XYZZY Awards

The XYZZY Awards are the annual awards given to works of interactive fiction, serving a similar role to the Academy Awards for film.^[1] The awards were inaugurated in 1997 by Eileen Mullin, the editor of XYZZYnews.^[2]. Any game released during the year prior to the award ceremony is eligible for nomination to receive an award. The decision process takes place in two stages: members of the interactive fiction community nominate works within specific categories and sufficiently supported nominations become finalists within those categories. Community members then vote among the finalists, and the game receiving a plurality of votes is given the award in an online ceremony. ^[3]

Since 1997 the XYZZY Awards have become one of the most important events within the interactive fiction community.^[4] Together with events like the Interactive Fiction Competition, the XYZZY Awards provide opportunities for the community to encourage and reward the creation and development of new works within a genre that is no longer commercially lucrative.^[5]

The name of the awards comes from the magic word "xyzzy" causing teleportation from the popular early text adventure game Adventure.

Categories

Best game

The game which is the most enjoyable as a whole; other awards recognize merit in particular qualities.

1996: So Far by Andrew Plotkin
1997: I-0 by Adam Cadre
1998: Spider and Web by Andrew Plotkin
1999: Varicella by Adam Cadre
2000: Being Andrew Plotkin by J. Robinson Wheeler
2001: All Roads by Jon Ingold
2002: Savoir-Faire by Emily Short
2003: Slouching Towards Bedlam by Daniel Ravipinto and Star Foster
2004: Blue Chairs by Chris Klimas
2005: Vespers by Jason Devlin
2006: The Elysium Enigma by Eric Eve
2007: Lost Pig by Admiral Jota
2008: Violet by Jeremy Freese
2009: Blue Lacuna by Aaron A. Reed
2010: Aotearoa by Matt Wigdahl
2011: Cryptozookeeper by Robb Sherwin
2012: Counterfeit Monkey by Emily Short
2013: Coloratura by Lynnea Glasser
2014: 80 Days by inkle and Meg Jayanth
2015: Birdland by Brendan Patrick Hennessy
2016: Superluminal Vagrant Twin by C.E.J. Pacian
2017: The Wizard Sniffer by Buster Hudson
2018: Bogeyman by Elizabeth Smyth
2019: Crème de la Crème, by Hannah Powell-Smith; and Zozzled, by Steph Cherrywell (tie)
2020: Vampire: The Masquerade — Night Road by Kyle Marquis

Best writing

A game which rises above the others in the quality of its descriptive text.

1996: So Far by Andrew Plotkin
1997: Sunset Over Savannah by Ivan Cockrum
1998: Photopia by Adam Cadre
1999: For a Change by Dan Schmidt
2000: Metamorphoses by Emily Short
2001: Fallacy of Dawn by Robb Sherwin
2002: The Moonlit Tower by Yoon Ha Lee
2003: Narcolepsy by Adam Cadre
2004: Blue Chairs by Chris Klimas
2005: Vespers by Jason Devlin
2006: Delightful Wallpaper by Andrew Plotkin
2007: Lost Pig by Admiral Jota
2008: Violet by Jeremy Freese
2009: Alabaster by Emily Short et al.
2010: Hoist Sail for the Heliopause and Home by Andrew Plotkin
2011: Cryptozookeeper by Robb Sherwin
2012: howling dogs by Porpentine
2013: their angelical understanding by Porpentine
2014: With Those We Love Alive by Porpentine and Brenda Neotenomie
2015: Birdland by Brendan Patrick Hennessy
2016: Take by Katherine Morayati
2017: Eat Me by Chandler Groover
2018: Bogeyman by Elizabeth Smyth; Animalia by Michael Waddell (tie)
2019: Crème de la Crème by Hannah Powell-Smith
2020: Jolly Good: Cakes and Ale by Kreg Segal

Best story

The game with the deepest or most original story.

