The Thank the Fellows Giveaway!

And now for something completely different. Well, perhaps not completely different, there have been other giveaways like this, but it is different from my usual giveaways. It's.... The Thank the Fellows Giveaway <insert Monty Python theme tune :-) >.

As with previous giveaways of this kind, you are not allowed to enter for yourself, instead you nominate another member, or members, for the prizes. You can either nominate a single person, or you can include a list of people that you would like to nominate (though try not to make the list too long).

There are of course conditions on who you can nominate. I would like people to only nominate members who they personally appreciate, not just those members who host lots of giveaways. It has to be someone who has helped you, who's conversations you enjoy, who has made your time on the GOG forum enjoyable, and of course, you can include members for their personal generosity towards you. You must include a brief reason as to why you are nominating that person, not just "they're awesome!".

I will be giving out three prizes for this giveaway ($19.99, $9.99 and $5.99). I will choose a nominator (the people voting for others) at random and select the winner from the members they nominated. If they have only nominated 1 person, then that person gets the prize, if they have made a list of people, then I will pick one of those names at random to receive the first prize, which is a $19.99 game of the winners choice. The second prize will be picked by tallying up all of the nominations, selecting the 10 or so most popular people nominated (excluding the $19.99 winner) and picking one at random - this person will receive a $9.99 game of their choice. For the final prize, I will enter everyone (the nominees and the nominators) into a draw and pick one winner, who will get a $5.99 game of their choice.

Summary:
- Nominate members who you appreciate and would like to thank.
- Do not nominate/enter for yourself.
- 1 random nominee will get a $19.99 game.
- 1 random nominee will get a $9.99 game.
- 1 random person (nominator or nominee) will get a $5.99 game.

Giveaway Rules:
1. You must have at least 25 rep points and joined before July 2014 to be able to nominate someone.
2. You can nominate 1 person or multiple people, it's up to you. (You can edit your nominations at any time.)
3. Try to nominate active forum members, not members who have not been online for a long time.
4. You must give a brief reason for everyone you nominate.
5. I reserve the right to exclude nominations if no reason or a poor reason is given.
6. All 3 winners will be chosen randomly via a paper raffle.
7. If the winner refuses the prize, then the next in line will get the prize.
8. If the winner does not answer their PM within a few days, the prize will go to the next in line.
9. The prize must be redeemed by the winners (preferably within 48 hours of receipt).
10. The giveaway will run until Thursday 2nd October at 12:00 GMT, to give everyone a chance to enter.

I will be nominating some members myself, but I will be picking every winner completely at random, so if my post happens to win, it is just a coincidence, so no complaining. Also, please do not waste a nomination on me, I am of course exempt, due to being the host.

I love giveaways like this. I'll leave this as a place-holder for now and will try to think of some good nominations when I'm free later tonight. For now, I just wanted to say thanks for another thoughtful (and incredibly generous) giveaway! :)

edit:

OKAY, I'm finally getting back to this. My memory is the stuff of ghosts, and a shoulder injury is keeping my computer time to a minimum of late. Lousy excuses out of the way, let's begin!

IAmSinistar – for his contributions to the community as well as for the great conversations we've had via PM.

Dischord – for his great displays of generosity on the forums, but even moreso for his unique approach to bringing joy to others around here.

JMich - for his informative and insightful posts throughout the forums, and for his willingness to put so much effort into making this a better place.

Spinorial - for the insight and humor he adds to the forums with his posts, and for some great conversations via PM.

Barefoot_Monkey - for the incredible work he put into the Barefoot Essentials script, which makes this site a much easier place to find your way around.

genkicolleen - for her incredibly positive attitude and desire to spread happiness to others on the forums, and for some great conversations to boot.

HypersomniacLive - for his dedication to helping improve GOG, and for his kindness and generosity. His acts of kindness can be quite sneaky, but his good nature and big heart can be seen plain as day in any of his posts.

Tarnicus - for the wonderful conversations we've had behind the scenes. One of the most thoughtful and caring folks I've had the pleasure of meeting online, and one with some great stories to share.

stg83 - for always being so thoughtful of others, and for being a real pleasure to interact with (and to see on the forums.) Even when he was targeted by rep trolls when still pretty new around here, his posts were always incredibly kind and considerate.

foxworks and Sachys - for their tireless work on the BBBBoB giveaways, and for their continuing efforts to make the giveaways here on the forums a positive experience that is fulfilling for both givers and recipients of gifts.

