Game of energy policy and strategy

Abstract

The present invention provides a strategy game for producing energy from diverse energy sources in different terrains, which may be a board game or a hardware and/or software application implemented by a computer or electronic device. The board game may include a game board subdivided into territory sections and having a closed loop path of spaces with a plurality of attached industry regions. One or more card holders may be attached to the game board for holding playing cards. A peg board(s), pegs and/or a peg case may be provided for keeping track of industries, and/or currency may be provided, which may be in a currency tray. Among other possible components, the board game may include industry pieces that may be stored on a tray. Methods of making board game components and pieces and/or methods for playing the game, such as via computer hardware and/or software, are further provided.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A game apparatus comprising:
 a game board having a generally planar shape and a top playing surface,   wherein a closed loop path comprising a plurality of serially arranged spaces is marked on the top playing surface of the game board,   wherein the top playing surface is subdivided into two or more territory sections marked on the top playing surface of the game board, the two or more territory sections being separated by one or more territory borders,   wherein the closed loop path on the top playing surface of the game board passes through each of the two or more territory sections,   wherein the closed loop path separates a main inner area between a center of the game board and the closed loop path from a main outer area between the closed loop path and the outer side edge of the game board, and   wherein one or more industry region locations for receiving one or more industry regions are present on the top playing surface of the game board, each industry region location being recessed below the surrounding top playing surface of the game board.   
     
     
         2 . The game apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the top playing surface is subdivided into three or more territory sections marked on the top playing surface of the game board. 
     
     
         3 . The game apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the top playing surface is subdivided into four or more territory sections marked on the top playing surface of the game board, and
 wherein the territory sections include: a mountains section, a tundra section, a flatlands section, and a shoreline section.   
     
     
         4 . The game apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each territory section includes one or more industry region locations. 
     
     
         5 . The game apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each territory section includes three or more industry region locations. 
     
     
         6 . The game apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein at least two of the industry region locations in each of the territory sections are located in a portion of the main outer area of the game board within the respective territory section. 
     
     
         7 . The game apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the closed loop path is located within a range from about 40% to about 80% of the total distance from the center of the game board to the outer side edge of the game board. 
     
     
         8 . The game apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the game board comprises a plurality of layers, each layer comprising one or more of the following: cardboard, chipboard, particle board, plastic sheet(s), paper, fabric, cloth, and laminate, and
 wherein each industry region location is recessed below the surrounding top playing surface of the game board due to one or more of the top layers of the game board being absent or removed.   
     
     
         9 . The game apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the serially arranged spaces of the closed loop path marked on the top playing surface of the game board comprise:
 a plurality of card-drawing spaces; and   a plurality of permitting spaces.   
     
     
         10 . The game apparatus of  claim 9 ,
 wherein the plurality of card-drawing spaces comprises a first set of card-drawing spaces and a second set of card-drawing spaces,   wherein about 25% to about 75% of the total number of spaces of the closed loop path are the first set of card-drawing spaces,   about 5% to about 25% of the total number of spaces of the closed loop path are the second set of card-drawing spaces, and   about 25% to about 75% of the total number of spaces of the closed loop path are permitting spaces.   
     
     
         11 . The game apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the number of serially arranged spaces of the closed loop path marked on the top playing surface of the game board is within a range from about 25 spaces to about 50 spaces. 
     
     
         12 . The game apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein six to ten spaces of the closed loop path are within each of the territory sections of the game board. 
     
     
         13 . The game apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the planar shape of the game board is symmetrical along at least two perpendicular axes. 
     
     
         14 . The game apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the planar shape of the game board is circular. 
     
     
         15 . The game apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 one or more industry regions, each industry region comprising outer side walls and a plurality of partitions, the plurality of partitions separating an ordered two-dimensional pattern of receiving holes,   wherein each of the one or more industry regions is attached to one of the industry region locations of the game board.   
     
     
         16 . The game apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of partitions of each industry region includes a first group of partitions and a second group of partitions, each of the first and second groups including a plurality of non-intersecting partitions. 
     
     
         17 . The game apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein at least one partition of the first group intersects at least one partition of the second group. 
     
     
         18 . The game apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein one or more card holder locations for one or more card holders are present on the top playing surface of the game board for receiving one or more card holders. 
     
