Topic: The Ennies

[Defendi]

Okay.  I guess it's time to open the discussion.  I don't think that there's a rule about submitting an electronic product in one of the main categories.  Does anyone know different?

At any rate, the three products that are elligible are the Campaign Setting/The Throne of God, The Last Free City/The Festering Earth, and The Lost Kingdom of the Dwarves/On Corrupted Ground.  Some of the Adventure Seeds will be eligible too (whatever I release before April 30th).  So I'd like your oppinions as you all read product 3.  I know most of you hadn't had a chance to do more than glance at it, but I figure we start the discussion and let the oppinions come in as you all get an idea.

I want your oppinions.  You're more objective than me.  Here are the categories:

Best Fan Site - Awarded for an RPG web site or web comic run by fans, for fans, ie. not by a publisher and not for profit.
Best Cartography - Awarded for the individual product containing the best art or technique of making maps or charts.
Best Interior Art - Awarded for the book containing the best artwork between the covers.
Best Cover Art - Awarded for the book with the best cover.
Best Production Values - Awarded for the book exemplifying the best production values, from graphic design and layout, editing, paper, binding- all the factors that combine to create the look and feel of the product.
Best Writing - Awarded for the book containing the best prose and descriptive text (ie."cream" or ?fluff?).
Best Rules - Awarded for the book containing the best game design and mechanics (ie. "crunch").
Best Supplement - Awarded for a product which adds supplementary rules or details to the game. Products nominated for Best Supplement or any of its child categories (Setting, Adventure, Monster) may not be nominated as Best Game. Products nominated in the Supplement child categories may not be nominated for Best Supplement or other Supplement child categories unless they contain sufficient additional quality and quantity of material as determined by the judges. If insufficient entries are received in the child categories, submissions may be merged with Best Supplement.
Best Adventure - Awarded for a product that is primarily an adventure, adventure ideas, or seeds.
Best Adversary/Monster Product - Awarded for a product whose primary focus is monsters or adversaries.
Best Setting - Awarded for a product detailing a setting.
Best Aid or Accessory - Awarded for the best product used to complement role playing game play. RPG books are not eligible for this category. If insufficient entries are received in the child categories (Miniature, Regalia, Software), submissions may be merged with Best Aid/Accessory.
Best Miniature (NEW) - Awarded for the best miniature or miniature line. Unlike in previous years, miniatures need only be appropriate for RPG play, but not exclusive thereto.
Best Regalia (NEW) - Awarded for the best product which, while it does not complement role playing game play, does enhance the lives of RP gamers. RPG Fiction, RPG Video Games, Videos, RPG Board Games, miniature painting accessories, etc. are all possibilities for entries in this category.
Best Software (NEW) - Awarded to the best RPG software or utility.
Best Free Product or Web Enhancement - Awarded for the best free product or web enhancement. A company's entire site could be nominated so long as there were considerable updates and content added during the eligibility period.
Best Electronic Book - Awarded for the best book released electronically. Products submitted for Best Electronic Book must have been released exclusively in electronic format to be eligible, although small-run (under 50 copies) Print on Demand will not invalidate an entry in this category. Please note that this is for electronic books only- software has its own category, and other electronic products (such as digital counter collections) still belong in Aid/Accessory.
Best Game - Awarded for the best role-playing game. The Best Game winner brings together art, writing, rules, feeling, playability- everything that makes up a role playing game. Entries in this category must be complete enough to play as-is, from character creation to rules of play, and thus d20 books are not eligible. Best Game and Best Supplement are mutually-exclusive categories.
Best d20/OGL Product - Awarded for the best product using the d20 mechanic. This is open to d20-derived OGL, d20 Licensed games, and products with special D&D licenses.
Product of the Year - Awarded to the best product. All products submitted will be automatically considered for this category. Ten products will be nominated.
Best Publisher - Awarded to a publisher whose body of work during the eligibility period was deemed best overall, with other, often less tangible factors taken into consideration. Customer support, quality and frequency of updates of their web site, their accessibility and contributions to the EN World and gaming-in-general communities will be all part of the qualities of Best Publisher. This is a Fans' Choice Award. This is the only category in which a publisher who did not submit any product for consideration to the ENnies can qualify (if they receive the nomination).
Judge's Special Award(s): TBA.

[Defendi]

Oh!  Ulcer is eligible and Ice, the sequel, might be.  I'm guessing the CC3 symbols are as well, but I'd be competing against product it's meant to supplement.

[Michael Petrea]

You are asking which categories you should submit for, right?

[Thom @ ICE]

If you are going to submit, submit for everything. The judges have stated that they can move things into categories they feel are appropriate regardless of where it was submitted so why should you worry about what is appropriate... but then again, maybe you don't want to upset them since they are the individuals who decide what qualifies.  Best of luck with it, and by the way... don't worry about competing with ICE since they're not entering, don't worry about competing with WOTC since they don't submit anything, you only have to worry about HERO products.

Best of luck!

[Defendi]

I'm more interested in WHICH products.  Best setting is obvious, but do you think Lost Kingdom is better the Free City or vice versa?  I think it's unprofessional to submit everything for every category, and don't want to annoy the Judges at any rate.  Another question is which adventure is best.  I'm torn between 1 and 3, but I could be wrong an all you guys like two better then both put together (you can be more objective than I).  So that's what I'm looking for.  Votes for which of my products to submit when I submit for all.

Anyway, that's my thinking.

[markc]

 I personaly like prod 1 and 2 the best. Maybe you should do a pole so everyone can vote.

MDC

[Raf Blutaxt]

I've just finished reading product 3 and think it's the best so far. But maybe that's because I really like dwarves...
But then everyone likes dwarves don't they?

[Thom @ ICE]

I think it's unprofessional to submit everything for every category, and don't want to annoy the Judges at any rate. 

Sorry - my sarcasm was missed. It was meant as a joke. I fully agree with submitting only for what you think is valid.

[Defendi]

Chosen:  I actually didn't think you REALLY meant things that didn't qualify.  I was refering to submitting two adventures for best adventure, which a lot of people would do. 

MarkC:  I do intend to put up a poll, right now I'm try to get general trends to narrow it down.  I'll probably put up a few polls once we weed out the "definately not this product" stuff to keep them less cluttered.

[Thom @ ICE]

Still working my way through the campaign text - excellent so far, but time is limited.

[markc]

Chosen:  I actually didn't think you REALLY meant things that didn't qualify.  I was refering to submitting two adventures for best adventure, which a lot of people would do. 

MarkC:  I do intend to put up a poll, right now I'm try to get general trends to narrow it down.  I'll probably put up a few polls once we weed out the "definately not this product" stuff to keep them less cluttered.

  I think the first 2 adventures and products are vastly superior to the 3rd. I can not say why right off the top of my head but they just seamed to be better to me.
  I did finish reading the whole thing about 2 hours ago and I am letting it sit a while before I do any writing. I did enjoy it quite a bit and think it is a good product.

MDC

[Defendi]

Good to know.    I'm of Raf's opinion, but then I just released it.    Anyway, this is why I want other views, not just my own.

[Rasyr-Mjolnir]

1) Submit all your products that are eligible.
2) Submit them for every category for which they might apply.
3) The ENnies want you to do this (this is from past experience).

[mocking bird]

If the Belkanath map doesn't win, or at least do really well, for cartography I would really love to see what is better. 

Best Writing - Awarded for the book containing the best prose and descriptive text (ie."cream" or ?fluff?).

And the winner for best fluff is - the best fluffer???   But seriously, background in campaign setting is excellent but the story of Kulan is also quite dramatic.

Really like the cover for Lost Kingdom the best.

Catagories seem a bit muddled - electronic book & perhaps everything else.  Also the best suppliment seems incredibly vague.  So as Rasyr said - submit stuff in multiple catagories and let them figure out what is eligible.

Best publisher criteria seems a bit skewed but I think such things have been discussed elsewhere.

I am leaning towards 3rd as perhaps more practical?  Feldric's was quite good but city settings are more difficult to run often relying on more intrigue - as is evident in festering earth.  Dwarves is more straight forward with more hack & slash potential (plug n play) that might appeal to a larger audience.

Haven't read the 3rd adventure yet - I did cheat and look at the Warlord's stats...just because.


April 30th deadline - just enough time for the Bestiary.

[Defendi]

Rasyr -- Thanks!

Mocking Bird -- April 30th might be a little ambitious.