JP2007222298A - Game system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a game system preventing the reduction of operation rate. <P>SOLUTION: Operation time is measured and the number of games is counted in a sub board of a slot machine in which a game is carried out when a player plays a game in any one of four machines. The operation time and the number of games measured by a sub slot machine are transmitted to a main slot machine via an infrared communication section. Further, the main slot machine executes AT lottery in the slot machine during operation in the case that the sum total of the operation time reaches a predetermined time or the sum total of the number of the game reaches a certain number of time is determined by the main slot machine. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a gaming system including a plurality of gaming machines that transmit / receive gaming information to / from each other.

  In this specification, a pachislot machine is described as an example of one of the gaming machines. Therefore, a description will be given using a medal as a gaming medium for playing a game, but the gaming medium may be other media such as a pachinko ball. Including. In addition, “inserting a medal” includes not only actually inserting a medal into the medal insertion slot but also inserting (betting) a credited medal with a bet button or the like. In addition, a lottery to determine one of the lost and multiple types of winning roles (winning) will be a winning winning lottery (winning lottery), and the symbols that make up the winning roles will be aligned on the winning active line by winning, winning lottery The state until winning the winning combination and winning the prize is the internal winning.

  2. Description of the Related Art As a gaming machine used in a game hall such as a pachinko hall, a swivel type gaming machine (commonly called a pachislot machine) is known. In the pachinko hall, a plurality of pachislot machines are arranged in an efficient manner by a pachislot machine assembly facility called an island facility. Each of the pachislot machines is connected to a host computer (hereinafter referred to as a hall computer) in the game hall. Then, by monitoring the number of medals paid out and the number of bonus games for each pachislot machine by the hall computer, the transition of operating profit and the transition of the gaming state of the pachislot machine are monitored. The information obtained by the hall computer is, for example, as shown in Patent Document 1, so that each player can grasp the gaming state of other gaming machines by transmitting the information obtained by the hall computer to each gaming machine. It can be used for various purposes.

By the way, some recent pachislot machines have a sub-board that performs display control of a display device that displays an effect image and the like in addition to a main board that performs winning lottery and reel stop control based thereon . Some pachislot machines equipped with sub-boards, such as assist time (AT) mode in which the order of pressing the stop button is announced by the display device described above, can be won by lottery on the main board. Some benefits are granted separately from the benefits granted. Whether or not a privilege is granted by the sub-board is determined by a privilege grant lottery executed separately from the winning combination lottery, for example. In this way, giving a privilege to a player using a sub-board can give the player a chance to win a large amount of medals compared to the case where only the winning combination lottery is performed, and therefore, to the player's pachislot machine Can raise interest.
JP 2002-58789 A

  However, in a pachislot machine that grants benefits on the sub-board, if the winning probability in the winning combination lottery is equal to that of a pachi-slot machine that does not have a sub-board, the player's gambling will be overwhelmed. Since the soundness of the pachislot machine will be lost, it is necessary to reduce the winning probability of the winning combination in the winning combination lottery when the privilege by the sub-board is set. For this reason, while the above-mentioned pachislot machines can obtain a large number of medals, there are fewer opportunities to obtain benefits, which causes the game to be stopped and the operating rate of the pachislot machine to decrease. It was.

  In order to solve the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a gaming machine system that can prevent a reduction in the operating rate of gaming machines.

  In order to achieve the above object, the gaming machine system according to claim 1 is configured to determine whether or not to grant a privilege to a player through a bonus grant lottery separate from a winning lottery for determining a win or a lose. In the gaming system comprising gaming machines, each of the gaming machines includes information communication means for transmitting and receiving gaming information related to the game, and the gaming machine is composed of a main gaming machine and other sub gaming machines, The main gaming machine receives the gaming information from the sub gaming machine, and the main gaming machine receives the bonus at least one of the operating gaming machines based on the received gaming information. The grant lottery is executed. Note that “in operation” indicates a state in which a game is being performed, that is, a state in which the gaming machine is performing a game execution process.

