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Chain of command
When cutting the chain, their loss is your gain
Dan Thomas and Fil Adamski 2010

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AUTHOR NAMES: Dan Thomas & Fil Adamski TITLE OF QUIZ SHOW: Chain of command CONCEPT: The aim of game is simple: make your way up, and remain, at the top of the chain. 1. There are six players at the beginning of the game, with a total of five rounds. 2. Questions in each round take on a standard general knowledge format; each round lasts five minutes. 3. Players are placed into a ranked order, which forms the chain. Each round of questioning begins with the person at the bottom of the chain; the order if this chain is randomly decided before the game starts. 4. Each correct answer when answered by a player at the top of the chain adds a set amount to the prize fund. 5. When a player answers a question correctly, they switch places with the person directly above them in the chain; the same process applies when they incorrectly answer a question, except that here they switch places with the person below them in the chain. Think of the players as magicians cups, their places being cunningly switched. 6. If they are already at the top of the chain, then they begin a winning streak. In this case, they must keep attempting to get the questions right until the timer runs out. This boosts their potential for big earnings. When the person at the top of the chain gets a question wrong, they move directly to the bottom of the chain and will have to work their way back up again. 7. If they answer a question correctly (but are not at the top of the chain) it is now the person ahead of them in the chain's turn to answer a question. However, if this person were to get their question wrong, then the person below them would move up the chain again. 8. When a players incorrect answer causes them to move to the bottom of the chain they are automatically put on a losing streak' here they must keep answering questions until they get one right. Once this happens, the next person in the chain is now questioned again. 9. The player at the bottom of the chain at the end of each round is eliminated from the game. The quizmaster says 'Cut the chain!' The player at the top of the chain at the end of the round receives a percentage of that rounds winnings an incentive to stay firmly at the top of the chain until the end of the round.
10. In the final round, the top two players who have not been cut from the chain continue

they now begin the Scales of Justice final round. Here, the two players are positioned on a set of counterbalance scales. In this round, players aim to raise three notches above their opponent once they have done this, they can push the button to cut the chain themselves and win the game. However, like previous rounds, they cannot rely solely on their own knowledge to do this, but on the failure of their opponent also.
11. For example, player A and B begin on an even balance. A begins, as he/she performed best

in the previous four rounds. A gets the question right, so moves up a notch; it is now Bs question. B gets the question wrong, so B moves down and A moves up again by default A is now only one notch away from winning. However, if A now gets his question wrong, B moves up and A moves back down B now has a fighting chance again. This continues until one manages to get themselves a full three-notches above their opponent to cut the chain.

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TREATMENT: In Chain of Command, players do not win purely by providing correct answers alone. Rather, each player progresses through their victories and others losses. This is an important change in dynamic players can no-longer rely solely on their own intelligence, but equally on the misfortune of others. Rather than make a linear progression from F to A, in this game players positions are dictated by the player directly in front and behind them. Again, think of the players as cups in a magicians trick they do not move in a straight line back and forth, but rather are switched into their new positions each time. Main game: 1) Starting positions: F|E|D|C|B|A 2) 'F' begins; gets their question right: E|F|D|C|B|A 3) As they got their question right, it is now 'D's turn to answer a question: E|F|D|C|B|A 4) 'D' got their question wrong, so they go down the chain by a place. 'F' has moved up the chain by not even answering a question! E|D|F|C|B|A D is one step closer to being cut from the chain at the end of the round. Questioning now begins with C, and so on.

Winning & losing streaks: Lets progress the game further we are now nearing the end of the round. The line of questioning has progressed to the top of the chain (in this scenario player B). If player B gets their question right, they are now on a winning streak, and remain here until they either get a question wrong, or the timer runs out. Here, they can earn big money for the jackpot. e.g. 1) B gets their question right and begins a winning streak: E | D | F | C | A | B B B... 2) Timer is still going. B Gets a question wrong and moves to the bottom of the chain: B|E|D|F|C|A In this case, everyone has now moved up. B must now face a losing streak, continually asked questions until they get one right: ...B B B | E | D | F | C | A

Once they have got their question right, the next question now begins with the second-bottom of the chain again, in this case player E.

End of the round: The timer is now up. B, who worked their way to the top of the chain, and won a fair bit of money for the jackpot has suddenly found himself at the bottom of the chain as the timer has gone. He is now cut from the chain the next rounds will continue without him: B// E|D|F|C|A

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Scales of Justice End of the game: The fourth round is now over. Lets say for example that D, C and F were in round four; C was at the bottom of the chain when the timer ended. This leaves D and F to face the Scales of Justice. D performed better in the previous four rounds (i.e. was nearer the top of the chain more than F; earned more money in a winning streak, etc), so D is asked his question first. Both players begin equally balanced on the scales: 1) F D

2) D is asked their question first; he gets his question right, so moves up a notch. F moves down:
+1 -1

D F

3) F is now asked their question first; in this case he gets his wrong. D moves up again; F moves down again:
+2

D
-2

4) D is now only one notch away from being able to cut the chain and win the game; however the pressure gets to D and he answers his question wrongly. Frustratingly for D, he now moves down one, and F moves up he has given F a fighting chance:
-1 +1

D F

5) F now proceeds to get their question right. They are now back on an even balance with D: F D

5) This continues until one player manages to create a three-notch lead over their opponent. Once this happens, they cut the chain themselves and remove the other player, claiming the prize winnings all to themselves. The game is now over:
+3

-3

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The game relies on three clear premises - knowledge, luck and nerve: Knowledge: Players must have a sound general knowledge to progress through the game. Luck: Players must have good luck and fortune, relying on others to make mistakes in order for them to continue. Nerve: Players must be able to hold their nerve under pressure, not allowing the countdown of the timer, pressure of winning streaks or worry of losing streaks to impact on their quest to stay at the top of the chain and eventually win the prize. The hook of the quizshow lies in watching each contestants own strength and vulnerability of others at the same time; an individual game in a team format. The audience will have to ask themselves who they want to win: the person that consistently answers all their questions correctly, the person that gets lucky by others misfortune, or the person who can hold their nerve under pressure. Who would you back?

Chain of Command
When cutting the chain, their loss is your gain

Other ideas by Thomas & Adamski: Downfall Every loser wins: A ruthless team game, where the player with the most incorrect answers at the end of the quiz is offered either the ultimate sacrifice - share with the whole team; or the ultimate treachery - take the money all for yourself. A quizshow for the credit-crunch generation. Ti:me is Mony: A nostalgic tour-de-force for all generations, where three teams of four battle their knowledge of the eras (80s, 90s, 00s) in order to win the prize fund in the final round. Here, time literally is money, as each correct answer nets the respective team both one thousand pounds, and one second of time towards the final round. A quizshow celebrating nostalgic values, generational divides, and what it means to be part of an era.

CONTACT DETAILS Dan Thomas & Fil Adamski 27 Chapel Street Oadby LE2 5AD Tel: +447837249761 (Thomas) +447921172143 (Adamski)

Dan Thomas and Fil Adamski 2010 All Rights Reserved