JP2024071716A - Game system, game system operation method, and program - Google Patents

Abstract

To simply make roles in a game of a first value medium and second medium whose types differ from each other be different.SOLUTION: A game system 1 comprises: a first addition unit 211 that when a first value medium is input, converts the first value medium to a first game value; a second addition unit 212 that when a second value medium whose type differs from that of the first value medium is input, converts the second value medium to a second game value; and a game control unit 213 for making a game in which at least one of the first game value and the second game value is consumed progress. The game control unit 213, in the case of the second game value being consumed, makes the game progress so as to be advantageous to a player as compared with the case of the first game value being consumed without the second game value being consumed.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Application for application of Article 30, Paragraph 2 of the Patent Act filed 1: April 5, 2019 Drama Fujisawa Store (5-6-8 Hon-Fujisawa, Fujisawa City, Kanagawa Prefecture) 2: April 5, 2019 Drama Kohoku Inter Store (321-6 Higashikata-cho, Tsuzuki-ku, Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture) 3: April 11, 2019 Amusement Park Neverland (1-36-16 Nakagawa Chuo, Tsuzuki-ku, Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture) 4: April 26, 2019 Game Panic Misato Store (1-1-200 Piara City, Misato City, Saitama Prefecture) 5: April 26, 2019 Tetsuwan 24 Hamano Store (1025-59 Hamano-cho, Chuo-ku, Chiba City, Chiba Prefecture) 6: May 24, 2019 Rakuichi Kaido Hakozaki Store (5-1-8 Hakozaki, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture) 7: July 16, 2019 Rakuichi Kaido Hakozaki Store (5-1-8 Hakozaki, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture) 8: May 31, 2019 Homesta Tamazu Store (2F Mega Palace, 2-9-18 Maruzuka, Nishi-ku, Kobe City, Hyogo Prefecture) 9: May 30, 2019 Aeon Kita Toda (1-3-1 Bijogi Higashi, Toda City, Saitama Prefecture) 10: May 31, 2019 Silk Hat Kawasaki Dice (2F Dice Building, 8 Ekimae Honmachi, Kawasaki Ward, Kawasaki City) 11: June 28, 2019 Silk Hat Kawasaki Dice (2F Dice Building, 8 Ekimae Honmachi, Kawasaki Ward, Kawasaki City) 12: May 31, 2019 Amipara Kurashiki (624-1 Nishinakashinden, Kurashiki City) 13: May 31, 2019 YAZ Neyagawa Store (25-26 Ishizu Nakamachi, Neyagawa City, Osaka Prefecture) 14: June 5, 2019 AEON Yono (5-2-9 Honmachi Nishi, Chuo-ku, Saitama-shi, Saitama) 15: June 6, 2019 Round One Minamisuna store (7-15 Minamisuna 6-chome, Koto-ku, Tokyo) 16: July 12, 2019 Ace Lane Kusatsu (3-1-5 Noji, Kusatsu-shi, Shiga) 17: July 19, 2019 Amusement Venex Urawa store (7-2-8 Tsuji, Minami-ku, Saitama-shi, Saitama) 18: August 6, 2019 Carom Ome (4-326-1 Senkase-cho, Ome-shi, Tokyo) 19: September 19, 2019 ~ Download sales 20: September 24, 2019 ~ Product shipment 21: September 24, 2019 "Pachislot "GI Yushun Club" to be released as a medal game "FEATURE "GI Yushun Club" appears as part of the "Feature Premium" series! " 22: April 25, 2019 "GI Yushun Club" is now available in "Feature Premium"! Location test will be held! " 23: September 10, 2019 "GI Yushun Club / Game Introduction" 24: July 5, 2019 "Pachislot Strategy Magazine" August 2019 issue P. 46

The present invention relates to a game system, its operation method, and program.

Games that allow the use of different types of value media have been proposed in the past. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a game that allows the use of currency such as coins and medals (token coins).

Patent No. 4193202

In the technology of Patent Document 1, the number of medals required to start one game can be inserted, both as coins and medals, into an electronic gaming device equipped with an exchange function that converts coins into medals. In the technology of Patent Document 1, coins or medals inserted by the player are converted into credits, and the game is executed by the player spending the credits. With the technology of Patent Document 1, the amount of coins and medals inserted is converted into the quantity of one type of credit. Therefore, it is difficult to manage the credits separately for each of the insertion of coins and the insertion of medals. Note that the above explanation assumes the insertion of coins or medals, but similar issues are anticipated in any configuration in which different types of value media can be inserted.

In order to solve the above problems, a game system according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a first conversion unit that converts a first value medium into a first game value when the first value medium is inserted, a second conversion unit that converts the second value medium into a second game value when a second value medium different from the first value medium is inserted, and a game control unit that progresses a game in which at least one of the first game value and the second game value is consumed, and the game control unit progresses the game in an advantageous manner for the player when the second game value is consumed compared to when the first game value is consumed without consuming the second game value.

A method of operating a game system according to one aspect of the present invention provides a first game value to a player when a first value medium is inserted, provides a second game value to the player when a second value medium different from the first value medium is inserted, progresses a game in which at least one of the first game value and the second game value is consumed, and when the second game value is consumed, progresses the game in an advantageous manner for the player compared to when the first game value is consumed without consuming the second game value.

A program according to one aspect of the present invention causes a computer to function as a first conversion unit that converts a first value medium into a first game value when the first value medium is inserted, a second conversion unit that converts the second value medium into a second game value when a second value medium different from the first value medium is inserted, and a game control unit that progresses a game in which at least one of the first game value and the second game value is consumed, and the game control unit progresses the game in an advantageous manner for the player when the second game value is consumed compared to when the first game value is consumed without consuming the second game value.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a game system according to a first embodiment. FIG. 11 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the functional configuration of a control device in the game system. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a game screen. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a specific procedure of a process executed by a control device. 13 is a flowchart illustrating a specific procedure of a lottery game process. 13 is a flowchart illustrating a specific procedure of a lottery game process in the fourth embodiment. 13 is a flowchart illustrating a specific procedure of a process for limiting an increase in the second credit in the seventh embodiment. 13 is a flowchart illustrating a specific procedure of a process executed by a control device in the eighth embodiment.

The following describes an embodiment of the present invention with reference to the drawings. The embodiment described below includes various technically suitable limitations. The scope of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments exemplified below.

[First embodiment]
1 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of a gaming system 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The gaming system 1 is a computer system for providing a lottery game to a player. The gaming system 1 is installed in a gaming facility. The gaming facility is, for example, an entertainment facility such as a game center, or a commercial facility such as a shopping center. For example, the gaming system 1 used in a casino may also be called a gaming machine.

