Over in "site discussion" we've been discussing the judge nomination process for the Annual Gen Con EN World RPG Awards.  In an effort to increase participation (and relevance) to a wider audience, we're asking members of multiple gamer discussion boards to ask the potential judges questions about their philosophy and background, in order to make an informed decision when it comes time to cast their ballots.  There have been some interesting discussions on EN World, theRPGsite and RPG.Net, and I'm hoping to stimutate (and encourage Forge members) some here as well.

Thus far, we have one question from a Forge member:

"Does System matter?"

Here's some questions:

* Is a game without supplementation "dead" and if so, what does that mean for your opinion of the game?

* If a given game approaches a basic task of role-playing (task resolution, advancement, combat, GMing, session pacing) in a totally different way than prior role-playing games, are you inclined to see that as positive or negative?  Why?

* How much do production values (art, layout, etc.) matter in your assessment of games?

* How many different role-playing systems have you played this year?

yrs--
--Ben

Howdy folks.

1. Yes, system matters. The rules you use shape the gaming experience.

2. No, not really. Chess certainly isn't dead, for example. ;) I'd be perfectly happy to play a game so complete it requires no further work.

3. Production values matter some, but not nearly as much as interesting mechanics or cool creative background. I'd rather have no art than bad art.

4. 3. Hero, D&D 3.5, a homebrew thing.

* Is a game without supplementation "dead" and if so, what does that mean for your opinion of the game?

It means it's a game without supplements.  "Complete" and "dead" may both be accurate terms.  In general, I like games that come in just one book as much as I like games with a variety of supplements.

* If a given game approaches a basic task of role-playing (task resolution, advancement, combat, GMing, session pacing) in a totally different way than prior role-playing games, are you inclined to see that as positive or negative?  Why?

I *like* totally new ways of doing things.  I get tired of just seeing yet another Attribute + Skill + die roll system.  That said, sometimes new ways of doing things just aren't very good.  Either they're not intuitive, or they're cumbersome, or they just don't work.  Finally, sometimes simple ways are the best ways and I wouldn't fault a product for sticking to tried and true RPG design decisions.  I *would* enjoy a product more for doing something I consider innovative, however.

* How much do production values (art, layout, etc.) matter in your assessment of games?

Quite a bit.  Good art and editing help to evoke a specific mood that draws the reader into a product.  That doesn't mean the game needs top artists to do well.  Zorcerer of Zo and Spirit of the Century, for example, have good art but aren't on a level with the latest full color visual extravaganza WOTC has put out.  White Wolf's products tend to closely match art with text, so while they tend to avoid full color production this attention to mood goes a long way to increasing the overall presentation of a product.  If you'd like to see me evaluate the production values of a product, just check out my reviews on RPG.net here: http://www.rpg.net/reviews/search-review.phtml?reviewerName=Christopher%20W.%20Richeson

* How many different role-playing systems have you played this year?

Over a dozen, including such wonderful games as Spirit of the Century, Don't Rest Your Head, Zorcerer of Zo, With Great Power..., Faery's Tail, and others.

Hi,

1. Yes, System Does Matter. If you want a longer answer, feel free to post a more detailed question!

2. A game isn't dead as long as someone is still playing it.

3. As a judge, production values matter a lot if they are part of the judging criteria, or if the product is a visual game aid. Other than that, if the layout and/or art significantly increases or decreases my enjoyment and appreciation of the game and this carries through to actual play, it's a factor. Other than that, not so much.

4. Spycraft 1st Edition, The Pool, Capes, a different homebrew thing. Less than I would usually play in a year, for personal reasons.

Regards,

Doug

Is a game without supplementation "dead" and if so, what does that mean for your opinion of the game?
Well, although I am best characterized, in this site's terminology, as a hardcore simulationist I tend to share the tendency in Indie-RPGs to favour systems designed for specific settings and game dynamics rather than attempting to design big universal systems. As a result, I tend to favour products that substantially integrate system and setting and therefore do not require supplements. Dogs in the Vineyard is a great example of a game for which no supplementation is required.

If a given game approaches a basic task of role-playing (task resolution, advancement, combat, GMing, session pacing) in a totally different way than prior role-playing games, are you inclined to see that as positive or negative?  Why?
I'm inclined to see the new approach on its own merits. I think it would be a grave mistake to reward a new system simply because it is new; similarly, it would be a big mistake to penalize it for being new. I think that both knee-jerk conservatism and turning a blind eye to deficits in a new product would be counter-productive on the judging panel.

How much do production values (art, layout, etc.) matter in your assessment of games?
Personally, not much at all. The toughest awards for me to judge will be art and production values awards.

How many different role-playing systems have you played this year?
Hopefully you mean the past year not the past six weeks. I have played Dogs in the Vineyard, D&D, True 20, Warhammer and Runequest. I have just finished running a 2-year game with a homebrew system.

Denise wrote:
"Does System matter?"

Ben wrote:
* Is a game without supplementation "dead" and if so, what does that mean for your opinion of the game?

* If a given game approaches a basic task of role-playing (task resolution, advancement, combat, GMing, session pacing) in a totally different way than prior role-playing games, are you inclined to see that as positive or negative?  Why?

* How much do production values (art, layout, etc.) matter in your assessment of games?

* How many different role-playing systems have you played this year?

Denise wrote: "Does System matter?"

And since I missed the "Does system matter" question, my answer is "Yes, system matters."

#1 Does System matter?

#2 Is a game without supplementation "dead" and if so, what does that mean for your opinion of the game?

#3 If a given game approaches a basic task of role-playing (task resolution, advancement, combat, GMing, session pacing) in a totally different way than prior role-playing games, are you inclined to see that as positive or negative?  Why?

