GB2257920A

GB2257920A - Trucking game

Info

Publication number: GB2257920A
Application number: GB9215435A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Patricia Mary Ehsman
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1991-07-22
Filing date: 1992-07-21
Publication date: 1993-01-27
Anticipated expiration: 2012-07-21
Also published as: GB9215435D0; GB2257920B

Abstract

A boardgame is played on a board laid out to a segmented track and encounter periodically recurring and chance events to acquire and lose money until they are all bankrupt but one. Playing tokens must be leased by the players at the start of play, which thereby become indicative of respective players and able to be advanced along the track. The playing board displays destination stations, arrival at which by a player's token cause that player to be paid, and arrival at a preselected number of which cause the player to be obliged to make a lease payment for his token. Other stations are indicative of instructions, arrival at which by a player's token causes chance event to occur which may cause profit or loss to that player. Random number generating means determine on each operation of those means the magnitude of advance of a player's token. The apparatus may also include insurance policies and play money. <IMAGE>

Description

'APPARATt7S FOR PLAYING GAME" TECHNICAL FIELD This invention concerns an apparatus for playing a game wherein players compete by taking turns to move respective tokens around a track on a board to acquire and lose money until they are all bankrupt but one.

BACKGROUND OF TME INVENTION A number of board games of this general description are known, but there is a well proven demand for new and exciting games having different themes, and new and appropriate rules.

SUMMARY OF TH! INVENTION According to the present invention there is provided an apparatus for playing a game wherein players compete by taking turns to move respective tokens around a track to encounter periodically recurring and chance events to acquire and lose money until they are all bankrupt but one, the apparatus comprising: a plurality of playing tokens one of which must be leased by each player at the start of play, and which thereby become indicative of respective players and able to be advanced along the track; a playing board displaying the track which is made up of stations; some stations are indicative of respective destinations arrival at which by a player's token cause that player to be paid, and arrival at a preselected number of which cause that player to be obliged to make a lease payment for the respective token; other stations are indicative of instructions arrival at which by a player's token causes chance events to occur which may cause profit or loss to that player; and random number generating means to determine on each operation of those means the number of stations by which a player's token may advance, and which means are operated by each player in turn in order to play.

Preferably, the apparatus comprises a plurality of destination cards on each of which a destination is named.

A destination card is taken by each player at the start of play to indicate the first destination for that player, and.

a fresh destination card indicating the next destination must be taken each time a destination is reached. When predetermined numbers of the destination cards have been taken by a player, that player must make a lease payment.

Preferably, the apparatus includes a plurality of chance event cards. On each chance event card a chance event is named and a consequence is stated which may cause profit or loss to a player, and at least some stations on the track instruct a player to take one of the chance event cards.

Preferably, the apparatus comprises a plurality of chance cards on each of which a chance event is named and a consequence is stated, and at least some of the stations instruct an arriving player to take a chance event card.

Preferably, the apparatus comprises a plurality of insurance certificates one of which may be retained by a player for a predetermined period in exchange for a periodic insurance premium payment, to insure that player against all or part of the loss caused by some chance events.

Preferably, the apparatus comprises a plurality of road train permits which may be purchased by a player to entitle that player to additional payment upon arrival at a predetermined destination, but also to suffer additional loss in the event of at least some chance events which may occur on the way to that destination.

According to a further aspect the present invention provides a method of playing a game wherein players compete by taking turns to move respective tokens around a track to encounter periodically recurring and chance events to acquire and lose money until they are all bankrupt but one, the method comprising the following steps:: each player leases a playing token at the start of play, such that the tokens become indicative of respective players and able to be advanced along the track, which is made up of stations; during play each player in turn operates a random number generating means to determine the number of stations by which that player's respective token may be advanced along the track and the player then advances the token along the track; some stations are indicative of respective destinations arrival at which by a player's token causes that player to be paid, and arrival at a preselected number of which cause that player to be obliged to make a lease payment for the respective token;. other stations are indicative of instructions arrival at which by a player's token causes chance events to occur which may cause profit or loss to that player.

Preferably a plurality of destination cards are provided on each of which a destination is named; each player takes a destination card before their first turn to indicate their first destination, and takes a fresh destination card upon arrival at each destination to indicate the next destination.

Preferably upon arrival at the first or a next destination, a player receives a payment depending upon that destination and the previous destination. Optionally arrival at every N destinations, where N is an integer, a player must make a lease payment in order to retain that players respective tokens.

Preferably a player may optionally secure insurance for a predetermined period against at least part of the loss caused by some chance events, by payment of a periodic insurance premium. Optionally upon arrival at every N destinations from the commencement of insurance, where N is an integer, a player must pay the periodic insurance premium for insurances to be maintained for the next predetermined period.

