I'm sorry to disappoint everyone, including myself, but after thinking this over for a bit I have decided to delete the giveaways I have been making the last couple of days. I'm posting this thread for full disclosure, to let everyone know what happened and why it happened.

I had a lot of fun making the puzzles and a lot of people have told me they enjoyed solving them as well, but unfortunately some assholes decided to ruin everyone's fun by leaking the answers to the puzzles and even direct links to the giveaways themselves. To be honest I was afraid of this from the start, but I hoped I could count on the honesty and integrity of the SG community. Apparently, I was wrong. Like so often, a few bad apples have ruined it for everyone else. Deleting the giveaways is a very drastic measure, but since there is no way to identify everyone who abused this leak this is the only fair solution I can think of.

I have proof of these leaks if any admin needs to confirm it, but I'm not posting it here to prevent a witch hunt, and to protect the person who informed me about this.

I will think about this for a while and come up with an alternative way to do these giveaways that will hopefully prevent leaks such as this.

I'll edit this post later to show the correct answers to all the puzzles, just like I promised. For those who want to try the puzzles for fun (there will be no prize unfortunately), here they are:
The first one.
The second one.
The third one.
The fourth one.


PUZZLE SOLUTIONS

Note that for many of these there were multiple correct answers, but I will only post the most common one here.


Answers for the first puzzle: (reward was Eufloria)
1 Duke Nukem
2 Mario
3 Link
4 Lara Croft
5 Ryu
6 Megaman
7 Solid Snake
8 Sonic
9 Cloud Strife
10 Doomguy

Answers for the second puzzle: (reward was Torchlight II)
1 Master Chief
2 Samus Aran
3 Bomberman
4 Raziel
5 Pyro
6 Ryu Hayabusa
7 Space Marine
8 Vega
9 Corvo Attano
10 Dovahkiin

Answers for the third puzzle: (reward was Blood Bowl Chaos Edition)
1 Gordon Freeman
2 Guybrush Threepwood
3 Leon Kennedy
4 Jade
5 Dante
6 Agent 47
7 Geralt of Rivia
8 Liu Kang
9 Phoenix Wright
10 Travis Touchdown

Answers for the fourth puzzle: (reward was Max Payne 3)
1 Crash Bandicoot
2 Pac-Man
3 Kratos
4 Ratchet
5 Kirby
6 Sam Fisher
7 Sackboy
8 Alice Liddell
9 Manuel Calavera
10 Harman Smith

12 years ago*

Comment has been collapsed.

People are destructive by nature. And there is no more dangerous invite for destruction then unknowing, hurting someones ego(by being better or worse then them) and secrets.

12 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Ahhh... Alice Liddell. I guess that's why I didn't recognise her; I've never played the American McGee reboots, not the original nor the sequel. Now I can rest easy knowing that there was no way I could have known that <3 Thanks for the fun giveaways, it's a shame to lose MP3 like that - but it's even more of a shame to know that spiteful cretinous dogs once again ruin everyone else's fun.

12 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

I posted all the answers in the first post. Go see which ones you were missing. :)

12 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Sorry to hear that, but those drawings were just awesome :-), although i missed the last three puzzles completely

12 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

The only one I was missing is Harman Smith. Out of curiosity what did people google to get it just based on the image? hat and white hair got me nowhere.

12 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Popular video game characters.

12 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

A lot of people found him here, apparently.

12 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

i googled the hell out of him and couldn't find the answer , also i'm pissed that Alice WAS the answer to number 8 but i forgot her last name :S

12 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

I got Alice full name from wikipedia list of characters

12 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Man I still have no idea what terms you could search to bring that article up. My google fu must be weak.

12 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

You were counting on honesty? And integrity? Here? Where the leachers live?

12 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Awww dude was just working my ass on the 4th one! Great puzzles, awesome drawing style, so crude, but fun! :D

I seriously don't understand the point of sharing the fucking links. More entries = less chance of winning the game. And what are puzzles for? MORE CHANCES of winning the game. Jeez louise! Seems forum puzzles aren't safe anymore either...

12 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

More entries = less chance

It not work with puzzles
More friends = more chance

12 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

That sucks. I enjoy your puzzles a lot. You should make more, even if without prizes :)

12 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

This^

12 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Well, it leaves a bitter taste to found this, especially when you are "new" to puzzle and suceed to solve them. I solved all with some difficulty but I enjoyed every moment of it, also discover new games that now I wish to play soon. But all this was ruined by these people... and unfortunately noone can do a lot to stop them. I was contacted by one guy that want to know the answer to a question, I immediatly contact the op, wishing is the only case of abuse, unfortunately seems not. Thanks Aargh for the great effort and money you put into this.

12 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Thanks for the great puzzles anyway, I had fun solving them. I hope those idiots who spoiled this are ashamed of themselves, I almost feel worse for them. I mean the kind of sad lowlife that would do that. Without a doubt pitiable and pathetic individuals. Sad.

12 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

ashamed of themselves

No, they are laughing now, cuz there will be many more such puzzles

12 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

That's even sadder that they would laugh after ruining something nice. Truly they must be lonely and sad people.

12 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Nooo! People are the worst!

I really really enjoyed your quizzes. Maybe you could make a private group just for these? Then you could kick whomever was leaking links.

