GB2390553A

GB2390553A - Board game

Info

Publication number: GB2390553A
Application number: GB0216155A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Brian Couzins
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-07-12
Filing date: 2002-07-12
Publication date: 2004-01-14
Also published as: GB0216155D0

Abstract

A board game intended to simulate the movement of individuals within a crowd comprises a playing grid 1, tiles representing free spaces and obstacles 3 which may be randomly placed on the playing grid and four sets of playing pieces (fig 2), coloured to correspond with holding areas 2 at the edges of the playing area. A receptacle suitable for mixing the playing pieces and tiles is also provided. Tiles are removed from the receptacle and placed on the grid: the tiles representing free spaces are then removed from the grid leaving vacant squares. Playing pieces are moved on the vacant squares until they reach and subsequently move off different edges into one of the four holding areas 2 corresponding to the directional instructions represented on each playing piece (fig 2).

Description

1 2390553

BOARD GAME

This invention relates to a board game. In particular, this invention relates to a board game with each player's playing pieces manoeuvred in different directions across a playing grid until they reach and subsequently move off a specific edge of the playing grid corresponding to the directional instructions represented on each playing piece. Furthermore, this invention relates to a board game with a playing grid that has a number of obstacles randomly positioned within it that renders a portion of the playing grid inoperative, to deliberately hinder movement of playing pieces across the game board in a manner that often appears different for each new game played.

The concept of any one player owning playing pieces that move objectively towards different exit points can be likened to a crowd scene whereby a peer may have many subordinates within the crowd, but whose subordinates all have independent reasons for leaving the crowded area at different exit points before being reunited with the peer. An example can be, but is not limited to, a group of employees who are in a crowded city square and who plan to visit independent establishments adjacent to the square before being reunited with their manager back at the office.

When caught amidst a dense crowd, it is not usually possible to proceed in a straight line to the desired destination, and often sideways or even backward manoeuvres are necessary in order to navigate around other people in the crowd. Furthermore, when static objects such as trees or buildings are positioned within the crowd; the manoeuvres become even more challenging. However, if associates were encountered within a crowd, they would usually give way to each other and thus simplify some of the manoeuvring.

it is the said crowd properties and navigational behaviour that are represented by the present invention in order for players to experience the same chaos and frustration on a board game as is experienced within a real life dense crowd situation. The board game simulates a mass of items such as but not limited to people associated with a number of different groups being confined within a dense crowd, by a mass of playing pieces belonging to a number of visually distinct player groups, such as but not limited to colour, positioned together within a dense playing grid. Each player is responsible for manoeuvring a visually distinct player group of playing pieces across the playing grid in different directions, around a number of randomly positioned obstacles, until such time that one player manoeuvres all pieces off the specific edges of the playing Lid according to directional instructions represented on those playing pieces, and onto a designated holding area before moving them all to a designated

base either integral with the game board or adjacent to that player, whereupon that player concludes the game.

in accordance with one aspect of the present invention there is provided a board game that simulates associated groups of people manoeuvring in different directions and around static objects through a dense crowd, to reach a number of different locations beyond the crowd edge before reuniting at a designated base, with the purpose of being the first player to successfully manoeuvre all owned pieces in the said manner so as to assemble them all at the designated base and subsequently win the game. Furthermore this aspect of the present invention comprises: a game board having represented on one side only and dominating that side a playing grid of sixty four numbered cells being formed of eight rows of eight cells and numbered sequentially from the first cell of the first row through to the eighth cell of the eighth row wherein a proportion of said cells become inoperative and excluded from area of play for the entire duration of play prior to commencement of play of game by means of randomly positioned obstacles that significantly reduce the game board from the original total of sixty four active playing cells, furthermore the formation of all inoperative and active cells produces a four sided outline of the playing grid having adjacent to, and running the entire length of, each side a representation of a holding area large enough to accommodate eight of the game's playing pieces for the time they remain there from having been manoeuvred off said playing grid, said holding area being uniquely named to distinguish it from the other three named holding areas of the other three sides of said playing grid for the purpose of associating that name with a proportionate number of each player's playing pieces so as to task each player to manoeuvre said playing pieces to that specific holding area on that specific side of me four-sided playing grid; playing pieces numbering forty in total and being divided equally into four visually distinct player groups, said playing pieces being divided into four directional groups across the four distinct player groups corresponding to said names of said holding areas, said playing pieces also numbered with form unique numbers having one number on the underside of each playing piece corresponding to forbr of the sixty four cells of said playing grid; free space markers numbering four in total that become randomly placed within said playing grid as an integral part of the game's preparation process, said free space markers also numbered with four unique numbers having one number on the underside of each free space

