AND THE WINNER IS....

FROGGER!

This, just in case you were wondering, is the rather unspectacular end to our rather unspectacular and somewhat misleadingly titled giveaway. I'll admit, Micropoll and all, this whole thing went a little tits up. I will continue to apologise profusely (sorry). Special apologies go out to Yeah Roy, who would have won had it not have been for the Micropoll fuck up. As such, a consolation prize is on the way to that young man, mainly to stop him from lynching me.

I want to thank all entrants once again, for making this happen, I wish my technical and administrative know-how could have done better justice to everyone's efforts. But this is a new year after all, so expect me to learn from my mistakes, and look forward to more events in the coming months.

Right now I'm orchestrating some beginning/end-of-year things between myself and the other bloggers, so keep watch for that and also please don't forget how much I love hearing everyone sound off, so argue our tits off and feel free to nominate your best or worst anything game-related, ummm, things, of the year. Also coming will be a winner's ceremony and an unveiling of the swagbag in all it's glory. If you want to sound off in the end-of-year stuff just send me an email: thefauxbot@gmail.com

Swagbag update

My most sincere apologies to anyone whom this may have affected. Basically, the micropolll embedded voting thing is fucked. I can re-embed the html but all the results are now gone. Also, until last night, I didn't realise that you could vote several times just by clearing your cookies. I set it to limit one vote per IP address, but unfortunately, there seems like there was a way around that too.

This is only a minor setback though, I just need your patience and understanding. As of now, we are taking votes again through both email and comments. Only registered Google/Blogger Id's will be counted in the comments so if you don't have one, sign up or just e-mail your vote to thefauxbot@gmail.com

You can comment on either this post or the post with all the entrants in, as I understand some of you already have.

In retrospect, I should have done it this way from the start, but we live and learn and here's hoping for more streamlined and more successful giveaways in the future. Feel free to shout at me in the meantime though. Obviously the swag won't be making it in time for Christmas now, so I will be extending the closing date for votes until 1st January 2010 - giving plenty of time for lost votes etc. to be re-acquired.

Again, I can't apologise enough. Make sure you let your voters know the changes and hopefully this will all get back on track. Best of luck.....again.

Oh yeah, and did I mention how sorry i am?

The Split-Screen Christmas swagbag big awesome giveaway bonanza! VOTING TIME!

My, my. This has all come together quite nicely so far. All the entries are now in and submissions are closed. The time has come to vote for your favourite entry and help your favourite creator to win a whole bag full of swag. The air outside is cold and crisp, so why not step into our lovely, warm gallery and take in some art:

click to embiggen

To view the entries as their original posts, click the relevant name: Vandalworks Yeah Roy D4WG justtherightbullets Token Gestures Sir Gadd Cr0nt

Take your time and vote with honesty. I will be closing the poll this Sunday - that's the 20th - to maximise the chances of the goodies arriving in time for Christmas. Please be nice and don't try to cheat the poll, instead just tell everyone you know to come and vote. More traffic = better giveaways in the future! Creators, I fully expect you to vote for yourselves, and why not. I'm not going to tell you my vote, to avoid any accusations of favouritism. I plan on casting it tactically when a few are already in.

I'd like to take this chance to thank each and every one of you who entered and have continued to support the site, you all make it worthwhile. Seeing the entries all presented, having the poll up and getting to give this stuff away has made my year, so thank you all again - you bring a tear to my eggy shell. I am flattered that people would give up even the smallest amount of time.

The Split-Screen Christmas swagbag big awesome giveaway bonanza! Seventh entry update!

Yeah, that's right, two in one day. BAM! Right there, readers! I always wanted to talk to people like the Beano characters talked to me. Look ma! I've made it! Now I'm doing it, just like Dennis The Menace!

The seventh entry into our illustrious giveaway is brought to you by none other than our current Street Fighter champion - Vandalworks. As a result of his success and all-round awesomeness, Capcom approached both Vandalworks and Split-Screen to collaborate on a special DLC pack for Super Street Fighter 4. Naturally, we said yes, but insisted on creating our own artwork. Here it is:

The DLC package will feature Vandalworks as a playable character. He plays almost identical to Gouken only he has guns and is invincible. He also has an attack that features vicious dogs. VERY vicious. The pack will be made exclusively available to PLATINUM Xbox Live members only. What? You don't have a PLATINUM account!? Just Gold? You pathetic turd!

