JP2000126361A - Game machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a game machine allowing an unskilled player to fully enjoy the pleasure of a game, resolving the difference of the game skill between players, and allowing the players to impartially play games. SOLUTION: This game machine is provided with a stop action reception position detecting means (a reel position detecting circuit 34) for detecting the rotational positions of reels 5a-5c when a player operates stop switches 17a-17c and reporting means (a reporting LED 8 and a speaker 21) for reporting the rotational positions of the reels 5a-5c detected by the stop action reception position detecting means to the player.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a slot machine,
The present invention relates to a gaming machine such as a pachislot gaming machine, and more particularly to a gaming machine capable of notifying a rotation position of a reel when a stop switch is operated.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a game machine of this type represented by a slot machine has a plurality of reels each displaying a plurality of kinds of symbols on an outer peripheral surface, a rotation drive device for individually rotating each reel, A start switch for simultaneously starting the rotation of the reels and a stop switch for individually stopping the reels were provided.

In a conventional gaming machine having such a configuration, a game can be started by inserting a game medal. When the player operates the start switch after the conditions for starting the game are set, the plurality of reels rotate at the same time, and the plurality of symbols drawn on the reel surface move at high speed. Then, when the player operates the stop switch corresponding to each reel, the rotation of each reel is stopped, and the symbols drawn on the reel surface are stopped and displayed.

Here, when the combination of the symbols stopped and displayed becomes a predetermined combination, a game medal as a prize is paid out by the game medal payout device, or the player is more advantageous than the normal game. A special game called a so-called big bonus game can be played.

[0005] By the way, each reel is stopped based on the operation of the stop switch by the player. However, each reel does not stop simultaneously with the operation of the stop switch.
The rotation of each reel is stopped within a predetermined time after the stop switch is operated.

Therefore, the player can configure the winning mode by operating the stop switch at a predetermined timing while confirming the symbols moving and displayed at high speed with the rotation of each reel. That is, by operating the stop switch at a timing when a symbol which is a predetermined number of frames before the symbol constituting the winning mode is displayed, the winning mode is configured to obtain a game medal as a prize, or a big bonus Can play games.

[0007] In the conventional gaming machine described above,
The stop position of each reel is not necessarily determined based only on the operation timing of the stop switch. That is,
In a gaming machine such as a slot machine, the gaming machine is controlled such that a prize mode is generated with a predetermined probability of occurrence for the purpose of, for example, balancing a player's profit and a game store's profit. Only when the generation of the winning mode is permitted in the device, the stop display mode of the symbol becomes the winning mode,
Reel rotation and stop are controlled.

[0008]

As described above, in order to form a winning mode in a gaming machine, the stop switch must be operated while checking the symbols displayed while each reel is rotating. The operation of such a stop switch requires a so-called "push" technique of visually observing a symbol moving and displayed at a high speed, and for a player who is inexperienced in the game, what kind of reel rotation is required It was difficult to recognize whether the stop switch was operated at the position.

In a gaming machine in which the rotation and stop of the reels are controlled based on a predetermined probability of occurrence of a winning mode, the winning mode is configured when the control device does not permit the occurrence of the winning mode. Even when the stop switch is operated at a predetermined position where the symbol can be played, the symbol may shift and stop from the symbol stop position that is a combination of the winning modes. On the other hand, if the control device permits generation of a winning mode, a combination of the winning modes can appear even if the stop switch is operated at a position other than the predetermined position where the winning mode can be configured. There is. When such a so-called “slip” or “pull-in” appears, the control device can recognize whether or not the occurrence of the winning mode is permitted.

[0010] However, whether or not "slip" or "pull-in" has appeared can be recognized only when it is possible to recognize at what reel rotation position the player has operated the stop switch. It is what becomes.

[0011] Therefore, it is difficult for a player who is inexperienced in the game to recognize the reel rotation position at which the stop switch has been operated, so that the player cannot fully enjoy the enjoyment of the game. There was a problem.

[0012] Further, since the skill level of the game greatly affects the game result, there is a problem that players having different skill levels cannot play a fair game.

The gaming machine of the present invention has been proposed in view of the above-mentioned circumstances. By informing the rotation position of the reel when the stop switch is operated, even a game player who is not yet skilled in the game can enjoy the game. It is an object of the present invention to provide a gaming machine which can sufficiently enjoy the game, and can eliminate a difference in gaming skills between players and play a fair game.

