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WO1999037370A1 - Jeu utilisant des elements de collection comme elements de jeu - Google Patents

Jeu utilisant des elements de collection comme elements de jeu Download PDF

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Publication number
WO1999037370A1
WO1999037370A1 PCT/US1999/001080 US9901080W WO9937370A1 WO 1999037370 A1 WO1999037370 A1 WO 1999037370A1 US 9901080 W US9901080 W US 9901080W WO 9937370 A1 WO9937370 A1 WO 9937370A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
game
cards
player
card
play
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/US1999/001080
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Paul W. Brown, Iii
David W. Hewitt
Randolph L. Ackels
John D. Myler
Original Assignee
Precedence Publishing, Inc.
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Precedence Publishing, Inc. filed Critical Precedence Publishing, Inc.
Publication of WO1999037370A1 publication Critical patent/WO1999037370A1/fr

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Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63F—CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • A63F1/00—Card games
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63F—CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • A63F3/00—Board games; Raffle games
    • A63F3/00697—Playing pieces
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63F—CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • A63F9/00—Games not otherwise provided for
    • A63F9/04—Dice; Dice-boxes; Mechanical dice-throwing devices

Definitions

  • This invention relates to a game involving chance and strategy and, in particular, to a game employing collectibles as playing pieces .
  • a "collectible" is an object exceeding some minimum intrinsic value such that the object is collectible in its own right, generally as part of a larger set of similar objects.
  • collectibles include trading cards, miniatures, figurines, dice, and stickers.
  • a game The context or setting of a game depends upon the collectible. Collectibles can depict sports figures, historical events, characters from television programs or movies, or depict newly created fictional characters or symbols whose meaning comes from the game rather than from an outside source.
  • the problem is to provide a game that enables the players to engage each other in a unique way each time that the game is played and not have a predictable or inevitable outcome, as in tic-tac-toe for example.
  • games of pure chance lose their appeal quickly for the more skilled player.
  • a game provides a challenging combination of strategy, tactics, and chance.
  • Rolling dice, shuffling cards, or drawing cards at random are techniques used to introduce chance into a game .
  • a problem with introducing chance into a game is the tendency to obviate skill.
  • trading cards are selected from a collection to produce a library for playing.
  • the trading cards for each starting hand must be chosen at random from the player's library and each hand is limited to a maximum number of cards at the end of each turn.
  • a further object of the invention is to provide a game in which a first type of collectible affects the play with a second type of collectible.
  • Another object of the invention is to provide a game in which each player can introduce a limited amount of chance into play by the choice of pieces in play.
  • a further object of the invention is to provide a game in which players need not play in sequence in a given turn, thereby increasing the tactical skill of the game.
  • Another object of the invention is to provide a game in which the initial hand is deliberately chosen, thereby increasing the strategic level of the game.
  • a game includes collectibles used as playing pieces and a sheet or board having a playing surface on which a plurality of graduated areas are used for tracking events in the game. Tokens are stored in the graduated areas to indicate relative power among the players in a game.
  • two different kinds of collectibles are used as playing pieces, e.g. cards and dice.
  • the game is played by constructing a playing deck from the card collection of each player and then selecting a predetermined number of cards from the deck. Each turn includes a series of rounds including ready, conflict, action, resolution, and discard.
  • the action round includes adding or removing one or more cards in play.
  • a player may discard as many of his cards as he wishes and draws a single card from his playing deck during the discard round. Additional cards may be obtained by spending accumulated points . The game continues until one of the players obtains a predetermined number of points or the players declare a draw.
  • FIG. 1 illustrates a collectible card used in playing a game in accordance with the invention
  • FIG. 2 illustrates a board layout for playing a game in accordance with the invention
  • FIG. 3 is a flow chart of the game described in the Garfield patent
  • FIG. 4 is a flow chart of the game known commercially as "Mythos";
  • FIG. 5 is a flow chart of a game played in accordance with the invention.
  • FIG. 6 illustrates a die having faces representing a standard die, a custom die, and a collectible die.
  • each player initially chooses a race, either the Earth Alliance, the Centauri Republic, the
  • Minbari Federation or the Nam Regime.
  • additional forces in the universe include two ancient races, the Shadows and the Vorlons, and gum 5 itself.
  • Each player controls an ambassador to strig 5, who strives to build a faction devoted to increasing the power of his race and attempts to carry out an Agenda for his faction.
  • a player may recruit allies from among the other races or try to rally his own people.
  • diplomacy, intrigue, "psi" (psychic ability) , or military conquest as tools and one can rise to power on his own merits or by siding with one of the ancient races.
