Topic: The Amazing Race: Design Challenge VIII - Final Round Design Show on Page 50!

[gamerfan09]

Gamer's Judgments:

Since my former reveals of the grades led to some controversy as well as a ruiner of the surprises of my generally low scores, I will be abandoning grades from here on out as a permanent judge. I will let the comments and my eventual scores speak for themselves

First up, we are gonna do... Oceania.

MrDS - [Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea]

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Your first cryptic clue is okay, but I think it’s a little bit too abstract for a proper clue? It definitely feels more at home with an ORG Race.

Your Detour is great. I like the storytelling Detour much more, but the feathers is pretty decent too. It’s cultural, it’s relevant, and both options showcase tribal life pretty well. My only nitpick is that I think it’s slightly infeasible to assume that there will be enough targets? A defined set of “teams must hit between x” would have made a difference. But still, really liked your Detour.

The oil barrel Route Info is an okay physical labor task, but I just wish it was different. It kind of feels odd to go from a cultural Detour to a modernized task and then back to cultural when we head to your final stretch of the leg.

Your Speed Bump and Roadblock both compliment each other well, and I like the culture shown - I’m just not very sure how literally buying a bride will translate in present day. But as objective tasks, I like how your Speed Bump ties in, and your Roadblock can result in a fun to watch hunt.

We then head off to Loloata Island, and it's a pretty sight!

MDS, as a whole, I enjoyed your leg. I’m just not too sure with your first cryptic clue and the oil barrel task. The oil barrel task really sticks out poorly in a leg that was otherwise brimming with cultural practices and heritage.

But everything else is really good, love said cultural practice and heritage displayed, and I definitely respect that you tried your best to go beyond basic height tasks or digging tasks like what most island legs do. Sure, your Roadblock was technically digging/searching, but I love the cultural element tied into it.

Your locations and presentation also click well, and as a whole, this is a great effort. Good job

BourkieBoy - [Thredbo, Australia]

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Right off the gate, I’m already confused with your leg Bourkie. Why do you have a 20 hour layover? You’re in New Zealand and you’re flying to Australia. Pretty sure that’s unnecessary.

We then go to a pub and have a bull riding task. I think my main problem with this, Bourkie, is that you didn’t exactly specify how many bulls there are. Are teams really just going to wait for each other one at a time until everyone’s done? I think a lack of detail hurts this task. I don’t know how many teams are running this leg either. If this was like 4 teams, it’s a burden but passable. If it’s 10, then it’s a nightmare with only seemingly 1 bull.

The next choice was just confusing as well honestly. We just had a bull task… and then we proceed to pay tribute to a natural disaster. It just doesn’t click together although I appreciate you trying to integrate a lesser known disaster. Just doesn’t feel right having this be immediately after a bull task.

We then go to a lodge, and I’m a bit confused with your Speed Bump. It’s pretty much just eating snacks? It’s not much of a challenge and I think the affected team might even enjoy getting food for coming in last.

I’m also confused with your Roadblock. The task is fine, just breaking ice, but why go to a church to do it? Your Detour right after this is honestly just generic, but I do have problems with the structure. Search is alright, but your Ski Detour… teams don’t have to hit a time limit? They just have to Ski? If that was the case then everyone’s just gonna do the Ski since there’s no margin for error.

We then go to the Pit Stop.

Bourkie, considering how much I disliked your Round 1 submission, I will stand by my word and say that this is indeed an improvement. However, there are still things there that are lacking. The 20 hour layover is unnecessary, your tasks didn’t really flow together, and there’s a lack of detail where it matters. I’m also not fond of your chosen locations being too many hotels and/or restaurants.

Additionally…. I will call this out. I don’t know if its outright plagiarism, but your tasks are the exact same as TARAUS 2 Canada, the episode where Lucy & Emilia got eliminated. The only thing new you added to it was the Speed Bump and the memorial. Everything else is legitimately from TARAUS2, even your Detour names. I know we’re talking about originality from a TARUS standpoint, but plagiarism, no matter what, is a big no no.

I will conclude this judgment by saying plagiarism is absolutely unacceptable. At least you improved your presentation.

Jimmer - [Tarawa, Kiribati]

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Your opening dance is a cool task to start off the leg. We then get to your Detour. I like the food theme, and I like the social impact your Detour has. But I’m not too sure about the fishing. This is just a personal pet peeve of mine, but I really find fishing tasks on TAR not the most exciting thing in the world. The planting is better though. Both are balanced and physical tasks at least.

We then go to your Roadblock which is building a sea wall. The idea is interesting, in that its almost like a puzzle, while also carrying on your social impact theme. A cryptic clue later and we’re done with your leg.

Jimmer, I liked this leg more than your first round submission. I thought this was a decent, short leg that pretty much just gets things done while having a social impact theme. I don’t really have much problems other than the fact that I hate fishing on the show, but that’s it lol. Solid effort, good job.

[gamerfan09]

Gamer's Judgments:

Next up... Africa and the Americas!

Bookworm - [Lamu, Kenya]

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I’m very sorry that my critiques are getting less wordy as they go on, but it’s exhausting writing back to back Bookworm (I wrote these in chronological order while viewing the Design Show). So I’ll try to keep this as short as I can while getting my points across.

I love your Detour. This is my internal bias speaking, but the donkeys in TAR12 is the scene that got me hooked on the show, and any way to emulate that is always welcome. It’s not only an animal task, it’s also navigation, and the fact that there’s no leashes make the task funny already. And your location also helps make sure no donkeys truly run away because of the narrow areas, which was a good detail. Trade Routes is also a great task. It’s both a physical and estimation task, and I can easily see teams switching back and forth. It’s a hard and really good Detour! And I respect you not being tempted to add a U-Turn to this. Finishing one option is hard enough.

We then take a dhow and have a hat contest Roadblock. Love this as well. It’s cultural, your location is pretty, and seeing the many hats will definitely be a good sight. We then make coconut juice. Honestly Bookworm, if I really had to nitpick, I think that your Detour and Roadblock is hard enough to the point that the coconut juice seems like it should have been the quick short task to begin your leg. It definitely would have made a very intense race between all the teams right from the get go, as well as carry that momentum for the rest of the leg. It being after two tough tasks makes it hard to imagine multiple teams being there, since the two tasks would be enough to split them.

But that’s really my only complaint. Loved your leg, loved the tasks, loved the locations. Great job!

Lemontail - [Constantine, Algeria]

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Like your Algerian cuisine task! It’s a potentially competitive task from the get go with many teams at the restaurant, and running back and forth from the bridges should be an interesting sight.

We then go to a museum and stack a pyramid. I like the detail involving the numbers, and there’s a chance structures can fall down and cause drama, but I somehow think this task would work better as another Route info. Actually, I think the two tasks you’ve shown so far would make a great Detour. One involves memory and the other involves being careful, with the latter potentially causing mass switches when their pyramid falls down. Again, that’s just my opinion, but we have two good tasks so far that I feel could have been structured better.

We then head off to carve out berber, and while I like the language being featured in the third task in a row, it’s a bit too similar to your restaurant task and museum simply because they involve the berber alphabet.

And again with the Berber when we get to your Detour. I like that this is a theme, forcing teams to deal with the language barrier, but it just feels repetitive, unfortunately. Your Detour is just okay, but I think there’s unnecessary bloat there. I think for the first Detour, just making the sentence is the challenge, the translation doesn’t feel necessary. As for the other Detour, I think the measurements aren’t needed as well.

We then head to the Pit Stop to end the leg.

