U.S. patent application number 09/952956 was filed with the patent office on 2003-03-20 for trivia game and method for play.
Invention is credited to Lasko, Mary, Spevak, Susan.
Application Number | 20030052456 09/952956 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 25493392 |
Filed Date | 2003-03-20 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030052456 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Lasko, Mary ; et
al. |
March 20, 2003 |
Trivia game and method for play
Abstract
A game that includes cards having questions and more than one
category of answers, and scorekeeping pieces for tracking scores of
respective players. A method of play includes asking players to
identify the source of famous quotations; players are awarded
scorekeeping pieces, such as magnetized marbles, for identifying
the Title of the work, the author or director, and the character
that spoke the quote. If a player gives a wrong answer, the next
player can request a new question or answer the missed question. In
a challenge phase, a player may challenge another player's answer
before it is identified as being correct or incorrect. If the
challenging player is correct, bonus scorekeeping pieces are
awarded. If the challenger is incorrect, the challenger returns
scorekeeping pieces. When a player has enough magnetized marbles
(scorekeeping pieces) to complete a worm, the player wins the round
or the game.
Inventors: |
Lasko, Mary; (Chagrin Falls,
OH) ; Spevak, Susan; (Mayfield Heights, OH) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Squire, Sanders & Dempsey L.L.P.
Two Renaissance Square
Suite 2700
40 North Central Avenue
Phoenix
AZ
85004-4498
US
|
Family ID: |
25493392 |
Appl. No.: |
09/952956 |
Filed: |
September 14, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
273/430 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63F 2250/127 20130101;
G07F 17/32 20130101; A63F 3/00 20130101; A63F 9/18 20130101; A63F
2007/405 20130101; A63F 11/0051 20130101; A63F 3/00119 20130101;
G07F 17/3295 20130101; A63F 3/00694 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
273/430 |
International
Class: |
A63F 009/18 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A method for playing a game, the method comprising: asking to a
first player, a question having more than one answer category; the
first player responding to the question by attempting to answer
each answer category for the question; determining whether the
response by the first player to each answer category is correct;
and awarding the first player a number of scorekeeping pieces
proportionate to the answer category for which the first player
responded correctly.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the question comprises a quote
from a character and the more that one answer category includes (i)
a title and (ii) an author, of a work including the quote.
3. The method of claim 2 wherein the work comprises a book.
4. The method of claim 2 wherein the work comprises at least one o
f a movie, a play, and a song.
5. The method of claim 3 wherein the more than one answer category
further includes (iii) a name of the character.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein before determining whether the
responses are correct, the method further comprises: allowing a
challenge by a second player to the first player's response, the
challenge comprising, the second player identifying an answer for
the answer category to which the second player believes the first
player responded incorrectly.
7. The method of claim 6 wherein the challenge further comprises,
awarding the second player an amount of scorekeeping pieces for a
correct challenge.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein after awarding the first player
the number of scorekeeping pieces, play passes to a second player
having the option of: (i) answering each answer category from the
question to the first player that was incorrectly responded to by
the first player; or (ii) having a new question asked to the second
player.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein the scorekeeping pieces are
individual shaped pieces that, when put together, form a
recognizable shape.
10. The method of claim 9 wherein the individual shaped pieces
comprise magnetized marbles.
11. The method of claim 1 wherein a computer program product
comprising machine-readable code stored on a tangible medium, when
executed by a computer, performs the asking, determining and
awarding steps.
12. The method of claim 7 wherein the amount of scorekeeping pieces
awarded to the second player for the correct challenge is twice the
number of scorekeeping pieces proportionate to the answer
category.
13. The method of claim 7 wherein the challenge further comprises,
deducting scorekeeping pieces from the second player for an
incorrect challenge.
14. A game to be played by at least two players, the game
comprising: a plurality of cards each having a question and more
than one answer, each answer pertaining to certain categories of
the question; a plurality of scorekeeping pieces that when enough
scorekeeping pieces are accumulated by a particular player the
combined scorekeeping pieces form a recognizable shape; and
directions comprising steps for asking to a first player, the
question on one of the plurality of cards; the first player
responding to the question by attempting to provide the answers to
the question; determining whether the response by the first player
to each answer is correct; and awarding the first player a number
of scorekeeping pieces proportionate to the category for which the
first player provided a correct answer.
