Sillyman
Level: Smiter

Rank Points: 339
Registered: 09-08-2006
IP: Logged

THIS IS A DRAFT

1. Holds will be prepared beforehand specifically for the race. These holds will contain "standard" rooms, as well as several particular elements. All holds will be released to the players under Only You edit mode. Holds are likely to be prepared by people other than the administrator.

2. Players will be organized into teams of 2. These teams must play through the hold together.

3. All players will meet at a designated time for the race. They must have CaravelNet chat enabled, and announce their presence in chat before a specified check-in time.

4. The hold shall begin with a timedelay gate, which opens with a code, which shall be announced by the administrator in a whisper to each team. This serves two purposes: to ensure the players enter the hold blind at the time of the race, and to maintain the relative standing of each team from the last leg of the race.

5. Players may assist each other through the holds freely, regardless of whether or not they are on the same team. The only things that should not be shared are codes.

6. At some point during each leg there will be a "Detour". A "Detour" is a choice between two paths. A scroll at the beginning of the detour shall very briefly (and vaguely) describe each path, and the teams must each agree on a path to choose. They must announce their choice to the administrator with the name of the path, and the administrator will provide them with the code to enter that path. Then they proceed as normal. They may not switch paths in the middle of a "Detour".

7. At some point during each leg there will be a "Road Block". A "Road Block" is a task which only one team member from each team may perform. A vague question shall be asked in a scroll. The team must agree on a member to undertake the task, and announce this choice to the administrator along with the question asked. The administrator will then provide the chosen member with the code to enter the "Road Block". Upon completing the "Road Block", the chosen member shall find a code which they shall whisper to the administrator, who shall relay it to their partner to allow them to continue the hold. They may not switch chosen members in the middle of a "Road Block".

8. At the end of the hold associated with each leg of the race, teams shall find a "Pit Stop". When they reach this "Pit Stop" each team member must PM the code they find there to the administrator. As soon as both members of a team have reached the "Pit Stop", that team has completed the leg of the race and will be told their position. First place teams at each leg shall receive one mod point. Last place teams at each leg shall be eliminated from the race.

9. The race shall continue until all but three teams have been eliminated, then one more leg shall be held, the winner of which wins the race. The team who wins shall receive a prize To Be Determined.

10. All codes shall be 10 digits from 1-9 (such that they may be easily entered by typing on the numpad in answer to question scripts), randomly selected for each element, each player, and each leg.

____________________________
Who, me?
FNORD

RoboBob3000
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 1978
Registered: 10-23-2003
IP: Logged

The biggest potential hang-up I see here is the need to have the host and both teammates available for the entire duration of a leg. That's a scheduling nightmare waiting to happen, particularly with all of the time zones involved. If there's a way to automate the host out of the process (for example, timed reveals via PM), that would be ideal. The team dynamic itself might prove tricky too with regards to timing, but that's such a big component of The Amazing Race that it probably shouldn't be eliminated.

We should also think outside of the box with regard to Detours/Road Blocks. Get the players away from their computers.

If, say, you require that at least one of the teammates owns a digital camera, you can send them on a scavenger hunt for something and ask them to take a photo of themselves with it in order to continue with the race (otherwise, incur a significant time penalty if they choose not to do the task). Have them make a sandwich or build a house of cards. There's a lot of potential here to make things entertainingly thematic.

____________________________
http://beepsandbloops.wordpress.com/

Sillyman
Level: Smiter

Rank Points: 339
Registered: 09-08-2006
IP: Logged

Creativity would definitely have to come from not me. Hmm... perhaps a Host and an Admin? (Host makes stuff, Admin runs the players through it) In any case, I suppose that the only thing that would really have to be arranged is the starting line (although I would really like to have Detours and Road Blocks block your progress until you pass them)... unless I programmed a thingy to handle stuff? Ooh.

If I were to program a utility, anything not algorithmically verifiable could be judged after the fact. You submit your entry, and if it isn't valid (or if you pass) you receive a time penalty to your final time score.

And if we desynchronize the teams, I would have to forbid sharing H&S between teams, even though H&S is the only real way of forming alliances.

____________________________
Who, me?
FNORD

---

[Last edited by Sillyman at 05-21-2009 06:01 AM]

TripleM
Level: Smitemaster
Rank Points: 1373
Registered: 02-05-2003
IP: Logged

I've watched most of the Amazing Race series' and alliances really don't seem to be a big part of them. Sure, some teams form 'alliances' and once in a while give the other team a hint as to 'its back there' and so on, or perhaps have a taxi follow another taxi, but I don't think it's really that big a deal if that doesn't happen.

I agree that you really can't expect everyone participating at the same time though with timezones. Something like an unhidetime tag or some other way of storing what time each person starts a leg would be the best way to go.

Is there any reason not to allow you to change detours? You can change detours on the show, and it would make the holds simpler (no passwords, you just go left or right, complete the task, and end up in the same place). Of course, that could mean teammates could use a different way each.

NiroZ
Level: Smitemaster
Rank Points: 1302
Registered: 02-12-2006
IP: Logged

I don't see why they would, as if they are both on the same track they can help each other out.

TripleM
Level: Smitemaster
Rank Points: 1373
Registered: 02-05-2003
IP: Logged

True, though often each option is easier for one player than the other, so it might be better forcing both players to do the same one somehow.

Sillyman
Level: Smiter

Rank Points: 339
Registered: 09-08-2006
IP: Logged

Oh... oh, whoops. Okay, allow switching. But I just thought of a way to make sure they do the same one. It also works as a way to keep the two members of a team in the same place at all times. At the end of each task have codes which must be exchanged between the two members of the team to proceed. Detours, obviously, have two different code pairs at the end of the paths.

Road Blocks could also self-administrate in a similar (but more complicated) manner, although it is impossible to ensure that only one player even attempts the Road Block. But whatever, it should be fine. What you do is make a branching path. One side skips the Road Block, the other does it. The "skip" side, of course, is an observation deck like thing, with an exit that opens with a code stored on the other side. And then, just as a little subconscious reminder of the nature of a Road Block, the player who skipped the Road Block tells their partner a code to let them exit and continue the hold.

Not that I don't trust you, it's just that if you make rule infractions ridiculously easy, you're asking for trouble, even with people who would normally follow the rules. Especially smart people who would normally follow the rules. Even more so with Banjooie.

____________________________
Who, me?
FNORD

---

[Last edited by Sillyman at 05-21-2009 07:52 AM]