Channel 4 rebooting GamesMaster?

[hmm]

1 hour ago, Protocol Penguin said:

Hate to sound like a miserable old thing, but… The competitive games programmes, GamesMaster and Games World, weren’t very good, were they? I cringed my way through Challenge’s 2003 repeats of GamesMaster. I’ve caught snatches of later GM, GW and the other gaming shows, and they’ve objectively not good television. Amateurish, cheap looking (despite most likely being made with a bigger budget than many modern TV shows), often utterly tawdry. Some things should be left in the past, because, let’s be honest, we only watched them because there was no other way of watching footage of recent games.

 

GM overall and as a format was absolute shit, even with rose-tinted glasses. I can't imagine this is an even vaguely controversial opinion. Even as a fairly young child I remember being conscious of how poor much of it was, the challenges in particular obviously. It is quite beyond me why anyone ever thought that it would be good television to regularly pit two people against one another who, experienced gamers or not, have patently never played the particular game in question before and just sort of thrashed around for five minutes until someone was eventually determined to be least bad. But the reason it's fondly remembered is of course the other parts: the strange staging, the faintly subversive Dominik Diamond, an oddly distorted Patrick Moore reciting advice of which he understands not a word, glimpses of new and exotic games that most of us wouldn't get our hands on for months or possibly ever (I've still never seen a Neo Geo in person, as far as I'm aware), Dave Perry failing so hard at being cool that it was apparent even to 8 year olds, and so on. I've watched a few clips of GM in more recent years but I can't imagine that sitting through entire episodes would do anything but emphasise the bad over the good now.

 

I think much of that reminiscing also emphasises why the reboot is so doomed: I doubt they'll manage to successfully replicate much of the good/weird bits and the shit bits will be at least as shit as they were originally.

[nakamura]

I have rewatched both gamesmaster Bad Influence and the latter was a much better show. It covered so many more interesting topics and felt like a real passion for gaming. 

 

Although I like Dominic Diamond, overall the show wasn't good. 

[Gotters]

37 minutes ago, R0b said:

A few of us chasing this guy quite hard. If anyone who reposted/documented his name do so with any glee, you're being a dickhead: it'd be a disproportionate response to some crap spam if it drums up any extra heat whatsoever with his employers. All I'm seeing is a clumsy advert. Yes, we're all very enlightened and TV is a dinosaur in comparison to our cutting edge medium of youtube and, erm, forums. 

No interest in getting involved in the TV show, btw. 

 

he's been named on Nintendo Life & Eurogamer now, so nobody is breaking the official secrets act or RLLMUK omertà in naming him I'd say

 

https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2021-09-03-looks-like-the-rebooted-gamesmaster-is-looking-for-contestants

 

 

[SMD]

I don't actually think there was any harm in asking, I mean if you wanna find people your best bet will be forums and discord. I'd be surprised if they were surprised that there'd be some scepticism that this kind of format might work in 2021.

[SozzlyJoe]

10 minutes ago, SMD said:

I don't actually think there was any harm in asking, I mean if you wanna find people your best bet will be forums and discord. I'd be surprised if they were surprised that there'd be some scepticism that this kind of format might work in 2021.

 

It's a risky strategy, unless you are going to be engaging fully with all the replies and questions. But it looks like he wanted the Gamesmaster connection on the down-low. I imagine he enters the weekend a sadder but wiser man. Still, no such thing as bad publicity!

[Vimster]

How did the original GM find contestants? Did they put ads in mags? I wouldn't be surprised if they had a caption on screen suggesting people write in when it was more established. 

 

This guy though, would have been nice if he'd engaged with us a bit, even some banter. I doubt he'd be able to reveal anything about the plans for the new format and the like but just getting to know people a bit rather than dropping a JPEG and legging it may have been beneficial. 

[Chris.]

5 hours ago, Smoothy said:

I was on both 

 

Yep, on GamesMaster as one of the kids asking GamesMaster for a tip.  And on Games World as a contestant.  I'm sure some of you on here know this already?  Or not?

 

I thought maybe someone had, which could have been you?

