Game to arrange groups of tokens spanning an attribute space

Abstract

A game using tokens bearing a number (N>2) of N-valued attributes, by finding, among tokens in each player's possession alone or in combination with those on a common playing field, groups of N tokens whose attributes, suitably permuted, form lines spanning the N-dimensional cube of N N combinations, and to arrange the playing field to consist entirely of such groups and networks thereof.

1 . A game-playing apparatus, comprising:
 (A) a set of at least twenty-seven tokens distinguishable by a number of attributes, each attribute ranging over an equal number of values, including at least one token bearing each combination of said values, labelled or accompanied by   (B) rules requiring each player in succession
 (i) either to
 (a) find, among tokens in said player's possession alone or in combination with those previously placed on a common playing field, one or more groups, herein designated “playable groups” to signify that among any such group, each attribute independently either retains a single value or takes on all of its available values, and 
 (b) construct on a common playing field, by a process including the shedding of at least one of said player's tokens and permitting manipulation of tokens already on said field, an arrangement of tokens in which
 (1) every continuous row or column of two or more tokens consists of at least one playable group, and 
 (2) every token lies in at least one playable group thus disposed, 
 
 
 (ii) or to draw one token at random from the remaining pool. 
   
   
   
       2 . The game-playing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said rules specify that the tokens must be disposed on said field in such a way that
 (A) every continuous row or column of two or more tokens consists of exactly one playable group, and   (B) every token belongs to at least one such continuous row or column.   
   
   
       3 . The game-playing apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein a game is defined to
 (A) begin with the drawing of a fixed starting number of tokens at random from a pool by each player, and   (B) end with the victory of the first player to run out of tiles.   
   
   
       4 . The game-playing apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the rules are enforced by a computing device programmed to execute game-playing algorithms, and
 (A) the playing field is in a computer display, and   (B) said display depicts arrangements of tokens currently in play and groups of tokens held by one or more players, as controlled by
 (i) one or more human players, or 
 (ii) one or more instances of competing software programs, or 
 (iii) playing agents of both types. 
   
   
   
       5 . A game-playing apparatus, comprising:
 (A) a set of at least one complement of twenty-seven tokens, each bearing a single marking of one of three distinct shapes, printed or displayed as a foreground in one of three distinct colors, on a background printed or displayed in one of three other distinct colors, each such complement of tokens containing one token bearing each combination of marking shape, foreground color and background color, and   (B) labelling specifying rules requiring each player in succession
 (i) either to
 (a) find, among tokens in said player's possession alone or in combination with tokens previously placed on a common playing field, one or more special groups, herein termed “triads,” consisting of three tokens, each bearing a marking, such that all three of the markings either match or differ in shape, in color and in background color, and 
 (b) construct on a common playing field, by a process including the shedding of at least one of said player's tokens and permitting manipulation of tokens already on said field, an arrangement of tokens in which
 (1) every continuous row or column of two or more tokens consists of at least one triad, and 
 (2) every token lies in at least one triad thus disposed, 
 
 
 (ii) or to draw one token at random from the remaining pool. 
   
   
   
       6 . The game-playing apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein said rules specify that the tokens must be disposed on said field in such a way that
 (A) every continuous row or column of two or more tokens consists of exactly one triad, and   (B) every token belongs to at least one such continuous row or column.   
   
   
       7 . The game-playing apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein a game is defined to
 (A) begin with the drawing of a fixed starting number of tokens at random from a pool by each player, and   (B) end with the victory of the first player to run out of tiles.   
   
   
       8 . The game-playing apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the rules are enforced by a computing device programmed to execute game-playing algorithms, and
 (A) the playing field is in a computer display, and   (B) said display depicts arrangements of tokens currently in play and groups of tokens held by one or more players, as controlled by
 (i) one or more human players, or 
 (ii) one or more instances of competing software programs, or 
 (iii) playing agents of both types.