.

A computer For editing, uploading and possibly recording, depending on your setup. DYNAMIC MIC For noisier environments and feld recording. Durable, effcient, picks up sound directionally.

Editing software GarageBand comes standard on Macs, or Audacity is great free alternative.

Compression mic For quiet environments and home studios. Richer sound, picks up more background noise.

10 PIVOT A visual guide to creating audio Optional Home studio set-up

Boom arm stand Helps to get good mic placement. Audio interface You’ll need one of these to record on your computer with analogue (non-USB) mics.

Headphones Allows people to hear how they sound on mic and make adjustments.

Pop flters Cuts down ‘popping’ when speakers hit those ‘P’ and ‘B’ sounds.

Portable recorder Shock mount Record at home Reduces ‘bump’ or in the feld and sounds from the mix on the fy. table and mic stand.

PIVOT 11 Pontie PensTM

Your idea. Your talent. Drawn together.

PP Jordan Boneparty embraces the unexplained. In The Night Time Podcast, he explores the mysterious side of Atlantic Canada

Words by Jef Toth

PIVOT 13 ordan Boneparty had thought about Eva Smith MacKay. She had not seen it in Jcreating a podcast for a long time, but 63 years. CBC even did a story about the the idea didn’t move forward until he got reunion. Boneparty contacted the Mysterious involved in a mystery of his own. Topics podcast—a favourite of his—to tell While walking home from work he them about the journal and they invited him noticed some papers on the side of a on as a guest to share his story. busy street in West End At the time Boneparty Halifax. Sitting among “I’m inspired had been researching and them was a journal. “It compiling material about just looked like something by anyone who’s his grandfather’s story of that some kid had tossed willing to do his UFO sighting from the on the last day of school,” ‘70s. “My initial thought says Boneparty. something off was interviewing my But when he had a the beaten path grandad.” Boneparty says, closer look, it turned “and trying to make a short out to be much older. and pursue what documentary.” He had A mention of the death they’re into” also considered packaging of King George VI as the material as an audio a current event dated story and submitting it to the book to be from 1952. Boneparty an established podcast, such as, Astonishing researched every fact he could fnd in the Legends or Mysterious Topics. journal to try to track down the original Bolstered by his recent success, he owner. With the help of Reddit, he located decided to release it on his own. It would the author in just two days. become the frst episode of The Night Time Two weeks later he was able to reunite Podcast. the journal with its author, 76-year old Cont’d page 16

14 PIVOT Before starting his own show, Boneparty was an avid podcast listener himself. “Everywhere I go, I walk and I’m always listening to podcasts,” he says. And his favorite shows have infuenced his own work. Mystery Show A show involving small-scale mysteries, such as tracking down the original owner of a one-of-a- kind belt buckle. Astonishing Legends This podcast about strange happenings brings a research-based approach to the topic. It’s a “must listen” for Boneparty. Mysterious Topics Another podcast about the unexplained. “They inspire me because it’s just two guys, talking about stuff they like,” he says. The X-Files Files Comedian Kumail Nanjiani and a guest discuss their favourite cases of the X-Files. As a fan of the TV series, Boneparty describes himself as, “more of a Scully, trying to be as Mulder as possible.”

