I still don't understand how ABC could let this blunder make it to air.I just want to say I am loving this detective work. :)
Three lines, out the door. It's Smirnoff time!What is "Lindsay Lohan's day-planner on a Tuesday," Alex?
What is "Lindsay Lohan's day-planner on a Tuesday," Alex?No more calls, please. Brilliant. Absolutely friggin' brilliant.
On the other hand, it's possible that they contracted with CBS Electronics to write this code. They have a little bit of experience doing game shows, but it's not like them to allow something like this to slip by.I still don't understand how ABC could let this blunder make it to air.I just want to say I am loving this detective work. :)
I'm quite sure everyone looked at the animation and nobody thought for a second about how the loop that did it might have been written. Whoever they outsourced that to could give a good goddamn what the actual app is being used for, and was just told as part of the spec that this effect was needed. So they said to themselves "Okay, I need to write a loop to do this, it needs to look plausible and somewhat random, and I've already randomized these nine variables that add up to the correct amount." Then:For (int i; i <= 9; i++)Three lines, out the door. It's Smirnoff time!
{
Total = Total + Array[i];
Thread.Sleep (Math.Abs(400 - (100 * (i-1)));
}
On the other hand, it's possible that they contracted with CBS Electronics to write this code. They have a little bit of experience doing game shows, but it's not like them to allow something like this to slip by.I'm not sure whether to leave a snarky comment, so I'll ask first: who did the electronics for the Press Your Luck board?
If they didn't contract with CBS Electronics, maybe they should have.
who did the electronics for the Press Your Luck board?Don't you think they learned a little something from that experience which occurred, what, 25 years ago? Who do you think redesigned the board after the Michael Larson incident?
Well, that's why I asked. ;) I always assumed the same group of people who originally programmed it added the additional patterns later.who did the electronics for the Press Your Luck board?Don't you think they learned a little something from that experience which occurred, what, 25 years ago? Who do you think redesigned the board after the Michael Larson incident?
I always assumed the same group of people who originally programmed it added the additional patterns later.That's funny, because I'd assume that the group of people who originally programmed it were fired and their *replacements* added the additional patterns later.
Now Chris, why would they fire those people for a problem that they, the producers, Standards & Practices and CBS daytime didn't anticipate? If anyone should have anticipated this problem it was Bill Carruthers. He owned the show. What's he going to do, fire himself?I always assumed the same group of people who originally programmed it added the additional patterns later.That's funny, because I'd assume that the group of people who originally programmed it were fired and their *replacements* added the additional patterns later.
Now Chris, why would they fire those people for a problem that they, the producers, Standards & Practices and CBS daytime didn't anticipate?Fair point. I just wouldn't think that the people who created the problem initially would be the ones given the keys to the car to fix it in the first place. But, yes, fair point.
Why not? (a) The problem wasn't caused by incompetence (honestly, who would have forseen somebody recognizing patterns, memorizing the patterns, and getting on the show) and (b) it was handily fixed.Now Chris, why would they fire those people for a problem that they, the producers, Standards & Practices and CBS daytime didn't anticipate?Fair point. I just wouldn't think that the people who created the problem initially would be the ones given the keys to the car to fix it in the first place. But, yes, fair point.
They apparently had a problem with pattern memorization with Second Chance on ABC.Which surprises me, because that board looked like it behaved FAR closer to true-random than the PYL one did, and moved a hell of a lot faster. (Actually, I always thought that was a good example to point to to explain why pseudo-random is a better choice for TV than true-random is, so I'm especially surprised to find out it wasn't.)
Which surprises me, because that board looked like it behaved FAR closer to true-random than the PYL one did, and moved a hell of a lot faster. (Actually, I always thought that was a good example to point to to explain why pseudo-random is a better choice for TV than true-random is, so I'm especially surprised to find out it wasn't.)
(And the most obvious one: the next sequence may not start with the last square in the sequence before it.)