     
         19 . The game apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein each card holder location is recessed below, the surrounding top playing surface of the game board. 
     
     
         20 . The game apparatus of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 one or more card holders, each card holder comprising a base and a plurality of vertically extending side walls and/or side wall portions,   wherein each of the one or more card holders is attached to one of the card holder locations of the game board.   
     
     
         21 . The game apparatus of  claim 20 , comprising:
 two card holders including a first card holder and a second card holder, wherein the first card holder is attached to a first card holder location, and the second card holder is attached to a second card holder location.   
     
     
         22 . The game apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the game board further comprises one or more linear folding creases and a linear break. 
     
     
         23 . The game apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein the one or more linear folding creases include a first folding crease and a second folding crease, the first folding crease being approximately perpendicular to the second folding crease. 
     
     
         24 . The game apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein the linear break of the game board is collinear with the first folding crease of the game board. 
     
     
         25 . The game apparatus of  claim 24 , wherein the first folding crease and the linear break are positioned along a first center line of the game board, and
 wherein the first folding crease spans from a first position on a side edge of the game board to an intersecting point, and the linear break spans from the intersecting point to a second position on a side edge of the game board, the first and second positions being on opposite sides edges of the game board.   
     
     
         26 . The game apparatus of  claim 25 , wherein the one or more folding creases further include a third folding crease, the third folding crease being approximately parallel to the second folding crease, wherein the second and third folding creases straddle a second center line of the game board at a symmetrically small distance from the second center line. 
     
     
         27 . The game apparatus of  claim 26 , wherein the third crease is approximately perpendicular to the first break. 
     
     
         28 . The game apparatus of  claim 26 , wherein the first center line is approximately perpendicular to the second center line. 
     
     
         29 . The game apparatus of  claim 26 , wherein the game board comprises:
 two card holder locations for receiving two card holders present on the top playing surface of the game board, each card holder location being recessed below the surrounding top playing surface of the game board,   wherein the two card holder locations include a first card holder location and a second card holder location, the first and second card holder locations being at mirrored positions relative to the second center line of the game board.   
     
     
         30 . A game apparatus comprising:
 a game board having a generally planar shape and a top playing surface; and   one or more industry regions, the one or more industry regions being attached to the game board at one or more industry region locations,   wherein a closed loop path comprising a plurality of serially arranged spaces is marked on the top playing surface of the game board,   wherein the top playing surface is subdivided into two or more territory sections marked on the top playing surface of the game board, the two or more territory sections being separated by one or more territory borders,   wherein the closed loop path on the top playing surface of the game board passes through each of the two or more territory sections,   wherein the closed loop path separates a main inner area between a center of the game board and the closed loop path from a main outer area between the closed loop path and the outer side edge of the game board.   
     
     
         31 . The game apparatus of  claim 30 , wherein each industry region comprises outer side walls and a plurality of partitions, the plurality of partitions separating an ordered two-dimensional pattern of receiving holes. 
     
     
         32 . A currency tray comprising:
 two or more currency slots arranged in series, the two or more currency slots comprising a first currency slot and a second currency slot,   wherein each currency slot comprises a supporting wall and a separating wall,   wherein the supporting wall of the first currency slot is upwardly inclined from a lower intersection with the separating wall of the first currency slot to an upper intersection of the supporting wall with the second currency slot, the first currency slot being adjacent to the second currency slot.   
     
     
         33 . The currency tray of  claim 32 , wherein the slot angle between the supporting wall and the separating wall of each currency slot is within a range from about 45° to about 90°. 
     
     
         34 . The currency tray of  claim 32 , wherein the incline angle between the supporting wall of each currency slot and the horizontal bottom of the currency tray is greater than 0° and less than or equal to 45°. 
     
     
         35 . A board game comprising:
 a game board having a generally planar shape and a top playing surface, the game board further having one or more industry regions, the one or more industry regions being attached to the game board at one or more industry region locations,
 wherein a closed loop path comprising a plurality of serially arranged spaces is marked on the top playing surface of the game board, 
 wherein the top playing surface is subdivided into two or more territory sections marked on the top playing surface of the game board, the two or more territory sections being separated by one or more territory borders, 
 wherein the closed loop path on the top playing surface of the game board passes through each of the two or more territory sections, and 
 wherein the closed loop path separates a main inner area between a center of the game board and the closed loop path from a main outer area between the closed loop path and the outer side edge of the game board; and 
   two or more player pieces.   
     
