FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to educational games and, more particularly, to an educational science game and method of play thereof which is challenging and entertaining.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Board games and related software-implemented games in which a plurality of players play against opponents are generally known in the art. The players initially choose their game piece or character which is used to track the player's progress through the game. The game pieces or characters are advanced along predetermined paths according to the rules of the game. Often these games are entertaining but not educational or vice versa.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention and method of play provides an educational science game which includes a primary game board or universe and a secondary game board or parallel universe. The object of the game is to lead the player's game piece around the universe and back to the home planet first. The universe and parallel universe each have a plurality of spaces marked on the surface of the board. Each space includes instructions for the player landing on the space to follow. Players may be required to answer science-related questions to obtain game pieces or to advance in the game. Although the present invention is described hereinbelow with reference to game boards and game pieces, it is not limited thereto. It should be understood that the game and method of play may be implemented in software by one skilled in the art for play in a multiplayer environment such as the internet, for example.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the primary game board.
FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the secondary game board
FIG. 3 is a top plan view of a planet selector.
FIGS. 4-11 are the front side views of the game piece cards.
FIG. 12 is a back side of a game piece card.
FIG. 13 is a back side of a chaos card.
FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a fuel cell game piece
FIGS. 15-18 are the front side view of gear-assisted survival game cards.
FIGS. 19-23 are flow diagrams representing a method of playing the game on the primary game board.
FIG. 24 is a flow diagram representing a method of playing the game on the secondary game board.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Game Pieces
Referring to FIG. 1, a primary game board or universe is generally indicated by reference numeral 50. Universe 50 includes a plurality of spaces 52 marked on the surface of universe game board 50. The spaces 52 include a home planet space 54 with a start space 56, a first planet 58, a second planet 60, a third planet 62 and a fourth planet 64. The spaces 52 may include instructions to be followed by any player whose game piece lands on the subject space. Further details regarding the instruction on individual spaces are provided hereinbelow. Connecting spaces 52 are a plurality of paths 66 which may generally be traversed in either direction. Certain paths 68 may only be traversed in the direction shown by the arrowhead.
In approximately the center of FIG. 1, a Black Hole 72 is illustrated which leads to the secondary game board or parallel universe 74 illustrated in FIG. 2. Parallel universe game board 74 includes a plurality of spaces 76 arranged in a moebius strip with two twists to form a one-sided surface as illustrated in two dimensions. A player entering the parallel universe 72 begins at the start space 78. From this space, the player may move in either direction. The spaces 76 on the parallel universe board 74 include instructions to be followed by any player whose game piece lands on the subject space. Further details regarding the instructions on individual spaces are provided hereinbelow.
Referring to FIGS. 4-11, eight different alien game cards of the preferred embodiment are illustrated. The alien depictions or life forms are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the present invention to these depictions. Other game pieces may be used within the scope of the present invention. A small plastic stand (not shown) may be attached to the bottom of the alien cards to hold the cards in a vertical position.
In the preferred embodiment, the alien character illustrated in FIG. 4 is named Cogno. The alien character illustrated in FIG. 5 is named Scribo. The alien character illustrated in FIG. 6 is named Volo. The alien character illustrated in FIG. 7 is named Gemini Twins. The alien character illustrated in FIG. 8 is named Undula. The alien character illustrated in FIG. 9 is named Phonica. The alien character illustrated in FIG. 10 is named Quaestor. The alien character illustrated in FIG. 11 is named Chrona. On the back of each alien card, as illustrated in FIG. 12, the capabilities of that particular alien is shown by the symbols 80. Each alien breathes either methane or nitrogen, for example, as shown by the molecule symbol 82. Each alien eats meat or plants as illustrated by the chicken leg or leaf 84, for example. Each alien survives in either a hot or cold environment 86, for example. Also included on the back of each alien character card is a brief description of the alien (descriptions for Scribo and Cogno are included in FIG. 14) and three holes 88 to hold three fuel cells.
Referring to FIG. 3, a planet generator spinner board is generally indicated by reference numeral 90. Spinner board 90 is used to generate the characteristics of a mystery planet when a player lands on one of the mystery planets (see FIG. 1). Each time a player lands on one of the mystery planets, the planet generator is used to change the characteristics of that mystery planet. A spinner 92 is pivotally attached to the center of the spinner board 90. Spinner board 90 is divided into nine sections 94. Each section 94 indicates temperature 96, atmosphere 98, and food supply 100 in the same symbols as shown on the back of the alien character card. Also included is an indication of the gravity as MyG 102 or HiG 104. MyG 102 is the alien's natural gravity on its home planet (My Gravity). HiG 104 is a high gravity on the mystery planet. One of the sections 94 is a “just like home” section 106 which matches the alien's characteristics. The alien's characteristics must match the characteristics of the mystery planet for the alien to survive in the mystery planet's environment.
