JP2010142393A - Game machine - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a game machine capable of reducing the time before a presentation image is displayed. <P>SOLUTION: Presentation images are stored in a subordinate memory, and the presentation image with the highest probability of being determined by a presentation lottery is set as a special presentation image. A subordinate CPU executes the presentation lottery and determines the presentation image to be displayed when a command signal indicating the result of a winning combination lottery is transmitted from a main CPU. The subordinate CPU, synchronizing with the presentation lottery, reads the special presentation image from the subordinate memory, and stores the special presentation image in a VRAM. Whether the special presentation image is determined or not is determined by the presentation lottery when the presentation lottery is completed, and when the special presentation image is determined, the special presentation image stored in the VRAM is displayed in a liquid crystal display. When a presentation image other than the special presentation image is determined by the presentation lottery, the determined presentation image is read from the subordinate memory, and overwritten and recorded in the VRAM. After that, the presentation image recorded in the VRAM is displayed in the liquid crystal display. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a gaming machine such as a pachinko machine or a slot machine used in a game hall such as a pachinko shop.

  The gaming machine is equipped with a liquid crystal display (output device), and at various times during the game (such as when a game ball wins a start winning opening with a pachinko machine or when a start lever is pressed with a slot machine) A game is produced by displaying (outputting) an effect image (effect data). The type of effect image to be displayed is determined by performing a lottery at the predetermined time described above.

  In general, the effect image is stored in a ROM (storage means), and when the effect image is displayed, the effect image stored in the ROM is read into the VRAM (output memory) and then displayed on the liquid crystal display. Is displayed. However, in the pachinko machine, there is a problem that the load related to the reading process is large and it takes time to display the effect image.

For this reason, in Patent Document 1 below, when the power is turned on, only the effect image that may be displayed immediately after the power is turned on is read, and the other effect images are not read, so that the activation at the time of power-on is performed. An example in which the processing time is shortened is described. Thus, by reading out only the effect image that may be displayed immediately afterward, the time until the effect image is displayed can be shortened.
JP 2006-006828 A

  However, the description in Patent Literature 1 above reads in advance all effect images that may be determined by lottery when determining effect images to be displayed by lottery from among a plurality of types of effect images. is there. For this reason, since the effect image which is not displayed is also read, it is difficult to say that the time for displaying the effect image can be sufficiently shortened.

  In order to prevent this problem, a method of reading the image after the effect image to be displayed is determined (after the lottery result is known) is conceivable. In this case, the reading process is performed during the lottery. Therefore, it is difficult to say that the processing efficiency is poor and the time for displaying the effect image can be sufficiently shortened.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above background, and an object of the present invention is to provide a gaming machine that can further shorten the time until an effect image is displayed.

  In order to achieve the above object, a gaming machine of the present invention includes a storage unit that stores a plurality of types of effect data, and an output device that outputs the effect data stored in the storage unit, and at a predetermined opportunity during the game. In the gaming machine that outputs the effect data determined by the lottery from the output device, an output memory for storing the effect data read from the storage means, and the lottery result regardless of the result of the lottery Effect data reading means for reading effect data having a higher probability of being determined by the lottery than other effect data from the storage means and storing it in the output memory; and after the lottery has been executed, reading the effect data The effect data read from the storage means by the means and stored in the output memory is compared with the effect data determined by the lottery. If they match, the output data stored in the output memory is output from the output device. If they are different, the effect data determined by the lottery is read from the read memory and the output memory is read out. And an effect control means for outputting the effect data from the output device.

  According to the present invention, during the lottery, only the effect images with a high probability of being displayed are read in advance from the effect images that may be displayed after the lottery. The probability of reading out can be reduced, and the probability that the effect image determined by the lottery is read out during the lottery can be increased. For this reason, compared with the conventional case where all effect images that may be determined by lottery are read during the lottery, or when the effect images determined by lottery are read after the lottery is completed. Thus, the time required for reading the effect image can be shortened.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the slot machine (game machine) 11 includes a storage box 12 and a front door 13. The storage box 12 stores a reel unit, a hopper device, and the like. The front door 13 is vertically divided into an upper door 13a and a lower door 13b. The upper door 13a and the lower door 13b are respectively pivotally attached to the storage box 12 and supported to be freely opened and closed.

