CuriousShyRabbit
Level: Smitemaster
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The Sixth Annual People's Choice Awards

Well, it's about time, don't you think! Welcome to the Sixth Annual People's Choice Awards. In this event, we will celebrate the wonderful and diverse holds created by forum members in 2009. As always, the year's offerings covered the full spectrum of DROD. We've seen huge sprawling masterpieces and tiny nuggets of goodness, story-driven holds and puzzle based holds, and we've seen room styles ranging from minimalistic to ornate. Some architects demand expert sword swinging technique as we hack and slash our way from beginning to end of their holds, while other architects allow only those players with a detailed understanding of DROD element behavior to pass their rooms. Two wonderful Smitemasters' Selections were released in 2009. By creating these holds, our veteran and newbie architects have worked together to keep DROD alive for another awesome year. It is time for us to thank them, by nominating our favorite holds and architects for awards! Holds eligible for the Sixth Annual People's Choice Awards must have been published between November 15, 2008, and December 31, 2009.

The categories for the Sixth Annual People's Choice Awards follow. See the links below for some history of the categories and their previous winners. (We have fewer categories this time, because this awards ceremony is so late. But don't worry, we'll bring them all back, as well as some of the new suggestions, for the next SAPChA.) Even though the word "fun" isn't included in all of the category descriptions, please imagine it there. A hold that is not enjoyable (at least for someone, in some sense of the word) should not win any of these awards.

1. Technical Design Excellence in Scripting
This award is for a published DROD hold where innovative and original scripting is a prominent feature. Scripting may be used to create individual puzzles, or scripting may be used to create a custom game element used throughout a hold, or scripting may be used to make a hold's storyline come alive. In all cases, the scripts must work without errors, and when used in puzzles, they must result in predictable behavior. Most importantly, the scripted behavior must elicit a "Wow! That's amazing!" reaction from the player.

2. Technical Design Excellence in Layout and Aesthetics
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and this award is for a published DROD hold that has a beautiful design. The rooms and levels must be attractive, and they must work together as a whole in an interesting way. Holds eligible for this award may (or may not) include hold art, original avatars or sprites, or original image floor, pit or wall. Players can't just rush through this hold; they feel somehow compelled to stop and just admire the beautiful rooms and levels.

3. Technical Design Excellence in Concept
This award is for a published DROD hold that is the first (or only one) of its kind. It features unique puzzles that fit together in an equally innovative way. This hold is a leader, where others are followers. A player's reaction is, "I wish I had been the one to think of this!"

4. Creative Design Excellence in Storyline
This award is for a published DROD hold that has a detailed and engaging storyline. Characters are well-developed. The player is motivated to solve puzzles just to find out what happens next.

5. Creative Design Excellence in Difficulty
This award is for a published DROD hold that is difficult (at least 7 brains), yet still fun. Solving these puzzles requires the player to think in new ways. While many players give up on other difficult holds, they persevere and struggle through this one, because it’s just such an amazing hold.

6. Creative Design Excellence in Entertainment
This award is for a published DROD hold of easy to medium difficulty (at the very most 6.5 brains) that is the most fun to play. Playing through this hold is the perfect way to relax on a Sunday afternoon.

7. Graphics Design Excellence in a Modification
This award is for a modification for DROD or DROD RPG, not for any one hold. It can be a whole new room style, a clock, or a “cheat” like transparent tar. The most professional-looking and usable modification wins this award.

8. DROD Hold of the Year
This award is for the best DROD Hold published in 2009. (Or very late 2008.) This beautifully polished and balanced hold features an excellent overall concept, creative and fun puzzles with just the right level of challenge, great level design, an engaging story, and perhaps just the right extra goodies (such as custom artwork or voice acting) to set it apart from the rest. If only one of this year’s holds could be preserved for future generations of DRODders to enjoy, this would be it.

9. DROD RPG Level Set of the Year
This award is for the best DROD RPG Level Set published in 2009. (Or very late 2008.) This terrific level set is fun to explore, aesthetically pleasing, and the player encounters a variety of unique and interesting challenges. If you could take only one RPG level set to play and play again while stranded on a desert island, this would be it.

10. Novice Architect Award
This is the Rookie of the Year award for architects. This award is for an architect whose first hold was published in 2009 (or late 2008). This architect’s excellent puzzles, well-designed levels, and possibly other architectural virtues such as well executed scripting, engaging storyline, and/or beautiful custom artwork show promise of great things to come from this architect.

