GB2425732A

GB2425732A - Game machine with removable storage medium

Info

Publication number: GB2425732A
Application number: GB0605511A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Toru Ohara; Toshiyuki Takamatsu; Naotoshi Eguchi; Hideyuki Isobe; Makoto Kaneko; Tetsuya Hamada
Original assignee: Sega Corp
Current assignee: Sega Corp
Priority date: 2003-02-20
Filing date: 2004-02-20
Publication date: 2006-11-08
Anticipated expiration: 2024-02-20
Also published as: GB2398512A; GB0403766D0; GB0605511D0; JP2004248922A; GB2398512B; GB2425732B

Abstract

A game machine comprises a game control means 94, means 96 for storing a game advance, and means 92 for reading and storing data in a storage medium 90. In one embodiment, when a storage medium 90 is inserted, the game control means 94 stores the current game advance in the game advance storing means 96 and starts the game based on the data read from the storage medium 90. Before the storage medium 90 is removed, the game control means 94 stores the current game advance into the storage medium 90 and resumes the game from the game advance stored in the game advance storing means 96. In another embodiment, when no storage medium 90 is loaded, the game control means 94 advances the game based on a first game advance stored in the game advance storing means 96 and, when a storage medium 90 is loaded, advances the game based on a second game advance stored in the storage medium 90.

Description

GAME MACHINE

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a game machine, more specifically a game machine which stores on a table coins (Or medals) charged by game players and uses a coin pusher to push out the coins stored on the table to pay back the pushed out coins to the game players.

In the conventional coin game machine, when a game player charges coins through a coin slot provided in the exterior surface of the coin game machine, the coins fall into a game field through a guide. In the game field are a fixed base which forms the bottom surface of the game field and a movable table which slides reciprocally over the fixed base inwardly of the fixed base. The coins which have fallen onto the upper surface of the movable table are pushed off as the movable table reciprocally slides, to fall onto the fixed base.

The coins which have fallen onto the fixed base are then pushed by the front surface of the movable table towards the edge of the fixed base nearer to the game player. A number of coins have been stored on the fixed base, and as the coins which have additionally fallen are pushed by the movable table, the coins stored on the fixed base are pushed by the additionally fallen coins and can fall together from the edge of the fixed base nearer to the game player. The thus fallen coins are paid back to the game player through a chute.

In such game machines, game players do not lose much but do not win much. Accordingly, such game machines are less amusing and have not much amused the game players.

Recently, to enhance the amusement of the coin game machines, a win portion is provided in the game field at a specific position, and when charged coins or the pushed out coins enter the win portion, a number of coins which have been separately prepared are charged into the game field to increase a coin number to be paid back to the game player.

The patent references which the inventors are aware of are as follows:

1) Specification of Japanese Patent Application

Unexamined Publication No. Hei 08-38739/1996;

2) Specification of Japanese Patent Application

Unexamined Publication No. 2002-331162; and

3) Specification of Japanese Patent Application

Unexamined Publication No. 2002-336537.

As described above, various contrivances have been tried so as to enhance the amusement of coin game machines of this type but have not all been sufficient.

SUMMARy OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide a game machine which can apply new contrivances to the coin game to thereby enhance the amusement of the coin game.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a game machine which can make the game players wish to continue the game and can make the game more amusing.

According to one aspect, the present invention provides a game machine as defined in claim 1.

According to a second aspect, the present invention provides a game machine as defined in claim 2.

Preferred but non-essential features of the second aspect of the invention are defined in claim 3.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the coin game machine in which the present invention may be embodied, which shows an appearance thereof.

FIG. 2 is a view of the interior of a station of the coin game machine of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a view of a game image of the game of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is views of the target images of results of the lottery made in the game of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a view of a game image displayed when a special chance is given in the game of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a view of a game image of the fighting mode with monsters in the game of FIG. 1 (Part 1) FIG. 7 is a view of a game image of the fighting mode with monsters in the game of FIG. 1 (Part 2) FIG. 8 is a view of a game image of the fighting mode with the boss in the game of FIG. 1 (Part 1) FIG. 9 is a view of a game image of the fighting mode with the boss in the game of FIG. 1 (Part 2) FIG. 10 is a view of a game image displayed when a command from a chucker is carried out in the game of FIG. 1.

FIG. 11 is a block diagram of a structure of the coin game machine according to the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a flow chart of the operation of the game with a card in the coin game machine according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[One Embodiment] The coin game machine according to one embodiment of the present invention will be explained with reference to FIGs. 1 to 12.

