Patent Application
20070029727
The present disclosure is directed to board games, and more particularly to board games in which the game board apparatus includes one or more superimposed surfaces that are configured to be selectively movable relative to each other to form a changeable pathway. In some embodiments, one surface may be configured for movement among a plurality of predetermined positions relative to another surface, wherein visible pathway indicia of the surfaces in each position align to define a continuous pathway from one surface to the other, such that the pathway is changeable by moving the movable surface from one position to another position. In some embodiments, support structure configured to support the multiple surfaces may also be configured for use as a game container.
Examples of game board apparatus with at least one movable surface can be found in the disclosures of U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,903,226; 2,460,563; 3,601,403; 3,672,674; 3,762,714; 3,809,405; 4,188,034; 4,212,459; 4,231,571; 4,234,185; 4,298,202; 4,575,094; 5,749,575; 6,533,281, and U.S. Patent Application Pub. No. 2003/0111791. Examples of game board apparatus with multiple surfaces can be found in the disclosures of U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,232,864; 4,236,713. Examples of game board apparatus with a changeable surface can be found in the disclosures of U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,236,713; 5,087,052; 5,732,947, and in the “Settlers of Catan” board game system produced by Mayfair Games. Examples of board games in which the board game container is used as part of the game board structure can be found in the disclosures of U.S. Pat. No. 5,244,212 and U.S. Patent Application Pub. No. 2004/0007814.
The present disclosure is directed to board games, and more particularly to board games in which the game board apparatus includes one or more surfaces that are configured to be movable relative to each other to form a changeable play surface.
Embodiments of the game board apparatus may include separate upper and lower board elements each including a surface with pathway indicia indicated thereon, the surface of the upper board element superimposed above the surface of the lower board element, with one of the surfaces being selectively movable among a plurality of predetermined positions relative to the other. In each position, some of the pathway indicia of the surface of the lower board element may be concealed from view by the surface of the upper board element, and the visible pathway indicia of both surfaces may align to define, or distinctly delineate, one or more continuous pathways for movement of player movers on the surfaces, each continuous pathway leading from one surface to another. The one or more continuous pathways defined by the visible pathway indicia of both surfaces may be changeable by moving the selectively movable surface from one predetermined position to another.
In some embodiments, the pathway indicia include movement spaces, such that the defined pathway consists of a plurality of adjacent movement spaces. In some embodiments, the surface of the upper board element may include at least one opening through which pathway indicia of the lower board element are visible.
In some embodiments, the surfaces of the upper and lower board elements may be substantially planar, and disposed to be substantially parallel to each other. In such embodiments, one surface may be configured for translational or rotational movement relative to the other, such as in a direction, or plane of rotation, parallel to the other surface.
An exemplary embodiment in which one surface is configured for translational movement may include a lower board element consisting of a strip of material that is marked with an array or pattern of movement spaces and placed underneath an upper board element consisting of a shorter piece of material also marked with an array of movement spaces. The visible movement spaces of the surfaces are arranged to align in each of a plurality of predetermined relative positions of one surface to the other, to define one or more continuous pathways, such as for movement of player movers on the surfaces. As such, sliding or otherwise moving the upper board element along the lower board element, or pulling the lower board element underneath the upper board element, changes the visible pathway indicia and thus one or more of the defined pathways.
An exemplary embodiment in which one surface is configured for rotational movement relative to the other may include a lower board element in the form of a flat disk configured for rotational movement beneath a flat upper board element. Rotation of one board element to the other may be effected by means of a vertically extending knob or other device attached to the movable surface, or board element, that may be manipulated during game play. For example, a player may turn a knob to rotate the lower board element relative to the upper board element, changing the visible game pathway indicia and thus one or more of the defined pathways.
