(RPG) The 2012 Ennies

As I worked on this months Apathy of New Releases, in between reading other's Historicon blogs, I started to cover the Ennies. The Ennies were originally a d20 awards program from the minds at www.enworld.org. Eleven years is a long time, but if my skewed memory can start working, many were complaining about the unfair voting procedures of the Origins Awards and disregard of small press d20 products and these awards were their solution.

Fast forward those eleven years and d20 is something we speak of when these new whippsnapper gamers whip out the latest and greatest book. The Ennies, to my untrained eye, have become the Origins Awards of Gencon, specializing in RPGs. It's been nearly a decade since I cared about the Origins Awards, and at least six since I've voted, but the criteria for consideration and all the other things people moaned and complained about have become the status quo for the Ennies.

So, when I got the link to vote, I said "What the hey," and did my civic minded gamer duty.

To be honest, I have no idea what half the shit on the ballot was. My Apathy column is what I use to keep semi-up-to-date with new RPG product, I haven't even heard of half the companies, much less half the products offered.

Best Adventure: Nothing. Haven't seen any of the items

Best Supplement: Cthulhu by Gaslight. At least I've seen some pdf pages. Nothing else.

Best Aid/Accessory: Nothing

Best Website: Nothing. I was even on RPG Geek this week and didn't find it worthy of awards.

Best Cover Art: At least this is one where I can review all of the artwork online. Pathfinder Beginner's Box Set for the win, followed by Cthulhu by Gaslight. If those were the best five pieces of cover art, either the judges are drunk or the industry as a whole is about to collapse.

Best Writing: Nothing, although The Investigator's Guide to Occult London (Pelgrane Press) is the first item on the list i'd like to do more research on.

Best Blog: Nothing. All are flashier than mine, with more followers and better updates, but a number of their recent articles I've read from other sources... ten years ago. Gnome Stew gets a nod (but not a vote) by default.

Best Cartography: What? Nothing.

Best eBook: Not my thing, sorry

Best Free Book: I could do some research here, but I'll admit to preference to the Pathfinder "We be Goblins!" Fantastic stuff.

Best Game: I have seen Savage World Deluxe, very nice

Best Miniatures Product: It's kind of sad... The Pathfinder product is superior hands down, but there is nothing on the list I would vote for.

Best Monster/Adversary: What? And now this is turning into the Kid's Choice or MTV Movie Awards? Regardless, Hacklopedia of Beasts.

Best Production Values: Hacklopedia of Beasts

Best RPG Related Product: "Best of the stuff we haven't covered" Nothing

Best Rules: Nothing, although Marvel and Bulldogs! I've heard of with varying reviews.

Best Setting: Nothing , although Cthulhu Britannica: Shadows Over Scotland (Cubicle 7), The Investigator's Guide to Occult London (Pelgrane Press), and Cthulhu Apocalypse: The Apocalypse Machine(Graham Walmsley & Pelgrane Press) all look cool.

Best Podcast: I listen to a few on occasion, haven't heard of any of these.

Definitely not an "educated voter" that we hope is going to the polls this November, but I try to be an honest one.