PIVOT 15 Boneparty has had to rely on his diverse can from it, he moves on to the next one. “If skill set to get his show off the ground. something comes up that I’m interested in, I “I do it all, man. The music, everything. just obsess about it. Read about it. Find out [...] I’m a musician as well,” he says, “Not the whole history,” he says. “And then a month a good one, but good enough to make that later I’ve completely forgotten about it.” intro.” Boneparty’s background as a musician Some of the topics he covers are more helped him with audio editing. He started by ‘out there’ than others. But Boneparty, who recording himself playing guitar on a tape describes himself as skeptical, is careful not to deck with a four-track recorder. When he weigh in on whether or not he doubts a guests’ and some friends formed a band, he got his claims. “It’s not for me to judge whether or not frst taste of digitally editing what someone experienced audio. “I just got good at it. is real,” he says. “I want to The way you edit a podcast “It’s not for have guests tell their story, is the same way you would me to judge and let the listeners have the edit a guitar,” he says. In conversation about what to fact, the equipment he uses whether or not believe.” is leftover from his days as a what someone By following his musician. passions, Boneparty seems Boneparty has also experienced is to have discovered a winning dabbled in photography formula. The Night Time and he’s used his skills to real” Podcast is currently ranked create visuals that help set 49 in iTunes’ Society & the show’s eerie tone. He shot the photo for Culture section, outpacing both of his major background of the logo in the woods behind infuences Astonishing Mysteries and Mysterious his house and then created the design in Topics, which are at 99 and 108 respectively. Photoshop. “I’d lie to be able to fnd something I Although the show now has a consistent can do and do it well,” says Boneparty, “but look and sound, Boneparty admits he didn’t it’s probably not podcasting. It’s probably have a master plan. “When I started it, I raising my son.” In a way, Boneparty’s three- just thought it was going to be a podcast year-old son is responsible for the name of that my friends and I would listen to and the podcast. Boneparty says, “really it’s called these are the things I’m into,” he says. The Night Time Podcast because when my son’s Boneparty lets himself get wrapped up asleep, that’s when I have an hour or two to in each story and when he’s gotten what he do this.”

16 PIVOT

Entrepreneurial game designers show us how play-testing is integral to Words by Guillaume Lapointe-Gagner boardgame development

PIVOT 17 A group assembles

he dice are rolled. Te cards, shufed. Te tokens, Manos and Fraser agree. “Without collaboration you’re divvied. not making a game,” says Fraser. “You’re just sitting in TIt’s a cold night in Halifax, and a group of regulars your own room doing something.” slowly gather in the back room of the city’s most At the heart of tabletop gaming is the social experience. prominent board game café, the Board Room Game Café. It’s why it’s so important for designers to be integrated Richard Courchesne greets each person as they come in. with the board gaming community. The Halifax Board He sets them up at a table with a determined smile on Game Designers group was created with that in mind. his face. “It’s always fun to see someone new,” he says. They’re here to help game designers play test their game In comes Sam Fraser, mild-tempered and warm. He has and design them better. the look of an old friend. The last person to arrive is Konstantinos Manos—a jovial Greek with an eye for business. He’s here for work, and a little bit of play. Show me the money! This eclectic mix of people is here to play-test games. They’re also board game designers—a new class of Manufacturing a new game, from prototype to the independent artists that is changing the landscape of the hands of hundreds—if not thousands—of people, medium. is hard. By helping fedgling designers test-drive their creation, the group is encouraging others to keep trying. Yet getting a game to market is easier now than it has More work than play? ever been before. Fraser says, even as recently as fve years Manos successfully kickstarted his own game, Centauri ago few could self-publish unless they were independently Saga, for $70,000 in December 2015. Fraser kickstarted wealthy. That’s not the case anymore. “It’s a possibility Rogues to Riches, for $20,000 a year before that. And now for independent board game designers and content now, Courchesne is looking to add his new game, creators to make their product without having to go in Bunker Apocalypse, to that list. debt to the banks,” says Fraser. But before he can do that, Courchesne has Now, thanks to Kickstarter and other crowdfunding to jump through some hoops. First, he has websites, independent board games are fourishing. to playtest his game. “Every time,” he People are actually getting their games out to says, “I notice something that needs market. Traditionally, you had to knock on to be changed.” some doors to do that. But Courchesne says big companies in the gaming feld could change the design of the games. “The company would just decide what

18 PIVOT they wanted,” he says. “The designers had little to no choice in the matter. All of the sudden, their game is gone.” With crowdfunding, creators can bypass gatekeepers. “Designers and consumers are much closer together than they ever were,” says Fraser. “There’s a huge empowerment that goes on at both sides.” The cardinal rule Fraser, Courchesne, and Manos say they won’t forget the cardinal rule of the medium—board games demand collaboration. They’re built on a thriving and growing community, and without that demand, designers wouldn’t be where they are today. “In the spirit of mutual beneft, there’s a lot of sharing that goes along,” says Fraser. “We talk about our experiences, trying to make our games better, get more people to play them, and build the community.” “Without “When you play somebody’s game every week, and then you see collaboration you’re their fnal product that is amazing,” says Courchesne. All of them say they have profound respect for the creative not making a game. process, but they see it as a means to an end. According to Fraser, you can easily get enamored by the development process and get You’re just sitting lost along the way. “During the prototyping stage of Rogues to in your room doing Riches, we overdeveloped and really had to pare down,” says Fraser. The frst iterations of his game took years to fnesse. “Now, after something” I’ve gotten over that a little bit, I realize that the end product is what I want.”