Ragnarblackmane - though he asked not to be nominated, I have to at least nominate him in spirit for his efforts to spread joy on these forums and for some really engaging conversations behind the scenes.


***I have so many more folks I'd like to name, but my shoulder is telling me I'm done sitting here typing for now. For those I failed to mention, please accept my apologies. There truly are an impressive number of truly wonderful people on these forums.

HOW ARE YOU FIRST TO RUSH TO NOMINATE PEOPLE, BUT NEVER WANT STUFF FOR YOURSELF?!!!

I will nominate a few members, as I don't want to be unfair and pick just 1. I limited it to just 5, but there are many more I could have mentioned.

To those who I nominate: No being humble and opting out! If you do not accept the nomination, then I will travel to your country, hunt you down, and kick you square in the nuts! :-)

Nominations: (in no particular order)

Sage103082 - For all of the wonderful conversations and discussions we have. For been awesome and gifting me some games, for always brightening my day and for been so kind and generous. She is one of the nicest people ever!

Ragnarblackmane - For being such an incredibly generous and interesting Dwarf. For his many history themes posts, interesting giveaways and for our conversations (he was the first person on GOG to PM me). It's always a pleasure talking to such a nice guy.

awalterj - For being one of the only Swiss agents sent by the Swiss government to infiltrate GOG HQ and come back out alive :-). But seriously, awalterj is another member that is just so kind, generous and helpful and is such a pleasure to talk to. For all his help and contributions on the Swiss edition of my Great Nations Giveaway (especially his beautiful paintings) and for hosting some wonderful giveaways with such interesting topics (and for gifting me a game even though I actually lost the giveaway).

ThePunishedSnake - I tried to nominate him during dr.schliemann's giveaway, but he decide to opt out. So I will try again, hopefully he will heed my warning above and not give me a reason to kick him square in the nuts, by opting out a second time :-). He has contributed some wonderful facts during my Italian themed giveaway, including some great photographs of a nearby waterfall in Italy. He has always been so nice and helpful and is one of my two favourite Italians on GOG.

Enebias - The second of my two favourite Italians here on GOG. Enebias has been such a wonderful person to meet on GOG. He has helped me with several of my giveaways, he is always so friendly and helpful and very generous. He also has some wonderful stories, such as his short time as an Interpol agent, hunting down the notorious Lupin :-).

Wow...what an amazingly generous Giveaway as usual from you.Off the top of my head there are 6 GoG folks I would like to nominate. In no particular order:

ahkliber-For sharing some amazing taste in music and reminding me of some great times from my past, as well as being fun to talk to on Steamchat.

Billymaysfan59-For his indomitable good cheer and generosity of spirit. He's a very kind soul and a funny one, and it's always a pleasure to chat with someone who shares your opinions on certain matters.

dedoporno-A fellow boardgame geek, comics fan and Warhammer buff (although not as rabid as he should be but we'll get there;)) and someone I've really enjoyed chatting with via Steam. An excellent person to play an online MP game with as well.

Sage103082-Sweet and pleasant, even in the face of much adversity in her personal life. A brave and caring person, who shares a birthday month and is even a few days off from mine!

trentonlf-One of the most genuinely kind-hearted, friendly and warm individuals I've had the good fortune to meet in my travails along the interwebz. A very giving and caring person, although sometimes it would be great if he let people give back to him more;).An excellent person to play an online MP game with as well.

Crewdroog-We share a state! Plus she's funny, takes my grumbling with good nature, and is always someone I enjoy seeing on steam chat. Though she could do with entering more giveaways for herself ;).

I am sure this list will grow over time, thank you so much once again for this opportunity to reward some fantastic fellow forumites.

EDITED for new nominations. I thought I'd see these names mentioned more by now...

Enebias-Awesome skills with taking screenshots to create artwork and showcase the beautiful medium of video games, kind and wise with some great information presented about his homeland, and another ninja gifter. I have enjoyed our PM conversations.

Cyberevil-Another loveable forum troll! This guy is not afraid to speak his mind even when it's not popular and also has an amusing tone overall. Plus he's almost as knowledgeable about Forgotten Realms lore as am I, even if he is a drow fan. Looking forward to more zombie-killing.He rarely enters giveaways so I wanted to give him a chance.

