Have you bought any books because they won an ENnie?
- Thread starter BastionPress_Creech
- Start date
Eosin the Red
First Post
MMS:WE, Song of Storms, and one or two others from the past were purchased because of the ENNies but the names of the other products seem to be eluding my tired brain.
This year, Dawnforge and probably Redhurst will make the cut. I like the looks of both but had stalled on them.
This year, Dawnforge and probably Redhurst will make the cut. I like the looks of both but had stalled on them.
Jaws
First Post
I do give them a look
I looked at Creatures of Freeport because it won. And after looking at it, I understand why. But I didn't buy it. I bought Tome of Horrors for only $7.50. That could of been the reason why I didn't get Creatures of Freeport because I already was getting a monster book that I wanted for much less. My FLGS is having a huge labor day weekend sale.
Peace and smiles
j.
I looked at Creatures of Freeport because it won. And after looking at it, I understand why. But I didn't buy it. I bought Tome of Horrors for only $7.50. That could of been the reason why I didn't get Creatures of Freeport because I already was getting a monster book that I wanted for much less. My FLGS is having a huge labor day weekend sale.
Peace and smiles
j.
Glyfair
Explorer
Once or twice, plus a couple are on my list of those to consider from both the winners and nominees.
However, this year's list really didn't get my attention. There is just too much fragmentation for my taste (non-d20, d20) and too many categories. Also, the lack of competition from WotC takes luster off the awards, unlike the first year, IMO.
Are sales really a major goal of the ENnie (either for those awarding it or the publisher)? If so, then there are a number of categories to remove. Will winning the award for best cover art sell a book? If I like a cover I might buy a book. However, I won't buy a book because it's cover won an award. It doesn't make sense.
However, this year's list really didn't get my attention. There is just too much fragmentation for my taste (non-d20, d20) and too many categories. Also, the lack of competition from WotC takes luster off the awards, unlike the first year, IMO.
Are sales really a major goal of the ENnie (either for those awarding it or the publisher)? If so, then there are a number of categories to remove. Will winning the award for best cover art sell a book? If I like a cover I might buy a book. However, I won't buy a book because it's cover won an award. It doesn't make sense.
Turanil
First Post
I intend to buy Aerie of the Crow God and Dragonlance Bestiary because of the Ennies. Nonetheless, not just because of them, but also after having carefully looked at previews, etc., before buying them. I have also been tempted to buy Harp because of the Ennies. On the other hand, I don't remember (and don't carte) whether the products were just nominated or actually won.
Jeff Wilder
First Post
BastionPress_Creech said:
Several. The lastest was Magical Medieval Society. I think the first was Book of Righteous Might.
Jeff
AFGNCAAP
First Post
Honestly... no. I don't.
However, an award isn't a selling point with me for any product, because, IMHO, awards are quite subjective. I don't particularly care to buy a product that a bunch of people may think is good. OTOH, I will buy a product if it grabs my interest, provides me with things that I find useful for my games/campaigns, if I personally like it better than similar products out there, etc.
I will admit though, one of the big selling points to me is the WotC label--granted, this definitely isn't a sure-fire indicator of good quality, but it does grab my interest quickly. And, I may not use the book wholecloth, but I still find it useful. However, this more or less applies to "generic" supplements rather than world-specific ones: I might jot down/borrow a feat, rule, spell, monster, or magic item from a FR book or an Eberron book, but I most certainly won't purchase that product because of those few elements.
Third-party publishers really took a big hit w/ me confidence-wise because of the rather hit-or-miss quality of works out there during the "birth" of 3.X D&D and the OGL. If third-party publishers want a reason to explain/blame poor sales, then they can take it up with a lot of the now-defunct 3rd-party publishers who put out a high number of low-quality products.
Sure, there are some really good 3rd-party publisher materials out there, but honestly, they don't grab my interest in the slightest. Sorry Mr. Cook, but I'm pretty much happy with the current ruleset for D&D, & I'm not interested in the alternate D&D that is Arcana Unearthed. Sorry Green Ronin, but I'm still very happy using Marvel SAGA for my superhero games, and won't be switching to M&M anytime soon; besides, if you want, you can blame TSR's d% Marvel Super Heroes and Palladium's Heroes Unlimited for why I no longer want to use any sort of dice-based supers game (and, you can blame Marvel itself for killing pretty much any interest in trying new superhero games thanks to their own RPG attempt with MURPG). While their products are nice & impressive, it's just not what I'm in the market for at all.
Ultimately, it's nice that I product that I may buy has won an award, but if anything, that is more of a happy coincidence rather than anything else. To a degree, it's sorta like restaurants that win local awards for the Best (insert specific type of Cuisine here) in Town: if I like what they're seriving, I go back there; if I don't, they won't see me or a a single dollar of my business. Whether or not they won an award is neither here nor there for me.