l l marker corresponding to four of the numbers of said playing grid but different to the forty numbers represented on the underside of said playing pieces; obstacles numbering five in total, wherein each obstacle covers a random portion of said playing grid equal to two cells across by two rows down being a total of four cells, said obstacles covering an accumulated total of twenty cells of said playing grid, therein summing said obstacles of an accumulated total of twenty cells and forty playing pieces and four free space markers giving a total of sixty four cells covered of the sixty four cells of said playing grid and thus said playing grid becomes fully populated prior to commencement of play of game, therein representing a dense crowd situation; a mixing receptacle being of any material or substance and of any construction with a capacity suitable to accommodate said playing pieces and said free space markers, known hereon as the contents, with enough vacant capacity to allow effective mixing of said contents when shaking said mixing receptacle, for the sole purpose of mixing said contents, said mixing receptacle deemed suitable for shielding said contents from view during the mixing and extracting process; a preparation process whereby all said contents are placed into said mixing receptacle and shaken, wherein a single item of said contents becomes removed from said mixing receptacle and the number on the underside noted, wherein the first of the five obstacles becomes positioned within said playing grid so as the top lefl- hand corner of the obstacle covers the cell number corresponding to the number represented on the item of said contents removed from said mixing bag, wherein further items of said contents are removed in turn from said mixing receptacle and providing negative conditions do not occur where the next obstacle would otherwise partially cover any obstacles already positioned within said playing grid or a solid line of obstacles would otherwise form across the entire playing grid or a portion of said playing grid would otherwise become isolated from the remainder of said playing grid, the next obstacle is placed legitimately within said playing grid otherwise a further item of said contents is removed from said mixing receptacle in order to replace the illegitimate number, until such a time whereupon all five obstacles are placed legitimately within said playing grid, thereafter all removed items of said contents are returned to said mixing receptacle and vigorously shaken, wherein each item of said contents is removed in turn from said mixing receptacle and placed in turn on the first vacant cell of said playing grid commencing from the cell marked as number one and progressing in turn through to the cell

marked as sixty four whilst avoiding any cell currently occupied by said obstacle, whereupon said mixing receptacle becomes empty and said playing grid becomes Filly populated.

a navigation process whereby said free space markers are removed from said playing grid to reveal four randomly positioned vacant cells, wherein each player in turn moves a playing piece the distance of one cell only, but not diagonally, into a vacant cell with the purpose of manoeuvring that playing piece on a path towards the appropriate said holding area off said playing grid according to the directional instructions represented on that playing piece, wherein such movements continue until each playing piece completes its path across and off said playing grid and onto said holding area before making last manoeuvre onto designated base either integral with the game board or adjacent to that player, until such time that one player completes all such moves to conclude the game.

Embodiments of me present invention provide a board game that simulates properties of, and multi-directional journeys by distinct groups through, any densely populated group of groups of any definition relating to any astrological member or spiritual representation or living species or propelled machinery or object.

Embodiments of the present invention provide a board game with randomly positioned playing grid obstacles of any quantity and any size relative to the number of playing grid cells they occupy within the boundaries of said playing grid dimensions and acceptable ratio of resulting inoperative playing cells to the number of remaining active playing cells, and representing any physical object of any appearance and magnitude, with the sole purpose of obstructing the playing pieces of all players from otherwise manoeuvring across those particular playing grid cells occupied by said obstacles.