#4 How much do production values (art, layout, etc.) matter in your assessment of games?

#5  How many different role-playing systems have you played this year?

Here's a question for y'all:  I'm interested in your responsibility, maturity, and even-handedness.  Have you ever publicly mocked or insulted a game or game designer?  If so, who and why? 

Nope, there have been times that I would have liked to but thought better of it a let it go.

I have had an arguement or two with game designers over them being rude to me.

Here's a question for y'all:  I'm interested in your responsibility, maturity, and even-handedness.  Have you ever publicly mocked or insulted a game or game designer?  If so, who and why? 

Jason wrote:
Here's a question for y'all:  I'm interested in your responsibility, maturity, and even-handedness.  Have you ever publicly mocked or insulted a game or game designer?  If so, who and why? 

Jason wrote:
Here's a question for y'all:  I'm interested in your responsibility, maturity, and even-handedness.  Have you ever publicly mocked or insulted a game or game designer?  If so, who and why? 

Jason wrote:
Here's a question for y'all:  I'm interested in your responsibility, maturity, and even-handedness.  Have you ever publicly mocked or insulted a game or game designer?  If so, who and why? 

Here's a few:

1. How long have you been roleplaying? Have you ever stopped roleplaying altogether for any significant period of time? If so, why?

2. (Independent of No. 1) What keeps you coming back to the roleplaying hobby?

3. Using your best guess, what roleplaying game have you played the most? What about that game has kept your interest over the years? Are you still playing that game?

Jason wrote: Here's a question for y'all:  I'm interested in your responsibility, maturity, and even-handedness.  Have you ever publicly mocked or insulted a game or game designer?  If so, who and why?

A couple more questions...

1. What do you think of White Wolf's decision to reboot the World of Darkness?
2. How do you feel about Mongoose Publishing's habit of rewriting and relaunching old games (Paranoia, Rune Quest and so on)?

Graham

1.  Many creator owned (Indy) game designers have a hard time affording anything but a bit of art. Part of your requirement is to judge a games presentation. This seems to limit the ability of many Indy designers to compete on a level scale with large game companies. Do you feel it's fair to judge a game on it's presentation?

2. Many creator owned game designers have a difficult time being able to afford the cost of giving away free books to enter a competition like the Ennies. They aren't able to use the same markets of scale to justify the cost. Giving away PDF's can potentially bite into the profits of a small creators book sales, if those PDF's aren't guarded with care. If a creator owned game were supplied to you as a neatly arrayed text only file how would you judge it? Do you think that's not a good question, because someone should feel safe putting their potential profits in your hands, or do you think that eating the costs of free books is part of the game for entering the Ennies?

3. What do you think should factor higher when judging a game; randomization (or lack of randomization) mechanics, setting, presentation and art, theme, addressing specific styles of play, or a grabby situation?

There's no animus behind these questions. I just wanted to throw out some hard ones to get better ideas of where people are coming from and how they see things.

I know that I am a latecomer, but at the behest of a friend of mine I have entered my hat in the ring. I know that I don't show up on the list of nominees yet, but I am eligible and do have a second and hope to have that updated soon. I will post my bio that I submitted and try to answer the backlog of questions.

Hi! My name is Mark Causey. I've been roleplaying for about 11 years
now. I've bounced between traditional games (Marvel FASERIP, D&D (1st
Edition - 3.5), Vampire) to 'indie' games (Primetime Adventures, The
Shadow of Yesterday, Shab-al-Hiri Roach). I'm also into Japanese RPGs
(Tenra Bansho Zero, Alshard ff, Double X Cross).

I feel that I can provide a fresh mindset to the Awards. I will
honestly play any kind of RPG once I know what kind of fun the authors
want to provide (which is hard to ascertain, sometimes). I believe
that any game book or supplement, if written from the point of view of
the fun that occurred from actual play, can be a good purchase. My
philosophy on gaming is based on getting my group excited and having
fun, using the best system for the concept we want to play. I think I
can help award those authors and companies for their efforts based on
that philosophy.

I believe that my bio includes my philosophy on System having a meaning in actual play and thus, I believe it does Matter.

Ben wrote:
* Is a game without supplementation "dead" and if so, what does that mean for your opinion of the game?

* If a given game approaches a basic task of role-playing (task resolution, advancement, combat, GMing, session pacing) in a totally different way than prior role-playing games, are you inclined to see that as positive or negative?  Why?

* How much do production values (art, layout, etc.) matter in your assessment of games?

* How many different role-playing systems have you played this year?

Jason wrote:
Here's a question for y'all:  I'm interested in your responsibility, maturity, and even-handedness.  Have you ever publicly mocked or insulted a game or game designer?  If so, who and why? 

Tim wrote:
1. How long have you been roleplaying? Have you ever stopped roleplaying altogether for any significant period of time? If so, why?

2. (Independent of No. 1) What keeps you coming back to the roleplaying hobby?

3. Using your best guess, what roleplaying game have you played the most? What about that game has kept your interest over the years? Are you still playing that game?

Graham wrote:
1. What do you think of White Wolf's decision to reboot the World of Darkness?
2. How do you feel about Mongoose Publishing's habit of rewriting and relaunching old games (Paranoia, Rune Quest and so on)?

Clyde wrote:
1.  Many creator owned (Indy) game designers have a hard time affording anything but a bit of art. Part of your requirement is to judge a games presentation. This seems to limit the ability of many Indy designers to compete on a level scale with large game companies. Do you feel it's fair to judge a game on it's presentation?

