JP2001231957A - Special design displaying method of game machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve the entertaining property of a display. SOLUTION: In a three-dimensional object, the image of a special design is mapped on the outer surface of which or the shape of which represents a special design, a light source is arranged, and with light source turned on, turned off or the light quantity or color varied, the images of the three- dimensional object seen from outside are displayed with the special design display device.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a special symbol display of a gaming machine in which a game is played by changing and displaying an image pattern (special symbol) such as a plurality of numbers on a display unit to open a winning opening of a variable winning device. About the method.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a game machine called a pachinko machine is provided with a display device arranged at the center of a game board and displaying a special symbol composed of a plurality of figures and figures while changing the pattern. There is. And of the image pattern,
For example, if the combination of multiple numbers is "8", "8",
When a predetermined combination such as "8" is reached, the variable winning device is opened for a certain period of time. A special prize state is set and a game value is given to the player. Further, the probability of the combination of the image patterns in the special prize state (hereinafter, referred to as fluctuation probability) is not fixed but is changed according to the game state.

[0003] The value of the variation probability is represented by, for example, a number, and is displayed on a display so that the player is notified of the value of the variation probability. Examples of gaming machines that perform three-dimensional display of special symbols include Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 11-70229 and Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No.
No. 81) has been proposed.

[0004]

However, in the above proposal, the movement of the three-dimensional object is, for example, only a rotational movement, and the recreation of the player is poor.

In view of the above, an object of the present invention is to provide a special symbol display method for a gaming machine which can enhance entertainment.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, an invention according to claim 1 is a method in which an image of a special symbol is mapped on the outer surface of the three-dimensional object or the shape itself of the three-dimensional object. Creates a special symbol using an image processing processor,
A light source is arranged inside the three-dimensional object, a special design image is mapped on the outer surface of the three-dimensional object, and a display image showing a state of the special design as viewed from the viewpoint of a camera installed outside is processed by the image processing processor. It is characterized in that it is created and the created display image is displayed by a special symbol display device.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the special symbol display method for a gaming machine according to the first aspect, the light source is controlled to be turned on / off.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the special symbol display method for a gaming machine according to the first aspect, the light characteristic of the light source is variably set.

[0009]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a gaming machine, in this case,
1 shows an example of a front view of a pachinko machine. Since the mechanical structure of the pachinko machine can be the same as that of the conventional example as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-319252, the description will be limited to only the components related to the present invention.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 100 denotes a special symbol display device for variably displaying an image pattern.

Reference numeral 101 denotes a variable winning device that opens a winning opening when the image pattern is a combination of predetermined specific numbers, that is, when a special prize state is established. 102 is a specific area, and when a game ball wins during the special prize state, the special prize state is continued.

Reference numeral 103 denotes a normal symbol display device, and when a game ball wins a specific winning opening, different numbers are displayed while changing.

FIG. 2 shows a circuit configuration of a control system of the gaming machine.
The same parts as those in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description will be omitted.

In FIG. 2, reference numeral 200 denotes a CPU that functions as a main control unit. The CPU 200 uses a CPU chip including a ROM 201 and a RAM 202,
The ROM and the RAM may be connected by a bus.

The ROM 201 stores a program for controlling the gaming machine. The program includes a program for setting a change probability and designating a display pattern corresponding to the change probability. The ROM 201 further stores various parameter values for controlling the gaming machine.

The RAM 202 stores input / output data to / from the CPU 200, data for arithmetic processing, and the like. 20
Reference numeral 3 denotes an input port for inputting a signal from each circuit described later and transferring the signal to the CPU 200. Reference numeral 204 denotes a special symbol start switch, which is installed at a specific winning opening. When the number of the special symbol displayed on the special symbol display device 100 is a combination of specific numbers, and when the game ball wins the specific winning opening, the special symbol start switch 204 is operated, and the CPU is activated.
At the instruction of 200, the winning opening of the variable winning device 101 is opened.

