Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Whither the reference books

A conversation about reference books overheard in Dave's mindscape.

Devon: Hey Dave, there are some new editions of science dictionaries available, namely Oxford Dictionary of Chemistry, and Biology. Are you going to get them?

Dave: With only 200-300 new entries in each one, I don't think that provides enough value to purchase a newer edition. I bought the current ones in 2006, and they're the 2003/2004 editions, so the contents are reasonably recent. This brings to mind the whole issue of printed reference works in the digital age -- are they still relevant?

Devon: I think that's the Achilles heel with any printed reference works -- not being up to date. You mentioned this issue in talking about buying printed science dictionaries before, that books still have the advantage of being portable, editor reviewed, and at times convenient.

Dave: Those advantages still hold true, although the quality of web information has improved too, and the updated aspects is a strong plus for internet information. This issue is exemplified by another recent quandary. I saw a used and good condition set of Encyclopedia Britannica in a thrift store. It was the 15th edition from 1976. $60 for the 20 volumes of Macropedia plus Propedia, and $40 for the set of 10 volumes of Micropedia.

Devon: At less than $5 per volume, that seems like a great buy, considering a new set costs $1300. That's about 1/13 the price!

Dave: That's right, yet the key drawback that stopped me from buying that impressive shelf anchor piece is that it is more than thirty years old. Furthermore, I could get the Britannica 2008 software for less than half that price. While the historic, biographical and fundamental information is still accurate, science and recent world developments in the last quarter century will be missing.

Devon: I can see why the printed encyclopedia market is in decline. If there was no digital alternative, the thrift store buy would be excellent. But the low-cost software and free internet sources available, spending $1000 or even $100 for a outdated dead-tree version doesn't seem to make sense anymore.

Dave: There were other encyclopedias at the thrift store too, such as World Book, Colliers, and New Book of Knowledge. And also CD encyclopedias such as Grolier's, Compton's, and Encarta from the before 1999. So in a sense all non-internet encyclopedias also face the same problem.

Monday, June 23, 2008

Trivia generation gap

My alter ego Devon noticed something about the categories of questions in subsequent Trivial Pursuit (TP) editions, and had a discussion with me about it.

Devon: The first edition of TP had what I think are more cerebral categories, or at least more academic sounding, such as Geography, Art and Literature. In later editions you have People and Places, and Arts was rolled into Arts and Entertainment. And with more pop culture categories in other editions, I've read that some trivia fans lament this "dumbing down" of the questions.

Dave: I wouldn't used quite harsh a term as dumbing down, but there is definitely a trend in replacing field-specific knowledge questions with generation-based, pop culture questions.

Devon: How do you distinguish between those two types of questions?

Dave: For field-specific knowledge, one can imagine a history buff, a science geek, a well-read bookworm, a well-travelled person, etc. These can be people of any age. They don't have to be working in that field, just have an interest. Through reading anyone can gain field-specific knowledge.

For generation-based knowledge, it is based on what one experienced during a specific time, usually while in the teens to early thirties. For example, the "baby boomers" have more knowledge of the pop culture trivia related to the 1950's and 1960's than say their parents or their children.

Devon: In other words, field-specific knowledge can be had by a larger group of people, and generation knowledge by a smaller group. So why would trivia game makers opt for something that caters to a smaller group?

Dave: It turns out there are much more people who are knowledgable about generation specific trivia than people who are knowledgeable about a wide variety of general trivia. One might say that generation specific trivia is in fact the "general" trivia that everyone knows a lot about, because it was something they grew up with. But field-specific trivia is more specialized, and very few people are good with arts and science and history and sports and entertainment.

Devon: What would be your ideal categories for a field-specific trivia game?

Dave: I would love to have a Science based Trivial Pursuit, with the six categories being Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Mathematics, Technology, and Multiplicity (other branches of science).

Friday, June 13, 2008

Statistics on question-based boardgames

Here are some statistics on the question-based board games that I have. Like much trivia, they make for trivial collection and might be of interest to other trivia fans.


