WO2018046777A1

WO2018046777A1 - Online shared-gaming device

Info

Publication number: WO2018046777A1
Application number: PCT/ES2016/070631
Authority: WO
Inventors: César AGUILAR GÁZQUEZ
Original assignee: Janecosystems, S.L.
Priority date: 2016-09-08
Filing date: 2016-09-08
Publication date: 2018-03-15

Abstract

The invention relates to an online shared-gaming device, the game requiring, for the playing thereof, a plurality of figures, pieces or counters that are moved in a space in which the game is played, at the will of the players and according to pre-established rules or norms, the figures, pieces or counters being supported by movable plinths (PM) that are controlled by software implemented in a series of gaming terminals (TJ). The device is formed by computer equipment provided with interfaces for the input of instructions by the user, a screen on which is displayed a representative map of the space in which the game is played, and a data network communications system used for interaction with other terminals (TJ) and with the movable plinths (PM) that support the elements of the game.

Description

DESCRIPTION

Game device shared online. Object of the invention

The object of the invention is a shared game device online, comprising a plurality of figures, pieces or tokens that move a space (place) in which the game is developed at the will of the players involved in it and according to pre-established rules or norms.

This device comprises a computer game that runs on computer equipment, but which turns out to be physically interactive, as some real pieces or miniatures move in the physical game space.

Background of the invention

The world games (in English: «games of the world») are a variant of the war games proposed by Buckminster Fuller, which represent a new concept in board and board games, which fuses the best of the latest technology with the most classic standards in games of this type. In general they are a type of war games in which the pieces are moving elements, usually plastic or metal miniatures, that move along a model or diorama board. This type of games has users of all ages.

The miniatures sculpted on plastic or metal are the main attraction of these games, since players can paint them, touch them, see them, personify them, modify them, collect them, etc. Another factor in favor is being able to participate with other users in the game and encourage the group. However, board games are traditional static game systems, which require moving the pieces and measuring distances by hand, so it becomes tedious and generates boredom since games can last for days, even weeks. In addition, when the game time is over, the board has to be dismantled and if the game continues another day, remember where the pieces were when He stopped the game. It also usually involves movement errors and misunderstandings of the rules of the game, since in some cases the manuals are long and complicated and their study and learning is complex. Herodix is a miniatures game co! Eccionab! Is in which the characters from the world of comics, movies and video games face in epic team battles. Most of Heroclix's characters are on a stand that occupies a square on the map; These figures are called simple base characters. A multiple base character is mounted on a base that occupies more than one square. This type of games extends over time from conventional war games that emulate battles to science fiction movie games, the procedure saving distances is the same.

Video games, as the name implies, are video games, electronic, in which one or more people interact by means of a controller with a video imaging device. These types of games allow user-level interconnectivity, even with thousands of people; the rules and norms are unified and included in a program so they do not raise doubts in their interpretation; At the same time that in the case of video images, they usually present scenarios of great graphic quality. Video games have the problem that they are represented on a flat screen, although objects can be represented in 3D and in general they are expensive and the game is developed in expensive equipment. There is no physical contact with the pieces of the board and cause isolation of the player, abstracting it in a world apart from others, since there is no physical contact with other people.

Remote control vehicles are also known that allow the player to move with them through the terrain, water, or through the air while maintaining a certain dynamic control of the device. Modern drones are flying vehicles equipped with a camera, whose images can be seen in real time on a mobile terminal, for example a tablet, which also constitutes a part of the drone control, so that by moving the tablet orienting it in one direction The drone makes a reflex movement and the entire flight is observed in the first person from the control mechanism itself (the tablet). Certainly the driving or piloting of these Toys is fun, but they are not participatory games, nor subject to pre-established rules, so it is not possible to complete objectives or break records, as in the games in which several players participate.

Description of the invention

The invention, a shared game device online, is intended to merge board games with video games executed through a computer program, so that games can be carried out, without the need to learn long and difficult manuals, in the course of which the game pieces are moved by instructions given by software, through any of the terminals in which the game is implemented. The device includes a computer game (because it runs on a computer), but it turns out to be physically interactive as the pieces or miniatures that so passionate in certain players move physically move in the game space.

This device can implement almost any game system, since in the end almost all games involve a series of basic movements, in a flat or three-dimensional space (whether an enclosure, field, board, map, etc.) in some X and Y or X, Y, Z coordinates from one position of origin to another of destination, following a straight line, a random path, or defined by the player.

