GB2134394A

GB2134394A - Board game apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2134394A
Application number: GB08302828A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Douglas James Hollidge
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1983-02-02
Filing date: 1983-02-02
Publication date: 1984-08-15
Also published as: GB2134394B; GB8302828D0

Abstract

Game apparatus comprises a board marked to represent at least two building areas (1-4) and at least two endless site tracks (1a-4a), each site track being sub-divided into a plurality of token areas (5) over which a player's token moves and on which a player's token can temporarily rest during the game. A kit of structural components (Figure 2) is provided for each building area, each kit being usable for building, in stages, a model building on the respective building area. A common area (7) accessible by any player's token from each said endless site track is provided at which requisites for a player's building operation can be obtained during the course of the game. On the basis of chance, each player's token is advanced on the board and currency tokens are acquired by players during the game in accordance with rules and are used for the purchase of the components from the respective one of said kits necessary to permit each player's building operation to proceed. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Board game apparatus This invention relates to apparatus for playing a board game which combines elements of chance and skill.

The apparatus is used by players to compete one with the other(s) to build a structure on a playing board from a respective kit of component parts, the building operation being controlled by rules of the game and being affected by chance-dictated events but affording an opportunity for each player to exercise skill and judgement in his/her exploitation of the chance-dictated events.

According to the invention apparatus for playing a board game comprises a token for each player, a board marked to represent at least two building areas and at least two endless site tracks, each site track being sub-divided into a plurality of token areas over which a player's token moves and on which a player's token can temporarily rest during the game, a kit of structural components for each said building area, each kit being usable for building, in stages, a model building on the respective building area, at least one common area accessible by any player's token from each said endless site track at which common area requisites for a player's building operation can be obtained during the course of the game, chance number generating means for determining the magnitude of each advance of a player's token on the board and currency tokens to be acquired by players during the game in accordance with rules and to be used thereby for the purchase of the components from the respective one of said kits necessary to permit each player's building operation to proceed.

Preferably there are four building areas and an endless site track around each. The common area may, at least in part, be in the centre of the board and can be sub-divided into five areas, each representing a different facility (e.g. a bank, a planning office, or builder's yard) that a player will be required to visit during a game).

Suitably each kit of components makes a model dwelling house, and conveniently there are as many different designs of model dwelling house as there are building areas on the board. Preferably each construction kit comprises a base, uprights for erection on the base, wall/door/window panels for location between adjacent uprights and a roof structure. The panels can be secured in place by being slidably received in vertically extending slots in an adjacent pair of uprights, and the roof structure (which can be a complete roof) can rest on the upper ends of the uprights.

Suitably the board also includes an endless perimeter track which surrounds all the building areas and their respective endless site tracks, this perimeter track also being sub-divided into token areas. Additional tracks of token areas can be provided to inter-link different regions of the perimeter track, or to augment one or more of the said endless site tracks.

Desirably the progress of a player towards completion of his/her building programme is affected during the course of a game by a series of chance cards. Certain of the token areas on the board can be marked to indicate that the temporary resting of a token on such a marked area involves the random selection of a chance card and the compliance with the instruction(s) set out thereon. The interest of the game can be enhanced by having a first series of advantageous chance cards (which in general contain instructions that will assist a player in completing his/her building programme - "build" cards) and a second series of disadvantageous chance cards (which in general provide instructions that retard a player's progress "hazard" cards), different token areas being allocated to the first and second series in each endless site track.

It can add to the possibilities for exercising skill in playing the game, if the instructions for the "build" and "hazard" cards are printed one adjacent the other on a series of double cards which form a single pack from which cards are taken sequentially in turn by the players irrespective of whether their token has landed on a token area allocated to a "build" card or a token area allocated to a "hazard" card. This arrangement gives each player drawing a card unique information as to what the then inapplicable chance instruction is, and from a knowledge of the available cards in the pack can permit certain predictive measures to be taken and allow that player to update the odds against certain other events occurring.

The chance number generating means can take any convenient form but a plurality of dice is preferred.

The interest and excitement of the game can be enhanced by providing rules that require each player to complete certain preliminary operations before the "building" can commence. These preliminary operations can include drawing up plans and obtaining planning permission and the game equipment can also include printed plans and planning approval letters for each building area.

From the above it will be appreciated that a wide variety of different embodiments of board game are possible within the scope of my invention. A preferred embodiment will now be more fully described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure lisa plan view of the board, Figure 2 is a schematic view of one of the dwellings which can be constructed by a player during the course of a game, Figure 3 gives a few examples of building and hazard cards that are available, and Figures 4 and 5 are, respectively, examples of a floor plan card and a planning approval letter for use with the game.