PIVOT 19 Kickstarter is making de- signers come prepared for State of play campaigns—it’s ensuring they know what they’re Manos sits back in his chair, takes a sip out of doing before they pitch his Coke and shakes the ice around. He takes a their ideas. More deep breath. For him, the board game café is his importantly, it’s telling their offce and this is a job. audience they know how to “You actually end up working more hours,” says deliver a fnal product, just Manos. “It may sound like a fun job, but it is way as they said they would. more energy consuming.” But they keep doing it, and that may be the No one is going to defning feature of these designers. Despite the back a campaign that grueling and grinding demands of the job, they doesn’t look professional. still keep coming back for more. The allure of According to Manos, it’s games is too great to ignore. It doesn’t matter if about respect. “You have to you’re doing this for work or if you’re doing this show that you have respect just as a hobby. There’s always going to be an for your own project and untapped, hidden gem of a game waiting to be discovered. that you are willing to take Manos likens it to fnding treasure. “Take them a risk,” says Manos. It has out,” he says, “test them and let’s play.” become an essential part of a successful kickstarter campaign.

20 PIVOT by Jef Toth Two hackers battle for digital supremacy in The Mainframe! Code your program, run it against your opponent’s, and hack into their mainframe.

Hardware 1 : Can move one space diagonally, forward or laterally. It cannot move backwards. Each player needs four dice of a distinct colour.

The board has a few important features:

Mainframe 6 : Can move one space into any of the adjacent six spaces.

Firewall Reboot

Objective Players take turns moving one die at a time until one player reaches the other player’s mainframe or one player loses all their dice.

Movement Your die can also jump over another one of The value of a die will affect how it can move. your own dice, while observing all other rules of 2-5 : Move forwards along diagonal lines. They movement (including the 1’s lateral move). cannot move backwards.

They can move the number of spaces equal to This counts as moving a single space. their face value or less. Coding your program Initializing program... Both players roll a die. Lowest roll gets frst pick. The player whose dice have the lowest total moves frst. Both players roll all four of their dice. The frst player selects one die and places it within their Total = 15 frewall. The second player cannot pick a die of the same value as the frst player. Reroll if necessary.

If it’s a tie, frst move goes to the player who won the initial lowest roll.

Challenges When a die moves onto a hex occupied by an opponent’s die, it initiates a challenge.

Then both roll their three remaining dice and pick another. Each player can only have one 6 on their team at the beginning of play. Reroll if necessary. When a die challenges a die of higher value, it automatically wins. It is then rerolled to assign it a new value.

When a die challenges a die of equal strength, both roll for lowest. The winner places the die back on the same hex with its new value. Repeat this, alternating who chooses frst, until both have placed all four dice in their frewall. Anytime a challenge roll is a tie, both players simply reroll. When a die challenges a die of lower value, both roll for lowest, but the challenger adds one to their roll. The winner places the die back on the same hex with its new value.

Successful or not, after you attempt a hard reboot, it’s your opponent’s turn, regardless of who initiated the attack.

Firewall protection Soft reboot When your 6 is attacked within your frewall, it You can move past the reboot hexes as if they always goes to a roll, regardless of the attacking were normal spaces. die’s value.

When you land on your reboot hex (they match Within your frewall a 6 can also attack any die your mainframe), reroll the die and place it back on without having to add one to its roll. your mainframe, if your mainframe is unoccupied.

Hard reboot If your die has been defeated in a challenge, you If your mainframe is occupied, you’re allowed can choose to try to bring it back with a “hard to land on your reboot hex as if it was a normal reboot.” space. You have one chance to roll the new value of the You’re also permitted to land on your opponent’s die that defeated you or a 6. reboot as if it were a normal space. If successful, place your die on your mainframe. A soft reboot only works when you frst move Your mainframe must be previously unoccupied. onto the reboot hex. It does not work if you had to frst win a challenge on the hex.