Marianne-A very sweet and friendly person I've enjoyed getting to know via steam chat. Always has something to say about a game someone's playing and also rarely enters giveaways and doesn't have a huge presence here but is still part of this great community.

stg83-Another person I've had the good fortune to get to know better via steamchat. Kind and caring and I can really see why he's held in such deserving high esteem here.

benderz-Someone else who adds to the forums with their beautiful screenshots and artwork from various games. I know it seems sort of silly to single these things out to some, but I love the art behind games. Even if I'm not someone who considers graphics to be the most important aspect of most games, to see it captured well is something I always appreciate. Also rarely enters GAs for himself.

Ixamyakxim-Fellow craft beer brewer and enthusiast, plus he's got a picture of Fry and robot Leela. He's always friendly and also rarely enters GAs for himself.

liquidsnakehpks-Another "steammate" who has demonstrated patience and understanding as he has the unenviable task of being one of the main moderators of a huge steam "gifting"group. I respect his passion for a gaming series (fairly sure I don't need to say which one) that has inspired cross-national kindness and friendship. Just be careful if he's driving your bus.

ggf162-mostly because of this:http://www.gog.com/forum/general/6th_birthday_promo_sunday_finale/post104
I love seeing people defending GoG.

So there are some names I I perhaps neglected because I knew they'd get a lot of nominations and it wasn't that I don't think they're deserving but rather I wanted to highlight those who don't simply host a ton of giveaways but have personally affected me in a positive way to make this forum a friendly and welcoming place. I also left out some people I figured would not accept nominations but to the Nine Hells with that, they're being named regardless ;)

Coelocanth-Somehow I'd forgotten to include this fine Hobbit! "I don't know him half as well as I should like, but like him less than half as well as deserves." to paraphrase Bilbo. Always something witty or worth reading to contribute and a friendly bloke to boot. Although I am envious he gets to try out the beta for Pillars of Eternity;) that just proves he's got great taste in games past and hopefully future.

madth3-Sharing great taste in music and film and always keeping us up to date with gaming deal info, generous even when he can't afford to be, like many of the fine folk on this list.My only complaint is that he's not on steam enough to chat, we've had some good ones.

foxworks-Since becoming "steammates" we've had some good discussions about gaming, the forums, and sharing a passion for gifting. I look forward to more conversations in the future.

Tarnicus-Well, this is the one I know will refuse on principle but I had to include him. We've had some deep and affirming conversations, we come from a similar background, and he has proven himself to be true to his word and deed. He confronts issues that are important to him but not in a slapdash or irrational manner. It's not his fault if people don't see reason.

Spinorial-By Grabthar's Hammer, I forgot this one! Overuse of GQ jokes aside, I always enjoying reading his erudite, witty remarks...even if he does refuse people entering GAs on his behalf more than once.*Ahem* ;) Also shares a passion for grand strategy games so there's that.

GetComposted-Fellow library workers unite! A friendly and chatty fellow, always a pleasure to read what he has to say and I've enjoyed getting to know him via PM. I sincerely wish him all the best with finding a new, rewarding job.

Grargar-Rather the same reasons as madth3, he keeps us abreast of great deals and does it in an amusing way, his posts in the off-topic threads are usually worth a look and a laugh. I can just tell he has a lot of passion for this community and that is a sentiment worth rewarding.

mrkgnao-Quite apart from the extremely useful MaGoG, he is a fellow literature lover and moreover a fellow Joyce aficionado (in fact his depth of knowledge on the man's work far surpasses my own I daresay) who is also a published author, something I aspire to as well. Friendly and keenly intelligent, someone who always has something worthwhile to say on these forums.


I'm sure I still left some folks out, but as I said I'm trying to showcase people I haven't seen get that many nominations yet,with a few exceptions.

Don't forget to give your reasons for nominating them, just a sentence will do. This way it's not just a list of names.

I was in the process of doing so but yes, good reminder!

Hehe. :) I have quite a few games to play and have an awful habit of not completing many games I play, so I try to keep my back log somewhat under control. Truth be told, I doubt I'll live enough years to play all the games I already own, considering how many hours I can plug into a good rpg or strategy game. And I've been treated with more than enough generosity around these parts for a lifetime already, by yourself and some other fine folks. :)

I nominate Phc7006 for creating such challenging, fun, and generous giveaways.

I nominate gbaz69 for fixing a potential problem we had while making a trade, and for making sure that everything was right.

I nominate ChrisSD for creating a plugin that makes this crap pancake of a website much MUCH more navigable.

