RegisFan
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Post by RegisFan on Jul 22, 2008 21:04:22 GMT -5
buzzerblog.flashgameshows.com/millionaire-evolves-in-2008-cautiously-optimistic/#commentsMichael Davies recently contacted Buzzerblog's Alex Davis regarding Millionaire's upcoming 2008-2009 season. "Brace yourself for the most exciting evolution of the format since Super Millionaire. All unique to the US at this point – we have not imported any of the international modifications,” says Davies, the producer of Millionaire. This means a number of things. First, the 12 question format and remixed music from the U.K. version will not be used if the changes are all indeed unique to the U.S. Also, I've been told that contestants for next season are being asked to provide photographs of their Phone-a-Friend buddies for the producers. I assume this means the friends to be phoned will be pictured on-screen when the call is made. Other than that, all we can really do is wait for a press release or prospective contestant to shed some light on the format tweak. Most importantly, let's learn a lesson from the rabid "Price is Right" fans currently throwing a fit because of the format change the show is undergoing for the next season. These changes will either be very good or very bad, but we'll have to actually see them before we can pass judgment. For now, it's anyone's guess. If the changes are as good as the changes made for "Super Millionaire", I think we'll all be very pleased. For now, let's put our faith in Michael Davies and 2waytraffic and hope for the best.
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RegisFan
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Post by RegisFan on Jul 23, 2008 16:13:21 GMT -5
buzzerblog.flashgameshows.com/rumor-control-potential-millionaire-changes/#commentsAlex Davis has received some more news regarding the changes for next season. Here is part of his post on Buzzerblog: A dress rehearsal for the new series of Who Wants to be a Millionaire? was done yesterday and we have some of the potential changes released to us. We don’t know what will stay to the new season since, again, it was a rehearsal, so take this as you will. Most thanks to reader James for the email and to Millionaire message board users for the information. Some of the changes make the show basically seem like Super Millionaire Lite to me.
*Time limits are now being used. Fifteen for the first five, 30 seconds for $2K and onward and probably some differences from there on.
*A new Lifeline, Ask the Expert, is being introduced and sponsored by Skype. A former big winner will be asked the question via video phone, similar to Phone a Friend.
*Speaking of Phone a Friend, you can only have three Phone a Friends on your list of who to call instead of five. Also, you have to provide a picture of them beforehand so they can appear on the big screen when called.
*Double Dip seems to be coming back, and it may or may not be a replacement for 50/50. It was not made clear to us. Double Dip will be available before the $25,000 level supposedly.
*Subjects for upcoming questions are told at one point in the show
Call me optimistic, but I like most of these changes, with one exception- time limits. I hated time limits in the video games, and I'll dislike them if they're used on the series. They just eliminate a lot of the strategy that goes into the game. That being said, I'm looking forward to many of these changes and the udpated gameplay. The show seems a lot like "Super Millionaire", which can only be a good thing. I even hope there's a new intro and graphical changes to accompany the format update. Let's hope for the best.
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FrankT
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Post by FrankT on Jul 25, 2008 9:23:14 GMT -5
Boo! We didn't get those changes!  |
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RegisFan
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Post by RegisFan on Jul 29, 2008 15:31:15 GMT -5
Haha! What do you think of the format change in the UK, FrankT? Do you like the updated graphics and music?
Also, Meredith confirmed some changes on her blog for the U.S. version. The time limits and "Ask the Expert" and "Double Dip" lifelines are definitely happening.
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FrankT
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Post by FrankT on Jul 31, 2008 9:24:30 GMT -5
I hated most of my format changes...
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RegisFan
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Post by RegisFan on Jul 31, 2008 16:31:49 GMT -5
Buzzerblog posted today that "Double Dip" will be replacing "50:50" as a lifeline. It may actually prove to be more helpful to contestants, especially considering they almost always were left with the two answers they were torn between anyway. I will miss the lifeline, though, mostly because it's such a major part of "Millionaire." But then again, "50:50" has its own show now, so it's not gone for good.
Also, the "Ask the Expert" lifeline will replace "Switch the Question" as the tenth question reward lifeline. While I liked the "Switch the Question" lifeline a lot, it wasn't really very helpful, so I like this change. I just hope "Ask the Expert" works a lot better than the often unhelpful "Three Wise Men" lifeline from "Super Millionaire."
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Post by finalfinal on Aug 7, 2008 18:35:03 GMT -5
I think that I may be of help in determining the usefulness of Ask the Expert. I recently attended a taping of the new season with the new format, and it was really fun. The music is the same for the $2,000 question and up, but for the first 5 questions all I was able to hear in the studio was a timer ticking, with appropriate music for that scenario in the backround. Also, in the other questions, the music is playing with the ticking noise, which actually sounded quite cool. The timers work like this: 15 seconds for the $100-$1,000; 30 seconds for $2,000-$25,000; and 45 seconds for $50,000-$500,000 and 45 seconds plus any unused time from previous questions for the million dollar question. 50:50 is indeed gone as is Switch the Question.
You start with Double-Dip; Phone a Friend; and Ask the Audience; after answering the $1,000 question you get Ask the Expert. I'm not gonna spoil the outcome of the games I saw, but the lifeline works like this: you get to ask a former big winner from past shows for help for an unsaid amount of time. The Three Wise men timer is the music for it, but I could see no timer on the set monitors. It was pretty much as useless as the wise men. Except the wise men did get some right answers. the expert they had gave none. The graphics have been updated, and are pretty much the same except everything was a silvery blue. Double-Dip used the same cues from Super Millionaire up until the first final answer is given. Then for some reason, it goes back to the question level's music if they get it wrong on the first shot. The timer was actually ok, it made people play offensivley and not waste time if they had no idea. A lot of people got into the third tier with it, more than I've seen in a while!!!
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FrankT
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Post by FrankT on Aug 8, 2008 12:27:37 GMT -5
Actually, I'd like to see these changes in pictures...
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RegisFan
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Post by RegisFan on Aug 28, 2008 16:49:02 GMT -5
These changes sound really exciting. I can't wait to see the season premiere. Buena Vista had some press images sent out today:   |
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FrankT
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Post by FrankT on Aug 28, 2008 17:32:05 GMT -5
Hmm, why didn't we British think of all this??
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gameshowguy2000
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Post by gameshowguy2000 on Sept 20, 2008 19:56:51 GMT -5
Hmm, there a link to the site of those images?
Anyway...the time clock idea makes me think the players are in a pressure cooker. Ditching 50:50 and Switch the Question probably was a bad idea, I would've liked to see 6 lifelines.
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) I guess the next on will be Poland then...
