The Game Show Forum
The Game Show Forum => The Big Board => Topic started by: abba on September 21, 2011, 01:19:11 AM
-
1.Does anyone think the wheel needs the dollar amounts to be increased?(Say the minimum amount is 350 instead of 300).
2.Has it ever happened that letters were still being revealed after the next spin?
-
1.Does anyone think the wheel needs the dollar amounts to be increased?(Say the minimum amount is 350 instead of 300).
http://jasonjeffrey.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/awjeeznotthisshitagain.jpg
2.Has it ever happened that letters were still being revealed after the next spin?
Huh?
-
I noticed at least one amount has been *reduced* ($700 has become $500), which I thought was kinda strange.
Not liking the Wild on $900 either.
/I know, so not a big deal.
-
You know, at this point, they might as well just make all twenty-four wedges $500, then throw all their gimmicks, prizes, TDV's, and Bankrupts on the wheel at random.
-
1.Does anyone think the wheel needs the dollar amounts to be increased?(Say the minimum amount is 350 instead of 300).
http://jasonjeffrey.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/awjeeznotthisshitagain.jpg
2.Has it ever happened that letters were still being revealed after the next spin?
Huh?
The lletters are being revealed.While that is happening the player/ spins again.After the spin the letters from the previous spin are still being revealed.
-
The lletters are being revealed.While that is happening the player/ spins again.After the spin the letters from the previous spin are still being revealed.
That spinning you hear while the letters are coming up? Most of the time, it's all editing to shorten the spin. In the handful of tapings I've seen, players wait until all the letters come up to think, because they are nervous. Also, spins take longer than you see on TV.
Even if the spin stopped after the letters came up, what would it matter? Pat would either do a "Hold on, Vanna's being overworked over there!", or they would just continue dinging.
-
I noticed at least one amount has been *reduced* ($700 has become $500), which I thought was kinda strange.
Not liking the Wild on $900 either.
Both of these changes were done to prepare for the upcoming "1/2 Car" space that will placed on the wheel.
-
1.Does anyone think the wheel needs the dollar amounts to be increased?(Say the minimum amount is 350 instead of 300).
2.Has it ever happened that letters were still being revealed after the next spin?
Question #1. No, I don't believe the wheel needs the dollar amounts to be increased. What I do miss however is having the other dollar amounts increase progressively round by round, like it used to be. What I would like to see is vowels costing $500 now instead of $250. Some have even suggested as much as $1,000 for a vowel purchase which I wouldn't necessarily mind seeing either.
Question #2. Though I'm not an avid watcher of the show, and though I have watched it since 1975 when it debuted on NBC, I never recall a time where the wheel was spun again, and letters were still being turned.
-
1.Does anyone think the wheel needs the dollar amounts to be increased?(Say the minimum amount is 350 instead of 300).
2.Has it ever happened that letters were still being revealed after the next spin?
Question #1. No, I don't believe the wheel needs the dollar amounts to be increased. What I do miss however is having the other dollar amounts increase progressively round by round, like it used to be. What I would like to see is vowels costing $500 now instead of $250. Some have even suggested as much as $1,000 for a vowel purchase which I wouldn't necessarily mind seeing either.
Question #2. Though I'm not an avid watcher of the show, and though I have watched it since 1975 when it debuted on NBC, I never recall a time where the wheel was spun again, and letters were still being turned.
I'd like to see the price of vowels go up as well...I think it would lead to more rounds with all 3 players having a shot at spinning at least once. I cannot stand when a single contestant can run the whole round by hitting a top dollar space on the first try, spending it all on vowels, then filling up the rest of the board while the other 2 players stand and watch as they respectfully clap and smile while mumbling "You Bastard!" under their breath for the next 3-5 minutes. Growing up in the Woolery era, the number of "round runners" in any given show was much rarer than it is today.
As far as the wheel spinning as letters are being revealed, it's probably just a result of heavy editing due to a high amount of meaningful gameplay. Press Your Luck had to do some hard editing sometimes when there was an above average amount of spins in a game -- a few times you'd see a cut to the player already in mid-spin without the obligatory "play or pass" question asked before it.