     
         36 . The board game of  claim 35 , wherein each of the one or more industry regions comprises outer side walls and a plurality of partitions, the plurality of partitions separating an ordered two-dimensional pattern of receiving holes, wherein each of the one or more industry regions is attached to one of the industry region locations of the game board. 
     
     
         37 . The board game of  claim 35 , wherein one or more card holder locations are present on the top playing surface of the game board, each card holder location being recessed below the surrounding top playing surface of the game board. 
     
     
         38 . The board game of  claim 37 , further comprising:
 one or more card holders, each card holder comprising a base and a plurality of vertically extending side walls and/or side wall portions,   wherein each of the one or more card holders is attached to one of the card holder locations of the game board.   
     
     
         39 . The board game of  claim 37 , further comprising:
 an industry storage tray, the industry storage tray having a generally planar shape with outer side walls and intersecting partitions separating a plurality of receiving holes in an ordered two-dimensional pattern.   
     
     
         40 . The board game of  claim 39 , wherein one or more industry pieces are placed on the industry storage tray, the downwardly extending protrusions of the industry pieces being inserted into receiving holes of the industry storage tray. 
     
     
         41 . The board game of  claim 35 , further comprising:
 a plurality of industry pieces, each industry piece comprising a main body portion; and one or more protrusions, the one or more protrusions extending downward from the bottom of the main body portion.   
     
     
         42 . The board game of  claim 35 , further comprising:
 one or more peg boards, each pegboard having a planar shape and organized by markings on a top surface of the peg board into a plurality of columns and a plurality of rows, the intersections of the plurality of columns and the plurality of rows defining a plurality of cells, wherein each cell includes a plurality of peg holes for receiving one or more pegs.   
     
     
         43 . The board game of  claim 42 , further comprising:
 a peg case, the peg case comprising a plurality of bins, each of the bins having a bottom wall, a back wall, a first lateral side wall, a second lateral side wall and a front wall, wherein the bins are serially arranged with one or more lateral side walls separating neighboring bins, wherein a top opening is formed between the upper lips of the bottom, front and lateral side walls.   
     
     
         44 . The board game of  claim 43 , further comprising:
 a plurality of pegs, each peg having an elongated shape with a first outer portion and a first longitudinal end and a second outer portion and a second longitudinal end, the first and second longitudinal ends being on opposite ends of the peg, wherein the first outer portion and the second outer portion are oppositely oriented.   
     
     
         45 . The board game of  claim 44 , wherein two or more of the pegs are stored in one or more of the bins of the peg case. 
     
     
         46 . The board game of  claim 35 , further comprising:
 a currency tray, the currency tray comprising:
 two or more currency slots arranged in series, the two or more currency slots comprising a first currency slot and a second currency slot, the first currency slot being adjacent to the second currency slot, 
 wherein each currency slot comprises a supporting wall and a separating wall, the supporting wall of the first currency slot being upwardly inclined from a lower intersection with the separating wall of the first currency slot to an upper intersection of the supporting wall with the second currency slot; and 
   two or more stacks of currency bills of different denominations.   
     
     
         47 . The board game of  claim 46 , wherein each stack of currency bills is placed in a respective currency slot of the currency tray. 
     
     
         48 . The board game of  claim 35 , further comprising:
 two or more decks of playing cards.   
     
     
         49 . The board game of  claim 35 , further comprising:
 a game storage box, the game storage box comprising:
 a plurality of outer walls including a first, second, third and fourth outer wall; 
 a plurality of partitions including a first, second and third partition; and 
 a bottom wall, the plurality of outer walls and partitions extending vertically from the bottom wall of the board game storage box, 
 wherein the storage box further includes:
 a first compartment between the first outer wall, the third outer wall, the fourth outer wall, and the first partition; 
 a second compartment between the third outer wall, the fourth outer wall, the first partition and the second partition; 
 a third compartment between the second outer wall, the third outer wall, the second partition and the third partition; and 
 a fourth compartment between the second outer wall, the fourth outer wall, the second partition, and the third partition.