AGS Awards 2013! - Wieners (and winners)

[bicilotti]

A            
G Awards 2013
S            

Welcome to the AGS Awards, the annual event where the you, the player, choose the best games of the year!


Sequins & pearls time again folks, it's the AGS Awards 2013!
Party is over! Check winners & the logs & video!

Step # 0 - play them games!
You have some time to play games made in 2013. Do it!
Step # 1 - nomination time!
Select games you deem worthy in each category!
Step # 2 - vote, folks!
Pick from the nominees and we get a winner!
Step # 3 - party!
Big party to celebrate the winners!

Be sociable and mingle in this thread.

[m0ds]

Um... Jim... unless the rules have changed, pretty sure Primordia was released in December 2012??

Released
Dec 05, 2012

It's kind of ipso facto for inclusion in the AGS awards, don't release a game in December if you want to stand a chance...!

[Dualnames]

Pretty sure, but the game was never in the database. I asked bici, and he said it's eligible. Now if and whether it should morally be here, is a good question, my main concern was to finally bother to add it to the database, if anyone feels it's injust and wrong, please take this via pms and I shall inform bici not to count the votes Primordia gets (if any).

[bicilotti]

The relevant date is the date in which the game is added to the database.
A similar situation happened last year with Space Quest II VGA, which was released in 2011 but added in the db in 2012.
Mods, can you cut/paste these three posts to the AGS Awards main thread (or just delete them, if it is easier)? I'd like this to be for showcasing only!

[Andail]

I don't really care about which games are elligible or not since I don't have a game out this year, but I kind of think that a game should contend in the year it was officially released, and not when somebody finally decides to put it in the database. Was there a reason not to put Primordia up for the awards last year?

[CaptainD]

Can I ask a stupid question?  What's the difference between "Best Game" and "Best Gameplay"?

[bicilotti]

Thanks Andail! Guys and gals, please keep comments here and the FYC for showcasing only.

Can I ask a stupid question?  What's the difference between "Best Game" and "Best Gameplay"?

Gameplay is (very general) the way the players "interacts" with the game; Best Game considers all the factors of the game (story, dialogues, music, art, gameplay, etc.).

[Andail]

Ok, I split the FYC thread and pasted the discussion posts here.

As I said, I have no personal interest in not seeing Primordia elligible this year, but I do think that principally, a game should contend the year it was officially released.

I think this because 1) it doesn't make sense that the database entry date should hold precedence over that actual release date - it just goes against all logic, 2) there's no reason Primordia could not have competed last year (it's not like the authors weren't aware of the awards, or that none of the team was around to put it up), and 3) people may suspect others of strategically witholding their games, to appear in a year with less competition instead.

[Dualnames]

Concerning to what has been said, the team forgot to put it on the database, and were terribly busy with its release, it completely slipped our minds. I would prefer to have competed against Resonance and Cat Lady. This is not an effort in any way to gain AGS awards for the sake of getting them, I added the game yesterday, and since everyone appears to make this a bigger deal than I intended, I officially would like Primordia not to partake in the AGS Awards of 2013, and any votes toward it, please be ignored.

[Andail]

I don't mind you participating, on the contrary I think Primordia definitely deserves lots of awards - my post was more aimed at the rules per see. It's not like we could change the rules until next year either way.
Just voicing my opinion

[Peder 🚀]

I've always felt the fact that the AGS database lists the release date as the day it's added to the db a silly thing. It would be better changed to "published on" and/or have a field where you can pick a date for the released on date. When it comes to the awards I don't mind Primordia to be in the awards this year but feel Andail is right where the rules should not allow it.. But then rather we should make it possible to set a released on date so games can still be added even when we go into the new year. (Where then off course bicilotti or any other awards staff can "deny" entries added in the database after the new year with release dates before if they find proof that the game was in fact NOT released on the date specified, if really anyone would try and "cheat" their game into the awards). Though I guess this would also require developing a new system for the whole awards stuff..

[Volcan]

Nomination games should take consideration with both database and announcements in the messageboard.

The oldest date should be taken.

[MillsJROSS]

We should put some warning when submitting games in December that AGS awards are coming up and that a games likely-hood of getting awards is diminished.