15. The game of claim 14 wherein each of the plurality of
scorekeeping pieces comprises a magnetized marble.
16. The game of claim 15 wherein the magnetized marbles include a
color associated with the particular player.
17. The game of claim 14 wherein the question comprises a quote
from a character and wherein the certain categories comprise (i) a
title and (ii) an author of a work containing the quote.
18. The game of claim 17 wherein the work comprises one of a movie,
a song, a book, poetry, nursery rhymes and a play.
19. A multi-player trivia game implemented as a computer program
product including machine-readable code comprising: code for
presenting to a player, a question having more than one answer
category; code for accepting from the player a response to the
question comprising answers for each answer category of the
question; code for determining whether the response by the player
to each answer category is correct; and code for awarding the first
player a number of scorekeeping pieces proportionate to the answer
category for which the player responded correctly.
20. The multi-player trivia game of claim 19 wherein the question
comprises a quote from a character in work.
21. The multi-player trivia game of claim 20 wherein the more than
one answer category comprises a title and an author of work.
22. The multi-player trivia game of claim 21 wherein the more than
one answer category further comprises the name of the character
from which the quote came.
23. The multi-player trivia game of claim 21 wherein the work
comprises one of a book, a movie, a song or a play.
24. The multi-player trivia game of claim 19 wherein the computer
program product is adapted to host, on a network server, a
plurality of players over a network.
Description
BACKGROUND
[0001] The invention pertains to a trivia game and method for
playing the same. Certain aspects of the invention include player
scorekeeping by building a figure with pieces awarded in response
to correct answers.
[0002] Educational games and variations are well known in the prior
art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4, 807,878 to Tripp discloses a
trivia game with various spinners; that is, one for question
categories, one for challenges, one for player selection, and one
for point values and question difficulty.
[0003] U.S. Pat. No. 4, 856, 780 to Begley et al. discloses a
sports trivia game that utilizes five colored pairs of game pieces.
The first game piece tracks a player's progress around the board
and the second game piece keeps score on a scoreboard. A plurality
of colored cubes are provided corresponding to colored spaces on
the board. A player must answer a question correlating to the
colored space landed on and then rolls the corresponding colored
cubes.
[0004] U.S. Pat. No. 5,048,842 to Proctor discloses a trivia game
system involving recall of trivia information associated with
commercial products, commercial slogans, and personalities of
characters associated with these products and slogans. Play
involves utilizing a board that is divided into individual sectors,
with each sector including a movement track for a progress marker
that identifies the winner of the game.
[0005] U.S. Pat. No. 5,403,014 to Anema et al. discloses a game
including card viewing device, a plurality of category game cards,
a plurality of acronym game cards, a die, a timing device, a
plurality of score indicating devices of varying color or shape
where each color or shape corresponds to a challenge category and a
plurality of score indicating holding devices. A player that
successfully meets a challenge earns a score indicating means of
the appropriate color or shape which is placed in the player's
score indicator holding device. The first player to earn two score
indicating means for each category is declared the winner.
[0006] U.S. Pat. No. 5,735,522 to Sausa discloses a quote and year
trivia question game that includes a game board, die, a plurality
of game pieces and a plurality of cards. Each card has a front face
with a plurality of quotes and quests relating to various subjects.
Each player rolls the dice and moves an associated game piece along
the board as governed by whether the player guesses the origin of
quotes of famous people.
[0007] Thus, while the foregoing body of prior art indicates that
board games testing players knowledge in a variety of areas are
well known, the foregoing games require a board of some sort to
track progress of its players.
[0008] The trivia games of the prior art also do not appear to
enable a player to challenge another players answer to the trivia
question and the challenging player be rewarded or penalized based
on the correctness of the challenge. Moreover, no game in the prior
art discloses scorekeeping by completing a figure or shape from
awarded game pieces.
