Did the ODO changes improve the CoC?

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Did the ODO changes improve the CoC or make it worse?

Improved the CoC
8
30%
Made it worse
10
37%
Neither of the above
9
33%
 
Total votes: 27

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Jon O'Neill
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Did the ODO changes improve the CoC?

Post by Jon O'Neill »

Well?

SPOILERS AND DISCUSSION ABOUT THE COC BELOW [OBVIOUSLY].
Last edited by Jon O'Neill on Fri Jan 22, 2016 6:26 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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JimBentley
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Re: Did the ODO changes improve the CoC?

Post by JimBentley »

Jon O'Neill wrote:Well?
Where's the "I don't fucking know" option? I would also accept "I don't know" if you don't want to be offensive.
Gavin Chipper
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Re: Did the ODO changes improve the CoC?

Post by Gavin Chipper »

Can one post spoilers in here?
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Jon O'Neill
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Re: Did the ODO changes improve the CoC?

Post by Jon O'Neill »

The "neither if the above option" covers literally everything else. Every possible response is covered. Including "Where's the "I don't fucking know" option? I would also accept "I don't know" if you don't want to be offensive." So click that.
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Jon O'Neill
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Re: Did the ODO changes improve the CoC?

Post by Jon O'Neill »

Gavin Chipper wrote:Can one post spoilers in here?
Edited the OP with a spoiler warning. Go for it.
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JimBentley
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Re: Did the ODO changes improve the CoC?

Post by JimBentley »

Jon O'Neill wrote:The "neither if the above option" covers literally everything else. Every possible response is covered. Including "Where's the "I don't fucking know" option? I would also accept "I don't know" if you don't want to be offensive." So click that.
OK, will do!
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Jon O'Neill
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Re: Did the ODO changes improve the CoC?

Post by Jon O'Neill »

JimBentley wrote:
Jon O'Neill wrote:The "neither if the above option" covers literally everything else. Every possible response is covered. Including "Where's the "I don't fucking know" option? I would also accept "I don't know" if you don't want to be offensive." So click that.
OK, will do!
Thanks.
Gavin Chipper
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Re: Did the ODO changes improve the CoC?

Post by Gavin Chipper »

Jon O'Neill wrote:
Gavin Chipper wrote:Can one post spoilers in here?
Edited the OP with a spoiler warning. Go for it.
I think it was quite fun seeing a couple of those new nines come up, but I'm not sure if it made any difference to my overall enjoyment of the CoC - except that when Dan got METACONID in the final, it meant that it became a close game again. But that sort of thing could easily go the other way. Someone could get a word like that to put a game out of reach. Well, Dan got ROSMARINE in his semi-final, although Jen was still able to get the game within reach again.

I think there was a worry that every other declaration would be some really obscure new word. That hasn't been the case, so on balance I don't think it probably matters that much, although I'm open to changing my mind with good arguments and evidence.
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Jon Corby
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Re: Did the ODO changes improve the CoC?

Post by Jon Corby »

I just assumed that there was always a load of fucking obscure shit in the dictionary, it's just that I used to know quite a bit of it, and now I don't, so it would be a bit rich to get pissy about it.
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Re: Did the ODO changes improve the CoC?

Post by Giles »

I'm conflicted about it. If a contestant in the CoC were motivated to try and win and knew about all these new words, then obviously that's a huge advantage (things like RANTIPOLE, METACONID, PETROLAGE etc. can easily turn a game round as we've seen). I spent ages learning as many new words as I could and I guess it paid off, though Dylan knew about 4 of them going in and still fucked shit up anyway just because he's that good. Though if the words added were actually proper ones (I'm sorry, PIANOLESS and UNPRIEST are just ridiculous) then maybe I'd be fully in favour of it.
Thomas Cappleman
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Re: Did the ODO changes improve the CoC?

Post by Thomas Cappleman »

I voted for improved, though also conflicted. This was an unusual case, where most players hadn't had a chance to learn which words will come up a lot, and so it led to some interesting encounters. Despite this, the best player still won each game I think, almost regardless of the new words.

By the time the next CoC comes, some words will have become "Countdown words" (expect ORNATED to be one), some will join the list of words that amaze people when the top players declare them, and most will be virtually unheard. Sure some will annoy people, but I suspect the most annoying word from this one is SRSLY, which is a genuine new addition anyway.
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Innis Carson
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Re: Did the ODO changes improve the CoC?

Post by Innis Carson »

For me personally it perhaps added an extra layer of interest to the CoC and allowed for some unexpected moments like METACONID, though for the average viewer who hadn't bothered to learn all the obscurities in the previous dictionary I doubt there would have been a noticeable difference in this regard compared to something like the 30BC or some recent series finals games. And while there's always going to be people annoyed by an inundation of obscure words they've never heard, I do think it was a useful defence against such complaints to be able to point to the fact that any word that was in the dictionary would have had to pass at some least some kind of expert standard for common usage. It would be hard to make that case with a straight face now.
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Re: Did the ODO changes improve the CoC?

Post by Heather Styles »

For me, the addition of UNREALIST to the ODO made the difference between losing pretty heavily and being annihilated in the CoC.

I'd still say that on balance, the ODO changes generally made the CoC worse and make the game of Countdown worse. It's not the new-new words I object to; it's the old-old words. Some of these words are delightful, but way too obscure for a modern audience to be bothered with.
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Re: Did the ODO changes improve the CoC?

Post by JackHurst »

I'll put this here because I don't know where else to. The chance of being able to declare a new word as a max is around 16%. The chance you can beat the old max (OED max) by playing a new word is around 7%

I had a very convoluted way of calculating this. I'm happy to do a write up of the method if there is any interest?
Thomas Cappleman
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Re: Did the ODO changes improve the CoC?

Post by Thomas Cappleman »

JackHurst wrote:I'll put this here because I don't know where else to. The chance of being able to declare a new word as a max is around 16%. The chance you can beat the old max (OED max) by playing a new word is around 7%

I had a very convoluted way of calculating this. I'm happy to do a write up of the method if there is any interest?
Yes please.
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Martin Bishop
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Re: Did the ODO changes improve the CoC?

Post by Martin Bishop »

Just caught up with the final, having spent most of the CoC wondering if ridiculous word x is a new addition. Having not been on Apterous since my last appearance on the show, I'm a bit out of the loop. Has the online dictionary suddenly doubled in size?

I'm already used to apterites beating me at home because I've never put anywhere near as much time into the online game, but I could normally stay competitive. Now I have no chance.

I remember joking with people in the green room last time I was there about how the scrabblers in the 30th birthday shows had no chance, because any old stupid word could be allowed in Scrabble. I fear Countdown may be going the same way.
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