(General Structure of the Coin Game Machine) The appearance of the coin game machine according to the present embodiment is shown in FIG. 1. The coin game machine has a structure 10 of a vertically bisected, substantially equilateral decangular pillar. A large roulette wheel 12 is disposed at the middle of the side of the plane side of the structure 10, and a figure 14 of a dragon is mounted on the roulette wheel 12. Five stations 20 which are operated by game players are arranged, surrounding the roulette wheel 12 and the figure 14. The stations 20 are divided by transparent partitioning plates.

As shown in FIG. 1, a number panel 12a with winning coin numbers written on is provided on the roulette wheel 12.

In a lottery, the number panel 12a is revolved, and a number indicated by a triangular indicator 12b when the number panel 12a is stopped is a winning coin number.

ach station 20 comprises an upper game unit, a central operation panel unit and a lower coin payment unit.

The upper game unit includes coin charging means 22A, 22B for charging coins inside, which are arranged left and right. Two game players can play in each station 20. One game player may operate the left and the right coin charging means 22A, 22B.

The central operation panel unit includes a plurality of operation buttons 24A, 24B, 240. The operation panel unit includes a card slot 26 for an IC card to be inserted and a card discharge button 27 disposed on the left side of the card slot 26.

The lower coin paying out unit includes a coin paying opening 28 through which coins are to be paid back to a game player.

(Interior Structure of the Stations) The interior of the station 20 is shown in FIG. 2. A fixed base 30 is disposed on the bottom surface of the game field of the station 20. A movable table 32 which is slidable inwards over the fixed base 30 is provided. A coin table 34 for coins to be charged onto is provided above the fixed base 30 and the movable table 32.

Inwardly of the coin table 34 there is provided a chucker member 36 having a plurality of chuckers. As shown in FIG. 2, nine chuckers 36a, 36b, ... are arranged horizontally in one row. Most of the coins charged by the coin charging means 22A, 228 pass through the chuckers 36a, 36b, ... The coins which have passed through the chuckers 36a, 36b, ... fall onto the movable table 32. The coins which have rebounded against the partitions between the chucker members 36 and have failed to enter the chuckers 36a, 36b, ... also roll over the coin table 34 and fall onto the movable table 32 or the fixed base 30. The game player aims the coin charging means 22A, 22B at the chuckers 36a, 36b, ... so as to pass coins therethrough.

The respective chuckers 36a, 36b, ... of the chucker member 36have respective detectjonmeans (not shown) to detect whether or not the coins charged by the coin charging means 22A, 228 have passed through the chuckers 36a, 36b, Immediately inwardly of the chucker member 36 there is provided a display unit 38 which displays game images. The length of the chucker member 36 is substantially the same as the length of the lower side of the display unit 38 and the chucker member 36 is disposed immediately adjacent to the lower side of the display unit 38. Game images and alarm images are displayed on the display unit 38. As will be described later, the partition images of the nine chuckers 36a, 36b, ... are displayed in the display unit 38 near the lower side thereof; the chucker images on the display unit 38 and the real chucker member 36 look to be continuous to each other to the game player.

A coin box 40 is disposed on the left side of the coin table 34. A coin transport rail 42 for transporting coins is provided in the coin box 40. Coins are supplied from the coin supply unit 44 to the coin box 40 through the coin transporting rail 42.

When a big win or a middle win takes place, the coin box 40 is inclined to supply a number of coins to the coin table 34. This operation is repeated many times when a big win takes place, which keeps the game player excited.

(Contents of the Game) The game played by the coin game machine according to the present embodiment will be explained with reference to FIGs. 3 to 10. FIG. 3 and FIGs. 5 to 10 show game images displayedonthedisplayuflit38, the chuckermember 36 disposed near the lower side of the display unit 38 and a display lamp 46 disposed on the display unit 38.

In the game of the present embodiment, elements of a role playing game are incorporated in the conventional coin game.

In the first stage of the game of the present embodiment, a character of a game player goes along a map. As shown in FIG. 3, on the game image shown on the display unit 38, a character 50 going along a course is shown at the centre, and advance images 52, 54 showing advances of the character are shown on the left and the right sides. The advance image 52 on the left side indicates a precise advance corresponding to a number of steps in a dungeon. Jewel boxes 53 are displayed in the course of the advance, and when the character reaches the jewel boxes 53, special chances are given to the game player. Six dungeons (or levels) are displayed on the advance image 54 on the right side. A boss mark is displayed above the six dungeons.

