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

[Nuku]

Thanks Pi/!! I respect your comments and get where you are coming from!!! the architecture has potential to be verrrry long but at the end of the day could cause a lot of drama so i took the risk!

For presentation notes i do get that and will make it tidier next round!!!

[MikeDodgers]

Pi, I'm just reading your comments now and I do respect them and the improvements I've made along the way. Let me give you some clarity on the tasks.

For the Moose ARI - the teams would be given the latest Samsung Galaxy smartphone to take pictures with to help them in that task.

For the Flashpoint RB - the names of the characters are printed on the front of the cards, they just have to figure out if the art styles are right. To help them out, the teams will be given a list of famous Canadian painters and their styles.

Also, I forgot to mention that there would be a special guest greeter at Casa Loma - Jon Montgomery, host of Amazing Race Canada! So that would make an interesting crossover, too.

I was trying to make the leg a mainly culture-centered leg. All the tasks have a focus on some aspect of the culture of Toronto, from its hockey heritage to its diverse cuisine and even the city's many artistic feats from the Nuit Blanche festival, the Moose In The City project and its status as Hollywood North - a much sought-after location for many films and TV productions.

[Kamineko]

Kamineko's Comments

It's that time again!

In general, I'm pretty impressed on what you can deliver. This round is kinda hard because the limitations given, but also it's nice to see more city legs after previous rounds are focused more on the outskirts of the cities or rural areas. I've finished my comments and I'm gonna share my thoughts to each design soon.

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. If you have some issue in my comments that you already provided in your design but I somehow missed, you can state that, and I will probably adjust my score. But if you're adding more comments outside what's being presented, unfortunately I won't adjust my score with that.

I'm going to give my comments based on the order of the designs posted in the Design Showcase.

Here we go!

[Kamineko]

Kamineko's Comments


Design #1: redwings8831 [Stockholm, Sweden]

Show content

So teams are starting in Lofoten, on the famous football field with a beautiful view. First, they have to pick one clue from a wheel of clues. The clue tells them to make their way to Stockholm and find a metro station with the art matching the photo on the clue they picked. I really like the idea, since they cannot work with other teams to find out the location. Good job in providing each photo and the map of the stations. Although some stations are pretty far from others, finding the exact station and the art location can be tough.

Then, they get a cryptic clue to find the next clue where they have to find the location that represents the Sun from the Sweden Solar System model. Nice idea of incorporating the solar system as well. They have to find the Sun, which is pretty big compared to other planet models, so it won’t be hard to find too. After that, they have to go to a ferry terminal and travel to the nearby island. 

Arriving in the island, they find a Detour. Your Detour names are interesting anyway. In ABBA, they have to go to ABBA: The Museum, where they have to perform the song “Dancing Queen” with the choreography. I would love it if the choreography is more challenging, because there’s not so much moving involved in the choreography. Although the judge can be critical, if this task is shown several times on TV because of the team’s mistakes, it has the potential to be boring. In VASA, they have to go to Vasa Museum, where they have to tie the sails on a replica of The Salvaging ship. This task requires intricate details, so I like it, especially that the sails look really complex.

After that, they have to go to the IceBar where they will find a Roadblock. I like the Roadblock idea because it involves both the muscle and brain. The first part can be hard if they drill the ice too hard that can cause the ice to break. While the second part can be tough if the team member doesn’t realize that they can pour out the vodka from the glass. But the solution is pretty simple as well, so if they know the solution, it will be quick to complete. Finally, they have to go to the Pit Stop at a garden, which is a really nice location.

For my final comments, I really like the whole leg. All tasks are pretty solid in my opinion. I would love to know at which part you were incorporating the assessment criteria requirement of this round, because you didn’t mention it in any notes. Although I assume that you pick the infrastructure (on the metro stations photo task and the solar system task(?)), maybe you should also mention that by yourself. Also, in later designs, if you provided two pictures/videos/combination of both in a row, please add a space between them. It will look nicer for your presentation score.

Design #2: Nuku [Prague, Czech Republic]

Show content

Teams are starting in Turin, Italy, where they have to fly to Prague, the capital of Czech Republic. Arriving in Prague, they have to search for the “Fred and Ginger”, which is a nickname of the Dancing House. I don’t think teams will have a hard time in finding this location, because the nickname can be easily found in Google search. After that, they have to make their way to the Old Town Square for the next clue. At the Old Town Square, they have to travel around the area to find four buildings with different architectural styles. This is a nice addition of the leg, especially to fit the requirement. I can see some positions shuffling in this task, so good job on that. 

After that they get a Detour. I really like the Burn the Witch task since this culture is really unique but I think it has never been shown before in TAR. You also provided nice details for the task steps. In Make Some Magic, I’m really amazed at how you could come up with that task idea. I don’t know that there’s a relation between a potion with the transmutation circle that you mentioned, so perhaps you should find out about that. I also prefer that you provided a bigger picture for the transmutation circle and the table of symbols, because they’re too small to see (although you did say that it’s not the exact circle and table that they will use).

Then, they have to go to the National Marionette Theatre for a Roadblock. This task looks simple, but can be really challenging if the team member can’t get used to handling the strings. This task looks really solid as well, so nice job on that. Finally, they have to go to the Pit Stop, which is located in a garden inside a palace, which is also a really nice location.

For my final comments, I believe this is the best leg you’ve made so far. I have almost no issue with your tasks since all them are really solid. I would love you to separate the pictures of the architecture buildings since they’re too small if combined like that. You also wrote in your comments how you have a love-hate relationship with city legs and this theme in general, but somehow you delivered really well. Hopefully you can show us more like this in future legs.

Design #3: Bookworm [Barcelona, Spain]

Show content

So, teams are starting at a picturesque church beside a cliff. Too bad that they’re starting when it’s already dark, though. They have to travel by bus and train to Barcelona. This city has a lot of potential, so I hope you can show that well in your leg.

