BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a plan view of the trading card starter set.
FIG. 1A shows a plan view of the playing card set handbook title page.
FIG. 1B shows a plain view of the scorecard within the handbook.
FIG. 1C shows a plain view of the playing directions in the handbook.
FIG. 1D shows the plain view of the general rules and the handbook.
FIG. 1E shows a plan view of the game components in the handbook.
FIG. 1F shows a plan view of the playing card options in the handbook.
FIG. 1G shows a plan view of the additional plain card options in the handbook.
FIG. 1H shows a plan view of the play examples in the handbook.
FIG. 1I shows a continuation of the plan view of the play examples in the handbook.
FIG. 2 is a plan view of the activation cards and identification cards of the trading card game starter set.
FIG. 3 is a plan view of two typical offensive trading cards.
FIG. 4 is a plan view of two typical defensive trading cards.
FIG. 5 is a plan view of three energizer cards and one combination.
FIG. 6 is a plan view of three wildcards.
FIG. 7 is a plan view of seven general combination cards.
FIG. 8 is a plan view of two special vitamin cards.
FIG. 9 is a plan view of a typical offensive card and a defensive card in detail.
FIG. 10 is a plan view of an offensive card in detail showing interaction with a plurality of dice.
FIG. 11 is a plan view in detail showing an offensive card and various scoring options relating to a plurality of dice.
FIG. 12 is a plan view of the trading card set at the beginning stages of play.
FIG. 13 is a plan view of the trading card set at a secondary stage of game playing.
FIG. 14 is a schematic view of the game system;
FIG. 15 is a schematic view of the game server components;
FIG. 16 is a schematic view of the game application;
FIG. 17 is a schematic view of the action elements;
FIG. 18 is a schematic view of the enhancement elements;
FIG. 19 is a flow chart of the game play method.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
Many trading card game sets are designed around fantasy environments and the like where the characters themselves are fictional and might have supernatural powers and the like. The current embodiment discloses such a trading card game where immortal characters strive to knock out their opponents and win tournaments. Is conceived that the fictional characters would begin as children, growing to teenagers, graduating to adulthood, and becoming master wizards who then oversee the tournaments. The current embodiment conceives of a fantasy trading card came driven by three primary dice and which requires clever planning and high-intensity game playing in order to win. Players can enter tournaments to play against other similar level players to win potentially highly desirable cards or the overall local tournament.
In order to introduce individuals to the gaming environment, it is common to produce a trading card game starter set having a base set of cards and some stock players which may or may not be of limited edition. Multiple editions of the trading card game can include other characters having their own card sets and special skills which likely would give an advantage and a handicap during tournament play.
The current embodiment discloses in one form a trading card game starter kit will be described below, but it is intended to be a guideline for other similar types of characters to be developed or currently under development. Furthermore, alternative embodiments are discussed, such as on line versions of the game and alternative methods of generating odds.
In the current embodiment, and referring to FIG. 1, the game set 10 is shown with two sides in opposition to each other. These two sides represent the two players which are playing against one another. Each side is provided with a player set 60. The player set can include one or more character element sets, each character element set is represented first by a character ID card 12, a character activation card 14, and a reservoir of trading cards 60 which provide for various character skill moves either offensive, defensive, or optional enhancement moves which will be discussed below.
In addition, the current game set 10 includes a random variable generator. This random variable generator in the present embodiment is represented by 2 six-faced dice 72, and 1 ten-faced dice 74. In lieu of these particular types of dice, other dice to generate other types of probability outcomes can be utilized, such as for example, 4 six-faced dice and 2 five-faced dice.
Additionally, each game set 10 has a plurality of scorecards, including a 5-point scorecard 42, a 10-point scorecard 44, a 20-point scorecard 46, a 30-point scorecard 48, a 40-point scorecard 50, and a 50-point scorecard 52.
Referring to FIGS. 1A-11, with each game set 10 is included a handbook 8 which details out the rules and playing methodology for the particular characters and players at the particular level. Referring to FIG. 1A, the cover 400 of the handbook 8 is shown, with the characters of two of the players. Referring to FIG. 1B, each handbook 8 has included within a scorecard 402 which enables players to keep track of battles on certain dates. The scorecard 402 has room for player names and scores and dates of activity.
