Since 1992, awards have been presented each year for the best premiere role-playing games at Fastaval, and since 2012 for the best designer board games. The award is called Otto and takes the form of a golden penguin, which is also Fastaval’s logo. The Otto competition is an integral part of Fastaval and has been a hugely important factor in developing the quality and creativity at Fastaval. The Otto is awarded every year on Sunday evening at Fastaval, at a show where we also pay tribute to the year’s organisers, players and Fastaval in general.
In addition to the awards for creative products, othe award is also presented to a person or group who has made an extraordinary contribution to Fastaval.
THE SCENARIO OTTO
The scenario ottos are awarded by a jury consisting of six people, who jointly decide which scenarios are nominated and which win. The Otto jury is led by a head judge, who is appointed by the outgoing head judge, and who assembles his or her jury based on a desire for different skills, diversity and experience within role-playing. The Otto is awarded on the basis of the scenarios as written material, but player experiences are also taken into account in the form of assessment forms that are handed out after each scenario.
For the judges, it is a long and thorough process to read and analyse all the scenarios and then select those that are nominated and win an Otto. If you want to know more about what it means to be an Otto judge before, during and after Fastaval and how the jury works, you can read more here:
In the scenario competition, prizes are awarded in seven categories: Best presented scenario, Best tools, Best roles, Best story, Participants’ award, Special award and Best scenario. You can read the definitions for the scenario categories below:
BEST SCENARIO
Awarded to the scenario that provides the best base for a good role-playing experience at Fastaval. The scenario is judged as a whole, with particular emphasis on potential, accessibility and harmony between form and content.
BEST TOOLS
Awarded to the scenario that best utilises mechanics, techniques, effects, rules, or structures to create a good role-playing experience within the framework of the scenario.
BEST STORY
Awarded to the scenario that provides participants with the best base for creating a compelling narrative through role-play within the framework of the scenario. The award emphasises the concept of the narrative, the overall dramatic progression, and the individual scenes or frameworks for role-play.
JURY SPECIAL PRIZE
Awarded for the most inspiring or interesting scenario that caught the judges’ attention by standing out from the other scenarios in a unique way. The award may be given for the overall idea or for a particularly strong element.
BEST PRESENTED
Awarded to the scenario that best conveys its material in an accessible and inspiring way. Presentation includes text, structure, appearance and presentation, and is assessed in relation to both the participants’ preparation and use during the game.
BEST ROLES
Awarded to the scenario that provides players with the best opportunities for role-playing within the framework of the scenario and promotes player co-ownership of the experience. Emphasis is also placed on whether the players’ contributions are inspiring and engaging.
PARTICIPANTS’ AWARD
Awarded to the scenario that, overall, gave the most participants at Fastaval a particularly good role-playing experience. The award is given solely on the basis of players’ and game masters’ experience of the scenario via votes cast.
Be considered as a judge at Fastaval
Every year, the Head Judges appoint their team of associate judges to the juries. It is entirely up to the sitting Head Judges to appoint their team, but they are always open to suggestions and input. Perhaps you are just the person they need?
Send an email with your name and whether you are interested in being a board game judge, scenario judge or sitting on the honorary jury, and Alea will compile a list that we will share with the Head Judges as soon as they have been appointed.
You cannot expect to hear anything from the judges, but they may reach out to hear more or to invite you to participate. Alea updates the list regularly, so you only need to send an email with your name once, and otherwise write to us if you would like to be removed from the list.
Write to alea@fastaval.dk with your name and your preference for judging duties, and possibly a few keywords about what you can offer as a judge.
We look forward to hearing from you!
– Alea’s board (the organisation behind Fastaval)
