JP7464086B2 - Gaming Machines - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to gaming machines such as pachinko machines.

2. Description of the Related Art Some gaming machines , such as pachinko machines, transition to a winning state when a lottery that is conducted based on the entry of a gaming ball into a starting winning slot results in a winning result .

JP 2006-000392 A

However, there is a demand for a gaming machine that can provide even greater entertainment value .

The present invention has been made to solve the problems exemplified above, and has an object to provide a gaming machine that can increase a player's interest in the game .

In order to achieve this object, a gaming machine according to claim 1 has: acquisition means for acquiring information based on establishment of an acquisition condition; storage means for storing the information acquired by the acquisition means; discrimination means capable of discriminating the information stored in the storage means based on establishment of a discrimination condition; display means for dynamically displaying identification information showing a discrimination result by the discrimination means; dynamic display means for dynamically displaying the identification information displayed on the display means; dynamic display mode determination means capable of determining a type of dynamic display mode of the identification information dynamically displayed by the dynamic display means; bonus game execution means for executing a bonus game advantageous to a player when the identification information showing a specific discrimination result is displayed on the display means; pattern display means for displaying on the display means patterns corresponding to each of the information stored in the storage means before the discrimination condition is established; advance discrimination means for performing advance discrimination based on the information before the discrimination condition is established for the information stored in the storage means; and variable display means for varying the display mode of the patterns displayed by the pattern display means. The game machine has a selection means capable of selecting a symbol, the display mode of which is to be changed by the variable display means, from among the symbols, and the variable display means is capable of dynamically displaying the symbol in a predetermined mode after changing the display mode of the symbol selected by the selection means to a first mode visible to a player , and is configured to be capable of changing the display mode of the symbol after the dynamic display to a second mode when a specific condition that can be established is established based on the fact that it has been determined in advance that the information corresponding to the symbol changed to the first mode is information for which a specific dynamic display mode is determined by the dynamic display mode determination means, and is configured to be capable of displaying the display mode of the symbol after the dynamic display in the same mode when it has not been determined in advance that the information corresponding to the selected symbol is information for which the specific dynamic display mode is determined by the dynamic display mode determination means, and the specific dynamic display mode is configured to be set to have a higher probability of being selected when the determination result is the specific determination result than when the determination result is other than the specific determination result.

According to the gaming machine of claim 1, the gaming machine has an acquisition means for acquiring information based on the establishment of an acquisition condition, a storage means for storing the information acquired by the acquisition means, a discrimination means capable of discriminating the information stored in the storage means based on the establishment of a discrimination condition, a display means for dynamically displaying identification information showing a discrimination result by the discrimination means, a dynamic display means for dynamically displaying the identification information displayed on the display means, a dynamic display mode determination means capable of determining a type of dynamic display mode of the identification information dynamically displayed by the dynamic display means, a bonus game execution means for executing a bonus game advantageous to a player when the identification information showing a specific discrimination result is displayed on the display means, a pattern display means for displaying on the display means patterns corresponding to each of the information stored in the storage means before the discrimination condition is established, a pre-discrimination means for performing a pre-discrimination based on the information before the discrimination condition for the information stored in the storage means is established, and a variable display means for varying the display mode of the pattern displayed by the pattern display means, Among these, the game machine has a selection means capable of selecting the pattern whose display mode is to be changed by the variable display means, and the variable display means is capable of dynamically displaying the pattern in a predetermined mode after changing the display mode of the pattern selected by the selection means to a first mode visible to a player , and is configured to be capable of changing the display mode of the pattern after the dynamic display to a second mode when a specific condition that can be established is established based on the fact that it has been determined in advance that the information corresponding to the pattern changed to the first mode is information for which a specific dynamic display mode is determined by the dynamic display mode determination means, and is configured to be capable of displaying the display mode of the selected pattern and the display mode of the non-selected pattern in the same mode when it has not been determined in advance that the information corresponding to the selected pattern is information for which the specific dynamic display mode is determined by the dynamic display mode determination means, and is configured to set the probability of the specific dynamic display mode being selected higher when the determination result is the specific determination result than when the determination result is other than the specific determination result.

This has the effect of increasing the player's interest in the game .

1 is a front view of a pachinko machine according to a first embodiment. FIG. FIG. 2 is a front view of the game board of a pachinko machine. FIG. 2 is a rear view of the pachinko machine. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the pachinko machine. FIG. FIG. FIG. FIG. FIG. FIG. 2 is an exploded front perspective view of the rotating body lifting unit. FIG. 4 is an exploded rear perspective view of the rotating body lifting unit. FIG. 2 is an exploded front perspective view of the central unit. FIG. 2 is an exploded rear perspective view of the central unit. FIG. FIG. FIG. FIG. 18A is a side view of the container as viewed in the direction of the arrow XVIIIa in FIG. 17, and FIG. 18B is a front view of the container as viewed in the direction of the arrow XVIIIb in FIG. 18A. FIG. 2 is an exploded front perspective view of a first rotating body. 11 is a table showing combinations of shapes of a first rotating body and a second rotating body. 5A to 5C are schematic side views of the first rotating body and the second rotating body, illustrating transition states when the first rotating body and the second rotating body are rotated. 5A to 5C are schematic side views of the first rotating body and the second rotating body, illustrating transition states when the first rotating body and the second rotating body are rotated. A front view of the luminous decorative unit. An exploded front oblique view of the luminous decorative unit. An exploded rear perspective view of the luminous decorative unit. 1A is a front view of the central rotation unit when placed in the retracted position, and FIG. 1B is a front view of the central rotation unit when placed in the extended position. FIG. 2 is an exploded front perspective view of the central rotating unit. FIG. 2 is an exploded rear perspective view of the central rotating unit. FIG. 2 is an exploded front perspective view of the right rotation unit. FIG. 2 is an exploded rear perspective view of the right rotation unit. FIG. 2 is an exploded rear perspective view of the right rotation unit. 32(a) is a front view of the connecting displacement member, (b) is a side view of the connecting displacement member as viewed in the direction of arrow XXXIIb in FIG. 32(a), and (c) is a cross-sectional view of the connecting displacement member along line XXXIIa-XXXIIa in FIG. 32(a). 11A to 11C are front views of the right rotation unit in each state when operating between the retracted position and the extended position. 11A to 11C are front views of the right rotation unit in each state when operating between the retracted position and the extended position. 11A to 11C are rear views of the right rotation unit in each state when operating between the retracted position and the extended position. 11A to 11C are rear views of the right rotation unit in each state when operating between the retracted position and the extended position. 11A to 11C are schematic rear views of the right rotation unit in each state when operating between the retracted position and the extended position. 11A to 11C are schematic rear views of the right rotation unit in each state when operating between the retracted position and the extended position. 39A is a schematic front view for explaining the positional relationship between the front base and the connecting displacement member, and FIG. 39B is a schematic cross-sectional view of the front base and the connecting displacement member taken along line XXXIXb-XXXIXb in FIG. 39A. 40(a) is a schematic front view for explaining the positional relationship between the front base and the first displacement member, (b) is a schematic side view of the front base and the first displacement member as viewed in the direction of arrow XLb in FIG. 40(a), and (c) is a schematic cross-sectional view of the front base and the first displacement member along line XLc-XLc in FIG. 40(a). FIG. 2 is an exploded front perspective view of the left rotating unit. FIG. 2 is an exploded rear perspective view of the left rotating unit. FIG. 2 is a partially exploded perspective view of the left rotating unit. 11A to 11C are front views of the left rotation unit in each state when operating between the retracted position and the extended position. 11A to 11C are rear views of the left rotation unit in each state when operating between the retracted position and the extended position. 11A to 11C are schematic rear views of the left rotation unit in each state when operating between the retracted position and the extended position. 11 is a cross-sectional view of a left rotating unit for explaining an engagement action by a base-side engagement member and a displacement-side engagement member. FIG. 48(a) is a partially enlarged view of the first displacement member and the second displacement member at part XLVIII in FIG. 47(c), and (b) is a side view of the first displacement member and the second displacement member as viewed in the direction of arrow XLVIIIb in FIG. 48(a). FIG. An exploded rear perspective view of the prize-winning device. 1A is a front view of the prize-winning device, FIG. 1B is a rear view of the prize-winning device, and FIG. 1C is a top view of the prize-winning device. 52(a) and (b) are cross-sectional views of the winning device taken along line LIIa-LIIa in FIG. 51. 52(a) is a schematic cross-sectional view of the prize-winning device taken along line LIIIa-LIIIa in FIG. 52(a), and (b) is a schematic cross-sectional view of the prize-winning device taken along line LIIIb-LIIIb in FIG. 52(b). A partially enlarged cross-sectional view of the winning device taken along line LIV-LIV in Figure 52 (b). 1 is a schematic rear view of the prize-winning device. FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged view of the game board showing the LVI portion of FIG. 2 . FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged view of the game board showing the LVI portion of FIG. 2 . FIG. FIG. 60 is a cross-sectional view of the region forming portion taken along line LX-LX in FIG. 59. FIG. 11 is a front view of a game board in a second embodiment. FIG. 13 is an exploded front perspective view of a right rotation unit in a third embodiment. FIG. 2 is an exploded rear perspective view of the right rotation unit. 11A to 11C are front views of the right rotation unit in each state when operating between the retracted position and the extended position. 11A to 11C are front views of the right rotation unit in each state when operating between the retracted position and the extended position. 11A to 11C are schematic rear views of the right rotation unit in each state when operating between the retracted position and the extended position. 11A to 11C are schematic rear views of the right rotation unit in each state when operating between the retracted position and the extended position. FIG. 13 is an exploded front perspective view of a right rotation unit in a fourth embodiment. FIG. 2 is an exploded rear perspective view of the right rotation unit. 11A to 11C are front views of the right rotation unit in each state when operating between the retracted position and the extended position. 11A to 11C are front views of the right rotation unit in each state when operating between the retracted position and the extended position. 11A to 11C are schematic rear views of the right rotation unit in each state when operating between the retracted position and the extended position. 11A to 11C are schematic rear views of the right rotation unit in each state when operating between the retracted position and the extended position. FIG. 13 is an exploded front perspective view of a right rotation unit in a fifth embodiment. FIG. 2 is an exploded rear perspective view of the right rotation unit. 11A to 11C are front views of the right rotation unit in each state when operating between the retracted position and the extended position. 11A to 11C are front views of the right rotation unit in each state when operating between the retracted position and the extended position. 11A to 11C are schematic rear views of the right rotation unit in each state when operating between the retracted position and the extended position. 11A to 11C are schematic rear views of the right rotation unit in each state when operating between the retracted position and the extended position. 11A to 11C are top views of the right rotation unit in each state when operating between the retracted position and the extended position. 11A to 11C are top views of the right rotation unit in each state when operating between the retracted position and the extended position. FIG. 23 is an exploded front perspective view of a right rotation unit in the sixth embodiment. FIG. 2 is an exploded rear perspective view of the right rotation unit. 11A to 11C are front views of the right rotation unit in each state when operating between the retracted position and the extended position. 11A to 11C are front views of the right rotation unit in each state when operating between the retracted position and the extended position. 11A to 11C are schematic rear views of the right rotation unit in each state when operating between the retracted position and the extended position. 11A to 11C are schematic rear views of the right rotation unit in each state when operating between the retracted position and the extended position. 13A to 13C are schematic front views of a right rotation unit in a fourth embodiment, and 13D to 13G are schematic front views of a right rotation unit in a sixth embodiment. FIG. 23 is an exploded front perspective view of a right rotation unit in the seventh embodiment. FIG. 2 is an exploded rear perspective view of the right rotation unit. 11A to 11C are front views of the right rotation unit in each state when operating between the retracted position and the extended position. 11A to 11C are front views of the right rotation unit in each state when operating between the retracted position and the extended position. 11A to 11C are schematic rear views of the right rotation unit in each state when operating between the retracted position and the extended position. 11A to 11C are schematic rear views of the right rotation unit in each state when operating between the retracted position and the extended position. FIG. 23 is an exploded front oblique view of a left rotating unit in the eighth embodiment. FIG. 2 is an exploded rear perspective view of the left rotating unit. FIG. 11A to 11C are front views of the left rotating unit in various states when moving forward from the retracted position to the extended position. 11A to 11C are front views of the left rotating unit in various states when moving forward from the retracted position to the extended position. 11A to 11C are schematic rear views of the left rotating unit in each state when moving forward from the retracted position to the extended position. 11A to 11C are schematic rear views of the left rotating unit in each state when moving forward from the retracted position to the extended position. 11A to 11C are front views of the left rotating unit in various states when moving back from the extended position to the retracted position. 11A to 11C are front views of the left rotating unit in various states when moving back from the extended position to the retracted position. 11A to 11C are schematic rear views of the left rotating unit in each state when moving back from the extended position to the retracted position. 11A to 11C are schematic rear views of the left rotating unit in each state when moving back from the extended position to the retracted position. FIG. 13 is an exploded front oblique view of the left rotating unit in the ninth embodiment. FIG. 2 is an exploded rear perspective view of the left rotating unit. 11A to 11C are front views of the left rotating unit in various states when moving forward from the retracted position to the extended position. 11A to 11C are front views of the left rotating unit in various states when moving forward from the retracted position to the extended position. 11A to 11C are schematic rear views of the left rotating unit in each state when moving forward from the retracted position to the extended position. 11A to 11C are schematic rear views of the left rotating unit in each state when moving forward from the retracted position to the extended position. 11A to 11C are front views of the left rotating unit in various states when moving back from the extended position to the retracted position. 11A to 11C are front views of the left rotating unit in various states when moving back from the extended position to the retracted position. 11A to 11C are schematic rear views of the left rotating unit in each state when moving back from the extended position to the retracted position. 11A to 11C are schematic rear views of the left rotating unit in each state when moving back from the extended position to the retracted position. 23 is a schematic rear view of the left rotation unit in the tenth embodiment. FIG. 1A is a front view of the retainer, FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view of the retainer taken along line CXVIIb-CXVII b in FIG. 1A, and FIG. 1C is a cross-sectional view of the retainer taken along line CXVIIc-CXVIIc in FIG. 11A to 11C are schematic rear views of the left rotating unit in each state when moving forward from the retracted position to the extended position. 11A to 11C are schematic rear views of the left rotating unit in each state when moving forward from the retracted position to the extended position. 11A to 11C are schematic rear views of the left rotating unit in each state when moving back from the extended position to the retracted position. 11A to 11C are schematic rear views of the left rotating unit in each state when moving back from the extended position to the retracted position. FIG. 23 is an exploded rear oblique view of the left rotating unit in the eleventh embodiment. 11A to 11C are front views of the left rotating unit in various states when moving forward from the retracted position to the extended position. 11A to 11C are front views of the left rotating unit in various states when moving forward from the retracted position to the extended position. 11A to 11C are schematic rear views of the left rotating unit in each state when moving forward from the retracted position to the extended position. 11A to 11C are schematic rear views of the left rotating unit in each state when moving forward from the retracted position to the extended position. 11A to 11C are front views of the left rotating unit in various states when moving back from the extended position to the retracted position. 11A to 11C are front views of the left rotating unit in various states when moving back from the extended position to the retracted position. 11A to 11C are schematic rear views of the left rotating unit in each state when moving back from the extended position to the retracted position. 11A to 11C are schematic rear views of the left rotating unit in each state when moving back from the extended position to the retracted position. FIG. 23 is a partially exploded oblique view of a left rotating unit in a twelfth embodiment. 1A is a partially enlarged front view of the front base, and FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view of the front base taken along line CXXXIIb-CXXXIIb in FIG. 13 is a schematic partial cross-sectional view of a left rotating unit for explaining an engagement action by a base-side engagement member and a displacement-side engagement member. FIG. FIG. 23 is a partially exploded oblique view of a left rotating unit in the thirteenth embodiment. 1A is a partially enlarged front view of the front base, and FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view of the front base taken along line CXXXVb-CXXXVb in FIG. 13 is a schematic partial cross-sectional view of a left rotating unit for explaining an engagement action by a front base and a displacement-side engagement member. FIG. FIG. 23 is a partially exploded oblique view of a left rotating unit in the fourteenth embodiment. 1A is a partially enlarged front view of the left rotating unit when the second displacement member is positioned in the retracted position, and FIG. 1B is a partially enlarged schematic cross-sectional view of the left rotating unit taken along line CXXXVIIIb-CXXXVIIIb in FIG. 1A. 1A is a partially enlarged front view of the left rotating unit when the second displacement member is positioned in the extended position, and FIG. 1B is a partially enlarged schematic cross-sectional view of the left rotating unit taken along line CXXXIXb-CXXXIXb in FIG. FIG. 23 is a partially exploded oblique view of a left rotating unit in the fifteenth embodiment. 1A is a partially enlarged front view of the front base, and FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view of the front base taken along line CXLIb-CXLIb in FIG. 13 is a schematic partial cross-sectional view of a left rotating unit for explaining an engagement action by a base-side engagement member and a displacement-side engagement member. FIG. FIG. 23 is a partially exploded oblique view of a left rotating unit in the sixteenth embodiment. 1A is a partially enlarged front view of the front base, and FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view of the front base taken along line CXLIVb-CXLIVb in FIG. 13 is a schematic partial cross-sectional view of a left rotating unit for explaining an engagement action by a front base (opening) and a displacement-side engagement member. FIG. FIG. 23 is a partially exploded oblique view of a left rotating unit in the seventeenth embodiment. 13 is a schematic top view of the left rotating unit for explaining the engagement action of the rear base and the displacement-side engagement member. FIG. FIG. 23 is an exploded oblique view of the right rotation unit in the eighteenth embodiment. 11A to 11C are front views of the right rotation unit in each state in the first half section when moving from the extended position to the retracted position. 11A to 11C are rear views of the right rotation unit in each state in the first half section when moving from the extended position to the retracted position. 11A to 11C are schematic rear views of the right rotation unit in each state in the first half section when moving from the extended position to the retracted position. FIG. 23 is an exploded front oblique view of the right rotation unit in the nineteenth embodiment. FIG. 2 is an exploded rear perspective view of the right rotation unit. 11A to 11C are front views of the right rotation unit in each state when operating between the retracted position and the extended position. 11A to 11C are front views of the right rotation unit in each state when operating between the retracted position and the extended position. 11A to 11C are schematic rear views of the right rotation unit in each state when operating between the retracted position and the extended position. 11A to 11C are schematic rear views of the right rotation unit in each state when operating between the retracted position and the extended position. 11A to 11C are front views of the right rotation unit in each state in the first half section when moving from the extended position to the retracted position. 11A to 11C are rear views of the right rotation unit in each state in the first half section when moving from the extended position to the retracted position. 11A to 11C are schematic rear views of the right rotation unit in each state in the first half section when moving from the extended position to the retracted position. A disassembled front oblique view of the prize-winning device in the 20th embodiment. 1A is a cross-sectional view of the winning device when the seesaw member forms a first state, and FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view of the winning device when the seesaw member forms a second state. 21(a) and 21(b) are partially enlarged cross-sectional views of the prize-winning device in the 21st embodiment. 22(a) and (b) are partially enlarged cross-sectional views of the prize-winning device in the 22nd embodiment. 13A and 13B are enlarged cross-sectional views of a portion of the prize-winning device. An exploded rear oblique view of the prize-winning device in the 23rd embodiment. 13A and 13B are enlarged cross-sectional views of a portion of the prize-winning device. 13A and 13B are enlarged cross-sectional views of a portion of the prize-winning device. A disassembled front oblique view of the prize-winning device in the 24th embodiment. An exploded rear perspective view of the prize-winning device. 1A is a front view of the rotating shaft, and FIG. 1B is a side view of the rotating shaft as viewed in the direction of the arrow CLXXIb in FIG. 1A is a cross-sectional view of the winning device when the seesaw member forms a first state, and FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view of the winning device when the seesaw member forms a second state. 172(a) is a cross-sectional view of the winning device taken along line CLXXIIIa-CLXXIIIa in FIG. 172(a), and (b) is a cross-sectional view of the winning device taken along line CLXXIIIb-CLXXIIIb in FIG. 172(b). An exploded front oblique view of the prize-winning device in the 25th embodiment. An exploded rear perspective view of the prize-winning device. 1A is a cross-sectional view of the winning device when the seesaw member forms a first state, and FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view of the winning device when the seesaw member forms a second state. (a) is a cross-sectional view of the winning device taken along line CLXXVIIa-CLXXVIIa in Figure 176(a), (b) is a cross-sectional view of the winning device taken along line CLXXVIIb-CLXXVIIb in Figure 176(a), (c) is a cross-sectional view of the winning device taken along line CLXXVIIc-CLXXVIIc in Figure 176(b), and (d) is a cross-sectional view of the winning device taken along line CLXXVIId-CLXXVIId in Figure 176(b). FIG. 2 is a front view of the center frame of the pachinko machine. 178(a) and (b) are enlarged views of the CLXXIX portion in FIG. 178. This is a diagram showing a schematic diagram of the change over time in the operation of the flow path solenoid and the change over time in the opening and closing timing of the opening and closing plate for each type of jackpot. This is a schematic diagram showing a method of transitioning from one game state to another game state for three types of game states set in a pachinko machine. 1A is a diagram showing a schematic diagram of area division settings and effective line settings on a display screen, and FIG. 1B is a diagram showing an example of an actual display screen. (a) is a diagram showing an example of the display content when all the pattern rows, top, middle and bottom, are changing in a changing display performance, and (b) is a diagram showing an example of the display content when a reach performance occurs, which indicates to the player that there is a high possibility that the jackpot stopped pattern will be displayed. 13A and 13B are diagrams showing an example of the display content of a reach effect. 13A and 13B are diagrams showing an example of the display content of a reach effect. (a) is a diagram showing an example of a state in which the result of the display of the first special pattern change is a miss in the normal state or in the special pattern change state, (b) is a diagram showing an example of a customer waiting demo screen, and (c) is a diagram showing an example of a demo screen during the change of special pattern 2. (a) is a diagram showing an example of pattern change in a potential state, (b) is a diagram showing an example of the display content within 30 seconds after the change display has ended, and (c) is a diagram showing an example of the display content after 30 seconds or more after the change display has ended. 13A is a diagram showing the screen displayed when the latent state ends, and FIG. 13B is a diagram showing an example of a result screen displayed when the latent state ends. A diagram showing an example of a revival effect, which is one type of effect executed during a latent state. 2 is a schematic diagram showing counters and the like provided in RAM 203 of main control device 110. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a ROM of a main control device in a first control example; FIG. (a) is a schematic diagram showing the contents of the first win random number table, (b) is a schematic diagram showing the contents of the small win random number table, and (c) is a schematic diagram showing the contents of the second win random number table. 13A is a schematic diagram showing the contents of a big win type selection table, and FIG. 13B is a schematic diagram showing the contents of a small win type selection table. A schematic diagram showing the configuration of a variation pattern selection table. FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram showing the contents of a normal table. 1A is a schematic diagram showing the contents of a normal table, and FIG. 1B is a schematic diagram showing the contents of a potential winning table. This is a schematic diagram showing the contents of the general map fluctuation pattern table. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the RAM of the main control device in the first control example. FIG. (a) is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the ROM of the voice lamp control device in the first control example, and (b) is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the RAM of the voice lamp control device in the first control example. FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing the contents of a screen display selection table. FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an electrical configuration of a display control device in a first control example. 13A to 13C are diagrams illustrating images displayed when the power is turned on. 1A is an explanatory diagram illustrating the rear surface A, and FIG. 1B is an explanatory diagram illustrating the rear surfaces B to D. FIG. 4A to 4C are explanatory diagrams illustrating the rear surface E. FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a display data table. FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a transfer data table. FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a drawing list. 5 is a flowchart showing a timer interrupt process executed by an MPU in the main control device. 13 is a flowchart showing a special pattern change process executed by the MPU in the main control device. 13 is a flowchart showing the first special pattern variation start processing executed by the MPU in the main control device. 13 is a flowchart showing a first special pattern jackpot determination process executed by the MPU in the main control device. 13 is a flowchart showing the first special pattern change pattern selection process executed by the MPU in the main control device. 13 is a flowchart showing a game status update process executed by the MPU in the main control device. 13 is a flowchart showing the first special pattern variation stop processing executed by the MPU in the main control device. 13 is a flowchart showing the second special pattern variation start processing executed by the MPU in the main control device. 13 is a flowchart showing a second special pattern jackpot determination process executed by the MPU in the main control device. This is a flowchart showing the special chart 2 out-of-range variation processing executed by the MPU in the main control unit. 13 is a flowchart showing a second special pattern change pattern selection process executed by the MPU in the main control device. This is a flowchart showing the special chart 2 out-of-range variation pattern selection process executed by the MPU in the main control unit. 13 is a flowchart showing a second special pattern variation stop process executed by the MPU in the main control device. A flowchart showing the special chart 2 off-axis stop processing executed by the MPU in the main control unit. A flowchart showing the start winning processing executed by the MPU in the main control unit. 13 is a flowchart showing the normal pattern change processing executed by the MPU in the main control device. 13 is a flowchart showing a through-gate passing process executed by an MPU in the main control device. 5 is a flowchart showing an NMI interrupt process executed by an MPU in a main control device. 5 is a flowchart showing a start-up process executed by an MPU in the main control device. 4 is a flowchart showing main processing executed by an MPU in the main control device. 13 is a flowchart showing a jackpot control process executed by the MPU in the main control device. 13 is a flowchart showing a jackpot operation setting process executed by the MPU in the main control device. 13 is a flowchart showing the jackpot end processing executed by the MPU in the main control device. A flowchart showing the first winning processing executed by the MPU in the main control unit. 13 is a flowchart showing the small win control process executed by the MPU in the main control device. 13 is a flowchart showing the small win operation setting process executed by the MPU in the main control device. A flowchart showing the second winning processing executed by the MPU in the main control unit. 11 is a flowchart showing a startup process executed by an MPU in the voice lamp control device. 4 is a flowchart showing a main process executed by an MPU in the voice lamp control device. 13 is a flowchart showing the customer waiting performance processing executed by the MPU in the voice lamp control device. 11 is a flowchart showing a command determination process executed by an MPU in a voice lamp control device. 11 is a flowchart showing a stop type command receiving process executed by an MPU in a voice lamp control device. 11 is a flowchart showing a state command process executed by an MPU in the voice lamp control device. 11 is a flowchart showing a standby command process executed by an MPU in the voice lamp control device. 11 is a flowchart showing a remaining number update process executed by an MPU in a voice lamp control device. A flowchart showing the variable display setting process executed by an MPU in a voice lamp control device. 4 is a flowchart showing a main process executed by an MPU in the display control device. 4 is a flowchart showing a boot process executed by an MPU in the display control device. 1A is a flowchart showing a command interrupt process executed by an MPU in a display control device, and FIG. 1B is a flowchart showing a V interrupt process executed by an MPU in a display control device. 11 is a flowchart showing a command determination process executed by an MPU in the display control device. 13A is a flowchart showing the variation pattern command processing executed by the MPU in the display control device, and FIG. 13B is a flowchart showing the stop type command processing executed by the MPU in the display control device. 13A is a flowchart showing an opening command process executed by an MPU in a display control device, and FIG. 13B is a flowchart showing a number of rounds command process executed by an MPU in a display control device. 11 is a flowchart showing an ending command process executed by an MPU in the display control device. 13A is a flowchart showing a rear image change command process executed by an MPU in a display control device, and FIG. 13B is a flowchart showing an error command process executed by an MPU in a display control device. 4 is a flowchart showing a display setting process executed by an MPU in the display control device. 11 is a flowchart showing a warning image setting process executed by an MPU in the display control device. 11 is a flowchart showing a pointer update process executed by an MPU in the display control device. 13A is a flowchart showing a transfer setting process executed by an MPU in a display control device, and FIG. 13B is a flowchart showing a resident image transfer setting process executed by an MPU in a display control device. 11 is a flowchart showing a normal image transfer setting process executed by an MPU in the display control device. 4 is a flowchart showing a drawing process executed by an MPU in the display control device. A front view of the game board of a pachinko machine in a second control example. FIG. 11 is a front view showing the inside of the sorting unit in the second control example. A schematic diagram showing a method of transitioning the game state in the second control example. 13 is a timing chart showing an example of the flow of special pattern fluctuation in the second control example. (a) is a schematic diagram showing the display screen when no additional performance is executed during the remaining period, and (b) is a schematic diagram showing the display screen when additional performance A is executed as a type of additional performance during the remaining period. (a) is a schematic diagram showing the display screen when additional performance B is executed as a type of additional performance during the remaining period, and (b) is a schematic diagram showing the display screen when additional performance C is executed as a type of additional performance during the remaining period. A schematic diagram showing the display screen when additional performance D is executed as a type of additional performance during the remaining period. 13A and 13B are timing charts showing an example of the flow of special pattern fluctuation in the second control example. (a) is a figure showing an example of a demo display A screen (waiting customer demo screen) on the third pattern display device, and (b) is a figure showing an example of a demo display B screen (waiting customer demo screen) on the third pattern display device. (a) is a diagram showing an example of a special display A screen in the third pattern display device, and (b) is a diagram showing an example of a special display B screen in the third pattern display device. (a) is a schematic diagram showing the correspondence between the first winning type counter C2 and the type of jackpot in the second control example, and (b) is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the variation pattern selection table in the second control example. (a) is a schematic diagram showing the contents of the normal table (for use within two times after the end of the latent state) in the second control example, and (b) is a schematic diagram showing the contents of the normal table (for use 3 to 8 times after the end of the latent state) in the second control example. 1A is a schematic diagram showing the contents of the table for the guaranteed bonus in the second control example, and FIG. 1B is a schematic diagram showing the contents of the table for the potential bonus in the second control example. A block diagram showing the configuration of the RAM of the main control device in the second control example. 1A is a block diagram showing the configuration of the ROM of the voice lamp control device in the second control example, and FIG. 1B is a schematic diagram showing the contents of the screen display selection table in the second control example. A schematic diagram showing the contents of the additional performance selection table in the second control example. A block diagram showing the configuration of the RAM of the voice lamp control device in the second control example. 13 is a flowchart showing special pattern change processing 2 executed by the MPU in the main control device in the second control example. 13 is a flowchart showing a game status update process 2 executed by the MPU in the main control device in the second control example. A flowchart showing the processing during the first special pattern variation executed by the MPU in the main control device in the second control example. A flowchart showing the first special pattern variation stop processing 2 executed by the MPU in the main control device in the second control example. A flowchart showing the second special pattern variation start process 2 executed by the MPU in the main control device in the second control example. A flowchart showing the processing during execution of the second special pattern variation executed by the MPU in the main control device in the second control example. A flowchart showing the second special pattern variation stop processing 2 executed by the MPU in the main control device in the second control example. A flowchart showing the start winning process 2 executed by the MPU in the main control device in the second control example. A flowchart showing the jackpot end process 2 executed by the MPU in the main control device in the second control example. 11 is a flowchart showing command determination process 2 executed by an MPU in a voice lamp control device in a second control example. 13 is a flowchart showing remaining number update process 2 executed by an MPU in a voice lamp control device in a second control example. 13 is a flowchart showing the temporary stop related processing executed by the MPU in the voice lamp control device in the second control example. A flowchart showing the fluctuation resumption processing executed by the MPU in the voice lamp control device in the second control example. 13 is a timing chart showing an example of the flow of special pattern fluctuation in another example of the second control example. A front view of the game board of a pachinko machine in another example of the second control example. A timing chart showing an example of the flow of special pattern fluctuation in the third control example. (a) is a schematic diagram showing an example of a jackpot end screen when the game state transitions to a potential jackpot state, and (b) is a schematic diagram showing an example of a display screen during a winning game (small winning game) in the potential jackpot state. (a) is a schematic diagram showing the content displayed when an additional performance D (see point D in Figure 290) is executed during the special chart change in the potential state, and (b) is a schematic diagram showing the content of the final performance during the potential state. This is a schematic diagram showing the content of the winning presentation during the potential winning state. 13A is a block diagram showing the configuration of the ROM of the voice lamp control device in the third control example, and FIG. 13B is a block diagram showing the configuration of the RAM of the voice lamp control device in the third control example. 13A is a schematic diagram showing the contents of the added performance table in the third control example, and FIG. 13B is a schematic diagram showing the contents of the winning performance table in the third control example. A flowchart showing the first winning process 2 executed by the MPU in the main control device in the third control example. A flowchart showing the second winning process 2 executed by the MPU in the main control device in the third control example. 13 is a flowchart showing command determination processing 3 executed by an MPU in a voice lamp control device in a third control example. A flowchart showing the special chart 2 variable setting process executed by the MPU in the voice lamp control device in the third control example. 13 is a flowchart showing state command processing 3 executed by an MPU in a voice lamp control device in a third control example. A flowchart showing the winning-related command processing executed by the MPU in the voice lamp control device in the third control example. A flowchart showing the winning command processing executed by the MPU in the voice lamp control device in the third control example. A flowchart showing variable display setting process 2 executed by an MPU in a voice lamp control device in a third control example. A flowchart showing the special chart 2 variation start processing executed by the MPU in the voice lamp control device in the third control example. 13A to 13C are diagrams showing the display mode when a hold notice performance is executed. 11A to 11C are diagrams showing the display mode when the press-add effect is executed. 13A and 13B are diagrams showing the display mode when the press-add effect is executed. 13A and 13B are diagrams showing a display mode when a non-display mode is set in which the remaining number of times is not displayed in the potential state. 13A and 13B are diagrams showing a non-display mode during a latent state. (a) is a diagram showing the display content when, in the non-display mode, the actual number of times remaining in the potential state becomes 0 and the potential state ends, and (b) is a diagram showing the display mode (pinch escape presentation) when the non-display mode is set and a jackpot occurs when the number of times remaining in the potential state is 5 or less. 13A is a block diagram showing the configuration of the ROM of the voice lamp control device in the fourth control example, and FIG. 13B is a block diagram showing the configuration of the RAM of the voice lamp control device in the fourth control example. (a) is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the additional performance selection table in the fourth control example, and (b) is a schematic diagram showing the contents of the normal participation level table in the fourth control example. (a) is a schematic diagram showing the contents of the low participation level table in the fourth control example, (b) is a schematic diagram showing the contents of the jackpot table in the fourth control example, and (c) is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the press period table in the fourth control example. 13A is a schematic diagram showing the contents of a normal table in the fourth control example, and FIG. 13B is a schematic diagram showing the contents of a special table in the fourth control example. A schematic diagram showing the contents of the hold notice judgment table in the fourth control example. A flowchart showing the frame button input monitoring and presentation processing performed by the MPU in the voice lamp control device in the fourth control example. A flowchart showing the process of pressing during an added effect executed by the MPU in the voice lamp control device in the fourth control example. A flowchart showing the hold notification press processing executed by the MPU in the voice lamp control device in the fourth control example. 13 is a flowchart showing command determination process 4 executed by an MPU in a voice lamp control device in a fourth control example. A flowchart showing the special chart 2 variation start processing executed by the MPU in the voice lamp control device in the fourth control example. A flowchart showing the additional performance setting process executed by the MPU in the voice lamp control device in the fourth control example. A flowchart showing the hold notice setting process executed by the MPU in the voice lamp control device in the fourth control example. 13 is a flowchart showing the remaining chance of winning command processing executed by the MPU in the voice lamp control device. 13 is a flowchart showing a non-display setting process executed by an MPU in a voice lamp control device in a fourth control example. A flowchart showing the confirmation command processing executed by the MPU in the voice lamp control device in the fourth control example. (a) is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the ROM in the main control device in the first variant of the first control example, and (b) is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the variation pattern selection table in the first variant of the first control example. (a) is a schematic diagram showing the contents of the table for potential confirmation (second half) in the first modified example of the first control example, and (b) is a schematic diagram showing the contents of the fluctuation pattern scenario table in the first modified example of the first control example. FIG. 13 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a RAM of the main control device in a first modified example of the first control example. 13 is a flowchart showing the first special symbol variation pattern selection process 5 executed by the MPU in the main control device in the first modified example of the first control example. 13 is a flowchart showing a game status update process 5 executed by the MPU in the main control device in the first modified example of the first control example. A flowchart showing the jackpot end processing 5 executed by the MPU in the main control device in the first modified example of the first control example. A figure showing an example of a display screen in the third pattern display device. FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram showing the contents of a screen display selection 3 table in a second modified example of the first control example. 13A and 13B are diagrams showing an example of a display screen in the third pattern display device. 13A and 13B are diagrams showing an example of a display screen in the third pattern display device. 13A and 13B are diagrams showing an example of a display screen in the third pattern display device. A figure showing an example of a display screen in the third pattern display device. (a) is a block diagram showing the configuration of the ROM of the voice lamp control device in the first variant of the fourth control example, and (b) is a block diagram showing the configuration of the RAM of the voice lamp control device in the first variant of the fourth control example. A schematic diagram showing the contents of the second normal table (for use three times or more after the end of the latent state) in the first modified example of the fourth control example. A flowchart showing the frame button input monitoring and performance process 2 executed by the MPU in the voice lamp control device in the first variant of the fourth control example. A flowchart showing the reach-in-press processing executed by the MPU in the voice lamp control device in the first modified example of the fourth control example. A flowchart showing the jackpot press processing executed by the MPU in the voice lamp control device in the first modified example of the fourth control example. 13 is a flowchart showing the processing at the end of pressing executed by the MPU in the voice lamp control device in the first modified example of the fourth control example. A flowchart showing the special chart 2 variation start processing 6 executed by the MPU in the voice lamp control device in the first modified example of the fourth control example. A flowchart showing the remaining number of chance bonuses command processing 6 executed by the MPU in the voice lamp control device in the first modified example of the fourth control example. 20 is a flowchart showing a command determination process 6 executed by an MPU in the display control device in a first modified example of the fourth control example. 13 is a flowchart showing a press-related command process executed by an MPU in the display control device in a first modified example of the fourth control example. 13 is a flowchart showing a reach-while-press command processing executed by an MPU in a display control device in a first modified example of the fourth control example. 13 is a flowchart showing a scroll change command process executed by an MPU in the display control device in a first modified example of the fourth control example. (a) is a flowchart showing the scroll no-change command processing executed by the MPU in the display control device in the first variant of the fourth control example, and (b) is a flowchart showing the press command processing during a jackpot executed by the MPU in the display control device in the first variant of the fourth control example. 13A and 13B are diagrams showing an example of a display screen in the third pattern display device. 13A and 13B are diagrams showing an example of a display screen in the third pattern display device. (a) is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the character memory area in the second modified example of the fourth control example, (b) is a schematic diagram showing the contents of the character memory area in the second modified example of the fourth control example, and (c) is a schematic diagram showing the contents of the memory area for pattern array in the second modified example of the fourth control example. 13 is a flowchart showing a pointer update process 2 executed by an MPU in the display control device in a second modified example of the fourth control example.

