GOTM "Special" Monthly Awards: GUIDELINES/RULES

(Rev. 0.96, 11Aug02: Updated for GOTM018)

GOTM Special Awards: Guidelines & Rules


GOTM 018 Special Awards Nomination Thread is here!

INTRODUCTION: This thread will describe the nature and scope of the GOTM Special Awards, and is subject to change (it is maintained by Starlifter).

Any CivFanatics reader may participate; categories and awards will be posted within a few days following close of nominations (See "General Timeline")!


WHAT: The GOTM Special Awards are unofficial awards given to:

- Recognize various "achievements" in GOTM games
- Spotlight unusual or funny aspects of GOTM submissions & posts
- Provide entertaining accounts of games
- Showcase GOTM-related things not recognized officially
- Encourage CivFanatics Membership and Readership

The quantity and categories are not pre-determined each month; neither are most award titles. Rather, the Special Awards depend on the GOTM games submitted, posts in the "spoiler" thread, and most importantly: nominations/suggestions of the GOTM participants & all CivFanatics members.


WHO:Eligibility: Any GOTM participant whose game is officially recognized by Duke of Marlbrough is eligible to receive a Special Award!

Nominations: Any CivFanatics member may look at the games and associated GOTM threads and make suggestions and/or nominations.

Self-Nominations: Feel free to nominate yourself!! You are most familiar with your own game, so don't be bashful. Your completed GOTM must be still be included in Duke of Marbrough's archive, however.


WHEN: Submission timeframe:

Earliest: When the new GOTM 0XX Special Awards thread is started by Starlifter (typically about mid-month). However, you can PM a nomination before the nomination thread is started.

latest: As posted... typically 7 to 10 days (approx the 20th) after the final official results by Duke of Marlbrough.


WHERE: Suggest an Award Title, Category, or Nomination in the GOTM 0XX Special Awards Nominations thread, or directly to Starlifter by PM.


WHY: Fun, entertainment, encouragement, knowledge, and recognition!


HOW: Any CFC'er may nominate, and self-nominations are encouraged!


NOMINATION METHODS:

1. GOTM Forum: Nominate via that month's "GOTM 0XX Special Awards" thread, in the GOTM Forum.

2. Via PM: Submit your nominations, suggestions, screenshots, accounts, details, savegames & description to Starlifter. Attach a zipped .SAV, if you are nominating from a year not in the archive (e.g., a self-nomination).

3. End Of Month Processing: Duke of Marlbrough may notice potential awards in his monthly processing of the GOTMs. Starlifter will also look through .SAVs. (Due to large volume of .SAVs, these method won't be comprehensive, and will likely miss many deserving awards without CivFanatics members and GOTM Players nominating!)

Note: Any CFC'er suggest award titles/categories, and make nominations from the .SAVs and other info, including the Spoiler thread and player-written timelines or game descriptions.


GENERAL TIMELINE:

1st - New GOTM posted by Smash or TF (self-nominations begin now).
5th - Duke of Marlbrough's GOTM submission deadline.
10th - (approx) Duke of Marlbrough posts Official Results and Official Awards.
20th - (approx) Special Awards submission deadline.
25th - (approx) Special Awards posted.



Notes (fine print!):

1. Special Awards are meant for fun, and to encourage GOTM play, greater participation, shared knowledge, and new members in the CivFanatics community in general.


2. Special Awards will not usurp the Official awards given that month (e.g., there will be no "unofficial blue star", unless no official Blue Star is given by Duke of Marlbrough).

3. Deliberately offensive award suggestions or nominations (or those in bad taste) will not be considered. In general, "Negative" awards along the lines of "Dumbest Play" or "Biggest Defeat" will not be considered unless self-nominated, or the nominee does not mind.

4. Awards (and nominations) are meant to be positive and humorous, but if a recipient (or nominee) is offended in some way, contact Starlifter and it can be removed.

