Patent Publication Number: US-6712359-B1

Title: Game apparatus and method of play

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a game apparatus for a board type game and a method of play. 
     There are a number of board games wherein players advance from starting positions to ending positions along a path containing discreet steps pursuant to the rules of play of the game. In most such games, advancement by each player is alternative and sequential, that is, the players take turns, one player going first and the next player following. Where the players alternate moves, an object of the game for each player is to determine how an opposing player will move in response to the player&#39;s current move. 
     An object of the present invention is to provide a game apparatus and a method of play for a game wherein players&#39; moves are simultaneous, and playing decisions involve predicting another player&#39;s unknown simultaneous move. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with the present invention, a game for at least two persons comprises a game board having two separate lanes, each lane extending though a discreet number of sites between starting and ending positions. A movable gate is positioned between adjacent sites in each lane, the gates between corresponding sites in adjacent lanes being interdependent, such that when a gate in one lane is open, a corresponding gate between sites in the other lane is closed, both corresponding gates changing their status simultaneously when one of the corresponding gates is open or closed. A control mechanism permits each player to change the status of every other gate along a lane, such that one player controls the first and third sequential gates in a lane and the other player controls the second and fourth sequential gates in a lane, and so forth. Game pieces mark the position of each player as the player advances from his starting position to his ending position, each player scoring a point when his game piece reaches the player&#39;s ending position. A manual or electronic playing mechanism permits each player to choose, simultaneously and in confidence for each move, a lane in which-to position his game piece and a gate to open or close if desired. The players&#39; choices are revealed simultaneously after each move is selected by both players. Any playing pieces thereafter positioned adjacent one or more open gates in his lane moves through the open gates until either the ending position or a closed gate is encountered, at which position the game piece stops. A score is achieved each time a game piece reaches its ending position. The player then repositions his game piece at the player&#39;s starting position and starts over. The game proceeds continuously until a winning score is achieved by one of the players. 
     Desirably, the game board is divided into three adjacent zones, a zone for a first player, a zone for a second player, and a neutral zone positioned between the player zones, each player having its starting position in that player&#39;s zone, each lane extending through both player zones and the neutral zone. In playing the game, collisions between game pieces occur when two game pieces either attempt to move through the same gate or move to the same site in the same move. A collision is resolved in favor of the player in whose zone the collision occurs, the game piece of that player advancing to the site that the player had chosen in his move, the game piece of the opposing player being returned to its starting position to start over. When a collision occurs in the neutral zone, each player returns his game piece to his starting position. 
     The game can be implemented with a mechanical game board or electronically. When the game is implemented electronically, the game board and player positions are depicted on an electronically operated display screen. Each player&#39;s moves, reflecting game piece lane changes and gate position decisions, are recordable independently by electronic input devices to an electronic control device. The electronic control device stores each player&#39;s moves in confidence until both players have moved or a designated time period for moving has elapsed, at which time the control device displays both players&#39; moves on an electronic display. The electronic implementation may be achieved by a stand alone electronic game board having confidential electronic input means for each player, a playing field and electronic move display screen. Alternatively, the electronic implementation can be achieved by one or more computers, wherein a computer input device is used to select player moves, and a computer display screen is used to display the playing board and player moves. The game also can be implemented by multiple computers connected in a network. 
    
    
     These and other features of the present invention are described in detail below and shown in the appended drawings 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a mechanical game board for playing the game of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a plan view of an electronic game board for playing of the game of the present invention. 
     FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a game apparatus for playing the game of the present invention on networked computers. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now to the drawings, the game of the present invention is most easily described in connection with the game board layout shown in FIG. 2, which is an electronic configuration of the game. A free standing game is illustrated in FIG. 2, but the game also can be implemented by means of a computer, with the game being played by one player against a computer player with a single computer, or multiple players could play on a single computer, or multiple players could play on multiple computers by means of a network or the internet. A computer implemented game is illustrated schematically in FIG.  3 . 
