JP6923781B2 - Pachinko machine - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a ball game machine having a game area in which a game ball is launched.

Conventionally, among various types of ball game machines, the so-called first-class pachinko game machine has a plurality of symbols changed in a display area such as a liquid crystal display provided in the substantially center of the game board. Display (hereinafter, such display is referred to as "design variation" or "variation display", etc.). This gaming machine shifts to a special game called a big hit, in which more prize balls can be obtained than in a normal game when the combination of symbols when the movement of symbols in a plurality of rows is stopped becomes a specific mode. It is known as a thing (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In the variable display of symbols in the display area, not only a plurality of symbols are variablely displayed, but also the variable display time is usually set in a state where one more symbol is aligned and a big hit is obtained, as in a state called a so-called reach screen. The production is designed to raise the expectations of the player, such as making it longer than that. In addition, character images, background images, etc. can be used to create a story-like effect on the variable display of the design, probability variation and variation time reduction to increase the efficiency of transition to special games, and ease of entering the starting prize opening. The player's expectation is also raised by controlling the player to move to a state where it is easier to enter the ball.

Instructions transmitted and received internally to control a gaming machine are generally composed of a set of MODE data and EVENT data (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2003-230714 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2012-157575 JP-A-2009-254604

However, in recent years, as a result of the diversification of production and the increase in the types of production, the number of control commands transmitted and received internally has also increased, which may lead to complicated control (see, for example, Patent Document 3).

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a gaming machine capable of efficiently transmitting and receiving internal control commands.

In order to solve the above problems, the ball game machine of a certain aspect of the present invention has a gaming board in which a gaming area is formed, a starting winning opening provided in the gaming area, and a symbol for showing the result of a winning / failing determination. A symbol display device that displays a variable display, an effect display device that displays an effect image, a main control means that mainly controls the basic operation of the game, and a sub-control means that mainly controls the effect operation of the game. The main control means is a lottery value acquisition means for acquiring a lottery value for winning / failing with a ball entering the starting winning opening, and a lottery acquired by the lottery value acquisition means. The symbol is changed to the symbol display device according to the hit / fail determination means for executing the hit / fail judgment based on the value, the fluctuation pattern determining means for determining the fluctuation pattern in the fluctuation display of the symbol, and the fluctuation pattern determined by the fluctuation pattern determining means. It is provided with a symbol display control means for displaying, and a special game control means for executing a special game that is more advantageous to the player than the normal game when the result of the hit / miss determination is a hit. The sub-control means is an effect determining means for determining the effect to be displayed on the effect display device, and an effect displaying an image of the effect determined by the effect determining means on the effect display device based on a command transmitted from the effect determining means. It is provided with a control means. In the effect determining means, the command for notifying the effect control means of the information about the image of the effect displayed on the effect display device at the same time or immediately after the start of the variable display of the symbol is synchronized with the variable display of the symbol. It is transmitted to the effect control means before the command for instructing the start of the variable display of the decorative symbol to be executed.

It should be noted that any combination of the above components and those in which the components and expressions of the present invention are mutually replaced between methods, devices, systems, computer programs, recording media storing computer programs, data structures, and the like are also used. , Is effective as an aspect of the present invention.

According to the ball game machine of the present invention, it is possible to provide a game machine capable of efficiently transmitting and receiving internal control commands.

It is a figure which shows the basic structure on the front side of a pachinko gaming machine. It is a figure which shows the basic structure on the back side of a pachinko gaming machine. It is a figure which shows the functional block of a pachinko gaming machine. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of a main board. It is a figure which shows typically the hit / fail judgment table. It is a figure which shows typically the advance hit / fail judgment table referred to in the advance hit / miss judgment. It is a figure which shows typically the symbol determination table. It is a figure which shows the fluctuation pattern table schematically. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of a sub-board. It is a figure which shows the outline of the mobile cooperation system typically. It is a block diagram which shows the hardware composition of a main board and a sub board schematicly. It is a block diagram which shows the hardware composition of an effect control device schematicly. It is a flowchart which shows the control start processing of the main board in a pachinko gaming machine. It is a flowchart which shows the main process of S120 in FIG. 13 in detail. It is a flowchart which shows the detail of an interrupt process. It is a flowchart which shows the control start processing of the sub-board in a pachinko gaming machine. It is a flowchart which shows the main process of S518 in FIG. 16 in detail. It is a flowchart which shows the interrupt process when the command is received from the main board. It is a flowchart which shows the interrupt process when the timer interrupt for effect display control occurs. It is a flowchart which shows the interrupt process when a sub CPU receives a command from a control CPU. It is a flowchart which shows the interrupt process when the timer interrupt for various device control occurs. It is a flowchart which shows the process of the special symbol variation display. It is a flowchart which shows the process of the decorative pattern variation display. It is a flowchart which shows the process of a special game. It is a flowchart which shows the process of a small hit game. It is a figure which shows typically the bit string structure of instruction content data. It is a time chart which shows the timing of the instruction in the variation display of a decorative pattern. It is a figure which shows the table of the instruction type data and instruction content data which shows the final stop symbol type of a decorative symbol. It is a figure which shows the table of the instruction type data and instruction content data which specifies a temporary stop symbol in a pseudo continuous variation effect. It is a figure which shows the table of the instruction type data and instruction content data which specifies the pause symbol before the re-lottery in a re-lottery effect. It is a figure which shows the example of the effect image displayed on the effect display device. It is a figure which shows the content of the hold number specification command. It is a figure which shows the content of the hold display designation command. It is a figure which shows the content of the signboard designation command at the time of a change. It is a figure which shows the content of the change hold change designation command. It is a figure which shows the content of the hold change notice designation command. It is a figure which shows the content of the hold change designation command during SP. It is a figure which shows the flow of the command transmitted from the effect determination means to the effect control means in an example of a hold change effect. It is a figure which shows the example of the effect image displayed on the effect display device. It is a figure which shows the content of the button type specification command. It is a figure which shows the content of the button press information designation command. It is a figure which shows the content of the button effect A pattern designation 1 command. It is a figure which shows the content of the button effect A pattern designation 2 command. It is a figure which shows the content of the button additional information (button effect A stage designation) command. Button effect B Zako information designation 1 It is a figure which shows the content of a command. It is a figure which shows the table for specifying the line when the Zako character explodes in the button effect B. It is a figure which shows the content of the button additional information (button effect B Zako number designation) command. It is a figure which shows the content of the battle story type CU command. It is a figure which shows the content of the normal SP reach type designation command. It is a figure which shows the transmission order of a command.

As an embodiment of the present invention, the details of the commands transmitted and received in order to transmit the information necessary for executing the effect in the gaming machine will be described. First, the general technology of the gaming machine will be described, and then the characteristic technology of this embodiment will be described.

In the pachinko gaming machine of the present embodiment, a plurality of games corresponding to the conventional type 1 pachinko gaming machine are mixed. The second game is preferentially executed so that the first game and the second game as the plurality of games are not executed at the same time. Further, in order to achieve both of these playability, a plurality of start winning openings, a plurality of special symbol display devices, and a plurality of hold lamps are provided. It is designed so that the number of big hits in the second game is generally larger than the number of big hits in the first game. For example, the second game has a higher probability of becoming a big hit with a probability change, and the second game has a larger number of unit games constituting a special game when a big hit occurs (opening time of the big winning opening). A long open unit game and a short open unit game with a short open time are mixed in one special game, and even if the number of unit games is the same, the second game has a longer open unit game than the first game. The second game is designed to have a relatively higher profit than the first game, such as (including the case where the number of games is large). On top of that, at first, aim for the first hit in the first game, and after the big hit in the first game gives a shorter time, aim for the second game repeatedly and get a lot of balls. Realize.

FIG. 1 shows a basic structure on the front side of a pachinko gaming machine. The pachinko gaming machine 100 is mainly composed of a gaming machine frame and a gaming board. The gaming machine frame of the pachinko gaming machine 100 includes an outer frame 101, a front frame 102, a transparent plate 103, a door 104, an upper ball plate 105, a lower ball plate 106, a launch handle 107, a speaker 108, an effect button 109, and a cross key 110. Includes decorative lamp 111. The outer frame 101 has an opening portion and is a frame body for fixing the pachinko gaming machine 100 at a position where it should be installed. The front frame 102 is a frame body that matches the opening portion of the outer frame 101, and is attached to the outer frame 101 so as to be openable and closable by a hinge mechanism (not shown). The front frame 102 includes a mechanism for launching a game ball, a mechanism for detachably accommodating a game board, a mechanism for guiding or collecting a game ball, and the like.

The transparent plate 103 is formed of glass or the like and is supported by the door 104. The door 104 is attached to the front frame 102 so as to be openable and closable by a hinge mechanism (not shown). The upper ball plate 105 has a mechanism for storing the game balls, sending the game balls to the launch rail, extracting the game balls from the lower ball plate 106, and the like. The lower ball plate 106 has a mechanism for storing and extracting game balls. Speakers 108 are provided on the left and right sides of the upper part of the door 104, and sound effects and music sounds according to the game state and the effect are output by means for controlling the effect. Most of the resin members constituting the appearance of the door 104 are translucent, and the decorative lamp 111 is provided inside the transparent member. The decorative lamp 111 is an LED that emits light in various colors according to the game state, the effect, etc. by means for controlling the effect, and plays a role of the effect by blinking or the like.

The game board 80 has a first starting port 11, a second starting port 12, a large winning opening 20, a first operating port 31, a second operating port 32, and a general winning port 33 on the game area 81 partitioned by the rail 82. , Out port 34, effect display device 60, center decoration 64. The center decoration 64 is a decorative resin member provided so as to form a screen frame of the effect display device 60 over the substantially central portion of the game area 81 and the upper portion and the right portion thereof, and is a flow path of the game ball and the effect display device. It has 60 functions such as protection and decoration. A stage 65 on which the inflowing game ball rolls is formed at the lower part of the center decoration 64, and the falling direction from the stage 65 is the direction of entering the first starting port 11 and the first starting port 11 depending on the rolling method. It is distributed to the side direction that does not enter the ball. At the upper part of the center decoration 64, a movable accessory 66 that is driven according to the content of the effect and performs an effect is provided. In the game area 81, a plurality of mechanisms such as game nails and windmills (not shown) for forming a flow path of the game ball are installed. In this specification, "winning ball", "winning prize", and "falling in" may be synonymous with each other. In addition, each winning opening and each entry opening may be composed of a "passing opening" (also called a "gate" or "through chucker") of a type through which a game ball passes, and the "entry ball" may be formed. "Prize," "fall," and "pass" may also be synonymous with each other.

The first starting port 11 is provided as a starting winning opening corresponding to the first game, and the second starting opening 12 is provided as a starting winning opening corresponding to the second game. The first starting port 11 and the second starting port 12 are configured so that the ball can be aimed at one side depending on the launch strength of the game ball according to the player's intention. The first starting port 11 is provided at a substantially central lower portion in the game area 81, and the second starting port 12 is provided directly below the first starting port 11. Left-handed, that is, when the ball is hit relatively weakly aiming to flow to the left passage of the center decoration 64, it is possible or easy to enter the first starting port 11 and the second starting port 12, while right-handed. That is, when the ball is hit relatively strongly aiming to flow to the right passage of the center decoration 64, the ball can enter the second starting port 12 or is easy to enter, but cannot enter the first starting port 11. Alternatively, a flow path is formed by arranging the game nails so as to make it difficult to enter the ball. However, normally, the upper part of the opening of the second starting port 12 is covered with the first starting port 11 to prevent the inflow of the game ball. Therefore, unless the expanding mechanism of the second starting port 12 is opened, the second starting port 12 is opened. It is impossible or difficult to enter the ball in 12. The winning / failing lottery is a lottery for determining whether or not to shift from a normal game to a special game that is advantageous to the player, and is executed every time a ball is entered into the first starting port 11 or the second starting port 12. NS.

The first starting port 11 and the second starting port 12 may be provided at positions separated from each other to the extent that it is possible to strike a target depending on the firing strength of the game ball. The first starting port 11 and the second starting port 12 may be installed separately on the left side and the right side of the game area 81, respectively, so that it is difficult for a game ball aiming at one of them to enter the other. For example, the first starting port 11 is provided at a position where it is possible or easy to enter the ball when it is left-handed, that is, when it is aimed to flow to the left passage of the center decoration 64 and fired relatively weakly. The second starting port 12 is provided at a position where it is possible to enter the ball or it is easy to enter the ball when the ball is hit right-handed, that is, when the ball is launched relatively strongly aiming at flowing into the right passage of the center decoration 64.

The first starting port 11 includes a first starting winning detection device 16. The first start winning detection device 16 is a sensor that detects the entry of a game ball into the first starting opening 11, and generates first starting winning information indicating the entry at the time of entry. The second starting port 12 includes a second starting winning detection device 17, an ordinary electric accessory 90 (so-called electric tulip) which is an expansion mechanism, and an ordinary electric accessory solenoid 91 for opening and closing the ordinary electric accessory 90. .. The second start winning detection device 17 is a sensor that detects the entry of a game ball into the second starting opening 12, and generates second starting winning information indicating the entry at the time of entry.

When the operation of the ordinary electric accessory 90 is determined by the passage of the game ball through the operating port 68, the ordinary electric accessory 90 is expanded by the driving force of the ordinary electric role solenoid 91, and the ordinary electric accessory 90 is expanded to the second starting port 12. Ease of entering the ball is increased. The one-time opening time of the ordinary electric accessory 90 is as short as about 0.1 seconds at the time of short opening, while the one-time opening time of the ordinary electric accessory 90 is about 6 seconds at the time of long opening. It is set longer than that at the time of short opening, and it becomes easier for the game ball to enter the second starting port 12. The function (long opening) related to the extension of the operating period of the ordinary electric accessory 90 is also called "opening extension". As a modification, when the ordinary electric accessory 90 expands, it may be notified in advance to that effect, or the hold of the ordinary symbol change may be pre-read and notified before the start of the change of the ordinary symbol. , Ordinary symbols may be notified during fluctuations.

As a modification of the opening mode when the ordinary electric accessory 90 of the second starting port 12 is opened for a long time, the total opening time is increased to about 6 seconds by repeating the opening for 2 seconds, which is longer than the short opening, three times. It may be an embodiment. Further, a plurality of combinations of the opening time and the number of opening times may be prepared, and one of them may be selected. For example, when the 2-second opening is performed 3 times, the total opening time is the same as when the 6-second opening is performed once, but the former is longer than the latter when the interval period is included. Therefore, especially in the configuration of the modified example in which the second starting port 12 is arranged in the right-handed direction, the former player enters the ball assuming that the player who notices the opening adjusts the hitting direction to the second starting port 12 from that point. It can be said that the chance is long. Further, it may be configured so that there are a plurality of hit types of ordinary symbols, and the opening mode of the expansion mechanism may be different depending on the hit types. For example, when the normal symbol is the first hit, the 0.1 second opening is set once in the normal state, the 1 second opening is set three times in the easy-to-enter state, and the second hit is the normal state. Then, the 6-second opening may be performed once, and the 2-second opening may be performed twice in the easy-to-enter state.

Each of the three general winning openings 33 includes a general winning detection device 38 for detecting the entry of a game ball. The general winning detection device 38 is a sensor that detects the entry of a game ball into the general winning opening 33, and generates general winning information indicating the entry at the time of entry.

The large winning opening 20 includes a large winning opening detection device 25 for detecting the entry of a game ball, and a large winning opening solenoid 92 for opening and closing the large winning opening 20. The grand prize detection device 25 is a sensor that detects the entry of a game ball into the grand prize opening 20, and generates the grand prize opening winning information indicating the entry at the time of entry. The big winning opening 20 is a horizontally rectangular winning opening that is opened as a "big hit" when the first special symbol 51 or the second special symbol 52 is stopped in a predetermined mode. The big winning opening 20 is provided at a position on the upper right side of the out opening 34. As a modified example, another large winning opening may be provided at the lower center of the game area 81 or above or below the large winning opening 20, and a plurality of large winning openings may be provided.

The first special symbol display device 41 corresponding to the first game and the second special symbol display device 42 corresponding to the second game are arranged side by side on the left and right at the lower left position on the outside of the game area 81 on the game board 80. The variation of the 1 special symbol 51 and the 2nd special symbol 52 is displayed. At the substantially center of the game area 81, an effect display device 60 is provided so that the screen is exposed from the screen frame formed by the center decoration 64, and the decorative symbol 61 linked to the first special symbol 51 or the second special symbol 52 is provided. Display the fluctuation of the production image including. Hereinafter, such a display is referred to as "design variation" or "variation display" or the like.

The first special symbol 51 is a symbol corresponding to the determination result of the first winning / failing lottery performed when the game ball enters the first starting port 11, and the variation display is stopped in a predetermined hit mode. At that time, a big hit as a special game occurs. The second special symbol 52 is a symbol corresponding to the determination result of the second winning / failing lottery performed when the game ball enters the second starting port 12, and the variation display is stopped in a predetermined hit mode. At that time, a big hit as a special game occurs. The first special symbol display device 41 and the second special symbol display device 42 are, for example, an eight-segment LED composed of eight segments of seven segments forming a "figure 8" and one segment representing a "dot". It is a display device of. With an 8-segment LED, a numerical value equivalent to 8 bits can be expressed by combining 8 segments. The first special symbol 51 and the second special symbol 52 represented by the combination of segments do not necessarily form the body of letters or numbers, and may be generally meaningless symbols formed by the combination of each segment. .. By displaying these symbols on the first special symbol display device 41 and the second special symbol display device 42 one after another at high speed, the symbol variation display of the first special symbol 51 and the second special symbol 52 is realized. NS. Further, the first special symbol display device 41 and the second special symbol display device 42 use LED dot arrays that are not 8-segment LEDs, and a plurality of types of first special symbol 51 and second are used depending on the combination of lighting patterns and lighting colors. The special symbol 52 may be expressed.

The effect display device 60 is a display device including a liquid crystal display that variablely displays the decorative symbol 61 in conjunction with the variable display of the first special symbol 51 or the second special symbol 52. The decorative symbol 61 is a symbol for visually producing the determination result display of the lottery shown by the first special symbol 51 and the second special symbol 52. As the decorative symbol 61, the effect display device 60 displays, for example, a moving image in which a plurality of rows of symbols imitating a game of a slot machine are varied in a central region of the screen. In this embodiment, the symbols composed of the numbers "0" to "9" are displayed in three columns and varied, and the hit or miss is indicated by the combination of the three symbols that are finally stopped and displayed. Each of the plurality of symbols constituting the decorative symbol 61 is composed of numbers, letters, or symbols decorated with colors and patterns, and these numbers, letters, and symbols are common to all symbols. It may be configured by adding a different pattern to each and integrating them. This pattern is a pattern on which a motif related to the theme of decoration or production set in the model of the pachinko gaming machine 100 is drawn, and may be, for example, a pattern on which a character of a person or an animal is drawn. The decorative design 61 is switched between the case where the design including the design is integrally displayed and the case where the design is separated and only the numbers, letters, and symbols are displayed in a variable manner according to the development of the effect. It may be configured to be. In the background of the variable display of the decorative symbol 61, a moving image having a directing effect related to the theme of the decoration or effect set for the model of the pachinko gaming machine 100 is displayed in conjunction with the variation of the symbol.

Since the first special symbol 51 and the second special symbol 52 do not necessarily have to have a directing role, in the present embodiment, the first special symbol display device 41 and the second special symbol at the lower left of the game area 81 are required. The display device 42 displays the image in an inconspicuous size. However, when a method of expressing the special symbol itself without using a decorative symbol by giving it a directing role is adopted, the special symbol may be displayed on the liquid crystal display instead of the 8-segment LED.

The effect display device 60 is composed of a liquid crystal display which is a high-definition dot matrix type display device, but the width of the display area may be about half the width of the game area, or a large size exceeding half. There may be. In the case of a large size, the game ball passage on the right side of the effect display device is formed with a passage width that allows one game ball to pass through, and if the player launches it with maximum strength as a so-called "right-handed", it will almost certainly be the right-hand passage. The game ball can be passed through, and it can be distinguished from the so-called "left-handed". The effect display device 60 is not limited to the case where it is composed of a single display device, but may be composed of a combination of a plurality of display devices. In the case of a plurality of displays, displays of different sizes such as a combination of a main liquid crystal display and a sub liquid crystal display may be combined, the sub liquid crystal display may be arranged at a position adjacent to the main liquid crystal display, or a position other than the game board, for example, a firing handle. It may be installed in the vicinity of. When installed in the vicinity of the launch handle, it may be configured in the form of a touch panel that can be operated and input by the player. The effect display device 60 is not limited to a liquid crystal display, and may be configured by a display device such as an organic EL display, a mechanical display means such as a drum rotation type, or a display means such as an LED matrix type. ..

The first operating port 31 is provided at a position on the left side of the game area 81 and includes the first passage detection device 36. The first passage detection device 36 is a sensor that detects the passage of the game ball to the first operating port 31, and generates passage information indicating the passage at the time of passage. The second operating port 32 is provided at a position on the right side of the game area 81, and includes a second passage detection device 37. The second passage detection device 37 is a sensor that detects the passage of the game ball to the second operating port 32, and generates passage information indicating the passage at the time of passage. The passage of the game ball through the first operating port 31 or the second operating port 32 triggers an open lottery to determine whether or not to expand the ordinary electric accessory 90. When the game ball passes through the first operating port 31 or the second operating port 32, the ordinary symbol, which is a symbol indicating the determination result of the open lottery, is variably displayed on the ordinary symbol display device 45. Therefore, the open lottery is also called "ordinary symbol lottery". The normal symbol display device 45 is provided on the lower right outside of the game area 81, and is composed of two lamps for convenience, and the display state of the normal symbol is expressed by which of the two lamps is lit. For example, when the lighting of the first lamp indicates that the lamp is off and the second lamp indicates a hit, the variation display of the normal symbol is expressed by alternately turning on and off the lamp, and finally one of the lamps is turned on. By stopping in the state, the stop symbol of the normal symbol is expressed. After a predetermined time has passed from the start of the fluctuation, the fluctuation display of the normal symbol stops. When the normal symbol stops at the hit symbol, the normal electric accessory 90 is expanded.

There are two types of opening time for the ordinary electric accessory 90: a short opening for 0.1 seconds and a long opening for 6 seconds. In the open lottery in the normal state, there is a 1/50 chance that the normal symbol will hit and a long open will be executed, and a 1/100 chance that the normal symbol will win and a short open will be executed. In this way, in the normal state, the probability of long opening is higher than the probability of short opening, but in the modified example, the probability of short opening may be higher than the probability of long opening, or both probabilities. May be the same specifications. In the open lottery in the easy-to-enter state, the probability of hitting a normal symbol is increased to 99/100, and the opening time is limited to a long opening. In this way, in the easy-to-enter state, the ease of entering the second starting port 12 is enhanced by the function of changing the hit probability of the normal symbol and the function of extending the opening time. In the ball-entry easy state in the modified example, the ball-entry ease of entering the second starting port 12 may be enhanced by using three functions including a function of shortening the fluctuation time of the normal symbol. In that case, the fluctuation time of the normal symbol is, for example, 10 seconds in the normal state and 2 seconds in the easy-to-enter state.

At the lower left position on the outside of the game area 81, a first special symbol holding lamp 71 corresponding to the first game is provided above the first special symbol display device 41, and a first special symbol display device 42 is provided above the second special symbol display device 42. A second special figure holding lamp 72 corresponding to the second game is provided. The first special figure holding lamp 71 is composed of two lamps, and displays the number of holdings of the winning / failing lottery value in the first game according to the number of lighting or the number of blinking. The number of winning / failing lottery values held in the first special symbol holding lamp 71 is the number of lottery values that have been won in the first starting port 11 while the first special symbol 51 is changing or the special game is being executed, and the symbol fluctuation is still in progress. Indicates the number of winning balls that have not been executed. The second special figure holding lamp 72 is also composed of two lamps, and displays the number of holdings of the winning / failing lottery value in the second game according to the number of lighting or the number of blinking. The number of winning / failing lottery values held in the second special symbol holding lamp 72 is the number of lottery values that have been won in the second starting port 12 while the second special symbol 52 is changing or the special game is being executed, and the symbol fluctuation is still in progress. Indicates the number of winning balls that have not been executed. The number of hold of the winning / failing lottery value is also displayed at the lower part of the screen of the effect display device 60 in a form represented by the number of lighting of the hold lamp image.

When the number of winning / failing lottery pending is 3, the symbol fluctuation time in the case of a loss is shortened than usual in order to improve the game efficiency (hereinafter, also referred to as "shortening fluctuation"). Similarly, when the number of hold of the winning / failing lottery is 4, the symbol fluctuation time in the case of losing is further shortened as compared with the case of the above 3 in order to further improve the game efficiency (hereinafter, also referred to as "ultra-shortening fluctuation"). ).

At the lower right position on the outside of the game area 81, a normal symbol holding lamp 75 is provided on the right side of the normal symbol display device 45. The normal symbol hold lamp 75 is also composed of two lamps, and displays the number of hold of the normal symbol change according to the number of lighting or the number of blinking. The number of reserved normal symbol changes is the number of game balls that have passed through the first operating port 31 or the second operating port 32 during the changing of the normal symbol, and the number of normal symbol lottery for which the normal symbol change has not yet been executed. Is shown.

The effect button 109 is an operation input means that the player presses to input a predetermined instruction to the gaming machine according to the effect content, and the effect content and the like are changed according to the pressing mode. The effect button 109 is provided on the outer wall surface near the upper ball plate 105. The cross key 110 is an operation input means for the player to input a direction instruction to the gaming machine, and is provided on the outer wall surface on the left side of the upper ball plate 105.

The game method and control flow performed in the above configuration will be outlined. When the player rotates the launch handle 107 by hand, the game balls stored in the upper ball plate 105 are guided one by one to the rail 82 and launched to the game area 81 with the strength corresponding to the rotation angle. .. When the player fixes the rotation position of the launch handle 107 by hand, the launch of the game ball is repeated at regular time intervals. The game ball launched to the upper part of the game area 81 falls in a direction corresponding to the hitting method while hitting a plurality of game nails and wind turbines. When the game ball falls into each of the general winning opening 33, the first starting opening 11, the second starting opening 12, and the large winning opening 20, the winning ball according to the type of the winning opening is the upper ball plate 105 or the lower. It is paid out to the ball plate 106. The game balls that fall into each winning opening such as the general winning opening 33 are treated as safe balls, and the game balls that fall into the out opening 34 are treated as out balls.

When the ball enters the first starting port 11 or the second starting port 12, the first special symbol 51, the second special symbol 52, and the second special symbol 52 in the first special symbol display device 41, the second special symbol display device 42, and the effect display device 60. The decorative pattern 61 is displayed in a variable manner. The variable display of the first special symbol 51, the second special symbol 52, and the decorative symbol 61 is stopped after the variation display time determined prior to the display has elapsed. The first special symbol 51 and the second special symbol 52 are displayed in a variable manner according to a variable pattern in which the variation mode from the start to the stop of the variation is defined. The decorative symbol 61 is variablely displayed according to a variable effect pattern in which the variation mode from the start to the stop of the variation is defined. A plurality of types of fluctuation patterns and fluctuation production patterns are prepared, and each has various fluctuation times, long and short. While the first special symbol 51 and the second special symbol 52 are variablely displayed according to the variation pattern, the decorative symbol 61 is variablely displayed according to the variation effect pattern having the same variation time. In the variation pattern, the variation display time is set for each pattern as the end condition of the symbol variation, and the variation of the first special symbol 51, the second special symbol 52, and the decorative symbol 61 occurs when the variation display time elapses. It will be stopped.

