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US006488283B1
(12) United States Patent
(10) Patent N0.:
(45) Date of Patent:
Grundy
(54) BOARD GAME
(76) Inventor:
5,121,928 A *
Vanessa Ellen Grundy, 2 Brook Street,
Hartshorne, SWadlincoteDE11 7AH
(GB)
(*)
Notice:
Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this
patent is extended or adjusted under 35
U.S.C. 154(b) by 0 days.
(21) Appl. No.: 09/676,542
(22) Filed:
Sep. 29, 2000
(30)
Foreign Application Priority Data
Sep. 29, 1999
US 6,488,283 B1
Dec. 3, 2002
6/1992 Salerno-Sonnenberg
FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
GB
GB
GB
GB
1275021
2076297
2139510
2210275
5/1972
12/1981
11/1984
5/ 1989
* cited by examiner
Primary Examiner—Benj amin H. Layno
Assistant Examiner—Vishu K Mendiratta
(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm—MacMillan, Sobanski &
Todd, LLC
(57)
ABSTRACT
(GB) ........................................... .. 9922898
Aboard game comprising: a board having marked thereon a
(51)
Int. Cl.7 ................................................. .. A63F 3/00
(52)
(58)
US. Cl. .............. ..
Field of Search
273/253; 273/250
........ .. 273/236, 242,
plurality of positions representing features in a real and/or
imaginary region of space and With paths betWeen the
positions. A number of playing pieces are provided for use
273/243, 246, 253, 250, 251, 252, 254
by the respective players for movement along the paths in
References Cited
indicating means, such as dice, determines moves Which
U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
may be made by the playing pieces. Randomly selectable
(56)
4,395,044 A
4,504,061
4,575,095
4,695,056
4,804,190
4,946,169
5,037,111
A
A
A
A
A
A
7/1983 Hula ........................ .. 273/253
*
*
*
*
*
*
3/1985
3/1986
9/1987
2/1989
8/1990
8/1991
Michel
Gaster
Cornelson
Hoffman
Hoffmann
Hoffmann
accordance With rules of the game. A randomly operable
indicating means, such as cards, are associated With at least
some of the positions on the board for determining further
factors associated With movement of the playing pieces.
means for generating ramdom code and collecting of code
by players to Win the game.
18 Claims, 22 Drawing Sheets
U.S. Patent
Dec. 3, 2002
Sheet 1 0f 22
US 6,488,283 B1
U.S. Patent
Dec. 3, 2002
Sheet 2 0f 22
US 6,488,283 B1
U.S. Patent
Dec. 3, 2002
Sheet 3 0f 22
US 6,488,283 B1
889
WORM HOLE SYMBOL
Q
WORM HOLE ZONE SYMBOL
COD
STAR LOCKED PRISM SYMBOL
BLACK HOLE SYMBOL
ASTEROID BELT SYMBOL
@
SUN SPOT SYMBOL
Fig. 3
U.S. Patent
Dec. 3, 2002
FIG 5?.
FIG
Sheet 4 0f 22
FIG
US 6,488,283 B1
52
FIG
Sb
6
Q @6)
(9
@g
U.S. Patent
Dec. 3, 2002
Sheet 5 0f 22
US 6,488,283 B1
[5
[1 1 [61
L_—/
FIG
12§
i<. Lil
M
U.S. Patent
Dec. 3, 2002
SATURN ]
This is your lucky planet.
you gain a gift from‘?
US 6,488,283 B1
Sheet 6 0f 22
SATURN
Take Another Card
You leave now but Saturn's icy
rings make you land at
(Choose a shuttle)
'l'itan-Titanions await.
Prepare for Battle.
FACT: This second largest planet orbits
the Sun once every twenty nine Earth
years.
FACT: Saturn has the most rings 8: 21
moons, 2 moons are known as
'Sheperds' as they keep the rings in
place.
PLUTO
midi 23;’ lu‘i?l'zplane"
ACT: Pluto is the smallest planet in the
Solar System
URANUS ]
Having reached the furthest
planet, you take another card,
collect Cosmic Carbon 8:
leave now via Pluto Express
FAC1‘: Pluto is smalller than the moon Titan
dangerous time.
URANUS
“$231332
125‘?1323113“
dangerous time.
leave at once.
leave at once.
»The Power” have mils-judged
the Uranus tilt 8: you land at a
FACT: There are rings round Uranus
& at least 15 moons.
FAC'l‘: First planet to be discovered ainc
the use of the telescope.
VENUS
This is
our lu
lanet
You gzin
a gffltlfyfgom?
FACT: A Venus day is longer than its year
The Electric Dra on‘ of
Venus greets you.
ave now
via Z.O.
