Patent Application
20070013128
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of board games. More particularly, the invention relates to a board game that a person can play with an animal wherein the animal can earn points and compete independently of the person through its own spontaneous actions.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Animal owners enjoy playing with their pets. In addition to simple, traditional pet games, such as “fetch,” animal owners enjoy engaging in more sophisticated games and activities with their pets. U.S. Pat. No. 5,897,115 (the '115 patent), for example, discloses a board game that involves both people and animals. More particularly, the game is a motivational game for assessing the pet training skills of a person and the obedience skills of an animal. In that game, teams are formed wherein each team includes at least one person and at least one pet, and each team advances in the game when the person successfully commands the pet to perform an obedience task.
Unfortunately, the game disclosed in the '115 patent and similar games suffer from limitations that diminish their entertainment value. In the game of the '115 patent, for example, the participation of the animal or animals involved in the game is only secondary, and depends on the people playing the game. The only role the animal plays is responding to the person's commands by performing (or not performing) the obedience task. Allowing the animal to play a more active role in the game would increase the enjoyment of the game, particularly where there is only one person and one animal playing the game.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved game involving competition between people and animals that overcomes the problems and limitations of the prior art.
The present invention solves the above-described problems and provides a distinct advance in the art of games involving people and animals. More particularly, the present invention relates to a game that a person can play with an animal wherein the animal can earn points and compete independently of the person through its own spontaneous actions.
In a first embodiment, the invention involves a method of playing a game involving competition between a person and an animal, the method comprising the steps of increasing a score of the person if the person coaxes the animal to perform a predetermined activity, and increasing a score of the animal if the animal spontaneously performs a predetermined action. The person's score and the animal's score may also be increased or decreased as a marker is advanced along a path of a game board and lands on identified path spaces, and as the person randomly draws instructional cards.
In a second embodiment, the method involves competition between a plurality of people and a cat, and further involves the use of activity cards. Each person in turn randomly selects an activity card from a plurality of activity cards and attempts to coax the cat to perform an activity indicated by the activity card within a time limit. That person's score is increased if the cat performs the activity within the time limit, and that person's score is decreased and the cat's score is increased if the cat does not perform the activity within the time limit.
The method of the second embodiment further involves the steps of acknowledging a cat's turn when the cat performs a first predetermined action, wherein the cat's turn ends after a predetermined time period, and increasing the cat's score if the cat performs a second predetermined action during the cat's turn. Furthermore, the score of each person who prevents the cat from taking a turn by coaxing the cat not to perform the first predetermined action is increased. The cat is declared winner if the cat's score reaches a predetermined value before a person wins, and a person is declared winner if that person's score reaches a predetermined value before the cat wins.
In a third embodiment, the method further involves the use of a game board. In particular, the method involves the steps of advancing a marker along a path of a game board, selecting an activity card if the marker lands on a predetermined space, and attempting to coax the cat to perform the activity indicated by the activity card within a time limit. As in the second embodiment, the person's score is increased if the cat performs the activity within the time limit, and the person's score is decreased and the cat's score is increased if the cat does not perform the activity within the time limit.
A cat's turn is acknowledged when the cat steps onto the game board, wherein the cat's score is increased when the turn begins and the cat's turn ends automatically after a predetermined time limit. The cat's score is further increased during the cat's turn if the cat removes any marker from a space of the path, if the cat lies on top of a marker, and if the cat interacts with a random number device during the cat's turn. A person's score is further increased if that person coaxes the cat away from the game board when the cat is within a predetermined distance from the board before the cat's turn begins, and if that person coaxes the cat off of the game board within a time limit after the cat's turn has ended. The cat is declared winner of the game if the cat's score reaches a predetermined value before that person wins, and that person is declared winner of the game if that person's score reaches a predetermined value before the cat or another person wins.
These and other important aspects of the present invention are described more fully in the detailed description below.
An embodiment of the present invention is described in detail below with reference to the attached figures, wherein:
Referring initially to
The game board 12 may be made in a conventional manner known in the art and preferably is substantially rigid and foldable or otherwise adapted to fit within a game box or other container. A face of the game board 12 presents a playing surface including various markings for directing and facilitating play of the game 10. A generally serpentine path 20 comprises a plurality of sequential playing spaces which define a circuitous playing route for the game 10. A portion of the playing spaces are active spaces and present indicators for directing play of the game 10, wherein the active spaces are placed randomly along the path 20. The active spaces include a plurality of cat spaces 22 indicated by a depiction of a cat face; a plurality of dog spaces 24 indicated by a depiction of a dog face; a plurality of paw print spaces 26 indicated by a depiction of a paw print; a plurality of litter box spaces 28 indicated by a depiction of litter box; a plurality of arrow spaces 30 indicated by a depiction of an arrow; and a plurality of instant point spaces 32 each presenting a numerical point value identifier. The roles of the various active spaces are explained in greater detail below.
