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(11) | EP 0 931 572 A2 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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| (54) | Network marketing game |
| (57) The present invention is described as a network marketing game which, by reason of
its novel characteristics, provides by means of cards the principles of the business
and questions to test the participants' knowledge. The main goal of the game is to
aid as a support tool for the network marketing training system, not only by reproducing
the actual situations experienced within the network marketing, but also instructing
and teaching the principles of this business. The present invention consists of a
game that reproduces all actual situations experienced by a distributor in the Network
Marketing. Showing the plan, following the training system, attending the conventions
and sponsoring new distributors are only some of the situations for the participants
of this game. The different levels of the Network Marketing are also presented in
the game, according to the sponsorships and the number of point cards of each participant. |
[0001] The present invention refers to games in general and, more specifically, to a network marketing game which, for its novel characteristics, possesses through cards the principles of the business and questions to test the participants' knowledge. It has a specific design and format, is easily understandable for a better adaptation and learning by the users and, by reason of its characteristics, is easily adaptable to other languages and cultures.
[0002] The main goal of the game is to assist as a support tool in the network marketing training system, not only reproducing the actual situations found within the network marketing, but also instructing and teaching the principles of this business.
[0003] The present invention consists of a game that reproduces all actual situations found by a distributor within the Network Marketing. Showing the plan, following the training system, attending conventions and sponsoring new distributors are only some of the situations for the participants of this game. The various levels of Network Marketing are presented in the game in accordance with the sponsorships and the quantity point cards of each participant.
[0004] Due to its characteristics, this game also allows a joyful, also cultural sharing among people, because in the course of a game, the players may learn and know the basic principles of the business.
[0005] The scopes, advantages and other important characteristics of the invention in question can be more easily understood when read jointly with the appended drawings, wherein:
[0014] As can be inferred from the annexed drawings that illustrate and are an integral part of the present descriptive report of invention for "Network Marketing Game", which is comprised of a rectangular board (1), an investment table (2), eight colored pawns (red, blue, rose, black, white, orange, yellow and green), sponsor chips (small), network chips (large), three white-colored dices, that serve for the players to move on the board and show the plan, green and yellow that serve to consult the shares during the game, level one headline cards (3), level two headline cards (4), level three headline cards (5), share cards (6), convention cards (7) having questions to test the participants' knowledge, PV cards (8) (capital and satellite), eight personality chips, money bills in the amounts of fifty, one hundred, five hundred, one thousand and five thousand, a notebook and a calculator.
[0015] The rectangular board (1) contains an ellipse on the central part thereof (1A) which is sub-divided into three other ellipses, one inside the other, the first ellipse being (113) being subdivided into sixteen equal parts representing the cities and the second ellipse (1C) is also subdivided into sixteen equal parts that represent the convention and the third ellipse (11D) possesses a square (1 E) at the center, wherein the convention cards (7) are places; on the upper portion a square (1F) that represents the victory block; on the lower part, four rectangles (1G), where the level one (3), level two (4) and level three (5) headline cards and the share cards (6) are placed; and in each of the side are eight juxtaposed rectangles (1H) and 11) that represent the PV/capital cards and the PV/satellite cards, respectively.
[0016] There are three distinct levels in the game, before the player qualifies for the final level; the first is level one, where the headline cards are individual (each card contains the name and the color of the player to whom it relates); the second is level two, where the headline cards are for two players (indicated by the colors contained on the cards) and the third is level three, where the headline cards are for two players (indicated by the colors contained on the cards).
[0017] The PV cards (8) are divided into PV/Capital cards and PV/satellite cards, according to the cities to which they belong.
[0018] Each PV card (8) is divided into eight lines of different colors. Each line possesses the number, the abbreviated name and the color of each player, with the respective number of PV's on that card.
[0019] The PV cards (8) are placed on the sides of the Board (1), in accordance with the number of the city to which they belong. On each one of them is contained the quantity of PV's of each player.
[0020] If the conformed professional player obtains a sponsorship in the Net Work Hills satellite city, in addition to placing one of his sponsorship chip on this city, he must remove a certain PV/Satellite card from the city number eleven and compute his points (PV's) according to the value that appears on the green band, with his number (eight) and abbreviated name (PRO). The PV cards (8) are only valid for the player who removes them, the other values of the card being without effect.
[0021] It could happen that the PV cards (8) of a city may end during the game. Should this occur, when there are sponsorship in this city, the players do not remove PV's, then only place sponsorship chip on the city.