Lemontail, I loved your leg for the first half, but the second half just lost me. I get the theme you were going for with the alphabet playing a part in the whole leg, but the results are your Detour essentially looking like the same thing when there are two perfectly good tasks earlier in the leg that would have made a good Detour. I think that if you just cut your actual Detour, then made the Detour the restaurant vs. the pyramid, then Roadblock as the carving, you’d have had a short, sweet, and fun leg. As is, there’s just a little too much that I’m mixed on it.

Still, good effort. Africa is a harder place to design in in general, and I know that + this round was not easy.

NELs - [Isla Mujeres, Mexico]

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First things first, thank you for your cleaned up presentation! It’s miles better than your Round 1 submission.

Now for the leg. I like the Chichen Itza visit, but I’m immediately not too sure of the gold carts for the leg. It’s unique, yes, but I don’t know how to feel about using this mode of transport for the leg.

Your Detour is a good set of tasks. The margaritas are something that’s been done on TAR18 kinda, but it’s a light, breezy task to kick off the leg. The Mercado Detour is also a good selling task that’s not too hard, but offers a challenge. Your Detour is simple, sweet, and a fine way to kick off the leg. It’s not mindblowing, but I can definitely see these tasks complimenting the location well.

We then have a Yield. Good placement! The Detour is simple enough for teams to truly be affected by the Yield, but not hard enough to make a Yield a death sentence.

Your Roadblock… I’m not too sure though. I like the idea of a picturesque diving task, but it doesn’t seem like it’s very hard? It also retroactively makes your Yield a bit bigger of a deal than I initially thought. And then the Pit Stop is right after on foot? I’m not too sure either. But I like the turtles! That’s a cute touch.

NELs, your presentation was definitely improved this round and that is something I cannot deny. You really took the criticism for your presentation and moved forward. Good!

For your leg… I really liked the first half until the Yield. But I just felt that the leg was a little bit too short for the rest and I felt like the golf carts were unnecessary. Moreover, with the diving and the margarita making… I don’t know, I just had a weird TAR18 deja vu vibe reading your leg. I know they’re different legs in that season, but they immediately remind me of that because of their respective settings. Your locations, however, are pretty enough to make the leg stand out in its own way.

As a whole, your leg is solidly okay. Hope that you do better next round, and again, the presentation is great. Keep that up.

Declive - [Altiplano, Bolivia]

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We have a zipline with a Fast Forward. I like the idea of throwing a GIF in, presentation wise. But honestly, I’m not too sure for the feasibility of your FF. I get that a minivan is meant to accompany teams for safety, but its just too questionable and unsafe a location for teams to take IMO.

Your zipline Roadblock is fine. I like the idea of teams taking it back and forth and remembering, but I’m not as sure about this being the first task of the leg. It would definitely truncate teams too much if more were in at this point and immediately create a soft, linear bunch.

We then drive to your Detour, and while I actually really like both your options, I’m not too sold on the Flying Man Detour being another zipline when we just had a zipline. It’s an unconventional collection task, yes, but I’m not too sure about how feasible it will look. The other Detour is much better, and since Bolivia has proven to be a very physically demanding location on the show, it’s a great physical task.

We then head to the Pit Stop.

Declive, I liked your locations and the idea of your tasks, but I just thought that it was a little bit too repetitive with the ziplines and the Fast Forward. The only problem I have with your leg is feasibility, as well as its relative structure. As isolated pieces, your leg is decent, but when its thrown together it’s not clicking as well as it should.

Still, as I said, your locations are good, and there are good ideas there. Best of luck in the next round.

[gamerfan09]

Gamer's Judgments:

We will now look at... Asia!

nrh2110 - [Lhasa, Tibet]

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Your Detour is solid! Sells and Smells both really do have their own pros and cons, and I can see how the latter can be deceptively simple. I do, however, think that this seems to be your leg’s major part, and then it’s immediately followed by an HoO. I like the bunching of teams, but the Detour didn’t exactly sound like it was preceeding one.

On the next morning, we have a physically demanding Roadblock of being a porter, which I honestly like. I can definitely see the stress already if something falls off lol. It’s a good task with a great view, and a good blend of attributes (physically demanding going down, then mental setting up the camp). It’s also a good way for teams to catch up.

We then head to a Monastery and then have a Head to Head. Honestly, I really do not like the Head to Head’s implementation on TARUS. It’s pretty much a death sentence for the last team to finish, and it just nullifies the entire leg before it.

And your Head to Head itself…. I honestly don’t know lol. I get that it’s cultural. I appreciate the tie-in with the monks. But I’m not too sure having teams exaggerating gestures and miming in a monastery in a foreign country is the most sensitive thing to air. It’s honestly just not that feasible for me, sadly. I think this task would have been better suited as a Fast Forward or a Speed Bump or even a Roadblock, with the team doing it having to follow an example. That way it showcases the culture while avoiding any potential controversies. But as is, I also wish that it wasn’t 3 questions. 1 question for the debate would have been fine, 3 per matchup is just too much.

We then head to the palace to end the leg.

NRH, I really liked your tasks and aesthetics this round. It’s a nice mountain leg that honestly feels at home with something like TAR18 China 1. My problem, however, is that I’m not sure about your big bunch points. I felt like while an overnight rest was suitable for the Roadblock, it doesn’t feel like it flows very well since immediately after the RB is an H2H then the Pit Stop. Speaking of that, the H2H itself could also potentially cause controversy and might take up far too much time to nullify the Roadblock because of its nature.

I really think that had you had teams race to the overnight rest, then Roadblock, then Head to Head, then Detour, then Pit Stop, you would have had an amazing leg. I still really really like this, but I have structural problems and feasibility issues that hinder it. But still, this is a decent effort and good leg with fun tasks, good locations, and a pretty presentation. I just wish it was structured a bit better.

ZBC Company - [Mumbai, India]

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Your leg is a bit too inflated on the Google Docs front, so I’ll make my comments short.

Love the Bollywood Telephone task, followed by the Bollywood Script task. I get that its not exactly all that original for the latter, but that was on TARAUS2 and we’re speaking in a TARUS context, so I’ll let that slide.

We then have a Head to Head, which is a contact sport. Good! You understand where a Head to Head should be. It’s after two tasks, where teams can catch up or fall behind, and there are two other tasks after this to help the last place team catch up. Losing this H2H is not a death sentence, which is great.

Your Roadblock after is also really good. I love the idea of teams having to swim while carrying a statue and then back, and its a cultural task as well. And your Detour is just… wow. I love that for Build It Up it’s not actually teams that are doing the pyramid for safety reasons AND you made it a point to say that there are marked people to do the pyramid for them. It’s a claustrophobic, chaotic task that probably looks great in motion.  Designing It Up is a shopping AND memory task. Good! My only concern is that we already had a religious task before this, but your Detour is great.

We then head to the Pit Stop.

ZBC, your leg, honestly, is amazing. I liked all the tasks, it’s a very very full leg, and it showcases both Bollywood and Indian culture well. My problem, however, is that I think that the leg is too full to the point that it might be infeasible to fit in one episode. Additionally, I will not be judging your leg as how it looks now. I judged it based off what I saw in the Google Docs when the deadline was up, so your presentation is easily the weakest part of this leg.

If you got your presentation together, and cut a task or two (I feel like one of the Bollywood tasks could have gone as well as the H2H), this leg gets a near-perfect score from me. For now, it doesn’t, but this is still a great effort regardless. I just wish your presentation was spot on from the get go.

elthemagnifico - [Nias Island, Indonesia]

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I see you’re designing in your home country. Let’s take a look

I like your photos and your initial Route Infos. The Detour is great on paper. It’s a deceptively simple jumping task vs. a complex building task. It’s two good, cultural options. I just am not too sure about your safety gear for the first Detour. Even if teams are in safety gear… I’m still not sure if there’s no room for teams to really injure themselves, so that kind of hurts this task’s feasibility.

