Jump to the updated instructions on how to listen!

Background

Some of you may have heard of the Nformant Radio Gaming Music Trivia Challenge A-Go-Go, as it was formerly called. ;-) After talking with the respective editors of both the Nformant and Planet GameCube in 2002, we decided it would be mutually beneficial for us to combine forces and introduce this awesome game to a bigger audience.

Introduction

Before we get into the official rules and other details, let's start with an overview. Basically it's an online, Nintendo version of the classic gameshow Name That Tune. The host--usually Michael Cole ("TheYoungerPlumber" in the chatroom)--will play three songs from a Nintendo game, and you try to figure out which game they came from. Sound easy? It ain't. In fact, the game has somewhat a reputation for being difficult, but we've found that in the long run, people would rather it be very challenging than way too easy. And, even if you're not very skilled at guessing these games, there are also standard trivia bonus questions...and of course lots of great Nintendo music to listen to.

On to the official rules. Even if you're an experienced player, please take the time to look over these. Not only are they slightly revised, but we will be very strict about upholding them, and for good reason. If someone screws up a question because they don't understand the rules, it's a lot different than if someone just gets annoying in NWR Trivia. A normal game of NWR Radio Trivia will consist of five games, plus bonus questions for each. If you're being ignorant and don't follow the rules, you've just disqualified that question for everyone else, nullified 20% of the entire trivia, and wasted the fifteen or twenty minutes that we spent picking out songs and researching bonus questions for that game. We are dead serious about this, so if you aren't going to read and follow the rules, please do not participate in the game. Now then, without further ado:

Official Rules for NWR Radio Trivia:

(Please note that these rules are subject to change!) This competition is held in a different format than the free-for-all nature of NWR Trivia and other chat games you may have played. As such, the rules are much different and probably more strict than you are used to; they are designed to make the game fair for everyone, regardless of connection speed. Though there will be some lag and buffering, our 56K users should be able to fully enjoy the game and compete on the same level as anyone with cable or DSL. If your connection is slower than 56K, the radio stream may be too choppy for you to have a fair chance. The audio quality has been fine-tuned according to player feedback so that you will get good sound quality without needing a broadband connection to hear it.

We will play three MP3s or sound dumps (100% accurate to the game) over the radio server, all from the same game. They may not be the most recognizable songs from that game, but if you’re familiar with the game, you should be able to recognize at least one of them.

Guesses should be made in private messages to the host (usually TheYoungerPlumber). In mIRC and our browser-based client you can simply double-click the host’s name to start a private message. Otherwise, type (/msg TheYoungerPlumber youranswergoeshere) without the parentheses. We do recommend using an IRC client supporting multiple windows or tabs for personal messaging, simply because it makes things easier and eliminates the risk of you making a typo and accidentally spilling your answer into the channel.

You may guess the game’s title at anytime, however, BE WARNED. It is to your advantage to wait for the third song before making a guess. The host will look at each person’s first answer after calling time, and everyone who got it right on their first answer will get a point. If you guessed blindly right off the bat but got it right your second guess, you’re out of luck. If nobody got it right on their first guess, the host will move on to the second guess, and so on until someone gets it right. Everyone who gets the correct answer on the earliest ordinate guess will get one point for guessing the game; if many players get the game right, it may take us a minute to tally up all the points and record them, so please be patient. Note that no points will be awarded for the game if no one submits a correct answer before time is called, and we'll move on to the bonus question as normal.

After the points are dealt out for guessing the game, the host will ask a bonus question. The bonus questions are FREE-FOR-ALL, and the first person to submit the correct answer into the main channel (NOT in a private message!) will get one point. If you submit answers to the bonus questions in private messages, they will be ignored. Historically, there have been Ultra bonus question JUST for the person who answers the bonus question correctly. This question will be worth one extra point if answered correctly on the first guess. Although ultra bonus questions have not appears since the triva was reduced to five games per night, it may appear in special trivia events featuring more than five games.

In case of a tie, the game will convert to these Tie-Breaker rules:

• The host will play one song at a time, each one from a different game.
• Only the players tied for first place may guess during these songs.
• Each tied player will have ONE guess per song, to be made via private message during the song or after it, up until the host calls time.
• If every player guesses correctly, or if every player guesses incorrectly, that song will be thrown out and we will move on to the next.
• If some tied players guess correctly and others incorrectly for any given tie-breaker song, the incorrect players will be eliminated and the correct players will continue to play until there is only one player left.
• The last player remaining will be declared winner.
• We reserve the right to use a bonus trivia question if musical tie-breakers are unsuccessful at weeding out players.
• If there is not a prize, the host may declare the game a tie.
• Also keep in mind that since Radio Trivia takes place in #nwr, standard chatroom rules also apply. Chatroom rules (and mIRC support) can be found in the #nwr Chat FAQ.