At the lower part of the game screen there are displayed partition images 56a, 56b, ..., 56f continuous to the partitions of the nine chuckers 36a, 36b, ..., 36i. The region on the left side of the partition image 56a corresponds to the chucker 36b, the regions between the partition images 56a, 56b corresponds tothechucker36c, theregionbetweentheparj0 images 56e, 56f corresponds to the chucker 36g, the region on the right side of the partition image 56f corresponds to the chucker 36h. The chuckers 36a, 36i on both the right and the left sides are ineffective.

(Summary of the Game)

When the game is started, target images 58 which are foot marks as indication marks are displayed near the partition images 56a, 56b, ... , 56f at the lower part of the game screen.

The plural target images 58 are continuous or spaced from each other corresponding to the chuckers, and are movable, in the same configuration, slowly from the left side of the game screen to the right side thereof. Accordingly, the nine chuckers 36a, 36b, ..., 36 have the target images 58 or none of the target images 58, depending on time. Consequently, the winning value of the chuckers 36a, 36b, ..., 36i is varied, depending on time.

A "win" can be made when coins charged by a game player by using the coin charging means 22A, 22B are caught by any one of the chuckers 36a, 36b, .. ., 36i, and further the target image 58 of the foot mark as the indication mark is displayed in the region corresponding to the chucker. When the target image 58 is being displayed and a "Win" is made, a simple lottery is performed. In the lottery, the target image 58 is revolved, and when the lottery is completed the revolving target image 58 is stopped and the result of the lottery is indicated.

FIG. 4 shows images of the target images 58, which indicate the lottery results. The target images 58 of FIGs. 4A, 4B, 4C and 4D have numbers of steps in addition to the foot marks.

When a lottery result is the target image 58, a character advances by that number of steps. In the dungeons shown in the advance image 52 on the left side of the game screen, a game player has advanced by the step number. In the target image 58 of FIG. 4A, 1 step is gained; in the target image 58 of FIG. 4B, 2 steps are gained; in the target image 58 of FIG. 4C, 3 steps are gained; and in the target image 58 of FIG. 4D, 30 steps are gained. The target images 58 of FIGs. 4E and 4F are a silver mark and a gold mark. When the target images 58 of these marks are hit, a large number of steps can be gained or special items can be gained. When the target image 58 of FIG. 4G is hit, the mode of fighting with a monster is gained, and this will be described later.

When coins a game player has charged by the coin charging means 22A, 22B hit any one of the chuckers 36a, 36b, ..., 36i but none of the target images are displayed in the region corresponding to the hit chucker, the result is a "loss".

An image indicating a "loss" , e.g. an image of a blank is indicated. The advance image 52 on the left side of the game screen is not changed.

When coins a game player has charged by means of the coin charging means 22A, 22B rebound against the partitions of the chuckers 36a, 36b, ..., 36i or others and fail to pass through any one of the chuckers 36a, 36b, . .., 36i, the game image is not changed. When charged coins do not pass through the chuckers, the charged coins fall to the fixed base 30 and movable table 32 through the coin table 34 to be effective as coins of the pusher coin game, which never spoils the game player's desire to continue the game.

As described above, the game machine according to the present embodiment comprises the display unit which displays game images; a field disposed near the display unit and having prescribed check points arranged thereon; indication mark control means for prescribed indication marks in regions near the prescribed check points of the display unit; indication mark changing means for changing at least the kinds or locations of the indication marks corresponding to prescribed conditions; object inputting means for inputting a movable object for the game into the field by a prescribed operation of a game player; object passage detecting means for detecting the movable object passing the prescribed check points; indication mark judging means which, when the object passage detecting means detects the movable object for the game having passed a prescribed check point, and the prescribed check point and the indication mark have a prescribed positional relationship with each other, judges a kind of the indication mark; andgame advance controlmeans for controlling the advance of the game to be displayed on the display unit, based on a judgement result given by the indication mark judging means.

The indication mark control means indicates lottery indication marks for the lottery, and when an indication mark judged by the indication mark judging means is a lottery indication mark, the game advance control means performs a lottery, and in accordance with a lottery result the indication mark changing means changes kinds of the indication marks and, based on kinds of the indication marks which have been changed, the game advance is controlled, based on kinds of the changed indication marks.

(Roulette Wheel) When a game player inserts coins and get a "win" by the coins, he advances in the dungeon shown in the advance image 52 on the left side of the game screen. When the game player arrives at a jewel box 53 in the dungeon, he is given a special chance. For example, the image shown in FIG. 5 is presented on the display unit 38, and the number panel 12a of the roulette wheel 12 disposed at the centre of the game machine is revolved.

