Abstract:
The invention is a game that preferably comprises a gameboard and twenty-one (21) twelve-sided (dodecahedron) dice that feature the notes of the chromatic scale. The game may be played with one to four people and lasts an average of 15 to 30 minutes. An unlimited number of players may be added and the game may be prolonged by adding more dice. It is believed that such method and the corresponding game apparatus provide a highly entertaining, strategic, and fast-paced game which incorporates a unique blend of chance, strategy, and skill.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to U.S. provisional patent application 61/231,547, filed Aug. 5, 2009, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to the field of games, and more specifically, concerns a game involving a multiplicity of dice and a set of game instructions and rules of play. The game includes a gameboard and musician&#39;s dice. The invention contemplates both the method of playing the game and the apparatus for doing so. The method is embodied in the game instructions and rules of play. 
         [0003]    Dice games and games of chance are well known in the prior art. In the method of play of most of these games, several six-sided cubical dice are thrown or rolled simultaneously, with the result being either positive or negative as dictated by the particular rules of such games. 
         [0004]    The present invention is a game that preferably comprises a gameboard and twenty-one (21) twelve-sided (dodecahedron) dice that feature the notes of the chromatic scale. The game may be played with one to four people and lasts an average of 15 to 30 minutes. An unlimited number of players may be added and the game may be prolonged by adding more dice. Additionally, players may form teams, which allows musical novices to learn more from their experienced partners. A familiarity with musical scales, intervals, and basic triad construction is necessary to play the dice game of the present invention. It is believed that such method and the corresponding game apparatus provide a highly entertaining, strategic, and fast-paced game which incorporates a unique blend of chance, strategy, and skill. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a game apparatus and method of play having a unique blend of strategy, and skill and which can be enjoyed by players of all ages. 
         [0006]    An embodiment of the invention provides a method of playing a strategic dice game comprising: (a) providing from 21 individual dodecahedron dice having musical pitches on substantially all flat surfaces, each die being marked on its surfaces with the same musical pitches as each other dice, (b) establishing an order of serial play for a selected number of players by any convenient selection method, (c) each player then rolling in turn a single die, and placing the die on a game board, such that the placement of the die constructs a scale or triad. 
         [0007]    Another embodiment of the invention is directed to an apparatus for playing the dice game of the invention wherein the apparatus comprises a hexagonal-shaped game board and twenty one (21) dodecahedron dice. 
         [0008]    Still other objects and advantages of the invention will become clear upon review of the following detailed description in conjunction with the appended drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]      FIG. 1A  depicts the twelve (12) sides of a musician&#39;s dice in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0010]      FIG. 1B  depicts a game board in accordance with the invention. 
           [0011]      FIGS. 2A and 2B  building of the scales in accordance with embodiments of the invention. 
           [0012]      FIGS. 3A to 3D  shows portions of various major scales in accordance with embodiments of the invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  shows a completed scale in the key of Eb in accordance with embodiments of the invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  depicts a moot scale in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0015]      FIG. 6  depicts triad building in accordance with embodiments of the invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 7  depicts the building of a triad in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0017]      FIG. 8  depicts the building of a triad in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0018]      FIGS. 9A to 9D  depict the scoring system in accordance with embodiments of the invention. 
           [0019]      FIG. 10  depicts a scoring sheet in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0020]    The following detailed description is of the best mode or modes of the invention presently contemplated. Such description is not intended to be understood in a limiting sense, but to be an example of the invention presented solely for illustration thereof, and by reference to which in connection with the following description and the accompanying drawings one skilled in the art may be advised of the advantages and construction of the invention. 
         [0021]    The claimed invention is directed to a game system, game apparatus and method of play of a game designed to be played by one or more players in which described broadly the ultimate goal of each player is to achieve the highest score while intertwining triads with scales like a three-way musical crossword puzzle. In an embodiment of the invention, triads are built vertically and scales are built diagonally. Points are earned as players add to or complete triads and scales. Scores can be doubled and trebled when dice are played in specially marked cells on the game board. The game is completed when all of the dice are played after which, the points are then tallied, and the player or team with the most points is the winner. 