 

Feel free to regale us with your tale(s) if you can be bothered.

 

I would have loved to have been on Games World.

 

I think once an advert popped up on Sky with an address if you were interested as being a contestant, but I missed the address then ended up watching Sky One for like a week non-stop and it never popped up again.

 

Did you play that multiplayer game that I think was on the Amiga where you're a red/blue/green etc. blob? 

 

Who were you up against. Big Boy Barry?

 

What was Bob whatshisname like?

 

Did you win your challenge?!

 

Why are we not all applying to be on the GM reboot!!!

 

[Chris.]

31 minutes ago, nakamura said:

I have rewatched both gamesmaster Bad Influence and the latter was a much better show. It covered so many more interesting topics and felt like a real passion for gaming. 

 

Although I like Dominic Diamond, overall the show wasn't good. 

 

I remember Andy Crane once saying they were giving some Cray supercomputer or something (that could render the most amazing 3D trees) away as a prize and I nearly died with excitement.

 

Beat.

 

"Only kidding"

 

[Girth Certificate]

The Kids - make billions streaming game on twitch 

Old TV Executives - lets reboot gamesmaster. 

Some Guy - loses his job for letting slip about the plan to reboot gamesmaster

Mr Combo Breaker - bring back BITS you shower of cuuuuuunts

[hmm]

47 minutes ago, SMD said:

I don't actually think there was any harm in asking, I mean if you wanna find people your best bet will be forums and discord. I'd be surprised if they were surprised that there'd be some scepticism that this kind of format might work in 2021.

 

It was a pretty clumsy effort though. "Hey, fellow kids, how about TAKING ON a CHALLENGE on TELEVISION with one of your 'interactive video games' ?"

[SMD]

Oh it was hamfisted as fuck and I'm not watching a rebooted Gamesmaster, much less volunteer for one.

[Smoothy]

5 hours ago, Chris. said:

 

I thought maybe someone had, which could have been you?

 

Feel free to regale us with your tale(s) if you can be bothered.

 

I would have loved to have been on Games World.

 

I think once an advert popped up on Sky with an address if you were interested as being a contestant, but I missed the address then ended up watching Sky One for like a week non-stop and it never popped up again.

 

Did you play that multiplayer game that I think was on the Amiga where you're a red/blue/green etc. blob? 

 

Who were you up against. Big Boy Barry?

 

What was Bob whatshisname like?

 

Did you win your challenge?!

 

Why are we not all applying to be on the GM reboot!!!

 

I applied via a Q&A entry in I think Mean Machines... or Nintendo Magazine System, one of the two.

 

I had to go to a random place in London to audition, which meant play two games against a bloke who turned out was the bloke who was The Violet Blade. The first one was TMNT: Tournament Fighters, which cos I was a massive Street Fighter II player at the time was plain sailing and pretty much creamed him at it even though it was the first time playing it. I then played FIFA I think on the Super NES and wasn't as good.

 

Got called up to be a contestant in series 3. Got to practice the games back stage. First game I played on screen was the bonus stage of Sonic 2 - I never had a Megadrive BUT because I played Sonic 2 loads with my girlfriend at the time I beat the person I was paired with. Next was Turbo Toons, fairly easy. Earthworm Jim 2 warp zone stage was relatively easy (I think I actually had the game on Super NES at the time). Last game was Super Street Fighter II (my game!)... on the Megadrive 🤦🏾‍♂️. Had to choose between Deejay or T Hawk and despite in practice being real good with T Hawk I chose Deejay. I think we we're using 6 button pads but some weird Super Nes clone with buttons on the shoulders - I remember thinking I'll change the buttons when filming starts but decided against it at the last sec cos I thought I'd be used to it having played on default Super NES setup when forgetting to change on that. Narrowly won 2-1 despite having no life left in my life bar in majority of last round - boy I played was very salty! Got the jacket (and yes I STILL have it!). We then filmed the Friday show - got to meet Mr Mathers The Megabyte Millionaire (series 1 grand finalist) - he was actually really nice. Anyway, Friday show started with me playing the other winner from the same week on Cash Dash (grab the most amount of coins in 60 seconds). We both tied with some insanely high score (60something) so we had to refilm it - this time 10 secs from time we were tied but he managed to trap me causing him to grab more coins for the rest of the round. Was totally gutted. Funny thing though was the bloke I played against was the brother of a friend of my school friend - he recognised him instantly when he watched it so I met him again when we all went to MegaWorld in Croydon (a massive SEGA arcade) - played him on Daytoba USA and thrashed him in front of everyone as "revenge" 😁

