EP0190872A2 - Jeu à plateau - Google Patents

Jeu à plateau Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0190872A2
EP0190872A2 EP86300589A EP86300589A EP0190872A2 EP 0190872 A2 EP0190872 A2 EP 0190872A2 EP 86300589 A EP86300589 A EP 86300589A EP 86300589 A EP86300589 A EP 86300589A EP 0190872 A2 EP0190872 A2 EP 0190872A2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
participant
path
board game
game
further characterized
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP86300589A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP0190872A3 (en
Inventor
Oliver Komar
Alfred Edward Wilson
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Publication of EP0190872A2 publication Critical patent/EP0190872A2/fr
Publication of EP0190872A3 publication Critical patent/EP0190872A3/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63F—CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • A63F3/00—Board games; Raffle games
    • A63F3/00003—Types of board games
    • A63F3/00145—Board games concerning treasure-hunting, fishing, hunting
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63F—CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • A63F9/00—Games not otherwise provided for
    • A63F9/18—Question-and-answer games
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63F—CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • A63F11/00—Game accessories of general use, e.g. score counters, boxes
    • A63F11/0051—Indicators of values, e.g. score counters
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63F—CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • A63F3/00—Board games; Raffle games
    • A63F3/00697—Playing pieces
    • A63F2003/00845—Additional features of playing pieces; Playing pieces not assigned to one particular player
    • A63F2003/00848—Barriers, obstacles or obstructions
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63F—CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • A63F2250/00—Miscellaneous game characteristics
    • A63F2250/24—Miscellaneous game characteristics with a lock, e.g. for a puzzle
    • A63F2250/245—Miscellaneous game characteristics with a lock, e.g. for a puzzle with a key
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63F—CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • A63F3/00—Board games; Raffle games
    • A63F3/00003—Types of board games
    • A63F3/00006—Board games played along a linear track, e.g. game of goose, snakes and ladders, along an endless track