Referring to Fig. C, a brief description of how to play the basics 404 is provided. Referring to FIG. 1D, a brief description of the general rules 406 is also provided. Referring to FIG. 1E, an introduction to the game components is provided. This game component introduction 408 includes a brief discussion of the point scoring 410, discussion of the card interface overview 412, a discussion of the dice rolls 414, discussion of the point cards 416, and a detailed discussion of the card information itself 418. Now referring to FIG. 1F, the handbook also provides a detailed discussion of the type of cards available in this particular game set.
This detailed discussion of card properties 420 includes a discussion of the activation cards 422, a discussion of offensive and defensive points 424, discussion of Energizer cards 426 a discussion of combination cards 428 and discussion of wild cards 430. Referring to FIG. 1G, a further detailed discussion of the card properties 420 disclosed includes a description of the special combination cards 432 and the vitamin cards 434. Also included in the handbook 8 are a series of play examples 436, FIG. 1H, which discuss the typical attacks, defenses, and dice roll options. Lastly, the handbook 8 also includes a more detailed discussion of the combination cards while used in play also within the play examples 436 as seen in FIG. 1I.
Referring back to the main playing card elements of the trading card set 10, and referring to FIG. 2, each player in the game is given a character. The characters' skills and abilities are displayed in its activation card 14, and the character's identity is displayed in its identity card 12. In the current embodiment, two characters are shown: the first is a Red Doom character, and the second is a Blue Doom character.
These two characters have similar identities but are different as is shown in the characteristics field 13 of the identification card 12. For example, the Red Doom character has an age characteristic 16 of 10 years old, a gender characteristic 18 of male, a height characteristic of 3′2″, a color characteristic 22 of red, a game playing level characteristic 24 of juvenile delinquent, a weight class characteristic 26 of lightweight, and so on.
Therefore it is conceived that other characters which are older or younger than the current embodiments can be included in the trading card game environment to play against other similar level characteristic 24 players.
Also, each character is associated with an activation card 14. This activation card discloses the character's general abilities 30 as disclosed in the abilities field. These character abilities 30 include special abilities, ingenuity abilities, strength abilities, speed, defense, fighting, skills, and powers, and the abilities 30 correlate to the likely probability that the character is able to score within the score range 32 as seen at the bottom of the activation card 14, thus achieving that amounts of points during play.
Referring now to FIG. 3 and offensive cards 80, The offensive point cards are part of the trading card deck 60 as disclosed in FIG. 1, and are shown in the current embodiment with a marker for the offensive score value 82 as a solid circle. The score value is encased within the solid circle portion of the marker, and ranges in value from 5 points to 50 points. Offensive cards are used to score points and to require dice rolls to be completed successfully. The odds of scoring the points or score value 82 vary depending on the likelihood of rolling a combination of dice 70. The offensive cards 80 have score hit fields 84 and within the hit fields 84 are individual score hit numbers 86. There also may be bonus combos 88 or other types of characteristics of the offensive cards which enable the user to play for additional points and the like.
Similar to the offensive cards, the trading card deck 60 in FIG. 1 also has a series of defensive cards 90, FIG. 4. The defensive cards 90 are generally used to reduce the opponent's score and require dice rolls to be completed successfully in order to deduct the score from the opponent's tally. It should be noted that the defensive cards can only be played if the opponent has scored an offensive point against them. The defensive cards 90 include defensive score values 92, reduction hit fields 94, and reduction hit numbers 96. The defensive score value 82 is delineated by a score value with a white border around the solid circular value. Further, the reduction hit fields 94 contain the potential dice rolls 70 which enable the user to score the values within the defensive score marker 92. In order to make the playing card game or trading card game more varied and strategic, a series of special cards are provided which enable users to take more of an offensive or defensive posture within the game.
The first set of special cards include, as seen in FIG. 5, energizer cards 100 which allow the user of said energizer cards to deduct additional points from the opponent's score. The reduction points 106 are shown in the upper left-hand corner of each of the energizer cards 100 and can be played at any time during the game. They are particularly helpful if the user believes that his opponent has a particularly strong set of trading card offensive cards, and he wishes to immediately start deducting the opponent's-potential score. For example, say that each player starts out with a zero score. Player one can play an energize card 100 and after successful rolling, use the energize card and deduct up to 40 points from the opponent's score, requiring the opponent to start at −40 points before even beginning to make an attack.
In order to engage the energize cards 100 the player must score, through the dice roll, the energize hit numbers 14 shown in the energizer hit fields 12 of the energizer cards 100.