A lottery game is a game that includes a lottery. Lottery games include games in which the outcome is determined by lottery alone, and games in which the outcome of the game is determined by lottery alone as well as by factors other than the lottery (e.g., player operations). In the former games, winning/losing (non-winning) or the type of winning (big win/small win) is determined by lottery, and a reward for winning is given to the player. In the latter games, for example, if the lottery result is a winning and the result of the player's operations meets a predetermined condition, a reward for winning is given to the player. Lottery games include, for example, slot games in which winning/losing is determined by a combination of multiple pictures (i.e., a winning combination), bingo games that use balls, and racing games in which the ranking of multiple elements such as racehorses is predicted.

In a configuration in which one of a plurality of game modes, each of which has different advantages/disadvantages for the player, is selected, the lottery result may be used to switch the game mode. In a configuration in which the lottery result is used to switch the game mode, whether or not to switch the game mode may be determined according to the lottery result, or the game mode may be switched when, for example, the points awarded to the player according to the lottery result reach a predetermined number. Games in which the lottery result is used to switch the game mode as described above are also included in lottery games. In addition, the game system 1 may be either a single-station type machine played by one player, or a multi-station type machine played by multiple players simultaneously. In the game system 1, a bet-type lottery game in which a bet is placed on one or more options is executed.

The game system 1 accepts the insertion of a value medium and converts the value medium into credits, which are electronic data managed by the game system 1. A value medium is a tangible or intangible medium that has a value that can be converted into credits. Tangible value media are, for example, physical medals (token coins), physical currency (cash), or tickets. Intangible value media are, for example, electronic medals, electronic currency (electronic money), or points. The quantity of the intangible value medium is stored as electronic data in a recording medium such as an IC card.

Credits are consumed as a payment for the lottery game. The game system 1 starts the lottery game by consuming credits in accordance with a predetermined operation by the player (hereinafter referred to as a "consumption operation"), and awards a quantity of credits as a reward according to the outcome of the lottery game. The consumption operation is specifically a betting operation in which credits are bet. The lottery game starts at the time when the credits are consumed by the consumption operation. In addition, the game system 1 can pay out a quantity of value medium corresponding to the remaining amount of credits in accordance with a predetermined operation by the player (hereinafter referred to as a "payout operation"). Note that the type of value medium inserted as credits and the type of value medium paid out in response to the credits may be the same or different.

The game system 1 accepts the insertion of a first value medium and a second value medium. The first value medium and the second value medium are different types of value medium. Specifically, the first value medium is a value medium that circulates only within game facilities, such as medals (physical medals or electronic medals). The second value medium is a value medium that circulates in general society, such as currency (physical currency or electronic currency). The second value medium in the first embodiment is a 100 yen coin.

In the first embodiment, credits are divided into first credits and second credits. The first credits are game value converted from a first value medium inserted into the game system 1. The second credits are game value converted from a second value medium inserted into the game system 1. The first credits are an example of a "first game value," and the second credits are an example of a "second game value." As described above, in the first embodiment, the first credits corresponding to the first value medium and the second credits corresponding to the second value medium are managed separately.

A player can obtain a first value medium from a medium providing device (not shown) installed in the gaming facility. Specifically, a player can obtain a first value medium by inserting a second value medium owned by the player into the medium providing device. For example, the medium providing device is a medal lending machine that provides a player with a physical medal or an electronic medal in exchange for inserting a physical or electronic currency. The medium providing device provides the player with a quantity of first value media obtained by multiplying the quantity of the second value medium inserted by the player by a predetermined conversion rate Q0. The conversion rate Q0 is a predetermined positive number set for each gaming facility. For example, the conversion rate Q0 is set to "100". In other words, 100 sheets of the first value medium are provided to the player for one sheet of the second value medium. As can be understood from the above example, a player who visits a gaming facility can insert the first value medium provided by the medium providing device in exchange for the second value medium into the gaming system 1, as well as inserting the second value medium itself into the gaming system 1. The conversion rate Q0 may be changed in stages depending on the amount of second value media inserted into the media provision device.

As shown in FIG. 1, the game system 1 of the first embodiment is realized by a computer system including a control device 21, a storage device 22, a display device 23, an operation device 24, a reception device 25, and a payout device 26. The game system 1 may be realized as a single device, or as a collection of multiple devices configured separately from one another.

The control device 21 is a single or multiple processors that control each element of the game system 1. Specifically, the control device 21 is configured with one or more types of processors, such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), a DSP (Digital Signal Processor), an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), or an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit).

The storage device 22 is a single or multiple memories that store the programs executed by the control device 21 and various data used by the control device 21. For example, the storage device 22 is configured with known recording media such as semiconductor recording media and magnetic recording media. Note that the storage device 22 may be configured with a combination of multiple types of recording media. The storage device 22 stores, for example, the quantities of each of the first credits and the second credits.

The display device 23 displays various images under the control of the control device 21. For example, a display panel such as a liquid crystal display panel or an organic EL (Electroluminescence) display panel is used as the display device 23. The operation device 24 is an input device that accepts instructions from the player. For example, a touch panel that detects contact by the player, or an operator operated by the player is used as the operation device 24. The operation device 24 in the first embodiment includes a consumption button (bet button) that accepts the consumption operation described above, and a payout button that accepts a payout operation.

The reception device 25 is a mechanism that accepts the insertion of a value medium by a player. The reception device 25 of the first embodiment includes a first reception unit 251 and a second reception unit 252. The first reception unit 251 is a mechanism that accepts the insertion of a first value medium (a physical medal or an electronic medal). Specifically, the first reception unit 251 includes an insertion slot into which a physical medal is inserted, and a detector that detects the insertion of the physical medal into the insertion slot. In a configuration in which an electronic medal is used as the first value medium, the first reception unit 251 is used to perform a withdrawal process of the electronic medal by short-range wireless communication with a recording medium such as an IC card, or a communication device that performs a withdrawal process of the electronic medal by communicating with an account management server that manages the player's electronic medal account.

The second acceptance unit 252 is a mechanism that accepts the insertion of a second value medium (physical currency or electronic currency). Specifically, the second acceptance unit 252 is equipped with an insertion slot into which physical currency (i.e., cash such as coins) is inserted, and a detector that detects the insertion of physical currency into the insertion slot. In a configuration in which electronic currency (electronic money) is used as the second value medium, the second acceptance unit 252 is used, for example, as a communication device that executes a withdrawal process of electronic currency by short-range wireless communication with a recording medium such as an IC card, or as a communication device that executes electronic payment by communicating with an electronic payment server.

The payout device 26 is a mechanism that executes the payout of a value medium. The payout device 26 of the first embodiment executes the payout of a first value medium (physical medals or electronic medals). Specifically, the payout device 26 includes a storage container that stores the physical medals accepted by the acceptance device 25, an ejection device that ejects the physical medals stored in the storage container one by one, and a detector that detects the ejection of the physical medals by the ejection device. In a configuration in which an electronic medal is used as the first value medium, the payout device 26 is a communication device that executes the deposit process of the electronic medal by short-range wireless communication with a recording medium such as an IC card, or a communication device that executes the deposit process of the electronic medal by communication with an account management server that manages the player's electronic medal account.

