Murthy's Paradigms & Innovative Ideas in Games
KRS Murthy
I have summarized my innovative ideas in board games; yes, applicable to games worldwide, some very old to the most recent board games. The applicability of my innovative ideas are far reaching from very ancient ethnic board games of different countries and continents of the world to the recent board games played by the millennials Therefore, just to be succinct in this document, I have shown some examples, with intentions to discuss extensive details for different board games from history to the recent times, covering all cultures, ethnicities, countries and all continents.
My innovative ideas in board games even qualifies as a novel paradigm in board games. My novel paradigms.will be applicable to sports and a variety of social interactions.
3D Games for Popular Games in India
My novel paradigm is directly applicable and includes nor only board games and also games that are played using other tools, devices and fields,
Indian Game of "aLa guLi mane"
To just give one example, a game using a wooden strip made up of two rows of small pits played with tamarind seeds or small marbles or any other seeds or small round stones is called "aLa guLi mane" in Kannada language of the South India. This is basically a one dimensional game with two rows. my novel paradigm would be directly applicable for extension to many rows making up a two dimensional game and further a three dimensional game stacked up to create the third dimension.
Indian Games of "pagaDe haasu"
A popular Indian game called "pagaDe haasu" in the South Indian language called Kannada, could directly become a 3D game using my novel paradigm.
One of the thrusts in my novel paradigm is making existing games currently played in one or two space dimensions, to three and higher dimensions. I will explain my three plus dimension games with one of the most popular games in the world: Chess
Three Dimensional Chess Game
Currently and from many centuries, Chess has been played in many countries of the world. A more glorified predecessor of this game was played in the Indian subcontinent, then called Bharat, even though the region of the Asian continent is called as India or the Indian subcontinent to encompass Pakistan, Bangladesh, Srilanka, Burma (Myanmar), Afghanistan, Tibet, Nepal, Bhutan and even Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam. This game is called "Chaduranga", popularly played by royal families. One of the famous references for the game is in the greatest epic poetry of the world known as "Mahabharata", composed by the greatest poet, a child prodigy of excellence, Veda Vyasa.
In Mahabharata, two cousins of the royal family known as Pandavas and Kauravas play this game of Chaturanga, also called Chaduranga. I will not dwell into the royal feud that resulted in this epic Chaduranga game at this time. I will continue explaining my novel paradigm of a three dimensional chess game concept in the rest of this document, with additional examples in other games of the world, restricting to popular games, with following documents explaining applicability of my novel paradigm to few other games fortifying the impact of my paradigm to all games.
Basics of the Two Dimensional Chess Game
Chess is a game played between two opponents on opposite sides of a board containing 64 squares of alternating colors. Each player has 16 pieces: 1 king, 1 queen, 2 rooks, 2 bishops, 2 knights, and 8 pawns. The goal of the game is to checkmate the other king. Checkmate happens when the king is in a position to be captured (in check) and cannot escape from capture. Six different category of the 16 pieces have different abilities to move through the chessboard of 64 squares. Each category has distinct advantages, as well as disadvantages, different levels of power, out of which the Queen is the most powerful, with the King endowed with minimal abilities of movement of only one step at a time, where as the Queen, the two rooks, the two bishops and the two knights have lot more latitude of movement and the number of squares span in a single move. At the end of this document, I will provide references to the details of the full set of rules of the game, its history and the most famous champion players called grand masters of this game. You may look at books, videos and websites to study more.
Current 2D Version
The current Chess game is played in only two dimensions using only one chess board
Murthy's 3D Paradigm
The current Chess game is played in only two dimensions using only one chess board. My novel paradigm is to have eight planes of a three dimensional chessboard. In this three dimensional chess game, the different pieces not only move in a plane of X and Y dimensions, and also could move in the third dimension Z, maintaining their distinct moves even while their third dimension. In this three dimensional chess game, the eight pieces can move, maintaining the rules of the game and the moving abilities of the pieces, from one plane called Z1 through eighth plane Z8.
