JP2003117114A - Game machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce the load of image memory by using at least one of expectation degree expressing images and express a plurality of kinds of expectation degrees by an expressing image with at least one of the expectation degrees. SOLUTION: Because an expectation value can be expressed by a difference in an appearance time by using the same character and changing its appearance time with the same movement, the load of a control system such as image memory can be sharply reduced. Moreover, because it is unnecessary that a player memorizes a plurality of kinds of images and expectation values with correspondence and it is good that he simply focuses on only the appearance time, a game machine is easy to understand also for a beginner and he can focus on the change state of a special figure pattern directly related to primary drawing or the like. Moreover, by simplifying a plurality of characters and their movement, the development period of a pachinko machine itself can be shortened and bugs in development or the like can be reduced at the rate of simple image formation.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention executes a lottery by winning a prize at a starting opening, and the result of the lottery is notified to a player by a symbol change pattern composed of a predetermined symbol and a background. The present invention relates to a gaming machine which is provided with a display device and can be brought into a gaming state advantageous to a player when the result of the lottery is hit.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a lottery is made by detecting a pachinko ball that has won a starting winning opening (special symbol starting winning opening) in a gaming machine, particularly a pachinko machine, and this drawing is performed. As a result of, when it becomes a hit,
The special winning opening is opened a predetermined number of times for a predetermined period (one opening and closing is one round, and generally 10 to 16 rounds are continued.) The function of increasing the winning rate of the game ball and making it advantageous to the player (big hit) ) Has a pachinko machine.

In this type of pachinko machine, a display unit (usually a liquid crystal display screen) is installed in the center of the gauge board of the pachinko machine as an effect for notifying the player of the result of the lottery. The display unit is configured with a plurality of columns of variable pattern screens (there is also a background screen), and notifies the missed hits in a line when the changing patterns stop. The player is
By looking at this pattern variation screen, it is possible to give a sense of anticipation, because it is gratifying whether it is a win or a hit.

[0004] Here, in the conventional game machine, 1 of the advance notice
As one, the reach state is set. For example, the symbols fluctuate in each of the three columns, and when the symbols in all the columns are the same when the symbols are stopped, it becomes a hit. At this time, by stopping the two columns first, the reach state is achieved.

Further, conventionally, whether or not this reach state can be reached is informed by, for example, causing a specific character to appear while all symbols are changing (reach notice). The player can determine whether to reach the reach state or not depending on whether or not the character appears at this time. Further, it is also possible to express the degree of expectation of whether or not to hit after reaching the reach state by the above-mentioned reach announcement. That is, the degree of expectation is changed by slightly changing the type and appearance of the character that appears at the reach announcement time.

However, in the conventional notification of the degree of expectation (appearance of a character), it is not determined when the pattern is changing, and therefore, in order to express the difference in the degree of expectation, the type of the appearing character or The appearance must be changed, and the image memory increases accordingly, and the control system becomes complicated.

Further, by using a plurality of characters and changing the appearance, it is possible to give a variety of expressions to the player, but on the contrary, the pattern variation pattern is complicated,
Since there is a possibility that the variation and stop of the design that should be noticed originally may be missed, it is preferable that the reach announcement be relatively simple.

In view of the above facts, the present invention has at least one
It is an object of the present invention to provide a gaming machine that can reduce the load on the image memory by using one expectation degree expression image and can express a plurality of kinds of expectation degrees with the at least one expectation degree expression image.

[0009]

The invention according to claim 1 is
The lottery is executed by winning the winning opening, the result of the lottery is provided with a symbol variation display device for informing the player of the pattern variation pattern composed of a predetermined symbol and background, and the result of the lottery is won. In the case of a gaming machine that can be in a gaming state that is advantageous to the player, during the fluctuation of the symbol fluctuation pattern by the symbol fluctuation display device, the degree of expectation that indicates the degree of possibility that the lottery result will be a win Is expressed by using the background, and expression state control means for changing the expression time of the expectation degree by the expectation expression control means depending on the degree of the expectation degree.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, when the symbol variation display device displays the symbol variation pattern set based on the result of the lottery, the expectation expression control means expects using the background. Express the degree. At this time, the expression state control means changes the expression time of the expectation depending on the degree of the expectation. For example, when the degree of expectation is expressed immediately after the start of symbol fluctuation, the degree of expectation is low, and the degree of expectation is increased as the end of fluctuation is approached. The player can recognize the degree of the degree of expectation depending on the timing of expressing the degree of expectation, and since it is a simple expectation degree expression, it does not miss the originally necessary symbol variation pattern. On the other hand, in the gaming machine, it is not necessary to store a plurality of different expectation expression patterns, which reduces the load on the image memory and
The control system can be simplified.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the invention, the degree of expectation expression by the expectation degree expression control means is a predetermined time within the total display time of the symbol variation pattern. It is characterized by being executed during.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the time for expressing the degree of expectation is determined in advance, and the degree of the degree of expectation is changed depending on at which time during this time the degree of expectation is expressed. The player may pay attention to the state of expectation expression only at a specific time.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the invention according to the first or second aspect, the background is composed of a still image and a moving image, and the expectation degree expression control means uses the moving image. It is characterized in that a part of the image is used as an expectation level expression image and is controlled to appear on the display screen for a predetermined time.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the expectation level expression is executed by the moving image, so that the player can easily understand. For example, as the moving image, the appearance of a character based on the theme that is the concept of the game machine is preferable.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the invention according to any one of the first to third aspects, the state in which the degree of expectation by the expectation expression control means is a standard time is always displayed. The feature is that it overlaps with the background that expresses the actual degree of expectation.

According to the invention described in claim 4, when the player is a beginner, if the degree of expectation is set only at the time of expression, there is nothing to compare, which is difficult to understand. Therefore, the background is always displayed at the expected degree display time when the degree of the expected degree is the standard state, and the background and the background expressing the actual degree of the expected degree are overlapped. As a result, since there is a comparison target, it becomes easy for a beginner player to understand.

The invention according to claim 5 is characterized in that, in the invention according to claim 4, the background of the standard state is displayed with a predetermined transparency.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, in the case of overlapping, the background of the standard state is, for example, semi-transparent, so that the expected degree expression time of the comparison target and the actual expected degree expression time are distinguished. Easy to get on.

[0019]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 shows a pachinko machine 110 according to a first embodiment. This pachinko machine 1
The outer shape of the frame 10 is constituted by a rectangular frame body 113, and is supported by the base surface 115 on the store side. Further, the frame 113 is provided with a decorative plate 113A, a speaker 162, a key cylinder 113B, and the like.

On the inner front surface of the frame 113, a transparent glass plate 110A is arranged in a state of being fitted in a glass frame 110B. A game board 111 is arranged in an inner area partitioned by the transparent glass plate 110A. The area surrounded by the arc-shaped rails 112 on the game board 111 is a gauge area 114 that is a game area.

As shown in FIG. 2, a plurality of nails 116 are driven over the entire surface of the gauge portion 114, and the pachinko balls punched through the rails 112 are the nails 116.
It is designed to bounce when it hits or falls while being guided by the guide path formed by the nail 116.
In addition to the nail 116, a wind turbine 118 is attached at a position symmetrical with respect to the gauge portion 114,
It is designed to turn the pachinko ball in an unexpected direction.

Further, the gauge portion 114 is provided with winning a prize holes 120 at a plurality of positions, and when the pachinko balls enter the winning holes 120, a predetermined number of the pachinko balls are paid out to the player.

The gauge portion 114 as described above has a substantially symmetrical system, and an electric accessory unit 122 as a special symbol changing device is arranged at the center of the gauge portion 114, and a display portion 124 thereof is exposed. Below this display portion 124, a special symbol starting winning opening 126 for starting the electric accessory unit 122 is provided.

A special winning opening 128 is arranged further below the special symbol starting winning opening 126, and an opening / closing member 129 for opening and closing the special winning opening 128 is the electric accessory unit 12
In the so-called hit display state in 2, the opening for a predetermined time is repeated a predetermined number of times so that a large number of pachinko balls can be won.

Further, on the upper part of the electric accessory unit 122, four holding lamps 200 are arranged in a horizontal row. This hold lamp 200 is a special symbol start winning opening 12
It is to notify in a lighting state that a maximum of 4 pachinko balls that have won a prize of 6 have been lit, and when the guidance of the lottery result by the electric accessory unit 122 is completed, the reserved amount is consumed. It's turned off.

Further, the gauge portion 114 is provided with a normal symbol starting winning opening 130, and the normal symbol starting winning opening 1
When a pachinko ball is won in 30, the display of the normal symbol display section (not shown) fluctuates, and when a predetermined number is reached, the electric tulip 134 as a movable section provided in the special symbol starting winning port 126 is opened for a predetermined time. It has become. By opening the electric tulip 134, the probability of winning the special symbol start winning port 126 is physically increased.

As shown in FIG. 1, the gauge portion 114 is
The lower part of the transparent glass plate 110A, that is, the lower part of the transparent glass plate 110A, is a panel part 140, the upper panel 140A is provided with an upper plate 141, and the lower panel 140B is provided with a handle 136 as an operating part of the launching device and an upper part. A lower plate 138 for receiving a pachinko ball falling from the plate 141 is provided. An ashtray 143 is also provided on the lower panel 140B.

The handle 136 is attached to a rotary shaft protruding from the inside of the panel 140, and is rotatable around the rotary shaft. That is, when the player holds and rotates the handle 136, the launching device operates and the launch intensity is set based on the rotation angle. In addition, in this rotation,
A return urging force is applied, and when the player releases the hand, the player is automatically returned to the original rotation position.

FIG. 3 schematically shows a control system for controlling the pachinko machine 110. The control system is centered on the main control board 150, the payout control board 152, the voice control board 154, the lamp control board 156, and the firing control board 15.
8, symbol display control board 160, etc., which are classified by function (when these are collectively referred to below, sub control board 15)
1).

By connecting the main control board 150 and the sub-control board 151 to the hall computer 208 on the pachinko parlor side via the management control board 206, it becomes possible to manage the operating status of the pachinko machine. There is.

The main control board 150 stores a basic program relating to a game, and this main control board 15 is stored.
Other sub-control board 15 based on the command signal from 0
1 executes independently. That is, the main control board 150 basically outputs only commands and does not receive feedback of the results.

The payout control board 152 controls the number of payouts of pachinko balls, and the voice control board 154 controls the output of sound effects and the like from the speaker 162 provided in the pachinko machine 110. In addition, the lamp control board 156
Controls lighting and extinguishing of the electric decoration member (game board side indicator light) 164 attached to the pachinko machine 110, and the firing control board 158 controls the player's firing of the pachinko ball.

The symbol display control board 160 is the display unit 1
24 is connected via a display driver 166, and executes a display that produces a predetermined effect based on a command signal from the main control board 150. The symbol display control board 160 also controls the normal symbol display section.

On the main control board 150, a special symbol winning sensor 168 provided in the special symbol starting winning port 126, a normal symbol winning sensor 170 provided in the normal symbol starting winning port 130, and each winning port 120 are provided. The winning a prize sensor 172, and the special winning a prize sensor 173 which detects the pachinko ball which awarded to the special winning a prize mouth 128 are connected. The special winning opening 128 is provided with a V zone for continuing the opening / closing operation of the special winning opening, and a V zone sensor 171 is also provided in this V zone.
Connected to 50.

The main control board 150 has a solenoid 17 for opening and closing the electric tulip 134.
4, a solenoid 175 for opening and closing the opening / closing member 129 of the special winning opening 128, and a holding lamp 200 are connected.

In the main control board 150, special symbols and ordinary symbols are selected by lottery, and the display contents on the display section 124 are selected based on the result of the lottery, and the symbol display control board 160 is selected.
Command signal to. That is, the symbol display control board 1
Data of different display contents based on a plurality of types of command signals is stored in advance in 60, and the data is selected based on the command signals and activated.

Here, in the present embodiment, in the variation pattern of the symbol variation control under the control of the symbol display control board 160, based on the lottery result which is known to the main control board 150 in advance, the degree of expectation of winning. Is to be expressed.

The degree of expectation has a degree.
In the present embodiment, four types of expectation levels (hereinafter referred to as expected values) shown in Table 1 are set,
An image expressing each expected value is displayed in a predetermined range from the start to the end of the symbol variation on the display unit 124. Expected values are low (eg 20%), medium (eg 50%), high (eg 7).
0%) and 100%, and this expected value can be a reach announcement.

[0039]

[Table 1]

In this embodiment, there is only one type of image expressing the expected value, and the appearance time of the image is made different for each expected value. As shown in Table 1, when the expected value is “low”, it appears 0.2 seconds after the start of fluctuation, and 1.
It continues until 7 seconds later. When the expected value is "medium", 1.7
Appears after 2 seconds and continues until 3.2 seconds later. Similarly, when the expected value is "high", 3.2 seconds to 4.7 seconds, the expected value is "100".
% ”, It is 4.7 seconds to 6.2 seconds.

FIG. 4 shows a functional block diagram of the symbol display control board 160 for incorporating the expression of the expected value into the variation pattern.

