Patent Application
20150297982
A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.
Games are more than merely fun. Games are perhaps the earliest examples of human technology, and one of the most widely used. Games help us understand rules, and they provide us with practice formulating strategies for predicting and responding to situations that are shaped by chance and by the actions of other people. The rules of a particular game specify how that game is played, just as the rules of physics, chemistry, and other sciences specify how existence plays out. The equipment of a given game includes physical real-world things used to play the game. More recently, game equipment includes digital representations of physical real-world things, or virtual world items, which are used to play the game. Software games include early simulations of physical phenomena.
Game technology has a long, complex, and well-documented history. In particular, games are clearly patentable subject matter. To give just one of many possible examples, in 1935 the inventor C. B. Darrow was granted U.S. Pat. No. 2,026,082 titled “Board Game Apparatus”. FIG. 1 of the '082 patent shows a game board labeled “MONOPOLY” with indicia including “GO”, “IN JAIL/JUST VISITING”, “FREE PARKING”, “GO TO JAIL”, and others. Other figures of the '082 patent show player tokens, Houses, Hotels, dice, Real Estate Title cards, Chance cards, Community Chest cards, and play money. The text of the '082 patent discusses rules of a game which uses apparatus shown in the figures. The '082 patent has long since expired, but the teachings it provided live on in Monopoly® games that have been played and enjoyed by millions of people (Monopoly® is a mark of Hasbro, Inc.).
Sometimes a game becomes less interesting and less enjoyable to a player as it becomes more familiar to that player. Sometimes one player in a game has an extreme advantage over another player in the game because the one player is much more familiar with the game than the other player. Sometimes one player enjoys complex game play much more than another player. In these situations, and others, the prospect of game play may create or intensify social frictions instead of providing fun, camaraderie, and a sense of accomplishment.
However, game modification apparatus and processes disclosed herein can help make familiar games more interesting, help level the playing field, introduce additional opportunities for strategy formulation and implementation during games, increase social interaction during game play, and otherwise provide fun, camaraderie, and a sense of accomplishment.
Some of the innovative examples described in this disclosure include cards, spinners, software, and/or other game modification equipment whose use modifies how a variety of preexisting games are played by modifying aspects of play which are shared by various games. That is, the same game modification equipment enhances multiple familiar games (played individually or concurrently). This is a conceptual leap beyond a single game which merely modifies its own rules. The preexisting games which are being modified are also referred to herein as original games, or familiar games. Examples of such original games include checkers, chess, Chinese checkers game, rummy, and the Monopoly® game (mark of Hasbro, Inc.), among many others. Original games include board games, playing card games, collectible card games, tile games, dice games, parlor games, turn-based strategy games, and/or turn-based games of luck.
Each original game is each playable in an unmodified form with respective original game equipment, e.g., chess pieces and a chess board for chess, marbles and a Chinese checkers board for Chinese checkers, and so on. The innovative game modification equipment described herein supplements the original game equipment and enhances functionality to provide a modified game play experience, e.g., by adding one or more game play mechanisms which are not present in the unmodified form of the original game. Game play mechanisms can be implemented as game modification instructions which players follow while playing the enhanced game. Game modification instructions may also be referred to as game enhancement instructions, game change instructions, game expansion instructions, game changer rules, game expansion, game pairings, or the like.
In some examples, the game modification equipment embodies game modification instructions in one or more of the following game modification instruction categories: Item Ownership, Full Swap, Temporary Possession, Reveal/Hide, Time Jump, Turn Order, Winning Condition, Final Round, Item Count, Draw Pile, Hidden Hand, Hand Size, Scored Turns, In/Out of Play, Merge Team, Seating, 3+ Teams, Yoked Game, or Sayings Card instructions. However, game modification instructions taught herein are not limited to those within the foregoing categories.
In some examples, the game modification equipment embodies game modification instructions which are collectively characterized by time segments indicating when a respective game modification instruction can be followed, or must be followed, e.g., during the turn in which it is pulled by a player, during a later turn, or anytime during play.
In some examples, one or more game modification instructions are specific to a kind of game (e.g., board game vs. collectible card game). Some game modification instructions are specific to a particular game, such as a Monopoly® game (mark of Hasbro, Inc.). However, specificity of a game instruction to a branded original game does not imply any sponsorship, affiliation, or other business relationship between the original game's brand owner and the present inventors or their licensees or representatives.
From the players' perspective, some examples of modified game play include setting up original game equipment of an original game. The original game equipment has functionality according to original game rules. Original game equipment for branded games is typically sold as a unit, often in a box bearing the brand and other information such as the number of players, players' typical age range, and approximate duration of one instance of playing the original game. However, many familiar original games such as chess and checkers are sold without game-specific brands, in that their game equipment is manufactured and sold by multiple parties.
Modified game play may also include preparing a game modification apparatus, e.g., shuffling a deck of game modification cards, launching game modification software, or giving a game modification spinner a test spin.
With the original game equipment and the game modification apparatus ready, play can begin. A current player pulls a game modification instruction from the game modification apparatus, e.g., by pulling at least one game modification card from a draw pile or from the player's own hand. Functionality of the original game equipment is modified by following the game modification instruction. This may involve the player who pulled the game modification instruction going on to take their turn in the original game, or they may be instructed to take an extra turn, or skip their turn, or to let another player take their turn instead of taking it themselves. Many other actions and conditions also occur in the game modification instructions, in a variety of the game modification instruction categories, sometimes with time segments attached as conditions; these described further in the text and drawings of this disclosure.
After the game modification instruction is followed, players determine which player then becomes the current player. Often this will be the person or team that would have been next in the original unmodified game. But game modification may also change the turn order, change the player's seating positions, and/or change a player's team membership, each of which can influence who takes the next turn.
Modified play continues in this manner, with the now-current player pulling a game modification instruction, the players modifying functionality of the original game equipment by following the game modification instruction, and the players determining which player then becomes the current player, and so on. The examples given in this disclosure are merely illustrative. They are not intended to fully identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor are they intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter.
A more particular description will be given with reference to the attached drawings. These drawings only illustrate selected aspects and thus do not fully determine coverage or scope.
Some of the innovative examples described in this disclosure include cards, spinners, software, and/or other game modification equipment whose use modifies how a variety of preexisting games are played by modifying aspects of play which are shared by various games. That is, the same game modification equipment enhances multiple familiar games. The preexisting games which are being modified are also referred to herein as original games, or familiar games.
Each original game is each playable in an unmodified form with respective original game equipment, e.g., chess pieces and a chess board for chess, marbles and a Chinese checkers board for Chinese checkers, and so on. The innovative game modification equipment described herein supplements the original game equipment and expands equipment functionality to provide an expanded game play experience, e.g., by adding mechanisms which are not present in the unmodified original game. From a player's perspective, the experience goes from something like the conventional process illustrated in
Some examples described herein may be viewed in a broader context. For instance, concepts such as chance, players, skill, turns, and winning may be relevant to a particular example. However, it does not follow from the availability of a broad context that exclusive rights are being sought herein for abstract ideas; they are not. Rather, the present disclosure is focused on providing appropriately specific examples whose technical effects fully or partially solve particular technical problems. Other media, systems, and methods involving chance, players, skill, turns, and/or winning are outside the present scope. Accordingly, vagueness, mere abstractness, lack of technical character, and accompanying proof problems are also avoided under a proper understanding of the present disclosure.
The technical character of examples described herein will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art, and will also be apparent in several ways to a wide range of attentive readers. First, some examples address technical problems such as identifying and influencing aspects shared by card games, board games, and in some instances other games while retaining familiar and game-specific aspects of such games. Familiar games differ from one another is many ways, and the present disclosure not only recognizes the existence of underlying similarities, it also sets forth examples of such similarities and ways to utilize the similarities to provide game expansion mechanisms which apply fruitfully to a variety of familiar games. Second, some examples include technical components such as computing hardware which interacts with software in a manner beyond the typical interactions within a general purpose computer. For example, in addition to normal interaction such as memory allocation in general, memory reads and write in general, instruction execution in general, and some sort of I/O, some examples described herein alter the normal and expected play of original games according to rules and mechanisms described herein. Third, technical effects provided by some examples inject changes in fortune into the play of an original game, e.g., by changing who is ahead and/or what play options are available to a given player, and do so in a metagame manner that is not part of the original game. Fourth, some examples include technical adaptations such as Do It™ cards, Bend A Game™ cards, Bejinx™ cards, and/or other game modification tools. Fifth, some examples modify technical functionality of an original game by modifying the rules for taking turns, the ownership of game pieces, isolation of games (most familiar games are played one game at a time), and a variety of other circumstances based on technical considerations dictated by Do It™ card content, Bend A Game™ card or spinner content, Bejinx™ card or spinner content, or other game modification instruction content.
Any step stated herein is potentially part of a process example. In a given example zero or more stated steps of a process may be repeated, perhaps with different parameters or data to operate on. Steps in an example may also be done in a different order than the order that is stated in examples herein. Steps may be performed serially, in a partially overlapping manner, or fully in parallel. The order in which steps are performed during a process may vary from one performance of the process to another performance of the process. The order may also vary from one process example to another process example. Steps may also be omitted, combined, renamed, regrouped, or otherwise depart from the stated flow, provided that the process performed is operable and conforms to at least one claim of this or a descendant disclosure.
Examples are provided herein to help illustrate aspects of the technology, but the examples given within this document do not describe all possible examples. Examples are not limited to the specific implementations, arrangements, displays, features, approaches, or scenarios provided herein. A given example may include additional or different technical features, mechanisms, and/or data structures, for instance, and may otherwise depart from the examples provided herein.
Reference is made to exemplary examples, and specific language will be used herein to describe the same. But alterations and further modifications of the features illustrated herein, and additional technical applications of the abstract principles illustrated by particular examples herein, which would occur to one skilled in the relevant art(s) and having possession of this disclosure, should be considered within the scope of the claims.
Some Comments Regarding Trademarks
Numerous trademarks are used nominatively in this disclosure, e.g., to identify familiar games. Unless expressly stated otherwise, each mark refers to the indicated game or family of games as commercially available under the mark on the date of the present disclosure's filing. The proprietary nature of the marks is respected herein by use of the Registration Indicator® and/or by identification of the mark's owner. Current mark ownership can be ascertained or verified, e.g., through use of the USPTO Trademark Electronic Search System, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) databases, and/or similar public records. The following marks are owned by an owner of rights in the present disclosure: Do It™, Bend A Game™, Bejinx™, Bejinxed™, Bejinks™ Supercharge Any Game!™, It's not a game. It's a Game Changer™, and The Game Changer.™ Other marks are the property of their respective owners, and their use herein is not intended to indicate any affiliation, sponsorship, or other legal relationship between those owners and any owner of rights in the present disclosure. For instance, Bejinx™ cards work well with the Monopoly® game (mark of Hasbro, Inc.), but as of this disclosure's filing date Hasbro, Inc. has no sponsorship, affiliation, or other business relationship with the Bejinx™ deck's publisher, Smiling Pines LLC.
Some Terminology
The meaning of terms is clarified in this disclosure, so the claims should be read with careful attention to these clarifications. Specific examples are given, but those of skill in the relevant art(s) will understand that other examples may also fall within the meaning of the terms used, and within the scope of one or more claims. Terms do not necessarily have the same meaning here that they have in general usage (particularly in non-technical usage), or in the usage of a particular industry, or in a particular dictionary or set of dictionaries. Reference numerals may be added in subsequent filings along with figures, but they are not required to understand the present disclosure. The inventors assert and exercise their right to their own lexicography. Quoted terms are defined explicitly, but quotation marks are not used when a term is defined implicitly. Terms may be defined, either explicitly or implicitly, here in the Detailed Description and/or elsewhere in the application file.
As used herein, a “computer system” may include, for example, one or more servers, motherboards, processing nodes, personal computers (portable or not), personal digital assistants, smartphones, cell or mobile phones, other mobile devices having at least a processor and a memory, and/or other device(s) providing one or more processors controlled at least in part by instructions. The instructions may be in the form of firmware or other software in memory and/or specialized circuitry. In particular, although it may occur that many examples run on workstation or laptop computers, other examples may run on other computing devices, and any one or more such devices may be part of a given example.
A “multithreaded” computer system is a computer system which supports multiple execution threads. The term “thread” should be understood to include any code capable of or subject to scheduling (and possibly to synchronization), and may also be known by another name, such as “task,” “process,” or “coroutine,” for example. The threads may run in parallel, in sequence, or in a combination of parallel execution (e.g., multiprocessing) and sequential execution (e.g., time-sliced). Multithreaded environments have been designed in various configurations. Execution threads may run in parallel, or threads may be organized for parallel execution but actually take turns executing in sequence. Multithreading may be implemented, for example, by running different threads on different cores in a multiprocessing environment, by time-slicing different threads on a single processor core, or by some combination of time-sliced and multi-processor threading. Thread context switches may be initiated, for example, by a kernel's thread scheduler, by user-space signals, or by a combination of user-space and kernel operations. Threads may take turns operating on shared data, or each thread may operate on its own data, for example.
A “logical processor” or “processor” is a single independent hardware thread-processing unit, such as a core in a simultaneous multithreading implementation. As another example, a hyperthreaded quad core chip running two threads per core has eight logical processors. A logical processor includes hardware. The term “logical” is used to prevent a mistaken conclusion that a given chip has at most one processor; “logical processor” and “processor” are used interchangeably herein. Processors may be general purpose, or they may be tailored for specific uses such as graphics processing, signal processing, floating-point arithmetic processing, encryption, I/O processing, and so on.
A “multiprocessor” computer system is a computer system which has multiple logical processors. Multiprocessor environments occur in various configurations. In a given configuration, all of the processors may be functionally equal, whereas in another configuration some processors may differ from other processors by virtue of having different hardware capabilities, different software assignments, or both. Depending on the configuration, processors may be tightly coupled to each other on a single bus, or they may be loosely coupled. In some configurations the processors share a central memory, in some they each have their own local memory, and in some configurations both shared and local memories are present.
“Kernels” include operating systems, hypervisors, virtual machines, BIOS code, and similar hardware interface software.
“Code” means processor instructions, data (which includes constants, variables, and data structures), or both instructions and data.
“Program” is used broadly herein, to include applications, kernels, drivers, interrupt handlers, libraries, and other code written by programmers (who are also referred to as developers).
As used herein, “include” allows additional elements (i.e., includes means comprises) unless otherwise stated. “Consists of” means consists essentially of, or consists entirely of. X consists essentially of Y when the non-Y part of X, if any, can be freely altered, removed, and/or added without altering the functionality of claimed examples so far as a claim in question is concerned.
“Process” is sometimes used herein as a term of the computing science arts, and in that technical sense encompasses resource users, namely, coroutines, threads, tasks, interrupt handlers, application processes, kernel processes, procedures, and object methods, for example. “Process” is also used herein as a patent law term of art, e.g., in describing a process claim as opposed to a system claim or an article of manufacture (configured storage medium) claim. Similarly, “method” is used herein at times as a technical term in the computing science arts (a kind of “routine”) and also as a patent law term of art (a “process”). Those of skill will understand which meaning is intended in a particular instance, and will also understand that a given claimed process or method (in the patent law sense) may sometimes be implemented using one or more processes or methods (in the computing science sense).
“Automatically” means by use of automation (e.g., general purpose computing hardware configured by software for specific operations and technical effects discussed herein), as opposed to without automation. In particular, steps performed “automatically” are not performed by hand on paper or in a person's mind, although they may be initiated by a human person or guided interactively by a human person. Automatic steps are performed with a machine in order to obtain one or more technical effects that would not be realized without the technical interactions thus provided.
“Computationally” likewise means a computing device (processor plus memory, at least) is being used, and excludes obtaining a result by mere human thought or mere human action alone. For example, doing arithmetic with a paper and pencil is not doing arithmetic computationally as understood herein. Computational results are faster, broader, deeper, more accurate, more consistent, more comprehensive, and/or otherwise provide technical effects that are beyond the scope of human performance alone. “Computational steps” are steps performed computationally. Neither “automatically” nor “computationally” necessarily means “immediately”. “Computationally” and “automatically” are used interchangeably herein.
“Proactively” means without a direct request from a user. Indeed, a user may not even realize that a proactive step by an example was possible until a result of the step has been presented to the user. Except as otherwise stated, any computational and/or automatic step described herein may also be done proactively.
Throughout this document, use of the optional plural “(s)”, “(es)”, or “(ies)” means that one or more of the indicated feature is present. For example, “processor(s)” means “one or more processors” or equivalently “at least one processor”.
Throughout this document, unless expressly stated otherwise any reference to a step in a process presumes that the step may be performed directly by a party of interest and/or performed indirectly by the party through intervening mechanisms and/or intervening entities, and still lie within the scope of the step. That is, direct performance of the step by the party of interest is not required unless direct performance is an expressly stated requirement. For example, a step involving action by a party of interest with regard to a destination or other subject may involve intervening action such as forwarding, copying, uploading, downloading, encoding, decoding, compressing, decompressing, encrypting, decrypting, authenticating, invoking, and so on by some other party, yet still be understood as being performed directly by the party of interest.
Whenever reference is made to data or instructions, it is understood that these items configure a computer-readable memory and/or computer-readable storage medium, thereby transforming it to a particular article, as opposed to simply existing on paper, in a person's mind, or as a mere signal being propagated on a wire, for example. Unless expressly stated otherwise in a claim, a claim does not cover a signal per se. For the purposes of patent protection in the United States, a memory or other computer-readable storage medium is not a propagating signal or a carrier wave outside the scope of patentable subject matter under the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) interpretation of statutory subject matter.
Moreover, notwithstanding anything apparently to the contrary elsewhere herein, a clear distinction is to be understood between (a) computer readable storage media and computer readable memory, on the one hand, and (b) transmission media, also referred to as signal media, on the other hand. A transmission medium is a propagating signal or a carrier wave computer readable medium. By contrast, computer readable storage media and computer readable memory are not propagating signal or carrier wave computer readable media. Unless expressly stated otherwise, “computer readable medium” means a computer readable storage medium, not a propagating signal per se.
An Overview of Some Game Modification Equipment
As to decks 600 of game modification cards 602, the cards 602 may be formed 1742 with stiff paper, card stock, plastic, and/or materials typically used in manufacturing cards used in board games, for example. Game modification instructions 800 and other indicia (e.g., brands 806, graphic designs such as Charm card images, supplemental markings 808) may be printed 1742 on the cards 602 using laser printing, ink jet printing, offset printing, lithography, and/or any printing technology typically used in printing playing cards, tarot cards, and/or cards used in board games, for example. Indicia may also be hand-written 1744 on cards 602. The cards 602 may be sized to match or approximate poker cards, bridge cards, playing cards, business cards, tarot cards, or other sizes.
A game modification deck 600 normally includes a plurality of cards 602. During development of prototypes and products according to the teachings herein, decks ranging in size from 27 cards to 200 cards have been made 1742, but the number of cards in a particular deck 600 may also be outside that range, having either fewer than 27 or more than 200 cards 602. A deck size of 54 cards is convenient for manufacturing 1742 purposes, since it matches the number of cards in a standard deck of playing cards. Numbers such as 18 (54/3), 27 (54/2), 108 (54*2), and 162 (54*3) are accordingly also convenient, but deck 600 sizes are not limited to such numbers.
As to game modification spinners 604, a given collection of equipment 202 may contain one or more spinners 604 of one or more kinds. For instance, spinners may take the visual form of a wheel with pie-shaped components or the form of a reel resembling a slot machine reel. Wheel 606 spinners are generally disk-shaped, with the game modification instructions 800 written on one side of the disk. A conventional roulette wheel is likewise disk-shaped, with its conventional markings appearing on one side of the disk. The spinner used in The Game of Life® (mark of Hasbro, Inc.) is another example of a disk-shaped spinner which has conventional markings appearing on one side of the disk. Wheel 606 spinners differ from these conventional spinners in the functionality of their indicia, and in their applicability to a variety of game categories 1769. Reel 608 spinners are shaped like cylindrical sections, with the game modification instructions 800 written on the annular outside face of the section. Physical slot machine reels are likewise shaped like cylindrical sections, with conventional markings written on the annular outside face of the section. Reel 608 spinners differ from slot machine reels in the functionality of their indicia, and in their applicability to a variety of games, e.g., reels 608 may be functionally combined with physical board game equipment to alter play of a board game. Spinners 604 may be made 1742 of plastic, wood, metal, and/or other materials typically used in manufacturing conventional spinners, for example. Game modification instructions 800 and other indicia may be printed 1742 on the spinners 604 or on stickers adhered to the spinners 604 using laser printing, ink jet printing, offset printing, lithography, and/or other printing technology, for example. Indicia may also be hand-written on spinners 604. The spinners 604 may be sized to match or approximate the size of conventional spinners, or they may have other sizes.
