January Player Choice Awards: The New Year

Ok, December was a rough month. We had a good showing of nominees, but not so much in the way of voting. Though this is a new year, and a new decade, I'm partly going back to what worked the best the first time around. And in honor of the new year, I'd also like to honor the new arcs, and the unknown authors. So let's get to the rules!

Best New Arc

• You may not nominate your own arc.
• You may nominate any arc published on or after October 1st, 2009.
• Please do not nominate an author with: A Dev Choice arc, A Hall of Fame Arc, a previous Player's Choice win.
• In your nomination, provide the arc ID#, the title, author's Global name, and a short (50 words or less) explanation why you're nominating the arc.
• You may use your nomination to "second" any previous nomination. This will guarantee the arc's spot in the final voting. Nominations past the second are not needed.
• Nominations will be accepted until January 22nd at 11:59pm EST. Nomination are now closed
• Nominations will be narrowed down to five entries, or every nomination with a "second", whichever is larger. This will be done by myself, and at least one other judge - to be named later.
• Voting will be held in a new thread posted as soon as possible and will be open until February 15th at 11:59pm EST.

• You may not nominate your own arc.
• You may nominate any author with 3 or fewer arcs with a combined total of 50 plays or less.
• Please do not nominate an author with: A Dev Choice arc, A Hall of Fame Arc, a previous Player's Choice win.
• In your nomination, provide all applicable arc ID#s and titles, along with the author's Global name, and a short (100 words or less) explanation why you're nominating the author.
• You may use your nomination to "second" any previous nomination. This will guarantee the author's spot in the final voting. Nominations past the second are not needed.
• Nominations will be accepted until January 22nd at 11:59pm EST. Nomination are now closed
• Nominations will be narrowed down to five entries, or every nomination with a "second", whichever is larger. This will be done by myself, and at least one other judge - to be named later.
• Voting will be held in a new thread posted as soon as possible and will be open until February 15th at 11:59pm EST.

Nominating for Best Unknown Author:

Arc Number: 118690
Title: "Sibling Rivalry"
Author: @Sister Flame

Why: This arc is a solid entry from a very young author and deserving of recognition.

Uhm, but everyone knows Sister Flame >_>

I believe that arc has several hundred plays as well, which doesn't count as "unknown" per the rules (correct me if I'm wrong, my game's been crashing before loading the past couple days, trying to figure it out now). [whew, fixed it! and yes, 363 plays is not "unknown"]

I was rather enamored with this arc.

Fear And Loathing On Striga
Arc ID: 350522
Level: 20-29
Villainous

Why? Because it is an arc designed for Veats and it does so very well. You feel like one of the special Arachnos Operatives. Want more why? It introduces your villain to a hero zone in a believable way. Your villain enters the scene as the heroes pull out after a successful TF. Look at the same old content with a different viewpoint. A lot of inuendo's, lore and some old friends.

Besides that, it is a solid entertaining story. Well worth your time trying it out.

Now I can quit whining about never getting nominated for anything. Thanks a lot guys!

I'd like to nominate @Celestial Nemesis, author of The Coldest of Wars (arc id 299972), for "Best Unknown Author". As of this writing, s/he only has 1 arc and it has 40 plays.

For an author's first (and only) arc, I thought The Coldest of Wars was impressively detailed, with good writing, good clues, some decent characters, decent gameplay, and a fun plot.


(I'm still trying to work out who I want to nominate for "Best New Arc"; I have three possibles so far, and might stumble across more before the deadline.)

I'd like to second that nomination for the author of The Coldest of Wars (299972) for best unknown author. Though I have the author's name listed down as Zaphir, unless he has since has had a name change.

Reason being: it's a lovingly crafted and very fun arc, which is especially impressive given how it's his only one.

I'd like to nominate @Jail.Bird, author of The New Paragon Society Reborn (arc id 355351), for "Best Unknown Author". At this time he has 2 arcs with a total of 19 plays.

