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Recipients of the 2008 International Gamers Awards Announced!
The International Gamers Awards committee is extremely proud to announce the recipients for the 2007 IGA in the General Strategy category: In the Multi-Player category, the award goes to Agricola, the creation of German designer Uwe Rosenberg and published by Lookout Games and Z-Man Games. Agricola places players in the roles of rural farmers, beginning life with their spouse in little more than a wooden shack with some surrounding land. The challenge is to build a profitable farm, which requires players to acquire the necessary construction materials to erect fences, barns and expand their homes. Of course, animals are required, and choosing the proper mix of pigs, cattle and sheep is critical. Ultimately, one needs to properly feed the animals and inevitable children, and at the same time, turn a handsome profit. Agricola is quite challenging, and the abundance of cards makes every game refreshingly different. The game has earned the IGA in the General Strategy, Multi-Player category, and marks the first IGA for designer Rosenberg and publishers Lookout Games and Z-Man Games. In the 2-Player category, the award goes to 1960: The Making of the President, a challenging and entertaining game that recreates the pivotal 1960 United States presidential election between Richard Nixon and John Kennedy. Players represent these historical figures as they campaign across the United States in an effort to win enough electoral votes to capture the presidency. History comes alive as events that actually occurred are deeply ingrained into the system, challenging players to adapt to an ever-changing political landscape. The game is designed by designers Jason Matthews and Christian Leonhard, and released by Z-Man Games. This marks the second IGA for Matthews, and the first for Leonhard and Z-Man Games. The International Gamers Awards were founded in 1999 for the express purpose of recognizing outstanding games, their designers, and the companies which publish them. The awards have gained widespread acclaim and have helped bring these outstanding games to the public's attention. The individuals who serve on our General Strategy and Historical Simulation committees are extremely qualified, knowledgeable and respected within the gaming hobby. Each and everyone have extensive experience in the playing, reviewing and critiquing of games. You can learn more about the International Gamers Awards by visiting our website at: www.internationalgamersawards.net
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No surprises here, but that's ok.
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Der Das wrote: No surprises here, but that's ok. 1960 is head and shoulder above the rest in the 2 player category. Multiplayer I was hoping for Brass but always knew that Agricola would win. All the games show what a great year 2008 was.
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Got two game tables and a microphone
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Congratulations to Mellissa, Jason matthews, and anyone else involved with a game that won an IGA award. And EEP! I forgot Zev...GOOD GOIN Z!
Last edited on 2008-09-28 00:39:32 CST (Total Number of Edits: 1)
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I'm actually a little surprised knowing that crowd that Race for the Galaxy didn't win. Thankfully so.
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How come I haven't heard of this Agricola game yet?
Last edited on 2008-09-27 20:27:48 CST (Total Number of Edits: 1)
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And congrats to Zev for knowing how to pick 'em.
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These selections are just head and shoulders above the milquetoast Spiel des Jahres. All these are great games.
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Melissa - off to Wuppertal!
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Congrats to Uwe, Hanno and Klemens, as well as to Jason and Christian.
Congratulations, too, to Zman and the other international publishers of Agricola: 999 Games, Homo Ludicus, KoreaBoardGames, Lacerta, MindOK, Ystari - and, for 1960, to ZMan as well as to Filosofia and Gabinete Lúdico.
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Just to nitpick whoever's writing these PRs, it's a little weird to say that both awards were the first for Z-Man games. 
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Man, the nominees for multi-player general strategy game couldn't interest me less. I'm sure they're fine, just not at all my type of games. (I think it's crazy that StarCraft wasn't nominated. Then again, I see that TI3 wasn't nominated when it was released, so obviously the IGA voters aren't interested in some types of games.)
I really liked 1960 (the one time I've got to play it, anyways) so I'm glad to see it win.
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MWChapel wrote: I'm actually a little surprised knowing that crowd that Race for the Galaxy didn't win. Thankfully so. That's ok. Race for the Galaxy can still win a Golden Geek or two, especially in the card game category over Through the Ages 
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Zalasta wrote: MWChapel wrote: I'm actually a little surprised knowing that crowd that Race for the Galaxy didn't win. Thankfully so. That's ok. Race for the Galaxy can still win a Golden Geek or two, especially in the card game category over Through the Ages imho RftG really is not that good of a game.
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MWChapel wrote: I'm actually a little surprised knowing that crowd that Race for the Galaxy didn't win. Thankfully so. AMEN!
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Yes, but how did my food-selling place do? I guess Agricola didn't get taken to the slaughterhouse after all...
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Two of my most favorite games of all time. I'm happy to see them get the credit they are due. Also, congrats to Zev for publishing new and innovative ideas for the hobby.
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The Barefoot Killer wrote: Man, the nominees for multi-player general strategy game couldn't interest me less. I'm sure they're fine, just not at all my type of games. (I think it's crazy that StarCraft wasn't nominated. Then again, I see that TI3 wasn't nominated when it was released, so obviously the IGA voters aren't interested in some types of games.) If you took the trouble of actually checking how members of the IGA have rated these two games, you would have noticed how both games have received high ratings (9's) from some members of the jury. However, it is obviously true that the majority of members didn't like these titles as much as some other titles. And as with other aspects of democracy is not necessarily the best who wins, but the one most can agree on.