As the variation display of the decorative symbol 61, first, the symbols are varied in all three rows like the reel rotation of the slot machine at the start of the variation, and when the variation end timing is approached, the symbols are stopped one by one as the final stop mode. Display the symbol combination. When the first special symbol 51, the second special symbol 52, and the decorative symbol 61 at the time of stopping are in the stop mode showing a big hit, the game shifts to a special game which is more advantageous to the player than the normal game, and the game is large. The opening / closing operation of the winning opening 20 is started. The stop mode of the decorative symbol 61 showing the jackpot is, for example, a combination mode in which the types of the three symbols match. In addition, as an operation when the fluctuation of the decorative symbol 190 is stopped, it is controlled to stop a plurality of rows at the same time instead of one row at a time, so that the effect display other than the decorative symbol is noticed during the variable display, or the variable display is performed in a shorter fluctuation time. May be displayed.

The variable effect pattern includes a normal off-effect pattern, a reach-out effect pattern, and a reach jackpot effect pattern. The normal out-of-order effect pattern is an effect pattern when displaying a normal out-of-order symbol combination. The out-of-reach effect pattern is an effect pattern when displaying a combination of out-of-reach symbols through a reach state, which is a state in which one more symbol is aligned and a big hit is made. The reach jackpot effect pattern is an effect pattern when displaying the symbol combination of the jackpot after the reach state. In particular, the pattern when going through the reach state includes a pattern having various fluctuation times, long and short, and a reach pattern with a relatively short fluctuation time is called "normal reach", and a reach pattern with a long fluctuation time is called "super reach". ". The normal out-of-reach effect pattern, the reach-out effect pattern, and the reach jackpot effect pattern are divided into a normal pattern displayed in a normal state and a time-saving pattern displayed in a time-saving state, respectively. However, even in the normal state, if there is a second symbol variation corresponding to the entry of the ball into the second starting port 12, the probability that the jackpot will be accompanied by a probability change or the probability that the number of unit games of the special game will increase is the first. Since it can be said that the chance state is higher than the first fluctuation corresponding to the entry of the ball into the 1 start port 11, a pattern for chance effect indicating that the chance is a relatively advantageous jackpot may be used. In the embodiment, the time saving pattern is used in the time saving state, but since the time saving is accompanied in the probability changing state, the time saving pattern is also used in the probability changing state. However, in the modified example, the specification may be such that a pattern for probabilistic change different from that for time saving is used in the probable change state. Alternatively, a specification that uses a common pattern for time saving and probability variation may be used, or a specification that uses a probability variation pattern in the probability variation state without using the time reduction pattern in particular may be used.

There are two types of special games, normal special games and shortened special games, and there is a big difference in the profits from the winning prize balls. Usually, the special game is started by displaying the production screen called the start demo time. After the screen display of the start demo time, the big winning opening 20 is opened, and the opening is continued for about 30 seconds, or is temporarily closed after 9 or more game balls have fallen. The process from opening to closing of the large winning opening 20 is basically called a unit game, but there may be a case where a plurality of short-time openings are repeated during one unit game. After the opening and closing of the large winning opening 20 or the unit game is repeated a predetermined number of times, for example, 4 or 16 times, the special game is usually ended by the display of the effect screen called the end demo time. In normal special games, you can expect enough balls to enter 9 or more balls per unit game, and you can get enough prize balls (also called "balls") by 16 unit games, which is a big profit. Is obtained. A special game in which 16 unit games are repeated is appropriately referred to as a "16R jackpot", and a special game in which 4 unit games are repeated is appropriately referred to as a "4R jackpot".

On the other hand, in the shortened special game, the start demo time and the end demo time are short, and the large winning opening 20 is opened for 0.2 seconds in one unit game. This unit game is repeated twice to end the shortened special game. In the shortened special game, since the opening of the large winning opening 20 is only repeated twice for a very short time, it is almost impossible to enter the large winning opening 20, and the number of balls is substantially equal to zero. be. A special game in which two unit games are repeated is also appropriately referred to as a "2R jackpot".

When the first special symbol 51 or the second special symbol 52 and the decorative symbol 61 at the time of stopping are in the predetermined small hit mode, the process shifts to the small hit game composed of one unit game, and the large winning opening 20 The opening and closing operation is executed. In one unit game constituting the small hit game, the big winning opening 20 repeats opening for about 0.2 seconds twice, so that the operation mode is the same as that of the 2R big hit in appearance.

When a special game occurs and the hit stop symbol at that time is in a specific mode, the probability change, which is one of the specific games, is further started after the end of the special game. During the probability change, a winning / losing lottery with a higher probability of winning than the normal probability state is performed, and a new special game may occur relatively early. It should be noted that the fact that the judgment result of the winning / failing lottery is a specific big hit, that is, a big hit accompanied by a probability change is not clearly shown from the appearance, and a latent probability change state may be set in which the decorative design or the production content is not explicitly notified. In that case, the effect display device 60 does not clearly indicate whether the change is probable or non-probable even during the probable change.

In the normal game after the special game is completed, the easy entry state, which is one of the specific game states, is started. In the easy-to-enter state, the winning probability of the open lottery is increased more than usual, and the opening extension is executed so that the opening time of the normal electric accessory 90 is extended. Since the number of hits of the normal symbol per fixed time can be increased and the ease of entering the second starting port 12 is also increased, there is a high possibility that the number of balls entering the second starting port 12 will increase. Therefore, as a result of increasing the chances of obtaining a prize ball by entering the second starting port 12, it is possible to continue playing while hardly reducing the number of balls held or gradually increasing the number of balls held.

In the easy-to-enter state, as one of the specific game states, the so-called time reduction, in which the fluctuation time of the first special symbol 51, the second special symbol 52, and the decorative symbol 61 is shorter than that in the normal state, is further executed. The fluctuation time of the first special symbol 51, the second special symbol 52, and the decorative symbol 61 is returned to the original fluctuation time after a predetermined number of fluctuations, for example, 100 fluctuations are displayed, but reaches the fluctuation number. If a big hit occurs before, the time reduction will end once. Since the fluctuation time of the first special symbol 51, the second special symbol 52, and the decorative symbol 61 is shortened in the shortened time, until a big hit occurs as compared with the case where the symbol fluctuates with the normal fluctuation time. The time can be shortened, and the ease of obtaining a big hit can be relatively increased. In the modified example, the specification may be such that the time reduction of the special symbol is not carried out in the state where the ball is easily entered.

FIG. 2 shows the basic structure of the pachinko gaming machine on the back side. The power switch 150 is a switch for turning on / off the power of the pachinko gaming machine 100. The main board 200 controls the overall operation of the pachinko gaming machine 100, and processes all game operations such as a lottery when winning a prize in the first starting port 11 and the second starting port 12. The sub-board 300 includes a liquid crystal unit 151, controls the display content of the effect display device 60, and changes the effect display content particularly according to the determination result of the main board 200. The back set mechanism 152 includes a prize ball tank 153, a flow path for the prize balls, a payout unit 154 for paying out the prize balls, and the like. The payout unit 154 pays out the game balls supplied from the prize ball tank 153 to the upper ball plate 105 according to the winning of each winning opening. The payout control board 155 controls the payout operation by the payout unit 154. The launching device 156 launches the stored balls of the upper ball plate 105 into the game area 81 one by one. The launch control board 157 controls the launch operation of the launch device 156. The power supply unit 158 supplies electric power to each part of the pachinko gaming machine 100.

FIG. 3 shows a functional block of the pachinko gaming machine 100. The pachinko gaming machine 100 is divided into a main board 200 as a main control device for controlling the basic operation of the game and the progress of the game, and a sub board 300 as a sub-control device for controlling the directing operation and processing. It is composed of various forms. The main board 200 includes a first starting port 11, a second starting port 12, a large winning opening 20, a general winning opening 33, a first operating port 31, a second operating port 32, a first special symbol display device 41, and a second special. It is electrically connected to the symbol display device 42 and the normal symbol display device 45, and transmits and receives various control signals to and from each of them. The sub-board 300 is electrically connected to the effect display device 60, the effect button 109, the speaker 108, and the decorative lamp 111, and transmits and receives various control signals to and from each of them. Data transmission / reception between the main board 200 and the sub board 300 is unidirectional from the main board 200 to the sub board 300. It is arranged on the sub-board 300. Since the unidirectionality of data transmission from the main board 200 to the sub board 300 is maintained, data cannot be transmitted from the configuration included in the sub board 300 to the configuration included in the main board 200, and data transmission can be performed. I can't even request it. Therefore, the information generated by the main board 200 cannot be referred to from the sub board 300 unless the main board 200 unilaterally transmits the information to the sub board 300.

It should be noted that any of the functional blocks included in the main board 200 may be mounted on the sub-board 300 instead of the main board 200, and any of the functional blocks included in the sub-board 300 may be mounted on the sub-board 300 instead of the main board 200. It may be mounted on the main board 200 without any of the above.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the main board 200. The main board 200 includes a ball entry determination means 201, a first lottery means 211, a second lottery means 212, a general drawing lottery means 213, a hold control means 240, a main display control means 250, a special game control means 260, and a small hit game control. The means 265, the specific game control means 270, the open / close control means 275, and the special figure adjusting means 276 are provided.

The ball entry determination means 201 determines the entry of a game ball into each winning opening. When the ball entry determination means 201 receives the first start winning information, it determines that the game ball has won the first start opening 11, and when it receives the second start winning information, the game ball has won the second start opening 12. to decide. When the winning ball determining means 201 receives the large winning opening winning information, it determines that the game ball has won the large winning opening 20, and when it receives the general winning information, it determines that the game ball has won the general winning opening 33. Upon receiving the passing information, the ball entry determination means 201 determines that the game ball has passed through the first operating port 31 or the second operating port 32.

The first lottery means 211 has a function of executing the first lottery related to the first game, such as a first lottery value acquisition means 216, a first hit / fail determination means 221 and a first symbol determination means 226, and a first variation pattern determination. The first winning / failing lottery is executed as a winning / failing lottery corresponding to the entry of the ball into the first starting port 11, including the means 231. The determination result of the first winning / failing lottery is shown in the form of the variable display of the first special symbol 51 in the first special symbol display device 41, and is shown in the form of the variable display of the decorative symbol 61 in the display area of the effect display device 60. .. The second lottery means 212 includes a second lottery value acquisition means 217, a second hit / fail determination means 222, a second symbol determination means 227, and a second variation pattern determination means 232, and corresponds to entry into the second starting port 12. The second winning / failing lottery is executed as a winning / failing lottery. The determination result of the second winning / failing lottery is shown in the form of the variable display of the second special symbol 52 in the second special symbol display device 42, and is shown in the form of the variable display of the decorative symbol 61 in the display area of the effect display device 60. .. When the first lottery means 211 and the second lottery means 212 start the symbol change, the first lottery means 211 and the second lottery means 212 transmit the lottery determination result corresponding to the symbol change to the effect determination means 303 together with the symbol change control command.

In the first lottery means 211 and the second lottery means 212, which lottery value range in the winning / failing judgment corresponds to as a preliminary judgment process even when the ball enters the first starting port 11 or the second starting port 12. The advance hit / fail judgment is executed, and the judgment result is transmitted to the effect determining means 303. After the result of the pre-determination process is temporarily stored in the transmission buffer, it is transmitted to the effect determining means 303 regardless of whether or not the symbol variation display corresponding to the lottery is started immediately, and is deleted from the transmission buffer or overwritten later. NS. Therefore, for the sub-board 300 side, a so-called "look-ahead" process is realized, in which the winning / failing result can be presumably recognized in advance before the order of starting the symbol variation comes around. In addition to the winning / failing determination result, the result of the symbol lottery, the result of the variable pattern lottery, and the like may be used for pre-reading, or the pre-reading process may be executed by combining them.

The first lottery value acquisition means 216 acquires a random number value as the first winning / failing lottery value for the first winning / failing lottery when the ball enters the first starting port 11. The second lottery value acquisition means 217 acquires a random number value as the second winning / failing lottery value for the second winning / failing lottery when the ball enters the second starting port 12. For example, the values acquired as the first winning / failing lottery value and the second winning / failing lottery value for the winning / failing lottery are acquired from the value range of "0" to "65535". The values acquired as the first winning / failing lottery value and the second winning / failing lottery value are temporarily held by the hold control means 240. However, the winning / failing lottery value is held within the range that does not exceed the predetermined upper limit of holding. The "random number" here does not have to be a physical random number generated by a random number generation circuit or a genuine random number in a mathematical sense, such as a random number using a 16-bit counter or a software random number using a random number generation algorithm. It may be a pseudo-random number of. Alternatively, it may be a random number generated by combining a hardware random number and a software random number.

The first winning / failing determination means 221 determines whether or not to shift to a special game or a small hit game based on the first winning / failing lottery value, and the first winning / failing lottery value falls within the lottery value range in the winning / failing determination. Execute a preliminary hit / fail judgment as to whether or not it is applicable. The second winning / failing determination means 222 sets the winning / failing determination for determining whether or not to shift to the special game or the small hit game based on the second winning / failing lottery value, and the second winning / failing lottery value in the lottery value range in the winning / failing determination. Execute a preliminary hit / fail judgment as to whether or not it is applicable. The first hit / fail determination means 221 and the second hit / fail determination means 222 hold a hit / fail determination table and a prior hit / fail determination table to be referred to in the hit / fail determination. In addition, in order to distinguish the hit / fail judgment executed at the start of the symbol variation from the advance hit / miss judgment, it is also appropriately referred to as "hit / fail judgment as the main judgment". In the present specification, when the term "table" or "selection criterion" is used, the correspondence between the first parameter such as the lottery value and the second parameter such as the value indicating the option is strictly defined by the table structure. In addition to pointing to data, it is also broadly included to be realized by a program structure that derives the second parameter from the first parameter as such a correspondence. Including them, the concept is substantially synonymous with "table" and is appropriately referred to as "selection criteria". Further, when a table structure is used, the selection criteria that are substantially one type may be composed of a combination of a plurality of structurally subdivided tables, but the term "multiple types of selection criteria" is subdivided. Shows the actual number of types of tables, not the number of converted tables.

The first hit / fail determination means 221 and the second hit / fail determination means 222 hold a plurality of hit / fail determination tables referred to in the hit / fail determination. In the plurality of winning / failing determination tables, the winning / failing determination result and the winning / failing lottery value are associated with each other, and the winning / failing probability is determined according to the range setting of the associated jackpot. The first hit / fail determination means 221 and the second hit / fail determination means 222 refer to the hit / fail table for hit / fail judgment based on the normal hit probability in the normal probability state, and the hit / miss probability is higher than the normal probability in the probability fluctuation state. Browse the table. The first winning / failing determination means 221 and the second winning / failing determination means 222 refer to any one of the plurality of winning / failing tables and determine whether or not the winning / failing lottery value is a hit.

FIG. 5 is a diagram schematically showing a hit / fail determination table. In the winning / failing judgment table of this figure, the judgment results of big hit, small hit, and miss are associated with the winning / failing lottery value, and the winning / failing probability of the big hit and the winning / failing probability of the small hit are associated with each associated range setting. Is decided. The first hit / fail determination means 221 and the second hit / fail determination means 222 refer to the pass / fail determination table of the present figure in the hit / fail determination as the present determination. In both the first winning / failing lottery by the first winning / failing determination means 221 and the second winning / failing lottery by the second winning / failing determining means 222, a big hit is normally obtained only when the winning / failing lottery value falls within the range of 0 to 299. At the time of probability change, the range of big hits is expanded, and the big hits are obtained not only when the winning / failing lottery value corresponds to the range of 0 to 299 but also when it corresponds to the range of 300 to 2999. In this way, the range corresponding to the jackpot changes according to the gaming state. In this figure, a single hit / fail judgment table shows the jackpot range in both normal time and probability change time, but the hit / fail judgment table may be prepared separately for normal time and probability change time. It may be prepared separately for one winning / failing lottery and for the second winning / failing lottery.

In this embodiment, even if the winning / failing lottery value does not correspond to the big hit range, if it falls within the predetermined range, it becomes a small hit. In the example of this figure, when the winning / failing lottery value acquired by the first winning / failing determination means 221 corresponds to the range of 56500 to 65535, a small hit is obtained, and the winning / failing lottery value acquired by the second winning / failing determination means 222 is 64000 to 65535. If it falls within the range, it will be a small hit. That is, the first winning / failing lottery has a wider range of small hits than the second winning / failing lottery, and small hits are more likely to occur. In this way, if it does not correspond to the big hit, it is originally all "off", but in the example of this figure, if it does not correspond to the big hit but it does not correspond to the small hit, the winning / losing lottery value range Is particularly expressed as "off". In this figure, an example is shown in which the judgment table for big hits and the judgment table for small hits are realized in the form of a single hit / fail judgment table, but even if each is realized as a separate table. good.

FIG. 6 is a diagram schematically showing a preliminary hit / fail determination table referred to in the preliminary hit / fail determination. The pre-win / fail judgment regarding the first game refers to the table of FIG. 6A when the ball enters the first start port 11, and if the win / fail lottery value is "0 to 299", "1" indicating that fact. The value of is set in the pass / fail range as the judgment result, and when the win / fail lottery value is "300 to 2999", the value of "2" indicating that fact is set in the pass / fail range as the judgment result. When the winning / failing lottery value is "3000 to 56499", the value of "3" indicating that is set in the winning / failing range as the judgment result, and when the winning / failing lottery value is "56500 to 65535", the value of "4" indicating that fact is set. Set the value of "" to the pass / fail range as the judgment result. Each time the winning / failing range is set as described above, the information regarding the value is transmitted to the effect determining means 303 together with the value indicating that it is the first winning / failing lottery and the number of holds.

For the pre-win / fail judgment regarding the second game, refer to the table of FIG. 6 (b) when entering the second start port 12, and if the win / fail lottery value is "0 to 299", "1" indicating that fact. The value of is set in the pass / fail range as the judgment result, and when the win / fail lottery value is "300 to 2999", the value of "2" indicating that fact is set in the pass / fail range as the judgment result. When the winning / failing lottery value is "3000 to 63999", the value of "3" indicating that is set in the winning / failing range as the judgment result, and when the winning / failing lottery value is "64,000 to 65535", the value of "4" indicating that fact is set. Set the value of "" to the pass / fail range as the judgment result. Each time the winning / failing range is set as described above, the information regarding the value is transmitted to the effect determining means 303 together with the value indicating that it is the second winning / failing lottery and the number of holds.

Returning to FIG. 4, the first symbol determination means 226 and the second symbol determination means 227 determine the stop symbol at the start of the fluctuation of the symbol based on the separately acquired symbol lottery value and the result of the winning / failing determination, and the symbol lottery. Performs a preliminary symbol determination as to which symbol range the value corresponds to. The first symbol determining means 226 and the second symbol determining means 227 hold a plurality of symbol determination tables referred to for determining a stop symbol of a special symbol, and the control means of the main board 200 further displays a stop display. A preliminary symbol determination table for determining the execution of pre-reading according to the symbol information to be performed is held. The first symbol determining means 226 and the second symbol determining means 227 refer to different symbol determination tables depending on the result of the hit / miss determination. In addition, in order to distinguish the symbol determination executed at the start of the symbol variation from the prior symbol determination, it is also appropriately referred to as "symbol determination as the main determination".

FIG. 7 is a diagram schematically showing a symbol determination table. FIG. 7A is a table to be referred to when the hit / fail judgment result is a big hit, FIG. 7B is a table to be referred to when the hit / fail judgment result is wrong, and FIG. 7C is a table to be referred to. This is a table to be referred to when the hit / fail judgment result is a small hit. The first symbol determination means 226 and the second symbol determination means 227 refer to the symbol determination table of the present figure in the symbol determination as the present determination. In each symbol determination table, the correspondence between the numbers "0" to "10" indicating the type of the special symbol and the first symbol lottery value or the second symbol lottery value is defined. The types of special symbols are associated with the hit / miss judgment results of big hit, small hit, and miss, respectively. "0" to "4" correspond to big hit, and "5" to "9" correspond to small hit. "10" corresponds to the disconnection. Each type is assigned a plurality of special symbols, that is, a plurality of generally meaningless symbols formed by a combination of segments.

As shown in FIG. 7A, the types of special symbols "0" to "4" are associated with the jackpot. Among them, the type "0" indicates a 4R jackpot or a 16R jackpot with a probability change as a specific jackpot, is associated with "0 to 99" in the case of the first symbol lottery value, and is "0 to 99" in the case of the second symbol lottery value. 144 ”. The type "1" indicates a 2R jackpot with a probability change as a specific jackpot, and is associated with "100 to 149" in the case of the first symbol lottery value and "145-149" in the case of the second symbol lottery value. Be done. Types "2" to "4" indicate 4R jackpot or 16R jackpot without probability change as normal jackpots, and both the first symbol lottery value and the second symbol lottery value are associated with "150 to 189" by type "2". The type "3" is associated with "190 to 229", and the type "4" is associated with "230 to 255". In this way, the selection probability for each jackpot type is determined by the size of the range of the symbol lottery value.

As shown in FIG. 7B, the type "10" is associated with the symbol lottery value in the entire range in the case where the winning / failing determination result is wrong.

As shown in FIG. 7 (c), the types of special symbols "5" to "9" are associated with small hits. The type "5" is associated with the range "0 to 49" of the symbol lottery value, and the type "6" is associated with the range "50 to 99" of the symbol lottery value. The type "7" is associated with the symbol lottery value range "100 to 149", the type "8" is associated with the symbol lottery value range "150 to 199", and the type "9" is the symbol lottery value range. It is associated with "200 to 255".

In this embodiment, in order to save the storage area in the main board 200, the table of FIG. 7 is also referred to as the pre-symbol determination table in the pre-symbol determination. The first symbol determining means 226 and the second symbol determining means 227 determine that the value of "0" to "10" indicating the type of the special symbol as a result of the preliminary symbol determination is the first winning / failing lottery or the second winning / failing lottery. It is transmitted to the effect determining means 303 together with the indicated value and the number of holds. As the pre-design determination table, a table that can be further subdivided to enable complicated determination, or a table in which the determination range of the jackpot symbols for executing the same special game is summarized and simplified may be used.

Returning to FIG. 4, the first variation pattern determining means 231 separately acquires the variation pattern in which the display process of the symbol variation to be displayed on the first special symbol display device 41 and the effect display device 60 is determined, and the first pattern lottery value. It is determined from a plurality of fluctuation patterns based on. The second variation pattern determining means 232 obtains a plurality of variation patterns in which the display process of the symbol variation to be displayed on the second special symbol display device 42 and the effect display device 60 is determined, based on the second pattern lottery value separately acquired. Determine from the fluctuation pattern. The first variation pattern determining means 231 and the second variation pattern determining means 232 respectively refer to the variation pattern table when starting the symbol variation to determine the variation pattern of the symbol variation. Further, the first variation pattern determining means 231 and the second variation pattern determining means 232 execute a preliminary pattern determination as to which variation pattern range the pattern lottery value corresponds to. The control means of the first variation pattern determining means 231 and the second variation pattern determining means 232 and the main board 200 refer to the variation pattern table to determine the variation pattern when the variation start condition is satisfied, and to the start port. The pre-pattern judgment table used for information generation for the execution judgment of the look-ahead process at the time of entering the ball is held or shared. The fluctuation pattern defines the fluctuation time from the start to the stop of the fluctuation when the special symbol is displayed in a variable manner, and has various fluctuation times, long and short, depending on the type. That is, in each variation pattern, the variation display time is set for each pattern as the end condition of the symbol variation, and the variation of the special symbol is stopped when the variation display time elapses. It should be noted that the fluctuation pattern determination executed at the start of the symbol variation is also appropriately referred to as "variation pattern determination as the main determination" in order to distinguish it from the prior pattern determination.

FIG. 8 is a diagram schematically showing a variation pattern table. The first variation pattern determining means 231 and the second variation pattern determining means 232 refer to the table of the present figure (a) in the normal state, and refer to the table of the present figure (b) in the time saving state.

As shown in FIG. 8A, when the winning / failing judgment result is incorrect in the normal state, if the pattern lottery value is 0 to 4, "Super 1", which is the super reach of the pattern range number "0", is selected. If the pattern lottery value is 5 to 9, "Super 2", which is the super reach of the pattern range number "1", is selected. If the pattern lottery value is 10 to 19, "normal 1" which is the normal reach of the pattern range number "2" is selected, and when the pattern lottery value is 20 to 29, the normal reach of the pattern range number "3" is "normal". 2 ”is selected. If the pattern lottery value is 30 to 255, "out of reach" of the pattern range number "4" is selected. As "out of reach", different fluctuation patterns are selected according to the number of holds, a fluctuation pattern of 10 seconds when the number of holds is 0 to 2, a fluctuation pattern of 7 seconds when the number of holds is 3, and a number of holds. When is 4, a 4-second fluctuation pattern is selected.

In this figure, an example of mainly classifying into five types according to the fluctuation time will be described, but a plurality of fluctuation effect patterns are prepared for each of the fluctuation patterns in the sub-board 300, and dozens of types of variation effect patterns are prepared in total. Is associated with the lottery value range of each category.

The range of pattern lottery values assigned to "normal 1", "normal 2", and "out of reach" also differs depending on the number of reservations. When the number of holds is 0 or 1, it is as shown in this figure (a), but as the number of holds increases, the lottery value range of "normal 1" and "normal 2" becomes narrower, and the lottery value of "out of reach" The range becomes wider. The smaller the number of holds, the wider the lottery value range of the fluctuation pattern with a relatively long fluctuation time, and the probability that the fluctuation pattern with a long fluctuation time will be selected increases. Therefore, the smaller the number of holds, the longer the average fluctuation time, and the larger the number of holds, the shorter the average fluctuation time. By using a fluctuation pattern table in which the correspondence between the pattern lottery value range and the fluctuation pattern is different for each number of holds, it is possible to realize control in which a fluctuation pattern having a long fluctuation time is easily selected when the number of holds is small.

In the normal state, when the winning / failing judgment result is a 4R jackpot or a 16R jackpot, if the pattern lottery value is 0 to 123, "Super 1", which is the super reach of the pattern range number "5", is selected and the pattern lottery value is set. If it is 124 to 248, "Super 2", which is the super reach of the pattern range number "6", is selected. If the pattern lottery value is 249 to 252, the normal reach of the pattern range number "7" is selected "normal 1", and if the pattern lottery value is 253 to 255, the normal reach of the pattern range number "8" is "normal". 2 ”is selected.

If the winning / failing judgment result is a 2R big hit or a small hit in the normal state, if the pattern lottery value is 0 to 122, "Super 3", which is the super reach of the pattern range number "9", is selected and the pattern lottery value is set. If it is 123 to 255, "normal 3", which is the normal reach of the pattern range number "10", is selected.

When the first variation pattern determining means 231 and the second variation pattern determining means 232 transmit the pre-determination result to the effect determining means 303 as a so-called look-ahead result, the value (0 to 10) of the pattern range number is set to the first correctness. It is transmitted together with a value indicating whether it is a lottery or a second winning / failing lottery and the number of holds. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 8, it is illustrated that a table is provided for each of the winning / failing judgment results in the preliminary pattern judgment. In addition to deriving only information regarding which range the sub-board is located in, the control means side of the sub-board 300 may be controlled to determine what kind of variation is to be executed together with the preliminary pass / fail determination result.

