Patent Application
20070216094
The present disclosure is generally related to board games and more particularly to a board game that requires a player to build configurations on the board utilizing playing pieces.
Many board games exist where dice are rolled or cards are drawn and a game piece is moved according to a set of rules. These games often rely on chance and the ability to roll “good” numbers with the dice or to get a good draw from a card dealer, wherein a good roll or a good hand almost always dictates who will win the game. These games become repetitious and many gamers become bored with such a game of chance or luck. Many individuals desire to play board games that require skill, wherein strategic maneuvers during the game can be the difference between winning and loosing. For many, challenging one's intellect is stimulating and never gets old. Games of strategy such as chess, are generally given a much higher stature than games of chance. For example, world championships are held for game of skill such as chess. Further, millions of dollars has been spent on computer software that will allow a machine to play games of skill against a human. Also, it is desirable to provide a game board and game pieces wherein different games can be played on the same board with the same pieces. Accordingly, there is a need for more challenging multiuse game boards.
The following is a detailed description of novel embodiments depicted in the accompanying drawings. The embodiments are in such detail as to clearly communicate the subject matter. However, the amount of detail offered is not intended to limit anticipated variations of the described embodiments, but on the contrary, the claims and detailed description are to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the present teachings as defined by the appended claims. The detailed descriptions below are designed to make such embodiments understandable to a person having ordinary skill in the art.
Generally, methods and arrangements for manufacturing and playing a board game are provided herein. While specific embodiments will be described below with reference to a particular game, those of skill in the art will realize that embodiments may advantageously be implemented with other configurations.
The board game can include a playing board and a plurality of “pegged” playing pieces. The playing board can have a series of holes such that pegs of the playing pieces can be inserted into the holes in the playing board to secure the playing pieces in particular orientations on the playing board. In another embodiment, the pegs could protrude from the game board and holes could be placed in the playing pieces. The playing pieces can be placed on the board according to multiple objectives based on the game being played.
In one embodiment, an objective can be to form a path across the playing board utilizing the playing pieces. Thus, the playing pieces can form walls, partitions or dividers that define the path across the playing board. In another embodiment, an objective can be to utilize the playing pieces to form at least one predetermined or assigned shape on the playing board using multiple game pieces.
Referring to
The playing board 4 can have a plurality of holes 6 located in rows and columns and the playing board 4 can resemble a “peg-board.” Playing pieces 14 and 16 can have pegs 8 that are spaced on the playing pieces such that they can be inserted into the holes 6 nearly anywhere on the playing board 4.
A typical playing piece can have more than one peg such that when the playing pieces 14 and 16 are placed on the board 6 they are securely oriented and will not move or not rotate. However, a single square peg on each playing piece could also be utilized to securely orient the playing pieces. As illustrated, the playing pieces 14 and 16 can be shaped as “U”s, “L” s, “W”s, “I”s, “Z”s, “T”s, “X”s, “H”s, “E”s, a straight line, a square and many other shapes.
Playing pieces 14 and 16 can be placed in multiple orientations at a single location on the playing board 4. For example, the spacing of the pegs 8 and the holes 6 may allow for the playing pieces 14 and 16 to be rotated about an axis of the playing piece at the same location and secured in multiple orientations, possibly four orientations in a single location. Alternately described, a playing piece may be rotated about its axis and be secured at various rotational positions about the axis of the playing piece.
The abovementioned shapes of playing pieces 14 and 16 are merely exemplary and many other shapes could also be provided and utilized by the gamer. Curved shapes, simple shapes and complex shapes would also not part from the scope of the present disclosure as only a small group of exemplary playing pieces are illustrated and described herein. A set of playing pieces for a single game could include multiple copies of any and all of the playing pieces described above. For example, a single game could include five W”s, “I”s, “Z”s, and “T”s, and six “U”s, and “L” s.