PIVOT 25 mma FitzGerald is the author and illustrator of the recently published book Hand Drawn Halifax. E The idea for the book stemmed from Emma’s love of art and also her passion for new places and spaces. While she has worked, lived, and taught art all over the world, she calls Halifax her home base. We caught up with Emma while she was in Santa Fe. We asked about her love of drawing and her unique style of illustration.

What made you want to become an illustrator?

I read a lot as a kid and spent hours and hours looking at books. My best friend and I spent hours drawing together. She’s still an artist and I am too, so I guess it’s just sort of a belief from an early age.

How would you describe your style of drawing?

I guess on one hand it’s very detailed, but it’s also very free. I don’t get too worried about making things perfect. It’s a combination of drawing everything I see, but also letting go if it’s not exactly what I see.

How did you develop this unique style?

Growing up but I would use lots different styles. In my 20’s I travelled a lot and was always drawing in a sketchbook. It was a combination of wanting to include everything I saw and only having a short amount of time to do it.

When did you begin combining pen and digital work into your portraits and why?

I frst combined digital photography with etchings actually; I was studying printmaking at the University of British Columbia, and my instructor Barbara Zeigler gave us assignments that forced me to learn Photoshop. We would print digital photos on high quality printing paper, and then print our copper plate etchings overtop. It was exciting to see my sketchy lines translated into etching on top of a digital image.

26 PIVOT How did you apply this new technique to your own work?

I started combining pen drawings with digital colour in Architecture School, where I was forced again to confront my lack of computer skills. It was a useful tool for presentations and maps. I honed this skill when I worked at different architecture offces. I also took an elective at NSCAD called ‘Ambidexterity and the Imagination’ with artist, Richard Mueller, which again combined hand drawing and digital technology. It was fun and I was inspired. However, it wasn’t until I started my house portraiture business and decided that colouring digitally instead of watercolour that I fully embraced a regular practice.

What are the benefts of colouring digitally?

I feel it is more crisp, easily repeatable, and easy to edit.

: If you had to pick only one in the long run, would it be pen or digital art? Why?

I would choose pen and paper. For me the most exciting part is being on location and drawing.

PIVOT 27 Do you have any advice for an artist who might want to try incorporating digital colouring into their art?

Ask friends for advice and their favourite tricks, and just spend time with it. The ‘mistakes’ are often the best part.

“I mostly use Staedler fne liner pens, but I have been known to use ballpoint pens and get just as good results! I use a Mac comput- er and Photoshop. I am actually very limited in what I know how to do digitally, which is both an advantage in that I have honed a particular style, and a disadvantage, as I know I could be going deeper into making new kinds of images with some more tools at my disposal.” - Emma FitzGerald

28 PIVOT PIVOT 29 Words by Haley MacLean Check out the workspace of Darryl Wright’s new game studio, as his team begins work on Punk Science’s frst title, Occupy Human

Environment is where creativity is fostered

30 PIVOT PIVOT 31 arryl Wright has had the ideal For Wright, bureaucracy kills Mark Podrouzek is Punk Science’s Doffce in his mind since he creativity. At Punk Science, an intern, working as the technical frst started in the programming employee is free to schedule artist, he helps with side projects as industry 20 years ago. His new their workload however they see he completes his computer science independent game development ft. “I don’t have to worry about degree at Dalhousie University. company, Punk Science Studios, whether it takes them four hours, When it comes to choosing a future opened in Halifax in April 2015. or eight hours. I know they are career, Podrouzek believes smaller Since then, he and his team going to deliver it,” says Wright. independent companies provide have been working on the release “If they have to go to the the best atmosphere. “I’ve heard of their frst title, a sci-f/ doctor, or take a day off to be horror stories from big name horror game called Occupy Human. with their family, that’s not my companies. I’m sure it’s nice, it’s just Finally able to put his offce concern.” Wright is aiming for an a little intimidating. Honestly, the methodologies into action, Wright environment that allows open environment I’m in right now is runs Punk Science true to his indie workfow and communication. He so great I don’t see a reason I would ideals—inspiring creativity for hopes in the future Punk Science want to leave,” says Podrouzek. himself and his employees. could grow to 30 employees, but The freedom of this work space Wright got his start in the any more than that would tip allows Punk Science’s employees gaming industry by working in the scale into a place where to shift between focuses, one day programming. After a one-year size trumps the ability to working on art, while another is course at the Eastern Business collaborate. “When people hear dedicated to programming. Wright Computer Institute in New game studio, they think of says, “Punk Science utilizes the Brunswick, he began programming EA, which runs with a lot of methodologies that you hear about for Cygnus Telecom. This allowed process and management, that’s that make life at a game studio him to transfer into game not what we’re running here,” preferable to working in other development and he worked says Wright. “It’s very heavy on creative industries.” for game companies such as communication, openness and HB Studios, EA, and Orpheus personal accountability. Interactive. After working for these larger companies, Wright decided to break off and start his own. “Having worked for so many companies throughout my career, it was nice to be able to take all that knowledge and create what I envision to be the ultimate video game studio,” says Wright. “The dream is to set up a place in Nova Scotia.”

