First Annual Video Game Trader HomeBrew Awards Ceremony in the works

[videogametrader]

Hello everyone,

 

I am working on putting together the first ever (at least to my knowledge) HomeBrew awards ceremony. We are planning on giving awards for multiple categories.

 

I was wondering if I could ask for some of your help.

 

I need to put together the categories that will be used. I am thinking of the following categories:

 

* HomeBrew Game of the Year

* Best Pre-8bit "Classic" Homebrew Game

* Best 8-bit Homebrew Game

* Best 16-Bit Homebrew Game

* Best sound effects in a Homebrew game

* Best graphics in a Homebrew game

* Greatest Technological Achievement in a Homebrew Game

* Best Remake

 

What other categories should be included? Any homebrew released on cartridge/CD form in 2009 will qualify to be nominated. Various newsgroups/forums will be polled the last quarter 2009 and first quarter 2010 with awards being provided in Spring of 2010. The Summer issue of Video Game Trader will provide a feature story about the awards and I am trying to get some TV coverage as well.

 

Any help and/or suggestions are appreciated.

 

Thanks,

 

Tom Sansone

www.VideoGameTrader.com

 

PS. Homebrew Authors, feel free to start contacting me about nominating your game now.

[videogametrader]

I am also thinking of adding the following additional categories:

 

* Rookie of the Year - Rewarding someones FIRST project

* Best "Commercial Quality" release

 

I also need help figuring out a name for the award. "Video Game Trader Homebrew of the Year" doesn't have a nice ring to it.

 

Thanks,

 

Tom

[chrisbid]

i wouldnt separate eras, (are there even any 16 bit homebrews out there?) and since very few people play or own several different homebrews, i would give the public the ability to nominate but not elect the winners

[videogametrader]

i wouldnt separate eras, (are there even any 16 bit homebrews out there?) and since very few people play or own several different homebrews, i would give the public the ability to nominate but not elect the winners

 

We are still working on the details but I can agree with your point about letting the public nominate and letting an independent committee pick the winners.

 

Thanks for the feedback.

[doubledown]

I would suggest that Video Game Trader is not in the name of the award, but rather, follows the award name as something like "presented/sponsored by Video Game Trader."

 

You could always have a "people's choice" award. That will let the minions voice their opinion. Are you thinking of seperating homebrews by hacks, ports, arcade conversions, and completely new ideas, or all generically just as "homebrews?" I do like the rookie of the year, and best commercial quality release awards. The only problem is that you'd be limiting an already fairly small list of games/programmers even further. If you had a way to legitimately/honestly track sales, you could also do a "best-selling of the year" award.

[videogametrader]

I would suggest that Video Game Trader is not in the name of the award, but rather, follows the award name as something like "presented/sponsored by Video Game Trader."

 

You could always have a "people's choice" award. That will let the minions voice their opinion. Are you thinking of seperating homebrews by hacks, ports, arcade conversions, and completely new ideas, or all generically just as "homebrews?" I do like the rookie of the year, and best commercial quality release awards. The only problem is that you'd be limiting an already fairly small list of games/programmers even further. If you had a way to legitimately/honestly track sales, you could also do a "best-selling of the year" award.

 

My initial thoughts are the let the people choose the nominees, and a winner out of the top 3 or 5 in each category will be selected by an independent panel. I really don't think "hacks" are real homebrews, but I would like a "most creative Hack" category or something.

 

Read my next post concerning the name.

 

Tom

[videogametrader]

Hello Everyone,

 

As we move forward with the awards program (due in the spring), we need to come up with a name. I would really like to pay homage to two pioneers of the Video Game World: William Higinbotham (who created one of the first video games, Tennis for Two) and Ralph Baer (who created the very first Video Game System that hooked up to a TV, the Odyssey).

 

Please let me know how these sound: The Baer Higinbotham Award, The Higinbotham Baer Award, The Ralph Baer Award, The William Higinbotham Award or the Odyssey Award.

 

What do you think? Please provide your feedback. Whatever name is chosen, will most likely be the name of the award forever.

 

Thanks,

 

Tom Sansone

[+GroovyBee]

Some ideas for names :-

 

Retronica Awards

Retro Active Awards <---------- or "Retroactive - something happening after the fact"

The Brewskis <-------- Probably too beer related

Retrovival Awards

Retroscope Awards

The Retroastra Awards <-------- Retro stars?

Edited August 6, 2009 by GroovyBee

[videogametrader]

Some ideas for names :-

 

Retronica Awards

Retro Active Awards <---------- or "Retroactive - something happening after the fact"

The Brewskis <-------- Probably too beer related

Retrovival Awards

Retroscope Awards

The Retroastra Awards <-------- Retro stars?

 

So far my favorite name is the Video Game Odyssey Awards. To me, it has a nice ring to it and pays homage to the very first system that hooked up to a TV.

 

I also would like to immediately create a committee of 9 people (myself included) to help with the process. The nine of us would create the rules and criteria for nomination. My initial thoughts are to have a nomination process that people would vote on and then have the top 3 to 5 voted on by the committee, or have those 3-5 voted on by online users. But the committee would oversee the process, making sure games are in the correct categories etc.

 

I have a couple hand-selected people I will approach for this committee but I would like to know whom else is interested. If you are please email me your info, including why you should be a part of this, to vgtnj[nospam]@ aol.com. Please remove the [nospam] tag.

 

You may be asking, why 9? Kudos to anyone that can guess that

[videogametrader]

I've updated the Video Game Odyssey Awards website with some rules and categories. Soon Homebrew authors will be able to nominate their games.

 

http://www.odysseyawards.com/

 

Comments are welcome.

[nonner242]

I think you covered all the bases with your awards.

And I like your titles so far.

Will there be runner ups?

[Thomas Jentzsch]

"Pre 8bit"?

[videogametrader]

"Pre 8bit"?

 

I believe we covered every system that was cartridge based. Are we missing any that you feel should be included?

[+GroovyBee]

Why limit it to NTSC only? Good games are being created in Europe too.

 

Can you also expand on the categories that require 3 physical copies? Will they be returned at the end of judging?