Joystiq

Report: Detained ARMA devs released by Greece

Alexander Sliwinski — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 09:00:00 EST

Ivan Buchta and Martin Pezlar, two Czech developers from Bohemia Interactive accused of espionage in Greece, are reportedly free on bail. HelpIvanMartin.org, the community website established to follow the case, has translated two Czech news reports that the men are on their way home after posting €5000 bail.

The pair have spent over 120 days in jail, after they allegedly photographed and recorded military objects, for what the Greek authorities considered espionage. Bohemia Interactive stated early on that the two men were on vacation and were not there on official company business. The company also claimed the pair did not enter any military area and were not taking pictures of military objects for use in ARMA 3.

Report: Detained ARMA devs released by Greece originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 15 Jan 2013 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jailed ARMA devs thank fans and friends for support in handwritten note

Sinan Kubba — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 08:30:00 EST

The Bohemia Interactive developers being detained in Greece sent a handwritten note to fans and friends expressing thanks for words of encouragement and the knowledge that they are "not forgotten." The note, sent last week, is now online at HelpIvanMartin.org.

Ivan Buchta and Martin Pezlar were arrested after being accused of spying on Greek military installations on the island of Lemnos. They've since spent 81 days in jail, with the Czech president recently asking the Greek president to treat their case with "special care."

In the note, the Czech devs say they are being treated well, and that they are doing their best "to stay optimistic and use this time well." They go on to thank the 14,000+ signatories of the petition created to show support for the detained pair.

We have a full version of the note in text after the break.

Continue reading Jailed ARMA devs thank fans and friends for support in handwritten note

Jailed ARMA devs thank fans and friends for support in handwritten note originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 29 Nov 2012 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Czech diplomats get involved in ARMA developer detainment in Greece

Alexander Sliwinski — Fri, 23 Nov 2012 10:30:00 EST

A Czech ambassador was reportedly invited to a meeting by the Greek president regarding the detainment of Ivan Buchta and Martin Pezlar, two developers from Bohemia Interactive accused of espionage. HelpIvanMartin.org, which has been following all the developments of the case, states the meeting was set up following a letter from Czech President Vaclav Klaus to Greek President Karolos Papoulias.

HelpIvanMartin.org have a full primetime news report with translation on the diplomatic maneuvering. The developers were recently refused bail and are accused for photographing Greek military installations on the island of Lemnos. They have been in jail for 75 days.

Czech diplomats get involved in ARMA developer detainment in Greece originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 23 Nov 2012 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jailed ARMA devs have been refused bail

Alexander Sliwinski — Fri, 16 Nov 2012 14:15:00 EST

Detained ArmA 3 developers Ivan Buchta and Martin Pezlar have been denied an appeal against their espionage charges. Eurogamer, working off a translation of news site Rozhlas, reports the pair of Czech developers have now been held for over 70 days, waiting weeks longer to have their appeal heard due to a strike in the Greek legal system.

Developer Bohemia Interactive previously stated the two men were on vacation and were not there on official company business. The pair stated two months ago the incident was a "completely absurd misunderstanding."

The men are reportedly in a cell with over 25 people, sleeping on the ground. According to family members, the tone of their conversations with the men have changed to them asking to be saved. The Czech government claims it is doing what it can. Bohemia has set up a site to show support.

Jailed ARMA devs have been refused bail originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 16 Nov 2012 14:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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First gameplay video of Alientrap's Apotheon is gorgeous, coming in 2013

Mike Suszek — Sun, 21 Oct 2012 21:00:00 EST

Alientrap, developers of PC and XBLA game Capsized, recently unveiled a gameplay trailer for its next game, Apotheon. The side-scrolling action RPG game draws from Greek mythology in both its appearance and story, as players control a hero on a quest to stop the now-evil Greek goddess Hera after she de-thrones Zeus.

The description for Apotheon from Alientrap's official site notes "a large single player campaign in a massive open world Mount Olympus," as well as "online multiplayer with deathmatch and team based gamemodes." The game is in development for PC, and will launch on Steam sometime in 2013.

Gallery: Apotheon (10/21/12)

First gameplay video of Alientrap's Apotheon is gorgeous, coming in 2013 originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 21 Oct 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Website, petition created to support detained ARMA 3 devs

Alexander Sliwinski — Tue, 18 Sep 2012 07:00:00 EST

Bohemia Interactive is directing press and fans to HelpIvanMartin.org, a community-created website established to share news and show support for ARMA 3 developers Ivan Buchta and Martin Pezlar currently held in Greece on suspicion of espionage.