The command signal from the main control board 150 is
It is input to the setting expectation reading unit 250 and the variation pattern selection unit 252. This command signal includes information indicating a variation pattern set based on the result of the lottery and information indicating the degree of expectation (expected value).

The fluctuation pattern selection unit 252 reads a predetermined fluctuation pattern from the fluctuation pattern memory 254 based on the fluctuation pattern instruction information included in the command signal, and sends it to the image processing unit 256.

Further, the set expectation degree reading section 250 reads the expectation degree instruction information included in the command signal, sets an expected value based on the read expectation degree instruction information, and sends it to the appearance time setting section 258.

In the appearance time setting unit 258, the memory 2 in which the degree of expectation-display start time map shown in Table 1 is stored.
Based on 60, the display start time corresponding to the expected value input from the setting expectation reading unit 250 is read and sent to the image processing unit 256.

The image processing unit 256 synchronizes the variation pattern with the display start time and sends the image information to the display unit 124 via the display driver 166 in order to start the symbol variation.

The operation of this embodiment will be described below.

First, when a pachinko ball is fired, it is guided by the rail 112 and the nails 116 of the gauge portion 114 and the wind turbine 1 are guided.
While coming into contact with 18 or the like, it falls while making an unexpected movement. Here, when a prize is won in the winning hole 120, a predetermined number of pachinko balls are paid out (prize balls). Moreover, when the normal symbol start winning hole 130 is won, the normal symbol winning sensor 170 detects this.

By this detection, the main control board 150
A lottery for ordinary symbols will start. That is, a random number is used to randomly draw numbers from 0 to 9 with a predetermined probability.
As a result of the lottery, in the case of losing, there is no particular change in the gaming state. On the other hand, as a result of the lottery, in the case of winning (for example, the winning number 7 is drawn), the main control board 150, the electric tulip 13 provided in the special symbol start winning port 126
The solenoid 174 is energized so that the solenoid 4 is opened. As a result, a pachinko ball easily enters the special symbol starting winning opening, and a high probability state can be achieved.

When a pachinko ball wins the special symbol starting winning opening 126, the main control board 150 starts a big hit lottery with a predetermined probability using a random number counter. As a result of this big hit lottery, when winning / missing is decided, in each case, a previously prepared symbol variation pattern (symbol variation pattern) is selected (may be selected by a random number counter).
Then, the command signal is sent to the control board related to the effect including the symbol display control board 160.

The symbol display control board 160 displays the symbol variation pattern on the display section 124 via the display driver 166 based on the received command signal. In this pattern variation pattern, there are various effects such as hit through the reach, detach reach, detach without reach, and so on.
The player can wait for the lottery result with a sense of expectation.

That is, when the symbol variation control at the time of winning is completed, the jackpot processing of a preset number of rounds (for example, 15 rounds) is executed. During the big hit process, the special winning opening 128 is almost in the open state, so that it can be made advantageous by the player. When the jackpot process for a predetermined round is completed, the game is returned to the normal game.

Here, in the present embodiment, the expectation degree that the result of the lottery is a win is displayed on the display section 124 while the symbol variation pattern is being displayed. This expectation is the appearance of a predetermined character and is displayed as a moving image on the screen for a predetermined time (1.5 seconds). The appearance of the character displaying the degree of expectation is also a notice of reach, and the reach effect is executed.

There is a degree (expected value) in the expected degree, and in the present embodiment, this expected value is notified to the player by changing the character appearance time. Hereinafter, according to the flowchart of FIG. 5 and the time chart of FIG. 6, based on the flow from the winning of the special symbol starting winning opening 126 to the jackpot processing, the symbol variation control in which the expected value is added to the symbol variation pattern therein explain.

In step 300, the special symbol starting winning opening 1
It is determined whether or not a pachinko ball is won in 26, and if an affirmative determination is made, the process proceeds to step 302 and lottery is executed.

After the lottery in step 302, step 3
The process proceeds to 04 to set an expected value, and the process proceeds to step 306.

At the next step 306, the appearance time t based on the expected value is set. This is read from the memory 260 (see FIG. 4) in which the expected degree-display start time map is stored based on the set expected value.

When the appearance time t is read in step 306, the flow proceeds to step 308 to start fluctuation, and then in step 310, the timer is reset / started.

At the next step 312, it is judged if t seconds have elapsed. Here, the appearance time t is different for each expected value, t = 0.2 seconds when the expected value is “low”, t = 1.7 seconds when the expected value is “medium”, and the expected value is “ When the value is “High”, t = 3.2 seconds, and when the expected value is “100%,” t =
It is 4.7 seconds, and the appearance time is 1.5 seconds (see Table 1).

