If Password returned,

[edholland83]

With Pyramid being renewed for another season, This was an interesting question I wanted to ask was:

Do you think that a new version of password work in this time?

And which fomat would work?

1. a best of three games to 25 (CBS and early ABC Version)

2. a best of three games to 50 (Later modified ABC Version)

3. Or the Password +/Super Password format

My thoughts are that even though a lot of people think that the original format has gotten stale and wouldn't retain the people with short attention spans, some games might only take 2-3 words if playing to 25, which may keep some viewers interested, if it isn't dumbed-down (and there's adaquette judging). So I would prefer either 1 or 2 or maybe even a best of 3 to 35 points

I hope to hear from everybody to chime in on this question

[urbanpreppie05]

I don't know...I'm not sure if audiences are as intelligent as they were before. But If any format were to stick around the longest, I think it would be the P+/SP one-the puzzles are fun to follow.

[BrandonFG]

[quote name=\'edholland83\' date=\'Jun 18 2003, 09:52 AM\']Do you think that a new version of password work in this time?

And which fomat would work?

1. a best of three games to 25 (CBS and early ABC Version)

2. a best of three games to 50 (Later modified ABC Version)

3. Or the Password +/Super Password format

[/quote]
I'd probably use the P+/SP format, only because the younger folks that remember Password probably remember those two shows best, and would likely say \"Allen WHO?!\" Remember, producers look at the 18-34 generation nowadays. :-)

Have the password start at a given point value, say 50 points, and decrease by 10 on each team guess.  A correct guess allows the points to go into a \"bank,\" which is won when the puzzle is guessed.  Most points at the end wins the game, and plays a two-part bonus round.

Part-one is like the Lightning Round, where the team has :45 to get 5 words, at $200 a pop.  Afterwards, the team plays Alphabetics to play for 10X their Lightning Round winnings. If they get all 5 words, they play for $20,000.

Alphabetics is the same....10 words in :60, you win the money, or $500 a word.  An illegal clue forfeits the chance of winning the full jackpot.

If I confused anybody, I'm tired....damn near confused myself. :-P

[clemon79]

[quote name=\'fostergray82\' date=\'Jun 18 2003, 08:16 AM\'] Have the password start at a given point value, say 50 points, and decrease by 10 on each team guess.  A correct guess allows the points to go into a "bank," which is won when the puzzle is guessed.  Most points at the end wins the game, and plays a two-part bonus round. [/quote]
 And you've made the same design error that many people before you have as well: you are penalizing a team for solving a puzzle early.

[gsgalaxy82]

And you've made the same design error that many people before you have as well: you are penalizing a team for solving a puzzle early.

Yes. A certain moderator here will probably tell the story that this nearly became the scoring on Password Plus also. :-)

David

[Jimmy Owen]

I wasn't as fond of the Password Puzzles because you sometimes would have a clue word show up as a password later within the same round, also they would occasionally have initials rather than words as passwords. The CBS/ABC shows were a better test of word knowlege, IMO (try using that as a password sometime).  Lightning Round was more exciting than Alphabetics because of the unpredicability factor (and I liked how the words came up from under the table.)  I also enjoyed the much maligned 1975 format because you had to think fast in the qualifying game.  I don't believe a revival would be successful in today's television climate, the Great Unwashed would not have the patience for it.

[Clay Zambo]

Well, clues showing up as passwords later on is just part of life in puzzle-land.  But I'd think with careful puzzle-writing that could be minimized.  (As could the elimination of initials as passwords.)

Since you're so fond of Lightning Round (and I am, too, I admit), how 'bout this:

30 minute format, no straddling.

P+ passwords and puzzles played, but each time a team solves a puzzle, they play a 5-word, 30-second Lightning Round to determine how much they'll win.  (Substitute real prize amounts depending on the production budget) First two puzzles @ 1 point/word, then 2, 3, etc.  High scorer at the end of the show plays Alphabetics for a gazillion dollars, or a really nice hand-knitted sweater, or whatever.

(If I've proposed this format before, I apologize; the memory is the second thing to go and I can't remember the first.)

[SteveRep]

I think it could work. I've always been partial to shows that reward you for what you know and how well/quickly you can use it.

If it were to come back, I think it would have to be primarily in the P+SP style. Instead of decreasing points, how about a bonus if you guess the puzzle on the first clue? 25 points? 50?

I'm split on doing BOTH a Lightning Round and an Alphabetics in the end game. On one hand, it seems convoluted and redundant. But on the other, it could help the show fill out the time so that it would be a non-straddling show.

Five words, $200 per word, then 'Betics for 10x for a max pot of $10,000. Works for me, if straddling isn't wanted.

How about this too -- play a Cashword somewhere in the front game for a set amount, say $2,000. BUT it also works as a doubler. If you get the Cashword and you end up winning the game, your 'Betics pot is automatically doubled.

[willmorris]

Okay, here's a thought...

The puzzle starts at 250 points.  The first word is shown.  Team A gets the first crack.  Their first guess is free.  If they get it wrong, though, it takes ten points off the puzzle value, and team B gets a guess.  Each team gets up to three guesses and for each missed guess except B's last, the puzzle value goes down 10 points.   B's last guess instead triggers the revealing of the password; a maximum of 50 points can be lost on any word.