The eight planes making up the third dimension lends each of the eight categories of pieces to move with greater latitude and also to attack aggressively and capture the opponent's pieces. The game becomes lot more interesting than the legacy two dimensional chess game. The players are also challenged to think in three dimensions in all aspects of the chess moves, with brain power needed increasing exponentially. Even the chess grand masters get challenged by my novel paradigm. Students of chess starting to play in my three dimensional chess utilize their brain power, exercising their chess move strategies to their exponential limits. The teachers of chess will have the opportunity to make their chess students lot more mentally agile, while teaching the students to think in three dimensions made up of eight planes. I bet the chess grand masters will reach their three dimensional ecstasy that would be my gift to the chess game.
Murthy's Multi-Player Chess Paradigm
Currently, the 2D Chess game is played between only two players. Challenge posed by the 2D Chess game to the two players has made this game the most popular game in the world, played in almost all countries of the world.
My novel paradigm of 3D Chess game allows up to 16 players playing the 3D Chess against each other. Instead of only Black and White colors for the chess pieces, 16 colors could be used, two for each plane of the 3D chess game. The 16 players would be playing the 3D Chess against each other, moving, attacking, capturing opponent pieces, ultimately to gain the check mate advantage. This 3D Chess game played by 16 players at a time will have elimination rounds to eliminate one player at a time, finally for one player to become the winner. The different loosing players would be ranked based on who stayed on unchallenged at different stages of elimination.
The 16 payer version of my paradigm of 3D Chess game challenges 16 players at a time, with each player playing against 15 other players through out the game, through the elimination rounds or stages, successively reducing the number of opponents, finally with the two in the final round.
Corollaries of the Multi-Player Chess Paradigm
Various corollaries are possible for the Multi-Player 3D Chess game. Out of the total 16 players, teaming between two or more of the players are possible, each team trying to eliminate the team members of the opponent teams, in stages, the individual players would be eliminated, finally a team remaining surviving at the end. This end may not have to be the real end of this Multi-Player 3D Chess game. The winning team of two or more players may continue in the second phase of the game till only one would survive at the end. The ranking orders of the total 16 players would end up with the winning team, others ranked below in the their respective order of elimination, plus the ultimate single player with in the winning team ranked above all, others in his winning team ranked based on their elimination levels.
Various Implementations of the 3D Chess game
There are many ways to implement the 3D Chess game. Animation, 3D visualization, Virtual and Augmented Reality (VR and AR), physically stacking eight chess boards vertically with enough space between the different vertical levels for the chess moves, and also horizontal arrangement of eight 2D chess boards in a single row or in two rows of four boards each or in square of three boards in a row, with a central part used for placing the clocks and eliminated chess pieces.
Colors of the sixteen players could be just be black and white with plane numbers from 1 to 8 written on the pieces respectively There are other colors like green, red, blue, yellow, orange, Indigo, violet, pink, white and black, plus additional stripes and numbers possible for the 16 X 16 pieces in total
References to 2D Chess
http://www.listchallenges.com/92-best-board-games-of-all-time - 76 Best Board Games of All Time Ranked by users at
ranker.com, this is a list of the best 76 board games ever made. Card games and role playing games are excluded. From wikipedia: A board game is a game that involves counters or pieces moved or placed on a pre-marked surface or "board", according to a set of rules. Games can be based on pure strategy, chance (e.g. rolling dice), or a mixture of the two, and usually have a goal that a player aims to achieve.
Other Board Games
Here is a selected list of board games popular in USA, for each of which my 3D paradigm will apply. making each game exponentially more challenging and interesting profoundly amplifying the fun for each player and observer, challenging the player brains to also increasing their memory power, visual thinking in the three dimensions, energising beginners, avid players and experts, in a party, adding a serious gaming dimension to the brains of all players and enthusiasts.:
- Checkers
- Monopoly
- Scrabble
- Yatzee
- Uno
3D Versions of the other board games will be described in another document.
How the Pieces Move in Murthy's 3D Chess Game Paradigm
Each of the 6 different kinds of pieces moves differently. Pieces cannot move through other pieces (though the knight can jump over other pieces), and can never move onto a square with one of their own pieces. However, they can be moved to take the place of an opponent's piece which is then captured. Pieces are generally moved into positions where they can capture other pieces (by landing on their square and then replacing them), defend their own pieces in case of capture, or control important squares in the game.
