Wheel of Fortune gameplay elements

[wdm1219inpenna]

I was brainstorming the other night about "Wheel of Fortune", and I made a list of all the things I could remember the program either currently doing, or having done in the past, both with daytime & primetime.

Here's the probably almost completed list.  I defer to my fellow &/or lady posters on here to add to these:

Buy a Vowel space (retired very soon after the show debuted on NBC)

Shopping for prizes (retired in 1989 on daytime, I forget when on primetime, I want to say 1985, start of the 3rd primetime season?)

On Account (retired once shopping disappeared, not used too often, seemed seldom to be an advantage to using it too)

Mystery Wedge (current)  I rather like this concept, and the way it replaced the mini $10,000 prize wedge.

Jackpot (current, although the daytime version had a Jackpot space too, but it was different)

Prize Puzzles (not sure when they began, I like that they have 1 each night, but would prefer them to have it in round 1, and not have any prize wedges on the wheel itself, make the Jackpot round 2 and Mystery round 3)

$1,000,000 space (Very much like this, and the way it's done, you really really really REALLY have to earn this, and as we've seen, it can be done too!)

Free Play (I'm still working on this, not sure if I like it or not)

Free Spin (Retired at start of season 27)

Double Play (Great concept, but poorly executed, Pat needed to remind the players more often that they had it)

Megaword (Really bad idea.  Use the word in a sentence.  Were I a player, I would have simply said "Tonight on Wheel of Fortune, the Megaword solution is ANTIDISESTABLISHMENTARIANISM"

"25" Bonus wedge (just for season 25)

Clue puzzles (Neat concept, kind of miss it a little).

Fill in the Blank (Another neat puzzle concept)

Big Money Wedge (used in season 25 only, never really saw it landed on, but then I don't watch 5 nights a week like I used to either)

Mini $10,000 space (replaced with the $1 million dollar mini wedge)

Star Bonus (used on Woolery's version)

Pick your bonus prize was once an option

The 5 "WHEEL" bonus envelopes

Red Letter puzzles (I liked these a lot)

Hour long programs in the 70s I believe

Wild Card (current, I like this too)

Gift Tags (meh...)

Prize Wedges (I think they have been a staple on the syndie version since season 1, if I'm not mistaken)

Toss-Up Puzzles (While I like these to a degree, especially since it allows everyone to win at least something during the half hour, I hate that time is taken away from actual spinning, between that, and so many "sponsor" plugs during the actual game itself, coupled with the added commercial time, we seldom if ever get to see a complete 4th round w/the $5,000 space played any longer.

Add $1,000 to value of final spin (Love this idea too, gives everyone a bit more of a fighting chance)

$500 house minimum (increased to $1,000 later on)....

New puzzle board

About the only thing that remains the same, vowels cost $250 in 1975, and cost $250 now.  I'd like to see them raise it up to $1,000.  With inflation on everything else, including the wedge amounts on the wheel, $250 seems like nothing now.  Spending $1,000 on the other hand, a player might reconsider it, or not buy as many vowels.  I guess the reasoning is, if vowels are not bought as often, it would slow the game down, and as it is already, they struggle to get a complete 4th round of spinning in any more.

What else am I forgetting?

[DoorNumberFour]

[quote name=\'wdm1219inpenna\' post=\'245561\' date=\'Aug 8 2010, 11:49 AM\']What else am I forgetting?[/quote]
I remember hearing that the original Bankrupt sound was that of a toilet flushing, but it was changed because Chuck HATED it.

[JasonA1]

[quote name=\'wdm1219inpenna\' post=\'245561\' date=\'Aug 8 2010, 08:49 AM\']Shopping for prizes (retired in 1989 on daytime, I forget when on primetime, I want to say 1985, start of the 3rd primetime season?)[/quote]

1987, start of the 5th season, actually.

[quote name=\'wdm1219inpenna\' post=\'245561\' date=\'Aug 8 2010, 08:49 AM\']$500 house minimum (increased to $1,000 later on)....[/quote]

The house minimum was $200 before both of those. ISTR reading around these parts it was $100 in the early NBC years, but again - just my memory.