Other aspects and embodiments will become apparent from the accompanying description and drawings in which.

Figure I is a plan view of the playing board belonging to said board game of the first embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a plan top view of typical playing pieces belonging to said board game of the first embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 3 is a plan underneath view of typical playing pieces belonging to said board game of the first embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 4 is a plan top view of free space markers belonging to said board game of the first embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 5 is a plan underneath view of free space markers belonging to said board game of the first embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 6 is a plan view of obstacle pieces belonging to said board game of the first embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 7 is a plan view of typical designated bases belonging to said board game of the first embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 1 is a plan view of the first embodiment of the present invention. The game board of Figure 1 comprises a playing grid 1 of eight rows of eight numbered cells totalling sixty-four numbered cells of which twenty cells become inoperative prior to and for the duration of play of game by means of randomly positioned obstacles 3. Figure t provides an example of how obstacles 3 may become randomly placed within playing grid 1 to make blocks of cells inoperative and thus reduce the active playing grid to forty-four active cells.

Said playing grid is flanked on all four sides by four separate holding areas 2 Name} through to Named each having a dimensional representation equal to eight adjoining cells of the same proportion as the cells within playing grid 1.

Figure 2 is a plan top view of typical playing pieces of the first embodiment of the present invention. Playing pieces total forty in all and when laid out in an ordered form of four rows of ten pieces as represented by Figure 2 it can be seen that all playing pieces are equally divided along one axis of the form into four directional groups 4 age through to age of ten playing pieces each whereby each playing piece within each directional group is deemed to exit the playing grid 1 towards a single designated holding area 2 being distinct from all other playing pieces in all other directional groups, and at the same time equally divided along the other axis of the form into four player groups 5 pig through to pg4 of ten playing pieces each whereby each playing piece within each player group is distinguished from all other playing pieces in all other player groups by a visual representation such as but not limited to colour, so that two of the four player groups peg and pa: have three playing pieces in the first directional group da! two playing pieces in the second directional group da] three playing pieces in the third directional group age and two playing pieces in the fourth directional group dg4 whilst the remaining two player groups PB] and pg4 have two playing pieces in the first directional group da! three playing pieces in the second directional group da: two playing pieces in the third directional group dg3 and three playing pieces in the fourth directional group dg4 and thus amounting to four player groups of ten playing pieces each and four directional groups of ten playing pieces each whereby all four players have a general 20%

20% 30% - 30% split of playing pieces across all four directional groups. Playing pieces are marked either by a textual representation 6 or graphical representation 7 or both as shown by Figure 2 in order to instruct the player as to which direction each playing piece must exit the playing grid 1 onto the particular holding area 2. Textual or graphical representation may also be provided on said playing pieces to portray a single group item of a group wherin Figure 2 shows a human figure as an example although such an example is not intended to be limiting. Figure 3 and Figure S are in plan view showing the underside of the playing pieces and free space markers respectively, belonging to the first embodiment of the present invention. When viewed together the numbers shown on the underside of all playing pieces and all free space markers constitute the numbers of all legitimate cells on the playing grid I where an obstacle (see Figure 6) may be placed. The last column and last row of the playing grid 1 have no legitimate cells as placing the top left-hand corner of an obstacle in any of these cells would cause the obstacle to overlap the edge of the playing grid 1. Five further cells within said playing grid have been nominated as not being legitimate obstacle positions to ensure that the total number of legitimate cells equals the total number of playing pieces plus free space markers being for-four in all. The underside of playing pieces and free space markers are numbered as a means of carrying out said preparation process without having to introduce additional physical items such as cards to the board game contents.

Figure 4 is a plan view of the top of all four free space markers belonging to the first embodiment of the present invention showing a typical but not limiting graphical representation that portrays an empty space on the playing grid 1 when positioned within it by means of said preparation process.