In the fluctuation pattern table of FIG. 8B referred to in the time saving state, the pattern lottery value is assigned to the fluctuation pattern for time saving. However, the correspondence between the range of the pattern lottery value and the fluctuation time is the same as that of FIG. “Reachless loss shortening” is a fluctuation pattern with a relatively short fluctuation time associated with the same lottery value range and pattern range number as “reachless loss” in FIG. 8 (a). For "shortening without reach", different fluctuation patterns are selected according to the number of holds. When the number of holds is 0, 1, the change pattern is 10 seconds, and when the number of holds is 2 to 4, the change pattern is 1 second. Are selected respectively.

Returning to FIG. 4, the general drawing lottery means 213 executes the lottery by acquiring the lottery value when the game ball passes through the first operating port 31 or the second operating port 32. The determination result of the lottery by the ordinary symbol lottery means 213 is variably displayed in the form of the ordinary symbol on the ordinary symbol display device 45. The ordinary symbol lottery means 213 holds a symbol determination table to be referred to in order to determine a stop symbol of the ordinary symbol to be displayed on the ordinary symbol display device 45. The symbol determination table defines the correspondence between the lottery value and the ordinary symbol, and the ordinary symbol lottery means 213 determines the stop symbol of the ordinary symbol with reference to the symbol determination table. When the determined stop symbol becomes a predetermined symbol, it is determined that the normal symbol is a hit, and after the variation display of the normal symbol is stopped at the stop symbol, the opening / closing control means 275 moves to the second starting port 12 The ordinary electric accessory 90 of the above is expanded. The expansion time is 0.1 seconds at the time of short opening and 6 seconds at the time of long opening. The lottery value of the ordinary symbol is temporarily held by the hold control means 240. However, the lottery value is held only when the predetermined upper limit number of holds held by the hold control means 240 is not exceeded.

The hold control means 240 includes the special figure hold means 241 and the normal figure hold means 242. When the first winning / failing lottery value or the second winning / failing lottery value is newly acquired, the special figure holding means 241 changes the symbol corresponding to the first winning / failing lottery value or the second winning / failing lottery value acquired before that. When is displayed, the start of the symbol variation corresponding to the newly acquired first winning / failing lottery value or the second winning / failing lottery value is suspended, and the winning / failing lottery value is stored until the start of the variation display of the corresponding symbol. Here, for each of the first special symbols, the first winning / failing lottery value, the first symbol lottery value, and the first pattern lottery value are stored up to a maximum of four, and further, the first winning / failing range as a preliminary judgment result, the first The settings of the 1 symbol range and the 1st pattern range are memorized, and for the 2nd special symbol, the 2nd winning / failing lottery value, the 2nd symbol lottery value, and the 2nd pattern lottery value are memorized up to 4 pieces each, and further. The settings of the second hit / fail range, the second symbol range, and the second pattern range as the preliminary determination result are stored. Alternatively, the result of the preliminary determination may be stored in an area different from the winning / failing lottery value. The normal figure holding means 242 stores the normal figure lottery value acquired by the normal figure lottery means 213 as a holding ball. These holding numbers are represented by the number of lights or the number of blinks of the first special figure holding lamp 71, the second special figure holding lamp 72, and the normal figure holding lamp 75, respectively. The number of holds by the special figure holding means 241 is also displayed on the effect display device 60.

The lottery value of the second winning / failing lottery held by the special figure holding means 241 is preferentially digested over the lottery value of the first winning / failing lottery, and the symbol variation is displayed. Therefore, even if the jackpot lottery value is held as the first win / loss lottery, as long as the lottery value is held as the second win / fail lottery, the symbol variation corresponding to the jackpot lottery value of the first win / loss lottery is not displayed. Therefore, even if a big hit is held as the first winning or losing lottery, there is a possibility that a plurality of consecutive big hits can be obtained by continuing to hit until the big hit is held as the second winning or losing lottery.

The main display control means 250 includes a first special figure control means 251, a second special figure control means 252, and a normal figure control means 254. The first special symbol control means 251 displays the variation of the first special symbol 51 on the first special symbol display device 41 according to the variation pattern determined according to the determination result of the first winning / failing lottery by the first lottery means 211. Let me. The first special symbol control means 251 sets a new symbol variation start condition that the variation display of the symbol corresponding to the first winning / failing lottery or the second winning / failing lottery performed before that has been completed. The second special symbol control means 252 displays the variation of the second special symbol 52 on the second special symbol display device 42 according to the variation pattern determined according to the determination result of the second winning / failing lottery by the second lottery means 212. Let me. The second special symbol control means 252 also sets a new symbol variation start condition that the variation display of the symbol corresponding to the first winning / failing lottery or the second winning / failing lottery performed before that has been completed.

When the special figure holding means 241 stores the winning / failing lottery value of the second winning / failing lottery, the first special figure controlling means 251 reserves the start of the symbol variation display corresponding to the first winning / failing lottery. On the other hand, the second special figure control means 252 starts the symbol variation display corresponding to the second winning / failing lottery regardless of whether or not the winning / failing lottery value of the first winning / failing lottery is stored by the special figure holding means 241. As a result, when the lottery value is held in both the first winning / failing lottery and the second winning / failing lottery, the lottery value held in the second winning / failing lottery is preferentially read out and the symbol variation is displayed. In such a case, the lottery value held in the first winning / failing lottery is not read and the symbol change does not start until the number of holdings in the second winning / failing lottery becomes 0.

The first special figure control means 251 and the second special figure control means 252 issue a fluctuation start command and a fluctuation stop command at the timing of starting and stopping the fluctuation display of the first special symbol 51 and the second special symbol 52. It is transmitted to the effect determining means 303 (sub-main). When the fluctuation start command is transmitted, a value indicating each of the winning / failing judgment result, the stop symbol, and the fluctuation pattern determined or determined as the final judgment and a value indicating whether the first winning / failing lottery or the second winning / failing lottery is performed are set. It is transmitted to the effect determining means 303 together with the fluctuation start command. When the fluctuation stop command is transmitted, the value indicating the stop symbol is transmitted to the effect determining means 303 together with the fluctuation stop command. Further, the effect determining means 303 (sub-main) transmits a variation start command, a variation stop command, and the like to the effect control means 304 in order to control the variation display of the decorative symbol by the effect control means 304 (sub-sub). As a result, the variable display by the main display control means 250 and the effect control means 304 (sub-sub) is synchronized, and the interlocking is maintained. The normal symbol control means 254 causes the normal symbol display device 45 to display the determination result of the lottery by the normal symbol lottery means 213 as a variable display of the normal symbol.

The special symbol adjusting means 276 waits for the start of the variable display of the other while the variable display of one of the first special symbol 51 and the second special symbol 52 is displayed. The special figure adjusting means 276 has a second special symbol based on the entry of the game ball into the second start opening 12, regardless of the order in which the game ball has entered the first start opening 11 or the second start opening 12. The variation display of 52 is prioritized over the variation display of the first special symbol 51 based on the entry of the ball into the first starting port 11. For example, when both the first winning / failing lottery value and the second winning / failing lottery value are reserved, the second winning / failing lottery value is always preferentially digested, and the second special symbol 52 is continuously changed and displayed.

The special symbol adjusting means 276 in the modified example displays the variation of the first special symbol 51 and the variation of the second special symbol 52 according to the order of entering the balls into the first starting port 11 and the second starting port 12. It may be selectively changed and displayed. For example, when the ball enters in the order of the first starting port 11, the first starting port 11, and the second starting port 12, the first special symbol 51, the first special symbol 51, and the second special symbol 52 are displayed in a variable order. Will be done. In this case, the special figure adjusting means 276 monitors the hold control means 240 and stores the hold order of the winning / failing lottery value. Since which special symbol should be changed is determined according to the ball entry order of the game ball, that is, the hold order of the winning / failing lottery value in the hold control means 240, the player can easily visually grasp the change order.

In another modification, the special symbol adjusting means 276 may display the variable display of the first special symbol 51 and the variable display of the second special symbol 52 in a predetermined digestion order regardless of the ball entry order. good. For example, priority may be given to alternately displaying the variable display of the first special symbol 51 and the variable display of the second special symbol 52. For example, when both the first winning / failing lottery value and the second winning / failing lottery value are reserved, the first special symbol 51 and the second special symbol 52 are alternately displayed in a variable manner. Since which special symbol should be changed simply alternates regardless of the order in which the game balls enter, the player can easily grasp the order of change.

When one of the first special symbol 51 and the second special symbol 52 is stopped in the hitting mode, the special symbol adjusting means 276 waits for the start of the variation display of the other. In this case, since the variable display of the special symbol is not started while the special game is executed, the player can concentrate on the special game.

The special game control means 260 operates the special game when the first special symbol 51 is stopped in a predetermined jackpot mode when the first winning or losing lottery by the first lottery means 211 results in a shift to the special game. It is determined that the conditions have been met, and the special game is executed by opening the large winning opening 20. Similarly, when the special game control means 260 results in the second winning / failing lottery by the second lottery means 212 indicating a shift to the special game, when the second special symbol 52 is stopped in a predetermined jackpot mode. It is determined that the special game operating condition is satisfied, and the special game is executed by opening the large winning opening 20.

The special game is a game in which the opening / closing operation of the large winning opening 20 is continuously performed a plurality of times, and is composed of a plurality of unit games in which one opening / closing is a unit. The special game includes a 16R jackpot that repeats the unit game 16 times, a 4R jackpot that repeats the unit game four times, and a 2R jackpot that repeats the unit game with a shorter opening time than the 16R jackpot and the 4R jackpot only twice. The 16R jackpot is the jackpot in the second win / loss lottery, and the 4R jackpot is the jackpot in the first win / loss lottery. In the 16R jackpot and the 4R jackpot, in principle, the jackpot 20 is opened for about 30 seconds in one unit game. In the 2R jackpot, the jackpot 20 is opened for about 0.2 seconds in one unit game. The special game control means 260 ends the special game when the set number of rounds of the unit game is exhausted. Even in the case of a 2R jackpot, if the predetermined conditions are satisfied, the jackpot 20 may be opened in the same opening mode as the 16R jackpot and the 4R jackpot.

The small hit game control means 265 operates the small hit game when the first special symbol 51 is stopped in a predetermined small hit mode when the first lottery by the first lottery means 211 results in a small hit. It is determined that the condition is satisfied, and the small hit game is executed by opening the large winning opening 20 to the opening / closing control means 275. Similarly, the small hit game control means 265 is small when the second special symbol 52 is stopped in a predetermined small hit mode when the second lottery by the second lottery means 212 results in a small hit. It is determined that the winning game operating condition is satisfied, and the small hit game is executed by opening the large winning opening 20 to the opening / closing control means 275.

In the small hit game, the unit game is executed once, and the large winning opening 20 is opened and closed twice in one unit game. The small hit game control means 265 opens the large winning opening 20 for about 0.2 seconds per opening and closing, opens the small hit game as a whole for about 0.4 seconds, and then closes the large winning opening 20. And end the small hit game.

The specific game control means 270 controls a normal game in a probability variation state, a time saving state, and a ball entry easy state. When the special symbol is a specific jackpot symbol accompanied by a transition to the probability variation, the specific game control means 270 shifts the game state to the probability variation state, the time saving state, and the easy ball entry state after the end of the special game. The probabilistic state, the time saving state, and the ball entry easy state are continued until the next big hit occurs. In the time saving state, the first variation pattern determining means 231 and the second variation pattern determining means 232 select the variation pattern having a short variation time so that the variation display time of the first special symbol 51 and the second special symbol 52 is substantially shortened. do. However, in the normal state, the fluctuation pattern table according to the number of winning / failing lottery values held by the holding control means 240 is referred to, and as the number of holdings by the holding control means 240 decreases, a fluctuation pattern having a long fluctuation time tends to appear. In the easy-to-enter state, both the probability change of the normal symbol and the opening extension of the second starting port 12 or the opening extension of the second starting port 12 are carried out. That is, the specific game control means 270 causes the second starting port 12 to be in the open extension state when a specific big hit occurs, and further increases the winning probability of the open lottery only when the winning / failing lottery is the second winning / failing lottery. It shifts to a probability change state higher than the normal probability state. During the probability change state, the hit / fail determination result by the first hit / miss determination means 221 and the second hit / fail determination means 222 is maintained at a high probability of becoming a big hit.

The opening / closing control means 275 controls the opening / closing of the ordinary electric accessory 90 and the large winning opening 20 of the second starting port 12. When the normal symbol is stopped in a specific mode, the open / close control means 275 sends an opening instruction to the normal electric service solenoid 91 to open the normal electric accessory 90 of the second starting port 12. In the normal state, the opening / closing control means 275 opens the second starting port 12 with a short opening or long opening opening time according to the result of the open lottery, and in the easy entry state, the long opening opening time is the first. 2 The starting port 12 is opened. This is intended to improve the ease of entering the ball of the second starting port 12 so that the player can continue the game without reducing the number of balls held. In the special game, the open / close control means 275 sends an opening instruction to the large winning opening solenoid 92 to open the large winning opening 20.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the sub-board. The sub-board 300 includes a symbol mode determining means 301, a pattern storage means 302, an effect determining means 303 (sub-main), and an effect controlling means 304 (sub-sub).

The pattern storage means 302 holds a plurality of effect patterns in which the effect image contents to be displayed on the effect display device 60 and the display process thereof are defined when the decorative symbol 61 fluctuates. The effect pattern includes a plurality of variation effect patterns in which the variation process from the start to the stop of the variation in the variation display of the decorative symbol 61 and the effect process are defined, and the variation display of the decorative symbol is displayed separately and the degree of expectation for a big hit. It includes a plurality of advance notice effect patterns that suggest the height of the variable display before the stop of the variable display.

The effect determining means 303 is displayed on the effect display device 60 by the effect control means 304 according to the determination result of the first winning / failing lottery received from the first lottery means 211 or the determination result of the second winning / failing lottery received from the second lottery means 212. Then, the content of the effect to be output to the speaker 108 is determined. The effect determining means 303 selects one of a plurality of variation effect patterns corresponding to the variation patterns of the special symbol determined by the first variation pattern determining means 231 or the second variation pattern determining means 232, and the pattern storage means. Read from 302. The effect determining means 303 sends the read information on the variable effect pattern to the effect control means 304. The effect determining means 303 holds a pattern table to be referred to in order to select a variable effect pattern.

In each variation effect pattern, a variation time is set for each pattern as an end condition of the symbol variation, and the symbol variation is stopped when the variation time elapses. The effect determining means 303 selects a variation effect pattern of the effect image having the same variation time according to the variation pattern of the special symbol.

The symbol mode determining means 301 determines the combination of the stop symbols of the decorative symbol 61 and the arrangement thereof by the lottery determination result by the first lottery means 211 or the second lottery means 212, the stop symbol of the special symbol, the variation pattern of the special symbol, and the decoration. It is decided according to the variation effect pattern of the symbol. The symbol mode determining means 301 transmits information indicating the determined combination of the stopped symbols to the effect control means 304. The symbol mode determining means 301 holds a symbol range table to be referred to for determining a stop symbol of a decorative symbol.

The stop symbol of the decorative symbol 61 is formed as a combination of three symbols, for example, when the hit / fail determination result by the first hit / fail determination means 221 and the second hit / fail determination means 222 indicates a shift to a special game of 4R jackpot or 16R jackpot. Is selected as a specific combination, for example, a combination in which three symbols such as "777" and "111" are aligned. When the hit / fail judgment result is a 2R big hit or a small hit, a specific combination, for example, a predetermined combination such as "357" is selected, but the specific combination is not necessarily a combination of three symbols. It does not have to be. If the hit / fail judgment result is neither a big hit nor a small hit, it is a combination in which the three symbols are not aligned, such as "312" and "946", and it is a specific combination selected for a 2R big hit or a small hit. The combination that does not apply is selected. If the hit / fail judgment result is not a 4R jackpot or a 16R jackpot, and a variation pattern indicating a miss with reach is selected, a combination such as "191" or "727" in which only one symbol is not aligned. Select.

The variation effect pattern of the decorative symbol defines the variation display mode of the decorative symbol, that is, the effect process from the start of the variation of the decorative symbol to the stop of the variation. The variable effect pattern includes a pattern for displaying a normal out-of-order symbol, a pattern for displaying an out-of-order symbol through a reach state that becomes a big hit if one more symbol is aligned, and a big hit symbol after the reach state. The pattern when doing is included. In particular, the pattern when going through the reach state includes a pattern having various fluctuation times, long and short. In each variation effect pattern, a variation time is set for each pattern as an end condition of the symbol variation, and the symbol variation is stopped when the variation time elapses. The effect determining means 303 selects a variation effect pattern of the decorative symbol having the same variation time as the special symbol according to the variation pattern of the special symbol.

In the time saving state, when the variation pattern selected by the first variation pattern determining means 231 or the second variation pattern determining means 232 is a pattern for time saving, the effect determining means 303 is a variation in which the effect content for time saving is determined. Select a production pattern. The production content for shortening the time is a production in which a background image or sound that impresses that the player is in an advantageous state due to the shortened time or the probability change is output.

The notice effect pattern is an effect pattern for temporarily displaying an image, animation, video, or the like of a specific character or motif on the screen, an effect pattern for operating an accessory, or an effect pattern for outputting a specific sound. The effect of the advance notice effect pattern is executed in parallel with the symbol change, and it is suggested in advance that the symbol change is highly expected to stop in the jackpot mode. For example, there is a normal advance notice effect in which only one image of a character is displayed on the screen, and a group advance notice effect in which a group of a large number of characters is displayed so as to pass from one end to the other end of the screen. Further, a step-up notice effect is further included in which the display process of the notice effect is divided into a plurality of stages, the number of stages to be displayed is variable, and the higher the number of stages, the higher the expectation for the big hit.

The notice effect pattern includes a pattern in which the effect is executed at a timing after the display mode of the decorative symbol 61 reaches the reach state to announce the final stop mode of the symbol, and no decorative symbol 61 is stopped. There is a pattern that simultaneously announces that the production will be executed at the timing and the reach state will be reached.

The effect determining means 303 should determine whether or not to display the advance notice effect on the effect display device 60 according to the determination result of the winning / failing lottery or the advance determination result by a predetermined advance notice lottery, set the advance effect, and display the effect. Determine the notice production pattern. The effect determining means 303 holds a notice determination table to be referred to for determining whether or not to display the notice effect, and a notice type table to be referred to when selecting the type of the notice effect pattern. The notice determination table is set so that different columns are referred to depending on the judgment result of the winning / failing lottery or the preliminary judgment result, and if the winning / failing lottery is successful, the advance notice effect is displayed with a higher probability than in the case of losing. As such, the correspondence between the judgment result of the winning / failing lottery and whether or not to display the notice effect is determined. As a result, it is possible to suggest a high degree of expectation for a big hit by displaying the notice effect itself.

The effect display control means 305 causes the effect display device 60 to variably display the effect image including the decorative symbol 61 according to the selected variable effect pattern data. The effect display control means 305 sets that the reception of the change start command of the decorative symbol 61 is a condition for starting the change display of the new decorative symbol. When it is determined by the effect determining means 303 that the advance notice effect is to be displayed, the effect control means 304 displays the advance notice effect according to the selected advance notice effect pattern on the effect display device 60 in a form of superimposing it on the effect of the symbol variation. Let me.

When the winning / failing lottery value of the second winning / failing lottery is stored, the effect control means 304 reserves the start of the symbol variation display corresponding to the first winning / failing lottery, and whether the winning / failing lottery value of the first winning / failing lottery is stored. Regardless of whether or not, the symbol variation display corresponding to the second winning / failing lottery is started. As a result, when the lottery value is reserved for both the first winning / failing lottery and the second winning / failing lottery, the lottery value held in the second winning / failing lottery is preferentially read and the variation of the decorative symbol is displayed. .. In such a case, the lottery value held in the first winning / failing lottery is not read until the number of holdings in the second winning / failing lottery becomes 0, and the change of the decorative symbol does not start. In this way, the effect control means 304 causes the effect display device 60 to display the symbol variation effect including the variation display of the decorative symbol 61.

The effect control means 304 further controls the lighting and extinguishing of the decorative lamp 111 and the operation of the movable accessory 66. The effect control means 304 has an effect display control means 305 and a voice control means 306. The effect display control means 305 controls the display on the effect display device 60, and the sound control means 306 controls the sound output from the speaker 108.

While the first special symbol 51 and the second special symbol 52 are changing, it is necessary to display an image indicating that the symbol is changing on the effect display device 60. Normally, a normal size decorative symbol 61 having a certain size is variablely displayed, but in a manner that hinders the visibility of the variable display of the normal size decorative symbol 61, other than the variation of the decorative symbol 61 is the main production content. You may display a special effect to be performed. In this case, the player is presented with the fact that the symbol is changing by variablely displaying an alternative symbol which is a decorative symbol having a size smaller than the normal size decorative symbol. Hereinafter, when simply referred to as a decorative symbol, it means a normal size decorative symbol, but when distinguishing it from an alternative symbol, the normal size decorative symbol is also referred to as a "normal decorative symbol".

The alternative symbol is displayed while the visibility of the normal decorative symbol is impaired, for example, while the normal decorative symbol is hidden. The alternative symbol is a form of a decorative symbol for suggesting the result of a hit / fail judgment in a dramatic manner, has a simpler (in other words, simplified, simplified) display form than the normal decorative symbol, and is a normal decorative symbol. It is displayed in a simpler fluctuation process. The alternative symbol has an external display form corresponding to a portion indicating the symbol type of the ordinary decorative symbol, and has, for example, a display form representing a number, a character, or a symbol indicating the symbol type. Further, the alternative symbol is variablely displayed in a narrower area than the area where the decorative symbol is normally displayed in a variable manner, and is typically located at a position where the main effect by elements other than the symbol is not easily hindered, for example, in the corner of the screen of the effect display device 60. It is displayed in a variable manner. The alternative symbol is usually displayed relatively smaller than the decorative symbol, but has a display form in which at least the symbol type can be visually identified. The alternative symbol may be a reduced version of the normal decorative symbol as it is, and may be the same as the normal decorative symbol except for the size.

The plurality of alternative symbols displayed in place of the plurality of normal decorative symbols suggests a high degree of expectation that the result of the winning / failing lottery will be in a state advantageous to the player depending on the combination of the stopping modes at the end of the fluctuation. For example, it is suggested that the plurality of alternative symbols have a high expectation of a big hit in the fluctuation by being in a reach state in which two symbol types out of the three alternative symbols are aligned. In addition, the left and right symbols in the reach state are specific types of symbols such as "3" and "7" that suggest that the expectation is relatively high, and the expectations such as "1" and "2" are high. By becoming a kind of symbol that suggests that it is relatively low, it may suggest that the degree of expectation of the reach state is high or low. It should be noted that the alternative symbol does not appear in a definite stop state in appearance, but in a temporary stop state in which minute shaking is maintained. After the temporary stop of the substitute symbol, the normal decorative symbol may be displayed instead of the substitute symbol, and the normal decorative symbol may be displayed in the fixed stop state. Further, the decorative symbol and the alternative symbol are not displayed exclusively, but the display periods may overlap. Furthermore, at a predetermined effect in which the visibility of the normal decorative symbol is impaired, the variation display of the normal decorative symbol may be continued and the variation of the alternative symbol may be displayed.

The clock means 307 is a timekeeping circuit that outputs time information used for the game. The clock means 307 is a timer circuit that measures the time from the time when the power is turned on with a counter and outputs it as time information. However, a real-time clock circuit having a built-in battery and capable of continuously measuring the date and time by the battery even when the power of the pachinko gaming machine 100 is turned off or a power failure may occur may be used. In the case of a real-time clock circuit, there is a possibility that the time of each game console may differ slightly due to individual differences or time lag, whereas in the case of a timer circuit, the time difference between multiple game consoles as long as the power is turned on at the same time. Is unlikely to occur.

The effect determining means 303 executes a clock synchronization effect that starts at a predetermined timing triggered by the time information output by the clock means 307 indicating a predetermined time. The clock synchronization effect is an effect to be displayed on the effect display device 60 during the synchronization effect period, which is a period substantially asynchronous with the fluctuation period of the symbol variation and the game state. The synchronization effect period extends for several minutes, the length of which is longer than the symbol variation time for one time, and may include a plurality of symbol variation periods. The effect pattern of the clock-tuned effect is stored in the pattern storage means 302, and the effect pattern defines the reproduction of a predetermined music and video. A plurality of types of effect patterns for clock-synchronized effect are prepared, and different types of effect patterns can be selected depending on the date and time such as month, date, day of the week, and time.

The clock synchronization effect is executed regardless of whether the game is in a normal game or a special game. Here, "during a normal game" includes displaying a so-called standby demo screen. That is, in "normal game", (1) "normal game during variable display" in which the symbol is variablely displayed, and (2) "normal game during variable stop" in which neither the variable display of the symbol nor the standby demo screen is displayed. , (3) "Normal game while the standby demo screen is displayed", which is the display of the standby demo screen instead of the variable display of the symbol. The clock synchronization effect can be executed during any of the periods (1) to (3), but in the cases of (2) and (3), the output mode for controlling the volume reduction and the brightness reduction in the clock synchronization effect is (2) and (3). It may be different from the case of 1). In addition, while the standby demo screen is displayed, the player can input information about the mobile cooperation system described later by operating the effect button 109 or the cross key 110, and when the operation input is received, the video and audio of the clock synchronization effect are output. Is suppressed, and screen display such as production customization by the mobile cooperation system is prioritized.

The clock synchronization effect is, for example, an effect of reproducing a performance or video of a predetermined music at a predetermined time (referred to as a “synchronization effect start time”). The time that triggers the reproduction of the clock synchronization effect may be the time that is reached with a predetermined time interval from the time when the power of the pachinko gaming machine 100 is turned on, or every hour or half hour based on the standard time. It may be the time. Alternatively, a time that may vary depending on the date or day of the week may be set, and the interval may be different, such as first one hour later, then three hours later, instead of a fixed interval such as "every hour". The interval may vary depending on the date and day of the week. It may be a variable setting in which the time can be specified by the game clerk for each game store. However, it is set in advance so that the same clock synchronization effect is executed at least at the same time among a plurality of the same models installed in the same game store. For example, in the case of a specification that is triggered by a time that arrives at a predetermined time interval from the time when the power is turned on, the amusement store turns on the power of a plurality of units at the same time. As a result, the same clock synchronization effect is simultaneously executed on the plurality of game consoles when the predetermined time is reached. As a result, the production is displayed at the same time as if multiple units are synchronized, and the same music and video are played at the same time, creating a synergistic and realistic feeling as if a live performance or movie was being screened on the spot. A directing effect can be obtained.

The clock synchronization effect function is also built into another game console of the same model, and multiple game consoles on the same game island are turned on at the same time by a game clerk every day. Then, the plurality of game consoles that are turned on at the same time all reach the synchronization effect start time almost at the same time, and the clock synchronization effect can be executed simultaneously at the same time. This is called a multiple-unit synchronous production. In that case, not only the video display will be synchronized with multiple units, but also the sound effects and background music output will be synchronized with multiple units, and the more units that are synchronized, the more synergistic effect will be obtained by executing the production all at once. Increase.

The effect setting means 308 stores the player's game history. The game history includes a history of game results and a history of production results. The history of game results is the result of a game that leads to a ball output that the player can obtain as a result of the game, such as the number of hit balls, the number of prize balls, the number of big hits, the number of probability changes, and the number of time reductions. The history of the production result is different from the profit in the game, and is recorded in order to obtain the profit such as the right to change the content and type of the production and the right to make it easier for a specific type of production to appear. It is information such as the score of. For example, in order to score the number of appearances of a predetermined effect, the result of a mini game, and the like and give it to the player, coded information indicating the score and the game history, for example, a two-dimensional code is displayed on the screen. When the player reads the two-dimensional code with the camera of his / her mobile terminal and decodes it, the score and game history information obtained by the decoding are stored in the player's mobile terminal. The cooperation system between the gaming machine and the player's mobile terminal via the two-dimensional code will be described later. The score here is necessary to expand the range of production customization described later, and the score reaches a predetermined cumulative value (for example, reaching 1000 points, every 100 points, etc.). With this as an opportunity, the number of customizable items will increase.