Arriving in Barcelona, they have to go to the Parc de l’Espanya Industrial, where they have to find the clue on a dragon slide. The clue tells them to find the El Drac salamander sculpture. I find this task interesting since teams can be stuck in searching only on dragon statues and don’t realize about the existence of the salamander statue. I hope that the locals (or at least the taxi driver) also know about this statue.

On the salamander statue, they find a Detour. The Sagrada Detour task looks pretty complex in the description. I don’t see that it will take a long time to complete, but I guess some teams may be failing on their first try for not understanding the brief. Also, I think this task fits better for a night leg (at least from what I looked on Google Image Search, the majority of the pictures of the celebration were taken at night), not a day leg. For the Sangria task, I pretty much like it. It’s not too hard to complete if the team has a good palate. In summary, I like the contrast between the vibes of each Detour task.

After that, they have to go to a park for a Roadblock, where they have to complete a routine of a Catalan dance. Although it’s just another performing a routine type of task, I think the routine is pretty complex, which I can accept. And finally, they have to go to the Pit Stop, on a beautiful landmark of Barcelona.

For my final comments, I think your leg is pretty decent. Although I agree that you showcased Barcelona really well, I just think that the Sagrada Detour is a bit complicated to understand at the first time (I had to read it several times before I can understand the brief), and perhaps some teams may not understand it either on their first read. Also, I think that task fits better on a night leg (or maybe near sundown). For the other tasks, they are pretty solid and presented well.

Design #4: ZBC Company [Dublin, Ireland]

Show content

Finally, you’re not doing a Google Docs presentation! I really appreciate your effort on this.

Teams are starting from Riga, Latvia. I think your intro for the location is too long, perhaps shortening it into one or two short sentences is enough. Their first clue is on a picture in a phone. Nice touch on introducing the teams about the bombing incident as well. A little bit too much on product placements here, though. But, the detailed explanation about the bombings is too long and unnecessary for a leg presentation sake. You can provide a link instead of copy-pasting (which I believe you did) the details, because I’m going to skip that.

I’m pleased that you designed a night leg, so I hope you can do well. Arriving at night, they have to find the next clue on Talbot Street, one of the bombing locations, then continue to Saint Patrick’s Cathedral for a Roadblock. The Roadblock task doesn’t look that hard if you can understand the steps in making the cross fast. It’s just a weaving task in a nutshell. I think it’s okay to make the teams do the Roadblock inside the church if they allow it because it’s dark already and weaving the cross needs good lighting.

After that, they have to go to a bridge to find a Detour. Personally, I don’t really like both Detour tasks in general since both involve the same theme relating with art/music. I understand that both tasks have their own difficulty and uniqueness, but I expect more than that. Then, they have to go to an Irish Pub, where they have to make Irish Coffee. To be honest, I prefer that you substitute one of the Detour tasks with this task since it will be better. Finally, they have to go to the Pit Stop, in Dublin Castle.

For my final comments, I really appreciate you finally did your presentation not in Google Docs anymore and you’re brave enough to do a night leg. While some tasks are really good for a night leg in Ireland, I hoped to see more than this, especially that an Ireland leg is really overdue. You also need to resize some of your pictures, preferably to the same sizes, so that your presentation will look much better than this.

Design #5: MrDS [Lyon, France]

Show content

Teams are starting in Florence, Italy, where they travel on an overnight train to Lyon, France. Arriving in Lyon, they have to rent a bicycle (I assume the bike rent is on the station, since you didn’t mention where), and then make their way to Silk Saint Georges.

At Silk Saint Georges, teams find a Roadblock. I don’t know whether weaving a 2-meter long cloth from zero is going to take a long time or not, but considering that they will have an extra task following that, it can make the Roadblock take really long to complete. For the marron glacé, do teams have to just tell the fillings in order, or they have to match from an array of options?

After the Roadblock, teams make their way to a basilica, where they have to decorate a window for a festival. I’ve read your notes and I understand why this task takes place in the daytime. I would like to know whether all windows are in the same sizes and is there any stair climbing involved if the window’s not on the ground level, because it can cause some drama if they have to go back and forth while decorating.

Following that, they get a Detour. I really like the idea of the movie reel task, and it fits the location as well. How long does each reel play anyway? For the street art task, I also like it since it involves many navigations through the streets. Finally, they make their way to the Pit Stop, which is located at a beautiful park.

For my final comments, I really like what you showcased on this city, since there are so many legs in TAR that took place in France, but never visited Lyon. I also like that teams ride a bicycle for the whole leg, since it brings a new perspective on the navigation between locations and the drama possibilities. I just miss a couple of things regarding details about how long (in approximate, of course) will the Roadblock be completed since from your descriptions, it sounds pretty long, especially for the weaving part (I’ve looked at the link provided and I still feel that weaving a 2-meter long cloth will take a long time, CMIIW). Otherwise, it’s another solid leg from you.

[Kamineko]

Kamineko's Comments


Design #6: betheactress [Amsterdam, Netherlands]

Show content

Teams are starting in Andorra, before they have to go to Amsterdam, the capital city of the Netherlands. I would love to see a whole leg in Andorra itself, so I wonder what actually that country could bring. I also like the idea that teams have to scramble out on how to fly to Amsterdam. It’s also interesting to watch teams make decisions between going to Toulouse or Barcelona, which are in different countries. 

Arriving in Amsterdam, teams have to go to the Waternet HQ where they will find a Roadblock. I am absolutely in love with the Roadblock! Not only it looks great on television, but it also has its own purpose for the cleanliness of the city. Fishing 20 bikes are also enough, considering how many bikes are underwater from the video. I would love to see this task happening on real TAR as well.

