Patent Publication Number: US-2004041341-A1

Title: Game cube and method for playing a game of resource development

Description:
BACKGROUND  
       [0001] 1. Field of the Invention  
       [0002] Thus invention relates to games for entertainment and education in the area of resource development and economics.  
       [0003] 2. Description of Prior Art  
       [0004] There are a variety of games simulating resource development oriented for entertainment and education. Typically these games are played as board games. In many of these games, players move through a series of marked playing areas around the periphery of the board A random number generator such as dice generally controls the player&#39;s moves. For example U.S. Pat. No. 2,026,082 to Darrow (1935) simulates real estate resource development, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,856,788 to Fischel (1989) attempts to simulate resource development on a global scale of macroeconomics and microeconomics. There are variations in shape, such as U.S. Pat. No. 4,239,229 to Crossley (1980), a circular board game divided into a plurality of areas for player movement and uses a resource calculator and battle computer to challenge other players. Another variation is a game oriented to economics and military conflict such as U.S. Pat. No. 5,118,115 to Codinha (1992). These games require a specialized printing of a playing board, use a collection of dissimilar playing pieces, use a collection of dissimilar printed currencies, use a collection of dissimilar printed cards to show asset ownership, and a series of dissimilar printed cards to introduce random events into the game As such, these games are expensive to manufacture and package. U.S. Pat. No. 5,074,560 to Silverman (1991) is a permutation group game, using a series of cubes, each having markings in the four quadrangles on every facet. Players in turn rotate their cubes to obtain a new sequence of quadrangles The game is oriented to permutation number theory although it is proposed as a baseball game. This game uses a collection of dissimilar cubes, with a variety of quadrangle arrangements on every facet, making the game more expensive to manufacture and package. U.S. Pat. No. 5,636,841 to Burroughs (1997) is a variation of a checker board game that uses cubes to mimic the function of checker pieces. In this game, the playing pieces are cubes with each of the six facets marked with the numbers 1 through 6. Players can move their cubes on the board as checker pieces and rotate the cubes to increase the cubes authoritative number. However, it is board game and limited in scope to a game similar to checkers. Both of the above games, use cubic playing pieces in a manner different than the method described in this patent application, and are not oriented to resource development.  
       [0005] It would therefore be advantageous to create a unique entertaining and educational game that simulates resource development, reducing it to the most simple of elements to interest young players while having the mathematical complexity to maintain the interest of sophisticated adult players.  
       OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES  
       [0006] Accordingly, several objects and advantages of my invention are:  
       [0007] (a) a unique and new approach to a game of resource development;  
       [0008] (b) reduces the concept of resource development to its most fundamental basics;  
       [0009] (c) shows the relationship of resource development and present day economics;  
       [0010] (d) and offers an educational insight to the historical development of resources and economic cultures;  
       [0011] (e) uses of a collection of identical geometric cubes and therefore is easier to manufacture and package;  
       [0012] (f) uses simple round currency tokens that do not require specialized tooling for manufacture;  
       [0013] (g) a deviation from the common place board game environment;  
       [0014] (h) and is mathematically challenging enough to entertain advanced adult players. 
     
    
    
     DRAWING FIGURES  
     [0015] In the drawings, closely related figures have the same number but with different alphabetical suffixes.  
     [0016]FIG. 1A shows a front aspect and FIG. 1B shows a rear aspect view of a geometric cube with arbitrarily chosen icons. FIG. 1C shows an unfolded view of a geometric cube with the arbitrarily chosen icons.  
     [0017]FIG. 2A shows a plan view of an arbitrarily chosen round shaped game token and FIG. 2B shows an end view of game token  
     [0018]FIG. 3 shows a computer version of the game using a computer, a keyboard and a mouse for players to interact with the game software, and a display monitor for showing status of the game in progress. 