5. Send comments, suggestions, feedback, corrections, etc. via CFC PM to Starlifter. Don't swamp Duke of Marlbrough, whom we already keep quite busy!



---------- Version History ----------

Note: For quick reference, a revision number & date shows if any significant changes have been made.

(Rev. 0.90, 09Sep01: First Release)
(Rev. 0.92, 08Oct01: Added some general details)
(Rev. 0.93, 09Jun02: Changed references to reflect both Matrix & Duke of Marlbrough; changed deadlines)
(Rev. 0.94, 11Jul02: Eliminated Matrix references; extended deadlines)
(Rev. 0.95, 11Jul02: Changed some formatting, shortened verbage, clarified wording, shortened verbage)
Rev. 0.96, 11Aug02: Updated for GOTM018


PS, Please don't post nominations in this thread. Use the associated GOTM 0XX Special Awards thread.

Here is where to post GOTM 8 Suggestions, Pix, Descriptions, Ideas, Categories, Nominations, etc.:

http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?s=&postid=75559&t=9044#post75559

When the GOTM 8 Player GOTM submission archive (the .SAVs to Matrix) is posted, take a look thru some (or all) the contents!

Wow...

Send comments, suggestions, feedback, corrections, etc. via CivFanatics PM to Starlifter. Don't swamp Matrix, whom we already keep quite busy!

Click to expand...

I'll leave these special awards to you starlifter, so this is a good idea.

We'll start these GOTM Special Awards again with GOTM 16...

For those who are new (since last October), or those that may have forgotten, here is an example:

http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=5153

Don't reply in this thread... use the " GOTM 016: Special GOTM Award Nominations" thread, located here:

http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=24355

Starlifter -- I'd like to see an award for most improved -- it could easily be calculated from Matrix's data & I think that both of you guys have the skill sets to do the math -- both from one month to the next & from the latest score relative to a personal previous best. :grad: :grad:

Best early game would be great as well (measured by standard Civ scoring?; measured by know techswith other considerations?; cheat mode by the scorers to compute a ratio of the player score relative to the total remaining civs data (thus strongly favoring conquerors)) -- but I know that I'm often careless -- so the 1 AD (or perhaps an earlier date would still qualify) date would have to be strickly imposed.

Maybe there could be multiple early game awards -- speed demon (most techs -- on the way to AC) & Crusher (lowest sum of ai pop) to name a couple.

I really like the idea of a "Most Improved" award each month, but the trouble is that one of the attractions of the GotM is the variation in difficulty level each month. Loads of more expert players didn't do as well at warlord as they probably should have done because it was so unlike their usual game.
How can you have someone win a most improved medal when they played on deity one month and then on prince the next?
This is a great idea but would require some kind of difficulty multiplier to be included in the GotM scoring formula.

Hmmm difficulty in measurement. I’m not highly adept yet, but I think that the top level players will consistently womp me in a GOTM situation.
:rocket:

As I look at the monthly scores, the top few are still the top few, the next bunch +/- similar comment, the middle of the roaders follow & then come remainders. Granted there are some ups & downs (Lucky seems to be the most obvious up -- now he’s a top player), but I think that the basics remain true.

I also think that the very best of players may have a more flexible game -- and that flexibility seems to be a hallmark of better play.

These special awards should be limited to more fun. I don't think it is appropriate to request more work of TF, Matrix, and the other wonderful, selfless people that provide this website. My 2 cents.

by Old n' Slow:

Starlifter -- I'd like to see an award for most improved -- it could easily be calculated from Matrix's data ...

Click to expand...

Any suggestions which are computation-based, or connected officially is the domain of Matrix. These "Special GOTM Monthly Awards" are not official in any way, and do not usurp or overlap the "official" GOTM results. This means that suggested changes & additions to the Official recognition, such as the additional awards you suggest, should be directed to Matrix, as he's the moderator and decision maker.