After the Roadblock, they have to find a point where they can see 15 bridges at once. This cryptic clue is also a good touch and fits well with the city. Once there, they find a Detour. For the Zoom In task, it’s a nice tribute for the Father of Microbiology. The task looks interesting as well. We’ve never seen this kind of task, so once again it’s nice to see the editing if this task happens on real TAR. For the Zoom Out task, it’s another tribute to Van Gogh. Although we’ve seen the Sunflowers task back in TAR27, this is a totally different kind of task. Teams can go as fast as possible and do a brute force approach, but it won’t take that fast to complete unless they have great luck. I believe both tasks are pretty balanced and solid tributes to the Dutch figures.

After that, they have to go to Bloemenmarkt, where they have to gather enough tulips to trade for the next clue. I would be good to see the chaos that might happen during the task considering teams have to run back and forth the whole market. It’s also a nice touch that teams might have to purchase some tulips first before exchanging them with other tulips, or they can just buy the tulips they need. It’s also interesting to watch if teams are running out of money, because I assume they would beg to the locals or do anything they need to get more money. The final clue with the Pit Stop engraved is also nice, with a beautiful location as the Pit Stop as well.

For my final comments, I don’t have any critiques of your leg. I believe that your leg is already perfect, both with the themes given and the information needed. Awesome job this time and I hope you can continue to impress us in later rounds!

Design #7: MikeDodgers [Toronto, Canada]

Show content

First we see teams are starting from the Royal Botanic Gardens in Sydney, where they have to fly to Toronto, Canada. Why with the huge jump, though? Also I can see that you’re doing a night leg, let’s see if you can deliver well.

Arriving in Toronto, they have to go to the CN Tower, where both team members have to perform an edge walk on the top of the tower. While this task is not that new (CMIIW), it’s nice to see the city lights while performing the task. This task looks linear as well, since nobody can pass up a team if performing that at the same time. After finishing the task, they have to make their way to the Rogers Centre. I like the moose task, anyway. This can cause some position shuffling, and doing that at night is possible.

After collecting the moose pictures, they go to the Hockey Hall of Fame, where they find a Detour. I see that both tasks are related to hockey, so it’s not that interesting because we’ve seen both tasks on previous seasons of TAR, I believe. After that, they have to go to a really nice square for a Roadblock. Unfortunately, I don’t know about this “Flashpoint” drama, so I really don’t have any clue on what you are talking about. Can you explain who those painters are and what personal style they have? I can’t give more comments because I have absolutely no knowledge about the Roadblock theme.

Then, they have to go to the Harbourfront Centre, where they have to taste fusion cuisines from the countries they have visited before. Although this task looks nice, you don’t give any further explanations on what kind of foods they are tasting, and what countries they visited during the race. Finally, they have to go to the Pit Stop, at a really nice mansion.

For my final comments, I am kinda confused with your leg. Your leg seems too aimed for some demographic of people because you put so much foreign information for me. You also didn’t provide a map, although it’s a city leg. Also, I would prefer that you put your Wiki-style leg at the end of your presentation, instead at the beginning. I think your ARI tasks are more understandable and better. I hope that will save you, but let’s just wait and see.

Design #8: elthemagnifico [Kobe, Japan]

Show content

First, we see teams starting from Singapore, where they have to fly to Kobe, Japan. I’ve been to Kobe before, so I would like to know what you can show me.

Arriving in Kobe at night, teams have to go to Anpanman Children’s Museum where they find Hours of Operation. Skipping to the next day, there’s a Speed Bump for one team. I’m not saying that I don’t like the task, but I find it underwhelming. Slicing up Kobe beef (and it’s only 5 slices) and preparing a shabu-shabu set meal doesn’t impress me. Also, the location of the restaurant is kinda far from the museum, which I don’t like the placement of. The task in the museum is they have to entertain children while wearing Anpanman’s costume. Your task is nice to see, although I have a minor issue that you put the picture of the Anpanman’s characters posing in front of the Yokohama museum, not in Kobe. Also, hearing the theme song reminds me of this viral video, so it puts me in a good mood.

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/QZShA_a-5r8" target="_blank" class="new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/QZShA_a-5r8</a>

Then, they have to go to Sorakuen Garden (you made a typo there), where they find a Roadblock. The Roadblock task is Japanese tea ceremony which is really hard to master, so good job in doing that on your leg. After that, they have to go to Ikuta Shrine, where they find a Detour. For the Jazz task, although Jazz is not “technically” a Japanese culture, but since Kobe has a relation with Jazz music, that’s fine. I still would prefer it if you make it a Japanese traditional music themed task, though. In the Sake task, I like that you also showcase Japanese culture at its finest, which is making sake.

After the Detour, they have to go to Kobe Kitano Museum. I don’t really understand what your task is, with the Roadblock clue and such. But I’m glad that you’re making a visit to Kitano-cho, anyway, since I’ve been there and the place is really beautiful. Finally, they have to go to the Pit Stop, at Mount Rokko.

For my final comments, I think you’re kinda rushing once again with your presentation because I noticed there are many spelling mistakes in your design. I would suggest you to proofread your writing so that your explanations are clearer. Your tasks aren’t enough to really impress me, because I had a high expectation, especially for a Japan leg. If you’re safe in this round, I hope you can manage your time better so your leg won’t look rushed in the making.

Design #9: nrh2110 [Helsinki, Finland]

Show content

Teams are starting from Luxor, Egypt, before making their way to Helsinki, Finland. Arriving in Helsinki, they have to go to the Market Square, where they have to eat a salty licorice before receiving their next clue. I’ve tasted this salty licorice and I can say that it’s one of the saltiest foods I’ve tasted in my life. I wonder how teams can eat a whole bag of this.

