Patent Application
20200406159
The various game inventions disclosed herein relate to methods and apparatus of providing a game, primarily word games, and various optional methods and apparatus for implementation. The inventions further relate to new and improved, primarily word games, involving at least one player participation preferably, in a main embodiment format, in a game show staged environment, but also in Interactive Internet Player Formats such as Wheel of Fortune®, Jeopardy® and Family Feud®, et al. The game has play qualities like Who Wants to Be a Millionaire® and Let's Make a Deal®, et al. that may be formatted and distributed to audiences in broadcast mediums, such as television game shows.
These present game shows, like the present inventions being disclosed herein, are also highly suitable to be played competitively or watched in or on other communication medium, readily adapted and formatted to be played over the internet or other communications networks, such as smart phones and many other “cloud-connected” or internet devices in what is commonly referred to as the “Internet of Things” or IoT. Games may be played under many formats including, for example, TV game shows, interactive electronic games, and board games. Interactive electronic games are played on a wide variety of devices, as game machines, e.g., Nintendo®, Sony PlayStation®, Game Boy® and PalmPilot™, Microsoft Xbox®, GameCube®, personal computers, and on-line formats.
There are a plethora of game shows that have been introduced to both the USA and world market over the years primarily by way of television. Many of these are based upon previous printed, old popular, as Hangman or Tic Tac Toe or game board-played type games that have been around for decades, such as crossword puzzles, Scrabble®, and various anagram, acrostic, vocabulary, spelling and word search games. As well there are board games like Scattergories® and Pictionary® et al, that are typically played in a group setting and have as of yet, not been made acceptably adaptable to a TV game show format.
Television game shows, such as Wheel of Fortune® (which is the simple yet tried and tested game of “hangman” adapted and combined with chance wheel), Jeopardy and Family Feud, as well as games like Who Wants to Be a Millionaire®, Let's Make a Deal®, and Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader?®, et al, are games that have, to one degree or another, stood the test of time because of their inherent qualities of likeability, ease of play for both contestant and audience, chance and excitement, as well as highly esteemed show hosts.
The amazing fact according to the book entitled: “The Encyclopedia of Game Shows, 3rd Edition, Checkmark Books, Copyright©, 1999”, that as of 1999, there are over 500 games that have had at least one pilot run on TV. However, nearly all of these games though are not televised today. It remains evident that only a few of these games listed in the book survived more than one pilot season, or even single showing. Only a few, in addition to the time tested games listed above, have had any significant longevity on TV or in the internet world.
Consequently, newly invented game modules and the variously potentially formatted modifications of a unified game that these modules may be integrated into, like those disclosed in the present embodiments and inventions herein, in order to be successful and have any lasting duration, have to meet even higher criteria for the game players and audiences who make them popular. Not only does any new game or game show, in order to be long- lived and “successful” have to fit well into a highly competitive present environment, where air time and distribution opportunity on TV stations, especially, prime time, is nearly impossible to secure, there is also the whole new dynamic of “likeability” and “ease of play and “ubiquity of device play” criteria that a new game must meet. It is essential that a potentially successful game must be able to be played seamlessly, not only on broadcast TV, but also over a vast and increasing array of internet, interactive environments.
This is why it is important to note that these present successful and long-lived game shows discussed above, like the present inventions being disclosed herein attempt to achieve, are also highly suitable to be played competitively or watched in or on other communication mediums, such as having an “app” for home audiences to play along during live broadcasts, readily adapted and formatted to be played over the internet or other communications networks, such as smart phones and many other “cloud-connected” devices in what is commonly referred to as the “Internet of Things” or IoT.
By the year 2020, it is estimated that there will exist more than 50 billion devices connected to the Internet of Things, which is the term used to describe the collective devices that are computerized devices, actively connected or linked to the internet. The inventions disclosed herein intend to fully use not only the standard computer and TV game show model, as well as all other computer type devices that are tried and tested and standing as a strong medium of enabling people to both watch and participate in the present game invention, but also be connected and playable from any number of devices connected the IoT medium, as well.
However, irrespective of the new dynamics of adapting a novel game invention to the said IoT, the authors, Schwartz, Ryan and Wostbrock, of the above sited book, “The Encyclopedia of Game Shows, 3rd Edition, Checkmark Books, Copyright©, 1999,” reveal also on page 22 of their forward suggestions why certain game shows become popular: “Perhaps it is the fantasy of being a winner or identifying with the pressure and excitement of the moment. Could it be the parade of ordinary everyday people that grace the small screen to entertain us? Maybe it's the dream of instant riches. Or, the ability to participate in an entertaining manner from our own armchairs. Whatever the conclusion, it goes without saying that we love the . . . Surprises, Tension, Energy, Voracity, Excitement, Riches, Yippies, Academia and Nonsense.”
One may add to this candid quote the power and personableness or personality of the host, for example, such as the highly successful and well-liked Wheel of Fortune show host, Pat Sajak and the friendly humor elements he has added to the TV game show industry. TV audience and other audience participation in real time is another factor that has become more relevant and important with the advent of the IoT, as mentioned above. These all are present objectives, one by one, that the present invention seeks to improve upon and expand.
In the present inventions, as well, the intrigue of themes that are progressively revealed, as well as providing a collection of usable tokens or letters/information gained throughout play that may be used to contestant advantage in latter parts of game play are just some of the other objectives and elements that the present inventions desire to introduce, while enhancing many of the other reasons enumerated above by the authors as to why certain games are enjoyed and made popularly enduring by audiences.
Though the present long-lived game shows, such as those listed above and others, have had a lengthy and prosperous reign and TV and internet dominance, it is believed, and thus it is a further object of the present inventions, that even these legendary games have shortcomings that may be improved upon by other quite diversely structured and functionally different methods of play and game settings and strategy, as the steps and components of the present invention attempt to, as are further objects of the invention, provide novel and improved games, game methods, game strategy, game contestant and audience interaction, novel game components, and game flow and pace, more exciting and challenging game structure, and more intense audience desire for participation, many of themselves becoming the next generation of game players. These are several, but only some of the objectives and of which will be understood more in the following further background discussion.
A Geography game show patent, U.S. Pat. No. 7,244,180, discloses a geography game show that seeks answers to questions related to geography provided within an allotted time period qualify participants for monetary or material rewards, together with learning credits. Provision is made in the show to allow real time participation of contestants or competitors, live show audience participants and remote TV viewers having Internet connections. An interesting educational feature provides for learning credits through the game play that may be converted to college credits by taking appropriate validation tests from accredited educational institutions that have made arrangements with the geography game show. The responses of contestants or competitors, live show audience participants and remote TV viewers, as well as the rewards and the leaning credits, are electronically processed and appropriate credits are issued using print outs or magnetic media.
Though a highly useful game, at least a couple limiting features of this game include a “one note” theme—Geography—and not a significant in the way of, game diversity, intrigue to and surprise. This is a highly effective learning and educational tool, however, especially with its emphasis on interactive and live audience participation.
The following two patents cover early intellectual property of “word-association” games, the first being found in U.S. Pat. No. 3,606,336, wherein a player starts to make a word beginning with a selected letter that is obtained through a chance means. The letter also has a chance selected number of letters using lettered playing pieces available to the first player. A second player builds a second word at right angles to the first word using lettered playing pieces available to the second player, the initial letter of the second word being the last letter of the first word. A unifying theme is that each of the words formed must have an associated thought suggestion with the preceding word.
Though useful and enjoying, this game has limited scope of game play, unlike the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,928,976 discloses a word association game in which a player selects a “play word” from a list included in the game. Each player then receives a category selected by chance. The players must then provide words falling within said category; the first letters need to start with the letters of the “play word”.
Many other word related games such as crosswords and Scrabble® are well known in the art, including these patents immediately above.
Application WO 2008117084 A1 also discloses a word association game in which a player must reach a target word from multiple source or start words by finding a word common to both the target and source words or link words with a plurality of link word option fields, at least one of which comprises a plurality of link words. A certain amount of link words link to said start word to said target word; said start word has associated with it a predetermined first link words in said plurality of link word option fields. A player must find a word common to three provided words (i.e. one target word and two source words). The player is aided by the provision of supporting clues in the form of sentences.
An internet game show in which visual clue is progressively exposed to contestants or competitors disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,935,945 B2. The clue is obtained through a program running on a server, is given to contestant and that clue is related to a textual answer. The contestant selects the portions of the visual clue to be exposed. The entire visual clue is loaded onto each of the contestants or competitors' computers prior to the beginning of each game, and the contestants or competitors' game software progressively exposes the visual clue.
Because contestants or competitors fill in a series of blanks with the answer and activate a send button, there is opportunity for the contestants or competitors to have their “heads downward’ and not interacting with the audience. Note: This relates to one of the further objectives of the present invention, in that it unlike the above patent, it is desired that nearly all but the most essential minimum time of play will the contestants or competitors not be verbally engaging and being engaged by the show host or audience, at least in the traditional “TV Game Show format.” In other words, writing down answers is not an objective of the present invention disclosed herein—precisely the opposite, so as to engage all audiences.
Unlike the present invention, if this internet only participation component was the only modus operandi of U.S. Pat. No. 6,935,945 B2 it would be fine for contestants or competitors at “home” game play, since contestants or competitors' game software sends the contestant's answer along with a time stamp indicating the time elapsed since the beginning of the internet game show. At the end of the internet game show, the game show host computer compares the times that the correct responses were sent. The correct response that contains the earliest send time is the winning response.
Another game show patent disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,340,159 B1, titled: “Double Cross™.” Game Show and describes a method of playing a game that allows players to compete to complete a crossword puzzle. Again, here the game is limited to “Crossword Puzzles” and thus has limited variation, unlike the object of the present invention, which is to provide an almost limitless variation of potential “game modules.” The Double Cross game includes a game board which is configured as a grid of squares with a video screen in the center of the board which can be used to display written or visual clues to help solve the crossword puzzle. The players alternate controlling the selection of clues; when they answer a clue correctly they continue to control the selection, and when they answer incorrectly the clue selection passes to the next player. The intrigue the clues add in this game is very favorable to engage long term player and audience interest, and though very much unlike the present invention herein, which includes a different and arguably, equally engaging intrigue factor by using “Hot
Letter” (further explained throughout), the clue elements of Double Cross are quite positive for game play.
Further, the game also allows players, having selected a clue, to “double cross” an opponent by challenging that opponent to answer the clue, exposing that opponent to the danger of losing some or all of his accumulated points. The game also includes a final phase where the leading player, or all of the players, must solve a word puzzle consisting of only two interlocking words. The game can be played on a television game show, using telephone or internet communication technologies, as a video game or on a board game.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,439,997, entitled: Television/Internet Game Show discloses a method for creating and providing information used in a television game show, where that information is obtained from the Internet.
Users must register and answer a questionnaire over the Internet, to create a user profile for each registered user. A fixed number of user profiles are randomly selected periodically, and then posted on the Internet. From these profiles, users then vote for their favorite user profile, and the winner is given a large monetary award, to be presented live during a television broadcast. The winner must spend the large monetary award within a fixed period of time, or else lose the unspent portion of the award. Sponsors will provide the large monetary award each week, and will be given a prominent advertisement that will be posted on the pertinent Internet web site at which the users register and vote.
This particular game would seem to lack a long term impetus to motivate an audience since there is really no significant challenge presented nor real skill sets to challenge the participants except for spending money within a certain time frame. The Price is Right™ game show at least requires a contestant to guess the nearest price of the prize to advance in the game.
“System and Method for Using a Game to Interact with Television Programs”, disclosed in: U.S. Pat. No. 8,360,885 B2 includes a computer-readable storage medium including instructions, and a computer-implemented method for obtaining votes for participants in a television program. Code for a game is transmitted to a computer system, where the game includes an in-game voting module that allows a player of the game to cast votes for participants in a television program.
This patent, as other discussed herein this background, demonstrates the direction of technology to allow votes to be managed and results disseminated through a voter-participating audience, as the present invention also envisions for its one of many methods of distribution and play.
An older interactive game technology patent U.S. Pat. No. 5,035,422, entitled: “Interactive Game Show and Method for Achieving Interactive Communication Therewith” illustrates the early perceived importance of interactive game play within the patent art of record, even at this time, phone modems were the method of operation for such audience or contestant interactivity
Individuals electronically select at least one possible outcome of a plurality of outcomes of a future event, and are able to participate in the outcome of that event and possible share in a prize award associated with the event. In the preferred embodiment, individuals forming the home audience of a televised game show are able to electronically communicate a series of random numbers using their telephones to participate in possible winning the prize awards of the show. In addition, both on-camera game participants and the studio audience also participate and have the ability to win prizes. Again, however, the novelty of the show experience and challenge are arguably limited in this game, the only focus being upon the mode of selecting the possible outcomes of an event, against another contestant, using electronic means connectivity.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,088,739 discloses a game with an environmental theme. The players work together with “crisis cards” to solve environmental crisis problems selected. There is a pie shaped game board with four pathways, wherein an area of the world is represented using three symbolic tokens. Spaces on the board represent land, water and sky. Movement is based on the rotation of a central globe with indicators pointing to different colors and eco-lottery cards. Sets of instructional cards are used and player movement is guided using eco-currency. The first player to reach the center of the board wins the game. Television video game is offered as one of the formats. Interactive players only are permitted to play in the game, with the result that game show live audiences or remote TV viewer audience are excluded from game participation.
As the present invention herein discloses a wheel, it also contemplates other “Chance mechanisms” to determine selective game play actions and game functions, and thus may use as well, a “Globe-type” rotating means with game indicia to just as well provides means for game play.
Another interactive game that may as well provide a format for a televised Game Show is entitled: Televised Competition Viewer Voting Modified Scoring Methodology, disclosed in a more recent U.S. Pat. No. 7,258,275 B 1. The patent demonstrates methods for tabulating votes cast by audiences of “Reality TV” shows in which contestants or competitors are competing with each other. Votes from prior voting sessions are tabulated in addition to votes cast during the current voting session, resulting in a modified electronic voting tally. Such modified tally will place more importance on average voting results over several voting sessions and less importance on the current voting session, thereby placing greater emphasis on the consistency of each contestant's voting tallies and therefore the consistency of their performances from one show to the next. The purpose is that there would be a greater likelihood that the contestant with the greatest popularity with television viewers over the entire life of the series will be determined the ultimate winner of the television series contest.
In U.S. Pat. No. 7,440,919 a financial game that may be televised is disclosed entitled: “System and Method for a Financial Planning Competition” The abstract reveals a game that is a financial planning competition having at least two phases, an embodiment of the first phase including a written competition including providing a fictitious client profile to pre-selected teams, allowing each team to create a written financial plan based on the client profile and awarding a score. The second phase including giving high-scoring teams a revised client profile containing a change of facts to the original client profile allowing the teams to redraft the original financial plan, receiving an oral financial planning presentation from each team based upon the revised client profile for scoring and awarding a score. Any phase of the present invention may exist in a live environment or over a network, such as the Internet. The competition may also optionally include at least a third phase which is preferably styled, in one embodiment, as a game show format based on financial planning concepts. As in the present invention herein, the advantages of an “educational game” are many, as the above patent has significant ability to assist business learning principles in the area of financial planning and investments. In a similar, however, yet far broader way, the WordSmith Wars™ game herein can use not only word games in many variations, but even, as well, comprise other games, like mathematics, history, science etc., besides its focus on English and literature, grammar, etc. as a highly valuable educational tool.
Two following patent includes word related games closer in nature to the present invention. The first, Vocabulary word game U.S. Pat. No. 6,412,781 B1 A collection of playing pieces for a vocabulary word game is disclosed. The pieces contain on one face a multi-letter combination of at least two letters plus a designator indicating required location of the letter combination in words. During a playing interval one playing piece is displayed to all players. Each player writes a list of words containing the selected letter combination at the designated location in the words.
After a predetermined time limit the players reveal their list to all. The winner of the playing interval is the player with the greatest number of words on their list. The game continues for a chosen number of intervals, the game winner being the player winning the greatest number of individual playing intervals.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,322,074 B1 discloses a game device having several user-selectable cells extending between start and finish areas, where each of the cells is associated with a character performing an answer to a question or clue. These clues are given in the form of a category. One or more participants move from the start to the finish area by selecting cells whose characters form a valid answer as the contestants or competitors carefully step on them or physically identify them in proper sequence. Various correct answers or paths between the start and finish areas can exist. Though having an exciting potential for game play, since it is engaging the entire body of the contestants or competitors, unlike the present invention, the variation of game play that can “fit” into this type of format is somewhat limited as it would be impractical for such use.
A System and method for interactive contests game is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,162,433 B1 wherein the game provides for content review, distribution, ranking and access and creation and performance of contests among sets of content-based contestants or competitors. Interactive, ongoing, multi-level, multi-round contests with expert review of and filtered submission of content-based contestants or competitors. Among other advantages, providers may use the system and method to obtain expert and consumer review and ranking of their content.
The following additional game patents are not the applicant's summarizations, but for sake of repetition of content, are included and repeated herein and given credit to their author in this application. These summaries represent excellent summarizations of additional games the applicant would want described, as discussed by inventor Garnet McHugh, pages one to five in: Geography Game Show Patent, U.S. Pat. No. 7,244,180, and are hereby incorporated herein as relevant prior art to the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,108,115 to Berman et al. discloses an interactive game show and method for achieving interactive communication. Participants are able to electronically select a future outcome from a number of possibilities. The selection is made from a series of sets having two possible outcomes. Contests are won by selecting correct outcomes. A prize is shared when that outcome is realized. Home audience viewers can participate in a televised version of the game show, using telephones to communicate a series of random numbers. These random numbers effect the selection, which can lead to award of a prize. No disclosure is contained by the patent concerning a geography game show that provides an educational learning experience.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,193,818 to Leeson discloses an entertainment game, suitable for a parlor game, a video game or a television game. The game comprises a plurality of distinct arbitrarily selectable information units with two independently viewable sub-units. The first sub-unit is a representation of a recognizable object and the second sub-unit comprises questions and answers concerning the object represented in the first sub-unit. At first the player needs to identify the recognizable object in the front of the card to be able to roll a dice. If he is successful, he gains 5 points. The rolled dice provides a number and the question on the second sub-unit corresponding to the rolled dice number is read. If the player answers that question correctly, he gains additional points and rolls the dice again. Dice rolling terminates when a player answers the question incorrectly, rolls a previously rolled number or runs out of all the questions. The game is adaptable for a video game or a television game show with the master of ceremonies asking the questions. No disclosure is contained therein concerning a geography game show that provides an educational learning experience.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,513,852 to Robinson discloses a time-to-win game. This intellectual challenge game requires at least two players. A first player is selected on the basis of a card draw, by selecting highest value card. The selected player is asked to pick a number from 1 to 12, thereby selecting a numbered disk that reveals a question category. Three questions are projected on a screen sequentially. If the selected player answers these questions correctly, his display clock will be advanced by 15 minutes and he will receive $50 for each correct answer. Next the host asks each of the players to provide an element common to these three questions. The contestant that buzzes first is permitted to answer the question. If he answers the question correctly, his clock is advanced by five minutes, and the player receives $50. Each incorrect answer results in loss of 5 minutes on the clock. The first player to advance his clock to the 12 o'clock position wins the game round, and advances to a bonus round where he is presented with 16 questions. If a player answers 12 questions correctly during a 2.5-minute time period, he wins a jackpot prize of $12,000. If the bonus round player does not answer 12 questions correctly during the 2.5- minute time period, he is paid $25 times the number of correct answers. The game disclosed by the '852 patent is not a geography game show that provides an educational learning experience.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,545,088 to Kravitz et al. discloses a television game interactively played by telephone with a television viewing home audience. A master board has numbers, which are selected by chance at random and represent a specified portion, for example, of the last two digits of telephone numbers for members of a home viewing audience. Each time a question is correctly answered by the game player, one of these numbers from the master board is validated by a square. This validated number is also placed on a five by five-game board with randomly selected numbers. When a line is filled in on the five by five-game card by correctly answered questions, it becomes part of a filled line which is horizontal, vertical or diagonal. The viewing audience can then call the television station or be pre-registered to win a prize. A game player and studio audience that are assigned to the game board also win prizes. The '088 patent does not disclose a geography game show that provides an educational learning experience.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,562,460 to Price discloses a visual educational aid. A tool is thereby provided to relate similarities and differences between different topics and relationships between subtopics and topics in a logical, orderly manner similar to continents, countries, states and features like rivers in a map. This logical ordering has similarities in appearance to a geographical map, but has no connection with a real geographical map. A map is merely used to display and order similarities and contrast dissimilarities. The patent discloses a logical ordering visualization tool which uses map like elements to group similar concepts within a region and contrast dissimilar groups as separate elements. The '460 patent does not disclose a geography game show that provides an educational learning experience.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,743,745 to Reintes discloses a device for playing back short films and/or advertising spots and/or quizzes. The device allows insertion of short films between questions and answers according to regional and supra-regional requirements. Answers provided by the contestant are stored and treated correctly in spite of the insertion of the short advertising film clip and sequences modified at will. A mechanism is thereby provided for inserting advertising clips. The stored responses from the contestants or competitors maintain the continuity of the game show, but do not provide a geography game show that provides educational learning experience.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,916,024 to Von Kohom discloses a system and method of playing games and rewarding successful players. Two signals are broadcast simultaneously from a TV or radio station, the first signal has a first group that broadcasts the program. A second group provides a signal transmission setting forth a task, such as answering one or more questions broadcast in the first group. The second signal is an instructional group identifying the time allocated for responding to the question, proper content and form of answer, as well as the mode for scoring. Remote program recipients use a television set and circuitry to receive the second signal to obtain instruction. The response equipment includes a keyboard and timing circuitry. Each response provided is stored and compared with acceptance criteria and correctness of response, and scored using circuits and print outs or magnetic records containing redeemable prize data. This interactive system requires specialized equipment and does not allow the user to interact with the system over the Internet. It is not a geography game show that affords an educational learning experience.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,171,188 to Elstner discloses a game device for an entertainment show for providing more dynamic image layout. A monitor wall composed of several monitors, signal sources for graphical and or textual display. A group of monitors comprising a portion of the monitor wall may be assigned to a player and may be activated to provide an optical signal when the player pushes a mechanical switch or a buzzer. The studio camera does not have to swivel back and forth between the monitor wall and the candidates since the monitor wall is right behind the candidates. No disclosure is contained by the '188 patent concerning a geography game show or means for providing an educational learning experience. Rather, the '188 patent discloses a display device within a game show.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,174,237 to Stephenson discloses a method for a game of skill tournament. This interactive computer-based system evaluates the skill level of a player. In the qualifying round the player competes against the computer. Scoring the highest number of points qualifies the player for the highest performance level, whereupon the player is given a reward. In the play off round, players reaching the same level of performance compete against the host computer. A local area network (LAN) or wide area network (WAN) provides a set time period for the competition. The player with highest score is rewarded. No disclosure is contained by the '237 patent concerning a geography game show or means for providing an educational learning experience. Instead, the '237 patent discloses a computer device that determines a player's skill level.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,267,379 to Forrest et al. discloses an electronically interactive location-based multimedia game system and a method of interaction. The game is played in rounds with a team of players participating to come up with one or more answers for a given multimedia multiple choice question involving identification, matching, oddball element recognition, linking or poling of factual data within a preset time period. The player teams may be collocated in a location-based facility or may play via the Internet. When the teams select correct answers, an indication is provided and score is maintained to determine the winning team. Such a multimedia interactive game provides no disclosure concerning a geography game show that affords an educational learning experience.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,384,868 to Oguma discloses a multi-screen display apparatus and video switching processing apparatus. The image screen consists of a main image, a sub image A and a sub image B. The main image is combined with sub images A and B by determining if sub images are in even field or odd field to eliminate flicker. The combined image is written into a video-storing device and read to produce a stationary or smoothly moving sub images without flicker. One of the sub images can be turned off or switched on smoothly without flicker. This multi screen display apparatus and video switching processing is not a geographic game show.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,439,997 to Brasseur et al. discloses a television/Internet game show. Internet users register and answer a questionnaire to create user profiles that are randomly selected and posted on the TV game show web page. Internet users get to vote on these profiles to select a winner. The winner receives a large monetary award during a live TV show provided by the advertisers. The winner must spend the award during a preset time period or forgo unspent portions thereof. No disclosure is provided concerning a geography game show that creates an educational learning experience. Instead, the Brasseur et al. patent discloses a lottery game having a televised award ceremony.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 2002/0016196 to Orak discloses an Internet game show in which a visual clue is progressively exposed to contestants or competitors, providing visual clues. The contestants or competitors log onto the game show at the same time and are allowed to see the questions progressively. Questions are viewed as a stream of data from the game show host server computer. The questions may also be loaded into the contestant's computer and revealed progressively using special software. Each of the contestants or competitors fills in a blank area to provide a textual response and returns it to the game show host by activating a send button. The software returns this response with a computer-generated time stamp to account for the Internet transmission time delay. The contestant that provides the earliest correct response is the winner. Each of the contestant's computer clocks must be set to the same time, which is oftentimes not feasible. No disclosure is provided concerning a geography game show that affords an educational learning experience. Instead, the patent discloses an interactive Internet game.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 2002/0083436 to Fidler discloses a method for a network-televised commercial- free game show in which revenue generating advertisements and entertainment are integrated. A predetermined number of contestants or competitors is selected and provided with a square game board connected and integrated with an Internet advertising support system link to the show. The square game board comprises many unlighted squares having randomly generated numbers, and a blank center square. A segment of an advertiser's commercial is shown to the contestants or competitors and to the public. Contestants or competitors must provide a response relating to the advertised product. If a correct response is provided, a light is turned on in the square game board; otherwise no light is turned on. The advertiser's commercial is displayed in its entirety. When complete array of lights in the contestant's game board is lit along a horizontal, vertical or a diagonal line, that contestant is a winner. The game show uses advertising commercials as an integral part of the show. No commercial breaks are needed. Revenue is generated from commercials as well as an Internet system link. No disclosure is provided concerning a geographic game show. The Fidler application tests the skills of contestants or competitors regarding the knowledge of advertised products.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 2002/0125637 to Leis discloses a word game and methods for conducting the same. This word game is playable by one or more players. It comprises a plurality of syllables in text boxes with value options. When a value option is selected, a clue is provided. The player that made the selection must then come up with a word that comprises the syllables provided in the text box. Correct answers are rewarded while incorrect answers are penalized. This word game can be played as a television game. No disclosure is provided concerning a geography game show that creates an educational learning experience. The Leis application discloses a video game; not a TV game show.
Foreign Patent No. FR 2689413 to Gaston discloses an educational geographical game. Towns are noted on a map having a rectangular frame. A removable map is held by the rectangular frame. A graduated ruler pivots on the frame to show positions of towns. The removable plastic frame allows placement of maps within the frame, while the pivoted graduated ruler sweeps across the map, allowing players to note the exact positions of towns. The Gaston patent discloses recording the positions of towns within a map. However, it does not disclose a geography game show that provides an educational learning experience.
The background prior art may be summarized as doubtless creative and useful for educational, entertainment and skill challenge, including especially the games shows and electronic games that are presently on the market, being televised and being played by millions of people.
However, the present invention seeks to improve perceived weaknesses or deficiencies in a new game that may be called many names, but preferably named “WordSmith Wars™,” over the above discussed games and game patents which often possess small variety of play, slow change of game pace, limited intensity of play, limited direct competition of contestants or competitors one to another (and among audience players, as well), difficulty of adding new elements to make the game fresh, old word games that require a contestant to “keep their head down” as they write, and thus are not easily put into a verbal, rapid fire, exciting format of play—and thus are not easily engaging to the audience, games that are not easily understood or complicated when game requirements and objectives are figured out, limited word and linguistic-related educational value, little or no “bidding processes” to gain skill advantage, limited “surprise” elements throughout play, low or minimal entertainment value. These above games, so many which have excellent elements and “fun” value also have other shortcomings, such as limited breadth of challenge within the “game world” of games, as well as a lack of intrigue and strategy, as well as a low level of intense competition that is missing in most of the game show games, especially, as discussed above.
Moreover, as will be seen further in the summary, specification and claims, the game diversity that is lacking in some of the present dominant TV games may be improved upon by providing a fresh array of novel game and game show options for players, contestants or competitors and audiences through the novel, unique Mini-game module” “game modules-within-a-game” process and structure. Also, improvements are made by providing educational, exciting, challenging and diverse game play, in addition to and more than other games of the past, whether computer based, board game based, or game shows, all games, both unpatented and patented, that are demonstrated in the games formerly or presently on TV or in any medium, mentioned in the patents referenced and discussed above and below, relevant to the game inventions herein.
In the first of three representative, preferred embodiments, novel games, aka, “Wordsmith Wars™” and herein also denoted as: WSW, playable by one or more participants, are disclosed comprising individual game modules that have assigned value accruing to the module-winning player(s). Modules are selected preferably by a chance or random indicator mechanism that comprises indicia upon them relating to a particular game that the contestants or competitors are to play (or any other function of or step(s) to take in the game). The chance mechanism may be a chance wheel, cards, dice, spinning globe with indicia, balls that roll into indented platforms, tubes or boards with indicia, as in Bingo game apparatuses, et al.
These game modules, which are comprised of novelly content-provided, formatted and constructed, arranged and sequenced-for-play, “mini-game,” short-duration games. These mini-game modules are played successively in preferred “TV Show” or (main game) in groupings or “segments” of a predetermined and general set amount of time within a game episode (typically ½ hour to 1 hour in length). Each module game completion may also be considered as playing “one round.” The modules are collectively arranged or sequenced into these game segments that combine to make up a said single “show episode” before or preferably during the game play. These modules are chosen by the host or contestants or competitors, or even the audience (studio or home) using a chance selector mean, as mentioned above, to select the particular module that the contestants or competitors are to play throughout the game episode. The predetermined game content modules' duration would corresponds with the show segments and show episode duration and the commercials, and station breaks would be accordingly interspersed within the segment and and/or game modules, as convenient. It is typical in today's average TV Game Show that approximately 20 minutes out of a half hour show would be dedicated to commercials and stations breaks, including internal show commercials.
The WSW game includes points, cash or prizes awarded for a correct answer to a game module word answer. As well, in preferably, most if not all, module game answers, a penalty, such as point or money or prize deduction (or partial deduction) is given for an incorrect answer. A player's score is the accumulated points, cash or prizes won by giving correct answers. WSW is played in rounds or game modules that are of optionally varying duration and in number of game modules actually played. The player with the greatest score (or money or value of game winnings) at the end of the last round played is the winner.
The modules are typically, preferably most often related to “word games,” as provided in a unique WSW “game platform” invention, and some of the names and games may be non-proprietary games, such as crossword puzzles, “Boggle®-type” word extraction games, etc., or fully originally conceived or modified games created by and designed by the applicant-inventor. Other trademarked and well-known game modules may be potentially licensed from the mini-game modified module owners, such as Scrabble® (Hasbro® Games), Boggle®, Scattergories® (It is to be noted that the licensing opportunities with such “branded” games could provide a huge synergistic and mutually beneficial relationship to “use” the branded game on the WSW TV or internet WSW game platforms—which would provide a huge market audience for the branded game company). Some other non-proprietary games within modified game modules herein may simply be public domain games, like Crossword Puzzles, and a myriad number of internet word and other games that test spelling, vocabulary, jumbled letter word extraction, grammar, picture identification, category listing, anagrams, acrostic puzzles, rhyming, root word games, etc. Some of these non-proprietary game modules may be named the following, not including some others to be discussed and illustrated in the following drawings, as well as further in the summary and detailed description: Grammar Hammer™, Word Wedges™ Smithereens™, Blazing Bellows™, Coal Pile™. Horseshoe Hunch™, Missing Brick™ Anvil-Block™, Joggle Tongs™. Smythical™, Macro Morph™, Blaze-a-Phrase™, Poetic Prowess™, Word Roots™, Pass the Coal™, Word Rage™, Pro-Nounce™, DEFIGNITION™, Fusion Fable™ are some examples of only just a few of many possible in addition to the other the modules in which game play is more fully explained below.
The format or play stage could easily be cards and a physical Wordsmith Wars™” game board (on a table, for eg.), as would be similar to a traditional Monopoly™ Game, as well, whereby the said modules above may be played. However, the preferred method and substance of carrying out the invention is in a TV Game Show. Some game shows of which, as Wheel of Fortune™, are mentioned above as exemplary TV game shows of a successful TV game format. WSW would seek it own format that may be adjusted and refined into an equally compelling, successful TV Game format and stage set. As well, the game would be additionally useful and entertaining in the internet realm as mentioned below and above.
These modules are thusly unified into a unique, composite, single “Wordsmith Wars™,” “Word Wars™” (or other appropriately named “unified/composite” game name) preferred embodiment being a game show, which further may have a common theme(s) associated within the game content modules. For example, a nature or adventure theme, a WWII theme or other historical theme, or a Pacific Ocean aquatic theme, or a sports theme, etc.
Intrigue and suspense, as well as strategy can be increased as letter(s) that are extracted out of certain “hot words”, explained further herein, are “won” from the inception of play throughout, until needed in final round(s) of game by a contestant. As well, word(s), and/or their correct word-in-phrase and “letters-in-Hot-Word™” positions, in addition to points or money won, may also be won throughout play. These word and/or letter “threads,” are strings or a series of letters (that will be used to create words, later used in a final round, preferably called, “Scramble For Your Life™”. This series of letters is preferably termed Hot Letters™, Hot Words™ and Key Phrase™ Words (which may be symbolized by a “key” within the game graphics. These all may be collected by the contestants or competitors, then strategically used to advantage in a climactic final round or game module, such as in a said “Scramble For Your Life™” or other climactic final round.
In addition to the excitement generated and intense competition that may be built up during play “winning and collecting” these Hot Letters and Key Phrase Words, there may ALSO be another complimentary, second combined Hot Letters and Key Phrase Words collection/accumulation event, through a strategic letter and/or word bidding process. In other words, in the final “Scramble For Your Life™” module the contestants or competitors may use their Hot Letters they previously won—throughout the earlier game module play—and also “combine them” with later Hot Letters and Key Phrase Words won (preferably just BEFORE that final Scramble round), in this bidding process for more Hot Letters™, as well as Key Phrase™ words to advantage them in being the first to finish the Scramble For Your Life™ round, and thus win the game.
The WSW™ Game final winner—determined by the final “Scramble For Your Life™” module—may spin a final (optionally included) “Win Spin,” which may additionally entitle them to have a chance at multiplying their winnings, adding prizes, or even losing a portion of their winnings. Or, they may even have a rare chance at the million dollar prize (if they have met the criteria—explained further herein) for that opportunity.
The game may be adapted into a typical physical stage show or any electronic or board (table) game formats that involve players watching or participating in the game through use of any of the broadcast mediums in which persons watch or play games. Television game shows, including interactive TV, and in other communication media, such as over the internet or other interactive communications networks such as desktop and computer pad format, smart phones and many other “connected” devices, all part of what is commonly being called the “Internet of Things” or IoT are potential mediums for formats that may support and distribute the game.
Moreover, with the WSW™ game's novel characteristics, the following list is provided enumerating just some of the objectives the inventor would like to accomplish with the WSW™ game invention, namely:
The present invention seeks in its objects to:
(1) In a novel game that may be called many names, but could be called “WordSmith Wars™” improve over the above discussed games and game patents, provide a game of wide variety of play options through a unique and exciting unified series of “games-within-a-game” play format, process, method and structure.
(2) Foster quick change of game pace within such a WSW game.
(3) Draw players into a high intensity and sustained focus of play that EDUCATES while having “fun” and increases the literacy rate and level of future generations of USA (and wherever syndicated worldwide, in other languages) people. This would involve even school or classroom “credit” or educational credit for watching and/or participating in the game show or playing online and/or interactively.
(4) Encourage more direct “face-to-face” competition of contestants or competitors one to another, similar to the “Family Feud®” game environment (and among audience players, as well).
(5) Making the structure and process of such a game more felicitous and simple as to adding new game elements to make the game challenge and content fresh.
(6) Provide a game play format whereby “fun-to-play” old, non-proprietary as well as proprietary, tried and tested word games that would normally require a contestant to “keep their head down” as they write (for eg., in a crossword puzzle), would be modified and easily put into a verbally expressed, rapid fire, exciting “vocal-format” method of play—and thus be highly engaging to the audience and exciting to the contestants or competitors.
(7) Provide game modules that are quickly and easily explained in rules or on a game show, by the host—in other words, game modules that comprise recognizable formats like a partially finished Scrabble Game or Crossword Puzzle, in which the space of letters and definition or arrangement of letter is intuitive to the contestants or competitors and audience and wherein the newer novel game modules' game content is quickly understood and intuitive in game play. This would not only also engage all people involved in the game, including viewers, but minimize wasted time by the show host's “reading of rules” or the same as in a board game or internet format. Thus, meeting another objective to keep the game easily understood and uncomplicated and rapidly figured out with ready familiarization by all.
(8) Having modules that are of word and linguistic-related wide depth of diversity in their educational value because they cover a broad spectrum of word related skill sets required to play those game modules.
(9) Provide a continuous time of play, yet exciting “break-up” of the game's intense word-competition—ie., some game intensity relief—by having “bidding processes” to bid on Hot Letters for Hot Words as part of the game strategy to both demonstrate contestants or competitors' (or audiences') additional “non-verbal, non-word related skills” gain skill advantage (see #14 and #17).
(10) Supplying at least a second “intensity relief” game component whereby unique, humorous, and diverse game modules may be intervening the “normal” more serious game modules—the unique “humor- inducing” modules being preferably consistent “mainstays” in the WSW™ game so that the audience and even contestants or competitors “look forward” to them at predicted intervals of the game.
(11) Including frequent “surprise” elements throughout play that add intrigue and suspense.
(12) Setting forth a format that has continuous and increasingly intensifying entertainment value so as to secure good commercial break “comeback” for the audience, thus adding “business proposition value” to justify air time of the game.
(13) Providing a game content and process of play with the widest scope of challenge within the “game world” of games, focused not on “trivia” answers, as Jeopardy™ and other popular trivia TV Games, but on “cognitive” and thinking process strategy and answers, primarily, though not necessarily exclusively associated with “word-related games.”.
(14) Embedding within the game a significant path of intrigue and strategy that players must use through normal “module game” play that will significantly advantage them in the games climactic round (see object #17).
(15) Providing game modules that tests and challenges a variety, rather than a specificity, of word or other thinking prowess and contestant skill, thus providing a game of broader more intense competition, which arguably, is missing in most of the game show games, especially, as discussed above.
(16) Make it straightforward and reasonable for the game modules and WSW game and game show “content compilers” to craft various game content into episodes and easily form the game segments with the show episodes allotted time, typicallyl/2 hour TV spots.
(17) Provide a final WSW game round that truly crescendos in its climax of excitement and suspense, called: Scramble For Your Life™” whereby a “thread of letters” (Hot Letters™ and Hot Words™, as well as Key Phrase™) that is built (won) during successful previous earlier game play (from the beginning of the game) is used in combination with the said bidding process of #9 in conjunction with the actual word scramble module, that in combination, tests—under a high, but fun, maximum skill level of the contestants or competitors in several combined categories in one said “module game.”
(18) Giving the winning contestant a final bonus round based on pure chance that includes a large possibility of doubling or tripling their money, but conversely, also losing some of their winnings to chance, as well.
(19) Drawing on all the important “successful game philosophy” that make currently popular game shows big winners, Wordsmith Wars™ desires as a further objective to draw huge audiences from all walks of life. By attempting to capture some of the “philosophical” enjoyable chance components and puzzle-solving of Wheel of Fortune, the brainy knowledge aspect of Jeopardy, the suspense and pressure of Who Wants to be a Millionaire, and the “fun-fight” One-on-One confrontation of Family Feud, Wordsmith Wars™ desires to provide a fresh and exciting “different” approach to the games and game show world.
(20) It is another object whenever, and with whomever possible, to additionally provide game content for WSW with tried and tested games under famous game brands, such as Scrabble® (Hasbro® Games), Boggle®, Scattergories® under licensing opportunities to secure a huge synergistic and mutually beneficial relationship to “use” the branded game on the WSW TV or internet WSW game platforms—which would provide a huge market audience for the branded games in their modules, as well provide original or other “public domain” games to fill content of WSW game modules.
(21) It is another object to engage with high focus and attention audience participation, for example, as a viewer “at home” can also shout out answers from his or her living room and try to “compete with” or beat the contestant on TV because the “modified-to-verbal-response” the formerly “usually written or typed out answers” to the enjoyable word module games, now keeps contestants or competitors' faces upward as they speak, rather than write their answer, preferably with added competition and participation with the audience at home.
It is to be noted, though other games shows have claimed the same—WSW can become a powerful educational tool for children and immigrating adults, helping them gain command and use of the English language and may be distributed widely though various optical or magnetic or computer downloadable means through many and varied WSW software versions. Of course, class credit may be given to student, both young ad adult, who watch—or even more particularly “play” the game show interactively through internet means. Students would have a private “key access” code assigned to them or number proving they finished the game, their scores, etc even being recorded. This could be relayed to the teacher in a classroom setting the next day they attend class, or by email to the teacher.
As its name implies, Wordsmith Wars™ is a show about solving word puzzles, with a varied assortment of diversionary or “drama relief” additional mini-games or “modules” among the puzzles and word game modules. What makes WSW unique is the fact that an array of exciting individual or “mini” game modules are used—with preferably six (or nine, or more) distinctly different games (as said game modules) played per episode, in preferably two to five or more “show segments” per episode, in addition to or including the mind-crushingly intense, final showdown—said Scramble For Your Life™. The six plus or minus different games played per entire show episode are selected at random using chance selector means by the contestants or competitors from a pool of twelve (or up to 24 or more) possible game modules. This diversity of randomly selectable game play options makes each show episode unique and new—and yet the audience and the skilled contestants or competitors who are invited on to the show will quickly grow familiar with the various game modules and quickly settle on favorites.
Unlike some former games and presently active “in market” game shows, Wordsmith Wars focuses on intense verbal interaction and direct contestant competition, as well as high diversity and flexibility of game subject matter, all in a high pace rapid fire environment with periodic pressure (from the drama caused by the game modules) by including at least one or two “relief” segment(s) that are fun, as well. Not only do the contestants or competitors answer questions, they also end up voting, constructing, bidding, and problem-solving. Since the unique word game “verbal-based” format (in contrast to what would be typically a “heads down” contestant on similar words games) for speaking out answers is predominant in how the modules are played, the contestants or competitors maintain engagement with the audience and vice-versa. As well, audience participation is heightened, for example, as a viewer “at home” can also shout out answers from his or her living room and try to “compete with” or beat the contestant on TV, thus emboldening them to try out for the show as a contestant, themselves.
The novelty of course, for shouting out letters say, for example, in a Wheel of Fortune® game is not new to game shows—however, shouting them out in a Crossword puzzle or Scrabble® or Pictionary® type game can be so.
As a preferred embodiment for one of the chance mechanisms used to choose what game modules to play (as well as other game function) is a chance wheel for WSW, called potentially “The New Wheel™, and is one of many possible chance selecting elements of the game. The applicant has invented a major upgrade to the centuries-old chance wheel, used in such shows as Wheel of Fortune. The applicant/inventor's U.S. Pat. No. 8,596,638 for “Rotatable Hand Grip System” and a second U.S. Pat. No. 8,690,154 entitled: “Safe and Novel, Lightweight Hand Grip Systems for Manually Spinning Gaming Wheels,” aka “The New Wheel™ is a conceivable chance mechanism and only one of many preferred embodiments of the chance mechanisms mentioned that may be used for WSW, to, among several functions, “select by random means” the particular game modules which to play in WSW.
As well, other potentially useful chance: mechanisms may also be used instead of “The New Wheel™, namely: cards, dice, spinning globe with indicia, balls with indicia that roll into indented platforms, tubes or boards with indicia, as in Bingo game apparatuses, simple cards in a deck, et al, all which may be modified into the game board, TV or internet formats into which the WSW Game can be formatted.
However, the applicants other patented and new IP's New Wheel™ introduces and provides a new chance device emphasizing safety and ease of use—unlike its predecessors. As well, The New Wheel™ is elegantly designed, large, yet light weight, and preferably operated with stunning computerized lighting effects, having all the benefits and advantages both, the stage show, the contestants or competitors and the home audiences, as fully detailed in the above said applicants IP.
The New Wheel™ may spun by the contestants or competitors or the show host to determine which game modules they will play. The wheel can also be used to distribute bonus prizes, and to instigate alternative scenarios for the contestants or competitors—such as losing a turn or losing part or all of their winnings, or being able to choose what game to play, or having to vote between two options. At the end of the show, in a preferred embodiment, the winning contestant spins The New Wheel™ one more time to determine whether he or she will be able to multiply their total winnings by a factor of lx, up to 3× (or more) and/or possibly receive additional non-monetary prizes, lose a portion, possibly up to half, or more, of their winnings, or possibly win the rare prize of one million dollars.
All of the show's early game play leads up to the climactic showdown segment, entitled “Scramble For Your Life™” In this mind-roastingly intense finale, the two, three or more contestants or competitors each use their cumulative winnings to bid at auction for the placement of key words in a Key Phrase™, as well as Hot Letters for said Hot Words (words that are contained in a final position within the said Key Phrase, but with only certain letters filled in that were won by the contestant and others added to those that were successfully won in the final bid process), in a scrambled word puzzle. (The puzzle, named Key Phrase™, is likely to be a famous poem, quotation, or excerpt from a classic work). The host, a highly capable auctioneer, sells off each word or Hot Letter™ to the highest bidder. When all available or predetermined word related items have been sold (it is preferred, though not definite that these items' “positions” in the Hot Words or Key Phrase are what is being sold/bid for, and not the letters themselves), the contestants or competitors have from 30 seconds to one minute to solve the puzzle—each with the individual “Hot Word letter positions” they have purchased (won) in the auction and Hot Letters they won during earlier game play. It is possible to have an option to buy the letters themselves and positions, but this may give too much of an advantage and lessen competition if other contestants or competitors could not have even an access to some actual letters, though not their position.
But WSW isn't all high-pressure intensity. Two special daily show segments are designed to break up the drama. Early in the episode, the Pic-in-a-Poke™ game brings intrigue and human interest to the show. Preferably, a new guest artist is brought in each week, either remotely, in real time in presence at the studio, or prerecorded drawings may be used to sketch rapid-fire drawings for the contestants or competitors to guess. Each correct guess scores money toward the contestant's winnings. Right before the final said Scramble For Your Life round, a bit of comic relief is introduced through the Funny Forge™ Game. Here, an unusual word from the English language is presented, and each contestant must concoct the most humorous “purposefully silly” (but clever) meaning for it. Additionally, the contestants or competitors may “sue the word in a” funny sentence” that illustrates their humor prowess and linguistic and creative ability to engage an audience.
Then, the three humorous answers are read off either by the host or, preferably, the contestants or competitors (to test their persuasive power of humor and oratorical and linguistic creative ability, along with a fourth answer—the correct one. This fourth answer is an actual genuine attempt—for extra points or money—at guessing the correct definition of the word (given along with their Funny Forge™ answer). The studio audience (and/or the television audience) then votes. A total of $5,000 worth of prize money (or a different amount) is assigned to the game. The studio audience's votes are recorded electronically and tallied for each answer. The prize money is proportionately split up for the three contestants or competitors according to how many votes their individual forged words received. One option is for the contestants or competitors to simply give the definition of the word—like Balderdash® and attempt to convince the audience they know the definition with their guess. Another optional game play is for the audience members who actually guess the correct definition of the word get to split the proportionate prize money (or have their own separate reward for doing so) for the correct answer. *1 *2
Note: The above *1 *2 (other numeric asterisks): These are sub note references explained in text below within the Summary and following Description that help further explain the working of the additional aspects of the WSW Game.
A vital component of any game show is the host. WSW desires to find a famous show biz veteran, or a younger upstart, with an affinity to the WSW game and the type of contestants or competitors and audiences who are to watch /participate. The host must ender himself or herself to the entire philosophy and exciting entertainment and challenge of WSW.
The 21 objectives above, as well as other purposes and function of WSW may be more clearly understood in the three preferred game show embodiments, some ancillary explanation of modifications of these embodiments, as they would be practically applied to real game show play.
Also, it should obvious, once the game strategy, content and philosophy has been revealed herein this application, that “morphing” or modifying the WSW game contents, functions and components and the game's philosophy from the Game Show formatted main embodiments preferred market introduction into the game show world, that a game board version, as well as various online, interactive internet versions are all desired valid “WSW “vehicles” that could easily adapt this proprietary IP into various other non-TV game show formats, methods, processes and components through various WSW software versions. Yet, attention is and will be given to these secondary “vehicles” in this application with which to format the game herein following in this application and above.
Consideration, next, is directed to the said first preferred Game Show “WSW vehicle,” that is, game function and formatting of the scoring and game module content and player rules and function, emphasizing the content that will be integrated into the illustrated game show embodiments #1, #2 and #3, respectively, described thereafter primarily comprising the sequence of game actions, their duration and grouping into segments within a full game show episode. Detailed content, function and process and names of exemplary WSW game modules and following explanation of the actual game show formats' three embodiments will be discussed in this Summary, as well, particularly through asterisked, numeric notation, as the other WSW game vehicles of a board game and digital and internet or “cloud based playing” of the game.
Each correct response nets the contestant preferably a typical either, $125 up to $250 in a “bronze round” (a lesser preferred round designation is ‘bronze’, as silver and gold are preferred nomenclature and game levels), or $250 up to $500 in the silver round, and $500 up to $1000 in the gold round. (This amount can be adjusted as necessary to fit research results, based upon what the maximum average amount the WSW Show can afford to disburse). If a contestant gives an incorrect response, an amount up to the score value is deducted from their total winnings at that moment. This is the normal, standard scoring system used with most game modules in WSW. A few modules may have different scoring structures, which will be explained further in the description of these specific game modules in the asterisked sub notes and elsewhere.
Various “game cue sounds” could be used for actions of the game and contestants or competitors' responses, of which several can be in the form of “old school” typewriter noises, as for example from an old manual typewriter, as in the clicking of the carriage return lever and the “ding” when the typewriter carriage slides across into return position. The sound of the platen knob being turned to adjust paper upward and downward, and other function noises are other examples of sounds that can signal a module win or end of a round, or various other game stage events. As well, the concept of a WordSmith as a subset of person related to a and old world “typesetter” or Metal Smith could be intermingled with the sounds and “dinks” of a metal forging press or hammer and anvil strike, as well as blow furnace, all sounds to enliven and intensify the already exciting game experience.
Standard Game Modules—These following game modules are elected by chance mechanism, e.g., chance wheel either by the show host, a host assistant or the contestants or competitors themselves, as for example “spinning a special wheel” or, as well, using cards, dice, spinning globe with indicia, balls with indicia that roll into indented platforms, tubes or boards with indicia, as in Bingo game apparatuses, et al, during or before the game or any of the said “chance selection mechanisms” spoken above and throughout herein.
Note: The method of answering is always primarily verbal, however some stand module games may allow for the contestant to look down and write or manipulate upon their personal computer screen (such as they would in the final Scramble For Your Life round. Otherwise all the standard modules will have a general procedure (though anything may be adjusted or modified) as follows: The show host announces the game that the chance selector lands on and then the module game is also immediately flashed upon and revealed on the big screen in front of them and in view of the TV and studio audience, as preferably the host gives a very rapid and succinct clear explanation of the object of that module game and scoring. Though the standard module, in addition, may be also included on the contestants or competitors' personal computer pad screens in front of them, this is not preferred, as it allow the contestant a chance to “look downward” and thus “disengage” with the audience. If they have a personal computer pad or screen it would be within or upon preferably their individual personal podium, behind which each of them stand). The said New Wheel™ is the preferred chance selector means, which would be horizontal to the floor in front of them, similarly to how Wheel of Fortune arranges their game wheel.
It is to be noted that these standard game modules may have a theme associated with them.
The preferable New Wheel with from 24 to 32 or more wedges would have upon the wedges with indicia of the names of these “standard” game modules. If there were 10 games to choose from there could be double for each game leaving say 30−20 wedges=10 other wedges with which to add prizes and other gifts such as loose turn or lose money or award, as in a “Kaboom” type graphic with a 25% or 50%, etc. loss amount depicted thereon.
Just a small selection of game modules possible are provided under the following game names. These are not at all exhaustive of the hundreds of game modules that may be designed or modified from presently similar word games being played extensively by those enjoying game of all ages and preferences.
A click-in game module Standard scoring structure.
Each puzzle is a grammatically incorrect sentence. The contestants or competitors use their clicker buttons for the right to answer. The host acknowledges the contestant who clicks first, who may then verbally answer the puzzle. For example “The word ‘lay’ should be “lie” in the sentence.” The contestant must say the correction to the sentence in a way that is clear. He need not repeat the entire sentence, but must clearly correct the error and include enough of the surrounding sentence structure to clearly indicate what must include the corrected grammar wording. Note: This will require fast and alert “judges” since there may be more than one correct way to correct the sentence.
Additional puzzles (incorrect sentences) are introduced for the contestants or competitors to guess until the game module segment runs out of time.
My Times™ Crossword (this Module May Also be Called: “WW Times™ Crossword”
A click-in game module Standard scoring structure.
The host introduces a sizable “partially completed” crossword puzzle. The puzzle is partially completed, with several words already in place. The clues to the remaining words are listed along the side or bottom of the screen, like any ordinary crossword puzzle. The host then calls out a number and letter combination “cross point” such as “F14” representing a blank or partially blank word that may or may or may not have letters within any of its blank boxes, and the contestants or competitors use their clicker buttons to be able to answer. They continue until either one or some, possibly all the words are solved in the puzzle, or the game module segment runs out of time. If necessary, a second crossword puzzle could be introduced if there is enough time, whether or not the earlier puzzle(s) are fully solved.
A click-in game module Standard scoring structure.
A large word in the 10-14 letter range is presented on the big screen. The host shouts out the number of letters required to be extracted and verbally stated in the derived words. For instance, “Five letters words!” The number of letters required in the derived words successively increase throughout the game. To give a solution, a contestant must click their button and shout out a derived word of the proper or exact length, made from the letters in the large word. If at any time, a contestant can derive a seven letter word instead of the shorter derived word, he will receive an extra prize, such as $1,000. Additional new words can be given if the module segment time allotted permits.
A click-in game module.
Standard scoring structure.
A quotation is displayed on the big screen with a blanked out word. (with a small blank for each letter representing the letters in that word). Contestants or competitors click in to reply, and must supply the correct word to fill the blank. If no one replies at first, letters begin to appear in the key word's blanks, slowly revealing the word until a contestant is able to guess it. As many different quotations are given as there is time for in the game module time allotment, or until a set number of puzzles are solved.
There are several options for enhancing this game module. These options could be installed separately or in combination.
A click-in game module Standard scoring structure.
Potentially based on the most recent Roget's International Thesaurus 7th edition, for example, contestants or competitors are given either a word for which they must provide either a synonym or antonym. Words in the thesaurus are listed in sequential order. The contestant must identify either the first, second, or third word in the definition list for that particular word. As many different words are given as there is time for in the game module time allotment, or until a set number of puzzles are solved.
Option: Allow a second contestant to guess on any given word, extending the sequence to the top five words (or more) for a score.
A Respond In Turn Play Module Standard scoring structure.
The host verbally presents the spelling words (along with the Big Board preferably including them), one by one, and lets the contestants or competitors spell them, like a spelling bee. Contestants or competitors will Respond In Turn, each to their own spelling word. That is, unless a contestant misspells a word, then the next contestant must spell the word that was missed. Unlike an old-fashioned spelling bee, however, contestants or competitors are not eliminated for missing a word, they simply don't score or they lose the points they would have gained for that word. It is preferable that the words to spell become more and more difficult as the bee climaxes. The letters would pop up in place consecutively on the big screen as the contestants or competitors said them, enabling the audience(s) a more engaged play along. Optional bonus prize (money or other) may be given to a contestant who makes it through the entire spelling bee without missing a single word. There may be an option to pick out the misspelled word in a sentence or list and correct it—this option may break up monotony, if needed.
A Respond In Turn Play Module.
Or “Write List” or verbal call out, word answer method Standard scoring structure.
Players preferably, verbally state out loud (or ‘pigeonhole’) as many words as they can that belong to a category, starting with a given letter. One derived meaning that Merriam-Webster assigns to the meaning of the word “pigeonhole” that has bearing on how this game is played is: “pigeonhole” is used to say that someone or something is being unfairly thought of or as described as belonging to a particular group, having only a particular skill, etc., or as would apply to a limiting quality defining a category.” This game has some content similarity to Scattergories®
The host may give the letter to start with, or either host or contestant may just spin the wheel (decked with letters upon the wedges), and whatever letter it lands on is the letter the contestants or competitors will use that turn.
Then the host gives them a category. A simple way to execute this game verbally and the preferred method is to have the contestants or competitors take turns in sequence to give their word answer out loud until all players cannot give any more words. Wrong answers require score value deducted. (Note: Judges would have to be very astute and issue a clear set criteria of word parameters allowed must be made clear to the contestants or competitors, as there are subjective elements to what words are outside bounds of a “normal” answer).
Another option is that as soon as the category is given, the contestants or competitors have twenty or thirty seconds range of time to write down as many things as possible in that category. They write on their electronic screen or pad on their preferable podium tops in front of them. The audience can see their entries on what may be included in the show set BIG SCREEN behind them. When the buzzer goes off, the host allows the contestants or competitors to list their entries one at a time, turn by turn. Any entries that are UNIQUE to that contestant are allowed to stand. If two or more contestants or competitors list the same entry, it cancels out and no one receives the money for that word. If any contestant lists a word that does not qualify for the category, they receive no money for that entry.
An Example:
The letter spun is “S”. The category revealed is “Animals.”
In this case, the host allows C-1 to list his first animal. “Seal.” Nobody else has Seal, so it stands. C-2 lists “Squirrel.” But the other two contestants or competitors also have Squirrel, so it is eliminated from all three. C-3 lists “Sable.” The judges check to confirm whether it is an animal—let's assume they believe it is. C-3 gets to keep Sable. C-1 shares his next animal, “Swan.” C-2 has Swan, so it cancels out for both of them. C-2 then gets to share his next animal—“Sheep.” C-3 also has Sheep, so neither of them get to keep it. Now C-3 gives his next animal—“Shark.” Nobody else has shark, so it stands. C-1 shares his next entry—“Snake.” C-3 has a snake, so it is cancelled. C-2 now shares what happens to be his last entry—“Skunk.” Nobody else has skunk, so it stands. C-3 now shares “Skink,” which nobody else has. It stands. C-1 now shares “Stegosaurus.” The judges allow it, so it stands. C-2 has no more entries, and neither does C-3. C-1 may now share “Springbok,” which is allowed, and “Sphinx.” Since Sphinx is a mythical creature, it is not allowed.
The scores now look like this:
The contestants or competitors receive standard scoring money for their eligible entries. The wheel is spun again, selecting a new letter. The host introduces a new category. Rinse and repeat as often as the time allotment allows.
A Respond In Turn Verbal Play Module Or “Write List” word method
Standard scoring structure.
The host presents the 5×5 or 6×6, up to 10×10 or more, etc. “grid” of letters—In this game module the contestants or competitors must, one by one, verbally extract words, in turn. Various highlighting, for example, based upon the contestant's color assigned in the beginning of the game, as in a red, green or blue, may indicate a word on the grid that belongs to that particular contestant when they verbally (or, if using the option, write or type the correct word down) answer correctly. Contestants or competitors will Respond In Turn, each to their own next or sequenced turn. That is, unless a contestant misstates or says an incorrect word. Contestants or competitors are not eliminated for missing a word, they simply don't score or they lose the points they would have gained for that word. It is preferable that the word grids throughout the round become progressively more and more difficult. The words won also may alternatively or additionally be listed on the big screen and pop up as the contestants or competitors said them, enabling the audience(s) a more engaged play along. Optional bonus prize (money or other) may be given to a contestant who makes it through the entire module round without missing a single word during their turns.
Similarly to the game module of “PIDGEONHOLE™ above, is that as soon as the category is given, the contestants or competitors optionally have twenty or thirty seconds range of time to write or type down as many “grid words” they can find as possible in that category. It is to be noted that in any of the games the show host may limit downward or increase the required NUMBER or amount of letters in a given word answer request of a given module. They write on their PERSONAL electronic screen. The audience can see their entries on what may be included in the show set's BIG SCREEN behind them. As an optional method of play, when the buzzer goes off, the host allows the contestants or competitors to list their entries one at a time, turn by turn. Any entries that are UNIQUE to that contestant are allowed to stand. If two or more contestants or competitors list the same entry, it cancels out and no one receives the money for that word. If any contestant lists a word that does not qualify for the category, they receive no money for that entry.
A click-in game module Standard scoring structure.
Players must get through a rapid-fire series of word definition matches by calling out matching definitions to word and definition lists designated by number and letter.
After explaining the game briefly, the host introduces all the words and definitions at once on the screen. Basically, it's set up like matching—the words are on the left, and the definitions on the right (scrambled up, of course). As soon as the words are seen, the host allows the contestants or competitors to Respond In Turn, shouting out a matching word/definition pair. They have a very brief time to do so—maybe five seconds once the host says their name. If the contestant guesses correctly, they receive the standard amount of money and the matching pair is eliminated from the board. If they do not answer correctly, the next contestant takes his/her turn. This is repeated until all the pairs are matched, or the time limit for the segment expires. Ten matching pairs may be ideal for this game. Twelve might be all right. Fewer than ten would probably not be enough. There may be EXTRA definitions included to make it harder to match the words, especially as the process of elimination takes over when they are nearing totally matching the list of ten or twelve words and definitions. For example, ten words may have fourteen definitions, etc.
There are several ways an animated “obstacle path” could be incorporated into this and nearly all the other module games. Tech support personnel could provide a cartoon-like visual aid for the audience while the contestants or competitors play the game. There could be a huge graphic cartoon representation of the contestants or competitors going through the WordSmith Wars™ shop, for example.
A click-in game module Standard scoring structure.
Contestants or competitors say the letters, or the studio/stage computer pops up letters until one contestant guesses the word. This is similar to Hangman.
A click-in game module Standard scoring structure.
Fill in the blank, verbally, with the correct rhyming word.
Standard scoring structure Respond in turn.
A block with letters having spaces between them on one or more lines has another group of letters underneath the block which are used to make words of various length, as required by the host.
A click-in game module Standard scoring structure.
A “graphic of a shovel tip has letters (hot coals—typically vowels) falling out into a pile of mostly or exclusively, consonants. Contestants or competitors verbalize answers as the host shouts out the required number of letters required for scoring.
These following modules are preferably always included in each episode
A click-in game module Standard scoring structure.
An artist (guest, or host) would draw or paint (with any conceivable medium) a series of images for the contestants or competitors to guess the word depicted by the picture. Contestants or competitors use their clicker buttons to answer, and shout out the exact word for that which is being drawn. This may continue as long as the time limit allows or until all preplanned picture puzzles are exhausted. The drawing can be either in real-time or pre-recorded for the show. NOTE: a great additional show revenue producer is: The artist's drawings can be auctioned on the internet, or in person, after the show for additional income, as on EBay® or other bid sites, even write in private bids taken by the studio or game show syndicate.
Special rules and scoring.
Here, an unusual word from the English language is presented, and each contestant must concoct a fictitious, hilarious meaning for it. The contestants or competitors record their fictitious definitions, which are electronically sent to the host's private screen and hidden but locked in also privately on the contestants or competitors' screens. Then, the three fabricated answers are read off by the host—or the contestants or competitors, in turn—along with a fourth answer—the correct one. *Note: to engage audience and contestants or competitors even more, it may be even more hilarious for contestants or competitors to “USE” their word in a fabricated and funny sentence illustrating their ridiculous meaning! A “Funny Forge™ Sentence” allows them to express their humorous and skillful usage and power with inducing laughter in the audience in a real illustrative and riveting communication.
The studio audience (and/or the television audience) then votes. A total of, for example, $5,000 worth of prize money or points (or a different amount) is assigned to the game. The studio audience's votes are recorded electronically and tallied for each answer. The prize money is proportionately split up for the three contestants or competitors according to how many votes their individual forged words received. The audience members who actually guess the correct definition of the word get to split the proportionate prize money for the correct answer.
Optional Format:
Similarly, an unusual or obscure word from the English language is introduced by the host. Each contestant gives a purely fictitious, most humorous definition of the word they can think of, that is written down and later verbalized. * The three funny answers are shown anonymously up on the big screen. The host asks each contestant in sequence to read their response, and then use the word in the most humorous illustrative sentence possible. Note: The method may be modified to keep all the answers private until each one is revealed at the time the contestants or competitors reveal their verbalizing of their answer.
*As an option, each contestant can also guess the correct definition for a bonus standard score value. This is done during the time of recording their humorous definition for the word and the audience is not involved in this vote, but the host simply reveals the contestants or competitors who have the right answer also, and thus have that added to their score value.
Special rules and scoring.
The host, preferably an accomplished auctioneer, introduces a category (i.e., Victorian Novel, or Presidential Quotes, for example). Then the host reveals the scrambled puzzle on the Big Board SCREEN so the contestants or competitors see how many word blanks it has. All the words (individual word spaces or lines) of the puzzle will be scrambled, except for two words (the Hot Words). These Hot Words will be blanked out letter by letter (possibly, additionally, these words will be also fixed in their proper sequenced space within the phrase's blank word spaces) for the Hot Letters.
The contestants or competitors use their accumulated winnings to bid on two categories of information regarding placement of key letters (called Hot Letters) and the key words' (Key Phrase Words) exact placement within the scrambled phrase. First, the host auctions off the *Hot Letters (The actual letters' position is what the contestants or competitors bid for, since all the said Hot Letters—the actual letters themselves—will be available incrementally, as they are won in the earlier segments of the main game (ie., posted on the “Big Board”), and as well, ALL the “remaining” Hot Letters will be “Upon the Board” for the Auction. So, it is the positions of these first set of letters and then the Auctioned letters that all will see. The auctioned letters are simply those not previously won and assigned to contestants or competitors during the earlier game modules. Then, the host auctions off certain Key Phrase Words of the puzzle based on their position. * These positions are preferably, but not limited to the first, last, second, next-to-last, and dead-middle words in the scrambled phrase.
The color of the correctly positioned Hot letters and words would be, for instance, a “blue” color—all words or letters in blue are final positions and locked in—they cannot be moved by a contestant in the Scramble For Your Life round. All other non-final positioned words and letters would be in red, for example, and subject to moving by the contestant.
When the auction is finished, the host announces that the contestants or competitors have one minute to solve the puzzle. The contestants or competitors use individual interactive electronic devices located at or on their podiums, to solve the puzzle. Note: It may be preferable to have contestants or competitors use only one hand, thus allowing equal advantage to “physically challenged” contestants or competitors who are missing use of or missing a hand or fingers, as perhaps an injured military person. On their individual screens, the *Hot Letters that they have won during previous play, for the two Hot Words described above, are locked in position, and privately revealed to each respective contestant. These Hot Letters, as mentioned, are locked into position in preferably a blue color (privately on their individual screens) indicating that their position in the word is properly placed.
Note: The home or show stage audience may have access to any one or all of the contestants or competitors' Hot Letters and positions or Key Phrase Words won, in for example a “Triple Screen” on the Big Screen behind the contestants or competitors, but, of course, the contestants or competitors do not know each others hot letter positions—but ONLY the actual Hot Letters (listed up on the Big Screen and possibly on the contestants or competitors' individual screens) won. Then, the remaining unassigned *(UN-WON) Hot Letters are placed above the Hot Words area (in the scrambled phrase blocked out area) for the contestants or competitors to maneuver into place to obtain the correctly identified Hot Words with those remaining Hot Letters.
Simultaneously, the contestants or competitors work on either the Key Phrase Words or Hot Letters and Hot Words, based on what they have won previously. (From Game Modules and the auction). This creates a true atmosphere of strategy and intrigue as to how the contestants or competitors use the limited seconds allotted to finish the Scramble final puzzle.
The words and letters they have won in the auction that have been properly placed in sequence on their own individual devices in the said blue “lock-down” lettering, inevitably gives any particular contestant an advantage over the others for those “final position” letters, depending upon how many and what positions letters/words they have gained. After fifteen seconds (or alternate timing), the computer begins to reveal additional Hot Letters and Key Phrase Words in their proper positions, with increasing frequency. As this letter revealing process accelerates, the intensity and urgency for the contestants or competitors to finish first increases. The first contestant to correctly solve the puzzle is the winner. The winner preferably receives $25,000 plus his/her remaining accumulated winnings. It may be effective that a feature provides that two losing contestants or competitors in that final scramble round lose half their winnings. (Perhaps down to a predetermined level, such as $1,000, so no one leaves empty-handed). The results are tallied, the winner is announced.
The host then shows the winner to the wheel, which has been prepared specially for the Win Spin. (Or, as in current Wheel of Fortune®, use a smaller separate wheel, a scale model, of the large one. Or use a rapidly- deployable insert system to instantly transform the wheel by providing an “Overlay Disc” over the Main Game Wheel Surface/Wheel Game board). Note: The main wheel game surface would have the Win Spin NEW surface OVERLAYED—and—the Win Spin would have a “second” Surprise Win Spin Overlay covering or “overlay” that is REMOVED after the contestant spins the Wheel for the final time. The winner spins the wheel one more time to determine whether he or she will multiply their total winnings by a factor of 1, 2, or 3, possibly receive additional non-monetary prizes, lose up to half their winnings, or possibly win the rare prize of one million dollars.* The Surprise Win Spin Overlay is then removed to reveal on which wedge the flipper stopped. The host then closes out the show.
How Letters are periodically won and assigned to the contestant throughout the game:
“Hot Letters” are simply “hidden” individual letters contained in “some” individual “module games words”—words that the contestant answers correctly during play, whether they are written out or called out in various correct answers. Not all but just some of those winning answers may have a Hot Letter included therein.
Optionally, prior to or even included “dynamically” during play Hot Letter may be assigned to certain correct answers in real time play, by random.
When a contestant wins the Scramble For Your Life™ module round, he or she may be eligible to get a chance in the final Win Spin™ to win a Million Dollar Prize if these qualifications are met:
Contestant must win enough Hot Letters™—letter POSITIONS—to fill completely at least ONE of the two or more Hot Words inside/within the final phrase of the Scramble For Your Life Round™. Note: Depending on whether the Hot Letters may be DUPLICATED (when several won module words have the SAME Hot Letters (final set positions) are given out, for example), it may be required that the contestant must have BOTH (or all three or more words) Hot Words' total letters COMPLETELY owned to qualify, if the probability to get one Hot Word is too high, OR it may be required that the Contestant land on the Million Dollar space during the game ALSO with the just ONE Hot Word gain of total letters to balance out the probability.
In the WinSpin™ the contestant must land on the Million Dollar space to win the Million Dollars. If there are 30 wedges (as preferred) and each wedge has three flipper pin positions then it is preferred that only ONE of the total 89 flipper positions may have the Million Dollar designation. See Win Spin above for more details.
Other requirements may be added or altered depending on the probability frequency the Show can afford to give that level of prize money out.
Note: All of the above steps may be altered, added to and modified to adjust the best and reasonable probabilities of balanced outcomes of win and loss in the Million Dollar space, as well in any part of WSW Game rules, steps and processes. The following are three representative embodiments of how an entire “show episode” of 30 minute duration (alike to many other game show durations) could be structured:
Of the three embodiments envisioned, the first embodiment (hereby known also as 1EMB) has the most cramped time scale, due to the inclusion of three rounds of three games each.
In the first segment, a standard opening sequence will be shown for every episode, including catchy theme music, an animated logo, an establishing shot of the interior of the studio, and a professional announcer inviting the audience to watch Wordsmith Wars. The host will walk on the set, briefly greet the audience, then proceed to briefly introduce the contestants or competitors. The 1EMB uses only 50 seconds for the entire introductory sequence, slightly more cramped than some of its industry competitors.
The host then briefly introduces the First Round (tentatively known as the Bronze Round, see *3), and instructs the first contestant (hereby known as Con1) to spin the WHEEL Con1 spins the WHEEL, which (normally) determines which game module will be played. See *4. When the WHEEL stops spinning, the paddle/selector/pointer points to a particular WHEEL SEGMENT, which (normally) shows what game the three contestants or competitors will play.
There will be a large number of possible game modules for the WHEEL to select. The number of modules is expected to be at least 12, and will certainly be greater than the total number of modules that can be played in a particular episode. Though each module is distinctly different from each of the others, there is a common familiar “playability” and consistency among them. Each module is a distinct game unto itself, with simple, clear rules that need a minimum of explanation. *5. The monetary scoring of the module games is standardized and simple to understand. *6. The contestants or competitors play the game. For the 1EMB, each game module session will be played for a total of 90 seconds (including spinning the WHEEL and a brief introduction of the game module).
Game modules will vary by content and method of play, but generally puzzles will be played, either turn-based, selection-based (CLICK SWITCH use *11), or real-time, until the time limit is reached. See *7 for a description of some sample games and how they are played.
When the time limit for the first game module is reached, the second contestant (Con2) spins the WHEEL and selects a module for the second game to be played. (Before this is done, the space(s) for the preceding game are removed from the wheel or covered up with new options. See *8). The host briefly explains the second game module, and the contestants or competitors play until the time is used up. This sequence will be used for all subsequent game modules that are played. In 1EMB the third contestant (Con3) spins for the third and final game module of the round. When the third game module is completed, the segment ends with a brief wrap-up by the host. Total length of the first segment in 1EMB is 5 minutes and 30 seconds. Then a standard commercial break is experienced. See *9 for more info regarding lengths of segments.
After the commercial break, Segment II begins. First up is the Pic-in-a-Poke session. The host briefly introduces a talented guest artist *10 who then begins to quickly sketch pictures for the contestants or competitors to guess. (It works like Pictionary). The monetary scoring will be the same as used in the first (bronze) round, see *6. The contestants or competitors will guess the pictures using their CLICK SWITCHES to be first to answer each puzzle. *11. Pic-in-a-Poke lasts 50 seconds in 1EMB.
After Pic-in-a-Poke, the host introduces the second (silver) round. The second round is played in the same fashion as the first, but the amount of money won for each correct answer is increased. *6. As for the first round, the second round of 1EMB has three game modules. After all three modules are played, the host wraps up the segment. This second segment is 5 minutes and 30 seconds long.
After the commercial break, Segment III begins. The host briefly introduces the third (gold) round, and play begins as Con1 spins the wheel to find out what the 7th game module will be. Once again, the amount of monetary reward for each correct answer is increased from the Round 2 level. #6. Otherwise, the third round is played much the same as the first and second. The host wraps it up, and the segment ends. The length of the third segment 1EMB is 4 minutes and 35 seconds.
Segment IV begins with the funniest part of the show, Funny Forge. Here, an unusual word from the English language is presented, and each contestant must concoct a meaning for it. Then, the three concocted answers are read off by the host, along with a fourth answer—the correct one. The studio audience (and/or the television audience) then votes. A total of $5,000 worth of prize money (or a different amount) is assigned to the game. The studio audience's votes are recorded electronically and tallied for each answer. The prize money is proportionately split up for the three contestants or competitors according to how many votes their individual forged words received. The audience members who actually guess the correct definition of the word get to split the proportionate prize money for the correct answer. *1 *2
After Funny Forge, the climactic game “Scramble For Your Life” is introduced. The host, an accomplished auctioneer, introduces a category (i.e., Victorian Novel, or Presidential Quotes). Then the host reveals the scrambled puzzle on the Big Board SCREEN so the contestants or competitors see how many word blanks it has. All the words of the puzzle will be scrambled, but two or more words will be blanked out letter by letter, for the Hot Letters. *12. The host auctions off the words of the puzzle based on position. The contestants or competitors use their accumulated winnings to bid on being revealed privately (known only to the highest bidder) the positions of the words in the puzzle, *13, then the host auctions off the Hot Letters. *12.
When the auction is finished, the host announces that the contestants or competitors have one minute to solve the puzzle. The contestants or competitors use individual interactive electronic devices to solve the puzzles. *14. The words and letters they have won in the auction are properly placed in sequence on their own individual devices, possibly giving any particular contestant an advantage over the others, depending upon how many and what positions letters/words they gain. The first contestant to correctly solve the puzzle is the winner. The winner receives $25,000 plus his/her remaining accumulated winnings. *15. The two contestants or competitors who do not win lose half their winnings. (Perhaps down to a predetermined level, such as $1,000, so no one leaves empty- handed). The results are tallied, the winner is announced.
The host then shows the winner to the wheel, which has been prepared specially for the bonus/final/Mystery Spin/Win Spin. The winner spins the wheel one more time to determine whether he or she will be able to multiply their total winnings by a factor of 1, 2, or 3, possibly receive additional non-monetary prizes, lose half their winnings, or possibly win the rare prize of one million dollars. *16
The host then closes out the show.
The second embodiment (hereby known also as 2EMB) consists of three rounds of two games each.
In the first segment, a standard opening sequence will be shown for every episode, including catchy theme music, an animated logo, an establishing shot of the interior of the studio, and a professional announcer inviting the audience to watch Wordsmith Wars. The host walks on the set, briefly greets the audience, then proceeds to briefly introduce the contestants or competitors. The 2EMB uses 60 seconds for the introductory sequence, which is on par with its industry competitors.
The host then briefly introduces the First Round (tentatively known as the Bronze Round, see *3), and instructs the first contestant (hereby known as Con1) to spin the WHEEL Con1 spins the WHEEL, which (normally) determines which game module will be played. See *4. When the WHEEL stops spinning, the paddle/selector/pointer points to a particular WHEEL SEGMENT or WEDGE, which (normally) shows what game the three contestants or competitors will play.
There will be a large number of possible game modules for the WHEEL to select. The number of modules is expected to be at least 12, and will certainly be greater than the total number of modules that can be played in a particular episode. Though each module is distinctly different from each of the others, there is a common familiar “playability” and consistency among them. Each module is a distinct game unto itself, with simple, clear rules that need a minimum of explanation. *5. The monetary scoring of the module games is standardized and simple to understand. *6. The contestants or competitors play the game. For the 2EMB, each game module session will be played for a total of 120 seconds (including spinning the WHEEL and a brief introduction of the game module). Game modules will vary by content and method of play, but generally puzzles will be played, either turn-based, selection-based (CLICK SWITCH use *11), or real-time, until the time limit is reached. The game modules will each include one Hot Letter given out to a player as they answer a question or puzzle correctly. *17. See *7 for a description of some sample games and how they are played. See *17 for a description of the Hot Letters system.
When the time limit for the first game module is reached, the second contestant (Con2) spins the WHEEL and selects a module for the second game to be played. (Before this is done, the space(s) for the preceding game are removed from the wheel or covered up with new options. See *8). The host briefly explains the second game module, and the contestants or competitors play until the time is used up. This sequence will be used for all subsequent game modules that are played. When the second game module is completed, the segment ends with a brief wrap-up by the host. Total length of the first segment in 2EMB is 5 minutes and 10 seconds. Then a standard commercial break is experienced. See *9 for more info regarding lengths of segments.
After the commercial break, Segment II begins. First up is the Pic-in-a-Poke™ session. The host briefly introduces a talented guest artist *10 who then begins to quickly sketch pictures for the contestants or competitors to guess. (It works like Pictionary). The monetary scoring will be the same as used in the first (bronze) round, see *6. The contestants or competitors will guess the pictures using their CLICK SWITCHES to be first to answer each puzzle. *11. Pic-in-a-Poke lasts 1 minute in the 2EMB.
After Pic-in-a-Poke, the host introduces the second (silver) round. The second round is played in the same fashion as the first, but the amount of money won for each correct answer is increased. *6. In 2EMB the second round begins with Con3 since Con1 and Con2 have already had a turn to spin the WHEEL and select a game module in the first round. After Con3's turn, Con1 takes his second turn, spinning the WHEEL to select the fourth game module. As in the first round, the second round of 2EMB has two game modules. After both modules are played, the host wraps up the segment. This second segment is 5 minutes and 10 seconds long.
After the commercial break, Segment III begins. The host briefly introduces the third (gold) round, and play begins as Con2 spins the wheel to find out what the 5th game module will be. Once again, the amount of monetary reward for each correct answer is increased from the Round 2 level. *6. Otherwise, the third round is played much the same as the first and second. The host wraps it up, and the segment ends. The length of the third segment 2EMB is 4 minutes and 5 seconds. *17. The Hot Letters obtained during the game modules are now complete. Now is the time to insert a 10-15 second prerecorded celebrity message introducing the remaining Hot Letters. Obviously, in prerecording the shot, there is no way to know ahead of time what the remaining Hot Letters will be, so the celebrity will point to the bottom of the screen and say that the contestants or competitors will need to bid on the following letters to complete their last puzzle. A different celebrity will be used each time, to keep the audience anticipation level high. The remaining Hot Letters will be revealed at the bottom of the screen when the celebrity makes the announcement. If this celebrity piece is inserted, then Segment III's time will be increased by the 10-15 seconds used.
Segment IV begins with the funniest part of the show, Funny Forge. Here, an unusual word from the English language is presented, and each contestant must concoct a meaning for it. Then, the three concocted answers are read off by the host, along with a fourth answer—the correct one. The studio audience (and/or the television audience) then votes. A total of $5,000 worth of prize money (or a different amount) is assigned to the game. The studio audience's votes are recorded electronically and tallied for each answer. The prize money is proportionately split up for the three contestants or competitors according to how many votes their individual forged words received. The audience members who actually guess the correct definition of the word get to split the proportionate prize money for the correct answer. *1 *2 Funny Forge is preferably allotted up to 1 minute of air time.
After Funny Forge, the climactic game “Scramble For Your Life” is introduced. The host, an accomplished auctioneer, introduces a category (i.e., Victorian Novel, or Presidential Quotes). Then the host reveals the scrambled puzzle on the Big Board SCREEN so the contestants or competitors see how many word blanks it has. All the words of the puzzle will be scrambled, but two or more or more words will be blanked out letter by letter, for the Hot Letters. *12, *17. The host auctions off the words of the puzzle based on position. The contestants or competitors use their accumulated winnings to bid on having revealed privately (known only to the highest bidder) the positions of the words in the puzzle, *13, then the host auctions off the Hot Letters not already assigned. *12, *17.
When the auction is finished, the host announces that the contestants or competitors have one minute to solve the puzzle. The contestants or competitors use individual interactive electronic devices to solve the puzzles. *14. The words and letters they have won in the auction are properly placed in sequence on their own individual devices, possibly giving any particular contestant an advantage over the others, depending upon how many and what positions letters/words they have gained. The first contestant to correctly solve the puzzle is the winner. The winner receives $25,000 plus his/her remaining accumulated winnings. *15. The two contestants or competitors who do not win lose half their winnings. (Perhaps down to a predetermined level, such as $1,000, so no one leaves empty-handed). The results are tallied, the winner is announced.
The host then shows the winner to the wheel, which has been prepared specially for the bonus/final/Mystery Spin/Win Spin. (Or, as in current Wheel of Fortune, use a smaller separate wheel, a scale model, if you will, of the large one. Or use a rapidly-deployable insert system to instantly transform the wheel). The winner spins the wheel one more time to determine whether he or she will be able to multiply their total winnings by a factor of 1, 2, or 3, possibly receive additional non-monetary prizes, lose half their winnings, or possibly win the rare prize of one million dollars. *16
The host then closes out the show.
The third embodiment (hereby known as 3EMB) uses two main rounds of play, with three game modules per round.
In the first segment, a standard opening sequence will be shown for every episode, including catchy theme music, an animated logo, an establishing shot of the interior of the studio, and a professional announcer inviting the audience to watch Wordsmith Wars. The host will walk on the set, briefly greet the audience, then proceed to briefly introduce the contestants or competitors. The 3EMB uses 60 seconds for the introductory sequence, which is on par with its industry competitors.
The host then briefly introduces the First Round (tentatively known as the Silver Round, see *3), and instructs the first contestant (hereby known as Con1) to spin the WHEEL Con1 spins the WHEEL, which (normally) determines which game module will be played. See *4. When the WHEEL stops spinning, the paddle/selector/pointer points to a particular WHEEL SEGMENT, which (normally) shows what game the three contestants or competitors will play.
There will be a large number of possible game modules for the WHEEL to select. The number of modules is expected to be at least 12, and will certainly be greater than the total number of modules that can be played in a particular episode. Though each module is distinctly different from each of the others, there is a common familiar “playability” and consistency among them. Each module is a distinct game unto itself, with simple, clear rules that need a minimum of explanation. *5. The monetary scoring of the module games is standardized and simple to understand. *6. The contestants or competitors play the game. For the 3EMB, each game module session will be played for a total of 120 seconds (including spinning the WHEEL and a brief introduction of the game module). Game modules will vary by content and method of play, but generally puzzles will be played, either turn-based, selection-based (CLICK SWITCH use *11), or real-time, until the time limit is reached. See *7 for a description of some sample game modules and how they are played. The game modules will each include one Hot Letter given out to a player as they answer a question or puzzle correctly. *17. See *7 for a description of some sample games and how they are played. See *17 for a description of the Hot Letters system.
When the time limit for the first game module is reached, the second contestant (Con2) spins the WHEEL and selects a module for the second game to be played. (Before this is done, the space(s) for the preceding game are removed from the wheel or covered up with new options. See *8). The host briefly explains the second game module, and the contestants or competitors play until the time is used up. This sequence will be used for all subsequent game modules that are played. In 3EMB the third contestant (Con3) spins for the third and final game module of the round. When the third game module is completed, the segment ends with a brief wrap-up by the host. Total length of the first segment in 3EMB is 7 minutes and 10 seconds. Then a standard commercial break is experienced. See *9 for more info regarding lengths of segments.
After the commercial break, Segment II begins. In 3EMB Segment II is only comprised of the Pic-in-a-Poke session. The host briefly introduces a talented guest artist *10 who then begins to quickly sketch pictures for the contestants or competitors to guess. (It works like Pictionary). The monetary scoring will be the same as used in the first (silver) round, see *6. The contestants or competitors will guess the pictures using their CLICK SWITCHES to be first to answer each puzzle. *11. Pic-in-a-Poke lasts 90 seconds in 3EMB, including segment wrap-up.
After the commercial break, Segment III begins. The host briefly introduces the second (gold) round, and play begins as Con1 spins the wheel to find out what the 4th game module will be. The amount of monetary reward for each correct answer is increased from the Round 2 level. #6. Otherwise, the second round is played much the same as the first. As with the first round, the second round of 3EMB has three game modules. The host wraps it up, and the segment ends. The length of the third segment 3EMB is 6 minutes and 10 seconds.
*17 The Hot Letters obtained during the game modules are now complete. Now is the time to insert a 10-15 second prerecorded celebrity message introducing the remaining Hot Letters. Obviously, in prerecording the shot, there is no way to know ahead of time what the remaining Hot Letters will be, so the celebrity will point to the bottom of the screen and say that the contestants or competitors will need to bid on the following letters to complete their last puzzle. A different celebrity will be used each time, to keep the audience anticipation level high. The remaining Hot Letters will be revealed at the bottom of the screen when the celebrity makes the announcement. If this celebrity piece is inserted, then Segment III's time will be increased by the 10-15 seconds used.
Segment IV begins with the funniest part of the show, Funny Forge. Here, an unusual word from the English language is presented, and each contestant must concoct a meaning for it. Then, the three concocted answers are read off by the host, along with a fourth answer—the correct one. The studio audience (and/or the television audience) then votes. A total of $5,000 worth of prize money (or a different amount) is assigned to the game. The studio audience's votes are recorded electronically and tallied for each answer. The prize money is proportionately split up for the three contestants or competitors according to how many votes their individual forged words received. The audience members who actually guess the correct definition of the word get to split the proportionate prize money for the correct answer. *1 *2 Funny Forge is allotted 1 minute of air time.
After Funny Forge, the climactic game “Scramble For Your Life” is introduced. The host, an accomplished auctioneer, introduces a category (i.e., Victorian Novel, or Presidential Quotes). Then the host reveals the scrambled puzzle on the Big Board SCREEN so the contestants or competitors see how many word blanks it has. All the words of the puzzle will be scrambled, but two or more words will be blanked out letter by letter, for the Hot Letters. *12, *17. The host auctions off the words of the puzzle based on position. The contestants or competitors use their accumulated winnings to bid on having revealed privately (known only to the highest bidder) the positions of the words in the puzzle, *13, then the host auctions off the Hot Letters not already assigned. *12, *17.
When the auction is finished, the host announces that the contestants or competitors have one minute to solve the puzzle. The contestants or competitors use individual interactive electronic devices to solve the puzzles, preferably located at the top of their private podiums. *14. The words and letters they have won in the auction are properly placed in sequence on their own individual devices, possibly giving any particular contestant an advantage over the others, depending upon how many and what positions letters/words they have gained. The first contestant to correctly solve the puzzle is the winner. The winner receives $25,000 plus his/her remaining accumulated winnings. *15. The two contestants or competitors who do not win lose half their winnings. (Perhaps down to a predetermined level, such as $1,000, so no one leaves empty-handed). The results are tallied, the winner is announced.
The host then shows the winner to the wheel, which has been prepared specially for the bonus/final/Mystery Spin/Win Spin. (Or, as in current Wheel of Fortune, use a smaller separate wheel, a scale model, if you will, of the large one. Or use a rapidly-deployable insert system to instantly transform the wheel). The winner spins the wheel one more time to determine whether he or she will be able to multiply their total winnings by a factor of 1, 2, or 3, possibly receive additional non-monetary prizes, lose half their winnings, or possibly win the rare prize of one million dollars. *16
The host then closes out the show. Segment IV is 5 minutes long.
*1 For example, suppose there are 500 people in the Studio Audience. Suppose the word “Glink” is introduced. Contestant #1 makes up the definition “A marsupial found in Indonesia.” Contestant #2 makes up the definition “A link of metal used to make chain mail armor.” Contestant #3's definition is “An anomaly in an overall weather pattern.” The real definition is actually “A sideways glance.” The host reads the four definitions to the audience, who then vote with their electronic tallying devices (attached to their seating). Suppose 119 people vote for Contestant #1's definition, 146 people for Contestant #2's definition, 93 for Contestant #3's definition, and 142 people vote for the correct definition. In this scenario, Contestant #1 would receive $1,190, Contestant #2 would receive $1,460, Contestant #3 would receive $930, and the 142 people in the audience who guessed the correct answer would each receive $10. (There is an option to add another portion to Funny Forge, where the contestants or competitors actually guess for the correct answer after the audience votes. This would be extra credit, or bonus reward to win.)
*2 In case one or more of the three contestants or competitors actually happens to write out a definition that is the correct answer, then they should get a higher prize (maybe $2,000 or so). Additional false answers should be ready for the host to use in the event that one or more contestants or competitors actually writes out the real definition. Or, alternatively, the host could simply mention that one (or more) of the contestants or competitors actually guessed the correct definition, and the audience could be allowed to vote from the remaining choices.
*3 Explanation of bronze, silver, gold rounds. These are simple graphic color and associated levels of play that apply to segments of the show that increase in value as the game modules' value scores become higher over time.
*4 Explanation of how spinning the wheel works, for determining the game modules to be played. Wheel is simply spun by contestants or competitors (or dice is rolled, or balls in cage are turned, or cards are turned over after shuffling) and the flipper indicator stops at wedge or wheel board segment to be played.
*5 Like most game shows, contestants or competitors will be adequately briefed and/or trained ahead of time before filming begins. They will be taught how to play each of the game modules, in case they happen to play any given one.
*6 Explanation of monetary scoring system for the module games.
Money award structure may be: $500 (ish) per correct answer in the first round, and $1,000 per correct answer in the second round. (just double it for the second round) Potential to lose half or the whole amount for a wrong answer.
*7 Sample module games and how they are played: See “Grammar Hammer™”, “My Times Crossword™”, “Smitherines™”, etc. above explanations.
*8 Description of how to change the WHEEL after a module game is selected and played. Repeat landing on the same game wedge INCREASE the value of that SAME game played again—OR, a new wedge can be laid over that already played wedge, or if the wedges are video screens, they can be easily changed into another different game module name to play.
*9 Lengths of various show segments can be altered relatively easily by taking alternative break points between game modules within a round, if necessary, to oblige established network formatting.
*10 Guest artists for Pic-in-a-Poke will be selected from the public through an internet audition system, followed up by personal auditions, or possibly “well-known” artists can be invited to draw for exposure of their works and name. They may be paid a fee, as well. Though a monetary reward system may or may not be in place for them, but their work will be exposed publicly, which is very valuable to them. It may be possible for them to have their website link on the WSW homepage for people to contact them afterward. Also, the artwork drawn for the show could be auctioned off on the internet to the highest bidder. It would be sensible to allow the artist to “finish off” each sketch before letting it be auctioned.
*11 Click switches are essentially of the type used on Jeopardy. They allow a contestant to establish their right to answer a particular question or puzzle.
*12 Hot Letters appear “electronically-spontaneously”, several hidden in possible word answers per game module, since NOT ALL words gained during a module will have a Hot Letter in them. When a particular answer is displayed on the SCREEN, if it a one of the words that contained a prior Hot Letter embedded before the show starts, one of its letters is highlighted in some fashion—The Hot Letter—and the host may point out the bonus letter transferred to the Big Screen under the name of the applicable contestant who won that letter. (Or not, depending on necessity or convenience).
*13 The contestants or competitors use their accumulated winnings to bid on the positions of words in the Scramble For Your Life puzzle. Contestants or competitors possessing less than a certain amount (maybe $1,000) going into the Scramble For Your Life game will have their winnings boosted to that amount (i.e., $1,000). The point is to ensure that all three contestants or competitors are able to bid on the puzzle. They also bid on the Hot Letters that are not won in the preceding game rounds, as well as Key Phrase Words, as explained in the drawings and specification to follow.
*14 The Scramble For Your Life puzzle is solved by the individual contestants or competitors on their electronic devices. Detail exactly how this is done is explained in the drawings and specification to follow.
*15 Winning Scramble For Your Life determines the winner of the episode. It is theoretically possible that a different player could have a higher score than the winner. However, the non-winning players lose half their winnings anyway. The winner will have at least $25,000 going into the bonus/Mystery Spin/Win Spin, since that is the preferred, but not limited, amount the main game winner will earn.
*16 What it takes to win the $1,000,000 prize: It may be an option to include a single peg space (for example, a 30 wedge wheel would have “eighty-nine” peg spaces at three peg positions per wedge or wheel segment, on the Win Spin “overlay” in final round. There may be additional requirements, too, to make that probability lower so as not to make the show “go broke” by too many people winning that amount too often.
*17 The first six (or any designated amount suitable) HOT LETTERS are obtained during the six game modules (one or more per module). In each game module, one of the HOT LETTERS will be highlighted at random (or seemingly so) within an answer given to a puzzle. The contestant who gives the correct answer in which the HOT LETTER is revealed is given that HOT LETTER to keep. (it will be displayed on the board in such a way as to reveal that it belongs to them—IMPORTANT: It is the “position” of that Hot Letter won as it correctly is placed into the Hot Word(s) WITHIN the Key Phrase in the “Scramble For Your Life” round that is actually won. ALL Hot Letters won (just the letters, not the final position) will be known by ALL contestants or competitors, however). See Hot Letter explanation above for more details.
A 10-15 second prerecorded celebrity message after the final regular game module to introduce the remaining Hot Letters may be inserted in the game segment, which will be bid on. Obviously, in prerecording the shot, there is no way to know ahead of time what the remaining Hot Letter Letters will be, so the celebrity will point to the bottom of the screen and say that the contestants or competitors will need to bid on the following letters to complete their last puzzle (Scramble For Your Life). A different celebrity may be used each time, to keep the audience anticipation level high, although a good show host can engage audiences at a high level, as well. When “Scramble ForYour Life” is played, each contestant will have all the HOT LETTERS he has won (both in the game modules, and the auction) inserted in his puzzle for him. More concise Rules are illustrated in text plus drawings within the following drawing pages herein.
The above summary is general and serves as an overview of the invention. Further features and modifications besides those summarized will be described in the following description. It should be obvious to one skilled in the present art to see possible general modifications that may be substituted for those employed to achieve the purposes of the present invention, while not departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention. In addition, further characteristics of the invention may be understood by the following description and drawings, the preferred embodiments of which are by way of example and non-limiting to the spirit and scope of the invention.
For the sake of repetition of all the content of the Summary, the reader is urged to study the terminology and function or processes, methods of the Summary to enhance understanding of the following Detailed Description. Noting
Within the confines of main board 1 over game theme 10 which graphically is depicted on a game board/screen background 9 is a game module name 3 and module game screen 4 that comprises and displays one of many graphically displayed game modules aka., game modules 3, which modules are what may be called also “mini- games” on display, typically one said module 3 at a time, for contestants or competitors 18, to play and both game host 17 with host assistant 16 to moderate, (all of them “show participants”), that said module being “Zig Zap™” 3, presently on the said screen 4. At or near said banner 2 is a display area 5 for contestant names 6 and winnings, including Hot Letter(s) won 7, and additionally, Key Phrase Word (s) (final positions') Won Space 8 or Icon Key Section 8 (comprising Icon Key Graphic 12) to display Key Phrase Word(s) 39,
Said WSW is played as contestant or host spins or activates chance selector means 19, which in the preferred embodiment is a chance wheel board 19, which may comprise a physical printed graphic overlay of wedge indicia or as a chance wheel game board 20, may be large rotatable screen that may have any electronic graphic configuration programmed thereon, including a wedge pattern of game module indica. However, this said chance wheel may be substituted by another chance selector mechanism, as a multi-sided dice piece 19a with game module indicia, as shown in
Further, the WSW game may be adapted beyond the above physical stage TV show environment to interactively engage audiences through any electronic formats that involve players watching or participating in the game through use of any of the broadcast mediums in which persons watch or play games. Noting
Note: All the software related to the electronic formatting and distribution of the said WSW Game, in all it various formats and possible modifications may include not only a unique said Board Game version
Noting
However, in the preferred invention embodiment the said chance wheel 19 is spun by a contestant, or show host, by grasping the annular grasping member 21, and turning the chance wheel game board 20. It is preferred that the applicant's former wheel related inventions of applicant/inventor's U.S. Pat. No. 8,596,638 for “Rotatable Hand Grip System” and a second U.S. Pat. No. 8,690,154 entitled: “Safe and Novel, Lightweight Hand Grip Systems for Manually Spinning Gaming Wheels,” aka., “The New Wheel™ would be a preferred said chance mechanism 19 to assist in supporting the present WSW Game Invention of the subject application. Said Zig Zap 3 is the game module wedge 22 selected by chance as sector identification means or “flippers” 24 oscillate (click) against wheel pins 23 until coming to a stop. Game block build letters 11 of said Zig Zap 3 module are arranged on said screen 4 and contestant and audience may read “Quick Rules” 15 for each unique said game module 3 that is played. Note: It is obvious that “more than one said module 3 game can be played “simultaneously” and it may be that a preferred way to add intensity to the said WSWS game is to play more than one said game module concurrently.
As to the various said game modules 3 that may be played in WSW,
Note: These blank-letter words 40, comprising a series of Hot Letter Block Blanks 41, are also called Hot Words 40 and are in the CORRECT “word position” within the said Key Phrase—it is just that their letters are only partial or missing until filled in by the contestant.
Said ‘Remaining Hot Letter™ Line” 37 are “NON-positioned Hot Letters—and the contestants or competitors 18 are bidding for their CORRECT POSTION INSIDE the said Hot Words 40 (Note: These Hot Words™ MUST be discovered to complete the “unscrambling” of the Key Phrase, so they are highly important letters and words to secure in order to win the WSW Game—thus the bidding process becomes highly intensified to bid for and secure them). Early-in-game won said Hot Letters 7 are extracted out of certain “hot words” are “won” from the inception of play throughout which are ‘embedded” letters of correct words won during the early standard modules of the game—, until needed in final round(s) of game by a contestant. As well, word(s), and/or their correct word-in-phrase and “Hot Letters™-in-Hot-Word™” positions, in addition to points or money won, may also be won throughout play. These word and/or letter “threads,” are strings or a series of letters (that will be used to create words, later used in a final round, preferably called, “Scramble For Your Life™”) described further below. NOTE: These said Hot Letters in line 37 are those that remain AFTER the normal (earlier) game play said Hot Letters 7 are PRIVATELY distributed, as shown in
Noting
Note: It is PRECISELY the “pursuit” of this “thread” of said module earned Hot Letters 7 and said “bid-earned” Hot Letters 37 (literally, a two-phase pursuit) in order to fill in the said Hot Letters said Hot Words 40 of the said Key Phrase called Hot Words 40 (including blanks and partial filled Hot Letters) that creates such urgency and intensity of competition among the contestants or competitors 18, resulting in the game WSW a major word- related learning tool for students of the English language, while providing riveting and entertaining engagement of the audience. But there is ALSO another auction. That “Key Phrase Word Bid” of
John won “MY” 46 in the bid, the SECOND-TO-LAST word in the Key Phrase, and Kaitlin won “IF” the SECOND word. Continued bidding would continue until the MIDDLE word (“HE”—see: Correct Phrase word order “ANSWER” in
The contestants or competitors 18 use their accumulated winnings to bid on privately revealed (known only to the highest/winning bidder) the words in the KEY Phrase round/puzzle, then the host auctions off the said Hot Letters, the said Remaining Hot Letter Line positions 37, or this bidding order may be reversed.
When the auction is finished, the host announces that the contestants or competitors 18 have (up to) one minute to solve the puzzle. The contestants or competitors 18 use individual interactive electronic devices to solve the puzzles. It is preferred that each contestant have their own private electronic “computer work pad” 29, or 31, located at their podium—computer pads, such as #29 in
This electronic “Popping In” of Hot Letters and Key Phrase words accelerates so that by the time fifty seconds of the sixty seconds is up they are moving in quickly (ie. They are moved and TURN FROM A RED COLOR TO A BLUE COLOR, so that the contestants or competitors who has MORE of the actual scrambled Key Phrase words (and Hot Letters) in correct position will INEVITABLY BEAT the other contests 18 to the “finish” when the computer gets near the 50+ second duration with only seconds left. This creates a sort of “Fun Frenzy” that the audience will love to experience with the players since the audience is participating on their TV at home of even “interactively” in real time with the show through the internet. Note that “Post Bid” auction scores 78 are LOWER by the end of what may be an exciting, but brutal auction process, and may even go down to “0” after the fierce round of bidding for said Hot Letters and said Key Phrase Words. The two contestants or competitors 18 who do not win lose half their winnings. (Perhaps down to a predetermined level, such as $1,000, so no one leaves empty-handed). The results are tallied, the winner is announced.
The winner receives, for example, a sizeable award of $25,000 plus his/her remaining accumulated winnings. Noting
Finally, 30 through
Other variations and modifications of the present invention will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art, and it is the intent of the appended claims that such variations and modifications be covered. The particular values, game modules, their order of play, duration and content and configurations discussed above can be varied, and are cited to illustrate representative embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Other equivalent elements, methods and steps can be substituted for those described and illustrated herein; parts, steps and elements may be reversed, expanded, modified and certain features of the invention maybe used independently of the use of other features, all without departing for the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined in the subjoining claims. As well, it is contemplated that the use of the present invention can involve components, methods, processes and steps having different characteristics, different order or duration, even steps absent, as long as the principle, the presentation of various optional processes, methods or steps are followed, and thus fit within the spirit and scope of the claims.
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/253,419 filed Apr. 15, 2014. The entire disclosure of the application referenced above is incorporated by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 14253419 | Apr 2014 | US |
| Child | 16922676 | US |
