Pricing game flops

[tpir04]

Or Secret X, Plinko, or Spelling Bee, for that matter.

[MSTieScott]

Drew rehearsed both Poker and Joker and were sacked after that point.

False.

I was only a few months into my job as production assistant, so I have no insight into the who or when or why, but neither Poker Game nor Joker was ever rehearsed in the studio with Drew.

[Casey]

Well, then, I can’t imagine Carey likes Half Off either.

Half Off has a cash bonus if you get all the small prizes correct...

[DYC]

Personally, I feel like Gridlock! is the show’s latest flop. It’s presentation leaves a lot to be desired, and it’s core “Money Game remix” concept doesn’t sustain what the game is trying to be overall. I know we’ve had some huge and amazing wins on this game, but the lackluster presentation just leaves me flat. Even the big wins feel kinda anticlimactic somehow. Maybe if the Model didn’t have to assist on moving the props manually that’d be less tacky. Just a clunky addition to the game lineup. My 2

[blozier2006]

Half Off has a cash bonus if you get all the small prizes correct...

Which wasn't present when Bob was hosting.

[Casey]

Which wasn't present when Bob was hosting.

Where were we discussing Bob in this topic?

[tpir04]

Personally, I feel like Gridlock! is the show’s latest flop. It’s presentation leaves a lot to be desired, and it’s core “Money Game remix” concept doesn’t sustain what the game is trying to be overall. I know we’ve had some huge and amazing wins on this game, but the lackluster presentation just leaves me flat. Even the big wins feel kinda anticlimactic somehow. Maybe if the Model didn’t have to assist on moving the props manually that’d be less tacky. Just a clunky addition to the game lineup. My 2

And also, I might add, there are little or no opportunities for skill or luck, and thus no "historic moments" as Bob would say, or "YouTube-worthy moments" as I like to say. All you're doing is picking a set of numbers from a choice of three, two times. In addition, you're also allowed one mistake! You're not allowed ten as in 10 Chances. Remember Joy, the contestant that exasperated Bob on her playing and got it right on the last try by a stroke of luck? Then there's Bryan, the Punch-a-Bunch player that there away $5K and got $10K soon after? My point is, with Gridlock, there are no such instances. You're basically standing there trying to take a lucky shot at some mediocre winnings. A car is offered only for the sake of making an all-around lame game look "important".

[JayC]

Well, then, I can’t imagine Carey likes Half Off either.

Half Off has a cash bonus if you get all the small prizes correct...

The cash bonus was added because Drew didn't like that a contestant could play the game perfectly and still end up with nothing. It was originally $500 for every correct choice and then became $1,000 for getting all three correct since he took over.

[JT]

Gridlock would be a success if they overhauled it as follows:
1.  Give the contestant 4 pairs of numbers to choose from for each section of the game (vs 3)
2.  Hand the contest 3 markers - call them Free Tolls or EZ Passes or Sun Passes or something else traffic related
3. The contestant can lose 2 markers but not 3 (Yes, I just created Penny Ante for a car!)
4. Make the reveals visual not solely audial.  Something has to light up or be mechanically revealed so that we instantly know if there is a win or loss.  Right now the sound effects are drowned out by the audience yelling and clapping and you can barely see that the numbers on the cars light up when a correct choice is made.
Thoughts? 

[Teddy]

Out of the current games, Stack the Deck and That's Too Much! fit the bill.

[Ton80]

Out of the current games, Stack the Deck and That's Too Much! fit the bill.

Stack the Deck, in and of itself, is not a bad game.  It's problem, in my opinion, is the continual failure to set the game up properly to make it reasonably winnable, and by extension more enjoyable.

The game has a great concept and design, and a nice "you can 'stack the deck' in your favor" explanation. 

Stack the Deck, much like Let 'em Roll, should be set up so that most of the times it's played, the contestant gets all three "freebies".  Sadly, it's not, and it hurts the game as a result.

[Axl]

Stack the Deck, in and of itself, is not a bad game.  It's problem, in my opinion, is the continual failure to set the game up properly to make it reasonably winnable, and by extension more enjoyable.

It's also hampered by the fact that most contestants do not understand the proper strategy for playing this game at all.

[Flerbert419]

^ But that could be seen as a strength, because you can afford to give away all three choices and know that some people aren't going to use them properly anyway.

Sadly, it seems to be used as a budget saver instead since it is so easy to control.

[brettreilly]

I agree with that’s too much. Or as it is sometimes called “That’s Too Hard!”