LeveL
Encyclopedia
LEVEL is a computer and video games
magazine
originating in the Czech Republic
with branches in Romania
and Turkey
. These three brother divisions occasionally exchange content. In addition to publishing the magazine, LeveL also organizes many yearly gaming competitions for players in two of the countries (Romania's pro-gaming sponsor being the PGL - Professional Gamer's League); it is one of the biggest Turkish sponsors of international gaming contests (such as WCG
).
LeveL was founded by Jan "Beast" Tomanek in 1995 in Czech Republic. Its first issue was released on 24.01.1995. The current LeveL editor-in-chief is Michal Křivský (replacing Petr Poláček
).
in 1991 and Score in 1994, about computer games, released on the Czech market. With the founder Martin Ludvik, LEVEL began its history in January, 1995. For a year and a half, the editor-in-chief was Jan Tománek
, followed by Petr Bulíř (half a year in charge) and Jan Herodes, who led the magazine for seven years. His former assistant Ondřej Průša, one of the few people who had been with LEVEL for its whole history, replaced him during the following 4 years. The current editor-in-chief is Martin Bach. LEVEL is considered the best selling magazine about computer games in the Czech republic
with nearly 40.000 print-outs dispatched every month. Current editorial staff consists of more than twenty members.
and PC Gamer
at first competed in the Turkish market, their Turkish branches closed due to financial difficulty, leaving LEVEL without competitors — and with extra staff poached from the failed publications.
The magazine encourages the purchase of legal copies of games, having published a series of articles about software piracy
.
During August 2007, The magazine was sold to Doğan Burda, the leading magazine publisher of Turkey. Fırat Akyıldız (the editor-in-chief for Official PlayStation 2 Magazine Turkey and GamePro magazines in the past) became the editor-in-chief. Famous comedy duo Cenk and Erdem, Cem Şancı and writer Ali Aksöz (the creator of a highly successful web organization named Lost Library) has returned to LEVEL after the split. Also many writers from GamePro has joined LEVEL.
The magazine includes a DVD since 2006, it was the second Romanian magazine to include a DVD, after XtremPC
. The magazine also features a full game every issue since 2002, a very controversial decision back in the day because of the games' quality, which varied from issue to issue.
The longest lasting author of LEVEL Romania is Marius Ghinea, who joined the team back in 1998 and raised the standards by writing high quality reviews, correlating gaming to forms of art and by having a very "refined taste" in games. Other authors that deserve to be mentioned for outstanding activity over the years: Mr. President, Claude
, Wild Snake, Sebah, Mike, Mitza, Locke, Ciolan. LEVEL Romania is in direct competition with PcGames4Fun and used to be in competition with GameOver (which featured only 16 issues), the latter being considered by many to be the best gaming magazine ever written in Romania so far.
In 2007 LEVEL Romania organized an event called "Level-fest" aka "Viva la Level-ution", which would mark a successful re-tooling of their magazine. The even was held in Bucharest, in a club called "Fire".
In 2008 LEVEL Romania held the contest "Tu faci jocurile" (You make the games) in which they awarded a team of programmers 5000 Euros for creating an original and entertaining video game (you could only enter the contest if you were an independent team, not part of a company).
Starting with 2009 LEVEL has sometimes given 2 full games with certain issues and is also heavily promoting interesting Indie Games.
Computer and video games
A video game is an electronic game that involves human interaction with a user interface to generate visual feedback on a video device. The word video in video game traditionally referred to a raster display device, but following popularization of the term "video game", it now implies any type of...
magazine
Magazine
Magazines, periodicals, glossies or serials are publications, generally published on a regular schedule, containing a variety of articles. They are generally financed by advertising, by a purchase price, by pre-paid magazine subscriptions, or all three...
originating in the Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
with branches in Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
and Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
. These three brother divisions occasionally exchange content. In addition to publishing the magazine, LeveL also organizes many yearly gaming competitions for players in two of the countries (Romania's pro-gaming sponsor being the PGL - Professional Gamer's League); it is one of the biggest Turkish sponsors of international gaming contests (such as WCG
World Cyber Games
The World Cyber Games is an international competitive video-gaming event operated by South Korean company World Cyber Games Inc., and sponsored by Samsung and Microsoft...
).
LeveL was founded by Jan "Beast" Tomanek in 1995 in Czech Republic. Its first issue was released on 24.01.1995. The current LeveL editor-in-chief is Michal Křivský (replacing Petr Poláček
Sleepless
Sleepless is a single by the band King Crimson, released in 1984. Its tracks are from the album Three of a Perfect Pair . The song "Sleepless" is best known for its distinctive opening bassline which features Tony Levin actually slapping on the strings to create its pulsating beat...
).