A number value indicated by the triangular indicator 12b when the roulette wheel 12 is stopped is the win coin number.

As shown in FIG. 5, the win coin (or medal) number is indicated in the display unit 38, and the coins of the win number are supplied onto the coin table 34 from the coin box 40.

(Mode of Fighting with Monster) The target image 58 of FIG. 4G is a monster mark. When a game player hits the target image 58 of this mark, the game player advances to a special stage which is the mode of fighting with a monster. As shown in FIG. 6, in the mode fighting with a monster, monsters 60 and target images 62 are displayed on all the chuckers 36a, 36b, ..., 36i.

The game player inserts coins by the coin charging means 22A, 22B to hit the target images 62 with the coins so as to defeat the monsters 60. When the coins are caught by the chuckers 36a, 36b, ..., 361 corresponding to the target images 62, the monsters 60 corresponding to the chuckers 36a, 36b, 36i are extinguished. To defeat all the monsters 60 is the aim of the special stage.

The special stage has a time limit and when a remaining time becomes small, as shown in FIG. 7, the remaining time 18 indicated to warn the game player.

(Mode of Fighting with the Boss) When a game player has cleared one dungeon, the advance is indicated in the advance image 54 on the righL side of the game screen. When six dungeons have been cleared, the mode of fighting the boss follows. The game image of FIG. 3 is followed by the game image of FIG. 8 and then the game image of the fighting mode of FIG. 9 follows.

In the game image of FIG. 9, a boss character 70 which is a target character is displayed at the centre of the game screen. In the coin game according to the present embodiment, no coin can be hit to the boss character 70 but instead target images 72 which are indication marks associated with the target character are displayed near the partition images 56a, 56b, 56f at the lower part of the game screen. The target images 72 are hit by charging coins into the chuckers 36a, 36b, 36i. The level of the difficulty of attacking the boss character 70 is adjusted by adjusting the number of the target images 72 to be displayed, the moving speed of the target images 72 or others.

When a game player wins the fight with the boss character 70, the game player can get a jackpot. When the game player gets the jackpot, the roulette wheel 12 changes direction to the station 10 of the game player who has got the jackpot.

- 10 - The lottery by the roulette wheel 12 is continuously repeated, and the game player gets a large number of coins.

As described above, the game machine according to the present embodiment comprises the display unit which displays game images; a field disposed near the display unit and having prescribed check points arranged thereon; indication mark control means for prescribed indication marks in regions near the prescribed check points of the display unit; indication mark changing means for changing at least the kinds or locations of the indication marks corresponding to prescribed conditions; object inputting means for inputting a movable object for the game into the field by a prescribed operation of a game player; object passage detecting means for detecting the movable object passing the prescribed check points; indication mark judging means which, when the object passage detecting means detects the movable object for the game having passed a prescribed check point, and the prescribed check point and the indication mark have a prescribed positional relationshIp with each other, judges a kind of the indication mark; and game advance controlmeans for controlling the advance of the game to be displayed on the display unit, based on a judgement result given by the indication mark judging means.

Target characters are presented in the display unit, and character indication marks which are indication marks associated with the target characters are indicated in the regions near the check points. When the indication marks judged by the indication mark judging means is the character indication marks, the game advance control means controls the game advance by changing a parameter set for the target character.

(Item Collection) In the game according to the present embodiment, special items are hidden in the game advancing mode in the dungeon and in the fighting mode. A game player gets the special - 11 - items. When he gets the special items, indication lamps 46 disposed on the display unit 38 are turned on one by one.

For example, when the game player has collected eight special items and all the indication lamps 46 are turned on, the game player can get a jackpot, in which the lottery by the roulette wheel 12 is continuously performed and the game player can get a large number of coins.

(Commands by the Chuckers) In the coin game according to the present embodiment, various command operations by a game player are made by pushing operation buttons 24A, 24B, 240 of the operation panel unit shown in FIG. 1.

As shown in FIG. 10, target images 80, 82 indicating command contents are indicated near the partition images 56a, 56b, ..., 56f at the lower part of the game screen. The target images 80 command the left, and the target images 82 command the right. When a coin hits the target image 80, the left is commanded, and when a coin hits the target image 82, the right is commanded.

To make various command operations, a game player must insert coins towards the target images 80, 82 by the coin charging means 22A, 22B, and the command operation can be like a game.

(Game using Card) In the coin game machine according to the present embodiment, elements of a role playing game are incorporated into the conventional coin game. To more effectively achieve this aim in the coin game machine according to the present embodiment, a storage medium, such as an IC card or others, is used to store game advances etc. in the storage medium.

Storage media other than IC cards, such as magnetic cards, memory cards or others, may be used.

- 12 - The card-using game by the coin game machine according to the present embodiment will be explained with reference to FIGs. 11 and 12.

In the operation panel unit at the centre of the station 20, a card insertion slot 26 for an IC card to be inserted is provided. A card discharge button 27 is provided on the left side of the card slot 26.

As shown in FIG. 11, when a game player inserts an IC card 90 into the card insertion slot 26, a card data reading means 92 reads data stored in the IC card 90. The IC card stores game advances of the game player. The game control means 94 resumes the game, based on the game advances read from the IC card 90. Game images are displayed in the display unit 38 of the station 20. The game advances by the game control means 94 are stored in the game advance storing means 96.

When the game player pushes the card discharge button 27, the current game advance stored in the game advance storing means 96 is stored in the IC card 90 by the card data reading means 92, and the IC card 90 is discharged through the card insertion slot 26. After the IC card 90 has been discharged, the game control means 92 reads a game advance stored in the game advance storing means 96, which was made while the card was not used, and resumes the game at the read game advance.

In the present embodiment, the game advance storing means 96 separately stores game advances made when the IC card 90 is used, and game advances made when the IC card 90 is not used, and the game control means 94 controls the game, depending on whether or not an IC card is used.

As shown in FIG. 12, unless the IC card 90 is inserted into the card insertion slot 26, the game is played without the card (Step SlO) . Game advances at this time are suitably stored in the game advance storing means 96. Whether or not the IC card 90 was inserted into the card insertion slot 26 - 13 - is incessantly checked (Step Sli), and unless the IC card is inserted, the game is played without the card (Step SlO) Even if a game player advances the game to some extent and stops the game, the game advance is stored, and when another game player plays the game, he resumes the game from the game advance where the immediately preceding game player has stopped the game.

When a game player inserts his own IC card 90 into the card insertion slot 26, the current game advance, i.e., the game advance without the card is stored in the game advance storing means 96 (Step S12) Subsequently, the card data reading means 92 reads game data stored in the IC card 90 (Step S13) and the game control means 94 resumes the game from the game advance based on the read game data (Step S14) . A game advance made with the IC card 90 is suitably stored in the game advance storing means 96. Whether or not the card discharge button 27 was pushed is continuously checked (Step S15) and, unless the card discharge button 27 is pushed, the game play with the card is continued (Step S14) When the game player pushed the card discharge button 27, the game advance storing means 96 stores the current game advance, i. e., a game advance made with the card, the card data reading means 92 stores the game advance in the IC card (Step S16), and the IC card 90 is discharged through the card insertion slot 26 (Step S17) Next, the game advance made without the card that is stored in the game advance storing means 96 is read (Step S18), and the game is resumed from the read game advance (Step SlO) (Modified Embodiment) - 14 - The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment and can cover other various modifications.

For example, in the above-described embodiment, the present invention is applied to a coin game machine, the so-called pusher, in which the coins charged by a game player are stored on the table, the coins stored on the table are pushed by the coin pusher, and the pushed out coins are paid back to the game player. However, the present invention may be applied to other coin game machines. The present invention is not essentially applied to the coin game machine but is also applicable to game machines using other winning tokens and movable objects, e.g. medals or balls such as pachinko balls or others.

- 15 -

Claims

1. A game machine comprising: game advance storing means for storing a game advance; storage medium data reading means for storing data in a storage medium and reading the data from the storage medium; and game control means which, when the storage medium is inserted into the storage medium data reading means, stores the current game advance in the game advance storing means and starts the game based on the data read from the storage medium by the storage medium data reading means and, before the storage medium is taken out of the storage medium data reading means, stores the current game advance into the storage medium by the storage medium data reading means and resumes the game from the game advance stored in the game advance Storing means.

2. A game machine comprising: storage medium data reading means for storing data in a storage medium and reading the data from the storage medium; game advance storing means for storing a first game advance made without the storage medium loaded in the storage medium data reading means, and a second game advance made with the storage medium loaded in the storage medium data reading means; and game control means which, when the storage medium is not loaded in the storage medium data reading means, advances the game based on the first game advance stored in the game advance storing means and, when the storage medium is loaded in the storage medium data reading means, advances the game based on the second game advance stored in the storage medium.

- 16 -

3. A game machine according to claim 2, wherein the game control means starts the game based on the second game advance read from the storage medium when the storage medium is inserted into the storage medium data reading means and, before the storage medium is taken out of the storage medium data reading means, stores the current second game advance in the storage medium.

- 17 -