Abstract:
A game that provides choices concerning different life pursuits now available to girls and to persons generally. The game features a game board having a start space, and a number of life paths each of which has spaces marked successively over the length of the path with indicia representing instructions to a player who lands a game piece on a given space. A first set of paths extend away from or about the start space. A second set of paths are choice paths each of which has spaces with indicia relating to a life pursuit, and an entry space and a finish space at opposite ends of the path. The entry and the finish spaces of a given choice path are contiguous with corresponding spaces of one of the first set of paths from which a player can choose to move their playing piece into the entry space of the given choice path. The game may also be provided in CD-ROM or equivalent media form for simulation on a monitor of a personal computer.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to a game that can be played with a game board and playing pieces, or by way of a CD-ROM in connection with a personal computer. 
     2. Discussion of the Known Art 
     Current board or computer games for girls and young women do not address the myriad of career and family choices now available to women. Women are no longer limited to selecting only one path leading either to a career or to marriage. Financial success resulting from proper educational and career choices, is only one aspect of importance in a woman&#39;s life today. Moreover, the feeling of personal fulfillment upon performing a job especially well tends to be ignored in modern games. And, due in part to increasing numbers of single parent households and two-parent working situations, today&#39;s youth often overlook the importance of family as central to holding our society together. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,503,399 (Apr. 2, 1996) is directed to a career game aimed at making persons aware of a number of occupations, and of the necessary qualifications to enter a given occupation. The patented game includes a game board having squares or “compartments”. When a player rolls the die and lands their token on a compartment, he or she must define the meaning of a business predicament presented in the square. If correct, the player must answer a question on a selected question card. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 3,643,958 (Feb. 22, 1972) discloses a game simulating aspects of society. The game includes a board, and various sets of cards relating to public issues and laws. Spaces on the board represent occupations, military positions, agencies and public service positions in government and law. Further, U.S. Pat. No. 4,480,838 (Nov. 6, 1984) discloses a family financial board game in which so-called “fate” and other sets of cards are used during play. 
     As far as is known, no game is currently available, whether in a game board or CD-ROM form, that enlightens girls and young women to the variety of choices they now have concerning family, careers, investments, and other fulfilling pursuits. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to the invention, a game that provides choices concerning a variety of life pursuits available to players of the game, includes a game board with a start space, and a number of life paths each of which has spaces marked successively over the length of the path. The life path spaces have associated indicia representing instructions to a player who lands a playing piece on a given space. A first set of the life paths extend away from or about the start space, and a second set of the life paths are choice paths, each of which has spaces with indicia relating to a fulfilling life pursuit, and an entry space and a finish space at opposite ends of the path. The entry and the finish spaces of a given choice path are contiguous with corresponding spaces of one of the first set of paths, from which a player may choose to move their playing piece into the entry space of the given choice path. 
     According to another aspect of the invention, the game board and players&#39; moves on the board may be simulated on a monitor of a personal computer, when a storage device such as a CD-ROM containing corresponding program data is used in connection with the computer. 
     For a better understanding of the invention, reference is made to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing and the appended claims. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
     In the drawing: 
     FIG. 1 is a plan view of a life choices game board according to the invention; 
     FIG. 2 is an enlarged plan view of a first portion of the game board in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is an enlarged plan view of a second portion of the game board in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 4 is an enlarged plan view of a third portion of the game board in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 5 is an enlarged plan view of a fourth portion of the game board in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 6 is an enlarged plan view of a fifth portion of the game board in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 7 is an enlarged plan view of a sixth portion of the game board in FIG. 1; and 
     FIG. 8 shows playing cards, pieces, “Extra!” photos and play money used by players of the present game. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     FIG. 1 is a plan view of a life choices game board  10  according to the invention. FIGS. 2-7 are enlarged views of portions of the game board in FIG. 1, and FIG. 8 shows typical playing cards, pieces, “Extra!” photos and play money used during play of the life choices game of the present invention. 
     In the illustrated embodiment, the present game can be played by up to six players, and the first player to acquire, e.g., six “award” pieces  8  and any six Extra! photos  97  (see FIG. 8) wins the game. Players can pretend that they have just graduated from high school, and must make their own way by availing themselves of certain important choices. The present game provides each player, especially young girls and teens, with an opportunity to explore various paths that life now offers. 
