US3473802A - Apparatus for playing a game involving forecasting of future events - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 21. 1969 H. GOLDSCHMIDT ET AL APPARATUS FOR PLAYING A GAME INVOLVING FORECASTING OF FUTURE EVENTS Filed Oct. 10, 1966 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 OCEANMlNlNG-E T %m RM R m wE Y NSGM E wD N NL E R IOEH 0 6% T D T MOA A AW HTO H. GOLDSCHMIDT ET Al. 3,473,802 APPARATUS FOR PLAYING A GAME INVOLVING Oct. 21, 1969 FORECASTING OF FUTURE EVENTS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed 00%. 10, 1966 Om @N N m w ON w m 0 D n n E R D E A w o m m m w T. 0 R U I. T C T B O W u E A D A W W S P M m E P w x m E M E C m m M m o m M w W F N m m m l U E P P 6 MM WW1, \\\-v mw 6 1 .T u I n X w w\ q L m fil ww I lllwljwllx: v ww \ul 3 x 3 KM 1-1 I 7111. l J 6 5 6 w 6 j 6 N\ T E: m U F AL mm E MM 5 INVENTOR S HANS GOLDSCHM/DT THEODORE J. GORDON BY 0L F HEL A T TORNEY Oct. 21, 1969 GOLDSCHMIDT ET AL Filed Oct. 10, 1966 Sheets-Sheet 5 e2 62 66 L a K f 6 I I $66 5 '-l O I OCEAN MINING t EFFECTS 0N ii i :1 I: E OTHER EVENTS ti Q k l 62 6/ $66 E BACKQROUND E POSITIVE. E E nc-nr.---- l PROBABILITY 40 PER cam: NEGAUTILVSE l 51 T 5 g, 64 FIG/O 64 F/Gl/ ,62 73 72 753 (I; g I L 1/0 NEWS EvENf@ 62 NEWS EVENTJ I- ANT,I GRAVITY I EFFECTS ON V MACHINE,DEVISED' OTHER EVENTS 6i 61' I 1 ,62 .l l 62' 70 A M um wnum a Pom o ::::';:i:;:ii:::::ixi... x T I 73 I NEGATNE'I 1 i l I I J/V 'I 2 F G. /3 p FORCASTING I; THE FUTURE !l| SCORE SHEET ll, 1 PROBABILHY'IPRED'ICT THAT BY POINTS NO EVENT I :as OF 19:5); 1986 THIS EVENT ElgrlDEcE oR PER CEN WILL WILL NOT H I ocg OCCURI PREDICTION A I 40 4 2 k 95 96 2 EFFECTWE WORLD-WlDE mn- 2O 8 I l -PDVERTY PROGRAM CARRED OUT A l I ToTAL- In NS GO SO FSIDT HA LD H F 6. /4

BY THEODORE J. GORDON OLAF H MER ew 5% ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,473,802. APPARATUS FOR PLAYING A GAME HIVOLVING FORECASTING 0F FUTURE EVENTS Hans Goldschmidt, Atherton, Theodore J. Gordon, Newport Beach, and Olaf Helmer, Los Angeles, Calif., assignors to Kaiser Aluminum & Chemical Corporation, Oakland, Calif., a corporation of Delaware Filed Oct. 10, 1966, Ser. No. 585,405

Int. Cl. A63f 9/08 U.S. Cl. 273-1 18 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Apparatus for playing a game concerned with forecasting the simulated happening or non-happening of future events, said apparatus comprising a set of event cards, a card receiving and orienting device, and separate game boards disposed around said device, each board having indicia designating a different series of future events, a percentage of probability scale, and a marker for each event movable along said scale, the positions of said markers being determined in part by rolling a die having a blank face and having on other faces one or more percentage values from said scale. Each card is placed on said card receiving device so that an index thereon is aligned with the corresponding event indicia on one of said boards, and so that red and green arrows thereon are aligned with related event indicia on one or more of the boards, the probability of the occurrence of such related events being increased or decreased by the alignment of said arrows with the corresponding event indicia. Points won by correct forecasting are noted on a reference and scoring sheet provided for each player. In one form of the game, play money is used to invest in events and thus influence the positions of the markers.

This invention relates to an amusement game device. More particularly it is concerned with a novel and unique amusement game device, the play of which involves forecasting as accurately as possible the simulated happening or non-happening of a series of future events.

In one mode of playing the game, the player who correctly forecasts the happening or non-happening of the largest number of future events is the winning player. In another mode of playing the game, imitation or play money may be used whereby the player who makes the most accurate forecasts as to all of the various events in issue during the playing of the game together with the wisest investment of his money becomes the winning player.

In general, the game involves two essential play concepts. The first concept is concerned with the use of a movable indicator button or marker for each of the individual future events to be forecast. This indicator button, which can be color-coded, is manipulated along a preferably color-coded percent of probability scale provided with incremental percentage markings ranging between 0% and 100%, and the final disposition or location of the color-coded indicator button on the percentage scale with respect to a particular event during or at the end of the game determines whether the future event occurs or not and the player wins or loses as to that event depending, of course, upon whether the player has previously accurately forecast the occurrence or nonoccurrence of the event.

The second concept involves the various factors which determine or control the movements and final disposition of each event indicator button on the percentage scale. During the playing of the game there are various factors which control the movements of each future ice event indicator button up or down the percentage of probability scale with respect to each event played and, in turn, the ultimate disposition of the indicator button on .the scale and the actual occurrence or non-occurrence of a future event forecast by a player.

The first of these factors involves the opinion of experts as to the probability of the event occurring or not occurring. This may be considered as a known factor, which can be expressed in specific terms of a percentage of probability of the event occurring. This expert opinion is advantageously employed to determine the initial setting of each color-coded event indicator button at the start of the game by matching the color of a given indicator button with one of the specific color identifications used for the percentages delineated on the percentage of probability scale.

