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ENnies: should "Best Free Product" include Quick-starts?
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<blockquote data-quote="Mythmere1" data-source="post: 4866298" data-attributes="member: 26563"><p>First off, there's a HUGE conflict of interest in this post, since Swords & Wizardry is one of the stand-alone products up against the quick start rules for a White Wolf and a Green Ronin game. But I've been mulling it over, not surprisingly, and it's really an interesting question. I'm hugely grateful to Rob Lang's <a href="http://thefreerpgblog.blogspot.com/2009/07/help-free-rpg-authors-by-voting-truly.html" target="_blank"> Truly Free Campaign</a>, but in the final analysis I see it a bit differently.</p><p></p><p>It's an interesting question because it cuts to the issue of what the ENnies ought to "promote," in terms of a free product. That is, I think, one of the things Rob is pointing to in the campaign to elect one of the two stand-alone products (Swords & Wizardry, and Trial and Terror). A set of quick start rules is unquestionably a product, just not necessarily a stand-alone one. And many CAN be used as a stand-alone game if you don't feel you need what's added in the full-scale rules.</p><p></p><p>If the question is pure quality of a particular release, without looking at how it's used, then quick-start rules absolutely ought to be in the category. If the question is about how the product is actually to be used, on the other hand, then the category would become lots more complex - some sort of delineation other than just "product" would be needed.</p><p></p><p>So, my final thoughts on it are actually contrary to my own interests - I think the best way to handle the ENnies is to have relatively broad categories which the voters, as well as the judges, interpret. By trying to judge on a rubric other than the quality of the submission - by reference to its use or intention - the number of categories would become so numerous that it would be crazy (and there might not be enough submissions in some categories to maintain the level of competition required for a contest to highlight only the really good stuff).</p><p></p><p>So my position on the disquiet over this issue is that it's being done right; if a set of teaser rules are done well, they should be judged on that, not on the underlying game being promoted.</p><p></p><p>AND ... I think Swords & Wizardry can win on quality alone, even against more heavily promoted products. <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" /></p><p></p><p>If that's naive, so be it. <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" /></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Mythmere1, post: 4866298, member: 26563"] First off, there's a HUGE conflict of interest in this post, since Swords & Wizardry is one of the stand-alone products up against the quick start rules for a White Wolf and a Green Ronin game. But I've been mulling it over, not surprisingly, and it's really an interesting question. I'm hugely grateful to Rob Lang's [url=http://thefreerpgblog.blogspot.com/2009/07/help-free-rpg-authors-by-voting-truly.html] Truly Free Campaign[/url], but in the final analysis I see it a bit differently. It's an interesting question because it cuts to the issue of what the ENnies ought to "promote," in terms of a free product. That is, I think, one of the things Rob is pointing to in the campaign to elect one of the two stand-alone products (Swords & Wizardry, and Trial and Terror). A set of quick start rules is unquestionably a product, just not necessarily a stand-alone one. And many CAN be used as a stand-alone game if you don't feel you need what's added in the full-scale rules. If the question is pure quality of a particular release, without looking at how it's used, then quick-start rules absolutely ought to be in the category. If the question is about how the product is actually to be used, on the other hand, then the category would become lots more complex - some sort of delineation other than just "product" would be needed. So, my final thoughts on it are actually contrary to my own interests - I think the best way to handle the ENnies is to have relatively broad categories which the voters, as well as the judges, interpret. By trying to judge on a rubric other than the quality of the submission - by reference to its use or intention - the number of categories would become so numerous that it would be crazy (and there might not be enough submissions in some categories to maintain the level of competition required for a contest to highlight only the really good stuff). So my position on the disquiet over this issue is that it's being done right; if a set of teaser rules are done well, they should be judged on that, not on the underlying game being promoted. AND ... I think Swords & Wizardry can win on quality alone, even against more heavily promoted products. :) If that's naive, so be it. :) [/QUOTE]
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