         [0022]    The claimed invention is directed to a crossword-style game of music theory wherein players interlace 12-sided musical dice to form scales and triads on a game board shaped like a honeycomb, forming unique tonal weaves. 
         [0023]    Also provided for use with the preferred embodiment of the game, are twenty-one (21) dice (U.S. Pat. No. D576,687). Although each of the dice may be of any shape, size, and color, preferably they are twelve-sided dodecahedron dice wherein each side displays a note of a musical scale.  FIG. 1A  depicts each of the twelve faces of a dodecahedron die in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.  FIG. 1B  depicts a hexagonal-shaped game board in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. 
         [0024]    In accordance with embodiments of the invention, a scale is made up of 8 notes. The 8 notes are C, D, E, F, G, A and B. Other notes that are commonly used are flats “b” and sharps “#” for each musical note. Examples of flat notes include Ab, Bb, Db, Eb and Gb. Examples of sharp notes include A#, C#, D#, F# and G#. 
         [0025]    In music and music theory, a triad is a three-note chord that can be stacked in thirds. The root tone of a triad, together with the degree of the scale to which it corresponds, primarily determine a given triad&#39;s function. 
         [0026]    While such game system and method is described below with reference to play of a board game, the present inventor has contemplated that such basic game system and method as described above can be applied in a variety of different game types and environments, including but not limited to electronic games including portable electronic games, computer games, video games, online and Internet games, I-Pad applications, smart phone applications and the like. 
         [0027]    In an embodiment of the invention, a scorekeeper is appointed before the game is begun. Before play begins, each player draws a die from pile comprising at least twenty-one (21) dice. The player rolls the die leaving it face up in front of them. The player who rolls the pitch closest to the note A becomes the first participant in the ensuing game. In the case of a tie—such as when one player rolls an F# and the other rolls a C (both notes are a minor third from A)—the tied players keep rolling their dice until the tie is broken. 
         [0028]    Once the person who plays first has been determined, all players return their dice to the pile except for the first player. That person—“Player  1 ”—rolls their die again and places it in the center of the game board marked “C” ( FIG. 1B ). The “opening roll” by Player  1  provides a place to start the game. 
         [0029]    Play moves around the board clockwise, beginning with Player  1 . The effect of this is that Player  1  rolls twice at the game&#39;s start, once for the “opening roll” and once again for their actual turn. 
         [0030]    In an embodiment of the invention, each player&#39;s turn involves rolling a single die, which they try to add to the game, either as part of a triad or part of a scale. If they&#39;re successful, they score and their turn ends. The number of dice that directly engage with the die they added determines the number of points they get. 
         [0031]    In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, a player tries to add their die as part of a scale or a part of a triad. If a player cannot see a way to add their roll to the game, they “pass” their turn and slide their die—leaving the same face up—to the next player. The next player then has a chance to play that die (in case the player who passed missed a possibility). If they are indeed able to play the die passed to them, they do so and score. They then draw another die and roll again. In essence, playing a passed die gives a player an extra turn. If they cannot play the die passed to them, they simply re-roll and take their turn as usual. 
         [0032]    In an embodiment of the invention, each player&#39;s turn generally involves a single roll of a single die. There are two exceptions to this. In an embodiment of the invention, a player receives an extra turn if the player adds a die that completes a triad i.e., they add to its third note. In such a case, the player draws another die from the pile and rolls again. In an additional embodiment of the invention, a player receives an extra turn if they complete a scale i.e., they add to its seventh note. 
         [0033]    In an embodiment of the invention, a single played die that completes both a triad and a scale earns one extra turn. Extra turns can generate additional extra turns if they result in additional completed triads and/or scales. In other words, completing a triad and/or scale always earns a single extra turn, and this can happen multiple times. 