[0022] PV's are points that the players sum up in the course of the game, in accordance with their situation and are necessary to win the game.
[0023] The level one (3), level two (4) and level three (5) headline cards are the main element of the game. They contain the various principles of network marketing and, according to their contents, the player advances in the game or not. In the headline cards the players win or lose money, PV's or sponsorship chips, according to what is written at the foot of the cards.
[0024] When one loses money, he should deliver the amount described to the bank; when he loses PV's, he must select the card he wishes to lose (he will probably select the one having the lowest number of PV's) and replace in on the pile of the city to which it belongs; and, when he loses a sponsorship chip, he should only remove any of his chips (if any) from the board (1). When he gains money, he receives the described amount from the bank; when he gains PV's, he selects from which city he wants to remove the PV card (8) in accordance with what is described on the headline card and always removes the first card from the pile; and when he gains a sponsorship chip, he only places one of his chips in the city he wants.
[0025] Each headline card works as if it were a news to be published, as a bonus or a loss for each player. The player removing has authority to disclose it, hide it or keep it for future or immediate negotiation. If, for example, a player removes a card that jeopardizes other(s), he should propose that him(they) should pay a money amount (never PV's or sponsorship/network chips) to hide the card, without this causing him a loss (if the headline card being negotiated is of levels two (4) or three (8), it is valid for two players, according to the color appearing on the card). If one of the players pays for it to be hidden, it is automatically hidden for both; the ideal thing is that the two players involved split the expense. In order to do this negotiation, only the players involved can see the card, until it is disclosed or hidden. The player who remove the card can chose on whether to disclose or hide it. Should he opt to disclose it, he should read it aloud and place it below the pile; should he opt to hide i, he should only place it under the pile, thereby canceling the contents thereof. He can also maintain the card in his power, being empowered to negotiate or disclose it at any time during the game (each player can have at most two headline cards in his power; should he have a third one, he should disclose or hide one of the two he already has).
[0026] On level one, there are the success and situation cards (one success and one situation for each player). These are, respectively, the best and the worst cards for the players and are valid for any level of the game - these cannot be hidden, only disclosed or negotiated, immediately or later on.
[0027] The cities appearing on the game are divided into capitals and satellites; the numbers one, two, three, four, five, six, seven and eight are capitals; the numbers eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, sixteen, seventeen and eighteen are satellites (there are no cities number nine and ten, to simplify the numbering).
[0028] Each player has two strong cities, where the volume of his PV's is higher than in the others.
- Player one - Investing Entrepreneur (red color) (has cities 1-Magnatoland (cap.) and 11 -Network Hills (sat.);
- Player two - Ambitious Dreamer (blue color) has the cities 2-Dreamiand (cap.) and 12 -Los Emeralds (Sat.);
- Player three - Distrusting Skeptic (rose color) has cities 3-Ambassador Place (cap.) and 13-Smily Town (sat.);
- Player four - Broke Truth Owner (black color) has the cities 4-Absolut City (cap.) and 14-Crown Village (sat.);
- Player five - Cheerful Graduate (white color) has the cities 5-Diamond Place (cap.) and 15-Business Country (sat.);
- Player six - Easygoing Bum (orange color) has the cities 6-Lake Fortune (cap.) and 16-Wonder Beach (sat.);
- Player seven - Hopeful Student (yellow color) has the cities 7-Paradise Island (cap.) and 17-Golden Pin Valley (sat.);
- Player eight - Conformed Professional (green color) has the cities 8-Victory Lane (cap.) and 18-Success Town (sat.);
[0029] Each city has a company share for purchase. Except cities one, three, five and six, which are the cities where "stock exchange" investments can be made.
[0031] Each player can purchase at most two share cards 96); accordingly, he must carefully analyze each share before purchasing it. The shares can be negotiated between the players during the game, always with money, never with PV's or sponsorship/network chips.
[0032] Cities one, three, five and seven are strategic cities, where the investments can be made. When the player falls in one of these cities, he can verify his share (only one per round) on the investment table (2), by playing the two colored dice (red and yellow) and, with the result obtained, he verifies the table of investments (2) - checking from the numbers taken from the dice whether his share is rising or failing. The player receives his profits or pays his losses to the bank, on the basis of what is described on the investment table (2) and according to the advantages or disadvantages his share is offering him.
[0033] A minimum of two and a maximum of eight players can participate of the game. However, it is suggested that three to eight should participate, in order to preventing the game from extending for too long.
[0034] The scope of the game is to qualify six legs (six network chips), sum twenty thousand in money, accumulate more than thirty thousand PV's (in PV cards (8)) and go to the victory house and answer a question from the convention cards (7) (easy, medium or difficult - in accordance with the price of each) to win the game.
[0035] Each participant should start the game with the monetary amount of thirteen thousand and five hundred, divided in the following manner: one bill of five thousand, five one-thousand bills, five bills of five hundred, six one-hundred bills and eight bills of fifty.
[0036] In order to play, the participants should follow the sequence below:
1. One person is selected among the participants as responsible for the bank and making the payments. This person can participate normally of the game.
2. A lot is cast with the white dice to see who will be the first to play; the highest number plays first, the player at his left will be the second and so on and so forth, in a clockwise direction.
3. Each participant selects a personality among the eight available: Investing Entrepreneur, Ambitious Dreamer, Distrusting Skeptical, Broken Truth Owner, Cheerful Graduate, Easygoing Bum, Hopeful Student or Conformed Professional, and starts the game in his capital city.
4. The white dice is cast to move on the board, always in a clockwise direction. Upon arrival to the destiny, the proper procedure is as follows:
- Take a level one (3), level two (4) or level three (5) Headline Card according to the game's current level; you can disclose it (make it public, by reading it aloud), hide it (discard it under the pile, canceling its effect), or keeping it for negotiation (or use it strategically, at the proper moment).
- Throw the white dice to see whether you will sponsor or not: one and two means the distributor has shown the plan but does not make a follow-up, which is equal and does not sponsor and three, four, five and six - means that the distributor has succeeded in his plan and that the follow-up has worked and is equal to sponsor.
[0037] In the event that he is sponsoring, he removes a PV (8) card from the city where he is (always the first from the pile) and places a sponsor chip (small) in the city. In the event that the players forgets to remove the PV (8) card after the end of his play, he can no longer do it. When this procedure is completed, it is the time for another player to do the same. Each player can only perform this procedure once a round.
[0038] Every player starts the game on level one (taking cards from the pile of this level) and starts his walk towards the final level.
[0039] When the player shows the plan (throws the white dice) and sponsors (takes numbers three, four, five and six), he should place a sponsor chip (small) on the city where he has shown the plan. If, in another round, the player passes through this city and manages to sponsor again, he should place another sponsor chip in this city and keep two small chips on the same city. Instead, he exchanges the two sponsor chips for a network chip and already one qualified leg. That is, each two sponsor chips in the same city are worth a network chip.
[0040] In order to qualify for level two, the player needs at least five sponsor chips and ten thousand PV's. In order to qualify for level three, the player needs three qualified legs (network chips and at least twenty thousand PV's. In order to qualify for the final level and, accordingly, win the game, the player needs six qualified legs (network chips), thirty thousand PV's, twenty thousand in money and answer to a question when he arrives to this victory.
[0041] At the moment he qualifies on levels two or three, the player receives as a bonus: one PV/Capital card, one PV/satellite card (to be selected) and five hundred in money.
[0042] From this moment on, the player starts to withdraw cards from the pile relating to the level in which he has qualified.
[0043] The headline card is only valid if the player to which it relates is at the level of the game from which the card has been taken. If the Investing Entrepreneur is on level two and another player, still on level one removes a card relating to him, this card is not valid, independently of being positive or negative, being automatically hidden and placed under the pile. The only valid cards for the player, independently of his level in the game, are the success and situation cards that are in the pile of level one headline cards (3).
[0044] It could happen that a player is demoted from the level he is in (descend from the minimum number of PV's or qualified legs). Should this happen, he returns to the previous level and withdraws cards from the respective pile, until he qualifies again.
[0045] Every four rounds, that is, after the last player has completed the fourth round of the game (the eight, the twelfth, and so on ... ), there is a convention. All players, without exception, should move to the center of the board (1) for two rounds of questions and answers (two questions will be asked of each player per convention, in two rounds, that is: All players are asked one question and after a question is asked of the last one, another round begins with the first one).
[0046] The price of the convention varies, depending on where the player is when it starts. If the player is in a capital city, he should pay at the bank the amount of one hundred and fifty in money, in order to go to the convention. If he is in a satellite town, he should pay three hundred in money.
[0047] Once he is at the convention, the player throws the white dice and, according to the number taken, he will have to answer an easy (one and two of the dice), medium (three and four) or difficult question (five and six on the dice). If he gives the right answer, he receives the following bonuses:
- easy question, two hundred in money plus one PV/satellite card (of his choice);
- medium question, five hundred in money plus one PV/capital card (of his choice); and
- difficult question, one thousand in money plus one sponsor chip (in the city of his choice).
[0048] The question will always be made by the next player, according to the sequence of the game. After the convention, the players should move to the cities they were in before going to the center of the board (1) and re-start the game's normal procedure.
[0049] At the start of the game, one of the participants (who can be the same who handles the bank) is encharged with counting how many rounds have already happened and not to forget the convention round.
[0050] The player receives his salary (in amounts according to his level in the game) every time he stops (nor only passes through) one of his two cities (capital or satellite), this being: level one, four hundred in money; level two, eight hundred in money and level three, two thousand in money.
[0051] In order to win the game, the player must qualify six legs (six network chips, accumulate thirty thousand PV's and twenty thousand in money. When this happens, he announces that he has qualified and leaves the city where he is in and goes to the victory house (without having to throw the dice for this). When he is in the victory house, he will have to answer a question, in order to win the game. IF he wants to answer an easy question, he will have to pay one thousand reais to the bank; if he wants to answer a medium question, he will pay five hundred in money and, should he prefer to answer a difficult question, he will have to pay two hundred in money. Since, in order to win the game, the player should end with at least twenty thousand in money, he must enter the victory house only when he has an amount in money that allows him to pay for the question he intends to answer (easy, medium or difficult) and still have left the twenty thousand in money to win the game. If he intends to answer an easy question, the player should go to the victory house with at least twenty-one thousand in money.
[0052] In the event that the player attempts to answer the question and fails, he should wait for a complete round of the game in order to try again, thereby giving the other players a chance of winning the game. In the event that the player fails and has not enough money to try again, he should leave the victory house and return to the city he was in, and proceed with the game in a normal fashion, until he earns enough money to try again.
[0053] The game ends when a player enters the victory house (with the minimum required number of PV's, money and qualified legs) and answers a question.
[0054] If any player loses all of his money and is in debt with the bank (for losses on the investment table (2) or the headline cards), he should file for bankruptcy and withdraw from the game, returning the PV cards (8) he has in his power, the cities to which they belong and removing his sponsor/network chips from the board (1). If he has any headline card in his power, he should replace it under the pile where they belong, without disclosing it.
[0055] No kind of loan from the bank or other players is allowed in order not to complicate the game.
[0056] The participant who has bankrupted may re-enter the game as another player (another personality) at level one, as if it were the beginning of the game.
[0057] The network marketing game has the scope of improving the training system of companies involved in network marketing, teach the basic principles of the business and at the same time operate as an entertainment, by promoting the union of the groups of network marketing professionals by means of a recreation, improving the other tools of the training system and facilitating the access of professionals in the business to skeptical persons or those that ignore the commercial procedures thereof.
1. Network marketing game, characterized in that it is comprised of a board (1), an investment table (2), eight colored pawns
(red, blue, rose, black, white, orange, yellow and green), sponsor chips (small),
network chips (large), three dice in the white, red and yellow colors, level one headline
cards (3), level two headline cards (4), level three headline cards (5) containing
the various principles of network marketing, share cards (6), convention cards (7)
bearing questions, PV cards (8) (capital and satellite), eight personality chips,
money bills in the amounts of fifty reais, one hundred reais, five hundred reais,
one thousand reais and five thousand reais, one notebook and a calculator.
2. Network marketing game, in accordance with claim 1, characterized further in that the rectangular board (1) contains on the central portion an ellipse
(1A) which is subdivided in three other ellipses, one inside the other, the first
ellipse (1B) being sub-divided into sixteen equal parts representing the cities and
the second ellipse (1C is also sub-divided in sixteen equal parts, representing the
convention and the third ellipse (1D) possesses a square (1E) at the center, where
the convention cards (7) are places; on the upper portion, a square (1 F) that represents
the victory house; on the lower portion, four rectangles (1G) where the level one
(3), level two (4) and level three (5) headline cards and the share cards (6) are
placed; and on each of the sides, eight juxtaposed rectangles (1H) and 11) that represent
the PV/capital and PV/satellite cards, respectively.
3. Network marketing game, in accordance with claim 1, characterized further in that the PV cards (8) are divided into PV/Capital cards and PV/Satellite
cards, according to the cities where they belong, each card being subdivided in eight
lines of different colors and each line possesses the number, the abbreviated name
and the color or each player, with the respective number of PV's on that card.