This arc was a great follow-up to the Golden Age Secret of the Paragon Society (by another author). It was a lot of fun to play, well-written and I loved the customs.

As an aside, I wanted to comment that I spent a bit of time attempting to find a great new author by looking at recent arcs with 4 and 5 stars and found nothing. It finally dawned on me that people who post on this forum care about MA and were likely to write quality arcs. I looked at many posters here who I knew had not won anything to disqualify them, but most of them had too many arcs or too many plays.

I found this arc and really enjoyed it and so I chose to support a valued member of this community with my nomination for "Best Unknown Author".

To be sure to be fair I will nominate @Jail.Bird's arc The New Paragon Society Reborn (arc id 355351), for "Best New Arc".

I will nominate @Sister Twelve author of The Long Road Back (arc id 340454), for "Best Unknown Author". At this time this author has 2 arcs with a total of 10 plays.

Ah, if only more authors were so wise...

*brushes 7 published and several unpublished stories under some rug*

In your nomination, provide the arc ID#, the title, author's Global name, and a short (50 words or less) explanation why you're nominating the arc.

Breaking the Barrier (and Putting it Back Together Again)
ID: 347029
@Lazarus

I really enjoyed the Nagan custom group, both as foes and allies. They are well designed with good descriptions, visual appeal, and power combos. In my opinion the Nagans are the best custom group I've yet seen.

For Best New Arc:

The Tangled Weave
Arc ID: 338575
@FredrikSvanberg

A fun starting story for a newbie villain, well-balanced for lowbies, had good tie-ins with the official continuity, and had a lot of fun elements.



I realize that @FredrikSvanberg has another arc nominated already, but the category is "Best New Arc", so ought to be author-neutral. And (in my opinion) The Tangled Weave is better than Fear and Loathing on Striga, anyhow.

Honorable mention to The Christmas We Get.

I'd like to nominate @Calash for Best Unknown Author.

While "Time for Reflection" #303046 has no ratings and is explicitly listed as unfinished, "End Game - Final Moves" #17006 is actually one of the arcs that inspired me with some of the more creative options available in the MA. While the contact does assume the player is male, she has a definitive voice and I like the mechanics in the last mission.

For Best New Arc I'd like to nominate LaserJesus's "Drakule vs The Werewolf Bikers from Hell" (340316).

It's another fun installment in the Drakule saga that ups the ante with demonic werewolf bikers, what is there not to love? Plus Dr. Von Hecksung is one of the most darkly amusing contacts ever.

Bubba is away form the game for a little bit and wanted to extend the deadline for a week making it the 21st. I was suppose to post an update on the 15th, but as many of you know a close friend of mine just past away. I will get an update out in the next day or so.


WN

Update


Best New Arc

*Finalist* @Celestial Nemesis The Coldest of Wars #299972

*Finalist* @fredriksvanberg Fear And Loathing On Striga #350522

@Sister Twelve The Long Road Back #340454, also The Union of the Mask #352400

@Jail.Bird The New Paragon Society Reborn

@Lazarus Breaking the Barrier (and Putting it Back Together Again) #347029

@FredrikSvanberg The Tangled Weave #338575

@LaserJesus Drakule vs The Werewolf Bikers from Hell #340316



Best Unknown Author

*Finalist* @Celestial Nemesis

@Sister Twelve

@Calash

@Jail.bird


Reminder - Deadline extended to the 21st.

WN

Best new arc:

#365497
Simplicity
@Arctic Princess

A well written, alternate neutral path where you character begins their life as a bounty hunter. Has some interesting story twists and an over-theatrical contact.

My nomination for best new arc:

#346904
Against the WickerWork Khan!
@Clave Dark 5

I'd like to nominate someone who's been putting a lot of work into his arc.

@TURGENEV - Freedom Server / IRON / B.A.N.E / HORDE

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