  • Each player needs a deck of collectible cards relating to the race chosen for the game.
  • the cards can be from a pre-packaged starter deck or from a customized deck, drawing from the player's entire card collection. Cards are obtained by sale or trade .
  • the Shadows, the Vorlons, and strig 5 also can accumulate points. If Arabic 5 has twenty or more points at the end of a turn, then the player with the most points wins unless that player is in the midst of a "Major Agenda, " as described below. If either the Shadows or the Vorlons reach twenty points, a Shadow War erupts. At that point, no player may achieve a "standard” victory; instead, a player must score a "major” victory to win.
  • a player must either have at least twenty points and have at least ten points more than each other player or fulfill the requirements of a "Major Agenda" card. If no player can score a major victory in the game, or if all players agree, the game ends in a draw.
  • Each player has a points rating that represents the strength and influence of his faction. During each turn, a player may spend points equal to or less than that player's current point rating to further the goals of his faction. Points that are spent during a turn are replenished at the beginning of the next turn.
  • each player constructs a play deck. This deck contains all the cards that a player uses during a particular game. The deck must have a predetermined minimum number of cards, e.g. forty-five, must include one ambassador card, and no more than three copies of any other card (described below) . A player's deck must have no fleet, agenda, conflict, or location cards that belong to races other than his own. A player may, but is not required to, remove characters who are loyal to other races. For example, the Centauri player should not put many Minbari cards into his deck, though some of the Minbari characters may prove useful if he can afford to pay the increased points that such characters cost .
  • FIG. 1 illustrates a collectible card constructed in accordance with the invention.
  • Card 10 includes name 11 indicating who or what is depicted in graphic area 12 and generically designated in type area 13.
  • type area 13 Preferably all cards of a particular type relating to a particular race share the same background color, which is different from the background colors for other races and card types .
  • Types of cards include character, group, fleet, location, enhancement, event, agenda, conflict, and aftermath. These types are explained in more detail below.
  • Card 10 preferably includes additional information for playing a game.
  • card 10 includes description 14 of the character or item depicted.
  • Corner 16 indicates the number of points required to bring the card into play.
  • Symbol 17 is a mark that links the card of some characters with great forces in the universe, e.g. strife, destiny, doom, Shadow, or Vorlon. A player's faction cannot include both Shadow and Vorlon marks because these forces are in eternal opposition.
  • Area 19 contains biographical or other information on the character, location, etc. but has no effect on play.
  • Area 21 includes a description of the effects available and any special rules pertaining to the card.
  • Area 22 includes various ability ratings. Cards with no indication have an ability of zero.
  • the playing field is the area between the players and is illustrated in FIG. 2 for one player.
  • the main component of the playing field is status tracker 30.
  • This is preferably a pre-printed sheet or board that includes graphics consistent with the context of the collectibles, in this case the "Babylon 5" television show.
  • the status tracker provides a means for keeping track of the extant powers and effects in the "Babylon 5" universe.
  • Tracker 30 includes graduated areas 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, and 38.
  • Areas 31-36 represent tension levels of the six combinations of four factions taken two at a time.
  • Area 31 represents the tension level between humans and Centauri;
  • area 32 represents the tension level between humans and Narn;
  • area 33 represents the tension level between Minbari and Centauri;
  • area 34 represents the tension level between Minbari and Narn;
  • area 35 represents the tension level between humans and Minbari; and
  • area 36 represents the tension level between Centauri and Narn.
  • Area 38 represents "unrest", i.e. public and governmental resistance to the actions taken by a faction (player) .
  • a single token such as token 39, is placed within each graduated area to indicate level .
  • the values represented are changed during play by the actions of the players. For example, a card played by a player might include instructions to move a token up to a higher area or down to a lower area.
  • Card 41 is an Agenda card that lists one or more goals for a player and usually provides the player with some additional tools or techniques to facilitate achieving those goals. Achieving a goal produces points, as indicated by Agenda card 41.
  • An Agenda card may be race specific or generic, open (placed face up on the playing field) or hidden (placed face down on the playing field) . If race specific, the Agenda card may only be used by the player choosing the race indicated.
  • Brown card 45 acts as a reference point in the playing field, in addition to identifying the ambassador.
  • Agenda card 41 and aftermath cards 43 are place to the left of Brown card 45.
  • Tokens 47 representing the points or "influence” allotted each player at the beginning of a game, are located above Brown card 45.
  • Character cards 51, 52 and 53 are located to the right of Brown card 45.
  • Cards 51-53 represent the "inner circle” of characters acting in behalf of the faction. Additional characters can be added to the inner circle during play.