Once the PW is correctly guessed, they have one chance to solve the puzzle for that value.  They do, they get the points.   They don't, no penalty.

Game is to 400 points.  If we get to the third puzzle, then it plays at 500 points to start and 20 points lost per word.

Lemme know what you think of this idea.

[tom0930]

I think you could easily combine the original and P+ formats...Make it a best of 3 to 50 points each game.

You work the passwords like the classic (10 to 0), then play a Password Puzzle with the following scoring scale.

1st clue--10
2nd clue--7
3rd clue--5
4th clue--3
5th clue--1

If a team wins on a password, simply reveal the puzzle and if time runs out in the middle of a puzzle, reveal it and start a new one the next show.

The bonus round should be called \"The Big Money Lightning Round\" and played like Alphabetics...start the jackpot at $10k, add $5k to the jackpot each time it's missed.

BTW, one illegal clue in bonus loses jackpot chance....Music cue idea--the cue used on TPIR's Pushover would work under the lightning round (subtle intensity)

[clemon79]

[quote name=\'willmorris\' date=\'Jun 19 2003, 10:05 AM\'] Each team gets up to three guesses and for each missed guess except B's last

 [/quote]
 Basic Law Of Game Show Design: If you need to use the word \"except\" when forming a rule, rethink the rule.

There are exceptions (\"Can't put a circle there, you have to earn that yourself\" comes to mind), but this isn't one of them.

[quote name=\'tom0930\' date=\'Jun 19 2003,11:16 AM\']The bonus round should be called \"The Big Money Lightning Round\"[/quote]

Only if your set design involves game elements sitting among huge hunks of cheese. Then this name fits in fine.

and played like Alphabetics...

Then why not call it \"Alphabetics?\"

(And yes, I thought referring to the endgame as \"Super Password\" when it was still Alphabetics was stupid, too.)

the cue used on TPIR's Pushover would work under the lightning round (subtle intensity)

There should be a law that every game show bonus round involving a clock use the 70's/80's Pyramid clock sound. There is no better, the ultimate has been uncovered, further experimentation is unnecessary.

[Clay Zambo]

[quote name=\'clemon79\' date=\'Jun 19 2003, 02:35 PM\'] There should be a law that every game show bonus round involving a clock use the 70's/80's Pyramid clock sound. There is no better, the ultimate has been uncovered, further experimentation is unnecessary. [/quote]
 Wouldn't it get a little dull, though?  There might be no better FX, but I'm perfectly willing to hear lesser sounds now and again in the interest of variety.  (And to keep freelance sound designers at work!)

That clock is a damn fine sound, I'll grant you...

[clemon79]

[quote name=\'Clay Zambo\' date=\'Jun 19 2003, 07:55 PM\'] Wouldn't it get a little dull, though?  There might be no better FX, but I'm perfectly willing to hear lesser sounds now and again in the interest of variety.  (And to keep freelance sound designers at work!)
 [/quote]
 You're right, of course. But you see my point...why steal something else, why not try to be original? If you're GONNA steal, the perfect thing to steal is out there and acknowledged, don't bother stealing something lesser. But I agree originality can be a good thing...I paraphrase from I think it's Keith Olbermann who writes in his and Dan Patrick's excellent book The Big Show: \"Don't try to sound like Bob Costas, because you deny yourself the opportunity to sound like somebody else...or maybe somebody better.\"

[Dan Sadro]

Okay, there are a few issues at hand.

First is \"puzzles or not\".  I don't think that you can bring the original Password back while Pyramid is on the air without it seeming like a knockoff.  Remember, Pyramid was an 'improvement' on the old Password format and logically came after it.  Since Pyramid isn't doing excremently good in ratings, why would you bring back an older, slower version of the show?

So, assuming puzzles, you have to come up with a format which is both simple and allows for a non-straddling format.  A game like Password is not as compelling as WWTBAM or Survivor, and likely wouldn't hold similar amounts of interest overnight.  And the problem with best two-out-of-three matches is that there's the odd chance the game would end early, and you've got four minutes to fill.

So, if I really had to revive this show (and keep in mind that I probably wouldn't want to revive it at this time anyway), I'd probably have three games, each worth a certain amount of money but each round being equal (say, $500) and then an Alphabetics-type round for ten times whatever is won.  Even if the game is decided after two puzzles, there's a reason to play a third game -- the winner wants an extra $500 and a chance to turn it into $5000, and the loser still wants to pocket $500.

Basic Law Of Game Show Design: If you need to use the word \"except\" when forming a rule, rethink the rule.

There are exceptions[...]

Does that mean that you need to rethink the Basic Law of GS Design?

[TonicBH]

There is absolutely NOTHING wrong with Password+/SP's format. Except I'd do it like this: Best of 3, winner recieves $500, Alphabetics played for $10,000 and increases $5,000 'til won. I was thinking maybe let the Ca$hword be a random thing, and maybe start that at the SP amount: $1,000 and increase $500 (or something) 'til won.

Maybe mix in both P+'s and SP's set. If they wanna reuse a theme, use either one. If they wanna make a new theme, make it sound SOMETHING close to the original theme! (or something)