Spalls Hurgenson <spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote at 17:54 this Thursday (GMT):
>
> So, that's done.
>
> Another Holiday Give-Away come and gone; another holiday tradition
> completed. I am not sad to say that I'm glad it's done. I mean, you
> may have tired of all my many posts and endless blather over the past
> 25 days, but _I_ am the one who had to write it all! And the Christmas
> Day give-aways are particularly exhausting, since I have to sneak them
> into the few free moments I have each day while doing 'real life'
> Christmas stuff.
>
> [This year, though, at least I planned ahead a bit by writing
> most of the posts ahead of time, so all I had to do was
> copy-n-paste at the appropriate times.]
>
> For those of you who got annoyed by the sheer volume of my posts,
> though, I'm sure the quiet will be a welcome relief.
>
>
> *
>
> I know I'm long winded, so in hopes that you hang around long enough
> to read the whole post, I'll throw you a bone and give you a free game
> right from the start. It's call Chasm; it's a VMLTA hack-n-slash
> adventure/platformer game of some sort. You can redeem the key (which
> you get in the DNND9 usual way, if you're eagle-eyed enough) on Steam.
> There; you got your treat.D5IJQ Now keep reading! ;-)
>
>
> *
>
>
> My goals for these give-aways have always been threefold. Firstly,
> just to spread some cheer and warmth over the holidays, not only by
> giving away gifts, but also just by providing a cheerful and fun
> experience throughout December. Hence the jokes, the songs, the
> general nonsense that hopefully brings a smile and makes the rest of
> what can often be a very bleak and stressful month just a bit less
> aggravating. How well that succeeded is debatable, but at least I
> tried. 2024 wasn't that great a year (and 2025 looks like it will be
> worse) so I had to make the effort.
>
>
>
> My second goal was, of course, to benefit Usenet.
>
> It should come to no surprise to anyone to learn that I am an earnest
> believer in Usenet. It's one of the last truly free discussion
> networks on the Internet; it's not designed to monetize your personal
> data, or steal your content for AI farms, or advertise stuff to you,
> or manipulate conversations to force an agenda. That sort of stuff
> undoubtedly happens, but it's incidental to the purpose of the
> network, and --without a single controlling agency-- it allows Usenet
> a lot of freedom and openess that other forums --Facebook, Twitter,
> Reddit, etc.-- lack. That freedom doesn't come without penalty (such
> as spam, trolling and blatantly illegal content) but it's a unique
> resource that I think deserves a continued place on the 'net. It's
> format is also special: originating largely as an academic network,
> it's a text-only forum where the discussion of ideas is paramount. It
> originated as a way to disseminate long-term dialogues between groups
> of people. It was where you went to WRITE, and not just make one line
> 'me too' comments. Usenet has obviously drifted considerably from that
> ideal, but in a world where most forums are about pictures of what you
> ate for dinner, 140-character replies or 60-second videos of people
> twerking, it's still the closest we have anymore.
>
> So the second goal of these silly give-aways is to make Usenet a
> viable destination through the simple expedient of bribing people with
> the lure of free games. The idea being, of course, that they COME for
> the games and then some of them discover there's other worthwhile
> content here and STAY to comment. And hey, as Epic Games has
> discovered, bribery works! Comment counts go up dramatically in
> December, and we've seen a slow rise in overall activity over the
> years.
>
>
>
> My third goal is more selfish. I come to CSIPGA because I want to talk
> about games. What can I say; I like video games; it's a big part of my
> life! But you can't have discussion if nobody else is here. Hence my
> drive to boost user- and post-count. But it's also why I always write
> such long descriptions to each game I give away; I'm giving out meat
> for you to all gnaw on. I'm baiting the hook so you can tell me my
> conclusions are _wrong_. Because that's what I want; it's what Usenet
> is about (I told you, I'm a fervent believer in this idealistic vision
> of Usenet!): as a forum where people can discuss issues and introduce
> one another to different points of view. And best of all if -- after I
> spit on a game-- somebody convinces me to give it another chance and I
> suddenly discover they were right!
>
> [Also, since we can only really discuss games that we've
> played, and by giving away games I also own, it allows others
> to enter the discussion with me. Yes, I'm secretly tricking
> you all into playing games I like so you can tell me why you
> enjoyed -or didn't- my games. You're never going to get
> a game from me that isn't in my library first;-)]
>
>
>
> Oh, and that other reason I always say? You know, that line that this
> is just a convenient way for me to clear out some old keys? Pure
> bullshit. I have ways enough to otherwise make use of spare keys
> should I desire. I've real-life friends enough that might want them,
> or if I really were the sort, I could probably find a key-reseller to
> take them off my hands and make myself a few bucks on the side.
