Game board apparatus

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a game board apparatus and more particularly, to a game board apparatus for entertaining and demonstrating the benefits of particular moral and religious tenets and beliefs to the players.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Many board games have been developed to entertain and, in some cases, to educate. None of the prior games have been directed both to entertaining the players as well as attempting to demonstrate certain moral and religious values. A need exists for such a religious type game in those situations in which it is desirable to demonstrate or reinforce certain moral values, whether in conjunction with religious training or otherwise.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an objective of the invention to provide a game board apparatus for both entertainment and to demonstrate by way of example of the benefits in following certain moral teachings, which may, for example, be found in the Bible or conform to other established moral tenets. The board game is played by up to four players who move game pieces on a board from a starting point representing hell or satan to the finish, which is a representative of heaven. Each player takes turns to move along the board during a prescribed time period. The game board is divided in half with a hell or satan sector and a heaven sector. A player starts in hell and proceeds upward to heaven. A player moves through certain spaces in the heaven sector which also has spaces leading to the finish.

The players in the game of the invention move in accordance with the dictates of question cards used when the player is in the hell or satan sector or in the heaven sector. The cards generally state questions raising transgressions or moral objectives. When selecting a card from the stack of either hell or satan cards, or heaven cards, the player then selects an answer card, which is, by chance, either yes or no. Dependent on the drawn answers to the questions on the hell or satan or heaven cards, the player may have to move backward toward the starting point or forward to the finish. Thus, the players are exposed to the benefits of certain moral or religious standards, while certain sins or transgressions are not shown to be beneficial by moving a player's progress back in the game, symbolic of the benefits of morality in real life.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a card and timer carrier of the board game of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the game board of the board game of the invention;

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now to the drawings, it is noted that the drawings and the descriptions thereof which follow are merely intended to be exemplary of a preferred embodiment of the invention and are not intended to be exhaustive of the possibilities of the games or types of games within the scope of the invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, there is illustrated the timer holder used in game board apparatus of the invention, generally designated by reference numeral 2. Although other constructions other than as shown to carry the timer to be described may be used in the invention, holder 2 is shown as illustration. Holder 2 may be fabricated from any suitable material, such as plastic or a paper product, and includes a cylindrical base 4. The base 4 is provided with flat floor panels 6 and four additional surfaces 8, 10, 12, and 14 carried by vertical walls. The panels 8, 10, 12, and 14 are circumferentially arranged about an upright cylindrical pedestal 16 carried on base 6. The panels 8, 10, 12, and 14 are downwardly sloped. A timer 18 shown as a conventional hour glass containing sand or the like is carried on an upper extension 20 of upright pedestal. The timer 18 may alternatively comprise other timers, such as of a mechanical type or the like (not shown), which can measure a player's time period of play as will be explained.

Referring now to FIG. 2, the board 22 used in the board game of the invention is shown. It is within the scope of the invention to use other designs and representations on the board 22 other than what is specifically shown. The board 22 is formed from a flat panel 24 which may include a fold 26 to permit the board 22 to be folded for storage. Viewing FIG. 2, the board 22 is equally divided, top and bottom into a hell or satan sector 30, representing temptations, sins, and vices faced in life, and a heaven sector 32 indicative of a virtuous life. A start position 34 in the form of a black stone is located in the lower portion of the hell or satan sector 30. A plurality of horizontal lines 36 extending between angularly oriented border lines 38 in hell or satan sector 30 and form spaces 40 on which playing pieces (not shown) of each player move along each individual space as will be described. A number of designs 42, representing various sins to certain groups, such as alcohol, gambling, prostitution, illegal drugs, crime and the like, are positioned in the hell or satan sector 30 outside of border lines 38. Star 44 of a green color and star 46 of a red color designating return spaces in the board game of the invention are located in particular playing spaces 40a and 40b.

The heaven sector 32 includes a pair of parallel lines 50, 52 forming the borders of a plurality of horizontal lines 54. The horizontal lines 54 define playing spaces 56 of selected number on which the players move their playing pieces in sequential fashion as will be described. In general, a player starts at the bottom space 34 of the hell sector 30 and continues to move to the heaven sector 32. The top 58a of the array of spaces 56 represents the finish line for winning in the game board 22 of the invention. The top 58 may be adorned by a gold/silver star 58a and a fanciful design symbolizing a religious concept of heaven.

The board game herein disclosed is played with four separate decks of flat rectangular cards, including mercy cards (not shown) to be placed on card holder and answer cards (not shown) to be placed on card holder.

The board game is also played with two other decks of cards, referred to as cards of heaven 62, one of which is shown for example in FIG. 4, and cards of hell of satan 64 (see one in FIG. 3), to be placed at areas 68 and 68′ respectively. Alternatively, four sets of the cards, particularly, hell or satan cards 64, heaven cards 62, answer cards and mercy cards, can respectively be places on sloped surfaces 8, 10, 12, and 14 of holder 2 in place of the board areas 60, 61, 68, and 68′, if desired.

The board game of the invention is played by 2, 3, or 4 players.

Ages establish the order in which the players take turns, youngest going first.

The game is played by drawing either hell or satan cards 64 or heaven cards 62 during a player's turn, the duration of which is measured by timer 18, such as for five minutes or other interval. The players each have a playing interval. The players also have a playing piece, such as a figure or other object (not shown) to move along each of the spaces 40 in the hell or satan sector 30 and each of the spaces 61 in the heaven sector 32, unless other wise instructed. The playing pieces are placed at start position 34, and the first player then picks one of the hell or satan cards 64 since the player's first move is through the spaces 56 in the or satan sector 30. The first player picks the top card from the turned over stack of hell or satan cards 64, which generally represent different questions concerning sins or transgressions. After picking a hell or satan card 64, the player then picks the top card from the turned over deck of answer cards which simply have the word “yes” or “no” printed on their face. The answer cards may number, for example, 50 cards, in which “yes” appears on 25 separate cards and “no” respectively appears on the other 25 cards. After pulling the top answer card, it is placed at the bottom of the pile.

During each player's time period, the player keeps drawing hell or satan cards 64 and answer cards which dictate whether the player's piece moves forward, not at all, or backward. Each player's turn ceases upon his time period dictated by the timer 18 ending. After picking the top card from the stack in either sector, the uncovered question card is placed at the bottom of the stack. The players pick hell or satan cards 64 until their pieces reach the heaven sector 32, after which individual heaven cards, directed to virtues, are picked during a player's time period. The player also picks answer cards while drawing heaven cards 62 in the heaven sector during his playing interval. The players keep having playing intervals for as long as the game continues, in the order first determined, if individual players are not disqualified, until a winner is established by reaching the finish 58. Although it is within the scope of the invention that the board game may be played with more cards, the questions on forty hell or satan cards 64 and forty heaven cards 62 are set forth in the following description for the sake of illustration.

Hell or Satan Cards

Card No.:Written Matter on Card:1Would you make a deal with Satan?Yes: Remain on spot.No: Advance 5 spaces.2Are you a worldly person?Yes: Remain on spot.No: Advance 8 spaces.3Do you believe that there is such a thing aseternal damnation?Yes: Advance 8 spaces.No: Remain on spot.4Do you believe in astrological Satanic chartsfor “luck and power”?Yes: Remain on spot.No: Advance 4 spaces.5Would you worship Satan in secret?Yes: Remain on spot.No: Advance 3 spaces.6Would you like to possess satanic powers?Yes: Go back to start.No: Advance 4 spaces.7Do you have unclean habits?Yes: Remain on spot.No: Advance 4 spaces.8Do you think being a good person will keepyou from going to hell?Yes: Go back 3 spaces.No: Advance 7 spaces.9Are you a superstitious person?Yes: Remain on spot.No: Advance 4 spaces.10Are you a violent person?Yes: Remain on spot,No: Move ahead 3 spaces.11Do you believe Satan is stronger thanJesus Christ?Yes: Go back to start.No: Advance to first blue star in heaven.12Would you worship Satan for money?Yes: Go back to start.No: Advance 5 spaces.13Would you deface the property of a person ofanother race, that move into your neighborhood?Yes: Go back 2 spaces.No: Advance 6 spaces.14Do you believe a man or woman should have asmany wives or husbands as they want?Yes: Go back 10 spaces.No: Advance 10 spaces.15Do you believe in magic potions?Yes: Remain on spot.No: Advance 4 spaces.16Would you sell your country's defensesecrets?Yes: Go back to start.No: Advance 6 spaces.17If cutting off any part of your body wouldgive a satanic power, would you do it?Yes: Go back to start.No: Advance 7 spaces.18Do you like pornography?Yes: Go back 4 spaces.No: Advance 8 spaces.19Do you approve of prostitution?Yes: Go back to start.No: Advance 9 spaces.20Do you lie?Yes: Remain on the spot.No: Advance 10 spaces.21Are you an alcoholic?Yes: Remain on spot.No: Advance 3 spaces.22Would you cheat a person out of anything?Yes: Remain on spot.No: Advance 7 spaces.23Do you love money more than anything else?Yes: Go back 6 spaces.No: Advance 6 spaces.24Are you a hateful and nasty person?Yes: Remain on spotNo: Advance 4 spaces.25Would you participate in any demonic rituals?Yes: Remain on spot.No: Advance 8 spaces.26Do you hold grudges against people?Yes: Go back 2 spaces.No: Advance 5 spaces.27Do you believe there is a place called hell?Yes: Advance 5 spaces.No: Go back to start.28Is vanity top priority in your life?Yes: Remain on spot.No: Advance 2 spaces.29Do you believe Satan was once an angel inheaven?Yes: Advance 4 spaces.No: Remain on spot.30Are you full of pride?Yes: Remain on spot.No: Advance 2 spaces.31Do you enjoy hurting people?Yes: Go back 3 spaces.No: Advance 8 spaces.32Do you have a lustful eye?Yes: Go back 4 spaces.No: Advance 7 spaces.33Do you believe in seances?Yes: Go back 3 spaces.No: Advance 6 spaces.34Do you smile in the face of friends and speakbadly behind their backs?Yes: Go back 5 spaces.No: Advance 5 spaces.35Are you a drug user?Yes: Go back 4 spaces.No: Advance 4 spaces.36Do you love your material possessions morethan anything else?Yes: Go back 12 spaces.No: Advance 12 spaces.37Do you celebrate Halloween?Yes: Remain on spot.No: Advance 3 spaces.38Do you believe money is more important thanyour personal salvation?Yes: Go back 11 spaces.No: Advance 11 spaces.39Are you a member of any racial hate groups?Yes: Go back to start.No: Advance 10 spaces.40Are you a self righteous person?Yes: Remain on spot.No: Advance 2 spaces.

Heaven Cards

Card No.:Written Matter on Card:1Do you doubt the power of God?Yes: Go back to hell or satan red star.No: Advance 6 spaces.2Do you have ulterior motives for whatever youdo for someone?Yes: Go back 10 spaces.No: Advance 5 spaces.3Do you sin constantly and ask forforgiveness?Yes: Go back to hell or satan red star.No: Advance 6 spaces.4Do you worship other gods?Yes: Go back to start.No: Advance 5 spaces.5Have you brought any graven images orworshipped any other gods beside Jesus Christ?Yes: Go back to start.No: Advance 11 spaces.6Do you covet?Yes: Go back 2 spaces.No: Move ahead 2 spaces.7Are you a meek person?Yes: Advance 4 spaces.No: Remain on spot.8Do you honor your parents?Yes: Advance 2 heaven stars.No: Go back to start.9Are you a procrastinator?Yes: Go back 7 spaces.No: Advance 7 spaces.10Do you believe in your heart that the Bibleis the Word of God?Yes: Advance 8 spaces.No: Go back to hell or satan green star.11Are you a patient person?Yes: Advance 7 spaces.No: Remain on spot.12Do you refuse to admit when you are wrong?Yes: Go back 5 spaces.No: Advance 5 spaces.13Do you pay tithes?Yes: Advance 5 spaces.No: Go back to hell or satan green star.14Have you ever beared false witness againstyour neighbor?Yes: Go back to hell or satan red star.No: Go ahead 3 spaces.15Would you sacrifice whatever was asked of youfor Christ's sake?Yes: Advance 10 spaces.No: Go back to start.16Do you follow God's word?Yes: Advance 7 spaces.No: Go back to hell or satan green star.17Are you an atheist or communist?Yes: Go back to start.No: Advance to next heaven blue star.18Have you ever taken the name of the Lordthy God in vain?Yes: Go back to hell or satan red star.No: Advance 3 spaces.19Would you give your life in the name ofChrist?Yes: Advance to gold star and enter into thekingdom of heaven.No: Go back to start.20Do you keep the Sabbath Day holy?Yes: Advance 4 spaces.No: Remain on spot.21Would you give your last dollar to others inneed?Yes: Advance 8 spaces.No: Remain on your spot.22If something you do is a stumbling block to afellow brother or sister in Christ, would you stop it?Yes: Advance 6 spaces.No: Remain on spot.23Do you steal?Yes: Go back to start.No: Advance 5 spaces.24Do you keep promises that you make?Yes: Advance 5 spaces.No: Go back 4 spaces.25Do you believe Christ will return one day toplanet earth?Yes: Advance 4 spaces.No: Go back to start.26Do you attend church?Yes: Advance 5 spaces.No: Remain on spot.27Are you a God fearing person?Yes: Advance 6 spaces.No: Go back to hell or satan green star.28Are you a compassionate person?Yes: Advance to next heaven blue star.No: Remain on spot.29Should you be afraid of death?Yes: Remain on spot.No: Advance 3 spaces.30Do you pray daily?Yes: Advance 4 spaces.No: Go back 2 spaces.31Do you love your enemies?Yes: Advance 10 spaces.No: Go back to hell or satan green star.32Have you been baptized?Yes: Advance 4 spaces.No: Remain on spot.33Would you treat a wealthy person better thanyou would treat a poor person?Yes: Go back 5 spaces.No: Advance 8 spaces.34Do you have faith in God?Yes: Advance 2 heaven blue stars.No: Go back to hell or satan green star.35Do you despise the poor?Yes: Go back to hell or satan red star.No: Advance 6 spaces.36Would you interfere with your spouseswillingness to serve God?Yes: Go back to hell or satan red star.No: Advance 10 spaces.37Would you denounce Christ to save your life?Yes: Go back to start.No: Advance 10 spaces.38Is Christ first in your life?Yes: Advance to next heaven blue star.No: Go back to hell or satan green star.39Do you believe Mary is the mother of Christ?Yes: Advance 7 spaces.No: Go back 12 spaces.40Do you believe demons exist?Yes: Advance 3 spaces.No: Remain on spot.

