I've been thinking about this for a little while. What would people think about having Nova PlugIn Awards? Kind of like the Oscars (we could call them the Kanes!). I think it would go nicely with the user ratings and number of downloads. Plus, it would give the winners some well deserved recognition.

This is how I was thinking they would work. We do the awards twice a year. For about a month before hand, people can nominate which plugins they feel should win an award. At the end of the period, the best five (or whatever) are announced. A team of judges goes and looks at each of the nominations carefully, and then decides who should win. The winners are announced, and everyone cheers.

Here were my thoughts on categories:

Best Total Conversion - although no prizes for guessing who'd win this at the moment!

Best Expansion - plugins which either add new outfits, weapons or ships that are balanced for the Nova universe, or extend on existing storylines. Eg Unity or PlugPack

Best New Storyline - plugins which add thier own new storyline to Nova

Most Orignal Use of an Engine Feature - plugins which do something clever with the engine, like the plug in which you could build a weapon from the parts you find at different places (can't remember where I saw that)

Most Orignal Idea - either a storyline, an outfit, a governemtn, whatever.

Community Service Award - someone who has given lots the the EVN community

So, it's just an idea. What do people think?

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(url="http://"http://www.geocities.com/newkongindustries/")New Kong Industries (/url) - Home of the Night's Dawn TC, and the MissionPack!

How would judging work?

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"It's nothing personal... you just don't have a sense of humor, that's all."

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Originally posted by Mantaray:
**How would judging work?

**

I believe that this is a great idea, and judging should either be done by the moderators, or , if that was too much work, it could be done by most downloads or highest rating. Although a most useful plug catagory should be included to give recognition to those who take their time to make fixes.

Edit: Drat! Beaten to the question!

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Latin is a language,
as dead as dead can be.
First it killed the Romans,
now it's killing me.

(This message has been edited by StormyNight (edited 01-09-2003).)

The judges reaching a combined decision. I was thinking 3 judges per category (although I doubt there would be 18 people willing to be judges). They all play the nomined plugins, discuss their merits and flaws, maybe talk to the authors, and then either vote or just decide which of the 5 was the best.

Of course, if you were a judge, you couldn't have a plugin entered in the category you were judging...

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(url="http://"http://www.geocities.com/newkongindustries/")New Kong Industries (/url) - Home of the Night's Dawn TC, and the MissionPack!

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it could be done by most downloads or highest rating

See, the idea behind this was to be seperate from the Most Downloaded and Highest Ranked. Most Downloaded is good, but it doesn't take into acount plugins that sound great from their description, but suck in real life. Highest Ranked only takes into account those people who actually bother to vote (which include the author :D), so it's probably people who either really loved or really hated the plugin.

I'm not saying the Most Downloaded or Highest Ranked systems are wrong or dumb or anything, I just figured that this could be another point of view.

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(url="http://"http://www.geocities.com/newkongindustries/")New Kong Industries (/url) - Home of the Night's Dawn TC, and the MissionPack!

I see, good point.

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Latin is a language,
as dead as dead can be.
First it killed the Romans,
now it's killing me.

I would be willing to be a judge, and I'm sure this is a great idea

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I'd be willing to judge until I develope my plug-making skills to the point of being nominated in every category, because then I wouldn't be allowed to judge.
Anyway, the idea is really good but it'd be really great if the mod of the plug page(EVula, I think) would put the winners of all the categories at the top of the plug page so everyone outside the dev community would know about it.

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I like long walks, especially those taken by people who annoy me.

Hmm, I wouldn't object to this idea, but there are several aspects that I disagree with...

(1) It's far too early to do it at the moment. Most categories have a really obvious winner, and it would be a waste of time. Wait until we have more TCs around.

(2) Every 6 months is too frequent. Taking the original EV as an example - EVGE was released a very long time ago, and many TCs have been released after it. However, it is still regarded as the best TC by the majority. The fact remains - plugins do not lose their popularity or go off release like movies do.

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(url="http://"http://www.mazca.com/")Mazca(/url) , Moderator, (url="http://"http://www.AmbrosiaSW.com/cgi-bin/ubb/forumdisplay.cgi?action=topics&number;=9&SUBMIT;=Go&urgaylol;=yes")EV Developer's Corner(/url)
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I hate the clear key. My finger just tapped it and cleared the entire field so once again I will state what I have to say.

I'm all for it. I think it's a great idea. I also think Mazca makes a couple very valid points though. Something that would definetly have to be taken into consideration. I think most importantly the whole thing would have to be very well organized and follow very detailed guidlines - not just in how plugs are judged but in the way entries are submitted and how the entire contest is run in general. Most importantly it couldn't be a half-arsed attempt. If it happened it would have to happen by committed people. And saddly this seems like it might be a problem - especially on web boards.

