Author Topic: TAR 17 New Game Play Twist  (Read 37790 times)

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Offline georgiapeach

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TAR 17 New Game Play Twist
« on: July 16, 2010, 10:03:47 AM »
We don't have a lot on this, but something new has apparently been added to our repetoire of Detours/RB's/FF's/Intersections/U-Turns/Yields!

From info overheard at Logan:

Meet the EXPRESS PASS

It appears to be a "new element" added to the game, which will bring a "new level of strategy" to the gameplay.

Details are sparse...but it appears to be something that may be used ONCE to perhaps skip a task? (spec)

Sounds something that may be like a "get out of jail free" card...if you are way behind or utterly stuck, you may be able to move on....once anyway. A mini FF??  (semi-spec)

Wouldn't the Poker Girls have loved having something like this??!! A great tool for a F/F team in particular...


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Offline Coutzy

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Re: TAR 17 New Game Play Twist
« Reply #1 on: July 16, 2010, 10:24:32 AM »
I imagine this will be used more to counter the effect of a U-Turn... Imagine what Joe & Heidi could have done, given one of these.


Offline georgiapeach

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Re: TAR 17 New Game Play Twist
« Reply #2 on: July 16, 2010, 10:25:37 AM »
Good thought!
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Offline Dånooky

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Re: TAR 17 New Game Play Twist
« Reply #3 on: July 16, 2010, 11:09:52 AM »
They need to start coming up with more original games. Nevertheless, road sign vocabulary is not something easy to work with :lol:
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Offline chill_sd

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Re: TAR 17 New Game Play Twist
« Reply #4 on: July 16, 2010, 11:19:01 AM »
Maybe they've been reading Aualagi's posts here at RFF?

http://forum.realityfanforum.com/index.php/topic,18602.msg505674.html#msg505674

He called it "Free Pass"

Quote
I've inserted a twist called "Free Pass": Before a detour, once in a game, you may choose skip the task and go to the next clue.


Offline Coutzy

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Re: TAR 17 New Game Play Twist
« Reply #5 on: July 16, 2010, 12:39:15 PM »
Just had a thought, what if CBS wants to make alliances more relevant?

What if, in the polar opposite of a U-Turn, one team can choose to allow another team to skip both sides of the Detour??? :duno:

Offline Caelestor

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Re: TAR 17 New Game Play Twist
« Reply #6 on: July 16, 2010, 02:10:24 PM »
I wouldn't be surprised if this replaced the FF.

Offline Hooky

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Re: TAR 17 New Game Play Twist
« Reply #7 on: July 16, 2010, 04:25:26 PM »
I wouldn't be surprised if this replaced the FF.

Me neither, assuming it does allow a team to skip one or more tasks. But if it's going to replace the Fast Forward, it should have some new aspect to it other than just allowing a team to skip. Maybe it would have to be bought with the money the teams have collected - a way to save some money on the budget while creating an intriguing new game element for viewers. Anyway, we'll see how it goes. Hopefully it will make the game more strategic and entertaining.
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Offline realshowfan

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Re: TAR 17 New Game Play Twist
« Reply #8 on: July 16, 2010, 08:38:48 PM »
I wouldn't be surprised if this replaced the FF.

Me neither, assuming it does allow a team to skip one or more tasks. But if it's going to replace the Fast Forward, it should have some new aspect to it other than just allowing a team to skip. Maybe it would have to be bought with the money the teams have collected - a way to save some money on the budget while creating an intriguing new game element for viewers. Anyway, we'll see how it goes. Hopefully it will make the game more strategic and entertaining.

I planned to change Fast Forward in my fanfic to "Highway Express" since FF is not a road sign name.  :lol:

I think there's a good chance it will replace the FF, recently there's been only one FF per season.

Can't wait to see it. Hopefully it becomes a hit and will be used over and over. What happened to the Switchback?
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Offline Caelestor

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Re: TAR 17 New Game Play Twist
« Reply #9 on: July 16, 2010, 08:45:17 PM »
Well the FF hasn't really had a strategic purpose since S4. If you can choose any leg (up to maybe the 8th) to use it, I wouldn't mind it. In fact, it'd probably be a net benefit.

