Patent Application
20240359087
Not Applicable.
Not Applicable.
The present disclosure relates generally to board games, and more particularly, but not necessarily entirely, to board games having one-on-one game play using marbles and game pieces to simulate a battle or game simulation.
Board games have conventionally been enjoyed by both children and adults as a recreational activity that can be played with or between multiple players or teams. Board games often include a theme or simulation which can add characters or features from fictional or non-fictional time periods, eras, planets, and alternate realities or universes.
Board games are often played using a typically flat “board” game surface where game pieces can be manipulated and moved around to various designated and predetermined locations over the game surface. Often times game pieces can be used to designate individual game players or competing teams. Other game accessories can also be used, such as action or direction cards or dice, which can facilitate game play by prompting action or movement of the game pieces.
Board games are often played with an objective that, once met or obtained, a winner can be declared. Often the objective may be to traverse a path for a game piece to travel or accrue a predetermined number of points, treasure, or money, or obtain or accrue more than the other competitors.
Marbles is another recreational game that can be played between two or more players. A basic objective or a game of marbles may include throwing or “shooting” a marble from outside a restricted zone toward a single marble or group of marbles within the restricted zone, with the objective of knock a marble or marbles out of the restricted zone, thereby acquiring said marble or marbles. A player that has acquired the most marbles at the end of the game may be declared the winner. There are many variations of marble games and the objective of each may vary widely.
The features and advantages of the present disclosure will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by the practice of the present disclosure without undue experimentation. The features and advantages of the present disclosure may be realized and obtained by means of the unique game pieces and features and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.
Any discussion of prior or conventional games, game pieces, game rules or objectives, or the like which has been included in the present specification is not to be taken as an admission that any or all of these matters form part of the prior art base, or were common general knowledge in the field relevant to the present disclosure as it existed before the priority date of each claim of this application.
The features and advantages of the disclosure will become apparent from a consideration of the subsequent detailed description presented in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:
For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles in accordance with the disclosure, reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the disclosure is thereby intended. Any alterations and further modifications of the inventive features illustrated herein, and any additional applications of the principles of the disclosure as illustrated herein, which would normally occur to one skilled in the relevant art and having possession of this disclosure, are to be considered within the scope of the disclosure claimed.
It must be noted that, as used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.
In describing and claiming the present disclosure, the following terminology will be used in accordance with the definitions set out below.
As used herein, the terms “comprising,” “including,” “containing,” “characterized by,” and grammatical equivalents thereof are inclusive or open-ended terms that do not exclude additional, unrecited elements or method steps.
As used herein, the phrase “consisting of” and grammatical equivalents thereof exclude any element or step not specified in the claim.
As used herein, the phrase “consisting essentially of” and grammatical equivalents thereof limit the scope of a claim to the specified materials or steps and those that do not materially affect the basic and novel characteristic or characteristics of the claimed disclosure.
Referring now to
Each of the pair of planar portions 206a and 206b may have substantially the same width (in the y-axis) as the concave portion 204. However, the length (in the x-axis) of the planar portions 206a and 206b may be significantly less than the length of the concave portion 204. The curved portion may have a net curvature (elevation measurement from the high point to the lowest point) of 1-3 inches or more or less depending on the desired use or conditions.
The concave portion 204 of the top surface 202 may include a pair of gutters 208a and 208b, or grooves. The pair of gutters 208a and 208b may extend substantially the entire length (in the x-axis) of the concave portion 204, but may alternatively extend only a partial length of the concave portion 204. The gutters 208a and 208b may be positioned such that each gutter is located at an opposing edge of the concave surface 204. However, the gutters 208a and 208b may also be offset from the side edges of the concave portion, as desired or needed.
Each of the gutters 208a and 208b may be designed and configured to have a width and depth sufficient enough to retain a marble 300 or other rolling-type game piece. Accordingly, the gutters 208a and 208b may by designed and configured to receive and retain a marble 300, or plurality of marbles, that has been rolled or shot over the concave portion 204 during game play. The gutters 208a and 208b may be designed and configured to keep the marble 300 from rolling off of the game board 200 or concave portion 204 during use of the board game assembly 100. The gutters 208a and 208b may also be formed of sufficient size, width and depth, to successfully receive and retain marbles or rolling game pieces of various size and shape.
The concave surface may also include a visual grid system 210, which may include a series of rows and columns of squares that extend over the entirety, majority, or at least a portion of, the concave portion 204 of the top surface 202. Each square may be 1-4 inches in width and length or more or less depending on the desired use or conditions. The visual grid system 210 may also include additional shapes or alternate shapes instead of squares. Additionally, each square or shape of the visual grid system 210 may be of the same size or varying sizes. The squares or other shapes of the visual grid system 210 may be designed and configured to enable a single moveable tower 400, or game piece, to be with a given perimeter of a corresponding square or shape of the visual grid system 210.
Each planar portion 206a and 206b may be designed and configured to enable placement of a moveable castle 500, or game piece, in a balanced, upright configuration, such that the castle may “stand” on the planar portion 206a or 206b without additional support from a game player or secondary game piece.
