Computer assisted game for teaching cooperative resource allocation and multi-party negotiation skills

• US 20040157194A1
• Filed: 02/07/2003
• Published: 08/12/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Agilemath Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Agilemath Incorporated
• Inventors: Libby, Vibeke
• Granted Patent: US 7,136,617 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 434/128
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/18 Book-keeping or economics

Abstract

A multiple player game has objects corresponding to projects to which resources are allocated by the players of the game. The players include a plurality of groups. A resource bank mechanism determines a bank of resources to be made available to each group of players for allocation to the projects controlled by the players the group. A first game mechanism allows each player to make independent resource allocations to a project controlled by that player. A second game mechanism requires each group of players to make joint resource allocation decisions. A third game mechanism requires a plurality of the groups to make team level decisions affecting resource allocations to projects controlled by the groups of players. A scoring mechanism assigns a respective project score to each project of each group, a group score to each group of projects, and a team score to the plurality of projects.

Claims

1. A multiple player game, comprising:

a plurality of game objects utilized by a plurality of players of the game, the game objects including project objects corresponding to projects to which resources are allocated by the players, each project object being controlled by a respective player of the plurality of players;

wherein the players include a plurality of groups, each player being assigned to a respective group of the plurality of groups;

a resource bank mechanism for determining a bank of resources to be made available to each said group of players for allocation to the projects controlled by the players in each said group of players;

a plurality of game mechanisms, governing a plurality of game phases in which players compete and cooperate with each other so as to allocate resources from the bank of resources to the projects controlled by the respective players, including a first game mechanism allowing each respective player to make individual game play choices with respect to allocation of resources to the project controlled by that player, a second game mechanism requiring each group of the players to make joint decisions regarding allocation of resources to the projects in the group, and a third game mechanism requiring a plurality of the groups to make team level decisions affecting the allocation of resources to the projects within the plurality of groups; and

a scoring mechanism for assigning a respective project score to each project of each group, a group score to each group of projects, and a team score to the plurality of projects.

2. The game of claim 1, wherein the players in each group control an identical set of projects.

3. The game of claim 1, wherein the first game mechanism enables the players in each group to make initial resource allocations to the projects controlled by those players without regard to the resources available in the bank of resources.

4. The game of claim 3, wherein the second game mechanism is configured to require the players in each group to reduce the initial resource allocations so that the resource allocations by all the players in the group do not exceed the bank of resources available to the group.

5. The game of claim 3, wherein the second game mechanism is configured to require the players in each group to jointly allocate an additional resource to a project among the projects controlled by the players in the group.

6. The game of claim 3, wherein the second game mechanism is configured to require the players in each group to jointly allocate an additional resource to a project among the projects controlled by the players in the group.

7. The game of claim 3, wherein the second game mechanism is configured to require the players in each group to jointly allocate a plurality of resources to projects among the projects controlled by the players in the group.

8. The game of claim 1, wherein the third game mechanism is configured to enable the plurality of groups to make trades between the groups.

9. The game of claim 1, wherein the plurality of game mechanisms includes a mechanism for enabling each group to jointly select and possess a guard mechanism, from a set of predefined guard mechanisms, for protecting against adverse events a subset of the resources allocated to the projects controlled by the players in the group.

10. The game of claim 9, wherein the plurality of game mechanisms includes an event mechanism for selecting with respect to each group a respective event, from a set of predefined events, the selected event having an adverse impact on a particular resource of the bank of resources unless the group possesses a guard mechanism that projects against the selected event.

11. The game of claim 1, wherein the plurality of game mechanisms includes a plurality of mechanisms for enabling each group to make joint decisions, in anticipation of game events that have not yet occurred, so as to attempt to maximize the group score of the group.

12. The game of claim 11, wherein the plurality of game mechanisms includes a plurality of mechanisms for enabling each group to make joint decisions, in response to game events, so as to attempt to maximize the group score of the group.

13. The game of claim 1, wherein the plurality of game mechanisms includes a plurality of mechanisms for enabling each group to make joint decisions, in response to game events, so as to attempt to maximize the group score of the group.

14. A computer implemented method for enabling a plurality of players to play a game, comprising:

providing a plurality of game objects utilized by a plurality of players of the game, the game objects including project objects corresponding to projects to which resources are allocated by the players, each project object being controlled by a respective player of the plurality of players;

wherein the players include a plurality of groups, each player being assigned to a respective group of the plurality of groups;

determining a bank of resources to be made available to each said group of players for allocation to the projects controlled by the players in each said group of players;

using a plurality of computer implemented game mechanisms, governing a plurality of game phases in which players compete and cooperate with each other so as to allocate resources from the bank of resources to the projects controlled by the respective players, including a first game mechanism allowing each respective player to make individual game play choices with respect to allocation of resources to the project controlled by that player, a second game mechanism requiring each group of the players to make joint decisions regarding allocation of resources to the projects in the group, and a third game mechanism requiring a plurality of the groups to make team level decisions affecting the allocation of resources to the projects within the plurality of groups; and

assigning a respective project score to each project of each group, a group score to each group of projects, and a team score to the plurality of projects.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the players in each group control an identical set of projects.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the first game mechanism enables the players in each group to make initial resource allocations to the projects controlled by those players without regard to the resources available in the bank of resources.

17. The game of claim 16, wherein the second game mechanism is configured to require the players in each group to reduce the initial resource allocations so that the resource allocations by all the players in the group do not exceed the bank of resources available to the group.

18. The game of claim 17, wherein the second game mechanism is configured to require the players in each group to jointly allocate an additional resource to a project among the projects controlled by the players in the group.

19. The game of claim 16, wherein the second game mechanism is configured to require the players in each group to jointly allocate an additional resource to a project among the projects controlled by the players in the group.

20. The game of claim 16, wherein the second game mechanism is configured to require the players in each group to jointly allocate a plurality of resources to projects among the projects controlled by the players in the group.

21. The method of claim 14, wherein the third game mechanism is configured to enable the plurality of groups to make trades between the groups.

22. The method of claim 14, wherein the plurality of game mechanisms includes a mechanism for enabling each group to jointly select and possess a guard mechanism, from a set of predefined guard mechanisms, for protecting against adverse events a subset of the resources allocated to the projects controlled by the players in the group.

23. The game of claim 22, wherein the plurality of game mechanisms includes an event mechanism for selecting with respect to each group a respective event, from a set of predefined events, the selected event having an adverse impact on a particular resource of the bank of resources unless the group possesses a guard mechanism that projects against the selected event.

24. The method of claim 14, wherein the plurality of game mechanisms includes a plurality of mechanisms for enabling each group to make joint decisions, in anticipation of game events that have not yet occurred, so as to attempt to maximize the group score of the group.

25. The method of claim 14, wherein the plurality of game mechanisms includes a plurality of mechanisms for enabling each group to make joint decisions, in response to game events, so as to attempt to maximize the group score of the group.

26. The method of claim 14, wherein the plurality of game mechanisms includes a plurality of mechanisms for enabling each group to make joint decisions, in response to game events, so as to attempt to maximize the group score of the group.