First Embodiment
Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. First, with reference to Fig. 1 to Fig. 60, an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a pachinko game machine (hereinafter, simply referred to as a "pachinko machine") 10 will be described as a first embodiment. Fig. 1 is a front view of the pachinko machine 10 in the first embodiment, Fig. 2 is a front view of a game board 13 of the pachinko machine 10, and Fig. 3 is a rear view of the pachinko machine 10.

As shown in Figure 1, the pachinko machine 10 has an outer frame 11, whose outer shell is formed by wooden frames assembled into a roughly rectangular shape, and an inner frame 12, which is formed to roughly the same external shape as the outer frame 11 and is supported so as to be openable and closable relative to the outer frame 11. Metal hinges 18 are attached to the outer frame 11 at two locations, top and bottom, on the left side when viewed from the front (see Figure 1), in order to support the inner frame 12, and the inner frame 12 is supported so as to be openable and closable towards the front, with the side where the hinges 18 are provided serving as the axis for opening and closing.

A game board 13 (see FIG. 2) having numerous nails and winning holes 63, 64, etc. is attached to the inner frame 12 so that it can be detached from the back side. A pinball game is played by balls (game balls) flowing down the front of the game board 13. The inner frame 12 is also fitted with a ball launching unit 112a (see FIG. 4) that launches balls into the front area of the game board 13, and a launch rail (not shown) that guides the balls launched from the ball launching unit 112a to the front area of the game board 13.

On the front side of the inner frame 12, there is a front frame 14 that covers the upper side of the front, and a bottom plate unit 15 that covers the lower side. Metal hinges 19 are attached to two places, top and bottom, on the left side when viewed from the front (see Figure 1), to support the front frame 14 and bottom plate unit 15, and the front frame 14 and bottom plate unit 15 are supported so that they can be opened and closed toward the front, with the side where the hinges 19 are provided serving as the axis for opening and closing. The locks on the inner frame 12 and the front frame 14 can be released by inserting a special key into the keyhole 21 of the cylinder lock 20 and performing a specified operation.

The front frame 14 is fitted with decorative resin parts, electrical parts, etc., and has a window 14c formed in a roughly elliptical shape at approximately the center. A glass unit 16 having two glass sheets 16a is disposed on the back side of the front frame 14, and the front of the game board 13 can be seen from the front side of the pachinko machine 10 through the glass unit 16.

The front frame 14 has an upper tray 17 for storing balls that juts out forward and is formed in a roughly box-like shape with an open top, and prize balls and loan balls are discharged into this upper tray 17. The bottom of the upper tray 17 is formed with a downward slope to the right when viewed from the front (see Figure 1), and this slope guides balls dropped into the upper tray 17 to the ball launching unit 112a (see Figure 4). In addition, a frame button 22 is provided on the top surface of the upper tray 17. This frame button 22 is operated by the player, for example, when changing the stage of the performance displayed on the third pattern display device 81 (see Figure 2) or when changing the content of the Super Reach performance.

The front frame 14 is provided with various light-emitting means such as lamps around its periphery (for example, corners). These light-emitting means change and control the light-emitting state by lighting or blinking in response to changes in the game state such as when a jackpot is hit or when a certain reach is reached, and play a role in enhancing the presentation effect during the game. The periphery of the window portion 14c is provided with illumination units 29-33 incorporating illumination units such as LEDs. In the pachinko machine 10, these illumination units 29-33 function as presentation lamps such as jackpot lamps, and when a jackpot is hit or when a reach is reached, each illumination unit 29-33 lights up or blinks by lighting or blinking the built-in LEDs, thereby notifying that a jackpot is being hit or that the player is in the reach just before a jackpot. In addition, the upper left of the front frame 14 when viewed from the front (see Figure 1) is provided with an indicator lamp 34 incorporating an illumination unit such as LED that can indicate when prize balls are being paid out and when an error has occurred.

A small window 35 is formed by attaching transparent resin to the underside of the right-side illumination section 32 from the back side so that the back side of the front frame 14 can be seen, and the certificate stamps and the like affixed to the attachment space K1 (see Figure 2) on the front of the game board 13 can be seen from the front of the pachinko machine 10. In addition, in order to create a more dazzling appearance, a plated member 36 made of chrome-plated ABS resin is attached to the area around the illumination sections 29-33 in the pachinko machine 10.

Below the window 14c, a ball lending operation unit 40 is provided. The ball lending operation unit 40 is provided with a number display unit 41, a ball lending button 42, and a return button 43. When the ball lending operation unit 40 is operated with bills, cards, etc. inserted into the card unit (ball lending unit) (not shown) arranged on the side of the pachinko machine 10, balls are lent out according to the operation. Specifically, the number display unit 41 is an area where the remaining balance information of the card, etc. is displayed, and the built-in LED is lit to display the remaining balance in numbers as the remaining balance information. The ball lending button 42 is operated to obtain loan balls based on the information recorded on the card, etc. (recording medium), and loan balls are supplied to the upper tray 17 as long as there is a remaining balance on the card, etc. The return button 43 is operated when requesting the return of the card, etc. inserted into the card unit. In addition, in pachinko machines where balls are directly dispensed from a ball dispensing device to the upper tray 17 without going through a card unit, i.e., in so-called cash machines, the ball dispensing operation unit 40 is not necessary, but in this case, a decorative sticker or the like may be added to the installation part of the ball dispensing operation unit 40 to make the parts configuration common. It is possible to standardize pachinko machines that use a card unit and cash machines.

The lower tray unit 15, located below the upper tray 17, has a lower tray 50 in the center formed in a roughly box-like shape with an open top for storing balls that cannot be stored in the upper tray 17. An operating handle 51 is provided on the right side of the lower tray 50, which is operated by the player to shoot the ball into the front of the game board 13.

The operating handle 51 contains a touch sensor 51a for permitting the operation of the ball launching unit 112a, a launch stop switch 51b for stopping the launch of balls while the switch is being pressed, and a variable resistor (not shown) for detecting the amount of rotation (rotation position) of the operating handle 51 by changes in electrical resistance. When the operating handle 51 is rotated clockwise by the player, the touch sensor 51a is turned on and the resistance value of the variable resistor changes in response to the amount of rotation, and the ball is launched with a strength (launch strength) corresponding to the resistance value of the variable resistor, thereby hitting the front of the game board 13 with a flight amount corresponding to the player's operation. When the operating handle 51 is not being operated by the player, the touch sensor 51a and the launch stop switch 51b are turned off.

A ball removal lever 52 is provided on the lower front part of the lower tray 50 to be operated when discharging the balls stored in the lower tray 50 downward. This ball removal lever 52 is always biased to the right, and by sliding it to the left against this bias, the bottom opening formed on the bottom surface of the lower tray 50 opens, and the balls fall naturally from the bottom opening and are discharged. This ball removal lever 52 is usually operated with a box (commonly called a "senryo box") placed below the lower tray 50 to receive the balls discharged from the lower tray 50. As mentioned above, the operating handle 51 is disposed on the right side of the lower tray 50, and an ashtray 53 is attached to the left side of the lower tray 50.

As shown in FIG. 2, the game board 13 is constructed by assembling a number of nails (not shown) for guiding balls, a windmill, rails 61, 62, a general winning opening 63, a first ball entrance 64, a second ball entrance 1640, a variable winning device 65, a first through gate 66, a second through gate 67, a variable display unit 80, etc., on a base plate 60 machined into a roughly square shape when viewed from the front, and the peripheral portion is attached to the back side of the inner frame 12 (see FIG. 1). The base plate 60 is made of wood made by gluing together thin boards, and is formed so that the players cannot see the various structures arranged on the back side of the base plate 60 from the front side. The general winning opening 63, the first ball entrance 64, the second ball entrance 1640, the variable winning device 65, and the variable display unit 80 are arranged in through holes formed in the base plate 60 by router processing, and are fixed from the front side of the game board 13 with tapping screws or the like.

The front center portion of the game board 13 can be seen from the front side of the inner frame 12 through the window portion 14c (see Figure 1) of the front frame 14. The configuration of the game board 13 will be described below, mainly with reference to Figure 2.

An outer rail 62 formed by bending a strip-shaped metal plate into an approximately arc shape is set up on the front of the game board 13, and an inner rail 61, also made of a strip-shaped metal plate like the outer rail 62, is set up inside the outer rail 62. The inner rail 61 and the outer rail 62 surround the front periphery of the game board 13, and the game board 13 and the glass unit 16 (see Figure 1) surround the front and back, forming a game area on the front of the game board 13 where games are played based on the behavior of the ball. The game area is an area (where prize holes and the like are arranged and where shot balls flow down) that is partitioned on the front of the game board 13 and is formed by the two rails 61, 62 and the resin outer edge member 73 that connects the rails.