Additionally, a combo card 110 is provided which enables the user to continue playing if he is successful on his previous turn. The large combo cards 110 enable the player to turn any offensive or defensive card into a combination card and extend his turn.
Discussing further special cards, referring to FIG. 6, a series of wild cards 120 are shown. First is a stop card 122 which is designed to stop the opponent's play card.
For example, a player may have put into attack mode a relatively successful dice roll probability card which has been scoring consistent points and is a threat to the opponent. This strong playing card, may force the player's opponent to utilize a stop card 122 to require the player racking up the points to play another card from his hand. Another wild card 120 is the block card 124. The block card stops and immediately reverses the opponent's last successful move. The block card is only usable one time during a game, but can also be blocked itself by a corresponding block card.
To give an example, if the opponent's score is a 40-point attack against the player, the player can use the block card to negate the 40 points from the opponents. If, for example, the opponent had scored 40 points and used a combination card to score another 20 points, the player could then conceivably use a block card to reverse the last 20 points; however, the block card would not undo the entire successful scoring chain of events.
Still referring to special cards, a series of combination type cards as shown in FIG. 7 will be discussed. Generally, these combination cards refer to offensive combination cards, but conceivably they could include defensive combination cards.
A general offensive combo card 132 is shown. Besides having the standard hit fields 84 and hit or score numbers 86, this offensive combo card 132 also has a combination field 134. In general, combo cards are noted with an exclamation symbol in a yellow triangle. If a player completes a combo card, he can follow the successful play with another card to continue the turn. As long as a player has combo cards in hand, he can extend the play for as long as he is successful in rolling the dice. Some combo cards 132 have bonus combination point scores 136 which connect certain combo cards, one after another, granting additional points.
For example, a player can play a magic power combination card 135, and take advantage of the bonus combo field 134 which enables the player to play a successive lightning strike card as shown in the combo description 137. Thus, during the magic play card 135, the player can score 20 points, and if the player had the lightning strike card in his hand, he or she could continue playing by utilizing the combo field aspect 134 of the magic card, roll additional dice for the lightning strike, and score an additional 40 points.
Still referring to FIG. 7, another example includes a player utilizing a surprise attack card 139, and if successful, utilizing the charge combination card 141, thus scoring 10 points in addition to the 30 points of the surprise attack card.
Lastly, additional special cards include vitamin cards 140 as seen in FIG. 8. These vitamin cards enable players to roll all three dice at once to increase the odds of scoring. These concurrent roll cards 142 have a special enhancement field 146 which gives power to the player to throw all three dice at once as discussed above to increase the probability of scoring.
Generally, each player has two vitamin cards 140 in the game set 10. The vitamin card 140 can be activated to increase the player's probability of scoring points listed on the offensive or defensive card by putting into play the offensive or defensive card, and then placing the vitamin card 140 on top of the offensive 80 or defensive 90 card. The player can then roll both the six-face die 72 and the ten-face die 74 (see FIG. 1) to score the points on the offensive or defensive card.
Discussing point scoring for the vitamin cards 140, if any of the rolls resulted in a re-roll as will be discussed below; the player can re-roll the specific dice or die which correlated to the re-roll option. Conceivably, if the player rolls the three dice, and the six-faced die and the ten-faced die are enabled for re-rolling, the player will score twice the amount of points as is shown on the offensive or defensive card.
It is conceived that alternative embodiments to the special cards can be provided such that the probability of the player increasing his hand has increased, or the probability of the player decreasing the opponent's hand is also increased. This includes special limited-edition cards which the trading card game manufacturer will authorize for play.
Referring to FIG. 9, and discussing in more detail the interface of the typical offensive card 80 or the defensive card 90 as they interact with the dice rules, to enable users to score or take back points from the other user or player, an offensive card 80 and a defensive card 90 are shown. As discussed previously, the offensive card has an offensive score value 82 which in this case is 50 points. There is also a level indicator 34 which, in this embodiment, is shown as a number one, the offensive card 80 also has score hit fields 84 and score hit numbers or dice values 86. Similarly, the defensive card 90 has a defensive score value 92 which in this embodiment is shown as a 30 surrounded by a white circle border, also included on the defensive card are the reduction hit fields 94 and the reduction hit numbers 96. The offensive card 80 is shown with a plurality of score hit numbers 86 which correspond to the two six-faced dice. The two dice with a six-face, or a D6 150 hit field, on the offensive cards are shown in either a white value or a dark value. Another score or hit field 84 is the big D6 hit field 152, as shown on the defensive card 90. Both the offensive card 80 and the defensive card 90 will on occasion have the big D6 152 hit field. The user can score points on the card by rolling a single six-faced die which matches the big D6 hit field 152.
