WO1988003430A1

WO1988003430A1 - Apparatus for playing a game

Info

Publication number: WO1988003430A1
Application number: PCT/GB1987/000810
Authority: WO
Inventors: Mike Stimson; Ian Saunders
Original assignee: Invalay Developments Ltd
Priority date: 1986-11-14
Filing date: 1987-11-13
Publication date: 1988-05-19
Also published as: GB8627286D0; AU8178287A

Abstract

The game has a board which may be foldable for storage and a number, for example 44, symmetrically shaped playing pieces, all of the same shape such as square, diamond hexagonal, octagonal or an equilateral triangle. The playing pieces each display one or another of predetermined portions of pathways which are placeable on the board to extend a randomly disposed pathway on the board. Other playing pieces can be added to represent hazards for example doors or rooms. Information and character cards may also be added to provide further instructions as to steps in the game. Character pieces, each of a different distinctive colour, are also provided to move along the pathways which are preferably segmented and may be straight, right angular, cross path or T-shaped path for example. The board has an external rib on the playing surface around the outer edge thereof to define an area in which the game is to be played. The board and playing pieces can be made of any sheet like material such as paper, board, metal, plastics, carbon fibre, gloss or vacuum formed material.

Description

APPARATUS FOR PLAYING A GAME

The present invention relates to board games for several players and has as an object the provision of new or improved apparatus for playing a game based upon the idea of achieving a quest such as coinbating a dragon by laying various pieces upon a board to define a random pathway on the board. The winner is the first player to coπibat the dragon by gaining more combat points than the value of the combat points for the dragon. The interest and skill of all players is increased by introducing various hazards and obstacles which must be overcome to achieve successful results.

According to the present invention there is provided an apparatus for playing a game representing a quest to be completed, comprising a board and a plurality of symmetrically shaped playing pieces each displaying one or another of predetermined portions of pathways and each piece being placeable on the board at the will of a player to extend a randomly disposed pathway on the board from a start position or block an opponent's pathway.

In one preferred form of the apparatus for playing a game according to the invention each of the playing pieces are of the same shape, the shape being square, diamond, hexagonal, octagonal or an equilateral triangle.

Some of the playing pieces have a picture of a door on it and are coloured to correspond to the colour of a particular character selected by each player. The remainder of the playing pieces have pictures of pathways thereon, there being at least the path patterns, (1) a strai t path, (2) a comer path, (3) a cross path, and (4) a T-shaped path.

Some of the playing pieces are preferably arranged to represent rooms of which there are four types:-

(a) the colour rooms for which there is one for each character,

(b) the chalice room for which only one is available and is con¬ sidered to be unlocked,

(c) the locked rooms of which there are thirteen, and (d) the unlocked rooms of which there are two. The variety of cards will ensure that it is unlikely that the same path will occur twice.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accoirpanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a beard and one playing piece for use in the apparatus according to the present invention,

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one of the playing pieces locatable on the board of Fig. 1,

Fig.3 is a cross-sectional view along the line III-III of Fig.

1,

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a playing piece with a corner pathway, Fig. 5 is a plan view of a playing piece with a cross pathway, Fig. 6 is a plan view of a playing piece with a T-shaped pathway, Fig. 7 is a partial plan view of printed material provided on the playing surface of the board of Fig. 1,

- Fig. 8 is a front view of a monster card, and ' Fig. 9 is a front view of a character card.

Referring now to one embodiment of an apparatus for playing a game as disclosed in the accoirpanying drawings there is illustrated a stiff or rigid board 1 foldable about a central line 2 and on which a plurality of playing pieces 3 are locatable during playing of the game. Various stacks of cards are provided, but are not show in the drawings, for providing a player with information as to the manner in which he can play the game whilst building a pathway to a target portion 4 mounted at the centre of the board 1.

