Pyramid format
Aaron Solomon
Okay, it's been an eternity since I've posted here, but I was in the
audience for both the $100K and $1M Pyramid pilots last week, so I thought
I'd try to answer your questions. (Remember that these are pilots, so the
rules used during those tapings may very well change if it goes to series.)
$100K PYRAMID
MAIN GAME
* $500 bonus for getting 7 out of 7 in a main game round. For this reason,
the 6th category was always played out to the end, even if they had won the
round, to see if there was a possibility for a $500 bonus (a flaw in the
game, IMO)
* No "Mystery 7" or "7-11" categories
* Otherwise, same rules as the $25K Pyramid we all know and love
WINNER'S CIRCLE
* Category amounts for a player's FIRST TRIP to the Winner's Circle were
$100 for each of the bottom 3, $200 for the middle 2, and $300 for the top
1.
* On the SECOND TRIP, each value increased by $100 ($200 on the bottom, $300
in the middle, and $400 on top)... etc. until $500/600/700 for the 5th trip.
* First win pays $10K, second win pays $15K, third win pays $20K, fourth win
pays $25K and fifth win pays $30K (for a total of $100K).
* Once a contestant wins $100K, they retire as champion.
* It wasn't clear whether a Winner's Circle contestant had to leave the show
if they failed to win in the Circle. Similarly, they didn't specify whether
the Winner's Circle contestant had to risk his/her previous earnings to play
another game and a shot at getting back to the circle. My guess is that
there was no risk involved in this version, since potentially risking $60K
for another $40K (5th trip to the Winner's Circle, assuming the contestant
won the maingame) would be foolish. It would also smack heavily of "Twenty
One"'s bonus scoring system, but don't get me started...
* Judging on clues was unbelievably lenient. Celebs were allowed to use
complete sentences with prepositions, and were only buzzed if they
specifically mentioned part of the category in their clue (David Brennan
gave "Statue of Liberty" as a clue for "Famous Statues"). And Kelly Packard
once misinterpreted a category, which was phrased "Things that are _____"
and she gave clues for "Why you _______," and they didn't buzz her. But I
guess it only disadvantaged the contestant and celebrity, so they let it go.
$1 MILLION PYRAMID
MAIN GAME
* No bonus for 7 out of 7. Instead, contestants received $1,000 per point.
Not sure if the losing contestants kept this money-- my guess is they did.
Again, they played the 6th category out even beyond a win, so they wouldn't
cheat the winning team out of the $1,000 for each additional point. (Once
again, a flaw)
* Otherwise, same rules as above. (Much harder categories, tho)
WINNER'S CIRCLE
* Category amounts were the same for the first trip. Again, I didn't stay
thru till the end, so I'm not sure if they increased in the same increments
as above.
* No idea on the scoring progression to $1 Million... sorry. If anyone
knows, I'd be curious to find out.
(Sorry... I didn't get as thorough an assessment on this version as on the
$100K)
Another subtle note about the lighting... the $100K version had a yellow
scheme, whereas the $1 Million had a decidely Millionaire-esque blue and
green palate. The set in general looked very Millionaire/Greed-ish, so at
least aesthetically it seemed like much more of a primetime-oriented set.
Thought Donnie did a good job, especially for his first game show... looked
oddly like a young Dick Clark at times. And Richard Kind was a fantastic
celebrity-- the rest were mediocre at best.
That's what I got from it... hope this helps.
-Aaron
BudMann9
involved in money that's awarded -- is a flaw?
Matthew and Daniel
possible way for the other player to win. In the previous versions, they
stopped playing right there and the winner went to the Winners Circle.
Here, they don't want to cheat the loser out of a possible $500 ($100K
version) or $7000 ($1Million). I too think that is extremely flawed...
--Matthew and Daniel
BudMann9
Can you be ahead 21-13 with the other person left to go?
I am not sure.
If after two rounds, it's 14-13, they let the person with 13 go first.
So they would not let the person with 14 go first to create a 21-13 situation,
and therefore play out a sixth category for bonus money only.
Questions? Comments?
Still " flawed " ?
John Sergent
The extreme case that a whole category wouldn't be needed (or at least
once they didn't need the last TWO!) is very rare. More frequently, and
I think this is what the original referred to, is that the score will be
something like 18-14. Normally (unless it is a bonus category) the game
would stop at 129 points, but if there's money on the line (previously
when it was a 7-11, Mystery 7, Gamble for a Grand, or Double Trouble;
now apparently either any round in the million dollar version, or any
round with no cukoos in the $100,000 version) they play it out to the end.