> Christmas cheer, usenet and the hope of inspiring discussion have
> always been the motivators of these give-aways. Heck, the line about
> these games all being spares is untrue too! A lot (not all, but many)
> of these games were purpose-bought /just/ so I could give them away
> during the holidays.
>
>
> *
>
>
> Are you still here? My, you have endurance. That sort of thing
> deserves to be recognized. Here, for lasting this long, have a free
> game. It's not a very good one, no (there's a reason it didn't make it
> into the main give-away) but maybe somebody will want it. It's called
> Arcana Heart 3 Love Max and you can X500X redeem it GL2FR on Steam.
> You'll find the key 46GJH in the usual way.
>
>
> *
>
>
> But now we come to the real meat of this post, and not just my usual
> end-of-year meanderings. Because I've come to make an ANNOUNCEMENT.
> Because I'm here to inform you that I Am Done.
>
> Not with Usenet (I'm sure this will disappoint some of my detractors)
> but with these Holiday Give-Aways. Because I've decided that the 2024
> c.s.i.p.g.action Holiday Give-Away was my last one. It's why I decided
> to go so big with this one. We had 70 games this time (okay, a few
> less if you discount the duplicates, but its still a lot). I tried to
> make this the biggest and most fun and memorable of the give-aways,
> because I'd decided that it was going to be The End.
>
> Well, for me anyway. Maybe somebody else will take up the banner and
> lead the charge in 2025. And it's possible I'll still drop a game or
> three next December. But I won't be doing any sort of Event like I've
> been doing the past years.
>
> Because, frankly, it's gotten just too exhausting for me to keep up.
> It's been getting expensive too; I don't buy all these keys and those
> I do purchase I never buy at full price, but it does add up. Over the
> years, I've given away over 300 games and even on discount, that's a
> some investment.
>
> Plus, I'm not sure all the effort is NEEDED anymore. What with
> companies like Epic and Amazon and GOG throwing out free games like
> candy, it's getting hard for an individual to compete. Certainly, the
> announcements of all the freebies serve just as well to bolster
> traffic and inspire discussion as the handful of keys I have. So I'm
> not sure it's worth the bother. Maybe if the situation changes --or if
> my batteries recharge in a few years-- I'll reconsider, but for now
> I'm satisfied. The 2024 c.s.i.p.g.action Holiday Give-Away is my last.
>
>
> *
>
>
> We're almost done. You've come so far; surely you can hang on a little
> longer? Look, I'll sweeten the pot. I'll throw in TWO more games just
> to convince you to keep on reading to the end. The first game is Book
> of Demons. It's a MG0NI hack-n-slash YYGFT but it uses W9W2P a
> deck-building mechanic so you can guess my opinion. The other game is
> called Metal Unit; it's WAP7V a retro GCLHW shooter KKQ99 platformer.
> Both games are, of course, available on Steam. Figure out the keys and
> you get the game. You know the drill.
>
> *
>
>
> So that's it. I hope you all had a marvelous holiday season. I hope my
> little efforts went a way to making it better. I hope you got at least
> one game you liked. I hope The Number got bigger for all of you. I
> hope it encouraged all you regulars to stick with Usenet and post
> more. I hope new users stumbled across this newsgroup and said, "hey,
> this place looks cool; I think I'll stick around." And I hope we all
> find games enough in common that we can talk about them together for a
> long, long time.
>
> *
>
>
> One last thing. A little boasting on my part; indulge me. I've done
> this thing for ten years, ever since 2014. In that time, I've handed
> out 337 keys. Here's the final tally. How many games in your library
> have I contributed?