A second factor which influences movements of the indicator button up or down the aforesaid percentage scale can be considered as the element of ordinary chance of a given event occurring. This is reflected in terms of ceftain percentage numbers or zero on the face of a suitable indicating device, such as a many faceted or icosahedron die manipulated by a player during a given game play. The throw of the die at a given play for a given event results in a given number or Zero being turned up, which then effects a selected incremental movement of an event indicator button up or down the percentage of probability scale for the particular event in play at the time the die is thrown in accordance with a selected matching and correlating of that certain number or zero appearing on the upturned face of the thrown die with the location of the given event indicator button at that time on the percentage of probability scale.

A further factor which influences the happening or the non-happening of future events and the movements of the indicator buttons therefor along the percentage scale is reflected in the use of a first type of card. This first type of card can be referred to as an ordinary event card which, when turned up during a given event play, contains certain indicia on one of the faces thereof, which is matched in a selected fashion with one or more events in play and in turn causes various event indicator buttons to move up or down the percentage of probability scale.

Another factor which influences the happening or nonhappening of an event and the movements of the indicator button therefor is the element of absolute chance reflected in the use of what is known as a wild or news event card. The occurrence of a specific news item, such as the discovery of a new element which affects the occurrence or non-occurrence of one or more future events of the overall series of events played, is determined by certain indicia shown on one of the faces of the wild or news card turned up for a given play. The particular indicia on such a card causes one or more event indicator buttons to move up and down the percentage scale and thus influences the final happening or non-happening of one or more events.

A final factor affecting the happening or non-happening of events is the personal factor or the factor concerned with the part investment of capital plays in causing given events to occur or not occur. This factor is represented by play or imitation money given to the bank by a player. Investing of capital at designated times entitles the player to effect selected incremental movements of an event indicator button up or down the percentage of probability scale for a given event. Either a point or earnings system may be used to determine the winner of the game, depending on the manner in which the game is played.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of the instant invention to provide an amusement game device wherein the object of the game is to make the most correct forecasts as to the occurrence or non-occurrence of a series of future events while taking into account and utilizing various factors which influence the occurrence or nonoccurrence of these events, such as expert opinion, chance and investment of capital.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an amusement device as in the preceding object wherein various game appurtenances are employed, such as a play board upon which a series of events are listed, an event probability indicator button or the like associated with each event on the play board, a percentage of probability scale and various means for controlling the movements of each event probability indicator button along the said scale.

Other objects and advantages of the instant invention will become more apparent from a review of the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the appended drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a preferred board layout for the amusement game device of the instant invention wherein certain parts of the board layout have been further projected from the figure proper on a larger scale for the purpose of better illustration of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial sectional view taken generally along line 2-2 of FIG. 1 and shows the manner of attachment of a play board segment and a card holder and orienting device;

FIG. 2A is an exploded view of certain interlocking parts of the card holder and orienting device and play board segment of FIG. 2 and further illustrates the manner of attaching a play board segments to the card holder and orienting device;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken generally along the line 33 of FIG. 1 and shows in detail one type of event probability indicator button that can be used during playing of the game;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken generally along the line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a play board segment that may be used during playing of the game and illustrates how the individual event indicator buttons can be manipulated by a player;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the card holder and orienting device used in playing of the game and illustrates the manner in which an ordinary event card or a news card is to be oriented with and mounted upon the card holder device during playing of the game;

FIG. 7 is a schematic plan view of a preferred board layout of FIG. 1 and illustrates the manner in which ordinary and news event cards are mounted and oriented in a preselected fashion on the card holder whereby certain indicia on one face of the cards can be matched and correlated with certain event indicia on the different play board segments during playing of the game, and with certain of the card and play board indicia being projected from the figure proper on a larger scale for the purpose of better illustration of the invention;

FIG. 7A is a view taken within a circumscribing line 7A of FIG. 7 and illustrates in detail the manner of operating an event probability indicator button in accordance with a given play occurring during playing of the game;

FIG. 8 is a plan view of a suitable icosahedron die that can be used during playing of the game;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the play money which can be used during playing of the game;

FIGS. 10 and 11 are plan views of opposite sides of a typical ordinary event card used during playing of the game;

FIGS. 12 and 13 are plan views of opposite sides of a typical news event type card used during playing of the game; and

FIG. 14 is a fragmentary view of a portion of a scoring and forecasting sheet which can be used by a player during playing of the game.

With further reference to the drawings and in particular FIGS. 1-5, the game board in a preferred embodiment of the invention is comprised of a generally centrally disposed card and board segment orienting device 2 that can be advantageously molded in one piece from a suitable plastic material. Although this device 2 can have various shapes, such as triangular, octagonal, circular, etc., in the embodiment shown it has the shape of a cross whereby it is provided with a series of arms 4, 6, 8 and 10 provided with openings 5. The outer extremity of each arm is provided with a seat 12 offset with respect to the overall top surface 13 of the card holder device 2. Mounted upon each of the seats 12 is a pair of spaced embossments or ribs 14. The inner extremities of these ribs are slightly spaced from the downwardly projecting wall 15 which connects the top surface 13 of an arm 4, 6, 8 or 10 with its associated seat 12. Each of the seats 12 is preferably identified with a color marking, such as blue, orange, green and yellow, in the manner indicated in FIGS. 1 and 2A.