In the case that there is a prize, prize is provided as-is. Nintendo World Report is not liable for whatever problems the prize my cause you and makes no warranty, written, expressed, or implied. In order for us to send your prize to you, you must supply to us your mailing address. NWR assures you that this information will be used only to send your prize off to you, and for no other purpose.

When an individual wins a noteworthy* prize, he/she becomes ineligible to compete in NWR Trivia or Radio Trivia sessions in which noteworthy* prizes are awarded for ninety days.

*NWR-sponsored prizes of estimated value greater than $15 before shipping are dubbed noteworthy.

Questions, suggestions, and comments are more than welcome via email or in the chat room after the game is over.

How to Connect to the Radio Stream

There are two ways to listen to the radio stream: the KonTek stream and the Live365 relay stream. The primary (and sometimes only) stream can be found on KonTek when Radio Trivia is live. You can listen with your favorite streaming audio player or the embedded Flash player. (The Flash player even works on Wii!)

To reduce the strain on the primary server, Nintendo Funhouse Radio will also relay the KonTek stream on busy nights. Listeners are asked to switch to the alternate stream at the trivia host's request or if their connection with Kontek becomes unreliable.

Due to some recent changes Live365 has made, connecting is a bit more complex than it used to be. Here are some simple steps to get you connected:

1. Go to http://www.live365.com

2. If you don’t have an account, register a FREE one (or purchase an ad-free Preferred Membership).

3. Login to your Live365 account.

4. Visit http://www.live365.com/stations/163792

5. Press the PLAY button on that page. A window will pop up and scan your computer for MP3 players. When it’s done, pick the one you wish to use (note: Winamp is listed as “MP3 Player").

6. Listen in and enjoy.

You may also purchase the Radio365 application as alternative to internet browsing.

Also be aware that our live Live365 radio stream has a limit of 30 simultaneous standard listeners--players cannot connect to a full stream unless they have a Preferred Membership. The Live365 membership costs around $5 a month, depending on the payment plan, and also removes ads from Nintendo Funhouse Radio.

Please note that the live stream will not be active until a few minutes before the game begins. We will be pasting the KonTek and Live365 info into the channel for easy access, so don't worry about writing it down unless you're just hardcore. ;-)

Failure to abide by these official rules will result in your disqualification from the game, effective immediately. You are welcome to come back the next week after you've taken the time to read the rules thoroughly. We're sorry to be so blunt about it, but there will be ZERO TOLERANCE for idiots, especially when a prize is involved. When you don't follow the rules, you lower everyone else's chance to play and enjoy the game, and we cannot allow that.

NWR Radio Trivia will be every other Friday, alternating with the legendary NWR Trivia, at approximately 9:30 PM Central time. Check Nintendo World Report to make sure the show hasn't been canceled or moved to a different time... technical aspects of this game require extensive planning and scheduling to make things come together, and sometimes it's just not possible. We hope to see you at the game!

So there you go! Those of you who played the old version of the game, please note that it will now take place in the NWR chatroom, which is #nwr on irc.opa-ages.com. If you aren't savvy enough to have your own IRC client, it's easy enough to get into our chat room with our free Java applet, which you can find here. Oh yeah, and here are a few things you should bring with you to the game:

- WinAmp. You'll need one of these programs to play the radio stream. You can get WinAmp for free at http://www.winamp.com. RealPlayer should work, but is not recommended from experience. Although anyone can hop in and answer bonus questions, you cannot fully participate in the game unless you are streaming the radio broadcast AND are present in the chatroom.

- A Live365.com account. As explained earlier, you will need one to connect to the radio broadcast.

- A solid knowledge of the rules! Not only will this keep you from being disqualified, but you'll be more prepared to score the big points.

- Those finely-tuned NWR Trivia skills will come in handy for bonus questions! Those will be handled exactly like they are in NWR Trivia, by the way, so there should be no surprises.

- A love for game music, definitely. All songs will come from games that appeared on Nintendo systems, from NES through Wii and including the handhelds. You may be surprised at how cool the music is from games you barely remember, or how obscure the songs can be from games you THOUGHT you know inside and out! ;-D

Well then, I guess that wraps it up. We hope to see you at this crazy, cool trivia game!