  • Supporting cards 55 are located below Brown card 45 and represent additional characters, groups, locations, or fleets that each player can control . Additional cards can be added to the supporting cards during play.
  • Tracker 30 also includes area 56 representing Arabic 5 station, area 57 representing the Shadow force, and area 58 representing the Vorlon force. Each of these areas is given four points initially and can gain and lose points (or "influence") during play. Each player selects his playing deck from his collection, subject to the restrictions listed above, and sets up his portion of the playing area as described above. Each player then selects four cards for his initial hand and shuffles the remaining cards, placing the cards face down in a stack. Each player is then ready to play. Of the four cards, one must be the ambassador of the race chosen by the player. The remaining cards may not include more than one card of any given type; e.g. only one character card.
  • the game is played in turns and each turn is divided into rounds: ready, conflict, action, resolution, and discard.
  • all players must act before anyone may proceed to the next round.
  • the players alternate playing cards and taking actions .
  • the players act spontaneously, as permitted by some cards, or in reverse order of initiative, that is, the player with the fewest points goes first.
  • a difficulty with collectible card games in general is that the terminology used by the industry is inconsistent. For example, in the “Babylon 5" game, a turn includes several rounds. In the “Mythos” game, each "round” includes several “turns.” In “Magic: the Gathering”, each "turn” has six “phases.” The terms are not interchangeable and the play of each of these games is distinct.
  • FIG. 3 is a flowchart for the game "Magic: the Gathering” (corresponding to the Garfield patent) .
  • the game is highly sequential, with little opportunity for extensive interaction.
  • Main phase one player attacks and the other player defends by putting certain cards into play, then damage is assessed.
  • Some "fast effects” may be used but the play is essentially over
  • FIG. 4 is a flowchart for the game "Mythos”, as sold by Chaosium, Inc. of Oakland, California 94608. Each player plays one card or passes until all players have passed consecutively or one player has passed twice. Playing a card can be one of several actions, viz. placing a card on the playing surface, paying points for an
  • FIG. 5 is a flowchart of a game played in accordance with the invention.
  • a single turn includes five rounds with all the players participating in each round. During each round, the players act in reverse order of initiative (low score first) or, if they choose, act spontaneously. During the ready round, any cards that were rotated during the previous turn are made ready (set upright) again.
  • a player may choose to leave a card he controls rotated, to show that it is continuing the same action. This is known as sustaining an action. This is usually done with a card that is rotated to augment the effect of another card. For example, a player may rotate the card of a character having Leadership ability to increase the Military rating of fleet card. If the player wishes to leave that character in charge of the fleet, the card
  • a player may (but need not) declare one conflict by taking a conflict card from his hand and placing the card face down on the playing field.
  • each player declaring a conflict turns over his card and may proceed to augment the strength of his position by bringing other cards into play.
  • Kidnapping conflict is an attempt to kidnap an opposing character.
  • the kidnapping victim must be named now.
  • a player may only perform one action at a time. An action is doing anything that requires each player to rotate a card or to spend points . After all players have performed one action, the players may perform additional actions . A player may pass at any time. Play continues until all players have passed consecutively or a player passes twice in a row. A player who has passed once may take a further action later in the round, as long as the round has not ended. Actions include the following. Sponsoring a supporting card
  • an action can permanently affect subsequent play, e.g. by removing some cards. Taking action includes using cards in play and adding new cards. The effect is to change the play from a poker-like game where each hand is tallied to more of a chess-like game where position and control are determined by the available pieces as the rounds proceed. Unlike "Magic", for example, one does not attack the other player, and the other player does not choose what creatures will defend him. Rather, one may attack (in a military sense) a location or a character but the attack is incidental to the larger agenda .
  • Each player may discard as many cards from his hand as he wishes. He then draws one card from his deck. If desired, a player may spend points (influence) to obtain additional cards but may not spend more points than he has accumulated. Players who draw through their entire deck may continue to play as usual if they can discard a character from the inner circle. If there are no members left in the inner circle, then the game is over for that player. Each player checks to see if he has fulfilled the requirements for victory. This completes the discard round and the players return to the ready round if there is no victor.
  • a Character card depicts an exceptional individual destined to play a significant role in galactic events. Unless otherwise specified, only one copy of a Character card may be in play at any given time . Character cards may be defined as loyal to one race or may be neutral. All characters (except the ambassador) enter play as supporting characters, some of whom are promoted to the Inner Circle.
