JP2008012090A - Game machine - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To economize memory resources and to accelerate displaying of images by reducing a data capacity for transparently displaying a movable accessory. <P>SOLUTION: Two or more picture patterns 51 to 56, sprite pictures in a background and the coordinates of respective apexes A, B, C and D of a reel display window 6 are stored in a memory of a picture display control part. When a command including designation of transparent display of reels 3a, 3b and 3c is transmitted from a main control part, the picture display control part reads a sprite picture according to the command to edit picture data for display, and changes the R, G and B values of respective pixels in a region 60 specified by the dots A, B, C and D to values required for making corresponding pixels on a liquid crystal panel transparent respectively. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a gaming machine in which a liquid crystal panel for a color image is provided behind a front panel so that an image displayed on the liquid crystal panel can be viewed through the front panel. In particular, the present invention relates to a gaming machine in which a movable accessory is provided behind a liquid crystal panel and the movable accessory is transmissively displayed by making the liquid crystal panel transparent.

  Conventional gaming machines equipped with a liquid crystal panel for image display often display a combination of partial images called “sprite images” in order to display a variety of moving images with a small amount of data. For example, in Patent Document 1 below, a background image and a plurality of character images are stored in different memories, the character images are superimposed on the background image, and the character images are given priority in the overlapping portions of the images. And display it.

  Furthermore, in recent years, in gaming machines having reels such as slot machines and pachinko machines, a liquid crystal panel is arranged in front of the reels, and the range facing the reels is made transparent so that each reel is rotated or stopped. There is a gaming machine that can visually recognize (see Patent Document 2).

JP-A-6-39111 JP 2004-181226 A

  In the gaming machine disclosed in Patent Document 2, a white sprite image corresponding to the size of the symbol display area of each reel is stored in addition to various sprite images for displaying moving images, and these sprite images are stored. The image by the combination of is displayed. In this case, since the white sprite image has the highest priority, the symbol display area becomes transparent, and each reel is displayed transparently.

  However, such a method requires a memory capacity for storing a white sprite image, which increases the cost of the memory. In addition, since it is necessary to perform control such as reading out the sprite image from the memory or comparing the priorities, the image display may be delayed.

  The present invention has been made paying attention to the above-mentioned problem, and it is possible to save memory resources and to display an image at high speed for a gaming machine of a type that transparently displays a movable accessory such as a reel. For the purpose.

  In the gaming machine according to the present invention, a liquid crystal panel for a color image is provided behind a translucent front panel, and a movable accessory is disposed behind the liquid crystal panel. The movable accessory is a liquid crystal panel and a front panel. The image storage means for storing the image data of the image displayed on the liquid crystal panel, the liquid storage panel is located at a position facing the movable accessory, and is attached to the movable accessory. An area data storage means for storing data representing the position and size of an area having a corresponding size, and predetermined image data is read from the image storage means and displayed on the liquid crystal panel, and the movable accessory is transmitted. When displaying, the image data of each pixel constituting the area is displayed on the corresponding image on the liquid crystal panel based on the data stored in the area data storage means. The a display control means for changing the required value for the transmission state, characterized by comprising.

When the above gaming machine is a pachinko machine or a slot machine, the movable accessory, the liquid crystal panel, and the display control means are, for example, in a state where a lottery executed by a control unit in the gaming machine is won (for bonus game or jackpot game) It can be made to function as a reporting means for reporting (winning). In addition to the reels described later, an electric figure can be incorporated as a movable accessory.
The display control means is constituted by, for example, a computer in which a display control program for the liquid crystal panel is set. This display control means can adjust the transmittance by adjusting the voltage applied to the electrode corresponding to the pixel based on the gradation set for each pixel.

  When the condition for passing through the movable accessory is established, the display control means, among the image data to be displayed at that time, the image data of each pixel in the region in the range facing the movable accessory, respectively. The value is changed to a value (for example, a value representing white) necessary for bringing the pixel into a transmissive state. As a result, the entire area becomes transparent, so that the movable accessory is transparently displayed.

