As the ENnie Awards enters its 10th year, we've been evaluating priorities and taking care to look at feedback from past years. So today we're asking your opinion on a few issues. Your responses will be taken into consideration as we move forward. Please note that we cannot afford the time or money to create too many extra categories. Also in your response, please note if you are a publisher, fan, if you've submitted to the ENnies/plan on doing so, etc.: I. As the category structure is set out currently, anyone submitting product for the ENnies is relegated into two broad classifications - "Publisher" or "Fan". A Publisher is someone who produces role playing games or related products for sale. A Fan is someone who produces role playing games or related products for free. These classifications have been made in order to recognize those people who produce product in their free time and who generally have fewer resources to devote to their product. Also, since the Awards and many publishers started as fan web sites or productions, the ENnies wish to maintain their commitment to acknowledging the efforts of those in the trenches getting started. We have two options to consider: A. Keep 'em separated: Offer a Fan Product category (or more if quality and quantity of submissions so warrant). Categories would most likely be Best Web Site, Best Serial (webzine, podcast, blog), Best Product. B. Let 'em compete together: Eliminate the Fan categories altogether. Many Fan productions believe they have sufficient quality to stand on their own feet without needing any special category to give them a leg up. It has to be either/or so the rules can be applied to everybody. It would not be acceptable to have only some Fan products "opt in". II. The definition of the category allows for any submitted free product or webhancement from a publisher, whether it's a full product, quickstart rules, etc. This category was created to replace the Best Web Site category, since for publishers, a web site is essentially a marketing and public relations tool, just like handing out free product. It is a "thank you" and an acknowledgement of the investment required to create a product that is not in itself going to make money. Last year there was some discussion as to what should be permitted as a free product in the Free Product/Webhancement category. Should we change the definition of this category? And if so, how? III. Please feel free to expand upon other topics below, fill out our online survey, or email the Business Manager personally at [email protected] with your questions or concerns. Tony Law ENnies Assistant Business Manager
Just an idea... Many of the sites I've frequented and products I've seen from "fans" are quite well done. What would be a great boost to these is to recognize them in a head-to-head comparison. That implies the one category scenario, but if they're separate, you say the rules for each must be the same. My suggestion is to keep them separate, establish the same subcategories (or many of the same), but add another level of judging. So Company "A" wins best RPG and Fan "B" wins best free RPG. Pit each "best" from the subcategories and determine if any of the the amateurs dust the pros!
Keeping the publishers and the fans together isn't helping anyone. Out of 5 nominations, I would guess that at least 4 of the products would come from publishers. Although the remaining fan product can claim to be the best stuff made by fans, I think they would get better recognition by having their own separate category. That's my 2 cp.
