JP2024057102A - Game machine - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a game machine capable of improving an attention degree to a game.SOLUTION: A pachinko machine includes an accessory device 150 provided with an open/close accessory 168. When being shifted to a second open/close execution mode, a round game in which variable ball entry control for opening/closing the open/close accessory 168 is performed at least once is executed. In the accessory device 150, a V winning sensor is provided. A game ball passing through the sensor triggers execution of a next round game. The present pachinko machine is configured such that an advantageous degree for a player is changed in a round game to be executed after a previously executed round game, according to the game ball having entered the accessory device 150 for winning in the previously executed round game.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

The present invention relates to gaming machines.

Amusement machines such as pachinko machines are known that are equipped with variable ball entry devices (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2003-325811 A

Therefore, there is a need for gaming machines that can increase the attention to the game.

The present invention was made in consideration of the circumstances exemplified above, and aims to provide a gaming machine that can increase attention to the game.

The present invention relates to
a launching means for launching a game ball based on a launching operation by a player;
A variable ball entry means that can be switched between a first mode in which the game ball launched by the launching means can enter the ball or is easy to enter the ball, and a second mode in which the game ball cannot enter the ball or is more difficult to enter the ball than the first mode;
A variable entry control means for changing the variable entry means from the second mode to the first mode, and then executing variable entry control to change the variable entry means to the second mode;
A specific game execution means for executing a specific game in which the variable ball entry control is performed at least once under a predetermined condition;
a specific game means for varying a degree of advantage for a player in a second specific game which is executed after the first specific game, by a game ball which enters the variable ball entry means in a first specific game which is executed earlier among the plurality of specific games when the specific game is executed multiple times;
The present invention is characterized in that it is provided with:

The present invention can increase the attention to the game.

1 is a front view showing a pachinko machine according to a first embodiment. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing the main components of a pachinko machine. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing the main components of a pachinko machine. FIG. 2 is a front view showing the configuration of the game board. A front view of the back pack unit. 1A is a perspective view showing the configuration of a special device, and FIG. 1B is a plan view showing the configuration of a passage provided in the special device in a simplified manner. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the accessory device. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing a rotating body unit constituting the role device. FIG. FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the rotating body unit. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the pachinko machine. FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the contents of various counters used in lotteries, etc. 1A is an explanatory diagram for explaining a result table, FIG. 1B is an explanatory diagram for explaining a type table, and FIG. 1C is an explanatory diagram for explaining a release timing table. 5 is a flowchart showing an NMI interrupt process executed by the MPU of the main control device. 13 is a flowchart showing a timer interrupt process. A flowchart showing the winning process for an operating port. 13 is a flowchart showing an information acquisition process. 13 is a flowchart showing an abnormality monitoring process. 13 is a flowchart showing a main process. 13 is a flowchart showing a normal process. 13 is a flowchart showing a game stop determination process. 13 is a flowchart showing a game control process. 13 is a flowchart showing a data setting process. 13 is a flowchart showing the correct/incorrect determination process. 13 is a flowchart showing a control start process. 13 is a flowchart showing a process during control. 13 is a flowchart showing processing for the internal operation section of the reel. 13 is a flowchart showing a prize winning process. 13 is a flowchart showing a game state transition process. 13 is a flowchart showing an opening and closing process. 13 is a flowchart showing a setting process for each round. FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram for explaining a round pattern table. FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram for explaining an opening and closing pattern table. 13 is a flowchart showing a setting process for each release. (a) is an explanatory diagram for explaining a first distribution pattern table, (b) is an explanatory diagram for explaining a second distribution pattern table, and (c) is an explanatory diagram for explaining distribution characteristics based on a combination of distribution patterns. 13 is a flowchart showing a process during opening. 13 is a flowchart showing a round update process. This is a flowchart showing the processing for passing through a reel. 13 is a flowchart showing a remaining ball determination process. 13 is a timing chart for explaining the flow of a game in the second opening and closing execution mode. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the playability of each round of play. 13 is a timing chart for explaining the flow of remaining ball monitoring. 13 is a timing chart for explaining the flow of a game in a second opening and closing execution mode in the second embodiment. FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram for explaining an opening and closing pattern table according to the third embodiment. 13 is a flowchart showing a remaining ball determination process. 13 is a timing chart for explaining the flow of a game in the second opening and closing execution mode. 13 is a flowchart showing an open-state process according to a fourth embodiment; 13 is a timing chart for explaining the flow of play in the second round of play. FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram for explaining an opening timing table according to the fifth embodiment. 13A is a flowchart showing the remaining ball determination process, and FIG. 13B is a flowchart showing the normal process. 13 is a timing chart for explaining the flow of a game after the second opening and closing execution mode ends. 13 is a timing chart for explaining the flow of a game after the second opening and closing execution mode ends. 11 is a timing chart for explaining the execution timing of the remaining ball determination. FIG. 23 is an explanatory diagram for explaining an opening timing table according to the sixth embodiment. 13A is a flowchart showing a game control process, and FIG. 13B is a flowchart showing a win/loss determination process. 13 is a flowchart showing a remaining ball determination process. 13 is a timing chart for explaining the flow of a game when the waiting time for opening the shutter has elapsed without the first opening/closing execution mode occurring. 13 is a timing chart for explaining the flow of a game when the first opening/closing execution mode occurs before the waiting time for opening the shutter has elapsed. 13 is a timing chart for explaining the relationship between the opening waiting time and the flow of the game in the first opening and closing execution mode. FIG. 23 is an exploded perspective view showing a rotating body unit constituting a role device in the seventh embodiment. 13A is a flowchart showing the setting process for each round, and FIG. 13B is a flowchart showing the setting process for the opening and closing member. 13A and 13B are flowcharts showing the round update process, and 13C is a flowchart showing the process for the internal operation part of the reel. 13 is a timing chart for explaining the flow of a game in the second opening and closing execution mode. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing another example of an amusement machine.

First Embodiment
A first embodiment of a pachinko gaming machine (hereinafter referred to as a "pachinko machine"), which is a type of gaming machine, will be described below with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 is a front view of a pachinko machine 10, and Figs. 2 and 3 are perspective views showing the main components of the pachinko machine 10 in an expanded form. Note that Fig. 2 omits the components inside the game area of the pachinko machine 10 for the sake of convenience.

The pachinko machine 10 has an outer frame 11 that forms the outer shell of the pachinko machine 10, and a gaming machine main body 12 that is attached to the outer frame 11 so that it can rotate forward. The gaming machine main body 12 has an inner frame 13, a front door frame 14 that is positioned in front of the inner frame 13, and a back pack unit 15 that is positioned behind the inner frame 13.

As shown in FIG. 2, the inner frame 13 of the gaming machine main body 12 is rotatably supported by the outer frame 11 with one of the left and right sides serving as the support side. A front door frame 14 is rotatably supported by the inner frame 13, and can be rotated forward with one of the left and right sides serving as the support side. A back pack unit 15 is rotatably supported by the inner frame 13, and can be rotated backward with one of the left and right sides serving as the support side.

The gaming machine main body 12 is provided with a locking device 16 at its rotating tip, which has the function of locking the gaming machine main body 12 so that it cannot be opened relative to the outer frame 11, and also has the function of locking the front door frame 14 so that it cannot be opened relative to the inner frame. Each of these locked states is released by using an unlocking key to perform an unlocking operation on the cylinder lock 17, which is exposed on the front of the pachinko machine 10.

The front door frame 14, which is provided to cover the entire front side of the inner frame 13, is formed with a window section 61 that allows almost the entire area of the play area described below to be viewed from the front. The window section 61 is generally elliptical in shape, and a window panel 62 is fitted into it. The window panel 62 is made of glass and is colorless and transparent, but is not limited to this and may be made of synthetic resin and is colorless and transparent.

Around the window 61, various light emitting means such as lamps are provided. As part of the various lamps, a display light emitting unit 63 is provided above the window 61. In addition, on both the left and right sides of the display light emitting unit 63, speaker units 64 are provided that output sound effects according to the game status.

Below the window 61 in the front door frame 14, an upper bulge 65 and a lower bulge 66 that bulge toward the front are arranged side by side. An upper tray 71 that opens upward is provided inside the upper bulge 65, and a lower tray 72 that also opens upward is provided inside the lower bulge 66. The upper tray 71 has the function of temporarily storing game balls paid out by the payout device 96 provided in the back pack unit 15, and guiding them to the game ball launching mechanism 53 while aligning them in a row. The lower tray 72 also has the function of storing surplus game balls in the upper tray 71.

A launch handle 60 is provided to the right of the lower tray 72 in the front door frame 14. By operating the launch handle 60, game balls are launched toward the play area from a game ball launch mechanism 53 provided below the play area in the inner frame 13. In this case, by changing the amount of rotation of the launch handle 60, the launch strength of the game balls launched toward the play area, i.e., the momentum of the launch, is changed.

The play area is formed on a play board 24 mounted on the inner frame 13. The structure of the play board 24 will be described below with reference to Figure 4. Figure 4 is a front view of the play board 24.

An inner rail section 32 and an outer rail section 33 are attached to the surface of the game board 24, and a game area is formed by being partitioned by the inner rail section 32 and the outer rail section 33. The inner rail section 32 and the outer rail section 33 also form a guide rail 34 for game balls to the game area, and game balls launched from the game ball launching mechanism by the player rotating the launch handle 60 are guided to the top of the game area by the guide rail 34.

The guide rail 34 is formed so that its exit portion faces the upper center of the play area on one side of the play area. Therefore, as the amount of rotation of the launch handle 60 by the player increases, the arrival position of the game ball at the top of the play area shifts from the side where the exit portion of the guide rail 34 is formed to the opposite side. The exit portion of the guide rail 34 is provided on the left side of the play area.

In the area of the game board 24 that is partitioned off as the play area, multiple openings of various sizes that penetrate in the front-to-rear direction are formed by applying router processing. Each opening is provided with a general winning opening 35, a first operating opening (first starting ball entry section) 38, a second operating opening (second starting ball entry section) 39, a role device 150, a through gate 41, a variable display unit 42, a main display section 43, and a role display section 44, etc.

When balls enter the general winning opening 35, the first operating opening 38, the second operating opening 39, and the accessory device 150, they are detected by the detection sensors (the first operating sensor 38a, the second operating sensor 39c, and the entrance sensor 179 (see FIG. 10, etc.)) arranged on the back side of the game board 24, and a predetermined number of prize balls are paid out based on the detection result. In this case, when a ball enters the first operating opening 38 and when a ball enters the second operating opening 39, seven prize balls are paid out, when a ball enters the general winning opening 35, eight prize balls are paid out, and when a ball enters the accessory device 150, fifteen prize balls are paid out. However, the number of prize balls is arbitrary, and the number of prize balls in both operating openings 38 and 39 may be different, for example, the number of prize balls in the second operating opening 39 may be greater than the number of prize balls in the first operating opening 38.

In addition, an outlet 45 is provided at the bottom of the game board 24, and game balls that do not enter the various winning holes are discharged from the game area through the outlet 45. In addition, numerous nails 46 are planted on the game board 24 to appropriately disperse and adjust the falling direction of the game balls, and various components (gimmicks) such as windmills are also arranged on the game board.

Here, "ball entry" refers to a game ball passing through a specified opening, and includes not only the case where the game ball passes through an opening and is discharged from the game area, but also the case where the game ball continues to flow down the game area after passing through an opening without being discharged. However, in the following explanation, in order to clearly distinguish from the game ball entering the outlet 45, the game ball entering the role device 150, the first operating port 38, the second operating port 39, or the through gate 41 is also referred to as "winning."

The role device 150 is disposed in the approximate center of the game board 24. The first operating port 38 and the second operating port 39 are arranged side by side horizontally on the lower side of the role device 150 on the game board 24. Two first operating ports 38 are provided on the left and right of the role device 150, and the second operating port 39 is arranged in a position sandwiched between these left and right first operating ports 38. In relation to the role device 150, the left and right first operating ports 38 are arranged to sandwich the role device 150, so that a game ball that does not enter the role device 150 can reach (enter) either of the first operating ports 38. In addition, the horizontal distance between both first operating ports 38 and the role device 150 is equal to or greater than the diameter of one game ball, so that the game ball can flow down between the first operating ports 38 and the role device 150.

The second operating port 39 is disposed below the role device 150. The second operating port 39 is disposed slightly lower than both first operating ports 38, so that game balls that do not enter the role device 150 or the first operating port 38 can reach (enter) the second operating port 39.

The second operating port 39 is provided with an electric device 39a as a guide piece (support piece) consisting of a pair of movable pieces on the left and right. The electric device 39a is connected to an electric device drive unit 39b mounted on the back side of the game board 24, and is driven by the electric device drive unit 39b to be placed in either a closed state (non-support state or non-guide state) or an open state (support state or guide state). When the electric device 39a is in the closed state, the game ball cannot enter the second operating port 39, but when the electric device 39a is in the open state, the game ball can enter the second operating port 39.

However, without being limited to this, the configuration may be such that the electric device 39a can be switched between a state in which it is easy for the game ball to enter the second operating port 39 and a state in which it is not impossible to win but it is less likely to win than the above-mentioned state in which it is easy to win. Also, the configuration may be such that the electric device 39a is disabled and the switching between the state in which it is easy to win and the state in which it is less likely to win is performed by displacing the second operating port 39 itself.

The main display section 43 and the gadget display section 44 are provided on a decorative member 47 that is arranged along the outer edge of the lower side of the play area. The decorative member 47 extends from the surface of the play board 24 to the front of the pachinko machine 10. More specifically, the front surface of the decorative member 47 faces a window panel 62 provided in the front door frame 14 to make the play area visible from the front of the pachinko machine 10, and the distance between the window panel 62 is narrower than the width of one game ball. This prevents game balls from falling in front of the front surface of the decorative member 47.

The main display unit 43 and the display unit for the gadgets 44 are provided so as to be exposed from the front of the decorative member 47. In other words, the main display unit 43 and the display unit for the gadgets 44 are visible from the front of the pachinko machine 10 through the window panel 62 of the front door frame 14, and game balls are prevented from falling in front of these display units 43, 44.

In the main display section 43, the results of the internal lottery based on the winnings at each operating port 38, 39 are displayed clearly by means of pictures, etc.

The main display unit 43 is configured with a segment display in which multiple segment light-emitting elements are arranged in a predetermined manner, but is not limited to this and may be configured with other types of display devices such as a liquid crystal display device, an organic EL display device, a CRT, a dot matrix, etc. Also, the images displayed on the main display unit 43 may be configured to display multiple types of letters, multiple types of symbols, multiple types of characters, or multiple types of colors.

In the reel display unit 44, the winning of the through gate 41 is used as a trigger to display the changing patterns, and the result of the stopping of the changing display is the result of the internal lottery conducted based on the winning of the through gate 41. If the result of the internal lottery based on the winning of the through gate 41 is a winning result corresponding to the transition to the electric role open state, the predetermined stop result is displayed on the reel display unit 44, the changing display is stopped, and then the transition to the electric role open state occurs. In the electric role open state, the electric reel 39a provided in the second operating port 39 is opened in a predetermined manner.

The variable display unit 42 is provided with a pattern display device 51 that variably displays (or variably displays or switches between) a pattern, which is a type of picture. The pattern display device 51 is configured as a liquid crystal display device equipped with a liquid crystal display, and the display content is controlled by a display control device described below. Note that the pattern display device 51 is not limited to being a liquid crystal display device, and may be other display devices such as a plasma display device, an organic EL display device, or a CRT.

A first reserved light emitting unit 54 and a second reserved light emitting unit 55 corresponding to the main display unit 43 are provided below the main display unit 43 in the decorative member 47. The first reserved light emitting unit 54 has a plurality of light emitting units (four in detail) arranged side by side, and the number of game balls that have entered the first operating port 38 is reserved up to four, and the number of reserved balls is displayed by the lighting of the first reserved light emitting unit 54. The second reserved light emitting unit 55 has a plurality of light emitting units (four in detail) arranged side by side, and the number of game balls that have entered the second operating port 39 is reserved up to four, and the number of reserved balls is displayed by the lighting of the second reserved light emitting unit 55. In addition, a third reserved light emitting unit 56 corresponding to the game ball display unit 44 is provided below the display unit 44 for the role in the decorative member 47. The number of times that the game ball has passed through the through gate 41 is reserved up to four times, and the number of reserved balls is displayed by the lighting of the third reserved light emitting unit 56. In addition, some or all of the pending light-emitting units 54 to 56 may be configured to be displayed as part of the pattern display device 51.

When a game ball enters one of the operating ports 38, 39, the role device 150 opens, allowing the game ball to enter the role device 150. When a game ball enters the role device 150 and then enters a V winning port provided in the role device 150, it is detected by the V winning sensor 192 described below, and a jackpot state is reached.

The configuration of the prop device 150 will now be described in detail with reference to Figures 6 to 9. Figure 6(a) is a perspective view of the prop device 150, Figure 6(b) is a plan view showing a simplified configuration of the passageway provided in the prop device 150, Figure 7 is an exploded perspective view of the prop device 150, Figure 8 is an exploded perspective view of the rotating body unit 180 that constitutes the prop device 150, and Figure 9 is a plan view of the rotating body unit 180.

The role device 150 is broadly composed of a role unit 160 and a rotating body unit 180. As shown in FIG. 7, the role unit 160 has a base frame 161, and a flange 162 of the base frame 161 is fixed to the game board 24 with screws. The base frame 161 is divided into upper and lower parts by a ball receiving plate 163 extending in the front-rear direction, and an upper opening 164 and a lower opening 165 that penetrate from front to back are formed.

A ceiling member 167 having a predetermined thickness is attached above the upper opening 164 on the front surface of the base frame 161. The variable display unit 42 is formed on the ceiling member 167, and the display screen G of the symbol display device 51 is installed so as to face the front of the gaming machine.

A pair of opening/closing parts 168 having the same thickness as the ceiling member 167 are provided on both the left and right sides of the upper opening 164 in the base frame 161. A passage forming member 171 and a drive unit fixing plate 172 are provided on the back side of the base frame 161, and a pair of opening/closing part drivers 173 (electromagnetic solenoids) are attached to the back of the drive unit fixing plate 172. One end of a link 176 that penetrates the passage forming member 171 and the drive unit fixing plate 172 is connected to the opening/closing part driver 173, and the other end of the link 176 is connected to the shaft of the opening/closing part 168. Therefore, the opening/closing part 168 is opened by driving the opening/closing part driver 173.

To explain this opening operation in detail, when the opening/closing device drive unit 173 is not driven (excited), each opening/closing device 168 stands upward, and each tip is close to both the left and right ends of the ceiling member 167. On the other hand, when the opening/closing device drive unit 173 is driven (excited), each opening/closing device 168 opens outward, and a gap larger than the size of one game ball is created between the tip of each opening/closing device 168 and both the left and right ends of the ceiling member 167. With this configuration, a game ball can enter the game device 150 only when each opening/closing device 168 opens and the game device 150 is in an open state. In addition, even when the opening/closing device drive unit 173 is not driven (excited) (when the opening/closing device 168 stands up), it is sufficient that it is more difficult for the ball to enter the device 150 than when the opening/closing device drive unit 173 is driven (excited) (when the opening/closing device 168 opens outward), and the device may be configured so that the ball can enter the device 150 when the opening/closing device drive unit 173 is not driven (excited). For example, when the opening/closing device drive unit 173 is driven, the gap between the tip of the opening/closing device 168 and both left and right ends of the ceiling member 167 is about the size of one game ball, and when the opening/closing device drive unit 173 is driven, the gap becomes larger.

The opening/closing device drive unit 173 is configured so that it cannot be seen from the front of the gaming machine due to the passage forming member 171 and the drive unit fixing plate 172, and the back side of the opening/closing device drive unit 173 is covered by a cover member 174.

A front frame 175 is attached to the edge of the lower opening 165 on the front surface of the base frame 161. An extension wall 175a formed on the upper part of the front frame 175 extends above the ball receiving plate 163 of the base frame 161, and this extension wall 175a prevents game balls that reach the ball receiving plate 163 from flying forward.

The passage forming member 171 is formed with a passage plate 177 that extends in the front-rear direction and is connected to the ball receiving plate 163, and furthermore, a game ball passage 178 that extends in the up-down direction is formed on the back side of the passage plate 177 (shown in FIG. 6 (b)). The passage plate 177 is inclined downward toward the game ball passage 178, and the width of the passage plate 177 narrows toward the game ball passage 178, so that the game ball that reaches the ball receiving plate 163 is guided to the game ball passage 178. The game ball guided to the game ball passage 178 flows down the game ball passage 178. An entrance sensor 179 is provided on the entrance side of the game ball passage 178, and the game ball that enters the role device 150 always and immediately passes through the entrance sensor 179. This allows the entry of the game ball into the role device 150 to be detected. The entrance sensor 179 is composed of a well-known proximity sensor.

A rotating body unit 180 is attached to the role unit 160 so as to be located below the passage forming member 171. As shown in FIG. 8, the rotating body unit 180 includes a guide passage forming member 181 and a discharge passage forming member 191.

The guide passage forming member 181 has a recess 182 recessed downward at approximately its center. The recess 182 has a circular shape in a plan view. A circular guide passage 183 is formed along the outer edge of the upper opening of the recess 182. The guide passage 183 is symmetrical and inclined so as to become lower from the center of the back side toward the center of the front side. The front center of the guide passage 183 is located at the lower end portion of the lower opening 165 of the base frame 161. The back center of the guide passage 183 is located vertically below the game ball passage 178 of the role unit 160. The passage wall 183a forming the back center of the guide passage 183 is taller than the surrounding passage walls 183a, and a passage cover 184 extending horizontally is formed above the guide passage 183 on the back side. However, an entrance opening 184a is formed in the passage cover 184, and in plan view (see FIG. 9), only the center of the back side of the guide passage 183 is exposed. Because this entrance opening 184a overlaps with the outlet of the game ball passage 178, the game balls that flow down the game ball passage 178 reliably reach the center of the back side of the guide passage 183.

A ball distribution section 185 is formed in the center of the rear side of the guide passage 183. The ball distribution section 185 has an inclined surface 185a that slopes downward from the right side to the left side. A game ball that reaches the ball distribution section 185 is guided to the guide passage 183 on the left side along the slope of the inclined surface 185a. The game ball is then guided to the front side of the guide passage 183 by rolling along the slope of the guide passage 183. A lead-out section 186 that slopes toward the recess 182 is formed on the front side of the guide passage 183.

A V winning opening 182a is formed on the bottom surface of the recess 182. The V winning opening 182a is connected to a V winning passage 191a formed in the discharge passage forming member 191, and the game ball that enters the V winning opening 182a is discharged to the outside of the role device 150 through the V winning passage 191a. In this case, a V winning sensor 192 is provided in the V winning passage 191a, and the game ball passing through the V winning passage 191a is detected by the V winning sensor 192.

A miss opening 182b is formed on the side of the recess 182. The miss opening 182b is connected to a miss passage 191b formed in the discharge passage forming member 191, and the game ball that enters the miss opening 182b is discharged to the outside of the role device 150 through the miss passage 191b. In this case, a miss sensor 193 is provided in the miss passage 191b, and the game ball passing through the miss passage 191b is detected by the miss sensor 193. The V winning sensor 192 and the miss sensor 193 are composed of well-known proximity sensors. The game ball discharged to the outside of the role device 150 through the V winning passage 191a and the miss passage 191b is discharged to the outside of the pachinko machine 10 through a discharge passage not shown.

Incidentally, in this embodiment, the reel device 150 does not have any discharge route other than the route that passes through the V winning passage 191a or the loss passage 191b, and when a game ball that has won in the reel device 150 is discharged outside the reel device 150, it always passes through either the V winning passage 191a or the loss passage 191b.

A rotating body drive unit 194 is attached to the discharge passage forming member 191 from below, and an output shaft 194a extending in the vertical direction of the rotating body drive unit 194 passes through the discharge passage forming member 191 and the guide passage forming member 181. A rotating body 201 is fixed to the output shaft 194a. The rotating body drive unit 194 may be a stepping motor.

The rotating body 201 is approximately disk-shaped with a diameter slightly smaller than the recess 182 of the guide passage forming member 181, and is located within the recess 182. The rotating body 201 rotates clockwise as the rotating body drive unit 194 is driven. Ten ball guide parts 202 recessed inward are formed on the outer periphery of the rotating body 201, and these ball guide parts 202 are arranged at equal intervals. Of these, nine ball guide parts 202 are bottomed out hole guide parts 203, and one ball guide part 202 is a bottomless V-shaped winning hole guide part 204. The bottom surface of the out hole guide part 203 is inclined so that it is lower toward the outside. Each ball guide part 202 is large enough to accommodate one game ball, and the game ball led out from the lead-out part 186 of the guide passage 183 enters one of the ball guide parts 202. In this case, the game ball that entered the V winning hole guide 204 reaches the top of the V winning hole 182a as the rotor 201 rotates, and falls from the V winning hole 182a into the V winning passage 191a. On the other hand, the game ball that entered the loss hole guide 203 reaches the side of the loss hole 182b as the rotor 201 rotates, and enters the loss passage 191b from the loss hole 182b.

In addition, in this embodiment, a rotational position detection sensor 196 is provided to grasp the rotational position of the rotor 201. The rotational position detection sensor 196 has a pair of arms 196a, 196b that face each other at a predetermined distance, with a light-emitting element disposed on one arm 196a and a light-receiving element disposed on the other arm 196b at a position facing the light-emitting element. The rotational position detection sensor 196 is provided on a sensor board 197, which is fixed to the discharge passage forming member 191 so that a cut band 198 provided on the output shaft 194a of the rotor drive unit 194 is located between the arms 196a, 196b of the rotational position detection sensor 196 (between the light-emitting element and the light-receiving element).

The cut-off band 198 is roughly doughnut-shaped and rotates with the rotation of the output shaft 194a. However, the cut-off portion 198a is formed so that it is discontinuous. Therefore, the light from the light-emitting element of the rotation position detection sensor 196 is basically blocked by the cut-off band 198, and the light from the light-emitting element reaches the light-receiving element only when the cut-off portion 198a passes between the two arms 196a and 196b as the output shaft 194a rotates. The cut-off portion 198a is formed corresponding to the position of the V winning hole guide portion 204 on the outer periphery of the rotating body 201, so that the rotation position of the rotating body 201 can be grasped by monitoring whether the light-receiving element detects the light from the light-emitting element. Incidentally, when the V winning hole guide portion 204 passes in front of the lead-out portion 186, the cut-off portion 198a passes between the two arms 196a and 196b.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, a first sorting member 300 is provided on one of the left and right sides of the guide passage 183, more specifically, on the left guide passage 183 where the removal opening 182b is formed. The first sorting member 300 is disposed above the removal passage 191b as a bottom that constitutes part of the floor of the guide passage 183. The first sorting member 300 is connected to a first sorting drive unit 300a (electromagnetic solenoid), and by controlling the drive of the first sorting drive unit 300a, the first sorting member 300 is switched between a non-sorting state that constitutes part of the floor of the above-mentioned guide passage 183 and a sorting state in which the first sorting member 300 rotates downward with the rear end of the first sorting member 300 as the rotation axis and has a downward slope toward the removal passage 191b side.

With the above configuration, when the first distribution drive unit 300a is not driven (not in an excited state) and the first distribution member 300 is in a non-distribution state, the game ball distributed to the left side of the guide passage 183 passes over the first distribution member 300, which serves as a floor, and reaches one of the ball guide units 202 in the rotating body 201. On the other hand, when the first distribution drive unit 300a is driven (in an excited state) and the first distribution member 300 is in a distribution state, the first distribution member 300 is tilted downward toward the loss passage 191b, and the game ball passing over this first distribution member 300 is guided directly to the loss passage 191b without reaching the rotating body 201. Therefore, the V winning probability (probability detected by the V winning sensor 192) changes depending on the state of the first distribution member 300.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, a warp passage 210 is provided that guides the game ball that has passed through the game ball passage 178 directly to the V winning passage 191a. The warp passage 210 includes a roughly cylindrical passage cover 211 and a passage forming portion 212 that divides the internal space of the passage cover 211 into a passage shape to form a ball passage. The passage cover 211 is formed from a synthetic resin that has transparency (translucency), and on the inside, a single spiral passage 213 is formed by the inner peripheral wall surface of the passage cover 211 and the passage forming portion 212. One game ball can pass through the spiral passage 213.

An entrance guide 215 is provided on the upper part of the passage cover 211 to guide the game balls that have passed through the game ball passage 178 to the spiral passage 213. The entrance guide 215 is disposed in correspondence with the part of the passage wall 183a of the guide passage 183 that is behind the ball distribution section 185. Specifically, an opening (not shown) that opens toward the rear is formed in the part of the passage wall 183a that is behind the ball distribution section 185, and the entrance of the entrance guide 215 is connected to the opening. The exit of the entrance guide 215 is connected to the spiral passage 213 through the warp entrance 214, and the floor surface of the entrance guide 215 is inclined downward toward the spiral passage 213.

At the bottom of the passage cover 211, a warp exit section 216 is formed for discharging the game balls that have passed through the spiral passage 213 out of the passage cover 211. In front of the warp exit section 216, an exit guide section 217 is provided, which extends downwardly toward the front and guides the game balls discharged from the warp exit section 216 to the discharge passage forming member 191. A V-guiding passage 260 that guides the game balls toward the V-winning passage 191a is formed in the discharge passage forming member 191, and the exit section of the exit guide section 217 is connected to the rear end 261 of the V-guiding passage 260. The V-guiding passage 260 is formed so as to have a downward slope toward the V-winning passage 191a, and the front end 262 of the V-guiding passage 260 is connected to the V-winning passage 191a. The warp entrance 214, entrance guide 215, warp exit 216, exit guide 217, and V guide passage 260 are each configured to allow one game ball to pass through.

When the game ball reaches the guide passage 183 and is guided toward the warp passage 210, it passes through the spiral passage 213 in the warp passage 210 and is guided to the V guide passage 260. The game ball then passes through the V guide passage 260, enters the V winning passage 191a, and is detected by the V winning sensor 192 (V winning).

Here, in front of the entrance guide section 215 in the warp passage 210, a second distribution member 310 is provided that can distribute game balls that have passed through the game ball passage 178 to either the entrance guide section 215 (warp passage 210) side or the ball distribution section 185 (left guide passage 183) side. The second distribution member 310 is connected to a second distribution drive section 310a (electromagnetic solenoid), and by controlling the drive of the second distribution drive section 310a, the second distribution member 310 switches between a non-distribution state in which it is positioned in front of the entrance guide section 215 and a distribution state in which it is positioned above that and not in front of the entrance guide section 215.

Furthermore, a shutter 221 that switches whether or not game balls can flow into the warp entrance 214 is provided at a midpoint of the entrance guide 215 between the second distribution member 310 and the warp entrance 214 of the warp passage 210. The shutter 221 is connected to a shutter drive unit 221a (electromagnetic solenoid), and by controlling the drive of the shutter 221a, the shutter 221 switches between a closed state in which the shutter 221 is located in front of the entrance guide 215 and restricts the flow of game balls into the warp entrance 214 (closing the warp entrance 214) and an open state in which the shutter 221 is located above the closed state and allows the flow of game balls into the warp entrance 214 (opening the warp entrance 214).

With the above configuration, when the second distribution drive unit 310a is not driven (not in an excited state) and the second distribution member 310 is in a non-distribution state, the game ball cannot flow into the entrance guide unit 215, and after being distributed to the ball distribution unit 185 side, it goes down the guide passage 183 on the left side. On the other hand, when the second distribution drive unit 310a is driven (in an excited state) and the second distribution member 310 is in a distribution state, the game ball can flow into the entrance guide unit 215 and is distributed to the entrance guide unit 215 side.

At that time, if the shutter drive unit 221a is driven (in an excited state) and the shutter 221 is in an open state, the game ball on the entrance guide unit 215 passes through the warp entrance unit 214 and enters the spiral passage 213, and is guided to the V winning passage 191a through the exit guide unit 217 and the V guide passage 260. In other words, the game ball enters the V winning passage 191a directly without being sorted by the rotor 201. Conversely, if the shutter drive unit 221a is not driven (not in an excited state) and the shutter 221 is in a closed state, the game ball stops by abutting against the shutter 221, and the flow of the game ball into the warp entrance unit 214 is restricted. This state continues until the shutter 221 is in an open state, and the game ball is stored in the role device 150.

Here, both the second distribution member 310 and the rotating body 201 are visible from the front of the pachinko machine 10, but the second distribution member 310 is positioned further back than the rotating body 201, making it less visible from the front than the rotating body 201. With this configuration, the second distribution member 310 can be prevented from being targeted by timing the distribution to the entrance guide section 215 side. On the other hand, for the rotating body 201, it is possible to make it easier to see how the game balls are distributed, increasing interest in the rotating body 201 and improving its presence.

The ball distribution section 185 at the center of the back side of the guide passage 183 has a downward sloping surface toward the rear so that it can not only guide the game balls to the left side but also distribute them backwards. At this time, the second distribution member 310 in the non-distributing state is set in position relative to the downward sloping surface so that it is located in front of (forward of) the above-mentioned downward sloping surface. This prevents the game balls from remaining halfway on the downward sloping surface by the second distribution member 310 in the non-distributing state.

In this embodiment, the passage length is set so that it takes about 2 seconds for the game ball stored in front of the warp entrance 214 to pass through the warp passage 210 (spiral passage 213) and reach the V winning sensor 192. Also, the passage length and the rotation speed of the rotor 201 are set so that it takes about 3 seconds for the game ball that has won the role device 150 to pass through the left guide passage 183 and the rotor 201 and reach the V winning sensor 192. Incidentally, in this embodiment, the removal opening 182b is located closer to the lead-out section 186 than the V winning opening 182a when viewed in the rotation direction (clockwise) of the rotor 201. For this reason, the time it takes for a game ball that has entered the role device 150 to travel through the left guide path 183 and the rotating body 201 to reach the loss sensor 193 (the time it takes for the ball to travel through the loss sensor 193 and be discharged from the role device 150) is shorter than the time it takes for the ball to travel through the left guide path 183 and the rotating body 201 to reach the V winning sensor 192.

The game ball that has entered the above-described role device 150 enters the game ball passage 178 by rolling on the ball receiving plate 163. In this case, the game ball is detected by the entrance sensor 179. The game ball that has flowed down the game ball passage 178 reaches the ball distribution section 185 formed in the center of the back side of the guide passage 183. Then, on condition that the second distribution member 310 is in a non-distribution state, it is distributed to the left guide passage 183. After that, it is guided to the lead-out section 186 by rolling on the left guide passage 183. The game ball guided to the lead-out section 186 is guided into the recess 182 by rolling along the inclination of the lead-out section 186. However, the game ball rolling on the left guide passage 183 can reach the recess 182 only if the first distribution member 300 is in a non-distribution state. In other words, the game ball guided to the left guide passage 183 may be guided toward the recess 182, or may be guided directly to the outlet 182b.

The rotor 201 rotates within the recess 182, and a game ball that is guided into the recess 182 and enters the miss port guide section 203 is guided to the miss port 182b. In this case, the game ball is detected by the miss sensor 193. On the other hand, a game ball that is guided into the recess 182 and enters the V winning port guide section 204 is guided to the V winning port 182a. In this case, the game ball is detected by the V winning sensor 192.

When the game ball reaches the ball distribution section 185, if the second distribution member 310 is in a distribution state, the game ball is distributed to the entrance guide section 215 side. In this embodiment, the shape of the ball distribution section 185 is set so that when the game ball reaches the ball distribution section 185 while the second distribution member 310 is in a distribution state, the game ball is always distributed to the entrance guide section 215 side. When the game ball is distributed to the entrance guide section 215 side and the shutter 221 is in a closed state, as already described, the game ball stops at the contact position with the shutter 221 (upstream of the warp entrance section 214) and is stored in the role device 150 in that state. After that, when the shutter 221 is displaced to an open state, the game ball flows into the spiral passage 213 through the warp entrance section 214 and moves toward the V winning sensor 192.

In addition, since there is one V winning hole guide section 204 among the ten ball guide sections 202, a game ball that enters the recess 182 of the role device 150 has a probability of 1/10 entering the V winning hole 182a. In addition, when a game ball is detected by the V winning sensor 192 and the loss sensor 193, a predetermined number of prize balls are paid out to the upper tray 71. Furthermore, the movement of the game ball on the rotating unit 180 can be seen from the front of the gaming machine through the opening in the front frame 175 and the lower opening 165 of the base frame 161.

However, the number of ball guide sections 202 and the number of V winning port guide sections 204 are not limited to those described above. For example, there may be one V winning port guide section 204 for six ball guide sections 202, resulting in a 1/6 probability of a V winning, or there may be other probabilities of a V winning.

The power lines and signal lines of the sensors 179, 192, 193, 196, etc., and the drive units 173, 221a, 300a, 310a, 194, etc. in the above-mentioned prop device 150 are connected to a relay terminal board 199 attached to the guide path forming member 181. These signal lines are then bundled together as a harness and connected to the main control unit described below, which detects the ball entering the play and controls the drive units. However, some or all of these functions may be performed by the sub-control unit, the performance control unit described below.

The pattern display device 51 notifies the player when a game ball enters one of the operating ports 38, 39 and the role device 150 opens, when a game ball enters the role device 150, the allocation result, the allocation status at the rotor 201, and the occurrence of a jackpot state when the V winning sensor 192 detects a game ball, during normal game play. It also notifies the player of a round effect during a jackpot state, and notifies an error when an abnormality is detected. The content of these effects need only be such that the player can clearly grasp the respective game states.

As shown in FIG. 4, the game board 24 is provided with a vibration detection sensor 240 and a magnet detection sensor 241 as abnormality detection means. The vibration detection sensor 240 and the magnet detection sensor 241 are installed around the role device 150. These detection sensors 240, 241 are electrically connected to the main control device 81, and detect vibrations and magnets (magnetism) when operating power (operating voltage) is being supplied from the main control device 81, and output the detection results to the main control device 81.

As already explained, since the allocation of the game balls to the V prize is performed in the role device 150, it is conceivable that fraudulent acts may be attempted by vibrating the role device 150 or attracting the game balls with a magnet to change the flow of the game balls and guide them to the V prize opening guide section 204. In response to this, the above-mentioned detection sensors 240 and 241 are provided, making it possible to detect any such fraudulent acts.

The locations of the detection sensors 240, 241 can be arbitrary as long as they can detect vibrations and magnetism. However, from the perspective of preventing fraudulent acts against the reel device 150, it is preferable to place them closer to the reel device 150.

The main control device 81 to which the above detection sensors 240, 241 are connected has a game stop function that stops subsequent play if vibrations or magnets are detected by these detection sensors 240, 241.

Next, we will explain the configuration on the back side of the gaming machine main body 12.

As shown in FIG. 3, a main control device 81 and a performance control device 82 are mounted on the back of the inner frame 13 (specifically, the game board 24).

The main control device 81 is equipped with a main control board having a function of controlling the main game (main control circuit) and a function of monitoring the power supply (power failure monitoring circuit), and the main control board is housed in a board box 83 made of a transparent resin material or the like. The board box 83 is equipped with a box base (front case body) having a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape and a box cover (back case body) that covers the opening of the box base. The box base and the box cover are inseparably connected by box joint parts 85 as a separation prevention means (or connecting means), thereby sealing the board box 83. And, because they are inseparably connected by these box joint parts 85, the board box 83 is configured to require destruction or partial removal of the board box 83 when opening the internal space of the board box 83. A plurality of box joint parts 85 are provided on the long sides of the board box 83, and at least one of them is used for the connecting process.

The box coupling part 85 can be of any configuration as long as it is configured to couple the box base and the box cover together in an unopenable manner, but the box base and the box cover are coupled together in an unopenable manner by inserting a locking claw into the long hole that constitutes the box coupling part 85. The coupling process using the box coupling part 85 prevents unauthorized opening after the coupling, and in the unlikely event that unauthorized opening occurs, makes it possible to detect such a situation early and easily, and it is possible to perform the opening process again even after it has been opened once. In other words, the coupling process is performed by inserting a locking claw into at least one long hole of the multiple box coupling parts 85. When the board box 83 is opened, for example, when a malfunction occurs in the housed main control board or when inspecting the main control board, the connection part between the box coupling part 85 into which the locking claw is inserted and the other box coupling parts 85 and the connection part with the box body are cut. This separates the box base and the box cover of the board box 83, and the main control board inside can be removed. If the coupling process is then performed again, a locking claw is inserted into the long hole of the other box coupling part 85. If a record of the opening of the board box 83 is left on the board box 83, unauthorized opening can be easily discovered by looking at the board box 83.

One short side of the board box 83 has multiple connecting pieces 86 that protrude out to the side. These connecting pieces 86 correspond one-to-one to multiple connectable pieces 87 formed on the mounting base of the main control device 81, and the connecting pieces 86 and connectable pieces 87 are used to connect the board box 83 to the mounting base.

In addition, as a trace means for discovering unauthorized opening of the board box 83, a seal may be affixed across the boundary between the box base and the box cover. In this case, when the seal is peeled off from the affixed location, the adhesive layer of the seal will remain on the board box 83 side, leaving a trace. Furthermore, the seal may be provided with an IC tag that transmits a response wave containing identification information in response to a calling wave of a specified frequency, so that when the seal is peeled off, the antenna of the IC tag is cut off, making it impossible to transmit the response wave.

The performance control device 82 is equipped with a performance control board that controls audio and lamp displays, as well as a display control device (not shown) according to instructions from the main control device 81, and the performance control board is housed in a board box 84 made of a transparent resin material or the like.

As shown in Figures 3 and 5, the back pack unit 15 has a back pack 91 to which a payout mechanism section 92 and a control device assembly unit 93 are attached. The back pack 91 is made of a transparent synthetic resin, and has a protective cover section 94 that protrudes rearward and has a roughly rectangular parallelepiped shape to cover the main control device 81, performance control device 82, etc. from the rear.

The payout mechanism 92 is disposed so as to bypass the protective cover 94, and includes a tank 95 to which game balls are successively replenished from the island equipment of the game parlor, and a payout device 96 for paying out the game balls stored in the tank 95. The game balls paid out from the payout device 96 are discharged to the upper tray 71 or the lower tray 72 through a payout passage (not shown) provided downstream of the payout device 96. The payout mechanism 92 also includes a back pack board 92a (see FIG. 5). A main power source of, for example, 24 volts AC is supplied to the back pack board 92a, and the power of the pachinko machine 10 is turned ON or OFF by switching the power switch 92b.

The rear pack 91 is provided with an external output terminal 99 on the upper edge side of the rotation axis of the rear pack unit 15. The external output terminals 99 include an output terminal for outputting a signal when the tank 95 or the like runs out of game balls, an output terminal for outputting a signal each time a predetermined number of prize balls are paid out, an output terminal for outputting a signal each time a predetermined number of game balls are dispensed, an output terminal for outputting a signal when the gaming machine main body 12 is opened, an output terminal for outputting a signal when the front door frame 14 is opened, and an output terminal for outputting a signal during a state transition such as an open/close execution mode (or while the state is being transitioned). Through these output terminals, a signal regarding the state of the frame side is output to the management control device on the gaming center side. Note that an output terminal for outputting a signal each time a predetermined number of game balls are dispensed is not necessary in so-called cash machines.

The control device assembly unit 93 is equipped with a payout control device 97 and a power supply and firing control device 98. The payout control device 97 and the power supply and firing control device 98 are stacked one behind the other so that the payout control device 97 is located at the rear of the pachinko machine 10.

The dispensing control device 97 is configured such that a dispensing control board that controls the dispensing device 96 is housed in a board box. In this case, the board box of the dispensing control device 97 may be provided with the same fraud prevention means as the board box 83 of the main control device 81.

The power supply and launch control device 98 is configured with a power supply and launch control board housed in a board box, which generates and outputs the predetermined power required by various control devices, etc., and also controls the launch of game balls in response to the player's operation of the launch handle 60. The power supply and launch control device 98 is provided with a RAM erase switch 98a (see Figure 5). This pachinko machine 10 has a function for storing and holding various data, so that in the event of a power outage, the state at the time of the power outage is retained, and when the power is restored, the state at the time of the power outage can be restored. Therefore, for example, if the power is cut off by operating only the power switch 92b, such as when the game parlor is closed, the state before the power outage is stored and held, but if the power switch 92b is operated while pressing the RAM erase switch 98a to turn on the power, the RAM data is initialized.

<Electrical configuration of the pachinko machine 10>
Next, the electrical configuration of the pachinko machine 10 will be described with reference to the block diagram of FIG.

The rear side of the inner frame is equipped with a main control device 81, a performance control device 82, and a display control device 100. As already explained, a back pack unit is provided on the rear side of the inner frame, and the back pack unit is equipped with a payout mechanism including a payout device 96, a payout control device 97, and a power supply and launch control device 98.

The main control device 81 is equipped with a main control board 111 that is responsible for the main control of the game, and a power outage monitoring board 115 that monitors the power supply. In addition, the board box that houses the main control board 111 in the main control device 81 may be provided with a trace means for leaving a trace of its opening, or a trace structure for leaving a trace of its opening. Possible trace means include a joint (crimping part) that inseparably joins the multiple case bodies that make up the board box and requires destruction of a specific part when separating them, or a configuration in which a seal sticker that leaves a trace of its removal by leaving an adhesive layer on the bonded object when peeled off is attached across the boundaries between the multiple case bodies. Also, a trace structure may be a configuration in which adhesive is applied to the boundaries between the multiple case bodies that make up the board box.

The main control board 111 is equipped with an MPU 112. The MPU 112 incorporates a ROM 113 that stores various control programs and fixed value data executed by the MPU 112, a RAM 114 that is a memory for temporarily storing various data when executing the control programs stored in the ROM 113, an interrupt circuit, a timer circuit, a data input/output circuit, various counter circuits as random number generators, and the like. Note that it is not essential that the ROM 113 and RAM 114 are integrated into a single chip for the MPU 112, and each may be integrated into a separate chip. This also applies to the MPUs of control devices other than the main control device 81.

The MPU 112 is provided with an input port and an output port. The input side of the MPU 112 is connected to a power failure monitoring board 115 and a dispensing control device 97 provided in the main control device 81. In this case, a power supply and launch control device 98 having the function of supplying operating power is connected to the power failure monitoring board 115, and power is supplied to the MPU 112 via the power failure monitoring board 115.

In addition, various sensors are connected to the input side of the MPU 112. The various sensors include the first actuation sensor 38a and the second actuation sensor 39c that detect winning at both actuation ports 38 and 39, as well as a sensor 35a that detects winning at the general winning port 35 and a sensor 41a that detects winning at the through gate 41, which are winning detection sensors that detect winning at other ball entry sections. In addition, the various sensors include the entrance sensor 179 in the role device 150, the V winning sensor 192, the loss sensor 193, the rotation position detection sensor 196, etc. Based on the detection results of these various sensors 38a, 39c, 35a, 41a, 179, 192, 193, and 196, the MPU 112 performs winning judgment (ball entry judgment) at each ball entry section and grasps the position of the rotating body 201. In addition, the MPU 112 executes various lotteries based on the winning of the first actuation port 38 or the second actuation port 39. Furthermore, the various sensors include a vibration detection sensor 240 that detects vibrations, and a magnet detection sensor 241 that detects magnets. The MPU 112 monitors for abnormalities based on the detection results of these detection sensors 240, 241.

The output side of the MPU 112 is connected to the power failure monitoring board 115, the payout control device 97, the performance control device 82, etc. For example, a winning ball command is output to the payout control device 97 based on the winning ball determination result in the winning ball entry section.

Various commands for performance are output to the performance control device 82. Details of these various commands will be explained later. Incidentally, the performance control device 82 is electrically connected to the main control device 81 via a connector unit (connection unit) that has connectors on both ends of a signal line.

Also, the output side of the MPU 112 is connected to various drive units such as the electric role drive unit 39b, the opening/closing role drive unit 173, the first distribution drive unit 300a, the second distribution drive unit 310a, the shutter drive unit 221a, and the rotating body drive unit 194. Various driver circuits are provided on the main control board 111, and the MPU 112 executes drive control of the various drive units through the driver circuits. Specifically, when a win occurs in any of the operating ports 38, 39, or when the mode shifts to an opening/closing execution mode based on a win in the V winning sensor 192, the opening/closing role drive unit 173 of the role device 150 is driven and controlled, and the opening/closing operation of the opening/closing role 168 is executed. Also, in these cases, the drive control of both distribution drives 300a, 310a is performed, and the drive control of the rotating body drive unit 194 is performed.

When a lottery is held to determine whether a prize has been won or lost based on the winnings of both actuation ports 38, 39, the MPU 112 controls the display of the main display unit 43. When the lottery result of whether or not the electric reel 39a is to be opened is to be displayed, the MPU 112 controls the display of the reel display unit 44.