1996: Tapestry by Daniel Ravipinto
1997: Babel by Ian Finley
1998: Photopia by Adam Cadre
1999: Worlds Apart by Suzanne Britton
2000: My Angel by Jon Ingold
2001: All Roads by Jon Ingold
2002: Savoir Faire by Emily Short
2003: Slouching Towards Bedlam by Daniel Ravipinto and Star Foster
2004: Blue Chairs by Chris Klimas
2005: Beyond by Mondi Confinanti (Roberto Grassi, Paolo Lucchesi, and Alessandro Peretti)
2006: The Traveling Swordsman by Mike Snyder
2007: A Fine Day for Reaping by James Webb
2008: Nightfall by Eric Eve
2009: Blue Lacuna by Aaron A. Reed
2010: The Warbler's Nest by Jason McIntosh
2011: The Play by Deirdra Kiai.
2012: howling dogs by Porpentine
2013: Solarium by Alan DeNiro
2014: 80 Days by inkle and Meg Jayanth
2015: Birdland by Brendan Patrick Hennessy
2016: Foo Foo by Buster Hudson
2017: The Wizard Sniffer by Buster Hudson
2018: Bogeyman by Elizabeth Smyth
2019: Crème de la Crème by Hannah Powell-Smith; Turandot by Victor Gijsbers (tie)
2020: A Rope of Chalk by Ryan Veeder

Best setting

The most original or best-described locations.

1996: Small World by Andrew D. Pontious
1997: A Bear's Night Out by David Dyte
1998: Anchorhead by Michael Gentry
1999: Hunter, in Darkness by Andrew Plotkin
2000: Shade by Andrew Plotkin
2001: All Roads by Jon Ingold
2002: 1893: A World's Fair Mystery by Peter Nepstad
2003: Slouching Towards Bedlam by Daniel Ravipinto and Star Foster
2004: The Fire Tower by Jacqueline A. Lott
2005: Vespers by Jason Devlin
2006: Floatpoint by Emily Short
2007: Varkana by Maryam Gousheh-Forgeot
2008: Nightfall by Eric Eve
2009: Blue Lacuna by Aaron A. Reed; The King of Shreds and Patches by Jimmy Maher (tie)
2010: Aotearoa by Matt Wigdahl
2011: Cryptozookeeper by Robb Sherwin
2012: Counterfeit Monkey by Emily Short
2013: Robin & Orchid by Ryan Veeder and Emily Boegheim
2014: Hadean Lands by Andrew Plotkin
2015: Sunless Sea by Failbetter Games
2016: Cactus Blue Motel by Astrid Dalmady
2017: 1958: Dancing With Fear by Victor Ojuel
2018: Cannery Vale by Hanon Ondricek
2019: Heretic's Hope by Grim Baccaris
2020: Jolly Good: Cakes and Ale by Kreg Segall

Best puzzles

The most well-crafted, clever, and appropriate puzzles.

1996: So Far by Andrew Plotkin
1997: The Edifice by Lucian P. Smith
1998: Spider and Web by Andrew Plotkin
1999: The Mulldoon Legacy by Jon Ingold
2000: Ad Verbum by Nick Montfort
2001: First Things First by J. Robinson Wheeler
2002: Savoir Faire by Emily Short
2003: Gourmet by Aaron A. Reed
2004: The Dreamhold by Andrew Plotkin
2005: Distress by Mike Snyder
2006: Delightful Wallpaper by Andrew Plotkin
2007: Suveh Nux by David Fisher
2008: Gun Mute by C. E. J. Pacian
2009: Earl Grey by Rob Dubbin and Adam Parrish
2010: Aotearoa by Matt Wigdahl
2011: PataNoir by Simon Christiansen
2012: Counterfeit Monkey by Emily Short
2013: Coloratura by Lynnea Glasser
2014: Hadean Lands by Andrew Plotkin
2015: Sub Rosa by Joey Jones and Melvin Rangasamy
2016: 16 Ways to Kill a Vampire at McDonalds by Abigail Corfman
2017: The Wand by Arthur DiBianca
2018: Junior Arithmancer by Mike Spivey
2019: Zozzled by Steph Cherrywell
2020: The Impossible Bottle by Linus Åkesson

Best NPCs

Appropriate, amusing, and well-written casts of non-player characters.