    
    
     [0019] Reference Numerals in Drawing  
     [0020] 10 . an arbitrarily chosen icon representing a Starting Resource facet of the game cube  
     [0021] 12  an arbitrarily chosen icon representing a Knowledge facet of the game cube  
     [0022] 14  an arbitrarily chosen icon representing an Agriculture facet of the game cube  
     [0023] 16  an arbitrarily chosen icon representing an Industry facet of the game cube  
     [0024] 18  an arbitrarily chosen icon representing a Finance facet of the game cube  
     [0025] 20 . an arbitrarily chosen icon representing a Military facet of the game cube  
     [0026] 30 . a single dot, surrounded by parenthesis, representing minus one currency token on the Knowledge facet of the game cube  
     [0027] 32  a single dot representing plus one currency token on the Agriculture facet of the game cube  
     [0028] 34  two dots representing plus two currency tokens on the Industry facet of the game cube  
     [0029] 36  three dots representing plus three currency tokens on the Finance facet of the game cube  
     [0030] 38 . one of the many arrows showing an allowed direction of rotation for the game cube  
     [0031] 40  Computer for playing the game  
     [0032] 42  Keyboard for players to effect moves of the game  
     [0033] 44  Mouse for players to effect moves of the game  
     [0034] 46 . Display monitor for displaying virtual geometric shapes for players, tracking scores, available virtual cubes, virtual token currency, and virtual buttons for players to effect moves for the game  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
     [0035] This invention is a game of resource development simulating an economic environment. The game uses a plurality of geometric cubes, a plurality of tokens for currency, and an ‘End of Match’ token. Each of the six facets of a game cube is marked with an icon representing a given resource with a given point value. The game is played as a series of matches equal to the number of players. Players decide on the total number of cubes and currency tokens available for play in each match. The ‘End of Match’ token is used in every match. The cubes, currency tokens, and ‘End of Match’ token are placed in an area of play, called the Mundo. To initiate a match, each player collects two cubes from the Mundo and places these cubes with the Starting Resource icon facing upward. The object of the game is for players to rotate their cubes to change the resource icon facing upward, increasing the point value to acquire currency tokens from the Mundo. The cubes can also be rotated to a position where a player can challenge other players in the match and acquire currency tokens from the other players. Players then use their currency tokens to purchase more cubes from the Mundo. When the players have acquired all of the available cubes from the Mundo the match ends. If the players collect all of the available currency tokens and acquire the ‘End of Match’ token the match is also terminated. The total point value of the cubes and number of currency tokens the player has m possession determines the player&#39;s match score. The player with the highest total of overall points is declared the winner The game can also be simulated on a computer.  
     [0036] Description of the Preferred Embodiment FIGS. 1A to  3   
     [0037] A typical embodiment of the game uses a geometric cube illustrated in FIG. 1A (front aspect view) and FIG. 1B (rear aspect view) and FIG. 1C an (unfolded view). In this embodiment the game represents a simple game of resource development for economics Arbitrarily chosen icons mark the game cube&#39;s six facets representing a Starting Resource  10  facet, a Knowledge  12  facet, an Agriculture  14  facet, an Industry  16  facet, a Finance  18  facet, and a Military  20  facet.  
     [0038] Arbitrarily chosen markers, shown as dots, represent the game cube facet&#39;s contribution to the player&#39;s gain or loss of currency tokens. A dot surrounded by parenthesis  30  represents minus one currency token for the Knowledge  12  facet of the game cube A single dot  32  represents plus one currency token for th Agriculture  14  facet of the game cube. Two dots  34  represent plus two currency tokens for the Industry  16  facet of the game cube. Three dots  36  represent plus three currency tokens for the Finance  18  facet of the game cube. Arbitrarily chosen directional arrows  40  shown on every facet of the game cube indicate the allowed rotations of the game cube.  
     [0039]FIGS. 2A and 2B shows a typical token arbitrarily colored green for representing currency in the game. Also a token shown in FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B is arbitrarily colored red to represent an ‘End of Match’ game token.  
     [0040] In FIG. 3 the game can be simulated on a computer  40 . A typical embodiment on a display monitor  46  will use arbitrary icon images to represent the facet exposed for the player&#39;s virtual cubes. Competing players would have designated areas on the display monitor  46  for displaying their cube&#39;s exposed facets. The display monitor  46  would also have areas to represent the number of virtual cubes and virtual currency tokens available for play. The display monitor  46  would also have areas to display player&#39;s current and total scores. The game would be played by the use of a keyboard  42  or a mouse  44  to click on virtual buttons to effect player&#39;s actions.  
     [0041] Operation—FIGS. 1A, 1B,  1 C,  2 A,  2 B,  3   
     [0042] The manner of using the game cubes, currency tokens and ‘End of Match’ token is stated in the following method of play. In a computer simulation the user would be confined to the same rules, but a computer  40  would use a display monitor  46  to display the facets of virtual geometric shapes, virtual currency tokens, and a virtual ‘End of Match’ token. In a computer simulation the player would use a keyboard  42 , and a mouse  44  to click on virtual buttons to execute the player&#39;s actions.  
