2007 Judge Selection

[Ankh-Morpork Guard]

Now that I've thrown my hat into the ring again this year...time to catch up.

1. For me, price only factors when I'm buying a product. When it comes to actually evaluating it, though, it doesn't enter my mind.

2. I don't really have a single favourite, but I do lean towards some more than others. d20 Star Wars and d6 Star Wars are two I seem to come back to a lot, but its mainly because I'm a Star Wars geek to no end. I haven't really run across a system I don't like, and I do my best to play in as many different ones I can get a hold of.

3. I love PDFs. The fact that it lets people with great ideas get printed in a sense isn't a bad thing at all. For me, the only real downside to PDFs is they usually don't have much art, though that's really not a big thing at all.

4. Mutant (Who doesn't love the X-Men?)

5. I lean a bit more towards concepts than hard mechanics. I'm not a big numbers person, and though I have a firm grasp on many different rules systems, I'm not afraid to bend things to go for a feel of an idea rather than the hard fast rule. As for errors in mechanics and such, a small amount can be expected, but when it becomes too much it just gets in the way of the enjoyment.

6. While I am a college student, I am on the end of the spectrum with far too much free time on my hands to devote to the ENnies.

7. Keep a few of the ones I like and give most of them away.

8. 4e will come when it comes. I'm in no rush for it, but I won't be screaming to burn WotC down when it does get announced.

9. John

10. Minis and software both depend on the game I'm playing or running. For D&D, I usually use software ahead of time to help prep for a game, and minis in game, but never the software while running it. I feel like it slows down play too much. I rarely use software for other systems, and minis is an off and on thing that I think is still very optional for even D&D.

11. Do incriminating images of P-Cat count? Used to have threads of those and I can probably dig one up...

12. Currently running two Star Wars d20 games, a D&D 3.5e Homebrew. I'm also playing in a Shadowrun game that just got started a couple weeks back and a year long Mutants and Masterminds game.

In the past year, I've run a d6 Star Wars game, a GURPS Discworld game, a few Paranoia games, and one d20 Modern game.



Hmm...seem to have lost the numbering system. So I'll just start quoting here.

Question: How do you feel about Wizards of the Coast abstaining from entering products?

I think its a good idea. While I don't mean to slight against the 3rd party publishers, and really they've gotten a great deal of my love over the last couple of years, WotC just has more money and resources to put into their products than most other companies have available.


And...back to the numbers...

13. I've been gaming for eight years now. Its less than a lot of the other judges, I know, but most have a few years on me as it is(only 21 here). But I feel like in that time I've played in a variety of game systems to have a lot of exposure to things. I also think being younger will bring a different perspective to the ENnies judges. Not all the gamers these days have been playing for 20+ years.

14. I've been homebrewing since I started playing. Right away, the idea of creating my own world to play games in struck me and it hasn't left since. Its always been limited to world creation, but I'm not afraid to create rules here and there that are specific to the setting. But I have to agree with others and say that you don't have to be able to make your own world or system to identify a good one.

I've also never been published or really attempted to be.


Going to avoid the policy type stuff considering the last few posts and don't want to get that heated stuff going again...so...

Do you plan on playtesting any of the material?

A couple of my groups have been alerted to this possibility. Obviously, can't playtest all of it, but would definitely like to try giving some of it some play.

What prompted you to consider being a judge for the ENnies?

I ran last year mainly because of just wanting to see what it was like and to try to be a part of things. I didn't really expect to get many votes, but ended up the 6th highest, right behind the 5 that were chosen.

This year, its pretty much the same reason. Though now, more so than before, I'm sure that I have the time to commit to this.

Would statements by those "in the industry" affect your opinions on a product?

Nope.

 

[C.W.Richeson]

I've been answering a lot of questions so, rather than invent the wheel, here are all of the questions and answers I've provided (including answers to many of the questions here).