Referring to FIGS. 15-18, four different gear cards are illustrated. A food converter card 108 may be used to convert meat to plants or vice versa, for example. An atmospheric converter 110 may be used to convert a methane atmosphere to a nitrogen atmosphere, for example. A thermal inverter card 112 may be used to invert the temperature from hot to cold or vice versa, for example. A gravity deflector card 114 may be used to deflect a HiG atmosphere, for example. Gear cards allow an alien to compensate for incompatible environments. These cards may be used when an alien lands on a mystery planet that does not have the same characteristics needed for the alien to survive. Using these cards, the alien may change the food supply from meat to plants, for example, if it survives on plants and the mystery planet only has meat.
Referring to FIG. 13, a plurality of question cards 116 are included to be answered by a player landing on any of a plurality of designated spaces (see FIG. 1). The designated spaces are referred to as Chaos spaces. The questions may include true/false questions such as “T or F: The Sun has no solid surface, so if you had a ship that could survive it, you could fly directly through the middle and come out the other side,” for example. The question may include multiple choice questions such as “If you pitched a baseball while floating in space, your body would: a) fall to pieces; b) start spinning around after you pitched it; c) not move at all; or d) stretch like a piece of spaghetti,” for example. Additionally, “no wrong answer” questions are included such as “If aliens from another planet visited us, would they be friendly to us or not?” for example.
Use of the above-described game pieces and boards will be described in more detail hereinbelow.
Playing a Game
The object of the educational game of the present invention is to lead a player's alien game piece (FIGS. 4-11) around the universe game board (FIG. 1) and back to the home planet 54 first, while at the same time learning information related to science, for example. Each player chooses an alien game piece (FIGS. 4-11) and places it on the home planet space 54 on the universe game board 50. Each player takes a “Time Machine” card (not shown) which may be used later in the game. The “Time Machine” card, which may only be used once during the game by each player, allows the player to roll a die again or to make another player re-roll the die. A standard six-sided die having three numbers (1, 2, and 3 each twice) may be used in the game to advance an alien game piece. It should be noted that it is possible to play the game where a “player” is actually a team of persons playing the game. As used herein, “player” can mean an individual or a team.
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 9, preferably the youngest player rolls the die first and moves that many spaces 52 on the universe game board 50 along path 200 or 202 from the start space 56 on the home planet 54. Following path 200, the initial space 204 indicates that the “Engine misfires. Roll again.” A player landing on this space gets to roll the die again. Continuing along this path, the next space encountered is a “Chaos” space 206. If a player lands on a “Chaos” space 206, the player to his or her right draws a Chaos card (FIG. 13) and reads the question to the player who landed on the “Chaos” space 206. Each Chaos card has three levels of questions of increasing difficulty. If the player rolled a 1, the Level 1 question will be asked. If the player rolled a 2, the Level 2 question will be asked. If the player rolled a 3, the Level 3, most difficult, question will be asked. If the player answers the question correctly, the player receives one fuel cell (FIG. 14) and rolls again. If the player answers incorrectly, the player's turn is over and the next player to the player's left rolls the die. If the player is asked a “No Wrong Answer” question, as long as an answer is given, the player rolls again.
If a player lands on the next space 208, the player receives a free Atmospheric Converter Card 110 (see FIG. 16). An Atmospheric Converter Card may be used to change the atmosphere on a Mystery Planet to allow a player's alien to survive. Use of this card is further described below. If a player lands on space 210, the player receives a Gravity Deflector card 114 (FIG. 18). The Gravity Deflector card may be used to change a HiG gravity on a Mystery Planet to MyG as described further below. Space 212 is a “Super Chaos” space. Super Chaos spaces play the same as a Chaos space except that a correctly answered question wins the player a fuel cell (FIG. 14) another roll of the die, plus a free piece of gear (FIGS. 15-18).