--
Anyone know how to tighten the hinge on a 1998 Powerbook?
John Sergent
No, but if one team is exceptionally bad then after three rounds they
may have, say, 12 points when the other team got 14 in two rounds. It
has happened. I have seen at least one game that had a team behind by
more than seven points after both had played TWO rounds; they continued
only because the bonus was still on the board.
Aaron Solomon
"Matthew and Daniel" <mand...@nojunk.maine.rr.com> wrote in message
news:2Q5_5.6860$0g.1...@newsr1.maine.rr.com...
Actually, I was thinking specifically of an incident where, for argument's
sake, the trailing team is behind 17-14 going into the 6th category. Once
they reach 18 points, they keep going to see if they can get the bonus for
getting 7 out of 7. If they DON'T get all 7, then we have this weird moment
where the crowd is disappointed... even though the far greater
accomplishment (winning the game) has been achieved. What's $500 vs. the
$10,000 (or more) they could win in the bonus round??
Aaron
Zach Horan
>shows.
>
>Can you be ahead 21-13 with the other person left to go?
>
I don't think that will ever happen, because when a team was 14-13 after the
second round, the team with 13 went first.
Kavanagh
> or Double Trouble;
me by telling me what these are thank you.
-Joe Kavanagh
John Sergent
>
> Actually, I was thinking specifically of an incident where, for argument's
> sake, the trailing team is behind 17-14 going into the 6th category. Once
> they reach 18 points, they keep going to see if they can get the bonus for
> getting 7 out of 7. If they DON'T get all 7, then we have this weird moment
> where the crowd is disappointed... even though the far greater
> accomplishment (winning the game) has been achieved. What's $500 vs. the
> $10,000 (or more) they could win in the bonus round??
>
there were any kind of bonus categories); it's just that now it'll be
possible every round rather than maybe every 6th.
John Sergent
But if you're ahead 14-13 after 5 categories are played, you've won.
John Sergent
I thought I had just explained this, but looking in my sent mail I see
that was a private message. So here goes, the long version:
> In case you've never seen the 1991 Pyramid, I'll throw in some extra
> information here. That version was played with 7-11 in the first half
> and Mystery 7 in the second on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Tuesday
> and Thursday, they played the Mystery 7 in the first half, and had two
> "Double Trouble" categories in the second half. These were two word
> phrases, with 45 seconds rather than 30, with a $500 prize for getting
> all 7. Each team had to play one at some point during the round, which
> they generally dreaded. After the second tournament, they replaced the
> 7-11 (only played three times a week anyway) with "Gamble for a Grand."
> The contestant chooses whether to play the category with the regular
> 30-second clock for points only, or to play it with a 25-second clock
> with a prize of $1000 for all 7. During the second season they dumped
> the Mystery 7 on Tuesdays and Thursdays and played "Gamble for" a prize instead.
> --
Zach Horan
>> or Double Trouble;
>What are these, I have personaly never heard of them. If someone could help
Gamble for a Grand-The Team could choose to guess 7 answers in 30 seconds for
no bonus money or prize, or could choose to only have 25 second to guess the
seven answers to win either $1,000 or a prize. If a Prize, "A Grand" would be
replaced by (insert name of prize)
Double Trouble- The team had 45 seconds to describe seven two word phrases for
$500. Each team would play one of two Double Trouble categories.
Zach Horan
Nope, because the team with 13 would play the sixth category, and would win if
they got two answers.
Dolfan500
>situation,
>and therefore play out a sixth category for bonus money only.
>
>Questions? Comments?
>Still " flawed " ?
>
Well the overall argument is right, but the example is flawed for the reason
you mentioned.
A few weeks agom there was a rare case where the entire (not just half of it)
wasn't needed because one team had an 8 point lead.
There have been many cases where the game was decided without one half of round
3 being needed.
But you can't ein 21-13.
Well, there is one exception I just realalized. If the Mystery 7 or 7-11 was
still out there, the game will continue, but normally, it- the score- isn't
going to happen.
Guy
John Sergent
Sorry, I wasn't specific enough. If you're ahead 14-13 after 5
categories, when you've only played two of them, you've won.