In the fiercely competitive, dog-eat-dog world of bargain hunting high drama, I've portrayed myself and my alter ego Devon as the protagonists. But for each protagonist there must also be an antagonist. And now, I sense a disturbance in the force. There maybe another...
Devon: What gave you the suspicion that we have a competitor?
Dave: In the past several weeks, we've made multiple trips to the thrift stores. I've noticed what was still on the shelf, and what was disappearing within days. And it is the uncommon question-based boardgames that are moving fast. Take for example the geography game that we looked at but didn't get.
Devon: That was an interesting one. It had four types of questions: geography trivia, capitals, flags, and map locations. I had wanted to get that because of its uniqueness and educational value, but you thought our geography knowledge was too weak to fully appreciate it.
Dave: In hindsight, you were right. That game was gone in a few days. The Da Vinci boardgame was another example, with categories in covering both science, religion and mysticism, and the renaissance.
Devon: The reason we didn't get it was because of the price, $6 for around 800 questions. The question/dollar ratio from TP really have spoiled us.
Dave: That game too was gone in a few days. So someone with a bigger budget is snatching these up.
Devon: Maybe it was just general moving of the merchandise.
Dave: But there are two telltale signs from what didn't move. The standard items such as Scrabble and Clue Jr are still there. Common question based games such as TP1, Balderdash, Pictionary, Outburst are still there.
Devon: So it is the uncommon question based games that go fast. Just like what happens when we visit.
Dave: Someone has the same interest as us. And remember the stack of TP's and the People Magazine boardgame in the other store. They were also gone relatively fast.
Devon: Must it be the work of a single person? Perhaps there is no conspiracy and it is just a bunch of regular shoppers picking up the good stuff.
Dave: If it was just regular people, I would be surprised if they all focus on the same genre of games. This would mean I underestimated how popular trivia games are. But the decline of trivia games seem to contradict that view. And the worst case scenario is that there are several trivia hunters out there.
Devon: Wow, I never thought a $1 purchase could lead into such intrigue and tension.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
thoughts while browsing in a thrift store
Is there any etiquette for bargain hunting?
When you are looking at several boardgames, is it OK for someone pickup something that you have just put down, but intend to look at again while you think about it? Is it consider greedy to hang on to several items, knowing that you'll buy only one or none, just to keep other greedy hands away? The term bargain hunting says it all -- it is a hunt and the survival of the fittest. Do what you have to do before your competitors do it to you. For example, I was look at the game Tri-Bond, where you are given three things and have to find out what they have in common. I was undecided because some of the questions are generation specific. Not wanting to be a hog, I put the game back on the shelf while I pondered and browsed, then someone else came and picked it up. Evidently careful consideration of budgetary spending and showing consideration for your fellow human beings means getting trampled. Next time I'm hiding the box behind other stuff...
What's with the sealed boxes of games?
If I'm going to part with my hard earned dollar (or four in the case of big corporate thrift stores such as "VV") then by gosh I'll want to make sure I'm getting all the parts in some reasonable condition. I understand the stores want to keep the parts from spilling all over the shelf from uncaring browsers, but taped up boxes just mean I'll either ignore it, or more likely covertly take the tape apart so I can check the contents. I've seen a box of pentominoes that had one of the twelve pieces missing, and the store VV was still selling it for $2 like it was an untarnished item. If they have a reasonably knowledgable staff that can price boardgames from $2 to $10, then surely they can quality check better or price incomplete stuff appropriately.
Where's the really good games?
I have yet to see top-rated games such as Carcassonne in a thrift store. Is is because those games are so good and replayable that no one gives them away? Or so popular that they are instantly snatched up by boardgame-savvy public? Or is the distribution for those games so limited that not many people even have it? I suspect it is a combination of the first and last reasons. I've never seen Carcassonne in my local ToysRUs (though they did have Settlers of Catan), and a collectible store only had it for a little while. I consider myself lucky for finding Amazeing Labyrinth and Numaro (2007) for a bargain.