2. Many creator owned game designers have a difficult time being able to afford the cost of giving away free books to enter a competition like the Ennies. They aren't able to use the same markets of scale to justify the cost. Giving away PDF's can potentially bite into the profits of a small creators book sales, if those PDF's aren't guarded with care. If a creator owned game were supplied to you as a neatly arrayed text only file how would you judge it? Do you think that's not a good question, because someone should feel safe putting their potential profits in your hands, or do you think that eating the costs of free books is part of the game for entering the Ennies?

3. What do you think should factor higher when judging a game; randomization (or lack of randomization) mechanics, setting, presentation and art, theme, addressing specific styles of play, or a grabby situation?

How long have you been roleplaying? Have you ever stopped roleplaying altogether for any significant period of time? If so, why?

Twenty-five years. I stopped for three years while I was at university, mainly because there were many, many new things to get involved with there and I wanted to check them all out. Plus, there were surprisingly few other roleplayers, or I failed to meet most of them.

What keeps you coming back to the roleplaying hobby?

It’s fun! Plus, I feel that engages my mind in a way that other hobbies don’t always manage.

Using your best guess, what roleplaying game have you played the most? What about that game has kept your interest over the years? Are you still playing that game?

Various iterations and re-hashings of Dungeons and Dragons – I got the red box Basic set when I was 10 and the largest potion of my gaming has been with level/class/roll D20 to hit fantasy gaming.

I think that part of the appeal (beyond familiarity with the game, my own and other people’s) is that the rules seem to be very friendly towards would-be customisers. Virtually every game of (A)D&D I have played has been with “houserules” of some sort of another. It’s where I got my game design fix before discovering sites like this one.

So I’m still playing “that game”, but it’s not the same game as when I started playing it.

What do you think of White Wolf's decision to reboot the World of Darkness?

How do you feel about Mongoose Publishing's habit of rewriting and relaunching old games (Paranoia, Rune Quest and so on)?

I’m going to answer these two questions together.  Firstly, I don’t think the fact that a product is a re-write should count against it for the purpose of judging the ENnies. 

However, as a consumer, if a game is going to be re-released, I’d prefer to see it either substantially revised or kept exactly the same. I think that generally Mongoose have done a better job of refreshing other people’s licences than White Wolf have done with their own. I feel that the transition from oWoD to nWoD is more akin to the change from D&D 3.0 to 3.5, rather than the more substantial overhaul D&D undertook between 2nd and 3rd editions. I’m also thinking about the vast number of supplements White Wolf put out for their games, and I would like to see them spending more of their time on genuinely new material like Promethean and less time rebooting their major product lines – remember that Exalted is getting the same treatment.

Many creator owned (Indy) game designers have a hard time affording anything but a bit of art. Part of your requirement is to judge a games presentation. This seems to limit the ability of many Indy designers to compete on a level scale with large game companies. Do you feel it's fair to judge a game on it's presentation?

One small point: presentation is not the same as art. Good layout is also important and does not require a large financial outlay. As for judging, I think it is fair to judge a game on presentation (including art) – if the game’s art manages to capture the intended “feel” of the game, and inspires the reader (thereby enhancing actual play), it would be wrong not to take it into account.

Also, I don’t feel that “indie” games need special consideration because of their small-press status. Indie games are good enough to stand on their own without any positive discrimination from the judges.

Many creator owned game designers have a difficult time being able to afford the cost of giving away free books to enter a competition like the Ennies. They aren't able to use the same markets of scale to justify the cost. Giving away PDF's can potentially bite into the profits of a small creators book sales, if those PDF's aren't guarded with care. If a creator owned game were supplied to you as a neatly arrayed text only file how would you judge it? Do you think that's not a good question, because someone should feel safe putting their potential profits in your hands, or do you think that eating the costs of free books is part of the game for entering the Ennies?

I would expect to see the actual product that’s entered. If the retail version is print-only, I would not want to review a PDF, let alone a text file. If a game is already available to the public in PDF, giving a PDF to judges doesn’t constitute any further risk (not that it should constitute a risk anyway.)

And yes, eating the cost of free books is part of the game. If you enter the ENnies, you are weighing the cost of providing review copies, against the value of getting an award, nomination or honourable mention. If a publisher doesn’t believe that is worth the risk, then they probably shouldn’t enter. Sorry if this sounds harsh - but if your financial situation is parlous enough that you cannot afford to send review copies and you do not believe that your product is competitive enough, then entering awards should be very low on your "to do" list.

What do you think should factor higher when judging a game; randomization (or lack of randomization) mechanics, setting, presentation and art, theme, addressing specific styles of play, or a grabby situation?

Addressing (as in supporting) a specific style of play comes the highest for me, and whether or not a game contains randomisation shouldn’t factor at all. The rest are all important but aren't my top priority.

Regards,

Doug

Tim wrote:
Here's a few:

1. How long have you been roleplaying? Have you ever stopped roleplaying altogether for any significant period of time? If so, why?

2. (Independent of No. 1) What keeps you coming back to the roleplaying hobby?

3. Using your best guess, what roleplaying game have you played the most? What about that game has kept your interest over the years? Are you still playing that game?

Tim wrote:
Here's a few:

1. How long have you been roleplaying? Have you ever stopped roleplaying altogether for any significant period of time? If so, why?

2. (Independent of No. 1) What keeps you coming back to the roleplaying hobby?

3. Using your best guess, what roleplaying game have you played the most? What about that game has kept your interest over the years? Are you still playing that game?

Graham wrote:
A couple more questions...

1. What do you think of White Wolf's decision to reboot the World of Darkness?

2. How do you feel about Mongoose Publishing's habit of rewriting and relaunching old games (Paranoia, Rune Quest and so on)?