If the user or player rolls the 2D6 die 72 and scores say for example two 4s, the player will obtain a hit value of 50 points as shown in score value 82. The white points 156 allow the player to re-role the dice, continuing his play. The dark values 154 do not allow re-rolls unless other rules apply. Another general scoring rule is that if the dice are rolled and hit a double value, such as two 3s, two 4s, two 5s, etc., the player automatically receives another chance to re-roll.
Similarly, the defensive cards have both a D6 hit field 150 and single D10 hit 157 score values. In the current embodiment shown, a big D6 hit field 152 is also shown. On the defensive cards 90, the numerals with red markings are re-rolled hit fields 158 and allow the player to continue rolling and deducting points if he is successful in his dice roll.
Further discussing the roll of the dice and referring to FIG. 10, an offensive card 80 is shown with a score value 82 of 40. This card is titled a surprise attack card 170. It is categorized as a skills level card, correlating to a level of difficulty of scoring as fairly high as is evidenced by the score value 82.
At this point it is beneficial to discuss the relative probabilities of each of the scoring fields within an offensive or defensive card. The player generally has a choice between rolling a two D6 die 72 and a D10 die 74, each which has a certain probability of success. Additionally, probability can be increased by utilization of the special cards.
Referring to FIGS. 10 and 11, the player generally gets only one chance at scoring the desired hit values 174 or dice combination as is shown on the offensive card 80 and the hit fields 84. Discussion of the probability of the player rolling the D6 hit values 174 will first be discussed.
Take for example, the D6 hit values 175 for the one face value and two face value dice. Each dice has a probability of scoring either a one or a two, but the probability of scoring both a one and a two with a roll of two dice are mutually dependent upon one another. Therefore, the probability of scoring say for example a one on die 162 and a two on die 164 B is one out of 36, meaning the product of probability of one dice being rolled for a one face value and a second dice being rolled for a two face value is each one out of six, multiplied together under the conditional probability, ⅙ times ⅙ is equal to 1/36. Similarly, the probability of a two showing on dice 162 and a one showing on dice 164 is also 1/36. Therefore, adding the two probabilities together the user has a 1/18 chance or 5.56% chance of scoring the combination one (1, 2 or (2, 1) with the two D6 as shown in hit field 175.
Similarly, the probability of scoring a double-faced dice role such as is shown in the double four's hit field 177 is a single combination (4, 4) out of 36 possible combinations, thus leaving the player with a probability of 2.77% chance of success. Summing the relative chances of success of scoring either the (2,1) (1,2) and (3,4) (4,3) and (5,6) (6,5) in hit fields 175 and the double ranges (2,2) and (4,4) and (5,5), we have a likelihood of success of 25% on a single role of hitting one of the six D6 combinations.
Along a similar vein, the likelihood of hitting a single value in the D 10 hit field's 172 is 10% for each actual number. This correlates to the 10 faced die and the likelihood of 1/10 of the die rolling and scoring. Therefore, there are in this particular embodiment, three values which the 10 faced die could score, thus a 30% chance of scoring if the player rolls the 10 faced die.
The likelihood of success for the player of scoring the 40 points in the score value 82 is relatively slim, using either the D6 or the D10 dice. A sophisticated player would realize that rolling the D10 dice 74 in lieu of the D6 dice 72 would increase his odds by 5%.
An even more sophisticated player would play this offensive card 80 along with a vitamin card 140 as seen in FIG. 8, enabling the player to roll both the D10 die 74 and the D6 die 72. The law of probability would increase by the cumulative sum of each of the probabilities of both dice rolls; therefore, the likelihood of 30% chance of scoring for the D10 die, and the 25% chance of scoring the D6 die would increase the probability of a successful roll to 55%.
As is evident, other offensive cards 80 and defensive cards 90 have similar scoring probabilities of higher or lesser likelihood of success depending on the combination of the hit fields 84 and the player's choice to utilize special cards such as a vitamin card 142 and thus increase the odds of success.