(edit)screwed up that one word(/edit)
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I used to jog but the ice kept falling out of my glass.

(This message has been edited by Kame (edited 01-10-2003).)

I would also be willing to judge.

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Latin is a language,
as dead as dead can be.
First it killed the Romans,
now it's killing me.

I'm with Mazca on this one.
Also, if this idea were to come to fruitation (a word I have just used for the first time in my entire life), would one have to nominate a plug-in, or would all plugs be considered?

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"It's nothing personal... you just don't have a sense of humor, that's all."

i think you would have to nominate a plug because it would take some time going through every plugin made and some plugs just might not be worth it. I think it is a great idea but agree that twice a year is far too much. In relation to your second point Mazca, you could always make it that a pluging may only win once or twice before it won't be considdered again, this would also keep people inventing new plugs.

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Sorgath
The best NOVA fighter pilot ever

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Every 6 months is too frequent.

Hmmm. I'm begining to agree. I initially though 6 months would be good because there are so many plugins, but I've realised that most of them probably aren't worth considering. So yearly would probably be a better idea.

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It's far too early to do it at the moment.

I disagree. With the exception of the TC category, I think there are enough examples in all the other categories now. Also, if this idea does go ahead, it will take some time to set up. So it probably won't happen for another month or two at least (not that a month would make that much difference...)

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would one have to nominate a plug-in, or would all plugs be considered?

I thought that initially, all plugins (or all that fit into the categories) would be up for consideration. The general public would vote on which were the best five (or however many we decide), and then the judges would pick the best one.

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(url="http://"http://www.geocities.com/newkongindustries/")New Kong Industries (/url) - Home of the Night's Dawn TC, and the MissionPack!

I think it's a cool idea, but it would work best if it could be coordinated with Ambrosia. Then an electronic voting system of some kind could be set up, and it could be, err, blatantly pointed at in the appropriate areas.

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Originally posted by SNM:
**I think it's a cool idea, but it would work best if it could be coordinated with Ambrosia. Then an electronic voting system of some kind could be set up, and it could be, err, blatantly pointed at in the appropriate areas.:)
**

Ooh, I heard the word "blatant" mentioned, I believe that's my cue.

Ambrosia wouldn't have to be brought in to do something like this, it could very easily be done with a small group of dedicated folk (or even just a single folk) setting the site up. Of course, web space would be an issue, but since you see me posting here, it obviously isn't.

Also, if you're going to set up an Awards thing for plugins, why not do one for EV and EVO? To be perfectly honest, those games have far more good plugs than EVN does (due only to the fact that EVN isn't a year old yet).

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I think this idea is just plain stupid. After all why do we have the rating system in the Add ons section? thats where plugs should be voted for. And is serously doubt that giving out prizes will increase the Quality of plugs, rather, more people will enter simply to try to win the prize without knowing what they are getting into. More dead projects, and less quatily.

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"...yet gradually we recovered, venturing cautiously back into the void of space afraid of what we might find there."

EVula: But if it were blatant on Ambrosia's site then everyone who ever came here for anything EV would see it, as opposed to the people who were on the messageboards during the time period there were posts about it.
Unless your empire is larger than I think.

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EDIT: Skyfox, why do you say that? Perhaps there will be more lower-quality plugs, but I doubt the top plugs would be affected at all.

(This message has been edited by SNM (edited 01-11-2003).)

I think this is a cool idea.

And yes, EVula's empire is larger than you think. ....he's taking over....

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Originally posted by Skyfox:
I think this idea is just plain stupid. After all why do we have the rating system in the Add ons section? thats where plugs should be voted for. And is serously doubt that giving out prizes will increase the Quality of plugs, rather, more people will enter simply to try to win the prize without knowing what they are getting into. More dead projects, and less quatily.

As simon pointed out, most people don't take the time to vote in the Add Ons section. And it's hard to tell how a plug will be based solely on a poor description. I think it's a great way to get those plugs that are actually worth while a little more credit. And hopefully it would help to dig up some of the better plugs that are a little more obscure. Just because a plug hasn't been downloaded a thousand times doesn't mean it isn't worth while. Apart from just the title and recognition there's been no mention of prizes so I doubt this would really be an issue. Besides, it doesn't sound like people can just enter their plug. If plugs are being nominated by people or judges are screening through each one then you already have a level of quality control.

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I used to jog but the ice kept falling out of my glass.