1996: Kissing the Buddha's Feet by Leon Lin
1997: The Frenetic Five vs. Sturm und Drang by Neil deMause
1998: Once and Future by G. Kevin Wilson
1999: Varicella by Adam Cadre
2000: Being Andrew Plotkin by J. Robinson Wheeler
2001: Pytho's Mask, by Emily Short
2002: Lock & Key by Adam Cadre
2003: City of Secrets by Emily Short
2004: Sting of the Wasp by Jason Devlin
2005: Vespers by Jason Devlin
2006: Floatpoint by Emily Short
2007: Child's Play by Stephen Granade
2008: Everybody Dies by Jim Munroe
2009: Broken Legs by Sarah Morayati
2010: Aotearoa by Matt Wigdahl
2011: Cryptozookeeper by Robb Sherwin
2012: Guilded Youth by Jim Munroe
2013: Ollie Ollie Oxen Free by Carolyn VanEseltine
2014: Creatures Such As We by Lynnea Glasser
2015: Birdland by Brendan Patrick Hennessy
2016: Cactus Blue Motel by Astrid Dalmady; Foo Foo by Buster Hudson (tie)
2017: The Wizard Sniffer by Buster Hudson
2018: Animalia by Michael Waddell
2019: Zozzled by Steph Cherrywell
2020: Jolly Good: Cakes and Ale by Kreg Segall

Best individual puzzle

The most inspired, well-crafted, and intriguing puzzle.

1996: Opening the gate, in So Far by Andrew Plotkin
1997: The language puzzle, in The Edifice by Lucian P. Smith
1998: Getting out of the chair, in Spider and Web by Andrew Plotkin
1999: The maze, in Hunter, in Darkness by Andrew Plotkin
2000: The whole game, in Rematch by Andrew Pontious
2001: Deciphering the language, in The Gostak by Carl Muckenhoupt
2002: Setting the traps, in Lock & Key by Adam Cadre
2003: The purple room, in The Recruit by Mike Sousa
2004: The time puzzle, in All Things Devours by "half sick of shadows"
2005: Following the murderer, in Beyond by Mondi Confinanti (Roberto Grassi, Paolo Lucchesi, and Alessandro Peretti)
2006: Navigating the mansion in Delightful Wallpaper by Andrew Plotkin
2007: Identifying the killer, in An Act of Murder by Christopher Huang
2008: Disconnecting the Internet/getting rid of the key in Violet by Jeremy Freese
2009: Finding out how the goggles work in Byzantine Perspective by Lea Albaugh
2010: Crossing the river in Aotearoa by Matt Wigdahl
2011: The hat mystery (also in Doctor M, Last Day of Summer, and Playing Games) in Cold Iron by Andrew Plotkin
2012: Surviving the fall in Bigger Than You Think by Andrew Plotkin
2013: Creating the meat monster in Coloratura by Lynnea Glasser
2014: The sequence of time-travel in Fifteen Minutes by Ade McT
2015: Understanding how the RPS cannon works in Brain Guzzlers from Beyond! by Steph Cherrywell
2016: Customizing the robot in The Mary Jane of Tomorrow by Emily Short
2017: Getting past the dragon in The Wizard Sniffer by Buster Hudson
2018: Solving your murder in Erstwhile by Maddie Fialla and Marijke Perry
2019: Inspiring the artist in Zozzled by Steph Cherrywell
2020: Leaving the house in The Impossible Bottle by Linus Åkesson

Best individual NPC

A particularly well-implemented and well-written non-player character.