When a player reaches the first Mystery Planet 58, the player stops there even if the roll of the die would have taken the player to spaces past the Mystery Planet 58. The characteristics of the Mystery Planet 58 are determined by spinning the planet generator spinner 92 on the spinner board 90 (FIG. 3). The temperature, atmosphere, food supply and gravity for the planet for this term are as pointed to by the spinner 92. An alien may survive on the Mystery Planet 58 either by natural survival or gear-assisted survival. If the capabilities of the alien (shown on the back of the alien card, FIG. 12, for example) match the atmosphere, food and temperature created by the Planet Generator 90, and “MyG” 102 is indicated, the alien survives. If the alien does not match all the planet's characteristics, a match may still be possible using the right Gear Card (FIGS. 15-18). If the alien cannot survive even with gear, the player's turn ends. On the next turn, the player rolls the die to leave the planet. If the alien survives naturally or with gear, the player rolls again and leaves the planet.
A player leaving the first Mystery Planet 58 may follow path 214, 216 or 218. If the player originally traversed path 200, the player must declare that he or she is going to change directions and follow path 214 prior to rolling the die. A player may reverse direction along any of the paths any time during the game as long as it is announced prior to rolling the die.
If the player had chosen path 202 at the start of the game, the first space encountered is a “Chaos” space 220. If a player lands on Chaos space 220, the player proceeds as described for space 206 hereinabove.
If the player lands on space 222, the player receives a free Thermal Insulator card 112 (FIG. 17) which may be used on one of the Mystery Planets. A Thermal Insulator card may be used to change the temperature from hot to cold or from cold to hot.
If a player lands on space 224, the player rolls again. Space 226 is another Chaos space described hereinabove. Space 228 is a “Probability Pit #3” space. If a player lands on this space the player rolls the die three times, if the player rolls a three each time, the player receives three pieces of gear of his or her choice (FIGS. 15-18). If a player collects all four pieces of gear, the player's alien is invincible and can survive on any planet. When an invincible alien lands on a planet, the alien survives the planet and automatically rolls again. The next space is the first Mystery Planet 58 described hereinabove.
Following path 218 and connector “A” to FIG. 20 and space 230, if a player lands on space 230, the player rolls again. At the next space 232, if the player has more than one fuel cell, the player enters a wormhole following path 234. If the player rolls a one, the player moves to Chaos space 236. On the next space 238, the player must roll a one or a three to continue. If a two is rolled, the player returns to the last planet visited, which in this example is the first Mystery Planet 58. From space 238 the player may follow path 240 or path 242.
If path 240 is followed to space 244, the player visits the Black Hole Observation Station. At the station, if the player rolls a one 246, the player's alien is sucked into the Black Hole 72 and travels down path 248 to the parallel universe 74 (FIG. 2), unless the player's alien is invincible. If the alien is invincible as described hereinabove, it cannot be sucked into the Black Hole and remains at space 244 until the next turn. If a two is rolled 250, the alien misses the Black Hole and follows path 252 to another space in the universe (space 300, FIG. 21). If a three is rolled 254, the alien travels along path 256 to the third Mystery Planet 62.
If the player passes by the Black Hole Observation Station and continues on to the Challenge Space 258, the player draws a Chaos card and asks the player to his or her left a Level 3 question. If the player to the left answers the question incorrectly, that player moves his or her alien to space 258 from anywhere in either the universe 50 or parallel universe 74.
The next space is the Probability Pit #2 space 260. A player landing on space 260 rolls the die two times. If a two is rolled each time, the player receives two pieces of gear of his or her choice (FIGS. 15-18). Landing on the next space 262 allows the player to move ahead two spaces.
If path 242 is followed, the player's alien enters the “Time Tunnel” (spaces 266-280). At the first space 266 the alien experiences sudden acceleration and loses one fuel cell. At the next space 268 if the player rolled a three, the player to his or her right moves their alien to this space 268. The next space is a “Double Chaos” space 270. A Double Chaos space is played the same as a Chaos space described hereinabove except that a player correctly answering the question receives two fuel cells instead of one along with another roll of the die.
If a player lands on space 274, the alien contracts the “Angtogrophia Virus” and returns to the Home Planet 54 for treatment (following link F to FIG. 1).
If a player lands on space 276, all other players with three fuel cells gives the player two of them. Landing on the next space 278 causes all of the players' gear to be destroyed by Megnetar gamma rays.
Landing on the final space 280 in the “Time Tunnel” results in a sudden deceleration and a loss of two fuel cells. A player following this path may continue along path 356 to FIG. 23, space 354 described hereinbelow.
Continuing with the present example from space 262 and following connector E to FIG. 21, the next space 282 requires a visiting player to donate a piece of gear of his or her choice to charity. From space 282, a player may follow path 284 or path 286. If path 284 is followed, the second Mystery Planet 60 is encountered. Survival of the player's alien on the second Mystery Planet 60 is determined in the same way as described hereinabove for the first Mystery Planet 58. The next space is a Chaos space 288 which is also described hereinabove.
