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Keeping in mind that the show has been a hit in several decades without any major "big picture" changes, what do you like and dislike about the show's most recent incarnation on PAX? What changes, if any, would you consider valid suggestions worthy of consideration should the show return?
Thanks for the input.
Randy
tvrandywest.com
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Since you asked.....
Quite honestly, I don't think there was much wrong at all, except the overabudence of mini-games during the sweep. Maybe if 4-6 were rotated; it'd be OK, but it seemed like there was a lot more than that.
Possibly bring back the "Taste Test" bonus game. I thought that was kind of neat.
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The Good:
* The cash games. Do I go for the Shopping List, or spend time in the meat market? Some provided real dilemmas. Not so many that they're overkill; I thought there were just enough.
* The staggered start of the sweep, with the clock counting down.
The Bad:
* The 'time building' games were either straight from TPIR, or based only on guessing product names. I know it's in a supermarket-themed show, but couldn't they have done more with the premise?
* Having one person stand at the checkout, doing nothing, except for times when the Stack Job was in play.
* The first person only got to play the "Which of these three items costs most?" in the front game. The other person got Three Right, Brand Name Shuffle, and something else. Make those more even.
That's all I got for now, but I'm sure there's more.
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The good: An entertaining host who knows how to run the show, a simple game which almost anybody can follow, and a fun, harmless way to spend half an hour of TV viewing. And the most recent announcer on Sweep was pretty good too! ;-)
The bad: Too few games to earn time up front, especially in the later years of the show. The earlier shows usually had the first contestant from each team play two games before the first break, followed by the other player having a crack at 2 games before the Round Robin Game. *clap clap clap clap clap* Since there was less time to be earned, the length of the sweeps were shorter. Also, as Mark mentioned above, there were too many mini-games during the sweep. The emphasis was removed from the actual shopping and was placed on Selma from Boise trying to get 2 onion rolls, 2 dinner rolls, and 3 bialys before time expired. The bonuses, the candy, and one other way to earn money is enough.
If this is instrumental in possibly getting Sweep back on the air in the near future, I wish you and all parties involved the best of luck. Supermarket Sweep was a nightly fixture in my house for many years.
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My main problem with Supermarket Sweep as a whole: often, it's too predictable.
-The team with the most time at the end of Round 1 wound up winning the Sweep 97% of the time. Granted, not much you can do to change this, but I still wanted Team 2, or even rarer, Team 3 to win once in a while.
The same strategies tended to pop up over and over again. Every sweep, contestants would always go for the huge 10-pound turkeys, giant diaper packages, etc...Rarely did anyone ever go for things like medicine (which I never understood--only slightly cheaper than and much easier to handle than the meat (get your minds out of the gutters :-)). Even with the rotation of the different bonus opportunities, it got to be rather monotonous.
As for the games being derivative of TPiR, I don't mind it too much, and it's even in the show's history: in a original 1966 ep I saw at the Museum of TV & Radio, the front game consisted of players guessing the prices of grocery items to win time--pretty much a complete knock-off of the original TPiR. (The giant cash register podiums they had were pretty cool, though.)
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I'll second, er, third, the Eberlean and Klaussian opinion of one team member not doing a whole lot in the pre-Sweep portion of the show.
I'd have loved to see more variety in the Round Robin game. "Scrambled Letters" every day got on my nerves after a while.
Please, I'm begging, euthanize the 30-Second Shootout. Pyramid was not meant to be watched being played by 1) people who know each other, and 2) people who can't play Pyramid. I really enjoyed the show, but this was one game that had me going for the remote. If I didn't get distracted, I turned back for the Big Sweep (for the commentary, of course!).
Thanks for asking! :) If it comes back, I'll certainly be watching (and listening).
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I have to third and fourth and who knows what a lot of these suggestions. Some of the in-store games got ridiculous near the end. Also, that Shootout was a bad idea for all the reasons Steve said. The games themselves are fine as they are - there just needed to return to the old rotation (usually four, two for each player, then the round robin).
And I was seeing things, or was the second mini sweep eliminated throughout all of the PAX run? The Mini Sweep was fun. Two of them was nice.
-Jason
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[quote name=\'JasonA1\' date=\'Apr 26 2005, 02:34 PM\']And I was seeing things, or was the second mini sweep eliminated throughout all of the PAX run? The Mini Sweep was fun. Two of them was nice.
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It was eliminated.
And did they even have the $100-in 20 bonus?
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For the PAX run, they should have brought back the Chiquita Banana Lady/Mr. Yuk from the Lifetime run hahahaha
If you don't remember, they were people out in the market and if you encountered them, you had to immediately turn around and run the other way.