I really think the Second Chance incident is an urban myth.
The Second Chance board was a pattern. If I remember reading correctly, it was one pattern, but with 64 "moves" in the sequence. I would moreso have a hard time believing the Second Chance myth because the board moves so darn fast. It would require not only a great memory to remember the pattern under such pressure, but prime hand-eye coordination to stop the board precisely as well. But then again, without changing slides, you'd only have to pay attention in the sequence to where the devils AREN'T, rather than finding the only two safe squares.I really think the Second Chance incident is an urban myth.
I don't know about this incident you're referring to, but I have a clear memory of discovering a pattern on the Second Chance board, without even a VCR to help me out. There was a square close (next?) to the big-money square, which would flash twice about a half-second apart; a split-second after the second flash, the big-money square would light up. I should check out some online videos to verify this.
Charles
I think Chris is right in that the board, while electronically-driven, was not PC-driven.The Big Bucks documentary showed some sort of console that ran the patterns, so yes, that is correct. If the pattern selection was random, that was done manually, since there were buttons on that console to change the board pattern.
Another thing they could do to trip up pattern memorizers is to introduce a delay into all three plungers. Sometimes it's on, sometimes it's off, at random. The delay would have to be longer than the period one box is on.But then you have no sense of control when you're hitting the button. As someone playing a game for potentially a whole lot of money, I'd appreciate it if the board stops when I hit my plunger. Otherwise, you have a lot of people crying shenanigans. AND you're switching up the delay speed? If this is happening during the game, that's a definite no-no.
On a new PYL, why not set the pattern to random number generator, with the only set rule being that every number must come up at least once in every 25 pulls (I.e. selecting any string of 25 consecutive spaces in a board sequence, every number should come up)Because under that rule it is theoretically possible for:
But then you have no sense of control when you're hitting the button. As someone playing a game for potentially a whole lot of money, I'd appreciate it if the board stops when I hit my plunger. Otherwise, you have a lot of people crying shenanigans. AND you're switching up the delay speed? If this is happening during the game, that's a definite no-no.Yeah, the first time someone hits the button, the delay kicks in, and it bounces to a Whammy, someone at home is going to notice it and smell a rat. And even if the production comes clean and says "Yeah, we have this random delay that comes up sometimes to prevent another Michael Larsen," well, now the folks at home know that hitting the button isn't *really* hitting the button. And at that point, why bother having the button?
BTW, who was in charge of daytime at CBS when they put on PYL?Per a 1994 TV guide article, Michael Brockman (http://"http://www.fortunecity.com/lavendar/westbridge/448/pyl-art1.htm")
But then you have no sense of control when you're hitting the button. As someone playing a game for potentially a whole lot of money, I'd appreciate it if the board stops when I hit my plunger. Otherwise, you have a lot of people crying shenanigans. AND you're switching up the delay speed? If this is happening during the game, that's a definite no-no.Yeah, the first time someone hits the button, the delay kicks in, and it bounces to a Whammy, someone at home is going to notice it and smell a rat. And even if the production comes clean and says "Yeah, we have this random delay that comes up sometimes to prevent another Michael Larsen," well, now the folks at home know that hitting the button isn't *really* hitting the button. And at that point, why bother having the button?
ISTR that it was not uncommon for the slide projectors to appear to switch after someone had hit the button (presumably just due to the time it took for the bulbs to warm up/cool down). If anyone complained about that, it wasn't judged to be a big enough problem to fix.Point taken, but I think the bouncing light is more tightly tied to the button, as it were.
