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So the sale starts soon... and here is this year's gimmick - A Holiday Auction.

Basically, you turn your cards, emoticons, and backgrounds into gems, which you can then use to bid on games. If you bid the highest, you get the game. If not, you get your gems back. You can also use your gem to make more trading card boosters both during and after the event, if you'd rather have more badges.

Honestly? I think this is kind of bullshit. We already have people making bids of tens of thousands of gems for games, which basically means that unless you buy A LOT of games and have a lot of card stuff, you can never win. This event is only for the people with the biggest Steam Wallets.

So I thought "This is bullshit. We can do better... maybe we should have our own event instead?". Here's what I propose: White Elephant Gift Exchange. For those who've never taken part in a White Elephant, the idea is that anyone who wants to participate buys a game, tosses it into the pot, and then we draw lots to see who gets what. All gifts are blind, so you don't know if you are going to be getting a great game or a terrible game, only that everyone who takes part will get SOMETHING. Traditionally, you'd get and give awful gifts but you can be as nice or as mean as you'd like.

Anyone interested in trying this? If we could get enough people, it might be fun and I'm sure we could get someone like @Dave to hold the pot for dispersing.

Alright... here are the results!

@Bumble the Boy Wonder gets the off-ball Warehouse and Logistics Simulator + the Hell's Warehouse DLC! Hope you like killing zombies with a forklift! -DELIVERED-
@klew gets Sim City 4! -DELIVERED-
@Dave gets Contraption Maker! -DELIVERED-
@GasBandit get's Goat Simulator! Torchlight 2! Orion! -DELIVERED-
@Dei gets Torchlight 2! Goat Simulator! -DELIVERED-
-I- get Torchlight 2 as well! -DELIVERED-
@SpecialKO gets Borderlands: Game of the Year! Payday 2! -DELIVERED-
@Siska gets Payday 2! Borderlands: Game of the Year! -DELIVERED-
@Far gets Gauntlet! -DELIVERED-
@Zero Esc gets Orion: Prelude! Torchlight 2! -DELIVERED-
@Ravenpoe gets Desktop Dungeons! -DELIVERED-
@bhamv3 gets Cricket Revolution! -DELIVERED-

Now for the final phase before I send these out: exchanges. If for some reason you cannot receive one of these games (for instance, you already own what you received on your Steam Library and thus I can't send it to you), then speak up now and try to work out a trade with someone else. Yes, yes... I know it's not very White Elephant but I want everyone to get SOMETHING and some of you bought games old enough that there is a chance someone owns it. I'll give you guys until Monday (12/29) afternoon to work out any such exchanges before I send everything out.

EDIT - And FYI, I'm up for trading for anything except Borderlands. I already own it and all the DLC.

Hmm... I'm not seeing any games available on the auction page. Apparently I don't get to participate. Oh well.

All right, now the auction works.

I have, let's see, 400 gems.

With that, I have a realistic chance of winning... nothing.[DOUBLEPOST=1418350029,1418349895][/DOUBLEPOST]Oh, and regarding the white elephant gift exchange, I say count me in. I think I have a spare game or two in my Steam inventory I can exchange.

Holy shit. Brothers - A Tale of Two sons currently has a high bid of 5,000 gems. I have about 32 trading cards, worth between 5 and 32 gems each, mostly on the lower end. So, maybe 320 gems worth. Brothers sold for >$3 during the last Steam sale. I could have bought it with the money in my steam wallet that I got from selling trading cards during the last sale. This is insane. I'll just hold on to my trading cards, thank you very much.

I'm in for the white elephant thing, why not

What an awesome opportunity to get rid of all that junk in my inventory.

Selling for cash.

I'd like to see if we can get at least 5-10 people.

Mostly all gone, made nearly $2.25 so far.

That's $2.25 more than I expected to make with that shite.

I'm gonna buy 20 copies of Bad Rats and put them all in the pot.

MWAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Jay said:

Mostly all gone, made nearly $2.25 so far.

That's $2.25 more than I expected to make with that shite.

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I've easily made $20 from my unwanted cards, while still making badges. It's a great way to get DLC.

Sorry, but there have been some issues with Gems and the Steam Holiday Auction has been temporarily closed. The elves are working frantically to get the issues sorted out, and the auction will start again as soon as they're done.

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Not impressed so far, Valve.

EDIT: Now my gems are gone from my inventory. All 400 of them.

There's speculation that someone managed to figure out how to dupe gems, because apparently right before the auction was taken down people were bidding hundreds of thousands.

I'm in for a white elephant. Bad games for fun and profit!

I'm in for this too.

I'd be in for the White Elephant.

I'd be game. But can you re-gift a gift on steam? How would the "pot" technically work?

GasBandit said:

I'd be game. But can you re-gift a gift on steam? How would the "pot" technically work?

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See that second option under What would you like to do with this gift that says Add to my Steam Gift inventory? You just add it to your gift inventory instead of putting it in your game library. So whoever holds the pot (which might be me or @Dave or whoever) just needs to pick that when they start getting the gifts.

So what do you think sounds like a good cut-off date? Do we want to wait the entire sale or do it reasonably close to Christmas?

I have no opinion on the cutoff date.

Back to Steams silly holiday auction: Best way to get the gems seem to be not the trading cards but emoticons and backgrounds you get for crafting badges. Some can be as cheap as 3 or 4 cents and turn into 60-100 gems.

I just bought 14 :dssmallbird: (spelled just like that including semicolons) emoticons for $0.04 each and they turned into 80 gems each. The money to buy them I got from selling extra trading cards instead of turning them into gems. ATM there are over 600 :dssmallbird: left at $0.04 if anyone want to get some gems and isn't inclined to search for a better deal. There are better trades, probably, if you look. Yesterday I bought some background for $0.03 that turned into 80 gems but the price had gone up to $0.04 today and supply was low

I've still got a game in my gift inventory, and a too-weak laptop, so I'm in.

klew said:

I've still got a game in my gift inventory, and a too-weak laptop, so I'm in.

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Same. I'm in.

Well that's enough people to DO it. Anyone else interested can jump in though!

AshburnerX said:

Well that's enough people to DO it. Anyone else interested can jump in though!

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Now THAT sounds like my prom night!

So... is there no actual Steam Sale, and it's just this stupid auction thing? Because fuck that, I don't want to have to collect badges and craft gems to try and bid on games. I would rather just buy the game.

Ravenpoe said:

So... is there no actual Steam Sale, and it's just this stupid auction thing? Because fuck that, I don't want to have to collect badges and craft gems to try and bid on games. I would rather just buy the game.

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The actual sale starts the 18th, from what I hear.

Alright... maybe we should aim for New Years to do it then? Maybe the weekend before? I want everyone to have plenty of time to take advantage of the sale.

Ravenpoe said:

I'm gonna buy 20 copies of Bad Rats and put them all in the pot.

MWAHAHAHAHAHAHA

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Really Poe? Bad Rats? Or...BLOOD BOWL?

mroosc1979 said:

Really Poe? Bad Rats? Or...BLOOD BOWL?

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I gave away my last copy of BB to @ThatNickGuy

Steam Sale is on folks. I've already got my gift.

Remember: You want to pick the option that keeps it in your inventory for now. When we are ready to distribute, you'll go to your inventory, pick the game, click "Send Gift" and send it that way.

Can it just be any giftable game or does it need to be one bought specifically for this from the sale? I have two currently sitting in my inventory I can throw in.

Far said:

Can it just be any giftable game or does it need to be one bought specifically for this from the sale? I have two currently sitting in my inventory I can throw in.

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Anything is fine, as long as you can gift it.

Sounds good. Sign me up then, with gift acquired.

I got a game that isn't Bad Rats to toss in, too. An actual, honest to goodness good game.

(or it might be Bad Rats... you take that risk)

Remember folks: this is a White Elephant. Doesn't matter if the game is good, bad, weird, cheap, or expensive... though it being weird or bad is kind of in the intention of the event. Zombie Games, Early Access, Weird simulators... anything goes.

AshburnerX said:

Remember folks: this is a White Elephant. Doesn't matter if the game is good, bad, weird, cheap, or expensive... though it being weird or bad is kind of in the intention of the event. Zombie Games, Early Access, Weird simulators... anything goes.

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Someone's gonna toss Sakura Spirit into the pot, I just know it.

EDIT: Also, I can confirm I have selected the game I'm going to use for the White Elephant Exchange. No, it's not Sakura Spirit. Probably.

I am not friends with @Dave on Steam soooo, halp and give me info! My Steam name is Anna_Dei

Dei said:

I am not friends with @Dave on Steam soooo, halp and give me info! My Steam name is Anna_Dei

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I don't think we've picked the pot holder. It might just end up being me. For now, I'll add you to my list.

Dei said:

I am not friends with @Dave on Steam soooo, halp and give me info! My Steam name is Anna_Dei

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He goes by his pre-crisis moniker - Edrondol. If you search for that, he's the only one.

Yeah, and here I am with a couple guys horning in on my racket.. one from Ukraine, one from Washington but who still uses Cyrillic characters...

Steam, I am disappoint.

Gift acquired. Just let me know who to send to.