The effect setting means 308 stores the setting of which of a plurality of types of effect content options is selected as the effect customization based on the player's selection instruction and the game history. For example, as the effect patterns to be displayed during the special game, a plurality of types of effect patterns having different displayed motifs, characters, and songs are prepared in the pattern storage means 302, and the player is allowed to select which effect is to be displayed. I will do it. Alternatively, a plurality of types of motifs or character designs are prepared in the pattern storage means 302 as the design of the design included in the decorative design that changes the design, and the player is allowed to select which of the designs is to be displayed. In such a case, when the player accepts the operation of the effect button 109 or the cross key 110 while the standby demo screen is displayed and the effect pattern is selected through the operation, the effect setting means 308 selects the selected content. Remember. The effect determining means 303 selects the type of the effect pattern during the special game according to the settings stored by the effect setting means 308.

FIG. 10 is a diagram schematically showing an outline of a mobile phone cooperation system. As a premise of the mobile cooperation system, the player registers the user by setting an account and a password in the game history server 358 provided with a dedicated site in advance on the mobile terminal 354. When the effect button 109 is pressed by the player at the start of the game, the effect display control means 305 displays the two-dimensional code 350, which encodes the address of the dedicated site of the game history server 358, on the screen of the effect display device 60. The player is made to read it with the camera of the mobile terminal and access the dedicated site of the game history server 358. Character information (also called "password information") in which the player's identification information and the production score history are encoded is transmitted from the dedicated site to the mobile terminal and displayed on the screen of the mobile terminal. The effect display control means 305 displays the password information input screen on the effect display device 60, and causes the player to input the password information via a button operation such as a cross key 110. By decoding the input password information by the effect setting means 308 and registering it as the player's identification information and the effect score history, the player's previous game content and effect score state can be inherited. The input of the password information serves as an instruction to start recording the game history of the player and an instruction to start the effect customization for selecting various effect elements. After that, in the pachinko gaming machine 100, as the game and the production progress, the points given by the effect setting means 308 to the player as a benefit for the effect are added as needed and accumulated as the effect score history, and the player. Can customize the effect at any time and select and set a favorite element as various effect elements. The score for the production is basically added for each symbol change, and the higher the production type with higher expectation for transition to the special game, the higher the score is given, and the higher the score is given even when the transition to the special game is performed.

As a production customization, the player uses a part of the accumulated points, and according to the number of points used, the color, background, shape, character, and the color, background, shape, character, which constitute the production content displayed on the production display device 60. You can change the production elements such as music to your favorite type. The effect setting means 308 receives an instruction to change the effect element via a button operation by the player, and changes various effect elements according to the instruction. As for the effect elements that can be customized, a plurality of types of items are prepared for each element, and different values are set as the number of points required for each item. Therefore, when the accumulated score reaches a predetermined value, the number of customizable items increases, or a chance to increase the number of customizable items is given. When the player operates a button as an instruction to end the game or the effect customization, the effect setting means 308 generates a two-dimensional code 350 that encodes information such as a privilege on the effect and the effect score history, and controls the effect display. The means 305 displays on the effect display device 60. The player can read the two-dimensional code 350 with the camera of his / her own mobile terminal and decode the read two-dimensional code 352 to acquire information and store it in the mobile terminal 354. Further, the information is transmitted from the mobile terminal 354 to the game history server 358 having a dedicated site via the network 356, and is managed in association with its own account information. In this way, information such as production benefits and production score history is transmitted to the mobile terminal 354 via a transmission means of displaying and reading the two-dimensional code 350, and is managed by the game history server 358. The contents of the game and the production can be taken over in the next game. In addition, by continuing the game for a long time, the number of symbol fluctuations and the number of productions increase, and the score can be obtained.

FIG. 11 is a block diagram schematically showing the hardware configuration of the main board 200 and the sub board 300. The main board 200 includes electronic components such as a main CPU 290, a main RAM 291 and a main ROM 292. The main ROM 292 stores in advance a main control program and data for controlling the overall game operation. The main control program or data is read from the main ROM 292 into the main RAM 291 and the main control program is executed by the main CPU 290. Each electronic component is connected by a bus such as a system bus or data bus (not shown). The ball entry signal from each ball entry port, the payout signal from the payout control board 155, and the like are acquired by the main CPU 290 via various interfaces (not shown). The main CPU 290 drives and controls external devices such as the winning port solenoid, the first special symbol display device 41, and the second special symbol display device 42 by various drive circuits (not shown). Further, commands necessary for effect control are transmitted from the main CPU 290 to the sub-board 300 together with information such as a result of a winning / losing lottery, a result of determining a symbol, and a result of determining a variation pattern. A signal is transmitted from the main board 200 to the sub board 300 by one-way communication.

The instruction data transmitted from the main board 200 to the sub-board 300 has a 2-byte configuration consisting of a combination of 1-byte instruction type data, so-called MODE data, and 1-byte instruction content data, so-called EVENT data. The main board 200 can send one command by transmitting the command type data and the command content data to the sub board 300 in association with each other. The instruction type data is a bit string indicating the instruction type, and a unique type code is assigned to each instruction type in advance at the development stage. The instruction content data is a bit string indicating the content of the instruction. The most significant bit of the instruction type data and the instruction content data is an identification bit indicating whether the instruction type data or the instruction content data is used. When the most significant bit is 1, it indicates that the instruction type data is the most significant bit. When the bit is 0, it indicates that it is instruction content data.

Since the communication from the main board 200 to the sub board 300 is a specification in which 1 byte of data is transmitted for each data transmission, it is necessary to transmit 1 byte each twice in order to transmit 2 bytes of instruction data. .. The MODE data, which is the upper byte, is transmitted in the first communication, and the EVENT data, which is the lower byte, is transmitted in the second communication. Considering the possibility of communication failure due to the influence of noise or the like, the main board 200 continuously transmits the same data, and when the same data is read twice in succession by the sub board 300, the completion of transmission / reception of the data is confirmed. .. The main board 200 repeatedly transmits the same data until it is read two times in a row, and transmits the same data up to five times.

The sub-board 300 includes electronic components such as a sub CPU 310 (sub-main), a sub RAM 311, a sub ROM 312, and an effect control device 313 (sub-sub). The sub ROM 312 is one of the data storage means for holding the sub control program including the effect pattern data in which the effect process is defined and the display pattern data in which the effect display process is defined. A sub control program including effect pattern data, display pattern data, and audio pattern data is read from the sub ROM 312 into the sub RAM 311, and the effect control by the sub control program is executed by the sub CPU 310. Each electronic component is connected by a bus such as a system bus or data bus (not shown). Signals from an external device such as the effect button 109 are acquired by the sub CPU 310 via various interfaces (not shown). The sub CPU 310 drives an external device such as an effect display device 60, a speaker 108, a decorative lamp 111, and a movable accessory 66 by an effect control device 313, various drive circuits and control circuits (not shown) according to the effect pattern data, and displays and outputs. , Voice output, lamp lighting, and control of the production by the movement of the accessory. The sub CPU 310 transmits the display pattern data and the voice pattern data to the effect control device 313. In this embodiment, an example in which the sub-board 300 includes the effect control device 313 will be described, but the sub-board 300 and the effect control device 313 do not need to be integrated as a substrate and are separated and connected to each other. It may be formed as a separate substrate.

FIG. 12 is a block diagram schematically showing the hardware configuration of the effect control device 313. The effect control device 313 includes a control CPU 320, a control RAM 322, a data ROM 324, a display control circuit 326, and a voice control circuit 314. The data ROM 324 is one of data storage means for holding material data such as effect image data and motion data used for effect display and audio data used for audio output in a data-compressed state. The effect image data is an image used for variable display or effect display as an effect object showing a judgment result of a winning / failing lottery. It is a material image such as a moving image to be used. The motion data is data in which the motion is defined when the motion is added to the images used for various effects at a predetermined timing. The voice data is voice data such as music, background sounds, sound effects, and character lines that are output during the production.

Based on the display pattern data sent from the sub CPU 310, the effect image data and motion data specified in the display pattern data are read from the data ROM 324 to the control RAM 322, and the effect display using the effect image data and motion data. Is executed by the control CPU 320. As a result, commands, effect image data, and motion data related to the effect display are transmitted from the control CPU 320 to the display control circuit 326, and the display control is performed by the display control circuit 326. Similarly, commands and voice data related to voice output are transmitted from the control CPU 320 to the voice control circuit 314, and voice output control is performed by the voice control circuit 314.

The display control circuit 326 includes a decoder 332, a drawing memory 334, a drawing circuit 336, a frame buffer 338, and a display circuit 340, each of which is connected via the bus 330. The bus 330 in this figure comprehensively shows buses such as a system bus, a data bus, and an address bus for convenience.

The effect image data and motion data sent from the control CPU 320 are stored in the drawing memory 334, and the compressed data among the data is decoded by the decoder 332. The drawing memory 334 is used as a work area when decoding the effect image data or motion data by the decoder 332, or as a work area when executing drawing processing or image processing by the drawing circuit 336. ).

The drawing circuit 336 uses the data stored in the drawing memory 334 to execute commands sent from the control CPU 320 in order to generate a display image, and the generated display image is used as a frame of a moving image as a frame buffer. Store in 338. The frame buffer 338 is a VRAM as a buffer memory for temporarily storing frames of moving images to be output to the effect display device 60.

The display circuit 340 outputs the display images stored in the frame buffer 338 to the effect display device 60 in the form of video signals in the order in which they are stored. The frame buffer 338 has, for example, a memory area for two frames, and while the display circuit 340 outputs a display image from the memory area for one frame, the drawing circuit 336 generates the next display image. Store in the memory area for another frame.

The data ROM 324 holds "detailed display pattern data" in which the display control process performed by the display control circuit 326 is defined. At this time, the display pattern data sent from the sub CPU 310 can be referred to as "summary display pattern data" in which the outline of the effect display process is defined. For example, the outline display pattern data defines a rough flow of a series of effect display processes such as fluctuation start and fluctuation stop timings of decorative symbols, playback order of a plurality of moving images, and playback start and stop timings. .. On the other hand, the detailed display pattern data includes detailed display control such as the display order of sprite images for realizing variable display of decorative patterns and the display processing order for each frame for displaying moving images based on motion data. The process is defined.

When the effect control device 313 performs display control based on the "rough display pattern data" sent from the sub CPU 310, the effect control device 313 reads the "detailed display pattern data" required for the processing from the data ROM 324 and uses both display pattern data. And execute the display process. Therefore, it can be said that the effect control device 313 executes the display control process based on the display putter data including the "summary display pattern data" and the "detailed display pattern data". Therefore, in the present specification, unless explicitly mentioned, the "rough display pattern data" stored in the sub ROM 312 and the "detailed display pattern data" stored in the data ROM 324 are not distinguished, and simply "display pattern data". ". For example, when the effect control means performs a specific process based on the display pattern data held in the data storage means, the display pattern data includes "rough display pattern data" and "detailed display pattern data". .. In the modified example, the display pattern data is not divided into "summary display pattern data" and "detailed display pattern data", and even if the display pattern data that serves as both is held in the sub ROM 312 or the data ROM 324. good.

In this embodiment, the hardware configuration of the effect control device 313 includes a control CPU 320, a control RAM 322, a data ROM 324, and a display control circuit 326. In the modification, the control CPU 320, the control RAM 322, the data ROM 324, and the display control circuit 326 may be integrated instead of being configured as separate electronic components. Further, the process that is supposed to be executed by the display control circuit 326 may be executed by the control CPU 320, the control RAM 322, or the data ROM 324. For example, the control CPU 320 included in the effect control device 313 may execute a process that is executed by the decoder 332, the drawing circuit 336, and the display circuit 340 included in the display control circuit 326. Further, the control RAM 322 included in the effect control device 313 may also serve as the functions of the drawing memory 334 and the frame buffer 338. In addition, the effect control device 313 may have a hardware configuration that does not include the display control circuit 326. In this case, the process that is supposed to be executed by the display control circuit 326 is executed by the control CPU 320, the control RAM 322, or the data ROM 324. May be done.

Further, in this embodiment, the hardware configuration of the sub-board 300 includes a configuration in which the effect control device 313 is included in addition to the sub CPU 310, the sub RAM 311 and the sub ROM 312. In the modification, the sub CPU 310, the sub RAM 311, the ROM 312, and the effect control device 313 may be integrated instead of being configured as separate electronic components. Further, the process that is supposed to be executed by the effect control device 313 may be executed by the sub CPU 310, the sub RAM 311 or the sub ROM 312. For example, the sub CPU 310 may execute the processing of the control CPU 320, the sub RAM 311 may also have the function of the control RAM 322, and the sub ROM 312 may also have the function of the data ROM 324. In addition, the sub-board 300 may have a hardware configuration in which the effect control device 313 is not included. In this case, the process to be executed by the effect control device 313 is executed by the sub CPU 310, the sub RAM 311 or the sub ROM 312. You may.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing a control start process of the main board 200 in the pachinko gaming machine. When the power switch 150 is turned on, the main CPU 290 sets the stack pointer (S100), permits access to the main RAM 291 (S102), and executes initial hardware-related settings such as the setting of the internal registers of the main CPU 290. (S104).

Subsequently, the power off / return process or the initialization process of the main RAM 291 is executed according to the operation state of the RAM clear switch, the value of the power off information flag, and the state of the data stored in the main RAM 291. Specifically, if the RAM clear switch is not turned on and both the value of the power off information flag and the data stored in the main RAM 291 are normal, the process at the time of power off / recovery is executed. do. In other cases, that is, even when the RAM clear switch is turned on or the RAM clear switch is not turned on, either the power failure information flag or the data stored in the main RAM 291 is normal. If not, the initialization process of the main RAM 291 is executed.

The main CPU 290 confirms the operating state of the RAM clear switch, and when the RAM clear switch is turned on (Y in S106), initializes the main RAM 291 (S116). When the RAM clear switch is not turned on (N in S106), the main CPU 290 confirms the value of the power off information flag (S108). If the value of the power off information flag does not match the power off normal data (N in S108), the main RAM 291 is initialized (S116). If the value of the power off information flag matches the power off normal data (Y in S108), the data stored in the main RAM 291 is inspected (S110). As will be described later, if the processing is normally completed when the power is turned off last time, the checksum of the data stored in the main RAM 291 is stored in the main RAM 291. Therefore, the main CPU 290 uses the checksum. Check the data in the main RAM 291. If the data stored in the main RAM 291 is not normal (N in S112), the data in the main RAM 291 is initialized (S116). If the data stored in the main RAM is normal (Y in S112), the process for returning to the state before the power is turned off is executed (S114).

In the power-off recovery process (S114), the power-on normal data indicating that the power-on was normally turned on is stored in the power-off information flag, and the initial setting of various errors and the initial setting of communication with the payout control board 155 are executed. do. Subsequently, the command request for the untransmitted portion before the power is turned off is cleared, and the command transmission of various information indicating the game state is requested. Subsequently, an effect command corresponding to the number of pending balls of the first special symbol and the second special symbol is requested. Subsequently, the open / closed state of the second starting port 12 and the large winning opening 20 is returned to the state before the power was cut off. Subsequently, a process for notifying the operating state of the probability fluctuation function of the special symbol is executed.

In the RAM initialization process (S116), the power-on normal data is stored in the power-off information flag, the entire area of the main RAM 291 is cleared by 0, the initial setting of the main RAM 291 and the initialization of the effect display are executed.

When the power cutoff / recovery process (S114) or the RAM initialization process (S116) is completed, a count value is set to activate the interrupt process described later, and the operation of the interrupt timer is started (S118). As a result, after that, a timer interrupt is generated every predetermined time (for example, 4 milliseconds), and the interrupt process described later is executed. Subsequently, the main CPU 290 executes the main process for managing the gaming machine (S120).

FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing the main process of S120 in FIG. 13 in detail. The main CPU 290 temporarily prohibits timer interruption (S200), starts the operation of the watchdog timer (S202), and monitors the power failure (S204). When a drop in the power supply voltage supplied from the power supply unit 158 is detected in a power supply voltage monitoring circuit (not shown), a power supply disconnection memory is executed by inputting an unconditional interruption request signal from the power supply voltage monitoring circuit to the main CPU 290. In the process, the power off confirmation data is stored in the power off confirmation flag. Therefore, the main CPU 290 monitors the value of the power-off confirmation flag (S204), and if the value of the power-off confirmation flag matches the power-off confirmation data (Y in S206), executes the process for power-off. Therefore, proceed to S212. If the value of the power off confirmation flag does not match the power off confirmation data (N in S206), the initial value random number per normal symbol, the initial value random number per special symbol, and the soft initial value random number per special symbol are updated. The initial value random number update process is executed (S208), the timer interrupt is permitted (S210), and the process returns to S200. After that, S200 to S210 are repeated. When the timer interrupt occurs while the timer interrupt is prohibited (S202 to S208), the interrupt process described later is executed after the timer interrupt is permitted in S210.

When a power failure is detected in S206 (Y in S206), the main CPU 290 restarts the watchdog timer (S212) and confirms the content of the power failure information flag (S214). If the content of the power-off information flag does not match the power-on normal data (N in S214), it is determined that the data at the time of power-on is not saved normally, and the power-off error data is stored in the power-off information flag. (S216), proceed to S222. If the content of the power-off information flag matches the power-on normal data (Y in S214), it is determined that the data at the time of power-on is normally saved, and the power-off normal data is stored in the power-off information flag. (S218). Subsequently, the checksum of the data stored in the main RAM 291 is calculated and stored in the main RAM 291 in order to inspect the backed up data in the main RAM 291 at the next power-on (S220). Subsequently, access to the main RAM 291 is prohibited (S222), and a loop is performed until the power is turned off.

FIG. 15 is a flowchart showing the details of the interrupt process. When a timer interrupt occurs in the main process (S120), the main CPU 290 executes the interrupt process. First, the interrupt operation condition is set (S300), and the watchdog timer is restarted (S302). Next, in order to manage the game machine, input processing (S304), various random number update processing (S306), initial value update type random number update processing (S308), initial value random number update processing (S310), timer subtraction processing (S312). , 2nd start port valid period setting process (S314), prize monitoring process (S316), prize ball control process (S318), normal symbol operation gate monitoring process (S320), normal symbol control process (S322), normal symbol variation start Monitoring process (S324), start port monitoring control process (S326), special symbol control process (S328), special electric accessory control process (S330), large winning opening validity period setting process (S332), special symbol change start monitoring control Processing (S334), abnormality detection processing (S336), ball entry passage time abnormality detection processing (S338), game status display processing (S340), handle status signal inspection processing (S342), LED output processing (S344), launch control signal Output processing (S346), test signal output processing (S348), solenoid output processing (S350), effect control command transmission processing (S352), and external information output processing (S354) are executed in order, and the next timer interrupt is permitted. (S356) and return.

In the input process (S304), the data of the input port of the switch mounted on the game board surface, the disconnection short circuit power supply abnormality detection signal, the door / frame opening signal, the magnetic detection signal, the radio wave detection signal, and the touch state signal is monitored. , Data indicating the input state is created and stored in the main RAM 291. The data indicating this input state are level data (input port data at the time of this interruption) and rising data or falling data (input port data at the time of this interruption and data at the time of the previous interruption). Data indicating a switch in which switching was observed by comparing the data of the input port with an exclusive logical sum).

In the various random number update processes (S306), the normal symbol variation pattern random number and the variation pattern random number are updated. The normal symbol variation pattern random number is read from the main RAM 291 and stored by incrementing the value when the value is less than the predetermined maximum value, and 0 is stored when the value is equal to or more than the predetermined maximum value. Further, the fluctuation pattern random number is read from the main RAM 291 and the subtraction result is stored when the result of subtracting the predetermined value from the value is 0 or more, and the predetermined maximum value is stored when the result is less than 0. As a result, the normal symbol variation pattern random number and the variation pattern random number are updated every time the timer interrupt occurs.

In the initial value update type random number update process (S308), the random number per normal symbol, the symbol random number per special symbol, and the soft random number per special symbol are updated. The value, maximum value, and initial value of each random number are read from the main RAM 291 and the value of the random number is incremented. If the incremented result exceeds the maximum value, the value of the random number is set to 0. If the incremented result matches the initial value, the initial value random number is read from the main RAM 291 and the initial value is updated. As a result, the random number per normal symbol, the random number per special symbol, and the soft random number per special symbol are updated every time the timer interrupt occurs, and when the random number value returns to the initial value, that is, the range of random numbers is cycled. Then, the initial value is newly set and a random number is generated.

In the initial value random number update process (S310), the initial value random number per normal symbol, the symbol initial value random number per special symbol, and the soft initial value random number per special symbol are updated. The initial value random number is read from the initial value random number update table of the main RAM 291 and the value of the initial value random number is incremented. If the increment result exceeds the upper limit value, the value of the initial value random number is set to 0. The same process is executed in the initial value random number update process (S208) in the main process (S120).

In the timer subtraction process (S312), the 2-byte timer is updated. The values of the timers for various controls are read from the main RAM 291 according to the table, and when the timer values are other than 0, the values are sequentially decremented and stored. If the value of the timer is 0, the timer is not updated.

In the second starting port valid period setting process (S314), the valid period of the second starting port 12 is set. At the second starting port 12, the prize ball is paid out when the game ball is inserted and the lottery related to the second special symbol is executed. An invalid period is set in which the lottery related to the symbol is not executed. As will be described later, in the start port monitoring control process (S326), the monitoring process for winning the second start port is not executed during the invalid period of the second start port 12, so that the game ball enters the second start port 12. Even so, the prize balls will not be paid out and the lottery for the second special symbol will not be executed. The same applies to the case where the valid period and the invalid period are set in the first starting port 11, the large winning opening 20, the operating opening 30, the general winning opening 33, and the like. When the state of the normal symbol is "normal electric accessory is operating", data indicating that the second start port 12 is in the valid period is stored in the second start port valid period flag. If the state of the normal symbol is not "normal electric accessory is operating" and the value of the second start port effective extension timer is not 0, the second start port 12 is the valid period in the second start port valid period flag. If the value of the second start port valid extension timer is 0, the data indicating that the second start port is in the invalid period is stored in the second start port valid period flag.

In the prize monitoring process (S316), the passage of the game ball through the switch is inspected, and when the game ball passes through the switch, the switch has no invalid period or is currently in the valid period, and the prize ball is paid out. If so, update the winning counter. It also requests the creation of a security output request to be output to the external terminal and the transmission of commands.

In the prize ball control process (S318), monitoring of data reception from the payout control board 155, command transmission request to the payout control board 155, command transmission to the payout control board 155, and inspection of the received data from the payout control board 155. Are executed in order.

In the normal symbol operation gate monitoring process (S320), when the passage of the game ball through the operation port 30 is monitored and it is determined that the game ball has passed through the operation port 30, the number of pending normal symbol fluctuations is less than 4, which is the upper limit. If, the number of reserved symbols is updated, and the random numbers related to the ordinary symbols are stored in the main RAM 291.

In the normal symbol control process (S322), the state of the normal symbol is monitored, and when it is determined that the normal symbol is being controlled, the process related to the normal symbol display device 45 or the normal electric accessory 90 is executed. When the state of the normal symbol is "normal symbol changing", the normal symbol changing processing is executed, and when "normal symbol stop symbol is being displayed", the normal symbol stop symbol display processing is executed and "normal electric" is executed. If "the accessory is in operation", the normal electric accessory operation end demo process is executed, and if "the normal electric accessory operation end demo is in progress", the normal electric accessory operation end demo process is executed. In the normal symbol changing process, after the normal symbol is changed, the fluctuation time is monitored, and if it is determined that the fluctuation time of the normal symbol has ended, the fluctuation stop setting of the normal symbol is set and the state of the normal symbol is changed to "normal". Set to "Stop symbol display". In the process of displaying the normal symbol stop symbol, the stop symbol display time of the normal symbol is monitored, and when it is determined that the stop symbol display time of the normal symbol has ended, the operation end setting of the normal symbol corresponding to the result of the hit determination is executed. In the case of a hit, the state of the normal symbol is set to "normal electric accessory is in operation", the operating state of the normal electric accessory release extension function at the start of normal electric accessory operation is saved, and the normal electric accessory operation is started. The operation setting of the ordinary electric accessory solenoid 91 corresponding to the operating state of the ordinary electric accessory opening extension function at that time is executed. In the case of off, the state of the normal symbol is set to "waiting for normal symbol change". When the winning number of the winning opening related to the ordinary electric accessory 90 of the game ball is monitored in the processing during the operation of the ordinary electric accessory, and it is determined that the number of winnings of the winning opening related to the ordinary electric accessory 90 has reached the maximum number of winnings. Executes the operation end setting of the ordinary electric accessory 90 and the setting of the effective extension time of the second start port. If it is determined that the number of winnings in the winning opening related to the ordinary electric accessory 90 has not reached the maximum number of winnings, the opening / closing time of the entrance of the winning opening related to the ordinary electric accessory 90 is monitored, and the ordinary electric accessory 90 is used. If it is determined that the opening / closing of the entrance of the winning opening related to the above is completed and the opening of the entrance of the normal electric accessory 90 is completed, the operation end setting of the ordinary electric accessory 90 and the second starting port are valid. Execute the extension time setting. If it is determined that the opening / closing time of the winning opening of the ordinary electric accessory 90 is not over, the opening / closing of the entrance of the winning opening of the ordinary electric accessory 90 is not set. In the process during the normal electric accessory operation end demonstration, when the operation end demo time of the normal electric accessory 90 is monitored and it is determined that the operation end demo time of the ordinary electric accessory 90 is over, the state of the normal symbol is changed to "normal symbol". Set to "Waiting for fluctuation".

In the normal symbol change start monitoring process (S324), when the state of the normal symbol is monitored and "waiting for normal symbol change" and the value of the number of balls on hold for normal symbol operation is other than 0, the normal symbol changes. To start. When it is determined to start the fluctuation of the normal symbol, the number of balls on hold for normal symbol operation is decremented, and the hit judgment, the determination of the stop symbol, the setting of the fluctuation pattern number of the normal symbol, and the setting of the fluctuation time of the normal symbol are executed. .. After that, the state of the normal symbol is set to "normal symbol changing", and the area of the main RAM 291 used for the state setting of the normal symbol, the hit determination, and the fluctuation pattern determination is cleared.