Helloe, I am Treebore. This is my first time here. I normally hang out on ENWorld, RPGnet, Necromancer Games, Goodman, and Troll Lord Games. I occassionally post at AEG and ICE for HARP and L5R reasons.

The only independent publishers products I own are Sorceror and Witchcraft. Plus I also own Ed Cha's Whitehorn books.

Here are Q&A's I have done on the other boards.

1. How do you think price factors when evaluating a product?

I'm just evaluating the product, its up to the individual to decide if it is worth their money, not me.

2. Do you have a favourite system, or particular dislike of one? Why? How will this affect your ability to judge products?

I think I play too many systems to say I have a favorite. I definitely have a "preference", but I know how many systems bring very many different strengths to a game. So I am the last person who will say any rules sytem is the best of all.

3. How do you feel about PDFs? Inherent advantages and/or disadvantages?
I have a lot of pdf's. I like them but I still have a definite preference for print. I mostly like them for products I expect to need to print a lot from, like modules. Or "Mother of all Treasure Tables", things like that. However PDF doesn't keep me from buying a product, as Phil Reed and CMG Mark can attest. Le Games. Fat Dragon Games. Et Al.

4. Mutant or troll?

Definitely a Mutant.

5. mechanics or concepts? if you find too many errors in mechanics or in the writing will you fault the submission?

Yes. I'm here to pick the cream of the crop. Well written mechanics and concepts are going to be key elements to separate the wheat from the chaffe.

6. are you in a long term relationship or a job which requires you to be on call or have little free time? how much time are you willing to spend to see this project to completion? are the outside factors going to effect your commitment? (a non gaming SO, a sick child, an aging parent, a new job, a move, planning a marriage, etc...)

I am essentially retired and self employed (small farm). I have hours every day to spend on this. Health issues with my wife/kids/family are the only possible issues, but none that are foreseeable.

7. what are you gonna do with your stuff when all is done?

Don't know. Definitely keep what I like and don't already have. The rest I may sell, give away, whatever I finally decide upon.

9) Which is your favorite Beatle?

The Rhino Beetle

10) Software. What role do you see for software in DnD? Do you use software in DnD (more than Word/PDF etc)? Are minis more important than software?

I would like to see a lot more done for RPG's in the software world, thats for sure. I hope if I am elected a judge that I get to see a lot of cool new stuff that gets me excited about the future.

Since most people seem to be dodging the 'favourite system' question I've got one.

Question 12*
What game(s) are you playing in now / have played in in the past year?

*(feel free to ignore question 11)

D20 Star WArs (8 sessions)

Castles and Crusades (30+ sessions)

D&D 3E (9 sessions)

MegaTraveller (4 sessions)

HARP (3 sessions)

EPICrpg (2 sessions)

M&M 2E (3 sessions)

L5R 3E (1 session so far)

Shadowrun 4E (1 session)

All with my wife and 3 kids. It pays to have a gamer family. 

Plus I have been reading the rules to Runequest and Call of Cthulhu 6th edition in preparation to try them out over the summer. Plus we want to do more L5R, Shadowrun, EPICrpg, well, all of them. During the summer we play 3 or more nights a week.

Originally Posted by blakkie
13. Question: How do you feel about Wizards of the Coast abstaining from entering products?

Good for the third party d20 publishers, because they don't have the resources, for the most part, to consistantly compete with WOTC on production quality. Especially product, after product, after product. Plus they put out so much, now including adventures, they could easily dominate the awards due to a "flood" of products to submit.

So I think its good, even nice, that they abstain from participating in the awards process. They really don't need the extra feathers in their caps anyways. Their name recognition is "the name" synonomous (sp?) with the biggest RPG in the market.

So I think it was really considerate of them to step aside and allow a level playing field for the up and coming 3rd party companies to get better recognition in the d20 market.

14. Why did I decide to throw my hat in for a judge slot?
Let me quote myself from another messageboard:

"...I like the desired goal the ENNIEs board has, and I hope it is succesful in its move in that direction, without losing credibility with the fans of the RPG industry. Plus gaining credibility with the fans who have yet to learn about the awards and how it works.

I don't pay attention to the Oscars, Emmy, Grammy's, etc... but I pay attention to this award because it is the closest I have seen to being truly a "fan" award that has wide industry recognition.

Anyways, I think it is a worthwhile award, otherwise I wouldn't even put my hat in the ring to be a judge, and I think it is a great pat on the back of publishers able to win any of them because they know it was fans, their customers, saying "You did a great job with this particular product in this particular way."

I only got to talk to maybe a dozen or so publishers last year at GenCon, but they all said they like the awards because of who it is telling them their product is great, the fans.

So I support that ideal. This year I would like to be directly involved in the process above and beyond voting and winning auctions to help fund them."

15. Will I be at GenCon?
I sure plan on being there!

16. Have I ever been a ENNIES judge before?

No.

17. Past ENNIEs Awards I have disagreed with?

Plenty. The products I liked and voted for didn't win. Which is another reason why I would like to be a judge this year, so I can know every product that is nominated, and see how much I agree with the voting of the fans when it is all done. I want to see if intimately knowing every product will give me a different perspective on the final votes, and see if I can determine how much differently I would vote this year compared to past years because I would be familiar with every single nominated product.

I don't like seeing a product listed as a nominee and have no idea what it is when I cast my votes. There has usually been one or two in several categories that I had never even heard of, let alone read or played.

Even so, when my fav products didn't win I could see why the other product was chosen as being better by more voters.