In addition to the playing spaces that form the serpentine path 20, a plurality of home spaces, designated as 34, 36, 38, and 40, are located in corners of the game board 12 proximate the path 20 and provide starting locations for each of the markers 14. Each player begins the game by placing a marker.14 on one of the home spaces 34, 36, 38, 40, and advances the marker 14 onto the path 20 from the home space during his or her initial turn.
A random number selection apparatus 42 provides a means for players to randomly choose a number value, such as a number of spaces to advance a marker 14. The illustrated random number selection apparatus 42 is a “spinner” device integral with the game board 12. A player operates the spinner 42 by spinning a pointer 44 of the device and observing which of a plurality of numbers the pointer 44 lands on, such as the number “2” in
Each of the activity cards 16 generally describes an activity to be performed with a cat. Each of the activity cards 16 illustrated in
Referring now to
In one embodiment, the activity cards 16 and the instructional cards 18 can be stacked in two separate piles and placed on or near the game board 12. During the course of the game, these cards 16,18 can be randomly selected by players, as explained below.
Other suitable articles not illustrated may also be included as part of the game 10 to facilitate play, and are contemplated to be within the scope of the present invention. A timer, for example, may be included as part of the game to facilitate measuring time limitations for activity cards. Furthermore, a score pad and writing implements may be included with the game 10, wherein the score pad may be specialized for use with the game.
A method of playing the game according to principles of the present invention will now be described, wherein the method involves participation by at least one person and at least one cat. While the described method specifically involves participation by four people and one cat, play of the game is not so limited. A single person may play against one cat, for example, or against a plurality of cats, as explained below in greater detail.
Generally, playing the game 10, each person advances a marker 14 along the path 20 and follows the directions of the various markings on the game board 12. In particular, each person draws an activity card 16 each time his or her marker 14 lands on a cat space 22. The person then may earn points by coaxing the cat to perform the activity indicated by the activity card 16, and the cat may earn points if it does not respond to the person's coaxing. The cat takes a turn at any time by spontaneously performing a first predetermined action, and earns points during that turn by performing a second predetermined action. A person wins the game when his or her score reaches a predetermined value before the cat wins, and the cat wins if it's score reaches a predetermined value before a person wins.
More specifically, each person playing the game begins by selecting a marker 14 and placing the marker 14 on one of the four start spaces 34, 36, 38, 40. The players then determine an order of play by each rotating the pointer 44 in turn, wherein the player who receives the highest number is the first to play, and play proceeds in a predetermined order, such as clockwise around the board from the first player. Each cat can take a turn at any time by spontaneously performing a predetermined action, as discussed below in greater detail.
Play of the game 10 proceeds as each player sequentially takes a turn by spinning the pointer 44 and advancing his or her marker 14 along the path 20 by a number of spaces indicated by the pointer 44. If the marker 14 lands on an active space, the player proceeds according to the particular indicator presented by the active space. If the pointer 44 lands on the number “8,” the player gets an extra turn.
If the marker 14 lands on a cat space 22, the player selects an activity card 16 and attempts to coax the cat to perform the activity indicated by the card 16. The player must get the cat to perform the activity within the time limitation indicated on the card 16, wherein the player receives points if successful and loses points if unsuccessful, with specific point values as set forth on the card 16. The cat also receives a specific number of points if the player is not successful. If the player draws activity card 46, for example, the player has one minute within which to coax the cat to meow. During that time the player may talk to the cat, pet the cat, give the cat a toy, or otherwise interact with the cat to get the cat to meow. If the player has not successfully coaxed the cat to meow when one minute has elapsed, the player loses fifty points, the cat scores one point, and the player's turn is over and play passes to the next player.
Similarly, if the marker 14 lands on a paw print space 26, the player selects an instructional card 18, such as card 48, and follows the directions indicated on that card 48. If the marker 14 lands on a litter box space 28, the player loses his or her next turn. If the marker 14 lands on a litter box space 28 after the player spins an “8,” the player loses the opportunity to spin again but does not lose his or her next turn. If the marker 14 lands on a dog space 24, the cat loses one point, although the cat's score will never be less than zero. If the marker 14 lands on an arrow space 30, the player moves the marker 14 ahead ten spaces. If the marker 14 lands on an instant point space 32, the player's score or the cat's score is adjusted accordingly. For example, if the marker 14 lands on a space marked by a “+100,” the player's score is increased by one hundred points. If the marker 14 lands on a space marked by a “+1,” the cat's score is increased by one point.
