Simulated baseball game and method of play

Abstract

A sports simulation game, such as a baseball game, includes a play mat or game board having a general appearance of the sports field. In a baseball field, demarcations are provided to subdivide the field into a plurality of zones. Collectable game piece characters have self-contained, record-keeping components that describe the characteristics of the player. In operation, players are positioned around the field and a simulated interaction between teams occurs with the operation of symbol-generating devices, such as dice. One die is rolled by each player to generate a combination of symbols that corresponds to symbol combinations on game pieces to determine an outcome. Some outcomes require additional steps, such as rolling additional dice and comparing game play values on selected ones of the game pieces. During the game play simulation, activities occur that enhance or detract from a player's performance. The self-contained record-keeping device is adjusted to reflect changes in the players' performance thus changing game play values for subsequent operations.

1 . A sport simulation game comprising: 
 a playing surface representative of a game field, the playing surface having demarcations indicated thereon; and    a game piece comprising a self-contained record-keeping device that displays variable information relating to the performance characteristics of the game piece in the game, the information being arranged in a plurality of groupings of game play indicia and being expressed as game play values with at least one of the plurality of game play indicia corresponding to the demarcations of the playing surface for interaction using the demarcations during game play.    
   
   
       2 . The game of  claim 1. , further comprising first and second pluralities of game pieces, each of the first and second pluralities of game pieces being assigned to one of two competing teams, each game piece comprising a self-contained record-keeping device that displays variable information relating to the performance characteristics of the respective game piece in the game, the information being arranged in a plurality of groupings of game play indicia and being expressed as game play values with at least one of the plurality of game play indicia corresponding to demarcations of the playing surface for interaction with the demarcations during game play, the game play indicia of selected ones of the plurality of game pieces on each of the two competing teams being compared in a simulated interaction according to the game rules to determine an outcome.  
   
   
       3 . The game of  claim 1 , further comprising a symbol generating device for operation by a player of the game to generate symbols, the generated symbols being usable in conjunction with selected ones of the game play indicia to alter the game play values of the selected game play indicia.  
   
   
       4 . The game of  claim 3  wherein the symbol generating device is a cube with each side containing a non-numeric symbol indicative of a game play value, the game play value being usable in conjunction with the game piece to determine a simulated game activity.  
   
   
       5 . The game of  claim 3  wherein the symbol generating device is a cube with each side containing a symbol indicative of a numeric game play value, the game play value being usable in conjunction with the game piece to determine a simulated game activity.  
   
   
       6 . The game of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of symbol generating devices for operation by a plurality of players of the game, a selected one of the symbol generating devices being selected by each player for a simulated interaction according to game rules with generated symbols being used in conjunction with selected ones of the game play indicia to alter the game play values of the selected game play indicia.  
   
   
       7 . The game of  claim 1  for use in a simulated baseball game, further comprising a sequence indicator removably coupled to the game piece to indicate a batting order of the game piece with respect to other game pieces.  
   
   
       8 . The game of  claim 1  wherein the game simulation is a baseball game wherein the playing surface is representative of a baseball field and the demarcations of the playing surface define boundaries of portions of the baseball field for interaction with the game piece during game play.  
   
   
       9 . The game of  claim 8 , further comprising a plurality of game pieces assigned to two competing baseball teams, each game piece comprising a self-contained record-keeping device that displays variable information relating to the performance characteristics of the respective game piece in the baseball game, the information being arranged in a plurality of groupings of game play indicia and being expressed as game play values with at least one of the plurality of game play indicia corresponding to the portions of the baseball field defined by the demarcations of the playing surface and usable in conjunction with the portions of the baseball field during game play, the game play indicia of selected ones of the plurality of game pieces on each of the two competing teams being compared in a simulated interaction according to the game rules to determine an outcome.  
   
