The Official DBSTalk: Amazing Race IV Rules of Play

[Mark Lamutt]

The DBSTalk.com Amazing Race IV Rules of Play:

1. The DBSTalk: Amazing Race IV Contest is sponsored by DBSTalk.com and Mark Holtz. CBS, Earth View Productions, Jerry Bruckheimer Television, Touchstone Television, any other related production companies, New Line Cinema and AOL/Time-Warner are in no way affiliated with the DBSTalk: Amazing Race IV Contest. All trademarks are property of their respective companies.

2. All rules concerning game play of the DBSTalk: Amazing Race IV Contest are subject to modification. If modification of the rules becomes necessary, the rule changes will be posted at DBSTalk.com.

3. All decisions made by the DBSTalk: Amazing Race IV Contest Coordinator are final.

4. All DBSTalk: Amazing Race IV Contest participants are required to be registered members of DBSTalk.com to enter the Contest. While participants from around the world are allowed to play, prizes will be only awarded to residents of the United States.

5. The winners of the DBSTalk: Amazing Race IV contest will remain eligible to participate in and win other DBSTalk Contests.

6. Prizes:

Grand Prize: The Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers-Theatrical Cut DVD (Widescreen) and The Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers-Extended Edition DVD

Regular Prize: The Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers-Theatrical Cut DVD (Widescreen)

Note: The Theatrical Release is scheduled for release on August 26, 2003. The Extended Edition is scheduled for release on November 18, 2003. Shipping will be paid by Mark Holtz via a trackable shipping method (i.e. Priority Mail, UPS Ground). If possible, a "gift receipt" will be included with the DVD(s). Additional prizes may be added during the contest.

7. Unlike the Survivor contests, the DBSTalk: Amazing Race IV Contest is purely a participation contest. Each vote in each week's poll constitutes an entry in the drawing at the end of the Contest. (i.e. Voting in the "Which Team Comes In First at the Pit Stop", "Which Team Comes In Last at the Pit Stop", and "Which Team Uses a Fast Forward" constitutes three entries.) Grand Prize will be awarded via random drawing of all players who participated in ALL of the weekly polls throughout the Contest run. Regular prize will be awarded via a random drawing from all participants in the contest who voted in ANY polls. Odds of winning prizes is dependent on the number of entries received.

8. Winners will be notified via both Private Message and E-mail. The winner will then have seven days to respond. If the winner does not respond within the specified time period, then an alternate winner will be drawn and have five days to respond.

9. In the event Amazing Race IV ends before its complete run on CBS (i.e. network cancellation), the DBSTalk: Amazing Race IV Contest prizes will be awarded based upon the criteria above.

Should world events lead CBS to pull The Amazing IV from the current schedule for a limited period of time, the contest will be "put on hold" until such time as Amazing Race IV resumes on CBS. The DBSTalk: Amazing Race IV Contest Coordinator shall be the sole judge of the definition of the term "limited".

10. There are no tiebreakers.

11. DBSTalk.com staff members, employees and their immediate families and household members, while eligible to participate, are not eligible to win prizes. Employees of prople directly connected to the production of The Amazing Race, CBS, and CBS affiliates also are not eligible to win prizes. Participants who fall under these conditions are required to inform the DBSTalk: Amazing Race IV Contest Coordinator of their status before entering the Contest.

12. The DBSTalk: Amazing Race IV Contest will be conducted entirely online at DBSTalk.com. Weekly Contest entries will only be accepted when submitted online at DBSTalk.com. While entries may be changed prior to polls closing, DBSTalk.com is not responsible for errors made when initially entering or changing entries.

13. DBSTalk.com is not responsible for weather incidents (such as ice storms), Internet or server outages, or any other acts of God that may prevent the participants from entering. DBSTalk.com and the DBSTalk: Amazing Race IV Contest Coordinator are not responsible for entry errors or for transmission errors.

14. DBSTalk.com is in no way responsible for any problems, technical malfunctions or traffic congestion on the Internet or on the DBSTalk.com web site which may limit entries into the DBSTalk: Amazing Race IV Contest. In the event of a database failure within the DBSTalk.Com web site resulting in a loss of entries for any given week, the game will continue from a backup source file. After the database is restored, any votes entered after the backup point and before restoration will need to be reentered. If such an event occurs, full details of procedure will be provided in the DBSTalk Contests forum.