Figure 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the functional configuration of the control device 21. As illustrated in Figure 2, the control device 21 of the first embodiment realizes multiple functions (a first conversion unit 211, a second conversion unit 212, a game control unit 213, and a payout control unit 214) by executing a program stored in the storage device 22.

When a first value medium is inserted, the first conversion unit 211 converts the first value medium into first credits. That is, the first conversion unit 211 converts the first value medium received by the first reception unit 251 into a quantity of first credits according to the amount of the first value medium inserted. The first conversion unit 211 of the first embodiment converts the first value medium into a quantity of first credits obtained by multiplying the amount of the first value medium inserted by a predetermined conversion rate Q1. The conversion rate Q1 is a predetermined positive number. Specifically, the conversion rate Q1 is set to, for example, "1". Therefore, the player is granted the same number of first credits as the amount of the first value medium inserted. That is, the first credits increase by a unit amount (for example, "1") each time a unit amount (one piece) of the first value medium is inserted.

When a second value medium is inserted, the second conversion unit 212 converts the second value medium into second credits. That is, the second conversion unit 212 converts the second value medium received by the second reception unit 252 into a quantity of second credits according to the amount of the second value medium inserted. The second conversion unit 212 of the first embodiment converts the second value medium into a quantity of second credits obtained by multiplying the amount of the second value medium inserted by a predetermined conversion rate Q2. The conversion rate Q2 is, for example, a positive number lower than the above-mentioned conversion rate Q0. Specifically, the conversion rate Q2 is set to, for example, "10". That is, one second value medium is converted into ten second credits. In a configuration in which the conversion rate Q0 is set to "100" and the conversion rate Q2 is set to "10" as in the above example, the conversion rate Q2 is 1/10 of the conversion rate Q0. Therefore, the value of the second credit is ten times the value of the first credit.

The game control unit 213 controls the progress of one lottery game by consuming credits in response to a consumption operation. The lottery game is repeatedly progressed with each consumption operation. The lottery executed in the lottery game is a process of randomly selecting one of a number of lottery elements, such as a number. The lottery in the first embodiment is an electronic lottery in which one of a number of lottery elements is selected by a calculation executed by the control device 21. The game control unit 213 in the first embodiment is capable of controlling the probability P of a player winning in the lottery game (hereinafter referred to as the "winning probability").

The game control unit 213 causes the display device 23 to display the game screen G of FIG. 3, which shows the progress of the lottery game. As exemplified in FIG. 3, the game screen G is an image including a first area G1 and a second area G2. The first area G1 displays an image showing the progress of the lottery game. The second area G2 displays the amount of first credits and the amount of second credits. The game screen G is updated as needed according to the progress of the lottery game.

In one lottery game in the first embodiment, a predetermined number (hereinafter referred to as a "consumption unit") of first credits is consumed by one consumption operation, and a player who wins the lottery is awarded a number of first credits according to the payout as a reward. The consumption unit of first credits is, for example, "3". Furthermore, if second credits remain at the time of the consumption operation, a predetermined consumption unit (for example, "3") of second credits is consumed together with the first credits. In other words, in a lottery game in which first credits are consumed, the second credits may or may not be consumed depending on the remaining amount of second credits. Note that one first credit may be consumed for each consumption operation.

In a lottery game in which the second credit is consumed, the game control unit 213 progresses the lottery game under conditions that are more advantageous to the player than when the second credit is not consumed. Conditions that are advantageous to the player mean that the conditions related to the lottery game are favorable to the player in terms of the player's aim to achieve the objective of the lottery game (i.e., to obtain a reward). Specifically, the game control unit 213 of the first embodiment sets the winning probability P in the lottery game in which the second credit is consumed to a higher value than the winning probability P in the lottery game in which the second credit is not consumed. Therefore, the player is more likely to win in the lottery game in which the second credit is consumed. As can be understood from the above explanation, the player is more likely to obtain a reward in the lottery game by consuming the second credit converted from the second value medium. In other words, the expected value of the amount of rewards that the player can obtain within a unit time increases. In addition, in a lottery game in which the player is played under advantageous conditions by consuming second credits, a special effect is implemented by displaying an image on the display device 23 or playing music from a sound device (not shown) to inform the player that the advantageous conditions are met.

In addition to the lottery, in lottery games in which the player's operations are reflected in the game outcome, for example, executing a process to assist the player's operations (hereinafter referred to as "operation assistance") or increasing the frequency of operation assistance are exemplified as conditions advantageous to the player. Operation assistance is, for example, an action of informing the player of the timing of a player's operation, for example by means of an image or sound, in a game in which the timing of the player's operation is reflected in the outcome. Also, for example, in a game in which the order of the player's operations is reflected in the outcome, an action of informing the player of the order of the operation, for example by means of an image or sound, corresponds to operation assistance.

The payout control unit 214 in FIG. 2 controls the payout of the value medium. When the first credit remains, the player can operate the payout button on the operation device 24 to instruct the payout of an amount of value medium equivalent to the remaining amount of the first credit. When the payout of the value medium is instructed by the player, the payout control unit 214 operates the discharge device of the payout device 26 until the detector of the payout device 26 detects an amount of first value medium corresponding to the amount of the first credit. Specifically, the amount of first value medium obtained by multiplying the amount of first credit by the reciprocal 1/Q1 of the conversion rate Q1 is paid out. For example, in a configuration in which the conversion rate Q1 is set to "1", the same amount of first value medium as the first credit is paid out.

As described above, the first value medium is paid out according to the amount of first credits, while the payout of the value medium (first value medium or second value medium) according to the amount of second credits is limited. Specifically, even if the player operates the payout button when there are remaining second credits, the amount of second credits is maintained. Therefore, the player basically operates the payout button when there are no remaining second credits by consuming the entire amount of the second credits.

At the time when the player finishes using the game system 1, a fraction of the second credit may remain. The fraction of the second credit is an amount less than the consumption unit of the second credit. Therefore, for example, a fraction may occur when the consumption unit of the second credit is other than "1". When a fraction of the second credit remains, the player is encouraged to increase the amount of the second credit by inserting the second value medium in the hope that the remaining amount of the second credit will be a multiple of the consumption unit. In other words, it is possible to increase the motivation of the player to continue playing the lottery game. For example, if the amount of second credit (e.g. "10") into which one piece of the second value medium is converted is set to a number that is not divisible by the consumption unit of the second credit (e.g. "3"), a fraction will always remain in the second credit. It is also possible for the player to finish using the game system 1 with the second credit remaining. In the above state, another player who uses the game system 1 immediately after can continue to consume the second credit of the previous player. However, the remaining amount of the second credit may be erased at the time when the payout of the value medium is instructed so that other players cannot continue to consume the remaining amount of the second credit. Also, the player may be able to select whether or not to erase the remaining amount of the second credit by operating the operation device 24.

