GB2049441A - Board game - Google Patents

Abstract

The board comprises a track (1) along which counters will be moved as determined by a random number selector, the players acting upon instructions carried by a space (2) on which the counter finally lands. The central region of the board is divided into areas (3) carrying pictures of scenes. Sets of picture pieces carrying words on their backs can be placed to overly the pictures to illustrate improvements. Dividing strips can be pegged into holes along the margins of each picture and carry models. The pieces could build up into 3-dimensional buildings. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements relating to board games This invention is concerned with modifications to the conventional type of board game wherein counters are moved along or around a fixed track. It is an object of the invention to provide a board game wherein the appearance of parts of the board will be modified as the game progresses.

Accordingly this invention provides a board for playing a game, comprising a playing track divided into spaces along which counters may be moved as determined by a random number selector, a region divided into separate areas by dividing members, and pieces carrying pictorial representations which are to be mounted in the respective areas by each player, so as to complete a set of pieces, as benefits are achieved due to the extent of movement of a players piece along the track and/or due to instructions carried by at least some of the track spaces.

It is preferred that the pieces should comprise interlocking sets of parts, each set being designed to cover all or a substantial part of a respective area.

The sets of parts may be flat pieces of board, part-transparent sheets which will overly one another, or 3-dimensional models. Thus, for example, the pieces of board could be similar to a jig-saw puzzle and the overlying transparent sets could produce the equivalent effect of a jig-saw puzzle.

3-dimensional models could be combined to form a single complete structure or an area having a special and pleasing appearance. Thus the pictorial representations on each piece might illustrate parts of scenes or buildings. In the preferred embodiment the respective areas will carry a pictorial representation which corresponds generally to the representations carried by the complete set of pieces. The game would be won when one player has managed to bring together the complete set of pieces to reproduce the original picture or, for example, produce a modified picture illustrating changes which might occur in a real life situation due to improvements made to the scene illustrated.As an alternative the set of parts could, in combination, form a predetermined set of buildings, such as those forming a street, the parts carrying pictorial representations ofthese buildings, such as in the form of photographs. Such an arrangement could be used, for example, in the type of game known as "Monopoly" (Registered Trade Mark).

The dividing members ideally comprise upstanding ribs on the board surface, and as such could be formed from moulded plastics materials. Such dividing members will then delineate the respective areas and provide a fixed framework within which the pieces may be mounted without straying into the other areas on the board. The ribs may advantageously be located by means of pins inserted into holes in the board. Additionally the ribs could carry locating portions for fixing tokens thereto during playing of the game. These tokens could, for example, be in the form of models of men or animals relevant to the type of game being played.The provision of removable dividing members enables the board to be folded readily for storage, but it will be appreciated that the dividing members could be formed in other ways such as by moulding the entire board with integral dividing members either in the form of upstanding ribs or by defining each area as a recessed portion.

The dividing members can define areas of any desired shape such as squares or oblongs but ideally the areas will be substantially in the form of triangles extending from the inner edges of a playing track situated around the sides of a square board, towards the centre of the board. A special additional area could also be defined in the very centre.

It is preferred that at least some of the track spaces should carry instructions for additional movement of the counters as with conventional board games.

The invention may be performed in various ways and one preferred embodiment thereof will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 illustrates a board constructed in accordance with this invention; Figure 2 illustrates some pieces to be positioned on the board of Figure 1; Figure 3 illustrates dividing members to be attached to the board shown in Figure 1; and Figure 4 illustrates a token to be carried by dividing members shown in Figure 3.

The board of Figure 1 has a playing track 1 around its perimeter divided into spaces 2 carrying instructions which are to be obeyed when a counter, moved in accordance with the throw of one or more dice, lands on that space. Extending inwardly from the track 1 towards the centre of the board are four essentially triangular areas 3 and there is additionally a small square area 4 in the very centre, The main areas 3 will be divided from one another and from the track 1 by means of the rib members shown in Figure 3. These rib members comprise an edge piece 5 which will lie along one side of the track 1 and a pair of diagonal strips 6 which will extend from two corners of the track in towards the centre, to define one of the areas 3. These two rib members 5 and 6 each with two downwardly extending pins 7 which are received in holes in the board (not shown).When all the areas 3 are defined in this manner a capping piece 8 will be positioned at each corner of the track 1 over the rib members 5 and 6 meeting at those corners. Aframe piece 9 will be positioned in the centre of the board to define the centre area 4 again by means of pins 7 extending into holes in the board.

The parts 5 and 9 also carry upstanding pins 10 which provide locating positions for the receipt of tokens (such as the model of a man 11 illustrated in Figure 4) which incorporate a hole to sit over one of the pins 10.

For each of the areas 3 there is provided a set of pieces (such as those illustrated in Figure 2) which, in combination, will form a complete picture generally of the form illustrated in the respective area 3.

Since the aim of this particular game is to indicate how the scene illustrated in a particular area 3 may be transformed the pieces will carry modified illustrations which will indicate how these changes occur. Thus, for example, the piece 12 shown in Figure 2 shows a native hut of the original drawing converted into a school and the piece 13 illustrates modification of a hut to form a health care post.

These changes are indicated on the reverse side of each piece. Thus the piece 14 states that fishery equipment is illustrated on the reverse side. The piece 15 carries the legend "anti malaria tablets" and as such need not necessarily relate to a pictorial change shown on the reverse side.

In playing the game each player moves and obeys any of the instructions shown on the areas 2. Each player will commence play from his own space carrying the legend POINT ZERO and each time he returns to that space he will gain tokens which may be exchanged for one of the pieces, such as those illustrated in Figure 2 in accordance with predetermined rules. The player will also be supplied, at the start, with a number of worker models (such as of the form illustrated in Figure 4) and the number of models under his control will increase (or decrease) if the counter falls on certain of the spaces 2.

