Patent Application
20080203662
1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates generally to the field of game play. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a game, and a method of play thereof, for ascertaining personal information regarding, for example, life experiences personal to each player of the game.
2. Background of the Related Art
Game play has been a popular way to amuse and entertain people for many years. Numerous varieties of games exist, including card games, board games, video games, etc., often requiring differing levels of skill and elements of chance, and relating to various themes such as movies, television, war, the purchasing of property and the development of personal wealth, and life in general.
Most games present an avenue of entertainment and/or a way to distract the players from reality, offering little, if any, information or insight about the players themselves other than the manner in which they deal with obstacles presented during play. It would be desirable, therefore, to provide a game, and a method of play thereof, which allows the players to ascertain information, such as personal knowledge of each others past experiences, and thereby learn about the people with whom they are playing.
In one aspect of the present disclosure, a memory game playable by at least two players is disclosed. The game includes a plurality of first cards and a plurality of tally sheets.
The plurality of cards includes a plurality of first cards each having an elicitation thereon pertaining to information personal to each of the players. The personal information relates to one of a plurality of categories denoted by one of a plurality of icons also present upon each of the first cards, the categories including but not being limited to education, life, family and friends, work, food and drink, love and lust, arts and entertainment, holidays and seasons, leisure, and evil.
Each of the plurality of tally sheets includes the plurality of icons and at least one corresponding status marker to indicate whether a response to an elicitation from the category corresponding to the icon has been tendered.
During play, each player draws from the plurality of cards upon her turn. Should a first card be drawn, the player optionally tenders a response to the elicitation present thereon. The tendering of a response is indicated by marking the status marker corresponding to the icon denoting the category to which the elicitation relates. The game ends when a player marks a predetermined number of status marker on her tally sheet.
In various embodiments, the game may further include a plurality of second cards, a plurality of third cards, a plurality of fourth cards, and/or a plurality of fifth cards. In those embodiments including a plurality of second cards, the second cards are distributed amongst the players prior to beginning play. Each player may inscribe one elicitation relating to one of the categories upon each second card, at her election, for use during play. When a second card is drawn by a player, the player optionally tenders a response to the elicitation included thereon, as with the drawing of a first card.
Should the game include, either additionally or alternatively, a plurality of third cards, when one such card is drawn, the player retains it for use at a later time, and another of the plurality of cards is drawn until either a first or second card is drawn. Upon so doing, should the player not wish to respond to the elicitation present thereon, the player may transfer the first or second card to one of the other players if she has a third card in her possession. The player to whom the first or second card is transferred must then respond to the elicitation, or choose not to do so, unless that player also has a third card in her possession, in which case, the first or second card may again be transferred to another player.
In those embodiments of the game including, either additionally or alternatively, a plurality of fourth cards, when a fourth card is drawn, it is retained by the drawing player for use at a later time, and the player draws again another until either a first or second card is drawn. A player in possession of a fourth card is allowed to appropriate either a first or second card from another player so that the appropriating player can tender a response to the elicitation present thereon.
In the embodiments of the game including, either additionally or alternatively, a plurality of fifth cards, upon drawing one such card, a player creates an elicitation relating to one of the categories and communicates the elicitation to another player for a response thereto.
The game may include a holder for retaining the plurality of cards during play, a recording device for automatically recording the personal information divulged by the players through their responses to elicitations, and/or a timing mechanism for defining an interval of time in which a response to one or more elicitations must be tendered.
The plurality of icons denoting which category an elicitation pertains to includes a first icon corresponding to the education category, a second icon corresponding to the life category, a third icon corresponding to the family and friends category, a fourth icon corresponding to the work category, a fifth icon corresponding to the food and drink category, a sixth icon corresponding to the love and lust category, a seventh icon corresponding to the arts and entertainment category, an eighth icon corresponding to the holidays and seasons category, a ninth icon corresponding to the leisure category, and a tenth icon corresponding to the evil category, wherein each of the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, and tenth icons are different.
