The Amazing Race > RFF's Amazing Race: Design Challenge

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

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Pi:


Lemontail - Seychelles

Show content• This leg commences in Namibia, where teams then have to fly to Seychelles. It’s another one of those African countries that has only hosted one leg, so I can’t wait to see another leg for this country!

• The Fast Forward at the Nature Reserve requires the teams to decorate coco de mer. What type of decorations are there? I’d like to see a decorated model to get an idea of what the steps are like. It’s pretty short for a Fast Forward at <20 minutes and no extra transportation, but all teams should get there around the same time, so the task could still have some competition. I like how this task relates to flora important not only to the Seychellois, but also to this specific World Heritage Site.

• The beach Detour is Arms or Feet. Arms entails both searching and culinary skills. What is the procedure for making the curry? I like how teams have to taste a small plate of their creation. Feet is tougher than the usual dance task, because they have to make and carry the skewer of coconuts. I like how that adds an additional step towards the completion of this task. Anyway, I can imagine lots of teams switching back and forth from the Detours since they’re close by, and the U-Turn is also appropriately placed. Good job on the Detour!

• The Roadblock focuses on auditory skills, as racers will have to hone in on the sound of the specific bird. I wonder if there will be other sounds (whether it be natural or artificial) that will throw teams off. I like how there are three different clue parts- it helps make the task less straightforward. One negative is that teams could help each other out a lot on this task, something I don’t necessarily like for a task right before the Pit Stop. Still, the task could easily be done on one’s own, avoiding the other teams.

• Teams then head to the Pit Stop, a relaxing beach.


To sum things up, I liked this leg as a whole. The tasks distinctly related to the culture and traditions of the Seychelles, and the leg felt like it brought a different angle than the TAR 16 leg. The Fast Forward might be quick to complete, but the difficulty of the other tasks is fine and the U-Turn was well-placed. This design could potentially make for an Emmy nomination-worthy episode of the Race if it were to happen. I think you stepped it up this round and I hope you continue doing that in the future!

Betheactress - Chad

Show content• Chad! We haven’t seen Chad in DC since bcp19’s memorable design. I think your leg will fare better than theirs though. :P I love the decision to visit not only an unvisited country in the middle of Africa, but a remote area in said country.

• Two separate charter flights are fine, but the only thing I don’t like about that is that likely only three first-flight teams will be the ones contesting the Fast Forward. Aside from that, the FF task is a unique concept - teams will have to have an eye for detail and must find a match for a print. Teams will have to guess what the correct camel footprint looks like based on a top-down view of the hoof (unless they lift up the camel’s leg or the camel walks around); that’s what will make the task an appropriately tough one for a Fast Forward! However, if there’s no penalty for guessing wrong or a set amount of time between guesses, it might end up being rapid-fire. Still, I like the task in general and it’s a fitting task for this rural area in Chad.

• I like the “follow the ant trail” clue, but what happens if they go the wrong way? Is it circular or are they just walking off into the distance? Anyway, we get the Roadblock at the Guleta. The RB is a nod to the nomadic lifestyle in this area, and it involves camels, which are almost always fun to watch teams ride on TAR. The canyon would provide some beautiful shots of teams riding through, but the better part of the task is the set-up requirement. It has potential for frustrations and meltdown, yet rewards racers who were cognizant enough to make mental notes of the camp when they were deconstructing it. It’s the perfect twist to put on this task and considering it’s only 11 items to keep track of, it’s not too overdone. I hope the stations at the end of the line are separate so racers can’t peek at another racer’s setup. Great task!

• Detour up next: Faster Than a Camel versus Slower Than the Sands. Faster Than a Camel could go by quick if teams can control the donkeys, but we know those animals are unpredictable. For that reason, the task has good potential for drama. It feels a little weird to require teams to remove water from the tank and put it back if they fail; I’d rather teams have to start over with a new tank. (I digress.) Slower than the Sand is more straightforward, but probably a less exciting task. Maybe teams should be required to place dates underneath the structure to get their next clue? In any case, the Detour does seem pretty balanced.