11. Erik Hermansen Award for Lifetime Architectural Achievement
This award is for architects who have been creating great holds for years. To create one good hold requires creativity and skill. But to keep on creating good holds, year after year, requires special dedication and inspiration, well worthy of an award. The winner of this award must have published their first hold in 2007 or earlier, must have published at least one hold in 2009, and must have created at least four holds rated 7 "fun" or better. This award is so prestigious, it can only be won once in a lifetime. Previous winners of the Erik Hermansen Award are Doom (2006), LarryMurk (2007), and Jacob (2008).

Nominations
A list of eligible holds and architects will be posted below. Please PM your nominations in each of the 11 categories to me. You may nominate more than one entry in each category. You may nominate yourself, although I may publicly embarrass you by stating this fact. Other nominations will be kept private. I'll post and keep updating a list of what has been nominated for each category. Each eligible hold or architect that receives at least two nominations will appear as a choice in the Sixth Annual People’s Choice Awards voting topic.

Deadline for Nominations: Saturday, October 9.
On Sunday, October 10, I'll post the voting topic.

Links
History of the People’s Choice Awards (This page still needs editing.)
The First Annual People's Choice Awards | Voting | Tiebreaker
The Second Annual People’s Choice Awards (Deadlies) | Voting
The Third Annual People’s Choice Awards | Voting | Final Round | Tiebreaker
The Fourth Annual People’s Choice Awards | Voting | Tiebreaker | Winners
The Fifth Annual People's Choice Awards | Voting | Tiebreaker | Winners

The Seventh Annual People's Choice Awards are coming soon!
This will include all holds published in the 2010 calendar year. The call for nominations will be posted in early January 2011.

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[Last edited by CuriousShyRabbit at 09-27-2010 01:27 AM]

CuriousShyRabbit
Level: Smitemaster
Rank Points: 3170
Registered: 10-14-2006
IP: Logged

DROD Holds
Here is a chronological list of DROD holds pulished between November 15, 2008 and December 31, 2009. These holds are eligible for the Sixth Annual People's Choice Awards.
Don't see your favorite new hold on the list? Don't forget we will have the Seventh Annual People's Choice Awards soon, in January. Holds made in 2010 will be eligible for those.

DROD RPG Level Sets
Here are the DROD RPG level sets published between November 15, 2008, and December 31, 2009. You've got three choices, and they're all good!

Novice Architect Award
Here are the people eligible for the 2009 Novice Architect Award.

Lifetime Achievement Award
Here are the people eligible for the 2009 Erik Hermansen Award for Lifetime Architectural Achievement. Note that the requirements for eligibility have been toughened up since last time. This list includes only those great architects who were active during 2009.

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[Last edited by CuriousShyRabbit at 09-28-2010 01:12 AM]

CuriousShyRabbit
Level: Smitemaster
Rank Points: 3170
Registered: 10-14-2006
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Nominations
Here are the nominations received thus far. A hold or architect needs two nominations to reach the voting topic.

1. Technical Design Excellence in Scripting

2. Technical Design Excellence in Layout and Aesthetics

3. Technical Design Excellence in Concept

4. Creative Design Excellence in Storyline

5. Creative Design Excellence in Difficulty

6. Creative Design Excellence in Entertainment

7. Graphics Design Excellence in a Modification

8. DROD Hold of the Year

9. DROD RPG Level Set of the Year

10. 2009 Novice Architect Award

11. 2009 Erik Hermansen Award for Lifetime Architectural Achievement

Thanks!!! Keep those nominations coming!

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[Last edited by CuriousShyRabbit at 10-10-2010 08:19 AM]

Jatopian
Level: Smitemaster
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Oh yeah, this thing. I should play some of these so I can have a proper say.

____________________________
DROD has some really great music.
Make your pressure plates 3.0 style!
DROD architecture idea generator

Jeff_Ray...
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 962
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I'm surprised no one posted after Jatopian.

...

Anyhow, looking forward to the voting section!

____________________________
I make Let's Plays too!
Click here to find out my LPs' progress, and find out what I plan to tackle next!

Currently playing:


My Holds:
-Completed:

-Work in Progress:

CuriousShyRabbit
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We are now about 1 week in to the nominations period for the belated Sixth Annual People's Choice Awards. There's one week left. I've received nominations from a few conscientious forum members, but I need more to prepare a good ballot when it's time to vote.

It's come to my attention that people have questions about the nominations process. Without further ado, here's a FAQ.


Sixth Annual People's Choice Awards Nominations FAQ

Q: Can I nominate more than one hold per category?
A: Yes, go right ahead! List everything that you think should be on the ballot.

Q: What if I forget to nominate a hold that I really liked?
A: Then you can send me a second set of nominations. No sweat. (I will be checking that you haven't duplicated your nominations, though. A hold needs to be nominated by two different people to reach the official ballot.)

Q: What if I haven't played many holds from 2009, can I still make nominations?
A: Yes, please! If you played even one of those holds and enjoyed it, by all means, nominate it for an award.

