Tracking Second and Third Place in the Buzzer Race
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- Kimahri
- Posts: 6
- Joined: Sat Feb 16, 2013 7:44 pm
Tracking Second and Third Place in the Buzzer Race
Earlier this summer, I encountered a curious buzzer set. During our testing, multiple players were able to ring in at once. I was worried at first, but the moderator reassured me that the system was simply tracking which players had buzzed after the winner of a buzzer race. Which got me thinking: What formats use this feature and how does it affect play? Given that I've never seen it before in spite of playing in Illinois, which is likely the most motley state in quizbowl with three different championships in three different formats (though they are becoming increasingly similar in recent years) and varying question quality, I imagine it is reserved for the most gimmicky, -y formats out there.
Spencer Tracy
Bloomington High School (Illinois), Class of 2015
Bloomington High School (Illinois), Class of 2015
Re: Tracking Second and Third Place in the Buzzer Race
This is actually a pretty useful feature for relatively normal formats like shootout. Say person #1 buzzes in and negs -- instead of creating the annoying situation where the next person able to answer is whoever frantically presses the buzzer after the moderator clears it, it gives an advantage to people who were buzzing before the person answered incorrectly and were thus not given the benefit of the additional information that the neg gives.
I think in this situation, much like in say, IRC-based quiz bowl, the person who buzzed in 2nd or 3rd should have the option to 'withdraw' their buzz if they were going in with the same answer as person #1; they would then be able to still buzz in again on the same question.
I think in this situation, much like in say, IRC-based quiz bowl, the person who buzzed in 2nd or 3rd should have the option to 'withdraw' their buzz if they were going in with the same answer as person #1; they would then be able to still buzz in again on the same question.
Matt Lafer
Plymouth Salem 1997-2001
University of Michigan 2001-2005
Plymouth Salem 1997-2001
University of Michigan 2001-2005
- Mike Bentley
- Sin
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Re: Tracking Second and Third Place in the Buzzer Race
I'm (very slowly) working on a buzzer system that supports singles-play like this (complete with a withdraw button).
Mike Bentley
Treasurer, Partnership for Academic Competition Excellence
Adviser, Quizbowl Team at University of Washington
University of Maryland, Class of 2008
Treasurer, Partnership for Academic Competition Excellence
Adviser, Quizbowl Team at University of Washington
University of Maryland, Class of 2008
Re: Tracking Second and Third Place in the Buzzer Race
My understanding of this type of system is that it's used by a few bible quiz circuits.
David Dennis
Middle School Choir Director
District Scholar Bowl Coach
Washington, MO
Murray State University, 2001
Breckinridge County High School, KY 1996
Middle School Choir Director
District Scholar Bowl Coach
Washington, MO
Murray State University, 2001
Breckinridge County High School, KY 1996
- Skepticism and Animal Feed
- Auron
- Posts: 3238
- Joined: Sat Oct 30, 2004 11:47 pm
- Location: Arlington, VA
Re: Tracking Second and Third Place in the Buzzer Race
Yes, my understanding is that the buzzer market is largely driven by the needs of Bible bowl, and we should seek our answers on this in the good book, so to speak.
Bruce
Harvard '10 / UChicago '07 / Roycemore School '04
ACF Member emeritus
My guide to using Wikipedia as a question source
Harvard '10 / UChicago '07 / Roycemore School '04
ACF Member emeritus
My guide to using Wikipedia as a question source
- Adventure Temple Trail
- Auron
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- Joined: Tue Jul 15, 2008 9:52 pm
Re: Tracking Second and Third Place in the Buzzer Race
Ashvin tells me some local Ohio formats require this functionality as well.
Matt Jackson
University of Chicago '24
Yale '14, Georgetown Day School '10
member emeritus, ACF
University of Chicago '24
Yale '14, Georgetown Day School '10
member emeritus, ACF
Re: Tracking Second and Third Place in the Buzzer Race
One of the weakness if perhaps, used in a normal QB is that if all 3 players that buzz-in first came from the same team, well it can be kinda of annoying (but usually first,second,third place machine is not conditioned for a ACF or NAQT QB)
Kerenza Doxolodeo
(SMP ASISI, INDONESIA)
(SMP ASISI, INDONESIA)
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- Auron
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Re: Tracking Second and Third Place in the Buzzer Race
Let me know if you get anywhere with this - this would be a very useful feature for History Bee tournaments, especially in regional finals / at Nationals.Mike Bentley wrote:I'm (very slowly) working on a buzzer system that supports singles-play like this (complete with a withdraw button).
David Madden
Ridgewood (NJ) '99, Princeton '03
Founder and Director: International History Bee and Bowl, National History Bee and Bowl (High School Division), International History Olympiad, United States Geography Olympiad, US History Bee, US Academic Bee and Bowl, National Humanities Bee, National Science Bee, International Academic Bowl.
Adviser and former head coach for Team USA at the International Geography Olympiad
Ridgewood (NJ) '99, Princeton '03
Founder and Director: International History Bee and Bowl, National History Bee and Bowl (High School Division), International History Olympiad, United States Geography Olympiad, US History Bee, US Academic Bee and Bowl, National Humanities Bee, National Science Bee, International Academic Bowl.
Adviser and former head coach for Team USA at the International Geography Olympiad