2007 Judge Selection

[Queen_Dopplepopolis]

What do you consider your strong point(s) as a judge? Weak point(s)?

Strong points: I straight up love RPGs of all textures, flavors, and sizes. Moreover, I work very well with almost every candidate on the list - I know many of the very well and would feel blessed to sit on a panel with any of them.

Weak points: I don't have as much gaming experience as many of the names on the list... but that's just because I'm young.

What one characteristic as a judge do you bring to the table that differentiates you from the other potential judges?

My deep, undying love pink dice?

What cultural interests do you have outside of gaming (i.e reading, comics, parenting, scuba diving, anything), that make you a better judge and why?

I knit and love it. I play WoW. Every Day with Rachel Ray (RR's magazine) fills me with pure joy. "Previously on Battlestar Galactica" are four words that make me practically scream with excitement. Abbey Chase, Danger Girl is my personal idol... and many more.

All of these thigns sort of highlight my diversity as a judge. I try my best to be a domestic goddess all while enjoying SciFi and comic books.

How important a factor is artwork (cover, illustrations, cartography) in your overall impression of judging products?

A well-rounded product includes good writing and a strong concept that is all tied together by artwork that "fits" the product.

Thanks for all your input so far![/QUOTE]

 

[Master of the Game]

Sorry I'm running a little behind. Started a new game this weekend, and I've been world-building

How do you personally evaluate flavor text?
If it's easy to read, fits the game, highlights things that characters are actually capable of doing, and makes me want to play, it's good.

How do you plan to evalute writing when applied to game mechanics?
See above. Seriously, if I can read it, it highlights what a character should be doing, and makes me want to play, then it's good whether it's crunch or fluff.

When evaluating writing, how will you approach products with a very high percentage of mechanics compared to products with a very small percentage of game mechanics?
It's all about what the game needs to get it's point across. I love L5R, which has fluff and fiction scattered throughout the books, and I'm a huge fan of Shadowrun, whose supplements are like 90% fluff. That said, I'm generally a rules guy, and very little makes me want to play a game more than interesting mechanics. Some games just need less mechanics to get the job done.

When evaluating writing, how will word count factor in? How will you compare a 20 page PDF to a 400+ hardcover book?
Every product will be judged on it's own merits, not against other products. If it's a great game, it doesn't matter how many pages it is.

What is your opinion on materials produced for OOP games?
Nothing but good for the community. How many times have people wished new stuff would come out for their favorite system?

How would you evaluate material for systems in which you have zero experience? What if any of those systems are highly complex? That is, the rulebooks are very dense and there may be many supplements. This can be the case for games with a long history, as in 15+ years.
If possible, play them. I'm not above sinking my own money into a core book if some supplement looks good enough to warrant it. Barring that, discussion with players with a lot of experience with the core game.

If you do not like a particular system, how will you evaluate supplements/adventures/whatever submitted for that system? Do you think there can be a good adventure for a bad system?
Absolutely. Every product has its own merits. Rules should be judged for their quality. Supplements should be judged for their utility, and adventures for how fun they are to play/ how much they inspire you.

What barriers are you anticipating in play testing submissions? Are you thinking ahead to come up with contingencies?
Obviously if there are hundreds of books, time will be a factor, as will availability of core books for systems I may not be familiar with. Right now, my plan is to enlist my players into learning systems that I may not have time for, and to run games for me to play in. That way I don't have to have GM level familiarity with everything. As I mentioned above, I will also be looking to the communities surrounding the games in question for help in understanding the systems and what draws people to them.

What do you consider your strong point(s) as a judge? Weak point(s)?
Strong points: Experience, time, and a voracious appetite for reading and learning new games.
Weak Points: I new to this thing, and will likely have to rely of some of the more experienced judges for advice.

What one characteristic as a judge do you bring to the table that differentiates you from the other potential judges?
I think most of the applicants will probably make for good judges, so I'd have to say what is likely to set me apart is sheer volume of time I can dedicate to reading and playtesting. All I do at work (almost always) is work on stuff for my games. I actually run two games in my office, in addition to the game I run at home, and spend three to four ten to twelve hour days sitting at my desk working on game stuff and world-building.

What cultural interests do you have outside of gaming (i.e reading, comics, parenting, scuba diving, anything), that make you a better judge and why?
Well, I read a lot, and do some comics (only three per month), and while I have gone scuba diving and danced competitively, I doubt they'll help me judge RPGs better My reading and comics though do keep me up to date on genre conventions.

How important a factor is artwork (cover, illustrations, cartography) in your overall impression of judging products?
I'll admit to not being an art guy, so anything reasonable would probably work for me so long as it evokes the effect the game is going for. The one exception would be art-intensive categories, in which case I'll have to rely on the opinions of a friend who is a professional artist.