     In the embodiment of FIG. 1, a game board  10  features a number of life paths including twelve choice paths; namely, family  12  and scholar  14  (FIG.  2 ), performing artist  16  and athlete  18  (FIG.  3 ), marriage  20  and medical professional  22  (FIG.  4 ), corporate executive  24  and friends  26  (FIG.  5 ), entrepreneur  28  and community service  30  (FIG.  6 ), and environmentalist  32  and politician  34  (FIG.  7 ). No one path is accorded more importance or weight during play of the game, than any other path. 
     The game board  10  also has a start space  40  at or near the center of the board  10 . A first set of life paths include, e.g., “straight” paths  42   a - 42   f  that extend away from the start space  40  with equi-angular spacing (e.g., every 30 degrees), and “circular” paths  44   a ,  44   b  which traverse the straight paths  42   a - 42   f . In the illustrated embodiment, the circular paths  44   a ,  44   b  are concentric with the start space  40  on the game board  10 . Further, in the present embodiment, the twelve pursuit choice paths form a second set of life paths each of which is in the form of an open loop whose opposite ends have spaces that are contiguous with corresponding spaces of a given circular path  44   a  or  44   b  of the first set of life paths. 
     Six of the choice paths, namely, the family path  12 , the athlete path  18 , the marriage path  20 , the friends path  26 , the community service path  30 , and the environmentalist path  32 , each require a player to invest a number of smile points  50  (FIG. 8) when landing on a finish space  51  of each path. The smile points  50  represent a feeling of fulfillment that comes with the successful completion of each of the mentioned six paths. The remaining paths, namely, the scholar path  14 , the performing artist path  16 , the medical professional path  22 , the corporate executive path  24 , the entrepreneur path  28 , and the politician path  34 , each require a player to invest a certain amount of money  52  when landing on the finish space  51  of each of those paths. 
     The present game begins by providing each player with a collection tray and a game piece  60  (FIG.  8 ). Each player places their game piece on the start space  40  at the center of the game board  10 . A deck of “Surprise!” cards  64  and a deck of “Journey” cards  66 , are placed within correspondingly identified spaces  68 ,  70  on the game board  10  (see FIGS. 1-3 and  8 ). One player is selected to be the “Banker”, and she provides each player with, for example, 1,500 smile points  50 , and $1,500 in money  52 . The banker is allowed an extra $100 for the job. Denominations of money  52  and smile points  50  may be, for example, in 500&#39;s, 100&#39;s, and 50&#39;s. 
     Examples of instructions or notices provided on the undersides of the surprise cards  64  may include, but are not limited to, the following: 
     1. Win $200 from an essay contest. 
     2. Win $200 at a charity event raffle. 
     3. Volunteer at a homeless shelter. Earn 200 smile points. 
     4. Join an aerobics class to stay fit. Earn 50 smile points. 
     5. Find your neighbor&#39;s lost dog. Earn a $50 reward. 
     6. Earn $100 interest from your savings account. 
     7. Tutor students in mathematics. Earn $100. 
     8. Start a reading club. Earn 100 smile points. 
     9. Help plant trees in a new park. Earn 50 smile points. 
     10. Help a friend!—Give $50 or 50 smile points to the friend on your right. 
     11. Have a really bad hair day. Lose 50 smile points. 
     12. Forget your friend&#39;s birthday. Lose 50 smile points. 
     13. Win a 10K race. Win $200. 
     14. Step in a giant wad of gum. Lose 50 smile points. 
     15. You&#39;re in the mood for a new hair color. Pay $50 for a purple tint. 
     16. Invest in an exciting Internet Company! Earn $500. 
     17. You spend your Thanksgiving Day helping at the Salvation Army serving hot meals. Receive 500 smile points. 
     The following are examples, without limitation, of instructions or notices provided on the undersides of the journey cards  66 . Note that the journey cards relate to a player&#39;s movement along a given path. 
     1. Try out your new bike! Move one space in any direction. 
     2. Go for a brisk walk. Move one space in any direction. 
     3. Lace up your running shoes! Move one space in any direction. 
     4. Go rock climbing. Move two spaces in any direction. 
     5. Learn how to water-ski. Move two spaces in any direction. 
     6. Go wind surfing. Move three spaces in any direction. 
     7. Rev up your race car. Move three spaces in any direction. 
     8. Your flight is delayed. Go back to start. 
     9. A broken fan belt! Go back to start. 
     10. Win a free flight. Roll again. 
     11. Ride the subway. Roll again. 
     12. No traffic today! Roll again. 
     A number of journey cards  66 , when drawn, may also allow a player to choose either to jump between “Decision Point” spaces  67  marked along various paths on the game board  10  (see FIGS.  2 - 7 ), or to remain on their present path. Such cards, for example, carry the following instruction: 
     “You choose! Jump to any Decision Point and collect 50 smile points, or stay where you are.” 
