A Flipmaze playfield is a surface divided into eighty one squares, arranged in nine rows and nine columns. On the ground between each square is a force field emitter, which can be activated to prevent movement between two adjacent squares. This means each square (except those on the outer edge) is surrounded by four emitters. The squares in the corners have two emitters and are open on the other two sides. These serve as the entrances to the playfield. The other squares on the outside have three emitters and a wall on the fourth side.
Each square is in either an open or a closed state. If an emitter is between two closed squares or between one open and one closed square, it is activated. If both squares are open, the emitter goes off and players can move between the squares. Changing a square from either open to closed or from closed to open is called flipping it.
There are two teams of three players. Two of the players on each team are mazerunners. The mazerunners start at the corners and try to reach the square in the middle. The third player is the flipper. The flippers operate a control panel overlooking the playfield. They push buttons to flip squares, to let their mazerunners reach the middle and to block the mazerunners on the other team.
The control panel has eighteen switches, one for each row and one for each column. When the flipper hits a switch, it flips all of the squares in the corresponding row or column. Note that it is the squares that flip, not the emitters. If an emitter is between an open and a closed square and both flip, the emitter will remain activated.
The game starts with all of the squares closed. As the flippers hit the switches, some of the squares will flip. The mazerunners move through open squares, trying to reach the center square. The center square contains a button. The first team to push this button wins the game.
A nine by nine playfield seems like a good size, big enough to be interesting but not overwhelming. However, when the game is actually played, we may find a different size is better.