One or more play board segments 7, which can likewise be advantageously molded from a suitable plastic material, are selectively oriented and removably connected to the device 2. Since all the board segments have the same general construction, a detailed description and illustration of one should sufiice for all. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, each segment 7 is provided with a top 30 having its upper surface broken down into three sections. The first section 16 comprises indicia representing a series of future events with fifteen such events being shown for the purpose of illustration. The second section 17 is provided with two rows of receptacles or slots marked and for the reception of play money, and a third slotted section 18 serves as a holder for a series of event probability indicator buttons or markers 19, there being one indicator button for each particular event listed on section 16 of each board segment 7. The particular use and manner of manipulation of each indicator button, as well as the manner of use of the play money, will all be described more fully hereinafter.

As indicating particularly in FIGS. 2 and 2A, the sides 20 of each board segment 7 are provided with downwardly projecting walls 21. The walls are preferably of a height which corresponds to the height of the walls 22 on the sides of the arms 4, 6, 8 and 10 of the card and board segment orienting device 2. An intermediate or central portion of the front wall 21 is cut away as at 23 whereby the remaining wall portion 24 of wall 21 can slip into the spaces 25 provided between wall 15 and the inner ends of the embossments 14 on the ledges 12 of the individual arms 4, 6, 8 or 10 of device 2, with the embossments 14 then being fitted in the spaces 26 defined by pairs of ribs 27 projecting outwardly from the wall segment 24 of the wall 21 of a board segment 7. If desired, ribs 28 connected to the top 30 and wall 21 of a board segment 7 can be further provided for reinforcing purposes. Finally, button-like embossments 31 may be provided on the underside of the top 30 of a board segment 7 for shim purposes with the embossments 31 resting upon the top surface of the ribs 14 of a shelf 12 of the card device 2 when a board segment 7 is interlocked with device 2.

As indicated particularly in FIGS. 2-5, the event probability indicator buttons 19 have a significant function in the playing of a game in that they serve to indicate during and at the end of the game whether given events will or will not occur and their final disposition determines whether or not the player have made accurate event fore casts. Although these buttons could take various forms as a game appurtenance, in their preferred form they comprise a slidable button 35 which can be engaged and manipulated by a player in the fashion indicated in FIG. 5. Each button has an upwardly projecting stem 36 integral with an inverted U-shaped lower base 37. The slot 38 in base 37 is adapted to receive a rail or rib 39 projecting upwardly from a bottom insert 40 which is adhesively or otherwise secured to the walls 21 on three sides of a board segment 7. The upper stem 36 protrudes through an elongated slotted opening 41 in the top 30 of a board segment 7 so that the indicator button 19 can be readily engaged by a player and manipulated back and forth in its associated slotted opening 41 in the manner illustrated in FIG. 5.

Inasmuch as there is one event probability indicator button 19 for each event which is to be forecast, each board segment 7 is shown in the drawings for the purpose of illustration as containing a total of fifteen individual events on section 16 thereof and fifteen corresponding indicator buttons 19. It might be noted at this point that the events to be forecast are arbitrarily selected as to time. Accordingly, forecasts are made as to the probability of events ocurring twenty years after the date of play. As indicated in the drawings, the slotted openings 41 and indicator buttons 19 are aligned with the various event to be forecast and, inasmuch as each board segment 7 contains fifteen events, in the preferred playing of the game there would be a total of sixty different events arranged about the board area when four board segments are used.

These events, which are carried on the indicia sections 16 of the board segments 7, are preferably significant events. Accordingly, they cover events such as (1) Continental Shelves Will Be Mined For Ore in twenty years; (2) An Effective WorldWide Antipoverty Program Will Be Carried Out in twenty year; (3) There Will Be Computer Programmed Use Of All Agricultural Land Areas in twenty years; (4) An Annular Wage of $6,000 Will Be Guaranteed To All Bread-Winners in twenty years, etc. In other words, to make the game both interesting and educational, the events which are selected for play are preferably events which are or should be of major concern and interest to the players since these events will significantly affect the way of life of all peoples on the earth twenty years hence. The manner in which on even influences the occurrence or non-occurrence of one or more other events is also taken into account during playing of the game.

From the above it will now be readily apparent that the indicator button 19 which is aligned with event #1 on section 16 of the detailed board segment 7 of FIG. 1 has reference to the future existence or non-existence in twenty years of say Ocean Mining. The second indicator button 19 on this same board segment would be aligned with and have reference to the future existence or non-existence of event #2, say An Effective World-\Vide Antipoverty Program, etc. For the purpose of assisting the players in the visual playing of the game, and as indicated a FIGS. 1 and 5, contains two columns of pockets 17 for Y the reception of disks 82 representing some of the play money 80. Located at the ends of the columns of pockets 17 are plus and minus signs. These signs determine the particular pockets into which the play money is inserted by a player, depending on whether the player bets that a given event aligned with a given pocket 17 will or will not occur.

A further significant appurtenance of this game is a percentage of probability scale 45 for use with the indicator buttons 19. Thi scale, for the purpose of convenience, is disposed along at least one and preferably along two opposed margins of a board segment whereby the scale is in effect merely duplicated. The scale readings at both margins are identical and they are properly aligned with the row of elongated slotted openings 41 and buttons 19 on a board segment in the manner indicated in FIG. 1 wherein the scale on one margin has been projected for the purpose of illustration. This percentage of probability scale 45 is broken down into 20% increments whereby the identical scales on both margins are marked in the same fashion with 0%, 20%, 40%, 60%, 80% and 100% designations. Inasmuch as buttons 19 are aligned with the scale markings, individual event indicator buttons 19 during playing of the game can be readily referenced with and moved up or down the scale in increments of 20%. When a particular button 19 during game play has reached 0% on the scale 45, the non-happening of the event has been fully determined, i.e., the event will not happen, and the button remains at 0% for the remainer of game play. Conversely, when a button 19 reaches 100% on the scale 45, the event will absolutely happen and the button 19 remains at 100% for the remainder of game play. From the above it is evident that during play of the game the absolute determination of whether an event will or will not happen will depend on and be indicated by the disposition of the particular indicator button at either 0% or 100% on the scale whereby the accuracy of an event forecast that has been previously made by a player is likewise fully determined at the same time and the determined event is out of play.

