JP4611728B2 - Game machine - Google Patents

Description

  In the present invention, by operating the checkout switch, the number of balls held at the time of operation is converted into valuable information corresponding to the number and recorded on a recording medium, and the recording medium is discharged out of the machine to give a prize etc. The present invention relates to a gaming machine that can be used for presenting valuable information at the time of exchange.

A video where a game is played without using an actual game ball (real ball) made of steel balls or the like, that is, a game board surface on which a game ball and various members are arranged is displayed on an image display and virtually played. In the game machine of the type, since the real ball is not used, the settlement at the end of the game cannot be performed with the real ball.
In addition, in the enclosed ball type game machine, the game is played using the real ball, but the acquired balls such as prize balls are not accumulated outside the machine, so that it is the same as the video type game machine. The settlement at the end of the game cannot be performed with the real ball.
Therefore, in these gaming machines, a switch and a processing means that can be operated at a desired time are provided, and the number of balls held at the time of the operation is converted into valuable information such as points and amount information according to the number of the cards by operating the switch. Or the like (usually the same recording medium used at the start of the game), and the recording medium can be discharged out of the machine.
The valuable information recorded on the recording medium is presented at the time of exchanging the prize etc., for example, read and presented by the information reading means, and functions as exchange value information with the prize etc.

If the recording medium is discharged to the outside of the machine immediately after the operation of the switch, a game ball that is launched before the switch operation and exists on the game board surface may win a winning opening, for example, a starting winning opening. However, since the recording medium has already been ejected outside the machine at the time of winning, the prize ball related to the prize is not recorded on the recording medium, and there is a disadvantage that the player is dissatisfied.
Thus, a gaming machine has been proposed in which all the balls enclosed in the machine are collected and the operation of the switch is made effective when it is determined that the number of waiting balls is a predetermined number (see Patent Document 1).
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-47558

However, the conventional gaming machine described above has the following problems.
In other words, in the currently popular gaming machines, for example, pachinko machines, in addition to a general winning port and out port, a starting winning port, a variable winning port, a symbol display device, a holding ball lamp, etc. are arranged on the game board surface. ing.
This is because, when a game ball wins (wins) at the start winning opening, that is, when the start winning ball is detected, a big win lottery is performed and the symbols are displayed in a variable manner on the symbol display device. And if the result of the jackpot lottery is a jackpot, the symbol that is variably displayed on the symbol display device stops at the symbol corresponding to the jackpot, and the variable winning opening opening / closing body is opened to a special gaming state, so-called jackpot state. It is a pachinko machine that will move.

When such a pachinko machine detects a new starting winning ball during the above-mentioned symbol variation display or during a big hit state, it accumulates the new starting winning ball as a holding ball up to a certain number, for example, four. It has a function to memorize. This holding ball functions as a starting winning ball after the start winning ball preceding this and the change display of the symbol related to the holding ball are ended, or after the jackpot state is ended. In other words, a change display of symbols according to the result of the jackpot lottery relating to the start winning ball (digestion of the holding ball) is performed, and the player is given a sense of expectation that can shift to the jackpot state.
The stored number of the reserved ball is decremented at the start or end of the variable display of the symbol related to the reserved ball. The holding ball lamp displays the current stored number of such holding balls.

In the invention described in the above-mentioned Patent Document 1, no consideration is given to the gaming machines as described above, and therefore, the player may be in a big hit state when the symbols are in a variable display or there is a holding ball. Although it seems that there is almost no nature, it waits until the digestion of all the reserved balls is completed, and after that, the settlement operation is performed, that is, the recording medium is ejected out of the apparatus. While it is sufficient to be in a big hit state while waiting, in many cases it will not be a big hit state, and it will cause the player to feel wasted time, and there has been a demand for improvement in this point in the past. It was.
The present invention has been made in view of the above-described demands. When the symbol is being displayed in a variable manner or when there is a reserved ball, the display waits until the variable symbol display or digestion of all the reserved balls is completed. However, it is an object of the present invention to provide a gaming machine that does not make a player feel that they have wasted time.

  In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the invention according to claim 1 of the claims is configured such that a game ball can be entered more easily than other winning ports by opening the opening winning opening and the opening / closing body. Including a variable winning opening, a plurality of winning holes through which a winning ball is paid out by entering a gaming ball, an out opening where no winning ball is paid out by entering a gaming ball, and by entering a gaming ball into the starting winning opening A game board surface including a symbol display unit for displaying symbol variation, which can stop the variation after a predetermined time from the start of symbol variation, and cause the opening / closing body to open by the stopped symbol, and the operation of the launch operation unit A game ball that is launched and moves on the surface of the game board is displayed on an image display mounted on the gaming machine frame to play a game, and the settlement processing means is operated by operating the settlement switch. The number of balls It is a video-type gaming machine that can be converted into valuable information according to the situation and recorded on a recording medium, and the recording medium can be ejected outside the machine, and controls the gaming state in the game board surface image displayed on the image display Main control means, and image display control means for performing display control on the game board surface image based on the control of the main control means, wherein the main control means is for the game ball to be launched by the operation of the launch operation section. Sphere attribute determining means for determining the disappearance position on the game board surface image and the survival time from when it is displayed on the game board surface image until it disappears as a ball attribute, and for each game ball to be fired, the ball attribute is included A signal transmitting means for transmitting a firing signal, starting a variation display of the symbol, and transmitting a symbol variation start / variation pattern designation signal for designating a type of the variation pattern of the symbol; Whether each of the starting winning spheres, which is a game ball determined as the starting winning opening, is a jackpot for making a transition to a special gaming state in which the opening / closing body of the variable winning opening is opened, or a release that does not make a transition A jackpot for performing a jackpot lottery and transmitting the symbol variation start / variation pattern designation signal including designation of a symbol variation pattern according to the lottery result from the signal transmission means and controlling the gaming state according to the lottery result When a new starting winning ball is generated during the display of variation of the symbol related to the starting winning ball or while the special gaming state continues, the new starting winning ball is accumulated and stored as a hold ball up to a certain number. Then, after the display of change of the symbol related to the preceding start winning ball or holding ball or the end of the special gaming state, the subsequent holding ball is used as the starting winning ball. The symbol variation start / variation pattern designating signal is transmitted from the signal transmitting means, and the winning winning ball holding / digesting means for decrementing the stored number of the reserved balls and at the time of operation of the checkout switch, the symbols are When the variable is being displayed or the holding ball is stored, and the result of the jackpot lottery of the starting winning ball related to the variable display is a jackpot, or the stored hold If there is a holding ball related to the start winning ball whose jackpot lottery result is a jackpot in the ball, the operation of the settlement switch is invalidated, and if it is not invalidated, the settlement processing means is activated. A settlement operation processing means, and the image display control means receives the firing signal, and based on a ball attribute in the firing signal, the game ball is displayed on the game board surface image. A game ball movement that acquires a ball route representing a path from when it is displayed above until it disappears at the winning mouth or out mouth, and moves and displays each game ball on the game board surface image along the acquired ball route By receiving the display means and the symbol variation start / variation pattern designation signal, the symbol display unit starts symbol variation display for the start winning ball related to the symbol variation start / variation pattern designation signal, and after a predetermined time And a symbol display control means for stopping at a stop symbol corresponding to the symbol variation pattern designated by the symbol variation start / variation pattern designation signal related to the start winning ball.