“Defnitely gameplay, we have a rule of mechanic frst. If it’s not fun, what’s the point?” - Darryl Wright

32 PIVOT The total number of employees The game itself is a top-down Wright is aware that video game at Punk Science will ebb and fow 3D shooter, following a roboticist development is a risky investment. with the needs of the project. In the named Nora as she traverses an “There are no metrics that tell you startup months of creating a video apocalyptic world overrun by robots how well a game is going to do. game, contractors are brought in trying to occupy and destroy the You can project and theorize, but with fewer full-time employees than bodies of humans. Initially, it will you don’t really know,” says Wright. in later parts of development. For be released onto Steam and mobile “At the end of the day you could Occupy Human, along with employees platforms, but Wright eventually have an amazing game that nobody that work in offce, Wright has hired plans on having it available on really buys, or you could have a really a team in Romania to help with the consoles. The demo for GDC had crappy game that goes viral,” Taking visual representations of the game. He Nora walking from her solitary the demo to the GDC will see if they sends them ideas, and they implement cabin into a nearby town inspired can get a publisher to sign onto the them and return the product a couple by Mahone Bay, N.S., flled with project, which could allow for Occupy of days later. A playable demo of colourful houses and Adirondack Human to be available for purchase by Occupy Human was shown at the Game chairs. She meets both friends and the end of 2016. Developers Conference (GDC) mid- foes, battling any robot/human March in San Francisco. hybrids she encounters on her way. Currently the game consists of the environment and basic mechanics. Sound effects, voice-overs, and fnal polish wil come later in the development process.

Independent game studios are becoming increasingly common. According to the Entertainment Software Association of Canada, 39% of game companies in Canada in 2015 had less than fve employees, with 457 active studios across the country.

PIVOT 33 Fair comment: The state of fair use

n the web, creativity is king. But teaching, and research, without the need for on YouTube, that’s no longer the permission from or payment to the copy right O holder.” That means if you’re using short clips case. Content creators who have been of copyrighted material for, say, reviewing unfairly targeted by copyright holders content, satire, or educational purposes, it’s say YouTube is stifing creativity in the legal. So when fair use isn’t interpreted fairly, it name of proft. has a chilling effect on the Internet. Moreover, Do yourself a favour. Look up the hashtag it can damage people’s livelihoods. Is YouTube’s WTFU, short for “Where’s The Fair Use?” The media revolution that began with the A quick search will tell you it’s an online Internet, is luring eyeballs away from more policy stifing movement fghting back against continued traditional forms of entertainment media— abuse of the FAIR USE Act towards content television, movies and music. This is why big creativity in creators who apply it properly. For Amul media is now pushing enforcement agencies the name of Kalia of the Electronic Frontier Foundation, for harsher measures against independent a digital rights group based in San Francisco, online content creators. Bills and trade proft? the #WTFU movement is about a power agreements such as SOPA (Stop Online imbalance. “A majority of YouTube creators’ Piracy Act) and the TTIP (Transatlantic Trade By Guillaume Lapointe-Gagner videos are being unfairly targeted by rights and Investment Partnership) are just the holders when their videos are clearly making start Systematic DMCA (Digital Millennium fair use of copyrighted material,” Kalia states Copyright Act) takedowns are now the new in an email. normal. According to the United States Code, which outlines U.S. copyright law, fair use is the doctrine that states “excerpts of copyrighted material may, under certain circumstances, be quoted verbatim for purposes such as criticism, news reporting,

