EPT![[image loading]](http://www.teamliquid.net/staff/alffla/BetaKeyBanner.jpg)
I know you had to wait, but hopefully you will find the reason was worth it!
First up we have the..
Cakes
We expected this contest to work out well, but it turned into what can best be described as a cake arms-race! Towards the final weekend, it looked like our 25-30 cake estimate would be somewhat accurate.. so wrong. So very wrong. During the final two days, the cake-count more than doubled - for every cake I added to the thread, a new one would pop up!
I literally said to myself "OK I'm gonna add the last cake-entries and go to bed" at 5 am, and ended up sitting there adding cakes for almost 2 hours before the flood let up!
In short, we are amazed by the effort put into this, as well as the quality cakes that came out of it. If you have not done so already, I strongly recommend perusing the Post Your Cake thread, HERE.
In addition, forum-member and cake-baker Pape made an excellent compilation video of all the cakes (I think):
+ Show Spoiler [Video] +
The Top 3
Each of these three users receives two beta keys.
+ Show Spoiler [Show Winner #1] +
Zerg Base, by Vincze01
![[image loading]](/images/contests/2009_cakes/vincze01_zergbase_590.jpg)
(making of)
With over 3000 diggs, Vincze01's screenshot-esque rendition of a zerg base came out as an early favorite to win, and kept its position in the top 3 until the end.
Almost too pretty to eat..
![[image loading]](/images/contests/2009_cakes/vincze01_zergbase_1280.jpg)
(making of)
With over 3000 diggs, Vincze01's screenshot-esque rendition of a zerg base came out as an early favorite to win, and kept its position in the top 3 until the end.
Almost too pretty to eat..
+ Show Spoiler [Show Winner #2] +
Terran Marine Cake, by Vedic & Venes
![[image loading]](/images/contests/2009_cakes/vedic_marine_590.jpg)
(making of)
Just when everyone had gotten used to the idea of nothing coming close to Vincze's cake, Vedic & Venes shocked everyone with this scarily life-like Marine-cake.
I'm not sure I'd have the stones to actually try to eat this, I'd be worried he'd (see? I'm pretty sure a cake is an "it", but it just doesn't feel right in this case) shoot me or somethig.
![[image loading]](/images/contests/2009_cakes/vedic_marine_1280.jpg)
(making of)
Just when everyone had gotten used to the idea of nothing coming close to Vincze's cake, Vedic & Venes shocked everyone with this scarily life-like Marine-cake.
I'm not sure I'd have the stones to actually try to eat this, I'd be worried he'd (see? I'm pretty sure a cake is an "it", but it just doesn't feel right in this case) shoot me or somethig.
+ Show Spoiler [Show Winner #3] +
Kerrigan, Queen of Cakes, by DoomFish & girlfriend
![[image loading]](/images/contests/2009_cakes/doomfish_kerrigan_590.jpg)
(making of)
Not as massive in size as the above entry, but amazingly detailed, this was the 3rd step in the cake-arms race. Extremely well deserved beta-keys for this entry!
![[image loading]](/images/contests/2009_cakes/doomfish_kerrigan_1280.jpg)
(making of)
Not as massive in size as the above entry, but amazingly detailed, this was the 3rd step in the cake-arms race. Extremely well deserved beta-keys for this entry!
As you may be aware, the prizes for this contest was originally listed as being 2 keys for each top 3 entry, something that we quickly realized would not allow us to reward all the cakes we wanted to reward.
So what to do? We talked about changing the distribution, but that just wouldn't be fair. We talked to Blizzard about getting new keys, but were told they had no more keys for the 1st wave to give out - however, if we wanted to, we could use keys from our 2nd wave allotment.
Did we? Of course!
+ Show Spoiler [Show Winners 4 to 10] +
![[image loading]](https://tl.net/staff/FrozenArbiter/Cakes/15b.jpg)
![[image loading]](https://tl.net/staff/FrozenArbiter/Cakes/imgp5021.jpg)
![[image loading]](https://tl.net/staff/FrozenArbiter/Cakes/n13907061_53623433_2575401.jpg)
![[image loading]](https://tl.net/staff/FrozenArbiter/img2647u.jpg)
![[image loading]](https://tl.net/staff/FrozenArbiter/IMG_3384copy.jpg)
![[image loading]](https://tl.net/staff/FrozenArbiter/madness_by_Cwedhrin.jpg)
![[image loading]](https://tl.net/staff/FrozenArbiter/Cakes/AA033.jpg)
Each of the Top 3 cakes will receive TWO keys, while cakes 4 to 10 get ONE 2nd Wave key. What this mean is that you will not get into the beta in the 1st wave, but as soon as the 2nd wave of Beta Invites goes out, you will get one.
I know there were some delays in revealing the winners, but I hope you can see why now, and will agree with me that it was worth it!
Guides
Like the Cake Contest, our guide contest recieved around 50 entries, varying in length from a page to... 31 pages - seriously. Voting was hard, as the guidelines for what we were after were.. non-existant. Nonetheless, at the end three guides pulled ahead in our votes (really, four did, the distance between 3rd and 4th was quite small).
You can check-out all the great guides HERE
The Top 3
+ Show Spoiler [Winning entry #1] +
Atrioc's Progamer Trading Card Game
A clear favorite, among both staff and forumers! Atrioc's adaption of the Pokemon TCG rules, and his amazing series of actual cards, is a well deserved winner.
With expansions already in the works, and work being done on making it playable online, this is something you don't want to miss - check it out now!
+ Show Spoiler [Winning entry #2] +
Nightmarjoo's Guide to Map Making
I don't feel too bad calling this THE guide to map-making. At 31 pages, this mammoth of a guide will cover everything from the technical aspects to map-making theory.
Beta-keys well deserved. Maybe we'll see a SC2 version of this in 10 years, in time for the SC3 beta
?+ Show Spoiler [Winning entry #3] +
Cube's Guide to Solving the Rubik's Cube
Cube writing a guide about Cubing.. damn, appropiate ID, sir! Cube basics, advanced cubing, cube maintenance.. everything you ever wanted to know, in one place.
In the words of our Great Leader:
On June 15 2009 16:04 Manifesto7 wrote:
Very nice guide. Two things that are important to be able to pick up nonchalantly at a house party and do well are play the guitar and solve a rubiks cube.
Very nice guide. Two things that are important to be able to pick up nonchalantly at a house party and do well are play the guitar and solve a rubiks cube.
So, congratulations sir, enjoy the beta
Each of the above entries will receive TWO beta keys each.
Ironman
Unfortunately, we STILL have not heard back from Blizzard on this yet - although they have assured us they are almost ready. So, while we would love to be able to announce new dates for these, the wait goes on.. Sorry!
So there you have it! We hope you all enjoyed these contests, even if you didn't win. Judging these contests was extremely hard, and despite our best efforts, there are going to be good entries that didn't get keys.
Once the beta starts, we'll be sure to offer more chances of getting keys so look out for that!
