Nerd Trivia Challenge:

Official Rules and Regulations

0. The Nerd Trivia Challenge is a game-show like event geared towards the computer history enthusiast. Questions concering computers, their inventors, their technologies, and their software are relevant. The questions are carefully selected by a panel of amateur computer historians and are researched as thoroughly as possible to ensure the correct answer is associated with each question. Only questions with unambiguous, undisputed answers are used in the game.
1. To be considered as a player you must first pass a pre-qualifying quiz given when you arrive and register at the VCF. This is a series of 10 free-form answer questions, with each question being worth a point. The pre-qualifying quiz will be given on days one and two of the VCF (Saturday, October 2 and Sunday, October 3). The top ten scores will then qualify to move on to the final qualification quiz.
2. If you qualify then you must be available on day two of the event (Sunday, October 3) at 2:00pm to take the qualifying quiz. This quiz consists of a series of ten questions, each worth a point. The top three scorers on the qualifying quiz will be chosen to play the Nerd Trivia Challenge. In the case of a tie, a tie-breaking question will be asked in a "sudden death" format. The first person to respond with the correct answer to the tie-breaking question will be chosen as the final player.
3. The contest consists of two rounds with 25 questions each round in five different categories (five questions per category), plus a final round consisting of one question. Each question in each category is progressively more challenging than the last.
4. Scoring is in "bits". In round 1, the questions at the top of each category are worth 5 bits and increment by 5 bits so that the last question is worth 25 bits. In round 2, the questions start at 10 bits each and increment by 10 bits so that the last question is worth 50 bits. Scores will be displayed in the Octal numbering system.
5. Before the game begins, a player will be selected at random by a computer to be the first to choose a question from the game board.
6. The game is played thusly: each player's score starts at 0 bits (or NULL). The game is controlled by the Master Nerd. Each player has a hand signalling switch. The player who was chosen to go first will pick a question from the game board. The question will then be read by the Master Nerd. Once the question has been read, the player who signals quickest will be called upon to answer the question.
7. The player who is in control of the board may pick any question of any category they desire. There is no requirement to pick the questions in order, and there is no requirement to stay with a category until all its questions are exhausted. In other words, the questions may be picked in any order the contesant who is in control of the board desires.
8. A question may not be answered until the Master Nerd has read the question in its entirety. Once the question has been read, a player must signal within 3 seconds to answer the question. If no player signals before the 3 seconds have elapsed then the question is withdrawn, and the correct answer will be read.
9. The player signalling has 5 seconds to produce the correct answer. If the time elapses before the player successfully answers the question then the question is considered answered incorrectly by that player and the question is then re-opened to the remaining players.
10. If the question is answered correctly the bit value of the question will be added to the player's score. An incorrect answer will result in the bit value of the question being deducted from the player's score. The question is then re-opened to the remaining players, with the same time constraints as outlined in 8 and 9.
11. Round one includes a special Nerd question, and round two includes two special Super Nerd questions, which are found only upon a player selecting the question where these special questions are hidden. When a player selects a Nerd or Super Nerd question, they will be allowed to wager any amount (greater than 0) that they will produce the correct answer to the question. In other words, the player will be able to determine the point value of the question. The amount wagered may be up to the player's score, or the value of the question, whichever is greater. If the question is answered correctly, the bits wagered will be added to the player's score. If the question is not answered correctly, the bits wagered will be deducted from the player's score. In such a case, the question will not be opened up to the other players.
12. There is no time limit on rounds one and two. The rounds will continue until all questions on the board have been selected.
13. The final round consists of one question which all three players will have the opportunity to answer. The players will first be told the category of the question. The players must then secretly record a wager that they will produce the correct answer. The wager can be any amount from 0 bits to their current total score. Once the players have recorded their wagers, the final question will be read. The players then have 30 seconds to secretly record their answer. Once the 30 seconds have elapsed, each player will be asked to reveal the answer they recorded. The players producing the correct answer will have the amount they wagered added to their score, while those producing an incorrect answer will have the amount they wagered deducted from their score.
14. The player that has the highest number of bits at the end of the game is declared the First Place Winner. The players with the second and third highest scores are considered the Second and Third Place Winners respectively. In the case of a tie between any players, a tie breaking question will be asked. The first contestant to successfully answer the tie-breaking question will be awarded the place they are competing for (i.e. First or Second). The process will be repeated in the event of a three-way tie.
15. Any questions or comments concerning these rules or the Nerd Trivia Challenge in general may be directed to ntc@vintage.org.