Challenge: WWTBAM on a Budget

[RegisFan]

I was doing this thought exercise today and felt it may be a fun challenge for the community.

Scenario:

You work for Game Show Network in the US and have obtained the rights to produce a daily version of Millionaire. While the top prize will remain one million dollars, the rest of the production must be scaled back to meet the network’s budget requirements.

How do you tweak the game (money tree, lifelines, safety nets, presentation, host, etc.) to deliver a quality WWTBAM experience on a basic cable budget? For reference, the top prize on most GSN originals is between $10,000 and $15,000, and the full payout is rarely achieved with most contestants winning several hundred dollars or a few thousand dollars. How would you design WWTBAM so that most contestants’ winnings fall within that range without losing what makes the show special?

[kplewisvox]

Even with a budget of $15,000 a day (which is high for the current GSN shows), that's $75,000 a week. One $250,000 winner blows out more than three weeks of budget.

Simple answer, it can't be done.

ETA: As much as I hate the Hot Seat format, that's probably the only way you can do it, a format where most contestants are leaving with $1,000.

[RegisFan]

Hot Seat is an interesting thought, and that format was likely developed under similar constraints.

Part of this challenge is designing a format that is deliberately “broken” from the perspective of hardcore fans. As in, the odds are super stacked against the player. Perhaps you only leave one lifeline or remove the second safe haven while having a money tree that only really has one or two large amounts. The risk/reward balance of doubling your money with each step would have to be discarded.

[greekmillionairefan]

Maybe a significantly scaled-down money ladder for Q1-Q15 (e.g. first safety net on $500, second on $5000 and Q15 top prize on $100,000)+1 bonus question for the $1,000,000,which can be activated if the player manages to answer correctly on Q15. But if the player decides to continue for the bonus million-dollar question, all safety nets and remaining lifelines are disabled and he has to risk everything to either go home with a million or empty-handed.So if a contestant reaches $100,000,he has 2 options:

a) take the money and walk away
b) risk everything and activate the bonus million-dollar question with no safety nets and no lifelines

[RegisFan]

Now that’s an interesting idea: a 10X multiple on your winnings if you gamble everything.

My initial thought was to remove the second safety net, have only two lifelines (50:50 and Switch the Question), and significantly lower the tier 3 values with the exception of the final question.

[theidentfan]

Oct 26, 2021 6:50:44 GMT -5 greekmillionairefan said:

Maybe a significantly scaled-down money ladder for Q1-Q15 (e.g. first safety net on $500, second on $5000 and Q15 top prize on $100,000)+1 bonus question for the $1,000,000,which can be activated if the player manages to answer correctly on Q15. But if the player decides to continue for the bonus million-dollar question, all safety nets and remaining lifelines are disabled and he has to risk everything to either go home with a million or empty-handed.So if a contestant reaches $100,000,he has 2 options:

a) take the money and walk away
b) risk everything and activate the bonus million-dollar question with no safety nets and no lifelines

Kind of like in many European and Central American versions where the top prize is usually around €100,000 or US$100,000 (e.g. Portugal, Finland 2002-2005, Greece, Albania, France 2020, El Salvador, Panama, Uruguay 2001-2002).

[greekmillionairefan]

Greek version had €100,000 top prize only on hot seat format. On original format, during the euro-era the top prize was € 150,000 (2002-2004) and later € 250,000(2006).The bad think about this is that although the show is called "Millionaire" it does not really make someone a millionaire, rendering the title misleading. But if they added a high-risk bonus million question, they would make the title literal again without getting out of budget,as the chances for someone to get to the € 100,000 and then risk everything would be extremely rare

[theidentfan]

Oct 29, 2021 2:12:47 GMT -5 greekmillionairefan said:

Greek version had €100,000 top prize only on hot seat format. On original format, during the euro-era the top prize was € 150,000 (2002-2004) and later € 250,000(2006).The bad think about this is that although the show is called "Millionaire" it does not really make someone a millionaire, rendering the title misleading. But if they added a high-risk bonus million question, they would make the title literal again without getting out of budget,as the chances for someone to get to the € 100,000 and then risk everything would be extremely rare

I'd say that a weekly, €1,000,000 version would be best, so it won't end up with low top prizes like Portuguese Hot Seat last year.