Reference numeral 205 denotes a normal symbol operation switch. When a game ball wins a specific winning opening, the normal symbol operation switch 205 is operated, and a winning device, for example, a tulip is opened by an instruction from the CPU 200. Reference numeral 206 denotes a specific area switch, which is provided in the specific area 102 shown in FIG.

Reference numeral 207 denotes a conventionally well-known other switch group for operating each part of the gaming machine in accordance with the gaming state.

Reference numeral 208 denotes a power supply circuit for supplying power to the entire circuit of FIG. Reference numeral 209 denotes a variable input device, which is a CPU.
The winning opening is opened / closed by an instruction from 200. 210 is a device (including a circuit) installed in a conventionally well-known game.

Reference numeral 211 denotes a lamp display device related to a game, and selectively turns on / off a plurality of lamps according to an instruction from the CPU 200. A speaker 212 outputs sound related to the game.

FIG. 3 shows the internal structure of the special symbol display device 100.

In FIG. 3, reference numeral 301 denotes a CPU, which performs image processing and image display control according to a program stored in a program ROM 306.

Reference numeral 302 denotes a main control unit (CPU) 200
The display command signal receiving circuit receives a command signal relating to display, in this example, an identification code indicating a pattern of a symbol to be displayed.

Reference numeral 303 denotes a character ROM, which is data relating to a three-dimensional object for synthesizing an image (combination pattern) for displaying a special symbol, that is, shape data indicating the shape of the three-dimensional object (such as a wire frame or an object). ) And an image (called a texture) to be pasted (mapped) on the surface of the three-dimensional object, and an identification code (identification number of a special symbol) corresponding to the position and the image on the three-dimensional object.

Reference numeral 304 denotes an image processing LSI (integrated circuit), which outputs an image to be displayed on an LCD (liquid crystal) display 305 according to the control procedure of FIG.
The image is synthesized on the M 308, and the synthesized image is read out from the video RAM 308 at regular intervals and output to the LCD display 305.

An LCD display 305 displays an image synthesized by the image processing LSI 304. Three
A program ROM 06 stores a program for image processing executed by the CPU 301. The program ROM 306 stores a display control program defining the contents of the display control performed by the CPU 301.

Reference numeral 307 denotes a RAM, which temporarily stores data used for the arithmetic processing of the CPU 301. A video RAM 308 synthesizes an image to be displayed on the LCD display 305.

Prior to describing the present invention, an image processing LS
The processing of I304 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 4 shows the processing contents of the basic program included in the image processing LSI 304. In FIG. 4, an instruction is sent from the main control unit 200 to the image processing LSI 304 to determine which special symbol (identification number) is to be displayed, as in the related art (step S1).
0). Upon receiving this instruction, the image processing LSI 304 reads out data related to objects and textures stored in the character ROM 303, creates an image described later using a three-dimensional processing program prepared in advance, and stores the image in the video RAM 308. Write (Step S2
0).

The image stored in the video RAM 308 is read out by the image processing LCD at regular intervals and read out by the LCD.
It is sent to the display 305 and displayed (step S
30). The above processing procedure is repeatedly executed each time the special symbol is displayed in a variable manner.

The variable display control according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

FIG. 5A shows the positional relationship between the three-dimensional object 2 and the light source 1 installed in the virtual space. Light source 1 is 3
It is installed at the center position in the three-dimensional object. This embodiment is shown in FIG.
As shown in (B), the texture of the special design, that is, the image of the special design, is mapped on the outer surface of the three-dimensional object 2 with the light source 1 arranged inside the three-dimensional object 2.
A state in which light is irradiated on the three-dimensional object 2 by the internal light source is photographed from the viewpoint of a camera (not shown) provided outside, and an image indicating the photographing state is created by the image processing LSI 304.

