So you want to be an ENnies judge...

[madwabbit]

My point is they've already said opinions on books in blogs and reviews so any appearance of impropriety has already been done.

In those other blogs and reviews, were they doing so under the imprimatur of "I am an ENnies judge, and as such, this is what I think"? If so, then you have a point. But if they were doing it as individuals, it seems more hazy to me in that regard ... what's not hazy, however, is that by answering your question in this thread as an ENnies judge, of what their opinions are of products that they considered with their ENnies judge hat on, then there is definitely an appearance of impropriety, no matter how slight.

 

[Crothian]

It's paranoid, yes, but it's what's best for the ENnies.

Sure ruin a good argument by coming in and laying down the law! I totally get the paranoia I was on that side for many years. Now I get to poke the ENnies with a stick and see what it is like from the other side of things!

 

[C.W.Richeson]

In those other blogs and reviews, were they doing so under the imprimatur of "I am an ENnies judge, and as such, this is what I think" If so, then you have a point. But if they were doing it as individuals, it seems more hazy to me in that regard ... what's not hazy, however, is that by answering your question in this thread as an ENnies judge, of what their opinions are of products that they considered with their ENnies judge hat on, then there is definitely an appearance of impropriety, no matter how slight.

I was specifically asked not to link up my reviews with ENnies stuff, even when I was reviewing products for RPGnet that were also submitted for consideration. I considered myself an RPGnet freelancer when I reviewed and an ENnies judge when I judged.

 

[kinetic]

So, where do the various aspirants stand on the podcasts and blogs being given equal (or greater) consideration with settings and rules?

Podcasts and blogs have grown to become a solid part of industry and, as Mark said, they deserve the attention they get as well as the shot to be placed in their own category. They both serve a purpose to the fans at large and that is to provide information on topics that we find interesting. Seems like they should get the attention they require to me, just like any other supplement, accessory and so on. After all, they can both add to your game.

 

[Crothian]

What do you mean by solid part of the industry? Sure there are a lot of them out there but it doesn't seem to me that they have any influence in the industry or really with the fans.

 

[madwabbit]

What do you mean by solid part of the industry? Sure there are a lot of them out there but it doesn't seem to me that they have any influence in the industry or really with the fans.

I'd be interested in hearing from all the judge nominees on Crothian's query/point above as well. Should we fork this into a different thread?

 

[reveal]

What do you mean by solid part of the industry? Sure there are a lot of them out there but it doesn't seem to me that they have any influence in the industry or really with the fans.

My 2 cents: The ENnies have always been about the fans and, while presenting the best in publisher material, they also need to pay homage to the people that keep the industry alive. In the past, the ENnies have had categories such as Best Fan Site. This award was used to shine a spotlight on fan websites that were best at fostering interest in, and hosting discussions of, RPGs. To me, blogs and podcasts do exactly the same thing and should be honored as such.

But then I'm not a judge so my opinion doesn't really matter. I'm not the one who nominates material.

 

[Skeld]

Sure there are a lot of them out there but it doesn't seem to me that they have any influence in the industry or really with the fans.

A fair amount of information is disseminated by podcasts and blogs these days. Product reviews, designer/developer interviews, opinion, game/con information, and so on. I don't know how much influence blogs and podcasts have either, but I also don't think "influence" is a necessary metric for either category.

I listened to some blogs this year that gave really good advice, were entertaining, or passed on useful information. Same with blogs. Are they as important to the gaming industry as something like the supplements category? I highly doubt it. But I think they have something meaningful to offer and that's worth some praise.

-Mark

 

[Skeld]

My point is they've already said opinions on books in blogs and reviews so any appearance of impropriety has already been done.

Unlike some of the other judges, I don't do reviews for public consumption (that wasn't my thing coming into the ENnies, while CW and Megan were already established reviewers). As such, I've made an effort to not say much publicly about the products that were submitted this year.

The staff gave us some guidelines early on about public comments ("this week, I'm reading [insert product name]" was deemed ok, while "[insert product name] is freaking awesome!!1!" was deemed no ok). So I'm trying to stick to that until Friday, when the muzzle comes off.

But don't let me spoil your ENnies-poking fun.

-Mark

 

[C.W.Richeson]

What do you mean by solid part of the industry? Sure there are a lot of them out there but it doesn't seem to me that they have any influence in the industry or really with the fans.

They are a tool and a community resource, they can be valuable, and I'm happy to volunteer my time to listen and read to determine what some of the better ones are. Whether or not they are influential is really outside the scope of my knowledge, and I would be surprised to see a worthwhile piece of research on the matter. All I know is that they are driven by the same spirit of imaginative contribution as the rest of this fan supported hobby.