In the invention described in claim 1, the settlement processing means is operated by operating the settlement switch, and the number of balls held at the time of the settlement switch operation is converted into valuable information corresponding to the number and recorded on the recording medium. An image-type game machine capable of recording and ejecting the recording medium to the outside of the machine, which includes a jackpot lottery means and a starting winning ball holding / digesting means, is provided with a settlement operation processing means.
If the symbol is displayed in a variable manner at the time of the adjustment switch operation, this adjustment operation processing means invalidates the operation of the adjustment switch when the result of the big winning lottery of the starting winning ball during the fluctuation display is a big hit. If not invalidated, the settlement processing means is operated to perform settlement processing. Similarly, when a holding ball is stored at the time of the settlement switch operation, when there is a holding ball related to the start winning ball whose jackpot lottery result is a big hit in the stored holding ball, That is, the operation of the settlement switch is invalidated, and when it is not invalidated, the settlement processing means is operated to perform settlement.
According to this, when the player wants to end the game and operates the checkout switch, if the symbol is in a variable display, or if there is a holding ball, until the change display of the symbol and the digestion of all the holding balls is completed Even if you wait, you won't make players feel like they were wasting time. When the checkout switch is disabled and the checkout process is awaited, the game will always be in a special game state (a big win state). Therefore, a large number of prize balls can be expected, the player can be satisfied, and the game will not be in a special game state. In this case, the adjustment process proceeds without invalidating the operation of the adjustment switch.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In addition, the same code | symbol shows the same or an equivalent part between each figure.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a main part of an embodiment of a pachinko machine to which the first invention is applied, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the main controller, image display controller and card controller from FIG. FIG. The first invention relates to a video game machine, and FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a video pachinko machine.
In the figure, a gaming machine frame 1 includes a fixed frame 2 for attaching to a so-called island in a pachinko game room. A movable frame 3 is attached to the fixed frame 2 by a hinge 4 located on the left side so as to be able to open one side. An image display 5 is attached inside the movable frame 3 with the screen facing forward. The image display 5 includes a liquid crystal display, a plasma display, an EL display, and the like, and can display an image whose display form can be electrically changed. A main controller 6, an image display controller 7, and a card controller 8 are attached to the back side of the movable frame 3.

Of these, the main control device 6 displays a game board surface image (hereinafter abbreviated as a board image) on the image display 5 through the control of the image display control device 7, and the gaming state in the displayed board image is displayed. It is a device that controls the overall pachinko machine, such as control and prize ball control.
Here, the board surface image is an image simulating a game board surface form of a real pachinko machine (a pachinko machine that uses a real ball to play a game). That is, as illustrated in FIG. 1, the guide rail 39, the launch passage 40, the game area 41, the center decoration 42, the symbol display unit 43, the general winning ports 44 to 47, the starting winning port 48, the big winning port (variable winning port) ) 49, an opening / closing body 50 in front of the grand prize winning port 49, a windmill 51, a side lamp 52, an out port 53, and a board surface constituting member such as a number of game nails (not shown).

As shown in FIG. 3, the main controller 6 includes, for example, a CPU 6a, a RAM 6b, a ROM 6c, and an input / output interface 6d. The ROM 6c stores a control program 6c1, a data group 6c2, and a winning rate table 6c3.
In the main controller 6, the CPU 6a executes the control program 6c1 using the RAM 6b as a work area, and controls the gaming state and the like described above while appropriately reading the data group 6c2 and the winning rate table 6c3 in the ROM 6c.

In the winning rate table 6c3, the proportion of game balls that enter each of the winning ports 44 to 49 shown in FIG. 1 (hereinafter referred to as the winning proportion for each winning port) is made to correspond to the launch intensity of the game balls. It is expressed as The launch intensity of the game ball is associated with an operation amount of a launch operation unit described later.
Hereinafter, the winning rate table 6c3 will be described with reference to FIG.
FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of the winning rate table 6c3. In this figure, the disappearance position refers to the entry position of the game ball. In this example, since only the winning opening is shown as the winning position, the disappearance position indicates the winning opening.
As shown in the figure, the winning rate table 6c3 represents the winning rate for each winning port, that is, the winning rate, according to the launch intensity (value) of the game ball. For example, when the game ball firing strength is within the range of 11 to 20, the winning openings 44 and 45 shown in FIG. 1 are 0.01%, the winning openings 46 and 47 are 0.00%, and the starting winning opening 48 is 4.00. %, Indicating that the big prize opening 49 wins at 35.00%. The player enters the out port 53 at the remaining rate.

In this example, the winning percentage according to the above-mentioned launch intensity is 1111 in 10 increments of the launch intensity range, such as 21 to 30 next to the range of 11 to 20 and 31 to 40 next. Up to 1120, a set of winning percentages for each set of winning prizes is set. The winning rate of the big winning port 49 is 0.00% when the opening / closing body 50 is not opened, and the winning rate of the big winning port 49 here is added to the winning rate to the out port 53 as it is. The
The opening operation of the opening / closing body 50 includes continuous opening or intermittent opening that repeats the opening / closing operation at an appropriate time interval. Any of these may be applied, but in this embodiment, continuous opening is applied. I'm.

As shown in FIG. 3, the main controller 6 includes a ball attribute determining means 6e, an opening / closing body opening / closing signal generating means 6f, a signal transmitting means 6g, a big hit lottery means 6h, a starting winning ball holding / digesting means 6i, and a checkout operation processing means. 6j.
Here, the ball attribute determining means 6e disappears on the board image of the game ball (launched ball) that is fired by the operation of the launching operation section described later according to the winning percentage for each winning mouth shown in the winning percentage table 6c3. The position and the survival time of the game ball from when it is displayed on the board image until it disappears are determined as the ball attributes.

The opening / closing body opening / closing signal generating means 6f generates an opening signal for opening the opening / closing body 50 when a predetermined condition is satisfied. After the opening / closing body 50 is opened, the opening / closing body opening / closing signal generating means 6f is predetermined. This is means for generating a closing signal for closing operation when a predetermined number of game balls are won (winning) or when a predetermined time elapses after the opening / closing body 50 is opened.
Here, “predetermined conditions are satisfied” means that a plurality of symbols to be described later stop at the jackpot symbol, or that the jackpot state (the other winning a prize opening 49 due to the opening operation of the opening / closing body 50 of the big winning opening 49) 44-48 indicates that a special game state in which a game ball is easier to enter is continued. The predetermined number is set to 10 here, and the predetermined time is set to 30 seconds here.

The signal transmission unit 6g transmits a game ball launch signal (hereinafter abbreviated as a launch signal) S1 including the ball attribute determined by the ball attribute determination unit 6e to the image display control device 7 for each shot ball. This is means for transmitting the opening signal S2 and closing signal S3 of the opening / closing body 50 generated by the opening / closing body opening / closing signal generating means 6f to the image display control device 7.
The signal transmission means 6g also transmits to the image display control device 7 a symbol variation start signal S4 for starting symbol variation display (big hit / losing effect image display) and a symbol variation pattern designation signal S5 for designating the type of symbol variation pattern. To do.
The “symbol variation pattern” refers to a symbol variation display form including the variation time, stop order, stop symbol type, and the like for the three symbols (L, C, and R) displayed on the symbol display unit 43. . The three symbols L, C, and R are each composed of a plurality of types of symbols, for example, numerical symbols from 0 to 9, and are cyclically displayed one symbol at a time.

  If the symbol variation pattern designating signal S5 for designating such a symbol variation pattern type is transmitted to the image display control device 7 together with the symbol variation start signal S4, the symbol variation from the time of reception of both signals in the symbol display unit 43. The symbol variation display starts according to the type of symbol variation pattern designated by the pattern designation signal S5. The symbol variation display stops with the type of the stop symbol when the variation time set in the symbol variation pattern expires.

The jackpot lottery means 6h is means for performing a jackpot lottery. This jackpot lottery is a lottery for determining whether the winning winning ball is a gaming ball whose annihilation position is determined at the starting winning port 48 by the ball attribute determining means 6e with a predetermined jackpot probability. is there.
The result of the jackpot lottery (the jackpot lottery result) is reflected in the contents of the symbol variation pattern designation signal S5. That is, the symbol variation pattern designation signal S5 given to the signal transmission means 6g is a signal to stop at a symbol corresponding to the big hit / off of the big hit lottery result, and is given to the signal transmission means 6g, together with the symbol variation start signal S4. It is transmitted to the image display control device 7.
Furthermore, the jackpot lottery result is reflected in the gaming state set by the main controller 6. Specifically, the main controller 6 controls each part of the pachinko machine to a gaming state according to the big hit lottery result. For example, if the jackpot lottery result is a jackpot, the main control device 6 sets the gaming state to the jackpot state at the end of the symbol variation display by the symbol variation pattern designation signal S5.
The jackpot lottery is obtained from the jackpot lottery value acquisition means (not shown) at the time of the determination for the starting winning ball, which is the game ball whose annihilation position is determined at the starting winning port 48 (start winning prize determination) as described above. The lottery value is checked against the jackpot value.