According to the above control, it is not necessary to store a sprite image corresponding to a region to be transmissive as in the prior art, so that the image data capacity can be reduced. Further, when displaying the image data read from the image data storage means, it is only necessary to change the image data of each pixel corresponding to the area to a certain value, so that the control becomes simple.
In the process of changing the image data, the original display target image data may be changed to a predetermined value, but instead, a fixed value may be added to the display target image data. Good. However, in the latter case, it is necessary to adjust the value to be added so that the value after the addition becomes a value necessary to make the pixel in a transmissive state.

In the gaming machine according to a preferred aspect of the present invention, a plurality of reels having a plurality of symbols arranged on the outer peripheral surface are provided as the movable accessory. The area data storage means stores data representing the position and size of a rectangular area having a size corresponding to the range of each reel facing the liquid crystal panel.
According to this aspect, even when the area occupied by the display area of the reel becomes large with respect to the entire liquid crystal panel, it is possible to reduce the capacity of the image data because it is not necessary to store the sprite image for transmissive display. it can. Further, since control for setting and displaying a sprite image in the reel display area is not required, the control is simplified, and the speed of control when displaying a moving image around the reel display area can be increased.

  According to the present invention, the transmissive display area of the movable accessory can be set without using the sprite image, so that it is possible to greatly reduce the capacity of the image data, thereby reducing the memory resources and reducing the cost. Can be reduced. In addition, since the control when performing transmissive display is simplified, it is possible to increase the speed of image display.

FIG. 1 shows the appearance of a slot machine to which the present invention is applied.
The machine body of the slot machine 1 of this embodiment has a configuration in which the door portion 2 is assembled to a housing (not shown) having a front opening. Inside the housing 2, a reel unit (not shown) in which three reels 3a, 3b, 3c are assembled, a control board (not shown), and a medal dispenser 28 (shown in FIG. 3). Etc. are deployed.

  The door portion 2 has a configuration in which resin panels 4 and 5 are assembled to a central portion and a lower portion of a metal frame. The material of each of the panels 4 and 5 (hereinafter referred to as “front panel 4” and “lower panel 5”) is a transparent resin, and characters and pictures of various colors are printed by silk screen printing.

  The central front panel 4 is provided with a transparent area 40 without a print layer for displaying various images and reels 3a, 3b, 3c (hereinafter, this area 40 is referred to as "game display area 40"). ). In the game display area 40, the reel display window 6 is displayed, and various moving images and still images are displayed according to the progress of the game. Further, on the left side of the game display area 40, a predetermined number (two in the illustrated example) of the numerical indicators 10 are provided to display the number of credit medals inserted and the number of medals paid out at the time of winning.

  Plural kinds of symbols 30 (shown in FIG. 4) are arranged on the surfaces of the three reels 3a, 3b, 3c, respectively. Each reel 3a, 3b, 3c is pivotally supported by a casing of the reel unit together with a stepping motor (not shown), and is arranged in a horizontal row at a height position corresponding to the reel display window 6.

The reel display window 6 has a width that can display the three reels 3a, 3b, and 3c, and a vertical width that is 3 for the symbols 30 (shown in FIG. 4) of the reels 3a, 3b, and 3c. It is set as a rectangular transparent area of a length that can be displayed individually. Thus, since the inside of the reel display window 6 becomes transparent, the player can visually recognize the rotation state and the stop state of each reel 3a, 3b, 3c through the reel display window 6.
Further, in this slot machine, a total of five winning lines 61, three in the horizontal direction and two in the diagonal direction so as to connect the symbol display positions of the reels 3a, 3b, 3c in the reel display window 6, are provided. Is set (however, it is not necessary to actually display it).

  A pair of speakers 20 and 21 are provided on the frame above the front panel 4. An operation unit 7 for executing the game is formed between the front panel 4 and the lower panel 5. Further, below the lower panel 5, a medal payout opening 8 for paying out medals from the medal payer 28 and a medal tray 9 for receiving the payout medals are provided.

  The operation unit 7 has a medal slot 22 for receiving medals for gaming, a start lever 23 for rotating the reels 3a, 3b, and 3c all at once, and an individual stop for the reels 3a, 3b, and 3c. Stop switches 24a, 24b, 24c, a bet switch 25 for deducting a predetermined number of medals from a credit medal deposited in the aircraft, and setting the deducted medals as betting medals for the game, for adjusting the credit medals The settlement switch 26 is provided.