• That Pit Stop location could make for a crazy footrace and search for Phil. The entire labyrinth looks pretty big; hopefully there’s some race markers placed to help point the racers in the right direction. At least the stones will provide some shade for the Pit Stop in the Chadian heat :funny:


I enjoyed the leg’s incorporation of the local topography - the guleta, the labyrinth - and the local nomadic culture. The tasks did cover a variety of race skills, so this would be a good test for racers. You picked a challenging country and region to design in, but it was executed nicely. If it were feasible for TAR to get to this area to do a leg- well, I hope the producers are stalking the thread, because this would be a great way to show off the area. Great work, and see you in round four.

Redwings - Benin

Show content• Beginning in Luxembourg, teams set off for Benin. TBH, I’ve always wanted to see Benin, so I want to find out what you’ve supplied here.

• Grabbing the clue at the Temple of Pythons should provide a quick fear factor element before teams settle in for the night. The next morning, teams taxi to the Arch, where we have a poignant remembrance task to start things up in the morning before teams are offered a Fast Forward. I like this FF task because the creepy-crawly element makes it scary, plus there’s a monetary risk of the extra taxis going to and from the market and the Cathedral. Between searching for the items and imbibing the Sodabi, the team that wins this will have definitely earned it, so I like it as a Fast Forward. Plus, I think it’s pretty doable for a team to catch up if they don’t win it.

• The Ganvie Detour is Fish Nets or Log Stilts. Both involve boat trips and taking some items to the fish market afterwards. Fish Nets requires going around to multiple locations, whereas Log Stilts requires finishing several benches in the canoe. This Detour does feel balanced, but that’s partly due to the overlap in the tasks’ concepts. Anyway, it’s relevant to the village, so I think it’s a fine Detour.

• The Roadblock demands artistic skills and steady hands. It’s also a high-pressure task, because you can’t really mess up without having to start over. It is also another facet of highlighting Benin’s history, which I like. Solid task!

• Teams then go to another World Heritage Site for the subterranean Pit Stop.


I liked the leg as a whole and I believe this design was an improvement from last round! While you may have jumped around to a lot of different towns and locations, they all brought something different to the table for your tasks and route markers. The tasks were all culturally relevant and diverse, and the leg showed lots of angles of Benin. Can’t wait to see what other designs you create in the future!

NELs - Eritrea

Show content• Dubai provides the start of the leg, where teams rip the clue telling them to fly to Eritrea. Not only has it never been visited before, I personally don’t know much about the country. Therefore, I am eager to see what you have done there!

• The Fast Forward is a coffee ceremony, which requires several steps to be completed before the clue can be earned. I like this task, but my only issue is that it may be difficult for teams to pass one another if they start at different times. Most of the steps take a fixed amount of time, so there doesn’t seem like there’s much opportunity for placements to change. Then again, maybe a team gets nervous and makes a mistake, forcing them to start over. I like how there’s a part of the task where they interact with locals!

• For the other teams, the Detour is Bike or Play. Bike is a physical task, but doesn’t seem uniquely cultural (although I do like selecting the local landmarks for teams to bike by). I’m not a fan of the time limit personally; if someone is winded after failing the first attempt, it’s difficult to get right back up and do it in a faster time. Play is a musical task featuring an Eritrean artist and song. How long is the song excerpt? What is the difficulty level? Is there an ongoing demonstration? Would a team have a way to figure out how to acceptably do the task if neither member knows how to play the piano already? I think this needs more explanation to let me know the difficulty and balance with the other Detour side.

• The University of Asmara is the site of the Roadblock. Translating the words is challenging for the racers, but could be hard to follow along watching as a viewer. Thanks for providing the chart in your notes section! After that, the leg ends at the Tank Graveyard.


In conclusion, I liked how you picked a new country in Eritrea, but the tasks didn’t blow me away. Some of them felt like they weren’t unique to the area you designed in. That being said, the tasks do have some potential for drama. Keep improving in your presentation- I think you’re doing better and better! My advice for the future: When picking a place to design in, try to strike a balance between a unique location and a rich culture. For example, picking an unvisited area might not be worth it if the culture is boring or difficult to design in. Other than that, keep working hard and I can’t wait to see how your route takes shape in the future!