During individual plays of the game, the individual buttons 19 are moved up or down the percentage of probability scale depending upon various factors which are considered during and advantageously used in the. playing of the game. In one mode of playing the game, such as in the case where play i stopped for time limit reasons and where the occurrence or non-occurrence of only certain of the events has been fully determined, an arbitrary determination as to the happening or non-happening of all the remaining events can be made by the players as follows. If the particular event indicator button of a remaining event is located at 40% or below on the event probability scale 45, there is an arbitrary determination that the event will not happen. Conversely, if an event indicator button is located at or above on scale 45, there is an arbitrary determination that the event will occur. It will be further noted, by reference to the drawings and in particular FIG. 1, that the different percentages on the percentage scale 45 are advantageously color-coded. Thus the 0% reading is colored white, the 20% reading is colored orange, the 40% reading is colored green, the 60% reading is colored yellow, the reading is colored blue and the reading is colored white.

The individual indicator buttons are also specially colored. For example, the indicator button 19 for event #1 or Ocean Mining is colored green, while the indicator button 19 for event #2 is colored orange, etc. This color coding for all the buttons 19 is significant, in that it enables the initial setting of all of the event indicator buttons 19 at the beginning of play with respect to the percentage of probability scale 45 on each board segment, by virtue of the fact that the color of each event indicator button 19 is matched with the same color for a percentage marking on the scale 45. In other words, the green button 19 for event #1 is matched up with the 40% scale reading, the orange button for event #2 is matched up with the 20% scale reading, etc. For the purpose of illustration, all of the indicator buttons 19 are correctly lined up with their appropriate percentage numbers on the percentage of probability scale 45 for the board segment 7 illustrated in detail in FIG. 1 in accordance with the aforesaid color matching scheme. The same indicator button settings will, of course, be performed by the players with respect to all of the other indicator buttons on the other three board segments 7 shown in FIG. 1 at the start of play.

One principal concept involved in playing the game, i.e., use of an event indicator button which also is a primary game appurtenance, has been hitherto described. The second principal concept, concerning the various factors which determine or control the particular movements and final disposition of each event indicator button 19 along the percentage of probability scale, will now be described.

The first of these factors involves the opinions of experts as to the probability of the event occurring or not occurring. This may be considered as a known factor and this is expressed in terms of the percentage of probability of the event occurring by simply matching the color coding of the percentage indicator scale 45 with the corresponding color coding of the individual indicator buttons 19 to provide for the initial disposition of the buttons at the beginning of play, all as described in detail above. Another factor which is used in influencing event and, in turn, the movements of each indicator button 19 can be referred to as the element of ordinary chance. This is reflected in terms of given numbers or zero on the fact of a suitable indicating device, such as dice, a spinner or, in the preferred embodiment of the invention, a many faceted or icosahedron die 46. This die is shown in FIG. 8. The various faces 47 of the die are marked with one or more percentage markings, e.g., 80%, 60%, 40%, 20%, or a face of the die can be completely blank. When used, the figures correspond to the 80-20 percentage readings on scale 45. If, during a given play of a particular event, the particular percentage scale reading at which the indicator button 19 for that particular event is then set, e.g., 40%, also shows up on the top face of the rolled die 46, then there is a final determination that the event in play will occur and the probability marker or button 19 is moved all the way to 100% and this event is then out of play for the rest of the game. If, on the other hand, the top face of the die is blank, or does not show in the number or numbers on that face of the rolled die the number at which the event indicator button is set, e.g., the same 40%, this means that the event will not occur, its probability is fully determined and the indicator button 19 is moved to and this event is also out of play for the remainder of the ame.

g Another factor which influences the movement up or down the percentage indicator scale 45 of a given event indicator button 19 is the use of future event cards. These cards 60 are illustrated in FIGS. and 11. The use of these cards will now be described with reference particularly to FIGS. 6, 7, 10 and 11 of the drawings. When, for the purpose of illustration, sixty events are to be played, sixty cards will be used, one for each event. The cards generally have the same dimension as the projected squared-off dimensions of the card holder device 2 whereby they will fit snugly over this card orienting and holding device 2. The front face of the card as indicated in FIG. 10 can be color-coded at the margins and contains indicia involving a discussion of the particular event which is in play, such as event #1 or Ocean Mining. It also contains a discussion as to the experts opinion of the percentage of probability of the event happening in a given period of time. For example, in the case of Ocean Mining the experts can have prognosticated that this event has a 40% chance of happening in twenty years.