  In the slot machine 1 of this embodiment, 1 to 3 medals can be bet on one game, and 1 to 5 pay lines 61 are activated according to the number of bets. The reels 3a, 3b, 3c start rotating all at once according to the operation of the start lever 23, and then stop according to the operation of the stop switches 24a, 24b, 24c, respectively. At this time, when a predetermined winning symbol combination is established on the activated winning line 61, a predetermined number of medals are paid out from the medal payer 28.

  Further, in the slot machine 1 of this embodiment, when more than three medals are inserted from the medal insertion slot 22, the excess medals are stored as credit medals, and thereafter, according to the operation of the bet switch 25. Then, three medals are withdrawn from the credit medal, and a game in which the medals for the deduction are bet is executed. When a winning is achieved in the game that consumes the credit medal, a process of adding medals for the number of payouts to the credit medal is executed instead of the process of paying out the actual medal.

The game display area 40 of the front panel 4 is formed by arranging a liquid crystal panel 41 on the back side of the front panel 4.
The liquid crystal panel 41 has a known configuration in which a color filter, a glass substrate with a transparent electrode, an alignment film, a liquid crystal layer, and the like are provided between a pair of polarizing plates. As shown in FIG. The light guide plate 42 is assembled to the back surface of the front panel 4. In addition, cold cathode fluorescent lamps 43 for generating incident light to the light guide plate 42 are provided at the upper and lower positions of the light guide plate 42, respectively.

Behind the reels 3a, 3b, 3c, a light source 31 based on the LED 32 (hereinafter referred to as “reel illumination light source 31”) is provided to illuminate the stop display position of each symbol. These light sources 31 are set so as to be appropriately turned on when the reels 3a, 3b, and 3c are transmissively displayed.
The front panel 4 may be integrally assembled with the liquid crystal panel 4 as a front protective panel (not shown) of the liquid crystal panel 41. Further, as the light source 31 for reel illumination, a cold cathode tube may be provided for each reel instead of the LED 32.

FIG. 3 shows an electrical configuration of the slot machine 1.
The slot machine 1 is provided with a main control unit 100 that executes control related to the progress of the game, and a sub-control unit 200 that is responsible for output of display, sound, and the like. The main control unit 100 includes a CPU 101, a ROM 102, a RAM 103, a random number generator 104, and the like.

  In addition to the program, the ROM 102 stores a symbol arrangement table for each reel, a lottery table for determining whether or not to win a prize, and the like. The RAM 103 is used for reading and writing work data necessary for advancing the game, such as a winning flag (for storing the winning state) and the number of medals bet when winning in the lottery. The random number generator 104 generates a random number to be sampled when the CPU 101 performs a lottery process. This lottery process is executed when the start lever 23 is operated.

  Various input / output units are connected to the main control unit 100 via a bus 105. As the input unit, the start lever 23, stop switches 24a, 24b, 24c, the bet switch 25, the settlement switch 26, and a medal detection sensor 27 for detecting a medal inserted into the medal slot 22 are connected. The The output unit is connected to a reel drive circuit 33 that drives the stepping motors of the reels 3a, 3b, and 3c, a medal dispenser 28, a numerical value display 10, a light source 31 for reel illumination, and the like.

  The sub-control unit 200 is a microcomputer and includes a CPU, a ROM, and a RAM (not shown). In addition to the speakers 20 and 21, the sub-control unit 200 is connected to a control unit 205 dedicated to image display (hereinafter referred to as “image display control unit 205”).

The image display control unit 205 includes a display control CPU 201, an image ROM 202, and a video RAM 203. The liquid crystal panel 41 is connected to the display control CPU 201.
The image ROM 202 stores various moving images, sprite images for background images, and programs for image display control.
Further, the image ROM 202 of this embodiment stores coordinates of vertices A, B, C, and D described later as data representing the position and size of the reel display window 6 (instead of this, (The coordinates of the vertex A and the number of pixels in the vertical and horizontal directions may be stored.)
.

  What image is displayed on the liquid crystal panel 41 is determined by a command from the main control unit 100. This command includes data designating whether or not the reels 3a, 3b, 3c are to be transparently displayed in addition to data designating the type of image to be displayed. This command is given to the image display control unit 205 via the sub control unit 200.