The two rails 61, 62 are provided to guide the ball launched from the ball launching unit 112a (see Figure 4) to the top of the game board 13. A return ball prevention member 68 is attached to the tip of the inner rail 61 (upper left in Figure 2), which prevents a ball that has been guided to the top of the game board 13 from returning back into the ball guide passage. A return rubber 69 is attached to the tip of the outer rail 62 (upper right in Figure 2) at a position corresponding to the maximum flight part of the ball, and a ball launched with a certain amount of force or more hits the return rubber 69 and bounces back toward the center while its force is reduced.

At the lower left side of the game area when viewed from the front (lower left side of FIG. 2), the first pattern display devices 37A and 37B are provided, each equipped with a plurality of LEDs as light-emitting means and a seven-segment display. The first pattern display devices 37A and 37B display information according to the controls performed by the main control device 110 (see FIG. 4), and mainly display the game status of the pachinko machine 10. In this embodiment, the first pattern display devices 37A and 37B are configured to be used differently depending on whether the ball has entered the first ball entrance 64 or the second ball entrance 1640. Specifically, when the ball has entered the first ball entrance 64, the first pattern display device 37A is activated, while when the ball has entered the second ball entrance 1640, the first pattern display device 37B is activated.

The first symbol display devices 37A and 37B also use LEDs to indicate whether the pachinko machine 10 is in a special mode, a time-saving mode, or a normal mode, whether it is fluctuating, whether the stopped symbol corresponds to a special mode jackpot, a normal jackpot, or a miss, and the number of reserved balls, while the seven-segment display device displays the number of rounds during a jackpot and any errors. The multiple LEDs are configured to emit different colors (e.g., red, green, blue), and the combination of these colors can indicate various game states of the pachinko machine 10 with a small number of LEDs.

In this pachinko machine 10, a lottery is held when a winning ball is entered into either the first ball entrance 64 or the second ball entrance 1640. In the lottery, the pachinko machine 10 determines whether or not there is a jackpot (jackpot lottery), and if it determines that there is a jackpot, it also determines the type of jackpot. The types of jackpots that can be determined here include a 15R special jackpot, a 4R special jackpot, and a 15R regular jackpot. The first symbol display devices 37A, 37B not only show whether or not the result of the lottery is a jackpot as the stopping symbol after the fluctuation has ended, but also show a symbol according to the type of jackpot if there is a jackpot.

Here, a "15R special jackpot" is a special jackpot that transitions to a high probability state after a jackpot with a maximum number of rounds of 15, and a "4R special jackpot" is a special jackpot that transitions to a high probability state after a jackpot with a maximum number of rounds of 4. A "15R normal jackpot" is a jackpot that transitions to a low probability state after a jackpot with a maximum number of rounds of 15, and is in a time-saving state for a specified number of changes (for example, 100 changes).

The "high probability state" refers to a state in which the probability of a jackpot increases after the jackpot has ended as an added value, that is, when the probability is fluctuating (during a probability change), in other words, a state in which it is easy to transition to a special game state. In this embodiment, the high probability state (during a probability change) includes a game state in which the probability of hitting the second symbol described below is increased and the ball is more likely to enter the second ball entrance 1640. The "low probability state" refers to a time when the probability change is not in progress, and refers to a state in which the probability of a jackpot is normal, that is, a state in which the probability of a jackpot is lower than in a probability change. In addition, the time-saving state (during time-saving) of the "low probability state" refers to a game state in which the probability of a jackpot is normal and the probability of a jackpot remains the same, only the probability of a jackpot increases, and the ball is more likely to enter the second ball entrance 1640. On the other hand, the pachinko machine 10 is in a normal state, which is neither a probability change nor a time-saving state (a state in which neither the probability of a jackpot nor the probability of a jackpot for the second symbol is increased).

During the special rate or time-saving period, not only does the probability of winning the second symbol increase, but the time that the electric device 1640a associated with the second ball entrance 1640 is opened is also changed and set to a longer time than during normal play. When the electric device 1640a is in an open state (open state), it is easier for the ball to enter the second ball entrance 1640 than when the electric device 1640a is in a closed state (closed state). Therefore, during the special rate or time-saving period, it is easier for the ball to enter the second ball entrance 1640, and the number of times the jackpot lottery is held can be increased.

In addition, during the probability bonus or time-saving period, instead of changing the opening time of the electric role 1640a associated with the second ball entrance 1640, or in addition to changing the opening time, the number of times the electric role 1640a opens with one hit may be increased compared to normal. Also, during the probability bonus or time-saving period, the hit probability of the second symbol may not be changed, and at least one of the time when the electric role 1640a associated with the second ball entrance 1640 is opened and the number of times the electric role 1640a opens with one hit may be changed. Also, during the probability bonus or time-saving period, the time when the electric role 1640a associated with the second ball entrance 1640 is opened and the number of times the electric role 1640a opens with one hit may not be changed, and only the hit probability of the second symbol may be changed to be increased compared to normal.

In the play area, there are a number of general winning holes 63 through which 5 to 15 balls are paid out as prize balls when a ball enters. In addition, a variable display unit 80 is provided in the center of the play area. The variable display unit 80 is provided with a third pattern display device 81 consisting of a liquid crystal display (hereinafter simply abbreviated as "display device") that displays a third pattern in synchronization with the display in the first pattern display device 37A, 37B, triggered by the winning (initial winning) of either the first ball entry hole 64 or the second ball entry hole 1640, and a second pattern display device (not shown) consisting of an LED that displays a second pattern in a variable manner, triggered by the passage of a ball through the first through gate 66 and the second through gate 67.

The variable display unit 80 also has a center frame 86 disposed around the outer periphery of the third pattern display device 81. The third pattern display device 81 can be seen through an opening in the center of the center frame 86. When the rotor lifting unit 300, central floating unit 400, and left-right rotation unit 500 described below are operated, at least a portion of the relative displacement member 450 and driven member 560 protrude into the opening of the center frame 86, making them visible through the opening.

The third symbol display device 81 is configured with a large 9-inch liquid crystal display, and the display contents are controlled by the display control device 114 (see FIG. 4), so that, for example, three symbol rows, top, middle, and bottom, are displayed. Each symbol row is configured with a plurality of symbols (third symbols), and these third symbols are scrolled horizontally for each symbol row, so that the third symbols are variably displayed on the display screen of the third symbol display device 81. The third symbol display device 81 of this embodiment performs decorative display according to the display of the first symbol display devices 37A and 37B, while the display of the game state associated with the control of the main control device 110 (see FIG. 4) is performed by the first symbol display devices 37A and 37B. Note that the third symbol display device 81 may be configured using, for example, reels instead of a display device.

The second symbol display device performs a variable display in which a "circle" and an "x" symbol as display symbols (second symbol (not shown)) are alternately lit for a predetermined period of time each time the ball passes through the first through gate 66 and the second through gate 67. In the pachinko machine 10, when it is detected that the ball has passed through the first through gate 66 and the second through gate 67, a winning lottery is performed. If the winning lottery results in a winning lottery, the second symbol display device displays a static "circle" symbol after the second symbol is displayed. If the winning lottery results in a losing lottery, the second symbol display device displays a static "x" symbol after the third symbol is displayed.

The pachinko machine 10 is configured so that when the variable display on the second pattern display device stops at a predetermined pattern (in this embodiment, a "circle" pattern), the electric device 1640a attached to the second ball entrance 1640 is activated (opened) for a predetermined period of time.

The time it takes for the second symbol to change display is set to be shorter during a special probability or time-saving mode than during normal game mode. As a result, during special probability and time-saving mode, the second symbol changes display in a short time, so more winning lotteries can be held than during normal game mode. This increases the chances of winning in the winning lottery, giving the player more opportunities for the electric device 1640a of the second ball entrance 1640 to be in an open state. Therefore, during special probability and time-saving mode, it is possible to create a state in which it is easier for a ball to enter the second ball entrance 1640.

Note that if the state is such that it is easier for a ball to enter the second ball entrance 1640 during a special probability or time-saving period by increasing the probability of winning, increasing the opening time or number of times the electric device 1640a opens for one win, or by other methods, the time it takes for the second symbol to change display may be constant regardless of the game state. On the other hand, if the time it takes for the second symbol to change display is set shorter during a special probability or time-saving period than during normal periods, the probability of winning may be constant regardless of the game state, and the opening time or number of times the electric device 1640a opens for one win may be constant regardless of the game state.

The first through gate 66 is attached to the game board in the area to the left of the variable display unit 80, and the second through gate 67 is attached to the game board in the area to the right of the variable display unit 80. The first through gate 66 and the second through gate 67 are configured to allow some of the balls that flow down the game board out of the balls that are launched onto the game board to pass through. When a ball passes through the first through gate 66 and the second through gate 67, a winning lottery for the second pattern is held. After the winning lottery, a variable display is performed on the second pattern display device, and if the winning lottery results in a winning lottery, a "○" pattern is displayed as the stopping pattern of the variable display, and if the winning lottery results in a losing lottery, an "X" pattern is displayed as the stopping pattern of the variable display.

The number of times that the balls pass through the first through gate 66 and the second through gate 67 is reserved up to a maximum of four times in total, and the number of reserved balls is displayed by the above-mentioned first pattern display devices 37A, 37B and is also displayed by lighting the second pattern reserved lamp (not shown). There are four second pattern reserved lamps, the maximum number of reserved balls, and they are arranged symmetrically below the third pattern display device 81.

The second pattern change display may be performed by switching on and off a plurality of lamps in the second pattern display device as in this embodiment, or may be performed using a part of the first pattern display device 37A, 37B and the third pattern display device 81. Similarly, the second pattern reserve lamp may be turned on by a part of the third pattern display device 81. In addition, the maximum number of reserved balls for the passage of the balls through the first through gate 66 and the second through gate 67 is not limited to four times, but may be set to three or less, or five or more times (e.g., eight times). In addition, the number of through gates to be assembled is not limited to two, but may be three or more. In addition, the assembly position of the through gate is not limited to both the left and right sides of the variable display device unit 80, but may be, for example, below the variable display device unit 80. In addition, since the number of reserved balls is indicated by the first pattern display device 37A, 37B, the second pattern reserve lamp may not be turned on.

A first ball entrance 64 through which a ball can enter is provided below the variable display unit 80. When a ball enters this first ball entrance 64, a first ball entrance switch (not shown) provided on the back side of the game board 13 is turned on. When the first ball entrance switch is turned on, a lottery for a jackpot is held by the main control device 110 (see FIG. 4), and a display according to the lottery result is shown on the first symbol display device 37A.

On the other hand, the second ball entrance 1640 is disposed to the right of the first ball entrance 64 when viewed from the front. When a ball enters the second ball entrance 1640, a second ball entrance switch (not shown) provided on the back side of the game board 13 is turned on. When the second ball entrance switch is turned on, a lottery for a jackpot is held by the main control device 110 (see FIG. 4), and a display according to the lottery result is shown on the first symbol display device 37B.

The first ball entrance 64 is an entrance from which three balls are paid out as prize balls when a ball enters the hole, and the second ball entrance 1640 is one of the entrances from which one ball is paid out as a prize ball when a ball enters the hole. In this embodiment, the number of prize balls paid out when a ball enters the hole 64 is different from the number of prize balls paid out when a ball enters the hole 1640, but the number of prize balls paid out when a ball enters the hole 64 may be the same as the number of prize balls paid out when a ball enters the hole 1640 (for example, five for both).

The second ball entrance 1640 is also provided with an electric device 1640a. This electric device 1640a is configured to be openable and closable, and is normally in a closed state (reduced state), making it difficult for the ball to enter the second ball entrance 1640. On the other hand, when the second pattern display device displays a "○" pattern as a result of the variable display of the second pattern, which is triggered by the passage of the ball through the second through gate 67, the electric device 1640a opens (expands), making it easier for the ball to enter the second ball entrance 1640.

As mentioned above, during the special rate and time-saving period, the probability of the second symbol winning is higher than during normal play, and the time it takes for the second symbol to change is also shorter, so the "○" symbol is more likely to appear in the change display of the second symbol, and the number of times the electric device 1640a is in the open state (expanded state) increases. Furthermore, during the special rate or time-saving period, the time that the electric device 1640a is open is also longer than during normal play. Therefore, during the special rate or time-saving period, it is possible to create an environment in which it is easier for the ball to enter the second ball entrance 1640 than during normal play.

The probability of winning the jackpot when a ball enters the first ball entrance 64 and when a ball enters the second ball entrance 1640 is the same in both low and high probability states. However, the probability of a 15R special jackpot being selected as the type of jackpot when a jackpot occurs is set higher when a ball enters the second ball entrance 1640 than when a ball enters the first ball entrance 64. On the other hand, the first ball entrance 64 does not have the electric device 1640a found in the second ball entrance 1640, and the ball is always capable of winning.

Therefore, during normal play, the electric device associated with the second ball entrance 1640 is often in a closed state, making it difficult to win at the second ball entrance 1640. Therefore, it is more advantageous for the player to aim for a jackpot by shooting the ball toward the first ball entrance 64, which does not have an electric device, so that the ball passes to the left of the variable display unit 80 (the so-called "left shot") and having the ball enter the first ball entrance 64, thereby gaining more opportunities to win the jackpot.

On the other hand, during the special bonus period or the time-saving period, the electric device 1640a attached to the second ball entrance 1640 is likely to be opened by passing the ball through the second through gate 67, making it easier for the ball to enter the second ball entrance 1640. Therefore, it is more advantageous for the player to shoot the ball toward the second ball entrance 1640 so that it passes to the right of the variable display device 80 (the so-called "right hit"), passing through the second through gate 67 to open the electric device 1640a, and aiming for the ball to enter the second ball entrance 1640 for a 15R special bonus jackpot.

In this way, the pachinko machine 10 of this embodiment allows the player to change the way the ball is shot between "left hit" and "right hit" depending on the game state of the pachinko machine 10 (whether it is in a special mode, a time-saving mode, or a normal mode). This allows the player to have more fun playing the game because it allows them to change the way they hit the ball.

A variable winning device 65 is disposed above the second ball entrance 1640, and on the right side of the variable winning device 65, an opening/closing plate 65f1 is provided that prevents balls from entering the variable winning device 65 by closing. In the pachinko machine 10, when a jackpot lottery that is performed due to winning at the first ball entrance 64 or the second ball entrance 1640 results in a jackpot, after a predetermined time (variable time) has elapsed, the first pattern display device 37A or the first pattern display device 37B is turned on to show a jackpot stop pattern, and the stop pattern corresponding to the jackpot is displayed on the third pattern display device 81 to indicate the occurrence of a jackpot. After that, the game state transitions to a special game state (jackpot) in which balls are more likely to win. As this special game state, the opening/closing plate 65f1, which is normally closed, is opened for a predetermined time (for example, until 30 seconds have elapsed or until five balls have won).

This opening/closing plate 65f1 closes after a predetermined time has elapsed, and after this closure, the opening/closing plate 65f1 is opened again for a predetermined time. The opening and closing operation of this opening/closing plate 65f1 can be repeated up to, for example, 15 times (15 rounds). The state in which this opening and closing operation is taking place is one form of a special game state that is advantageous to the player, and the player is paid out a larger number of prize balls than usual as an addition of game value (game value).

Specifically, the variable winning device 65 is equipped with an opening/closing plate 65f1 that prevents balls from entering the entrance portion of the variable winning device 65 (specific winning port 65a), and a large opening solenoid (not shown) that drives the opening/closing plate to open and close to the right side, with the lower edge of the opening/closing plate as an axis. The opening/closing plate 65f1 is normally in a closed state in which balls cannot or do not easily enter. In the event of a jackpot, the large opening solenoid is driven to tilt the opening/closing plate downwards, temporarily creating an open state in which it is easier for balls to enter the specific winning port 65a, and the opening state and the normal closed state are alternately repeated.

The special game state is not limited to the above-mentioned form. A large opening that opens and closes separately from the specific winning opening 65a may be provided in the game area, and when an LED corresponding to a big win is lit in the first pattern display device 37A, 37B, the specific winning opening 65a is opened for a predetermined time, and while the specific winning opening 65a is open, a ball enters the variable winning device 65, triggering the large opening provided separately from the specific winning opening 65a to be opened for a predetermined time and a predetermined number of times. Also, the variable winning device 65 is not limited to one, and multiple (e.g., three) may be provided. Also, the location of the arrangement is not limited to above the second ball entrance 1640, and may be, for example, to the left of the variable display unit 80.

In the lower right corner of the game board 13, there is a space K1 for attaching stamps, identification labels, etc., and the stamps, etc. attached to the space K1 can be seen through a small window 35 in the front frame 14 (see Figure 1).

The game board 13 is provided with a first outlet 71. Balls that flow down the game area and do not enter any of the winning holes 63, 64, 65a, 640, 82 are guided through the first outlet 71 to a ball discharge path (not shown). The first outlet 71 is disposed below the first ball entrance 64.

The game board 13 has many nails planted in it to appropriately distribute and adjust the direction in which the balls fall, and various parts (gimmicks) such as windmills are also arranged on it.

As shown in FIG. 3, the rear side of the pachinko machine 10 is mainly equipped with control board units 90, 91 and a back pack unit 94. The control board unit 90 is unitized with a main board (main control device 110), a voice lamp control board (voice lamp control device 113) and a display control board (display control device 114). The control board unit 91 is unitized with a payout control board (payout control device 111), a launch control board (launch control device 112), a power supply board (power supply device 115) and a card unit connection board 116.

The back pack unit 94 is a unit consisting of the back pack 92, which forms the protective cover, and the payout unit 93. In addition, each control board is equipped with an MPU as a one-chip microcomputer that controls each part, ports for communicating with various devices, a random number generator used in various lotteries, a clock pulse generating circuit used for time counting and synchronization, etc. as necessary.

The main control device 110, the voice lamp control device 113 and the display control device 114, the payout control device 111 and the launch control device 112, the power supply device 115, and the card unit connection board 116 are each stored in the board boxes 100-104. The board boxes 100-104 each include a box base and a box cover that covers the opening of the box base, and the box base and the box cover are connected to each other to store the respective control devices and boards.

The board box 100 (main control device 110) and the board box 102 (dispensing control device 111 and launch control device 112) are connected to the box base and box cover by a sealing unit (not shown) so that they cannot be opened (connected by a crimping structure). A sealing seal (not shown) is attached to the connection between the box base and the box cover, spanning the box base and the box cover. This sealing seal is made of a brittle material, and if you try to peel off the sealing seal to open the board box 100, 102 or forcefully open the board box 100, 102, it will be cut into the box base side and the box cover side. Therefore, by checking the sealing unit or sealing seal, you can know whether the board box 100, 102 has been opened.

The payout unit 93 is equipped with a tank 130 located at the top of the back pack unit 94 and opening upward, a tank rail 131 connected to the bottom of the tank 130 and gently sloping toward the downstream side, a case rail 132 connected vertically to the downstream side of the tank rail 131, and a payout device 133 provided at the most downstream part of the case rail 132, which pays out balls using a specified electrical configuration of a payout motor 216 (see Figure 4). The tank 130 is successively replenished with balls supplied from the island equipment of the game hall, and the payout device 133 pays out the required number of balls as appropriate. A vibrator 134 is attached to the tank rail 131 to impart vibration to the tank rail 131.

The payout control device 111 is also provided with a state recovery switch 120, the firing control device 112 with a variable resistor control knob 121, and the power supply device 115 with a RAM erase switch 122. The state recovery switch 120 is operated to clear ball jams (return to normal state) when a payout error occurs, such as ball jamming in the payout motor 216 (see FIG. 4). The control knob 121 is operated to adjust the firing force of the firing solenoid. The RAM erase switch 122 is operated when the power is turned on to return the pachinko machine 10 to its initial state.

Next, the electrical configuration of the pachinko machine 10 will be described with reference to FIG. 4. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the pachinko machine 10.

The main control device 110 is equipped with an MPU 201, which is a one-chip microcomputer that is an arithmetic device. The MPU 201 contains a ROM 202 that stores various control programs and fixed value data executed by the MPU 201, a RAM 203 that is a memory for temporarily storing various data when executing the control programs stored in the ROM 202, and various other circuits such as an interrupt circuit, a timer circuit, and a data transmission/reception circuit. In the main control device 110, the MPU 201 executes the main processes of the pachinko machine 10, such as the jackpot lottery, the display settings on the first pattern display devices 37A, 37B and the third pattern display device 81, and the lottery for the display results on the second pattern display device.

In addition, in order to instruct the sub-control devices such as the dispensing control device 111 and the voice lamp control device 113 to operate, various commands are sent from the main control device 110 to the sub-control devices via a data transmission/reception circuit, but such commands are sent only in one direction, from the main control device 110 to the sub-control devices.

RAM 203 has various areas, counters, and flags, as well as a stack area in which the contents of the internal registers of MPU 201 and the return addresses of control programs executed by MPU 201 are stored, and a work area (working region) in which various flags, counters, I/O values, etc. are stored. Note that RAM 203 is configured so that it can retain (back up) data by receiving a backup voltage from power supply device 115 even after power to pachinko machine 10 is cut off, and all data stored in RAM 203 is backed up.

When the power supply is cut off due to a power outage or the like, the stack pointer and the values of each register at the time of the power outage (including the occurrence of a power outage; the same applies below) are stored in RAM 203. On the other hand, when the power is turned on (including the power turned on when the power outage is resolved; the same applies below), the state of the pachinko machine 10 is restored to the state before the power outage based on the information stored in RAM 203. Writing to RAM 203 is performed by main processing (not shown) when the power supply is turned off, and the restoration of each value written to RAM 203 is performed during start-up processing (not shown) when the power supply is turned on. Note that the NMI terminal (non-maskable interrupt terminal) of MPU 201 is configured to receive a power outage signal SG1 from the power outage monitoring circuit 252 when the power supply is cut off due to a power outage or the like, and when the power outage signal SG1 is input to MPU 201, NMI interrupt processing (not shown) is immediately executed as a power outage processing.

The MPU 201 of the main control device 110 is connected to an input/output port 205 via a bus line 204 consisting of an address bus and a data bus. The input/output port 205 is connected to the payout control device 111, the sound lamp control device 113, the first pattern display device 37A, 37B, the second pattern display device, the second pattern reservation lamp, and solenoids 209 consisting of a large opening solenoid for driving the opening and closing to the right side with the lower side of the opening/closing plate 65f of the variable winning device 65 as an axis, and a solenoid for driving the electric role device, and the MPU 201 transmits various commands and control signals to these via the input/output port 205.

The input/output port 205 is also connected to various switches 208, which are made up of a group of switches (not shown) and a group of sensors including a slide position detection sensor S and a rotation position detection sensor R, and a RAM erase switch circuit 253 (described below) provided in the power supply device 115. The MPU 201 executes various processes based on the signals output from the various switches 208 and the RAM erase signal SG2 output from the RAM erase switch circuit 253.

The payout control device 111 drives the payout motor 216 to control the payout of prize balls and loan balls. The MPU 211, which is a calculation device, has a ROM 212 that stores the control program executed by the MPU 211, fixed value data, etc., and a RAM 213 that is used as a work memory, etc.

The RAM 213 of the payout control device 111, like the RAM 203 of the main control device 110, has a stack area in which the contents of the internal registers of the MPU 211 and the return addresses of the control programs executed by the MPU 211 are stored, and a work area (working area) in which the values of various flags, counters, I/O, etc. are stored. The RAM 213 is configured to be able to retain (back up) data by receiving backup voltage from the power supply device 115 even after the power supply of the pachinko machine 10 is cut off, and all data stored in the RAM 213 is backed up. Note that, like the MPU 201 of the main control device 110, the NMI terminal of the MPU 211 is also configured to receive a power outage signal SG1 from the power outage monitoring circuit 252 when the power supply is cut off due to a power outage or the like, and when the power outage signal SG1 is input to the MPU 211, an NMI interrupt process (not shown) is immediately executed as a power outage process.