Q: I'm not a great DROD player, do you even want my nominations?
A: Yes, of course! What easy holds would you recommend to your friends? Let's reward architects whose work is fun and accessible!

Q: I've never participated in the People's Choice Awards before. Why should I participate this time?
A: Because it doesn't take a lot of effort to make nominations or (later) to vote, because this event is more fun with lots of participation, and because it's a great way to thank talented architects for their hard work. Need another reason? Because the Rabbit says so.

Q: My cat threw up on my bed. Shouldn't I clean that up first?
A: No. The SAPChA nomination period will be over at the end of this week, while that stinking pile of cat barf isn't going anywhere.

Q: But...
A: No. Just send me a couple SAPChA nominations, please.

Tahnan
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 2460
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OK also: the next two people, who haven't already sent nominations to CSR, and who do so, and who post here to say they've done so, I'll personally mod up your post to +5. (Please note: you must post truthfully. If you post here and CSR tells me that you didn't send her nominations, I will use every point I have to mod you down, and then ask Schik for more.)

Look at that! Free whatever-they're-called points, just for doing your civic duty! So for the love of Pete, people, send her nominations.

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[Last edited by Tahnan at 10-02-2010 03:32 AM]

12th Archivist
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Nominations sent. CSR can verify.

My apologies for getting them out so late. My week has been very, very, very busy. Don't worry about the Seventh Annual People's Choice Awards; I shall do what's most important first.

____________________________
It was going well until it exploded.
~Scott Manley

Check out the DROD Wikia project here!

rman
Level: Smiter

Rank Points: 371
Registered: 09-24-2007
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I have also nominated a couple of holds here, and I guess that CSR can confirm it, too.

____________________________

Best quote ever (TSS ending spoiler):

CuriousShyRabbit
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Thanks to 12th Archivist and rman for sending in some nominations. I need some more. Keep those nominations coming!

hyperme
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Rank Points: 1173
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Decided to nominate some stuff that I enjoyed.

But I might not vote due to being unable to choose a favorite from the catorgries.

____________________________
[Insert witty comment here]
Qzvlkx?

Penwielder
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I wondered several times throughout the year if I had somehow missed this. It's good to see it here now--and the Rabbit, too! I sent in my nominations. Especially seeing as it's the first ceremony I've been around for (I picked up AE in early 2009), I'm somewhat excited.

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Penwielder's Palace, Detention Complex, Archipelago, Cube of Memories

Jason
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Looks like some good contestants this year - may the best hold(s)/style/architect(s) win!

____________________________
Play my holds?

noma
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Don't be scared folks. If time is really that much of an issue, do what I did: spread it out over a few days. And even if you only feel qualified to nominate in a few categories, it's still worth doing.

CuriousShyRabbit
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ONE DAY LEFT! GET YOUR NOMINATIONS IN!

I need your nominations before the end of the day on Saturday! I've added my own nominations, so the remaining tweaks are up to you. Go ahead and browse through our current list of nominations. Is there a glaring omission in the proposed ballot? Have we overlooked something great? Now is the time to nominate it!

After I tally up any last minute nominations, I'll make the voting topic on Sunday evening. Due to time zones, most of you won't see it until Monday.

slimm tom
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Made my nominations.

CuriousShyRabbit
Level: Smitemaster
Rank Points: 3170
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And the nominations period is closed. A big thank you to all 25 forum members who helped to create the Sixth Annual People's Choice Awards ballot. You've made an excellent selection of 2009 holds for us to choose from. Karma has been sprinkled over all holds that got at least two nominations, and mod points have been sprinkled on various forum posts of those who sent in their nominations.

I'm going to work on the voting topic now.

Edit: Here's the VOTING TOPIC!

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[Last edited by CuriousShyRabbit at 10-11-2010 03:28 AM]

zwetschenwasser
Level: Master Delver

Rank Points: 200
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aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand I missed the nominations. Sigh.

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Currently working on GaTEB and KDD (never finished the silly thing).

CuriousShyRabbit
Level: Smitemaster
Rank Points: 3170
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Well...

The Seventh Annual People's Choice Awards will be coming soon, in early January. It will be for 2010 holds. I hope you'll come participate in nominations then.

NoahT
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Just thought I'd mention I got my nominations in a minute before the deadline (which is how I often function).

-Noah

____________________________
And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make.

My stuff:

zwetschenwasser
Level: Master Delver

Rank Points: 200
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May the best holds win! I'm sort of sad I've been so busy that I haven't played many of these holds, but I'm sure that the prospect of a future nomination event will motivate me to return to DROD in the midst of my current academic insanity.

____________________________
Currently working on GaTEB and KDD (never finished the silly thing).