Definitions

  • This invention relates to games and more particularly comprises a strategy board game that may or may not also include a testing of the trivia knowledge of the participants.
  • the outcome of the prior art games is determined solely by the participants' knowledge of different categories of trivia, and little or no strategy skills are employed in the playing of the games.
  • the present invention is embodied in a board game, and the moves of the participants on the board may or may not be determined by their knowledge in different trivia categories, but their strategy skills are tested.
  • the ability to answer trivia questions correctly may control the movement of the participants' tokens or playing pieces on the board, but movement may also be made on a step-by-step basis like checkers without imposing a trivia test upon the participants.
  • the participants' strategy skills are an integral part of the game, and players are provided with obstacles in the form of "gates” which may be placed in the paths prescribed for movement from the start to the goal on the board to obstruct the progress of opponents.
  • the participants are also provided with "keys” which "open” gates in the prescribed paths.
  • the participants "spend” keys to open gates, and the participants may acquire additional keys by moving away from the goal and crossing certain locations delineated on the board.
  • the introduction of strategy into the game increases its excitement and renders the game more versatile than others by allowing for different criteria to control movement of the participants on the board.
  • the game includes a playing board, a number of "surprise” cards, recording devices to keep count of the keys owned by each participant, playing tokens and small plastic or wooden pieces called “gates".
  • the board bears indicia which delineates a central goal or "keep” and a plurality of concentric spaced barriers about the keep. Starting locations are delineated at the outermost barrier.
  • Openings are provided through the barriers, in - some instances defined by stairs and in others by doors, and the various openings in the barriers are interconnected by paths formed by connected stations which define steps along the path.
  • the players move their playing pieces or tokens along the paths, and the players are also able to place gates at the openings in the barriers to block the paths of their opponents.
  • the opponents in turn may open the gates by expending the keys assigned to or earned by them during the course of the game.
  • the board 6 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 depicts a castle having a keep 8 at the center surrounded by a moat 10 and four concentric walls 12, 14, 16 and 32 which describe between them first, second and third courtyards 18, 20 and 22.
  • the walls and moat are generally hexagonal in plan.
  • the walls 14 and 16 at their six corners are shown interrupted by stairs 24 and 26 which delineate passages or openings through the walls to allow access from the first to the second courtyard and from the second courtyard to the third courtyard, respectively.
  • stairs 24 and 26 which delineate passages or openings through the walls to allow access from the first to the second courtyard and from the second courtyard to the third courtyard, respectively.
  • ports 28 and drawbridges 30 are depicted.
  • the innermost wall 32 of the castle also has doors 35 at the center of each straight side 34, which provide access to the keep 36.
  • the various ports 28, stairs 14 and 16, and doors 35 are connected by paths 38 (denoted sometimes by numeral 38 in combination with a letter) made up of connected elliptical stations
  • the object of the game is to advance from the moat 10 to the castle's keep 36 which is shown on the board to contain a treasure chest 42.
  • the first participant who reaches the keep and gains access to the locked treasure chest 42 is declared the winner.
  • each participant, whether the participant be an individual or a team of individuals, is provided with a playing piece or token 44 which is shown beside the board 6 in FIG.
  • FIG. 1 rectangular plastic pieces 46 called “gates” are shown which are distributed among the participants.
  • the game also includes "keys" 48 shown in FIG. 3, which are distributed among the participants.
  • the particular configuration of the gates and keys is not critical to the operation of the game, and the keys, for example, may comprise individual key-shape pieces 48, or each participant may be provided with a simple recording device 49 with which the number of "keys" possessed by the participant may be logged.
  • the recording device used instead of individual keys may have a scale and moving pointer to keep track of the number of keys held by each participant.
  • the game equipment may include a number of surprise cards 50 as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. Their function will also be described in detail below in connection with the playing of the game.
  • a pair of paths 38A and 38B diverge from port 28A and extend to the steps 24A and 24B at the ends of the side 14A of wall 14.
  • Each of the paths 28A and 28B are composed of three stations which together span the first courtyard 18 between the outer wall 12 and the next inner wall 14.
  • Identical paths 38C and 38D extend respectively from the ports 28C and 28D in the sides 12B and 12C of the outer wall 12.
  • Additional paths 38E and 38F span the second courtyard 20 and intersect one another at a shared special station 52 which depicts a trap door.
  • Path 38E extends from steps 24A to 26B while path 38F extends from steps 24B to 26A.
  • Each path 38E and 38F contains four stations 40 including the common station 52 depicting a trap door.
  • a tunnel 54 is also shown extending from the trap door of station 52 under wall 14, port 28A and moat 10 to the tunnel exit door 55. The trap door, tunnel 54 and door 55 suggest that if certain conditions are not met by a participant when he or she reaches special station 52, the player's token is returned via the tunnel to the starting point at port 28.