[0014]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A gaming machine according to the present invention has been made to achieve the above-mentioned object, and comprises a plurality of reels each displaying a plurality of types of symbols on an outer peripheral surface, and each of the reels being individually provided. A rotation drive device for rotating the reels, a start switch for simultaneously starting the rotation of the reels, a stop switch for individually stopping the reels, and a symbol displayed when the reels are stopped In a gaming machine provided with a game medal payout device for paying out a predetermined number of game medals when the combination constitutes a predetermined winning mode, the reels at the time when the player operates the stop switch are displayed. Stopping operation reception position detecting means for detecting a rotation position, and a rotation position of the reel detected by the stop operation reception position detecting means for the player. It is characterized in that a notifying means for knowledge.

The notifying means may be configured to visually notify the rotational position of the reel detected by the stop operation receiving position detecting means, or may be configured to notify audibly. Alternatively, it may be configured to notify visually and audibly.

[0016]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Hereinafter, embodiments of a gaming machine according to the present invention will be specifically described with reference to the drawings.

In the embodiment described below, a slot machine will be described as an example of a typical gaming machine.

<Slot Machine> FIGS. 1 and 2 show an example of an embodiment of a gaming machine according to the present invention. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a slot machine, and FIG. 2 is a controller connected to the controller. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a peripheral device.

As shown in FIG. 1, a slot machine 1 according to the present invention has a housing 3 having a front door 2 which can be opened and closed on the front.
It has. The front door 2 is provided with three display windows 4a to 4c arranged on the left and right above the center of the front of the front door 2,
The outer peripheral surfaces of the three reels 5a to 5c arranged inside the housing 3 respectively face the display windows 4a to 4c. In addition, around the display windows 4a to 4c, prize line displays 6a to 6e for displaying valid prize lines are provided across the display windows 4a to 4c. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, a total of five pay line displays 6a to 6e are provided, three horizontal lines and two diagonal lines intersecting the horizontal lines. Further, on the left end side of each of the pay line displays 6a to 6e, there are provided valid line display lamps 7a to 7e for displaying valid pay lines.

Above the display windows 4a to 4c, there is provided a notification LED 8 for notifying the rotation position of each of the reels 5a to 5c when the stop switches 17a to 17c are operated. The notification LED 8 includes, for example, 21 L
The EDs are arranged side by side, and each symbol position displayed on the outer peripheral surface of each of the reels 5a to 5c corresponds to each LED on a one-to-one basis. Note that the number of the notification LEDs 8 is not limited to the number described above, and can be appropriately changed according to the number of symbols displayed on the outer peripheral surface of each of the reels 5a to 5c. In addition, if each LED is configured to emit a plurality of colors, and each LED notifies the rotation position corresponding to the number of emission colors, the number of LEDs can be reduced.

The front door 2 below the display windows 4a to 4c.
As shown in FIG. 1, there are provided display units such as a credit number display 9 for displaying the number of credited game medals, a payout number display 10 for displaying the number of game medals paid out at the time of winning. Have been.

A medal slot 11 for inserting a game medal to be used for a game, and a game medal to be used for a game within a credited area are provided on the front surface of the front door 2 below the credit number display 9 and the like. A bet switch 12 for inserting one by one and a max bet switch 13 for inserting game medals to be provided for a game within a credited range up to a maximum allowable bet number are provided. Also,
A medal sensor 14 (shown in FIG. 2) for detecting game medals is arranged in a medal passage (not shown) communicating with the medal insertion slot 11 described above.

On the front surface of the front door 2 below the medal insertion slot 11 and the like, a C / P switch 15 for switching between crediting and paying out game medals obtained by the player, and insertion of game medals. Each reel 5a ~
Start switch 1 for starting rotation of c simultaneously
6 and each reel 5a corresponding to each reel 5a-c individually.
There are provided three stop switches 17a to 17c for stopping the rotation of .about.c.

Further, a medal tray 1 for receiving game medals paid out as a prize is provided below the front door 2.
8 and a medal payout port 19 is provided so as to face the medal tray 18. Further, a sound transmission hole 20 is provided on the right side of the medal payout exit 19,
A speaker 21 is provided inside the housing 3 so as to face the sound transmission hole 20.

In the housing 3, the reels 5a to 5c are rotatably disposed at positions where the outer peripheral surface faces the respective display windows 4, and at positions where the reels 5a to 5c communicate with the medal payout port 19, a prize is provided. Hopper 2 for paying out game medals
2 (shown in FIG. 2) are arranged. A control device 23 (shown in FIG. 2) for electrically controlling the slot machine 1 is provided inside the housing 3. The hopper 22 functions as a game medal payout device.