The MPU 211 of the payout control device 111 is connected to an input/output port 215 via a bus line 214 consisting of an address bus and a data bus. The main control device 110, payout motor 216, launch control device 112, etc. are each connected to the input/output port 215. In addition, although not shown, a prize ball detection switch for detecting paid-out prize balls is connected to the payout control device 111. Note that the prize ball detection switch is connected to the payout control device 111, but is not connected to the main control device 110.

When the main control device 110 issues an instruction to launch a ball, the launch control device 112 controls the ball launch unit 112a so that the strength of the ball launch corresponds to the amount of rotation of the operating handle 51. The ball launch unit 112a is equipped with a launch solenoid and electromagnet (not shown), and the launch solenoid and electromagnet are permitted to operate when certain conditions are met. Specifically, the touch sensor 51a detects that the player is touching the operating handle 51, and on condition that the launch stop switch 51b for stopping the launch of the ball is off (not operated), the launch solenoid is excited in response to the amount of rotation (rotation position) of the operating handle 51, and the ball is launched with a strength corresponding to the amount of rotation of the operating handle 51.

The audio lamp control device 113 controls the output of audio from the audio output device (such as a speaker not shown) 226, the output of turning on and off the lamp display device (such as the illumination units 29-33 and the display lamp 34) 227, and the setting of the display mode of the third pattern display device 81 performed by the display control device 114, such as variable performance (variable display) and advance notice performance. The MPU 221, which is a calculation device, has a ROM 222 that stores the control program executed by the MPU 221, fixed value data, etc., and a RAM 223 used as a work memory, etc.

The MPU 221 of the audio and lamp control device 113 is connected to an input/output port 225 via a bus line 224 consisting of an address bus and a data bus. The input/output port 225 is connected to the main control device 110, the display control device 114, the audio output device 226, the lamp display device 227, other devices 228, the frame button 22, and the like. The other devices 228 include the drive motors 420, 530, and 630.

The voice lamp control device 113 determines the display mode of the third symbol display device 81 based on various commands (variation pattern command, stop type command, etc.) received from the main control device 110, and notifies the display control device 114 of the determined display mode by commands (display variation pattern command, display stop type command, etc.). The voice lamp control device 113 also monitors input from the frame button 22, and when the frame button 22 is operated by the player, instructs the display control device 114 to change the stage displayed on the third symbol display device 81 or change the performance content during a super reach. When the stage is changed, a back image change command including information about the changed stage is sent to the display control device 114 so that the third symbol display device 81 displays a back image corresponding to the changed stage. Here, the back image refers to an image displayed on the back side of the third symbol, which is the main image to be displayed on the third symbol display device 81. The display control device 114 displays various images on the third symbol display device 81 according to the command sent from this voice lamp control device 113.

The voice lamp control device 113 also receives a command (display command) from the display control device 114 that indicates the display content of the third pattern display device 81. Based on the display command received from the display control device 114, the voice lamp control device 113 outputs a voice corresponding to the display content of the third pattern display device 81 from the voice output device 226 in accordance with the display content, and also controls the turning on and off of the lamp display device 227 in accordance with the display content.

The display control device 114 is connected to the voice lamp control device 113 and the third pattern display device 81, and controls the display of the third pattern display device 81, such as the variable performance of the third pattern, based on commands received from the voice lamp control device 113. The display control device 114 also transmits display commands to the voice lamp control device 113 as appropriate, notifying the display contents of the third pattern display device 81. The voice lamp control device 113 can match the display of the third pattern display device 81 with the audio output from the audio output device 226 by outputting audio from the audio output device 226 in accordance with the display contents indicated by the display commands.

The power supply device 115 has a power supply unit 251 for supplying power to each unit of the pachinko machine 10, a power failure monitoring circuit 252 for monitoring power interruption due to a power failure or the like, and a RAM erase switch circuit 253 provided with a RAM erase switch 122 (see FIG. 3). The power supply unit 251 is a device that supplies the necessary operating voltage to each of the control devices 110-114, etc. through a power supply path not shown. In summary, the power supply unit 251 takes in an externally supplied 24-volt AC voltage, generates a 12-volt voltage for driving various switches such as the various switches 208, solenoids such as the solenoid 209, motors, etc., a 5-volt voltage for logic, a backup voltage for RAM backup, etc., and supplies the necessary voltages to each of the control devices 110-114, etc.

The power failure monitoring circuit 252 is a circuit for outputting a power failure signal SG1 to each NMI terminal of the MPU 201 of the main control unit 110 and the MPU 211 of the dispensing control unit 111 when the power is cut off due to a power failure or the like. The power failure monitoring circuit 252 monitors the voltage of 24 volts DC, which is the maximum voltage output from the power supply unit 251, and when this voltage falls below 22 volts, it determines that a power failure (power failure, power cut) has occurred and outputs the power failure signal SG1 to the main control unit 110 and the dispensing control unit 111. By outputting the power failure signal SG1, the main control unit 110 and the dispensing control unit 111 recognize the occurrence of a power failure and execute NMI interrupt processing. Note that the power supply unit 251 is configured to maintain the output of the 5 volt voltage, which is the drive voltage of the control system, at a normal value for a sufficient time to execute the NMI interrupt processing, even after the voltage of 24 volts DC stabilized falls below 22 volts. Therefore, the main control unit 110 and the dispensing control unit 111 can execute and complete the NMI interrupt processing (not shown) normally.

The RAM clear switch circuit 253 is a circuit for outputting a RAM clear signal SG2 to the main control device 110 to clear the backup data when the RAM clear switch 122 (see FIG. 3) is pressed. When the main control device 110 inputs the RAM clear signal SG2 when the pachinko machine 10 is powered on, it clears the backup data and sends a payout initialization command to the payout control device 111 to clear the backup data in the payout control device 111.

Next, the schematic configuration of the operation unit 200 will be described with reference to Figs. 5 to 8. Fig. 5 is a front perspective view of the operation unit 200, and Fig. 6 is an exploded front perspective view of the operation unit 200. Figs. 7 and 8 are front views of the operation unit 200.

Note that Figure 7 shows the rotor lifting unit 300 in the lowered position, and the central rotation unit 500, right rotation unit 600, and left rotation unit 700 in the extended position, while Figure 8 shows the rotor lifting unit 300 in the raised position, and the central rotation unit 500, right rotation unit 600, and left rotation unit 700 in the retracted position.

As shown in Figures 5 to 8, the operating unit 200 has a box-shaped rear case 210, and in the internal space of the rear case 210, a rotating body lifting unit 300 is arranged below, a light-emitting decoration unit 400 and a central rotating unit 500 are arranged above, and a right-rotating unit 600 and a left-rotating unit 700 are arranged on the left and right.

The rear case 210 has a bottom wall 211 and an outer wall 212 erected from the outer edge of the bottom wall 211, and is formed into a box shape with one side (the front left side of the paper in Figure 6) open by these walls 211, 212. A rectangular opening 211a is formed in the center of the bottom wall 211 of the rear case 210, and the rear case 210 is formed into a rectangular frame shape when viewed from the front. The opening 211a is formed to a size that corresponds to the external shape of the third pattern display device 81 (see Figure 2) (i.e., large enough to accommodate the third pattern display device 81).

The rotor lifting unit 300 mainly comprises a plurality of (three in this embodiment) box-shaped containers 330 arranged side by side in the width direction, and a plurality of (two in this embodiment) rotors (first rotor 340a and second rotor 340b) housed in each of the containers 330.

The multiple containers 330 are each formed so that they can be raised and lowered independently in the vertical direction (vertical direction in Figures 7 and 8). In this case, in the lowered position (see Figure 7), the first rotating body 340a and the second rotating body 340b are positioned on the rear side of the game board 13 and are not visible to the player. On the other hand, in the raised position (see Figure 8), the first rotating body 340a and the second rotating body 340b are raised up to an opening in the game board 13 (center frame 86) and are visible to the player through the opening.

The first rotating body 340a and the second rotating body 340b are rotatably supported by the housing 330, and as they rotate, the player is able to sequentially view multiple (three in this embodiment) figures drawn on the outer periphery. The first rotating body 340a and the second rotating body 340b are formed as columnar bodies with triangular cross sections, and different figures are drawn on each of the three outer periphery faces.

In this embodiment, the drive source for the first rotating body 340a and the second rotating body 340b is a single drive motor 350, which allows parts costs to be reduced, while allowing the combination of the figures on the first rotating body 340a and the second rotating body 340b to be changed, allowing the player to visually recognize a total of nine different combinations (see FIG. 20). Details will be described later.

The light-emitting decorative unit 400 mainly comprises a base body 410 and a light-emitting device 420 arranged in the center of the base body 410, and produces effects by changing the form of light emitted from the multiple LEDs 421 arranged inside the light-emitting device 420 (for example, the number of LEDs 421 that emit light). Details will be described later.

The central rotation unit 500 comprises a rear base 510 and a pair of displacement members 530 whose base ends are rotatably supported on the rear base 510, and is disposed on the rear side of the luminous decorative unit 400. The pair of displacement members 530 rotate between an extended position (see FIG. 7) in which they extend into the opening of the game board 13 (center frame 86) and a retracted position (see FIG. 8) in which they retract to the rear side of the luminous decorative unit 400 and are not visible to the player. Details will be described later.

The right rotation unit 600 includes a base body (rear base 610 and front base 620) disposed in front of the front base 315 of the rotating body lifting unit 300, and a displacement member (first displacement member 630 and second displacement member 640) whose base end is rotatably supported by the base body. On the other hand, the left rotation unit 700 includes a base body (rear base 610 and front base 620) disposed in front of the front base 317 of the rotating body lifting unit 300, and a displacement member (first displacement member 630 and second displacement member 640) whose base end is rotatably supported by the base body. Each displacement member rotates between a protruding position (see FIG. 7) in which it protrudes into the opening of the game board 13 (center frame 86) and a retracted position (see FIG. 8) in which it retracts to the rear side of the game board 13 and is not visible to the player. Details will be described later.

Next, the detailed configurations of the rotating body lifting unit 300, the illuminating decoration unit 400, the central rotation unit 500, the right rotation unit 600, and the left rotation unit 700 will be described with reference to Figures 9 to 60. First, the detailed configuration of the rotating body lifting unit 300 will be described with reference to Figures 9 to 22.

Figure 9 is a front view of the rotating body lifting unit 300. Figure 10 is an exploded front perspective view of the rotating body lifting unit 300, and Figure 11 is an exploded rear perspective view of the rotating body lifting unit 300.

As shown in Figures 9 to 11, the rotating body lifting unit 300 is formed from three units: a central unit 300C for lifting and lowering the central storage body 330, and a left unit 300L and a right unit 300R for lifting and lowering the left and right storage bodies 330, respectively. The left unit 300L is overlapped on the front side of the central unit 300C, and the right unit 300R is connected to the right end of the central unit 300C, so that the three storage bodies 330 are arranged side by side in the width direction.

Now, the detailed configurations of the central unit 300C, the left unit 300L, and the right unit 300R will be described with reference to Figures 12 to 19. First, the central unit 300C will be described with reference to Figures 12 and 13. Figure 12 is an exploded front perspective view of the central unit 300C, and Figure 13 is an exploded rear perspective view of the central unit 300C.

As shown in Figures 12 and 13, the central unit 300C mainly comprises a rear base 311 that is L-shaped when viewed from the front, a front base 312 that is superimposed on the front side of the rear base 311, a drive motor 320 that is disposed on the front side of the front base 312, a container 330 that is raised and lowered relative to the rear base 311 and the front base 312 by the driving force of the drive motor 320, a first rotating body 340a and a second rotating body 340b that are contained in the container 330, and a transmission mechanism that is contained between the opposing surfaces of the rear base 311 and the front base 312 and transmits the driving force of the drive motor 320 to the container 330.

The transmission mechanism in the central unit 300C includes a drive gear 321 fixed to the drive shaft of the drive motor 320, a transmission gear 322 meshed with the drive gear 321, a pinion gear 323 meshed with the transmission gear 322, a rack gear 324 meshed with the pinion gear 323 and formed as a rack with teeth cut on the side of a flat plate-like member, and a connecting member 325 on one side of which the rack gear 324 is disposed and on the other side of which the container 330 is disposed.

A pair of shafts protrude from the front of the rear base 311, and a transmission gear 322 and a pinion gear 323 are rotatably supported on each of these shafts. In addition, slide guides 351, 352 are arranged in parallel on the front of the rear base 311 with the guide direction being the up-down direction (the up-down direction in FIG. 12), and the connecting member 325 (rack gear 324) and the container 330 are guided in the up-down direction by these slide guides 351, 352. In other words, the movement direction of the connecting member 325 and the container 330 is restricted to the up-down direction.

The rotational driving force of the drive motor 320 is transmitted to the pinion gear 323 via the drive gear 321 and the transmission gear 322. When the pinion gear 323 rotates, the rotational motion of the pinion gear 323 is converted into linear motion of the rack gear 324. The linear motion of the rack gear 324 displaces (raises and lowers) the container 330 together with the connecting member 325 in the vertical direction (see Figures 7 and 8).

In this case, the connecting member 325 is formed in a U-shape when viewed from the front by connecting the bottom ends of the vertically elongated portion in which the rack gear 324 is arranged and the vertically elongated portion in which the container 330 is arranged with the horizontally elongated portion. This allows the horizontally elongated portion of the connecting member 325 to be positioned behind the front base 312 and prevented from being seen by the player, even when the left container 330 is in the lowered position and the central container 330 is in the raised position.

The slide guide 351 is formed as a linear guide mechanism consisting of a guide groove formed on the front surface of the rear base 311 and a slider formed to be slidable along the guide groove and fixed to the rear surface of the connecting member 325. The same applies to the left unit 300L and right unit 300R described below. The slide guide 352 is formed as an expandable linear guide mechanism consisting of a first rail fixed to the rear base 311, a second rail fixed to the connecting member 325 or the housing 330, and an intermediate rail interposed between the first rail and the second rail to allow relative longitudinal displacement of the two.

Here, since the left container 330 is installed next to the central container 330 (left side of FIG. 12) (see FIG. 9), the width dimension (left-right direction in FIG. 12) of the connecting member 325 is longer by that amount. Furthermore, as described above, since a horizontally elongated portion is interposed to prevent it from being seen by the player, the connecting member 325 is formed into a U-shape when viewed from the front, and its rigidity is reduced. Therefore, the posture of the central container 330 is easily unstable (it is prone to shaking in the left-right direction).

In contrast, in this embodiment, an extendable linear guide mechanism (slide guide 352) is provided on the back side of the central container 330, so that even when the central container 330 is in the raised position, the extended slide guide 352 can regulate left-right shaking, stabilizing the position of the central container 330. On the other hand, when the central container 330 is in the lowered position (see FIG. 9), the slide guide 352 can be shortened to avoid being seen by the player.

Next, the left unit 300L will be described with reference to Figures 14 and 15. Figure 14 is an exploded front perspective view of the left unit 300L, and Figure 15 is an exploded rear perspective view of the left unit 300L.

As shown in Figures 14 and 15, the left unit 300L is formed vertically long when viewed from the front and is mainly composed of a rear base 313 arranged in front of the front base 312 (see Figure 12) of the central unit 300C, an intermediate base 314 overlapping the front side of the rear base 313, a front base 315 overlapping the front side of the intermediate base 314, a drive motor 320 arranged on the rear side of the intermediate base 314, a container 330 that is raised and lowered relative to each of the bases 313 to 315 by the driving force of the drive motor 320, a first rotating body 340a and a second rotating body 340b that are housed in the container 330, and a transmission mechanism that is housed between the opposing surfaces of each of the bases 313 to 315 and transmits the driving force of the drive motor 320 to the container 330.

The transmission mechanism in the left unit 300L includes a drive gear 321 fixed to the drive shaft of the drive motor 320, transmission gears 322a and 322b meshed with the drive gear 321, a pinion gear 323 fixed coaxially to the transmission gear 322b, a rack gear 324 meshed with the pinion gear 323 and formed as a rack with teeth cut on the side of a flat plate-shaped member, and a connecting member 326 that connects the rack gear 324 to the housing 330.

A shaft protrudes from the front of the intermediate base 314, and the transmission gear 322a is rotatably supported on this shaft. In addition, a shaft support hole is drilled in the intermediate base 314, and the transmission gear 322b and the pinion gear 323 are rotatably supported in the shaft support hole while being fixed coaxially.

On the front of the rear base 313, a slide guide 351 is disposed in a position in which the guide direction is the up-down direction (up-down direction in FIG. 14), and the connecting member 326 (rack gear 324) is guided in the up-down direction by this slide guide 351. In addition, a guide plate 353 is fastened and fixed to the front of the front base 312 (see FIG. 12) of the central unit 300. A guide groove 353a, which is an elongated hole-shaped opening, is provided in the guide plate 353 in the up-down direction, and a protruding pin located on the lower end side of the container 330 is inserted into this guide groove 353a via a collar C. Therefore, the container 330 is guided in the up-down direction along the guide groove 353a of the guide plate 353. In other words, the movement direction of the connecting member 326 and the container 330 is restricted in the up-down direction.

The rotational driving force of the drive motor 320 is transmitted to the pinion gear 323 via the drive gear 321 and the transmission gears 322a and 322b. When the pinion gear 323 rotates, the rotational motion of the pinion gear 323 is converted into the linear motion of the rack gear 324. The linear motion of the rack gear 324 displaces the container 330 (raise and lower) in the vertical direction together with the connecting member 326 (see Figures 7 and 8).

Next, the right unit 300R will be described with reference to Figure 16. Figure 16 is an exploded front perspective view of the right unit 300R.

As shown in FIG. 16, the right unit 300L mainly comprises a rear base 316 formed in a substantially L-shape on the front side and connected to the right end of the rear base 311 (see FIG. 12) of the central unit 300C, a front base 317 overlapped on the front side of the rear base 313, a drive motor 320 arranged on the front side of the front base 317, a container 330 that is raised and lowered relative to the rear base 316 and the front base 317 by the driving force of the drive motor 320, a first rotating body 340a and a second rotating body 340b contained in the container 330, and a transmission mechanism that is contained between the opposing surfaces of the rear base 316 and the front base 317 and transmits the driving force of the drive motor 320 to the container 330.

The transmission mechanism in the right unit 300R includes a drive gear 321 fixed to the drive shaft of the drive motor 320, a pinion gear 323 meshed with the drive gear 321, a rack gear 324 meshed with the pinion gear 323 and formed as a rack with teeth cut on the side of a flat plate-shaped member, and a connecting member 327 that connects the rack gear 324 to the housing 330.

A shaft is protruding from the front of the rear base 316, and the pinion gear 323 is rotatably supported on this shaft. A slide guide 351 is disposed in front of the rear base 316 with the guide direction being the up-down direction (the up-down direction in FIG. 16), and the connecting member 327 (rack gear 324) is guided in the up-down direction by this slide guide 351. In addition, a guide groove 316a, which is an elongated hole-shaped opening, is provided in the front base 316 along the up-down direction, and a protruding pin located on the lower end side of the container 330 is inserted into this guide groove 316a via a collar (not shown). Therefore, the container 330 is guided in the up-down direction along the guide groove 316a of the rear base 316. In other words, the movement direction of the connecting member 327 and the container 330 is restricted in the up-down direction.

Therefore, when the rotational driving force of the drive motor 320 is transmitted to the pinion gear 323 via the drive gear 321 and the pinion gear 323 rotates, the z of the pinion gear 323 is converted into linear motion of the rack gear 324, and the linear motion of the rack gear 324 displaces (raises and lowers) the container 330 together with the connecting member 327 in the vertical direction (see Figures 7 and 8).

As described above, in the central unit 300C, the width dimension of the connecting member 325 is long (see FIG. 12), and the posture of the central storage body 330 is likely to become unstable (prone to shaking in the left-right direction). In contrast, in the left unit 300L and the right unit 300R, the rack gears 323 are provided in close proximity to the sides of the left storage body 330 and the right storage body 330, so the width dimension (left-right direction in FIG. 14 and FIG. 16) of the connecting members 326, 327 can be shortened and their rigidity can be increased. This makes it possible to stabilize the posture of the left and right storage bodies 330 (making them less likely to shake in the left-right direction).

As a result, there is no need to provide an extendable linear guide mechanism (slide guide 352) on the rear side of the left and right containers 330, and the position can be sufficiently stabilized by the guidance of the guide plate 353 or the guide grooves 353a, 316a of the rear base 316. As a result, it is possible to reduce parts costs.

Next, the container 330 and the first rotating body 340a and the second rotating body 340b contained in the container 330 will be described with reference to Figures 17 to 19.

Figure 17 is an exploded front perspective view of the container 330. Also, Figure 18(a) is a side view of the container 330 as viewed in the direction of the arrow XVIIIa in Figure 17, and Figure 18(b) is a front view of the container 330 as viewed in the direction of the arrow XVIIIb in Figure 18(a). Note that Figures 18(a) and 18(b) show the state in which the side wall body 332, the partition body 334, and the decorative body 335 have been removed.

As shown in Figures 17 and 18, the container 330 comprises a base 331, left and right side walls 332, 333 arranged on the left and right sides of the base 331, a partition wall 334 arranged on the inner surface of the left side wall 332, and a decorative body 335 arranged on the front surface of the base 331. These parts 331 to 335 are integrated by fastening and fixing to form a box shape.

The base 331 is a member that forms the rear surface (the rear side of the paper in FIG. 18(b)), top surface, and bottom surface (the upper and lower sides in FIG. 18(b)) of the housing 330, and is formed integrally by combining three plate-shaped members. A reflecting portion RF formed as a mirror that reflects visible light is disposed on the front surface of the portion that forms the rear surface of the housing 330.

The reflecting portion RF is formed in a rectangular shape when viewed from the front, and is formed to have a size that protrudes at least vertically beyond the first rotating body 340a and the second rotating body 340b when viewed from the front (see FIG. 18(b)).

The side walls 332, 333 are rectangular plate-shaped members that form the left and right side surfaces of the container 330, and each has two retaining holes 332a, 333a drilled therein. The retaining holes 332a, 333a are holes through which the fixed shafts 341 of the first rotating body 340a and the second rotating body 340b, which will be described later, are inserted, and the retaining holes 332a, 333a hold the fixed shafts 341 so that they cannot rotate. The retaining holes 332a, 333a have an inner circumferential surface with a cross section perpendicular to the axis that is formed by removing one side of a circle by connecting two points on the circumference with a straight line.

The partition 334 is a rectangular plate-like member having approximately the same external shape as the side wall 332, and rotatably supports the transmission gear 352 and intermediate gear 354 between the opposing surfaces of the partition 334 and the side wall 332. In addition, the partition 334 has two insertion holes 334a through which the first gear 353 and the second gear 355 can be inserted.

The decorative body 335 is a member that decorates the front of the container 330, and is formed in the shape of a frame when viewed from the front by forming a rectangular opening 335a in the center. Through the opening 335, the player can see the rotational patterns of the first rotating body 340a and the second rotating body 340b, as well as the figures drawn on the outer periphery of both rotating bodies 340a, 340b (see FIG. 9).

The container 330 thus formed mainly contains a drive motor 350 disposed in the partition 334, a first rotating body 340a and a second rotating body 340b that are rotated by the driving force of the drive motor 350, a transmission mechanism that transmits the driving force of the drive motor 350 to the first rotating body 340a and the second rotating body 340b, and a detection mechanism that detects the rotational position of the first rotating body 340a.