To be fair, though, December is a perfect time to release your game...almost everyone is on break, but you might not hit a critical mass to get the votes necessary to win an award.

[m0ds]

Yep. And even the time between Dec and the awards/nominations etc themselves plays a big part. Some years people have had mere weeks from Dec 31st to awards time to play and vote, last year I think it wasn't until March that the awards got underway so folks had a long time to play and consider votes (and that clearly gave CL an opportunity). Things seem to be in normal timeframes this year (nice one bici!)

[bicilotti]

Excellent to see discussion about the Awards.

I do require games to be added to the database in order to partake in the Awards because it is a minimum-effort action which signals:
    1. that the developer somewhat "acknowledges" the AGS community
    2. that s/he is wanting to participate in the Awards (or at least is not opposed to this)

Having said that, there seems to be a consensus on the fact that:
    1. games should participate in the Awards year_x only if they were released in such year

If that's the point and you all agree (which is why I am posting this, to probe the community), I can make the necessary arrangements with AGA. There is no need to change the way the DB works for now, I will just ask AGA to modify the DB_add_date for a game:
    1. if a dev asks this to me (and it is appropriate, i.e. to make add_date match release_date);
    2. if it is shown to me that the game is not eligible for the Awards_years_x

Since we are pretty early in the process, if there is general immediate and positive feedback, new policy can take place now.

[Ponch]

Having said that, there seems to be a consensus on the fact that:
    1. games should participate in the Awards year_x only if they were released in such year

Curse these convoluted rules! The Rich Dame Who Cut The Cheese wasn't able to make the last awards last time because it wasn't in the database (having been part of the Bake Sale bundle when it was released). And now it won't be able to enter this years award because it came out with the Bake Sale bundle. Why do the rules foil me at every turn!

[bicilotti]

Having said that, there seems to be a consensus on the fact that:
    1. games should participate in the Awards year_x only if they were released in such year

Curse these convoluted rules! The Rich Dame Who Cut The Cheese wasn't able to make the last awards last time because it wasn't in the database (having been part of the Bake Sale bundle when it was released). And now it won't be able to enter this years award because it came out with the Bake Sale bundle. Why do the rules foil me at every turn!

Maybe I am missing something, but how is it that RAM Ghost managed to squeeze into 2012 Awards?

edit: PM received, thanks for explaining the situation

[LimpingFish]

I don't see what the problem is.

It's a pretty simple rule, peeps! December 31st! In database! Twelve! Three! One! Database! 

Yes, people don't exclusively release/discover games through the database (as has been pointed out, announcements in CGA are usually how the community becomes aware of newly released games), but the database entries greatly simplify the process of compiling a list of any given years eligible games.

This information, iirc, is directly tied to the generation of each years voting system. It's also the only rule in regards to eligibility, and not really an awful lot to ask. It takes about the same (if not less) time as creating a CGA thread.

There's been a some discussion lately about how the database functions (ratings, classes, user control, etc), and it's got me a-thinkin'! In regards to the awards and release dates, I'd like to see a process where the creation of a CGA thread triggers an automatic listing in the database, containing bare-bones information, which can then be embellished upon by that game's author at their leisure. This would ensure that all dates correlate, regardless of how the game was announced. I don't know if this would be viable, but since our forum profiles are already tied to the database, it seems like a logical step. It would also avoid possible claims of delaying a games inclusion in the database to avoid a particularly strong awards line-up (not that I believe anyone would be that determined to win).

To return to a point bicilotti made: The AGS awards are community awards, and it's nice when the authors invest in and engage with the community, and take the time to participate in the awards (by ensuring award eligibility, etc).

As for commercial games, I've long since held the opinion the commercial games should only be eligible for one possible award: Best Commercial Game. No offense to commercial developers (or, indeeed, non-commercial developers), but I don't consider the two interchangeable. Like I said, though, it's just my opinion.

Anyhow, thanks to bicilotti for (again) hosting our awards!

[miguel]

As for commercial games, I've long since held the opinion the commercial games should only be eligible for one possible award: Best Commercial Game.

+1

[Tabata]

As for commercial games, I've long since held the opinion the commercial games should only be eligible for one possible award: Best Commercial Game.

+1

+1