Playing surface 5 of the board 1 is flat and has the target portion 4 located centrally thereof and a doorway piece with which each player begins the game. A raised lip 6 is provided around the edge of the board 1 and serves to stop playing pieces slipping off the board as well as defining an area in which the game is to be played. The appearance of the board 1 is enhanced by overprinting the playing surface with markings which are irregular in shape although have a roughly rectangular configuration. The markings are of various sizes to have the appearance of a cobbled pathway. A typical such is illustrated in Fig. 7.

The board is conveniently 2ft by 2ft (60.96cm by 60.96cm) whilst 5 the lip 6 is 0.5 inches (l/27cm) wide and as thick as each of the playing pieces that is 0.125 (0.05cm).

Fig. 2 illustrates a square playing piece 3 on which there is displayed a straight pathway 7 divided into a plurality of, for exaπple five segments 8. Although a straight pathway is illustrated some of the playing pieces have other pathways of the shapes such as illustrated in Figs. 4, 5 and 6 for the square playing pieces. The pathways on the playing pieces in Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are similarly divided into segments 8. The playing pieces are 2.5 ty 2.5 inches (6.35 x 6.35cm) and are formed of substantially rigid card. There are fortyfour such playing pieces which are provided in two stacks of twentytwo. Each stack of twentytwo is held within a tray-like container having a slot along one face thereof so as to easily remove the playing pieces from the stack. - The container is fixedly supported in a large box in which the apparatus can be packed when not in use.

In addition to the board and playing pieces the apparatus includes information and character cards. There are fiftytwo information cards of which eighteen are grey in colour and have a picture of a monster, such as a snake as shown in Fig. 8, and each type of monster is provided with a point value such as "Snake - strength of 10" . Another eighteen of the cards are white and have pictures thereon with an instruction to draw a monster card. A further thirteen of the cards are yellow and shew various forms of articles, such as an axe in Fig. 9, with which to enter into combat with a monster. The remaining cards shew pictures of gold bars and are intended for use as bribery cards.

Also provided are four character pieces each in the shape of a hand-bell and having a distinctive colour of green, red, yellow or blue. A character piece is selected by a player prior to playing the game and the player selects his doorway of the same colour.

Furthermore, there are four sets of cards with each set being coloured to correspond with the colour of the four character pieces, there being fourteen cards in each set. The cards of each set display a picture of a skeleton key together with a picture of a character with three cards showing articles which are particular to the characteristic features of that particular character.

The target portion 4 is in the shape of a cross with four equally outwardly extending limbs. Printed upon the target portion 4 is a central square with the value twenty marked in it. Extending outwardly from each side of the central square is a T-shaped pathway marked in segments 8. A picture of a dragon is printed as background to the square and pathways on the target portion 4 to add colour to the apparatus.

• A standard^*die or dice is provided to determine when a playing piece is to be laid to build the pathway and the passage of characters along the segments of the pathway.

Tb further illustrate the operation of the game reference is made to the accoitpanying set of rules which follow herewith by way of example:—

The Board

The board, when opened has a raised border. The cross shaped target portion 4 is the Dragon's Lair and this is arranged to freely stand at the centre of the board when this is folded flat. Alternatively, the target portion 4 can be fixed on the board by using locating holes in the board.

Each player chooses a character and takes a door piece of a corresponding colour. The door piece is located at the corner of the board nearest to the player using the locating hole provided. Any remaining door segment must be placed at the remaining corners. The "minor" board pieces must be shuffled and returned face down to their box. There are only enough pieces to complete the board and they each consist respectively of one of the four path patterns:- i) a straight path ii) a corner path iii) a cross path iv) a T-shaped path Some of these game pieces contain rooms of which there are four types:- a) The COLOUR rooms - one for each character b) The CHALICE room - one only (unlocked) c) The LOCKED rooms - of which there are 13 d) The UMJOCKED rooms - of which there are two

This will ensure that it is unlikely that the same path pattern will occur twice.

The cards are now laid out to allow easier access for the players.

The Purpose

Each player must start from his her own coloured door and move around the board by thrcwing a die. Rooms may be entered provided that either they are open or the player has a key, thereby allowing the player to meet the perils that lie within and to increase his her strength and gain treasures and weaponry. When a player has reached full strength and considers that she/he has enough weaponry to challenge the dragon the she/he may journey to the comer of the labyrinth to complete the quest.

