So. . .
Here's the deal: I have an old, faded, tattoo on the back of my neck that looks horrible. And I couldn't rightly think of what I should cover it up with until a friend of mine suggested this. . . "Why not cover it up with something game-related?"
So, where do you come in? Well, I've decided to open up that highly visible 4" x 6" swath of organic canvas to you! That's right -- you can pay to have somebody hold me down and emblazon your company logo on my neck and head, in glorious full-color!
Why should you do this? Well, aside from receiving tons of public representation at Colorado Springs (and Denver) area game stores, you'll also get at least one annual con appearance out of me and the novelty itself will have people on the forums talking for months (and just in case it doesn't, I'll provide pics of the process for use as a promotional aid).
And, of course, if I've publically damned your company in the past, this is a great opportunity for revenge! ;)
From now until the end of March (03/31/07), you can submit a silent bid via email (jdrakeh@safe-mail.net), letting me know how much you are willing to pay for such a unique opportunity. Be certain to include the words "Tattoo Bid" in the subject line of your email.
[The Small Print: The bidding is open to all RPG-related companies, not just publishers. Also, for obvious reasons, I have set a reserve price that must be met in order to win the auction. Finally, if this post violates any forum rules, please feel free to remove it.]
[Edit: D'oh! Fixed email link! ;)]
I'll have to inform the friends of mine that run Arcelik Ltd (That's pronounced Ar-chelick) :D
OK, maybe not...Lame jokes aside, careful what you wish for. :emot-350:
Quote from: One Horse TownOK, maybe not...Lame jokes aside, careful what you wish for. :emot-350:
Here's hoping that FATAL Games doesn't get the high bid ;)
Just so everybody knows, the reserve isn't astronomical -- this auction is primarily an opportunity for me to help out (read "promote") a hobby pasttime that I am (obviously) very passionate about (and, yeah, I'll make a wee bit of money, too).
This being the case, I want everybody interested to have a reasonable shot, so the reserve has been kept low enough that small-press/indie publishers aren't immediately knocked out of the bidding. If it were all about the money, I'd be listing this on eBay ;)
Heh. If I weren't completely without advertising busget (or really budget at all), I'd be tempted even though I'm opposed to things like this, just for the sheer appropriateness of having HEDGames (my label) printed on the back of someone's head.
Holy crap! That's extreme!
I sure hope WotC makes a strong bid, so that you make some cash out of this.
Even if I found the concept of promoting RPGs worthy enough to get a gaming tattoo on my neck, I could never auction it for fear that some crap company ends up winning.
Funny outcomes:
-some d20 companies pool their ressources and you end up with the D20 logo there
-Needs to be said again... FATAL. Or RaHoWa... *shudders*
-You end up with tits and ass on your neck thanks to Avalanche Press
-OGL
-D02
-RPG.net as a bidder would actually be interesting
-Some company that goes out of business, GoO-style
-You end up with crap art from Dan Smith
-Some designer *invents* a complete ruleset that can be tattooed on a neck... you become a fucking portable demo kit!
Quote from: Consonant Dude-Some designer *invents* a complete ruleset that can be tattooed on a neck... you become a fucking portable demo kit!
Genius! :)
EDIT: Now ... how could James's head be employed as a randomizer?
Quote from: Consonant Dude-You end up with crap art from Dan Smith
Honestly, Dan Smith's art is very much rendered like "new skool" tattoos, as is (so somebody please tell Steve Jackson to bid, dammit) ;)
Quote from: TonyLBGenius! :)
EDIT: Now ... how could James's head be employed as a randomizer?
That last part sounds more painful than the tattoo ;)
[Edit: Sadly, tiny print and tattoos do not work well together at all (which is why I stuck to logos).]
As much as I joke, I also want to say that I think this is incredibly cool of you to do. I'm torn between thinking "Wow, I could pay to have a logo put on somebody's head" and then thinking "But man ... if I got the high bid then I'm responsible for him putting my logo on his head."
I think your idea is, in fact, so incredibly cool that it's intimidating me :D
Maybe you should advertise therpgsite.com on it.
Just have a sign that reads "www.therpgsite.com. Beacuse rpg.net sucks."
Quote from: TonyLBI think your idea is, in fact, so incredibly cool that it's intimidating me :D
Well, thank you much! I hope that others are as enthused/overwhelmed (and I did post at The Forge, as I figured that this kind of thing might be right up the indie/small-press alley). And. . . if anybody wants to post a link to this thread on TBP, by all means, feel free ;)
Quote from: TonyLBGenius! :)
EDIT: Now ... how could James's head be employed as a randomizer?
Not a randomizer per se but the first thing that came to mind when he talked about the tattoo was a resolution table. And not necessarly of the "bland chart" variety. Something cool and visual that would determine conflict resolution as well as effect and tie it to a genre.
Or suppose you use different dice colors in a roll, you could just tattoo the words in the appropriate color on his neck like that:
Pace
outcome
Consequence
Exertion
Or whatever...