Landing on space 290 causes the player's alien to be sucked into a wormhole and into the parallel universe following connector B to FIG. 24 described in detail below. The next space is the Probability Pit #1 space 292. If a player landing on this space rolls a one, the player receives one piece of gear (FIGS. 15-18). The next space is a Super Chaos space 294 described hereinabove.
If a player lands on space 296, the player goes directly to the fourth Mystery Planet 64, following link H to FIG. 22. However, if there are other aliens present on the fourth Mystery Planet 64, those aliens go to the third Mystery Planet 62.
If the player follows path 286, the next space is a Chaos space 298 described hereinabove. Landing on space 300, the player is awarded a piece of survival gear (FIGS. 15-18). Space 300 may also be reached from the Black Hole Observation Station 244 following path 252 (FIG. 20).
If a player lands on the next space 302, the ship is slowed by gravity waves and the player rolls again. Landing on space 304 sends the player's alien through a Wormhole along path 306 to space 338 (FIG. 22).
The next space is a Super Chaos space 308, followed by space 310 where the player is directed to “stop to study an amazing plant that communicates”. Landing on space 312 results in the player receiving a Food Converter card 108, FIG. 15. Path 314 returns the player to space 290.
Following connector I to FIG. 22, another Black Hole Observation Station 316 is encountered. If the player rolls a one 318, the player's alien is sucked into the Black Hole 72 along path 320 to the parallel universe 74, unless the player's alien is invincible. If a two is rolled 322, path 324 is followed to the fourth Mystery Planet 64. Rolling a three 326 sends the player's alien along path 328 to space 350 in the Space Elevator (FIG. 23) described hereinbelow.
If the player moves past the Black Hole Observation Station 316, the player's alien encounters the third Mystery Planet 62, and survival is as described for the other Mystery Planets. The third Mystery Planet 62 may also be reached from the Black Hole Observation Station 244 along path 256 (FIG. 20).
Continuing along path 330 to space 332, if a player lands here, the player along with the player to the left goes to the parallel universe 74 following connector B to FIG. 24 described in detail hereinbelow.
Landing on space 334 results in the player to the right joining the newly arrived player. If a player lands on space 336, the player rolls again. If an even number is rolled, the player stays on space 336. If a one is rolled, the player goes to the Challenge space 258 and follows the directions there as described hereinabove (following connector K to FIG. 20).
Space 338 is a Chaos space (described hereinabove) which may also be reached from space 304 following the Wormhole along path 306 (FIG. 21). A player landing on space 340 is sucked into another Wormhole and follows path 342 to a space 346 in the Space Elevator as described in detail hereinbelow (FIG. 23). The next stop is the fourth Mystery Planet 64 which may also be reached from space 322 along path 324 or from space 296 (FIG. 21). Survival of the player's alien on the fourth Mystery Planet 64 is as described hereinabove for the other Mystery Planets.
Following connector M to FIG. 23, a Chaos space 344 is next encountered and a Chaos question is given to the player as described hereinabove. If a player lands on space 346, the player must roll the die. If the player rolls a one, the player's alien goes to the parallel universe 74 (FIG. 2). Landing on the next space 348 results in the player rolling the die again. The next space 350 requires the player to “stop for a systems check”. Space 352 is a Chaos space followed by space 354. If a player rolls a two while on space 354, the player's alien trades places with the player's alien to his or her right. From space 354, a player may follow path 356 to space 280 (FIG. 20) or path 358 to the Refueling Station 360. The game ends when the first alien with three fuel cells reaches the Refueling Station 360 and successfully rolls for fuel back to the Home Planet 54.
If a player has fewer than three fuel cells, the player must get more fuel cells by rolling the die and moving back away from the Refueling Station 360 to a Chaos space and correctly answering a Chaos question.
If a player has three or more fuel cells when they reach the Refueling Station 360, the player rolls the die to fill up the fuel cells. Each fuel cell holds two tons of fuel, so exactly six tons of fuel is needed for the trip to the Home Planet 54. The player rolls the die until the sum of the rolls equals exactly six. If the sum exceeds six, such as seven or eight, the player's turn is over and the player has to wait until the next turn to start again to try to roll exactly six. As soon as a player rolls exactly six from the Refueling station 360, the player returns to the Home Planet 54 and wins the game.
