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[Ledsen]

BTW could someone elaborate on this whole thing? The OP is way too detailed and hasn't been updated in over a week.

 

[Twilight Princess]

Wonder what the Potato Sack Bot Skin will be.

I emailed game and got an automated reply, wonder if he really got the message.

the bot skin is going to be HUGE SPOILER

 

[Zomba13]

I expected a lot more "OMFG thank you Valve" for the Complete Packs coming in here. I had ordered the PS3 version from Amazon so I got the two copies (no, I wasn't going to resell one), but now I can pretty much just send it back once it arrives, I've got the PC version sitting in my Steam ready to install. I guess the one bummer is that other than that, I pretty much got a few variants of the original Half-Life and that's it, I already had everything else, and it only gave me giftable copies of Half Life 2 and Ep 1. It means my extra copies of things like TF2, L4D1 and 2, Episode 2, etc just get lost to the ether.

Did people at least get duplicate copies of Portal 2 if they already had it ordered on Steam?

One person seems to have an extra Portal 2 somehow but for the most part no.
And I didn't get giftable hl2 and ep1 (like I did from the Orange Box).
I've emailed gabe hoping for a response (I was civil, not ragey/whiny).
Main thing about the complete pack that pisses me off is I can't gift the stuff. My cousin has just built a gaming PC and this would have been an AMAZING gift for him. I asked gabe if it would have been at all possible to transfer the complete pack from me to a different account. It sucks me just getting old HL expansions (That I own on disc) and old multiplayer games (that have superior versions out now).

Forgot to ask about the potato sack skin and why I don't have it yet though...

 

[akachan ningen]

so this was all a pile of shit? I'm betting the backlash against valve was pretty minimal since they are valve. valve fans are like apple fans. way too forgiving.

 

[Zomba13]

so this was all a pile of shit? I'm betting the backlash against valve was pretty minimal since they are valve. valve fans are like apple fans. way too forgiving.

Well I'm a huge valve fan and they are now the first company I've emailed to complain about something they have done.

 

[Zzoram]

Whole thing was staged, Portal 2 arrived at 12-12:30 EST variously for different people. Those with golden potatoes got it earlier. Golden potatoes also got Valve complete pack.

Game is brilliant.

So people who participated only got to unlock 30 minutes earlier?

What did you have to do to get a golden potato?

 

[Zomba13]

So people who participated only got to unlock 30 minutes earlier?

What did you have to do to get a golden potato?

Find the aperture log in screens in the potato sack games and their special potato content. The stuff was awesome. Apparently golden potato people could play earlier but I was sleeping, because I'm in the UK, and it happened at like 4am or 5 am or somewhere between.

 

[Zzoram]

Well it seems the ARG itself was fun but only getting a golden potato resulted in a real pay off. The only thing misleading then was suggesting that people who didn't finish would also benefit.

 

[Rahk]

So people who participated only got to unlock 30 minutes earlier?

What did you have to do to get a golden potato?

Waste a weekend. At least I did.

Sure, it's a nice gift for the few that don't have all the Valve games, but we're the biggest fucking nerds, we already own all of Valve's games including Portal 2!

At least give me a couple free bullshit hats or something.

 

[Drkirby]

So people who participated only got to unlock 30 minutes earlier?

What did you have to do to get a golden potato?

If you got the Golden Potato, you also got every Valve Game ever made (No giftable copies, somewhat screws people who already own everything)

I am hoping Valve will toss in some other token gift (Golden Wrench Please!), but we will see.

I wonder if Portal 2 Co Op has item drops in it, they gave 300 spaces of inventory.

 

[Zomba13]

If you got the Golden Potato, you also got every Valve Game ever made (No giftable copies, somewhat screws people who already own everything)

I am hoping Valve will toss in some other token gift (Golden Wrench Please!), but we will see.

I wonder if Portal 2 Co Op has item drops in it, they gave 300 spaces of inventory.

I got a Weighted Companion Cube flag (so did my science partner) at one point but it might've been a pre-determined reward. We got nothing else for completing the co-op campaign.

 

[badrockjones]

Golden Potato holder. Just submitted this support ticket to Valve. Personally, I think anyone who feels more strongly about it than this is... too invested.