As to standalone game modification software 610, it may be implemented 1742 as an app (i.e., application or widget) for a smartphone, a tablet, a laptop, or a workstation, for example. Functionality of the app 610 includes emulating the game-modification-instruction-providing functionality of a deck 600 or spinner 604. For instance, when a player presses a “draw” button or speaks the word “draw” or another command word, the app 610 displays (visually and/or aurally by speech synthesis or recording) a game modification instruction 800. The same app 610 can be used with different real-world and/or virtual-world games, as taught for example in
As to game-integrated modification software 612, it may be implemented 1742 as a game application for a smartphone, a tablet, a laptop, or a workstation, for example. Functionality of the application 612 includes conventional game functionality modified by emulating the game-modification-instruction-providing functionality of a deck 600 or spinner 604 and then implementing the instructions 800 within the application 612. For instance, assume the application 612 is based on a conventional checkers game. When a player presses a “draw” button or speaks the word “draw” or another command word, the application 612 displays (visually and/or aurally by speech synthesis or recording) a game modification instruction 800, e.g., “take an extra turn”. The application 612 then operates to let the player take two turns (contrary to conventional rules of checkers) before the right to take a turn passes back to a second human player (or back to the computer when one player is playing against the computer). Other game modification instructions are likewise drawn by players and followed by the application 612 during modified play.
Human users 904 may interact with the computer system 902 by using displays 926, keyboards, and other peripherals 906, via typed text, touch, voice, movement, computer vision, gestures, and/or other forms of I/O. A user interface in gameware 920 may support interaction between an example 610/612 and one or more human users 904. A user interface may include a command line interface, a graphical user interface (GUI), natural user interface (NUI), voice command interface, and/or other interface presentations. A user interface may be generated on a local desktop computer, or on a smart phone, for example, or it may be generated from a web server and sent to a client. The user interface may be generated as part of a service and it may be integrated with other services, such as social networking services. A given operating environment 900 includes devices and infrastructure which support these different user interface generation options and uses.
Natural user interface (NUI) operation may use speech recognition, touch and stylus recognition, gesture recognition both on screen and adjacent to the screen, air gestures, head and eye tracking, voice and speech, vision, touch, gestures, and/or machine intelligence, for example. Some examples of NUI technologies include touch sensitive displays, voice and speech recognition, intention and goal understanding, motion gesture detection using depth cameras (such as stereoscopic camera systems, infrared camera systems, RGB camera systems and combinations of these), motion gesture detection using accelerometers/gyroscopes, facial recognition, 3D displays, head, eye, and gaze tracking, immersive augmented reality and virtual reality systems, all of which provide a more natural interface, as well as technologies for sensing brain activity using electric field sensing electrodes (electroencephalograph and related tools).
As another example, a game 920 may be resident on a game server. The game may be purchased from a console and it may be executed in whole or in part on the server, on the console, or both. Multiple users 904 may interact with the game using standard controllers, air gestures, voice, or using a companion device 902 such as a smartphone or a tablet. A given operating environment includes devices and infrastructure which support these different use scenarios.
System administrators, developers, engineers, gamers, consumers, players, and end-users are each a particular type of user 904. Automated agents, scripts, playback software, and the like acting on behalf of one or more people may also be users 904. Storage devices and/or networking devices may be considered peripheral equipment in some examples. Other computer systems may interact in technological ways with the computer system or with another system example using one or more connections to a network via network interface equipment, for example. One of skill will appreciate that the foregoing aspects and other aspects presented herein as to operating environments may also form part of a given example covered in a claim.
The computer system 902 includes at least one logical processor 910. The computer system, like other suitable systems, also includes one or more computer-readable storage media 912. Media may be of different physical types. The media 912 may be volatile memory, non-volatile memory, fixed in place media, removable media, magnetic media, optical media, solid-state media, and/or of other types of physical durable storage media (as opposed to merely a propagated signal). In particular, a configured medium 914 such as a portable (i.e., external) hard drive, CD, DVD, memory stick, or other removable non-volatile memory medium may become functionally a technological part of the computer system 902 when inserted or otherwise installed, making its content accessible for interaction with and use by processor. The removable configured medium 914 is an example of a computer-readable storage medium 912. Some other examples of computer-readable storage media include built-in RAM, ROM, hard disks, and other memory storage devices which are not readily removable by users. For compliance with current United States patent requirements, neither a computer-readable medium nor a computer-readable storage medium nor a computer-readable memory is a signal per se.
The medium 914 is configured with instructions 916 that are executable by a processor 910; “executable” is used in a broad sense herein to include machine code, interpretable code, bytecode, and/or code that runs on a virtual machine, for example. The medium 914 is also configured with data 918 which is created, modified, referenced, and/or otherwise used for technical effect by execution of the instructions 916. The instructions and the data configure the memory or other storage medium in which they reside; when that memory or other computer readable storage medium is a functional part of a given computer system, the instructions and data also configure that computer system. In some examples, a portion of the data 918 is representative of real-world items such as product characteristics, inventories, physical measurements, settings, images, readings, targets, volumes, and so forth. Such data 918 is also transformed by backup, restore, commits, aborts, reformatting, and/or other technical operations.
Medium 912 may include disks (magnetic, optical, or otherwise), RAM, EEPROMS or other ROMs, and/or other configurable memory, including in particular computer-readable media (as opposed to mere propagated signals). The storage medium which is configured may be in particular a removable storage medium 914 such as a CD, DVD, or flash memory. A general-purpose memory, which may be removable or not, and may be volatile or not, can be configured into an example using items such as digital versions of game modification cards 602 and code 916, 918 which injects game modifications into an original game 102, in the form of data and instructions read from a removable medium and/or another source such as a network connection, to form a configured medium. The configured medium is capable of causing a computer system to perform technical process steps as disclosed herein. Examples thus help illustrate configured storage media examples and process examples, as well as system and process examples.
Although an example may be described as being implemented as software instructions 916 executed by one or more processors in a computing device (e.g., general purpose computer, cell phone, or gaming console), such description is not meant to exhaust all possible examples. One of skill will understand that the same or similar functionality can also often be implemented, in whole or in part, directly in hardware logic, to provide the same or similar technical effects. Alternatively, or in addition to software implementation, the technical functionality described herein can be performed, at least in part, by one or more hardware logic components in a system 902. For example, and without excluding other implementations, an example may include hardware logic components such as Field-Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), Application-Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs), Application-Specific Standard Products (ASSPs), System-on-a-Chip components (SOCs), Complex Programmable Logic Devices (CPLDs), and similar components. Components of an example may be grouped into interacting functional modules based on their inputs, outputs, and/or their technical effects, for example.
In some environments, one or more original game applications 612 have code whose behavior is modified according to some or all of the game modification changes and game enhancements described herein. The code and other items may each reside partially or entirely within one or more hardware media, thereby configuring those media for technical effects which go beyond the “normal” (i.e., least common denominator) interactions inherent in all hardware—software cooperative operation. In addition to processors (CPUs, ALUs, FPUs, and/or GPUs) 910, memory/storage media 912, display(s) 926, and battery(ies), an operating environment 900 may also include other hardware, such as buses, power supplies, wired and wireless network interface cards, and accelerators, for instance, whose respective operations are described herein to the extent not already apparent to one of skill. CPUs are central processing units, ALUs are arithmetic and logic units, FPUs are floating point processing units, and GPUs are graphical processing units.
Some examples provide a device 902 with a logical processor 910 and a memory medium 912 configured by circuitry, firmware, and/or software to provide technical effects such as original game modification directed at technical problems such as expanding (a.k.a. enhancing) the original game 102 by adding suspense, strategy opportunities, and other aspects that spice up the original game without obscuring its original nature. Indeed, original games 102 can be revitalized by modifications described herein.
In some examples peripherals 906 such as human user I/O devices (screen, keyboard, mouse, tablet, microphone, speaker, motion sensor, etc.) will be present in operable communication with one or more processors and memory. Software processes may be users. In some examples, the system includes multiple computers connected by a network 908. Networking interface equipment can provide access to networks, using components such as a packet-switched network interface card, a wireless transceiver, or a telephone network interface, for example, which may be present in a given computer system. However, an example may also communicate technical data and/or technical instructions through direct memory access, removable nonvolatile media, or other information storage-retrieval and/or transmission approaches, or an example in a computer system may operate without communicating with other computer systems. Some examples operate in a network 908 “cloud” computing environment and/or a network 908 “cloud” storage environment in which computing services and/or storage are not owned by their user but are instead provided on demand.
An Overview of Some Game Play Processes
Then a loop starts, which continues until the game 102 is over. The player whose turn it is takes 1008 that turn, according to the rules of the game 102 being played. The player uses only the original game equipment 100, at least so far as tokens, boards, cards, dice, tiles, and other non-monetary items are concerned (cash, car keys, player clothing, star cruisers, and other personal belongings staked in a given game are not considered original game equipment). If the game does not end as a result of the player's turn, the turn 1006 advances 1010 to the next player, and play continues. In many games, players (or teams) are seated in a circular, rectangular, or other arrangement around a perimeter, and turns advance 1010 in sequence either clockwise or counterclockwise around the perimeter. If the game ends as a result of the player's turn, the participants acknowledge 1012 the winner or winners of the game, and move on to the next game or other activity.
Some differences from conventional play flow chart 1000 are highlighted in
At the next step of flow chart 1100, the current player pulls 1106 at least one game modification instruction 800. For instance, a player may pull 1106 the top card 602 from a face-down draw pile portion of a game modification deck 600, or the player may pull 1106 by pressing a “draw” button in modware 612 or a mod widget 610, or the player may pull 1106 by spinning a spinner 604. In versions of modified play which include sayings cards 602 or other cards players keep in their hand for later use, a player may also pull 1106 one or more cards 602 from their own hand.
At the next step of flow chart 1100, the player P who just pulled 1106 an instruction 800, and any other players implicated in that instruction 800, proceed by following 1108 the instruction 800. Following 1108 some instructions 800 will give the player P an extra turn 1006, following 1108 some instructions 800 will give 1784 another player a turn instead of P, and following 1108 some instructions 800 will cause player P to lose 1782 a turn. Accordingly, flow chart 1100 indicates that players may take turn(s) in conjunction with following 1108 the game modification instruction pulled by player P.
Players (or an automated game which controls who goes next) check 1702 to see whether the original game has ended, according to the rules of that game 102. For instance, players pieces may have reached a goal, a set of game resources such as tiles or cards to draw may be exhausted, a winning score may have been reached, a specified number of rounds may have been played, and/or some other original game condition may be satisfied that indicates the original game is over.
If the game does not end as a result of following 1108 the game modification instruction pulled by player P, or as a result of any turns taken in conjunction with the instruction, the next turn to pull an instruction goes 1110 to another player, and play continues. Following 1108 some instructions 800 will change who gets the next turn, so in modified play turns do not necessarily advance 1010 in sequence to the next player around a perimeter. For example, the turn order may be reversed, teams might be split apart or merged, and players may change seats.
If the original game 102 ends as a result of a player's turn, or a result of following 1108 a game modification instruction (e.g., Final Round!), then in this example the players 904 follow any remaining game modification instructions to determine the ultimate winner. For instance, a player may nominally win the original game 102, but not be the ultimate winner due to ending up with a You Just Can't Win card 602. Finally, participants acknowledge 1012 the ultimate winner or winners 1704 of the modified game 204, and move on to the next game or other activity.
Additional details and design considerations are provided below. As with the other examples herein, the features described may be used individually and/or in combination, or not at all, in a given example.
An Example Do It™ Card Deck
The phrase “Do It™ Card” refers herein solely for convenience to certain cards 602 (physical and/or digital) used in modifying 1706 original games' functionality 1708 in some examples; it does not limit the teachings or claims to equipment bearing that mark, and the same is true of other marks used herein to conveniently identify some examples. Some Do It™ cards contain instructions for modifying the play of an original game and also identify 1710 time periods (a.k.a. segments) 1712 in which to follow those instructions. For instance, some segments 1712 are named “Do it now”, “Do it Now or Later”, or “Do it Later”. Cards 602 with a “Now or Later” segment 1712 can be followed immediately or placed in a player's personal stock and then followed during a later turn. Cards 602 with a “Later” option are placed in a player's personal stock (a.k.a. hand) to be followed during a later turn unless circumstances intervene, e.g., the cards might be discarded or taken by another player before they can be used.
“Original Games” or “regular games” or “unmodified games” are previously known games 102, such as poker and other card games, checkers and other board games, domino and other tile games, dice games, parlor games, and other familiar games having one or more players and the taking of turns with game items 100 (cards, dice, pieces, tokens, money, etc.) until a conclusion (e.g., win, loss, draw, stalemate, timeout) is reached (i.e., game is over).
Embodiments are not limited to those which use the mark Do It™, are not limited to those whose text exactly matches the text examples given here, are not limited to examples having the specific instructions for modifying 1706 original game play printed on cards as opposed to provided elsewhere, and are not limited to examples which use English to convey the instructions. Game modification instructions may be given in one or more languages. Spiel Modifikation Anweisungen können in einer oder mehreren Sprachen gegeben werden. Instructions de modification de jeu peuvent être données dans une ou plusieurs langues. Instrucciones de modificación de juegos se pueden dar en una o más lenguas.
In some examples, a deck 600 containing Do It™ Cards includes at least one or more of at least some of the following cards 602, whose functionality is denoted here by illustrative text, in which “<when>” denotes a time segment such as “Do it Now”, “Do it Now or Later”, or “Do it Later”:
“Take 2 turns—<when>”, “Skip your turn—<when>”, “Give your turn to any other player—<when>”, “Give your turn to the player on your right—<when>”, “Name 2 players; they must trade seats (but only seats—not game items)—<when>”, “Trade seats with another player; trade only seats, not game items—<when>”, “Trade all game items with another player—<when>”, “Trade 1 game item with another player; you choose each item, but choose the other player's item blindly if its value is hidden—<when>”, “Trade 1 game item with another player; the other player chooses each item, but must choose an item blindly if its value is hidden—<when>”, “Trade 1 game item with another player; each of you chooses which of your items you will trade—<when>”, “Name 2 players; they must each give the other 1 game item that you choose, though you must choose blindly if an item's value is hidden—<when>”, “Name 2 players; they must each give the other 1 game item of their own choosing—<when>”, “Name 2 players; they must trade all game items—<when>”, “Take 1 Do It™ card from the first player to your left who has a card, though you must choose blindly if the card's value is hidden—<when>”, “Take 1 Do It™ card from any other player if you can, though you must choose blindly if the card's value is hidden and you cannot take the “You Just Can't Win” card—<when>”, Null or Charm Sayings cards (see below), “You Just Can't Win—show [1733] this card to everyone Now—whoever has this card at the game's end after the original game is played and all Do It™ cards are played does not win. Period.”, “If anyone has the card ‘You Just Can't Win’ move it to any other player—<when>”, “If anyone has the card ‘You Just Can't Win’ move it to the player to their left—<when>”, “Discard this card and any other Do It™ card of your own—<when>”, “Discard this card and any other Do It™ card of the first player to your left who has a card, though you must choose blindly if the card's value is hidden—<when>”, “Discard this card and any other Do It™ card of any other player you choose, though you must choose the card blindly if the card's value is hidden—<when>”.
Null cards are identifiable 1714 in this example deck as a type of Sayings cards 2034, 602. Saying cards exemplify a category 1716 of game modification instructions, in which two or more cards 602 are collectible 1718 into a player's hand 1720 for later redemption 1722 to obtain an extra turn or another benefit. Some examples of null sayings include “Nothing to see here”, “Zilch”, “Nada”, “One large goose egg”, “Move along”, “Nothing, really”, “You're looking at the Face of the Great Empty! (whoop whoop)”, “Zippo”, “Blank ”, “Just get on with it, please”, “Void”, “Zero”, “It's nothing”, “Nichts”, “Rien”, “Nanimo”, “Wu”, “Nihilum”, “Insignificancy”, “Nix”, “Neecheevoh”, “Diddly squat”, “Zip”. Additional examples are given in text in figures in some of the preceding referenced applications.
Charm (a.k.a. Lucky Charm) cards are another type of Sayings cards 2034, 602; from a gameplay mechanism perspective, Charm cards can operate like the Do It™ Null cards, since they can likewise be redeemed 1722 to give extra turns or permit evasion of Winning Caveat cards 2018 such as You Just Can't Win cards. However, from an artistic perspective, and a copyright perspective, the sayings on null cards different in theme and tone from the sayings on charm cards. Null cards thematically connote nothingness or emptiness, and have a resigned or even sardonic tone. Charm cards thematically connote good luck or good fortune, and have an upbeat or even nurturing tone. Some examples of charm sayings are given elsewhere herein; they include “You're in luck!”, “Better to be born lucky than rich.”, and others.
Some additional examples of Do It™ game modification cards 602 include textual instructions 800 according to the following, with segments 1712 indicated variously as “Do it Now”, “Do it Now or Later (but not after the original game)”, “Do it Later (but not after the original game)”, “Skip your turn in the original game”, and other segments shown herein, and annotated with some instruction category 1716 reference numbers and names shown in curly braces (per the
In some examples, modified play occurs as follows. The original game is set up 1002 as usual. A shuffled stack of Do It™ cards 602 is placed 1773 face down; this is the draw pile 1724. Before a player takes 1008 their turn in the original game, the player draws 1106 one card either from the Do It™ card draw pile or if they wish they can choose a Do It™ card instead from their own stock 1720 of Do It™ cards whose values are hidden from the other players—these will be cards whose segments 1712 are either “Do it Later” or else “Do it Now or Later”. Failure to draw 1106 a Do It™ card from the draw pile or one's own stock (evident when a player skips step 1106 and takes 1008 a turn in the original game instead) is penalized by loss of the original game turn if any other player points out the failure after the player makes a move in the original game. If the player draws 1106 a null Do It™ card, then the player simply proceeds to take 1008 their turn in the original game. Null cards will never be taken from a player's own stock because they do not say “Later” and therefore never enter any player's stock. (In some variations, Charm cards and/or other Sayings 2034 cards—including null cards—are kept in the player's stock 1720 until they are redeemed 1722 by being pulled 1106 from stock 1720 as a group of the necessary size for redemption and then discarded 1726 to a discard pile 1728). If the player draws a non-Null card from the Do It™ card draw pile or chooses instead to play a Do It™ card from their stock, then the instructions on that Do It™ card are followed 1108 (in some variations, the pulled card(s) 602 are the cards that must be played, either by following their instruction 800 or by placing them in the player's stock 1720 for possible later use when later use if permitted by their segment if any and the rest of their instruction). If the card says “Do it Later” then it is placed 1718 in the player's stock and the instructions are postponed. If the card says “Do it Now or Later” then at the player's option it is either played 1108 now or else placed 1718 in the player's stock to be played later if not discarded. Played Do It™ cards go 1726 face up on a discard pile 1728 next to the draw pile 1724. When the draw pile is empty, reshuffle 1102 the discard pile and it becomes the draw pile. If the player still has a turn after any played Do It™ card's instructions are followed 1108, then the player proceeds to take 1008 that turn in the original game. If the instructions give the player two turns, that means two turns of the original game—a second Do It™ card is not drawn 1106 unless explicitly required by the instruction 800 that is being followed.
Play proceeds this way until the original game ends. Then in this example all Do It™ cards left in player's stocks must be played, in turn, with the instructions followed 1108. This may dramatically alter the outcome of the original game. For example, an instruction to exchange 1730 all game items 1732 means exchanging ALL original game items, including for example game pieces wherever they sit, all points and other assets acquired during the game, and all Do It™ cards in the player's possession (including without limitation the “You Just Can't Win” card).
Some Additional Observations from Do It™ Card Examples
Original games 102 include card games, dice games, board games, tile games, guessing games, games that use equipment 100 such as preprinted boards or cards or score sheets or drawing pads or spinners, games primarily or entirely of chance, games primarily or entirely of strategy, solitaire games, two-player games, games of variable number of players, games for children, games for adults, and games for people of various ages, for example. As noted in some Do It™ card 602 examples, original games 102 generally have players 904 taking turns and often have them also using/possessing items during play; the play follows rules 104 defining moves, win criteria, and lose criteria. Examples such as the Do It™ cards 602 provide instructions which modify original game play by reordering, reassigning, relocating, suspending, and/or repeating mechanisms 206. For instance, the normal order of turn-taking can be re-ordered {turn order 2012}, item possession can be re-assigned {possession 2032}, turn-taking can be suspended or repeated {turn count 2010}, and so on. As to relocation, in Do It™ cards directed specifically at board games, an instruction 800 may be to move one's own piece 1 space, or move another player's piece 1 space {possession 2032}, or to move a piece 2, 3, or more spaces. Another form of relocation would be to make visible to all players the hidden value of a game item (a stock Do It™ card or a face-down original game card) or vice versa—hide a visible value {reveal item 2028}.
Some examples described operate primarily or solely as modifications of the play of one original game 102. In some other examples, a secondary game 102 is also added, so that two games 102—each with distinct pieces 100 and/or distinct rules 104 for winning—are played concurrently and one or both of the original and secondary game are subject to instructions 800 found on the played Do It™ cards {yoked games 2004}. That is, one may have both concurrent games and a game bender (e.g., Do It™ card deck) in play.
In a variation, players may agree to remove 1102 “trade seat” cards {seating 2008} from play or to treat them as Null cards, when it is difficult or inconvenient to change 1738 seats 1740 during play. However, even when one retains possession of all one's game items, looking at a game board from another seat 1740 can provide new insights. Trading 1738 seats 1740 also injects social interaction as people's closest neighbors change.
Some Material and Printing Considerations
Do It™ cards 602 may be implemented 1742 as cards on card stock paper, similar in material to familiar tarot or playing cards or cards used in collectible card games. They may be the same size as familiar cards, or smaller, e.g., the size of business cards. They may also be implemented 1742 in digital form through software 610 and/or software 612. Prototype Do It™ cards, Bend A Card™ cards, and Bejinx™ cards have been created 1742 using files similar (reformatted) or identical to those illustrated in the referenced application 61/984,834 or in the expressly enclosed drawing sheets; the text was laser-printed onto 2″×4″ white shipping labels (Avery® 5163), trimmed by hand with scissors, and then adhered to blank play card stock; regular playing cards could also have been used as stock paper. Some subsequent prototypes are laser-printed onto letter-sized card stock with 8 or 10 cards per sheet, using stock such as 62 lb. or 105 lb. cover stock, with one pass per side to provide a repeating Bejinx™ logo pattern on the card backs and graphic designed fronts with text and images, and then cut apart manually from other cards on the sheet and manually cut to have 5 mm rounded corners. Of course, other printing sheet sizes, cutting techniques (e.g., die-cut, machine-cut, perforated pre-cut), color vs. gray-scale vs. black-and-white ink, card sizes, and the like may also be used in making 1742 prototypes and/or commercial embodiments and/or in customizing 1744 individual cards 602 (some decks 600 include blank cards or fill-in-the-blank instruction 800 templates to facilitate customization 1744).
An Example Immediate Play Card Deck
As noted, some game modification examples include a deck 600 of Do It™ cards 602 which are characterized in that they contain instructions 800 for modifying the play 204 of an original game 102 and also offer time periods 1712 in which to follow those instructions, e.g., “Do it now”, “Do it Now or Later”, and/or “Do it Later”. Cards 602 with a “Now or Later” can be followed immediately or placed in a player's personal stock 1720 and then followed during a later turn; cards with a “Later” option placed in a player's personal stock to be followed during a later turn unless circumstances intervene, e.g., they might be discarded. In contrast, some other example decks 600 do not include a “Now or Later” option or a “Later” option, and no cards are placed in a player's personal stock to be played during a later turn. These are referred to herein as “Immediate Play” examples. Some Immediate Play examples include cards; a game modification card deck for one Immediate Play example is illustrated in sheets 15 through 18 of the drawing figures of the application 61/984,834 and other examples are formed by omitting time periods 1712 from instructions so that every period is implicitly “Now”, or by explicitly making every period “Now”. Note that “Deck” (as in “deck 600”) does not require a card deck; as noted elsewhere, game modification instructions for Immediate Play examples may be implemented 1742 using a spinner or other mechanism which effectively acts as the deck. Some Immediate Play examples use a spinner instead of, or in addition to, using a deck of cards to provide the game modification instructions. Any other mechanism 206 for displaying instructions 800 in a sequence (which is prearranged, partially random, or fully random) could also be used for modified play 204, so that the instruction 800 applying to the current player's turn is clear and the next player in turn receives the next instruction 800 in the sequence.
Additional Comments on Interpreting Game Modification Instructions
As to trading 1730 items 1732 between two players, the two items 1732 need not be the same kind of item. For instance, in a modified version of the Monopoly® game (mark of Hasbro, Inc.) one item 1732 could be a property deed 510 and the other could be a $100 bill 508, or one item 1732 could be a Get Out of Jail Free card 516 and the other could be a hotel 514. Note this allows a set of properties to be held by two or more players after the properties have been developed with houses or hotels—rent goes to the owner of the individual property landed on. Or one item could be a $50 bill and the other could be a Do It™ card or other game modification card. However, the top hat, car, and other pieces 506 identified with a specific player are not subject to trade unless the game modification instruction 800 is to trade all game items.
As another example of circumstances in which the modified game can reach circumstances not allowed in the original game, a player of modified Ticket To Ride® (mark of Days of Wonder, Inc.) might have no destination cards 1732 during modified play 204. Actions likely to fail in unmodified play may also succeed in modified play 204. In checkers, for example, when a player receives two turns per a game modification instruction, the player could use the first turn to move next to an opposing player's piece 306 and then use the second turn to leap that piece, thereby capturing it. In unmodified play, the opposing player would have an intervening turn and would likely use it to leap the first player's piece instead of being leaped.
In some variations, the Do It™ cards in players' private stocks 1720 are laid out face up, instead of being kept hidden from the other players. In some, a player can have at most a specific maximum number of Do It™ cards 602 in their private stock at any given time.
In some examples for display on a web browser 926, for use in limited physical spaces, and/or for use by young children, all cards that have Now, Now or Later, or Later options 1712 are instead implicitly or explicitly Now (a.k.a., immediate play instructions 800). On website gameware 920, for example, a user 904 presses a “Draw a Do It™ card” button or simply watches a rotating display (e.g., an animated GIF file) and sees in the browser the next card or spinner instruction 800 in a deck of game modification instructions.
Some examples contain the following kinds of instructions 800: Take 2 turns, Take 3 turns, Take 4 turns, Skip your turn, Give any other player your turn, Give the player on your left (or right) your turn, The Player on your left gets 2 turns {each of these being a turn count 2010 instruction}, Trade all game items, Trade 1 game item (you choose both items/they choose both items/you each choose own item to give/you each choose item to take), Name 2 other players to trade all game items, Name 2 other players to trade 1 game item (you choose both items/they each choose own item to give/they each choose item to take) {each of these being an exchange item 2024 instruction}, Gently restart yourself, Firmly restart yourself, Gently restart another player, Firmly restart another player, Gently restart your item, Firmly restart your item, Gently restart another player's item, Firmly restart another player's item {each of these being a restore item 2030 instruction}. One alternate deck is shown as Bend A Game™ Demo App cards on application 61/984,834 drawing sheets 15 through 18. Instead of a card format, some examples that do not involve player stocks (because they have no Later or Now or Later options) are presented to players as instruction choices made by a spinner.
Gravel Cards/Instructions
Many examples herein are designed to modify a plurality of games 102, e.g., some can modify many if not all card games 102, and some can modify many if not all board games 102. Indeed, some examples can modify not only many different games 102 but also can modify several different kinds 1769 of games, e.g., board games and card games and dice games and tile games (e.g., dominoes, Rummikub® (mark of Micha Hertzano)). Examples described here apply to many different games. They are not limited to modification of a single game, e.g., to modification of billiards, or modification of croquet, or modification of golf, or modification of poker, or modification of twenty-one. A given deck 600 of game modification instructions 800 can be usefully, and enjoyably, applied to modify many different games 102, and to different kinds 1769 of games 102.
Nonetheless, some types of modifications merit comment with regard to some kinds 1769 of games. As to some examples, “Gravel Cards” are Do It™ cards, Bend A Game™ cards, Bejinx™ cards, or other game modification instruction decks or deck portions that are not directly applicable to a particular category of original games, or if applied directly would reveal hidden information whose secrecy the original game relies on for suspense. In some examples, one or more of the following options is used as a mechanism 206 to manage 1746 certain gravel instructions 1748:
1. Gravel cards (cards bearing gravel instructions 1748) go into player's private stock 1720. After the original game ends, in the course of playing the stock(s) of game modification cards, gravel cards count thus: 20 gravel cards will let you discard You Just Can't Win it you own it, 40 gravel cards will let you move You Just Can't Win to the player to your right, and 60 gravel cards will let you move You Just Can't Win to any player. These numbers are subject to adjustment, by players of course and also by authorized vendors of examples.
2. Gravel Cards are treated like Null Cards. They are discarded 1726 immediately after being pulled from a draw pile, and they never go into private stock.
3. Gravel cards are converted to something similar that does apply, e.g., in 2-player original games under modification, “Name 2 other Players” becomes “Name Any 2 Players Including Yourself”, etc.
4. Gravel cards are all treated like a card that is easy to remember and makes sense, e.g., “Take 2 turns”. Alternatively, a more flexible approach is to compose the gravel instruction with such an instruction, allowing (or requiring) players to follow the gravel instruction when possible and having them otherwise follow a universally applicable alternative instruction (e.g., a turn count 2010 instruction).
5. Gravel cards are removed 1102 from the deck before play. More generally, in preparing 1102 the game modification equipment 202 players may add or remove Do It™ cards, Bend A Game™ cards, Bejinx™ cards, or other game modification instruction cards to a deck to customize it as they see fit. Players may also trade cards and/or treat them as collectible items outside any modified game. In some commercial examples, different decks 600 may include different specific cards. For example, one promotional deck contains a Charm card not found in a contemporaneous larger deck that will be available for purchase.
Some specific examples of gravel cards with respect to particular kinds of games are noted below. As to games 102 that have exactly 2 players, e.g., chess, checkers, Battleship® (mark of Hasbro, Inc.), gravel instructions include those implicated by “Name 2 other Players”, “Players take turns this way”. As to games 102 in which all original item values are secret, e.g., Stratego® (mark of Koninklijke Jumbo B.V. Corporation), Battleship®, gravel instructions include those implicated by “Trade all game items”. Alternately, this is not a Gravel Card and each Player's memory will be challenged as they try to remember the values of pieces that used to be theirs. As to games 102 that have exactly 1 player, e.g., solitaire versions of games, gravel instructions include those implicated by “Skip a turn”, “Take 2 turns”, “Give your turn to another Player”, “Trade seats”, “Name 2 other Players”, “Trade all game items”, “Trade 1 game item”, “Take 1 Do It™ card”, “Move “You Just Can't Win” card”, “Players take turns this way”, “Any other Player”, “Restart another”. As to games 102 in which all original game items are permanently assigned to a single Player when original game starts, e.g., by color coding, e.g., Stratego®, chess, checkers, Chinese checkers, gravel instructions include those implicated by trading an original game item, e.g., “Trade 1 game item will mean trade 1 Do It™ card; alternatively, in games 102 such as Othello, where a piece can be traded by flipping it to change its visible color, items may be traded by reassigning their ownership. As to games 102 in which hidden value items are unwieldy to transport when players trade seats, e.g., Scrabble® (mark of Hasbro, Inc.), Rummikub®, “trade seat” instructions could be gravel, or not, depending on the acceptable level of inconvenience versus the perceived novelty and social interaction effect of seat trades. As to games 102 in which the players are the board pieces, e.g., Twister® (mark of Hasbro, Inc.), “Trade all game items” and “Trade seats” can be interpreted as gravel instructions, or as swapping positions; “Trade 1 item” can be interpreted as gravel, or as swapping position of a single hand or a single foot. As to games 102 having multiplayer teams, e.g., Guesstures® (mark of Hasbro, Inc.), one can interpret “Player” to mean team. As to piece-capture games 102, e.g., checkers, chess, “Firmly/gently restart yourself/another” instructions can make these games last much longer—maybe too long, so one may remove 1102 them before play or treat them as nulls or as extra turns.
Some “You Just Can't Win” Card Observations
In some examples only a single You Just Can't Win (YJCW) type {win caveat 2018} card is in the game modification deck 600, while in other examples such as group decks for games with three or more players, more than one YJCW card is in the deck. Some examples include no YJCW type card. In some examples YJCW is designed to serve as an undesirable card that gets passed between teams (a team has one or more players). At least one team must be able to win, however, so YJCW functionality excludes the possibility that every team will possess YJCW at the same time.
Tile-Laying or Pattern-Completion Instruction Cards
In some embodiments, a deck 600 of game modification cards includes cards 602 with image portions which collectively form 1750 an image that is discernibly complete when all of its component cards 602 are laid together in the correct position relative to one another. Pattern completion 1754 is a mechanism category 1716, although it is not included in
Group Games
Group games are games 102 with three or more players. In some examples, game modification decks 600 for group games include certain instructions 800 that are excluded from game modification decks for two-player games. Excluded instructions may be instructions for a team merge {merge/split team 2038}, a turn order change {turn order 2012}, joining the winning team {merge/split team 2038}, action in various categories 1716 involving a team on your left or a team on your right or “any two teams”, actions in various categories 1716 in which a player chooses another team or chooses any team, cloning YJCW {win caveat 2018}, and/or use of more than 1 YJCW per deck {win caveat 2018}, for example.
Some Processes for Generating Game Modification Instructions
With the examples provided herein, and the teachings herein, game modification instructions 800 can be generated 1756 in various ways. Not least of these teachings is the teaching that play of an original game can be modified using instructions such as yoked game instructions 2004 that apply to multiple games; such instructions are examples of “game-agnostic” game modification instructions.
One approach to generating 1756 game modification instructions is to directly apply 1758 existing game-agnostic instructions to the particular game 102 at hand, in the same manner that these game-agnostic instructions are applied to modify other original games 102. For example, game modification instructions 800 giving extra turns or denying a turn {turn count 2010} can be applied in the same way to many different games (other than solitaire games). Likewise, You Just Can't Win {win caveat 2018} and Stop It and Don't Stop Yet {turn limit 2014} game modification instructions 800 can be applied 1758 in the same way to many different games without taking game-specific rules 104 or game-specific items 100 into account.
Another approach is to tailor 1760 game-agnostic instructions to particular game items 100 of the original game 102 in question. For example, tailoring a game-agnostic game modification instruction to give 1734 another player an original game item yields specific mechanism instances 206 in modified Monopoly® play of giving 1734 another player a house 512, giving 1734 another player a property card 510, and giving 1734 another player one's largest bill 508.
Another approach is to adapt 1762 game-agnostic instructions to a particular role 106 of the original game in question, such as the Bank role 106 in Monopoly® play or the Board role 106 in Pandemic™ (mark of Z-Man Games, Inc.) play. Thus, a game-agnostic game modification instruction to give 1734 another player an original game item has specific mechanism instances 206 in modified Monopoly® play of giving 1734 a house 512 back to the Bank, giving 1734 a property card 510 back to the Bank, and giving 1734 one's largest bill 508 back to the Bank. Similarly, in one modified version of Pandemic™ board game play, the Board does not take 1008 turns as a Player but it does own the following Board items 100 as a quasi-player: disease cubes, infection cards, epidemic cards, outbreak counter, and infection rate marker. So a game-agnostic game modification instruction which involves item ownership {give item 2020, take item 2022, exchange item 2024, possession 2032}, reveal/hide {reveal/hide item 2028}, time jump {restore item 2030}, or in/out of play {in/out play 2040} can involve one or more Board items.
Another approach to generating 1756 game modification instructions 800 is to alter 1764 rules 104 that are specific to the original game in question. For example, rules in some games call for players to hold a specific number of items at the end of each turn, e.g., seven letter tiles should normally be in the player's rack in Scrabble® play and six cards should normally be in the player's hand in Mille Bornes® play. Game modification instructions 800 may alter the number of items permitted {hand size 2002}, e.g., allowing a player to have up to nine Scrabble® tiles or only five Mille Bornes® cards at the end of their turn.
Another approach to generating 1756 game modification instructions 800 is to add 1766 the paired complement 1768 of an existing game modification instruction. Some resulting example instructions 800 include both complements 1768 of a pair 1770 while others include only one instruction embodying one of the complements of a complementary pair. Some examples of complementary pairs 1770 include: give/take {2020/2022}, at start/at current {2030}, hidden/visible {2028}, players/bank (roles 106), required/prohibited, clockwise/counterclockwise {2012}, player who pulled 1106 instruction chooses/other player chooses, and maximum/minimum.
Game modification instructions may also suspend 1764 a rule 104. For example, Battleship®, Stratego® and other games have a rule that some or all of a player's items are hidden from the other player. In some versions of modified game play 204, this rule may be suspended, e.g., by instructing a player to reveal one or more hidden items {2028}, or by instructing a player to trade {2024} all game items with another player.
Some Game Modification Instruction Categories and Characteristics
As to game modification instruction categories 1716, additional observations applicable in some embodiments are provided below. Due to the filing of provisional applications along the way during development, expansion, and refinement of the technology described herein, terminology varies herein. However, use of the same reference numeral herein with different terminology links the different terminologies and associated concepts and features together, since they collectively refer to the step or object or attribute designated by the reference numeral they share. For instance, the category designated by reference numeral 2030 is termed both “Restore Item” and “Time Jump” so the discussion of that category 2030 includes the discussion of Restore Item instructions and cards as well as the discussion of Time Jump instructions and cards. Note also that these categories are exemplary, not comprehensive or otherwise intended to contain every game modification instruction 800.
Turn Count 2010 instructions give a player or team one or more extra turns or turn portions in the original game, or cause them to lose part or all of their current turn in the original game.
Item Ownership instructions 2020, 2022, 2024, and/or 2032 change ownership, of one or more game modification cards 602 and/or one or more items 1732 of original game equipment 100. For example, one player or team may be instructed to give 1734 one or more items to another player or team, to take 1736 one or more items from another player or team, or to swap (a.k.a. trade) 1730 one or more items with another player or team. One subset of the Item Ownership instructions includes instructions directed at a special role 106 in the game, e.g., a quasi-player, such as the Bank in Monopoly® play or the Board in Pandemic™ board game play.
Full Swap instructions are a sub-category which relates to the Item Ownership instructions, but include board tokens, scores, and hidden strategic pattern information such as flag placement in Stratego® games and ship placement in Battleship® games; such items representing a player or team are not covered by Item Ownership in some configurations. Full swap instructions swap all game items 1732, including scores, board tokens, in addition to all assets or liabilities such as money, resource cards, promissory notes, etc.
Another category which relates to the Item Ownership instructions is Temporary Possession 2032 instructions. These game modification instructions permit or require one team or player to behave within the duration of a turn 1006 as if it owns an original game item of another team or player, e.g., by discarding or playing that item (after a blind choice of item if all candidate items are hidden), by choosing which original game item the actual owner must play or discard or move, or by moving the other team's token on the board. Some examples include functional text such as: “Take an extra turn for the Player to your right using their items any way they could have used them. Then take your turn.”, “Take an extra turn for any other Player using their items any way they could have used them. But lose your own turn.”.
Reveal/Hide Item 2028 instructions cause a player or team to reveal (or hide) a hidden (or visible) item such as a facedown (face up) card or tile, or a card or tile in the player's hand that is normally hidden from (visible to) the other players in the unmodified original game. Some examples include: “Show 1 hidden item to the Team to your right. You choose which item to reveal. If none of your items are hidden, take 2 turns in the original game instead of one.”, “Show 2 hidden original game items to the Team to your left. You choose which items to reveal. If none of your items are hidden, take 2 turns in the original game instead of one.”
Time Jump 2030 instructions may include a regress/restart instruction which causes one or more items to return to the location and status they had at the beginning of the original game, or to something closely approximating that location and status. Some examples include a complementary instant progress instruction which causes one or more original game items to instantly move from a beginning location and status to something closely approximating the location and status of another original game item.
In/Out of Play 2040 instructions move an original game item between in-play and out-of-play status. Some examples include moving a card or tile between a discard pile and a draw pile or between a discard pile and a player's hand, moving a Pandemic™ board game epidemic card between the player draw pile and the collection of out-of-play items, moving Monopoly® Community Chest or Chance cards between those respective draw piles and a collection of out-of-play items.
Turn Order 2012 items can change the order in which players or teams take turns when three or more players or teams are playing. Some turn order instructions include a circular arrow and text to the effect that the arrow indicates the turn order. Some turn order instructions 800 include two circular arrows (one clockwise, one counterclockwise) and text to the effect that player should cover one arrow and the other arrow—the visible arrow—then indicates the turn order.
Winning Condition or Winning Caveat 2018 instructions (e.g., YJCW, Stumbles) impose or remove a prohibition against winning that overrides the result of the original game 102. YJCW stands for You Just Can't Win, but winning condition instructions can also be signified by other words or phrases or symbols or images or sounds. Some examples include a complementary You Need Me (YNM) instruction card or functionally similar card which must be possessed in order to win, regardless of the original game's outcome. Some include cards for avoiding the effect of a YJCW or Stumbles card, either once or multiple times. Some embodiments include at most one active YJCW card per game, while others permit more than one player to be subject to YJCW at the same time as long as it is clear who would win, e.g., if all players have YJCW then the original game winner is also the final winner and otherwise the highest-scoring or farthest-ahead player without any YJCW is the final winner even if another player did better in the original game but has YJCW.
Some examples of Stumbles cards instructions include: “T
Final Round 2014 instructions impose or remove an ending of play in the original game that is premature under the rules of the unmodified original game. Final round instructions are signaled in some of the examples herein by Stop It! And Don't Stop Now cards, but final round instructions can also be signified by other words or phrases or symbols or images or sounds.
Merge Team 2038 instructions combine players and/or teams in mid-play of the modified original game, or split teams apart in mid-game, or let a player or team that lost in the original game instantly join the winning team during the after-game phase in which only game modification instruction cards are played. Some examples are: “Merge Any Two Teams—or—Lose your turn. You choose: Merge or Lose, & which teams. You cannot merge the final two teams.”, “Merge Right—or—Lose your turn. You must merge with the team on your right, unless that would leave only one team.”, “After the Original Game You join the Winning Team! You instantly join the winning Team, unless you have a ‘Y
Seating 2008 instructions change the position of players and/or teams at a table without changing the ownership of game items. This may have a subtle impact because some games, such as Scrabble® and Ticket To Ride® are somewhat easier to play when they are right-side up in comparison to a player. Changing seats may also change social interaction because people change who they are sitting next to and thus the opportunities for easy and/or quiet conversation (or other actions) are changed.
Item Count 2002 instructions change the number of items a player or team is permitted or required to hold in their hand. Examples of values that may change include the maximum number of Scrabble® tiles or Rummikub® tiles on a player's rack, the minimum number of Mille Borne® cards in a player's hand, the minimum number of Ticket To Ride® destination cards, and the maximum number of crib or player hand cards in cribbage.
Yoked Game 2004 instructions are specific to concurrent play of two or more games 102 which are each paired with game modification equipment 202. One example includes functional language such as “During the original games. Take an extra turn in one game and give another player 3 game items in any other game.” Another example is an instruction which can be used when one of the yoked games is a Monopoly® game: “During yoked Monopoly® games. Move all your houses to another Monopoly® Board. Cash them in if you don't have property for them on the other board.” Other examples include: “You take 2 turns in each board game instead of 1 turn in 1 game.”, “Take an extra turn in 1 board game.”, “LATER IN AN ORIGINAL GAME [1712]: You take 5 turns, divided among the board games any way you choose.”, “STARTING NOW [1712]: Each Bejinx™ card applies once in each of the games (multi-use play).”, “Each Bejinx™ card can be applied to only a single game, unless the card says otherwise (single-use play).”, “Move one piece to a different board. It will be stranded there, or will cost you 1 turn to move back. Or move it on that board if the games allow you to.”, “Move 2 pieces to a different board. They will be abandoned there out of play, or cost you 1 turn each to move back into play.”, “Move another Player's piece to a different board. It will be abandoned there out of play, or else cost that Player 1 turn to move it back.”
As to game modification instruction characteristics, instructions 800 can or must be followed by or include one or more different time segments 1712 which are defined in terms of immediacy (“now”) and/or the original game's end. Some examples of game modification instruction time segments 1712 include: Now, Now or later (i.e., in a subsequent turn to the turn in which the instruction was received by the team or player in question) during the original game, Later during the original game, Later anytime (during or after the original game), Anytime (i.e., now or later during or after the original game), and After the original game. In some examples (including immediate play examples given herein), all game modification instructions are implicitly or explicitly to be followed Now.
Relative and absolute frequencies of instructions 800 in a deck 600 are also game modification instruction characteristics. Frequencies 1774 may be tailored 1772 for particular circumstances such as the number of players, category of original game, or specific original game. For example, in two-player circumstances the frequency of Turn Order 2012 and Merge Team 2038 instructions is generally best kept at zero because those instructions either have no practical effect (Turn Order) or cannot be implemented (merge would result in a single team, which is undesirable in most games; cooperative games against a virtual opponent such as the Pandemic™ board are an exception). As another example, some players may prefer a relatively high frequency 1774 of Final Round 2014 instructions when modifying familiar games that have a reputation for taking a long time to play, such as a Risk® game or a Monopoly® game. Examples of game-specific instructions 800 are given elsewhere herein, such as Monopoly® game-modifying instructions regarding houses, large bills, Community Chest cards, Chance cards, or property cards.
Another characteristic is whether a game modification instruction pertains only to one or two players or teams, or instead pertains to all players and teams. An example is whether two players trade all game items or whether all players trade all game items when everyone gets up and moves one seat to their right. Another example is whether a single player discards an item (game modification instruction card or original game item), or instead all players each discard an item. Another example is whether a player/team receives or takes an item from one other player/team, or instead receives or takes an item from each other player/team.
A Partial List of Compatible Original Games
Original games 102 listed below are currently believed to be among the games that are compatible with card 602 decks 600 and spinner 604 decks, and other game modification examples. Omission does not imply incompatibility. Not all of these games have been play-tested; compatibility may be inferred in some cases from knowledge of a game's rules and equipment and of the teachings herein.
Abalone® (mark of Abalone Corporation); Apples to Apples® (mark of Mattel, Inc.); At least some parlor games, e.g., Twister®, charades, Tiddlywinks; Backgammon; Battleship® (mark of Hasbro, Inc.); Board games generally; Card games generally including without limitation playing card games and deck-building games; Carcasonne® (mark of Hans im Gluck Verlags-GmbH), Cards Against Humanity® (mark of Cards Against Humanity, LLC); Checkers; Chess; Chinese checkers; Cribbage; Dice games generally; Dominion® (mark of Rio Grande Games, Inc.); Dominoes; Go; Guesstures® (mark of Hasbro, Inc.); Hopscotch; Jenga® (mark of Pokonobe Associates); Mancala; Marbles; Mille Bornes® (mark of DuJardin SAS Corporation); Mikado® (mark of Johsho Korea Co. Ltd.); Monopoly® (mark of Hasbro, Inc.); Pente® (mark of Hasbro, Inc.); Pick-up sticks; Risk® (mark of Hasbro, Inc.); Rook® (mark of Hasbro, Inc.); Rummikub® (mark of Micha Hertzano); Scrabble® (mark of Hasbro, Inc.); Settlers of Catan® (mark of Catan GmbH); Sorry® (mark of Hasbro, Inc.); Stratego® (mark of Koninklijke Jumbo B.V. Corporation); Ticket To Ride® (mark of Days of Wonder, Inc.); Tile games generally; Tile-laying games generally; Trivial Pursuit® (mark of Hasbro, Inc.); Twister® (mark of Hasbro, Inc.); UPWORDS® (mark of Hasbro, Inc.); Yahtzee® (mark of Hasbro, Inc.), and any other game 102 specifically identified herein.
Some Game Modification Instruction Syntax Structures
Syntactic structures followed by instructions 800 in some examples can be memorialized in a Backus-Naur Form (BNF), for example; other syntactic formalisms and descriptions 1778 can also be used. An example need not contain every possible terminal expression of the syntactic structure 1778 it follows, although some examples do. BNF and other syntax descriptions help game modification implementers avoid overlooking 1776 possibilities for game modification instructions when building 1742 an instructions card deck or adding 1772 instructions to a game modification spinner, for example. Exploring 1776 an instructions 800 syntax description 1778 may reveal combinations of instruction terminal values that were previously overlooked. The instruction patterns captured in BNF and other syntax descriptions 1778 also help provide players of modified games with a sense of order; the rules 104 of their beloved original games are merely perturbed, they are not destroyed or lost in chaos. Syntax descriptions 1778 herein do not necessarily conform entirely with formal rules for BNF, but are instead merely BNF-based in that they include portions consistent with BNF notation. Those of skill will also understand that many subsets of a given description 1778 also serve as instruction 800 descriptions 1778 in their own right.
In this context, one BNF-based description 1778 for some instructions 800 is the following:
<Bejinks™ equipment set>::=<spinner><instructions>|<cards><instructions><instructions>::=<instructions>|<instructions><instruction>
<instruction>::=<regular instruction>|<special instruction>|<game-specific-instruction><catchall>
<special instruction>::=Clockwise-Turn-Order|Counterclockwise-Turn-Order|You Choose Turn Order|You-Just-Can't-Win|Stop-It|Don't-Stop-Now|Here's-the-Deal|No-Deal
<regular instruction>::=<subject><verb><direct object><indirect object><object chooser><indirect object chooser><when><catchall><version ID>
<subject>::=“You” (*the player whose turn it is to follow an instruction*)|“Everyone”|“Player to your left”|“Player to your right”|“Another Player”|“Any Player”|same but with Team instead of Player
<verb>::=“trade”|“take”|“give”|“restart”|“regress”|“skip”|“discard”|“merge”|“clone”|“show” or “reveal”
<direct object>::=<quantity><specific direct objects>
<quantity>::=“one”|“two”|“up to two”|“three”|“up to three”|“four”|“up to four”|“all”
<specific direct objects>::=“turn”|“original game item”|“Bejinks™ card”|“any game item”|“seats but not game items” or “table position”
<indirect object>::=<subject>|<direct object>| “ ”
<direct object chooser>::=Text stating who chooses the direct object, e.g., “You choose”|“They choose”
<indirect object chooser>::=Text stating who chooses the indirect object, e.g., “You choose”|“They choose”
<when>::=“ ” (* implicit Now *)|→“Now” |→“Now or Later Before Original Game End”|→“Later Before Original Game End”|→“Later Anytime”|→“Now or Later Anytime”|“During the original game”|“After the original game”
<catchall>::=Text as needed to clarify certain instructions, e.g., firm restart vs gentler send back
<version ID>::=Bejinks™ Basic Deck <version number>|Bejinks™ Booster Pack for <original game><version number>
<original game>::=“Backgammon”|“Battleship® (mark of Hasbro, Inc.)|“Blackjack”|“ ”Bridge”|“Checkers”|“Chess”| . . .
<game-specific-instruction>::=<Monopoly®-specific instruction>| . . .
<Monopoly®-specific instruction>::=trade/give/take property|banks takes/puts Chance/Community Chest cards out-of/into play|take Chance/Community Chest card|money transfers|bank halves/doubles your money|bank takes your property(ies)/houses|take/give largest bill
<catchall>::=any of: trade all game items with another player {2024}, change the possession {2020, 2022, 2024, 2006} of a You Just Can't Win or functionally similar winning condition card {2018}, use another card to undo a You Just Can't Win or Stumbles or functionally similar winning condition card {2018}, use another card to clone or avoid a You Just Can't Win or Stumbles or functionally similar winning condition card {2018}, two players trade {2024} a game item with each other, restart a player {2030}, restart a player's item {2030}, regress an item {2030}, change turn order {2012} in mid-game, take an original game item out of play {2040} in a manner not stated in the original game's official rules, return {2030} a player original game item or other player asset to a bank in a manner not stated in the original game's official rules, transfer {2020, 2022, 2024, 1780} an original game item or other player asset between players in a manner not stated in the original game's official rules, reassign {2008} player table positions in a manner not stated in the original game's official rules, merge {2038} players and/or teams in a manner not stated in the original game's official rules, skip {2010} an original game turn in a manner not stated in the original game's official rules, take one or more extra original game turns {2010} in a manner not stated in the original game's official rules, double {2032} an original game cash holding or other player asset in a manner not stated in the original game's official rules, reveal {2028} hidden original game item content to a player in a manner not stated in the original game's official rules, force {2032} a player to cash in an original game item in a manner not stated in the original game's official rules, individual player or entire team merges {2038} with winning team, every player/team moves 1 position right/left but leaves all game items behind for the successor to own {2024}, any other aspect of one or more game modification instructions which is described textually and/or in any figure in the present application or any of its predecessor or successor applications.
In the foregoing, (* and *) are comment delimiters; <special instruction> defines some instruction categories 1716; <when> defines some time segments 1712; <catchall> is annotated for this disclosure to use reference numerals corresponding to the Figures; and deal 1780 is a mechanism category 1716, although it is not included in
Some Booster Pack Observations
Some game modification card examples include a basic deck 600 with zero or more optional booster packs 600. The basic deck is compatible with a wider variety of games 102 than any of the booster packs, whereas the booster packs contain instructions for a particular game or type of game. The booster pack instructions can be game-specific instances of basic deck instructions 800, e.g., a Monopoly® game booster pack may include instructions to give or take a house or a property card, which are instances of basic deck instructions to give or take an original game item. Booster pack instructions may also refer to roles 106 not found in the broader set of games and hence not referenced in basic deck instructions, e.g., not every game has a banker but the Monopoly® game does, so instructions 800 referring to a banker are omitted from a basic deck and included in a booster pack for the Monopoly® game, in some circumstances. Some illustrative instruction 800 text from an example Booster Pack for Monopoly® play is shown below; arrows indicate time segments 1712: “You give 1 property card to any Player you choose. They choose which card. Monopolies can be split. Any houses or hotels stay with the property.”, “You take 1 property card from any Player you choose. You choose which card. Monopolies can be split. Any houses or hotels stay with the property.”, “You give 1 property card to any Player you choose. They choose which card. Monopolies can be split. Any houses or hotels stay with the property.→Now or Later, but before Monopoly® game play ends.”, “You take 2 cards from Community Chest→Now.”, “Player to your right takes 2 cards from Chance.→Now.”, “Player to your right gives you half their money.→Now.”, “The bank takes half your money.→Now.”, “The bank takes back one of your property cards. The Player to your left chooses which card. Monopolies can be split. Any houses or hotels on the property also go back to the bank.”, “The bank takes back up to two of your houses. You choose which houses.”, “The bank takes the top six Chance cards out of play. Or all of them, if less than six were in play.”, “All Community Chest cards taken out of play by the bank are shuffled back in.”, “The bank takes back the largest bill of the Player to your right.”, “You take the largest bill of any Player.”, “You give 1 house to any Player you choose. You choose which house.”, “You take 1 house from any Player you choose. They choose which house.”, “You take up to 3 houses from any Player you choose. You choose which houses.→Later, but before Monopoly® game play ends.”, “H
In another example, a deck 600 tailored for enhancing Monopoly® play can be used either as a booster pack with a basic deck, or as a deck on its own or as a deck without a basic deck but with one or more booster packs that are not tailored to Monopoly®. One such example is described thus:
Bejinx™ for Monopoly® (54 card deck) includes: 1 cover/explanation card—‘These Bejinx™ cards enhance play for any edition of the Monopoly® game. They add fun strategic opportunities, player interactions, and unusual twists to your existing Monopoly® game. All you need is this deck of Bejinx™ for Monopoly® cards and your Monopoly® game. For even more excitement, add more Bejinx™ cards, from a Bejinx™ Basic Deck and/or from Bejinx™ Booster decks. The Bejinx™ game enhancer and its maker Smiling Pines LLC are not endorsed by, sponsored by, or associated with, the owner of Monopoly®, which is Hasbro, Inc., or otherwise affiliated with any Hasbro product or service. Monopoly® is the property of Hasbro, Inc. and all use of the Monopoly® mark by Smiling Pines LLC is merely nominative use which is intended only to convey that Bejinx™ for Monopoly® equipment is compatible with Monopoly® equipment for enhanced play. There's no need to sue us, Hasbro. [save for later: Though if you do, we have whalesurfing skills.] For playing tips, and the rules about houses, hotels, and Monopoly® editions that use cards labeled something other than “Community Chest” and “Chance”, either see the insert that came with these Bejinx™ for Monopoly® cards, or visit us at SmilingPines dot com.’
This deck also includes 1 of each of the following cards (semicolon delimits cards), except where indicated in parentheses: NOW You take 3 turns instead of 1; NOW You take 2 turns instead of 1; NOW Player on your left takes a turn instead of you; NOW Player on your right takes a turn instead of you; (2) <Final Round!>; <Undo Final Round!>; NOW Double your roll for this turn; (2) NOW Triple your roll for this turn; NOW You give 1 property card to any Player, you choose Player and card; NOW You give 1 property card to any Player, you choose Player, they choose card; NOW You take 1 property card from any Player, you choose Player and card; LATER You take 1 property card from any Player, you choose Player, they choose card; LATER You take 2 cards from Community Chest; ANYTIME You take 1 card from Community Chest; LATER You take 2 cards from Chance; ANYTIME You take 1 card from Chance; ANYTIME You choose another Player to take 1 card from Community Chest; ANYTIME You choose another Player to take 1 card from Chance; NOW Player to your right takes 1 card from Community Chest; NOW Player to your right takes 1 card from Chance; LATER Player to your right gives you half their money; NOW You give Player to your left half your money; NOW Bank takes back your largest bill; NOW Bank doubles your money; NOW Bank takes half your money; NOW You move any other Player to Free Parking; NOW You move any other Player to Jail; LATER Bank takes back largest bill of any Player you choose; NOW The bank takes back 1 of your property cards. Player to your left chooses which card.; NOW Move to any property you choose, then buy it. Unable or unwilling? Lose your turn.; LATER Move to any property you choose, then buy it. Unable or unwilling? Lose your turn.; NOW The bank takes back up to 2 of your houses. You choose which houses.; NOW The bank takes back up to 3 of your houses. You choose which houses.; NOW The bank takes back up to 2 of your houses. Player to your left chooses which houses.; NOW The bank takes back up to 3 of your houses. Player to your right chooses which houses.; (2) NOW Each bankrupted player comes back in with startup cash from Bank and 1 property they choose from each other player.; (2) NOW Each bankrupted player comes back in with startup cash from Bank and 1 property from each other player, chosen by that contributing player.; (2) NOW The bank takes the top nine Chance cards out of play. Or all of them, if less than nine were in play.; (2) NOW The bank takes the top nine Community Chest cards out of play. Or all of them, if less than nine were in play.; (2) NOW All cards taken out of play are shuffled back in.; H
An <insert> accompanying the deck states something like this: When a Monopoly® game is paired with a Bejinx™ deck, ownership of monopolies can be split without taking down the buildings on the properties. So a set of properties can be divided two or three players even after the properties have been developed with houses or hotels; after the monopoly is divided, the rent goes to the owner of whichever individual property is landed on. Unless all players agree otherwise up front, development is frozen after a monopoly is split; all properties in the monopoly must again belong to only one player before development can continue. When a property with houses or hotels changes ownership due to a Bejinx™ card instruction, the houses/hotels are first cashed in at their normal value under Monopoly® rules and that cash remains with the player who is giving up ownership. Houses and hotels on properties that are not changing ownership stay in place, and their elevated rents still apply even though the monopoly was split. When you give a property back to the Bank, or when the Bank takes it back, you are not mortgaging the property; you do not receive the mortgage value, and if given the opportunity anyone else can buy the property as usual under normal Monopoly® rules. Some Bejinx™ card instructions refer to Community Chest or Chance, but some Monopoly® editions use other names for those Monopoly® card piles; use alphabetical ordering to match your Monopoly® set to the Bejinx™ card instructions, e.g., in the National Parks edition the piles in alphabetical order are ‘Battlefield’ then ‘Historic Site’; the alphabetic order in a classic edition is ‘Chance’ then ‘Community Chest’. Thus, Battlefield cards correspond to Chance cards and Historic Site cards correspond to Community Chest cards. Similarly, in the Looney Tunes edition, ‘Duck Season’ is alphabetically in front of ‘Rabbit Season’ so Duck Season cards correspond to Chance cards and Rabbit Season cards correspond to Community Chest cards.
Some illustrative instruction 800 text from an example Booster Pack for Scrabble® play follows; time segments 1712 associated with these instructions state “During the Scrabble® game” or “Now”: “Draw 3 tiles instead of 1, then put 2 back”, “You are only allowed 6 tiles at a time. Return any extras; You choose which ones.”, “Draw 4 tiles instead of 1, then put 3 back.”, “You are allowed 8 tiles at a time. Draw any extras now.”, “Double your score for this turn.”, “Remove any word from the Board. Score does not change. Tiles go to the draw pile.”, “Turn 3 draw pile tiles face up. They stay that way after your turn.”, “Remove any 2 words from the Board. Score does not change. Tiles go to the draw pile.”, “Place a word anywhere on the Board. Even if it does not connect with any other word.”
In some examples, the following booster pack is present: Bejinx™ Blanks (18 cards 602), including 1 cover/explanation card—‘use with Bejinx™ Basic Deck, make your own’; 9 cards of form BEJINX™ <space for when><space for instruction> w/ graphic design; 4 cards of form BEJINX™ <ANYTIME CHARM><space for saying><full Charm legend> w/ graphic design; and 4 cards of form BEJINX™ <ANYTIME CHARM><space for saying><Charm legend w/out #s> w/ graphic design.
In some examples, the following booster pack is present: Bejinx™ WhaleSurfer™ (18 cards 602) 1 cover/explanation card—‘more fun with everyone's favorite dude’; 1 BEJINX™ Charm card w/ WhaleSurfer™ image, <blank space for saying><full Charm legend>; 2 BEJINX™ Charm cards w/ a WhaleSurfer™ image depicting a surfer figure riding a whale, “Tossed overboard, you surface on a whale”; BEJINX™ Charm cards w/ WhaleSurfer™ image, “Ahab can't catch you”; 2 BEJINX™ Charm cards w/ WhaleSurfer™ image, “You make a whale of a difference”; 2 BEJINX™ Charm cards w/ WhaleSurfer™ image, “Having a whale of a time!”; 2 BEJINX™ NOW w/ WhaleSurfer™ image, “You take 5 turns instead of 1!”; 2 BEJINX™ NOW w/ WhaleSurfer™ image, “You take any 5 Bejinx™ cards from the discard pile!”; 2 BEJINX™ NOW w/WhaleSurfer™ image, “You take any 5 Bejinx™ cards from the draw pile!”; 2 BEJINX™ NOW w/ WhaleSurfer™ image, “Choose any 1: Take an extra turn|Discard any card|Change the turn order|Triple your score this turn|Take any discarded item”.
In some examples, the following booster pack is present: Bejinx™ Bits of Empty™ (18 cards 602) including 1 cover/explanation card—‘These cards function like Charm cards, but they mention bits of empty instead of lucky things. Why talk about blank stares and other examples of empty? Because most of everything is nothing. So we're celebrating nothing!’; 17 BEJINX™ <ANYTIME EMPTY BITS><saying><Empty bits legend> where <Empty bits legend> is like <full Charm legend> but says “Empty Bits” instead of “Charm”, and <saying> is one of the following: One large goose egg; Schrödinger's cat's mouse; I plead the Fifth; Double diddly squat with no fried turnips; Whatever; Sorry, I got nothing; Nothing to see here; No comment; Zippo; And then there were none; This space intentionally blank; Unknown unknowns; Nada; Ave Nihilum; Stare into the void (you are getting sleepy . . . ); A blank stare; Nothing from nothing.
Some modified games 204 are subject to a “no notes” rule which prohibits players 904 from keeping notes, except in their head. This can be an excellent memory challenge. It can be relaxed or eliminated for younger players.
A Coopetition Example
As noted elsewhere herein, one effect of some deck 600 embodiments is to increase player interaction during play. In particular, some embodiments alter player interaction by increasing cooperation opportunities and/or rewards, by increasing competition opportunities and/or rewards, or both. As a particular example, consider the following deck which may be used alone or as a booster with one or more other decks. The deck's effects are not limited to increasing player interaction.
Bejinx™ Crazed Coopetition Edition (54 cards 602), including (1) cover/explanation card—‘These Bejinx™ cards make any game into one that pits competition against cooperation amidst chaos. Of course you still want to win, but a player you're competing against one turn might join your team on the next turn. Should you push hard and fast to win before circumstances change? Or will you be better off helping other players because their gains could become yours instead? Try both to see what works best! Strategies involve than game-specific strategies now; think about alliances and ways to adapt when team membership and item ownership are in chaotic flux. Game equipment you'll need includes this deck of Bejinx™ cards plus the equipment you already own for any board game, card game, tile game, dice game, or parlor game in which players take turns. For playing tips, see the insert that came with these Bejinx™ Crazed Coopetition Edition cards, or visit us at SmilingPines dot com.’
This example deck also includes the following cards, with # instances indicated in parentheses: (2) NOW Another player takes a turn instead of you. You choose who.; (1) LATER Another player takes a turn instead of you. You choose who.; (1) NOW You give 1 item to any Player, you choose Player and item; (1) NOW You give 1 item to any Player, you choose Player, they choose item; (3) NOW Any two players swap all game items. You choose who.; (2) ANYTIME You swap all game items with another player. You choose who.; (3) NOW Every eliminated player comes back in, with the same value of resources and same board location as the player to your left, and you take an extra turn.; (2) NOW Take a turn for any other Player, as they could, but make no deals. Then take your own turn.; (2) LATER Take a turn for any other Player, as they could, but make no deals. Then take your own turn.; (2) ANYTIME Take a turn for any other Player, as they could, but make no deals. Then take your own turn.; (2) ANYTIME Discard all Bejinx™ cards of all players.; (5) Jinx! cards [they either reflect an action or simply cancel it—Jinx! asserter chooses which]; (2) NOW Merge into the Team on your right, unless that leaves only 1 team. Skip your turn.; (2) NOW Merge into the Team on your left, unless that leaves only 1 team. Skip your turn.; (3) ANYTIME Change the team membership of 1 other player. You choose who.; (2) LATER First player to your left on a multiplayer Team splits from that Team.; (2) LATER First player to your right on a multiplayer Team splits from that Team.; (2) NOW Restore any item of another player to how it was when the game began. Don't displace any other item.; (2) LATER Restore any item of another player to how it was when the game began. Don't displace any other item.; (6) All Bejinx™ cards rotate one player to the left.; (2) All Bejinx™ cards rotate one player to the right.; (1) ANYTIME Take 3 items from any player, or take an extra turn instead.; (2) LATER Take 2 items from any player, or take an extra turn instead.; (1) ANYTIME Another player must reveal 4 hidden items to you, or you take an extra turn instead.
A Multigaming Example
As noted elsewhere herein, one effect of some deck 600 embodiments is to increase play complexity. In particular, some embodiments increase complexity by yoking together two or more games. As a particular example, consider the following deck which may be used alone or as a booster with one or more other decks. The deck's effects are not limited to increasing complexity.
Bejinx™ for Multigamers (54 cards 602), including (1) cover/explanation card—‘Take gaming to a new level by melding your favorite games into a multigame with Bejinx™ Multigaming cards. Play two or more games at once! Try Ticket to Ride® plus Dominion®, or King of Tokyo® plus checkers plus chess, or Pandemic™ plus Risk® (each marks of their respective owners), or any of the millions of other possible game combinations. You'll make strategic decisions within each game, of course, but you must also decide at each turn which game will bear costs such as lost items or receive benefits such as extra turns. Each underlying game becomes a game piece in the multigame. Bejinx™ for Multigamers cards work with the game equipment you already own for any two or more board games, card games, tile games, dice games, and/or parlor games. For playing tips, see the insert that came with these Bejinx™ for Multigamers cards, or visit us at SmilingPines dot com.’
This deck also includes the following cards, with # instances indicated in parentheses: (1) NOW Take 2 extra turns in one game, and give another player 3 items in another game. Unable? Lose your turn.; (1) NOW Take 2 extra turns in one game, and give another player 2 items in another game. Unable? Lose your turn.; (1) NOW Take an extra turn in one game, and give another player 3 items in another game. Unable? Lose your turn.; (1) NOW Take an extra turn in one game, and give another player 2 items in another game. Unable? Lose your turn.; (1) NOW Take an extra turn in one game, and give another player 1 item in another game. Unable? Lose your turn.; (1) ANYTIME Take an extra turn in one game, and give another player 1 item in another game. Unable? Lose your turn.; (1) ANYTIME Take 5 turns, divided among the games any way you choose.; (1) ANYTIME Take 4 turns, divided among the games any way you choose.; (1) ANYTIME Take 3 turns, divided among the games any way you choose.; (1) LATER Take 5 turns, divided among the games any way you choose.; (1) LATER Take 4 turns, divided among the games any way you choose.; (1) LATER Take 3 turns, divided among the games any way you choose.; (1) NOW Take 5 turns, divided among the games any way you choose.; (1) NOW Take 4 turns, divided among the games any way you choose.; (1) NOW Take 3 turns, divided among the games any way you choose.; (3) STARTING NOW Each Bejinx™ card applies once in each of the games (multi-use play).; (2) STARTING NOW Each Bejinx™ card can be applied to only a single game, unless the card says otherwise (single-use play).; (1) NOW If playing multiple instances of a game, move up to 2 items between instances.; (1) NOW If playing multiple instances of a game, move up to 3 items between instances.; (1) NOW If playing multiple instances of a game, move up to 4 items between instances.; (1) LATER If playing multiple instances of a game, move up to 2 items between instances.; (1) LATER If playing multiple instances of a game, move up to 3 items between instances.; (1) LATER If playing multiple instances of a game, move up to 4 items between instances.; (1) NOW Move one piece to a different game. It will be stranded there, or will cost you 1 turn to move back. Or move it later in that game if its rules permit.; (1) NOW Move 2 pieces to a different game. They will be abandoned there out of play, or cost you 1 turn each to move back into play.; (1) LATER Move another Player's piece to a different game. It will be abandoned there out of play, or else cost that Player 1 turn to move it back into play.; (1) NOW You take 2 turns in each game instead of 1 turn in 1 game.; (1) LATER You take 2 turns in each game instead of 1 turn in 1 game.; (1) ANYTIME You take 2 turns in each game instead of 1 turn in 1 game.; (2) NOW Roll dice twice or pull two cards, keep only the roll or pull you like best.; (2) LATER Roll dice twice or pull two cards, keep only the roll or pull you like best.; (2) ANYTIME Roll dice twice or pull two cards, keep only the roll or pull you like best.; (2) NOW Give 1 of your items to another each player in each game.; (2) LATER Take 1 item from each player in each game; they choose the item.; (4) ANYTIME Take 1 item from each player in each game; they choose the item.; (2) NOW Swap all game items with another player in one game.; (3) NOW Double your score for this turn in one game.; (2) NOW Choose another player and a game; they take your turn in that game any way you could have (this might make you lose).
Some Technical Results
Some aspects of game modification instructions 800 add or increase chance as a game characteristic or game play element, which has a technical result of moving a modified game toward the Luck end of a Strategy vs. Luck spectrum, relative to the original unmodified game. An extreme example of this effect is the result of Swap All Game Items, an instruction 800 which transfers possession and control of one person or team's strategic results and opportunities to a different player or team. In Dominion® play, for example, the Dominion® card deck built thus far according to one's strategy is transferred to a different player, in exchange for a different Dominion® card deck built using a different strategy. This is extremely challenging and/or frustrating, depending on the situation and the player expectations and temperaments. Less extreme examples include chance introduced by missed turn {2010}, extra turn {2010}, turn score multipliers {2016}, and other instructions 800. Some game modification instructions have little or no impact on a game's position in the Strategy vs. Luck spectrum, such as instructions {2008} to switch seats while keeping all items.
Some game modification instructions introduce strategic possibilities not found in the original unmodified game 102. Turn Order {2012} changes can provide a one-time small impact. Trading {2024} game items or revealing {2028} them can pose strategic choices, such as which items to trade or reveal and with whom that occurs. The known possibility of a merge {2038} or an all-item-swap {2024} may change strategic considerations, e.g., players face a choice between making rapid but risky movement toward a quick win in the hope the merge or all-swap does not happen soon, versus a more cooperative safer-in-the-longer-term approach. YJCW {2018}, stumbles {2018}, restart/regress {2030} other player's items, temporary possession {2032}, and other instructions may generate good will or create a drive toward revenge, depending on how they are used. Null cards and Charm cards require a decision about whether to stop with 3 or try to collect more in order to take 2 extra turns or even discard a YJCW/Stumbles card, bearing in mind the possibility of all-swap, forced discard {2006}, and the like. Strategic decisions also bear on when to play Later or Anytime cards. Drawing extra items {2002, 2026} involves strategic decisions about which items to then discard.
Some aspects of game modification instructions 800 add or increase novelty as a game characteristic or game play element, which has a technical result of moving a modified game toward the Unexplored end of a player-specific Familiar-to-me vs. Unexplored spectrum, relative to the original unmodified game. As a technical result, familiar games are revitalized, and for some people playing them in modified form is funner and more interesting than in the original form. Examples include most if not all game modification instructions, particularly those that inject 1706 a card draw mechanism 206 into games 102 previously lacking them, such as checkers, chess, Chinese checkers, Jenga®, Scrabble®, Stratego®, Twister®, and many other games. Novelty is added even to games 102 that already have a card draw mechanism, because rules 104 of the game are modified. Not only are existing mechanisms such as turn-taking altered in number and/or order, but other mechanisms 206 may be added, such as Winning Conditions {2018}, changing seats {2008}, merge teams {2038}, temporary possession {2032}, draw more than usual and discard some {2026, 2006}, and restart/regress {2030}.
Some aspects of game modification instructions 800 add or increase player interaction as a game characteristic or game play element, which has a technical result of moving a modified game toward the Socially Interactive end of a Siloed vs. Socially Interactive spectrum, relative to the original unmodified game 102. For example, with the exception of limited examples such as Militia and Curses cards, the deck-building game Dominion® is largely siloed, so much so that a player can often know exactly what Dominion® cards they will play and in what order well before the previous player has taken a turn. Game modification instructions 800 such as giving {2020}, taking {2022}, or trading {2024} game items (even short of swapping all items), or changing seats {2008}, introduce social interactions that are not present in the original Dominion® game.
Most aspects of game modification instructions 800 add time to game play duration, because game modification instructions take time to obtain, understand, and perform, on top of the original game's turns 1006. But some game modification instructions 800 can reduce play duration, e.g., skipping 1782 turns or adding 1786 turns that let a player advance more quickly than otherwise possible. In checkers, for example, having an extra turn allows a player to move into jeopardy and then back out—capturing an opponent's piece along the way—in a manner not available in unmodified checkers. Also, Final Round {2014} instructions can dramatically shorten game play.
The technical impact of some game modification instructions 800 varies according to the characteristics of the underlying original game 102, namely, the game 102 that game modification equipment 202 is being paired with in a given situation. For example, reveal hidden items {2028} has little or no impact on the strategic play of Dominion® because players can usually reveal cards such as coppers that the other players already knew were in the revealing player's deck. But in playing card games, Scrabble®, Rummikub®, Stratego®, Battleship®, and other games, revealing 1788 a hidden 1790 item can significantly impact a score or even an ultimate outcome. In yet other games, where there are no hidden items (chess, checkers, Go, etc.) the revealing of hidden items is replaced, e.g., in composite instructions 800, by changes in the number of turns.
Some aspects of game modification instructions 800 add or increase turn complexity, since each turn now begins by pulling 1106 a game modification instruction card or spinner result. For games like Dominion® (mark of Rio Grande Games, Inc.) or Pandemic™ (mark of Z-Man Games, Inc.) which already have multi-part turns, the additional turn complexity may either be embraced or be frustrating, depending on the player's temperament and familiarity with the underlying original game.
Composite Instructions
Many examples of composite instructions 800 are provided in the referenced applications and elsewhere herein. Some of these include the following: “Swap 2 Bejinx™ cards—or—take 1 extra turn instead. If you choose the cards and Teams, the Teams must swap those cards.”, “You take 1 Bejinx™ card from any Team—or—Lose your turn. You choose the card.”, “You discard 1 Bejinx™ card of any other Team—or—Lose your turn. You choose the card. Lose your turn if no one has any Bejinx™ cards.”, “Triple your score for this turn, or draw 4 items instead of 1. Discard as required by hand size requirements.”, “Take the last 3 game items discarded by any Player, including yourself. Unable or unwilling? Then lose your turn.”, “Reveal 2 hidden items to ANY other Player. Unable or unwilling? Then lose your turn.”, “Choose a Player and 2 hidden items they must reveal to you. If the chosen Player has only zero or one hidden items, you get an extra turn instead.”, “Reveal 2 hidden items to ALL the other Players. Unable or unwilling? Then lose your turn.”, “Double your score for this turn. If turns are not scored, take an extra turn instead.”, “Take 3 trade items from another Player, or take an extra turn. Trade items are money, cards or tiles drawn or bought, and other items not bound to one player for the entire game.”, “Take all of the Bejinx™ cards of any other Player, or lose your turn if no one else has Bejinx™ cards.”, “Draw up to 3 items, then discard 2 items. If no items can be drawn or 2 items cannot be discarded, then take an extra turn instead.”
Some Additional Observations About Deck Construction
When constructing 1772 decks, one approach is to categorize game modification instructions according to the extent of their potential impact on game play, and then include a smaller or greater number of cards/instructions from one category relative to another category, according to the impact desired. Impact may be on the Strategy vs. Luck spectrum, for example, and/or one of the other spectra. For example, one embodiment uses low-impact, medium-impact, and high-impact as categories, with cards (or their instructions) considered low-impact if they alter only 1 or 2 turns, e.g., cards to lose 1782 a turn, take 1786 an extra turn, trade 1738 seats, alter 1792 turn order 1794, or double 1796 one's score 1798 for this turn. Cards may be considered medium-impact if following their instruction will often have impact beyond one or two turns, e.g., cards to swap 1730 items, draw 1701 extra items, reveal 1788 hidden items, move an item in 1703 or out 1705 of play, take 3 turns instead of 1 turn 1786, give 1734 or take 1736 items. High-impact cards often alter game outcome, e.g., temporary possession {2032} cards allowing one player to temporarily possess 1723 another player's items, time travel {2030} cards to return/regress/restore 1707 an item, YJCW {2018} and other cards that change 1709 a winning condition 1711, merging 1713 or splitting 1715 teams 1717, two or more players swap all game items (including scores) {2024}, and final round {2014} cards that change 1719 which round of turns is the final round 1721. Sayings cards {2034} may be considered low-to-medium impact, or split between categories according to how prevalent they are in the deck.
In this context, one introductory deck 600 includes low-impact cards, may include a “few” medium-impact cards (e.g., “few” meaning less than 10% of the deck for non-sayings medium-impact cards), and includes no high-impact cards, in a deck of 40 to 60 cards total. This deck would be suitable for younger players, e.g., children 6 to 10 years old. A larger deck for families and/or players averse to game-outcome-changing luck cards includes all cards other than time travel, swap all items, team merge, and temporary possession cards, with 80 to 130 cards overall.
A Large Deck Example
One large deck includes all 200 cards shown in the spreadsheet figures of prior application docket no. 1384.2.71F, including time travel, swap all items, team merge, and temporary possession cards. Text of some instructions 800 derived from the spreadsheet figures is reproduced below for convenience, with category 1716 titles in angle brackets, time segments 1712 in all caps, and inventory management SKUs omitted, and some wording variations included:
<Turn Count>{2010} “ANYTIME You take 3 turns instead of 1.”, “LATER You take 3 turns instead of 1.”, “NOW You take 3 turns instead of 1.”, “ANYTIME You take 2 turns instead of 1.”, “You take 2 turns instead of 1.”, “NOW You take 2 turns instead of 1.”, “NOW You skip your turn.”, “NOW Another Player takes a turn instead of you. You choose who.”, “NOW Player on your left takes a turn instead of you.”, “NOW Player on your right takes a turn instead of you.”
<Turn Order>{2012} “NOW Choose a turn order.”
<Turn Limit>{2014} “Undo Final Round! ANYTIME AT ALL Continue the game after Final Round! is played. Can be played out of turn, or not at all to let the game end.”, “Final Round! NOW Unless someone undoes it, this is the final round. Each Player will get only 1 more turn. Undo by Undo Final Round! or by discarding.”, “Final Round! NOW Unless someone undoes it, each Player gets only 1 more turn. Other Players can undo this by playing an ‘Undo FinalRound!’ card or a Bejinx™ discard card.”, “Final Round! ANYTIME Unless someone undoes it, this is the final round. Each Player will get only 1 more turn. Undo by Undo Final Round! or by discarding.”, “Final Round! ANYTIME Unless someone undoes it, each Player gets only 1 more turn. Other Players can undo this by playing an ‘Undo FinalRound!’ card or a Bejinx™ discard card.”
<Turn Score>{2016} “ANYTIME Triple your score for this turn. Or you take an extra turn instead.”, “LATER Triple your score for this turn. Or you take an extra turn instead.”, “NOW Triple your score for this turn. Or you take an extra turn instead.”, “ANYTIME Double your score for this turn. Or you take an extra turn instead.”, “LATER Double your score for this turn. Or you take an extra turn instead. State your choice before taking your turn.”, “NOW Double your score for this turn. Or you take an extra turn instead.”
<Win Caveat>{2018} “You Just Can't Win NOW Lay this card in front of you. Anyone with this card cannot be the final winner even if they win the original game. Discard any other You Just Can't Win cards.”, “NOW Take any visible You Just Can't Win card. Then take an extra turn.”, “You Can Win ANYTIME AT ALL Discard all You Just Can't Win cards directed at you. Can be played out of turn.”
<Give Item>{2020} “NOW Give another Player 3 of your items. Don't give any Bejinx™ cards. Unable or unwilling? Then lose your turn.”, “NOW Give another Player 2 of your items. Don't give any Bejinx™ cards. Unable or unwilling? Then lose your turn.”, “NOW Give the Player on your left 2 of your items. Don't give any Bejinx™ cards. Unable or unwilling? Then lose your turn.”, “NOW Give the Player on your right 2 of your items. Don't give any Bejinx™ cards Unable or unwilling? Then lose your turn.”, “NOW Give another Player 1 of your items. Don't give any Bejinx™ cards. Unable or unwilling? Then lose your turn.”, “NOW Give the Player on your left 1 of your items. Don't give any Bejinx™ cards. Unable or unwilling? Then lose your turn.”, “NOW Give the Player on your right 1 of your items. Don't give any Bejinx™ cards. Unable or unwilling? Then lose your turn.”, “NOW Give another Player all your other Bejinx™ cards. Discard this card. Lose your turn if you have none to give.”
<Take Item>{2022} “NOW Take 3 items from another Player. Or you take an extra turn instead.”, “ANYTIME Take 2 items from another Player. Or you take an extra turn instead.”, “LATER Take 2 items from another Player. Or you take an extra turn instead.”, “NOW Take 2 items from another Player. Or you take an extra turn instead.”, “ANYTIME Take 1 item from another Player. Or you take an extra turn instead.”, “LATER Take 1 item from another Player. Or you take an extra turn instead.”, “NOW Take 1 item from another Player. Or you take an extra turn instead.”, “NOW Take 2 items discarded during the previous turn. Don't take a Bejinx™ card. Unable or unwilling? Then lose your turn.”, “NOW Take 2 items discarded during the previous turn. Don't take any Bejinx™ cards. Unable or unwilling? Then lose your turn.”, “LATER Take 1 item discarded during the previous turn. Don't take a Bejinx™ card. Unable or unwilling? Then lose your turn.”, “NOW Take all the Bejinx™ cards of Player to your left. Lose your turn if they have none.”, “NOW Take all the Bejinx™ cards of all other Players. Lose your turn if they have none.”
<Exchange Item>{2024} “NOW 2 Players must swap all items. You choose who, but lose your turn. The Players either move items or trade seats.”, “ANYTIME Swap 1 item for 1 item of another Player. Choose items that are not this card. Or you take an extra turn instead.”, “LATER Swap 1 item for 1 item of another Player. Choose items that are not this card. Or you take an extra turn instead.”, “Swap 1 item for 1 item of another Player. Choose items that are not this card. Or you take an extra turn instead.”, “ANYTIME Swap 1 item for 2 items of another Player. Choose items that are not this card. Or you take an extra turn instead.”, “LATER Swap 1 item for 2 items of another Player. Choose items that are not this card. Or you take an extra turn instead.”, “NOW Swap 1 item for 2 items of another Player. Choose items that are not this card. Or you take an extra turn instead.”, “ANYTIME Swap 2 items for 1 item of another Player. Choose items that are not this card. Or you take an extra turn instead.”, “LATER Swap 2 items for 1 item of another Player. Choose items that are not this card. Or you take an extra turn instead.”, “NOW Swap 2 items for 1 item of another Player. Choose items that are not this card. Or you take an extra turn instead.”, “Avoid One Swap ANYTIME AT ALL Discard 1 swap card directed at you. Can be played out of turn.”, “Swat One Swap! ANYTIME AT ALL Can be played anytime a swap card is directed at you. Then discard this card.”, “No Swaps Ever ANYTIME AT ALL Item swap cards do not apply to you. Discard swap cards that target you. Can be played out of turn.”, “No Swaps Here! ANYTIME AT ALL Lay this card in front of you. Item swap cards will not apply to you while you have this card.”
<Draw Item>{2026} “ANYTIME Draw up to 3 items, then discard any 1 item. Don't draw any Bejinx™ cards. Or you take an extra turn instead.”, “LATER Draw up to 3 items, then discard any 1 item. Don't draw any Bejinx™ cards. Or you take an extra turn instead.”, “NOW Draw up to 3 items, then discard any 1 item. Don't draw any Bejinx™ cards. Or you take an extra turn instead.”, “ANYTIME Draw up to 4 items, then discard any 2 items. Don't draw or discard any Bejinx™ cards. Or you take an extra turn instead.”, “LATER Draw up to 4 items, then discard any 2 items. Don't draw or discard any Bejinx™ cards. Or you take an extra turn instead.”, “NOW Draw up to 4 items, then discard any 2 items. Don't draw or discard any Bejinx™ cards. Or you take an extra turn instead.”, “ANYTIME Draw up to 3 items, then discard any 2 items. Don't draw or discard any Bejinx™ cards. Or you take an extra turn instead.”, “LATER Draw up to 3 items, then discard any 2 items. Don't draw or discard any Bejinx™ cards. Or you take an extra turn instead.”, “NOW Draw up to 3 items, then discard any 2 items. Don't draw or discard any Bejinx™ cards. Or you take an extra turn instead.”, “ANYTIME Draw up to 5 items, then discard any 3 items. Don't draw any Bejinx™ cards. Or you take an extra turn instead.”, “LATER Draw up to 5 items, then discard any 3 items. Don't draw any Bejinx™ cards. Or you take an extra turn instead.”, “NOW Draw up to 5 items, then discard any 3 items. Don't draw any Bejinx™ cards. Or you take an extra turn instead.”, “ANYTIME Draw up to 3 items, then discard any 1 item. Or you take an extra turn instead.”, “LATER Draw up to 3 items, then discard any 1 item. Or you take an extra turn instead.”, “NOW Draw up to 3 items, then discard any 1 item. Or you take an extra turn instead.”
<Reveal Item>{2028} “NOW Reveal 2 hidden items to another Player. Or lose your turn instead.”, “NOW Reveal 3 hidden items to another Player. Or lose your turn instead.”, “NOW Reveal 2 hidden items to the Player on your left. Or lose your turn instead.”, “NOW Reveal 3 hidden items to the Player on your left. Or lose your turn instead.”, “NOW Reveal 2 hidden items to the Player on your right. Or lose your turn instead.”, “NOW Reveal 3 hidden items to the Player on your right. Or lose your turn instead.”, “ANYTIME Another Player must reveal 2 hidden items to you. You choose the Player and items. Or you take an extra turn instead.”, “LATER Another Player must reveal 2 hidden items to you. You choose the Player and items. Or you take an extra turn instead.”, “NOW Another Player must reveal 2 hidden items to you. You choose the Player and items. Or you take an extra turn instead.”
<Restore Item>{2030} “NOW Restore 1 item of anyone to how it began the game. Don't displace any other item. If you can't restore an item, lose your turn.”, “NOW Return 1 item of anyone to how it was when the game began. Don't displace any other item. If you can't return an item, lose your turn.”, “NOW Restore 1 of your items to how it began the game. Don't displace any other item. If you can't restore an item, lose your turn.”, “NOW Return 1 item of your own to how it was when the game began. Don't displace any other item. If you can't return an item, lose your turn.”
<Possession>{2032} “LATER Draw a Bejinx™ card for another Player, and take a turn for them. [‘turn’ means original game turn unless otherwise stated] View and play their items as they can. Then take your own turn.”, “NOW Draw a Bejinx™ card for another Player, and take a turn for them. View and play their items as they can. Then take your own turn.”
<Sayings>{2034} Each of these instructions in this example has the form <“ANYTIME CHARM”><saying><“Play Lucky Charm Cards: 3 Charms Cards=1 extra turn, 5 Charms Cards=2 extra turns, 6 Charms Cards=Discard ANY Bejinx™ card”>, so only the saying portions are listed here: “You're in luck!”, “The sun shines warm on your face.”, “You don't need three wishes to thrive.”, “For you, bad luck does not come in threes; it doesn't come at all.”, “Better to be born lucky than rich.”, “Green grass and blue skies forever”, “Lady Luck smiles on you.”, “The wind is always at your back.”, “Lucky Penny!”, “You are so lucky you plant pebbles and harvest potatoes.”, “Tossed overboard, you surface on a whale.”, “Thrown to lions, you smile and they purr.”, “With you aboard, Titanic sinks the iceberg.”, “Live long and prosper!”, “The house won't bet against you!”, “Warm words on a cold evening.”, “You are so lucky rice dumplings fly into your mouth.”, “Your luck is sweeter than candy.”, “Your luck is stronger than steel.”, “Your luck is faster than light.”, “You're an odd 1, but there's luck in odd numbers.”, “Here's a little bit of luck!”, “We're the luckiest people in the world.”, “Puppies and butterflies!”, “For you, the mirror does not break.”, “Fortune favors you.”, “For you, the axe does not fall.”, “Black cats turn calico for you.”, “Milk uncurdles for you.”, “Fortune aids you in love.”, “Fire will not burn you.”, “Lightning will not strike you.”, “You win the wishbone!”, “Your calendar skips Friday the 13th.”, “For you, the umbrella won't open indoors.”, “Wood knocks on itself for you.”, “The bells ring joyously for you!”, “Lucky and plucky and happy all day!”, “Speak freely: Fate is not tempted.”, “Mirrors have no power over you.”, “The Jynx torquilla bird cannot jinx you.”, “Jealousy melts at your glance.”, “Sunrise is sweet, and your days even sweeter.”
<Discard Item>{2006} “NOW Discard all your Bejinx™ cards.”, “LATER Discard all your Bejinx™ cards.”, “NOW Discard 3 items plus this card. Discarded items go to a draw pile. Lose your turn if you can't do it.”, “NOW Discard 2 items plus this card. Discarded items go to a draw pile. Lose your turn if you can't do it.”, “NOW Discard all the Bejinx™ cards of all other Players. Lose your turn if they have none.”
<In Play>{2040} “NOW Move 1 of your items out of play. It's not discarded or captured or hit. It's out of the game for now.”, “LATER Move 1 of your items out of play. It's not discarded or captured or hit. It's out of the game for now.”, “NOW Move 1 out-of-play item back into play. Or lose your turn instead.”
<Seating>{2008} “ANYTIME 2 other Players must trade seats. Or you take an extra turn instead. They will each keep all their own items.”, “NOW 2 other Players must trade seats. Or you take an extra turn instead. They will each keep all their own items.”, “ANYTIME Another Player must trade seats with you. Or you take an extra turn instead. You will each keep all your own items.”, “NOW Another Player must trade seats with you. Or you take an extra turn instead. You will each keep all your own items.”
<Merge>{2038} “NOW Merge into the Team on your right. Unless that would leave only 1 Team. Unable or unwilling? Then lose your turn.”, “NOW Merge into the Team on your left. Unless that would leave only 1 Team. Unable or unwilling? Then lose your turn.”
<Jinx>{2036} “ANYTIME AT ALL Jinx! Play this card like a mirror, then discard it. Jinx! reflects any original game action or Bejinx™ action back at the action's originator. Play Jinx! anytime, to protect yourself or another player. One Jinx! against another Jinx! will cancel each other.”
<Administrative Product>“Bejinx™ The Game Changer™ J. Ogilvie, Patent Pending. © 2014 Smiling Pines LLC. All Rights Reserved. Rules: Bejinx™ enhances familiar games. Draw a Bejinx™ card or play from your hand before each turn in the original game, or lose that turn. Follow the card instructions Now, on a Later turn, or Anytime, even after the original game ends, to determine the final winner. Check the Bejinx™ Guide for more info.”
<blank> this is a blank or fill-in-the blank card for people to customize a deck with their own rules.
Some Observations on how Many Decks are Taught
In operation, a game modification deck modifies rules of at least one pre-existing game, thus changing how the game is played. The cards or spinner of a game modification deck are equipment which supplement the equipment of the game that is being modified. An extremely large number of different decks can be made according to the teachings herein. For instance, if we consider only decks of 40 cards, and consider only 100 of the different cards taught herein, the number of possible decks exceeds 1.37×1028. For inventory management purposes, cards 602 may be considered different from one another if they differ in card type (merge, turn order, etc.), in a specified quantity (give 1 item vs. give 2 items, draw 4 and discard 2 vs. draw 4 and discard 3, etc.), in the actor (take from another player vs. take from player to your left, etc.), and/or in the action time frame 1712 (e.g., now, later, anytime). Moreover, one of more of these bases for difference may be omitted, e.g., not every embodiment includes “later” and “anytime” time frames. So the number of possible cards is actually larger than 100. Decks 600 may also contain duplicates of a given card, e.g., more than one YJCW or Final Round card, or more than one “skip your turn card”.
An Example Game Guide
Shown below is an example draft guide for some examples of a game modification system a.k.a. game enhancer or game expansion or game pairing, annotated with reference numbers, to help illustrate further alternative embodiments according to the teachings of this disclosure. As with the other examples herein, individual features may be repeated, omitted, renamed, combined differently, or otherwise evident in a given example. Not every embodiment conforms with the example guide below. For instance, not every embodiment requires players to identify tradable items; in some embodiments the instructions 800 are formulated to avoid requiring players to identify items as tradable when preparing 1102 for play. As another example, some embodiments lack null cards.
All marks are the property of their respective owners, and no sponsorship or affiliation is implied or asserted between owners of rights in pre-existing games and the owner of the present disclosure and its associated rights.
Attentive readers will note that some of the gravel card issues noted above are resolved or avoided by some of the definitions below. For instance, Stratego® pieces can be traded 1730 by trading their positions on the board, instead of interpreting an instruction to trade 1 game item as an instruction to trade one game modification instruction card.
Bejinks™ Guide
Supercharge Any Game!™ It's not a game. It's a Game Changer.™ The Game Changer.™
Why Games 102 are Better Paired with Bejinx™
“Bejinks” is not a game—it's more! The Bejinks™ game modification system 202 is a game changer you can use to supercharge games 102 you already know. Play with Bejinx™ is better. Your Bejinks™ system adds suspense, surprise and fun to almost any familiar board game, card game, tile game, or other game. The Basic Bejinks™ game modification system works with many familiar favorites, such as Backgammon, Battleship®, Blackjack, Bridge, Checkers, Chess, Chinese Checkers, Clue®, Cribbage, Dominion®, Dominoes, Go, Go Fish, Hearts, Jenga®, The Game of Life®, Mahjong, Mancala, Mille Bornes®, Miniatures games, Monopoly®, Munchkin®, Othello®, Peg Solitaire, Pente®, Pictionary®, Poker, Risk®, Rummikub®, Rummy, Scrabble®, Settlers of Catan®, Solitaire, Sorry!®, Spades, Stratego®, Ticket To Ride®, Trivial Pursuit®, Turn-based strategy games, Twister®, and Yahtzee®, among others. Bejinks™ Booster Packs are also available for particular games. Most games 102 in which one or more players take turns to move game pieces, to acquire game items, or to get rid of game items, are Bejinks™-compatible.
Play with Bejinx™ is easy. If you already know how to play a bendable game 102, you can start supercharging it with a Bejinx™ play enhancer 202 in five minutes or less, without learning an entire new game from scratch.
Play with Bejinx™ is a bargain. You can supercharge the board games, card games, tile games, and other bendable games 102 that you already own—without buying expensive equipment. All you need is this Guide and a Bejinks™ card deck 600 or spinner 604.
Play with Bejinx™ is inclusive. Anyone 904 that can play a Bejinks™-compatible game can also enjoy a version of that game created by pairing that game with Bejinx™ equipment, as illustrated in
Setting Up for Play with Bejinx™
1. Set up 1002 the original game 102 as usual. For solitaire play, see the “Tips for Pairing Bejinx™ With Particular Games” section below. For games 102 with two or more players 904, set up the original game as you normally would:
Playing a Game Paired with Bejinx™ Cards
1. Get 1106 a Bejinks™ instruction 800. Get a Bejinks™ instruction at the beginning of your turn, before you do anything in the original game:
Tips for Pairing Bejinx™ With Particular Games
Here are some examples of trading game items, taking game items, giving game items, and other tips for using some Bejinks™ equipment 202 to supercharge some familiar games 102.
Backgammon.
Board pieces (checkers/draughts/counters) 306 are tradable either by trading all pieces on two points, or by trading everything owned by a player. When trading pieces on points, the number of pieces on the two points can be different unless the players agree otherwise before play begins. For example, four red checkers on one point could exchange places with three white checkers on another point. Taking 1736 an item from another player can be done by putting one of their checkers on the bar. Giving 1734 an item to another player can be done by putting one of your own checkers on the bar.
Battleship®.
Ships, pegs, and the grids that ships are placed in are all tradable, but only when trading everything owned by a player. In regular Bejinx™ Battleship® play, the original game items are guesses. For example, taking 1736 an item from the other Player means you take an extra guess, giving 1734 an item to the other Player means you give them an extra guess, and trading or swapping 1730 one or two game items means you each get one or two extra guesses; the Player who drew the Bejinx™ instruction goes first. Swapping or trading all game items means you get the other Player's grid, ships, and pegs, and they get yours. Writing down your ship positions is not allowed, but you should memorize them in case you trade all game items. In Speed Bejinx™ Battleship® play, taking 1736 an item from another player means instantly sinking one of their ships, which you specify by name, e.g., “submarine”, “destroyer”, “aircraft carrier”, “battleship”, or “patrol boat.” Giving 1734 an item to another player means instantly sinking one of your own ships. In both regular and Speed Bejinx™ Battleship® play, regressing or retarting an item means removing all hits from a ship—even one that was sunk—and optionally relocating that ship (you can leave it where it was if you wish). Finally, don't forget to use 1106 at least one Bejinx™ card before you call out your guess, or else you lose that turn and the other Player does not have to tell you whether that guess was a hit or a miss.
Blackjack/Twenty-One.
Playing cards that have not been dealt, playing cards that are held only during a turn (not after it), and discarded playing cards are not tradable. Taking 1736 an item can be done by being dealt another card. Giving 1734 an item can be done by discarding one of the cards you have been dealt.
Bridge.
Playing cards that have not been dealt, cards that are held only during a turn (not after it), and discarded playing cards are not tradable. Playing cards held after a turn are tradable one or more at a time unless all players agree before play begins that they are tradable only with everything else owned by the player in the game, including the player's score. Trades occur between teams, not between individual players, unless all players agree otherwise before play begins. Likewise, Bejinks™ cards are held by a team rather than being held by individual players, unless agreed otherwise before play begins. Taking 1736 an item from another player is done either by taking a Bejinks™ card from them or by swapping a playing card with them. Similarly, giving 1734 an item to another player is done either by giving a Bejinks™ card to them or by swapping a playing card with them. Regardless of whether items are traded, taken, or given, each player will still have 13 playing cards afterward.
