Lingo payoff suggestion

[zachhoran]

[quote name=\'tommycharles\' date=\'Dec 26 2003, 08:24 PM\'] The original, IIRC, had the money doubling with each succesive word. GSN probably doesn't want to have a sky's the limit pay out on any show.

Not that it's at all likely that someone would keep doubling until the budget broke, but the possibility exists. [/quote]
 It's the fact that someone doubled it all the way to the max of $64K and broke the budget that helped cause the producers not to be able to pay the teams their winnings on the original Lingo.

[TimK2003]

What about this simple idea:


Lingo on 1st Ball drawn:  $10K
1st Lingo on subsequent balls: $5K  

Pretty much what they already do now....But what if:

Continue filling the card, and give an additional $1K for any additional Lingos made with the remainder of the balls they have earned in the bonus round.  

Thus, the better teams may earn an additional $1 or 2K, and may be able to get a Double Lingo/2 lines $2k with one ball.

[TonicBH]

The key thing is "make it simple". You guys are making it complex to the point where even college professors wouldn't understand it.

I say that they go for $10,000 plus a trip for the first ball, and $10,000 for every ball after.

I'd also give the players $250/ball, win or lose... better to walk away with $1,750 than $700.

[Brig Bother]

[quote name=\'tommycharles\' date=\'Dec 27 2003, 02:24 AM\'] [quote name=\'Brig Bother\' date=\'Dec 26 2003, 06:17 PM\'] What was wrong with the original (and classical) 'avoid the lingo' from a) days of yore and b) what most other countries seem to do? [/quote]
Absolutely nothing...except that without tweaking it a little they cannot control payouts. The original, IIRC, had the money doubling with each succesive word. GSN probably doesn't want to have a sky's the limit pay out on any show.

Not that it's at all likely that someone would keep doubling until the budget broke, but the possibility exists. [/quote]
 Start low and put a maximum limit on. It's a much more fun endgame than what you currently have. Possibly.

[reason1024]

What was wrong with the original (and classical) 'avoid the lingo' from a) days of yore and b) what most other countries seem to do?

You'd probably have to adjust the play of Avoid The Lingo a little bit to ensure a consistent running time.  The current bonus game has 2 minutes of guaranteed game play, and a little bit extra for the drawing of the balls.  Avoid The Lingo could range from really really short to rather long -- easier to deal with in the days of straddling.

There's also just the whole "weird feel" objection... getting five in a row is good, we've done it all our lives.  Don't stop now, keep getting five in a row!

[Esoteric Eric]

From the desk of the (admittedly self-described) GameTweaker (Pat. Pending):

Play Part 1 of Bonus Lingo as before, with the possible exceptions of giving less time (1:30? Sixty seconds?) and / or establishing a maximum possible score of seven words solved / Lingo balls won.

For Part 2, a Lingo logo would be established on-screen.  The object would be to draw one ball with each letter to complete the word "LINGO."  There would be three balls with each letter in the hopper.  In addition, there would be two instant-win balls (I see them as gold with a green $, sorta like a mini-version of the Money Ball from The Magnificent Marble Machine... or am I thinking of the Super Ball from TPIR?)

A gold ball on pull #1 would win the $5K and the trip. Drawing all five letters (or a subsequent gold ball) would be worth $5000, with any leftover pulls used for trying to draw the other gold ball for the trip.

(Uh-oh, noticing the flaws already... maybe it should also be the cash AND the trip for spelling Lingo, especially if you've got a limit of seven pulls.  Also, if the players don't get five words in Part 1, maybe they can be given enough letters so they can spell "Lingo" with the pulls they have...)

Esoteric Eric, who promises not to make GameTweaker (Pat. Pending) a regular part of this board (unless, of course, other people start suggesting changes..., then it's Katy bar the door!)

(The appearance of Pat. Pending in this post is in no way connected to the Hanna - Barbera cartoon "Wacky Races," and is used without consent.)

[NickintheATL]

Well, how odd I was thinking of how "Lingo" could work as a year-round series, (by that, for those of you who don't know what I mean, 260 or so shows a year, no repeats). So, I'll slighty skew off the point of the post for a second, then I'll comment on the topic of the post...

I always thought Lingo could be worked very good into a continuing series, i.e. returning champions, straddling shows.

The main game could work one of two ways.

1. 2 teams play for a set time limit, anwhere from 5-8 minutes (I have a feeling seven minutes would work fine), payouts (yes, payouts) are $50 for a correct word, and $100 for a Lingo. Team ahead when time expires wins and are champs. Losing team does get the money won. If this format were to be used, I'd probably put in only one or two question mark balls, three would be way too much for this simple of a game.

2. Best two out of three lingos, same payouts as suggestion #1, but this one could have the three question mark balls. No time limit here.

Simple enough, I'm more inclined to use suggestion #1 because of it's simplicity.

Bonus Lingo... now here is where I have a grappling debate...

I kinda liked the "No Lingo" format of the original US version, and think it might work again. I also like the current format in use also, and some valid points have been brought up as to the feasbility of the payouts.

I am inclined to go with the current format, but as I think about it, I think this could work, use the "No Lingo" format, but do it like this, have a possiblity to win 5 times.

1st win: $500
2nd win: $1,000
3rd win: $5,000
4th win: $10,000
5th win: $25,000

Yes, I know, that's high stakes, but, if you were to go with the Bonus Lingo format, I'd leave it the same, if it ain't broke, don't fix it!

[BrandonFG]

[quote name=\'Esoteric Eric\' date=\'Dec 27 2003, 02:22 PM\'] From the desk of the (admittedly self-described) GameTweaker (Pat. Pending):

Play Part 1 of Bonus Lingo as before, with the possible exceptions of giving less time (1:30? Sixty seconds?) and / or establishing a maximum possible score of seven words solved / Lingo balls won.

For Part 2, a Lingo logo would be established on-screen.  The object would be to draw one ball with each letter to complete the word "LINGO."  There would be three balls with each letter in the hopper.  In addition, there would be two instant-win balls (I see them as gold with a green $, sorta like a mini-version of the Money Ball from The Magnificent Marble Machine... or am I thinking of the Super Ball from TPIR?)

A gold ball on pull #1 would win the $5K and the trip. Drawing all five letters (or a subsequent gold ball) would be worth $5000, with any leftover pulls used for trying to draw the other gold ball for the trip.

(Uh-oh, noticing the flaws already... maybe it should also be the cash AND the trip for spelling Lingo, especially if you've got a limit of seven pulls.  Also, if the players don't get five words in Part 1, maybe they can be given enough letters so they can spell "Lingo" with the pulls they have...)

Esoteric Eric, who promises not to make GameTweaker (Pat. Pending) a regular part of this board (unless, of course, other people start suggesting changes..., then it's Katy bar the door!)

(The appearance of Pat. Pending in this post is in no way connected to the Hanna - Barbera cartoon "Wacky Races," and is used without consent.) [/quote]
 Part 2 is a little complicated, but I like the idea of part 1, and simply using it to make a lingo. That way, you can avoid a "guaranteed" win with 8 balls, and maybe even make for a little drama, if it comes down to the very last ball (7th pull).

[willmorris]

I had an idea I posted on EZBoard, but slightly modified.

Opening rounds, play for $1 a point.

Instead of bonus letters, give them a free draw per Lingo they scored in the main game (none for winning the game).  12 numbers covered, one of the 12 lines covered with

Have them draw all balls, $2500 per Lingo (so if a team gets 13 draws through words guessed or Lingos scored, they'd win a total of $30,000.)

Should they not make a Lingo in the bonus round, let them have $200 per ball they earned.

Will Morris