Communication game kit and method

Abstract

Kits, methods and computer programs are disclosed which facilitate playing of a communication game incorporating rebuses. Each of an assortment of game pieces may have one or more respective symbols thereon. Each symbol may be convertible between an active state and an inactive state. Each game piece may be convertible by one or more players from an unused status to a used status during play intervals, wherein a respective game piece is in its used status when placed in an adjacent arrangement with one or more other game pieces such that their active symbols combine to form one or more communication elements incorporating one or more rebus elements. A bonus element may be activatable by a player for temporary designation of the activating player as a bonus player and for substantially random presentation of a player instruction from a set of player instructions. Timing and scoring aspects may be incorporated.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A communication game kit comprising:
 an assortment of game pieces, each said game piece having at least a respective symbol thereon, each said symbol being convertible between an active state and an inactive state, each said game piece being convertible by one or more players from an unused status to a used status during play intervals, wherein a respective said game piece is in its used status when placed in an adjacent arrangement with one or more other said game pieces such that their active said symbols combine to form one or more communication elements incorporating one or more rebus elements; and   a bonus element activatable by a said player for temporary designation of said activating player as a bonus player and for substantially random presentation of a player instruction from a set of player instructions, said set of player instructions including at least a first instruction directing a substantial randomization of said states of said symbols of all unused said game pieces prior to continuing a respective one of said play intervals, a second instruction directing said bonus player to continue said respective one of said play intervals with said symbols of all unused said games pieces remaining in their extant state, and a third instruction directing that another said player may electively activate said bonus element.   
     
     
         2 . A game kit as defined in  claim 1  wherein at least the majority of said game pieces each include at least two mutually distinct said respective symbols thereon, said majority of said game pieces being configured such that at least one said symbol on each said game piece is in said inactive state while the other respective said symbols are in said active state. 
     
     
         3 . A game kit as defined in  claim 2  wherein said game pieces have at least one pair of generally opposing faces, each said symbol of each said game piece being disposed on a respective said face. 
     
     
         4 . A game kit as defined in  claim 2  wherein said game pieces are in the form of polyhedrons with at least one pair of generally opposing faces, each said symbol of each said game piece being disposed on a respective said face. 
     
     
         5 . A game kit as defined in  claim 4  further comprising a generally opaque container configured to house said assortment of said game pieces and to facilitate substantially randomized retrieval of said assortment from a collection of said game pieces. 
     
     
         6 . A game kit as defined in  claim 1  wherein said game pieces are in the form of symbol cards selectable from at least one symbol card deck configured to be shuffled. 
     
     
         7 . A game kit as defined in  claim 1  wherein said bonus element is a bonus card deck comprising a plurality of bonus cards on which said first, second and third instructions are respectively located, said activation being adapted to occur by way of selection of a said bonus card from said bonus card deck. 
     
     
         8 . A game kit as defined in  claim 1  wherein said bonus element is a polyhedron comprising respective sides on which said first, second and third instructions are located. 
     
     
         9 . A game kit as defined in  claim 1  further comprising a timer element for timing initial play periods and bonus play periods during respective said play intervals. 
     
     
         10 . A game kit as defined in  claim 1  wherein said symbols are in their active state when they are viewable to said one or more players. 
     
     
         11 . A game kit as defined in  claim 1  wherein said symbols are in their active state when they are generally upwardly-facing. 
     
     
         12 . A game kit as defined in  claim 1  wherein each said communication element is one or more words, phrases, sentences or questions. 
     
     
         13 . A game kit as defined in  claim 1  wherein at least several of said symbols are non-alphabetic, non-numeric, non-punctuation and non-mathematic. 
     
     
         14 . A game kit as defined in  claim 1  wherein said communication elements are formed in interconnected fashion. 
     
     
         15 . A game kit as defined in  claim 1  wherein said first instruction is substantially conveyed by the term “TOSS”, said second instruction is substantially conveyed by the term “AS IS”, and said third instruction is substantially conveyed by the term “PASS”. 
     
     
         16 . A method of playing a communication game comprising the steps of:
 providing a collection of game pieces, each said game piece having at least a respective symbol thereon, each said symbol being convertible between an active state and an inactive state, at least several said symbols each being non-alphabetic, non-numeric, non-punctuation and non-mathematic.   establishing an initial play period of fixed length;   selecting, in generally random fashion and for each of one or more initial players, a respective assortment of said game pieces from said collection;   within said initial play period, each said initial player attempting to use as many of their respective said assortment of game pieces as possible, wherein used said game pieces are defined as those placed in adjacent arrangement with one or more other said game pieces such that active said symbols of said adjacently arranged game pieces combine to form one or more communication elements which may include one or more rebus elements; and   calculating an initial player score for each said initial player, said calculation including crediting points corresponding to each used said game piece of each respective said assortment.   
     
     
         17 . A method as defined in  claim 16  wherein said calculation includes subtracting points corresponding to each unused said game piece of each respective said assortment. 
     
     
         18 . A method as defined in  claim 16  wherein each said assortment consists of an identical quantity of said game pieces. 
     
     
         19 . A method as defined in  claim 16  wherein all said communication elements corresponding to each said initial player are formed in interconnected fashion. 
     
