GB2583064A

GB2583064A - Configurable game apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2583064A
Application number: GB1902217.7A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Harris Anthony
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2019-02-18
Filing date: 2019-02-18
Publication date: 2020-10-21
Also published as: GB201902217D0; US20200261789A1

Abstract

A game apparatus 100 comprising a playing surface having a plurality of playing areas 103 and marking areas 104. Each of the playing and marking areas includes a plurality of holes 105 arranged into a grid, wherein each of the marking areas is paired with a corresponding playing area. The apparatus being provided with a plurality of playing elements, which are used to form a hidden code and at least one test code, and a plurality of marker elements, which indicate the correlation between the test code and the hidden code. The playing surface of the game apparatus is configurable such that the arrangement of the playing area grids can be selected in order to alter the complexity of the game. The playing surface may comprise a removable attachment that provides the play areas.

Description

CONFIGURABLE GAME APPARATUS

BACKGROUND

This application relates to a logical puzzle board game which may be played by two players.

The object of the game is for the players to take it in turns to create a hidden code using playing pieces which each represent an element of the code while the other player attempts to decipher the hidden code. A standard game uses a 4-digit code where each digit may be one of six unique code bases. For example, the code may be a sequence of four colours selected from a range of six different colours. The guessing player attempts to guess the hidden code and each attempt is provided with an indication of how accurate their guess is compared to the hidden code. These indications provide the guessing player with clues to decipher the code within the available amount of time.

The invention as described below enables the game to be adapted to adjust the difficulty and complexity of the task of deciphering the hidden code.

The level of difficulty of similar, known, games may be achieved by increasing the number of unique bases from which to create the hidden code. For example, if colours are being used as the code elements then including additional colours would increase the level of difficulty. Additionally, the game could be made harder by increasing the number of digits comprising the code. For example, a code comprising five numbers would be more difficult to decipher than a code comprising four numbers.

Conversely, the difficulty could be decreased by reducing the number of unique bases or digits used to form the code. The level of difficulty could also be reduced by imposing fewer restrictions on what constitutes a "correct" guess. For example, players could decide to decrease the level of difficulty by deciding that the particular order of the code elements is not required to decipher the code. Accordingly, a player need only correctly guess the individual code elements that constitute the hidden code rather than the correct code elements and the order in which those elements are presented.

However, continually adding digits or unique bases does not necessarily add to the enjoyment of the game. This is because too many combinations can be created, thus removing the skill of logically deducing the hidden code and reducing the game to one of chance. For example, using six colours as unique bases in a 9-digit code provides 10,077,696 possible combinations.

Accordingly, there is a need to be able to adjust the difficulty of the game while retaining the players' ability to logically decipher the hidden code.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

The invention is defined by the independent claims, which are provided below. Preferred features are laid out in the dependent claims.

FIGURES

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of an example playing board according to a first embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a code board to record a target code and to keep the target code hidden from view; Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of a base element and a plurality of overlays; Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of a plurality of base elements that may form part of a playing board according to a second embodiment of the invention; Figure 5a is a schematic diagram of how an attempt is scored where multiple playing elements are located in the same row as a code element; Figure 5b is a schematic diagram of how an attempt is scored where multiple code elements are located in the same row as a playing element; Figure 5c is a schematic diagram of how an attempt is scored where multiple matches exist between playing elements and code elements; Figure 6a is a schematic diagram of the final position reached in a first example game; and Figure 6b is a schematic diagram of the final position reached in a second example game.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The game comprises a playing surface, a plurality of playing elements and a plurality of marking elements.

In the embodiment shown in figure 1, a playing board 100 comprises a base element 101 and an overlay 102. The playing surface of the playing board 100 includes a plurality of playing areas 103 and a plurality of marking areas 104, whereby each of the playing areas 103a is paired with a corresponding one of the plurality of marking areas 104a.

Each of the playing and marking areas include a plurality of holes 105,106 arranged into a grid. Each of the holes 105 in the playing areas 103 is operable to receive one of the plurality of playing elements. In preferred embodiments, the playing elements are pegs or pins which are inserted into the holes 105 of the playing areas 103. The playing elements have contrasting characteristics, for example they may be different colours, and are used to indicate a player's guess as to what the hidden code may be, as further described below. Similarly, each of the holes 106 in the marking areas 104 is operable to receive one of the plurality of marker elements. In preferred embodiments, the marker elements are pegs or pins that are inserted into the holes 106 of the marking areas 104. The marking elements have contrasting characteristics, for example they may show different patterns or symbols, and indicate the degree of success of an attempt to decipher the hidden code, as further described below.

In some embodiments, the board game also comprises a separate code board 200 as shown in figure 2. The code board 200 is used for housing and hiding the playing elements which form the code to be deciphered. In some embodiments, the code board 200 includes a removable insert 201 that includes a plurality of holes forming a grid. In particular embodiments, a plurality of removable inserts are provided, each insert having a characteristic grid pattern which determines the configuration of the code to be solved. In the example shown in figure 2, the insert 201 includes a 6-hole configuration arranged as two rows of three holes. Accordingly, the code to be deciphered will include 6 code elements arranged in a 2x3 grid.

Complexity The complexity and degree of difficulty of the game is adjusted by changing the configuration of the hidden code to become an array whereby, in some embodiments, the dimensions of the array are determined on a game-by-game basis. As indicated above, the complexity of the game can be adapted by varying the number of digits comprising the code. The above problems associated with increasing the number of digits may be ameliorated by changing the hidden code to become an array, rather than a 1 x m string of digits, as further described below.

In some embodiments, instead of the code being a I x m string, the code is formed by a p x q array, where: m=pxq and p and q are both greater than 1.

For example, instead of having a code comprising a 6-digit string, the code is instead represented as, say, a code having two rows and three columns.

Accordingly, the number of possible locations to house a particular code element remains the same but, crucially, the guessing player can now be provided with information relating to whether the code element is located in the correct row, as well as whether the code element is located in the correct column. Enabling the hidden code to be in an array configuration therefore provides the advantage of providing the guessing player with additional information for solving codes, which is particularly useful for codes formed of relatively large numbers of digits. As will be appreciated, arrangements with fewer rows and columns are easier to decipher, as a particular code element has fewer possible locations to be housed, resulting in the hidden code having fewer possible combinations.

Before the game commences, the players agree which configuration the hidden code will take, preferably by choosing the values of p and q before each game commences. The playing areas on the playing surface are adjusted accordingly to match the hole configuration of the hidden code.

The playing areas, and -equivalently -the level of difficulty of the game being played, may be adjusted in a number of different ways, as further described below.

In one embodiment the complexity of the game is changed by selecting an appropriate overlay, as illustrated in figure 3. Figure 3 shows a plurality of overlays 102a-d for use with the base element 101 of figure 1. In preferred embodiments, the holes of each overlay 102 form a different grid pattern. For example, as shown in figure 3, a first overlay 102a has a 4-hole configuration arranged in one row of four holes. A second overlay 102b has a 6-hole configuration arranged in two rows of three holes. A third overlay 102c has an 8-hole configuration arranged in two rows of four holes. Finally, a fourth overlay 102d has a 9-hole configuration arranged in three rows of three holes.

The playing area hole configurations shown in Figure 3 are illustrative and any combination of a p x q grid would be suitable for use in the game. However, it is preferred to use configurations which are neither overly simple nor overly complex. Therefore, preferred embodiments include grid patterns having 4-hole, 6-hole, 8-hole, 9-hole and 12-hole configurations. In preferred embodiments, these grid patterns are arranged respectively as: two rows of two holes (i.e. a 2x2 arrangement); two rows of three holes (i.e. a 2x3 arrangement); two rows of four holes (i.e. a 2x4 arrangement); three rows of three holes (i.e. a 3x3 arrangement); and three rows of four holes (i.e. a 3x4 arrangement).

In preferred embodiments, the overlay 102 acts as an attachment or template that is placed on top of the base element 101 to form the playing surface during the game. In preferred embodiments, overlay 102 comprises a plurality of crosspieces 112 interconnected by support members 122 into a rectangular annulus shape, as shown in figure 1. In preferred embodiments, base element 101 forms a support structure for receiving and retaining the overlay 102.

In the embodiments of figures 1 and 3, the plurality of playing areas 103 are located on the overlay 102 and the plurality of marking areas 104 are located on the base element 101.

In the embodiments of figures 1 and 3, each of the crosspieces 112 comprises a plurality of playing areas 103. The plurality of crosspieces 112 are separated by the support members 122 such that an intervening space exists between each of the crosspieces 112. The plurality of marking areas 104 are located on the base element 101. When the overlay 102 is arranged on the base element 101, the underlying plurality of marking areas 104 located on the base element 101 are exposed such that each of the playing areas 103a is paired with a corresponding one of the plurality of marking areas 104a.

The overlay 102 may be retained in position by the base element 101 using one or more releasable fastening means (not shown). For example, the releasable fastening means may be snap fasteners, hook-and-loop fasteners or other suitable fastening means.

The complexity of the game may be adjusted using alternative means. In one embodiment, both the playing areas 103 and marking areas 104 are located on the base element 101, as shown in figure 4. In these embodiments an overlay is not required and a plurality of base elements 401a-d are provided instead, each base element 401 including a particular playing area hole grid pattern. As shown in figure 4, a first base element 401a has a 4-hole configuration arranged in one row of four holes. A second base element 401b has a 6-hole configuration arranged in two rows of three holes. A third base element 401c has an 8-hole configuration arranged in two rows of four holes. Finally, a fourth base element 401d has a 9-hole configuration arranged in three rows of three holes. In some embodiments, the selected base element 401 is attached to a housing 402 using releasable fastening means 403 to form a playing board 400. In specific embodiments, the base element 401 may be attached to the housing 402 to form a lid, wherein the enclosed space within the housing 402 retains the playing elements and marking elements for storage while the reverse non-playing side of the base element 401 functions as an outer surface of the lid.

In another embodiment (not shown) both the playing areas and marking areas are located on the base element, with an overlay operating as a mask to expose a predefined number of the playing area holes thereby forming a particular grid pattern. This may be achieved in a number of ways.

In a first example, the base element may include a plurality of playing areas and marking areas each having a 16-hole configuration in four rows of four holes. A plurality of masks are provided, each mask providing a characteristic aperture which exposes a particular grid pattern in the playing areas and the marking areas of the underlying base element. Accordingly, to play with a 6-hole configuration, the players select the appropriate overlay for attaching to the base element that masks two rows of holes and one column of holes in each playing area, thereby leaving two rows of three holes left exposed for play.

In a second example, a plurality of masks are provided that may be combined in an interleaved manner. The interleaved masks enable a user to select a desired grid pattern as the aperture of each mask may be combined to produce a particular exposed grid pattern in the playing areas and the marking areas.

In another example, a single, adjustable, mask is used to expose a plurality of different grid patterns in the playing areas and marking areas. In specific embodiments, the apertures of the mask are adjusted to produce a particular grid pattern. For example, the adjustable mask may comprise a plurality of apertures and a plurality of horizontal and vertical sections whose position can be slidably adjusted. When moved, each of the horizontal or vertical sections incrementally overlap the plurality of apertures to reduce the dimensions of the aperture, thereby adjusting the configuration of holes in the playing areas and marking areas left exposed by the mask.

The rules of the game are now described below.

RULES

Playing the game Firstly, the degree of difficulty of the game is decided upon by the players choosing an appropriate playing area hole configuration. Playing areas having 4-hole or 6-hole configurations are better suited for newer players, who may then increase the number of holes in play as they gain experience.

In playing the game, the first player is selected by any suitable random process such as tossing a coin. The first player creates a target code in secret that conforms with the agreed configuration. The target code is created using the playing elements, which each include a representative characteristic. In preferred embodiments, the playing element characteristics are different colours. In a specific embodiment, the playing elements are one of six different colours. To further increase the complexity of the game, the players may choose whether to include duplicates, i.e. more than one of the same colour, and/or blanks, i.e. an absence of a playing element.

Once chosen, the code is placed in a hidden location, such as the separate code board above, which is visible to the first player but not to the second player. The hidden code pattern will correspond to the playing area grid arrangement selected when establishing the degree of difficulty of the game. The second player takes turns to guess the target code with the first player providing feedback on each attempt.

The second player has a predetermined number of turns in which to correctly deduce the hidden code. In preferred embodiments, this may be between 8 to 12 turns. A first attempt is made by the second player placing playing elements within a first playing area for review by the first player. Once placed, the first player provides feedback on the number of playing elements with the correct characteristic and an indication of the relative positioning of those playing elements. This feedback is provided by the use of marking elements placed within the marking area paired with the playing area. In other words, each playing element is matched to a single corresponding code element and marker elements are used to indicate the extent to which the playing element corresponds to the matched code element. In preferred embodiments, the marking elements enable the positive identification of four distinct scenarios: 1. The selection of the correct characteristic in the correct location (i.e. the correct column and row).

2. The selection of the correct characteristic and the correct row, but not the correct column; 3. The selection of the correct characteristic and the correct column, but not the correct row; and 4. The selection of the correct characteristic, but not in the correct row or column; The marking elements may identify each of the above scenarios with a representative characteristic, such as a colour, pattern or symbol. In preferred embodiments, the representative characteristics are: a circular, solid black marker to denote an exact match (scenario 1 above); a circular, solid red marker to denote a row match (scenario 2 above); a circular, unfilled black marker to denote a column match (scenario 3 above); and a circular, unfilled red marker to denote a colour-only match (scenario 4 above).

Marking elements are not used to provide feedback for playing elements which have a characteristic that is not present in the hidden code. For example, if the hidden code contained a single row of three blue playing elements and the second player guessed that the code contained three red playing elements, no marking elements would be used.

Scoring The four positively-identifiable scenarios above are indicated by placing the appropriate marking element into the marking area. When placing the marking elements into the marking area, the following rules apply: Firstly, establish a match between corresponding pairs of playing elements and code elements in accordance with a predetermined order of importance. In preferred embodiments, the order of importance is as listed below: 1. an exact location match; 2. a row match, giving priority to matched elements that do not also have column matches; 3. a column match; and 4. a characteristic-only match, i.e. the element is not located in the right column or row.

Importantly, once a code element has been matched with a playing element, the code element cannot be matched again with a different playing element.

Secondly, allocate each matched pair of elements with the appropriate marking element, as described above. For example, in the examples described above, if no playing elements exactly match the characteristics and location of any of the hidden code elements, then the marking player does not include any solid black marking elements in the marking area. The scoring player would then proceed to consider whether any row-matches exist between the playing elements and the code elements.

As indicated above, there may be instances where matches may be made between multiple playing elements and multiple code elements in the hidden code. To ensure consistency only the most important, i.e. the highest-ranking, match is scored, as further described below. Priority is given to pairs of elements which can only be row-matched and not column-matched. This ensures that elements that only have one option of a row match will be row-matched first, whereas elements having two options still have the chance to be column-matched instead.

Three examples of how to determine which marking element should be used are provided in figures 5a, 5b and 5c. Figures 5a to 5c each show a hidden code that includes two blue code elements, "a" and "b", and an attempt to decipher the code that includes two blue playing elements, "x" and "y".

In the example of figure 5a, it is first established whether there are any exact matches. Since neither "x" 503 nor "y" 504 are located in the same corresponding hole location as "a" 501 or "b" 502, there are no exact matches and scenario 1 above does not apply.

Considering row matches, there are row matches between "a" 501 and "x" 503 and "a" 501 and "y" 504, since both "x" 503 and "y" 504 are located in the same row as element "a" 501. However, element "x" 503 is also located in the same column as element "b" 502, and so "x" 503 can also be column-matched with "b" 502.

In accordance with the above, element "x" 503 is correctly scored by allocating priority to the elements which are only row-matched. In the case of figure 5a, element "x" can be column-matched with "b" 502 as well as being row-matched with "a" 501. Accordingly, priority is given to the row match between playing element "y" 504 and element "a" 501, leaving "x" 503 to be column-matched with the remaining code element "b" 502.

In the second example shown in figure 5b, again neither "x" 513 nor "y" 514 are an exact match with "a" 511 or "b" 512. There are row-matches between "y" 514 and "a" 511 and "y" 514 and "b" 512. Playing element "x" 513 can be column-matched with code element "a" 511. Priority is therefore given to the row-match between code element "b", as it only matched once, which is row-matched with playing element "y". Accordingly, element "a" is column-matched with the remaining playing element "x".

In the example shown in figure 5c, neither "x" 523 nor "y" 524 are an exact match with "a" 521 or "b" 522. The only row-match is between elements "a" 521 and "x" 523. Accordingly, "a" 521 and "x" 523 would be row-matched. Playing element "y" 524 is neither row-matched nor column-matched with remaining code element "b" 522, and so this pair of elements are marked as a characteristic-only match.

Once feedback has been provided on the first attempt, further attempts are made on subsequent playing areas to thereby retain a historical record of the second player's attempts and the first player's feedback. This continues either until the second player correctly deduces the hidden code, or the player runs out of turns in which to decipher the code.

Two illustrative games are provided in figures 6a and 6b. For the avoidance of doubt, figures 6a and 6b include an indication of the colours used for each of the playing elements and marking elements. Red elements are denoted as "R", green elements are denoted as "G", blue elements are denoted as "B", yellow elements are denoted as "Y", orange elements are denoted as "0", and black elements are denoted as "Bk".

In figure 6a, the code is a 4-digit code comprising two rows of two holes. The guessing player provided six consecutive attempts to break the code in playing areas 611a to 611f and the marking player provided corresponding feedback in marking areas 612a to 612f.

The final attempt in 611f, which includes one green element, one yellow element and two red elements, was marked with four solid black markers in marking area 612f, meaning that the guessing player correctly deciphered the code on the sixth attempt. As may be seen from the above description and marking area 612a, the guessing player's first attempt, which included one green element, one yellow element, one red element and one blue element, included three correct colours in the correct row, but wrong location, and one incorrect colour.

In figure 6b, the guessing player correctly deciphers a 6-digit code comprising three rows of two holes. The guessing player required ten attempts to break the code, which are provided in playing areas 621a to 621j, with corresponding feedback provided in marking areas 622a to 622j.

As may be seen from figure 6b, the guessing player's first attempt included four correct colours, of which one was an exact location match, one was located in the correct row, and two were located in the correct column. Two colours were incorrectly included.

Although the code to be deciphered in figure 6b is much more complex, the additional information relating to whether a playing element is row-matched or column-matched with a corresponding code element still enables the player to successfully decipher the code in ten attempts. For example, the player is able to make a comparison between the scores in marking areas 622f, 622g and 622h to correctly decipher the correct location of four colours in their ninth guess, shown in playing area 622i.

It is to be noted that the arrangement of holes in each marking area is unimportant. Marking pieces are placed in the marking holes in rank order in accordance with the above order of importance and it is sufficient that the number of holes in the marking area equals or exceeds the corresponding number of holes in the playing area.