Preferably a plurality of chance event cards are provided on each of which a chance event is named and a consequence stated; and during play at least some of the other stations instruct a player to take a chance event card Preferably, when travelling to certain preselected destinations, a player may purchase a road train permit, in which case upon arrival at that destination that players payment is increased, but whereby the loss caused by some chance events on the way to that destination is also increased.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The invention will now be described by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawing which shows a playing board for a preferred embodiment of the invention.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OVT THE INVENTION The object of this game is to simulate being an Interstate Transport Operator. This is accomplished by moving a token around a map of Australia, hopefully without mishaps, with the sole purpose in mind of making lots of money. The only problem is that everything that could go wrong quite often will, and each time it does the bank balance takes a nose dive.

The game apparatus comprises: a playing board; a bank comprising a plurality of $5, $10, $50, $100, $500 and $1,000 notes; playing tokens with associated information cards; stop cards; weighbridge cards; destination cards; fuel cards.; insurance certificates; get out of jail cards; road train permits; and a dice.

Playing board 1 comprises an outline map of Australia indicating some States and Territories. A track 2 describes an interconnected series of routes between various destinations 3, a start point 4 and a jail 5. The destinations are cities, namely Darwin, Cairns, Perth, Brisbane, Adelaide, Sydney and Melbourne.

The track is made up of a series of stations indicated generally by 6. The stations may be blank, at which no event occurs, or they may indicate some instruction such as STOP; WB (WEIGEBRIDGE); SPEEDING FINE; ROADWORKS GO BACK FIVE SPACES; TAX PAID 106 OF PAY; GEARBOX TROUBLE LOSE TWO TURNS; FLAT TYRE LOSE A TURN; CUT AIR LINE LOSE A TURN; and FUEL. Some of the stations are the destinations 3.

At two places three stations are linked together to form HOOK UP POINTs 7 Also on the map are locations for STOP cards 8, LOAD DESTINATION cards 9, WETGHBRIDGE cards 10 and FUEL cards 11.

At the outset of play one of the players must be selected to be the banker; this player may play or not as desired. Typically he may not play i! there are more than four other players. All payments are made to the banker who also issues tokens, information cards, insurance certificates, and permits. Before play cormnences the bank pays each player two $5 notes, five $10 notes, three $50 novels, five F100 notes, three $500 notes and one $1,000 note.

The playing tokens (not shown) represent trucks of several different kinds. Each token is associated with an informacion card showing the details of a truck and the lease. For instance one card shows a photograph of an F4870 Atkinson motive unit and the words: "I hereby agree to pay the Bank the sum of $2,600.00 per month for F4870 Atkinson and Trailer for a period of 48 months. GM Silver 892 T/A 480 H.P.".

Each player must lease a truck (rent is paid in arrears), at the same time each player may optionally take out insurance of $1,000 per month and pay the deposit. In this case an insurance certificate is issued which is inscribed "Truck insurance $1,000 deposit. $500 per month.

This insurance provides cover for any type of accident, with a $500 excess". A six must be thrown before a player is eligible to lease a truck for the first time.

The destination cards are shuffled and placed face down in the marked location 9 on the board.

The players must determine-in which order they are going to play. Then the first player takes a destination card, throws the dice, and moves his token the corresponding number of stations away from the start towards that destination. The other players then, in turn, take a destination card, throw the dice and move their tokens in order to take their turns. The players continue taking turns until either they become bankrupt or win the game.

The following destination cards are included:

Number DESTINATION CARDS of Cards Perth 4 Adelaide 4 Melbourne 4 Sydney 4 Brisbane 4 Cairns 4 Darwin 4 If a player draws a destination card indicating his current destination he must return it to the pack and take another card.

When players land on a station marked with instructions they must obey the instructions shown.

The STOP cards are shuffled and placed face down in the marked location 8 on the board. When a player lands on a station marked STOP he must take the first STOP card at the top. of the pack of STOP cards. The following STOP cards are included:

Number STOP CARDS of Cards Bonded load go directly to destination 2 Driving in a manner dangerous to public go to jail Warrant check unpaid assault charge $200 1 Warrant check unpaid log book fine $100 1 Warrant check unpaid overloading fine $300 1 Congratulations 1st prize rig of the year $400 1 Congratulations 2nd prize rig of the month $200 1 Get out of jail free 2 Replace 2 tyres S520 1 Replace 4 tyres $860 1 Blown steer tyre, rolled truck damage $120,000 new truck needed, if insured I Load of hay caught fire damage $1,000 if uninsured 1 Motor over-rewed one piston cracked - 1 $780 Fell asleep hit three parked cars 1 damage $5,200 if uninsured Insecure load, load fell and squashed 1 Datsun, damage $2,500 if uninsured Blown turbo $995 lose two turns Roll - over Driving in a manner dangerous to the public cards direct the player to go straight to jail unless they have a get out of jail card. The get out of jail cards may be bought and sold from other players.Failure to possess a card results in a jail sentence until a flsixlt is thrown.