  • a Group card is a supporting card and represents a large number of minor characters, or an organization. Unless otherwise specified, only one copy of a Group card may be in play at any given time. A Group does not have skills but has an effect, as listed on the card. Most groups are restricted to a specific race and may be played only by the player who chose that race .
  • a Fleet card represents the primary military capability of each faction. Each player's faction begins the game with no fleets under its direct control. Only fleets may initiate a Military conflict. Some fleets are restricted and may not participate in conflicts unless they are defending against a Military conflict played by another faction. Fleets are supporting cards. Unless otherwise specified, only one copy of a Fleet card may be in play at
  • a Location card describes a particular place. Control of these places gives each player's faction unique benefits, but they are also vulnerable to military attack from other players' fleets.
  • a location has a military value that may be used only if that location is attacked.
  • Locations are supporting cards. Unless otherwise specified, only one copy of a Location card may be in play at any given time .
  • An Enhancement card alters, normally improving, the basic capabilities or effects of other cards. Some Enhancements may be played to modify an entire faction, or even the entire game, rather than an individual card.
  • Enhancement cards may be played during the Action round of the turn. Enhancement cards require a player to rotate a sponsoring character to bring them into play. Some enhancement cards are race-specific and can only be played to enhance cards of the same race. The sponsoring character for any race-specific enhancement card must be of that race. An enhancement card stays in play unless it targets a specific card that has been discarded or unless it is removed by another game effect. More than one copy of an Enhancement card may be in play at any given time but no two copies of the same Enhancement may affect the same target card at the same time.
  • An Agenda card lists a goal for a player's faction, as described above, and each player may only have one Agenda card in play at a time .
  • Event card is played during the action round to cause the described effect. Events take effect when played. The effect of an event that modifies another card's basic capabilities occurs immediately and then expires at the end
  • Conflict cards are the primary mechanism for players to interact.
  • a conflict represents a major dispute or opportunity in the Arabic 5 universe.
  • a conflict is precipitated as described above.
  • Character cards representing an appropriate skill may be rotated to support or oppose a conflict, except that characters do not have any military ability and may not participate directly in a military conflict.
  • a character's leadership ability may be used to enhance a fleet's military rating.
  • Aftermath cards may be played.
  • An Aftermath card is played after any single Conflict Resolution. Through these cards, characters grow and change based on their experiences . They are used to tell the character's story, and show how his life is affected by his actions . Each Aftermath card lists the valid targets for its effect. An Aftermath card is playable on any character who participated in the conflict, or is playable only on the ambassador of the faction who initiated the conflict. An Aftermath card may specify that a conflict must have been "won” or "lost” or be playable on either outcome.
  • Aftermath card may specify a skill type, which means that a "diplomatic” aftermath cannot be used after a "military” conflict .
  • Aftermath cards act like Enhancement cards in that an Aftermath card modifies the card on which it is played. Aftermath cards are discarded when the card they
  • Aftermath cards cause an immediate effect, such as adding damage to a character or altering racial tensions. These effects are not reversed after the Aftermath card is discarded. No cards are rotated or points paid to bring an Aftermath card into play. If the conditions for play have been met, an Aftermath card is played at no cost.
  • the invention thus provides a collectible card game in which each turn is more robust and dynamic than in the prior art.
  • Each player can modify his position during a round before the effect of each turn is calculated.
  • a player can define a strategy by the choice of cards in play when creating the playing deck and when selecting the opening hand.
  • the element of chance can be further increased by including the roll of dice at particular points in the game.
  • the dice are rolled during the Resolution round.
  • FIG. 6 illustrates three types of dice that can be used, although an actual die would probably not be constructed as illustrated in the figure.
  • Face 71 on die 70 represents a standard die having dots in various configurations to represent the numbers one through six.
  • Face 73 represents the face of a "custom" die; that is, a non-standard die adapted to the game in some fashion but not part of the setting of the game.
  • the faces could be numbered one through three or have symbols indicating a particular outcome. None of the faces have characters, locations, or other indicia from the setting of a game, such as the "Babylon 5" television show.
  • a "collectible die,” represented by face 75, has indicia from the setting of the game and, therefore, is a "collectible” as defined above.
  • sets of die representing vessels of the fleets from the various factions can be used to resolve military conflicts between or among factions.
  • the vessels have different strengths
  • a sheet or card stock defining the playing area can include status tracker 30 or the entire area illustrated in FIG. 2 replicated four times, once for each player .