   
       10 . The game of  claim 9 , further comprising first and second symbol generating devices for operation by first and second players of the baseball game, each player managing the play of one of the two competing baseball teams, the competing baseball teams taking alternating turns at-bat and in the field, for each at-bat turn the player managing the team in the field controlling a game piece representative of a pitcher of the team in the field and the player managing the team at-bat controlling a game piece representative of a batter of the team at-bat, the first and second symbol generating devices being operable by the players for a simulated interaction according“to game rules with generated symbols being used in conjunction with selected ones of the game play indicia to alter the game play values of the selected game play indicia and generate an outcome in accordance with the game rules.  
   
   
       11 . The game of  claim 10  wherein the first and second symbol generating devices are a pair of dice.  
   
   
       12 . The game of  claim 9 , further comprising a sequence indicator removably coupled to at least a portion of the plurality of game pieces to indicate a batting order of the game pieces in the baseball game simulation.  
   
   
       13 . The game of  claim 1  wherein the game piece represents an actual player and at least a portion of the game play indicia is derived from actual player statistics for the actual player.  
   
   
       14 . The game piece of  claim 1  wherein the variable information includes an enhancement game play value that, when indicated on the game piece, alters at least one other game play value.  
   
   
       15 . A method for playing a sport simulation game according to a set of game rules, the method comprising the acts of: 
 placing first and second movable game pieces on a playing surface for use by first and second game players, respectively, in playing a game based on simulated interactions of the first and second game pieces according to the set of game rules, the playing surface having demarcations indicated thereon, each of the first and second game pieces including a self-contained record-keeping device having a plurality of alterable game values indicative of the operational characteristics of the first and second game pieces, respectively, with at least a portion of the operational characteristics used in conjunction with the demarcations on the playing surface;    each player operating a symbol generating device to generate first and second symbols;    using the first and second symbols to determine a game play value; and    determining an outcome of the simulated interaction between the first and second game pieces using the game play value according to the set of game rules.    
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein combinations of the first and second symbols indicate a symbol combination on one of the first and second game pieces, the symbol combinations being associated with the game play value.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the game play value indicates a determinant outcome of simulated interaction between the first and second game pieces thereby resolving the simulated interaction based solely on the game play value.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the game play value indicates an indeterminate outcome of simulated interaction between the first and second game pieces thereby requiring additional action to resolve the simulated interaction.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the game play value indicates an indeterminate outcome of simulated interaction between the first and second game pieces, the method further comprising operating an additional symbol generating device operated by the second player, the additional generated symbol indicating a zone on the playing surface, indicated by the demarcations, in which the outcome of simulated interaction will be resolved.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein a determinant outcome is achieved if the zone indicated by the additional generated symbol is occupied by a third game piece, the third game piece being a teammate of the first game piece.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 19  wherein an indeterminate outcome is achieved if the zone indicated by the additional generated symbol is not occupied by a third game piece, the third game piece being a teammate of the first game piece and positioned in a zone adjacent to the zone indicated by the additional generated symbol, the outcome of the simulated interaction being further determined by the first player operating a symbol generating device and using the further generated symbols in conjunction with game play values of the third game piece.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the alterable game play values include an enhancement game play value that, when indicated on the game piece, alters at least one other game play value.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising moving the first or second game piece on the playing surface in response to the determined outcome.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising selectively adjusting at least one of the first and second game pieces in response to the determined outcome to hereby alter game play values of the least one of the first and second game piece for subsequent simulated interactions.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 15  wherein sport simulation game is a baseball simulation game and the first and second game pieces represent a pitcher of a first team and a batter of a second team, respectively, and operation of the symbol generating devices correspond to an at-bat.  
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 25  wherein the first and second generated symbols comprise a symbol combination and wherein determining the outcome of the simulated interaction comprises comparing the symbol combination to a corresponding symbol combination on the pitcher game piece or the batter game piece to determine a game play value and thereby determine the outcome of the at-bat.  
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 26  wherein the outcome of the at-bat is determined based only on the game play value for the corresponding symbol combination on one of the pitcher game piece or the batter game piece.  
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 27 , further including determining as the outcome of the at-bat that the batter is safe based on the game play value for the corresponding symbol combination on one of the pitcher game piece or the batter game piece.  
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 27 , further including determining as the outcome of the at-bat that the batter is out based on the game play value for the corresponding symbol combination on one of the pitcher game piece or the batter game piece.  
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising placing a third game piece, representing a fielder on the first team, in a zone of the playing surface indicated by the demarcations.  
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 30  wherein the outcome of the at-bat cannot be determined based only on the game play values for the corresponding symbol combination on one of the pitcher game piece or the batter game piece, the method further including additional activities to determine the outcome of the at-bat.  
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 31  wherein the game play value for the corresponding symbol combination on the pitcher game piece or the batter game piece indicate that the at-bat resulted in a ground ball or a fly ball, and further including the second player operating an additional symbol generating device indicating a zone to which the ground ball or fly ball was hit and determining the outcome of the at-bat by analyzing zone to which the ground ball or fly ball was hit.  
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 32 , further including determining as the outcome of the at-bat that the batter is out based on the if the zone to which the ground ball or fly ball was hit is occupied by the third game piece.  
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 32 , further including determining the outcome of the at-bat by the first player, operating a symbol generating device and using the further generated symbols in conjunction with game play values of the third game piece if the zone to which the ground ball or fly ball was hit is not occupied by the third game piece, the third game piece being positioned in a zone adjacent to the zone to which the ball was hit.  
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 25 , further comprising associating a sequence indicator to at least a portion of the plurality of game pieces to indicate a batting order of the game pieces in the baseball game simulation.  
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 25 , further comprising selecting an outfield wall position from a plurality of possible positions.  
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 36  wherein an at-bat outcome of a fly ball is dependent on the selected outfield wall position.  
   
