TGD is Now Accepting Donations

With my Retro-Gaming Museum now fully functional (and fully awesome!), we here at Transformer Generation Dad just cannot get enough of the old school majesty that was.  My sons have held still to date for several history lessons and have even come to accept the realization that learning their times table via the Atari 2600 is a better option than flashcards.

Now I turn to my loyal readers for help.

Sure, I have collected a good number of classic video games, spanning five different consoles (Atari 2600, NES, SNES, N64 & Gamecube), but for history's sake I am constantly looking to amass even more titles.  I may even be willing to gather some other as yet unrepresented consoles.

Do you have any games you are looking to get rid of?  Would it pain you to think they may end up in a landfill?  How environmentally responsible of you.  Are you hoping to send them to a good home where they can be repurposed for the education of our youth, that they might learn to appreciate the games you used to play as a child?  Are you eager for your old game cartridges to be fired up again for the sake of enlightening future generations of their gaming roots?

The Transformer Generation Dad Retro-Gaming Museum (TGDRGM...yes, that is the official name henceforward) would be happy to accept your donation.  Let us dust off those cartridges, blow gently across their contact surfaces and install them in their rightful place: the reception port of their intended functioning consoles and the halls of gaming history.

Your donation would be greatly appreciated.  While the TGDRGM is not considered a charitable institution (yet), you will receive for your donation our undying gratitude and the promise that, if you are ever in our neck of the woods you might have the honor of watching your cartridge live the remainder of its golden years in a happy home and even partake of a few beers from the nearby fridge.  Who knows, if you donate a significant number of cartridges, perhaps a TGD t-shirt might be in order.  If you are interested, feel free to email me at madcap1417@gmail.com and I would be happy to discuss the details regarding how to donate your piece of gaming history with you.

Here's to we gaming geeks working together to keep our history intact.  Do it for the children...in all of us...but especially in me.

2012 Geek Tournament Official Details

This year’s Geek Tournament has undergone a drastic overhaul since last year’s inaugural event.  Instead of a single winner being declared amongst numerous randomly paired items, this year we will have four winners, one from each of the following categories:

• Universe
• Ship
• Captain
• Crew

-       There are a total of 16 contestants, each with an entrant competing for the title in the aforementioned categories (a master list for anyone without a PhD in Science Fiction is available here).  This shall result in a total of four rounds of voting during which you, our loyal reader, will help determine the outcome of each matchup.

Voting is set to begin March 4^th and each round will last one week.  The updated matchups for each round will be posted here on Sundays until the ultimate winners are determined.

Speaking of ultimate winners, Cobra Electronics has graciously agreed to supply one lucky contestant with a Cobra iRadar system for use with their iPhone or Android phone (depending on which company to which you have chosen to pledge your allegiance).  That means, like last year, I will be accepting brackets for those of you bold enough to attempt to predict whom the winners might be.  Unlike last year, you will get something infinitely cooler than a crappy t-shirt for your troubles.  (Prize recipients are limited to those in the Continental United States)

Brackets are now available in Microsoft Excel and PDF format.  Once you have completed your bracket, submissions will be accepted in just about any imaginable manner.  Ideally, you should email it to madcap1417@gmail.com, but you could also leave a detailed list in the comment section of one of my blog posts, send TGD a Facebook inbox message or communicate in some other way I have not had the foresight to suggest here.  Basically, if I get it and can read it, it will count as an entry.  The entry deadline is Sunday, March 4^th 2012 at 11:59 PM CST.

Of course, this now burdens me with the responsibility of explaining how the brackets will be scored.  Each correctly placed bracket slot from the first round of voting will receive two points, the second round four points, the third round six points and the correct identification of each final bracket champion will result in ten points resulting in a possible one hundred and sixteen points.  In the event of a tie, the winner shall be determined by the total number of correct entries regardless of round.  In the event that this also results in a tie, the winner’s submitted screen names will be placed in alphabetical order a coin flipped to determine whether to begin from A (heads) or Z (tails) and a D20 then rolled in order to decide how far from said starting letter to begin.  Is that part confusing?  Good, it is meant to be.

No doubt, the bracket seedings will cause some disagreement.  By disagreement, I mean rage.  More than likely, I will receive some very angry emails and comments.  While I welcome such "constructive" feedback, in a more than likely futile attempt to quell any uprising, later this week I plan to give you an unprecedented glimpse into the minds of the selection committee and myself by sharing with you some of the comments passed back and forth while ranking the contestants.  I hope you might laugh at them as much as I did.

With business now handled, it is time to let the festivities begin.  Submit your bracket for a chance to win a Cobra iRadar (and guaranteed fun) today!

Yo, Joe My A--! TGD Joins Cobra!

Faithful Transformer Generation Dad readers, I have some exciting news.  Just a short time before the 2012 Geek Tournament is set to kick off, we have acquired a super awesome prize from a sponsor who is obviously so confident in the awesomeness of their product that they are willing to associate with such a meager blog.  That sponsor is...

Cobra Electronics!

Desperately Seeking Nathan

Our Perplexus giveaway has ended.  There is but one problem.  A commenter with the handle "nathan" deserves to have a Perplexus mailed out to him and I do not have an email address associated with the handle.


In order to avoid being a total creepy internet stalker, I am hoping that "nathan" stops by again sometime soon and reads the following:




Nathan (if that is your real name),


Congratulations!  You are the lucky (and mysterious) winner of an Original Perplexus.  In order to claim your prize, I need to get your email address so that you can tell me where said prize need be mailed.  You can email me at madcap1417@gmail.com to give me the information.  Thank you for playing and I hope to hear from you soon.