In the start port monitoring control process (S326), the first start port 11 winning and the second starting port 12 winning of the game ball are monitored. If the winning of the game ball is confirmed when the number of balls on hold for operation of the first special symbol is less than 4, the built-in random number is acquired, and the value obtained by adding the value of the soft random number per special symbol to the acquired built-in random number is added. It is stored in the buffer as a random number per special symbol used in the jackpot judgment. Further, as random numbers related to the special symbol, a symbol random number and a variable pattern random number are acquired and stored. When the hold of the second special symbol is prioritized over the hold of the first special symbol, only the update of the hold related to the prize is executed, but when the hold order of the special symbol is the winning order, the hold is executed. In addition to updating the hold related to the winning, the total number of holdings is updated and the winning order is stored. Next, in order to request a notice effect command corresponding to the random number memorized at the start opening winning, if the state of the gaming machine is confirmed and it is judged that the command transmission period is reached, a hit notice effect request, a hit symbol notice effect request, and a pattern notice are requested. The production requests are executed in order. Here, when (1) waiting for a hit and the random number related to the first special symbol is stored while the probability fluctuation function of the normal symbol is not operating, (2) waiting for a hit and the normal symbol When the random number related to the second special symbol is stored while the probability fluctuation function is not operating, or (3) when the random number related to the second special symbol is stored during the big hit or the small hit. , Judge that it is the command transmission period. Next, a production command corresponding to the number of balls on hold for operation of the special symbol is requested. As a result, the sub-board 300 is notified that the number of balls on hold for operation of the special symbol has been updated. As described above, in the pre-reading, four pieces of the pre-judgment information (pre-hit / fail judgment information, pre-symbol judgment information, pre-pattern judgment information) and the number of reserved balls are transmitted to the sub-board 300 as a set. In the above example, the main CPU 290 controls the transmission of the command for the pre-judgment process, but in another example, when there is a ball entering the start port, the command is uniformly transmitted and can be read ahead. The sub CPU 310 may perform various status determinations such as whether or not it is a period. Next, the value of the second starting port validity period flag is inspected, and if the value of the second starting port validity period flag is data indicating that the second starting port 12 is the valid period, the first starting port winning prize is awarded. As in the case, the monitoring process of the second start opening winning is executed. When the value of the second starting port valid period flag is data indicating that the second starting port 12 is in the invalid period, the monitoring process of the second starting port winning is not executed. If the winning of the game ball is confirmed when the number of reserved balls is 0, the number of reserved balls is once changed from 0 to 1, and then the control process related to the start of fluctuation, which will be described later, is executed. ..

In the special symbol control process (S328), the hit waiting state is inspected, and when the special electric accessory is in operation, that is, during a big hit or a small hit, the special symbol control process is terminated. When the special electric accessory is not operating, the state of the special symbol is inspected, and if it is "waiting for special symbol change", the special symbol control general-purpose processing is terminated, and if it is "start of change", the special symbol change. The start process is executed, and if it is "special symbol changing", the special symbol changing process is executed, and if it is "special symbol stop symbol displaying", the special symbol stop symbol displaying process is executed. In the special symbol variation start process, the selection number of the special symbol variation pattern is acquired based on the variation pattern random number, the variation time corresponding to the special symbol variation pattern number is determined, and the sub-board 300 is started to display the effect. Request commands for additional symbol information, variation pattern, and character information, set the state of the special symbol to "special symbol variation in progress", and clear the variation pattern determination area used to determine the special symbol variation pattern with 0. .. In the process during special symbol change, after changing the special symbol, the fluctuation time is monitored, and if it is determined that the fluctuation time of the special symbol has ended, the change stop setting of the special symbol is set and the state of the special symbol is changed to "special". Set to "Stop symbol display". In the process of displaying the special symbol stop symbol, the stop symbol display time of the special symbol is monitored, and when it is determined that the stop symbol display time of the special symbol has ended, the operation end setting of the special symbol corresponding to the result of the hit determination is executed. In the case of a big hit, in order to end the operation of the special symbol, the state of the special symbol is set to "waiting for change of the special symbol", the number of times the special electric accessory is continuously operated is set, and the probability of the special symbol is set. Demonstration function, special symbol fluctuation time shortening function, normal symbol probability fluctuation function, normal symbol fluctuation time shortening function, and normal electric accessory opening extension function are disabled, and the state of the gaming machine is prepared to open the winning opening. Set in, set the hit start demo display time, execute the command request for the hit start demo effect, and the command request for the launch position specification effect. When the result of the hit judgment is a small hit, the operation end judgment of the fluctuation time shortening function of the special symbol and the probability fluctuation function of the normal symbol is performed, the fluctuation pattern selection state is updated, the command request of the game state is performed, and the special symbol is performed. In order to end the operation of, set the state of the special symbol to "waiting for special symbol change", set the state of the gaming machine during the small hit start demo, set the hit start demo display time, and set the hit start demo effect. Execute the command request and the command request for the firing position designation effect. If the result of the hit judgment is incorrect, the operation end judgment of the fluctuation time shortening function of the special symbol and the probability fluctuation function of the normal symbol is performed, the fluctuation pattern selection state is updated, the command request of the game state is performed, and the special symbol is displayed. In order to end the operation, the state of the special symbol is set to "waiting for special symbol change", and the command request for the firing position designation effect is executed.

In the special electric accessory control process (S330), in order to execute the process related to the special electric accessory, the operating state of the condition device and the special electric accessory is inspected, and the condition device is operating or the special electric accessory is operating. If it is determined, the processing related to the special electric accessory is executed. Depending on the operating state of the special electric accessory, the processing during preparation for opening the large winning opening, the processing during operation of the special electric accessory, the processing during closing of the large winning opening, the processing during the big hit end demonstration, the processing during the small hit start demonstration, the small hit special electric Execute processing during operation, processing during closing of the small hit big winning opening, and processing during demonstration of the end of small hit.

In the large winning opening validity period setting process (S332), the result of the validity period determination of the large winning opening 20 is saved. The mouth invalid period data is stored, and if it is other than 0, the big prize opening validity period data is stored in the big winning opening validity period flag.

In the special symbol variation start monitoring control process (S334), the operating state of the special symbol is monitored, and it is determined whether or not the special symbol is in a state where the variation can be started. When the digestion order of the reserved balls of the special symbol is the priority digestion of the second special symbol, (1) it is not in the big hit or the small hit, (2) the first special symbol is waiting for fluctuation, (3) ) When the second special symbol is waiting for change and (4) the number of balls on hold for operation of the special symbol is other than 0, the special symbol can start changing. Is determined. When the digestion order of the reserved balls of the special symbol is the winning order, in addition to the above (1) to (3), (5) the total number of reserved balls of the special symbol is other than 0, (6) When all of the determinations, that is, the order of digestion, that is, the order of winning, are satisfied, it is determined that the special symbol is in a state where it can start changing.

When it is determined that the special symbol is in a state where it can start to fluctuate, the number of reserved balls for the special symbol is subtracted, and an effect command corresponding to the number of reserved balls for the first special symbol and the second special symbol is requested. As a result, the sub-board 300 is notified that the number of reserved balls of the special symbol has been updated.

Next, the hit determination of the special symbol is executed. In the hit determination, the random number per special symbol determines whether it is a big hit, a small hit, or a miss, and the determination result is stored in the special symbol determination flag. Next, the design is decided. In the determination of the symbol, if the hit judgment is a big hit, the big hit symbol is determined based on the special symbol hit symbol random number, if it is a small hit, the small hit symbol is determined, and if it is a miss, the miss symbol is lost. Is determined.

When the result of the hit determination is a big hit, the operation content of the probability fluctuation function of the special symbol is determined based on the value of the group determination number indicating the type of the hit symbol determined in the symbol determination process, and the special symbol Set the game state after the big hit, such as the operation content of the fluctuation time shortening function and the easy winning state of the normal symbol. Next, the settings during the big hit, such as the number of times the special electric accessory operates continuously and the contents of the opening time of the big winning opening, are executed. Subsequently, the content of the variation pattern selection state is set by selecting the variation pattern table to be referred to after the end of the big hit based on the result of the hit determination and the operating state of the probability variation function of the normal symbol. Next, the start demo time and the end demo time are set with reference to the table selected based on the value of the group determination number indicating the game state and the type of the winning symbol. Subsequently, the area of the main RAM 291 used for the hit determination and the symbol determination is cleared, and the state of the special symbol is set to "variation start".

If the result of the hit judgment is a small hit, the content of the fluctuation pattern selection state is set, the start demo time and the end demo time are set, and the hit is made by selecting the fluctuation pattern table to be referred to after the small hit ends. The area of the main RAM 291 used for the determination and the symbol determination is cleared, and the state of the special symbol is set to "variation start". If the result of the hit determination is incorrect, the area of the main RAM 291 used for the hit determination and the symbol determination is cleared, and the state of the special symbol is set to "variation start".

In the abnormality detection process (S336), the magnetic detection signal, the short-circuit power supply abnormality detection signal, the radio wave detection signal, and the door / frame opening signal are inspected, and if there is a change in the error state, the error state is stored. The sub-board 300 is requested to display the error state effect of the gaming machine. If there is no change in the error state, the memory of the error state and the display request of the error state effect are not executed.

In the ball entry passage time abnormality detection process (S338), in order to detect the ball entry passage time abnormality, the continuous on time of each switch level is monitored, and the continuous on time (for example, when the switch is on, is incremented for each interrupt). If it is determined that the value of the counter to be executed) is an abnormal value, the setting of the incoming ball passing time abnormality, the command transmission request, and the creation of the security output request to be output to the external terminal are executed in order. If it is determined that the continuous on-time is not abnormal, the security output request is not created.

In the game state display process (S340), the number of times the special electric accessory is continuously operated, the error state, the number of balls on hold for normal symbol operation, and the number of balls on hold for operation of the special symbol are requested to be displayed. Create data.

In the handle state signal inspection process (S342), in order to monitor the touch state of the handle, the handle state is inspected, and when it is determined that the handle state has changed as a result of the inspection, the handle state monitoring timer is subtracted and the handle state is changed. Update, set the handle status monitoring timer, and execute the command transmission request for the handle status effect. If it is determined as a result of the inspection that there is no change in the steering wheel status, the steering wheel status monitoring timer is set. If the result of decrementing the value of the handle status monitoring timer is other than 0, it is determined that the timer is being subtracted, and the subsequent processing is not executed.

In the LED output processing (S344), the display of the special symbol, the display of the normal symbol, the display of the number of balls on hold for operation of the special symbol, the display of the number of balls on hold for operation of the normal symbol, the display of the game state, and the special electric accessory are continuous. Initialization of display, acquisition of display data, and display of display of the number of times of operation, display of the operating state of the special electric accessory when the continuous operation device of the accessory is not activated, display of the division, and display of the error. Run the output in sequence.

In the launch control signal output process (S346), in order to output a signal for prohibiting / permitting the launch of the game ball, the setting of the prohibition / permit for launching corresponding to the communication state with the payout control board 155 and the disconnection short-circuit power supply abnormality, and After acquiring the firing prohibition / permission data, the firing prohibition / permission signal is output.

In the test signal output process (S348), a signal to be output to the test apparatus is created and output to the corresponding output port.

In the solenoid output processing (S350), in order to output the output data of the ordinary electric utility solenoid 91 and the large winning opening solenoid 92, the output data of the ordinary electric utility solenoid 91 is acquired, the output data of the large winning opening solenoid 92 is acquired, and the output data of the large winning opening solenoid 92 is acquired. Output the output data. The operation flag and the operation timer of each solenoid are acquired, and the output data corresponding to the acquired solenoid operation flag and the solenoid operation timer is acquired. Next, the solenoid operation timer is updated and the output data is output to the solenoid output port.

In the effect control command transmission process (S352), the presence or absence of a transmission request for the command to be transmitted to the sub-board 300 is inspected, and if it is determined that there is a transmission request, the requested command data is acquired and the command buffer used is set to 0. Clear, acquire MODE data corresponding to the acquired command data, output MODE data, retain MODE data, acquire EVENT data corresponding to the acquired command data, and output EVENT data in this order.

In the external information output process (S354), a signal to be output to the external terminal is created, and the created signal is output to the external information output port.

The random numbers used in the operation process of the main board 200 described above will be described in more detail. The random numbers used in the main board 200 mainly include a random number per ordinary symbol and a random number per fluctuation pattern of the ordinary symbol as random numbers related to the ordinary symbol, and a random number per special symbol (hard random number) as a random number related to the special symbol. , There are soft random numbers per special symbol, symbol random numbers per special symbol, and variable pattern random numbers. In addition, as random numbers for giving initial values of normal symbol per random number, special symbol per symbol random number, and special symbol per soft random number, which are initial value update type random numbers, normal symbol per initial value random number and special symbol per symbol initial value are used. There are random numbers and soft initial value random numbers per special symbol.

The random number per normal symbol is updated in the initial value update type random number update process (S308) of the interrupt process, and is stored in a predetermined position of the main RAM 291. The random number per normal symbol is such that when it is determined in the normal symbol operation gate monitoring process (S320) of the interrupt process that the game ball has passed through the operation port 30, the number of reserved normal symbol fluctuations is less than 4, which is the upper limit. In a certain case, it is acquired from a predetermined position of the main RAM 291 and stored in another area of the main RAM 291. The normal symbol random number is used for hit determination and determination of the stop symbol when it is determined in the normal symbol fluctuation start monitoring process (S324) to start the fluctuation of the normal symbol.

The normal symbol variation pattern random number takes a value of 0 to 232, for example, is updated in various random number update processes (S306) of the interrupt process, and is stored in a predetermined position of the main RAM 291. The normal symbol fluctuation pattern random number is less than 4, which is the upper limit of the number of reserved normal symbol fluctuations when it is determined in the interrupt processing normal symbol operation gate monitoring process (S320) that the game ball has passed through the operation port 30. If, it is acquired from a predetermined position of the main RAM 291 and stored in another area of the main RAM 291. The normal symbol fluctuation pattern random number is used to determine the fluctuation pattern of the normal symbol when it is determined in the normal symbol fluctuation start monitoring process (S324) to start the fluctuation of the normal symbol.

The random number per special symbol is obtained when the winning of the game ball is confirmed when the number of pending balls of the first special symbol or the second special symbol is less than 4 in the start port monitoring control process (S326) of the interrupt process. , The values of the built-in random number and the soft random number per special symbol are acquired, and both are added to generate the value, which is stored in a predetermined position of the main RAM 291. The random number per special symbol is used to execute the big hit determination and the small hit determination in the special symbol fluctuation start monitoring control process (S334) of the interrupt process.

The soft random number per special symbol is updated in the initial value update type random number update process (S308) of the interrupt process, and is stored in a predetermined position of the main RAM 291. The soft random number per special symbol is the main RAM 291 when the winning of the game ball is confirmed when the number of pending balls of the first special symbol or the second special symbol is less than 4 in the start port monitoring control process (S326). It is obtained from the predetermined position of, and is used to generate a random number per special symbol as described above.

The symbol random number per special symbol takes a value of 0 to 999 (0 to 255 in the example of FIG. 7), is updated in the initial value update type random number update process (S308) of the interrupt process, and is set at a predetermined position of the main RAM 291. Stored. The symbol random number per special symbol is the main RAM 291 when the winning of the game ball is confirmed when the number of operation-holding balls of the first special symbol or the second special symbol is less than 4 in the start port monitoring control process (S326). Is acquired from a predetermined position of the above and stored in another area of the main RAM 291. The symbol random number per special symbol is used to determine the jackpot symbol when the hit determination is a jackpot in the special symbol fluctuation start monitoring control process (S334) of the interrupt process.

The variation pattern random number takes a value of 0 to 49999 (0 to 255 in the example of FIG. 8), is updated in various random number update processes (S306) of the interrupt process, and is stored in a predetermined position of the main RAM 291. The variation pattern random number is determined by the main RAM 291 when the winning of the game ball is confirmed when the number of operation-holding balls of the first special symbol or the second special symbol is less than 4 in the start port monitoring control process (S326). Obtained from the position and stored in another area of the main RAM 291. The variation pattern random number is used to determine the special symbol variation pattern in the special symbol control process (S328) of the interrupt process.

The initial value random number per ordinary symbol, the initial value random number per special symbol, and the soft initial value random number per special symbol have the same range of values as the random number per ordinary symbol, the symbol random number per special symbol, and the soft random number per special symbol, respectively. It is updated in the initial value random number update process (S208) of the main process (S120) and the initial value random number update process (S310) of the interrupt process, and is stored in a predetermined position of the main RAM 291. The initial value random number per ordinary symbol, the initial value random number per special symbol, and the soft initial value random number per special symbol are the random number per ordinary symbol, the symbol random number per special symbol, and the special random number per initial value update type random number update process (S308). It is used as the initial value of each random number when updating the soft random number per symbol.

Since the interrupt process is executed at regular time intervals by timer interrupt, various random number update processes (S306) and initial value update type random number update processes (S308) included in the interrupt process are also executed at regular time intervals. NS. That is, the normal symbol per random number, the normal symbol variation pattern random number, the special symbol per random number, the special symbol per soft random number, the special symbol per symbol random number, and the variation pattern random number are updated at regular intervals. On the other hand, in the main process (S120), the time from the end of the interrupt process to the occurrence of the next timer interrupt, that is, the time required for the interrupt process from the fixed time measured by the timer. Repeated for the reduced time. Since the time required for the interrupt process differs depending on the game state and the like, the initial value random number update process (S208) in the main process (S120) includes various random number update processes (S306) and initial value update type random number update process (S308). ), It is not executed at regular intervals. As a result, the initial value random number acquired when the initial value is set in the initial value update type random number update process (S308) can be made random every time.

FIG. 16 is a flowchart showing a control start process of the sub-board 300 in the pachinko gaming machine. When the control of the sub-board 300 is started, the sub CPU 310 sets a stack pointer (S500), prohibits all interrupts until various initial settings are completed (S502), and sets registers and initializes ports of the sub CPU 310. Perform the initial settings related to the hardware (S504). The control program is read from the sub ROM 312 and placed in the sub RAM 311, and among various variables in the control program, the initial value is set for the variable having the initial value, and the zero clear data is set for the variable without the initial value. This initializes the sub RAM 311 (S506). The interrupt process on the sub-board 300 includes a process when the power is turned on and a reset process when various abnormalities occur when the watchdog function is enabled, as interrupt processes that are executed with the highest priority. Next, as an interrupt process of priority level 7 having a high execution priority, there is a command process received from the main board 200, and as an interrupt process of priority level 3 having the next highest priority, CPU runaway detection by a watchdog timer. There is a time reset process. The next priority interrupt process for priority level 2 includes processing related to commands sent and received to and from the control CPU 320, and the lowest priority level 1 interrupt process is communication processing with the real-time clock. There are various device control processes such as lamps, solenoids, and motors. If interrupts related to the above various processes occur at the same time, the interrupts set in advance for each interrupt type are executed with priority. The processes shown in this figure include the highest priority level interrupt, the process when the power is turned on, the reset process when various abnormalities occur, and the priority level 3 interrupt, which is the reset process when CPU runaway is detected. include.

Interrupts (priority level 7) other than commands received from the main board 200 are prohibited (S510), and various error information used in the model is set from all the error information stored in advance for all models (S512). .. All the lamps such as the decorative lamp 111 are turned off (S514), the operation of the watchdog timer is started (S516), and the main process is executed (S518). Normally, the main process of S518 does not return to the main flow, but when it returns, it shifts to sleep (low power consumption mode) (S520).

FIG. 17 is a flowchart showing in detail the main process of S518 in FIG. In order to check in the main process of this figure whether the control program arranged in the sub RAM 311 is correctly arranged in S506 of FIG. 16, the start address for starting the check is acquired (S530), and in the subsequent processes. All interrupts are allowed (S532), and device initialization operations such as motors and solenoids are executed (S534).

If the setting is to use the watchdog timer, clear the watchdog timer (S536), update the decorative symbol counter so that the combination of the decorative symbols is a random combination (S540), and input the sub CPU 310. (S542). Since S540 is a process in a method of determining the out-of-order symbol of the decorative symbol using a counter, in the case of a method of determining the out-of-order symbol of the decorative symbol using a lottery sheet incorporating all the symbol combinations that are the out-of-order symbols. Does not execute the processing of S540. The process of determining the out-of-order symbol of the decorative symbol using the lottery sheet is executed when a command indicating a stop symbol of the special symbol is received from the main board 200 as described later in S552. When the error state is monitored and various errors are detected, the error is notified (S544), processing according to the input state of the effect button 109 is executed (S546), and the advance notice lottery is executed (S548). In the advance notice lottery in S548, since the command of the advance notice effect to appear immediately after the start of the symbol change is transmitted to the effect control device 313 as soon as possible, the lottery process is not processed in one loop but a plurality of times. It is divided into loops, and the notice effect that appears immediately after the start of the symbol change is drawn in the previous loop. If there is an operation request for a device such as a real-time clock, lamp, motor, or solenoid, that operation is executed (S550), the command saved in the command buffer is analyzed (S552), and if immediately after the command analysis, the process proceeds to S536. Return (Y in S554), if not immediately after command analysis (N in S554), update the lottery software random number as a low priority process that can be performed in free time (S556), and return to the process in S536. In S552, when the command to be analyzed shows the variation pattern of the special symbol, the variation effect pattern of the decorative symbol is determined by the process of S552, and when the command to be analyzed indicates the stop symbol of the special symbol, the lottery sheet is displayed. If the method is used to determine the out-of-order symbol of the decorative symbol, the stop symbol of the decorative symbol is determined by the process of S552.

FIG. 18 is a flowchart showing an interrupt process when a command is received from the main board 200. The main command received from the main board 200 is a priority level 7 interrupt command having the highest priority next to the reset interrupt and error interrupt. The data received from the main board 200 is read to the input port, and when the same data is read twice in a row, the data is confirmed as a new command (Y in S600), and the confirmed command is the first command. If it is (MODE data) (Y in S602), the first command is saved in the temporary storage area (S604). The hard random number is acquired for the subsequent processing (S606), and the original routine is returned. By acquiring the hard random number each time the main command is interrupted from the main board 200 in this way, the random number acquisition timing is not caused to be periodic, and the randomness of the value is enhanced. If the data read in S600 does not match twice in a row (up to 5 times can be read), S602 is skipped and the original routine is returned (N in S600).

In S602, if the confirmed command is not the first command but the second command (N in S602), and if it can be confirmed that the first command has already been properly received (Y in S608), the command buffer (command data). The command write pointer which is the read position in the ring buffer) is acquired (S610), and the first command and the second command are saved in the command buffer (S612). The command data stored in the command buffer is analyzed in S552 of FIG. The command light pointer is updated (S614), the first command saved in the temporary storage area is cleared (S616), and the original routine is returned. If the first command has not been received in S608, skip S610 and later (N in S608) and return to the original routine.

FIG. 19 is a flowchart showing an interrupt process when a timer interrupt for effect display control occurs. This timer interrupt is a priority level 2 interrupt for transmitting a command related to the effect display from the sub CPU 310 to the control CPU 320, and is generated in a cycle of 500 μs. In this interrupt, the buffer is checked (S620), and if there is command data for transmission in the buffer (Y in S622), the command data is read (S624) and transmitted to the control CPU 320 (S626). The command data is transmitted to the control CPU 320 up to three times at predetermined time intervals until the sub CPU 310 receives a command indicating that the command data has been normally received on the control CPU 320 side from the control CPU 320. After transmission, the buffer read address setting is updated (S628), and the original routine is returned. If there is no data for transmission in the buffer (N in S622), S624 and subsequent steps are skipped and the original routine is returned.

FIG. 20 is a flowchart showing an interrupt process when the sub CPU 310 receives a command from the control CPU 320. This interrupt is also a priority level 2 interrupt. The command received by the sub CPU 310 from the control CPU 320 is mainly a command indicating that the command transmitted from the sub CPU 310 to the control CPU 320 has been normally received. When a command is received from the control CPU 320, the received command data is read (S630), the command is analyzed (S632), saved in the command buffer (S634), and the original routine is returned.

FIG. 21 is a flowchart showing an interrupt process when a timer interrupt for controlling various devices occurs. This timer interrupt is for controlling a lamp such as a decorative lamp 111, controlling a solenoid or a motor for driving a movable accessory 66, and managing and controlling various timers, and is generated at a cycle of 1 ms. Since it is the lowest priority level 1 interrupt, the interrupt of priority level 2 or higher is permitted (S640), and a signal indicating input from the effect button 109, a signal indicating error detection, and a signal indicating power failure , Processes the input / output of ports that input / output drive signals to controlled devices such as motors and solenoids (S642). At this time, if a signal indicating a power failure is input, the backup process is immediately started. Update the data related to device control (S644), such as counting processing based on the control pattern of devices such as motors and solenoids, and on / off control of the buffer for writing data to the port in S642, and set a timer to measure the timing of the effect. Update (S646), update the timer for managing the input valid time of the effect button 109 (S648), and update the task control counter for lighting switching control of the decorative lamp 111 and runaway monitoring control of the control CPU 320. To create a 16 ms cycle (S650).

The minimum unit of lighting switching control of the decorative lamp 111 is 16 ms. One frame of the image display control is 16 ms or 32 ms, and by setting an integral multiple thereof as the minimum unit of the lighting switching control of the decorative lamp 111, the lamp control and the image display control can be easily synchronized. Further, when counting a relatively long period such as an error notification for 30 seconds, if a count with a 10 interrupt (1 ms) cycle is used, the count value becomes longer than necessary, but 16 ms. The count value can be shortened by using the count value of the cycle.

The task control includes 16 types of tasks from processes 0 to 15, one of which is the lighting switching control of the decorative lamp 111, and two tasks are the runaway monitoring control of the control CPU 320. The lighting switching control of the decorative lamp 111 is executed once every 16 interrupts according to the count value of the task control counter to realize switching in a cycle of 16 ms. The runaway monitoring control of the control CPU 320 is assigned to, for example, processes 0 and 8, and when the count values of the task control counters are 0 and 8, that is, once every 80 interrupts, the toggle signal from the control CPU 320 is monitored (S652). By doing so, monitoring is realized in a cycle of 8 ms.

A toggle signal that is on / off inverted for each frame is output from the control CPU 320, and if this toggle signal does not change continuously at the same value for 1600 ms, it is determined that the control CPU 320 is out of control, and the sub CPU 310 Sends a reset signal to the control CPU 320, and the control CPU 320 that receives the reset signal executes the reset. Since the toggle signal is received from the control CPU 320 in a cycle of one frame (16 ms or 32 ms), it is monitored in a cycle of 8 ms shorter than that cycle. Finally, the timer that manages the relatively long error notification period such as the error notification for 30 seconds as described above is subtracted (S654), and the error notification ends at the time-out.

FIG. 22 is a flowchart showing the process of displaying the special symbol variation. When the second winning / failing lottery value is held (Y in S700), the second winning / failing determination means 222 reads the second winning / failing lottery value and determines whether or not the second special symbol 52 is correct (S702), and the second winning / failing is determined. The determination means 222 determines the stop symbol of the second special symbol 52 (S704), the second variation pattern determining means 232 determines the variation pattern of the second special symbol 52 (S706), and issues a variation start command together with the determined result. It is transmitted to the sub-board 300 to start the symbol variation of the second special symbol 52 (S716).

When the second winning / failing lottery value is not held (N in S700) and the first winning / failing lottery value is held (Y in S708), the first winning / failing determination means 221 is the first winning / failing lottery. The value is read out and the hit / fail of the first special symbol 51 is determined again (S710), the first hit / miss determination means 221 determines the stop symbol of the first special symbol 51 (S712), and the first variation pattern determination means 231 is the first. 1 The variation pattern of the special symbol 51 is determined (S714), and the variation start command is transmitted to the sub-board 300 together with the determined result to start the symbol variation of the first special symbol 51 (S716). If the first winning / failing lottery value is not held, the processes from S710 to S722 are skipped (N in S708).

The symbol variation display of the special symbol is processed (S718), S718 is repeated until the predetermined variation time elapses and the symbol display stop timing is reached (N of S720), and the symbol display is stopped after the predetermined variation time elapses. When the timing is reached (Y in S720), a fluctuation stop command is sent to the sub-board 300 to stop the symbol fluctuation being displayed at a predetermined stop symbol (S722), and the fluctuation display of the special symbol is finished. do.