The power failure monitoring board 115 relays between the main control board 111 and the power supply and launch control device 98, and also monitors the stable 24V DC voltage output from the power supply and launch control device 98. When the output voltage from the power supply and launch control device 98 falls below 22V, the power failure monitoring board 115 determines that a power failure (power cutoff) has occurred, and outputs a power failure signal to the NMI terminal (non-maskable interrupt terminal) provided on the MPU 112 of the main control device 81. This allows the main control device 81 to recognize the occurrence of a power failure and immediately execute NMI interrupt processing, and further execute power failure processing based on this. The payout control device 97 controls the payout of prize balls and loan balls by the payout device 96 based on the prize ball command input from the main control device 81.

The power supply and firing control device 98 is connected to a commercial power supply (external power supply) in, for example, an amusement facility. Then, based on the external power supplied from the commercial power supply, it generates the operating power required for the main control board 111, the payout control device 97, etc., and supplies the generated operating power. Incidentally, the power supply and firing control device 98 is provided with a power supply unit for use in the event of a power outage, such as a backup capacitor, and even when the power supply for the pachinko machine 10 is OFF, power for memory retention is supplied from the power supply unit for use in the event of a power outage to the RAM 114 of the main control device 81.

The power supply and launch control device 98 is responsible for controlling the launch of the game ball launch mechanism 53, and the game ball launch mechanism 53 is driven when certain launch conditions are met. In this case, the game ball launch mechanism 53 is equipped with a launch rail extending toward the guide rail 34 of the game board 24, a ball feed device that supplies the game balls stored in the upper tray 71 onto the launch rail, and a solenoid, which is an electric actuator that launches the game balls supplied onto the launch rail toward the guide rail 34, and the game balls are launched by supplying a drive signal from the power supply and launch control device 98 to the solenoid.

The performance control device 82 is equipped with a performance control board 141 on which an MPU 142 is mounted. The MPU 142 has a ROM 143 that stores various control programs and fixed value data executed by the MPU 142, a RAM 144 that is a memory for temporarily storing various data when executing the control programs stored in the ROM 143, an interrupt circuit, a timer circuit, a data input/output circuit, etc.

The MPU 142 drives and controls the various light-emitting units 54-56, 63 and the speaker unit 64 based on commands received from the main control unit 81. It also analyzes these commands and transmits the resulting commands to the display control unit 100. Incidentally, the performance control unit 82 is electrically connected to the display control unit 100 via a connector unit (connection unit) that has connectors on both ends of a signal line.

The display control device 100 includes a display control board 151 on which are mounted an MPU 152, which is an element in which a program ROM 153 and a work RAM 154 are integrated into a chip, a video display processor (VDP) 155, a character ROM 156, and a video RAM 157.

The MPU 152 analyzes the various commands received from the performance control device 82 or performs predetermined calculations based on the various commands received, thereby controlling the VDP 155 (specifically, generating internal commands for the VDP 155).

The program ROM 153 is a memory for storing various control programs and fixed value data executed by the MPU 152, and is a non-volatile storage means that does not require an external power supply to retain the stored information. The work RAM 154 is a memory for temporarily storing work data and flags used when the MPU 152 executes various programs, and is a volatile storage means that requires an external power supply to retain the stored information.

The VDP 155 is a type of drawing circuit that directly operates an image processing device that serves as a liquid crystal display driver built into the pattern display device 51. The VDP 155 is also called a "drawing chip" because it is made into an IC chip, and its actual form can be described as a microcomputer chip with built-in firmware dedicated to drawing processing. The VDP 155 mediates the reading and writing of data by adjusting the timing of the MPU 152, video RAM 157, etc., and reads image data to be stored in the video RAM 157 from the character ROM 156 at a predetermined timing and displays it on the pattern display device 51.

The character ROM 156 serves as an image data library for storing character data such as the designs displayed on the design display device 51. This character ROM 156 holds bitmap format image data of various display designs, a color palette table that is referenced when determining the color to be displayed at each dot of the bitmap image, and the like.

Video RAM 157 is a memory for storing display data to be displayed on pattern display device 51, and the display content of pattern display device 51 is changed based on rewriting the contents of video RAM 157.

<Electrical configuration for performing various lotteries by the MPU 112 of the main control device 81>
Next, the electrical configuration for performing various lotteries by the MPU 112 of the main control device 81 will be described with reference to FIG.

The MPU 112 uses various counter information during play to perform a lottery for determining whether a jackpot occurs, settings for the display of the main display unit 43, settings for the display of the pattern display device 51, settings for the display of the device for the device 44, etc. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 11, the MPU 112 uses a jackpot random number counter C1 used for the lottery for determining whether a jackpot occurs, a jackpot type counter C2 used for determining the type of jackpot, such as whether to open or close the opening and closing device 168, an opening type counter CS for setting the waiting period from the winning to the opening state when the opening and closing device 168 is opened based on the winning of the operating port 38, 39, and a random number initial value counter CINI used for setting the initial value of the jackpot random number counter C1. In addition, the MPU 112 uses an electric device opening counter C4 used for the lottery for determining whether the electric device 39a of the second operating port 39 is opened.

Each of the counters C1, C2, CINI, CS, and C4 is a loop counter that adds 1 to the previous value each time it is updated and returns to 0 after it reaches its maximum value. Each counter is updated at short intervals, and the updated value is appropriately stored in the lottery counter buffer 114a set in a specified area of the RAM 114. In the lottery counter buffer 114a, information corresponding to the jackpot random number counter C1, the jackpot type counter C2, and the release type counter CS is stored in the reserved ball storage area 114b, which serves as an acquired information storage means, when a winning occurs in the first actuation port 38 or the second actuation port 39.

The reserved ball storage area 114b has a reserved area RE consisting of a reserved area Ra for the first result display section and a reserved area Rb for the second result display section, and an execution area AE. The reserved areas Ra and Rb each have a first area, a second area, a third area, and a fourth area, and the numerical information of the jackpot random number counter C1, the jackpot type counter C2, and the opening type counter CS stored in the lottery counter buffer 114a is stored in one of the areas as reserved information according to the winning history of the first actuation port 38 or the second actuation port 39. The reserved information corresponds to special information.

In this case, when multiple consecutive wins occur at the first actuation port 38 or the second actuation port 39, the first to fourth areas store the numerical information in chronological order from the first area → the second area → the third area → the fourth area. By providing four areas in this way, up to four winning balls at the first actuation port 38 or the second actuation port 39 can be reserved and stored. In addition, the reserved ball storage area 114b is provided with a total reserved number storage area, and information for specifying the number of winning balls at the first actuation port 38 or the second actuation port 39 that are reserved and stored is stored in this total reserved number storage area.

The execution area AE is an area for moving the various values stored in the first area of the reserve area RE when the variable display of the main display unit 43 begins, and when one game round begins, a win/loss determination is made based on the various numerical information stored in the execution area AE.

Regarding each counter in detail, the jackpot random number counter C1 is configured to be incremented by one within the range of, for example, 0 to 99, and to return to 0 after reaching the maximum value (i.e., 99). When the jackpot random number counter C1 goes around once, the value of the random number initial value counter CINI at that time is read as the initial value of the jackpot random number counter C1. The random number initial value counter CINI is a loop counter similar to the jackpot random number counter C1 (value = 0 to 99). The jackpot random number counter C1 is updated periodically, and is stored in the reserved ball storage area 114b of the RAM 114 when the game ball enters the first actuation port 38 or the second actuation port 39. More specifically, it is stored in the reserved area Ra for the first result display section of the RAM 114 when the game ball enters the first actuation port 38, and is stored in the reserved area Rb for the second result display section of the RAM 114 when the game ball enters the second actuation port 39.

The random number value that results in a jackpot is stored as a result table (game result information group) in the result table storage area 113a, which serves as a win/loss information group storage means in the ROM 113.

Here, the contents of the result table will be explained using Figure 12 (a).

As shown in FIG. 12(a), the result table has a miss result, a direct hit result, and a normal opening result set as game results. The normal opening result is a game result in which the opening/closing device 168 in the role device 150 is opened (opening/closing execution mode) based on winning the operation openings 38 and 39. In this embodiment, the opening/closing device 168 is set to be in a one-time open state when a winning entry is made to the first operation opening 38, and to be in a two-time open state when a winning entry is made to the second operation opening 39. A miss result is a result in which the opening/closing device 168 is not in an open state even if a winning entry is made to the operation openings 38 and 39. In this case, it is not possible to win the role device 150, and a transition to a jackpot state (opening/closing execution mode) is not expected. A direct hit result is a result in which a transition to a jackpot state (opening/closing execution mode) occurs simply when a winning entry is made to the operation openings 38 and 39, and a transition to a jackpot state occurs as described above even if a winning entry is not made to the role device 150, let alone a V winning entry.

In the following, in order to distinguish between the opening/closing execution mode based on the normal opening result and the opening/closing execution mode based on the jackpot result (including both the direct hit result and the occurrence of a V win), the former will be referred to as the "first opening/closing execution mode" and the latter as the "second opening/closing execution mode."

Of the jackpot random number counter C1 (0-99), the number of random number values that result in a miss is one, the number of random number values that result in a direct hit is one, and the rest are values that correspond to normal opening results. Therefore, in this embodiment, based on winning at both operating ports 38, 39, there is a 98/100 probability that the number of opening and closing devices 168 corresponding to the operating ports 38, 39 will be opened, there is a 1/100 probability that the opening and closing devices 168 will not be opened but the opening and closing execution mode will be switched to without going through a V winning, and there is a 1/100 probability that the opening and closing devices 168 will not be opened and the opening and closing execution mode will not be switched to.

It is also possible to have a configuration in which direct hit results and miss results are not provided. However, including these results will diversify the game, and in particular, if a direct hit result is provided, even on a gaming machine where winning on the gimmick device 150 does not occur frequently due to nail adjustment, etc., it is possible to expect the occurrence of a jackpot state, and it is possible to expect the effect of increasing motivation to play even on such a gaming machine.

The jackpot type counter C2 is configured to be incremented by one within the range of 0 to 99, for example, and to return to 0 after it reaches a maximum value (i.e., 99). The jackpot type counter C2 is updated periodically, and is stored in the reserved ball storage area 114b of the RAM 114 when the gaming ball enters the first actuation port 38 or the second actuation port 39. More specifically, it is stored in the reserved area Ra for the first result display section of the RAM 114 when the gaming ball enters the first actuation port 38, and is stored in the reserved area Rb for the second result display section of the RAM 114 when the gaming ball enters the second actuation port 39.

The random number value that sets the type of jackpot result is stored as a type table (game type information group) in the various table storage area 113d, which serves as a win/loss information group storage means in ROM 113.

Here, the contents of the type table are explained using Figure 12 (b).

As shown in FIG. 12(b), the type table has 16R (round) continuation mode and continuation rate variable mode set as types of jackpot results. The 16R continuation mode indicates a mode in which 16 rounds of play are played, and the continuation rate variable mode indicates a mode in which the continuation rate to the next round of play varies during round play.

Here, a round of play refers to a game that continues until one of the following conditions is met: (1) the opening and closing device 168 has been opened a predetermined maximum number of times (in other words, the total opening time reaches the predetermined maximum opening time), or (2) the total number of winning game balls in the device 150 reaches a predetermined maximum number. Incidentally, in this embodiment, the opening and closing device 168 is opened and closed 19 times in one round of play, and the maximum number of winning balls in one round of play is set to 9.

The maximum number of times that round play is performed for each jackpot type is predetermined, and specifically, the maximum number of rounds is set to 16 regardless of the jackpot result in any mode. In this case, in the 16R continuation mode, it is set so that 16 rounds of play continue unconditionally. On the other hand, in the continuation rate variable mode, it is set so that the round play continues when a predetermined continuation condition is met. The continuation condition is that a game ball enters the role device 150 during a round play, and that game ball enters a V.

The opening type counter CS is configured to be incremented by one within the range of, for example, 0 to 99, and to return to 0 after reaching the maximum value (i.e., 99). The opening type counter CS is updated periodically. However, this update timing is set to be different from the jackpot random number counter C1 and the jackpot type counter C2. Therefore, it is difficult to commit fraud by reading the update timing of each counter value by some method. The updated opening type counter CS is stored in the reserved ball storage area 114b of the RAM 114 when the game ball enters the first actuation port 38 or the second actuation port 39, just like the other counters C1 and C2. More specifically, it is stored in the reserved area Ra for the first result display section of the RAM 114 when the game ball enters the first actuation port 38, and is stored in the reserved area Rb for the second result display section of the RAM 114 when the game ball enters the second actuation port 39.

The value of the random number that sets the waiting time (opening timing) from when the winning jackpot enters the operating port 38, 39 until the opening/closing device 168 opens is stored as an opening timing table (waiting period information group) in the opening timing table storage area 113c, which serves as a waiting information group storage means in the ROM 113.

Here, the contents of the release timing table are explained using Figure 12 (c).

As shown in FIG. 12(c), as the opening timing, multiple types of waiting times (waiting periods) from the timing of winning into the operating ports 38, 39 (or the timing of the previous closing of the opening/closing device 168) are set. More specifically, 20 types of waiting times are set in increments of 0.1 seconds, from 0.5 seconds to 2.4 seconds. The intervals between these times (0.1 seconds) are set to be shorter than the ball launch cycle (0.6 seconds), making it difficult to intentionally change (increase) the probability of winning into the device 150 by so-called stop shots, etc.

The electric role release counter C4 is configured to be incremented by one within the range of 0 to 250, and to return to 0 after it reaches a maximum value (i.e., 250). The electric role release counter C4 is updated periodically, and is stored in the electric role reserve area 114c of the RAM 114 when a game ball enters the through gate 41.

Then, at a predetermined timing, a lottery is held to determine whether or not to control the electric role 39a to an open state based on the stored value of the electric role open counter C4. For example, if C4 = 0 to 190, the electric role 39a is controlled to an open state, and if C4 = 191 to 250, the electric role 39a is not controlled to an open state.

In this embodiment, the opening and closing mode of the electric role 39a is set to be the same regardless of the game state. In other words, there are no modes such as a state in which it is easy to win the opening lottery of the electric role 39a or the opening time or number of times when it is won is long (so-called high frequency support mode) or a state in which the probability of winning in the opening lottery is lower or the opening time or number of times when it is won is small (so-called low frequency support mode). If the configuration has these modes, the range of increase or decrease in the number of balls released can be large, which can increase the interest, but there may be a situation in which it is necessary to take a specification such as setting the winning frequency of both operating ports 38, 39 low in the low frequency support mode in order to adjust the amount of balls released in the high frequency support mode. Therefore, in the low frequency support mode, it is possible that winning in the operating ports 38, 39 is unlikely to occur, which may reduce the desire to play. Therefore, as in this embodiment, by setting the opening mode of the electric device 39a regardless of the game state, it is possible to expect a certain degree of winning into the operating ports 38, 39 even during normal game states, and it is possible to avoid a decline in motivation to play.

<Various processes executed by the main control device 81>
Next, each control process executed by the MPU 112 of the main control device 81 will be described. The processes of the MPU 112 are roughly divided into main process that is started when the power is turned on, timer interrupt process and normal process that are executed to progress the game, and NMI interrupt process that is started when a power failure signal is input to the NMI terminal. For convenience of explanation, the NMI interrupt process and timer interrupt process will be explained first, and then the main process and normal process will be explained.

<NMI interrupt processing>
First, the NMI interruption process will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 13. This process is executed when the power supply of the pachinko machine 10 is cut off due to a power outage or the like. That is, when the power supply of the pachinko machine 10 is cut off due to a power outage or the like, a power outage signal is output from the power outage monitoring board 115 to the NMI terminal of the MPU 112, and the MPU 112 interrupts the control being executed and starts the NMI interruption process. In the NMI interruption process, in step S100, a power outage flag is set in the power outage flag storage area provided in the various flag storage area 114e of the RAM 114, and this process is terminated. After that, it is confirmed that the power outage flag is set in the normal process described later, and the power outage process is executed. This process will be described later.

<Timer interrupt processing>
Next, the timer interrupt process will be described with reference to the flowchart of Fig. 14. This process is started by the MPU 112 periodically (for example, at 2 msec intervals).

In step S101, the random number initial value counter CINI is updated. In the following step S102, the jackpot random number counter C1, the jackpot type counter C2, and the electric device release counter C4 are updated. Specifically, the jackpot random number counter C1, the jackpot type counter C2, and the electric device release counter C4 are each incremented by 1, and when their counter values reach their maximum values, they are each cleared to 0. The updated values of each counter C1, C2, and C4 are then stored in the corresponding buffer area of RAM 114.

In the next step S103, it is determined whether or not the game progress has been stopped (game stop state). The game stop state is determined to be in a state where the game stop flag is stored in the various flag storage area 114e of the RAM 114. If it is determined that the game is in a stopped state, this timer interrupt process is terminated.

On the other hand, if it is determined that the game is not stopped, in step S104, a reading process of the various detection sensors is executed. In this reading process, the state of the various detection sensors 38a, 39c, 35a, 41a, 179, 192, 193, 196, 240, 241 is read, and a process is executed to determine the state of these various detection sensors and store the detection information. Also, if the entrance of a game ball is detected by the various detection sensors 38a, 39c, 35a, 179 corresponding to the generation of a prize ball, a prize ball command is set to instruct the payout control device 97 to pay out the prize ball. For example, if the entrance sensor 179 detects the entrance of a prize ball into the role device 150, a prize ball command is set to instruct the corresponding number of prize balls, 15.

In the next step S105, a winning process for through is executed in response to a winning at the through gate 41. In the winning process for through, if a winning at the through gate 41 has occurred, the value of the electric role release counter C4 updated in step S102 is stored in the electric role hold area 114c on the condition that the number of reserved role memories stored in the electric role hold area 114c is less than the upper limit number (e.g., "4"). In addition, a process is executed for the performance control device 82 to light up the third reserved light emitting unit 56 corresponding to the number of reserved role memories.

In the next step S106, the winning process for the actuation port is executed. In the winning process for the actuation port, it is determined whether or not the game ball has won in either of the actuation ports 38, 39. If it is determined that a winning has occurred, the numerical information of the jackpot random number counter C1 at that time is obtained, and the numerical information is stored in the lottery counter buffer 114a. The winning process for the actuation port will be described in detail later.

Then, in step S107, the abnormality monitoring process is executed, and then the timer interrupt process is terminated. In the abnormality monitoring process, the detection results of the vibration detection sensor 240 and the magnet detection sensor 241 are referenced to determine whether vibration or magnet detection has been detected, and whether there is an abnormality in the remaining balls in the role device 150. Details of the abnormality monitoring process will be described later.

Next, the winning process for the operating port in step S106 will be explained with reference to the flowcharts in Figures 15 and 16.

In step S201, whether or not the game ball has entered the first operating port 38 (start entry) is determined based on the detection state of the detection sensor corresponding to the first operating port 38. If it is determined that the game ball has entered the first operating port 38, in step S202, a prize ball command is set to the payout control device 97 to pay out seven game balls. In the following step S203, an external signal setting process is performed to output a signal to the management control device on the gaming facility side that the game ball has entered the first operating port 38. In step S204, the value stored in the reserved number storage area of the first result display unit reserved area Ra is read, and the start reserved memory number RaN reserved and stored in the first result display unit reserved area Ra is set (hereinafter also referred to as the first start reserved memory number RaN). In the following step S205, a process is performed to set the number of openings of the opening and closing device 168 to one. Specifically, the process executes a process of setting the opening count counter provided in the various counter area 114d of the RAM 114 to "1". After that, in step S206, an information acquisition process is executed to store the values of the jackpot random number counter C1, the jackpot type counter C2, and the opening type counter CS, and the winning process is terminated.

If it is determined in step S201 that the game ball has not entered the first operating port 38, in step S207, whether or not the game ball has entered the second operating port 39 (start entry) is determined based on the detection state of the detection sensor corresponding to the second operating port 39. If it is determined that the game ball has entered the second operating port 39, in step S208, a prize ball command is set to the payout control device 97 to pay out seven game balls. In the following step S209, an external signal setting process is performed to output a signal to the management control device on the gaming facility side that the game ball has entered the second operating port 39. In step S210, the value stored in the reserved number storage area of the reserved area Rb for the second result display unit is read, and the start reserved memory number RbN reserved and stored in the reserved area Rb for the second result display unit is set (hereinafter also referred to as the second reserved memory number RbN). In the following step S211, a process is executed to set the number of openings of the opening and closing role 168 to two times. Specifically, the process of setting the opening count counter to "2" is executed. Note that even if the opening count is set in the process of step S205 or step S211, it is possible that the opening/closing device 168 will not be in the open state due to the value of the jackpot random number counter C1 as described above. After that, information acquisition process is executed in step S206, and this winning process is terminated.

On the other hand, if both steps S201 and S207 are NO, i.e., if the game ball has not entered either the first actuation port 38 or the second actuation port 39, this winning process ends.

The prize ball command set in steps S202 and S208 above is sent to the payout control device 97 in the external output process of step S603 in the normal processing (see FIG. 19) described below.

Here, the information acquisition process of step S206 will be explained in detail using the flowchart in Figure 16.

In the information acquisition process, first in step S301, it is determined whether the start pending memory count N (RaN or RbN) set in step S204 or step S210 described above is less than the upper limit (4 in this embodiment). If the start pending memory count N is the upper limit, the information acquisition process is terminated as is, and if it is less than the upper limit, in step S302 the start pending memory count N in the corresponding result display section pending area is incremented by 1, and in step S303 the value stored in the total pending number memory area (hereinafter referred to as the common pending number CRN) is incremented by 1.

In the following step S304, the values of the jackpot random number counter C1 and the jackpot type counter C2 updated in step S102 above, and the open type counter CS updated in the normal process described below, are stored in the first free memory area of the corresponding result display section reserve area, i.e., the memory area corresponding to the reserved memory number incremented by 1 in step S302 above.

In other words, when the start pending memory number RaN for the first operating port is set, the values of the jackpot random number counter C1, the jackpot type counter C2, and the release type counter CS are stored in the first free memory area of the reserve area Ra for the first operating port, i.e., the reserve area Ra corresponding to the start pending memory number RaN for the first operating port incremented by 1 in step S302 above.

In addition, if the start pending memory number RbN for the second operating port is set, the values of the jackpot random number counter C1, the jackpot type counter C2, and the release type counter CS are stored in the first free memory area of the reserve area Rb for the second operating port, that is, the reserve area Rb corresponding to the start pending memory number RbN for the second operating port incremented by 1 in step S302 above. After executing the process of step S304, the information acquisition process is terminated.

Next, the abnormality monitoring process in step S107 will be explained with reference to the flowchart in FIG.

First, in step S401, it is determined whether or not vibration has been detected by the vibration detection sensor 240. If vibration has been detected, in step S402, a vibration detection flag is stored in the various flag storage area 114e of the RAM 114. In the following step S403, a vibration detection command is set as a command to be sent to the performance control device 82. The vibration detection command is a command for making the performance control device 82 recognize that the MPU 112 has identified the detection of vibration. The vibration detection command is sent to the performance control device 82 in the external output process of the normal process described below. In the following step S404, an external output process for an abnormality is executed to output a signal to the management control device on the gaming center side that the detection of vibration has been identified.

If no vibration is detected in step S401, or after executing the external output process for an abnormality in step S404, in step S405, it is determined whether or not a magnet is detected by the magnet detection sensor 241. If a magnet is detected, in step S406, a magnet detection flag is stored in the various flag storage area 114e of the RAM 114, and in the following step S407, a magnet detection command is set as a command to be sent to the performance control device 82. The magnet detection command is a command for making the performance control device 82 recognize that the MPU 112 has identified the detection of a magnet. The magnet detection command is sent to the performance control device 82 in the external output process of the normal process described below. In the following step S408, the external output process for an abnormality is executed to output a signal to the management control device on the gaming center side that the detection of a magnet has been identified.

If no magnet is detected in step S405, or after executing the external output process for an abnormality in step S408, step S409 determines whether or not a remaining ball flag is stored in the various flag storage area 114e of the RAM 114. The remaining ball flag indicates that a game ball remains in the role device 150, and is stored when a game ball is confirmed to be present in the role device 150 even though it is a situation in which it should not be present. If the remaining ball flag is not stored, the abnormality monitoring process ends.

On the other hand, if the remaining ball flag is stored, in step S410, the remaining ball detection command is set as the command to be sent to the performance control device 82. The remaining ball detection command is a command for making the performance control device 82 recognize that the MPU 112 has identified the detection of remaining balls. The remaining ball detection command is sent to the performance control device 82 in the external output process of the normal process described below. In the following step S411, an external output process for an abnormality is executed to output a signal to the management control device on the gaming center side that the detection of remaining balls has been identified, and the abnormality monitoring process is terminated.

<Main processing>
Next, the main processing will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

First, in step S501, the initial setting process associated with power-on is executed. Specifically, a wait process is executed for, for example, about one second to wait for the sub-side control device (such as the dispensing control device 97) to become operable. In the following step S502, access to the RAM 114 is permitted.

Then, in step S503, it is determined whether the RAM erase switch 98a provided on the power supply and launch control device 98 is turned on, and in the following step S504, it is determined whether a power outage flag is stored in the various flag storage area 114e of the RAM 114. If a power outage flag is stored, in step S505, a RAM judgment value is calculated, and in the following step S506, it is determined whether the RAM judgment value matches the RAM judgment value saved when the power was cut off, that is, the validity of the stored data. The RAM judgment value is, for example, a checksum value in the working area address of the RAM 114. It is also possible to determine the validity of the stored data by whether a keyword written in a specified area of the RAM 114 is saved correctly.

As already explained, in this pachinko machine 10, when the RAM data is to be initialized when the power is turned on, the power is turned on while pressing the RAM erase switch 98a. Therefore, if the RAM erase switch 98a is pressed (the result of step S503 is YES), the process proceeds to steps S507 to S509. Also, if the power outage flag is not stored in the various flag storage area 114e of the RAM 114 and no information on the occurrence of a power interruption is set (the result of step S504 is NO), or if an abnormality is confirmed in the stored data based on the RAM judgment value (checksum value, etc.) (the result of step S506 is NO), the process proceeds to steps S507 to S509.

In step S507, an initialization command is output to initialize the sub-control device (such as the dispensing control device 97). In the following step S508, the used area of RAM 114 is cleared to 0, and in step S509, the initialization process of RAM 114 is executed. After that, in step S516, interrupt permission is set, and the process moves to normal processing, which will be described later.

On the other hand, if the RAM clear switch 98a has not been pressed, the power outage flag stored in the various flag storage area 114e of the RAM 114 is cleared in step S510, provided that the power outage flag is stored and the RAM judgment value (checksum value, etc.) is normal. In the following step S511, a power restoration command is output to return the sub-side control device (payout control device 97, etc.) to the gaming state before the power was cut off.

In the next step S512, it is determined whether or not an abnormality detection flag (vibration detection flag, magnet detection flag, remaining ball flag) is stored in the various flag storage area 114e of the RAM 114. If an abnormality detection flag is stored, the abnormality detection flag is cleared in step S513, and the abnormality detection state is released.

If the abnormality detection flag is not stored in step S512, or after the abnormality detection state is released in step S513, in step S514, it is determined whether or not a game stop state has been set based on the game stop flag in RAM 114.

If the game stop state has been set, in step S515, the game stop flag in RAM 114 is cleared to release the game stop state. Specifically, the launch stop process that prohibits the launch of game balls and the payout stop process that stops the payout of game balls by the payout device 96 are released. After that, in step S516, interrupt permission is set and the process moves to normal processing, which will be described later. This returns the state to the state before the power was cut off. At this time, if vibration, magnets, or remaining balls were detected and the game stop state was set before the power was cut off, these are released and the system returns.

<Normal processing>
Next, the flow of normal processing will be described with reference to the flowchart in Fig. 19. In normal processing, the main processing of the game is executed. In summary, the processing of steps S601 to S610 is executed as a regular processing with a cycle of 4 msec, and the counter update processing of steps S612 and S613 is executed in the remaining time.

In normal processing, first, in step S601, a game stop determination process is executed. In the game stop determination process, it is determined whether or not the game progress should be stopped, and if the game progress should be stopped, a game stop process is executed. The game stop process will be described in detail later.

In the following step S602, it is determined whether or not the game is stopped, and if the game is not stopped, the processing of steps S603 to S609 is executed. In step S603, an external signal output process is executed. In the external signal output process, output data such as the timer interrupt process or the command set in the previous normal process is sent to each control device on the sub side. Specifically, it is determined whether or not there is a prize ball command, and if a prize ball command is set, it is sent to the payout control device 97. In addition, if a performance command, vibration detection command, magnet detection command, or remaining detection command is set, it is sent to the performance control device 82.

Next, in step S604, the open type counter CS is updated. Specifically, the open type counter CS is incremented by 1, and when the counter value reaches the maximum value, the counter value is cleared to 0. The updated value of the open type counter CS is then stored in the corresponding buffer area of the RAM 114.

In the following step S605, a game control process is executed to progress the game. In the game control process, drive control (first opening and closing execution mode) of each drive unit of the role device 150 based on winning the operation ports 38, 39 is performed. After executing the game control process in step S605, the process proceeds to step S606, where a game state transition process is executed. This game state transition process transitions the game state to the second opening and closing execution mode. The game control process in step S605 and the game state transition process in step S606 will be described in detail later.

In the next step S607, a remaining ball determination process is executed to determine the remaining status of game balls in the role device 150. In the remaining ball determination process, it is determined whether or not a game ball that entered the role device 150 upon transition to the open/close execution mode was not properly discharged and remains in the role device 150. The remaining ball determination process will be described in detail later.

After step S607 is executed, in step S608, an electric role support process is executed to drive and control the electric role 39a provided in the second operating port 39. In the electric role support process, an electric role opening lottery is executed to determine whether or not the electric role 39a is opened using numerical information acquired from the electric role opening counter C4 stored in the electric role reservation area 114c of the RAM 114, and if the electric role opening state is selected, an opening and closing process of the electric role 39a is executed. In addition, display control of the role display unit 44 is performed to inform the lottery result of the electric role opening lottery.

After that, in step S609, a game ball launch control process is executed. In the game ball launch control process, the solenoid of the game ball launch mechanism 53 is excited once every predetermined period (e.g., 0.6 sec), provided that a launch permission signal has been input from the power supply and launch control device 98. This causes the game ball to be launched toward the game area.

If it is determined in step S602 that the game is stopped, or after the game ball launch control process in step S609 is executed, it is determined in step S610 whether a power outage flag is stored in the various flag storage area 114e of RAM 114.

If the power outage flag is not stored, in step S611, it is determined whether the timing for executing the next normal process has arrived, i.e., whether a predetermined time (4 msec in this embodiment) has elapsed since the start of the previous normal process. Then, within the remaining time until the timing for executing the next normal process, the random number initial value counter CINI and the open type counter CS are repeatedly updated (steps S612, S613). That is, in step S612, the random number initial value counter CINI is updated, and in step S613, the open type counter CS is updated.

Here, the execution time of each process from step S601 to step S609 changes depending on the game state, so the remaining time until the timing of the next normal process execution is not constant but fluctuates. Therefore, by repeatedly updating the random number initial value counter CINI using this remaining time, the random number initial value counter CINI (i.e., the initial value of the jackpot random number counter C1) can be randomly updated, and the opening type counter CS can also be randomly updated in the same way.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S610 that the power outage flag is stored, this means that the power supply has been cut off due to a power outage, and power outage processing from step S614 onwards is executed. In other words, in step S614, the occurrence of each interrupt process is prohibited, and then in step S615, a power outage command indicating that the power supply has been cut off is output to the sub-side control device (such as the dispensing control device 97).

Then, in step S616, a RAM judgment value is calculated and saved, and in step S617, access to RAM 114 is prohibited, and an infinite loop continues until the power is completely cut off and processing can no longer be executed. Note that even after the power is completely cut off, power for storing and maintaining data in RAM 114 (power when power is cut off) is supplied from the power supply and launch control device 98, so the information stored in RAM 114 before the power was cut off is retained in the same state for a specified period of time (for example, one or two days).

<Game Stop Judgment Processing>
Next, the game stop determination process in step S601 in the normal process will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

In the game stop determination process, in each of steps S701 to S703, it is determined whether a vibration detection flag, a magnet detection flag, or a remaining ball flag is stored in the various flag storage area 114e of the RAM 114. This determines whether a vibration has been detected, whether a magnet has been detected, or whether the presence of a remaining ball has been identified. If a negative determination is made in any of steps S701 to S703, the game stop determination process is terminated.

On the other hand, if a positive judgment is made in any of steps S701 to S703, the process proceeds to step S704. In step S704, a closing control process is executed to shift the electric role 39a and the role device 150 (opening/closing role 168) to a closed state. As a result, if the electric role 39a or the role device 150 is open, it is forcibly closed.

In the next step S705, the launch permission signal to the power supply and launch control device 98 is switched to a LOW level to execute a launch stop process that prohibits the launch of game balls, and further in step S706, other release processes are executed. For example, a game stop command is output to the payout control device 97 to stop the payout of game balls by the payout device 96. In addition, a game stop command is output to the presentation control device 82 to stop the presentation display on the pattern display device 51. After execution of step S706, in step S707, a game stop flag is stored in the various flag storage area 114e of the RAM 114, and a game stop state is set. Thereafter, this game stop determination process is terminated.

By setting the game stop state in the game stop determination process as described above, a positive determination is made in step S103 of the timer interrupt process (Figure 14) and in step S602 of the normal process (Figure 19) which are executed thereafter. If a positive determination is made in these steps, steps S104 to S107 and steps S604 to S609 are skipped. These processes are essentially processes for progressing the game, and skipping such processes makes it possible to stop the progress of the game.

Incidentally, even in a game stop state, the process of updating the counters C1, C2, CS, CINI, and C4 for various lotteries is continued without being skipped (see steps S101 and S102 in FIG. 14 and steps S612 and S613 in FIG. 19). This allows the counters C1, C2, CS, CINI, and C4 for various lotteries to be continued to be updated even in a game stop state. This configuration is more effective when applied to a configuration in which the initialization of the counters C1, C2, CS, CINI, and C4 for various lotteries is not performed even if the RAM erase switch 98a is operated and the power supply of the pachinko machine 10 is cut off, or a configuration in which the initialization of the RAM 114 is not essential when the game stop state is released.
<Game control processing>
Next, the game control process in step S605 will be described with reference to the flowcharts of FIG. 21 to FIG.

In the game control process, first, in step S801, it is determined whether or not the second opening and closing execution mode (opening and closing execution mode based on the occurrence of a direct hit result or a V winning) is being executed. Specifically, it is determined whether or not the second opening and closing execution mode flag is stored in the various flag storage area 114e of the RAM 114. The second opening and closing execution mode flag indicates that the second opening and closing execution mode is being executed, and is stored when the game state is transitioned to the second opening and closing execution mode in the game state transition process described below, and is erased when the second opening and closing execution mode is terminated in the game state transition process.

If the second opening/closing execution mode is in progress, the game control process ends without executing any of the processes from step S802 onwards, i.e., the game start process of steps S803 to S806, the game progress process of steps S808 to S810, and the game end process of steps S811 to S813. In other words, if the second opening/closing execution mode is in progress, the game will not start (the opening of the role device 150 triggered by a win in the operating ports 38, 38) regardless of whether a win has occurred in the operating ports 38, 39 or not.

If the second opening/closing execution mode is not in progress, step S802 determines whether the first opening/closing execution mode (opening/closing execution mode based on the normal opening result) is in progress. Specifically, it determines whether the first opening/closing execution mode flag is stored in the various flags storage area 114e of the RAM 114. The first opening/closing execution mode flag indicates that the first opening/closing execution mode is in progress, and is stored when the game result based on the winning of the operation ports 38, 39 is an opening result (in this embodiment, a normal opening result), and is erased when the operation of the role device 150 based on that result (including the waiting period after closing) ends.

If the first opening/closing execution mode is not in progress, the process proceeds to the game start process of steps S803 to S806. In the game start process, first, in step S803, it is determined whether the common reserve number CRN is "0" or not. When the common reserve number CRN is "0", it means that the start reserve memory numbers RaN, RbN are "0" for both the first operating port 38 and the second operating port 39. Therefore, the game control process ends as it is. If the common reserve number CRN is not "0", in step S804, a data setting process is executed to set the data stored in the first result display section reserve area Ra or the second result display section reserve area Rb for lottery processing, and further in step S805, a win/lose determination process is executed to determine the game result of the data set in the data setting process. After that, in step S806, a control start process is executed to start control of the role device 150, and then this game control process ends.

Here, the data setting process in step S804, the pass/fail determination process in step S805, and the control start process in step S806 will be described in detail below.

First, the data setting process will be explained with reference to the flowchart in Figure 22.

In the data setting process, first in step S901, it is determined whether the second start pending memory count RbN stored in the second result display unit pending area Rb is "0". If the second start pending memory count RbN is "0", data setting process for the first result display unit is executed in steps S902 to S907, and if the second start pending memory count RbN is not "0", data setting process for the second result display unit is executed in steps S908 to S913.

Here, as already explained, the data setting process is executed when the common hold number CRN is 1 or more. In this case, the data setting process determines whether the second start hold memory number RbN is "0" or not, and if it is not "0", that is, if hold information for variable display is stored for the second result display unit BS, the data stored in the hold area Rb for the second result display unit is set for the lottery process regardless of whether the first start hold memory number RaN is 1 or more. As a result, if hold information is stored in both the hold area Ra for the first result display unit and the hold area Rb for the second result display unit, the hold information stored in the hold area Rb for the second result display unit corresponding to the second operating port 39 is given priority.

In the data setting process for the first result display section, first in step S902, the first start hold memory number RaN in the hold area Ra for the first result display section is decremented by 1. In the following step S903, the common hold number CRN is decremented by 1. After that, in step S904, the data stored in the first area of the hold area Ra for the first result display section is moved to the execution area AE.

Then, in step S905, a process is executed to shift the data stored in the memory area of the first result display reserve area Ra. This data shift process shifts the data stored in the first to fourth areas to the lower areas in order, clearing the data in the first area and shifting the data in each area from the second area to the first area, the third area to the second area, the fourth area to the third area, and so on.

In the next step S906, if a second result display section flag (second result display section information) is stored in the second result display section flag storage area (second result display section information storage means) provided in the various flag storage area 114e of RAM 114, it is erased, and if not, the state is maintained. The second result display section flag is information for identifying whether the subject of this pass/fail judgment corresponds to the reserved information in the reserve area Ra for the first result display section or the reserve area Rb for the second result display section.

In the next step S907, a shift command (shift occurrence information) is set, which is information for making the performance control device 82, which is the sub-control device, recognize that a shift of data in the reserved area has occurred. In this case, a shift command is selected from the command information storage area of the ROM 113, which includes information that the reserved area that is the subject of this data shift corresponds to the reserved area Ra for the first result display unit, i.e., information that it corresponds to the first actuation port 38, and the selected shift command is set as the command to be sent to the performance control device 82. This data setting process is then terminated.

The shift command set in step S907 is sent to the performance control device 82 in step S603 of the normal processing (FIG. 19). The performance control device 82 executes processing to change the display in the first pending light-emitting unit 54 in response to the reduction in the number of pending items based on the received shift command.

In the data setting process for the second result display section, first in step S908, the second start hold memory number RbN in the hold area Rb for the second result display section is decremented by 1. In the following step S909, the common hold number CRN is decremented by 1. After that, in step S910, the data stored in the first area of the hold area Rb for the second result display section is moved to the execution area AE.

Then, in step S911, a process is executed to shift the data stored in the memory area of the reserve area Rb for the second result display section. This data shift process shifts the data stored in the first to fourth areas in order to the lower areas, clearing the data in the first area and shifting the data in each area from the second area to the first area, the third area to the second area, the fourth area to the third area, and so on.

In the next step S912, if the second result display section flag (second result display section information) is not stored in the second result display section flag storage area (second result display section information storage means) provided in the various flag storage area 114e of the RAM 114, the second result display section flag is stored, and if it is stored, that state is maintained.

In the next step S913, a shift command (shift occurrence information) is set, which is information for making the performance control device 82, which is the sub-control device, recognize that a shift of data in the reserved area has occurred. In this case, a shift command is selected from the command information storage area of the ROM 113, which includes information that the reserved area that is the subject of this data shift corresponds to the reserved area Rb for the second result display unit, i.e., information that it corresponds to the second actuation port 39, and the selected shift command is set as the command to be sent to the performance control device 82. This data setting process is then terminated.

The shift command set in step S913 is sent to the performance control device 82 in step S603 of the normal processing (FIG. 19). The performance control device 82 executes processing to change the display in the second reserved light-emitting unit 55 in response to the reduction in the number of reserved items based on the received shift command.

Next, the pass/fail determination process in step S805 will be explained with reference to the flowchart in Figure 23.

First, in step S1101, the data shifted to the current execution area AE (jackpot random number counter C1) and the result table in ROM 113 are referenced to determine whether the current game result is a direct hit result. If it is a direct hit result, the process proceeds to step S1102, where a process is executed to store a V winning flag in the various flag storage area 114e. The V winning flag originally indicates that the passage of a game ball has been detected by the V winning sensor 192, but here it functions as a flag for the MPU 112 to grasp the occurrence of the second opening execution mode.

In the next step S1103, the direct hit command is set as the command to be sent to the performance control device 82. Also in step S1103, a process is executed to switch the display on the main display unit 43 to a display corresponding to a direct hit. Then, the true/false determination process is terminated.

The direct hit command set in step S1103 is sent to the performance control device 82 in step S603 of the normal processing (FIG. 19). The performance control device 82 executes processing for starting the performance of the opening and closing execution mode based on the received direct hit command.

If step S1101 does not result in a direct hit, the process proceeds to step S1104. In step S1104, the data shifted to the current execution area AE (jackpot random number counter C1) and the result table in ROM 113 are referenced to determine whether the current game result is a miss result. If the current game result is a miss result, the process proceeds to step S1105, and the value set in the opening count counter in step S205 or step S211 in the winning process for the above-mentioned operating port (Figure 15) is cleared to "0".

Then, in step S1106, the miss command is set as a command to be sent to the performance control device 82. Also in step S1106, a process is executed to switch the display on the main display unit 43 to a display corresponding to the miss result. Thereafter, the true/false determination process is terminated.

The miss command set in step S1106 is sent to the performance control device 82 in step S603 of the normal processing (FIG. 19). Based on the received miss command, the performance control device 82 executes processing to notify that the role device 150 will not be in the open state.

If the result in step S1104 is not a loss, it means that the result of this win/loss judgment is a normal opening result. In this case, in step S1107, a normal opening command is set as the command to be sent to the performance control device 82. Also, in step S1107, a process is executed to switch the display on the main display unit 43 to a display corresponding to the normal opening result. Thereafter, the true/false judgment process is terminated.

The normal opening command set in step S1107 is sent to the performance control device 82 in step S603 of the normal processing (Figure 19). Based on the received normal opening command, the performance control device 82 executes processing to notify that the role device 150 is in the open state. That is, in this embodiment, the result of the win/loss determination (game result) is immediately notified based on the winning of the operation ports 38, 39.

Next, the control start process of step S806 will be explained with reference to the flowchart in FIG. 24.

In the control start process, first, in step S1201, the opening count counter in the RAM 114 is referenced to execute a process to grasp the number of times the opening/closing element 168 has been opened. In the following step S1202, an opening/closing timing setting process is executed. In the opening/closing timing setting process, the data regarding the opening timing among the data shifted to the execution area AE in the data setting process (FIG. 22), that is, the value of the opening type counter CS, and the opening timing table stored in the ROM 113 are referenced to set the opening timing of the opening/closing element 168 this time. Specifically, a numerical value corresponding to how many seconds after this process the opening/closing element 168 is opened (whether to start driving control of the opening/closing element drive unit 173) is read from the opening timing table and input to a standby counter provided in the various counter area 114d of the RAM 114. This standby counter is updated (decremented) at a predetermined cycle, and when it reaches a predetermined value (for example, "0"), it becomes possible to grasp that it is time to open the opening/closing element 168.

In the next step S1203, a first distribution setting process is executed to set the operation mode of the first distribution member 300 (see FIG. 8). In the first distribution setting process in step S1203, the above operation mode is set so that the first distribution member 300 maintains a non-distribution state (a state in which game balls are not distributed to the miss opening 182b side) during the execution of the first opening and closing execution mode. That is, in this embodiment, all game balls that enter the role device 150 and are guided to the left guide passage 183 by the ball distribution unit 185 during the execution of the first opening and closing execution mode will reach the rotating body 201. Note that this is not limited to this, and for example, a configuration may be adopted in which the first distribution member 300 is in a distribution state during a part of the execution period of the first opening and closing execution mode, and a game ball that enters the role device 150 has an opportunity to be guided to the miss opening 182b without reaching the rotating body 201.

Next, in step S1204, a second distribution setting process is executed to set the operation mode of the second distribution member 310 (see FIG. 8), and further, in step S1205, a shutter setting process is executed to set the operation mode of the shutter 221 (see FIG. 8). In the second distribution setting process in step S1204, the operation mode of the second distribution member 310 is set so that the second distribution member 310 maintains a non-distribution state (a state in which the game balls are not distributed to the entrance guide section 215 side) during execution of the first opening and closing execution mode. In addition, in the shutter setting process in step S1205, the operation mode of the shutter 221 is set so that the shutter 221 maintains a closed state (a state in which the warp entrance section 214 is closed) during execution of the first opening and closing execution mode.

In other words, in this embodiment, in the first opening and closing execution mode, the route via the warp passage 210 is blocked, and the ball is subjected to a distribution lottery as to whether or not it will win a V prize, mainly by the rotating body 201. However, this is not limited to this, and for example, during a part of the execution period of the first opening and closing execution mode, the route via the warp passage 210 may be opened (the second distribution member 310 is in a distribution state and the shutter 221 is in an open state), providing an opportunity for a game ball that has won a prize in the role device 150 to be guided to the V prize opening 182a without passing through the rotating body 201.

After step S1205 is executed, in step S1206, a setting process for the rotating body is executed to set the operation mode of the rotating body 201. In the setting process for the rotating body in step S1206, the setting for returning the rotating body 201 to the initial position (the position where the V winning port guide unit 204 faces the lead-out unit 186), the rotation start timing at which the rotating body 201 starts to rotate after returning to the initial position, the rotation speed of the rotating body 201 that has started to rotate, etc. are set. In this embodiment, the operating mode of the rotating body 201 is set so that the rotating body 201 starts to rotate from the initial position at a timing when a predetermined period (for example, 1 sec) has elapsed since the winning of the operation port 38, 39 that triggered the execution of the first opening and closing execution mode, and then the rotation of one rotation in about 5 sec is continuously repeated at least until the end of the first opening and closing execution mode. After step S1206 is executed, this control start process is terminated.

Returning to the explanation of the game control process in FIG. 21, if it is determined in step S802 that the first opening/closing execution mode is in progress, it is determined in step S807 whether or not the end waiting time has elapsed. The end waiting time is the period during which the first opening/closing execution mode is to be waited for to end after the opening/closing device 168 has finished opening and closing. The process of setting the end waiting time will be described later.

If the waiting time at the end has not elapsed, the game progress process of steps S808 to S810 is executed. In the game progress process, control processing is executed in step S808, processing for the operation part within the reel is executed in step S809, and winning processing is executed in the following step S810, after which the game control process is terminated.

First, the control process in step S808 will be explained with reference to the flowchart in FIG.

In step S1301, it is determined whether it is time to open the opening/closing element 168. In this determination, the value of the standby counter set in step S1202 above can be referenced to check whether it is time to open. If it is time to open in step S1301, an opening control process is executed in step S1302. In this process, the opening/closing element driver 173 is driven and controlled to displace the opening/closing element 168 to an open state. In addition, in step S1302, a process is executed to input a value corresponding to the current opening period (in this embodiment, 0.5 sec) to an opening period counter provided in the various counter areas 114d of the RAM 114. The opening period counter is updated (decremented) at a predetermined cycle, and when it reaches a predetermined value (for example, "0"), it is possible to know that it is time to close the opening/closing element 168.

Then, in the next step S1303, a process is executed to decrement the opening count counter in RAM 114 by "1". In the next step S1304, the opening count counter in RAM 114 is referenced to determine whether or not this is the first opening in the first opening and closing execution mode. If this is the first opening, in step S1305, the first opening and closing execution mode flag is stored in the various flag storage area 114e of RAM 114, and then this control process is terminated. On the other hand, if it is determined in step S1305 that this is not the first opening, that is, if this is the second opening out of two openings, this control process is terminated.

If it is not the time to open the opening/closing part 168 in step S1301, the process proceeds to step S1306. In step S1306, it is determined whether it is the time to close the opening/closing part 168. In this process, it is possible to check whether it is the time to close by referring to the value of the open period counter input in step S1302 above. If it is the time to close in step S1306, a closing control process is executed in step S1307. In this process, the opening/closing part 168 is displaced to a closed state by terminating the drive control of the opening/closing part drive unit 173.

In the next step S1308, the opening count counter in RAM 114 is referenced to determine whether the remaining number of openings is "0." If it is "0," processing is performed in step S1309 to set the end waiting time.

