The nominees for the 2010 ENnies judges are now online for you to look over! Please visit and study each nominee carefully as only five of them will judge next year's entries. I will update this thread later today once voting goes live.

http://www.ennie-awards.com/nominations/2010judges.asp

Edit: Voting is now live!

http://www.ennie-awards.com/voting/jvoting.asp

I like Megan's reviews. A lot.

Voting is now live! I've updated the first post.

Hello, My name is Sean Parker. I've been a gamer since I was 11 (26 years or so) and gaming has played a prominent role in my life ever since. For a while now I've felt the desire to be able to do something more for the hobby that I enjoy so much. I know I'll never write the next big game, but I still want to contribute to the community and industry in some way. That's when I found the ENnies a few years ago and realized that being a Judge gives me the chance to do just that. So here I am.

1. When did you join the RPG hobby and what inspired you to become involved and stay with it?

My first introduction to gaming was my mother flipping out when she found me looking at the Dungeons and Dragons toy line in the toy department at a Zares department store. How could a toy cause such hysteria? I got curious and that was that; been hooked since. My first purchase was the Car Wars Deluxe box set followed not long after by the BattleDroids (and eventually Battletech) box set. My real introduction to roleplaying games came with 5th grade and I met my best friend at the time. He introduced me to the Marvel Superheroes RPG (YAY! FASERIP!) and we played that for nearly 3 years solid after that. Since that time gaming has been a major part of my life both as a hobby and a social and creative outlet. I think it's the people I've met (and will meet) that keeps me so enamored with the hobby.

2. Since you joined the hobby, what roles have you played (e.g. vending, professional writing and publishing, freelancing, reviewing, convention organizing, homebrewing, playing, GMing, etc.)?

Mostly I've just been a player. I enjoy playing but I've always had a creative streak so have tried my hand at world building and such. Nothing that will ever see print of course but the creative exercise is worth it. I have recently gotten the GM bug and will be starting a game in the near future, I'm really looking forward to that. I did have a friend who was/is a game designer. I enjoyed hanging out with him, being a sounding board to his ideas and helping with the playtesting. Was neat to see the books after they were printed and knowing I had a small part to play in their creation. Even if I wasn't in the credits.

3. The ENnies require a major commitment of time and mental energy. What resources do you bring that will help you discharge these responsibilities? Will your gaming group or other individuals be assisting you? Does your family support you?

Time is what I have in spades at the moment. I am currently a part time student, taking only 2 classes a quarter. I do have a gaming group and other gamer friends that I can call upon to help with any playtesting that might arise. My family might not understand my gaming lifestyle, but they have always been supportive.

4. Judging requires a great deal of critical thinking skills, communication with other judges, deadline management, organization, and storage space for the product received. What interests, experience and skills do you bring that will make you a more effective judge?

Professionally I am a Computer Support Specialist and that has given me the skills to handle the needs of being a Judge. Storage won't be an issue, anything new I get always goes on the best shelves of my already overburdened book cases.

5. What styles and genres of RPGs do you enjoy most? Are there any styles or genres that you do not enjoy? Which games best exemplify what you like? Do you consider yourself a particular system's, publisher's or genre's "fanboy/girl"?

Wow, hard to answer really since I've read and played so many games and genres. I'm a softy for Superheroes games, Mutants and Masterminds being one of my favorite systems right now. I also played GURPS for nearly 10 years so I'd have to say it's also one of my favorites. Besides the Superhero genre I also really enjoy grim and gritty fantasy (from Conan to Warhammer), Victorian/Steampunk, Space Opera and especially anything with giant robots in it...

6. What system do you think is best designed? Is it the one you play most?

Best designed? I'd personally have to go with two, GURPS and Mutants and Masterminds. GURPS for the sheer level of detail in character creation and the tactical advantage of 1 second combat rounds. I think my love with GURPS has bled into Mutants and Masterminds because it too is so versatile with the added advantage of being a lot easier to play. M&M has boiled the d20 mechanic into its purist form. It really is a wonderful game and like GURPS, can be completely genre generic.

7. What games have you played in the past year? List up to 10 RPGs you have played the most.

Mutants and Masterminds, Warhammer Fantasy Role-Play 2e, Dread, D&D3.5 and 4e, and Hollow Earth Expedition. I also play a wide variety of tabletop miniatures games as well.

8. Briefly summarize the criteria you will use for judging products in the different categories. How will you deal with comparing products of vastly disparate lengths, medium (PDF vs. print), or mechanics to prose ratios? Will innovation and originality play a major role?

I feel that creativity is more of a factor than originality or innovation. Humanity has been around and telling stories for thousands of years before the invention of the roleplaying game. Creativity in how we tell those stories is what brings originality and innovation to the experience. Each product should be judged on its own merits not how they compare to one another. I will look at its creativity and see what originality it brings to the table and with that what innovations it has made both from a mechanical point and in storytelling.