Glamazon Racer:
Just my two cents worth regarding the language challenges - I did feel that the vast majority of the language-related tasks in this round were well-executed and had one aspect or another which set them apart from the norm. I had more of an issue with the dance-related challenges, which were executed (for the most part) with less originality, with some exceptions!

I wanted to point that out just as a tip for your future designs - it's OK to go for a type of task that we've seen before or we've seen often but make sure to give your task something to set it apart from the pack.

Hope that helps! Can't wait to see the results! Good luck! :2hearts:

gamerfan09:


Gamer's Judgments:

It is time everyone. I will now be commenting on your legs. Feel free to quote anything if you disagree.

Let's keep the conversations going  :ghug:

Before I begin, remember that all my nitpicking is meant to be constructive criticism. I am not dealing out personal attacks, it's strictly done out of care for your design and for the game.

With that said, here we go.

I will be commenting by order in the Design Show.

gamerfan09:


Gamer's Judgments:

betheactress [Ennedi Plateau, Chad]

Show contentFirst of all, I will say that the split flights from the get go threw me off lol. I assume this is Leg 8 so there’s at least under 7 teams by this point. I don’t really like the idea of split flights this late in the game, and while I think the sights are pretty, it’s still a 30 minute deficit.

However, what I do like is the timing of your FF. There’s a strategic decision here that could actually work as a soft bunch. There’s not too many set of tracks on the path, it’s a challenging attention to detail task, and I can very easily see an FF battle happening here which could actually make the 2nd flight either catch up or teams to fall further behind. I liked it.

Similarly, I like the ant task, but I’m just unsure about the feasibility. It looks cool, but I’m not sure if ants following a path is supposed to be controllable. Still, this is just a minor Route Info.

Really like your Roadblock. Love the question, it’s a physical almost puzzle-like task, and I like how it’s also a soft Active Route Info. Your Detour is really good as well! I like how the Faster than a Camel is a twist on what is otherwise a normal delivery task, since not only are there animals there’s ALSO a time limit. The other Detour is a bit less exciting, but I like how the task looks and it’s a good combo. It’s pretty much a “slow and steady” vs. “quick and fast” Detour, but it’s not basic adventure tasks. It’s its own thing and I liked that a lot.

We then race to the Pit Stop. Honestly, I really liked your leg! What objections I have with the logistics were quickly erased by the fact that the leg itself is VERY strategic and decision-based, which can really make all the difference in a leg like this. If I really had to nitpick, it would just be your ant Route Info not being very feasible. But that’s it.

You’re really proving yourself as a frontrunner in this game, and hopefully you can keep your momentum!
Declive [Cidade Velha, Cape Verde]

Show contentFirst off, Declive, I like the idea of your cryptic clue. But the thing is, I’m not too sure about the clue. It’s something that pops out REALLY easily on a Google search. For instance: “1512 marble pillar cape verde” shows it immediately. Subsequently, your Fast Forward is cultural, yes, and I like the idea of an eating task, but your picture makes it look like teams have to eat the ENTIRE pot lol. You didn’t exactly specify how much Cachupa teams have to prepare, so I’m led to assume the worst based on the picture.

We then have an Active Route Info and… it’s a fishing task. I’ve mentioned my bias against fishing tasks, and I will say that as an RI, it’s decent enough to be the first task. I like it being near the Fast Forward to cause stress with teams, but fishing is just not the most exciting thing to watch.

We then go to the market for a Detour. Your first task is solid. The music sounds good, and it’s also a language task that incorporates singing. It’s something that’s not easy, and it’s a fun music task. Unfortunately, your other Detour is my other biggest pet peeve - sewing tasks. Sewing tasks have never been exciting on the Race, and this is unfortunately no different.

We then go to a school for a learning Roadblock. Declive, I get the point of it, but there’s a bit of redundancy with your Detour and this. Considering how much I’m not a fan of the sewing, you could have honestly made the Alphabet be the other side of the Detour. That way, your Detour would have been languages in two different ways (one musical and the other more of pronunciation in conversation) instead of feeling like an instant repeat, especially with teams that did the music.

