EP0195174A1

EP0195174A1 - A table game for the simulation of trips in Europe

Info

Publication number: EP0195174A1
Application number: EP85830070A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Giuseppe Redolfi
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1985-03-19
Filing date: 1985-03-19
Publication date: 1986-09-24

Abstract

A table game comprising printed boards (1) with which the players are provided, showing a money section (6), a reproduction (7) of the map of Europe overlapping a set of boxes (8) for the insertion of the cards and a column (10) of the distances in kilometers, and a plurality of maps of place-names (12) placed in a rotable container so as to simulate a trip, placing said cards in said set of boxes (8) until it is completely filled up, whereby it it possible to negotiate the price thereof on the basis of the money available.

Description

The present invention concerns a table game for the simulation of trips in Europe, respecting the geopolitical realities of each single Country.
It is the aim of the present invention to supply a learning means and a game that will deepen the knowledge of the shape and historical and artistic features of the Continent.
The aim set forth is reached according ot the present invention by means of the table game for the simulation of trips inside Europe, characterized in the following elements:

- printed boards in a number corresponding to the one of the players, and that may vary from two to four, devided in:
- - a money section consisting in a list of all Euro- pena States, shown by the name, the international initials and the respective flag, whereby nearby there are provided sliding housings for a plurality of coins of each Country shown by the respective wording and placed in an end box.
- - A reproduction of a map of Europe overlapping a set of boxes provided with apposite guides for inserting the cards relating to the trip of each player.
- - A kilometer section consisting in a column of boxes showing the progression - each fifty kilometers - of the covered distance, and a guide for updating the distance covered.
- - Cards showing the flag and the name of the relating Country, devided in:
- - symbol-cards for towns comprising a view or a monument or a particular detail thereof;
- - symbol-cards of mountains, rivers, lakes and seas, eventually polyvalent when they are relating to a plurality of Countries.
- - A container for the cards being clockwise rotable so as to be placed, for the extraction, in front of each player.

It is a further feature of the present invention that the back (the back surface) of each card is not even and anonymous like in all known playing cards, but shows the list of the other cards with which it has a geographical link.
The game with above mentioned elements consists in realizing the longest trip on the basis of the kilometers covered, inserting in the boxes those cards provided with a geographical sequence, because they belong to the same Country in which one is travelling or to a neighbouring Country.
The object of the present invention will be explained more in detail relating to the enclosed drawings showing a preferred embodiment thereof.

Figure 1, shows a scheme of one of the printed boards with which each player is provided.
Figure 2, shows the front of four maps.
Figure 3, shows the front and back of a card having a link with others.

The figures show the elements of a table game for the simulation of a trip inside Europe for four players, characterized in:

- four printed boards 1, devided in:
- - a money section with housings 2 for the initials of the various Countries, 3 for the names and flags, 4 for the wordings of the relative coins, and housings 5 for the markers of said coins being sliding in guides 6 out of one piece with said printed board 1.
- - A reproduction 7 of the maps of Europe overlapping a set of boxes 8 with guides 9 for the insertion and the sliding of the cards.
- - A column 10 of the distances in kilometers in a progression of each fifty kilometers, placed nearby guides 11, for the updating of the distance covered.
- - Maps showing the graphical symbol 13 of the place-name 12, flags 14 of the relative Countries and the eventual list 15, with underlinings of the Country the place-name 12 whereof is concerned.

Each card having a close link with at least another one is marked by an asterisk and on the back 16 it shows the list of the eventual cards to which it is connected.
The cards show the most important towns (with monuments), rivers, mountains and lakes of each Country and aiso the most important seas which may be used only of they relate to the Country in which the player is travelling, but they won't allow to cross the border of eventual neighbouring Countries.
In a possible, preferred, very complete variant of the game elements, the cards correspond to towns of each Country, the number thereof varying according to the number of the inhabitants:
Beyond the above listed, further 143 cards are provided in the game relating to place-names of a particular geographical importance:
The cards rejected (as they do not belong to the trip the player is doing) shall be replaced each time in the container.
The cards with the denomination of the place-names 12 may be:

a) SPECIAL: those showing the most important mountain, river, lake of each Country (they are marked by height, length and width), as well as the chief-town of each Country which is underlined with respect to all other towns.

Furthermore, they are the only cards with the name printed onto a coloured band.
Each special card is good for 100 km.

b) ORDINARY: all other cards being good each 50 km.

In a variant, when there is a strong link between two following cards placed in the boxes - or they relate to the same and to the neighbouring Country - the player may'take a "bonus" of further 150 km.
The strongly linked cards refer to the following possible combinations:
For what concerns the game, the same starts with the extraction of a card by each player, and saidⁱcard will represent the starting point of the trip.
The cards' container will be placed at the centre of the table in such a way as to clockwise rotate so that each player in turn may take a card.
Once the Country from which each player will start his trip has been determined, a card after the other will be extracted and given to that player able to buy it.
The present invention provides that each player has a capital to spend for his trip, expressed in coins 4 of each single Country 2 (exactly four coins of each Country plus ten coins [boxes 5'] in Ecu [boxes 4']), that allows him to buy those extracted cards that also another player wants to buy.
Him who wants to spend most will get the card, provided that he is able to pay with the money of the Country in which he is travelling or in Ecus.
In the game, only that player pays who has got the card.
The game ends when one player has completed the set of boxes 8 in which he has inserted the cards.
The player who first ends the game gets a "bonus" of 200 km.
At this point, that player wins who:

a) has performed the longest trip on the basis of the distance covered;
b) should two players have covered the same distance, the one who has spent less wins;
c) should there be parity, that player wins who has seen most Countries;
d) should there be parity again, the one who has most Ecus left wins;
e) should there be parity again, the one who first gets a card that will allow him to fill up a further hypothetic box wins.

Claims

1. A table game for the simulation of a trip inside Europe, consisting in performing the longest trip on the basis of the covered distance, placing into a set of boxes cards provided with a geographical sequence for relating to the same Country in which one is travelling or to a neighbouring Country, characterized in:

- printed boards (1), devided in:

- a money section with housings (2) for the initials of the different Countries, (3) for the names and flags, (4) for the wordings of the relative coins, and housings (5) for the markers of said coins being sliding in guides (6) out of one piece with said printed board (1);

- a reproduction. (7) of the map of Europe overlapping a set of boxes (8) with guides (9) for the insert- tion and the sliding of the cards;

- a column (10) of the distances in km in a progression of each fifty km, placed nearby guides (11), for the updating of the distance covered;

- cards showing the flag (14) and the name (15) of the relating Country, devided in:

- symbol-cards for towns, comprising a view (13) or a monument or a particular detail thereof;

- symbol-cards of mountains, rivers, lakes and seas, eventually polyvalent when they are relating to a plurality of Countries;

- a container for the cards, being clockwise rotable, so as to be placed, for the extraction of the cards, in front of each player.

2. A table game for the simulation of a trip according to claim 1, characterized in that the back (16) of those cards having a strong link with others shows the list of those cards to which they are connected.

3. A table game for the simulation of a trip according to claim 1, characterized in the presence of 957 cards relating to the towns of every Country, in a number varying according to the inhabitants and to the place-names of mountains, lakes, rivers and seas.

4. A table game for the simulation of a trip according to claim 1, characterized in the presence of 143 cards relating to place-names of a particular geographical importance.

5. A table game for the simulation of a trip according to claim 1, characterized in the presence of cards strongly linked relating to combinations as: town/river, town/ lake, town/sea, river/mountain, river/lake, river/river, river/sea, mountain/mountain.