GB2209956A - Travel game - Google Patents

Abstract

In a game to be played during road or rail journey by one or more players a playing board Figure 1 presents a track which extends between starting and finishing points and is divided into successive spaces which are graded according to one of three colours. Each player is given a move-regulating card (e.g. Figure 2A) which lists possible sightings which are presented under headings corresponding to the three colours. In accordance with rules of the game, each player can progress his own marker from one space to the next along the track upon seeing one of the sightings listed on his card under the colour heading corresponding to the space on which his marker stands. Certain spaces are illustrated with road signs to provide an additional permitted sighting to permit progress and some spaces are crossed by bridge and a player has to move back one space if he travels under a bridge whilst his marker is on that space. Markers may be in form of pegs inserted into holes in the board or may be magnetic. There may be time deadline. <IMAGE>

Description

TRAVEL GAME This invention is concerned with a game to be played during a road or rail journey and makes use of the wide variety of objects and events which may commonly be sighted during such a journey. The game, although it may appeal to all ages, can be presented in a form particularly suitable for young children.

It is an object of the invention to provide a race game in which the or each player is competing against either a time deadline (for example, the end of the journey, or an arbitrary time limit) or against other players, player progress being recorded on some suitable form of plan or chart and being regulated by sightings of preselected objects and/or events which permit progress in accordance with the rules of the game.

According to the invention, in one of its aspects, a travel game set comprises progress-recording means arranged to present a plan or chart comprising a track to be followed by one or more players' markers recording progress from starting to finishing points of the track, and move-regulating means arranged to identify sightings to a player which upon being made by that player and in accordance with the rules of the game permit that player to progress his marker along the track, the track being divided along its length into graded spaces and said regulating means indicating to the player those preselected sightings which permit progress according to each of the grades of the track spaces.

In a simple form, the progress-recording means may be in the form of a games board with a track (e.g.

suggesting a road) marked on the playing surface. For suitability whilst travelling, markers in the form of pegs may be inserted into holes in the board, or magnetic or other means may be employed to retain markers positioned on the track during play. The move-regulating means may comprise distributable cards or other means listing the sightings which permit moves by the players move-enabling sightings being listed according to the grades of the track spaces.

There now follows a detailed description, to be read with reference to the accompanying drawings, of a travel game set and rules for playing the game which illustrates the invention by way of example.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 shows the layout of a playing board; and Figures 2A and 2B show move-regulating cards to be held by players.

A travel game set comprises a playing board (Figure 1) with a map design on its playing surface, the map showing a road extending between starting and finishing points. The road is divided up into twenty-six -successive spaces on which players' markers (not shown) can be accommodated; the game set comprises a plurality of markers, one for each player, the markers and board being arranged for magnetic retention of the markers wherever they are set down on the road.

The road spaces are graded by colour; ten of them are coloured blue (marked 'B' in Figure 1), nine are coloured green (G) and seven are coloured red (R), successive spaces in no case being of the same colour.

Additional markings along the road are road-signs and bridges on certain spaces.

The game set comprises also a plurality of move-regulating cards, one card to be allotted to each player. Two such cards are illustrated by Figures 2A and 2B. Each card bears three lists of possible sightings (e.g. a red car, a cyclist, a horsebox) each list being presented under one of three headings corresponding to the three road space grades 'blue', 'green' and 'red'. The sightings listed under 'blue' are such as can be expected to be seen more readily than those under 'green', which in turn are judged more likely to be seen than those under 'red'.

According to the rules of the game, a player may progress his marker to the next successive road space on the board upon seeing one of the preselected sightings listed on his card under the appropriate heading according to the grade of space on which his marker is standing; that is to say, if his marker is on a green space he must make one of the sightings listed under 'green' on his card to enable him to move his marker forwards one space along the road.

Certain spaces are additionally illustrated with road signs. Whatever road sign is illustrated on a space provides an additional permitted sighting enabling a player to progress his marker from that space. Also, some spaces are shown crossed by bridges, and in that case a player has to move one space backwards from the bridged space should he travel under a bridge whilst his marker is on that space.

A single player may play the game competing against a predetermined time limit, or two or more players may compete against one another to reach the finish first.

The game could be produced in various versions suiting it to different types of journey (e.g.

motorway, suburban, rural, rail). Also the game can readily be varied in presentation and level of difficulty to suit different ages of player. For very young children, permissible sightings may be presented pictorially on the move-regulating cards.

Claims (7)

1. A travel game set comprises progress-recording means arranged to present a plan or chart comprising a track to be followed by one or more players' markers recording progress from starting to finishing points of the track, and move-regulating means arranged to identify sightings to a player which upon being made by that player and in accordance with the rules of the game permit that player to progress his marker along the track, the track being divided along its length into graded spaces and said regulating means indicating to the player those preselected sightings which permit progress according to each of the grades of the track spaces.

2. A travel game set according to claim 1 in which the progress-recording means is in the form of a games board with a track marked on the playing surface.

3. A travel game set according to claim 2 comprising markers adapted in association with the board to be retained positioned on the track during play.

4. A travel game set according to claim 3 in which the markers are retained magnetically when positioned on the track.

5. A travel game set according to any one of claims 1 to 4 in which the move-regulating means comprises distributable means listing the sightings which permit moves by the players, move-enabling sightings being listed according to the grades of the track spaces.

6. A travel game set according to any one of claims 1 to 5 in which the track spaces are graded by colour.

7. A travel game set substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.