Note that another purpose of limiting the payout of a value medium according to the quantity of second credits is to prevent the payout of a first value medium according to the quantity of second credits from being executed together with the payout of a first value medium according to the quantity of first credits. As mentioned above, since the value of second credits exceeds the value of first credits, if second credits are paid out as the first value medium, the player may not be able to fully obtain an advantageous state in the lottery game, which may ultimately put the player at a disadvantage. For these reasons, in the first embodiment, the payout of a value medium according to the quantity of second credits is limited.

Figure 4 is a flow chart illustrating a specific procedure of the process executed by the control device 21. When the process of Figure 4 is started, the first conversion unit 211 judges whether the first reception unit 251 has received the insertion of the first value medium (S1). If the first reception unit 251 has received the insertion of the first value medium (S1: YES), the first conversion unit 211 converts the first value medium into a quantity of first credits corresponding to the amount of the first value medium inserted (S2). Specifically, the first conversion unit 211 increases the quantity of first credits stored in the storage device 22 by the amount obtained by multiplying the amount of the first value medium inserted by the conversion rate Q1. On the other hand, if the first reception unit 251 does not receive the insertion of the first value medium (S1: NO), the conversion from the first value medium to the first credits (S2) is not executed.

The second conversion unit 212 determines whether the second reception unit 252 has accepted the insertion of the second value medium (S3). If the second reception unit 252 has accepted the insertion of the second value medium (S3: YES), the second conversion unit 212 converts the second value medium into a quantity of second credits corresponding to the amount of the second value medium inserted (S4). Specifically, the second conversion unit 212 increases the quantity of second credits stored in the storage device 22 by the amount obtained by multiplying the amount of the second value medium inserted by the conversion rate Q2. On the other hand, if the second reception unit 252 does not accept the insertion of the second value medium (S3: NO), the conversion from the second value medium to the second credits (S4) is not executed.

The game control unit 213 determines whether or not a consumption operation has been received from the player (S5). If a consumption operation has been received (S5: YES), the game control unit 213 executes the lottery game process S6. The lottery game process S6 is a series of processes that progress the lottery game. On the other hand, if a consumption operation has not been received (S5: NO), the lottery game process S6 is not executed. As can be understood from the above explanation, the consumption operation corresponds to the trigger for starting the lottery game. The specific steps of the lottery game process S6 will be described later.

The payout control unit 214 determines whether or not a payout operation has been received from the player (S7). If a payout operation has been received (S7: YES), the payout control unit 214 causes the payout device 26 to pay out the first value medium in an amount corresponding to the amount of the first credits currently remaining (S8). As described above, the payout of the value medium (first value medium or second value medium) corresponding to the remaining amount of the second credits is not performed. On the other hand, if the payout of the value medium is not instructed (S7: NO), the payout control unit 214 does not perform the payout of the first value medium. Therefore, the amounts of the first credits and the second credits are maintained. If the payout operation is not received (S7: NO), or if the payout of the first value medium has been performed (S8), the control device 21 transitions to the process in step S1 described above.

Figure 5 is a flow chart illustrating the specific steps of the lottery game process S6 executed by the game control unit 213. In the first embodiment, the consumption unit of the first credits corresponding to one consumption operation is "3". Similarly, the consumption unit of the second credits is also "3". When the lottery game process S6 starts, the game control unit 213 subtracts "3", which is the consumption unit, from the quantity of the first credits stored in the storage device 22 (Sa61).

The game control unit 213 determines whether the remaining amount of the second credit exceeds the consumption unit (Sa62). If the remaining amount of the second credit is less than the consumption unit (Sa62: NO), the game control unit 213 sets the probability of winning P in the lottery game to the value PL without consuming the second credit (Sa63).

On the other hand, if the remaining amount of second credits is equal to or greater than the consumption unit (Sa62: YES), the game control unit 213 subtracts the consumption unit from the quantity of second credits stored in the storage device 22 (Sa64). That is, the consumption unit of second credits is consumed for the lottery game together with the consumption unit of first credits. When the second credits are consumed in the above procedure, the game control unit 213 sets the winning probability P to a value PH (Sa65). The value PH exceeds the value PL of the winning probability P when the second credits are not consumed (PH>PL).

Once the winning probability P is set (Sa63, Sa65), the game control unit 213 executes a lottery based on the winning probability P (Sa66). In other words, winning/losing is determined probabilistically. As can be understood from the above explanation, the winning probability P increases by consuming the second credits converted from the second value medium, which creates an advantageous situation for players who aim to win multiple rewards in the lottery game. As can be understood from the above explanation, the second credits can also be said as points consumed to progress advantageously in the lottery game.

The game control unit 213 determines whether the lottery result is a win (Sa67). If the lottery result is a win (Sa67: YES), the game control unit 213 awards a quantity of first credits corresponding to the payout as a reward (Sa68). Specifically, the game control unit 213 adds a quantity corresponding to the payout to the quantity of first credits stored in the storage device 22. The payout is set appropriately according to the content of the lottery game. On the other hand, if the lottery result is a loss (Sa67: NO), the game control unit 213 ends the lottery game process S6. The above is the specific procedure of the lottery game process S6.

As described above, in the first embodiment, the first credit converted from the first value medium and the second credit converted from the second value medium are managed separately. Therefore, compared to a configuration in which one type of credit corresponding to both the first value medium and the second value medium is handled, an operation in which the roles of the first value medium and the second value medium are differentiated can be easily realized. Specifically, as exemplified in the first embodiment, an operation in which the first credit converted from the first value medium is consumed in the lottery game, and the second credit converted from the second value medium is consumed to advance the lottery game advantageously can be easily realized.

In addition, in the first embodiment, when the second credit converted from the second value medium is consumed, the lottery game proceeds more favorably for the player than when the second credit is not consumed. Therefore, the input of the second value medium by the player can be promoted. For example, in a situation where a player uses (inputs) a large amount of only the first value medium owned by the player, even if the player occupies the game system 1 for a long time, there is a possibility that the increase in the profit of the gaming facility cannot be sufficiently expected. According to the first embodiment, in which the player can advantageously develop the lottery game by consuming the second credit converted from the second value medium, the expected value of the amount of reward that the player can obtain within a unit time increases, so that the input of the second value medium (physical currency or electronic currency) is promoted, and as a result, there is an advantage that the profit of the gaming facility is likely to increase. In addition, in the first embodiment, the payout of the second value medium for the remaining amount of the second credit is prohibited, so it is possible to promote the consumption of the second credit by the player. In addition, since it is not necessary to install a mechanism for dispensing the second value medium in the game system 1, the configuration of the game system 1 is simplified.

[Second embodiment]
A second embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the following examples, the reference numerals used in the description of the first embodiment will be used for elements whose functions are similar to those of the first embodiment, and detailed descriptions of each will be omitted as appropriate.

In the first embodiment, a configuration was exemplified in which the consumption unit of the second credit is consumed together with the first credit in the lottery game. In the second embodiment and the third embodiment described later, there are cases in which only the first credit is consumed in the lottery game. That is, even if the second credit has a remaining amount equal to or greater than the consumption unit, the second credit may not be consumed in the lottery game. As described above, in the first embodiment, the second credit is consumed preferentially, whereas in the second and third embodiments, the second credit is not consumed preferentially. The second embodiment is a form in which the player is directly involved in the consumption of the second credit. On the other hand, the third embodiment is a form in which the second credit is consumed according to the progress of the lottery game. The second and third embodiments may be combined.