When you are looking at several boardgames, is it OK for someone pickup something that you have just put down, but intend to look at again while you think about it? Is it consider greedy to hang on to several items, knowing that you'll buy only one or none, just to keep other greedy hands away? The term bargain hunting says it all -- it is a hunt and the survival of the fittest. Do what you have to do before your competitors do it to you. For example, I was look at the game Tri-Bond, where you are given three things and have to find out what they have in common. I was undecided because some of the questions are generation specific. Not wanting to be a hog, I put the game back on the shelf while I pondered and browsed, then someone else came and picked it up. Evidently careful consideration of budgetary spending and showing consideration for your fellow human beings means getting trampled. Next time I'm hiding the box behind other stuff...
What's with the sealed boxes of games?
If I'm going to part with my hard earned dollar (or four in the case of big corporate thrift stores such as "VV") then by gosh I'll want to make sure I'm getting all the parts in some reasonable condition. I understand the stores want to keep the parts from spilling all over the shelf from uncaring browsers, but taped up boxes just mean I'll either ignore it, or more likely covertly take the tape apart so I can check the contents. I've seen a box of pentominoes that had one of the twelve pieces missing, and the store VV was still selling it for $2 like it was an untarnished item. If they have a reasonably knowledgable staff that can price boardgames from $2 to $10, then surely they can quality check better or price incomplete stuff appropriately.
Where's the really good games?
I have yet to see top-rated games such as Carcassonne in a thrift store. Is is because those games are so good and replayable that no one gives them away? Or so popular that they are instantly snatched up by boardgame-savvy public? Or is the distribution for those games so limited that not many people even have it? I suspect it is a combination of the first and last reasons. I've never seen Carcassonne in my local ToysRUs (though they did have Settlers of Catan), and a collectible store only had it for a little while. I consider myself lucky for finding Amazeing Labyrinth and Numaro (2007) for a bargain.
Saturday, July 05, 2008
trivia questions in bulk
My alter ego Devon and I had a chat about my developing love-hate relationship with thrift stores.
Devon: I thought bargain shopping is all about thrill of the hunt. When did it become an emotional issue?
Dave: In visiting nearby thrift stores, I've noticed these stores can also reflect typical issues in retail marketing. One example is the difference in the "little guy" vs "big corporation". The stores operated by non-profit organizations tend to be smaller, have less selection, but lower prices. For example, one table for boardgames, and most are fifty cents to two dollars. The stores operated by multi-national companies are bigger, have more selection, and higher prices. For example, several shleves of boardgames, with prices ranging from three to ten dollars.
Devon: I see, so it comes down to money. You want good stuff for less, but reality is based on getting you to pay more for less.
Dave: It's closer to say it comes down to value. When I bought the first Trival Pursuit (6000 questions) for $1 in a smaller store, that's good value. That's 6000 questions per dollar (Q/$). Even if I only want one category such as science, that still works out to 1000 Q/$. Then came TP4 for $1, which is 4800-800 Q/$. In a bigger store, the price starts at $3, so that's a sudden drop in value. I picked up TP6 with 4800 Q's for $4. The value of that ranges from 1200-200 Q/$, which is a big drop from the expectations set by the first two purchases. And TP Millennium edition in the big store was $10, which I did not get. The value of that, assumming 4800 Q's, would be 480-80 Q/$, which is ridiculously low. For comparison, one of the $1 Professor Noggin trivial games I got at a small store, has 30 cards and 180 questions and thus has a already low value of 180 Q/$. Another example is a Da Vinci trivia game at the big store, 800 Q's for $6, which is 133 Q/$.
Devon: But there must be more to trivia boardgames than just questions per dollar.
Dave: There are, such as quality of questions, subject matter, board and game design. But since the core of the game is in the questions, that takes up a significant part of the value equation. And I am in it for building up a collection of trivia reference, so the number of questions really is everything.
Devon: So you love the big store because they have better stuff you want, but you hate to pay a few dollars more?
Dave: Sad to say, that sums it up in a nutshell. Once I was in a store and heard someone haggling with the clerk about how something she bought a week ago was only fifty cents, and now it was a dollar and she refuses to pay that extra fifty cents. At that time I thought such is the pathos of modern life, stressing your neurons for just fifty cents. And now, I emote the same angst over two dollars.
And while I'm on the soapbox, here is another example. The big store had a TP Disney edition, and inside was also the TP2 questions. So I was excited at such a find, until I saw the price. Six dollars. A regular TP with box, board and pieces is $3. So I am actually paying the same price for TP2, but without the board and pieces. Love and hate, such internal drama in a thrift store.