LEVEL in Czech republic
LEVEL was the third magazine, after ExcaliburExcalibur
Excalibur is the legendary sword of King Arthur, sometimes attributed with magical powers or associated with the rightful sovereignty of Great Britain. Sometimes Excalibur and the Sword in the Stone are said to be the same weapon, but in most versions they are considered separate. The sword was...
in 1991 and Score in 1994, about computer games, released on the Czech market. With the founder Martin Ludvik, LEVEL began its history in January, 1995. For a year and a half, the editor-in-chief was Jan Tománek
Jan Tománek
Jan Tománek is a Czech filmmaker. He graduated from the High School of Arts in Prague in 1996. He has been studying at Prague’s Academy of Fine Arts in the studio of New Media since 1999. He has been making short 3D animated movies and combined movies with real actors since 1997. In 1997 he...
, followed by Petr Bulíř (half a year in charge) and Jan Herodes, who led the magazine for seven years. His former assistant Ondřej Průša, one of the few people who had been with LEVEL for its whole history, replaced him during the following 4 years. The current editor-in-chief is Martin Bach. LEVEL is considered the best selling magazine about computer games in the Czech republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
with nearly 40.000 print-outs dispatched every month. Current editorial staff consists of more than twenty members.
LEVEL in Turkey
The Turkish edition was founded and initially written by M. Berker Güngör (alias "Maddog") in 1997 and then Sinan Akkol (alias "Blaxis") joined the family couple of years later when he attended to a contest and became the heart of LEVEL; today it is the leading computer games magazine in Turkey, with over 25 authors and distribution of 20 000 per issue. While global games magazines Gameshow (magazine)Gameshow (magazine)
Gameshow is a magazine that was published in Turkey during the 90's. The magazine focused mainly on computer games, where it was the leading magazine in that but it also contained pages about science fiction and fantasy literature and rock music...
and PC Gamer
PC Gamer
PC Gamer is a magazine founded in Britain in 1993 devoted to PC gaming and published monthly by Future Publishing. The magazine has several regional editions, with the UK and US editions becoming the best selling PC games magazines in their respective countries...
at first competed in the Turkish market, their Turkish branches closed due to financial difficulty, leaving LEVEL without competitors — and with extra staff poached from the failed publications.
The magazine encourages the purchase of legal copies of games, having published a series of articles about software piracy
Copyright infringement of software
Copyright infringement of software=The copyright infringement of software refers to several practices which involve the unauthorized copying of computer software. Copyright infringement of this kind varies globally...
.
During August 2007, The magazine was sold to Doğan Burda, the leading magazine publisher of Turkey. Fırat Akyıldız (the editor-in-chief for Official PlayStation 2 Magazine Turkey and GamePro magazines in the past) became the editor-in-chief. Famous comedy duo Cenk and Erdem, Cem Şancı and writer Ali Aksöz (the creator of a highly successful web organization named Lost Library) has returned to LEVEL after the split. Also many writers from GamePro has joined LEVEL.
LEVEL in Romania
In September 1997 Vogel Publishing Romania launches the first Romanian gaming magazine called "LEVEL INTERNATIONAL GAMES MAGAZINE". Today it is the leading computer games magazine in Romania with 21.000 magazines per issue and 79.000 readers per issue. LEVEL Romania saw its ups and downs in its over a decade of activity.The magazine includes a DVD since 2006, it was the second Romanian magazine to include a DVD, after XtremPC
XtremPC
XtremPC was a computer magazine from Romania founded in 1998. XtremPC included previews and reviews on computer hardware, software, PC games and gadgets as well as IT news. Although its major focus was on personal computers only, latter editions started including sections dedicated to game consoles...
. The magazine also features a full game every issue since 2002, a very controversial decision back in the day because of the games' quality, which varied from issue to issue.
The longest lasting author of LEVEL Romania is Marius Ghinea, who joined the team back in 1998 and raised the standards by writing high quality reviews, correlating gaming to forms of art and by having a very "refined taste" in games. Other authors that deserve to be mentioned for outstanding activity over the years: Mr. President, Claude
Claude
Claude is a relatively common French given name for males. It can also be an uncommon given name for females or a family name...
, Wild Snake, Sebah, Mike, Mitza, Locke, Ciolan. LEVEL Romania is in direct competition with PcGames4Fun and used to be in competition with GameOver (which featured only 16 issues), the latter being considered by many to be the best gaming magazine ever written in Romania so far.
In 2007 LEVEL Romania organized an event called "Level-fest" aka "Viva la Level-ution", which would mark a successful re-tooling of their magazine. The even was held in Bucharest, in a club called "Fire".
In 2008 LEVEL Romania held the contest "Tu faci jocurile" (You make the games) in which they awarded a team of programmers 5000 Euros for creating an original and entertaining video game (you could only enter the contest if you were an independent team, not part of a company).
Starting with 2009 LEVEL has sometimes given 2 full games with certain issues and is also heavily promoting interesting Indie Games.