Alright... tested the actual mechanics of how this will work with @ThatNickGuy and everything is gold. I'm going to let the sale run it's course (unless everyone buys one early) and then we'll do the drawing on the following day (which should be Jan. 3rd). I'll probably just hold the pot myself unless we can get someone else to do it.

AshburnerX said:

Alright... tested the actual mechanics of how this will work with @ThatNickGuy and everything is gold. I'm going to let the sale run it's course (unless everyone buys one early) and then we'll do the drawing on the following day (which should be Jan. 3rd). I'll probably just hold the pot myself unless we can get someone else to do it.

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So if we have our contribution, should we go ahead and send it to you, or should we hold off?

I'll hold the games, so long as no one wonders why everyone bought everyone else Blood Bowl*


*I don't really want to hold the games, otherwise this really will happen.

GasBandit said:

So if we have our contribution, should we go ahead and send it to you, or should we hold off?

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I suppose that's fine. I'm going to add my Steam ID to the first post so everyone knows who to send it to. I just need to keep track of who sent what so no one ends up with their own gift.

AshburnerX said:

I suppose that's fine. I'm going to add my Steam ID to the first post so everyone knows who to send it to. I just need to keep track of who sent what so no one ends up with their own gift.

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Well, you know, that's a possible outcome of actual white elephant exchanges, too...

GasBandit said:

Well, you know, that's a possible outcome of actual white elephant exchanges, too...

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Good point. Then I won't worry about it.

Ok, I'm in too.

So I just buy a game and send it to Ash? Does it have to be a funny/cheap game or can it be a real one worth playing?

Dave said:

So I just buy a game and send it to Ash? Does it have to be a funny/cheap game or can it be a real one worth playing?

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It can be whatever you like! For the record though, I went out and got something weird.

Done.

Dave said:

Done.

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Yep. I've received yours and @Siska.

Sent.

Sent.

Alright... almost got everyone's gift. Just waiting on...

@Far
@Bumble the Boy Wonder
@SpecialKO
@Ravenpoe

AshburnerX said:

Alright... almost got everyone's gift. Just waiting on...

@Far
@Bumble the Boy Wonder
@SpecialKO
@Ravenpoe

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Oh shit, I forgot all about this, thanks for tagging me! I'll send something before noon.

AshburnerX said:

Alright... almost got everyone's gift. Just waiting on...

@Far
@Bumble the Boy Wonder
@SpecialKO
@Ravenpoe

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@AshburnerX I dont think it will let me send a game to you if you already have it... Any idea how to get around this?

Bumble the Boy Wonder said:

@AshburnerX I dont think it will let me send a game to you if you already have it... Any idea how to get around this?

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I ran into the same problem.

Not that I was trying to send Blood Bowl or anything >.>

Can you just email it?

AshburnerX said:

Alright... almost got everyone's gift. Just waiting on...

@Far
@Bumble the Boy Wonder
@SpecialKO
@Ravenpoe

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I'm away from my computer until about 10 pst tonight but will send it when I get home.

Bumble the Boy Wonder said:

@AshburnerX I dont think it will let me send a game to you if you already have it... Any idea how to get around this?

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Not really. Just hold onto it for now. I'll just PM who you need to send it to when it's time.

@AshburnerX Sent mine over.

Alright, just need @SpecialKO and that'll be everybody.

Alright, I got the last of the gifts. I'll make up the drawing and send them out to everyone ether later tonight or sometime tomorrow.

Alright... here are the results!

@Bumble the Boy Wonder gets the off-ball Warehouse and Logistics Simulator + the Hell's Warehouse DLC! Hope you like killing zombies with a forklift!
@klew gets Sim City 4!
@Dave gets Contraption Maker!
@GasBandit get's Goat Simulator! Torchlight 2!
@Dei gets Torchlight 2! Goat Simulator!
-I- get Torchlight 2 as well!
@SpecialKO gets Borderlands: Game of the Year!
@Siska gets Payday 2!
@Far gets Gauntlet!
@Zero Esc gets Orion: Prelude!
@Ravenpoe gets Desktop Dungeons!
@bhamv3 gets Cricket Revolution!

Alright... now for the final phase before I send these out: exchanges. If for some reason you cannot receive one of these games (for instance, you already own what you received on your Steam Library and thus I can't send it to you), then speak up now and try to work out a trade with someone else. Yes, yes... I know it's not very White Elephant but I want everyone to get SOMETHING and some of you bought games old enough that there is a chance someone owns it. I'll give you guys until Monday (12/29) afternoon to work out any such exchanges before I send everything out.

EDIT - And FYI, I'm up for trading for anything except Borderlands. I already own it and all the DLC.

Heh, I already own Goat Simulator, anybody wanna trade?