  A display window 14 is provided on the upper door 13a. In the back of the display window 14, a first reel 15a, a second reel 15b, and a third reel 15c that are rotatable are provided. A plurality of types of symbols are arranged on the outer peripheral surfaces of the first to third reels 15a to 15c. When the first to third reels 15a to 15c are stopped, three symbols are displayed per reel through the display window 14. The In the slot machine 11, a total of five winning effective lines 16, consisting of three laterally and two diagonally, are set. Then, when the first to third reels 15a to 15c are stopped, it is notified whether or not the winning combination has won by a combination of symbols stopped on the winning winning line 16.

  The upper door 13a is provided with a liquid crystal display (output device) 17, a speaker 18, and an electrical decoration device 19. As is well known, the liquid crystal display 17 produces a game by displaying (outputting) various effect images, and the speaker 18 produces a game by outputting various effect sounds. Moreover, the electrical decoration device 19 is composed of a plurality of types of lamps, and produces a game by changing the lighting pattern and lighting color of each lamp.

  The lower door 13b has a medal slot 20, a start lever 21 for starting rotation of the first to third reels 15a to 15c, and first to third stops for stopping the reels rotating during the game. Buttons 22a to 22c, a bet button 23 for betting a credited medal, and the like are provided. The player puts money into a well-known medal sand and receives a medal loan (for example, 20 yen per card) from the game hall to play a game.

  In the slot machine 11, a game is played using three medals in one game. When three or more medals are inserted at a time from the medal insertion slot 20, medals up to the third are betted simultaneously with the insertion, and medals after the fourth are credited. If there are three or more medal credits, three medals are bet at a time when the bet button 23 is pressed prior to the start of the game.

  When the start lever 21 is pressed after betting medals, the game is started. When the game is started, a winning combination lottery is performed to determine one of a plurality of types of winning combinations or a loss, and the first to third reels 15a to 15c rotate simultaneously. When the rotation speed of the first to third reels 15a to 15c reaches a constant speed, the operation of the first to third stop buttons 22a to 22c is validated. Thereafter, when the first to third stop buttons 22a to 22c are pressed, the corresponding first to third reels 15a to 15c are individually stopped. Then, when a predetermined winning combination wins when all the reels stop, medals are paid out to the medal tray 25 through the payout port 24.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the basic operation of the slot machine 11 is controlled by the main board 60. The main board 60 includes a main CPU 61 and a main memory 62. In the ROM area of the main memory 62, game execution programs and execution data are stored. The RAM area of the main memory 62 is used for temporary storage or rewriting of data such as a winning flag (a flag indicating the type of winning combination won in the winning combination lottery) used for each game. The main CPU 61 performs a game execution process based on the information stored in the main memory 62.

  The medal sensor 63 detects an appropriate medal inserted from the medal insertion slot 20 and inputs a medal detection signal to the main CPU 61. The main CPU 61 counts the number of inserted medals based on the detection signal from the medal sensor 63, and activates the five winning valid lines 16 when three medals are inserted to operate the start lever 21. Activate. When four or more medals are inserted, the main CPU 61 writes the number of credits in the main memory 62. When the bet button 23 is pressed, the winning line 16 is validated by subtracting the number of credits written in the main memory 62.

  The start signal sensor 64 detects that the start lever 21 has been pressed. When the depression of the start lever 21 is detected after the operation is validated, a game start signal is input from the start signal sensor 64 to the main CPU 61. The main CPU 61 performs a winning combination lottery using random numbers in response to the game start signal, and determines either a loss or a plurality of types of winning combinations. When any winning combination is won in the winning combination lottery, a winning flag indicating the type is written in the RAM area of the main memory 62. When the winning combination lottery is completed, the main CPU 61 starts the rotation of the first to third reels 15a to 15c.

  The stop signal sensor 65 detects that the first to third stop buttons 22a to 22c are pressed. When the first to third stop buttons 22a to 22c are pressed, stop signals for the first to third reels 15a to 15c are individually input to the main CPU 61. The main CPU 61 determines whether or not the first to third reels 15a to 15c are rotating when a stop signal is input. When the first to third reels 15a to 15c are rotating, the reel drive controller 66 is operated, and the first to third reels 15a corresponding to the pressed first to third stop buttons 22a to 22c are operated. ˜15c stop control is performed.

  The stop control is a well-known pull-in control. In the pull-in control, the number of frames required until the first to third reels 15a to 15c are stopped ranges from 0 to 4 frames for 5 symbols including the symbols on the winning winning line 16, that is, a range of 5 frames (hereinafter, “ (Referred to as “retraction range”). If the winning symbol (the symbol corresponding to the winning combination won in the winning combination lottery) is included in the drawing range of 5 frames when the first to third stop buttons 22a to 22c are pressed, The first to third reels 15 a to 15 c are stopped so that the symbols are arranged on the winning winning line 16.

  A sub board 70 is connected to the main board 60. The sub board 70 is provided with a sub CPU (effect control means, effect data reading means) 71 and a sub memory (storage means) 72. In addition to the liquid crystal display 17, the speaker 18, and the illumination device 19, a VRAM (output memory) 73 is connected to the sub CPU 71.

  In the sub memory 72, a ROM area and a RAM area are set. Various data such as effect programs and effect images are stored in the ROM area. The RAM area is used for reading data stored in the ROM area, temporarily storing and rewriting data, and the like. The VRAM 73 temporarily stores the effect image read from the sub memory 72. The sub CPU 71 drives and controls the liquid crystal display 17 according to the effect program stored in the sub memory 72, and displays the effect image stored in the VRAM 73 on the liquid crystal display 17 to effect the game.

  Hereinafter, the flow of processing performed by the sub CPU 71 when displaying the effect image on the liquid crystal display 17 will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. 3. When the winning combination lottery is executed, the sub CPU 71 receives a command signal indicating the winning combination lottery result from the main CPU 61.

  When receiving the command signal, the sub CPU 71 reads out an effect image (hereinafter referred to as a special effect image) most likely to be determined in the effect lottery described later from the effect images stored in the sub memory 72, and the VRAM 73. The process of writing (storing) is started.

  In addition, the sub CPU 71 performs an effect lottery based on the received command signal in synchronization with the processing of reading and writing the special effect image, and determines the type of effect image to be displayed. The sub memory 72 stores an effect table, and the effect lottery is performed using the lottery table. The lottery table stores a random value and an effect image in association with each other, and a plurality of lottery tables are provided so as to correspond to each winning combination and lose. In the effect lottery, a random number generated by a random number generator (not shown) is checked against a lottery table corresponding to the winning combination lottery result. Then, the effect image corresponding to the generated random number is determined as the effect image to be displayed.

  In this way, the probability that each effect image is determined by the effect lottery is determined by the respective occurrence probabilities of each winning combination and lose and the setting of the lottery table (correspondence between the effect image and the random value). Can be calculated in advance. In the slot machine 11, the effect image having the highest probability determined in the effect lottery among all the effect images is set as the special effect image, and this special effect image is written into the VRAM 73 in synchronization with the effect lottery. Processing is performed.

  When the effect lottery is completed and the effect image to be displayed is determined, the sub CPU 71 compares the effect image (special effect image) stored in the VRAM 73 with the effect image determined by the effect lottery. As a result, when the two effect images are the same (when the special effect image is determined by the effect lottery), the sub CPU 71 displays the effect image (special effect image) stored in the VRAM 73 on the liquid crystal display 17. Let

  On the other hand, when the two effect images are different (when the effect image other than the special effect image is determined by the effect lottery), the sub CPU 71 reads out the effect image determined by the effect lottery from the sub memory 72, and this The effect image is overwritten and recorded in the VRAM 73. Thereafter, the effect image recorded in the VRAM 73 is displayed on the liquid crystal display 17.

