Giveaway notes and rules (updated)

1. Contests run every day at random times of the day.
2. Whenever a giveaway is occurring, it will be read "giveaway active" or some similar note in the message-of-the-day below the main banner (the same line that currently reads "The TF2 Spreadsheet...").
3. Each day starts at 12:00 AM and ends at 11:59 PM that night. Days go by US Eastern Standard Time, see clock on right side of page for local time here.
4. There are 2 types of giveaways: 
• Winning # email: this means to email us and that whatever that # email in our inbox in order wins.  For example: if "emailer #10" is the request, then if your email happens to be the 10th in order during that round you win.
• Puzzle or scavenger hunt. In this case simply follow the directions posted.
5. Winner will be notified via email and can collect the item/key anytime we are both on Steam. Your steam name will be published after each contest is won in a blog post.
• All emails equal to and before the winning # or #'s will get a reply with their #.  For example, if the winner is #6, and your email is #5 we will tell you your number even though you didn't win.  However if you were #7 we would not notify you.
6. You can win more than once (this rule subject to change at any time if we detect cheating), however not on the same day.
7. Only email us when the MOTD says "giveaway active" or message announcing that a contest is running.   When there is no giveaway occuring do not email us randomly trying to win.  Once by mistake we will overlook it.  More than once and you will be blocked from then on and unable to contact us or win anything in the future.
• MOTD = Message of the Day.  Always has "Sheet last updated...."
8. When a giveaway is active, 
• do not send more than one email.  We check and anyone sending multiple emails is disqualified.
• do not send an email without your steam name/id.  No steam name/id = you will not win.
9. Our email address will be posted each time a giveaway is active via a link but in case your browser doesn't allow you to send us emails that way, the email address is tf2spreadsheet at gmail dot com.

(updated 1/18/13)

Our first weekend key giveaway (1/?) (both keys won, no more emails)

We are giving away 2 keys right now.  They will go to emailer #'s 5 and 55.  Send us one email, include your steam name/id.

Our two winners this morning were Stealthbox and Rawiiman.  Congratulations to them and good luck to everyone on the next key(s) giveaway this weekend.  Who knows when it will be? Keep checking back.  Price update coming soon and a repeat of key-giveaway instructions also.

New update...

Team Fortress 2

• Added new map Koth_King
• Added the Ready Steady Pan tournament medals
• Added new promo items^[1]
• Fixed a Medigun exploit that could leave players indefinitely invulnerable
• Fixed Sentry Guns sometimes placing wrong, being rotated into the ground and pointing upward
• Renamed "The Huo Long Heatmaker" to "The Huo-Long Heater"
• Updated the localization files
• Updated the Neon Annihilator
  • Materials now animate
  • Damage penalty only applies to players (not buildings)
  • Can damage sappers

Undocumented Changes

• Added Map Stamp - Kong King
• Adjusted the way that the Flying Guillotine is held in the Scout's hand.
• Added a Carrier tank to the skyboxes in 2Fort, Badwater, Doublecross, and Granary.

Notes

1. ↑ Void Monk Hair, Grenadier Helm, Tribal Bones, Ninja Cowl

A few things to talk about today...

So first off a few items we wanted to cover on trading etiquette.

1. When you are actively buying something from someone, be prepared to make an offer.  If you want something in particular and are offering something other than liquid (keys, metal, buds) TF2 currency you will probably have to overpay.  A seller who isn't looking for your dirty Batter's Helm isn't necessarily going to give you the full value.  Why should they?
2. Actively selling something while only saying "offer" and "I know the price" and threatening to report lowballers (very humorous) just makes you appear silly.  If you don't know the price, for example of a low craft # item or an unusual just say you're not sure and are looking for offers.  The marketplace will price your item if you've offered it to a wide-enough audience.
3. The spreadsheet is average values.  Anything within a range of the prices indicated is around the market price.  There is no exact price for anything.  A buyer/seller in a hurry may go above or below the range indicated.  Someone who has a popular item or lots of time may not make discounts while selling.  If people tell you we're baloney, feel confident that the majority of our prices are from actual trades.  We use actual humans as well as an automated system that records trades.

Also, here's a free PC game we found today that is played through the OnLive service.

Finally, we hear on the street that there are going to be keys given away this weekend.  Hmmmm.

Today's second key goes to...(update: won, no more emails)

emailer #20 in out inbox.  Send one email, include your steam name, and put #20 in the subject.

Jacob8185 was today's second key winner.  He was emailer #20, sent one email with his steam name and had #20 as the subject.  Congratulations to Jacob8185 and good luck to everyone for the next key giveaway.

We will be having more random, multiple-key giveaways rather than the one-key-every-day event from now on.  So keep checking back for your chance to win.  We'll put out an official blog post on the new prize format and site update information soon.

Today's first key (1 of 2) has been won.

Well that was an epic one, thanks again to Terry for contributing the puzzle.  Here's how it came down.  Stenten was the first to get all the words, however being first as you know was not the 'key' so to speak.  Good for him though being #1.  Then 2 people who will remain nameless had submitted answers.  One decided only to do the last phrase, which he got correct but he didn't get the other 10!  Then we got another email with all but one answer correct!  Didn't count!

Our winner was Jwutheheadcase.  He was the 2nd person to send all the correct answers.  Congratulations to him and good luck to everyone for today's second free key.

Answers:


1. the mobile feline
2. the heart breaker
3. united states constitution
4. the blood agent
5. le crabe
6. the apple-a-day
7. the mine layer
8. the vending machine
9. lil' robin
10. ze bodybag


voodoo pin

Today's first free key (1 of 2) goes to...

You if you are the second person to email us all 11 words or phrases correctly taken from items in the Steam Workshop (along with your steam name/id).  The first person to send in the answers correctly does not win, neither does the third person nor everyone else thereafter.  Thanks to Terry for submitting today's puzzle.  Anyone emailing without without following the instructions will be disqualified from all contests.

2 free keys today

There will be 2 free keys today.  They could be at the same time, they could be at different times.  They could be to one person or two.  Keep checking back for a "code active" signal for your chance to win.  Otherwise the same rules from before apply, more details here.  Do not send emails until "code active" is displayed in the message-of-the-day above.