Patent Application
20190336848
Not Applicable
This invention was not made by an agency of the United States Government nor under a contract with an agency of the United States Government.
Not Applicable.
Not Applicable.
None
The present invention is directed to strategy board game that can be played by two, three or four players. A different game board is utilized depending upon the number of players, but the number of playing pieces and the rules of movement of the pieces is consistent regardless of the number of players.
Strategy board games have been played for thousands of years, the oldest of these being the games Go, Checkers and Chess. The game of Go is believed to have originated over 2500 years ago in China. Checkers, also known as Draughts, has also been played for thousands of years, with checkerboard and their game pieces found in ancient Egyptian burial chambers.
The game of Chess is believed to have originated in 6th century India. The game spread westward over the subsequent centuries and had spread throughout Europe by the end of the 10th century. Rules of the game changed as the game migrated geographically, in the latter part of the 15th century several changes were made to the game to make it essentially the game we know today.
There are many strategy games available to potential players today, including the three ancient games noted above. Additional games that have been played for centuries include Mahjong, Dominoes and Backgammon, which introduces an element of chance in the form of rolling dice. Modern games include the popular board games Risk (invented in the 1950s) and Settlers of Catan (published in 1995).
There are many different strategy board games. Some of these games have been played in essentially their current form for centuries, such as Chess, Go and Checkers. Other games are relatively new such as the board game Risk, which was invented in the 1950s, and Settlers of Catan, which was first published in 1995. There are also variations of one of the ancient games, such as Three-Dimensional Chess (U.S. Pat. No. 5,556,099) and Backgammon Board Game for Three Players (U.S. Pat. No. 4,556,221).
There are many variations on the game of Chess. One variation is games for more than 2 players, such as Methods for Playing Variations of Chess (U.S. Pat. No. 6,902,165) and Chess Game for Multiple Players (U.S. Pat. No. 6,416,056). Other variations introduce new game pieces, such as Leo Chess (U.S. Pat. No. 6,913,261) and Chess Game and Method (U.S. Pat. No. 6,446,966) or increase or decrease the number of Chess game pieces, such as Game Set, Including Board and Chessmen and Related Methods and Products (U.S. Pat. No. 6,336,632) and Chess Game (U.S. Pat. No. 6,550,770).
Some variations include modification of the game board including differing sized rectangles, Chess Game (U.S. Pat. No. 6,550,770) and Chess Game and Method (U.S. Pat. No. 6,446,966); circles, Circular Chess System (U.S. Pat. No. 6,952,123) and Circular Chess Game Board (U.S. Pat. No. 4,991,856); and other geometric shapes, Logical Board Game and Game of Chance on a Star Shaped Board (U.S. Pat. No. 7,708,279), Chess Game and Method of Play (U.S. Pat. No. 8,870,184) and Game Board for Chess, Checkers and the Like (U.S. Pat. No. 5,908,193).
The present invention is a strategy game that can be played by two, three or four players with game pieces with unique movements played on various shaped game playing surfaces. The two person game is played on a decagon shaped game playing surface. The three person game is played on a nonagon shaped game playing surface and the four person game is played on a uniquely four pointed star shaped game playing surface.
The invention described in this application is a strategy board game for two, three or four players on specifically designed game playing surfaces. The two player game is played on a decagon shaped game playing surface. The three player game is played on a nonagon shaped game playing surface and the four player game is played on a uniquely 4 pointed star shaped game playing surface. A two player game may alternatively be played on a diamond shaped game playing surface which was designed for faster game play.
Each version of the game, whether two, three, or four players, is played with the same set of game pieces which each have their own unique rules for movement. Each player has fourteen game pieces comprised of seven different pieces.
The objective of the game is to capture your opponent's Andromeda game piece or to land your Droid or Andromeda game piece in the playing area designated as the opponent's halo.
The invention addressed in this application is a strategy game for two, three or four players. The two player embodiment is played on a decagon shaped game playing surface (10). The three player game is played on a nonagon shaped game playing surface (30) and the four person game is played on a unique four pointed star shaped game playing surface (40). The fast play embodiment for two players is played on a diamond shaped playing surface (20).
Each player has fourteen game pieces; one each of Andromeda (50), Pegasus (60), Mars (70), Mercury (80), Castor (90) and Pollux (100) and eight Droids (110). Each game piece has its own rules of movement and capture of opposing pieces. The game pieces are moved across the board to the landing spaces (12, 22, 32, 42) defined at the intersection of the lines of the game board. The landing spaces (12, 22, 32, 42) on the game playing surfaces are designated by small circles at the intersection of the lines (13, 23, 33, 42) which transverse the game playing surfaces. Each landing space (12. 22. 32, 42) is individually numbered to allow recording of a game.
The Andromeda (50) game piece can move one landing space in any direction along a line. Andromeda (50) cannot capture an opponent's game piece.
The Pegasus (60) game piece can move two landing spaces in any direction along a line. Pegasus (60) captures an opposing piece by moving to the landing space occupied by the opposing game piece. The Pegasus (60) game piece is the only piece that can jump over a friendly or opponent piece. The Pegasus (60) game piece also has a special move referred to as a Return Move. In this maneuver, the Pegasus (60) moves one space in any direction into an unoccupied landing space and then returns to its starting point. The player must announce the move prior to execution.
The Mars (70) game piece can move any number of landing spaces either forward or backward along a diagonal line. Mars (70) captures an opposing piece by moving to the landing space occupied by the opposing game piece.
The Mercury (80) game piece can move any number of landing spaces either forward or backward along a horizontal or vertical line, but not a diagonal line. Mercury (80) captures an opposing piece by moving to the landing space occupied by the opposing game piece.
The Castor (90) and Pollux (100) game pieces, collectively referred to as the Gemini Twins are able to move any number of landing spaces in any direction along a line. The Gemini Twins capture an opposing piece by moving to the landing space occupied by the opposing game piece.
Each player has eight Droid (110) game pieces. The Droid (110) piece moves only one landing space in any direction along a line. The Droid can capture an opponent's game piece on a forward diagonal move by moving onto the landing space occupied by the opposing game piece. The first move by a Droid (110) in game play may be two landing spaces in any direction, but thereafter the Droid (110) is limited to moving only one landing space at a time.
The Droid (110) and Andromeda (50) game pieces are the only game pieces allowed to enter an opponent's Halo zone (11, 21, 31, 41), with such move ending the game. The player whose Droid (110) or Andromeda (50) entered the opponent's Halo zone is victorious over that player. The number of paths or lines (13, 23, 33, 43) that lead to the Halo zone (11, 21, 31, 41) is typically six. However, variations of the game playing surfaces may have between two to six paths into the Halo zone (11, 21, 31, 41), with the fewer paths rendering the game more difficult.
Although the two, three and four player games are played on different game playing surfaces (10, 20, 30 and 40), the game pieces are moved under the same rules regardless of the number of players.
The preferred embodiment of the game is the two player game played on the game playing surface (10) shown in
Each player begins the game with fourteen game pieces; one each of Andromeda, Pegasus, Mars, Mercury and Castor and Pollux and eight Droid pieces, with each set of game pieces being a different color. The eight Droid pieces are placed in the landing spaces in the second row (14) from the Halo zone (11). The remaining pieces are place in the order of the players choosing along the first row (15) from the Halo zone (11), the order of placement adding to the overall strategy play of the game.
The players take turns moving their game pieces and blocking or capturing the opponent's pieces until either a player's Andromeda (50) is captured or an Andromeda (50) or Droid (110) enter the opponent's Halo zone (11). The player who captures their opponent's Andromeda (50) or enter the opponent's Halo zone (11) is the victor. The game may also end in a Draw if all/both players agree or if all/both players each make consecutive Pegasus (60) Return Moves. A return move is used strategically for the purpose of tempo of the game. A Pegasus (60) Return Move occurs when Pegasus (60) is moved to an unoccupied landing space and returns to its original position in one move without capturing an opponent.
Another version of the two player game is played utilizing the diamond shaped game playing surface (20) shown in
In this version of the game, a timing clock is used to time the players moves. Each player is limited to a set time frame of game play in which they must make at least thirty moves. Failure to complete thirty moves within the allotted time results in forfeiture of the game. The allotted time is agreed upon by the players but is typically envisioned as fifteen minutes. If each player completes thirty moves within the allotted time frame, then play continues until one player captures the opponent's Andromeda (50) or moves a Droid (110) or Andromeda (50) into the opponent's Halo zone (21).
As with the preferred embodiment of the two player game, each player starts the game with fourteen game pieces; one each of the Andromeda (50), Pegasus (60), Mars (70), Mercury (80), Castor (90) and Pollux (100) and eight Droids (110). The eight Droids (110) are positioned on the lines with three and five landing spaces (24) with the remain pieces placed on lines with two and four landing spaces (25) in the order of the player's choosing.
