Role playing game

• US 5,810,666 A
• Filed: 05/08/1996
• Issued: 09/22/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: 4Kids Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: George T. Mero, Michael J. Mero
• Inventors: Mero, Michael J., Mero, George T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Harrison, Jessica
• Assistant Examiner(s): SAGER, MARK ALAN
• Application Number:
  US08/646,501
• Time in Patent Office: 867 Days
• Field of Search: 463/1, 463/16, 463/17, 463/18, 463/19, 463/29, 463/30, 463/31, 463/36, 463/40, 463/41, 463/42, 364/410, 364/411, 364/479.01, 273/139, 273/236, 273/237, 273/269, 273/292, 273/293, 273/296, 273/298, 273/308, 273/244, 273/460, 273/461
• US Class Current: 463/41
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 1/04 Card games combined with other games
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/12 involving interaction between a plurality of game devices, e.g. transmisison or distribution systems protocols for networked virtual reality, networked games H04L29/06034
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/30 Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/822 Strategy games; Role-playing games A63F13/825, A63F13/828 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/242 Bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/50 characterized by details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/807 Role playing or strategy games
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/08 Raffle games that can be played by a fairly large number of people A63F3/0625, A63F3/065 take precedence; lottery apparatus G07C15/00; lottery gaming stations, online lottery or bingo G07F17/329
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/081 electric

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a role playing game for 2-6 players. The game is broken down into a series of class games to decide a plurality of class winners, each of said games utilizing a different game board and game pieces. The class winners, once determined, unite to play against an ultimate final opponent, Malreath. Game play includes game cards which are directly affected by the resulting roll of a pair of dice. In addition, every game card sold is individual numbered, certain of the cards being more or less rare than the others.

Claims

1. An on-line game playable by a plurality of players, said game comprising:

a plurality of collectible game cards, each of said game cards comprising a card-specific identification number;

a tracking system for identifying each of said plurality of game cards by said card-specific identification number; and

an on-line computer network, said network comprising a database, a registration mechanism for registering and maintaining said game cards in said database, and a processor preprogrammed for multi-player on-line game play, wherein said processor preprogrammed for multi-player on-line game play includes means for attacking and eliminating other players.

2. The on-line game of claim 1 wherein a randomly generated whole number dictates the utility of each game card being played during an attack.

3. The on-line game of claim 1 wherein said on-line computer network comprises an Internet.

4. The tracking system of claim 1 wherein a game type, a product type, an availability type, an aura type and a card type is encoded within said unique identification number.

5. The tracking system of claim 1 wherein a production code number and an individual product number are encoded within said unique identification number.

6. The on-line game of claim 5 wherein said identification number on each game card is in a bar-coded format such that said game cards can be registered on-line via a scanning device.

7. An on-line game, playable by a plurality of players, said game comprising:

(1) a plurality of collectible game cards distributed to said plurality of players, wherein each of said game cards includes;

means for determining an outcome of an attack between two players based on a generated random number; and

means for uniquely identifying each of said plurality of collectible game cards;

(2) an on-line computer network, said network having;

a registration mechanism for registering each player and each player'"'"'s game cards; and

a processor preprogrammed for multi-player game play, wherein said processor preprogrammed for multi-player game play includes means for alternating turns among each of said plurality of players and means for generating said random number each time an attacking player seeks to attack a target player.

8. The on-line game of claim 7 wherein said means for determining the outcome of the attack includes at least one numerical range printed on each of said cards, wherein said range dictate an amount of damage done during the attack.

9. The on-line game of claim 7 wherein said game cards further include means for determining the outcome of a defense by said target player against said attacking player.

10. The on-line game of claim 7 wherein said means for uniquely identifying each of said plurality of collectible game cards includes appears on each of said cards in a bar-code.

11. The on-line game of claim 7 wherein said processor preprogrammed for multi-player game play further includes means for playing a plurality of class games wherein each class game includes a unique set of rules for eliminating players and determining a class winner.

12. The on-line game of claim 11 wherein said processor preprogrammed for multi-player game play further includes means for playing a final game, wherein each of said class winners battle a final opponent.

13. The on-line game of claim 11 wherein each of said class games utilizes a unique subset of said game cards.

14. A method of playing an on-line elimination game that comprises a computer network and a plurality of game cards distributed among a plurality of registered players, wherein each of said game cards includes a plurality of numeric ranges that dictate an amount of damage inflicted on an opponent, said method including the steps of:

allowing up to a predetermined number of registered players to be logged onto said computer network for game play;

for each of said players logged on, activating a set of game cards for game play;

assigning to each player a predetermined number of health points;

determining a sequential playing order such that all of the logged on players take turns at being an attacking player; and

during each player'"'"'s turn as the attacking player, attacking one of the remaining logged on players using the steps of;

choosing a target player to attack;

choosing one of said game cards from the attacking player'"'"'s activated game cards;

causing a random number to be generated; and

calculating an appropriate number of health points to be subtracted from the target player based upon which one of the plurality of numeric ranges said generated random number falls within.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising the step of mounting a defense by the target player, said step including the sub-steps of:

choosing one of said game cards from the target player'"'"'s activated game cards;

causing a second random number to be generated; and

determining the result of the defense based upon the result of said second random number and information on said target player'"'"'s chosen card.

16. The method of claim 14 further comprising the step of eliminating logged on players when their respective health points are zero.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising the step ending the step of eliminating logged on players when only two logged on players remain.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising the step of playing a head to head game between the two remaining players until a class winner is determined.