[0009] The foregoing disadvantages are overcome by the unique
educational trivia games of the present invention as will become
apparent from the following description thereof.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] To achieve the foregoing advantages and others aspects, the
present invention, briefly described, provides a new and improved
trivia game that includes: (i) a plurality of cards each including
a question and an answer to that question; (ii) a plurality of
scorekeeping pieces that are used by players to complete a figure;
and (iii) directions for play. The inventive trivia game may also
include a timing device for limiting an amount of time for
responding to questions. A method for playing the game includes:
(i) selecting a card from the plurality of cards; (ii) asking a
first player the question displayed on the selected card; (iii) the
first player providing a response to the question; and (iv) the
first player receiving a number of scorekeeping pieces depending on
the correctness of the response.
[0011] The method of play may also include: (v) allowing a
challenge to the first player's response by another player; and
(vi) rewarding or penalizing the challenging player depending on
the correctness of the challenge.
[0012] Computer-related embodiments of the invention are disclosed
in a similar manner in which the questions/answers, scorekeeping
pieces and timer are represented graphically on a screen.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
[0013] Additional aspects and advantages of the invention will
become apparent from the following detailed description of the
invention in reference to the appended drawing in which like
reference numerals denote like elements and in which:
[0014] FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a trivia game
according to a preferred embodiment before play has started;
[0015] FIG. 2 is a flow diagram illustrating a method of playing
the trivia game according to a preferred embodiment of the
invention;
[0016] FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating the trivia game of
FIG. 2 after play has started;
[0017] FIGS. 4A and 4B are block diagrams illustrating example
trivia cards from the trivia game of the preferred embodiment;
[0018] FIG. 5 is a flow diagram illustrating a method of playing
the trivia game according to a second embodiment of the
invention;
[0019] FIG. 6 is a flow diagram illustrating a method of playing
the trivia game according to a third embodiment of the
invention;
[0020] FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating a
computer-implemented embodiment of the inventive trivia game;
[0021] FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating a networked version
of the computerimplemented trivia game.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0022] With reference to FIGS. 1-8 of the drawing, a new and
improved trivia game embodying the principles and concepts of the
present invention will be described.
[0023] The game generally includes: (i) a plurality of trivia cards
or deck of trivia cards; (ii) a plurality of scorekeeping pieces
and (iii) directions for playing the trivia game.
[0024] The game preferably accommodates between two and twenty-four
players, but in the computer related embodiments, a single player
may play the game. In the preferred embodiment, up to six players
may play as individuals and more than six players are divided into
teams of four or less.
[0025] FIGS. 1-4B illustrate the game and method of play for a
first exemplary embodiment. In this example, four teams or players
will play, including player/teams 1-4. The trivia game 100 is set
up for play by placing trivia cards 110 and scorekeeping pieces 120
in a location central to the players as shown in FIG. 1. Each
player begins the game with no scorekeeping pieces.
[0026] The game begins by determining which player or team will
play first 205 (FIG. 2). Determining which player plays first may
be accomplished in any manner for example, flipping a coin, rolling
die, spinning a spinner or by color selection (e.g., red always
goes first). After initial determination, play may pass to the
remaining players in any traditional flow sequence, for example,
rotating clockwise, rotating counterclockwise or other type of flow
sequence. The player that is determined to go first may choose to
be either a question reader ("questioner") or a question answerer
("responder"). In the example shown in FIG. 2, the first player
(e.g., player/team 1) is the question answerer or "responder."
[0027] An opposing team or player, for example the team or player
to the right of the responder (i.e., player/team 4), draws a trivia
card 111 from the deck of trivia cards 110 and reads the trivia
question on the drawn card 210. The question preferably has two or
more categories of answers for which the responder may earn points.
For example, in the preferred embodiment, the question relates to
quotes taken from books as discussed in greater detail below with
reference to FIGS. 4A and 4B. In this case, the responder attempts
to provide answers to the question in the following answer
categories: (1) name the title of the book from which the quote was
selected, (2) name the author of the book, and (3) if appropriate,
name of the character that said the quote in the book. Certain
quotations come from folk tales where the author is unknown. In
this case, identification of the author as "folk tale" would be a
proper response.
[0028] Notwithstanding the foregoing, the trivia cards could
contain questions relating to any type of trivia. Some examples for
alternative trivia include movie trivia, television trivia, music
trivia, cartoon trivia, science trivia, news trivia, famous person
trivia, geographical trivia, nursery rhyme trivia, poetry trivia,
song lyric trivia, etc. An important aspect of the inventive game
is that there are varying levels of detailed answers or "answer
category" for which points may be awarded (e.g., title, artist,
character).