As already explained, the end waiting time is a period for waiting for the end of the first opening/closing execution mode after the opening/closing role 168 has finished opening and closing. The waiting time is set taking into consideration the period until the game ball that entered the role device 150 is discharged from the role device 150. In this embodiment, the period until the game ball that entered the role device 150 passes through the left guide passage 183 and the rotating body 201 and reaches the V winning sensor 192 is set to about 3 sec, and the end waiting time is set to a predetermined period longer than this (uniformly 3.5 sec in this embodiment). With this configuration, even if the game ball enters just before the role device 150 closes, it is possible to expect the occurrence of a jackpot based on the V winning.

In step S1309, a process is executed to input a value corresponding to 3.5 sec into the end-time waiting time counter provided in the various counter area 114d of the RAM 114. The end-time waiting time counter is updated (decremented by 1) each time the timer interrupt process (FIG. 14) is executed, so that it is possible to know that the end-time waiting time has elapsed when the end-time waiting time counter becomes a predetermined value (e.g., "0").

If the number of openings is not "0" in step S1308, that is, if the second opening of the two openings remains, then in step S1310, a process for setting the waiting time (closed time) until the second opening is performed is executed. In the process of step S1310, a process is executed in which a value corresponding to the current waiting time (uniformly 1 sec in this embodiment) is input to the waiting time counter in RAM 114.

If it is not the timing to close in step S1306, the process during control is terminated after the process of step S1309 is executed or after the process of step S1310 is executed.

Next, the processing for the internal operation part of the reel in step S809 in the game control processing (FIG. 21) will be explained with reference to the flowchart in FIG. 26.

In step S1401, it is determined whether it is time to displace the first distribution member 300. If it is time to displace, in step S1402, the first distribution control process is executed. In this process, a process of changing the drive state of the first distribution drive unit 300a is performed. Specifically, the drive state of the first distribution drive unit 300a is grasped, and if it is in a drive state, the drive is terminated and the first distribution member 300 is displaced from the distribution state to the non-distribution state. In addition, if the first distribution drive unit 300a is not in a drive state, the drive is started and the first distribution member 300 is displaced from the non-distribution state to the distribution state.

If it is not the timing to displace the first distribution member 300 in step S1401, or after the process of step S1402 has been executed, the process proceeds to step S1403. In step S1403, it is determined whether it is the timing to displace the second distribution member 310. If it is the timing to displace, in step S1404, a second distribution control process is executed. In this process, a process to change the drive state of the second distribution drive unit 310a is performed. Specifically, the drive state of the second distribution drive unit 310a is grasped, and if it is in a driven state, the drive is terminated and the second distribution member 310 is displaced from the distribution state to the non-distribution state. Also, if the second distribution drive unit 310a is not in a driven state, the drive is started and the second distribution member 310 is displaced from the non-distribution state to the distribution state.

As already explained, in this embodiment, both the first distribution member 300 and the second distribution member 310 are set to be maintained in a non-distribution state in the first opening/closing execution mode (steps S1203 and S1204 in FIG. 24), so the judgments of steps S1401 and S1403 in the first opening/closing execution mode always return a negative judgment, and the processing of steps S1402 and S1404 is not executed.

If it is not the timing to displace the second distribution member 310 in step S1403, or after the process of step S1404 has been executed, the process proceeds to step S1405. In step S1405, it is determined whether it is the timing to displace the shutter 221. If it is the timing to displace, the shutter control process is executed in step S1406. In this process, a process to change the drive state of the shutter driver 221a is performed. Specifically, the drive state of the shutter driver 221a is grasped, and if it is in a drive state, the drive is terminated and the shutter 221 is displaced from the open state to the closed state. Also, if the shutter driver 221a is not in a drive state, the drive is started and the shutter 221 is displaced from the closed state to the open state.

In addition, since the shutter 221 is also set to be maintained in the closed state in the first opening/closing execution mode (step S1205 in FIG. 24), the judgment in the above step S1405 in the first opening/closing execution mode always returns a negative judgment, and the processing in the above step S1406 is not executed.

After step S1406 is executed, the rotating body control process is executed in step S1407. In the process of step S1407, the drive state of the rotating body drive unit 194 is controlled to drive and control the rotating body 201 according to the setting contents already described (step S1206 in FIG. 24). After step S1407 is executed, the process for the internal operation unit of the main role is terminated.

Next, the winning process of step S810 in the game control process (FIG. 21) will be explained with reference to the flowchart in FIG. 27.

In step S1501, the detection state of the entrance sensor 179 is grasped to determine whether or not the game ball has entered the role device 150. If a prize has been entered, in step S1502, the role device prize command is set as the command to be sent to the performance control device 82. The role device prize command set in step S1502 is sent to the performance control device 82 in step S603 of the normal processing (FIG. 19). Based on the role device prize command received, the performance control device 82 executes processing to notify the player that a prize has been entered in the role device 150 (notification to draw attention to the movement of the game ball in the role device 150).

In the next step S1503, the remaining ball counter RPC stored in the various counter area 114d of the RAM 114 is incremented by 1. This remaining ball counter RPC is used by the MPU 112 to grasp the number of game balls present in the role device 150.

If it is determined in step S1501 that no winning has occurred in the role device 150, or after the process of step S1503 has been executed, in step S1504, it is determined whether or not the passage of the game ball (occurrence of a V winning) has been detected by the V winning sensor 192. If the occurrence of a V winning has been detected, in step S1505, a V winning flag is stored in the various flag storage area 114e of the RAM 114. In the following step S1506, a process is executed to decrement the remaining ball counter RPC provided in the various counter area 114d of the RAM 114 by 1. In other words, if the occurrence of a V winning has been detected in step S1504, in addition to the occurrence of a V winning, a game ball has also been discharged from the role device 150, so the number of game balls in the role device 150 is updated by decrementing the remaining ball counter RPC. After execution of step S1506, this winning process is terminated.

On the other hand, if a V win is not detected in step S1504, step S1507 determines whether the loss sensor 193 has detected the passage of the game ball (miss). If a miss is detected, the process proceeds to step S1506, where the remaining ball counter RPC is decremented by 1. In other words, even if a miss is detected, the miss for that game ball is confirmed, and since it means that the game ball has been discharged from the role device 150, the remaining ball counter RPC is decremented to update the number of game balls in the role device 150. On the other hand, if a miss is not detected in step S1507, that is, if neither a V win nor a miss has been identified, the winning process ends without updating the remaining ball counter RPC.

Returning to the explanation of the game control process in FIG. 21, if it is determined in step S807 that the end waiting time has elapsed, the process proceeds to step S811, and game end processing is executed in steps S811 to S813. Note that if the end waiting time has not been set, a negative determination is made in step S807, and the game progress processing in steps S808 to S810 described above is executed.

In the game end process, first, in step S811, a process is executed to clear the first opening and closing execution mode flag stored in the various flag storage area 114e of the RAM 114. In the following step S812, a control end process is executed. In this process, a process is executed to end the control (first opening and closing execution mode) of the role device 150 for one pending information. Specifically, the presence or absence of errors in each of the drive units 173, 300a, 310a, and 194 is checked, and a process to return them to their initial positions is executed.

Next, in step S813, the control end command is set as the command to be sent to the performance control device 82, and then this game control process is terminated. The control end command set in step S813 is sent to the performance control device 82 in step S603 in the normal process (Figure 19). Based on the received control end command, the performance control device 82 executes a process to notify that control of the role device 150 is ending.

<Game Status Transition Processing>
Next, the game state transition process in step S606 in the normal process (FIG. 19) will be described with reference to the flowcharts in FIGS.

First, in step S1601, it is determined whether or not the second opening and closing execution mode (opening and closing execution mode based on the result of a big win) is being executed. If the second opening and closing execution mode is not being executed, the process proceeds to step S1602, where it is determined whether or not the first opening and closing execution mode (opening and closing execution mode based on the result of a normal opening) is being executed. If the first opening and closing execution mode is being executed, the game state transition process is terminated.

On the other hand, if the first opening and closing execution mode is not being executed, in step S1603, it is determined whether or not the current game result corresponds to a transition to the second opening and closing execution mode. Specifically, it is determined whether or not a V winning flag is stored in the various flag storage area 114e of the RAM 114. If the V winning flag is not stored, this game state transition process is terminated.

If the V winning flag is stored, the start process of the second opening and closing execution mode is executed in step S1604. In this start process, the V winning flag stored in the various flag storage area 114e of the RAM 114 is erased, and the second opening and closing execution mode flag is stored in the same area 114e. In addition, in step S1604, an opening waiting time (start waiting period) is set for waiting without starting the opening of the opening and closing role 168 of the role device 150 for the opening of the opening and closing execution mode. Specifically, the opening waiting time information stored in advance in the ROM 113 is set in a waiting time counter area provided in the various counter areas 114d of the RAM 114. The value of the waiting time information set here is decremented by 1 each time the timer interrupt process (FIG. 14) is executed.

In the next step S1605, a type determination process is executed to determine the type of the current opening/closing execution mode. Specifically, the jackpot type counter C2 from the pending information stored in the current execution area AE is identified, and the type table in ROM 113 is referenced to determine whether the type of the current opening/closing execution mode is the 16R continuation mode or the continuation rate variable mode.

In the next step S1606, it is determined whether the current opening/closing execution mode is the 16R continuation mode based on the processing result of step S1605. If it is the 16R continuation mode, in step S1607, a continuation flag is stored in the various flag storage area 114e of the RAM 114. The continuation flag is a flag that allows the MPU 112 to know that the current opening/closing execution mode is the 16R continuation mode.

If the 16R continuation mode is not selected in step S1606, or after the processing of step S1607 has been executed, the process proceeds to step S1608. In step S1608, the first round counter RC1 provided in the various counter area 114d of the RAM 114 is set to "15", and the second round counter RC2 provided in the various counter area 114d is set to "19". The first round counter RC1 is a counter for counting the number of times a round of play has been played in one second opening and closing execution mode, and the second round counter RC2 is a counter for counting the number of times the opening and closing device 168 has been opened in one round of play.

In this embodiment, the first opening and closing execution mode when a direct hit or V winning occurs corresponds to the first round of 16 rounds of play, and the second opening and closing execution mode starts from the second round onwards. In other words, the second round is the first round in the second opening and closing execution mode.

After step S1608 is executed, a setting process for the rotating body is executed in step S1609. In the setting process for the rotating body, settings are made for returning the rotating body 201 to the initial position (the position where the V winning port guide unit 204 faces the lead-out unit 186), the rotation start timing at which the rotating body 201 starts to rotate after returning to the initial position, the rotation speed of the rotating body 201 that has started to rotate, etc. In this embodiment, the operation mode of the rotating body 201 is set so that it starts to rotate from the initial position at a timing when a predetermined period (for example, 1 sec) has elapsed from the start timing of the opening, and then the rotation of one rotation in about 5 sec is continuously repeated at least until the end of the second opening/closing execution mode.

In the next step S1610, an opening command is set. This set opening command is sent to the performance control device 82 in step S603 in the normal processing (FIG. 19). This opening command includes information on whether the mode is the 16R continuation mode or the continuation rate variable mode. The performance control device 82 determines the content of the performance corresponding to the opening and closing execution mode based on the received opening command, and controls various devices so that the determined content of the performance is executed. The content of this performance includes the display mode of the pattern display device 51, and this determined display mode is output from the performance control device 82 to the display control device 100 as a display content command. The display control device 100 controls the display of the pattern display device 51 so that a display (e.g., a video display) corresponding to the current opening and closing execution mode is performed based on the display content command received from the performance control device 82.

In the following step S1611, an external signal setting process is executed, and then the game state transition process is terminated. In the external signal setting process, the signal output state of the output terminal for the jackpot signal provided in the external output terminal 99 is set to a jackpot signal output state. As a result, if the output terminal for the jackpot signal is connected to a management control device on the gaming center side, a jackpot signal is output to the management control device, and the management control device can determine that a jackpot has occurred in the pachinko machine 10.

On the other hand, if the second opening/closing execution mode is in progress, a positive determination is made in step S1601, and the process proceeds to step S1612. In step S1612, it is determined whether or not the waiting time for the opening has elapsed. If the waiting time for the opening has not elapsed, the game state transition process is terminated. If the waiting time for the opening has elapsed, the opening/closing process is executed in step S1613.

Here, the opening and closing process will be explained with reference to the flowchart in Figure 29.

First, in step S1701, it is determined whether the value of the first round counter RC1 is "0". If the value of the first round counter RC1 is "0", this opening/closing process is terminated, whereas if the value is not "0", in step S1702, it is determined whether a round of play is in progress. Specifically, it is determined whether a round flag is stored in the various flag storage area 114e of the RAM 114. The round flag is a flag that indicates that a round of play is in progress, and is stored in the various flag storage area 114e at the start of a round of play and is erased at the end of the round of play.

If it is determined in step S1702 that the round flag is not stored and a round is not being played, it is determined in step S1703 whether the value of the timer counter T provided in the various counter area 114d of the RAM 114 is "0". The processing of this step corresponds to the processing of determining whether the closing time (waiting time) between rounds of play described later has elapsed.

If the value of the timer counter T is not "0", the opening and closing process is terminated, whereas if it is "0", the process proceeds to step S1704 and the setting process for each round is executed.

Specifically, as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 30, the setting process for each round is first performed in step S1801 to determine whether or not a continuation flag is stored in RAM 114. In other words, it is determined whether or not the current opening and closing execution mode is the 16R continuation mode. If the continuation flag is not stored and the current opening and closing execution mode is the continuation rate variable mode, the number of rounds determination process is performed in step S1802. In this process, the number of rounds in the opening and closing execution mode that is set in the setting process for the current round is determined by referring to the value of the first round counter RC1. Then, in step S1803, the round pattern table stored in the various table storage area 113d of ROM 113 is referenced.

As shown in FIG. 31, the round pattern table defines the opening and closing patterns for each round in the second opening and closing execution mode. Multiple opening and closing patterns are set for the opening and closing device 168 for each round, including opening and closing patterns A, B, C, and D.

The specific opening and closing modes for each of the opening and closing patterns A to D are specified in the opening and closing pattern table stored in the various table storage area 113d of the ROM 113. As shown in Figs. 32(a) to (d), the opening and closing pattern table stores the opening and closing modes of the opening and closing device 168 in association with the number of times the opening and closing device 168 is opened in each round of play. The opening and closing pattern table divides the round of play into three play sections (play periods): a first play section in the early stage (opening from the 1st to the 6th), a second play section in the middle stage (opening from the 7th to the 13th), and a third play section in the late stage (opening from the 14th to the 19th), and specifies the opening and closing modes of the opening and closing device 168 for each play section.

For example, in the opening and closing pattern A, as shown in FIG. 32(a), during the 19 openings in one round of play, the first to sixth openings (RC2 = 19 to 14) belonging to the first play section and the seventh to thirteenth openings (RC2 = 13 to 7) belonging to the second play section are opened for 1.5 sec, which is longer than the launch cycle of the game ball (0.6 sec), and then closed for 0.5 sec (also called opening and closing pattern P1). Also, the fourteenth to nineteenth openings (RC2 = 6 to 1) belonging to the third play section are opened for 0.5 sec and then closed for 1.5 sec (also called opening and closing pattern P2). In the case of P1, winning the role device 150 is relatively easy to occur in relation to the launch cycle, and in the case of P2, although it can occur, it is less likely to occur than A1. In other words, opening and closing pattern A makes it easier for the game ball to enter the role device 150 in the first and second game zones.

As shown in FIG. 32(b), the opening and closing pattern B is set so that the second game zone is opening and closing pattern P1, and the first game zone and the third game zone are opening and closing pattern P2. In other words, the opening and closing pattern B is set so that the game ball is more likely to enter the role device 150 in the second game zone.

As shown in FIG. 32(c), the opening and closing pattern C is set so that the first game zone is opening and closing pattern P1, and the second game zone and the third game zone are opening and closing pattern P2. In other words, the opening and closing pattern C is set so that the game ball is likely to enter the role device 150 in the first game zone.

As shown in FIG. 32(d), the opening and closing pattern D is set so that the third game zone is opening and closing pattern P1, and the first game zone and the second game zone are opening and closing pattern P2. In other words, the opening and closing pattern D is set so that the game ball is more likely to enter the role device 150 in the third game zone.

Taking this into consideration, the winning characteristics of each round game will be explained as follows: as shown in Figure 32 (e), the second round of the round game in which opening and closing pattern A is set is a round game with winning characteristics A in which the game ball is likely to win the role device 150 in the first and second game sections (1st to 13th openings), and the third to seventh rounds in which opening and closing pattern B is set are round games with winning characteristics B in which the game ball is likely to win the role device 150 in the second game section (7th to 13th openings). In addition, the round games from the 8th round to the 11th round, in which the opening and closing pattern D is set, are round games with winning characteristics D that make it easier for the game ball to enter the accessory device 150 in the third game section (14th to 19th openings), and the round games from the 12th round to the 16th round, in which the opening and closing pattern C is set, are round games with winning characteristics C that make it easier for the game ball to enter the accessory device 150 in the first game section (1st to 6th openings).

Returning to the explanation of the setting process for each round (Figure 30), after referring to the round pattern table in step S1803, a process for setting the corresponding round pattern (opening and closing pattern of the round) is executed in step S1804. Specifically, the various flag storage area 114e of the RAM 114 has flag storage areas corresponding to each of patterns A to D, and for example, for opening and closing pattern A, a flag is stored in the corresponding area.

If the continuation flag is stored in step S1801, or after the process of step S1804 is executed, the process proceeds to step S1805. In step S1805, the winning counter PC provided in the various counter area 114d of the RAM 114 is set to "9". The winning counter PC indicates the number of winning balls in one round of play, and in this embodiment, the round of play ends when nine game balls win the role device 150 in one round of play. In the following step S1806, the process of setting the second round counter RC2 to "19" is executed, and then, in step S1807, the round flag is stored in the various flag storage area 114e of the RAM 114. After execution of step S1807, this setting process ends.

Returning to the explanation of the opening and closing process (Figure 29), after the process of step S1704 is executed, the setting process for each opening is executed in step S1705.

Specifically, in the setting process for each opening, as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 33, first, in step S1901, it is determined whether or not a continuation flag is stored. This process is the same as the process of step S1801 described above. If the continuation flag is not stored and the continuation rate variable mode is selected, the process proceeds to step S1902. In step S1902, the second round counter RC2 is determined to determine which opening of the opening/closing device 168 this time in one round has occurred. Then, in step S1903, the opening/closing pattern table (FIGS. 32(a)-(d)) stored in the various table storage area 113d of the ROM 113 is referenced, and in step S1904, the opening/closing patterns P1 and P2 corresponding to the opening number determined in step S1902 are set.

In the next step S1905, the distribution pattern table stored in the various table storage area 113d of the ROM 113 is referenced. Here, the distribution pattern table is explained with reference to FIG. 34.

The distribution pattern tables include a first distribution pattern table (FIG. 34(a)) for the first distribution member 300 and a second distribution pattern table (FIG. 34(b)) for the second distribution member 310. First, the first distribution pattern table will be described.

As shown in FIG. 34(a), the first distribution pattern table stores the operation mode of the first distribution member 300 in association with the number of times the opening/closing device 168 is opened in each round of play. As with the opening/closing pattern table (FIG. 32), the first distribution pattern table divides the round of play into three play zones: a first play zone in the early stage (first to sixth openings), a second play zone in the middle stage (seventh to thirteenth openings), and a third play zone in the late stage (fourteenth to nineteenth openings), and specifies the operation mode of the first distribution member 300 for each play zone.

When the first play section (1st to 6th play) and the third play section (14th to 19th play) are opened, the operation mode of the first distribution member 300 is set to operation pattern MA. In operation pattern MA, the state changes to a distribution state after a period TM1 (0.5 sec) from the start of the opening of the opening/closing device 168, and changes to a non-distribution state after a period TM2 (0.1 sec) from that change, and then the non-distribution state is maintained until the opening/closing device 168 is closed.

In addition, in each opening of the second play section (7th to 13th times), the operation mode of the first distribution member 300 is set to operation pattern MB. Operation pattern MB changes to a distribution state after a period TM3 (0.5 sec) from the start of opening of the opening/closing device 168, and changes to a non-distribution state after a period TM4 (0.5 sec) from that change, and then the non-distribution state is maintained until the opening/closing device 168 is closed.

In other words, in the second play area, the period during which the first distribution member 300 is in the distribution state is longer than in the first play area and the third play area. Therefore, game balls flowing down the left guide passage 183 are more likely to be distributed to the deviation port 182b by the first distribution member 300 in the second play area, and are less likely to reach the rotating body 201.

Next, the second distribution pattern table will be described. As shown in FIG. 34(b), the second distribution pattern table stores the operation mode of the second distribution member 310 in association with the number of times the opening/closing device 168 is opened in each round of play. As with the first distribution pattern table, the second distribution pattern table divides the round of play into three play zones: a first play zone in the early stage (opening from the 1st to the 6th), a second play zone in the middle stage (opening from the 7th to the 13th), and a third play zone in the late stage (opening from the 14th to the 19th), and specifies the operation mode of the second distribution member 310 for each play zone.

When the first play section (1st to 6th) is opened, the operation mode of the second distribution member 310 is set to operation pattern SA. Operation pattern SA transitions to a distribution state after a period TS1 (0.5 sec) from the start of the opening of the opening/closing device 168, transitions to a non-distribution state after a period TS2 (0.1 sec) from that transition, and then maintains the non-distribution state until the opening/closing device 168 is closed.

In addition, in each opening of the second game section (7th to 13th) and the third game section (14th to 19th), the operation mode of the second distribution member 310 is set to operation pattern SB. Operation pattern SB is such that it transitions to a distribution state after a period TS3 (0.5 sec) from the start of opening of the opening/closing device 168, transitions to a non-distribution state after a period TS4 (0.3 sec) from that transition, and then the non-distribution state is maintained until the opening/closing device 168 is closed.

In other words, in the second and third game zones, the period during which the second distribution member 310 is in the distribution state is longer than in the first game zone. Therefore, winning balls are more likely to be distributed to the entrance guide 215 side when they win in the second and third game zones than when they win in the role device 150 in the first game zone.

Here, in this embodiment, the operation mode of the shutter 221 is set so that the shutter 221 is in a closed state (a state in which the warp entrance section 214 is closed) during the period in which the second distribution member 310 is in the distribution state. Therefore, the game balls distributed to the entrance guide section 215 side by the second distribution member 310 cannot pass through the warp passage 210 and are stored as they are in the role device 150. Therefore, by setting the operation mode of the second distribution member 310 as described above, game balls that have won in the role device 150 are more likely to be stored in the role device 150 when the opening number related to the winning is the 7th to 13th (second game section) and the 14th to 19th (third game section).

Next, the distribution characteristics resulting from the combination of the first distribution member 300 and the second distribution member 310 will be described. As shown in FIG. 34(c), in the first play section (first to sixth openings), the operation mode of the first distribution member 300 is set to operation pattern SA, and the operation mode of the second distribution member 310 is set to operation pattern MA. Therefore, game balls that enter the role device 150 in the first play section are less likely to be stored in the role device 150 and are more likely to reach the rotating body 201.

In the second play zone (the 7th to 13th openings), the operation mode of the first distribution member 300 is set to operation pattern SB, and the operation mode of the second distribution member 310 is set to operation pattern MB. Therefore, game balls that enter the role device 150 in the second play zone tend to be stored in the role device 150 and are less likely to reach the rotating body 201.

In the third play zone (14th to 19th openings), the operation mode of the first distribution member 300 is set to operation pattern SA, and the operation mode of the second distribution member 310 is set to operation pattern MA. Therefore, game balls that enter the role device 150 in the third play zone tend to be stored in the role device 150, and if they are not stored, they tend to reach the rotating body 201.

The operating modes of the first and second distribution members 300 and 310 are common to all rounds (rounds 2 to 16), unlike the opening and closing patterns of the opening and closing device 168. In other words, the operating modes of each distribution member 300, 310 are uniquely determined for each round.

Returning to the explanation of the setting process for each opening (FIG. 33), after referring to the distribution pattern table in step S1905, in step S1906, the operation pattern corresponding to the opening number determined in step S1902 is set for each distribution member 300, 310. Specifically, for the first distribution member 300, a value equivalent to the period TM1 (0.5 sec) is set in the first distribution counter provided in the various counter area 114d of the RAM 114. Also, for the second distribution member 310, a value equivalent to the period TS1 (0.5 sec) is set in the second distribution counter provided in the same area 114d. The first distribution counter and the second distribution counter are updated (decremented by 1) each time the timer interrupt process (FIG. 14) is executed, so that when each of these counters becomes a predetermined value (for example, "0"), it becomes possible to determine the displacement timing of each distribution member 300, 310.

On the other hand, if it is determined in the determination process of step S1901 that the continuation flag is stored, the process proceeds to step S1907, and the opening and closing pattern for the current round is set to P1. That is, in the case of 16R continuation mode, the opening and closing pattern that results in the longest opening time in all rounds (RC1) and all opening times (RC2) is set. Therefore, in 16R continuation mode, it is easier for the maximum number of winnings to occur in each round. Note that in this embodiment, in the opening and closing execution mode of the 16R continuation mode, it will continue to the next round even if no V is won (even if the continuation conditions are not met).

In the next step S1908, the operation mode (allocation pattern) of each allocation member 300, 310 is set. As with the first opening/closing execution mode, the allocation pattern in the 16R continuation mode sets the operation mode of each allocation member 300, 310 so that they are maintained in a non-allocation state throughout the entire period from the start to the end of each opening (in other words, the entire period from the start to the end of a round of play).

After executing the process of step S1906 or after executing the process of step S1908, this setting process ends.

Returning to the explanation of the opening and closing process (FIG. 29), after the setting process for each opening is executed in step S1705, the opening process is executed in step S1706. Specifically, the drive control of the opening and closing role drive unit 173 is started to set the opening and closing role 168 in the open state. Then, in step S1707, the opening command is set, and this opening and closing process is terminated. This set opening command is sent to the performance control device 82 in step S603 in the normal process (FIG. 19). In addition to information on whether or not the 16R continuation mode is active, the opening command includes information on which round is being opened (information on the first round counter RC1), which opening is being performed in one round (information on the second round counter RC2), and information on the opening and closing patterns A to D. Based on the received opening command, the performance control device 82 determines the content of the performance that notifies the opening and closing pattern and the winning rate of the role device 150, and controls various devices so that the determined content of the performance is executed.

If it is determined in step S1702 that the round flag has been stored and a round is being played, the process proceeds to step S1708, where it is determined whether the opening/closing device 168 is open or not. Specifically, this determination is made based on the drive state of the opening/closing device drive unit 173. If the opening/closing device 168 is being opened or closed, the process executes open processing in step S1709, and then ends this opening/closing processing.

Here, we will explain the open-state processing with reference to the flowchart in Figure 35.

In the open process, first, in step S2101, it is determined whether the value of the timer counter T is "0". The process of this step is to determine whether the opening time of the opening/closing device 168 per time, that is, the elapsed time from the start of opening the opening/closing device 168, has reached the opening time (upper limit opening time) set by referring to the opening/closing pattern table (Figure 32).

If the value of the timer counter T is not "0" and the opening time of the opening/closing device 168 has not reached the upper limit opening time, the process proceeds to step S2102, where it is determined whether or not a game ball has entered the device 150 based on the detection state of the entrance sensor 179. If no winning has occurred, the process ends. On the other hand, if a winning has occurred, the value of the winning counter PC is subtracted by "1" in step S2103, and then the remaining ball counter RPC is incremented by 1 in step S2104. After step S2104 is executed, it is determined in step S2105 whether or not the winning counter PC is "0". If it is not "0" and the maximum number of winning balls in one round (upper limit number of winning balls) has not been reached, the process ends.

On the other hand, if the winning counter PC is "0" and the number of winning balls in the role device 150 has reached the maximum number of winning balls in one round, the process proceeds to step S2106. In step S2106, a process is executed to clear the second round counter RC2 to "0" to end the current round of play.

Also, if the value of the timer counter T is "0" in step S2101 above, i.e., if the opening time of the opening/closing device 168 has reached the upper limit opening time, the process proceeds to step S2107, and the process of subtracting "1" from the second round counter RC2 is executed.

After step S2106 or step S2107 is executed, a closing process is executed in step S2108. In this process, the drive control of the opening/closing device drive unit 173 is terminated, and the opening/closing device 168 is closed. In the following step S2109, it is determined whether the second round counter RC2 is "0". If the second round counter RC2 is not "0", this means that there are remaining openings in the current round of play. In this case, the process proceeds to step S2110, and a process for setting the closing time (closing period, waiting period) between each opening is executed. In this process, the current closing time (closing period, waiting period) is determined by referring to the value of the second round counter RC2 and the above opening/closing pattern table (Figure 32), and a value corresponding to that time is entered into the timer counter T.

On the other hand, if the second round counter RC2 is "0" in step S2109 and there is no remaining opening, the process proceeds to step S2111, where the process of setting the end waiting time is executed. The end waiting time is for waiting for the end of the round game after the final opening and closing in the round game is completed. In other words, in this embodiment, the end of the round game is when the end waiting time has elapsed. The end waiting time is set by taking into account the period until the game ball that entered the role device 150 is discharged from the role device 150, as with the end waiting time related to the first opening and closing execution mode (step S1309 in FIG. 25). In other words, it is set to a predetermined period (uniformly 3.5 sec in this embodiment) that is longer than the period (approximately 3 sec) until the game ball that entered the role device 150 passes through the left guide passage 183 and the rotating body 201 and reaches the V winning sensor 192. Therefore, at the end of a round of play, all of the game balls that have won in the device 150 will have been discharged from the device 150, except for the game balls stored in the device 150.

In step S2111, a process is executed to input a value corresponding to 3.5 sec into the end-time waiting time counter provided in the various counter area 114d of the RAM 114. The end-time waiting time counter is updated (decremented by 1) each time the timer interrupt process (FIG. 14) is executed, so that it becomes possible to know that the end-time waiting time has elapsed when the counter reaches a predetermined value (e.g., "0").

In the next step S2112, a shutter setting process is executed to set the operation mode of the shutter 221. In this process, the operation mode of the shutter 221 is set so that the shutter 221 transitions from the closed state to the open state after a period TT1 (0 sec) has elapsed from the end of the round of play, and returns to the closed state when a period TT2 (0.3 sec) has elapsed from the transition. Note that in this embodiment, since the period TT1 is set to 0 sec, the shutter 221 transitions to the open state at the end of the round of play. Also, except for the period during which the open state is maintained (period TT2), the shutter 221 is set to maintain the closed state during execution of the second opening/closing execution mode.

In step S2112, a value equivalent to the above-mentioned period TT1 is set in the shutter counter provided in the various counter area 114d of the RAM 114. The shutter counter is updated (decremented by 1) each time the timer interrupt process (FIG. 14) is executed, so that when the shutter counter reaches a predetermined value (e.g., "0"), it becomes possible to grasp the displacement timing of the shutter 221.

After execution of step S2110 or step S2112, a close command is set in step S2113, and this opening/closing process is terminated. This set close command is sent to the performance control device 82 in step S603 in the normal process (Figure 19). This close command includes information on whether each of the current closing processes corresponds to the end of a round, or to each opening/closing during a round. The performance control device 82 determines the content of the performance corresponding to each of the above information based on the received close command, and controls various devices so that the determined content of the performance is executed.

Returning to the explanation of the opening and closing process (FIG. 29), if it is determined in step S1708 that the opening and closing device 168 is not open, i.e., that the opening and closing device 168 is closed, the process proceeds to step S1710, where it is determined whether the value of the timer counter T is "0". The process of this step is to determine whether the closing time between each opening set in step S2110 (FIG. 35) above, or the end waiting time set in step S2111 above, has elapsed.

If the value of the timer counter T is not "0", this opening/closing process is terminated, whereas if it is "0", in step S1711 it is determined whether the second round counter RC2 is "0". If the second round counter RC2 is not "0", this means that the closing time between each of the above openings has elapsed, in which case the process from step S1705 onwards is executed to execute the remaining openings in this round of play. On the other hand, if the second round counter RC2 is "0", this means that the above end waiting time has elapsed, in other words, it is time to end the round of play, in which case the process proceeds to step S1712 and executes the round update process. After that, this opening/closing process is terminated.

Here, the round update process will be explained with reference to the flowchart in Figure 36.

In the round update process, first in step S2201, it is determined whether the value of the first round counter RC1 is "1". The round update process is executed at the timing of the end of a round, and in step S2201, it is determined whether the timing of the current round end is that of the final round in the second opening and closing execution mode.

If the value of the first round counter RC1 is not "1" and corresponds to the end timing of a round play other than the final round, proceed to step S2202, and determine whether or not a continuation flag is stored in the various flag storage area 114e of the RAM 114. This process is the same as the process of step S1801 above. If the continuation flag is not stored, that is, if the execution mode of the second opening and closing execution mode is the continuous change mode, in step S2203, determine whether or not a V winning flag is stored in the various flag storage area 114e of the RAM 114. In other words, in step S2203, determine whether or not the continuation condition for the next round play is established. If the V winning flag is stored and the above continuation condition is established, proceed to step S2204, and execute the process of clearing the V winning flag stored in the various flag storage area 114e.

If a positive judgment is made in step S2202 (if the execution mode of the second opening/closing execution mode is the 16R continuation mode) or after the processing of step S2204 is executed, in step S2205, the first round counter RC1 is decremented by "1" to update the number of rounds. In the following step S2206, a setting process for the closing time between each round (period of the round interval) is executed. In this process, a value corresponding to a predetermined specified time (e.g., 1.5 sec) is input to the timer counter T. The elapsed timing of the closing time between each round set here can be grasped by executing the judgment process of the above step S1703 (FIG. 29) in the next or subsequent normal processing (opening/closing processing).

After step S2206 is executed, a round update command is set in step S2207. This set round update command is sent to the performance control device 82 in step S603 in normal processing (Figure 19). This round update command includes information such as the closing time between rounds set in step S2206 above and the round number of the next round of play (which round it is). Based on the received round update command, the performance control device 82 determines the content of the performance corresponding to the end of the round of play or the start of the next round, and controls various devices so that the determined content of the performance is executed.

On the other hand, if the value of the first round counter RC1 is "1" in step S2201 (if it is the end timing of the final round), or if the V winning flag is not stored in step S2203 (if the continuation condition is not met), the process proceeds to step S2208. In step S2208, a process is executed to clear the value of the first round counter RC1 to "0" in order to end the second opening and closing execution mode. In the following step S2209, an ending start process is executed. In this start process, a waiting time for the ending of the opening and closing execution mode is set. Specifically, the waiting time information for the ending stored in advance in the ROM 113 is set in the waiting time counter provided in the various counter area 114d of the RAM 114. The value of the waiting time information set here is decremented by "1" each time the timer interrupt process (FIG. 14) is executed.

After that, in step S2210, an ending command is set. This set ending command is sent to the performance control device 82 in step S603 in the normal processing (FIG. 19). This ending command includes information such as the waiting time for the ending set in step S2209, the type of the second opening and closing execution mode, and the number of times the rounds will continue. Based on the ending command received, the performance control device 82 determines the content of the performance corresponding to the end of the opening and closing execution mode, and controls various devices so that the determined content of the performance is executed. The content of this performance includes the display mode of the pattern display device 51, and this determined display mode is output from the performance control device 82 to the display control device 100 as a display content command. Based on the display content command received from the performance control device 82, the display control device 100 controls the display of the pattern display device 51 so that a display (e.g., a video display) corresponding to the current opening and closing execution mode is performed.

After step S2207 or step S2210 is executed, the process proceeds to step S2211, where the process clears the round flag stored in the various flag storage area 114e of the RAM 114, and then ends this round update process.

Returning to the explanation of the game state transition process (FIG. 28), after the opening/closing process in step S1613 is executed, the process for the operation part within the reel is executed in step S1614. The process of this step is similar to the process for the operation part within the reel in FIG. 26, so the same figure will be used for the explanation.

In the processing for the role-playing operation unit in step S1614, first in step S1401, it is determined whether it is time to displace the first distribution member 300. This determination can be made by referring to the value of the first distribution counter set in step S1906 (FIG. 33) above. Then, if the first distribution counter is at a predetermined value (e.g., "0"), i.e., if it is time to displace, in step S1402, the first distribution control processing is executed.

In this process, a process is performed to change the drive state of the first distribution drive unit 300a. Specifically, the drive state of the first distribution drive unit 300a is grasped, and if it is in a drive state, the drive is terminated and the first distribution member 300 is changed from the distribution state to the non-distribution state. Also, if the first distribution drive unit 300a is not in a drive state, the drive is started and the first distribution member 300 is changed from the non-distribution state to the distribution state. When the distribution state is set, a value corresponding to the maintenance period TM2 (0.5 sec or 0.1 sec) of the distribution state is input to the first distribution counter.

If it is not the timing to displace the first distribution member 300 in step S1401, or after the processing of step S1402 is executed, the process proceeds to step S1403. In step S1403, it is determined whether it is the timing to displace the second distribution member 310. This determination can be made by referring to the value of the second distribution counter set in step S1906. If it is the timing to displace, the second distribution control process is executed in step S1404. In this process, a process to change the driving state of the second distribution drive unit 310a is performed. Specifically, the driving state of the second distribution drive unit 310a is grasped, and if it is in the driving state, the driving is terminated, and the second distribution member 310 is displaced from the distribution state to the non-distribution state. Also, if the second distribution drive unit 310a is not in the driving state, the driving is started, and the second distribution member 310 is displaced from the non-distribution state to the distribution state. When the sorting state is set, a value corresponding to the duration TS2 (0.3 sec or 0.1 sec) of the sorting state is input to the second sorting counter.

If it is not the timing to move the second distribution member 310 in step S1403, or after the process of step S1404 is executed, the process proceeds to step S1405. In step S1405, it is determined whether it is the timing to move the shutter 221. This determination can be made by referring to the value of the shutter counter set in the above step S2112 (FIG. 35). Then, if it is the timing to move, the shutter control process is executed in step S1406. In this process, a process to change the drive state of the shutter driver 221a is performed. Specifically, the drive state of the shutter driver 221a is grasped, and if it is in the drive state, the drive is terminated and the shutter 221 is changed from the open state to the closed state. Also, if the shutter driver 221a is not in the drive state, the drive is started and the shutter 221 is changed from the closed state to the open state. If it is set to the open state, a value corresponding to the maintenance period TT2 (0.3 sec) of the open state is input to the shutter counter.

If it is not the timing to move the shutter 221 in step S1405, or after the processing of step S1406 has been executed, the rotating body control processing is executed in step S1407. In the processing of step S1407, the driving state of the rotating body driving unit 194 is controlled to drive and control the rotating body 201 according to the settings set in the rotating body setting processing of step S1609 (Figure 28) described above. After execution of step S1407, the processing for the internal operation unit of this role is terminated.

Returning to the explanation of the game state transition process (Figure 28), after the process for the operation part inside the reel is executed in step S1614, the process for passing through the reel is executed in step S1615 to determine whether or not a V has been won and whether or not the game ball has been discharged from the reel device 150.

Here, the process for passing through the reel will be explained with reference to the flowchart in Figure 37.

In the process for passing through the reel, first, in step S2301, it is determined whether the V winning sensor 192 detects the passage of the game ball (occurrence of a V winning). If the occurrence of a V winning is detected, in step S2302, a V winning flag is stored in the various flag storage area 114e of the RAM 114. In the following step S2303, a process is executed to decrement the remaining ball counter RPC provided in the various counter area 114d of the RAM 114 by 1. In other words, if the occurrence of a V winning is detected in step S2303, it means that in addition to the occurrence of a V winning, a game ball has been discharged from the reel device 150, so the number of game balls in the reel device 150 is updated by decrementing the remaining ball counter RPC. After execution of step S2303, this process for passing through the reel is terminated.

On the other hand, if a V win is not detected in step S2301, in step S2304, it is determined whether the loss sensor 193 has detected the passage (miss) of the game ball. If a miss is detected, the process proceeds to step S2303, where the remaining ball counter RPC is decremented by 1. In other words, even if a miss is detected, the miss for the game ball is confirmed, and since it means that the game ball has been discharged from the role device 150, the remaining ball counter RPC is decremented to update the number of game balls in the role device 150. In contrast, if a miss is not detected in step S2304, that is, if neither a V win nor a miss has been identified, the role device passage process ends without updating the remaining ball counter RPC.

Returning to the explanation of the game state transition process (FIG. 28), after executing the process of step S1615, in step S1616 it is determined whether the value of the first round counter RC1 is "0", and in step S1617 it is determined whether the waiting time for the ending has elapsed. If the value of the first round counter RC1 is not "0" or if the waiting time for the ending has not elapsed, this game state transition process is terminated.

On the other hand, if the value of the first round counter RC1 is "0" and the waiting time for the ending has elapsed, the transition process at the end of the opening and closing execution mode is executed in step S1618. In this process, a process is executed to return the game state after the opening and closing execution mode to the normal game state (normal game state). For example, each of the distribution members 300, 310, the shutter 221, and the rotating body 201 in the role device 150 are placed in their initial positions.

In addition, if the normal game state includes a game state in which the opening and closing state of the electric device 39a provided in the second operating port 39 changes (for example, the opening and closing state becomes such that it is easier to win at the second operating port 39 than in other states), or a game state in which the type and probability of the game result when the winning is won at the operating ports 38, 39 changes (for example, the probability of a direct hit result changes), it is preferable to configure the transition process at the end of the opening and closing execution mode to set to one of these game states.

After the transition process at the end of the opening and closing execution mode in step S1618 is completed, the end process of the opening and closing execution mode is executed in step S1619, and then this game state transition process is terminated. In the end process of the opening and closing execution mode, the continuation flag and the like used during the opening and closing execution mode are erased. Also, in step S1619, the jackpot signal output in step S1611 above is stopped, and information that one opening and closing execution mode has ended is output to the outside. This allows the arcade's hall computer (management control device) to know the start and end of one opening and closing execution mode.

Next, the remaining ball determination process in step S607 in the normal process (FIG. 19) will be explained with reference to the flowchart in FIG. 38.

In the remaining ball determination process, first in step S2401, it is determined whether or not the first opening and closing execution mode is in effect. Specifically, it is determined whether or not the first opening and closing execution mode flag is stored in the various flag storage area 114e of the RAM 114.

If the first opening/closing execution mode flag is stored and the first opening/closing execution mode is in progress, step S2402 determines whether the end-time waiting time set in step S1309 (FIG. 25) has elapsed. Specifically, it determines whether the value of the end-time waiting time counter is a predetermined value (e.g., "0").

If the end waiting time has not elapsed, the remaining ball determination process is terminated. If the end waiting time has elapsed, step S2403 determines whether the value of the remaining ball counter RPC is "0". If the value of the remaining ball counter RPC is not "0" and the number of winning balls in the role device 150 does not match the number of balls discharged from the role device 150, the process proceeds to step S2404, where a remaining ball flag is stored in the various flag storage area 114e of the RAM 114. The remaining ball flag is a flag indicating that game balls remain in the role device 150. If the remaining ball flag is stored in this way, the abnormality monitoring process (FIG. 17) in step S107 in the timer interrupt process determines that game balls remain, and the process transitions to a game stop state via the game stop determination process (FIG. 20) in step S601 in the normal process.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S2403 that the value of the remaining ball counter RPC is "0", it is determined that there are no game balls remaining in the game device 150, and the remaining ball determination process is terminated.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S2401 that the first opening and closing execution mode is not in effect, the process proceeds to step S2405, where it is determined whether the second opening and closing execution mode is in effect. Specifically, it is determined whether the second opening and closing execution mode flag is stored in the various flag storage area 114e of the RAM 114.

If the second opening and closing execution mode flag is stored and the second opening and closing execution mode is in progress, step S2405 determines whether the value of the first round counter RC1 is "0". If the value of the first round counter RC1 is "0", the process proceeds to step S2407 to determine whether the ending has ended (whether the waiting time for the ending has elapsed). If the ending has ended, i.e., if it is the timing to end the second opening and closing execution mode, the process proceeds to step S2403 above to determine whether the value of the remaining ball counter RPC is "0" and execute a remaining ball determination. Note that if a negative determination is made in any of steps S2405 to S2407, this remaining ball determination process ends.

<About the game flow>
Next, the flow of the game in the second opening and closing execution mode will be described with reference to the timing chart in FIG. 39. Here, the description will proceed assuming that the execution mode of the second opening and closing execution mode is the continuous variation mode. Note that the numbers in square brackets in FIG. 39 indicate the number of times the opening and closing device 168 is opened in one round of play. For example, [1] in the second round of play means the first opening in that round of play.

When the second round of play (the first round of play in the second opening/closing execution mode) begins at timing t1, the first opening of the opening/closing device 168 begins (Figures 39(a) and (b)). During the second round of play, the opening and closing state of the opening/closing device 168 is controlled by opening/closing pattern A (see Figure 31), so the open state of the opening/closing device 168 is maintained until timing t3, 1.5 seconds after timing t1 (see Figure 32(a)). At timing t3, the opening/closing device 168 is switched to a closed state, and this state is maintained until timing t4, 0.5 seconds later.

When the first opening of the opening/closing device 168 is started, the operation mode of the second distribution member 310 is controlled based on the start timing (timing t1) (Figure 39 (d)). During the first to sixth openings (first game section), the operation pattern of the second distribution member 310 is set to operation pattern SA (see Figure 34 (b)), so that at timing t2, 0.5 seconds after timing t1, the second distribution member 310 is switched from a non-distribution state (a state in which game balls are distributed to the ball distribution section 185 side) to a distribution state (a state in which game balls are distributed to the entrance guide section 215 side). When the operation pattern of the second distribution member 310 is operation pattern SA, the distribution state is maintained for 0.3 seconds. The operation mode of the first distribution member 300 is also controlled based on the opening start timing of the opening/closing device 168, but this is not shown for convenience.

After that, for example, at timing t5, which is midway through the second opening, when the second distribution member 310 is switched to the distribution state, if a game ball enters the role device 150 (strictly speaking, the winning game ball reaches the second distribution member 310), the game ball is distributed to the entrance guide section 215 side by the second distribution member 310 (Figures 39(c) and (d)). At this time, the shutter 221 arranged in front of the warp entrance section 214 is in a closed state that closes the warp entrance section 214 (Figure 39(e)). Therefore, the game ball distributed to the entrance guide section 215 side by the second distribution member 310 is stored in the role device 150 without reaching the warp entrance section 214.

Then, when another winning ball that has been distributed by the second distribution member 310 to the ball distribution section 185 side and headed toward the rotor 201 through the left guide passage 183 is distributed by the rotor 201 to the V winning port guide section 204 and passes through the V winning port 182a at timing t6, which is midway through the fifth opening, it is detected by the V winning sensor 192 and the V winning flag is turned on (stored in the various flag storage area 114e of the RAM 114) (Figure 39 (g)). This establishes the round continuation condition and confirms the implementation of the third round of round play (the next round play).

At timing t7, which is midway through the 14th opening, while the second distribution member 310 is switched to the distribution state, if a game ball enters the role device 150, the game ball is distributed to the entrance guide section 215 side by the second distribution member 310. However, since game balls are already stored there, the game ball distributed to the entrance guide section 215 side is bounced off by the stored game balls and distributed to the guide passage 183 side. In this way, even if multiple game balls are distributed to the entrance guide section 215 side at the right time, the number of stored game balls is limited to one.

At the subsequent timing t8, when the number of winning game balls in the accessory device 150 reaches 9 balls, which is the upper limit of winning balls per round, the opening of the opening/closing accessory 168 for the second round of round play ends, and the opening/closing accessory 168 is switched to a closed state. After that, the end of the round play is awaited with the opening/closing accessory 168 in the closed state, and this state is maintained from the closing timing (timing t7) of the opening/closing accessory 168 until timing t9, when the end waiting time (3.5 sec) has elapsed.

As already explained, the waiting time at the end is set taking into consideration the period until the game balls that entered the accessory device 150 are discharged from the accessory device 150. Therefore, the second round of the round game ends with all the game balls that entered the accessory device 150 being discharged, except for the game balls stored in front of the warp entrance 214. Therefore, the round game is prevented from ending before the last winning ball passes through either the V winning hole 182a or the miss hole 182b in the round game (before the result for the last winning ball is determined). Therefore, even if the number of winning balls in the accessory device 150 reaches the upper limit number of winning balls per round, and the continuation condition (the condition for performing the third round of the round game) is not established because the V winning has not occurred, the continuation condition can be established by the last winning ball passing through the V winning. Therefore, it is possible to expect the continuation condition to be established until the last winning ball is discharged.

If the game ball passes the V winning sensor 192 after the end waiting time has elapsed, it is not treated as a V winning and the continuation condition is not met. In other words, a V winning occurs only if the game ball passes the V winning sensor 192 before the end waiting time has elapsed. In that sense, the end waiting time can also be said to be the valid period for a V winning.

When the second round of play ends at timing t9, the opening and closing device 168 is closed and the game waits for the start of the third round of play. This state is maintained from timing t9 until the waiting time between rounds (1.5 sec) has elapsed.