On the outer peripheral surface of each of the reels 5a to 5c, a translucent reel tape on which a plurality of types of symbols are displayed at predetermined intervals is attached. The types of the symbols are, for example, “7”, “BAR”, “watermelon”, “bell”, “plum”, “cherry” and the like.
21 symbols are displayed for each of a to c. The types of symbols and the number of symbols to be displayed on each of the reels 5a to 5c can be appropriately changed and implemented.

Also, inside each of the reels 5a to 5c, a reel lamp 44 (FIG. 2) for transmitting and illuminating a symbol visually recognized through the display windows 4a to 4c from the inner side of the reels 5a to 5c.
) Are provided vertically and three each. By turning on the reel lamp 44, each of the reels 5a to 5c can be illuminated from the inside to highlight the symbols stopped and displayed on the activated pay line.

<Game in Slot Machine> To play a game in the slot machine 1 described above, first, a player inserts a game medal into the medal slot 11 or operates the bet switch 12 or the max bet switch 13 to obtain a credit. A game medal to be used for a game within the range of is inserted. Here, a pay line that is valid according to the number of inserted game medals is determined, and the corresponding valid line display lamps 7a to 7e are turned on. For example, when one game medal is inserted, one central horizontal line is valid, and when two game medals are inserted, three upper, middle, and lower horizontal lines are valid. When three game medals, which are the number of bets, are inserted, a total of five lines including three upper, middle, and lower horizontal lines and two diagonal lines are valid.

Next, when the player operates the start switch 16, the reels 5a to 5c start rotating simultaneously, and a plurality of symbols displayed on the outer peripheral surfaces of the reels 5a to 5c are displayed in the display windows 4a to 4c. Is moved up and down. When the rotation of the reels 5a to 5c reaches a predetermined speed, the stop switches 17a to 17c are activated. When the player operates the stop switches 17a to 17c, the corresponding reels 5a to 5c are activated.
To c stop.

Here, when the combination of the symbols stopped and displayed on the activated pay line is in a predetermined winning mode, a number of game medals corresponding to each winning mode are paid out as a prize. Or added as credit.

The predetermined prize modes include a normal game prize mode, a special game prize mode which is advantageous to the player as compared with the normal game, and a re-game prize mode. further,
The winning modes of the special game include a so-called big bonus game winning mode and a regular bonus game winning mode.

The above-described series of game operations are controlled by a control device 23 provided in the housing 3.

<Control Device> The control device 23 will be described with reference to FIG.

As shown in FIG. 2, the control device 23
U24, ROM 25, RAM 26, a clock circuit 27 for generating an operation clock signal for the CPU 24, and a probability setting unit 28 for setting a winning occurrence probability.

The ROM 25 stores a sequence of processing in a game of the slot machine 1 as a sequence program, and also stores data such as a winning probability table for determining a lottery probability and the like. The game in the slot machine 1 is controlled by the operation of the CPU 24 and the like based on the CPU.

The clock circuit 27 includes a clock pulse generator 29 for generating a reference clock having a predetermined frequency.
Divides the reference clock signal so that the CPU 24
Frequency divider 30 for generating the operation clock signal of

The probability setting section 28 generates a random number within a predetermined range under the control of the CPU 24, and extracts an arbitrary random number from the random numbers generated by the random number generator 31 and transmits the random number to the CPU 24. And a random number sampling circuit 32 for performing the operation.

A plurality of I / Os provided in the CPU 24
The ports include a bet switch 12, a max bet switch 13, a C / P switch 15, and a start switch 1.
6. Medal sensor 14, motor drive circuit 33, reel position detection circuit 34, reel stop signal circuit 35, hopper drive circuit 36, payout completion signal circuit 37, display drive circuit 3.
8, a speaker drive circuit 39 and a lamp drive circuit 40 are connected.

Hereinafter, each of the above circuits will be described in detail.

The motor drive circuit 33 includes a reel 5a
To stepping motors 41a to rotate c.
c is connected, and starts or stops the rotation of each of the reels 5a to 5c by supplying or stopping the supply of the drive pulse to each of the stepping motors 41a to 41c under the control of the CPU 24. Note that the stepping motors 41a to 41c function as rotary driving devices.