   
       38 . The method of  claim 25 , further comprising moving the first or second game piece on the playing surface in response to the determined outcome.  
   
   
       39 . The method of  claim 25 , further comprising selectively adjusting at least one of the first and second game pieces in response to the determined outcome to hereby alter game play values of the least one of the first and second game piece for subsequent simulated interactions.  
   
   
       40 . The method of  claim 25  wherein the alterable game play values include an enhancement game play value that, when indicated on the game piece, alters at least one other game play value in the baseball game simulation.  
   
   
       41 . The method of  claim 40  wherein alteration of at least one other game play value in the baseball game simulation comprises selectively adjusting the game piece displaying the enhancement game play value to thereby alter a plurality of game play values.  
   
   
       42 . A method for playing a sports simulation game on a playing surface for use by first and second game players according to a set of game rules, the method comprising: 
 selecting team players represented by movable game pieces to define first and second teams, each game piece including a self-contained record-keeping device having a plurality of alterable game values indicative of the operational characteristics of respective game piece, with at least a portion of the operational characteristics used in conjunction with a plurality of zones indicated on the playing surface;    the first game player selecting a game piece from the first team for simulated interaction;    the second game player positioning the game pieces of the second team on the playing surface in ones of the plurality of zones including a first game piece for simulated interaction with the selected game piece from the first team;    the first and second game players each operating a symbol generating device to generate first and, second symbols and thereby form a symbol combination;    determining a selected one of the game play values of the first game piece of the first team or the first game piece of the second team corresponding to the symbol combination; and    determining an outcome of the simulated interaction based on the game play value determined to correspond to the symbol combination according to the set of game rules.    
   
   
       43 . The method of  claim 42  wherein the symbol generating device used by the first and second game players are dice, and the first and second game players operating symbol generating devices comprises rolling the dice.  
   
   
       44 . The method of  claim 42  wherein the outcome of the simulated interaction is determined based only on the game play value for the corresponding symbol combination on one of the first game piece of the first team or the first game piece of the second team.  
   
   
       45 . The method of  claim 42  wherein the outcome of the simulated interaction cannot be determined based only on the game play values for the corresponding symbol combination on one of the first game piece of the first team or the first game piece of the second team, the method further including additional activities to determine the outcome of the simulated interaction.  
   