The WB (WBIGHBRIDGE) cards are shuffled and placed face down in the marked location 10 on the board. When a player lands on a WB (WEIGHBRIDGE) station he must pick up the first card unless he has thrown a "six", in which case he may have another throw.The following WB (WEIGHBRIDGE) cards are included:

Number WEIGHBRIDGE CARDS of Cards correct weight 7 3 tonnes over fine $600 1 2 tonnes over fine $400 1 1/2 tonne over fine $100 1 1 tonne over fine $200 1 4 tonnes over fine $800 1 Load shifted re-load truck crane 1 charge $245 Failing to stop before driving on weighbridge $100 The FUEL cards are shuffled and placed face down in the marked location 11 on the board. Fuel stops are scattered around the board and when a player lands on one of these a FUEL card is taken which shows the amount of fuel taken on board and the payment required to the banker.

The following fuel cards are included:

FUEL CARDS Number of Cards Fuel OK 2 $50 fuel 1 $100 fuel 2 $150 fuel 2 $200 fuel 2 $500 fuel 1 Players move towards the destination indicated on the current destination card. When they get close to the destination they can only enter it when the exact number is thrown on the dice.When they arrive at the destination they are paid according to the following rate of pay: RATES OF PAY

START/BRISBANE 1320 START/ADELAIDE 660 START/MELBOURNE 990 START/SYDNEY 1100 START/PERTE 2640 START/DARWIN 1980 START/CAIRNS 2640 SYDNEY/BRISBANE 1100 SYDNEY/MELBOURNE 770 SYDNEY/ADELAIDE 1100 SYDNEY/PERTH 3850 SYDNEY/DARWIN 3520 SYDNEY/CAIRNS 2860 MELBOURNE/SYDNEY 880 MELBOURNE/BRISBANE 1760 MELBOURNE/ADELAIDE 660 MELBOURNE/PERTH 3740 MELBOURNE/DARWIN 3520 MELBOURNE/CAIRNS 3300 ADELAIDE/SYDNEY 880 ADELAIDE/BRISBANE 1760 ADELAlDE/MELBOURNE 550 ADELAIDE/PERTH 2860 ADELAIDE/DARWIN 3080 ADELAIDE/CAIRNS 3300 PERTH/ADELAIDE 990 PERTH/MELBOURNE 1320 PERTH/SYDNEY 1540 PERTH/BRISBANE 2640 PERTH/DARWIN 3080 PERTH/CAIRNS 4620 BRISBANE/sYDNEY 550 BRISBANE/MELBOURNE 990 BRISBANE/ADELAIDE 990 BRISBANE/DARWIN 3300 BRISBANE/CAIRNS 1760 BRISBANE/PERTh 3630 and must take a fresh destination card.

On a player's first trip; if a Darwin or Cairns load is drawn, on arrival he should collect his pay and go directly to the closest city. This is due to a lack of loading for these two cities.

The players then continue by travelling towards the new destination. The players must keep destination cards until they have four. At that time a month has passed and the lease and optional insurance payments fall due; the four cards are returned to the pack which is shuffled.

Road Trains are legal from Perth and Adelaide to Darwin. A player must pay. $1,000 for each Road Train permit if they wish to take a Road Train. Each Road Train permit allows one extra trailer to be carried that trip and if valid only for that trip.

The cost is $1,000 and they are only available for trucks having 400 horsepower and over. A maximum of three trailers are allowed for any one road train, and a player must travel to one of the HOOKUP points marked on the board to drop the first trailer and then return to the last destination to pick up a second trailer An exact throw is not required to drop or pick up trailers at the HOOKUP points, and a player may continue to move forwards or backwards after visiting a HOOKUP point. Then the player must go to the HOOKUP point and drop the second trailer, and back for a third trailer before setting out for Darwin.

The permits are paid for when picking up additional trailers in the city. On the route to Darwin the pecrol stations indicate double or treble fuel costs if two or three trailers are taken. The road train rates of pay are as follows: ROAD TRAINS RATES

ADELAIDE or PERTH/DARRIN two trailers 4466 = ~ w or PERTDARWIN three trailers 6776 All fines are to be paid as on the spot fines, including tax. No trading is allowed between players, and it is not possible for players to owe each other money, with the exception that get out of jail cards may be sold.