1996: The burin, in Frobozz Magic Support by Nate Cull
1997: Bob, in She's Got a Thing for a Spring by Brent VanFossen
1998: The interrogator, in Spider and Web by Andrew Plotkin
1999: Miss Sierra, in Varicella by Adam Cadre
2000: Galatea, in Galatea by Emily Short
2001: Yahoweh Porn, in Fallacy of Dawn by Robb Sherwin
2002: Boldo, in Lock & Key by Adam Cadre
2003: Triage, in Slouching Towards Bedlam by Daniel Ravipinto and Star Foster
2004: Audrey, in Necrotic Drift by Robb Sherwin
2005: The storyteller, in Whom the Telling Changed by Aaron A. Reed
2006: Leela, in The Elysium Enigma by Eric Eve
2007: The gnome, in Lost Pig by Admiral Jota
2008: Violet in Violet by Jeremy Freese
2009: Snow White in Alabaster by Emily Short et al.
2010: Dr Sliss in Rogue of the Multiverse by C. E. J. Pacian
2011: Grimloft in Cryptozookeeper by Robb Sherwin
2012: New Rat City in Rat Chaos by Winter Lake^[6]
2013: Captain Verdeterre in Captain Verdeterre’s Plunder by Ryan Veeder
2014: The Empress in With Those We Love Alive by Porpentine and Brenda Neotenomie
2015: Bell Park in Birdland by Brendan Patrick Hennessy
2016: The robot (variously-named) in The Mary Jane of Tomorrow by Emily Short
2017: Squire Tuck in The Wizard Sniffer by Buster Hudson
2018: The bogeyman in Bogeyman by Elizabeth Smyth
2019: Turandot in Turandot by Victor Gijsbers
2020: The parrot in The Magpie Takes the Train by MathBrush; Kingfisher in Vain Empires by Thomas Mack, Xavid (tie)

Best individual PC

A particularly well-defined and well-written player character.

1997: Tracy Valencia, in I-0 by Adam Cadre
1998: The employee, in Little Blue Men by Michael Gentry
1999: Primo Varicella, in Varicella by Adam Cadre
2000: Rameses Alexander Moran, in Rameses by Stephen Bond
2001: The Kissing Bandit, in The Tale of the Kissing Bandit by J. Robinson Wheeler
2002: Pierre, in Savoir Faire by Emily Short
2003: The player character in Episode in the Life of an Artist by Peter Eastman
2004: Julia, in Sting of the Wasp by Jason Devlin
2005: Wendy Little, in Tough Beans by Sara Dee
2006: The player character in Delightful Wallpaper by Andrew Plotkin
2007: Grunk, in Lost Pig by Admiral Jota
2008: Hardy the Bulldog in Snack Time! by Renee Choba
2009: Lottie Plum in Broken Legs by Sarah Morayati
2010: Anthony Saint Germain in Death Off the Cuff by Simon Christiansen
2011: Mentula Macanus in Mentula Macanus: Apocolocyntosis by Adam Thornton
2012: Alexandra in Counterfeit Monkey by Emily Short
2013: The Aqueosity in Coloratura by Lynnea Glasser
2014: The PC in the uncle who works for nintendo by michael lutz
2015: Bridget in Birdland by Brendan Patrick Hennessy
2016: BEL/S in Open Sorcery by Abigail Corfman
2017: Fred Strickland in Will Not Let Me Go by Stephen Granade
2018: The Magpie in Alias 'The Magpie' by J. J. Guest
2019: Hazel Greene in Zozzled by Steph Cherrywell
2020: The doppelganger in Doppeljobs by Lei

Best use of medium

The category had no specific criteria given to voters; many chose to interpret this award as a recognition of particularly daring interpretations of the limits and abilities of interactive fiction, especially as regards the relationship between the player, narrator, and player character. This award was retired in 2010, when Best Implementation and Best Use of Innovation were introduced as replacements.

1997: The Tempest by Graham Nelson
1998: Spider and Web by Andrew Plotkin
1999: Aisle by Sam Barlow
2000: shrapnel by Adam Cadre
2001: The Gostak by Carl Muckenhoupt
2002: Earth and Sky 2: Another Earth, Another Sky by Paul O'Brian
2003: ASCII and the Argonauts by J. Robinson Wheeler
2004: The Dreamhold by Andrew Plotkin
2005: Mystery House Possessed by Emily Short
2006: The Baron by Victor Gijsbers
2007: Deadline Enchanter by Alan DeNiro
2008: The Moon Watch by Paolo Maroncelli and Alessandro Peretti
2009: Blue Lacuna by Aaron A. Reed

Best implementation

Introduced in 2010 along with Best Use of Innovation, to replace the Best use of Medium award. It recognizes "completeness of implementation, excellence in parser messages, etc".^[7]