  In order to achieve the above object, the gaming machine system according to claim 2, wherein the gaming information includes an operating period of the gaming machine, and the main gaming machine has received a cumulative total of the operating period received. The bonus grant lottery is executed. Note that the “operating period” includes both the time when a game is performed (the time when a game is executed in the gaming machine) and the number of games (hereinafter referred to as “the number of games”). In the slot machine, for example, the time from when the start lever is pressed until all reels stop, and in the pachinko machine, the time when the pachinko ball is fired (game) The time when the person touches the firing handle) and the time when the symbol fluctuates may be appropriately set. In addition, in the slot machine, for example, in the slot machine, one game is performed from when the start lever is pressed until all reels stop. In the case of a pachinko machine, for example, one symbol variation is 1 It may be performed as appropriate, such as a game of times.

  In order to achieve the above object, in the gaming machine system according to claim 3, in the gaming machine, a game is started in response to a game start operation being performed, and the game information is subjected to the start operation. The main gaming machine includes the bonus granting lottery on the gaming machine in which the start operation is performed at the same timing as a preset timing.

  In order to achieve the above object, in the gaming machine system according to claim 4, the main gaming machine has a higher winning probability of the privilege grant lottery than the sub gaming machine.

  According to the present invention, the gaming machine is composed of a main gaming machine and other sub gaming machines, and the main gaming machine is based on the received gaming information, and at least one of the operating gaming machines is in operation. Since the privilege grant lottery is executed on the gaming machine, it is possible to increase the opportunities for the privilege grant lottery to be executed, and to prevent the operating rate of the gaming machine from being lowered. In addition, since it is not necessary to use a hall computer, the present invention can be implemented without any modification to the equipment of the game hall, thereby preventing an increase in cost for introducing the gaming machine in the game hall.

  In addition, since the main gaming machine executes the bonus grant lottery when the cumulative total of the received operating periods reaches a certain period, the chances of executing the bonus grant lottery increase if the game is continued. The decline in the operating rate can be prevented.

  In addition, since the main gaming machine executes a privilege grant lottery on a gaming machine in which a game start operation is performed at the same timing as that set in advance, it is possible to impart a unique gaming property that has not existed before Can increase interest in games.

  In addition, the main gaming machine has a higher probability of winning a bonus grant than the secondary gaming machine, so you can enjoy guessing which gaming machine the main gaming machine is, and give unique gameplay that has never existed before Can do.

  As shown in FIG. 1, an island facility 10 is provided in the game hall. In the island facility 10, for example, four slot machines (game machines) 12a to 12d constituting the gaming system 11 of the present invention are installed. The slot machines 12a to 12d are aligned in a horizontal row with the front side facing.

  Next, the configuration of the slot machines 12a to 12d will be described with reference to FIG. 2. Since all have the same configuration, the slot machine 12a will be described as an example.

  As shown in FIG. 2, a display window 13 is provided in front of the slot machine 12a. A first reel 14a, a second reel 14b, and a third reel 14c are rotatably incorporated in the back of the display window 13. A plurality of types of symbols are arranged at regular intervals on the outer circumferences of the first to third reels 14a to 14c. When the first to third reels 14a to 14c are stopped, three symbols per reel can be observed through the display window 13. When a medal is inserted into the medal insertion slot 15 and the start lever 16 is pressed, the first to third reels 14a to 14c rotate all at once. The operation of the stop buttons 17a to 17c is validated after a predetermined time has elapsed since the rotation of the first to third reels 14a to 14c has started. When the stop buttons 17a to 17c are pressed, the corresponding first to third reels 14a to 14c are individually stopped. Then, it is displayed whether or not the winning combination is won by the combination of symbols when the first to third reels 14a to 14c are stopped. When the big bonus (BB) which is one of the winning combinations wins, the normal mode is changed to the BB mode. In the BB mode, it is advantageous for the player to acquire medals compared to the normal mode.

  In the slot machine 12a, when a predetermined winning combination predetermined among a plurality of winning combinations is won, the specific winning combination wins when the stop buttons 17a to 17c are pressed according to the pressing order determined in the lottery. In the slot machine 12a, an assist time (AT) mode is set in addition to the normal mode and the BB mode, and when the mode is shifted to the AT mode, the pressing order of the stop buttons 17a to 17c for winning a specific winning combination is notified. . For this reason, the AT mode is more advantageous than the normal mode for the player in obtaining medals. The pressing order of the stop buttons 17a to 17c is notified by image display from the liquid crystal panel 18 provided above the display window 13.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the gaming system 11 includes slot machines 12a to 12d. Each of the slot machines 12a to 12d includes a main board 30 and a sub board 31. The main board 30 and the sub board 31 are electrically connected. Although not shown in detail, the slot machines 12a to 12d are connected to the hall computer of the game hall, and can be turned on simultaneously by operation of the hall computer.