FIG. 23 is a flowchart showing the process of displaying decorative symbol variation. The effect determining means 303 of the sub-board 300 receives a command indicating the variation start and the effect display content from the main substrate 200 (S750), and stops the decorative symbol according to the received special symbol stop symbol, variation pattern, and hit / fail determination result. The mode is determined (S752), and the variation effect pattern corresponding to the variation pattern is determined (S754). Here, when the precursor setting is turned on by the preliminary determination (Y in S756), the already determined variable effect pattern includes a specific effect content that should be avoided from being superimposed on the advance notice effect. If it is not (N of S758) and it is not a symbol change that is the trigger for turning on the precursor setting (N of S760), the setting for displaying the predetermined advance notice effect is executed (S764), and the precursor setting is set. If it is a symbol change that is an on-trigger (Y in S760), the precursor setting is turned off (S762). When the precursor setting is not on (N in S756) or when the variable effect pattern includes a specific effect content (Y in S758), the processes of S760 to S764 are skipped.

After that, the variation effect display of the decorative symbol is started (S766), the variation effect display process of the decorative symbol and (S768) are executed, the notice effect display process is executed (S770), and the variation stop command is received from the main board 200. When S768 and S770 are repeated (N in S772) and the fluctuation stop command is received (Y in S772), the symbol variation display is stopped by stopping and displaying the decorative symbol in the stop mode determined in S752 (S774). ), The variable production of the decorative pattern is completed (S776).

FIG. 24 is a flowchart showing the process of the special game. First, the effect display control means 305 starts the effect process of the special game (S800), and the open / close control means 275 opens the grand prize opening 20 (S802). If the predetermined opening time has not passed (N of S804) and the number of balls entered into the large winning opening 20 has not reached 9 or more, the game returns to S804 (N of S806), and the predetermined opening time has passed (N of S806). Although the opening time has not passed (Y of S804) (N of S804), when the number of balls entered into the large winning opening 20 reaches 9 or more (Y of S806), the opening / closing control means 275 is the large winning opening. 20 is closed (S810).

If the unit game has not reached the final round (N in S810), 1 is added to the number of rounds to return to S802 (S812), and if the unit game has reached the final round (Y in S810), the effect display is displayed. The control means 305 ends the effect processing of the special game (S814), the special game control means 260 ends the special game (S816), and starts the execution of the specific game, that is, the probability change, the time saving, and the easy-to-enter state (S818). ).

FIG. 25 is a flowchart showing the process of the small hit game. In the small hit game, a unit game that is executed only once is started (S819), the large winning opening 20 is opened (S820), and the opening is continued until a predetermined opening time elapses (N of S822). When the time has passed (Y of S822), the large winning opening 20 is closed (S824), and if the opening and closing of the set number of times has not been completed (N of S826), 1 is added to the number of opening and closing to return to S820. (S828) If the opening and closing for the set number of times is completed (Y in S826), the small hit game is ended.

[Example]
Hereinafter, the characteristic parts of this embodiment will be described. In this embodiment, the details of the commands (commands) transmitted and received in order to transmit the information necessary for executing the effect in the gaming machine will be described. In this embodiment, the effect determining means 303 shown in FIG. 9 is realized by the sub CPU 310 shown in FIG. 11 as hardware, and the effect control means 304 shown in FIG. 9 is realized in FIGS. 11 and 11 as hardware. It is realized by the control CPU 320 of the effect control device 313 shown in 12. The effect determined by the effect determining means 303 of the sub CPU 310 is executed by the effect control means 304 of the effect control device 313, but the information necessary for executing the effect is in the form of a command from the sub CPU 310 to the effect control device 313. Will be sent. In the following description, since the effect displayed on the effect display device 60 is mainly referred to, the operation of the effect control means 304 and the operation of the effect display control means 305 may be described without any particular distinction.

[Example 1: Stop symbol of decorative symbol]
In the first embodiment, a command (command) transmitted from the sub CPU 310 to the control CPU 320 to specify the final stop symbol, the temporary stop symbol, and the pause symbol of the decorative symbol will be described.

In this embodiment, the instruction data transmitted from the sub CPU 310 to the control CPU 320 is composed of a combination of instruction type data so-called MODE data and instruction content data so-called EVENT data. The sub CPU 310 can send one instruction by transmitting the instruction type data and the instruction content data in association with each other to the control CPU 320. The instruction type data is a 12-bit bit string indicating the instruction type, and a unique type code is assigned to each instruction type in advance at the development stage. The instruction content data is a 12-bit bit string indicating the content of the instruction. The sub CPU 310 continuously transmits instruction type data and instruction content data, and the control CPU 320 that continuously receives these data recognizes the previously received data as instruction type data, and the data received immediately after that is the instruction content. Recognize as data. However, the method may be set in which the most significant bit of the instruction type data and the instruction content data is set as an identification bit indicating which of the instruction type data and the instruction content data. In that case, for example, when the most significant bit is 1, it may indicate that it is instruction type data, and when the most significant bit is 0, it may indicate that it is instruction content data. In this embodiment, a 12-bit bit string is illustrated as the instruction type data and the instruction content data, but the bit string may be configured with a number of bits other than 12 bits.

FIG. 26 is a diagram schematically showing a bit string structure of instruction content data. FIG. 3A is the structure of the final symbol bit string 400 for designating the final stop symbol of the decorative symbol. The sub CPU 310 includes instruction type data indicating that the instruction type specifies the final stop symbol and the instruction of the present figure (a) as an instruction for designating the stop mode to be displayed when the three decorative symbols 61 are finally stopped. The combination with the content data is transmitted to the effect display control means 305 for each decorative symbol string. The instruction type data indicates that the final symbol bit string 400 is an instruction for designating the final stop symbol of one of the three decorative symbol strings (for example, the left symbol). When the effect display control means 305 receives three sets of commands for designating the final stop symbols, the effect display control means 305 displays the final stop mode with the stop symbols of the three decorative symbols specified based on the three command content data. ..

The symbol type portion 402 “Z”, which is the most significant bit of the 12-bit final symbol bit string 400, indicates which of the first special symbol 51 and the second special symbol 52 is the decorative symbol. For example, when the bit of the symbol type portion 402 is "0", it indicates that it is a decorative symbol corresponding to the first special symbol 51, and when the bit is "1", it is a decorative symbol corresponding to the second special symbol 52. Indicates that there is. The symbol designation unit 404 expresses a value indicating the final stop symbol as "AAA" with 3 bits. That is, eight symbol types from "0" to "7" are indicated by the bit strings from "000" to "111".

As described above, in this embodiment, the stop symbol type is specified by one command for each symbol for the three decorative symbol rows, and the stop symbol type is transmitted as a command. This is a specification based on the request that the final stop symbol must be displayed accurately because it is an element that directly affects the interests of the player. Even if a communication error occurs for any of the commands as a result of transmitting the commands specified individually for each symbol, the other symbols should be displayed normally if at least there is no error in the command for specifying the other symbol. Can be done.

When the effect display control means 305 receives a command of a stop symbol indicating that it corresponds to the first special symbol 51 during the variable display of the decorative symbol corresponding to the first special symbol 51, it determines that the command is correct. Then, stop and display at the specified symbol. However, when the instruction of the stop symbol indicating to correspond to the second special symbol 52 is received, it is determined that the instruction is an erroneous instruction or a communication error, and the instruction is discarded. Further, the effect display control means 305 is a correct command when it receives a command of a stop symbol indicating that it corresponds to the second special symbol 52 during the variable display of the decorative symbol corresponding to the second special symbol 52. Is judged, and the display is stopped at the specified symbol. However, when the instruction of the stop symbol indicating to correspond to the first special symbol 51 is received, it is determined that the instruction is an erroneous instruction or a communication error, and the instruction is discarded.

FIG. 3B is a structure of a pseudo conjunctive bit string 410 that specifies a temporary stop symbol in the pseudo continuous fluctuation effect. This command displays the three decorative symbols as if they were paused in one symbol change period (hereinafter, such a display state is referred to as "temporary stop"), so that the symbol change is executed a plurality of times in a pseudo manner. It is an instruction to specify a temporary stop mode in a pseudo continuous fluctuation effect that makes it appear as if it was done. The sub CPU 310 transmits to the effect display control means 305 a combination of the instruction type data indicating that the instruction type specifies the temporary stop mode in the pseudo continuous variation effect and the instruction content data of the figure (b). When the effect display control means 305 receives a command for designating the temporary stop mode of the pseudo continuous variation effect, the effect display control means 305 displays the temporary stop mode of the three decorative symbols specified based on one command content data.

The number of times designation unit 412 “YY”, which is the 2 bits from the most significant bit of the 12-bit pseudo-continuous bit string 410, indicates the number of temporary stops in the pseudo-continuous variation effect. For example, when the bit of the number designation unit 412 is "00", it indicates "first time", when it is "01", it indicates "second time", and it is possible to indicate up to "fourth time". The first symbol designation unit 414 "BBB", which is the third bit from the lowest, indicates the type of the right symbol, and the second symbol designation unit 416 "CCC", which is the upper three bits thereof, indicates the type of the middle symbol. Further, the third symbol designation unit 418 “DDD”, which is the upper 3 bits thereof, indicates the type of the left symbol. Each of the first symbol designation unit 414, the second symbol designation unit 416, and the third symbol designation unit 418 indicates eight symbol types from "0" to "7" by bit strings from "000" to "111". Can be done.

The format of this command content data is different from the final symbol bit string 400 that specifies the symbol type for each decorative symbol string, and the three designated information corresponding to the temporarily stopped symbol types of the three decorative symbol strings is used as one command content data. It is a format to be aggregated and specified in. Since the final stop symbol is information indicating the interest of the player, it is necessary to display more accurate information, and the command is transmitted separately for each symbol, whereas the temporary stop symbol in the pseudo continuous fluctuation effect is the final stop. Since it can be said that the accuracy of the symbols is not required, the information of three symbols is transmitted by one command in order to give priority to the efficiency of data transmission / reception. In the unlikely event that a communication error or the like occurs in the transmission of instruction data, a predetermined out-of-design mode may be displayed instead of the three decorative symbols for replacement at the time of error. By simplifying the communication and processing methods according to the importance of the symbol in this way, the communication load and the processing load can be reduced.

FIG. 3C is a structure of a pre-re-lottery symbol bit string 420 that specifies a paused symbol before the re-lottery in the re-lottery effect. This command is temporarily stopped in the same type of symbol combination mode indicating a big hit, and then the fluctuation is restarted with the same type of combination and finally stopped in another same type of symbol combination mode. It is an instruction to specify the mode. For example, after the symbol changes for a predetermined time, the player is shown that at least the big hit has been confirmed by temporarily displaying the combination of "666" indicating the big hit. From that state, with the three symbols aligned, the symbol type is changed and displayed in a variable manner, such as "777", "888", "999", and "000". Stop it.

The sub CPU 310 is an instruction type for designating the pause mode before the re-lottery as a command for designating the pause mode for displaying the three decorative symbols 61 as if they were temporarily stopped in the jackpot mode before the re-lottery. The combination of the command type data indicating the above and the command content data of the present figure (c) is transmitted to the effect display control means 305. Since this pause mode is a jackpot mode and it is premised that three decorative symbols are of the same type, it is sufficient to transmit the designation information of one symbol type. When the effect display control means 305 receives a command for designating the pause mode before the re-lottery, the effect display control means 305 displays the pause mode of the three decorative symbols 61 specified based on one command content data, and then re-displays. Display the lottery effect.

Of the 12-bit pre-re-lottery symbol bit string 420, the symbol designation unit 422 “EEE”, which is the 3 bits from the lowest, indicates which symbol type the three decorative symbols are aligned with. The symbol designation unit 422 can indicate eight symbol types from "0" to "7" by the bit string from "000" to "111".

This command is different from the final symbol bit string 400 that specifies the symbol type for each decorative symbol string, and it is sufficient to transmit the instruction content data including the designation information for one symbol once. Further, unlike the pseudo conjunctive bit string 410 in which the temporary stop symbol types of the three decorative symbol strings are specified by one instruction content data, one instruction content data includes one symbol designation information. Since the final stop symbol is information indicating the interest of the player, it is necessary to display more accurate information, and the command is transmitted separately for each symbol, whereas the pause symbol before the re-lottery is the final stop symbol. Since it can be said that such accuracy is not required, priority is given to the efficiency of data transmission / reception, and three symbols are specified by the symbol designation command for one symbol. In the unlikely event that a communication error or the like occurs in the transmission of instruction data, a predetermined temporary jackpot symbol mode that is predetermined for replacement at the time of error may be displayed instead of the three decorative symbols. By simplifying the communication and processing methods according to the importance of the symbol in this way, the communication load and the processing load can be reduced.

FIG. 27 is a time chart showing the timing of commands in the variable display of decorative symbols. This figure (a) shows the timing of a command in a normal decorative symbol variation display. First, a fluctuation start command is transmitted from the sub CPU 310 to the effect display control means 305 at the timing of the symbol fluctuation start (S300). A command for designating the final stop symbol is transmitted at the timing when the final symbol stop is started after the predetermined time has elapsed (S302). At this time, in order to transmit commands for each decorative symbol sequence, two commands are transmitted for three sets, and a total of six commands are transmitted. Then, a command to stop the symbol is transmitted at the timing of completely stopping (S304). By transmitting a command from the sub CPU 310 to the effect display control means 305 in this way, the display content in the symbol variation effect is controlled.

FIG. 3B shows the timing of instructions in the pseudo continuous fluctuation effect. First, a fluctuation start command is transmitted from the sub CPU 310 to the effect display control means 305 at the timing of the symbol fluctuation start (S310). A command for designating the first temporary stop symbol is transmitted at the timing when the apparent one-time symbol variation period constituting the pseudo continuous variation elapses (S312). At this time, one set of instruction data is transmitted because the information for designating the three decorative symbol strings is included in one instruction content data. Next, a command for designating the second temporary stop symbol is transmitted at the timing when the second apparent symbol change period elapses (S314). Here, too, a set of instruction data is transmitted. Further, a command for designating the final stop symbol is transmitted at the timing when the final symbol stop is started after the third apparent symbol change period elapses (S316). In this case, since it is the final stop symbol, three sets of instructions, a total of six instruction data, are transmitted. Then, a command to stop the symbol is transmitted at the timing of completely stopping (S318). By transmitting a command from the sub CPU 310 to the effect display control means 305 in this way, the display content in the pseudo continuous variation effect including two temporary stops is controlled.

FIG. 3C shows the timing of commands in the re-lottery effect. First, a fluctuation start command is transmitted from the sub CPU 310 to the effect display control means 305 at the timing of the symbol fluctuation start (S320), and a pause symbol is specified at the timing of displaying a temporary jackpot before the re-lottery after a predetermined time has elapsed. Is transmitted (S322). At this time, since the three decorative symbols are displayed in the same type, a set of instruction data for designating only one decorative symbol is transmitted. Then, a command for designating the final stop symbol is transmitted at the timing when the final symbol stop is started after the predetermined time for displaying the re-lottery effect has elapsed (S324). In this case, since it is the final stop symbol, three sets of instructions, a total of six instruction data, are transmitted. Then, a command to stop the symbol is transmitted at the timing of completely stopping (S326). By transmitting a command from the sub CPU 310 to the effect display control means 305 in this way, the display content in the re-lottery effect including the pause before the re-lottery is controlled.

The horizontal axis in this figure indicates the elapsed time, but here it merely schematically shows the relationship between the timing of command transmission. Therefore, although the lengths of the horizontal axes that are equal in (a) to (c) are shown, this does not necessarily mean that the time lengths of the variable effects are equal.

FIG. 28 is a diagram showing a table of instruction type data and instruction content data indicating the final stop symbol type of the decorative symbol. The instruction type data in this figure indicates that it is the type that specifies the final stop symbol type of the left symbol among the three decorative symbol strings. The instruction content data of this figure indicates which of the first special symbol 51 and the second special symbol 52 the decorative symbol sequence corresponds to, and the type of the stop symbol.

In the first instruction table 430, the instruction content is shown in the first column 432. In the second column 434, information to be transmitted as instruction type data (MODE data) is shown in hexadecimal. The information to be transmitted as instruction content data (EVENT data) is shown in hexadecimal in the third column 436, and the information is shown in binary in the fourth column 438.

For example, in the second column 434, "401" indicating that the type specifies the final stop symbol type of the left symbol is indicated by a hexadecimal number. All the commands shown in this figure are commands for designating the final stop symbol type of the left symbol, and all of these types are "401". When "0" is specified as the decorative symbol corresponding to the first special symbol 51, in the third column 436, the content corresponding to the first special symbol 51 and the content for specifying the symbol type "0" are hexadecimal. "000" represented by is shown. In the fourth column 438, "000000000000" representing the content for designating "0" as the decorative symbol corresponding to the first special symbol 51 in binary is shown. Here, the most significant bit "0" indicates that it corresponds to the first special symbol 51, and the 3 bits "000" from the least significant bit indicate the symbol "0". Similarly, when "1" to "7" are specified as the decorative symbols corresponding to the first special symbol 51, "001" to "007" are shown in hexadecimal numbers, respectively, and "0000000000001" to "000000000111" in binary numbers. Is shown. When "0" to "7" are specified as the decorative symbols corresponding to the second special symbol 52, "800" to "807" represented by hexadecimal numbers are shown in the third column 436, and in the fourth column 438. Is expressed as a binary number from "100000000000000" to "100000000111".

FIG. 29 is a diagram showing a table of instruction type data and instruction content data for designating a temporary stop symbol in the pseudo continuous variation effect. The instruction type data in this figure indicates that it is a type that specifies a temporary stop symbol in the pseudo continuous variation effect. The instruction content data in this figure indicates the stop symbol types of the three decorative symbol rows.

In the first instruction table 440, the instruction content is shown in the first column 442. In the second column 444, the information to be transmitted as the instruction type data is shown in hexadecimal. The information to be transmitted as instruction content data is shown in hexadecimal in the third column 446, and the information is shown in binary in the fourth column 448.

For example, in the second column 444, "411" indicating in hexadecimal that it is a type for designating the temporary stop symbol type in the pseudo continuous fluctuation effect is shown. All the commands shown in this figure are commands for designating the types of temporary stop symbols in the pseudo continuous variation effect, and all of these types are "411". When the symbol combination of "012" is specified as the first temporary stop symbol mode, the third column 446 indicates that it is the first time and the content for specifying the symbol combination "012" is expressed in hexadecimal "00A". Is shown. In the fourth column 448, "000000001010" indicating the content of designating the symbol combination of "012" as the first temporary stop symbol mode in binary is shown. Here, the 2 bits "00" from the most significant bit indicate the "first time", the 3 bits "010" from the lowestmost bit indicate the right symbol "2", and the upper 3 bits "001" are in the middle. The symbol "1" is shown, and the upper three bits "000" indicate the left symbol "0". When "123" is specified as the first temporary stop symbol mode, "053" is indicated in hexadecimal and "0000001010011" is indicated in binary. In this case, the most significant bit "0" indicates the "first time", the 3 bits "011" from the least significant bit indicates the right symbol "3", and the upper 3 bits "010" indicates the middle symbol "010". 2 ”is indicated, and the upper 3 bits“ 001 ”indicates the left symbol“ 1 ”. Similarly, hexadecimal information indicating "234", "345", "456", "567", "670", and "701" as the first temporary stop symbol mode is shown in the third column 446, and the binary information is the first. It is shown in column 4, 448.

When the symbol combination of "012" is specified as the second temporary stop symbol mode, the third column 446 indicates that it is the second time and the content of specifying the symbol combination "012" is represented by a hexadecimal number "40A". Is shown. In the fourth column 448, "0100000001010" indicating the content for designating the symbol combination of "012" as the second provisional stop symbol mode in binary is shown. Here, the 2 bits "01" from the most significant bit indicates "the second time", the 3 bits "010" from the lowestmost bit indicates the right symbol "2", and the upper 3 bits "001" are in the middle. The symbol "1" is shown, and the upper three bits "000" indicate the left symbol "0". Similarly, hexadecimal information indicating "234", "345", "456", "567", "670", and "701" as the second temporary stop symbol mode is shown in the third column 446, and the binary information is the first. It is shown in column 4, 448.

FIG. 30 is a diagram showing a table of instruction type data and instruction content data for designating a pause symbol before re-lottery in the re-lottery effect. The instruction type data in this figure indicates that it is a type that specifies the pause symbol type before the re-lottery. The instruction content data in this figure indicates which symbol type the three decorative symbols are aligned as the pause symbol.

In the first instruction table 450, the instruction content is shown in the first column 452. In the second column 454, the information to be transmitted as the instruction type data is shown in hexadecimal. The information to be transmitted as instruction content data is shown in hexadecimal in the third column 456, and the information is shown in binary in the fourth column 458.

For example, in the second column 454, "421" indicating in hexadecimal that it is a type for designating the pause symbol before the re-lottery in the re-lottery effect is shown. All the commands shown in this figure are commands for designating the pause symbol type before the re-lottery, and all of these types are "421". When "0" is specified as the pause symbol, "000" indicating the content for specifying the symbol type "0" in hexadecimal is shown in the third column 456, and the pause symbol is shown in the fourth column 458. As a binary number, "000000000000" is shown to represent the content for which "0" is specified. In this case, the lower 3 bits "000" indicate the symbol "0". Similarly, when "1" to "7" are specified as the pause symbols, "001" to "007" are indicated in hexadecimal numbers, and "0000000000001" to "000000000111" are indicated in binary numbers, respectively.

In the above embodiment, three symbol types are designated as temporary stop symbol modes in the pseudo continuous variation effect, and only one symbol is designated as the temporary stop symbol mode before re-lottery by one command content data. An example was explained. In the modified example, a configuration may be realized in which one type of three decorative symbols constituting the reach symbol mode is specified by one instruction content data. For example, in the case of a specification in which the left symbol and the right symbol are aligned with the same type of symbol, the information for specifying the symbol type is included, and the number of the middle symbol indicates whether the number of the middle symbol is one larger or one smaller than the number of the left and right symbols. It may be instruction content data including 1-bit information. Further, as a result, the symbol type represented by 3 bits in the embodiment may be represented by 4 bits or more.

In another modification, it may be command content data including information indicating in which order the three decorative symbols are stopped, or it may be developed into reach as one of the symbols when stopped at a predetermined type. In order to indicate, it may be instruction content data including information indicating a predetermined type of stop that triggers the development.

In the above-described embodiment, an example in which all three symbol types are specified as the temporary stop symbol modes in the pseudo continuous fluctuation effect has been described. In the modification, only one of the three symbols may be designated as the symbol type, and the difference from the specified type may be used as the instruction content data in the format of designating the remaining symbols. For example, if the symbol combination is "789", "7" is specified as the reference left symbol, "1" is specified as the middle symbol, and "2" is the difference as the right symbol. Three symbols can be specified by a method such as specifying. Further, in order to indicate whether the difference is added or subtracted with respect to the reference symbol, information indicating whether the symbol types are arranged in "ascending order" or "descending order" may be further included.

As another variation example, one of the three decorative symbols is specified as a reference symbol type, and information indicating what kind of pattern the difference from the remaining symbol types is composed of the symbol as a reference. May be included. For example, if "Pattern A" is the difference between the left symbol and the reference symbol, the difference is "2" for the middle symbol and the difference is "4" for the right symbol, the type of the reference symbol and "Pattern A" are selected. Three symbol types can be indicated simply by specifying.

[Example 2: Hold change effect]
In the second embodiment, a command (command) transmitted from the sub CPU 310 to the control CPU 320 in order to specify the content of the effect related to the reserved ball image will be described.

In this embodiment, as a look-ahead effect based on the pre-determination result transmitted from the main board 200, an effect display device is used to suggest the result of the hit / fail determination corresponding to the reserved ball held by the special figure holding means 241. It is possible to execute a hold change effect that changes the hold ball image displayed on the 60. The main CPU 290, which also functions as a transmission means, shows the result of a winning / failing determination based on the lottery value acquired when the ball enters the first starting port 11 or the second starting port 12. Regardless of whether or not the variation display of the symbol is started immediately, the information regarding the lottery value acquired in the wake of the ball entry is transmitted to the sub-board 300 as the preliminary determination information. When the effect determining means 303 receives the preliminary determination information corresponding to the lottery value held by the special figure holding means 241 from the main CPU 290, the effect determining means 303 produces an effect to suggest a winning degree of expectation based on the preliminary determination information. As the holding ball image displayed on the display device 60, an image is determined based on the received prior determination information from a plurality of types of images having different expectations of hitting.

The effect determining means 303 includes hold change position information indicating which hold ball image is to be changed when changing any of the hold ball images displayed on the effect display device 60, and hold after the change. The hold display content information indicating the display content of the sphere image is transmitted to the effect control means 304 with the command 1. The effect control means 304 displays the hold change effect on the effect display device 60 based on the received command.

FIG. 31 shows an example of an effect image displayed on the effect display device 60. On the screen of the effect display device 60, a decorative symbol 710, a hold ball image 724 for suggesting a jackpot expectation corresponding to the hold ball held by the special figure hold means 241, and a special symbol being displayed in a variable manner are displayed. The variable hold ball image 722 for suggesting the corresponding jackpot expectation is displayed. In the present embodiment, the special figure holding means 241 can hold a maximum of 4 each of the first winning / failing lottery value and the second winning / failing lottery value, so that a maximum of eight reserved ball images 724 are displayed. .. In the example of this figure, as the variable hold ball image 722, a character 730 having a signboard 732 capable of displaying characters and images is displayed.

When the effect determining means 303 receives the preliminary determination information from the main CPU 290, the holding ball image that holds the correspondence between the type of the holding ball image and the range of the holding ball image lottery value for determining the type of the holding ball image. With reference to the table, the reserved ball image is determined by lottery. In the hold ball image table referred to for determining the hold ball image, when the result of the hit / fail judgment corresponding to the pre-judgment information is a big hit or when the fluctuation pattern is a specific fluctuation pattern (for example, reach fluctuation pattern). The range of the reserved ball image lottery value is set so that the probability that an image with a high suggested jackpot expectation is selected is higher than when the image is out of alignment or the variation pattern is other than the specific variation pattern. It is set. The specific variation pattern is a pass / fail judgment such as an effect of a reach mode such as a super reach effect, or a pseudo continuous variation effect that makes it appear that the variation display of a symbol is performed a plurality of times in a pseudo variation display of a symbol. It may be a variation pattern in which an effect suggesting that the result is a big hit and the expectation of a big hit is high can be executed. The effect display control means 305 displays the hold ball image determined by the effect determination means 303 in the display area of the hold ball image provided at a predetermined position of the effect display device 60 according to a predetermined rule. In the example of this figure, the display area of the reserved ball image that can display up to four reserved ball images related to the first game and the reserved ball image that can display up to four reserved ball images related to the second game. The display area of is provided separately, and the reserved ball images related to each game are displayed in the order of entering the ball. When the variation display of the symbol indicating the result of the hit / fail judgment corresponding to the variable hold ball image 722 is completed, the hold ball image corresponding to the next change display of the special symbol is displayed on the variable hold ball image 722, and other pending balls are displayed. The sphere image is shifted one by one.

The effect determining means 303 performs a hold change effect that changes any of the hold ball images displayed on the effect display device 60 to a different type of image with a predetermined probability when a predetermined condition is satisfied. It is feasible. When it is determined that the hold change effect is to be executed, the effect determination means 303 determines by lottery or the like which type of image the hold ball image corresponds to which hold ball image is to be changed, and the effect is produced. Notify the control means 304. In this embodiment, the hold change effect is executed for only one of the hold ball images displayed on the effect display device 60. Therefore, when the hold change effect targeting any of the hold ball images has already been executed, the effect determination means 303 does not determine to execute the hold change effect targeting another hold ball image. In another example, the hold change effect for a plurality of hold ball images may be executed in parallel at the same time.