Now they need to increase the number of U-turns (4?) per race in order to add some actual strategy and lower the kill ratio of that thing.


Offline David

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Re: TAR 17 New Game Play Twist
« Reply #10 on: July 16, 2010, 08:54:01 PM »
I agree with the U-Turns things. 2 is NO strategy AT ALL. Teams who see the U-Turn always use it, as if not, they'll lose the chance.
Having more U-Turns would allow teams to think if it's better for them to use it or to wait until the next one.

Offline DrRox

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Re: TAR 17 New Game Play Twist
« Reply #11 on: July 16, 2010, 09:17:36 PM »
They need to get rid of the Uturn, just like they did with the Yield......they dont need teams hindering other teams in any way.....its a race....not Survivor.
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Offline DeafRacer

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Re: TAR 17 New Game Play Twist
« Reply #12 on: July 16, 2010, 09:38:46 PM »
They need to get rid of the Uturn, just like they did with the Yield......they dont need teams hindering other teams in any way.....its a race....not Survivor.

It is a race!!! Racing against the time!!

Honestly, I like the idea of U-Turn. Amanda & Kris could have overcome the U-Turn if they haven't left the wood stack task in 1st place.

For Jen & Kisha, everyone know they could have overcome the U-Turn if Jen only decide to pee on herself.  :lol3:

You just need to be wise and strategic of how to overcome the U-Turn. It's not that impossible.

Offline Paron

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Re: TAR 17 New Game Play Twist
« Reply #13 on: July 16, 2010, 10:27:08 PM »
I'm interested in this brand-new twist.  Sounds exciting.  Wonder if it played any part at all in getting the F3 we got.

I agree with the U-Turns things. 2 is NO strategy AT ALL. Teams who see the U-Turn always use it, as if not, they'll lose the chance.
Having more U-Turns would allow teams to think if it's better for them to use it or to wait until the next one.
Not always.  Teams passed up the chance to use it both times it came up in TAR13, even though it would've been a good idea to, and look who anticlimactically dominated and won. :groan:  And only one got used in TAR15, and it was used incorrectly.

And Luke's half-right.  Amanda & Kris had zero chance to overcome theirs (not that I minded -- they were boring as hell), but Kisha & Jen easily could've done it if not for Jen.

Also, in Israel's version, a team DID overcome it.  Though that's because the legs were longer and they had more time to catch up.

Offline theschnauzers

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Re: TAR 17 New Game Play Twist
« Reply #14 on: July 16, 2010, 11:50:58 PM »
Sounds to me that this will be like the FF without the task set up a FF requires. Since it saves the cost of that task, it fits the cost savings trend since TAR 12.
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Offline Dånooky

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Re: TAR 17 New Game Play Twist
« Reply #15 on: July 17, 2010, 12:02:05 AM »
SPEC:
That or there's a U-Turn-like sign where one team can trade a "Courtesy Of" picture to skip a task, so it's first come, first served. but they have to relinquish their U-Turn pic in the process.
The story so far:
In the beginning the Universe was created.
This has made a lot of people very angry and has been widely regarded as a bad move

Offline The Queen V

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Re: TAR 17 New Game Play Twist
« Reply #16 on: July 17, 2010, 12:06:04 AM »
i dont think the producers will complicate twists. maybe it would be a mini ff that allows you to skip a task.

Offline Mug Costanza

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Re: TAR 17 New Game Play Twist
« Reply #17 on: July 17, 2010, 01:47:34 AM »
I like the ideas you all have come up with! What about allowing only one team to skip any given task? (As in, two teams can't skip the same task.) The "Express Pass" could be given to teams on a lanyard, so that teams could give it to the person giving out the clues at the completion of the task for them to put around their neck. Then, if a second team tries to skip the same task, they go to the person giving them the clues and see that another team has already used their Express Pass (similar to the "Fast Forward Taken" sign). Maybe also toss in a stipulation that teams have to make a legitimate attempt at the task before opting to skip it? I don't know. We'll see how it all plays out. This is pretty exciting stuff!

