JP2000107351A - Game machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To surely inform the existence of a winning flag by providing the combination of stopped figures not displayed in an ordinary game when stop buttons are operated in an ordinary order, and giving the information through a special informing means when the stop buttons are operated in an irregular order, in the existence of the winning flag. SOLUTION: In a throttle machine 1 comprising three rotary reels 6A-6C rotated by a stepping motor or the like on the depth of three figure display windows 5A-5C, whether or not, a special display number FR is 1 is judged on the basis of the result of the stop of the rotary reels 6A-6C. In a case when the special display number FR is 1 and a winning flag exists, the combination of stopped figures not displayed in an ordinary game is given by operating stop buttons 10A-10C in an ordinary operation order. On the other hand, when the stop buttons 10A-10C are operated in an irregular order, a lamp is lighted through a special informing means 20, the contents are displayed by the letters and characters, or voice is generated. Further, the winning lot drawing is inhibited until the winning is generated.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a gaming machine for controlling a game mode using a microcomputer or the like, and a mechanical display device for variably displaying a plurality of symbols. The present invention relates to a gaming machine such as a slot machine provided with a mechanical display means or an electric display means such as a liquid crystal display, an LED, and a CRT.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a slot machine of this type plays a game in a well-known manner, displays a plurality of types of symbols in a fluctuating manner, and then operates a stop button. , A small role, a prize is selected. Then, the player operates the stop button so as to be a stop symbol corresponding to the small combination or the winning, but in particular, after the winning flag is established, when the stop display is performed in the winning symbol, there are many cases. I am interested because I can get medals.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned slot machine, the player does not know whether or not the winning flag has been established, and suffers disadvantages. When it becomes, the fact is notified by a lamp or the like. Therefore, it is advantageous for a player who is not familiar with the game, but for a player who is familiar with the game, it is determined whether or not a prize has been established.
You will lose interest in guessing through combinations of stop symbols. Also, for a game machine manufacturer, manufacturing these two types of game machines lacks economic efficiency. Therefore, the present invention provides a gaming machine capable of solving such a problem.

[0004]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a gaming machine, comprising: a symbol variation display device capable of varyingly displaying a plurality of symbols; a start button for starting symbol variation of the symbol variation device; A winning lottery means for generating a winning flag based on an operation, and a stop button for stopping a variable symbol of the symbol varying device at a preset stop symbol corresponding to the winning flag are provided, and the winning flag is established. When the stop button is operated in the normal operation order, the combination of stop symbols becomes a combination not shown in the normal game, and when the stop button is operated in the irregular order, the combination is notified through the special notification means. Therefore, whether or not a prize has been established can be reliably known by operating the stop button in an irregular order, so even for a player who is not familiar with the game,
This is an effective means for a player who is familiar with it, and is economical for a manufacturer because only one model needs to be manufactured.

[0005]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1A is a front view of a gaming machine (slot machine). The slot machine 1 includes a box-shaped main body 2 and a front panel 3 provided on the front of the main body. The front panel 3 has three symbol display windows 5A, 5B, and 5C arranged substantially at the center. It is provided. In the back of each of the symbol display windows 5A to 5C, three rotating reels 6A, 6B, and 6C are provided as symbol variation display devices that rotate by a stepping motor or the like, with their surfaces facing the respective symbol display windows. Yes, each symbol display window 5A ~ 5C,
Three symbols can be displayed in a column. On the surface of each of the rotating reels 6A to 6C, for example, a plurality of symbols such as "7" and "bell" are displayed. Then, a plurality of symbols are moved and displayed vertically in each symbol display window by variably displaying each rotating reel.

In each of the symbol display windows 5A, 5B, 5C,
Five winning lines 7 connecting each symbol display window are displayed, and these winning lines 7 are lines for determining a combination of stopped symbols in a state where the rotating reels 6A to 6C are stopped after rotating. An upper line connecting the upper stages of each symbol display window, a middle line connecting the middle stages, a lower line connecting the lower stages, and two oblique lines connecting obliquely. On the front panel 3, a start button 8 is provided at the lower left of the symbol display window for simultaneously moving and displaying the symbols of the respective reels. or,
Under the symbol display window, the rotation of the rotating reels 6A, 6B, 6C rotating by the start button 8 is stopped,
Stop buttons 10A, 10B, and 10C are provided to stop the symbol change display for each symbol display window.