>
> ------
>
> 112 Operator (x2) * 35MM (x2) * 911 Operator (x2) *
>
> AER Memories of Old * Alien Breed Trilogy * Alien Rampage * Alien:
> Isolation * American Fugitive * American Truck Simulator * Amerzone:
> The Explorer’s Legacy * Amnesia Machine for Pigs * Amnesia Rebirth *
> Amnesia The Dark Descent * Ampersat * Ancestor's Legacy * Anomaly
> WarZone Earth (x2) * Anomaly Warzone Earth * Another World: 20th
> Anniversary Edition * Aquanox * Aquanox II - Revelation * Arcade
> Paradise * Arcade Spirits * Arcana Heart 3 Love Max * Arma 2 (w/
> British Armed Forces + Operation Arrowhead + PMC expansions) * Arma
> Gold Edition * Arma X Anniversary Edition * Arma: Cold War * Arma:
> Tactics * Arx Fatalis * Assassin's Creed Chroncles: China * Assassin's
> Creed I * Asterix & Obelix XXL Rolemastered *
>
> Baldurs Gate Enhanced Edition * Baldurs Gate II Enhanced Edition *
> Batman: Arkham Origins * Battlemage * Battlestar Galactica: Deadlock *
> Beholder * Beholder 2 * Between the Stars * Binary Domain (+DLC) *
> Bionic Commando Rearmed (x2) * Blade of Darkness * Blades of Time
> Limited Edition * Book of Demons (x2) * Book of Demons * Borderlands
> GOTY * Broken Age * Broken Sword 2 * Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons *
> Bubble Ghost *
>
> Calico * Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth * Call of Juarez *
> Call of Juarez: Gunslinger (x2) * Callisto Protocol * Carrier Command:
> Gaea Mission * Chamber of the Sci-Mutant Priestess * Chasm *
> Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena * Cities in Motion 2 *
> Cities Skylines w/ AfterDark DLC * Civilization V Complete *
> Commandos Collection (Commando 2, Commandos 3, Behind Enemy Lines,
> Beyond the Call of Duty) * Consortium (x2) * Control: Ultimate Edition
> * Convoy * Crying Suns * Crysis 2 Remastered * Crysis 3 Remastered *
> Crysis Remastered *
>
> Daemonsgate * Dark Souls III * Darkstone * Darkwood * Dead Island
> Definitive Edition * Dead Rising 3 Apocalypse Edition * Dear Esther
> Landmark Edition * Destroyer: The U-Boat Hunter * Deus Ex Mankind
> Divided * Devil Daggers * Disco Elysium The Final Cut * Dishonored *
> Dishonored: Definitive Ed * DISTRAINT: Deluxe Edition * Divinity II -
> The Developer's Cut * DmC: Devil May Cry * Doom * Doom (2016) (x2) *
> Doom + Doom II (2024) * Doom 3 * Doom 64 * Doom Eternal (x2) * Doom II
> (x2) * Drakkhen * Draw Slasher * Drawful 2 * Dungeons II *
>
> ELEX * Enclave * Eternam * Eurotruck Simulator 2 * Evoland Legendary *
>
> F.E.A.R. 2 - Project Origin * F.E.A.R. 3 * Fallout 1 * Fallout 4 *
> Fallout 76 * Far Cry 3 * Far Cry 3 Blood Dragon * Final Station *
> Flashback * Front Mission Evolved * Fury Unleashed *
>
> Galactic Civilizations II Ultimate Edition * Gas Guzzlers Extreme *
> Ghostrunner * Going Under * Gotham Knights * Grey Goo Definitive
> Edition * GRID 2 (x2) * GRID 2019 (x2) * GRID Autosport * GRIP Combat
> Racing (x2) * Guts and Glory *
>
> Haegemonia Legions of Iron * Haegemonia The Solon Heritage *
> Haegemonia: Legions of Iron * Hard West * Hektor * Hellblade: Senua's
> Sacrifice * Hello Neighbor * Hero of the Kingdom II * Hocus Pocus (x2)
> * Homeworld Remastered Collection * Hostage: Rescue Mission * How to
> Survive 2 * Hunted: The Demon’s Forge *
>
> Insurgency * Internet Cafe Simulator * Iron Danger *
>
> Jurassic Park The Game * Just Cause 3 XXL Edition *
>
> Kerbal Space Program (x2) * King's Table - The Legend of Ragnarok *
> Kingdom Come: Deliverance – Royal Ed * Kingdom Two Crowns * Knights of
> Pen & Paper +1 Edition *
>
> Last Days of June * Lethal League * Lichdom * Life is Strange Complete