Each of the sidewalls of the game board 200 may be connected to form a raised, continuous outer sidewall 212 around the perimeter of the top surface 202, thereby providing a balanced foundation for the top surface 202 when the game board 200 is placed on a substantially level or even ground surface, table or the like. The sidewalls may have a height of 1-6 inches or more or less depending on the desired use or conditions. Alternatively, the outer sidewall 212 may be substituted with legs or posts, positioned at desired locations around the perimeter of the game board 200. These legs may also be designed and configured to provide a balanced foundation for the top surface 202 when the game board 200 is placed on a substantially level or even ground surface, table or the like.
The game board 200 may be made of as a single unitary piece or in multiple pieces that are assembled and attached together. The game board 200 may also be made of plastic, composite, wood, metal, cardboard, or any other desired material.
Referring now to
The castle 500 may also include a marble stand 510 that may be designed and configured to hold and retain the marble 300 when the marble is not in use. The castle 500 may also include side windows 512 formed within the respective sidewalls 502. The side windows 512 may enable a user to more easily see within the interior of the castle 500, and may be formed as decorative or aesthetic features.
The castle 500 may be made of as a single unitary piece or in multiple pieces that may be assembled and attached together. The castle 500 may also be made of plastic, composite, wood, metal, cardboard, or any other desired material. The castle 500 may also include added weights or include additional manufacturing material embedded in the base of the castle 500. The added weights may be removable or fixed as an integral part of the castle 500. In an alternative embodiment, the added weights may include a magnet or magnets, which may provide added stability when used with a metal or otherwise magnetic game board 200. These added weights may provide additional stability to the castle 500, helping the castle 500 to stand upright until a substantial hit from a second object, such as a marble, rolling object, or other thrown or shot object.
Referring now to
The top surface 404 of the tower 400 may provide a foundation for a flag or post 406. The flag 406 may be integrally formed with the tower 400 or may be removable, such that flags 406 of different colors or designs my be interchangeable between different towers 400. The flag 406 my also be of any desired shape or size. The flag 406 may also be of any desired color, enabling each user or team to have a specifically identifiable flag color, to distinguish between a first user's or team's tower 400 and a second user's or team's tower 500. Additionally, the towers 400 themselves may be of any desired shape or color to distinguish between a first user's or team's tower 400 and a second user's or team's tower 500. The tower 400 may have a width of 0.5-4 inches and a height of 1-6 inches or more or less depending on the desired use or conditions.
The tower 400 may be made of as a single unitary piece or in multiple pieces that assembled and attached together. The tower 400 may also be made of plastic, composite, wood, metal, cardboard, or any other desired material.
In a first embodiment of using the board game assembly 100 disclosed herein, elements, features and game pieces of the board game assembly 100 may use different names or identifiers. For example, the concaved portion 204 may be considered or referred to as a battleground and the planar portions 206a and 206b may be considered or referred to as castlegrounds. The battleground 204 may be include the visual grid system 210 which may include 10 rows and 6 columns of squares in a grid or checkered pattern. Although any desired number of columns and rows may be used and any desired shapes may also be used. The colors of the squares of the squares may alternate, such as white and black, although any color or color combination can be used, and even a single color can be used, if desired.
During game play, only a single tower 400 may occupy a single space of the visual grid system 210 at any one time. The castlegrounds 206a and 206b are the locations of each player's or team's castle 500 must be placed. Each castleground 206a and 206b may be occupied by a single castle 500, although in alternate embodiments multiple castles 500 may be placed on a single castleground 206a or 206b.
In an exemplary embodiment two users or teams will play head-to-head. Each player or team may have 8 towers. Each player will be represented by a color or other unique identifier, such that each tower of each player or team will be represented by the same color or identifier. Each player or team may also have one castle 500. A single die 600 may be used, or in alternate embodiments a plurality of die may be used. The die 600 may be a conventional 6 sided die, representing numbers 1-6, or any desired die may be used having any desired number of sides with any desired combination of number designations. In another embodiment, the die 600 may also include 6 sides, with each side representing one of three numbers, for example, two sides may bear a “1” designation, two sides may bear a “2” designation, and two sides may bear a “3” designation.
The board game assembly 100 may also include two marbles 300, one for each player or team. Alternatively, a single marble 300 may be used or any desired number of marbles 300. Additionally, the marbles 300 may be of any desired size or shape. The board game assembly 100 may also include two flags 406, one for each player or team. Alternatively, a single marble 300 may be used or any desired number of marbles 300.
In a first method embodiment of game play, a “Quick Play” version may be used. In this version the objective is to “Seize” the opponents castle 500. Two players or teams may compete head-to-head. Initially, the die 600 may be rolled by each player or team and the highest number rolled will select to play first or defer to the other play or team.
Game play may comprise 3 basic actions, (1) “Advance,” (2) “Set,” and (3) “Attack.” If no towers 400 are in play, the Advance action may be skipped. If there are towers 400 in play, to Advance, a player at the beginning of their turn, the player may role the die 600. The towers 400 already in play on the battleground 204, may be advanced forward the number of spaces shown on the die (e.g. 1, 2, 3, etc.). Towers 400 may not be permitted to move laterally or diagonally, only forward.