34 PIVOT YouTube is a central battleground to generate revenue. In fact, any revenue movement. It’s about forcing YouTube out for this hot-button issue. Its users are that a video earns goes to the claimant of complacency. increasingly frustrated over policies that during the period the claim is under review. YouTube might revert back to their stife creativity and free speech. Take the Given that a video garners the majority old ways if it’s faced with another big copyright strike system, for example. of its views when it’s is frst uploaded, the legal action. In 2011, YouTube was sued The copyright strike system on original uploader loses out if the claim is by Viacom for over a billion dollars. YouTube is set up in such a way that it applied early enough. Viacom claimed YouTube knew users promotes abuse. There are two penalties The abuse seems to be more willful were uploading copyrighted material and for copyright infringement: a “claim” or ignorance than anything else. Claimants they still weren’t doing anything about it. a “strike.” A strike is the most severe. A are claiming videos because it’s proftable They settled on undisclosed terms, and copyright holder can place one on your and easy, and there are no penalties for ever since then there’s been a slow roll-out channel by completing a form that takes false claims. Until false claims face real of more restrictive copyright policies that two minutes to fll out. You simply have to legal action, honest content creators will favour copyright holders. prove that you’re a legal copyright holder still wake up every day in fear of their and you pretty much get blanket powers livelihood being taken away from them. to do anything you want to videos that are Honest content creators are left Afected channels: fairly using your intellectual property. wondering what to do. They could switch Nostalgia Critic When a video gets taken down, to another video streaming platform. But YouTube places limits on that channel, switching to Vimeo, for example, isn’t an including a hold on uploading videos option—its viewership is just too low to TeamFourStar longer than 15 minutes and the inability generate enough ad revenue to sustain a to dispute content claims for the next six living. And that’s the core of the problem Jim Sterling months. If a channel gets three strikes with the online video market: YouTube at the same time, the entire channel is has a near monopoly on video streaming. h3h3Productions automatically taken down from YouTube. According to statista.com, a statistics frm That’s a lot of power in the hands of based out of Germany, YouTube has copyright holders. 73.6% of the online multimedia streaming If the strike system sounds bad, the market share (Vimeo is at less than one YouTube isn’t scared of you or me, or claim system is even worse. YouTube’s percent). When you’re the only game in the little channel that could—but maybe Content ID program, a program that town, you don’t have to listen to anyone. it should be. Maybe it should show more scans all uploaded videos for copyrighted For now, YouTube and its parent consideration when it comes to the material, can put a claim on a video company, Google, are maintaining the dedicated and loyal group of creators that without warning, even if the uploader status quo; they’re not changing the rules. built the platform. What YouTube is doing is acting within the bounds of fair use. They did set up a Fair Use Protection isn’t illegal, but it is destructive to the user This sparked outrage when the system Program back in November to help audience it has profted from for almost a was frst put into place about two years smaller channels pay their legal fees, but decade. If a new viable streaming startup ago. Content creators can fght claims that effort hasn’t grown from the original shows it cares about content creators, and strikes, but the process can drag on four test cases it launched with. This is YouTube shouldn’t be surprised when for months. why YouTubers have been getting more people start jumping ship. A video that is “claimed” loses the right and more frustrated, hence the #WTFU

PIVOT 35 To keep up the theme of your Mario Kart inspired party, we’ve compiled a list of Mario-themed drinks