The playing pieces 14 and 16 can be made out of plastic or rubber and could be injection molded. In another embodiment, the playing pieces 14 and 16 could be cut or carved out of wood or they could be formed out of metal. The playing board 4 could also be made from wood or plastic and could be manufactured in almost any shape or size. In a specific embodiment, the playing board 4 has a rectangular shape and measures sixteen (16) inches in length by fourteen (14) inches in width, by three (3) inches in height or thickness. Generally, the larger the size of the playing board 4 the more playing pieces that will be required to create a path and the longer it will take to complete a game. Additionally a round, square or other shape of playing board 4 would not part from the scope of the disclosure.
The top side of the playing board 4 could have columns of holes and rows of holes 6 running perpendicular to each other. The columns can be spaced apart by three quarters of an inch and the rows can be spaced apart by three quarters of an inch. The holes could also be placed equidistantly from a center along radial lines. The holes 8 could measure an eight of an inch in diameter.
The playing pieces 14 and 16 could also be similar in shape but vary in size, and the playing pieces 14 and 16 could be manufactured in a variety of colors. The color of a specific playing piece could be utilized to assign the playing pieces 14 and 16 to a specific player (i.e. a first player get the green pieces, a second player gets red pieces, and so on.)
To start the game, the players can be assigned playing pieces 14 and 16, the players can take turns choosing playing pieces 14 and 16 or the players can draw playing pieces 14 and 16. In another embodiment, the playing pieces 14 and 16 may be color coded and to start the game, the playing pieces 14 and 16 can be sorted by color and assigned to each player based on the color of the playing piece. Players could also draw playing pieces 14 and 16 during the game or on an as needed basis.
During the game, each player can take turns in placing or orienting playing pieces 14 and 16 on the playing board 4 with an objective of creating a path across the playing board 4. When a path is finished a winner can be determined, thus, the player playing the last piece that forms that path can be crowned as the winner.
In one embodiment, it can be an objective to orient the playing pieces 14 and 16 on the playing board 4 such that they create walls, dividers or partitions that define each side of a path that extends across the playing board 4. In one embodiment, a player must form the complete path solely with his or her assigned/played pieces and in another embodiment the players can use playing pieces 14 and 16 of other players to form at least a portion of the complete path.
Thus, a path would constitute a defined area, bordered by the edge of the board 4 on two opposing sides and by playing pieces 14 and 16 on the other two opposing sides. The path will typically vary in width as it extends from one edge of the playing board 4 to another edge of the playing board 4. The path could also start from one edge of the playing board 4 and make a turn such that it terminates at an adjacent edge of the playing board 4 or the path could terminate at the same edge of the playing board 4, however in a different location than the starting location.
In another embodiment, a game with a different objective can be played with the same playing pieces 14 and 16 and the same playing board 4. In this embodiment the playing pieces 14 and/or 16 can be utilized to form predetermined shapes. In this embodiment, an objective would be to place the playing pieces 14 and 16 on the playing board 4 to form a shape such as a perfect square or rectangle. The shape that would be required to be created by the player can be assigned to the player, or can be selected from a list of predetermined shapes by a player.
In this embodiment the players could also take turns placing the playing pieces 14 and 16 on the playing board 4 and when a playing piece 14 or 16 is played that completes the shape, a winner can be determined. In another embodiment the players could be required to utilize all of the playing pieces 14 and 16 assigned when forming these shapes and when the playing pieces 14 and 16 are all placed on the playing board 4, the player who has created the most shapes can be declared the winner.
In one embodiment a dice can be rolled to determine game parameters such as who goes first and what shape is to be created by the player. A table could be provided with the game 2 that cross references dice numbers to shapes such that shapes can be assigned to a player based on a number or numbers rolled on the dice. The winner can be determined when the assigned or predetermined configuration is created on the playing board 4.
The above disclosed subject matter is to be considered illustrative, and not restrictive, and the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications, enhancements, and other embodiments which fall within the true spirit and scope of the present invention. Thus, to the maximum extent allowed by law, the scope of the present invention is to be determined by the broadest permissible interpretation of the following claims and their equivalents, and shall not be restricted or limited by the foregoing detailed description.
