Video Contest Bot
Built From a 5‑Sentence Request
A community was running monthly video contests manually. They were collecting DMs, counting reactions by hand, announcing winners one-by-one. They described what they needed in five sentences. We shipped a working bot in under 48 hours.
The request: 5 sentences that started it all
After subscribing, the client opened their DiscordGenius board and created a new card. No formal spec, no PRD. Just a plain-language description of their problem and what they needed. Here's exactly what they wrote:
Notice how casual this is. No technical jargon, no wireframes, no meeting required. The client described their problem and what they wanted in plain language. That's all you need. We handle the rest.
What we delivered
Delivered commands
Configuration setup: Admins can easily designate the target submission and winner announcement channels using native Discord menus.
Submission options: Users can upload a file directly or paste a URL seamlessly within the slash command parameters, maintaining a totally native Discord experience.
Command trigger: The clean slash command interface makes it exceedingly easy for admins to initiate competitions.
Gatekeeping selection: Specific constraints (such as owning a target Steam game) can be toggled to combat fraud and require participation identity proof.
Live announcement: Once set up, the bot publishes a rich, formatted embed broadcast to kick off the event in the public channel.
Identity verification: The bot provides quick links, keeping external integrations completely transparent via standard OAuth verifications.
File & URL support
Accepts both direct video file uploads and external URLs (YouTube, Streamable, etc.) so members can submit however they prefer.
Clean embed design
Submissions display as polished embeds with the video, submitter name, and timestamp. Winner announcements include rankings, vote counts, and medal indicators.
Automatic winner DMs
Each top-5 winner receives a personal DM congratulating them and letting them know their placement. No manual outreach needed.
Admin-only controls
The /finish command is restricted to administrators, so regular members can't end a contest early. Clean permission handling with friendly error messages.
Platform Eligibility
Gatekeep submissions by requiring users to link external accounts. Enforce minimum Twitch followers, YouTube subscribers, or Steam game ownership.
Frictionless Multi-Platform Linking & Live Stats
Participants can securely link their Twitch, Steam, and YouTube accounts via official OAuth windows. Upon success, they are greeted by a beautiful customized webpage showcasing their live follower, subscriber, or ownership stats before being seamlessly returned to the competition.
Approved on the first attempt. The client invited the bot, ran their next video contest that same week, and hasn't needed a single change since. That's the power of starting with a clear description, even if it's only five sentences.
Key takeaway: simple requests, fast results
- You don't need a formal spec. This client wrote five casual sentences describing their problem. We interpreted it, built it, and delivered, all without a single follow-up question.
- Simple requests ship fast. 7 commands (including full multi-platform OAuth flows), clean embeds, and robust admin-only controls. Delivered in under 48 hours. Approved on the first attempt.
- Fully managed. The client didn't touch a terminal, install Node.js, or configure a server. We deployed, hosted, and maintain the bot. They just invited it and started running contests.
- Need more later? Just submit another card. If the client ever wants to add features like a leaderboard, custom categories, or seasonal themes, it's just another request on the same board. No new project, no new quote.