In one embodiment, the tally sheets may include memo space for manually recording the personal information divulged by the players through their responses to elicitations, and may be removably bound together.
In another aspect of the present disclosure, a method of playing a memory game is disclosed wherein information personal to at least two players is divulged. The method includes the steps of providing a plurality of cards, distributing one of a plurality of tally sheets to each player, the tally sheets including each of a plurality of icons and a corresponding status marker, and following instructions provided for play of the game. The plurality of cards includes the plurality of first cards, and in alternate embodiments, may also include the second cards, third cards, fourth cards, and fifth cards each described above.
The step of following the instructions provided for play of the game includes determining the order of play. The order of play may be determined according to each player's age such that an older player takes a turn before a younger player. In one embodiment, the oldest player takes her turn first, being followed thereafter by the players consecutively to her left. Alternatively, the order of play may be random or may predetermined by the players.
In those embodiments including the plurality of second cards, either additionally or alternatively, the method further includes the step of distributing the second cards amongst the players prior to beginning play. The players may then optionally inscribe one elicitation relating to one of the categories upon the second cards for use during play.
The method may optionally include the step of providing a timing mechanism for defining an interval of time in which a response to one or more elicitations must be tendered.
These and other features of the game, and method of play thereof, disclosed herein will become more readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of various embodiments of the present disclosure.
Various embodiments of the present disclosure are described herein below with references to the drawings, wherein:
Various exemplary embodiments of the presently disclosed game, and method of play thereof, will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings wherein like references numerals identify similar or identical elements. With reference to
Each of the plurality of cards 100 has a top (first) side “A” and a bottom (second) side “B”. The top side “A” of each of the plurality of cards 100 is substantially identical and includes the “I Remember . . . ” trademark, which is the property of Senior Toys, LLC d/b/a I Remember Game, Ridgewood, N.J. 07450. The bottom side “B” of each of the plurality of cards 100 provides instructions, conveys information, contains data, or presents a message to the players during play of the game 10, as discussed in detail herein below.
The plurality of cards 100 includes a plurality of first, or “I Remember . . . ”™ cards 110. The bottom side “B” of each “I Remember . . . ”™ card 110 includes an elicitation 112 and an icon 114. Each elicitation 112 poses a question, provides an instruction, or otherwise prompts a player to respond and thereby divulge personal information pertaining to any experience, opinion, memory, relationship, etc. relating to one of several categories denoted by a corresponding icon 114. An exemplary collection of icons 114A-114J is included in the tally sheet 200 illustrated in
Throughout the present disclosure a first icon 114A will indicate an elicitation 112 from a first category, e.g., “Education”, a second icon 114B will indicate an elicitation 112 from a second category, e.g., “Life”, a third icon 114C will indicate an elicitation 112 from a third category, e.g., “Family and Friends”, a fourth icon 114D will indicate an elicitation 112 from a fourth category, e.g., “Work”, a fifth icon 114E will indicate an elicitation 112 from a fifth category, e.g., “Food and Drink”, a sixth icon 114F will indicate an elicitation 112 from a sixth category, e.g., “Love and Lust”, a seventh icon 114G will indicate an elicitation 112 from a seventh category, e.g., “Arts and Entertainment”, an eighth icon 114H will indicate an elicitation 112 from a eighth category, e.g., “Holiday Seasons”, a ninth icon 114I will indicate an elicitation 112 from a ninth category, e.g., “Leisure”, and a tenth icon 114J will indicate an elicitation 112 from a tenth category, e.g., “Evil”. It should be understood that any elicitations 112, category, or icon 114 disclosed herein is exemplary only and is not meant to limit the scope of the present disclosure. Accordingly, additional or alternative elicitations 112, categories, and icons 114 are not beyond the scope of the present disclosure.
The plurality of tally sheets 200 will now be discussed. In one embodiment, as seen in
As seen in
Referring now to
On each player's turn, one of the plurality of cards 100 is drawn. Upon the drawing of an “I Remember . . . ”™ card 100, the player reads the elicitation 112 thereon aloud and decides whether or not she is going to tender a response, i.e., whether or not she is going to provide the other players with personal information relating to the category to which the elicitation 112 pertains. If the player tenders a response, the player indicates such on her tally sheet 200 by marking one of the status markers 202 corresponding to the icon 114 denoting the category to which the elicitation 112 pertains. If the player decides not to offer a response, the player's turn is forfeited and she is not afforded to opportunity to mark any of the status markers 202. Thereafter, the drawn “I Remember . . . ”™ card 100 is placed in a discard portion 404 of the holder 400 and play continues in the pre-determined order, i.e., with the next eldest player taking her turn.
During the course of play, each of the players may optionally record, e.g., write down, information offered by one or more of the players in response to an elicitation in the memo space 208 of the tally sheets 200, if provided.
Play continues until one of the players responds to a predetermined number of elicitations 112 from each category. In one embodiment, the predetermined number of elicitations 112 is be equivalent to the number of status markers 202 corresponding to each icon 114 on the tally sheets 200. In other words, in this embodiment, play of the game 10 ends when a player marks each of the status markers 202 on her tally sheet 200. For example, in the embodiment of the game 10 shown in
The game 10 may further include a timer 500, as seen in
Referring now to
As seen in
Referring now to
Prior to beginning play, as suggested by its name, the bottom side “B” of each “Blank” card 120 is empty, as shown in
The bottom side “B” of the “Pass” cards 130, “Grab” cards 140, and “Wild” cards 150 indicate a particular function to be performed by a player drawing one of these cards, and will be discussed in detail herein below.
In the interests of brevity, a method of playing the game 10 with each of the “I Remember . . . ”™ cards 110, the “Blank” cards 120, the “Pass” cards 130, the “Grab” cards 140, and the “Wild” cards 150 will be discussed. It should be understood, however, that the present disclosure contemplates play of the game 10 with the “I Remember . . . ”™ cards 110 and one or more of the “Blank” cards 120, “Pass” cards 130, “Grab” cards 140, and “Wild” cards 150 in various embodiments.
Prior to beginning play, each player is given one or more tally sheets 200 and one or more “Blank” cards 120. Each “Blank” card 120 may be filled out by one or more players, as previously described. During the following discussion, it will be presumed that each “Blank” card 120 that is mentioned includes an elicitation 112 inscribed by one of the players. The game 10 may optionally include one or more inscription implements (not shown), e.g., pens or pencils, for distribution to the players to use in inscribing the “Blank” cards 120. Thereafter, the plurality of cards 100 are shuffled together and placed in a holding portion 402 of the holder 400, if provided, such that the bottom side “B” of each of the plurality of cards 100 is facing downwardly, and the order of game play is decided. As previously described, the order of play may be determined based upon the ages of the players.
On each players turn, one of the plurality of cards 100 is drawn. Upon the drawing of either an “I Remember . . . ”™ card 100 or a “Blank” card 120, the player reads the elicitation 112 thereon aloud and decides whether or not she is going to respond thereto. If the player tenders a response, the player indicates such on her tally sheet 200 by marking one of the status markers 202 corresponding to the icon 114 denoting the category to which the elicitation 112 relates. If the player decides not to offer a response, the player's turn is forfeited and she is not afforded an opportunity to mark any of the status markers 202. Thereafter, the drawn “I Remember . . . ”™ card 100 or “Blank” card 120 is placed in the discard portion 404 of the holder 400 and play continues in the pre-determined order, i.e., with the next eldest player taking her turn.
