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What Big Brother Teaches Us About Game Design

Posted by simoniker on from the act-like-chicken-george dept.

Thanks to Skotos.net for their article discussing why the TV show Big Brother 4 is an example of good game design, and what we can learn from it. It's pointed out that "a group of n/2 (rounded down) + 1 people can dominate the game", if well-organized, but "the producers of Big Brother have made changes which dramatically reduce the power of a majority", including the ability to veto potential evictees. But it's argued the jury of previously evicted players voting on the final two contestants means "...if you backstab someone or betray them, even if it gets you further in the game, it could prevent you from winning." Is there a perfect strategy for winning Big Brother, and if not, is the concept of "unworthy winners" dissatisfying?

4 of 34 comments (clear)

  1. Big Brother differences by Oddly_Drac · · Score: 3, Interesting

    We've just started seeing Big Brother (US) in the UK for the first time, and the differences are startling.

    In the UK game (which is becoming increasingly 'gimmicked'), the housemates are nominated by the other housemates, and the three with the most votes go to a public vote. Generally it's about public perceptions from the outside, and the press (mostly tabloids) tend to pick someone to support. There have been some interesting accusations of 'vote stuffing' in the past.

    In the American version, it's closed voting and alliances are encouraged to provide voting blocks. This is a complete change to the UK version, and partially turned me off because of the constant bitching, but it's essentially a high-pressure political environment compared with the slightly more cooperative model of Big Brother UK.

    --
    Oddly Draconis
    Too cynical to live, too stubborn to die.
    1. Re:Big Brother differences by bigbigbison · · Score: 3, Interesting

      The first season of the US show was like the UK version. It was really very interesting. It was totally non-competitive and the people on the show really bonded. It was pretty interesting because the wife of one of the contestants arranged for the local phone company to pay for everyone in their home town to call and evict her husband's biggest rival, and of course the people in the house had no idea that was going on. People would rent planes with flying banners and stuff to try and tell the people in the house what was going on.
      It was really very interesting. So of course they totally changed it. They have made it more and more competitive every year. I guess it is working simce this years ratings are the highest yet.

      --
      http://www.popularculturegaming.com -- my blog about the culture of videogame players
    2. Re:Big Brother differences by julez · · Score: 3, Interesting

      The first US Big Brother had the same public voting system. However, it turned out that the public voted out the s**t-disturbers, making each week less and less interesting. In the end, it was just a huge love-in and everyone got along. So Big Brother had to step in and devise ways to turn the houseguests against each other.

      --
      -growing old is inevitable, growing up is optional
    3. Re:Big Brother differences by AS400+Hacker · · Score: 2, Interesting
      because the wife of one of the contestants arranged for the local phone company to pay for everyone in their home town to call and evict her husband's biggest rival
      This isn't true. George's wife had nothing to do with that promotion. A local radio station arranged a big "call in" the first time George was up for nomination. CBS aired a segment that was edited to look like she had arranged everything and it convinced some of the already evicted houseguests that George was cheating. THEN BB broke the rules by allowing the expelled houseguests to talk to the ones still in the house for 1 minute each and one of those people "warned" the hamsters that George was cheating and he was toast. It was pretty interesting. George was the older guy who dressed up in stupid costumes for the live eviction episodes. One week he put on camo and made a cardboard gun to look like a soldier and he drew a tattoo on his arm with a magic marker that said "MA", unforunately he was using a mirror and he ended up drawing "AM" .... damn I laughed. I know lots of people who are into reality shows that say BB is one of the worst ones. But I always say it's not a bad reality show it a GREAT game show. Best ever.