At timing t9, the shutter 221 located in front of the warp entrance 214 is switched from a closed state that closes the warp entrance 214 to an open state that opens the warp entrance 214 (Figure 39 (e)). As a result, the game ball stored in the role device 150 at the entrance guide 215 advances to the warp entrance 214 and enters the warp passage 210. After entering the warp passage 210, the game ball travels down the spiral passage 213, and is guided to the V guide passage 260 through the warp exit 216 and the exit guide 217, and is led to the V winning passage 191a (V winning sensor 192).

As already explained, it takes about 2 seconds for the game ball stored just before the warp entrance 214 to pass through the warp passage 210 and reach the V winning sensor 192. Therefore, the game ball released from storage at time t9 reaches the V winning sensor 192 after the waiting period (1.5 seconds) set between the second and third rounds has elapsed.

At timing t10 when the waiting period has elapsed, the third round of play begins, and the opening and closing device 168 begins to open for the first time (FIGS. 39(a) and (b)). During the third round of play, the opening and closing state of the opening and closing device 168 is controlled by opening and closing pattern B (see FIG. 31), so the opening state of the opening and closing device 168 continues until 1.5 sec (see FIG. 32(b)) has elapsed from timing t3.

At time t11, approximately 0.5 seconds after time t10, the game ball that has flowed down the warp passage 210 reaches the V winning sensor 192. As mentioned above, this game ball is a game ball that was stored in the gadget device 150 during the second round of round play and was released from storage at the end of that round play. In other words, the game ball stored during the second round of round play passes the V winning sensor 192 at a timing after the start of the third round of round play and before the end of the third round of round play. As a result, the V winning flag is turned on during the third round of round play, and the implementation of the fourth round of round play is confirmed (Figure 39 (g)).

In this manner, in this embodiment, the game ball stored in the accessory device 150 in the second round of play continues through the round play without being discharged from the accessory device 150, and passes through the V entry sensor 192 (V entry) in the third round of play. In other words, the game ball that enters the accessory device 150 in the second round of play affects not only the third round of play, which is the next round play, but also the fourth round of play, which is the round play after that. Therefore, while playing the second round of play, the player can play with the aim of playing the fourth round.

Incidentally, if no storage occurs in the second round of play, the stored ball will not win the V prize even if the storage is released. In this case, if the ball wins the V prize after being distributed by the rotating body 201 in the third round of play, the fourth round of play will be played.

Now, looking at the methods for playing the fourth round, there are two options: storing game balls in the second round of play, and generating a V-winning shot through the route of the rotating body 201 in the third round of play. In other words, the opportunity to win the right to play the fourth round can be given not only in the third round, but also in the second round. This makes it possible to provide a period during which players can play with the aim of playing the fourth round over multiple rounds, including the second and third rounds, and to maintain anticipation for the continuation of the rounds for a long time.

In addition, even if a player is unable to collect winning balls in the second round, if the winning ball in the third round passes the V in that round, the fourth round can be played, and the third round can be positioned as a re-challenge round. This gives the impression that the fourth round is easy to play, and can stimulate players' desire to play.

In this embodiment, the stored game balls always reach the V winning sensor 192 through the warp passage 210, so if the balls can be stored, the probability of winning the V prize is much higher than if the balls pass through the rotating body 201. This not only strongly evokes the expectation that the game balls will be stored, but also allows the player to play with peace of mind when the game balls are stored. In addition, the number of game balls required to be stored can be reduced, which contributes to the reduction in the size of the storage area in the role device 150. In the role device 150, a large number of game parts such as the guide passage 183 that serves as a flow path for the game balls and the rotating body 201 for distributing the game balls are installed, and it is necessary to balance these when securing the storage area. Therefore, by reducing the size of the storage area, it is possible to simplify the design of the role device.

On the other hand, the period during which the second distribution member 310 is in the distribution state is shorter than the period during which it is in the non-distribution state, and the probability that a winning ball entering the role device 150 will be distributed by the second distribution member 310 to the entrance guide section 215 side is lower than the probability that it will be distributed to the ball distribution section 185 side. This prevents the player from gaining an excessive advantage.

In this embodiment, even if a V win occurs, the round of play continues until the number of times the opening and closing device 168 is opened reaches the upper limit of openings, or until the total number of winning game balls in the device 150 reaches the upper limit. This configuration makes it possible to play with the aim of winning up to the upper limit, even though the game balls released from storage are configured to win a V early in the round of play. Not only that, but it is also possible to appropriately secure a period of time for playing in order to accumulate new balls.

Moreover, in this embodiment, the storage is released before the start of the third round of play, and the storage area (entrance guide section 215) for game balls in the role device 150 is empty at the start of the round of play. This means that new storage can be expected to occur from the beginning of the round of play. For example, in a configuration in which storage is released in the middle of a round of play, it is necessary to aim for storage to occur in the remaining time, but according to this embodiment, it is possible to aim for storage to occur using the entire round of play.

It is also possible to configure the second distribution member 310 and the shutter 221 to have a distance of at least twice the diameter of a game ball, allowing multiple game balls to be stored. In this case, if the number of stored balls is less than the upper limit, new game balls can be stored without releasing the storage, so even if the storage is released in the middle of a round of play, it is possible to anticipate new storage from the beginning of the round. However, in addition to making the design of the device more difficult due to the expansion of the storage area, it will be necessary to devise a way to prevent new stored balls from being released when the storage is released. Taking these factors into consideration, the configuration of this embodiment is preferable.

The game balls stored in the second round are released from storage before the second distribution member 310 is switched to the distribution state for the first time in the third round. In this case, the game balls can be distributed to the entrance guide section 215 side after securing space in the storage area. This makes it possible to prevent the game balls that have entered the role device 150 from being blocked from storage by game balls that have already been stored, even though the game balls have been successfully directed toward the entrance guide section 215 side.

Furthermore, the stored game balls are not released when the opening/closing device 168 is in the open state, but when it is in the closed state. In the open state, when game balls are likely to win in the game device 150, the player's attention is likely to be focused on whether or not the game ball will win. For this reason, if the storage is released when the device is in the open state, there is a risk that the player will miss the release of the storage. In this regard, according to this embodiment, the storage is released when the device is in the closed state, when it is unlikely that the game ball will win in the game device 150, so it is possible to prevent the player from missing the event.

After the above, for example, at timing t12, which is midway through the third opening, when the second distribution member 310 is switched to the distribution state and a game ball enters the role device 150, the game ball is distributed by the second distribution member 310 to the entrance guide section 215 side (Figures 39(c) and (d)). At this time, the shutter 221 located in front of the warp entrance section 214 is in a closed state that closes the warp entrance section 214 (Figure 39(e)). Therefore, the game ball distributed by the second distribution member 310 to the entrance guide section 215 side is stored in the role device 150 without reaching the warp entrance section 214.

When the third round of play ends at time t13, the shutter 221 is switched from a closed state to an open state (Figure 39 (e)), and the storage is released. The game ball from which storage has been released reaches the V winning sensor 192 at time t15, which is slightly delayed from the start timing of the fourth round of play (time t14). As a result, the V winning flag is turned on in the fourth round of play, and the implementation of the fifth round of play is confirmed (Figure 39 (g)).

<About the playability of each round>
Next, the playability of each round game in the second opening and closing execution mode will be described with reference to Fig. 40. Fig. 40 is an explanatory diagram showing the playability of each round game.

The winning characteristic of the reel device 150 in the second round of play is winning characteristic A (see FIG. 32(e)) in which the game ball is likely to win the reel device 150 in each opening from the first to the thirteenth time. On the other hand, the distribution characteristic of the first distribution member 300 and the second distribution member 310 in each opening from the first to the thirteenth time is distribution characteristic A (see FIG. 34(c)) in which the winning ball is likely to reach the rotating body 201 in the first half from the first to the sixth time, and distribution characteristic B in which the winning ball is likely to be stored in the reel device 150 in the second half from the seventh to the thirteenth time. Therefore, in the second round of play, it is easy to expect both a V win (self-continuation) via the rotating body 201 and the storage of winning balls.

Since the second round of play is the first round of play in the second opening and closing execution mode, there are no winning balls carried over from the previous round of play due to the stored balls. Therefore, in order to play the third round of play, it becomes necessary to make a V win via the rotating body 201 in the second round of play. Therefore, by making the game play as described above, it becomes easier to make the V win, and prevents the difficulty of playing the third round from becoming excessively high.

The round game ends when the number of winning balls in the accessory device 150 reaches the upper limit (9 balls). For this reason, the round game may end in the middle of the second game section. In this case, if the state in which winning balls are likely to be stored in the accessory device 150 occurs before the state in which winning balls are likely to reach the rotating body 201, the round game may end before or after the latter state is reached, and there is a risk that the opportunity to continue on one's own (a V win to play the third round) may not be provided satisfactorily. As a result, even if the player has saved game balls in the second round and acquired the right to play the fourth round, the third round may not be played and the saving may be for naught, which is an unfortunate result.

In this regard, in this embodiment, the configuration is such that in the second round, the state in which the winning ball is likely to reach the rotor 201 occurs before the state in which the winning ball is likely to be stored in the accessory device 150. This configuration ensures an opportunity for self-continuation, making it easier to play the third round. This makes it easier to provide a gameplay that allows players to aim to win the right to play the fourth round after confirming the third round.

The winning characteristic of the reel device 150 in the third round of play is winning characteristic B (see FIG. 32(e)) in which the game balls tend to win in the reel device 150 in each of the seventh through thirteenth openings. On the other hand, the distribution characteristic of the first distribution member 300 and the second distribution member 310 in each of the seventh through thirteenth openings is distribution characteristic B in which the winning balls tend to accumulate in the reel device 150, as in the second round. For this reason, the third round of play is a game in which emphasis is placed on the accumulation of winning balls in the reel device 150.

In this case, if the winning balls can be stored in the second round, the stored balls will enter the V in the third round, confirming the execution of the fourth round, and if the winning balls can be stored in the third round, the right to play the fifth round will be acquired. On the other hand, if the winning balls cannot be stored in the second round, the fourth round may not be played even if the winning balls are stored in the third round, so the fifth round may not necessarily be played. In this way, in a round game that places emphasis on storing winning balls in the accessory device 150, the game result of the previous round (whether or not they were stored) has a large impact.

Note that it is not impossible to win the reel device 150 in the first through sixth and fourteenth through nineteenth openings in the third round. Therefore, although it is more difficult than in the second round, it is possible to win a V via the rotating body 201 in the third round of play. The gameplay of the fourth through seventh rounds is the same as that of the third round described above.

The winning characteristic of the reel device 150 in the round play from the 8th round to the 11th round is winning characteristic D (see FIG. 32(e)) in which the game ball is likely to win the reel device 150 in each of the openings from the 14th to the 19th. In other words, in the round play from the 8th round to the 11th round, it is difficult for the game ball to win the reel device 150 in each of the openings from the 1st to the 13th. For this reason, in these round games, both the accumulation of the game ball and the V winning via the rotating body 201 are unlikely to occur until the end of the round play, which creates a sense of impatience that the round play will end without either occurring.

On the other hand, the distribution characteristics of the first distribution member 300 and the second distribution member 310 in each opening from the 14th to the 19th are distribution characteristics C in which the winning balls are likely to accumulate in the reel device 150 and also likely to reach the rotating body 201. In other words, in the final stages of the round when winning balls are likely to occur in the reel device 150, both the accumulation of game balls and the V winning via the rotating body 201 are likely to occur.

The winning characteristic of the reel device 150 in the round play from the 12th round to the 16th round is winning characteristic C (see FIG. 32(e)) in which the game ball is likely to win the reel device 150 in each of the first to sixth openings. On the other hand, the distribution characteristic of the first distribution member 300 and the second distribution member 310 in each of the first to sixth openings is distribution characteristic A in which the winning ball is likely to reach the rotating body 201. For this reason, in these round games, the playability is weighted towards V winning (self-continuation) via the rotating body 201.

In this way, the gameplay differs depending on the round, with some rounds placing emphasis on the game of collecting winning balls, while other rounds placing emphasis on the game of achieving self-continuation. This allows players to enjoy multiple games within one second opening/closing execution mode, preventing the game from becoming monotonous.

In this case, the operation patterns of the distribution members 300, 310 and the rotating body 201 are standardized for each round, and the open/close pattern of each round provides different gameplay characteristics. In this case, there is no need to set both the operation patterns of the distribution members 300, 310 and the rotating body 201 and the open/close pattern in detail for each round; it is sufficient to set only the open/close pattern. This reduces the processing load of the main control unit 81 and the workload when designing the pachinko machine 10.

In addition, the above configuration is expected to have the following effect. In a configuration in which a winning ball in the role device 150 enters a V-winning state (round continuation), the player's attention is likely to be focused on the fate of the game ball that entered the role device 150. In this case, it is assumed that the player shows a strong interest in the distribution members 300, 310 and the rotating body 201, which control the flow of the winning balls, and pays close attention to their movements. In such a situation, if the operation patterns of the distribution members 300, 310 and the rotating body 201 in each round are made different, the player may notice it, understand that the change in characteristics is planned in advance, and lose interest. In this regard, in this embodiment, the movements of the distribution members 300, 310 and the rotating body 201 are common to each round, so such notice can be suppressed. As a result, it becomes easier to feel that the difference in the ease of storage between rounds is due to chance, and the fun of enjoying the behavior of the game balls can be provided in an ideal manner.

<Remaining ball monitoring procedure>
Next, the flow of remaining ball monitoring will be described with reference to Fig. 41. Fig. 41 is a timing chart for explaining the flow of remaining ball monitoring.

As already explained, in this embodiment, winning balls in the reel device 150 during each round of play can be stored in the reel device 150, and the stored balls are discharged from the reel device 150 during the following round of play. Therefore, in a round of play in which storage occurs, the number of discharged balls at the end of the round will be less than the number of winning balls. In this case, if the process of determining the remaining balls is performed every round, there is a risk that the remaining balls will frequently become abnormal even when the game is being played properly, hindering the progress of the game.

As shown in FIG. 41, in this embodiment, the remaining balls determination process is not performed for each round, but is performed only once at the end of the second opening and closing execution mode (timing t18). This prevents frequent remaining ball abnormalities from occurring, even though the game ball that entered the role device 150 can be discharged in the next round, making it possible to play smoothly.

The flow of remaining ball monitoring using the remaining ball judgment process can be summarized as follows. As already explained, remaining ball monitoring in the second opening and closing execution mode is performed based on the remaining ball counter RPC (see step S2411 in FIG. 38). This remaining ball counter RPC is not cleared during the second opening and closing execution mode, but is updated throughout the entire second opening and closing execution mode from the start to the end of the mode. Then, at the end of the ending, it is determined whether the remaining ball counter RPC is 0 or not, and if it is not 0 (if the number of winning balls and the number of discharged balls do not match), it is determined that there is an abnormality in the remaining balls.

In other words, in this embodiment, the remaining balls are monitored from the start to the end of the second opening and closing execution mode, specifically, from the time when the first winning ball enters the role device 150 in the second round to the time when the final winning ball is discharged from the role device 150 in the 16th round, which is the final round.

However, even if the number of balls discharged from the reel device 150 is counted, it is not possible to identify which ball is the final ball. Therefore, in this embodiment, the remaining balls are determined at the end of the ending when it is expected that all winning balls in the reel device 150 have been discharged. If the second opening and closing execution mode does not continue to the 16th round and ends midway through, that round becomes the final round, and the remaining balls are determined at the end of the ending that is performed after the end of that round.

Here, an example of an event that could cause an abnormality in the remaining balls would be when an illegal ball with a string attached is inserted into the reel device 150 and manipulated via the string to illegally cause the illegal ball to enter the V. In this case, if the illegal ball is manipulated by repeatedly pulling and loosening the string so that it repeatedly passes through the V entry sensor 192, the number of balls discharged from the reel device 150 will be greater than the number of balls entering the reel device 150, resulting in a discrepancy between the two.

If an abnormality in the remaining balls is determined to exist due to such an event, the game transitions to a stopped state and progress of the game is halted. In addition, if an abnormality in the remaining balls is determined to exist, an external signal indicating the occurrence of an abnormality in the remaining balls is output to the management and control device on the gaming center side. These processes suppress the above-mentioned fraudulent behavior.

The present embodiment described above provides the following advantages:

The game balls that win the role device 150 can be stored in the role device 150, and the stored balls can pass through the V winning sensor 192 (V winning port 182a) in the next round of play. Normally, the round play in which the right to play can be acquired with a winning ball in one round of play is the next round from the round play in which the winning ball occurred, but in this embodiment, the right to play the round after that can be acquired with the winning ball, realizing innovative gameplay.

In this case, if the winning game ball is not stored in the role device 150, the winning ball is configured to be able to pass through the V winning sensor 192 in the round game in which the winning occurred. In this case, for example, when focusing on the execution of the fourth round, the opportunity to win the right to execute that round is given over multiple rounds, including the second and third rounds. This makes it possible to maintain the sense of anticipation for the continuation of the round for a long time, and to increase interest.

Second Embodiment
In this embodiment, the distribution mode of the second distribution member 310 and the execution timing of the remaining ball judgment are different from the first embodiment. This embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 42. Fig. 42 is a timing chart for explaining the flow of the game in the second opening and closing execution mode.

The distribution mode of the second distribution member 310 in the second to fourth rounds is the same as that in the first embodiment. That is, after 0.5 seconds have elapsed from the start of each opening in each round of play, the distribution state is switched to one in which the game balls that have entered the role device 150 are distributed to the entrance guide section 215 side, and this state is then maintained for 0.3 seconds (see FIG. 34(b)).

On the other hand, in the fifth round of play, as shown in FIG. 42, the second distribution member 310 is maintained in a non-distribution state in which the game balls that have entered the role device 150 are distributed to the guide passage 183 throughout the entirety of the fifth round of play from the start to the end of the round. In other words, in the fifth round of play, the second distribution member 310 is not switched to the distribution state (see FIG. 42(b)).

For this reason, in the fifth round of play, the game ball that entered the accessory device 150 cannot move to the entrance guide section 215, and the accumulation of game balls in the accessory device 150 is restricted. Note that, although not shown in FIG. 42, the opening and closing manner of the opening and closing accessory device 168, the distribution manner of the first distribution member 300, and the operating manner of the rotating body 201 are the same as those in the first embodiment described above.

In addition, in this embodiment, a remaining ball determination is performed at the end of the fifth round of play. Specifically, after the final opening and closing in the fifth round is completed, at the timing when the end waiting time has elapsed, it is determined whether the remaining ball counter RPC is 0 or not. If the remaining ball counter RPC is not 0, it is determined that there is an abnormality in the remaining balls, and a remaining ball flag is stored in the various flag storage area of RAM 114. In other words, in this embodiment, a remaining ball determination is performed in the middle of the second opening and closing execution mode.

Here, an example of the flow of round play from the second round to the fifth round will be explained. Here, in each of the second round to the fifth round, the same number of game balls as the upper limit number (9 balls) will enter the special device 150. Also, in each of the second round to the fourth round, the timing when the second distribution member 310 is switched to the distribution state matches the timing when the game balls enter the special device 150, and the game balls are stored in the special device 150.

When a game ball is stored during the second round of play (timing t21), the game ball remains stored until the end of that round. Then, at timing t22 when the second round of play ends, the shutter 221 is switched to an open state, and the storage is released. Since it takes a predetermined travel time (approximately 2 sec) for the game ball whose storage has been released to reach the V winning sensor 192, the game ball reaches the V winning sensor 192 after the start of the third round of play (timing t23).

In other words, the stored game balls are not discharged from the reel device 150 until the start of the third round of play. Therefore, at timing t22, which is the end of the second round of play, the number of game balls discharged from the reel device 150 is one less than the number of game balls that have entered the reel device 150.

In the third round of play, the game ball released from storage in the second round of play reaches the V winning sensor 192, and the number of balls discharged is incremented by one. However, at time t24, the game ball is stored, and the game ball that entered the role device 150 during the third round is carried over to the fourth round. Since this carryover offsets the above-mentioned increment, even at time t25, which is the end of the third round of play, the number of game balls discharged from the role device 150 is still one less.

Similarly, at time t27, which is the end of the fourth round of play, the winning balls are accumulated in the middle of the fourth round (time t26), so the number of game balls dispensed from the accessory device 150 is one less. In other words, at the end of each of the second to fourth rounds, the number of winning balls and the number of balls dispensed will not match even if the game is being played normally, so the remaining balls are not determined at these times.

In the fifth round of play, the game ball released from storage in the fourth round of play reaches the V winning sensor 192, and the number of balls dispensed is incremented by one (timing t28). Also, since storage of game balls is restricted in the fifth round of play, all game balls that won during the fifth round are dispensed during the fifth round. For this reason, when comparing the number of winning balls and the number of balls dispensed for only the fifth round, the number of balls dispensed is one more than the number of winning balls. This surplus makes up for the shortfall in the number of balls dispensed at the end of the fourth round, and the total number of winning balls and the number of balls dispensed match.

From the player's perspective, although storage was possible up to the fourth round, in the fifth round, the second distribution member 310 suddenly cannot be switched to the distribution state, making it impossible to store game balls. This may lead to the player mistaking that a malfunction has occurred in the pachinko machine 10. Therefore, it is preferable to configure the system to inform the player by an announcement that storage is possible in the second to fourth rounds, but that it is impossible in the fifth round. As an example of such a configuration, a specific announcement such as a text display, character display, or background display on the display screen G of the role device 150 suggesting that storage is possible in the second to fourth rounds of round play, but not in the fifth round of round play, or a different announcement may be made in each of the second to fourth rounds and the fifth round.

At timing t29, which is the end of the fifth round of play, a remaining ball determination is made. In other words, the remaining ball determination is made for the monitoring period from the second round to the fifth round. As described above, if the game is being played legitimately, the number of winning balls and the number of balls dispensed will normally match, and the remaining ball counter RPC will be 0. In this case, no remaining ball abnormality is recognized, and play continues from the sixth round onwards. In contrast, for example, if an illegal ball with a string attached is repeatedly passed through the V winning sensor 192, the number of balls dispensed will be greater than the number of winning balls, resulting in a remaining ball abnormality.

In this way, according to this embodiment, a round game in which accumulation is regulated is provided, and the remaining balls are judged at the end of the round game, so that even though the winning balls are discharged in the next round, the remaining balls can be judged in the middle of the second opening and closing execution mode. This makes it possible to quickly identify any abnormalities in the remaining balls, and prevents damage to the amusement facility from becoming too great if fraudulent activity is occurring.

As in the second to fourth rounds, game balls are permitted to be stored in the accessory device 150 during round play from the sixth to ninth rounds, but storage is restricted during the tenth round. Also, game balls are permitted to be stored in the accessory device 150 during round play from the eleventh to fifteenth rounds, but storage is restricted during the sixteenth round. Then, at the end of the tenth and sixteenth rounds (timings t30 and t31), a remaining ball determination is made. That is, in one second opening/closing execution mode, a remaining ball determination is made every predetermined number of rounds.

The round in which storage is restricted and the remaining balls are determined can be set arbitrarily, and is not limited to the 5th, 10th, or 16th round. The number of rounds in which storage is restricted can also be arbitrary, and for example, storage can be restricted and the remaining balls determined only once in the 8th round.

If it is determined that there is an abnormality in the remaining balls, the game will be stopped as in the first embodiment. However, an abnormality in the remaining balls is not limited to fraudulent behavior, but can also occur when the storage is not properly released due to a malfunction of the shutter 221. For example, if for some reason the shutter 221 is not switched to the open state at the end of the fourth round, game balls will remain in the role device 150, and at the end of the fifth round, the number of balls discharged will be one less than the number of winning balls.

As such, since remaining ball abnormalities are not necessarily caused by cheating, it is desirable to be able to change the response when a remaining ball abnormality occurs depending on whether it is due to cheating or not. Therefore, this embodiment has the following configuration.

After the transition to the game stop state, in order to cancel it, the power switch 92b is operated by an attendant at the game center to turn the power of the pachinko machine 10 off and on. If the power is turned on while the RAM erase switch 98a is pressed, the RAM 114 initialization process (step S509) is executed in the main process (Figure 18). This invalidates the V winning in the fifth round of round play (timing t28 in Figure 42), making it impossible to continue playing the second opening and closing execution mode (sixth round of round play).

On the other hand, if the power is turned on without pressing the RAM erase switch 98a, the initialization process of the RAM 114 (step S509) is not executed. Furthermore, the remaining ball abnormality is also cleared by the processing of steps S512 and S513 in the main processing, and the game state before the transition to the game stop state is restored. This makes the V winning in the fifth round valid, and it becomes possible to continue playing.

With this configuration, if a game center attendant or the like rushes to the pachinko machine 10 and confirms that fraud has occurred, the game center attendant can turn on the power while operating the RAM clear switch 98a, thereby preventing the fraudster from continuing to receive unfair benefits thereafter. On the other hand, if it is confirmed that no fraud has occurred or no fraud has been confirmed, the game can be continued by turning on the power without operating the RAM clear switch 98a, preventing the player's benefits from being lost.

Also, if you want to differentiate between legitimate players and those who cheat, the following configuration may be used.

First, when transitioning to a game stop state, the shutter 221 is closed. In other words, if the shutter 221 is closed when transitioning to a game stop state, the operation of the shutter 221 is controlled so that the above-mentioned closed state is maintained even after transition to the game stop state. As a result, if game balls are stored in the role device 150, the game stops without releasing the stored state.

After that, in order to release the game stop state, the power switch 92b is operated by an attendant at the game center to turn off the power to the pachinko machine 10, but even in this case, the shutter 221 remains in the closed state. In other words, the storage state is maintained even after the power is turned off. Incidentally, in this embodiment, as explained in the first embodiment above, the shutter 221 is configured to be in the closed state when the shutter drive unit 221a is not driven. For this reason, it is not necessary to supply backup power to the shutter drive unit 221a when power is cut off. Note that in a configuration in which the shutter 221 is closed by driving the shutter drive unit 221a, it is advisable to supply backup power to the shutter drive unit 221a and set it to an excited state.

After the power to the pachinko machine 10 is turned off, if the power is turned on without the RAM erase switch 98a being pressed, the pachinko machine 10 is started up without switching the shutter 221 to the open state. In this case, the remaining ball abnormality state is released by the processing of steps S512 and S513 in the main processing (Figure 18), and the game state before the transition to the game stop state is restored. In this case too, the storage state is maintained without switching the shutter 221 to the open state.

This configuration makes it possible to cancel the remaining ball abnormality and game stop state while leaving the balls in storage. This makes it possible to continue playing the game that was interrupted by the game stop process, using the remaining balls as service balls. In other words, the sixth round would normally be a round without any balls carried over from the previous round, but if the game is stopped due to a malfunction of the shutter 221, etc., it becomes possible to play the sixth round with the carried over balls.

On the other hand, if the power is turned on while the RAM erase switch 98a is pressed, the RAM initialization process is executed, which makes it impossible to continue playing, and therefore the service balls as described above cannot be provided. Also, if the power is turned on while the RAM erase switch 98a is pressed, the shutter driver 221a is driven to switch the shutter 221 to the open state. Specifically, after a positive judgment is made in step S503 of the main process (FIG. 18), a process is executed to switch the shutter 221 to the open state before setting interrupt permission in step S516. This makes it possible to prevent fraudulent acts from being committed again using the stored balls when a foreign object such as a wire is inserted into the role device 150 to operate the second distribution member 310 and illegally store game balls.

At that time, the interrupt permission setting process (step S516) is executed after the predetermined waiting time has elapsed. That is, when the shutter 221 is switched to the open state in conjunction with the start-up of the pachinko machine 10, the V winning is enabled after the above-mentioned predetermined waiting time has elapsed since the RAM erase switch 98a was operated. In this case, the above-mentioned predetermined waiting time is set to be longer than the period required for the released game ball to reach the V winning sensor 192. With this configuration, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of a V winning or a V winning error (an error that occurs when a V winning occurs at a timing when a V winning does not occur) caused by a game ball released from storage passing the V winning sensor 192 at start-up.

In addition, instead of the above-mentioned waiting process, a configuration may be adopted in which a discharge confirmation process is performed before an interrupt permission setting process is performed. In other words, a configuration may be adopted in which it is determined that the game ball released from storage has been discharged from the role device 150 based on detecting the passage of the V winning sensor 192, and then interrupt permission is set.

In addition, by configuring the shutter 221 to switch to an open state when the power is turned on while the RAM clear switch 98a is pressed, it is possible for an attendant or the like to check the operation of the shutter 221. In other words, if no fraudulent activity has been discovered but it is necessary to check whether the shutter 221 is operating correctly, this can be done by operating the RAM clear switch 98a.

In the above embodiment, the remaining balls determination is performed at the end of the fifth round, but the remaining balls determination may also be performed during the waiting period (round interval period) between the fifth and sixth rounds. In short, the remaining balls determination only needs to be performed in response to the end of the fifth round, and the timing of the remaining balls determination is arbitrary as long as it is performed after the end of the fifth round and before the start of the sixth round. The same applies to the remaining balls determination performed at the end of the tenth and sixteenth rounds.

Third Embodiment
In this embodiment, the opening and closing pattern of the opening and closing part 168 in the second opening and closing execution mode, the distribution mode of the second distribution member 310, and the execution timing of the remaining ball judgment are different from the above-mentioned embodiments. This embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 43. Fig. 43 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the opening and closing pattern table of the opening and closing part 168 according to this embodiment. In this figure, the same components as those in the above-mentioned embodiments are given the same reference numerals, and their explanation will be omitted.

In this embodiment, opening and closing patterns B' to D' shown in Fig. 43 (a) to (c) are set in place of opening and closing patterns B to D shown in Fig. 32 (b) to (d). These opening and closing patterns B' to D' are defined in an opening and closing pattern table stored in the various table storage area 113d of the ROM 113.

As shown in Figures 43(a) to (c), each opening and closing pattern table divides the round play into a first game section corresponding to the first to second opening, a second game section corresponding to the third to eighth opening, a third game section corresponding to the ninth to thirteenth opening, and a fourth game section corresponding to the fourteenth to nineteenth opening, and specifies the opening and closing mode of the opening and closing device 168 for each game section.

In the opening and closing patterns B' to D', during the 19 openings in one round of play, in the first to second times (RC2 = 19 to 18) belonging to the first play section, the opening is performed for 0.1 sec, which is shorter than the launch cycle of the game balls (0.6 sec), and then the closing is performed for 0.5 sec (also called the short opening mode). Then, in the subsequent play section, as in the case of FIG. 32, either the opening and closing pattern P1 or P2 is set. In both of these opening and closing patterns P1 and P2, the opening time is longer than the short opening mode. That is, in this embodiment, in each of the opening and closing patterns B' to D', the opening and closing device 168 is controlled in the short opening mode, in which the period in which it is in the open state is relatively short, until a predetermined period has elapsed from the start of the round of play, and then the opening and closing device 168 is controlled in the opening and closing pattern P1 or P2, in which the period in which it is in the open state is relatively long.

Here, in the short-open mode, the period during which the game is in an open state is very short at 0.1 sec. Also, the period during which the game is in a closed state in the short-open mode is 0.5 sec, which is relatively longer than the open period. In other words, under circumstances in which the opening/closing device 168 is controlled in the short-open mode, it is in a closed state most of the time, and is switched to an open state only for a moment. For this reason, in the short-open mode, no game balls will win in the game device 150. In this sense, the short-open mode can also be called a winning restriction mode that restricts winning in the game device 150.

Next, the remaining ball determination process executed by the MPU 112 of the main control device 81 will be described with reference to the flowchart in FIG. 44. FIG. 44 is a flowchart showing the remaining ball determination process according to this embodiment. Note that the processes of steps S2701 to S2703 shown in FIG. 44 are executed when a positive determination is made in step S2405 in FIG. 38, and are executed in place of the processes of steps S2406 and S2407 in FIG. 38.

If it is determined in step S2405 that the game is in the second opening and closing execution mode, it is determined in step S2701 whether or not it is time to perform a remaining ball determination. In this embodiment, when the second opening and closing execution mode is being executed, a remaining ball determination is performed for each round. Specifically, the remaining ball determination is performed when a predetermined period (1 sec) has elapsed since the start of each round of play.

The time that has elapsed since the start of a round of play is determined using a determination counter provided in the various counter areas 114d of RAM 114. That is, a value corresponding to 1 second is set in the determination counter, and this is updated (subtracted) at a predetermined interval by timer interrupt processing, for example. When the determination counter reaches a predetermined value (for example, "0"), it can be determined that the time to perform the remaining ball determination has arrived.

If it is determined in step S2701 that it is not time to perform the remaining ball determination, this remaining ball determination process is terminated. On the other hand, if it is determined that it is time to perform the remaining ball determination, the process proceeds to step S2702, where it is determined whether the value of the remaining ball counter RPC is "0" or not, and a remaining ball determination is performed. In this case, the remaining ball determination covers the period from when one remaining ball determination is performed to when the next remaining ball determination is performed. Incidentally, the remaining ball counter RPC is incremented by 1 each time a winning ball is detected in the role device 150 (step S2104 in FIG. 35), and is decremented by 1 each time a game ball is detected being discharged from the role device 150 (step S2303 in FIG. 37).

If it is determined that the value of the remaining ball counter RPC is not "0", the process proceeds to step S2703, where it is determined that game balls remain in the role device 150, and a remaining ball flag is stored in the various flag storage area 114e of the RAM 114. Thereafter, this remaining ball determination process is terminated. On the other hand, if it is determined in step S2703 that the value of the remaining ball counter RPC is "0", it is determined that no game balls remain in the role device 150, and this remaining ball determination process is terminated.

<About the game flow>
Next, the flow of the game according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 45. Fig. 45 is a timing chart for explaining the flow of the game in the second opening and closing execution mode. Here, the explanation will be given assuming that the game balls are stored in the accessory device 150 in the middle of the second round.

When the second round of play ends at timing t41, the shutter 221 is switched from a closed state to an open state, and the game balls stored in the entrance guide section 215 move toward the warp passage 210. At the same time, a standby state (round interval) is entered to wait for the start of the third round of play, and this standby state continues for 1.5 seconds. Here, it takes about 2 seconds for the game ball that has been released from storage to reach the V winning sensor 192, which is about 0.5 seconds longer than the duration of the round interval. Therefore, the game ball that has been released from storage reaches the V winning sensor 192 about 0.5 seconds after the start of the third round of play (timing t43).

When the third round of play begins at timing t42, the opening/closing device 168 is controlled to open and close in a short opening mode. The short opening mode is a mode in which an open state for 0.1 sec and a closed state for 0.5 sec are repeated twice, so the execution period of the short opening mode is 1.2 sec in total (timing t45).

At timing t44, one second after the start of the third round, a remaining ball determination corresponding to the second round is performed. That is, it is determined whether or not all of the game balls that entered the accessory device 150 in the second round have been discharged from the accessory device 150. In other words, in this embodiment, the remaining ball determination corresponding to the second round is performed after a predetermined period of time (2.5 seconds, which is the sum of the round interval period of 1.5 seconds and the above 1 second) has elapsed since the end of the second round. Then, if the number of game balls that entered the accessory device 150 and the number of game balls that were discharged from the accessory device 150 do not match in this determination process, it is treated as an abnormality in the remaining balls.

Similarly, the storage is released at the end of the third round of play (timing t46), and the released game balls reach the V winning sensor 192 approximately 0.5 seconds after the start of the fourth round of play (timing t48). In addition, the opening and closing device 168 is controlled to open and close in a short opening mode until 1.2 seconds have passed since the start of the fourth round (timing t50), and at timing t49, 1 second after the start of the fourth round, a remaining ball determination is made. This remaining ball determination corresponds to the third round of play. In other words, it is a process of checking whether all of the game balls that entered the device 150 during the third round of play have been discharged from the device 150.

Here, we will explain the relationship between the number of winning game balls entering the role device 150 and the number of game balls discharged from the role device 150. Here, we will explain the above relationship for the period from timing t45 to t50.

When the short opening mode ends at timing t45, the opening and closing control of the opening and closing device 168 is switched to either opening and closing pattern P1 or P2. In these opening and closing modes, winning is permitted in the device 150, so winning occurs between timing t45 and t46. Then, of the game balls that have won in the device 150, those that are not stored are discharged from the device 150 by timing t46, when the third round ends. Therefore, at timing t46, the number of game balls discharged from the device 150 is one less than the number of game balls that have won in the device 150.

When the fourth round starts at timing t47, the opening and closing device 168 is controlled to open and close in the short opening mode until timing t50, which is 1.2 seconds after timing t47. In the short opening mode, game balls cannot enter the device 150, so no new winnings occur between timing t47 and t50.

Here, the execution period of the short release mode, 1.2 sec, is longer than the elapsed time (approximately 0.5 sec) from the start of the fourth round until the reserve release ball reaches the V winning sensor 192. Therefore, the reserve release ball reaches the V winning sensor 192 while the short release mode is being executed. As described above, since no new winning occurs while the short release mode is being executed, at timing t48 when the reserve release ball reaches the V winning sensor 192, the number of winning game balls in the role device 150 and the number of game balls discharged from the role device 150 match.

This state is maintained until timing t50, when the short release mode ends. Therefore, by performing a remaining ball determination at timing t49, which is after the storage release ball has reached the V winning sensor 192 and before the short release mode ends, it is possible to properly determine any remaining ball abnormalities.

In this way, during the period when the opening/closing device 168 is controlled to open and close in the short-open mode, the game balls stored in the previous round of play are allowed to pass through the V winning sensor 192, so the storage release balls can pass through the V, avoiding the period when game balls enter the device 150. This prevents storage release balls and winning balls from being mixed in the device 150, making it easier to see which game balls have passed through the V.

In addition, because the remaining balls are judged while the short release mode is in progress and after the storage release ball has passed through the V, the remaining balls can be judged for each round even while game balls are carried over, making it possible to make the pachinko machine 10 more resistant to abnormal remaining balls. Also, because the remaining balls are judged in conjunction with the round play, the game can progress more smoothly than if the round play was started after the remaining balls were judged.

Even though the game is in a short-open mode, the opening/closing device 168 is in an open state, so depending on the flow of the game balls, a winning ball may still be won. In this case, if a mismatch between the number of winning balls and the number of balls dispensed is immediately judged to be an abnormality in the remaining balls, it is likely that the game will be interrupted due to an erroneous judgment. Therefore, a single mismatch between the number of winning balls and the number of balls dispensed will not be judged to be an abnormality in the remaining balls, but if it occurs multiple times in a row (for example, twice), it may be judged to be an abnormality in the remaining balls.

<Fourth embodiment>
In the second opening and closing execution mode, the second round, which is the first round, does not carry over (store) game balls from the previous round, so the third round and beyond cannot be played unless a V win (self-continuation) is achieved in the second round via the rotating body 201. Therefore, compared to the third and subsequent rounds in which carryover balls can be expected, it is more difficult to obtain the right to play the next round, and the second opening and closing execution mode is more likely to end before the second round.

In particular, if the player is unable to achieve self-continuation despite being able to store game balls in the accessory device 150 in the second round, not only will the second opening/closing execution mode end prematurely, but the balls that have been stored will be wasted. In this case, the player will be very disappointed, which may dampen his or her enthusiasm to play. This embodiment is intended to provide relief in such cases, and its configuration will be explained in detail below.

In this embodiment, the switching mode of the shutter 221 differs from the above-mentioned embodiments. Figure 46 is a flowchart showing the open-period processing executed by the MPU 112 of the main control device 81 in this embodiment. Here, the processing of steps S2801 to S2804 shown in Figure 46 is executed between steps S2104 and S2105 in the open-period processing of Figure 35. Note that the open-period processing of Figure 35 is processing for switching the opening/closing element 168 from an open state to a closed state in the second opening/closing execution mode.

After updating the remaining ball counter RPC in step S2104, step S2801 determines whether the value of the first round counter RC1 is "15." The first round counter RC1 counts the number of rounds of play, and in step S2801 it is determined whether the round play being played is the first round (second round) in the second opening and closing execution mode.

If the value of the first round counter RC1 is "15" and the current round of play is the second round, the process proceeds to step S2802, where it is determined whether the value of the winning counter PC is "1". The winning counter PC counts the number of winning balls in the role device 150, and its value indicates the number of winning balls remaining up to the upper limit of winning balls (9 balls). In step S2802, it is determined whether there is one winning ball remaining in the role device 150 up to the upper limit of winning balls.

If the value of the winning counter PC is "1" and there is only one winning ball remaining in the reel device 150 until the upper limit of winning balls is reached, step S2803 determines whether or not a V winning flag is stored in the various flag storage area 114e of the RAM 114. In other words, it determines whether or not a V winning (self-continuation) via the rotating body 201 has been achieved in the second round of play.

If the V winning flag is not stored and self-continuation has not been achieved, the shutter opening process is executed in step S2804. In step S2804, the shutter drive unit 221a is driven to switch the shutter 221 from a closed state to an open state. As a result, if a game ball is stored in the entrance guide unit 215 (see FIG. 8), the storage is released and the game ball moves toward the V winning sensor 192 through the warp passage 210.

After step S2804 is executed, the process proceeds to step S2105, where a process is performed to determine whether the value of the winning counter PC is "0." Also, if a negative determination is made in steps S2801 and S2802, or if a positive determination is made in step S2803, the process proceeds to step S2105.

<About the game flow>
Next, the flow of the game according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 47. Fig. 47 is a timing chart for explaining the flow of the game in the second round of the round game. Here, the explanation will be given on the assumption that the game balls are stored in the accessory device 150 at timing t51, which is in the middle of the second round.

At timing t52, when the eighth game ball enters the bonus device 150 (FIG. 47(c)), it is determined whether or not the V-winning flag is stored in the various flags storage area 114e of the RAM 114. In the example shown in FIG. 47, since the V-winning flag is not stored (FIG. 47(g)), the shutter 221 is also switched from the closed state to the open state at timing t52 (FIG. 47(e)). As a result, the storage of game balls is released (FIG. 47(f)).

The travel time for the storage release ball to reach the V winning sensor 192 is approximately 2 seconds, and a waiting time of 3.5 seconds is set for each round of play in the second opening and closing execution mode. Therefore, the storage release ball passes the V winning sensor 192 at timing t53, which is before timing t54 when the second round ends (Figure 47 (g)). As a result, a V winning occurs during the second round of round play, and the right to play the third round is acquired.

In this way, at a specific timing in the second round (when there is only one ball remaining until the upper limit of winning numbers), it is determined whether or not the V has been passed (whether or not self-continuation has been achieved), and if the V has not been passed, the shutter 221 is opened to release the storage, and the V is passed during the second round of play, thus avoiding the inconvenience of not being able to play the third round even though game balls have been stored.

The shutter 221 is opened regardless of whether balls are stored or not, so even if there are no stored balls in the second round of play, the shutter 221 is opened at timing t52. However, since there are no stored balls, no V win occurs. In other words, the above rescue measures only function if storage is achieved in the second round of play, and there is a difference in the degree of preferential treatment compared to when storage is not achieved.

Although not shown in FIG. 47, if the V winning flag is stored at timing t52, i.e., if self-continuation has been achieved, the shutter 221 is not opened at timing t53, and similar to the first embodiment described above, the shutter 221 is opened at timing t54 when the second round ends. As a result, the storage release ball passes through the V winning sensor 192 in the third round, thereby acquiring the right to play the fourth round. In other words, this configuration is more advantageous for the player than if self-continuation had not been achieved in the second round.

Fifth embodiment
This embodiment differs from the above-described embodiments in the open waiting time (open timing) in the first opening/closing execution mode, the switching mode of the shutter 221, and the execution timing of the remaining ball determination.

To briefly explain this embodiment, in this embodiment, the game balls stored in the role device 150 are released a predetermined period of time after the second opening and closing execution mode (opening and closing execution mode based on the result of a big win) ends. If the timing at which the released ball passes through the V winning sensor 192 matches the timing of the execution of the first opening and closing execution mode (opening and closing execution mode based on the result of a normal opening) after the second opening and closing execution mode ends, the second opening and closing execution mode is triggered by the released ball. For the sake of convenience, the description of this embodiment will proceed assuming that the upper limit of the number of common reserves is one.

Figure 48 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the release timing table according to this embodiment. The release timing table is stored in the release timing table storage area 113c in the ROM 113.

In the release timing table, the release waiting time is specified in association with the release type counter CS. Here, if there is no reserved information, the release waiting time is the waiting time from when the winning jackpot enters the operating port 38, 39 until the opening and closing device 168 is opened, and if there is reserved information, it is the waiting time from when the reserved information is consumed (when the winning/losing determination process for the reserved information in step S805 (Figure 21) is performed) until the opening and closing device 168 is opened.

As shown in FIG. 48, the open table according to this embodiment has two types of open waiting times set: 0.5 sec and 2.5 sec. The 0.5 sec open waiting time corresponds to "0" to "89" on the open type counter CS, and the 2.5 sec open waiting time corresponds to "90" to "99" on the open type counter CS. In other words, the probability that the 0.5 sec open waiting time is selected is 9/10, and the probability that the 2.5 sec open waiting time is selected is 1/10, making the latter probability lower.

Next, the remaining ball determination process executed by the MPU 112 of the main control device 81 will be described with reference to FIG. 49(a). The process in FIG. 49(a) is executed in place of the remaining ball determination process in FIG. 38 according to the first embodiment.

In the remaining ball determination process according to this embodiment, first, in step S3001, it is determined whether or not a determination standby flag is stored in the various flag storage area 114e of the RAM 114. The determination standby flag indicates that the remaining ball determination process is waiting to be executed after the second opening and closing execution mode ends, and is set when the second opening and closing execution mode ends.

If the judgment standby flag is not stored, in step S3002, it is determined whether the first opening and closing execution mode is being executed. If the first opening and closing execution mode is being executed, the process proceeds to step S3003, and the processing of steps S3003 to S3005 is executed. These processes are similar to the processes of steps S2402 to S2404 in FIG. 38, so a description thereof will be omitted.

On the other hand, if the first opening and closing execution mode is not being executed, the process proceeds to step S3006, where it is determined whether or not the second opening and closing execution mode is being executed. If the second opening and closing execution mode is being executed, it is determined in step S3007 whether or not the value of the first round counter RC1 is "0". If the value of the first round counter RC1 is "0", the process proceeds to step S3008, where it is determined whether or not the ending has ended, i.e., whether or not the waiting time for the ending has elapsed.

If the ending has ended, the shutter setting process is executed in step S3009. In this process, the operation mode of the shutter 221 is set so that the shutter 221 switches from the closed state to the open state after a predetermined period (3.5 sec) has elapsed from the end timing of the second opening/closing execution mode (end timing of the ending). Note that the period for which the open state is maintained is arbitrary, but for example, it is set to 0.3 sec, as in the first embodiment described above.

In the next step S3010, a process for setting the judgment waiting time is executed. The judgment waiting time specifies the execution timing of the remaining ball judgment process, and in this embodiment, it is the waiting time from the end timing of the second opening and closing execution mode. The judgment waiting time is a predetermined time longer than the time (approximately 5.5 sec) until the shutter is opened (set in step S3009 above) plus the travel time (approximately 2 sec) until the storage release ball reaches the V winning sensor 192, and is set to, for example, 6 sec.

After executing step S3010, in step S3011, a judgment waiting flag is stored in the various flag storage area 114e of the RAM 114, and then the remaining ball judgment process is terminated.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S3001 that the judgment standby flag is stored, the process proceeds to step S3012, where it is determined whether it is time to perform a remaining ball judgment. This process determines whether the judgment standby time set in step S3010 has elapsed. If it is not time to perform a remaining ball judgment, the remaining ball judgment process is terminated, whereas if it is time to perform a remaining ball judgment, the process proceeds to step S3013, where it is determined whether the first opening and closing execution mode is being executed. By executing this process, it is determined whether the timing to perform the remaining ball judgment overlaps with the execution period of the first opening and closing execution mode.

If the first opening and closing execution mode is not being executed, in step S3014, it is determined whether the value of the remaining ball counter RPC is "0" or not, and a remaining ball determination is performed. In this case, the remaining ball counter RPC covers the period from the start of the second opening and closing execution mode to the execution timing. Incidentally, the remaining ball counter RPC is incremented by 1 each time a winning ball is detected in the role device 150 (step S2104 in FIG. 35 and step S1503 in FIG. 27), and is decremented by 1 each time a game ball is detected being discharged from the role device 150 (step S2303 in FIG. 37 and step S1506 in FIG. 27).

If it is determined in step S3014 that the value of the remaining ball counter RPC is not "0", the process proceeds to step S3015, where it is determined that game balls remain in the role device 150 and a remaining ball flag is stored in the various flag storage area 114e of the RAM 114. After execution of step S3015, or if it is determined in step S3014 that the value of the remaining ball counter RPC is "0", the determination standby flag stored in the various flag storage area 114e of the RAM 114 is erased in step S3016. Thereafter, this remaining ball determination process is terminated.