     [0043] The goal of the game is to gain the highest overall score by purchasing resources, developing those resources and challenging competing players. Two or more players can play. The game uses a plurality of game cubes, a plurality of currency tokens and a single ‘End of Match’ token.  
     [0044] The game is played as a series of matches equal to the number of players in the game.  
     [0045] Example: If there are four players, the game has four matches.  
     [0046] Players choose a starting player for the first match by agreement or lot. The starting player for the following matches shifts left until every player in the game has started a match. The starting player of each match declares the number of game cubes used in the match.  
     [0047] To prepare for a match, players count out the number of game cubes and two currency tokens FIGS.  2 A- 2 B (colored green) for each game cube and place them in the center of the table. This center area is called the “Mundo”. The players place a game token FIGS.  2 A- 2 B (colored red) as the ‘End of Match’ token in the Mundo. Mundo represents the world from which players acquire game cubes and currency tokens. The Mundo also accepts forfeited game cubes from players in need of currency tokens. Players initiate a match by removing two game cubes from the Mundo, placing the two game cubes on the table in front of them, with the Starting Resource icon  10  facing upward.  
     [0048] Each player performs the following actions during their turn at play. Players do not change the order of the actions. Once a player starts an action, the player cannot return to a previous action.  
     [0049] a) Players calculate their Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and collects from (or pays) the Mundo.  
     [0050] b) Players collect for successful military challenges from other players.  
     [0051] c) Players reallocate their game cubes.  
     [0052] d) Players purchase game cubes from the Mundo.  
     [0053] After the player has completed these actions, turn of play proceeds to the next player on the left.  
     [0054] a) Calculating Players Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to Collect from (or pay) the Mundo.  
     [0055] A player&#39;s GDP is determined by the player&#39;s current resource allocation. The upward facing icon determines the player&#39;s resource allocation for each game cube. A resource&#39;s contribution to a player&#39;s GDP is indicated by the dots above or below the game cube&#39;s exposed icon The player adds zero GDP units for every game cube with the Staring Resource  10  facing upward. For every game cube with Knowledge  12  facing upward, a player subtracts one GDP unit, shown as a dot surrounded by parenthesis  30 . For every game cube with Agriculture  14  facing upward the player adds one GDP unit, shown as a single dot  32 . For every game cube with Industry  16  facing upward the player adds two GDP units, shown as two dots  34 . For every game cube with the Finance  18  facing upward the player adds three GDP units, shown as three dots  34 . For every game cube with Military  20  facing upward the player adds zero GDP units. If the sum of the player&#39;s GDP units is a positive value, the player collects that amount in currency tokens from the Mundo. If the sum of the player&#39;s GDP units is a negative value, the player is required to pay the Mundo that amount in currency tokens. A player must accept full payment from the Mundo. If the Mundo does not have sufficient currency tokens to pay the player, then the player must accept the ‘End of Match’ token and the match is terminated.  
     [0056] If the player owes currency tokens to the Mundo and the player does not have sufficient currency tokens to pay the Mundo, then the player must forfeit a game cube to the Mundo. The Mundo pays five currency tokens for a forfeited game cube. If the Mundo does not have sufficient currency tokens to pay for a forfeited game cube, the player must accept the ‘End of Match’ token and the match is terminated.  
     [0057] b) Collecting for Successful Military Challenges from Other Players.  
     [0058] After a player has completed calculating their GDP, a player can collect currency tokens from other players for successful military challenges. Military challenges are made in direction of play. A player wins a military challenge if the player has more game cubes with the Military  20  facet facing upward than their opponent does. The losing player owes the winning player one currency token for each military resource that the losing player cannot defend against.  
     [0059] Example: If a challenging player has three game cubes with Military  20  facing upward, and the challenged player has only one game cube with Military  20  facing upward, then the challenged player will owe the challenging player two currency tokens.  
     [0060] If the losing player does not have sufficient currency tokens to pay the wining player, the losing player can forfeit a game cube to the Mundo to obtain currency tokens. The Mundo pays five currency tokens for each forfeited game cube. If the losing player receives the ‘End of Match’ token from the Mundo when forfeiting a game cube, the losing player is required to pay the winning player what currency tokens the losing player received up to the amount owed. The loser then gives the ‘End of Match’ token to the winning player. The match ends when the winning player receives the ‘End of Match’ token. A player is not required to make a military challenge against other players.  