The probabilities of success for a particular offensive card 80 or defensive card 90 correlate to the characters activation card 14 and the character abilities 30 listed on the activation card and valued correlating to the score range 32 as discussed previously in FIG. 2.
Still referring to FIG. 10, say for example the player chooses to play a vitamin card 140 on top of his offensive card 80 with a score value 82 of 40, and thus is allowed to role the two D6 dice 72 and the one D10 dice 74. This particular player is extremely fortunate; he has rolled a first face D6 value 162 of a three, and a second faced D6 value 164 of a four matching with one of the hit fields 84 on the offensive card 80. Similarly, the D10 die 74 has a score face 106 of a nine, which matches the hit value 172 of a nine in the hit field 84.
Under special scoring rules, if any of the rolls results in the re-roll, the player then gets to re-roll the specific dice or die that results in the re-roll. It is also possible to re-roll all three dice and score twice the points of the card at the same time if the player uses a vitamin card 140 and hits all of the right combinations on the role. Therefore, in this case the player scores both a 40 point attack and the six D fields 174 and a four point attack on the D 10 hit fields 172 for a cumulative score of 80. Further, the player has been successful in rolling a double D6 field with white numerals allowing for a re-roll in this particular instance. The re-roll is limited to the two D6 dice 172 because the D10 dice 74 did not score a white faced value.
Continuing with the scoring discussion, and referring to FIG. 11, the current offensive card 82 has a score value 82 of 20, and has in its hit field 84 a big D6 score value 152, a one D6 hit value 174, and a series of three D10 hit values 172. The probability of scoring a 2 value on one of the six-faced die to consequently hit the big D6 hit value 152 is 1 out of 6 for each of the die. Thus, summing these probabilities, a player would have a 1 in 3 chance of scoring from the role of the two D6 dice, or a 33% chance of scoring. Similarly, the player has a 5.57% chance of scoring the two hit value 174, the reasoning being similar to the probability discussion of the previous example. Also, the player has a 30% chance of scoring one of the 10D values 174 to be successful in rolling the D10 dice 74.
Since the player therefore normally only is allowed to roll one dice combination at a time, a sophisticated player would likely roll the two D6 dice 72 realizing that the cumulative probability of scoring is higher than the likelihood of scoring with the D10 dice role. Specifically, the two D6 probability of this roll would be 33% plus an additional 5.57% for a cumulative probability of approximately 39% chance of success. This is in contrast to the 30% chance of getting one of the three D10 hit values 172.
Therefore, in the current embodiment and in the roll shown in FIG. 11, the two D6 dice 72 have a face value for the first die 162 of 83, and a face value of the second dice 164 of a 2. Therefore, the player scored a big D6 hit value 152 and thus can record 20 points to his tally.
Alternatively, a player may have rolled a D10 die 74 and scored a face value 166 of a 5, which correlates to one of the hit values in the D10 range 172. This of course would be a riskier throw, but the risk would likely be worth it if the player scores because he would then be able to re-roll based on the re-roll capabilities of the white color values of the numerals in the D10 fields 174.
Further discussing the re-roll options, referring back to FIG. 9, the offensive card 80 is shown currently only with the D6 combinations. In the rare instance where the cards listed have only scoring combinations with double D6 options, only the doubles highlighted in white or red result in re-rolls. A player scoring any of the other double D6 rolls listed on the card results in points being scored but not in a re-role.
Referring back to FIG. 1, and discussing the scoring points in the typical game being played within a battle, the potential points are shown listed in the scorecards 40. To win a game, the player must score 100 points; after the last move of the attacking player, the opponent has one final chance to defend himself. If the opponent is unsuccessful in defending himself through the use of the defensive card 90, or some other special card as discussed previously, and the offensive player has achieved a technical knockout and wins the game.
The first player to win three games out of five wins the official battle. Other abbreviated games may be played, such as sudden-death single-game battles, or the best two out of three.
A step-by-step battle will now be discussed utilizing the typical trading card game starter kit 10 as discussed previously.
Referring to FIG. 12, the players will locate their activation cards 14 and place them face up on the battlefield or game area 9. In this particular scenario, Blue Doom and Red Doom are played or activated. Each player will shuffle the respective trading card decks 60 and place them face down next to the activation cards 14. Each player will then draw five playing cards 300 randomly from the deck 60. The players will each roll one of the D6 dice 72 to determine who plays first, with the highest roll being the winner. The player who wins begins by drawing another card from the deck 60 and playing an offensive card 80 from the playing card hand 300 by placing the offensive card 80 on top of the activation card 14. The player then makes an attempt at attacking the opponent by choosing to roll the specific dice as discussed previously based on the likelihood of success of scoring the points on the offensive card 80.