The reel position detecting circuit 34 is provided with position detecting sensors such as optical sensors for detecting the rotational positions of the reels 5a to 5c. The reels 5a to 5c detected by the position detecting sensors are provided. Position detection signal of CPU
24. The reel position detection circuit 34
Function as stop operation receiving position detecting means for detecting the rotational positions of the reels 5a to 5c when the player operates the stop switches 17a to 17c.

The reel stop signal circuit 35 is connected to stop switches 17a to 17c. When the player operates the stop switches 17a to 17c, the stop switches 17a to 17c are detected and a stop switch detection signal is transmitted to the CPU 24. Is done.

The hopper drive circuit 36 is connected to the hopper 22 for storing game medals.

The payout completion signal circuit 37 is connected to a medal storage section 42 and a medal detection section 43. The medal storage unit 42 is a part for storing and storing game medals inserted from the medal insertion slot 11 and game medals paid out as a prize, and can store and store game medals until a predetermined maximum allowable storage number is reached. . The maximum allowable storage number is, for example, 50, and up to 50 game medals are stored and stored, and the game medals exceeding 50 are actually transferred from the hopper 22 to the medal tray 18.
Will be paid out. The game medals actually paid out are counted by the medal detection unit 43 when the game medals are paid out from the hopper 22 to the medal tray 18. Then, when the added value stored in the medal storage unit 42 or the count value in the medal detection unit 43 reaches a predetermined number of payouts, a payout completion signal circuit 37 transmits a payout completion signal to the CPU 24.

The display drive circuit 38 is connected to the valid line display lamps 7a to 7e, the notification LED 8, the credit number display 9, and the payout number display 10, and the CPU 24
Based on the control of these effective line display lamps 7a to 7a.
e, turning on the notification LED 8 and displaying on the indicators 9 and 10.

The speaker 21 for generating sound effects and the like is connected to the speaker drive circuit 39, and the symbols visually recognized through the display windows 4a to 4c are connected to the lamp drive circuit 40 on the inner surfaces of the reels 5a to 5c. A reel lamp 44 for transmitting illumination from the side is connected.

<Control Processing> Next, of the control processing in the slot machine 1 by the control device 23, emphasis is particularly placed on the notification processing of the rotational positions of the reels 5a to 5c when the stop switches 17a to 17c are operated. Will be described.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a procedure of a process of notifying the rotational positions of the reels 5a to 5c when the stop switches 17a to 17c are operated in the control process in the slot machine 1, and FIG. It is explanatory drawing explaining the correspondence of the stop operation reception position of c, notification LED8, and notification sound.

In the slot machine 1, the medal slot 11
The game can be started when a game medal is inserted into the game, or when the bet switch 12 or the max bet switch 13 is operated and the game medal is received within the credit range. Here, when the start switch 16 is operated, rotation of all the reels 5a to 5c starts, and a plurality of symbols are moved and displayed in the display windows 4a to 4c at high speed.

Then, as shown in FIG. 3, each reel 5a
After ~ c reaches a predetermined rotation speed, the stop switch 1
When the stop switches 17a to 7c are operated (S1), the reels 5a to 5a are operated at the time when the stop switches 17a to 17c are operated.
The stop operation acceptance position (rotation position) of c is extracted (S
2).

The extraction of the stop operation acceptance position of each of the reels 5a to 5c is performed based on the detection output of the reel position detection circuit 34 constituting the control device 23.

Next, the notification LED 8 corresponding to the extracted stop operation reception position of each of the reels 5a to 5c is turned on for a predetermined time, and a corresponding notification sound is generated from the speaker (S3), and the process is returned.

The correspondence between the stop operation receiving position of each of the reels 5a to 5c, the notification LED 8 and the notification sound is as shown in FIG. 4, and 2 is displayed on the outer peripheral surface of each of the reels 5a to 5c.
LED1 to LED21 correspond to one symbol respectively.
Is turned on, and reception sounds 1 to 21 are generated from the speaker.

Each reception sound generated from the speaker 21 may be any sound as long as it can be distinguished from other reception sounds. For example, the melody may be composed of a plurality of music pieces, the tempo and the pitch may be changed even for the same melody, or the rotation positions of the reels 5a to 5c may be expressed by words.

Generally, the stop operation of each of the reels 5a to 5c is performed in the order of the left reel 5a, the center reel 5b, and the right reel 5c. Are performed in this order.

