Suggestion concerning P3N15 awards

Rui 'Trovatore' Pires · Fri 20/08/2004 08:30:47

So I was browsing through the games' database, and I noticed that all games that have been awarded something have that nifty "Winner of an AGS award" (of whatever the actual text is) next to it. All of them. Including games that only won the p3n1s award.

Isn't that a bit unfair? When people browse through the database, they usually don't read the review page before they download the game - actually, I believe the average passer-by doesn't at all. WHat do they see? They see a game that won a legitimate award and a game that got the p3n15 award, and because they don't know which is which, they'll compare them, put them on a similar lever.

Imagine someone playing a p3n15 game before all others because it had an award and then judging the quality of the AGS awards because of that, not knowing what kind of award it was. Well yes, it IS a mistake one would have to be unfairly single-minded to make, but all the same...

My suggestion - either change the shape or color (maybe make it black) of the award icon of games that win that infamous award, or change the text to reflect which award it won.

Mr Jake · Fri 20/08/2004 08:54:36

the p3n15 award is a proper award!

imo what you are suggesting makes it more of a demerit which is not how it is intended.. I mean, they aren't _that_ elitest :

Rui 'Trovatore' Pires · Fri 20/08/2004 09:00:16

It's not? I was always under the impression it went to the worst games of the year...

Mr Jake · Fri 20/08/2004 09:01:57

Yes, but not to the extent that its marked as bad on the thingy, I mean, the award is a bit of fun but you really wouldnt like it if your game had a black icon on pretty much saying 'dont download this, its utter poo'

edit: I just would like to add that I see your point about this, but I dont think the solution is really correct

Rui 'Trovatore' Pires · Fri 20/08/2004 09:37:43

Hmmm, then maybe the icon could be changed... instead of the oscar, myabe... ah, I don't know, a smaller oscar, or a different icon... still keeping it "light" in tone, so to speak, but still making obvious that the award that game won is different from the others. And everyone who wants to know why can just open the "review" page.

How about this?

Andail · Fri 20/08/2004 09:56:56

What's the purpose really? Do you think they give AGS a bad name?
Judging from the never-ending stream of newcomers here, I don't believe we have any promotional problems with the engine, or what it's capable of.

Gilbert · Fri 20/08/2004 10:01:34

Well I think games deserved the p3n15 award were mostly legendary games, so, what's the problem of ~~tricking~~ attracting more people to download them and try them out for the glory of the AGS throne ?

Kinoko · Fri 20/08/2004 14:01:50

I actually agree about differentiating but for a different reason. If I'm going through the games list (in particular, the award winners list), I'm likely to get the games with the most awards and I probably wouldn't bother until later about the games with one award. If I saw a game had, specifically, a p3n15 award, I'd get it straight away! ^_^ "Wow, legendary crap". That's me, though.

I do sort of agree with redrum in the sense that it is a tad unfair to the real award winners and that it -might- make a new user really question AGS' game making ability if they get a p3n15 award game first and think that's as good as it gets. It might not happen often but I don't think it's such a bad idea to differentiate in some way. Like I said before though, I think it's be great for games to have "p3n15 Award" associated with them

DGMacphee · Fri 20/08/2004 16:51:25

Do some of you have p3n1s envy???

As for the whole awards thing, I haven't heard of any complaints from any of the winners. I mean, It's not the sort of thing to be taken seriously and I don't think any of the winners take it THAT seriously. The AGS Awards are meant to be a bit of fun. Sure, they might indicate positive games, but it's not like spending 5 minutes playing a crappy game with ruin your life forever. Plus, some humourous games have been p3n1s winners and nominees, such as (my favs): Flashbax, Davey Jones C'est Mort, Warrior of Might, A Cup of Coffee is Worth a Thousand Bathroom Breaks, and Tikkle-Me-Andy & Andy Penis's Big Adventure

Also, I find people who spend time looking for games only winning AGS Awards are limiting themselves. It's good to throw a curveball every now and then just to keep people on their toes. That's kind of why I feel the p3n1s award is just as a legitimate award as any other. It shows the opposite end of the spectrum, which is never a bad thing.

