PlanetPhillip » Archive » What Sort Of Competitions Do You Want To See?

firba1 29th January 2008 at 02:36 1

I think the only real problem is that most of the people on this site already have those games. Offering us games we already have (and some we already have 2 of) isn’t really great incentive.
Afro-Dude 29th January 2008 at 03:09 2

Yeah Valve did a great job on that one, I got Hl2 and Ep1 from 2 total strangers.
cubedude89 29th January 2008 at 04:03 3

So either
1. people already have the ‘prize’
or
2. they don’t want to write a review

I fit in both 1 and 2.

Sorry I have no suggestions either.
AI 29th January 2008 at 05:40 4

How about some “old” collectable games??
Gilfrarry 29th January 2008 at 07:49 5

Have you ever run a competition to find and submit mods you don’t have yet?

I don’t have HL2. So if I write a review, any sort of passable review, I’ll win by default?
I dont remember my true name 29th January 2008 at 13:58 6

Im sorry I just didnt known avout the competiotion. I was eager into writing a review. Shame I didn’t participated. So, make one where you would need to review the Half-Life game itself… This could be better. Or else, what about reviewing hardware for example? Someone post it’s system here and people review it for the best receive the game(s). I don’t think review is a bad idea in any part. Shame, shame I didn’t know before, o well.
CrowbarSka 29th January 2008 at 15:32 7

I didn’t enter because I already own all the HL games!
mel 29th January 2008 at 17:03 8

I was under the impression that my review of Conflect Toronto was an entry. But no matter I was not looking to win anything.
bkadar 29th January 2008 at 17:48 9

how about best screen shot,maybe pic five or ten then let us vote.or some trivia , voice of barney? bake off?maybe its just not the right time for it.

well gotta game life is short.
MrHappy 29th January 2008 at 18:03 10

You could have a mapping/modding contest…
but then again, I think everyone already has those games.
Memobot 29th January 2008 at 19:40 11

I’m afraid I share the same view as many others. Already have Ep.1 twice.
feckineejit 29th January 2008 at 19:55 12

Yeah, everyone has those games. I have 2 ep1s.
Splatzone 29th January 2008 at 21:51 13

I already have episode 1. Perhaps you could do something like “win special forum privileges”? (Think VIP accounts). That wouldn’t be at any cost to you, and I’m sure some people would be interested (I would).

Or, you could offer something like email accounts, advertising space. Anything, really!
Jimbo 29th January 2008 at 23:32 14

Yeah I have it too. Everyone loves HL on this site…why would we not have it?

But I’m in agreement with MrHappy’s response…maybe do even more than mapping or modding– have a contest around the lines of “MAKE ANYTHING COOL! FANART! 3D MODELS! SOUNDS!” and so forth. I’d join it!
Passerby 30th January 2008 at 02:26 15

5 word review of Ep1:

I got crush on Alyx

(pls donate prize to needy gamer)
Nighthawk 30th January 2008 at 03:00 16

I do not understand some of these people we live with in this world!! WOW ok if you already have episode 1 why respond in a negitive way! I think your Offer was GREAT and have been attepting to finish a mod and figure out how I coul dwrite an original review as I do NOT have episode 1 I Have 2 small boys to raise and can not find the time or the Money to purchase these games. I woudl LOVE to have episode 1 offered to me for free and if you would offer it to me I woudl be THRILLED to have a free game from a person that ALREADY does so much for me and MANY others. Think about it people how many hours have you been able to play GREAT mods without it costing you any money and all you have to do is got to THIS GREAT SITE to find them.
I wish we (I) could do more to show my sincere THANK YOU to PlanetPhillip fo rall he does for us (ME)!!!
Phillip Can I PLEASE have episode 1,? I woudl GREATLY appreciate it , Sounds like most do not appreciate the offer but I for one sure do!!!
AI 30th January 2008 at 05:11 17

If there was a way to “legitamatly” deactivate the serials from Steam, from my original HL2 & HL2 E1 I could put them up for someone! I use the “Orange Box” now and don’t have the others installed! I’ve e-mailed Steam a few times and got NO response!!
GoddessAlyria 30th January 2008 at 09:41 18

@ Nighthawk:

While Phillip’s offer is very generous and gracious (he’s always gracious), I don’t think anyone’s response has been negative. They’re just simply stating they already have the games. However, having said that, it wouldn’t prevent the winner from giving it to someone they know as a gift OR (even better) they could sell it and donate the proceeds to the PP fund raiser!!

Writing a review is a lot of work and much harder than you might realize. Just ask any of the past team reviewers.

