GB2218648A

GB2218648A - An apparatus for playing a game

Info

Publication number: GB2218648A
Application number: GB8908420A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Anthony John Fernand Mcnally
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1988-04-14
Filing date: 1989-04-13
Publication date: 1989-11-22
Anticipated expiration: 2009-04-13
Also published as: GB2218648B; GB8808854D0; GB8908420D0

Abstract

Apparatus for playing a game comprising a playing surface having playing zones marked thereon, playing pieces movable on the playing surface, and an indicator for indicating a value associated with a playing zone, in which the indicator is operable to alter the indicated value of a playing zone during a game. As shown, the game simulates several ice cream vendors selling ice cream in zones in a town. Moves may be in accordance with the throw of a dice or predetermined. The indicator is rotated about a pin 41 beneath a board 10 to indicate the values by colour through apertures 28, 32, 34, 46, 38 of money collected at the time of the round set by a peg 62. Coloured pegs 46-52 collected at the zones from corresponding store sections 44 are exchanged for money in accordance with their value. Cards are also used. <IMAGE>

Description

AN APPARATUS FOR PLAYING A GWE This invention relates to an apparatus for playing a game and is particularly, though not exclusively, concerned with a game which simulates several ice cream vendors selling ice cream in a town.

According to the invention there is provided an apparatus for playing a game comprising a playing surface having playing zones marked thereon, playing pieces movable on the playing surface, and indicator means for indicating a value associated with a playing zone, in which the indicator means is operable to alter the indicated value of a playing zone during the game.

The indicator means may simultaneously indicate the value of more than one playing zone. The playing zones may have different values.

The value of a playing zone may be indicated as a marking on the indicator means. For example, the marking may be of a particular colour according to the value to be indicated. Thus playing zones having the same value are indicated by markings of the same colour.

The indicator means may be movable to alter the indicated value.

Preferably, the indicator means is rotatable. The indicator means may comprise a member attached to a board defining the playing surface.

Preferably, the member is rotatably mounted below the board.

Markings on the member may be visible to a player through an aperture formed by the board. Each aperture may be adjacent a playing zone so that the value of the playing zone is indicated through an adjacent aperture. Preferably, the aperture is defined within a playing zone.

Each aperture may be circular. Preferably, the marking on the member is approximately the same size as the aperture so that one marking is displayed through an aperture at a time.

The indicator means may be operable at pre-determined intervals during a game to change the values of the playing zones. For example, the indicator means may be operated after the players have completed a round within the game to change the value of some or all of the playing zones.

The indicator means may be- operably connected to means for displaying the number of rounds of the game which have lapsed. Thus when a round has been completed the indicator means will be operated to change the displayed value of some or each of the playing zones.

For example, the said means and indicator means may be mechanically connected.

The game may simulate a time period such as a day and the game may finish when the simulated period has finished. Preferably, the game lasts for a set number of rounds. For example, in a game simulating from 12.00pm to 7.00pm there will be 21 periods of 20 minutes and thus there will be 22 rounds in the game.

The value of a playing zone may vary-in a pre-determined way during the game. Preferably, the way that the value will vary is indicated to the players. For example, the way that the value of the playing zones will vary may be indicated on a card - termed a "key card". The key card may have a sequence of markings thereon for each playing zone corresponding to the values of each playing zone sequentially displayed by the indicator means during the game.

The playing zones may be arranged to provide a circuit along which the playing pieces are moved in the game. There may be more than one circuit provided on the playing surface. The circuits may be interconnected whereby a playing piece can be moved from one circuit to another. The circuits may be interconnected through a central point on the board. Preferably any playing piece moving from one circuit to another circuit should pass through the central point.

An advantage may be awarded to a player when his playing piece passes through the central point. Each circuit may represent an area of a village, town of city such as a housing estate or group of roads.

Preferably, each circuit comprises a loop of rectangular playing zones, certain playing zones being marked with the names of roads in a town. Preferably, an advantage is awarded to a player whose playing piece lands on, or passes across, a named playing zone. The value of the advantage awarded to the player is preferably dependent on the value of the playing zone displayed by the indicator means.