We followed up with Bohemia Interactive for clarification on some points it made in a statement yesterday, where the company contested information reported in the original news piece on the incident. Bohemia Interactive denies the pair told authorities they were collecting images for ARMA 3.

"Their legal council has stated, according to an investigation file in his possession, that from the very beginning of their detention both of them testified that they were on holiday in Greece. They stated that they knew Lemnos from their work and, therefore, they picked it as their holiday destination. Never did they tell the investigators that they were there on business," a Bohemia Interactive representative told Joystiq.

"Our colleagues deny the accusation of espionage. We consider the matter to be a gross misunderstanding; Ivan and Maxell traveled to Limnos on vacation, certainly not to gather materials that may endanger the national security of Greece."

Website, petition created to support detained ARMA 3 devs originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 18 Sep 2012 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ARMA devs detained in Greece call incident 'completely absurd misunderstanding'

Alexander Sliwinski — Mon, 17 Sep 2012 16:00:00 EST

Bohemia Interactive developers Ivan Buchta and Martin Pezlar, currently detained in Greece on what are reported espionage charges, have relayed a statement to their friends and family.

"The conditions are tough, but the people we meet treat us fairly and correctly. It is all a completely absurd misunderstanding that will certainly be quickly explained," the pair, currently being held in Mytilene, wrote. "We mainly think of you, our families; you have to stay calm and not to worry about us. We hope we will meet soon."

Bohemia continues to state that the two men were on vacation and were not there on official company business. Furthermore, the company states the pair did not enter any military area and did not take any pictures of military objects for use in the upcoming ARMA 3.

Continue reading ARMA devs detained in Greece call incident 'completely absurd misunderstanding'

ARMA devs detained in Greece call incident 'completely absurd misunderstanding' originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 17 Sep 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Employees of ARMA dev arrested on spying charges in Greece

Alexander Sliwinski — Tue, 11 Sep 2012 11:15:00 EST

Bohemia Interactive is currently unable to provide comment about two alleged employees arrested in Greece on suspicion of espionage. IN.gr reports two Czech citizens were found in possession of video and photos of military installations on the island of Lemnos, Greece.

The two men, aged 28 and 33, have been charged with espionage. The pair apparently told authorities they work for Bohemia Interactive and were collecting images for ARMA 3.

"We would like to apologize for not providing any statement, but we do not have any official and confirmed information at the moment," Bohemia Interactive told us. "For more details please contact Czech Embassy in Greece or Czech ministry of foreign affairs."

We've reached out to both entities for further comment. We'll update as information becomes available.

Update: CVG spoke with a producer at Bohemia Interactive who confirmed the men's employment, he also added the pair are being transferred to the district court, but have yet to be charged.

Update 2: Bohemia Interactive's CEO speaks, statement after the break.

Update 3: From the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs: "The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic follows the case, however, there is no official statement on this."

Continue reading Employees of ARMA dev arrested on spying charges in Greece

Employees of ARMA dev arrested on spying charges in Greece originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 11 Sep 2012 11:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Greece's Ocarina of Time pre-order bonuses are the best bonuses ever

Griffin McElroy — Thu, 05 May 2011 18:10:00 EST

Nintendo Greece has apparently decided that selling its customers a renovated, three-dimensional version of the best game ever made isn't a sweet enough treat. The official Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D page on Nintendo.gr has revealed that folks who pre-order the game through Nintendo will receive a plethora of bonuses, including a keychain, baseball cap, 3DS cover, an actual ocarina and -- get this -- a canister of Deku tree seeds. (We hear that if you plant them, actual sentient shrubs come out of the ground.)

No pre-order bonuses for the U.S. have been announced, but needless to say, the bar's been set pretty high. If we don't get a pouch of replica rupees, or at the very least, a remote-controlled Bombchu, we're going to be extremely disappointed.

Greece's Ocarina of Time pre-order bonuses are the best bonuses ever originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 05 May 2011 18:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Extremely ugly Clash of the Titans screenshots released

Griffin McElroy — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 17:30:00 EST

Click to Titan-size

Whoa, now. When we say "ugly," we're not talking about the visual fidelity of the aforementioned Clash of the Titans screenshots. Rather, we're talking about the subjects they depict -- horrible, nether-spawned creatures, covered in uninviting tusks, pincers and fangs. Where are all the beautiful, half-clothed goddesses? The scenic Grecian environments? The looming, meticulously built temples? We're not sure -- but we do know they're not in the gallery below.

