Update for Publishers, some Opinions Sought

[GMSkarka]

There've been books where the prose really stood out and evoked an emotional response- as good art should- but where the game mechanics didn't really sing out, and other books with brilliant game design concepts but nasty descriptive text. I'd like to be able to reward excellence in both fields, since both are integral parts of a quality product, just as cartography, art, design, etc are.

I still think you're already rewarding writing in the "best (product)" categories, and so separating the writing (which is the core of any product in this industry) for MORE awards is a bit like giving an award for "Best Actor", and then giving a separate award for "Best Dramatic Performance By An Actor." If you're going to split them out, then ditch the general "product" awards (which would be a nightmare, hence my suggestion of instead eliminating the superfluous specific writing categories).

There's some concern about the Graphic Design & Layout category, that Joe Average Gamer doesn't tend to notice such things, and I notice you discounted it as well. Would you mind elaborating on that call, please?

Simple. Not only does Joe Average Gamer generally not notice, but precious few people outside of the publishing business actually know what Graphic Design & Layout actually entails, so as to be able to judge it. I can't see anybody who is not familiar with the skills required noticing really good typography, or composition, or use of negative space, or.... well, you see my point. It's an award that sounds good, but falls apart when you realize that everyone thinks that they know what "Graphic Design" is, but very few non-GDs actually do know.

...and as far as the Fansite thing goes. I suppose it's a nice bone to throw, but I was more concerned with "awards creep" and pruning back the categories. Everything else in the awards are geared to the professional side of things, so the "fan" thing stood out as out-of-place.

 

[Nifft]

Consider that my requests were like "best screen play" vs. "best director" vs. "best cinematography" -- all are in the category "good movie", but they're still separate.

So:
-> Most evocative NPCs / critters
-> Best plot
-> Most evocative setting-related writing

Then, I'd like two more dimensions:
-> Setting-specific (so well written and integrated, you'll want to run a game in that setting just because this product rocks so hard)
-> A la carte (so well written, and you can drop its parts into your current game really easily)

Anway. I'm not a publisher or author, so feel free to ignore me.

-- N

 

[Dextra]

Simple. Not only does Joe Average Gamer generally not notice, but precious few people outside of the publishing business actually know what Graphic Design & Layout actually entails, so as to be able to judge it. I can't see anybody who is not familiar with the skills required noticing really good typography, or composition, or use of negative space, or.... well, you see my point. It's an award that sounds good, but falls apart when you realize that everyone thinks that they know what "Graphic Design" is, but very few non-GDs actually do know.

What do you think about changing the Graphic Design & Layout category to Best Production Values, including Graphic Design & Layout, but also editing, paper feel, all those little things that add up to a product that looks and feels great overall? We decided against a Best Editing category, since good editing by its nature is difficult to detect (unless we received a before and after manuscript), but perhaps it could receive a nod in a production values award?

 

[BiggusGeekus]

CORE AWARDS
1. Best Cartography
-this is an award for an individual product containing the best cartography
someone please define cartography!

Also, is it just one map being submitted or every map in the product?

2. Best Art (Cover)
-this is an award for the book containing the best cover artwork
do we judge based upon the actual piece of art (so ask the publisher to submit the art), or based upon the final look of the cover, how the title and logos are incorporated, etc?

I'd include the title and logos. This is not to my personal advantage. I have a suh-weet Elmore cover, but the typsetting was done by yours truly. Since it's my first product, I doubt it is top-rate.

10. Best Adventure
-this is an award for a product that is primarily an adventure. If under seven entries are received in this category, submissions will be considered for Best Setting Supplement or Best Writing.
man, I really need help with these definitions!

And would "best adventure" include adventures that are part of a book? If a campaign setting has an introductory adventure, would that be included as part of the setting or as a seperate adventure? For what it's worth -- and again this would work to my own detriment -- I think we should attempt to keep it seperate. Very, very few people are going to buy a campaign setting just to read the adventure.

13. Best Rules Supplement
-this is an award for a product adding or modifying rules for the system under which it is released yeah, I know, I don't really like the description either, but it's a start... If under seven entries are received in this category, submissions will be considered for Best Rules.

Personally, I feel this is covered in #8

19-20. Best ??? TBA
-2 awards that each year will be decided upon and defined by that year's judges, depending in large part by the quantities of submissions and releases that year. Some possibilities include:
-Best Licensed Product
-Best Periodical
-Best n00B (a newbie is defined as a nominee whose first work(s) appeared in the judging year)?
-Special Award (for outstanding contributions to role playing gaming- this could be another write-in option, and could be an individual writer, publisher, artist, setting, or web site)?

Again, even though it is to my own disadvantage (n00b!) I'd rather see a smaller, more select line of awards....

"BONUS" AWARDS
1. Peer's Choice Award- voted upon by industry professionals including but not limited to those who submitted products for consideration.

2. Fan's Choice Award- this is the winner of the "write-in" category, and the only category in which a publisher/designer can win, even if they didn't submit their works for consideration... so anyone could be a contender. It has been suggested that we should probably automatically eliminate ENP and WotC from the running for fairness sake.

... but I like these!

 

[Crothian]

Also, is it just one map being submitted or every map in the product?

All the maps. Just like art for a book is all of it and not just one piece.