  • Paths 38G and 38H each made up of two stations 40 span the third courtyard 22 and converge at the door 35 of keep 8, in the side of the innermost wall 34A.
  • a selected number of gates 46 is assigned to each of the participants and a participant may place his gates across any of the stairs 24 and 26 or doors 35 to block passage to the keep 8 by way of the blocked stairs or doors.
  • the keys 48 assigned to each participant are used to "unlock" the gates so as to allow passage over the stairs or through the door blocked by them.
  • different number of keys are required to open the gates 46 depending upon their proximity to the castle keep 8. For example, one key may be required to open a gate on the stairs 24 in wall 14, two keys to open a gate on the stairs 26 in wall 16 and three keys to open a gate at the door 35. It is also contemplated that a gate may be placed across the trap doors at the special stations 52 which would enable a participant to traverse the station 52 without returning to the starting point at the outer wall through the tunnel 54.
  • a variety of different conditions may be imposed upon the participants to permit them to advance station by station from the port 28 to the keep 8.
  • a participant may be allowed to advance additional stations along any chosen path by correctly answering a trivia question.
  • trivia question cards from the very well known Trivial Pursuit game can be used.
  • each of the many stations 40 in all the paths 38 are assigned one of six colors, with each color corresponding to a different trivia category.
  • six different colors are represented by six different cross hatching applied to the stations represented in accordance with drafting convention.
  • the tokens of each participant can be advanced step by step as in the game of checkers.
  • the right to advance may be determined by the flip of a coin, the roll of a die, etc. And under certain rules adopted by the participants more than one station may be advanced at a time.
  • the game is won by a participant entering the keep 8 and opening the treasure chest 42.
  • the criteria for opening the chest 42 may be based upon the correct answering of a trivia question, the payment of a prescribed number of keys, or drawing a "surprise” card bearing certain prescribed directions.
  • the category of trivia question to be answered by the participant who enters the keep 8 in order to permit him to open the treasure chest may be determined by directions carried by a "surprise” card 50 placed in the keep at the beginning of the game.
  • a surprise card either folded or placed face down so as to hide its directions is placed in the keep and is exposed only when a participant reaches the keep. In FIG.
  • a folded "surprise” card 50 is shown, and in FIG. 5 the faces of several cards are shown bearing instructions.
  • the instructions carried by the "surprise” cards may either be in the form of color indicia or words which convey the instructions. It is also contemplated that a “surprise” card may bear the instructions “your choice” or “opposition chooses” indicating that either the participant reaching the keep 8 or his opponents may designate the trivia category.
  • the game is played preferably by six or fewer participants, each starting at separate points about the moat 10 at the ports 28 and drawbridges 30.
  • Each participant selects a chosen starting location at the moat, and the first one to play may be determined by placing the "surprise" cards with their instructions hidden and having the participants draw until one chooses the "your choice” card shown in FIG. 5. That participant would move first. The other participants would move in order as located clockwise from the first player.
  • each participant may be given four gates 46 and six keys. The number of gates and keys given may vary with the number of participants.
  • the keys may be separate key-shaped tokens 48, or the number may simply be kept on the record keeping device 49, or any other form may be used.
  • keys are expended, and it is contemplated that a participant may acquire additional keys by moving down a stairway 26 separating the third courtyard 22 from the second courtyard 20 or a stairway 24 separating the second courtyard 20 from the first courtyard 18 in a -,.direction away from the keep 8.
  • a single key may be awarded for moving down a single staircase, and if a direct path is taken from the third courtyard 22 to the first courtyard 18 without reversing direction, an additional key may be awarded.
  • a key may also be awarded as consolation if a participant falls through one of the trap doors at a special station 52 and returns to the starting point at the moat.
  • Yet other criteria may be imposed for acquiring additional keys. For example, when a trivia question is answered incorrectly, it is contemplated that the opportunity is to be given to the other participants in turn to answer the same question. If one of the other participants chooses to offer an answer, and the answer is correct, an additional key may be awarded. Conversely, a question answered incorrectly may cost the participant a key. As yet another alternative, the other participants may offer to pass on the question so as to avoid chancing the loss of a key. Further, the trivia questions may be given degrees of difficulty, and the more difficult questions may bring a reward of a greater number of keys.