Ownership of a particular number of models may, for example, allow the player to throw two dice ratherthan one thus moving his counter round the track 1 more quickly. There is also provision for enabling the worker models to be moved to the central area 4 which will be regarded as a training centre. When these workers have remained at the training centre for the time necessary for the players counter to traverse the track 1 two complete times, these workers may be exchanged for specialist trained workers, such as medicaily trained and technically trained workers. Receipt of certain of the pieces needed to complete the picture in the area 3 will be dependent upon ownership of trained workers having particular specialities.

The right to receive one of the parts, such as those shown in Figure 2, will be dependent upon the players counter landing on a space 2 entitled "UNICEF FIELD OPERATION". The rightto send workers to the training centre will depend upon the players counter landing on a space 2 entitled "REGIONAL OFFICES".

When the game has progressed to the extent that one player has earned the right to receive all of the pieces relating to a particular area 3 they will then have been assembled in that area (in the form of a jig-saw puzzle) to produce a complete picture which bears similarities to the original picture but illus trades the improved image of the village shown. That player will then have won the game.

In this way educational games for children will find more interest and a real image of changes which have occurred will be projected on the board.

The instruction legends appearing on the individual spaces 2 of the track 1 of Figure 1, commencing with square A and leading in a clockwise direction read as follows: MIDWAY BREAK SOCIAL WORKER ARRIVES. IF DAY CARE CENTRE IS SET UP ADVANCE TO YOUR POINT ZERO DISCORD. ONE WORKER LEAVES THE GROUP THIS WAS A VERY GOOD DAY: HAVE ONE EXTRA THROW UNICEF FIELD OPERATION POINT ZERO TWO VILLAGERS TAKEN ILL. IF SAFE WATER SUPP LY IS NOT INSTALLED, RETURN TO YOUR POINT ZERO EXTRA VOLUNTARY HELP. ADVANCE TO MIDWAY BREAK TWO WORKERS JOIN THE GROUP FOOD SHORTAGE, IF YOU HAVE NOT REQUESTED K-MIX-II SUPPLY - FORGO ONE THROW REGIONAL OFFICES UNIVERSITY STUDENTS OFFER HELP. ADVANCE TO YOUR POINT ZERO ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS CAUSE DELAY.

RETURN TO MIDWAY BREAK UNICEF FIELD OPERATION GOVERNMENT GRANT FIELD RADIO. EARN ONE EXTRA POINT POINT ZERO THEFT OF VITAL EQUIPMENT. RETURN TO YOUR POINT ZERO DISCORD. ONE WORKER LEAVES THE GROUP THREE WORKERS JOIN THE GROUP CROPS PARTLY DESTROYED IF YOU HAVE NO TRANSPORTATION RETURN TO MIDWAY BREAK MIDWAY BREAK WORLD FOOD PROGRAMME AGENCY (W.F.P.) SENDS PROTEIN RICH BABY FOOD. EARN ONE EXTRA POINT STORM DAMAGES CONSTRUCTIONS: RETURN TO YOUR POINT ZERO UNICEF FIELD OPERATION A GOVERNMENT TRAINED TEACHER ARRIVES.

HAVE ONE EXTRA THROW POINT ZERO DISCORD. ONE WORKER LEAVES THE GROUP COMM UNITY DAY, ALL VILLAGERS HELP. ADV ANTE TO MIDWAY BREAK STORM PINS YOU DOWN. FORGO ONE THROW TWO WORKERS JOIN THE GROUP REGIONAL OFFICES A CHILD IS BORN. IF HEALTH CARE POST IS SET UP, YOU EARN ONE EXTRA POINT TOOLS BROKEN BY VANDALS: RETURN TO MID WAY BREAK UNICEF FIELD OPERATIONS GOVERNMENT INSPECTOR APPROVES YOUR PLANS: ADVANCE TO YOUR POINT ZERO POINT ZERO OPPOSITION FROM VILLAGE ELDERS. FORGO ONE THROW GOVERNMENT GRANT BUILDING TOOLS. EARN ONE EXTRA POINT TWO WORKERS JOIN THE GROUP OUTBREAK OF EPIDEMIC FEVER. IF HEALTH CARE POST IS NOT YET SET UP RETURN TO MIDWAY BREAK

Claims (11)

1. A board for playing a game, comprising a playing track divided into spaces along which coun ters may be moved as determined by a random number selector, a region divided into separate areas by dividing members, and pieces carrying pictorial representations which are to be mounted in the respective areas by each player, so as to complete a set of pieces, as benefits are achieved due to the extent of movement of a player's piece along the track and/or due to instructions carried by at least some of the track spaces.

2. A board according to claim 1, wherein at least some of the track spaces carry instructions for additional movement of the counters.

3. A board according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the pieces comprise interlocking sets of parts, each complete set being designed to cover all or a substantial part of a respective area.

4. A board according to claim 3, wherein the sets of parts are flat pieces of board, or part-transparent sheets which will overly one another, or 3 dimensional models.

5. A board according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the pictorial representations on each piece illustrate parts of scenes or buildings.

6. A board according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the respective areas carry a pictorial repre sentation which corresponds generally to total pic ture formed by the representations carried by the complete set of pieces.

7. A board according to claim 6, wherein the picture defined by each complete set of pieces illustrates a scene incorporating features of improve ment over the picture illustrated in the respective area.

8. A board according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the dividing members comprise upstanding ribs on the board surface.

9. A board according to claim 8, wherein the ribs are located by means of pins inserted into holes in the board.

10. A board according to claim 8 or claim 9, wherein the ribs carry locating portions for fixing tokens thereto during playing of the game.

11. A board for playing a game and substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.