After finishing eating the licorice, they receive a Detour. For the Living task, although it can be done anywhere in the world, the background story of it makes this task fit well with this country. For the Listening task, once again it can be done in other places, for example, in Vienna, Austria. I’m not totally impressed, but I still think that both Detour options are pretty solid.

Then, teams have to make their way to the Helsinki Olympic Stadium for a Roadblock. I really like the Roadblock task since it will look hilarious on television. So, good job on that. After that, they have to go to the Pit Stop, in a beautiful church.

For my final comments, I personally think that this leg lacks something to be the wow-factor. Because I was actually pretty surprised that my comments were really brief and suddenly I reached the Pit Stop. Maybe I was hoping to see more from this city because it’s long overdue, but at least you can show some good aspects of this city that I haven’t seen before.

Design #10: Lemontail [Lyon, France]

Show content

First, I want to say that although there are two legs designed in the same city, I won’t compare between both, because I believe that each designer has their own interpretation for the city.

Teams are starting from Limassol, Cyprus, where they have to fly to the city of Lyon, France. Arriving in Lyon, they have to go to the Interpol HQ (wow). Arriving at the Interpol HQ, they have to deliver body parts inside jars to the medical office. I really like the concept for this task, although I’m not 100% sure about the reception of the viewers after watching this (especially there’s a decapitated head you mentioned). Some teams may scream while doing this task and we might get so many censoring happen in this part of the task. But, if I ignore that possibility, I still like the idea of this task and it’s a solid one.

After that, they have to go to a monument, where they find a Detour. For the Prove task, I would like to know what task they were performing in the “second leg”. Also, with the fact that you’re planning this to be Leg 10, it’s nice because there’s already a gap that makes this task more difficult. For the Move task, it’s basically a puzzle task, but with the silk cloth theme incorporated. This task also has its own challenge, so that’s nice. However, judging on both Detour options, I see that both tasks involve solving puzzles. I just don’t like the idea that you had to put puzzle solving in both of your Detour tasks.

Then, they have to go to the Hôtel-Dieu de Lyon building for a Roadblock. I really like the concept for this task because you incorporate French cuisine (especially Lyon). I’m just not sure whether all ingredients have the smell that’s easy to recognize. Also, if I zoom out a bit, this task is another puzzle solving task, right? Considering you’ve already had two puzzle tasks in the Detour, and then in the Roadblock, it’s becoming too much. After that, they have to make their way to the Pit Stop, which is in a nice looking basilica.

For my final comments, I like the idea of adding the Interpol in your leg. That’s definitely the highlight of your leg. However, I see that the remaining tasks are puzzle related, which is too much. It’s nice that you incorporated the cultures of the city into the puzzle task, but I just wish that there’s less than what you just made. I hope you can understand my point and do better in the upcoming rounds.

[MikeDodgers]

Now...this set of comments I can't be of much help on, so apologies in advance, Kami. I already explained my reasoning for the hockey based Detour to IAmANewUser earlier. I can, however, explain my reasoning for why my presentation structure is the way it is.

I put my leg presentation in the order I complete the aspects. So it's Wiki-style first as I always do that on the first day that the round is active. After that, I start working on fantasy game style. Day 2, I start working on FG style, the descriptions of the tasks, the color coded texts, departure times...all of that. Day 3 is for images, day 4 is for graphics, day 5 is the flight, day 6 is for notes and plugging them all in as well as final proofread before submitting.

[Bookworm]

Thanks for your comments, Kami! As I had already said to IANU, I apologize for the overcomplicated Detour, but there was a clear method to the madness.

While the tasks themselves are suited for a night leg, they work well for an afternoon Leg, too. Chiefly, the Sagrada Detour is much safer in the day. I wouldn't want teams running and potentially wiping out at night. Plus, while the main Correfoc festival occurs during the day, a children's festival happens in the afternoon prior. Therefore, there is a precedent to my alteration. I believe I outlined this in my notes. Second, Sangria is a common afternoon drink, though it can also be had at night. Drinks often seem appropriate for a night leg, but are not exclusive to nightlife in Spain. Further, light aids in the RB- complicated coordination is made all the more difficult at night. That being said, I do think my Leg would look excellent at night. It functions well, in my view, at all times of day. Thanks!

Pi, I understand your confusion witb Sagrada- that seems to be a common thread
However, I would like to clarify a few things. First, you specify that you slightly disagree with my RB estimation- do you think it would take more or less time? I'm leaning towards the former and agree, but I mentioned the minimum value as nothing more than a practicality. I'm also not sure where you're getting a 20-minute penalty from re: Sagrada- I hope I didn't make any mistakes in my notes! Thanks again and I'm glad to hear such positive remarks from you

[ZBC Company]

Thank you K

[Pi]

@Bookworm: 20 second penalty, not 20 minutes. Typo error by me. Yes, I do think the RB would take longer on average.

[nrh2110]

Thanks Kami. My only comment is regarding the Listening detour.

I agree some form of this task can be done in other parts of the world, but Sibelius is so important to Helsinki. There's an international violin competition, a park, a monument, a museum, and an academy all named after him. The Finnish 100 note had Sibelius on it until they began using the Euro in 2002. Finland's flag day was purposely put on Sibelius's birthday. They've even proposed to rename Helsinki Airport to Jean Sibelius Airport. Sibelius to Helsinki is basically what Gaudí is to Barcelona. Or maybe a better comparison would be what Chopin is to Warsaw. Sibelius is SUPER important to the culture of Helsinki.

And the thing that Sibelius is known for is his seven symphonies. So I think that though classical music tasks can be done anywhere, this task was made for Helsinki.

Hope that helps clarify things. Thanks for your comments.

[gamerfan09]

hi sorry for the delay and no formatting but here are my comments for EVERYONE ok goodnight.

