I agree absolutely, but then that's pretty much how I feel about the forum in general.

Some games are gone within 1 - 5 hours after posting, others remain available for months. Quite often good games are on the list for a reasonably long time.

Cases, when giftee doesn't thank benefactor for a game are very rare. Definitely not "half of the time".
If you know something, please provide a proof. Such members should and will be banned.
I agree.
You prefer to ignore 86% majority, who are de facto happy with first-come-first-served... in favour of vocal minority.

I don't like the idea of raffle in the Community Giveaway. Coincidentally the 5 games in the July trial are either ones i already have or I have no interest in playing at current time. I have no idea though what I would do in August.

And well the only thing spring on my mind as I type this to mend the lack of games available are mandatory donation from the participant own wallet (i.e not a Prime code or GOG giveaway spare). Like donate 1 game worth at least $0.99 and you would be eligible for the next 3 month for example. I just notice that those who stalk the thread 24/7 are users who rarely if ever donate games themselves.

But that another can of worm and I do believe that would be against the original spirit of the thread itself.

That'd turn it into sort of a trading thread, however indirectly and asymmetrically, and remove what I'd think should still be the primary purpose, which is rewarding active forum members. Or, if you want to put it that way, be a platform for the active forum members to be rewarded by users who can afford to make gifts, regardless of the overlap between the categories.

As for the rest, will say again that I'd be all for increasing the cooldown, was thinking one game per two or three months, but with PaterAlf mentioning a yearly limit above, that'd seem like a good balance, one game every other month but no more than four per year.

And if anyone is using scripts, they definitely need to be banned. Question is how to detect them.

But no draws in the community giveaway. Absolutely not. No way. First come, first served is one of its core concepts, and tradition, if you will, no matter what.

As one of the folks from back then, I share the sentiment.

It really shouldn't need to be said, but I'm going to say it anyway - asking/getting a game from the GOG Community GA every month isn't mandatory, regardless of the number of games available, or the method they're being offered (starred or regular).

Regarding starred games, perhaps we'd have a better picture after the summer time, so agree with keeping them on trial for a few more months.

I can only talk about the times I donated games in the last two years. And everytime it was about 50%. But maybe I was just unlucky.

Even if people admitted it in the past, I obviously can't prove that they are still using these scripts. Also even if I think it is very much against the spirit of the giveaway, there is no rule against it. And if there would be one, there would be no way that it could be enforced. Because of that I won't name anyone.

For me it was just another example how much the community and the giveaway changed in the last few years.

I'm not strongly in favour of the starred games concept, but think that it overall has a slightly more positive than negative effect, so I'm in favour of trying it out for a few more months.

I would be strongly in favour of a "max 4 games a year" (or similar) limitation (in addition to the existing max 1 per month limitation). I do think there's too much "I'm here for my game for the month" attitude, and hopefully a rule like that would encourage people to request only those games they really want (at least until September rolls around...)

Of the ~50 games I've donated to the various iterations of this giveaway, I think I've been thanked for all but one or two - but then, I've never given away really expensive / highly in demand games.

A thank you is expected regardless.

I haven't been thanked only once (though I haven't been here as long). That user had been rejected multiple times prior, and I suppose he wasn't thrilled with the game he eventually managed to get as a consolation prize. He also bought his way into eligibility by donating low quality Steam keys.

I don't want to see donations return as a path to eligibility, which was suggested earlier. Right now when someone donates something deeply discounted, it's because they wanted to share it, not because they wanted to trade it for a higher value item.

Typically speaking those happy with how things are tend to be less vocal than those with who are not happy.

You only need to attend a local council meeting to understand this phenomenon. In other words this ridiculous sample size doesn't indicate anything solid.

Most people do say thank you but even in the last lot of games that I donated, there was one who didn't bother.
Some people just lack manners.

Perhaps some people say thanks in the chat with BenKii only, instead of in the thread. I myself always thank both BenKii and the key donor both in the chat and in the public thread.

I always say thanks to BenKii, and BenKii and the donor in the public thread, and when somebody has taken my keys, they have done the same. If people think that it would be better to have a "max 4 games a year" (or similar) limitation (in addition to the existing max 1 per month limitation), I will not complain because this new limitation could be useful.

Sorry if stupid question, but where is the list of games on giveaway again? I remember seeing one on the main thread, sadly back then I was ineligible. Now I see people requesting newly available and newly free games such as Fallout 4 and Quake 4, but when I scroll back to the older pages I see no such list.

post 2

Some pondering
1. When Quake 4 was available it was part of "past freebies" category because it was given through Amazon Prime?
2. What about titles "free with purchase" like Wasteland 1 (given for free when obtaining several titles - including Wasteland 2 - that itself was on giveaway)?
3. There Used to be a category of Games NOT from any freebie in any freebie - for instance If one would directly buy it from Gog and handed to your Giveaway rather than hosting one himself? edit: I guess all of these sholud be in the "starred" category?
I Always thank BenKii in the Chat, when I get to it thank in the public thread as well, Rarely thank the Donor in person in the chat.
I don't think there should be any ruling about this - it's just basic politeness.
I suppose if someone just takes keys without even thanking BenKii in the very chat he got the key,
BenKii will notice this behaviour in the nth time he did so ands put him on a naughty list or whatnot.