In the second embodiment, the operation device 24 includes an operation button that allows the player to instruct the consumption of the second credit. If the player wishes to play the lottery game to his advantage, he operates the operation button.

In the second embodiment, the game control unit 213 determines whether or not the consumption of second credits is valid in step Sa62. For example, when an operation of the operation button is accepted and the remaining amount of the second credits is equal to or greater than the consumption unit, the consumption of second credits is determined to be valid (Sb62: YES). Note that a configuration is also envisaged in which, when an operation of the operation button is accepted, the consumption unit of second credits is repeatedly consumed until the remaining amount of second credits falls below the consumption unit. Also, a configuration is also envisaged in which the consumption unit of second credits is consumed only once for each operation of the operation button. If the consumption of second credits is valid (Sb62: NO), the game control unit 213 subtracts the consumption unit from the quantity of second credits stored in the storage device 22 (Sa64), and sets the winning probability P to the numerical value PH (Sa65).

On the other hand, if the remaining amount of second credits falls below the consumption unit, or if no operation is received on the operation button, it is determined that the consumption of second credits is invalid (Sb62: NO). If the consumption of second credits is invalid (Sb62: YES), the game control unit 213 sets the winning probability P to the numerical value PL (Sa63). In other words, the second credits are not consumed. On the other hand, the operations other than the consumption of second credits are the same as those in the first embodiment.

[Third embodiment]
The game system 1 in the third embodiment is set to either a special mode or a normal mode. A lottery game is executed in both the special mode and the normal mode. However, the special mode is an operation mode in which a player can develop a lottery game more advantageously than in the normal mode. For example, the special mode is an operation mode in which a specific combination is more likely to be achieved (and therefore the player is more likely to win a reward) in a slot game in which winning/losing is determined by a combination of multiple pictures, compared to the normal mode.

The game control unit 213 repeatedly executes a predetermined lottery regarding the operation mode (hereinafter referred to as the "operation mode lottery") in the normal mode. The operation mode lottery is an electronic lottery that determines probabilistically whether the operation mode lottery is a win or a loss. If the result of the operation mode lottery is a win, the game control unit 213 transitions the operation mode from the normal mode to the special mode. On the other hand, if the result of the operation mode lottery is a loss, the game control unit 213 maintains the operation mode in the normal mode.

The operation mode lottery is executed in normal mode on the condition that second credits are consumed. Specifically, the game control unit 213 repeatedly executes the operation of subtracting the consumption unit from the quantity of second credits and then executing the operation mode lottery until the quantity of second credits falls below the consumption unit. When the quantity of second credits falls below the consumption unit, the operation mode transitions from special mode to normal mode. As described above, in the third embodiment, second credits are consumed in normal mode. On the other hand, second credits are not consumed during the period in which the operation mode is in special mode. As can be understood from the above explanation, in the third embodiment, the period or state in which second credits are consumed is limited.

[Fourth embodiment]
In the first embodiment, when there is a remaining amount of second credits, a consumption unit of the second credits is consumed for the lottery game together with the first credits. In the fourth embodiment, one of the first credits and the second credits is selectively consumed for the lottery game.

The operation device 24 of the fourth embodiment includes a first consumption button that accepts a consumption operation related to a first credit (hereinafter referred to as a "first consumption operation"), and a second consumption button that accepts a consumption operation related to a second credit (hereinafter referred to as a "second consumption operation"). The consumption unit of first credits by one first consumption operation is, for example, "3". Similarly, the consumption unit of second credits by one second consumption operation is also "3". As in the first embodiment, one consumption button may be provided on the operation device 24, and the second credits may be consumed when second credits remain, and the first credits may be consumed when the amount of second credits falls below the consumption unit.

Figure 6 is a flow chart illustrating the specific steps of the lottery game process S6 in the fourth embodiment. When there is remaining credit in both the first credit and the second credit, the player can instruct the consumption of either the first credit or the second credit by operating the operation device 24. In other words, the player selects either the first credit or the second credit.

When the lottery game process S6 starts, the game control unit 213 determines whether or not a first consumption operation has been received (Sb61).

When the first consumption operation is received (Sb61: YES), the game control unit 213 subtracts "3", which is the consumption unit, from the quantity of the first credit stored in the storage device 22 (Sb62). In addition, the game control unit 213 sets the probability P of winning in the lottery game to the numerical value PL (Sb63).

On the other hand, when a second consumption operation is received (Sb61: NO), the game control unit 213 subtracts "3", which is the consumption unit, from the quantity of second credits stored in the storage device 22 (Sb64). In addition, the game control unit 213 sets the winning probability P in the lottery game to a numerical value PH (Sb65). As in the first embodiment, the numerical value PH of the winning probability P when second credits are consumed exceeds the numerical value PL of the winning probability P when second credits are not consumed (PH>PL).

When the winning probability P is set (Sb63, Sb65), the game control unit 213 executes a lottery based on the winning probability P (Sb66). As can be understood from the above explanation, the winning probability P increases as the second credits converted from the second value medium are consumed, which creates an advantageous situation for players who aim to win a large number of rewards in the lottery game. In other words, the expected number of rewards that a player can win within a unit time increases.

The game control unit 213 determines whether the player has won the lottery (Sb67). If the player has won (Sb67: YES), the game control unit 213 awards the player a number of first credits corresponding to the payout as a reward, as in the first embodiment (Sb68). Specifically, the game control unit 213 adds an amount corresponding to the payout to the amount of first credits stored in the storage device 22. The payout is set appropriately depending on the content of the lottery game. The specific steps of the lottery game process S6 in the fourth embodiment are as described above. As can be understood from the above explanation, the fourth embodiment also achieves the same effect as the first embodiment.

In the above explanation, a configuration has been given in which the first credit or the second credit selected by the player is consumed, but the method of switching between the first credit and the second credit is not limited to the above example. For example, a configuration is also envisaged in which the second credit is consumed preferentially, and consumption of the first credit begins when the remaining amount of the second credit reaches a quantity below the consumption unit.

[Fifth embodiment]
In the first to fourth embodiments, the probability P of winning when the second credits are consumed is set to a value PH higher than the value PL of the probability P of winning when the second credits are not consumed. In the fifth embodiment and a sixth embodiment described later, the specific process for making the lottery game proceed advantageously for the player by consuming the second credits differs from the first and fourth embodiments.

The game control unit 213 of the fifth embodiment controls the length of time required for the lottery game depending on whether or not second credits are consumed. Specifically, the game control unit 213 sets the length of time of the lottery game in which second credits are consumed to be shorter than the length of time of the lottery game in which second credits are not consumed. In other words, the length of time of the lottery game is shortened by consuming second credits.