The above-described notification of the stop operation acceptance position of each of the reels 5a to 5c may be performed on all the reels 5a to 5c, or may be performed on only one of the reels 5a, 5b, and 5c. Or any combination. In particular, it is possible to increase the pleasure of the game by notifying the stop operation accepting position to the right reel 5c on which it is finally determined whether or not the winning mode is configured, thereby increasing the pleasure of the game. is there.

<Other Embodiments> In the above-described embodiment, the notification LED 8 constitutes a notification means for visually notifying the rotation positions of the reels 5a to 5c when the stop switches 17a to 17c are operated. However, the notification means may be, for example, a plurality of lamps, a 7-segment LED capable of displaying numbers from "1" to "21", or a dot matrix display.

Further, the speaker 21 constitutes an informing means for audibly informing the rotational positions of the reels 5a to 5c at the time when the stop switches 17a to 17c are operated. A hammer or the like that generates sound may be used. In this case, the rotation position of each of the reels 5a to 5c may be notified based on the number of hitting sounds or the like.

Although both the notification LED 8 and the speaker 21 are provided as the notification means, the notification means may be constituted by either the notification LED 8 or the speaker 21 alone.

In the above-described embodiment, the slot machine 1 has been described as an example of a typical gaming machine.
The present invention is also applicable to pachislot machines and the like.

[0061]

Since the gaming machine of the present invention has the above-described configuration, the following effects can be obtained.

That is, according to the gaming machine of the present invention, the rotation position of the reel at the time when the player operates the stop switch is detected by the stop operation reception position detection means,
The rotation position of the reel is reported to the player by the reporting means.

Therefore, all the players including the inexperienced player can recognize the reel rotation position at the time when the stop switch is operated. For this reason, the player can recognize whether or not the stop switch has been operated at a desired position, and even a player who is inexperienced in the game can fully enjoy the pleasure of the game. In addition, it is possible to eliminate a difference in game skills between players and make a fair game played.

Further, when a so-called "slip" or "pull-in" appears, the control device can recognize whether or not the occurrence of a winning mode is permitted, thereby increasing the pleasure of the game. it can.

The notifying means notifies the player of the rotation position of the reel when the stop switch is operated, visually, audibly, or a combination thereof.

Therefore, the rotation position of the reel at the time when the stop switch is operated can be reliably recognized, so that the pleasure of the game can be further increased.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a slot machine according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a controller of the slot machine according to one embodiment of the present invention and peripheral devices connected to the controller.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a procedure of a notification process of a rotation position of a reel when a stop switch is operated.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram for explaining a correspondence between a reel stop operation receiving position, a notification LED, and a notification sound.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Slot machine 2 Front door 3 Case 4a-c Display window 5a-c Reel 6a-e Win line display 7a-e Effective line display lamp 8 Notification LED 9 Credit number display 10 Payout number display 11 Medal slot 12 Bet Switch 13 Max bet switch 14 Medal sensor 15 C / P switch 16 Start switch 17a-c Stop switch 18 Medal tray 19 Medal payout slot 20 Sound transmission hole 21 Speaker 22 Hopper 23 Control device 24 CPU 25 ROM 26 RAM 27 Clock circuit 28 Probability Setting unit 29 Clock pulse generator 30 Frequency divider 31 Random number generator 32 Random number sampling circuit 33 Motor drive circuit 34 Reel position detection circuit 35 Reel stop signal circuit 36 Hopper drive circuit 37 Payout completion signal circuit 38 Display Dynamic circuit 39 speaker driving circuit 40 lamp drive circuit 41a~c stepping motor 42 medal accumulating part 43 medal detection section 44 reel lamp

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of reels each displaying a plurality of types of symbols on an outer peripheral surface, a rotation drive device for individually rotating each of the reels, and a start switch for simultaneously starting rotation of each of the reels. A stop switch for individually stopping each of the reels, and a game for paying out a predetermined number of game medals when a combination of symbols displayed when each reel is stopped constitutes a predetermined winning mode. In a gaming machine provided with a medal payout device, the stop operation receiving position detecting means for detecting the rotation position of the reel at the time when the player operates the stop switch, and the stop operation receiving position detecting means A gaming machine comprising: a notifying unit for notifying a player of a rotation position of a reel. 2. The gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein the notifying means visually notifies the rotation position of the reel detected by the stop operation receiving position detecting means. 3. The gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein the notifying unit audibly notifies the rotation position of the reel detected by the stop operation receiving position detecting unit. 4. The gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein the notifying means visually and audibly notifies the rotation position of the reel detected by the stop operation receiving position detecting means.