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GameRelated Patent Categories: Amusement Devices: Games, FencingGame description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070191116, Game. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
TECHNICAL FIELD [0001] The invention relates to a game. In particular, a combat game and associated playing area or board in which teams of players or game pieces combat one another using hand-to-hand weapons in order to achieve an objective. The invention also relates to a sword for use in the game. BACKGROUND ART [0002] For ease of reference only the present invention will now be described in relation to sword sports. However, this should not be seen as limiting as the principle of the present invention may also have application to other hand-to-hand weapons. [0003] In combat sports that utilise hand held weapons such as fencing as well as older historical derivatives such as rapier duelling, combat takes the form of an individual game where players fence one another in one on one bouts or duels. [0004] One derivation that has occurred in modern fencing to incorporate a team competition is that where teams of three or four fencers compete against one another whereby each team member fences the other team member in sequence. The winning team is the team with the highest aggregate score or highest number of victories. This approach is however not a true team event as fencers still compete against one another on a individual basis i.e. there is never a situation where one fencer competes against two or more fencers at any one time. [0005] In eastern sword traditions such as the art of the samurai and the modern equivalent of kendo, the focus is also on the individual. Like modern fencing, bouts or combat are generally completed one on one rather than as a unit or team. [0006] Contrary to the above, historical battles normally involved massed groups of fighters that would battle as a unit. Unit combat presents many alternative tactics and as shown by history, a well coordinated unit could overcome a larger opposition through coordinated unit combat rather than as individuals combating other Individuals. As modern hand-to-hand combat sports are largely directed towards one on one combat, they do not offer the same degree of unit interaction as that which might have occurred in historical battles. [0007] One attempt that tries to address the use of unit combat in sword battles is termed `fencing melee` (described on website: www.geocites.com/sword and mug/SWORD/fencingmelee.htm). The site appears to describe a game where units of fencers including a controlling player fence another unit including a controlling player. The end goal is to `hit out` or overcome the opposing unit. [0008] This fencing melee combat offers no restriction in movement or any end goal apart from hitting out the opposing unit altogether In order to win. Due to the unrestricted nature of movement, it Is easy for more experienced players to win against less experienced players who are less aware of the tactics that may be employed. Also, with only a very simple and single end goal i.e. to hit out the other unit, tactics are more limited than what might otherwise be the case, for example in historical battles where armies would win by capturing land, capturing key strategic Items, killing of an opposing leader or group etc. Historically, simply killing off an enemy for the sake of killing was seldom the objective in itself. As a result, whilst fencing melee addresses some issues of unit combat, there are aspects where melee lacks elements of usefulness or spectator or player interest [0009] A further team combat sport, but one that does not use hand-to-hand combat is that termed `The Ultimate Game`. In this game, teams of combatants aim to obtain a particular objective, typically to obtain an opposing team flag. Combatants use guns armed with paint balls and can attack one another with the guns. The game area has a set perimeter however, combatants are free to move unrestricted within this area. Historical combat is not able to be recreated in this game at least because the weapon is a gun which has a longer range than a physical weapon i.e. is not a hand to hand weapon such as a sword and thus the tactics employed in hand-to-hand unit fighting cannot be generally implemented. In fact, attacking as a close formation unit in The Ultimate Game is a poor tactic as it is then easy for an opposing team or individual in the team to shoot the entire opposing unit in quick succession. [0010] It is an object of the present invention to address the foregoing problems or at least to provide the public with a useful choice. [0011] All references, including any patents or patent applications cited in this specification are hereby incorporated by reference. No admission is made that any reference constitutes prior art. The discussion of the references states what their authors assert, and the applicants reserve the right to challenge the accuracy and pertinency of the cited documents. It will be clearly understood that, although a number of prior art publications are referred to herein, this reference does not constitute an admission that any of these documents form part of the common general knowledge in the art, in New Zealand or in any other country. [0012] It is acknowledged that the term `comprise` may, under varying jurisdictions, be attributed with either an exclusive or an inclusive meaning. For the purpose of this specification, and unless otherwise noted, the term `comprise` shall have an inclusive meaning--i.e. that it will be taken to mean an inclusion of not only the listed components it directly references, but also other non-specified components or elements. This rationale will also be used when the term `comprised` or `comprised` is used in relation to one or more steps in a method or process. Further aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the ensuing description which is given by way of example only. DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION [0013] For the purposes of this specification the term `combat` is used to refer to any type of combat action against another player such as fencing, sparing, hitting etc. [0014] The term `hand-to-hand` refers to the range of attack offered by the weapon. For example, for swords, the range for hand-to-hand combat is the distance that it takes for one person to hit another person or target with their sword. It should be appreciated that the actual physical distance will vary depending on the arm length, body position, weapon length etc. [0015] The term `team` refers to a group of players on the same side that work together to achieve an objective. [0016] The term `hit out` is equivalent to loss of a combat bout by for example, hitting the opposing teams player or players a pre-determined number of times. [0017] According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of playing a team combat sport wherein: [0018] each team combats one another in order to achieve an objective; and [0019] characterised in that the teams of players combat each other within a predetermined game area using at least one hand-to-hand weapon to achieve the objective and, [0020] further characterised in that players retain a distinct position or initiate play in a distinct position with respect to the game area. [0021] Preferably the objective is to hit out a key player or key players on the opposing team. [0022] In one embodiment, the key player may also be termed the flag bearer where the key player carries a flag which the opposing team tries to obtain in order to achieve the objective. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the examples and preferences described for a flag bearer may also be applied to any key player and/or any other object that the key player may or may not be carrying. [0023] In an alternative embodiment, the objective is to hit out all of the players on the opposing team. p It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that many objectives may be undertaken such as capture of a particular item, hitting out all of an opposing team, capture of more than one key player and so on. [0024] Preferably, players aim to hit a target area on an opposing player wherein the target area is selected from: the whole body; the head; the torso; the upper body; the arms; the legs; the lower body; the groin; the back; at least one shoulder; a pressure pad or pads; and combinations thereof. Continue reading about Game... Full patent description for Game Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Game patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Game or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Back-mounted battery for palm-top video game Next Patent Application: Torque limiting clutches for power transfer units Industry Class: Amusement devices: games ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Game patent info. IP-related news and info Results in 0.11712 seconds Other interesting Feshpatents.com categories: Canon USA , Celera Genomics , Cephalon, Inc. , Cingular Wireless , Clorox , Colgate-Palmolive , Corning , Cymer , 174 |
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