Carcassonne®.
Followers cannot be taken or given, but they can be swapped 1730 by swapping their positions. If the number of followers is not the same for both players, any of the positions of the follower color in question can be used. Followers cannot be discarded 1726 or drawn 1701. Tiles and Bejinx™ cards can be drawn 1701 or discarded 1726.
Checkers/Draughts.
Individual checker pieces are tradable by swapping 1730 their positions on the board. Only like pieces can be traded, unless the players agree before play begins that kings and plain pieces can be traded. Checker pieces are also tradable when trading everything owned by a player, e.g., when the red player switches to play black instead, and vice versa. Taking 1736 a game item can be done by capturing an opposing player's piece. Giving 1734 a game item can be done by giving back a captured piece if you have one to give.
Chess.
Individual pieces are tradable by swapping 1730 their positions on the board. Unlike pieces can be traded, unless the players agree before play begins that only like pieces can be traded. Regardless, a trade can be made even if it places a king in check, unless players agree otherwise in advance. Chess pieces are also tradable as a color group, e.g., the white player switches to play black instead, and vice versa. Taking 1736 a game item can be done by capturing an opposing player's piece other than the king. Giving 1734 a game item can be done by giving back a captured piece if you have one to give. Strategy is different than in regular chess due in part to extra turns or lost turns; many modified games are won during a two-turn sequence of moves by one player. Discard instructions are not capture or give instructions; discards 1726 either discard game instruction cards or change the number of turns. Return/restore/regress or other time travel {2030} instructions move pieces back to their starting positions; the card 602 will state what happens if another piece currently occupies that square. Modified games 204 tend to be faster than regular chess, lasting an average of about 15 minutes each during playtesting.
Chinese Checkers.
Individual marbles or pegs are tradable by swapping 1730 their positions on the board. Marbles or pegs are also tradable as a color group, e.g., the red player switches to play blue instead, and vice versa. Taking 1736 a game item can be done by moving an opposing player's marble or peg back to their starting zone if there is an empty position there. Giving 1734 a game item is done by moving one of your own marbles or pegs back to your starting zone if there is an empty position there.
Cluedo®/Clue®.
Player character tokens are tradable only when trading all player items. Clue cards 100 held by a player are tradable one or more at a time. Trading clue cards 100 often gives players information that helps them deduce the murder details more rapidly. Taking 1736/giving 1734 an item can be done by taking/giving a clue card.
Dominoes.
Tiles 100 in a player's hand are tradable one or more at a time, tiles that have been laid out are not tradable. Taking 1736/giving 1734 an item can be done by taking/giving a tradable tile.
Cribbage.
In one variation, taking 1786 an extra turn means laying down two cards 100 without the other player laying a card in between them. Cards 100 are still kept in separate per-player piles, and all cards are still eventually laid down before hands are tallied. In another variation, a player taking an extra turn means only that player lays down cards for that hand, although both player's hands are still tallied. Players agree ahead of time which variation to use. Taking 1736 an original game item means taking a hard into your hand from the other player's hand. Some decks 600 designed specifically for cribbage 102 also contain instructions 800 to take a card from the crib into your hand, to give the crib a card from your hand, or to trade a crib card with a card from your hand. As a result of trading, player hands and the crib may contain more or fewer cards than the four that is the usual number in unmodified cribbage play 102. Trading all game items includes trading playing cards 100, game modification cards 602, and pegs 100; pegs stay in their current position, so scores are traded as well. Other cribbage-specific game modification instructions resemble Scrabble® modification instructions or other game modification instructions that permit or require players to have 1723 more than, or fewer than, than the regular number of items (tiles or cards in a hand) 1725, e.g., allowing five cards in the crib, only three cards in the dealer's hand, and six cards in the non-dealer's hand. When a game modification instruction requires the dealer to reveal 1788 a hidden original game item, the dealer may choose between revealing a card from the dealer's hand or a card from the crib. Unless all players agree otherwise ahead of the game, regressing or restarting 1707 an original game items means putting a card back in the deck below the cut; pegs are not regressed or restarted because that is considered too harsh.
Fluxx®.
Fluxx® games 102 should not be confused with the modified games 204 made possible by the teachings herein. In an unmodified original game 102 of Fluxx®, it is normal for Fluxx® cards to modify Fluxx® play. Confusion between Fluxx® cards 100 and Bejinx™ cards 602 or other examples of game modification instructions 800 described herein can be reduced, for example, by remembering that Fluxx® cards 100 only modify Fluxx® play, whereas game modification instructions 800 described herein include game-agnostic instructions and instructions applicable to many games 102 and to different kinds 1769 of games (tile games, board games, card games, two-payer games, cooperative games, and more), and also include game modification instructions 800 tailored to non-Fluxx® games 102 such as checkers, chess, Monopoly®, Rummikub®, Stratego® and so on and so forth. In addition, game modification instructions 800 herein can be characterized by their time of play 1712, e.g., some cards 602 are playable after Fluxx® or another original game ends. Game modification instructions 800 herein can also be categorized 1716, e.g., as Item Ownership {2020, 2022, 2024}, Full Swap {2025}, Temporary Possession {2032}, Reveal/Hide {2028}, Time Jump {2030}, In/Out of Play {2040}, Turn Order {2012}, Winning Condition {2018}, Final Round {2014}, Merge Team {2038}, Seating {2008}, and Item Count {2002, 2026} instructions, thereby disclosing a collection of instructions 800 which differs from and extends beyond the groups defined in Fluxx® 102, namely, Basic Rules, New Rule, Goal, Keeper, Action, Creeper, and Meta Rule. Notwithstanding the clear differences, however, in retrospect it is apparent that Fluxx® play (on the one hand) and the play of Fluxx® or other games according to game modification instructions taught herein (on the other hand) do share the idea of changing the rules 104 of a game. Accordingly, players of Fluxx® may be more likely than other people 904 to welcome and engage in the new and additional explorations of that idea which are made possible by the teachings herein.
Go.
Individual stones 100 are tradable by swapping 1730 their positions on the board. Stones are also tradable when the white player switches to play black instead, and vice versa. Taking 1736 a game item can be done by removing one of your opponent's stones from the board. Giving 1734 a game item can be done by removing one of your own stones from the board.
Go Fish.
Playing cards 100 in the pool or ocean are not tradable. Books (piles of matching cards) and individual playing cards held 1718 by a player are tradable one or more at a time unless all players agree before play begins that they are tradable only together with everything else owned by the player in the game. Bejinks™ cards 602 held by a player are tradable one or more at a time. Taking 1736/giving 1734 an item can be done by taking/giving a tradable playing card.
Hearts.
Playing cards 100 that have not been dealt, cards 100 that are held only during a turn (not after it), and discarded 1726 playing cards are not tradable. Playing cards held 1718 after a turn are tradable one or more at a time unless all players agree before play begins that they are tradable only with everything else owned by the player in the game, including the player's score. Taking 1736/giving 1734 an item can be done by taking/giving a tradable playing card.
Jenga®.
Only the Bejinks™ cards 602 held by a player are tradable; they can be traded one or more at a time. Jenga® playing pieces 100 are not owned by any player at the end of a turn, so they are not tradable. Taking 1736/giving 1734 a game item is done only by taking/giving a Bejinks™ card.
Life/The Game of Life®.
People pegs, play money bills 508, insurance policies 100, promissory notes 100, and stock certificates 100 are tradable one or more at a time. Taking 1736/giving 1734 an item can be done by taking/giving one of these tradable game items or by taking/giving a Bejinks™ card. Automobiles 506 for holding people pegs are tradable only when trading everything owned by two players.
Mahjong.
Tiles 100 that have not been dealt to any player are not tradable. Tiles held by a player are tradable one or more at a time. Taking 1736/giving 1734 an item can be done by taking/giving a tradable tile.
Mancala.
Captured seeds/stones 100 are tradable one or more at a time, but the seeds/stones on the board are not tradable. Taking 1736/giving 1734 an item can be done by taking/giving a tradable seed or stone.
Mille Borneo®.
Cards 100 in the draw pile 1724 and the discard pile 1728 are not tradable. Mille Bornes® cards 100 held by a player or played by the player are tradable one or more at a time. Different kinds of played cards 100 can be traded (e.g., a Hazard card for a Distance card) unless the players agree before play begins that only cards of the same kind can be traded. Taking 1736/giving 1734 an item can be done by taking/giving a tradable Mille Bornes® card or a Bejinks™ card. Be sure to draw 1106 a Bejinx™ card before you draw a Mille Bornes® card, or you lose your turn. Restarted and regressed 1707 Mille Bornes® cards go into the Mille Bornes® draw pile, not the discard pile. You can only restart or regress 1707 a Mille Bornes® card that is in play. For example, if you have a Gasoline card on top of an Out of Gas card, you could restart or regress the Gasoline card but not the Out of Gas card.
Monopoly®.
The race car, top hat, dog, and other tokens 506 are tradable but only when trading everything owned by a player. Play money bills 508, property cards 510, Get Out Of Jail Free cards 516, houses 512, and hotels 514 that are owned by a player 904 are tradable one or more at a time. Any money in the bank or in Free Parking is not tradable. Taking 1736/giving 1734 an item can be done by taking/giving a tradable Monopoly® item or a Bejinks™ card. When a Monopoly® game 102 is paired with a Bejinx™ deck 600, monopolies can be split: a set of properties can be divided two or three players even after the properties have been developed with houses or hotels; the rent goes to the owner of the individual property landed on. Unless all players agree otherwise up front, development is frozen after a monopoly is split; all properties in the monopoly must again belong to only one player before development can continue. When a property with houses or hotels changes ownership due to a Bejinx™ instruction 800, the houses/hotels are first cashed in at their normal value under Monopoly® rules and that cash remains with the player who is giving up ownership. Houses and hotels on properties that are not changing ownership stay in place, and their elevated rents still apply even though the monopoly was split. When you give 1734 a property back to the Bank, or the Bank takes 1736 it back, you are not mortgaging the property; you do not receive the mortgage value, and if given the opportunity anyone else can buy the property as usual under normal Monopoly® rules. Some Bejinx™ instructions refer to Community Chest or Chance, but some Monopoly® editions use other names for those Monopoly® card 516 piles; use alphabetical ordering to match your Monopoly® set to the Bejinx™ instructions, e.g., in the National Parks edition Battlefield cards correspond to Chance cards and Historic Site cards correspond to Community Chest cards. Similarly, in the Looney Tunes edition, Duck Season cards correspond to Chance cards and Rabbit Season cards correspond to Community Chest cards. Restarting 1707 your own token 506 will take it back to Go, even if you are in Jail. When deals are permitted, they happen at the beginning of your Monopoly® turn, after you have drawn 1106 and followed 1108 a Bejinks™ or other game modification instruction 800.
Othello®/Reversi.
The disks or other reversible board pieces 100 are tradable one or more at a time by flipping them. They are also tradable as a group when the light player switches to play dark instead, and vice versa. Taking 1736 an item can be done by flipping an opponent's disk or by taking a Bejinks™ card, and giving 1734 an item can be done by flipping one of your own disks 100 or by giving a Bejinks™ card 602.
Pandemic™.
In one modified version of Pandemic™ board game play, the Board does not take turns as a Player but it does own the following Board items 100: disease cubes, infection cards, epidemic cards, outbreak counter, and infection rate marker as a quasi-player. So a game-agnostic game modification instruction 800 which involves item ownership, reveal/hide, time jump, or in/out of play can involve Board items. In this first version 204, however, the role 106 of Board does not own or play Bejinx™ cards so any instruction or move that would require the Board to own a Bejinx™ card is treated as not existing. In another modified version, there is also a Board proxy 904. One player volunteers to serve as the board's proxy, or is chosen proxy by low dice roll. The proxy draws and plays Bejinx™ cards on behalf of the board. The board and its proxy are in the turn order after all the regular (human) players. Unless all players agree otherwise ahead of time, the proxy is not a regular player, so the proxy wins if the regular players lose, and the proxy loses if the regular players win. Pandemic™ board game player (city/event) cards 100 acquired by the proxy/board from regular players are not held by the board but go instead into the discard piles. Disease cubes 100 acquired by the proxy/board come from the store of unused cubes and are placed on the board at locations chosen by the proxy. In another modified version 204, which is the one used by default unless all players agree otherwise, there is no Board proxy and the Board is not a quasi-player and hence does not own any game items. Only the city and event cards are tradable in this version, except for a swap all 1730 in which case the role cards and pawns are also tradable. Also, unless agreed otherwise in advance Bejinx™ instructions taking 1736 or giving 1734 an extra turn or losing a turn apply to pieces of a turn (one of the normal 4 actions, one of the normal two card draws, or the infect cities piece) instead of applying to the turn 1006 as a whole. Pandemic™-specific game modification instructions 800 in some examples include one or more of: moving 1703/1705 epidemic cards in/out of play, and reshuffling the player card (cities, events) discard deck and permitting it to be replayed instead of all players losing when the player draw pile is down to one or zero cards.
Patience/Solitaire Card Game.
In modifying Solitaire card games 102 that allow hidden (a.k.a., face-down or downturned) cards 100, trading 1730 game items means exchanging a hidden card for one that is not hidden, so each card takes the other's position on the table, the one that was hidden becomes face up, and the one previously face up becomes hidden. In Solitaire card games 204 that do not allow hidden cards, trading 1730 game items means exchanging the table positions of any two cards 100. In Solitaire card games 204 that allow a waste or discard pile 1728, giving 1734 an item means moving a played card into the waste or discard pile, and taking 1736 a game item means pulling a card back out of the waste or discard pile to play it. In Solitaire card games 102 that do not allow a waste or discard pile, taking an item and giving an item are null instructions you simply skip.
Peg Solitaire. Trading 1730 items can be done only by exchanging a peg with an adjacent empty position, that is, by moving any peg to an open position among the eight (or less on the board's edge) positions that are next to the peg. Giving 1734 an item can be done only by filling a hole with a previously removed peg. Taking 1736 an item can be done only by removing a peg without moving any other peg. Treat all “restart a player” 1707 Bejinks™ instructions as null instructions you simply ignore. All other Bejinks™ instructions are followed 1108 immediately, regardless of whether they contain the word “later” 1712.
Pente®.
Individual stones are tradable by swapping their positions on the board 100. Stones are also tradable when the white player switches to play black instead, and vice versa. Taking 1736 a game item can be done, e.g., by removing one of your opponent's stones from the board. Giving 1734 a game item can be done, e.g., by removing one of your own stones from the board.
Pictionary®.
The board piece 100 that represents a team can be traded for the piece that represents a different team, e.g., the blue team can become the green team and vice versa. Bejinks™ cards are held by a team rather than being held by individual players, unless agreed otherwise before play begins. Taking 1736/giving 1734 a game item is done only by taking/giving a Bejinks™ card.
Poker.
Playing cards 100 that have not been dealt, cards that are held only during a turn (not after it), and discarded playing cards are not tradable. Taking 1736/giving 1734 an item can be done by taking/giving a tradable playing card.
Risk®.
Territory cards 100 and secret mission cards 100 are tradable one or more at a time. Taking 1736/giving 1734 an item can be done by taking/giving a tradable Risk® card or a Bejinks™ card. Armies are tradable only as a group, e.g., when the black player switches to play blue instead, and vice versa.
Rummikub®.
Tiles 100 that have not been dealt to any player are not tradable. Tiles held 1718 by a player are tradable one or more at a time. Taking 1736/giving 1734 an item can be done by taking/giving a tradable tile. When you get an extra turn, it's better to draw 1701 a tile for the first turn and then see whether you can lay tiles down or must draw again for the second turn.
Rummy.
Same as Hearts.
Scrabble®.
Tiles 100 that have not been dealt to any player are not tradable. Tiles held 1718 by a player are tradable one or more at a time. Taking 1736/giving 1734 an item can be done by taking/giving a tradable tile.
Settlers of Catan®.
Resource cards 100 and development cards 100 held 1718 by a player are tradable one or more at a time. Colonies (settlements and cities) 100 are tradable one or more at a time, but any roads 100 attached to a colony go along with that colony. In a trade, the type of colony (settlement versus city) and the number of roads attached to each colony can be different, unless all players agree otherwise before play begins. The colored tokens 506 representing players are tradable only when trading everything owned by a player.
Solitary Versions of Multiplayer Games.
For solitary versions of games that also have versions played by two or more players, follow the rules for the multiplayer version but treat the banker or dealer 106 as the other player when Bejinks™ instructions refer to another player. There are two exceptions: if there is no banker or dealer in the multiplayer version, or if following the instruction would effectively put you back at the start of the game, then treat Bejinks™ instructions referring to another player as null instructions that you simply skip.
Sorry!®.
The positions held by a player's pawns 100 are tradable one or more at a time. Taking 1736 an item can be done by moving another player's pawn back to Start or by taking a Bejinks™ card. Giving 1734 an item can be done by moving one of your own pawns back to Start or by giving a Bejinks™ card. Regress/restart 1707 does not apply to pawns that are in the safety zone or home.
Spades. Same as Hearts.
Stratego®.
The positions held by a player's pieces 100 are tradable one or more at a time; this includes Bombs unless both players agree before play 204 begins that Bombs cannot be moved under any circumstances. Taking 1736 an item can be done by capturing any opposing piece which could be attacked under normal Stratego® rules or by taking a Bejinks™ card (taker chooses). The value of the attacking piece and the captured piece must be disclosed as in normal play, but when taking an item in Bejinx™-enhanced play the attacking piece always wins regardless of what it attacks. Giving 1734 an item can similarly be done by giving a Bejinks™ card or by having one of your own pieces captured; the giver chooses whether to give a Bejinks™ card or give up a Startego® piece.
Ticket To Ride®.
Train cards 100 and destination cards 100 in a player's hand 1720 are tradable one or more at a time. Taking 1736/giving 1734 an item can be done by taking/giving a tradable Ticket To Ride® card or a Bejinks™ card. The colored train cars 100 and colored score-keeping pieces 100 are tradable only when trading everything owned by a player. In a Ticket To Ride® game enhanced with Bejinx™ cards 602, a player can legally have zero destination cards 100.
Trivial Pursuit®.
The colored wedges 100 in the playing pieces 100 are tradable one or more at a time. Taking 1736/giving 1734 an item can be done by taking/giving a tradable Trivial Pursuit® wedge or a Bejinks™ card. The playing pieces built to hold wedges are tradable only when trading everything owned by a player.
Twister®.
The positions held by a player 904 are tradable one or more at a time. For instance, one player might trade 1730 “right hand on yellow” for another player's “left foot on blue” (that means right hand on any yellow spot and left foot on any blue spot, unless players agreed before play begins that only specific circles are tradable). Taking 1736/giving 1734 an item can be done by taking/giving either a held position on the Twister® mat or a Bejinks™ card 602.
Yahtzee®.
The boxes 408, 100 with their score or lack-of-any-score are tradable one or more at a time. For instance, one player might trade 1730 a “Three-Of-A-Kind 16” for another player's “Full House 25”. In a variation, players can agree before play begins that only like boxes are tradable, e.g., a Three-Of-A-Kind box and its contents if any can only be traded for another Three-Of-A-Kind box and its contents if any. Taking 1736/giving 1734 an item can be done by taking/giving a score in a particular Yahtzee® box; scores coming into a box 408 replace whatever score was there, and scores leaving a box leave the box empty.
Another View of Game Categories
The indentation hierarchies below each provide an alternative syntax description 1778. The first indentation hierarchy is organized as game category: instruction category: instruction. Time segments 1712 and choosers (a.k.a. actors) are not considered below. The game category 1769 for each card 602 may be manifest on card 602 faces. Below, some instructions 800 belonging to more than one instruction category are marked with an asterisk *. In this example, YJCW means “You Just Can't Win”, DSY means “Don't Stop Yet”, SI means “Stop It!”, “Player” means an individual person 904, “Team” means 1 or more Players working together and sharing game items, and “L/R” means the Player or Team to the left or right. The text was written originally with a Player as the eventual intended reader, but is annotated with Figure reference numerals for the present disclosure. In alternative embodiments, any of the instructions described below as ones that could be taken out 1102 of the deck or else ignored in favor of a replacement card 602, are candidates for part of a composite instruction 800 which combines them with a more universally applicable instruction such as a turn count {2010} instruction. Some examples include instructions for use with 3+ Teams, With a Draw Pile, With Hidden Hands, With Scored Turns, and With a Hand Size.