 

After filming (a few weeks maybe) I got called up and asked if I'd like to film a piece for GamesMaster so I went with my sister. We both ended up filming a bit for the tips section. No Patrick Moore though.

 

I have YouTube vids of it all if you want to see.

 

EDIT: Oh yeah your questions.

 

Cos I didn't beat the week's other champion I didn't get to go against the Videators. Was really gutted cos I wanted to go against The Violet Blade (who I trounced at TMNT in the "auditions")

 

Bob was alright, although when the week's other champion and I tied on Cash Dash he seemed a bit irritated, understandable cos we had to refilm it.

 

The blob game? Nope.

[Chris.]

Cheers that was a great write up! 

 

I had actually forgot the "structure" to the GW competition. Sounds like you had a great time anyway even if you didn't get to humiliate the Violet Blade (lol) - you did well, 'grats! 

[5R7]

3 hours ago, Smoothy said:

 

I have YouTube vids of it all if you want to see.

 

 

 

 

[SeanR]

On 02/09/2021 at 21:45, footle said:

Did he not have his finger on the pulse of the second cuntiest games forum on the ?

 

(I have forgotten whether we are more or less cunty than neogaf, and wondering whether it’s even possible to rank yourself any longer amongst a raft of Covid denying trump supporting subreddits)

More. 

 

Mumsnet is the undisputed no.1

[Smoothy]

  

11 hours ago, Chris. said:

Cheers that was a great write up! 

 

I had actually forgot the "structure" to the GW competition. Sounds like you had a great time anyway even if you didn't get to humiliate the Violet Blade (lol) - you did well, 'grats! 

 

3rd series was every weekday 6pm (IIRC).  Monday was "The Eliminator 1", Tuesday and Thursday I can't remember but one of them was "Barry's Joypad" - that show that he did with David Walliams (yes the David Walliams), Wednesday was "The Eliminator 2" (which I did), and Friday was "Beat The Elite" where the winners of The Eliminator 1 and 2 played each other at Cash Dash at the beginning of the show and the winner gets to play against the Videators.

  

8 hours ago, 5R7 said:

OK, first stage was "Sudden Death" to pair it down from 8 to 4 - I got paired with another boy and had to win to progress. 

 

 

Second round was Turbo Toons - essentially like any other top-down racing game:
 

 

Third round was Earthworm Jim 2 warp (wormhole) stage:
 

 

 

Final game was my game - Super Street Fighter II, but not on the Super NES - on the Megadrive:
 

 

And then we filmed Friday's show on the same day - I played Monday's champion at "Cash Dash" - this is actually the second take.  I'm sure we got the highest combined amount of coins in the series ever (twice):
 

And then there was GamesMaster - my sister is the 3rd kid while I was the 5th kid:
 

 

[deerokus]

1 hour ago, SeanR said:

More. 

 

Mumsnet is the undisputed no.1

I thought it was Stuart Campbell's old forum. 

 

Its modern successor is basically the same thing as Mumsnet now right enough.

[Dudley]

 

18 hours ago, SozzlyJoe said:

 

It's a risky strategy, unless you are going to be engaging fully with all the replies and questions. But it looks like he wanted the Gamesmaster connection on the down-low. I imagine he enters the weekend a sadder but wiser man. Still, no such thing as bad publicity!

 

This was the key, if it was actually in good faith he'd have said "Yes that cringe in a danger, here's what I can tell you about how we're avoiding it" something.

 

But he just posted and ran, came back to check it the best part of a week later, didn't like what he saw, had a flounce.