To Begin the Game

The players should begin by thrcwing the die to determine who should go first. The player throwing the highest die score will start followed by the other players in clockwise rotation.

o Move The First Move: To start each player in turn throws the die and subtracts one from the score to 'buy' the first board playing piece. This piece must be placed adjacent to the player's door piece by the remainder of the die score.

Subsequent Moves: As each player reaches the edge of a playing piece:- If any die score remains then this must be used to move onto the new playingpiece.

If no further score remains then the player must move onto the new playing piece on the next turn.

If a move ends at the edge of a playing piece and no further score remains, then one is subtracted from the score of the next turn to 'buy' the next playing piece and the player must move onto the new playing piece by the remainder of the score. To enter a room the player must threw a score greater them or equal to that required to reach and enter the room. Any excess score is then forfeit and cannot be carried over.

A player, when laying a playing piece, may try the piece in a number of positions, provided that it adjoins the correct side of his/her current piece and provided that she/he does not release the piece. Once the piece is laid and released then it must remain there.

The Rooms

Once any room has been entered by a player, she/he cannot re-enter that room until she/hehas entered TWO intervening rooms, unless directed to do so by the "Transported to Chalice Room' room card.

No more than one player nay occupy one room at any one time, with the exception of the Chalice room and the Door Piece. If a room is occupied then other players must wait for it to become eπcpty before they may enter it.

Unlocked Rooms: These may be entered by any player without the need for a key. The player then takes a Room Card from the top of the deck. Locked Rooms: These may only be entered by players who have collected their key from their colour room. The player then takes a Room Card from the top of the deck.

Colour Rooms: These are only open to the players of the corresponding colour and may not be entered by the other players. Once the player has entered the room she/he may choose one item of his/her equipment and on the next turn leaves the room. The player must not draw a room card.

The Chalice Room: This room is open to all players. On entering this room the player may take one life card from the deck. The player must not draw a room card.

The Room Card: Each room card contains instructions that direct the player to either:- a) Draw a monster card. The player must then either engage the monster in combat or evade it or bribe it (if applicable - see Monster Card) .

b) Draw a treasure card.

c) Throw the dice again to decide his/her fate.

d) Be transported to another room.

Once these instructions have been obeyed the card must be returned to the bottom of the deck.

Monster Cards

Monster Cards are drawn by the player when instructed to do so by the Room Card. Each Monster Card contains details of a monster and its strength rating.

Dealing With Monsters

Once the player has drawn a monster card she/he must decide which weapons to use in fighting the monster. Those weapons, bags of gold and evasive devices gained from the Treasure Card deck can only be used once and then returned face down to the bottom of the deck and as such the player must choose which items to use before battle can commence.

A player may, depending upon his/her possessions and the monster being faced, elect to fight, evade or bribe the monster.

Battle consists of comparing the monster's combat value against the player's.

Combat

The monster's combat value is composed of the monster's strength rating + one throw of the die. The die is thrown for the monster by the next player on the player's left.

The player's combat value is composed of the player¹s life cards (one point per card) + the player's own possessions (one point, per card except the key which has no combat value) + the player's treasure card weaponry value (usually one point per weapon although some weapons have different values) + one threw of the die.

If the player's combat value is higher than that of the monster then the monster is destroyed and must be returned, face down to the deck. The player may then take one life card and one treasure card. If the player has five possessions already one must be returned, face down, to the deck. A player may not rettirn one of his/her personal possessions unless she/he is in her/his own colour room.

If the monster's combat value is higher then the player must lose one life by returning it to the deck. The player must leave the room on the next turn without drawing a treasure card. If this was the player's last life card then that player is dead and must leave the game.

If both combat values are the same then no lives are gained or lost and no treasure card may be taken» The monster is returned and the player leaves the room at the next turn. Evasion

If the player has either a Cloak of Invisibility or a Torch she/he may, before any further dice are thrown and before any combat values are calculated, elect to evade the monster. In this event no lives are gained or lost but the player may take one treasure card. The evasion device must then be returned, face down to the deck.

