Balderdash nonspoiler

[zachhoran]

[quote name=\'hmtriplecrown\' date=\'Aug 4 2004, 03:53 PM\'] [quote name=\'TimK2003\' date=\'Aug 4 2004, 04:18 PM\'] Anybody know what came out first?

The Balderdash board game or the Canadian game show "Baloney", which also played a lot like the TV version of Balderdash. [/quote]
Baloney ran in summer of 1988.  I'm quite sure Balderdash was created before then. [/quote]
 Balderdash was rolled out nationally c. 1987 or 1988, as I recall both Games Magazine doing a review of it and John Ratzenberger(AKA Cheers J! contestant Cliff Clavin) doing ads for it.

[MSTieScott]

Nobody pointed out the coolest thing on the show -- the way the cards pop out of the host's desk to tell her the category and question.

My overall opinion is "Ehh..." Nothing offensive (offensive in the "crappy game show" sense), but nothing to hook me, either. Watching comedians try to steal the spotlight while reading pre-written paragraphs of answers isn't all that appealing (I got distracted watching them constantly looking down to see what their answer was). I've never played the home game, but I would assume that part of the fun of that is that you have to make up your own lies on the spot. Obviously, nothing has been made up on the spot for this show. Thinking out loud: All three celebrities are shown the correct answer, two are secretly told to say balderdash, those two think on their feet to come up with a plausible answer, the contestants have to predict who's telling the truth. I think it'd be more fun to watch that way.

I like that the contestants can choose whether they predict who's telling the truth or who's lying, along with the different payouts. Giving a category seems nearly pointless, though -- the stories are always so weird, even somebody who knows a good deal about a subject probably won't know the correct answer.

I like that points are added in each round to keep things interesting, but could still result in a runaway game if one player really dominates. Are contestants given pencil and paper to figure out their final wagers? With the whole 2:1 payoff in the final round, it takes a little more mental math than I suspect the average contestant can perform.

I like the bonus round, even if it has nothing to do with the main game. Just think of it as a trivia challenge.

I don't mind a public service announcement at the end, but maybe the person who decided to include that should have picked a cause that wasn't already being championed by a famous game show host on a network show.

Overall: The game itself offers playalong, but the fact that the celebrities are only there to read statements prepared by the show's writers (tell me that's not how it works) takes away most of the fun. Heck, anybody could be reading those choices, and I'd find the show equally engaging. I'll won't be watching regularly, but I'll still watch more episodes of this than I watched of Pyramid.

--
Scott Robinson

[adamjk]

Saw it Tuesday. My thoughts:

Elaine was a decent host, and the celebs weren't bad. My big complaint, is that the gameplay moves WAY too slow. 4 questions in the entire game. Come on!

Bonus game was neat, just like Whew. On thing though I would change is make it more suspenseful. By that I mean, have some loser letters too. I would have 4 small prize letters, 4 lose letters, and 2 big prize letters. Makes it more suspenseful this way.

BTW, did that sign sorta remind anyone of the old scrabble sign?

[TLEberle]

So, if you pick a 'LOSER' letter, you win NOTHING, just like the person who lost the game?

[Timsterino]

[quote name=\'TLEberle\' date=\'Aug 5 2004, 01:46 AM\'] So, if you pick a 'LOSER' letter, you win NOTHING, just like the person who lost the game? [/quote]
 No. Behind all of the letters except one is a consolation prize. On Monday it was a Brookstone Gift Certificate and on Wednesday it was Croton Watches.

Behind one of the letters is the trip. There are no "loser" letters.

Tim :-)

[clemon79]

[quote name=\'Timsterino\' date=\'Aug 4 2004, 10:53 PM\'] Behind one of the letters is the trip. There are no "loser" letters.
 [/quote]
 He's not talking about the actual game, he's taliking about Adam's hypothetical "improvement"...