The King
The king is the most important piece, but is one of the weakest. The king can only move one square in any direction - up, down, to the sides, and diagonally.
In Murthy's 3D paradigm, the King can move from one plane to the adjacent plane, up or down. The King when in the first Z plane could move to either the 2nd plane or the 8th plane.
The Queen
The queen is the most powerful piece. She can move in any one straight direction - forward, backward, sideways, or diagonally - as far as possible as long as she does not move through any of her own pieces. And, like with all pieces, if the queen captures an opponent's piece her move is over. Notice how the white queen captures the black queen and then the black king is forced to move.
In Murthy's 3D paradigm, the Queen can move from one plane to any plane, up or down and diagonally or sideways.. The Queen when in the any plane could move to any plane and also within the current plane.
The Rook
The rook may move as far as it wants, but only forward, backward, and to the sides. The rooks are particularly powerful pieces when they are protecting each other and working together!
In Murthy's 3D paradigm, the Rook can move as far as it wants, but only forward, backward, and to the sides, as well as to any other plane.
The Bishop
The bishop may move as far as it wants, but only diagonally. Each bishop starts on one color (light or dark) and must always stay on that color. Bishops work well together because they cover up each other’s weaknesses.
In Murthy's paradigm, the bishop may move as far as it wants, but only diagonally and also to other planes diagonally. Each bishop starts on one color (light or dark) and must always stay on that color.
The Knight
Knights move in a very different way from the other pieces – going two squares in one direction, and then one more move at a 90 degree angle, just like the shape of an “L”. Knights are also the only pieces that can move over other pieces.
In Murthy's paradigm, the Knights could additionally move in a very different way from the other pieces – going two squares in one of the X or Y dimension, or two squares in the Z direction and then one more move at a 90 degree angle in X or Y dimension, or Z dimension, just like the shape of an “L”. Knights are also the only pieces that can move over other pieces in through the Z dimension.
The Pawn
Pawns are unusual because they move and capture in different ways: they move forward, but capture diagonally. Pawns can only move forward one square at a time, except for their very first move where they can move forward two squares. Pawns can only capture one square diagonally in front of them. They can never move or capture backwards. If there is another piece directly in front of a pawn he cannot move past or capture that piece.
In Murthy's Paradigm, the Pawns could move in Y and Z dimensions one square or one plane at a time, and including rapped around between Z 1 Plane and Z 8 plane. In Murthy's paradigm, the Pawns could capture diagonally in the Y direction and also Z direction, also rapped around between Z 1 and Z8 planes
Murthy's 3D Paradigm for India Games
There are many board games that have originated in India, I will give quick overviews for each game, and references for readers to review the game rules and some historical backgrounds. I will then explain my novel 3D paradigm for each game, and some additions pertinent to the my 3D Game paradigm rules for the respective games.
Snake and Ladder Game
Reference: http://www.gamepandit.com/games/snake_ladder.html
Overview of the legacy game. This is a very popular game in India played in all parts of the country for many centuries. This is the only game, in which each of us is a player acting out one’s role, and the game is “PARAMAPADA SOPANAM” or GYANA CHOUPAD the universal play of cosmic energy. It is this playful nature, creates the world of names and forms – the phenomenal world.
The essence of the player is his ability to assume a role; can enter into any role. But once the player enters the game, assumes the identity of the personality he adopts, he looses his true nature, and gets caught by maya (illusion). He fails to remember the spirit of how to play the game. The karma “dice” decides his moves.
The motivation of this game is to help the player gain the ability to withdraw his identifications and decide how he might become a better player. Contained within the 72 or 108 spaces of the game-board is the quintessence of thousands of years of self-exploration, the heart of Indian tradition.
As the player moves from space to space, square-to-square, he begins to see patterns in his own existence, emerging with ever-deepening clarity as his understanding of the game broadens. His sense of detachment grows as he watches each stage as temporary. And once the temporality of any space becomes a reality for the player, he detaches from that space.
As with all games, here too there is a goal, an object to be attained. Because the essence of the player is his ability to identify, his only chance of “winning” the game is to identify with that which is his Source.
