Queen_Dopplepopolis
First Post
Elizabeth Bauman, Queen_Dopplepopolis (EN World), DangerGirl! (Circvs Maximvs), Notorious L.I.Z. (Nothingland), Queen_Dopplepopolis (RPG.net)
USA
Hi! I'm Liz - I've done the job & loved it! A young female gamer & an active member of the greater ENW community, I am interested in products that preserve the heritage of the hobby while bringing about innovations that keep "the game" fresh.
Gaming Bio: Liz "Queen Dopplepopolis" Bauman was introduced to d6 Star Wars by a
friend as a sophomore in high school and quickly developed a passion for role playing games across the spectrum. That passion has been cultivated over the past 7 years by the various members of the EN World community and its diaspora, her time as a Wizards of the Coast retail employee, and the many gamers that have graced her gaming table. She as played (and run) RPGs including d20 Modern, Dungeons and Dragons (2nd, 3rd, and 3.5 editions), Grim Tales, Mutants and Masterminds, Shadowrun, Star Wars (d6, d20, and d20 revised), and Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay (to name a few).
Currently, Liz games with several groups in the DC metro area.
Platform: Having served as a judge for the ’07 ENnies, Liz has determined that there are two factors that mean the most to her when judging a product: the product’s vision and the innovation factor. If a product is creative and innovative and has a clearly fulfilled purpose, she considers it a success.
2008 ENnies Judge Questionnaire
1. When did you join the RPG hobby and what inspired you to become involved and stay with it?
In my Sophomore year of high school, a friend asked me to come play Star Wars with him. At the end of the night (and countless d6’s later), I had made a lot of friends (many of whom I am still close with). I stick with it because I really, really love to play the heroine, and I really, really love to roll dice.
2. Since you joined the hobby, what roles have you played (e.g. vending, professional writing and publishing, reviewing, convention organizing, homebrewing, playing, GMing, etc.)?
I have played, GMed, done some homebrewing (I have an alternate history 1920s setting that, someday, I’d love to run a full campaign in), and served as a judge for the ’07 ENnies, which of course entails quite a bit of reviewing.
3. The ENnies require a major commitment of time and mental energy. What resources do you bring that will help you discharge these responsibilities? Will your gaming group or other individuals be assisting you?
I’ve got a degree in history and the ability to burn my way through massive piles of reading, as well as a year’s worth of experience to fully prepare me for what the ENnies entail. I also simply love to read game books. I have 2 active gaming groups to help me evaluate and play-test ENnies submissions, and one other incredibly valuable resource: My husband (The Universe). He’s always there to help me playtest a new game or decipher the complexities of a new or unfamiliar ruleset (though that’s rarely necessary).
4. What interests, experience and skills do you bring from outside the hobby that you think will make you a more effective judge?
I have a sharp eye for detail, developed in my career as a historian and editor. I work for a small but prestigious publishing company, and part of my job is reviewing volumes of unpublished manuscripts, a task remarkably similar to what I’ve done as an ENnies judge. I can quickly and accurately assess the quality of material, a skill that any ENnies judge can use! Lastly, I am a dynamic, personable team-player. I know how to work through challenges within a group, alternately defending my positions or building consensus as the situation requires.
5. What styles and genres of RPGs do you enjoy most? Are there any styles or genres that you do not enjoy? Which games best exemplify what you like?
Heroics are pretty important to me. I like to do things in the game that I couldn’t or wouldn’t do in real life. I really enjoy being the good guy (or good girl, as the case may be), like any number of heroines in novels, comics, and movies. I love games that have at least some basis in “real” history, though that basis is usually broad enough to include things like Tesla Death Rays and Antarctic Space Nazis in the Hollow Earth.
There’s no genre I won’t play, but I’m not especially fond of “dark” RPGs. I’m in the hobby to imagine adventure, not simulate angst. This is not to say that there aren’t some great “dark” RPGs out there. There are – they’re not my thing, but I am able to recognize the appeal these games hold for others, and judge them accordingly.
6. What system do you think is best designed? Is it the one you play most?
I’m a big fan of Mutants and Masterminds (M&M) because it’s so flexible. I find it very easy to manipulate the feel of the game to fit any setting with just a little effort. It’s a surprisingly balanced game considering the nearly infinite number of possible character types. It runs fast and loose, and encourages the kind of over-the-top adventure I prefer. Currently, it is the system I play the most, though I’ve definitely played more D&D during my gaming career.
7. What games have you played in the past year? List up to 10 RPGs you have played the most.
In the last year, I’ve played D&D 3.5, WFRP, M&M, d20 Modern, True20, Hollow Earth Expedition, Scion, Star Wars Saga Edition, WEG d6 Star Wars, HeroScape, and World of Warcraft (online).
D&D, M&M, WEG d6 Star Wars, and d20 Modern are the games I’ve played the most.