Since Phillip did ask for everyone’s opinion, I agree with Jimbo’s comment. Make it something that is more fun to create but not too extremely taxing on the readers. Hold a competition for a Monday motivational poster, a short story idea (prolly not as hard as a review), an in-game video, etc. Just visit icanhascheezburger.com (greatest site in the world besides PP) to get an idea of just how witty one person can be with a picture!

I believe past PP competitions were such a hit because they were pretty darn easy for anybody with even half a brain! Such as: name a new character or name a new weapon, etc. However, for a free game, I wouldn’t make it that easy. I’m just saying it wasn’t too extremely detailed and hard to enter.
Memobot 30th January 2008 at 12:19 19

I wasn’t being negative, and I appreciate that Episode 1 is a good prize for those that don’t have it, and I know some still don’t.
I only recently have my spare Episode 1 and, to my suprise, Half-life 2 to some people I know.
I agree with the other prize ideas as well.
Nighthawk 30th January 2008 at 21:59 20

GoddessAlyria— Ok I see what you are saying. I am Sorry I took it negitive !!! I was just reading things people wrote and it seemed to me as complaining. THANK YOU for correcting my thoughts on this. and I do mean THANK YOU, I think this is the BEST site for half life information and mods out there and would miss this site more than I want to think about. I am the type of person to say “the glass is half full” and look at the good in life. I have never rated a mod because I feel it is too hard to judge another person and sure some are better or longer or more detailed than others but I feel Happy, Thankfull and just plain lucky to be able to play so many creative ideas so I would not be good to rate any mods, ( a 5 minute map is more than I would know how to make)
Once again THANK YOU for correcting me! I hope and Pray nobody that reads my post will think bad of me!
planetphillip 30th January 2008 at 22:17 21

firba1 Said:

I think the only real problem is that most of the people on this site already have those games. Offering us games we already have (and some we already have 2 of) isn’t really great incentive.

This is true but I was hoping that somebody would like to win it for a friend.

planetphillip Said:

I got Hl2 and Ep1 from 2 total strangers.

Are you serious? Two people just sent you the games? How did that happen? Can I keep just writing questions? Really? Sorry, I got carried away, didn’t I?

cubedude89 Said:

So either
1. people already have the ‘prize’
or
2. they don’t want to write a review

I fit in both 1 and 2.

Sorry I have no suggestions either.

Thanks for nothing then!

AI Said:

How about some “old” collectable games??

That might work but I was hoping to stick with HL-related stuff.

planetphillip Said:

Have you ever run a competition to find and submit mods you don’t have yet?

No, but I do have the Challenge page! I might get 20 mods I’ve not listed and have to find 20 prizes.

planetphillip Said:

I don’t have HL2. So if I write a review, any sort of passable review, I’ll win by default?

No, Sorry.

planetphillip Said:

Im sorry I just didnt known avout the competiotion.

There has been a huge graphic at the top of every page since the beginning (More or less)! AT least that tells me how effective my graphics are.

planetphillip Said:

So, make one where you would need to review the Half-Life game itself…

I would rather stick to mod reviews.

mel Said:

I was under the impression that my review of Conflict Toronto was an entry. But no matter I was not looking to win anything.

Your enter is counted but I wanted to sound more dramatic by saying nobody entered. No offense meant.

Also I didn’t think you wanted EP1 because I knew you already have it.

bkadar Said:

how about best screen shot,maybe pic five or ten then let us vote.or some trivia , voice of barney? bake off?maybe its just not the right time for it.
well gotta game life is short.

Good ideas all of them. I’ll probably try the screenshot for February.

planetphillip Said:

You could have a mapping/modding contest…

I don’t think that would work becasue not enough mappers are regular visitors. However if I had better connections with other mapping websites I could maybe run a joint competition. Anybody interested?

Memobot Said:

I’m afraid I share the same view as many others. Already have Ep.1 twice.

Would you like to donate one for a future prize or giveaway?

feckineejit Said:

Yeah, everyone has those games. I have 2 ep1s.

Again, would you like to donate one for a giveaway or prize?

Splatzone Said:

Perhaps you could do something like “win special forum privileges”? (Think VIP accounts). That wouldn’t be at any cost to you, and I’m sure some people would be interested (I would).

Or, you could offer something like email accounts, advertising space. Anything, really!

More good ideas, although extra forum privileges isn’t really enough since the forum only has a few posts. Maybe in a few years when I have 100,000 members etc!

planetphillip Said:

why would we not have it?

