Methods, Devices, and Kits for Emergent Pattern Games and Activities for Individuals, Collaborators, and Teams

Abstract

This invention provides methods for playing an emergent pattern game including motifs without much symmetry except for motifs with mostly parallel shapes, playing the motifs to make one or more clusters, playing motifs to continue patterns and change or block patterns. Methods may also include assessing or predicting personality traits. Motifs may be further constrained with various geometric requirements. Play may involve players giving each other directions, interacting with each other's motifs and drawing cards that impact play. One player may play alone or several may play together. This invention provides specialized motifs for playing the games of this invention. Motifs may be designs on paper, on tiles, configured as stamps, or other configurations. This invention also provides kits of motifs, instructions, and a deck of cards with directions for styles of play.

1 . A method for playing an emergent pattern game comprising:
 providing a first motif with a playing plane and a longest length;
 said motif comprising no axes of approximate symmetry through said playing plane or comprising up to 1 axis of approximate bilateral symmetry through said playing plane wherein a majority of the area of said first motif comprises two or more about parallel parallelograms;
 wherein when a majority of the area of said first motif comprises two or more about parallel parallelograms, said parallel parallelograms are configured to be at least about 5% of their width away from each other for a majority of their lengths; 
 
   playing a plurality N of said first motifs to form a first cluster, wherein the outer sides of neighboring motifs in said first cluster are no more than about 60% of said longest length from each other;   playing an N+1 first motif that becomes part of said first cluster, wherein said N+1 first motif approximately repeats and extends a first pattern formed by a plurality of said played first motifs in said first cluster; and   playing an N+2 first motif wherein it a) becomes part of said first cluster and substantially changes a characteristic of said first pattern or b) blocks said first pattern from being able to be repeated and extended in a direction of said playing plane.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising assessing or predicting a psychological or personality characteristic. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein playing a motif comprises stamping said motif on or in a playing surface. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said first motif is able to be theoretically bound by a geometric bounding box on said plane, said box comprising theoretical sides, said first motif extending to 30-80% of the theoretical length of said theoretical sides. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein “substantially changes a characteristic of said first pattern” comprises a) substantially changing the distance said N+2 played first motif is from previously played motifs, b) substantially changing the angle of rotation of said N+2 played motif, c) changing the angle of rotation of said N+2 played motif by about 90 degrees or about 180 degrees, d) playing said N+2 first motif to overlap part of said first pattern, and e) changing a color of said N+2 played motif 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein playing said N+1 first motif comprises overlapping a previously played motif. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising moving or removing a played first motif. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 providing said first motif to a first player; and 
 providing a second motif to a second player; 
 wherein playing a second motif wherein it a) becomes part of said first cluster and changes a characteristic of said first pattern or b) blocks said first pattern from being able to be repeated and extended in a direction of said playing plane. 
 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising: a) receiving an instruction from said second player and playing a first motif as directed by said instruction or b) a) receiving an instruction from said first player and playing a second motif as directed by said instruction. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 providing a set of instructions directing how to play a first motif; and 
 following an instruction directing how to play a first motif. 
 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein said instruction is selected from the group consisting of:
 accompany, allow, alternate, amplify, augment, avoid, combine, commingle, conclude, continue, coordinate, deflect, differentiate, diverge, encourage, expand, extend, extrapolate, filter, flip, flirt, flow, fortify, infuse, intensify, intermingle, interrupt, interpolate, invert, loosen, nudge, overrun, pace, persist, redirect, rejoin, relieve, respond, reverse, reverse, start, suggest, tease, tighten, transfer, transition, and veer. 
 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 :
 wherein said first motif is connected to or part of a tile game piece;   also comprising providing a plurality of said tile game pieces;
 wherein each of said tile game pieces comprises a bounding polygon base of said first motif;
 said bounding polygon base consists of about the same shape as or consists of a shape containable within a theoretical geometric bounding box of said first motif along said playing field plane; 
 said bounding polygon base configured to connect any discontiguous components of said first motif; 
 said bounding polygon base comprising a plurality of sides:
 wherein all sides are extended to by at least a portion of said first motif; 
 wherein when a majority of the area of said first motif comprises about parallel parallelograms: 
 said sides extended to by the shorter ends of said about parallel parallelograms have at least one substantial section of each side to which said first motif does not extend; 
 wherein said first motif comprises a highly irregular shape, at least one of said sides has at least one substantial section to which said first motif does not extend; and 
 
 wherein said bounding polygon base comprises a plurality of corners:
 wherein when said polygon comprises 5 or more corners, at least all but 1 of said corners are extended to by said first motif; 
 wherein when said polygon consists of 4 corners, at least 2 of said corners that neighbor each other are extended to by said first motif; and 
 wherein when said polygon comprises 3 corners, all of said corners are extended to by said first motif 
 
 
   
     
     