A unique aspect of the game 10 is that the cat gets a “turn” and can earn points independently of the people involved in the game via its own spontaneous actions. In one embodiment, the cat automatically initiates its turn whenever it performs some predetermined and spontaneous action. The cat's turn may begin, for example, when the cat steps onto the game board 12, and the cat's score is automatically increased by one point each time the cat “takes a turn.” The cat can receive additional points for performing one or more predetermined actions during its turn, such as interacting with the game board 12, markers 14, or both. The cat receives an extra point, for example, each time it moves a marker 14 completely off of a space of the path 20, or lies directly on top of a marker 14. The cat can further receive points by interacting with the spinner 42. Swatting, spinning, biting or otherwise intentionally interacting with the pointer 44, for example, earns the cat two extra points if the cat causes the pointer 44 to move from a first number to a second number. Alternatively, the cat's score may be adjusted according to a number “selected” by the pointer 44 after the cat has moved the pointer 44 from the first number.
The cat's turn automatically ends after a predetermined amount of time has elapsed. In one embodiment, the cat has thirty seconds in which to complete its turn, wherein the cat's turn begins at the moment the cat touches the game board 12. Therefore, any actions taken by the cat after thirty seconds has expired will not be considered. At the end of the cat's thirty-second turn, each player will have thirty seconds to attempt to coax the cat away from the board 12, beginning with the player whose turn was interrupted by the cat. If a player succeeds in coaxing the cat away from the board 12, that player receives fifty points and takes the next turn. If all players fail to coax the cat away from the game board 12 within a given time limitation, the cat is taken away and the game continues where it left off when the cat began its turn. Scaring the cat is prohibited; therefore, any player who attempts to scare the cat off the board 12 automatically loses the game.
Players may also attempt to prevent the cat from initiating its turn by attempting to coax the cat away from the game board 12 when the cat has entered a predetermined game zone. The game zone is preferably approximately two feet from the edge of the game board 12, and approximates the shape of the same. For example, if the game board 12 is square in shape, the game zone also is square in shape. The game zone may be indicated by tape stuck to a floor on which the game board 12 rests during the game, or may correspond to a table top or a throw rug on which the game board rests. It will be appreciated that the game zone may be indicated in any number of ways, and its size and shape is selected by the players according to the desires of the players and the environment in which the game is played. Alternatively, the game zone may not be delineated by indicators at all, but may be estimated by each player during the course of the game.
The game is won by the player or cat that is the first to accumulate a predetermined number of points. According to one embodiment, players must accumulate 1,000 points to win the game, while cats must accumulate ten points to win. If the cat accumulates ten points before a player accumulates 1,000 points, the game is over and the cat is declared the winner. If a player accumulates 1,000 points before the cat accumulates ten points, the game is over and the player is declared the winner. Alternatively, the first player to accumulate 1,000 points may be declared the first place winner, while the remaining players continue to play to decide a second and third place winner.
In one aspect of the method of playing this game, if a player's score is reduced to zero, that player loses and the remaining players continue the game without the player who lost. Each time a player loses, the cat's score is increased by one point. Players can also earn two hundred points each time their respective markers 14 advance around the path 20 back to the player's home space. Furthermore, a player can earn points for unsolicited actions of the cat. For example, a player can earn one hundred points when the cat chooses to sit on his or her lap for a predetermined amount of time, such as five minutes.
In an alternative embodiment, the game is played by a single person against a single cat, wherein the game can be played without use of the game board 12. The person simply draws one activity card 16 at a time and attempts to coax the cat to perform the activity indicated on the card 16. The person's score and the cat's score are adjusted according to whether the cat performs the activity, and a winner is decided as explained above. This method of play is particularly useful in situations where setting up or using the game board 12 is inconvenient or impossible, such as in a vehicle or at a park.
In yet another embodiment, the game is played by a single person in competition with more than one cat. In this embodiment, the cats can act together as a team to achieve a collective score, wherein the score of the cat team is increased when any one of the animals spontaneously performs a predetermined action. Alternatively, the cats can act independently, wherein each cat has its own score, and each cat's score is increased when that cat spontaneously performs a predetermined act. Regarding this latter alternative, the cats may compete against each other as well as against the person. When the cats compete against each other any single cat may win the game by accumulating the predetermined number of points.
Although the invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments illustrated in the attached drawings, it is noted that equivalents may be employed and substitutions made herein without departing from the scope of the invention as recited in the claims. It will be appreciated as being within the scope of the present invention, for example, that the game may be played with animals other than cats, such as dogs, and the various predetermined actions described herein may be tailored to the particular animal. For example, a dog's turn may begin when the dog barks or enters a room where the game is being played.
Having thus described the preferred embodiment of the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent includes the following:
