Methods, tiles and boards for playing games that schematize competitive yet non-combative ecological processes, including multi-generation games of strategy and territory occupation played with progressively sized tiles on geometric grids

Abstract

Strategy board games that schematize competitive, yet non-combative, ecological processes, including preferred embodiments comprising multi-generation games of strategy and territory occupation played on a grid. During a first generation, players alternate placing game pieces, generally one grid unit in size, into unoccupied spaces on the grid, until substantially all territory is occupied. During successive generations, progressively larger game pieces are used and players alternate three-part moves consisting of. a. removing a smaller piece of one own's color; b. placing as many larger pieces as possible of one own's color; and, c. removing a smaller piece of one own's color, until no more smaller pieces are on the board. After the final generation, the player with the most pieces/territory wins.

1 - 92 . (Cancelled)  
   
   
       93 - 106 . (Cancelled)  
   
   
       107 . A method for playing a board game comprising a competitive yet non-combative structure based on a schematic version of an ecological or biological process.  
   
   
       108 . A method as in  claim 107 , wherein said process is evolution.  
   
   
       109 . A method as in  claim 108 , wherein said process comprises competition for territory.  
   
   
       110 . A method as in  claim 109 , wherein for each player game pieces of that player are not removed by any other player.  
   
   
       111 . A method as in  claim 110 , wherein said game progresses in a multiplicity of generations and the configuration of pieces progresses from generation to generation.  
   
   
       112 . A method as in  claim 111 , wherein said game is played on a square grid.  
   
   
       113 . A method as in  claim 112 , wherein said configuration of pieces progresses by doubling in area at each generation and alternates between squares and 2×1 rectangles.  
   
   
       114 . A method for playing a board game comprising a competitive yet non-combative structure based on a societal or cultural process.  
   
   
       115 . A method as in  claim 114 , wherein said process is completion of complementary groupings.  
   
   
       116 . A method as in  claim 115 , wherein said process comprises competition for territory.  
   
   
       117 . A method as in  claim 116 , wherein for at least one generation a move for a particular player consists of: 
 a. removing four pieces of a first size comprising said complementary grouping; and,    b. placing, if possible, at least one of said particular player's pieces of a second size, four times the area of said first size.    
   
   
       118 . A method for playing a board game, wherein for at least one generation a move for a particular player consists of: 
 a. removing one of said player's pieces of a first size;    b. placing, if possible, at least one of said player's pieces of a second size, double that of said first size; and,    c. if possible, removing one of said player's pieces of a first size.    
   
   
       119 . A method as in  claim 118 , comprising, in addition, a preliminary generation where moves consist of players alternating placing one of their own unit square tiles within said squares of said board grid until substantially all of said squares are occupied.  
   
   
       120 . A method as in  claim 119 , comprising three generations played on a 7×7 grid.  
   
   
       121 . A method as in  claim 120 , comprising two players each utilizing tiles of a particular color.  
   
   
       122 . A method as in  claim 112 , comprising, in addition, dead zones.  
   
   
       123 . A method as in  claim 111 , wherein said game is played on an equilateral triangular grid.  
   
   
       124 . A method as in  claim 111 , wherein said game is played on a grid comprising squares and right isosceles triangles.  
   
   
       125 . A method as in  claim 111 , wherein said game is played on grid of cubes.  
   
   
       126 . A method as in  claim 111 , wherein said game is played on grid of tetrahedrons.  
   
   
       127 . A method as in  claim 111 , wherein said game is played on grid of squares of at least two designations.  
   
   
       128 . A method as in  claim 119 , comprising five generations played on a grid of a size between 12×12 and 15×15.  
   
   
       129 . A method as in  claim 119 , comprising seven generations played on a grid of a size between 24×24 and 31×31.  
   
   
       130 . A method as in  claim 119 , comprising 2N+1 generations, played with tiles between a single square and tiles 2 N  on a side, and played on a grid of a size between 3×2 N  and (2 N+2 )−1 on a side.  
   