' Continuos dry lightening
FACT: Venusian surface temperatures
can reach 1000 F
FIG
12S
U.S. Patent
Dec. 3, 2002
Sheet 7 0f 22
MERCURY
MERCURY
This
youra luckyI
Piaget
Youisgain
glft I'OmFACT; Mercury ‘3 the 1198"“ P1!!!at
US 6,488,283 B1
wgégdarttelnrgvlrn.
FACT: Mercury, like Venue, has no moon:
to our Sun.
MARS
MARS
Take another Card.
Excited Martians greet you with
ak '
Le Marsqu
9*- z 0
ave now Via
.
proof of their existence.
.
“GT1 um h" a mum’ '°1°‘m°-
(Olympus lens) 8: great red dust storms
collect ZCC
mar: Known as the Red Planet. an
hu red am at noon and blue at
sunset.
NEPTUNE
NEPTUNE
Supersonic winds from the
great dark spot ?y you
Neptune's Scooter‘
Zooms you straight to Saturn.
to Uranus
FACT: N°Ptun° 11" the hm“- P1513‘at
‘Wind! 12001111911 at the 87°“ dark 3?“
‘Fastest cloud
FACT: A methane gas atmosphere gives
Neptune its deep blue colour.
(Gigantic Storm).
FIG
122 CONTINUED
U.S. Patent
Dec. 3, 2002
Sheet 8 0f 22
FATE
FATE
NEARBY NOVA’
US 6,488,283 B1
ALLIEN ATTACK
'
Battle or change direction.
All crew need skin grafts.
Miss A Go
' An erupting star.
L
_
‘
/
FATE
L_ J
FATE
FATE
ERRATIC ASTEROID
ILLNESS
Travel 4 Dark Years
Scientist in a state of
despair.
FACT: The word asteroid means ‘like stars’
the name given because they shine.
Travel 6 Dark Years.
PHASE 2
You play a hand in the fate of
the Universe. Will it close?
Ask "The Powers That Be
FACT:
‘Eldwin Hubble discovered
the niveraeisexpanding.
i
Effects Matter Transmitter.
Travel 2 Light Years.
yers o! glowing gas
u?ed into space
h‘?mn
FATE
Unpredictable dark matter
Anomalies in data reception.
forces you into the nearest
Land now at your nearest planet
Black Hole.
(ma 6)
FIG 12g
U.S. Patent
Dec. 3, 2002
US 6,488,283 B1
Sheet 9 0f 22
FATE
FATE
STELLAR WIND:
ILLNESS:
Echo from a distant blast
causes temporary deafness
Travel A Dark Year.
to crew.
'h-avel 3 Dark Years.
FATE
FATE
REMOTE QUASAR‘
BOK GLOBULES'
Causes data interference
Travel a Parsec.
Travel 12 Dark Years.
‘The most powerful star like objects
in the Universe.
‘Gas and dust being processed
to form a star.
FATE
Betelgeuse' may explode.
Travel 5 Parsecs.
One 0! the largest star! in the Universe
—17000 times brighter than the Sun
FATE
A space tunnel leads you
5 Light Years.
FACT: Light travels through space at
188,000 miles per second.
FIG
12g CONTINUED
U.S. Patent
Dec. 3, 2002
FORTUNE ]
Sheet 10 0f 22
(— \ FORTUNE 1 F—\
/—-\
r
—
/
'
\
r— \
from the Universe.
You have entered the
constellation of your birth sign
US 6,488,283 B1
FORTUNE
You may ask a favour
from the Universe.
FORTUNE
Majestic forces protect
your shuttle. Ignore Lunar repairs
Collect Cosmic Carbon.
FACT: There are more stars in the
Keep this card.
(continuous use)
Universe than grains of sand on every
known beach.
FORTUNE
FORTUNE
Quasar‘ Power
(Cancels any instructions)
Crew Member:
‘whirling mass of bright hot gas.
near Super Massive Black Holes
- -
(ck’md Service um“)
Keep this card.
(To use twice)
FORTUNE
Sudden power surge speeds
you to your destination.
ROLE: Serves no purpose.
FORTUNE
Space regulations show
you have been miss-treated.
All shuttles consult
'The Powers That Be‘
to see it they pay you
Cosmic Carbon.
FIG
1251 CONTINUED
U.S. Patent
Dec. 3, 2002
FORTUNE
Save a favour
from the universe!
Sheet 11 0f 22
US 6,488,283 B1
T FORTUNE ]
T
T
T
FORTUNE
Cancels a trl
to the Green P anet.
Keep this card.
(Kay use after battle)
FORTUNE
Get out of Prism FREE!
(
eadiate escape to ‘travel The Xl?%
Keep this card.
You gain 13.8.?‘ to make
you free from illness / virus.
‘Essential space protection.