In the following example, the player rolled the D6 die 72 and scored a big D6 hit field 152, thus making a successful attack and receiving the score value 82 of 20 points. The player then takes a 20-point score value card 302 from the scorecard decks 40 to keep track of his points. Since the player did not throw a re-roll die, his turn is over and the opponent can now choose to either defend or attack depending upon the cards held in his playing card hand 300.
Referring to FIG. 14, the players then take turns attacking and defending by drawing a card before each turn, and putting a card into play by placing it face up on top of the last card played. As the game progresses, the players can keep the same card in play as long as they desire until the opponent places a stop card 122, FIG. 6, to kill the card. If the card is particularly successful, each turn the player can continue to collect new cards into the playing hand 300 from the deck 60, FIG. 13, increasing the level of complexity and strategy for the player.
If a player achieves score points 302 close to 100, the opponents will likely play the offensive cards 90, thus trying to reduce and defend against the attack.
As the players begin to accumulate cards into the playing hand 300, they increase their arsenal of potential attack and defend cards as well as special cards which will enable the players to increase the likelihood of success on certain high-level scoring cards.
This accumulation of arsenal cards provides for a highly competitive environment and quickly changing fortunes based on the utilization of special cards and the ambiguity and unpredictability of the probability dice rolls.
While the present game can be played utilizing trading cards, it is also conceived that the game can be implemented on a game system which runs over a network such as the Internet and is somewhat of a web-based implementation of the card game.
With this in mind, referring to FIG. 14, a game system 300 is provided which has a number of system components. The system components include a game server 310 which is connected to a network 314 which in one instance could be the Internet, the network interrelates the game components together, and the network connects the game server 310 with a plurality of clients 312. These clients include desktop computers, laptops, cell phones, PDA's and other electronic devices which can implement a proper graphical user interface with a memory and processor to run a portion or all of the game application which will be discussed below on its particular system.
Referring to FIG. 15, the game server 310 as previously mentioned interoperates with the network 314. The game server hosts the game application 316. The game application can be wholly hosted on the game server 310 or it can be downloaded as an instance of the game application onto the particular client 312. Optionally, the clients 312 can run a portion of the game application through the network 314 through such applications as applets, HTML code, Java objects, flash objects and other type of Internet related programmable languages.
The game application 316 in this current embodiment accesses a game database 318 which coordinates and holds the game objects as discussed below.
Referring to FIG. 16, a discussion of the various game elements and the game objects as held in the game database and run on the game application will now be provided.
The game application 316 as previously mentioned draws from the game database 318 and initializes to run various game objects 320. These objects include side objects 322. The side objects are essentially various characters within the game as previously mentioned in FIG. 2, which correspond to identification cards 12 and the various offensive cards 80 as seen in FIG. 3, and defensive cards 90 as previously discussed and seen in FIG. 4 as well as activation cards 14 as seen in FIG. 2 and Energizer cards 100 as seen in FIG. 5, combination cards 110, and wild cards 120 as seen in FIG. 6.
The side objects 322, referring back to FIG. 16, include character element sets 324 which correspond to the previously mentioned character identification cards, activation cards, offensive cards, defensive cards and enhancement cards such as the Energizer cards, wild cards, combination cards and vitamin cards 140 as seen in FIG. 8.
Within the character element set 324, sub-objects include an action element object 326 and an enhancement element object 328. The action elements objects 326 have generally the same properties as the above mentioned offensive and defensive cards, the activation card, and the ID card as discussed in the previously mentioned trading card set 10. The enhancement element objects 328 correspond to the physical wild cards as previously discussed in FIGS. 5 through 8.
Further within the game objects 320 are random variable generators 330 and score elements 332. A random variable generator 330 is an object which enables the user to create, for example, virtual dice in one format such as the two six-based dice 72 as seen in FIG. 10 and the ten-faced dice 74 (also seen in FIG. 10). The score elements 332 are the functional equivalent of the card tabulation or scorecards 40 as previously discussed in FIG. 1.
