Update: The response to this has been overwhelmingly positive, with not a single "Piss off, ya damn n00b" that I've noticed. Very well then, let the games begin! Give me a few days to sort out the rules, get an e-mail set up, get a wiki or something set up so I can post the entries at the end and wait for my first giveaway timer to end in about five days. First giveaway of this type will appear within about a week and a half, I think. From then on, it will be the first of every month, provided I don't get nuked in the bank account. /update

Just an idea that occured to me earlier today to encourage people to be creative with their writing, their art, the poetry, whatever at the same time as giving free stuff to you all. This is just an interest thread for now, just to see how many would be interested in such a venture first.

Here's how it would work.

Step 1: I will give you a key word to use as a prompt for your work. In this example, it shall be "Cornfield" but it will be totally random with one exception (see below). Alternate word meanings are accepted and, in fact, highly encouraged. If I choose "duck" as a prompt, if half of the entries use it in the form of the cute little bird, and the other half have someone dodging a brick, both are acceptable ways to interpret the prompt.

Step 2: You make something creative that relates to a cornfield. This can be anything: it could be a painting of one; it could be a story about aliens making a crop circle in one or two lovers taking a sunset stroll around one; it could be a fanfiction or original fiction; it could even be a papier-mâché if you can figure out how you'd do that with a cornfield. It can be as simple as a stick figure or it can be a fifty page epic (please try not to go to either extreme though). The only thing that is certain is that the centrepiece, the major plot device or a key line is centred around a cornfield.

Step 3: Send it to my e-mail, which I will give out in each thread, in some sort of file (.doc, .jpg, .png, whatever your format of entry happens to be). Leave your Steamgift profile name and address in the e-mail so I can contact you if you win. Tell me if you don't want me to post your entry to the wiki.

Step 4: Wait.

Step 5: I will read/view all entries and pick the best, based on personal preference. You may be an incredible painter or you may have simply made a funny limerick up that made me laugh loudly and lose six years off of my maturity level. Note: it would have to be a incredibly good limerick to stand up to a quality piece of fiction or artwork.

Step 6: Winner gets the game. You are happy. The rest of you wait until the next contest.

The games: Unless clearly stated, the game will be your choice in whatever price range I set for the giveaway. Any funds not used will likely go towards the next giveaway (hopefully, though the decision will be based on my personal finances at the time). The higher value of game, the longer the giveaway lasts.

The condition on Step 1: Occasionally, I will give away a specific game with the funds I have built up. In this example instance, I am giving a copy of Skyrim. Since I am giving away a set game, the prompt word will be based on that game. In Skyrim's case, the prompt would obviously be "Bugs."

Ties: Draws between two pieces are theoretically possible if I absolutely cannot decide between two entries, in which case, I will discuss what to do with the winners at the time. Possible solutions: send each winner the other person's work and see if one of them is kind enough to bow out if they believe the other should win; split the prize money in half; go all out and get both the prize they want within the original price range if they accept that it will be a while before I can build up my funds to gift both of them.

Is everything clear? Would you be interested in this form of giveaway? It would provide a nice change of pace from speedy giveaways or puzzle giveaways, however fun those are, and would get your creative juices flowing.

12 years ago*

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Very good idea! I've been needing something to give me something of a creative spark and this sounds like just the thing to do so. The chance of a reward only sweetens the situation.

Count me in wholeheartedly. :)

12 years ago
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Supporting!^^

12 years ago
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This idea gets my official seal of approval--as well as my walrus, sea lion, and manatee of approval.

12 years ago
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I would love to do this
Too bad I'm not creative :|

12 years ago
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in the case of a tie, perhaps a fight to the death? =)

12 years ago
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Done, but someone else will have to afford the plane tickets.

12 years ago
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what then if the fight to death is a tie also?

12 years ago
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The funds will move on into the next giveaway, duh!

12 years ago
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just split the price of the games, say if you are willing to spend £40 on one person and their is a tie, then give them £20 each to spend. I'm sure their are cheap games that they want.
A Question:
-Say if I won and you are only willing to spend £30 on a game, and it is £40 on steam, but on GreenManGaming it is £30 then would you buy it from their?

12 years ago
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Maybe. It's highly likely I'll do Steam games only (no Battlefield 3, no Minecraft etc). I'm a little too lazy to figure out other sites.

12 years ago
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Sounds like a lot of fun, though most of my content would be limited to writing as that's where my talents are. These days it's hard to compare good artwork to good writing (artwork almost always wins), but I suppose simply the chance to get some motivational writing done aside from all my short stories is a prize in itself.

12 years ago
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thats why it should be split contests into categories

12 years ago
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Wait, so my love for writing can now be rewarded with my love for gaming?! YES PLEASE.

By the way, you might want to frame a few restrictions in mind to keep things from snowballing out of control. Stuff like word limits, even if only vaguely alluded to, make a hell of a difference for someone not familiar with the concept of brevity.

