Sunday 29 June 2014

This Probably Isn't Healthy -

- No, not that.

I was just playing on the highly addictive Superbuzzer on Facebook. If you've played it you'll probably know what I mean when I say addictive, and if you haven't played it - well, you now know what you could be letting yourself in for if you do.

The way that it works is that you can play on a number of different levels. Elite is the highest level which is available to play on 24/7. However every five minutes at the start of the hour you can play a higher level - masters.

Whichever level you play, the gameplay is pretty much the same. You start off with 5 or 6 players in round one. A series of 5 questions come up, one after another. As soon as you think you know the answer, click on the big red buzzer on the screen, and type in your answer. The quickest correct answer gets 3 points, the next correct answer - 2 points, all other correct answers - 1 point. After 5 questions the 4 players with the highest scores go through to round two. What complicates things slightly is as soon as you buzz, the question stops in its tracks, and no more of it is revealed to you.

In round two , if you buzz in with a wrong answer, then you lose points. Only the first person to buzz gets a bonus point. Correct answers get 1, 2 or 3 points depending on the question tariff. After 5 questions, the two players with the highest scores go through to the final round.

In the final round, it's a straightforward fight to the finish. Six questions are revealed one after another. The first person to buzz in with a correct answer inflicts damage on the other's life bar. Usually 4 correct answers will knock out an opponent completely. Other than that, the opponent with the most intact life bar wins.

Questions are usually pretty simple, although it can be very frustrating if you get a series of questions about American TV shows you've never heard of let alone seen. Likewise the verification of some of the answers leaves a lot to be desired. It's bloomin' annoying when you get told your answer of 'Soo' for the other most regular companion of Sooty and Sweep is wrong - and the answer is given as 'Sue'. Grrr!

Yet I don't write about that. The fact is that about 25 minutes ago I got my timing spot on to get into a Masters game. And what happened? Exactly the same flippin' thing that has happened the last 4 or 5 times I've played a Masters game. I've won the first round. Been going great guns in the second round, bound to qualify for the final, and then it's just frozen. To be eventually followed by a message - sometimes in French - that something has gone wrong. You don't say. As I say, this has happened several times in a row now, and today was the last straw that broke the dromedary's back. I started swearing at it - in a mixture of English AND French as it happens. Unsurprisingly it didn't work.

I can't help thinking that maybe once you get to a certain level, or once you've won a certain number of masters games then it's just been decided that you're not going to be allowed to win any more. If that's the case, then fair enough. But come on, boys. If that is the way that it is - then say so. Having the game chuck you off every time you're on course for a Masters Level final round is just annoying.

What do you mean - sad?

2 comments:

ThePQG said...

I only joined the night before last (after reading about it on Daniel's blog), but since then I've played ~20 Masters games, 15 of which I've won, and I've only had it freeze on me once.

Unknown said...

The freezing happened to me as well, Dave - So i gave it a miss for a week or 2 - then it goes OK for a bit.