Reinventing the Wheel
Wheel of Fortune came back to ITV last weekend. There’s some inspiration to make this model – which, coincidentally enough, was started mere days before the revival was announced back in June – vaguely presentable and get a render out of it. For here, we have a representation of the classic American look for the show.
The wheel was almost entirely completed last summer. There were lots of crazy spaces on the American wheel that never appeared on the UK version, although of course, where they had “Surprise” we had “Brad’s Box”, where you might stand a chance of winning a Walkman, a digital watch, or something else from the Argos catalogue of the day.
The board, however, was where things halted last time, but I managed to cobble something together using my previous attempt at the original UK counterpart. The fan motif took a bit of wrangling, but once the lights were in place things started to come together. The letters on the blocks are also using a custom typeface.
I’m surprised it has taken this long for Wheel of Fortune to return, given how popular it was back in the day. It’s a simplistic game, more sparkle than substance… hard to screw up, surely?
Well, what we have is very much an import of the American version, which has its pros and cons. But, ultimately, it turns out that a whole hour of Wheel is just too much; I was flagging during part three and had pretty much lost interest by the end. It worked so much better – and continues to work Stateside – as a quick, fun half-hour. Also, as much as I like Graham Norton as presenter, I found it quite empty without a co-host – I realise this is essentially a pointless role these days, what with the video board revealing the letters itself, but having someone to bounce off might have livened things up a bit. And this programme really needs livening up.
Oh well. At least ITV’s other American quiz show revival, Jeopardy, is looking much more promising. I was more invested in that one, and I’m glad to say I’m hooked!
Here’s the subject of the puzzle by the way, if you need to inject some eighties energy into a dreary January:
jaywalks 
Cool stuff! I’ve always been fond of this design for wheel of fortune, always love a good retro throwback! As usual this is another one of those shows I haven’t sat and watched but have seen plenty of memes and clips of it. As much as I like some shows I never actually watch them, I’m more into the set designs rather than the gameplay aspects 🙂
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Thanks! Yeah, Wheel of Fortune was very much style over substance, what with all the sequins and glitter. I think the old puzzle board looks much better than the electronic replacement. It was never my absolute favourite show back in the day but I would have loved a chance to spin the wheel. 🙂
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Hi there, really nice job all round. I recall the UK version with Nicky Campbell and Jenny Powell fondly. However I think I need to cut back on my own 3D modelling as when I read your comment about wrestling with the fan motif I immediately tried to rotate your image using Blender’s nav keys to see how you’d built the part and work out how I would model it!
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Thanks, FT! I’ve seen some of the Nicky Campbell era on Challenge. My earliest memories of it are with Bradley Walsh. I was surprised to find he only presented it for a year.
Haha, tell me about it! I’m often dissecting pictures in a similar way. It becomes instinctive after a while.
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I know nothing about the games, or the rendering chat – as usual, apologies for that.
However, happy to report that Taylor is brightening up a dreary February day just as well. A bit slow on catching up here.
Whilst I knew the song I’d never seen the video before. It’s funny how different people look in reality compared to the (decades old) version my brain would have constructed. I imagined Tiffany, quite different.
Wasn’t a big budget video was it?
How you go to all the effort of creating these studios and miss out the opportunity to turn around the letters on the board to reveal profanities is beyond me. Good work and self restraint. 👌
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I might be doing some Blockbusters soon as a collaboration so you’ll know about that at least 😉 They’re showing the very first series on Challenge at the moment. 1983.
I actually didn’t know of the song until a couple of years ago when it turned up on Spotify. It decided to get stuck in my head in January, hence the inclusion. I like her crazy hairstyle, very of the time I imagine. I don’t think we’re alone in remembering Tiffany 🙂
Naughty Wheel of Fortune would be more fun I’m sure. I usually keep them clean as they go public on YouTube.
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I don’t know about remembering Tiffany. I think we might be alone now.
Whoosh.
The sound of a comment going over the heads of generations 😂
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