Keir's Crazy Contest starts now!!! WIN STUFF!

[Keir]

I'm long overdue or my annual contest (see last year's (http://www.digitpress.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=8097)). Several months ago I came up with what I thought was a cool idea for a contest, but I needed to have someone else look at my puzzle to make sure it was solveable. I really want to get this started, so I've finally decided to enlist someone from these forums to review my contest idea.

If you want to be my guinea pig, I will present the contest to you as though you were participating in the actual contest. It will not be necessary for you to actually solve the puzzle, though I will expect you to try. If you get stuck I will point you to the clue you need to go forward and how to use it. In this way I hope to show that there is indeed a solution that can be found using only the clues provided. If not, then the puzzle will need to be changed. On the other hand, if it turns out that it is easy to solve, then I would like help in making it more difficult. I would also appreciate feedback on my choice of prizes, clarity of rules, etc.

There will be a first prize for the winner of the contest which will be chosen from 3 available prizes (not yet determined). The winner of part 2 of the contest will choose a prize from the remaining 2 prizes. I will give the last prize to the person who helps me design the contest (since that person would be ineligible to participate in the actual contest).

Edit: SEE CONTEST BELOW

[Cmosfm]

MAIL'd

[Keir]

The contest will be posted in this thread at noon (EST) today. So keep your eyes peeled! (ouch)

[Keir]

Pac-Man had a dinner party! Using the clues below, can you figure out who came and where each sat at the table? Your answers should indicate the name of each character, the game that character is from and the # of their seat as shown in the diagram below:
http://img15.imageshack.us/img15/5003/table.gif

CLUES:
1. Each guest is a playable character from an Atari 2600 game released in the US by a different third party company.
2. The guests were seated alphabetically by the names of the game they represent, from #1 - #7.
3. The Xonox representative sat directly across from the man with the umbrella.
4. Roderick did not sit next to the representative for M Network.
5. One guest was able to change form into a mammal or a bird.
6. Another guest brought a beverage specific to his game.
7. During dinner, the guy pictured below showed up looking for one of the guests.
http://img25.imageshack.us/img25/4200/clue7.gif
8. After the party, the initials S.P. were found carved into the table at seat #4.

RULES:
1. Email your answers to metalkeir@yahoo.com
2. The answers can be determined using only the clues given here, but I will give more clues until I have enough correct entries for Part 2. So keep checking here if you're stuck.
3. If you have already guessed incorrectly and I give a clue, you will have the opportunity to guess again.
4. The first person to submit the correct answers will choose from the prizes listed below.
5. The contest ends when I have received 8 correct answers. A second place winner will be chosen from everyone else who submitted correct answers via another completely different contest.

PRIZES:
I will cover all shipping costs for contest winners in the United States. International winners may be required to cover some costs depending on location and choice of prize.
1. Commodore 64 lot: T-shirt, Clowns (cart and manual), Radar Rat Race (cart), Super Expander 64 (cart), Double Dragon (complete), Pool of Radiance (complete except for code wheel), some loose disks and assorted manuals
2. Genesis lot: System w/ hookups and controllers, Haunting (loose), Ms. Pac-Man (boxed), Rocket Knight Adventure (cart and manual), Sonic the Hedgehog (boxed), Sonic & Knuckles (loose)
3. Mystery box: A box full of random items, of a total value comparable to the other prizes.

[dave2236]

Dang, I have 5 of them, but can't figure out the other 2.

I'm gonna have to wait for another clue

[Jibbajaba]

Well I only have 4 for sure. I'm not sure about the "S.P." one, or which game that little picture is from.

If I'm right about the Xonox representative then I have 5.

[Keir]

Congratulations to o2william and Trellisaze who were the first 2 contestants to correctly determine all 7 guests' identities. Since o2william has generously agreed to pass first prize on to the next winner, Trellisaze wins first prize!

I still need 6 more correct entries to compete for second prize.

[charitycasegreg]

sweet I got 1 of them...if pacman counts.... :( I dont know anything about atari

[o2william]

Hoorah and congrats Trellisaze! Since I just won a different forum contest recently, I figured it was only fair to disqualify myself this round. Keir has persuaded me to participate in Part 2 though. But after figuring out this puzzle, I may not have enough brainpower left. LOL

[Quintracker]

sweet I got 1 of them...if pacman counts.... :( I dont know anything about atari


Neither do I. I've probably played 5 2600 games at most, but this is a fun contest for me. Just think of it as an added challenge when you don't know anything about it ;)

[Trellisaze]

Hoorah and congrats Trellisaze! Since I just won a different forum contest recently, I figured it was only fair to disqualify myself this round. Keir has persuaded me to participate in Part 2 though. But after figuring out this puzzle, I may not have enough brainpower left. LOL

Congrats to you to, William! And thanks for your graciousness. This was indeed a fun contest.

[Keir]

Trellisaze has claimed prize #3: The Mystery Box. I will be posting another clue tomorrow at noon (EST) which may or may not help those of you having trouble. ;)

[Querjek]

Just wanted to say congrats to William and Trellisaze, and thanks to Keir for posting this... I have no chance of getting anything in it, but it's still fun to watch :D

[Keir]

Bonus Clue #1:
6, 16, 44, 8, 17, 1, 8

[Jibbajaba]

Bonus Clue #1:
6, 16, 44, 8, 17, 1, 8

Wow. That doesnt help me at all. I guess I just don't know enough about atari games.