   
       131 . A method utilizing in some combination the tiles of  claim 113  and tiles of three squares in a row and tiles of three squares in an L configuration.  
   
   
       132 . A method utilizing in some combination the tiles of  claim 131  and tiles of four squares in at least some orthogonally adjacent configurations.  
   
   
       133 . A method utilizing in some combination tiles of  claim 113  and tiles comprising combinations of unit squares half unit squares comprising right isosceles triangles.  
   
   
       134 . A method as in  claim 133  comprising, in addition, at least some 45° markings limiting where certain pieces are permitted to be placed.  
   
   
       135 . A method as in  claim 134  wherein said markings are interpreted as being enabling.  
   
   
       136 . A method as in  claim 134  wherein said markings are interpreted as being disabling.  
   
   
       137 . A method for playing the game of  claim 119  comprising, in substitution, distinct markings at the centers, edges, and corners of said squares, and play with arbitrary game pieces at each generation.  
   
   
       138 . A method as in  claim 119  played on a playing field that is arbitrarily configured yet composed of grid units.  
   
   
       139 . A method as in  claim 119  played on a grid of unit squares, but where the tile unit is three squares in an L configuration, odd generations use tile in that configuration increasing in area by a factor of four, and tiles in the even generations are composed of orthogonally adjacent squares and are intermediate factors of two in area.  
   
   
       140 . A method as in  claim 123 , utilizing tiles comprising alternating generations of equilateral triangles and rhombuses with angles of 60° and 120°.  
   
   
       141 . A method as in  claim 123 , utilizing tiles comprising some combination of equilateral triangles, rhombuses with angles of 60° and 120°, parallelograms of 60° and 120°, trapezoids with angles of 60° and 120°, and regular hexagons.  
   
   
       142 . A method as in  claim 110  wherein, for at least some game pieces, if a particular game piece is not removed during a turn by a player within a specified time period said particular piece disappears vacating territory for potential use by an opponent.  
   
   
       143 . A method as in  claim 110 , comprising in addition a ‘mutation’ mechanism where it is possible that some pieces spontaneously change.  
   
   
       144 . A method as in  claim 110 , comprising at least in part moves where a single player: 
 a. removes at least one piece;    b. is permitted to place at least one piece; and,    c. removes at least one additional piece.    
   
   
       145 . A method as in clam  144  wherein said removed pieces are of a first size and said at least one placed piece is of a second larger size.  
   
   
       146 . A method as in  claim 111 , wherein said game is played on a multiplicity of superimposed grids each of a different resolution.  
   
   
       147 . A method as in  claim 111 , wherein said game is played on grid of hyper-cubes.  
   
   
       148 . A method as in  claim 119 , comprising three generations, utilizing pieces of size 1×1, 2×1 and 2×2, played on a 7×7 grid.  
   
   
       149 . A method as in  claim 119 , played on a non-rectangular board.  
   
   
       150 . A method as in  claim 119 , played on an M×N rectangular grid.  
   
   
       151 . A method as in  claim 150 , comprising two players each utilizing tiles of a particular color.  
   
   
       152 . A method for playing a board game, wherein a multiplicity of players each have a unique color of playing tiles and: 
 a. play occurs on a board comprising a 7×7 grid of squares;    b. for a first generation moves consist of players alternating placing one of their own 1×1 tiles within an open space of said board grid until all players have placed and equal number of tiles and the number of open squares is less than the number of players;    c. for a second generation moves consist of: 
 i. removing one 1×1 tile of the player's own color;  
 ii. placing as many 2×1 tiles as possible, either vertically or horizontally, in adjacent pairs of open grid squares; and,  
 iii. removing another 1×1 tile of the players own color, if present;  
   d. for a third generation moves consist of: 
 i. removing one 2×1 tile of the player's own color;  
 ii. placing as many 2×2 tiles as possible, in contiguous 2×2 cells of open grid squares;  
 iii. removing another 2×1 tile of the players own color, if present; and,  
 iv. play continues until no player has any 2×1 tiles on the board and players without any 2×1 tiles on the board cannot make a partial move; and,  
   e. the player(s) with the most 2×2 tiles at the end of play win(s).    
   