The card can be provided with a central opening 61 which can be engaged by the finger of a player for the purpose of manipulation of the card and a pair of specially arranged smaller holes or apertures 62. These latter holes are punched at special places on the card and are adapted to mate with pins 63 on the card holder device. Finally, the front and reverse sides of the card can have a marking 64 on the margin thereof which lines up with the event covered by the card and spelled out on the section 16 of a given board segment 7 During a given play, the card is first located face up on the holder by inserting the pins 63 of the card holder device 2 through the openings 62 in the card such that the marker block 64 of the card in FIGS. 10 and 11 registers with the indicia identifying Ocean Mining on a board segment 7. Thereafter, during play, the card is turned over and the holes 62 again registered with the pins 63 of device 2. By referring to FIG. 11, it will be noted that the back face of the card carries a series of arrows on the margin of the card. These arrows 66 and 65 are colored green and red, respectively. These arrows 65 and 66 register with various other events not specifically in play on the various board segments and show what other events are affected either positively or negatively by the occurrence of event #1, Ocean Mining, the red arrows indicating the other events that are negatively influenced while the green arrows indicate events positively influenced. The red and green arrows always are negative and positive, respectively, except when an event does not occur, in which case their functions are interchanged. Assuming the event in play occurs, we now see by taking the specific card of FIGS. 10 and 11 and using it as in FIG. 7 that item 26 or an event relating to Elements Being Manufactured To Order is negatively influenced. Thus the Indicator button 19 for event 26 is moved down one notch or 20% on the percent of probability scale 45 associated therewith. Similarly, an event indicated as #47 will be moved down 20% as indicated on the percentage indicator scale 45 while events #30, #29, #23 and #20 are all positively influenced and the event indicator buttons 19 for these latter events will be moved correspondingly upwardly one 20% increment along the percentage of probability scale 45.

The importance of having a particular orientation or the different board segments 7 with respect to the central card holder 2 in playing of the game is now clearly apparent, inasmuch as the indicia on the back face of cards 60, such as the red and green arrows, has to be fully coordinated and correlated with the indicia or the specific events which appear on the various board segments 7 arranged about the outer periphery of the central'card holder 2 during playing of the game. The above are typical examples of events which can be influenced and it is to be understood that each event card 60 will carry an arrangement of red and green arrows and 66 different from that described above with reference to the event card for the #1 event or Ocean Mining.

Another factor previously referred to as absolute chance is reflected by the use of what is known as a wild or news card 70, the front and back faces of which are shown in FIGS. 12 and 13. Ten such cards can be used and each such card, when it appears at the top of the stack of shuflled and assembled event and wild cards 60 and 70, then becomes involved in the game play. Each card 70 has a central opening 61 and smaller openings 62' through which the pins 63 of the card holder device 2 are inserted at the time the card is located upon the card holder device 2. When the card is turned so that its reverse side shows, as indicated in FIG. l3. the red and green arrows 72 and 73 will point to other events on the board segments 7 influenced negatively or positively by the special news event in play. These other events are thus influenced as in the case of the other ordinary events of cards 60 up or down in 20% increments. For example, one green arrow 73 could positively influence event 30 which refers to a Ten-Fold Rise In Automation and the event indicator button 19 for event #30 would be moved upwardly one notch or 20% on the percentage of probability scale associated therewith. The red arrow 72 on the news card 70, on the other hand, could indicate that event #55 The Occurrence Of Wide-spread Use Of Commercial Rocket Transport is at the same time influenced negatively 20% whereby the indicator button for event #55 now is to be moved downwardly one notch or 20%.

A final factor which can be utilized in one mode of game play is the degree or amount of influence which one can bring to bear on the happening or non-happening of an event by virtue of the investment of capital. In this instance the play money 80, which can be in the form of paper money S1 and chips 82, is used. This investment takes place, for example, by paying the bank a fixed sum, such as three billion dollars. This investment entitles the investor, as will be indicated more fully hereinafter, to move the indicator button 19 for the event he wishes to influence up or down the event probability scale 45 one notch or 20% depending on whether the investor player wishes to influence the happening of the event positively or negatively.

A final appurtenance that can be used in playing the game is the forecasting sheet or card 90, a fragmentary portion of which is illustrated in FIG. 14. The player can use this sheet for both reference and scoring purposes. For example, the score card or sheet can list the events in one row or column 92 across from which is a column 93 of percentage figures which reflect the opinions of experts as regards the happening or nonhappening of each event, additional columns 94 and 95 for points which can be won by a player for each event correctly forecast negatively or positively, and a final row 96 for the player to score all of his correct event forecasts.

Having outlined the general theory of the game, together with the various essential appurtenances used in playing the game, the various modes of playing the game will now be described. There are two preferred modes of game play and in both modes the game proceeds by playing at least fifteen cards made up of cards 60 or various combinations of cards 60 and 70.

In each mode of game play, the board is set up as indicated above by having the different board segments 7 removably connected to the card holding and board orienting device 2. In this connection, for convenience in assembling the board segments 7 with the card holder device 2, the sections 16 of each play board segment can be color-coded as indicated in FIG. 7 so that each play board segment can be readily matched with the particular color designation shown on one of the arms of orienting device 2. Consequently, as indicated in FIGS. 1 and 7, section 16 of the right-hand board segment would have a blue coloring to match the blue color of arm 6 of card holder device 2. The topmost board segment 7 would have its section 16 colored yellow. Section 16 of the left-hand board segment 7 would be colored green and the bottommost board segment 7 would be colored orange. This helps also in the desired orientation of the board segments with respect to the card holder device 2 for the reasons noted above.

In one mode of play involving a point system, any number of players can play and the game proceeds by each player being given a pencil and one forecasting SCOlHlg sheet 90. Each player then prepares his own forecast as to the happening or non-happening of each of the sixty events played. These forecasts may be based on what the individual player believes will happen or what he would like to see happen or on any other basis he chooses. The