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The Good: Mostly everything was done fine, gameplay was great!
The Bad: I always liked the audience participation in the beginning where the contestants were called up with the products. I always wondered why that was taken out.
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I think that Randy West guy sounds awesome! Great voice and great play-by-play on the final sweep. He should be first in line if SS was ever resurrected either as announcer, or even host!!! :-D
All kidding aside, the one thing they always have done, which may be nitpicking on my part, is when a contestant gives a wrong answer on a buzz-in, that three-note buzzer immediately goes off. However, when they give a right answer, David would chime in saying something to the effect of, "Let's see if that's right...", then a pause, then the answer is shown along with the ding ding ding sfx.
Why waste the extra few seconds -- there was no buzzer, we know then the answer was right, so why milk it? Either give us an immediate 'Right' or 'Wrong' sfx cue, or stretch out both the right & wrong answers like on Family Feud.
The low-budget Canadian version of the Geoff Edwards "Chain Reaction" also did the same thing when a player would guess a word: Wrong answer = immediate buzzer / Right answer = 5 Seconds of Geoff saying, "It could be, lets see if that's the correct answer".
One thing I'd like to see, since SamJ previously said that usually the team with the most sweep time usually wins, is maybe have a wider range of Bonus Cash amounts ($50-$500). That way you could see more teams who are the last to start the sweep possibly winning more than the first team(s) out, although on the flip side, the team(s) with the most sweep time could also blow away the other team(s) in the dust.
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The good: Almost a direct copy of everyone else's good list in their posts. Oh yeah............that announcer dude...........HE ROCKS! :-D
The bad: Also most of the bad lists in this thread with one addition......
I remember seeing a picture somewhere of what I believed was the UK version of Sweep. IIRC, they had an audience for the whole show (not like what seemed to be only the part of the show before the Big Sweep early in the run....and no audience after that). I believe Sweep could use an audience for the whole entire show.
(Yeah yeah, I've heard about how hard it can be to get an audience. Hell, I'd rather see paid people in an audience actually trying to act excited/normal than see no audience at all.)
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I'll add my two cents worth. For the most part, I thoght it was a solid show. I would do a couple things, though. I would bring back a live studio audience instead of using canned applause. I would also reduce the number of twists and wrinkles in the big sweep. Having a shopping list and an inflatable bonus are nice. When you start adding more bonuses, then the big sweep becomes almost exclusively a pursuit o bonuses, makig te groceries almost inconsequential. Also, in order to ensure participation by both team members,have te team members alternate during the big sweep -- when one comes in witha full cart, send the other one out, and vice-versa. Kinda like tag team wrestling. :)
Oh, and keep the announcer -- he's a cool dude. :)
Andrew M. Greenstein
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GOOD: Format-wise, it's pretty good. I'd also keep the theme music, and great goodness, they better not hire someone else to take the spot of that one announcer guy.
BAD: I haven't seen it, but I can also vouch for the bonuses in the big sweep. Keep the shopping list, the huge bonuses, and possibly rotate four-five of the others [coffee, candy, bread, Manager's Special, mystery item, etc.]. I'd probably also raise the bonus sweep jackpot to $10,000 [unless they did already---I haven't seen the show in years].
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Also, in order to ensure participation by both team members,have te team members alternate during the big sweep -- when one comes in witha full cart, send the other one out, and vice-versa. Kinda like tag team wrestling.
Best idea I've read in the thread.
The bonus remains at $5,000 [on the show]...is there a reason it should be raised to $10,000?
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The Bad:
1. This crawl which was nothing more than a plug for Crest Whitestrips (or some other product). What was that all about? On a show built up on product placement, that seemed superfluous.
2. The obligatory applause everybody engages in through the entire show. Do we need to be THAT perky?
3. Not seeing a clock for the entire sweep (and the entire sweep for that matter), though I understand why.
The Good:
1-infinity: Everything said so far.
What I'd like to see, and this a real fantasy: "Stadium" Shopping. Use a real (old-school) supermarket to shop in, just like the old days. There's got to be a location somewhere in L.A. suitable enough to become a Sweepermarket. Put Randy up in a booth above the action (with or without a camera), get him a sportscaster headset, and watch the fur fly.
Speaking of "fly", how about an overhead camera just for kicks. Remember when they used a trackcam at MSNBC for a time. Talk about a unique perspective.
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The reason to raise the bonus round jackpot to $10,000 is: How many people would use up their eligibility to win $2,500? Not many. Would anyone even try out for a prize that small? $10k is fine by me.