Also, if a positive judgment is made in step S3013, i.e., if it is judged that the first opening and closing execution mode is in progress, the processing of steps S3014 and S3015 (remaining ball judgment) is skipped, and the processing of step S3016 is executed. In this case, the remaining ball judgment is performed in step S3004. In other words, if the execution timing of the remaining ball judgment overlaps with the execution period of the first opening and closing execution mode, the remaining ball judgment is executed at the end of the first opening and closing execution mode.

Next, normal processing will be described with reference to FIG. 49(b). FIG. 49(b) is a flow chart showing normal processing. Note that FIG. 49(b) illustrates only the parts that differ from the normal processing in FIG. 19, and the processing of step S3101 in FIG. 49(b) is performed after step S606 (game state transition processing) in FIG. 19 is executed.

In step S3101, processing for the shutter is executed. This processing is for controlling the drive of the shutter 221 when neither the first opening/closing execution mode nor the second opening/closing execution mode is being executed. Specifically, when the drive timing of the shutter 221 set in step S3009 above arrives, if the first opening/closing execution mode is not being executed, this processing switches the shutter 221 from a closed state to an open state. Note that if the first opening/closing execution mode is being executed when the drive timing of the shutter 221 arrives, the processing for the internal operation part of the reel in step S809 in FIG. 21 switches the shutter 221 from a closed state to an open state.

<About the game flow>
Next, the flow of the game according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 50 and 51. Figures 50 and 51 are timing charts for explaining the flow of the game after the end of the second opening and closing execution mode, the former showing a case where 2.5 sec is selected as the opening waiting time, and the latter showing a case where 0.5 sec is selected as the opening waiting time. Here, in both cases of Figures 50 and 51, the explanation will proceed assuming that game balls are stored in the role device 150 at the end of the second opening and closing execution mode, and the number of common reserves is one.

First, referring to FIG. 50, a case where an opening waiting time of 2.5 seconds is selected will be described. When the second opening/closing execution mode ends at timing t61, the reserved information that was reserved in the reserved area Ra for the first result display unit or the reserved area Rb for the second result display unit is shifted to the execution area AE, and a win/loss determination is made. Note that the result of the win/loss determination in this case is assumed to be a normal opening result. After the win/loss determination is performed, the opening/closing device 168 starts waiting to be opened, and this state continues until the opening waiting time (2.5 seconds) has elapsed.

When the open waiting time has elapsed at timing t62, the opening/closing device 168 is switched to the open state. Also, at timing t62, the first opening/closing execution mode is started as the opening of the opening/closing device 168. At timing t63, when the opening time (0.5 sec) has elapsed from timing t62, the opening/closing device 168 is switched from the open state to the closed state. After the opening/closing device 168 is switched to the closed state, the end of the first opening/closing execution mode is awaited until timing t66, when the end waiting time (3.5 sec) has elapsed. During the first opening/closing execution mode, when the game ball passes through the V winning sensor 192, it is activated and a V winning occurs. The time that elapses from the end timing of the second opening/closing execution mode (timing t61) to the end of the first opening/closing execution mode is 6.5 seconds, which is the sum of the opening waiting time of 2.5 seconds, the opening time of the opening/closing device 168 of 0.5 seconds, and the waiting time at the end of the first opening/closing execution mode of 3.5 seconds.

At timing t64, 3.5 seconds after the end of the second opening/closing execution mode (timing t61), the shutter 221 is switched from the closed state to the open state. This releases the game balls from storage in the role device 150, and the released balls begin to move toward the V winning sensor 192. The released balls reach the V winning sensor 192 at timing t65, approximately 2 seconds after the release of storage.

In this case, the arrival timing is 5.5 seconds after the end timing of the second opening and closing execution mode, and is before the end timing (timing t66) of the first opening and closing execution mode, which is 6.5 seconds after the end timing of the second opening and closing execution mode. Therefore, when the storage release ball passes through the V entry sensor 192, a V entry occurs, and a new second opening and closing execution mode is started.

In this way, the game balls stored during the second opening and closing execution mode remain even after the second opening and closing execution mode ends, and are released from storage after a predetermined period of time has passed, so the stored balls can be used to play the second opening and closing execution mode consecutively. This increases the joy of storing winning balls, and makes it possible to increase interest.

In addition, when waiting for the release of the storage after the end of the second opening and closing execution mode, a notification indicating the timing of the release of the storage and the waiting time until that timing may be made by the pattern display device 51, the display light-emitting unit 63, the speaker unit 64, etc. For example, when making a notification by the pattern display device 51, a specific display may be made at the timing of the release of the storage or the waiting time may be displayed. When displaying the waiting time, the remaining waiting time until the timing of the release of the storage may be displayed not only at the end of the second opening and closing execution mode, but also at a predetermined timing after the end of the second opening and closing execution mode. In addition, for example, a countdown display or a level gauge may be used to indicate the change in the remaining time, or a notification may be made indicating the elapsed time since the end of the second opening and closing execution mode. Control of these notifications may be performed by the display control device 100 that controls the pattern display device 51, or the performance control device 82 that controls the display light-emitting unit 63 and the speaker unit 64.

Next, referring to FIG. 51, a case where an open waiting time of 0.5 sec is selected will be described. When the second opening/closing execution mode ends at timing t71, a win/loss determination is made based on the reserved information held in the reserve area Ra for the first result display unit or the reserve area Rb for the second result display unit. Note that the result of the win/loss determination in this case is assumed to be a normal opening result. After the win/loss determination is performed, the opening/closing device 168 starts waiting to be opened, and this state continues until the opening waiting time (0.5 sec) has elapsed. At timing t72 when the opening waiting time has elapsed, the opening/closing device 168 is switched to the open state, and the first opening/closing execution mode is started.

At timing t73, 3.5 seconds after the end of the second opening/closing execution mode (timing t71), the shutter 221 is switched from the closed state to the open state. This releases the game balls from the storage state in the role device 150, and the storage release ball starts moving toward the V winning sensor 192. The storage release ball reaches the V winning sensor 192 at timing t75, approximately 2 seconds after the storage release.

On the other hand, the first opening and closing execution mode, which started at timing t72, ends at timing t74, 4 seconds after the start of the mode (the combined time of 0.5 seconds for the opening and closing device 168 to be opened and 3.5 seconds for the waiting time at the end of the first opening and closing execution mode). Here, the end timing of the first opening and closing execution mode is 4.5 seconds after the end timing of the second opening and closing execution mode, whereas the timing at which the storage release ball reaches the V winning sensor 192 is 5.5 seconds after the end timing of the second opening and closing execution mode. In other words, the storage release ball passes through the V winning sensor 192 after the end of the first opening and closing execution mode. In this case, even if the storage release ball passes through the V winning sensor 192, it is not valid, and no V winning occurs. For this reason, a new second opening and closing execution mode is not started.

In this way, when an open waiting time of 0.5 seconds is selected, the second opening and closing execution mode is configured not to produce consecutive wins even if the first opening and closing execution mode is executed, so consecutive wins in the second opening and closing execution mode are not guaranteed even if there is storage and reservation at the end of the second opening and closing execution mode. As a result, even if game balls are stored and reservations are made, the player cannot relax, and it is possible to continue to focus on the development of the game until a new second opening and closing execution mode occurs.

In addition, because the likelihood of winning consecutive games in the second opening and closing execution mode differs depending on the opening wait time selected, players can be highly interested in which opening wait time will be selected after the second opening and closing execution mode ends, making it possible to increase interest in the game.

In this case, if an alert is issued based on reserved ball consumption or winning at the operating port 38, 39 (when there is no reserved ball), it is advisable to configure the alert mode to be common or indistinguishable between when a 2.5 sec open waiting time is selected and when a 0.5 sec open waiting time is selected. In this case, it becomes difficult to guess the open waiting time from the alert, making it difficult to predict whether a consecutive win will occur. This makes it possible to maintain tension until the reserve release ball passes the V winning sensor 192 and it becomes clear whether a consecutive win will occur. The alert may be issued as a display effect by the pattern display device 51 or the display light-emitting unit 63, or as an audio effect by the speaker unit 64.

In the above description with reference to Figures 50 and 51, it was assumed that game balls were stored in the role device 150 at the end of the second opening and closing execution mode, but there may be cases where no storage occurs. That is, in the final round of the second opening and closing execution mode, the second distribution member 310 is not fixed to the distribution state side, but is controlled to switch between the distribution state and the non-distribution state according to the distribution pattern table shown in Figure 34 (b). Therefore, depending on the timing of the game ball's entry into the role device 150, there may be cases where the final round (second opening and closing execution mode) ends without the winning ball being distributed to the entrance guide section 215 side. With this configuration, it is possible to create a sense of tension that the second opening and closing execution mode may end without storage, and it is possible to improve interest compared to the case where the second opening and closing execution mode is simply played out in a monotonous manner.

Next, the execution timing of the remaining ball determination will be explained with reference to Figure 52. Figure 52 is a timing chart for explaining the execution timing of the remaining ball determination.

In this embodiment, the timing of execution of the remaining ball determination differs between (1) a case where the first opening and closing execution mode is not being executed when the determination waiting time has elapsed and (2) a case where the first opening and closing execution mode is being executed when the determination waiting time has elapsed.

(1) If the first opening and closing execution mode is not being executed when the judgment waiting time has elapsed, as shown in FIG. 52(a), the remaining ball judgment is executed at timing t77 when the judgment waiting time (6 sec) set at the end of the second opening and closing execution mode has elapsed. In this case, even if the first opening and closing execution mode is executed after the end of the second opening and closing execution mode and before the judgment waiting time has elapsed, the remaining ball judgment is executed after the discharge of game balls from the role device 150 in the second opening and closing execution mode, the discharge of game balls from the role device 150 in the first opening and closing execution mode, and the discharge of game balls stored at the end of the second opening and closing execution mode from the role device 150 are all completed (see the flow from step S3010 to YES in step S3001 in FIG. 49). Therefore, when playing normally, the number of winning balls and the number of balls dispensed will match, and the number of game balls entering and leaving the machine in each of the situations of the second opening and closing execution mode, the subsequent first opening and closing execution mode, and the discharge of the released balls after the first opening and closing execution mode has ended can be summarized to appropriately determine the number of remaining balls.

Note that, although FIG. 52(a) illustrates a case in which the first opening and closing execution mode is executed after the second opening and closing execution mode ends, the remaining balls can be appropriately determined even if the first opening and closing execution mode is not executed. In other words, since the remaining balls are determined after waiting for the release of the stored balls, the situation in which one ball is discharged is resolved at the end of the second opening and closing execution mode, and the remaining balls can be determined.

On the other hand, (2) if the first opening and closing execution mode is being executed when the judgment waiting time has elapsed, as shown in FIG. 52(b), the remaining ball judgment is performed not at timing t77 when the judgment waiting time has elapsed, but at timing t78 when the first opening and closing execution mode ends. For example, in a configuration in which the remaining ball judgment is performed at timing t77, if a winning ball enters the role device 150 just before timing t77 in the first opening and closing execution mode and the winning ball is discharged after timing t77, the remaining ball judgment will be performed with the number of balls discharged being less than the number of winning balls, which may result in an erroneous judgment that there is an abnormality in the remaining balls. In this regard, with the configuration shown in FIG. 52(b), the remaining ball judgment is performed after the discharge of the winning game balls in the first opening and closing execution mode has ended, thereby suppressing the above-mentioned erroneous judgment.

Sixth embodiment
This embodiment differs from the above-described embodiments in that game balls can be stored in the accessory device 150 in the first opening/closing execution mode.

To briefly explain this embodiment, in this embodiment, winning balls are stored in the role device 150 in the first opening and closing execution mode (opening and closing execution mode based on the normal opening result), and the stored state is maintained for a predetermined period after the end of that mode. If a new first opening and closing execution mode occurs during the period in which the stored state is maintained, the stored state is released and a V winning is generated by the released storage ball. Note that, for the sake of convenience, in this embodiment, the explanation will proceed assuming that the upper limit of the common reserved number is 0, in other words, that there is no reservation function.

Figure 53 shows the release timing table according to this embodiment. The release timing table is stored in the release timing table storage area 113c in the ROM 113.

In the opening timing table, the opening waiting time is specified in association with the opening type counter CS. Here, the opening waiting time is the waiting time from when the winning ball enters the operating port 38, 39 until the opening/closing device 168 opens.

As shown in FIG. 53, the open table according to this embodiment has two types of open waiting times set: 0.5 sec and 2 sec. The 0.5 sec open waiting time corresponds to "0" to "39" on the open type counter CS, and the 2 sec open waiting time corresponds to "40" to "99" on the open type counter CS. In other words, the probability that the 0.5 sec open waiting time is selected is 2/5, and the probability that the 2 sec open waiting time is selected is 3/5, making the former probability lower.

Next, we will explain the various control processes executed by the MPU 112 of the main control device 81 that differ from the first embodiment described above.

First, in this embodiment, the operating mode of the second distribution member 310 when the first opening/closing execution mode is executed differs from that of the first embodiment. In this case, the operating mode of the second distribution member 310 is set in the second distribution setting process of step S1204 in the control start process of FIG. 24.

In this embodiment, in step S1204, the operation mode of the second distribution member 310 is set so as to switch to a distribution state (a mode in which game balls are distributed to the entrance guide section 215 side) during execution of the first opening/closing execution mode. Specifically, the operation mode is set so that the non-distribution state is switched to the distribution state after a period TS1' (0 sec) has elapsed from the timing of opening/closing role 168 opening, and then the non-distribution state is returned to after a period TS2' (0.3 sec) from there, and the non-distribution state is maintained until the opening/closing role 168 is closed. That is, in this embodiment, in the first opening/closing execution mode, game balls that have entered the role device 150 can be distributed to the entrance guide section 215 side.

The operation state of the shutter 221 during execution of the first opening/closing execution mode is set to be maintained in a closed state throughout the entire first opening/closing execution mode, similar to the first embodiment described above.

Next, the game control process will be described with reference to FIG. 54(a). FIG. 54(a) illustrates only the parts that differ from the game control process in FIG. 21, and the processes in steps S3201 and S3202 in FIG. 54(a) are executed when a positive judgment is made in step S807 in FIG. 21, that is, as part of the game end process.

If it is determined in step S807 that the end waiting time has elapsed, i.e., it is time to end the first opening and closing execution mode, then in step S3201 it is determined whether or not a V winning flag is stored in the various flag storage area 114e of the RAM 114. This process is to determine whether or not a V winning has occurred in the first opening and closing execution mode.

If the V winning flag is not stored, the shutter setting process is executed in step S3202. In this process, a waiting time B is set until the shutter 221 is switched to the open state after the first opening and closing execution mode ends. This waiting time B corresponds to the period during which the game balls stored in the role device 150 in the first opening and closing execution mode are maintained in that stored state after the first opening and closing execution mode ends. The waiting time B is not particularly limited, but is set to 5 seconds, for example. The maintenance period after switching to the open state is set to 0.3 seconds, as in the first embodiment above.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 49(b), similar to the sixth embodiment, the shutter process of step S3101 is executed during normal processing (FIG. 19). The process of step S3101 is for controlling the drive of the shutter 221 when neither the first opening/closing execution mode nor the second opening/closing execution mode is being executed, and when the waiting time B set in step S3202 has elapsed, this process switches the shutter 221 from the closed state to the open state.

Returning to the explanation of the game control process in FIG. 54(a), if it is determined in step S3201 that the V winning flag is stored, the process proceeds to step S3203, where a shutter opening process is executed to switch the shutter 221 from a closed state to an open state. If a V winning occurs in the first opening/closing execution mode, this process releases the storage of game balls stored in the role device 150, and the stored balls are discharged from the role device 150.

After step S3203 or step S3202 is executed, the process proceeds to step S811, where the process executes a process of erasing the first opening/closing execution mode flag stored in the various flag storage area 114e of the RAM 114.

Next, the hit/miss determination process will be described with reference to FIG. 54(b). FIG. 54(b) illustrates only the parts that differ from the hit/miss determination process in FIG. 23, and the processes in steps S3301 and S3302 in FIG. 54(b) are executed when a negative determination is made in step S1104 in FIG. 23, i.e., when the hit/miss determination result is a normal open result.

If it is determined in step S1104 that the current game result is not a loss result (if it is a normal opening result), the shutter setting process is executed in step S3301. In this process, a waiting time A is set until the shutter 221 is switched to the open state after winning in the operating port 38, 39. This waiting time A corresponds to the closing period of the shutter 221 from the occurrence of winning in the operating port 38, 39 until the shutter 221 is opened. The opening of the shutter 221 based on the lapse of the waiting time A is for the storage release ball to reach the V winning sensor 192 in the first opening and closing execution mode based on the winning in the operating port 38, 39. For this reason, the waiting time A needs only to be shorter than the time obtained by subtracting the "movement time of the storage release ball" from the "elapsed period from the above winning to the end of the first opening and closing execution mode", and is set to, for example, 0.5 sec. In addition, the maintenance period after switching to the open state is set to 0.3 sec, as in the first embodiment.

In the next step S3302, a process is executed to clear the waiting time B set in step S3202. This causes the opening operation of the shutter 221 scheduled after the waiting time B has elapsed to be deactivated (cancelled). In other words, in this embodiment, if a winning entry occurs in the operating port 38, 39 during the waiting time B, the shutter 221 is not opened even after the waiting time B has elapsed.

In the next step S3303, it is determined whether or not a judgment waiting flag is stored in the various flag storage area 114e of the RAM 114. The judgment waiting flag indicates that the remaining ball judgment process is waiting to be executed after the first opening/closing execution mode ends. If the judgment waiting flag is stored, a process to clear the judgment waiting flag is executed in step S3304. After execution of step S3304, or if it is determined in step S3303 that the judgment waiting flag is not stored, a process to set the normal opening command is executed in step S1107 (Figure 23).

Next, the remaining ball determination process will be described with reference to FIG. 55. The process of FIG. 55 is executed in place of the remaining ball determination process of FIG. 38 according to the first embodiment. In this embodiment, the process during the second opening and closing execution mode (the process after step S2405 in FIG. 38) is the same as in the first embodiment, so illustrations and explanations thereof will be omitted.

In the remaining ball determination process, first, in step S3401, it is determined whether or not a determination standby flag is stored in the various flag storage area 114e of the RAM 114. If a determination standby flag is not stored, the process proceeds to step S3402, where it is determined whether or not it is time to end the first opening/closing execution mode.

If it is the timing to end the first opening and closing execution mode, in step S3403, it is determined whether or not a V winning flag is stored in the various flag storage area 114e of the RAM 114. In other words, it is determined whether or not a V winning has occurred in the first opening and closing execution mode. If the V winning flag is not stored and a V winning has not occurred, the process proceeds to step S3404, and the process of setting the judgment waiting time is executed.

The judgment waiting time specifies the execution timing of the remaining ball judgment process, and in this embodiment, it is the waiting time from the end timing of the first opening and closing execution mode. The judgment waiting time is a predetermined time longer than the waiting time B (5 sec) until the shutter is opened set in the above step S3202 (FIG. 54(a)) plus the travel time (about 2 sec) until the storage release ball reaches the V winning sensor 192, and is set to, for example, 7.5 sec. In the following step S3405, a judgment waiting flag is stored in the various flag storage area 114e of the RAM 114 as a waiting state for the remaining ball judgment. After execution of step S3405, if a negative judgment is made in step S3402 (if it is determined that it is not the end timing of the first opening and closing execution mode) or if a positive judgment is made in step S3403 (if it is determined that the V winning flag is stored), this remaining ball judgment process is terminated.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S3401 that the judgment waiting flag is stored, the process proceeds to step S3406, where it is determined whether the judgment waiting time set in step S3404 has elapsed. If the judgment waiting time has elapsed, in step S3407, it is determined whether the value of the remaining ball counter RPC is "0" and a remaining ball determination is performed. The remaining ball counter RPC is incremented by 1 each time a winning ball is detected in the role device 150 (step S1503 in FIG. 27), and is decremented by 1 each time a game ball is detected being discharged from the role device 150 (step S1506 in FIG. 27).

If it is determined in step S3407 that the value of the remaining ball counter RPC is not "0", the process proceeds to step S3408, where it is determined that game balls remain in the role device 150 and a remaining ball flag is stored in the various flag storage area 114e of the RAM 114. After execution of step S3408, or if it is determined in step S3407 that the value of the remaining ball counter RPC is "0", the determination standby flag stored in the various flag storage area 114e of the RAM 114 is erased in step S3409. Thereafter, this remaining ball determination process is terminated.

If a normal opening result is determined when a ball enters the operating ports 38, 39, a determination is made in step S3303 (FIG. 54(b)) as to whether or not a judgment standby flag has been stored. If a judgment standby flag has been stored, the judgment standby flag is cleared in step S3304. If the judgment standby flag has been cleared, a negative determination is made in step S3401 in FIG. 55, and therefore the remaining ball determination in steps S3407 and S3408 is not executed even if the judgment standby time has elapsed. In other words, if a ball enters the operating ports 38, 39 during judgment standby (if the first opening/closing execution mode occurs), the remaining ball determination is not executed (canceled).

<About the game flow>
Next, the flow of the game related to the first opening and closing execution mode will be explained. In this embodiment, the flow of the game differs between the case where the waiting time B for opening the shutter has elapsed without the first opening and closing execution mode occurring, and the case where the first opening and closing execution mode occurs before the waiting time B has elapsed. Here, first, the case where the first opening and closing execution mode does not occur will be explained with reference to the timing chart of FIG. 56. It is assumed that 2 sec is selected for the opening waiting time in both cases.

When a winning entry occurs in the actuation port 38, 39 at timing t81, the shutter 221 is switched from the closed state to the open state at timing t82 after the waiting time A (0.5 sec) has elapsed. The shutter 221 is kept in the open state for 0.3 sec, and then is switched back to the closed state.

At timing t83, when the open waiting time (2 sec) has elapsed since the winning (timing t81) of the operation port 38, 39, the opening and closing device 168 is switched from the closed state to the open state. At the same time, the second distribution member 310 is switched from the non-distribution state to the distribution state. After the second distribution member 310 maintains the distribution state for 0.3 sec, it is switched back to the non-distribution state.

When a game ball enters the game device 150 at timing t84, which is immediately after timing t83, the second distribution member 310 is in a distribution state at this time, so the winning ball is distributed to the entrance guide section 215 side. At that time, the shutter 221 is in a closed state, so the game ball distributed to the entrance guide section 215 side is stored in the entrance guide section 215.

After that, when the first opening and closing execution mode ends at timing t85, a waiting time B (5 sec) for opening the shutter is set. Then, at timing t86 when waiting time B has elapsed, the shutter 221 is switched to the open state and the storage of the game balls is released. As a result, the storage-released ball starts to move toward the V winning sensor 192, and passes through the V winning sensor 192 about 2 sec later. However, since the first opening and closing execution mode has ended at the time of passing the V winning sensor 192, it is not treated as a V winning.

Next, a case where the first opening/closing execution mode occurs before the waiting time B has elapsed will be described with reference to the timing chart in FIG. 57. Note that the flow up to timing t85 at which the first opening/closing execution mode ends is the same as in FIG. 56, so a description thereof will be omitted.

When the first opening/closing execution mode ends at timing t85, as already explained, the waiting time B (5 sec) for opening the shutter is set. When a winning ball enters the operating port 38, 39 at timing t86', which is the timing before waiting time B has elapsed, waiting time B is cleared. This causes the opening of the shutter 221 scheduled for timing t90', which is the timing when waiting time B has elapsed, to be canceled.

At timing t87', when standby time A (0.5 sec) has elapsed since timing t86', the shutter 221 is switched to the open state, and the storage of the game balls is released. At timing t88', when the open standby time (2 sec) has elapsed since timing t86', the opening/closing device 168 is switched to the open state, and the first opening/closing execution mode is started. Here, the execution period of the first opening/closing execution mode is 4 sec (the combined time of the opening time of 0.5 sec and the end standby time of 3.5 sec), and the storage release ball passes the V winning sensor 192 about 0.5 sec after the start of the first opening/closing execution mode. That is, during the execution of the first opening/closing execution mode started from timing t88', the storage release ball passes the V winning sensor 192, and a V winning occurs (timing t89'). This causes a transition to the second opening/closing execution mode.

In this way, if the first opening and closing execution mode occurs before the waiting time B has elapsed, it is possible for a V winning to occur in the subsequent first opening and closing execution mode by the game ball stored in the role device 150 in the previous first opening and closing execution mode. In other words, if a game ball is allowed to enter the operating port 38, 39 during the waiting time B, the second opening and closing execution mode will occur, and the waiting time B becomes an advantageous period during which a transition to the second opening and closing execution mode is likely to occur. This can liven up the game after the first opening and closing execution mode has ended, and can stimulate the desire to continue playing.

Although not shown in Figures 56 and 57, if a game ball wins in the role device 150 in the first opening and closing execution mode from timing t83, the game ball may reach the rotor 201 and a V win may occur in the first opening and closing execution mode. Therefore, three states can be created at the end of the first opening and closing execution mode: (a) a V win was generated, (b) a V win was not generated but the game ball was stored in the role device 150, and (c) a V win was not generated and the game ball was not stored. This makes it possible to improve the entertainment value compared to conventional pachinko machines that are limited to two states, whether a V win has occurred or not.

Next, we will explain the relationship between the open waiting time and the game flow in the first open/close execution mode. First, we will explain the flow when an open waiting time of 0.5 sec is selected with reference to Figure 58 (a).

When a winning entry into the operating ports 38, 39 occurs at timing t91, the opening/closing device 168 is switched from the closed state to the open state at timing t92 when the opening waiting time (0.5 sec) has elapsed. At the same time, the second distribution member 310 is switched from the non-distribution state to the distribution state. Also, since timing t92 is the timing when the waiting time A (0.5 sec) for opening the shutter has elapsed since the winning entry into the operating ports 38, 39 occurred, the shutter 221 is switched from the closed state to the open state at timing t92.

In this way, when an open waiting time of 0.5 sec is selected, the period during which the second distribution member 310 is in the distribution state overlaps with the period during which the shutter 221 is in the open state. Then, when a game ball enters the role device 150 at timing t93 during this overlapping period, the game ball is distributed to the entrance guide section 215 side by the second distribution member 310, and then passes through the entrance guide section 215 and moves toward the V winning sensor 192. In other words, the route through the entrance guide section 215 to the V winning sensor 192 functions as a route that takes the game ball that entered the role device 150 directly to the V winning sensor 192.

The game ball flowing down the above route reaches the V winning sensor 192 at timing t94, which is about 2 seconds after passing through the entrance guide 215. In other words, a V winning occurs during the first opening and closing execution mode in which a winning occurs in the role device 150.

Next, we will explain the flow when an open waiting time of 2 seconds is selected, with reference to Figure 58 (b).

When a winning ball enters the operating port 38, 39 at timing t95, the opening/closing device 168 is switched from the closed state to the open state at timing t96, when the open waiting time (2 sec) has elapsed. At the same time, the second distribution member 310 is switched from the non-distribution state to the distribution state. At that time, the shutter 221 is in the closed state, and the period during which the second distribution member 310 is in the distribution state does not overlap with the period during which the shutter 221 is in the open state. Therefore, the game ball that entered the device 150 at timing t97, immediately after timing t96, is distributed to the entrance guide section 215 side by the second distribution member 310, stops by contacting the shutter 221, and is stored in the entrance guide section 215.

In this way, depending on the opening/closing waiting time, the game balls allocated to the entrance guide section 215 may either go straight into the V or be stored. In the latter case, if the first opening/closing execution mode does not occur before the waiting time B has elapsed, it will not result in a V, and transition to the second opening/closing execution mode is not guaranteed. For this reason, the former case, in which the ball goes straight into the V, is more advantageous for the player. Because the configuration creates differences in the degree of advantage even when the balls are allocated to the same entrance guide section 215, players can also take an interest in how the game unfolds after allocation, making it possible to increase attention to the game.

Seventh embodiment
In this embodiment, the configuration for storing winning game balls in the accessory device 150 is different from that of the above-mentioned embodiments. This embodiment will be described with reference to Figs.

Figure 59 is an exploded perspective view of the rotating body unit 180 constituting the role device 150 according to this embodiment. As shown in the figure, the role device 150 according to this embodiment does not have the warp passage 210, second distribution member 310, shutter 221, and V guide passage 260 shown in Figure 8. In other words, all game balls that enter the role device 150 are guided to the ball distribution section 185 (see Figure 9) and flow down either the left or right guide passage 183. Note that the ball distribution section 185 always guides game balls that reach the ball distribution section 185 to the left guide passage 183, as in each of the above embodiments.

The left guide passage 183 is provided with a first sorting member 300, as in each of the above embodiments. As shown in FIG. 8, the first sorting member 300 is switched between a non-sorting state in which it forms part of the floor of the guide passage 183 and a sorting state in which it rotates downward around the rear end of the first sorting member 300 as the axis of rotation and slopes downward toward the miss passage 191b, by driving and controlling the first sorting drive unit 300a.

When the first sorting member 300 is in a non-sorting state, the game ball sorted to the left side in the guide passage 183 passes over the first sorting member 300 and reaches the rotating body 201. On the other hand, when the first sorting member 300 is in a sorting state, the first sorting member 300 tilts downward toward the miss opening 182b, and the game ball passing over the first sorting member 300 is guided directly to the miss passage 191b without reaching the rotating body 201.

Returning to the explanation of the role device 150 in FIG. 59, an opening/closing member 400 that opens and closes the removal opening 182b is provided on the back side of the side of the recess 182. The opening/closing member 400 is generally plate-shaped and has a size corresponding to the removal opening 182b, and is movable along the side of the recess 182. The opening/closing member 400 is connected to an opening/closing member drive unit 400a (electromagnetic solenoid), and by controlling the driving of the opening/closing member drive unit 400a, the opening/closing member 400 is switched between an open state that opens the removal opening 182b and a closed state that closes the removal opening 182b. The opening/closing member drive unit 400a is electrically controlled by the main control unit 81, and is driven and controlled by a drive signal from the main control unit 81.

When the opening/closing member drive unit 400a is not driven (not in an excited state) and the opening/closing member 400 is in an open state, the game balls distributed by the rotor 201 to the loose port guide unit 203 can pass through the loose port 182b and are guided to the loose passage 191b. On the other hand, when the opening/closing member drive unit 400a is driven (in an excited state) and the opening/closing member 400 is in a closed state, even if the game balls received by the loose port guide unit 203 reach the loose port 182b, they cannot pass through the loose port 182b. In this case, the state in which the game balls are received by the loose port guide unit 203 continues, and the game balls are stored in the loose port guide unit 203.

There are nine outlet guide sections 203, and each outlet guide section 203 is configured to be able to receive one game ball. Therefore, a total of nine game balls can be stored.

The V winning opening 182a is not provided with an opening/closing mechanism such as the opening/closing member 400 and the opening/closing member drive unit 400a. In other words, the V winning opening 182a is always open and game balls can pass through it. Therefore, game balls distributed to the V winning opening guide unit 204 are guided through the V winning opening 182a to the V winning passage 191a as the rotor 201 rotates. In other words, game balls received by the V winning opening guide unit 204 are not stored after reaching the V winning opening 182a, but are discharged outside the role device 150.

Next, we will explain the various control processes executed by the MPU 112 of the main control device 81 that differ from the first embodiment described above.

As already explained, the role device 150 according to this embodiment does not include the second distribution member 310 and the shutter 221, and therefore, in this embodiment, the process related to the drive control thereof is not necessary. For this reason, for example, the process of driving and controlling the second distribution member 310 using the second distribution pattern table (FIG. 34) (step S1204 in FIG. 24, etc.) and the process of driving and controlling the shutter 221 (step S1205 in FIG. 24, step S2112 in FIG. 35, etc.) are omitted, resulting in a configuration in which these processes are not executed.

The setting process for each round in this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 60(a). FIG. 60(a) illustrates only the parts that differ from the setting process for each round in FIG. 30, and the processing of steps S3701 and S3702 in FIG. 60(a) is performed after execution of step S1804 in FIG. 30. Note that the setting process for each round is performed at the start of a round of play (see step S1705 in FIG. 29).

After executing the corresponding round pattern setting process (opening/closing pattern setting process for each round) in step S1804, the opening/closing member 400 setting process is executed in step S3701. This process sets the operation mode of the opening/closing member 400 in each round.

Now, with reference to the flowchart in FIG. 60(b), the processing of step S3701 will be described in detail. In the processing of step S3701, first, in step S3801, it is determined whether or not the value of the first round counter RC1 is "15". Since the value of the first round counter RC1 being "15" means that the second round of round play (the first round in the second opening and closing execution mode) (see step S1608 in FIG. 28), in step S3801, it is essentially determined whether or not the round play is the second round.

If it is determined that the value of the first round counter RC1 is "15", i.e., if it is the second round of play, the process proceeds to step S3802, and the operation mode of the opening/closing member 400 is set so that the closed state is maintained throughout the entire second round of play. In other words, the game balls that are distributed to the out-hole guide section 203 during the second round of play are stored in the out-hole guide section 203 until the second round of play ends.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S3801 that the value of the first round counter RC1 is not "15", the process proceeds to step S3803, where it is determined whether the value of the first round counter RC1 is equal to or greater than "3" and equal to or less than "14". In other words, it is determined whether the round of play to be executed is any one of the rounds from the 3rd round to the 14th round.

If the value of the first round counter RC1 is "3" or more and "14" or less, in step S3804, the operation mode of the opening/closing member 400 is set so that the opening/closing member 400 is closed until a predetermined period has elapsed since the start of the round game, then remains open for a predetermined open period, and then remains closed until the round game ends. Therefore, in the round games from the third round to the fourteenth round, the game balls distributed to the out-hole guide section 203 are stored in the out-hole guide section 203 until a predetermined period has elapsed since the start of the round game, and then the opening/closing member 400 is switched to the open state, thereby releasing the storage state. Then, the opening/closing member 400 is switched to the closed state again, and the game balls distributed to the out-hole guide section 203 are stored in the out-hole guide section 203 for the remaining period of the round game.

The above-mentioned predetermined period during which the closed state is maintained is arbitrary as long as it is shorter than the execution period of one round of play, but in this embodiment, it is set to 5 seconds, for example. On the other hand, the above-mentioned open period during which the open state is maintained is also arbitrary, but if all game balls stored in the loose port guide section 203 are to be discharged, it needs to be a period longer than the period for the rotor 201 to make one revolution. In this embodiment, when the opening/closing member 400 is switched to the open state, the rotation speed of the rotor 201 is increased so that it makes one revolution in 1 second, and the above-mentioned open period is set to 1.5 seconds.

If it is determined in step S3803 above that the value of the first round counter RC1 is greater than or equal to "3" and not less than or equal to "14", the process proceeds to step S3805, where it is determined whether the value of the first round counter RC1 is "2", i.e., whether the round of play to be executed is the 15th round (the round before the final round).

If the value of the first round counter RC1 is "2", in step S3806, the operation mode of the opening/closing member 400 is set so that the balls are closed until a predetermined period has elapsed since the start of the round game, then open for a predetermined open period, and then the open state is maintained until the end of the round game. Therefore, in the 15th round of round game, the game balls distributed to the out-hole guide section 203 are stored in the out-hole guide section 203 until a predetermined period has elapsed since the start of the round game, and then the opening/closing member 400 is switched to the open state, and the storage state is released. After that, the storage release state continues until the end of the round game, so that the game balls are not stored even if they are distributed to the out-hole guide section 203. Note that the above-mentioned predetermined period in this step is arbitrary, but in this embodiment, it is the same length as the above-mentioned predetermined period in step S3804.

If it is determined in step S3806 that the value of the first round counter RC1 is not "2", this means that the round game to be played is the 16th round (final round). In this case, in step S3807, the operation mode of the opening/closing member 400 is set so that the open state is maintained throughout the entire 16th round of round play. In other words, the game balls that are distributed to the outlet guide section 203 during the 16th round of round play are discharged outside the role device 150 as the rotating body 201 rotates. After the processes of steps S3802, S3804, S3806, and S3807 are executed, the setting process of the opening/closing member 400 is terminated.

Returning to the explanation of the setting process for each round in FIG. 60(a), after executing the process of step S3701, the setting process for the rotating body is executed in step S3702. As already explained, this embodiment is configured to rotate the rotating body 201 at high speed in conjunction with switching the opening/closing member 400 to the open state, and this step is for carrying out the setting process. Note that in this embodiment, since the setting process for the rotating body is performed for each round, step S1609 (setting process for the rotating body) in the game state transition process in FIG. 28 is not executed.

In step S3702, it is determined whether the value of the first round counter RC1 is equal to or greater than "2" and equal to or less than "14" (whether the round of play to be executed is any one of the 23rd round to the 15th round), and if a positive determination is made, the operation mode of the rotating body 201 is set so that high-speed rotation is performed for a high-speed rotation period (1 sec) after a predetermined period (the same period as the above-mentioned predetermined period in step S3804) has elapsed.

On the other hand, if the above judgment returns a negative result, i.e., if the round play being played is the second or sixteenth round, the operation mode of the rotating body 201 is set so that the normal rotation speed (one rotation in 5 seconds) is maintained throughout the entire round play. After step S3702 is executed, step S1805 in FIG. 30 (processing for setting the upper limit on the number of winnings for the role device 150) is executed.

Next, the round update process according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figs. 61(a) and (b). Figs. 61(a) and (b) show only the parts that are different from the round update process in Fig. 36. The process of step S3901 in Fig. 61(a) is performed after step S2206 in Fig. 36 is executed, and the process of step S3902 in Fig. 61(b) is performed after step S2209 in Fig. 36 is executed. The round update process is executed when the number of winning balls in the role device 150 during a round game reaches the upper limit number of winning balls (9 balls) or when the number of times the opening and closing role device 168 has been opened reaches the upper limit number of times (19 times) (see step S1712 in Fig. 29).

First, the process of setting the closure of the opening/closing member 400 in step S3901 in FIG. 61(a) will be described. This process sets the operation mode of the opening/closing member 400 during the closure period (round interval) between rounds. In step S3901, the operation mode of the opening/closing member 400 is set so that the opening/closing member 400 is in a closed state throughout the entire closure period. Therefore, if game balls are stored in the loose hole guide section 203 at the end of the previous round, the stored state is maintained even after the transition to the closure period, and the state is carried over to the next round as is. After execution of step S3901, the process proceeds to step S2207 in FIG. 36 (round update command setting process).

Next, the process of setting the opening and closing member 400 to open in step S3902 in FIG. 61(b) will be described. This process sets the operation mode of the opening and closing member 400 during the ending period. In step S3902, the operation mode of the opening and closing member 400 is set so that the opening and closing member 400 is in the open state throughout the ending period. Therefore, even if game balls are stored in the outlet guide section 203 at the end of the previous round, those stored balls are discharged outside the role device 150 during the ending period. After execution of step S3902, the process proceeds to step S2210 in FIG. 36 (ending command setting process).

Next, the processing for the operation part within the reel in this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 61(c). FIG. 61(c) illustrates only the parts that differ from the processing for the operation part within the reel in FIG. 26, and the processing of steps S4101 and S4102 in FIG. 61(c) is executed in place of steps S1403 to S1406 in FIG. 26. Note that the processing for the operation part within the reel is executed in step S1615 of the game state transition processing in FIG. 28.

In the processing for the internal operation part of the role object, if a negative judgment is made in step S1401 (processing for judging whether it is control timing for the first distribution member 300) or after executing step S1402 (processing for driving control of the first distribution member 300), in step S4101, it is judged whether it is displacement timing (control timing) for the opening and closing member 400. If it is displacement timing, in step S4102, the opening and closing control processing is executed. In this processing, a process for changing the driving state of the opening and closing member drive unit 400a is executed. Specifically, the driving state of the opening and closing member drive unit 400a is grasped, and if it is in a driving state, the driving is terminated and the opening and closing member 400 is displaced from a closed state to an open state. Also, if the opening and closing member drive unit 400a is not in a driving state, the driving is started and the opening and closing member 400 is displaced from an open state to a closed state. If a negative judgment is made in step S4101 or after executing step S4102, proceed to step S1407 (rotating body control processing).

<About the game flow>
Next, the flow of the game according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 62. FIG. 62 is a timing chart for explaining the flow of the game in the second opening and closing execution mode. Here, the third and fourth rounds of round play will be described as an example. Note that the execution mode of the second opening and closing execution mode is the continuous variation mode, and the description will proceed assuming that a V win occurs at any timing in the third round and the fourth round is executed.

At timing t102, 5 seconds after timing t101 when the third round of play begins, the opening/closing member 400 is switched from the closed state to the open state, and the removal opening 182b is opened. This state is maintained until timing t103, 1.5 seconds later. As already explained, between timings t102 and t103, the rotating body 201 rotates at high speed, completing one rotation in 1 second.

Therefore, the game balls stored in the outlet guide sections 203 at time t102 are guided to the outlet 182b by time t103 and discharged to the outside of the role device 150. As a result, the state of the rotating body 201 at time t103 is such that none of the nine outlet guide sections 203 have received any game balls, i.e., none of the outlet guide sections 203 are able to receive game balls, as shown in FIG. 62(a).

Then, at timing t103, the opening/closing member 400 is switched from the open state to the closed state, and the release port 182b is closed. This allows the rotating body 201 to store the game balls that have been distributed to the release port guide section 203. This state continues until timing t106, 5 seconds after the start of the fourth round. Therefore, if game balls are stored in the release port guide section 203 at timing t104, when the third round ends, this will continue to be the case at timing t105, when the fourth round starts.

At timing t104, for example, as shown in FIG. 62(b), if game balls are stored in the four missed hole guide sections 203, these missed hole guide sections 203 will be blocked by the stored balls and will be unable to accept new game balls. Therefore, at timing t105 when the fourth round starts, the total number of ball guide sections 202 that can accept game balls will be six, including the V winning hole guide section 204. As a result, the V winning rate (the probability that a game ball that reaches the rotating body 201 will be allocated to the V winning hole guide section 204) at the start of the fourth round will be 1/6.

Also, as shown in FIG. 62(c), for example, if most of the game balls that enter the role device 150 are diverted to the out-of-position hole 182b by the first distribution member 300, and the number of out-of-position hole guide sections 203 that store game balls remains at one, then at timing t105 when the fourth round starts, the total number of ball guide sections 202 that can receive game balls will be nine. In this case, the V winning rate will be 1/9, which is lower than the V winning rate in the case of FIG. 62(b).

In this way, in this embodiment, the degree of advantage at the start of the fourth round changes depending on the number of game balls distributed to the out-of-port guide section 203 after timing t103 of the third round. Therefore, period A from timing t103 to t104 is a period for increasing the number of out-of-port guide sections 203 in which game balls are stored, in order to start the fourth round with an advantage.

Then, period B from timing t105 when the fourth round starts to timing t106 when the opening/closing member 400 is switched to the open state is a period in which the player aims to win a V prize while benefiting from the accumulation of balls accumulated during period A. Even during period B, if a game ball is allocated to an empty miss hole guide section 203, the game ball is accumulated in that guide section 203. As a result, the total number of ball guide sections 202 that can receive game balls is further reduced, and the proportion of V prize hole guide sections 204 takes up becomes higher. For this reason, during period B, the closer it gets to timing t106 when the period ends, the higher the V prize winning rate becomes, making it easier for a V prize to occur.

If the V-winning becomes too easy, the significance of providing the continuous variation mode may be lost, or the appeal of the V-winning may be reduced. For this reason, it may be desirable to make the V-winning somewhat difficult, and as a countermeasure, for example, the number of the out-hole guides 203 in the rotating body 201 may be increased, or the number of game balls accepted into one out-hole guide 203 may be increased. However, in these cases, the structure of the rotating body 201 and the out-hole guide 203 may become complicated, which may lead to an increased burden on the design of the device. In this respect, in this embodiment, the first distribution member 300 reduces the number of game balls heading toward the rotating body 201, so that the number of out-hole guides 203 and the number of game balls accepted into one out-hole guide 203 can be kept low. This makes it possible to maintain a certain degree of difficulty in winning the V-winning while simplifying the configuration of the rotating body 201 and the out-hole guide 203.

When the opening/closing member 400 is switched to the open state at timing t106, this state is maintained for 1.5 seconds. This releases the storage of game balls, and the state of the rotating body 201 becomes a state in which no game balls are received by any of the nine outlet guides 203, as shown in FIG. 62(a).

In this case, notifications indicating the timing of release of storage and the period until said timing may be made by the pattern display device 51, the display light-emitting unit 63, the speaker unit 64, etc. For example, when making notifications using the pattern display device 51, a specific display may be made at the timing of release of storage, or the above period may be displayed at the start of a round, at the round interval immediately before that, or at a specified timing after the start of a round. In addition, for example, a countdown display or a level gauge may be used to indicate changes in the remaining time, or notifications may be made indicating the elapsed time since the start of a round. Control of these notifications may be performed by the display control device 100 that controls the pattern display device 51, or the performance control device 82 that controls the display light-emitting unit 63 and the speaker unit 64.

At timing t107, 1.5 seconds after timing t106, the opening/closing member 400 is switched to the closed state, and this state is maintained until timing t108, when the fourth round ends. Therefore, similar to the case of timing t103 to t104, timing t107 to t108 constitutes period A for increasing the number of outlet guides 203 in which game balls are stored, in order to give an advantage in the fifth round.

Then, the fifth round of play is played in the same manner as the fourth round above, and thereafter, the first half of the round play is period B during which the player receives the benefits of the previous round, and the second half is period A during which the player accumulates points for the next round, and this cycle is repeated until the fourteenth round.

Incidentally, if no V win occurs during period B from timing t105 to t106, the player will have no choice but to aim for a V win during period A from timing t107 to t108. As mentioned above, at timing t107, the accumulation is reset, so it is expected that the V win rate during period A will be lower than that during period B. In other words, by setting the accumulation release timing in the middle of a round of play, it is possible to switch from a state in which it is easy to win a V win during a round of play to a state in which it is difficult to win a V win. In this way, the period in which a V win is favored is limited to the middle of a round of play, so the round of play can be played under the tension that the favorable period may end without a V win occurring, which increases interest.

In order to establish the continuation condition in a round of play, it is sufficient for the game ball to pass the V winning sensor 192 once; there is no need for it to pass repeatedly. Also, unlike the miss opening guide section 203, the V winning opening guide section 204 does not store game balls. For this reason, even if a game ball is again allocated to the V winning opening guide section 204 after a V winning occurs, the player does not receive any reward other than the game ball being paid out. In contrast, if a game ball is allocated to the miss opening guide section 203 after a V winning occurs, not only is the game ball paid out, but the ball is also stored, which has the advantage of giving the player an advantage in the next round of play.

That is, in this embodiment, before the occurrence of a V winning, the V winning port guide section 204 is more advantageous than the missing port guide section 203, whereas after the occurrence of a V winning, the missing port guide section 203 becomes more advantageous than the V winning port guide section 204. In other words, the advantageous relationship is reversed at the occurrence of a V winning, providing a novel gameplay that has not been seen before. Also, with this configuration, two games can be realized in one round of play: a game aiming to allocate to the V winning port guide section 204 and a game aiming to allocate to the missing port guide section 203. This makes it possible to improve the fun factor compared to conventional pachinko machines in which the former is merely guaranteed.

Next, the flow of the round game in the second round will be explained. In the second opening and closing execution mode, the second round, which is the first round, does not carry over (store) game balls from the previous round game, so the round game cannot be started in an advantageous state. Therefore, in the second round, unlike the third to fourteenth rounds, the opening and closing member 400 is not switched to the open state and the storage is not released in the middle of the round game. Therefore, in the second round, game balls can be stored in the outlet guide section 203 using the entire round game. This increases the V winning rate in the second round and prevents the second opening and closing execution mode from ending early. Note that the game balls stored in the second round are carried over to the third round as they are, so the game can be played particularly advantageously in period B of the third round.

Next, the flow of the round play in the 15th and 16th rounds will be explained. As already explained, in the 15th round, the opening/closing member 400 is switched to the open state during the round play, but is not returned to the closed state thereafter, and remains in the open state until the end of the round. Therefore, in the 15th round, once the first half period B ends, no game balls are stored thereafter. Also, in the 16th round, the opening/closing member 400 is maintained in the open state throughout the entire round play, so no storage occurs throughout the entire round play.

This is because the upper limit of rounds in the second opening/closing execution mode is set to 16 rounds, and therefore even if a V win occurs in the 16th round, the next round will not be played, and there is little point in storing game balls in the latter half of the 15th round and in the 16th round. Also, if balls remain in the role device 150 after the end of the second opening/closing execution mode, it becomes difficult to ensure the timing of the remaining balls determination, but the above configuration makes it easier to ensure the timing of the remaining balls determination.

Incidentally, in this embodiment, the remaining balls are determined when the ending ends, as in the first embodiment. In this case, in this embodiment, the opening and closing member 400 is configured to be in an open state during the ending period. As a result, not only when the round play reaches the 16th round, but also when it ends at an intermediate round (for example, the 5th round), all game balls in the role device 150 can be discharged at the end of the ending (when the remaining balls determination is performed), making it possible to perform an appropriate remaining ball determination.

The present embodiment described above provides the following excellent advantages:

The game balls distributed to the loss guide section 203 in the role device 150 can be stored, and the stored balls are configured to increase the V winning rate of the next round play. This makes it possible to play the first and subsequent round play in conjunction with each other, making it possible to increase the fun factor compared to conventional pachinko machines where each round play is independent.

Furthermore, by utilizing the missing hole guide section 203 as a storage section, the following effect is also expected. Normally, if a game ball is allocated to a losing receiving section, the player will only feel disappointed. However, in this embodiment, if a game ball is allocated to the missing hole guide section 203, the player will benefit, and the missing hole guide section 203 will be recognized as a beneficial receiving section. This makes it possible to realize a game that the player will be happy with regardless of whether the game ball is allocated to the V winning hole guide section 204 or the missing hole guide section 203, and it is possible to appropriately increase the player's motivation to play. In addition, since the missing hole guide section 203, which has previously only been recognized as unfavorable, functions as a receiving section that increases the degree of advantage, it is possible to add an element of surprise and give the player a fresh impression.

<Other embodiments>
The present invention is not limited to the contents of the above-mentioned embodiments, and may be implemented, for example, as follows. Each of the following configurations may be applied individually to each of the above-mentioned embodiments, or may be applied in combination with some or all of the following embodiments. It is also possible to arbitrarily combine all or a portion of the various configurations shown in each of the above-mentioned embodiments. In this case, it is preferable that the technical significance (effects to be exerted) of each of the configurations to be combined is guaranteed. Each of the following configurations may be applied individually to a new configuration formed by a combination of the embodiments, or may be applied in combination with some or all of the following embodiments.

(1) In each of the above embodiments, the rotating body 201, the first distribution member 300, and the second distribution member 310 are provided as various distribution means, but the configuration for distributing the game balls is arbitrary. In addition, it is not limited to a dynamic distribution structure, and a static distribution structure such as a distribution passage or a crane may also be used.

(2) In each of the above embodiments, the game balls stored in the entrance guide section 215 or the removal guide section 203 are configured to be visible from the front of the pachinko machine 10, but they may be configured to be invisible. In this case, it is not clear to the player whether or not there are balls stored, which adds to the fun of guessing this.

(3) In each of the above embodiments, a game ball that wins a prize in the special feature device 150 in one specific game (round game, first opening and closing execution mode, or second opening and closing execution mode) passes through the V winning sensor 192 in the next specific game, but this is not limited to the above. For example, a game ball may pass through the V winning sensor 192 in the specific game after the specific game in which the game ball wins in the special feature device 150. In short, any configuration may be used as long as a winning ball in a previous specific game passes through the V winning sensor 192 in a specific game that is executed later.

(4) In each of the above embodiments, the number of balls entering the reel device 150 and the number of balls discharged from the reel device 150 are managed by a single counter (remaining ball counter RPC). However, a first counter for tracking the number of balls entering and a second counter for tracking the number of balls discharged may be provided, and the number of balls entering and the number of balls discharged may be managed separately. In this case, the remaining balls may be determined by determining whether the values of the first counter and the second counter are the same.

(5) In each of the above embodiments, a waiting time at the end of each round of play in the second opening/closing execution mode is set, but this waiting time may be omitted, or the waiting time at the end may be shorter than the time it takes for the game ball that entered the role device 150 to be discharged from the role device 150. With these configurations, game balls other than those stored in the entrance guide section 215 or the exit guide section 203 can be carried over to the next round. However, considering that even if the final winning ball in a round of play (a game ball that entered just before the role device 150 is closed) passes through the V winning sensor 192, the passage occurs after the round of play has ended, and the V winning may be invalidated, it is preferable to use the configuration of the above embodiment.

In addition, in a configuration in which a waiting time is set at the end of the game, the waiting time at the end of the game may be set only when the number of winning balls in the reel device 150 reaches the upper limit of winning balls. With this configuration, for example, when the number of times the opening/closing reel device 168 has been opened reaches the upper limit of opening balls (but only when the upper limit of winning balls is not reached at the same time), the round of play can be ended quickly, and the waiting time until the next round of play can be shortened.

Furthermore, in a configuration in which a waiting time is set at the end, when the number of winning balls in the role device 150 reaches the upper limit number of winning balls, it may be determined whether a V winning has occurred (or whether the continuation condition is met), and if a V winning has already occurred, no waiting time at the end may be set (the waiting time at the end may be set to 0 sec). This is because if a V winning has already occurred, there is little point in waiting to see if the final winning ball passes through the V.

(6) In each of the above embodiments, when a V win occurs in the first opening and closing execution mode, the first opening and closing execution mode may be terminated based on the occurrence of a V win. This allows the second opening and closing execution mode to be started without waiting for the end waiting time to elapse, promoting smooth progress of the game. In this case, it is preferable to perform the remaining ball determination after a predetermined period has elapsed since the end of the first opening and closing execution mode. In this case, by setting the predetermined period to a period shorter than the opening period of the second opening and closing execution mode, the remaining ball determination can be completed during the opening execution, and interference with the remaining ball determination for the second opening and closing execution mode can be suppressed. In addition, the remaining ball determination for the first opening and closing execution mode in which a V win has occurred may be configured not to be performed, and may be performed together with the second opening and closing execution mode.

(7) In each of the above embodiments, the main display unit 43 and/or the pattern display device 51 may be configured to display a variable pattern based on a winning entry into the actuating port 38, 39. In other words, the variable display may be started based on a lottery process, and a stop result corresponding to the result of the lottery process may be displayed and the variable display may be ended, which constitutes one game round. In this case, after the variable display is started based on a winning entry into the actuating port 38, 39, the variable display may be continued for the same period as the waiting time for opening, and then the pattern may be displayed in a stopped state. The display mode of the pattern (stop display result) when the pattern is displayed in a stopped state may correspond to the result of the lottery process (see FIG. 12) that is performed based on a winning entry into the actuating port 38, 39.

(8) In each of the above embodiments, the description is based on the premise that pending information is acquired based on winning entries in each operating port 38, 39, and that the pending information is stored up to a predetermined number (four each). However, the configuration may also be such that pending information is not stored. In this way, the configuration can be simplified.

(9) In each of the above embodiments, the maximum number of reserved pieces of information based on winning at each actuation port 38, 39 is four. However, the maximum number may be less than three, or may be five or more. Alternatively, the maximum number of reserved pieces of information based on winning at each actuation port 38, 39 may be different.

(10) In each of the above embodiments, the number of reserved information is displayed on the reserved light-emitting units 54 to 56, but it may also be configured to be displayed on the display screen G of the pattern display device 51. The pattern display device 51 is configured to be provided on the upper part of the role device 150, and it is considered that the player is highly interested in the behavior of the game ball centered on the role device 150, such as winning on the role device 150 and the subsequent V winning, and if the number of reserved information is displayed in a place close to the place of such interest (i.e., the display screen G), it is considered that it will naturally come into the field of view. In this way, compared to a configuration in which separate notifications are made using various places, it is possible to consolidate information and make the game easier to understand. However, in each of the above embodiments, when the opening and closing execution mode is switched to, the type of the mode is notified on the display screen G, and if the display screen G is configured to notify the number of reserved items, when the type of opening and closing execution mode is notified, the display of the information on the number of reserved items is erased, or the type of opening and closing execution mode is notified while leaving the information on the number of reserved items. In the former case, there is the inconvenience that when the type of opening/closing execution mode is being notified, it is not possible to check the number of pending information items, and in the latter case, the presentation area becomes smaller, which can cause the notification of the type of opening/closing execution mode itself to be dull. Therefore, for example, if the number of pending information items is displayed on the display screen G while having the pending light-emitting units 54-56, even if the display of the number of pending information items on the display screen G is erased, it is only necessary to check the pending light-emitting units 54-56, making it possible to display various information appropriately according to the timing.

(11) In the above embodiments, the jackpot type counter C2 is acquired as reserved information when the ball enters the operating port 38, 39, and the type of opening/closing execution mode (jackpot type) is determined using the jackpot type counter C2. However, a counter for determining the type of opening/closing execution mode when the ball enters the V-winning state may be acquired, and the type of opening/closing execution mode may be determined based on the acquired counter. In this way, even if the V-winning does not occur, it is possible to omit the process of acquiring the counter used when the ball enters the operating port 38, 39, and the processing configuration can be simplified. However, for example, when determining the opening/closing pattern, if the configuration reflects the type of opening/closing execution mode when the ball enters the V-winning state, in detail, for example, if the V-winning rate is increased/decreased for a 16R jackpot, or if the V-winning rate is increased/decreased for an 8R jackpot, it is preferable to acquire the jackpot type counter C2 for determining the type of opening/closing execution mode as reserved information. Also, when executing opening/closing control or in a pre-reading notification, even in a configuration that notifies the type of opening/closing execution mode in the case of a V win during the opening/closing control corresponding to the pending information (for example, a display such as "If you win here, it's a 16R jackpot!!"), it is preferable to have a configuration in which the jackpot type counter C2 is acquired to determine the type of opening/closing execution mode as pending information.

(12) In each of the above embodiments, the manner of support provided by the electric device 39a is set to be the same, but multiple types of support modes may be set to provide different modes of support. In detail, for example, a low-frequency support mode (or low-frequency guide state) and a high-frequency support mode (or high-frequency guide state) are set as support modes so that the frequency with which the electric device 39a of the second operating port 39 is in an open state per unit period is relatively high and low when compared with a situation in which game balls are continuously launched into the game area in the same manner.

In the low-frequency support mode and the high-frequency support mode, the probability of winning the electric role opening state in the electric role opening lottery using the electric role opening counter C4 is the same (for example, both are 4/5), but in the high-frequency support mode, the number of times that the electric role 39a is in the open state when the electric role opening state is won is set to be greater than in the low-frequency support mode, and the opening period for one time is set to be longer. In this case, when the electric role opening state is won in the high-frequency support mode and the electric role 39a is in the open state multiple times, the closed period from the end of one opening state to the start of the next opening state is set to be shorter than one opening period. Furthermore, in the high-frequency support mode, the minimum secured period (i.e., the display duration of one time on the role display unit 44) for the next electric role opening lottery to be held after one electric role opening lottery is held is set to be shorter than in the low-frequency support mode.

As described above, in the high-frequency support mode, the probability of a winning entry into the second operating port 39 is higher than in the low-frequency support mode. Therefore, the probability of the reel device 150 being in the open state is also higher, and the probability of a V winning entry (occurrence of a big win) is also higher.

The configuration for increasing the frequency of the high-frequency support mode being in the electric role open state per unit period compared to the low-frequency support mode is not limited to the above, and may be, for example, a configuration for increasing the probability of winning the electric role open state in the electric role opening lottery. Furthermore, the advantage of the high-frequency support mode over the low-frequency support mode may be increased by applying any one or any combination of the following conditions: increasing the number of openings, lengthening the opening period, shortening the guaranteed period secured between one electric role opening lottery and the next electric role opening lottery, shortening the average period of the said guaranteed period, and increasing the winning probability.

In the case of a configuration in which the electric prop 39a does not provide high and low support, as in each of the above embodiments, the electric prop 39a and the through gate 41 themselves may not be provided. In this way, the configuration can be simplified.

(13) In each of the above embodiments, the system transitions to the second opening/closing execution mode based on the occurrence of a V-winning into the reel device 150, and in this opening/closing execution mode, winning into the reel device becomes more likely. However, the second opening/closing execution mode may be executed by another winning device. For example, a variable ball entry device that can be switched between an open state where a game ball flowing down the play area can enter and a closed state where a game ball cannot or cannot enter is provided separately from the reel device 150, and the main control device 81 controls the variable ball entry device to the open state based on the occurrence of a V-winning into the reel device, etc.

(14) In each of the above embodiments, the game balls sorted by the second sorting member 310 to the entrance guide section 215 side are always arranged to enter the V-shaped prize, but it is also possible to arrange for some of the balls to enter the losing side.

(15) In each of the above embodiments, the game ball that enters the role device 150 is discharged to the outside of the role device through the V-winning passage 191a or the loss passage 191b, and the discharged game ball is discharged to the outside of the pachinko machine 10 through a discharge passage (not shown). However, the game ball may be discharged to the play area outside the role device.

(16) In each of the above embodiments, when power is restored from a game-stopped state based on abnormality detection without operating the RAM erase switch 98a, the abnormality detection state and game-stopped state are released, but these states may also be left unchanged. In this case, a release switch for releasing the abnormality detection state and game-stopped state may be provided on the rear side of the pachinko machine 10, and when power is restored while an attendant at the game center is operating the release switch, the main control device 81 may release the abnormality detection state and game-stopped state. In this way, when power is restored by operating only the power switch 92b, the game-stopped state can be continued even after power is restored.

(17) In each of the above embodiments, the prize ball is paid out based on the game ball being detected by the winning sensor 192, but the prize ball may be paid out based on the game ball being detected by the V winning sensor 192 and the loss sensor 193. However, considering the time lag between when a prize is won in the role device 150 and when the prize ball is paid out, it is preferable to use the configuration of each of the above embodiments.

(18) In each of the above embodiments, the reel device 150 is equipped with an opening/closing reel 168, but it may be configured to allow balls to enter without the opening/closing reel 168. In this case, the reel device can be expressed as, for example, "a specific area provided in the play area into which game balls can enter" or "a specific area provided in the play area that is partitioned so that game balls can enter", etc.

(19) Each of the above embodiments can also be applied to the following configuration. For example, a game machine that generates a transition to the open/close execution mode based on the establishment of a predetermined condition (for example, a lottery based on an entry into any of the operating ports 38, 39 is a transition to the open/close execution mode (so-called jackpot game) (jackpot result)) and has a low probability mode in which the probability of the lottery result generating a transition to the open/close execution mode is a predetermined probability and a high probability mode in which the lottery result is higher than the low probability mode as the lottery mode of the lottery process, may be one in which the game state after the open/close execution mode ends transitions to the high probability mode when the variable ball entry device is opened during the open/close execution mode and the game ball passes through the V entry port 182a (V entry) (so-called V-variable machine). In addition, the pachinko machine 10 of each of the above embodiments corresponds to a gaming machine called a so-called type 2 pachinko machine, but the configuration of each embodiment may be applied to a so-called type 1/type 2 mixed type gaming machine.

(20) In the first to sixth embodiments, the warp passage 210 is placed behind the rotating body 201, but it may be placed to the side or in front of the rotating body 201. However, placing it to the side tends to increase the width dimension of the role device 150, which leads to narrowing the area where the game balls flow down outside the role device. In light of this, it is preferable to place it in the front or rear to make use of the space in the front-to-rear direction. However, placing it in the front will hinder the visibility of the rotating body 201, which is of great interest to players, so it is preferable to place it in the rear as in the above embodiments. In this case, it does not necessarily have to be directly behind, and it may be diagonally behind.

(21) In the first to sixth embodiments, a warp passage 210 is provided to guide the game balls stored in the role device 150 to the V winning sensor 192 without passing through the rotating body 201. However, the game balls stored in the role device 150 may be guided to the rotating body 201. In this case, if the rotating body 201 is stopped at a predetermined position where the storage release balls can be distributed to the V winning port guide section 204 (for example, the position where the V winning port guide section 204 faces the lead-out section 186) in accordance with the timing of storage release, the V winning rate of the storage release balls can be stabilized.

However, since it becomes necessary to control the movement of the rotor 201 taking into consideration both the game balls that are not stored and head toward the rotor 201, and the game balls that are stored and head toward the rotor 201, the control becomes complicated and the processing load of the main control device 81 may increase. Also, considering that there may be cases where a game ball that is not stored and heads toward the rotor 201 and a game ball that is stored and heads toward the rotor 201 interfere with each other, with one preventing the other from winning the V prize, it is preferable that the routes that each game ball takes toward the V prize sensor 192 are independent. In light of these points, the above embodiment is preferable.

In addition, when the game balls stored in the role device 150 are guided to the rotating body 201, the rotating body 201 may be rotated as usual. In this case, it is possible to avoid an increase in processing load due to the complexity of the operation control. However, the number of game balls heading toward the rotating body 201 will only increase by the amount of storage, and it will not become significantly easier to win a V prize. As a result, the appeal of storage will decrease, and there will be less motivation to aim for storage. From this perspective, the above embodiment is preferable.

(22) In the first to sixth embodiments, the game balls are stored in a stationary state, but the game balls may be stored while being moved. For example, a circulation path may be provided that circulates the game balls that have entered the role device 150 without being discharged from the role device 150, and the game balls are stored by moving them through the circulation path. In this case, it is preferable to provide an outlet section that can output the game balls moving through the circulation path to the V winning sensor 192, and a distribution means that distributes the game balls in the circulation path to the outlet section side and the side that continues to move through the circulation path. By controlling the distribution timing of the distribution means (the timing of distribution to the outlet section side), the storage can be released at an appropriate timing.

(23) In the first to sixth embodiments described above, the period from when the storage of the stored ball is released until the released ball reaches the V winning sensor 192 is a fixed period (approximately 2 seconds), but the period may be varied (so that even if the storage release timing is the same, there is a difference in the timing of passing the V winning sensor 192).

For example, the above period may be configured to have at least a first period and a second period longer than the first period, and in the first period, the storage release ball passes the V entry sensor 192 in the next round of play, and in the second period, it may pass the V entry sensor 192 after the end of the next round of play. If the storage release ball passes the V entry sensor 192 after the end of the next round of play, it may pass the V entry sensor 192 in the round interval between the next round of play and the round after the next round of play, or it may pass the V entry sensor 192 in the round after the next round of play. In the former case, no V entry occurs due to the storage release ball, and in the latter case, the implementation of the next round after the next round is confirmed. In addition, in the first period, the storage release ball may pass the V entry sensor 192 before the start of the next round of play, and in the second period, it may pass the V entry sensor 192 in the next round of play. In these cases, the subsequent gameplay involving the released ball is randomized, making it possible to draw more attention to the movement of the released game ball.

To diversify the period until the released ball reaches the V winning sensor 192, a period varying means such as a crane may be provided between the storage section and the V winning sensor 192. Alternatively, instead of a crane, a configuration may be provided in which multiple ball passages with different passage lengths to the V winning sensor 192 and a distribution means for distributing the released game balls to the multiple ball passages is provided.

(24) In the first to sixth embodiments, the game balls are stored and retained in the accessory device 150, but this does not necessarily have to involve storage. For example, a moving path that takes longer to reach the V winning sensor 192 may be provided, and a game ball that has won the accessory device 150 in a previous specific game (such as a round game) may be moved along the moving path so that the game ball passes through the V winning sensor 192 in a later specific game.

(25) In the first to sixth embodiments described above, a single gaming ball is stored, but multiple gaming balls may be stored.

(26) In the first embodiment, the storage is released at the end of the round play, but it may be released before the end. In addition, the storage may be released after the next round play starts, or during the closed time between rounds (round interval). In short, it is sufficient that the game ball that won in the previous round play can pass the V winning sensor 192 in the next round play, and the timing of releasing the storage is arbitrary. However, if the storage is released after the next round play starts, the player will have to pay attention not only to releasing the storage, but also to whether the game ball will win the role device 150 and whether the winning ball will win the V, which will make the player panic. For this reason, it is easy to miss the release of the storage, and in light of this point, it is preferable to release the storage at the end or end of the next round play when the game has settled down, during the round interval.

(27) In the first embodiment described above, the second distribution member 310 is maintained in a non-distribution state in the first opening/closing execution mode, and game balls are not guided to the entrance guide section 215 (warp passage 210). However, the second distribution member 310 may be driven to switch between a distribution state and a non-distribution state, and game balls may be distributed to the entrance guide section 215. In this case, if the shutter 221 is further kept in an open state, the game balls will pass through the entrance guide section 215, and the warp passage 210 can be used as a straight V route.

(28) In the first embodiment described above, the possibility of storing game balls during a round of play may differ depending on the type of jackpot. For example, a configuration may be made in which jackpot A and jackpot B are provided, and in the case of jackpot A, game balls can be stored during a round of play, but in the case of jackpot B, this is not possible. Also, the round or number of rounds in which game balls can be stored may differ depending on the type of jackpot.

(29) In the second embodiment described above, the second distribution member 310 is maintained in a non-distribution state in the fifth, tenth, and sixteenth rounds to prevent winning balls from being stored. However, the second distribution member 310 may be driven to switch between a distribution state and a non-distribution state while the shutter 221 is maintained in an open state. In this case, the game balls distributed to the entrance guide section 215 side by the second distribution member 310 pass through the V winning sensor 192 via the warp passage 210 without being stored in the entrance guide section 215. In other words, the distributed game balls are not carried over to the next round of play, and pass through the V winning sensor 192 in the round of play in which a win has occurred.

(30) In the second embodiment described above, instead of or in addition to the fifth, tenth, and sixteenth rounds, the round immediately preceding the upper limit round (the 16th round) (the 15th round) may be set as a round in which balls cannot be stored, and the remaining balls determination may be performed in response to the end of the immediately preceding round. Even if a game ball enters a V-winning position in the upper limit round, the next round is not executed, and there is little merit in storing game balls in the immediately preceding round. However, by using the above configuration, it is possible to perform the remaining balls determination in the middle of a jackpot without compromising the player's profits.

(31) In the third embodiment described above, the timing for executing the remaining ball determination was set based on the elapsed time from the start of a round of play, but it may also be set based on the elapsed time from the timing for releasing the storage. In this case, if the period from the release of storage to the execution of the remaining ball determination is set longer than the period until the storage release ball reaches the V winning sensor 192, the remaining ball determination can be executed after the storage release ball is discharged from the role device 150.

(32) The third embodiment may be replaced with the following configuration. In the third embodiment, while it is possible to determine the remaining balls for each round, the short opening mode limits the winning of the game balls in the role device 150, which may give the player the impression that it is difficult to win a prize. Therefore, a configuration is first made in which the short opening mode is not executed. Then, a second retention means capable of retaining the game balls that have entered the role device 150 in the role device 150 and a second retention release means for releasing the retention are provided separately from the entrance guide 215 and the shutter 221, and a round of play is started in a state in which the game balls can be retained in the second retention means, and the retention is released after a predetermined period has elapsed. Furthermore, an entrance sensor 179 is provided downstream of the second retention means, and a configuration is made in which the game balls retained by the second retention means are not counted as winning balls (are not detected by the entrance sensor 179). In this case, if the configuration is such that "the storage release ball passes the V entry sensor 192 and the remaining balls are determined (the remaining ball determination is performed after the storage release ball enters the V)" within the above-mentioned specified period, the remaining ball counter RPC is updated based on the game ball entering the role device 150 after the remaining ball determination is performed. In other words, it is possible to allow the game ball to enter the role device 150 while avoiding interference with the remaining ball determination, and it is possible to prevent the player from feeling that it is difficult to win while still allowing the remaining ball determination for each round.

In the above configuration, the second retention means may be provided upstream or downstream of the entrance guide 215 and the shutter 221. The above configuration may also be configured to execute the short opening mode. In this case, there is an effect of suppressing the discrepancy between the number of winnings and the number of payouts when a winning occurs in the short opening mode.

(33) In the fourth embodiment, the accumulation is released when the number of winning balls in the reel device 150 reaches a specific number (8 balls), but it may be configured to be released based on the elapsed time from the start of a round of play. In this case, it is possible to deal with cases where the winning balls in the reel device 150 do not win easily and the round of play ends before the number of winning balls reaches the specific number. Note that in the fourth embodiment, the specific number is set to 8 balls (one less than the upper limit of winning balls), but the specific number is arbitrary, and for example, the upper limit of winning balls may be set to a specific number.

(34) In the fourth embodiment, the special release of the accumulation is limited to the second round of round play, but it may be configured to be performed in round play other than the second round. In this case, it may be performed in all rounds, or in some rounds. In the latter case, the round to be subjected to the special release of the accumulation may be predetermined, and when the second opening and closing execution mode is executed, it is judged whether the round play is the above-mentioned predetermined round, and if the judgment is affirmative, the operation of the shutter 221 may be controlled so that the special release of the accumulation is performed. In this case, it is possible to give preferential treatment to some rounds. In this case, different notifications may be given when such a round with preferential treatment is executed and when a round without such a preferential treatment is executed, or a specific notification may be configured only for the former. Such notifications may be given as display effects by the pattern display device 51 or the display light-emitting unit 63, or as audio effects by the speaker unit 64.

(35) In the fifth embodiment, if a specific round is executed, game balls can be stored for a predetermined period after the end of the second opening and closing execution mode, and if a specific round is not executed, game balls cannot be stored after the end of the second opening and closing execution mode. In this case, a chance for consecutive wins in the second opening and closing execution mode can be provided as a bonus for continuing the round game until the specific round. This adds a game goal of continuing until the specific round in the second opening and closing execution mode, and can increase the fun of the second opening and closing execution mode. The specific round is not particularly limited, but it is preferable to set it to fewer rounds (for example, 10 rounds) than the upper limit round (16 rounds). In this case, the player can set the game goal in stages, such as continuing at least until the specific round, and preferably until the upper limit round.

In addition, if a specific round is executed, it may be configured so that storage of game balls becomes impossible after the end of the second opening and closing execution mode, and if a specific round is not executed, game balls may be stored for a predetermined period after the end of the second opening and closing execution mode. In this case, a chance for consecutive wins in the second opening and closing execution mode can be provided as a relief in the case where the second opening and closing execution mode ends with a small number of rounds. The specific round in this case is also arbitrary, but it is preferable to set it to, for example, about four rounds in order to prevent intentional ending midway through a round.

The switch between storage and non-storage can be performed, for example, by controlling the operation mode of the shutter 221 during the ending period. Specifically, if storage is possible, the shutter 221 is closed during the ending period, and if storage is not possible, the shutter 221 is opened during the ending period.

(36) In the fifth embodiment, the possibility of storing game balls after the end of the second opening/closing execution mode may differ depending on the type of jackpot. For example, a jackpot A and a jackpot B may be provided, and the above-mentioned storage may be possible in the case of jackpot A, and the above-mentioned storage may not be possible in the case of jackpot B.

In this case, different notifications may be made when jackpot A is executed and when jackpot B is executed, or a specific notification may be made only for the former. Such notifications may be made as display effects by the pattern display device 51 or the display light-emitting unit 63, or as audio effects by the speaker unit 64. If the jackpot type is allocated based on the value of the jackpot type counter C2, for example, the pachinko machine 10 will be able to know which jackpot type will be when a winning entry occurs in the operating port 38, 39 or when the reserved amount is consumed. In this case, the notification is not limited to the second opening and closing execution mode, but may be made in the first opening and closing execution mode or during the opening waiting time.

(37) In the fifth embodiment, if there is a reserved ball at a specific timing during the previous second opening/closing execution mode, the reserved ball information and the corresponding opening waiting time may be read in advance (the reserved ball information and the corresponding opening waiting time may be identified at a timing before the reserved ball information becomes the subject of a lottery process such as a win/loss determination), and a notification may be made based on the results of the reading. For example, if a 2.5-second opening waiting time that is expected to result in a consecutive win is read in advance, a special notification (for example, "If there are balls in stock at the end of the jackpot game, there is a chance for a consecutive win!") may be made at a predetermined timing that is any timing until the previous second opening/closing execution mode ends.

In this case, the player will be able to understand before the end of the second opening and closing execution mode that having a reserve at the time of the end will be advantageous and that there is a high possibility of a consecutive win, so the player will be more motivated to end the second opening and closing execution mode with a reserve. This increases the importance of the final round, making it possible to enjoy the second opening and closing execution mode until the very end. Also, since the reserve information allows for foresight, it also increases the motivation to create a reserve.

When an open waiting time of 0.5 seconds, which is unlikely to result in a consecutive win, is predicted, a different notification from the special notification may be made, or no notification may be made. In addition, the pending information may be predicted by the main control device 81, or by a control device other than the main control device 81 (such as the performance control device 82).

(38) In the fifth embodiment, the period from the end of the second opening/closing execution mode to the release of the storage is standardized, but the period until the storage is released may be diversified by selecting one period from a plurality of periods of different lengths. For example, a lottery process may be performed using the value of the jackpot type counter C2, and the period may be determined based on the result. If the period until the storage is released is diversified, it becomes difficult to predict whether the second opening/closing execution mode will result in a consecutive win, increasing the sense of tension until the storage is actually released, and improving the fun. In addition, by randomizing the timing of the release of the storage, it is possible to suppress the act of aiming for a win in the operating port 38, 39 according to the release timing (when there is no reserved information at the end of the second opening/closing execution mode), making it easier to ensure the fairness of the game.

In the above configuration, a predetermined notification indicating the period until the storage is released may be made at a specific timing (for example, at the end of the second opening and closing execution mode). In this case, it becomes possible to predict the timing of the storage release, thereby increasing the desire to trigger the first opening and closing execution mode accordingly. At this time, a countdown display or the like may be made based on the remaining time until the storage is released. Alternatively, the above-mentioned predetermined notification may not be made. In this case, since it becomes difficult to predict the timing of the storage release, it is expected that the player will continue to watch the stored balls until the storage is released, which can increase attention to the game.

In addition, in the above configuration, if there is reserved information at the end of the second opening and closing execution mode, a notification may be made based on the relationship between the open waiting time corresponding to the reserved information and the period until the selected storage release. For example, if the relationship between the two is such that the second opening and closing execution mode will result in a consecutive win or is likely to result in that (if the storage release ball can or easily passes through the V winning sensor 192 during the first opening and closing execution mode), a special notification (for example, "If you can stock balls at the end of the jackpot game, it's a great chance!") may be made. Note that, if the second opening and closing execution mode does not result in a consecutive win or is likely to result in that (if the storage release ball cannot or has difficulty passing through the V winning sensor 192 during the first opening and closing execution mode), a notification different from the special notification may be made, or no notification may be made.

Furthermore, if there is a hold at a specific timing during the second opening and closing execution mode, the hold information and the release waiting time corresponding to the hold information may be read in advance, and a notification may be made based on the relationship between the read-in result and the period until the selected storage release. For example, if the second opening and closing execution mode is likely to have a consecutive win or a high probability of this occurring in the relationship between the two, the special notification may be made at a predetermined timing that is any timing between the read-in and the end of the previous second opening and closing execution mode.

(39) In the sixth embodiment, the reserved information is not stored even if a winning ball enters the operating ports 38, 39 during the open waiting time or the first opening/closing execution mode, but the reserved information may be stored. In addition, as in the fifth embodiment, the shutter 221 may be switched to the open state when a predetermined period of time has elapsed after the previous first opening/closing execution mode ends (for example, by eliminating waiting time A and leaving only waiting time B). In this case, for example, 4 seconds is further provided as the open waiting time, and the predetermined period is set so that in the case of 2 seconds, the stored ball can pass the V winning sensor 192 during the later first opening/closing execution mode, and in the case of 4 seconds, the stored ball cannot pass the V winning sensor 192 during the later first opening/closing execution mode.

Then, if there is a reserved ball at a specific timing between the winning of the operation port 38, 39 and the end of the first opening and closing execution mode, the reserved reserved information and the opening waiting time corresponding to the reserved ball information are read in advance, and a notification is made based on the result. For example, if a 2-sec opening waiting time is read in advance, a special notification (e.g., "If you can stock up on balls, it's a great chance!") is made at a predetermined timing between the time of the reading and the end of the first opening and closing execution mode. In this case, the player can understand that it will be advantageous to have a reserve in the first opening and closing execution mode, so the player's motivation to create a reserve is increased, and it is possible to increase the player's attention to the game. In addition, since the reserved information allows the player to read in advance, the motivation to create a reserve can also be increased. Note that if a 4-sec opening waiting time is read in advance, a notification different from the special notification may be made, or no notification may be made.

(40) In the sixth embodiment, the waiting time B may be diversified. This allows the length of the advantageous period that begins after the end of the previous first opening and closing execution mode to be diversified, and the degree of advantage to be varied. In this case, a predetermined notification indicating the waiting time B (the period until the storage is released) may be made at a specific timing (for example, at the end of the previous first opening and closing execution mode). In this case, since it is possible to predict the timing of the release of the storage, it is possible to increase the motivation to generate the first opening and closing execution mode accordingly. At this time, a countdown display or the like may be made based on the remaining time until the storage is released. Also, a configuration may be adopted in which the above-mentioned predetermined notification is not made. In this case, since it is difficult to predict the timing of the release of the storage, it is expected that the player will continue to watch the stored balls until the storage is released, and the attention to the game can be increased.

(41) In the seventh embodiment, the winning balls in the role device 150 are distributed to the loss port guide section 203, and the game balls are stored in the loss port guide section 203, which is advantageous, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the winning balls may be distributed to a specific receiving section (a receiving section different from the loss port guide section 203 and the V winning port guide section 204) or a specific passing section (a passing section different from the loss sensor 193 and the V winning sensor 192) provided in the role device 150, so that the loss port guide section 203 is closed (winning balls cannot be received), or the loss port guide section 203 is changed to the V winning port guide section 204, increasing the number of the V winning port guide sections 204. In addition, a possible configuration for changing the loss outlet guide section 203 into the V winning outlet guide section 204 is to provide a lead-out means that can switch between a first mode in which the game ball received by the loss outlet guide section 203 is led to the loss sensor 193 and a second mode in which the game ball is led to the V winning sensor 192, and a switching means that switches the mode of the lead-out means from the first mode to the second mode.

(42) In the seventh embodiment, the storage is released based on the passage of a period of time. However, the storage may be released based on the number of winning entries in the reel device 150. In this case, the storage may be released based on the number of winning entries reaching a predetermined number. For example, if winning entries in the reel device 150 do not occur for a long time, the state in which game balls can be stored in the outlet guide section 203 (the advantageous state) may end without sufficient opportunities to distribute the game balls to the outlet guide section 203. In this regard, according to the above configuration, the state continues until the number of winning entries reaches the predetermined number, so that the opportunities to distribute the game balls to the outlet guide section 203 can be appropriately secured.

The system may also be configured to release the storage when a V win occurs. In this case, the sooner a V win occurs, the longer the period (period A) for increasing the stored balls for the next round, making it possible to play more advantageously. For example, the system may be configured to immediately release the storage if a V win occurs after the start of the next round of play (period B).

(43) In the seventh embodiment, when the storage is released, it is completely released (all the stored balls are discharged), but it may be partially released (a portion of the stored balls are discharged). Also, it may be configured such that in the second opening and closing execution mode, there are round games in which the storage is completely released and round games in which the storage is partially released.

(44) In the seventh embodiment, as in the second embodiment, a round of play in which balls cannot be stored may occur in the middle of the second opening/closing execution mode. In this case, the remaining ball determination may be performed in response to the end of the round of play in which balls cannot be stored, as in the second embodiment.

(45) In the seventh embodiment, as in the fifth embodiment, the configuration may be such that storage can occur at the end of the second opening and closing execution mode (storage occurs in the final round and is maintained during the ending period), and the V winning rate in the subsequent first opening and closing execution mode may be increased by the stored balls. In this case, the storage may be configured to continue until a predetermined period has elapsed since the end of the second opening and closing execution mode, as in the fifth embodiment, or may be configured to continue until the number of times the first opening and closing execution mode is executed after the end of the second opening and closing execution mode reaches a predetermined number. In the former case, the advantageous period (the period during which the V winning rate increases) can be determined by time, and in the latter case, it can be determined by the number of times the first opening and closing execution mode is executed. In the latter case, if the predetermined number of times is set to multiple times, it is preferable to configure the number of storages to be increased. For example, if the specified number of times is three, and the game balls distributed to the loose hole guide section 203 in the first and second first opening and closing execution mode are configured to be stored, additional storage is possible, and the V winning rate in the third first opening and closing execution mode can be further increased.

(46) In the seventh embodiment, as in the sixth embodiment, the configuration may be such that accumulation can occur in the first opening and closing execution mode (the game balls distributed to the missing hole guide section 203 in the first opening and closing execution mode are accumulated in the missing hole guide section 203). This allows the winning balls in the previous first opening and closing execution mode to be distributed to the missing hole guide section 203, thereby realizing a gameplay in which the V winning rate in the subsequent first opening and closing execution mode is high. In this case, the accumulation that occurred in the previous first opening and closing execution mode can be released based on the passage of a predetermined period of time from the end of the previous first opening and closing execution mode, or the occurrence of the next first opening and closing execution mode, as in the sixth embodiment. The configurations (39) and (40) above may also be used.

(47) In the seventh embodiment, instead of or in addition to the first sorting member 300, a miss guide section 203 that cannot store game balls may be provided on the rotating body 201. In this case, there are miss guide sections 203 that can store game balls and miss guide sections 203 that cannot store game balls, and it is possible to set a difference in the degree of advantage even for the same miss. This adds an element of excitement in the hope of sorting to the former miss guide section 203.

(48) In the seventh embodiment, the storage is released after each round, but the storage may be maintained for multiple rounds (e.g., 5 rounds). In this case, the number of ball guides 203 that can receive game balls decreases as the round progresses, realizing a gameplay in which the probability of winning a V becomes higher. However, in order to prevent the player from having an excessive advantage, it is preferable to increase the number of ball guides 203 (e.g., about 50).

(49) In the seventh embodiment described above, one game ball can be stored per outlet guide section 203, but multiple game balls may be stored.

(50) In the seventh embodiment described above, when a game ball is allocated to the miss hole guide section 203, the probability of the game ball being allocated to the V winning hole guide section 204 in a later round is increased, so that after a V winning occurs, it is more advantageous for the player to have the game ball allocated to the miss hole guide section 203 than to the V winning hole guide section 204. However, as another example, the following configuration may be used.

First, the prize balls are paid out based on the detection of the game balls by the V winning sensor 192 and the loss sensor 193, not the detection of the winning ball by the winning sensor 192. Then, as shown in FIG. 63, the downstream side of the V winning passage 191a is bifurcated, and the V winning sensor 192 is placed in the first passage 410, which is one of the branching passages, and the game ball detection sensor is not placed in the second passage 411, which is the other branching passage. Furthermore, at the branching point of both passages 410, 411, a distribution member 412 is placed to distribute the game balls flowing through the V winning passage 191a to the first passage 410 and the second passage 411. The distribution member 412 is driven and controlled by a drive unit not shown, and the drive unit is controlled by a control signal from the main control unit 81. On the other hand, no branching passage or distribution member is provided in the loss passage 191b, and all game balls that have passed through the loss opening 182b are led to the loss sensor 193.

In the above configuration, before a V winning occurs in one round of play, the game balls that have passed through the V winning port 182a are distributed to the first passage 410 by the distribution member 412, and after the V winning occurs, the distribution mode of the distribution member 412 is switched so that the game balls are distributed to the second passage 411 by the distribution member 412. As a result, if the game balls are distributed to the V winning port guide section 204 before the V winning occurs, the game balls pass through the V winning sensor 192 and prize balls (15 balls) are paid out, but if the game balls are distributed to the V winning port guide section 204 after the V winning occurs, the game balls are discharged without passing through the V winning sensor 192 and prize balls are not paid out. On the other hand, if the game balls are distributed to the loss port guide section 203 after the V winning occurs, the game balls pass through the loss sensor 193 and prize balls (15 balls) are paid out. In other words, in terms of whether or not there is a prize ball, there is no difference between the V prize opening guide section 204 and the loss opening guide section 203 before the V prize occurs, but after the V prize occurs, a prize ball can only be obtained if it is allocated to the loss opening guide section 203, making the loss opening guide section 203 more advantageous for the player than the V prize opening guide section 204.

In addition, in order to grasp the number of game balls discharged from the role device 150, a discharge detection sensor that detects the passage of game balls may be provided in the second passage 411. In this case, the configuration may be such that no prize balls are paid out even if the game ball is detected by the sensor, or a number of prize balls (e.g., three) less than the number of prize balls that would be paid out if the game ball was detected by the miss sensor 193 may be paid out. In other words, when different degrees of advantage are provided depending on the prize balls, it is not necessarily necessary to have one side with no prize balls.

Also, instead of the configuration of FIG. 63, the number of prize balls may change before and after the occurrence of a V win. Specifically, the configuration may be such that prize balls are paid out based on the detection of game balls by the V win sensor 192 and the loss sensor 193, and before the occurrence of a V win, a predetermined number of prize balls (e.g., 15 balls) are obtained by passing the V win sensor 192, and a number of prize balls less than the predetermined number (e.g., 10 balls) are obtained by passing the loss sensor 193, while after the occurrence of a V win, the number of prize balls is reversed, and more prize balls (e.g., 15 balls) are obtained by passing the V win sensor 192, and fewer prize balls (e.g., 10 balls) are obtained by passing the loss sensor 193. As another example, before the occurrence of a V win, the same number of prize balls (for example, 10 balls) are obtained regardless of whether the ball passes through the V win sensor 192 or the loss sensor 193, whereas after the occurrence of a V win, the number of prize balls passing through the loss sensor 193 is greater than before the V win (for example, 15 balls), and the number of prize balls passing through the V win sensor 192 is less than before the V win (for example, 0 balls). With these configurations, it is possible to realize a configuration in which, after the occurrence of a V win, it is more advantageous for the player if the game balls are distributed to the loss port guide section 203 rather than to the V win port guide section 204.

Incidentally, in the various examples above, the game balls that are distributed to the outlet guide section 203 may or may not be stored as in the seventh embodiment. In addition, the various examples above can also be applied to a configuration in which game balls can enter the role device without having an opening and closing role device 168, as in (18) above.

(51) The configurations described in the first to seventh embodiments and the other embodiments may be applied in combination with each other. For example, the configuration of the warp passage 210 and the second distribution member 310 in the first embodiment may be applied in combination with the configuration of the opening/closing member 400 in the seventh embodiment. In addition, some or all of the configurations in the other embodiments may be applied in combination with each other to the first to seventh embodiments or to a configuration in which some or all of the first to seventh embodiments are combined with each other.

(52) The present invention can also be applied to other types of pachinko machines that are different from the above-described embodiments, such as pachinko machines in which an electric device opens a predetermined number of times when a gaming ball enters a specific area of a special device, pachinko machines in which a right is generated and a jackpot is awarded when a gaming ball enters a specific area of a special device, pachinko machines equipped with other devices, arrange ball machines, mahjong ball machines, and other gaming machines.

The present invention can also be applied to non-pinball gaming machines, such as slot machines, which have multiple reels with multiple patterns circumferentially attached, and in which the rotation of the reels is started by inserting a medal and operating a start lever, and after the reels are stopped by operating a stop switch, if a specific pattern or combination of specific patterns is formed on a winning line visible through a display window, a special reward such as a medal payout is given to the player.

The present invention can also be applied to a gaming machine that combines a pachinko machine and a slot machine, in which the gaming machine body is supported on an outer frame so that it can be opened and closed, has a storage section and an intake device, and the reels start to rotate when a start lever is operated after a predetermined number of gaming balls stored in the storage section have been taken in by the intake device.

<Inventions extracted from the above embodiments>
The following describes the features of the inventions extracted from the above-described embodiments, while indicating, as necessary, their effects, etc. In the following, for ease of understanding, the corresponding configurations in the above-described embodiments are appropriately indicated in parentheses, but the present invention is not limited to the specific configurations indicated in parentheses.

The following features were developed in response to the problem that the invention seeks to solve in relation to the background technology that states, "There are known gaming machines, such as pachinko machines, that are equipped with variable ball entry devices (see, for example, Patent Document 1)." "Therefore, in gaming machines, there is a need for innovations that can increase attention to the game."

<Features Group A>
Feature A1. A launching means (a game ball launching mechanism 53) that launches a game ball based on a launching operation by a player;
A variable ball entry means (a role device 150) that can be switched between a first state (open state) in which the game ball launched by the launching means can enter the ball or is easy to enter the ball, and a second state (closed state) in which the game ball cannot enter the ball or is more difficult to enter than the first state;
A bonus awarding means (a payout control device 97) for awarding a bonus to a player based on the entry of a gaming ball into the variable ball entry means;
A variable entry control means (a function of executing control processing and opening/closing processing by the main control unit 81) that changes the variable entry means from the second mode to the first mode and then executes variable entry control to the second mode;
a specific game execution means (function for executing game control processing and game state transition processing by the main control device 81) for executing a specific game (round game, first opening/closing execution mode, second opening/closing execution mode) in which the variable ball entry control is performed at least once under a predetermined condition (in the case of round game, the second opening/closing execution mode is started or a continuation condition is satisfied, in the case of the first opening/closing execution mode, a normal opening result is obtained based on winning into the operating ports 38, 39, and in the case of the second opening/closing execution mode, a jackpot is obtained);
A passing section (V winning sensor 192) through which the game ball that has entered the variable ball entry means can pass;
Equipped with
In the specific game, when the game ball passes through the passing portion, it is more advantageous for the player than when the game ball does not pass through the passing portion (when the game ball passes through the passing portion in a round game in the continuous variation mode, the next round game is executed, and when the game ball passes through the passing portion in the first opening and closing execution mode, the second opening and closing execution mode is executed).
A gaming machine characterized in that, when the specific game is executed multiple times, a specific means (second distribution member 310, shutter 221, warp passage 210, a function of controlling the operating mode of the second distribution member 310 and the shutter 221 by the main control unit 81) is provided that enables a game ball that enters the variable ball entry means in a first specific game that is executed first among the multiple specific games to pass through the passing section in a second specific game that is executed after the first specific game.

In the above configuration, when a predetermined condition is met, a specific game is executed in which variable ball entry control in which the variable ball entry means is set to the first mode is performed at least once, and when a game ball that has entered the variable ball entry means passes through the passing section, the player is in an advantageous state. For this reason, players are very interested in whether or not a game ball that has entered the variable ball entry means will pass through the passing section. Normally, a game ball can only pass through the passing section that is an advantageous opening during a specific game in which a ball has entered the variable ball entry means. In this case, there is a risk that the expectation of an advantageous state will disappear as the specific game ends.

In this regard, in the present configuration, when a specific game is played multiple times, a game ball that entered the variable ball entry means in a first specific game can pass through the passing section in a subsequent second specific game. In this case, if a game ball enters the variable ball entry means in the first specific game, the chance of using that game ball to achieve an advantageous state continues even after the first specific game ends. Therefore, it is possible to increase the duration of anticipation and interest compared to conventional gaming machines in which the chance ends with the end of the first specific game.

In addition, in the above feature A1, "the game ball that has entered the variable ball entry means has a passing section (V entry sensor 192) through which the game ball that has entered the variable ball entry means can pass, and when the game ball passes through the passing section in the specific game, it is more advantageous for the player than when the game ball does not pass through (when the game ball passes through the passing section in a round game in the continuous variable mode, the next round game is executed, and when the game ball passes through the first opening and closing execution mode, the second opening and closing execution mode is executed)" is changed to "the game ball that has entered the variable ball entry means has a passing section (V entry sensor 192) through which the game ball that has entered the variable ball entry means can pass, and when the game ball passes through the passing section in the specific game, it is more advantageous for the player than when the game ball does not pass through the passing section ... the first opening and closing execution mode, the second opening and closing execution mode is executed)" It can also be rephrased as "having a second passing section (miss sensor 193) and a distribution means (rotating body 201) capable of distributing a game ball that has entered the variable ball entry means to the first passing section and the second passing section, and when a game ball that has entered the variable ball entry means is distributed to the first passing section by the distribution means, it is more advantageous for the player than when it is distributed to the second passing section (when the game ball passes during a round play in the continuous variable mode, the next round play is executed, and when the game ball passes during the first opening and closing execution mode, the second opening and closing execution mode is executed)."

Feature A2. The gaming machine described in Feature A1 is characterized in that it is equipped with a means (second distribution member 310, guide passage 183, rotating body 201) that allows a gaming ball that has entered the variable ball entry means in the second specific game to pass through the passing section in the second specific game.

According to the above configuration, there may be cases where a game ball that entered the variable ball entry means in an earlier first specific game can pass through the passing section in a later second specific game, and cases where a game ball that entered the variable ball entry means in a later second specific game can pass through the passing section in the second specific game as is. Therefore, when acquiring an advantageous state in the second specific game, there is a chance for both the game ball that entered in the first specific game and the game ball that entered in the second specific game to acquire an advantageous state. This expands the opportunities to acquire an advantageous state, increasing the interest.

Feature A3. The identification means is
A retention means (a function of closing the shutter 221 by the main control device 81) capable of retaining at least one of the game balls that have entered the variable ball entry means in the first specific game in a predetermined area (the entrance guide section 215) upstream of the passing section without discharging the game ball from the variable ball entry means;
A retention release means (a function of opening the shutter 221 by the main control device 81) for releasing the retention so that the game ball in the predetermined area can pass through the passing section in the second specific game;
The gaming machine according to feature A1 or A2, characterized by comprising:

According to the above configuration, the game ball is retained in the variable ball entry means, and the retention is released, allowing the game ball to move towards the passing section. In this case, the timing at which the game ball passes through the passing section can be controlled by the timing of release of retention, and the game ball can pass through the passing section at a timing that is not dependent on the timing of the ball entering the variable ball entry means. For example, if the configuration makes it easier for the game ball to be carried over to the second specific game when it enters at a specific timing, such as the end of the first specific game, there is a risk of it leading to widespread targeting, but with this configuration, such behavior is suppressed, making it possible to ensure the fairness of the game.

