ENnies: Publisher feedback and suggestions sought on the future of the ENnies
- Thread starter jaldaen
- Start date
BastionPress_Creech
First Post
Joe brought up some excellent points that certainly should be addressed. The answers to those questions will certainly have an effect on Bastion's decision to participate in next year's awards.
(Echoing some of what Joe said here.) If the ENnies are to fully become the Gen Con awards, then improved marketing and visibility is necessary for positive growth. Having an ENnies booth was a start, but that space should be utilized for promoting the awards, listing the nominees and the time/place of the award ceremonies along with providing information about what EN World has to offer to gamers who haven't heard of the site. Another suggestion would be a full page ad in the on-site Gen Con program book listing all of the nominees and a blurb about the purpose of the awards themselves. Joe's suggestion about including the winners in the Gen Con So-Cal booklet also has considerable merit from a publisher's standpoint. Having retailers advertising the ENnies and ENnie nominated products would also increase awareness. One of the things I did at the store where I work is create an "ENnie-nominee" section complete with signage. The result was increased sales of those titles. In short, the ENnies should try to find a way where they are more visible and recognized among those gamers who do not necessarily frequent here.
If the ENnies are losing money, then other avenues can be sought to raise the necessary funds. Perhaps a small percentage of all community supporter dues could be used, thereby making the ENnies success and notoriety directly relevant to the community itself. Another possibility would be a silent auction awhere publishers could donate product or special items (such as signed books) to benefit the site and awards. Perhaps the judges would be willing to turn over all products submitted to them for a charity auction with the proceeds going towards running next year's awards?
I do think the categories could be altered some and more importantly, rigidly defined so there is no question as to where a product should be placed. I propose the following as an example (the actual definitions would need to be worded better):
Best Gaming Aid or Accessory - any product that serves to clarify, enrich or simply the gaming experience. This includes electronic programs, visual aids, music or sound effects related material, and component carrying devices. (This would include e-Tools, Fiery Dragon's counters, SkeletonKey's e-Tiles, the D&D Soundtrack, and Crystal Caste's Battlehive.)
Best Overall Art - any product whose interior and cover artwork is deemed to be of excellence.
Best Overall Publisher - any publisher who provides an exceptional level of quality consistently with each and every product release.
Best Overall Adventure - any adventure that is well-written, produced, and provides a memorable playing experience.
Best Campaign Setting - any product that provides the essential information to game in an established world. This information must include world geography, details on races, political information, and the world's wildlife at the minimum.
(both d20 and non-d20 compete in same category)
Best Campaign Supplement - any new product that provides additional information specifically for an existing campaign setting. (This would include Dawnforge, Crimson Empire, and Diamond Throne.)
(both d20 and non-d20 compete in same category)
Best Campaign Resource - any non-specific product that primarily provides material suitable for any campaign setting such as cities, NPCs, and other generic qualities. (This would include Dark Champions, Crooks!, Streets of Silver, Corwyl, Sheoloth, Planar Handbook, and Villains.)
(both d20 and non-d20 compete in same category)
Best d20 Game - any product that offers a self-contained game for the d20 system and requires no additional supplements. (This would include Grim Tales, Testament, Skull & Bones, Grimm, Spellslinger, and Mechamorphosis.)
Best d20 Rules Supplement - any product that presents new or expands upon existing established rules within the d20 system. (This would include Torn Asunder, Crime & Punishment, Dweomercraft: Familiars, and Poisoncraft.)
Best Monster Supplement - any product that is entirely devoted to new creatures and is suitable for use in any existing campaign setting with little or no modification. (This would include Bestiary of Krynn, Fantasy Bestiary, Denizens and Avadnu, and Dangerous Denizens.)
(both d20 and non-d20 compete in same category)
Best non-d20 Game - same definition as Best d20 Game only doesn't use d20 system.
Best non-d20 Rules Supplement - same definition as Best d20 Rules Supplement only doesn't use d20 system.
Best Licensed Product - any product that makes the best use of a licensed property and remains true to the original license (can be core book or supplement - d20 and non-d20 alike).
These are just a few suggestions that may help shape next year's awards.
Moving the ENnies deadline for submissions up certainly makes good sense if the announcement of the nominees is also moved up to allow for greater marketing exposure. Right now, there isn't a single award that really does anything for publishers in terms of improving sales. There isn't a strong tangible benefit but sometimes there is a small blip of a few extra orders at most. Giving publishers more time to promote a nominated product may help with those additional blip sales, especially if the ENnies become more recognized and validated as being significant among the general gaming population. I would also propose that the voting window be extended to two weeks and be publicized more to remain fresh on gamer's minds.