In the present embodiment, as the lottery value, the count value read at the time of the start winning determination of the jackpot lottery counter (not shown) that repeatedly counts a numerical value from 0 to 1579 is used. The value is compared with the jackpot value set in advance in a lottery table (not shown) to determine whether the jackpot is out or not.
Here, five types of jackpot values, 157, 479, 787, 1061, 1163, are set. That is, the jackpot probability of 5/1580 = 1/316.
In addition, you may comprise so that this jackpot probability may change on fixed conditions.

The starting winning ball holding / digesting means 6i has a predetermined number (a certain number) when a new starting winning ball is generated while the symbol related to the starting winning ball is being displayed or during the big hit state, It is means for accumulating and storing up to four new start winning balls as reserved balls.
The starting winning ball holding / digesting means 6i displays a symbol change start signal related to the starting winning ball after the display of variation or display of the symbol related to the preceding starting winning ball or holding ball or the end of the jackpot state. S4 and the design variation pattern designation signal S5 are transmitted from the signal transmission means 6g to the image display control device 7.
The number of stored balls is decremented one by one each time the variable display of symbols for the start winning ball related to the stored balls is started or ended, that is, every time the stored balls are digested. When the stored number of reserved balls is subtracted and becomes less than 4, the accumulated number can be stored again up to 4 from that point.
Reference numerals 54 in FIG. 1 denote lamps (holding ball lamps) each indicating a holding ball, which are turned on one by one in order from the left lamp 54 according to the generation of the holding ball, and according to the digestion of the holding ball, for example, on the right side The lamps 54 are turned off one by one in order from the lamp 54, and the number of lit lamps represents the current number of reserved balls.

The settlement operation processing means 6j is a processing means that invalidates the operation of the settlement switch 32 described later when a certain condition is satisfied, and immediately activates the settlement processing means 8a when it is not invalidated. The settlement processing means 8a is provided in the card control device 8, for example.
Here, “a certain condition is satisfied” means that, when the checkout switch 32 is operated, the symbol is variably displayed or the reserved ball is stored, and the variability is being displayed. This refers to the case where the winning winning lottery result of the starting winning ball is a big hit, or the case where there is a holding ball related to the starting winning ball whose jackpot lottery result is a big hit in the stored holding ball. In such a case, the settlement operation processing means 6j invalidates the operation of the settlement switch 32 and, if not invalidated, immediately activates the settlement processing means 8a.
In addition, for example, for each start winning ball, it is determined whether there is a start winning ball in the variable display or a stored winning ball (start winning ball) that has a start winning ball whose jackpot lottery result is a big hit. It is possible to store the lottery values of the above-mentioned and compare each lottery value of the start winning ball to be determined with the jackpot value at the time of operation of the settlement switch 32.

The settlement processing means 8a operates the settlement switch 32 to convert the number of balls held at the settlement switch operation time into valuable information corresponding to the number and record it on a recording medium, which will be described later, and ejects the recording medium to the outside. It is means to do.
Therefore, when the settlement operation processing means 6j does not invalidate the operation of the settlement switch 32, the settlement processing means 8a is immediately activated by operating the settlement switch 32, and the number of balls at the time of the settlement switch operation is calculated. The recording medium that has been converted into valuable information corresponding to the number and recorded is discharged out of the apparatus.
The settlement operation processing means 6j does not invalidate the operation of the settlement switch 32, and when the settlement processing means 8a is operated, if the symbol is in a variation display, the variation is stopped and the reserved ball is stored. If it is, the stored value is cleared and the lit holding ball lamp 54 is turned off.

Next, the image display control device 7 will be described.
The image display control device 7 receives the emission signal S1 from the main control device 6 and other various signals based on the control of the main control device 6, and displays the board image on the image display 5 by these signals. And display control on the displayed board image.
Here, “perform display control on the displayed board image” specifically means that the image display 5 is controlled to display control display of the board image itself, for example, a change display or a figure of a plurality of symbols described later. The moving image display etc. of the opening / closing body 50 of the special winning opening 49 shown in FIG. 1 or the game ball is moved and displayed on the board image.
These displays under the control of the image display control device 7 are based on the control of the main control device 6. In particular, the control display of the board image itself by the image display controller 7 is based on the control of the gaming state in the board image by the main controller 6.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the image display control device 7 includes, for example, a CPU 7a, a RAM 7b, a ROM 7c, an arithmetic processing unit (GPU: graphics processing unit) 7d, a video RAM 7e, an input interface 7f, and an output interface. 7g is provided.

In the ROM 7c, the control program 7c1, game nail data 7c2 representing the position / shape (including size) of the game nail, and the ball attribute, here, the game ball extinction position / survival time based on the launch intensity A sphere route table 7c3 and other data group 7c4 are stored.
The data group 7c4 includes a guide rail 39 for displaying a board image together with the game nail data 7c2, a center decoration 42, a symbol display unit 43, various winning holes 44 to 49, an opening / closing body 50, a windmill 51, a side lamp 52 and an out. Data for display of board surface components such as the mouth 53, board surface background data, and the like are included.
The display data is data representing the position and shape (including size) of each board surface component to be displayed. From these data, the game ball is moved along the ball route (position coordinate data group). It can be moved and displayed and disappeared at the winning ports 44 to 49 and the out port 53.

  In the image display control device 7, the CPU 7a executes the control program 7c1 using the RAM 7b as a work area, appropriately reads out the game nail data 7c2 and the data group 7c4 in the ROM 7c, and controls the GPU 7d to transmit drawing data to the video RAM 7e. Let it be written. As a result, the image display control device 7 displays the board image on the image display 5 as described above, and performs display control on the displayed board image.

In the present embodiment, the image display control device 7 includes a game ball movement display means 7h, an opening / closing body opening / closing display means 7i, and a symbol display control means 7j.
The game ball movement display means 7h receives the firing signal S1 from the signal transmission means 6g of the main controller 6 shown in FIG. 3, and acquires the ball route of each game ball based on the ball attribute in each firing signal S1. The game balls are configured to move and display on the board image along the ball route.
The ball route is a position coordinate data group that represents a path from when each game ball is displayed (launched) on the board image until it disappears at the winning openings 44 to 49 or the out opening 53 (see FIG. 1), that is, the path to enter the ball. Become.
Of course, the disappearance of the game ball at the winning openings 44 to 49 or the out mouth 53 which is the end point of the ball route is at the end of the survival time, and each position coordinate data in the position coordinate data group is the elapsed time. Correspondingly, here, it is expressed every unit time = 16 milliseconds.

  The ball route indicates a route at the center position of the game ball. In the video pachinko machine, the game balls, winning holes 44 to 49, and out holes 53 are displayed as images, so the positions of the winning holes 44 to 49 and the out holes 53, that is, the end points of the ball route, When the display is completed and the game ball disappears from the board image, it means that the game ball enters the winning ports 44 to 49 and the out port 53.

The opening / closing body opening / closing display means 7i is a means for displaying the opening / closing operation of the opening / closing body 50 on the board image by receiving the opening signal S2 or the closing signal S3 from the signal transmission means 6g.
The open / close body opening / closing display means 7i receives an open signal S2 transmitted from the signal transmission means 6g when the symbol variation display related to the start winning ball whose winning game lottery result is determined to be a big win, that is, when the symbol is stopped. Then, the opening operation display of the opening / closing body 50 on the board image is performed.

  By receiving the symbol variation start signal S4 and the symbol variation pattern designation signal S5, the symbol display control means 7j includes a start winning ball (holding ball) related to the symbol variation start signal S4 in the symbol display unit 43 on the board image. ) Is started to display the symbol variation. Then, after a predetermined time, it is a means for stopping at a stop symbol corresponding to the symbol variation pattern designated by the symbol variation pattern designation signal S5 related to the start winning ball, that is, the jackpot lottery result.

