$100,000 Pyramid Rules Question

[Particleman]

Hey guys, I'm in the middle of putting my $100,000 Pyramid software together and forgot some of the rules from the show.  I checked a few web sites that have some pretty good descriptions of how the game is played but I'm still uncertain about a few things.

In case of a tie, they went to a tie-breaker round. I know at least they used two separate questions, one for each team. If they tied at the end of these questions, the winner was determined based upon how much time was left on the clock. That much I do know.

What I don't know is who went first, the team that started the round?

Also, after the first team plays the bonus round (Winner's Circle), would they go first for the next half of the front game or would the team that didn't go to the Winner's Circle? Or would they alternate with the team that started the first part of the front game?

Any help regarding these rules would be greatly appreaciated.  If nothing terrible happens, I hope to release this game by the end of the month.  Thanks a lot!

[Neumms]

Whoever went second in the third round gets to pick the category in the tie-breaker. "The team that created the tie," is how Dick put it, I believe. The categories were always "things that start with (one letter of the alphabet)."

For the second game, the contestants exchanged celebrities, and I believe it was the losing contestant's team who selected first.

[clemon79]

[quote name=\'Particleman\' date=\'Oct 12 2004, 12:42 PM\']What I don't know is who went first, the team that started the round?

[snapback]60548[/snapback]

[/quote]
The team that CREATES the tie gets the selection. So whoever went LAST in the previous round gets the choice between the two letters.
[quote name=\'Particleman\' date=\'Oct 12 2004, 12:42 PM\']Also, after the first team plays the bonus round (Winner's Circle), would they go first for the next half of the front game or would the team that didn't go to the Winner's Circle? Or would they alternate with the team that started the first part of the front game?

[snapback]60548[/snapback]

[/quote]
The teams would switch partners, and the civilian who did not go first in Game One goes first in Game Two. (A side effect of this, if it's easier to remember or code, is that the same "celebrity" goes first (and I think _gives_ first) for both games.)
[quote name=\'Particleman\' date=\'Oct 12 2004, 12:42 PM\']Any help regarding these rules would be greatly appreaciated.  If nothing terrible happens, I hope to release this game by the end of the month.  Thanks a lot!

[snapback]60548[/snapback]

[/quote]
I am fairly drooling. You let me know if you need ANY help along the way!

[mystery7]

Lemon beat me to it (I was at work, OK?) but yes, the celeb always gave and went first in the first round of the main game, the contestant always gave in the second, and for the third round, it was a choice. In case of a second tie (or even third or fourth, as happened in NY), the player who gave kept giving, IIRC.

Uh, napkins, someone? Tissues? We've got another drooler here.

PS: I saw the screenshots on your site, Particleman. You've got what promises to be an awesome game. I'll be your backup source of help.

[clemon79]

[quote name=\'mystery7\' date=\'Oct 12 2004, 01:44 PM\']Lemon beat me to it (I was at work, OK?) but yes, the celeb always gave and went first in the first round of the main game, the contestant always gave in the second, and for the third round, it was a choice. In case of a second tie (or even third or fourth, as happened in NY), the player who gave kept giving, IIRC.

[snapback]60553[/snapback]

[/quote]
Now, all of this said, Todd, we may be giving you too much information as to who gives and receives in what round of the game. I think it would be far far easier for you to write (and would make the game more adaptable - what if you have blind people playing it, as they did on the show a few times, and have to alter the rules?), if you just leave it at "Team A" and "Team B" or whatever, and leave us to figure out who gives and who receives. You can always include the "proper" rules in the docs as a guideline.

[mystery7]

Rules from Milton Bradley's 1st edition of The $10,000 Pyramid:

"One team goes first and the players of that team choose which player will give the clues and which will try to guess the answer words."

At home it doesn't matter as much who's first. But if you insist on consistency (which would be easier from a host's standpoint), just make it the player on the left.

[clemon79]

[quote name=\'mystery7\' date=\'Oct 12 2004, 05:17 PM\']Rules from Milton Bradley's 1st edition of The $10,000 Pyramid:

"One team goes first and the players of that team choose which player will give the clues and which will try to guess the answer words."

[snapback]60583[/snapback]

[/quote]
Yes, but the home rules also take into account that whoever gives has to do so throughout the entire game, because they can see all six lists on the gameboard. (This is so in the Cardinal 1986 edition, anyhow, I can't speak to the MB 1st. I'd have designed the Cardinal one differently, me.)

At home it doesn't matter as much who's first. But if you insist on consistency (which would be easier from a host's standpoint), just make it the player on the left.

Your point is well-taken, but the celebrities do sit on the left.

[Particleman]

Thanks for all the helpful information!  And because I didn't state my questions properly, I need to ask again:

What team goes in what order with respect to the questions I asked above?  For example, when they start the second part of the game, which team starts?  ...hopefully I'm a bit more clear this time.  When I typed the original question, I was fresh out of programming the second game.  :-)

Thanks a ton!

[mystery7]

[quote name=\'Particleman\' date=\'Oct 12 2004, 09:17 PM\']Thanks for all the helpful information!  And because I didn't state my questions properly, I need to ask again:

What team goes in what order with respect to the questions I asked above?  For example, when they start the second part of the game, which team starts?  ...hopefully I'm a bit more clear this time.  When I typed the original question, I was fresh out of programming the second game.  :-)

Thanks a ton!

[snapback]60594[/snapback]

[/quote]

The civilian who lost the first game starts the second round with the winning celeb. Better? More details later if needed.

[Jay Temple]

The rules changed a little over the years, but since you mentioned the $100KP, here are the rules as they were played on that show:

In a tie breaker, the team who played last, which Clark called "the team that created the tie," would go first.  If there were multiple tie breakers, the team that played second in the previous tie breaker round would play first.  From round 3 through all tie breakers, the players chose who would give and receive.
Also, the civilian contestant who lost game 1 would choose first in game 2.  (It was just like being the new contestant.)

[TLEberle]

Dunno if it was mentioned, but the team with the new player also started first.  If a player retired, I bet a coin flip decided.

[mystery7]

[quote name=\'TLEberle\' date=\'Oct 12 2004, 09:42 PM\']Dunno if it was mentioned, but the team with the new player also started first.  If a player retired, I bet a coin flip decided.

[snapback]60601[/snapback]

[/quote]

If two players tied with the same score in the WC during a tournament, they did do a coin toss to determine which one would be back the next day.

[Particleman]

Ah ha, I think I understand it now!

I'll have an option screen similar to what I've used for my Family Feud games where one of the options will be to determine which team will go first.  That way it's left up to the game board operator to decide.  From there, the game can automatically tell who's playing.

And to make things entirely clear, another option will allow the score to be displayed at all times in the top corners of the screen.  I give Chris the credit for making me see the functional importance of this.

I've got a lot to go on now.  Thanks for the info!