Battletech??? An Entire Product line as a single product???

[Rasyr]

Indeed. The lack of basic courtesies is astounding. Didn't this same thing happen last year, with the exact same poster?

Actually, it wasn't the same thing. It was a similar thing though. And my message was the same - that the rules for the ENnies need to be codified.

 

[Cthulhu's Librarian]

If you want to be childish and shoot the messenger, that does not change the fact that the message is still brought forth.

Maybe the messenger should not act so childish in the first place? Then his message might be taken a bit more seriously. Throwing a tantrum every time you THINK you see a problem does nothing to earn you any good will or respect.

 

[Morrus]

Roudi, Morrus - Do either of you know that back in February, when I had my last little dust-up regarding the ENnies, that ICE sent Dextra an email and asked her what the server requirements would be for the ENnies? To have everything on one single server?

I was perfectly aware of the conversation. Your offer was politely rejected. I faiil to see the relevance here.

Considering that the ENnies refuses to stand on its own and continues to use EN World's forums as a central component of its system, then THIS is the place to bring such things up.

Please refer to our previously explained position on this subject. We do not intend to debate this issue again this year.

 

[Michael Morris]

Rasyr, out of over 52 THOUSAND users (and 3200 currently online now) you are the only one with this grievance. Let it go, please. You said your peace back in February and reiterated it over and over until you got banned for it. There is no need to go down this path again. You do yourself, your company and your products a great disservice through these acts.

 

[Master of the Game]

Now if it were a single product, a single PDF, then I wouldn't be making this complaint. But by your own words, it was an entire product line. It was multiple products, not a single product.

It was a grouping of products, which was considered as a single entity at the request of the publisher. As a group the judges decided to allow it, along with a few other such requests. I even suggested that the friend you mention do the same. I think it was a good decision, and I stand by it. If you object, feel free to vote against me when I run for judge agin in a couple weeks.

If you're interested in doing something similar, just let us know. I believe the new judges will be accepting product starting at GenCon. Personally I'm a fan of ICE products, and an interview I heard about Gryphon World heavily influenced my current DnD game.

Multiple products being considered as a single entry is the issue.

Is it? I thought the issue was the inclusion of Universe, my apologies. I don't currently have my PDFs with me, but I'd be glad to take a look at any questions you have. If you've read my blog then no doubt you know that is exactly what it was made for. That way you can air your comments in a public forum if you like, one which is dedicated to just such discussion.

I can't promise you'll like everything I have to say, but I do promise to address your concerns as best I am able, and I promise to do so in a civil manner. That way, anyone who wants to can feel free to check in, and this board doesn't get subjected to a flame war that doesn't serve to answer your questions, or give me the chance to clarify myself.

Plus, as the person in the first quote in this post mentions, the entire thing is just a PDF release of material that is many years old.

Is it? I don't have my copies of the older Master Rulebook or the newer Total Warfare handy, so I can't really comment on that, but I'll say that they seemed to be different to me. I didn't notice a single xeroxed page. If we're disallowing any new material that is built from existing material we'd be throwing out entire product lines and any edition chages. That would certainly narrow the field quite a bit, but I'd guess it'd really serve to open things up for the Indie Press.

Soo.... by your reasoning, any newly created PDF of old gaming books are eligible for an award? For an award that is supposed to be (I presume) to new products?

Are you saying that if I (or more accurately, The Guild Companion) created a PDF of.. say Rolemaster Companion I, a book that has been out of print for over 12 years (and was actually published over 20 years ago), that it would be eligible for an ENnie because it had never been released as a PDF before?

I don't believe I said that at all. Perhaps I've made myself unclear or misunderstood you. Let me know what your exact questions and I'd be glad to respond. Obviously this isn't the appropriate forum, but my blog is open to you, and feel free to PM me.

And that nobody should point out the inherent flaws in the logic of doing that in an awards system that is supposed to be highlighting the best of the "new" products each year?

Not at all. Again, I think I may have made myself unclear, but I don't really remember saying anything of the sort. If you read my blog a little deeper you might see that I have a particular love of interesting new mechanics and settings. If somehow they're getting overlooked in favor of something unworthy I'd be glad to talk about it. Again, that is the expressed purpose of my blog. I said pretty much that very thing in my very first post.

I opened the process up so that people can decide for themselves what they think of it, and the board and other judges allowed it because they wanted that as well. No one is trying to obscur anything, I'm just not sure I know exactly what it is that you want.

 

[Queen_Dopplepopolis]

What I don't understand is how you believe this will hurt the ENnies in the future. You say, "Wow - not having a set of codified rules will hurt the ENnies," but you don't say how or why. So, I'd appreciate a clarification.

Many rules changes are nods, not to the whims of the ENnies judges, but requests from the publishers themselves. They say, "Hey - I feel my product would have a better chance if XYZ." Then, the judges mull it over and respond. It's important to note that the well-being and integrity of the ENnies is always central in that process. Thus, I have a hard time understanding how and why that negatively impacts the outstanding reputation of the ENnies.

As an ENnies judge, the ability to shift and alter categories and assess the products that are released each year is essentially a necessity. Without it, the judges would be left practically powerless in the face of the ever-changing gaming industry. Innovation requires innovation. Change requires change. Personally, I do not see a way to work with the innovative tides of the game without the fluid nature of the ENnies rules and regulations.

 

[Master of the Game]

I was perfectly aware of the conversation. Your offer was politely rejected. I faiil to see the relevance here.

I believe everyone associated with the ENnies was made aware of the offer. We all share a common message board. I believe the issue was that the ENnies do not wish to be associate with any publisher. Likely to avoid claims of unfairness (see the irony?). IT's the reason we don't accept sponsorships directly from publishers. Cash or not, resources are a sponsorship.

 

[Rasyr]

Maybe the messenger should not act so childish in the first place? Then his message might be taken a bit more seriously. Throwing a tantrum every time you THINK you see a problem does nothing to earn you any good will or respect.

I wasn't throwing a tantrum. I was bringing forth something that I saw as a problem.

And then the owner of the site and others acted in a dismissive manner.

In short, if I email Dextra privately, I take the very big chance that the email will be ignored or or completely misread.

And if I post it publicly, then while I am assured that it will get the attention that it needs, I am opening myself to childish attacks from others, including the owner of the site. Unfortunately, while this does make sure that the issue gets addressed, it also goes to show others that it isn't really worth trying to be helpful because you will get attacked if you don't toe the party line. (wow! that makes EN World (in general) sound about as clannish and short-sighted as most EN Worlders claim the WotC forums are. Small world, huh?)


Either way, I am opening myself to heartache.

Seems to me, that some folks apparently don't want to have things pointed out to them and prefer to keep their heads in the sand.

 

[Nareau]

Well, since you've brought it up in a public space--I don't consider your issue to be a problem at all. I don't think the rules for the ENnies need to be codified any more than they already are. I've enjoyed the awards process each year I've been aware of it, and I've been consistently turned onto cool new stuff.

I'll agree with some of the other posters, that I think your behaviour here is unprofessional and inappropriate. Your own account of your interactions with the ENnies staff have me thinking they're doing the right thing not to get involved with you or your company in any way.

Nareau

 

[Rasyr]

Rasyr, out of over 52 THOUSAND users (and 3200 currently online now) you are the only one with this grievance. Let it go, please. You said your peace back in February and reiterated it over and over until you got banned for it. There is no need to go down this path again. You do yourself, your company and your products a great disservice through these acts.

Correction - I got banned for talking back to a Moderator after he decided that he only wanted non-serious, silly questions to be posted to the candidates for judges.