Question for pub trivia-type hosts and players

The forum for general posting. Come join the madness. :)
Post Reply
Message
Author
User avatar
AlphaDummy
Mr. Top Ten
Posts: 1405
Joined: Mon Oct 08, 2007 12:12 pm
Location: The Frozen Tundra

Question for pub trivia-type hosts and players

#1 Post by AlphaDummy » Sun Oct 28, 2012 1:48 pm

Okay...My wife was approached about the possibility of my writing and hosting a trivia contest as part of our local school system's community outreach program. I am not yet sure whether I will be able to commit to this, or what they are looking for at this point. I have some ideas for the contest as far as structure, and am looking for feedback - especially from those with experience hosting, as well as those who have participated in various contests - as to whether my model would be workable. Here is my preliminary format; this is not yet set in stone...I am very much open to suggestions...


Here is my current plan for the structure of the game. There will be six rounds - five rounds with four questions each, plus a “Final Jeopardy”-type of final question. Every question will be read and repeated, followed by one song; teams will have the length of the one song to bring their written answers to the host. Once an answer has been submitted, it cannot be recalled for any reason. Rounds will be scored as follows:

- Round 1 (Opening Round) – five points for a correct answer, no penalty for a wrong answer.
- Round 2 (Penalty Round) – five points for a correct answer with a two-point penalty for a wrong answer.
- Round 3 (Speed Round) – Six points if the correct answer is turned in within the first 30 seconds, four points if turned in within the next minute thereafter, two points if turned in after that. Host will call “freeze” at the break points; any person who has left their seat to bring the answer up has ten seconds to do so; all other players must remain seated to the end of the ten-second freeze but may continue to discuss the question during the freeze. No penalty for an incorrect answer.
- Round 4 (Double-or-Nothing Round) - Each question will have exactly two correct answers. Turn in one correct answer and nothing else, and you get five points. Two correct answers and nothing else gets you ten points. Any incorrect answer turned in, or a sheet with three or more answers, will result in a team score of zero for the question regardless of any correct answers that may have been turned in. No further penalties for any incorrect answer.
- Round 5 (Progressive Round) – Each question will have five correct answers, with scoring as follows (no penalty for an incorrect answer):
1 correct answer = 1 point
2 correct answers = 3 points (1+2)
3 correct answers = 6 points (1+2+3)
4 correct answers = 10 points (1+2+3+4)
5 correct answers = 15 points (1+2+3+4+5)
- Round 6 (Final Round) – Team scores will be read, as well as the category for the final question; teams will submit a wager prior to the reading of the final question. You may wager any or all of your score to this point; correct answers win the amount wagered, incorrect answers lose the wager.

In addition, if any team is the only team to score maximum points on any given question except in the final round (first round, 5 points; second, 5; third, 6; fourth, 10; fifth, 15), that team will be awarded a two-point bonus for that question.

If a team believes they have a valid answer other than mine, I will take it under consideration; if I agree that their answer is valid, I will award points accordingly. If I do not accept their alternate answer, each team will be allowed one appeal per game to “Uncle Mikey’s Kangaroo Court” (and yes, I am seriously looking for a kangaroo hat, an old-fashioned judge’s wig, and a gavel…we are going to have fun with this). If I reject the appeal for any reason, the appealing team will retain their right to appeal on another question. If I accept the appeal, I will call the court into session and present the question along with the submitted answer as well as the team who is placing the challenge. That team will have up to fifteen seconds to present a logical argument as to why their answer should be considered valid; I will appeal to the players’ sense of fairness, and will then place the question to a vote…one vote per team; if a majority of the votes back up the appeal, points will be awarded. In any case, whether the appealed answer is deemed correct by the host or by the kangaroo court, any team that submitted the ultimately correct answer will be awarded the points regardless of whether it was their team or another who made the appeal. To keep the game flowing, any kangaroo court for questions from the first three rounds will be held at the end of the third round; for rounds four and five, at the end of the fifth round, and for the final question, immediately after the final answer is given and before the final scores are read. Needless to say, it is my goal to write questions that are appeal-proof; however, I am open to the fact that, like any other human being, I am fallible.

Your candid feedback and any suggestions will be greatly appreciated; my goal for this is to have a game that is both fun and challenging, and also workable and fair. Once I decide on the final format – and assuming that I will go forward - I will likely be soliciting questions from you as well. Thanks for all of your help!
"Again" - Herb Brooks (as played by Kurt Russell)

User avatar
goongas
Posts: 757
Joined: Mon Oct 08, 2007 6:50 pm
Location: Flying over the Valley of Eternal Peril

Re: Question for pub trivia-type hosts and players

#2 Post by goongas » Sun Oct 28, 2012 2:28 pm

I got a headache just reading the rules. I think it is overly complicated.

My suggestions based on formats I have played that I think work well. I would never give teams point penalties, except if it is a wagering question. (Point penalties don't add to the fun atmosphere you are trying to portray).

