Author Topic: Some $ale Opinions (Read 5380 times)

JasonA1 · « **on:** March 23, 2006, 10:58:45 PM »

Had two points to argue and get opinions on here.

* Which is better? The dynamics of Instant Bargains with the Shopping endgame, or with the Winner's Board/WBMG? We all loved the shopping endgame, but there was something to the fact you only needed the win - ANY win - under the later formats.

* Which is better? The third Instant Bargain, or Instant Ca$h?

I'll toss more of my thoughts in once there's some input.

-Jason

TLEberle · « **Reply #1 on:** March 23, 2006, 11:03:22 PM »

[quote name=\'JasonA1\' date=\'Mar 23 2006, 07:58 PM\']* Which is better? The dynamics of Instant Bargains with the Shopping endgame, or with the Winner's Board/WBMG? We all loved the shopping endgame, but there was something to the fact you only needed the win - ANY win - under the later formats. [/quote] Much as I like the winner's board and shopping, if you're going for the car, cash jackpot or Big Fella, there's no way that you're coughing up a part of your lead to win a microwave or Palm Springs Holiday. If you're on your first day, you might be a bit more likely to go for one, but I don't think the end game has any effect on it.

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* Which is better? The third Instant Bargain, or Instant Ca$h?

Instant Cash, in that it creates a tie when it's played for. You don't necessarily get that with the third IB. That and everyone can spend cash.

Game Show Man · « **Reply #2 on:** March 23, 2006, 11:06:31 PM »

[quote name=\'JasonA1\' date=\'Mar 23 2006, 08:58 PM\']Had two points to argue and get opinions on here.

* Which is better? The dynamics of Instant Bargains with the Shopping endgame, or with the Winner's Board/WBMG? We all loved the shopping endgame, but there was something to the fact you only needed the win - ANY win - under the later formats.

* Which is better? The third Instant Bargain, or Instant Ca$h?

I'll toss more of my thoughts in once there's some input.

-Jason

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As to the first question, I'm a stickler for the Shopping format, but there is something to be said for the Winner's Board in that Instant Bargains didn't neccesarily stop players from winning big prizes. All the same, they had more impact in the traditional Shopping format.

As to the second question, I'd like to go off the board: the original incarnation of the Aussie's Cashcard game, which was literally a combination of the two. A big prize or a big hunk of cash could be won.

FOXSportsFan · « **Reply #3 on:** March 23, 2006, 11:08:34 PM »

Liked the Shopping Format...Winner's Board was too Concentration-y...and again, if I've said it once, I've said it...once...the Winner's Big Money Game would have been perfect for Chain Reaction.

And, two thumbs up, way up to the Instant Cash.

ChuckNet · « **Reply #4 on:** March 23, 2006, 11:14:26 PM »

While the shopping format was truest to the show's original concept, it could be boring to watch what amounted to Jim and the champ standing around for about 5 min. or so while Jay rattled off all the major prizes on offer (at least when you're a hyperactive 6YO, like I was @ the time...LOL). From that standpoint, the Winner's Board was more interesting, plus there was a pretty diverse mix of 10-time champs who were content to quit w/their 8 prizes and $13K, and those like Mark DeCarlo who just had to come back and try for the $50K bonus.

The WBMG was a different story...it was a good concept, but ridiculously out of place on a show like $otC, not to mention that the long-reigining champs once prevalent during the show's mid-80s prime had become scarce, for w/e reason, meaning that actually seeing someone try for the car (which required remaining champ for 7 days) was a rarity, and someone going for the $50K was rarer still, only happening twice in the entire WBMG era.

Chuck Donegan (The Illustrious "Chuckie Baby")

JasonA1 · « **Reply #5 on:** March 23, 2006, 11:18:34 PM »

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Liked the Shopping Format...Winner's Board was too Concentration-y

I don't mean to peck your eyes out everybody, but I was talking about how Instant Bargains played out in both endgame formats. Joe seemed to follow me on that one. If this helps, here's my opinion:

The IBs were more of a toss-up in the Winner's Board because a champion only need $1 over second place to win and move on to bigger prizes. The actual figure s/he won with was a non-factor. In the shopping format, if they need $95 and the win that day, there was no way they'd drop a cent on some of that stuff, because every penny counted towards the ultimate goal of the Lot. I'm basically arguing that while the Board and Big Money Game themselves suck, the Instant Bargains were a lot more interesting when they were installed. Even a 2-day champion in shopping would have little reason to buy any of that stuff, regardless of Jim's temptations. But, if I'm a Winner's Board contestant and they throw me a new TV with $500 if I reduce my lead from $15 to 5? *rings in*

-Jason

zachhoran · « **Reply #6 on:** March 24, 2006, 07:24:10 AM »

[quote name=\'FOXSportsFan\' date=\'Mar 23 2006, 11:08 PM\']
the Winner's Big Money Game would have been perfect for Chain Reaction.

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Split Second would have benefitted from a bonus like this, too. IIRC It was usually won with a split second or two left on the clock

Ian Wallis · « **Reply #7 on:** March 24, 2006, 08:58:55 AM »

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In the shopping format, if they need $95 and the win that day, there was no way they'd drop a cent on some of that stuff, because every penny counted towards the ultimate goal of the Lot.