(And FWIW, I'm all for increasing the number of U-Turns. Make it at least three, maybe four. Put some strategy back into the thing!)
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Offline Evan_Weinstein

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Re: TAR 17 New Game Play Twist
« Reply #18 on: July 17, 2010, 10:29:09 AM »
i think this new twist could be helping a team or several teams to get a faster or better connection to their new destination, also i will not rule out the possibilities of letting the team(s) who used it to book business class tickets
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Offline georgiapeach

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Re: TAR 17 New Game Play Twist
« Reply #19 on: July 17, 2010, 10:32:44 AM »
Hi Evan! :waves:

Not so sure about anything like that, it apparently is more a way for someone to bypass a task, like a mini FF....we think. :lol:
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Offline Caelestor

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Re: TAR 17 New Game Play Twist
« Reply #20 on: July 17, 2010, 02:39:31 PM »
I'm also wondering, has the penalty for an NEL changed? Speedbumps aren't cheap, and with all the artificial bunching at the airports going on, Marked for Elimination isn't so bad anymore.

Offline Dånooky

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Re: TAR 17 New Game Play Twist
« Reply #21 on: July 17, 2010, 02:47:15 PM »
i think this new twist could be helping a team or several teams to get a faster or better connection to their new destination, also i will not rule out the possibilities of letting the team(s) who used it to book business class tickets
I would think this new twist should be something we can actually see on TV for more than just "___ & ___ used an express pass allowing them to travel via ____" :lol:
The story so far:
In the beginning the Universe was created.
This has made a lot of people very angry and has been widely regarded as a bad move

Offline Competitor

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Re: TAR 17 New Game Play Twist
« Reply #22 on: July 17, 2010, 03:42:09 PM »
I hope that the express pass is used or capable of being used by a team wishing to quickly recover from a U-turn. It seems that over the past few seasons a U-turn has basically eliminated teams on the spot. Hopefully, teams might be able to hold their express pass and use it if they get U-turned, assuming they haven't used it already. If teams have already used their express pass and they get U-turned, then that's just poor luck or management of their opportunities.

If this happens like I mentioned, I think TAR will be making wise improvements.

Offline theschnauzers

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Re: TAR 17 New Game Play Twist
« Reply #23 on: July 17, 2010, 05:11:03 PM »
From what I can tell, the recent refinements in the game have been designed to either reduce costs, or avoid wasting money to set up tasks that are not used. Yes, that does create a natural tension over the Detour, but I think we've seen signs that suggest that if it's a really good task, they're making such tasks a route marker task rather than one of two detour options. The detour options also seem to be more carefully balanced as to their benefits and liabilities, although there have been detour tasks that some teams found easy.
I don't think the express pass relates to travel as such; the show has tried to balance bunching on the one hand, and trying to prevent some teams from being able to get too far ahead or fall too far behind on the other. The one fault is the tasks that a particular teams finds impossible to complete-- we've had more teams quit in the last few seasons and not due to an injury. That's a concern to me (exhaustion really isn't an injury so that's a risk of the game that all of the teams could face if the make a lot a bad decisions in a very short period of time.)

I'm still hoping that at some point we'll be able to get back to a 13-episode season at least some of the time.  TPTB seem to have hit on a filming schedule which allows them to compress filming to 3 weeks; and with 13 legs, we could have 12 teams for a complete first leg. :)
« Last Edit: July 17, 2010, 10:16:49 PM by theschnauzers »
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Offline Evan_Weinstein

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Re: TAR 17 New Game Play Twist
« Reply #24 on: July 17, 2010, 08:29:58 PM »
haha, that's why i say this is my guess/prediction, oh wait, did i mention it in my earlier post, LOL
i think this new twist could be helping a team or several teams to get a faster or better connection to their new destination, also i will not rule out the possibilities of letting the team(s) who used it to book business class tickets
I would think this new twist should be something we can actually see on TV for more than just "___ & ___ used an express pass allowing them to travel via ____" :lol:
Singaporean here - PM me, if you need me to translate, Chinese, Malay, English, German or Japanese