     
         20 . A method as defined in  claim 16  wherein each of a multiplicity of players takes an independent sequential turn as said initial player, said step of attempting being performed by each respective player within a respective said initial play period. 
     
     
         21 . A method as defined in  claim 16  further comprising the step of imposing a challenge rule, wherein, at the request of another player, a said initial player must explain a respective said communication element in order to receive said credit points corresponding to each respective said game piece used in formation of the respective said communication element. 
     
     
         22 . A method as defined in  claim 16  wherein said game is configured to be played by two or more players, and said method further comprises the steps of
 establishing a bonus play period of predetermined length; 
 providing a bonus element activatable by a said player after a said initial play period has ended, wherein said activation results in
 (a) temporary designation of said activating player as a bonus player, and 
 (b) substantially random presentation of a player instruction from a set of player instructions, said set of player instructions including at least
 (i) a first instruction directing said bonus player to attempt to use as many of the as-of-yet unused game pieces from one or more said assortments as possible during said bonus play period after a substantial randomization of said states of said symbols of all said as-of-yet unused said game pieces; 
 (ii) a second instruction directing said bonus player to attempt to use as many of said as-of-yet unused game pieces as possible during said bonus play period with said symbols of all said as-of-yet unused said games pieces remaining in their extant state, and 
 (iii) a third instruction directing that another said player may electively activate said bonus element. 
 
 
 
     
     
         23 . A method as defined in  claim 22  wherein said substantial randomization of said states is achieved by tossing or dropping said as-of-yet unused said game pieces. 
     
     
         24 . A method as defined in  claim 22  wherein each said player is a distinctive team of game participants. 
     
     
         26 . A method as defined in  claim 22  wherein said bonus play period is shorter than said initial play period. 
     
     
         27 . A method as defined in  claim 22  wherein each said initial player is given one opportunity to swap said states of one active said symbol and one inactive said symbol of each said as-of-yet unused said game piece prior to or during their respective said initial play period. 
     
     
         28 . A method as defined in  claim 22  wherein said game is computer implemented, said game pieces and bonus element being graphically represented within a graphical user interface. 
     
     
         29 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions which, when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform a method, the method comprising:
 presenting a graphical user interface on a screen of said computing device;   selecting a communication element incorporating one or more rebus elements, said communication element being formed of a plurality of symbols positioned substantially adjacently to one another;   displaying a precursor of said communication element within said graphical user interface wherein one or more said symbols are spatially displaced from their corresponding said positions resulting in a respective blank space generally thereat; and   allowing said displaced symbols to be graphically moved by a player into any said blank space, wherein when a said displaced symbol is moved to its corresponding said position it is accepted thereat and when a said displaced symbol is moved to a non-corresponding said position it is rejected therefrom.   
     
     
         30 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 29  in which the method further comprises:
 presenting a text decipher of said communication element if all of said displaced symbols are accepted at their corresponding said positions. 
 
     
     
         31 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 29  wherein at least one of said displaced symbols is masked by a decoy symbol, said player having the option to irreversibly flip said decoy symbol thereby exposing the respective said displaced symbol. 
     
     
         32 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 29  in which the method further comprises:
 establishing a time limit; 
 allotting a player point total one or more points if all said displaced symbols are moved to their corresponding positions within said time limit; and 
 allotting a competitor point total one or more points if all said displaced symbols are not moved to their corresponding positions within said time limit. 
 
     
     
         33 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 32  in which the method further comprises:
 determining a winning point threshold; 
 repeating said steps of selecting, displaying, allowing and allotting until either said player point total or said competitor point total reaches said winning threshold; and 
 if said player point total reaches said winning point threshold before said competitor point total reaches said winning point threshold, allocating said player one or more winner prize tokens which are redeemable for goods or services. 
 
     
     
         34 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 32  in which the method further comprises:
 determining a winning point threshold; 
 repeating said steps of selecting, displaying, allowing and allotting until either said player point total or said competitor point total reaches said winning threshold; and 
 if said competitor point total reaches said winning point threshold before said player point total reaches said winning point threshold, allocating said player one or more loser prize tokens which are redeemable for goods or services. 
 
     
     
         35 . One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media storing instructions which, when executed by one or more computing devices, cause the computing devices to perform a method, the method comprising:
 a first said computing device preparing a communication element incorporating one or more rebus elements, said communication element being formed of a plurality of symbols positioned substantially adjacently to one another, said symbols having been selected and positioned at the direction of a first user by way of a first user interface;   said first computing device receiving from said first user a first text decipher by way of said first user interface, said first text decipher being a textual translation of said communication element; and   said first computing device sending said communication element to a second said computing device for display on a second user interface on said second computing device.   
     
     
         36 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage media of  claim 35  wherein said method further comprises:
 receiving a second text decipher from a second user by way of said second user interface, said second text decipher being a textual interpretation of said communication element by said second user; and 
 allowing comparison of said second text decipher to said first text decipher to determine whether they substantially match one another. 
 
     
     
         37 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage media of  claim 36  wherein said method further comprises: if said second text decipher substantially matches said first text decipher, allocating said second user one or more prize tokens which are redeemable for goods or services. 
     
     
         38 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage media of  claim 36  wherein said comparison is performed by said first user. 
     
     
         39 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage media of  claim 36  wherein said comparison is performed by one of said computing devices.