Returning to FIG. 1, the front decorative frame 11 is attached to the front surface of the movable frame 3 by the hinge 4 so that the movable frame 3 can be opened in one side.
The front decorative frame 11 is provided with a round opening 12, and the round opening 12 is closed by an image display protection panel 13 made of colorless transparent glass or synthetic resin provided on the back side of the front decorative frame 11. It is.
A card insertion slot 14, a lending operation mechanism 15, a return operation mechanism 16, a settlement operation mechanism 17, a firing operation mechanism 18, a ball count indicator 19 and the like are provided on the front surface of the front decorative frame 11 surrounding the round opening 12. Prepare.

The card insertion slot 14 is a slit-like slot into which a card-like recording medium in which valuable information such as points and monetary information is written, here a prepaid card etc. (hereinafter referred to as a card) 22 in which monetary information is written, is inserted. It is. On the back side of the card insertion slot 14, a card detector 23, a card transport mechanism 24, an information reader 25 and an information rewrite device 26 are positioned in a state where they are attached to the back of the front decorative frame 11.
The lending operation mechanism 15 includes a lending operation unit 27 operated by the player, and a lending switch 28 operated via the lending operation unit 27.
The return operation mechanism 16 includes a return operation unit 29 that is operated by the player from the front side of the front decorative frame 11 and a return switch 30 that is operated via the return operation unit 29.

  The settlement operation mechanism 17 includes a settlement operation unit 31 that is operated by the player from the front side of the front decorative frame 11, and a settlement switch 32 that is operated via the settlement operation unit 31. The settlement switch 32 itself may be arranged on the front side of the front decorative frame 11 so that the player can directly operate the settlement switch 32. In this case, the settlement operation unit 31 can be omitted.

The firing operation mechanism 18 includes a firing operation unit (launching lever) 33 that is turned by a player from the front side of the front decorative frame 11, a variable resistor 34 that is operated by the operation of the firing operation unit 33, and a player. A launch stop operating unit 35 operated from the front side of the front decorative frame 11 and a launch stop switch 36 that is turned ON / OFF by the launch stop operating unit 35 are provided. The firing operation mechanism 18 includes a touch sensor (not shown) that detects whether or not the player is touching the firing operation unit 33.
The ball count indicator 19 is attached to the front decorative frame 11 or the movable frame 3 so that the numerical display surface can be seen from the front side of the front decorative frame 11.

Hereinafter, the basic operation of the above-described embodiment will be described with reference mainly to FIGS. 1, 3, and 5.
First, when the main control device 6, the image display control device 7, and the card control device 8 are activated by supplying DC power from a power supply device (not shown) provided in the gaming machine frame 1, Based on the control, the image display control device 7 controls the image display 5 to display a board image on the image display 5.
As described above, this board surface image includes various board surface constituting members 39, 42 to 55, and a large number of game nails that are not shown.

Now, when the player inserts the card 22 into the card insertion slot 14, the card detector 23 outputs a card detection signal to the card control device 8 and controls the card transport mechanism 24 to be pulled in. As a result, the card 22 is conveyed into the machine, and the information reader 25 reads the amount information of the card 22 and outputs it to the card control device 8.
Thereafter, when the player inputs an investment amount corresponding to the number of balls to be borrowed by operating the lending operation unit 27, investment amount information corresponding to the input investment amount is sent from the lending switch 28 to the card control device 8 as a lending signal. Is output. The card control device 8 calculates investment amount information corresponding to the lending signal from the lending switch 28, and whether the amount information (card reading amount information) read and stored from the card 22 is equal to or greater than the investment amount information. Determine whether or not.

  Next, the card control device 8 uses the investment amount information as it is when the card read amount information is equal to or greater than the investment amount information, and the card read amount information as the investment amount information when it is less than the investment amount information. Output to the control device 6. The main control device 6 outputs the ball number information corresponding to the investment amount information output from the card control device 8 to the ball number display 19 and displays the number of balls as a numerical value on this ball number display 19 ( Set as number of balls).

  Specifically, when it is assumed that one lending signal of the lending switch 28 corresponds to 500 yen, the amount information of an integral multiple of 500 yen is written in the card 22. And, for example, when the amount information of 1000 yen is written on the card 22 inserted into the card insertion slot 14 and the player operates the lending operation unit 27 once, it is 500 yen. When the operation is performed twice, the number of balls corresponding to 1000 yen is displayed on the ball number display 19. If the amount information of 500 yen is written on the card 22 and the player operates the lending operation unit 27 twice, the ball number indicator has a number of balls equivalent to 500 yen regardless of the two operations. 19 is displayed.

In parallel with the display of the number of balls by the number-of-balls display 19, the card control device 8 controls the information rewriter 26 by subtracting the investment amount information corresponding to the number of balls as a loan from the card read amount information. Then, the amount information of the card 22 is rewritten to the remaining amount information as a result of the subtraction.
When the remaining amount information is “0”, the card control device 8 controls the card transport mechanism 24 to return. When the player operates the return operation unit 29, the card control device 8 receives the return signal from the return switch 30 and controls the card transport mechanism 24 to return.
With these return controls, the card transport mechanism 24 transports the card 22 and projects a part of the card 22 from the card insertion slot 14 so that the card 22 can be taken out from the gaming machine frame 1.

  When the player operates the firing operation unit 33 in the state where the number-of-balls display 19 displays the number of balls, a touch sensor (not shown) is turned on and the variable resistor 34 corresponds to the operation amount of the firing operation unit 33. The variable resistance value is output to the main controller 6. It is assumed that the firing stop operation unit 35 is not operated and the firing stop switch 36 is OFF.

The main control device 6 determines whether or not to fire depending on whether or not the operation amount of the firing operation unit 33 exceeds a so-called play range, specifically, whether or not the variable resistance value of the variable resistor 34 is a certain value or more. Do. When the determination result indicates that the firing is possible, the main control device 6 generates a firing ON signal at a rate of, for example, 100 per minute, and the variable resistance value at the time of the signal generation for each firing ON signal. In other words, the operation amount of the launch operation unit 33 is acquired.
In addition, the main control device 6 sets the ball attribute which is basic information on what route the game area 41 flows and moves after the game ball drawn as an image is displayed on the image display 5 to be flown and moved. It is determined for each launch ON signal, that is, for each launch ball (game ball launched by the operation of the launch operation unit 33).

The sphere attribute is determined by the sphere attribute determining means 6e provided in the main control device 6.
That is, the ball attribute determining means 6e obtains the launch intensity of the game ball according to the operation amount of the launch operation unit 33, and based on this launch intensity, the disappearance position on the board image of the game ball to be fired and the board face image The survival time of the game ball from when it is displayed until it disappears is determined as a ball attribute.

FIG. 6 shows an example of the relationship between the launch intensity of the game ball and the survival time determined based on the launch intensity. Here, an example in which the survival time obtained based on the launch intensity has a certain width is shown.
The survival time of the game ball is based on the launch intensity of the game ball, but may be obtained directly according to the disappearance position. In addition, the launch strength of the game ball may be included in the ball attribute. In this case, the launch strength is used to determine the position of the board surface component member where the game ball first strikes the game area 41, that is, the landing position. Is done.

The above-mentioned launch intensity is information indicating the strength of launch of the game ball, and is used as basic information for obtaining the disappearance position and survival time of the game ball as described above.
The disappearance position of the game ball indicates a winning ball (entering a ball) in the winning ports 44 to 49, a winning port when winning, or a winning ball indicating whether or not to enter the out port 53 without winning. It is a sphere attribute related to the position. The display of the game ball ends when winning in the winning openings 44 to 49 or entering the out opening 53, and disappears from the board image.
The survival time of the game ball is a ball attribute related to the elapsed time from when the launch operation unit 33 is operated and the game ball is fired until it disappears, that is, from when the display on the board image is started to when it is finished.

The firing signal S1 including each sphere attribute determined by the sphere attribute determining means 6e is transmitted from the signal transmitting means 6g to the image display control device 7.
The image display control device 7 receives the firing signal S1 from the signal transmission means 6g, selects (acquires) the moving route of each game ball, that is, the ball route, based on the two ball attributes in the firing signal S1, Each game ball is moved and displayed on the board image displayed on the image display 5 by the ball route.
In the ball route, after a game ball is launched (displayed) and driven into the upper part of the game area 41 along the guide rail 39, it hits the windmill 51 or a game nail (not shown) while flowing down and moving, This is information consisting of a position coordinate data group representing a route from winning to any one or not winning and entering the out mouth 53. Many types of spherical routes are set according to the firing signal S1.

