Game, such as electronic collectable and card or tradable object game employing customizable features

• US 9,616,323 B2
• Filed: 06/21/2013
• Issued: 04/11/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wizards of The Coast LLC (Hasbro Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Wizards of the Coast Incorporated (Hasbro Inc.)
• Inventors: Gilson, Frank, Russell, Cormac, Sottosanti, Paul, Buehler, Randy, Arjona, Ramon, Gutschera, Karl Robert, Bozzi, Brandon Anthony, Forsythe, Aaron Joel
• Primary Examiner(s): Liddle, Jay
• Assistant Examiner(s): RADA, ALEX P
• Application Number:
  US13/923,702
• Publication Number:
  US 20130281173A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,390 Days
• 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 1/10 Card holders
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/235 using a wireless connection, e.g. infrared or piconet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/40 Processing input control signals of video game devices, e.g. signals generated by the player or derived from the environment
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/58 by computing conditions of game characters, e.g. stamina, strength, motivation or energy level
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/69 by enabling or updating specific game elements, e.g. unlocking hidden features, items, levels or versions
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/0615 transparent
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2250/602 with adhesive
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 80/00 Products made by additive manufacturing

Abstract

A game employing user-modifiable game components, such as cards in a collectable card game, employs various features to provide user-modifiability, including sleeves, transparent cards, stickers, and other elements. Electronic versions of the game and various other features are included, including tracking of history associated with such components.

Claims

1. A game system, comprising:

first and second decks of cards associated with first and second players, respectively, wherein the first and second decks of cards have been respectively compiled and customized by the first and second players based on a larger set of cards from which the first and second decks were selected,

wherein each of the first and second decks includes a card customized by the respective first and second players, wherein the customization includes;

transparent or partially transparent sleeves for receiving cards from the first and second decks, wherein a card to be received within each sleeve includes initial indicia for governing use or play of the card during game play, and wherein each sleeve includes indicia for modifying or superseding the initial indicia for governing use or play of the card;

or

at least first and second transparent or partially transparent cards in each of the first and second decks, wherein the first and second cards each have indicia governing use or play during game play, wherein at least the second card is configured to be played on top of the first card so that the first card'"'"'s indicia is still displayed through the second card, and wherein the second card'"'"'s indicia for governing use or play during game play is available for use by a player when the second card is played on top of the first card;

or

at least one player-modified card in each of the first and second decks, wherein the player-modified card includes a card base and at least one of two self-adhesive stickers selected by and applied to the card base to form the player-modified card, wherein each of the two self-adhesive stickers includes indicia governing use or play during game play; and

wherein each of the first and second decks includes collectable cards having differing levels of rarity with respect to the larger set of cards, including cards that are common and cards that are uncommon.

2. The game system of claim 1 wherein the indicia of the card to be received within the sleeve includes card text representing a power or effect that the card to be received within the sleeve has on game play, and wherein the sleeve is configured to provide modifying or superseding text to cover and replace the card text, and wherein:

before play of a game,

the first and second players select a predetermined number of sleeves for use during that game;

or

before play of a game under the game rules, every card in the first or second decks has one of the sleeves;

or

a randomizer determines which cards within the first and second decks receive sleeves.

3. The game system of claim 1 wherein the game is an electronic game, and wherein the first and second decks of cards are first and second decks of electronic cards.

4. A game for play between two or more players, comprising:

modifiable game piece means, wherein at least some of the game piece means include portions that are transparent, partially transparent or cut to provide voids, and wherein the modifiable game piece means include;

a bottom game piece that is configured to be played independently by one of the two players without the need for additional game pieces,

wherein the bottom game piece includes;

a first portion of text, symbols, or colors that represent a first power or effect that the bottom game piece has with respect to game play, and

a second portion of text, symbols, or colors that represent a second power or effect that the bottom game piece can have with respect to game play; and

a top game piece that is configured to be played by one of the two players on top of the bottom game piece so that the first portion of text, symbols, or colors is still displayable through the transparent, partially transparent, or void portions of the top game piece and still have the first power or effect with respect to game play, and wherein the top game piece includes;

a third portion of text, symbols or colors that represent a third power or effect that the top game piece has with respect to game play, and

a fourth portion of text, symbols or colors that represent a fourth power or effect that the top game piece has with respect to game play when the top game piece is played on the bottom game piece, but wherein the second power or effect of the bottom game piece is not in effect with respect to game play.