In either of these and other exemplary embodiments, one or more continuous pathways from one surface to the other may be defined by the visible pathway indicia within a predefined area. The predefined area may be the entirety of visible pathway indicia on both surfaces, such as the pathway indicia of the upper board element and the pathway indicia of the lower board element surrounding the upper board element and that visible through any openings in the surface of the upper board element. Or, a peripheral edge of one surface, or boundary indicia indicated thereon, may indicate a predefined area. Optionally, a set of game rules may provide that only the continuous pathways formed by the visible pathway indicia within a predefined area is available for movement of player movers during game play.
In some embodiments, the game board apparatus may further include support structure configured to support the upper and lower board elements relative to each other, and/or to enable or allow movement of the selectively movable surface relative to the other. For example, in an embodiment in which the surface of a lower board element is configured to be selectively movable relative to the surface of an upper board element, the lower board element may be fabricated from a flexible material arranged in an endless loop or belt, which may be trained around rollers or other end members configured to guide rotation of the lower board element beneath the upper board element. In such an embodiment, the upper board element may in turn consist of a rigid board held securely in place relative to the support structure, such as by means of brace members or other suitable components.
In some embodiments, a game container may be shaped or otherwise configured to be used as supporting structure as described above, such as to allow a flexible lower board element to be wrapped around the container for movement beneath a rigid upper board element clipped or otherwise securely held to the game container above the lower board element.
The pathway indicia may be shaped, arranged, or otherwise configured in any suitable manner such that the visible pathway indicia in each predetermined position of one surface to another collectively define one or more continuous pathways. For example, pathway indicia in some embodiments may consist of spaces arranged in a generally grid-like array, with some of the spaces indicated as movement spaces. In such an embodiment, one or more continuous pathways from one surface to the other may be defined by the visible movement spaces within the rows and columns of a predefined area. The predetermined positions may be those in which the rows and columns of the surfaces collectively align to form a contiguous grid.
In this (and other) embodiments, the game board apparatus may further include a movement device operable to move the movable surface with respect to the other in measured increments, such as by incorporating a key register or other incremental measurement device. A measured increment may be the extent of movement sufficient to move from one predetermined position to the next in series, such that repeated operation of the movement device may move the movable surface among each of the predetermined positions. In embodiments in which the predetermined positions are those in which the rows and columns of the surfaces collectively align to form a contiguous grid, one surface may be movable in a direction described by the columns of movement spaces, such that a measured increment between one position and the next may be determined by the width of one row.
Methods suitable for use with the embodiments briefly described above may include placing one or more player movers on a pathway, such as on a designated “start” space, changing the one or more continuous pathways by moving the selectively movable surface from one position to another, and moving a player mover along one of the continuous pathways from one surface or board element to the other. For example, a set of rules incorporating such methods may provide that each player's turn includes both moving the movable surface to change the continuous pathways defined by the pathway indicia, and moving the player's player mover along one of the pathways.
Further, such methods may include moving the player mover off of a pathway by the action of moving the movable surface, and then placing the player mover on a predetermined location on the pathway indicia of the upper board element. For example, a player mover on a movement space on the surface of a lower board element may be “pushed” from the movement space, and thus off of the continuous pathway, if the surface is moved underneath a superimposed upper board element, and if the clearance space or offset between the two surfaces does not allow the player mover to pass underneath the upper board element. A set of rules incorporating this method may specify that a penalty is assessed if this occurs during game play, and may require the player mover to be placed on a predetermined space.
Optionally, some methods may further incorporate use of an enemy mover, which may be placed on a pathway, such as on a designated “enemy start” space, moving the enemy mover along the continuous pathway toward a predetermined destination, and moving a player mover to a predetermined location upon moving the enemy mover to the destination. Some methods may incorporate use of a plurality of tokens, which may be placed on one or more predetermined locations on the pathway indicia of the upper board element, moving a player mover to one of the predetermined locations, and removing the token upon moving the player to the location, such as to award the token to the player whose player mover “collected” the token.
The board games and methods of the present disclosure will be understood more readily after a consideration of the drawings and the Detailed Description.