  The main board 30 is based on the basics of the slot machine 12a such as lottery for winning combination, stop control of the first to third reels 14a to 14c based on the lottery, lottery of pressing order of the stop buttons 17a to 17c when winning a specific winning combination. To perform typical operations.

  The sub substrate 31 performs display control of the liquid crystal panel 18. When the mode is shifted to the AT mode, the sub-board 31 displays, from the liquid crystal panel 18, the pressing order of the stop buttons 17a to 17c in which the specific winning combination wins. The sub board 31 operates in response to various signals input from the main board 30 and signals input from an infrared communication unit 32 described later. A signal input from the main board 30 includes a game start signal that is output when the start lever 16 is pressed after the medal is inserted, and the first to third reels 14a to 14c are stopped to complete one game. A game end signal that is output from time to time, a winning combination determination signal indicating that the specific winning combination has been won, and the stop button pressing order of the specific winning combination are included.

  The sub-board 31 includes an infrared communication unit (information communication unit) 32 that wirelessly transmits / receives game information to / from other slot machines. The game information includes the operating time of each slot machine 12a to 12d (the time from when the start lever 16 is pressed after the medal is inserted until all reels stop) and the number of games (the start lever 16 is pressed after the medal is inserted). From the start to the end of all reels). The infrared communication unit 32 is electrically connected to the sub board 31 and inputs / outputs game information to / from the sub board 31.

  The sub board 31 includes a CPU 33 and a memory 34. A program for operating the sub board 31 is stored in the ROM area of the memory 34. The CPU 33 controls the operation of the entire sub-board 31 according to the program stored in the memory 34. The ROM area of the memory 34 stores image data of an image for displaying an image from the liquid crystal panel 18. The CPU 33 displays the image from the liquid crystal panel 18 by reading the image data in the memory 34. The RAM area of the memory 34 is used as a working area, and is used for temporary storage of flags and data, for example.

  The CPU 33 includes a game number counter 35, a timer 36, and an AT lottery unit 37. The value of the game number counter 35 is counted up in response to a game end signal input from the main board 30. This counts the number of times the game has been played. The timer 36 is activated in response to a game start signal input from the main board 30 and is stopped in response to a game end signal. Thereby, the operation time of each slot machine 12a-12d is timed. Note that the time of the timer 36 is accumulated.

  The AT lottery unit 37 determines whether or not to shift to the AT mode by AT lottery (privilege giving lottery). The AT lottery is executed when the total operating time of all slot machines 12a to 12d reaches a certain time or when the total number of games in all slot machines 12a to 12d reaches a certain number.

  In the gaming system 11, the slot machine 12a is a main gaming machine, and the other slot machines 12b to 12d are preset as secondary gaming machines, and the gaming information of the other slot machines 12b to 12d is monitored by the slot machine 12a. (Hereinafter, the slot machine 12a is referred to as “main slot machine 12a” and the slot machines 12b to 12d are referred to as “sub slot machines 12a to 12d”.)

  Then, the main slot machine 12a calculates the total operating time of all slot machines 12a to 12d and the total number of games of all slot machines 12a to 12d, and determines whether or not to perform an AT lottery. For this reason, the sub slot machines 12b to 12d transmit game information to the main slot machine 12a every time either the operation time or the number of games is updated.

  The main slot machine 12a writes the received operation time and number of games in the RAM area of the memory 34. The main slot machine 12a also writes its own operating time and number of games in the RAM area of the memory 34, and calculates the total operating time and the total number of games of all the slot machines 12a to 12d. When any of these totals reaches a certain time or a certain number of times, an AT lottery execution signal is transmitted from the main slot machine 12a to the sub slot machines 12b to 12d. In response to this, the AT lottery is executed in the sub slot machines 12b to 12d, and at the same time, the AT lottery is executed also in the main slot machine 12a.