[0029] The responder is awarded a number of scorekeeping pieces
corresponding to the responder's selected color in response to
correctly identified answers 220. The number of scorekeeping pieces
awarded is based on the varying detail provided by the responder.
For instance, in the example of the preferred embodiment, a
responder may be given one scorekeeping piece for correctly
identifying the title of the book containing the quote, two
scorekeeping pieces for correctly identifying the author of the
book containing the quote, and three scorekeeping pieces if the
responder correctly identifies the name of the character in the
book that spoke the quote. In this example, if the responder
correctly identified all three categories of answers (i.e., title,
author, character), the responder would earn a total of six
scorekeeping pieces. Using an alternate example of geographical
trivia, a statement about an important event or place may serve as
the question, whereas a continent, country and city may serve as
the varying detailed answers for the answer categories.
[0030] Play passes to the next player/team 230 if all the players
have not had their turn for the current round 225 or if no player
has acquired a predetermined amount of scorekeeping pieces 235.
[0031] Scorekeeping pieces 120 preferably comprise individual
pieces, that when combined together, form a specific figure. For
example, in the preferred embodiment, scorekeeping pieces 120 are
colored magnetic marbles that attract to each other. When enough
marbles have been collected by a player/team, the collective string
of magnetic marbles forms a worm-like figure. Combined with the
trivia questions related to book quotes, the inventors refers to
this preferred embodiment as BOOKWORM.TM.. However, the present
invention may use any type of scorekeeping pieces. Examples of such
alternative scorekeeping pieces include: blocks that when combined
form a predefined 2D or 3D figure (e.g., person, device, animal,
building or other structure); mosaic tiles that when combined form
a picture; jig saw pieces that when combined form a picture,
etc.
[0032] Once a player has enough scorekeeping pieces to complete the
predefined figure that player wins either that round of play or the
game. In the preferred embodiment, when a player/team accumulates
ten marbles the round ends and all the collected marbles are
returned to the central location for the next round. A tally is
kept for rounds won by each player/team. When one team or player
has won six rounds, the game is over and the player/team that won
the six rounds is the overall winner.
[0033] An optional modification for team play is that team players
rotate each round so that the teams are formed each round by
different players. Each player keeps his/her personal tally on
rounds won so that the first player(s) to win six rounds is the
winner. In rotating team play, it is feasible that more the players
on the team that wins the final round are tied (i.e., both players
have won six rounds). In this case the game may go into an extra
round between the tied players or they may both be declared the
winners.
[0034] In another example embodiment of the invention, although not
necessary, each team or player may select and maintain a specific
scorekeeping color or other indicator identifying the score keeping
pieces throughout the game. As shown in FIG. 1, scorekeeping pieces
are distinguished by four colors: red 121 for player/team 1; blue
122 for player/team 2; yellow 123 for player/team 3; and purple 124
for player/team 4. While only four colors and player/teams are
shown for clarity in FIG. 1, the invention may include six or more
varieties of scorekeeping pieces for accommodating six or more
players or teams.
[0035] In a yet further embodiment of the invention, a timer 130
may be used to limit a player's/team's time to answer a question.
Timer 130 may be any device for tracking an amount of time with or
without an alarm, for example, a digital timer, an hour glass sand
timer, or an analog timer.
[0036] The skilled artisan will recognize that there are many
variations and adaptations that can be made without departing from
the scope of the invention. For example, the game may end when a
player/team collects a certain amount of scorekeeping pieces (as
opposed to separate rounds), the number of marbles eligible to be
earned by a player/team could be five or twenty-five, there may be
a separate tally device for counting the rounds earned by each
player or team, etc.
[0037] FIG. 3 illustrates trivia game 100 after each player/team
has had the opportunity to be the responder at least once. As
shown, player/team 1 has the highest score by accumulating six
scorekeeping pieces 120. Player/team 3 and 4 are tied for second
place while player/team 2 is in last place. As previously
discussed, the preferred embodiment utilizes magnetized marbles for
scorekeeping pieces 120. Consequently, the accumulated scorekeeping
pieces 120 stick together and form a worm-like shape. The colored
magnetized marbles 121-124 may be made in any manner to facilitate
the marbles adherence to one another. In one embodiment, the
marbles are formed of two hollow spherical halves made of colored
plastic that fit together to encapsulate a magnetized piece of
metal.