player would simply mark on his score sheet the will occur or will not occur column 94 or 95 across from each event in the column 92 for the Sixty events being considered. The numbers in the will occur or will not occur columns are the points to be scored for correct forecasts. When all the players forecasts are completed, a card warden, which can be the player seated across from the yellow board segment 7, shuffles all the ordinary event and news cards 60 and 70 together with their front faces up. While there are at least sixty event cards, there are preferably only ten news or wild cards that are used. The card warden then takes the top fifteen cards from those shuffied, which may include only event cards 60 or a combination of event and news cards 60 and 79, and places them on the card holding device 2 with all the event title sides or front faces of the cards up and the locator holes 62 and 62' of the cards 60 and 70 over the pins 63 of device 2. Since a news card 70 is a wild card, there will, of course, be no specific event as such which matches this card in the sixty ordinary events listed on the board segments 7. The top card of the fifteen cards, if it be an event card 60, is now read by the player on whose board segment the event is listed. If it is a news event card 70, the card warden can read the card. If only three players are playing, one of the three should be assigned two board segments 7 as well as the tasks of reading the event cards for the two board segments 7 and adjusting the probability markers or indicator buttons 19 therefor. Then, to determine whether the event will occur or will not occur, a given player rolls the icosahedron die 46. If the given events probability percentage number as indicated by the location at that time of its sliding colored marker or button 19 on the percentage scale (80, 60, 40 or 20) appears among those numbers on the top facet of the die 46, this means the event will occur and the event probability marker or button 19 for that event is moved to 100% on scale 45. If the probability number of the event does not show on the top facet of the die or the top facet of the die is blank, this means that the event will not occur and the probability event indicator button 19 for the event in question is moved to 0% on the scale 45.

The player handling the card in question as designated above then turns over the event or news card or 70, being careful to reposition it on the locator pins 63 by use of the holes 62 or 62'. Effects on other related events are now revealed. When one event occurs or does not occur this can, of course, have the effect of raising or reducing the probabilities for related events. If the event played in the preceding step has reached of probability (will occur) the green arrows will point to related events whose probabilities will increase as a result. The players on whose board segments 7 these latter events are listed now move the buttons 19 for such events up one row or 20%. The red arrows, if any, on the back of the card played now point to related events the probabilities of which will decrease. The players then move the event indicator buttons 19 for these latter events down 20% on the scale 45. Conversely, if the event played in the previous step has been moved to zero, the event will not occur and the effects of the various arrows are reversed. The green arrows are then considered as pointing to events whose probabilities will now decrease by 20% while the red arrows will be regarded as pointing to events whose probabilities will increase by 20%. Thus the probability event indicator buttons 19 for the events in question as now reversely affected by the red or green arrows should be moved accordingly.

After the probability adjustment has been made with respect to each individual indicator button for the particular event influenced, the card 60 or 70, as the case may be, is then removed from the top of the stack on the card holder device 2. The players then continue with the next card as in the previous step, etc., until all of the fifteen cards have been played. In the course of play, various related events will occur, that is, reach 100%, or will not occur or drop to 0%. Once the event indicator button for the particular event is moved either to 100% or 0%, the particular event which has reached 100% or 0% of probability has been completely determined. Thus it is possible that a card will come up later for an event which has already reached a 100% or 0% probability. If this happens, the icosahedron die 46 is not rolled because the event is already decided. For the same reason the icosahedron die 46 is not rolled for the turning up of a news event card 70. In any case, however, the event player still can turn the card over, whether it be a news event card or an ordinary event card, and still play the related events shown on the back face thereof, as before.

After the last of the fifteen cards has been played, event indicator buttons for remaining events which have not been moved so that they have reached either 0% or 100% are then arbitrarily moved to the nearest end of the play board segment; to 0% if it is at 40% or below on its associated scale 45, or to 100% if it is located at 60% or above on the scale, so that all of the events which have not been completely determined will then be arbitrarily determined. Thus in this version of the game all of the events will have been decided and each players forecast sheet can now be scored by adding up the points for correct forecasts only. When the point scoring has been completed, individual players should total their points and the player with the highest point total wins. Although in the playing of the game of the aforedescribed version, the players have arbitrarily used only fifteen cards, which may be all event cards 60 or a number of event cards, such as thirteen, and two news or wild cards 70, the overall number of cards that can be played can be as many as twenty, thirty, etc.

The second version or mode of game play which introduces the investment influence concept and involves skill in addition to luck will now be described. In this instance the game requires the players active participation in dealing with three factors which simulated possible models for forecasting and planning the future; firstly, the known yet continuously changing probabilities of events, secondly, the human influence on events through strategy and investment which can be regarded as money, time, talent, etc., and thirdly, chance. Two or more players can play and after the game board has been set up as described previously the game proceeds as follows. Each player takes one future event score and reference sheet 90, not for scoring necessarily but for use as his own quick reference to all of the sixty events listed around the overall playing board made up of board segments 7. The banker, who in this case can be the blue player, provides each player with twenty-five chips. The chips can be colored so as to match the players board segment color and each chip can be worth one billion dollars. Paper money can also be used and, when the players acquire paper money, they may use it to buy chips back from the bank, if needed. The paper money can be broken down into two types of bills, one indicating five billion dollars and the other indicating one billion dollars. The card warden, who has been previously selected in the first version of the game as the player having the yellow board segment, separates the sixty event cards 60 into four stacks by color and gives each player the fifteen cards which bear on the margin of the front face thereof (see FIG. his playing board segment color, e.g., blue cards for the blue board segment player, etc. In other words, fifteen of the cards 60 have blue margins on the front face thereof, fifteen have yellow margins, fifteen have green margins and fifteen have orange margins.