  • the first player at a port 28 moves to one of the two stations 40 in the first courtyard 18 connected to his particular port. If the advance of the player's token is to be controlled by the answer of a trivia question, the player may then attempt to answer a question on a trivia card 60 as shown in FIG. 6 in the category determined by the color of the station to which the player has advanced his token. Note the questions on card 60 are color coded as are the answers to them on the back. If the participant answers the question correctly, he is then given the right to advance to the next station 40 and once again answer the trivia question in the category represented by the color of the next station. The participant may continue to advance step by step so long as with each step a trivia question is answered. When the participant fails to answer a question correctly, the next participant chooses a path 38 to move across the first courtyard 18 and similarly is presented with a trivia question. This procedure continues clockwise about the board with all participants having a turn.
  • each participant will start from a different port at the moat 10, the paths to be traveled by each participant's token 44 is not limited to moving along paths on a single side of the board. Rather, at any intersection of two or more paths, the player may change from one direction to another and either advance toward the keep or retreat toward the moat.
  • the participant may draw for the "surprise" card 50 which indicates that he can open the treasure chest 42 or pay the requisite number of keys, or perform any other prerequisite established by the rules.
  • the object of the game is to advance your token from the moat of the castle to the castle's keep, which contains a locked treasure chest. Answering a trivia question in the keep will allow you to magically "open” the chest, and therefore win the game. If playing without trivia, then the first player to the keep must open the chest with keys (many are supplied at the beginning of the game). Of course, there are ways to prevent speedy opponents from reaching the keep first, but that is discussed a little later.
  • the game package contains one quad-folding board (some boards may be in four unconnected puzzle pieces), a card containing eight perforated "surprise” cards, six push-out recording devices ("key-chains"), six team tokens, and twenty-four plastic pieces called “gates”, and the rules, of course.
  • Team play is recommended (when using trivia) because it helps the game move quickly. Select the team that moves first by putting the "surprise” cards in a bag. The team that chooses the "your choice” card will move first. Play will then move from team to team, clockwise around the board. At the start of the game, all teams place their tokens on a drawbridge. Teams will move their tokens to either of two colored spaces that diverge from the drawbridge. The idea is to move tokens along these paths of colored spaces, in any direction, and eventually reach the treasure chest hidden in the castle's keep. On each turn, a team moves its token one space. However, it may extend the turn by correctly answering a trivia question that corresponds to the color on the space.
  • the colors will approximately match the colors in the most popular trivia games, and players match this game's colors to six categories in any given trivia question set. Every team's goal is to move its token through the "first courtyard", up the stairway to the "second courtyard”, up another stairway to the "third courtyard”, and finally through a door to the "keep”. In the second courtyard, the round spaces contain trap doors that open into tunnels which lead back to the "drawing bridge". An incorrect answer in the trap door space will open the door, and the token must be placed on the drawbridge below.
  • a team may place a gate, by putting one of his black plastic pieces on the board, across whichever stairway or door it chooses. More than one gate may be placed on the same location. Once a gate is on the board, it belongs to nobody. The first team to spend keys to open the gate may remove the gate from the board and hold it in its supply of gates, or place it somewhere else on the board. The closer a gate is to the keep in the center of the board, the more keys are required to open it. One key must be used to open a gate on the stairs between the first ..courtyard and the second. Two keys must be used to open a gate on the stairs between the second courtyard and the third. Three keys must be used to open a gate placed across a doorway to the keep. Gates may not be placed on drawbridges.
  • a gate may also be placed across the trap door found on the round spaces in the second courtyard. However, only one key is needed to unlock it and remove it from the board. A gate will prevent any token from falling through the tunnel, even if the trap door is "opened" because the team could't answer a question correctly.
  • Any team may place a gate anywhere on the board, at the start of any turn, or may open a gate anywhere on the board, so that it may be place somewhere else.
  • Each team starts the game with a supply of keys, although the number may depend on how many teams are playing.
  • the team To win the game, one team must enter the keep and "open" the treasure chest. To open the chest, a team must use three keys, or it may open it by answering a trivia question before any other players can answer the same question. In this way, the team can demonstrate its true supremacy and win the game.
  • the category of the question given may vary from game to game. To determine what category it is, the team must blindly choose a "surprise” card. The surprise card will either have a color corresponding to one of the six question categories, or it will have words printed on it, which may read "Your Choice", or "Opposition Chooses". In the first case, the team chooses any category of its choice. In the second case, the opposition may choose any category of their choice.
  • Game play without trivia can be exhilarating and challenging, and is faster than game play with trivia. Only a few alterations in the rules must be made to create a worthwhile strategy game in itself. Without trivia, the game is suitable for three to six players (teams are not necessary). Game play is the same as with trivia except for the following changes.