The data indicating the texture and the shape of the three-dimensional object (called an object) is a character R
It is prepared in the OM 303 in advance. Since the image of the three-dimensional object viewed from the camera viewpoint in such an arrangement state can be realized by a conventional 3D image processing method, detailed description of the 3D image processing will not be required.

Using such a 3D image processing method,
FIG. 6 shows an example in which an image for displaying a special symbol on each surface of the three-dimensional object is created and displayed on the display screen of the LCD display 305. In this example, the special symbols "2", "4", and "6" are used to create a display image with the light source 1 turned on, and the other symbols are created with the light source 1 not turned on. I have. The display images of the plurality of special symbols created by the image processing LSI (image processing processor) 304 are synthesized on the video RAM 308 and displayed on the LCD display 305. This makes certain special symbols stand out more than others.

In addition to the above-described embodiment, the following embodiment can be implemented. 1) For the light source 1, it is preferable not only to control the lighting and non-lighting, but also to turn on and off the light source 1 in time series. Further, when the light characteristics such as the amount of light emitted from the light source 1 and the color are changed, it is possible to provide an entertaining display. In this case, the values of parameters such as light quantity, lighting, turning off, and color are set as one data set (data set) in the form of a character RO corresponding to time.
It may be stored in M303, and a predetermined data set may be read from the table when the display image is created. 2) When the light source 1 is moved in a six-dimensional direction (x, y, z, rotation in the axial direction and linear movement) in the virtual space, various effects can be achieved. 3) Further, it is a matter of course that various kinds of information may be notified by changing the light irradiation state by the methods 1) and 2) described above. 4) The image to be displayed is an image that maps the image of the special symbol or an image in which the shape of the three-dimensional object itself represents the special symbol, and is an image showing the state of the special symbol as viewed from the viewpoint of a camera installed outside. be able to. 5) As the special symbol, a three-dimensional object in which an image is mapped, a three-dimensional object whose shape itself represents a special symbol, or the like can be used.

Various modifications can be made in addition to the above-described embodiment. However, as long as the modification is based on the technical idea described in the claims, the modification falls within the technical scope of the present invention. .

[0036]

As described above, according to the present invention, an image of a special symbol mapped on the outer surface is displayed in a state where light is emitted from a light source disposed inside a three-dimensional object. In addition, it is possible to provide a display mode and an effect state, which have not existed in the past, and thus it is possible to enhance the entertainment of the gaming machine.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing the appearance of the front of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a circuit configuration of a control system according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an internal configuration of a special symbol display device 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a display control procedure according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 5A and 5B are explanatory diagrams showing display control contents according to the embodiment of the present invention; FIG.

FIGS. 6A and 6B are explanatory diagrams showing display control contents according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 100 Special symbol display device 101 Variable winning device 102 Specific area 103 Normal symbol display device 200, 301 CPU 304 Image processing LSI 305 LCD display

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Mitsuo Nakajima 2-3014-8 Hirosawacho, Kiryu-shi, Gunma 8 Heiwanai Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Yuki Matsumoto 2-3014 Hirosawacho, Kiryu-shi, Gunma 8 shares Heiwauchi Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Takeaki Sueoka, 2-3014-8, Hirosawa-cho, Kiryu-shi, Gunma 8 Heiwauchi Co., Ltd. 72) Inventor Michiharu Akasaka 2-3014 Hirosawa-cho, Kiryu-shi, Gunma 8 Heiwanai Corporation F-term (reference) 2C088 AA35

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A three-dimensional object in which a light source is arranged inside a three-dimensional object, and an image of a special design is mapped on an outer surface of the three-dimensional object, or the shape itself of the three-dimensional object is a special design. What is represented is that a display image indicating the state of the special symbol as viewed from the viewpoint of a camera installed outside is created by an image processing processor, and the created display image is displayed by a special symbol display device. The special symbol display method of the gaming machine. 2. The special symbol display method for a gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein the light source is controlled to be turned on / off. 3. The special symbol display method for a gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein the light characteristic of the light source is variably set.