5. The game of claim 4, wherein the top and bottom game pieces are cards and have a square, pentagonal, or hexagonal shape.

6. The game of claim 4 wherein the game is an electronic game and wherein the modifiable game piece means are data structures representing the modifiable game piece means.

7. The game of claim 4 wherein the top and bottom game pieces are formed of a planar, semi-flexible material, and wherein the top and bottom game pieces are configured so that when the top game piece is played on the bottom game piece, the second portion of text, symbols, or colors are obscured by the top game piece.

8. The game of claim 4, wherein the modifiable game piece means are packaged for distribution so as to obscure at least one of the modifiable game piece means, and wherein each of the modifiable game piece means has one of at least three distribution categories, wherein the three distribution categories are common, uncommon and rare, which correspond respectively to three levels of distribution rarity.

9. A method comprising:

obtaining a set of cards, wherein the set of cards comprises;

at least one card base that is configured to be played in a modified or unmodified form; and

at least first and second indicia carriers configured to be applied to the card base by a player to form a player-modified card,

wherein each of the first and second indicia carriers includes indicia governing power or effect of the player-modified card during game play; and

,

wherein the set of cards includes cards that are common, uncommon and rare with respect to distribution of the cards;

physically modifying the card base by way of one of the first and second indicia carriers to produce the player-modified card;

constructing a deck of cards from a subset of the set of cards, wherein the deck of cards includes the player-modified card;

shuffling the deck of cards; and

playing a round of the game.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the first and second indicia carriers are first and second self-adhesive stickers, and wherein the modifying includes applying the first sticker to the card base, and applying at least one art work sticker to the card base.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the modifying includes scratching off opaque paint, or crossing out with a writing implement one of two indicia on the card base.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the first and second indicia carriers are first and second ink stamps, erasable marks, clips having indicia, planar magnets or electrostatic cling plastic sheets.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein the modifying includes tearing off from the card base one of the first and second indicia carriers.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein the modifying includes folding one of the first and second indicia carriers with respect to the card base.

15. The method of claim 9, further comprising playing a prerecorded audio-visual aid distributed with the game to learn how to play the game.

16. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

tracking experience of at least one electronic card of the obtained set of cards; and

changing the appearance of the at least one electronic card of the obtained set of cards based at least in part on the tracked experience of the at least one electronic card of the obtained set of cards.

17. An article of manufacture, comprising:

rule means for defining a goal and a series of actions of play for achieving the goal between two or more players; and

modifiable physical game piece means, wherein at least some of the modifiable game piece means include;

multiple physical standard game piece means, wherein each standard game piece means includes text, symbols or colors that represent a standard power or effect that the standard game piece means has with respect to game play; and

,

at least one physical indicia altering means for player-selected modification of at least one of the multiple standard game piece means,

wherein the indicia altering means is configured to alter the text, symbols or colors of the at least one standard game piece means to thereby alter the standard power or effect to provide an altered power or effect that the at least one standard game piece means now has with respect to game play.

18. The article of manufacture of claim 17, further comprising a timer for providing a duration for the standard or altered power or effect.

19. The article of manufacture of claim 17 wherein the indicia altering means includes a colored, transparent window to selectively display the text, symbols or colors.

20. The article of manufacture of claim 17 wherein the indicia altering means includes a window formed in an outer sleeve into which the at least one of the multiple standard game piece means is inserted to selectively display some of the text, symbols or colors.

21. The article of manufacture of claim 17 wherein the indicia altering means includes a standee or sleeve with at least one pocket to receive at least one of the multiple standard game piece means.

22. The article of manufacture of claim 17 wherein the article of manufacture is a computer-readable medium.