Rainbow Road: 4 oz. orange juice ½ oz. gin ⅓ oz. grenadine ⅓ oz. rum 3 oz. vodka two splashes Blue Beerio Kart Rules: Curaçao Before the race begins, pour your drink into a cup. Make sure everyone is topped up equally! Warp Pipe: You must fnish your drink before the end of the race ¾ oz. Blue Curaçao Players must pull over to the side of the road before they ½ oz. Bols Melon can take a drink... no drinking and driving! ½ lime cut into wedges Not fnishing your drink before you pass the fnish line ½ bottle Mike’s Hard results in an automatic last place. Limeade If one player happens to be a pro at chugging, use this optional rule to even out the playing feld: Princess Peach: Your drink must be split into thirds, with the drinking of each portion only being allowed during every separate lap 3 melon slices of the race. 1 peach (skinless) 1 oz. lime juice If you are a veteran player and are looking for a 1⅔ oz. peach liquor challenge, have a second cup at the ready for these 1⅔ oz. passion fruit penalty areas: liquor You fall off the track You are hit by a shell (one for red, two for green) You run into a banana Sources: And take a drink at the end of the race for however many 1. nintendrunk.tumblr 2.The Drunken Moogle places you are from frst 3. cocktailblog.tumblr

36 PIVOT Social

PIVOT 37 Attack of the clones Game clones are coming for you and your $1.99

Trees

Despite being a less charming knockof, 2048 went viral and became a hit. Even more galling It all started back in is that because of its rapid 1981, when Atari sued success many have accused Amusement World for Trees of being the copy. copyright infringement. They claimed that Meteors was a ripoff of their hit 2048 game, Asteroids. The judge basically agreed. The central game mechanic and theme were Monument Valley the same. But because of slight variations between Monument Valley was both the games, he ruled critically acclaimed and that it wasn’t copyright fnancially successful, so it was infringement. only a matter of time before Thanks to that Ketchapp, the “makers” of 2048, landmark decision, clones released a cheap knockof. of popular games have fooded the marketplace. Don’t indulge the digital bootleggers. Instead, give your time, attention, and Skyward hard-earned money to the original creators, who actually worked hard to earn it. Ridiculous Fishing

Ninja Fishing was a clone of an early free version of Ridiculous Fishing and it beat the polished paid version to market.

Ninja Fishing

38 PIVOT Brain drain on your wallet There are a number of mobile games that say they can make you smarter. But the smart thing to do, is ignore them Words by Jeff Toth

Games such as Lumosity really just improving your claim to have special ability to play Lumosity benefts for your mental itself. So Lumosity’s bogus ftness, but researchers have brain stats serve basically found comparable results the same function as levels from playing other video do in most other games. games, doing crosswords or Even Scientifc American went sudoku, or even in having a so far as calling brain- conversation with a friend. training games a waste of An ad for Lumosity claims time and money. that playing the game is The act of simply playing like, “going to the gym for games has been shown to your brain.” That might be beneft your brain. Any true if what they meant game. So pick a game was you’ll pay a hefty that you enjoy—not one annual fee ($84.99) and it that feels like the gaming won’t be very fun. equivalent of eating your You might as well vegetables and charging you get a gym membership extra for the displeasure. instead, because research has also shown that exercise improves cognitive function. So actually going to the gym, is like “going to the gym for your brain.” Lumosity tracks your stats in-game to indicate your brain’s new upgrades, but experts say you’re

PIVOT 39 This virtual marketplace Our favourite Etsy is full of handmade products by artists and creators worldwide. Check creations out our favorite geeky gear

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Watercolor prints of your favorite $46.79 characters, like Finn Decorate your home and Jake from Adventure with shadow boxes of Time by Heather your favourite video Mahler game graphics by Illustrations Decor8bit, ready to hang on wall or set on Always have a safe home shelf for your keys with a Legend of Zelda two key hook, with a digitally drawn image by Deeply Dapper

$11.35 $26.73

Accessorize with a pair of Zelda Book lovers, make your Rupee earrings by home smell delicious with $24.06 ChinookCrafts, these cleverly themed available in seven candles by Frostbeard different colors $9.36 $19.59

Bath bomb. I choose you! Bring some greenery into Make your bath a little more your home with these cute exciting with fzzing Pokéball Pokémon planters from bath bombs with Pokémon Made by Hands Art inside by Fizzy Fairy Apothecary