[TLEberle]

Thanks for clarifying, Chris; I was referring to Adam's idea, which I suspect is change for the sake of change, because I can't figure out how it makes the show better.  I think the bonus game is fine just as is, and just may be the best part of the show.

By the way, for anyone interested, the absolute minimum score you need for a lock game going into round four is 6,001 points, and that's assuming your opponent was dumb enough to blow the wad and miss last time out.  (5,001 points, plus the stipend, to clarify.)  I doubt that we'll see many lock games, but the possibility exists that a player could score 11,250 by the end of round three, if my math is right

[zachhoran]

[quote name=\'TLEberle\' date=\'Aug 5 2004, 06:46 AM\']
By the way, for anyone interested, the absolute minimum score you need for a lock game going into round four is 6,001 points, and that's assuming your opponent was dumb enough to blow the wad and miss last time out.  (5,001 points, plus the stipend, to clarify.)  I doubt that we'll see many lock games, but the possibility exists that a player could score 11,250 by the end of round three, if my math is right [/quote]
 ONe would have to have a six-to-one lead over their opponent going into the last round to insure a win(once the 1000 additional wagering points are added)

[The Ol' Guy]

Gotta agree with a copule of the crew - the PAX originals I've seen more than once have two key problems - less-than-attractive prizes, and very little game play. When I watch Beat The Clock and Balderdash, the game play seems like slight intermissions between prolonged commercial breaks. Wish they would play more game and run fewer commercials. Raise the ad rates, guys!

[GS Warehouse]

[quote name=\'The Ol' Guy\' date=\'Aug 5 2004, 10:26 AM\'] ... the game play seems like slight intermissions between prolonged commercial breaks. Wish they would play more game and run fewer commercials. ... [/quote]
 Welcome to the future of TV.  $oon, all $how$ on every channel will be ju$t like thi$.  (Thirty minute$ of commerical$ per half hour make$ almo$t three time$ a$ much money then the 11 minute$ of commercial$ and fee plug$ on Jeopardy! nowaday$.)

[adamjk]

[quote name=\'clemon79\' date=\'Aug 5 2004, 02:47 AM\'] [quote name=\'Timsterino\' date=\'Aug 4 2004, 10:53 PM\'] Behind one of the letters is the trip. There are no "loser" letters.
 [/quote]
He's not talking about the actual game, he's taliking about Adam's hypothetical "improvement"... [/quote]
 Okay, well what if they did this, Keep the setup I mentioned before, and give them $100 for each correct answer given in the 45 seconds. This way, they are basically guaranteeed to win something.

[TLEberle]

But, Adam, they ARE guaranteed something, either the consolation prize, or the grand prize.  And remember, prizes are chaper for the Production company to supply than cash from the budget.

And, Zach, thank you for basically rehashing what I had said earlier about the point structure, and contributing nothing new to the topic at hand.

[adamjk]

Good point

[clemon79]

[quote name=\'adamjk\' date=\'Aug 5 2004, 08:51 AM\'] Okay, well what if they did this, Keep the setup I mentioned before, and give them $100 for each correct answer given in the 45 seconds. This way, they are basically guaranteeed to win something. [/quote]
 I'd buy into it if you had nothing other than "loser" and the single "Grand Prize" square, but I'm not sold on the concept of primary, secondary, and none at all.

[bricon]

Are contestants given pencil and paper to figure out their final wagers? With the whole 2:1 payoff in the final round, it takes a little more mental math than I suspect the average contestant can perform.

Yes, they are given calculators by the contestant staff during the commercial break.

I don't mind a public service announcement at the end, but maybe the person who decided to include that should have picked a cause that wasn't already being championed by a famous game show host on a network show.

The person who wanted to include that is Elayne herself - she is a long time animal activist who has her own fundraising group for animal rescue, Tails Of Joy.  More information can be found here.  It will be mentioned specificially by name in the coming weeks.

There will also be some cosmetic changes coming to the set, including a major re-do of the colors and the lighting.  Late September, not sure of the specific week at this point.