Insurance claims attract a $500 excess fee and the game is continued; except in the case of a 'troll- over" where the claim is made from the home base position. In this event all destination cards are handed in and a new truck is selected. If the player is not insured then the damage fee becomes due and payable.

Although the invention has been described with reference to a particular embodiment it should be appreciated that many variations are possible. For instance, the game could be computerised. In this case all the apparatus could be replaced by software and the game would be played by inputting commands and viewing a VDU.

Tasmania may be added in which case two destination cards are provided for Hobart. All trips to Hobart go via Melbourne. A player travelling to Hobart is paid on arrival in Melbourne in the normal way, the player must then wait in Melbourne until he throws a "six" (as must a player who draws a Hobart destination card on arrival at Melbourne) to enab.le him to travel to Hobart and collect an extra $1,000 payment. A "six" must also be thrown to return from Hobart to Melbourne on the way to the next destination.

Also the tokens may be shaped like trucks, and have recesses in their upper surfaces to accommodate different coloured inserts which represent the number of trailers being drawn.

Claims

I CLAIM:

1. An apparatus for playing for a game wherein players compete by taking turns to move respective tokens around a track to encounter periodically recurring and chance events to acquire and lose money until they are all bankrupt but one, the apparatus comprising: a plurality of playing tokens one of which must be leased by each player at the start of play, and which thereby become indicative of respective players and able to be advanced along the track; a playing board displaying the track which is made up of stations; some stations are indicative of respective destinations arrival at which by a player's token cause that player to be paid, and arrival at a preselected number of which cause that player to be obliged to make a lease payment for the respective token; other stations are indicative of instructions arrival at which by a player's token causes chance events to occur which may cause profit or loss to that player; and random number generating means to determine on each operation of those means the number of stations by which a players token may advance, and which means are operated by each player in turn in order to play.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, also comprising'a plurality of destination cards on each of which a destination is named, whereby each player takes a destination card before their first turn to indicate the first destination, and takes a fresh destination card upon arrival at each destination to indicate the next destination.

3. Apparatus according to claim I or 2, also comprising a plurality of chance cards on each of which a chance event is named and a consequence is stated, and at least some of the stations instruct an arriving player to take a chance event card.

4. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, also comprising a plurality of insurance certificates one of which may be retained by a player for a predetermined period in exchange for a periodic insurance premium payment, to insure that player against all or part of the loss caused by some chance events.

5. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, further comprising a plurality of road train permits which may be purchased by a player to entitle that player to additional payment upon arrival at a predetermined destination, but also to suffer additional loss in the event of at least some chance events which may occur on the way to that destination.

6. Apparatus for'playing a game substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

7. A method of playing a game wherein players compete by taking turns to move respective tokens around a track to encounter periodically recurring and chance events to acquire and lose money until they are all bankrupt but one, the method comprising the following steps: each player leases a playing token at the start of play, such that the tokens become indicative of respective players and able to be advanced along the track, which is made up of stations; during play each player in turn operates a random number generating means to determine the number of stations by which that players respective token may be advanced along the track and the player then advances the token along the track;; some stations are indicative of respective destinations arrival at which by a players token causes that player to be paid, and arrival at a preselected number of which cause that player to be obliged to make a lease payment for the respective token; other stations are indicative of instructions arrival at which by a players token causes chance events to occur which may cause profit or loss to that player.

8. A method according to claim 7 wherein a plurality of destination cards are provided on each of which a destination is named; each player takes a destivaLion card before their first turn to indicatc their first destination, and taKeS a fresh destination card upon arrival at each destination to indicate the next destination.

9. A method according to claim 8 wherein upon arrival at the first or a next destinaLion, a player receives a payment depending upon that destination and the previous destinatiusl.

10. A method according to claim 9 wherein arrival at every N destinations, where N is an integer, a player must make a lease payment in order to retain that players respective token.

11.. A method according to any one oS claims 7 to 10 wherein a playcr may optionally secure insurance tor a predetermined period against at least part of the loss caused by some chance events, by payment of a periodic insurance pr'mIiwn.

12. A method according to claim 11 wherein upon arrival at every N destinations from the commencement of insl.lranc., where N is an integer, a player must pay the periodic insurance prcmium for insurance to be maintained for the next predetermined period.

13. A mcthod according to claim 7 or 8 wherein a plurality or chance event cards are provided on eac of which a chance event is named and a consequence stated; and during play at least some of the other stations instruct a player to tak a chance event card.

14. A method according to any. one of claims 7 to 13 wherein when travelling to certain preselected destinations, a player may purchase a road train permit, in which case upon arrival at that destination that player's payment is increased, but whereby the loss caused by some chance events on the way to that destination is also increased.

15. A method of playing a game substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.