Request for Survivor Contest changes

[dbkelly]

This thread is mainly directed at Mark, but others can chime in if they want.


Is it possible to change the voting thread logic so that you can edit your picks after you've voted? On the Yahoo! contest, you can make your picks, but then you can go back later and change those picks. Here, you can't do that! Like most of the people here (I'm sure), I generally have it narrowed down to 2-3 people each week, but inevitably flip-flop back-in-forth between the various individuals. It would be nice to get something down (in case, your power goes off again ... like say from an ice storm!!!), but still be able to edit those picks up until the deadline. Make sense?


Cheers,
David

[Mark Lamutt]

Makes sense. Honestly I don't know if the software will allow this, but I'll look into it.

[timf]

If the vBulletin poll software doesn't allow it, then maybe we could put the polls up on a separate system. I'm sure there's someone on the forums who could write a nice voting system if you can't find something pre-made that does what you want.

[Mark Lamutt]

Thanks for the suggestion, timf. With only 4 weeks left before the start, I don't know that there would be enough time to write a voting system and get it tested before we start.

[Chris Blount]

I've installed a hack that allows you to change your vote. Thanks for the suggestion dbkelly. You can try it out here:

http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=10576

[Mark Lamutt]

I'll be changing the official rules to include changing your votes.

[Mark Holtz]

Hey, Mark, since we now know the names of the tribes and contestants, how about kicking off the competition with a poll that closes on February 20 with the following questions:

* Which tribe will have the ultimate Survivor?
* Who will be the ultimate Survivor?
* When the tribes "live together", who would have the most members from the original trible? (2 points, if there is a even split, that everyone who voted gets one point)
* When the tribes "merge", which tribe will have the most members from the original tribe? (2 points, if there is a even split, then everyone who voted gets one point)

Also, the voting should be structured to encourage participation. You should at least get one point just for voting.

[Mark Lamutt]

All good ideas, and not far off from what I'm planning if everything works out right. Look for things to kick off here in a couple of weeks. :D

[dbkelly]

Excellent!!!! Thanks Chris!


I'm already gearing up for another stressful Survivor season.

[Mark Lamutt]

You and me both, David! :D

Think I can win it again?

[timf]

Just a word of warning about the "change your vote" script. When using the back button, be sure not to back over the page that deletes your vote after you re-vote. If you do, your vote will be erased again. You can get around this problem by backing out of the thread entirely after clicking the change vote button, then go back into the thread and vote again.

[dbkelly]

Good point! Thanks for the tip. That would be horrible if that happened ...

[sorahl]

i must say, i'm going to a little more serious aobut my voting this time :) i kept forgetting last time and thinking i had voted..
maybe I'll get my wife to remind me, :)

[Mark Lamutt]

Originally posted by Z'Loth
Hey, Mark, since we now know the names of the tribes and contestants, how about kicking off the competition with a poll that closes on February 20 with the following questions:

* Which tribe will have the ultimate Survivor?
* Who will be the ultimate Survivor?
* When the tribes "live together", who would have the most members from the original trible? (2 points, if there is a even split, that everyone who voted gets one point)
* When the tribes "merge", which tribe will have the most members from the original tribe? (2 points, if there is a even split, then everyone who voted gets one point)

Also, the voting should be structured to encourage participation. You should at least get one point just for voting.

:D There will be a special poll or 2 that go up on Monday along with the standard ones that are very similar to this, and that will play a very big part at the end of the contest...watch for details coming Monday!

[Danny R]

I don't see the special "polls" you refer to yet, but I do like the other rule changes you have implemented. The points for the final episode have been doubled right? This certainly does make it anybody's game right up to the end.

Likewise the participation bonus could also change things.

It looks like its going to be a fun season. Let the games begin!

