Phase 2 of the Sonic Stadium’s Sonic Site Awards ended early Saturday, amid a mixed reception to voting procedures.
The annual awards ceremony, created in 2001, has become the most well-known Sonic fan awards programme, due in part to the fact that anyone can get their site noticed if it’s good enough. It hasn’t been without its share of controversy though – fixing allegations abounded in 2003, and 2004’s new automated system caused dismay amongst voters in having to vote for almost every award at once.
2005’s Awards aimed to be more flexible for voters. Phase 1’s nominations were automated and made publically available for the first time, to make sites that didn’t quite make it, there to see. A more organised voting system meant that voters only needed to vote for all the awards in a category of 3 to 5; and they could change their vote at any time.
However, some still think that category voting still causes a lot of blind voting from those that don’t care about particular awards. A new requirement that voters had to have a Sonic Stadium account also appears to have put off many voters, but also, from looking at statistics, looks to have almost completely foiled repeat voters aiming to sway the vote.
Whatever happens, though, at least 27 sites, people or creations will receive a Sonic Site Award on Sunday. While many of the awards have been won by a clear margin, one or two may have even resulted in ties.
The Sonic Hour presenters Dreadknux and Roareye will announce the results on SEGASonic Radio starting at 6PM GMT (1PM EST, 10AM PST). Past SSA broadcasts have been so popular that the server has been clogged with listeners, and some members have had to act as relay servers to let everyone listen.
Coverage will also be provided at the Sonic Stadium’s IRC chatroom:
irc.accessirc.net → #sonicstadium
Like the radio broadcast, the IRC channel is bustling during the awards ceremony.
The SSA Phase 3 broadcast not only celebrates the Sonic Stadium’s birthday, but begins the new season of LiVECAST radio shows on SEGASonic Radio. Media download site Fastfeet Media is also set to reopen on Monday.