In the winning, the game balls moving down the game area 41 in the board image displayed on the image display 5 are the winning holes 44 to 48 (the opening / closing body 50 is closed in the illustrated example, so the large winning hole 49 is not included). ) Is information representing entering a ball.
Non-winning is information indicating that a game ball moving down the game area 41 in the board image displayed on the image display 5 enters the out port 53 without winning any of the winning ports 44-49. is there.
Note that jackpot / losing information (separate jackpot / losing) is determined only when winning at the start winning opening 48 is determined as a winning.
As for the jackpot / miss information, the main controller 6 obtains a count value of a jackpot lottery counter (not shown) at the timing when the winning to the start winning port 48 is determined as a prize, and uses this count value as a lottery value. It is determined by matching with the jackpot value (lottery lottery). The lottery value and the jackpot / losing information (lottery result) are stored in the RAM 6b.

When the game ball is moved and displayed on the board image displayed on the image display 5, the main control device 6 subtracts the ball number information for each of the firing ON signals, and has the subtracted ball number information as the number of balls. Output to the display 19.
When the firing signal S1 including the ball attribute is sequentially transmitted to the image display control device 7 for each launch ON signal, and the image display control device 7 controls the image display 5, the image display 5 can play the game ball moving image. (Game ball images moving along the ball route) are displayed one after another.
This game ball moving image is a moving image in which a game ball is driven into the game area 41 from the launch passage 40 in the board image at a rate of 100 shots per minute, and moves down the game area 41.

The number-of-balls display 19 displays numerically the number of balls corresponding to the subtracted ball number information from the main controller 6. That is, the numerical value displayed on the number-of-balls display 19 is a numerical value that is subtracted every time a game ball is launched.
Then, when the game ball that has been driven into the game area 41 wins the general winning holes 44 to 47 and disappears from the board image displayed on the image display 5, the main controller 6 opens the general winning holes 44 to 47. The added ball count information obtained by adding the corresponding constant prize ball count information to the current ball count information is output to the possessed ball count display 19, which has the number of balls corresponding to the added ball count information. Is displayed numerically.
Thereby, the numerical value displayed on the number-of-balls display 19 is a numerical value obtained by adding the numerical value subtracted every time the game ball is fired and the constant number of winning balls corresponding to the general winning openings 44 to 47. .

When the game ball that has been driven into the game area 41 wins the start winning opening 48 and disappears from the board image displayed on the image display 5, the main controller 6 responds to the symbol variation start signal S4 and the big hit lottery result. The symbol variation pattern designation signal S5 is transmitted to the image display control device 7, and the image display control device 7 controls the image display 5 (performs display control on the board image).
By this control, the image display unit 5 causes the symbol display unit 43 to start the variation display of the three symbols (L, C, R), and the jackpot lottery result (the jackpot / out of winning) designated by the symbol variation pattern designation signal S5. In other words, after a predetermined time, it is stopped at a stop symbol corresponding to the jackpot lottery result related to the starting winning ball.

  The symbols (stop symbols “L, C, R”) displayed on the symbol display unit 43 by the symbol stop are, for example, “2, 2, 2”, “3” when the jackpot jackpot lottery result is a jackpot. , 3, 3 ”,...,“ 7, 7, 7 ”,...,“ 9, 9, 9 ”, all display the same display form (big hit symbol) in a line. In addition, when the result of the jackpot lottery lottery is out of place, for example, “1, 3, 3”, “5, 9, 1”, “7, 6, 7” are all the same. It becomes a display form in which no numerical values are arranged in a line.

When the stop symbol in the symbol display unit 43 is a jackpot symbol, the main control device 6 transmits an open signal S2 for displaying the opening / closing body 50 to the opening operation to the image display control device 7, and receives the received image. The display control device 7 controls the image display 5. By this control, the image display 5 displays an opening operation image of the special winning opening 49.
The opening action image of the special winning opening 49 is a moving image that opens obliquely forward from a state in which the opening / closing body 50 of the special winning opening 49 is vertically closed with the lower side as a fulcrum. When the opening / closing body 50 is opened as described above, the special winning opening 49 becomes easier to enter the game ball than the other winning openings (general winning openings) 44 to 47. It is possible to win more game balls than the winning openings 44 to 47.

  If the game ball wins the big winning opening 49 and disappears from the board image displayed on the image display 5 while the big hit state (special gaming state) continues, the main control device 6 corresponds to the big winning opening 49. The added ball number information obtained by adding the constant prize ball number information to the current ball number information is output to the possessed ball number display 19, and the possessed ball number display 19 displays the number of balls corresponding to the added ball number information as a numerical value. indicate. In other words, the numerical value displayed on the number-of-balls display 19 is a value obtained by adding the numerical value at the time of winning to the big winning opening 49 and the constant number of winning balls corresponding to the big winning opening 49.

  The game balls that have won from the game area 41 to the big prize opening 49 are awarded to a normal area set inside the big prize opening 49 or a specific area called a V zone (both not shown). . Further, the main control device 6 counts up the elapsed time from the start of the opening operation of the opening / closing body 50 and counts up the number of game balls won in the special winning opening 49.

Either the elapsed time counted up reaches the set opening operation time, here 30 seconds, or the number of prizes received in the counted up big prize opening 49 reaches a predetermined number of prizes such as 10, for example. When either condition is satisfied, the main control device 6 transmits a closing signal S3 for displaying the opening / closing body 50 in a closing operation to the image display control device 7, and the image display control device 7 controls the image display 5.
By this control, the image display 5 displays a closing operation image of the special winning opening 49. The closing action image of the special winning opening 49 is a moving image in which the opening / closing body 50 of the special winning opening 49 closes in the vertical state shown in FIG.

If the game ball wins in the specific area of the big winning opening 49 during the opening and closing operation of the opening / closing body 50, that is, during the opening operation, the main controller 6 makes a winning in the specific area. Count up (+1) what happened. Even if there are a plurality of winning numbers in the specific area during one opening operation (big hit state) of the opening / closing body 50, the counting is not incremented after the first +1 count up (it remains +1).
When this count-up occurs, the main control device 6 contains the opening information for opening the opening / closing body 50 again after the image display control device 7 completes the opening operation of the opening / closing body 50 once. Is transmitted to the image display control device 7 to control the image display 5 again.
By this control, the image display 5 displays a moving image in a form in which the opening / closing body 50 of the special winning opening 49 opens obliquely forward with the lower side as a fulcrum.

  The jackpot continuation in which the opening / closing body 50 opens again may be performed until the number of winnings in the specific area that has been counted up reaches a set number of times such as 16, for example. During the opening operation of the opening / closing body 50, if there is no winning in the specific area, the continuation of the big hit state ends at that time, so the number of times the opening operation of the opening / closing body 50 continues is possible. Stay.

When the stop symbol in the symbol display unit 43 is not a jackpot symbol (is a dismissal symbol), the main controller 6 sends an open signal S2 for displaying the opening / closing body 50 to the image display controller 7 in an open state. And the gaming state will not be a big hit state.
Note that the main controller 6 also corresponds to the start winning opening 48 even when the game ball that has been driven into the game area 41 wins the starting winning opening 48 and disappears from the board image displayed on the image display 5. The added ball number information obtained by adding the constant prize ball number information to the current ball number information is output to the possessed ball number display 19, and the possessed ball number display 19 displays the number of balls corresponding to the added ball number information as a numerical value. indicate. Also in this case, the numerical value displayed on the number-of-balls display 19 is a numerical value obtained by adding a numerical value subtracted every time a game ball is fired and a constant number of winning balls corresponding to the start winning opening 48.