     Referring to FIG. 2, game  10  comprises a base  12  on which a playing field  14  is positioned. The field can be printed on the board or displayed on an electronic or video display  15 . 
     The exemplary game is intended to be played by two players (designated “A” and “B”), but the game could be adapted to be played by more players. The game apparatus also includes recording or input devices  16 A and  16 B for recording the game moves, respectively, of players A and B. The apparatus also includes display or output devices  18 A and  18 B for simultaneously displaying the selected moves of players A and B. The moves of each player can be mechanically shielded by fences  20 A and  20 B positioned adjacent each recording or input device, or the moves can be otherwise shielded. In an electronic version of the game, a control unit  22 , which can be a computer central processing unit, can be connected to the display and recording devices of both players and programmed so that the display devices do not disclose one player&#39;s move until both players have made their moves, at which time the moves are disclosed simultaneously. As an alternative to the computer-controlled simultaneous display of moves, mechanical covers  26  (shown in phantom) can be placed over the display screens and exposed simultaneously by the players. The computer can include a timer  24  that limits each player&#39;s move to a specific amount of time. The timer can be set so that a player who fails to select a move within the time limit does not move his man or any gate for that move. 
     The playing field provides spaced starting positions  28 A and  28 B and ending positions for game pieces  44 A and  44 B for at least two players, the respective starting positions being spaced on opposite sides of the playing field. The playing field has at least two paths or lanes X and Y leading from each starting position to each ending position, with each path being divided into discreet steps or sites X 1  to X 7  Y 1  to Y 7 . The ending position for each lane is the site at the end of the lane. The lanes also can be identified by colors, as by pink for the X lane and blue for the Y lane. Desirably, the lanes are parallel and the sites of one lane are adjacent to the sites of the next lane. In the preferred practice of the present invention, there are seven sites or positions in each lane, leading from the starting position to the ending position. 
     The positions in each lane are separated by alternative barriers A 1 - 3  and B 1 - 3 , with each barrier having a gate in each lane. The gates can open or close. Each player controls three barriers along the lanes, with the players controlling every other barrier along the lanes. Adjacent gates in adjacent lanes are linked together, such that when the gate in one lane is opened, the linked gate in the adjacent lane is automatically closed, and vice versa. Thus, when player A closes the gate at one barrier in one lane, the gate in the barrier in the adjacent lane is opened. 
     The playing field includes three zones, a separate zone  40 A and  40 B for each player at opposite ends of the playing field and a neutral zone  42  between the separate zones for each player. The lanes or paths extend through all three zones in going from the starting position to the ending position. Action that occurs in each player&#39;s zone favors that player, as will be described below. 
     The object of the game for each player is to move his game piece or man  44 A or  44 B from his starting or base position along the lanes to the ending position in a series of simultaneous moves. Each time a player reaches an ending position (Y 7  or X 1  at one end of the playing field, or Y 1  or X 7  at the other end), the player scores a point and returns to his starting position to start over. The player with the most points wins at the end of the game. 
     The manner in which the players progress across a board is as follows. Each player starts with his man  44 A or  44 B in its base or starting position  28 A or  28 B, with the players sitting across the board from each other so that each player&#39;s man moves from left to right across the board. For each move, each player can determine which of the two lanes X or Y in which he wants to position his man. Thus, player A, starting the game, may elect to place his man in position X 1  (the seven positions or steps of the board being numbered according to lane designation), and he confidentially marks this information in his recording device. The players also can choose to move (or not to move) the gates in one of their barriers to a different position on each move. Initially, all of player A gates on one lane (such as lane X) are open and all of the linked gates in lane Y are closed. Conversely, all of these gates of player B in lane X are closed, and the linked gates in lane Y are open. Thus, every other gate in each lane is open at the beginning of the game. For each move, each player can select one gate to change position, or the player can determine that none of the gates will change position. Thus, for example, at move  1 , player A may determine that the gate at position A- 1  in lane Y will be open, thus causing the gate in lane X at position A- 1  to be closed. This information is recorded confidentially in player A&#39;s recording device. 
