Amusement devices: games – Board games – pieces – or boards therefor – Piece moves over board having pattern
Reexamination Certificate
1998-08-17
2001-08-28
Layno, Benjamin H. (Department: 3711)
Amusement devices: games
Board games, pieces, or boards therefor
Piece moves over board having pattern
C273S302000, C273S431000, C273S292000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06279909
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to a game and, more particularly, to a game having multiple activities.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Successful board games in the past have focused on a single game activity. A game activity defines actions that a player or players must complete, usually to advance. More specifically, a game activity defines the interaction between the players, game content, and other game components. In some games, the single game activity of responding to questions defines the game. In other games, the game activity focuses on the ability to communicate in nonspoken formats, such as acting out a particular role or drawing an object on a piece of paper. Although such game activities may include multiple topics, the fundamental characteristic of each game focuses only on a single game activity, such as answering questions, drawing, or acting, to determine a player's progression through the game.
While games involving only a single activity enjoy a degree of popularity, they are not without their problems. In particular, one significant problem of such games is the fact that the game is directed only to a single activity. Although such games are enjoyed by those who are skilled in the particular activity of the game, they are not fulfilling to those who lack interest or skill in the particular game activity. Thus, such games fail to appeal to a broader spectrum of players because they focus only on one game activity directed to a single skill.
Research has shown that human activities may be broken into eight general categories referred to herein as intelligences or human core competencies. One of the leading theorists in this area is Dr. Howard Gardner, a professor of education at Harvard University and author of a 1983 book entitled,
Frames of the Mind. The Theory of Multiple Intelligences
, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. According to Dr. Gardner, human skills may be broken down into eight core competencies.
The first core competency is entitled “language.” In the language core competency, an individual will think in term of words. These individuals tend to excel at descriptions that are written or verbalized. The second human core competency is entitled “spatial.” Individuals in this core competency conceptualize in spatial terms and excel at visualizing situations or thoughts. The third core competency is entitled “logical-mathematical.” These individuals excel in the ability to apply logic to systems and numbers. The fourth core competency is entitled “musical.” Individuals within this core competency excel at analyzing in musical ways and have an ability to understand and use music. The next core competency is entitled “physical.” Individual's having a strong physical core competency learn best by doing the subject and they prefer hands-on contact with the subject. The sixth core competency is entitled “interpersonal.” Individuals having a strong interpersonal core competency excel at the ability to relate well with others. The next core competency is entitled “intrapersonal.” Individuals having a strong intrapersonal core competency tend to be introspective, thoughtful and reflective. The final core competency is entitled “natural.” Individuals who have a strong natural core competency, tend to observe, understand, and organize patterns in the natural environment and enjoy collecting data and objects from the natural world. Thus, according to Dr. Gardner, there are eight general human core competencies to describe human activities.
Viewing games that involve only a single activity in light of the eight core competencies reveals that such games typically address one or two of the eight competencies. In this regard, games that involve the activity of responding to questions appeals to those who have a strong language competency, while those games that require the participants to utilize artistic skills will likely appeal to those who are strong in the spatial core competency classification. Such games do not appeal to those individuals whose capabilities are not within the core competency of the game activity and, therefore, these individuals tend to become disinterested in the game.
Thus, there exists a need for a game that is an aggregation of all of the human core competencies, such that it has broad appeal to a wide variety of players. The present invention is directed to fulfilling this need.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention, a game kit is provided. The game kit includes a game playing surface marked with a plurality of indicia, a plurality of markers for positioning on the indicia of the game playing surface, and a plurality of decks of cards. Each deck includes a plurality of cards, wherein each card bears indicia instructing a player to carry out an activity. Performance of the activity determines advancement of a marker on the game playing surface. Each deck contains cards directed to activities associated with one or more related human competencies. The human competencies of each deck differs at least in part from the competency(s) associated with the activities of the cards contained in the other deck(s). Each deck contains at least a first subset of cards directed to a first activity type and a second subset of cards directed to a second activity type distinct from the first activity type.
In accordance with other aspects of this invention, the human competencies are selected from one of factual knowledge competencies, audio/visual performance competencies, two and/or three-dimensional graphic competencies, and spelling/vocabulary/language competencies.
In accordance with yet other aspects of this invention, each deck of the game kit further includes at least a third subset of cards directed to a third activity type distinct from the first and second activity types.
In accordance with still other aspects of this invention, the indicia on the game playing surface designates first and second paths around the playing surface to track a player's progression through the game. The first track defines a faster progression through the game playing surface, while the second track defines a slower progression through the game playing surface.
A game formed in accordance with the present invention has several advantages over games currently available. First, because the game of the present invention incorporates activities from multiple human core competencies, the game is entertaining and stimulating to a wider variety of players. The game of the present invention is also more challenging because it does not specialize in only one of the human core competencies, but rather includes activities from multiple, and preferably all core competencies. Finally, because the game of the present invention includes activities from each of the core competencies, it is appealing and stimulating to a wider variety of players. Thus, the game of the present invention is more entertaining, challenging, and appealing to a broader spectrum of players than those currently available.
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Game:Activity Original!, manufactured by Ferd. Piatnik & Söehne, Vienna, ©1990, English translation of instructions enclosed (4 pages).
Game:Das Nilpferd in der Achterbahn(The Hip
Alexander, II William Whitney
Tait Richard J.
Christensen O'Connor Johnson & Kindness PLLC
Cranium, Inc.
Layno Benjamin H.
Mendiratta V
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