Keep this card.
(Continuous use)
FORTUNE
FORTUNE
SUPER SOLAR WINDS:
You find a rock of slate from
a Uranus collision earlier in
history and exchange it
for 3CC.
FORTUNE
SHARETHEWEALTH
Travel 3 Parsecs and
collect Cosmic Carbon
from all shuttles.
Carry you to a planet
of your choice.
FORTUNE
CLOSE COMET
Collect a crew member
from Crew Bank to help.
FIG
'TZQ CONTINUED
U.S. Patent
Dec. 3, 2002
Sheet 12 0f 22
US 6,488,283 B1
DOOMED ] DOOMED
SULAR WINDS
DEIUBLE DESTINY
Ask the Powers That Be!
Carry you to level 3 of the
Massive Black Hole.’
11‘ Yes — take another card now
+ one next turn.
If No — you are doom tree
(The Event Horizon)
‘A gaping void in space that sucks in
devours things that get too close.
DOOMED
SDLAR \v/INDS
r— - ? \ i
Carry you to Planet Krocl.
‘And may the Dork go with
you’
Aliens Kidnap a crew member,
and return them to another
shuttle.
(Aliens choice)
DOOMED
Space matter on your shuttle
causes overload.
Eject a crew member or pay
Cosmic Carbon.
l
]
1
DOOMED
WANDERING DEBRIS
Travel a Dark Year.
DOOMED
A comet has hit you.
Go to a moon for a lunar
repairs and take another
shuttle to help.
DOOMED
Crooked aliens hover.
Pay them off with 20C or
battle.
FIG
‘I22
U.S. Patent
Dec. 3, 2002
Sheet 13 0f 22
DOOMED
\ '
(
US 6,488,283 B1
DOOMED
SEILAR WINDS
Carry you to level 4 of the
Mini Black Hole.
A Supernova‘ propels you into
the Oscillating Ellipse.
FACT: The centre of a Black Hole is
k
‘A colossal stellar explosion.
celled The Singularity.
k
DOOMED
(
J
DOOMED
Aliens take °V61‘.Y°111' shut'ue-
A crew member is accidentally
(Swap an crew with the Allen)
jettisoned into space.
DOOMED
You have broken a space law.
Pay Cosmic Carbon.
FIG
12% CONTINUED
U.S. Patent
Dec. 3, 2002
Sheet 14 0f 22
US 6,488,283 B1
SUN
SUN
SDLAR FLARE
ILLNESS:
Sends crew temporarily colour
Active zones erupt Helium gas
blind.
Land at Mars to recover illness.
and your laughing crew send
you to planet Krod.
‘Sudden burst of ultraviolet plasma.
I'Aiul may the Dork go with you’
SUN
SUN
r—\'x
SDLAR WINDS:
Carry you to Titan.
(Moon of Saturn)
/— \
SUN STDRMm
Spins you into the
Star Locked Prism.
‘Vast clouds of plasma given oi! by
the Sun.
FACT: Sun storms occur every eleven
years and help to clear space debris.
SUN
ILLNESSI
Passing through Gamma Rays
CDREINAL MASS EJECTIIJNIE
your crew are bathed in
Solar lumps melt heat sheild.
radiation.
Will you loose one?
Go to a moon for Lunar
Ask the ‘Powers That Be’
'llejor eruption of exploding plasma
repairs.
(Aliens choice)
You are on a dormant spot.
It's a rich Sun this year.
Well done!
Collect Cosmic Carbon.
nor: Ihen Galileo discovered sim Spots.
FACl‘: Our Sun could hold a million
it proved the sun was spinning.
Earth sized planets inside it.
FIG
12f
U.S. Patent
Dec. 3, 2002
Sheet 15 0f 22
US 6,488,283 B1
SUN
SUN
SDLAR FLARE
ILLNESS:
Sends crew temporarily colour
Active zones erupt Helium gas
blind.
Land at Mars to recover illness.
and your laughing crew send
you to planet Krod.
‘Sudden burst of ultraviolet plasma.
I'Aiul may the Dork go with you’
SUN
SUN
r—\'x
SDLAR WINDS:
Carry you to Titan.
(Moon of Saturn)
/— \
SUN STDRMm
Spins you into the
Star Locked Prism.
‘Vast clouds of plasma given oi! by
the Sun.
FACT: Sun storms occur every eleven
years and help to clear space debris.
SUN
ILLNESSI
Passing through Gamma Rays
CDREINAL MASS EJECTIIJNIE
your crew are bathed in
Solar lumps melt heat sheild.
radiation.
Will you loose one?
Go to a moon for Lunar
Ask the ‘Powers That Be’
'llejor eruption of exploding plasma
repairs.
(Aliens choice)
You are on a dormant spot.
