Author Topic: Wheel news (Read 16346 times)

Jeremy Nelson · « **Reply #30 on:** November 24, 2005, 07:11:35 PM »

I'm sorry, but part of the fun is watching Pat come and "repo" the contestant's prize wedge(s) after they hit a bankrupt. If they change to a video screen, we probably would see some PYLesque effects on the podiums.

Making the wheel a video screen takes away from the charm of the wheel. This is probably why TPiR never went video in the first place.

TimK2003 · « **Reply #31 on:** November 24, 2005, 10:11:33 PM »

Thanks to technological advancements in the game show world, some previously-manual set parts that have been replaced by video screens have been changes for the better. To name a few:

The J! video screen board which replaced manual pull cards...

The Pyramid winners circle 'rising video screens' which replaced three-sided trilons...

The Wheel of Fortune Puzzle Board...

However, this idea of bringing the WoF set closer to 100% Sony Video Technology by 'allegedly' making the wheel one big round video screen is going a bit too far. Do they REALLY need another video outlet to tout their 1.5 GigaBillionZillionChameleon colors of light? It's about the equivilent of Fremantle saying they want to have an all-video PL!NKO board!

Besides, one could say the idea of a video wheel was done before -- Anybody remember "Your Number's Up"

I really didn't care for the idea of 3 contestants pulling a lever and watching eggcrate numbers and car symbols whirl around below them on a more primitive "wheel".

Dbacksfan12 · « **Reply #32 on:** November 24, 2005, 10:51:40 PM »

[quote name=\'TimK2003\' date=\'Nov 24 2005, 10:11 PM\']The Pyramid winners circle 'rising video screens' which replaced three-sided trilons...
[/quote]
I felt this took away some of the charm from the original series...but it may just be me.

PYLdude · « **Reply #33 on:** November 24, 2005, 11:11:18 PM »

[quote name=\'Modor\' date=\'Nov 24 2005, 11:51 PM\'][quote name=\'TimK2003\' date=\'Nov 24 2005, 10:11 PM\']The Pyramid winners circle 'rising video screens' which replaced three-sided trilons...
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I felt this took away some of the charm from the original series...but it may just be me.

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I say it was kind of a toss-up. On one hand, I agree with you, Mark, on the charm being lost. However, while the charm may have been lost, I thought that the reveal of the screens and the whoosh sound that accompanied it was kind of cool, so to me it made up for it a little.

BrandonFG · « **Reply #34 on:** November 24, 2005, 11:17:50 PM »

[quote name=\'PYLdude\' date=\'Nov 24 2005, 11:11 PM\'][quote name=\'Modor\' date=\'Nov 24 2005, 11:51 PM\'][quote name=\'TimK2003\' date=\'Nov 24 2005, 10:11 PM\']The Pyramid winners circle 'rising video screens' which replaced three-sided trilons...
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I felt this took away some of the charm from the original series...but it may just be me.

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I say it was kind of a toss-up. On one hand, I agree with you, Mark, on the charm being lost. However, while the charm may have been lost, I thought that the reveal of the screens and the whoosh sound that accompanied it was kind of cool, so to me it made up for it a little.

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It was a cool effect, kinda tried to emulate the turning of a trilon. The one weird thing that was noticed back on ATGS was that they would come from commercial with the screens up, but after Donny would do his spiel, the monitors were suddenly down, then rose up.

Steve McClellan · « **Reply #35 on:** November 25, 2005, 01:06:09 AM »

[quote name=\'fostergray82\' date=\'Nov 24 2005, 08:17 PM\']The one weird thing that was noticed back on ATGS was that they would come from commercial with the screens up, but after Donny would do his spiel, the monitors were suddenly down, then rose up.[/quote]
And it was noticed by me in the studio, as well. Strangely enough, that's one of the few things on that show that actually wasn't edited; as the director cut to Donny with the rules explanation, the monitors were quickly lowered. I guess it looked better to come back from commecial with six Pyramid logos visible....

clemon79 · « **Reply #36 on:** November 25, 2005, 04:42:26 AM »

[quote name=\'TimK2003\' date=\'Nov 24 2005, 07:11 PM\']Thanks to technological advancements in the game show world, some previously-manual set parts that have been replaced by video screens have been changes for the better. To name a few:

The Pyramid winners circle 'rising video screens' which replaced three-sided trilons...
[/quote]
Sez you. A LOT of us hated that too.

