2006 ENnies Judge Voting Poll/Thread

[Quickbeam]

Not being an incumbant?

LOL!!

That perfectly sums up much of the ongoing discussion, Joe.

 

[Ankh-Morpork Guard]

LOL!!

That perfectly sums up much of the ongoing discussion, Joe.

But I think he's right.

Even meeting all those floor values that fusangite set out, it really seems like the only big deciding factor is whether or not the person has been a judge before.

 

[JoeGKushner]

LOL!!

That perfectly sums up much of the ongoing discussion, Joe.

Well, you've gotta start somewhere. I ran for a few years before I had my first shot at it. It's not like it's impossible to get in but it can be difficult. I can understand how some see it as a snowballing effect.

It'll be interesting to see if anything like 'term limits' if you will, come out of these discussions. It's something we'd have to see a LOT of people stand up and ask for and seeing as how we're not getting probably a 5th of the registered people voting, I doubt that'll happen.

Then again, it could be that the low voting is a result of apahty. However, we've passed last years' voting numbers already so...

Lots of things to take into account.

 

[Cthulhu's Librarian]

Well, you've gotta start somewhere. I ran for a few years before I had my first shot at it. It's not like it's impossible to get in but it can be difficult. I can understand how some see it as a snowballing effect.

And 2 years ago, I got in on my first try, had less than 900 posts, and no reviews. Why? I have no idea. The field was very large that year, I guess I just had what enough people were looking for.

 

[Crothian]

I tried the first two years and didn't make it. The second time I did have a lot of posts compaired to everyone else but no reviews (fewer people where doing reviews then and number of reviews was not shown). So, third time was a charm for me, and even then I was fifth among voting and it was close.

 

[Quickbeam]

Well, you've gotta start somewhere. I ran for a few years before I had my first shot at it. It's not like it's impossible to get in but it can be difficult. I can understand how some see it as a snowballing effect.

It'll be interesting to see if anything like 'term limits' if you will, come out of these discussions. It's something we'd have to see a LOT of people stand up and ask for and seeing as how we're not getting probably a 5th of the registered people voting, I doubt that'll happen.

Then again, it could be that the low voting is a result of apahty. However, we've passed last years' voting numbers already so...

Lots of things to take into account.

I agree, there are a lot of factors to consider. And as I've said before, I fully support those that have judged before while seeking change in the system. None of the returning candidates have done anything which merits their removal from consideration as ENnies Judges. I'd just like to see a system in place that insures other people have the same opportunity to participate in this experience.

I understand the arguments which suggest that such a change would be defrauding the voters by eliminating their ability to vote for overwhelmingly popular (and capable) candidates. But I just don't accept that as being the case. There's a reason term limits exist in many political arenas, and dismissing term limits simply because the ENnies are different than politics is inappropriate. It doesn't matter that ENnies Judges aren't running a nation or a city. What matters is that the process itself is likely to stagnate without change, and voter apathy becomes increasingly evident -- just read the comments across some of the ongoing threads.

 

[Quickbeam]

And 2 years ago, I got in on my first try, had less than 900 posts, and no reviews. Why? I have no idea. The field was very large that year, I guess I just had what enough people were looking for.

Simple Rich. You posted a very compelling nomination "speech" and people connected to your message and credentials. Heck, I voted for you despite trying to chase you down for that coveted 5th seat!! Same with Crothian.

I've also voted for T-Bill and Joe in previous years. I may be an advocate for change, but that doesn't mean I ignore deserving candidates out of spite.
I'd genuinely like to see a shift in the panel dymanic and/or election process, but until then I will give my full support to those who've been given the right to represent EN World through the awards.

 

[Conaill]

While you're all at it, answering Alzrius' set of admittedly irrelevant questions, would some of you mind answering the actual Ennies-relevant ones as well?

- Fantasy or Modern/SciFi?

- High or low Fantasy?

- Crunch of Fluff?

- Anime or Photorealism?

- Name at least two Ennies winners or losers from the past two years that you feel were undeserved.

 

[Ankh-Morpork Guard]

These, I'll answer.

Fantasy or Modern/SciFi?