(Echoing some of what Joe said here.) If the ENnies are to fully become the Gen Con awards, then improved marketing and visibility is necessary for positive growth. Having an ENnies booth was a start, but that space should be utilized for promoting the awards, listing the nominees and the time/place of the award ceremonies along with providing information about what EN World has to offer to gamers who haven't heard of the site. Another suggestion would be a full page ad in the on-site Gen Con program book listing all of the nominees and a blurb about the purpose of the awards themselves. Joe's suggestion about including the winners in the Gen Con So-Cal booklet also has considerable merit from a publisher's standpoint. Having retailers advertising the ENnies and ENnie nominated products would also increase awareness. One of the things I did at the store where I work is create an "ENnie-nominee" section complete with signage. The result was increased sales of those titles. In short, the ENnies should try to find a way where they are more visible and recognized among those gamers who do not necessarily frequent here.
The intent is sound but the logistics are a nightmare. Again, echoing much of what Joe had to say, right now we only have to worry about a single package arriving to a single destination. If you split that into 5 different destinations, the costs incurred by the publishers jump significantly. Not only is the publisher eating the cost of the product itself (usually around $10-15 or more per book), but also a handling fee his fulfillment house charges to ship along with the actual shipping costs. This can quickly total up to be nearly $20 per book (more if the package has to go overseas). Dividing up the packages means higher costs to the publisher because the fulfillment house is going to charge for each separate package prepared rather than a single package as before. This also means the publisher has to make sure that each judge is contacted for confirmation of the package being received and that the contents are there. In all, this is a much more significant hassle to the publisher and could very well dissuade one from entering, especially if that publisher has a lot of stuff going on at the time, such as trying to beat a publication/printer deadline. The ENnies shouldn't be a bookkeeping nightmare for publishers. It should have a system where publishers are encouraged to enter because of its simplicity.
An entry fee from publishers, even a token one, doesn't just sit right with me concerning the spirit and intent behind the awards. No other award that I am aware of makes entrants pay for the privilege of entering a product for consideration. It feels almost like you're buying a vote or something.
If the ENnies are losing money, then other avenues can be sought to raise the necessary funds. Perhaps a small percentage of all community supporter dues could be used, thereby making the ENnies success and notoriety directly relevant to the community itself. Another possibility would be a silent auction awhere publishers could donate product or special items (such as signed books) to benefit the site and awards. Perhaps the judges would be willing to turn over all products submitted to them for a charity auction with the proceeds going towards running next year's awards?
With the inclusion of non-d20 publishers this year, I believe you have already moved a step in that direction. Much of this depends on exactly what terms Peter Adkinson has laid down for the ENnies to have Gen Con support and backing. Since the ENnies began as a d20-based award, I don't think there will be opposition to having both d20 and non-d20 awards with a couple select categories pitting the nominees head to head (such as RPG of the Year, Game of the Year, and Best Publisher).
I do think the categories could be altered some and more importantly, rigidly defined so there is no question as to where a product should be placed. I propose the following as an example (the actual definitions would need to be worded better):
Best Gaming Aid or Accessory - any product that serves to clarify, enrich or simply the gaming experience. This includes electronic programs, visual aids, music or sound effects related material, and component carrying devices. (This would include e-Tools, Fiery Dragon's counters, SkeletonKey's e-Tiles, the D&D Soundtrack, and Crystal Caste's Battlehive.)
Best Overall Art - any product whose interior and cover artwork is deemed to be of excellence.
Best Overall Publisher - any publisher who provides an exceptional level of quality consistently with each and every product release.
Best Overall Adventure - any adventure that is well-written, produced, and provides a memorable playing experience.
Best Campaign Setting - any product that provides the essential information to game in an established world. This information must include world geography, details on races, political information, and the world's wildlife at the minimum.
(both d20 and non-d20 compete in same category)
Best Campaign Supplement - any new product that provides additional information specifically for an existing campaign setting. (This would include Dawnforge, Crimson Empire, and Diamond Throne.)
(both d20 and non-d20 compete in same category)
Best Campaign Resource - any non-specific product that primarily provides material suitable for any campaign setting such as cities, NPCs, and other generic qualities. (This would include Dark Champions, Crooks!, Streets of Silver, Corwyl, Sheoloth, Planar Handbook, and Villains.)
(both d20 and non-d20 compete in same category)
Best d20 Game - any product that offers a self-contained game for the d20 system and requires no additional supplements. (This would include Grim Tales, Testament, Skull & Bones, Grimm, Spellslinger, and Mechamorphosis.)
Best d20 Rules Supplement - any product that presents new or expands upon existing established rules within the d20 system. (This would include Torn Asunder, Crime & Punishment, Dweomercraft: Familiars, and Poisoncraft.)
Best Monster Supplement - any product that is entirely devoted to new creatures and is suitable for use in any existing campaign setting with little or no modification. (This would include Bestiary of Krynn, Fantasy Bestiary, Denizens and Avadnu, and Dangerous Denizens.)
(both d20 and non-d20 compete in same category)
Best non-d20 Game - same definition as Best d20 Game only doesn't use d20 system.
Best non-d20 Rules Supplement - same definition as Best d20 Rules Supplement only doesn't use d20 system.