Referring to
As shown in
In other embodiments, the predefined area may be the entirety of visible pathway indicia on both surfaces, such as the pathway indicia of the upper board element and the pathway indicia of the lower board element surrounding the upper board element as well as that visible through any openings in the surface of the upper board element. In still other embodiments, instead of a peripheral edge of one surface (or board element) or the other, a predefined area may be indicated by boundary indicia indicated on a surface or board element. Still other embodiments may include any suitable manner of structure and/or indicia to indicate a predefined area. Moreover, the pathway indicia may take any appropriate form, such as movement spaces as shown, movement spaces shaped differently than as shown, discrete groups of adjacent movement spaces, discrete pathway segments, and so forth.
Referring again to
In the embodiment illustrated in
As shown in the embodiment illustrated in
The game board apparatus may further include support structure configured to support the upper and lower board elements relative to each other, and/or to enable or allow movement of the selectively movable surface relative to the other.
Support structure 30 may take any desired form, which may in some embodiments be determined by the configuration of one or more board elements and/or surfaces, the pathway indicia, and so forth.
Optionally, the central support member may be adapted to contain the board elements and the rest of the support structure, and any game components, when the game board apparatus is not in use. In other words, a game container may function as part of the support structure for the game board apparatus.
Thus, although the various configurations of support structure 30 are shown to include the configurations illustrated in
Optionally, game board apparatus 10 may further include a movement device (not shown) operable to move the selectively movable surface with respect to the other. Such a movement device may further be configured to move the selectively movable surface in measured increments, such as by incorporating a key register or other incremental measurement device. A measured increment may be the extent of movement needed to move from one predetermined position to the next in series, such that repeated operation of the movement device may move the movable surface among each of the predetermined positions.
One example of a movement device suitable for use with the game board apparatus as shown in
An exemplary embodiment of a game board apparatus 60 in which one surface is configured for rotational movement relative to the other is shown in
In game board apparatus 60, lower board element 64 is shown in the form of a flat disk configured for rotational movement beneath the flat upper board element. However, analogous to game board apparatus 10, other embodiments may include upper and lower game board elements both configured for relative rotational movement, or an upper board element configured to be rotatable with respect to the lower board element. Also analogous to game board apparatus 10, a predefined area for game play may be the one or more continuous pathways formed by the visible pathway indicia within the peripheral edge of the upper board element 62. Thus, in a method of game play suitable for use with game board apparatus 60, players may attempt to move tokens or markers from a start space 720 to an end space 722 by traversing the one or more continuous pathways of movement spaces 72 within the predefined area within the peripheral edge of upper board element 62.
Rotation of one board element to the other may be effected by any suitable means. For example, a variant of game board apparatus 60 is shown in
Optionally, as mentioned above with regard to game board apparatus 10, game board apparatus 60 may include a movement device operable to move the selectively movable surface with the respect to the other. For example,
The concepts and components of two exemplary game board apparatus 10, 60 are described and illustrated herein in specific terms, but several variations may be made within the scope and spirit of this disclosure. For example, the disclosed embodiments are shown and described to include two game board surfaces, one superimposed on the other, but other embodiments may include any number of superimposed surfaces, each of which may include pathway indicia. Also, the upper board element of each embodiment is shown to include a number of openings through which pathway indicia on the surface of the lower board element are visible, but other embodiments may include an upper board element having no openings, such that the continuous pathways may be formed by the pathway indicia of the surface of the upper board element and that of the lower board element surrounding the upper board element.
The game board apparatus of the described embodiments may be provided as part of a board game or game set, which may further include player movers and any manner of additional game components suitable for game play, such as game play according to one or more of the exemplary methods described below. As such, a board game may include a game board apparatus, a plurality of player movers adapted for movement along a continuous pathway of the game board apparatus, means for randomly indicating movement of a player mover along a pathway, and means for randomly indicating movement of one of the surfaces from one predetermined relative configuration to another. Such means may be provided as dice, spinners, cards, other devices, or any combination thereof, suitable for randomly indicating movement of a mover and/or one of the surfaces.