  As described above, in the slot machine 11, before the effect image to be displayed is determined, the reading of the special effect image having the highest probability determined by the effect lottery and the writing process to the VRAM are started. According to the slot machine 11, when the special effect image is determined by the effect lottery, since only the special effect image is written in the VRAM, all the effect images that may be displayed are stored in the VRAM as in the past. Compared with the case of writing, the time required for writing the effect image that is not displayed in the VRAM can be shortened, and the time required for displaying the effect image can be shortened.

  When a special effect image is determined by effect lottery, since the process of writing the special effect image to the VRAM has already started at the time of determination, after the effect lottery (after the effect image to be displayed is determined) ), The start timing of the process of writing the effect image to be displayed to the VRAM is earlier than when the process of writing the determined effect image to the VRAM is started. As a result, writing to the VRAM is completed earlier than before, so that the time required to display the effect image can be shortened.

  On the other hand, in the slot machine 11, when the special effect image is not determined by the effect lottery, the special effect image is not displayed even though it is written in the VRAM. Since the effect images that are not displayed are only special effect images, the number of effect images that are not displayed is written to the VRAM is reduced as compared to the case where all effect images that may be displayed are written to the VRAM as in the past. And the time required for displaying the effect image can be shortened.

  When the special effect image is not determined by the effect lottery, it is necessary to rewrite the effect image determined by the effect lottery in the VRAM after the effect lottery. After the determination, the timing for starting the writing is the same as the case of starting the processing for writing the determined effect image into the VRAM. For this reason, there is no problem that the time required for displaying the effect image increases.

  As described above, according to the slot machine 11, the time required to display the effect image can be shortened by efficiently performing the process until the effect image is displayed. As described above, when the special effect image is determined by the effect lottery, a more prominent effect can be obtained, but this special effect image has the highest probability of being determined by the effect lottery. Therefore, a more remarkable effect can be obtained more reliably.

  In the above-described embodiment, an example in which one effect image having the highest probability determined by effect lottery is set as the special effect image among the effect images has been described. However, the present invention is limited to this. is not. Among effect images, a plurality of effect images may be set as special effect images in order from the one with the highest probability determined by effect lottery.

  Furthermore, although the above embodiment has been described with an example in which the type of special effect image is common (constant) regardless of the winning combination lottery result, the present invention is not limited to this. As shown in FIG. 4, the special effect image type may be set differently depending on the winning combination lottery result.

  In the effect lottery, a lottery table corresponding to the result of the winning combination lottery is used. For this reason, for example, in the above embodiment, when winning in the winning combination lottery, the effect image A is displayed with a probability of 90% and the effect image B is displayed with a probability of 10%, and when the winning combination lottery is lost, the effect image A is 10%. %, When the effect image B is set to be displayed with a probability of 90%, the effect image set as the special effect image depends on whether the winning probability is high or the probability of being lost is high. The type is determined.

  That is, when the probability of losing in the winning combination lottery is set high, the effect image B is determined as the special effect image. However, in this case, when the winning combination lottery is won, the production image B is written in the VRAM even though the probability of display is lower than that of the production image A, which is inefficient. On the other hand, when the probability of winning in the winning combination lottery is set high, the effect image A is determined as a special effect image. In this case, the probability of displaying when the winning combination lottery is lost Although the effect image B is lower than the effect image B, the effect image A is written in the VRAM, which is inefficient.

  For this reason, in the above case, when the winning combination lottery is won, the effect image A is set as a special effect image, and when the winning combination lottery is lost, the effect image B is set as a special effect image. Is preferred. Similarly, when the probability of displaying each effect image varies depending on the type of winning (the type of winning combination determined in the winning combination lottery), the current game mode and game state, an effect image having a high display probability in each state is selected. It is preferable to set as a special effect image.

  Further, in the above embodiment, the example in which the process of writing the special effect image to the VRAM is started after receiving the command signal, that is, after the result of the winning combination lottery is found, is described in the present invention. It is not limited to. As shown in FIG. 5, when a write start signal is transmitted from the main CPU to the sub CPU before receiving a command signal such as when the game starts (when the start lever is pressed after betting a medal), and when this signal is received Alternatively, the process of writing the special effect image into the VRAM may be started. By doing so, since the writing to the VRAM is performed until the command signal is received, the time required to display the effect image can be further shortened.