Referring to FIGS. 2 and 24, the parallel universe board 74 is illustrated. When a player enters the parallel universe 74 from the universe board 50, the player's alien is placed on the start space 78. From the start space 78 the player may move in either direction on the player's next turn. Following the path to the left the first space encountered is the Gravity Slingshot space 370. A player landing on this space rolls again.
A player landing on the next space 372 “feels full before you eat” and loses a Food Converter card 108 (FIG. 15). At the next space 374 “Time goes backwards here—stop to change your diaper,” and the player's turn is over.
Landing in the next space 376 propels the player's alien from the parallel universe 74 through a Wormhole to the Challenge space 258 (FIG. 20), on the universe board 50. If a player lands on the next space 378 all players in the other universe 50 receive a piece of gear (FIGS. 15-18). The next space is a Chaos space 380 which operates the same as the Chaos space on the universe board 50 described hereinabove.
A player landing on space 382 has “discovered the connection between the universes” and must “stop to write down your theory” which ends his or her turn. If a player lands on the next space 384, by rolling a three the player may go to any space in the game in either the universe 50 or parallel universe 74.
Continuing in the present direction, if a player lands on the next space 386, gamma rays destroy one of the player's fuel cells. On the next space 388, an “Anti-alien shows you the way out. Escape to the Double-Chaos space”. The player follows the P connector to the Double Chaos space 270 (FIG. 20) in the universe 50.
If a player lands on the next space 390, anti-matter hits the alien's ship. If the player rolls a three, the player to the left comes to this space 390 from anywhere in the game to repair the ship.
The next space 392 is a Super Chaos space. If a player lands on the next space 394, the player asks the player to his or her right any Chaos question. If the player to the right answers correctly, the answering player takes one of the questioning player's fuel cells. If a player lands on the next space 396, a piece of the player's gear dissolves and is taken away. The final space 398 in the parallel universe 74 before reaching the start space 78 and starting over allows the player to roll again.
Thus, the game has unique features which combine to provide players with fun and education. For instance, the planet generator 90 allows the board's mystery planets to change characteristics every time a player lands thereon, each alien game piece has different physical characteristics and to survive they must match the planet's characteristics, the gear cards allow an alien to compensate for incompatible environments, the parallel universe board 74 provides another board to and from which players travel and players may strategically more forward or backward at any time.
Internet Application
The game can be adapted for implementation into software or the internet. By adapting the above described concepts, players would build complex alien life forms, care for them and send them out into a virtual universe to encounter challenges, survive and to interact with other players' aliens (or life forms). Thus, as used in this specification and in the claims, which follow, the terms “universe/parallel universe” “board,” and “game board” refer not only to a physical game board, but to a computerized virtual game board as well.
Players could build one or many aliens. They would choose a species and register a unique name for each. They would design each alien's specifications, e.g., its body parts, size, skeleton type, general biology, food and digestive system, type of movement and locomotion and its natural environment. Virtually any physical characteristic of the alien could be selected.
Body parts that could be chosen include legs, arms, eyes, ears, heads, skin, feet, hands, nose/smell, touch, brain type/size, heat and lungs, among others. Players could choose to give the alien a skeletal structure or not, assign a desired height, weight, build and bone density, choose whether the alien will walk upright, on “all fours” or even on “all eights” as well as the joint types (ball & joint, lever, piston, etc.). Each alien's general biology design would involve choices as to whether the alien breathes air, is aquatic or an amphibian. Also, its strength, speed, body temperature, gender and intelligence could be chosen.
Players would use their aliens to explore, and evaluate different worlds to understand how the alien's capabilities perform in each environment. The aliens could accomplish missions on worlds, encountering different atmospheres, gravities, terrain and dangers. Players could use their aliens to challenge other aliens to test each alien's capabilities. Players could group with other players' aliens to accomplish a task or mission. Players and their aliens could react to surprises, such as performing systems repair, react to natural disasters (e.g., comet hit), or other space phenomenon (e.g., black holes). Players could share information about other's aliens via specification sharing. A custom trading card could be designed and printed for each alien.
Additionally, players would provide their aliens with any necessary medical attention. For instance, each alien would have to be fed and medical attention administered as needed for injury or effects of hostile environments. In medical emergencies, an alien could be put into suspended animation while a player determines how to help the alien or transport the alien back to its home planet.
The aliens could evolve over generations. Each trait could be given a weighted emphasis and a reproductive cycle assigned. Then, with random mutations pre-programmed, the aliens would evolve.
It is to be understood that while certain forms of this invention have been illustrated and described, it is not limited thereto.
Patent Application
20050200078
