Rules:
Thou shalt nominate one game for each category, no more. One shall be the number thou shalt nominate, and the number of the nominating shall be one. Two shalt though not nominate. Three is right out. Once the nominees number one, being the first number, for each category, then cast thou thy vote with the "Submit" button. (But you may pass on categories, thereby nominating zero games for those categories, without necessarily proceeding to one.)
You may only nominate games which have been released in your region. Games released in your region before 2014 are eligible, provided they were officially released in one of the three major territories (NA, EU, JA) for the first time in 2014, and provided they have not been nominated for a Gamr Award in a previous year (N/A this year).
Remakes, remasters, etc. are to be judged on new content or features, and are ineligible for the overall Game of the Year Award. The same goes for DLC or expansions.
The voting period for nominations will end at midnight EST on Monday, February 2, 2015. You may not change your vote after Feb 1st. The plan was to determine the 'nominees' in this thread with a second thread to vote on the winners, but I guess we'll only do that if there are enough nominees to justify it. The five games with the most votes in each category in this thread will be officially nominated and 'advance' to the next thread, excepting the GOTY category which may have between five and ten nominees (9.1% of the votes are required to sequire a nomination).
"Levels" may be an outdated concept in many modern video games, but I think the phrase "level design" conveys an idea most gamers can understand. Achievement in Level Design is meant to recognize games for creative environmental design with respect to its impact on gameplay.
Achievement in Mechanics Design is meant to recognize games for providing the player with new and engaging ways to interact with the game world.
Video games have gone through a social revolution over the past decade. For a long time, multiplayer gameplay was something that could only be accomplished by gathering several people together in the same room, or on the same machine. Now, developers' options for multiplayer game design are nearly limitless. Achievement in Multiplayer Design is meant to recognize games that offer new ways to interact with other players and meaningful social experiences within games.
Art design is not limited to the art style or aesthetics of games. Please take into consideration the character designs, environment designs, animations, and any other factors you feel play a role in the design process when choosing your Achievement in Art Design nominee. The implementation of these designs, as a more technical matter, should not factor heavily into this category.
Screenplay encompasses everything from the broader storytelling of the game down to the writing of individual lines of dialogue. Best Original Screenplay can recognize a game for its story, its characters, its humor, or all of those and more.
Best Original Soundtrack is meant to recognize the composers of outstanding soundtracks. Songs pulled wholesale from other games (or other media) should be considered ineligible as factors for this category. Use your best judgement when determining whether new arrangements of pre-existing pieces are original enough to be deserving of recognition.
Best Performance by and Actor or Actress is pretty straightforward. Nominees may be male or female or anything else. Their performance may be limited to voice acting or it may include motion capture.
Best Technical Achievement is a broad category. It is not limited to graphical achievements. You may wish to recognize a game for outstanding AI programming, or for impressive procedural generation. Again, use your best judgement for this category, and please indicate what kind of achievement you wish to recognize with your nomination.
Best Content Expansion is meant to recognize outstanding new content for a previously-released game. This includes paid and free DLC of all sizes and full expansions. It's like its own little GOTY award, but for a bite-sized chunk of a game rather than the whole experience.
Game of the Year is exactly what you think it is. Just remember that you may only nominate one game, it must be available in your region, and it cannot be a remake, remaster, port, re-release, or an expansion.
One Honorary Award will be given for an achievement unrelated to game development. I have provided three examples of honorary categories, but you may write-in your own. Please indicate what specific achievement you wish to recognize (if you nominate a journalist, provide a sample of their work you consider to be exemplary, and so on).
Feedback is greatly appreciated.
