Patent Application
20250001285
Examples of the present disclosure relate to tile-based board games, wherein the tiles form a dynamic and changing spiraled path. More specifically, embodiments utilize hexagonal-shaped blocks configured to be positioned adjacent to each other, wherein the blocks block pieces may include embedded magnets configured to temporarily couple adjacent blocks.
A board game is a tabletop game that involves counters or pieces moved or placed on a pre-determined surface or board, according to a set of rules. The board game may allow users to move based on chance, strategy, skill, or a combination of different objectives.
Board games typically have a goal that a player aims to achieve. For example, a board game may be won by a player moving their piece from the first end of a static route to the second end of the static route. Alternatively, a board game may be won by a player strategically moving a plurality of pieces across a static board to obtain an objective, like chess.
However, conventional board games utilize static routes and static boards that are not customized based in part on the number of players that are playing. Due to the static routes and boards, conventional board games can quickly become repetitive, and less than ideal if the number of players changes from sitting to sitting.
Accordingly, needs exist for more effective and efficient systems and methods for games formed of tiled-based pieces that are configured to form dynamic spirals based on the number of players within the game and gameplay mechanics.
Embodiments disclosed herein describe systems and methods that may be composed with individual and independent blocks that are configured to move to create new and dynamic layouts for the game. Utilizing independent blocks, the board for the game may be scalable based on the number of players or desired complexity, wherein action figures positioned on tiles within the block form a spiral playable path. The blocks may be configured to be coupled together utilizing the magnets embedded within the blocks or with slots and protrusion mechanism along the edges, wherein each of the interior angles of the tiles with the blocks is greater than one hundred degrees. Embodiments may include a plurality of tiles and action figures.
The blocks may be symmetrical in shape, even when having an odd number of tiles. The blocks may include first sidewalls positioned on the exterior of the blocks. The first sidewalls of a block may be configured to be positioned directly adjacent to the sidewalls of at least a second block, wherein the sidewalls of the first block may be positioned directly adjacent to the sidewalls of six other blocks. In embodiments, the sidewalls of each of the blocks may be planar surfaces, wherein the sidewalls that correspond to different tiles do not extend in parallel to the sidewalls of adjacent sidewalls. This may allow the blocks to be removably coupled to a plurality of other blocks. Each of the plurality of blocks may include a plurality of tiles.
In embodiments, the tiles may be located on the upper surface of the blocks. The tiles may include second sidewalls that form a boundary for each of the tiles. In embodiments, the height of the second sidewalls may be less than the height of the first sidewalls. The sidewalls of each of the tiles may form a lowered platform within the upper surface of the blocks, wherein an action figure may be placed on each platform. In embodiments, a central tile within a block may be positioned adjacent to six other tiles on the upper surface of the first block. Furthermore, outer tiles on the upper surface of the first block may be positioned adjacent to six other tiles positioned on the upper surface of other blocks. In embodiments, the second sidewalls of each of the tiles may be planar surfaces, wherein the second sidewalls that correspond to different tiles do not extend in parallel to the sidewalls of adjacent sidewalls. In embodiments, each of the interior angles of the tiles with the blocks is greater than one hundred degrees. In embodiments, the upper surface of tiles on a plurality of different blocks may have different numbers. The number may represent a spiral with different numbers of action figures to create the spiral. For example, a number one on a first block may indicate a “spiral” of one action figure. A number one on the first block, a number four on a second block, and the numbers six and eight on a third block may indicate how to create spirals of different sizes on the upper surface of the blocks.
In specific embodiments, a game board may include thirty-seven blocks, which form a spiral having one hundred sixteen action figures. In embodiments, a magnet may be positioned below the surface of each of the tiles, on the first sidewalls or second sidewalls or a slot and or a protrusion may be provided at the base of sidewalls. This may enable adjacent blocks to be removably coupled to each other. In embodiments, a central tile within a block may not include an embedded magnet or a slot and protrusion mechanism.
The action figures may be configured to be positioned on the surface of each of the tiles, wherein each of the action figures may include a base that corresponds to the shape of each of the tiles. The action figures may represent different types of units or characters, which each different type of unit or character may have different gameplay characteristics.
These, and other, aspects of the invention will be better appreciated and understood when considered in conjunction with the following description and the accompanying drawings. The following description, while indicating various embodiments of the invention and numerous specific details thereof, is given by way of illustration and not of limitation. Many substitutions, modifications, additions, or rearrangements may be made within the scope of the invention, and the invention includes all such substitutions, modifications, additions, or rearrangements.