The transmission mechanism in the housing 330 includes a drive gear 351 fixed to the drive shaft of the drive motor 350, and a gear train consisting of a transmission gear 352, a first gear 353, an intermediate gear 354, and a second gear 355 which are meshed with the drive gear 351 in sequence. The transmission gear 352 and the intermediate gear 354 are rotatably held between the opposing surfaces of the side wall body 332 and the partition body 334, and the first gear 353 and the second gear 355 are fixed to the axial end surfaces of the first rotating body 340a and the second rotating body 340b, respectively.

Now, the detailed configuration of the first rotating body 340a and the second rotating body 340b will be described with reference to Figure 19. Figure 19 is an exploded front perspective view of the first rotating body 340a.

The first rotating body 340a and the second rotating body 340b have substantially the same configuration, except for the different shapes drawn on the outer circumferential surfaces. Therefore, in the following, the first rotating body 340a will be described as a representative example, and a description of the second rotating body 340b will be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 19, the first rotating body 340a mainly comprises a fixed shaft 341, a pair of end plates 342 rotatably supported on both axial ends (shaft portions 341a) of the fixed shaft 341, and three display plates (first display plate 343A, second display plate 343B, and third display plate 343C) mounted between the pair of end plates 342.

The fixed shaft 341 comprises a body 341b and shafts 341a connected to both axial ends of the body 341b. The fixed shaft 341 is held non-rotatably by the side walls 332, 333 (see FIG. 17) of the housing 330, and comprises a pair of shafts 341a located at both axial ends and a body 341b connecting the pair of shafts 341a.

The cross-sectional shape of the shaft portion 341a is a circle with one side removed by connecting two points on the circumference with a straight line (a shape in which part of the outer periphery of a cylinder is chamfered with a flat surface), and is a similar shape to but slightly smaller than the retaining holes 332a, 333a (see FIG. 17) of the side walls 332, 333. Therefore, by inserting the shaft portion 341a into the retaining holes 332a, 333a of the side walls 332, 333, the fixed shaft 341 can be held non-rotatably in the housing 330 (side walls 332, 333).

Multiple (four in this embodiment) LEDs 344 are attached to the body 341b, and light emitted from the LEDs 344 can be irradiated onto the inner surfaces of the first display panel 343A to the third display panel 343C.

In this case, when the shaft 341a is inserted through the retaining holes 332a, 333a of the side walls 332, 333 and held non-rotatably, the body 341b is positioned in a posture (rotated position) in which the illumination direction of the LED 344 faces the front surface of the container 330 (the opening 335a of the decorative body 335, the surface on the near side of the page in FIG. 18(b)). Therefore, the light emitted from the LED 344 can be illuminated onto the inner surface of the first display board 343A to the third display board 343C that are positioned on the front surface of the container 330 (the "viewing position" described below).

The fixed shaft 341 (shaft 341a, body 341b) is formed as a hollow cylinder with both axial ends open, so that the internal space can be used to route the wiring of the LED 344 and pull the wiring out of the housing 330 from the opening at the axial end. As described above, the fixed shaft 341 is not rotatable relative to the housing 330, so that even if the first rotating body 340a is rotated, it is possible to avoid external forces such as twisting and pulling acting on the wiring of the LED 344.

The end plate 342 is a triangular member when viewed from the front, with a shaft support hole 342a drilled in the center with a circular cross section perpendicular to the axis. The inner diameter of the shaft support hole 342a is set to be slightly larger than the outer diameter of the shaft portion 341a of the fixed shaft 341. Thus, by inserting the shaft portion 341a into the shaft support hole 342a, the end plate 342 is rotatably supported relative to the fixed shaft 341. As a result, the end plate 342 is rotatably held inside the container 330 via the fixed shaft 341.

Here, the body 341b of the fixed shaft 341 is formed with a larger diameter than the shaft 341a, so that the axial position of the end plate 342 can be determined between the side walls 332, 333 of the container 330 and the body 341b of the fixed shaft 341, and the fixed shaft 341 can be held between the pair of side walls 332, 333 via the end plate 342.

A first gear 353 in the transmission mechanism is fixed to one of the pair of end plates 342, and a base gear 361 (described later) in the detection mechanism is fixed to the other. Note that, in the second rotating body 340b, a second gear 355 in the transmission mechanism is fixed to one of the pair of end plates 342, but the attachment of the base gear 361 to the other is omitted (see Figures 17 and 18).

The first display panel 343A to the third display panel 343C are each a plate-like member that is roughly rectangular when viewed from the front, and are installed between a pair of end panels 342 by connecting the outer edges of both longitudinal ends to the outer edges (three sides) of the end panels 342, and form a triangular prism with the end panels 342.

Each of the first to third display plates 343A to 343C has a figure drawn on its outer surface. Therefore, when the triangular prism-shaped body is rotated, the figures drawn on the outer surface of each of the display plates 343A to 343C are visible to the player in turn through the opening 335a of the decorative body 335.

At least a portion of the outer surface of the first display plate 343A to the third display plate 343C is curved in an arc shape that protrudes outward when viewed in the axial direction of the fixed shaft 341. As a result, even if there is a deviation of a predetermined rotation angle (e.g., 12 degrees) in the rotational positions between the first rotating body 340a and the second rotating body 340b, as described below, it is possible to make it difficult for a player viewing the figures drawn on the outer surface of each display plate 343A to 343C to recognize the deviation of the predetermined rotation angle.

In this embodiment, when viewed in the axial direction of the fixed shaft 341, the widthwise ends of the first display plate 343A to the third display plate 343C are curved in an arc shape that convex outward, while the widthwise center portion is formed in a substantially flat surface. This ensures both the visibility of the figure and makes it difficult to recognize the misalignment between the rotating bodies 340a, 340b. In addition, the radius of the arc of the curved arc portion is set to a value (e.g., two or more times and four or less times) larger than the maximum distance from the axis of the fixed shaft 341 to the outer surface of each of the display plates 343A to 343C.

Hereinafter, the positions of the first display board 343A to the third display board 343C when the triangular prism-shaped body is rotated will be referred to as the "visible position" when the outer faces face the front of the container 330 (the face toward the front of the page in Figure 18 (b)) and the figure drawn on the outer surface is visible to the player through the opening 335a of the decorative body 335, and the position when the outer faces face the inner surface of the container 330 (base 331) and the figure drawn on the outer surface is not visible to the player through the opening 335a of the decorative body 335 will be referred to as the "obstructed position".

Therefore, for example, when the first display panel 343A is placed in the viewing position, the second display panel 343B and the third display panel 343C are placed in the blocking position (see Figs. 18(a) and 18(b)). When the triangular prism-shaped body is rotated 120 degrees in the forward or reverse direction from this state, one of the second display panel 343B or the third display panel 343C is placed in the viewing position, and the other of the second display panel 343B or the third display panel 343C and the first display panel 343A are placed in the blocking position.

In this case, in this embodiment, the first display panel 343A is formed in a form that does not transmit light as a whole, while the second display panel 343B and the third display panel 343C are formed with a transmissive portion PN that allows light to pass through in a portion. In addition, a reflective portion RF formed as a mirror that reflects visible light is arranged on the inner surface of the first display panel 343A.

As described above, the LED 344 is positioned so that it can illuminate the inner surface of the display board that is located at the viewing position among the first display board 343A to the third display board 343C. Therefore, when the second display board 343B or the third display board 343C is located at the viewing position, the light emitted from the LED 344 can be transmitted through the transparent portion PN of each display board 343B, 343C and can be directly viewed by the player.

On the other hand, when the first display board 343A is positioned at the viewing position (see Figures 18(a) and 18(b)), the light emitted from the LED 344 is reflected by the reflective portion RF on the inner surface of the first display board 343A, passes through the transparent portion PN of the second display board 343B or the third display board 343C, and is then reflected by the reflective portion RF in the base 331 of the container 330, allowing the player to indirectly see the light reflected from the reflective portion RF of the base 331.

For example, by stopping the first rotating body 340a at a rotational position where the first display board 343A is positioned in a visible position and illuminating the LED 344, a player who sees the light reflected by the reflecting portion RF in the base 331 of the container 330 can be reminded of the figures on the second display board 343B or third display board 343C that are positioned in a position that is not visible to the player (blocked position). This makes it possible to make the player expect or suggest that the first rotating body 340a will rotate to a position where the figures on the second display board 343B or third display board 343C become visible.

In particular, in this embodiment, the first rotating body 340a and the second rotating body 340b are formed with a triangular cross-section, so that when each rotating body 340a, 340b rotates, the spacing between the reflector RF and the outer surface of each rotating body 340a, 340b (each display plate 343A to 343C), the spacing between the outer surfaces of each rotating body 340a, 340b (vertical spacing in Figure 18 (b)), or the apparent diameter of each rotating body 340a, 340b (vertical dimension in Figure 18 (b)) can be increased or decreased, and the opposing angle of the outer surface of each rotating body 340a, 340b (each display plate 343A to 343C) relative to the reflector RF can be changed. That is, as the two rotating bodies 340a, 340b rotate, the light emitted from the LED 344 and irradiated from the transmissive portion PN can be periodically changed to a player who sees the reflected light from the reflective portion RF of the base 331 (for example, the size of the area in which the light is visible).

Referring back to Figures 17 and 18, the detection mechanism includes a base gear 361 fixed to the end plate 342 of the first rotor 340a, an intermediate gear 362 meshed with the base gear 361, an end gear 363 meshed with the intermediate gear 362 and equipped with a detection plate 363a that protrudes radially outward, and a sensor device 364 that detects the detection plate 363a of the end gear 363.

The intermediate gear 362 and the end gear 363 are rotatably held on the side wall body 333, and the sensor device 364 is disposed on the base body 331 with the detection area positioned on the movement trajectory of the detection plate 363a. Therefore, the sensor device 364 can detect the rotational position of the first rotating body 340a based on the detection state of the detection plate 363a. That is, the rotational positions of the first rotating body 340a and the second rotating body 340b can be controlled (e.g., stopped at any position) based on the detection result of the sensor device 364.

Next, the rotational operation of the first rotating body 340a and the second rotating body 340b will be described. When the drive motor 350 rotates, the rotation is transmitted to the first rotating body 340a and the second rotating body 340b via a transmission mechanism, causing both rotating bodies 340a, 340b to rotate.

Specifically, when the drive motor 350 rotates, the rotation is transmitted to the first gear 353 via the drive gear 351 and the transmission gear 352, causing the first gear 353 to rotate. This causes the first rotating body 340a to rotate. Also, when the first gear 353 rotates, the rotation is transmitted to the second gear 355 via the intermediate gear 354, causing the second gear 355 to rotate. This causes the second rotating body 340b to rotate in the same direction as the first rotating body 340a. Also, when the rotation direction of the drive motor 350 is reversed, the first rotating body 340a and the second rotating body 340b rotate in the opposite direction to the above-mentioned case.

As a result, the combination of the figures of the first rotating body 340a and the second rotating body 340b that is visible to the player is changed in sequence. In this case, in conventional products, the combination of figures of both rotating bodies 340a and 340b was limited to three sets.

That is, since the first rotating body 340a and the second rotating body 340b are rotated synchronously by one drive motor, the possible combinations are only three: a first combination in which the first display plate 343A of the first rotating body 340a and the first display plate 343A of the second rotating body 340b are arranged in the display position; a second combination in which the second display plate 343B of the first rotating body 340a and the second display plate 343B of the second rotating body 340b are arranged in the display position; and a third combination in which the third display plate 343C of the first rotating body 340a and the third display plate 343C of the second rotating body 340b are arranged in the display position.

On the other hand, by adopting a structure in which the first rotating body 340a and the second rotating body 340b are rotated independently by different drive motors, it is possible to form up to nine combinations and to realize these combinations arbitrarily. However, in this case, the need for two drive motors leads to an increase in parts costs.

In contrast, in this embodiment, the number of drive motors 350 is limited to one, while nine combinations of the first and second rotating bodies 340a and 340b can be formed, and these combinations can be made to appear as desired. In addition, in this embodiment, the rotational positions of the first and second rotating bodies 340a and 340b do not need to match perfectly, and a predetermined amount of deviation in the rotational positions is allowed, so that the nine combinations can be made to appear quickly. The combinations of the shapes of the two rotating bodies 340a and 340b will be described with reference to Figures 20 and 21.

Figure 20 is a table showing the combinations of the shapes of the first rotating body 340a and the second rotating body 340b. Also, Figures 21 and 22 are schematic side views of the first rotating body 340a and the second rotating body 340b showing the transition states when the first rotating body 340a and the second rotating body 340b are rotated, with Figures 21(a) to 21(e) corresponding to the states shown as No. 1 to 5 in Figure 20 and Figures 22(a) to 22(e) corresponding to the states shown as No. 6 to 10 in Figure 20, respectively.

In FIG. 20, as a combination of the shapes of the first rotating body 340a and the second rotating body 340b, the state in which the first display board 343A is arranged at the viewing position is represented by the symbol "A" or "A'", the state in which the second display board 343B is arranged at the viewing position is represented by the symbol "B" or "B'", and the state in which the third display board 343C is arranged at the viewing position is represented by the symbol "C" or "C'".

For example, the state represented by No. 10 "A, C'" in FIG. 20 corresponds to a state in which the first display board 343A of the first rotating body 340a and the third display board 343C of the second rotating body 340b are each positioned at a viewing position, and the figure drawn on the first display board 343A is visible to the player from the first rotating body 340a, and the figure drawn on the third display board 343C is visible to the player from the second rotating body 340b.

In addition, in FIG. 21, in order to simplify the drawing and make it easier to understand, the first display plate 343A to the third display plate 343C of the first rotating body 340a are illustrated using the symbols "A to C", and the first display plate 343A to the third display plate 343C of the second rotating body 340b are illustrated using the symbols "A' to C'".

Here, the first rotating body 340a and the second rotating body 340b are fixed to the first gear 353 and the second gear 355, which are set to different numbers of teeth. In this embodiment, the number of teeth of the first gear 353 is set to 14, and the number of teeth of the second gear 355 is set to 20. When the first rotating body 340a is rotated 120 degrees, the second rotating body 340b rotates 108 degrees.

As shown in No. 1 of FIG. 20 and FIG. 21(a), when the first display plate 343A of the first rotating body 340a and the first display plate 343A of the second rotating body 340b are placed in the viewing position (No. 1 "A', A" of FIG. 20, first combination), the first rotating body 340a is rotated 120 degrees to place its second display plate 343B in the viewing position, as shown in No. 2 of FIG. 20 and FIG. 21(b), the second rotating body 340b places the second display plate 343B in the viewing position. This allows the second combination (No. 2 "B', B" of FIG. 20) to be formed.

In this case, the first rotating body 340a rotates 120 degrees while the second rotating body 340b rotates 108 degrees, resulting in a difference (deviation) of 12 degrees between the rotational positions of the two. However, it is difficult for a player viewing each rotating body 340a, 340b from a direction perpendicular to the axis to recognize the difference in the rotation angle of 12 degrees, and as a result, the player can recognize that the figures drawn on the outer surfaces of the second display boards 343B of the first rotating body 340a and the second rotating body 340b are positioned in their respective viewing positions (the second combination has been formed).

In particular, in this embodiment, as described above, the outer surfaces of the first display board 343A to the third display board 343C are curved in an arc shape that convex outward when viewed in the axial direction of the fixed shaft 341 (i.e., the surface on which the figures are drawn is curved along the rotational direction of each rotating body 340a, 340b), making it difficult for a player looking head-on at the figures drawn on the outer surfaces of each of these display boards 343A to 343C to recognize the difference (deviation) in the rotational positions of the first rotating body 340a and the second rotating body 340b.

When the first rotating body 340a is rotated 120 degrees from the state shown in No. 2 of Figure 20 and Figure 21 (b) and its third display board 343C is placed in the viewing position, the second rotating body 340b is placed in a position shifted from the first rotating body 340a, as shown in No. 3 of Figure 20 and Figure 21 (c). In other words, in this state, a difference in rotation angle of 24 degrees is created between the two, allowing the player to recognize the misalignment of the figures (non-formed combination, No. 3 "-, C" of Figure 20).

Similarly, in the rotation from the state shown in No. 4 and FIG. 21(d) in FIG. 20 to the state shown in No. 9 and FIG. 22(d) in FIG. 20, the first rotating body 340a positions each of the display plates 343A-343C in a visible position for each 120 degree rotation, while the second rotating body 340b positions its rotational position in a position shifted relative to the first rotating body 340a. As a result, the player can recognize the misalignment of the figures (non-established combinations, No. 4 "-, A" to No. 9 "-, C" in FIG. 20).

When the first rotating body 340a is rotated 120 degrees from the state shown in No. 9 of FIG. 20 and FIG. 22(d) (No. 9 "-, C" of FIG. 20) and its first display plate 343A is placed in the viewing position, the second rotating body 340b places the third display plate 343C in the viewing position as shown in No. 10 of FIG. 20 and FIG. 22(e). This allows the third combination (No. 10 "C', A" of FIG. 20) to be formed.

In addition, according to this embodiment, even in the section where the figures are misaligned (no combination is formed, No. 3 "-, C" to No. 9 "-, C" in Figure 20), the second rotating body 340b can continue to rotate and the figures visible to the player can continue to change, making it difficult for the player to predict which figures will be combined in the third combination.

After this, a pattern substantially identical to that described above (rotation of the section from the state shown in No. 1 of FIG. 20 and FIG. 21(a) to the state shown in No. 9 of FIG. 20 and FIG. 22(e)) is repeated two more times to complete one cycle (the table goes from the start point to the end point).

In this case, in the section of states shown in No. 11 to No. 20 in FIG. 20, it is sufficient to replace the state in FIG. 21 and FIG. 22 with a state in which the phase of the first rotating body 340a is shifted by 120 degrees, and a fourth combination (No. 11 in FIG. 20, "A', B"), a fifth combination (No. 12 in FIG. 20, "B', C"), and a sixth combination (No. 20 in FIG. 20, "C', B") can be formed.

In addition, in the section of the state shown in No. 21 to No. 30 in FIG. 20, it is sufficient to replace it with a state in which the phase of the first rotating body 340a in FIG. 21 and FIG. 22 is shifted by 240 degrees, and it is possible to form the seventh combination (No. 21 "A', C" in FIG. 20), the eighth combination (No. 22 "B', A" in FIG. 20), and the ninth combination (No. 30 "C', C" in FIG. 20).

As described above, according to this embodiment, the transmission mechanism that transmits the rotation of the drive motor 350 to each of the first rotating body 340a and the second rotating body 340b is formed as a gear train consisting of multiple gears (five gears: drive gear 351 to second gear 355), and is configured to be able to transmit the rotation of the drive motor 350 to each of the first rotating body 340a and the second rotating body 340b at different rotation ratios.

This allows the rotation period of the first rotating body 340a to be different from the rotation period of the second rotating body 340b. As a result, even with only one drive motor 350, nine combinations of the shapes of the first rotating body 340a and the second rotating body 340b can be formed, and the combinations can be changed as desired (any desired combination can be produced).

In addition, by forming the transmission mechanism as a gear train, not only can the structure be simplified, parts costs can be reduced, and durability and reliability can be improved, but because each gear is always meshed, the direction of travel of the table shown in Figure 20 can be changed by switching the direction of rotation of the drive motor 350 between forward and reverse.

Therefore, for example, the table in FIG. 20 can be advanced in the forward direction (downward in FIG. 20), passing through a section (e.g., No. 3 to No. 9 in FIG. 20) where a misalignment of the figures (a combination not being made) is formed, and then, just before or after the third combination (No. 10 "C', A" in FIG. 20) is made to appear, the rotation direction of the drive motor 350 can be reversed and the table in FIG. 20 can be returned in the reverse direction (upward in FIG. 20), repeating this series of actions, thereby creating an effect that makes the player look forward to the appearance of the third combination.

Alternatively, for example, when it is necessary to make the ninth combination (No. 30 "C', C" in FIG. 20) appear from the state in which the first combination (No. 1 "A', A" in FIG. 20) has been formed, in addition to making the ninth combination appear by proceeding forward (downward in FIG. 20) on the table in FIG. 20, it is also possible to make the ninth combination appear by proceeding backward (upward in FIG. 20). That is, in the former case, it is necessary to rotate the first rotating body 340a 120 degrees 30 times, whereas in the latter case, it is sufficient to rotate the first rotating body 340a 120 degrees once, so that the desired combination of figures can be made to appear quickly.

Here, if the second rotating body 340b is configured to rotate 60 degrees relative to the 120 degree rotation of the first rotating body 340a (i.e., if the rotation of the second rotating body 340b is set to "1/integer" times the rotation of the first rotating body 340a), multiple combinations of figures can be formed without causing a difference (deviation) in the rotational positions of the first rotating body 340a and the second rotating body 340b. However, in this case, the maximum number of possible combinations of figures is three.

In contrast, in this embodiment, as described above, except for the first, fourth and seventh combinations (No. 1 "A', A", No. 11 "A', B" and No. 21 "A', C" in FIG. 20), in the remaining six combinations (combinations 2, 3, 5, 6, 8 and 9), a difference (deviation) of a predetermined rotation angle is allowed in the rotational positions of the first rotating body 340a and the second rotating body 340b. This allows the number of possible combinations of shapes to be 9.

In other words, in a structure in which the first rotating body 340a and the second rotating body 340b are rotated by one drive motor 350, it is not possible to increase the number of possible combinations of figures to nine by simply forming the transmission mechanism that transmits the rotation of the drive motor 350 to each of the first rotating body 340a and the second rotating body 340b as a gear train, but this is only possible by allowing a difference (deviation) of a predetermined rotation angle to occur in the rotational positions of the first rotating body 340a and the second rotating body 340b, as in this embodiment. This makes it possible to reduce the number of drive motors 350 required and reduce product costs while improving the presentation effect by increasing the number of possible combinations of figures.

In this case, in the combinations of figures (combinations 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, and 9) in which a difference (deviation) of a predetermined rotation angle occurs in the rotational positions of the first rotating body 340a and the second rotating body 340b, the stopping positions at which the first rotating body 340a and the second rotating body 340b are stopped may be corrected.

For example, in the second, fifth and eighth combinations (No. 2 "B', B", No. 12 "B', C" and No. 22 "B', A" in FIG. 20), as shown in FIG. 21(b), the phase of the second rotating body 340b is delayed, so the first rotating body 340a is stopped at a rotational position where the phase is advanced by a predetermined angle. That is, since the positional deviation from the reference plane is concentrated only in the second rotating body 340b, the first rotating body 340a is not stopped at a rotational position rotated 120 degrees from the state shown in FIG. 21(a), but is stopped at a rotational position rotated 126 degrees, for example. This distributes the positional deviation from the reference plane to the first rotating body 340a and the second rotating body 340b, making it less noticeable.

Similarly, for example, in the third, sixth and ninth combinations (No. 10 "C', A", No. 20 "C', B" and No. 30 "C', C" in FIG. 20), the phase of the second rotating body 340b is advanced as shown in FIG. 22(e), so the first rotating body 340a is stopped at a rotational position where the phase is delayed by a predetermined angle. That is, since the positional deviation from the reference plane is concentrated only in the second rotating body 340b, the first rotating body 340a is not stopped at a rotational position rotated 120 degrees from the state shown in FIG. 22(d), but is stopped at a rotational position rotated 114 degrees, for example. This distributes the positional deviation from the reference plane to the first rotating body 340a and the second rotating body 340b, making it less noticeable.

As described above, the rotor lifting unit 300 is formed so that each container 300 can be raised and lowered in the vertical direction, and in the lowered position (see FIG. 7), the first rotor 340a and the second rotor 340b can be positioned behind the game board 13 and cannot be seen by the player. Therefore, a desired combination of the figures of the first rotor 340a and the second rotor 340b can be quickly made to appear at the required timing.