It's a rich Sun this year.
Well done!
Collect Cosmic Carbon.
nor: Ihen Galileo discovered sim Spots.
FACl‘: Our Sun could hold a million
it proved the sun was spinning.
Earth sized planets inside it.
FIG
12f
U.S. Patent
Dec. 3, 2002
Sheet 16 0f 22
US 6,488,283 B1
SUN
SIJLAR WINDS‘!
Carry you to Charon.
(Moon of Pluto)
‘Constant stream of particles blown
throughout Space from the Sun.
SUN RAPTURE:
You dream of gaining a planet
card without travelling to it.
Ask 'The Powers That Be’
(1! Yes collect a Planet card from
any Planet)
FACT: All planets in our Solar System
orbit the Sun.
It's the years of the Quiet Sun.
You may ignore Sun and
Jupiter Spots.
Keep this card.
(Continuous use)
FACT: The Sun is a star.
.
SUN
Nuclear powered particles soar
across Space taking you with
them to Travel The
X-Miles.
FIG
1L1‘ CONTINUED
U.S. Patent
Dec. 3, 2002
Sheet 17 0f 22
JUPITER
US 6,488,283 B1
JUPITER
Oceans of liquid Hydrogen
You enter teh Jovian
atmostphere at the correct
angle.
Aliens await — prepare to
battle.
‘An ice moon with possible undergrcund
7
Travel a Parsec.
FACT: A Parsec = 3.26 Light Years
oceans.
{ JUPITER
JUPITER
\
—
_
/
{ JUPITER ] [ JUPITER
;
—
_
)
[ JUPITER
U_ J
Unbeknown chemistries between
Spiralling through Jupiters
Zones 8: Belts catapult you into
atmostphere you orbit the
the X-Miles.
planet and miss 2 turns.
ACT: Jupiter has the greatest storms in
the Solar System.
FACT: Jupiter has at least 16 moons —
4 are the size of planets.
They can last for 800 years.
Churning Trojans‘
The King Gas Giant sucks you:
you out to land at Ganymede‘
‘Groups of asteroids lying in Jupite
'Jupiters largest moon.
orbit.
JUPITER
ILLNESS
shuttle. I
Entering the Magnetosphere
Go to a moon for lunar
shock waves affect your crew,
repairs.
who send you to a Sun Spot.
FACT: Jupiter shrinks a few millimetres
each year; its famous Red Spot is half
the size it was 100 years ago.
FACT: Jupiter's intense magnetic field
spans 7 million miles.
FIG
129
U.S. Patent
Dec. 3, 2002
Sheet 18 0f 22
\
US 6,488,283 B1
F
JUPITER
JUPITER
Passing Comets:
Having dodged radio-active
Jupiter world destroys them
and hurls you into the
zones, you land at Callisto
to rest.
Star Locked Prism.
FACT: Jupiter is twice the size a! all the
FACT: Jupiter is mostly a gas planet but
other planets put together.
k
its hard core centre is bigger than
j
JUPITER
\
Earth.
\
j
JUPITER
swallowed by a vortex of super
heated ammonia, you consult
the "Powers That BE’ for help.
Jupiter is in conjunction with
Saturn. This help, sends you
direct to the planet.
If yes - they help you to a place of
n no _ you ?’a‘ga?‘?e'uke “other
FACT: 13ml- could hold 1000 Earth
car‘L
ed planets inside it.
\
J
W
\
J
F
A confused whirlwind in the
Great Red Spot‘ sweeps you to
Centrifugal forces. from Jupiters
rapid rate of spin, make you
your destination.
land at Lo.
‘A hurricane 3 times the size of Earth.
FACT: Moon [.0 is completely covered in
>
\
volcanoes.
J
k
1
FIG
129 CONTINUED
U.S. Patent
Dec. 3, 2002
Sheet 19 0f 22
US 6,488,283 B1
GREEN PLANET] GREEN PLANET
CREW MEMBER
Green House
Wicked Aliens KEEP a crew
member for experimentery use.
ROLE: Unlucky. Must be dumped.
(Aliens Choice)
[GRE N PLANET] [GRE N PLANET
Green suits you.
Travel a Perseo.
To depart safely you must be
slow & throwr a “one” to leave
next go.
(5 chances per turn)
[GREEN PLANET GREEN PLANET}
CREW MEMBER
Mad Scientist
'
'
(D1splay
thls
card)
Eccentric virus sends your
Scientists mad.
0n landing your controls lock
on 2.0.
Leave immediately.
ROLE: Renders Scientist dormant.
Must be dumped.
[GRE N PLANET]
Members_
GREEN PLANET
Alien Message:
Do not return to our Planet.
Keep this card.
(Aliens (melee)
FIG
12h