This is Cosmic Consciousness, the essence of pure being, which transcends time and space and knows no limits, infinite, absolute, eternal, changeless, the All, without attributes, beyond both name and form. The game ends when the player becomes himself, the quintessence of Play. This is nirvana or moksha.The creators of the game saw it foremost as a tool for understanding the relationship of the individual self to the Absolute.
Murthy's 3D Paradigm of Snake and Ladder
In the 3D Snake and Ladder game, the number of squares, the number in the X dimension and Y dimension, plus the added Z dimension could be chosen from variable options to suit the time available for their play. The number of players may not be limited to two, with multiple people allowed to play and enjoy the mutual interactions.
When the turn arrives, the player plays or throws the dice to see a number. In my novel paradigm, the players could choose to play more than two dices to move faster through the squares and many planes through the game. Physical dice could also be replaced by a digital dice, enabled by a random or pseudo random number generator.
In the 3D paradigm, the current game of 2D version of many squares laid out in an X - Y plane is transformed into a 3D by adding many layers in the Z dimension, thus making the player to traverse in three dimensions. When the player comes across snakes and ladders throughout the 3D traverse, the up or down. When the player lands at the starting point of a ladder, the traverse accelerates, so that the player zips up a ladder or escalator or crazily winding ride. When the player reaches the bottom of the ladder, the ladder may take the player to any plane in the Z dimension and to any square in that dimension. When the player reaches the mouth of a snake, the player is swallowed by the snake, when the player is practically blindfolded to traverse through the snake, which could be a short and brief ride or a very long ride. Going through the snake will always lead the player back many squares and many planes closer to the starting point.
In Murthy's 3D paradigm, the ladder may not just be a straight ladder, but a winding or helical ladder, similar to a theme park ride, which could have winding in any direction, up or down, sideways or twisting, ultimately to reach a square in another plane and square, up or down with respect to the starting point, through complicatedly winding ladder, escalator or ride.
This game could be implemented in virtual reality (VR) or augment reality (AR), to make the up and down rides, the winding path through a ride up, or through a snake down the squares and planes.
In addition to snakes and ladders, a variety of ghosts, wilderness, dragons, dungeons, volcanoes, oceans and seas, wormholes through the earth, or up a rocket, drone, angelic voyage into heavenly path could be added. The players may pick or unpick any of these based on their emotional appetite, age, psychological profile.
The most important value added by VR and AR is the reality or virtual reality, wild or pleasant.
Mancala or Chenne mane ata or Vamana guntalu (Telugu) or aaLa guLi mane (Kannada)
This game is for two players. They are played on a board with fourteen pits, which are scooped out of the ground. The playing pieces could be stones, seeds, or shells, in rare cases precious stones, gems or pearls.
In Anegondi village, children often play without a board, but instead create their own playing area by scooping out holes in the ground and collecting stones or seeds (whatever is close at hand) each time they want to play. Near the Tungabhadra River, the game is played with smooth pebbles and in agricultural areas, with seeds. Commonly used seeds are tamarind, kemiri, sawo and even corn kernels.
The widespread popularity of this game, ‘chenne mane ata’ around this area, played by ladies and girls, can undoubtedly be attributed in part to the simplicity of the materials used, to play the game. This game, in all its variations attracted the royal ladies and their assistants. Playing pieces indicated their class or caste they belong.
Based on the version of the game, there is a preliminary distribution of counters (beans, nuts, seeds, stones etc.) in the board's depressions. Players move alternatively in a series of "laps". A lap involves each player in turn selecting all of the counters in a depression and lifting these and placing counters in each depression in a prescribed direction and manner. What happens then is dependent upon the version of the same being played.
The following Five varieties are played at Hampi:
- Karu baruva ata- ‘getting calf” out of the game- play with 4 seeds
- Katte ata also called as ‘seenya Mukya’ – also with 4 seeds but little variation in the rules
- Tara timbata
- Hegge timbata
- Mule ata – ‘constructing houses at the corners’- played with seven seeds
2D and 3D Paradigms for the Game
In the 2D paradigm, the legacy version of two rows each of seven pits could be extended to more pits per row and also many rows to make the game a real 2D version both lond and wide in X and Y dimensions.
In the 3D version, implemented in VR or AR, or simple animation, many planes in the Z dimension enable the players to traverse in all three dimensions.