We then head to the beach and do a ritual. This is a great performance task, and I really like you digging into the cultural aspect of your location. Your Roadblock then happens. Honestly El, I like the idea of causing awareness for a big incident, but I’m not too sure the way to do it is making an SOS sign like the victims and then skydiving. The Pit Stop being right after also honestly hurts the dive personally… since there’s no way teams will be skydiving at the same time, it seems hard to think the order they jump will be the order they start going to the Pit Stop.

As a whole El, I did find your leg decent. The locations are pretty, it was rich in culture, and I can tell you really tried. But feasibility issues with your first Detour and potential sensitivity issues with your Roadblock + logistical issues kind of hurt it. Still, another decent leg from you, keep it up and good luck on the next round.

Stone - [Issyk Kul, Kyrgyzstan]

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Presentation-wise, I liked how you described your leg, but I felt like your Detour was too long. Short and sweet descriptions with a little detail work best, I honestly felt like I was reading a report :x

With that said, your Detour is solid. I like the milk and making that small building is cool to see. I also like that we go from hot to cold for the next location, but I think the Double U-Turn is unnecessary. Your Detour is tough enough that the U-Turn would feel like a death sentence, and this is one of the cases where I feel a U-Turn before the Detour would actually work better simply based off location.

Your Roadblock is interesting, and I like the idea of teams playing 3 games, but my problem with it is that the final game, the mancala-esque one, is not very telegenic. The archery and the wrestling would be fun to watch, but the last one doesn’t feel necessary and wouldn’t really translate all that well to TV in my opinion. But I like it’s difficulty to help potentially negate the U-Turn.

We then head to the Pit Stop.

Stone, I thought this was a better submission than Round 1, but I have some issues with your U-Turn placement and your Roadblock feeling a bit too long. Speaking of too long, I thought your Detour description was that. I get fitting in as much culture as possible, but you could have conveyed the same message with less words. A chunk of that Detour description definitely fits better in the notes.

Still, good effort. Best of luck in the next round

[gamerfan09]

Gamer's Judgments:

And last but not the least.... Europe!

Nuku - [Aosta, Italy]

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First off, like your new cleaned up presentation! That’s already something that stands out after Round 1, so good job there.

I like the cow fighting, and I do understand that you did say that this is more of a TAR21 situation than a TAR4 situation (in that teams are just watching the fight rather than taking part), but I will be reading the designs as they are posted. No clarifications after you post your design, it should already be there. Still a decent clue to kick it off then.

We then immediately head to the mountains and have a ski RB. What I like is the bait and switch there since you’d assume its a snow task, but the terrain is different. It’s a fine twist on what is otherwise a pretty generic task.

We then drive to Chamois, take a cable car, and then have a navigation task with the gnome. This is a decent task, although I’m slightly concerned with the amount of product placement you have thus far. The gnome, the Camera, and then the car… its a bit overkill, I think. It’s not a major element of your leg, but it is something to nitpick presentation-wise. Still, really like this Route Info. There are many ways to tackle this task, and it could be a good one to shuffle placements.

Take another cable car to the Detour, and I also like your Detour! The Costume Detour speaks to me much more, and the Game On Detour (considering this is the show that replaced TAR32 I can’t help but feel triggered jk lmao) looks cool. I think what I like about this Detour is that both options aren’t necessarily the hardest, but they allow room for placements to shuffle and for mistakes to trip up teams and force them to think of switching or not. I’m not too sure about the limited stations though. That feels like kind of a bummer to have. It would have been better if your area was just larger for the Game On Detour.

We then head to the Pit Stop to end this leg, and it looks pretty.

Nuku, as a whole, this is a big improvement from your Round 1. I actually really liked this leg! Though I have some problems with the presentation (too much product placement - realistically TAR doesn’t overload the sponsors in 1 episode; lack of details with the cow; limited stations Detour), that doesn’t really hurt the whole package as much as it could have.

Solid effort, and a good step forward. Keep it up

MikeDodgers - [Sant Antoni, Spain]

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We fly to Ibiza, and we’re hit with a One Way. Mike, I don’t get the point of the twist, but I guess props for trying to implement this into TARUS lol.

Your Detour is… fine. I like the Spiritual Serenity task, and since your intent is for this to be a near-night leg, I love the idea of teams literally drumming as the sun goes down. However, since this is a near-night leg, it makes your other task feel more unfeasible. I assume it’s harder for teams to find sand sculptures once there’s no light. It’s a fine task, but I wish it was timed better.

We then have a diving Speed Bump. This is passable, but again, it’s almost night. Water tasks typically don’t happen at this time based on your timetable. We go to a nightclub, and I’m speechless just looking at your Roadblock question. I really have no words at this point, but the task connected to it is solid! As much as TAR24 sucks, the best leg of the season is one that delves into the nightlife, and this is a good music task that showcases such a scene. It’s not cultural, but its good.

However…. like your One Way, I really do not get the point of the Express Pass optional prize. That is now two unnecessary twists in the leg and it hasnt even ended yet.

And then an Active Route Info that’s just swimming… at night. Mike, it’s simply not safe to swim on a beach when its a night leg. It’s not feasible, and its not exactly a good task even on paper because it’s linear. The order teams get there will likely be the order they finish in.

We then head to the Pit Stop. I’m not sure about the commemoration of Colombus either but oh well.

Mike, as a whole, your leg had a decent Roadblock night task, and I love your tribal drum Detour. Unfortunately, everything else is just an unfeasible, repetitive mess. I don’t agree with two twists. I don’t agree with the idea of having 3 tasks be at night since its simply not safe, nor do I agree with a linear swimming task right before the Pit Stop when your Speed Bump already involved getting in the water. It’s just too much swimming, and you could have easily cut one for the other. I understand you say it’s a lit path for the final one… but unless your Wiki style is a typo, I don’t see how 1000 meters of a beach can be lit up at night that easily.

I wasn’t exactly a fan of this leg, but there are some bright spots, and I hope you can figure out what to focus on and what to cut moving forward.

redwings8831 - [Kotor, Montenegro]

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We go to a beach with radioactive sand and sunbathe. I honestly think that it’s not exactly a good idea to have teams wade in radioactive sand, and this pretty much doesn’t seem like it would be very exciting to watch.

We then have a Roadblock involving swimming and a puzzle. I’d honestly not be a fan of this task since I think its a little bit generic as far as swimming tasks go, but this is at the very start of the leg so it’s not really that big of a deal. It’s just fine.

We then have your Detour. Redwings, I like the potential callback to early TAR where there’s a “quick and scary” vs. “slow and steady” route for Detours, but it just doesn’t do it for me anymore in 2020. It really just doesn’t feel original when its done, and I don’t think even the strategic decision for the slower Detour and faster one matters all that much from a viewing perspective.

The leg then ends at the Pit Stop. It’s pretty!

Redwings, to put it lightly, I’m not really a fan of this leg. Its best aspects is that it is very much a leg that fits in with the golden era of TAR. It has pretty sights, more focused on getting to point A or point B than tasks, and a sense of adventure. The problem, however, is that this form of leg design feels dated in comparison to what we have now. It’s just too simple of a leg to really like.

With that said, I will be a bit more understanding, since I get the difficulties in designing around this round’s theme, but there’s just so much more that could have been done is all I will say. Best of luck in the next round.

BritishTARfan - [Western Scotland]

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Scotland! Interesting choice.

I like your dance task and the idea that teams have to wear the tartans for the rest of the leg lol. It’s good set dressing and a good task to start the leg.

A suggestion for next time, try a different shade of yellow when introducing your Detour text-wise. Yellow itself is not the most flattering color when reading a text design.