40 PIVOT Boardgame café map

Toronto n Castle Board Game Café n Snakes & Lattes n A-Game Café n For the Win Café Winnipeg n n Across the Board Cafe Time Capsule Board Game Cafe Edmonton Saskatoon n Table Top Café n King Me Board Ottawa n The Hexagon Gamery & Café Board Game Café Sudbury n The Loft Board Game n Let’s Scrabbalatte Lounge Calgary Board Game Café n Monopolatte n Pips Board Montreal Game Café n Randolph Pub Ludique n Metal Galaxy n Le Colonel Moutarde n Boxcar Boardgame Café Quebec City n La Revanche

Kitchener n The Adventurers Fredricton n Guild Board Game Unplugged Café & Tavern Board Game Café

Victoria n Interactivity Board Game Café Vancouver Grand Prairie n Pizza Ludica n Storm Crow Tavern n Card’s Board Game Café London n The Cardboard Café Halifax n The Board Room Cafe

Hamilton Waterloo n Gameopolis Board Game Lounge n Games on Tap n Mancala Monk Board Game Café Board Game Café n Crossroads Café

PIVOT 41

Social media stars Tweet your favourite artists’ handles to @pivot_mag and we’ll feature them in our next issue

Top tweeters you Our favourite need to follow instagrammers

@HSQUARED Isaac Hastings is an illustrator and Windigo 7:43 PM 57% designer. His colorful designs often appear Following on T-shirts. The heavy linear drawings are entertaining and feature Nicholas Gurewitch Following pastel colors. @PerryFellow Nicholas Gurewitch is the creator of The Perry Bible Fellowship, a #webcomic best @HeatherMahler88 known for its twisted and dark humor. He often changes art styles but everything is An illustrator based good for a laugh. out of Salt Lake City, Heather’s art is eclectic and colorful. Her work is as creative as it is Roman Mars Following boundary pushing. @Romanmars Roman Mars is the creator and host of 99% Invisible, a short radio show that focuses on design and architecture. It’s one of the most popular #podcasts on iTunes and his tweets @THESKETCHBOOKPROJECT are always interesting and informative. The Sketchbook Project is an Instagram account which displays the world’s “largest library Rami Ismail Following of artists’ books.” It’s @Tha_rami part of a larger project Rami Ismail is the co-developer of the indie which started in 2006. #videogame Ridiculous Fishing. He never stops The art is from all over tweeting and is a good follow for an insider’s look at the world of indie video games. the world and features a variety of different styles.

42 PIVOT Short for‘explain like I’mfve.’Short ELI5 digitalvideoimages. of and storage forthecompression A computerfleformat GIF Short for‘toolong;didn’tShort read.’ TL;DR post istoowordy. Ironically, thisdefnitionis a toindicateif often usedinonlineforums “TL;DR”is agoldfsh. attention spanof ramble. People have ontheInternet the noonewants tohearyouOn theInternet, bordering onTL;DR. discussion forums. in layman’s terms. It’s bigonReddit andonline jargon translate complexscienceor technology years-old,” or ELI5.Mostoften,it’s usedto down, askthemto“explain itlike I’mfve- for somethingandyou needthemtodumbit someonegivesWhen acomplexexplanation “jif.” as GIF of pronunciation the confrmed fnally he that debate, of years many after recently,and GIF.was only the It of father the as credited is 1987, in CompuServe at lead engineering Wilhite, Steve loops. in round go that images animated addictive highly are GIFs

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PIVOT43

J K Nobody tells this to people who are beginners, I wish someone told me. All of us who do creative work, we get into it because we have good taste.

But there is this gap.

For the frst couple years you make stuff, it’s just not that good. It’s trying to be good, it has potential, but it’s not. But your taste, the thing that got you into the game, is still killer. And your taste is why your work disappoints you. A lot of people never get past this phase, they quit. Most people I know who do interesting, creative work went through years of this. We know our work doesn’t have this special thing that we want it to have.

We all go through this.

And if you are just starting out or you are still in this phase, you gotta know its normal and the most important thing you can do is do a lot of work. Put yourself on a deadline so that every week you will fnish one story.

It is only by going through a volume of work that you will close that gap, and your work will be as good as your ambitions. And I took longer to fgure out how to do this than anyone I’ve ever met. It’s gonna take awhile. It’s normal to take awhile.

You’ve just gotta fght your way through.

- Ira Glass

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