All I have to say is that everyone did a good job. Not a single "bad leg" in the bunch. It was very easy for me to pick a winner this round, but even harder to grade the rest. Good luck.

Show content

Redwings: Your first few clues are okay. Not too sure about the Detour. The ABBA task is fine, yes, and the sails is an interesting showcase of culture, but it doesn’t really feel like it flows cohesively as a Detour because of how the options don’t really get described. It’s just ABBA or VASA, with no explanation on how these tasks work and flow as a Detour. The tasks are good enough, yes, but I’m not very sure about the fit or the flow there, especially since right before we went to a museum for no reason. We then go to the Ice Bar, and honestly, we already went here on TAR6. Your Roadblock is actually kind of cool with the making a shot, but I don’t know what the Die Hard problem is doing here. It just feels like padding, and just running to the Pit Stop just doesn’t feel right for a leg as active as this.

Overall, I liked your tasks on paper, and your Route Infos and presentation were fine, but I just wasn’t a fan of revisiting an already done location, the Pit Stop being a run away didn’t exactly feel right after a Roadblock that is easier than the Detour, and your Roadblock had much too padding for me.

Solid enough effort though, good job.

Nuku: Love the Fred & Ginger RI, and then your ARI for the architecture is a good task. I like how it’s both analysis and navigation. Your Detour is good! I like both tasks as a concept, however, I do have a slight problem with the transmutation circle. Correct me if I’m wrong, but the circle looks like it’s only 3 symbols? It’s not that hard if that’s the case, but I guess it effectively makes this Detour a “slow and steady task with less chances of errors” vs. a “quicker task with more chances of errors” Detour, and that is something I appreciate. Your Roadblock is also cultural and solid, really like the puppets! We then go to the Pit Stop to end a leg.

You just keep improving every round, and I think this is one of your best yet. Good job.

Bookworm: I got confused by your cryptic clue lol. We then go to your Detour. Bookworm, I like the looks and I like the aesthetic of your Detour. The problem is that I felt like Sagrada had too many moving parts that I just got lost. I could not understand the task because too much had to happen, and I think that’s a problem if it’s not just me complaining about it. Sangria is fine, but I definitely think that “right amount of fruit” is a bit too complex for it. Your Roadblock looks cool but it’s a dancing task that I feel would have been better suited as your Detour instead of Sangria since it would do two things. It would make your Detour a culture-based Detour of different celebrations, while Sangria saved for the Roadblock would give you a challenging task that’s food related and difficult. We then go to the Pit Stop.

Bookworm, I did like parts of your leg, but I think that there were structural issues. As mentioned, I thought your Sangria Detour should have been shuffled with your Roadblock and your Sagrada Detour had too many moving parts to be feasible and functional. I also think that we’ve also technically seen Sagrada before on TAR21, so that works a little bit against your favor. Still, this is a solid enough effort for the leg to be an overall positive. Good job.

ZBC: Thanks for getting out of Google Docs.

I already love your leg’s aesthetic as a night Ireland leg. The Roadblock is great, and your Detour is equally fun. It should be an interesting sight seeing teams run at night, and I like that it’s both music. That said, I’m not too sure about your blindfold coffee task. I just think that it feels a little bit more off when so much of the leg felt like it was a celebration. The coffee task isn’t really honoring anything, and that’s why I’m not that much of a fan. It’s a decent task, don’t get me wrong, I just don’t see where its needed this leg. We then end it at the Pit Stop.

Decent job ZBC. I liked your leg, with the exception of my nitpick with the Irish Coffee task.

MrDS: I like the RB twist of being randomly fed during a tedious task and then getting penalized accordingly for errors. Unfortunately I’m just not a fan of watching weaving period? That’s a subjective thing but I just don’t think it would look very exciting on TV. We then decorate a window for a light festival, and I do like how it looks. It’s also not a very time consuming task, which puts it in a great position. Your Detour is great. I love the concept of the movie one, and the mosaics make for interesting sights. We then end the leg.

MrDS, I liked your leg despite the fact that France is one of the most overused countries on this show, it stood out well enough. My nitpick is really just with how I personally find the weaving boring lol. Great job.

betheactress: LOVE the Bike Fishing Roadblock. It’s definitely unique to watch, and I loved the gif you made again lol. Your Detour is also great. It manages to showcase 2 significant men by having two attention to detail tasks… where one is strict analysis and the other has a luck element. It’s balanced, it’s relevant, and it just works. Your Route Info is a great twist on the traditional TAR selling task and I just loved it. And then we still have a cryptic clue before the PS!

You’re one of the strongest designers in this game, and I think that for the first time in this entire contest, I have no complaints lol. And to top it all off, you were STILL the first to submit this entire round. I just have no words. Excellent job!

Mike: Mike is this a penultimate night leg? Interesting choice.

Like the CN Tower Edgewalk because it’s not just a basic jump task, but I have objections. Apparently a maximum of 6 people and their guides can do the Edgewalk at the same time. That’s immediately a problem for one of the Final 4 teams. I do not like having tasks where teams are behind. You could have easily made this an RB Mike, or made it something that team members did alternating, that way, everyone does the walk and no one is unfairly behind early on due to safety restrictions.

Like your Moose task! Your Detour is sports, and I do not like sports, BUT, this works way better as an F4 Detour, so I’m fine with it. Your Roadblock is actually very smart and unique in that it does cross-promo with another CBS show that CBS probably cares about more than TAR (which is all of them), while immersing teams into a detective story of their own. It’s definitely unique, and I found the celebrity cameo amusing as well.

Absolutely loved your night market food task. It’s a soft memory challenge while also a search. This is the best task you’ve done in your entire run this season, if I’m being honest, Mike.

We then end the leg.