Game Year # Questions/
Cards
Genre: Categories
Acronym 1985 3456 words: Corporations, Products & Slogans, Agencies, Proverbs, Science, Sports & Rebuses, Movies, Music
Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader?2007 600/300general
Battle of the Sexes 1990 672/224 male vs female: 92 "Countdown" couples or movies with 3 hints, 120 "Showdown" categories
Beginner's Marathon 1991 2500/600 general kids
Bezzerwizzer 2008 3000/150 general: architecture, art & stage, business world, communities, design, film, food & drink, geography, history, humans, language, literature, music, nature, politics, science, sports & games, technology, traditions & beliefs, TV & radio
Buzzword 2003 400/200 words
Chalengah 1995 400 brain teaser
Cranium Primo 2001 800 brain teaser
Cranium Turbo 2004 1000 brain teaser
Don't Quote Me Kids2005 1000/200 general: action, faces & places, human hands, books arts music, what on earth
Gender Bender 1988 350 male vs female
Gender Gap 1997 620 male vs female
Global Watch 1991 2400/600 Nature: Environment, Living World, Science and Tech, Geography
Gray Matter 2002 1000/500 general
Huggermugger 1989 2000/400 words: anagram, spell, definition, potluck
In Pursuit2002 2400/400 general: Who & Where, Pop Culture, Headlines, Science & Tech, Sports & Games, Wild Card
Inquizitive1984 2304 general: education, history, geography, science, books & music, TV & film, sports, inquizitive
IQ 20002000 2000/500 general kids: General, Storybook, Heroes & Villians, Cartoons & TV, Language Arts, Animals, Games and Sports
Jeopardy 1992 2040/204 general
Judge for Yourself1999 500 legal dilemma
Malarky 1999 942/314 general
Men are from Mars... 1998 720/360 male vs female: Family Affair, Communication, Scoring Points, Gender Benders, Dating Circuit, Island Fantasies, In the Flesh
Mindtrap 1991 512 brain teasers and lateral thinking
National Geographic Global Pursuit 1987 972/324 Geography: Historic Happenings, People and Places, People and Products, Planet Earth, Wildcard
National Geographic Global Pursuit set 2 cards1988 795/265 Geography: Historic Happenings, People and Places, People and Products, Planet Earth, Wildcard
National Geographic Mission: Survival 1995 1000/250 Nature: Rain Forest, Desert, Mountain, Ocean
Newsweek Ultimate Trivia 1984 3000/500 general: history, geography, biz/eco/math/sci/tech, arts, showbiz, misc
Numaro2007 1800/300general numbers
Outburst Junior 1989 400/200 category kids
Picture Pursuit1994 2100/350 general: People & Places, Art & Entertainment, History, Science & Nature, Sports & Leisure, Wild Card; 208 picture puzzles
Professor Noggin's Creatures of Myth and Legend Card Game2005 180/30 Mythology; kids games
Professor Noggin's Dinosaur Card Game2002 180/30 Dinosaurs; kids games
Psychologizer 1990 600 personality: Love & Sex, Philosophy, Current Events, Sports & Recreation, Morality, Personality
PunchLines Comedy Game 1985 1600/200 Comedy tasks: Impersonations, Riddles, One Liners, Limericks, Groaners, Tongue Twisters, Culture Jokes, Story Jokes
Scruples 1984 245 dilemma
Scruples 2nd Edition1986 240 dilemma
Scruples '90s Edition 1990 240 dilemma
Snap Judgement1985 700 legal dilemma
Super Quiz1982 5760/960general: sports, history, science, geography, words, movies
Super Quiz II1983 5760/960general: mostly music, TV, spelling, famous people, leisure & travel, potluck
Table Talk 1995 1200 food and cooking
Taboo 1989 1008/504 words
Telepaths 1992 720/360 words
Tribond 1989 1300/300 category: Entertainment, Sports & Recreation, Academics, Misc
Tribond Kids 1996 1100/200 category kids
Will Shortz Tribond 2010 1308/327 category
Trivial Pursuit I 1983 6000/1000 general: Geography, Entertainment, History, Art & Literature, Science & Nature, Sports & Leisure
Trivial Pursuit Genus II 1984 6000/1000 general: Geography, Entertainment, History, Art & Literature, Science & Nature, Sports & Leisure
Trivial Pursuit Genus III 1994 4800/800 general: People & Places, Art & Entertainment, History, Science & Nature, Sports & Leisure, Wild Card
Trivial Pursuit Genus IV 1997 4800/800 general: People & Places, Art & Entertainment, History, Science & Nature, Sports & Leisure, Wild Card
Trivial Pursuit Genus V 2000 4800/800 general: People & Places, Art & Entertainment, History, Science & Nature, Sports & Leisure, Wild Card
Trivial Pursuit Genus 6 2003 4800/800 general: People & Places, Art & Entertainment, History, Science & Nature, Sports & Leisure, Wild Card
Trivial Pursuit Baby Boomers 1983 6000/1000 pop culture: Television, Stage & Screen, Nightly News, Publishing, Lives & Times, RPM (Music)
Trivial Pursuit Bet You Know It 2009 1782/297 general: Geography, Entertainment, History, Art & Literature, Science & Nature, Sports & Leisure
Trivial Pursuit Disney Family Edition1985 6000/1000 general kids: Places, Music, People, Fantasy, Science, Leisure
Trivial Pursuit for Kids Volume 6 2004 1200/200 general kids: All About Nature, Fun & Games, Today & Tomorrow, Whatever, Yesterday, Music Movies & More
Trivial Pursuit Junior 4th Edition 1996 1200/200 general kids: Stories & Songs, Games, Every Day, Fun, Nature, Science
Trivial Pursuit Lord of the Rings 2003 1800/300 pop culture: Good Characters, Evil Characters, Things, Places & History, Warfare, Making Movies
Trivial Pursuit Pop Culture 2003 1800/300
(+??? on DVD)
pop culture: TV, Fads, Buzz, Music, Movies, Sports and Games
Trivial Pursuit Pop Culture 2 2005 1800/300
(+600 on DVD)
pop culture: TV, Fads, Buzz, Music, Movies, Sports and Games
Trivial Pursuit The 1980's 1989 4800/800 pop culture: Entertainment, In the News, Personalities, Sports & Leisure, That's Life, Wild Card
Trivial Pursuit The 90's 2004 2400/400 pop culture: Oops (Mistakes), Wired (Tech), Viewing (Media), Trends (Pop culture), Important (News), Hanging (Leisure)
Trivial Pursuit TV Edition1991 4800/800 pop culture: Classics, Sitcoms, Drama, Kids & Games, Stars, Wild Card
Trivial Pursuit 20th Anniversary 2002 3600/600 general: Global View, Written Word, Sound & Screen, Innovations, News, Game Time
Trivial Pursuit 25th Anniversary 2008 2592/432 general: Geography, Entertainment, History, Art & Literature, Science & Nature, Sports & Leisure
Trivial Pursuit Young People 1984 6000/1000 general kids: People & Places, Good Times, Science & Tech, Art & Culture, Natural World, Games & Hobbies
Ultimate Outburst 1999 600/300 category
Urban Myth 2002 1000/700 pop culture: Celebrity, Health, Classics, Nature, Business, Crime
What the F*ck2004432 dilemma
Who Wants to be a Millionaire2000 2000/1000general
Who Wants to be a Millionaire Junior2000 1000/500general
Wise and Otherwise 1997 2500/500 cultural sayings
Wit's End 1999 1600/400 brain teasers: Teaser (analogy), Odd One Out, Sequence, Wild Card
Yuk Yuk's Comedy Game 1990 512 comedy: 125 opener cards, 387 closer cards