Specifically, the time length of a lottery game in which the second credit is not consumed is set to, for example, six seconds. Even if the result of the lottery game is determined in less than six seconds, the next consumption operation is prohibited from being accepted until six seconds have passed. On the other hand, in a lottery game in which the second credit is consumed, the next consumption operation can be accepted even before six seconds have passed. When the second credit is consumed in a lottery game that progresses in response to a player's operation, it is possible to speed up the progress of the lottery game by speeding up the player's operation.

Other possible modes for shortening the length of time of the lottery game include, for example, a process for increasing the speed of progress of the lottery game, a process for omitting some of the multiple stages that make up the lottery game, or a process for shortening or omitting the presentation related to the lottery game. By shortening the length of time of the lottery game, the expected number of rewards that a player can win within a unit time increases. This creates an advantageous situation for players who aim to win a large number of rewards in the lottery game.

The configuration in which the first credit and the second credit are managed separately, and the configuration in which the lottery game progresses to the player's advantage by consuming the second credit, are the same as in the first embodiment. Therefore, the fifth embodiment also achieves the same effect as the first embodiment. In the fifth embodiment, the second credit may be consumed together with the first credit for one lottery game, as in the first embodiment, or one of the first credit and the second credit may be selectively consumed for the lottery game, as in the fourth embodiment.

Sixth Embodiment
In the sixth embodiment, similarly to the first embodiment, if there are remaining second credits, a predetermined amount of the second credits are consumed together with the first credits for one lottery game. If there are no remaining second credits, only the first credits are consumed for the lottery game. In the sixth embodiment, if the lottery result in the lottery game is a win, the player is given a reward of an amount of first credits equal to the consumption unit of the first credits multiplied by the multiplier R.

The game control unit 213 of the sixth embodiment controls the amount of reward that a player can obtain when winning the lottery game, depending on whether or not second credits are consumed. Specifically, the game control unit 213 sets the multiplier R applied to the calculation of the reward in the lottery game, depending on whether or not second credits are consumed in the lottery game. For example, if second credits are consumed in the lottery game, the game control unit 213 sets the multiplier R to a numerical value RH, and if second credits are not consumed, the game control unit 213 sets the multiplier R to a numerical value RL. The numerical value RH is greater than the numerical value RL (RH>RL).

In the above configuration, the amount of rewards for a given amount of first credits in a lottery game in which second credits are consumed exceeds the amount of rewards for that given amount in a lottery game in which second credits are not consumed. As the amount of rewards increases by consuming second credits as described above, the expected amount of rewards that a player can obtain within a unit time increases. This creates an advantageous situation for players who aim to obtain a large number of rewards in the lottery game. Note that the configuration in which first credits and second credits are managed separately is the same as in the first embodiment. Therefore, the sixth embodiment also achieves the same effects as the first embodiment.

[Seventh embodiment]
As described above, the payout of the value medium according to the quantity of the second credits is limited (typically prohibited). Therefore, in a state where an excessively large number of second credits are granted to a player by inserting the second value medium, the player may not be able to consume the entire amount of the second credits. For example, in a case where a player who comes to a gaming facility just before the facility closes inserts a large number of second value media, the player may not be able to consume the entire amount of the second credits before the facility closes. In consideration of the above circumstances, in the seventh embodiment, in a state where the quantity of the second credits has reached the upper limit, further increase of the second credits is limited.

Figure 7 is a flowchart illustrating the specific steps of the process for limiting the increase in the second credit in the seventh embodiment. For example, the process in Figure 7 is executed immediately before step S1 in Figure 4.

When the process starts, the control device 21 judges whether the amount of the second credits has reached the upper limit (Sc1). If the amount of the second credits has reached the upper limit (Sc1: YES), the control device 21 controls the game system 1 in a state in which the increase in the amount of the second credits is restricted (hereinafter referred to as the "restricted state"). The restricted state is, for example, a state in which the insertion port of the second value medium in the second reception unit 252 is blocked by a blocking mechanism (not shown). That is, in the restricted state, the player cannot insert the second value medium into the insertion port. However, the restricted state is not limited to the above examples. For example, a state in which the second value medium inserted into the insertion port in the second reception unit 252 is directly discharged from the discharge port of the discharge device is also an example of the restricted state. In the restricted state in which the second value medium is directly discharged from the discharge port, the second value medium inserted into the insertion port is not detected. Therefore, even if the player inserts the second value medium into the insertion port, the second credit does not increase. In addition, when a second value medium is inserted in the restricted state, the player may be given a quantity of first credits according to the amount of the second value medium inserted.

On the other hand, if the amount of second credits falls below the upper limit (Sc1: NO), the control device 21 controls the game system 1 to a state in which an increase in the amount of second credits is permitted (hereinafter referred to as the "acceptance state") (Sc3). The acceptance state is a state in which, when the second acceptance unit 252 accepts the insertion of a second value medium, the second conversion unit 212 converts the second value medium into second credits. As can be understood from the above explanation, when the second credits reach the upper limit, the game system 1 is controlled to the restricted state, and when the second credits fall below the upper limit, the game system 1 is controlled to the acceptance state.

The seventh embodiment also achieves the same effect as the first embodiment. Furthermore, in the seventh embodiment, when the amount of second credits reaches the upper limit, the increase in the second credits is restricted, so the amount of second credits is restricted to an appropriate range. Therefore, for example, it is possible to reduce the possibility that the amount of second credits becomes excessive and the player is unable to consume all of it.

[Eighth embodiment]
In each of the above-mentioned embodiments, a configuration in which the second value medium is converted into the second credit has been exemplified. In the eighth embodiment, the second value medium inserted by the player is converted into the first credit and the second credit. Specifically, when the second reception unit 252 accepts the insertion of the second value medium, the first conversion unit 211 converts the second value medium into the first credit, and the second conversion unit 212 converts the second value medium into the second credit. For example, by inserting a unit amount of the second value medium (e.g., "1 piece"), a predetermined amount of the first credit (e.g., "10") and a predetermined amount of the second credit (e.g., "10") are given to the player.

Figure 8 is a flowchart illustrating the specific steps of the process executed by the control device 21 in the eighth embodiment. In the eighth embodiment, step S4 in the first embodiment is replaced by step S4a in Figure 8.

The process (S1, S2) in which the first value medium received by the first reception unit 251 is converted into the first credit is the same as in the first embodiment. When the second reception unit 252 receives the second value medium (S3), the first conversion unit 211 converts the second value medium into the first credit, and the second conversion unit 212 converts the second value medium into the second credit. That is, an amount according to the amount of the second value medium inserted is added to both the first credit and the second credit. The operation of consuming the first credit or the second credit is the same as in the first embodiment. In the lottery game process S6, the consumption unit of the first credit is consumed (Sa61) as in the first embodiment, and if the amount of the second credit remaining exceeds the consumption unit, the consumption unit of the second credit is consumed (Sa64).

