User:Jud/sandbox

Celebdaq is an online "celebrity stock exchange" game on the BBC's website. It allows players to buy and sell imaginary shares in celebrities to build up a portfolio of pop stars, movie actors, TV presenters, sportsmen and royals, whose prices rise and fall depending on market forces. Dividends are paid on those who generate the most column inches in national newspapers and magazines.

History
The online game was started in July 2002, and was initially intended as a vehicle to publicise the launch of BBC Three. It became popular in its own right, with over 50,000 players joining in the first six monthshbased on Popex

In the past the game had its own television show on BBC Three. The television show was presented by Paddy O'Connell & Libby Potter. Later, the comedian Jenny Eclair was the presenter.

Players are given the opportunity to buy and sell shares in celebrities using £10,000 of virtual cash that they are given to play with. Each week players of the game are given dividends for the shares they own based on how much press coverage the celebrities they hold shares in got that week in a number of daily newspapers and magazines. There is also a version specifically concentrating on sportspeople, called Sportdaq.

The game was based on Popex, though Popex was based on the music industry and did not have its own TV show. Until 2005 the BBC provided message boards for traders to discuss strategy and post tips for the coming week. Following a reorganisation the message boards were scrapped, spawning a number of MSN Groups, where former top traders such as Dee post their weekly tips thread.

Weekly Events

 * Millionaire Day: Everyone who has a portfolio worth over a million pounds gets 'kneecapped'. In the early hours of Monday morning, traders who are worth over a million pounds will have their portfolio emptied, and exchanged for a status symbol, depending on how much you have. See Kneecapping and Status Symbols . Traders who have had their portfolio emptied will be given £10,000 to keep on playing.


 * Top Trader: The person who has made the most profit in percentage terms during the last 7 days wins celebdaq merchandise. The winner has often made 20+ fold increase.


 * Diary Day: A list of upcoming celebrity events during the next week is put on the website. This can be used as a guide to who is likely to get dividends.


 * Dividend Friday: The dividends accumulated during the last 7 days are handed out. The dividend received depends on how long you have owned the share. Only shares that have been owned from Monday till Friday receive the full dividend.

Kneecapping and Status Symbols
This happens when someone accumulates over £1 million. They have all their money and shares taken off them and given a fresh £10,000. This prevents people controlling the market when they acquire large amounts of cash. To compensate them they are given status symbols to replace the number of millions they had.


 * £1 million: fat wad of cash
 * £5 million: sexy car
 * £10 million: luxury yacht
 * £25 million: very big house in the country
 * £50 million: executive jet
 * £100 million: exotic island
 * £500 million: crown of a minor nation state
 * £1 billion: you become Bill Gates