Figure 6 is a plan view of all five obstacles belonging to the first embodiment of the present invention. Each obstacle shown in Figure 6 indicates how it takes up a total of four cells on the playing grid 1 in a two-by-two formation. No example of a typical graphical representation of an obstacle is provided in Figure 6 and such representation has no limits for the specific use of obstacles within the first embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 7 is a plan view of typical designated bases that number four in total belonging to the first embodiment of the present invention. The purpose of the designated base is an important attribute of the purpose of said board game although the physical location of each of the four bases during play whether they be positioned adjacent to each player or form an integral part of the game board is not considered important nor is the formation of the cells in

any particular pattern important but the fact that the designated base can accommodate ten cells of the same proportions as the cells on the playing grid 1 is. There is one designated base for each of the four players that accommodates a players own playing pieces as they are removed from one of the four holding areas 2 after successfully being moved there from the playing grid 1. When one of any four designated bases becomes full of playing pieces the owner of that particular designated base is declared the winner of that particular play of game and that particular play of game concludes therewith.

in this embodiment of the present invention there exists capacity for four players having ten playing pieces each that during the course of play provides several playing focal points around the playing grid 1 at any one time and thus provides more of an overall challenge of play than if less playing pieces existed on the playing grid 1, but not such an overwhelming challenge of play that player's strategies could not be properly implemented as well might be the case if more than the current number of playing pieces existed. Such an example can be demonstrated if just two players were to commence play with the necessity of acquiring two player groups each (peg + pas opposing pa: + pg. as can be seen in Figure 2 for example) with a total of twenty playing pieces each, whereby it has been found that both players have to commence play with the sole intention of clearing a moderate amount of playing pieces directly off the playing grid I and into the designated holding areas 2 before they can begin to implement any preferred playing strategy. This example can be taken to its extreme when just one player commences a game of play having acquired all four player groups with the sole option of moving all playing pieces off the playing grid 1 into the designated holding areas 2 and off the game board in the lowest number of moves possible and thus conducting a completely different type of play than the intended four player ten playing piece format. This embodiment of the present invention is therefore seen to possess the optimum player number to playing piece ratio.

if there existed more than four free space markers there would soon be an excessive amount of vacant cells within the playing grid 1 once play of game had commenced bearing in mind that at least one playing piece will usually become positioned immediately adjacent to its exit from the playing god upon completion of said preparation process and will typically be moved off the playing grid early in the game thus already making more than four vacant cells on the playing grid. Once the majority of cells become vacant within the playing grid 1 then player's strategies become severely compromised and so it has become imperative to the

embodiment of this present invention to keep the playing grid congested with playing pieces for the main part of any play of game.

If there existed less than five obstacles with total cell coverage of twenty cells then playing piece congestion within the playing grid would again clear too early within the play of garne. If more than twenty cells in the playing grid were covered by obstacles then the positioning of such obstacles would become very difficult as the risk of overlapping with other obstacles or segregating one part of the playing grid 1 from another would become unacceptably high to the extent that said preparation process compromises the successful use of the present invention. Where obstacles become positioned close to but not immediately adjacent to each other as a result of said preparation process a small passage is formed between them that invokes the possibility of much player strategy during play of game and this is especially so when said obstacles are positioned near to or at the edge of the playing grid 1.

If the obstacles were statically positioned within the playing grid as an integral part of the game board then player strategy would also become very static and therefore this embodiment of the present invention specifies that all obstacles be randomly positioned within the playing grid 1 before play of game commences as part of said preparation process.

As all obstacles, free space markers and playing pieces are randomly positioned within the playing grid as part of said preparation process of this embodiment of the present invention, all players have to make best of the situation they find themselves in at the commencement of play of game and devise and implement a suitable strategy for each new play of game and thus providing a board game of much skill and tactical thought. Some periods of play involve negotiating with fellow players to overcome situations of excessive congestion caused by conflicting tactical strategies whilst the majority of play forces those same players into direct opposition with each other.