Round 1 - Let teams assign points to the questions, like 1,3,5,7
Round 2 - Let teams assign points to the questions, like 2,4,6,8
Round 3 - I wouldn't do speed round, it is too complicated to keep track of, plus if it is in a confined space, people will be bumping into each other and running trying to get the answer in on time. If people feel they are stressed for time, it isn't as fun (the time limit of the end of a song is fine). Maybe increase the points more like 3,5,7,9.
Round 4 - I don't like this round. Replace it with something like a worksheet where you have to identify photos of something perhaps or have a name that tune round? It would be good to break the monotony of just question/answer/question/answer
Round 5 - I would put one of these questions at the end of each round instead of dedicating an entire round to them to break the monotony of question/answer question/answer.
Round 6 - All the games I have played have never allowed you to bet everything, there always has been a maximum you could wager.

I wouldn't do any formal court to challenge answers. If a team thinks their answer is correct then you have to deal with it then.

User avatar
TheConfessor
Posts: 6462
Joined: Mon Oct 08, 2007 1:11 pm

Re: Question for pub trivia-type hosts and players

#3 Post by TheConfessor » Sun Oct 28, 2012 5:31 pm

This is wildly, insanely, overcomplicated. If I'm reading this accurately, the evening will consist of only 21 questions. You will wind up spending far more time trying to explain the rules than asking the questions. My advice is to put more effort into writing a greater quantity and quality of entertaining questions, and radically simplifying the rules. Asking one question per song is tedious. It would be better to ask several questions between songs.

Just my opinion, based on lots of relevant experience.

User avatar
goongas
Posts: 757
Joined: Mon Oct 08, 2007 6:50 pm
Location: Flying over the Valley of Eternal Peril

Re: Question for pub trivia-type hosts and players

#4 Post by goongas » Sun Oct 28, 2012 6:32 pm

I have played both one question per song, and answer these ten questions right in a row and then hand it in, and I prefer the former. The key to the former is the questions have to be interesting, and at least some of them may need a team a couple of minutes to come up with a consensus answer. If the questions are going to be of the type "What is the capital of Texas?" (either you know it or you don't), then one question for song won't work well. A good question I heard the other night was, a lifesize replica of Columbus' ship the Santa Maria is in what U.S. city?

It also depends on the goal for your trivia night (other than to raise money). Do you want the teams to be socializing during the event (talking amongst themselves along with answering questions), or is it strictly a trivia event where all the teams want to do is play a game? I am used to pub quizzes where people want to shoot the breeze with each other more than play trivia. What age groups are you targeting? How long would the event last? Where would the event take place?

User avatar
AlphaDummy
Mr. Top Ten
Posts: 1405
Joined: Mon Oct 08, 2007 12:12 pm
Location: The Frozen Tundra

Re: Question for pub trivia-type hosts and players

#5 Post by AlphaDummy » Sun Oct 28, 2012 6:34 pm

Oof.

'Preciate the candor, though; this was why I posted it here in the first place. Although I did not consciously make the comparison when I first thought about this, I was hoping for something akin to one of the NTN/Buzztime feature games - multiple mini-games within one bigger game, shaking things up and trying to avoid a constant question...answer...question...answer... format. At the same time, nothing like this has been done around these parts, and I didn't want to go in with something that flat-out wasn't going to work. Better that I should hear about it here rather than to have people spend two hours and be disappointed. Again, an honest "thank you" for the honest feedback.
"Again" - Herb Brooks (as played by Kurt Russell)

User avatar
Bob Juch
Posts: 26427
Joined: Mon Oct 08, 2007 11:58 am
Location: Oro Valley, Arizona
Contact:

Re: Question for pub trivia-type hosts and players

#6 Post by Bob Juch » Sun Oct 28, 2012 7:57 pm

goongas wrote:A good question I heard the other night was, a lifesize replica of Columbus' ship the Santa Maria is in what U.S. city?
Spoiler
Corpus Christi, Texas.
I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be.
- Douglas Adams (1952 - 2001)

Si fractum non sit, noli id reficere.

Teach a child to be polite and courteous in the home and, when he grows up, he'll never be able to drive in New Jersey.

User avatar
goongas
Posts: 757
Joined: Mon Oct 08, 2007 6:50 pm
Location: Flying over the Valley of Eternal Peril

Re: Question for pub trivia-type hosts and players

#7 Post by goongas » Wed Nov 07, 2012 5:13 pm

Guess it wasn't as good a question as I thought because there is another replica in Columbus, Ohio.

User avatar
Estonut
Evil Genius
Posts: 10495
Joined: Sat Oct 13, 2007 1:16 am
Location: Garden Grove, CA

Re: Question for pub trivia-type hosts and players

#8 Post by Estonut » Thu Nov 08, 2012 1:36 am

goongas wrote:Guess it wasn't as good a question as I thought because there is another replica in Columbus, Ohio.
There's one in West Edmonton Mall, too.
A child of five would understand this. Send someone to fetch a child of five.
Groucho Marx

User avatar
shoefresh
Posts: 19
Joined: Fri Aug 17, 2012 2:40 am
Location: Austin, TX

Re: Question for pub trivia-type hosts and players

#9 Post by shoefresh » Thu Nov 08, 2012 4:21 am

Agreed with all of the above.

You will spend far longer explaining the rules to your quiz than hosting it.

Some of the best ideas are the simplest ones, and the less explaining you have to do the more your target audience will likely enjoy it.

Admire your enthusiasm, though!

Post Reply