Method of simulation time travel in a card game

Abstract

Although traveling through time is impossible, the idea can still be examined in works of fiction, including card games. A Timeline of events is presented, arranged in chronological order, on two-sided playing cards. During the course of a game, players representing “time travelers” may alter the outcome of past events. This is simulated by turning over specific cards on the Timeline, called Linchpins, which represent pivotal moments in history. Symbols on these and other cards indicate how history becomes different as a result of these changes. Other cards, called Ripplepoints, are follow-on events that change when dependent prior events are altered, and are also turned over when Linchpin cards are changed. The method of associating past and future events with icons on the cards allows for easy upkeep of the ever-changing Timeline without needing to grasp the complex logic behind the imagined reasons for the cascading alternate realities. This system can therefore serve as a basis for simulating various time travel scenarios in card games and related media.