-
I cannot stand when a single contestant can run the whole round by hitting a top dollar space on the first try, spending it all on vowels, then filling up the rest of the board while the other 2 players stand and watch as they respectfully clap and smile while mumbling "You Bastard!" under their breath for the next 3-5 minutes.
So you don't like watching good players win?
-
So you don't like watching good players win?
No, I do like watching good players win...I just don't care for games when players have to wait long periods of time before they actually get to do or say something game-related on a regular basis.
-
I call into question whether there's such a thing as someone who's good at Wheel of Fortune, and then if that is just the entire set of people who are culturally literate and can spell.
-
I call into question whether there's such a thing as someone who's good at Wheel of Fortune, and then if that is just the entire set of people who are culturally literate and can spell.
Well, that's like asking if there are really people who are good at Scrabble.
-
I cannot stand when a single contestant can run the whole round by hitting a top dollar space on the first try, spending it all on vowels, then filling up the rest of the board while the other 2 players stand and watch as they respectfully clap and smile while mumbling "You Bastard!" under their breath for the next 3-5 minutes.
So you don't like watching good players win?
While I'm not nearly as passionate about it, I think the gist of his complaint is that even the slowest of slow players would have a hard time not finding an amount + letter early in the round that allows them to buy every relevant vowel in the puzzle. It's not in the spirit of the rule when the show debuted, where the top dollar was the value of two vowels. I think $1,000 would be about right IF Wheel of Fortune had cause to be concerned. But they don't. Viewers aren't exactly turning away in droves because vowels are cheap, or because players can easily maintain control for a round.
-Jason
-
While I'm not nearly as passionate about it, I think the gist of his complaint is that even the slowest of slow players would have a hard time not finding an amount + letter early in the round that allows them to buy every relevant vowel in the puzzle. It's not in the spirit of the rule when the show debuted, where the top dollar was the value of two vowels.
Valid point, but it really is superb strategy, and Pat Sajak himself has pointed that out on the air countless times.
-
If you want to discourage something/discourage people from buying a thing, you increase the price.
"Starting this year, buying a vowel will cost half of your bank."
Losing $250 at the beginning of a round isn't so terrible, but having to pay several thousand dollars for a crucial hint is an interesting investment question.
-
While I'm not nearly as passionate about it, I think the gist of his complaint is that even the slowest of slow players would have a hard time not finding an amount + letter early in the round that allows them to buy every relevant vowel in the puzzle. It's not in the spirit of the rule when the show debuted, where the top dollar was the value of two vowels.
Valid point, but it really is superb strategy, and Pat Sajak himself has pointed that out on the air countless times.
It's superb strategy, but it's not really superb as much as it should be "textbook". As said before, vowels under the original dollar amounts were meant as CLUES, not as a shopping binge. Players should have to think about whether they're going to spend their money on vowels or not.
$1,000 vowels would do the trick- it really never made sense to me that the minimum dollar value on the wheel was more than the price of a vowel.
-
If you want to discourage something/discourage people from buying a thing, you increase the price.
"Starting this year, buying a vowel will cost half of your bank."
Losing $250 at the beginning of a round isn't so terrible, but having to pay several thousand dollars for a crucial hint is an interesting investment question.
True, but what if you buy consecutive vowels? If you have $10,000 in front of you, to pay $5000 for the first vowel and then $2500 (half of the remaining $5000) seems odd. How about $500 for the first vowel and $500 more for each subsequent vowel, with the final vowel costing $2500?
-
True, but what if you buy consecutive vowels?
Half your bank at the time, so it would be $5,000, then $2,500, then $1,250, then $625, then $313. If you want to buy out the alphabet in one go, it'll cost 97% of your bank. Though I'm intrigued by your escalating cost way, as well.
-
If you want to discourage something/discourage people from buying a thing, you increase the price.
"Starting this year, buying a vowel will cost half of your bank."
Losing $250 at the beginning of a round isn't so terrible, but having to pay several thousand dollars for a crucial hint is an interesting investment question.
True, but what if you buy consecutive vowels? If you have $10,000 in front of you, to pay $5000 for the first vowel and then $2500 (half of the remaining $5000) seems odd. How about $500 for the first vowel and $500 more for each subsequent vowel, with the final vowel costing $2500?