On the front panel 3, a medal slot 11 for inserting a medal into the slot machine is provided diagonally below and to the right of the symbol display window. Immediately below the medal slot 11, a medal slot 11 is inserted.
A credit medal insertion button 12 for inserting a medal previously stored as a credit medal as a medal to be used for a game is provided. A settlement button 13 is provided to the right of the credit medal insertion button. When this button 13 is operated, a credited medal is discharged inside the slot machine and various variables are cleared in the same manner as when the power is turned on. . Also, below the slot machine, a medal discharge port 14 for discharging a medal from a hopper device as a medal providing means disposed inside the main body, and a medal discharge port provided below the medal discharge port. There is provided a medal discharge plate 15 for storing medals discharged from. A special notification means (for example, a display such as a liquid crystal display, a sound generator, etc.) 20 for notifying the player of various information, which will be described in detail later, is provided above the symbol display windows 5A, 5B, and 5C. I have.

Next, a gaming method of the slot machine having the above-described configuration will be described with reference to control flows (FIGS. 2 to 6) showing the concept. First, when the power of the slot machine 1 is turned on or the settlement button 13 is operated, as shown in FIG. 2A, a prize flag F described later, Fx indicating that a prize is being won, and a prize is being won. To notify that the rotation reel is rotating (S1, S2).
2). Next, in order to perform a process of determining whether or not the current game has won as shown in FIG. 2 (B), it is first determined whether or not a win has been achieved, that is, whether or not Fx = 0 ( S10) When a prize is being won, the processing of this control flow is not performed, and the processing is performed according to the control flow shown in FIGS. Conversely, if no winning is made (Fx = 0), it is determined whether or not the start button 8 has been pressed (S11), and if not, this process ends. Conversely, when the start button 8 is pressed, it is determined whether or not a medal has been inserted (S12). At this time, a winning line is selected according to the number of inserted medals.
The upper line, the middle line, and the lower line correspond to the case of one sheet, and all the lines correspond to the case of three sheets.

Then, the spinning reels 6A, 6B and 6C start spinning all at once, and set a rotation instruction variable Ha to 1 to indicate that the spinning reel is rotating (S13). Next, whether the winning flag is established (winning flag F = 2)
It is determined whether or not the special display number FR is 1 (S14). In such a case, the selection by the winning lottery means is not performed, and the state of the winning flag (F = 2) is maintained. I do. However, if not, the winning lottery means selects this game (winning flag F = 0), small win (F = 1), or establishment of winning flag (F = 2) (S15). The winning lottery means is well known and is selected by a preset value via a random number or the like. As will be described in detail later, the stop button 10
The order number Fa for selecting the operation order of A, 10B, and 10C is set to 0 (S16), and this process ends.

FIG. 3 shows rotating reels 6A, 6B and 6C.
Is a control flow for stopping the operation. In addition, each rotating reel 6A
As is well known, "stop", "small win", and "establishment of a winning flag" are selected in consideration of the timing of operating the stop buttons 10A to 10C described below. However, especially in the game after the establishment of the winning flag (F = 2), the game is stopped and displayed in a combination of symbols different from the usual symbols. Therefore, in this control flow, it is first determined whether or not the rotating reel is rotating, that is, whether or not the rotation instruction variable Ha is 1 (S20). To end. On the other hand, when rotating,
It is determined whether or not the stop button 10A has been pressed (S2
1) When pressed, 1 is added to the sequence number Fa (S2).
2), the rotating reel 6A is stopped (S23). And
When the stop button 10A has not been pressed, it is determined whether or not the stop button 10B has been pressed (S24). When the stop button 10B has been pressed, 100 is added to the sequence number Fa (S25).
The rotation reel 6B is stopped (S26). Similarly, when the stop button 10C is pressed, 100 is added to the sequence number Fa and the rotating reel 6C is stopped (S27, S2).
8, S29).

