(Not so) Monthly Giveaway Thread
Donors: Post your giveaway items here. Clearly indicate if your items are anything other than 1.11 SC, so there's no confusion.
Previous thread can be found here.
Edit: Giveaways and the New Trade Rules - I'm just adding a couple of clarifications in light of the new trade rules. Please be aware that runes are still not allowed in giveaways. Also, the New Trader Probation period does not apply for giveaways. -Cat
Thank you to our generous donors
Receivers: Please read the following FAQ (authored by Silverbolt)
------------------------------------------------------------------
The SPF Giveaway Thread Guide
Among the many wonderful benefits to being a member of the SPF is access to the Giveaway Thread. This thread is stickied at the top of the page and is refreshed every week or so by the moderators. Inside this thread, various SPF members will donate their time and spare items to those in need. This does require some effort on the part of the donor. The purpose of this guide is to make new members of the SPF aware of the traditional procedures of the Giveaway Thread, which will make things easier on the donors.
0. You cannot give away runes or runewords. No exceptions.
1. The Giveaway Thread is NOT a Beg for Items Thread.
This is noted in the first post of every Giveaway Thread, but it bears repeating. Begging for items is discouraged. Peruse the various giveaways for the item that you need. If you're patient, someone will have it soon. However, if it's a highly valued item (like most TC87's, high-end runes, etc. /edit - under current rules, both trading and giveaway runes is banned - Hrus/) you're better off looking to the trade thread. Having said that, there are still giveaways that include some of those, so don't despair!
2. Introduce yourself first!
Most donors prefer that a member post an intro thread before they ask for any items. This accomplishes two things. First, it lets the donor know that you have an interest in contributing to the SPF community. Second, it allows the SPF regulars to greet you properly. And just to clarify further, this should be done as a separate thread, not a post in the Giveaway Thread itself.
3. Each individual giveaway has its own rules.
Make sure you read those rules and abide by them, especially when it comes to limits on what you can ask for. Each giveaway is different, as some will have lots of restrictions to make it interesting and/or fair, and others are just free-for-alls. Also, this guide will apply when no other rules are specified. Donors are free to refer directly to this guide, or to make their own rules. If you always read the first post, you'll be doing the donor, as well as yourself, a favor.
4. Be respectful of the donor's wishes as well as other members.
This concerns the issue of trading an item you just received in a giveaway. If a donor lists in their rules that they do not want to see the items in the trade thread, please be considerate of that. In reality, there is little anyone can do to control what you do with the items once you have received them. However, it is often considered bad form for you to take items and then trade them for "profit" when the donor has stated that they do not want that to happen. On the other hand, if you want to put the item in a giveaway of your own later, that is perfectly acceptable, even encouraged! As for respecting other members, try not to grab all the uber items in a giveaway even if the donor hasn't posted any limits. Think about what you need or most want first, and prioritize from there. Common courtesy is what keeps this forum one of the best places on the 'net, so please think about that when using the Giveaway Thread.
5. Remember to ask a specific donor.
I can't emphasize this enough. There are often multiple giveaways going at once, and they may have a lot of the same items. If you don't mention in your post who you're requesting items from, it will take that much longer for you to receive your items. This is because one of the donors will post to the thread asking if you're referring to them or someone else. If you happen to have widely disparate login times, it could be a while before you see this post and amend your error. Again, do yourself and them a favor and nip that in the bud.
6. Don't forget your email!
This one's pretty self-explanatory. If you don't post your email, the donor can't send you the items. If you're worried about your email getting grabbed by spambots or something similar, feel free to spread it out so it's not posted as an email link. Many of us do that, and it's no problem.
7. Be patient.
Don't expect to get your mule within a few minutes of posting your request, or even necessarily on the same day. Each donor has a different schedule and process for distributing requests. Sending out mules is a time-consuming process, so please respect that. However, if the donor has already posted that he has sent all mules and you still haven't received it, there may be an email problem. At that point, either send a Private Message (PM, the best option) or post in the giveaway thread (acceptable, but not necessary) that you haven't received it yet. The donor will then do their best to resolve the issue and get you your items.
8. Let the donor know you've received the items.
We here at the SPF strive to play the game legitimately. One way to help prevent accidental duplicate items from entering the giveaway/trade pool is to delete mules after they've been sent. Donors will keep them until notified otherwise, in case there are email problems. However, most of them will eventually delete them if you do not respond. So, it's just the polite thing to do for the donors and for the community.
9. Remember to thank the donors.
This should go without saying, but I will for the sake of completeness. It takes time and effort to organize a giveaway, even the small ones. So be polite and don't forget to thank the donor when you ask for their items.
10. Miscellany
If you're a PC user, by all means download ATMA at http://atma.purediablo.com! This handy tool makes muling and storing items a breeze, with none of the stench of battle.net about it. Most items are sent through ATMA as .d2s character files, although large requests may be sent in .d2x ATMA stash files. If you're on a Mac, you cannot use ATMA without an additional software solution, so make sure you notate that you need your items sent via .d2s files.
Flavie reports are a common tool for donors to use to list the items they have available. It is much easier to update than retyping each individual item. This report is an HTML page that lists, in various formats and colors, each unique and set item in the game and divides them into categories. If there is a number other than 0 next to an item, it is available. If there is no number at all next to an item, it is just part of the list and is NOT available.
Unless otherwise noted, items given away are typically from patch 1.10/1.11, softcore, non-ladder (1.10/1.11 SCNL). Donors will notate in their giveaway posts if the items are from any other patch, or especially if they are from hardcore mode or from ladder play. Finally, if you have any questions about a specific giveaway, direct a PM to the specific donor, or email if the donor posted their email address. If you follow these simple guidelines, you'll be enjoying your new items in no time.