2010: Aotearoa by Matt Wigdahl
2011: Six by Wade Clarke
2012: Counterfeit Monkey by Emily Short
2013: Trapped in Time by Simon Christiansen
2014: Hadean Lands by Andrew Plotkin
2015: Midnight. Swordfight. by Chandler Groover
2016: Superluminal Vagrant Twin by C.E.J. Pacian
2017: Eat Me by Chandler Groover
2018: Cragne Manor by Ryan Veeder et al.
2019: Ryan Veeder's Authentic Fly Fishing by Ryan Veeder
2020: The Impossible Bottle by Linus Åkesson

Best use of innovation

Introduced in 2010 along with Best Implementation, to replace the Best use of Medium award. It recognizes the "most innovative game".^[7]

2010: Aotearoa by Matt Wigdahl
2011: Kerkerkruip by Victor Gijsbers
2012: First Draft of the Revolution by Emily Short, Liza Daly, and Inkle Studios
2013: 18 Cadence by Aaron A. Reed
2014: Hadean Lands by Andrew Plotkin
2015: Laid Off from the Synesthesia Factory by Katherine Morayati
2016: The Ice-Bound Concordance by Aaron A. Reed and Jacob Garbe
2017: Harmonia by Liza Daly
2018: I. A. G. Alpha by Serhii Mozhaiskyi
2019: AI Dungeon by Nick Walton
2020: The Impossible Bottle by Linus Åkesson

Best technological development

Recognizes "interpreters, authoring systems, libraries, utilities, and so on".^[7]

2010: Quixe, online Glulx interpreter by Andrew Plotkin
2011: TADS 3.1
2012: Vorple for Inform 7
2013: Twine 1.4
2014: Twine 2; Inform 7 6L02 (tie)
2015: Raconteur by Bruno Dias
2016: Ink
2017: Vorple for Glulx
2018: Dialog
2019: AI Dungeon
2020: Adventuron

Best supplemental materials

Outstanding non-game content ("feelies") created to accompany specific games. Eligibility is based on the year when the supplemental materials were released, regardless of the year of release of the game.

2010: Creating Interactive Fiction with Inform 7 (Aaron Reed)
2011: PDFs and screencast tutorials for Kerkerkruip
2012: Feelies for Muggle Studies
2013: Multimedia – Dominique Pamplemousse

Best use of multimedia

2014: 80 Days by inkle and Meg Jayanth
2015: Secret Agent Cinder by Emily Ryan
2016: The Ice-Bound Concordance by Aaron A. Reed and Jacob Garbe
2017: Harmonia by Liza Daly
2018: Bandersnatch by Charlie Brooker
2019: Dull Grey by Provodnik Games; Heretic's Hope by Grim Baccaris (tie)
2020: Crocodracula: The Beginning by Ryan Veeder, Harrison Gerard

References

^ Videogame, Player, Text. Manchester University Press. 2007. p. 189. ISBN 9780719074004.
^ Nick Montfort (11 February 2005). Twisty Little Passages: An Approach To Interactive Fiction. MIT Press. p. 210. ISBN 9780262633185.
^ Montfort, Nick; Ashwell, Sam Kabo; Cornelson, Dave; Shiovitz, Dan (2005-04-08). "Interactive Fiction FAQ". Interactive Fiction: Other Poetic and Imaginative Writing for the Computer and Writing on Digital Media Topics. Retrieved 2010-09-01.
^ Carless, Simon. XYZZY Ranks Top Text Adventures For 2005. GameSetWatch. 28 March 2006.
^ Davidson, Drew. Well played 1.0: video games, value and meaning. ETC Press. 2009. ISBN 0557069750
^ Porpentine (May 12, 2013). "PORPENTINE — HOWLING DOGS CONTINUES THE SWEEP". PORPENTINE. Tumblr. Retrieved April 13, 2017.
^ ^a ^b ^c "What's new with the XYZZY Awards in 2010?". XYZZY Awards FAQ. Archived from the original on 2012-07-27. Retrieved 2013-12-20.