Hello,

I'm submitting this here because I'm not sure where else it might go. Could you please direct it to the appropriate party if you aren't the right one?

I spent a lot of time this weekend participating in Valve's ARG for the Portal 2 launch, and woke up this morning to discover that because I have the Golden Potato, I was rewarded with the Valve Complete pack. This is a generous reward, but unfortunately as a loyal Valve customer from day 1 I already owned the vast majority of these games (and certainly won't be strolling down memory lane with the older ones I didn't). I posit to Valve that allowing me giftable codes for my duplicate games would mean I could provide them to my brother, and create another Valve fan.

Don't misunderstand me -- I'm not going to stop buying Valve games or anything like that. It's just, for the effort, the reward seems to punish my fandom. Basically, it's like this: gift codes would turn my memory of the ARG from "that thing I wasted a weekend on for basically no reason" into "that thing I wasted a weekend on but snagged a catalog of games for a family member."

In any event, this prize will certainly determine my future participation in Valve's marketing events.

Thanks very much for your time, and please keep up the amazing work!

Best Regards,
Anderson

 

[electristan]

Golden Potato holder. Just submitted this support ticket to Valve. Personally, I think anyone who feels more strongly about it than this is... too invested.

Sound very fair, id add in that you were also "punished" for actually per-ordering Portal 2 since people have been getting that with the complete pack as well.

 

[Azure Dream]

Looks like Amazon hadn't even shipped my Portal 2 yet, gasp. Cancelled it all that much easier, I just hope I get my gaming credit back I used.

 

[indigo-cyclops]

To me it most hilarious that those that were rewarded with Valves prize are probably dedicated Valve fans and own most if not all Valve games. That right there is the icing on the fucking Portal cake!

Spoiler

I own almost all as well, and I'm certainly very impressed and enjoying Portal 2

 

[TheBez]

Sound very fair, id add in that you were also "punished" for actually per-ordering Portal 2 since people have been getting that with the complete pack as well.

So this is confirmed? If so that's quite awful. It really means that pc players ended up last on this one.

 

[krzy123]

So wait to get the "golden potato", you need to:
- own the potato sack (~$38, hopefully you didn't already own some of the games)
- play countless hours to get all the potatoes
- win valve complete pack (of which many games you already own)

pretty sure pre-ordering and paying $44.99 is a better deal than that. Unless i missed something?

 

[webrunner]

So wait to get the "golden potato", you need to:
- own the potato sack (~$38, hopefully you didn't already own some of the games)
- play countless hours to get all the potatoes
- win valve complete pack (of which many games you already own)

pretty sure pre-ordering and paying $44.99 is a better deal than that. Unless i missed something?

Because getting 13 great indie games for a reduced price is such a burden.

 

[nephilimdj]

Because getting 13 great indie games for a reduced price is such a burden.

Most were cheaper at xmas thu

 

[StuBurns]

I'm a bit confused. Is it true if you bought the sack, got the potatoes you get the Valve Pack + Portal 2, and if you bought the Sack + Portal 2 deal you just get the Valve Pack?

So you got the same games either way, but one option is much cheaper?

 

[Zzoram]

ARGs are always stupid and always disappoint. That's why I never participate.

 

[Drkirby]

So wait to get the "golden potato", you need to:
- own the potato sack (~$38, hopefully you didn't already own some of the games)
- play countless hours to get all the potatoes
- win valve complete pack (of which many games you already own)

pretty sure pre-ordering and paying $44.99 is a better deal than that. Unless i missed something?

You don't need to win the pack, you did get the pack as a prize once Portal 2 came out. One some thing that annoyed a few people though is that not only did they own most of the games, it would of given you Portal 2 also, and at the moment we aren't getting any giftable copies.

I for one am happy with my Counter Strike games though. I paid $10 for the missing Indie games, put in some effort and had some fun, and got some games I had been holding out on getting.

I'm a bit confused. Is it true if you bought the sack, got the potatoes you get the Valve Pack + Portal 2, and if you bought the Sack + Portal 2 deal you just get the Valve Pack?