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Great Dane wrote: ... As with other aspects of democracy is not necessarily the best who wins, but the one most can agree on... Well, the games that most of the voting members of the IGA can agree on, which is a fairly limited group and the members seem to have a general preference towards particular styles of games. That's all I'm saying. Sure, some members might go against the grain of the group, but it's very obvious from the nominees each year that the consensus prefers shorter Euro games (like 2 hours or less) with little rules complexity. That's fine, but since I prefer long, meaty games with a lot of ebb-and-flow and flashy themes, I wish the tastes of the group were more eclectic and represented a greater range of game styles. It reminds me of the Oscars. There are just some genres (i.e., comedies, sci-fi) that will rarely get recognition from the Academy, no matter how good the film happens to be, and some genres that are obviously preferred (i.e., melodrama) by the members. EDITED TO ADD: Quote: If you took the trouble of actually checking how members of the IGA have rated these two games, you would have noticed how both games have received high ratings (9's) from some members of the jury. Are the ratings of the members available anywhere besides here at BGG? Because I looked at each member's BGG profile and only saw 4 ratings for StarCraft. I'm sure more members have probably played it (many don't rate their games here). I hope a major and popular release like that was at least played by the voters.
Last edited on 2008-09-28 13:44:55 CST (Total Number of Edits: 1)
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Big congrats. It's hard designing a game that appeals to a broad spectrum.
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The Barefoot Killer wrote: Great Dane wrote: ... As with other aspects of democracy is not necessarily the best who wins, but the one most can agree on... Well, the games that most of the voting members of the IGA can agree on, which is a fairly limited group and the members seem to have a general preference towards particular styles of games. That's all I'm saying. Sure, some members might go against the grain of the group, but it's very obvious from the nominees each year that the consensus prefers shorter Euro games (like 2 hours or less) with little rules complexity. That's fine, but since I prefer long, meaty games with a lot of ebb-and-flow and flashy themes, I wish the tastes of the group were more eclectic and represented a greater range of game styles. It reminds me of the Oscars. There are just some genres (i.e., comedies, sci-fi) that will rarely get recognition from the Academy, no matter how good the film happens to be, and some genres that are obviously preferred (i.e., melodrama) by the members. But you'd be perfectly happy if the jury was comprised of members who like the games you like? I see.  I guess we all can't be happy. So they might as well make the majority of what we see around here happy instead. As by the looks of the rankings that is ringing true.
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MWChapel wrote: But you'd be perfectly happy if the jury was comprised of members who like the games you like? I see. I didn't say that. I did say I'd be happier if there was more variety.
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The Barefoot Killer wrote: MWChapel wrote: But you'd be perfectly happy if the jury was comprised of members who like the games you like? I see. I didn't say that. I did say I'd be happier if there was more variety. Even if there was this "variety" you are speaking of. I can almost guarantee Agricola would probably still have won. But then again what variety you are speaking is non-existent. Unhappy with starcraft missing from a nomination list, it wasn't even in the top 10 games ranked this year, I don't see how it could have make the cut of an even shorter nomination list.
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MWChapel wrote: Even if there was this "variety" you are speaking of. I can almost guarantee Agricola would probably still have won. But then again what variety you are speaking is non-existent. Unhappy with starcraft missing from a nomination list, it wasn't even in the top 10 games ranked this year, I don't see how it could have make the cut of an even shorter nomination list. Starcraft is just one example. Go back and look at the previous years and tell me you don't see a heavy preference for certain styles of games and a complete absence of others. (And, "wasn't even in the top ten ranked games this year" doesn't mean much to me since I don't put much stock in the BGG ratings either.) And that's fine if the awards skew towards particular tastes. I'm just saying that it holds little significance for me and I'm lamenting that there isn't a gaming award that speaks to me a little more. (EDIT: I just noticed on the IGA site that the general strategy committee members are recognizing "Euro games" or "family strategy games" with these awards. That makes sense now, though it also makes "International Gaming Award" seem like a bit of a misnomer.) Anyways, I'm being an ass by booing the parade much more than I meant to so I'll stop hi-jacking the thread.
Last edited on 2008-09-28 14:02:52 CST (Total Number of Edits: 1)
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The Barefoot Killer wrote:
And that's fine if the awards skew towards particular tastes. I'm just saying that it holds little significance for me and I'm lamenting that there isn't a gaming award that speaks to me a little more.
Anyways, I'm being an ass by booing the parade much more than I meant to so I'll stop hi-jacking the thread.
Hey, I'm right there with you. They never pick "MY" favorites, but they do tend to pick the fan favorites. And for this site, it's a pretty good overall representation of the landscape. It's just we are the creepy lawn gnomes tucked behind the flowerbed.
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The Barefoot Killer wrote: Are the ratings of the members available anywhere besides here at BGG? Because I looked at each member's BGG profile and only saw 4 ratings for StarCraft. I'm sure more members have probably played it (many don't rate their games here). I hope a major and popular release like that was at least played by the voters. I played it a couple of times and thought it was quite good. It didn't make my final nominations, though. Anyway, I (was) on the IGA and my top game never wins the award (actually, Through The Ages won last year, but that was one in eight or nine!). I'm not sure if the nominees are published before the final 10 are creamed off the top of the list. If you saw that list, you may be surprised - there is usually 30-40 games on it, covering a wide range of genres. It's the broad appeal spectrum stuff that usually gets through to the final 10. I'm still po'd that Galaxy Trucker didn't make the top 10...
Last edited on 2008-09-28 17:47:49 CST (Total Number of Edits: 1)
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Posted Sun Sep 28, 2008 12:05 am