Signed,
Transformer Generation Dad




There, now I feel that I've done my part in attempting to send the prize off to its rightful owner.  For those who did not participate, do not fear, I will try to organize another giveaway sometime in the near future.


Thanks again to out friends at Plasmart for sponsoring the event and thanks to all who undoubtedly took a look at their website even if they did not participate in the giveaway.

Remember the Giveaway...and an Apology

As I mentioned on Monday, the good people at Plasmart have graciously allowed me to run a giveaway with their Original Perplexus toy.  However, the response to said giveaway has been underwhelming.


I mean no offense to Nathan as his comment was both interesting and greatly appreciated.  What I mean to say is that I expected a higher volume of comments and, thus, participants in the Perplexus giveaway.


I blame myself.


I fear I may have buried the details regarding the opportunity to win an awesome toy to have as your very own beneath an extensive review of said toy.  If this has led to any confusion, frustration or general discomfort, then please accept my sincerest of apologies.


In an attempt to remedy this mistake, I implore you again to check out our review of the Perplexus by following the link at the top of the left hand column.  You should then leave a comment below our Perplexus review post about your favorite silence-inducing toy or activity from your youth.  I will also accept comments below this post as valid entries into our contest.


While I am apologizing, I would like to also apologize for another recent shortcoming (don't get used to this).  Yesterday's Third Person Thursday post was...well...nonexistent.  It was meant to be the conclusion of our ongoing story (which you can catch up on here) but I didn't have the time to write one worth posting.  It will be up next Thursday, I promise.


Thank you all, as always, for reading and please participate in the Perplexus giveaway. It's a great toy and I would love to see some more comments regarding everyone's childhood memories.  It makes me feel included.

T(GD)-Shirt Giveaway: Final Day

Happy Father's Day to all the daddies out there. Here is the final quote, the one you had to know was coming, to end our week long t-shirt giveaway contest:

"No, I am your father."

The challenge here is getting the full correct title and making sure your quote is from the same film, though to be honest that isn't much of a challenge either. Put both those things and your email in a comment below this post and the final t-shirt is yours.

Good luck everyone. Thanks for playing all week. I hope you come back and hang out here again soon and I hope you all enjoy your Father's Day.

T(GD)-Shirt Giveaway: Day 6

Only two quotes left in our t-shirt giveaway contest. Yesterday's quote remains unanswered, but we must move forward so here is today's:

"In the heat of battle, my father wove a tapestry of obscenities that as far as we know is still hanging in space over Lake Michigan."

Leave a comment below with the title of the movie, another quote from the same movie and your e-mail and you will win today's shirt. If you've won one already, please tell a friend to jump on the opportunity and then let another friend know too since Friday's shirt is yet unclaimed.

Good luck, everyone.

T(GD)-Shirt Giveaway: Day 5

Let's get right to the quote for Day 5:

"After you were taken by Diver Dan over there, your dad followed the boat like a maniac."

The first to leave (1) the movie title, (2) another quote from the same movie and (3) their email address in a comment below this post wins the Transformer Generation Dad t-shirt for Day 5.

Two more days remain as this contest will run through and including Father's Day. And please don't be disheartened if you don't get a shirt. Remember, the TGD Store is now open an you can magically transport yourself there by clicking the store icon at the top of the right hand column.

Now I'm going to run off and take a shower. Shameless plugs make me feel all slimy.

T(GD)-Shirt Giveaway: Day 4

"I fart in your general direction. Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries."

In case you just skip right over the titles of the posts, rest assured that the above text is merely the quote for today's t-shirt giveaway, not a personal attack by me on your or your family's character.

Recognize it? If you do and you would like a Transformer Generation Dad t-shirt (great for painting or using as a dust rag) just leave a comment below this post containing 1. the title of the movie, 2. another quote from the same movie and 3. your e-mail address.

Our Third Person Thursday post will appear later in the day. Good luck and thanks for reading.

T(GD)-Shirt Giveaway: Day 3

Here we are on the third day of our t-shirt giveaway in simultaneous commemoration of Father's Day and the opening of the TGD Store. Due to some confusion yesterday, I will remind you of the rules prior to posting the quote today.

You must do three things in a comment below this post in order to win today's shirt.

1. Name the title of the movie,
2. Leave another quote of your choice from the same movie and
3. Leave your email address so that I can contact you regarding shirt delivery.

With that matter dispatched, let's get to the quote:

"You're not your dad! He could sell a ketchup popsicle to a woman in white gloves!"

Good luck.

T(GD)-shirt Giveaway: Day 2

Congrats to yesterday's winner who correctly identified the quote from Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery. Here is today's quote, which should be an easy one:

"You killed my father. Prepare to die."

Remember the rules. You must comment below this post and include:

1. the title of the movie,
2. another quote from the same movie and
3. your email address.

Also, you can win only one shirt during this week's contest. Good luck and be sure to check out the new Transformer Generation Dad store.

T(GD)-shirt Giveaway: Day 1

Okay, here is the first of the quotes.

"My father would womanize. He would drink. He would make outrageous claims like he invented the question mark."

The first to leave a comment beneath this post containing:

1. the title of the film the quote is from,
2. another quote of your choosing from the same film, and
3. your email address

wins a Transformer Generation Dad t-shirt. Supplies are limited (as are sizes, it's either L or XL, sorry you petite readers out there, but rest assured it makes a great nightshirt) so answer quickly.

Also, only one shirt per mailing address. I know you would like to outfit your entire family in TGD shirts, but let's spread the love a little, shall we? Besides, there is plenty of apparel to be had at the Transformer Generation Dad Store, which is the reason we're having this little giveaway in the first place.

Good luck everybody. If you don't win today, check back tomorrow and each day up to and including Father's Day, June 19th.