Non-limiting and non-exhaustive embodiments of the present invention are described concerning the following figures, wherein reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the various views unless otherwise specified.
Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding components throughout the several views of the drawings. Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of various embodiments of the present disclosure. Also, common but well-understood elements that are useful or necessary in a commercially feasible embodiment are often not depicted to facilitate a less obstructed view of these various embodiments of the present disclosure.
In the following description, numerous specific details are outlined in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present embodiments. It will be apparent, however, to one having ordinary skill in the art that the specific detail need not be employed to practice the present embodiments. In other instances, well-known materials or methods have not been described in detail in order to avoid obscuring the present embodiments.
Turning now to
Block 100 may be symmetrical, even with an odd number of tiles. Block 100 may include external sidewalls 105 positioned on an exterior of block 100. External sidewalls 105 of block 100 may be configured to be positioned directly adjacent to other blocks' sidewalls to form a game's dynamic board. In embodiments, the external sidewalls 105 may be planar surfaces, wherein adjacent sidewalls 105 do not extend in parallel to each other, and an internal angle of vertices of sidewalls 105 is greater than or equal to one hundred degrees.
A plurality of tiles 110, 120, 130 may be positioned on an upper surface of block 100. Tiles 110, 120, 130 may have a plurality of second sidewalls 144 which define a boundary for a platform 142. In embodiments, an action figure may have a base configured to be removably positioned on platform 142, wherein second sidewalls 144 may limit the movement of the base of the action figure when the action figure is positioned on platform 142. In embodiments, internal sidewalls 146 of tiles 110, 120 may form sidewalls corresponding to multiple tiles 110, 120 within the same block 100, and external sidewalls 148 of a tile may be positioned directly adjacent to other external sidewalls of different blocks. In embodiments, each of the sidewalls 144, 146, 148 of each of the tiles 110, 120, 130 may be planar surfaces, wherein adjacent sidewalls do not extend in parallel to each other. In embodiments, each of the interior angles of the vertices corresponding to the second sidewalls is greater than one hundred degrees. In embodiments, a central tile 130 may be configured to be encompassed by internal tiles 110, 120 on the same block, whereas external tiles 110, 120 may be positioned adjacent to tiles on different blocks.
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In embodiments, board game system 500 may have adjacent blocks having different coloring. The different coloring of adjacent blocks may assist in making a spiral layout on the upper surface of the platforms within the surface.
As depicted in
A second spiral 640 may be created within the first spiral 605. During game play a first player may control the action figures positioned on the first spiral 605, and a second player may control action figures that are to move within second spiral 640.
During play gameplay, action figures may be removed from the first spiral 605, allowing for a more direct path to the center of the second spiral 640 for the second player.
To this end, the size of the board game system 500 may change based on the desired characteristics of the players, and the number of tiles a first player needs to traverse to win the game may dynamically change by removing action figures on the first spiral 605.
In a specific embodiment, the gameplay utilizing game system 500 may be based on the ancient war of Mahabharat in the geographical region of present India. One of the war-formations used in Mahabharat was the strategic spiral shaped positioning of the soldiers where they were orchestrated to move or attack based on the enemy's position. This war-formation is known as Chakravyuha, a circular trap. Board game system 500 may be utilized to replicate formations and strategies used in the war of Mahabharat.
In embodiments, a first player may be an “orchestrator” and utilize the action figures on first spiral 605. The other players may be “infiltrators.” In embodiments, the Infiltrators main object may be to penetrate the spirals to reach a center to attack the Orchestrator. The infiltrators may attempt to dynamically change the layout of the board game by forming holes in the spirals exposing inner loops. In embodiments, the orchestrator may control the positioning of the soldiers after each turn, and protect their health. If there are multiple infiltrators, the infiltrators may work together to defeat the Orchestrator. In short, the objective of the Orchestrator is to not allow the infiltrators to penetrate the center of the spiral by creating holes in the spiral to expose inner loops/new paths.
A length of the first spiral may be based on a number of infiltrators, wherein when there are more infiltrators the length of first spiral 605 may be longer. For example, if there are four infiltrators thirty seven blocks 100 may be used to accommodate seventy one soldiers.
The players may quickly join the blocks 100 together utilizing the embedded magnets 210. Once board game system 500 is formed, the first player may position a first action figure on the central tile, or first tile, along the first spiral 605. The first player may then position the second action figures on the remaining tiles along the first spiral 605.