The contents of the commands related to the pending change effect will be described below. The number of reserved balls of the first special symbol and the second special symbol is managed by the special symbol holding means 241 which is a function of the main CPU 290 of the main board 200. When the number of reserved balls held by the special figure holding means 241 increases or decreases, or when the above-mentioned power off / returning process is executed after the power is turned on, the main CPU 290 uses the number of reserved balls of the first special symbol and the first 2 A special symbol storage number designation command for designating the number of reserved balls of the special symbol is transmitted to the sub-board 300. This special symbol storage number designation command includes information indicating that it is a special symbol storage number designation command as MODE data, and information indicating the number of reserved balls of the first special symbol and the second special symbol as EVENT data. .. As described above, the EVENT data of the command transmitted from the main board 200 to the sub board 300 is 1-byte data, and the EVENT data of the special symbol storage number specification command holds the second special symbol in the upper 4 bits. The number of balls is stored in the lower 4 bits, respectively, and the number of reserved balls of the first special symbol is stored. For example, when the number of reserved balls of the first special symbol is four and the number of reserved balls of the second special symbol is one, the EVENT data of the special symbol storage number specification command to be transmitted includes "14" in hexadecimal. Is stored. As described above, in this embodiment, when the main board 200 notifies the sub board 300 of the number of reserved balls of the first special symbol and the second special symbol, the number of reserved balls of the first special symbol and the second special symbol Since the holding ball is transmitted with one command, the number of commands can be reduced, and the communication load and the processing load can be reduced.

Upon receiving the special symbol storage number designation command, the effect determining means 303 holds the number of reserved balls of the first special symbol and the second special symbol, and determines the content of the effect related to the reserved ball image to the effect control means 304. Send. 32 to 37 show the details of the command transmitted from the effect determining means 303 to the effect control means 304, and then the flow of the hold change effect will be described with reference to the example shown in FIG. 38.

FIG. 32 is a diagram showing the contents of the hold number designation command. The hold number designation command is used to specify the number of hold balls held by the special figure hold means 241. Of the 12-bit hold number specification command bit string, the 3 bits of the 6th to 8th bits indicate the hold number of the 2nd special symbol, and the 3 bits of the 10th to 12th bits indicate the hold number of the 1st special symbol. .. For both the first special symbol and the second special symbol, the value represented by a 3-bit binary number indicates the number of reservations. As described above, in this embodiment, even when the effect determining means 303 notifies the effect control means 304 of the number of reserved balls of the first special symbol and the second special symbol, the number of reserved balls of the first special symbol and the first Since the holding ball of the 2 special symbols is transmitted by one command, the number of commands can be reduced, and the communication load and the processing load can be reduced.

When the above-mentioned special symbol storage number designation command is received from the main CPU 200, the effect determining means 303 combines the command type data “AB0” indicating that the command is a hold number designation command with the command content data of the present figure. It is transmitted to the effect control means 304. Upon receiving the hold number designation command, the effect control means 304 holds the number of hold balls of the first special symbol and the second special symbol, and recognizes an increase or decrease in the number of hold balls. When the number of reserved balls increases, the effect control means 304 displays the reserved ball image of the increased reserved balls on the effect display device 60. At this time, if the hold display designation command described later is received, the hold ball image is displayed in the display mode specified by the hold display designation command, and if the hold display designation command is not received, the default is displayed. Display the pending image. When the number of reserved balls decreases, the effect control means 304 displays the image of the reserved balls after the decrease on the effect display device 60, so that the number of reserved ball images is reduced. When the hold change effect is executed, the position and display contents of the hold ball image in which an image of a type other than the default hold image is displayed is specified by the hold display specification command described later. When the hold number specification command is not normally received, such as when the value of the bit included in the received hold number specification command is out of the range of the values shown in this figure, the effect control means 304 uses the hold number specification command. Is ignored, and processing such as updating the hold ball image that should be executed when the hold number specification command is received is not executed.

FIG. 33 is a diagram showing the contents of the hold display designation command. The hold display designation command is used to notify the effect control means 304 of the position of the hold ball image to be changed and the display content of the hold ball image after the change when the hold change effect is executed. Of the 12-bit hold display designation command bit string, the 2 bits of the 3rd to 4th bits indicate the contents displayed on the signboard of the character when the character is displayed as the hold ball image after the change, and the 5th bit. 1 bit of the bit indicates a method of changing the holding ball image, 3 bits of the 6th to 8th bits indicate the position of the holding ball image to be changed, and 3 bits of the 10th to 12th bits are holding after the change. Indicates the type of sphere image. As described above, since there is only one holding ball image that changes in this embodiment, only the position of one holding ball is specified as the holding change position, but in another example, it is specified. When it is possible to change a plurality of reserved sphere images, the positions of the plurality of reserved spheres may be specified. As described above, in the present embodiment, when changing any of the reserved ball images displayed on the effect display device 60, the reserved change position information indicating which reserved ball image is to be changed is used. Since the hold display content information indicating the display content of the hold ball image after the change is transmitted to the effect control means 304 with one command, the number of commands can be reduced and the communication load and processing load can be reduced. Can be done.

The effect determining means 303 transmits to the effect control means 304 a combination of the command type data “AB1” indicating that the command is a hold display designation command and the command content data of the present figure as a command for designating the content of the hold change effect. do. Upon receiving the hold display designation command, the effect control means 304 holds the contents of the hold change effect and executes the preparatory process necessary for displaying the hold change effect. The timing for changing the hold ball image includes when the number of hold balls increases or decreases and after executing the hold change notice effect suggesting that the hold ball image changes. In the former case, the effect control means 304 changes the hold ball image when the above-mentioned hold number designation command is received after receiving the hold display designation command. In the latter case, the effect control means 304 changes the hold ball image when the hold change notice designation command described later is received after receiving the hold display designation command. In the example of this figure, the holding ball image change method is specified in the hold display specification command, but in another example, the hold display specification command is not provided with a bit for specifying the change method of the hold ball image. You may. In this case, when the number of reserved balls increases, when the number of reserved balls increases, and when the number of reserved balls decreases, the reserved ball image is held after executing the hold change notice effect suggesting that the image changes. The sphere image may be changed. When "0" is specified as the hold change position, the effect control means 304 changes all the hold ball images displayed on the effect display device 60 to the default hold ball image, and initially displays the hold ball image. To become. When the hold display designation command is not normally received, the effect control means 304 ignores the hold display designation command and does not execute the process to be executed when the hold display designation command is received.

FIG. 34 is a diagram showing the contents of the signboard designation command at the time of change. The change signboard designation command is used to specify the content to be displayed on the signboard when the signboard is displayed as the change hold ball image. Of the 12-bit string of command bits for designating a signboard at the time of fluctuation, the 9th to 12th bits, 4 bits, indicate the signboard display content. The fluctuating signboard designation command is valid only when a signboard is specified (“1” or “2” as the value of the signboard designation bit string Z) by the above-mentioned hold display designation command.

The effect determining means 303 is a command for designating the content of the signboard to be displayed on the variable holding ball image, which is a command type data “AB2” indicating that the command is a signboard designation command at the time of fluctuation, and the command content data of the present figure. The combination is transmitted to the effect control means 304. Upon receiving the change signboard designation command, the effect control means 304 displays the content designated on the signboard of the change hold ball image. When the change signboard designation command is not normally received, the effect control means 304 displays the signboard of the change hold ball image assuming that the initial value "0" is specified.

FIG. 35 is a diagram showing the contents of the variable hold change designation command. The change hold change specification command is used to specify the display content of the hold ball image after the change when the hold change effect for changing the change hold ball image is executed. In this embodiment, it is possible to change the fluctuation holding ball image at the start of the pseudo second fluctuation display in the pseudo continuous fluctuation effect and at the start of the pseudo third fluctuation display. Of the 12-bit string of the variable hold change designation command bits, the 3 bits of the 6th to 8th bits indicate the display contents after the variable hold ball image is changed at the start of the pseudo second fluctuation display. The 3 bits of the 10th to 12th bits indicate the display contents after changing the fluctuation holding ball image at the start of the pseudo third fluctuation display. In addition, the "giraffe pattern character large" corresponding to the notice number "5" suggests that the result of the hit / fail judgment corresponding to the fluctuation has the highest expectation that it is a big hit, or it is definite that it is a big hit. This is the type of the variable hold ball image to be notified to. In the hold display designation command shown in FIG. 33, a notice number for designating the type of the hold ball image of "Kirin pattern character size" is not provided. That is, even when the hold change effect for the hold ball whose hit / fail judgment result is a big hit is executed, the change display of the special symbol corresponding to the hold ball is started. The hold change effect does not definitively notify that the result of the hit / fail judgment corresponding to the hold ball is a big hit. After the variable display of the special symbol corresponding to the reserved sphere is started, the variable reserved sphere image can be changed to the type of "Kirin pattern character large" with a predetermined probability.

When executing the hold change effect that changes the change hold ball image, the effect determination means 303 determines that the change hold change designation command is a command for designating the display content of the change hold ball image after the change. The combination of the command type data "AB3" shown and the command content data of this figure is transmitted to the effect control means 304. When the effect control means 304 receives the change hold change designation command, the effect control means 304 changes the change hold ball image to the designated display content at the start of the pseudo second or third variation display in the pseudo continuous variation effect. .. When the change hold change designation command is not normally received, the effect control means 304 does not change the change hold ball image assuming that the initial value "0" is specified. As described above, in this embodiment, when the hold ball image can be changed a plurality of times, the display contents of the hold ball image after the change can be collectively displayed by one command. Since it is transmitted, the number of commands can be reduced, and the communication load and processing load can be reduced.

FIG. 36 is a diagram showing the contents of the hold change notice designation command. The hold change notice specification command is used to specify the content of the hold change notice effect when the hold ball image is changed after executing the hold change notice effect that suggests that the hold ball image changes in the hold change effect. Used for. Of the 12-bit hold change notice designation command bit string, the 3 bits of the 10th to 12th bits indicate the content of the hold change notice effect. The hold change notice designation command is valid only when it is specified by the above-mentioned hold change notice designation command to change the hold ball image via the hold change notice effect (“1” as the value of the change method bit). NS. If the method for changing the hold ball image is not specified in the hold display specification command, it is valid only when the number of hold balls decreases after receiving the hold display specification command.

The effect determining means 303 is command type data "AB4" indicating that it is a hold change notice designation command as a command for designating the content of the hold change notice to be executed when the hold change notice effect is executed in the hold change effect. And the combination of the command content data of this figure is transmitted to the effect control means 304. When the effect control means 304 receives the hold change notice designation command, it displays the hold change notice effect specified by this command, and then displays the hold ball image at the position specified by the hold display designation command. Change to. When the hold change notice designation command is not normally received, the effect control means 304 displays the hold change notice effect in the effect of the hold display area, assuming that the initial value "0" is specified. The effect control means 304 displays a hold change notice effect using a mini character when "1" is specified, and uses a step-up notice for each stage when "2" and "3" are specified. Display the pending change notice effect. The difference between "2" and "3" is whether to display the hold change notice effect after SU1 or to display the hold change notice effect after SU2.

FIG. 37 is a diagram showing the contents of the hold change designation command during SP. The hold change specification command during SP is used to specify the content of the hold change effect when the hold change effect that changes the hold ball image is executed during the super reach effect. Of the 12-bit SP pending change designation command bit string, the 2 bits of the 11th to 12th bits indicate the content of the SP pending change effect.

When the hold change effect is executed during the super reach effect, the effect determination means 303 indicates that the command type data “AB5” indicates that the command is a hold change specification command during SP as a command for designating the content of the hold change effect to be executed. , And the combination with the command content data of this figure is transmitted to the effect control means 304. When the effect control means 304 receives the hold change designation command during SP, the effect control means 304 displays the hold change effect designated by this command. When the SP hold change designation command is not normally received, the effect control means 304 ignores the SP hold change designation command and does not execute the process to be executed when the SP hold change designation command is received.

FIG. 38 shows the flow of commands transmitted from the effect determining means 303 to the effect control means 304 in an example of the hold change effect. First, the outline of the pending change effect executed in the example of this figure will be described. When one holding ball of the first special symbol is held in the special figure holding means 241, the game ball wins in the first starting port 11 and the second holding ball is held in the special figure holding means 241. NS. The hold change effect is executed for this hold ball. At the time of the hold prize, the change suggestion hold image is displayed as the second hold ball image, and during the next change display of the special symbol, it is changed to the "green character small" image via the hold change notice effect. At the start of the pseudo second fluctuation display in the pseudo continuous fluctuation production executed during the fluctuation, the image is changed to a "red character large" image with the signboard "continue", and the super reach production developed from the pseudo continuous fluctuation production. Inside, change to a "Kirin pattern character size" image.

When the effect determining means 303 is notified by the special symbol memory number designation command transmitted from the main board 200 that the reserved ball of the first special symbol has newly won a prize, the effect changing effect targeting the reserved ball. Decide whether to execute. In the example of this figure, it is decided to execute the hold change effect for the second newly won hold ball, and first, the hold ball image of the newly won hold ball is not the default hold image but the change suggestion hold. In order to make an image, the instruction type data "AB1" indicating that it is a hold display designation command, "0 (none)" in the sign designation bit string Z, and "0 (change when hold increase / decrease)" in the change method bit Y, A combination with the instruction content data in which "3 (hold 2 changes)" is stored in the hold change position bit string X and "1 (change suggestion hold)" is stored in the hold display content bit string W is transmitted to the effect control means 304. Further, in order to update the display of the hold ball image, the command type data "AB0" indicating that the command is a hold number designation command, and "0 (0)" in the second special symbol hold number designation bit string Y, the first A combination with the command content data in which "2 (2 pieces)" is stored in the special symbol hold number designation bit string X is transmitted to the effect control means 304. The effect control means 304 displays the change suggestion hold image as the second hold ball image of the first special symbol when the hold number designation command is received.

It is assumed that the game ball is further won in the first starting port 11 until the variation display of the first special symbol, which was executed when the reserved ball of the second first special symbol is won, is completed. The effect determining means 303 is notified by the special symbol storage number designation command transmitted from the main board 200 that the reserved ball of the first special symbol has newly won a prize, but has already targeted the second reserved ball. Since it is decided to execute the hold change effect that has been performed, the hold change effect targeting the third hold ball is not executed. In order to update the display of the hold ball image, the effect determining means 303 sets the command type data “AB0” indicating that the command is a hold number designation command, and “0 (0 pieces)” in the second special symbol hold number designation bit string Y. , The combination with the command content data in which "3 (3 pieces)" is stored in the first special symbol hold number designation bit string X is transmitted to the effect control means 304. The effect control means 304 displays the default hold image as the third hold ball image of the first special symbol when the hold number designation command is received. At this time, the hold ball image that has already been displayed is not changed, so the hold display designation command is not transmitted.

When the execution of the variation display of the first special symbol is completed, the effect determining means 303 is instructed to indicate that it is a hold display designation command before the next variation display of the first special symbol is started. "AB1", "1 ("? ")" In the signboard designation bit string Z, "1 (change via notice)" in the change method bit Y, "2 (hold 1 changes)" in the hold change position bit string X, hold display A combination with the instruction content data in which "3 (small green character)" is stored in the content bit string W is transmitted to the effect control means 304. Further, in order to update the display of the hold ball image, the command type data "AB0" indicating that the command is a hold number designation command, and "0 (0)" in the second special symbol hold number designation bit string Y, the first A combination with the command content data in which "2 (2 pieces)" is stored in the special symbol hold number designation bit string X is transmitted to the effect control means 304. Since the effect control means 304 shifts the hold ball image one by one when the hold number designation command is received, the change suggestion hold image moves to the position of the first hold ball image of the first special symbol. However, since the change via advance notice is specified in the hold display specification command, it is not changed to the "green character small" image yet at this point.

The effect determining means 303 transmits a command indicating that the effect stage in the next first special symbol variation display is the "character C stage" to the effect control means 304, and then executes the command in conjunction with the effect display of the special symbol variation. A variation pattern designation command for starting the variation display of the decorative symbol to be performed is transmitted to the effect control means 304. The command related to the hold change effect and the command for designating the effect stage are transmitted before the variation pattern specification command, and this feature will be described in detail in the fifth embodiment. During the variable display of the special symbol, the effect determining means 303 is a hold change notice designation command in order to change the "change suggestion hold" image to the "green character small" image via the hold change notice effect. A combination of the command type data "AB4" to be shown and the command content data in which "2 (stage-specific change A)" is stored in the hold change notice bit string X is transmitted to the effect control means 304. The effect control means 304 displays the designated hold change notice effect on the occasion of receiving the hold change notice designation command, and then shifts the first hold ball image from the "change suggestion hold" image to the "green character small". Change to an image.

When the execution of the variation display of the first special symbol is completed, the effect determining means 303 is instructed to indicate that it is a hold display designation command before the next variation display of the first special symbol is started. "AB1", "1 ("? ")" In the signboard designation bit string Z, "0 (change when holding increase / decrease)" in the change method bit Y, "1 (holding)" in the hold change position bit string X, hold display content A combination with the instruction content data in which "3 (small green character)" is stored in the bit string W is transmitted to the effect control means 304. Further, in order to update the display of the hold ball image, the command type data "AB0" indicating that the command is a hold number designation command, and "0 (0)" in the second special symbol hold number designation bit string Y, the first A combination with the command content data in which "1 (1 piece)" is stored in the special symbol hold number designation bit string X is transmitted to the effect control means 304. The effect control means 304 changes the variable hold ball image to a "green character small" image when the hold number designation command is received.

The effect determining means 303 transmits a command indicating that the effect stage in the next first special symbol variation display is the "character C stage" to the effect control means 304, and then executes the command in conjunction with the effect display of the special symbol variation. A variation pattern designation command for starting the variation display of the decorative symbol to be performed is transmitted to the effect control means 304. The variation display of the first special symbol is the variation corresponding to the reserved ball that is the target of the hold change effect, and as the variation pattern, a variation pattern capable of executing the super reach effect after the pseudo continuous variation effect is selected. Has been done. In order to change the change holding ball image, the effect determining means 303 has command type data “AB2” indicating that the command is a signboard pattern designation command at the time of change, and “1 (“ continuation ”) in the signboard display content bit string X. Is transmitted to the effect control means 304 in combination with the command content data in which the data is stored. Further, the effect determining means 303 includes instruction type data “AB3” indicating that the command is the variable hold change designation command, “0 (no change)” in the pseudo 3 variation start bit string Y, and the pseudo 2 variation start bit string X. The combination with the command content data in which "4 (large red character)" is stored is transmitted to the effect control means 304. The effect control means 304 displays "continue" on the signboard of the change holding ball image when the change signboard pattern designation command is received, and at the start of the pseudo second change display, the change is made. Change the hold ball image from the "green character small" image to the "red character large" image.

During the super reach effect developed from the pseudo continuous variation effect, the instruction type data "AB5" indicating that the effect determining means 303 is the SP hold change designation command and "0 (hold is)" in the SP hold change bit string X When the combination with the command content data storing "reaction)" is transmitted to the effect control means 304, the effect control means 304 is displayed as the change hold ball image when the SP hold change designation command is received. Reacts a "red character large" image. Further, the instruction type data "AB5" indicating that the effect determining means 303 is the SP pending change designation command, and the instruction content data in which "1 (changed to a red plate)" is stored in the SP pending change bit string X. When the combination of the above is transmitted to the effect control means 304, the effect control means 304 changes the "red character large" image displayed as the variable hold ball image to "red" when the SP hold change designation command is received. Change to "plate" image. Further, the instruction type data "AB5" indicating that the effect determining means 303 is the SP pending change designation command, and the instruction content data in which "0 (holding is a reaction)" is stored in the SP pending change bit string X. When the combination is transmitted to the effect control means 304, the effect control means 304 reacts with the "red plate" image displayed as the variable hold ball image, triggered by the reception of the SP hold change designation command.

As described above, in the present embodiment, when the number of reserved balls of the first special symbol and the second special symbol is notified from the main board 200 to the sub-board 300, the number of reserved balls of the first special symbol and the second special symbol are used. Since the reserved ball of the symbol is transmitted with one command, the number of commands can be reduced, and the communication load and the processing load can be reduced. Further, in the present embodiment, when the effect determining means 303 notifies the effect control means 304 of the number of reserved balls of the first special symbol and the second special symbol, the number of reserved balls of the first special symbol and the second special symbol are also notified. Since the reserved ball of the symbol is transmitted with one command, the number of commands can be reduced, and the communication load and the processing load can be reduced.

Further, in the present embodiment, when changing any of the reserved ball images displayed on the effect display device 60, the reserved ball image indicating which reserved ball image is to be changed and the reserved change position information after the change. Since the hold display content information indicating the display content of the hold ball image is transmitted to the effect control means 304 with one command, the number of commands can be reduced and the communication load and processing load can be reduced. .. Further, in the present embodiment, when the hold ball image can be changed a plurality of times, the display contents of the hold ball image after the change are collectively transmitted by one command. Therefore, the number of commands can be reduced, and the communication load and processing load can be reduced.

[Example 3: Button production]
In the third embodiment, a command (command) transmitted from the sub CPU 310 to the control CPU 320 to specify the content of the effect using the effect button 109 or the cross key 110 (hereinafter, referred to as “button effect”) will be described. Hereinafter, the effect button 109 and the cross key 110 are collectively referred to as an "operation button".

FIG. 39 shows an example of an effect image displayed on the effect display device 60. On the screen of the effect display device 60, a decorative symbol 710, a suggestion image 750 suggesting button operation, and a gauge image 752 showing the remaining time until the end of the period for accepting the operation of the operation button are displayed. When the player executes the button operation suggested by the suggestion image 750, the corresponding effect is executed. If the player does not perform the button operation during the period indicated by the gauge image 752, the suggestion image 750 and the gauge image 752 are erased, the corresponding effect is not executed, and an alternative effect is executed. In another example, the corresponding effect may be performed regardless of whether or not the player has performed the button operation.

FIG. 40 is a diagram showing the contents of the button type designation command. The button type specification command is used to specify the content of the button effect when the button effect is executed. Of the 12-bit button type specification command bit string, the 5 bits of the 1st to 5th bits indicate the type of the corresponding advance notice effect executed when the operation button is operated, and the 4 bits of the 6th to 9th bits are The display content of the gauge image is shown, and the 3 bits of the 10th to 12th bits indicate the type of the button displayed as the suggestion image. As described above, in the present embodiment, when the button effect is executed, the information indicating the type of the suggestion image indicating the button operation displayed on the effect display device 60 and the end of the period for accepting the operation of the operation button Information indicating the type of gauge image displayed on the effect display device 60 to indicate the remaining time until, and information indicating the type of effect executed when the operation button is operated are produced by one command. Since it is transmitted to the control means 304, the number of commands can be reduced, and the communication load and the processing load can be reduced.

When the effect determination means 303 executes the button effect, the command type data “A80” indicating that the command is a button type designation command and the instruction content data of the present figure are used as commands for designating the content of the button effect to be executed. The combination with and is transmitted to the effect control means 304. Upon receiving the button type designation command, the effect control means 304 displays the suggestion image and gauge image of the button type specified by this command on the effect display device 60, and then executes the button operation of the content instructed by the player. In that case, the response notice effect specified by this command is executed. The display mode of the gauge image suggests the degree of expectation that the result of the hit / fail judgment corresponding to the special symbol in the variable display is a big hit.

FIG. 41 is a diagram showing the contents of the button press information designation command. The button press information specification command is used to notify the press state of the operation button when the button effect is being executed. Of the 12-bit button pressing information designation command bit string, the 3rd bits of the 10th to 12th bits indicate the pressing state of the operation button.

The effect determining means 303 is a command for designating the pressed state of the operation button at a predetermined timing or when the effect button 109 or the cross key 110 is operated while the button effect is being executed. As a result, a combination of the command type data "A40" indicating that the command is a button press information designation command and the command content data of the present figure is transmitted to the effect control means 304. Upon receiving the button pressing state designation command, the effect control means 304 executes processing according to the button pressing state. For example, when points are accumulated by pressing the effect button 109 and a predetermined effect is executed when the points reach a predetermined value, the effect control means 304 adds points when the effect button 109 is pressed. ..

The period for accepting the operation of the operation button, that is, the period for which the operation button is valid may be managed by the effect determining means 303 or managed by the effect control means 304 according to the progress of the button effect or the like. You may. In the latter case, the effect control means 304 notifies the effect determination means 303 when the operation button is enabled and when the operation button is invalid, and the effect determination means 303 uses the effect button. Enable or disable. The effect determining means 303 transmits a button pressing information designation command to the effect control means 304 when the operation button is operated while the operation button is active.

In this embodiment, in an effect having a plurality of stages, it is possible to execute a button effect in which the stages are advanced according to the button operation. In addition, it is possible to execute a cut-in effect triggered by the operation of an operation button during the execution of a specific effect. Hereinafter, an example of such a button effect will be described.

The button effect A is an effect for suggesting or notifying the type of reach effect to be executed before the predetermined reach effect is executed. In the button effect A, the panel on which the character is drawn is displayed on the effect display device 60, and when the player operates the operation button, the panel is cracked, and when the operation button is operated a predetermined number of times or for a predetermined time or longer, the next panel is displayed. Is displayed. After a maximum of four panels are displayed, an effect that the screen is cracked is displayed, and a reach effect in which the character drawn on the last displayed panel appears is executed.

FIG. 42 is a diagram showing the contents of the button effect A pattern designation 1 command. The button effect A pattern designation 1 command is used to specify the content of the button effect A when the button effect A is executed. 12-bit button effect A pattern designation Of the 1-bit string, the 4 bits of the 1st to 4th bits indicate the pattern of the 1st panel among the 4 panels that can be displayed in the button effect A, and the 5th to 5th. The 8-bit 4-bit indicates the pattern of the second panel, and the 9th to 12th 4-bits indicate the pattern of the third panel.

When the effect determination means 303 executes the button effect A, the command type data “B17” indicating that the command is the button effect A pattern designation 1 command and the command type data “B17” in this figure are used as commands for designating the contents of the button effect A. The combination with the command content data is transmitted to the effect control means 304. When the effect control means 304 receives the button effect A pattern designation 1 command, the effect control means 304 holds the designated content until the end of the button effect A, and controls the display of the button effect A with reference to the held content.

FIG. 43 is a diagram showing the contents of the button effect A pattern designation 2 command. The button effect A pattern designation 2 command is used to specify the content of the button effect A when the button effect A is executed. Of the 12-bit button effect A pattern designation 2-bit string, 1 bit of the 6th bit indicates an effect pattern in which the screen displayed at the end of the button effect A is cracked, and 2 bits of the 7th to 8th bits are subsequent. Indicates the position of the panel that determines the type of reach effect, that is, the number of the panel displayed last, and the 9th to 12th bits indicate the pattern of the fourth panel. .. The button effect A pattern specification 1 command and the button effect A pattern specification 2 command are transmitted as a set before the button effect A is executed, but the button effect A pattern specification 1 command and the button effect A pattern specification 2 command are sent in this order. Will be sent.

When the effect determining means 303 executes the button effect A, the command type data “B18” indicating that the button effect A pattern designation 2 command is used as a command for designating the content of the button effect A, and the command type data “B18” in this figure are shown. The combination with the command content data is transmitted to the effect control means 304. When the effect control means 304 receives the button effect A pattern designation 2 command, the effect control means 304 holds the designated content until the end of the button effect A, and controls the display of the button effect A with reference to the held content.

FIG. 44 is a diagram showing the contents of the button additional information (button effect A stage designation) command. The button additional information (button effect A stage designation) command is used to notify the current stage during the execution of the button effect A. 12-bit button additional information (button effect A stage designation) Of the command bit strings, the 7th to 8th bits 2 bits indicate the stage of the crack that has entered the currently displayed panel, and the 11th to 12th bits 2 bits. Indicates the number of panels currently being displayed. As described above, in the present embodiment, when the effect having the stages of a plurality of layers is executed, the information indicating the stages of each layer is transmitted by one command each time the operation button is operated. , The number of commands can be reduced, and the communication load and processing load can be reduced.