"XYZZY Award Results 1996-2004 by Dylan O'Donnell". Archived from the original on 2007-02-10. Retrieved 2007-02-16.
"XYZZY Awards at Baf's Guide to the IF Archive". Retrieved 2007-02-16.
"XYZZYNews 1996 finalists (at IF Archive)". Retrieved 2007-02-16.
"XYZZYNews 1996 winners (at IF Archive)". Retrieved 2007-02-16.
"XYZZYNews 1997 finalists (at IF Archive)". Retrieved 2007-02-16.
"XYZZYNews 1997 winners". Archived from the original on 2010-02-28. Retrieved 2007-02-16.
"XYZZYNews 1998 finalists". Archived from the original on 2011-05-17. Retrieved 2007-02-16.
"XYZZYNews 1998 winners". Archived from the original on 2007-02-02. Retrieved 2007-02-16.
"XYZZYNews 1999 finalists". Archived from the original on 2013-02-09. Retrieved 2007-02-16.
"XYZZYNews 1999 winners". Archived from the original on 2000-03-03. Retrieved 2007-02-16.
"XYZZYNews 2000 finalists". Archived from the original on 2013-02-10. Retrieved 2007-02-16.
"XYZZYNews 2000 winners". Archived from the original on 2008-10-03. Retrieved 2007-02-16.
"XYZZYNews 2001 finalists". Archived from the original on 2013-02-09. Retrieved 2007-02-16.
"XYZZYNews 2001 winners". Archived from the original on 2002-06-09. Retrieved 2007-02-16.
"XYZZYNews 2002 finalists". Archived from the original on 2013-02-09. Retrieved 2007-02-16.
"XYZZYNews 2002 winners". Archived from the original on 2007-02-04. Retrieved 2007-02-16.
"XYZZYNews 2003 finalists". Archived from the original on 2013-02-09. Retrieved 2007-02-16.
"XYZZYNews 2003 winners". Archived from the original on 2007-02-04. Retrieved 2007-02-16.
"XYZZYNews 2004 finalists". Archived from the original on 2013-02-09. Retrieved 2007-02-16.
"XYZZYNews 2004 winners". Archived from the original on 2005-03-27. Retrieved 2007-02-16.
"XYZZYNews 2005 finalists". Archived from the original on 2013-02-09. Retrieved 2007-02-16.
"XYZZYNews 2005 winners". Archived from the original on 2013-02-09. Retrieved 2007-02-16.
"XYZZYNews 2006 finalists". Archived from the original on 2013-02-09. Retrieved 2007-02-16.
"XYZZYNews 2006 winners". Archived from the original on 2007-05-15. Retrieved 2007-02-16.
"XYZZYNews 2007 finalists". Archived from the original on 2013-02-09. Retrieved 2008-05-01.
"XYZZYNews 2007 winners". Archived from the original on 2013-02-09. Retrieved 2008-05-01.
"XYZZY Awards 2008 at IFWiki". Retrieved 2009-04-30.
"XYZZY awards winners 2009". Archived from the original on 2010-03-24. Retrieved 2010-07-28.
"XYZZY awards finalists 2009". Archived from the original on 2011-07-20. Retrieved 2010-07-28.
"XYZZY awards finalists 2010". Retrieved 2011-03-23.
"XYZZY Awards Historical Results". Retrieved 2013-12-20.

External links

[1] Videogame, Player, Text. Manchester University Press. 2007. p. 189. ISBN 9780719074004.

[2] Nick Montfort (11 February 2005). Twisty Little Passages: An Approach To Interactive Fiction. MIT Press. p. 210. ISBN 9780262633185.

[iffaq-3] Montfort, Nick; Ashwell, Sam Kabo; Cornelson, Dave; Shiovitz, Dan (2005-04-08). "Interactive Fiction FAQ". Interactive Fiction: Other Poetic and Imaginative Writing for the Computer and Writing on Digital Media Topics. Retrieved 2010-09-01.

[4] Carless, Simon. XYZZY Ranks Top Text Adventures For 2005. GameSetWatch. 28 March 2006.

[5] Davidson, Drew. Well played 1.0: video games, value and meaning. ETC Press. 2009. ISBN 0557069750

[Porpentine_2013-6] Porpentine (May 12, 2013). "PORPENTINE — HOWLING DOGS CONTINUES THE SWEEP". PORPENTINE. Tumblr. Retrieved April 13, 2017.

[whatsnew-7] "What's new with the XYZZY Awards in 2010?". XYZZY Awards FAQ. Archived from the original on 2012-07-27. Retrieved 2013-12-20.

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