[Mark Lamutt]

After spending a lot of time reworking the points system, I decided against doing "special" polls to start things out because that would be too limiting to people joining the contest after the first week. Instead, I added the participation bonus point system to reward people that play consistently over the course of the contest. Goal is of course to keep the contest more competitive up until the end. That's also the reason that the points for the polls got doubled in the final week. Enjoy! {he says sitting down trying to figure out how he can win again... :)}

[Danny R]

I decided against doing "special" polls to start things out because that would be too limiting to people joining the contest after the first week.

Actually it depends on how you award points. You could still have the season long special polls, but have decreasing points awarded based on when the person voted. For example, a person who votes correctly for "Who is the Final Survivor" before the first show gets maximum, but someone could join the voting as late as the final episode and perhaps get a couple points. As the show progresses, folks can edit their choice, but then of course only take the point value for that period of time. (I'm assuming you can tell when a vote is cast or edited)

Actually the final episode polls would all work perfectly for this, with the "low" value being the scores already assigned, and someone who guessed them perfectly from the very beginning getting a higher score.

he says sitting down trying to figure out how he can win again...

Of course my favorite rule is that previous 1st prize winners in the last year can't win again. So we are all safe from Cory this season!

CoryTV: If you are reading this, it would still be fun if you participated again. You might not be able to win the prizes, but you could certainly win braging rights by doing well again.

[Mark Lamutt]

I have no way of tracking exactly when votes are cast or edited. The database doesn't specifically keep that information. And while it is recorded in the admin log, that would be a major amount of work to go through that file everyday to pull the information out.

[Danny R]

No problem, just offering suggestions.

Darn, but the 13th is waaaaay too far away. Everyone remember as well that the series premiere is 90 minutes this year.

[Mark Lamutt]

I really do appreciate the suggestions :). I've tried to incorporate as many as I could from last time around into the game play this time. And yes, the 13th is a long time away!

[dbkelly]

Mark,

I love Rule #13. - DBSTalk.com is not responsible for weather incidents (such as ice storms ) or any other acts of God that may prevent the participants from entering.


Was this directed at me? <wink wink>


Can't wait for the game to start! It seems like we've been waiting forever ...

[Mark Lamutt]

Yup... :)

Notice it made it into the monthly giveaway rules as well.

[Danny R]

Heh heh... and missing a poll can really hurt you this game. Not only do you immediately lose out on 5 points of the participation bonus, but you also lose 1 point for the actual poll in the first place (and perhaps up to another 5 points if its something like a reward challenge late in the game that doesn't actually occur)

[Mark Lamutt]

I'm glad you noticed that Danny. I hope that others notice it as well - it'll definitely cost you if you miss voting in a poll or miss a week.

[Rob]

I just wish I could of voted on Thursday. As long as it is before 7 pm ET. I don't see what the problem was.

[Mark Lamutt]

The reason that the polls close at midnight on Wednesday is that people with C-Band dishes and the right equipment can see the episode early Thursday (before 7pm est).

And what difference does it make? There are no new CBS promos released after the polls close. The CBS Survivor website doesn't change after the polls close. From everything that I've seen, all of the available information is out there by the time I close the polls.

[Rob]

I did not know that about C-Band.
I didn't read the rules before the game started and assume I would be able to vote on Thursday.

My fault.

[Scott Greczkowski]

Don't worry about it Rob. :)

Speaking of C Band I hear that a feed aired on Thursday at 3PM EST bound for Canada and was available in the clear. (It also had no commercials, only black space where the commercials should be. :)

There is a Channel in Canada called NTV (Newfoundland Television) which airs Survivor at 6:30pm our time. They are in some wierd time zone over there.

[Mark Lamutt]

Sorry, Rob. You are still very much in this, though! There will be somewhere around 250 points possible to win in this contest, of which only 11 have been awarded so far. Anybody will be able to win up until the end!

[Danny R]

There are no new CBS promos released after the polls close.

The Early Show has released new promos occassionally the morning of the episode. Most notably were clues the morning of the finale last season which clearly showed that Helen was booted before Janet and Brian won immunity.

[Mark Lamutt]

Ah...I stand corrected.