The ENnie Awards

 

 

Mark W. Green

Mark W. Green

aka Skeld; Skeld the Superstitious

Introduction
I am a 35-year-old aerospace engineer, husband, father, and gamer. I grew up in Western Kentucky and received my degree in Engineering Physics from Murray State University. I moved to Huntsville, AL in 1997 to work in the defense industry. I've also lived in Syracuse, NY, Los Alamos, NM, and Tucson, AZ. Everywhere I've gone, I've taken my love of games - all types of games - with me. My current gaming group has been together for 10 years and includes a number of friends from college.
I'm running because I feel that I can represent an important segment of the gaming community; the busy professional hobby enthusiast. Despite public profession, not all gamers are living in their mom's basement, nor do all gmers "eat, breath, and sleep" the game. Some of us approach our hobby as a means to an end - hang out with our friends, have a few laughs, and enjoy ourselves. I'm that gamer.

1. When did you join the RPG hobby and what inspired you to become involved and stay with it?
I began gaming in 1985 at age 12 with the D&D Basic "Red Box" Set. During the sel-run adventure, I rolled high enough to kill Bargle. I've been hooked ever since. I played with friends in middle and high school, and found most members of my current gaming group in college. But it's really been the last 10 years that I've come to appreciate the game for what it is - a reason to get-together, hang out, and have fun. That's what keeps me in it.

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.)?
Since the beginning, I've mostly GM'd. It's the roll I enjoy the most and the roll I feel that I'm best at.
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?
As a father, husband, and busy professional, I tend to have less free time than it seems many gamers have. What I do have, I cherish. My willingness to give my free time to judging should be an indicator of my commitment.

Regarding my gaming group, I might ask their opinions as they are excellent sounding boards for my own thoughts. Occasionally, I'd like to try a new idea on them and see how different products and rules actually play.

My family supports me 100%. My wife is an fantasy/sci-fi fan also and she's always fun to talk to about anything gaming related.
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?
My interests are generally sci-fi and fantasy. The critical skills (critical thinking, communication, deadline management, and organization) are all skill I've honed over the past 12 years as a aerospace engineer (my expertise is complex systems analysis and statistics). Storage space isn't an issue - I have an entire home office dedicated to my gaming habit.
Outside of the skills and experience mentioned above, I have excellent analysis skills that I can apply without compromising the "story" elements of the RPG. I think the story often gets lost in the numbers.
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”?
I prefer fantasy over sci-fi, for the most part. Currently, I'm GM'ing my group through a Dark Times campaign using Star Wars Saga Edition. I'm planning a new fantasy campaign after the current one finishes. I' m not as big a fan of "modern" settings, and I am intrigued by "historic" settings (even though I've never tried putting one together).

I've enjoyed D&D3.5e, but I enjoyed 1e, and 2e just as well. I love the Star Wars setting (I was 5 when I first saw the original movie in the theater). As far as a particular system, I probably still lean to OGL (D&D) 3.5e, despite its warts. I have greatly enjoyed Paizo's work with regard to adventure paths as they seem to combine game and story particularly well.
6. What system do you think is best designed? Is it the one you play most?
Although I don't play it, I think D&D4 is probably the best designed system I've encountered lately. It's easily playable and fairly well balanced. I don't really play it because I find the flavor and story elements lacking.

I think Star Wars Saga Edition is about the pinnacle of d20, even though some elements (Force Powers specifically, and Jedi in general) seemed to lack realistic playtest at the end of the design phase.

Paizo's Pathfinder is intriguing. Their open playtest was a brilliant opportunity (from a marketing standpoint) for them to interface with their customers. I'm interested to see how the product turns out and whether they've solved some of 3.5's problem while maintaining compatibility to D&D3.5e.

I think Mouse Guard is also an excellent game. Simple, yet richly flavored.

My group still plays 3.5 and its derivatives most.
7. What games have you played in the past year? List up to 10 RPGs you have played the most.
D&D 3.5 (Savage Tide Adventure Path)
Star Wars Saga Edition
Mouse Guard
Pathfinder Society
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?
Innovation and originality are major contributors. Every product should have something new, or at least a new twist on something tried and true. Cparing products of varied length and media really only boils down to one thing: when you read it, do you want to play it? does it make you want to have your friends over and try it out? If it doesn't, then it hasn't fulfilled it's purpose as a GAME; it hasn't made you want to PLAY. The ratio of mechanics to prose can also be important. Brilliant mechanics with no flavor aren't evocative. Rich flavor without mechanics can just be unplayable. There is a "zone of playability" in there that makes a good game.
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?
The adventure/supplement should provide a good background (motivation, character hooks, or however you want to refer to it). That's the first step. Secondly, it has to provide a story for the characters to fit into; roles they can play. Thirdly, it has to provide a logical progression that the characters are likely to follow. This isn't to say that a group (through planning or luck) might not be able to short-circuit the story, but when they do, the GM should have what he needs to work around and re-flow the logic.

All these elements should exist outside of the system mechanics, be they unfamiliar or lacking good design. An good adventure or supplement from an unfamiliar or poorly designed system should inspire you to port it over to your preferred system. That's the mark of a good adventure or supplement.
10. How would you like to see the ENnies change (categories, policies, etc)? What should remain inviolate?
Actually, I like the Ennies as they are this year.
BONUS: (optional) If you were an RPG, what would it be, and would you play it?
"Houses and Humans" from the Foxtrot comic strip. I probably wouldn't play it because I'd rather not escape one reality and trade it for another.

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