18. What is your opinion on materials produced for OOP games?

I'm thinking of OSRIC while answering this. I am very well aware of OSRIC. I have even bought a few of the modules and a couple of pdf products for it. So in OSRIC's case I would have a very stong familiarity. So for me it would be no different than if I judge products from other game lines that I am familiar with.

As for those I don't know about, it will be no different for me than in judging totally new products. I'll do what I have to do to understand the rules system. That is where familiarity with other game mechanics will help judges. It will help them to see how the various systems work faster, and hopefully with a higher level of comprehension due to similiarities with how other systems work.

So the fact that so many of the judges, if not all of us, are familiar with so many game systemswill be a big help.

For instance, I have never got into any of White Wolf's World of Darkness books or the system. I am not into Exalted. So a couple fo the other Judge nominees are knowledgeable in these systems, so they can help me get up to speed fast.

Hopefully I will return the favor on systems like L5R, Shadowrun, Big Eyes, Small Mouth (BESM), EPICrpg, and others.

So that is how I am going to approach judging OOP's, and systems I don't know.

19. How would you evaluate material for systems in which you have zero experience? What if any of those systems are highly complex? That is, the rulebooks are very dense and there may be many supplements. This can be the case for games with a long history, as in 15+ years.

Part of my answer to the previous question applies here as well. I am going to rely on my fellow judges to bring me up to speed. I am familiar, and even own products, from most of the systems that have been around for 15+ years, such as Call of Cthulhu, RIFTS/Paladium, etc.... With White Wolf, my fellow judges will have to help me understand the rules. Which I believe I will be able to do quickly, because from what I have heard about the mechanics, it sounds like other systems I have played.

If you do not like a particular system, how will you evaluate supplements/adventures/whatever submitted for that system? Do you think there can be a good adventure for a bad system?

I am not aware of systems I do not like. I like systems others "hate", such as Synnibar, RIFTS, Castles and Crusades, Mega/Traveller, BESM, L5R, etc...

I think a big part of that is because when I look at systems I am looking for what does work. What I think doesn't work I make work to my satisfaction.

There is no system that I "hate", so that will not be an issue for me.

20. What barriers are you anticipating in play testing submissions? Are you thinking ahead to come up with contingencies?

Time is the barrier. Plus playtesting is not a "requirement" of judging. I just know that as a judge, and other nominee's have said this as well, I/we will playtest as much as we can. Will we will have time to playtest everything equally and to our satisfaction? Highly unlikely.

We will just do the best we can, and hope it is good enough.

21. What about Ptolus?

Originally Posted by mcrow
"I don't own it, but have read plenty of reviews of it and have paged through it @ the store.

From that I would say it qualifies for :

Best Campaign/Campaign Supplement
Best d20/OGL Product
Best Writing
Best Production Values
Best Cover Art
Best Interior Art
Best Cartography

I'm just listing ones that it could be entered in, not that I think it could win or be nominated for any of the above.

It most definitely should not be listed in both adventure and campaign, like Shackled City was last year. If that situation came up again this year, i would do my best to keep i from happening again."

Why repeat when you can just quote and say, "What he said."

Now here are my answers to questions on this board.

1. How long have you been roleplaying? Have you ever stopped roleplaying altogether for any significant period of time? If so, why?

I have been playing since May of 1985. The longest break I ever took from gaming was 8 months, due to simple burn out and wanting to focus on other things.

2. What keeps you coming back to the roleplaying hobby?

The fun, the creativity, and that I usually like people who like RPG's more often than people in other "groupings".

3. Using your best guess, what roleplaying game have you played the most? What about that game has kept your interest over the years? Are you still playing that game?

No guess to it. D&D, every edition. Plus now C&C, which I consider to be an "alternate 3E" that I like much better. Why has it kept my interest? My favorite genre in which anything can happen, so the ideas are endless. I still play the C&C version of it.

4. What do you think of White Wolf's decision to reboot the World of Darkness?

I don't know. I only followed White Wolf because of Engel and their affiliation with Arthaus and Necromancer Games.

5. How do you feel about Mongoose Publishing's habit of rewriting and relaunching old games (Paranoia, Rune Quest and so on)?

I feel it is a great thing. Paranoia will always have a special place in the sick and twisted part of my heart. Runequest I am not so hot on. I am excited about Lahkmar and I do like their incarnation of Glorantha. Other than that I am really not into any of the other stuff Mongoose does. I may pick up the Conan and Slaine stuff someday, but I am in no hurry to do so right now.

But I am glad they are doing it, keeping the old stuff updated and in the RPG public eye, even if just a corner of it.

6. Many creator owned (Indy) game designers have a hard time affording anything but a bit of art. Part of your requirement is to judge a games presentation. This seems to limit the ability of many Indy designers to compete on a level scale with large game companies. Do you feel it's fair to judge a game on it's presentation?

Yes. But presentation is more an issue of clear layout that makes for easy reading and finding key rules quickly than art or being full color.

7. Many creator owned game designers have a difficult time being able to afford the cost of giving away free books to enter a competition like the Ennies. They aren't able to use the same markets of scale to justify the cost. Giving away PDF's can potentially bite into the profits of a small creators book sales, if those PDF's aren't guarded with care. If a creator owned game were supplied to you as a neatly arrayed text only file how would you judge it? Do you think that's not a good question, because someone should feel safe putting their potential profits in your hands, or do you think that eating the costs of free books is part of the game for entering the Ennies?

Speaking from the perspective of a small business owner, if you want to compete with the big guys your going to have to sink money into it. Otherwise you don't grow your market. Then you will crash and burn sooner or later, and no one will notice.