[arman]

Oct 29, 2021 5:27:06 GMT -5 theidentfan said:

Oct 29, 2021 2:12:47 GMT -5 greekmillionairefan said:

Greek version had €100,000 top prize only on hot seat format. On original format, during the euro-era the top prize was € 150,000 (2002-2004) and later € 250,000(2006).The bad think about this is that although the show is called "Millionaire" it does not really make someone a millionaire, rendering the title misleading. But if they added a high-risk bonus million question, they would make the title literal again without getting out of budget,as the chances for someone to get to the € 100,000 and then risk everything would be extremely rare

I'd say that a weekly, €1,000,000 version would be best, so it won't end up with low top prizes like Portuguese Hot Seat last year.

Not to go off topic, but it’s a question of the network’s budget and how much they’re willing to give away. It doesn’t matter if it’s a million euros, pounds, dollars or any currency out there, as long as the jackpot is able to change somebody’s life, then it’s fine. That’s what the show is all about.
And the word “MILLIONAIRE” is only kept there for branding purposes, the name “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?” is more catchy than idk… “Who Wants to Be Rich?” or something like that.

[kplewisvox]

Oct 30, 2021 4:51:54 GMT -5 arman said:

And the word “MILLIONAIRE” is only kept there for branding purposes, the name “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?” is more catchy than idk… “Who Wants to Be Rich?” or something like that.

Beg pardon?



en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Who_Wants_to_Be_Rich%3F

[theidentfan]

Oct 31, 2021 17:15:50 GMT -5 kplewisvox said:

Oct 30, 2021 4:51:54 GMT -5 arman said:

And the word “MILLIONAIRE” is only kept there for branding purposes, the name “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?” is more catchy than idk… “Who Wants to Be Rich?” or something like that.

Beg pardon?



en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Who_Wants_to_Be_Rich%3F

Interesting... I think that's the Ghanaian version. Top prize was ₵50,000 (around £18,000). If Ghana should have a revival, I'd imagine the top prize would be something like ₵150,000 or ₵200,000 (although ₵3,000,000 would probably be the best option).

[arman]

Oct 31, 2021 17:15:50 GMT -5 kplewisvox said:

Oct 30, 2021 4:51:54 GMT -5 arman said:

And the word “MILLIONAIRE” is only kept there for branding purposes, the name “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?” is more catchy than idk… “Who Wants to Be Rich?” or something like that.

Beg pardon?



en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Who_Wants_to_Be_Rich%3F

I’m aware of this one, but I didn’t bring it up for no reason…

[kplewisvox]

Nov 1, 2021 7:06:53 GMT -5 theidentfan said:

If Ghana should have a revival, I'd imagine the top prize would be something like ₵150,000 or ₵200,000 (although ₵3,000,000 would probably be the best option).

Ghana's GDP per capita (PPP) is about $8,300, equal to about ₵50,000. So ₵50,000 is roughly a year's income to the average Ghanaian.

The USA's GDP per capita in 1999 when Millionaire premiered here was about $34,500. So the $1 million top prize was about 30 years' income to the average American.

Today the USA's GDP per capita is about $63,500, so that same $1 million is about 16 years' wage.

You propose a ₵3,000,000 top prize. That would be about 60 years' wage to the average Ghanaian.

[crazyhu]

I would probably use the Ukraine Money Ladder. I would make $500 and $5,000 the safe levels.
A clock would be needed
Host: you could probably use a lesser known actor or a news anchor from a cable news network.
Fastest finger: Reduced to six contestants.
Set: I would use a set similar to the Australian Version (2021 version) with no video flooring regular floor lights. Its small looks similar to the British set.





The Ecuador version only gave away $25,000 and taped shows on the Chile and Colombia set. 

[arman]

I feel like a set similar to the South African one would be perfect for this.
Slightly smaller than a normal UK replica, but very good in terms of performance.