     [0061] The winner of a military challenge can demand fill or partial payment from the losing player. The loser of a military challenge cannot pay the winning player more currency tokens than the winning player demands.  
     [0062] Example: If the winner of military challenge is owed four currency tokens, the winning player can demand that the losing player pay only two currency tokens.  
     [0063] The loser of a military challenge can offer the winning player a resource cube as payment. The winner of a military challenge may accept, but cannot demand, a resource cube as payment. The value of the offered game cube is open for bargaining by the two players. The winning player must accept the offered game cube ‘AS IS’.  
     [0064] Example: An offered game cube with Agriculture  14  facing upward must be accepted with Agriculture  14  facing upward.  
     [0065] If the winning player accepts a game cube with Military  20  facing upward, that game cube can be used to challenge subsequent players  
     [0066] c). Reallocating the Player&#39;s Game Cubes.  
     [0067] After a player has calculated their GDP and made their military challenges; the player can elect to reallocate their game cubes Any game cube with the Starting Resource  10  facing upward can be rotated so that Knowledge  12  or Agriculture  14  is facing upward. Otherwise the number of game cube reallocations a player is allowed is dependent on the number of game cubes the player has with Knowledge  12  facing upward Each game cube with Knowledge  12  facing upward allows the player to make a single resource reallocation. If a player has more than one Knowledge  12  facing upward, the player can make multiple changes to a single game cube, or single changes to multiple game cubes. A player changes a game cube&#39;s allocation by rotating the game cube so that that the desired resource icon is facing upward. The arrows  40  next to the game cube resource icons indicate allowed rotations for the game cube.  
     [0068] Example: If a player has a game cube with Knowledge  12  facing upward the player can make one the following changes The game cube with Knowledge  12  facing upward can be rotated so that Industry  16  or the Starting Resource  10  is facing upward. OR a game cube with Agriculture  14  facing upward can be rotated so that the Starting Resource  10  or Industry  16  is facing upward. OR A game cube with Industry  18  facing upward can be rotated so that Finance  18  or Military  20  is facing upward. OR A game cube with Finance  18  facing upward can be rotated so that Industry  16  or the Starting Resource  10  is facing upward. OR a game cube with Military  20  can be rotated so that Industry  18  or the Starting Resource  10  is facing upward.  
     [0069] If a player rotates a game cube to so that it&#39;s Knowledge  12  is facing upward, that Knowledge  12  resource can not be counted for reallocating game cubes until the player&#39;s next turn at play. Also, if a player rotated a game cube so that the Starting Resource  10  is facing upward the player cannot rotate that game cube until the player&#39;s next turn at play.  
     [0070] d). Purchasing Game Cubes from the Mundo.  
     [0071] After a player has calculated their GDP, made their military challenges, and reallocated their game cubes, they can elect to purchase game cubes from the Mundo. The cost for each game cube is six currency tokens. Mundo only sells game cubes allocated with the Starting Resource  10  facing upward, but the player can immediately reallocate their new game cubes to have either Knowledge  12  or Agriculture  14  facing upward. A player is not required to reallocate a purchased game cube, but the player must then wait until that player&#39;s next turn at play to reallocate it.  
     [0072] Turn at play then proceeds to the next player. A player&#39;s turn at play officially ends when the next player has calculated their GDP and collects from (or pays) the Mundo for their GDP.  
     [0073] The Match Ends:  
     [0074] a) When Any Player Receives the ‘End of Match’ Token.  
     [0075] The match ends immediately when any player receives the ‘End of Match’ token from the Mundo. Players must accept the ‘End of Match’ token when the Mundo no longer has currency tokens to pay the players. Players can not pickup the ‘End of Match’ token from the Mundo if there are enough currency tokens in the Mundo to pay what is owed. Players must accept the ‘End of Match’ token from a player that received it while forfeiting game cubes to pay for a military challenge. If a player receives the ‘End of Match’ token during turn at play, the player does not finish their turn at play. The match ends upon player&#39;s receipt of the ‘End of Match’ token.  
     [0076] b) When NO Game Cubes Remain in the Mundo at the Start of a ‘Round’.  
     [0077] A ‘round’ is when every player in the match has had a turn at play after the starting player&#39;s turn at play. If the Mundo runs out of game cubes during a round of play, the match continues until every player in the round has played. The starting player does not initiate a new round if no game cubes remain in the Mundo at the staring player&#39;s turn of play. If there is at least one game cube in Mundo at the starting player&#39;s turn at play, the starting player must initiate a new round.  