Claims

1. A board game for simulating properties of, and multi-directional journeys by distinct groups through, any densely populated crowd of any description comprising:

a game board having a square shaped playing grid of numbered cells wherein a proportion of said cells become inoperative and excluded from area of play for the entire duration of play prior to commencement of play of game by means of randomly positioned obstacles said playing grid being flanked on all four sides by four holding areas being uniquely named to distinguish them from each other; playing pieces being divided equally into four visually distinct player groups whilst also being divided into four directional groups across the four distinct player groups corresponding to said names of said holding areas; free space markers that become randomly placed amongst said playing pieces within said playing grid prior to commencement of play of game and subsequently removed immediately prior to commencement of play so as to create vacant cells within said playing grid for said playing pieces to move into; a mixing receptacle with a capacity suitable to accommodate said playing pieces and said free space markers, with enough vacant capacity to allow effective mixing of its contents when shaking vigorously; a preparation process that randomly positions all said playing pieces and said free space markers and said obstacles within said playing grid prior to commencement of play of game whereby all cells of said playing grid become occupied; a navigation process whereby said free space markers are removed from said playing grid to reveal randomly positioned vacant cells, wherein each player in turn moves a playing piece into one of said randomly placed vacant cells with the purpose of manoeuvring their own playing pieces towards multi-directional instructed targets in the form of said holding areas off said playing grid wherein said manoeuvres continue until each said playing piece completes its path across and off said playing grid and onto instructed said holding area before making last manoeuvre onto said designated base until such time that one player completes all said manoeuvres of all said playing pieces belonging to that player.

2. A board game in accordance with claim I wherein said playing grid comprises sixty four numbered cells arranged in eight rows of eight cells said cells numbered sequentially from the first cell of the first row then left to right and row by row through to the eighth

cell of the eighth row wherein twenty of said cells become inoperative and excluded from area of play prior to and for the entire duration of play of game by means of randomly positioned obstacles that effectively supersede a uniform sixty-four active-cell squared playing grid with a randomly irregular forty-four active-cell squared playing grid.

3. A board game in accordance with claim 2 wherein said holding areas run the entire length of each side of said playing grid said holding areas comprise cells of same dimensions as said cells within said playing grid and number eight in all.

4. A board game in accordance with claim 1 wherein said playing pieces number forty in total and said free space markers number four.

5. A board game in accordance with claim I wherein said obstacles number five in total said obstacles formed to cover two rows of two cells of said playing and.

6. A board game in accordance with claim 2 wherein said cells within said playing grid range in number from thirty six arranged in six rows of six cells numbered sequentially from the first cell of the first row then left to right and row by row through to the sixth cell of the sixth row, up to one hundred arranged in ten rows of ten cells numbered sequentially from the first cell of the first row then left to right and row by row through to the tenth cell of the tenth row, wherein said obstacles deem a proportion of the total number of cells within said playing grid as inoperative prior to and for the entire duration of play of game to a percentage ranging between 15% and 45% with the sole purpose of superseding said uniform all-active-cell squared playing grid with a randomly irregular reduced-active-cell squared playing grid, wherein all said obstacles are identical in terms of chosen size and shape.

7. A board game in accordance with claim 6 wherein said holding areas run the entire length of each side of said playing grid said holding areas comprise cells of same dimensions as said cells within said playing grid and number the same as the number of said cells across any row of said playing grid.

8. A board game in accordance with claim 6 wherein the cumulative total of said playing pieces plus said free space markers equate to a percentage of the total cells of said playing grid between 55% and 85% and comprise a playing piece to free space marker ratio between4:1 and 13:1.

9. A board game in accordance with claim 6 wherein said obstacles number from between three and eight for the smallest said playing grid size up to between eight and twenty-two for the largest said playing grid size and numbered proportionately for intermediate sizes

thereof, said obstacles formed to cover an area of said playing grid in terms of number of playing grid cells of between two and five.

10. A board game substantially as described herewith with reference to any of Figure 1 to 7.