N-E Secret Santa - Virtual Console edition!

[Dyson]

Hey guys,

I don't venture in to the Wii forum very often but I had a pretty neat idea for a forum Secret Santa. Seeing as we can give gifts on the Virtual Console this year, why not have one with gamers and the VC?

The idea is this. If you're interested, stick your name down here. Roughly the week before Christmas, I'll sort out the names and match them in to pairs. You will then buy any Virtual Console game of your choosing as a gift for your recipient in the run up to Christmas, or even on Christmas day if you're feeling it :heh: And of course, you will receive one from your partner as well.


Of course, this does come with a few warnings from me. I've not run this idea past any staff or admins or mods or anything, so they may decide this isn't a good idea considering the risks involved and close the thread. The main risk being that we get people who say they'll take part, and then don't do so. With this in mind, I'm open to suggestions on how to combat this. I'm considering using the Trade section's feedback but I know that not everyone on the forum has used it at all. I was also considering using user titles as a judge on someone's trustworthiness but that's not always a wise idea. So I am open to idea on these points, and any other concerns you might have. That said, assuming everyone takes part in this if they agree to, we could have a very fun and exciting event on our hands.

So yeah! If you're interested, go ahead and sign up. I'll add a list of names..here:

Participants!:
dazzybee
Gentleben
Tellyn
Hellfire
Zero

Maybe's:
Dyson
Ganepark32
yesteryeargames

[MoogleViper]

Would it be possibly to send them to you and then you send them out accordingly? That way only people who have sent one in would receive one.

[dazzybee]

I'm interested, would it be worth everyone putting together a list of VC games we already have?

Also, it won't be that secret when the game gets sent :)

[Tellyn]

I think it's a great idea Dyson. I think we should Paypal you the money for points and then you send out the gifts on Christmas Eve to everyone with a little note.

[Dyson]

I think it's a great idea Dyson. I think we should Paypal you the money for points and then you send out the gifts on Christmas Eve to everyone with a little note.

Perhaps that's an even better idea. I wouldn't mind doing that, assuming I could actually get to my Wii and get it online at Xmas Eve, but that shouldn't be a problem.

Either way I'd like to have some sort of system where everyone who takes part is guaranteed to get a game in return, instead of worrying that the other person may not take part, so I'm feeling this idea Tellyn.

Would it be possibly to send them to you and then you send them out accordingly? That way only people who have sent one in would receive one.

If it's possible to send a gift on however, this'd be perfect.

[Tellyn]

It's not possible to send a gift on, you'd be receiving it yourself and then having to pay to send another one.

Also, what are we doing in terms of formats? We've got varying prices on Virtual Console games and then loads of different priced WiiWare games, some people may not be willing to spend upwards of £10 on something like Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles. A spending limit maybe?

[scubahood]

Would be best to limit it to NES games i'd say as theres loads of them and cheap

[Dyson]

I was thinking of a minimum/maximum price but I didn't want people to feel restricted as to what they're buying for someone. Should there be a recommended of 500 points (NES and up) or something? Or maybe 800?

[Hellfire]

Great idea man! We just need to decide on a method, but I'm guessing respectable members won't screw each other, just don't let someone who joined the forums like yesterday or on purpose for this.

[Tellyn]

Another thing - games can't be sent between countries, but you CAN change your country in Wii system settings to the respective country to send it. There's a little myth that it wipes your current Wii Points away if you do so, I haven't tried it though.

[Hellfire]

Another thing - games can't be sent between countries, but you CAN change your country in Wii system settings to the respective country to send it. There's a little myth that it wipes your current Wii Points away if you do so, I haven't tried it though.
It doesn't, I changed my Wii between UK and Portugal quite some times, all that it does is unlink the Nintendo Club account, which you can link again.

[Gentleben]

This seems like a festive fun idea-Count me in.

[Tellyn]

Me too, you haven't added me into the first post. :heh:

[blender]

what happens if you get given a game that you already have? Does wiishop return the gift or give you points

[Gizmo]

The Wii can tell if the person you're adding alreayd has the game.

Although I wouldn't recommend the "Paypal Dyson money and have him send them out" as that would take bloody ages for you, my vacuuming chum.

[Tellyn]

Then I suggest we have more than one person sending out gifts.

[Zero]

I'm definitely up for this.

If we know who we are sending our games to then couldn't we just ask them what games they currently have from VC?

[blender]

The Wii can tell if the person you're adding alreayd has the game.

Although I wouldn't recommend the "Paypal Dyson money and have him send them out" as that would take bloody ages for you, my vacuuming chum.


if santa can travel the whole of the western world (making sure to avoid any povety zones) in one night, then surely he can handle the wii

[Rummy]

I think it's a great idea Dyson. I think we should Paypal you the money for points and then you send out the gifts on Christmas Eve to everyone with a little note.