12 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

I feel for you. T've had plenty of cheaters on my puzzles in the past - also cheaters on my current group puzzle. This one thing I really dont understand - why bother cheating on a group puzzle?

12 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

to win the prize

12 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

It's a group puzzle - sharing answers with other participants (but not outsiders) is okay. Yet people are asking yahoo answers, random forums, etc. It's not like people won't be getting to the giveaways anyways.

12 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

I can get people doing it more with the puzzles from OP (even though I don't agree with them doing it!) but with the group puzzle? That just seems ridiculous.

Also, to the OP - I enjoyed your first puzzle you posted! I didn't see the others.

Does allowing them to go on for shorter periods of time help curb this at all? I mean... then you get less exposure, I realize too. Just brainstorming in my head any ways that could lead towards eliminating some of the problem.

12 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

what about making a steam group and post the links there?
so only the people in the group participate, that may reduce the number of leaks
i also enjoyed your puzzles D:

12 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Wow, those puzzles were damn nice.

Looks like an extreme amount of effort and time were put into those drawings.

12 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

People are dicks :( For what it's worth I really enjoyed doing them even though it took me a while to figure out some of them!

My partner actually had someone add her on steam to ask her what the answers were (she told them where to get off obviously)

12 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Where?

12 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

(and i hope you meant lesbian partner or else i will be really dissapointed)

12 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

lol :D

12 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Because that isn't fucking creepy.

12 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Oh boo hoo, so just do the giveaways as planned, sorry it didn't stick to your secret club.

12 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

That's really not the point here, grow up. 'Secret club,' really? There is no secret club, there are people who actually solved the puzzles legitimately instead of cheating off other people. Are you really going to argue that cheaters should prosper?

The games are the OP's to give away out of his own pocket/generosity, he can do so in a way he wants, don't be spoiled. It's understandable to be upset when someone shits on something you put a lot of effort into.

Again, it's not about exclusivity or a 'secret club,' it's about people who followed the steps that the person who owns the games wanted them to follow to get a shot at getting games for free. Sheeeeeeesh.

EDIT: I probably bit the troll bait here on this one, but whatever. My point stands. :P

12 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Not trolling. I don't see what's so dramatic about it. Especially to the point of ending the giveaways like a baby. Bitch and moan about it sure, but don't throw a fit. I wouldn't give a fuck if he was delivering a strongly worded "I really rather you didn't" because that's warranted. But cancelling the giveaways just makes you look like an asshole.

EDIT: And I wasn't even entered in the giveaways, so it's not about me wanting a game or anything.

12 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

If I was in his position I wouldn't want my giveaways going to people who ruined the spirit of the puzzles, the puzzles that took a lot of effort to make.

Considering there's no way to know who is legit and who isn't, it seemed understandable to close it down. He'll probably give away those games at a later point, too, so there's no real loss, other than his own effort making the puzzles.

Also, "I really rather you didn't" is implied in all puzzle giveaways, and it's actually against the rules to leak the answers. People cheated, so he took it down. Seems alright to me. Nothing 'asshole' about it. People shouldn't get away with abusing the system.

12 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

It's not a matter of dramatics, it's a matter of fairness. They were private giveaways meant for SG forum visitors who solved the puzzle. By leaking the answers and links to the rewards on an external forum, people could enter who neither visited the SG forum nor solved the quizzes. Simply put, the integrity of the giveaways was compromised beyond a doubt, and after considering my options I decided to cancel the giveaways. I admit, as I have in my first post, that this is a drastic measure, but it was the only possible one that was at least equally unfair to everyone involved.

Either way the decision was mine and I stand by it, whether you personally approve or not.

12 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

I loved those puzzles and would have loved to see them end in the "right" way.

12 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

This is really a shame. It was so much fun to solve them.
Just out of curiosity, did you have more of these paintings?

12 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Shit, man, sorry to hear that. I was looking forward to some of the giveaways, too, but that's really beside the point. People give games away out of the goodness of their hearts, and it's a shame when people crap all over that, as is apparently the case here.

I hope you can figure something out to prevent this, as they were fun puzzles, and a cool idea. Best of luck! :)

12 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Some kind of partnership with the puzzle site involving cookies and such might work, but it would take a lot of work from the admins on both sites, I'm sure, and that's even IF they'd go for it...

12 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Thanks for the puzzles, I had a lot of fun while doing them!

12 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Sorry to hear this, I had a lot of fun doing this puzzles

12 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Damnit I was so close to getting Harman... I really should've guessed Killer 7 given the No More Heroes one earlier.

Oh well, fun puzzles. Sorry about the dickbags.

12 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

You deserved it for Leon Kennedy and Dante >_____>

Joke. Amazing puzzles, man. Thanks for taking the time to do something for all of us to have fun! I just hope this doesn't happen again or that it discourages other contributors from creating entertaining puzzles like these ones! Cheers, man. Take it easy.

12 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Hmm, hope you can get it sorted for the future. The puzzles were insanely fun nonetheless. Thanks again ;)

12 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Sorry to hear about it, these guys are real assholes. Nice puzzles anyway, had a great time solving it (even if I'm still awake at 2:40 AM trying to figure out 10th character in 4th puzzle %)) )

12 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Closed 12 years ago by Nayenezgani.