Mike, this is probably your best leg so far and it’s not even close. While I think the Sports Detour is generic and your CN Edgewalk has logistics issues, it is a very hectic and full F4 leg with a hard final task that could be the great equalizer like TAR30’s Hong Kong Sign Route Info. It’s just a great leg, and this leg would actually fit in very well with The Amazing Race Canada. I may not be a fan of that franchise, but I did enjoy this leg.

You just kept improving every round, and this is the first time I think I can say that I liked your leg without much complaints. Excellent job, and if you make it to the next round, here’s hoping its more of an up for you.

El: Kobe Beef Speed Bump is interesting, but it’s just slicing beef lol. It’s not a very challenging task, which I think was the point, but it’s just… there? I like the cosplay task, it can produce some very amusing moments. Tea Ceremony is an interesting Roadblock. Your Detour though… I’m not as sure. Japanese Jazz feels like repetition simply because your Roadblock before had a performance task already, while the Sake doesn’t really sound exciting. Your next cryptic clue… I’m also not sure. Like, I don’t get why this had to be after the Detour and not the Roadblock. At least your Pit Stop was pretty!

El, I’m fine with your leg, but my main problem is that.. a lot of it feels like something I’d expect from a Japan leg? There’s not much here that really pushes a new side of Japan we haven’t seen before, and I think that was the most disappointing part for me. Still, I do think your leg is functional and the tasks work, and you did have pretty locations. If you get to the next round, good luck since it’s only gonna get busier. Good job.

NRH: Eating task was a good way to start the leg, but I’m not too sure about your Detour. I love the music one, but the house renovation… just doesn’t seem very exciting personally? I definitely respect and appreciate that it’s very important though. Wife Carrying Roadblock is cute but almost expected at this point, unfortunately, when Finland is a topic of contention. Still a great task though! We then go to the Pit Stop.

NRH, your leg was fine, and definitely passable. My problem is just that it feels a little bit too short? I was surprised to see that your leg was RI-DT-RB-PS to say the least. Regardless, good job.

Lemontail: Another Lyon leg!

Your first Route Info is fine but I think it’s a little bit too grotesque for the show lol? It’s a solid task on PAPER, but just because it’s fine on PAPER doesn’t mean it will work well on screen. After all, TAR is meant to be a family show.

I find it funny how both you and MrDS had movie Detours, but yours is a great puzzle too! I also love your fashion Detour, and the idea of a fashion board game is great. We then go to the Roadblock, and I like this. It’s a challenging senses task, but my main issue is that it’s another logic-based task. We already had two of them, and this just feels a little bit redundant. We then go to the Pit Stop.

Lemontail, I think like MrDS’s leg, you did a good job showcasing France despite the fact that it’s a very overused country. I just have problems with the feasibility of your first task and the fact that your Roadblock was repetitive. But still, it’s a great effort, and I liked your leg. Good job!

[Pi]

Rest of my comments coming this afternoon, and the Results Show will be up tonight

[ZBC Company]

I wanted the final task to switch up final four.

[nrh2110]

Thanks Gamer. Yeah, honestly, I didn't realize that the wife carrying contest was something that people already expected out of Finland, I always thought it was a silly little known trivia about the place, but I guess judging by you and IANU's responses to it, I guess I was wrong about that and that it's a lot more well-known than I thought.

Here's just hoping I survive this round :/

[Pi]

Second and final batch of comments!

Nrh2110 - Helsinki

Show content

• Egypt supplies the Pit Start for this leg before teams fly to a completely different climate, Finland. It’s the least-visited of the Nordic states and hasn’t been seen in over 10 years, making it a great spot to revisit.

• Teams find a stall in Market Square, where they must tuck into a bag of licorice. Licorice seems one of those foods where you either love it or hate it, so I could see some teams having an adverse reaction. It’s a fine minor task to do before we get into the main parts of the leg.

• Living is certainly one of the tasks in the entire round that best shores up the “most liveable cities” theme. I didn’t even know about this Finnish housing program, so that was interesting to learn. The actual tasks of painting, installing, and bed-carrying aren’t uncommon and probably aren’t gripping TV, but knowing that they’re doing it for a good cause within a unique program of Finland makes the task more special. I could see the moment where they put the finishing touches on the apartment and get their next clue being a nicely wholesome moment. In general, a solid task.

• Listening is a musical task involving the symphonies of Sibelius. The concept of noticing the small differences between the music pieces may be hard to perceive by a viewing audience. However, I think it will be appropriately challenging for the racers. I actually think this Detour would work well as a blind Detour. (Not chastising you for not doing this, but just an idea.) Now, on to the Olympic Stadium for the Roadblock.

• The wife-carrying task is practically obligatory since it hasn’t been done before by USTAR. It’s one of the more iconic traditions of Northern Europe and it’s certainly something the producers would choose to do in a future episode. I think the task will be great for the promos, since it’s bound to be a humorous and whimsical affair. It could be more difficult for certain racers to complete the task if the lighter “wives” are selected by racers arriving to the task earlier. Other than that, not a whole lot of complaints about including this.

• The Pit Stop is beautiful, in any case. Should provide some good shots of teams running in towards the mat.


Conclusion: A good summer leg in Finland which successfully characterizes Helsinki as a liveable city while also leaving room for a jovial Roadblock task featuring a cultural tradition. The leg flowed smoothly, although that should be expected for a leg with 4 tasks all in the same city. I believe you did a great job of checking all the boxes for the round’s theme. As the competition gets more fierce, don’t be afraid to take a risk in your design to wow the judges and stand out. Best of luck for the rest of the competition!

MrDS - Lyon

Show content

• A piazza in Florence serves as the start before teams take a train to France. Just to make it known: the fact that two of you opted to design in Lyon this round doesn’t have any negative effect for either of you down in terms of my judging. With that said, let’s get to the leg.