So you got the same games either way, but one option is much cheaper?

Basically, I'm a bit confused. Is it true if you bought the sack, got the potatoes you get the Valve Pack + Portal 2, and if you bought the Sack + Portal 2 deal you just get the Valve Pack?
[/quote]
For people who got all the Potatos, they simply get a Valve Complete pack, which does include Portal 2. The thing is no one know about this, and very few people actually got all the Potatoes without also having the game Preordered.

Really, I find it to be a great prize for those who don't own everything, and an unexpected reward. Problem is, if you did just happen to own everything, you basically got nothing.

 

[electristan]

So this is confirmed? If so that's quite awful. It really means that pc players ended up last on this one.

I'm a bit confused. Is it true if you bought the sack, got the potatoes you get the Valve Pack + Portal 2, and if you bought the Sack + Portal 2 deal you just get the Valve Pack?

So you got the same games either way, but one option is much cheaper?

Seems to be, BY2K, Hawkian i thought i saw one more in this thread got a copy.

 

[krzy123]

You don't need to win the pack, you did get the pack as a prize once Portal 2 came out. One some thing that annoyed a few people though is that not only did they own most of the games, it would of given you Portal 2 also, and at the moment we aren't getting any giftable copies.

I for one am happy with my Counter Strike games though. I paid $10 for the missing Indie games, put in some effort and had some fun, and got some games I had been holding out on getting.

Ah ok, i thought people were annoyed at others getting the game for free.

I'm guessing Valve will eventually own up, but as i told my friend at work, the ARG would have been great if the countdown portion started last friday.

 

[Azure Dream]

So wait to get the "golden potato", you need to:
- own the potato sack (~$38, hopefully you didn't already own some of the games)
- play countless hours to get all the potatoes
- win valve complete pack (of which many games you already own)

pretty sure pre-ordering and paying $44.99 is a better deal than that. Unless i missed something?

The fun of playing along with the ARG, feeling like you were contributing even if it ended up that you actually weren't. Also brand new content for many of these games, some of it very well made, and some like extra Challenge Mode levels for games you might already enjoy. Not to mention the temporary humor of GLaDOS trolling you through these new scenarios (her comments in AaAaAA and The Ball were priceless).

Plus, free games, even if you already owned some of them, and I wouldn't be shocked if Valve does give Golden Potato people giftable copies once they realize people said, "Hey, thanks for the gift, but I didn't receive 95% of it because I'm already such a big Steam buyer."

And the Potato Sack games you did own were giftable already, if you previously owned some of them.

Also, I got two TF2 items for it, one of which you got for pre-ordering too, but I wasn't going to get otherwise because I was buying the PS3 version. It's very possible one of the items is going to change for Golden Potato people, making it pretty darn rare and desirable for trades or just bragging rights. And they said Potato Sack owners get a new skin in Portal 2.

So you missed a few things.

 

[Ninja Kn1ght]

I'm a bit confused. Is it true if you bought the sack, got the potatoes you get the Valve Pack + Portal 2, and if you bought the Sack + Portal 2 deal you just get the Valve Pack?

So you got the same games either way, but one option is much cheaper?

Well, everyone who got all the Potatoes got the complete Valve pack, including Portal 2. But, if you already owned any of the games, you don't get a second copy or anything, so if you had already pre-ordered Portal 2 and owned all of Valve's games, you get nothing.

I think this would have been a great prize if Valve had at least given Steam credit to the people who had already purchased Portal 2 on Steam but as it stands it isn't likely to offer much to the people who went to the trouble of getting it.

 

[TheBez]

Golden Potato holder. Just submitted this support ticket to Valve. Personally, I think anyone who feels more strongly about it than this is... too invested.

Using your ticket as a template (thank you) as well as the advice of electristan I sent them the following.

Hello,

I'm submitting this here because I'm not sure where else it might go. Could you please direct it to the appropriate party if you aren't the right one?

I spent a lot of time this weekend participating in Valve's ARG for the Portal 2 launch, and woke up this morning to discover that because I have the Golden Potato, I was rewarded with the Valve Complete pack. This is a generous reward, but unfortunately as a loyal Valve customer from day 1 I already owned the vast majority of these games. I pose it to Valve that allowing me giftable codes for my duplicate games would mean I could provide them to my friends and family, and create more Valve fans and customers.