15. By entering the DBSTalk: Amazing Race IV contest, participants release DBSTalk.com, from liability for any technical malfunction of prizes awarded, and for any damage and/or injury incurred from prizes. Prize winners agree to allow DBSTalk.com to use their name and or likeness on DBSTalk.com and/or in advertisements. Winners will provide DBSTalk.com a photograph (preferably digital) of themselves with their prize.

16. Any attempt by a participant to deliberately damage the DBSTalk.com web site to undermine the legitimate operation of the DBSTalk.com: Amazing Race IV Contest, including using multiple registrations for the purpose of increasing the chances of winning, is a violation of criminal and civil laws. Should such an attempt be made, DBSTalk.com reserve the right to seek damages from the offending participant to the fullest extent of the law.

17. Contest void where prohibited by law.

How to Enter Each Week:

1. Participants will vote in a minimum of two polls each week – Who will arrive first at the pit stop, and Who will arrive last at the pit stop. A third poll, Which team will use the fast forward?, will be created each week until no teams are able to use the fast forward.

NOTE: Because not all pit stops are elimination points, the term "arrives last" is used instead of "eliminated".

2. In the event that two or more episodes are are aired back to back, then each episode will have seperate polls created.

3. During the course of play, Bonus Polls will be added at the discretion of the DBSTalk: Amazing Race IV Contest Coordinator.

4. Polls will be posted after the episode airs on the CBS affiliate in Sacramento, CA. (The CBS affiliate in Sacramento airs prime time programming from 7-10 PM instead of 8-11 PM Mondays-Fridays).

5. Weekly DBSTalk: Amazing Race IV Contest entries must be received by 11:59 PM Eastern Time the day before the weekly episode airs on CBS. The DBSTalk.com clock will be used as the official time for the Contest. If the weekly episode airs on Thursday, all Contest entries must be received by 11:59 PM Eastern Time Wednesday. Some Amazing Race episodes may air on another day of the week during the season. Air schedule and Contest schedule updates will be posted at DBSTalk.com.

Good luck and have fun!

[Danny R]

If I'm reading the rules correctly, it doesn't matter if one guesses any of the correct answers, just so long as they participated right?

Or is it each correct answer qualifies as an entry for the grand prize?

[Mark Lamutt]

Z'Loth? My guess is that if you vote, your entry for that poll is in the drawing, whether your vote was correct or not, but Z'Loth will have to verify that.

[timf]

Perhaps one entry if you vote and an additional entry (or multiple entries) if you vote correctly would be appropriate. There's not much excitement in awaiting the correct answer to the poll if you don't get a bonus for guessing correctly.

[Mark Holtz]

Hmmmm.... valid point. I am running this contest somewhat differently from the Amazon contests that Mark has put on in the past. There may be a slight logistics hurdle that would need to be worked out. I'm learning this as I go along. :)

Stay tuned.

[Lee L]

Yeah, we have to have some way of lording over everyone else that we got more questions right than they did. ;)

[Mark Holtz]

I'm working on a idea. Stay tuned!

[Mark Holtz]

Okay, here is what I'm probably going to do.

You will always get at least 1 point (aka entry) just for participating in the poll. This will not change.

For the first week, there will be no bonus points for getting it right. With the simple lack of information beyond the promos and the CBS website, it's like throwing darts at a dartboard.

Starting with the second week, however, we should have enough information to judge how the teams will do, so bonus points will be awarded for getting a correct answer. In the event of a tie, then both choices will be considered valid. This would only apply to the who arrives first and last, since no two teams can use a fast forward.

Is that fair enough?

[UpOnTheMountain]

Z'Loth,
Sounds good!
Thanks for doing this !
Keith

[Mark Lamutt]

Sounds good to me!

[dbkelly]

Z'Loth, thanks for carrying the contest for TAR4. Looking forward to another great season.

It's too back Steve and Debra were elminitated last night, they were pretty funny in their own right. Definitely better than Tian/Jaree. I can't believe Monica/Sheree used their only Fast Forward on Ep.1. The look on their faces is going to be priceless when they discover the times are all equalized again at the beginning of Ep.2.

BTW, not that it matter that much for last night, but where are the picks and results going to be published each week? tar.dbstalk.com???