Best Licensed Product - any product that makes the best use of a licensed property and remains true to the original license (can be core book or supplement - d20 and non-d20 alike).
These are just a few suggestions that may help shape next year's awards.
Errmmm.... that's the problem, not the solution. EN World can't solve the problem of having to pay for the ENnies by paying for the ENnies!BastionPress_Creech said:
There are some interesting ideas in this thread, although there are a few that I'm not keen on. If Bastion's position is representative of the publishing industry, though, I fear that finding solutions to funding and logistical issues is going to be quite the challenge; I'm not sure it can be done. The one thing I do know for certain is that I'm not paying for the ENnies next year - if the ENnies are to continue, they will pay for themselves.
Ideas are still welcome!
There are a couple of people interested in the job of managing the ENnies, and once that person has been chosen, they'll be able to direct these discussions in a more meaningful way. My feeling is that the answer to the funding problem lies in advertising, although the specifics elude me right now!
BryonD
Hero
BastionPress_Creech said:
The ENnies are GOING to be a bookkeeping nightmare. As someone with no particular dog in this fight, I can not see in the slightest why it makes more sense for the non-profit (or should I say anti-profit) ENnies to shoulder this burden than it does that the publishers, who are ultimately in it for the marketing value, to do so.
If you don't want to pay a few extra bucks, perhaps you should not enter. That may sound cavalier, but if the alternative is not having an ENnies to enter at all, then it is not cavalier at all, only pratical and realistic. The choice between paying to enter or not is better than wondering why your great product can't win this year because the event was canceled.
A simplification may be to still have publishers ship to one location, but also include an entry fee that covers distribution costs. It puts the funding where it should be, while not having the judges each keep up with scores of packages.
Does being the official GenCon awards include any financial support? Or is it just a prestige thing? As a non-voting delegate, I'd sure as heck prefer the good established D20 ENnies over a (to me) watered-down ENnies. So unless there is a solid motive, I'd hope the worth of that deal is being thought over multiple times.
For reference, Gen Con provides: one booth, 2-3 hotel rooms, several badges and a venue for the award ceremony. I (thus far) pay for shipping, the awards and any other costs which crop up.
I don't know the total cost of Gen Con's share of the burden, but I imagine it is quite a bit greater than mine. I'm happy with what they contribute. Given that the ENnies belong to me, and not to Gen Con (although without the Gen Con arrangement, I don't think they're worth as much), I do feel that it is fair.
I don't know the total cost of Gen Con's share of the burden, but I imagine it is quite a bit greater than mine. I'm happy with what they contribute. Given that the ENnies belong to me, and not to Gen Con (although without the Gen Con arrangement, I don't think they're worth as much), I do feel that it is fair.
jmucchiello
Hero
If the ENnies had marketting value there wouldn't be all this discussion. Books sell in the first 3 months they are out. How many books that won ENnies are within that 3 month window still? Who besides people who already come to ENWorld know who won the ENnies this year? There wasn't even a sign in the ENnies booth at GenCon.BryonD said:
In addition to the money, it requires that the publisher followup with all 5 judges separately to ensure they got the goods. As I said, the cost shifts from a purely monetary cost that Morrus needs to find a way to defer to a purely logistical cost on the publishers' burden. Frankly, a one-off cost, never-think-about-it-again way to get the publishers into the running works a lot better than a time-eating,hidden-cost way of getting the publishers into the running. Having to spend one lump sum to send products to one address means the publisher spends 1 moment entering the contest. Having to followup and spread that moment among 5 contacts and added shipping costs makes it a hassle.
Additionally, the judges' time will also be eaten up having to tell every publisher yes I got products X and Y. No, I haven't yet received product Z. No you can use UPS to my house they don't deliver. Use Fed Ex. You don't use fedex? oh, how about the post office? No DHL doesn't know how to find me either. Did I get your product, I don't know I have 6 did not deliver tickets I can't follow up till the weekend when I have time to drive 16 miles to nearest UPS depot. etc. etc. This is easier?
The other way, the judges receive one shipment with everything in it. Far easier.
Crothian
First Post
Under the assumption that publishers ship directly to the judges here is one way the communication could work:
There will be oncontact person, in theory a Personal Relations (PR) person. That will be the publishers contact for information. So, the Publishers would ship things to the Judges. Then, they would e-mail the PR person indicating the what books have shipped. As the judges get books, they will post in a Recieved thread in our private forum what they have gotten. The PR person will have access to the forum, of course, and then will be able to inform the publishers when the books have arrived. If the publisher has question or has not been contacted, they only need to contact the PR person and ask them.
There will be oncontact person, in theory a Personal Relations (PR) person. That will be the publishers contact for information. So, the Publishers would ship things to the Judges. Then, they would e-mail the PR person indicating the what books have shipped. As the judges get books, they will post in a Recieved thread in our private forum what they have gotten. The PR person will have access to the forum, of course, and then will be able to inform the publishers when the books have arrived. If the publisher has question or has not been contacted, they only need to contact the PR person and ask them.