Then, it is determined whether or not the special display number FR is 1 (S31). When the special display number FR is 1, which means that the winning flag, which will be described in detail later, is established, the processing of the next step (S33 to S34) is not executed. Conversely, when the special display number FR is not 1, it is determined whether or not the ordinal number Fa is 100 (S32). The sequence number Fa becomes 1 when the stop button 10A is pressed first, and becomes 100 when any one of the stop buttons 10B and 10C is pressed first. That is, the stop button 10A,
10B, 10C (or stop buttons 10A, 10C,
10B) (the irregular order), the order number Fa changes to 1, 101, 201 and the stop button 10
B, 10C, 10A (or stop buttons 10C, 10A
B, 10A), 100, 20
0, 201.

When the order number Fa is not 100, the stop button 10A is first pressed and the operation sequence is the normal operation sequence. However, when the sequence number Fa is 100, first, the stop button 1
Since any one of 0B and 10C is pressed, an irregular operation is performed, so it is determined whether or not a winning flag is established (F = 2) (S33). Then, when the winning flag is established, it lights up like a lamp via the special notification means 20, notifies the effect with characters or characters, or notifies the user temporarily or by time by voice, That fact is notified to the player (S34), and the special display number FR is set to 1. When the special display number FR is 1 (the winning flag is established), in the subsequent games, the fact that the winning flag is established is informed to the special notifying means 20 and the above-mentioned steps are performed until a winning occurs. By 14,
The winning lottery is not performed, and the winning flag (F = 2) is maintained.
Then, if the winning symbols are arranged in the game, a winning will be described in detail later, and the game can be performed under advantageous conditions.

Thus, the stop buttons 10A, 10B, 1
When performing the normal order operation of 0C, the fact that the winning flag is established is not notified through the special notifying means 20.
The stop symbol indicates a symbol combination that is not displayed in a normal game. Therefore, a player familiar with the game
There is a pleasure to be able to infer that the winning flag is established with such a stop symbol. On the other hand, when the stop button is operated in the irregular order, the notification is made via the special notification means 20, so that even a player who is not familiar with the game does not suffer disadvantage. Therefore, the same model can be provided to a player who is familiar with the game and a player who is not familiar with the game. Then, all the stop buttons 10A, 10B, 10
It is determined whether or not C is pressed to stop the rotating reel (S
35) If all the symbols are not stopped and displayed, the process returns to step 21. If the symbols are stopped and displayed, the rotation instruction variable Ha indicating that the spinning reel is stopped is set to 0, and this process is terminated. (S36).

Next, FIG. 4 shows a control flow for discharging medals. First, it is determined whether or not the medals have been lost (winning flag F = 0) (S40). I do. Next, it is determined whether or not the winning combination is a small winning combination (F = 1) (S41). When the winning combination is a small winning combination, the stop symbol of the winning line is a small winning symbol (for example, "Cherry", "Cherry",
"Cherry") (S42),
When they match, a medal equivalent to a small role (for example,
Eight medals) are given to the player via the medal discharge port 14 (S43), but when they do not match, special notification means (such as Ena, liquid crystal, etc.) indicating that the small role could not be obtained. The information is displayed on the display unit 20 to inform the player of the disappointment (S44), and the process is terminated.

In addition, when the small role (F = 1) is not satisfied,
Since the winning flag is established (F = 2), the stop symbol of the winning line is a winning symbol (for example, “7”, “7”, “7”).
Is determined (S45), and if they match, the number of medals (for example, 15) corresponding to a prize is given to the player through the medal outlet 14, and the prize flag F is set to 0. , Fx indicating that a prize is being won is set to 1. In addition, the game counter I for counting the number of games during winning, the number of winnings Ic, the number of occurrences Ia of small combinations, and the number of acquisitions Ib of small combinations are initialized, respectively. Further, the special display number FR is set to 0 in accordance with the occurrence of the prize, and the notification of the special notification means 20 is stopped.

As described above, a single game by inserting a medal and operating the stop button is described in FIGS. 2B, 3 and 4.
When the small lot (F = 1) is assigned by the winning lottery means for each game, medals are ejected on condition that the symbols are aligned in one game. When the winning flag is established (F = 2), the game can be performed while maintaining the winning flag until the winning symbols are aligned, so that the player can make the winning symbols uniform after inserting the medals. Stop button 10A ~
The operation of 10C will be repeated. When the winning flag is established, the stop buttons 10A, 10B, 10B
The operating procedure of C is 10C, 10B, 10A (or 1
0B, 10C, and 10A), the player is notified via the special notification means 20 that the winning flag is established. Therefore, even if the player is familiar with the game, by performing this operation, it is possible to confirm whether or not the winning flag is established. In addition, since the game machine manufacturer can change the stop button according to the operation sequence, only one model needs to be manufactured, which is economical.

