Author Topic: Wheel of Fortune gameplay elements (Read 35184 times)

pacdude · « **Reply #45 on:** August 09, 2010, 02:44:41 PM »

[quote name=\'clemon79\' post=\'245631\' date=\'Aug 9 2010, 01:16 PM\'][quote name=\'toetyper\' post=\'245624\' date=\'Aug 9 2010, 06:58 AM\']PROPER NAME

UTAH JAZZ

'nuff said

/in the BONUS round no less'[/quote]
Really, enough was said when you banged on this particular drum the first time.
[/quote]

Just to clarify:
[quote name=\'New Oxford American Dictionary\']proper noun |ˈprɑpər naʊn| (also proper name)
noun
a name used for an individual person, place, or organization, spelled with initial capital letters, e.g., Larry, Mexico, and Boston Red Sox.[/quote]

clemon79 · « **Reply #46 on:** August 09, 2010, 02:46:44 PM »

[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' post=\'245634\' date=\'Aug 9 2010, 11:41 AM\']The FIRST time?[/quote]
Heh. Didn't even remember that one. That's moving into "good lord shut the hell UP about it already" territory.

wdm1219inpenna · « **Reply #47 on:** August 09, 2010, 03:34:10 PM »

Another can of worms, another Pandora's box I have opened. Calgon, take us away!!!

BrandonFG · « **Reply #48 on:** August 09, 2010, 04:07:05 PM »

Even if he did bring up an old point for the umpteenth time, the puzzle-writing (as I've mentioned umpteen times) has had evolved (Devolved?) from simple to descriptive, to just gratuitous. Perhaps it's to offer contestants the chance to win more money, but I really don't need ACADEMY AWARD WINNING ACTRESS SANDRA BULLOCK when SANDRA BULLOCK will merely do. And don't even get me started on the adjective-heavy puzzles like "A PLAYFUL KITTEN" or "AN AMAZING WATERFRONT VIEW".

Then again, a longer puzzle could eat away at more time, thus preventing the show from doing twelve rounds, so maybe in the end they save a little money or break even compared to doing a bunch of 2-3 word puzzles.

Honestly, I do miss the basic PERSON/PLACE/THING puzzles, and Pat's "Person doesn't always mean proper thing," but it doesn't bother me nearly as much as some of the goofy stuff they classified as an EVENT. Unfortunately, that led to the even goofier WHAT ARE YOU DOING? puzzles.

Also, the number of theme weeks has increased to where it almost seems to be every week. I know some date back to the early-90s (Couples Week, My Favorite Teacher), but some have gotten kinda silly (Pet Lovers Week?).

chad1m · « **Reply #49 on:** August 09, 2010, 04:13:41 PM »

[quote name=\'fostergray82\' post=\'245638\' date=\'Aug 9 2010, 04:07 PM\']but some have gotten kinda silly (Pet Lovers Week?).[/quote]Sir, anything that leads to a Betty White cameo is inherently awesome.

BrandonFG · « **Reply #50 on:** August 09, 2010, 04:25:49 PM »

[quote name=\'chad1m\' post=\'245639\' date=\'Aug 9 2010, 04:13 PM\'][quote name=\'fostergray82\' post=\'245638\' date=\'Aug 9 2010, 04:07 PM\']but some have gotten kinda silly (Pet Lovers Week?).[/quote]Sir, anything that leads to a Betty White cameo is inherently awesome.
[/quote]
Okay, an asterisk next to Pet Lover's Week. :-)

That also just demonstrated how to do a celebrity cameo without being too over-the-top or doing too much.

Matt Ottinger · « **Reply #51 on:** August 09, 2010, 04:30:08 PM »

[quote name=\'fostergray82\' post=\'245638\' date=\'Aug 9 2010, 04:07 PM\']Even if he did bring up an old point for the umpteenth time, the puzzle-writing (as I've mentioned umpteen times) has had evolved (Devolved?) from simple to descriptive, to just gratuitous. Perhaps it's to offer contestants the chance to win more money, but I really don't need ACADEMY AWARD WINNING ACTRESS SANDRA BULLOCK when SANDRA BULLOCK will merely do. And don't even get me started on the adjective-heavy puzzles like "A PLAYFUL KITTEN" or "AN AMAZING WATERFRONT VIEW".[/quote]
I would guess the extremely successful producers of the extremely successful show have their reasons for preferring longer puzzles. In general, when you're putting a lot more letters on the board, you're getting more spins per round, bigger banks at risk, and greater opportunities for dramatic moments both good and bad. Once again, the difference between raw "game" and entertaining "show".

Mr. Armadillo · « **Reply #52 on:** August 09, 2010, 05:14:55 PM »

[quote name=\'SuperMatch93\' post=\'245564\' date=\'Aug 8 2010, 11:40 AM\'][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[/quote]
The board expanded again to 52 when they went to touchscreens.