I thought of an escalating vowel cost as well. Reading your setup, I like it more, as it presents a new strategy for contestants. Do I play on and spend more money, or do I try to build my bank?
-
The lletters are being revealed.While that is happening the player/ spins again.After the spin the letters from the previous spin are still being revealed.
There was a celebrity episode in 1997 where Bonnie Hunt spun again before Vanna could touch any of the letters were called. She stopped the Wheel, and she and Pat joked about how "nobody's ever stopped the Wheel before". Finally, Pat just told her "spin the damn Wheel."
I don't know which is the bigger issue vowel-wise: a.) that they've been stuck at $250 forever, b.) that people still seem reluctant to buy them at times, or c.) that seemingly 90% of the puzzles these days have all 5 vowels in them.
(Unless you're playing the Facebook version, where you'll be rather quick to find that it's possible to have a 40 letter puzzle without E, T or A. Still better than trying to figure out CELLO in only 5 turns, though.)
-
True, but what if you buy consecutive vowels?
Half your bank at the time, so it would be $5,000, then $2,500, then $1,250, then $625, then $313. If you want to buy out the alphabet in one go, it'll cost 97% of your bank. Though I'm intrigued by your escalating cost way, as well.
Then why bother having vowels if you're going to make such a draconian change?
-
Then why bother having vowels if you're going to make such a draconian change?
'Cause a man's gotta poop somehow.
-
This all boils down to a case of "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." I don't think it's fair to penalize someone half their bank for guessing a vowel because it makes for absolutely terrible television. Say you spin $2500 in round 1 with that rule in place. Who's to say a contestant won't purposely call a wrong letter? That's basically what you're encouraging. You're telling a player that yeah, you can spin the wheel and win big money but any time you want a vowel, you put half of that at stake and you're telling me someone is going to like that?
If you HAVE to make a change, either make EACH vowel that appears worth $250 (i.e., 5 e's cost $1250) or raise the price of the vowel. Don't make a change that'll send the show to cancellation faster than you can say Rolf Benirschke.
-
This all boils down to a case of "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." I don't think it's fair to penalize someone half their bank for guessing a vowel because it makes for absolutely terrible television.
It isn't a penalty, it is a price to be paid. There is a difference. (and I am disappoint that you ignored my vowel pun.)
Your points are well made, and the idea was to turn something that is a no-brainer to do (because who wouldn't invest $1,000 to win $10,000?) into something that will give players pause. Make it a thousand each, increase it by $500 with each buy, but do something so that the moment a consonant pops up on the board the player can buy a vowel. It is supposed to be a hint to the solution, and not free-like-beer information. (Maybe you have a different Wheel of Jeopardy that determines the price to be paid for a vowel.)
How would you handle it if someone doesn't have enough cash to cover the cost of several vowels? "There are eight Es, but since you can only afford six of them, we'll leave two of them unrevealed." "...and you owe us $350, so that'll be a minus on your account?"
-
The problem is that they made the bed, and now they have to lie in it. There's no good way to break the news of "yeah, due to these trying economic times, we've had to totally revamp the vowel buying system so they're a lot more expensive" without coming off looking like complete arseholes.
That said, of the ideas mentioned, I think I like the idea of escalating prices the most, 'cuz it lets you *kind of* mask the bad news. Start 'em at $250, double the cost of each subsequent one, up to $4k for the fifth one. You'd put a "NEXT VOWEL" reminder on-screen, much like they use in the Jackpot round now.
But no matter what you do, it's going to be a hard enough sell that in terms of viewer goodwill it's just going to be less of a hit to let it go and the 12 people in the viewing audience who are bothered by it will just have to live with it or take their eyeballs elsewhere. And with all due respect, the sort of person who would be indignant enough to stop watching over something like that is also the obsessed sort who will NEVER STOP WATCHING FOR ANYTHING. So Sony's pretty safe, on the whole.
-
You'd put a "NEXT VOWEL" reminder on-screen, much like they use in the Jackpot round now.
Another chance to insert another sponsor too.
I can see it now. "The Next Vowel Tracker... sponsored by Mama Lucia Meatballs. Use as directed".
-
(keep in mind when I typed this that I didn't necessarily read any of the other suggestions posted after Travis' original response...don't want to make it seem like I didn't consider them. C)
This all boils down to a case of "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." I don't think it's fair to penalize someone half their bank for guessing a vowel because it makes for absolutely terrible television.