Exemplary methods of game play utilizing the components and concepts discussed above are outlined in the paragraphs below, with specific reference to a third exemplary embodiment of a game board apparatus 100, illustrated in
A third exemplary embodiment of a game board apparatus 100 is shown in
Like game board apparatus 10, the lower board element is shown as a long strip of material positioned underneath an upper board element that is comparatively shorter in length. As such, game board apparatus 60 may further include support structure analogous to that indicated in
Like game board apparatus 10, the pathway indicia 120 of game board apparatus 100 are shown to be arranged on surfaces 116, 118 such that the visible pathway indicia form identifiable rows and columns. The surface of the lower board element is configured for movement in a direction parallel to the columns of movement spaces, so the predetermined positions in game board apparatus 100 are those in which the rows of movement spaces align from one surface to the other. A measured increment may thus be the width of a row.
Unlike pathway indicia 20 or 70 of the previous embodiments, however, pathway indicia 120 of the surface of the upper board element in
Some of the movement spaces on the surface of the upper board element are shown to include a variety of game indicia adapted to indicate that the movement spaces have a special designation during game play. As explained in more detail below, several players may each move player movers from corresponding start spaces to an end destination, while attempting to collect a predetermined number of tokens that are initially placed at different locations around the board. A commonly controlled enemy mover also moves from an enemy start space toward a destination on its own pathway. As such, the game indicia of the various movement spaces on the game board apparatus include four start spaces 1220, an end space 1222, an enemy start space 1224, an enemy destination 1226, and a plurality of token spaces 1228. Each of these types of movement spaces are shown with differentiable symbols, but any suitable indicia may be used. Optionally, in embodiments suitable for use with other game methods, the game indicia may be adapted as appropriate to game play.
A set of game components suitable for use with game board apparatus 100 in the game methods described below are shown in
Dice 136 are shown as standard six-sided dice 1360, 1362, both including various numerical indicia 140, and being differentiable by color. As explained in more detail below, one die (1360) may be used to indicate movement of movers on the pathways, and the other die (1362) may be used to indicate movement of the surface of the lower board element. Die 1362 is shown also to include enemy mover indicia 142 which, when rolled, may indicate that the enemy mover is moved the number of spaces indicated on die 1360 instead of a player mover.
Although the various game components are illustrated in a particular form and configuration, numerous variations are possible and considered to be within the scope of this disclosure. For example, spinners or any suitable random number generating devices may be used instead of dice, and so forth. The nature and configurations of the various game components may be determined to some extent by the nature of the game method, a theme or backstory, and so forth.
Methods suitable for use with the game board apparatus and game components of the exemplary embodiments may include placing one or more player movers on a pathway, such as on a designated “start” space, changing the one or more continuous pathways by moving the selectively movable surface from one position to another, and moving a player mover along one of the continuous pathways from one surface or board element to the other. For example, a set of rules incorporating such methods may provide that each player's turn includes both moving the movable surface to change the continuous pathways defined by the pathway indicia, and moving the player's player mover along one of the pathways.
Further, such methods may include moving the player mover from the pathway by the action of moving the movable surface, and then placing the player mover on a predetermined location on the pathway indicia of the upper board element. For example, a player mover on a movement space on the surface of a lower board element may be “pushed” from the movement space, and thus off of the continuous pathway, if the surface is moved underneath a superimposed upper board element, and if the clearance space or offset between the two surfaces does not allow the player mover to pass underneath the upper board element. A set of rules incorporating this method may specify that a penalty is assessed if this occurs during game play, and may require the player mover to be placed on a predetermined space.