Paypal can be gay with the cut they take though, for VC titles I'm not sure if it's worth it. I was going to try to set up tournaments on the forums and use paypal to take like tiny entrance fees, then have VC titles as the prizes, but the cuts were a bit too hefty for it to be worth it even at a few quid, iirc. I asked them about it and explained things, and then they told me it was gambling! Also probs gonna be more hassle than it's worth, and I don't like this Dyson fellow, he seems a bit shady...:heh:

(Otherwise, a totally sweet idea Dyson man!)

[Dyson]

*Shifty eyes* :heh:

At the moment all the participants are very respectable forumites however. I think just setting it up originally with the current roster would work fine. : peace:

[Nolan]

Hmmm, I have a lack of paypal and can be unreliable(need more money). Plus I'm in the US so idk about sending stuff across the pond. Is there any sort of deadline as to signing up for participation?

Otherwise a very interesting and fantastic Idea.........I may just have to steal it(with credit given of course........not that they'll know you as anything other than other forum person)

[Dyson]

Not that I can think of yet. However, there is the issue of being in NTSC. I don't think you can gift games between regions!

[Nolan]

That's what I was afraid off....hmmm is it possible to send points? I don't think so but it sounds familar.

I'm going to check real quick.

^^Oh and my Ninja edit wasn't fast enough for you

Nope, doesn't seem like sending points is a currently viable option for bypassing regions.

[Tellyn]

Sending to other European countries is fine, you just change the country of the Wii. It's not possible to send to America though.

[Ganepark32]

I'd probably be up for this but I hardly ever have Wii points. My money will be very tight over the next few weeks, but (although I can't confirm it) I reckon I'd be able to get some points to do this.

May I make a suggestion though. People are talking about getting games they already have. How about we do something like everyone makes a word document, they stick their name and Wii console number at the top and basically either list the games they have or the kind of games they like and then we submit those to someone and they are randomly distributed.

[Tellyn]

A wish list of 10 or so games could work, then the 'Santa' can just randomly pick a game.

[Dyson]

Yep. Like the idea. Shall I put you on the list Ganepark?

[Ganepark32]

You can tentatively put me on. Not sure though if I'll be able to get the points but will try. I'll keep you updated.

[Dyson]

Alright, I'm keeping submissions open for one more week only, until either the 13th or 14th of December. After that I'll get to work on the sorting and stuff :D

[Ganepark32]

You'll have to cross me off of the list for doing this. I can't afford/won't be able to get any Wii points to do this. Shame really as it would have been nice to do this. Perhaps next year. Or perhaps a mid-summer one to help pass over the drought.

[dazzybee]

So whats the plan. What do we have to do?

[yesteryeargames]

im a maby too, what price we talking 500? ish

[Dyson]

I'm thinking I'm going to say 800 and ask people to post the games they already own in this thread. Then when I pair people up or work it out that way I'll ask everyone to add each other to their friend list on the Wii and sort the rest out in a week.

[Hellfire]

Seems about right, I'm tight on money, but since it's give and receive it seems fair. This is just VC no Wii Ware right?
I have:
Sonic The Hedgehog
Ristar
Sin & Punishment
Super Mario RPG
Super Mario Bros Lost Levels or the real SMB2 whatever you wanna call it :P
Pokémon Snap

[dazzybee]

Bloody hell I have a lot of games!!!! I'd rather say 10 games I WANT rather than I have, be much easier :D

[Hellfire]

Bloody hell I have a lot of games!!!! I'd rather say 10 games I WANT rather than I have, be much easier :D
lol and more productive too :P

[Gentleben]

I'm don't see any harm in including Wiiware as well-since some Wiiware titles are priced at 500-600pts. (The incredible lame Maze, Space Invaders, Art Style all spring to mind)

[Dyson]

Guys; I'm really sorry about this, but I'm going to have to either postpone this or cancel the idea entirely due to work issues.

When I set up the idea and came up with the deadline I was unaware I'd be working full-time up until Xmas for 2 weeks - the opportunity only came up closer to the time. As a result I have little time, now, to organize the way it'll work as well as the list. On top of this, the idea was nowhere near as successful as I'd hoped, with only a handful of people signing up, making it seem like a pointless venture.

If everyone is alright with waiting until after Christmas for this to go ahead I don't mind doing it then. But if not, I'm afraid I'll be cancelling it.

[Ganepark32]

Perhaps you could do it as a kick start to 2009, giving someone something new to play through the VC. If we do something like that, then I'll be able to join in again as I'll have money after xmas to get points. :D

[Tellyn]

Christmas is cancelled. :( Thanks, Ebenezer.

[Zero]

I'm still all for this if it happens. Good to see i'm still on the list. Is there really no more than 5 people up for this?

[Diageo]

put me down for this if it happens, havent really given the vc games a chance and there's no better time than now :D