AGS Awards 2016 - Results!

Started by cat, Sun 01/01/2017 09:39:47

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cat

@Riaise: The link is updated, thanks AGA!

Ok, guys, please just don't vote for yourself. We might or might not check it, but actually I'd prefer if I can trust everyone.

Calypso

#61
@cat Could the rule about not voting for your own (or your team's) games be also included on the voting page itself? Otherwise people may miss that information if they don't follow the forum thread.

Also, congratulations to the nominees!
Chaos is just patterns we haven't recognized.

pcj

I get an error 403 when voting:

Error 403
We're sorry, but we could not fulfill your request for /site/awards/ on this server.
You do not have permission to access this server. Before trying again, close your browser, run anti-virus and anti-spyware software and remove any viruses and spyware from your computer.
Your technical support key is: 62b8-90b6-b40c-8ddc
Space Quest: Vohaul Strikes Back is now available to download!

Stupot


JSH

#64
Quote from: pcj on Fri 10/02/2017 23:25:52
I get an error 403 when voting:

Error 403
We're sorry, but we could not fulfill your request for /site/awards/ on this server.
You do not have permission to access this server. Before trying again, close your browser, run anti-virus and anti-spyware software and remove any viruses and spyware from your computer.
Your technical support key is: 62b8-90b6-b40c-8ddc

I was able to fix this by clearing my browser cookies for the website.

Quote from: Calypso on Fri 10/02/2017 20:58:22
@cat Could the rule about not voting for your own (or your team's) games be also included on the voting page itself? Otherwise people may miss that information if they don't follow the forum thread.

Also, congratulations to the nominees!

Seconded, I didn't realize this wasn't allowed before popping back into the thread :) A suggestion for next year - Maybe we could deny voting on a particular entry if the forum account is listed on the team in the game database? Would be a way to automate this process and prevent anyone from making that mistake.

Radiant

Thanks to everyone for nominating Monkeys to the Moon! May you all have a banana-filled year!

Quote from: cat on Fri 10/02/2017 19:04:25
Ok, guys, please just don't vote for yourself. We might or might not check it, but actually I'd prefer if I can trust everyone.
I'm fine with that; however I would prefer a simple rule that votes for your own games are discounted, over a reminder to "please don't do that" which some people may not notice. Scripting it (as JSH suggests) is even better.

AGA

Votes will now autofill if you return to the page after having previously voted.  Other things may happen later.

I don't think it's really fair to enforce the voting for credited games programatically.  What if I was credited on a game because someone used a module I created?  Or for moral support or something minor like that?  Or a little bit of beta testing?  Does that mean I shouldn't be allowed to vote on a game I loved, just because I'm vaguely associated with it?  The only way we could maybe do it to discount votes from the first credited person (generally the 'owner'), otherwise I think it could end up being too strict.

AGA

Quote from: AGA on Sat 11/02/2017 20:54:01
The only way we could maybe do it to discount votes from the first credited person (generally the 'owner'), otherwise I think it could end up being too strict.

Implemented this.

Mandle

#68
I'm kind of in a pickle here too...

I worked on Tales. I wrote the English text version. While it follows the Italian version, it is more an adaptation than a direct translation, which AprilSkies trusted me to do as I was on board since the very start of development and gained a very intimate understanding of the game and its characters because of this.

I invented one puzzle in the game: I wrote the tavern door riddle from scratch so that the game would have an original riddle that nobody had heard before.

But I did not write the story. Nor did I work on the gameplay, pacing, music, etc. except to offer a comment here and there as a playtester.

Here's my pickle: On the list of games (that I have played) Tales would get my vote in several categories. This would be an honest vote and not just blind support for a project I had worked on.

For example: I would vote for Tales in a category such as Best Voice Acting because I truly believe that performances such as Alfred, Iktan, Merlin, Jack, and Gilgamesh and Enkidu, etc. etc. really bring the characters to life, but I would not vote for it for awards like Best Programming or Best Character (The Cheese Seller) because I believe there are more deserving games on those lists (Until I Have You, and Kathy Rain, in these cases).

Cat asked me in person when we met a few years ago what my favorite AGS game was and I answered "Tales" without hesitation, and that was when the game was still only about 80% finished and still unvoiced. My love for the game has grown hugely since then and I would now say that it is one of my favorite games of all time, not just AGS games.

I even watch youtubers let's plays of the game to re-enjoy the feeling of first playing my favorite parts through their reactions.

Despite these feelings, I'm not allowed to vote for it. I realise it's "just" one vote and it's "just" for a community award, not some elite award that will bring the game more into the spotlight. But it is for those reasons precisely that I want to vote for it. It's just one vote, but it's my vote and I wished my vote could represent my true opinion. It's just a community award but for me that's all the more reason I feel like my honest vote is not cheating or corrupt, as I would maybe feel if the award had a higher probability of increasing the sales of the game.

I'm not going to boycott the vote or whine about the rule or anything like that, but I felt I just wanted to post my real feelings about it in here.

Cheers for reading!

cat

Wow, tbh I didn't expect people being so much upset with not voting for their own entries...

I thought this would be the fairest solution for everyone. Otherwise some people will feel uncomfortable voting for themselves or others might feel they have to vote for themselves to have a chance. Just imagine a team of 5 or 6 people all voting for themselves and what advantage they would get. That's why I wanted to have the same fair conditions for all games and teams.

If people really feel this is unfair, of course we can discuss this for next year's awards. But for now, we will stick to it.