Discussing further the action element object 326 as seen in FIG. 17, this object has a number of sub-objects or children which include identification cards 340 which corresponds to the previously mentioned ID card 12 as in FIG. 2, an activation card 342 which corresponds to the activation card 14 as seen in FIG. 2. Also, the action elements 326 have offensive card objects 344 which can generate various instances of particular offensive card characteristics. These include characteristics or functions such as a score value 346 which would be similar to the offensive score value 82 as seen in FIG. 3. A numeric relation field 348 which corresponds to similar score hit numbers 86 is seen in FIG. 3. Enhancement links 350 correspond to the bonus combo elements 88 as seen in FIG. 3.
With regards to the defensive card objects 352 similar score values 354, numeric relation fields 356, and enhancement links 358 are provided.
In addition to the action elements 326 within the character element set 324; the enhancement elements 328 have further object functions. Referring to FIG. 18, the enhancement element 320 has objects such as a wild-card object 362 which corresponds to the wild cards 120 as seen in FIG. 6. Wild-card objects 362 include a stop element 364, a block element 366 and a first aid element 368.
Also within the enhancement element object class 328 is an Energizer card 370. This Energizer card 370 corresponds essentially to the Energizer cards 100 as seen in FIG. 5. The Energizer card 370 has score values 372 and numeric relation fields 374 which when played will enable the player to increase his score value 346 or 352 corresponding to the particular offensive card 344 played or defensive card 352 played as seen previously in FIG. 17.
Still referring to FIG. 18, the enhancement element objects class 328 also has a combination card object 376 which performs the same function as the combo card 110 as previously discussed in FIG. 5.
Now referring to FIG. 19, a method of play 380 for the above-mentioned game will now be discussed. The game is started at step 382 and the players choose sides at 384. The choosing of the sides can occur either online through the previously mentioned game system 300 as seen in FIG. 14 or through an actual trading card game scenario as seen in FIG. 1.
After the sides are chosen at step 384, players determine which side will start the first play at step 386. This determination can be through the use of, for example, rolling one six-faced dice to choose who will have the higher number to start, or the lower number to start, or each side guessing a number to be closest to the number rolled on the dice, playing rock/paper/scissors to start, or just allowing one player through a meeting of minds to go first.
Once the player has been determined to start at step 386, the method continues with step 390 begin side turn. The player will choose or initialize a character element 392. This can be through the activation of an activation card 14 as seen in FIG. 2 in the trading card game set, or the activation of an activation card object 342 as seen in FIG. 17. Once the character element is initialized 392, the player can then choose to play various action elements at step 394. The player or side has the option of choosing an offensive element at step 396 or a defensive element at step 398. The offensive elements correspond to the previously mentioned offensive cards 80 as seen in FIG. 3 or the offensive card element objects 344 as seen in FIG. 17. The defensive elements correspond to either the defensive cards 90 as in FIG. 4 or the defensive card object elements 352 as seen in FIG. 17. Once the player has chosen the particular offensive or defensive element to play, the player has the option of enhancing at step 400. If the player chooses to enhance then the player chooses an enhance element at step 402. This enhance element can be an enhance element object 328 as previously mentioned, or it can be one of the enhancement cards such as the wild cards 120 as seen in FIG. 6, the Energizer cards 100 as seen in FIG. 5, combination cards 110 as seen in FIG. 5, or the vitamin cards 140 as seen in FIG. 8. After the enhancement card has been played at step 402 or if the player chooses not to utilize one of his enhancement cards at step 400, the player then generates a random variable at step 404.
The generation of a random variable at step 404 includes the use of either the previously mentioned dice in FIG. 10 such as the two six-faced dice 72 and the one ten-faced dice 74, or by initializing the random variable generator 330 as seen in FIG. 16 which, for example, mimics the physical role-play characteristics through the use of various algorithms which are well-known in the art to generate a random variable number to match to the various offensive or defensive card elements, which have been chosen. Once the random variable is generated at step 404, the system or the players determine if the generated random variable from step 404 matches any of the numeric relation fields on the offensive cards or defensive cards at step 406. If there is a match then that particular side scores at step 408 registering a score from the score value field 82 as seen in FIG. 10 or the score value object 354 or 346 as seen in FIG. 17. If there is not a match, then a zero score is registered as seen in step 410. After the side has played its hand, the next side begins its turn at step 390. The game is over when the predetermined score level is reached by one of the players.
Patent Application
20070235940