We then go to the Pit Stop.

Declive, I’ll be blunt, but I wasn’t exactly a fan of this leg. You managed to put two of my biggest task pet peeves in one leg, but it’s not just that. The FF was lacking details, and there’s a level of redundancy with your Detour-RB combo. I do think that your leg is passable, but it’s unfortunately just not your best work. Best of luck if you survive.
NELs [Asmara, Eritrea]]

Show contentFirst off, your Fast Forward. It’s not challenging at all and it only fits the level of an Active Route Info. It’s cultural, yes, but it’s not challenging at all, which is what makes it not good. Your Detour is kind of generic, unfortunately. The biking is…. just biking. Yes, there is navigation. But it’s just biking with an unnecessary time limit. The music task is also strange. What’s the point of having the team members sing an English song when Eritrea has its own language? And the building where the music Detour is is also named ITALIA.

We then go to a university for your Roadblock… which is translating. I’m not a fan of the task. It’s not exciting, it’s not fun to watch, and I just did not like it.

Your Pit Stop as well. I get it, but it doesn’t look aesthetically pleasing at all. Your locations this leg, quite frankly, were all over the place. After the UNESCO site, you just had roads, two buildings, a University, and a Tank Graveyard. There’s no coherence, there’s nothing in here that really screams Eritrea.

NELs, I did not like this leg. I thought that an otherwise amazing look at a new country could happen, but you ended up wasting your location. These tasks feel like they could have been done anywhere in the world, and dealing with the local language by a translate task won’t immediately make it distinctly Eritrea.

If you survive this round, hopefully you do better next round.
MrDS [Nouadhibou, Mauritania]

Show contentppreciate the bunch, and your Fast Forward is interesting. I think that it’s a gross task, but it’s pretty much something that lets teams get down and dirty immediately and the fact that all teams are there at the same time means we could have FF battles.

We then drive to a Berber camp, and I like your Detour! While I think the art isn’t exactly the most exciting task to *watch*, I think I can agree that it looks pretty and it’s a unique painting task since it’s pretty much fingerpainting. The music one is also really good! I like how it’s pretty much a mix of analysis, interpretation, and also, of course, luck. It’s a “slower but easier” vs. “faster but harder” Detour, and I appreciated and enjoyed that.

Your Roadblock at the market is fun. It’s a shopping task, but I like the pictures you used, they really get the point across that it’s chaotic, it’s a very busy environment, and there’s a language barrier. It’s a challenging and overwhelming task, and I just really liked it.

We then have a cryptic clue for the Pit Stop.

MrDS, this is my favorite leg of the two you’ve done so far. I thought your Detour and Roadblock were fantastic, and you did a good job showing off culture. My only problem is your Fast Forward. I just think that it sticks out relatively poorly, and while it is exactly for the birds at the pack, I just think that there’s a better task that could have been done.

Other than that, loved your leg. Great job!

gamerfan09:


Gamer's Judgments:

elthemagnifico [Cairo & Giza, Egypt]

Show contentLike your Fast Forward! It’s an acting task, and I think it’s an interesting choice to showcase Egyptian movies. I also like how you made it separate from the RB, which will make teams potentially have “oh no” moments if another goes for the FF.

Speaking of your Roadblock… I like how you tied in the language barrier, but I’m not very sure about your location of choice. Objectively, I like your task. But it’s literally at a mosque. I’m not sure having teams run inside a mosque is respectful or sensitive.

We then have an Egyptian Pyramids Detour. Honestly, I really like the mummy task, and I think it would definitely be very cool for teams to make a mummy. But like most of my complaints with legs this round, I’m not sure just having a “translate the language” task works again, especially since you already had teams deal with the language barrier on your Roadblock.

We then take camels to the Pit Stop.