         [0034]    In an embodiment of the invention, each player&#39;s turn begins in one of two ways: they have a die passed to them, which they may play or re-roll, or the player before them has scored and they must draw and roll a new die. In either case, they try to add their die to the game. If they can, they score; if they can&#39;t, they pass their die to the next player. When a player completes a triad and/or scale, they get an extra turn. This continues until all the dice are played, at which time the game ends, the points are tallied, and the winner is decided. 
         [0035]    In an embodiment of the invention, the game of the invention may be played on an electronic platform such as a computer game, video game or a smart phone application. 
         [0036]    In an embodiment of the invention, the scale used in the game of the invention is the diatonic major scale: do, re, mi, fa, so, la, ti, do. Scales in the game can be built on either of the two diagonals on the game board; they must, however, climb upward in position—toward the top of the game board—as they climb in pitch ( FIGS. 2A and 2B ). In other words, scales can ascend from left to right, or from right to left; but as the pitches in the scale get higher, so must the dice themselves get higher in terms of their position on the board. An easy way to remember this is to think of notes on a musical staff or ladder: the higher the pitch, the higher up on the staff or ladder they go. 
         [0037]    In the course of play, dice may be added to either end of a scale fragment. If, for instance, the dice A and B are diagonally adjacent—with B to the upper right of A—a C or C# could be added to the fragment&#39;s upper right; A, B, C could be part of a C or a G Major scale ( FIG. 3A ); A, B, C# could be part of a D Major, E Major, or A Major scale ( FIG. 3B ). Alternately, a G# or a G could be added to the lower left of our fragment; G#, A, B could be part of an A Major or E Major scale ( FIG. 3C ); G, A, B could be part of a G Major or C Major scale ( FIG. 3D ). 
         [0038]    Once a fragment builds out to seven notes, however, that scale is considered complete: no more notes may be added to it on either end. This is known as the Maximum Horizontality Rule.  FIG. 4  depicts a completed scale in the key of Eb. The fact that there are seven notes makes this scale complete. 
         [0039]    In an embodiment of the invention, the construction of a scale or a triad inhibits the further development of another. For example,  FIG. 5  demonstrates a moot scale where A, B is prevented from expanding upward by another scale that developed after it has begun. In other embodiments of the invention, scales become moot by running into the edge of the game board. 
         [0040]    In an embodiment of the invention, triads are built vertically and in root position, and are limited to the types found in major scales: major, minor, and diminished. On the game board, they must build upward in pitch from bottom to top: the higher notes go above the lower ones, as on a musical staff. Triads or potential triads can be formed by adding notes either above or below dice already in play. 
         [0041]    The possibilities are many when beginning to build a triad from a single note. If, for example, there is a lone C on the game board, a player could place an Eb or an E above it; they could also place an A or an Ab below it. Each of those combinations is on the way to forming an acceptable triad.  FIG. 6  depicts the nine legal potential triads that can be built from a lone C. From left to right, they are C Major, C Minor, C Diminished; Ab Major, A Minor, A Diminished; and F Major, F Minor, and F# (or Gb) Diminished. All of the listed triads are in root position. 
         [0042]    As previously described, scales can be initiated on the game board even if there&#39;s no possibility of them ever expanding beyond their first two notes i.e., there is no worry about having enough room for them to expand out to their full, seven-note potential. However, this is not the case with triads: a triad cannot be begun if there is no room to finish it. In other words, a triad cannot be begun to be built so close to the edge of the game board that there&#39;s no way it could ever be completed; nor can a triad be begun somewhere on the game board where dice that are already in play will prevent it from ever being fully realized. 
         [0043]    The easiest way to make sure that a player is beginning a legal triad is to imagine it complete. If a player wishes to begin a triad by placing an Eb over a C, the player needs to ask if there is room for a G or an F# to later be placed above? Or for an A or an Ab to later be placed below? If the answer is yes to any of those questions, then the potential triad indeed has potential: it is legal. If the answer to all of those questions is no, i.e., if there is never going to be a way to complete the triad without invalidating another scale or triad or breaking a rule, then there is no potential triad, and the die may not be placed.  FIG. 7  depicts a situation in the game of the invention where a trial cannot be initiated by placing a note above the C; the triad cannot be expanded further upward because of the edge of the board, nor expanded downward without breaking the Maximum Verticality Rule (discussed below). 