Devon: I thought bargain shopping is all about thrill of the hunt. When did it become an emotional issue?
Dave: In visiting nearby thrift stores, I've noticed these stores can also reflect typical issues in retail marketing. One example is the difference in the "little guy" vs "big corporation". The stores operated by non-profit organizations tend to be smaller, have less selection, but lower prices. For example, one table for boardgames, and most are fifty cents to two dollars. The stores operated by multi-national companies are bigger, have more selection, and higher prices. For example, several shleves of boardgames, with prices ranging from three to ten dollars.
Devon: I see, so it comes down to money. You want good stuff for less, but reality is based on getting you to pay more for less.
Dave: It's closer to say it comes down to value. When I bought the first Trival Pursuit (6000 questions) for $1 in a smaller store, that's good value. That's 6000 questions per dollar (Q/$). Even if I only want one category such as science, that still works out to 1000 Q/$. Then came TP4 for $1, which is 4800-800 Q/$. In a bigger store, the price starts at $3, so that's a sudden drop in value. I picked up TP6 with 4800 Q's for $4. The value of that ranges from 1200-200 Q/$, which is a big drop from the expectations set by the first two purchases. And TP Millennium edition in the big store was $10, which I did not get. The value of that, assumming 4800 Q's, would be 480-80 Q/$, which is ridiculously low. For comparison, one of the $1 Professor Noggin trivial games I got at a small store, has 30 cards and 180 questions and thus has a already low value of 180 Q/$. Another example is a Da Vinci trivia game at the big store, 800 Q's for $6, which is 133 Q/$.
Devon: But there must be more to trivia boardgames than just questions per dollar.
Dave: There are, such as quality of questions, subject matter, board and game design. But since the core of the game is in the questions, that takes up a significant part of the value equation. And I am in it for building up a collection of trivia reference, so the number of questions really is everything.
Devon: So you love the big store because they have better stuff you want, but you hate to pay a few dollars more?
Dave: Sad to say, that sums it up in a nutshell. Once I was in a store and heard someone haggling with the clerk about how something she bought a week ago was only fifty cents, and now it was a dollar and she refuses to pay that extra fifty cents. At that time I thought such is the pathos of modern life, stressing your neurons for just fifty cents. And now, I emote the same angst over two dollars.
And while I'm on the soapbox, here is another example. The big store had a TP Disney edition, and inside was also the TP2 questions. So I was excited at such a find, until I saw the price. Six dollars. A regular TP with box, board and pieces is $3. So I am actually paying the same price for TP2, but without the board and pieces. Love and hate, such internal drama in a thrift store.
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.
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).
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 | 600/300 | general |
| 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 Kids | 2005 | 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 Pursuit | 2002 | 2400/400 | general: Who & Where, Pop Culture, Headlines, Science & Tech, Sports & Games, Wild Card |
| Inquizitive | 1984 | 2304 | general: education, history, geography, science, books & music, TV & film, sports, inquizitive |
| IQ 2000 | 2000 | 2000/500 | general kids: General, Storybook, Heroes & Villians, Cartoons & TV, Language Arts, Animals, Games and Sports |
| Jeopardy | 1992 | 2040/204 | general |
| Judge for Yourself | 1999 | 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 cards | 1988 | 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 |
| Numaro | 2007 | 1800/300 | general numbers |
| Outburst Junior | 1989 | 400/200 | category kids |
| Picture Pursuit | 1994 | 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 Game | 2005 | 180/30 | Mythology; kids games |
| Professor Noggin's Dinosaur Card Game | 2002 | 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 Edition | 1986 | 240 | dilemma |
| Scruples '90s Edition | 1990 | 240 | dilemma |
| Snap Judgement | 1985 | 700 | legal dilemma |
| Super Quiz | 1982 | 5760/960 | general: sports, history, science, geography, words, movies |
| Super Quiz II | 1983 | 5760/960 | general: 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 Edition | 1985 | 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 Edition | 1991 | 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*ck | 2004 | 432 | dilemma |
| Who Wants to be a Millionaire | 2000 | 2000/1000 | general |
| Who Wants to be a Millionaire Junior | 2000 | 1000/500 | general |
| 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.
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.
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