Trading Card Games And Methods Of Play

• US 20070202952A1
• Filed: 09/27/2005
• Published: 08/30/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Stonelore Expeditions, LLC
• Original Assignee: Stonelore Expeditions, LLC
• Inventors: Francis, Kjersti, Henderson, Patricia
• Application Number:
  US11/576,038
• Publication Number:
  US 20070202952A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 1/00 Card games aspects of games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions showing representations related to the game A63F13/00; card games played on a gaming machine G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 1/02 Cards; Special shapes of cards card-printing methods B41K, B41M
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2413 Magnetic
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2414 Cards
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2489 by radio transmitters, e.g. using RFID
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2491 with a detachable memory
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2011/0058 using electronic means A63F2011/0053 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2011/0072 Indicating values other than scores, e.g. handicap, initial settings, coefficients

Abstract

Trading card games and methods of play. The trading card game includes first and second game components comprising a plurality of first and second individual game pieces each having attributes visibly displayed thereon. The second game pieces further including at least one attribute variable during game play. In the preferred methods of game play, the at least one variable attribute includes a point value attribute. The numerical value of the variable point value attribute may increase or decrease during game play. As the variable point value attribute increases in value other attributes of the game pieces may become available for use during game play.

Claims

1. A game, comprising:

(a) a first set of selected game pieces comprising a predefined quantity of individual first game pieces, each of said individual first game pieces having a plurality of first attributes relevant to game play visibly displayed thereon;

(b) a second set of selected game pieces comprising a predefined quantity of individual second game pieces, each of said individual second game pieces having a plurality of second attributes relevant to game play visibly displayed thereon each of said individual second game pieces further having a variable point value attribute which is stored on a data storage medium on said second game piece;

wherein a relationship exists between certain of said first and second attributes of certain of said individual first and second game pieces, whereby use of certain of said game pieces during game play by a player is dependent upon said relationship.

2. The game of claim 1 wherein said first and second sets of selected game pieces are selected by the player of the game from the player'"'"'s library of game components, the player'"'"'s library of game components previously compiled by the player from a reservoir of said first and second individual game pieces wherein said reservoir comprises varying:

multiple copies of said first and second individual game pieces.

3. The game of claim 1 wherein another of said first attributes and one of said second attributes includes a realm attribute and wherein said relationship between at least one of said plurality of first and second attributes further includes a relationship between said realm attribute of said individual first game piece desired to be entered into game play and said realm attribute of said individual second game piece desired to be used to bring said individual first game piece into game play.

4. The game of claim 1 wherein one of said plurality of first attributes includes a cost attribute.

6. The game of claim 4 wherein said relationship between at least one of said plurality of first and second attributes includes a relationship between said cost attribute of said individual first game piece desired to be entered into game play and said variable point value attribute of said individual second game piece desired to be used to bring said individual first game piece into game play, wherein said variable point value attribute is at least equal to said cost attribute of said first game piece desired to be entered into game play.

8. The game of claim 4 further comprising a reader/writer having a data transfer interface for communicating with said data storage medium for reading and writing said variable point value attribute.

9. The game of claim 8 including a display screen and a data input interface for viewing said variable point value attribute and interacting with said individual second game pieces.

10. The game of claim 9 wherein said display screen and said data input interface are incorporated into said reader/writer.

11. The game of claim 9 wherein said display screen and said data input interface are separate from but interface with said reader/writer.

12. The game of claim 8 wherein said data storage medium is an encodeable magnetic strip.

13. The game of claim 12 wherein said reader/writer comprises a magnetic strip reader/writer which, when said encodeable magnetic strip is swiped through said magnetic strip reader/writer, said variable point value attribute is communicated between said data storage medium and said reader/writer,

14. The game of claim 8 wherein each of said individual second game pieces further includes an integrated circuit with a contact interface for communicating data to and from said data storage medium.

15. The game of claim 14 wherein said data transfer interface includes a contact interface mateable with said contact interface of said individual second game pieces which, upon contact therewith, said variable point value attribute is communicated between said data storage medium and said reader/writer.

16. The game of claim 8 wherein each of said individual second game pieces further includes an integrated circuit with a contact-less interface for communicating data to and from said data storage medium.

17. The game of claim 16 wherein said data transfer interface includes a contactless interface which, when in proximity with said individual second game pieces, said variable point value attribute is communicated between said data storage medium and said reader/writer.

18. The game of claim 17 wherein said integrated circuit includes a radio frequency (RF) transponder and said contact-less interface comprises a RF transceiver whereby, when said RF transponder is in proximity with said RF transceiver, said variable point value attribute is communicated between said RF transponder and said RF transceiver.

19. The game of claim 8 wherein different of said second attributes of said individual second game pieces become effective for game play upon said individual second game pieces having written to its variable point value attribute a greater numerical value.