The card warden retains all the news event cards 70. Each player may take several minutes to select from his group of color-coded cards 60 two specific events which he particularly wishes to influence during game play. For example, suppose the blue player decides he would like to help bring about the occurrence of event #12Elfec tive Elimination Of Racial Barriers, and event #14The Occurrence Of A Staggered Work Week. He holds out these two cards from the stack and returns his other thirteen event cards 60 to the card warden. When all players have thus selected and held out two cards, e.g., a total of eight cards if there are four players playing the game, the card warden then shuflles together all re maining event cards 60 and all news event cards 70. The card warden next collects the players chosen cards from the players. Because at least fifteen cards are needed to play a full game, the card warden takes the required num ber of additional cards from the top of the shuffled stack of cards and adds them to the cards 60 he has received from the players and now holds. If there are four players, seven more cards would be added to the eight that the players have selected. The final group of cards thus could include news event cards 70 as well as ordinary event cards 60. The card warden then gives a final shuflie to the completed stack of fifteen game cards and places them on pins 63 of the card device 2 with the front faces of the cards in the up position. Now investments and influence come into play. The money used to influence an event, either paper bills or chips, is paid to the bank. Accordingly, a player may now invest, one time only as to a four chip investment, in the outcome of his two previously chosen events. He may make a positive investment hoping to gain if the event occurs by placing four chips only in the plus chip slot for that event or he may make a negative investment hoping to gain if the event fails to occur by placing four chips in the minus chip slot for the event in question.

The top card in the game stack which includes cards 60 and possibly cards 70 is read aloud by the player on whose board the event is listed. If the top card is a news event card 70, the yellow player reads it and no influence payment or investment may be made. Otherwise, at this time the event player (reader) may, if he Wishes, influence the event, either raising or reducing its probability 20%, by paying three billion dollars to the bank. However, the player may not use his influence to move the event probability indicator button 19 for the event to or 0% on the scale 45 for the event. In other words, players cannot buy the certainty of an event.

Next, the event player (only) may also invest one chip in the outcome of this event, either positively or negatively, by placing a chip in the appropriate minus or plus chip slot formed in the board segment involved. It is t be noted that chips or paper money used to influence an event are paid to the bank. The chips which the players invest are placed in the chip slots. When a chip slot is filled to say a five chip maximum, no more investments can be made in that slot.

In the next step, all players can, if they desire, invest in possibly related events. For example, after the reading of the event, such as indicated above, all players may invest in any other event whose probability they think will be significantly changed by the outcome of the event being played. These related event investments are limited to two per player. One event must be on his own board segment and the other event may be on any other players 'board segment. Only one chip per investment can be made and investments may be either negative or positive. For example, suppose the event in play is event #43 which is to the effect that There Will Be More Than One Hundred Twenty Million Autos In Use. A player might reason to himself as follows. If this event occurs it will increase the probability of the event #27, Autos Barred From Cities. Therefore, he would invest a chip in the plus slot of the event #27. On the other hand, if this event occurs it would also decrease the probability of event #34, The Bringing About Of Air And Water Pollution Control, so he could also put a chip in the minus slot for event #34 on the particular board segment bearing this particular event.

When all players have completed all their investments. the event player rolls the icosahedron die 46 except when a news event card 70 is in play. If the events current probability percentage as indicated by the percentage scale position of its sliding probability button 19 appears among the numbers on the top facet of the die 46, the event will occur and the event indicator button 19 for that event is moved to 100% on the indicator scale 45. If not, the event Will not occur, in which instance the event indicator button 19 for the event will be moved to 0% on the scale 45.

Next, the event card player, or the yellow card player if the card is a news card 70, turns over the card in play, places the card over the locator pins 63 on the card hold er device 2, and reads the related events shown on this card which are affected. If the played event has occurred, all buttons 19 for all positively related events green arrows) are moved up 20% or one row on scale 45. Events aflected by the red arrows on the card would have their indicator buttons correspondingly moved down one row or 20% on scale 45. If the event has not occurred, of course, these probability changes are reversed, with the buttons '19 for related events then being moved down for green arrows pointing thereto and up for red arrows pointing thereto, all as previously described in connection with playing the first version of the game. The players are 13 responsible for movement of the probability markers or buttons 19 on their own board segments 7. When only three players play the game, one player will, of course, have been designated to adjust the event indicator buttons 19 on the unassigned board segment 7.

There are two kinds of payoffs by the bank. The first is concerned with a bonus payment for related events. In this instance, when each event card has been turned over to reveal the other events related to it (all as indicated by red and green arrows as noted above) the players who have invested in these events are paid oi as follows. (a) If the related events probability has increased and the player has invested positively on this event, he receives two billion dollars from the bank and his one billion dollar chip remains in the appropriate slot. (b) Similarly, if the events probability has decreased and he has invested negatively, the player also receives two billion dollars and his one billion dollar chip remains in the slot. (c) If the event probability has moved in the direction opposite to the players investment, his one billion dollar chip goes to the bank. (d) When chips have been invested in events which prove to be unrelated to the event in play, such chips will be left in their slots. Note that in this case the chips that are left in the slots now become investments that are only paid off when the event is finally decided.

Another form of payment involves the final payments for decided events. As the play proceeds, the outcome of events will be determined by one of the following means: (a) As the result of the roll of the icosahedron die 46 for each event card played. (b) As a result of the related event probability changes which cause the indicator buttons or markers 19 to move to 100% or of probability on the scale 45. (c) At the end of the game when unresolved events are finally decided as noted above in the case of the first mode of playing the game.

As each event is finally decided, that is, will or will not occur, players who have investments in the decided events will receive payofis at that time according to the following payment schedule.

If the outcome of an event is opposite to the players investment, he automatically forfeits those chips to the bank.

Finally, to conclude the game in this second mode of play, the players continue playing the game by following the various steps outlined above until all of the fifteen cards have been played. After the last card has been played and certain unresolved events remain, each unresolved event is decided by moving its probability indicator button 19 to the nearest end of the percentage indicator scale 45, that is, to 100% on the scale if the marker or individual event indicator button was at 80% or 60%; or to 0% on the scale if the aforesaid event indicator button 19 was at 40% or 20% on the scale. All of the remaining chip investments are paid off at that time in accordance with the schedule set forth above. In this mode of playing the game the winner is the player who has made the most money during the playing of the game.