[0038] Example questions and answers that may be present on trivia
cards 110 are shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B. FIG. 4A illustrates a
trivia card 111 having a question 412 and three answers 413, 414
and 415. Question 412 is a quote taken from a book. The quote
states: "Beware the ides of March"
[0039] A responder will be awarded one scorekeeping piece for
correctly identifying the answer for the book title 413 as "Julius
Caesar." If the responder also indicates the answer 414 for the
book author as William Shakespeare, the responder will receive
additional scorekeeping pieces. Lastly, if the responder indicates
the answer 415 for the character that generated the quote as "the
Soothsayer," the responder will receive additional scorekeeping
pieces. The amount of scorekeeping pieces awarded for each correct
answer is trivial but some incentive for answering the more
difficult categories of the question should be given to a
player/team. In the example embodiment, the Title, Author, and
quote generating character are worth one, two and three
scorekeeping pieces 120 respectively.
[0040] FIG. 4B illustrates a question 416 containing the following
book quote: "I never promised anything but blood, tears, toil and
sweat." In this case, since the author is also the character
speaking the quote, there is no character category in this
question. Consequently, if correct answers 417 and 418 are given by
a responder. The maximum number of scorekeeping pieces that can be
accumulated is three (i.e., one for the book title "The Second
World War" and two for the author and speaker "Winston Churchill").
Once the questioner asks the questions, the drawn trivia card is
discarded into a discard pile. If no correct answers are given to
the questions, no points or scorekeeping pieces are awarded. It
should be noted that the specific depiction of trivia cards shown
in FIGS. 4A and 4B are non-limiting in that the design, layout and
content of the cards are entirely discretionary.
[0041] In one embodiment of the invention, there are different
categories of trivia cards 110 from which a responder answers
questions. Example book categories for trivia cards include
"Classic," "Contemporary/Film," "History/Biography," "Sci-Fi,"
"Mystery" and "?," where "?" denotes a miscellaneous or potpourri
category. The categories may be printed on the backside of the
cards and placed randomly in one deck between players where the
responder does not have a choice or in respective decks where the
responder has a choice. The category alerts the responder to the
field of book or other work from which the question is derived.
[0042] A second method 500 for playing the inventive trivia game is
illustrated in FIG. 5. The embodiment shown in FIG. 5 is similar to
that shown in FIG. 2 except that once play has passed to the next
team/player 230, if the previous responder did not answer, or did
not correctly answer, all of the items on the drawn trivia card
545, the new responder has the option 550 to: (1) answer the
unanswered or incorrectly answered portions of the previous
question 215; or (2) have a new trivia card with a new question
drawn from the trivia card deck 210.
[0043] Essentially, in this embodiment, the new responder may have
the unanswered questions from either the top card of the discard
pile or a new question from a new trivia card. The new player is
awarded scorekeeping pieces in accordance with the instructions on
the trivia card, or if not present on the trivia card, in a fashion
similar to that previously discussed. Accordingly, there might be
two different players/teams that earn scorekeeping pieces by
answering questions from the same trivia card. By way of example,
assume the first player (e.g., player/team 1) correctly identified
the book title (e.g., "Julius Caesar") and the book author (e.g.,
"William Shakespear"), but failed to identify, or incorrectly
identified, the character that generated the quote. In this
example, the first player would be awarded one point for correctly
identifying the book title and two points for correctly identifying
the author, for a total of three scorekeeping pieces. The next
responder (second player) has the option to either (i) have a new
card drawn with a new trivia question, or (ii) attempt to guess the
character (or other unanswered question) that the first player was
unable to identify. For this example, assume the next or second
player chooses option (ii) and identifies "the Soothsayer" as the
quote originating character. The second player would then be
awarded three scorekeeping pieces and play would pass to the next
or "third" player, etc.