Next, FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 show a control flow for performing a game process during a prize after a prize is generated in the step 46, and a large number of prizes (medals) advantageous to the player.
Enables the acquisition of Thus, first, it is determined whether or not a prize is being won (Fx = 1) (S50). If no prize is being won, this process ends. When winning,
It is determined whether or not the start button 8 has been pressed (S51). If the start button 8 has not been pressed, this process ends. However, if the start button 8 has been pressed, it is determined whether or not medals have been inserted (S52). ). At this time, a winning line is selected according to the number of inserted medals, the middle line corresponds to one, the upper line, the middle line, and the lower line corresponds to two, and all lines correspond to three.

Then, 1 is added to the game counter I for counting the number of games during the winning (S53), and the rotation of the rotating reels 6A, 6B, 6C is started simultaneously (S53).
54). Next, by the special winning lottery means, in this game, the winning (F = 0), the small role (F =
1) Or, a winning flag is established (F = 2) is selected (S55). This prize-winning lottery means is well known, and is selected according to a preset value via a random number or the like. Is set high. In addition, small role (F
In the case of = 1), 1 is added to the number of occurrences Ia of small wins, and the number of possible small wins is counted. Then, regardless of the order, each time the stop button 10A, 10B, 10C is operated, the corresponding rotating reel 6A-6C during rotation stops (S60-S65). Then, it is determined whether or not all the rotating reels 6A, 6B, 6C have stopped (S6).
6) If not stopped, proceed to step 60; if stopped, proceed to step 70 (S66).

In this step 70, first, it is determined by the above-mentioned special winning lottery means whether or not the winning has occurred (winning flag F = 0). If the winning has occurred, the process proceeds to step 76 without paying out medals. On the other hand, a small role (winning flag F =
In the case of 1), if the stop symbol of the winning line matches the symbol of the small winning combination, the corresponding medal is discharged and 1 is added to the number of times Ib of acquiring the small winning combination. The number of acquisitions Ib is the number of times the player has acquired a medal as a small role (S71, S72, S73). Further, when the winning flag is established (F = 2), when the stop symbol of the winning line coincides with the winning symbol, the corresponding medal is discharged, and 1 is added to the winning number Ic to obtain the winning symbol. The number of winnings is counted (S74, S75).

Next, a special notification means (this notification means uses a display such as a liquid crystal display) 20 has a game counter I for the number of games during a prize, the number of occurrences Ia of small wins, the number Ib of small wins Ib, The number of winnings Ic is displayed. It should be noted that instead of the occurrence frequency Ia of these small roles and the acquisition frequency Ib of the small roles, Ib
/ Ia acquisition rate may be displayed. Also, special notification means 2
The display method of 0 may be a display other than a number, a graph, a different character corresponding to the number or the acquisition probability, or a notification by voice. In other words, during the winning, the player may be configured to know the small role, the number of games, and the like, so that the player can know the current situation. Also, unlike the above, the special informing means 20 can acquire many small wins. Therefore, when a small win occurs in the winning flag F, only when the small win cannot be obtained, the player is notified to the player. You may comprise so that it may notify via a notification method, such as lighting. In the control flow in this case, when "NO" in step 72 in FIG. 6, a process (S76 ') of notifying the special notifying unit 20 is performed, and step 76 (or step 80 skipping step 76) is performed.
Proceed to.

The number of games during a prize is 30 games as will be described later, and the number of prizes is set to three.
It is required to obtain many small wins in seven games. Therefore, the number of small role occurrences Ia and the number of small role acquisitions Ib
(The ratio of winning the small role) can increase the player's interest in the game. Further, by displaying the game counter I and the number of winnings Ic together, the progress of the game can be notified.

