Monte Cook Presents the Year's best D20

[Akrasia]

He's not including anything from his own company, so there is no self promotion......

Of course there is nothing from his own company -- that would be beyond the pale.

It is self-promoting in that Monte Cook has set himself up as the 'judge' of what is best in d20. Indirectly, Malhavoc will be promoted. This is beyond dispute.

Think about it. If Guinness has a 'best stout of 2004' contest -- but exempts Guinness from competition -- it is still going to benefit in a huge way. It will benefit by establishing itself as not simply one competitor among many, but rather the judge capable of evaluating others.

Crass and self-serving IMO. :\

 

[Crothian]

He does have rather impressive qualifications being a main writer for D&D third edition and all.

 

[Akrasia]

He does have rather impressive qualifications being a main writer for D&D third edition and all.

Sure ... but he was only one author. And it is pompous and self-promoting nonetheless. I would criticize any of the other 'authors' of 3e just as much.

Look, I am sure this will work for Monte. The fanboys out there are many.

But it is crass and vulgar self-promotion nonetheless.

 

[Eremite]

The ENNies are based on the collective views of the various reviewers here.

In contrast, Monte Cook is one person, has his own company, and clearly has a well established name in the business. To set himself up as a judge of what is 'best' in the market can only help his own business, force others to curry favour with him, and reinforce his position as the 'authority' on d20.

It is a clever move on his part. But it reeks of arrogance and self-promotion nonetheless.

Blah, blah, blah.

It's one thing to disagree with something someone has done; it's another to levy personal insults at them. Arrogance and self-promotion? Please read your own posts, my supercilious friend.

I don't think Monte is setting himself up as judge, jury and executioner; rather, he is offering the rather significant advantage of the Malhavoc Press imprimatur to allow smaller publishers to, perhaps, become better known to d20 consumers. I think it's a good idea other than delaying publication until Sep05 which, IMO, is a mistake.

 

[Akrasia]

... Arrogance and self-promotion? Please read your own posts, my supercilious friend. ...

I fail to see how any of my posts have been self-promoting. What product do you think I'm trying to sell?
:\

As for being arrogant -- well, guilty as charged.

 

[Umbran]

The ENNies are based on the collective views of the various reviewers here.

Ah, yes. Because the opinions of the five Ennies judges are all that much better than the opinion of one man who helped create the system in the first place?

Or, because the opinions of a couple hundred loud-mouthed web-addicts who have no clear qualifications whatsoever and can't agree on anything and have to have those five judges narrow the field first are better?

It isn't self promotion - it's using his name to promote products by other people! It's giving them free advertising, allowing other publishers to trade upon Monte's good name. All the requires is that they meet his own standards. That seems quite reasonable to me.

Monte has better credentials for choosing good game products than any Ennies judge who has yet served - our staff reviewers included. It is reasonable to expect that his judgement will be at least as god, if not better, than theirs.

 

[OregonGM]

Look, I am sure this will work for Monte. The fanboys out there are many.

Here appears to be the meat of the matter. Monte has apologized repeatedly for running over your dog.

Okay, sorry about that (to both parties).

He's not entitled to write a book about the stuff he thinks was the best of 2004 because he has some popularity and respect?

Yeah, Monte "gets" to write this. Just like Gygax does. Just like you do, if you wish. Based on the material I've read from Malhavoc, I trust his judgement over (insert your least favorite publisher) on what is worth looking over. If you think his judgement sucks, you aren't the target market. I, however, am tired of swimming upstream in this sewer of supplimental materials trying to find the good stuff. He wants to sift through and find the gems? He's got my attention and probably my money.

Additionally, this can only be a good thing. As seen in Noah's thread about revamping Dragon, there is no (widespread print) medium anymore that says "Hey, this concept (outside of the house organ) ROCKS!" and contributes to the organic (not profit-oriented) growth of D&D. Somewhere in those "coolest concepts of 2004" is going to be a rule or idea that catches on and becomes part of tribal knowledge. This is bad, arrogant, self-agrandizing and chaotic evil how?

 

[GMSkarka]

Akrasia---stop while you're behind. I learned the hard way what happens when you criticize Monte, after I pointed out several problems with this little project in another thread. Folks don't like the object of their adoration questioned.

 

[Akrasia]

Ah, yes. Because the opinions of the five Ennies judges are all that much better than the opinion of one man who helped create the system in the first place? ...

The judgement of one person who helped create a product is not always a reliable guide to the quality of subsequent products...

The judgement of people who use the product is more reliable.

But I never meant to defend the Ennies in detail. In fact, I don't really pay attention to the Ennies.

My point is simply that a number of well-informed folk evaluating a product are more likely to give a good evaluation of that product than a single person.

Or, because the opinions of a couple hundred loud-mouthed web-addicts who have no clear qualifications whatsoever and can't agree on anything and have to have those five judges narrow the field first are better? ...

Huh? :\

It isn't self promotion - it's using his name to promote products by other people! It's giving them free advertising, allowing other publishers to trade upon Monte's good name. ...

Self-promotion, pure and simple. Other publishers must pay fealty in order to 'trade upon Monte's good name' ...

All the requires is that they meet his own standards. ...

Yeah, his own standards... :\

It is reasonable to expect that his judgement will be at least as god ...

(my emphasis)

I trust this was a Freudian slip?

 

[Akrasia]

... Yeah, Monte "gets" to write this. ...

I never tried to deny his right to 'get' to do anything.

I just pointed out that people who think that Monte is doing anything other than indirectly promoting his own interests are kidding themselves. He gets to set himself up as a 'judge' of what is good about d20, and I get to criticize what looks like arrogance and self-promotion.

In contrast, the ENNie judges do not make money (even indirectly) from their award decisions. (And yes, I know that Malhovic cannot be included in Monte's contest -- duh! -- but the increased prestige and publicity is obviously going to promote Monte's prestige and Malhovic's sales.)

Venting one's irritations -- isn't that what free-speech is all about?