Points system In some embodiments, the two players may compete amongst themselves to determine an overall winner. The overall winner may be determined by awarding points to the winner of each round. In preferred embodiments, one point is awarded to the player who sets the target code for each incorrect attempt to decipher the code. An extra bonus point may be earned if the code remains unbroken after a pre-determined number of attempts. Accordingly, harder codes which take more turns to decipher earn the code-setter more points. The winner is the player with the most points after the pre-determined number of rounds have been played.

Board vs app Although the above description refers to a physical playing board and playing pieces, it will be appreciated that the game as described above may also be played on an executable computer program that visualises each of the physical aspects described above.

In such embodiments, the computer program may be executed on a computing device, such as a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a personal digital assistant, a mobile telephone, a smartphone.

The executable computer program may comprise a Graphical User Interface. Embodiments of the invention may include an on-screen graphical user interface. The user interface may be provided, for example, in the form of a widget embedded in a web site, as an application for a device, or on a dedicated landing web page. Computer readable program instructions for implementing the graphical user interface may be downloaded to a client device from a computer readable storage medium via a network, for example, the Internet, a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN) and/or a wireless network. The instructions may be stored in a computer readable storage medium within the client device.

The computer readable program instructions may be stored on a non-transitory, tangible computer readable medium. The computer readable storage medium may include one or more of an electronic storage device, a magnetic storage device, an optical storage device, an electromagnetic storage device, a semiconductor storage device, a portable computer disk, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory), a static random access memory (SRAM), a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), a digital versatile disk (DVD), a memory stick, a floppy disk.

Claims

CLAIMS1. Game apparatus comprising: a playing surface comprising a plurality of identical playing areas wherein each of the playing areas includes a plurality of holes arranged into a grid, and further comprising a plurality of marking areas wherein each of the plurality of marking areas is paired to a corresponding one of the plurality of playing areas and includes at least a corresponding number of holes; a plurality of playing elements for forming a hidden code and at least one test code, the playing elements having contrasting characteristics and being adapted to be received in each playing area grid; a plurality of marker elements for indicating the correlation between the positions of each playing element forming the test code and the positions of the playing elements forming the hidden code, the marker elements having contrasting characteristics and being adapted to be received in the holes of each marking area; and wherein the playing surface is configurable such that the arrangement of the playing area grids can be selected.
2. A game according to claim 1, wherein the playing surface further comprises a removable attachment that provides each of the plurality of playing areas.
3. A game according to claim 2, wherein the playing surface comprises a plurality of removable attachments each providing a characteristic grid arrangement.
4. A game according to any preceding claim, wherein the removable attachment is a mask that determines the grid pattern of the playing area holes.
5. A game according to any preceding claim, wherein the playing elements are pegs or pins that are inserted into the holes of the playing areas.
6. A game according to any preceding claim, wherein the playing elements are of contrasting colours.
7. A game according to any preceding claim, wherein the marker elements are pegs or pins that are inserted into the holes of the marking areas.
8. A game according to any preceding claim, wherein the marker elements include contrasting patterns or symbols.
9. A game according to any preceding claim, wherein the marker elements are of contrasting colours.
10. A game according to any preceding claim, wherein the grid pattern of the playing area holes comprise a 4-hole, 6-hole, 8-hole, 9-hole or 12-hole configuration
11. A game according to claim 10, wherein the 4-hole, 6-hole, 8-hole, 9-hole and 12-hole configurations respectively comprise a 2x2, 2x3, 2x4, 3x3 and 3x4 hole arrangement.
12. A game according to any preceding claim, wherein the removable attachment overlay 102 comprises a plurality of crosspieces interconnected by support members to form a rectangular annulus shape.
13. A game according to any preceding claim, further comprising a code board including a removable insert configured to receive a plurality of playing elements to form the code to be deciphered.
14. A game according to claim 13, wherein the configuration of the code to be deciphered may be changed by selecting one of a plurality of removable inserts, each having a plurality of holes arranged into a characteristic grid pattern.