Don't misunderstand me -- I'm not going to stop buying Valve games or anything like that. It's just, for the effort, the reward seems to punish my fandom. Basically, it's like this: gift codes would turn my memory of the ARG from "that thing I wasted a weekend on for basically no reason" into "that thing I wasted a weekend on but snagged a catalog of games for a family member."

I also feel punished for pre-ordering Portal 2. I was on the fence about buying the game in the first place after spending the money on the potato pack and just having a general lack of funds. Then to have it given away free to all the Golden Potato people, of which I am one, is a slap in the face. Once again a giftable code would have been greatly appreciated as I could share this and play co-op with close friends who may not have wanted to or been able to purchase Portal 2.

In any event, this prize will certainly determine my future participation in Valve's marketing events.

Thanks very much for your time, and please keep up the amazing work!

Best Regards,
Ryan

 

[eznark]

Heh, and you guys scoffed when I said it would be TF2 hats. You wish it were TF2 hats now, don't you?

 

[electristan]

Using your ticket as a template (thank you) as well as the advice of electristan I sent them the following.

Let us know how it goes

 

[StuBurns]

Well, everyone who got all the Potatoes got the complete Valve pack, including Portal 2. But, if you already owned any of the games, you get a second copy or anything, so if you had already pre-ordered Portal 2 and owned all of Valve's games, you get nothing.

I think this would have been a great prize if Valve had at least give Steam credit to the people who had already purchased Portal 2 on Steam but as it stands it isn't likely to offer much to the people who went to the trouble of getting it.

Okay, this isn't a big deal to me, I misunderstood what I read on the Steam forum. They should all be giftable, but other than that, I can't say it's unfair for them to give Portal 2 out for free, it's cool to me actually.

I can understand that a lot of the gold potato owners would have a lot of these games already, which is a shame, but make them giftable and that's fine I think. They could have literally given nothing. The Balltal levels and Justine alone are reward enough for Sack owners I think.

 

[Iadien]

Great idea imo, people spent weeks marketing the game for them and then they give them games they most likely already have.

 

[badrockjones]

Using your ticket as a template (thank you) as well as the advice of electristan I sent them the following.

No problem. Best of luck to us. I'm pretty sure Valve's gonna see the light re: codes, if it isn't an outright mixup. I'm not thrilled that the release timing was rigged, but like I said a bunch of pages ago: it was like a gaming iron man challenge for me. Good times regardless, once the disappointment is processed.

 

[Bisonian]

One person seems to have an extra Portal 2 somehow but for the most part no.
And I didn't get giftable hl2 and ep1 (like I did from the Orange Box).

I didn't get the window for the giftable Orange Box and the free passes showing up until this morning, way after the fact. Not sure why that's the case, but I wouldn't get too concerned just yet.

I did not get anything else giftable though, especially no Portal 2

 

[KiKaL]

So wait to get the "golden potato", you need to:
- own the potato sack (~$38, hopefully you didn't already own some of the games)
- play countless hours to get all the potatoes
- win valve complete pack (of which many games you already own)

pretty sure pre-ordering and paying $44.99 is a better deal than that. Unless i missed something?

Well for me
- $38 for Potato Sack
- Get the Potatoes...which I actually enjoyed. I think it's because they were achievements that actually felt like they ment something.
- Won CS: Condition Zero : P
- Get Portal 2 for free

So if I hated the Potato Sack I got Portal 2 for $38. I personally like SMB, Amnesia, Audio Surf, The Ball, AaAaAa, Defense Grid, Killing Floor, Bit Trip and Cogs a lot. Even though I already owned Amnesia, Audiosurf, Killing Floor and Defense Grid. It was still worth it for me.

On that note...I really would love it if I could gift the games Valve Complete Pack. I would love to give l4d1 + 2 and TF2 to some friend who never picked it up. I see it as the same way on my Potato Sack repeats. I gave them to friends who had no clue about those games and I knew they would most likely like them

 

[Zomba13]

Heh, and you guys scoffed when I said it would be TF2 hats. You wish it were TF2 hats now, don't you?