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Abstract

La présente invention concerne un jeu dans lequel une ou plusieurs pièces de collection sont utilisées comme pièces de jeu. Les pièces de collection comprennent des cartes (10), des miniatures, des figurines, des dés (70), des autocollants, des boutons, des pièces de monnaie et analogues. Le jeu consiste à former un paquet de cartes à partir de la pile de cartes qu'a chaque joueur en sa possession, puis à choisir un nombre prédéterminé de cartes dans ledit paquet de cartes. Chaque partie comprend une série de tours à savoir: démarrage, conflit, action, résolution et rejet, tous les joueurs devant avoir terminé un tour avant de passer au suivant. Chaque tour, en particulier le tour action, rend possible une interaction dynamique de tous les acteurs intervenant simultanément. La lutte que se livrent les différentes factions est matérialisée sur une feuille de jeu (31-36). Un joueur a le droit de rejeter autant de cartes qu'il le veut et ne peut tirer qu'une seule carte de son paquet pendant le tour de rejet. Des cartes supplémentaires peuvent être obtenues en échange de points accumulés. Il n'y a pas de limite à la taille d'une donne.
PCT/US1999/001080 1998-01-22 1999-01-19 Jeu utilisant des elements de collection comme elements de jeu WO1999037370A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US1095798A 1998-01-22 1998-01-22
US09/010,957 1998-01-22

Publications (1)

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WO1999037370A1 true WO1999037370A1 (fr) 1999-07-29

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Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6698760B2 (en) * 2002-01-10 2004-03-02 Angie Francise Educational game
US7076283B2 (en) 2001-10-31 2006-07-11 Medtronic, Inc. Device for sensing cardiac activity in an implantable medical device in the presence of magnetic resonance imaging interference
EP2027856A1 (fr) 2003-07-11 2009-02-25 Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica Gmbh Procédé de traitement ou de prévention des troubles d système nerveux central avec des composants disposant d'un récepteur de benzodiazépine sélectif
US8678924B2 (en) 2006-02-21 2014-03-25 Nicholas Witchey Apparatus and methods of physical game components

Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4634125A (en) * 1984-11-21 1987-01-06 Seklecki Sigmund F Device and method for exchange of trading cards and dice
US4979750A (en) * 1990-01-16 1990-12-25 Eugene Endrody Trading property card game with grouping valued score cards and markers

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4634125A (en) * 1984-11-21 1987-01-06 Seklecki Sigmund F Device and method for exchange of trading cards and dice
US4979750A (en) * 1990-01-16 1990-12-25 Eugene Endrody Trading property card game with grouping valued score cards and markers

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US7076283B2 (en) 2001-10-31 2006-07-11 Medtronic, Inc. Device for sensing cardiac activity in an implantable medical device in the presence of magnetic resonance imaging interference
US6698760B2 (en) * 2002-01-10 2004-03-02 Angie Francise Educational game
EP2027856A1 (fr) 2003-07-11 2009-02-25 Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica Gmbh Procédé de traitement ou de prévention des troubles d système nerveux central avec des composants disposant d'un récepteur de benzodiazépine sélectif
US8678924B2 (en) 2006-02-21 2014-03-25 Nicholas Witchey Apparatus and methods of physical game components
US10918957B2 (en) 2006-02-21 2021-02-16 Vanav Holdings Apparatus and methods of physical game components

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WO1999037370A1 (fr) Jeu utilisant des elements de collection comme elements de jeu

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