You are right but as I said earlier I was hopping the chance to win it for a friend might be enough.
planetphillip 30th January 2008 at 22:31 22

Jimbo Said:

Yeah I have it too. Everyone loves HL on this site…why would we not have it?

But I’m in agreement with MrHappy’s response…maybe do even more than mapping or modding– have a contest around the lines of “MAKE ANYTHING COOL! FANART! 3D MODELS! SOUNDS!” and so forth. I’d join it!

Ok, I’ll consider some options.

Passerby Said:

5 word review of Ep1:
I got crush on Alyx
(pls donate prize to needy gamer)

You and probably 10,000 teenage boys.
Hopefully the winner will be needy.

planetphillip Said:

Phillip Can I PLEASE have episode 1?

Well, I really would prefer to use it as a prize but if a PP reader has a spare EP1 they want to give then it sounds like Nighthawk is a needy gamer. There is one condition: You must contribute something to the site; a review of a mod that requires EP1 or screenshots etc.

AI Said:

If there was a way to “legitamatly” deactivate the serials from Steam, from my original HL2 & HL2 E1 I could put them up for someone! I use the “Orange Box” now and don’t have the others installed! I’ve e-mailed Steam a few times and got NO response!!

In this case I don’t think so because they are not connected to the same account you purchased The Orange Box, are they?

planetphillip Said:

While Phillip’s offer is very generous and gracious

Whilst I would love to take the kudos from this I must say that the prizes all come from generous PP readers.

planetphillip Said:

Make it something that is more fun to create but not too extremely taxing on the readers. Hold a competition for a Monday motivational poster, a short story idea (prolly not as hard as a review), an in-game video, etc.

Yes, you are right. It’s just I really wanted more reviews because I constantly compare my site against the other sites and see they get lots of new reviews and I would love to have them.

I probably won’t do a Monday Motivation Poster competition becasue I enjoy creating them but who knows maybe it’s the perfect option.

planetphillip Said:

I have never rated a mod because I feel it is too hard to judge another person

I understand what you mean but just think of it as helping others and giving your honest opinion.
andyb 30th January 2008 at 22:57 23

AI if you registered the orange box under the same account as the others they should be listed under games>gift passes.
If you started a new account you could give the old account away I believe by clicking the settings button and change contact email to who ever you give it to.
wisemx 31st January 2008 at 01:51 24

I’ll run sdknuts in coop with PP.
Mappers are depressed right now anyway with all the SDK bugs, the past 3 months have been rough.
pL 31st January 2008 at 02:12 25

Philip, as you know I have HL2 and Ep1 available as gifts which you are welcome to.
There is litle point in having gifts which are not given away.
Most people checking in here already have the HL games but maybe there are more people out there like NightHawk and perhaps if others have gifts available you could set up a free games section and attract some extra attention for this great site that way. I don’t know if thats been done anywhere else. Someone I know just into their teens has only recently discovered the HL series and is very excited about it, and little money, so they are not necessarily obsolete gifts.
A screen shot or something similar might be the effort required to get a gift that way? Just a thought,though I know it doesn’t answer you desire for more reviews.
shawn 31st January 2008 at 08:53 26

A little late to the party, but…

The review competition was a thoughtful idea. I happen to have Ep1, and not as much time as I would like, so I passed.

my 2 cents.
MattyDienhoff 31st January 2008 at 17:36 27

I have an idea for a competition. Some kind of in-game challenge similar to the achievements, for example “Complete the Ravenholm chapter of Half-Life 2 using only the crowbar in less than 60 minutes”. Demos could be used as proof.
planetphillip 31st January 2008 at 19:37 28

planetphillip Said:

Some kind of in-game challenge similar to the achievements, for example “Complete the Ravenholm chapter of Half-Life 2 using only the crowbar in less than 60 minutes”. Demos could be used as proof.

That’s a good idea, although I don’t like the idea of watching hours and hours of demos to check players didn’t cheat!
cubedude89 31st January 2008 at 23:22 29

type demoui in the console and you can fast forward and rewind and stuff so there is no need to watch hours of demos and still see if they cheat
Lars 14th February 2008 at 10:54 30

I agree with previous posters… the reason I didn’t submit a review was the lack of incentive. At first I was excited about the contest, thinking the prize was ep2 (or orange box, whatever) which I don’t have. I was preparing to write a review of Mistake of Pythagoras. But then I saw that the prize was ep1, which I have. So I didn’t bother. Sorry you didn’t get any entries…

I do enjoy the site. Maybe I’ll enter the screenshot contest despite the prize.