And keep in mind that the Awards are just popular opinion anyway. The opposite end is just popular opinion, just the same as the award winners. Popular opinion doesn't always mean the same as quality. For example, I was honestly scratching my head as to why people nominated the very-playable Flashbax. Oh well, the people speaketh.

Rui 'Trovatore' Pires · Fri 20/08/2004 17:07:47

QuoteIt shows the opposite end of the spectrum

then shouldn't the icon reflect that? That's all I'm asking.

EDIT - I do know that what I'm asking for can be taken to extremity, like demanding that each award be specified (Best what?)... but really, it's all about, this ONE award is legendary crap, while the others are legendary good stuff. That should show, right?

Ishmael · Fri 20/08/2004 17:35:08

How about "This game won a Â½ award, because a Andy Penis happened to be operating a chainsaw in the backstage at the time of the award ceremony" ??

:

LGM · Fri 20/08/2004 18:00:04

Personally I think the any game that is awarded the p3n15 award was intended to be overly crappy. If not, then I'm sure the author is aware of the crappiness of the game.. So there are no hurt feelings.

BerserkerTails · Fri 20/08/2004 18:51:27

Hehehe, this actaully happened a couple days ago. My brother was over at his girlfriend's place, and they were looking for adventure games to download. He came to the AGS site, because I'd shown him tons of good good games for AGS. They saw that "Smokin' Weed" had won an award, and downloaded it not knowing what award it had won.

Luckily my brother was able to save the day by remembering the Robert Redford Trilogy, and downloading that shortly after.

Pumaman · Fri 20/08/2004 20:02:13

This is an interesting point -- I presume that most people who arrive at the site unaware of AGS games will go straight for the Award Winners, and perhaps they should attempt to reflect the best games.

However, at the same time the P3N1S games did win awards, so I think they deserve to be shown. Perhaps the text should say "Winner of P3N1S Booby Prize" rather than "Winner of 1 AGS Award" though.

Also, should Pick of the Month games be given more prominence(ie. should the game entries have a "This was pick of the month in August 2002" type thing in them)?

Rui 'Trovatore' Pires · Fri 20/08/2004 20:06:41

Well, there's a list of Picks of the Month, do they need any more proeminence?

Ginny · Fri 20/08/2004 20:25:04

That's assuming you go to the Pick of the month section to see them. I, for one, like browsing all the game lists alphabetically (btw, is there an option to view all games alphabetically or by release date without the sorting into small/medium/full/demo/etc categories?). On the other hand I also tend to download anything just to try it out, if I've decided to browse for games, so in my case it doesn't matter much.

CJ's way sounds good to me

Rui 'Trovatore' Pires · Fri 20/08/2004 20:28:10

QuoteThat's assuming you go to the Pick of the month section to see them.

Yeah, but it's there. If people don't want to use it, that's their own choice. With the awards, it's a bit more complicated, because as we've seen, what registers is "The game got an award". Few people bother to see which award.

Mr Jake · Fri 20/08/2004 20:34:32

Quote from: redruM on Fri 20/08/2004 20:28:10
With the awards, it's a bit more complicated, because as we've seen, what registers is "The game got an award". Few people bother to see which award.

Yeah, but it's there. If people don't want to use it, that's their own choice.

Ginny · Fri 20/08/2004 20:38:34

hehe

What I really meant, redruM, was that if people browse the games looking for a good medium length game for example, the ones that have been selected as Pick of the Month (and thus must be good games

) should have something written on them that brings that to player's attention.

Edit: Slightly off-topic, I just had a look at the website's games page, and tried clicking the add a game link, just to see the form as I've never seen it before (never added a game to the list

I should really). That resulted in a message saying I need to be logged into the forums. I followed the link to the forums from the site instead of going right here like I usually do and logged in again, but returning to the 'add a game' page had the same result. Could it be that the website doesn't recognise me being logged in, or is it a cookie thing on my PC?
Edit2: I tried changing my settings to allow all cookies, and only that lowest security setting allowed me to get to the add a game form. Would there be a way for this part of the site to check forum login-ness?

Rui 'Trovatore' Pires · Fri 20/08/2004 20:44:06

Haha, beat you to it, Hotspot!

Anyway, I see what you mean, Ginny. Good point. And, yes, I think you can browse the games by date or alphabetically.