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EP86300589A 1985-02-07 1986-01-29 Board game Withdrawn EP0190872A3 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US69892685A 1985-02-07 1985-02-07
US698926 2003-10-31

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0190872A2 true EP0190872A2 (fr) 1986-08-13
EP0190872A3 EP0190872A3 (en) 1987-08-19

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ID=24807216

Family Applications (1)

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EP86300589A Withdrawn EP0190872A3 (en) 1985-02-07 1986-01-29 Board game

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EP (1) EP0190872A3 (fr)
ES (1) ES292170Y (fr)

Cited By (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2203355A (en) * 1987-04-14 1988-10-19 Andrew Keith Simmons Board game
US4872681A (en) * 1988-11-30 1989-10-10 Martin Michael A Game apparatus
FR2646614A1 (fr) * 1989-05-03 1990-11-09 Maurer Daniel Jeu de societe
GB2236257A (en) * 1989-08-21 1991-04-03 British Telecomm Board game
GB2271289A (en) * 1992-05-27 1994-04-13 Michael David Collins Board game
GB2339150A (en) * 1998-07-06 2000-01-19 Richard Joseph Question and answer board game
WO2003061790A1 (fr) * 2002-01-22 2003-07-31 David Banino Jeu du casseur de coffres-forts
WO2015147624A1 (fr) * 2014-03-24 2015-10-01 Calva Mendez Diana Elizabeth Jeu de plateau configurable

Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR893221A (fr) * 1942-12-23 1944-06-02 Jeu de société
US3223420A (en) * 1963-03-07 1965-12-14 Richard L Turner Solar system travel game
US3481605A (en) * 1967-03-15 1969-12-02 Marvin Glass & Associates Racing game with chance positionable removable hurdles
GB1176569A (en) * 1967-02-09 1970-01-07 Marvin Irving Glass Board Game Apparatus
US4201388A (en) * 1977-09-12 1980-05-06 Cantelon Ruth F Game apparatus
US4262907A (en) * 1978-02-24 1981-04-21 Pentagames, Inc. Game having a game board and components to be used therewith
US4323249A (en) * 1980-06-16 1982-04-06 Brady Hugh D Board game apparatus

Patent Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR893221A (fr) * 1942-12-23 1944-06-02 Jeu de société
US3223420A (en) * 1963-03-07 1965-12-14 Richard L Turner Solar system travel game
GB1176569A (en) * 1967-02-09 1970-01-07 Marvin Irving Glass Board Game Apparatus
US3481605A (en) * 1967-03-15 1969-12-02 Marvin Glass & Associates Racing game with chance positionable removable hurdles
US4201388A (en) * 1977-09-12 1980-05-06 Cantelon Ruth F Game apparatus
US4262907A (en) * 1978-02-24 1981-04-21 Pentagames, Inc. Game having a game board and components to be used therewith
US4323249A (en) * 1980-06-16 1982-04-06 Brady Hugh D Board game apparatus

Cited By (10)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2203355A (en) * 1987-04-14 1988-10-19 Andrew Keith Simmons Board game
US4872681A (en) * 1988-11-30 1989-10-10 Martin Michael A Game apparatus
FR2646614A1 (fr) * 1989-05-03 1990-11-09 Maurer Daniel Jeu de societe
GB2236257A (en) * 1989-08-21 1991-04-03 British Telecomm Board game
GB2236257B (en) * 1989-08-21 1993-06-16 British Telecomm Board game
GB2271289A (en) * 1992-05-27 1994-04-13 Michael David Collins Board game
GB2271289B (en) * 1992-05-27 1995-05-10 Michael David Collins Board game apparatus
GB2339150A (en) * 1998-07-06 2000-01-19 Richard Joseph Question and answer board game
WO2003061790A1 (fr) * 2002-01-22 2003-07-31 David Banino Jeu du casseur de coffres-forts
WO2015147624A1 (fr) * 2014-03-24 2015-10-01 Calva Mendez Diana Elizabeth Jeu de plateau configurable

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
ES292170U (es) 1987-01-01
EP0190872A3 (en) 1987-08-19
ES292170Y (es) 1987-08-16

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