[SegaAges]

is part 2 going to be better, just kidding, awesome contest :)

i am lazy and don't feel like going through 2600 games to find the answers, hehehehehe

[Flack]

Bonus Clue #1:
6, 16, 44, 8, 17, 1, 8

If I understand this clue correctly, I think it would help you narrow down between different games by the same manufacturer. But if you don't have any idea in the first place like me, it's not going to help. We'll see if that theory is right when the answer is posted.

[Keir]

Bonus Clue #2:
Some will win, some will lose
Some were born to sing the blues

[ClubNinja]

Some will win, some will lose
Some were born to sing the blues


*Tingles*

[Jibbajaba]

Well that clue definitely helped me, but I still cant figure out what game that little man comes from so I guess im screwed...

[Keir]

Bonus Clue #3:
Emma Watson, Samantha Fox, Emma Thompson, Elizabeth Montgomery, Leonardo da Vinci

[Jibbajaba]

OK I understand what the clue means but I don't see what it has to do with Atari games....

Man this is tough!

EDIT: Got it! That is a shrewd clue!

[ClubNinja]

Wow. I know the solution to this puzzle and can't even figure out what that clue means LOL

[Keir]

All will soon be revealed.

So far only 5 people have answered correctly, and 2 of them (ClubNinja and Trellisaze) are inelligible to win second prize. However, I want to wrap this up soon so we can do part 2. Only those people who answered part 1 correctly can participate in part 2.

Rather than wait for 8 people to submit the right answer as I originally planned, I'm setting a deadline: 9PM EST tonight.

If anyone is still trying and would like more time, let me know.

[Quintracker]

Well I am still trying, but I don't think more time would help me out. My guesses really haven't changed since the first time I submitted, but I'll go ahead and email another guess to you before tonight. Just wanted to say it's been an awesome contest and I've had a blast looking up stuff :)

[Quintracker]

*Hopes his submission made it in before the deadline*

[Keir]

Part 1 of the contest is officially over! I was going to post this last night, but a friend of mine was giving birth and I was at the hospital all night.

ANSWERS:
Seat #1: Stanley I. Presume from Coconuts (Telesys)
Seat #2: Proteus from Fathom (Imagic)
Seat #3: Roderick Hero from H.E.R.O. (Activision)
Seat #4: Steve Perry from Journey Escape (Data Age)
Seat #5: Kool-Aid Man from Kool-Aid Man (M Network)
Seat #6: John Q. from Tax Avoiders (American Videogame)
Seat #7: Tomarc from Tomarc the Barbarian (Xonox)

Here's one way it could be solved:
1. The man with the umbrella in Clue #3 is Stanley I. Presume from Coconuts (Telesys).
2. Clue #4 tells us that one guest was Roderick Hero from H.E.R.O. (Activision).
3. Clue #5 refers to Proteus from Fathom (Imagic), since he can change shape from a mammal (dolphin) to a bird (seagull).
4. Clue #6 indicates either Kool-Aid Man (M Network) or the bartender from Tapper (Sega).
5. The picture in Clue #7 shows Eggie from Tax Avoiders (American Videogame), thereby indicating John Q.
6. Two playable characters have the initials S.P.: Stanley I. Presume from Coconuts (Telesys) and Steve Perry from Journey Escape (Data Age). Since Stanley could not be sitting in seat #4 (Clue #3), it must be Steve Perry.
7. Reviewing our results so far, we have characters from games by 5 different companies (Telesys, Activision, Imagic, American Videogame and Data Age). Clue #3 tells us that Xonox is represented and Clue #4 tells us that M Network is also represented. That totals 7 companies, the same as the number of guests. Therefore, Clue #6 must refer to Kool-Aid Man since Sega is not one of the companies represented.
8. Now we have enough answers to start putting them in order by game title per Clue #2:
Stanley I. Presume from Coconuts (Telesys)
Proteus from Fathom (Imagic)
Roderick Hero from H.E.R.O. (Activision)
Steve Perry from Journey Escape (Data Age)
Kool-Aid Man from Kool-Aid Man (M Network)
John Q. from Tax Avoiders (American Videogame)
9. Since Steve Perry is in seat #4 (Clue #8) the characters in seats #1 - #3 are also known.
10. Clue #3 tells us that the Xonox representative sits in seat #7 (across from Stanley in seat #1), therefore Kool-Aid Man and John Q. are in seats #5 and #6 respectively.
11. Finally, we know that the Xonox game is later than Tax Avoiders alphabetically and therefore must be Tomarc the Barbarian.
Bonus Clue #1 lists the number of releases by each company represented, in the order that they are seated.
Bonus Clue #2 is, of course, a lyric from Journey's song "Don't Stop Believing" hinting at Steve Perry.
Bonus Clue #3 is a list of people who were born on April 15th (Tax Day) hinting at John Q.

The following people correctly solved it:
ClubNinja
o2william
Trellisaze
k8track
Jibbajabba
Quintracker

The people listed above have been entered into part 2 of the contest which will end at 9PM on Thursday, June 24th. At that time I will need all of YOU to help me pick a winner. So keep watching!

[Quintracker]

Oh man I can't believe I squeaked in at the last moment :eek 2:

For some stupid reason I had the worst time with seat #4. It wasn't until the last few hours that I figured out the Journey references. I thought for sure that S.P. stood for "Self Published" LOL