A simple game of chips that move on a board, such as chess or checkers could by means of this device run on a real board, between people who are currently in very distant physical places, but the spectators are seeing how move the chips in real mode on a board of any size. For example, a chess game could be executed between two players, one face-to-face and another online in any other city in the world, on an exposed board in an enclosure with a certain capacity and the pieces of the game could be from a conventional size to for example one meter in height and / or diameter, moving accurately on a board.

The online shared game device object of the invention is applicable to games of the type that require a plurality of figures for their development, pieces or tokens that move a space (place) in which the game is developed at the will of the players, whose intervention and actions are developed according to pre-established rules or norms. This device comprises several elements or mechanisms; namely:

- On the one hand and to promote the movement of the figures that make up the game, mobile bases are required, which serve as support and allow these figures to be moved at the will of the intervening players. The shape, size etc. of these bases may vary depending on the type of game to which they apply. The movements they make and the place of detention of these bases are controlled by means of instructions generated by software implemented in a computer game terminal. These bases include electronic means capable of interpreting the instructions received and based on them actuate electric motors that move devices (mainly wheels) that favor the autonomous movement of said base by the place where the game is developed. In general, each of these mobile bases comprises a process unit (CPU) that controls a WIFI, Bluetooth or similar connection mechanism through which it receives instructions regarding the movement and place of detention of the base at a given time, and transforms them into control signals for the control of the control circuit of the electric motor that moves autonomous means of displacement of said base, also incorporates a series of sensors to detect other devices with which they interact in addition to positioning in space of game.

The choice of the term "mobile stand" should not be considered limiting in any aspect of the present invention. It has been preferred to use this term because it defines a support means of a figure or piece of a game and is therefore appropriate to the function it performs; the qualifier "mobile" is added because it serves to move the piece that supports over the space in which the game is developed and therefore mainly fulfills this function. Other terms that could fit the definition of this object could be "drone" because of its affinity with toys of this type but, unlike these, at first it is not intended to fly although it would be possible to do so, but instead to roll on a substantially flat surface.

As a game terminal for each player, a computer equipment that implements the game software is required. This equipment can be a desktop or portable computer, a tablet, a Smartphone or any other equipment with process capability and that is provided with input interfaces to receive the user's instructions from the game, from a screen on which to visualize a representative map of the space in which the game is developed and a data network communications system, through which it can interact with other teams and with the mobile bases that support and move the elements or pieces that physically make up the game.

An essential element for the development of this game is a communications network, preferably wireless, that is capable of transmitting data between the game terminals and the mobile bases participating in the game.

This network is basically composed of a router that provides connectivity between the different components of the game through a wireless Wi-Fi communication mechanism, although it could implement another system such as bluetooth identifying each of them (game terminals and bases) by means of an IP address or a coordinate axis.

It is also planned that this router provides connectivity of the local network in which the space and the pieces of the game are physically located, with the Internet, so that the game terminals (computer equipment) that intervene in the game can play from any place, communicating by this means to receive information about the state of the game, the movements of other players and make movements of their pieces. Likewise, a series of devices with sensors that are placed on the playing field delimit the physical space by determining the game grid, also serving as positioning elements (beacon) of the drones.

- The last mechanism required for the development of the online game, and no less important, is a software that is installed on the computer equipment involved in the game. This software includes routines to execute various basic functions: o Show on a screen a representative map of the space in which the game takes place, as well as the position occupied by all or part of the pieces involved in the game at that moment. o Receive instructions regarding movements of at least one of the mobile stands that support the pieces involved in the game, through a user interface, which include at least the chosen destination and optionally the route to be taken. corresponding mobile base to reach the marked destination. o Validate each instruction received, before its execution, in accordance with the established rules of the game. o Generate and send instructions to at least one of the mobile bases that support the game pieces, related to the movement to be made.

It is envisaged that the game software installed on the computer equipment that participates in the game also includes routines that allow to store in memory the map that shows the game space and the position that the mobile bases occupy at any given time, to save the game and be able to recover it, in order to continue its execution later. Thus, it is planned to also include routines intended to provide the necessary movement instructions to the mobile bases so that, starting from a starting position or a position above, occupy the position stored in memory and allow the game to continue from this position, although while the chips or figures have been suspended they may have been stationed in the position where they had stayed or at a parking point marked for each figure.