Also, it would be really cool of you to upload any other strong entries for public viewing. There's always a lot of gems that don't quite make the cut, but they still deserve better treatment than being left to wither in an inbox. And hey, everybody wins in that scenario. The entrants get their due appreciation and the lurkers don't feel entirely left out.

12 years ago
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I would, would a photo I take be eligible? I am pretty into photography and know how to use photoshop well(If the contest calls for it).

Sounds cool, great since I am bad at all these puzzle ones...

12 years ago
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Photos are eligible.

12 years ago
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Thanks, looking forward to it!

12 years ago
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cool!

12 years ago
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That is one awesome idea, good sir. Why don't you add musical compositions to the list of acceptable arts? Cause I suck at pictures and not a native english speaker to write a decent piece of prose. Although I can compose a proper track about a creepy cornfild, I suppose.

12 years ago
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I was thinking about this last night. I would say go for it, at least at first, but you would need to tell me in the e-mail what the scene is that you're trying to set. For example, using the example above, I would expect a sunset walk between lovers to be a sweet melody, but a cornfield at night can become a fairly scary experience.

12 years ago
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Yeah, sure, but I'll try to do a proper song with lyrics so that no misunderstandings would be possible.

12 years ago
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In that case, absolutely. Sorry, I thought you simply meant instrumental music.

12 years ago
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Hmmm - I suck at writing, but this type of competition would make people make a true effort for a game they might want.

I say go! :D

12 years ago
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I'm game.

12 years ago
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I am very interested.

12 years ago
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I like the idea, except the black hole feeling I get. The description has you get all the materials, make a decision, and that's it. Lots of nice entries that only you get to see. It would be nice if at least the winning entries will be shown to everyone. Not only will we get to see some nice creations, but we'll get an insight into your taste.

12 years ago
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Please read the read of the thread. It's not that long.

12 years ago
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I could find it mentioned once, now that I went over the thread again. Yes, the thread isn't that long, but it's not that hard to miss that particular point. Would you consider adding it to your post?

12 years ago
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i really like this idea, a lot. i needed to find some motivation to start writing/drawing again, and you might as well given me a reason haha. please keep me updated on this :)

12 years ago
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Loving this idea :D

12 years ago
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challenge accepted...
I would enter in a competition of this kind^^

12 years ago
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Like the idea, may even participate (I'm basically only good at writing music but I can't sing so I would have some problems on that front...anyway, nice idea and yes, make it so that when you submit the entry you agree to have your work publicly shown. Anyway, great idea!

12 years ago
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Wonderful idea, I love it. :)

12 years ago
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Update at the top.

12 years ago
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I would love to try it! :)

12 years ago
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Step 6: Winner gets the game, being invited to a private giveaway solely for them. You are happy.

Why not just give the game? Why bother making a giveaway for one person lol? It won't count towards your profile.

12 years ago
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Fuck, they don't? I was hoping to use it as a way to steadily boost my games given to be able to give away more games in the future.

Edit: Talking with lokonopa about it.

12 years ago
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I don't know why it wouldn't, but then I also don't understand how being credited for the giveaways would allow you to give away more games. My knowledge of this site and its workings is imperfect. I still like the idea. Maybe you could select a number of winners and allow them all to enter. Even if you picked ten people, the odds would still be pretty good for everyone. If someone could explain the two points mentioned in the beginning of this post, that would be great, too. The more you know, and all . . . .

12 years ago
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It's in the FAQ. Scroll down until you get to "Understanding Feedback."

As for the giveaway for more than one, that doesn't really seem to fit the spirit of what I want to do. It's basically, "Okay, Bob, your painting was INCREDIBLE. You totally win! But first, you need to subject yourself to pure chance and hope luck gets you your game!"

12 years ago
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Thanks for the info. Also, I realize your dilemma, but if multiple entries are necessary, you could keep the number down to improve chances. Also, you could perhaps begin a queue with the first instance and allow the people who don't win to re-enter the next with one additional person from the entries and so on, so that everyone will eventually get something, just not necessarily immediately. It's not perfect, but it's an idea.

12 years ago
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This is very cool :)

12 years ago
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I love that idea, but sadly i dont speak english so is very hard to me, to make a history or something in another language, ill try to test my luck.

But first, when will you give the word? It has to be a history a paint or what?

12 years ago
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As I understood it, he gives us one word and we can use that word to make whatever we want in any way that we want. Maybe you write a story that uses the word and someone else makes a painting about it, both are acceptable. Then he chooses the one that he likes the most, and that guy wins.

So if you make a painting, your native language doesn't really matter :) And if you don't know the word you can always google it.

12 years ago
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Well i suck drawing so no hopes there, thanks for the anwers.

But another question an animation can enter or something like that?

For example a text with an image (Personal work of course) at the end to ilustrate the text? or an animation with some history (but a week is too short for a good anim)

12 years ago
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Everything is dust in the wind.

Great idea, pal.

12 years ago
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Closed 12 years ago by thejadefalcon.