  The liquid crystal panel 41 is provided with three pixels corresponding to the three primary colors R, G, and B for each pixel on the image data. By controlling the voltage and waveform applied to the electrodes of these pixels according to the R, G, B values (gradation) of the corresponding pixels in the image data, the transmittance of each pixel can be adjusted. . In this embodiment, the R, G, B values are represented by 256 gradations (range 0 to 255), and the transmittance of the corresponding pixel on the liquid crystal panel is 100% when the gradation is the maximum value (255 gradations). It is trying to become.

FIG. 4 specifically shows control when the reels 3a, 3b, and 3c are displayed in a transparent manner.
(1) in FIG. 4 is an example of image data in the image ROM 202, and is set so that pictures 51 to 56 having a predetermined shape are displayed. Each of these patterns 51 to 56 is based on an individual sprite image, and is set so that the shape, color, and display position are appropriately changed.

  On the other hand, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4B, the coordinates (x1, y1) (x1, y2) (x2, y1) of the vertices A, B, C, D of the reel display window 6 are used. (X2, y2) is stored in the image ROM 202.

  When the command from the main control unit 100 designates the transparent display of the reels 3a, 3b, and 3c, the display control CPU 201 converts the image data of FIG. , D is adjusted based on the coordinates of D. Specifically, the R, G, and B values of each pixel in the rectangular area 60 having the points A, B, C, and D as vertices are used to make the corresponding pixels on the liquid crystal panel 41 transparent. The value is changed to a necessary value (the maximum value of 255 in this embodiment). Thereby, the transmittance in the region 50 is set to 100% (that is, in a transparent state), the reel display window 6 is displayed, and the reels 3a, 3b, and 3c are displayed in a transparent manner.

  FIG. 4 (3) shows a display state in the game display area 40 when the image data after the adjustment process is displayed. In this example, by setting the transmittance in the region 60 to 100%, the transparent reel display window 6 is set, and the reels 3a, 3b, 3c and the symbol 30 are transmissively displayed. Although the image display in the region 60 (a part of the patterns 53, 54, 55 and the entire pattern 56) disappears, an image according to the image data (1) is displayed outside the region 60.

The main control unit 100 of this embodiment normally transmits a command designating the transparent display of the reels 3a, 3b, 3c, but when a state in which the game is not executed for a predetermined period continues or when a special notification is given. For example, a command designating that the reels 3a, 3b, and 3c are not transparently displayed is transmitted.
Hereinafter, the control of the image display control unit 205 that has received this command will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 5, ST is an abbreviation for “STEP (step)”.

  In the first ST1, it waits for command transmission from the main controller 100. When a command is received, the process proceeds to ST2, and image data designated by the command (for example, the picture 51 to 55 or the background sprite image) is read. In the next ST3, the image data for display is edited by combining the read sprite images.

  Next, if the command from the main control unit 100 designates the transparent display of the reels 3a, 3b, 3c, ST4 becomes “YES” and the process proceeds to ST5. In ST5, among the images edited in ST3, the R, G, and B values of each pixel in the rectangular area 60 having the points A, B, C, and D as vertices are all changed to the maximum 255. Thereafter, in ST6, the image after the change process is given to the liquid crystal panel 41 to be displayed.

  On the other hand, when the command designates that the reel display window 6 is not displayed, ST4 becomes “NO”, so ST5 is skipped and the process proceeds to ST6. Accordingly, since the image data in the rectangular area 60 is not changed, an image based on the image data edited in ST3, that is, an image in which the reel display window 6 and the reels 3a, 3b, and 3c do not appear is displayed on the liquid crystal panel 41. .

  Thereafter, ST2 to ST6 are repeatedly executed until the display of a series of moving image data designated by the command is completed. Thereafter, ST7 becomes “YES”, and the process for the command is terminated.

  According to the above control, since the data necessary for transparent display of the reels 3a, 3b, 3c is only the coordinates of the points A, B, C, D, the reel display is performed using the conventional white sprite image. Compared with the case where the window 6 is formed, the data capacity can be greatly reduced. Further, in the conventional method, it is necessary to read the sprite image of the reel display window 6 or to make a setting for giving priority to the sprite image over other images. In this embodiment, the image in the region 60 is used. Since it is possible to perform the transmissive display of the reels 3a, 3b, 3c simply by changing the data uniformly, the time required for image display can be greatly reduced. Therefore, various moving images can be displayed at high speed.