In the eighth embodiment, both the first credit and the second credit increase when the second value medium is inserted, so the aforementioned effect of encouraging players to insert the second value medium is particularly noticeable.

It is also assumed that the second credits converted from the second value medium are treated as "points" to distinguish them from the first credits. The points are displayed on the display device 23 (second area G2) as information for advantageously developing the lottery game. By visually checking the points displayed on the display device 23, the player can grasp how long the situation in which the lottery game can be advantageously developed will continue. If the second value medium were converted only to the second credits (points) under the above configuration, the player may mistakenly believe that the second value medium is not converted to credits to be consumed for playing the lottery game. In the eighth embodiment, the second value medium is converted to both the first credits and the second credits, so that the possibility of the player mistakenly believing that the second value medium is not converted to credits is reduced.

As described above, in the first to seventh embodiments, the payout of the second credits converted from the second value medium is prohibited. On the other hand, in the eighth embodiment, the payout of the second credits converted from the second value medium is prohibited as in the above-mentioned embodiments, while the payout of the first credits converted from the second value medium by the first conversion unit 211 is permitted. As can be understood from the above explanation, in the present invention, the payout of all credits converted from the second value medium is not prohibited.

[Modification]
Each of the above-mentioned exemplary embodiments may be modified in various ways. Specific modified embodiments that may be applied to each of the above-mentioned embodiments are exemplified below. Two or more embodiments arbitrarily selected from the following examples may be combined to the extent that they are not mutually contradictory.

(1) In each of the above-described embodiments, an electronic lottery is exemplified in which one of a plurality of lottery elements is probabilistically selected by calculations executed by the control device 21. However, a physical lottery may be executed in the lottery game in which a tangible lottery object such as a sphere is used to select one of a plurality of lottery elements. In a configuration in which a physical lottery is executed, as in each of the above-described embodiments, the probability of winning P (first embodiment), the length of time of the lottery game (fifth embodiment), or the amount of reward (sixth embodiment) is controlled according to whether or not second credits are consumed.

(2) The type of game in which the first credit and the second credit are consumed is not limited to a lottery game. For example, the game control unit 213 may control an exploration game in which a character representing a player explores an exploration location such as a cave or a building, or a battle game in which a character representing a player battles another character. The specific configuration for progressing the game in an advantageous manner for the player depends on the type of game. For example, in a battle game, the player's character is strengthened by controlling parameters related to the character of the player, thereby enabling the game to progress in an advantageous manner for the player. In addition, in an exploration game, the size or time required for the exploration location is reduced by controlling parameters related to the exploration location, thereby enabling the game to progress in an advantageous manner for the player.

(3) In each of the above-described embodiments, a configuration in which the payout of a value medium according to the quantity of second credits is prohibited has been exemplified, but the payout of a value medium according to the quantity of second credits may be permitted. For example, the payout control unit 214 may cause the payout device 26 to execute the payout of the first value medium or the second value medium according to the quantity of second credits.

(4) In each of the above embodiments, a consumption unit of first credits is consumed in a lottery game, but the consumption amount of the first credits is not limited to the consumption unit. For example, a consumption amount of first credits designated by a player may be consumed in a lottery game. The same applies to the second credits, and the consumption amount is not limited to the consumption unit. For example, a consumption amount of second credits designated by a player may be consumed in a lottery game. It is also preferable to have a configuration in which the larger the consumption amount of second credits, the more advantageously the lottery game develops.

(5) As a configuration for progressing the lottery game to the player's advantage, the first embodiment exemplifies a configuration for increasing the winning probability P, the fifth embodiment exemplifies a configuration for shortening the length of the lottery game, and the sixth embodiment exemplifies a configuration for increasing the amount of reward when a player wins. Since the object of the lottery game is to obtain rewards, each of the above configurations for progressing the lottery game to the player's advantage is encompassed as a configuration for increasing the expected amount of rewards that the player can obtain within a unit time. In addition, each of the above configurations for progressing the lottery game to the player's advantage can also be said as a configuration for shortening the time required for the player to obtain a predetermined amount of reward. Note that multiple processes for progressing the game to the player's advantage may be combined.

[Additional Notes]
From the above description, for example, preferred embodiments of the present invention can be understood as follows. In order to facilitate understanding of each embodiment, reference numerals in the drawings are written in parentheses for convenience, but the present invention is not limited to the embodiments shown in the drawings.

A game system (1) according to one aspect of the present invention (Appendix 1) includes a first conversion unit (211) that converts a first value medium into a first game value when the first value medium is inserted, a second conversion unit (212) that converts a second value medium of a type different from the first value medium into a second game value when the second value medium is inserted, and a game control unit (213) that progresses a game in which at least one of the first game value and the second game value is consumed, and the game control unit (213) progresses the game in an advantageous manner for the player when the second game value is consumed, compared to when the first game value is consumed without consuming the second game value.

According to the above aspect, the first gaming value converted from the first value medium and the second gaming value converted from the second value medium are managed separately. Therefore, compared to a configuration in which one type of credit corresponding to both the first value medium and the second value medium is processed, an operation in which the roles of the first value medium and the second value medium are differentiated can be easily realized. Furthermore, when the second gaming value converted from the second value medium is consumed, the game progresses more favorably for the player than when the second gaming value is not consumed. This encourages players to insert the second value medium.

The "value medium (first value medium, second value medium)" is a tangible or intangible medium having a value that is converted into a game value consumed for a game. The tangible value medium is, for example, a physical medal (token coin), currency (coin), or ticket. The intangible value medium is, for example, an electronic medal, electronic currency (electronic money), or points. The first value medium and the second value medium are mutually different types of value medium. For example, the first value medium is a physical medal or electronic medal, and the second value medium is physical currency or electronic currency. In other words, the first value medium is a substitute currency dedicated to the game, and the second value medium is real currency (legal tender). The first value medium may also be expressed as a value medium that can be paid out to a player depending on the result of the game, and the second value medium as a value medium that cannot be paid out to a player. In other words, the first value medium is a value medium that can increase the amount held by a player before and after playing a game.

"Game value" is a value consumed as payment for playing a game. A typical example of "game value" is numerical data such as credits. "Consumption" of game value can also be described as "betting" in a lottery game, for example. Furthermore, "when the second game value is consumed" includes a case where only the second game value is consumed and a case where both the first game value and the second game value are consumed.

A game being "advantageous" to a player means that the conditions relating to the progress of the game are favorable to the player in achieving the objective of the game. For example, in a lottery game in which winning or losing is selected probabilistically, a state in which the probability of winning is increased corresponds to an "advantageous" state. Also, since the shorter the length of a single game, the more efficiently a player can achieve his or her objective, a state in which the length of a single game is shortened also corresponds to an "advantageous" state. Furthermore, in a game in which the objective is to win a reward, a state in which a large amount of reward is awarded to the player depending on the game result corresponds to an "advantageous" state.

In a specific example (Supplementary Note 2) of Supplementary Note 1, when the second value medium is inserted, the first conversion unit converts the second value medium into the first gaming value, and the second conversion unit converts the second value medium into the second gaming value. In the above embodiment, the second value medium is converted into the first gaming medium and the second gaming medium. Therefore, the player does not need to insert both the first value medium and the second value medium.

The game system (1) according to a specific example (Supplementary Note 3) of Supplementary Note 1 or Supplementary Note 2 includes a payout control unit (214) that executes the payout of a quantity of value media corresponding to the quantity of the first gaming value, and the payout of a quantity of value media corresponding to the quantity of the second gaming value is limited. According to the above aspect, since the payout of a quantity of value media corresponding to the quantity of the second gaming value is limited, it is possible to dedicate the second gaming value to progress the game to the player's advantage.

"Payment of a value medium" refers to, for example, dispensing a tangible value medium to a player, or transferring an intangible value medium (for example, an electronic medal) to an account owned by a player.
"Limited payout of value media" means that the payout of a quantity of value media corresponding to the quantity of the second game value is limited compared to the payout of a quantity of value media corresponding to the quantity of the first game value. A typical example of "limitation" is "prohibition", but it is not necessary to completely prohibit the payout of a quantity of value media corresponding to the quantity of the second game value. For example, assuming a configuration in which the payout of a quantity of value media corresponding to the quantity of the first game value is executed when any of a plurality of conditions is met, a configuration in which the payout of a quantity of value media corresponding to the quantity of the second game value is prohibited when some of the plurality of conditions are met corresponds to a "limited payout of value media". For example, assuming a configuration in which the payout control unit (214) executes the payout of a quantity of value media corresponding to the quantity of the first game value in response to an instruction from the player, a configuration in which the payout of a quantity of value media corresponding to the quantity of the second game value in response to an instruction from the player is prohibited is included in the "limited payout of value media" configuration even if payout under other conditions is permitted.

In a specific example of Supplementary Note 3 (Supplementary Note 4), the second conversion unit (212) limits an increase in the quantity of the second game value when the quantity of the second game value reaches an upper limit. Since the payout of value media according to the second game value is limited, in a configuration in which no upper limit is set for the quantity of the second game value, the second game value may become excessively large, and the player may not be able to consume the entire amount of the second game value. According to the above-mentioned aspect in which the second game value is not added when the quantity of the second game value reaches an upper limit, there is an advantage in that the quantity of the second game value can be limited to an appropriate range.

In any specific example (Supplementary Note 5) of Supplementary Note 1 to Supplementary Note 4, the game is a lottery game in which winning/losing is determined by lottery, and advantageously progressing the game includes setting the probability (P) of the player winning in the game in which the second game value is consumed to a value higher than the probability (P) of the player winning in the game in which the second game value is not consumed. According to the above aspect, the probability (P) of winning in the lottery game increases by consuming the second game value, creating an advantageous situation for a player aiming to win in the lottery game.

The "lottery" may be either a physical lottery using a lottery object such as a sphere, or an electronic lottery realized by calculation processing by a computing device.

In any of the specific examples (Supplementary Note 6) of Supplementary Note 1 to Supplementary Note 5, advantageously progressing the game includes shortening the length of time of the game in which the second game value is consumed compared to the length of time of the game in which the second game value is not consumed. According to the above aspect, the length of time of the game is shortened by consuming the second game value, which creates an advantageous situation for a player who aims to achieve an objective in the game.

"Shortening the length of the game" means shortening the time needed to play one game. For example, this could mean increasing the speed at which the game progresses, omitting some of the multiple stages that make up the game, or shortening or omitting actions for game-related effects.

In a specific example (Appendix 7) of any of Supplementary Notes 1 to 6, the game is a lottery game in which winning/losing is determined by lottery, and a reward in a quantity corresponding to the amount of the first game value consumed is given to the player if the player wins the lottery, and advantageously progressing the game includes setting the amount of reward for a predetermined amount of the first game value in the game in which the second game value is consumed to a numerical value greater than the amount of reward for the predetermined amount of the first game value in the game in which the second game value is not consumed. According to the above aspect, the amount of reward for a predetermined amount of the first game value increases with the consumption of the second game value, which creates an advantageous situation for a player who aims to obtain a large number of rewards.

The amount of the reward is set, for example, to a value obtained by multiplying the amount of the first gaming value consumed by a multiplier (odds). Therefore, "setting the amount of the reward for a predetermined amount of the first gaming value to a large value" includes, for example, increasing the multiplier.

In any specific example (Appendix 8) of Supplementary Note 1 to Supplementary Note 7, the first game value is consumed in the game, and if there is a remaining amount of the second game value, the second game value is consumed together with the first game value. In the above aspect, the game in which the first game value is consumed is the basis, and the second game value converted from the second value medium is consumed for the game, so that the game progresses to the player's advantage.

In any specific example (Appendix 9) of Supplementary Notes 1 to 7, one of the first game value and the second game value is selectively consumed in the game. In the above aspect, a game in which the first game value is consumed and a game advantageous to a player who has consumed the second game value are selectively executed.

"One of the first game value and the second game value is selectively consumed" means that a game in which the first game value is consumed without the second game value being consumed, and a game in which the second game value is consumed without the first game value being consumed are each executed. For example, a configuration in which one of the first game value and the second game value is consumed preferentially, and when the entire amount of that game value has been consumed, the other is consumed, or a configuration in which the game value selected by the player from the first game value and the second game value is consumed for the game is envisaged.

A method of operating a game system (1) according to one aspect of the present invention (Appendix 10) involves converting a first value medium into a first game value when the first value medium is inserted, converting the second value medium into a second game value when a second value medium different from the first value medium is inserted, progressing a game in which at least one of the first game value and the second game value is consumed, and, when the second game value is consumed, progressing the game in an advantageous manner for the player compared to a case in which the first game value is consumed without consuming the second game value.

A program according to one aspect of the present invention (Appendix 11) is a program that causes a computer to function as a first conversion unit (211) that converts a first value medium into a first game value when the first value medium is inserted, a second conversion unit (212) that converts a second value medium of a type different from the first value medium into a second game value when the second value medium is inserted, and a game control unit (213) that progresses a game in which at least one of the first game value and the second game value is consumed, and the game control unit (213) progresses the game in an advantageous manner for the player when the second game value is consumed, compared to when the first game value is consumed without consuming the second game value.

1...game system, 21...control device, 211...first conversion unit, 212...second conversion unit, 213...game control unit, 214...payout control unit, 22...storage device, 23...display device, 24...operation device, 25...reception device, 251...first reception unit, 252...second reception unit, 26...payout device.

Claims (1)

a first conversion unit that converts a first value medium into a first gaming value when the first value medium is inserted;
a second conversion unit that converts a second value medium into a second game value when a second value medium different from the first value medium is inserted;
a game control unit for progressing a game in which at least one of the first game value and the second game value is consumed,
The game control unit, when the second game value is consumed, progresses the game in a way that is advantageous to the player, compared to when the first game value is consumed without the second game value being consumed.

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