 

And to me that tells me we were right the first time.

[b00dles]

Bloody awesome @Smoothy! Those videos are quality 👍

 

I forgot how terrible a 'presenter' David Perry actually was. 

[davidcotton]

On 02/09/2021 at 19:38, deerokus said:

Whoever made that image probably doesn't know the difference between the two Patricks.

 

As for the casting notice, they will most assuredly be looking for some 50+ year old comedy gaming stereotype to take the piss out of, don't fall for it.

Dara o Briain then.

[cavalcade]

45 minutes ago, b00dles said:

Bloody awesome @Smoothy! Those videos are quality 👍

 

I forgot how terrible a 'presenter' David Perry actually was. 

 

I thought he was fine. Explaining the events well and doing his best with the entire thing. Bob Mills though, jesus. 

 

Great videos though @Smoothyreally enjoyed that. 

[b00dles]

26 minutes ago, cavalcade said:

 

I thought he was fine. Explaining the events well and doing his best with the entire thing. Bob Mills though, jesus. 

 

Great videos though @Smoothyreally enjoyed that. 

Each to their own, they're both terrible really. 

[Smoothy]

"GamesMaster reboot confirmed at E4", apparently.

[b00dles]

I never got any sort of email response to that casting address. Guess I ironed my rllmuk tshirt for nothing.

 

Nothing!

[PikaStu]

Without Dom, Kirk, Rik etc it’s not going to be Games Master. Any reboot will probably end up more like the Dexter Fletcher series. Just some bloke shouting at the contestants and the camera.
 

I still watch the occasional episode now and again. The one with the challenge “We’re Athletic, We Love Lycra” is still hilarious. The tone of humour from series 5+ wouldn’t be allowed on TV now…

[Capwn]

6 hours ago, b00dles said:

I never got any sort of email response to that casting address. Guess I ironed my rllmuk tshirt for nothing.

 

Nothing!

They clearly ran away and halted the project once they realized the true error of their deeds. Don’t mess with the masterpiece that was gamesmaster

or we here at rllmuk towers will unite and riot.

 

if anyone else out there is thinking of rebooting it, come to us first and earn our respect. Only then will we lay down our swords.

[R0b]

3 hours ago, Capwn said:

 

if anyone else out there is thinking of rebooting it, come to us first and earn our respect. Only then will we lay down our swords.

 

 

[ZOK]

On 04/09/2021 at 09:44, Smoothy said:

  

 

3rd series was every weekday 6pm (IIRC).  Monday was "The Eliminator 1", Tuesday and Thursday I can't remember but one of them was "Barry's Joypad" - that show that he did with David Walliams (yes the David Walliams), Wednesday was "The Eliminator 2" (which I did), and Friday was "Beat The Elite" where the winners of The Eliminator 1 and 2 played each other at Cash Dash at the beginning of the show and the winner gets to play against the Videators.

  

OK, first stage was "Sudden Death" to pair it down from 8 to 4 - I got paired with another boy and had to win to progress. 

 

 

Second round was Turbo Toons - essentially like any other top-down racing game:
 

 

Third round was Earthworm Jim 2 warp (wormhole) stage:
 

 

 

Final game was my game - Super Street Fighter II, but not on the Super NES - on the Megadrive:
 

 

And then we filmed Friday's show on the same day - I played Monday's champion at "Cash Dash" - this is actually the second take.  I'm sure we got the highest combined amount of coins in the series ever (twice):
 

And then there was GamesMaster - my sister is the 3rd kid while I was the 5th kid:
 

 

This is so cool Smoothy! I’ve somehow never seen Games World. Bob Mills, what a legend.

[ThePixelbarks]

As long as no one has retooled this reboot to be some weird celebrity vehicle (Bloody looking at you, catchphrase) for the usual F-List British celebs, I'm in for this.

[Dudley]

In all honestly that's better than the "LOL nerds"fest I'm actually expecting.

 

But yeah I fear they'll ruin it like they did Crystal Maze where I've given up even trying to work out which episodes aren't "Celebs" because I think there's about 5.