It isn't a penalty, it is a price to be paid. There is a difference.
Well, yeah, understandable- but you have to be careful that your price doesn't unintentionally BECOME a penalty, which is what I believe would result. (Which, admittedly, would also happen to one of my two suggestions, read on.)
(and I am disappoint that you ignored my vowel pun.)
That's because I completely whiffed on it. Upon further review, I give you props for the clever wordplay. :)
Your points are well made, and the idea was to turn something that is a no-brainer to do (because who wouldn't invest $1,000 to win $10,000?) into something that will give players pause. Make it a thousand each, increase it by $500 with each buy, but do something so that the moment a consonant pops up on the board the player can buy a vowel. It is supposed to be a hint to the solution, and not free-like-beer information. (Maybe you have a different Wheel of Jeopardy that determines the price to be paid for a vowel.)
Eh...I don't know if you really could pull an escalating cost of vowels (at least not on that level) without doing something to offset it (such as raising the values on the wheel). Maybe start at $250 and go up from there, or set a smaller amount to start and a slow rise like $100?
How would you handle it if someone doesn't have enough cash to cover the cost of several vowels? "There are eight Es, but since you can only afford six of them, we'll leave two of them unrevealed." "...and you owe us $350, so that'll be a minus on your account?"
I just said it was a choice you'd have to make if you wanted to revamp it...I fully admit the logistics that might arise would cause issues such as that one. (Then again, I'm not fully logical all the time, lol.)
-
I just said it was a choice you'd have to make if you wanted to revamp it...I fully admit the logistics that might arise would cause issues such as that one. (Then again, I'm not fully logical all the time, lol.)
I nominate we forget this nonsense and commence to play Hungry Hungry Hippos. :)
-
True, but what if you buy consecutive vowels?
Half your bank at the time, so it would be $5,000, then $2,500, then $1,250, then $625, then $313. If you want to buy out the alphabet in one go, it'll cost 97% of your bank. Though I'm intrigued by your escalating cost way, as well.
So I start the round, spin one of the half dozen $300 spaces, and find one T. Now, assuming that the bank is rounded down to the nearest dollar after each purchase, I get to buy all five vowels for $291.
-
Eh...I don't know if you really could pull an escalating cost of vowels (at least not on that level) without doing something to offset it (such as raising the values on the wheel).
The argument is that that's been happening for the last 30 years.
-
You'd put a "NEXT VOWEL" reminder on-screen, much like they use in the Jackpot round now.
Another chance to insert another sponsor too.
I can see it now. "The Next Vowel Tracker... sponsored by Mama Lucia Meatballs. Use as directed".
Actually, it would be a sponsor rotation between 5 companies each week:
• MONDAY: A-1 Steak Sauce
• TUESDAY: E! The Cable Channel
• WEDNESDAY: Anything from Apple (iMac, iPad, iPhone, iTunes...)
• THURSDAY: O -- The Oprah Magazine
• FRIDAY: U-Haul.
-
Eh...I don't know if you really could pull an escalating cost of vowels (at least not on that level) without doing something to offset it (such as raising the values on the wheel).
The argument is that that's been happening for the last 30 years.
Okay, let me rephrase that slightly- raising the values on the wheel to offset the cost escalation, meaning jacking them up more than you already would. (Don't know if that helps, but I figured I'd give it a shot.)
Travis, as long as I'm not the pink hippo. ;)
-
I nominate we forget this nonsense and commence to play Hungry Hungry Hippos. :)
Isn't that on right after Million Dollar Chutes and Ladders?
-
Every time a thread about proposed rule changes is created, somebody points out that the change is too complicated for the viewers to understand, and yet nobody here has pointed out that an escalating vowel price (that presumably also keeps resetting each round) would be a huge headache for any viewer not giving their full attention to the show?
I'm all for raising the flat asking price (they could even justify it by making a joke about the economy), but since the show has introduced and retained a wedge that lets contestants choose a vowel for free, I'm guessing that they want contestants quickly filling in the puzzle. Quick solves mean more puzzles, which it appears is what they're aiming for.