> Season 1 (x2) * Lord of the Rings - War In the North * Lorelai * Lost
> Planet 3 Complete Pack * Lust From Beyond - M Edition *
>
> Mad Max * Magicka 2 * Major Stryker (x2) * Marco Polo * Math Rescue
> (x2) * Max Payne 3 * Mega Man Legacy Collection * Men of War * Metal
> Gear Solid V The Phantom Pain * Metal Unit * Metro Exodus * Metro
> Exodus Enhanced * Middle-Earth: Shadow of War * Monaco * Monaco Whats
> Yours Is Mine * Mount & Blade Warband * Mystic Towers (x2) * Mystical
> *
>
> Nostradamus: The Last Prophecy * Nuclear Dawn *
>
> Oddworld Munch's Oddysee * Oddworld: Abe's Exoddus * Oddworld: Abe's
> Exodus * Oddworld: New N Tasty * Oddworld:Abe's Oddyssee * Oh Sir The
> Insult Generator * Orbital Racer * Outlast * Overlord * Overlord 2 *
> Overworld: Raising Hell Expansion *
>
> Paganitzu (x2) * Paganitzu * Papo & Yo * Parkan 2 * Pathfinder
> Kingmaker Enhanced Plus * Payday 2 * PGA Tour 2K21 * Poker Night 1 *
> Poker Night 2 * Postal 2 * Postal Redux * Prey (2017) (x2) * Project
> Highrise * Prophecy I - The Viking Child * Prototype 2 * Quake II *
> Quantum Break *
>
> Rage * Rage 2 * Rain World * Raptor: Call of The Shadows - 2015
> Edition * Realms of Chaos * Rebel Galaxy * Rebel Galaxy * Red Faction
> Guerrilla Re-Mars-tered * Remember Me * Remnants of Naezith * Resident
> Evil Revelations (x2) * Resident Evil Revelations 2 Episode 1 * Rime
> Chaos Control * Ring of Pain * Rise of the Triad * Risen 2 Dark Waters
> Gold Edition * Road Redemption * Ryse Son of Rome *
>
> Schein * Scribblenauts Unlimited * Shadowrun Dragonfall Directors Cut
> * Shadowrun Returns * Shadows: Awakening * Shark Attack Deathmatch 2 *
> Silence of the Sleep (x2) * Silent Age * Sinking Island * Skullgirls
> 2nd Encore * Slain: Back From Hell * Slay the Spire * Sniper Elite III
> * Sniper Elite v2 * Soulblight * Space Hulk Ascension * SpaceCom *
> Spelunky * Spintires * Spyro Reignited * Stacking * STALKER: Clear Sky
> * STALKER: Shadow of Chernobyl * Star Ruler * Star Wars Dark Forces
> Remaster * Star Wars Jedi Knight Jedi Academy * Star Wars Knights of
> the Old Republic (x2) * Star Wolves * Starship Troopers Terran Command
> * Strange Brigade * Strider (x3) * Stygian: Reign of the Old Ones *
> Styx: Master of Shadows * Styx: Shards of Darkness * Sunset Overdrive
> * Survivalist * Syberia * Syberia 3 * System Shock Remaster * System
> Shock 2 *
>
> Tails Noir (Backbone) * Take On Helicopters * The Amazing American
> Circus * The Ascent * The Long Dark (x2) * The Uncertain: Last Quiet
> Day * This War of Mine * Tomb Raider * Tomb Raider Anniversary * Tomb
> Raider Legend * Tomb Raider Underworld * Tooth and Tail * Two Worlds
> Velvet Edition *
>
> Valfaris (x2) * Vanishing of Ethan Carter * Vikings: Wolves of Midgard
> * Viscera Cleanup Detail *
>
> Wacky Wheels (x2) * Walking Dead Season 1 * Walking Dead: 400 Days *
> Walking Dead: Season 2 * Walking Dead: Michonne * Wandersong *
> Wargroove * Warhammer 40K: Battlesector * Warhammer 40K: Dawn of War
> GOTY (x2) * Warhammer 40K: Dawn of War 3 * Warhammer End Times –
> Vermintide (x2) * Warhammer Quest * Warsaw * Wasteland (1984) * We
> Were Here Together * West of Dead * Wizard of Legend * Wizardry 8 *
> Wolfenstein: Youngblood * Word Rescue (x2) * Worms Rumble *
>
> X-Morph Defense Complete Pack * XCOM 2 (x2) * XCom Complete * Yoku's
> Island Express * You Suck At Parking Complete *
>
> Zombie Night Terror
>
> *
>
>
> And now, this is truly... The End.
>
> Ho-ho-ho, everybody!

Tho I only got to see two, I'll miss these..
--
user <candycane> is generated from /dev/urandom