If an affirmative decision is made in step 312, the operation proceeds to step 314, the timer is stopped, and then the expected value character appears in step 316.

By this appearance time, the player can recognize that the variation in the design is in the reach effect and the expected value can be recognized in an instant.

Here, in the past, the difference in expected value was expressed by the appearance of different characters and different movements. However, this requires an enormous amount of image memory and a great burden on the control system. However, in the present embodiment, the same character and the same movement make it possible to significantly reduce the load on the control system. In addition, even if seen from the player's side, there are few things that the player does not miss, and it is easy for beginners to understand, so that it is possible to concentrate on fluctuations and stop states of special symbols that are directly related to the original lottery.

At the next step 318, it is determined whether or not all the symbols are stopped, and if an affirmative determination is made, the process proceeds to step 320 and it is determined whether or not the result of the lottery is a hit.

If an affirmative decision is made in the step, it is a hit, so the routine moves to step 322 and the above-mentioned big hit control is executed. If the negative determination is made in step 320, the routine is out of the routine, so this routine ends.

As described above, in the present embodiment,
By using the same character and changing the appearance time with the same movement, the expected value can be expressed by the difference in appearance time, so the load on the control system such as the image memory can be significantly reduced. . In addition, the player does not need to store a plurality of types of images and expected values in association with each other and simply concentrates on the time of appearance, so that it is easy for beginners to understand and directly related to the original lottery. You can concentrate on the changing state of special symbols.

Further, by simplifying a plurality of characters and their motions, it is possible to shorten the development period of the pachinko machine itself, and because the image formation is simple, bugs and the like during development can be reduced. .

In the present embodiment, the expected value character is made to appear only at the appearance time based on the expected value, but this may make it difficult to grasp the time difference. Therefore, the expected value character may always appear at the appearance time corresponding to the standard expected value (for example, expected value “medium”). In this case, it is preferable to display it semi-transparently in order to distinguish it from the expected value character of the original appearance time. According to this, since the comparison target becomes clear, even a player who does not know the specification of the game at all can grasp the difference in the appearance time of the expected value character, and as the game is played, this time difference becomes the expected value. You can quickly recognize the difference.

[0068]

As described above, according to the present invention, the load on the image memory is reduced by using at least one expectation degree expression image, and a plurality of kinds of expectation degrees are expressed by the at least one expectation degree expression image. It has an excellent effect of being able to.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of a pachinko machine according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a front view of a gauge section according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a control system of the pachinko machine according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram for fluctuation control including expectation level expression in the display control board according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a symbol variation control routine.

FIG. 6 is a time chart showing an expectation appearance time in a fluctuation pattern.

[Explanation of symbols]

110 Pachinko machine (gaming machine) 114 gauge 122 Electric accessory unit 124 display 126 Special symbol start winning hole 128 Grand Prize 129 lid member 150 Main control board 154 Voice control board 156 Lamp control board 160 symbol display control board 250 Setting expectation reading section 252 Variation pattern selection unit 254 fluctuation pattern memory 256 image processing unit 258 Appearance time setting section 260 Expectation Degree-Display Start Time Map Memory

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A lottery is executed by winning a prize at a starting opening, and the result of the lottery is provided with a symbol variation display device for informing a player by a symbol variation pattern composed of a predetermined symbol and a background. It is a gaming machine that can be in a gaming state that is advantageous to the player when the result of the lottery is a hit, and the lottery result may be a hit during the change of the symbol change pattern by the symbol change display device. An expectation degree indicating a degree, an expectation degree expression control unit that expresses using the background, and an expression state control unit that makes the expectation degree expression time by the expectation degree expression control unit different depending on the expectation degree. A gaming machine that has. 2. The expectation degree expression by the expectation degree expression control means is executed during a predetermined time of the total display time of the symbol variation pattern.
The game machine described. 3. The background is composed of a still image and a moving image, and the expectation degree expression control unit causes a part of the moving image to appear as an expectation degree expression image in a display screen for a predetermined time. The gaming machine according to claim 1 or 2, which is controlled. 4. The expectation level control means always displays a state in which the degree of the expectation level is a standard time, and is overlapped with a background representing the actual degree of the expectation level. The gaming machine according to claim 3. 5. The game machine according to claim 4, wherein the background of the standard state is displayed with a predetermined transparency.