Patent Publication Number: US-2013241150-A1

Title: Method of Simultaneous Multidirectional Word Construction Gameplay for Multiple Players

Description:
The current application claims a priority to the U.S. Provisional Patent application Ser. No. 61/610,601 filed on Mar. 14, 2012. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to a method of gameplay. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method for forming a plurality of words using a plurality of given letters in a two dimensional setting that allows a plurality of combination of words in a plurality of directions. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     A game is structured playing, usually undertaken for enjoyment and sometimes used as an educational tool. Games are distinct from work, which is usually carried out for compensation, and from art, which is more often an expression of aesthetic or ideological elements. However, the distinction is not clear-cut, and many games are also considered to be work, such as professional players of spectator sports, or art, such as jigsaw puzzles or games involving an artistic layout. Key components of games are rules, challenge, and interaction. Games generally involve either mental or physical stimulation or exertion, and often both. Many games help develop practical skills, serve as a form of physical or mental exercise, or otherwise perform an educational, simulational, or psychological role. Games are a universal part of human experience and present in all cultures, with evidence of games being discovered as far back as 2600 BC. 
     One type of games is known as tabletop games. A tabletop game generally refers to any game where the elements of play are confined to a small area and that require little physical exertion, usually involving simple actions such as placing, picking up and moving game pieces. Most tabletop games are therefore played at a table around which the players are seated and on which the game&#39;s elements are located. Many games falling into the category of tabletop games, particularly party games, are more free-form in their play and can involve physical activity such as mine; however, the basic premise is still that the game does not require a large area in which to play, large amounts of strength or stamina, or specialized equipment other than what comes packaged with the game. A related category of games, pencil and paper games, require little or no specialized equipment other than writing materials. Board games, a type of tabletop games, use as a central tool a board on which the players&#39; status, resources, and progress are tracked, usually using physical tokens. Many games also involve dice or cards, or both. The majority of board games involve turn-based play, in which successive players contemplate their choices and then make a move, but only on their turn. 
     Often word construction gameplay attempts to allow users to create words from a given set of letters and to compete against other users to create a word that receives the highest score. From such games, the user is restricted to form words only during the instance that it is their turn. Also, the user is often restricted to only form words horizontally or vertically, while excluding diagonal formations. The present invention is a method of word construction gameplay that allows a user or users to form words in a multidirectional format with the same prescribed letters or characters as another user or users, and simultaneously with all users. All characters are assigned the same point value, creating “level” scoring opportunities. Many such games allow opportunities to increase the score total from a created word formation with the addition of special tiles, yet players are unable to change the location of such special tiles on the layout of the game; however, the present invention allows unique additional scoring opportunities. Such unique scoring opportunities are in the form of special tiles that can be arranged to a user&#39;s desire. These unique scoring opportunities are weighted heavily upon word formation, rather than word location. 
     It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a method of simultaneous multidirectional word construction gameplay for multiple players, in which additional multiple unique scoring opportunities are provided. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1A  is a stepwise flow diagram of the overall method of the present invention. 
         FIG. 1B  is a continuation of the stepwise flow diagram of the overall method of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a stepwise flow diagram describing the process of establishing preliminary game characteristics. 
         FIG. 3  is a stepwise flow diagram describing a process for determining the initial word formation in the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a stepwise flow diagram describing an alternate process for determining the initial word formation in the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a stepwise flow diagram describing processes for beginning and ending play turns in the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a stepwise flow diagram describing options for scoring points by creating word formations atop score modification tiles during a play turn. 
         FIG. 7A  is a stepwise flow diagram describing the process for scoring the game of the present invention. 
         FIG. 7B  is a continuation of the stepwise flow diagram describing the process for scoring the game of the present invention using specific methods for scoring points in the game of the present invention. 
         FIG. 7C  is an additional continuation of the stepwise flow diagram describing the process for scoring the game of the present invention using specific methods for scoring points in the game of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAIL DESCRIPTIONS OF THE INVENTION 
     All illustrations of the drawings are for the purpose of describing selected versions of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. 
     The present invention provides a user with a process by which the user can construct the formation of a word or a plurality of formations of words using a given set of letters or characters. It provides an innovative method of gameplay in which players utilize their creative skills to interlink a plurality of randomly given letters with an initial word or a given set of words horizontally, vertically, and/or diagonally to form a plurality of new word formations. A user of the present invention competes against other users to accumulate the maximum amount of points by creating the plurality of new word formations given a set of character tiles. The present invention also allows the user to change the word structure of preexisting words to form new words. It is assumed that the present invention is not limited to letters of the English language, and any characters of a given language can be used to form acceptable word formations. While the present invention is intended for use in competition among multiple users, it should be understood that the present invention may also be used by a single user. 