If, a player's tower 400 encounters an opposing player's tower 400 during an Advance action, the advancing tower 400 must stop in the shared square, and engage in a “Battle.”
To Battle, each competing player roles their die 600. The player who roles the highest number wins that Battle. The winner of the Battle may then advance their tower 400 one additional space (or advance the remaining number of spaces, if the Battle occurred before the tower, had advanced the allotted number of spaces). The tower 400 of the player that lost the Battle may be removed from the battleground 204.
During the Set action, a player roles the die 600 and places the number of towers (e.g., 1, 2, 3, etc.) in a first row, the row closest to their own castle 500. A player may place one tower 400 anywhere within a perimeter of a chosen space, but no part or portion of the tower 400 may overlap into another space.
During an Attack action, a player may move their castle 500 anywhere in their predetermined or designated castleground 206a or 206b. Once the castle 500 has been placed in a desired location, the player may roll or launch the marble through the their respective castle 500, via the ramp 504 of the castle 500. The rolled marble 300 remains in play and is not removed from the battleground 204 until it comes to a complete stop or rolls off of the battleground. All towers 400 that are knocked over by the marble 300, such that are no longer in a standing vertical position, are removed from the battleground 204. Towers 400 that have been removed can be placed into action again in future turns. A player's castle 500 must remain in the same position where it was set to Attack until the player's next turn. A player doesn't not place their castle until their first attack.
During a Seize action, a player may Seize a castleground 206a or 206b by either, (1) knocking the respective castle 500 off the castleground 206a or 206b through an Attack action, or (2) advancing a tower 400 across the battleground 204 to the opposing player's castleground 206a or 206b and defeating the castle 500 in a Battle action. Once a castleground has been Seized, the game is over.
In another method embodiment of game play, an “Advanced” version may be used. The objective in this embodiment remains Seizing an opponent's castleground 206a or 206b. In this embodiment of game play, player may take the same actions, in the same manner as with the “Quick Play” embodiment, with the following modifications: (1) each player may Advance on each turn, and (2) each player may also either Set or Attack on each turn, but not both.
An additional, optional game modifications that can be used to increase difficulty: (1) players may only Seize a castleground 206a or 206b by Advancing a tower 400 across the battleground 204 and defeating the opposing castle 500 in a Battle, and or (2) limit play to a reduced and predetermined number of columns, for example, the four central columns of the visual grid system 210 of the battleground 204, utilizing all columns of the battleground.
In yet another method embodiment of game play, a “Capture the Flag” version may be used. The objective of this embodiment is to Seize an opponent's flag 406 or the castleground 206a or 206b. In this Capture the Flag embodiment, Quick Play or Advanced rules may be chosen by the competing players and applied, with the modifications described below. Before play begins, each competing player may place a tower 400 with a flag 406 of the same color in the castlegrounds 206a or 206b behind one of the marked spaces. This tower 400 will be identified as a flag tower. The flag tower cannot be moved once it is set.
If a flag tower is knocked over by an Attack action, the corresponding flag 406 enters the battlegrounds and is placed in the closest tower 400 of the opposing player. This tower 400 would then be identified as the flag capturer. This flag capturer may move one space backward towards its own castleground 206a or 206b on each turn. The objective is to deliver the opposing player's flag 406 to the flag capturer's own castleground 206a or 206b.
In the Capture the Flag embodiment, if the flag capturer is knocked over during an Attack, the flag 406 may then be moved to the nearest tower 406 the opposing player (original possessor of the flag 406). This tower 400 may then be identified as a flag bearer (a flag bearer will only possess the players own flag). The flag bearer my move according to the rules of Advance action described above.
If the flag bearer is knocked over during an Attack action, the flag 406 may then be moved to the nearest tower 400 of the opposing player, to again be identified as a flag capturer (a flag capturer will only possess an opposing player's flag). As before, the flag capturer may move one space backward towards its own respective castleground 206a or 206b on each turn. The Capture the Flag embodiment game play will continue until either, (1) a flag capturer returns to its respective castleground 206a or 206b, or (2) a player Seizes the opposing player castlegrounds 206a or 206b (as described with respect to Quick play or Advanced).
In the foregoing Detailed Description, various features of the present disclosure are grouped together in a single embodiment for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed disclosure requires more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive aspects lie in less than all features of a single foregoing disclosed embodiment. Thus, the following claims are hereby incorporated into this Detailed Description of the Disclosure by this reference, with each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment of the present disclosure.
It is to be understood that the above-described arrangements are only illustrative of the application of the principles of the present disclosure. Numerous modifications and alternative arrangements may be devised by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure and the appended claims are intended to cover such modifications and arrangements. Thus, while the present disclosure has been shown in the drawings and described above with particularity and detail, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that numerous modifications, including, but not limited to, variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use may be made without departing from the principles and concepts set forth herein.