9. How will you judge supplements or adventures for game systems whose core rules you are unfamiliar with or you believe are badly designed? What about for systems that are out of print?

Well, the likelihood of stuff for systems that are out of print I don't think will be that much of a problem and if I personally don't have it on my shelf, then I'm certain one of my friends whose game collection far exceeds my own would be willing to loan it to me. Plus there is always Ebay and other outlets to find obscure games. And again, with systems I'm unfamiliar with and don't own I have those friends who more than likely will have a copy somewhere. Supplements and Adventures should be based off the merit of their content, creativity and how it adds to the game they are for and shouldn't matter if their systems are badly designed or not.

10. How would you like to see the ENnies change (categories, policies, etc)? What should remain inviolate?

I don't know enough of the process of the ENnies to really make a comment. I do however hope that the ENnies continues to be a force within the gaming community, bringing heightened awareness to the best of the industry and ensuring continued quality from game publishers.

BONUS: (optional) If you were an RPG, what would it be, and would you play it?

haha With my surgery last year it would first start off as an espionage game of trying to get a patients file dropped into the hands of a waiting admissions clerk. Then there would be a long skill challenge simulating standing in line for 12 months and then move into a game of Operation where you try desperately not to touch the sides as you remove little plastic Gallbladders within the allotted time. Finally you'd break out the Car Wars like game set where you stumble through the hospital dodging crash carts and wheelchairs as the nurse walks you through the halls...

I will be happy to answer any questions anyone has for me. Thank you for your consideration.

For those of you who don't know, my name is Jeramy Ware, and I'm running to be an ENnies judge again this year.  I've served this year and once before in 2007.  If anyone is interested in seeing the way I judge and the kinds of products I vote for you can check out my blog at http://enniesjudge.blogspot.com  It does a better job of describing my judging style and the sorts of things I look for in a product far better than I could here.

Most importantly I believe that the judging process should:
*Be open and honest.
*Serve the needs of the community and the publishers and fans that support it.
*Judge each product on its own merits, rather than against one another.
*Take into consideration the thoughts and preferences of others.
*Be receptive to questions and critisism.
*Be responsive to those who take their time to offer input.

I hope that in my terms I have met those goals, and I promise to continue to strive toward those ends should I be elected again.

If you find yourselves so inclined I'd appreciate it if you could take a few moments and vote on the perspective judges at http://www.ennie-awards.com/voting/jvoting.asp  A lower number is a better vote, and voting for more than one person is a good way to ensure that your vote still counts, even if your first choice doesn't make it.

Thanks for your time, and any support you can offer.

Quote from: Benoist;317625I like Megan's reviews. A lot.

Megan does really good reviews, and not just for the big boys.

Good evening!  My name is Mark Green and I'm a 2010 ENnies Judge candidate.  

I won't bother to re-post all my answers to the questionnaire here; you can view that online at http://www.ennie-awards.com/nominations/j_green.asp

I will say that I'm strictly a hobby enthusiast and not an "industry guy."  In other words, gaming isn't part of my profession.  I don't write reviews for a living and I've never worked for a gaming company.  I play strictly for fun and have been gaming for 25 years, the last 10 of which have been with my current group.  Most of that time, I've been a GM, but I like to take a break as a player once in a while.

I've played alot of games along the way (including board games, miniatures, and card games).  My mainstay will always be fantasy RPG, with my original "Red Box" Basic D&D set and 3.5 OGL competing for favorite.  I also enjoy all things Star wars (WEG d6 and Saga).  Mouseguard is a recent favorite as well.

Even though I have my favorites, I will be open and objective as a Judge.  I love both the crunch and the flavor and like to see a nice balance between the two.  Originality is always appreciated, whether it is original mechanics, concepts, or even just an interesting twist on a staple concept.

I hope you take the opportunity to vote in the coming week, and especially that you decide to vote for me as a Judge for the 2010 ENnies.  For me, that would offer an awesome opportunity to give something back to the gaming community.

-Mark

Hey all,

Like the others posting here, I am one of the Judge candidates as well. I have been gaming since I was nine years old and it has been my biggest hobby for all of those 21 years. I have always had a strong love for supers games but that won't prevent me from paying equal attention to everything that comes my way, and judging each product fairly on its own merits. I have never been one to shy away from any genre or system and I don't intend to start now. I know that the people behind the games put a lot of effort into what they create and I can say that I will put just as much into reviewing each product without any bias. I have almost no professional gaming experience outside of being a playtester for a couple systems, so my industry experience pretty much ends with being a retailer eight years ago in Coeur d'Alene, ID. Back then I had purchased a gaming store and ran it for one reason and one reason only: I love gaming.

The above paragraph had only two sentences that didn't start with "I..." so enough about me! The links have been posted but just in case you are digging through that list of names looking to find out more about me, I'm Justin Peters (friends call me Jay) and my page is here.

Thanks in advance to everyone that votes!

I'm Megan. I was going to introduce myself but it seems that a couple of you already know of me... hi, and thank you for your kind remarks.

Basically, I've had a wonderful time role-playing for over 30 years, and thought it was time to put something back by participating in the ENnies process... the best way for you good folks to decide if you'd like me for one of the Judges next year is to go read some of my reviews and see if you like the way I think!

What else? I'm a teacher in 'real life' and a voracious reader of all things especially RPGs (known for curling up in a corner of the staff room with an RPG book at lunchtime).

Pop round to http://www.rpg-resource.org.uk/ and if you like the way I look at games, please consider voting for me.

In any case, thank you for taking the time to participate in the ENnies!

This is all very nice; now how many of you are actually ever going to have more than one post on this forum? And if you aren't why the hell should the regular forum-goers here (who are not also on Enworld) give a fuck about voting for you?

Welcome to theRPGsite!

RPGPundit

Quote from: RPGPundit;318242This is all very nice; now how many of you are actually ever going to have more than one post on this forum? And if you aren't why the hell should the regular forum-goers here (who are not also on Enworld) give a fuck about voting for you?

Hmm.  I've discovered a couple of cool forums thanks to the links Reveal sent to me.  One of them that I hadn't been to before Sunday, Animalball, I've posted to about 20 times already.  So I guess the answer to your question is the same answer for why anyone posts to any board: if I like the vibe, the topics, and the community in general, I'll probably stick around and post if/when something catches my attention.

As to why anyone from this forum should vote for any us, that's a pretty easy answer.  If any regular posters here want to be involved in voting for judges for next year, I would hope they'd take the opportunity to look over our profiles to figure out which judges represent their particular viewpoints and preferences when it comes to gaming.  If they find some they like, they should vote for them.  Someone is going to win (5 someones actually), so if you want to have a say, vote.  If you don't care who wins, that's ok too.

This thread (and the others like it on various forums) is really just a vehicle for us to try and engage the gaming community.  On some of the boards I've posted to, I've gotten asked some really good questions.  On other boards, there are crickets chirping.  

I posted here for two reasons: 1) I wanted to at least introduce myself in places Reveal thought were important enough to post announcements, and 2) to show that I'm willing to engage other gamers and answer questions if anyone wants to ask any.

Anyway, I hope that answers your questions.

-Mark

Quote from: RPGPundit;318242This is all very nice; now how many of you are actually ever going to have more than one post on this forum? And if you aren't why the hell should the regular forum-goers here (who are not also on Enworld) give a fuck about voting for you?

Welcome to theRPGsite!

RPGPundit

Well, I've been a member for nearly a year, but given that my post count is barely in the teens, I'm not exactly a power-user.  Still, I wouldn't join a forum just to campaign.

What I have to offer is what I've done in the past.  Hard work, experience, and a dedication to answering any questions that come my way.  My blog at http://enniejudge.blogspot.com keeps track of every product is entered, and everything that's going on.

To answer 'RPG Pundit' - like Skeld I have found several interesting discussion boards, and will be considering which if any will prove worthy of remaining an active participant in, time permitting. I just hope that his pottymouth is not typical of members of this board.

As for whether or not people think I'd be any good as an ENnies Judge, my platform is simple: if you like my reviews, please consider including me in your picks.

I think Skeld said it best.  There are a lot of communities out there that I didn't know about prior to this, but several of them turned out to be places that I will be hanging my hat for quite some time.  Since coming here I have been reading through some of the boards.  Most of the time I tend to stay pretty quiet at first, feeling out the community as best I can from a lurker's perspective.  Animalball ended up being an exception for me.  I had no idea that forum existed, but the vibe there was so strong and the people so engaging that I got sucked in immediately.

The short answer is I'm not out to just post once and fade away without any sort of thanks.  I plan on sticking around, but my post count will probably be small for a while.  But please read this part of Skeld's post again:

Quote from: SkeldAs to why anyone from this forum should vote for any us, that's a pretty easy answer. If any regular posters here want to be involved in voting for judges for next year, I would hope they'd take the opportunity to look over our profiles to figure out which judges represent their particular viewpoints and preferences when it comes to gaming. If they find some they like, they should vote for them. Someone is going to win (5 someones actually), so if you want to have a say, vote. If you don't care who wins, that's ok too.

There are several great people running this year and I'm hoping people will vote for the nominees they feel best represent their own views on gaming.

Voting for 2010 ENnies judges is entering the final stretch.  Voting ends Sunday.  I wanted to take some time to post and tell everyone that voted thanks for the support this year.  To all of those that haven't voted yet, I want to encourage you to head over to http://www.ennie-awards.com/voting/jvoting.asp and cast a vote for me, Mark Green, adn your other favorite candidates.

This has been an interesting experience.  I've gotten a chance to talk to plenty of posters on forums that i hadn't visited before (in some cases, hadn't heard of before).  I've had chance to answer some good questions and here some interesting feedback.  It's been worth it.

-Mark