[0044] A third method 600 for playing the trivia game 100 is shown
in FIG. 6. The embodiment shown in FIG. 6 is similar to that shown
in FIG. 5 but additionally includes a challenge phase 616-619. The
challenge phase includes the option for opposing players/teams to
challenge the answers given by the responder before the responder's
answers are confirmed as right or wrong by the questioner. For
example, once the responder attempts to identify the book title,
author, and quote character 215, and before the questioner confirms
the answers given by the responder, opposing players may challenge
the answers 616 by stating "challenge" or any other method of
notifying the questioner of the challenger (e.g., buzzing,
clicking, shouting "Bookworm," etc.). A successful challenge to a
respondent's answer, or answers, preferably includes the challenger
identifying which answer provided by the responder is incorrect and
the challenger providing the correct answer 617. If the
challenger's answer is correct, the challenger may be awarded bonus
scorekeeping pieces 618. If the challenger is incorrect, the
challenger may be penalized 619 by, for example, having to return a
certain amount of previously earned scorekeeping pieces 120 to the
pile of unearned scorekeeping pieces 120 (FIGS. 1 and 3).
Alternatively, the challenger could be penalized 619 by loosing his
or her turn for responding in the round. The method 600 may also be
performed without penalizing a challenger for incorrect
answers.
[0045] If more than one opposing player/team calls out "challenge,"
a sequence of challenges should be used. For example, the player
immediately to the left of the responder has the opportunity to
challenge first. If that player provides incorrect answers to a
challenge, the challenging player/team to his or her immediate left
may provide their answer and so on. In the challenging phase, the
questioner may not be allowed to challenge since the questioner may
have already read the correct answers. However, questioner
challenges could be accommodated by, for example, placing the
answers on an opposite side of the card.
[0046] In one preferred embodiment, a challenge can only occur for
responder's answers to a character (i.e., character speaking the
quote). Any player that calls out "challenge" and correctly
identifies the character that spoke the quote may earn double (six)
scorekeeping pieces. If the challenging player is incorrect, he or
she returns three scorekeeping pieces to the pile. In this
embodiment, books written in the first person are not eligible for
challenges.
[0047] Variations in Play
[0048] An optional modification to the methods of play described
herein includes a supplemental answering phase. The supplemental
answering phase works as follows: If no challenges have been made
by opposing players and if the responder incorrectly identifies the
character or other answer, then the player to the immediate left of
the responder may have an opportunity to make the correct
identification and win the corresponding scorekeeping pieces. If
the first opposing player is unable to make a correct
identification then the opportunity continues to pass to the left
until a correct identification can be made. Play of the game then
returns to the player whose turn it would have been after the
original responder. A player/team providing an incorrect
supplemental answer is preferably not penalized for attempting to
answer.
[0049] DOUBLE OR NOTHING is a modification wherein during a
specified round or rounds, for example every 3.sup.rd round, the
responder receives double scorekeeping pieces (e.g., twelve) for
answering all of the questions correction. However, if the
responder does not answer all of the questions correctly, the
responder is awarded no scorekeeping pieces and play resumes.
[0050] EQUALIZER is a variation wherein during a specified round,
the responder giving one or more correct answers is awarded
scorekeeping pieces from another player's scorekeeping pieces, as
opposed to from the central pile of scorekeeping pieces. In this
variation, the responder may choose which player has to give up the
scorekeeping pieces. Consequently, a player/team in the lead may be
"equalized" with the rest of the players/teams.
[0051] PRESSURE ROUND is a specified round or rounds where
players/teams, excluding the questioner and responder, may wager
scorekeeping pieces with other players/teams that the responder may
or may not know the answer or answers. Wagers are preferably made
before the question is posed to the responder (but possibly after
the category is known) and the amount cannot exceed the number of
scorekeeping pieces the player/team making the wager has in their
possession.
[0052] The player/team with whom the wager is made has no choice
and must accept the wager. If the player/team offering the wager is
incorrect (i.e., that the responder did or did not know the
answer(s)) they must pay the wagered number of scorekeeping pieces
to the player/team that accepted the wager. If the player/team
offering the wager is correct (i.e., that the responder did or did
not know the answer(s)) the player/team accepting the wager must
pay the number of scorekeeping pieces wagered to the player/team
that offered the wager. If, for example, the accepting player/team
does not have enough scorekeeping pieces to match the wager, all of
the scorekeeping pieces in their possession are given to the team
offering the wager. The responder neither gains or loses as a
result of the wager.