• I like the bike transportation choice; it’s especially good for the round theme. The weaving requires nimble fingers and has a learning curve, thus making it a sufficient way to test the teams right off the bat in Lyon. Then, identifying the marron glacè adds another layer. Few TAR Roadblocks feature this type of multitasking, and both phases relate to Lyon’s culture. The two-step process enhances the task and should help to make it less linear. Good job researching and creating this idea!

• Off to the basilica for the next task, an ARI. Since teams are given instructions, it makes the task more straightforward; thankfully, teams are still judged on creativity before they are eligible to receive the next clue. I think the way you did it is better than having them emulate an example, since it forces them into their own imagination and some of the rules would be too hard to figure out if they had a model instead of the instructions list. I think it’s a perfect difficulty for an ARI.

• Stars on the Screen sends teams southeast to the Institut Lumière, where teams need to keep their memory sharp and have the ability to make abstract arrangements. This task will work well because it’s almost guaranteed they will have to take a couple of tries (unless they have an eidetic memory), yet as time goes on, they will be able to see and fix their mistakes more clearly. I would have liked to have known that all teams were in different rooms for the task, so they couldn’t see the arranged playback of another team. Also, how long are the clips on average? If the movie is feature-length, the task would be too long and would have a ton of downtime. Those details aside, this was a quality and culturally relevant task.

• Writing on the Wall is sort of a scavenger hunt of buildings, with each address leading to the next. Seeing teams have to navigate and bike over Lyon could be drama-prone, but all teams are doing that anyway for each Lyonnais destination. However, this is a little bit different with teams having to find the next site based on an address, not a landmark name. My only nitpick is that this task could lend itself to teams following each other around if they’re on the path at the same time, but that’s kind of unavoidable. (I know you designed the leg to be a NEL, but it’s still a point I wanted to bring up.)

• Teams then pedal to the Parc in the heart of Lyon to find the Pit Stop.

• I didn’t see you mention which liveable city criteria you designated for at least one of your tasks. It was mentioned in the round guidelines that you had to do so.


All in all, this leg showed off a lot of the culture and history of Lyon and was a successful design of a liveable city. The Roadblock having the chestnut part made the task feel more complete and also added to the attention to detail needed for the task, which was a good counter to the mental/physical Detour in the second half of the leg. You’ve been on the precipice of getting the top score every round, so if you continue the creative ideas and nail down some tiny details in your presentations, you’ve got as good of a chance as anyone to get to the final stage of the game. Good luck!

Redwings - Stockholm

Show content

• Teams begin in the far north of Norway and get to pick a clue at random that sends them to find public art along the metro line to Stockholm. I’m okay with this as long as the distance from the airport to the station plus the distance from the station to the next clue is similar for all stations. Based on the maps and your note, it looks like that is probably the case. It will cause all the teams to do research and take different transport paths, so I like it, even though it does feel like a “forced” way to shake things up.

• Teams then grab a clue at the Sun before ferrying to a nearby island, the home of the Detour. ABBA will make for some humorous moments as teams try to dance along to the iconic song. It’s basically a cut-and-dry dance routine task. However, I like how you tailored it to part of Sweden’s pop culture. On the other side, VASA pays homage to the nautical history of the area. Tying the sails seems fairly simple, and perhaps even monotonous. That doesn’t seem like it would be the best for TV, so maybe adding some sort of decoration requirement would help make it more interesting? Overall, the Detour did tap into the culture of Sweden but the tasks didn’t feel out-of-the-box.

• Teams go to the IceBar, a location already visited in TAR 6. In the first part of the RB, they must hand-make a shot glass. It might take a couple tries, but overall fairly straightforward. The second part is a classic brain teaser. I would prefer if teams were given a set amount of vodka for each attempt. “Unlimited” might send the message that the puzzle takes a million steps, when it’s actually just six. What if teams were told (at some point, maybe after a few failures) that they only need 10 oz to solve the puzzle? That would make it easier, but less vodka would get wasted.

• I like the Pit Stop and the foot travel there.

• I didn’t see you mention which liveable city criteria you designated for at least one of your tasks. It was mentioned in the round guidelines that you had to do so.


Overall, a good selection of locations in the design made for a solid leg. I would have made a few changes to the tasks, but none of the tasks stood out as inadequate. I feel as if the transportation choices in the leg might carry more weight than the tasks themselves, because many of the tasks felt basic. Still, a good effort for the theme of the round.

ZBC Company - Dublin

Show content

• First of all, proud of you for going away from Google Docs and towards the Fantasy Game format. I think it makes your presentation a lot better. Good job! Anyway, teams begin in Riga and then fly to Dublin, arriving at night. Ireland has been visited merely once, so I like how you picked it for a return visit.

• I like the inclusion of the memorial as a cluebox location. However, I’m not sure I like the idea of the other two locations being fake clueboxes. I think it would be more streamlined to just send all teams directly to Talbot Street.

• Teams then drive to the Cathedral for the Roadblock. Making the cross is a good way to take part in an Irish tradition. However, it appears to be pretty easy, so I think teams will be in and out quickly.

• Liffey Bridge is the next clue’s location, where teams will have to pick between Dance and Play. Irish music is well-known yet unexplored by TAR, so good job selecting that for tasks. The first Detour is an appropriately challenging dance task. I think it will be fun for us to watch on TV; it’s also very physical for the racers. My main concern with Play is that it may be tough for them to transport instruments on a bike. Unless they have some type of basket, going back and forwards with instruments is going to be awkward. Plus, biking with heavy objects at night could be unsafe. However, I do like how they have to discern the correct instruments!

• The Irish coffee task is whimsical, but I would have liked to see the task before the Detour. I think it would be a better flow to have the toughest, most physical tasks right before the Pit Stop and not this relatively easier task. So, putting it in a different spot in the order would have been a bit better. Still, the communication from the non-blindfolded to the blindfolded racers should be fun to watch!