     The preferred name for the present invention is “Letter-Getter.” The present invention provides a game with level playing characteristics, or equal “Lettering” opportunities, and “un-level” playing characteristics, or unequal “Gettering” opportunities. The level playing characteristics are that each user creates new words using the same letters as all the other users, each user makes new words responding to the same letter arrangement, and all letters have the same point value. 
     The “un-level” playing characteristics relate to individual gameplay choices made by the users. During each play turn, users may make words horizontally, vertically, and diagonally. Users may make words by expanding letters of existing words, rearranging letters in existing words, and replacing letters in existing words. Users may make words that may be read “forward and backward” or “downward and upward.” In addition, users may make an unlimited number of plays during the play turn within their capabilities. Users may also create special words atop special “premium” score modification tiles for additional points. Users do not simply get the additional points for placing a letter on a special tile; users must earn the additional points in specific ways. 
     The game of the present invention allows the creation of many proper nouns, scientific words, and foreign language words. In fact, the game may be played in several languages. The game may also be played at several competency levels that dictate specific rules for gameplay. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, there are seven different competency levels, allowing the game to be tailored to any skill level from elementary school children to professional users. Different game layouts may be created to match the different competency levels. 
     A game layout is provided to the user or users of the present invention. A plurality of character tiles is also provided to the user or users. The game layout is an area for placing the plurality of character tiles adjacently to each other in order to form acceptable word formations. A word formation is comprised of a plurality of character tiles positioned adjacently with each other in a linear manner to form a word. A character tile is a tile that may be placed on the game layout in conjunction with other character tiles to form word formations. The character tile has a letter or character of a given language that is visibly displayed upon a surface of its embodiment. In one embodiment of the present invention, each of the plurality of character tiles is a physical object, a rectangular cuboid with equal length and width, and a small height compared to the length and width. In another embodiment of the present invention, each of the plurality of character tiles is octagonal. The plurality of bounded spaces allows a character tile to be placed adjacent to other character tiles in succession in order to construct a linear sequential formation of character tiles that constitute a word formation. The plurality of bounded spaces is positioned horizontally, vertically or diagonally adjacent with each other in order to form a uniform grid with the plurality of bounded spaces. In one embodiment of the present invention, the game layout, the plurality of character tiles and the plurality of erasable blank tiles are magnetized, so that the plurality of character tiles and the plurality of erasable blank tiles may be more effectively secured within the plurality of bounded spaces. 
     Each of the plurality of character tiles displays a single alphabetic character, such as, but not limited to, characters from the English alphabet, characters from another language&#39;s alphabet, punctuation marks or diacritical marks. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of erasable blank tiles are also provided, upon which additional characters or marks can be erasably written in order to facilitate the creation of unusual or special word formations that could not be created with only the plurality of character tiles. Each of the erasable blank tiles are blank initially so that a user can write a character atop the surface of the erasable blank tile with a nonpermanent writing utensil; thereafter, the written character is able to be erased in order for such a process to be repeated a plurality of instances. The plurality of erasable blank tiles is identical in shape and size to the plurality of character tiles. Each of the plurality of character tiles and the plurality of erasable blank tiles may be placed within one of the plurality of bounded spaces. A character tile should be able to fit securely within one of the plurality of bounded spaces. Therefore, the character tile should attach to the game layout and remain fixed until moved by a user. Each of the plurality of character tiles and each of the plurality of erasable blank tiles is designated a character tile point value. The character tile point value is equal for each of the plurality of character tiles and each of the plurality of erasable blank tiles. 
     A character tile repository is provided to store the plurality of character tiles that are to be used during the process of the present invention. The character tile repository initially contains each of the plurality of character tiles. The character tile repository may also be known as the Central Tiles Pool. Upon each new play turn during the game, character tiles are randomly withdrawn from the character tile repository. 
     A plurality of user boards is provided as well. Each of the plurality of user boards is a scale version of the game layout, and a user board is provided to each user. A user board may also be known as an Erasable ThinkBoard (ETB). Any character tiles that are positioned on the game layout should be recorded by each user onto the user board using a nonpermanent writing utensil. During the creation of new word formations, the user attempts to form any possible word formations with a set of current playing tiles on the user board. Only word formations that are written on the user board should be recorded for the score of the user. The user board should have an erasable function in which a user(s) can have as many attempts as desired to create new word formations—an undesired word formation can be erased so that another word formation can be recorded instead. 
