JP2002239157A - Pattern displaying system for game machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a pattern displaying system preventing a player from boredom due to monotonous display in a pattern displaying device when an interval of passage of a game ball through a starting area is long. SOLUTION: In an ordinary condition before the game ball passes through the starting area 27, first - third display patterns 51-53 in a pattern display area are not displayed in the pattern displaying device 30, and a first background image 40 as a motion image is displayed. When the game ball passes through the starting area 27, the display patterns 51-53 selectively displayed in the pattern display area in the pattern displaying device 30 are varied, and then, definitively displayed for rendering a game, while the pattern displaying device 30 displays the display patterns 51-53 from the start of the variation to the definition, and then, cancels display of the display patterns if there is no variation event in the display patterns 51-53.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a gaming machine, and more particularly to a design of a gaming machine such as a pachinko machine which displays a game by driving a game ball into a starting area of a game area to change a display pattern of a symbol display device. About the method.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a gaming machine such as a pachinko machine, a game ball is shot into a game area of a game board by a game ball launching device, a prize hole is won to receive a prize ball, and a start area is provided. , The display symbol of the symbol display device is fluctuated for a certain period of time, and the final display symbol is displayed to play the game. Various types of such gaming machines have been proposed and are widely used as mass entertainment.

FIG. 3 is a front view of a game board of a typical game machine. The game board 10 is substantially square and has a substantially circular game area 20 inside. In the game area 20, there are a guide rail 21, a center case 22, a left and right start gate 23, a plurality of winning ports 24, 25, 26, a start area 27, and an electric tool provided at a game ball passage of the start area 27. It has an object 27A, a special winning opening 28, and an out opening 29. In the center case 22, a special rectangular display device (hereinafter simply referred to as a symbol display device) 30, which is constituted by, for example, a color liquid crystal display panel (LCD), for example, three LEDs (light emitting diodes) Are stored, for example, up to four unprocessed reserved balls that have passed through the ordinary symbol display device 32 and the starting area 27, which are configured by the following. In the game area 20, a large number of nails (not shown) are planted in a complicated geometric pattern, repelling the game balls flowing down the game area, and complicating the flow path of the game balls. changing enhanced gaming property.

[0004] A game is started when a player hits a game ball into a game area 20 along a guide rail 21 from a game ball launching device (not shown). This game ball is winning opening 24 ~
When one of the prizes is won, a predetermined number of prize balls are paid out to the player from a prize ball payout device (not shown). On the other hand, when the game ball passes through the starting gate 23, a “hit” or “missing” symbol is displayed on the ordinary symbol display device 32 by a random number.
In the case of the "hit" symbol, the electric accessory 27A is expanded for a predetermined time so that the game ball easily passes through the starting area 27.

On the other hand, when the game ball passes through the starting area 27,
The display symbols displayed in a plurality (for example, three) symbol display areas of the symbol display device 30 are changed (scrolled). After a certain period of time, the changing display symbols in each symbol display area are sequentially stopped, and when the game ball passes the starting area 27, the display symbols are stopped at a display symbol determined by random number drawing and a `` fixed display symbol '' is displayed. I do. This confirmed display symbol is predetermined (for example, the display symbols of a plurality of symbol display areas are aligned).
In the case of the “big hit symbol”, the gaming machine enters the “big hit state” and the big winning opening 28 is opened. This grand prize mouth 28
Has a wide game ball receiving port, and most of the game balls flowing down the game area 20 enter the special winning opening 28, so that a game state advantageous to the player is achieved. Game balls that do not win the winning openings 24-26 or the open winning opening 28 are placed in the out opening 29.
From the machine to the outside of the machine.

In a conventional gaming machine, once a game ball passes through a starting area, a display symbol displayed on a plurality of symbol display areas of the symbol display device 30 fluctuates (or scrolls).
To start. Then, when a certain time elapses, the display is stopped sequentially like a display symbol in a first symbol display area (for example, left), a second symbol display area (for example, right) and a third symbol display area (for example, center). The fixed display symbol is displayed.
In addition, once the display pattern is stopped (or temporarily stopped),
It is also common practice to obtain a final fixed display symbol after re-changing at least once. As described above, the reason why the display pattern of the symbol display device is changed and produced when the game ball passes through the starting area is that the probability that the game ball flowing down the game area passes through the starting area is relatively low, and furthermore, for example, Even if the ball has passed through the starting area, the probability that the game will be a "big hit" and the gaming machine will be in the "big hit state" is extremely low. Therefore, it is to prevent the player from wandering.