Feature A4. A distribution means (second distribution member 310) capable of distributing the game ball that has entered the variable ball entry means to the retention means side and a side other than the retention means side;
A distribution control means (a function of controlling the switching of the second distribution member 310 by the main control device 81) that switches the distribution means between a first distribution mode (distribution state) in which the game balls can be distributed to the retention means side and a second distribution mode (non-distribution state) in which the game balls can be distributed to the different side;
Equipped with
The gaming machine described in feature A3, wherein the distribution control means includes a means for switching the distribution means to the first distribution mode after the retention is released by the retention release means.

According to the above configuration, after the game ball is released from retention, it is permitted to be distributed to the retention means. In this case, the game ball can be guided to the retention means side after space is secured in the specified area where the game ball is retained. This makes it possible to prevent the inconvenience of a game ball that has entered the variable ball entry means being prevented from retaining by game balls already retained, even though the game ball has been successfully directed toward the retention means.

Feature A5. The gaming machine described in Feature A3 or A4, characterized in that the retention release means does not release the retention when the variable ball entry means is in the first mode, and is provided with a means for releasing the retention when the variable ball entry means is in the second mode.

In the first mode, where the game ball can or will easily enter the variable ball entry means, the player's attention is likely to be focused on whether or not the game ball will enter the variable ball entry means. For this reason, if the retention is released in a situation that is the first mode, there is a risk that the player will miss the release of the retention. In this regard, in the present configuration, the retention is released in a situation that is the second mode, where the game ball cannot or will not easily enter the variable ball entry means, so that overlooking the release of the retention can be suppressed.

Feature A6. A distribution means (second distribution member 310) capable of distributing the game ball that entered the variable ball entry means in the first specific game to the retention means side and a side different from the retention means side is provided;
A gaming machine described in any of features A3 to A5, characterized in that the gaming balls distributed to the retention means side by the distribution means are capable of passing through the passing section in the second specific game, while the gaming balls distributed to the different side by the distribution means are capable of passing through the passing section in the first specific game.

According to the above configuration, it is possible to create a game in which a game ball that has entered the variable ball entry means in a first specific game is carried over to a subsequent second specific game, and a game in which the game ball is passed through a passing section in the first specific game. This diversifies the playability of the specific games, providing unprecedented and innovative playability. In addition, by using a distribution means to mediate distribution, it is possible to clarify the division of playability and reduce player confusion.

Feature A7. The gaming machine described in Feature A6, characterized in that the gaming balls sorted to the retention means side by the sorting means are more likely to pass through the passing section than the gaming balls sorted to the different side.

The above configuration can create a sense of anticipation that a game ball that enters the variable ball entry means will be distributed to the retention means. In addition, when retention occurs, it is easier for the player to have a special impression, and it is possible to generally enhance the significance of providing the retention means.

This characteristic can also be rephrased as "the probability that a game ball allocated to the retention means side by the allocation means passes through the passing section is higher than the probability that a game ball allocated to the other side passes through the passing section."

Feature A8. The gaming machine described in Feature A7, characterized in that the probability that a gaming ball that enters the variable ball entry means is allocated to the retention means by the allocation means is lower than the probability that the gaming ball is allocated to the different side by the allocation means.

The above configuration enhances the significance of providing a retention means while preventing the player from gaining an excessive advantage.

Feature A9. A first distribution means as the distribution means;
A gaming machine described in any of features A6 to A8, characterized in that it is equipped with a second distribution means (rotating body 201) capable of distributing the gaming balls distributed to the different sides by the first distribution means to a plurality of passing sections including a specific passing section as the passing section.

The above configuration adds interest to the movement of the game balls that are sorted to different sides by the first sorting means, and provides an opportunity for the balls to pass through the passing section. This makes it possible to enjoy the game even if the game ball that enters the variable ball entry means cannot be sorted to the retention means.

Feature A10. The gaming machine described in Feature A9, characterized in that the first distribution means and the second distribution means are visible from the front of the gaming machine, and the visibility of the first distribution means is lower than the visibility of the second distribution means.

According to the above configuration, by making the visibility of the first distribution means lower than that of the second distribution means, it is possible to prevent the first distribution means from being targeted at the timing of distribution to the retention means. On the other hand, it is possible to make it easier to see how the game balls are distributed by the second distribution means, which increases interest in the second distribution means and improves its presence.

Feature A11. The gaming machine according to Feature A9 or A10, characterized in that the gaming ball released from the retention by the retention release means is configured to be able to pass through the specific passing section without passing through the second sorting means.

According to the above configuration, it is no longer necessary to take the retention release balls into consideration when designing the operation of the second sorting means, and control of the second sorting means can be simplified. In addition, because the retention release balls are configured not to pass through the second sorting means, interference between the retention release balls and game balls sorted to a different side in the second sorting means is suppressed. This makes it possible to suppress the occurrence of inconveniences such as when one of the game balls is about to be sorted into a specific passing section, being blocked by the other game ball.

Feature A12. A first release means as the retention release means;
A second release means for releasing the retention so that the game ball in the predetermined area can pass through the passing section in the first specific game;
A gaming machine according to any one of features A3 to A11, characterized in that it is provided with:

According to the above configuration, there may be cases where the retention release ball passes through the passing section during the first specific game. This can increase the player's interest in the release timing, making it possible to increase the level of attention paid to the game.

Feature A13: A specific game ending means (a function for executing an open process by the main control device 81) is provided to end the specific game based on the establishment of a predetermined ending condition (the number of winning balls in the role device 150 reaches the upper limit number, or the number of times the opening/closing role device 168 is opened reaches the upper limit number) after the start of the specific game,
A gaming machine described in any of features A1 to A12, characterized in that the specific game ending means is capable of continuing the specific game until the ending condition is satisfied, even if the game ball passes through the passing section before the ending condition is satisfied in the specific game.

For example, in a configuration in which a specific game ends when a game ball passes through a passing section, if a carryover ball from a first specific game passes through the passing section in the second specific game before a ball enters the variable ball entry means, the second specific game ends without a ball entering, which can cause the player to be unable to play the second specific game to its full potential. In this regard, with this configuration, even if a game ball passes through the passing section before the end condition is met, the specific game continues until the end condition is met, thereby avoiding the above-mentioned inconvenience and making it possible to appropriately secure the playing period of the second specific game.

Feature A14: A game state transition means (a function of executing a game state transition process by the main control device 81) is provided to transition to a special game state (second opening and closing execution mode) in which the specific game (round game) can be executed multiple times;
The special game state is configured to enable execution of the next specific game based on the game ball passing through the passing portion in one of the specific games,
A gaming machine described in any of features A1 to A13, characterized in that the specific means enables a gaming ball that has entered the variable ball entry means in the first specific game to pass through the passing section in the second specific game in the special game state.

In the above configuration, there is a special game state in which a specific game can be played multiple times, and in this special game state, when a game ball passes through the passing section in one specific game, the next specific game can be played. In other words, passing the game ball through the passing section is the condition for playing the next specific game. Under such a premise, in this configuration, a game ball that enters the variable ball entry means in a first specific game that is played first can pass through the passing section in a second specific game that is played later. When a game ball passes through the passing section in the second specific game, the specific game that can be played next after the second specific game (for convenience, referred to as the third specific game) is a specific game that is played even later than the next specific game when viewed from the first specific game. In other words, according to this configuration, a game ball that enters the variable ball entry means in the first specific game affects the playing of the next specific game and thereafter, making it possible to provide novel gameplay.

Feature A15. The identification means is
A retention means (a function of closing the shutter 221 by the main control device 81) capable of retaining at least one of the game balls that have entered the variable ball entry means in the first specific game in a predetermined area (the entrance guide section 215) upstream of the passing section without discharging the game ball from the variable ball entry means;
A retention release means (a function of opening the shutter 221 by the main control device 81) for releasing the retention so that the game ball in the predetermined area can pass through the passing section in the second specific game;
Equipped with
The gaming machine described in feature A14 is characterized in that the retention release means is provided with a means for releasing the retention so that the gaming ball in the specified area can pass through the passing section in the first specific game when the gaming ball has not yet passed through the passing section at a specific timing of the first specific game (the timing when the number of winning balls in the role device 150 reaches 8).

In a configuration in which passing a game ball through a passing section is a condition for playing the next specific game, even if the game ball can be retained in the first specific game, if the game ball does not pass through the passing section, the next specific game will not be played and the retention will be for naught. In this case, the player will be very disappointed and may lose his motivation to play. In this regard, in the present configuration, if the game ball has not passed through the passing section at a specific timing in the first specific game, the retained ball is used to pass through the passing section in the first specific game. This makes it possible to avoid the inconvenience of not being able to play the next specific game while the game ball is retained. Furthermore, since such relief is limited to when there is a retained ball, it is also expected to have the effect of increasing the motivation to cause retention.

Feature A16. The predetermined condition is established based on the game ball entering the ball entry section (operation opening 38, 39) provided in the game area,
A gaming machine described in any of features A1 to A15, characterized in that, based on the game ball passing through the passing section during the specific game (first opening and closing execution mode), the gaming machine is configured to transition to a special game state (second opening and closing execution mode) which is more advantageous to the player than the specific game.

A specific game is executed based on a game ball entering a ball entry section provided in the game area, and if the game ball that entered the variable ball entry means in the specific game passes through the passing section, the player transitions to a special game state that is advantageous to the player. Under such a premise, in this configuration, a game ball that entered the variable ball entry means in a first specific game that is executed first can pass through the passing section in a second specific game that is executed later. In this case, if a game ball enters the variable ball entry means in the first specific game, a chance arises to acquire a specific game state with that game ball even after the first specific game has ended. This improves interest compared to conventional gaming machines in which the chance ends with the end of the first specific game.

Feature A17. A lottery means is provided for executing a lottery process based on the occurrence of a predetermined trigger (entry into the actuation port 38, 39),
The predetermined condition is that the lottery result of the lottery means is a specific result (a big win result),
a first gaming state (low probability mode) and a second gaming state (high probability mode) in which the lottery result of the lottery means is more likely to be the specific result than the first gaming state;
A gaming machine described in any of features A1 to A16, characterized in that it is provided with a means for transitioning the gaming state after the end of the specific game to the second gaming state based on the gaming ball passing through the passing section during the specific game.

According to the above configuration, when a game ball passes through the passing section in a specific game, a transition to a second game state occurs in which the lottery result is more likely to be a specific result. Under such a premise, in this configuration, a game ball that enters the variable ball entry means in a first specific game that is executed first can pass through the passing section in a second specific game that is executed later. In this case, if a game ball enters the variable ball entry means in the first specific game, a chance arises for that game ball to transition to the second game state even after the first specific game ends. This increases the interest compared to conventional gaming machines in which the chance ends with the end of the first specific game.

Feature A18. A launching means (a game ball launching mechanism 53) that launches game balls based on a launching operation by a player;
A variable ball entry means (a role device 150) that can be switched between a first state (open state) in which the game ball launched by the launching means can enter the ball or is easy to enter the ball, and a second state (closed state) in which the game ball cannot enter the ball or is more difficult to enter than the first state;
A bonus awarding means (a payout control device 97) for awarding a bonus to a player based on the entry of a gaming ball into the variable ball entry means;
A variable entry control means (a function of executing control processing and opening/closing processing by the main control unit 81) that changes the variable entry means from the second mode to the first mode and then executes variable entry control to the second mode;
specific game execution means (function of executing game control processing and game state transition processing by the main control device 81) for executing specific games (round games, first opening and closing execution mode, second opening and closing execution mode) in which the variable ball entry control is performed at least once under predetermined conditions (in the case of round games, the second opening and closing execution mode is started or a continuation condition is met, in the case of the first opening and closing execution mode, a normal opening result is obtained based on winning into the operating ports 38, 39, and in the case of the second opening and closing execution mode, a jackpot is obtained);
a specific means (a second distribution member 310, a shutter 221, a warp passage 210, and a function of controlling the operation modes of the second distribution member 310 and the shutter 221 by the main control device 81) for discharging a game ball that has entered the variable ball entry means in a first specific game among the multiple specific games when the specific game is played multiple times;
A gaming machine comprising:

The above configuration can provide the same effect as feature A1. Any of the configurations described in features A1 to A17 above may be applied to this feature. In this case, further effects can be achieved by applying each configuration.

Note that the technical ideas shown in any one of the configurations of features B1 to B15, features C1 to C14, features D1 to D12, features E1 to E8, features F1 to F16, and features G1 to G9 can be applied individually to each of the configurations of features A1 to A18 above, or the respective technical ideas can be applied in combination. When applying the respective technical ideas in combination, it is also possible to combine them across feature groups.

<Characteristics Group B>
Feature B1. A launching means (a game ball launching mechanism 53) that launches game balls based on a launching operation by a player;
A variable ball entry means (a role device 150) that can be switched between a first state (open state) in which the game ball launched by the launching means can enter the ball or is easy to enter the ball, and a second state (closed state) in which the game ball cannot enter the ball or is more difficult to enter than the first state;
A variable entry control means (a function of executing control processing and opening/closing processing by the main control unit 81) that changes the variable entry means from the second mode to the first mode and then executes variable entry control to the second mode;
A bonus awarding means (a payout control device 97) for awarding a bonus to a player based on the entry of a gaming ball into the variable ball entry means;
a specific game execution means (function for executing game control processing and game state transition processing by the main control device 81) for executing a specific game (round game, first opening/closing execution mode, second opening/closing execution mode) in which the variable ball entry control is performed at least once under a predetermined condition (in the case of round game, the second opening/closing execution mode is started or a continuation condition is satisfied, in the case of the first opening/closing execution mode, a normal opening result is obtained based on winning into the operating ports 38, 39, and in the case of the second opening/closing execution mode, a jackpot is obtained);
A first detection means (entrance sensor 179) capable of detecting the entry of a game ball into the variable ball entry means;
A second detection means (V winning sensor 192, loss sensor 193) capable of detecting the discharge of the game ball from the variable ball entry means;
A specific processing execution means (a function of executing a remaining ball determination process by the main control device 81) that executes a specific processing to determine the remaining status of the game balls in the variable ball entry means based on the detection results of the first detection means and the second detection means;
Equipped with
The gaming machine is characterized in that the specific processing execution means is configured to execute a single specific processing for multiple instances of the specific game, rather than executing separate specific processing for each of the specific games, when the specific game is executed multiple times.

In the above configuration, when a predetermined condition is met, a specific game is executed in which variable ball entry control is performed at least once with the variable ball entry means set to the first mode, and when a game ball enters the variable ball entry means, a bonus is awarded to the player. In this case, a specific process is executed to determine the remaining status of game balls in the variable ball entry means based on the detection results of the first and second detection means. This allows the entry and exit of game balls into the variable ball entry means to be monitored, and attempts to obtain bonuses fraudulently are suppressed.

Normally, the specific process for determining the remaining status is performed for each specific game, but in this case, it is required that the number of balls entered and the number of balls discharged are consistent at the end of the specific game. For this reason, all game balls that entered the variable ball entry means in a specific game must be discharged during that specific game, limiting the freedom of game design. In this regard, with this configuration, one specific process is executed for multiple specific games, so it is sufficient that the number of balls entered and the number of balls discharged during multiple specific games correspond. This makes it possible to end a specific game with game balls remaining in the variable ball entry means, increasing the freedom of game design. In addition, since the frequency with which the specific process is executed can be reduced, it is possible to reduce the processing load of the specific process.

Feature B2: A game state transition means (a function of executing a game state transition process by the main control device 81) that transitions to a special game state (second opening and closing execution mode) in which the specific game (round game) can be executed multiple times;
A passing section (V winning sensor 192) through which the game ball that has entered the variable ball entry means can pass;
Equipped with
The special game state is configured to enable execution of the next specific game based on the game ball passing through the passing portion in one of the specific games,
The gaming machine described in feature B1 is characterized in that the specific processing execution means is configured to execute a single specific processing for multiple specific games in the special game state, rather than executing a separate specific processing for each specific game.

In the above configuration, there is a special game state in which a specific game can be played multiple times, and in this special game state, when the game ball passes through the passing section in one specific game, the next specific game can be played. In other words, passing the game ball through the passing section is a condition for playing the next specific game. Under such a premise, in this configuration, in the special game state, it is possible to execute one of the specific processes for multiple specific games. In this case, a game ball that entered the variable ball entry means in one specific game is carried over to the next or subsequent specific game and passes through the passing section, thereby determining the play of the specific game, thereby realizing a novel gameplay.

Feature B3. The gaming machine described in Feature B2, characterized in that the specific process execution means does not execute the specific process for each specific game in the special game state, but is equipped with a means for executing the specific process in response to the end of the final round of the specific game (a function for executing a remaining ball determination process by the main control device 81).

According to the above configuration, a single specific process is executed for all special game states at once, so the specific process can be executed less frequently, reducing the processing load. In addition, because the specific process is executed for each special game state, there is no need to switch between allowing game balls to be carried over in one specific game and restricting carryover in another specific game, simplifying the configuration and processing for controlling whether or not to carry over.

Feature B4. The gaming machine described in Feature B2 or B3, characterized in that it is provided with a means (second distribution member 310, shutter 221, warp passage 210) for carrying over at least one of the gaming balls that entered the variable ball entry means in a first specific game executed earlier among the specific games executed in the special game state to a second specific game executed after the first specific game without ejecting it from the variable ball entry means, and allowing it to pass through the passing section in the second specific game.

According to the above configuration, a game ball that enters the variable ball entry means in a first specific game that is executed first can pass through the passing section in a second specific game that is executed later. When a game ball passes through the passing section in the second specific game, the specific game that is executed next after the second specific game (for convenience, referred to as the third specific game) becomes executable, and this third specific game is an even later specific game from the perspective of the first specific game. In other words, according to this configuration, a game ball that enters the variable ball entry means in the first specific game affects the execution of the next specific game and thereafter, making it possible to provide innovative gameplay.

When this feature is applied to feature B3, a single specific process is executed for the special game state all at once, so it is expected that it will be possible to appropriately determine remaining ball abnormalities even in a configuration in which the game ball that entered the variable ball entry means is carried over to a later specific game.

Feature B5. Among the specific games executed in the special game state, at least one of the game balls that entered the variable ball entry means in a first specific game executed earlier is carried over to a second specific game executed after the first specific game without being discharged from the variable ball entry means, and is made capable of passing through the passing section in the second specific game (the second distribution member 310, the shutter 221, the warp passage 210);
The carryover is permitted in the first specific game, whereas the carryover is restricted in the second specific game;
The gaming machine described in feature B2 is characterized in that the specific processing execution means does not perform the specific processing corresponding to the end of the first specific game, but is equipped with a means for executing the specific processing corresponding to the end of the second specific game (a function for executing a remaining ball determination process by the main control unit 81).

According to the above configuration, a game ball that enters the variable ball entry means in a first specific game that is executed first can pass through the passing section in a second specific game that is executed later. When a game ball passes through the passing section in the second specific game, the specific game that is executed next after the second specific game (for convenience, referred to as the third specific game) becomes executable, and this third specific game is an even later specific game from the perspective of the first specific game. In other words, according to this configuration, a game ball that enters the variable ball entry means in the first specific game affects the execution of the next specific game and thereafter, making it possible to provide innovative gameplay.

Furthermore, in this configuration, by restricting carryover in the second specific game, the number of balls entering the variable ball entry means and the number of balls ejected can be made consistent at the end of the second specific game. Furthermore, since the configuration is such that specific processing is performed at the end of the second specific game, the specific processing can be performed in the middle of the special game state. This allows abnormalities in the remaining balls to be identified quickly, and in the event of fraudulent activity, damage to the gaming facility can be prevented from becoming too great. Also, since specific processing is not performed at the end of the first specific game, where carryover is permitted, erroneous determination of abnormalities in the remaining balls can be prevented.

Feature B6. In the special game state, the specific game can be executed up to a predetermined number of times.
The gaming machine according to feature B5, wherein at least the specific game one before the specific number of times is the second specific game.

Even if a game ball that entered the variable ball entry means in the specific game one before the specific number of times passes through the passing section in the specific game of the specific number of times, the next specific game will not be executed, so there is little benefit to the player who is allowed to carry over the game ball in the specific game one before the specific number of times. Taking advantage of this characteristic, this configuration is configured so that the specific game one before the specific number of times is treated as a specific game in which carryover is restricted, and a specific process is executed at the end of that game. This makes it possible to execute a specific process in the middle of a special game state without compromising the player's interests.

Feature B7: A retention means (a function of closing the shutter 221 by the main control device 81) capable of retaining at least one of the game balls that entered the variable ball entry means in the first specific game in a predetermined area (the entrance guide section 215) upstream of the passing section without being discharged from the variable ball entry means;
A retention release means (a function of opening the shutter 221 by the main control device 81) for releasing the retention so that the game ball in the predetermined area can pass through the passing section in the second specific game;
A gaming machine according to any one of features B4 to B6, characterized in that it is provided with:

According to the above configuration, it is possible to realize a practically preferable mode for carrying over the game ball. In particular, the time for which the game ball remains in the variable ball entry means after the end of the first specific game can be controlled by the release timing of the retention release means. This makes it possible to carry over the game ball to the second specific game without having to increase the retention time by expanding the retention area or extending the ball passage, and it is possible to suppress the size of the variable ball entry means and the complexity of the configuration. In addition, by providing the retention release means, it is possible to carry over the game ball to the second specific game regardless of the timing of the retention. For example, if the game ball is carried over to the second specific game only when retention occurs at a specific timing, the player will need to pay attention to the timing of the retention, which will easily distract him/her. In this regard, according to the present configuration, such consideration is unnecessary, and it is possible to play by concentrating on the retention.

Feature B8. A gaming machine according to any one of Features B1 to B7, characterized in that it is equipped with an abnormality response means (a function for executing a game stop process by the main control device 81) that executes an abnormality response process (a game stop process) when a remaining ball abnormality is detected as a result of the identification process.

With the above configuration, if an abnormality in the remaining balls is detected, an abnormality response process is executed, making it possible to prevent fraudulent behavior.

Feature B9: A retention means (a function of closing the shutter 221 by the main control device 81) capable of retaining at least one of the game balls that entered the variable ball entry means in a first specific game that is executed first among the multiple specific games in a predetermined area (the entrance guide section 215) within the variable ball entry means without discharging the game ball from the variable ball entry means;
A release means (a function of causing the main control device 81 to open the shutter 221) for releasing the retention so that the game ball in the predetermined area is discharged from the variable ball entry means in a second specific game that is executed after the first specific game;
Equipped with
The gaming machine described in feature B8 is characterized in that the abnormality response means is provided with a means for executing the abnormality response processing without releasing the retention by the retention means when a remaining ball abnormality is detected.

According to the above configuration, since the trapped balls are not released when the abnormality response process is released, it is possible to ensure that an attendant at the amusement facility is present with the trapped balls remaining. This makes it possible to use the trapped balls to rescue the player if the attendant is able to confirm that no fraudulent activity is occurring.

Feature B10: An abnormality canceling means (a function of executing main processing by the main control device 81) is provided to cancel the abnormality response processing executed by the abnormality response means;
The abnormality canceling means is
a first means for canceling the abnormality response process by preventing the retention from being released when a specific operation is performed (when the power switch 92b is operated without pressing the RAM erase switch 98a);
a second means for releasing the abnormality response process by releasing the retention when an operation other than the specific operation is performed (when the RAM erase switch 98a is pressed and the power switch 92b is operated);
The gaming machine described in feature B9 is characterized by comprising:

According to the above configuration, by changing the operation mode, it is possible to select whether or not to leave the stuck balls and cancel the abnormality response process. This makes it possible to change the response depending on the confirmation result when an attendant at the game center checks whether or not the cause of the remaining ball abnormality is cheating.

Feature B11. A launching means (a game ball launching mechanism 53) that launches game balls based on a launching operation by a player;
A variable ball entry means (a role device 150) that can be switched between a first state (open state) in which the game ball launched by the launching means can enter the ball or is easy to enter the ball, and a second state (closed state) in which the game ball cannot enter the ball or is more difficult to enter than the first state;
A variable entry control means (a function of executing opening and closing processing by the main control unit 81) that changes the variable entry means from the second mode to the first mode and then executes variable entry control to the second mode;
A bonus awarding means (a payout control device 97) for awarding a bonus to a player based on the entry of a gaming ball into the variable ball entry means;
A round game execution means (a function of executing a game state transition process by the main control device 81) executes a round game (round game) in which the variable ball entry control is performed at least once under a predetermined condition (the second opening/closing execution mode is started or a continuation condition is satisfied);
A first detection means (entrance sensor 179) capable of detecting the entry of a game ball into the variable ball entry means;
A second detection means (V winning sensor 192, loss sensor 193) capable of detecting the discharge of the game ball from the variable ball entry means;
A specific processing execution means (a function of executing a remaining ball determination process by the main control device 81) that executes a specific processing to determine the remaining status of the game balls in the variable ball entry means based on the detection results of the first detection means and the second detection means;
Equipped with
A gaming machine characterized in that the specific processing execution means is configured to execute a single specific processing for multiple rounds of play when the round of play is executed multiple times, rather than executing separate specific processing for each round of play.

The above configuration can achieve the same effect as feature B1. In this feature, a "round game" can be expressed as "a game that ends when the number of game balls that have entered the variable ball entry means reaches a predetermined upper limit, or when the period or number of times that the variable ball entry means is in the second mode reaches a predetermined upper limit." In addition, any of the configurations described in features B1 to B10 above may be applied to this feature. In this case, further effects can be achieved by applying each configuration.

Feature B12: A launching means (a game ball launching mechanism 53) that launches game balls based on a launching operation by a player;
A variable ball entry means (a role device 150) that can be switched between a first state (open state) in which the game ball launched by the launching means can enter the ball or is easy to enter the ball, and a second state (closed state) in which the game ball cannot enter the ball or is more difficult to enter than the first state;
A variable entry control means (a function of executing control processing and opening/closing processing by the main control unit 81) that changes the variable entry means from the second mode to the first mode and then executes variable entry control to the second mode;
A bonus awarding means (a payout control device 97) for awarding a bonus to a player based on the entry of a gaming ball into the variable ball entry means;
a specific game execution means (function for executing game control processing and game state transition processing by the main control device 81) for executing a specific game (round game, first opening/closing execution mode, second opening/closing execution mode) in which the variable ball entry control is performed at least once under a predetermined condition (in the case of round game, the second opening/closing execution mode is started or a continuation condition is satisfied, in the case of the first opening/closing execution mode, a normal opening result is obtained based on winning into the operating ports 38, 39, and in the case of the second opening/closing execution mode, a jackpot is obtained);
A first detection means (entrance sensor 179) capable of detecting the entry of a game ball into the variable ball entry means;
A second detection means (V winning sensor 192, loss sensor 193) capable of detecting the discharge of the game ball from the variable ball entry means;
A specific processing execution means (a function of executing a remaining ball determination process by the main control device 81) that executes a specific processing to determine the remaining status of the game balls in the variable ball entry means based on the detection results of the first detection means and the second detection means;
Equipped with
A gaming machine characterized in that the specific processing execution means is configured to be able to execute the specific processing for the entry of a gaming ball into the variable ball entry means during the specific game and the discharge of the entered gaming ball at a specific timing after the specific game has ended.

In the above configuration, when a predetermined condition is met, a specific game is executed in which variable ball entry control is performed at least once with the variable ball entry means set to the first mode, and when a game ball enters the variable ball entry means, a bonus is awarded to the player. In this case, a specific process is executed to determine the remaining status of game balls in the variable ball entry means based on the detection results of the first and second detection means. This allows the entry and exit of game balls into the variable ball entry means to be monitored, and attempts to obtain bonuses fraudulently are suppressed.

Normally, the specific process for determining the remaining status is performed at the end of a specific game, but in this case, it is required that the number of balls entered and the number of balls discharged are consistent at the end of the specific game. For this reason, all game balls that entered the variable ball entry means in a specific game must be discharged during that specific game, limiting the freedom of game design. In this regard, with this configuration, the specific process is executed at a specific timing after the end of the specific game, so it is sufficient that the number of balls entered and the number of balls discharged correspond at that specific timing. This makes it possible to end the specific game with game balls remaining in the variable ball entry means, increasing the freedom of game design.

Feature B13. The variable ball entry control has a first control mode (opening and closing patterns P1 and P2) and a second control mode (short opening mode) in which the game ball is less likely to enter the variable ball entry means than the first control mode,
The gaming machine described in feature B12 is characterized in that, when the specific processing is executed after a first specific game that is executed first among multiple specific games, the specific processing can be executed in a situation where the variable ball entry control is being performed by the second control mode in a second specific game that is executed next to the first specific game.

Considering the smooth progress of the game, it is more desirable to execute the specific game in parallel, rather than executing the specific process first and then executing the specific game. In this regard, the above configuration is provided with a second control mode as one mode of variable ball entry control, and is configured to perform the specific process during the execution period of that control mode. When variable ball entry control is performed in the second control mode, it is difficult for game balls to enter the variable ball entry means, so by performing the specific process in accordance with that period, it is possible to prevent inconsistencies between the number of balls that enter and the number of balls that are discharged. In other words, with this configuration, the specific process can be executed during the second specific game, promoting the smooth progress of the game.

Feature B14: A launching means (a game ball launching mechanism 53) that launches game balls based on a launching operation by a player;
A variable ball entry means (a role device 150) that can be switched between a first state (open state) in which the game ball launched by the launching means can enter the ball or is easy to enter the ball, and a second state (closed state) in which the game ball cannot enter the ball or is more difficult to enter than the first state;
A variable entry control means (a function of executing control processing and opening/closing processing by the main control unit 81) that changes the variable entry means from the second mode to the first mode and then executes variable entry control to the second mode;
A bonus awarding means (a payout control device 97) for awarding a bonus to a player based on the entry of a gaming ball into the variable ball entry means;
A game state transition means (a function of executing a game state transition process by the main control device 81) for transitioning a round game (a round game, a first opening and closing execution mode, a second opening and closing execution mode) in which the variable ball entry control is performed at least once under a predetermined condition (a big win) to a special game state (a second opening and closing execution mode) in which the variable ball entry control can be performed multiple times;
A first detection means (entrance sensor 179) capable of detecting the entry of a game ball into the variable ball entry means;
A second detection means (V winning sensor 192, loss sensor 193) capable of detecting the discharge of the game ball from the variable ball entry means;
A specific processing execution means (a function of executing a remaining ball determination process by the main control device 81) that executes a specific processing to determine the remaining status of the game balls in the variable ball entry means based on the detection results of the first detection means and the second detection means;
A means for restricting the execution of the specific process in a predetermined round of play executed in the specific game state (a function for not executing a remaining ball determination for each round of play, or for not executing a remaining ball determination at the end of the second to fourth rounds of play);
A gaming machine comprising:

In the above configuration, when a predetermined condition is met, a transition to a special game state occurs, and when a game ball enters the variable ball entry means, a bonus is awarded to the player. In this case, a specific process is executed to determine the remaining status of game balls in the variable ball entry means based on the detection results of the first and second detection means. This allows the entry and exit of game balls into and from the variable ball entry means to be monitored, and attempts to obtain bonuses fraudulently are suppressed.

Normally, the specific process for determining the remaining status is performed for each round of play, but in this case, it is required that the number of balls entered and the number of balls discharged at the end of the specific game are consistent. For this reason, all game balls that entered the variable ball entry means in the specific game must be discharged during that round of play, which limits the freedom of game design. In this respect, according to the present configuration, the execution of the specific process is limited in a specified round of play during the specific game state, making it possible to end the round of play with game balls remaining in the variable ball entry means, thereby increasing the freedom of game design. In addition, since the frequency of execution of the specific process can be reduced, it is possible to reduce the processing load of the specific process. Note that any of the configurations described in the above features B1 to B13 may be applied to this feature. In this case, further effects can be achieved by applying each configuration.

Feature B15: A launching means (a game ball launching mechanism 53) that launches game balls based on a launching operation by a player;
A variable ball entry means (a role device 150) that can be switched between a first state (open state) in which the game ball launched by the launching means can enter the ball or is easy to enter the ball, and a second state (closed state) in which the game ball cannot enter the ball or is more difficult to enter than the first state;
A variable entry control means (a function of executing control processing and opening/closing processing by the main control unit 81) that changes the variable entry means from the second mode to the first mode and then executes variable entry control to the second mode;
A bonus awarding means (a payout control device 97) for awarding a bonus to a player based on the entry of a gaming ball into the variable ball entry means;
A first detection means (entrance sensor 179) capable of detecting the entry of a game ball into the variable ball entry means;
A second detection means (V winning sensor 192, loss sensor 193) capable of detecting the discharge of the game ball from the variable ball entry means;
A specific processing execution means (a function of executing a remaining ball determination process by the main control device 81) that executes a specific processing to determine the remaining status of the game balls in the variable ball entry means based on the detection results of the first detection means and the second detection means;
Equipped with
The gaming machine is characterized in that the specific processing execution means is configured to execute a single specific processing for multiple occurrences of the variable ball entry control, rather than performing a separate specific processing for each variable ball entry control, when the variable ball entry control is executed multiple times.

The above configuration can provide the same effect as feature B1. In addition, any of the configurations described in features B1 to B14 above may be applied to this feature. In this case, further effects can be achieved by applying each configuration.

Note that the technical ideas shown in any one of the configurations of features A1 to A18, features C1 to C14, features D1 to D12, features E1 to E8, features F1 to F16, and features G1 to G9 can be applied individually to each of the configurations of features B1 to B15 above, or the respective technical ideas can be applied in combination. When applying the respective technical ideas in combination, it is also possible to combine them across feature groups.

<Characteristics Group C>
Feature C1. A launching means (a game ball launching mechanism 53) that launches a game ball based on a launching operation by a player;
A variable ball entry means (a role device 150) that can be switched between a first state (open state) in which the game ball launched by the launching means can enter the ball or is easy to enter the ball, and a second state (closed state) in which the game ball cannot enter the ball or is more difficult to enter than the first state;
A variable entry control means (a function of executing opening and closing processing by the main control unit 81) that changes the variable entry means from the second mode to the first mode and then executes variable entry control to the second mode;
A bonus awarding means (a payout control device 97) for awarding a bonus to a player based on the entry of a gaming ball into the variable ball entry means;
Equipped with
The specific game in which the variable ball entry control is performed at least once includes a first specific game (first opening and closing execution mode) that is executed under a first condition, and a second specific game (second opening and closing execution mode) that is more advantageous to a player than the first specific game and that is executed under a second condition different from the first condition,
The second condition is that the game ball that entered the variable ball entry means in the first specific game passes through a passing section (V entry sensor 192),
a specific means (a second distribution member 310, a shutter 221, a warp passage 210, a function of controlling the operation mode of the second distribution member 310 and the shutter 221 by the main control device 81) capable of retaining at least one of the game balls that have entered the variable ball entry means in the second specific game in a specific area (the entrance guide section 215) upstream of the passage section until a specific timing that is the end of the second specific game;
A gaming machine comprising:

In the above configuration, in order to generate a second specific game that is advantageous to the player, it is necessary to cause a game ball to enter the variable ball entry means and for that game ball to pass through the passing section. Under such circumstances, in this configuration, it is possible for at least one of the game balls that entered the variable ball entry means in the second specific game to remain in the variable ball entry means even after the second specific game ends. According to this configuration, even if a game ball is not entered into the variable ball entry means after the second specific game ends, a game ball will be present in the variable ball entry means, and a new second specific game will be executed when that game ball passes through the passing section. In other words, according to this configuration, it is possible to generate a new second specific game by a game ball that entered the variable ball entry means during the second specific game, which increases the interest.

Feature C2. The gaming machine described in Feature C1 is characterized in that it is equipped with a means (a function for executing the processing of steps S1905 and S1906 by the main control device 81) that causes a state in which the stagnation occurs and a state in which the stagnation does not occur when the second specific game ends.

According to the above configuration, the game balls do not always remain stuck at the end of the second specific game. This adds to the fun of enjoying whether or not you can cause a stuck ball to occur at the end of the second specific game, and increases the interest compared to a case where the second specific game is simply played vaguely.

Feature C3. The gaming machine described in Feature C1 or C2, characterized in that the specifying means includes a means for releasing the retention regardless of the game status when the specific timing occurs after the second specific game ends (a function for executing the processing of step S3009 by the main control device 81).

In the above configuration, when the specific timing occurs after the second specific game, the game ball is released from the retention state regardless of the game situation at that time, so the gaming machine does not adjust the timing between the timing when the retention-released ball passes through the passing section and the timing when the first specific game is executed. This leaves room for the player to generate the first specific game to coincide with the timing when the retention-released ball passes through the passing section, which adds to the fun of enjoying whether or not the two timings coincide. Note that in this feature, "regardless of the game situation" may be rephrased as "regardless of the execution status of the first specific game."

Feature C4. The gaming machine according to Feature C3, further comprising a notification control means for controlling a predetermined notification means so that a predetermined notification indicating the specific timing or the period until the specific timing is issued by the predetermined notification means.

According to the above configuration, if there is a retained ball at the end of the second specific game, it is possible to predict the timing at which the retained ball will pass through the passing section by referring to a predetermined notification. As a result, a game is created in which the first specific game is generated to coincide with the predicted timing, which increases the game's interest.

In addition to or instead of feature C4, the feature "includes a notification control means for controlling the specified notification means so that a specific notification indicating the progress of the period until the specific timing or the period of time that has elapsed since the end of the second specific game is issued by the specified notification means" may be provided. In this case as well, by referring to the specific notification, it becomes possible to predict the timing at which the retained ball will pass through the passing section, and it becomes possible to achieve the same effect as feature C4. In addition, when this feature is provided in addition to feature C4, the specific notification may be issued by the same notification means as the notification means that issues the specific notification, or may be issued by a different notification means.

Feature C5. A ball entry section (operation opening 38, 39) into which the game ball launched by the launching means can enter and which serves as a starting point for the first specific game;
A holding means (holding ball storage area 114b) capable of holding the execution of the start trigger corresponding to a ball entering the ball entrance section when the game ball enters the ball entrance section during the execution of the second specific game;
A means for executing the first specific game based on the reservation after the end of the second specific game when the reservation exists at the end of the second specific game (a function for executing a data setting process by the main control device 81);
A gaming machine according to any one of features C1 to C4, characterized in that it is provided with:

According to the above configuration, if there is a reserve at the end of the second specific game, the reserve can be used to generate the first specific game, whereas if there is no reserve, the first specific game cannot be generated unless the game ball enters the ball entry section. In other words, if a reserve is generated, the occurrence of the first specific game can be made easier than if there is no reserve, and the game can be played advantageously. Furthermore, in the above configuration, if a ball enters the ball entry section during the execution of the second specific game, a reserve is generated. This allows the second specific game to simultaneously provide the enjoyment of having the game ball enter the variable ball entry means and the enjoyment of having the game ball enter the ball entry section to generate a reserve.

Feature C6. The gaming machine described in Feature C5, characterized in that the ball entry section is located downstream of the variable ball entry means.

According to the above configuration, since the ball entry section is located downstream of the variable ball entry means, in the second specific game, it is possible to provide the player with the fun of having a ball that has spilled from the variable ball entry means placed on hold. This makes it possible to attract the player's interest even in game balls that have not entered the variable ball entry means, and to increase the attention paid to the game.

Feature C7. A gaming machine according to any one of Features C3 to C6, characterized in that it is provided with a means for executing the first specific game at a first timing (after 2 seconds of waiting time for opening) if the first condition is met and the first result (the acquired value of the opening type counter CS is 50 to 99) after the end of the second specific game, and for executing the first specific game at a second timing (after 0.5 seconds of waiting time for opening) different from the first timing if the first condition is met and the second result (the acquired value of the opening type counter CS is 0 to 49) different from the first result.

According to the above configuration, the timing of execution of the first specific game when the first condition is met is diversified. In this case, even if the first condition is met by predicting the timing at which the retention release ball passes through the passing section, it becomes difficult to match the passing timing with the timing of execution of the first specific game. This makes it possible to suppress targeting and ensure the fairness of the game.

Feature C8. A ball entry section (operation opening 38, 39) into which the game ball launched by the launching means can enter and which serves as a starting point for the first specific game;
A holding means (holding ball storage area 114b) capable of holding the execution of the start trigger corresponding to a ball entering the ball entrance section when the game ball enters the ball entrance section during the execution of the second specific game;
a first specific game execution means (a function of executing a data setting process by the main control device 81) capable of executing the first specific game based on the reservation after the end of the second specific game when the reservation exists at the end of the second specific game;
Equipped with
The gaming machine described in feature C3 is configured such that, when the first specific game based on the hold is executed at a first timing (after an open waiting time of 2 seconds has elapsed), the released-stuck ball is in a first state in the first specific game in which it can pass through the passing section or passes through it easily, and when the first specific game is executed at a second timing (after an open waiting time of 0.5 seconds has elapsed) different from the first timing, the released-stuck ball is in a second state in which it cannot pass through the passing section or passes through it more difficult than in the first state in the first specific game.

According to the above configuration, if there is a reserved ball at the end of the second specific game, the reserved ball can be used to generate the first specific game, whereas if there is no reserved ball, the first specific game cannot be generated unless the game ball is inserted into the ball entry section. In other words, if a reserved ball is generated, the occurrence of the first specific game can be facilitated, and the game can be played advantageously. However, if the first specific game based on the reserved ball is executed at the first timing, the second specific game is more likely to occur, but if it is executed at the second timing, the second specific game is less likely to occur. In other words, if there is a reserved ball at the end of the second specific game, the second specific game is not guaranteed to be played consecutively, and the player cannot relax even if the game ball is retained and a reserved ball is generated. This allows the player to continue to pay attention to the development of the game after the second specific game is finished, and it is possible to increase the level of attention to the game.

Feature C9. A destination specification means (a function of executing a look-ahead by the main control device 81) that specifies whether the first specific game based on the reservation will be executed at the first timing before the start trigger based on the reservation is executed;
a notification control means for controlling a predetermined notification means so that a specific notification is issued by the predetermined notification means before the end of the second specific game when the first specific game is specified to be executed at the first timing by the destination specification means;
The gaming machine described in feature C8 is characterized by being equipped with:

The above configuration allows the player to play the second specific game knowing that if the game ball is still stuck at the end of the second specific game, the possibility of a consecutive win increases. This significantly increases the player's motivation to have a stuck state at the end of the second specific game, and further increases the attention paid to the game ball that has entered the variable ball entry means.

Feature C10. A gaming machine according to any one of Features C1 to C9, characterized in that after the second specific game ends, the gaming ball remaining in the variable ball entry means is visible from the front of the gaming machine.

The above configuration allows the player to visually determine whether or not there is a congestion, and when a congestion occurs, it is possible to effectively stimulate the expectation that a new second specific game will occur.

Feature C11. A first detection means (entrance sensor 179) capable of detecting the entry of a game ball into the variable ball entry means;
A second detection means (V winning sensor 192, loss sensor 193) capable of detecting the discharge of the game ball from the variable ball entry means;
A specific processing execution means (a function of executing a remaining ball determination process by the main control device 81) executes a specific processing to determine the remaining status of the game balls in the variable ball entry means based on the detection results of the first detection means and the second detection means,
A gaming machine described in any of features C1 to C10, characterized in that the specific processing execution means is provided with a means for executing the specific processing for the entry of a gaming ball into the variable ball entry means in the second specific game and the discharge of the entered gaming ball after the retained gaming ball is discharged from the variable ball entry means.

With the above configuration, even if the second specific game ends with game balls remaining in the variable ball entry means, the number of balls that enter the variable ball entry means and the number of balls that are discharged can be matched in the specific process, making it possible to appropriately determine the number of remaining balls.

Feature C12. The specific process execution means includes a means for executing the specific process when a predetermined judgment waiting period (6 sec) has elapsed after the end of the second specific game (a function for executing the process of step S3010 by the main control device 81);
The gaming machine described in feature C11, wherein the predetermined judgment waiting period is longer than the period until the retained gaming ball is discharged from the variable ball entry means.

In the above configuration, the specific process is executed in response to the lapse of a judgment waiting period after the second specific game ends, and the judgment waiting period is set to be a period longer than the period until the retained ball is discharged from the variable ball entry means. This makes it possible to execute the specific process after the retained ball is discharged without having to perform a process to confirm whether or not the retained ball has been discharged.

Feature C13. The gaming machine according to Feature C12, characterized in that the specific process execution means executes the specific process in response to the passage of the judgment waiting period if the first specific game is not being played when the judgment waiting period has elapsed, and also includes means for executing the specific process in response to the end of the first specific game if the first specific game is being played when the judgment waiting period has elapsed (a function for executing the processes of steps S3012 to S3016 and S3002 to S3005 by the main control device 81).

For example, in a configuration in which a specific process is performed in response to the passage of the judgment waiting period when the first specific game is being played when the judgment waiting period has elapsed, if a ball enters the variable ball entry means just before the judgment waiting period has elapsed and the game ball that entered is discharged after the period has elapsed, the specific process is performed with the number of balls discharged being less than the number of balls entered, leading to an erroneous determination of an abnormality in the remaining balls. In this regard, in this configuration, if the first specific game is being played when the judgment waiting period has elapsed, the specific process is performed after the first specific game has ended, so the specific process can be performed by aligning the number of balls entered and the number of balls discharged, thereby suppressing the above-mentioned erroneous determination.

Feature C14: A launching means (a game ball launching mechanism 53) that launches game balls based on a launching operation by a player;
A variable ball entry means (a role device 150) that can be switched between a first state (open state) in which the game ball launched by the launching means can enter the ball or is easy to enter the ball, and a second state (closed state) in which the game ball cannot enter the ball or is more difficult to enter than the first state;
A variable entry control means (a function of executing opening and closing processing by the main control unit 81) that changes the variable entry means from the second mode to the first mode and then executes variable entry control to the second mode;
A bonus awarding means (a payout control device 97) for awarding a bonus to a player based on the entry of a gaming ball into the variable ball entry means;
A specific means (a second distribution member 310, a shutter 221, a warp passage 210, a function of controlling the operation mode of the second distribution member 310 and the shutter 221 by the main control unit 81) capable of retaining at least one of the game balls that entered the variable ball entry means by the variable ball entry control within the variable ball entry means even after the variable ball entry control has been performed;
A gaming machine comprising:

The above configuration can provide the same effect as feature C1. In addition, any of the configurations described in features C1 to C13 above may be applied to this feature. In this case, further effects can be achieved by applying each configuration.

Note that the technical ideas shown in any one of the configurations of features A1 to A18, features B1 to B15, features D1 to D12, features E1 to E8, features F1 to F16, and features G1 to G9 can be applied individually to each of the configurations of features C1 to C14 above, or the respective technical ideas can be applied in combination. When applying the respective technical ideas in combination, it is also possible to combine them across feature groups.

<Feature D group>
Feature D1. A launching means (a game ball launching mechanism 53) that launches a game ball based on a launching operation by a player;
A variable ball entry means (a role device 150) that can be switched between a first state (open state) in which the game ball launched by the launching means can enter the ball or is easy to enter the ball, and a second state (closed state) in which the game ball cannot enter the ball or is more difficult to enter than the first state;
A variable entry control means (a function of executing processing during control by the main control unit 81) that changes the variable entry means from the second mode to the first mode and then executes variable entry control to the second mode;
A bonus awarding means (a payout control device 97) for awarding a bonus to a player based on the entry of a gaming ball into the variable ball entry means;
A specific game execution means (a function of executing game control processing by the main control device 81) executes a specific game (first opening/closing execution mode) in which the variable ball entry control is performed at least once under a predetermined condition (a winning ball entering the operating port 38, 39);
A specific means for enabling at least one of the game balls that entered the variable ball entry means during the specific game to be discharged from the variable ball entry means after the specific game (a function of controlling the second distribution member 310, the shutter 221, the warp passage 210, and the operation mode of the second distribution member 310 and the shutter 221 by the main control device 81);
Equipped with
The gaming machine is characterized in that the determination means is provided with a means for setting the timing of the discharge of the game ball from the variable ball entry means to a first timing when the game result after the specific game is a first game result (when a first opening and closing execution mode occurs within a specified period of time), and setting the timing of the discharge of the game ball from the variable ball entry means to a second timing different from the first timing when the game result after the specific game is a second game result different from the first game result (when a specified period of time has passed without the first opening and closing execution mode occurring).

In the above configuration, a game ball that has entered the variable ball entry means during a specific game can be discharged from the variable ball entry means after the specific game. In this case, the timing of the game ball discharge is diversified to a plurality of timings including a first timing and a second timing, which can improve interest compared to a case where the discharge timing is uniform. Furthermore, the first timing is set when the game result after the specific game is the first game result, and the second timing is set when the game result after the specific game is the second game result. In this case, the game after the specific game ends affects the timing of the discharge of the game ball that has entered the variable ball entry means during the specific game. This increases interest in the game after the specific game ends, making it possible to increase the level of attention to the game.