I wanted to address something said back on page one: that the team with the most time won most of the time. That makes perfect sense. Increasing the inflatable bonus amounts destroys any lead built up. If you're in third, head to the medicine aisle. It was hardly ever done, most teams made that right turn into the meat aisle. Smart shopping can beat a time advantage.
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Damn, I am trying so hard to come up with how you could improve on this show. However it's difficult because it was already so good.
Definitely bring back Ruprecht if he's available. Peter Tomarken if he isn't. I'm all for bringing back Mr. Press Your Luck to the small screen. He's got a good personality and I think he would do well on Supermarket Sweep.
Randy you did your best work on Supermarket Sweep. You are an easy pick for announcer. Johnny Gilbert would be awsome again as well. If the both of you happen to fall off the face of the planet, I would get Bob Hilton. I miss that guys energy on Win Lose or Draw. He deserves another shot.
When the players start scanning their items from the Big Sweep I would have three Bag Boys bagging all the groceries just to add to the visual effect and make it seem more like a Real Supermarket. Personally I would like to see three hot chicks called Grocery Girls, but I guess that would be up to Mr. Howard. :-)
Also add an ATM machine nearby. It would be a great way to get a Bank to sponsor the program since their name would obviously be on the top of that machine. Ok Ok... maybe I'm getting to much into the business end of it now. lol. But an ATM machine is another thing that would make it seem more like a Real supermarket!
I'll leave the actual game play and associated elements up to everyone else here. They seem to have better ideas as far as that goes. If you are indeed pitching the show to another Network, I wish you much luck. That would be awsome. How about 10:30 Am on CBS right before Price? :-) Seems like the perfect place to me. Maybe there "COULD" be a small chance for the Network to snag that extra hour back. Supermarket Sweep would get them half way to that goal. Remind Les Moonves of that. :-)
Dizzy
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[quote name=\'dizzy\' date=\'Apr 26 2005, 05:31 PM\']That would be awsome. How about 10:30 Am on CBS right before Price? :-) Seems like the perfect place to me. [/quote]
No way in heck will you get stations to revert a half hour back. My affiliate airs "Regis" before Price.
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[quote name=\'Modor\' date=\'Apr 26 2005, 05:34 PM\'][quote name=\'dizzy\' date=\'Apr 26 2005, 05:31 PM\']That would be awsome. How about 10:30 Am on CBS right before Price? :-) Seems like the perfect place to me. [/quote]
No way in heck will you get stations to revert a half hour back. My affiliate airs "Regis" before Price.
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Small chance in hell (or) Slim to none. Yes I agree. But NEVER say NEVER. TV is a crazy world where ANYTHING can happen.
Dizzy
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[quote name=\'dizzy\' date=\'Apr 26 2005, 03:31 PM\'] When the players start scanning their items from the Big Sweep I would have three Bag Boys bagging all the groceries just to add to the visual effect and make it seem more like a Real Supermarket. Personally I would like to see three hot chicks called Grocery Girls, but I guess that would be up to Mr. Howard. :-)
Also add an ATM machine nearby. It would be a great way to get a Bank to sponsor the program since their name would obviously be on the top of that machine. Ok Ok... maybe I'm getting to much into the business end of it now. lol. But an ATM machine is another thing that would make it seem more like a Real supermarket!
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You gotta be friggin' kidding me.
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I completely agree about dropping the 30-Second Shootout. In addition to the other reasons mentioned, it ate up the time that could have been used for another mini-game, which meant there were fewer opportunities to earn seconds on those episodes.
I also audibly groaned at my TV whenever I found out the $300 Movie was in play in the sweep. As far as I'm concerned, all bonuses should be available to be picked up by all three shoppers.
I actually didn't mind the overabundance of bonuses, because usually, if a team went for all bonuses and no shopping, their total would be terribly low. Same with some teams that went for all shopping and no bonuses. You had to have the right balance of shopping and bonuses to win.
(For example, I'd say keep the candy counter -- as a way to punish the shoppers with poor strategy. Unless you had already snagged all of the big-ticket items, it took too long to shovel the right amount of candy in there for only $100.)
I don't want to dwell too deeply into Negativeville here, but one more thing: David Ruprecht's patter was always the same. It just sounded really scripted and there was never any ad-libbing. I don't know why that was, but a less rigidly-enforced script would help give the show a more casual feel.
Definitely keep the bonus round. And you need an announcer who can make the same shopping patterns sound fresh and new with every episode. I never noticed a problem there.
