Sanguine Productions withdraws from Origins Awards

[Olgar Shiverstone]

See here.

Never mind that I have no clue who Sanguine Productions is. I assume they are some sort of game company.

Their main beef seems to be the inclusion of d20-based games in the competition for Best Roleplaying Game, when apparently the rules specify that only stand alone rules-sets are eligible.

So the question is, are d20 games (e.g. Modern, CoC, etc) separate games, or just variants on the same thing that should be lumped together. I say separate genres/intents = separate game, even if rules mechanics are the same, pesonally.

Discuss. (I would've posted this to the publisher or d20 board, but I'm fairly certain what the answers there would be.)

 

[shouit]

Modern, CoC and Mutants & Masterminds all are acceptable entries. Reading the rules, they say they must stand alone. They cite the Vampireark Ages vs. Vampire example, stating you dont need the original Vampire if you buy Dark Ages. According to the Origin Rules, they have a point. d20 material unless OGL, specifically must state they need PHB. Any books like this should be disqualified from the contest..

 

[frankthedm]

Double standards suck

 

[BiggusGeekus]

According to the Origin Rules, they have a point. d20 material unless OGL, specifically must state they need PHB. Any books like this should be disqualified from the contest..

As much as I love d20, I think they're right. If you need the PHB, it shouldn't get best RPG.

 

[HellHound]

I also, unfortunately, have to agree that d20 games that require a core rulebook to be used should not qualify.

OGL games on the other hand can.

But I'll leave it in the hands of the Origins committee.

 

[Mark Chance]

Oh, I don't know...

Double standards suck

As my wife tells me, if it weren't for double standards, I'd have no standards at all.

But, on topic for the thread, kudos to the company what pulled out. It's nice to see that principle still counts for something.

 

[Mark CMG]

Re: Oh, I don't know...

But, on topic for the thread, kudos to the company what pulled out. It's nice to see that principle still counts for something.

It's an integrity issue, no doubt. Good to see at least one of the company will stand up and make an issue of it if the awards are ignoring their own rules. There's no place for those awards in a community if they can't serve that community and be true to those ideals.

 

[WayneLigon]

I think they should have waited until next years awards to change the way things are done; the industry news from Pyramid had the letter that was sent, with the explanations. I've never been a big follower of the Origins awards, so I'm not entirely sure what some of it means.

It seems that d20 products should have either some catagory (and the letter explained why that was not so) by themselves (at least until someone else creates an Open game) or be folded in with the others. I don't think that stuff like Nyambe or Freeport should be disqualified just because it's a d20 game. Obviously, d20/OGL is not something that was ever anticipated by the rules and they should be ajusted. Doing it in midstream still does not seem, to me, a good way of handling it.

 

[diaglo]

they are nothing without the d20 OGL. therefore they are nothing.


actually, i think Origins is right.

did they allow Birthright, Dark Sun, Ravenloft, Spelljammer, etc...to compete each time T$R added a new spin on the old.

just b/c they are not a part of WotC/Hasbeen doesn't mean anything. they produce the same fantasy style game with a few twists. whoop tee f-ing do. live by the sword or die by the pen.

 

[Psion]

Sounds to me like they are not "man" enough to let their product stand alone against more competition and would rather have some compelling entrants excluded on a technicality.