Next, it is determined whether or not the number of occurrences Ic of winning is three or more (S80).
= 0 (missing state), the prize-winning process ends, and the game returns to the normal game (S82). Also, the number of occurrences of the prize I
Even when a does not become 3 or more, even when the game counter I becomes 30 or more, F = 0 (missing state) is set, the winning process is ended, and the game returns to the normal game (S8).
1). On the other hand, when the prize has not been completed,
Returning to step 51, the game is continued.

The normal operation and the irregular operation of the stop buttons 10A, 10B, and 10C are changed in the order of operation of the stop button. For example, when the stop button 10A is pressed longer than usual, the operation is changed to an irregular operation. The distinction may be made through time or by performing an unusual operation such as operating the stop buttons 10A and 10B simultaneously.

When the number of occurrences of small wins Ia, the number of small wins Ib, and the acquisition rate (Ib / Ia) are different for each type of small win, To
Number of small role occurrences Ia (i), number of small role acquisitions Ib
(I) The acquisition rate Ib / Ia (i) can also be displayed, and the number of medals acquired and the number of medals that could not be acquired can be known, so that the service can be improved for the player. In this case, in FIG. 4 (S46), the number of small role occurrences Ia (i) and the number of small role acquisitions Ib (i) are initialized, and FIG.
5) and FIG. 6 (S73) may be changed so as to execute the addition process and execute the display on the special notification means 20 (S76).

In the above description, the game counter I, the number of small role occurrences Ia, the number of small role acquisitions Ib, and the number of winnings Ic
Is displayed on the special notification means 20 during the winning, but may be displayed in a normal game. To perform this execution, initialization of these variables is performed by turning on the power supply in FIG. Or, when the payment button 13 is pressed,
2 corresponding to the processing shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 during the winning.
(B) Addition is made in (S15) and FIG. 4 (S43), and a message to be displayed on the special notification means 20 is executed.

[0026]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, when the winning flag is established, when the stop button is operated in the normal operation order, the stop symbol becomes a combination not shown in the normal game, and when the stop button is operated in the irregular order, the special notification means is provided. , So that whether the winning flag is established or not is determined.
It can be surely operated by operating the stop button in an irregular order, so it is an effective means for players who are not familiar with the game, for those who are familiar with it, and one model for the manufacturer It is economical because it only needs to be manufactured.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of a gaming machine (slot machine).

FIG. 2A is a control flow for initialization, and FIG. 2B is a control flow for judging a prize.

FIG. 3 is a control flow for stopping a rotating reel.

FIG. 4 is a control flow for discharging medals.

FIG. 5 is a control flow for performing processing during a winning.

FIG. 6 is a control flow for performing a winning process.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Slot Machine 5A, 5B, 5C Symbol Display Window 6A, 6B, 6C Spinning Reel 7 Win Line 8 Start Button 10A, 10B, 10C Stop Button 20 Special Notification Means

[Procedure amendment]

[Submission date] September 2, 1999 (1999.9.2)

[Procedure amendment 1]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] Claims

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

[Claims]

[Procedure amendment 2]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0004

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

[0004]

A gaming machine according to a first aspect of the present invention is provided with a symbol variation display device capable of varyingly displaying a plurality of symbols on a symbol display window, and the symbols displayed on the symbol display window start to vary. Thereby, a winning flag is generated via the winning lottery means, and the variable symbol is stopped at a preset stop symbol corresponding to the winning flag via a stop button. If the stop button is performed in the normal operation order while the winning flag is established, the stop symbol becomes a combination not shown in the normal game (when the winning flag is not established). Notify via notification means. Therefore, whether or not a prize has been established can be reliably known by operating the stop button in an irregular order, so even for a player who is not familiar with the game,
This is an effective means for a player who is familiar with it, and is economical for a manufacturer because only one model needs to be manufactured.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A symbol variation display device capable of varyingly displaying a plurality of types of symbols, a start button for starting symbol variation of the symbol variation device, and a winning lottery means for generating a winning flag based on an operation of the start button. And a stop button for stopping the changing symbol of the symbol changing device at a preset stop symbol corresponding to the winning flag, wherein when the winning flag is established, the stop button Is performed in a normal operation order, a combination of stop symbols is not shown in a normal game, and when operated in an irregular order, a gaming machine is notified via special notification means.