You can also mention returning champs. Five days way way back, reduced down eventually to three. Not present in nighttime, then made a return, then morphed into the Friday Finals format, then back to no champs.

-Jason

[SuperMatch93]

[quote name=\'wdm1219inpenna\' post=\'245561\' date=\'Aug 8 2010, 10:49 AM\']New puzzle board[/quote]

Originally 36 spaces, expanded to 42 or 48 (i think) in 1981, border changed around 1995, touchscreens and new border added in 1997, neonization in 2003 or 4

In addition, there was originally no bankrupt sound effect.

[BrandonFG]

The SURPRISE space from the early-to-mid-90s. Usually a trip, occasionally a car was offered.

"His and Hers" cars, usually a pair of cars of the same make, offered during the bonus round. Phased out sometime c. the mid-90s, but I'd love to see it come back, although it makes more sense to just give away one luxurious car worth the same thing...

During the 1999 season (I think it was 1999), the show would open with a half-filled puzzle, which was revealed after Pat and Vanna walked out.

Adding on to the Mystery wedge, when first introduced in 2002, offered the occasional car as well (IIRC, it was usually a Ford Ranger or Kia), but now it's often $10,000 cash.

[Ian Wallis]

1987, start of the 5th season, actually.

Sometime during 1987, they did a "special month of cash" to test the format (during a sweeps month maybe?)  I can't recall if they went back to shopping for a while before they made the switch to cash permanent, or if they just continued with it after the "special month" was over.

Anyone remember?

[SRIV94]

Add $1,000 to value of final spin (Love this idea too, gives everyone a bit more of a fighting chance)

Never really understood why adding $1,000 was necessary if Sajak landed on the the $5,000 in the Final Spin.

And not really game-play oriented, but when did we stop seeing Sajak land on a "Bankrupt" or some non-cash amount for the Final Spin?

[chad1m]

[quote name=\'wdm1219inpenna\' post=\'245561\' date=\'Aug 8 2010, 11:49 AM\']Toss-Up Puzzles (I hate that time is taken away from actual spinning)[/quote]I've never really understood the dislike for toss-up puzzles, since we get three more pieces of gameplay and it doesn't take more than 30 seconds, if that, from "real" traditional gameplay. With toss-ups, you get more material for your entertainment buck. [quote name=\'wdm1219inpenna\' post=\'245561\' date=\'Aug 8 2010, 11:49 AM\']we seldom if ever get to see a complete 4th round w/the $5,000 space played any longer.[/quote]I've seen a lot more full fourth and fifth rounds this past season than any I can remember since the toss-ups started.

[quote name=\'SRIV94\' post=\'245571\' date=\'Aug 8 2010, 02:19 PM\']Never really understood why adding $1,000 was necessary if Sajak landed on the the $5,000 in the Final Spin.[/quote]Because it's a lot easier to make it a blanket rule than to say "we'll add $1,000 UNLESS you land on $5,000 because you don't need any more money, you greedy heathens."

[tpirfan28]

[quote name=\'chad1m\' post=\'245572\' date=\'Aug 8 2010, 02:36 PM\'][quote name=\'SRIV94\' post=\'245571\' date=\'Aug 8 2010, 02:19 PM\']Never really understood why adding $1,000 was necessary if Sajak landed on the the $5,000 in the Final Spin.[/quote]Because it's a lot easier to make it a blanket rule than to say "we'll add $1,000 UNLESS you land on $5,000 because you don't need any more money, you greedy heathens."
[/quote]
http://a.imageshack.us/img228/4993/lesko.jpg

/ http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/3211/matmonbag2ec0.gif

[Steve Gavazzi]

[quote name=\'fostergray82\' post=\'245565\' date=\'Aug 8 2010, 12:40 PM\']During the 1999 season (I think it was 1999), the show would open with a half-filled puzzle, which was revealed after Pat and Vanna walked out.[/quote]
Yep, right year...it was called the Preview Puzzle.  They also had the Puzzler around that time...whoever solved either the first or second puzzle would get 10 (15?) seconds to solve another, partially filled-in puzzle for...um...well, they won something, but I don't remember what it was anymore. :-)

[quote name=\'Ian Wallis\' post=\'245569\' date=\'Aug 8 2010, 12:55 PM\']Sometime during 1987, they did a "special month of cash" to test the format (during a sweeps month maybe?)  I can't recall if they went back to shopping for a while before they made the switch to cash permanent, or if they just continued with it after the "special month" was over.[/quote]
I think they did something similar the next season...they had a couple of "Wipeout Weeks" to test bringing back returning champions.  I think the name came from the concept of "wiping out the bonus round."