Now your Detour. The Whiskey one is okay, but I think it’s a little bit too similar to the TAR22 one. Doesn’t exactly help that it’s in the same environment kind of. I’m also not sure what the difficulty in Climb That Mountain is. They seem like minor hindrances more than actual challenges. I don’t know, I think your Detour is physical, yes, but not exactly the most balanced or exciting to see. It could be amusing seeing teams in costumes getting dirty, but otherwise, I got nothing.

We then get to your Roadblock which is spear throwing. I get that there’s safety guidelines that could be in play, but I just think this is more dangerous than most target tasks. It’s a fine task, but I’m not too sure if its feasible.

We then head to the Pit Stop. Are you missing pictures?

BritishTARFan, I didn’t really like this leg all that much, to put it bluntly. I thought that there were presentation issues, missing details, and it just kind of lost me after your good opening. It’s not a bad leg, but I think it’s more of that it’s relatively uninspiring. However, I do like that you managed to make your presentation better than your first submission, and you are definitely capable of producing decent tasks. Best of luck if you get to the next round.

betheactress - [Bergen, Norway]

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First off, WOW @ the GIF! That is a next level design choice I’ve seen and while it’s not consistent for the rest of the leg, I had to do a double take when I saw it. Really pretty graphic, I can’t stop staring at it lol. Legit feels like it could be an actual clue from the show if the banner was the same.

I do appreciate the many Route Infos to showcase some location before tasks, and your Fast Forward is fine. I think that there was a chance there for competition, but the uphill climb feels like it’s something straightforward that only one team will do. The location is pretty, but I think this could have honestly been an Active Route Info.

We then have a cryptic clue to lead up to your Detour. Your Detour is great! I think what sticks out with me is that essentially, both options deal with deliveries and navigation. It’s just that one has an assembly element and the other is dealing with animals. It’s a great way to show a Detour, since both options are literally the same thing, but with their own potential pros and cons. Balanced and simple.

After some more Route Infos, we get to your Roadblock. I like the fact that it’s a seemingly simple search task, but the patterns make it harder. I think it’s a novel idea, and I like that you noted that production assistants would help ensure the books were in the right order, but I’m either just stupid or I can’t figure out what you really mean by pattern lol. We then do a rock climb to end the leg. I think that unorthodox Pit Stop arrivals are cute (TAR10 China 1 <3), and I appreciate the extra challenge right before the end.

As a whole, your leg is great. I love the presentation, your tasks are solid, and I enjoyed your locations. The only thing I honestly have problems with is your Roadblock’s explanation and the Fast Forward’s application. Still, this is another great leg from you, good job!

[BritishTARFan]

There are pictures of my PitStop Gamer, sorry if they’re not loading for you!

Thank you for the comments, they’ll be noted

[gamerfan09]

There are pictures of my PitStop Gamer, sorry if they’re not loading for you!

Thank you for the comments, they’ll be noted

Whoops, see them now. Guess my net was just bad. Sorry lol

[ZBC Company]

Thx game

[Kamineko]

Poll is up!

[MikeDodgers]

Gamer, it was a typo in the wiki-style. I didn't realize it until I submitted. So that's on me. The swimming tasks as well as the sand sculpture task will be lit as the sun goes down. As to the One Way, I saw it being used in TAR Canada and I thought 'Why aren't they using it in our version?' So I tried to put it in.

[MikeDodgers]

Also, with the Express Pass not being awarded in Leg 1 or Leg 2 in my planned final route, I thought I'd make it a reward for teams to strive for as part of a task.

I hope my rebuttals clear things up for you.

[ZBC Company]

Game, Bollywood scripit is my speed bump

[Bookworm]

Gamer, I agree that the coconut juicing task slowed the momentum of the two earlier, more difficult tasks- there was no real place for it in crowded Lamu, but I will be more aware of task placement & difficulty moving forward. Thanks for the feedback and I'm glad you enjoyed my leg!

[Lemontail]

Gamer, I agree with some of your points - will keep note of that in future designs! Thanks for feedback!

[elthemagnifico]

Thanks gamer for the feedbacks <3 one thing I actually want to point but in pretty sure I made the stone jumping task safe and feasible, since not only they would have to wear safety gears, the backside of the stone is put with a mattress, so the impact of landing would be very minimal, thus very minimal injury. The stone is also made of sort kind of foam so whether they got stuck while jumping, the impact will also be minimal, And also there would be the local that not only supervise the jump but also, team's safety. And I think I put those stuffs on the task notes

Hope this counter will clear up things for you, but once again, thanks for the feedbacks <3

[ZBC Company]

I did my best leg.

[nrh2110]

Thanks for your comments Gamer.

The main reason the Detour is set up like that, like I noted in my comments, was to allow for altitude acclimation. I'm not a huge fan of having teams fly (especially for such a short flight) just to be immediately bunched up. I wanted to give them something to work for, and then bunch them up based on that, and then allow for the rest of the leg to be entirely around the theme of mountains.

I understand your feelings about the Head to Head, they're totally valid, and now realizing that it may have not been best to make that a Head to Head, but I agree with you about the TARUS implication of the H2H which is why I avoided putting it at the pit stop and allowed for a potentially tricky ARI. Since no teams will be expecting having to answer a question about the history of the palace and at most will just count the steps, so after having to have climbed a mount as a porter, they will be likely tired so after climbing 432 steps, they're going to have to descend them, find the answer, and climb again (and potentially have to recount) at the very least, so it allows teams to catch up/fall behind.

Hope this clarifies things. Thanks for your comments.

[betheactress]

Thank you gamerfan for your constructive criticism! I don't really feel I should respond to anything since if my roadblock was confusing to the reader then it's my fault and I'll accept the penalty. I will say that I did try to make more gifs (since I have a lot of videos of the Flämsbana, but it was in winter so I didn't want the aesthetic of my leg to be mixed up and just keep it pure summer (even though if you look close, you can see the ice floating in the gif lol)

[Declive]

Thank you gamerfan for your constructive criticism!

[Kamineko]

Kamineko's Comments

Hi all! I'm sorry for the delays.

I will start giving you my comments for your design. If somehow I missed some details in my comments that you already provided, please feel free to disagree. But if you added your extra notes after the leg has been posted, unfortunately I have to ignore that. You can still post that, so the audience can understand.

Remember that this is my personal opinion. It might be different from the other judges. All my criticisms are there to make your leg design better in upcoming rounds if you're safe, or in future seasons if you are eliminated.

One thing for sure that I've seen so far, there are some nice improvements compared to the first round. But there are also some legs that don't impress me.

I'm going to give my comments based on the order of the designs posted by Pi in the Design Showcase. Here we go!

[Kamineko]

Kamineko's Comments


Design #1: Nuku [Aosta, Italy]

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Oh, you’re finally using the BBCode. Good job on trying, I appreciate that!

Teams are starting in Cape Town, South Africa, but I am not fond of the starting location. If it’s the Pit Stop hotel, then it’s okay, but I would like to know the Pit Stop location as well. Then, teams fly to Milan, Italy, where they have to drive to the Aosta Valley. So far, I like the location chosen. I’m surprised that there’s also a bullfighting event in Italy. I thought it only happens in Spain.

At the arena, although you mentioned that the teams are only watching the show, you didn’t include that on the design, which unfortunately I have to ignore for the scoring. After that, teams are going to a ski resort for a grass skiing Roadblock. The task looks fun, and it’s a new thing for me to see a grass ski task.

After that, they have to go to the village of Chamois. I like the location. I also like that teams have to take a cable car to reach the village. In the village, the Active Route Info task is enjoyable because it involves navigating through the village. But I would like it better if you provide the map and the pictures of the landmarks.

Your Detour has good relevance to the location they’re in. I like the Game On task since it looks fun. The Costume On is not that new to see on TAR, but a festival-themed task is always fun to watch on television. Finally, they’re going to the Pit Stop, which is a charming and picturesque location.

For my final comments, I appreciate your effort in creating the leg using BBCode, after last time all you did was take a screenshot of a Google Docs that you made. I have some minor issues with the picture size that seems too small for me. Overall, a pretty solid leg from you this time.

Design #2: MrDS [Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea]

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So teams are starting in Brisbane, before flying to Port Moresby. I like that you pick this city since I would love to see what this country can bring, also with its location that’s near with Indonesia and just beside the Papua province, I think some of the culture there might be the same with the culture here.

Their first clue is a cryptic clue. I think it’s not that hard because the keyword is somewhat apparent. But I wonder if there’s a name for it in the local language, which may cause the locals don’t know the exact location of the “Pyramid Point.” After that, they go to a national park for a Detour. I like both Detour tasks. For the feathers task, although the first part kind of reminds me of the Detour task in Malaysia on TAR24 Leg 3, the fact that you added the feather collecting and headdress weaving makes the task looks more interesting to watch. The story-telling task is also fun to watch. It’s just a classic learning-the-local-language task, but a small twist of telling a story combined with a dancing routine. It looks pretty tough to complete since they have to memorize the story while moving, but I love it because it adds another challenge.

Then they have to go to a harbor where they have to transport oil barrels. I like the task because it’s a classic labor task in third-world countries. This task also fits as a Roadblock, so making it an Active Route Info will make it easier to complete. After that, they have to go to the beach to search for a wedding procession. Your Speed Bump task is excellent. I know this culture of meal making since it is similar to the Bakar Batu ritual in Papua in Indonesia. I also think that the task is perfect for a Speed Bump.

The Roadblock task looks interesting since it’s rare to see a wedding tradition like that. Searching seashells can be a hard task, especially under the sun. Teams may struggle here due to the heat. So I hope that the shells are not buried and just there on top of the sand. Finally, they are going to the Pit Stop. But I don’t really like a speedboat riding to the Pit Stop since it will be a linear one without a chance of position shuffling after teams ride the speedboat.

For my final comments, your leg is almost perfect except the concern for the cryptic clue and the travel to the Pit Stop. Your Speed Bump is excellent for me. I also have some concern if this leg airs for a 1-hour episode, many things will be edited out. Maybe it will look better for a 2-hour episode. But overall, it’s nice to see you back into this game, and I hope you will continue to impress us in later rounds.

Design #3: BourkieBoy [Thredbo, Australia]

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So teams are starting in Auckland, where they have to make their way to Thredbo. Weirdly, teams are flying to Canberra then driving to Thredbo, but your clue said, “Fly to Thredbo, Australia.” I thought there is an airport in Thredbo, which is somewhat misleading. Also, what’s with the 20 hours connection in Sydney anyway? You can make the teams start in Sydney instead of Auckland to save some time, right.

Arriving in Thredbo, they have to find a burger bar where they have to participate in a mechanical bull competition. It’s not a new thing to watch in TAR. How many mechanical bulls are there? About the combined time, if someone got 15 seconds in their first try and then got 10 seconds, do they count as a combined of 25 seconds or only the 15 seconds is considered? After that, they have to make their way on foot to a landslide site memorial to pay some respect. I like moments like these on TAR, so good job on that.

Then they have to go to a lodge. There’s no need to say “Caution: Speed Bump ahead!” since only one team will complete that. The Speed Bump is eating Vegemite on toast, performing a “Tim Tam Slam,” and eating pavlova. I’ve tasted Vegemite before, and I know the taste, so it’s going to be interesting to see the team’s reaction to eating that. But my main issue is that the rule clearly stated that the Speed Bump task must be related to the mountains or beaches theme, and this task is not a mountain-themed Speed Bump task. What is a “Tim Tam Slam” anyway? I’m not Australian, so I don’t understand what that is.

After that, they get a Roadblock, which breaks a block of ice to get the clue inside. This task is not an original one since we’ve seen this task on original versions of TAR. Also, what’s the connection of the Roadblock with the chapel? I don’t understand. I think you randomly choose a landmark as a Roadblock location, and I’m sure that a chapel is a random one for sure. Then they get a Detour, which has the same name as the Detour in TAR Australia 2 Leg 10. I know that it’s not in the US version, but I cannot ignore the fact that the task name and the description are the same. Finally, teams make their way to a Pit Stop in an inn, which is not that interesting.

For my final comments, I know 100% that I should try to avoid commenting on the similarity with tasks from other versions of TAR. But I should mention this exact leg this time:

https://realityfanwiki.com/index.php?title=The_Amazing_Race_Australia_2_Leg_10

I think you should know why I attach that link because almost all your tasks are taken from that specific leg. The only difference was the Vegemite eating and the paying respect part, which did not redeem the fact that you didn’t create original tasks. Your locations are also really random and not that interesting to see. Too bad that you’re making a leg in your home country and what you show me is like this. I’m really disappointed in that because I expected much more than this from you, especially that you seem really proud of your country. It’s okay to take inspiration from previous tasks and then make it your own, but not taking all the tasks there for your leg is not a good practice.

Design #4: nrh2110 [Lhasa, Tibet]

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So, a good choice of picking the previous leg's location, which is a not yet visited location in China. I would love to see what kind of leg Chongqing can bring as well.

Teams have to fly to Lhasa in Tibet, where they have to go to Barkhor Square to get a Detour. The selling task can be chaotic since they have to sell stuff to the Chinese locals, which I know can be loud and annoying for some people. I hope that teams can complete this task without getting them insane. The smelling task can be hard to complete if teams are having it hard to differentiate the smells of incense. Also, in Lhasa, they cannot run as usual due to the elevation, so completing this task may take longer than usual.

And then they have to go to Pabonka Hermitage where they have to take a number for the next day's departure. Sorry, I don't like the placement of this since it will be anticlimactic for some teams, especially for the front runners. The next day, they face a Roadblock, which tells them to carry heavy loads on a mountain track. This task can be hard for some teams due to the elevation, so I hope that nobody will get medical treatment due to running out of breaths.

After that, they have to go to a monastery for a Head to Head. While the concept looks interesting, I cannot imagine how the debate proceeds. Maybe for a task like this, you can provide a video for it. Also, with the fact that you put the Head to Head after Hours of Operation (excluding the Roadblock) with time slots, I am not too fond of it since the teams on the last slot cannot catch up. Then, they have to go to Potala Palace for a step-counting task. I don't understand the task placement since it's too random. Also, what's the answer to the question anyway? Maybe at least the answer for the year should be provided later on. Finally, they are going to the Pit Stop in a wetland reserve, which I don't find interesting since all your tasks have the same theme, and suddenly you threw a wetland as a Pit Stop location. Perhaps if you stick to the historic landmark as a Pit Stop will be better in my case.

For my final comments, I like that you took an attempt to design a leg in Tibet, which can be hard. I am not too fond of the Hours of Operation placement with time slots followed by a Head to Head. Some of your tasks also concern me for the feasibility due to the elevation. Finally, your Pit Stop location is anticlimactic for me after beautiful sites you showcased before that. It's just a mediocre leg for me with nothing awe-inspiring. Maybe I suggest that if you're creating a task, don't be too hung up with a Fantasy Game task, since I think that you're designing this leg for a Fantasy Game instead for a Design Challenge; thus kind of limits what you can bring in the end.

[Kamineko]

Kamineko's Comments


Design #5: MikeDodgers [Sant Antoni, Spain]

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Okay, so teams are starting in Florence, Italy. I like the Pit Stop location too since it's the main landmark in the city. Teams have to fly to Ibiza, Spain! I'm excited about this location already, so I have a high expectation of what you can show to me in Ibiza.

Arriving in Ibiza, teams have to make their way to Cala Saladeta for a Detour. But wait, there's a One Way! I like the One Way twist because the victims are forced to take one side of the Detour, which can make or break for them. For your Detour, I think the Sand Shock task is pretty nice. I wonder when you said, "each of those sculptures has a letter hidden on them," meaning that there's a letter printed on the sculpture. For the Spiritual Serenity task, it's an excellent cultural task from this location, especially since all I can imagine from Ibiza is not like this. I have one issue, however. Your flight clearly states that it lands at 6.00 PM, which is weird to place the Sand Shock task. Also, it won't look nice on television because a night leg on beaches is too dark.

Then there's also a Speed Bump, which is an underwater searching task. Not new, but I once again have the problem with the timing. How can you make the team have to dive underwater at night? Completing the Detour, they are instructed to go to a nightclub.

Arriving at the nightclub, they find a Roadblock. Your Roadblock question is just weird for me, sorry. Your Roadblock task is nice. It's never been done before, so I wonder what the execution will be like, especially on camera. You didn't give enough explanation of what will make this task look interesting since only making a setlist can be completed on a piece of paper. Maybe if you add more exciting things like the songs are performed on stage, or teams have to navigate through the crowds to find a song, it will look better.

Then, they have to go to Cala Gracio for an Active Route Info. This task looks random, although the purpose is to fulfill the requirement. I do not particularly appreciate that it's already dark, so it's not feasible to do this task. A 100m swim relay is also not that nice in-camera. Perhaps making them race with locals or add anything else will make it better. Finally, they have to go to the Pit Stop, a nice monument.

For my final comments, I like that there are some improvements seen in your design. Although some of your tasks are okay, I don't like that they belong on day legs, but you're saying it's a night leg. You can add an Hours of Operation to make the tasks feasible to complete because beach-themed tasks on night legs just aren't working for me. Please pay attention to the minor details like this later on.

Design #6: ZBC Company [Mumbai, India]

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Okay, so once again, you’re submitting in Google Docs format. As much as I want to say okay for using that, I have to appreciate other designers more who made an effort in creating the presentation using BBCode. It’s easier to create the formatting like font sizes, colors, alignment, attaching pictures, and other stuff, but I don’t see a reason not to do the presentation in BBCode. I know that you have submitted designs using BBCode back in TAR: DC VII, when I was also a judge, so I don’t see why you don’t do that this time.

Teams start in Rovaniemi, Finland, which I love to see a leg happening there. Your Pit Stop location is also great. They have to fly to Mumbai, India. I like making the teams travel from the chilly weather of Finland to the intense heat of India. Arriving in Mumbai, they have to make their way to Film City. Once there, they will face an Active Route Info for a Bollywood x Telephone (Chinese Whispers) task. While I like the concept, I want to know how long the routine that they have to pass on? Also, because I’m not a dance teacher, I find it hard to imagine whether the team member can teach how to dance to a group of dancers. Also, what would happen if they forget? They can get back, right? I think it will take too long to complete.

There’s also a Speed Bump where they have to translate a film script from Hindi to Gujarati. While I find it interesting that they’re translating between two languages that are not English, I find it hard to imagine whether the audience will understand the difference between both languages. Also, how long is the script that they have to translate? I think this task is too hard to be a Speed Bump.

After that, they have to go to Girgaum Chowpatty Beach for a Head to Head. It’s weird to see a Head to Head, but your graphic shows a Route Info. Head to Head has its graphic, I guess. I love the Kabaddi task, so hopefully, it gives the last team a chance to get back on after such a difficult Speed Bump. Then they encounter a Roadblock where one team member has to transport a small Ganesha statue from a boat to the beach. What’s the question for the Roadblock? How far is the boat from the beach? I need more details on this.

Then, they have to go to a basilica for a Detour. For the Build It Up task, I love the crowd participation and how it will look on TV. I’m not sure about having to guide 50 unknown Indian men for this. Also, will the teams participate in the tower building, or they will watch and wait? In Design It Up, I like that they have to buy things that are probably hard to find. I’m not sure if the 5-second video is enough to determine which item to buy, however. But reasonable effort on both culturally relevant Detour tasks. Finally, they are going to the Pit Stop in a garden, a nice break from the crowd.

For my final comments, I think that some of your tasks are too complex and may take too long to complete. The Speed Bump is also not related to the beach theme, as asked at the beginning of the round. But I like that you incorporate your tasks to fit the culture there. Your Head to Head also works because it’s placed pretty early on the leg. Like I said at the beginning, however, I cannot ignore the fact that you took an easy route of styling using Google Docs, so your presentation score will be pretty affected due to this. For later rounds, if you proceed, because I know that you previously had submitted a leg design using the BBCode back in TAR: DC VII, I expect you to do the same next time.

Design #7: redwings8831 [Kotor, Montenegro]

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So teams are starting from the Castel del Monte. I love the previous Pit Stop location, and I could see it becoming a Pit Stop in the real version of TAR. Then teams have to make their way to Igalo in Montenegro via Bari and Dubrovnik. I’m sensing a drama might happen when teams are on the way from Dubrovnik to Igalo since they have to pass through the border check right.

Arriving at the beach in Igalo, they have to sunbathe on the beach for 15 minutes. Although it sounds boring, doing nothing for 15 minutes, especially in a race, can feel like forever. But that’s a nice addition so teams can relax for a bit. Then, they have to make their way to the town of Herceg Novi, where they have to ride a boat to Strand von Dobrec. I love the scenery here, and I think it will look lovely on TV.

Arriving at Strand von Dobrec, they find a Roadblock. The Roadblock task looks interesting, where they have to swim through the dark tunnel. Is it safe, though? I don’t understand the condition of the current there, but I’m afraid that it might endanger the team member if suddenly the current changes. Solving a puzzle task is not bad, but I’m getting bored with solving a puzzle task, so I expect more than that. Thankfully the jigsaw puzzle determines their next location, which can be hard if they cannot find someone who knows the exact location, so pretty much you’re safe this time.

On Saint George Island, they have to ride a kayak to the shore where they have to travel by taxi to Kotor. Just saying, kayaking while having their bags on can be hard. Also, if they fall to the water, their bag will get soaked. Arriving in Kotor, they encounter a Detour. For the Slow Climb Up, it’s just the classic walking task without having to do anything, but the time taken is long. On the Quick Fly Down, they have to paraglide down, which is another classic task. While both Detour options highlight the view of the Bay of Kotor, I feel that both can be done anywhere else and not showcasing what the Bay of Kotor provides more than just the look. Finally, they are going to the city of Sveti Stefan to find the Pit Stop on an islet on a resort.

For my final comments, I love the way teams are always traveling far away between locations with multiple kinds of transportation methods. This leg also really showcases the beauty of the locations. However, I feel like the tasks are not that impressive and overwhelmed by the locations you picked. Hopefully, you can focus more on creating impressive tasks while showcasing beautiful locations.

Design #8: BritishTARFan [Western Scotland, United Kingdom]

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Okay, so you're picking your home country. I expect an impressive leg from you then. I was hoping you could show me what TAR hasn't showcased in the UK.

Teams are starting in Manama, Bahrain, where they have to fly to Glasgow. Arriving in Glasgow, they have to drive to Loch Achtriochtan. I like the scenery already, so rowing a boat there will be nice to watch. Then, they have to make their way to Glencoe Folk Museum, where they have to perform in a Scottish group dance called Ceilidh. Your attached video won't load on the page, however. I think that the code formatting is not correct. You can see several videos posted on the forum to see what you did wrong. The twist that teams have to wear the tartans for the rest of the leg is fun.

Then they get the Detour. Ugh, please don't use yellow in your presentation. It hurts my eye. For the finding whiskey barrel, it's pretty good if the location is like in the picture you're using, since it can confuse some teams. The mountain climbing task reminds me of the Shemozzle obstacle running task in TAR22 Leg 3, so nothing new for that. After that, they have to make their way to Achintee Farm for a Roadblock. The Roadblock is nice because it has an excellent relevance to the history there. Some teams may struggle here as well. Finally, they are going to the Pit Stop, the viaduct where scenes from Harry Potter were filmed.

For my final comments, I love that you're showcasing both the beautiful views of Scotland and highlighting some culture there. You're having some issues with your presentation though. I hope you can try to preview your design before submitting it to prevent things like this from happening in the future.

[Kamineko]

Kamineko's Comments


Design #9: NELs [Isla Mujeres, Mexico]

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So teams are starting in Guatemala City, where they have to go to the city of Mérida in Mexico. Arriving in Mérida, they have to drive to Chichen Itza and find El Castillo. At the same time, they’re just going there to find the next clue. Having some good views on TV wouldn’t be such a problem. I would love it if they have to find someone dressed up as a Mayan warrior or something like that instead of just a clue box.

They have to go to Isla Mujeres using a ferry where they have to find a golf cart, which they will use for the rest of the leg. Arriving in Isla Mujeres, they find a Detour. The Margarita option looks okay, and it matches with the location theme. I hope that they have to serve more than one glass each to make it more difficult. In Mercado, they have to sell Mexican sombreros, which is okay too. Both tasks look simple but culturally relevant, so that’s a good job.

After that, they have to go to Monumento Tiburon Ballena, where they will encounter a Yield. It is pretty random, but I like the placement of the Yield. And then, they have to go to Garrafon Natural Reef Park, where they have to take a zipline first before finding a Roadblock. The Roadblock task is just okay. It’s good to see underwater views as well. It’s a solid and straightforward task, in my opinion. Finally, they are going to the next Pit Stop at the Punta Sur. Excellent additional info on what they will do on the Pit Stop anyway.

For my final comments, I love that you showcase the Chichen Itza first before continuing the whole leg on the island. Your tasks are also simple but pretty much solid. Also, I appreciate you trying to complete the design using the Fantasy Game format and in the BBCode.

Design #10: betheactress [Bergen, Norway]

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First, we have teams starting in Bangkok, Thailand, where they have to fly to Bergen, Norway. I like the sudden jump from Southeast Asia to Northern Europe. Arriving in Bergen, they have to go to Bryggen, where they have to find a staircase for their next clue. I like that the clue box is somewhat hidden, so teams will scramble to find the clue, and we may see some positions changing.

Then suddenly they have to go to Flåm by train. I think the position scrambling at the Bryggen is wasted because they most likely will be bunched up. Wow at your graphic using GIF on the Route Info anyway. I have never seen anything like that! On the way by train, there will be a hidden clue on one of the stops, which is a clue for the Fast Forward. I wonder if there's more than one team attempting the Fast Forward. How far is Kjosfossen Falls from their original destination anyway? How can they catch up if they cannot complete the Fast Forward? Are there more trains? 
The Fast Forward task looks simple because it's just a hiking task, although it takes a long time to complete. I think there is a chance of teams not making it in the first place if the hiking takes too long to complete.

Arriving in Flåm, they get a cryptic clue to find the smallest stave church in Europe, which should be easily located by asking the locals. Arriving at the Undredal Stave Church, they get a Detour. The Cheese Bowl task looks intricate to complete. It's also nice that I've just watched Gordon Ramsay's video of cooking an omelet using the Brunost cheese, so I have a slight knowledge about this cheese and how it looks. How will the teams deliver the cheese anyway? It will have been more fun if it involves some traditional carts. For the Goat Stroll task, it's another hiking task, but this time with some goats. I wonder if baby goats will be hard to handle, but after seeing long hiking on the Fast Forward, I think this Detour task won't look that exciting anymore.

Then they have to go to the Stegastein Viewpoint, which has a breathtaking view. The clue instructs them to make their way to Fjærland, where they have to find a bookstall on the quay. Once there, they find a Roadblock. I love that the Roadblock task is related to the clue location. The Roadblock task may seem confusing for some people if they make a mistake in the middle. Also, I prefer to read your explanation on the Wiki version for the description of this task because it's clearer, at least to me. The final book with a slight twist is impressive too. I want to know how far the bookstalls are from each other. Are they far from each other or not?

Finally, they have to make their way to the Brævasshytta Café, where they have to rock climb around 50-feet to find Phil at the Pit Stop. The last push to the Pit Stop can break a team if somehow they lose on a rock climb race. I assume that the Pit Stop mat also has a breathtaking view of the glacier, so a tick on that.

For my final comments, I love how you managed to showcase Norway's breathtaking views in one leg, although there's a time when I think it probably takes too long for a single leg. I like to read your notes since they have the questions I want to ask, well except the extra train from the Fast Forward location to the original destination in case a team failed to complete the Fast Forward. A reasonable effort to contact the BnB as well. 
For your fun fact, I think the images you took by yourself are: the slanted staircase, the Flåmsbana train, and perhaps the GIF.

PS: I've read your Wiki page, and it's fantastic! Thank you for summarizing that.

Design #11: elthemagnifico [Nias Island, Indonesia]

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Okay, it seems that you're choosing Indonesia, which is my home country as well. Let's see if your decision paid off.

Teams are starting from Medan, where they have to make their way to Nias Island. Arriving in Nias, they have to find a marked car. I've never seen a self-driving leg in Indonesia, but knowing the chaos it will bring to the teams if somehow they have to self-drive in Jakarta, I think the decision to move the self-driving leg to a location like this is better. The first clue is predictable for me since I know right away when you pick Nias that there will be something related to the location, so using the Rp1,000 bill is an excellent move.

Arriving at the Bawomataluo Village, they find a Detour. The first option, which is the Fahombo or Lompat Batu task, is the highlight of this place. I have concerns about whether this task is possible to complete, especially for an all-female team. I'm going to give this article (in Indonesian): 

https://lifestyle.okezone.com/read/2014/11/04/406/1060886/alasan-mengapa-pelompat-batu-nias-harus-pria

This article tells us that only men can do this ritual, and no women should attempt it. I won't compromise with the tradition because I'm not coming from this place, but I think that the production should also respect the culture, therefore I believe this task is not feasible to make it in TAR. The second option is better. I like where they have to build the platform first, then followed with participation from the locals.

Then they have to go to Sirombu Beach, where they have to perform a silat salutation, which I find weird. Why did you place this task on the beach? It seems out of place to be honest. After that, they get a Roadblock. Your Roadblock, while it pays tribute to the 2004 tsunami, I find it too long to finish, with I think an unnecessary addition of sky jumping. Is sky jumping exist in Nias anyway, since I don't know whether there's a place for landing on the island? Finally, they are going to the Pit Stop, which I found underwhelming.

For my final comments, it's brave to pick Nias as your location since there are SO MANY MORE places to design for a beach-themed leg in Indonesia. Unfortunately, it doesn't pay off. There are some issues I have with your tasks. Also, your presentation seemed rushed with many typos here and there. You got in first place on the first round, so I thought you would keep your momentum, but maybe not this time.

Design #12: Jimmer [Tarawa, Kiribati]

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First teams are starting in Singapore, where they have to fly to South Tarawa, Kiribati. Arriving in Tarawa, they have to travel by taxi to the village of Bairiki and find a maneaba. On the maneaba, they have to perform the dance of Kaimatoa. The dance moves are not that hard to learn, and I think this task has the proper duration for the beginning of the leg.