It is also planned that the game software installed on the computer equipment that participates in the game includes routines to display on a screen the representative map of the space in which the game is developed, as well as the position they occupy all or part of the pieces that take part in the game after each movement made by any player and therefore the screen is refreshed after each play, so that the players observe each movement in real time.

Description of the figures

To complement the description that is being made and in order to facilitate the understanding of the characteristics of the invention, a set of drawings is attached to the present specification in which, for illustrative and non-limiting purposes, the following has been represented:

Figure 1 represents a schematic view of the online shared game device of the present invention.

Figure 2 shows a diagram in functional blocks of one of the mobile bases (PM) that become part of this device.

Figure 3 shows the movement of one of the mobile bases (PM) executed through a game terminal (TJ) constituted in this example by a tablet. Preferred Embodiment of the Invention

Figure 1 shows the components of this device, which at an electronic level is structured in a local network, with internet connection with other non-presence players, all connected online and participating in a game in which the pieces, tokens or miniatures move by means of autonomous mobile elements that we have called "mobile bases" throughout this descriptive memory and referenced as P in the figures. For the development of the game each player has a game terminal (TJ), which is constituted by a computer equipment in which the game software has been implemented that fulfills the functions that have been explained in the description of it He has performed previously. Consequently these gaming terminals can be desktops (TJ2) or laptops (TJ3), a tablet (TJ1), a smartphone or any other existing or future computing device that, in addition to being able to run the game software, includes the following peripherals :

- An user input interface for instructions, related to the movements to be performed by their parts, through the mobile bases (PM) that support and move them. This interface can be a keyboard, a mouse, a touch screen, etc.

- A screen in which to visualize the representative map of the space in which the game takes place and of the position occupied by the pieces of the game at any given time; Y

- A data network communications interface, through which it interacts with other equipment and with the mobile bases (PM) that support the elements or figures of the game.

Following these requirements, the ideal gaming terminal would currently be constituted by a tablet or a smartphone, since they have a touch screen and are mobile terminals not dependent on a connection to the mains, or cable for Internet connection, although in certain circumstances these two requirements are not strictly necessary and therefore it is also possible to play with a computer by entering instructions through mouse clips or even the keyboard.

We have called mobile bases (PM) because they physically have the configuration of a support base of the game piece, which is provided with directional wheels that allow to make displacements rolling in any direction and stand at points preset by the player, with a certain precision.

A diagram of the electronics that integrates a base of this type is shown in Figure 2. The control of all functions is assumed by a chip (CPU), microprocessor or microcontroller type, which integrates a memory and has the capacity to process drive instructions that it receives through a Wi-Fi connection mechanism and transforms them into control signals to a control circuit (CMot) of an electric motor (Mot), which moves the wheels that allow the autonomous movement of said base (PM) through the space in which the game takes place (EJug). This circuit is powered by a battery (Bat) also included in the mobile stand (PM), through a power circuit (CAI). The charging system is of magnetic induction type, its objective is to cancel the connections of mechanical type and with it wired connection failures etc .. in addition to being many mobile bases (PM) would entail a real logistics chaos loading all the units, instead a physical support of adequate dimensions (eg a sheet of A4 paper with the Printed electronic devices connected to the mains will act as a current emitter, so that only the mobile stands (PM) that would carry the load receiver (as usually used in mobile telephony) must be placed on top of said support.

The communications network, capable of transmitting data between game terminals (TJ) and mobile bases (PM) participating in the game consists of a router (Router) that provides connectivity between the different components of the game through a mechanism Wifi wireless communication. Each of them (equipment and stands) is identified by means of an ID, preferably of the IP address type. This router (Router) also provides connectivity of the local network with the Internet so that the computer equipment involved in the game can play from anywhere, communicating by this means to receive information about the state of the game, the movements of the other players and make movements of their pieces. The position of the pieces at each moment is determined by any known method, for example, if you start from a certain initial position and depending on the movements made, you can easily determine the position you currently occupy without simply setting the altitude parameters / latitude in each movement. It is also feasible to place sensors in the game space (EJug) that detect the position of a particular piece at a given time.

The game physically takes place in one place. If players are present in the same space (EJug) they can enjoy the game by watching it live as if it were a game development. Players not present, connected playing through the Internet, or follow the development of the game virtually through the screen of their game terminal (TJ) in which the game map and the position they occupy are shown. pieces at each moment, similar to what is seen in figure 3, or have a replica of all the pieces and the space of the game (EJug), in which case the game software of this type of equipment has to have complementary options that make reflex movements of the pieces of this second local play space (this player's own).