While executing the button effect A, the effect determining means 303 manages the progress of the button effect A according to the operation state of the operation button, and each time it receives information indicating that the operation button has been operated, it is currently As a command for notifying the stage of, a combination of the command type data "A43" indicating that the command is a button additional information (button effect A stage designation) command and the command content data of the present figure is transmitted to the effect control means 304. When the effect control means 304 receives the button additional information (button effect A stage designation) command, the effect control means 304 holds the current stage in the button effect A, and receives the button press information specification command described above as an opportunity to receive the button effect A. Pattern specification 1 command and button effect A Pattern specification 2 Refers to the contents specified by the command and displays the panel of patterns according to the current stage. The effect control means 304 is used when a panel exceeding the determination panel position specified by the button effect A pattern designation 2 command is designated as the stage progress, or when a stage before the stage of the currently displayed panel is specified. , And, if the button additional information (button effect A stage designation) command is not received normally, the button additional information (button effect A stage designation) command is ignored and the button additional information (button effect A stage designation) command is ignored. Do not execute the process that should be executed when the message is received. When the execution of the button effect A is terminated without reaching the final stage, or when the content inconsistent with the fluctuation pattern is specified by the button effect A pattern specification 1 command and the button effect A pattern specification 2 command. The effect control means 304 executes an effect according to the fluctuation pattern after the button validity period ends.

Button effect B is a type of mission effect using operation buttons that occurs during big hit fluctuation or small hit fluctuation. Points are accumulated by operating the operation buttons, and the number of latent probability change modes is increased according to the number of points. Is notified. In this embodiment, after the end of the big hit game without a ball and the small hit game, until the variable display of the special symbol of a predetermined time is finished, is it a big hit without a ball and is in a probable change state? , Performs an effect in the latent probability change mode that does not definitively notify whether the hit is a small hit and does not shift to the probability change state. The number of times (the number of times of continuation) of the variation display of the special symbol until the end of the latent probability change mode is determined according to the operation status of the operation button in the button effect B. For example, in the button effect B, a plurality of Zako characters are displayed, and when the player operates the operation buttons, the appearance of the Zako characters exploding to death is displayed and points are added. If points are added due to the explosion of the Zako character, the appearance of the Zako character exploding with dialogue is displayed. The number of times the latent probability change mode is continued is determined according to the points acquired in the button effect B. For example, if all the Zako characters in one set are defeated, the number of continuations is added 10 times, and the number of continuations is added up to 3 sets, that is, 30 times. In the case of an internally probabilistic state, the effect mode is changed to the probabilistic mode from the effect after the end of the number of continuations, for example, the effect corresponding to the 31st variation display of the special symbol when the number of continuations is 30. Will be migrated. If the power is cut off during the latent probability change mode, and if the power is cut off internally, the effect mode after returning from the power off may be set to the probability change mode instead of the latent probability change mode. The number of references to the variable pattern table used as the latent probability variation mode after the end of the big hit game or the end of the small hit game is determined in advance by the hit symbol, and the maximum number of latent probability variation modes displayed by the button effect B is the effect. It is predetermined by the determination means 303. If the button is not operated in the button effect B, the predetermined number of times may be forcibly displayed at the end of the button effect B. In the middle or at the end of B, a display indicating a big hit with a ball may be displayed.

FIG. 45 is a diagram showing the contents of the button effect B Zako information designation 1 command. Button effect B Zako information specification 1 The command is used to specify the content of the button effect B when the button effect B is executed. Of the 12-bit button effect B Zako information designation 1-bit string, the 3 bits of the 1st to 3rd bits indicate points to be added when the first Zako character displayed in the button effect B explodes, and the 4th bit. The 3 bits of ~ 6 bits indicate the points to be added when the second Zako character explodes, and the 3 bits of the 7th to 9th bits indicate the points to be added when the third Zako character explodes. The 3 bits of the 10th to 12th bits indicate the points to be added when the fourth Zako character is bombed. As described above, in this embodiment, when a button effect in which an effect having a plurality of stages is advanced by a plurality of button operations is executed, information indicating the contents of the effect in the plurality of stages can be input by one command. Since it is transmitted, the number of commands can be reduced, and the communication load and processing load can be reduced.

When the effect determination means 303 executes the button effect B, the command type data “B52” indicating that the command is the button effect B Zako information designation 1 command as a command for designating the content of the button effect B, and the present figure. The combination with the command content data of is transmitted to the effect control means 304. Further, although not shown, the button effect B Zako information designation 2 to 6 commands having the same bit string structure as the button effect B Zako information designation 1 command are transmitted to the effect control means 304. As a result, information indicating points to be added when the Zako character is bombed is transmitted for a total of 24 people. When the effect control means 304 receives the button effect B Zako information designation 1 to 6 commands, the effect control means 304 holds the specified contents until the end of the button effect B, and controls the display of the button effect B by referring to the held contents. do.

FIG. 46 shows a table for designating the dialogue when the Zako character explodes in the button effect B. The dialogue when the Zako character explodes is predetermined according to the number of the displayed Zako character and the points to be added when the Zako character explodes. This table is stored in the data ROM 324 of the effect control device 313, and is referred to for the effect control means 304 to determine the dialogue when the Zako character explodes.

FIG. 47 is a diagram showing the contents of the button additional information (button effect B Zako number designation) command. The button additional information (button effect B Zako number designation) command is used to notify the current stage during the execution of the button effect B. 12-bit button additional information (button effect B Zako number designation) Of the command bit strings, the 5th bits of the 8th to 12th bits indicate the number of the currently displayed Zako character.

While executing the button effect B, the effect determining means 303 manages the progress of the button effect B according to the operation state of the operation button, and each time it receives information indicating that the operation button has been operated, it is currently As a command for notifying the stage of, a combination of the command type data "A45" indicating that the command is a button additional information (button effect B Zako number designation) command and the command content data in this figure is transmitted to the effect control means 304. do. When the effect control means 304 receives the button additional information (button effect B Zako number designation) command, the effect control means 304 holds the current stage in the button effect B, and receives the button press information specification command described above as an opportunity to receive the button. Directing B Refer to the contents specified by the Zako information specification 1 to 6 commands, display how the specified Zako character explodes, and if points are added, refer to the table shown in FIG. 45 and refer to the Zako character. Display the lines of. The effect control means 304 is provided with button additional information (button effect B Zako) when a Zako character that has already exploded is specified, or when a button additional information (button effect B Zako number designation) command is not normally received. Ignore the command (specify the number of people), and do not execute the process that should be executed when the command for additional information (button effect B Zako number specified) command is received.

Next, the chance-up effect executed during the battle effect or the story effect and the cut-in effect triggered by the operation of the operation buttons will be described.

FIG. 48 is a diagram showing the contents of the battle story type CU command. The battle story type CU command is used to specify the content of the chance-up effect and the cut-in effect to be executed during the reach effect of the battle type or the story type when the reach effect is executed. Of the 12-bit battle story CU bit strings, the 12th bit, the 11th bit, and the 10th bit indicate the presence or absence of the chance-up A effect, the chance-up B effect, and the chance-up C effect, respectively, and the ninth bit. The bits indicate the presence or absence of a shake vision effect that shakes the screen, the 8th bit indicates the presence or absence of a change in the background music (BGM), and the 4th to 7th bits 4 bits are triggered by the operation of the operation button. The type of the button cut-in effect executed as is indicated, and the third bit indicates whether or not the button cut-in effect is replaced. As described above, in this embodiment, when the reach effect is executed, the information indicating the contents of the chance-up effect and the cut-in effect that can be executed during the reach effect is transmitted by one command, so that the number of commands can be increased. It can be reduced, and the communication load and processing load can be reduced.

The effect determining means 303 is a battle story type CU command as a command for designating the contents of the chance-up effect and the cut-in effect to be executed during the reach type reach effect when the battle type or story type reach effect is executed. A combination of the command type data "B15" indicating that there is, and the command content data of the present figure is transmitted to the effect control means 304. Upon receiving the battle story CU command, the effect control means 304 holds the designated content until the end of the button effect B, and controls the display of the reach effect with reference to the held content.

In the reach effect, when the button press information designation command (A4004H) indicating that the effect button 109 is pressed is received during the period when the button operation for the button cut-in effect is valid, the effect control means 304 , The specified button cut-in effect is executed regardless of whether or not the button cut-in replacement specified by the battle story CU command is performed. In the reach effect, when the button press information specification command (A40002H or A4004H) indicating that the up or down of the cross key 110 is pressed is received during the period when the button operation for the button cut-in effect is valid. , The effect control means 304 executes the specified button cut-in effect when no button cut-in replacement is specified by the battle story CU command, but the button cut-in replacement is specified. If so, replace it with the premier cut-in effect.

As described above, in the present embodiment, when the button effect is executed, the information indicating the type of the suggestion image indicating the button operation displayed on the effect display device 60 and the period for accepting the operation of the operation button Information indicating the type of gauge image displayed on the effect display device 60 to indicate the remaining time until the end and information indicating the type of effect executed when the operation button is operated can be obtained with one command. Since it is transmitted to the effect control means 304, the number of commands can be reduced, and the communication load and the processing load can be reduced.

Further, in the present embodiment, when an effect having a plurality of layers of stages is executed, information indicating the stages of each layer is transmitted with one command each time the operation button is operated, so that a command is used. The number can be reduced, and the communication load and processing load can be reduced.

Further, in the present embodiment, when a button effect in which an effect having a plurality of stages is advanced by a plurality of button operations is executed, information indicating the contents of the effect in the plurality of stages is transmitted by one command. Therefore, the number of commands can be reduced, and the communication load and processing load can be reduced.

Further, in the present embodiment, when the reach effect is executed, the information indicating the contents of the chance-up effect and the cut-in effect that can be executed during the reach effect is transmitted by one command, so that the number of commands is reduced. At the same time, it is possible to reduce the communication load and the processing load.

[Example 4: Super reach production]
In the fourth embodiment, an instruction (command) transmitted from the sub CPU 310 to the control CPU 320 in order to specify the content of a specific effect such as a super reach effect will be described.

The effect determining means 303 shares an effect content instruction command having a predetermined bit string structure for a plurality of different effects as a command to be transmitted to the effect control means 304 in order to notify the effect control means 304 of the content of the determined effect. To use. In this effect content instruction command, it is possible to specify a plurality of different effect contents by the same bit. The effect determining means 303 transmits information indicating the type of the determined effect to the effect control means 304 separately from the effect content instruction command. The effect control means 304 displays on the effect display device 60 an image of the effect of the content specified by the effect content instruction command received from the effect determination means 303 and the information indicating the type of the effect.

In this embodiment, as an example of a specific effect, a command for notifying the content of the super reach effect from the effect determining means 303 to the effect control means 304 will be described. In the super reach effect of the present embodiment, the variable display of the decorative symbol is started in synchronization with the variable display of the special symbol, and after the reach state in which two of the three decorative symbols are aligned is displayed once, it is displayed. The transition to the battle production or the story production is performed, and three decorative symbols are stopped and displayed at the end of the battle production or the story production. In the first half, the effect until the decorative pattern is displayed in a variable manner and once displayed in the reach state is called "weak reach", and in the second half, the battle effect or story effect is called "strong reach". The super reach effect is composed of a combination of one weak reach selected from a plurality of types and one strong reach selected from a plurality of types.

FIG. 49 is a diagram showing the contents of the normal SP reach type designation command. This command is commonly used in a plurality of different types of super reach effects in order to specify the content of the super reach effects when the super reach effects are executed in the normal game in the normal state. Of the 12-bit normal SP reach type designation command bit string, the 3 bits of the 6th to 8th bits indicate the type of weak reach, and the 3 bits of the 10th to 12th bits indicate the type of strong reach. As described above, in the super reach effect, one weak reach effect and one strong reach effect are executed, so that two or more weak reach effects are not executed at the same time in one super reach effect. Two or more strong reach effects cannot be executed at the same time in one super reach effect. Therefore, it is possible to specify the types of weak reach of long type and short type by using the same bits of 6th to 8th bits, and using the same bits of 10th to 12th bits, battle type, story type, etc. And it is possible to specify the type of strong reach of the strong story system. Whether the type specified as weak reach specifies long type or short type, and whether the type specified as strong reach specifies battle type, story type, or strong story type. Is identified based on an effect pattern number indicating the type of super reach effect pattern transmitted separately from the normal SP reach type designation command.

When the first variation pattern determining means 231 or the second variation pattern determining means 232 selects the super reach variation pattern in the main substrate 200, the selected variation pattern is notified from the main substrate 200 to the sub-board 300, and the effect determining means 303 selects a super reach effect pattern according to the notified super reach fluctuation pattern. The effect determining means 303 transmits an effect pattern number indicating the type of the selected super reach effect pattern to the effect control means 304 as a command, and as a command to specify the content of the normal super reach effect, the normal SP reach type. A combination of the command type data "B10" indicating that the command is a designated command and the command content data of the present figure is transmitted to the effect control means 304. In the effect control means 304, based on the effect pattern number of the received super reach effect pattern, whether the type of weak reach constituting the super reach effect is long type or short type, and the type of strong reach is a battle. Identifies whether it is a system, a story system, or a strong story system, and further identifies the types of weak reach and strong reach that make up the super reach effect based on the received normal SP reach type specification command. do. For example, when the effect pattern number of the super reach effect pattern composed of the combination of the weak reach of the short type and the strong reach of the story type is received, the effect control means 304 uses the short type as the weak reach and the strong reach as the effect control means 304. Assuming that the story type is specified, the weak reach type and the strong reach type specified by the normal SP reach type specification command are specified. Therefore, for example, when a production pattern including a battle-type strong reach is selected, the notice number "0" of the normal SP reach type designation command X: strong reach type designation bit string sets the battle-type character reach A. When the production pattern including the story-type strong reach is selected, the notice number "0" of the normal SP reach type specification command X: strong reach type specification bit string is the story-type A VS B ( It is possible to specify a plurality of types of effects in which the same data of the same bit is different, such as specifying 3D).

As described above, according to the technique of this embodiment, the contents of a plurality of different types of super reach effects can be specified by the same bit included in the normal SP reach type specification command, so that the number of commands can be reduced. However, the processing load can be reduced. Further, since the weak reach type and the strong reach type are transmitted by one command, the communication load and the processing load can be reduced.

If the normal SP reach type designation command is not normally received, the effect control means 304 assumes that the initial value "0" is specified in both the weak reach and the strong reach, and the super reach effect is produced. Identify the contents of.

In the embodiment, the command for specifying the types of the effect elements constituting the super reach effect has been described, but the technique of the present embodiment is applied to specify the contents of a plurality of types of effects that are not executed at the same time. It is possible. Also in this case, the number of commands can be reduced and the communication load and the processing load can be reduced by making it possible to specify the contents of a plurality of different effects by the same bit included in the command.

Further, in the embodiment, an example in which the types of weak reach and strong reach constituting the super reach effect are transmitted by one command has been described, but when the content of the effect composed of a plurality of effect elements is specified, the content of the effect is specified. The contents of a plurality of effect elements may be transmitted by one command. In this case as well, the communication load and the processing load can be reduced.

[Example 5: Command transmission order]
In the fifth embodiment, the transmission order of the commands (commands) transmitted from the sub CPU 310 to the control CPU 320 will be described.

The effect in the normal game in the normal state is generally executed in conjunction with the variable display of the special symbol, but depending on the type of effect, the effect is executed at the same time or immediately after the variable display of the special symbol is started. There is an effect that is executed in the middle of the variable display of the special symbol. The effect determining means 303 is a command for notifying the effect control means 304 of information about the effect image displayed on the effect display device 60 at the same time or immediately after the start of the variable display of the special symbol. It is transmitted to the effect control means 304 before the command for instructing the start of the variable display of the decorative symbol executed in synchronization with the display. As a result, it is possible to give the effect control means 304 time to execute the preparatory process for displaying the image of the effect, so that it is displayed on the effect display device 60 at the same time or immediately after the variable display of the special symbol is started. It is possible to display the image of the desired effect without delay.

FIG. 50 is a diagram showing a command transmission order. In this figure, the command sent before the variation pattern specification command and the variation are based on the variation pattern specification command for starting the variation display of the decorative symbol that is executed in synchronization with the variation display of the special symbol. The command sent after the pattern specification command is shown in the table separately. Generally, the commands are shown in the order of transmission from top to bottom, but the command transmission order may be interchanged in the same table.

Since the hold ball image may be updated at the same time as the start of the change display of the special symbol, the hold display designation command and the hold number designation command described in the second embodiment are transmitted before the change pattern designation command. As for the stage specification command, since it is necessary to display the background image and the effect image corresponding to the stage during the stay at the same time as the start of the variation display of the special symbol, it is transmitted before the variation pattern specification command. Regarding the stage change notice designation command, the execution of the stage change notice production is determined by the notice lottery by the effect determination means 303, but since it is necessary to display it at the same time as the start of the change display of the special symbol, the change pattern is specified. Send before the command. The variable additional information specification 2 command is a command for specifying the type of battle effect when a variation pattern that can execute the effect in which the battle effect is started immediately after the change display of the special symbol is started is selected. Therefore, it is sent before the fluctuation pattern specification command. The same applies to the command for specifying the number of consecutive villas and the command for specifying the number of remaining times.

The hold change notice designation command, the change signboard pattern designation command, and the change hold change designation command described in the second embodiment are commands related to the hold change effect, but not at the same time as or immediately after the start of the change display of the special symbol. , Since it is displayed in the middle of the special symbol variation display, it is sent after the special symbol variation pattern specification command. The variable additional information designation 1 command is a command for designating the content of the re-lottery effect when the above-mentioned re-lottery effect is executed, and the variable additional information designation 4 command is the command for executing the above-mentioned button effect B. However, since these effects are not executed at the same time as or immediately after the start of the variation display of the special symbol, they are transmitted after the variation pattern specification command. The same applies to the zone A rush look-ahead designation command and the chance look-ahead look-ahead command.

The variable additional information designation 1 command, the variable additional information designation 2 command, and the variable additional information designation 4 command are all determined by the variable pattern determining means of the main board 200, not by the lottery by the effect determining means 303 of the sub board 300. This command is for specifying information about the effect whose execution is determined according to the fluctuation pattern, but depending on whether the effect is displayed at the same time as or immediately after the start of the variation display of the special symbol. , Whether to send before or after the fluctuation pattern specification command is different.

As described above, according to the technique of the present embodiment, the effect control means 304 can be given time to execute the preparatory process for displaying the image of the effect, so that the variable display of the special symbol is started. At the same time or immediately after, the effect image to be displayed on the effect display device 60 can be displayed without delay.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and the components can be modified and embodied within a range that does not deviate from the gist. In addition, various inventions may be formed by an appropriate combination of the plurality of components disclosed in Examples 1 to 5 above, and some of all the components shown in Examples 1 to 5 above may be formed. You may delete the component of. Further, it is also possible to appropriately combine the components of the plurality of Examples 1 to 5.

Hereinafter, aspects of the present invention will be listed.

[Aspect 1-1]
A game board with a game area formed,
The start winning opening provided in the game area and
A symbol display device in which the symbol for showing the result of the hit / fail judgment is displayed in a variable manner, and
A production display device that displays production images and
Main control means that mainly controls the basic operation of the game,
Sub-control means that mainly controls the directing movement of the game,
It is a ball game machine equipped with
The main control means
A lottery value acquisition means for acquiring the lottery value for the winning / failing determination when the ball enters the starting winning opening.
A winning / failing determination means that executes the winning / failing determination based on the lottery value acquired by the lottery value acquiring means, and
A variation pattern determining means for determining a variation pattern in the variation display of the symbol,
A symbol display control means for displaying the symbol on the symbol display device in a variable manner according to the fluctuation pattern determined by the fluctuation pattern determining means.
When the result of the hit / fail determination is a hit, a special game control means for executing a special game that is more advantageous to the player than the normal game, and a special game control means.
When the lottery value is acquired by the lottery value acquisition means, a hold control means that holds the lottery value as a hold ball until the start condition of the variation display of the symbol is satisfied, and a hold control means.
Regardless of whether or not the variable display of the symbol indicating the result of the winning / failing judgment based on the lottery value acquired with the winning ball is immediately started when the ball is entered into the starting winning opening. A transmission means for transmitting information on the lottery value acquired upon entering the ball as pre-determination information to the sub-control means, and a transmission means.
With
The sub-control means
An effect determining means for determining an effect to be displayed on the effect display device, and
An effect control means for displaying an image of the effect determined by the effect determination means on the effect display device based on a command transmitted from the effect determination means.
With
When the effect determining means receives the pre-determined information corresponding to the lottery value held by the hold control means from the transmitting means, the effect determines the effect to suggest a winning degree based on the pre-determined information. As the holding ball image displayed on the display device, an image is determined based on the received pre-judgment information from a plurality of types of images having different expectations of hitting.
The effect determining means includes hold change position information indicating which hold ball image is to be changed when changing any of the hold ball images displayed on the effect display device, and hold after the change. A ball game machine that transmits hold display content information indicating the display content of a ball image to the effect control means with one command.

[Aspect 2-1]
A game board with a game area formed,
The start winning opening provided in the game area and
A symbol display device in which the symbol for showing the result of the hit / fail judgment is displayed in a variable manner, and
A production display device that displays production images and
Operation buttons operated by the player to input predetermined instructions to the gaming machine,
Main control means that mainly controls the basic operation of the game,
Sub-control means that mainly controls the directing movement of the game,
It is a ball game machine equipped with
The main control means
A lottery value acquisition means for acquiring the lottery value for the winning / failing determination when the ball enters the starting winning opening.
A winning / failing determination means that executes the winning / failing determination based on the lottery value acquired by the lottery value acquiring means, and
A variation pattern determining means for determining a variation pattern in the variation display of the symbol,
A symbol display control means for displaying the symbol on the symbol display device in a variable manner according to the fluctuation pattern determined by the fluctuation pattern determining means.
When the result of the hit / fail determination is a hit, a special game control means for executing a special game that is more advantageous to the player than the normal game, and a special game control means.
With
The sub-control means
An effect determining means for determining an effect image to be displayed on the effect display device, and
An effect control means for displaying an effect image determined by the effect determination means on the effect display device based on a command transmitted from the effect determination means.
With
When the effect determination means uses the operation buttons, the effect determination means includes information indicating the type of suggestion image displayed on the effect display device that suggests the button operation, and a period for accepting the operation of the operation button. One command is information indicating the type of gauge image displayed on the effect display device to indicate the remaining time until the end, and information indicating the type of effect executed when the operation button is operated. A ball game machine that transmits to the effect control means.

[Aspect 3-1]
A game board with a game area formed,
The start winning opening provided in the game area and
A symbol display device in which the symbol for showing the result of the hit / fail judgment is displayed in a variable manner, and
A production display device that displays production images and
Main control means that mainly controls the basic operation of the game,
Sub-control means that mainly controls the directing movement of the game,
It is a ball game machine equipped with
The main control means
A lottery value acquisition means for acquiring the lottery value for the winning / failing determination when the ball enters the starting winning opening.
A winning / failing determination means that executes the winning / failing determination based on the lottery value acquired by the lottery value acquiring means, and
A variation pattern determining means for determining a variation pattern in the variation display of the symbol,
A symbol display control means for displaying the symbol on the symbol display device in a variable manner according to the fluctuation pattern determined by the fluctuation pattern determining means.
When the result of the hit / fail determination is a hit, a special game control means for executing a special game that is more advantageous to the player than the normal game, and a special game control means.
With
The sub-control means
An effect determining means for determining an effect to be displayed on the effect display device, and
An effect control means for displaying an image of the effect determined by the effect determination means on the effect display device based on a command transmitted from the effect determination means.
With
The effect determining means shares an effect content instruction command having a predetermined bit string structure for a plurality of different effects as a command to be transmitted to the effect control means in order to notify the effect control means of the determined effect. Use and
A ball game machine capable of designating a plurality of different production contents by the same bit included in the effect content instruction command.
[Aspect 3-2]
The effect determining means transmits information indicating the type of the determined effect to the effect control means separately from the effect content instruction command.
The effect control means is characterized in that an image of an effect having contents specified by an effect content instruction command received from the effect determination means and information indicating a type of effect is displayed on the effect display device. The ball game machine according to 1.

[Aspect 4-1]
A game board with a game area formed,
The start winning opening provided in the game area and
A symbol display device in which the symbol for showing the result of the hit / fail judgment is displayed in a variable manner, and
A production display device that displays production images and
Main control means that mainly controls the basic operation of the game,
Sub-control means that mainly controls the directing movement of the game,
It is a ball game machine equipped with
The main control means
A lottery value acquisition means for acquiring the lottery value for the winning / failing determination when the ball enters the starting winning opening.
A winning / failing determination means that executes the winning / failing determination based on the lottery value acquired by the lottery value acquiring means, and
A variation pattern determining means for determining a variation pattern in the variation display of the symbol,
A symbol display control means for displaying the symbol on the symbol display device in a variable manner according to the fluctuation pattern determined by the fluctuation pattern determining means.
When the result of the hit / fail determination is a hit, a special game control means for executing a special game that is more advantageous to the player than the normal game, and a special game control means.
With
The sub-control means
An effect determining means for determining an effect to be displayed on the effect display device, and
An effect control means for displaying an image of the effect determined by the effect determination means on the effect display device based on a command transmitted from the effect determination means.
With
In the effect determining means, the command for notifying the effect control means of the information regarding the image of the effect displayed on the effect display device at the same time or immediately after the start of the variation display of the symbol is the variation of the symbol. A ball game machine that is transmitted to the effect control means prior to a command for instructing the start of variable display of a decorative symbol that is executed in synchronization with the display.

10 Pachinko game machine, 50 game board, 60 effect display device, 303 effect determination means, 304 effect control means.

Claims (1)

A game board with a game area formed,
The start winning opening provided in the game area and
A symbol display device in which a special symbol for showing the result of the hit / fail judgment is displayed in a variable manner,
A production display device that displays production images and
Main control means that mainly controls the basic operation of the game,
Sub-control means that mainly controls the directing movement of the game,
It is a ball game machine equipped with
The main control means
A lottery value acquisition means for acquiring the lottery value for the winning / failing determination when the ball enters the starting winning opening.
A winning / failing determination means that executes the winning / failing determination based on the lottery value acquired by the lottery value acquiring means, and
A variation pattern determining means for determining a variation pattern in the variation display of the special symbol, and
A symbol display control means for causing the symbol display device to variably display the special symbol according to the variation pattern determined by the variation pattern determining means.
When the result of the hit / fail determination is a hit, a special game control means for executing a special game that is more advantageous to the player than the normal game, and a special game control means.
With
The sub-control means
An effect determining means for determining an effect to be displayed on the effect display device, and
An effect control means for displaying an image of the effect determined by the effect determination means on the effect display device based on a command transmitted from the effect determination means.
With
As the command, a first command transmitted to the effect control means prior to the variation pattern designation command for instructing the start of the variation display of the decorative symbol executed in synchronization with the variation display of the special symbol. There is a second command that is sent after the variation pattern specification command,
The front Symbol first command, the information on the number of pending said variable display of the special symbols are displayed when it is started simultaneously with or immediately after, and, simultaneously or immediately after when the variation display of the special symbols is started It contains information about the display contents of the pending images to be displayed on, wherein the second command, pinball game machine that contains information about changes in the pending images displayed in the middle of the variable display of the special symbol.

Images