In other words, in this embodiment, nine combinations of figures can be formed, and therefore the table is long (the number of rows in the table in FIG. 20 is large), and therefore in order to produce the desired combination, the first rotating body 340a and the second rotating body 340b need to be rotated a relatively large number of times, which takes a corresponding amount of time.

In contrast, in this embodiment, by placing each container 300 in a lowered position (see FIG. 7), the first rotating body 340a and the second rotating body 340b can be retreated to a position that is not visible to the player. This allows the rotation positions of the first rotating body 340a and the second rotating body 340b to be rotated in advance to a predetermined rotation position without the player being aware of the rotation of the first rotating body 340a and the second rotating body 340b. As a result, when the required timing arrives, each container 300 is placed in an elevated position (see FIG. 8) and the remaining rotation of the first rotating body 340a and the second rotating body 340b is performed, thereby quickly appearing the desired combination.

Note that each container 300 may be placed in the lowered position only when the first rotating body 340a and the second rotating body 340b are rotated in a specific variation pattern. For example, in a variation pattern in which the time from the start of rotation of the first rotating body 340a and the second rotating body 340b to the display of the result (stop of rotation) is relatively short, each container 300 is not placed in the lowered position, and each rotating body 340a, 340b is rotated from the start to the stop in a position visible to the player, while in a variation pattern in which the time from the start of rotation of the rotating bodies 340a, 340b to the display of the result (stop of rotation) is relatively long, each rotating body 340a, 340b may be rotated in advance in a position invisible to the player.

In this case, in this embodiment, the advance rotation of the first rotating body 340a and the second rotating body 340b in the lowered position is performed when a predetermined operating means is operated. This makes it possible to prevent the player from noticing the advance rotation of the first rotating body 340a and the second rotating body 340b.

In other words, when the first rotating body 340a and the second rotating body 340b are rotated, a relatively loud sound is generated. Even if they are moved to a lowered position and made invisible to the player, the sound generated during the rotation may make the player aware that the first rotating body 340a and the second rotating body 340b have been rotated beforehand.

In response to this, the rotation of the first rotating body 340a and the second rotating body 340b can be performed during the operation of a specified operating means, so that it can be blended in with that operation. As a result, it is possible to make it difficult for the player to recognize the prior rotation of the first rotating body 340a and the second rotating body 340b.

Examples of the operating means include the payout device 133, the audio output device 226, or the ball launching unit 112a (see Figures 3 and 4 for each). When these operating means are in operation, a relatively loud sound is generated, for example, when a ball is paid out, audio is output, or a ball is launched. This makes it difficult for the player to recognize the prior rotation of the first rotating body 340a and the second rotating body 340b.

In addition, instead of or in addition to this, when the effect displayed on the third pattern display device 81 (see FIG. 2) is a predetermined effect, the first rotating body 340a and the second rotating body 340b may be rotated in advance. When the effect displayed on the third pattern display device 81 is a predetermined effect, the player's attention can be focused on the predetermined effect, making it more difficult for the player to recognize the advance rotation of the first rotating body 340a and the second rotating body 340b.

Next, the illuminating decorative unit 400 will be described with reference to Figures 23 to 25. Figure 23 is a front view of the illuminating decorative unit 400. Figure 24 is an exploded front perspective view of the illuminating decorative unit 400, and Figure 25 is an exploded rear perspective view of the illuminating decorative unit 400.

As shown in Figures 23 to 25, the light-emitting decorative unit 400 mainly comprises a base body 410 that is rectangular and long in the front view and is disposed on the bottom wall portion 211 (see Figure 6) of the rear case 210, a light-emitting device 420 that is disposed on the front center of the base body 410 in the width direction, a light-shielding member 430 that covers the front face of the light-emitting device 420, a cover member 440 that covers the front face of the light-shielding member 430 and is made of a light-transmitting material, and peripheral decorative bodies 450, 460 that are annular in the front view and surround the light-emitting device 420, the light-shielding member 430, and the cover member 440.

On the front side of the light-emitting device 420, multiple (15 in this embodiment) light-emitting bodies (LEDs 421) are arranged in a dispersed state over the entire surface, and are formed so that light can be irradiated to the back surface of the light-shielding member 430. Here, the light-shielding member 430 includes a main body 431 formed from a light-shielding material (light-impermeable material), and partition walls 432 erected from the front and back surfaces of the main body 431.

The main body 431 of the light blocking member 430 has a plurality of circular openings 431a (15 openings in this embodiment) formed therein when viewed from the front. These openings 431a are disposed at positions corresponding to the plurality of LEDs 421 of the light emitting device 420 when viewed from the front. Thus, the light emitted from the LEDs 421 can pass through the openings 431a of the light blocking member 430 and reach the rear surface of the cover 440.

The partition wall 432 is formed in a circular shape when viewed from the front, with a smaller diameter than the main body 431, and is disposed at a position eccentric from the center of the main body 431. This divides the space between the light-emitting device 420 and the cover body 440 into a first space that is circular when viewed from the front and surrounded by the partition wall 432, and a second space that is roughly crescent-shaped when viewed from the front and located on the outer periphery of the partition wall 431.

In this way, the partition formed by the partition wall 431 can clarify the outline of the light visible from the cover member 440. That is, when only the LED 421 in the first space is illuminated, a circle can be seen, and when only the LED 421 in the second space is illuminated, a crescent shape can be seen.

Next, the central rotation unit 500 will be described with reference to Figures 26 to 28. Figure 26(a) is a front view of the central rotation unit 500 when placed in the retracted position, and Figure 26(b) is a front view of the central rotation unit 500 when placed in the extended position. Figure 27 is an exploded front perspective view of the central rotation unit 500, and Figure 28 is an exploded rear perspective view of the central rotation unit 500.

As shown in Figures 26 to 28, the central rotation unit 500 mainly comprises a rear base 510 disposed on the bottom wall portion 211 (see Figure 6) of the rear case 210, a front base 520 superimposed on the front of the rear base 510, a pair of displacement members 530 whose base ends are rotatably supported by the rear base 510 and the front base 520, a drive motor 540 that generates a drive force for rotating the displacement member 530, and a transmission mechanism that transmits the drive force of the drive motor 540 to the displacement member 530.

The front surface of the rear base 510 and the rear surface of the front base 520 are recessed with shaft support holes 511, 521 for rotatably supporting the base end side (rotation shaft 531) of the displacement member 530. In addition, a support shaft 512 protrudes from the front surface of the rear base 510 for rotatably supporting the crank gear 542 in the transmission mechanism.

The displacement member 530 is a member decorated on the front side of the tip end, and mainly comprises a rotating shaft 531, a connecting gear 532, and a crank groove 533. As described above, the rotating shaft 531 is a shaft supported by the shaft support holes 511, 521 of the rear base 510 and the front base 520, and protrudes from the front and rear sides of the base end side of the displacement member 530.

The connecting gear 532 is a gear engraved on the outer peripheral surface of the base end side of the displacement member 530 with the rotation axis 531 as the center of rotation. When one displacement member 530 rotates around the rotation axis 531, the connecting gear 532 transmits the rotation to the mating connecting gear 532, causing it to rotate. This causes the other displacement member 530 to rotate around the rotation axis 531.

The crank groove 533 is a linear groove in a front view through which a connecting pin 542a of a crank gear 542 of the transmission mechanism (described later) is slidably inserted, and is recessed in the back surface of one of the pair of displacement members 530 (left side in FIG. 27, right side in FIG. 28). As described later, the rotation of the crank gear 542 is transmitted to the crank groove 533 via the connecting pin 542a, causing one of the displacement members 530 to rotate around the rotation shaft 531.

As described above, the transmission mechanism is a mechanism for transmitting the driving force of the drive motor 540 to the displacement member 530, and mainly includes a pinion 541 fixed to the drive shaft of the drive motor 540 and a crank gear 542 meshed with the pinion 541. The crank gear 542 includes a connecting pin 542a that protrudes from a position eccentric to the center of rotation (support shaft 512) and is inserted into the crank groove 533 of the displacement member 530.

According to the central rotation unit 500 configured in this manner, the rotation of the drive shaft of the drive motor 540 is transmitted to the crank gear 542 via the pinion 541. When the crank gear 542 rotates, the connecting pin 542a is displaced while tracing an arc-shaped trajectory with the rotation of the crank gear 542. The displacement of the connecting pin 542a acts on the inner wall surface of the crank groove 533, causing one of the displacement members 530 (left side in FIG. 27, right side in FIG. 28) to rotate around the rotation shaft 531. In this case, the other displacement member 530 is also rotated synchronously via the connecting gear 532. As a result, the pair of displacement members 530 are rotatable between a protruding position (see FIG. 7 and FIG. 26(a)) in which they protrude into the opening of the game board 13 (center frame 86) and a retracted position (see FIG. 8 and FIG. 26(b)) in which they are retracted to the back of the luminous decoration unit 400.

Next, the right rotation unit 600 will be described with reference to Figures 29 to 40. Figure 29 is an exploded front perspective view of the right rotation unit 600, and Figures 30 and 31 are exploded rear perspective views of the right rotation unit 600. Note that Figure 31 illustrates the right rotation unit 600 in a partially assembled state.

As shown in Figures 29 to 31, the right rotation unit 600 mainly comprises a base body consisting of a rear base 610 and a front base 620, a first displacement member 630 and a second displacement member 640 that are displaceably arranged on the front side of the front base 620 of the base body, a drive motor 650 that generates a driving force for displacing the first displacement member 630 and the second displacement member 640 and is arranged on the rear side of the rear base 610, and a transmission mechanism that transmits the driving force of the drive motor 650.

Part of the transmission mechanism (first pinion 651, rack member 652, and second pinion 653) is housed between the opposing surfaces of the rear base 610 and the front base 620. A bearing recess 621 for rotatably supporting the first pinion 651 is recessed into the rear surface of the front base 620, and a pair of insertion pins 622 are protrudingly provided to be inserted into the sliding groove 652a of the rack member 652 to determine the movement direction of the rack member 652.

In addition, the front base 620 has circular shaft support holes 624, 625 that are formed through the front base 620 to rotatably support the rotation shaft 631 of the first displacement member 630 and the rotation shaft 654a of the transmission member 654, respectively, and are arranged side by side at a predetermined interval in the width direction (short direction) of the front base 620.

The pivot hole 624 that pivotally supports the first displacement member 630 is disposed closer to the opening of the game board 13 (the protruding position side of the first displacement member 630, left side in FIG. 29) than the pivot hole 625 that pivotally supports the transmission member 654. As described below, this ensures a protruding area for the first displacement member 630 and the second displacement member 640 to protrude toward the opening of the game board 13 in the protruding position, while making it easier to hide the transmission member 654 on the back side of the first displacement member 630 between the retracted position and the protruding position.

A protruding rib 626 and a bearing portion 627 are provided on the front surface of the front base 620. The protruding rib 626 is a horizontally elongated protrusion extending along the width direction of the front base 620, and has a cross section formed in a substantially triangular shape. The top of the protruding rib 626 is formed to be curved in an arc shape centered on the shaft support hole 624 when viewed from the front. When the second displacement member 640 (connection displacement member 642) is displaced, the top of the protruding rib 626 can be brought into contact, and as described below, compared to when the front surface of the front base 620 makes surface contact over the entire surface, the contact area can be reduced, suppressing sliding resistance, and suppressing the formation of cloudiness due to friction on the connection displacement member 642 made of a light-transmitting material.

The left side of the front base 620 as viewed from the front (the left side of FIG. 29, i.e., the opening side of the game board 13) is provided with an inclined surface 620a formed by chamfering the ridges of the side and front surface. As a result, as described below, when retracting to the retracted position, the second displacement member 640 (connected displacement member 642) is prevented from being caught by the side of the front base 620 and being unable to be displaced (see FIG. 33).

The bearing portion 627 is formed as a cylindrical body concentric with the shaft support hole 624, and its inner peripheral surface supports the rotation shaft 631 of the first displacement member 630 so that it can rotate together with the shaft support hole 624. A protrusion 628 is formed from the outer peripheral surface of the bearing portion 627, protruding radially outward toward the bottom of the front base 620. The protrusion 628 restricts the rotation of the first displacement member 630 within a predetermined range and prevents the first displacement member 630 from tilting forward. Details will be described later (see FIG. 40).

In this embodiment, a bearing recess 621 is recessed into the rear surface of the front base 620, and the first pinion 651 can be rotatably held between the opposing surfaces of the rear base 610 and the front base 620 using the bearing recess 621. This eliminates the need to fasten the first pinion 651 to the drive shaft of the drive motor 650, thereby reducing the number of parts and the part and assembly costs.

On the other hand, when the bearing recess 621 is recessed into the back surface of the front base 620, the protruding portion 623 protrudes from the front surface of the front base 620. In this embodiment, a part of the second displacement member 640 is supported on the tip side of the first displacement member 630, so that when the first displacement member 630 and the second displacement member 640 are displaced, they are likely to shake in the front-rear direction. Therefore, there is a risk that the second displacement member 640 may interfere with the protruding portion 623, but the protruding rib 626 is formed to be able to suppress such interference. The details will be described later (see FIG. 39).

The transmission mechanism includes a first pinion 651 attached to the drive shaft of the drive motor 650, a second pinion 653 fastened to the rotating shaft 654a of the transmission member 654, and a rack member 652 formed as a rack with teeth cut into the side of a flat member to form a rack gear with which the first pinion 651 and the second pinion 653 mesh.

The rack member 652 has two sliding grooves 652a that are elongated when viewed from the front and extend along its longitudinal direction. A pair of insertion pins 622 of the front base 620 are inserted into each of these sliding grooves 652a, so that the rack member 652 is held in a state in which its direction of movement is regulated. In other words, the rack member 652 is held between the opposing surfaces of the rear base 610 and the front base 620 so that it can move linearly.

The transmission member 654 includes a rotating shaft 654a protruding from the back surface of one end, a drive pin 654b protruding from the front surface of the other end opposite the rotating shaft 654a, and a recessed portion 654c formed by recessing the rotating shaft 654a and drive pin 654b in an arc-shaped manner when viewed from the front. The rotating shaft 654a is inserted into the shaft support hole 625, and is rotatably supported on the front side of the front base 620.

The drive pin 654b is a shaft-shaped body with a circular cross section, and is inserted into the first groove 635 and the second groove 641b (described later) of the first displacement member 630 and the second displacement member 640. The arc shape of the recess 654c in a front view is formed into a shape that corresponds to the outer shape of the bearing portion 627 of the front base 620 (i.e., a shape that can receive the bearing portion 627 on its inner periphery).

Therefore, the position of the rotation shaft 654a of the transmission member 654 can be brought close to the position of the rotation shaft 631 of the first displacement member 630 while preventing interference with the bearing portion 627 of the front base 620, thereby increasing the rotatable range of the transmission member 654. Therefore, as described below, the first displacement member 630 and the second displacement member 640 can be displaced more greatly while the right rotation unit 600 as a whole can be made smaller (see Figures 37 and 38).

According to the transmission mechanism, when the first pinion 651 is rotated by the rotational driving force of the drive motor 650, the rotation of the first pinion 651 is transmitted to the second pinion 653 via the linear motion of the rack member 652, and the rotation of the second pinion 653 causes the transmission member 654 to rotate around the shaft support hole 625 of the front base 620 as the center of rotation. As described below, by rotating the transmission member 654 and acting its drive pin 654b on the first groove 635 and the second groove 641b, the first displacement member 630 and the second displacement member 640 can be independently displaced according to the shapes of the first groove 635 and the second groove 641b (see Figures 37 and 38).

The back surface of the first displacement member 630 has a rotating shaft 631, support shafts 632, 633, and abutment portion 634 protruding therefrom, and a first groove 635 recessed therein. As described above, the rotating shaft 631 is an axial body inserted into the shaft support hole 624 of the front base 620, and the first displacement member 630 is rotatably supported on the front base 620 via the rotating shaft 631 and the shaft support hole 624. A retaining body C having a diameter larger than the inner diameter of the shaft support hole 624 is fastened and fixed to the axial end surface of the rotating shaft 631, thereby restricting the rotating shaft 631 from coming out of the shaft support hole 624.

The support shafts 632 and 633 are shaft-shaped bodies with a circular cross section for rotatably supporting the driven member 641 and the connecting displacement member 642 of the second displacement member 640. That is, the driven member 641 and the connecting displacement member 642 of the second displacement member 640 are rotatably held on the back surface of the first displacement member 630 via the support shafts 632 and 633.

A pair of abutment portions 634 are arranged at a predetermined interval in the circumferential direction around the rotation axis 631. A protrusion 628 of the front base 620 is arranged between the pair of abutment portions 634 when the first displacement member 630 is assembled to the front base 620. Therefore, as described below, when the first displacement member 630 rotates around the rotation axis 631 relative to the front base 620, the abutment portion 634 abuts against the side surface of the protrusion 628 of the front base 620, thereby restricting the rotation of the first displacement member 630 relative to the front base 620 within a predetermined range.

The first groove 635 is a recessed groove through which the drive pin 654b of the transmission member 654 is slidably inserted, and is formed by bending in a generally dogleg shape when viewed from the front. In detail, the first groove 635 includes an action section 635a extending linearly along the longitudinal direction of the first displacement member 630, and a non-interference section 635b extending along the width direction of the first displacement member 630 while curving in an arc shape with the rotating shaft 631 side concave (i.e., formed in a shape obtained by dividing a circular ring shape concentric with the rotating shaft 631). As described later, the action section 635a is a section that receives the action of the drive pin 654b of the transmission member 654, and the non-interference section 635b is a section in which the drive pin 654b of the transmission member 654 does not interfere.

The second displacement member 640 is divided into two members, a driven member 641 and a connecting displacement member 642. The driven member 641 has a shaft support hole 641a formed through the center in the longitudinal direction, and a second groove 641b and a connecting groove 641c formed at one end side and the other end side in the longitudinal direction, respectively. The connecting displacement member 642 is formed from a light-transmitting resin material.

As described above, the shaft support hole 641a is a hole with a circular cross section through which the support shaft 632 of the first displacement member 630 is rotatably inserted, and the driven member 641 is rotatably supported on the back surface of the first displacement member 630 via the support shaft 632. A screw having a head diameter larger than the inner diameter of the shaft support hole 641a is fastened to the axial end face of the support shaft 632, thereby restricting the support shaft 632 from coming out of the shaft support hole 641a.

The second groove 641b is a groove-shaped opening through which the drive pin 654b of the transmission member 654 is slidably inserted, and extends linearly along the longitudinal direction of the driven member 641. When the driven member 641 is supported on the rear surface of the first displacement member 630, the second groove 641b is superimposed on the first groove 635 of the first displacement member 630. Thus, the drive pin 654b of the transmission member 654 can be inserted into the first groove 635 via the second groove 641b. The second groove 641b is formed as an action section that receives the action from the drive pin 654b of the transmission member 654, as described below.

The connecting groove 641c is a groove-shaped opening that extends linearly along the longitudinal direction of the driven member 641, and a connecting pin 643 of the connecting displacement member 642 described later is slidably inserted through the connecting groove 641c. In other words, the second displacement member 640 is formed so that the rotation of the driven member 641 can be transmitted to the connecting displacement member 642 via the connecting groove 641c and the connecting pin 643.

The connecting displacement member 642 has a shaft support hole 642a formed therethrough, and a decorative part 642b and a protruding part 642c are formed to protrude outward from the shaft support hole 642a. In addition, the connecting displacement member 642 is provided with a connecting pin 643 that protrudes toward the front side.

As described above, the shaft support hole 642a is a hole with a circular cross section through which the support shaft 633 of the first displacement member 630 is rotatably inserted, and the connecting displacement member 642 is rotatably supported on the back surface of the first displacement member 630 via the support shaft 633. A retainer C with a diameter larger than the inner diameter of the shaft support hole 642a is fastened and fixed to the axial end face of the support shaft 633, thereby restricting the rotation shaft 633 from slipping out of the shaft support hole 642a.

As described above, the connecting pin 643 is inserted into the connecting groove 641c of the driven member 641, which allows the rotation of the driven member 641 to be transmitted to the connecting displacement member 642. In other words, by rotating the driven member 641 around the support shaft 632, it is possible to form a rotation around the support shaft 633 of the connecting displacement member 642.

In this way, the second displacement member 640 is divided into a driven member 641 and a connecting displacement member 642, and the driving member 641 and the connecting displacement member 642 are connected by the connecting groove 641c and the connecting pin 643 and rotatably supported by the second displacement member 640, forming a link mechanism. By utilizing the amplification effect of the link mechanism, the relative displacement amount of the connecting displacement member 642 (decorative part 642b) with respect to the first displacement member 630 can be increased, as described below (see FIG. 37). As a result, the presentation effect can be enhanced.

Here, the detailed configuration of the connecting displacement member 642 will be described with reference to Figure 32. Figure 32(a) is a front view of the connecting displacement member 642, Figure 32(b) is a side view of the connecting displacement member 642 as viewed in the direction of the arrow XXXIIb in Figure 32(a), and Figure 32(c) is a cross-sectional view of the connecting displacement member 642 taken along the line XXXIIa-XXXIIa in Figure 32(a).

As shown in FIG. 32, the connecting displacement member 642 has a protruding portion 642c formed on the opposite side of the shaft support hole 642a from the decorative portion 642b. As described below, the protruding portion 642c can be used as a weight to balance the decorative portion 642b when it is lifted upward or after it has been lifted.

In this case, the protruding portion 642c is formed to protrude further toward the front side (lower side in FIG. 32(b)) than the decorative portion 642b and is formed to be able to abut against the back surface of the first displacement member 630, so that, as described below, rattling of the connecting displacement member 642 against the first displacement member 630 can be suppressed when the second displacement member 640 is displaced (rotated). In addition, since the protruding portion 642c serves both as a weight and as an abutment portion for the first displacement member 630, the structure can be simplified accordingly, and parts costs can be reduced.

Furthermore, the protruding portion 642c is formed in a box shape with an open rear side by erecting four side walls on the rear side from the four sides of the bottom wall that forms the front side (the side facing the rear side of the first displacement member 630) of the connecting displacement member 642. This makes it possible to ensure weight and rigidity while keeping the external shape small. Therefore, as described below, when the second displacement member 640 displaces (rotates), the protruding portion 642c can be ensured to be hidden by the rear side of the first displacement member 630 (i.e., not visible from the front), and can reliably perform its function as a weight and its function of suppressing rattling by abutting against the first displacement member 630.

The protruding portion 642c has a protruding rib 642c1 that protrudes from the bottom wall and extends along an arc centered on the shaft support hole 642a, and the top of the protruding rib 642c1 is formed so that it can abut against the back surface of the first displacement member 630. Therefore, sliding resistance can be suppressed compared to when the entire surface of the bottom wall of the protruding portion 642c abuts against the back surface of the first displacement member 630.

The connecting pin 643 is formed from a metal material (brass material in this embodiment) that is harder than the resin material, and is embedded (insert molded) in the connecting displacement member 642 such that its rear end face (the upper face in FIG. 32(c)) is exposed from the rear face of the connecting displacement member 642 (i.e., the face facing the front base 620).

In this case, the top of the protruding strip 626 of the front base 620 extends along the displacement trajectory of the connecting pin 643 when the connecting displacement member 642 is displaced, so that the rear end face of the connecting pin 643 can be mainly abutted against the top of the protruding strip 626 of the front base 620. This makes it possible to prevent the formation of cloudiness due to friction between the connecting displacement member 642, which is made of a light-transmitting resin material, and the protruding strip 626 of the front base 620. This makes it possible to continuously achieve the dramatic effect of transmitting light through the connecting displacement member 642.