[0007]

Since the frequency with which the game ball passes through the starting area is relatively low as described above, the display symbol of the symbol display device fluctuates once and then displays the fixed display symbol. The same state is maintained until the game ball passes through the starting area. Therefore, in some cases, the player keeps watching the same display pattern that does not change for a considerably long period of time, and there is a problem that the player starts playing the game.

Therefore, the present invention has been conceived in order to solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art. By changing the display of the symbol display device, for example, the game ball can be started for a relatively long time. It is an object of the present invention to provide a symbol display method for a gaming machine that does not cause the player to get bored even when the ball does not pass through, and that can continuously change the display symbol when there is a reserved ball.

[0009]

Symbol display mode of the gaming machine of the present invention According to an aspect of, after varying the display symbols game ball is selected displayed into a plurality of symbol display areas of the symbol display device when passing through the start region It is to perform a game by confirming display, the symbol display device displays the display symbol from the start of the change to the confirmation, and when there is no change event of the display symbol after the confirmation display, the display symbol is hidden. Is what you do.

Further, according to a preferred embodiment of the symbol display system of the gaming machine of the present invention, the background image is displayed on the symbol display device while the display symbol is not displayed. As this background image,
Display a moving image or animation.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The structure and operation of a preferred embodiment of a symbol display system for a gaming machine according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing a symbol display control procedure of a symbol display system of a gaming machine according to the present invention. First, the starting area provided in the gaming area 20 of the gaming machine
It is determined whether or not the vehicle has passed 27 (step S1). When the game ball has passed through the starting area 27 (step S1: Y), a display symbol appears in the symbol display area of the symbol display device 30 and starts to change (scroll) (step S2). On the other hand, if the game ball has not passed through the starting area 27 (step S2: N), the process returns to step S1 and waits for the game ball to pass through the starting area 27.

[0013] Next, when the fluctuation of the display symbol in step S2 described above ending after a certain time, determined display symbol is displayed (step S3). The display of the confirmed display symbol is a preset time (for example, about 1 second). next,
When the symbol display device 30 displays the fixed display symbol for a preset time, it determines whether or not there is a next display symbol change event in the gaming machine (step S4). Here, the display symbol change event means that there is a reserved ball in the reserved ball storage device 34 or that the game ball passes through the starting area. If there is a next display symbol change event (step S4: Y), the process returns to step S2 to start a display symbol change cycle.
On the other hand, when there is no display symbol change event (step S4:
In N), the display symbol of the symbol display device 30 is not displayed and a background image is displayed (step S5). Here, the background image means an image displayed on the symbol display device 30 when the display symbol is in a non-display state. The background image is preferably a moving image or an animation that draws the player's attention during the game.

Next, FIGS. 2A to 2E show various symbol display modes of the symbol display device in a preferred embodiment of the symbol display system of the gaming machine according to the present invention. First, FIG.
(A) shows a state before the game ball passes through the starting area 27 of the gaming machine. In this state, the symbol display device 30 displays the first
Only the background image is displayed, and the display symbols displayed in the plurality of symbol display areas are not displayed at all. The first background image 40 is a coastal views in the example shown, jet skis
41 is a moving image (animation) running around the sea. This first background image 40 indicates that the game ball is in the starting area of the gaming machine.
It will be displayed until you pass 27.

FIG. 2 (B) shows the starting area of the gaming machine where the gaming ball is located.
This shows the state after passing through 27. In this state, the first background image is switched to the second background image 42 and the first (left),
The display symbols displayed in the second (right) and third (center) symbol display areas appear, and change (scroll) starts. Here, the second background image 42 is a coastal scene similar to the first background image 40, but a yacht 43 is displayed instead of the jet ski 41. Also, display symbols in the first to third symbol display areas.
51 to 53 are numbers of “0” to “9”, for example. Since the displayed symbol in the changing state scrolls at a high speed, the player cannot visually recognize the changing symbol. Therefore, in FIG. 2 (B), the changing display symbols are indicated by two arrows (↓) 50, respectively. This change of the display symbol continues for a predetermined period of time.

