Voting Results Turned over to the Board.

[Lucias]

Hey all, this is Luke from Fear the Boot.

The entire ordeal stemmed from an ambiguous comment made by our moderator, Dan, in Episode 62. We jested a bit about the voting process which was in poor taste (as are a good portion of the jokes in our shows, for those who listen), but then clarified the ambiguity in a Episode 63.

We were initially accused of cheating by voting multiple times from multiple IPs. We were offered no defense and the judges have not shown us any proof to back up these accusations. Later, we were told my Michael Morris that we were not being disqualified because we cheated, but because we held the awards in contempt by joking about the voting system on our podcast.

Let me reiterate that no evidence has been shown to back up the charges of cheating. We fully take responsibility for the tongue-in-cheek comments we made at the expense of the awards. Satire and sarcasm are the bread and butter of Fear the Boot and are what we thought helped get us nominated. The one thing that none of us will stand for is to be called cheaters on when the ENnie judges have shown nothing to back up this claim.

It's a disappointing situation all around. This is the ENnies Judges' show and they have to do what they feel is best for the awards, so we'll go our separate ways.

Cheers,

Luke

 

[Hypersmurf]

Later, we were told my Morrus himself that we were not being disqualified because we cheated, but because we held the awards in contempt by joking about the voting system on our podcast.

Don't confuse 'Morrus' and 'Michael Morris' - they're two different people.

-Hyp.

 

[Lucias]

Thanks. Fixed it.

Shows you what I get for typing late!

 

[wedgeski]

I'm hoping to get the Gencon live staff to vidcast the event this year, but this isn't confirmed yet.

Can I just say that this would rock. Having no chance whatsoever of going to GenCon US in the forseeable future, it would be great to be able to watch the show.

 

[JoeBlank]

Can I just say that this would rock. Having no chance whatsoever of going to GenCon US in the forseeable future, it would be great to be able to watch the show.

Agreed. Please announce this on ENW, and elsewhere, so that those of us not going to GenCon can be on the lookout for it.

 

[Crothian]

If it's like the last few years Gaming Report will have someone there reporting as things happen.

 

[Morrus]

Thanks. Fixed it.

Shows you what I get for typing late!

Yep - I've made no comment anywhere on the matter. Michael Morris (who I believe has posted on your boards?) is the programmer for the awards; I'm someone else entirely.

Don't worry - this is hardly the first time this has happened. People are continually thinking Michael is me and attributing quotes and actions to me months later that I had nothing to do with!

 

[Michael Morris]

Yep - I've made no comment anywhere on the matter. Michael Morris (who I believe has posted on your boards?) is the programmer for the awards; I'm someone else entirely.

Don't worry - this is hardly the first time this has happened. People are continually thinking Michael is me and attributing quotes and actions to me months later that I had nothing to do with!

Is it time for me to switch user names again? Maybe 'Alias' like on CM??

 

[Xer0]

Is it time for me to switch user names again? Maybe 'Alias' like on CM??

How about NotMorrus?

 

[kenmarable]

I don't think it's about cheating, or promoting cheating or anything like that. It's about respect.
If you don't take the awards seriously why taking part in it? You're disrespecting yourself and the people that really cares about it!

Well, if disparaging the awards is reason for disqualification, pretty much every year there's been complaints and disrespect from many a publisher, though usually after the fact. If disrespecting the awards is really a reason to be disqualified, I'd think the list would be much longer than Fear the Boot.

From the outside, especially given the various explanations and second hand reports, it looks like the Fear the Boot comments pissed off those in charge of the Ennies, and so they were disqualified. Again, I'm just talking about appearances to some observers. Whether that meets up with the reality inside their heads or not, I of course don't know and won't profess to know. I'm sure they are reasonable people and considered their actions fully justified and weren't just pissed, but from out here, things don't look as clear.

Obviously, clearer rules and policies are a good idea to avoid this sort of thing in the future. Next year, the judges/board/whoever should do their best to set consistent policies of what is and is not allowed. If "disrepecting the awards" is worthy of disqualification, say so and try to give some definition to what that even means, because in past years I've seen heapings of disrespect for the awards process without a disqualification. (Is it only disrepect during voting perhaps? I dunno.) If you are going to disqualify someone, it's far easier and transparent if you can point to a specific policy and say "You violated Rule X. You're out." and to apply that policy consistently than to make references to nebulous "disrespecting the awards."

[As an aside, personally, I think it's a pretty unnecessary reason for disqualification. The awards should stand and fall on their own and not worry whether individual entrants show disrespect. I'm sure there's been many an Academy Award winner who publicly disrespected those awards. The Ennies are a long way from that, but the principle is the same. The awards should be for the "best in the RPG industry", not the "best in the RPG industry that doesn't make fun of us". I think an entrant making jokes about the admitted flaws in the system isn't going to do major harm to the awards. Have more confidence in them and your process. Geez, I feel like I'm reciting the speech I give my kids when other children pick on them. Sorry. ]

But in the end, the judges/board/whoever made the decision and since they are running the awards it's their right to disqualify them. I'm not arguing that.

But, also, as a community, we individual members can speak up and say, "We think this looks bad, and next time learn from this and try to handle it better." The awards are still young and growing, so I hope my remarks aren't taken as kicking the hornets nest or trolling, but just requesting that those in charge take into consideration that many members of the community disagree with how this was handled, and that those in charge should consider both how to make the policies clearer for entrants as well as how to handle discretions when they occur again. Sometimes a joke is just a joke, and the Ennies can continue on unscathed.

That's just my opinion, and I'm sure many disagree. But, that's what a community is all about.