     To start the game, each player rolls a single die. Typically, the player with the highest number begins. The order of the remaining players&#39; turns may be determined by their rolled numbers or other agreed order, e.g., rotating toward the right of the starting player. The starting player rolls the die again, and moves forward from the start space  40  along a chosen one of the straight paths  42   a - 42   f . A player may turn left or right on upon crossing one of the circular paths  44   a ,  44   b , but, upon doing so, must continue to move in the same “forward” direction. That is, a player may not reverse their direction of movement along any of the first set of paths, unless directed to do so by a journey card  66 . 
     When landing on a space along the first set of paths  42   a - 42   f ,  44   a - 44   b , the player follows directions given by the indicia associated with the landed space. Movement is permitted back across the start space  40 , provided such movement is a forward one at the time for the player. 
     Two or more players may not occupy any one space on the board  10  at the same time. If the die shows a number of spaces that would land one player on the same space as another player, the one player may either roll again, or exchange places by moving the other player&#39;s piece to the space presently occupied by the one player. 
     In order for a player to collect an award piece  8 , she must enter the corresponding choice path from an associated circular path  44   a  or  44   b , complete the entered choice path and invest the amount of smile points  50  or money  52  indicated at the finish space  51  of the choice path. Unlike moves along the first set of paths on the board  10 , a player may move her playing piece in either direction along a choice path, much as in real life. Upon a player&#39;s turn, she may arrange for a loan from another player to complete an entered choice path, but only at the other players&#39; option. Interest on the loan is negotiable, but a player cannot win the game if she is in debt. 
     A player may enter more than one choice path from contiguous entrance spaces  53  on the circular paths  44   a  or  44   b , to acquire up to six award pieces. The player may not complete the same choice path more than once, however. Regardless of the roll of the die, a player must stop at the finish space  51  of a choice path to receive the corresponding award piece  8  in exchange for the required investment of smile points  50  or money  52 , before she may cross a “red line” to enter a contiguous decision point space  67  on the associated circular path  44   a  or  44   b.    
     If, upon landing on the finish space  51  of a choice path a player lacks the number of points or money indicated in the space, she must return to the start space  40  or try to convince another player to loan her the necessary money/points to complete the path. Interest on the loan is negotiable but a player may not win the game if she is in debt. A player may also acquire money or smile points by landing on a “Surprise” space  90  (see below) along the choice path, drawing a surprise card  64 , and winning or earning a stated amount of points or money. 
     Each player may borrow only 500 smile points or $500 of money from the banker during her turn; no more, no less. To repay the loan, 10% interest is charged. The banker maintains an account of all debts, and a player may not win the game if she is in debt. 
     The following spaces are provided along the paths on the game board  10 : 
     “Surprise!” spaces  90 . When landing on a surprise space  90 , a player draws the top surprise card  64  on the deck at  68 , and follows the instructions on the card. If she lacks enough money or smile points to follow the instructions on the surprise card, she must take a loan from the bank, or go back to the start space  40 . Certain surprise cards allow a player to choose a baby token  98  as a bonus. A player may not choose a baby token unless she has completed the marriage path  20  on the game board  10 . 
     Journey spaces  94 . When a player lands on a journey space  94 , she draws the top journey card  66  and follows the instructions on the card. 
     “Extra!” spaces  96 . If a player lands on an extra space  96 , she may place for auction any of a number of “extras” that life sometimes delivers. These items are valued life assets, e.g., a boat, jewelry, loyalty, compassion, a car, and the like, and are represented by individual photo or image cards  97  (FIG.  8 ). The other players may bid money for extra cards  97  representing properties such as a car, a boat, jewelry or the like; or bid smile points for cards  97  representing compassion, loyalty, integrity or the like. A player who lands on an extra space  96  starts the bidding on any remaining Extra! card  97  of her choice. The highest bidder wins, and keeps the card in her collection tray. 
     The first player to collect six award pieces and six extra cards wins the game. The remaining players may continue to play if they so choose. 
     While the foregoing description represents a preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention pointed out by the following claims. For example, a CD-ROM or equivalent media can be produced which, when combined with a personal computer and monitor, will cause the monitor to display the game board  10  and allow players to interact with the display according to the rules of the present game. Programs and data to be included in the media would be apparent to one skilled in the art with the benefit of the present disclosure.