Our inner vulture -- or return to boardgames

I've been buying used board games lately, so my alter ego Devon talked to me about my thoughts and experiences on this current fad.

Devon: I know you like reference books. So what got you interested in trivia board games?

Dave: I was searching for information on a tile-shifting board game called The Amazeing Labyrinth. That lead me to discover the tile-placing board game called Carcassonne, which in turn peaked my curiosity in boardgames in general. I had played board games when I was young, but have not played it as an adult. This new curiosity to revisit something new yet familiar, combined with an interest in reference and trivia information, and the thrill of getting a bargain at a thrift store, lead to the purchase of some used, question-based board games.

Devon: I see from your list of games there several are from the Trivial Pursuit family.

Dave: Having been to only two thrift stores, I can non-scientifically state that the game of Trivial Pursuit is a staple item in thrift stores. I suppose the nature of question-based games lead to their non-replayability after awhile, so its off to find them a new owner. I did notice that the original Trivial Pursuit (Master's Game Genus Edition) tend to have more copies than its many other editions and expansions.

Devon: TP was very popular, but given its popularity, why wouldn't there be more used sequels available?

Dave: My guess is that since trivia fans will collect the games, they won't be giving up their gems easily. Thus it is up to the general public to release their copies. But the non-trivial-buff public probably would have bought only TP, played it and enjoyed it but not so much as to buy more of the same because they only know a minority of the answers and what's the fun in looking like a hermit around the smug know-it-all's. Hmm, come to think of it that's why I didn't get into the Trivial Pursuit craze.

Devon: So why are you buying questions-based games now, given that you actually have little interest or time or trivia comrades in playing them?

Dave: The hunter-gatherer experience encoded in our genes can be expressed, or in modern parlance get dead stuff for less. The essence of questions-based games are in the questions. Through years of blood, sweat and tears the game creators came up with intellectual property that now lie in decrepit boxes and can be had for one dollar.

Devon: That sounds like a sad ending, like the dinosaurs.

Dave: I say that not as a statement of lament, rather as a statement of joy. Those games' journey are not yet over, for they, like used books, have found a new home where their eclectic knowledge can sit side by side with universally recognized tomes such as dictionaries and encyclopedias.

Devon: So your inner vulture is just an admirer.