         13 . A motif tile game piece for playing an emergent pattern game:
 said motif having a playing plane, a cross-sectional area, and a longest length;   said tile game piece comprising a polygon base bounding said motif;   said motif comprising no axes of approximate symmetry through said playing plane or comprising up to 1 axis of approximate bilateral symmetry through said playing plane wherein a majority of said area comprises two or more about parallel parallelograms;
 wherein when a majority of said area of said motif comprises two or more about parallel parallelograms, said parallel parallelograms are configured to be at least about 5% of their width away from each other for a majority of their lengths; 
   said bounding polygon base having cross-sections parallel with said playing plane that are containable within a theoretical geometric bounding box of said motif along said playing field plane;
 said theoretical bounding box comprising theoretical sides; 
 said motif extending to 30-80% total of the length of said theoretical sides; 
   said bounding polygon base configured to connect any discontiguous components of said motif;   said bounding polygon base comprising a plurality of sides:
 wherein all sides are extended to by at least a portion of said motif; 
 wherein when a majority of the area of said motif comprises about parallel parallelograms, said sides extended to by the shorter ends of said about parallel parallelograms have at least one substantial section each to which said first motif does not extend; 
 wherein said first motif comprises a highly irregular shape, at least one of said sides has at least one substantial section to which said motif does not extend; and 
   wherein said bounding polygon base comprises a plurality of corners:
 wherein when said polygon comprises 5 or more corners, at least all but 1 of said corners are extended to by said first motif; 
 wherein when said polygon consists of 4 corners, at least 2 of said corners that neighbor each other are extended to by said first motif; and 
 wherein when said polygon comprises 3 corners, all of said corners are extended to by said first motif 
   
     
     
         14 . The motif tile game piece of  claim 13  wherein 75% or more of said motif area comprises two or more about parallel parallelograms. 
     
     
         15 . The motif tile of  claim 13  wherein said bounding polygon base is about the same shape as said theoretical geometric bounding box. 
     
     
         16 . The motif tile game piece of  claim 13  wherein said polygon base comprises paper, opaque plastic, translucent plastic, glass, etched metal, diecast metal, carved wood, carved stone, carved and fired clay, a material used to make stamps. 
     
     
         17 . A method for playing an emergent pattern game comprising:
 providing a plurality of first motif tiles of  claim 13 ;   playing a plurality N of said first motif tiles to form a first cluster, wherein the outer sides of neighboring motif tiles in said first cluster are no more than about 60% of said longest length from each other;   playing an N+1 first motif tile that becomes part of said first cluster, wherein said N+1 first motif tile approximately repeats and extends a first pattern formed by a plurality of said played first motif tiles in said first cluster; and   playing an N+2 first motif tile wherein it a) becomes part of said first cluster and substantially changes a characteristic of said first pattern or b) blocks said first pattern from being able to be repeated and extended in a direction of said playing plane.   
     
     
         18 . A kit for playing an emergent pattern game comprising:
 a first motif with a playing plane and a longest length;
 said motif comprising no axes of approximate symmetry through said playing plane or comprising up to 1 axis of approximate bilateral symmetry through said playing plane wherein a majority of the area of said first motif comprises two or more about parallel parallelograms;
 wherein when a majority of the area of said first motif comprises two or more about parallel parallelograms, said parallel parallelograms are configured to be at least about 5% of their width away from each other for a majority of their lengths; 
 
 wherein said first motif is able to be theoretically bound by a geometric bounding box on said plane, said box comprising theoretical sides, said first motif extending to 30-80% of the theoretical length of said theoretical sides. 
   a deck of cards, each card having an instruction directing how to play a first motif, said instructions selected from the group consisting of: accompany, allow, alternate, amplify, augment, avoid, combine, commingle, conclude, continue, coordinate, deflect, differentiate, diverge, encourage, expand, extend, extrapolate, filter, flip, flirt, flow, fortify, infuse, intensify, intermingle, interrupt, interpolate, invert, loosen, nudge, overrun, pace, persist, redirect, rejoin, relieve, respond, reverse, reverse, start, suggest, tease, tighten, transfer, transition, and veer; and   instructions for playing said emergent pattern game comprising:
 playing a plurality N of said first motifs to form a first cluster, wherein the outer sides of neighboring motifs in said first cluster are no more than about 60% of said longest length from each other; 
 playing an N+1 first motif that becomes part of said first cluster, wherein said N+1 first motif approximately repeats and extends a first pattern formed by a plurality of said played first motifs in said first cluster; 
 playing an N+2 first motif wherein it a) becomes part of said first cluster and changes a characteristic of said first pattern or b) blocks said first pattern from being able to be repeated and extended in a direction of said playing plane; and 
 drawing one of said cards and following an instruction while playing a first motif 
   
     
     
         19 . The kit of  claim 18  further comprising a plurality of said first motifs 
     
     
         20 . The kit of  claim 18  further comprising a plurality of unique motifs.