8. Briefly summarize the criteria you will use for judging products in the different categories. How will you deal with comparing products of vastly disparate lengths, medium (PDF vs. print), or mechanics to prose ratios? Will innovation and originality play a major role?
I think form should follow function (which should give you an idea of how I’ll judge products of disparate lengths, mediums, and mechanics/prose ratios). Some games and supplements work best as short PDFs, other things work best as long books.
Innovation and originality will, of course, play a large role in my assessment of products, but I’m all about total quality, and ensuring that the product in question has a great “hook” and that, in the end, it lives up to the promise of that hook.
Honestly, the 2007 nominees should give you a good idea of the kinds of things I value. There’s a lot of stuff that didn’t make the final cut this year that I wish had been nominated, but I think everything that did get nominated deserves to be there. After all, I helped pick them!
To judge each product, I use a weighted pair-ranking system originally developed for the CIA that my husband suggested. As a part of that process, I developed a list of elements that I consider essential indicators of quality in each category. You don’t judge “Best Interior Art” by the same standards you judge “Best Writing!”
Then, I exhaustively compared each product in that category to every other product therein until I had a final ranking for each game. It helps cut the work down into manageable chunks, minimizes bias, and helps ensure that I’m only judging products against the other products entered this year.
Unfortunately, I don’t have the space to detail every factor I used to judge each category. However, if you have questions about specific categories, let me know, and I’ll be happy to fill you in.
9. How will you judge supplements or adventures for game systems whose core rules you are unfamiliar with or you believe are badly designed? What about for ystems that are out of print?
I try to find copies of core rulebooks that I am unfamiliar with or are OOP, and failing that, turn to the communities at RPG sites like ENW for tips, pointers, information about the system, and the appeal of the game in question. Then I seek out fan-sites and other on-line resources to fill in the gaps. Even badly designed games can have great supplements: I judge each product by its own merits, not by the “baggage” it might carry with it.
10. How would you like to see the ENnies change (categories, policies, etc)? What should remain inviolate?
I quite like the ENnies just the way they are, though I think judges should be encouraged to follow in Master of the Game’s footsteps, blogging or otherwise publicizing their work in order to give fans a look into the judging process. They’ve gathered a positive reputation, and I want to keep it that way. I don’t want anything to endanger the prestige and independence the ENnies have ultimately gathered.
BONUS: (optional) If you were an RPG, what would it be, and would you play it?
For the sake of this voting campaign, I will pander to the audience and claim Atarashi Games’ Panty Explosion. Because that’s hot.
USA
Hi! I'm Liz - I've done the job & loved it! A young female gamer & an active member of the greater ENW community, I am interested in products that preserve the heritage of the hobby while bringing about innovations that keep "the game" fresh.
Gaming Bio: Liz "Queen Dopplepopolis" Bauman was introduced to d6 Star Wars by a
friend as a sophomore in high school and quickly developed a passion for role playing games across the spectrum. That passion has been cultivated over the past 7 years by the various members of the EN World community and its diaspora, her time as a Wizards of the Coast retail employee, and the many gamers that have graced her gaming table. She as played (and run) RPGs including d20 Modern, Dungeons and Dragons (2nd, 3rd, and 3.5 editions), Grim Tales, Mutants and Masterminds, Shadowrun, Star Wars (d6, d20, and d20 revised), and Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay (to name a few).
Currently, Liz games with several groups in the DC metro area.
Platform: Having served as a judge for the ’07 ENnies, Liz has determined that there are two factors that mean the most to her when judging a product: the product’s vision and the innovation factor. If a product is creative and innovative and has a clearly fulfilled purpose, she considers it a success.
2008 ENnies Judge Questionnaire
1. When did you join the RPG hobby and what inspired you to become involved and stay with it?
In my Sophomore year of high school, a friend asked me to come play Star Wars with him. At the end of the night (and countless d6’s later), I had made a lot of friends (many of whom I am still close with). I stick with it because I really, really love to play the heroine, and I really, really love to roll dice.
2. Since you joined the hobby, what roles have you played (e.g. vending, professional writing and publishing, reviewing, convention organizing, homebrewing, playing, GMing, etc.)?
I have played, GMed, done some homebrewing (I have an alternate history 1920s setting that, someday, I’d love to run a full campaign in), and served as a judge for the ’07 ENnies, which of course entails quite a bit of reviewing.
3. The ENnies require a major commitment of time and mental energy. What resources do you bring that will help you discharge these responsibilities? Will your gaming group or other individuals be assisting you?
I’ve got a degree in history and the ability to burn my way through massive piles of reading, as well as a year’s worth of experience to fully prepare me for what the ENnies entail. I also simply love to read game books. I have 2 active gaming groups to help me evaluate and play-test ENnies submissions, and one other incredibly valuable resource: My husband (The Universe). He’s always there to help me playtest a new game or decipher the complexities of a new or unfamiliar ruleset (though that’s rarely necessary).