Feature D2. A gaming machine as described in Feature D1, characterized in that the degree of advantage to the player differs depending on whether the timing of the discharge of the gaming ball from the variable ball entry means is the first timing or the second timing.

The above configuration makes it possible to generate strong interest in whether the game result after the specific game is the first game result or the second game result, further increasing the level of attention paid to the game after the specific game is completed.

Feature D3. After the specific game, if the first game result is not obtained, the second game result is obtained;
A gaming machine according to feature D1 or D2, characterized in that the configuration is such that discharging the gaming ball at the first timing is more advantageous to the player than discharging the gaming ball at the second timing.

The above configuration stimulates the player's desire to ensure that the game result after the specific game becomes the first game result, and the player's attention to the game after the specific game ends is further increased.

Feature D4. A game state transition means (a function of executing a game state transition process by the main control device 81) is provided that transitions to a special game state (second opening and closing execution mode) that is more advantageous to the player than the specific game based on a predetermined game result (V winning) caused by a game ball that has entered the variable ball entry means;
The first game result is that the predetermined condition is established by a specific timing after the end of the specific game,
A gaming machine described in any of features D1 to D3, characterized in that the determination means is provided with a means (a function of executing the processing of steps S3301 and S3302 by the main control unit 81) for discharging game balls so that, when the first game result is achieved after the previous specific game, the specified game result is achieved with game balls carried over from the previous specific game in the subsequent specific game executed in response to the first game result.

According to the above configuration, if the predetermined condition is met by a specific timing after the end of the specific game, the game ball that entered the variable ball entry means in the previous specific game can transition to a special game state. This makes it possible to provide an advantageous period that makes it easier to transition to the special game state after the end of the specific game. As a result, the game after the specific game becomes more exciting, and it is possible to appropriately increase the attention to the game. In addition, since the advantageous period is limited to a specific timing, it is possible to create cases where the advantageous period ends without the predetermined condition being met. This allows the player to play with the thrill of the advantageous period possibly ending without the predetermined condition being met, increasing the fun factor.

Feature D5. The gaming machine described in Feature D4 is characterized in that it is equipped with a means (a function of controlling the operation mode of the second distribution member 310 and the rotating body 201 by the second distribution member 310, the rotating body 201, and the main control device 81) that allows the gaming ball to achieve the predetermined game result in the specific game when the gaming ball enters the variable ball entry means in the specific game.

According to the above configuration, a predetermined game result can also be achieved in the earlier specific game. In this case, multiple opportunities for transitioning to the special game state can be provided: a first opportunity to achieve a predetermined game result in the earlier specific game, and a second opportunity to achieve a predetermined game result in the later specific game by achieving a predetermined condition by a specific timing. Normally, transitioning to the special game state is limited to when a predetermined game result is achieved in one specific game, but according to this configuration, there is still room to transition to the special game state even after the end of the specific game, increasing interest.

Feature D6. A gaming machine according to feature D4 or D5, characterized in that the predetermined condition is met based on a gaming ball entering a ball entry section (operating opening 38, 39) provided in the gaming area.

According to the above configuration, the predetermined condition is met based on the ball entering the ball entry area, so that interest in the movement and direction of the game ball in the game area increases after the specific game ends, and the enjoyment of watching them can be increased. In addition, it is possible to realize the configuration of feature D4 or D5 by utilizing an existing control program, and program changes can be kept to a minimum. This makes it possible to prevent the increased burden on game machine design that comes with program changes.

Feature D7. The identification means is
A retention means (a function of closing the shutter 221 by the main control device 81) capable of retaining at least one of the game balls that have entered the variable ball entry means in a predetermined area (the entrance guide section 215) within the variable ball entry means without ejecting the game ball from the variable ball entry means;
a retention release means for releasing the retention (a function of causing the main control device 81 to open the shutter 221),
A gaming machine described in any of features D4 to D6, characterized in that the retention release means is provided with a means for releasing the retention so that the specified game result is achieved in the subsequent specific game when the first game result is achieved after the previous specific game.

According to the above configuration, the timing of release of the retention (the timing of ejection of the game ball from the variable ball entry means) is controlled in the gaming machine so that the specified result will be achieved in the later specific game regardless of when the player achieves the specified condition up until the specific timing. This allows the player to play the game while concentrating on achieving the specified condition without having to worry about the timing of the condition being achieved.

When this feature is applied to feature D5, it is possible to create three states: (1) a predetermined game result is achieved in the previous specific game, (2) the predetermined game result is not achieved in the previous specific game, but the game ball can be retained, and (3) the predetermined game result is not achieved in the previous specific game, and the game ball cannot be retained. Compared to conventional gaming machines, which only offer a single option of whether or not a predetermined game result is achieved, this makes it possible to expand the range of ways to enjoy the game.

Feature D8. The configuration is such that it is more advantageous for a player to discharge the game ball at the first timing than to discharge the game ball at the second timing;
A gaming machine described in any of features D1 to D7, characterized in that it is provided with a state control means for changing the state after the specific game into a first state and a second state in which the expectation of the first game result is relatively high or low.

In the above configuration, the first game result is advantageous to the player, and a first state and a second state are provided in which the expectation level is relatively high and low, which makes it possible to prevent the game after a specific game from becoming monotonous and to increase interest.

Feature D9. The first game result is that the predetermined condition is established by a specific timing after the end of the specific game,
A gaming machine described in feature D8, characterized in that the period until the specific timing is different between the first state and the second state.

According to the above configuration, the longer the period until the specific timing, the higher the expectation of the first game result, and the shorter the period, the lower the expectation, making it possible to diversify the expectation in a way that is easy for the player to understand.

Feature D10. A gaming machine according to any one of Features D4 to D9, characterized in that it is equipped with a notification control means for controlling a predetermined notification means so that a predetermined notification indicating the specific timing or the period until the specific timing is issued by the predetermined notification means.

According to the above configuration, the player can understand the specific timing by referring to the predetermined notification. This allows the player to know the time by which the predetermined condition must be met, improving ease of play.

In addition to or instead of feature D10, the feature "includes a notification control means for controlling the specified notification means so that a specific notification indicating the progress of the period until the specific timing or the period since the end of the second specific game is issued by the specified notification means" may be provided. In this case, by referring to the specific notification, the remaining period until the specific timing can be known, effectively raising tension that the advantageous period may end without the first game result being achieved. In addition, when this feature is provided in addition to feature D10, the specific notification may be issued by the same notification means as the notification means that issues the specific notification, or may be issued by a different notification means.

Feature D11. A game state transition means (a function of executing a game state transition process by the main control device 81) is provided that transitions to a special game state (second opening and closing execution mode) that is more advantageous to the player than the specific game based on a predetermined game result (V winning) caused by a game ball that has entered the variable ball entry means;
The identification means is
A retention means (a function of closing the shutter 221 by the main control device 81) capable of retaining at least one of the game balls that have entered the variable ball entry means in a predetermined area (the entrance guide section 215) within the variable ball entry means without ejecting the game ball from the variable ball entry means;
A retention release means (a function of causing the main control device 81 to open the shutter 221) for releasing the retention when the number of times of the specific game has reached a predetermined number;
Equipped with
A gaming machine described in any of features D1 to D10, characterized in that the gaming machine is configured so that the predetermined gaming result can be achieved by the gaming ball that has been released from the retention by the retention release means.

In the above configuration, the retention is released when the number of specific games reaches a predetermined number, and the retention-release ball results in a predetermined game result and transitions to a special game state. This allows for relief in cases where the special game does not transition to a special game state no matter how many times the specific game is repeated, improving ease of play.

Feature D12. A launching means (a game ball launching mechanism 53) that launches a game ball based on a launching operation by a player;
A variable ball entry means (a role device 150) that can be switched between a first state (open state) in which the game ball launched by the launching means can enter the ball or is easy to enter the ball, and a second state (closed state) in which the game ball cannot enter the ball or is more difficult to enter than the first state;
A variable entry control means (a function of executing processing during control by the main control unit 81) that changes the variable entry means from the second mode to the first mode and then executes variable entry control to the second mode;
A bonus awarding means (a payout control device 97) for awarding a bonus to a player based on the entry of a gaming ball into the variable ball entry means;
A specific means for enabling at least one of the game balls that entered the variable ball entry means under the variable ball entry control to be discharged from the variable ball entry means after the variable ball entry control (a function for controlling the operation modes of the second distribution member 310, the shutter 221, the warp passage 210, and the main control unit 81) and
Equipped with
The gaming machine is characterized in that the identification means is provided with a means for setting the timing of the discharge of the game ball from the variable ball entry means to a first timing when the game result after the variable ball entry control is a first game result (when the first opening and closing execution mode occurs within a specified period), and for setting the timing of the discharge of the game ball from the variable ball entry means to a second timing different from the first timing when the game result after the variable ball entry control is a second game result different from the first game result (when a specified period has passed without the first opening and closing execution mode occurring).

The above configuration can provide the same effect as feature D1. In addition, any of the configurations described in features D1 to D11 above may be applied to this feature. In this case, further effects can be achieved by applying each configuration.

Note that the technical ideas shown in any one of the configurations of features A1 to A18, features B1 to B15, features C1 to C14, features E1 to E8, features F1 to F16, and features G1 to G9 can be applied individually to each of the configurations of features D1 to D12 above, or the respective technical ideas can be applied in combination. When applying the respective technical ideas in combination, it is also possible to combine them across feature groups.

<Features Group E>
Feature E1. A launching means (a game ball launching mechanism 53) that launches a game ball based on a launching operation by a player;
A variable ball entry means (a role device 150) that can be switched between a first state (open state) in which the game ball launched by the launching means can enter the ball or is easy to enter the ball, and a second state (closed state) in which the game ball cannot enter the ball or is more difficult to enter than the first state;
A variable entry control means (a function of executing opening and closing processing by the main control unit 81) that changes the variable entry means from the second mode to the first mode and then executes variable entry control to the second mode;
A game state transition means (a function of executing a game state transition process by the main control device 81) that transitions to a special game state (a second opening and closing execution mode) in which a specific game (round game) in which the variable ball entry control is performed at least once can be executed multiple times under a predetermined condition (a jackpot);
A retention means (a function of closing the shutter 221 by the main control device 81) capable of retaining the game ball that has entered the variable ball entry means in the specific game in a predetermined area (the entrance guide section 215) within the variable ball entry means without ejecting the game ball from the variable ball entry means;
A retention release means (a function of opening the shutter 221 by the main control device 81) for releasing the retention so that the game ball in the predetermined area is discharged from the variable ball entry means after the specific game;
a specific means (function of executing the processing of steps S1905 and S1906 by the main control device 81) for making it easier for a game ball that has entered the variable ball entry means to be retained by the retention means in a first specific game (rounds 3 to 7) that is one of the specific games among the multiple specific games executed in the special game state, and for making it harder for a game ball that has entered the variable ball entry means to be retained by the retention means in a second specific game (rounds 12 to 16) different from the first specific game than in the first specific game;
A gaming machine comprising:

According to the above configuration, it is possible for a game ball that has entered the variable ball entry means in a specific game to remain in the variable ball entry means even after the specific game ends. In other words, it is possible for a game ball that has entered the variable ball entry means to be discharged from the variable ball entry means across specific games, providing a novel gameplay. In this case, for example, if the likelihood of game balls being retained by the retention means (in other words, the likelihood of game balls being carried over) is standardized, the carryover of game balls may become commonplace, and the game may become one in which the special game state is merely consumed in a monotonous manner. In this respect, in the present configuration, retention by the retention means is likely to occur in the first specific game, and retention is unlikely to occur in the second specific game, making it possible to diversify the likelihood of game balls being carried over. This makes it possible to suppress monotony in the game and increase attention to the game.

Feature E2. A distribution means (second distribution member 310) capable of distributing the game ball that has entered the variable ball entry means to the retention means side and a side other than the retention means side;
A distribution control means for controlling the distribution means (a function for executing the processes of steps S1905 and S1906 by the main control device 81);
Equipped with
The allocation means is controlled so that the allocation mode of the allocation means is common between the first specific game and the second specific game;
A gaming machine as described in feature E1, characterized in that the variable ball entry control is executed so that the ease with which a gaming ball will enter the variable ball entry means differs between the first specific game and the second specific game.

In the above configuration, the distribution mode of the distribution means is common to the first and second specific games, and the likelihood of stagnation is differentiated by variable ball entry control. In this case, there is no need to set the distribution mode of the distribution means and the execution mode of the variable ball entry control in detail for each specific game, and it is sufficient to set only the latter. This makes it possible to reduce the processing load required for control and the workload when designing a gaming machine.

The above configuration is also expected to have the following effect. In a configuration in which game balls are carried over due to the occurrence of stagnation, the player's attention is likely to be focused on whether or not stagnation occurs. In this case, it is assumed that the player will show strong interest in the distribution means that affects whether or not there is stagnation, and will pay close attention to its movement. In such a situation, if the movement of the distribution means is made different, the player may notice this and understand that the difference in the ease of stagnation is rigged in advance, which may ruin the experience. In this regard, in this configuration, the movement of the distribution means is common to each specific game, so such noticing can be suppressed. This makes it easier to feel that the difference in the ease of stagnation is due to chance, and it is possible to ideally provide the fun of enjoying the behavior of the game balls.

Feature E3. The specific game can be divided into a plurality of game sections according to the number of times the variable ball entry control is executed.
The allocation means is controlled so that the allocation manner of the allocation means in each of the game sections is common between the first specific game and the second specific game,
A gaming machine as described in feature E2, characterized in that the variable ball entry control is executed so that the ease with which a gaming ball enters the variable ball entry means differs in at least one of each of the game zones between the first specific game and the second specific game.

In the above configuration, the distribution pattern of the distribution means in each game section is common between the first specific game and the second specific game, while the variable ball entry control pattern differs in at least one of the game sections. In this case, by combining a game section in which the distribution means is likely to distribute game balls to the retention means with a ball entry control pattern that makes it easy for balls to enter the variable ball entry means, a characteristic that makes retention more likely can be generated, and by combining a pattern that makes it difficult for balls to enter, a characteristic that makes retention less likely can be generated. In other words, the likelihood of retention can be easily changed, making it possible to reduce the design burden of the variable ball entry control.

Feature E4: A passing section (V winning sensor 192) through which the game ball that has entered the variable ball entry means can pass is provided,
In the special game state, it is possible to play the next specific game based on the game ball passing through the passing section in one specific game,
A gaming machine described in any of features E1 to E3, characterized in that, among the gaming balls that enter the variable ball entry means in the specific game, those that are not retained by the retention means are capable of passing through the passing section in the specific game, and the gaming balls that are retained by the retention means are capable of passing through the passing section in the specific game that is executed after the specific game.

In the above configuration, when a game ball passes through the passing section in one specific game, it becomes possible to play the next specific game, and passing the game ball through the passing section is a condition for playing the next specific game. Under such circumstances, in this configuration, when a game ball enters the variable ball entry means in a specific game, if the game ball is not retained by the retention means, it becomes possible to pass through the passing section in that specific game, and if it is retained by the retention means, it becomes possible to pass through the passing section in the subsequent specific game. With this configuration, it is possible to create cases where the execution of a certain specific game is achieved by a game ball that entered in the immediately preceding specific game, and cases where the execution is achieved by a game ball that entered in a specific game even earlier than the immediately preceding specific game, and it is possible to provide a novel gameplay that has not been seen in the past. This gives a fresh impression to the player and makes it possible to increase interest.

When this feature is applied to feature E2 or E3, "game balls that are not retained by the retention means can pass through the passing section in the specific game, and game balls retained by the retention means can pass through the passing section in the specific game that is executed after the specific game" may be changed to "game balls that are assigned to the different side by the allocation means can pass through the passing section in the specific game, and game balls that are assigned to the retention means side by the allocation means can pass through the passing section in the specific game that is executed after the specific game."

Feature E5: A specific game ending means (a function for executing an open process by the main control device 81) is provided to end the specific game based on the establishment of a predetermined ending condition (the number of winning balls in the role device 150 reaches the upper limit number, or the number of times the opening/closing role device 168 is opened reaches the upper limit number) after the start of the specific game,
The gaming machine described in feature E4, wherein the specific game ending means continues the specific game until the ending condition is satisfied, even if the game ball passes through the passing section before the ending condition is satisfied in the specific game.

For example, in a configuration in which a specific game ends when a game ball passes through a passing section, if a carryover ball from a previous specific game passes through the passing section before a ball enters the variable ball entry means in a later specific game, the later specific game ends without the ball entering, which can cause an inconvenience in which the player cannot play to the fullest. In this regard, with this configuration, even if a game ball passes through the passing section before the end condition is met, the specific game continues until the end condition is met, thereby avoiding the above inconvenience and making it possible to appropriately secure the playing period.

Feature E6. The gaming machine described in feature E4 or E5, characterized in that the specific game (second round game) executed for the first time in the special game state starts in a first state (combination of opening and closing pattern P1 and operation pattern SA) in which the game ball that has entered the variable ball entry means is less likely to be retained by the retention means, and then changes to a second state (combination of opening and closing pattern P1 and operation pattern SB) in which retention is more likely to occur than in the first state.

In the first specific game, there is no specific game executed before that, and no game balls are carried over. Therefore, in order to execute the next specific game, it is essential that the game ball that entered the variable ball entry means in the first specific game passes through the passing section during that specific game. In this case, for example, if the game ball does not pass through the passing section when congestion occurs, the first specific game ends in that state, and the next specific game is not executed, and the player may become anxious that the trapped balls will end up in vain. In this regard, in this configuration, after starting in a first state in which congestion is unlikely to occur, the state changes to a second state in which congestion is likely to occur, so that a situation in which congestion is aimed for after the execution of the next specific game is confirmed occurs, and it is possible to reduce the player's anxiety.

When this feature is applied to feature E5, the following effect can also be expected. Since the specific game ends based on the establishment of the end clause, if the end condition is established early, the specific game may end in a short period of time. In this case, if the configuration is such that the second state occurs before the first state, the specific game ends during the second state or immediately after switching to the first state, and there is a risk that a satisfactory opportunity to pass the game ball through the passing section in the first specific game may not be provided. In this regard, with the above configuration, since the first state occurs before the second state, an opportunity to pass the game ball through the passing section in the first specific game is preferably secured, making it easier to play the next specific game.

Feature E7: A distribution means (second distribution member 310) capable of distributing the game ball that has entered the variable ball entry means to the retention means side and a side other than the retention means side;
A distribution control means (a function of controlling the switching of the second distribution member 310 by the main control device 81) that switches the distribution means between a first distribution mode (distribution state) in which the game balls can be distributed to the retention means side and a second distribution mode (non-distribution state) in which the game balls can be distributed to the different side;
Equipped with
A gaming machine described in any of features E1 to E6, characterized in that the distribution control means is provided with a means for switching the distribution means to the first distribution mode after the retention is released by the retention release means.

According to the above configuration, after the game ball is released from retention, it is permitted to be distributed to the retention means. In this case, the game ball can be guided to the retention means side after space is secured in the specified area where the game ball is retained. This makes it possible to prevent the inconvenience of a game ball that has entered the variable ball entry means being prevented from retaining by game balls already retained, even though the game ball has been successfully directed toward the retention means.

Feature E8. A gaming machine according to any one of Features E1 to E7, characterized in that the retention release means does not release the retention when the variable ball entry means is in the first mode, and is provided with a means for releasing the retention when the variable ball entry means is in the second mode.

In the first mode, where the game ball can or will easily enter the variable ball entry means, the player's attention is likely to be focused on whether or not the game ball will enter the variable ball entry means. For this reason, if the retention is released in a situation that is the first mode, there is a risk that the player will miss the release of the retention. In this regard, in the present configuration, the retention is released in a situation that is the second mode, where the game ball cannot or will not easily enter the variable ball entry means, so that overlooking the release of the retention can be suppressed.

Note that the technical ideas shown in any one of the features A1 to A18, features B1 to B15, features C1 to C14, features D1 to D12, features F1 to F16, and features G1 to G9 can be applied individually to each of the features E1 to E8 above, or the technical ideas can be applied in combination. When applying the technical ideas in combination, they can also be combined across feature groups.

<Feature Group F>
Feature F1. A launching means (a game ball launching mechanism 53) that launches a game ball based on a launching operation by a player;
A variable ball entry means (a role device 150) that can be switched between a first state (open state) in which the game ball launched by the launching means can enter the ball or is easy to enter the ball, and a second state (closed state) in which the game ball cannot enter the ball or is more difficult to enter than the first state;
A variable entry control means (a function of executing control processing and opening/closing processing by the main control unit 81) that changes the variable entry means from the second mode to the first mode and then executes variable entry control to the second mode;
a specific game execution means (function for executing game control processing and game state transition processing by the main control device 81) for executing a specific game (round game, first opening/closing execution mode, second opening/closing execution mode) in which the variable ball entry control is performed at least once under a predetermined condition (in the case of round game, the second opening/closing execution mode is started or a continuation condition is satisfied, in the case of the first opening/closing execution mode, a normal opening result is obtained based on winning into the operating ports 38, 39, and in the case of the second opening/closing execution mode, a jackpot is obtained);
When the specific game is played multiple times, a specific game (a function of storing game balls in the outlet guide portion 203 by an opening/closing member 400) is provided for changing the degree of advantage of a player in a second specific game played after the first specific game, based on a game ball that has entered the variable ball entry means in a first specific game played earlier among the multiple specific games;
A gaming machine comprising:

In the above configuration, when a predetermined condition is met, a specific game is executed in which variable ball entry control is performed at least once, with the variable ball entry means being in the first mode. Normally, whether or not a game ball that has entered the variable ball entry means will result in an advantageous outcome is determined with the end of the specific game in which the ball has entered, but with this configuration, the degree of advantage in the subsequent second specific game changes depending on the game ball that has entered the variable ball entry means in the previous first specific game. This makes it possible to play the previous and subsequent specific games in conjunction with each other, making it possible to increase interest compared to conventional gaming machines in which each specific game is played independently.

Feature F2. The gaming machine described in Feature F1, characterized in that the specifying means is provided with a means (function of storing gaming balls in the missing hole guide 203 by the opening and closing member 400) for setting the degree of advantage in the second specific game to a first degree (a state in which the V winning rate is high due to allocation to the missing hole guide 203) when a gaming ball enters the variable ball entry means in the first specific game and a predetermined game result (a result in which the gaming ball is allocated to the missing hole guide 203) and for setting the degree of advantage in the second specific game to a second degree less favorable than the first degree (a state in which the V winning rate is not high due to no allocation to the missing hole guide 203) when the predetermined game result is not achieved even if the gaming ball enters the variable ball entry means in the first specific game (a function of storing gaming balls in the missing hole guide 203 by the opening and closing member 400).

For example, if the configuration determines that an advantage is gained when the ball enters the variable ball entry means, the player may feel satisfied at the time the ball enters the game, and may lose interest in the game ball after it enters. In this case, even if the variable ball entry means is devised to make the game ball's movement after it enters more interesting, sufficient presentation effects cannot be expected. In this regard, with this configuration, in order to gain an advantage in the second specific game, it is not enough for the ball to enter the variable ball entry means alone, but a specified game result is also required. This makes it possible to increase the attention to the game ball after it enters the game.

Feature F3. A distribution means (rotating body 201) that distributes the game balls that have entered the variable ball entry means to a plurality of receiving sections including at least one first receiving section (V winning opening guide section 204) and at least one second receiving section (missing opening guide section 203);
A bonus granting means (a function of executing a round update process by the main control device 81) that grants a bonus (the execution of the next round of play) to a player when a game ball is allocated to the first receiving section, but does not grant the bonus when a game ball is allocated to the second receiving section;
Equipped with
A gaming machine described in feature F2, characterized in that the specified game result is that the gaming ball that enters the variable ball entry means in the first specific game is distributed to the second receiving section.

In the above configuration, if a game ball is allocated to the first receiving section, a special benefit is awarded, and if a game ball is allocated to the second receiving section, no special benefit is awarded. Normally, if a game ball is allocated to the second receiving section, which does not award a special benefit, the player will only feel disappointed. However, in this configuration, if a game ball is allocated to the second receiving section in the first specific game, the player will have an advantage in the second specific game. This makes it possible to realize a game that the player can enjoy regardless of whether the game ball is allocated to the first receiving section or the second receiving section, and it is possible to appropriately increase the player's motivation to play. In addition, since the second receiving section, which has traditionally only been recognized as a disadvantage, functions as a receiving section that increases the degree of advantage, it is possible to add an element of surprise and give the player a fresh impression.

Feature F4. The gaming machine described in Feature F3, characterized in that the identification means is provided with a means (function of storing gaming balls in the miss-opening guide section 203 by the opening/closing member 400) for setting the probability that a gaming ball that entered the variable ball entry means in the second specific game is allocated to the first receiving section to a first probability (the probability when the V winning rate increases due to allocation to the miss-opening guide section 203) when a gaming ball that entered the variable ball entry means in the first specific game is allocated to the second receiving section, and for setting the probability that a gaming ball that entered the variable ball entry means in the second specific game is allocated to the first receiving section to a second probability lower than the first probability (the probability when there is no allocation to the miss-opening guide section 203 and the V winning rate does not increase) when a gaming ball that entered the variable ball entry means in the first specific game is not allocated to the second receiving section.

According to the above configuration, if game balls are allocated to the second receiving section in the first specific game, game balls are more likely to be allocated to the first receiving section in the subsequent second specific game, making it easier to win a bonus in the second specific game.

Feature F5. The identification means is provided with a receiving means (a function of blocking the outlet guide portion 203 by storing game balls) that makes it impossible or difficult to receive new game balls into the second receiving portion when a predetermined number of game balls are received in the second receiving portion;
A gaming machine as described in feature F3 or F4, characterized in that the second specific game can be played in a state in which the receiving means makes it impossible or difficult to receive new gaming balls into the second receiving section.

According to the above configuration, when a predetermined number of game balls are received in the second receiving section, the second receiving section cannot receive new game balls. In this case, the total number of receiving sections that can receive game balls is reduced among the multiple receiving sections including the first and second receiving sections, and the proportion of first receiving sections increases accordingly. Then, since the second specific game is played in a state in which it is impossible or difficult to receive new game balls, the probability of allocation to the first receiving section in the second specific game is increased, making it easier to win a bonus. In this feature, "it is difficult to receive new game balls in the second receiving section" means that it is basically not accepted, but is not absolutely impossible. A specific example of this is a situation in which a game ball may be placed on top of the game balls stored in the outlet guide section 203 in the seventh embodiment.

Feature F6. The plurality of receiving portions includes a third receiving portion different from both the first receiving portion and the second receiving portion,
The bonus awarding means is configured not to award the bonus even if the game ball is distributed to the third receiving section,
The gaming machine described in feature F5 is configured so that even if a gaming ball is received in the third receiving section, a new gaming ball can be received in the third receiving section.

In the above configuration, even if a game ball is allocated to the third receiving section, no special benefit is given, and no advantage is gained in the second specific game. The existence of such a third receiving section can emphasize the superiority of the second receiving section. In addition, since the third receiving section is a disappointing receiving section for players, it is expected that players will have a psychological desire to avoid being allocated to the third receiving section. As a result, it is expected that players will pay more attention to the movement of the game ball that has entered the variable ball entry means, making it possible to appropriately increase the level of attention to the game ball.

Feature F7: When the first specific game is executed, a means for ending the first specific game based on the establishment of a predetermined ending condition (a function for executing an open process by the main control device 81) is provided;
The predetermined end condition includes that the number of game balls entering the variable ball entry means reaches a predetermined number (9 balls),
A gaming machine described in feature F5 or F6, characterized in that the total number of gaming balls that can be received in the second receiving section is greater than the specified number.

The above configuration prevents the second receiving section from easily becoming unable to receive game balls, and allows the period during which game balls can be distributed to the second receiving section to be sustained for a long period of time.

Feature F8. The receiving means includes a means for storing game balls in the second receiving section when the game balls are received in the second receiving section (a function for storing game balls in the outlet guide section 203);
A gaming machine described in any one of features F5 to F7, characterized in that the second specific game can be played when gaming balls are stored in the second receiving section.

According to the above configuration, the game balls stored in the second receiving section block the second receiving section, making it impossible or difficult to receive new game balls into the second receiving section. In other words, by utilizing the game balls that have been allocated to the second receiving section, a configuration that makes the above-mentioned reception impossible or difficult can be easily constructed. In addition, because the stored balls block the second receiving section, it is easy to see, making it easier to understand the gameplay.

Feature F9. A gaming machine according to any one of Features F5 to F8, characterized in that it is equipped with a release means (a function of releasing the storage during a round of play) that releases the state that makes it impossible or difficult to accept new gaming balls, which is set by the receiving means, during the second specific game.

According to the above configuration, the benefit of the game ball being allocated to the second receiving section in the previous first specific game can only be obtained halfway through the second specific game. In this case, if the game ball is not allocated to the first receiving section while there is a benefit, the player will be forced to aim for allocation to the first receiving section under less favorable circumstances. This can heighten the player's sense of tension and increase the player's interest in the game.

When this feature is applied to feature F8, the "release means for releasing, during the second specific game, the state in which the receiving means makes it impossible or difficult to receive new game balls" may be changed to "release means for releasing, during the second specific game, the storage of game balls in the second receiving section."

Feature F10. The gaming machine described in Feature F9, characterized in that the release means includes a means for performing the release regardless of the game situation when a specific timing occurs during the second specific game (a function for releasing the accumulation 5 seconds after the start of the round).

According to the above configuration, the non-acceptable state is released regardless of the game situation, such as whether or not the ball is allocated to the first receiving section. This effectively creates tension that the benefit may disappear without being allocated to the first receiving section, increasing interest.

Feature F11. The gaming machine according to Feature F10, further comprising a notification control means for controlling a predetermined notification means so that a predetermined notification indicating the specific timing or the period until the specific timing is issued by the predetermined notification means.

The above configuration allows the player to predict when the unacceptable or difficult state will be lifted. This makes it easier to understand how long the second specific game will be advantageous, improving ease of play.

In addition to or instead of feature F11, the feature "includes a notification control means for controlling the specified notification means so that a specific notification indicating the progress of the period until the specific timing or the period of time that has elapsed since the end of the second specific game is issued by the specified notification means" may be provided. In this case as well, by referring to the specific notification, it becomes possible to predict the timing for releasing the unacceptable state, and it is possible to achieve the same effect as feature F11. In addition, when this feature is provided in addition to feature F11, the specific notification may be issued by the same notification means as the notification means that issues the specific notification, or may be issued by a different notification means.

Feature F12. A gaming machine according to any one of Features F9 to F11, characterized in that the release means is provided with a means for performing the release based on the number of game balls entering the variable ball entry means in the second specific game reaching a predetermined number.

For example, if game balls do not enter the variable ball entry means for a long time, the unacceptable state (advantageous state) may end without being fully allocated by the allocation means. In this regard, with this configuration, the unacceptable state continues until the number of game balls entering the variable ball entry means reaches a predetermined number, so that an opportunity to receive allocation in an advantageous state can be properly ensured.

Feature F13. A first sorting means as the sorting means;
A second distribution means (first distribution member 300) that distributes the game balls that have entered the variable ball entry means to the first distribution means side and a side different from the first distribution means side, upstream of the first distribution means in the variable ball entry means;
Equipped with
A gaming machine described in any of features F3 to F12, characterized in that the gaming balls sorted to the different side by the second sorting means are configured not to reach the second receiving section.

If it is desired to prevent the distribution to the first receiving section from becoming too simple, it is possible to increase the number of second receiving sections or the number of game balls accepted by one second receiving section. However, this may complicate the structure of the first distribution means and the second receiving section, which may lead to an increased burden on the design of the gaming machine. In this regard, in the above configuration, the second distribution means reduces the number of game balls heading to the first distribution means, so that the number of second receiving sections and the number of game balls accepted by one second receiving section can be kept low, and the configuration can be simplified. Furthermore, the presence of the second distribution means increases the difficulty of distribution to the second receiving sections, which can also enhance the sense of accomplishment when game balls are distributed to the second receiving sections.

Feature F14: A game state transition means (a function of executing a game state transition process by the main control device 81) is provided to transition to a special game state (second opening and closing execution mode) in which the specific game (round game) can be executed multiple times;
A gaming machine described in any of features F3 to F13, characterized in that when a gaming ball is distributed to the first receiving section in one of the specific games in the special game state, the bonus granting means makes it possible to execute the next specific game as the bonus.

In the above configuration, there is a special game state in which multiple specific games can be played, and in this special game state, the allocation of game balls to the first receiving section in one specific game makes it possible to play the next specific game. In other words, the allocation of game balls to the first receiving section is a condition for playing the next specific game. Under such a premise, in this configuration, the allocation of game balls to the second receiving section in the previous first specific game makes it easier for game balls to be allocated to the first receiving section in the subsequent second specific game. When game balls are allocated to the first receiving section in the second specific game, the specific game that can be played is the one that is played next after the second specific game (for convenience, referred to as the third specific game), but this third specific game is a specific game that comes even later than the next specific game when viewed from the first specific game. In other words, with this configuration, the game ball that enters the variable ball entry means in the first specific game will affect the execution of the next and subsequent specific games, making it possible to provide innovative gameplay.

Feature F15: A launching means (a game ball launching mechanism 53) that launches game balls based on a launching operation by a player;
A variable ball entry means (a role device 150) that can be switched between a first state (open state) in which the game ball launched by the launching means can enter the ball or is easy to enter the ball, and a second state (closed state) in which the game ball cannot enter the ball or is more difficult to enter than the first state;
A variable entry control means (a function of executing opening and closing processing by the main control unit 81) that changes the variable entry means from the second mode to the first mode and then executes variable entry control to the second mode;
A round game execution means (a function of executing a game state transition process by the main control device 81) executes a round game (round game) in which the variable ball entry control is performed at least once under a predetermined condition (the second opening/closing execution mode is started or a continuation condition is satisfied);
When the round game is played multiple times, a specific means (a function of storing game balls in the outlet guide section 203 by an opening/closing member 400) for changing the degree of advantage for a player in a second round game played after the first round game, based on a game ball that entered the variable ball entry means in a first round game played first among the multiple round games;
A gaming machine comprising:

The above configuration can achieve the same effect as feature F1. In this feature, the "round game" can be expressed as "a game that ends when the number of game balls that have entered the variable ball entry means reaches a predetermined upper limit, or when the period or number of times that the variable ball entry means is in the second mode reaches a predetermined upper limit." In addition, any of the configurations described in features F1 to F14 above may be applied to this feature. In this case, further effects can be achieved by applying each configuration.

Feature F16: A launching means (a game ball launching mechanism 53) that launches a game ball based on a launching operation by a player;
A variable ball entry means (a role device 150) that can be switched between a first state (open state) in which the game ball launched by the launching means can enter the ball or is easy to enter the ball, and a second state (closed state) in which the game ball cannot enter the ball or is more difficult to enter than the first state;
A variable entry control means (a function of executing control processing and opening/closing processing by the main control unit 81) that changes the variable entry means from the second mode to the first mode and then executes variable entry control to the second mode;
When the variable ball entry control is executed multiple times, a specific means (a function of storing game balls in the out-hole guide section 203 by the opening/closing member 400) is provided for changing the degree of advantage for a player in a second variable ball entry control executed after the first variable ball entry control, based on a game ball that entered the variable ball entry means in a first variable ball entry control executed earlier among the multiple variable ball entry controls;
A gaming machine comprising:

The above configuration can provide the same effect as feature F1. In addition, any of the configurations described in features F1 to F15 above may be applied to this feature. In this case, further effects can be achieved by applying each configuration.

Note that the technical ideas shown in any one of the features A1 to A18, features B1 to B15, features C1 to C14, features D1 to D12, features E1 to E8, and features G1 to G9 can be applied individually to each of the features F1 to F16 above, or the technical ideas can be applied in combination. When applying the technical ideas in combination, they can also be combined across feature groups.

<Feature Group G>
Feature G1. A launching means (a game ball launching mechanism 53) that launches a game ball based on a launching operation by a player;
A variable ball entry means (a role device 150) that can be switched between a first state (open state) in which the game ball launched by the launching means can enter the ball or is easy to enter the ball, and a second state (closed state) in which the game ball cannot enter the ball or is more difficult to enter than the first state;
A variable entry control means (a function of executing control processing and opening/closing processing by the main control unit 81) that changes the variable entry means from the second mode to the first mode and then executes variable entry control to the second mode;
A specific game execution means (a function of executing a game state transition process by the main control device 81) executes a specific game (round game) in which the variable ball entry control is performed at least once under a predetermined condition (a start condition for a round game is satisfied);
A distribution means (rotating body 201) capable of distributing the game balls that have entered the variable ball entry means to a plurality of receiving sections including at least one first receiving section (V winning opening guide section 204) and at least one second receiving section (missing opening guide section 203);
A bonus granting means (a function of executing a round update process by the main control device 81) that grants a bonus (the execution of the next round of play) to a player when a game ball is allocated to the first receiving section, but does not grant the bonus when a game ball is allocated to the second receiving section;
a specific means for making it more advantageous for a player to distribute game balls to the second receiving section rather than to the first receiving section after the game balls have been distributed to the first receiving section in the specific game (a function for storing game balls in the loss opening guide section 203 by the opening/closing member 400, and a function for making the loss opening guide section 203 have more winning balls than the V winning opening guide section 204);
A gaming machine comprising:

In the above configuration, when a predetermined condition is met, a specific game is executed in which the variable ball entry control in which the variable ball entry means is set to the first mode is performed at least once, and when a game ball enters the variable ball entry means, the game ball is distributed to a plurality of receiving sections including the first receiving section and the second receiving section. When the game ball is distributed to the first receiving section, a special benefit is awarded, and when the game ball is distributed to the second receiving section, no special benefit is awarded. Normally, when a game ball is distributed to the second receiving section, which does not award a special benefit, the player feels disappointed, but in this configuration, after the game ball is distributed to the first receiving section, the second receiving section is more advantageous to the player than the first receiving section. This makes it possible to provide a game that the player can enjoy regardless of whether the game ball is distributed to the first receiving section or the second receiving section, and to appropriately increase the player's motivation to play.

Feature G2. The gaming machine described in Feature G1, characterized in that the bonus granting means is configured not to grant the bonus corresponding to the allocation even if a gaming ball is allocated to the first receiving section again in the specific game after the gaming ball is allocated to the first receiving section in the specific game.

In the above configuration, after a game ball is allocated to the first receiving section, no new corresponding benefit is given even if the game ball is allocated to the first receiving section again. In this case, the player may be satisfied with the first allocation to the first receiving section, and may lose interest in subsequent allocations, resulting in a risk of a decrease in attention to the game ball that has entered the variable ball entry means for the remaining period of the specific game. In this regard, since the second receiving section is more advantageous to the player than the first receiving section after the game ball is allocated to the first receiving section, it is possible to increase attention to the game ball that has entered the variable ball entry means even after the initial allocation to the first receiving section has been made.

Furthermore, before the first allocation to the first receiving section is made, the first receiving section is more advantageous than the second receiving section because allocation to the first receiving section results in the granting of a special benefit, whereas after the first allocation to the first receiving section is made, the second receiving section is more advantageous than the first receiving section. In other words, the advantageous relationship is reversed before and after allocation to the first receiving section, and two games can be realized in one specific game: a game aiming for allocation to the first receiving section and a game aiming for allocation to the second receiving section. This makes it possible to improve interest compared to conventional gaming machines in which the former is merely guaranteed.

Feature G3. The gaming machine described in Feature G1 or G2, characterized in that the identification means is provided with a means for making it more advantageous for the player to play the specific game the more times the game balls are distributed to the second receiving section after the game balls are distributed to the first receiving section (a function for increasing the V winning rate as the number of out-hole guide sections 203 to which the game balls are distributed increases).

For example, if the degree of advantage does not change even if game balls are repeatedly allocated to the second receiving section, after allocation to the first receiving section, if allocation to the second receiving section is achieved once, interest in the game thereafter tends to wane. In this regard, with this configuration, the more game balls are allocated to the second receiving section, the more advantageous it becomes, so the desire to aim for allocation to the second receiving section can be maintained even after allocation to the second receiving section is achieved. This allows the game to be enjoyed until the end of the specific game, increasing interest.

This feature can also be rephrased as "there are a plurality of the second receiving sections, and the identifying means is provided with a means for making the specific game more advantageous for the player the more second receiving sections to which the game balls are allocated by the allocation means after the game balls are allocated to the first receiving sections (the function of increasing the probability of winning the V prize the more the number of out-hole guide sections 203 to which the game balls are allocated increases)."

Feature G4. The gaming machine according to any one of Features G1 to G3, characterized in that the specifying means is provided with a means for giving an advantage to a second specific game executed after the first specific game when the specific game is executed multiple times and game balls are distributed to the second receiving section in a first specific game executed earlier among the multiple specific games (a function for carrying over the state in which game balls are stored in the loose hole guide section 203 to the next round).

In the above configuration, allocation to the second receiving section in the first specific game increases the degree of advantage in the second specific game. In other words, the result of allocation to the second receiving section is reflected across specific games, providing innovative gameplay.

Feature G5. The identification means is provided with a receiving means (a function of blocking the removal port guide portion 203 by storing game balls) that makes it impossible or difficult to receive new game balls into the second receiving portion when a predetermined number of game balls are received in the second receiving portion;
A gaming machine as described in feature G4, characterized in that the second specific game can be played in a state in which the receiving means makes it impossible or difficult to receive new gaming balls into the second receiving section.

According to the above configuration, when a predetermined number of game balls are received in the second receiving section, it becomes impossible or difficult to receive new game balls into the second receiving section. In this case, the total number of receiving sections that can receive game balls is reduced among the multiple receiving sections including the first and second receiving sections, and the proportion of first receiving sections increases accordingly. Then, since the second specific game is played in a state in which it is impossible or difficult to receive new game balls, the probability of allocation to the first receiving section in the second specific game increases, making it easier to win a bonus. Note that in this feature, "it is difficult to receive new game balls into the second receiving section" means that it is basically not accepted, but is not absolutely impossible. A specific example of this is a situation in which a game ball may be placed on top of the game balls stored in the loose port guide section 203 in the seventh embodiment.

Feature G6. The receiving means includes a means for storing game balls in the second receiving section when the game balls are received in the second receiving section (a function for storing game balls in the outlet guide section 203);
A gaming machine as described in feature G5, characterized in that the second specific game can be played when gaming balls are stored in the second receiving section.

According to the above configuration, the game balls stored in the second receiving section block the second receiving section, making it impossible or difficult to receive new game balls into the second receiving section. In other words, by utilizing the game balls that have been allocated to the second receiving section, a configuration that makes the above-mentioned reception impossible or difficult can be easily constructed. In addition, because the stored balls block the second receiving section, it is easy to see, making it easier to understand the gameplay.

Feature G7. The gaming machine described in Feature G5 or G6 is characterized in that it is equipped with a release means (a function of releasing the storage during a round of play) that releases the state that makes it impossible or difficult to accept new gaming balls, which is set by the receiving means, during the second specific game.

According to the above configuration, the benefit of the game ball being allocated to the second receiving section in the previous first specific game can only be obtained halfway through the second specific game. In this case, if the game ball is not allocated to the first receiving section while there is a benefit, the player will be forced to aim for allocation to the first receiving section under less favorable circumstances. This can heighten the player's sense of tension and increase the player's interest in the game.

When this feature is applied to feature G6, the "release means for releasing, during the second specific game, the state in which the receiving means makes it impossible or difficult to receive new game balls" may be changed to "release means for releasing, during the second specific game, the storage of game balls in the second receiving section."

Feature G8. A first distribution means as the distribution means;
A second distribution means (first distribution member 300) that distributes the game balls that have entered the variable ball entry means to the first distribution means side and a side different from the first distribution means side, upstream of the first distribution means in the variable ball entry means;
Equipped with
A gaming machine described in any of features G1 to G7, characterized in that the gaming balls sorted to the different side by the second sorting means are configured so as not to reach the second receiving section.

If it is desired to prevent the distribution to the first receiving section from becoming too simple, it is possible to increase the number of second receiving sections or the number of game balls accepted by one second receiving section. However, this may complicate the structure of the first distribution means and the second receiving section, which may lead to an increased burden on the design of the gaming machine. In this regard, in the above configuration, the second distribution means reduces the number of game balls heading to the first distribution means, so that the number of second receiving sections and the number of game balls accepted by one second receiving section can be kept low, and the configuration can be simplified. Furthermore, the presence of the second distribution means increases the difficulty of distribution to the second receiving sections, which can also enhance the sense of accomplishment when game balls are distributed to the second receiving sections.

Feature G9. A launching means (a game ball launching mechanism 53) that launches a game ball based on a launching operation by a player;
A variable ball entry means (a role device 150) that can be switched between a first state (open state) in which the game ball launched by the launching means can enter the ball or is easy to enter the ball, and a second state (closed state) in which the game ball cannot enter the ball or is more difficult to enter than the first state;
A distribution means (rotating body 201) that distributes the game balls that have entered the variable ball entry means to a plurality of receiving sections including at least one first receiving section (V winning opening guide section 204) and at least one second receiving section (missing opening guide section 203);
A bonus granting means (a function of executing a round update process by the main control device 81) that grants a bonus (the execution of the next round of play) to a player when a game ball is allocated to the first receiving section, but does not grant the bonus when a game ball is allocated to the second receiving section;
A specific means (a function of storing game balls in the outlet guide portion 203 by the opening/closing member 400) that makes it more advantageous for a player to have game balls distributed to the second receiving portion after the game balls are distributed to the first receiving portion, rather than to the first receiving portion;
A gaming machine comprising:

The above configuration can provide the same effect as feature G1. In addition, any of the configurations described in features G1 to G8 can be applied to this feature. In this case, further effects can be achieved by applying each configuration.

It is possible to apply the technical ideas shown in any one of the configurations of features A1 to A18, features B1 to B15, features C1 to C14, features D1 to D12, features E1 to E8, and features F1 to F16 individually to each of the configurations of features G1 to G9 above, or to apply each technical idea in combination. When applying each technical idea in combination, it is also possible to combine them across feature groups.

The technical ideas shown in each of the inventions in the above-mentioned feature groups A to G may be applied to each of the inventions in the feature groups A to G, or may be combined in part or in whole and applied to each of the inventions in the feature groups A to G. In addition, it is also possible to arbitrarily combine all or part of the various configurations shown in each of the inventions in the feature groups A to G.

The basic configuration of a gaming machine to which the above features can be applied is shown below.

Pachinko game machine: A game machine that has an operating means operated by the player, a game ball launching means that launches game balls based on the operation of the operating means, a ball passage that guides the launched game balls to a specified game area, and various game components arranged within the game area, and that awards a special prize to the player when the game ball passes through a specified passage section of each of the game components.

Slot machines and other reel-type gaming machines: A gaming machine equipped with a variable display means that displays a series of symbols consisting of multiple symbols in a variable manner and then displays the series of symbols in a final stopped state, in which the variation of the symbols is started by operating a start operating means, the variation of the symbols is stopped by operating a stop operating means or after a predetermined time has passed, and a special gaming state (bonus game, etc.) advantageous to the player is generated on the condition that the final stopped symbol at the time of the stop is a specific symbol.

Ball-operated belt-type game machine (ball-operated reel-type game machine): A game machine equipped with a variable display means that displays a variable pattern sequence consisting of multiple patterns and then displays the final stop of the pattern sequence, in which the pattern variation is started due to the operation of a start operation means, the pattern variation is stopped due to the operation of a stop operation means or after a predetermined time has passed, and a special game state (bonus game, etc.) advantageous to the player is generated on the condition that the final stop pattern at the time of the stop is a specific pattern, and further equipped with a ball receiving tray and an insertion device that performs an insertion process to take in game balls from the ball receiving tray, and a payout device that pays out game balls to the ball receiving tray, and configured so that the operation of the start operation means is valid when game balls are inserted by the insertion device.

10... pachinko machine, 38... first operating port, 39... second operating port, 53... game ball launching mechanism, 81... main control device, 92b... power switch, 97... payout control device, 98a... RAM erase switch, 114b... reserved ball storage area, 150... role device, 179... entrance sensor, 183... guide passage, 192... V winning sensor, 193... loss sensor, 201... rotating body, 203... loss port guide section, 204... V winning port guide section, 210... warp passage, 215... entrance guide section, 221... shutter, 300... first distribution member, 310... second distribution member, 400... opening and closing member.

Claims (1)

a launching means for launching a game ball based on a launching operation by a player;
A variable ball entry means that can be switched between a first mode in which the game ball launched by the launching means can enter the ball or is easy to enter the ball, and a second mode in which the game ball cannot enter the ball or is more difficult to enter the ball than the first mode;
A variable entry control means for changing the variable entry means from the second mode to the first mode, and then executing variable entry control to change the variable entry means to the second mode;
A specific game execution means for executing a specific game in which the variable ball entry control is performed at least once under a predetermined condition;
a specific game means for varying a degree of advantage for a player in a second specific game which is executed after the first specific game, by a game ball which enters the variable ball entry means in a first specific game which is executed earlier among the plurality of specific games when the specific game is executed multiple times;
A gaming machine comprising:

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