Cheers,
David

[Mark Lamutt]

We're still working out how to show the results. I take it that you liked the way I did it for Survivor?

[dbkelly]

Yes, I like to see the summary before the shows airs so I can see how bad/or good I'm doing in relation to the other players.

However, if you asking for suggestions, I recommend adding 10 points everytime 'dbkelly' votes. That would be cool! Thanks.


David

[Mark Lamutt]

You'll have to talk to Z'Loth about that one... :lol:

[Wyoming_Companion]

Originally posted by Mark Lamutt
We're still working out how to show the results. I take it that you liked the way I did it for Survivor?

Yes...I vote to show results, etc....just as was done for Suvivor.

(can I get a point for THIS vote?)

I believe I got two out of three votes for the first show...so I'd like to see where I am in the standings.

[Mark Holtz]

The reason why the results are not posted yet... is because I haven't had a chance to key in the results and post them. (I was out for most of the day, and had to install a new dryer last evening. It was a combination mother's day/birthday present.).

With over 50 votes registered in the polls, the participation is excellent. May need to add a additional twist.

Wyoming_Champion: The week one polls had NO additional points for voting correctly because of the extremely limited information available. So, if you voted, you got one point, if you didn't, you got zero points.

Week two polls, however, have a bonus point for guessing correctly since we now have the racers in action.

[Wyoming_Companion]

Z'Loth...

I was just funnin' you. I was voting on how I wanted the results posted and the joke was to get a point for voiting on how the.....oh...nevermind.

It was funny to me at the time, but I had a bourbon in my hand.

Thanks for running the contest....those of us playing DO appreciate your extra work.

[Mark Lamutt]

And those of me sitting on the sidelines on this one REALLLY appreciate Z'Loth's work on this one...(meaning it's not me doing all the work!)

[Mark Holtz]

As a little bit of administrivia...

I just got added to a Summer Econ class. Originally scheduled for 8 weeks from 5:30-8:30, it's now a 6 week course from 5:30-9:30, so there will be a slight delay in getting the results out and the new polls posted. The big three polls get posted first, then then any bonus polls, followed by the weekly results, followed by the master score list.

Oh, yeah, I have a few curveballs up my sleeve. ;)

[Mark Holtz]

With the latest board upgrade, you can now see exactly when the poll closes including time. So, I'm going to try a rule modification for next weeks polls only, and see how everyone likes it.

The current rules state that the polls will be closed at 11:59PM ET the night prior to the episode airing.

The change will be that the polls will close no earlier than 11:59 PM ET. However, there will be a short "grace period" between 11:59 PM ET and when the poll actually closes. This time that the poll closes will be stated at the top of the poll. This grace period may range from a few minutes to an hour or so. Once the poll closes during a contest, it cannot be reopened. However, to ensure that your vote will be counted, it is advisable to vote prior to the 11:59 PM ET deadline.

[JBKing]

First of all, Z'Loth, thanks for all the work you are putting into this.

I'm probably confusing myself, but how will the grand prize and the regular prize winner be picked? Is it ... the grand prize winner has the most points AND voted in EVERY poll, and the regular prize winner is picked at random?

[Mark Holtz]

7. Unlike the Survivor contests, the DBSTalk: Amazing Race IV Contest is purely a participation contest. Each vote in each week's poll constitutes an entry in the drawing at the end of the Contest. (i.e. Voting in the "Which Team Comes In First at the Pit Stop", "Which Team Comes In Last at the Pit Stop", and "Which Team Uses a Fast Forward" constitutes three entries.) Grand Prize will be awarded via random drawing of all players who participated in ALL of the weekly polls throughout the Contest run. Regular prize will be awarded via a random drawing from all participants in the contest who voted in ANY polls. Odds of winning prizes is dependent on the number of entries received.

A preliminary check indicates that only SIX people have participated in ALL of the polls throughout the entire contest including the bonus polls. Did I leave myself wide open to interpretation?

Opinions please....

[Mark Lamutt]

I don't see any ambiguity in the rule. And of course, 2 of the 6 people elligible are you and me, so the grand prize is going to be a drawing among 4 people...

Pretty good odds for them, I'd say!

[Mark Holtz]

I was excluding you and me, Mark. :)

[JBKing]

Ok, thanks. Told you I was confused! :)