Members of the Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts and Design (AAGAD) are published game designers, writers, artists, and other game creators. Any person with a verifiable published credit for writing, design, sculpting, illustration, graphic design, editing, line development, or brand management in three or more gaming products is eligible for admission to the Academy. The Academy is a committee of the Game Manufacturer’s Association (GAMA), and the Chair of the Academy is appointed by GAMA’s president. The Academy’s principal mission is the administration the Origins Awards.

Every fall, publishers and creators submit their best products from the past year as eligible in a large variety of categories. The members of the Academy then vote on which products should be named Origins Award Nominees. The top five vote-getters in each college are placed on the final ballot.

Submissions for 35th Origins Awards are now open! Click here for updates and submission forms. The final submission deadline for the 35th Origins Awards is December 15, 2008.

All games, game-related products, and accessories released in calendar 2008 can compete in the 35th Origins Awards. And with this year's expanded Origins Road Show schedule, it's the best time ever to put your products into the competition.

Download the submission form, package up your products, and get into the running. It's a great investment in your product!

 If you have questions about the Origins Awards process, please contact Anthony Gallela, the Academy's chair.

If you're in the media and want information about award winners, please contact John Kaufeld, GAMA's communications coordinator.

Academy Chair; Anthony J. Gallela AcademyChair@gama.org

Communications Coordinator, John Kaufeld pr@gama.org

GAMA Board President; Rick Loomis President@gama.org

The 34th annual Origins Awards were presented on June 28, 2008 during the Origins Game Fair in Columbus, Ohio. The following games, game-related products, and accessories were honored in this year's ceremonies.

Miniatures Rules of the Year
Classic Battletech
Published by Catalyst Game Labs
Created by Jordan Weisman
Edited by Michelle Lyons, Diane Piron-Gelman

Miniature or Miniatures Line of the Year
Titanius Fury
By Dragonfire Laser Crafts Inc.

Collectible Card Game of the Year
Legend of the Five Rings
Published by Alderac Entertainment Group
Mark Wootton (lead designer), Charles Urbach (cover artist)

Historical Miniature Game of the Year
“Check Your 6!”
Published by Skirmish Campaigns
Designed by Scott Fisher

Historical Miniatures Line of the Year
Romano-British 15mm
Published by Splintered Light Miniatures
Designed by David McBride

Historical Board Game of the Year
Age of Empires III: The Age of Discovery
Published by Tropical Games
Designed by Glenn Drover
 
Non-Fiction Publication of the Year
Hobby Games: The 100 Best
Published by Green Ronin
Edited by James Lowder

Fiction Publication of the Year
Astounding Hero Tales
Published by Hero Games
Edited by James Lowder

Game Accessory of the Year
Call of Cthulhu Dice Set
Published by Q-Workshop

Roleplaying Game Supplement of the Year
Codex Arcanis
Published by Paradigm Concepts
Written by Team Paradigm

Roleplaying Game of the Year
Aces & Eights
Published by Kenzer and Co.
Written by Jolly R. Blackburn, Brian Jelke, Steve Johansson, Dave Kenzer, Jennifer Kenzer and Mark Plemmons

Traditional Card Game of the Year
Zombie Fluxx
Published by Looney Labs
Created by Andrew Looney

Board Game or Expansion of the Year
StarCraft: The Board Game
Published by Fantasy Flight Games
Created by Corey Konieczka and Christian Petersen

Hall of Fame Inductees
* R. A. Salvatore
* Vampire: The Masquerade (White Wolf Games)
* Paranoia (Mongoose Publishing)

See the 34th annual Origins Awards winners

The Historical Jury for the Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts & Design announced its nominees for the Historical Category of the 34th Annual Origins Awards.

The Historical Product Nominees are determined through a jury of experts selecting the top five entries from each category.  In the category for Historical  Boardgame of the year there was a tie, so there are six Nominees.

The Origins Award Nominees in all game categories will be presented to the attendees of the Origins International Game Expo (Origins) in Columbus, OH, June, 25 – 29, 2008. Origins convention attendees will vote for the top product in each category. The winners will be announced at a ceremony on Saturday Night, July 28th and each will receive the Origins Award, and named as “Product of the Year” in their category.

Please see www.originsgamefair.com/aagad  for more information on the Origins Awards. For more information on the thousands of game demos, tournaments, casual gaming, art show, auction, and amazing exhibit hall at the Origins Game Fair, see www.originsgamefair.com.

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ORIGINS AWARD HISTORICAL PRODUCT NOMINEES


Nominees for Historical Board Game of the Year [Tie for 5th place – so there are six.]

AGE OF EMPIRES III: The Age of Discovery
Glenn Drover
Tropical Games www.tropical-games.com

ASIA ENGULFED
Rick Young and Jesse Evans
GMT Games
www.gmtgames.com

ATHENS AND SPARTA
Tom Dalgliesh, Grant Dagliesh
Columbia Games
www.columbiagames.com

DUEL IN THE DARK
Friedmann de Pedro
Pilot Games and Z-Man Games
www.zmangames.com

STRUGGLE FOR ROME, CATAAN HISTORICAL SERIES
Klaus Teuber
Mayfair Games
www.mayfairgames.com

TIDE OF IRON
John Goodenough
Fantasy Flight Games
www.fantasyflightgames.com       


Nominees for Historical Miniatures Line of the Year

BRITISH 7th ARMORED DIVISION 15mm
Evan Allen and Richard Carlisle
Battlefront Miniatures www.Battlefront.com  

BRITISH NAPOLEONIC 40mm
Chris Hughes
Sash & Saber Castings
http://www.sashandsaber.com  

ROMANO-BRIT 15mm
David McBride
Splintered Light Miniatures
www.splinteredlightminis.com/romano.html  

BUCCANEERS, PIRATES AND PRIVATEERS 28mm
Lon Weiss
Brigade Games
www.brigadegames.com

SEMINOLE WARS 28mm
Russ Dunaway
Old Glory Corporation
www.oldgloryminiatures.com       

 
“Historical Miniatures Rules” of the Year  

AXIS & ALLIES NAVAL MINIATURES
Mike Elliott and Richard Baker
Wizards of the Coast
www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=ah/aam/WaratSea   

BENGHAZI HANDICAP, Command Decision Supplement
Frank Chadwick
Test of Battle Games
www.testofbattle.com

“CHECK YOUR 6!”
Scott Fisher
Skirmish Campaigns
www.skirmishcampaigns.com

D-DAY CAMPAIGNS FOR NORMANDY, "Flames of War” Supplement
Jason Moffat and Phil Yates
Battlefront Games
www.battlefront.com

MIGHT & REASON
Sam Mustafa
Caliver Books
www.caliverbooks.com/index.php