Bribery

If the monster is bribable, i.e. the Mercinary and the player has the 3 bags of gold card then the monster may be bribed. The player then returns the gold card, face down, to the deck. No lives are lost or gained and no treasure card may be taken. The player must leave the room at the next turn.

Treasure Cards

Treasure Cards are clearly labeled as to their strengths and values. Each card may be used only once and must be declared and used either at the start of a turn or after the drawing of a monster card.

Each player may only hold or carry five items at any one time, including personal items, including the skeleton key. If a player picks up a sixth item she/he must immediately release one item which may be the item that she/he has just acquired. The player may not release any of his/her items except in his/her colour room.

Some items are worth saving and using in special situations and some items are specialised and defeat only certain adversaries so that it is worth remembering which monsters have appeared already.

NO PLAYER may hold both BOW AND ARROW cards at the same time. If the second is drawn by the player holding the first then one must be returned, face down, to the deck. The Bags of Gold card may be used to purchase a life card but this must only be done at the start of the player's turn before she/he has thrown the die.

Personal Items

Each player has only one skeleton key and three items of personal armour/weaponry which is stored in his/her own colour room. The player can only take and/or leave one item per visit. Each personal item except the key is worth one combat point against any monster and two combat points against the dragon. The key does not count as combat points but has to be carried and as such does count towards the maximum of five objects which can be carried at any one time.

Player Interaction

Combat situation

If one player lands on a square occupied by another player then they must do battle. Each player must declare their strength and which weapons they shall be using, starting with the challenged player who originally occupied that square. The players then calculate their combat values, starting with the challenged player, and the player with the highest combat value wins the conflict.

The victor gains one life card but does NOT draw a treasure card. The loser loses one life card.

In the event of a draw neither player gains or loses a life card and neither player draws a treasure card.

The players must then leave the square on their own turn.

Combat does not take place between two players occupying the same Door Segment or the Chalice Room.

As with combatting monsters, the challenged player may evade the challenger if she/he possesses the Cloak of Invisibility or the Torch. Bartering

At the start of his/her turn, before the die is cast, a player may offer an item or items of his/her treasure for an item or items of another player's treasure. If the other player is agreeable an exchange may be made. This is limited to treasure cards only and life cards and personal items cannot be bartered.

Door Pieces

Each door piece counts as one board square.

Jumping

If a player has his/her key card then she/he may jump from one door piece to any other door piece. To do this the player must land on the nearest door piece by thrcwing a die score equal to or greater than that needed, the excess being forfeit. The player then waits until his/her turn and does not threw the die but instead moves his/her piece to the chosen door piece.

If a player deliberately contrives to land on a door piece then she/he must jump to another door.

If a player lands upon a door by means of his/her normal turn then she/he may choose not to jump.

THE DRAGON

If any player lands on the DRAGON'S SQUARE then that player must fight the Dragon.

Once a player has collected what she/he considers enough life cards and personal items and treasure weapons to possess a great enough Combat Value to be able to defeat the Dragon then she/he may travel to the DRAGON LAIR to do combat.

The player must throw the exact die score to land upon the Dragon's square. The Dragon has a total coπibat Value of twenty and the player must beat this by gaining a greater Combat Value. The player's Combat Value is composed of his/her life cards (one point each) + his/her personal items excluding the key (each worth two points against the Dragon only) + his/her treasure weapons (worth one point only unless otherwise stated) + a die throw.

If the player succeeds in beating the Dragon then she/he is the victor and the game is over.

If the player's combat value is less than or equal to that of the Dragon then she/he must lose two lives and is transported back to his/her own door from where she/he may contine the game. Any treasure weapons used in the attempt must be returned, face down_r to the bottom of the deck.

A player may evade the dragon using the Cloak of Invisibility or the Tbrch, but this will NOT enable the player to defeat the dragon.