   
       46 . The method of  claim 45  wherein the game play value indicates an indeterminate outcome of simulated interaction between the first game piece of the first team and first game piece of the second team, the method further comprising operating an additional symbol generating device operated by the first player, the additional generated symbol indicating a zone on the playing surface, indicated by the demarcations, in which the outcome of simulated interaction will be resolved.  
   
   
       47 . The method of  claim 46  wherein a determinant outcome is achieved if the zone indicated by the additional generated symbol is occupied by a second game piece of the first team.  
   
   
       48 . The method of  claim 46  wherein an indeterminate outcome is achieved if the zone indicated by the additional generated symbol is not occupied by a second game piece of the first team, positioned in a zone adjacent to the zone indicated by the additional generated symbol, the outcome of the simulated interaction being further determined by the second game player operating a symbol generating device and using the further generated symbols in conjunction with game play values of the second game piece.  
   
   
       49 . The method of  claim 42 , further comprising moving at least one game piece of the second team on the playing surface in response to the determined outcome.  
   
   
       50 . The method of  claim 42 , further comprising selectively adjusting at least one game piece of the first or second team in response to the determined outcome to hereby alter game play values of the at least one game piece for subsequent simulated interactions.  
   
   
       51 . The method of  claim 42  wherein the alterable game play values include an enhancement game play value that, when indicated on the game piece, alters at least one other game play value.  
   
   
       52 . The method of  claim 42  wherein alteration of at least one other game play value comprises selectively adjusting the game piece displaying the enhancement game play value to thereby alter a plurality of game play values.  
   
   
       53 . The method of  claim 36  wherein the sport simulation is a baseball simulation wherein the first player of the first team is designated as a hitter and the first player of the second team is designated as a batter, the simulated interaction being an at-bat.  
   
   
       54 . The method of  claim 53  wherein the outcome of the at-bat is determined based only on the game play value for the corresponding symbol combination on one of the first game piece of the first team or the first game piece of the second team.  
   
   
       55 . The method of  claim 54 , further including determining as the outcome of the at-bat that the batter is safe based on the game play value for the corresponding symbol combination on one of the pitcher game piece or the batter game piece.  
   
   
       56 . The method of  claim 54 , further including determining as the outcome of the at-bat that the batter is out based on the game play value for the corresponding symbol combination on one of the pitcher game piece or the batter game piece.  
   
   
       57 . The method of  claim 53  wherein the outcome of the at-bat cannot be determined based only on the game play values for the corresponding symbol combination on one of the pitcher game piece or the batter game piece, the method further including additional activities to determine the outcome of the at-bat.  
   
   
       58 . The method of  claim 57  wherein the game play value for the corresponding symbol combination on the pitcher game piece or the batter game piece indicate that the at-bat resulted in a ground ball or a fly ball, and further including the second player operating an additional symbol generating device indicating a zone to which the ground ball or fly ball was hit and determining the outcome of the at-bat by analyzing zone to which the ground ball or fly ball was hit.  
   
   
       59 . The method of  claim 58 , further including determining as the outcome of the at-bat that the batter is out based on the if the zone to which the ground ball or fly ball was hit is occupied by the second game piece of the second team.  
   
   
       60 . The method of  claim 58 , further including determining the outcome of the at-bat by the first player operating a symbol generating device and using the further generated symbols in conjunction with game play values of the second game piece of the second team if the zone to which the ground ball or fly ball was hit is not occupied by the second game piece of the second team, the second game piece of the second team being positioned in a zone adjacent to the zone to which the ball was hit.  
   
   
       61 . The method of  claim 53 , further comprising associating a sequence indicator to at least a portion of the plurality of game pieces to indicate a batting order of the game pieces in the baseball game simulation.  
   
   
       62 . The method of  claim 53 , further comprising selecting an outfield wall position from a plurality of possible positions.  
   
   
       63 . The method of  claim 62  wherein an at-bat outcome of a fly ball is dependent on the selected outfield wall position.  
   
   
       64 . The method of  claim 53 , further comprising moving at least one game piece of the second team on the playing surface in response to the determined outcome.  
   