Anyways, contest ends tomorrow! Vote or die!

The Split-Screen Christmas swagbag big awesome giveaway bonanza! Sixth entry update!

Holy shit, we've actually got a proper competition on our hands now! Yet another entry that made me blurt coffee all over my monitor, like the nerdy weird kid who laughs at everything and shoots his panda pop everywhere when he does - you don't really want him to sit at your table, but you let him just to watch the freakshow.

Anyway.....our sixth entry(s) is brought to us by the ever-supportive Yeah Roy, or Jon/Charles/Phil as I like to call him. He is a pretty rad dude and when not buggering around in MSpaint, he can be found hanging out in the sewers of New York City, skateboarding, practicing his Kung Fu and eating pizza with his 'bros'. Over the years he has sported numerous interesting hairdos, all of which he wore 'very well' according to Vanity Fair.

Now you may be wondering why there are two entries and I would love to be able to tell you. But, I'm going to allow it, seeing as the votes will be cast towards the creator rather than the creations. Today is the last day for entries, so anyone else out there who still wants to steal away a years worth of free game crud had better get moving. For all those already sitting pretty with their entries, I suggest you start telling your nearest and dearest that you'll be expecting their votes, so ram the blog address down their factpipes until they fart you out a winning vote.

The Split-Screen Christmas swagbag big awesome giveaway bonanza! Fifth entry update.

This bowl of pure awesome with crushed nuts comes from the one and only Token Gestures. Amateur Headquarters players quake at the very mention of his gamertag and now all of you fellow competitors shall fear it too as you witness the panache and ingenuity displayed within his entry. Behold:

These guys are Guitar Heroes are you?
Top left: Mark Chapman- Close friend of John Lennon
Top right: Marvin Gaye Sr.- Father to Marvin Gaye not surprisingly
Bottom left: Dr Conrad Murray- Personal physician of Michael Jackson
Bottom right: Courtney Love- Spouse of Kurt Cobain

Only one more day left for entries you fuckers, it closes on the 16th, so last minuters get it sent over to thefauxbot@gmail.com

Like, NOW!

Swagbag contest finishing soon!

Entries for the Christmas swagbag giveaway will be closed as of Wednesday this week, that's the 16th. So anyone who still wants to enter better get their arses into gear! After that, all the entries will be re-posted for your judgement. Voting will most likely take place via email, for unregistered readers and through the comments for those with accounts. For those who didn't enter, please at least make sure to cast your vote.

For anyone still on the fence here are the latest additions to the swag.


Some delightful Overlord figurines, a Prototype artbook, a Resident Evil zombie surgical mask, C.O.D. MW2 wristbands, an Avatar t-shirt and a Lego Rock Band keyring.

Posts will get a little erratic now, with Christmas making me very busy and very tired, however, I will be encouraging everyone to submit a few words to speak up for their Game of the Year 2009 and will be posting coverage of our as-yet untitled new year's gamesfest.

The Split-Screen Christmas swagbag big awesome giveaway bonanza! Fourth entry update.

They say a picture speaks a thousand words, so I'll give you five minutes to take in this entry from the notorious D4WG:


.........

A re-interpretation in the truest sense of the word and a deeply, deeply moving piece I'm sure you'll all agree. This is the kind of shocking that makes even my long-suffering girlfriend laugh. There's just no other way to react. Remember, you saw it here first.

The Split-Screen Christmas swagbag big awesome giveaway bonanza! Third (!!) entry update.

Wow. At this rate, this competition may even start to pass for halfway competent. Seriously. Three entries! I am stunned. Now come on you fucks, I dare you to challenge me to find new ways to express my surprise. I double-dare ya! Seriously, what are you waiting for? Enter already. Don't you want free goodies?

The ever-productive Cr0nt/raisedbyfinches has concocted a delightfully witty, behemoth-referencing cover to Newgrounds favourite Super Meat Boy. What, you haven't played it? Go here then.


Now I can honestly say that the competition is 'hotting up' and in the future I hope to use other such cliche's. You wouldn't deny me that pleasure now would you? Come on then, enter already. Entries scrawled on the back of fag packets and taken with a camera phone are acceptable and frankly, something I'd encourage. Email thefauxbot@gmail.com

The Split-Screen Christmas swagbag big awesome giveaway bonanza! Second entry update.