   
       153 . A computer program comprising instructions to play the game of  claim 109 .  
   
   
       154 . A computer program comprising instructions to play the game of  claim 111 .  
   
   
       155 . A computer program comprising instructions to play the game of  claim 130 .  
   
   
       156 . A computer program comprising instructions to play the game of  claim 142 .  
   
   
       157 . A computer program comprising instructions to play the game of  claim 152 .  
   
   
       158 . A method as in  claim 130 , wherein said computer program plays against at least one human player.  
   
   
       159 . A method as in  claim 130 , wherein said computer program mediates between at least two human players.  
   
   
       160 . A method as in  claim 159 , wherein said at least two players each play at distinct computers via a network.  
   
   
       161 . A product comprising the method of  claim 109  supplied as instructions intended for human comprehension.  
   
   
       162 . A product comprising the method of  claim 111  supplied as instructions intended for human comprehension.  
   
   
       163 . A product comprising the method of  claim 130  supplied as instructions intended for human comprehension.  
   
   
       164 . A product comprising the method of  claim 142  supplied as instructions intended for human comprehension.  
   
   
       165 . A product comprising the method of  claim 152  supplied as instructions intended for human comprehension.  
   
   
       166 . A product comprising: 
 a. a board comprising a square 7×7 grid;    b. at least two distinct sets of 1×1 square pieces which, in toto, comprise enough to cover substantially the entire board;    c. at least two distinct sets of 2×1 pieces each sufficient to cover a substantial portion of the board; and,    d. at least two distinct sets of 2×2 pieces each sufficient to cover a substantial portion of the board.    
   
   
       167 . A product as in  claim 166  comprising: 
 e. in substitution or addition a board comprising a square grid between 12×12 and 15×15;    f. in addition at least two distinct sets of 2×4 pieces each sufficient to cover a substantial portion of the board; and,    g. at least two distinct sets of 4×4 pieces each sufficient to cover a substantial portion of the board.    
   
   
       168 . A product as in  claim 166  comprising: 
 h. in substitution for each of said two sets of pieces in element c. a single set with distinct designations on each side; and,    i. in substitution for each of said two sets of pieces in element d. a single set with distinct designations on each side.    
   
   
       169 . A product as in  claim 168  comprising: 
 j. in substitution for each of said two sets of pieces in element b. a single set with distinct designations on each side.    
   
   
       170 . A product as in  claim 167  comprising: 
 k. in substitution for each of said two sets of pieces in element f. a single set with distinct designations on each side; and,    l. in substitution for each of said two sets of pieces in element g. a single set with distinct designations on each side.    
   
   
       171 . A method as in  claim 110 , comprising, in addition, pieces of different thicknesses for different piece sizes.  
   
   
       172 . A device for presenting game information comprising a container of beads wherein: 
 a. a multiplicity of beads distinguishable by color, marking or otherwise;    b. a large end of said container into which said beads flow as said container is held with said large end down, and within which said beads are randomized via mechanical agitation;    c. a closed tubular end of said container into which said beads flow as said container is held with said tubular end down;    d. said tubular end further being of sufficient a diameter that said bead may pass through it unimpeded yet not of sufficient diameter to permit two beads to reside laterally in said tube such that at least some of said beads will reside in an order within said tube when said container is turned tube side down;    e. said tubular end further being sufficiently transparent so that said beads are identifiable with said tube.    
   
   
       173 . A device as in  claim 172 , comprising in addition an openable hatch or removable cap to permit the complement of beads to be modified.  
   
   
       174 . A device as in  claim 172 , comprising in addition tapered section connecting said large end and said tubular end.  
   
   
       175 . A device as in  claim 172 , comprising a tube of sufficient length such that all beads can be accommodated in said tube at once.  
   
   
       176 . A device as in  claim 172 , comprising sufficient beads such that all beads can not be accommodated in said tube at once.