One thing that must be on everyone's mind this year is the possible submission of Ptolus. Answer either if you have read Ptolus or have seen enough of it to know the relative allotment of content--If Ptolus was entered, for what categories would you consider it eligible for nomination?
I'll admit that I'm not familiar with Ptolus enough to answer. My FLGS has it shrink-wrapped, and I don't own a copy. I'd certainly love to give it a read though, and would be happy to answer for you afterwards

Thanks for the great questions, they've made me put a lot more thought into this.

I'd also like to add one more thing. I'm not sure if it's allowed, but if possible, I'd like to maintain a blog detailing my progress going through entrants, and give people a chance to offer their opinions and advice as I'm reading them.

 

[Dextra]

Voting is now live.
http://www.ennieawards.com/voting.html

Please take the time to read through all the nominee bios and check out the other boards' Q&A sessions. Also, it would be a great favour if peeps would please take the additional moments to answer the exit survey, thanks!

Best of luck to all nominees!

 

[Mark Causey]

I've updated Story Games with the link.

Thanks for all of the hard work, Denise!

 

[vermicious knid]

What is your opinion on materials produced for OOP games?

How would you evaluate material for systems in which you have zero experience? What if any of those systems are highly complex? That is, the rulebooks are very dense and there may be many supplements. This can be the case for games with a long history, as in 15+ years.

If you do not like a particular system, how will you evaluate supplements/adventures/whatever submitted for that system? Do you think there can be a good adventure for a bad system?

What barriers are you anticipating in play testing submissions? Are you thinking ahead to come up with contingencies?

1. The core rules being OOP wouldn't affect my evaluation of a new supplement.

2. I'm passingly familiar with a LOT of games. If I wasn't I would make myself so in order to evaluate the material.

3. I'd like to think I can be fair to a product on it's own merits. I own a number of WoD products...and I had no real intention of ever using the atached system to run a game. Ditto GURPS.

4. No barriers. I anticipate a disgruntled wife for the next few months...but I can take the heat.

 

[vermicious knid]

A few questions for the potential judges:

• What do you consider your strong point(s) as a judge? Weak point(s)?
  
• What one characteristic as a judge do you bring to the table that differentiates you from the other potential judges?
  
• What cultural interests do you have outside of gaming (i.e reading, comics, parenting, scuba diving, anything), that make you a better judge and why?
  
• How important a factor is artwork (cover, illustrations, cartography) in your overall impression of judging products?

Thanks for all your input so far!

1. Strong points: I have a great deal of experience with many systems. I've been involved in the design process and I can usually see what the designer of a product is trying to accomplish. I have a quality assurance background that I apply to games...whether I want to or not.

Weak points: I can be a little harsh if I feel effort was lacking on the part of the designer.

2. Quality assurance background. Breadth of gaming experience...wargames, CCGs, software game dsign in addition to RPGs.

3. Music (DJ/program director of alternative station for several years, organized underground punk shows, etc...), comics (huge collection, worked in comic store for several years), sociology degree, history degree. I bring a great deal of general cultural knowlege to my gaming, and I'd bring the same to judging.

4. Minimal, honestly. Good art adds a little shine. Bad art is a distraction.


As an aside, voting is now open. I'd like to ask anybody that has been in any way impressed by my responses to throw a vote my way. Make a fellow geek's dream come true.

 

[vermicious knid]

On Ptolus:

Yes, I've read it. I'd probably tend to place it in the setting category.

 

[Kaladhan]

Being part of "Okay your turn", you might flag me as a Monte fan. I still agree that Ptolus should be a setting, not an adventure or adventure module or whatever. It could be entered in Best Art or Best Cartography. The fans would still have to decide if it deserves to win.

 

[Dextra]

I've updated Story Games with the link.

Thanks for all of the hard work, Denise!

Thank you, especially to everyone spreading the word on the various boards! Last year the poll for judgehood elicited 660 votes. Product nominations received over 5,000 votes. I would love it if we could break 2,000 votes for the judge nominations.

But honestly, the real credit belongs to Michael Morris who has been diligently generating the coding software (including the randomizing the candidates on each ballot so as to reduce any potential bias from the order), and fusangite who has been working hard to educate us on alternative voting methods and patiently explaining (for years now!) the benefits of using the Single Transferrable Vote method.

I've just been updating the web site and spreading the Good Word, is all!

 

[Owen K.C. Stephens]

Okay, here's a question.

What's your name?

There are many interesting people on this board I only know by username, and the voting is done by real name. To correlate the two, I'd really like a list of everyone's username and real name, or have usernames (multiple, if needed) listed next to each voting choice. If that's already been done somewhere, I missed it.