4. What interests, experience and skills do you bring from outside the hobby that you think will make you a more effective judge?
I have a sharp eye for detail, developed in my career as a historian and editor. I work for a small but prestigious publishing company, and part of my job is reviewing volumes of unpublished manuscripts, a task remarkably similar to what I’ve done as an ENnies judge. I can quickly and accurately assess the quality of material, a skill that any ENnies judge can use! Lastly, I am a dynamic, personable team-player. I know how to work through challenges within a group, alternately defending my positions or building consensus as the situation requires.
5. What styles and genres of RPGs do you enjoy most? Are there any styles or genres that you do not enjoy? Which games best exemplify what you like?
Heroics are pretty important to me. I like to do things in the game that I couldn’t or wouldn’t do in real life. I really enjoy being the good guy (or good girl, as the case may be), like any number of heroines in novels, comics, and movies. I love games that have at least some basis in “real” history, though that basis is usually broad enough to include things like Tesla Death Rays and Antarctic Space Nazis in the Hollow Earth.
There’s no genre I won’t play, but I’m not especially fond of “dark” RPGs. I’m in the hobby to imagine adventure, not simulate angst. This is not to say that there aren’t some great “dark” RPGs out there. There are – they’re not my thing, but I am able to recognize the appeal these games hold for others, and judge them accordingly.
6. What system do you think is best designed? Is it the one you play most?
I’m a big fan of Mutants and Masterminds (M&M) because it’s so flexible. I find it very easy to manipulate the feel of the game to fit any setting with just a little effort. It’s a surprisingly balanced game considering the nearly infinite number of possible character types. It runs fast and loose, and encourages the kind of over-the-top adventure I prefer. Currently, it is the system I play the most, though I’ve definitely played more D&D during my gaming career.
7. What games have you played in the past year? List up to 10 RPGs you have played the most.
In the last year, I’ve played D&D 3.5, WFRP, M&M, d20 Modern, True20, Hollow Earth Expedition, Scion, Star Wars Saga Edition, WEG d6 Star Wars, HeroScape, and World of Warcraft (online).
D&D, M&M, WEG d6 Star Wars, and d20 Modern are the games I’ve played the most.
8. Briefly summarize the criteria you will use for judging products in the different categories. How will you deal with comparing products of vastly disparate lengths, medium (PDF vs. print), or mechanics to prose ratios? Will innovation and originality play a major role?
I think form should follow function (which should give you an idea of how I’ll judge products of disparate lengths, mediums, and mechanics/prose ratios). Some games and supplements work best as short PDFs, other things work best as long books.
Innovation and originality will, of course, play a large role in my assessment of products, but I’m all about total quality, and ensuring that the product in question has a great “hook” and that, in the end, it lives up to the promise of that hook.
Honestly, the 2007 nominees should give you a good idea of the kinds of things I value. There’s a lot of stuff that didn’t make the final cut this year that I wish had been nominated, but I think everything that did get nominated deserves to be there. After all, I helped pick them!
To judge each product, I use a weighted pair-ranking system originally developed for the CIA that my husband suggested. As a part of that process, I developed a list of elements that I consider essential indicators of quality in each category. You don’t judge “Best Interior Art” by the same standards you judge “Best Writing!”
Then, I exhaustively compared each product in that category to every other product therein until I had a final ranking for each game. It helps cut the work down into manageable chunks, minimizes bias, and helps ensure that I’m only judging products against the other products entered this year.
Unfortunately, I don’t have the space to detail every factor I used to judge each category. However, if you have questions about specific categories, let me know, and I’ll be happy to fill you in.
9. How will you judge supplements or adventures for game systems whose core rules you are unfamiliar with or you believe are badly designed? What about for ystems that are out of print?
I try to find copies of core rulebooks that I am unfamiliar with or are OOP, and failing that, turn to the communities at RPG sites like ENW for tips, pointers, information about the system, and the appeal of the game in question. Then I seek out fan-sites and other on-line resources to fill in the gaps. Even badly designed games can have great supplements: I judge each product by its own merits, not by the “baggage” it might carry with it.
10. How would you like to see the ENnies change (categories, policies, etc)? What should remain inviolate?
I quite like the ENnies just the way they are, though I think judges should be encouraged to follow in Master of the Game’s footsteps, blogging or otherwise publicizing their work in order to give fans a look into the judging process. They’ve gathered a positive reputation, and I want to keep it that way. I don’t want anything to endanger the prestige and independence the ENnies have ultimately gathered.
BONUS: (optional) If you were an RPG, what would it be, and would you play it?
For the sake of this voting campaign, I will pander to the audience and claim Atarashi Games’ Panty Explosion. Because that’s hot.
Last edited:
