Patent Application
20210299551
A portion of the disclosure of this patent document may contain material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.
Card games provide people with opportunities for entertainment, education, and social interaction.
The accompanying drawings illustrate various embodiments and are a part of the specification. The illustrated embodiments are merely examples and do not limit the scope of the disclosure.
A unique playing card game and associated systems and methods are described herein. The card game may be unique in one or more of the ways described herein. For example, the card game may include unique components and/or unique game play, as described herein.
An illustrative card game may include two separate decks of playing cards—a first deck of cards and a second deck of cards. The first deck of cards may include build cards each illustrating a single graphical element selected from a set of graphical elements. The second deck of cards may include pattern cards each illustrating a pattern of multiple graphical elements selected from the set of graphical elements. The card game may also include game instructions (e.g., rules of play) defining game play to be followed by users of the card game to play a competitive game with the card game. Such users may be referred to as players of the card game. In certain examples, the game instructions indicate that an objective of a game played with the card game is to be the first player to match the patterns illustrated on all their pattern cards to patterns formed by build cards played in a collaborative build space. Example embodiments of such a card game and ways of playing a competitive game with the card game will now be described with reference to the drawings.
The first deck 102 may include build cards 106 each illustrating a single graphical element selected from a set of graphical elements. The single graphical element may be illustrated on a front face of a build card. The build cards 106 may include subsets of build cards 106 that share a common single graphical element. For example, the build cards 106 may include a first subset 108-1 of build cards 106 each having a same first graphical element 110-1 selected from the set of graphical elements, a second subset 108-2 of build cards 106 each having a same second graphical element 110-2 selected from the set of graphical elements, a third subset 108-3 of build cards 106 each having a same third graphical element 110-3 selected from the set of graphical elements, and a fourth subset 108-4 of build cards 106 each having a same fourth graphical element 110-4 selected from the set of graphical elements. In certain embodiments, each subset of build cards includes twelve build cards.
In certain examples, the first graphical element 110-1 may be a red square block (indicted by the letter “R” in the square denoted as 110-1), the second graphical element 110-2 may be a green square block (indicted by the letter “G” in the square denoted as 110-2), the third graphical element 110-3 may be a blue square block (indicted by the letter “B” in the square denoted as 110-3), and the fourth graphical element 110-4 may be a yellow square block (indicted by the letter “Y” in the square denoted as 110-4). The red, green, blue, and yellow square blocks may form the set of graphical elements illustrated as a set 200 of graphical elements in
The first deck 102 may further include a set 112 of special cards each indicating a special action to be performed when the respective special card is played during game play. In certain embodiments, the set 112 of special cards includes two swap cards, two cover cards, two two-turns (2X) cards, two zap cards, and one bomb card. Examples of these and other special cards and corresponding special actions are described herein.
The second deck 104 of cards may include pattern cards each illustrating a pattern of multiple graphical elements selected from the set of graphical elements. A pattern of multiple graphical elements may include a spatial arrangement of the graphical elements in relation to each other. Such a pattern may be illustrated on a front face of a pattern card. In
An illustrated pattern may include any number of graphical elements selected from the set of graphical elements and arranged relative to each other to form an organization of the elements referred to herein as a pattern. In certain implementations, each pattern card illustrates a single pattern.
The pattern cards may illustrate different patterns of multiple graphical elements. In certain examples, each pattern card illustrates a pattern that is unique within the deck 104 of pattern cards. For example, the deck 104 may include forty-eight pattern cards each illustrating a different pattern. In other examples, a same pattern may be illustrated by more than one pattern card in the deck 104 of pattern cards.
In certain implementations, pattern cards in the deck 104 of pattern cards include illustrations of various combinations of three-element patterns, such as various layouts of blocks of various colors. In certain implementations, each pattern card in the deck of pattern cards includes a unique three-element pattern.
The patterns shown in
In certain examples, the first deck 102 and the second deck 104 of cards include cards made of any suitable physical medium (e.g., layers of cardstock) of different sizes and/or shapes. For example, the first deck 102 includes cards of a first size and shape, such as a generally square shape of a first size (e.g., 2.75×2.75 inches), and the second deck 104 includes cards of a second shape and size different from the first shape and size, such as a generally non-square rectangular shape of a second size (e.g., 2.5×3.5 inches). The size and/or shape of the pattern cards in the second deck 104 may be conducive to illustrating patterns of multiple graphical elements on the pattern cards. The size and/or shape of the cards in the first deck 102 may be conducive to the cards in the first deck 102 being played in a collaborative build space to form the patterns illustrated on the pattern cards in the second deck 104, such as by playing the build cards in a grid in the build space. Any other suitable sizes and/or shapes of cards may be used in other embodiments of the card game 100.
Returning to
In certain examples, the game instructions 116 may be configured to define game play as follows. The defined game play or any element of the defined game play described below may be said to be indicated by the game instructions 116.
To setup a game, the second deck 104 of cards is shuffled and a number of pattern cards (e.g., eight pattern cards) are dealt to each player and placed in front of the player face down in a stack. The top two cards are turned over to be face up and visible to all players. Any remaining pattern cards not dealt to the players are set aside and not used in the game.
The first deck 102 of cards is shuffled and a number of cards from the deck 102 (e.g., five cards) are dealt to each player to be held in hand hidden from other players. The remaining cards of the first deck 102 that are not dealt to the players are placed face down in a stack to form a draw pile within reach of all players. The top card from the draw pile is turned over and placed face up in the center of the players, which is the collaborative build space in which players may place and remove build cards. This first build card is the start of collaborative building in the collaborative build space. This completes the setup of the game.
To start game play, a player is selected to play first. The starting player may be selected in any suitable way, such as by having the youngest player play first, for example. Play may continue with the players taking turns. For example, the players may take turns playing in a clockwise direction. The players, in turn, may play one or more of their in-hand build cards in the collaborative build space attempting to be first to form the patterns illustrated by their pattern cards that are face up on the playing surface.
On a player's turn, the player may choose to do one of the following: add one build card from their hand to the collaborative build space; remove a build card from the collaborative build space and place it in the discard pile; or play a special card (e.g., one of special cards 112) and perform one or more actions associated with the special card. After performing one of these three actions, the player ends their turn by drawing from the draw pile to replenish their hand back to five cards. Examples of these actions will now be described.
If the player chooses to add a build card to the build area, the build card may be added at any position at which as least one edge of the build card being added is adjacent to an edge of a build card already in the build area. This adjacent edge positioning of two build cards forms a connection between the build cards. In the build area, build cards must be connected to at least one other build card by having adjacent edges. A diagonal, corner-only connection (where no edge of the card has an adjacent edge connection) is not allowed.
If the player chooses to remove a build card from the build area, the player may do this in one of two ways. In the first way, the player plays two build cards each having the same graphical element (e.g., two red square build cards) from their hand and removes any one build card having the same graphical element (e.g., a red square build card) from the build area. The two matching build cards played from the player's hand and the build card removed from the build area are placed in the discard pile. In the second way, the player plays four build cards each having the same graphical element (e.g., four green square build cards) from their hand and removes any one build card of the player's choice from the build area. The four matching build cards played from the player's hand and the build card removed from the build area are placed in the discard pile. If at any time all build cards are removed from the build area, the top card of the draw pile is flipped over and placed in the center of the build area as a new build area start card.
Only one contiguous group of build cards is allowed in the build area at a time. Consequently, if removal of a build card from the build area separates the remaining build cards into separate groups (groups that are no longer connected with at least one touching edge) in the build area, all but one of the separate groups will be removed from the build area as follows. The largest (by number of build cards) contiguous group of build cards stays. Thus, if one of the groups has more cards than the other groups, that largest group remains in the build area. All the other groups are removed and placed in the discard pile. If there is a tie for largest contiguous group, the player who removed the build card chooses which of the largest groups stays in the build area. All other groups are removed and placed in the discard pile.
If the player chooses to play a special card from their hand, the player performs one or more special actions associated with the special card. Examples of playing illustrative special cards and performing their actions will now be described.
As mentioned above, in certain embodiments, the set 112 of special cards includes two swap cards, two cover cards, two two-turns (2X) cards, two zap cards, and one bomb card.
A player plays a special two-turns (2X) card from their hand by placing it on the discard pile, drawing the top card from the draw pile to replenish their hand to five cards, and then taking two consecutive turns (and replenishing their hand of cards after each turn).
A player plays a special swap card from their hand by placing it in the discard pile and then swapping positions of any two build cards already in the build area.
A player plays a special cover card from their hand by placing it in the discard pile and then placing any build card from the player's hand on top of any build card already in the build area.
A player plays a special zap card from their hand by placing it on a build card in the build area and removing all cards in a horizontal or vertical line with the zap card. After removal of the selected line of cards from the build area, the removed cards and the zap card are placed on the discard pile. If after removing the build cards, there is more than one contiguous group of build cards in the build area, all but one of the separate groups of cards is then removed as described above. If all build cards are removed from the build area, the top card of the draw pile is flipped over and placed in the center of the build area as a new build area start card.
A player plays the special bomb card from their hand by placing it on a build card in the build area and removing the build card under the bomb card and all cards that immediately surround the zap card (around the immediate perimeter of the bomb card, including all orthogonally and diagonally adjacent cards). After removal of the selected cards from the build area, the removed cards and the bomb card are placed in the discard pile. If after removing the build cards, there is more than one contiguous group of build cards in the build area, all but one of the separate groups of cards is then removed as described above. If all build cards are removed from the build area, the top card of the draw pile is flipped over and placed in the center of the build area as a new build area start card.
As players play in turn as described above, the players attempt to form, in the build area, the patterns illustrated on their visible pattern cards and to identify when one of their patterns illustrated on their visible pattern cards has been formed by build cards in the build area. At any time during game play, any player may claim a match of any of their face-up pattern cards to a matching pattern of build cards formed in the build area. A pattern card may be rotated to any orientation to make a match. Mirror-images are not considered matches. When a player identifies a match, the player sets aside the matched pattern card and flips their top face-down pattern card to a face-up position. The first player to match all patterns illustrated by their pattern cards wins the game.
Other embodiments of the card game 100 may include alternatives, additions, and/or subtractions to the illustrative game components and/or gameplay described above. Illustrative examples of such alternatives, additions, and subtractions will now be described.
Certain embodiments may include additional and/or alternative special cards (e.g., additions or alternatives to the set 112 of special card). Examples of such additional or alternative special cards may include one or more wild cards configured to be played as any build card of a player's choice, one or more card removal cards configured to be played to remove one or more build cards from the build area in ways different from special zap and bomb cards (e.g., a card configured to be played to remove all build cards from the build area, a card configured to be played to remove all build cards of a designated or player-selected color from the build area, etc.), one or more hole cards (e.g., one or more black-hole cards) each configured to be played at a position in the build area to prevent a build card from being played at the position, a lock card configured to be played in the build area to lock a build card already in the build area to at least one of an empty position or another build card already in the build area (such that the locked cards/positions are treated as a group and/or are frozen and can only be changed by certain special cards such as zap and bomb cards), a slide card configured to be played to shift the position of an entire player-selected line of build cards already in build area relative to one or more other build cards that are in the build area and not line the line (e.g., by shifting the line of cards any number of grid spaces in a direction of the line), and a bridge card configured to be played in the build area to form a connecting bridge between two build cards that are connected by the bridge card such that the two build cards are treated as if they were directly connected to one another. Other suitable special cards with defined special actions are also contemplated. Any suitable number and combination of special cards 112 may be included in embodiments of the card game 100.
While
In certain embodiments, a subset of build cards may each illustrate a blocking line along one edge of the card, such as a line place parallel to the edge the card and between the single graphical element (e.g., a colored block) illustrated on the card and the edge of the card. The game instructions may indicate that a connection may not be formed along an edge of a build card that has a blocking line illustrated along that edge. Accordingly, if such a build card is played in the build area, no other build card may be positioned to connect to the edge of the build card along which the blocking line is illustrated. Additionally or alternatively, a subset of build cards may each illustrate a blocking line along two or three edges of the card.
In certain embodiments, alternative to the build area start card being placed from the draw pile 412 to the collaborative build space 418 to start or restart building in the collaborative build space 418, a player may play a build card from the player's hand to the collaborative build space 418 as the build area start card a player who plays first may add a build card from the player's hand to the collaborative build space 418 as the build area start card.
In certain embodiments, additional or alternative rules may be defined for removing build cards from the build area. For example, any defined number and/or combination of build cards (e.g., a combination of one card from each subset of build cards, such as one red, one blue, one green, and one yellow build card) may be played from a player's hand to allow the player to remove one or more build cards from the build area. One or more of the remove card rules described herein may help a player replenish their hand of cards with multiple new build cards in one turn.
In method 500, a first deck of cards is provided (502), a second deck of cards is provided (504), and game instructions (506) are provided. In certain embodiments, the provided first deck of cards is the first deck 102 of cards or any alternative of the first deck 102 of cards described herein, the provided second deck of cards is the second deck 104 of cards or any alternative of the second deck 104 of cards described herein, and the provided game instructions are the game instructions 116 or any alternative of the game instructions 116 described herein.
The decks of cards and game instructions may be provided together or separately in any suitable way, including but not limited to manufacturing, exporting, importing, shipping, distributing, delivering, selling, or offering the decks of cards and game instructions in any form (e.g., physical or digital).
In certain embodiments, the card game 100 or any alternative of the card game such as described herein may be implemented as a virtual card game provided by one or more appropriately configured computing devices. For example, a computing device may include a processor and a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions (e.g., a software program, a mobile app, etc.) configured to be executed by the processor to provide a virtual card game to a user of the computing device or a user of a user device communicatively coupled to the computing device. The computing device may provide a user interface (e.g., a graphical user interface displayed on a touch screen display device) with which the user may interact to participate in the virtual card game. The computing device may provide, in the user interface, virtual representations of playing cards such as the illustrative playing cards described herein and perform operations in accordance with rules of play such as the illustrative rules of play described herein to provide the virtual card game to the user.
Multiple players may be able to virtually participate in the virtual card game. As an example, any number of appropriately configured computing devices may be communicatively coupled to one another, via any suitable communication technologies, and perform operations to provide a virtual card game such that multiple players may participate in a multiplayer virtual card game. The computing devices may be communicatively coupled directly via local communication technologies (e.g., BLUETOOTH) or via one or more networks (e.g., local area network, Internet, etc.). The computing devices may include a server computing device and/or one or more client computing devices communicatively coupled to the server computing device. In certain examples, one or more such computing devices may perform method 500 to provide the virtual card game by providing a first virtual deck of cards, providing a second virtual deck of cards, and providing game instructions by providing digital game instructions to players and/or performing one or more operations to facilitate virtual gameplay by the players in accordance with the game instructions.
In certain embodiments, one or more of the processes described herein may be implemented and/or performed by one or more appropriately configured physical computing devices (e.g., a mobile computing device, a server device, a combination of server and client computing devices, etc.). To this end, one or more of the processes described above may include or be implemented by any computer hardware and/or computer-implemented instructions (e.g., software) embodied on at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium configured to perform one or more of the processes described herein. The processes may be implemented on one physical computing device or may be implemented on more than one physical computing device.
In certain embodiments, one or more of the processes described herein may be implemented at least in part as instructions (e.g., a mobile application) embodied in a non-transitory computer-readable medium and executable by one or more computing devices. In general, a processor (e.g., a microprocessor) receives instructions, from a non-transitory computer-readable medium, (e.g., a memory, etc.), and executes those instructions, thereby performing one or more processes, including one or more of the processes described herein. Such instructions may be stored and/or transmitted using any of a variety of known computer-readable media.
A computer-readable medium (also referred to as a processor-readable medium) includes any non-transitory medium that participates in providing data (e.g., instructions) that may be read by a computer (e.g., by a processor of a computer). Such a medium may take many forms, including, but not limited to, non-volatile media, and/or volatile media. Non-volatile media may include, for example, optical or magnetic disks and other persistent memory. Volatile media may include, for example, dynamic random-access memory (“DRAM”), which typically constitutes a main memory. Common forms of computer-readable media include, for example, a disk, hard disk, magnetic tape, any other magnetic medium, a compact disc read-only memory (“CD-ROM”), a digital video disc (“DVD”), any other optical medium, random access memory (“RAM”), programmable read-only memory (“PROM”), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (“EPROM”), FLASH-EEPROM, any other memory chip or cartridge, or any other tangible medium from which a computer can read.
Communication interface 602 may be configured to communicate with one or more computing devices. Examples of communication interface 602 include, without limitation, a wired network interface (such as a network interface card), a wireless network interface (such as a wireless network interface card), a modem, an audio/video connection, and any other suitable interface.
Processor 604 generally represents any type or form of processing unit (e.g., a central processing unit) capable of processing data or interpreting, executing, and/or directing execution of one or more of the instructions, processes, and/or operations described herein. Processor 604 may perform operations by executing computer-executable instructions 612 (e.g., an application, software, code, and/or other executable data instance) stored in storage device 606.
Storage device 606 may include one or more data storage media, devices, or configurations and may employ any type, form, and combination of data storage media and/or device. For example, storage device 606 may include, but is not limited to, a hard drive, network drive, flash drive, magnetic disc, optical disc, RAM, dynamic RAM, other non-volatile and/or volatile data storage units, or a combination or sub-combination thereof. Electronic data, including data described herein, may be temporarily and/or permanently stored in storage device 606. For example, data representative of one or more executable applications configured to direct processor 604 to perform any of the operations described herein may be stored within storage device 606. In some examples, data may be arranged in one or more databases residing within storage device 606. The storage facility may further include any other data as may be used by computing device 600 to perform one of more of the operations described herein.
I/O module 608 may include one or more I/O modules configured to receive user input and provide user output. One or more I/O modules may be used to receive input for a single virtual reality experience. I/O module 608 may include any hardware, firmware, software, or combination thereof supportive of input and output capabilities. For example, I/O module 608 may include hardware and/or software for capturing user input, including, but not limited to, a keyboard or keypad, a touchscreen component (e.g., touchscreen display), a receiver (e.g., an RF or infrared receiver), motion sensors, and/or one or more input buttons.
I/O module 608 may include one or more devices for presenting output to a user, including, but not limited to, a graphics engine, a display (e.g., a display screen), one or more output drivers (e.g., display drivers), one or more audio speakers, and one or more audio drivers. In certain embodiments, I/O module 608 is configured to provide graphical data to a display for presentation to a user. The graphical data may be representative of one or more graphical user interfaces, such as any of the graphical user interface views described herein, and/or any other graphical content as may serve a particular implementation. I/O module 608 may be omitted from certain implementations.
In the preceding description, various exemplary embodiments have been described with reference to the accompanying drawings. It will, however, be evident that various modifications and changes may be made thereto, and additional embodiments may be implemented, without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims that follow. For example, certain features of one embodiment described herein may be combined with or substituted for features of another embodiment described herein. The description and drawings are accordingly to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense.
The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/000,933, filed Mar. 27, 2020, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63000933 | Mar 2020 | US |