• A grand castle serves as the Pit Stop. I like the nighttime picture of the castle!

• In your presentation, try to include the img width function to keep your picture sizes consistent. Use [img width=][/img] and place a number after the equals sign. Also, remember to not hotlink any pics.

• I also didn’t see a liveable city criteria.


I think you accomplished your goal of making this leg better than the TAR 12 Ireland leg. It was a risk to pick a night leg and self-driving, but you did it well! The tasks were good, although the instruments detour could be hard to complete if taking multiple bike trips with the different instruments. You’ve improved your presentation by leaps and bounds, so keep it up!

Elthemagnifico - Kobe

Show content

• Teams start in Singapore and fly to Kobe in Japan. Props for deciding to go outside of Europe and North America for this round! Good thing adding the Hours of Operation too.

• Kobe beef is probably what Kobe is known for the most, so it makes perfect sense to include it in a task. Making the shabu shabu should be a good difficulty for a Speed Bump- not a total breeze, but not too hard either.

• The Anpanman task should be an adorable task with the kids as the audience. I hope the judge isn’t too strict on the performance, and it’s more of a simple task to entertain the kids as opposed to a stringent, exact task.

• Then, it’s on to the tea house at Sorakuen Garden for the Roadblock. I can’t blame you for doing a tea ceremony task in Kansai, because I’ve done the same thing in DC It’s definitely traditional and would be engaging to watch. However, we’ve already had a task featuring a dressing up for a performance and a task of serving food. Ergo, it may come across as repetitive. Still, there are some contrasts: the new-age comics vs. the ancient tea ceremony and tea, a beverage, versus Kobe beef, an entree. Because of this, the tasks don’t feel like carbon copies of one another.

• There’s a short drive to the shrine, where teams get a Detour. Slicky is interesting because Japanese jazz is not well known or codified into the culture. I don’t really like how the only objectives of the task are to be on vocals or play bass; while racers do have to adapt to the Japanese style, it is inherently biased to those who know how to sing or play instruments already. I don’t really envision many teams picking this Detour based on what information they would get in the clue unless they are musically inclined.

• Sake is more well known, even having appeared in TAR 26’s first Japan leg. The process and product are certainly cultural, so I like the task and I like it specifically as one Detour option. Thankfully, the two Detour sites aren’t too far apart in case teams want to switch.

• The task of finding the Denmark House at Kobe Kitano Museum is based on countries they’ve previously visited. It’s pretty simple with the locations all being close together, so it will be a pretty minor task not changing placements too much. Then, the Pit Stop is at a beautiful overlook.

• I would have liked for you to explicitly state which liveable city category you included- you mentioned what tasks they involved, but not the actual criteria.


In closing, I liked your decision to design in Kobe, and the fact that the leg featured both modern and old Japanese culture was enjoyable. However, I think the high number of tasks in the leg made it too full. I would have removed the jazz detour and changed one of your other tasks to be the other side of the Detour. This would have reduced the number of performance tasks. Still, there was a lot of creative output here that I appreciated. Continue applying lots of culture in your legs in the future!

[ZBC Company]

I should mention that detour was part of culture think, and For Detour, teams have baskets.

[ZBC Company]

hope i dont go home

[Kamineko]

Update coming...

[Pi]

DAY #50:
SITE: BELVEDERE PALACE, VIENNA, AUSTRIA
TIME: 10.00 AM





Phil Keoghan: Congratulations on finishing another round of excellent designs! The results are in and I’d like to give thanks to our guest judge this round, ImANewUser. Now, it’s time to find out who won, who survived, and who is going home. The two of you with the lowest average scores will be eliminated this round.

Please, no posting until the end of the Results Show. Thanks!

[Pi]

Phil Keoghan: The top 4 designers for this round, in no particular order, are:

   
   



Coming in fourth place...
















































































4th Place
(40.75)



Receiving the bronze medal for this round is...

















































































3rd Place
(41.25)




































We're down to our top two. Who will win their first round of this season?
















































































In second place,


2nd Place
(41.50)



which means a big congratulations to...


1st Place
(49.00)

You have won Round 4!      

[Pi]

Phil Keoghan: Let's reveal the three designers who placed fifth through seventh.



















































































5th Place
(40.50)



















































































6th Place
(39.00)


















































































And finally, overcoming a penalty to remain safe this round in seventh place is:


7th Place
(35.75)


Congrats, you're all moving on to Round Five!

[Pi]

Phil Keoghan: May the remaining three designers please step forward?




There are only three of you left, and only one will make it to Round 5 as two players must be eliminated this round. I was told that this round came down to a very close difference in scores. Let’s see which one of you has the best average.

What’s this? *shuffles papers* It seems that all three of you all have the exact same score. Yes, all three of these designers received a score of 34.75 this round. This means, we must go to the tiebreaker. The tiebreaker states that the designer with the highest individual score will receive the higher placement.

One of you received a high individual score of 38, while the other two received a high individual score of 37. *gasps* Thus, the designer who earned the score of 38 will remain in the game.

Which one of you will be safe?





























































































































































































































































8th Place
(34.75, High Individual Score of 38)


Which means, the two of you have been heartbreakingly eliminated from the game.


9th Place
(34.75, High Individual Score of 37)



10th Place
(34.75, High Individual Score of 37)

Phil Keoghan: We just witnessed one of the narrowest eliminations in Design Challenge history. To the eight of you remaining, take a deep breath before you board the plane to your next destination. Round 5 will begin tomorrow!

[MikeDodgers]

Wow! It was that close! This is the furthest I've ever made it in ANY DC!

[redwings8831]

[Bookworm]

Congrats to Be for absolutely dominating this round!

Redwings ZBC