I nominate these fellows:
- foxworks: a friendly talking fox; permanent GA host; offered me some help a couple of times.
- mrkgnao: nice dude and he created the super useful engine MAGOG!
- real.geizterfahr: he's a legendary GOG bear and carries a LOT of presents for everyone (some myths say even 100 at once!)
- IamSinistar: guinness record machine for the faster rep gain in the forum, evil in appearance but good at heart.
- BillyMaysFan59: his post-apocalyptic future experience made him decide to help people whenever he could.
- Sachys: quite a gruff poo-lover monkey (lol), but a valid GoG member and permanent GA host.
- DampSquib: did.. did you see his giant multi gifts? :O

EDIT: at first I didn't read that I could nominate more than 3 people.. added!

Search tags: phaolo1,phaolofav,phaolothanks

I am going to nominate Rwarehall and Foxworks, because each of them have given away a lot of games that I have won. Between the two of them I think I have acquired 7 games in the past few months. I would also nominate xckx for being an atheist in Vatican City and for giving away a metric fuckton of games. Also all three of these guys give there games out without sounding holier than thou or giving a fuck that someone has won too many times recently, as if luck = greed.

I would also nominate DDickinson but that would be wierd...heh heh honestly though you also give from the heart and have fun doing it. sinking paper ships and shit...you are awesome.

Oh yeah Sage103082 is the shadow gifter...She gives shit away without fanfare or getting the credit a lot of times.

real.geizterfahr for his super crazy 100 giveaway.

xckx for being equally crazy generous in "Open this thread... ".

Barry_Woodward for hooking and pulling in Cinemaware. :-)

Given the criteria, my first nominee has to be HypersomniacLive. Not only have we teamed up on various tracking threads, but we have a great dialogue going on behind the scenes as well. A lovely person and one deserving of good things.

I too would nominate Enebias, he's a great member and we've shared some good talks. Excellent taste in games as well.

Have to mention BillyMaysFan59, ceaseless champion of all things Insomnia and keeper of the eternal flame of Jack. A rising star in the tracking thread world as well, I add.

Two resident founts of knowledge that deserve mention are JMich and Grargar. Both seem to have encyclopedic knowledge ready at hand for any post, and they do a great job fact checking and keeping the good data flowing.

And finally, hard as it is to make a short list, I have to include dear old foxworks, the tireless guardian of community spirit and the gifting coordinator who always seems to have a smile.

There are a number of folks I'd like to call out but not nominate, because they are difficult sods who would refuse the prize anyway - Sachys, samlii, madth3, benderz, DampSquib, the aforementioned akhliber, and our incomparable hostess ddickinson.

Thank you very much for this giveaway!

PS - One more. Gotta cite Coelocanth, whose posts I always enjoy. An appropriately named member, since they seem to be a living fossil. Possibly they were here even before the forum, and it just came into being around them. ;)

PPS - Late breaking addition! I have enjoyed the thoughtful posts from Phc7006 lately, who seems to have a good amount of intelligence and wisdom running behind the words. Since part of this effort is to recognise users who don't always come up in these lists, I wanted to make sure they got a mention as a worthy GOGnard.

PPPS - Okay, I said I was done, but really this time! Maybe. Anyway, I feel I have to add deonast and Vainamoinen to my list of well-reasoned posters. I have crossed paths with both at times and often found them to be the voices cautioning reason and tolerance in otherwise ugly discussions. deonast in addition has a nicely wicked sense of humour that turns attacks back on the attacker, and Vainamoinen has the kind of patient contemplation that does his(?) namesake credit. So I have to include them here too.

I would like to nominate
Sage103082 She has a passion for her animals like I do and we have many wonderful conversations about our fur babies and life in general. She really brightens my day

Foxworks He is a generous man who always has time for a pleasant talk, the forums would not be the same without him

IAmSinistar He is always helping others and has brought some great games to GOG for all of us to enjoy

Ragnarblackmane A generous man whom I've had many a great conversation with, he is someone whose heart is huge

Stg83 Another person who makes these forums a pleasure to participate in, he has lifted my spirits many a time by just being him

liquidsnakehpks A great person to talk to about adventure games and life in general, he always brightens my day when we talk

Dedoporno A gentleman I've had some great conversations with, he is extremely generous, and always puts his family first.

Cyberevil Someone who I've enjoyed visiting with and is a man worth getting to know (you are gonna lose in fantasy football meathead!!)

marianne A very nice lady who shares a love of gaming and is a pleasure to talk with

Wow that is really a cool and generous giveaway :-) Good to see games go to some of the really awesome members of this community!

I would like to nominate real.geizterfahr since he is really awesome and generous with his giveaways and also his posts are fun to read :-)