El, I do think your leg has decent tasks. However, I feel like when teams think Egypt, they expect camels, mummies, sarcophagi, pyramids, and your leg pretty much fell in the expected trajectory of what an Egypt leg is, and frankly, I found that disappointing. It also doesn’t help that riding camels is exactly what the final task of our last TARUS Egypt visit was. It just doesn’t feel very original. Your leg is passable, and it’s not awful, but the Roadblock is unfeasible and the majority of your leg is something to expect, which is not a good thing.

This is probably your weakest leg of the three, but if you survive this round, hopefully you regain your momentum.
nrh2110 [Luxor, Egypt]

Show contentLiked your Fast Forward! The environment in it can lend itself to some pretty sights and I appreciate the culture behind it.

We then get to your Detour, and it’s a papyrus Detour. I think the best part of your Detour was the pun in the names. Otherwise, I felt like this Detour really didn’t do anything for me. It’s just something that I think can be expected, and it just doesn’t work for me as a task combo. It just doesn’t seem exciting to watch.

We then get to your Roadblock, and this task is awesome. I really like the idea of playing trivia while exploring a tomb, and it’s something that lends itself well to TV if it was a proper leg.

We then head to the Pit Stop. NRH, I thought your Detour was not good, but I liked your Fast Forward and Roadblock. So in short, it’s kind of like a sandwich where I really don’t like the middle, but the bread was great.

Just really not a fan of the Detour, but otherwise, solid effort. You definitely put forward the better Egypt leg this round.
Bookworm [Lalibela, Ethiopia]

Show contentThis is a location notorious (and iconic!) for eliminating the worst team in TAR history. I have high hopes.

Bookworm, I really like your Fast Forward, but I think it would have worked better as a Roadblock. It’s a task that wouldn’t exactly pop as much as it would with everyone scrambling to finish. It’s an amazing task and I really liked it, but I just think it’s a missed opportunity to not make it a compulsory task.

HOWEVER… I also loved your Roadblock! I like the idea of running back and forth carrying puzzle pieces through the old tunnels, and there is also a level of intensity that can be there from everyone doing it at the same time.

We get to your Detour. And honestly, this is very very inspiring. A beverage themed Detour. I love the coffee Detour. You could have just had teams sit there and have the coffee ceremony as a Route Info, but you didn’t. They have to memorize and do it. You could have also just had the other Detour be a basic selling task. But you didn’t. They have to SING as well and have THAT be a part of making a sale which is already hard enough as is in a location like this. I just am honestly blown away by your Detour. Really loved it.

We then have to deliver bread… which transitions into a tasting task. WHERE THE FLAVORS WERE REVEALED AT THE OTHERWISE PLAIN DELIVERY TASK LMAO. I loved the twist a LOT. There’s so many decisions to be made here and it’s just a great way to end the leg. I’m not even upset that the Pit Stop is just there and stifles competition potentially, since everything to this point has just been so decision-based and great that there’s really no way anyone who finished those tasks worse than everyone else should be able to pass other teams lol.

Bookworm, I don’t know how you did it, but you made TWO Africa legs back to back and I somehow loved this more than your past entry. I really have nothing to complain about aside from the fact that I think your leg is a little bit too long. But there’s no task in here I would cut lol. Excellent leg, and I really just have nothing to say. It might even be better than the original Ethiopia visit from TAR6.
ZBC Company [Fez & Meknes, Morocco]

Show contentYour Detour is passable, but honestly not really original. We’ve dealt with Moroccan rugs on TAR before. We’ve dealt with the tannery. It’s not new and it’s nothing very exciting.

It’s a regular dance task for your FF and it’s fine and good. Then we have something like Turkish baths. I don’t think this belongs. You mentioned they did it on TAR21, and that is exactly why it wasn’t a good idea to do it.

Luckily your next Active Route Info starts to redeem your leg. I like the idea of running around and finding instruments while solving cryptic clues in another language. Your Roadblock is also good in concept… but I really think unscrambling that many is too much and unfeasible. It’s just too hard.

We then end the leg. ZBC, I liked your second half of the leg, while I thought the first half was unoriginal and generic. More originality is where a leg can shine, and hopefully if you get to the next round you get to keep that in mind.

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