The starting winning ball holding / digesting means 6i, when a new starting winning ball is generated during the opening operation of the opening / closing body 50 as described above or during the change display of the symbol, displays up to four new starting winning balls. The accumulated balls are accumulated and stored, and the number of held ball lamps 54 corresponding to the number is turned on.
The starting winning ball holding / digesting means 6i displays a symbol change start signal related to the starting winning ball after the display of variation or display of the symbol related to the preceding starting winning ball or holding ball or the end of the jackpot state. S4 and the design variation pattern designation signal S5 are transmitted from the signal transmission means 6g to the image display control device 7.

The image display control device 7 that has received the signals S4 and S5, specifically, the symbol display control means 7j, causes the symbol display unit 43 to start the variable display of the three symbols (L, C, R) for a predetermined time. Later, it is stopped at the stop symbol corresponding to the jackpot lottery result related to the starting winning ball. The main controller 6 performs an operation corresponding to the stop symbol.
The number of stored balls is decremented one by one each time starting or ending the variable display of the symbol for the start winning ball related to the stored ball, that is, every time the ball is digested. The holding ball lamps 54 are also turned off one by one.

  When ending the game, the player operates the settlement switch 32 via the settlement operation unit 31. As a result, the settlement processing means 8a converts the number of balls held at the time of the settlement switch operation into valuable information such as points and amount information according to the number, in this case, amount information, and records it on the recording medium. Let go outside the machine.

  In the present embodiment, since the recording medium is a card 22 on which money amount information is used, which is used from the start of the game, the settlement processing unit 8a adds the number of possessed balls to the money amount information remaining on the card 22. The corresponding amount information is added and rewritten and recorded, and the card 22 is discharged out of the apparatus.

Specifically, when the settlement switch 32 is operated, a settlement signal is output from the settlement switch 32 to the card control device 8, and the card control device 8 outputs the settlement signal to the main control device 6. As a result, the main control device 6 outputs the ball number information corresponding to the number of balls displayed on the held ball number display 19 to the card control device 8 and sets the numerical value of the held ball number display 19 to “0”. The number-of-balls display 19 is controlled so that the number of balls is cleared.
The card control device 8 adds the amount information corresponding to the number-of-balls information input from the main control device 6 to the amount information of the card 22 taken into the inside of the gaming machine frame 1, and then uses the information rewriter 26. Control. By this control, the information rewriter 26 rewrites the amount information of the card 22 taken into the inside of the gaming machine frame 1 to the amount information added above.
Thereafter, the card control device 8 controls the card transport mechanism 24 to return. That is, the card 22 with the amount information rewritten is transported by the transport mechanism 24, a part of the card 22 is projected from the card insertion slot 14, and the card 22 can be taken out from the gaming machine frame 1. That is, the card 22 is discharged out of the machine and the settlement process is completed.

The above operation is performed when the symbol is being displayed in a variably displayed state or when the reserved ball is stored at the time when the settlement switch 32 is operated. This is an operation in the case where there is no holding ball related to the start winning ball whose jackpot lottery result is a jackpot in the stored holding balls that are jackpots. In other words, this is an operation when the settlement operation processing means 6j is not in a situation where the operation of the settlement switch 32 is invalidated.
When the operation of the settlement switch 32 is invalidated, the settlement operation processing means 6j processes that the operation of the settlement switch 32 is invalid, that is, does not exist.
As a result, the main control device 6 and the image display control device 7 perform the change display of the symbols including the jackpot operation and the digestion operation of the reserved ball as usual (a series of operations are sequentially performed).

Hereinafter, FIG. 7, FIG. 3, FIG. 5 and FIG. 5 are used together, and the ball route table for each of the above-mentioned game ball firing strength, ball attributes (game ball disappearance position, survival time), launch signal S1, and ball attributes. The relationship 7c3 will be described.
Among the ball attributes, the extinction position of the game ball is determined by the ball attribute determination means 6e of the main controller 6 based on the launch strength of the game ball. Here, a disappearance position determination counter (not shown) that counts numerical values from 0 to 9999 in an endless manner is used as the disappearance position of the game ball, and the count value of the counter when the firing ON signal is generated and the game It is determined based on the launch intensity of the sphere.

Now, it is assumed that the launch intensity value 505 is acquired by the ball attribute determining means 6e, and the count value when the firing ON signal is generated by the disappearance position determining counter is 250. In such a case, the ball attribute determining means 6e searches for the winning rate in the column of the firing strengths 501 to 510 of the winning rate table 6c3 shown in FIG. 4, and determines the extinction position of the game ball therefrom.
Specifically, numerical values 1, 2, 2, 1, 450... Are sequentially obtained by multiplying the winning ratios of the winning ports 44 to 49 in this column by 10,000 respectively in order from the winning port 44 side toward the large winning port 49 side. Add. Then, a total value of 6 is obtained at the position of the winning prize opening 47 and a total value 456 is obtained at the position of the start winning prize opening 48.
The count value of the annihilation position determination counter is 250, and this value exceeds the total value 6 of the position of the winning opening 47 and is within the range of the total value 456 of the position of the starting winning opening 48. The mouth 48 is determined as the disappearance position of the game ball.

  Thereby, the extinction position of the game ball is determined based on the launch strength of the game ball and according to the win rate set in the win rate table 6c3, but based on the launch strength of the game ball and in accordance with the win rate. If there is, the extinction position of the game ball may be determined by a method other than the above method.

Among the ball attributes, the survival time of the game ball has a certain width as shown in FIG. 6, but a specific survival time within the width is determined according to the disappearance position of the game ball. As shown in FIG. 7, a plurality of different survival times may be set in the same extinction position, but in this case, a plurality of randomly determined lotteries using an extinction position determination counter are used. A specific survival time is determined according to one type of annihilation position.
The ball attribute determined in this way is included in the firing signal S1 and transmitted from the signal transmission means 6g of the main control device 6 to the image display control device 7. In the example shown in FIG. 7, the four-digit number with the initial “S1” represents the firing signal S1 including the ball attribute.

  The sphere route table 7c3 for each sphere attribute is stored in the ROM 7c of the image display control device 7. The ball route table 7c3 includes a firing signal S1 transmitted from the signal transmission unit 6g of the main control unit 6, in other words, a ball attribute, and the image display control unit 7 (game ball movement display unit 7h) on the board image. It is the comparison table | surface with the movement path | route of the game ball to display, ie, a ball | bowl route.

In the example shown in FIG. 7, the ball route is represented by a 4-digit number with an initial “RT”. Specifically, the game route is displayed on the board image and disappears. This is a set of position coordinate data (position coordinate data group) every unit time, for example, every 16 milliseconds.
The position coordinate data is, for example, the image display surface (two-dimensional plane) of the image display 5 including the game board surface as the X and Y planes, taking the X axis in the horizontal direction and the Y axis in the vertical direction in FIG. The lower left corner of the display surface in FIG. 1 is represented as a reference position, that is, X = 0, Y = 0.
The Z-axis may be taken in the direction of the front side (player side) of the game board surface orthogonal to the game board surface, and the position coordinate data may be represented by three-dimensional coordinates of X, Y, and Z.
FIG. 7 illustrates a part of the sphere attribute. A part of the sphere route table 7c3 for each sphere attribute is also exemplified.

When the player operates the firing operation unit 33 shown in FIG. 1 at a certain operation amount, for example, a rotation angle θx between 35 ° and 45 °, the main controller 6 sets a value corresponding to the rotation angle θx. The ball attribute determining means 6e in the apparatus 6 obtains the launch intensity Fx of the game ball according to the launch operation quantity.
The ball attribute determining means 6e obtains the game ball extinction position Px corresponding to the calculated launch strength Fx by lottery using the winning rate table 6c3 and the extinction position determination counter, and subsequently, this extinction position Px (specifically, From the firing intensity Fx and the extinction position Px), the game ball survival time Tx to each extinction position is obtained.

The signal transmission means 6g of the main control device 6 transmits to the image display control device 7 a firing signal S1 including a ball attribute consisting of the game ball extinction position Px determined by the ball attribute determination means 6e and the survival time Tx.
The firing signal S1 is transmitted to the image display control device 7 for each game ball to be fired. Each time the image display control device 7 (game ball movement display means 7h) receives this launch signal S1, each launch signal S1 is transmitted. The ball route corresponding to the inside ball attribute is read from the ball route table 7c3 for each game ball disappearance position and survival time.