Another idea I just had: for an old school game such as HarnMaster, just put the numbers representing the neck on the hit location table of that game. That would be hilarious, although few would get the joke.
Quote from: Consonant DudeAnother idea I just had: for an old school game such as HarnMaster, just put the numbers representing the neck on the hit location table of that game. That would be hilarious, although few would get the joke.
As a former Harn Master GM,
I would get the joke (and that's all that matters, really) :D
Quote from: jdrakehAs a former Harn Master GM, I would get the joke (and that's all that matters, really) :D
:D
BTW, without going into the specifics, I hope you will keep us updated on the interest out there. How many bidders, stuff like this.
It is definitly unheard of! Personally, if I had a great idea for a "corporations own you" kind of game, I would jump all over your offer. That or a game with specific clans or tribes. But then I'd try to find one gamer for each clan.
One last alternative: you could use that space to plug one of your own games! In fact, that might give you the most exposure and the best return outside of the big boys like WW, WotC, etc... and it still promotes gaming.
Quote from: Consonant Dude:D
BTW, without going into the specifics, I hope you will keep us updated on the interest out there. How many bidders, stuff like this.
Absolutely. I'll try to post a daily update and, of course, will let everybody know who wins the auction (provided that the winner doesn't have a problem with that).
Quote from: TonyLBGenius! :)
EDIT: Now ... how could James's head be employed as a randomizer?
You just give him a tranquilizer, divide the area around him in eight equal parts, and watch the way his head wobbles.
I call it the Head-8 System. ;)
Quote from: JongWKYou just give him a tranquilizer, divide the area around him in eight equal parts, and watch the way his head wobbles.
I call it the Head-8 System. ;)
Or the Sed-8 system...
:rimshot:
Well, folks, the current high bid is $1,000!
Who's that then? Any clues you can give?
Quote from: jdrakehWell, folks, the current high bid is $1,000!
Nice!
Quote from: StumpydaveWho's that then? Any clues you can give?
Being a silent auction, the bidder's ID will be kept secret until the auction closes (unless the bidder contacts me and tells me they would prefer otherwise). The good news is that it's not a logo I would mind having tattooed on the back of my neck/head ;)
Quote from: jdrakehWell, folks, the current high bid is $1,000!
Is it the only bid?
Quote from: joewolzIs it the only bid?
Nope -- there were four others in my in-box this morning, as well. That said, Hal Whitemoon set up a DIGG dispatch for me, and I've submitted press releases to RPGnet and (now) Gaming Report, so I suspect that there will be significantly more activity before the end of the month ;)
Quote from: jdrakehNope -- there were four others in my in-box this morning, as well. That said, Hal Whitemoon set up a DIGG dispatch for me, and I've submitted press releases to RPGnet and (now) Gaming Report, so I suspect that there will be significantly more activity before the end of the month ;)
Rock on!
http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/newsid_6470000/newsid_6477400/6477423.stm (http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/newsid_6470000/newsid_6477400/6477423.stm)
just to get everyone in the mood.
Quote from: kregmosierhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/newsid_6470000/newsid_6477400/6477423.stm (http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/newsid_6470000/newsid_6477400/6477423.stm)
just to get everyone in the mood.
Well, I'm starting to think that the 1k bid might have it -- I've had a few more fishing emails, but no more bids just yet. By all means, feel free to post links to this thread at your [other] favorite forums, folks (at the least, it should draw a bit of traffic for theRPGsite).
I say we combine threads and see what kind of bids we can get to let a game company buy our avatar space...
Quote from: jdrakehWell, I'm starting to think that the 1k bid might have it -- I've had a few more fishing emails, but no more bids just yet. By all means, feel free to post links to this thread at your [other] favorite forums, folks (at the least, it should draw a bit of traffic for theRPGsite).
There are a couple of gaming audio broadcasts. The names escape me but it might be a good idea to email those folks and see if you can set something up.
Quote from: Consonant DudeThere are a couple of gaming audio broadcasts. The names escape me but it might be a good idea to email those folks and see if you can set something up.
I hadn't thought about that! Good call! Thank you for the insight :)
We're closing in on an auction winner, folks (three days left to bid)!
Quote from: jdrakehWe're closing in on an auction winner, folks (three days left to bid)!
Is $1000 still the high bid? Can you give us an idea as to how many bidders you have had so far? :D
Quote from: cnath.rmIs $1000 still the high bid? Can you give us an idea as to how many bidders you have had so far? :D
Yes. 1k is still the high bid. I've had about eight bids, but the 1k locked out the auction (so far).
Pretty cool!
Let's hope for a last minute bid that will top this!
Quote from: Consonant DudePretty cool!
Let's hope for a last minute bid that will top this!
Yes, here's hoping! ;)
The auction has ended, a winning bid has been received, and the winner will be contacted tomorrow (to avoid a misperception that this was an April Fool's Day prank). Being a 'silent' auction, the winner will remain undisclosed until such time as they (i.e., the winner) choose to reveal their identity publically.