Anybody remember when they started doing the final spin on every show even if they had to do it as soon as the puzzle started?

[quote name=\'chad1m\' post=\'245572\' date=\'Aug 8 2010, 02:36 PM\'][quote name=\'wdm1219inpenna\' post=\'245561\' date=\'Aug 8 2010, 11:49 AM\']Toss-Up Puzzles (I hate that time is taken away from actual spinning)[/quote]I've never really understood the dislike for toss-up puzzles, since we get three more pieces of gameplay and it doesn't take more than 30 seconds, if that, from "real" traditional gameplay. With toss-ups, you get more material for your entertainment buck.[/quote]
And less of the fourth round, which is really what I'd rather watch.

[quote name=\'chad1m\' post=\'245572\' date=\'Aug 8 2010, 02:36 PM\']I've seen a lot more full fourth and fifth rounds this past season than any I can remember since the toss-ups started.[/quote]
Fine.  Then less sixth rounds, which I'd also rather watch.

[Blanquepage]

- Beginning in the late 80s in the bonus round, the contestant was given RSTLNE automatically.
- The speed-up round time to guess the puzzle was reduced to 3 seconds instead of 5 in..was it 2002?
- In season 14, the top 3 players of the week returned on Friday to compete.

--Jamie

[Dbacksfan12]

Another Free Spin note...it went from being on the wheel (and unlimited free spins if hit) as its own wedge, to being a "token" on the wheel, c. 1990?

Add $1,000 to value of final spin (Love this idea too, gives everyone a bit more of a fighting chance)

Don't like it.  If they'd run a better configuration in the final round, it wouldn't be necessary.

[BrandonFG]

[quote name=\'Steve Gavazzi\' post=\'245574\' date=\'Aug 8 2010, 02:55 PM\'][quote name=\'fostergray82\' post=\'245565\' date=\'Aug 8 2010, 12:40 PM\']During the 1999 season (I think it was 1999), the show would open with a half-filled puzzle, which was revealed after Pat and Vanna walked out.[/quote]
Yep, right year...it was called the Preview Puzzle.  They also had the Puzzler around that time...whoever solved either the first or second puzzle would get 10 (15?) seconds to solve another, partially filled-in puzzle for...um...well, they won something, but I don't remember what it was anymore. :-)
[/quote]
Forgot all about the actual Puzzler. I think it was just a cash bonus of $1,000 or so.

[quote name=\'Jimmy Fiono Coyne\' post=\'245575\' date=\'Aug 8 2010, 02:55 PM\']- Beginning in the late 80s in the bonus round, the contestant was given RSTLNE automatically.[/quote]
I've seen October 1988 for this one...the same time they started offering the "WHEEL" envelopes.  

I believe the first road trip was also 1988...NYC?

There's also the $100,000 bonus wheel, started in October 2001, augmented to $1 mil at the start of season 26, although the $100K is still the top prize if no one brings the million dollar wedge to the bonus round. Doug Ross won the first $100K prize in December '01 (puzzle was "A HAPPY MEAL"). Dunno how many have won the $100K altogether.

[TLEberle]

[quote name=\'fostergray82\' post=\'245577\' date=\'Aug 8 2010, 12:06 PM\']Forgot all about the actual Puzzler. I think it was just a cash bonus of $1,000 or so.[/quote] Three large. That was the point where every after-puzzle question or brainbuster was worth $3,000.

[toetyper]

when was wipeout week? didnt they go to all cash IMMEDIATELY after?