  The AT lottery unit 37 of each of the slot machines 12a to 12d includes a lottery table used for AT lottery. The lottery tables of the AT lottery unit 37 used by the sub slot machines 12b to 12d are set to have the same winning probability, and the lottery table used by the AT lottery unit 37 of the main slot machine 12a is the sub slot machine 12b. The winning probability of the AT lottery is higher than that of the ~ 12d lottery table. Therefore, the main slot machine 12a is easier to win the AT lottery than the sub slot machines 12b to 12d.

  In the sub-slot 31 of the sub-slot machines 12b to 12d, it is determined whether or not the sub-slot machines 12b to 12d are in operation when the AT lottery execution signal is received. Whether or not the game is in operation is identified by whether or not a game start signal is input from the main board 30 to the sub-board 31. In addition, it is similarly determined whether or not the main slot machine 12a is in operation on the sub board 31 of the main slot machine 12a. And AT lottery is performed only in the slot machines 12a-12d in operation.

  Next, the flow of processing when a game is played in the slot machines 12a to 12d constituting the gaming system 11 will be described with reference to FIG.

  After the power of the slot machines 12a to 12d is activated all at once by the operation of the hall computer, when the player plays a game in any of the slot machines 12a to 12d, the slot machines 12a to 12d in which the game is performed are performed. The operation time is counted by the sub-board 31 and the number of games is counted. The operation time and the number of games counted by the sub slot machines 12b to 12d are transmitted to the main slot machine 12a via the infrared communication unit 32. When it is determined by the main slot machine 12a that the accumulated operating time has reached a certain time or the accumulated number of games has reached a certain number of times, the main slot machine 12a performs AT at the operating slot machines 12a to 12d. Run a lottery. The slot machines 12a to 12d that have won the AT lottery shift to the AT mode. If the timing for winning the AT lottery is in the BB mode, the slot machine shifts to the AT mode after the end of the BB mode. In addition, when the sub board | substrate 31 of sub slot machine 12b-12d is replaced | exchanged, it is preferable to include in game information that the sub board | substrate 31 was replaced | exchanged and to transmit to the main slot machine 12a. For example, if the main slot machine 12a notifies that the sub board 31 has been replaced in any of the sub slot machines 12b to 12d, the action can be immediately found when the sub board 31 is illegally replaced. As a result, loss of profits at the game hall can be prevented, and the player can be prevented from feeling unfair.

  In the above embodiment, the AT lottery is executed when the cumulative operating time of the slot machines 12a to 12d reaches a certain time or the cumulative number of games reaches a certain number of times, but the conditions for executing the AT lottery are as follows: You may set suitably.

  As a condition for executing the AT lottery, for example, the AT lottery is executed depending on whether or not the timing in the sub slot machines 12b to 12d coincides with the timing preset in the main slot machine 12a. In this case, this can be realized by transmitting the timing at which the start lever 16 is pressed in the sub slot machines 12b to 12d as game information to the main slot machine 12a.

  Then, as shown in FIG. 5, after the slot machines 12a to 12d are powered up all at once by the operation of the hall computer, when the player plays a game in any of the slot machines 12a to 12d, the game is The operating time is counted and the number of games is counted in the sub-board 31 of the slot machines 12a to 12d being performed. The operation time and the number of games counted by the sub slot machines 12b to 12d are transmitted to the main slot machine 12a via the infrared communication unit 32. In addition to the operating time and the number of games, the timing at which the start lever 16 is pressed, that is, the timing at which a game start signal is input is also transmitted to the main slot machine 12a as game information. When it is determined by the main slot machine 12a that the accumulated operating time has reached a certain time or the accumulated number of games has reached a certain number of times, in the next game, the main slot machine 12a It is determined whether the timing at which the start lever 16 is pressed at 12a coincides with the timing at which the start lever 16 is pressed at the sub slot machines 12b to 12d. Thereafter, the main slot machine 12a causes the AT lottery to be executed between the main slot machine 12a and the sub slot machines 12b to 12d having the same timing when the start lever 16 is pressed. At this time, if the main slot machine 12a is not in operation, the determination of the timing at which the start lever 16 is pressed is not performed, and counting of the total operation time and counting of the number of games are started again. The slot machines 12a to 12d that have won the AT lottery shift to the AT mode.