Thus, a player can move his playing piece towards playing zones having a higher value to secure a higher advantage and he will be aware of how-the playing zones' values alter during the game from the key card.

Further cards may be provided which confer an advantage or a disadvantage on a player. A player may be obliged to receive such a further card when his playing piece passes across or lands on a particular playing zone and preferably the central point.

A game in accordance with the invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a plan view of a playing surface of a playing board of the invention; Fig. 2 is a side view of the playing board shown in Fig. 1 looking in the direction of arrow A in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a plan view of an indicator board comprising part of the playing board shown in Figs. 1 and 2; Fig. 4 is a plan view of a "Key card" for use in the game; Figs. 5 to 9 are enlarged plan views of portions of the playing surface of Fig. 1; Figs. 10 to 15 are plan views of "Double your Money" cards for use in the game; Figs. 16 to 18 are plan views of "Advance" cards for use in the game; Figs. 19 to 24 are plan views of "No Sale" cards for use in the game; and Figs. 25 to 28 are plan views of "Default" cards for use in the game.

The playing board 10 shown in Fig. 1 has a playing surface 12 marked thereon including playing zones e.g. 14 some of which are arranged in areas, e.g. Kineton 16, which represent areas in or about the town of Leamington Spa. The arrangement of playing zones within Kineton 16 and other areas; Whitnash 1 & Warwick 20; Lillingron 22 and Sydenham 24 is shown in more detail in Figs. 5 to 9. A central playing zone 25 called The Parade, the main street in Leamingion Spa, is marked adjacent the centre of the playing surface 12.

Each area has a number of playing zones which are marked with the names of streets within the real life area. For example, the Kineton area 16includes playing zones marked St. Peter's Road 28, Park Piece 30, Castle Close 32, Oak Tree Close 34, St. Giles Road 36, and St. John's Road 38 as shown in Fig. 9. Each named playing zone has a value corresponding to the money which will be collected by an ice cream van on a street in a given period of time. The value of the playing zone is indicated by a coloured marking, on a circular indicator board 40 (the aforesaid "indicator means") which is rotatably fixed by pin 41 to the underside of the board 10, which is apparent to a player through a circular aperture e.g. 42 (St. Peter's Road) defined by the board 10 within the playing zone. Different values are indicated by different colours.A value of 1 is indicated by a red marking; 2 by a yellow marking; 3 by a green marking; 4 by a brown marking; 5 by a blue marking; 6 by a pink marking; and i7 by a black marking.

The arrangement of the markings on the indicator board is shown in Fig. 3. Each curved line comprises 22 coloured dots each indicating the value of a playing zone during the game through the corresponding aperture in the board. Different boards having different markings may be provided corresponding to different days of the week and the way the value of the streets varies at any one time during the week.

When a player s playing piece, which may be shaped like a small model ice cream van, lands on or passes over a named playing zone he receives the value displayed for that playing zone. For example, if a green marking is displayed for St. Peter's Road 28 through aperture 42 the player will receive the value of 3 if his playing piece lands on or passes over that playing zone.

The value of each playing zone varies during the game from i1 to 7. A section corresponding to each named playing zone is marked on the playing surface and has seven apertures which receive seven coloured pegs corresponding to the seven possible values of the playing zone. For example, a section 44 is provided corresponding to St. Peter's Road 28 which has seven apertures in which are located seven pegs 44 to 52 coloured red, yellow, green, brown, blue, pink and black - the seven possible values of St. Peter's Road in the game.

When a player has collected one particular value for landing on or passing over a named playing zone the coloured peg corresponding to that particular value is removed from the respective aperture in the section corresponding to that playing zone, and that peg is discarded until the next game. Thus one particular amount of money can only be collected once for each playing zone in one game.

An area 60 marked as "The Royal Show Ground" is marked on the playing surface 12.