Gallery: Clash of the Titans

Extremely ugly Clash of the Titans screenshots released originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 19 Dec 2009 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Beach nurses promote Brain Age in Greece

David Hinkle — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 12:35:00 EST

Filed under: News

Promoting Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day!, these nurses you see above were on-hand at the beaches in Greece, providing beach-goers with an opportunity to test their brain's age while soaking up some sun. Seems like a cool marketing idea, but why go with the whole nurse theme? Personally, we think it would've been better if Nintendo flew Dr. Kawashima over to the beaches of Greece and had him approach folks with the DS ... wearing a Speedo.

On second thought, maybe that isn't the best idea. Carry on, Nintendo ...

[Via N+]

Beach nurses promote Brain Age in Greece originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 24 Jul 2007 12:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New Wii games revealed in Greek interview

David Hinkle — Wed, 11 Apr 2007 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Interviews

The name George Katrinakis probably doesn't mean much to you unless you happen to live in Greece, as he's the CEO of Nortec Multimedia, the distributor of Nintendo products in the region. And it turns out this George knows a thing or two about the future of Wii gaming, dropping some clues on us ignorant folk about a pair of new titles. Wait, new games? Rock!

First up is a game, which is being dubbed Health Pack at the moment, that is certainly the most interesting in our eyes. After performing some exercises in the game, supposedly your personal data will be sent out to hospitals that have been contracted out by Nintendo via a new Channel and later returned as some kind of evaluation. Information on how the data will be collected and presented is sketchy as of right now, but we're pumped for a new Channel, let alone the doors this could open for future Channels and/or games.

The second title, Wii Music, sounds a lot like the orchestra demo that Shiggy demoed during the E3 keynote. In it, players will not only be able to control specific musicians in the orchestra, but also save their compositions and send them to other Wii users. While this doesn't tickle our fancy as much as Health Pack, we're certainly not in any position to complain about more games.

According to the interview, both of these games are to be released before the end of 2007.

[Via Joystiq]

New Wii games revealed in Greek interview originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 11 Apr 2007 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Greek interview reveals new Wii games: Music, Health Pack

Kyle Orland — Wed, 11 Apr 2007 16:33:00 EST

Filed under: Nintendo Wii, Rhythm, Exergaming, Casual

Greece is not usually known as a hub of video game information, but an interview with George Katrinakis (Altavista translation of relevant page), CEO of Greek Nintendo distributor Nortec Multimedia, reveals some interesting information about two previously unknown Wii games.

In the four page interview with Greek news site Contra.gr, Katrinakis talks about Wii Music, a game that sounds remarkably similar to the conductor demo shown at last year's E3. In addition to the general Wii-remote-as-conductor's-baton control shown at the demo, Katrinakis reveals that Wii Music players will be able to take control of specific musicians and send saved compositions to other Wii users.

Katrinakis goes on to describe Health Pack, a Wii game that will lead the player in various exercises. Sounds kind of basic, until Katrinakis adds that the game will collect biometric data and send it to local hospitals (contracted by Nintendo) through a Wii channel. According to Katrinakis, this data will be processed by the hospital and sent back as a home check up a few hours later. No word on how the data will be collected or processed, but the idea sounds ambitious if nothing else.

It should be noted that this information comes from a rough translation, and that the information is coming not from Nintendo but from a Greek distributor who might be in a position to know about future releases. Still, if the interview is to be believed, we can expect both these titles by the end of the year.

[Update: Eurogamer is quoting the author of this Contra.gr article, Pavlos Papapavlou, as saying the games described by Mr. Katrinakis were "what he wants to see in the library of Wii. This is not a revelation, this is an estimation." A clarifying note on the site itself gives the same impression.

We don't buy it. Both the machine and human translations we used in compiling this post made it abundantly clear through context that these were games Katrinakis believed were being planned for release by the end of the year (here's another human translation that seems perfectly clear to us). We suspect Katrinakis realized that he revealed some information he wasn't supposed to and is now backpedaling from his on-the-record statements. We've contacted Nintendo of America for an official comment, and will keep you updated with anything we hear.]

[Big thanks to John for the tip and translation help!]

Greek interview reveals new Wii games: Music, Health Pack originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 11 Apr 2007 16:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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