Features of a set you never noticed...

[aaron sica]

Spinning this off from the "Game Show Photos" thread...the three little lights above the family name on "Family Feud" to show the number of strikes was something I've never noticed.

[Hastin]

You can see the strike lights (Dawson) on and then turned off at the start of this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DqrRFw-6CUg&list=PL0alKFgcNmNnG1ZC3JP30TPuslvyK2tZ1

[TimK2003]

I never knew until someone pointed it out to me that on Trebek J!, there was an "contestant in control" light on the lower left front side of the contestant podiums that Alex could reference when it was time to determine who had control of the board.

Also in the early days of Syndicated Joker's Wild (before the desks had the red bar of lights) there was a small white light on the side of each desk to indicate whose spin it was.  Either it was so subtle or it was a rare time when they were on during a shot of both contestants.

[JasonA1]

I never knew until someone pointed it out to me that on Trebek J!, there was an "contestant in control" light on the lower left front side of the contestant podiums that Alex could reference when it was time to determine who had control of the board.

We had a whole thread about it with pictures!

-Jason

[Casey]

Similar to the above - the Face the Music podiums also had small lights on top for Ron to be able to tell who buzzed in.  They were actually mentioned a couple of times during the series.

[TLEberle]

Couldn't he look at the red lights and the nameplate?

[rjaguar3]

On Trump Card, Jimmy Cefalo's lectern had a small light indicating when the buzzers were activated.

[Clay Zambo]

We had a whole thread about it with pictures!

Which is incredibly cool. And raises, for me, this question: why did it need to be so subtle? Why not make it a visible feature of the lecterns?

[MSTieScott]

And raises, for me, this question: why did it need to be so subtle? Why not make it a visible feature of the lecterns?

So as not to be confused (for the home audience) with the lights that indicate who rang in first, I assume.

[Jeremy Nelson]

Also, check out this thread from 2022- it starts off with pilot set elements that never got used on air, but essentially morphs into this thread.

https://www.gameshowforum.org/index.php/topic,33953.msg397176.html#msg397176

[Bob Zager]

I figured I'd post here a question regarding J!'s new set tweaks.  Either I am having a difficult time seeing them, or I'm not finding the indicator lights as to whom the last correct responder is.  I've looked very carefully while watching.

It's been reported that the huge, one-piece screen was intended only for PCJ!, but they decided to make it part of the regular show.

The FJ! monitor just seems to be a sharper image, a single support in the center, and neon lights in the border.  I don't know why they never went back to displaying the final clue at the main board (on camera).  Apparently that will happen on PCJ!, since they took it out, due to overcrowding with the wider players' lecturns

[Jeremy Nelson]

I figured I'd post here a question regarding J!'s new set tweaks.  Either I am having a difficult time seeing them, or I'm not finding the indicator lights as to whom the last correct responder is.  I've looked very carefully while watching.

It's really just the umpteenth set update to the 30th Anniversary set, which, thanks to the constant tinkering, is now the longest lasting set. Here's all the changes I've caught:
- One screen gameboard
- New FJ video board and stand
- Player podium panels changed from starry blue to blue/white gradient
- Minor updates to the wave pattern behind the players
- New floor design- circle in the middle, plus room in front of the podium platforms (Ken now walks to each lectern to interview players, which he couldn't before

[JasonA1]

Either I am having a difficult time seeing them, or I'm not finding the indicator lights as to whom the last correct responder is.  I've looked very carefully while watching.

It's in the same location, but very very subtle now. I added a couple screengrabs to the Flickr album.

-Jason

[BrandonFG]

I guess I'll add my entry: the turn indicator. I thought it started in the Trebek era, and didn't realize it dates back to the beginning...

[TLEberle]

On Scrabble there were five tile racks, though by the time I was a regular viewer the regular game would always end at a 2-2 tie so there was machinery inside that was no longer used. A recent re-watch of a show from 1993 indicates that they built the set with just four racks to draw from.

I don't know if this qualifies in the way the OP intended, but certainly piqued my interest.