Retailers attending GTS got to vote on the final set of nominees, and now the final list of Origins Award nominees is announced (see below). Several notable nominations made the list, including Classic Battletech (Catalyst Game Labs) for Best Miniatures Rules, Paizo’s Pathfinder: Rise of the Runelords for Best Roleplaying Supplement, and Battue going head-to-head against StarCraft for Best Boardgame. Since the winners are being determined by Origins attendees this summer, is there anyone that doesn’t believe Zombie Fluxx has its category all wrapped up? I mean, the Looney Lab rabbits are all over Origins.
AAGAD/GAMA press release follows:
NOMINEES FOR 34TH ANNUAL ORIGINS AWARDS ANNOUNCED
The Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts and Design (AAGAD) and the Game Manufacturers Association (GAMA) proudly announce the nominees in all categories for the 34th Origins Awards.
Game retailer attendees at last week’s GAMA Trade Show in Las Vegas reviewed the list and selected the finalists in each award category. From those finalists, attendees at the Origins Game Fair and members of the Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts and Design will select the ultimate winners of the 34th Origins Awards.
This year’s winners will be announced during the Origins Awards ceremony at the Origins Game Fair in Columbus, Ohio, on Saturday, June 28, at 8:00 p.m.
Submissions for 35th Origins Awards will open soon. Watch http://www.originsgamefair.com/aagad/submission for updates and submission forms. The final submission deadline for the 35th Origins Awards is January 15, 2009. No extensions will be given past this date! It is perfectly acceptable to submit games as they are released throughout the year.
For more information about the Origins Game Fair, visit http://www.originsgamefair.com. To learn more about the Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts and Design, please visit http://www.originsgamefair.com/aagad.
MINIATURE OR MINIATURES LINE
- Skarrd Raze #2
by Dark Age Games - George R.R. Martin Masterworks – Premium Miniature Line
by Dark Sword Miniatures, Inc. - Titiania’s Fury
by Dragonfire Laser Crafts Inc. - Bronzeback Titan, HORDES: Evolution Miniatures Line
by Privateer Press - Dark Heaven Legends Fantasy Miniatures
by Reaper Miniatures
MINIATURES RULES
- Classic Battletech
Published by Catalyst Game Labs
Created by Jordan Weisman
Edited by Michelle Lyons, Diane Piron-Gelman - Saganami Island Tactical Simulator, Second Edition
Published by Ad Astra Games
Created by Ken Burnside and Thomas Pope - Forces of WARMACHINE: Pirates of the Broken Coast
Published by Privateer Press
Created by Brian Snoddy and Matt Wilson - AT-43
Published by Rackham
Created by Arnaud Cuidet, Jean-Baptiste Lullien, Nicolas Raoult, and Jerome
Rigal - Song of Blades and Heroes
Published by Andrea Sfiligoi
Created by Andrea Sfiligoi
PUBLICATION, FICTION
- Astounding Hero Tales
Published by Hero Games
Edited by James Lowder - Dragons of the Highlord Skies
Published by Wizards of the Coast
Written by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman - Frontier Cthulhu
Published by Chaosium
Edited by William Jones - The Orc King
Published by Wizards of the Coast
Written by R.A. Salvatore - The Time Curse
Published by Margaret Weis Productions
Written by James M. Ward
PUBLICATION, NON-FICTION
- 40 Years of Gen Con
Published by Atlas Games
Written by Robin D. Laws - Confessions of a Part-Time Sorceress: A Girl’s Guide to the Dungeons & Dragons Game
Published by Wizards of the Coast
Written by Shelly Mazzanoble - Grand History of the Realms
Published by Wizards of the Coast
Written by Brian R. James and Ed Greenwood - Hobby Games: The 100 Best
Published by Green Ronin
Edited by James Lowder - No Quarter Magazine
Published by Privateer Press
Nathan Letsinger, editor-in-chief; Eric Cagle, editor; Josh Manderville, art
director
ROLEPLAYING GAME
- Grimm
Published by Fantasy Flight Games
Written by Robert Vaughn and Christian T. Petersen - The Savage World of Solomon Kane
Published by Great White Games/Pinnacle Entertainment Group
Written by Paul “Wiggy” Wade-Williams (with Shane Lacy Hensley) - CthulhuTech
Published by Mongoose Publishing
Written by Matthew Grau and Fraser McKay - Battlestar Galactica
Published by Margaret Weis Productions
Written by Jamie Chambers - Faery’s Tale Deluxe
Published by Firefly Games
Written by Patrick Sweeney, Sandy Antunes, Christina Stiles, and Robin D. Laws - Aces & Eights
Published by Kenzer & Co.