     Before the game begins, a set of preliminary game characteristics is established among the user and other users of the present invention. The set of preliminary game characteristics includes, but is not limited to, the following. Each user begins the game with an initial score of zero. A plurality of score modification tiles are provided to the users. Standard scoring rules and score modification rules for creating word formations are established. Each or some of the plurality of score modification tiles are placed around the game layout. A list of acceptable word formations is established. The list of acceptable word formations is agreed upon by all users. The list of acceptable word formations is determined by a specified dictionary, or a custom list of word formations, or another method agreed upon by all users. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, proper nouns, abbreviations, scientific words, “adult” words, and foreign words are acceptable word formations. In one embodiment of the present invention, a user is designated as a referee. The referee performs various judging tasks such as, but not limited to, judging whether a word formation is acceptable, enforcing scoring rules and breaking ties. A game competency level is also established. The game competency level determines various gameplay characteristics, including, but not limited to, the number of character tiles in the set of current playing tiles, acceptable orientations for word formations, acceptable word formation operations, and acceptable theme word categories. 
     Another action which must be taken before the game starts is to determine an initial word formation. The initial word formation may also be known as the “Begin-the-Game-Word.” In one embodiment of the present invention, a word formation repository is provided. The word formation repository may also be known as the Word Chest. The word formation repository contains a plurality of ready-made common word formations that are used to initialize the process of the present invention. The initial word formation is selected from the word formation repository. The initial word formation may be selected randomly from the word formation repository, or all users may agree on an initial word formation to be chosen from the word formation repository. 
     In another embodiment of the present invention, the initial word formation is formed by randomly drawing character tiles from the character tile repository. In this embodiment, the number of character tiles comprising the initial word formation may be agreed upon by all users or determined by the referee. The initial word formation may comprise any number of character tiles, but preferably the initial word formation comprises between 2 and 9 character tiles. The initial word formation is not required to comply with the list of acceptable word formations. Users do not receive points for the character tiles of the initial word formation, except when creating a new word formation connecting to the initial word formation. After the initial word formation is selected, the initial word formation is placed on the game layout using the plurality of character tiles. 
     The set of current playing tiles is randomly attained from the character tile repository. All users view the set of current playing tiles, because all users create word formations using the same set of current playing tiles. Each user may record the set of current playing tiles on the user board. 
     A play turn is begun simultaneously with the other users. In one embodiment of the present invention, a timing mechanism is provided to designate a time limit for each play turn, and the play turn is begun by engaging the timing mechanism. The timing mechanism is used to ensure consistency of gameplay. 
     All users simultaneously create a plurality of word formations from the current playing tiles by connecting the current playing tiles to the initial word formation. Each user creates the plurality of word formations on the user board. In the embodiment that utilizes the timing mechanism, creation of word formations can only continue during the allotment of time for which the timing mechanism is engaged. If no timing mechanism is utilized, then the creation of word formations should continue until other conditions for ending the play turn are met. Users receive the character tile point value for each character tile in new word formations. Users have additional options for scoring, including creating a new word formation across a specific score modification tile that meets scoring requirements of the specific score modification tile, creating a new word formation by altering an existing word formation atop a specific score modification tile, or creating a themed word formation atop a matching themed tile, which is a specific score modification tile. During each play turn—and within the time limit—each user can have multiple plays, adding character tiles to word formations on the game layout until the time limit expires or until the user cannot add any more character tiles to existing word formations. In a play, a user adds one or more character tiles to existing word formations to create new word formations. Multiple plays may be made during a play turn. The user may make as many plays as desired or possible during the play turn. 
     The play turn is ended simultaneously with the other users. In the embodiment of the present invention that includes a timing mechanism, the play turn is ended by disengaging the timing mechanism, or when the time period set by the timing mechanism expires. The play turn may also be ended when a user accomplishes the goal of creating word formations using all of the current play tiles before any other user creates word formations using all of the current play tiles. The user who accomplishes this goal on their user board must announce that they have used all of the current play tiles to end the play turn. The user may also choose not to announce that they have used all the current play tiles in favor of attempting to create word formations that would result in a higher personal turn score. A user who uses all of the current play tiles to create a plurality of word formations receives a large point value for using all of the current play tiles. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the large point value is 50 points. A user who uses all of the current play tiles to create a single new word formation receives a very large point value for using all of the current play tiles. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the large point value is 100 points. The play turn may also be ended if all users agree to end the play turn, due to no longer being able to create additional word formations, attain a higher score, or for other reasons. 