From the foregoing, it should be apparent that certain sins of the hell or satan sector cards and virtues of the heaven cards may not be universally acceptable to all groups or individuals. It is within the scope of the invention to vary the questions of the heaven and hell or satan cards as is appropriate to accommodate the differing moral standards of the wide range of groups or individuals to which the game board invention is intended. The moves backward or forward as set forth continues during each player's time interval. The players continue to play until the first player reaches the gold/silver star at the finish to win the game, or the player is disqualified as will be explained.

Disqualification of a player may occur by drawing selective cards from the stack of mercy cards (not shown) at the end of his or her playing time as established by timer 18. There are thirty one cards in the mercy stack, including twenty “second chance” cards (stating that the player receives a second chance in life), ten death cards, and one rapture card. A player whose playing piece is still in the hell or satan sector 30 when his playing time expires, must take the top one of the stack of mercy cards. If one of the ten death cards are drawn, that player is immediately disqualified. If the rapture card is drawn, symbolic of being raptured or “caught up” to be with the Lord, the player automatically wins the game. The ten death cards may have imprinted on them different causes of death in life, such as, heart attack, victim of a crime, automobile accident, illness, and the like. Finally, if the player drawing from the deck of mercy cards by chance picks one of the twenty “second chance” cards, he may continue playing when it is his turn again. Mercy cards are not drawn if the player's piece is in the heaven sector when his playing time has expired.

Claims

1. A game board apparatus to be played by a plurality of players during respective times of play comprising a game board being horizontally divided into a bottom sector representing hell and a top sector representing heaven, said first sector being divided into a plurality of playing spaces and said second sector being divided into a plurality of playing spaces, a starting position being disposed at one end of said plurality of playing spaces of said first sector and a finish position being disposed at the end of said plurality of spaces of said second sector, said spaces of said first sector and second sector being arranged between said starting position and said game finish, said spaces of said first and second sectors to be traversed in series by a playing piece of a player, questions cards to be drawn at random when a playing piece is in one of said spaces in said first and second sectors, said question cards having questions and answers of yes or no, said question cards further specifying alternative moves for a player along said playing spaces of said first and second sector in accordance with either a respective yes or no answer, and a deck of answer cards each having indicia respectively indicating yes or no, said answer cards being drawn by chance during play after one of said question cards is drawn to indicate the extent of movement along said playing spaces of said first sector and said second sector.
2. The game board apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising timer means for timing the predetermined playing interval of an individual player.
3. The game board apparatus according to claim 2 further comprising a deck of mercy cards, said mercy cards being drawn by chance when the playing piece of a player is in the first sector when said predetermined playing interval expires, some of said mercy cards having imprinted indicia indicating disqualification of the player drawing the card and others of said mercy card having imprinted indicia permitting continued play by the player drawing the card.
4. The game board apparatus of claim 3 wherein said deck of mercy cards further having at least one card having imprinted indicia allowing the player to immediately move to said game finish.
5. The game board apparatus of claim 4 wherein said question cards include a deck of first cards to be drawn by chance in said first sector, the questions imprinted on said first cards respectively pertaining generally to moral transgressions, said question cards further include second cards to be drawn by chance in said second sector, the questions imprinted on said second cards respectively pertaining generally to moral virtues.

Game board apparatus

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Description

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