Subsequently, each of the infiltrators may receive a third action figure that is configured to move along the second spiral 640. Each of the infiltrators may roll a dice, wherein the infiltrator with the highest roll enters the second spiral 640 last.
To play the game, the orchestrator may determine the spiral movement direction of the orchestrator, wherein the orchestrator may have two choices a first-clockwise direction and a second-counterclockwise direction. The orchestrator may make this determination without telling the infiltrators which spiral movement direction they have chosen. Each infiltrator may then roll a dice after the orchestrator's spiral movement direction. The numerical value for each dice roll may be recorded, and the infiltrators may have two options to move a number of spaces based on the dice roll or attack and inflict damage on the soldiers on the first spiral 605 based on the dice roll. However, in the first turn, the infiltrators may be required to move into the spiral location based on their dice roll. On subsequent turns, if an infiltrator decides to attach the infiltrator may have a hit point available equal to the number on the dice the infiltrator rolled, and the infiltrator can decide which action figures on the first spiral 605 to attack. For instance, if the first infiltrator on location A depicted in
However, if the first infiltrator on Location A depicted in
Once the Infiltrator is done moving the player figure on the board, the Orchestrator will roll the dice. This dice roll will allow the Orchestrator to move soldiers along the spiral formation to fill in any gap in the spiral. For example, in
The game may be further enhanced using health boost or attack boost cards. If a player rolls dice 6 then the player can pick up a top card from a shuffled deck of boost cards. These boost cards may increase the player's health, increase the number of attacks performed in one turn, increase a distance a player may travel, cause a player to lose a turn, allow a player to jump to an empty slot, add soldiers to a spiral, etc.
In further embodiments, soldiers may be positioned on a given number of tiles for a spiral, and the Orchestrator may get a predetermined number of power-up cards, and each Infiltrator team may get a predetermined number of power-up cards, and the infiltrators may place the infiltrator figurines outside the spiral.
The infiltrators may set their health to a predetermined number, and the Orchestrator may set their health to a second predetermined number. At the beginning of each turn, an infiltrator may determine if they want to use a power-up card, and then roll the dice. The infiltrator may then choose to move, attack, or both based on the dice roll. The infiltrator may attack an adjacent soldier or move in a given direction based on the amount of the dice roll. In embodiments, there may be a predetermined maximum amount an infiltrator may attack the Orchestrator. In specific embodiments, if an infiltrator moves into a new loop of the spiral, the infiltrator may not move along the new loop. Additionally, in specific embodiments, the infiltrator may not be able to move into a new loop of the spiral on the same turn that the infiltrator made the new gap in the spiral.
Furthermore, when moving soldiers to fill gaps in a formation, the Orchestrator may move any number of soldiers equal to or less than the dice roll for a corresponding turn along the loop. The orchestrator may also be able to move one or more infiltrators in a same loop in any direction based on the dice roll of the corresponding infiltrator. Once the Orchestrator is finished moving the soldiers and infiltrators, each infiltrator may receive a reducing in health equal to a number of soldiers adjacent to the corresponding soldier. Once the Orchestrators finishes the turn, the Infiltrators may adjust health counters associated with the hit points taken. The game may end when the infiltrators hit the orchestrator a number of times above the predetermined amount.
In additional embodiments, the infiltrators may need to exit the spiral, and a first winner may be determined by the first infiltrator who exits the spiral.
Table 2 depicted below shows another possible configurations for an Orchestrator and Infiltrator health combinations along with power-up cards and spiral length
As depicted in
As shown in the FIGURES block 1500 may include a series of projections and indentations that are configured to manually lock adjacent blocks 1500 together. This may be advantageous to link multiple blocks 1500 together quickly.
In embodiments, board 2000 may include a predetermined layout, which may be similar to that shown in
Although the present technology has been described in detail for the purpose of illustration based on what is currently considered to be the most practical and preferred implementations, it is to be understood that such detail is solely for that purpose and that the technology is not limited to the disclosed implementations, but, on the contrary, is intended to cover modifications and equivalent arrangements that are within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. For example, it is to be understood that the present technology contemplates that, to the extent possible, one or more features of any implementation can be combined with one or more features of any other implementation.
Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment”, “an embodiment”, “one example” or “an example” means that a particular feature, structure or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment”, “in an embodiment”, “one example” or “an example” in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the particular features, structures or characteristics may be combined in any suitable combinations and/or sub-combinations in one or more embodiments or examples. In addition, it is appreciated that the figures provided herewith are for explanation purposes to persons ordinarily skilled in the art and that the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63523571 | Jun 2023 | US |