Should a player draw a “Pass” card 130, the “Pass” card 130 is retained by the player for use at a later time. The player then draws again until an “I Remember . . . ”™ card 100 or a “Blank” card 120 is chosen, at which time the player may either respond to the elicitation 112 thereon or forfeit her turn, as previously described. Alternatively, however, if the player is in possession of a “Pass” card 130, she may transfer the “I Remember . . . ”™ card 100 or the “Blank” card 120 to another player. If the player to whom the “I Remember . . . ”™ card 100 or “Blank” card 120 is transferred also has a “Pass” card 130, she may also transfer the “I Remember . . . ”™ card 100 or “Blank” card 120 to one of the other players, including the player from whom the “I Remember . . . ”™ card 100 was originally transferred. If the player to whom the “Pass” card 130 is transferred does not have a “Pass” card 130, she must either respond the elicitation 112 included on the transferred “I Remember . . . ”™ card 100 or “Blank” card 120, or forfeit her turn as previously described. If a response is tendered, the responding player and the transferring player each subsequently mark one of the status markers 202 on their tally sheets 200 corresponding to the icon 114 denoting the category to which the elicitation 112 relates. However, it the player to whom the “I Remember . . . ”™ card 100 or “Blank” card 120 is transferred does not tender a response to the elicitation 112 included thereon, the transferring player marks one of the status markers 202 on her tally sheet 200 corresponding to the icon 114 denoting the category to which the elicitation 112 relates and erases or otherwise un-marks any one of the status markers 202 on the non-responsive player's tally sheet 200. The transferring player may then draw again. After use, the “Pass” card, or cards, 130 are placed in the discard portion 404 of the holder 400 with the “I Remember . . . ”™ card 100 or “Blank” card 120 that was passed between the players. Play then continues in the pre-determined order from the player who either responds to an elicitation 112 or forfeits her turn.
Upon drawing of a “Grab” card 140, the “Grab” card 140 is retained by a player for use at a later time. The player then draws again until an “I Remember . . . ”™ card 100 or a “Blank” card 120 is chosen, at which time the player may either respond to the elicitation 112 thereon or forfeit her turn, as previously described. Aptly named, a player in possession of a “Grab” card 140 may grab an “I Remember . . . ”™ card 100 or a “Blank” card 120 from another player when drawn, thereby depriving the player from whom the “I Remember . . . ”™ card 100 or “Blank” card 120 is grabbed the opportunity to respond to the elicitation 112 thereon and mark one of the status markers 202 on her tally sheet 200. Additionally, by grabbing the “I Remember . . . ”™ card 100 or “Blank” card 120, the grabbing player is permitted to respond to the elicitation 112 thereon and mark one of the status markers 202 on her own tally sheet 200. After use, the “Grab” card 140 is placed in the discard portion 404 of the holder 400 with the grabbed “I Remember . . . ”™ card 100 or “Blank” card 120. Play then continues in the pre-determined order from the player either responding to the elicitation or forfeiting her turn.
In one embodiment of the game 10, upon the drawing of a “Wild” card 150, the drawing player will create an elicitation (not shown) relating to any one of the categories. The player drawing the “Wild” card 150 will then present the elicitation 112 to one of the other players for a response. The player to whom the created elicitation 112 is presented must either tender a response thereto or forfeit her turn, as previously described. Thereafter, the “Wild” card 150 is placed in the discard portion 404 of the holder 400 and play continues in the pre-determined order from the player either responding to the elicitation or forfeiting her turn. In an alternate embodiment of the game 10, upon the drawing of a “Wild” card 150, the drawing player may selectively employ the “Wild” card 150 as a “Blank” card 120, i.e., creating an elicitation relating to one of the categories that is presented to one of the other players for a response, a “Pass” card 130, or a “Grab” card 140.
As with the previous method of playing the game 10, play continues until one of the players responds to a predetermined number of elicitations 112 from each category.
In an alternate embodiment, the game 10 may include a journal for retaining the tally sheets, and optionally, the memo space, if included.
It should be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to the precise embodiments discussed herein above, and that various other changes and modifications may be contemplated by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope or spirit of the present disclosure. Although the illustrative embodiments of the present disclosure have been described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings, the above description, disclosure, and figures should not be construed as limiting, but merely as exemplary of various embodiments.
The present application claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/903,717, filed on Feb. 27, 2007, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60903717 | Feb 2007 | US |