During the game each player moves his playing piece once and when all the players have moved their respective pieces once then one round of the game has been completed. When a round has been completed the indicator board 40 is rotated about pin 41 so that different values are shorn for the named playing zones through each zone's aperture.

Each round is equivalent to a 20-minute period within a working day from 12.00pm to 7.00pm and the game is thus completed after 22 rounds - the number of 20 minute periods within the working day. The number of rounds which have elapsed is displayed by a peg 62 which is moved along a crescent of 22 apertures formed by the board, e.g. 63, each marked with the time of the round, after each round. The tip of the peg 62 is received by an aperture 64 formed by the indicator board 40 which is moved by one marking after each round. Thus the board 40 is fixed in relation to the board 10 during a round.

It is envisaged that mechanical means may be provided for advancing the indicator board after each round which is connected to the means for displaying the number of rounds of the game which have elapsed.

The way that the value of each playing zone will vary during the game is shown on the Key card 70 shown in Fig. 4. The markings on the Key card correspond to the markings on the indicator board 40.

Where differently marked indicator boards are provided correspondingly marked Key cards may be provided. For example the Key card 70 shown in Fig. 4 corresponds to Friday.

When a player's playing piece lands on or passes over a named playing zone he receives the appropriately coloured peg from the corresponding section on the playing board, assuming that that playing zone has not been previously occupied or passed over when having the value shown, and at the end of the game the pegs accumulated in this way are exchanged for money from the Bank in accordance with their value. The player having the highest amount of money being the winner.

The method of playing the game using the apparatus described above will now be described with reference to the following rules.

1. Initially all playing pieces are placed on The Parade in the centre of the board. The peg is placed in the first aperture in the crescent of apertures. The indicator board is set so that the first marking for each playing zone is displayed. One player acts as the Bank and has a supply of money. Each player then throws a die and the player throwing the highest score moves his playing piece by the number of playing zones indicated by the die. The other players then move their playing pieces by the number of playing zones scored.

When each player has moved his playing piece one round of the game has been completed and the peg 62 is moved one aperture along the crescent of apertures and the indicator board is rotated by the same distance below board 10.

2. Each playing piece may move in either direction but must remain on the playing zones marked.

3. When a player's playing piece lands on or passes over a named playing zone he collects the coloured peg from the section corresponding to that playing zone which is the same colour as the value marking displayed by the indicator board.

4. If a peg has been removed by a player then the same player, or another player, may not subsequently receive that value for a particular playing zone.

5. When a playing piece passes over of lands on The Parade, the player must take a card from the pack of cards shown in Figs. 10 to 28 which are placed face down on the playing surface 12. 100 such cards are provided; i) 32 are "Double your Money" cards and when a player's playing piece lands on or passes over the playing zone named in the card he may collect the corresponding coloured peg together with the indicated value of the playing zone in money from the Bank.

ii) 32 cards are "No Sale" cards and a player may play such a card when an opponent lands on or passes over the playing zone named on the card. Thus the opponent will not collect a peg for that playing zone.

iii) 16 are Advance" cards and may be played by the player at any time to advance his playing piece the number of playing zones marked on the card.

iv) 20 are "Default" cards and require the player to either miss a round or to pay a fine. The fine may be paid immediately in terms of coloured pegs, or may be paid at the end of the game.

Until the fine has been paid, a player must keep the default card face up in front of him. Where the game simulates several day's trading a fine may be carried over from one day to the next until the player is able to pay the fine.

If one player plays a "Double your Money" and another player plays a "No Sale" card for the same named playing zone then the "No Sale" card takes precedence.

Once a card has been played it is discarded and not used again until the next game. The discarded cards are then shuffled and placed on the playing surface again.

A card may have a "Reveal" marked on its reverse. A player drawing such a card from the pack must place the card face up in view of the other players.

6. If a player lands on The Parade he may stay there. He then receives from the Bank the amount shown on the die when playing his next turn. Only one player may stay on The Parade at any one time.