Next, the operation of the right rotation unit 600 will be described with reference to Figures 33 to 39. Figures 33 and 34 are front views of the right rotation unit 600 in each state when operating between the retracted position and the extended position, and Figures 35 and 36 are rear views of the right rotation unit 600 in each state when operating between the retracted position and the extended position. Also, Figures 37 and 38 are schematic rear views of the right rotation unit 600 in each state when operating between the retracted position and the extended position.

Note that Fig. 33(a) is the same as Fig. 35(a) and Fig. 37(a), Fig. 33(b) is the same as Fig. 35(b) and Fig. 37(b), Fig. 33(c) is the same as Fig. 35(c) and Fig. 37(c), Fig. 34(a) is the same as Fig. 36(a) and Fig. 38(a), Fig. 34(b) is the same as Fig. 36(b) and Fig. 38(b), Fig. 34(c) is the same as Fig. 36(c) and Fig. 38(c). In this case, Fig. 33(c) is the same as Fig. 34(a), Fig. 35(c) is the same as Fig. 36(a), Fig. 37(c) is the same as Fig. 38(a).

As shown in Figures 33(a), 35(a) and 37(a), in the retracted position, the first displacement member 630 is in an upright state, and the first displacement member 630 and the second displacement member 640 are disposed in front of the front base 620.

When the transmission member 654 is rotated in the forward direction (clockwise in FIG. 37(a)) from this state, the inner wall surfaces of the first groove 635 (working section 635a) of the first displacement member 630 and the second groove 641b of the second displacement member 640 are pushed in the protruding direction (right side in FIG. 37(a)) by the drive pin 654b of the transmission member 654, and the first displacement member 630 is rotated in the protruding direction around the rotation axis 631 as the rotation axis, as shown in FIG. 33(b), FIG. 35(b), and FIG. 37(b). In this case, the second displacement member 640 is not displaced relative to the first displacement member 630, but is displaced together with the first displacement member 630, because the second groove 641b has the same external shape as the working section 635b of the first groove 635.

When the transmission member 654 is further rotated in the forward direction (clockwise in FIG. 37(b)) from the state shown in FIG. 33(b), FIG. 35(b), and FIG. 37(b), the inner wall surfaces of the first groove 635 (working section 635a) of the first displacement member 630 and the second groove 641b of the second displacement member 640 are pushed in the protruding direction (right side in FIG. 37(b)) by the drive pin 654b of the transmission member 654, as in the case described above, whereby the first displacement member 630 is rotated in the protruding direction around the rotation axis 631 as the rotation axis, and the second displacement member 640 is displaced integrally with the first displacement member 630.

After passing through the states shown in Figures 33(b), 35(b) and 37(b), when the state shown in Figures 33(c), 35(c) and 37(c) (i.e., the states shown in Figures 34(a), 36(a) and 38(a)) is reached, the drive pin 654b of the transmission member 654 reaches the connection between the action section 635a and the non-interference section 635b in the first groove 635 of the first displacement member 630.

In the state shown in Figures 33(c), 35(c) and 37(c) (i.e., Figures 34(a), 36(a) and 38(a)), one of the pair of abutment portions 634 of the first displacement member 630 abuts against one side of the protruding portion 628 of the front base 620, thereby restricting the rotation of the first displacement member 630 in the protruding direction.

Therefore, when the transmission member 654 is rotated in the forward direction (clockwise in FIG. 38(a)) from the state shown in FIG. 34(a), FIG. 36(a), and FIG. 38(a), the drive pin 654b of the transmission member 654 moves along the non-interference section 635b of the first groove 635 of the first displacement member 630 without interfering with its inner wall surface. As a result, the first displacement member 630 is maintained in the state (position) shown in FIG. 38(a).

In response to this, the inner wall surface of the second groove 641b of the second displacement member 640 is pushed downward (lower side in FIG. 38(a)) by the drive pin 654b of the transmission member 654, and as shown in FIG. 34(b), FIG. 36(b) and FIG. 38(b), the driven member 641 is rotated in a direction that raises the connecting groove 641c around the support shaft 632 (counterclockwise in FIG. 38(b)). This rotation of the driven member 641 is transmitted to the connecting displacement member 642 through the connection of the connecting groove 641c and the connecting pin 643, and the connecting displacement member 642 is rotated in a direction that raises the decorative part 642b around the support shaft 633 (clockwise in FIG. 38(b)). That is, while the first displacement member 630 is stopped, the second displacement member 640 (connecting displacement part 642) is displaced relative to the first displacement member 630.

When the transmission member 654 is further rotated in the forward direction (clockwise in FIG. 38(b)) from the state shown in FIG. 34(b), FIG. 36(b), and FIG. 38(b), the first displacement member 630 is stopped and the second displacement member 640 (connected displacement portion 642) is displaced relative to the first displacement member 630, as in the above-mentioned case. After that, the drive pin 654b of the transmission member 654 reaches the non-interference section 635b in the first groove 635 of the first displacement member 630 and the end of the second groove 641b of the second displacement member 640, and the first displacement member 630 and the second displacement member 640 are positioned in the extended position as shown in FIG. 34(c), FIG. 36(c), and FIG. 38(c).

Contrary to the above, when the transmission member 654 is rotated in the opposite direction (counterclockwise in FIG. 38(c)) from the extended position shown in FIG. 34(c), FIG. 36(c), and FIG. 38(c), the drive pin 654b of the transmission member 654 moves along the non-interference section 635b in the first groove 635 of the first displacement member 630, and the first displacement member 630 is maintained in the state (position) shown in FIG. 38(c).

In response to this, the inner wall surface of the second groove 641b of the second displacement member 640 is pushed upward (upper side in FIG. 38(c)) by the drive pin 654b of the transmission member 654, so that the driven member 641 rotates around the support shaft 632 in a direction that lowers the connecting groove 641c (clockwise in FIG. 38(b)), and the connecting displacement member 642 rotates around the support shaft 633 in a direction that swings down the decorative part 642b (counterclockwise in FIG. 38(b)). That is, while the first displacement member 630 is stopped, the second displacement member 640 (connecting displacement part 642) is displaced relative to the first displacement member 630.

When the transmission member 654 is further rotated in the opposite direction (counterclockwise in FIG. 38(b)) from the state shown in FIG. 34(b), FIG. 36(b), and FIG. 38(b), the first displacement member 630 is stopped, and the second displacement member 640 (connected displacement portion 642) is displaced relative to the first displacement member 630 in a direction that swings down the decorative portion 642b, as in the case described above.

After passing through the states shown in Figures 34(b), 36(b) and 38(b), when the state shown in Figures 34(a), 36(a) and 38(a) (i.e., the states shown in Figures 33(c), 35(c) and 37(c)) is reached, the drive pin 654b of the transmission member 654 reaches the connection between the action section 635a and the non-interference section 635b in the first groove 635 of the first displacement member 630.

Therefore, when the transmission member 654 is rotated in the reverse direction (counterclockwise in FIG. 37(c)) from the state shown in FIG. 33(c), FIG. 35(c), and FIG. 37(c), the inner wall surfaces of the first groove 635 (action section 635a) of the first displacement member 630 and the second groove 641b of the second displacement member 640 are pushed in the upright direction (left side in FIG. 37(c)) by the drive pin 654b of the transmission member 654, and the first displacement member 630 is rotated in the upright direction around the rotation axis 631 as the rotation axis, as shown in FIG. 33(b), FIG. 35(b), and FIG. 37(b). In this case, the second displacement member 640 is not displaced relative to the first displacement member 630, but is displaced together with the first displacement member 630, because the second groove 641b has the same outer shape as the action section 635b of the first groove 635.

When the transmission member 654 is further rotated in the opposite direction (clockwise in FIG. 37(b)) from the state shown in FIG. 33(b), FIG. 35(b), and FIG. 37(b), the first displacement member 630 is rotated in the upright direction about the rotation axis 631 as the rotation axis, and the second displacement member 640 is displaced integrally with the first displacement member 630, as in the above-mentioned case. After that, the drive pin 654b of the transmission member 654 reaches the action section 635a in the first groove 635 of the first displacement member 630 and the start of the second groove 641b of the second displacement member 640, and the first displacement member 630 and the second displacement member 640 are disposed in the retracted position as shown in FIG. 33(a), FIG. 35(a), and FIG. 37(a).

In the upright positions shown in Figures 33(a), 35(a), and 37(a), the other of the pair of abutment portions 634 of the first displacement member 630 abuts against the other side of the protrusion 628 of the front base 620, thereby restricting the rotation of the first displacement member 630 in the upright direction.

In this way, in the right rotation unit 600, the first displacement member 630 and the second displacement member 640 are arranged on the front side of the front base 620 with the first groove 635 and the second groove 641b overlapping (superimposed) in the thickness direction (for example, the direction perpendicular to the paper surface of Figures 33 and 34), so the planar space required for arranging the first groove 635 and the second groove 641b (i.e., the first displacement member 630 and the second displacement member 640) can be reduced compared to the case of a conventional product in which the first groove and the second groove are arranged side by side in the same plane. As a result, the external shape (planar space) when viewed from the front can be made smaller.

Here, in the pachinko machine 10, a larger display device (third pattern display device 81) is required. However, even in this case, there is a relatively large amount of space in the thickness direction (front-to-back direction, for example, the direction perpendicular to the paper surface of Figures 10 and 11). Therefore, as in this embodiment, if the first groove 635 and the second groove 641b are overlapped and the relatively large space in the thickness direction is utilized, the outer shape of the right rotation unit 600 when viewed from the front can be made smaller, which is particularly effective in increasing the size of the display device.

In addition, if the first groove 635 and the second groove 641b are overlapped, the rotational driving force of the transmission member 654 can be transmitted to each of the first displacement member 630 and the second displacement member 640 by one drive pin 654b, eliminating the need to provide separate drive pins (transmission members) for each of the first and second grooves, as in conventional products. In other words, parts can be shared, which reduces part costs.

As described above, the second displacement member 640 is divided into a driven member 641 and a connecting displacement member 642, and the driven member 641 and the connecting displacement member 642 are connected by a connecting groove 641c and a connecting pin 643 and rotatably supported by the support shafts 632, 633 of the first displacement member 630, forming a link mechanism, so that the amplification effect of the link mechanism can be utilized. Therefore, as shown in Figures 34, 36, and 38, the relative displacement amount of the connecting displacement member 642 (decorative part 642b) with respect to the first displacement member 630 can be increased. As a result, the presentation effect can be enhanced.

In this case, in this embodiment, the second displacement member 640 is divided into a driven member 641 and a connecting displacement member 642 to form a link mechanism, and the support shafts 632, 633 that support the driven member 641 and the connecting displacement member 642 are arranged along the longitudinal direction of the first displacement member 630, so that the driven member 641 and the connecting displacement member 642 can be overlapped in the retracted position as shown in Figures 33(a), 35(a), and 37(a).

This makes it easier to hide the second displacement member 640 behind the first displacement member 630 (so that it is easier to make it invisible to the player). Therefore, not only can the outer shape of the right rotation unit 600 be made smaller when viewed from the front in the retracted position (see FIG. 33(a)), but when the first displacement member 630 is tilted from the upright position to the protruding position (see FIG. 33(a) to FIG. 33(c)), the presence of the second displacement member 640 (decorative part 642b) is hidden from the player, and after the first displacement member 630 is tilted to the protruding position, the second displacement member 640 can be made to protrude from the back of the first displacement member 630 (see FIG. 34(a) to FIG. 34(c)), making it easier to create an impactful performance for the player.

As described above, the movement of the first displacement member 630 and the second displacement member 640 from the retracted position shown in FIG. 33(a) to the extended position shown in FIG. 34(c) is such that the first displacement member 630 and the second displacement member 640 are displaced (rotated) as one unit in the extending direction (i.e., the direction of falling down, referred to as the "first direction") as shown in FIG. 33(a) to FIG. 33(c), and after the displacement (rotation) of the first displacement member 630 is stopped as shown in FIG. 33(c) and FIG. 34(a), the connecting displacement member 642 of the second displacement member 640 is displaced (rotated) in the direction of lifting its decorative part 642b (referred to as the "second direction") as shown in FIG. 34(a) to FIG. 34(c). That is, the first direction and the second direction are opposite directions.

This allows the inertial force caused by the first displacement member 630 stopping when it has been displaced in the first direction to be cancelled out by the inertial force generated when the second displacement member 640 starts to displace in the second direction. As a result, a series of movements from the retracted position to the extended position can be carried out smoothly, not only improving the presentation effect but also reducing the load on the parts caused by the action of inertial force, improving durability.

In this case, in this embodiment, the weight of the first displacement member 630 is made heavier than the weight of the second displacement member 640, so that in the operation of displacing the first displacement member 630 and the second displacement member 640 from the retracted position shown in FIG. 33(a) to the extended position shown in FIG. 34(c), the first displacement member 630, which is heavier, can be stopped first, and the second displacement member 640, which is lighter, can be stopped last. This reduces the burden on the drive motor 650 and the gears in the transmission mechanism (the first pinion 651, the rack member 652, and the second pinion 653, see FIGS. 29 and 30).

That is, the transition from the state in which the first displacement member 630 and the second displacement member 640 are displaced as one unit in the protruding direction (first direction) (see Figures 33(a) to 33(c)) to the state in which the displacement of the first displacement member 630 is stopped (see Figures 33(c) and 34(a)) and the connecting displacement member 642 of the second displacement member 640 is displaced in a direction lifting its decorative part 642b (second direction) (see Figures 34(a) to 34(c)) is achieved by the drive pin 654b of the transmission member 654 moving from the active section 635a of the first groove 635 to the non-interference section 635b, so that the rotation of the drive motor 650 and the gears in the transmission mechanism (the first pinion 651, the rack member 652 and the second pinion 653) can be continued. Therefore, even if the first displacement member 630 is stopped during such a state transition, the load on the gears of the drive motor 650 transmission mechanism that would otherwise be caused by the stop can be avoided.

On the other hand, the transition from a state in which the displacement of the first displacement member 630 is stopped (see Figs. 33(c) and 34(a)) and the connecting displacement member 642 of the second displacement member 640 is displaced in a direction (second direction) that lifts the decorative part 642b (see Figs. 34(a) to 34(c)) to a state in which the second displacement member 640 is stopped (see Fig. 34(c)) requires stopping the rotation of the drive motor 650 and the gears of the transmission mechanism (the first pinion 651, the rack member 652, and the second pinion 653). When the second displacement member 640 is stopped, the inertial force acts on the gears. In this case, the only member that is stopped is the light-weight second displacement member 640, so the burden on the gears can be reduced accordingly.

Here, as described above, the connecting displacement member 642 of the second displacement member 640 has a protruding portion 642c formed by protruding outward on the side opposite the decorative portion 642b across the portion (pivot support hole 642a) that is pivotally supported by the first displacement member 630 (see FIG. 32), and is formed so that the protruding portion 642c can act as a weight.

As a result, as shown in Figures 34, 36, and 38, when the connecting displacement member 642 is rotated to lift the decorative part 642b upward, the weight of the protruding part 642c formed on the opposite side of the decorative part 642b can be used to easily lift the decorative part 642b upward. This makes it possible to lift the decorative part 642b quickly, enhancing the presentation effect, and reducing the driving force of the drive motor 650 required for the lifting operation.

Furthermore, as shown in Figures 34(c), 36(c) and 38(c), after the decorative part 642b is lifted, the weight of the decorative part 642b and the weight of the protruding part 642c can be balanced. Therefore, compared to the case where only the decorative part 642b is formed in a cantilevered state, the posture in which the decorative part 642b is lifted can be stabilized, and the driving force of the drive motor 650 required to maintain that posture can be reduced.

In this case, as described above, the protruding portion 642c of the connecting displacement member 642 is formed so that its bottom wall (the convex strip 642c1, see FIG. 32) can abut against the back surface of the first displacement member 630, so that when the connecting displacement member 642 is displaced (rotated), as shown in FIGS. 34, 36, and 38, the protruding portion 642c abuts against the back surface of the first displacement member 630, thereby suppressing wobbling of the connecting displacement member 642 (decorative portion 642b). This stabilizes the posture of the decorative portion 642b when it is displaced, enhancing the presentation effect, and suppressing wear and damage to the pivot portion due to wobbling.

In addition to its role as a weight, the protruding portion 642c also serves the role of contacting the first displacement member 630 to suppress rattling, eliminating the need to provide separate parts for both roles, which simplifies the structure of the connecting displacement member 642. As a result, parts costs can be reduced.

Furthermore, as described above, the protruding portion 642c of the connecting displacement member 642 is formed in a substantially box-like shape (see FIG. 32). This allows the external shape of the protruding portion 642c to be small while still ensuring weight and rigidity. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 34, FIG. 36, and FIG. 38, while ensuring that the connecting displacement member 642 (decorative portion 642b) is displaced with the protruding portion 642c hidden behind the back of the first displacement member 630 (i.e., not visible to the player in front), the protruding portion 642c can reliably perform its function as a weight and its function of suppressing rattling by abutting against the back of the first displacement member 630.

Here, as described above, in the front base 620, the pivot hole 624 that pivotally supports the first displacement member 630 is disposed closer to the opening side of the game board 13 (the protruding position side of the first displacement member 630) than the pivot hole 625 that pivotally supports the transmission member 654 (see Figures 29 to 31). As a result, as shown in Figures 33 to 38, in the protruding position, a protruding area can be secured for the first displacement member 630 and the second displacement member 640 to protrude toward the opening side of the game board 13, while the transmission member 654 can be easily hidden on the back side of the first displacement member 630 while it is displaced from the retracted position to the protruding position.

In this case, as described above, the front base 620 has a bearing portion 627 that supports the rotation shaft 631 of the first displacement member 630 (see FIG. 29), and the transmission member 654 is formed so as to be able to abut against the bearing portion 627 when the second displacement member 640 is displaced to the extended position as shown in FIG. 38(a) to FIG. 38(c), so that the relative rotation of the second displacement member 640 with respect to the first displacement member 630 can be restricted within a predetermined range. In other words, the transmission member 654, which serves to transmit the driving force of the drive motor 650, can also serve as a stopper that restricts the relative rotation of the second displacement member 640 with respect to the first displacement member 630 within a predetermined range, so that the structure can be simplified and the parts costs can be reduced accordingly.

In addition, since the bearing portion 627 is a portion for raising the first displacement member 630 from the front base 620 and arranging the first displacement member 630 and the second displacement member 640 in an overlapping position (see FIG. 29), it is relatively rigid and dead space is formed on its outer periphery. However, by configuring the transmission member 654 to abut against the bearing portion 627 as shown in FIG. 38(c), it is possible to ensure the rigidity of the portion that restricts the relative rotation of the second displacement member 640 with respect to the first displacement member 630, thereby improving durability and making effective use of the dead space, thereby enabling a reduction in size.

Furthermore, as described above, the transmission member 654 is provided with a recessed cutout 654c that corresponds to the outer shape of the bearing portion 627 (see Figs. 29 to 31), and as shown in Fig. 38(c), when the second displacement member 640 is extended to the extended position, the bearing portion 627 is formed to be able to be received within the recessed cutout 654c, thereby increasing the movable range of the transmission member 654. Therefore, the amount of displacement of the first displacement member 630 and the second displacement member 640 can be secured accordingly. In other words, the movable range of the transmission member 654 can be secured while the position of the rotation axis 654a of the transmission member 654 can be brought close to the bearing portion 627, so that while the external shape of the first displacement member 630 is suppressed, it is easy to create a state in which the transmission member 654 is hidden behind the first displacement member 630 (i.e., cannot be seen by a player in front) while the first displacement member 630 and the second displacement member 640 are displaced between the retracted position and the extended position, as shown in Figures 37 and 38.

As described above, the front base 620 has an inclined surface 620a formed by chamfering the ridges of its side and front surface on the left side as viewed from the front (the opening side of the game board 13, for example, the left side of FIG. 33(c)). Therefore, when the connecting displacement member 642 is displaced (rotated) from the state shown in FIG. 34(c) in a direction that lowers the decorative part 642b, and passes through the state shown in FIG. 34(b) to form the state shown in FIG. 34(a), the inclined surface 620a can prevent the connecting displacement member 642 from being locked to the side of the front base 620 and being unable to be displaced. Similarly, when the second displacement member 640 (connected displacement member 642) is displaced (rotated) from the state shown in FIG. 33(c) toward the retracted position together with the first displacement member 630, passing through the state shown in FIG. 33(b) and forming the state shown in FIG. 33(a), the inclined surface 620a can prevent the connected displacement member 642 from being locked onto the side surface of the front base 620 and being unable to be displaced.

In particular, in this embodiment, the first displacement member 630 is arranged in a cantilever state with its rotation shaft 631 as a fulcrum, and the second displacement member 640 is arranged on the first displacement member 630, which increases its weight. This makes it easier for the first displacement member 630 to swing in the front-to-back direction (perpendicular to the paper surface of FIG. 33) (i.e., swing in the direction that moves the connecting displacement member 642 toward or away from the front base 620), and makes it easier for the connecting displacement member 642 to engage with the side of the front base 620. Therefore, a configuration in which the front base 620 is provided with an inclined surface 620a is particularly effective.

As described above, the front base 620 has a protruding rib 626 that protrudes from its front surface and extends along the displacement direction (rotation direction) of the first displacement member 630. Therefore, as shown in Figures 33, 35, and 37, when the second displacement member 640 is displaced integrally with the first displacement member 630, only the top of the protruding rib 626 can be brought into contact with the second displacement member 640. Therefore, compared to when the entire front surface of the front base 620 is in surface contact with the second displacement member 640, the contact area can be made smaller and the sliding resistance can be suppressed. As a result, the first displacement member 630 and the second displacement member 640 can be displaced smoothly, and the driving force required for the drive motor 650 can be suppressed.

Here, the relationship between the protrusion 626 of the front base 620 and the second displacement member 640 (connecting displacement member 642) will be described with reference to Figure 39. Figure 39(a) is a schematic front view for explaining the positional relationship between the front base 620 and the connecting displacement member 642, and Figure 39(b) is a schematic cross-sectional view of the front base 620 and the connecting displacement member 642 taken along line XXXIXb-XXXIXb in Figure 39(a).

As described above, the connecting displacement member 642 of the second displacement member 640 is formed from a light-transmitting resin material. Therefore, it is possible to enhance the decorative effect by transmitting light irradiated from the light-emitting body or display device. On the other hand, since the connecting displacement member 642 is a member disposed facing the front base 620 (see Figures 29 to 31), it comes into contact with the front of the front base 620 as the second displacement member 640 shakes or rattles when it is displaced. In this case, when the front surface of the front base 620 comes into contact with the connecting displacement member 642, friction between the connecting displacement member 642 and the front surface of the front base 620 causes clouding to form on the connecting displacement member 642, impairing the light transmittance.

In contrast, in this embodiment, as described above, the front surface of the front base 620 is formed with a convex rib 626, and only the top of the convex rib 626 can be brought into contact with the connecting displacement member 642, so that clouding (parts where light transmittance is impaired) caused by rubbing on the connecting displacement member 642 can be partially suppressed.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 39, the second displacement member 640 has a metal connecting pin 643 for connecting the driven member 641 and the connecting displacement member 642, and the protruding strip 626 of the front base 620 extends along the trajectory of the connecting pin 643 when the second displacement member 640 is displaced integrally with the first displacement member 630 (see FIG. 33, FIG. 35, and FIG. 37).