Dbacksfan12 · « **Reply #53 on:** August 09, 2010, 05:34:18 PM »

[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' post=\'245641\' date=\'Aug 9 2010, 03:30 PM\'][quote name=\'fostergray82\' post=\'245638\' date=\'Aug 9 2010, 04:07 PM\']Even if he did bring up an old point for the umpteenth time, the puzzle-writing (as I've mentioned umpteen times) has had evolved (Devolved?) from simple to descriptive, to just gratuitous. Perhaps it's to offer contestants the chance to win more money, but I really don't need ACADEMY AWARD WINNING ACTRESS SANDRA BULLOCK when SANDRA BULLOCK will merely do. And don't even get me started on the adjective-heavy puzzles like "A PLAYFUL KITTEN" or "AN AMAZING WATERFRONT VIEW".[/quote]
I would guess the extremely successful producers of the extremely successful show[/quote]Well, it makes me wonder if people truly watch the show because its entertaining/fun, or because its out of habit/tradition. Commonly, its reported the demographics of TPiR. I'd be interested to see what they are for WoF.

I know that around here, its either WoF, ET, or off-network sitcom reruns. I go with Redtube.

JasonA1 · « **Reply #54 on:** August 09, 2010, 05:46:32 PM »

[quote name=\'Modor\' post=\'245644\' date=\'Aug 9 2010, 02:34 PM\']Well, it makes me wonder if people truly watch the show because its entertaining/fun, or because its out of habit/tradition.[/quote]

Potential advertiser: "Well, we were about to sign up for a huge campaign on your show, but we found out people tune you in every day for different reasons. We'd hate to have eyeballs that don't truly like the million dollar wedge."

I think it's fair to say that the show has expanded in all these ways because of the attention span of its viewers. This isn't a "kids these days!" fist-shaking-at-the-TV comment, but rather observations from watching the reruns. The earlier shows had contestants claw and scratch to solve "TAKE A HIKE" or "RICHARD DREYFUSS" for shopping money. When that was starting to wear thin, you saw prizes come on the wheel and a bonus round added. As that was getting same-old, you had the $10,000 wedge and the Jackpot round. And so on. The longer puzzles yield more money, more chances to pick up all the special schtuff, and when used properly, can balance out the gluts of money from the various added events.

In particular, those '88 shows GSN ran into the ground had me looking at my watch. Puzzle after puzzle with mostly cash on the wheel. In 2010, I can point to some things I don't care for (TV Title? Movie Title? Why?), but most of the basic appeal is still there. The way they use those SPIN IDs is a great way to go after that crowd that can actually sit through call-in shows every single hour and blitz the switchboard for a DVD player.

-Jason

Don Howard · « **Reply #55 on:** August 09, 2010, 06:07:33 PM »

[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. Anyone remember?[/quote]Yes. They just continued with it without going back to shopping. Paraphrasing what Merv Griffin was quoted as saying in USA TODAY about it, "Once you make a change like that, you can't go back".
When it supposed to be a one-month-only event during October 1987, Jack Clark pimped it as the Big Bonanza Of Cash.

Sodboy13 · « **Reply #56 on:** August 09, 2010, 06:31:56 PM »

[quote name=\'Modor\' post=\'245644\' date=\'Aug 9 2010, 04:34 PM\']I know that around here, its either WoF, ET, or off-network sitcom reruns. I go with Redtube.[/quote]
Well, who's to say you can't multitask? Could make guessing the puzzles harder.

/among other things?

Hastin · « **Reply #57 on:** August 09, 2010, 07:09:46 PM »

[quote name=\'fostergray82\' post=\'245638\' date=\'Aug 9 2010, 01:07 PM\']WHAT ARE YOU DOING?[/quote]

The only puzzle that fits this is:

PLAYING HANGMAN FOR EXCESSIVE CASH AND PRIZES

J.R. · « **Reply #58 on:** August 09, 2010, 08:22:43 PM »

[quote name=\'toetyper\' post=\'245624\' date=\'Aug 9 2010, 08:58 AM\']PROPER NAME

UTAH JAZZ

'nuff said

/in the BONUS round no less'[/quote]
Are you a fan of a rival team in the Northwest Division, by any chance?

Fedya · « **Reply #59 on:** August 09, 2010, 09:29:21 PM »

[quote name=\'Hastin\' post=\'245648\' date=\'Aug 9 2010, 07:09 PM\'][quote name=\'fostergray82\' post=\'245638\' date=\'Aug 9 2010, 01:07 PM\']WHAT ARE YOU DOING?[/quote]

The only puzzle that fits this is:

PLAYING HANGMAN FOR EXCESSIVE CASH AND PRIZES

[/quote]
Wrong: FANTASIZING ABOUT VANNA WHITE would also fit. :-p