  Next, in the present embodiment, a series of processing operations from when the launch operation unit 33 shown in FIG. 1 is operated until the game ball is displayed on the board image and then disappears (display ends) from the board image. 8 and 9 will be described with reference to FIGS. 1, 3, 5, and 7. FIG.

First, FIG. 8 is used in conjunction with FIG. 1 and FIG.
In FIG. 8, in step 301, it is determined whether or not the launch operation mechanism 18 is ready to launch a game ball.
That is, it is determined whether or not the touch sensor (not shown) of the firing operation unit 33 is ON, the firing stop switch is OFF, and the operation amount of the firing operation unit 33 exceeds the range of play. This is to determine whether or not the player is actually operating the launch operation unit 33 to launch the game ball. If the determination result in step 301 is No (negative), the firing process is terminated, and if Yes (positive), the process proceeds to the next step 302.

In step 302, it is determined whether or not a fixed time has elapsed since the previous launch. This is in order not to fire more than 100 shots per minute, for example, and the fixed time is 0.6 seconds here. If it is determined in step 302 that the predetermined time has not elapsed, the firing process is terminated. That is, the main controller 6 does not perform any processing regarding the launch of the game ball. If it is determined that a certain time has elapsed, the process proceeds to step 303.
In step 303, it is determined whether or not there is a number of balls held (whether the number of balls displayed by the ball holding number display 19 is 1 or more). An idle sound generation signal for generation is transmitted to the voice control device (step 304).

  If the determination result in step 303 is Yes, the sphere attribute is determined by the sphere attribute determining means 6e (step 305). Here, the launch intensity of the game ball is obtained according to the operation amount of the launch operation unit 33, and the survival time is obtained based on the launch intensity and the extinction position of the game ball. Is done.

When the sphere attribute is determined, the process proceeds to step 306, and the firing signal S1 including the determined sphere attribute is transmitted from the signal transmitting means 6g to the image display control device 7, and the firing process is terminated.
The above processing is performed for each shot ball.

  FIG. 9 is a flowchart for explaining display processing by the image display control device 7 shown in FIG. Hereinafter, the display processing by the image display control device 7 will be described with reference to FIGS. 1, 3, 5, and 7 in FIG. 9.

First, in step 501, the image display control device 7 receives various signals from the main control device 6. In addition to the firing signal S1 transmitted in step 306 in FIG. 8, this signal includes the symbol variation start signal S4, the symbol variation pattern designation signal S5, the opening signal S2 of the opening / closing body 50, and the closing signal S3 transmitted in a timely manner. There are signals for effect display control.
The firing signal S1 is received by the image display control device 7 for each launch ball, and the other signals are received every time they are transmitted according to the gaming state controlled by the main control device 6.

In step 502, the game ball movement display means 7h obtains a ball route based on the ball attribute in the received launch signal S1, and here selects the ball route RT from the ball route table 7c3 (see FIG. 7), and the ball A game ball is displayed on the image display 5 at position coordinates corresponding to the route RT.
Specifically, based on the ball route RT selected by the CPU 7a shown in FIG. 5 from the ball route table 7c3, the GPU 7d reads out the position coordinate data of the game ball that moves when the next frame is updated, and writes it into the video RAM 7e.

In step 503, it is determined whether or not the processing in step 502 has been completed, that is, whether or not the current frame has been moved. If not completed, the processing in step 503 is repeated, and if completed, step 504 is executed.
When a plurality of game balls are displayed on the board image, the above-described display processing is performed in parallel. In such a case, the determination in step 503 is a determination as to whether or not the processing in step 502 has been completed for all the positions of the plurality of game balls, and if completed, step 504 is executed.

In step 504, effects such as symbol variation / stop in the symbol display unit 43 on the board image, opening / closing operation of the opening / closing body 50 of the big prize opening 49, etc., to a gaming state that can cause a big hit state (special gaming state) or a big hit state. Perform display control.
In step 505, other than the display control performed in step 504, for example, the side lamp 52 in the board image, and lighting / extinguishing control such as electric decoration attached to the front face of the front decorative frame 11 (not shown) (general effect control processing) I do.
In step 506, the processing (control) results of steps 502, 504, and 505 are combined and drawn on the image display 5, that is, displayed.

  Since steps 501 to 506 are repeated at a constant cycle, the image display 5 displays various effects such as opening / closing operation of the opening / closing body 50 of the prize winning opening 49, symbol variation, blinking of the side lamp 52, and the like. A game ball (image) is superimposed and displayed on the image.

As described above, in the present embodiment, the settlement processing unit 8a is operated by operating the settlement switch 32, and the number of balls held at the time of the settlement switch operation is converted into valuable information corresponding to the number and recorded on the card 22. In the configuration of the video game machine capable of ejecting the card 22 to the outside, including the jackpot lottery means 6h and the starting winning ball holding / digesting means 6i, a settlement operation processing means 6j is provided.
When the symbol is displayed in a variable manner at the time of the adjustment switch operation, the adjustment operation processing means 6j is operated when the adjustment switch 32 is operated when the big win lottery result of the starting winning ball in the fluctuation display is a big hit. Is set to invalid, and if not invalidated, the settlement processing means 8a is immediately activated. Similarly, when a holding ball is stored at the time of the settlement switch operation, when there is a holding ball related to the start winning ball whose jackpot lottery result is a big hit in the stored holding ball, That is, the operation of the settlement switch 32 is invalidated, and when it is not invalidated, the settlement processing means 8a is immediately operated to allow settlement.

  According to this, when the operation of the settlement switch 32 is invalidated and the settlement process is awaited, it is always a big hit state, so that a lot of prize balls can be expected and the player can be satisfied. When the big hit state is not reached, the operation of the settlement switch 32 is not invalidated and the process proceeds to the settlement process. Therefore, when the player wants to end the game and operates the checkout switch 32, if the symbol is in a variable display or there is a holding ball, it waits until the symbol change display or all the holding balls have been digested. However, it will not make players feel like they were wasting time.

In the above-described embodiment, the symbol variation start signal S4 and the symbol variation pattern designation signal S5 (as a control signal for starting symbol variation display and stopping the symbol in the designated order and symbol type when the designated variation time expires. Although FIG. 1 to FIG. 3 and FIG. 5 are used, the present invention is not limited to this.
For example, a single symbol variation start / variation pattern designation signal may be used as the control signal, or three symbols such as a symbol variation start signal, a symbol stop order designation signal, a stop symbol designation signal, and a symbol variation stop signal are used. You may make it use the above signal.

Moreover, the board image displayed on the image display 5 is not limited to the aspect shown in FIG. For example, a board is added to the board image, and a lottery is performed when a game ball passes through the gate, and a board image that opens the movable body incorporated in the start winning opening is displayed when the lottery is won. May be. In such a case, the ball route along which the game ball moves more realistically can be determined by adding to the ball attribute whether or not the game ball passes through the gate.
Although the above-described embodiment is roughly imitating a first type pachinko machine, the present invention can be applied to other pachinko machines and other ball game machines.

  1 shows the case where the main control device 6 includes only the image display control device 7 as its control target, but actually, in addition to the image display control device 7, a voice control device, for example, a front surface A lamp control device that controls electrical decorations (not shown) attached to the decorative frame 11 is also provided. That is, the main control device 6 can perform not only display of the board image and control of the gaming state in the displayed board image, but also effect control by voice or lamp.

In the gaming state controlled by the main controller 6 shown in FIG. 1, for example, the opening / closing body 50 of the special winning opening 49 opens a special form that makes it easier for the gaming balls to enter than the other winning openings 44 to 48. There is a basic game state in which a game state (a big hit state), a normal game state other than this special game state, for example, a game ball is fired and enters the general winning ports 44 to 47 and the out port 53. In addition, even in the normal gaming state, there is a gaming state in which the above-mentioned special gaming state can be invited, such as a gaming state in which the symbol display by the symbol display unit 43 (big hit / losing effect image display) is performed.
The main control device 6 makes such a gaming state appear by the effect display control on the board image by the image display control device 7, and at the same time, the effect control by the sound and the lamp is added to entertain the player. The game state control includes the start, continuation, and end control of the state.