Donors: Post your giveaway items here. Clearly indicate if your items are anything other than 1.11 SC, so there's no confusion.
Previous thread can be found here.
Edit: Giveaways and the New Trade Rules - I'm just adding a couple of clarifications in light of the new trade rules. Please be aware that runes are still not allowed in giveaways. Also, the New Trader Probation period does not apply for giveaways. -Cat
Thank you to our generous donors
Receivers: Please read the following FAQ (authored by Silverbolt)
------------------------------------------------------------------
The SPF Giveaway Thread Guide
Among the many wonderful benefits to being a member of the SPF is access to the Giveaway Thread. This thread is stickied at the top of the page and is refreshed every week or so by the moderators. Inside this thread, various SPF members will donate their time and spare items to those in need. This does require some effort on the part of the donor. The purpose of this guide is to make new members of the SPF aware of the traditional procedures of the Giveaway Thread, which will make things easier on the donors.
0. You cannot give away runes or runewords. No exceptions.
1. The Giveaway Thread is NOT a Beg for Items Thread.
This is noted in the first post of every Giveaway Thread, but it bears repeating. Begging for items is discouraged. Peruse the various giveaways for the item that you need. If you're patient, someone will have it soon. However, if it's a highly valued item (like most TC87's, high-end runes, etc. /edit - under current rules, both trading and giveaway runes is banned - Hrus/) you're better off looking to the trade thread. Having said that, there are still giveaways that include some of those, so don't despair!
2. Introduce yourself first!
Most donors prefer that a member post an intro thread before they ask for any items. This accomplishes two things. First, it lets the donor know that you have an interest in contributing to the SPF community. Second, it allows the SPF regulars to greet you properly. And just to clarify further, this should be done as a separate thread, not a post in the Giveaway Thread itself.
3. Each individual giveaway has its own rules.
Make sure you read those rules and abide by them, especially when it comes to limits on what you can ask for. Each giveaway is different, as some will have lots of restrictions to make it interesting and/or fair, and others are just free-for-alls. Also, this guide will apply when no other rules are specified. Donors are free to refer directly to this guide, or to make their own rules. If you always read the first post, you'll be doing the donor, as well as yourself, a favor.
4. Be respectful of the donor's wishes as well as other members.
This concerns the issue of trading an item you just received in a giveaway. If a donor lists in their rules that they do not want to see the items in the trade thread, please be considerate of that. In reality, there is little anyone can do to control what you do with the items once you have received them. However, it is often considered bad form for you to take items and then trade them for "profit" when the donor has stated that they do not want that to happen. On the other hand, if you want to put the item in a giveaway of your own later, that is perfectly acceptable, even encouraged! As for respecting other members, try not to grab all the uber items in a giveaway even if the donor hasn't posted any limits. Think about what you need or most want first, and prioritize from there. Common courtesy is what keeps this forum one of the best places on the 'net, so please think about that when using the Giveaway Thread.
5. Remember to ask a specific donor.
I can't emphasize this enough. There are often multiple giveaways going at once, and they may have a lot of the same items. If you don't mention in your post who you're requesting items from, it will take that much longer for you to receive your items. This is because one of the donors will post to the thread asking if you're referring to them or someone else. If you happen to have widely disparate login times, it could be a while before you see this post and amend your error. Again, do yourself and them a favor and nip that in the bud.
6. Don't forget your email!
This one's pretty self-explanatory. If you don't post your email, the donor can't send you the items. If you're worried about your email getting grabbed by spambots or something similar, feel free to spread it out so it's not posted as an email link. Many of us do that, and it's no problem.
7. Be patient.
Don't expect to get your mule within a few minutes of posting your request, or even necessarily on the same day. Each donor has a different schedule and process for distributing requests. Sending out mules is a time-consuming process, so please respect that. However, if the donor has already posted that he has sent all mules and you still haven't received it, there may be an email problem. At that point, either send a Private Message (PM, the best option) or post in the giveaway thread (acceptable, but not necessary) that you haven't received it yet. The donor will then do their best to resolve the issue and get you your items.
8. Let the donor know you've received the items.
We here at the SPF strive to play the game legitimately. One way to help prevent accidental duplicate items from entering the giveaway/trade pool is to delete mules after they've been sent. Donors will keep them until notified otherwise, in case there are email problems. However, most of them will eventually delete them if you do not respond. So, it's just the polite thing to do for the donors and for the community.
9. Remember to thank the donors.
This should go without saying, but I will for the sake of completeness. It takes time and effort to organize a giveaway, even the small ones. So be polite and don't forget to thank the donor when you ask for their items.
10. Miscellany
If you're a PC user, by all means download ATMA at http://atma.purediablo.com! This handy tool makes muling and storing items a breeze, with none of the stench of battle.net about it. Most items are sent through ATMA as .d2s character files, although large requests may be sent in .d2x ATMA stash files. If you're on a Mac, you cannot use ATMA without an additional software solution, so make sure you notate that you need your items sent via .d2s files.
Flavie reports are a common tool for donors to use to list the items they have available. It is much easier to update than retyping each individual item. This report is an HTML page that lists, in various formats and colors, each unique and set item in the game and divides them into categories. If there is a number other than 0 next to an item, it is available. If there is no number at all next to an item, it is just part of the list and is NOT available.
Unless otherwise noted, items given away are typically from patch 1.10/1.11, softcore, non-ladder (1.10/1.11 SCNL). Donors will notate in their giveaway posts if the items are from any other patch, or especially if they are from hardcore mode or from ladder play. Finally, if you have any questions about a specific giveaway, direct a PM to the specific donor, or email if the donor posted their email address. If you follow these simple guidelines, you'll be enjoying your new items in no time.