Whilst the invention has been described above with reference to one embodiment the apparatus can be altered without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, the target area may be glued in its central position on the board. In such an event the target area is cut along a line corresponding to the fold line of the board to facilitate folding of the board. Alternatively, holes may be provided in the board to hold the target portion in position. The door pieces located in each corner of the board may simply be laid on the board without pegs located in holes in the board.

In an alternative embodiment the raised lip around the edge of the board is omitted.

Furthermore, handbell shaped character pieces can be of any desired shape.

^'The playing pieces and board may be of any size and may be made from any material such as paper, board, card, wood, any metal or alloy precious or otherwise, plastics, acrylic, carbon fibre, glass, vacuum formed material.

The board may have two or more fold lines to fold the board into the smallest possible space when the game is not in use.

The pre erred form of the invention has been described above but the apparatus can be modified to include a secondary game in which only the board and playing pieces are utilised. In this case the board is opened and the symmetrically shaped playing pieces are shuffled face down and shared amongst the players who then take turns to lay a playing piece selected at random onto the board each at a starting position. The playing pieces can be used to enhance a player's own pathway or alternatively to block or redirect an opponent's pathway. When the playing pieces are used up the player with the longest pathway is the winner.

In either case the important advantage gained by using symmetrically shaped pieces is that, the playing piece can be laid down in any orientation thereby using one particular pathway to enhance a player's progress, to block a pathway to an opponent or to do both steps simultaneously.

The laying of the playing pieces in each manner is facilitated by making each side of the shaped playing pieces a straight line so that the playing pieces simply lay side-by-side in abutting contact.

Claims

CIAIMS:

1. An apparatus for playing a game representing a quest to be completed, coπprising a board and a plurality of symmetrically shaped playing pieces each displaying one or another of predetermined portions

5 of pathways and each piece being placeable on the board at the will of a player to extend a randomly disposed pathway on the board from a start position or block an opponent's pathway.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, including a target portion 10 locatable on the board, playing pieces being placeable on the board to define a pathway between the start position and target portion.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the target portion is locatable centrally of the board.

15

4. An apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the pathway on each playing piece is divided into a number of segments. _ ^. -

205. An apparatus as claimed in claim 4, including a die by which the number shown thereon determines the laying of at least one playing piece and the number of segments a character moves along the pathway on the playing piece.

256. An apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, including a series of cards selectable to determine various conditions under which a player is restricted or assisted in progressing the pathway and to obtain combat points for final combat and completion of the quest.

30

7. An apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the shape of the symmetrical playing pieces is square, hexagonal, octagonal, an equilateral triangle, or diamond shaped.

358. An apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the path patterns on the playing piece comprise a straight path, a right angled path, a cross path, or a T-shaped path.

9. An apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, including additional playing pieces having a picture of a door thereon and each, respectively, being of a colour to correspond to the colour of a particular character selected by each player.

5 10. An apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, including additional playing pieces each arranged respectively to represent one of the following:- a) Coloured Rooms - for which there is one for each character b) Chalice Rooms - for which only one is available and is 10 considered to be unlocked c) Locked Rooms - of which there are thirteen, an d) Unlocked Rooms - of which there are two.

11. An apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, 15 including information and character cards.

12. An apparatus as claimed in claim 11, including fiftytwo information cards.

2013. An apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein eighteen information cards have a picture of a monster together with a point value for a particular monster, another eighteen cards are instructicn cards to draw a monster card, a further thirteen cards illustrate articles to combat a monster and the remaining cards are illustrated with gold bars.and are 5 used as bribery cards.

14. An apparatus as claimed in any of the preceding claims, including four character pieces each in the shape of a bell, each bell being of a distinctive colour of green, red, yellow or blue, respectively. 0

15. An apparatus as claimed in claim 14, including four sets of coloured cards, each set being coloured to correspond respectively with the card of the four character pieces, there being fourteen cards in each set displaying a picture of a skeleton key, some cards displaying the 5 features of one character, and three cards shewing articles particular to the characteristic features of that particular character.

16. An apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, including a raised rib extending around the external peripheral edge of the board.