Written by Jolly R. Blackburn, Brian Jelke, Steve Johansson, Dave Kenzer, Jennifer Kenzer and Mark Plemmons
ROLEPLAYING GAME SUPPLEMENT
- Legend of the Five Rings: Emerald Empire
Published by Alderac Entertainment Group
Written by Shawn Carman, Richard Farrese, Douglas Sun and Brian Yoon - Pirate’s Guide to Freeport
Published by Green Ronin
Written by Chris Pramas, Robert J. Schwalb, and Patrick O’Duffy - Delta Green: Eyes Only
Published by Pagan Publishing
Written by Dennis Detwiller, Adam Scott Glancy and Shane Ivey - Pathfinder: Rise of the Runelords
Published by Paizo Publishing
Edited by James Jacobs, Art by Wayne Reynolds - Ruins of the Wild: Dungeon Tiles 4
Published by Wizards of the Coast
Written by Bruce R. Cordell - Codex Arcanis
Published by Paradigm Concepts
Written by Team Paradigm
GAME SUPPORT
- Dungeon Life: Bendy Walls
Published by by Z-Man Publishing - Gamemastery Flip Mat: Tavern
Published by Paizo Publishing - Crystalline Counters
Published by Three Sages Games - Hollow Earth Expedition GM Screen
Published by Exile Game Studio - Dr. Wizard’s Patented Elevation Indicator
Published by Stratus Artworks - Call Of Cthulhu Dice Set
Published by Q-Workshop
COLLECTIBLE CARD GAME
- Bleach
Published by Score Entertainment
Aik Tongtharadol (lead designer), William Harper (rules editor) - Legend of the Five Rings
Published by Alderac Entertainment Group
Mark Wootton (lead designer), Charles Urbach (cover artist) - The Spoils
by Tenacious Games, Inc.
Josh Lytle (lead designer), Patrick Meehan (lead artist)
BOARD GAME OR EXPANSION
- Pillars of the Earth
Published by Mayfair Games
Created by Michael Rieneck and Stefan Stadler - Kingsburg
Published by Elfin Werks
Created by Andrea Chiarvesio and Luca Iennaco - StarCraft: The Board Game
Published by Fantasy Flight Games
Created by Corey Konieczka and Christian Petersen - Last Night on Earth, The Zombie Game
Published by Flying Frog Productions
Created by Jason Hill - Battue: Storm of the Horse Lords
Published by Red Juggernaut
Created by Jim Long
TRADITIONAL CARD GAME
- Lifeboat
Published by Gorilla Games
Created by Jeff Siadek - Cutthroat Caverns
Published by Smirk and Dagger Games
Created by Curt Covert and Justin Brunetto - Bankruptcy
Published by Tangent Games
Created by Geoff Habiger and Coy Kissee - Zombie Fluxx
Published by Looney Labs
Created by Andrew Looney - Infernal Contraption
Published by Privateer Press
Created by Matt Wilson, Jason Soles, Kevin Clark, Erik Breidenstein - Race for the Galaxy
Published by Rio Grande Games
Created by Thomas Lehmann
I sure hope so. Zombie Fluxx is a fine game, though if the Euro-fans were to organize, Race for the Galaxy would probably take it.
Just as long as Bankruptcy doesn’t take it. It may be one of the worst games I’ve ever played, and I’m baffled as to its inclusion on the list.
I’m glad to see Battue on the list. It was one of my picks for an Origins nominee when I wrote my review for the game last October. Last Night on Earth is also a great game that deserves to be in the category.
Yay Battletech!
Race for the Galaxy is over complicated to me. I prefer San Juan. My vote goes to Zombie Fluxx, the Creeper adds a nice new element to the game.