The digital game device, online, allows you to play by physically moving a series of pieces supported by mobile bases (PM) that move through a delimited game space (EJug), which can be in the form of a board, tapestry, map, enclosure, etc., while allowing to recreate through a local network, or the Internet, the game on the screen in which the game map is shown, of a plurality of game terminals (TJ) that receive game progress information and the position of each piece is updated after each movement, own or foreign. The instructions for moving a mobile stand (PM1) are provided by a player through his game terminal (TJ), for example by marking on the touch screen the target point of the virtual stand (PV1). Another option is to indicate through the screen the virtual path (Mv) that represents the real path (Me) that the base (PM1) has to make in the real game space (EJug). (See figure 3); In general, the option chosen in each case will depend on the type of game and its complexity.

Claims

1.- Game device shared online, said game being the type of those that for its development require a plurality of figures, pieces or tokens that move a space (place) in which the game is developed at the will of the players which intervenes in it and according to pre-established rules or norms, characterized in that it comprises:

- a series of mobile bases (PM), support of the figures that make up the game, whose movements and place of detention are controlled by means of instructions generated by software implemented in a game terminal (TJ), including said electronic means bases capable of interpreting the instructions received and based on them, to activate one or several electric motors (Mot) that move means of autonomous displacements of said base through the space in which the game is developed (EJug);

- at least one game terminal (TJ), constituted by a computer equipment that implements the game software, provided with user input instructions interfaces, of a screen in which a representative map of the space in the space is displayed. that the game is developed, and of a data network communications system, through which it interacts with other terminals (TJ) and with the mobile bases (PM) that support the elements of the game;

- a communications network, preferably wireless, capable of transmitting data between the computer equipment and the mobile bases participating in the game; Y

- software installed on the computer equipment involved in the game, which includes routines to:

or show on a screen a representative map of the space in which the game takes place, as well as the position occupied by all or part of the pieces involved in the game at that moment;

or receive instructions regarding movements of at least one of the mobile bases that support the pieces involved in the game, through a user interface, which include at least the chosen destination; or validate each instruction received, before its execution, in accordance with the established rules of the game;

or generate and send instructions to at least one of the mobile bases

(PM) that support the game pieces, relative to the displacement to be made.

2. - Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the mobile bases (PM) that support the figures, pieces or tokens that make up the game comprise a process unit (CPU) that controls a WIFI type connection mechanism, through from which it receives instructions regarding the movement and place of detention to be performed by the base at a given time, and transforms them into control signals to a control circuit (CMot) of an electric motor (Mot) that drives displacement means autonomous of said base by the space in which the game is developed (EJug).

3. - Device, according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the communications network capable of transmitting data between the computer equipment and the mobile bases participating in the game consists of a router (Router) that provides connectivity between the different components of the game (terminals and bases) through a wireless Wi-Fi communication mechanism, identifying each of them by means of an IP address.

4. - Device according to claim 3, characterized in that the router (Router) also provides connectivity of the local network that provides connectivity to at least the bases (PM) that move the game pieces, with the Internet, so that the computer equipment involved in the game can play from anywhere, communicating by this means to receive information about the state of the game, the movements of other players and make movements of their pieces.

5. - Device according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the game software installed in the computer equipment participating in the game comprises routines to generate and send instructions to the less to one of the mobile bases (PM) that support the pieces of the game, related to the displacement to be made, which include the place of destination of the piece to move.

6. Device according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the game software installed in the computer equipment involved in the game comprises routines to generate and send instructions to at least one of the mobile bases (PM) that support the pieces of the game, related to the displacement to be carried out, which include the route (Me) to be carried out by the corresponding mobile base to reach the marked destination.

7. - Device according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the game software installed in the computer equipment involved in the game comprises routines to store in memory the map showing the game space and the position of the bases mobiles at any given time; as well as routines intended to recover the game in a previous position, which include movement instructions to the mobile bases to occupy the position stored in memory starting from a starting position or from a previous position.

8. - Device, according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the game software installed in the computer equipment involved in the game comprises routines to display on a screen the representative map of the space in which the game is developed, as well as the position occupied by all or part of the pieces involved in the game after each move made by any player.