As the time goes on we will hopefully see more and more of these updates - I'm still riding high from getting one entry so having a second has completely spun me out. Now, feast your eyes upon Sir Gadd's offering:


Genius, right!? When asked for an insight, I was met simply with 'Shit Happens' - an apt title that I feel further highlights the existential undertones of Frogger.

I'm sure that we can all agree on the awesomeness of the submissions so far and I hope that there are more of you working on your own entries as I type. If it's a question of motivation, then perhaps a peek at this week's new swagbag additions may do the trick:


XBOX 360 Guitar Hero Aerosmith guitar faceplate
Rainbow Six Vegas 2 XBOX 360 console faceplate
Resident Evil 5 Chris Redfeild mini figure
Assassins Creed 2 t-shirt
Lego Indiana Jones keyring

I eagerly await more entries, so bare in mind that there's still plenty of time to enter and bag it all for yourself. Personally I'm just glad that I don't have to personally choose between our already awesome entries, otherwise I'd be forever conflicted. Remember that I'll post anywhere, so pull your finger out of your own behind and e-mail your submissions to thefauxbot@gmail.com

Good Luck!

The Split-Screen Christmas swagbag big awesome giveaway bonanza! First entry update.

I honestly thought no-one would enter, so it's with an extra sense of pride that I present you with the first entry to our Christmas swagbag big awesome giveaway bonanza. At least now we can have a winner by default, right? It comes courtesy of our very own Justtherightbullets and heavily features a ladies ass and latex. Other entries should count themselves lucky that I'm not judging this, seeing as these are two elements that could be used to sway me in just about any situation (girlfriend: take note).

Enjoy, as I have. Well, maybe not in the same way that I have, exactly, but well, you know what I mean. Or maybe you don't. If so, good. Just umm, look. Heh. It's for Bayonetta. Consider the gauntlet thrown down.

The Split-Screen Christmas swagbag big awesome giveaway bonanza!

Yeah, you read that right; big awesome, swagbag giveaway and what the hell, why not call it a bonanza too? Over the past few months I've been accumulating as much free game-related crap as I possibly can. Thanks largely to the ever-generous and consistently-awesome UltimateGMX, I've managed to amass a sizable amount of goodies. Enough at least to officially classify as a swagbag - believe it or not there is actually a specified criteria that legally must be met. We met it, and some.

Below you will see a picture of the swagbag as it stands now minus a few items that weren't to hand. Depending on who wins, I plan to throw in some extra goodies such as PSN credit, MS Points, or even those Nintendo ones - this prize can be chosen by the winner of course. Anything else that I can get my hands on will be added during the run-up to Christmas and I will regularly update with posts letting you all know what items have been added.


The swag so far:
MySims Agents agent pack
Buzz Lightyear DVD
Sonic Plush
Mini Ninjas Figure
Assassins Creed 2 leather wristband
GTA: Episodes from Liberty City art postcards
DLC for Forza 3 and DJ Hero
Tekken 6 limited edition character cards
Dissidia Final Fantasy art cards
Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood bullet USB pen drive
Professor Layton character phone dangler
GTA IV Character posters (several, double sided
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 poster
GTA IV New Era cap
Rockstar Social Club enamel pin badge
T-Shirts:
Borderlands
Beatles Rock Band
Transformers: ROTF
Devil May Cry
Brink
Modern Warfare 2
Fairytale Fights

If that gets your motor going then you'll be wondering what it is you need to do to bag the swag........uuhhh...bag. I know we have a lot of buddingcreatives in our community, from artists, to designers and photographers, so I thought it appropriate to set a creative challenge. All you need to do is re-interpret the cover artwork for a game of your choice. Submissions can be hand-drawn, painted, digital, pretty much any visual format, so long as it can be posted here. The competition will not be judged on creative prowess, but on the most interesting, amusing or appropriate re-interpretation. For example, a photo of a steaming dog turd would be more than suitable as a new cover for Two Worlds.

Winners will be decided by a community-led vote to make it fair and all submissions should be emailed to splitscreensbrain@googlemail.com.
I hope I can count on a good amount of entries. This competition is open to everyone and I will happily mail the swagbag anywhere. Closing date will be around the 15th of December to allow enough time for mailing and deciding the winner before Christmas. Now get designing!