Optionally, some methods may further incorporate use of an enemy mover, which may be placed on a pathway, such as on a designated “enemy start” space, moving the enemy mover along the continuous pathway toward a predetermined destination, and moving a player mover to a predetermined location upon moving the enemy mover to the destination. Some methods may incorporate use of a plurality of tokens, which may be placed on one or more predetermined locations on the pathway indicia of the upper board element, moving a player mover to one of the predetermined locations, and removing the token upon moving the player to the location, such as to award the token to the player whose player mover “collected” the token.
The various indicia of the game components and the game board apparatus may be consistent with a game theme or backstory. Incorporating a theme or backstory into game components may enhance player enjoyment of such a game, by allowing players to role-play in a setting known to players familiar with the theme. Also, incorporating a theme may assist players in understanding a set of rules for the game, by associating game actions and rules consistent with thematic elements. Such a theme may be based on a piece of popular media, such as an animated film, a series of fictional works, and so forth. In the exemplary embodiment described below, the theme may incorporate aspects of the animated film “ICE AGE 2” in which several talking mammals overcome personal differences and embark on a series of adventures. The player movers thus may incorporate character indicia to provide each player with an opportunity to role-play a favorite character from the film. The enemy mover may incorporate character indicia of a villain or enemy creature from the film. The tiles may represent a number of different creatures to be rescued.
Game board apparatus 100 may also include thematic elements. For example, the surface of the lower game board element 114 may represent a river that may move or “flow” relative to the surface of the upper game board element 116, which may correspondingly represent a riverbank or shore. As such, the movement spaces 122 of the “river” may be stylistically represented as miniature icebergs, such as to give players the impression that their movers are jumping from iceberg to iceberg in an attempt to move between opposing shores of a moving river.
Games may be played by multiple players, each of which may choose a player mover for movement on the game board. Aspects of the exemplary methods may be articulated in a set of rules or other printed matter that may accompany a game. For example, an exemplary method of game play suitable for use with game board apparatus 100 and the set of game components of
Prior to beginning play, each player chooses a player mover 130 and places it on its corresponding start space 1220. The enemy mover 132 is placed on the enemy start space 1224. Each token 134 is placed on a token space 1228. Play then proceeds with players taking turns rolling a mover die 1360 to move their movers generally towards end space 1222. In this method, river die 1362 is provided for movement of the surface of the lower board element or “river” relative to the top surface or “shore.” Thus, both dice are rolled on a player's turn, to indicate the extent of movement of the river as well as how many spaces the player's mover may be moved. River die 1362 also includes enemy mover indicia 142 which, if rolled on a player's turn, indicates that the enemy mover is moved the number of spaces indicated on movement die 1360, instead of the player's player mover.
In this method, a player's mover may traverse the river, but only on spaces indicated to be movement spaces 122. In other words, player movers may not be moved on the water (the unmarked areas surrounding movement spaces 122), but may only move on the river from one movement space to an adjacent movement space or from a movement space to an adjacent space on the shore. Thus if, on any player's turn, movement of the river causes a player's mover to be pushed from an “iceberg” space into the water, that player may be penalized, such as by being required to move his mover to a designated space on the shore. For example, the player's player mover may be moved back to the start space 1220 corresponding to the mover, the closest token space 1228, or any other predetermined space.
In
In
The method also provides that each player must move his mover to a predetermined number of token spaces 1228. To keep track of how many of such spaces each player has visited, tiles or other tokens may be used. In other words, each player may be required to collect a predetermined number of tokens by moving his mover to that number of token spaces and removing the token from each token space visited. Once a token is removed from a designated space, no other player may collect a token from that space, requiring each player to visit different spaces in order to satisfy this aspect of the game. The tiles or tokens may represent various animals to be rescued, or treasure to be collected, and so forth. The designated spaces may correspondingly represent safe zones, or treasure burial locations, and so forth, as desired. The rules may specify only that each player is required to collect a predetermined number of tokens, or that each player is required to collect a predetermined set of tokens (or visit a predetermined set of token spaces), and so forth, as appropriate to achieve a desired level of game complexity or difficulty. As such, the tokens and/or token spaces may further include differentiable indicia, and/or may be randomly placed face-down on the token spaces, such that a player needing to collect a predetermined set may have to visit a number of token spaces to collect the required tokens.