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Scott Robinson
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[quote name=\'dizzy\' date=\'Apr 26 2005, 05:31 PM\']Damn, I am trying so hard to come up with how you could improve on this show. However it's difficult because it was already so good.[/quote]
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When the players start scanning their items from the Big Sweep I would have three Bag Boys bagging all the groceries just to add to the visual effect and make it seem more like a Real Supermarket. Personally I would like to see three hot chicks called Grocery Girls, but I guess that would be up to Mr. Howard. :-)
Also add an ATM machine nearby. It would be a great way to get a Bank to sponsor the program since their name would obviously be on the top of that machine. Ok Ok... maybe I'm getting to much into the business end of it now. lol. But an ATM machine is another thing that would make it seem more like a Real supermarket!
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You just turned the show six steps in the wrond direction. However, if Fremantle ever picks up Sweep, then fax them your resume, and this post.
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[quote name=\'AZAndrewG\' date=\'Apr 26 2005, 02:06 PM\']Also, in order to ensure participation by both team members,have te team members alternate during the big sweep -- when one comes in witha full cart, send the other one out,
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That's a goodie, I like it!
Lotsa great suggestions in the thread, here's a few that came to my mind:
THE BAD: Variety. *Different* "big prize items" would be nice. Would be nice to see DIFFERENT contestants go after a DIFFERENT "big prize item" instead of the SAME garden hoses, mops, cheeses, hams, and diapers every day.
Maybe not as much time showing STILL action looking for a movie while "the mad driver" was dashing around the supermarket making "shopping cart history," LOL!!
THE GOOD: Great announcer! One of my favorite parts of the show was listening to the play-by-play that you gave, Randy... seriously! Super job!
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[quote name=\'fostergray82\' date=\'Apr 26 2005, 09:25 PM\']You just turned the show six steps in the wrond direction. However, if Fremantle ever picks up Sweep, then fax them your resume, and this post.
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Doesn't Fremantle handle the international licensing of "Sweep" (and wouldn't they be likely to pick up the full ownership of the show when Al Howard retires or passes on?)
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[quote name=\'uncamark\' date=\'Apr 27 2005, 04:18 PM\'][quote name=\'fostergray82\' date=\'Apr 26 2005, 09:25 PM\']You just turned the show six steps in the wrond direction. However, if Fremantle ever picks up Sweep, then fax them your resume, and this post.
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Doesn't Fremantle handle the international licensing of "Sweep" (and wouldn't they be likely to pick up the full ownership of the show when Al Howard retires or passes on?)
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My resume is on it's Way! ;-)
Dizzy
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Likes:
-A live audience in the background.
-The mini-sweeps
-The short-lived racing shopping carts intro.[I thought that really set the mood for the show.]
Dislikes:
-A wrong is indicated right away on the spot, whereas a correct answer results in a comment such as "It might be!" or "Let's find out!" followed by an awkward pause.[That's the BIGGIE for me that drives me nuts, because the build-up is unbalanced and feels very awkward.]
-Waaaaay too many applause moments.
-Dan
FLASHGames²
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Thanks all! Some great ideas. And although it was not my intent in to fish for compliments by starting the thread, your kind comments about my laryngeal contributions are greatly appreciated. Yes, there is some EXTREMELY early conversation about the show's possible return, but it's WAY too early to begin to even think about commenting on it. But I did want to have some of your input for when the time is appropriate.
Doesn't Fremantle handle the international licensing of "Sweep" (and wouldn't they be likely to pick up the full ownership of the show when Al Howard retires or passes on?)
Mrs. Smith down the street has many cars; therefore she's likely to "pick up" mine when I move? It's a decision to be made by those associated with the present ownership. There's a son and a couple of roommates who might like to detail the old beauty and keep it in private hands to drive, or perhaps put it up on blocks to keep it from being stripped in some chop shop. OK, the analogies, metaphors and similies are out of control, but I think I made the point ;-)
Randy
tvrandywest.com
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One thing to even things out during the sweep, put meat and so on 'on sale' like a real supermarket would. Make some of the meat a 'managers markdown' and so on to discourage people from grabbing the same items every show. (or make it more challenging)
I also agree with getting the other partner involved in the sweep. If I was going to play SS (and believe me, I will someday when its back on !) it for the most part is a once in a lifetime experience so both players should be involved. The Tag Team idea is one of the best I've heard.
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[quote name=\'Terry K\' date=\'Apr 27 2005, 04:07 PM\']One thing to even things out during the sweep, put meat and so on 'on sale' like a real supermarket would. Make some of the meat a 'managers markdown' and so on to discourage people from grabbing the same items every show. (or make it more challenging)
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In other words, turn the interesting part of the game into even more of a luckfest than it already is? No thanks.