Wins of $95 were somewhat rare on "Sale". You'd probably have an idea part way through the show whether or not you'd have a chance at getting that much. If it was me, and I figured there's no way I'd get there, I'd probably be more likely to buy an Instant Bargain because I'd have to come back the next day to try again anyway.

Don Howard · « **Reply #8 on:** March 24, 2006, 10:13:12 AM »

Since all replies appear to be in agreement as to which after-game format was preferred, that begs this question:
Why was it changed? So the nighttime version would have a big difference at the finish of the show than the daytime? The format wasn't broken. Why was it fixed? Can't really be that budgetary. They went from possibly giving the prizes away to almost definitely giving the prizes away with The Board. And if the money and the car were knocked off early, where's the excitement later on?
"Left on the board is the Giorgio's shopping spree and the one-year supply of Hershey's Kisses". Big woo.

uncamark · « **Reply #9 on:** March 24, 2006, 12:41:16 PM »

[quote name=\'Don Howard\' date=\'Mar 24 2006, 09:13 AM\']Since all replies appear to be in agreement as to which after-game format was preferred, that begs this question:
Why was it changed? So the nighttime version would have a big difference at the finish of the show than the daytime? The format wasn't broken. Why was it fixed? Can't really be that budgetary. They went from possibly giving the prizes away to almost definitely giving the prizes away with The Board. And if the money and the car were knocked off early, where's the excitement later on?
"Left on the board is the Giorgio's shopping spree and the one-year supply of Hershey's Kisses". Big woo.

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The theory that is the most logical (in the case of the network version) was that with the shopping format end game, the producers could not guarantee to NBC that a champion would retire in ten wins, per network regulations. There were just enough instances of champs taking longer than ten days to get to the Big Magillas for the network to be uncomfortable (the easy way out would've been to change the limitations or drop them completely, but they didn't want to do that).

As for the syndicated version, beats me, unless all of a sudden the producers decided they had to be consistent with the network version.

DJDustman · « **Reply #10 on:** March 24, 2006, 01:18:33 PM »

[quote name=\'uncamark\' date=\'Mar 24 2006, 12:41 PM\']
The theory that is the most logical (in the case of the network version) was that with the shopping format end game, the producers could not guarantee to NBC that a champion would retire in ten wins, per network regulations. There were just enough instances of champs taking longer than ten days to get to the Big Magillas for the network to be uncomfortable (the easy way out would've been to change the limitations or drop them completely, but they didn't want to do that).

As for the syndicated version, beats me, unless all of a sudden the producers decided they had to be consistent with the network version.

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When the Winner's Board came around for the NBC version, it took eleven days to win it all. Was that allowed in the network regulations?

zachhoran · « **Reply #11 on:** March 24, 2006, 07:12:53 PM »

[quote name=\'DJDustman\' date=\'Mar 24 2006, 01:18 PM\']

When the Winner's Board came around for the NBC version, it took eleven days to win it all. Was that allowed in the network regulations?

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I suspect it was, given the format lasted for roughly three years. Also, Blockbusters had a 20 game win limit(up from 10) starting about halfway through the Cullen run, and NBC let that fly.

Justin30519 · « **Reply #12 on:** March 24, 2006, 08:17:35 PM »

I think it's a toss-up between the shopping format and the winner's big money board. Both had their advantages. With the big money board, you could win a bigger prize on the first day. With the shopping version, there was a lot more temptation (veiled reference to Aussie version unattended) throughout the whole show. (That trip to Europe would be great, but I really need a new car. Should I risk it?) More strategy was involved in the main game too. I recall one player in the shopping version didn't buy any instant bargains because every dollar was crucial. I liked the Instant Cash better than the third instant bargain. Cash was more tempting. And if a player took a crack at it, it made for an interesting speed round. I noticed how the final bonus game format (the buzz in and answer the puzzle format) was not mentioned. I guess maybe because it was so horrible, it isn't worth mentioning.

JustinInAtlanta

ChuckNet · « **Reply #13 on:** March 24, 2006, 08:55:40 PM »

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I recall one player in the shopping version didn't buy any instant bargains because every dollar was crucial.

Ah, the infamous Alice Conkright...during her 6 days as champ, she was eligible for all but 1 of the 18 IBs offered during the course of that reign...as it progressed, Jim got more and more desperate for her to buy that he'd offer things like a $1K bonus w/a set of Cabbage Patch Kids, etc. and would often plead for her to "just hit the buzzer!", etc.

Chuck Donegan (The Illustrious "Chuckie Baby")

Matt Ottinger · « **Reply #14 on:** March 24, 2006, 10:08:19 PM »

[quote name=\'ChuckNet\' date=\'Mar 24 2006, 08:55 PM\']Ah, the infamous Alice Conkright...[/quote]
Whom the contestant coordinators called -- in an homage to George Gobel -- "spooky old Alice". At least that's what they called her in our contestant meetings. For as much as WE remember her as one of the all-time greats, she was put up to us as an example of an uninteresting contestant. It wasn't that she didn't buy the IB's, it was that her entire demeanor was robotic and boring to viewers. Nobody on the show begrudged her winnings, but they were happy to see her go.

I liked the original shopping end game for one key, simple reason that I didn't see anybody else mention yet, at least not specifically. If you decided to come back the next day, you were risking something, and that was a very unusual concept in that show's era. Most shows, you win he game, you pocket some nice money, you play again on the next show with nothing on the line. On Sale, you might not get the bigger fish you wanted, and your consolation prize was only a couple hundred bucks.