     Player B does likewise, recording the same information in his recording device. A timer  24  can be employed in order to require that each move be completed in a predetermined period of time, if desired. 
     After the players have completed their moves, the moves of each player are revealed simultaneously to the other player, and the players and gates are moved, if possible. If a player finds that his man is positioned opposite an open gate in the lane he has selected, his man automatically moves through the open gate into the next position or site along the lane. If the gate adjacent that new position also is open, the player moves his man through that gate, and so forth until the man is adjacent a closed gate. After each player has moved, the players make another confidential move, determining the gate position of one gate and its linked companion and determining the lane in which he wants his man to be located. Since the moves are revealed simultaneously, each player tries to figure out what the other player is thinking when he selects his move, so that his man will be positioned opposite an open gate and will progress along the lane toward the ending position. 
     Each time a man reaches an ending position, the player receives a point and moves his man back to its starting position to start over. The other player continues along his lane. The players continue to accumulate points until one player tallies a number of points representative of a winning score, and the game is over. 
     There are special rules applicable to when players collide with each other. This occurs in one of two situations, when two players try to occupy the same site simultaneously or go through opposite sides of the same gate simultaneously. When two players are positioned on opposite sides of the same gate and the gate is open, there is a so-called “transverse” collision between the players. If two players try to move to the same site on the same lane at the same time, a “lateral” collision occurs. The effect of the collision depends upon which of three zones the players are located in when they collide. 
     As shown in FIG. 2, the playing field is divided into three zones, one zone  40 A and  40 B at each end for each player and a neutral zone  42  between the two player zones. The zone for each player includes three sites on each lane, while the neutral zone includes one site on each lane. When a collision occurs in one player&#39;s zone or in his starting position, that player gets to complete his move, and the other player is returned to his starting position. When two players collide in the neutral zone, both players are returned to their starting positions. 
     As an alternative method of play, the players can first open and close the gates. The opening and closing of the gates can be accomplished in a separate move from the movement of the men. Thus, the players may first open and close the gates as indicated on the display and then the players may move their men through the gates that are open. As a next step, the men may be moved to the lane indicated on the display. 
     As an additional alternative method of playing the game, a device may randomly choose between the two alternative ways of playing the game on a move by move basis as the game is being played and then the players may move the men and gates according to which alternative the random device has chosen. 
     One feature of the present game that differs from most other games is that, rather than a player determining his move in reaction to the move of an opposing player, the player chooses his move based upon his perception of what the other player will do. This can be based on hunch, extra sensory perception, or an analysis of the opposing player&#39;s decision making methods. 
     As illustrated in FIG. 2, the game can be played electronically by a separately existing game board, or as illustrated schematically in FIG. 3, the same game can be played on one or more computers  50 A and  50 B that are programmed to run the game. The playing field is displayed on each player&#39;s monitor  52 A and  52 B, and each player makes his moves through a keyboard  53 A or  53 B, a mouse  54 A or  54 B or other input device. The computers are connected by a local area network, the internet, or other interconnection, shown generally by connector  56 . A single computer or multiple computers can be employed to run the game. 
     As another alternative, the game can be played in a purely mechanical system in the manner shown in FIG.  1 . As shown in FIG. 1, a playing field  60  is laid out at the center of a base  62 . Each player has a shield  64  protecting sliding selectors  66 ,  68 , and  70  that reflect the player&#39;s choices of lane, gate selection, and gate position. Typically, the devices can be sliding members  72 ,  74 , and  76  that slide between positions reflecting two choices. 
     The sliding members can be connected through internal chambers in the board to selection display areas  78 ,  80 ,  82  covered by movable plates  84 . The selection display areas, when the plates are removed, indicate the choice made by each player. With this system, each player selects a lane position for his man, selects a gate barricade number, and selects the lane position of the blocking gate (the other linked gate being open). The play is determined as described above. 
     It should be understood that the foregoing is merely exemplary of the preferred practice of the present invention and that various changes in the arrangements and details of construction of the embodiments disclosed herein may be made without departing form the spirit and scope of the present invention.