Winner's Board or Shopping?: $OTC Further Discussion

[palmer7]

Thanks to the poll, there is a tie between using the modified American/Australian rules of the Winner's Board (which I will explain shortly) and maintaining shopping. We'll be using Speaker Denison's rule (established by 19th century Speaker of the British House of Commons John Evelyn Denison) in order to have further discussion. 


Modified American Rules (based on the 1984-87 American rules and the 1989-1992 Australian rules):

When a new champion is crowned, he faces a 12-space board. Behind these twelve spaces are:

5 pairs of prizes (worth at least $10,000 each)
A "WIN" card, which makes the next pick an automatic match
and a "CAR" card, which is worth a brand new car (or cars)


The contestant picks numbers until he either makes a match, or makes an automatic match with the "WIN" card. Under these rules, the contestant automatically wins a matched prize and has no decision to make. He will return on the next program to defend his title. Every five shows, the merchandise is swapped out, and prizes that have not been won will be replaced with prizes of similar value. Contestants can only win one car off the Winner's Board. 


After clearing the Winner's Board (which takes six shows), the champion has a decision to make. He can either leave with all 6 prizes he's won off the Winner's Board or he can risk those 6 prizes in one final game. Should he win that game, he gets all six prizes plus the cash jackpot (starting at $500,000 and going up $5,000 each show until won). If he loses that final match, those six prizes are taken away and he is left with cash and prizes won through Instant Bargains, Fame Games, and CashCards. 


So, I am starting another poll. After you vote, if you'd like, please explain to me what you voted for and why. I will stay neutral by voting in the "Host Votes Here" section. This poll will close at midnight on March 4th, 2015. If the vote is tied at the end, I will move to maintain the status quo (shopping). 


I'd like to have some discussion about this. Thank you all. 

[CCSCO]

As someone previously said in the game topic, I prefer status quo. Shopping mode includes a risk element on each episode, and rewards people who do well in the main game.

[asja2002]

I can see the arguments for both formats, wanting to see instant gratification for a win on every show, or the risk of putting everything on the line to win everything. Greg's Sale of the Century has been on BJPCGF/NGC for 25 shows.

On average each program takes 1-3 weeks to complete. By that logic, if 1 of his shows takes the same amount of time as up to 15 Network/SYN shows, then he is at the equivalent of 250-375 episodes. So the 5k/show increase in the jackpot logic holds no matter what format.

It's also to figure that 2 years have gone by without a grand champion. (Had the classic rules been in effect/No "Super Lot" Evan would have been the first Grand Champion) Australia Sale went 229 programs without a jackpot win.

The Century Round and Cash Card incentivize Shopping by adding more money to the front game. Whereas the winner's board logic says "Just win by $1 and you win" rather than rewarding aggressive gameplay "Win by $1 and you get Cufflinks but sweep the speed round and you have enough for the speedboat"

So weighing all the options, and considering the continuity of the series to date, My vote stands with classic shopping, $750 gets everything & $500K+5K each "show" until won

[palmer7]

I was going to adapt the Australian WB rules, but that might be too similar to what Cameron is doing (although he is using the 1992-2001 rules).

[Twentington]

Steven said it way better than I did in the game thread. I voted for shopping the first time, and I'm voting for it again this time.

[Twentington]

And it's at this point that I ask the people who want the Winner's Board: Why? You've all stayed remarkably quiet through this whole process...

[dad90]

I say go for the Shopping, because that's what $ale of the Century is really all about. 12 spaces on the board, to me, is too short, compared to USA's $ale, in which, by the way, I'm going to do mine this week.

[palmer7]

So I take it no one else is going to vote on this?

[mringgenberg]

For me it's kind of a toss-up. True that the Shopping end game is what made $ale a success. But on the other hand, the Winner's Board might be fun as well. I kind of would like to see the Winner's Board.

[palmer7]

You should've voted for it, Matt (or did you?). Either way, this poll is closed, and the status quo is maintained (at least for another 10 shows or so). Thank you all for participating.

[Deleted]

Winner's Board, hands down.

It's obvious, if you win - even by just $1 - you can win a really big prize (I.e., a car) on your first day, and even more great things down the line.

[Deleted]

Oops, I made a mistake. Could someone delete this post as well as my previous one?

[mshroyer]

I'd just like to point out cause i think it's been lost on a lot of sale fans unless you live in the land down under, on the Aussie version of the winners board the champion had the choice of leaving the show with their prize(s) or coming back to play another game and if they lose the next game all the prizes they won at the winners board so there's an element of risk their as well especially if you use the US format and someone matches the car, I mean that's a big decision of taking the keys of your new Mercedes and driving into the sunset or risk it on another game and risk losing it by one question

so even though i may be late into the game i say that there can be a compromise between the two formats

[palmer7]

I think that compromise was called the U.S. Winner's Board.

[mshroyer]

you know i think your right, i need to stop getting on game show forums before i go to bed, my mind is bad when i'm tired,