If anyone has anything they truly don't want, I'm up to exchange. I doubt my system run this 2012 shooter of dinosaurs and jetpacks.

Bwahahahaha, Cricket Revolution? That's awesome, whose gift was that?

bhamv3 said:

Bwahahahaha, Cricket Revolution? That's awesome, whose gift was that?

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I think RavenPoe did that one. I did Warehouse and Logistics Simulator.

Zero Esc said:

If anyone has anything they truly don't want, I'm up to exchange. I doubt my system run this 2012 shooter of dinosaurs and jetpacks.

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If your system has problems with Orion, it'll probably have problems with goat simulator as well... or I'd offer to trade.

bhamv3 said:

Bwahahahaha, Cricket Revolution? That's awesome, whose gift was that?

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That was me, because I couldn't give Blood Bowl.

So now you get an even faker sport.

I threw Payday 2 into the mix.
Also, I can't fucking wait to play this weird warehouse game.

@Siska what's your steam name? I'll add you tonight and we can get you your Payday if you don't already have it!

I already have Torchlight 2 so would like to trade. I would take Goat Simulator if you don't have TL 2 Gas. [emoji14]

I can tell you Contraption Maker is wasted on me. I'll play it once, go "that was neat!", and then never play it again. So I'm willing to do that since it's only a buck something, but if someone else wants it...let's talk trade.

Dei said:

I already have Torchlight 2 so would like to trade. I would take Goat Simulator if you don't have TL 2 Gas. [emoji14]

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Sorry, I have TL2

But @AshburnerX , go ahead and trade us.. that way Dei has a game she can use, and I'm still in the same boat looking for someone to take a game I already have. That'll work.

GasBandit said:

Sorry, I have TL2

But @AshburnerX , go ahead and trade us.. that way Dei has a game she can use, and I'm still in the same boat looking for someone to take a game I already have. That'll work.

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Alright, I'll send you guys your stuff or rather Dei HER game.

EDIT: I'll be updating the first post to reflect who is currently getting what. If you are happy with your current game gift, give me an affirmative after THIS point and I'll send it.

How system demanding is Torchlight 2?

Zero Esc said:

How system demanding is Torchlight 2?

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It's a few years old. Shouldn't be that bad.

Okay then; @GasBandit I'll trade for Torchlight 2.

Zero Esc said:

Okay then; @GasBandit I'll trade for Torchlight 2.

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Works for me.

I'm good with Gauntlet, surprising no one.

Alright... then I'm sending:

Torchlight 2 to Zero Esc.
Orion to Gas.
And Gauntlet to Far.

Far, you're Mazer Rackham, correct?

Heh, I already own Borderlands GOTY in a variety of forms on console, so it's a bit wasted on me at this point!

Anyone who hasn't played it yet up for a trade?

AshburnerX said:

Alright, I'll send you guys your stuff or rather Dei HER game.

EDIT: I'll be updating the first post to reflect who is currently getting what. If you are happy with your current game gift, give me an affirmative after THIS point and I'll send it.

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Affirmative, I'm okay with Cricket Revolution. Can't imagine playing it much, but give it here anyway.

I'm totally fine with mine. Gimme dat.

Hooray, my laptop can play Sim City 4, a 10 year old game!

I am fine with Payday 2, unless someone needs to trade for reasons. Perhaps trade it for Borderlands?

Siska said:

I am fine with Payday 2, unless someone needs to trade for reasons. Perhaps trade it for Borderlands?

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That would be doable. He doesn't have Payday 2. You up for Payday 2, @SpecialKO?

I'd be very down with that, thank you!

/tip o' hat

SpecialKO said:

I'd be very down with that, thank you!

/tip o' hat

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Alright then... @Bumble the Boy Wonder, go ahead and send Payday 2 to SpecialKO (Or @Siska can do it if you already sent it) and I'll send Borderlands to Siska.[DOUBLEPOST=1419811504,1419811300][/DOUBLEPOST]Alright, I'll send out the rest of the games tomorrow, assuming I hear no more objections.

SpecialKO said:

I'd be very down with that, thank you!

/tip o' hat

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Whats your steam, brah

Bumble the Boy Wonder said:

Whats your steam, brah

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My Steam name is Tedashikeo.

Wooo, new game.

*edit* Apparently I will have to wait a bit to accept my game. Steam is being hella slow for me atm. Takes a minute for the store page to load and the accept gift page refuses to come up at all.
*double edit* Wooo, new game.

Alright, I sent everything else out. Enjoy everybody!

I want @bhamv3 to give us a full lets play of Cricket Revolution

Heh. I'm imagining @bhamv3 playing silly mid-off and trying to bowl a googly.