An advantageous embodiment of the invention has been shown and described. It will be obvious to one skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the scope thereof as defined by the appended claims, wherein What is claimed is:

1. An amusement game device for playing a game concerned with forecasting the simulated happening or nonhappening of future events and comprised of a card holder; a plurality of playboards oriented and removably disposed in a preselected manner relative to the card holder, each playboard being provided with indicia descriptive of a plurality of possible future events; an event probability indicator scale for each playboard, said scale being fully correlated with each event listed on the playboard and the scale also being delineated in terms of percentages of probability of an event happening; an indicator button for each event listed on a playboard, said indicator button being selectively movable along its percentages of probability indicator scale during individual game plays; and play cards each of which bears different indicia, each of said cards being adapted to be selectively oriented on said card holder with respect to said playboards such that the indicia on one portion of a given card designates one event on a playboard and indicia on another portion of the card designates a related event on a playboard, the indicia designating a related event being one of two difierent types whereby the necessary direction of movement to be given an indicator button relative to said related event along a scale may be determined.

2. An amusement game device as set forth in claim 1 including a chance percentage of probability indicating device which is manipulated by a player during a given game play, said indicating device having percentage of probability indications corresponding to those at which an indicator button may be set with reference to the scale.

3. The amusement game device of claim 2 wherein the chance percentage of probability indicating device comprises a many faceted die thrown by a player with the various facets of the die displaying different percentage of probability indications.

4. The amusement game device as set forth in claim 1 wherein a playboard and said card holder contain matching indicia for use in orienting said playboard in said preselected manner relative to said card holder.

5. The amusement game device of claim 1 including means on a card and said card holder for orienting the card in a predetermined fashion on the card holder and comprising pins on the card holder which are insertable in matching holes in the card.

6. The amusement game device of claim 1 including interfitting means on the card holder and a playboard for removably securing the card holder and playboard together in said preselected manner.

7. The amusement game device of claim 1 including pocket means in a playboard for holding imitation money used by players during game play.

8. The amusement game device of claim 1 including a score sheet provided with event indicia matching the event indicia on a playboard and further including scoring areas aligned with the event indicia on said score sheet and useable by a player during game play for reference and scoring purposes.

9. The amusement game device of claim 1 wherein an indicator button is provided with means for holding said button in slidable engagement with its associated playboard.

10. Apparatus for playing a game concerned with forecasting the happening or non-happening of simulated future events and comprised of a card holder; a plurality of playboards oriented in a preselected manner relative to the card holder, each playboard being provided with indicia descriptive of a plurality of possible future events; an event probability indicator scale for each playboard,

said scale being fully correlated with each event listed on a given playboard, the scale being delineated in terms of percentages of probability of an event happening; an indicator button for each event listed on a. playboard, said indicator button being selectively movable along the percentage of probability indicator scale during individual game plays; play cards each of which bears diiferent indicia, each of said cards being adapted to be selectively oriented on siad card holder with respect to said playboards such that the indicia on one portion of a given card designates one event on a playboard and indicia on another portion of the card designates a related event on a playboard, the indicia designating event being one of two different types whereby the necessary direction of movement of the indicator button relative to said related event along a scale may be determined; and imitation money which can be used for investment purposes by a given player.

11. The apparatus as set forth in claim including a chance percentage of probability indicating device which is manipulated by a player during a given game play, said device having percentage of probability indications corresponding to those at which an indicator button may be set with reference to the scale.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the chance percentage of probability indicating device comprises a many faceted die thrown by a player with the various facets of the die displaying difierent percentage of probability indications.

13. The apparatus of claim 10 including means on the card holder and a card for orienting the card in a predetermined fashion on the card holder and comprising pins on the card holder which are inserta'ble in matching holes in the card.

14. The apparatus of claim 10 including interfitting means on the card holder and a playboard for removably securing the card holder and playboard together in said preselected manner.

15. The apparatus of claim 10 including pocket means in a playboard for holding said imitation money used by players during game play.

16. The apparatus of claim 10 including a score sheet provided with event indicia matching the event indicia on a playboard and further including scoring areas aligned with event indicia on the score sheet and useable by a player during game play for reference and scoring purposes.

17. An amusement game device for playing a game concerned with forecasting the simulated happening or non-happening of future events and comprised of a card holder; a plurality of playboard segments oriented and removably disposed in a preselected manner relative to the card holder, the board segments each being provided with indicia descriptive of a plurality of possible future events; a nevent probability indicator scale for each playboard segment, said scale being fully correlated with each future event listed on the playboard segment with which the scale is associated and each scale being delineated in terms of percentages of probability of an event happening; an indicator button for each event listed on a playboard segment, each indicator button being selectively movable along the percentages of probability indicator scale with which it is associated during individual game plays; a change percentage of probability indicating device which is manipulated by a player during a given play, play cards each of which bears different indicia, each of said cards being adapted to be selectively oriented on said card holder with respect to said playboard segments, indicia on one portion of a given card designating one event on a playboard segment and indicia on another portion of the card designates a related event on a playboard segment, the indicia designating a related event being one of two types whereby the necessary direction of movement to be given an indicator button relative to said related event along a scale may be determined, and imitation money which can be invested by a player.

18. An amusement game device as set forth in claim 17 wherein said chance percentage of probability indicating device comprises a many faceted die thrown by a player during a given play with the various facets of the die displaying diiferent percentages of probability.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,624,582 1/1953 -Molinar 273-l48 2,629,602 2/1953 Bach et a1 273l48 2,794,642 6/ 1957 ONeill 273-- B4 3,237,948 3/1966 Murray 273-l34 DELBERT B. LOWE, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R.

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