5. (canceled)

7. (canceled)

20. A method of game play involving at least two players, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) each player selecting a predefined number of Challenge Cards with which to form the player'"'"'s Draw Deck and a predefined number of Shards with which to form the player'"'"'s Quarry, each of said Challenge Cards having Card Attributes relevant to game play visibly displayed thereon, each of said Shards having Shard Attributes relevant to game play visibly displayed thereon, each of said Shards further having at least one variable point value attribute which is stored on a data storage medium on said Shard;

(b) each player drawing a Card Hand comprising a predefined number of said Challenge Cards from said player'"'"'s respective Draw Deck;

(c) during each players'"'"' sequential turn, engaging in duels by which one of said players uses its Challenge Cards and Shards against another of the said players to cause damage to said another of said player'"'"'s Challenge Cards and Shards;

wherein, during each player'"'"'s sequential turn, use of at least one of said player'"'"'s Challenge Cards and Shards is dependent upon a relationship with at least one other of said player'"'"'s Challenge Cards and Shards.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein one of said Card Attributes and one of said Shard Attributes includes a realm attribute and wherein said relationship between at least one of said Card Attributes and said Shard Attributes includes a relationship between said realm attributes of said Challenge Card desired to be entered into game play and said realm attribute of said Shard desired to be used to bring said Challenge Card into game play.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein another of said Card Attributes includes a cost attribute.

24. The method of claim 22 wherein said relationship between at least one of said plurality of Card Attributes and said Shard Attributes includes a relationship between said cost attribute of said Challenge Card desired to be entered into game play and said variable point value attribute of said Shard desired to be used to bring said Challenge Card into game play, wherein said variable point value attribute must be at least equal to said cost attribute of said Challenge Card desired to be entered into game play.

26. The method of claim 22 further comprising providing a reader/writer having a data transfer interface for communicating with said data storage medium for reading and writing said variable point value attribute.

27. The method of claim 26 further comprising providing a display screen and a data input interface for viewing said at least one variable point value attribute and interacting with said Shard.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein said display screen and said data input interface are incorporated into said reader/writer.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein said display screen and said data input interface are separate from but interface with said reader/writer.

30. The method of claim 26 wherein said data storage medium is an encodeable magnetic strip.

31. The method of claim 30 wherein said reader/writer comprises a magnetic strip reader/writer which, when said encodeable magnetic strip is swiped through said magnetic strip reader/writer, said variable point value attribute is communicated between said data storage medium and said reader/writer.

32. The method of claim 26 wherein each of said Shards further includes an integrated circuit with a contact interface for communicating data to and from said data storage medium.

33. The method of claim 32 wherein said data transfer interface includes a contact interface mateable with said contact interface of said Shard which, upon contact therewith, said variable point value attribute is communicated between said data storage medium and said reader/writer.

34. The method of claim 26 wherein each of said Shards further includes an integrated circuit with a contact-less interface for communicating data to and from said data storage medium.

35. The method of claim 34 wherein said data transfer interface includes a contactless interface which, when in proximity with said Shard, said variable point value attribute is communicated between said data storage medium and said reader/writer.

36. The method of claim 35 wherein said integrated circuit includes a radio frequency (RF) transponder and said contact-less interface comprises a RF transceiver whereby, when said RF transponder is in proximity with said RF transceiver, said variable point value attribute is communicated between said RF transponder and said RF transceiver.

37. The method of claim 26 wherein different Shard Attributes of said Shard become effective for game play upon said Shard having written to its variable point value attribute a greater numerical value.

38. The method of claim 26 whereupon when said Shard is used to bring a desired Challenge Card into game play, said Shard is turned face-down to indicate it is drained and is unavailable for game play until being recharged by said player upon said player'"'"'s next turn.

39. The method of claim 38 wherein a players turn includes a recharge phase, a challenge phase and a reconcile phase;

said recharge phase comprising the steps taken from the group comprising;

(i) recharging any drained Shards;

(ii) shattering a desired Shard;

(iii) activating a new Shard from said player'"'"'s Quarry; and

(iv) refilling said player'"'"'s Card Hand;

said challenge phase includes the step of attacking another of said players'"'"' Challenge Cards and Shards;

said reconcile phase including the steps of calculating the amount of damage incurred by said another of said players and, if damage has incurred, discarding a corresponding number of Challenge Cards from said another player'"'"'s Draw Deck.

40. The method of claim 39 wherein a winner of the game is the one of said players with Challenge Cards remaining in its Draw Deck.

41. The method of claim 40 further comprising the step of:

at the beginning of game play, each of said players banks a predetermined portion of said variable point value attribute of a select one of its Shards, whereafter each player'"'"'s selected Shard has a variable point value less an amount equal to said predetermined banked portion, whereby a sum of each of said player'"'"'s predetermined banked portions amounts to a banked point value, and whereupon at the end of game play, the game winner is awarded said banked point value for adding to said variable point value of said winner'"'"'s selected Shard.

42. The method of claim 40 further comprising the steps of:

choosing a realm for a realm based game;

assigning all said Shards matching said chosen realm an additional predetermined point value and subtracting said predetermined point value from all said Shards not matching said chosen realm.

43. The method of claim 42 wherein said predetermined point values are added and subtracted to said variable point value attribute of each said player'"'"'s Shards at the beginning of game play.

44. The method of claim 42 wherein said predetermined point values are added and subtracted to said variable point value attribute of each said player'"'"'s Shards upon Shard Activation.

45. The method of claim 40 further comprising the steps of:

assigning a predetermined handicap value to each players Shards based on a player'"'"'s skill level;

adding and subtracting said predetermined handicap value based on said player'"'"'s skill level.

23. (canceled)

25. (canceled)