Prestige for a Price? Accolade by Voice Acclaim?
SURELY THERE'S A BETTER WAY An ever-growing list of awards shows and web festivals want your money and your attention -- but what do you get in return ? What role should festivals and awards play in our quest to expand the actual play universe beyond Critical Role and Dimension 20, broaden its reach within the tabletop community, and professionalize the relationship between publishers and creators ? Artificial intelligence might be sexier and the war to replace Twitter might be more relevant, but on this, the Great Day of Ennie-ing, let's pause to talk about something else that has evaded serious critique despite multiplying rapidly and claiming hold over the tabletop world: actual play awards . Ned Donovan, human perpetual-motion machine, actual-play advocate, and organizer of the Audio Fiction World Cup once told me the purpose of awards should be to recognize and celebrate quality work, and to promote that work to consumers and potential investors . It will come as no s...