WooWho
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Post by WooWho on Nov 1, 2015 21:39:04 GMT -5
It's back! Previous installments of the Evaluation series can be found here: Express, Free Play, 1/2 Car, Prize Puzzle, Wild Card, and MysteryIn this installment of the Evaluation series...a wedge that seems to confound every member of the media (and, indeed, most of the Twitterverse) who writes about it. This is now the envelope everyone wants to find on the Bonus Wheel: But before you can even think about seeing that envelope, you've got to pick this up... HOW IT WORKS:
- A player who lands on the center third of the Million Dollar Wedge can call a correct consonant to pick it up.
- To lock in the wedge, the player must win the same round in which he picked it up.
- Once the wedge is locked in, the player must avoid Bankrupt for the rest of the game, and must win the game for the wedge to have any effect at all.
- If a player advances to the Bonus Round with the Million Dollar Wedge in his possession, the $100,000 envelope on the bonus wheel is replaced with the Million Dollar Envelope.
- If all these things have happened up to the bonus round, the player must land on the Million Dollar Envelope and solve the bonus puzzle to win the million.
WHAT WE KNOW:
- Despite its name, the Million Dollar Wedge carries no actual cash value during the main game. It does not award cash when picked up, nor does a player win any additional cash for locking in the wedge, as an ordinary Prize wedge or Gift Tag would.
- As of this writing, the Million Dollar Envelope has been hit just four times since it was introduced in 2008. The record stands at 3 wins, 1 loss.
- The Million Dollar Wedge is removed from the wheel after Round 3 if it hasn't been picked up by then.
WHAT WE WANT TO KNOW:
- Is the million too hard to win? Too easy?
- Suppose the Million Dollar Wedge was lost in an early round (R1 or R2). Should it go back on the wheel?
- Does the million dollar gimmick have any place on the show? It survived over 30 years without it.
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mechamind
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Post by mechamind on Nov 1, 2015 21:43:39 GMT -5
I think it should award $1,000,000 in the main game!  |
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eybyon
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Post by eybyon on Nov 1, 2015 22:38:58 GMT -5
Anyone know how many times the MDW has been taken to the BR?
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WooWho
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Post by WooWho on Nov 1, 2015 23:36:02 GMT -5
I don't know about since its introduction, but if GameShowNewsNet's stats are anything to go by, it's only been to the BR once this season. |
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whammy007
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Post by whammy007 on Nov 2, 2015 0:02:30 GMT -5
If WOFTracker's stats are on point, the MDW went to the Bonus Round 29 times between Seasons 29 and 31. Don't know how many times it went from 26 to 28 without manually counting.
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MarioGS
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Post by MarioGS on Nov 2, 2015 1:14:14 GMT -5
Season 26: 13
Season 27: 8
Season 28: 9
Season 29: 9
Season 30: 9
Season 31: 11
Season 32: 16
So, 76 times to date we've had a Million Dollar Bonus Round, and 4 hits on the $1,000,000 envelope.
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Post by tlc38tlc38 on Nov 2, 2015 9:06:12 GMT -5
Wow--it doesn't seem like this is really the 8th season since the wedge was introduced. Time has really flew by.
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eybyon
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Post by eybyon on Nov 2, 2015 10:16:43 GMT -5
So I guess I'm OK with the win frequency. I'm also OK with all the stars that have to align to win the million in spite of all the confusion it brings to the uninitiated. My only thought is that it should be a little harder to win, requiring some above average puzzle solving skill, such as:
1. When you land on the MDW, you have to solve right away to pick it up (sort of like Jackpot).
2. You are told right away if you landed on the MDE in the BR, but then you have to play a more challenging form of the BR, such as solve with only RSTLNE.
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Post by Flerbert419 on Nov 2, 2015 21:33:28 GMT -5
I feel like, in some form, this wedge will be here to stay for a long time despite being very confusing. There are other ways to give away a million (Tournament of Champions?) but this is very low risk and they can do it every day.
My biggest problem with it is how it changes the entire game. People start to act really funny once this valueless wedge is sitting on their ledge.
The best thing you can do is ignore it. You have to spin it on the Bonus Wheel anyway which is unlikely as is, so just play your game and forget it's there.
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mechamind
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Post by mechamind on Nov 2, 2015 21:48:36 GMT -5
Has anyone ever claimed the former $10,000 prize and then spun the $100K envelope in the Bonus Round?
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WarioSajak
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Post by WarioSajak on Nov 3, 2015 15:33:14 GMT -5
- Is the million too hard to win? Too easy?
