The Price is Right

[billmcdee]

I fully intend to do another episode, but right now it is in the embryonic stages.  Been a very busy and tiring summer, and we're still getting used to a new norm with our son attending college during the week.  He'll be coming home today and returning on Sunday.  We drive him there and pick him up as it's about 45 minutes away, only 30 minutes or so from my office.  Work has been uber busy too, we started 2017 with just 12 people in our data entry group, at the end of this month, we'll be down to 9.  One gal retired in April, another lady up and quit last month, and our current boss is stepping down due to health issues and moving out of state, but will still work from home, but not sure at what capacity.

Three things I try to do with my Price is Right episodes, 1. I try to amend the rules slightly for an existing pricing game to spice it up a little, 2. I try to resurrect a retired pricing game and 3. I try to introduce a newly created pricing game into the mix.  Last episode it was "Grab Bag", plus two others "Greater Than or Less Than" and "Finders Keepers".  Grab Bag seemed to be the biggest hit of the three.

I've been experimenting with a new cash game involving grocery items.  I call it Supermarket Slots.

The left reel of the slot machine has $100, $100, $150, $150, $200, $200
The center reel has $150, $150, $200, $200, $250, $300
The right reel has $250, $300, $350, $400, $500 and a Bandit.

If a bandit turns up, all money is lost, but the game may continue.

Players can earn up to 5 spins of the wheels.  4 grocery items will be presented.  One will be marked down 25 cents, two marked down 50 cents and one marked down 75 cents.

The player will select any 2 items, meaning a maximum of $1.25 could be earned.

Each spin of the machine is worth 25 cents.

Each successful spin banks the cash and the player can stop or risk it.

Spin 1 pays even money
Spin 2 pays double the value of the spin
Spin 3 pays triple the value of the spin
Spin 4 pays quadruple the value of the spin
Spin 5 - if a player earns all 5 and doesn't hit a bandit during any of the first four spins, then spin 5 is worth TEN times the value of the spin.

If a bandit is hit however, a player loses all their money but the game continues as long as they have any change left over to put into the slot machine.

Spin 5 incidentally, the $250 space becomes a second bandit.

More to come...

[palmer7]

Bill, I think the idea is slightly innovative. However, I can see a few problems with this.


1) Depending on how long it takes the reels to spin, this could eat up some time (much like other pricing games).
2) I don't see any supermarket using a slot machine (well, maybe the ones in Nevada, but still....).
3) It seems you just jammed in a pricing element so you could include it in this show.
4) It just seems so.... random (like the ill-fated Shower Game).

[billmcdee]

This is valuable feedback indeed.  I greatly appreciate it.

Let me take it point by point.


1) Depending on how long it takes the reels to spin, this could eat up some time (much like other pricing games).


I envision the reels would spin relatively quickly, not unlike The Joker's Wild.  Wouldn't take any longer than an average Plinko chip dropping.  And often we've seen in the past where chips get stuck and prolong that game.  


2) I don't see any supermarket using a slot machine (well, maybe the ones in Nevada, but still....).


Hole in One is a very popular pricing game involving grocery items.  Rare to find grocery items out on the golf course  I should know, I worked at a golf course for two summers.


3) It seems you just jammed in a pricing element so you could include it in this show.


The pricing element takes elements from $uper $aver (trying to get as much coin as possible) and trying to get as many coins as possible to play the machine.  Getting coins ties in as a nod to the old Penny Ante game.  And the more skillful the shopper is, the more likely they will achieve obtaining the $1.25 five coin maximum.


4) It just seems so.... random (like the ill-fated Shower Game).

Some games work, some don't.  Shower Game was quite bland to say the least, not to mention it proved most offensive to many viewers, for obvious reasons.  Professor Price was played twice and scrapped.  It's one I'm eager to try out though and we'll see how it plays out.  Randomness is after all a big part of what has made Price is Right groove on for 45 years

Thanks so much for taking time to reply to this Greg.  I value feedback from all, especially the seasoned hosts from these boards.