Btw, thanks AGA for improving the voting page!

Mandle

Quote from: cat on Sun 12/02/2017 09:39:48
Wow, tbh I didn't expect people being so much upset with not voting for their own entries...

No,no, please don't get me wrong... I'm not upset... Like I said I still voted and followed this rule. It just means that it wasn't my 100% accurate vote reflecting my true feelings, but I voted for the game that I thought was next best on the list, so... close enough...

Tales, however, is not my own entry... I wouldn't vote for a game that I was the author of, and I believe that authors should not do so.

But where then should the line be drawn?

Some examples:

Could someone who only had a voice acting role in a game vote for it for best game, but not best voicing?
Could the inventory item sprite artist vote for the game for best audio?
Can playtesters vote for a game they tested? (I was a tester on Kathy Rain and I voted for it in some categories. I don't feel that playtesting the game shaded my opinion of it unfairly. But I will change my vote if this is breaking the rule.)

Or should it just be a common sense kind of thing like: Don't vote for a game in any category that you personally worked on?

This would pretty much bar the main author from voting for anything, which is 100% fair, and also prevent anyone else from voting for their own work, but still be able to show respect for the work of others.

And also to only vote for a game you had involvement in if you honestly feel it's your true opinion that it deserves that award (but, once again, not in a category you worked on).

Of course, the bottom line is that voting is based on the honour-system anyways. After all, there's really nothing to stop some dishonest person from creating 10 fake AGS accounts to vote for their own game. Just as there's nothing to stop, as you mentioned, a large team from all just blindly voting for their own game in any category they didn't work on. But I feel (or I hope at least) that the AGS family isn't quite that cut-throat about the AGS Awards, and we mostly look forward to it as a bit of fun together as a community.

Just my 2 cents of course, and looking forward to the ceremony as always!

cat

#71
I know you are all busy playing the games and voting, but please spare a minute because we need to decide on a date and time for the ceremony. Just post your availability (using your forum nickname) in the

Doodle poll

All times are GMT (London time) but you can change the settings to show your time zone. You can vote yes, no or ifneedsbe.

If there is great demand, of course I can also add other times.

shaun9991

My votes are in! Good luck everyone :)
Support Cloak and Dagger Games on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=460039

Ciara

#73
Hi, I'm new as a member on the forums but have appreciated many of the Freeware games from here for a number of years along with quite a few commercial games featured, bought from other sources, that have been made using the AGS engine & so featured here!

I'm curious to know what the nomination process for games for this AGS Award is? Do the developers here just have to promote their games?

In order to vote I'm trying to be sincere in playing or experiencing via a demo all of the games, as requested, before voting in any particular category. But here lies my problem - I'm essentially a fan of Adventure Games so there is one particular Non-Adventure game that is listed in a lot of the categories of which I've tried the demo of as far as I could manage. I just have to say that it's totally irrelevant to me however good the graphics, voice acting, music etc is in any game if I can't get along with the gameplay because it falls outside of the genre I prefer. So it does seem a little incongruous to list Adventure & Non-Adventure games together in so many nomination lists? :shocked:   

     

Cassiebsg

Hey and welcome Ciara :)

To be eligible for the AGS awards, the dev just needs to make a game using AGS and upload it to the database. ;) Then we go through the process of nominating ones 10 favorites from that list. And Now, you just vote for your favorite/that you think it's the best in it's category out of the 5 that got more nominations during the previous round.

You don't need to vote in all categories, also some games you can find "let's play" and trailers on youtube if you wish to vote fairly, even though some games you will never play (like non-adventure). (nod)

There are those who believe that life here began out there...

cat

Hi Ciara!

Welcome to the forums :)

I'm glad that you are sincere about the awards and try to play all games or at least their demos before voting.

About the process:
Cassiebsg already explained how nominations work. The categories are mostly the same every year with only minor changes here and there.
While AGS was created with adventure games in mind, people have found ways to make other amazing games with the engine. The awards are about honouring all AGS games made within one year and we don't want to exclude any games.
There is a special category for non-adventure games as well as for freeware or short games. But all games are eligible for the general awards.

Now, there is a game nominated that you didn't quite enjoy - this is absolutely okay! Not everyone will enjoy all games. Some people might not enjoy science fiction games, others might not like comedic games and others like you don't want to play non-adventure games. The important thing is that you gave it a try. You can now make an informed decision and vote for the game you liked best in each category.

Keep in mind that you don't have to vote in every category (you can skip non-adventure games) and most importantly - have fun playing!

cat

Only 5 days left - the awards need YOUR votes!

Remember, you don't have to vote in every category. Just make sure you get a good impression of every game where you vote in a category - ideally by playing it, but also playing the demo or watching a let's play is fine.

And there is still the Doodle poll for the ceremony date and time.

paolo

Voteeeed!

I can't wait to find out who's won!  :cheesy:

cat


cat

Voting is over

Big thanks to everyone who took the time to play the nominated games and vote for their favourites :)

The results will be announced during the awards ceremony. The doodle has shown a strong preference for Saturday evening. Since 18:00 seems a bit early for some and 21:00 a bit late for others, I will pick a time in between.

The official AGS awards ceremony will be held on Saturday, 11th of March at 20:00 GMT

Time zone conversion


We will use the ceremony client, prepared by Snarky (thanks for that!). There will be some beta-testing on probably Thursday or Friday. Details will be announced in the following days.

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