Next, FIG. 2 (C) is the same as FIG.
It ends the display symbol variation state shown in, showing a state in which confirmation display symbol is displayed stopped. Here, the first display symbol 51 is “1”, the second display symbol 52 is “3”, and the third display symbol 53
Is “2”. This confirmed display symbol "123" is displayed for a fixed time (for example, 0.8 seconds). In a general gaming machine, the "big hit symbol" is a case where all the display symbols 51 to 53 are aligned, and therefore the "fixed display symbol" shown in FIG. It indicates a certain "disengaged state", and the large winning opening 28 of the gaming machine does not open.

Next, FIG. 2 (D) shows that, after the end of the display period of the fixed display symbol of FIG. 2 (C), if there is a next fluctuation event, for example, The operation in a certain case will be described. In this case, the change of the next display symbols 51 to 53 starts, so that the state immediately shifts to the state shown in FIG. Therefore, the background image is the second background image 42
It is. At this time, since the display symbols 51 to 53 fluctuate at high speed, the player cannot see the symbols, and the symbols are displayed by arrows 50. On the other hand, FIG. 2E shows an operation when there is no next symbol change event described above. In this case, the state shifts to the state of FIG. Therefore, the display symbols 51 to 53 are not displayed. Then, the first background image 40 is displayed on the symbol display device 30, and the jet ski 41 runs around on the sea.

In the preferred embodiment of the present invention shown in FIGS. 2A to 2E, the first background image 40 and the second background image 42 are similar to each other, and the jet ski 41 or the yacht is located on the sea. 43 is displayed, and it differs depending on whether a moving image or a still image is displayed. However, the two background images 40 and 42 may be completely different images. Further, for example, when the game time elapses a predetermined time, the background image is changed to, for example, “sea”.
May be changed to "mountain" or the like to prevent the player from getting tired of the game. Further, the jet ski 41 moved and displayed on the first background image 40 displayed in the normal state may be changed to a fish such as a surf or a whale.

The configuration and operation of the preferred embodiment of the symbol display system for a gaming machine according to the present invention have been described above in detail. However, this embodiment is merely an example of the present invention and does not limit the present invention in any way. Various modifications and alterations are possible in accordance with the specific application without departing from the gist of the present invention.

[0020]

As will be understood from the above description, according to the symbol display method of the gaming machine of the present invention, the following remarkable practical effects can be obtained. That is, in the normal state in which the game ball does not pass through the starting area, the display symbol displayed on the symbol display device is not displayed (erased). And
For example, by displaying the first background image (animation) which is a moving image, it is possible to prevent the image of the symbol display device from changing and the player from getting bored even when the display symbol does not change. . When the game ball passes through the starting area, the display symbol appears on the symbol display device and starts to change.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing a symbol display control procedure of a symbol display method of a gaming machine according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows various symbol fluctuation modes of a symbol display device in a preferred embodiment of a symbol display method of a gaming machine according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a front view of a game board of a typical game machine to which a symbol display method of the game machine according to the present invention is applicable.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 game board 20 playfield 27 starting region 30 symbol display device 40 first background image (moving image) 42 second background image (still image) 51-53 display symbol

Claims (3)

[Claims] When a game ball passes through a starting area, a display pattern selectively displayed on a plurality of symbol display areas of a symbol display device is fluctuated, and then the display is confirmed and displayed to perform a game. The symbol display device displays the display symbol during the period from the start of the change to the confirmation, and hides the display symbol when there is no change event of the display symbol after the confirmation display. A game machine symbol display method. 2. The symbol display method for a gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein a background image is displayed on the symbol display device while the display symbol is not displayed. 3. The symbol display method for a gaming machine according to claim 2, wherein a moving image or an animation is displayed as the background image.