There were times where the slide would have already started fading and segueing into the replacement, but the slides never did a full rotation after the button was hit. That's part of the mechanics of the board. I suppose they could have used TV screens and made the whole operation cost a whole lot more, but either way, it's still different than putting a delay on the buzzers. The slides still changed quick enough where a fade out/fade in was a non issue.ISTR that it was not uncommon for the slide projectors to appear to switch after someone had hit the button (presumably just due to the time it took for the bulbs to warm up/cool down). If anyone complained about that, it wasn't judged to be a big enough problem to fix.But then you have no sense of control when you're hitting the button. As someone playing a game for potentially a whole lot of money, I'd appreciate it if the board stops when I hit my plunger. Otherwise, you have a lot of people crying shenanigans. AND you're switching up the delay speed? If this is happening during the game, that's a definite no-no.Yeah, the first time someone hits the button, the delay kicks in, and it bounces to a Whammy, someone at home is going to notice it and smell a rat. And even if the production comes clean and says "Yeah, we have this random delay that comes up sometimes to prevent another Michael Larsen," well, now the folks at home know that hitting the button isn't *really* hitting the button. And at that point, why bother having the button?
That's the whole idea, to throw off pattern memorizers. I think the producers wanted it to look like a random event like a slot machine, where you have no control over where the tumblers would stop. Joker was already using slot machine tumblers at the time and spinning a wheel like WOF would be too slow.Another thing they could do to trip up pattern memorizers is to introduce a delay into all three plungers. Sometimes it's on, sometimes it's off, at random. The delay would have to be longer than the period one box is on.But then you have no sense of control when you're hitting the button.
That's the whole idea, to throw off pattern memorizers. I think the producers wanted it to look like a random event like a slot machine, where you have no control over where the tumblers would stop.Then you don't put the stop trigger on a button. Period. At least not as an instant-stop.
Well then how do you stop the board? If the house stops the board then it could seem as if the fix is in.That's the whole idea, to throw off pattern memorizers. I think the producers wanted it to look like a random event like a slot machine, where you have no control over where the tumblers would stop.Then you don't put the stop trigger on a button. Period. At least not as an instant-stop.
Well then how do you stop the board? If the house stops the board then it could seem as if the fix is in.Did anyone think the fix was in on The Joker's Wild? Lord knows they had a reason to.
... first and foremost we're making TV here, so it needs to look good.
Watch his other videos. I dare you.I lasted exactly eleven seconds.
... first and foremost we're making TV here, so it needs to look good.
In that case, I vote for this guy:
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHv9OJAsVWc[/media]
Watch his other videos. I dare you.
Watch his other videos. I dare you.I lasted exactly eleven seconds.
I made it a minute into the beginning, then watched the last 5 minutes.Watch his other videos. I dare you.I lasted exactly eleven seconds.
Minute-five. Dude sounds like has one of those throat boxes.
Watch his other videos. I dare you.I lasted exactly eleven seconds.
Minute-five. Dude sounds like has one of those throat boxes.
He had a 120 game run of $8,000,000.
Before his account got suspended. How about that. He has played enough to know the value of the round-two prize. Sigh.
So did I. The only difference between he and I is that I was just playing to play the game, not to record it and put it on YouTube.Absolutely. I had Wheel of Fortune for NES, N64, DOS and Win98. And I played to beat my previous best, and that was it.
(Granted, YouTube didn't exist at the time, but you get my point! ;))
Before his account got suspended. How about that. He has played enough to know the value of the round-two prize. Sigh.10 minutes to Wapner.
Before his account got suspended. How about that. He has played enough to know the value of the round-two prize. Sigh.10 minutes to Wapner.
How does an account get suspended on a PSX? Is it just his way of saying his memory card crapped out on him? Sucks to be him, account "suspension" or otherwise.
So what I'm getting out of this is he uploaded most every of his PSX WoF games? Oyyyyyyy. That or my belief about the save data on the PSX memory card being deleted or getting corrupted.I think he probably meant his old YouTube account- I don't believe the PSX had online capability.Before his account got suspended. How about that. He has played enough to know the value of the round-two prize. Sigh.How does an account get suspended on a PSX? Is it just his way of saying his memory card crapped out on him? Sucks to be him, account "suspension" or otherwise.