8. What do you think should factor higher when judging a game; randomization (or lack of randomization) mechanics, setting, presentation and art, theme, addressing specific styles of play, or a grabby situation?

I think Mechanics and Presentation are the biggest factors. As for personal use those are the only factors I am concerned about. If it is also a good setting idea, well executed, great. Art is nice. Qin blew me away when I first looked through it at GenCon. Its the first product that I almost bought just because of how awesome the art is. I didn't buy it though. I successfully resisted because I wanted, and want, to wait until I find out how the mechanics are and how well the material is written. If I like what I see and/or hear, I'll buy it.

But if I am a judge I am hoping that the products we are given to review are so awesome that we will have to use such factors to whittle the list down to 5 for each category. However, when I am whittling down my list the Mechanics and Presentation are going to be my key criteria. Only if there are two or more products too close to call will I start to use other criteria to decide.

Unfortunately, in a competitive environment like this, such decision may have to come down to such criteria. Assuming there is a lot of top notch competition submitted, which I hope will be the case.

Is that fair to small budget Indies? No. As I understand the ENnies, that is how I will have to judge it. If the Mechanics and Presentation are very well done, it will have a good chance to get nominated by me, though. It would definitely have to be exceptional.

I somehow missed these questions last time, sorry about that Clyde.

Clyde wrote:
1.  Many creator owned (Indy) game designers have a hard time affording anything but a bit of art. Part of your requirement is to judge a games presentation. This seems to limit the ability of many Indy designers to compete on a level scale with large game companies. Do you feel it's fair to judge a game on it's presentation?

2. Many creator owned game designers have a difficult time being able to afford the cost of giving away free books to enter a competition like the Ennies. They aren't able to use the same markets of scale to justify the cost. Giving away PDF's can potentially bite into the profits of a small creators book sales, if those PDF's aren't guarded with care. If a creator owned game were supplied to you as a neatly arrayed text only file how would you judge it? Do you think that's not a good question, because someone should feel safe putting their potential profits in your hands, or do you think that eating the costs of free books is part of the game for entering the Ennies?

3. What do you think should factor higher when judging a game; randomization (or lack of randomization) mechanics, setting, presentation and art, theme, addressing specific styles of play, or a grabby situation?

Hi, making my rounds through the question threads.

"Does System matter?"

* Is a game without supplementation "dead" and if so, what does that mean for your opinion of the game?

* If a given game approaches a basic task of role-playing (task resolution, advancement, combat, GMing, session pacing) in a totally different way than prior role-playing games, are you inclined to see that as positive or negative?  Why?

* How much do production values (art, layout, etc.) matter in your assessment of games?

* How many different role-playing systems have you played this year?

Jason wrote:
Here's a question for y'all:  I'm interested in your responsibility, maturity, and even-handedness.  Have you ever publicly mocked or insulted a game or game designer?  If so, who and why? 

Tim wrote:
Here's a few:

1. How long have you been roleplaying? Have you ever stopped roleplaying altogether for any significant period of time? If so, why?

2. (Independent of No. 1) What keeps you coming back to the roleplaying hobby?

3. Using your best guess, what roleplaying game have you played the most? What about that game has kept your interest over the years? Are you still playing that game?

Graham wrote:
A couple more questions...

1. What do you think of White Wolf's decision to reboot the World of Darkness?

2. How do you feel about Mongoose Publishing's habit of rewriting and relaunching old games (Paranoia, Rune Quest and so on)?

Tim wrote:
Here's a few:

1. How long have you been roleplaying? Have you ever stopped roleplaying altogether for any significant period of time? If so, why?

2. (Independent of No. 1) What keeps you coming back to the roleplaying hobby?

3. Using your best guess, what roleplaying game have you played the most? What about that game has kept your interest over the years? Are you still playing that game?

Graham wrote:
A couple more questions...

1. What do you think of White Wolf's decision to reboot the World of Darkness?
2. How do you feel about Mongoose Publishing's habit of rewriting and relaunching old games (Paranoia, Rune Quest and so on)?

Graham

Clyde wrote:
1.  Many creator owned (Indy) game designers have a hard time affording anything but a bit of art. Part of your requirement is to judge a games presentation. This seems to limit the ability of many Indy designers to compete on a level scale with large game companies. Do you feel it's fair to judge a game on it's presentation?

2. Many creator owned game designers have a difficult time being able to afford the cost of giving away free books to enter a competition like the Ennies. They aren't able to use the same markets of scale to justify the cost. Giving away PDF's can potentially bite into the profits of a small creators book sales, if those PDF's aren't guarded with care. If a creator owned game were supplied to you as a neatly arrayed text only file how would you judge it? Do you think that's not a good question, because someone should feel safe putting their potential profits in your hands, or do you think that eating the costs of free books is part of the game for entering the Ennies?

3. What do you think should factor higher when judging a game; randomization (or lack of randomization) mechanics, setting, presentation and art, theme, addressing specific styles of play, or a grabby situation?

There's no animus behind these questions. I just wanted to throw out some hard ones to get better ideas of where people are coming from and how they see things.

1. How long have you been roleplaying? Have you ever stopped roleplaying altogether for any significant period of time? If so, why?

2. (Independent of No. 1) What keeps you coming back to the roleplaying hobby?

3. Using your best guess, what roleplaying game have you played the most? What about that game has kept your interest over the years? Are you still playing that game?

1. What do you think of White Wolf's decision to reboot the World of Darkness?

2. How do you feel about Mongoose Publishing's habit of rewriting and relaunching old games (Paranoia, Rune Quest and so on)?

1.  Many creator owned (Indy) game designers have a hard time affording anything but a bit of art. Part of your requirement is to judge a games presentation. This seems to limit the ability of many Indy designers to compete on a level scale with large game companies. Do you feel it's fair to judge a game on it's presentation?

