Collectable component gaming apparatus and method

Abstract

Apparatus and methods are provided for playing a collectable trading game having turn based combat role playing and skill game features. In exemplary embodiments of the present invention, a game apparatus includes Stickards, Pods, an Info Station, a Collector's Poster, a Pod Chamber, at least one Pod Launch pad, a Battle Barrier or a Game Board, Big Rules, Mini Rules, and a Carrier/Dispenser/Magnifier. In exemplary embodiments of the present invention Pods are small customized cubes which can be rolled around and launched at each other in accordance with various defined methods of game play. In exemplary embodiments of the present invention Pods can be stored in a Pod Chamber and launched via a Pod Launch Pad, and various levels of complexity of gaming rules can be user defined for each gaming session.

1 . A battle gaming apparatus, comprising: 
 game pieces;    a game piece dispensing and storage device;    a game board or barrier device; and    an information booklet,    wherein said game pieces contain multiple faces each depicting an attribute of its game piece, and    wherein in operation said attributes, skills or status can be used in conjunction with defined game rules to determine the outcome of battles between players.    
   
   
       2 . The gaming apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said game pieces can have one of two types, character and battle.  
   
   
       3 . The gaming apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein each said attribute of a character gaming piece is one of intelligence, speed, power, gadget, special ability or additional ability.  
   
   
       4 . The gaming apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein each said attribute of a battle gaming piece is one of defense, damage, attack, behavior, additional ability or out of action.  
   
   
       5 . The gaming apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the attributes of game pieces can be either affixed to the game piece or provided in separately marketed stickers.  
   
   
       6 . The gaming apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein said separately marketed stickers further comprise one or more information stickers comprising descriptive matter and statistical information relative to the associated game piece.  
   
   
       7 . The gaming apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the game pieces can be portably stored in a dispensing and storage device.  
   
   
       8 . The gaming apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the dispensing and storage device comprises: 
 a substantially spherical outer shell, wherein the substantially spherical outer shell is divided into two substantially even halves which interconnect and are capable of being separated, wherein each even half has an interior comprising a form fitted game piece holder which holds a game piece or pieces.    
   
   
       9 . The dispensing and storage device of  claim 8  wherein the substantially even halves which interconnect and are capable of being separated do so via a screw thread.  
   
   
       10 . The dispensing and storage device of  claim 8  having an attaching point for a length of cord comprising an indentation on its outer surface and a bar spanning the indentation, the bar leaving sufficient open space such that the length of cord may be looped thru and attached to the bar.  
   
   
       11 . The container of  claim 8  having at least one substantially flat area on its outer surface.  
   
   
       12 . The gaming apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said defined game rules can have numerous layers of complexity which can be cumulatively added to each other as may be dynamically determined by users.  
   
   
       13 . The gaming apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more game piece launch pads, each of which can impart a different combination of initial velocity, trajectory direction and spin onto a launched game piece.  
   
   
       14 . The gaming apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a carrier/magnifier/dispenser module, which can store game pieces and allow users to view their faces under magnification.  
   
   
       15 . A method of battle gaming, comprising: combat between player controlled game pieces, roleplaying by players of characters depicted by game pieces wherein player controlled actions of said characters are able to effect the actions of subordinate characters.  
   
   
       16 . The method of battle gaming of  claim 15  wherein players may enter a game while said game is in progress.  
   
   
       17 . The method of battle gaming of  claim 15 , having a rule set having multiple levels of rules wherein players can choose the level of complexity of said method of battle gaming by preselecting at least one of said multiple levels of rules.  
   
   
       18 . The method of battle gaming of  claim 15 , wherein a player's dexterity is an element of said method of battle gaming.