  In the above control, when the transmissive display of the reels 3a, 3b, and 3c is designated, the R, G, and B values of each pixel in the rectangular area 60 are all changed to the maximum 255. However, the control is not limited to this. For example, the main control unit 100 transmits a command (for example, transmittance of 80%) that specifically specifies the transmittance in the region 60, and the R, G, and B values in the region 60 are transmitted according to the specification. You may change into the value (for example, 200-210) corresponding to. In this way, for example, when the reels stop and enter a “big hit” state, the clarity of the reels 3a, 3b, 3c is temporarily weakened, and the inside of the reel display window 6 is reduced. But you can display moving images.

  Further, it may be specified that the reels 3a, 3b, 3c are transparently displayed while coloring the inside of the reel display window 6 with a predetermined color (for example, red). In this case, the display control CPU 201 does not set all the R, G, and B values to the same value, but sets data (for example, R) corresponding to the designated color to be stronger than other colors. Such control can be applied, for example, to notify that an error has occurred or that a lottery has been won.

Furthermore, in the above description, an example in which the present invention is applied to a slot machine has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a lottery lottery is performed in response to a pachinko ball entering a start winning opening provided on a game board surface. The present invention may also be applied to a pachinko machine that performs variable display of symbols.
For example, usually, an image is displayed on the entire surface of the liquid crystal panel, and the reels are transmitted according to the fact that the big win lottery has been performed, so that the variable display of the symbols can be executed. In addition, the liquid crystal panel may be used as a symbol variation display device, and an auxiliary effect by transmission of the reel may be appropriately executed.

Furthermore, the same control as described above can also be applied to a case where a movable accessory such as an electric figure is incorporated in the aircraft and is transparently displayed on the front as necessary. In this case, the region to be in a transmissive state is not limited to a rectangle, and regions having various shapes such as a circular shape and a trapezoidal shape can be set according to the shape of the figure. For example, when a circular area is set, at least the coordinates of the center point and the data of the radius are stored in the image ROM 202 as data representing the position and size of the area. It becomes possible to easily display the movable accessory in a transparent manner. However, when the shape of the region becomes complicated, it is desirable to store the coordinates of all the pixels in the region as data representing the position and size of the region.
Such transparent display of figures can be applied to a gaming machine that does not use a reel.

It is a front view showing an appearance of a slot machine to which the present invention is applied. It is explanatory drawing which shows the example of arrangement | positioning of a liquid crystal panel. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a relationship between a control unit and an input / output unit of the slot machine. It is explanatory drawing which shows the example of the screen displayed by the image data of the display object to a liquid crystal panel, the data showing the position and size of a reel display window, and the control based on these data. It is a flowchart which shows the procedure of image display control.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Slot machine 3a, 3b, 3c Reel 4 Front panel 6 Reel display window 30 Symbol 40 Game display area 41 Liquid crystal panel 60 Rectangular area 100 Main control part 101 CPU
201 CPU for display control
202 Image ROM
205 Display controller

Claims (2)

A liquid crystal panel for a color image is provided behind the translucent front panel, and a movable accessory is disposed behind the liquid crystal panel, and the movable accessory is transmissively displayed via the liquid crystal panel and the front panel. In the gaming machine that
Image storage means for storing image data of an image displayed on the liquid crystal panel;
An area data storage means for storing data representing a position and a size of an area at a position facing the movable accessory in the liquid crystal panel and having a size corresponding to the movable accessory;
When the predetermined image data is read from the image storage means and displayed on the liquid crystal panel, and when the movable accessory is transparently displayed, each pixel constituting the area is based on the data stored in the area data storage means Display control means for changing each of the image data to a value necessary for bringing the corresponding pixel on the liquid crystal panel into a transmissive state.   As the movable accessory, a plurality of reels having a plurality of symbols arranged on the outer peripheral surface are provided, and the area data storage means has a rectangular shape having a size corresponding to the range of each reel facing the liquid crystal panel. The gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein data representing a position and a size is stored for the area.

Images