Y'know, even though some of the Ultima games didn't win the Origins awards certain years, that didn't stop me from buying more Ultima games, playing them, & enjoying them. What did stop me from buying Ultima games was a severe decline in quality, functionality issues, and a lack of ease of use with my computer system at the time. Oddly enough, it seemed that Ultima went downhill after EA got Origin. I wonder if this analogy may be equally viable for the now Hasbro-owned WotC, too.
But, then again, this is all MHO on the matter.
However, an award isn't a selling point with me for any product, because, IMHO, awards are quite subjective. I don't particularly care to buy a product that a bunch of people may think is good. OTOH, I will buy a product if it grabs my interest, provides me with things that I find useful for my games/campaigns, if I personally like it better than similar products out there, etc.
I will admit though, one of the big selling points to me is the WotC label--granted, this definitely isn't a sure-fire indicator of good quality, but it does grab my interest quickly. And, I may not use the book wholecloth, but I still find it useful. However, this more or less applies to "generic" supplements rather than world-specific ones: I might jot down/borrow a feat, rule, spell, monster, or magic item from a FR book or an Eberron book, but I most certainly won't purchase that product because of those few elements.
Third-party publishers really took a big hit w/ me confidence-wise because of the rather hit-or-miss quality of works out there during the "birth" of 3.X D&D and the OGL. If third-party publishers want a reason to explain/blame poor sales, then they can take it up with a lot of the now-defunct 3rd-party publishers who put out a high number of low-quality products.
Sure, there are some really good 3rd-party publisher materials out there, but honestly, they don't grab my interest in the slightest. Sorry Mr. Cook, but I'm pretty much happy with the current ruleset for D&D, & I'm not interested in the alternate D&D that is Arcana Unearthed. Sorry Green Ronin, but I'm still very happy using Marvel SAGA for my superhero games, and won't be switching to M&M anytime soon; besides, if you want, you can blame TSR's d% Marvel Super Heroes and Palladium's Heroes Unlimited for why I no longer want to use any sort of dice-based supers game (and, you can blame Marvel itself for killing pretty much any interest in trying new superhero games thanks to their own RPG attempt with MURPG). While their products are nice & impressive, it's just not what I'm in the market for at all.
Ultimately, it's nice that I product that I may buy has won an award, but if anything, that is more of a happy coincidence rather than anything else. To a degree, it's sorta like restaurants that win local awards for the Best (insert specific type of Cuisine here) in Town: if I like what they're seriving, I go back there; if I don't, they won't see me or a a single dollar of my business. Whether or not they won an award is neither here nor there for me.
Y'know, even though some of the Ultima games didn't win the Origins awards certain years, that didn't stop me from buying more Ultima games, playing them, & enjoying them. What did stop me from buying Ultima games was a severe decline in quality, functionality issues, and a lack of ease of use with my computer system at the time. Oddly enough, it seemed that Ultima went downhill after EA got Origin. I wonder if this analogy may be equally viable for the now Hasbro-owned WotC, too.
But, then again, this is all MHO on the matter.
Last edited:
Lord Pendragon
First Post
I don't buy books based on the ENnies, per se. Which is to say I don't look at the ENnies list and think to myself, "well, I passed on the book before because it didn't interest me, but since it won an ENnie, I'd better go out and buy it."
Instead, the ENnies work more subtly on my psyche. A publishing company that's won ENnies has the same effect on me as the sales pitch for a new movie "Starring Academy-Award Winning Actor ...." It makes me take notice. It makes me think that this is a product from a company with a track record for excellence. This can cause me to give a product a closer look, that at first glance I wouldn't buy. Eventually it just becomes automatic.
I almost always scrutinize Malhavoc's work these days, because I know that quality will never be an issue with them. The product might not fit my game, but if it's something I think I can work with, the product will always be top notch. There are a couple other companies that are starting to earn that kind of respect from me, and winning ENnies is one solid way to make headway in that regard.
Instead, the ENnies work more subtly on my psyche. A publishing company that's won ENnies has the same effect on me as the sales pitch for a new movie "Starring Academy-Award Winning Actor ...." It makes me take notice. It makes me think that this is a product from a company with a track record for excellence. This can cause me to give a product a closer look, that at first glance I wouldn't buy. Eventually it just becomes automatic.
I almost always scrutinize Malhavoc's work these days, because I know that quality will never be an issue with them. The product might not fit my game, but if it's something I think I can work with, the product will always be top notch. There are a couple other companies that are starting to earn that kind of respect from me, and winning ENnies is one solid way to make headway in that regard.
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