Game Categories 1769 may identify Bejinx™ cards for use when playing:
With 2+ Players
With 3+ Teams
With a Draw Pile
With Hidden Hands
With Scored Turns
With a Hand Size
With Monopoly®
With Scrabble®
With <other well-known games>
Blanks
With Yoked Games {2004} (a.k.a. melded games, multigames)
The second indentation hierarchy, shown below, is also organized as game category: instruction category: instruction, and annotated to match the Figures of the present disclosure. Time segments 1712 are not shown, but choosers (a.k.a. actors) are stated expressly. The asterisk again denotes instructions 800 that appear in more than one category. As with other examples provided herein, categorization of a given instruction 800 may vary from one example to another, since categories may be defined differently in different circumstances even though they happen to use the same or similar wording as labels or names.
Any Game/Most Games/2+ Players: [this is an example of a game category 1769]
Turn Count {2010} [this is an example of an instruction category 1716]
Full Swap {2025}
Item Ownership {2024, 2022, 2006}
Temporary Possession {2032}
Winning Condition {2018}
Final Round {2014}
Reveal-Hide/Private Info/Publication {2028}
Time Jump {2030}
3+ Players/3+ Teams: [another game category 1769]
Turn Count {2010}
Merge Team {2038}
Turn Order {2012}
Full Swap {2025}
Item Ownership {2022, 2020}
You take 1 Bejinx™ card from any team or lose your turn*; You take 1 Bejinx™ card from the team on your left or lose your turn*; You take 1 Bejinx™ card from the team on your right or lose your turn*“; You give 1 other Bejinx™ card to any team or lose your turn*; You give 1 other Bejinx™ card to the team on your left or lose your turn*; You give 1 other Bejinx™ card to the team on your right or lose your turn*̂; If anyone has a YJCW card move it to some other team*; Everyone with a YJCW card move it to the team to their left; Everyone with a YJCW card move it to the team to their right“; You discard 1 Bejinx™ card of any other team or lose your turn*; Another team discards all of its Bejinx™ cards
Winning Condition {2018}
Time Jump {2030}
Seating {2008}
Hidden Hands: [Category 1769 of Games 102 with Items Having Information Players Hide from Each Other]
Reveal-Hide/Private Info/Publication {2028}
Monopoly®: [again, this designates a category 1769, for game modification cards/instructions 800 that are tailored for modifying play of a Monopoly® game; not all ̂ are explicitly marked]
Item Ownership {2020, 2022}
In-Out-of-Play {2040}
Draw Pile: [from̂ e.g. Scrabble®, Dominion®]
Item Count {2026}
Reveal-Hide/Private Info/Publication {2028}
Each Turn Scored/Scored Turns: [from̂ e.g. Scrabble®]
Scoring {2016}
Scrabble®: [this designates a category, namely, cards/instructions specialized for modifying the play of Scrabble® games; not all ̂ are explicitly marked]
Item Placement {could be viewed as a distinct category 1716, or as an extra turn 2010 example}
Remove any 1/2 word(s) from the board, tiles go to draw pile
Item Count {2002}
Yoked Games: ̂
Item Ownership {2020, 2022}
Turn Count {2010}
Hidden Hand {2028}
Scoring {2016}
Winning Condition {2018}
Discard all YJCW cards in all yoked games; Move all YJCW cards in all games to yourself, discard all but one of them
Final Round {2014}
Temporary Possession {2032}
In/Out of Play {2040}
Turn Order {2012}
Merge Team {2038}
Jinx Card (a.k.a. Jinks Card or Jinx! Card)
Like a mirror, play this card to reflect 1775 any action 1735 (original game action or Bejinx™ action or other game modifier instructed action) directed at you back at the action originator 1737, or to cancel any other Jinx card that is in play. It can be played now, later, or anytime at all. For instance, if someone plays a card to take any of your cards, then you can play the Jinx card and take any of their cards instead. Similarly, if they try to take any of your pieces, then you can play the Jinx card to take any of their pieces instead. In some cases, the Jinx card reflects an original game action back at another player, e.g., in Sorry® play you could send someone else back to start instead of being sent back to start yourself. One embodiment is that playing a Jinx card is a one-time action and another embodiment is that it is ongoing until someone plays an anti-Jinx card against it, thereby breaking the Jinx or lifting the Jinx. Two Jinx cards played against each other cancel each other out.
Suppose A plays a card to take B's turn in the original game. B plays a Jinx card, which if left unchallenged would instead let B take A's turn. But now A plays a Jinx card, which cancel's B's Jinx card, and so A gets to take B's turn after all. You can also play your Jinx card on behalf of another player. Suppose A plays card against B. Then C can play a Jinx card to reflect that action back against A, even if it is not C's turn, because in this example Jinx cards can be played anytime at all.
Some Additional Observations
In some examples, as to instructions 800 that allow a player to draw Bejinx™ cards and then discard items, any Bejinx™ cards drawn and not discarded that say “Now” must then be followed 1108 in that same turn.
In the game modification instructions 800, “turn” normally refers to an original game turn. Drawing 1106 another game modification card 602 is not part of a “turn” referenced on a game modification card unless the card clearly states otherwise. For example, drawing 1106 a “take an extra turn” game modification card in chess means the player will discard 1726 that game modification card 602 and move two chess pieces 100. It does not mean that the player will discard 1726 that game modification card 602, move one chess piece 100, draw 1106 another game modification card 602, and then move another chess piece 100.
One normal sequence of play is to either draw 1106 a game modification card from a draw pile 1724 of such cards 602 or else pull one or more (e.g., multiple sayings cards for an extra turn) game modification cards 602 from one's hand 1720 and then follow the instructions on that card or cards. Most cards 602 are discarded after being played, but a few such as YJCW or No More Swaps remain placed 1777 in front of the player to exert an effect for multiple turns. One can pull 1106 a sayings card and play it with other sayings cards in the same turn, e.g., if the pulled card is the third Charm card needed in order to have enough Charm cards to redeem for an extra turn.
In some embodiments, some cards 602 are marked 808 as belonging to more than one game category 1769. For example, some cards enhance play when 3+ teams are playing a game with hidden hands, or when playing a game such as cribbage that has both hidden hands and scored turns. All cards 602 in this example belong to at least the 2+ Players category, so that marking only appears on the cards that have no requirements beyond 2+ players. An alternate approach is to only mark the other categories; cards that require nothing beyond having at least two players would bear no game category marking, so far as the categories of this example are concerned.
In some examples, game enhancement cards 602 (a.k.a. game modification cards) include a difficulty level marking 808, a.k.a. a complexity or non-intuitiveness level. For example, “take an extra turn” and “lose your turn” cards are easy even for the youngest players to understand and perform, so they could be denoted level 1 cards. Final Round cards are not quite that simple, but close, so they could be designated as level 2 cards. Swap all game item instructions are easy to understand but can face emotional resistance in some players and can make play very challenging after the items are swapped (e.g., memorizing all ship and peg positions in Battleship® would be difficult but rewarding in case all game items are swapped), so the swap all game items instruction (or the card that bears it) would be level 3 in this example. Merge teams would be level 4. Yoked game instructions would be level 5, or perhaps even a higher level. Other card categories or individual instructions could be similarly assigned a difficulty level, which is conveyed visually to players with the instruction text. For enhanced play with a young child 904, the level 2 and greater difficulty cards could be removed from the deck and/or ignored in favor of drawing replacement cards when drawn. Adult gamers 904, by contrast, could leave high difficulty cards in the deck to play. In yoked game play, even the lowest difficulty cards add complexity because they may be played in any of the yoked games.
Further Example 1: A computer-readable storage medium 914 configured with data and with instructions 916 that when executed by at least one processor causes the processor(s) to perform a process including the steps of: presenting 1733 Do It™ cards 602, Bend A Game™ cards 602, Bejinx™ cards 602 and/or Bejinks™ cards 602 (namely, cards having the functionality described herein expressly or implicitly associated with the mark in question herein, but not necessarily bearing that mark outside this disclosure); and modifying 1706 game play of a paired original game 102 in accordance with the cards 602 presented.
Further Example 2: The medium of further example 1, wherein the cards 602 include game modification instructions 800 in at least three (or four, or five, etc., up to and including at least all) of the following categories 1716 and/or 1769: Item Ownership, Full Swap, Temporary Possession, Reveal/Hide, Time Jump, In/Out of Play, Turn Order, Winning Condition, Final Round, Merge Team, Seating, Item Count, Draw Pile, Hidden Hand, Hand Size, Scored Turns, 3+ Teams, and Yoked Game instructions.
Further example 3: The medium of further example 1, wherein the cards 602 include game modification instructions 800 characterized by at least one (or two, or three, and so on up to all) of the following time segments 1712: Now, Now or later (i.e., in a subsequent turn to the turn in which the instruction was received by the team or player in question) during the original game, Later during the original game, Later anytime (during or after the original game), Anytime (i.e., now or later during or after the original game), and After the original game.
Further Example 4: A computer system 902 including: a logical processor 910; a memory 912 in operable communication with the logical processor; a deck 600 of game modification cards 602 residing in the memory 912 and having instructions 800 for modifying 1706 the play of any one or more of these categories 1769 of original games 102: board games, card games, parlor games; and code 610 and/or 612 which interacts with the processor and memory to present 1733 game modification cards to multiple players 904 and to modify 1706 at least one original game played by the players in accordance with the cards presented.
Further Example 5: An article of manufacture including a deck 600 of Do It™ cards 602, Bend A Game™ cards 602, or Bejinks™/Bejinx™ cards 602 or spinner 604, or another repository of game modification instructions 800 for modifying 1706 the play of an original game, and wherein the same repository applies to multiple games of different kinds 1769.
Further Example 6: The article of further example 5, including at least one Null Card 602, Charm Card 602, or other Sayings 2034 Card 602 substantially as shown and described herein. Two instructions are “substantially” the same when their meaning is the same with respect to playing a game, e.g., they may have the same meaning expressed in different natural languages, expressed using different tools (software control of display screen vs. printed paper vs. spoken words), and/or with different ornamentation.
Further Example 7: The article of further example 5, including cards 602 collectively explicitly bearing at least three of the following when-playable designations 1712: Now, Later, Now or Later, Anytime (on your turn), During the Original Game, Later but before the original game ends, After/During the Original Game, Anytime at All.
Further Example 8: A process including: drawing 1106 a game modification instruction 800 from a deck 600 including at least three (or four, five, etc. up to ten in these examples) of the following instructions 800: trade all game items with another player, change the possession of a You Just Can't Win or functionally similar winning condition or caveat card, use another card to undo a You Just Can't Win or Stumbles or functionally similar winning condition card, use another card to clone or avoid a You Just Can't Win or Stumbles or functionally similar winning condition card, two players trade a game item with each other, restart a player, restart a player's item, regress an item, change turn order in mid-game, take an original game item out of play in a manner not stated in the original game's official rules, return a player original game item or other player asset to a bank in a manner not stated in the original game's official rules, transfer an original game item or other player asset between players in a manner not stated in the original game's official rules, reassign player table positions in a manner not stated in the original game's official rules, merge players and/or teams in a manner not stated in the original game's official rules, skip an original game turn in a manner not stated in the original game's official rules, take one or more extra original game turns in a manner not stated in the original game's official rules, multiply an original game cash holding or turn score or other player asset in a manner not stated in the original game's official rules, reveal hidden original game item content to a player in a manner not stated in the original game's official rules, force a player to cash in an original game item in a manner not stated in the original game's official rules, individual player or entire team merges with winning team, every player/team moves 1 position right/left but leaves all game items behind for the successor to own, a Yoked Game instruction, a pattern-completion game instruction; and then modifying 1706 game play by following 1108 the game modification instruction.
Further Example 9: A process for generating 1756 game modification instructions, including at least one (or two, and so on, up to all) of the following: directly applying 1758 one or more existing game-agnostic instructions 800 to at least one particular game at hand, as these game-agnostic instructions are applied to modify other original games; tailoring 1760 one or more game-agnostic instructions to one or more particular game items or kinds of game items of the at least one original game in question; adapting 1762 one or more game-agnostic instructions to a particular role of the at least one original game in question; altering 1764 one or more rules that are specific to the at least one original game in question; adding 1766 a paired complement 1768 of an existing game modification instruction; identifying a game category 1769 (Item Ownership, Full Swap, etc.) and then selecting 1771 or formulating 1756 a game modification instruction which is in the identified category; identifying a game modification instruction time segment 1712 (Now, Later during original game, etc.) and then selecting 1771 or formulating 1756 a game modification instruction 800 which instructs a player or team to perform an action during the identified time segment.
Further Example 10: Game play equipment 202 including a card 602, spinner 604, or other apparatus implementing by written indicia or display or spoken instruction or announcement or game state display update or other perceptible means at least one of the following game play mechanisms 206: returning an item during the game to the location and status the item had at the beginning of the game, instructing a player after the beginning of the game to return a game item to the location and status the item had at the beginning of the game, changing player turn order during the game, allowing a player of a game to change player turn order during the game, having two players swap all game items after the beginning of the game, having three or more players exchange all game items amongst themselves after the beginning of the game so that each player takes over control and status of another of the player's items, merging two or more teams (which contain one or more players) into fewer teams during them game, splitting a team during the game to form two or more teams from that team, letting one player view and use game items of another player for one turn during the game, letting one player take a turn for another player during the game, giving one player temporary control over all game items of another player during the game, any other game modification instruction described herein.
As to the following further examples that recite a Jinx card and/or a Jinx instruction, they also represent alternative further examples in that one can replace the Jinx card/instruction with a different card/instruction, e.g., with any other instruction 800 identified by at least one example herein, or with a card 602 of any category 1716 that is discussed herein.
Further Example 11: A computer-readable storage medium 914 configured with data and with instructions 916 that when executed by at least one processor causes the processor(s) to perform a process including: presenting 1733 a Jinx reflection 1775 card 602; and modifying 1706 game play of an original game in accordance with the Jinx card presented.
Further Example 12: A computer system 902 including: a logical processor 910; a memory 912 in operable communication with the logical processor; a Jinx reflection 1775 game modification card 602 residing in the memory and having at least one instruction 800 for modifying the play of any one or more of these kinds 1769 of original games: board games, card games, parlor games; and code 610 and/or 612 which interacts with the processor and memory to present 1733 the Jinx game modification card to multiple players 904 and to modify 1706 at least one original game played by the players in accordance with the card presented.
Further Example 13: An article of manufacture including a deck 600 with a Jinx reflection 1775 card 602 or spinner 604, which modifies 1706 the play of an original game, and wherein the same deck applies to multiple games of different kinds 1769. Further example 14: A process including: drawing 1106 a Jinx reflection 1775 game modification instruction 800 from a deck; and then modifying 1706 game play by following the game modification instruction. Further Example 15: Game play equipment 202 including a Jinx card 602, spinner 604, or other apparatus implementing by written indicia or display or spoken words a Jinx instruction 800. Further example 16: A process including: drawing 1106 a Jinx instruction from a deck 600; and then playing 204 a game at least in part by following 1108 the Jinx instruction.
Further Example 17: A computer-readable storage medium 914 configured with data and with instructions 916 that when executed by at least one processor 110 causes the processor(s) to perform a process including the steps of: presenting 1733 a Jinx card; and playing 204 a game at least in part by following 1108 the Jinx instruction presented. Further example 18: A game modification apparatus 202 for modifying play of an original game which is played with original game equipment 100, the original game equipment including at least one of the following: a game board, a die, a card bearing indicia which function as part of the original game, a tile, a token, a game piece movable by a player of the original game, the game modification apparatus including: a card 602; and rules 700 for modifying game play of an original game in accordance with the card 602.
Further Example 19: A process including: drawing 1106 a Jinx instruction from a deck 600; and then playing a game 204 at least in part by following 1108 the Jinx instruction. Further example 20: A computer-readable storage medium 914 configured with data and with instructions 916 that when executed by at least one processor 110 causes the processor(s) to perform a process including: presenting 1733 a Jinx instruction 800; and playing a game at least in part by following 1108 the Jinx instruction 800 presented.
As with all other examples herein which refer to modifying an original game, making further modification to an already-modified version of an original game is also included in these further examples. That is, suppose one starts with an original game X, and modifies it by using a first set of instructions 800 in a first deck 600; that would constitute modification 1706. Now suppose one further changes the modified game, e.g., by changing 1772 the set of instructions 800 in the deck 800; that would also constitute modification 1706. In other words, it is not necessary to start each time with nothing but an original game 102 when modifying play as taught herein; it is sufficient if an original game is at least part of what one modifies play.
Although particular examples are expressly described herein as processes, as configured media, or as systems, it will be appreciated that discussion of one type of example also generally extends to other example types. For instance, the descriptions of processes also help describe configured media, and help describe the technical effects and operation of systems and manufactures. It does not follow that limitations from one example are necessarily read into another. In particular, processes are not necessarily limited to the data structures and arrangements presented while discussing systems or manufactures such as configured memories.
Reference herein to an example having some feature X and reference elsewhere herein to an example having some feature Y does not exclude from this disclosure examples which have both feature X and feature Y, unless such exclusion is expressly stated herein. The term “example” is merely used herein as a more convenient form of “process, system, article of manufacture, configured computer readable medium, and/or other example of the teachings herein as applied in a manner consistent with applicable law.” Accordingly, a given “example” may include any combination of features disclosed herein, provided the example is consistent with at least one claim.
Not every item stated need be present in every example. Although some possibilities are illustrated here by specific examples, examples may depart from these examples. For instance, specific technical effects or technical features of an example may be omitted, renamed, grouped differently, repeated, instantiated in hardware and/or software differently, or be a mix of effects or features appearing in two or more of the examples. Functionality shown at one location may also be provided at a different location in some examples; one of skill recognizes that functionality modules can be defined in various ways in a given implementation without necessarily omitting desired technical effects from the collection of interacting modules viewed as a whole.
As used herein, terms such as “a” and “the” are inclusive of one or more of the indicated item or step. In particular, in the claims a reference to an item generally means at least one such item is present and a reference to a step means at least one instance of the step is performed.
Headings are for convenience only; information on a given topic may be found outside the section whose heading indicates that topic. This document's headings are not intended to provide a strict classification of features into example/embodiment versus non-example/non-embodiment feature classes.
All claims as filed are part of the specification.
An “embodiment” herein is an example. Embodiments may freely share or borrow aspects to create other embodiments (provided the result is operable), even if a resulting aspect combination is not explicitly described per se herein. Requiring each and every permitted combination to be explicitly described is unnecessary for one of skill in the art, and would be contrary to policies which recognize that patent specifications are written for readers who are skilled in the art. Formal combinatorial calculations and informal common intuition regarding the number of possible combinations arising from even a small number of combinable features will also indicate that a large number of aspect combinations exist for the aspects described herein. Accordingly, requiring an explicit recitation of each and every combination would be contrary to policies calling for patent specifications to be concise.
While exemplary examples have been described above, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that numerous modifications can be made without departing from the principles and concepts set forth in the claims, and that such modifications need not encompass an entire abstract concept. Although the subject matter is described in language specific to structural features and/or procedural acts, it is to be understood that the subject matter defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific technical features or acts described above the claims. It is not necessary for every means or aspect or technical effect identified in a given definition or example to be present or to be utilized in every example. Rather, the specific features and acts and effects described are disclosed as examples for consideration when implementing the claims.
All changes which fall short of enveloping an entire abstract idea but come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope to the full extent permitted by law.
To the extent permitted by applicable law, this application incorporates by reference and claims priority to U.S. provisional patent applications 61/981,792 filed 19 Apr. 2014, 61/982,786 filed 22 Apr. 2014, 61/984,834 filed 27 Apr. 2014, 61/991,650 filed 12 May 2014, 61/994,396 filed 16 May 2014, 62/002,969 filed 26 May 2014, 62/006,913 filed 3 Jun. 2014, and 62/012,566 filed 16 Jun. 2014.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61981792 | Apr 2014 | US | |
| 61982786 | Apr 2014 | US | |
| 61984834 | Apr 2014 | US | |
| 61991650 | May 2014 | US | |
| 61994396 | May 2014 | US | |
| 62002969 | May 2014 | US | |
| 62006913 | Jun 2014 | US | |
| 62012566 | Jun 2014 | US |