The board shown in Figure 1 comprises four building areas 1 to 4 with an endless site track 1a to 4a of token squares 5 around each building area. Interlinking the site tracks 1 a to 4a is a perimeter walk 6 (in the illustrated embodiment consisting of 92 squares), a central precinct 7 (consisting of five regions 8 to 12), a narrow path 13 and a broadwalk 14. The board also depicts a trout pool 15, a stream 16 (with two bridges 17), a cornfield 18 and a woodland 19. Extensions of the site tracks 1 a and 2a (shown as 1 a' and 2a' in Figure 1) surround the cornfield 18 and the woodland 19.

Each site track 1 a to 4a is divided into token squares 5 and some of these (marked 20 in Figure 1) define "build" squares while others (marked 21 in Figure 1) define "hazard" squares. One square 5' in each site track represents a start square.

The tokens used on the board can be of any suitable shape but are desirably dimensioned to rest wholly within any one of the token squares 5. The tokens have not been illustrated.

The game equipment also comprises a kit of parts for building a model house on each of the building areas 1 to 4. In the embodiment of game being described, four different designs of model house are available and any one can be erected on any one of the building areas. This facility for choice is not essential however.

Figure 2 shows a model house partly erected from one of the kits of parts. Each kit includes a right polygonal base plate 22 provided with uniformly spaced-apart holes 23 adjacent its edges. Slotted pegs 24 are located in selected ones of the holes 23 and panels 25 are slid between the pegs so that edge regions thereof are located in confronting slots 24a of adjacent pegs. Some (if not all) of the pegs 24 in each kit will have slots 24a in three of their four sides to permit adjacent panels 25 to be disposed at right angles to each other when this it required.

From Figure 2 it can be seen that panels 25 of different widths and markings are provided in the kit and these can be assembled together in a variety of different configurations. Panel 25a in Figure 2 is a single wall panel, 25b is a double wall panel, 25c is a treble window panel and 25d is a treble door panel. This facility for variety in types and sizes of panel, adds to the enjoyment of the game - but is not essential.

Figure 2 also shown a roof 26 (which in this embodiment is moulded in one piece) which can be used to cover the tops of the pegs 24 and panels 25 to complete the model of the house.

The regions 8 to 12 in the central precinct 7 of the board, play a crucial role in the game as defined in the following rules. Considerable variations are possible in the choice of these regions - that all players must periodically visit - but in the embodiment ofgame being described these are a Builders' Merchant (at 8), a Land Office (at 9), a Planning Department (at 10), an Architect's Office (at 11) and a Bank (at 12).

The game equipment also includes three dice (for generating by chance the numbers required to progress the players' token around the board), a substantial number of currency tokens (e.g. make-believe pounds) in a variety of different denominations, a plan 27 for each building area (see Figure 4), a letter of planning approval 28 for each building plan (see Figure 5) and a pack of situation cards (29) which are combined building and hazard cards. There is a wide facility for imaginative choice in the selection of the building and hazard instructions on the situation cards but examples of a few that are used in the illustrated embodiment of the game are shown in Figure 3.

The equipment illustrated and described above can be used for a game for 2,3 or 4 persons in accordance with the following Rules: One player is elected to be Banker and one player is elected to handle all other materials. Each player starts the game with 20,000 of token money. The cards 29 are shuffled and kept ready for use as the game commences.

The Rules for the illustrated game are as follows:1. Choose your site There are four sites. Lakelands (4), Cornwood (1), Broadview (2), and Riverside (3). Throw the dice. The highest number chooses a site and starts the game. Other players follow in a clockwise direction around the board.

2. Inspect your site Travel around your own site in a clockwise direction by throwing all three dice. Total number scored equals squares moved. Start from the 'start' square (5').

Disregard the Build (20) and Hazard (21) squares until you begin building. Each player moves in turn. Play has now begun.

3. Buy your land On completion of site inspection and arrival at entrance to the Central Precinct (7) you may enter the Land Office (9) and make your purchase. Cost - 10,000. Take a building base (22) and place it on your site.

4. Buy your plans Complete a second circuit of your site before returning to the Central Precinct (7). On arrival you may enter the Architect's Office (11) and make your purchase. Cost - 2,000. Take your plans (27).

5. Gain planning approval Complete a third circuit of your site. Again, on arrival at Central Precinct (7) you may enter the Planning Department (10) and gain approval. Cost - 100. Take your letter of approval (28).