     Each user calculates a personal turn score for the play turn. A scoring sheet is provided for users to record the personal turn score. There may be only one scoring sheet, and one user who is designated as the scorekeeper records scores on the scoring sheet, or each user may have a personal scoring sheet. As more play turns are completed, a user accumulates personal turn scores (a score for each play turn)—the scoring sheet record all of the personal turn score for easy display of a personal accumulated score of each user. Each user receives a plurality of point values for each word formation according to the established scoring rules. Each of the plurality of point values for each of the plurality of word formations is accumulated to produce the personal turn score. The personal turn score is recorded on the scoring sheet. 
     Each user then adds the personal turn score to the personal accumulated score, which is a running sum total of all personal turn scores from all play turns. (IB) Each user announces their personal turn score to the other users and similarly acquires additional turn scores of the other users. One of the users may be designated as a scorekeeper, and keeps track of each user&#39;s personal accumulated score on a scoring sheet. A calculator may be provided to assist in score calculations, or score calculations may be done by hand. 
     A highest scoring user is determined for the play turn. In order to determine the highest scoring user, each user&#39;s personal turn score is compared to the personal turn scores of the other users to identify a highest turn score. The user with the highest turn score is designated as the highest scoring user. If a play turn is concluded with two users having equal personal turn scores, a tie breaking process may be initiated. The tie breaking process may involve, but is not limited to, a sudden death round, flipping a coin, making a gentleman&#39;s agreement, rolling dice, drawing straws, or another method for breaking the tie. 
     If a subsequent play turn is to be carried out, the plurality of word formations from the user board of the highest scoring user is transferred to the game layout in order to initialize the subsequent play turn. The plurality of word formations from the user board of the highest scoring user becomes the initial word formation for the subsequent play turn. 
     Play turns are cyclically repeated if game conclusion conditions have not been met. The game conclusion conditions may include, but are not limited to, a user accumulating a personal accumulated score equal to or greater than a winning score limit, all of the plurality of bounded spaces being filled with the plurality of character tiles, a total game time limit being reached, or mutual agreement among all users. (N) The game of the present invention is won by concluding the game with the highest personal accumulated score. 
     In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, in the standard scoring rules, the character tile point value is one point, so that a user gains one point for each character tile used in a word formation. For example, the word “TABLE” is worth 5 points. A user may add character tiles to an existing word formation in succession to create a chain of new word formations, and the user receives a word point value for each successive word formation. For example, an existing word formation is “AM.” A user adds a “C” character tile to form “CAM” for three points. The user then adds an “E” character tile to form “CAME” for four points. The user then adds an “L” character tile to form “CAMEL” for five points. The user than adds the character tiles “OT” to form “CAMELOT” for seven points. The total point value for the chain of new word formations is 19, or 3+4+5+7. The user is not required to form an acceptable word formation with each successive character tile to be placed. In the previous example, the user could have simply added “C” before the “AM” and “ELOT” after the “AM” to form “CAMELOT,” but such an action would have resulted in a lower word score of seven. 
     Additional game dynamics, or score modification rules, allow additional point values to be accumulated to the word score for a word formation. The additional point values should not be equal to the point value of a character tile. Such additional point values are dependent on the position of a word formation and the manner in which the word formation was created. Additional point values can be attained by creating word formations across the score modification tiles. In order to receive the additional point values due to a score modification tile, a user must create a word formation in a specific manner relative to the score modification tile. Methods for receiving the additional point values include, but are not limited to, receiving a doubled word score for a word formation, receiving a quadrupled word score for a word formation, receiving a large point value for a word formation, receiving a large point value for using all of the current play tiles to create word formations, and receiving a very large point value for a word formation. 
     In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the plurality of score modification tiles comprises diagonal word score modification tiles, replace letter score modification tiles, add letter score modification tiles, rearrange characters score modification tiles, read backwards score modification tiles, character matching score tiles, converging score tiles, and themed score modification tiles. The plurality of score modification tiles requires the user to create a word formation in a specific manner in order to receive the additional point value. 
     If the user creates a new word formation oriented in a diagonal manner and if one of the character tiles of the new word formation is atop a diagonal word score modification tile, the point value received for the new word formation is doubled. 
     If the user creates a new word formation by replacing a character tile in an existing word formation and if one of the character tiles of the new word formation is atop a replace letter score modification tile, the point value received for the new word formation is doubled. For example, if the user replaces the “B” character tile in the existing word formation “BAD” with an “M” to create the new word formation “MAD” atop a replace letter score modification tile, the user is awarded six points: three for the number of character tiles in the new word formation, and the three points is doubled to six due to the correct use of the replace letter score modification tile. 