  Furthermore, in the said embodiment, although the example which sets the effect image with the high probability determined in effect lottery as a special effect image was demonstrated, this invention is not limited to this. Of the effect images, an effect image with a large amount of data may be set as the special effect image. The time required to write the effect image to the VRAM becomes longer as the data amount of the effect image increases, but this special image is set before the effect image lottery result is determined by setting the effect image having a larger data amount as the special effect image. If the process of writing the effect image to the VRAM is started, the time until the special effect image is displayed can be shortened.

  When an effect image other than the special effect image is determined by the effect lottery, it is necessary to newly write to the VRAM. However, an effect image with a small data amount has a short writing time. For this reason, the time difference between the time required to display the effect image with a large amount of data and the time required to display the effect image with a small amount of data by preferentially writing the effect image with a large amount of data to the VRAM. Can be reduced.

  Of course, considering the two factors of the probability determined by the effect lottery and the data amount, such as setting the effect image having a high probability determined by the effect lottery and a large amount of data as a special effect image. A special effect image may be set.

  In the above embodiment, the example in which the output memory is VRAM has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this. Various known memories can be used as the output memory.

  In the above embodiment, the output device is a liquid crystal display. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The output device may be a speaker that outputs effect sound (effect data). In this case, the effect sound is stored in the sub memory (storage means), the effect sound stored in the sub memory is read out and stored in the RAM (output memory), and then the effect sound stored in the RAM is read from the speaker. While being configured to output, the effect sound having a high probability of being output or having a large amount of data is set as the special effect sound. And like the said embodiment, before the result of effect lottery becomes clear, the process which writes this special effect sound in RAM should just be started. By doing so, the time until the production sound is output can be shortened.

  Similarly, the output device may be an electrical decoration device that controls the light emission pattern of each lamp based on a light emission program (effect data) to emit light (output effect data). In this case, the light emission program is stored in the sub memory (storage means), the light emission program stored in the sub memory is read out, stored in the RAM (output memory), and then the light emission program stored in the RAM is executed. Thus, each lamp is configured to emit light, and a light emission program having a high probability of being used or having a large data amount is set as a special light emission program. Then, as in the above embodiment, before the result of the effect lottery is determined, the process of writing this special light emission program into the RAM (output memory) may be started. By doing so, the time until each lamp is allowed to emit light can be shortened.

  In the above embodiment, the example in which the present invention is applied to a slot machine has been described. However, the present invention may be applied to a gaming machine other than a slot machine, such as a pachinko machine.

2 is an external perspective view of the slot machine. FIG. It is a block diagram which shows the outline of an electrical structure of a slot machine. It is a flowchart which shows the flow until an effect image is displayed on a liquid crystal display. It is a flowchart which shows the flow until an effect image is displayed on a liquid crystal display. It is a flowchart which shows the flow until an effect image is displayed on a liquid crystal display.

Explanation of symbols

11 Slot machines (gaming machines)
17 Liquid crystal display (output device)
18 Speaker (output device)
19 Lighting device (output device)
60 main board 70 sub board 71 sub CPU (effect data reading means, effect control means)
72 Sub memory (storage means)
73 VRAM (memory for output)

Claims (1)

A game comprising storage means for storing a plurality of types of effect data, and an output device for outputting the effect data stored in the storage means, wherein the effect data determined by lottery is output from the output device at a predetermined time during the game. In the machine
An output memory for storing effect data read from the storage means;
Effect data reading means for reading effect data having a higher probability of being determined by the lottery than other effect data from the storage means and storing it in the output memory regardless of the result of the lottery at the predetermined opportunity,
After the lottery is executed, the effect data read from the storage means by the effect data reading means and stored in the output memory are compared with the effect data determined by the lottery. If they match, the effect data stored in the output memory is output from the output device. If they are different, the effect data determined by the lottery is read from the read memory and stored in the output memory. A game machine comprising: an effect control means for outputting the effect data from the output device after the output.

Images