There is a waiting limit of half an hour on The Parade and a player must move if another playing piece lands on The Parade after the first playing piece has been there for one round. If two playing pieces land on The Parade during the same round then the second playing piece must move away from The Parade in the next. round.

Where an indicator board corresponding to Saturday is used a player having a piece on The Parade wins twice the amount shown on the die.

7. The Royal Show Ground is only used when an indicator board corresponding to Sunday is used. Only one ice cream van is required to sell ice cream at an event held at the Show Ground. The player whose piece is on the Show Ground wins twice the amount shown each time he throws the die. The player may stay on the Show Ground for as many rounds as he wishes. If he decides to return to the other playing zones he then places his playing piece on The Parade and starts from that point. To return to the Show Ground the player must land on or pass over The Parade. His next. move is then on the Show Ground.

To obtain the right to sell ice cream on the Show Ground the players may either bid for that right in an auction at the start of the game, the player bidding the highest amount obtaining the right to sell ice cream at the Show Ground. Alternatively, before the game commences the players may write a bid for the right on a piece of paper which is then folded and passed to a player acting as a banker and which is then unfolded in front of the other players. The person tendering the highest amount thus obtaining the right to sell ice cream at the Show Ground. The money paid for the right to sell ice cream at the Show Ground must be paid before the game is played.

In an alternative version of the game no dice are used.

Instead, each player moves his playing piece by a predetermined number of playing zones, for-example seventy seven, although he may move his piece by any number of spaces per turn between one and six or he may choose not to move. After each turn the player may mark off the number of playing zones moved per turn, if any, on a move indicator arranged, for example, like a slide rule.

After the player has completed the predetermined number of moves, he may remove his playing piece from the playing board.

Claims

1. An apparatus for playing a game comprising a playing surface having playing zones marked thereon, playing pieces movable on the playing surface, and indicator means for indicating a value associated with a playing zone, in which the indicator means is operable to alter the indicated value of a playing zone during a game.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1 in which the indicator means is arranged to simultaneously indicate the value of more than one playing zone.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 in which the playing zones have different values.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1, 2 or 3 in which the value of the playing zone is indicated by a marking on the indicator means.

5. An apparatus according to claim 4 in which the marking is a particular colour according to the value to be indicated.

6. An apparatus according to claim 5 in which playing zones having the same value are indicated by markings of the same colour

7. An apparatus according any preceding claim in which the indicator means is movable to alter the indicated value of a playing zone.

8. An apparatus according to claim 7 in which the indicator means is rotatable.

9. An apparatus according to claim 7 or 8 in which the indicator means comprises a member attached to a board defining a playing surface.

10. An apparatus according to claim 9 in which the member is rotatably mounted below the board.

11. An apparatus according to any preceding claim in which. a marking on the indicator means is visible to a player through an aperture formed by the board.

12. An apparatus according to claim 11 in which each aperture is adjacent a playing zone so that the value of the playing zone is indicated through an adjacent aperture.

13. An apparatus according to claim 12 in which the aperture is defined within the playing zones.

14. An apparatus according to any one of claims 11 to 13 in which the aperture is circular.

15. An apparatus according to any one of claims 11 to 14 in which a marking on the member is approximately the same size as an aperture so that one marking is displayed through an aperture at a time.

16. An apparatus according to any preceding claim in which the indicator means is operable at predetermined intervals during a game to alter the indicated markers of the playing zones.

17. An apparatus according to any preceding claim in which the indicator means is operably connected to means for displaying the number of rounds of the game which have lapsed.

18. An apparatus according to claim 17 in which the indicator means and the said means are operably connected.

19. An apparatus according to any preceding claim in which the value of a playing zone varies in a predetermined way during the game.

20. An apparatus according to claim 19 in which the way that the value of a playing zone varies during the game is indicated to the players.

21. An apparatus according to any preceding claim in which the playing zones are arranged to provide a circuit about which the playing pieces are moved during the game.

22. An apparatus substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.