         [0044]    In an embodiment of the invention, it is legal to clock the potential of a triad after it has been initiated. In  FIG. 8 , playing the B is legal, even though it will block the formation of the triad below it. Triads that have been cut off in such a way are called moot triads, i.e., they started out with potential, but were rendered moot by later activity. 
         [0045]    In accordance with embodiments of the invention, once a triad has been completed—once it includes three dice—no more dice may be added to it on either end. There can never be more than three dice in a row stacked vertically anywhere in the game, unless they are separated by an empty cell. This is known as the Maximum Verticality Rule. 
         [0046]    In an embodiment of the invention, when a player adds a die to the game, they receive one point for all of the dice directly engaged with their addition: each whole or partial triad or scale that their die is directly a part of is counted. The die they play is also worth a point. A single die is never worth more than one point, even if it functions in more than one way. 
         [0047]    When the die a player adds to the game is placed in a specially-marked cell, i.e., in one of the cells marked with a 2 or a 3—the total points garnered by that addition are doubled or tripled accordingly. The specially-marked cells only have an effect when they are first played—later additions to triads and scales that contain them do not earn double or treble scores. 
         [0048]    The score is calculated by counting up all of the dice directly engaged with the die played, including the played die itself. If the die played is in a specially-marked cell, double or triple the total points garnered by the addition accordingly. No die should be counted more than once in accordance with the rules of the game of the invention. 
         [0049]    As shown in  FIG. 9A , playing the C garners two points: one for the C itself, and one for the Ab it directly engages. The G and F are not counted, as they are not directly engaged with the die played, i.e., the “C”. In  FIG. 9B , playing the Ab garners four points: one for the Ab itself and three points for the two scales it engages. In  FIG. 9C , playing the A garners seven points: one for the A itself, four more for the two scales it engages, and two more for the triad it both engages and completes. In  FIG. 9D , playing the Ab over a “2” specially-marked cell would earn 4 points doubled, i.e., 8 points. Playing the Ab over a “3” specially-marked cell would earn a treble score of 12. 
         [0050]    In an embodiment of the invention, keeping score is accomplished on a sheet of lined paper. As shown in  FIG. 10 , the sheet is divided into columns for each player. The score for each turn is recorded on a single line, keeping running totals for each player. If a player gets more than one roll during their turn—by completing triads or scales—the points from their extra rolls are included on the same line as their initial roll. If a player can&#39;t play their roll and passes the die to the next player, this is indicated by a horizontal arrow as shown in  FIG. 10 . 
         [0051]    In an embodiment of the invention, the completed triads and scales on the game board can be played as a musical composition using a suitable musical instrument. 
         [0052]    In an embodiment of the invention, the game of the invention is played in an electronic format such as a video game, computer game or a smart phone application. In this embodiment, a player plays the game in accordance with the rules as described above by placing a die in a cell. In an embodiment of the invention, the player is able to hear the pitch of the note representing the die placed in the cell in the electronic format of the game. In accordance with the rules, the player adds his score at the end of the game. Optionally, in the electronic format, the completed triads and scales produce a musical result, i.e., the completed triads and scales play in their entirety. Additionally, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention, in the electronic format, double-clicking a die that as in play brings up a pop-up detailing the scales and/or triads that the die is currently a part of. 
         [0053]    While the present invention has been described at some length and with some particularity with respect to the several described embodiments, it is not intended that it should be limited to any such particulars or embodiments or any particular embodiment, but it is to be construed with references to the appended claims so as to provide the broadest possible interpretation of such claims in view of the prior art and, therefore, to effectively encompass the intended scope of the invention.