   
       65 . The method of  claim 53 , further comprising selectively adjusting at least one game piece of the first or second team in response to the determined outcome to hereby alter game play values of the at least one game piece for subsequent simulated interactions.  
   
   
       66 . The method of  claim 53  wherein the alterable game play values include an enhancement game play value that, when indicated on the game piece, alters at least one other game play value in the baseball game simulation.  
   
   
       67 . The method of  claim 66  alteration of at least one other game play value in the baseball game simulation comprises selectively adjusting the game piece displaying the enhancement game play value to thereby alter a plurality of game play values.  
   
   
       68 . A sport simulation board game comprising: 
 a playing surface having a top side corresponding to a sports playing field, and a plurality of demarcations on the playing surface to define the playing area and to subdivide the playing area into a plurality of subdivided zones, the playing surface subdivided zones being positioned for placement of game play pieces therein for use by first and second game players according to a set of game rules;    first and second game play pieces for use by the first and second game players, respectively, the first and second game play pieces each including a self-contained record-keeping device having alterable game values indicative of the operational characteristics of the game piece according to the set of game rules, with at least a portion of the operational characteristics used in conjunction with the playing surface subdivided zones; and    first and second symbol generating devices to generate first and second symbols to govern interaction between the first and second game play pieces in accordance with the set of game rules.    
   
   
       69 . The board game of  claim 68  wherein the game play values comprise position indicator data indicating an operational position of the game play piece on the playing surface.  
   
   
       70 . The board game of  claim 69  wherein at least a first game play value is altered to indicate a decreased performance characteristic if the game piece is placed in a position on the playing surface other than the indicated operational position.  
   
   
       71 . The board game of  claim 68  wherein at least a portion of the plurality of demarcations on the playing surface to define the playing area are user-selectable.  
   
   
       72 . The board game of  claim 68  wherein the alterable game play values include an enhancement game play value that, when indicated on the game piece, alters at least one other game play value.  
   
   
       73 . The board game of  claim 72  wherein alteration of at least one other game play value comprises selectively adjusting the game piece displaying the enhancement game play value to thereby alter a plurality of game play values.  
   
   
       74 . The board game of  claim 68  wherein the board game is a baseball simulation board game and at least a portion of the plurality of demarcations on the playing surface to define the baseball playing area and subdivide the baseball playing area into zones extending from a home plate to an outfield area.  
   
   
       75 . The board game of  claim 74  wherein the game play values comprise position indicator data indicating one or more playing surface subdivided zones for placement of at least one of the first and second game play pieces on the playing surface.  
   
   
       76 . The board game of  claim 75  wherein the first and second game pieces are a pitcher and catcher, respectively, and the first and second generated symbols correspond to an at-bat interaction in accordance with the set of game rules.  
   
   
       77 . A board game comprising: 
 a plurality of game pieces assigned to two competing teams, each game piece comprising a self-contained record-keeping device that displays variable information relating to the performance characteristics of the respective game piece in the game, the information being arranged in a plurality of groupings of game play indicia and being expressed as game play values with at least one of the plurality of game play indicia corresponding to subdivided zones on the playing surface and used for interaction with the at least one game play indicia during game play, the game play indicia of selected ones of the plurality of game pieces on each of the two competing teams being compared in a simulated interaction according to the game rules to determine an outcome.    
   
   
       78 . The board game of  claim 77  wherein the game pieces comprise moveable members that can be altered during the game play to thereby alter the game play values.  
   
   
       79 . The board game of  claim 77 , further comprising a rotatable game piece member having an aperture therein to expose a set of game play values wherein rotation of the rotatable game piece member exposes a new set of game play values.  
   
   
       80 . The board game of  claim 77  wherein the game play values include an enhancement game play value that, when indicated on the game piece, alters at least one other game play value of the game piece.  
   
   
       81 . The board game of  claim 80  wherein the game pieces comprise moveable member that can be altered during the game play to thereby alter the game play values wherein alteration of at least one other game play value comprises selectively adjusting the game piece game piece moveable member to thereby alter a plurality of game play values.