     If the user creates a new word formation by adding a character tile to an existing word formation and if one of the character tiles of the new word formation is atop an add letter score modification tile, the point value received for the new word formation is doubled. For example, if the user adds a “B” character tile to the existing word formation “AD” to create the new word formation “BAD” atop an add letter score modification tile, the user is awarded six points: three for the number of character tiles in the new word formation, and the three points is doubled to six due to the correct use of the add letter score modification tile. In the previous example of successively expanding the existing word formation “AM” to the new word formation “CAMELOT”, if one of the character tiles of the existing word formation “AM” is atop an add letter score modification tile, the word point value for each successive word formation is doubled, resulting in a score of 38, or 6+8+10+14. 
     If the user creates a new word formation by rearranging the character tiles in an existing word formation and if one of the character tiles of the new word formation is atop a rearrange characters score modification tile, the point value received for the new word formation is doubled. For example, if the user rearranges the character tiles in the word formation “AFT” to create the new word formation “FAT” atop a rearrange characters score modification tile, the user is awarded six points: three for the number of character tiles in the new word formation, and the three points is doubled to six due to the correct use of the add letter score modification tile. Once a user rearranges an original word formation to produce a new word formation, the user cannot rearrange the new word formation back to the original word formation. In a subsequent turn, however, the user may rearrange the new word formation to an additional new word formation different from the original word formation, or another user may rearrange the new word formation back to the original word formation. 
     If the user creates a new word formation and if the new word formation may be read backwards as an additional word formation and if one of the character tiles of the new word formation is atop a read backwards score modification tile, the point value received for the new word formation is doubled. For example, if the user creates the new word formation “TOOL” atop a read backward score modification tile, which can be read backwards as “LOOT”, the user is awarded eight points: four for the number of character tiles in the new word formation, and the four points is doubled to eight due to the correct use of the read backwards score modification tile. 
     A character matching score modification tile displays two sequential alphabetic characters. For example, a character matching score modification tile displays “AB”, “KL”, “OP” or “YZ”, or any other two sequential alphabetic characters. If a user creates a new word formation in which a specific character tile of the new word formation is placed atop a character matching score modification tile, and the specific character tile is the same as one of the two sequential alphabetic characters displayed on the character matching score modification tile, the point value received for the new word formation is doubled. For example, a user creates a new word formation “SPHERE”, and the “P” character of the new word formation “SPHERE” is atop a character matching score modification tile that displays the sequential alphabetic characters “OP”, the user is awarded twelve points: six for the number of character tiles in the new word formation, and the six points is doubled to twelve due to the correct use of the character matching score modification tile. 
     If the user creates three or more word formations that share a common character tile and if the common character tile is atop a converging score modification tile, the point value received for the new word formation is quadrupled. For example, an existing word formation “DAYS” is oriented horizontally. The user then creates the word formation “SAD” oriented vertically, with the “S” in “DAYS” as the beginning character tile of “SAD”. The user then creates another new word formation “SIT” oriented diagonally, with the same “S” character tile in “DAYS” and “SAD” being the beginning character tile of “SIT.” If the “S” character tile common to all three word formations is atop a converging score modification tile, the user is awarded forty points: ten for the sum total number of character tiles in the three word formations (four for DAYS, three for SIT, and three for SAD), and the ten points is quadrupled to forty due to the correct use of the converging score modification tile. 
     Another score modification method in the present invention is using themed words. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the themed score modification tiles includes categories such as, but not limited to, land masses, bodies of water, animals, vegetation, space objects, and a custom theme category. The custom theme category is decided by agreement among all users before the game begins, during the step of establishing the set of preliminary game characteristics. In order to score points using the themed score modification tiles, a themed word formation made atop a themed score modification tile must match the theme of the themed score modification tile, or the word formation must match the theme of a different themed score modification tile. 
     A large point value is received for creating a themed word formation if the themed word formation is made atop a mismatching themed score modification tile. That is, if the theme of the themed word formation does not match the theme of the mismatching themed score modification tile, a large point value is received. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the large point value is 50 points, though the large point value may have other numerical values. For example, if the user creates a word formation “LION” atop a land mass themed score modification tile, the user is awarded the large point value, since the theme of word formation matches the theme of the animal themed score modification tiles, but does not match the theme of the themed score modification tile the themed word formation was created atop. 
     A very large point value is received for creating a themed word formation if the themed word formation is made atop a matching themed score modification tile. That is, if the theme of the themed word formation matches the theme of the matching themed score modification tile, a very large point value is received. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the very large point value is 100 points, though the very large point value may have other numerical values. For example, if the user creates the word formation “LION” atop an animal themed word modification score, the user is awarded the very large point value, since the theme of the word formation matches the theme of the themed score modification tile the word formation was created atop. 
     Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.