You know why people grab the same items every show? BECAUSE THEY'RE EXPENSIVE, AND THE CONTESTANTS HAVE A CLUE.
You could achieve the same end you're going for by hiring WOF's contestant coordinators.
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One problem with the tag-team idea: If teammates didn't have a very exact strategy for tackling the market, both shoppers could wind up duplicating each other, which would be a waste of time and be rather pointless to watch. "Oh no! Mary is picking up the same contact lens solution that her partner John already grabbed! Those aren't going to count!"
Also, how much would each person have to contribute? Say my teammate can run faster and has more arm strength than I do. Can I immediately tag him back so he can more efficiently do all of the shopping? Can I run into the market with no cart, grab two packages of diapers, then immediately run back to tag him? Kind of messy to enforce.
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Scott Robinson
(Stream of consciousness thought from my first paragraph: I know that after the fifth item, any additional items wouldn't count toward the total. Was there a penalty for deliberately taking huge quantities of products? Seems like it would be just as easy to scoop in all of the expensive medicine products rather than count off five -- and then your opponents can't get any of them at all.)
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[quote name=\'MSTieScott\' date=\'Apr 27 2005, 08:02 PM\']Say my teammate can run faster and has more arm strength than I do. Can I immediately tag him back so he can more efficiently do all of the shopping? Can I run into the market with no cart, grab two packages of diapers, then immediately run back to tag him? Kind of messy to enforce.[/quote]
Well theoretically you *could*, it'd be your own time you're wasting.
Seems like it would be just as easy to scoop in all of the expensive medicine products rather than count off five -- and then your opponents can't get any of them at all.)
Once again, wasting your own time, instead of picking off things right next to the Pepto Bismol Gel Caps that you could be plucking off the shelf instead.
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[quote name=\'tvrandywest\' date=\'Apr 27 2005, 06:05 PM\']And although it was not my intent in to fish for compliments by starting the thread, your kind comments about my laryngeal contributions are greatly appreciated.
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Randy, you weren't fishin' for 'em........you're just that damn good of an announcer to where we compliment ya each time you post. :-D (You're not a Johnny Olsen, a Rod Roddy, or a Gene Wood, but you're still damn good)
Once again, wasting your own time, instead of picking off things right next to the Pepto Bismol Gel Caps that you could be plucking off the shelf instead.
Mark's right.........you'd be wasting time you probably ain't got in the first place. Although I wonder if someone actually has tried that on the actual show..............
(I doubt it, but still, there's no federal law against wondering :-P)
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[quote name=\'clemon79\' date=\'Apr 27 2005, 06:35 PM\'][quote name=\'Terry K\' date=\'Apr 27 2005, 04:07 PM\']One thing to even things out during the sweep, put meat and so on 'on sale' like a real supermarket would. Make some of the meat a 'managers markdown' and so on to discourage people from grabbing the same items every show. (or make it more challenging)
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In other words, turn the interesting part of the game into even more of a luckfest than it already is? No thanks.
You know why people grab the same items every show? BECAUSE THEY'RE EXPENSIVE, AND THE CONTESTANTS HAVE A CLUE.
You could achieve the same end you're going for by hiring WOF's contestant coordinators.
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What i was getting was that the sweep is pretty formula as it is. What I'm trying to get at is that by making the meat a crap shoot, it discourages the 'grab the same 10 items every sweep' syndrome. By taking the frequently grabbed items and dropping the retails on them as in a sale, you also throw the teams a curveball and make them play things a bit differently.
If you know, for example that turkeys are going to be worth $10 instead of the usual 20 or so, it makes for different dynamics.
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Just a rebuttal to the whole tag-team thing: it's a decent idea, but it'd get messy - and dangerous - near the check-out. The teams go in knowing only one can run the sweep.
As for the "grabbing the same items" syndrome - what breaks up that supposed monotony are the different bonuses every day. I never got tired of the shopping strategies.
-Jason
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[quote name=\'MSTieScott\' date=\'Apr 27 2005, 06:02 PM\']Was there a penalty for deliberately taking huge quantities of products? Seems like it would be just as easy to scoop in all of the expensive medicine products rather than count off five -- and then your opponents can't get any of them at all.)
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Randy would know definitively, I'm sure, but I would guess that a penalty would be enforced, and it would probably be the same penalty as the one for dropping an item on the floor and failing to either put it in your cart or return it to its home.