My only thought is that it should be a little harder to win, requiring some above average puzzle solving skill, such as: [snip] To be honest, I think the Million's hard enough to win. If anything, they need to stop spoiling the hell out of it any time it's won (or lost?). There are other ways to give away a million (Tournament of Champions?) Frankly, I don't think this show is gonna do a Tournament of any kind anytime soon, mainly because 1) they'd have to deal with their most bank-busting players again; 2) they're not gonna take it out of their 195-show seasons; and 3) they're not gonna do more than 195 episodes in a season. Aside from that, I totally agree with what you said. - Suppose the Million Dollar Wedge was lost in an early round (R1 or R2). Should it go back on the wheel?
Yes, although they won't do it since it'd mean greater odds of someone potentially winning the Million. - Does the million dollar gimmick have any place on the show? It survived over 30 years without it.
Oh, hell no. The Million-Dollar Wedge's introduction is, for me, when Wheel of Fortune started becoming a primetime network game show in all but timeslot, and even then they were a good nine years (from a WWTBAM? viewpoint) or three years (from a DOND viewpoint) late to that party. I really think the only reason they even added the thing in the first place is because Australia's Wheel revival earlier in '08 did it first...and it was even harder to win there, only being present for Round 1 (and in the 25-episode run, I don't think anybody managed to bring it to the Bonus Round). |
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Post by pricemodel1997 on Nov 7, 2015 20:32:00 GMT -5
I really don't think that the $1,000,000 prize really has any place on a standard show. It's more of a specials thing. If it were just once a week or once in a few months then maybe it would be better. Personally I think Wheel offering the mil was just an even cheaper gimmick to keep up with price's MDS's which seems to be the idea that the EP's have "anything you can do, i can do better" acting like kids with it.
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spinthewheel123
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Post by spinthewheel123 on Nov 8, 2015 10:12:50 GMT -5
nice wedge. did MarioGS made that?
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Post by pricemodel1997 on Nov 10, 2015 9:32:50 GMT -5
^Yes Mariogs did make it, however we're looking for opinions on the prize itself. Do you think it's good? Not so good or out of nowhere? Used to often? Etc. As this is an evaluation you have to explain your opinion on it.
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WooWho
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Post by WooWho on Nov 10, 2015 16:26:05 GMT -5
The mods appreciate the thought, but do not require additional assistance at this time, pricemodel1997. As a note to everyone in this section: please try to keep each thread on-topic. I welcome thoughtful discussion about each of the game elements featured; surely we're fans enough that we're able to do that, right? |
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ld
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Post by ld on Nov 10, 2015 17:44:55 GMT -5
WHAT WE WANT TO KNOW:
- Is the million too hard to win? Too easy?
- Suppose the Million Dollar Wedge was lost in an early round (R1 or R2). Should it go back on the wheel?
- Does the million dollar gimmick have any place on the show? It survived over 30 years without it.
1. As a whole, it's just right, though a part of me wants to argue that it might be too easy if it was picked up on Round 3 then the Prize Puzzle is solved by that same person. It'd be interesting to know how many times it was brought over to the Bonus Round because the carrier was able to solve the Prize Puzzle. 2. No, because it's a "rare" possession item for one lucky player to pick up. The show becomes a bit more exciting to find out if they can secure it (more so, if the carrier is a good puzzle solver). 3. It adds one level of excitement to the game, so I say it has its niche. I only wonder if there is a better way to make it so that people who don't watch the show understand how the wedge really works (none of that "the guy lost a million dollars [after picking up the wedge]!" nonsense). |
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Post by pricemodel1997 on Nov 11, 2015 0:21:13 GMT -5
WooWho there i go again, after a long absence i forget how annoying that can be, sorry.
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eybyon
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Post by eybyon on Nov 11, 2015 0:38:12 GMT -5
1. As a whole, it's just right, though a part of me wants to argue I only wonder if there is a better way to make it so that people who don't watch the show understand how the wedge really works (none of that "the guy lost a million dollars [after picking up the wedge]!" nonsense). Just had an idea! Maybe when a player picks up the wedge, Pat exchanges it for a MD Bonus Round wheel envelope, visually showing the viewing audience that the player only has the POTENTIAL to win a million as he/she must win the game to give the envelope back to Pat to add to the BR wheel. |
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WooWho
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Post by WooWho on Nov 11, 2015 23:58:52 GMT -5
Which sorta reminds me of something the Spanish version did when lousan92 won the 9th anniversary tournament... They replaced one of the envelopes with a 9.000 EUR envelope (bigger than any of the cash prizes that are normally available), and actually showed everyone where it was. Now that I think about it, it would kill some of the suspense if the envelope isn't hit...and would probably freak out the contestant if they know they hit it ahead of time. Never mind... |
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eybyon
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Post by eybyon on Nov 12, 2015 1:15:50 GMT -5
^ Actually I wasn't thinking that Pat would put the envelope on the Wheel himself at the start of the BR, but the BR would be conducted just as it does today if someone brings the MD wedge into it.
Although it might be kind of entertaining for the viewing audience to know if the BR is being played for the million beforehand. Extra suspenseful music could be played and special lighting could be used as is done on WWTBAM for the MDQ.
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