6. Building procedure You may now commence the building of your house. On the next circuit of your site the Hazard Situation Cards (29) come into operation and stay in operation until the end of the game. Any Hazard Instruction must be obeyed immediately.

You need to buy building materials. See Price List. The cost of building materials starts at Level One.

On completion of the next circuit you may visit the Builders' Merchant (8) and make your purchase. Limit on spending - 2,000.

On the next, and every succeeding circuit of your site, the Building Instructions as well as the Hazard Instructions must be obeyed. On completion of each circuit of your site you are guaranteed an advance of money from the Bank (12). Amount- 1,500.

To receive this you must visit the Bank, but only one central facility may be visited on any one occasion. So the decision has to be made; either the increase in your financial backing or the purchase of more materials.

The money entitlement cannot be stored at the Bank for future use, it must be taken out or forfeited.

7. Building completion Players follow the Building Instructions and the Hazard Instructions until such a time as one is in the position to complete the roofing of the house. This is the final purchase, the player making the purchase of the roof and then completing the building of the house is the winner of the game.

The "above limit" cost of the roof (26) may be paid in one go.

NOTE At any time, a Hazard Instruction may alter the price of building materials. The new price affects all the players.

8. Building instruction cards On landing on a Build square (20), the player turns to the Situation Cards. Taking the top card from the pack, the rate of building will be discovered. The total will equal the number of units to be used as you build your house. See Unit Value List.

If the number thrown is not sufficient to enable building to be done, the total scored can be added to the next turn. Players can store building units and use when desired. Paper and pencil are useful to keep a note of the number of stored units for each player.

Building example i) Total scored 5 - You may build with a building peg (24) (unit value 3) and then store the remaining 2 unitsforfuture use.

ii) Total scored 23 - You may build with three building pegs (total unit value 9) and two double panels (total unit value 12) and then store the remaining 2 units for future use.

There are special Building Instructions that are self-explanatory.

The card, once used, is returned to the bottom of the pack.

9. Hazard instruction cards On landing on a Hazard square (21) the player turns to the Situation Cards. Taking the top card from the pack, the Hazard instruction will be discovered. This must be obeyed immediately by the player concerned.

When the Hazard instruction has been completed return to the start square (5') and carry on with the building activity.

Return the card to the bottom of the pack.

SPECIAL INS TRUCTIONS FOR EA CH PLAYER 10.a) Riverside (3) To effect entry to the Central Precinct (7), the Narrow Path (13) must be followed until the Stream (16) is crossed. There is a Building Instruction Card that permits the building of a bridge. Any player turning this up must make it available to the Riverside owner on payment of 500.

Riverside owner is then permitted to cross the Stream directly.

10.b) Broadview (2) To effect entry to the Central Precinct (7), Broadwalk (14) has to be crossed on every occasion. Broadview property borders on the Woodland (19). There is an advantage and a disadvantage for the owner of Broadview. A Hazard instruction may tell a player to walk right around the Woodland (start and finish at the marked square). If that player, following the Hazard Instruction, falls on one of the Build squares on your site he must then obey the building Instruction to your advantage, using your units. If, however, you also fall on the Build square that he is occupying, you must obey the Building Instructions, but for his advantage not your own, using his units.

10.c) Cornwood(l) Cornwood property borders on the Cornfield (18). A Hazard Instruction may tell a player to walk right around the Cornfield (start and finish at the marked square). There is an advantage and a disadvantage for the owner of Cornwood. See the instruction re. Woodland Hazard for Broadview 10.b above.

10.d) Lakelands 64) The owner of Lakelands has the longest site boundary but there is the advantage of having two bridges (17) giving access to the Central Precinct (7). Either of these bridges may be used for entry or exit.

FOR ALL PLA YERS Each house must contain two doors and four windows. The rest of the design is up to the individual.

PRICE LIS TA ND UNIT VALUE Materials Cost Cost Unit Level One Level Tow Value Building Pegs 100 200 3 Single Panel 100 200 4 Double Panel 300 400 6 Treble Panel 500 600 8 Double Door 400 500 7 Treble Door 600 700 9 Double Window 400 500 7 Treble Window 600 700 10 Roof 4,000 5,000 20 CLAIMS (Filed on 112/84) 1.Apparatus for playing a board game comprising a token for each player, a board marked to represent at least two building areas and at least two endless site tracks, each site track being sub-divided into a plurality of token areas over which a player's token moves and on which a player's token can temporarily rest during the game, a kit of structural components for each said building area, each kit being usable for building, in stages, a model building on the respective building area, at least one common area accessible by any player's token from each said endless site track at which common area requisites for a player's building operation can be obtained during the course of the game, chance number generating means for determining the magnitude of each advance of a player's token on the board and currency tokens to be acquired by players during the game in accordance with rules and to be used thereby for the purchase of the components from the respective one of said kits necessary to permit each player's building operation to proceed.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which there are four building areas and an endless site track around each.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, in which the common area is, at least in part, in the centre of the board and is sub-divided into areas, each representing a different facility that a player is required to visit during a game.

4. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, in which each kit of components makes a model dwelling house.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4, in which there are as many different designs of model dwelling house as there are building areas on the board.

6. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, in which each construction kit comprises a base, uprights for erection on the base, wall/doorlwindow panels for location between adjacent uprights and a roof structure.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6, in which the panels are secured in place by being slidably received in vertically extending slots in an adjacent pair of uprights, and the roof structure rests on the upper ends of the uprights.

8. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the board also includes an endless perimeter track which surrounds ail the building areas and their respective endless site tracks, this perimeter track also being sub-divided into token areas.

9. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, in which certain of the token areas on the board are marked to indicate that the temporary resting of a token on such a marked area involves the random selection of a chance card and the compliance with the instruction(s) set out thereon.

10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 9, in which there is a first series of advantageous chance cards, and a second series of disadvantageous chance cards, different token areas being allocated to the first and second series in each endless site track.

11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10, in which the first and second series of cards are printed one adjacent the other on a series of double cards which form a single pack from which cards are taken sequentially in turn by the players irrespective of whether their token has landed on a token area allocated to a card of the first series or a token area allocated to a card of the second series.

12. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the game equipment also includes printed plans and planning approval letters for each building area.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **.

10.d) Lakelands 64) The owner of Lakelands has the longest site boundary but there is the advantage of having two bridges (17) giving access to the Central Precinct (7). Either of these bridges may be used for entry or exit.

FOR ALL PLA YERS Each house must contain two doors and four windows. The rest of the design is up to the individual.

PRICE LIS TA ND UNIT VALUE Materials Cost Cost Unit Level One Level Tow Value Building Pegs 100 200 3 Single Panel 100 200 4 Double Panel 300 400 6 Treble Panel 500 600 8 Double Door 400 500 7 Treble Door 600 700 9 Double Window 400 500 7 Treble Window 600 700 10 Roof 4,000 5,000 20 CLAIMS (Filed on 112/84) 1.Apparatus for playing a board game comprising a token for each player, a board marked to represent at least two building areas and at least two endless site tracks, each site track being sub-divided into a plurality of token areas over which a player's token moves and on which a player's token can temporarily rest during the game, a kit of structural components for each said building area, each kit being usable for building, in stages, a model building on the respective building area, at least one common area accessible by any player's token from each said endless site track at which common area requisites for a player's building operation can be obtained during the course of the game, chance number generating means for determining the magnitude of each advance of a player's token on the board and currency tokens to be acquired by players during the game in accordance with rules and to be used thereby for the purchase of the components from the respective one of said kits necessary to permit each player's building operation to proceed.
2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which there are four building areas and an endless site track around each.
3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, in which the common area is, at least in part, in the centre of the board and is sub-divided into areas, each representing a different facility that a player is required to visit during a game.
4. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, in which each kit of components makes a model dwelling house.
5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4, in which there are as many different designs of model dwelling house as there are building areas on the board.
6. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, in which each construction kit comprises a base, uprights for erection on the base, wall/doorlwindow panels for location between adjacent uprights and a roof structure.
7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6, in which the panels are secured in place by being slidably received in vertically extending slots in an adjacent pair of uprights, and the roof structure rests on the upper ends of the uprights.
8. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the board also includes an endless perimeter track which surrounds ail the building areas and their respective endless site tracks, this perimeter track also being sub-divided into token areas.
9. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, in which certain of the token areas on the board are marked to indicate that the temporary resting of a token on such a marked area involves the random selection of a chance card and the compliance with the instruction(s) set out thereon.
10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 9, in which there is a first series of advantageous chance cards, and a second series of disadvantageous chance cards, different token areas being allocated to the first and second series in each endless site track.
11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10, in which the first and second series of cards are printed one adjacent the other on a series of double cards which form a single pack from which cards are taken sequentially in turn by the players irrespective of whether their token has landed on a token area allocated to a card of the first series or a token area allocated to a card of the second series.
12. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the game equipment also includes printed plans and planning approval letters for each building area.
13. Apparatus for playing a board game substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as

illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.