  Note that the slot machine 12a determines whether or not the timing at which the start lever 16 is pressed coincides, not limited to after the operating time of the slot machines 12a to 12d or the total number of games reaches a certain time. May be set. Further, the timing used as a criterion for determination is not limited to the timing of pressing the start lever 16 in the main slot machine 12a. For example, the timing of pressing the start lever 16 in all the slot machines 12a to 12d after the preset time is counted down. The criteria may be set as appropriate, such as determining whether or not it has been done.

  In the above embodiment, the main gaming machine is preset as the slot machine 12a and the secondary gaming machines are set as the slot machines 12b to 12d. However, the determination method of the primary gaming machine and the secondary gaming machine is, for example, the main gaming machine every time a certain time elapses. An appropriate method may be used such as switching, determining a main gaming machine by lottery, and selecting whether to use a hall computer or a gaming machine as a main gaming machine. In this case, a plurality of lottery tables having different winning probabilities for the bonus granting lottery are provided in each gaming machine, and if it becomes the main gaming machine, a lottery table having a relatively high winning probability is used to become a secondary gaming machine. In such a case, it is preferable to use a lottery table with a relatively low winning probability. Thereby, a player who has played a game on the main gaming machine can be more advantageous than the secondary gaming machine.

  In the above embodiment, whether or not to perform AT lottery is determined based on the game information of all slot machines 12b to 12d that are sub-game machines. For example, whether or not AT lottery is performed based on any one game information. A secondary gaming machine that uses game information in determining whether to perform AT lottery, such as determining whether or not, may be appropriately set.

  In the above-described embodiment, the AT lottery is executed in the operating slot machines. However, the AT lottery may be performed in some of the operating slot machines, or the AT lottery may be performed for all of them.

  In the above embodiment, the AT lottery is performed as the privilege grant lottery. However, as the privilege grant lottery, for example, whether or not to inform the BB mode of the pressing order of the stop button for winning the winning combination or the AT mode win If it is a lottery to grant a privilege to the player separately from the privilege granted in the winning combination lottery, such as a lottery of whether or not to make the probability relatively high, the mode is appropriately set Good.

  In the above embodiment, an infrared communication unit is provided as an information communication unit and wireless communication is performed. However, for example, a method of information communication such as performing wired communication by electrically connecting sub-boards of a slot machine with a cable. An appropriate method may be used.

  The present invention is not limited to the slot machine, and can be equally applied to a gaming system including a plurality of gaming machines such as pachinko machines that transmit and receive gaming information to and from each other.

It is a perspective view which shows an amusement hall and island facilities. It is an external view of a slot machine. It is a functional block diagram which shows the electrical schematic structure of a game system. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of a process until it performs AT lottery based on the accumulation of operation time and the accumulation of the number of games. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of a process until it performs AT lottery based on the timing at which the start lever was pushed.

Explanation of symbols

11 gaming system 12a-12d slot machine (game machine)
32 Infrared communication part (information communication means)
35 Number of games counter 36 Timer 37 AT lottery

Claims (4)

In a gaming system including a plurality of gaming machines in which whether or not to grant a privilege to a player is determined by a bonus grant lottery that is different from a winning lottery that determines a win or a lose,
Each of the gaming machines comprises information communication means for transmitting and receiving game information related to the game,
The gaming machine comprises a primary gaming machine and other secondary gaming machines, and the primary gaming machine receives the gaming information from the secondary gaming machine,
The game system, wherein the main gaming machine causes the bonus grant lottery to be executed by at least one of the operating gaming machines based on the received gaming information. The gaming information includes the operating period of the gaming machine,
The gaming system according to claim 1, wherein the main gaming machine causes the privilege grant lottery to be executed when a cumulative total of the received operating periods reaches a certain period. In the gaming machine, the game is started in response to the game start operation being performed,
The game information includes a timing when the start operation is performed,
The gaming system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the main gaming machine causes the privilege grant lottery to be executed by a gaming machine in which the start operation is performed at the same timing as a preset timing. The gaming system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the main gaming machine has a higher winning probability of the privilege grant lottery than the sub gaming machine.

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