2. Many creator owned game designers have a difficult time being able to afford the cost of giving away free books to enter a competition like the Ennies. They aren't able to use the same markets of scale to justify the cost. Giving away PDF's can potentially bite into the profits of a small creators book sales, if those PDF's aren't guarded with care. If a creator owned game were supplied to you as a neatly arrayed text only file how would you judge it? Do you think that's not a good question, because someone should feel safe putting their potential profits in your hands, or do you think that eating the costs of free books is part of the game for entering the Ennies?

3. What do you think should factor higher when judging a game; randomization (or lack of randomization) mechanics, setting, presentation and art, theme, addressing specific styles of play, or a grabby situation?

Have you ever publicly mocked or insulted a game or game designer?  If so, who and why?I don’t know but it is probable. Why? Well, I am a member of www.circvsmaximvs.com and vigorous debates about politics and religion are part of our board’s social contract. Have I ever mocked or insulted a game designer about his game? Never. But it is most likely that I have made some heated comments about his position on the abortion question. In my view discourse communities are not unlike gaming groups; it doesn’t so much matter how you treat one another, provided that this treatment is part of the upfront social contract that people buy into.

How long have you been roleplaying?
Since a little after my 9th birthday in 1981.

Have you ever stopped roleplaying altogether for any significant period of time? If so, why?
I stopped between for two years in the 90s because I had a new job that required me to be on the road all the time. I had to drop all of my regular commitments like school and additional contract work that required a stable work week. It was a very exciting new job and so I do not regret for a minute the break I took. Furthermore, when I returned to gaming, I realized that my experiences combined with a fresh look at the hobby helped me to discover and do new things with RPGs.

What keeps you coming back to the roleplaying hobby?
Two things: firstly, I really like the particular corner of the gaming subculture I am in. While I wouldn’t feel especially comfortable at a GAMA event, I find that I am pretty good at finding groups of mature, professional people who use gaming as an outlet from their work and family responsibilities – when I meet people like this, I feel socially at peace and like I have found more of “my people.” Secondly, I really enjoy the process of world-building; because of my hardcore simulationist bent, I tend to see this process as profoundly linked to and blended with system-building. Creating worlds unlike our own and thinking through, then playing through the implications of this really scratches some major intellectual itches for me.

Using your best guess, what roleplaying game have you played the most?
Second and third edition Runequest. I played this almost exclusively from 1987 to 1996.

What about that game has kept your interest over the years?
Well, I now just use certain elements from it in my homebrews. The main thing I got out of RQ was that it was very interested in thinking through the intersections between the big things about worlds like histories, politics and theologies and the everyday aspects of life. Instead of statting gods, the game statted cults. RQ’s understanding, anthropologically and historically of how polytheistic societies work at the human level remains, even today, light years ahead of any other game I have seen and, at its best, current with the most sophisticated academic approaches to questions of belief and social organization in the ancient world. Similarly, politics was not just about elites but about the system of relationships in which people were enmeshed right down to the most lowly lay member of an obscure cult or a part-time tribute collector. So, first off, RQ redirected my attention about what kinds of questions setting and adventure materials should answer.

Second, as a simulationist, I found that RQ’s rules were written was a much clearer consciousness that the rules of the game are the physics of the game world. As a result, the game understood for instance, experience as a thing that happens to characters not as a reward for players undmediated by character actions.

Are you still playing that game?
I still use bits of it. Unfortunately, like many percentage-based systems, it did a poor job of coping with variable skill difficulty and opposed checks. The last game I ran borrowed a lot from RQ like the experience and spirit combat mechanics but placed them in a D20-informed matrix.

What do you think of White Wolf's decision to reboot the World of Darkness?
It won’t make me start playing World of Darkness but I think it was necessary and productive. I think it reflects a maturation on the part of White Wolf and of the hobby in general in saying, “Aesthetically gorgeous is not enough – settings and systems must be self-consistent.”

How do you feel about Mongoose Publishing's habit of rewriting and relaunching old games (Paranoia, Rune Quest and so on)?
Having just finished purchasing and reading Runequest, pretty darned good in general. I am a little disappointed to see parts of D20 creeping in unnecessarily to some of the mechanics, though.

Many creator owned (Indy) game designers have a hard time affording anything but a bit of art. Part of your requirement is to judge a games presentation. This seems to limit the ability of many Indy designers to compete on a level scale with large game companies. Do you feel it's fair to judge a game on it's presentation?
I think that it obviously is when it comes to the art and production values categories but, in the other categories, I cannot see giving serious weight to art work. As a consumer totally indifferent to visual presentation in RPG books, it will be a real struggle for me to hand out art marks when I am required to never mind in categories where I am not. I do not see myself ever marking a product down for lacking artwork in a category like Best Game.

Many creator owned game designers have a difficult time being able to afford the cost of giving away free books to enter a competition like the Ennies. They aren't able to use the same markets of scale to justify the cost. Giving away PDF's can potentially bite into the profits of a small creators book sales, if those PDF's aren't guarded with care. If a creator owned game were supplied to you as a neatly arrayed text only file how would you judge it?
I would only judge a product in a form in which it was commercially sold. To do otherwise could create real problems. If the practice you propose became acceptable, I could see myself becoming biased in favour of companies that sent me published material rather than text files because I would probably begin to resent spending hundreds of dollars printing materials and filling my apartment with loose paper filled with nothing but solid 8.5 x 11 blocks of words.