In the exemplary method, the enemy mover is initially placed in a specially-designated area on the play surface relative to the enemy destination space 1226, specifically, the enemy start space 1224. If the enemy mover is moved to the designated space on any player's turn, such as by movement of the river and/or by movement of the enemy mover as indicated by a die roll or some other game event, that player may be penalized, such as by being required to move his mover to a designated space on the shore, returning a collected token to a token space, or otherwise.
A set of rules of game play articulating the first exemplary method of game play as described herein is presented below. As mentioned above, the rules are exemplary and are intended for use with an embodiment of the game, aspects and components of which incorporate the theme of the animated film “ICE AGE 2.” Thus, the rules may employ a game lexicon different from, but not inconsistent with, the terminology and concepts as set forth in the disclosure above.
General Description:
For 2-4 players.
Each player chooses a character, then players takes turns attempting to navigate their way across a river divide saving stranded animals along the way. Remember, it's a race. By utilizing an ever-changing iceberg flow, a player can jump from iceberg to iceberg, choosing their best route across the game board. But wait! Ellie is in trouble. She's stuck on an iceberg island and Maelstrom and Cretaceous are coming straight for her. Make the serpents fight the river current. The constantly changing board game allows players to control the river flow by rolling a river die. Stay on an iceberg and risk being pushed into the water. If you choose the safe route by jumping off the river flow you could end up in last place. Be the first mammal to get to the other side of the river with three animals and win.
Contents:
Game board (112)
Vinyl river sheet complete with iceberg graphics (114)
4 Mammal movers (Sid, Manny, Diego, and Eddie and Crash) (130)
1 Maelstrom and Cretaceous mover (132)
16 Creature tiles (134)
1 Six-sided movement die (1360)
1 Six-sided river die (1362)
Instructions
The Object
Be the first mammal to get to the other side of the river with three animals and win.
Game Set-Up
Open the game board (112) in the center of the playing area
Slide the vinyl river (114) underneath
Randomly place all Creature tiles (134) face down at each safe zone (1228)
Place all Mammals (130) at their indicated start space (1220)
Place Maelstrom and Cretaceous (132) at indicated start space (1224)
Let's Play!
Mammal Movement
Safe Zones and Collecting Creatures
River Movement
Serpent Movement
Winning the Game
The game ends when any one mammal reaches the end and has a total of three animals in front of them.
Several aspects of this exemplary method of game play may be modified from that disclosed above, and may be reflected in the set of rules to accompany the game. The rules may thus be configured to provide a game with a desired degree of complexity or difficulty, for example to adapt the game to players of a predetermined age range.
It is believed that the disclosure set forth herein encompasses multiple distinct inventions with independent utility. While each of these inventions has been disclosed in a specific form, the embodiments thereof as disclosed and illustrated herein are not to be considered in a limiting sense as numerous variations are possible. The subject matter of the inventions includes all novel and non-obvious combinations and subcombinations of the various elements, features, functions components, concepts, and/or properties disclosed herein. Also, where the claims recite “a” or “a first” element of the equivalent thereof, such claims should be understood to include incorporation of one or more such elements, neither requiring nor excluding two or more such elements.
It is believed that the following claims particularly point out certain combinations and subcombinations of features, functions, elements, components, actions, and/or properties that may be claimed through amendment of the present claims or presentation of new claims in this or a related application. Such amended or new claims, whether they are directed to a different invention or directed to the same invention, whether different, broader, narrower or equal in scope to the original claims, are also regarded as included within the subject matter of the inventions of the present disclosure.
This application is based upon and claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) to the Provisional Patent Application No. 60/686,762 entitled “Game With Movable Surfaces” and filed on Jun. 1, 2005, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for all purposes.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60686762 | Jun 2005 | US |