The three player game utilizes the nonagon shaped game playing surface (30) shown in
As with the two player game, each player starts with fourteen game pieces; one each of the Andromeda (50), Pegasus (60), Mars (70), Mercury (80), Castor (90) and Pollux (100) and eight Droids (110). The eight Droids (110) are positioned in the landing spaces on the second line (34) from the player's Halo zone (31) and the remaining pieces are placed in the order of the player's choosing on the first line (35) from the player's Halo (31).
Play proceeds using the same rules as for the two player game. However, when one player captures another player's Andromeda (50) or moves their own Andromeda (50) or Droid (110) into another player's Halo zone (31), he incorporates the defeated opposing player's game pieces into his own forces excepting the defeated player's Andromeda (50) which is removed from game play. For example, in a three player game between Red, Blue and Green, if Red captures Blue's Andromeda (50) or moves Red's Andromeda (50) or a Red Droid (50) into Blue's Halo (31), then Red has defeated Blue and removes Blue's Andromeda (50) from play. Red then takes over play of Blue's remaining game pieces and turns the combined forces against Green. However, if Red defeated Blue by moving a Red Droid (110) into Blue's Halo (31), then the Red Droid (110) must remain in Blue's Halo (31) for the remainder of the game.
The four player game utilizes the game playing surface (40) shown in
As with the two and three player games, each player starts with fourteen game pieces; one each of the Andromeda (50), Pegasus (60), Mars (70), Mercury (80), Castor (90) and Pollux (100) and eight Droids (110). The eight Droids are positioned in the landing spaces on the second line (44) from the player's Halo zone (41) and the remaining pieces are placed in the order of the player's choosing on the first line (45) from the player's Halo (41).
In the four player game, the players may play as individuals against the other three players or play in two person teams. In team play, the team members may be either opposite or adjacent to each other on the game board.
Play proceeds using the same rules as for the two and three player games. As with the three player game when one player captures another player's Andromeda (50) or moves their own Andromeda (50) or Droid (110) into another player's Halo zone (31), the conquering playing incorporates the defeated player's game pieces into the conquering player's forces excepting the defeated player's Andromeda (50) which is removed from game play.
For example, in a four player game between Red, Blue, Yellow and Green, where each player is playing individually with no team play, if Red captures Blue's Andromeda (50) or moves Red's Andromeda (50) or a Red Droid (50) into Blue's Halo (41), then Red has defeated Blue and removes Blue's Andromeda (50) from play. Red then takes over play of Blue's remaining game pieces and turns the combined forces against Green and Yellow. If Red defeated Blue by moving a Red Droid (110) into Blue's Halo (41), then the Red Droid (110) must remain in Blue's Halo (41) for the remainder of the game.
In team play, the combination of game pieces in the event of the defeat of one player is the same as for individual play. For example, in a four player game where Red and Green are playing as a team against the team comprised of Blue and Yellow, if Red captures Blue's Andromeda (50) or moves Red's Andromeda (50) or a Red Droid (50) into Blue's Halo (41), then Blue is defeated and must remove the Blue Andromeda (50) from play. Red and Green take over the remaining Blue pieces and move the combined Red, Green and Blue forces against Yellow. As with the three player or individual four player game, if Red defeats Blue by moving a Red Droid (110) into Blue's Halo (41), the then Red Droid (110) must remain in Blue's Halo (41) for the remainder of the game.
In all forms of the game, (two, three or four player), if game play must be abandoned prior to one player or team conquering their opponent's, then a point system may be used to determine the winner. Each player or team calculates the points the team has scored based on the number and type of game pieces captured. The player or team with the most points wins. The game pieces have the following point value: Pollux is worth ten points, Castor is worth eight points, Droids are worth one point each and Mars, Pegasus and Mercury are each worth four points.
Potential patent classifications for this invention include Class 273 Amusement Devices: Games with Subclasses 260 Chess or Checker Type, 261 Nonrectangular or extended pattern and 262 Military or Naval engagement.
The playing boards as described above and illustrated in
Although each playing piece type is provided with a name in the description of game pieces, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that changes in names of the playing pieces may be made without departing from the spirit and the scope of the present application. For example, the Andromeda (50) piece could alternatively be called the Empress.
The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.
Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. It will be further understood that terms, such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the specification and relevant art and should not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein. Well-known functions or constructions may not be described in detail for brevity and/or clarity.