Then they have to go to a memorial in the village of Betio where they will find a Detour. I love both Detour tasks since they have their own background story. Both tasks seem balanced, so thanks for giving some additional details as well. After that, they have to go to Taiwan Park, where they will find a Roadblock. I love the Roadblock because it also has the story behind it. The task can also be physically grueling, but just enough to become a Roadblock.

Finally, they get a photo for their next Pit Stop location. I think the locals there should know the site, so I guess there will be a time when a group of children will guide a team to the Pit Stop, which will be wholesome to look at on TV.

For my final comments, I like that your leg is brief but solid. All tasks exist not just because, but they are there because each has a story behind it. I don’t have many complaints about this leg because I love this leg. It’s an excellent leg and a good contender to be on the top.

[Kamineko]

Kamineko's Comments


Design #13: Stone [Issyk Kul, Kyrgyzstan]

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So teams are starting in Segovia, Spain, where they are instructed to fly to Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. I have some high hopes for a leg in this country, so hopefully, you can showcase that.

Arriving in Bishkek before sunrise, they have to find a marked stall on a bazaar where they have to sign up for a bus that departs the following night. What a waste of time, in my opinion, that they do nothing on the first day. Arriving in Karakol, they have to find an orthodox church where they have to drive to find a camp in the mountains. Why do you mention the Double U-Turn now, not in the first clue when they started in Spain instead?

At the Camp Karakol, they find a Detour. Both of your Detour tasks are solid. However, I would like it if you put a brief description of the task first, and the supporting details can be placed on the notes, instead of throwing all the description there. Then they have to go to a ski resort where a Double U-Turn awaits. But why don't they do anything there? I expect they will have a task there. If there's no task there, placing the U-Turn board near the camp will be better.

Then they have to drive to Issyk Kul lake, on a beach on the shore for a Roadblock. The Roadblock task is enjoyable since it's divided into three mini tasks. I want to know more about the details of the third task. Other than that, I think the Roadblock is solid. Finally, they are going to the Pit Stop in a rock formation, which I assume is on a viewpoint.

For my final comments, I have issues with the early check-in board and the departure on the following night. Why not try to find somewhere else to start, where the flight lands later in the day? Also, the U-Turn board placement in the ski resort, where they don't do anything there is weird. I would prefer it if the U-Turn board is put near the camp instead. I am also not fond of too long descriptions for the tasks. Some of them are not necessarily needed to be mentioned. I guess the term "less is more" can be applied later. Other than that, this leg is an improvement from the previous round and an excellent job of showcasing this country.

Design #14: Bookworm [Lamu, Kenya]

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Oh, a leg in Africa. I wonder what you can deliver this time.

First, teams are starting in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on the Lion of Judah monument. The first clue directs them to Lamu, Kenya. So far, I’m intrigued because we have never seen a real Kenya leg in TAR. Hopefully, you can do a good job showcasing Kenya.

After arriving at Lamu’s Museum Jetty, they find a Detour. For the donkey task, I love that. We know back in TAR12, some teams have problems with donkeys. This time, when they have two donkeys to handle, it will be much harder and fun to watch. The trade route task is also excellent. There are some aspects where they have to pay attention to the details. For the numbers, is it the exact amount of items or the total weights? Sorry if I missed your explanation about the numbers. While both are fine, I prefer if the numbers for every team are different, so that there’s no chance to peek at the other team’s answer or share answers between teams.

Then they have to ride a dhow to Peponi Beach for a Roadblock. The Roadblock task looks pretty fun and also has a good story. I feel that this task won’t take long to complete. Do the judges give their scores in numbers or only say “Yes” or “No”? Because the latter will not be really good since they won’t know what they did wrong, right?

After that, they have to make their way to another beach for a marked coconut vendor, where they have to make a local coconut drink. I know the grinding part since I’ve seen the same tool used here in my local market as well, so I know that this task won’t take too long if they already know the way. Finally, they have to make their way to the Pit Stop, which is on a beachside fort. I like the Pit Stop location as well.

For my final comments, I have to say that I like this leg so much. For the whole leg, I think this is an excellent one. Some issues I have are minor, so I think you’ve done an excellent job on this, especially that you’ve bounced back after your computer was broken. I hope to see more from you later, because this is an excellent leg already, and I think you will know why I’m saying this when the time comes.

Design #15: Lemontail [Constantine, Algeria]

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So we have teams starting on a monument in Ponta Delgada, Portugal. I like the previous leg’s Pit Stop anyway. The first clue directs them to fly to Constantine, Algeria. I have never seen a leg designed in this country before, so I hope you can showcase it well.

Arriving in Constantine, they have to go to the Sidi M’Cid Bridge, a picturesque location for sure. Their first task is okay. I have a minor issue with the cleanliness of the food if the tables are outside, and cars are bustling around. After that, they have to go to a palace for a Roadblock. The stacking Roadblock somehow reminds me of a Survivor challenge, but with more cultural aspects. How high is the pyramid anyway?

Then, they have to make their way to a first for another Active Route Info. Also, how will they translate the sentence into English? After that, they have to make their way to ruins for a Detour. While both tasks are okay, I have a problem with your tasks so far that they are either related to rocks and languages. If it appears once or twice, it’s okay, but after the first Active Route Info, all I’m seeing are tasks related to those (either something with rocks or the language), which appears pretty monotone for me. Finally, they have to go to a mountain slope for the Pit Stop, which is nice because of the picturesque area.

For my final comments, this is a not bad first leg in Algeria. But, my issue, just like I said, is with your monotone tasks. I expect to see more from this country rather than rocks and languages related tasks. I believe that there is more to see from this country, but I’m not that impressed this time.

Design #16: Declive [Altiplano, Bolivia]

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First, I love to see that you pick a remote town as your previous Pit Stop location. Because it's more comfortable in terms of finding transportation, I'm okay with that. The first clue directs them to drive to the town of Yolosa and find a zip line site.

Arriving at the site, they find a Fast Forward. I am not too fond of it because the task seems too dangerous to complete. At least for me, who is afraid of heights, I don't want to die attempting this Fast Forward only to win first place. Also, why make them fail in trying the Fast Forward if they're going to catch a breath? I believe that since this location seems pretty high in elevation, they must stop a couple of times to catch a breath. At the zipline site, there's also a Roadblock. While the Roadblock idea is good, how long does it take to return to the beginning if they get it wrong? Because you said that the three zip lines are between mountains and from its sound, each is pretty far from each other.

Then they have to make their way to El Puente Coroico. I don't know if it's a forest or a camp with some activities provided. Please explain more about the location instead of picking a random one like this. Once there, they encounter a Detour. For the Flying Man task, it looks pretty similar to the recent Roadblock with the zipline, which is rather boring. For the Flying Woman task, it's okay because it's the classic learning dance routine task. Nothing pretty impressive for both tasks. Finally, they have to make their way to the Pit Stop at Laguna Estrellani, which is nice with the picturesque background. Although I don't think anybody will stop to take a view of the place you said if they're racing. Maybe move the mat there?

For my final comments, I find this leg pretty dull. There are two similar looking tasks involving ziplines. The Fast Forward, although you explained that there are some safety protocols, I don't think it will work, also with you saying that they will fail if they stop pedaling. I expected more of you because your last design in Round 1 was excellent, and I think this time, your design fits better for a Fantasy Game type of leg with mediocre tasks.

[ZBC Company]

Thx game 1 page for speed bump

[ZBC Company]

I'm so confuse what's not trying to say to you all, saying that my legs are too long and hard and so you wanted easy and short legs. Just don't complain.