-
Every time a thread about proposed rule changes is created, somebody points out that the change is too complicated for the viewers to understand, and yet nobody here has pointed out that an escalating vowel price (that presumably also keeps resetting each round) would be a huge headache for any viewer not giving their full attention to the show?
I thought about it, as I'm sure others did, but at some point, you realize that your head is hurting, and the wall you're pounding it against is still there.
Having said that, I don't think $500 for a vowel is unreasonable.
-
...an escalating vowel price (that presumably also keeps resetting each round) would be a huge headache for any viewer not giving their full attention to the show
This.
"Hey, Lurleen! Why do the vowels keep getting more expensive?"
"I dunno. What's on Judge Judy?"
-
This.
"Hey, Lurleen! Why do the vowels keep getting more expensive?"
"I dunno. What's on Judge Judy?"
"And our viewers will be able to note the current cost of the vowel on the ticker in the upper right of their screen."
Unfunny and tired judgmentalness is unfunny, tired.
-
I agree with increasing the vowel price to $500, but I believe that this would require updating the wheel values so that there is nothing less than that amount.
It's awkward when contestants spin, guess a letter, and don't have enough money yet to buy a vowel (it's different if you have an amazing prize).
That being said, contestants don't buy enough vowels as is, and certainly increasing the price isn't going to change that.
Any tiered price system seems a bit too complicated to understand under the hot lights.
Actually, it would be a sponsor rotation between 5 companies each week:
Based on what I've seen so far this week, Wheel appears to be losing sponsors.
Maxwell House, who already sponsors the bonus round, had a $7,500 space on the wheel. Nobody is sponsoring the Mystery spaces.
Also, the Sony card bonus for home viewers has been revoked.
-
"And our viewers will be able to note the current cost of the vowel on the ticker in the upper right of their screen."
Unfunny and tired judgmentalness is unfunny, tired.
For viewers who have been used to $250 for 35 years, it won't sit, ticker or no ticker.
-
"And our viewers will be able to note the current cost of the vowel on the ticker in the upper right of their screen."
Unfunny and tired judgmentalness is unfunny, tired.
For viewers who have been used to $250 for 35 years, it won't sit, ticker or no ticker.
To me, if viewers are bothered by increasing the cost of a vowel to a level that would still be cheaper than it would be with inflation, then let 'em watch Judge Judy. There's really not much risk in buying a vowel anymore when you can buy all 5 for $1,250, then easily make it all back in just one spin.
Just have Pat say "We're changing a rule that's been in place since day 1...vowels are now worth $500," then he makes a little witty remark about inflation catching up with the show. To me, it's a harmless change.
-
I wouldn't mind vowels going up to $500. I would mind having to log onto the website to print off a playalong chart to keep up with vowel purchasing.
-
To me, if viewers are bothered by increasing the cost of a vowel to a level that would still be cheaper than it would be with inflation, then let 'em watch Judge Judy. There's really not much risk in buying a vowel anymore when you can buy all 5 for $1,250, then easily make it all back in just one spin.
Just have Pat say "We're changing a rule that's been in place since day 1...vowels are now worth $500," then he makes a little witty remark about inflation catching up with the show. To me, it's a harmless change.
Raising it to a different flat amount would be fine. I'm addressing the idea of having the cost of a vowel equal to half the player's bank times the number of letters divided by the number of stripes on Pat's tie.
-
I agree with increasing the vowel price to $500, but I believe that this would require updating the wheel values so that there is nothing less than that amount.
Disagrees... (http://"http://images.wikia.com/wheeloffortunehistory/images/2/2f/Bobgoen.jpg")
-
This.
"Hey, Lurleen! Why do the vowels keep getting more expensive?"
"I dunno. What's on Judge Judy?"
"And our viewers will be able to note the current cost of the vowel on the ticker in the upper right of their screen."
The screen already has more clutter than an ESPN telecast. Why add more? I think raising vowels to $500 is a fine idea.
-
I think they should invent new vowels to sell.
-
I think they should invent new vowels to sell.
This reminds me of the celebrity game where Weird Al asked to buy an umlaut.
-
I think they should invent new vowels to sell.
This reminds me of the celebrity game where Weird Al asked to buy an umlaut.
'I'd like to buy a colon, Pat'