Wheel of fortune mechanical puzzleboard?

[Matt Ottinger]

I know that. But when it's nothing but *buzz* "Sorry, no [letter]" for 10 turns in a row, doesn't that get a little repetitive?

It's not like that was routine, and an occasional wrench in the proceedings can be entertaining, as Gilbert Gottfried could attest.

[JasonA1]

To say the current bonus round lacks tension is a bit of a misnomer, but the point was made elsewhere - winning the bonus round now is absolutely knowing you have $30,000 in your hands. That can take the zing out of an otherwise big win if it were another show. They're still happy when they solve - but the way the show's structured, there's a part two to your winning reaction. And when you see (and know for a fact it is) the minimum, I can understand some people not pouring it on extra.

-Jason

[Jeremy Nelson]

To say the current bonus round lacks tension is a bit of a misnomer, but the point was made elsewhere - winning the bonus round now is absolutely knowing you have $30,000 in your hands. That can take the zing out of an otherwise big win if it were another show. They're still happy when they solve - but the way the show's structured, there's a part two to your winning reaction. And when you see (and know for a fact it is) the minimum, I can understand some people not pouring it on extra.

-Jason

I don't think there's another way to make the bonus round as is more exciting. It just is what it is.

[TLEberle]

The excitement/tension/suspense is not (so much) what the contestant will win (except for two cases), it is "will the contestant win anything at all?" And that E/T/S comes about a minute earlier.

[Casey]

To say the current bonus round lacks tension is a bit of a misnomer, but the point was made elsewhere - winning the bonus round now is absolutely knowing you have $30,000 in your hands. That can take the zing out of an otherwise big win if it were another show. They're still happy when they solve - but the way the show's structured, there's a part two to your winning reaction. And when you see (and know for a fact it is) the minimum, I can understand some people not pouring it on extra.

-Jason

I don't think there's another way to make the bonus round as is more exciting. It just is what it is.

Why not reveal what is in the envelope before working on the puzzle?  It used to be that the contestant chose the bonus prize before the round started and you knew what was at stake.  If I know the contestant has a chance to win or lose $1 million on the puzzle they are about to attempt would make it way more exciting to me than just seeing confetti after it is over...

[JasonA1]

Why not reveal what is in the envelope before working on the puzzle?

Agreed, that would fix any perceived problem with how they're doing it now. It would be a shock to some people's system after doing the envelope afterwards for so long, but it wouldn't fundamentally change anything.

-Jason

[clemon79]

If I know the contestant has a chance to win or lose $1 million on the puzzle they are about to attempt would make it way more exciting to me than just seeing confetti after it is over...

And really, it's all about you.

Actually, as the viewer, I suppose that's true to an extent. But I also don't want those contestants up there crapping themselves and freezing up as they suddenly discover they are solving a puzzle for ONE MILLION DAMN DOLLARS, nor am I interested in that way extended moment of schadenfreude if they should fail. (And I realize there are people reading this who *are* interested in that moment, they know who they are, and to them I say: go screw yourselves.) I further do not want the moment that is going to happen the majority of the time where we discover that the contestant is playing for the minimum amount and all of the air is let out of the tires before we even see the puzzle.

Nope. There are way too many things that can go wrong, whereas you neatly dodge all of that the way it works now. Maybe at the expense of a little drama once in every, what is it, 24, 36 shows or so where they hit the Big One on the wheel, be it worth $100K or ONE MILLION DAMN DOLLARS, but over the long haul I would rather surrender a little drama for better gameplay (and better television) overall.

[TLEberle]

Actually, as the viewer, I suppose that's true to an extent. But I also don't want those contestants up there crapping themselves and freezing up as they suddenly discover they are solving a puzzle for ONE MILLION DAMN DOLLARS, nor am I interested in that way extended moment of schadenfreude if they should fail. (And I realize there are people reading this who *are* interested in that moment, they know who they are, and to them I say: go screw yourselves.) I further do not want the moment that is going to happen the majority of the time where we discover that the contestant is playing for the minimum amount and all of the air is let out of the tires before we even see the puzzle.

Which is interesting, because that's exactly how Australia did it, whether the top prize was a midsize sedan, $200,000 or a million damn dollars.

[clemon79]

or a million damn dollars.

Did anyone actually face a puzzle for One Million Damn Dollars? (For $200K, for that matter?)

[PYLdude]

Actually, as the viewer, I suppose that's true to an extent. But I also don't want those contestants up there crapping themselves and freezing up as they suddenly discover they are solving a puzzle for ONE MILLION DAMN DOLLARS, nor am I interested in that way extended moment of schadenfreude if they should fail. (And I realize there are people reading this who *are* interested in that moment, they know who they are, and to them I say: go screw yourselves.) I further do not want the moment that is going to happen the majority of the time where we discover that the contestant is playing for the minimum amount and all of the air is let out of the tires before we even see the puzzle.

Which is interesting, because that's exactly how Australia did it, whether the top prize was a midsize sedan, $200,000 or a million damn dollars.

And in two months, it rode the clockwise swirl. May not be best example.

[Jay Temple]

Back when they just had the five envelopes and one of the prizes was often a travel package, they might have saved the reveal to avoid this happening:

PAT: Choose an envelope.
JIM: I'll take the "W".
PAT: (opens it) You'll be trying for the world cruise.
JIM: Forget it. I'm just gonna decline it if I win anyway.

[TLEberle]

And in two months, it rode the clockwise swirl. May not be best example.

A Mitsubishi Colt isn't a million damn dollars, but it was the star prize on the wheel, and it was spun a few times, and won some times. Tension and excitement were there.

[PYLdude]

And in two months, it rode the clockwise swirl. May not be best example.

A Mitsubishi Colt isn't a million damn dollars, but it was the star prize on the wheel, and it was spun a few times, and won some times. Tension and excitement were there.

They still make that thing? Although I'll assume it's not the same kind of vehicle they sold in the United States for a period of years in the mid-to-late '80s.

[clemon79]

A Mitsubishi Colt isn't a million damn dollars, but it was the star prize on the wheel, and it was spun a few times, and won some times. Tension and excitement were there.

Except you just made the salient point yourself: a Mitsubishi Colt is NOT One Million Damn Dollars. Nor is it 200,000 Damn Dollars.

[TLEberle]

They still make that thing? Although I'll assume it's not the same kind of vehicle they sold in the United States for a period of years in the mid-to-late '80s.

I think it's the Aussie name for the Mirage.