     [0078] c) When There is Only One Player Remaining in the Match.  
     [0079] A match ends when only one player remains in the match. Players are forced out of the match if they no longer have any game cubes. Players forced out of a match do not forfeit their currency tokens and can apply them to their match score. The last player in the match collects all of the game cubes remaining in the Mundo as a bonus.  
     [0080] Calculating the Match Score  
     [0081] The match score is the sum of the value of the player&#39;s game cubes plus the number of currency tokens the player has in possession. The value of player&#39;s game cube is six points for every game cube with the Starting Resource  10  or Knowledge  12  facing upward and five points for all other assigned game cube icons facing upward, (Agriculture  14 , Industry  16 , Finance  18 , and Military  20 ). If a player has received the ‘End of Match’ token that player cannot add any amount ‘owed’ to that player by the Mundo, or by another player, to their score. The ‘End of Match’ token adds one point to a player&#39;s total score.  
     [0082] Players are forced out of the match when they no longer have any game cubes. A player forced out of a match does not forfeit their currency tokens (if any) and can apply them to their match score. If the player owes the Mundo, or the winner of a military challenge, the player must attempt to pay the debt with any currency token the player has in possession. If a player has NO currency tokens when being forced out of the match, then the player owed cannot collect the debt or add the amount owed to their match score  
     [0083] Game Score  
     [0084] A complete game has a number of matches equal to the number of players. After every player has initiated a match, the players add up their total match points. The player with the highest overall score wins the game.  
     [0085] Suggestions for Advanced Play  
     [0086] The players can elect to change the number of currency tokens available in the play area from two per game cube to a different number of total currency tokens by adding or subtracting currency tokens available in the play area.  
     [0087] Adding or subtracting game cubes in the Mundo: The starting player sets the number of cubes, per player used in the match, then adds or subtracts game cubes in the Mundo so that there are an unequal number of cubes per player.  
     [0088] Team Play: Similar to normal play where each player plays independently. However the Team&#39;s match score is the team member with the highest match score.  
     [0089] Playing Multiple Sets as a Group. The required skill level to win increases as the number of game cubes in play increases. However, twelve game cubes per player is the upper limit of an interesting game. Advanced players will find the game more interesting by increasing the number of game cube sets each player manages as a group. In multiple set play, the players manage two or more game cube sets in a manner similar to team play, however a player cannot make military challenges against other sets in their group.  
     [0090] Tournament Play: Tournament and advanced players of the game can increase the difficulty by establishing a set of games where the number of game cubes used per game increases with every game. In a tournament round, a player may lose at one game, but win the over all game set In tournament play a referee is appointed to conduct business for the Mundo.  
     [0091] Theory of Operation  
     [0092] While I believe that the essence of this game uses number theory, I do not wish to be bound by this. Also, while I believe that the essence of this game is economic theory, I do not wish to be bound by this.  
     SUMMARY, RAMIFICATIONS, AND SCOPE  
     [0093] Accordingly the advantages of this game is the use of a collection of identical geometric shaped game pieces and therefore is easier manufacture and to package. The game also uses common round tokens as currency and therefore does not require specialized tooling for the manufacture or printing of the differing currency values. Another advantage is the deviation from the common board game environment that offers a uniquely new approach to games of resource development. Also this game reduces the concept of resource development to its fundamental elements, showing not only the relationships in present day resource development, but offering an educational insight to the historical development of resources.  
     [0094] Although the description above contains many specifications, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention but as merely providing illustrations of some of the preferred embodiments of this invention. For example the cube&#39;s facets of Starting Resource, Knowledge, Agriculture, Industry, Finance and Military are arbitrarily named and different representative names can be applied to these facets thus making the game simulate a differing type of resource development. Images for the icons, arrow markers, indicators of a cube facet&#39;s contribution to a player&#39;s collecting tokens, are arbitrary and can be changed. Indicators for the value of a game cube&#39;s contribution to the match score can be added to the cube&#39;s facets.  
     [0095] While the preferred embodiment of this game uses a geometric cube, other geometric shapes can be used to increase or decrease the number of facets available. The use of virtual geometric shapes would be very easy to implement in a computer version of this game.  
     [0096] Thus the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, rather than by the examples given.