People scoffed because they said it was going to be a non-hat reward. I'm sure most (like me) expected it to be portal 2 related, like a special skin or something.

I honestly do wish it was a hat or something. At least then I'd get enjoyment out of looking at something new and possibly cool looking rather than a bunch of games I already own and inferior multiplayer games I own the source engine versions of.

 

[Corky]

So everybody who got 36 potatoes got portal 2 free?

 

[Zomba13]

So everybody who got 36 potatoes got portal 2 free?

Well... we would have if we didn't pre-purchase...

 

[dave is ok]

So everybody who got 36 potatoes got portal 2 free?

Yes and no.

Yes, if you didn't already order it on Steam. No, if you already pre-ordered it (which most did, because why participate in the ARG if you aren't planning on getting the game)

 

[Corky]

Well... we would have if we didn't pre-purchase...

Huh, did you have to prepurchase to get a potato or something?

Edit : oh I see

 

[Luigi87]

Huh, did you have to prepurchase to get a potato or something?

Nope.


I do wonder if it was a mistake that Portal 2 was included with the games given for free.

 

[Javaman]

Well, everyone who got all the Potatoes got the complete Valve pack, including Portal 2. But, if you already owned any of the games, you get a second copy or anything, so if you had already pre-ordered Portal 2 and owned all of Valve's games, you get nothing.

I think this would have been a great prize if Valve had at least give Steam credit to the people who had already purchased Portal 2 on Steam but as it stands it isn't likely to offer much to the people who went to the trouble of getting it.

I don't understand where people are getting the idea that portal is included in the valve complete pack. Sounds like a lot of confusion. How many people have confirmed that they got it without preordering? It's NOT listed in the valve complete pack.

 

[Seiru]

Nope.


I do wonder if it was a mistake that Portal 2 was included with the games given for free.

I don't think so, I mean it's specifically called "Portal 2 - Potato Champions Comp" in your list of purchases...

 

[dave is ok]

I don't understand where people are getting the idea that portal is included in the valve complete pack. Sounds like a lot of confusion. How many people have confirmed that they got it without preordering? It's NOT listed in the valve complete pack.

Portal 2 was included in the pack. Not sure if it was a bug or not, but it was definitely included.

 

[fallengorn]

Hmmmm, I didn't get the Valve Complete Pack. Maybe it's because I already own everything already.

 

[Javaman]

Portal 2 was included in the pack. Not sure if it was a bug or not, but it was definitely included.

Yeah, definitely sounds like a bug, otherwise that's a pretty silly thing to do. There's always the chance that they could yank it from people's accounts but that would generate even more bad blood.

 

[Bisonian]

Yeah, definitely sounds like a bug, otherwise that's a pretty silly thing to do. There's always the chance that they could yank it from people's accounts but that would generate even more bad blood.

It was datamined from the registry before the prize was given out, and someone posted a screenshot of it in this thread. It was a package that was newly added called "Valve Potato Champion Comp" and it definitely had Portal 2 in it.

 

[dave is ok]

So... who's up for some RICOCHET?

 

[KiKaL]

I don't understand where people are getting the idea that portal is included in the valve complete pack. Sounds like a lot of confusion. How many people have confirmed that they got it without preordering? It's NOT listed in the valve complete pack.

Well I did not pre-order from Steam because I went the Amazon PS3+PC route and I now have a copy of Portal 2 that I have downloaded and played in my account. So I can confirm that I received it without Pre-ordering

 

[Nome]

You guys are pretty ridiculous. You go into the ARG thinking you could maybe play Portal 2 a few days early, now you demand free games. OK MANG

 

[dave is ok]

You guys are pretty ridiculous. You go into the ARG thinking you could maybe play Portal 2 a few days early, now you demand free games. OK MANG

The reward for 36 potatoes was unlocking Portal 2 half an hour early and a ton of Valve games. That's not a bad reward

The reward for most people, however, was unlocking Portal 2 half an hour early and CS: Condition Zero or Ricochet or something. That is if they got any games at all