Robert Hutchinson · « **Reply #37 on:** November 25, 2005, 04:36:02 PM »

Liked the Pyramid screens themselves, but thought having them "rise" was silly. They must have been regularly editing out the moment when they lower them right before raising them again--I've seen numerous episodes where they'll cut from a close-up shot that has the screens in the background straight to the "rise" shot. (sigh)

wheelloon · « **Reply #38 on:** November 25, 2005, 04:39:10 PM »

Technological advances happen quicker then just about anything, and I've been fearing the day I'd hear WOF was considering something like making the wheel electronic. Excuse me while I now go and barf.

I hated the new Pyramid not having trilons, I almost felt like smashing the TV when I saw that. If Friedman wanted to update the wheel, make the spaces neon or something. Part of the reason the game is fun is because you get to spin a REAL-LIFE wheel, adding a realistic, more hands on, nerve-wrecking element to the game that a lot of other games can't match, with TPIR being a single possible exception. The virtual thing would immediately take all that away. If this were to happen in the near future, the show would be off the air in about 5 years tops, my prediction...

JayDLewis · « **Reply #39 on:** November 26, 2005, 10:38:13 PM »

I "suggested" that the wheel would be replaced by a "wedge shaped monitor" that showed a clip of the wheel spinning and the contestant would use their signalling button to stop the wheel. As an April Fools gag.

*PLEASE* say it ain't so Joe.

Someone said the wheel wasn't heavy...I thought I heard Pat & Vanna say (on an old R&KL) it weighed 600 pounds. I say...carbon fiber!

dazztardly · « **Reply #40 on:** November 27, 2005, 06:26:05 AM »

If they attempt a video wedge of sorts, the only way I can see it possible is by elevating the face of the wheel, placing a flat screen underneath, and strategically positioning it through the "slot" where it will be shown.[but then how would you cover up the exterior of the screen, unless you decorate around it?] They would definately have to build a new wheel assembly in order to pull that off.

Otherwise they could superimposed a projector feed onto the wheel, but then it becomes a technical headache.

There's no possible way to make a "wedge shaped" monitor. So those are my only two assumptions if they even do pursue that route.

-Dan

JayDLewis · « **Reply #41 on:** November 27, 2005, 11:40:56 AM »

[quote name=\'dazztardly\' date=\'Nov 27 2005, 06:26 AM\']
There's no possible way to make a "wedge shaped" monitor. So those are my only two assumptions if they even do pursue that route.

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What I meant to say was that a monitor would display a graphic of "just a wedge" spinning by (kinda like the quicktime clips from that Wheel release from...95? 96?).

Otherwise, I suppose you could cover the screen and leave a wedge shaped hole.

Will they change the name of the show if they get rid of the wheel?

VIDEO! OF! FORTUNE!

goongas · « **Reply #42 on:** November 27, 2005, 01:44:01 PM »

I had thought I read somehwere a long time ago they focus tested updating the wheel to make it more modern (e.g., video) but people enjoyed the traditional wheel. Perhaps times are now changing.

tvrandywest · « **Reply #43 on:** November 27, 2005, 02:17:44 PM »

[quote name=\'goongas\' date=\'Nov 27 2005, 10:44 AM\']I had thought I read somehwere a long time ago they focus tested updating the wheel to make it more modern (e.g., video) but people enjoyed the traditional wheel. Perhaps times are now changing.

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Chill. It's very unlikely that anyone is re-inventing the wheel in any significant way. There's always been talk like this on every game show set I've ever worked on for any period of time... conjecture and speculation and free-flowing creative ideas. Even at the holy grail of game shows.

I distinctly remember one day during the early 1980s the great Frank Wayne telling me that, at first, he wondered about the Showcase Showdown feature which was added when "Price" went to an hour. He said that he sometimes thought spinning the big wheel was a time consuming way of simply choosing one winner from among three to advance to the Showcase. He then smiled and said that there was no way he'd second guess it now, as the audience seemed fascinated by the wheel spinning.

Randy
tvrandywest.com

Fedya · « **Reply #44 on:** November 27, 2005, 05:31:19 PM »

[quote name=\'Modor\' date=\'Nov 24 2005, 10:51 PM\'][quote name=\'TimK2003\' date=\'Nov 24 2005, 10:11 PM\']The Pyramid winners circle 'rising video screens' which replaced three-sided trilons...
[/quote]
I felt this took away some of the charm from the original series...but it may just be me.

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I think the bigger reason for the lack of charm is that the producers took a game that is at heart a warm, friendly competition, and gave it a Millionaire-esque set that made everything look cold and sterile. Bleh.