The first invention described above is intended to solve the above-mentioned problem in the video game machine, but the embodiment of the second invention in which the problem is solved in the actual game machine will be described below. To do.
In the gaming machine according to the embodiment of the second invention, a game is played using a game ball made of a real ball. In other words, it includes a start winning opening having a sensor that detects a game ball that has entered as a starting winning ball, and a variable winning opening that makes it easier to enter a game ball than other winning openings by opening and closing the opening and closing body. , Starting to change the pattern due to the entrance of game balls to the start winning entrance, and multiple winning entrances where prize balls are paid out by entering game balls After that, the board surface components such as the symbol display device for displaying the symbol variation, which can stop the variation after a predetermined time and open the opening / closing body by the symbol stopped, display the variation of the symbol. It is not a virtual thing but consists of a substantial structural member. And these are provided on the actual (substantial) game board surface, and the game ball is driven and moved on the game board surface by the operation of the launch operation unit, and the game is made to enter the winning or out port. Is done.

  And the gaming machine according to this embodiment operates the settlement processing means by operating the settlement switch, converts the number of possessed balls at the time of the settlement switch operation into valuable information according to the number, records it on the recording medium, A gaming machine capable of discharging a recording medium to the outside, comprising a jackpot lottery means, a starting winning ball holding / digesting means, and a settlement operation processing means.

Here, the jackpot lottery means performs a jackpot lottery for detecting whether or not to make a transition to a special game state in which the opening / closing body of the variable prize opening is opened or not to be shifted every time the start winning ball is detected. And when the result of the jackpot lottery is a jackpot, the game state is transferred to the special game state after the display of the symbol in the selected form is stopped.
In addition, the starting winning ball holding / digesting means may detect a new starting winning ball when a new starting winning ball is detected during the change display of the symbol related to the starting winning ball or while the special gaming state continues. The starting winning ball is accumulated and stored as a holding ball, and after the display of change of the symbol related to the preceding starting winning ball or holding ball or after the end of the special game state, the subsequent holding ball is set as the starting winning ball to the starting winning ball. It is a means for decrementing the stored number of the reserved balls while causing the symbols of the form selected according to the result of the jackpot lottery to be displayed.
Further, the settlement operation processing means is the case where the symbol is displayed in a variable manner or the reserved ball is stored at the time of operating the settlement switch, and the jackpot of the start winning ball in the variation display is displayed. If the lottery result is a big hit, or there is a holding ball related to the start winning ball whose jackpot lottery result is a big hit in the stored holding ball, the checkout switch When the operation is invalidated and not invalidated, the settlement processing means is operated.
In the present embodiment, portions other than the above-described configuration are not different from the configuration of a general gaming machine (actual gaming machine), particularly a first type pachinko machine.

  According to such an embodiment of the second invention, the same effects as in the case of the video pachinko machine according to the first invention can be obtained in an actual game machine, here an actual pachinko machine. In other words, if the symbol is in a variable display or there is a holding ball, even if you wait until the symbol change display and all the holding balls have been digested, the player will feel like wasting time. Nothing will happen.

It is a principal part block diagram of one Embodiment of the pachinko machine to which 1st invention was applied. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a main control device, an image display control device, and a card control device in FIG. It is a block diagram which shows the structural example of the main controller in FIG. It is a figure which shows an example of the winning rate table in FIG. It is a block diagram which shows the structural example of the image display control apparatus in FIG. It is a figure which shows the relationship between the launching intensity | strength of a game ball determined as a ball attribute by the ball attribute determination means of the pachinko machine shown in FIG. 1, and survival time. It is a figure for demonstrating an example of the relationship of the ball | bowl route table according to the launch intensity | strength of a game ball | bowl, a ball | bowl attribute, a launch signal, and a ball | bowl attribute for determining a ball | bowl route in a pachinko machine same as the above. It is a flowchart which illustrates the detail of the launching process of the game ball in the main controller shown in FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining display processing by the image display control device shown in FIG. 5.

Explanation of symbols

1: gaming machine frame, 5: image display, 6: main controller (main control means), 6e: ball attribute determining means, 6g: signal transmitting means, 6h: jackpot lottery means, 6i: starting winning ball holding / digesting Means: 6j: settlement operation processing means, 7: image display control device (image display control means), 7c3: ball route table, 7h: game ball movement display means, 7j: symbol display control means, 8: card control device, 8a : Settlement processing means, 32: Settlement switch, 33: Launch operation unit, 43: Symbol display unit, 44-47: Winning port, 48: Start winning port, 49: Big winning port (variable winning port), 50: Grand winning Mouth opening and closing body, 53: Out mouth.

Claims (1)

A plurality of winning holes through which a winning ball is paid out by entering a game ball, including a starting winning opening and a variable winning opening that makes it easier to enter a game ball than other winning holes by opening and closing the opening body; Stops the change after a predetermined time from the start of the change of the symbol due to the game ball entering the start winning port and the out opening where the winning ball is not paid out by entering the game ball, and the opening and closing by the stop symbol A game board surface including a symbol display unit for performing variable display of symbols, which can open the body;
A game ball that is launched by the operation of the launch operation unit and moves on the surface of the game board,
Display on the image display mounted on the gaming machine frame to play games,
An image that allows the settlement processing means to be operated by operating the settlement switch, converts the number of balls held at the time of the settlement switch operation into valuable information corresponding to the number, records it on a recording medium, and ejects the recording medium to the outside of the machine A game machine of the type,
Main control means for controlling the gaming state in the game board surface image displayed on the image display;
Image display control means for performing display control in the game board surface image based on the control of the main control means,
The main control means includes
Sphere attribute determining means for determining the extinction position on the game board surface image of the game ball fired by the operation of the launch operation unit and the survival time from when it is displayed on the game board surface image until it disappears as the ball attribute; ,
A signal transmission for transmitting a firing signal including the ball attribute for each game ball to be launched, and for transmitting a symbol variation start / variation pattern designation signal for starting the variation display of the symbol and designating the type of the variation pattern of the symbol. Means,
For each of the starting winning balls that are the game balls whose annihilation position is determined as the starting winning opening, it is assumed that it is a big hit to shift to the special gaming state in which the opening / closing body of the variable winning opening is opened or not transferred A jackpot lottery to determine if it is off is performed, the symbol variation start / variation pattern designation signal including designation of the symbol variation pattern according to the lottery result is transmitted from the signal transmission means, and the gaming state is included in the lottery result A jackpot lottery means to be controlled according to,
When a new start winning ball is generated while the symbols related to the starting winning ball are being displayed or the special gaming state is continuing, the new starting winning ball is accumulated and stored as a holding ball up to a certain number, and preceding. After the change display of the symbol relating to the starting winning ball or the holding ball or the end of the special gaming state, the signal change is transmitted as the starting holding ball as the subsequent winning ball, and the design variation start / variation pattern designation signal relating to the starting winning ball is transmitted. And a starting winning ball holding / digesting means for decrementing the number of stored balls,
At the time of operating the checkout switch, the symbol is in a variable display or the reserved ball is stored, and the result of the jackpot lottery of the starting winning ball in the variable display becomes a big hit If there is a holding ball related to the start winning ball whose jackpot lottery result is a big hit in the stored holding ball, the operation of the settlement switch is invalidated and invalidated. If not, a payment operation processing means for operating the payment processing means,
The image display control means includes
Upon receiving the launch signal, based on the ball attribute in the launch signal, a ball route representing a route from when the game ball is displayed on the game board surface image until it disappears at the winning opening or the out port is acquired. Game ball movement display means for moving and displaying each game ball on the game board surface image along the acquired ball route;
Upon reception of the symbol variation start / variation pattern designation signal, the symbol display unit starts symbol variation display for the start winning ball related to the symbol variation start / variation pattern designation signal, and after a predetermined time, the start prize A game machine comprising: a symbol display control means for stopping at a stop symbol corresponding to a symbol variation pattern designated by the symbol variation start / variation pattern designation signal relating to the ball.

Images