Round 3 is over! Here's the challenges:
(http://img134.imageshack.us/img134/3678/hoax1lt3.gif)
(http://img451.imageshack.us/img451/8820/hoax2pu4.gif)
(http://img140.imageshack.us/img140/7930/hoax3uk1.gif)
Challenge 1: RPG's Hoax Spotting Topic - Examine the preceding three pictures and find the 10 modifications that were made from the original games. Find Thorn on irc://irc.surrealchat.net and /msg him answers, or PM him.
Target - 6
RPG - 4
Rick - 5
Challenge 2: S3&K Master Edition (http://download.yousendit.com/866A428B0FEAFCA6) (because Achlys hacks S3&K, get it?) - Progress through Angel Island 1 as far as possible with any character.
Target - Reach the boss
Groudon - Reached the boss
Achlys - "Game Over"ed just before the last checkpoint before the boss.
Challenge 3: Sonic 1 MegaMix - The setup for Sondow's challenge was a bit complicated; kudos to Sondow for taking this challenge in stride. On your left hand, curl your ring and middle fingers to your palm; this should bring your thumb knuckle into your pointer knuckle backwards. Use a rubber band to keep this hand this way. One the other hand, curl all except the pointer and middle finger, and lay the extended middle finger over the extended pointer finger. Use the other band to hold this position. Without moving the bands or bending your left wrist, clear Sunset Hill 1-3 as any character.
Target - 3:30:00
Spinny - 2:51:53
genus - In a moment of "wtf?", managed to download an old version of the game, with shorter levels. DQ'd.
This brings the point totals to:
Rick - 15
Spinny - 15
RPG - 14
Groudon - 10
Achlys - 10
genus - 5
On that note, genus...
(http://img452.imageshack.us/img452/404/banhammeriy5.gif)
YOU GOT BANHAMMERED
So long. Between Achlys and Groudon, we await an epic tiebreaker, which I will send via PM again. Achlys has already done his run, and Groudon has said he will do his around Sunday night. I will get Round 4 started when they are done, as it is a bit dependent on who moves on.
EDIT: Almost forgot... how many of you bastards did I RickRoll with the old ROM link? Sonic 65 is a fucking genius. Achlys knew this prank, but I know I got Spinny and RPG, and I was laughing my ass off the entire time. X) Even now that you know that's not the Round 4 ROM, you should still check it out just because it's epic.
Okay, I had formatted this entire thing, at which point Firefox proceeded to exit my tab and kill the entire page-long post. >_> So here's the short version, because I'm not typing it all up again. I apologize for losing the epicness to a browser crash.
The final challenge was a 50-act speedrun, done on acts suggested by other TSCers. Since Spinny led by 15 points, he was given a 15-minute head start. Of course, the results mean nothing, because Achlys didn't submit. Therefore to Spinny, the winner, I present a sig banner to patch up his fail sig.
(http://img515.imageshack.us/img515/2214/award2spinnymo0.png)
To the 2nd and 3rd place players, Achlys and Rick, I present little trophy-lookin' things.
(http://img510.imageshack.us/img510/1397/award1achlys2qd2.gif) (http://img129.imageshack.us/img129/1779/award1rick2jl8.gif)
This is as close to "Unofficial Sonic" that this TUSC tourney has gotten.
At this point in the awards creation I was having fun with Fireworks and decided to make a pic for whomever assisted me most in the tourney. This turned out to be Achlys -- he helped me nag Rick and RPG as well as give out challenges to others. Therefore I give a nonsensical pic as a prize.
(http://img517.imageshack.us/img517/1975/award3achlysqq6.png)
On the opposite end of the spectrum is the guy who only wants to trash the tourney. genus made an honest attempt to get paired with Spinny for the second time in a row in round two, and due to future circumstances they was paired up four consecutive times, giving Spinny easy points and a ticket to the finals. His home life situation made scheduling tourney rounds take WEEKS. To him I present a different nonsensical pic.
(http://img256.imageshack.us/img256/7291/award4genus2ir2.gif)
Lastly, a pic to my fellow Dela-where? native, JBertolli, as a sign of "you kept chugging for as long as you could, but you were just too fuckin' weak".
(http://img256.imageshack.us/img256/6742/award5jblt4.gif)
To everyone else who dropped out without trying... you get zilch, and screw you all. Comments are welcome, and to whoever runs the next tourney, may it run better than mine and mike's .:P