I love all of them, but given the choice I usually will head straight for Scifi. I'm a huge Star Wars fan, and so most of my gaming since I began(with WEG d6 Star Wars) has been Star Wars gaming. At the same time, since the release of d20 Future, I've gotten involved in some more generic Scifi games and have found those to be just as entertaining and enjoyable.

High or low Fantasy?

Somewhere in between. I like the adventure to be dramatic and big, but not so much that it throws plot and story to the side for the action. Keep the magic magical, but not so mysterious that the PCs have little access to it.

Crunch or Fluff?

Crunch. I mostly homebrew, and its much, much easier to put rules material into my world than a lot of fluff. Sure, some fluff can be fun, but I also find that I enjoy coming up with my own fluff rather than having it fed to me and feeling like I'm forced into a certain way that its 'supposed' to be.

Anime or Photorealism?

Depends on the product. I'm a developing artist, myself, and like to believe I have at least a good eye for art from a more critical point of view beyond the simple "I like this/don't like this!" Though my art did start with a more anime look, over the years I've come to see that the style looks much, much better in motion(animated) than it does on in stills. The style can be awkward, exaggerated, and just plain strange when you catch it in a single moment, and so I don't feel its always the most appropriate style for art in books.

Photorealism isn't always the best either. Fantasy sometimes needs a more stylistic look, and sometimes even off the wall art like some 1e images. The style of art used really needs to fit with the material in the book more than anything else.

Name at least two Ennies winners or losers from the past two years that you feel were undeserved.

-Best Cover Art 2005

Though I love the cover for Beyond Countless Doorways, and it evokes a unique images that fits well with the book, I feel that Blue Rose's cover is simply better looking. The pose is more alive, with a great use of colour like I've never seen before on a cover for an RPG book. The cover for BCD feels much more stock and normal to me, whlie Blue Rose's is bright, active, and just grabs my eye like nothing else.

-Best Electronic Product 2005

Simply put, I don't care for PCGen. I used it for a long time, but always felt it was cumbersome and it simply drove me crazy. I've found many other programs that do the same things as PCGen, but are easier to maneuver and easier to add new things to. Added to that, the Counter Collection Digital is simply one of the most useful things I've gotten my hands(well, metaphorically) on. All the Counter Collections have been great, with great art and a nice, cheap alternative to miniatures that don't even require painting.

 

[Cthulhu's Librarian]

While you're all at it, answering Alzrius' set of admittedly irrelevant questions, would some of you mind answering the actual Ennies-relevant ones as well?

Actually, in some ways, they really aren't all that much more relevant to the judging process. BUt I'll answer anyway.

- Fantasy or Modern/SciFi?

In general, for games that I am running, I prefer fantasy, as it's the genre I know the most about and can do the most with. But as a player, it doesn't matter to me. I'll just as happily play in a modern, SF, historical, fantasy, superhero, or just about anything else. For reading, I'll read whatever's done well.

- High or low Fantasy?

In general, High fantasy. But I also really enjoy low fantasy, horror, modern fantasy, and historical fantasy.

- Crunch or Fluff?

Depends what I am looking for. Most of the time, I'll have to say crunch, as I am always looking for things that I can use in my game. But I'll read well written fluff just for the inspiration and writing.

- Anime or Photorealism?

This one I have a definite answer for-photorealism. Anime style does nothing for me on a personal level, but I can appreciate the artistry and talent that goes into it. It's just not my cup o' tea. But that didn't stop me from nominating BESM d20 for several awards 2 years ago, as it was an excellent book.

- Name at least two Ennies winners or losers from the past two years that you feel were undeserved.

Sorry, I can't do that. I was too involved in the process to be able to give an answer here that would be fair to the winners/losers I would name. As far as I am concerned, the 5 books that are nominated for each category (and the honorable mention) are all winners. There are always some that I like better than others, and some that make the final list that were not on my personal top 5 list, but none of them deserved or didn't deserve to win the public vote. In some ways, it's easier to leave the final vote up to everyone else-there has rarely been a case when I could say that one title stood out so far ahead of the other 5 that it was the clear winner in my eyes (only 1 off the top of my head, and another where a book was not entered into the awards that I felt would have blown away the competiton)