[0053] WILD CARD is a variation wherein during a specified round, a
responder may request a particular category of quotation that is
specified on the trivia card, i.e., "Classic," "Biography,"
"Humor," etc. The questioner then draws the first card with the
chosen category (either from one of the category decks or a deck
having intermingled categories), and presents the question to the
responder. This enables the responder to pick from a category of
works to suit their strengths.
[0054] LIGHTNING ROUND is a variation wherein in a specified round
the responders are given a short or shortened time to provide the
answers. For example, the responding player/team is given thirty
seconds from the time the questioner finishes the question to
provide the answers. This variation requires some timing mechanism
such as a watch or timer of the sort previously specified, which
preferably the questioner uses and judges whether the time for
response has been met. Any responses given or finished by the
responder after the questioner calls "times up," are not awarded
any scorekeeping pieces.
[0055] It should be recognized the foregoing variations in play may
be "specified" for a round on any basis. For example, the rounds of
the games may sequentially alternate between variations, a random
selection of variations may be made, for example, using a spinner
at the beginning of each round, a player beginning the round may
specify what the type of variation that will be implemented for the
round, etc.
[0056] FIG. 7 illustrates a computer-implemented embodiment of the
inventive trivia game 700. The trivia game according to this
embodiment of the invention is implemented in machine readable code
stored on a storage device (e.g., floppy disk, CDROM, hard drive)
and executed by a computer processing device 705. The
computer-implemented version of the trivia game 700 is displayed to
a user or players on screen 706 of the computer-processing device
705. Player interaction with the trivia game is effected using
input devices 708 (e.g., keyboard or mouse).
[0057] As shown in FIG. 7, the elements of trivia game 700 are
shown on screen 706 as a freeze-frame after player one has won the
round (e.g., completed a worm). In a sequence of a round of play,
indicator 711 will appear next to the player who's turn it is to
respond. Subsequently, question 715 appears on screen 706 and the
responder attempts to provide answers 716 by, for example, typing
them on keyboard 708. Alternatively, the computer implemented
embodiments, as well as any of the embodiments described herein,
may present a list of multiple-choice answers (not shown) to the
responder for each category of answers 716. The responder may then
select one of the multiple-choice answers by, for example, clicking
on the appropriate portion of screen 706 using mouse 708
(Alternatively screen 706 may be a touch-screen and accept input
from a user touching the appropriate portion of the screen). A
tally of the players scores 730 may be displayed or accessed so
that the players may maintain awareness of the number of rounds
each player has previously won.
[0058] It should be recognized that the depiction of trivia game
700 on screen 706 is only one of countless possible configurations
that may be displayed to a user. Consequently, the specific layout
and design of the screen is presented herein solely for purposes of
illustration and is not intended to limit the present invention to
any specific design or layout.
[0059] While the example shown in FIG. 7, illustrates four players,
as few as one or more than four players may play the trivia game
700 on a single computing device 705. With one player, trivia game
700 may display quotations on the screen and include four or five
multiple-choice answers for each Title, Author and quoted character
category. The player wins points by selecting the correct
multiple-choice answer and wins when enough pieces have been earned
to complete a figure (e.g., a worm).
[0060] In the computer related embodiments a selection of
difficulty levels and/or categories may be made available to the
player or players in order to display quotations accommodating
their level and area of knowledge.
[0061] As shown in the example embodiment of FIG. 8, users on
separate terminals 810 may also play the computer-implemented
embodiments of the trivia game over a network 820. Network 820 may
be any type of wireless/wired network that facilitates
communications between computing devices or terminals 820. In a
preferred embodiment, network 820 is a distributed network such as
the Internet wherein a computer server 830 is the host or "game
master" for a multiplayer trivia game. However network 820 could
also be a LAN, serial telephone connection, bus or other type of
connection between terminals 820.
[0062] Unless contrary to physical possibility, the inventor
envisions the methods and systems described herein: (i) may be
performed in any sequence and/or combination; and (ii) the
components of respective embodiments combined in any manner.
[0063] Although there have been described preferred embodiments of
this novel invention, many variations and modifications are
possible without departing from the spirit of the invention.
Consequently, the embodiments described herein do not limit the
invention by the specific disclosure above, but rather the
invention should be limited only by the scope of the appended
claims.
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