Do you think that's not a good question, because someone should feel safe putting their potential profits in your hands, or do you think that eating the costs of free books is part of the game for entering the Ennies?
I think there is some potential middle ground here. If elected, I would like to work with the Indie community to find a way to reduce the costs of entering the awards. Off the top of my head, it seems to me like one possible way forward would be limited-edition PDF runs whereby a PDF product is produced for judging and display purposes but never goes on the market.

What do you think should factor higher when judging a game; randomization (or lack of randomization) mechanics, setting, presentation and art, theme, addressing specific styles of play, or a grabby situation?
It depends on the kind of play experience the designer is prioritizing. Any of the above would be a good answer, depending on the desired dynamic. Obviously, if a game markets itself as narrativist, theme will be of paramount importance; if the priority is creating a simulationist-style experience where there is deep integration between system and setting, setting will be of crucial importance but not so otherwise.

Voting is up!  http://www.enworld.org/judgevoting/

Not sure who's who? Learn more about the candidates here: http://www.ennieawards.com/judgenominees.html

Want even more information? Here are several Q+A threads the judge nominees have been participating in:

At ENWorld: http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=187231&page=1&pp=40

Here's another at theRPGsite: http://www.therpgsite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4322

At StoryGames: http://www.story-games.com/forums/comments.php?DiscussionID=2391&page=1

And, finally, at RPG.net: http://forum.rpg.net/showthread.php?t=310213

Check it out, cast a vote, make sure the judge panel represents your interests!

Actually, voting is here:

http://www.ennieawards.com/voting.html

Aman wrote:
Actually, voting is here:

http://www.ennieawards.com/voting.html

Thanks for the questions folks. If my answers have impressed in any way I ask you to throw me a vote. You'd make an old gamer very, very happy. :)

Yes, please vote, for whomever you choose! Let the (collected users of the) Forge's voice be heard!

Hi everyone!

I'm one of those late applicants, so I'll take this opportunity to get known by the most people that I can. I'm hoping to be selected for jury duty because I want to help people what exists out there. I also pledge to donate every review books, except for one, as a gift to support my local gaming convention (Montreal - RoyalCon).

1. How do you think price factors when evaluating a product?
If price is proportional to the quality of the product, then it's fair. It's when you get less than what you paid for that you have a problem.

2. Do you have a favourite system, or particular dislike of one? Why? How will this affect your ability to judge products?
I have fond memories of good and bad systems. I remember when the critical hits of Rolemaster affected the nerves of my left hand. Now that I am more experienced, I tend to prefer coherent game systems. So no specific favourite nor dislike.

3. How do you feel about PDFs? Inherent advantages and/or disadvantages?
I'm okay with them but still prefer games in dead-tree format.

4. Mutant or troll?
Mutant, especially from Fallout.

5. Mechanics or Concepts? if you find too many errors in mechanics or in the writing will you fault the submission?
Concepts! Are you asking if a book that contains many glitches should have the same note as a book with a better proof read? Of course it shouldn't.

6. Are you in a long term relationship or a job which requires you to be on call or have little free time? how much time are you willing to spend to see this project to completion? are the outside factors going to effect your commitment? (a non gaming SO, a sick child, an aging parent, a new job, a move, planning a marriage, etc...)
Totally free. I'm guessing I'm going to spend 20 hours per week for 8 weeks. It's going to be one hell of an experience! :)

7. what are you gonna do with your stuff when all is done?
I will donate most of it to my local gaming convention.

8. 4e - Now, Soon, Later, or Never?
Later.

9. Which is your favorite Beatle?
The Blue Beetle
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Beetle

10. Software. What role do you see for software in DnD? Do you use software in DnD (more than Word/PDF etc)? Are minis more important than software?
Since I own a decent amount of DwarvenForge stuff, I do consider minis more important than software. The only software that I use is Ms-Excel. I keep a list of people encountered by my group in that format. I also have totals to say how many of X race and what percentage that represents.

11. Are any of you offering cash incentives, beer, and/or incriminating photographs of Morrus in return for my vote?
How did you know about the fling between Morrus and me? He's such a big mouth!

12. What game(s) are you playing in now / have played in in the past year?
Mutants and Masterminds - Currently playing
Dnd & Arcana Evolved set in Ptolus - Ended (lasted 2 years and a half)
Werewolf : The Forsaken

Do you think that the ENnies should have a codified set of rules for how they should be run, including a specific list of points that the judges should use for each category?
No. Guidelines are always welcome, but skip on the firm set of rules.

Or do you think that the ENnies should be like they are currently, and the judges voting on the rules each year?
At least this way each year are sure to have there surprises.

Do you think that the ENnies being so intimately tied to the World's Largest d20 Fan Site might mean that the basic voting pool for the ENnies might be a bit biased towards d20 products in general?
It probably helps a little, but the good products that won last year did it because they were spectacular.

Do you think that the ENnies should move everything over to their own, independant website (which they already have), to have all aspects of the ENnies in 1 single central location? Why or why not?
Only if they would save something on the hosting fees.

Do you plan on playtesting any of the material?
If it's deadly and horrible, you can bet that I will torture my players with it.

What prompted you to consider being a judge for the ENnies?
I want to be a judge because I want to know what is out there. I want to help people know about the excellent books they are missing for whatever reason.

Would statements by those "in the industry" affect your opinions on a product?
Hell no.

Francois Labrecque

By the way, since we're using the Single Transferrable Vote method, it is important to select at least your top ten favourites, twelve would be better.
As I understand it, a nominee needs to make a quota of votes, and once they do, any additional votes for them are discarded, and those voters' next choice gets the votes.  This goes on until five judges are selected.  (Wiki explains it quite nicely for those interested in learning more).