Awards Night

[Lanefan]

I've seen mention here and there on other threads about such things, so I'm wondering how many of you have awards nights now and then for things like play-of-the-year, most-valuable-character, and so on.

We do. Each December, players in our gaming group - 3 games with lots of overlap of players - nominate characters for the various awards (see below). Then, there's a secret vote to determine a winner, and on New Years' Eve or New Years' Day the awards - printed certificates, sometimes accompanied by a little trophy - are given out amidst much beer.

The awards are:
Most Valuable Character - character most valuable to its party or to the game as a whole
Most Valuable Player - player without whom the game(s) would be that much less. Has in the past been won by a cat, and a tea kettle.
Play of the Year - obvious
Rookie of the Year - selected from among characters introduced that year
Most Entertaining Character - for the character that just makes you want to keep coming back, to see what they do next
Most Humourous Incident - obvious, and usually loads of nominations
Futility Award - for the most futile in-game endeavour of the year, always a ton o' worthy nominations here
Iron Man - non-voted, for the currently-longest-surviving character

Sometimes, a nomination for a non-listed award crops up, usually Most Dangerous Character for someone who's somehow hosed their own party.

So what if anything do you all do for awards?

Lanefan

 

[DethStryke]

A few of the gaming groups I've been in and are in currently use a session dues to pay for a end of year party. We have a few awards in the same way you mentioned, and the winners recieve a certificate or plaque, depending on how much money we've accumulated through dues. The party is held at a nice restaurant where we can eat, drink and be merry without issue (like too crowded or not enough room to hold the players and their guest).

The money collected almost always pays for the entire meal for the player and their guest, and the certificates. Unless someone missed a significant numeber of weeks, then they have to pay the difference for their meals. We're talking steak and crab-cakes level meals, with two or three beers, not McDonalds and a sundae.

I like the concept, and it gets to include alot of the people in the player's families that would otherwise not really be involved in their hobby at all. Free food always convinces people to look the other way.

The money can be used for other things during the year, but only things that are for group use, like pencils, dry erase markers, and the like. Anything that costs over 20 bucks has to be voted on by the club. We once decided to buy a mini-fridge for the game room we used every week, which has proven to be a very wise investment. That kind of thing has only happened once in five+ years though.

The best way I've heard it explained is where else are you going to get a full evening (or day!) of entertainment for only three bucks? Going to a movie by yourself is three times that much, and only if you don't buy any food or drinks!