I answer questions on RPG.net (including some of these)
http://forum.rpg.net/showpost.php?p=6897845&postcount=26

I answer questions from theRPGsite:
http://www.therpgsite.com/forums/showpost.php?p=73122&postcount=43

I answer questions on The Forge:
http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/index.php?topic=23250.msg229785#msg229785

Want to know more? Check out my reviews on RPG.net.
http://www.rpg.net/reviews/search-review.phtml?reviewerName=Christopher W. Richeson

Edit:
And for those that don't want to click, here's everything you'll find on those sites:

RPG.net:
1. How do you think price factors when evaluating a product?

Price is one consideration among many that must be taken into account when evaluating a product. A really great book priced at $60 may not hold up to a good book priced at $30, all other factors being equal.

2. Do you have a favourite system, or particular dislike of one? Why? How will this affect your ability to judge products?

My favorite system is variety, I change up systems with frequency and love learning new ones. There are plenty of systems I'm not too keen on, mostly older systems that involve tables and multi-step resolution.

3. How do you feel about PDFs? Inherent advantages and/or disadvantages?

PDFs offer convenience in a variety of ways, including the ability to print off key sections to use at the gaming table and the ability to make the laptop the only thing a person needs for game night. On the other hand, they have no resellability and reading from a computer screen is less enjoyable for many participants.

4. Mutant or troll?

I'd rather be a troll. I'd have my own bridge.

5. mechanics or concepts? if you find too many errors in mechanics or in the writing will you fault the submission?

I like both. A game with really slick mechanics or particularly awesome concepts is a wonderful thing. If I had to pick I'd come out on the side of mechanics, as a game with neat ideas but bad rules is often just an idea book.

Yes, I will fault a submission for errors in editing.

6. are you in a long term relationship or a job which requires you to be on call or have little free time? how much time are you willing to spend to see this project to completion? are the outside factors going to effect your commitment? (a non gaming SO, a sick child, an aging parent, a new job, a move, planning a marriage, etc...)

I'm a law student, and that takes up a good amount of free time. However, I'm an extremely efficient reader and have been a very reliable product reviewer for a wide variety of publishers. More than that, by participating I have a responsibility to see the project through. I take that very seriously.

7. what are you gonna do with your stuff when all is done?

Put it on the shelves.

8. 4e - Now, Soon, Later, or Never?

Later.

9. Which is your favorite Beatle?

No preference.

10. Software. What role do you see for software in DnD? Do you use software in DnD (more than Word/PDF etc)? Are minis more important than software?

Software is a useful tool that cuts down on prep time. For online play it makes the whole attempt easier. For me, minis are more important than software but I don't make extensive use of minis OR software.

12. What game(s) are you playing in now / have played in in the past year?

Past year? D&D 3.5, World of Darkness, Mage: the Awakening, Don't Rest Your Head, Spirit of the Century, Zorcerer of Zo, BESM 3rd, Conan d20, With Great Power..., Mutants & Masterminds 2nd, Faery's Tale, and others.

13. What are your 3 favorite RPGs?

It fluctuates. As of right now I'd say Faery's Tale, Spirit of the Century, and Zorcerer of Zo.

14. What is your favorite genre to play in and/or run? Are there any you genuinely don't like playing in and/or running?

I have a general preference for near future transhuman settings, modern cyberpunk basically. I don't get too excited about playing in modern games with no "twist."

15. Do you think that the ENnies should have a codified set of rules for how they should be run, including a specific list of points that the judges should use for each category? Or do you think that the ENnies should be like they are currently, and the judges voting on the rules each year? And to either answer, why?

I don't have an opinion. It's a work in progress and having an evolving system based on the individual judges seems useful. On the other hand, hard rules may aid consistency in evaluating products from year to year and may be more useful to fans.

16. Do you think that the ENnies being so intimately tied to the World's Largest d20 Fan Site might mean that the basic voting pool for the ENnies might be slightly biased towards d20 products?

Yes.

17. Do you think that the ENnies should move everything over to their own, independant website (which they already have)? Why or why not?

It doesn't matter to me, own website or not it's clearly connected with EN World. Which makes sense.

18. Do you think moving the ENnies off EN World would cause a drop in the overall number of voters? (Comment: They have already been moved off EN World, we will see what happens - Turjan)

I guess we'll see!

19. Are you a person who prefers crunchy bits or fluffy parts? Is there a ratio of crunch to fluff with you?

I enjoy both and have fun reading high crunch and high fluff products.

20. Where can I find links to your reviews or publishing credits?

Right here!

21. How broad of an RPG background do you have?

Moderately broad. I've only been playing for 10 years, but I've managed to play a very broad variety of games. Reviews and regular participation with RPG.net have greatly increased the breadth of my background more recently.

22. Some RPG books (or mechanics) are better, or at least different, when played rather than just read. Without playing them, is there any way for a judge to reach a judgment about the products utility without actual play experience? If so what are they?

I sure hope so, otherwise a lot of time has been wasted. More seriously, people who are exposed to lots of RPGs and play lots of RPGs develop a head for mechanics. Those who are really into reviewing will build sample characters and/or conduct mock combats in their head or on paper to get a better feel for how the mechanics sync up with the play experience.

23. What is it that you are looking for when judging the worthiness of a product?

A broad variety of factors, starting with art and editing and ending with fun and overall enjoyment.

24. Different doesn't necessarily mean better. Agree or disagree?

Agree.

theRPGsite:

Which do you prefer, Amber or Nobilis, and why?

I'm a Nobilis fan. Amber didn't do it for me for a variety of reasons, including difficulty translating the books into an RPG and the "bidding" system of character generation. I also like the general writing in Nobilis better and find it to be a game with much more varied elements for characters to explore and engage.

I know this makes me the devil.

Which do you prefer, nWoD or D&D 3.5, and why?

nWoD because it's easier for me to run, task resolution is faster, and because it tends to reflect game concepts that interest me more.

Do sales figures reflect quality, why or why not?

Sales figures reflect a variety of factors, and while there may be a correlation between sales figures and quality there is no causation.

If a game sells like hot cakes I'll certainly have a look at it and see what's up, but that's just the very beginning of checking a product out.

How do you feel about Wizards of the Coast abstaining from entering products?

I don't care. I failed their evaluation to become a comped reviewer (they have PR people search you and examine your works) so I'm sure they don't mind me not reviewing their products.

What is it that you are looking for when judging the worthiness of a product?

The same broad factors I look for when reviewing any product, from editing and art to fun and innovation. If you want a clear idea, check out my RPG.net reviews.

Different doesn't necessarily mean better. Agree or disagree?

Agree.

What is the difference between writing a gaming product and playing one? Is there a noticeable difference between the two where RPG products are concerned? If so, what are they?

Writing a game product (hopefully) makes the person more aware of game mechanics, layout concerns, and generally makes them appreciate RPG design more than a person might who just plays. It's going to really vary from person to person, however.

Some RPG books (or mechanics) are better, or at least different, when played rather than just read. Without playing them, is there any way for a judge to reach a judgement about the products utility without actual play experience? If so what are they?

Sure. Folk who are commonly exposed to a variety of RPGs often develop a head for mechanics. Building characters and running sample task resolutions can strongly indicate how something will flow in play, and the same can be said for just crunching out probabilities of success.

At the very least the person could accurately judge every element of the RPG *except* the mechanics and would have to make an informed guess as to how the game handles in actual play.

This may be related to what OHT is asking but I noticed that two of the awards are for "Best Writing" and "Best Rules". First, how would you distinguish these two categories? Second, what in your opinion is good writing for an RPG? What makes good rules?

Writing is going to encompass fiction, flow of language, word choice, and general readability concerns. Editing would also be a big deal. Rules will encompass game mechanics, stat blocks, and other things of a similar nature. Good writing is when I leave the book with a dozen ideas, entertained by the product. Good rules is when I leave the book with lots of character build ideas in my head and a general desire to fiddle with the mechanics.

How important is innovation in deciding if rules are good?

Somewhat important. Sticking with classic RPG design is good, it's a tried and true method. Attribute + Skill + die roll isn't very exciting, but it's easy for people to understand and simple to teach to others. If a game is innovative in a good way, that is it offers something new and it does what it sets out to do well, then that's going to be a solid mark in its favor. I don't want to play the same game system, or a simple derivative, for the rest of my life. I want to try out new stuff.

Which RPG would you recommend to your mother, and why?

Faery's Tale from Firefly Games. It's simple, cute, fun to read, and offers a wealth of adventure.

Question (3-part): Free extra online content and customer support; do you feel these should be considered as part of a product for the purposes of evaluation? Under some qualifications and conditions? If so which?

I consider easily accessible errata to be a slight mark in favor of a product, but I generally assume that the average customer will not get online and hunt down errata. Still, when a company like Paragon Games goes out of their way to put out an entire free chapter for Secret of Zir'an it helps make up for their mistake a bit.

What´s your opinion on Palladiumbooks products, like Rifts?

I think it's an old game system that desperately needs a substantial update. I think a lot of Palladium products have really cool ideas, though.

TheForge

* Is a game without supplementation "dead" and if so, what does that mean for your opinion of the game?

It means it's a game without supplements. "Complete" and "dead" may both be accurate terms. In general, I like games that come in just one book as much as I like games with a variety of supplements.

* If a given game approaches a basic task of role-playing (task resolution, advancement, combat, GMing, session pacing) in a totally different way than prior role-playing games, are you inclined to see that as positive or negative? Why?

I *like* totally new ways of doing things. I get tired of just seeing yet another Attribute + Skill + die roll system. That said, sometimes new ways of doing things just aren't very good. Either they're not intuitive, or they're cumbersome, or they just don't work. Finally, sometimes simple ways are the best ways and I wouldn't fault a product for sticking to tried and true RPG design decisions. I *would* enjoy a product more for doing something I consider innovative, however.

* How much do production values (art, layout, etc.) matter in your assessment of games?

Quite a bit. Good art and editing help to evoke a specific mood that draws the reader into a product. That doesn't mean the game needs top artists to do well. Zorcerer of Zo and Spirit of the Century, for example, have good art but aren't on a level with the latest full color visual extravaganza WOTC has put out. White Wolf's products tend to closely match art with text, so while they tend to avoid full color production this attention to mood goes a long way to increasing the overall presentation of a product. If you'd like to see me evaluate the production values of a product, just check out my reviews on RPG.net here: http://www.rpg.net/reviews/search-review.phtml?reviewerName=Christopher W. Richeson

* How many different role-playing systems have you played this year?

Over a dozen, including such wonderful games as Spirit of the Century, Don't Rest Your Head, Zorcerer of Zo, With Great Power..., Faery's Tail, and others.

Finally, there was a question here about RPG design. I have never designed an RPG except for various homebrew modifications, and tinkering with mechanics makes me aware of how everything fits together.

 

[GwydapLlew]

I've been answering a lot of questions so, rather than invent the wheel, here are all of the questions and answers I've provided (including answers to many of the questions here).

Excellent! I'll have to go register at a couple of those forums and read up on them.

 

[Kaladhan]

Hi everyone!

I'm one of those late applicants, so I'll take this opportunity to get known by the most people that I can.

1. How do you think price factors when evaluating a product?
If price is proportional to the quality of the product, then it's fair. It's when you get less than what you paid for that you have a problem.

2. Do you have a favourite system, or particular dislike of one? Why? How will this affect your ability to judge products?
I have fond memories of good and bad systems. I remember when the critical hits of Rolemaster affected the nerves of my left hand. Now that I am more experienced, I tend to prefer coherent game systems. So no specific favourite nor dislike.

3. How do you feel about PDFs? Inherent advantages and/or disadvantages?
I'm okay with them but still prefer games in dead-tree format.

4. Mutant or troll?
Mutant, especially from Fallout.

5. Mechanics or Concepts? if you find too many errors in mechanics or in the writing will you fault the submission?
Concepts! Are you asking if a book that contains many glitches should have the same note as a book with a better proof read? Of course it shouldn't.

6. Are you in a long term relationship or a job which requires you to be on call or have little free time? how much time are you willing to spend to see this project to completion? are the outside factors going to effect your commitment? (a non gaming SO, a sick child, an aging parent, a new job, a move, planning a marriage, etc...)
Totally free. I'm guessing I'm going to spend 20 hours per week for 8 weeks. It's going to be one hell of an experience!

7. what are you gonna do with your stuff when all is done?
I will donate most of it to my local gaming convention.

8. 4e - Now, Soon, Later, or Never?
Later.

9. Which is your favorite Beatle?
The Blue Beetle
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Beetle

10. Software. What role do you see for software in DnD? Do you use software in DnD (more than Word/PDF etc)? Are minis more important than software?
Since I own a decent amount of DwarvenForge stuff, I do consider minis more important than software. The only software that I use is Ms-Excel. I keep a list of people encountered by my group in that format. I also have totals to say how many of X race and what percentage that represents.

11. Are any of you offering cash incentives, beer, and/or incriminating photographs of Morrus in return for my vote?
How did you know about the fling between Morrus and me? He's such a big mouth!

12. What game(s) are you playing in now / have played in in the past year?
Mutants and Masterminds - Currently playing
Dnd & Arcana Evolved set in Ptolus - Ended (lasted 2 years and a half)
Werewolf : The Forsaken

Do you think that the ENnies should have a codified set of rules for how they should be run, including a specific list of points that the judges should use for each category?
No. Guidelines are always welcome, but skip on the firm set of rules.

Or do you think that the ENnies should be like they are currently, and the judges voting on the rules each year?
At least this way each year are sure to have there surprises.

Do you think that the ENnies being so intimately tied to the World's Largest d20 Fan Site might mean that the basic voting pool for the ENnies might be a bit biased towards d20 products in general?
It probably helps a little, but the good products that won last year did it because they were spectacular.

Do you think that the ENnies should move everything over to their own, independant website (which they already have), to have all aspects of the ENnies in 1 single central location? Why or why not?
Only if they would save something on the hosting fees.

Do you plan on playtesting any of the material?
If it's deadly and horrible, you can bet that I will torture my players with it.

What prompted you to consider being a judge for the ENnies?
I want to be a judge because I want to know what is out there. I want to help people know about the excellent books they are missing for whatever reason.

Would statements by those "in the industry" affect your opinions on a product?
Hell no.

 

[C.W.Richeson]

Excellent! I'll have to go register at a couple of those forums and read up on them.

Knock yourself out, though registration isn't required to read any of those threads

 

[Kaladhan]

Is that all? No more questions? Is it really the kind of stuff you want to know from the would-be-judges? Come on, let's ask some really hard questions!

Such as our opinions about the differences between 3E and 3.5E. The kind of changes we would like for the upcoming *hopefully way later* 4E. Do we prefer d6 Star Wars or d20?

Edit: Feel free to send me private messages if your questions are not appropriate for this discussion.

 

[Xath]

Edit: Feel free to send me private messages if your questions are not appropriate for this discussion.

Ditto.

 

[Kaladhan]

Since this is all about fair and fun competition, I would like to ask a question to my fellow would be judges. Name me a product that you bought in the last year that you don't recommand people to buy. And why.

 

[vermicious knid]

Since this is all about fair and fun competition, I would like to ask a question to my fellow would be judges. Name me a product that you bought in the last year that you don't recommand people to buy. And why.

Magic of Incarnum. Poor execution and terrible, terrible art concepts(in my opinion). Blue glowing bling? YUCK.

 

[fusangite]

Since this is all about fair and fun competition, I would like to ask a question to my fellow would be judges. Name me a product that you bought in the last year that you don't recommand people to buy. And why.

I have not regretted a single RPG purchase I have made in the past year. I rarely buy products without doing my homework before heading down to the store because I do not make much money at my current job. Of the 7 RPG products I have purchased in the past year, I have yet to regret a single purchase.