Just as a reminder for everyone, the "What" section is:
-----------------------------
WHAT: The GOTM "Special" Awards are unofficial awards given to:

- Recognize various "achievements" in GOTM games
- Spotlight unusual or funny aspects of GOTM submissions
- Provide entertaining accounts of a game (See "Stories and Tales" for general idea)
- Showcase things of a positive & entertaining nature not recognized officially
- Encourage CivFanatics Membership and Readership
------------------------------

Matrix will discuss proposed GOTM changes, including suggesting new official awards, and you can look back to some threads last Fall (Like in the Sept. Oct. range) for some examples of debates over various suggestions.

My suggestion is to simply post your ideas/thoughts in a new thread and let Matrix give his input, as well as GOTM-ers making input.



PS, I have no input to official decision making, and FWIW, more of my own ideas & sugestions in the past have ultimately been rejected than accepted . Sometimes he will make a Poll for wider input. But Matrix will listen to your ideas, & tell you why he decides a given issue the way he does.

NOTE: People should not continue Official proposals and suggestions in this thread. Just start a new thread for any GOTM suggestions (including new official awards). Suggestions for the "Special GOTM Monthly Awards" should, by definition, be made in the corresponding GOTM 0xx thread. For GOTM 016, here is the thead.

I may not understand this properly but I was under the impression that Matrix is only dealing with the Civ 3 GotM from now on and that the Duke of Marlbrough will be doing the Civ 2 version. I'd wait for confirmation of this but don't send Matrix a deluge of PMs yet in case it's not his responsibility any more.

I read Matrix' post about that after posting the above, but did not see the reference matrix referred to in Site Feedback. If/when I see the removal of Matrix as Mod, I'll modify all references to him above. I have not seen an announcement by TF, so Matrix is da man for now. I'd read that DoM would simply compute the GOTMs beginning next month, and Matrix' cryptic post (here ) was all I've seen. I figure "they" will get it all clarified soon .

My main thing for this thread is that we not post GOTM suggestions in it; those just need to go in their own theads for note and discussion by all GOTMers, and eventually a ruling by the Mod.

I would like to warn you about reading the thread linked to below, as the first line in particular may send you mad starlifter. But here goes: Matrix leaves Civ 2 GotM!

Thanks Duk o' York, that was an interesting link. At least he was honest about his not caring about the Civ 2 GOTM anymore. We could have used a clear post about that in this Forum a long time ago, and that obviously explains the delay in the GOTM results and absence of Matrix. But he's done a lot of good for the GOTM for a long time, and so what puzzles me is why it was not just handed off to Duke of M. this month. I am still unclear, even after that post, who is supposed to be Mod. And the GOTM mod is the one that needs to consider the suggestions of members like Old n Slow.

So I'd say we all just hang out till the CFC Staff get it together and make a firm announcement of what is what. It looks to me like DoM should not only do the monthly results, but also be the Civ 2 GOTM Moderator, given Matrix' statement and lack of interest.

Well at any rate, the GOTM is what we, the players, readers, posters, and participants make of it, and in a week or two I'm sure it will all be ironed out & hunkey-dory.

As GOTMers know by now, the Duke of Marbrough is our new Moderator and Admin. He's updating the website in the next few days, and all Special Awards stuff is now updated, too.


The nominations for GOTM017 Special Awards are open. As a reminder, any CFC member may make nominations.... just download the GOTM017 Archive of .SAVs, and have a look-see to find a Nomi-nee or Th-ree, Ok-iee Do-kiee?


Serious-lee, you can even sometimes spot a nominee by just reading the "Spoiler" thread.... so you actually don't even need to download the games to participate in the Special Awards each month.

As always, don't nominate or discuss in this thread, but go here to post you nominee(s), or PM Starlifter is you don't want the general public to see your nominee(s) until the awards are posted.


Some past examples:

GOTM007 Special Awards are here.

GOTM016 Special Awards are here.