As a result, when the second displacement member 640 is displaced integrally with the first displacement member 630, the rear end face of the connecting pin 642 (the face on the right side in FIG. 39(b)) can be brought into contact with the top of the convex rib 626. Therefore, the surface pressure acting on the connecting displacement member 642 from the top of the convex rib 626 is borne by the rear end face of the connecting pin 642, and the surface pressure acting on other parts of the connecting displacement member 642 can be weakened accordingly. As a result, clouding of other parts of the connecting displacement member 642 due to friction with the convex rib 626 is suppressed, and the loss of its light transmitting function can be suppressed.

Next, the function of the protrusion 628 of the front base 620 will be described with reference to Figure 40. Figure 40(a) is a schematic front view for explaining the positional relationship between the front base 620 and the first displacement member 630, Figure 40(b) is a schematic side view of the front base 620 and the first displacement member 630 as viewed in the direction of the arrow XLb in Figure 40(a), and Figure 40(c) is a schematic cross-sectional view of the front base 620 and the first displacement member 630 taken along the line XLc-XLc in Figure 40(a).

As shown in FIG. 40, the front base 620 includes a bearing portion 627 that rotatably supports the first displacement member 630, and the first displacement member 630 is supported in a raised state from the front of the front base 620 by the height of the bearing portion 627, so that a space for disposing the second displacement member 640 can be formed between the front of the front base 620 and the back surface of the first displacement member 630. That is, as described above, the second displacement member 640 can be disposed overlapping the back surface of the first displacement member 630 (see FIG. 29 to FIG. 31).

As described above, the front base 620 has a protruding portion 628 formed by protruding radially outward from the outer peripheral surface of the bearing portion 627, and the first displacement member 630 has an abutment portion 634 protruding from its back surface. By abutting the abutment portion 634 of the first displacement member 630 against the protruding portion 628 of the front base 620, the relative rotation of the first displacement member 630 with respect to the front base 620 can be restricted within a predetermined range.

In this case, the bearing portion 627 of the front base 620 is erected from the front of the front base 620 as a large-diameter cylinder, which increases its rigidity and forms dead space on the outer periphery. In this embodiment, however, a protrusion 628 is provided protruding radially outward from the outer periphery of the bearing portion 627, and the abutment portion 634 of the first displacement member 630 abuts against the protrusion 628. This ensures the rigidity of the portion that restricts the relative rotation of the first displacement member 630 with respect to the front base 620, improves durability, and makes effective use of the dead space, thereby enabling a reduction in size.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the external shape of the lower side (lower side in FIG. 40(a)) part of the first displacement member 630 is set to a size including the protrusion 628 of the front base 620 when viewed from the front. That is, the front side (the side facing the page in FIG. 40(a)) of the protrusion 628 of the front base 620 is formed so that it can abut against the rear surface of the first displacement member 630. This makes it possible to suppress rattling when the first displacement member 630 is displaced and the first displacement member 630 from tilting forward (in the direction of the arrow Fr in FIG. 40(c)).

In addition to serving as a stopper that receives the abutment portion 634 of the first displacement member 630 on its side to regulate relative displacement, the protrusion 628 of the front base 620 can also serve to receive the rear surface of the first displacement member 630 on its front surface to suppress rattling or tilting. This eliminates the need to provide separate parts for both of these functions, simplifying the structure accordingly. As a result, parts costs can be reduced.

In particular, in this embodiment, the first displacement member 630 is arranged in a cantilevered state with its rotation axis 631 (bearing portion 627 of the front base 620) as a fulcrum, and the second displacement member 640 is arranged on the first displacement member 630, so that the weight increases, and the first displacement member 630 is likely to shake in the front-rear direction (perpendicular to the paper surface of FIG. 40(a)). The swing of the first displacement member 630 in the direction approaching the front base 620 (the direction opposite to the arrow X in FIG. 40(c)) can be regulated by the abutment of the second displacement member 640 (connection displacement member 642) against the front base 620 (the top of the convex strip 626), but the swing of the first displacement member 630 in the direction moving away from the front base 620 (the direction of the arrow Fr in FIG. 40(c)) cannot be regulated, and the weight increases as described above, so that the vicinity of the fulcrum is likely to be damaged. Therefore, a configuration in which the front surface of the protrusion 628 of the front base 620 abuts against the back surface of the first displacement member 630 and suppresses forward shaking (tilting) of the first displacement member 630 is particularly effective.

In this case, the protruding portion 628 of the front base 620 protrudes from the outer peripheral surface of the bearing portion 627 and is connected to the front surface of the front base 620, so that the rigidity of the protruding portion 628 can be increased. In particular, when the first displacement member 630 tilts forward (in the direction of the arrow Fr in FIG. 40(c)), the rigidity can be increased in the direction supporting the tilt (i.e., the direction in which the protruding portion 628 is sandwiched between the back surface of the first displacement member 630 and the front surface of the front base 620), so that the forward tilt of the first displacement member 630 can be effectively suppressed.

Next, the left rotation unit 700 will be described with reference to Figures 41 to 48. Figure 41 is an exploded front perspective view of the left rotation unit 700, and Figure 42 is an exploded rear perspective view of the left rotation unit 700. Also, Figure 43 is a partially exploded perspective view of the left rotation unit 700.

As shown in Figures 41 to 43, the left rotation unit 700 mainly includes a base body consisting of a rear base 710 and a front base 720, a first displacement member 730 whose base end is displaceably disposed on the front side of the front base 720 of the base body, a second displacement member 740 which is displaceably disposed on the tip side of the first displacement member 730, a drive motor 750 which generates a driving force for displacing the first displacement member 730 and the second displacement member 740 and is disposed on the rear side of the rear base 710, a transmission mechanism which transmits the driving force of the drive motor 750, connecting members (a first connecting member 760 and a second connecting member 770) which connect the front base 720 and the second displacement member 740, and a cover body 780 which is provided on the front of the lower end side of the front base 720.

Part of the transmission mechanism (first pinion 751, rack member 752, and second pinion 753) is housed between the opposing surfaces of the rear base 710 and the front base 720. A pair of insertion pins 722 protrude from the rear surface of the front base 720 and are inserted into the sliding grooves 752a of the rack member 752 to determine the movement direction of the rack member 752.

The front base 720 has circular support holes 723, 724, and 725 formed therethrough, and the rotating shaft 731 of the first displacement member 730, the rotating shaft 754a of the transmission member 754, and the rotating shaft 761 of the first connecting member 760 are rotatably supported in each of these support holes 723, 724, and 725. Similarly, the cover body 780 has a circular support hole 781 formed therethrough, and the rotating shaft 731 of the first displacement member 730 is rotatably supported in this support hole 781.

In addition, a base-side engaging member 726 is protruded from the front surface of the front base 720, and a receiving recess 727 is recessed. The base-side engaging member 726 includes a base portion 726a erected from the front surface of the front base 720, and a bent portion 726b formed by bending the tip of the base portion 726a, the inner surface of which serves as an engaging surface. In the retracted position, the engaging surfaces are formed to be engageable with a displacement-side engaging member 742 of the second displacement member 740, which will be described later. This makes it possible to suppress forward tilting of the first displacement member 730 and the second displacement member 740 relative to the front base 720, as will be described later (see FIG. 47).

The receiving recess 727 is a generally rectangular recess in front view that is recessed at a position facing the bent portion 726b of the base side engaging member 726, and is formed with an opening area larger than the outer shape of the bent portion 742b of the displacement side engaging member 742 of the second displacement member 740, so that it is capable of receiving the bent portion 742b of the displacement side engaging member 742. As a result, as described below, in the retracted position, relative displacement of the second displacement member 730 in the approaching direction with respect to the front base 720 is permitted, thereby suppressing damage due to collision (see FIG. 47(c)).

The transmission mechanism includes a first pinion 751 attached to the drive shaft of the drive motor 750, a second pinion 753 fastened to the rotating shaft 754a of the transmission member 754, and a rack member 752 formed as a rack with teeth cut into the side of a flat member to form a rack gear with which the first pinion 751 and the second pinion 753 mesh.

The rack member 752 has two sliding grooves 752a that are elongated when viewed from the front and extend along its longitudinal direction, and a pair of insertion pins 722 of the front base 720 are inserted into each of these sliding grooves 752a, so that the direction of movement is held in a prescribed state. In other words, the rack member 752 is held between the opposing surfaces of the rear base 710 and the front base 720 so that it can move linearly.

The transmission member 754 has a rotating shaft 754a protruding from the back surface of one end and a drive pin 754b protruding from the front surface of the other end opposite the rotating shaft 754a. The rotating shaft 754a is inserted into the shaft support hole 724, so that the transmission member 754 is rotatably supported on the front side of the front base 720. The drive pin 754b is a shaft-shaped body with a circular cross section, and is inserted into a drive groove 762 (described later) of the first connecting member 760.

According to the transmission mechanism, when the first pinion 751 is rotated by the rotational driving force of the drive motor 750, the rotation of the first pinion 751 is transmitted to the second pinion 753 via the linear motion of the rack member 752, and as the second pinion 753 rotates, the transmission member 754 rotates around the shaft support hole 724 of the front base 720.

When the transmission member 754 is rotated, as described below, the drive pin 754b of the transmission member 754 acts on the drive groove 762 of the first connecting member 760, driving the first connecting member 760 and the second connecting member 770. As a result, the first and second connecting members 730 and 740 can be displaced relative to the front base 720 while displacing the second displacing member 740 relative to the first displacing member 730 via the first and second connecting members 760 and 770 (see FIG. 46).

The first displacement member 730 has a rotating shaft 731 protruding from one longitudinal end (lower side in FIG. 42) and a shaft support hole 732 formed through the other longitudinal end (upper side in FIG. 42) opposite the rotating shaft 731. A sliding groove 733 having an oval shape in front view is recessed into the back surface of the first displacement member 730 and a connecting pin 734 protruding from it. In addition, an engaged portion 735 is formed on the outer edge of the other longitudinal end of the first displacement member 730, to the side of the shaft support hole 732.

As described above, the rotating shaft 731 is an axial body that is inserted into the shaft support hole 723 of the front base 720 and the shaft support hole 781 of the cover body 780, and the first displacement member 730 is rotatably supported on the front side of the front base 720 by inserting the rotating shaft 731 into the shaft support holes 723, 781. In other words, the base end side of the first displacement member 730 is rotatably supported between the opposing surfaces of the front base 720 and the cover body 780.

The shaft support hole 732 is a circular hole when viewed from the front, and rotatably supports the rotating shaft 741 of the second displacement member 740. The sliding groove 733 is a recessed groove extending along the longitudinal direction of the first displacement member 730, and the end of the connecting shaft 790 is slidably inserted therethrough. The connecting shaft 790 supports the other ends of the first connecting member 760 and the second connecting member 770 so that they can rotate relative to each other. As described below, when the first connecting member 760 and the second connecting member 770 are driven, the connecting shaft 790 acts on the sliding groove 733 for the first displacement member 730, and the first displacement member 730 is displaced (rotated) relative to the front base 720 (see FIG. 45).

The connecting pin 734 is a shaft-shaped body with a circular cross section that is inserted into the sliding groove 772 (described later) of the second connecting member 770, and is disposed on an extension line of the sliding groove 733 of the first displacement member 730 in the extension direction. Therefore, the direction in which the connecting shaft 790 slides along the sliding groove 733 of the first displacement member 730 and the direction in which the connecting pin 734 slides along the sliding groove 772 of the second connecting member 770 can be made to coincide. That is, as described later, when the first connecting member 760 and the second connecting member 770 are driven, the form of relative displacement of the second connecting member 770 with respect to the first displacement member 730 can be made a linear motion (sliding displacement) (see FIG. 45).

The engaged portion 735 is a portion formed on the outer edge of the first displacement member 730 that extends to a position where it overlaps with the second displacement member 740 in rear view, and is formed so that, in the extended position, it can engage with the displacement side engaging member 742 (the engaging surface of the bent portion 742b) of the second displacement member 740 (described later) (see FIG. 48). This makes it possible to suppress rattling of the second displacement member 740 relative to the first displacement member 730 in the extended position, as described later (see FIG. 48).

The second displacement member 740 includes a rotating shaft 741 and a displacement side engagement portion 742 protruding from its rear surface, a receiving recess 743 recessed into its rear surface, and a flange member 744 fastened to the end surface of the rotating shaft 741.

As described above, the rotating shaft 741 is an axial body that is inserted into the shaft support hole 732 of the first displacement member 730, and by inserting this rotating shaft 741 into the shaft support hole 732, the second displacement member 740 is rotatably supported at the longitudinal tip side of the first displacement member 730. The base end side of the flange member 744 that is fastened and fixed to the rotating shaft 741 is formed with a diameter larger than the inner diameter of the shaft support hole 732, thereby restricting the rotating shaft 741 from coming out of the shaft support hole 732.

A connecting pin 744a protrudes from the back surface of the flange member 744 at a position eccentric to the axis of the rotating shaft 741. The connecting pin 744a is a shaft-shaped body with a circular cross section, and is inserted into a connecting groove 772 (described later) of the second connecting member 770. As described later, when the first connecting member 760 and the second connecting member 770 are driven, the connecting pin 744a of the flange member 744 is acted upon by the connecting groove 772 of the second connecting member 770, causing the second displacement member 740 to be displaced (rotated) relative to the first displacement member 730 (see FIG. 46).

The displacement side engaging member 742 has a base 742a erected from the back surface of the second displacement member 740, and a bent portion 742b formed by bending the tip of the base 742a, the inner surface of which serves as an engaging surface. As described above, in the retracted position, the engaging surfaces are formed so that they can engage with the displacement side engaging member 726 of the front base 720, and in the extended position, the engaging surface is formed so that it can engage with the engaged portion 735 of the first displacement member 730.

The receiving recess 743 is a generally rectangular recess in front view that is recessed at a position facing the bent portion 742b of the displacement side engagement member 742, and is formed with an opening area larger than the outer shape of the bent portion 726b of the base side engagement member 726 of the front base 720, so that it is capable of receiving the bent portion 726b of the base side engagement member 726. This allows the second displacement member 730 to be displaced relative to the front base 720 in the approaching direction in the retracted position, as described below, and prevents damage due to collision (see FIG. 47(c)).

The first connecting member 760 has a rotating shaft 761 protruding from the back surface at one longitudinal end (lower side in FIG. 42) and a sliding groove 762 opening in the approximate longitudinal center, while the second connecting member 770 has a connecting groove 771 and a sliding groove 772 opening at one longitudinal end (upper side in FIG. 42) and the longitudinal center, respectively.

The rotating shaft 761 of the first connecting member 760 is rotatably supported in the shaft support hole 725 of the front base 720, and the connecting pin 744a in the flange member 744 of the second displacement member 740 is inserted into the connecting groove 771 of the second connecting member 770. In addition, the other longitudinal ends of the first connecting member 760 and the second connecting member 770 are supported by a connecting shaft 790 inserted into the sliding groove 733 of the first displacement member 730 so as to be rotatable relative to each other.

That is, one longitudinal end of the first connecting member 760 is displaceably connected to the front base 720, and one longitudinal end of the second connecting member 770 is displaceably connected to the second displacement member 740, and the connecting portion (connecting pin 790) between the other longitudinal ends of the first connecting member 760 and the second connecting member 770 is displaceably connected to the first displacement member 730.

As described below, this allows the first displacement member 730 and the second displacement member 740 to be displaced relative to each other and relative to the front base 720, while the first connecting member 760 and the second connecting member 770 can be hidden behind the back surface of the first displacement member 730, making them difficult for players to see. As a result, the first connecting member 760 and the second connecting member 770 are prevented from being exposed in the extended position, which would impair the appearance (see Figures 44(c) and 45c(c)).

As described above, the drive pin 754b of the transmission member 754 is inserted into the drive groove 762 of the first connecting member 760, and the connecting pin 734 of the first displacement member 730 is inserted into the sliding groove 772 of the second connecting member 770.

Next, the operation of the left rotation unit 700 will be described with reference to Figures 44 to 46. Figure 44 is a front view of the left rotation unit 700 in each state when operating between the retracted position and the extended position, and Figure 45 is a rear view of the left rotation unit 700 in each state when operating between the retracted position and the extended position. Also, Figure 46 is a schematic rear view of the left rotation unit 700 in each state when operating between the retracted position and the extended position.

In addition, FIG. 44 illustrates a state in which the cover body 780 is omitted. Also, FIG. 44(a) is the same as FIG. 45(a) and FIG. 46(a), FIG. 44(b) is the same as FIG. 45(b) and FIG. 46(b), and FIG. 44(c) is the same as FIG. 45(c) and FIG. 46(c).

As shown in Figures 44(a), 45(a) and 46(a), in the retracted position, the first displacement member 730 and the second displacement member 740 are in an upright state and are disposed in front of the front base 720.

When the transmission member 754 is rotated in the forward direction (clockwise in FIG. 46(a)) from this state, the inner wall surface of the drive groove 762 of the first connecting member 760 is pushed in the protruding direction (left side in FIG. 46(a)) by the drive pin 754b of the transmission member 754, causing the first connecting member 760 to rotate in the protruding direction (counterclockwise in FIG. 46(a)) with the rotation axis 761 as the rotation center.

When the first connecting member 760 is rotated in the protruding direction, the inner wall surface of the sliding groove 733 of the first displacement member 730 is pushed in the protruding direction (left side in FIG. 46(a)) by the connecting shaft 790 that connects the other ends of the first connecting member 760 and the second connecting member 770, and as shown in FIG. 44(b), FIG. 45(b), and FIG. 6(b), the first displacement member 730 is rotated in the protruding direction (counterclockwise in FIG. 46(a)) with its rotation shaft 731 as the rotation center.

When the first connecting member 760 is rotated in the protruding direction, the second connecting member 770, the other end of which is connected to the first connecting member 760 by the connecting shaft 790, is pulled downward (lower side in FIG. 46(a)), and the inner wall surface of the connecting groove 771 of the second connecting member 770 presses down the connecting pin 744a in the flange member 744 of the second displacement member 740, so that the second displacement member 740 is displaced (rotated) relative to the first displacement member 730 in the first direction (clockwise in FIG. 46(a)) with the rotation shaft 741 as the center of rotation, as shown in FIG. 44(b), FIG. 45(b), and FIG. 46(b).

In this case, the second connecting member 770 is linearly moved (slidingly displaced) along the longitudinal direction of the first displacement member 730 by the connecting shaft 790 and the connecting pin 734 of the first displacement member 730 sliding along the extension direction of the sliding groove 733 of the first displacement member 730 and the sliding groove 772 of the second connecting member 770.

When the transmission member 754 is further rotated in the forward direction (clockwise in FIG. 46(b)) from the state shown in FIG. 44(b), FIG. 45(b), and FIG. 46(b), and the first connecting member 760 is rotated in the extension direction (counterclockwise in FIG. 46(b)) around its rotation shaft 761 as the center of rotation, the first displacement member 730 is rotated in the extension direction (counterclockwise in FIG. 46(b)) around its rotation shaft 731 as the center of rotation, and the second displacement member 740 is displaced (relatively rotated) relative to the first displacement member 730 in the first direction (clockwise in FIG. 46(b)) around its rotation shaft 741 as the center of rotation.

Then, when the transmission member 754 reaches the end of its movable range, the first displacement member 730 is tilted, the first displacement member 730 and the second displacement member 740 are positioned in the extended position, and the second displacement member 740 is displaced (rotated) to the maximum relative position with respect to the first displacement member 730, as shown in Figures 44(c), 45(c), and 46(c).

Contrary to the above, when the transmission member 754 is rotated in the opposite direction (counterclockwise in FIG. 46(c)) from the extended position shown in FIG. 44(c), FIG. 45(c), and FIG. 46(c), the inner wall surface of the drive groove 762 of the first connecting member 760 is pushed in the retraction direction (right side in FIG. 46(c)) by the drive pin 754b of the transmission member 754, and the first connecting member 760 is rotated in the retraction direction (clockwise in FIG. 46(c)) around the rotation axis 761.

When the first connecting member 760 is rotated in the retraction direction, the inner wall surface of the sliding groove 733 of the first displacement member 730 is pushed in the retraction direction (right side in FIG. 46(c)) by the connecting shaft 790 that connects the other ends of the first connecting member 760 and the second connecting member 770, causing the first displacement member 730 to rotate in the retraction direction (clockwise in FIG. 46(c)) around its rotation shaft 731 as the center of rotation, as shown in FIG. 44(b), FIG. 45(b), and FIG. 6(b).

When the first connecting member 760 is rotated in the retracting direction, the second connecting member 770, the other end of which is connected to the first connecting member 760 by the connecting shaft 790, is pushed upward (upper side in FIG. 46(c)), and the inner wall surface of the sliding groove 772 of the second connecting member 770 pushes up the connecting pin 744a in the flange member 744 of the second displacement member 740, so that the second displacement member 740 is displaced (rotated) relative to the first displacement member 730 in the second direction (counterclockwise in FIG. 46(b)) with the rotation shaft 741 as the center of rotation, as shown in FIG. 44(b), FIG. 45(b), and FIG. 6(b).

When the transmission member 754 is further rotated in the reverse direction (counterclockwise in FIG. 46(b)) from the state shown in FIG. 44(b), FIG. 45(b), and FIG. 46(b) and the first connecting member 760 is rotated in the retreat direction (clockwise in FIG. 46(b)) around its rotation shaft 761 as the center of rotation, the first displacement member 730 is rotated in the retreat direction (clockwise in FIG. 46(b)) around its rotation shaft 731 as the center of rotation, and the second displacement member 740 is displaced (relatively rotated) relative to the first displacement member 730 in the second direction (counterclockwise in FIG. 46(b)) around its rotation shaft 741 as the center of rotation.

Then, when the transmission member 754 reaches the beginning of its movable range, the first displacement member 730 is raised, the first displacement member 730 and the second displacement member 740 are positioned in the retracted position, and the relative displacement (relative rotation) of the second displacement member 740 with respect to the first displacement member 730 is minimized, as shown in Figures 44(a), 45(a), and 46(a).

In this way, the left rotation unit 700 is provided with connecting members (first connecting member 760 and second connecting member 770) that connect the front base 720 and the second displacement member 740. By allowing such connecting members to act between the front base 720 and the second displacement member 740, the second displacement member 730 can be displaced (rotated) relative to the first displacement member 730 in conjunction with the displacement (rotation) of the first displacement member 730.

In this case, in a conventional product in which the connecting member is installed between the front base 720 and the second displacement member 740, when the first displacement member 730 is displaced in a direction in which it protrudes away from the front base 720 (the protruding direction), the connecting member becomes exposed between the front base 720 and the second displacement member 740 and becomes visible to the player, thereby damaging the appearance.

In contrast, according to this embodiment, the connecting member is divided into two members, the first connecting member 760 and the second connecting member 770, one longitudinal end of the first connecting member 760 is connected to the front base 720, and the other longitudinal end of the second connecting member 770 is connected to the second displacement member 740, and the other longitudinal ends of the first connecting member 760 and the second connecting member 770 are connected to each other so as to be displaceable relative to each other, and the connecting portion (connecting shaft 790) is displaceably connected to the first displacement member 730. Therefore, even if the first displacement member 730 is displaced in a direction (projection direction) in which it projects away from the front base 720, the connecting members (the first connecting member 760 and the second connecting member 770) can be hidden on the back surface of the first displacement member, making them difficult for the player to see. As a result, it is possible to prevent the connecting members from being exposed and damaging the appearance.

In this case, as described above, the second connecting member 770 is held by the first displacement member 730 in a form that allows linear movement (sliding displacement) along the longitudinal direction of the first displacement member 730. Therefore, even if the amount of displacement (rotation angle) in which the first displacement member 730 is displaced (rotated) in the direction (projection direction) in which it projects away from the front base 720 is large (i.e., the amount of displacement of the first connecting member 760 and the second connecting member 770 needs to be large), the second connecting member 770 can be kept hidden behind the back surface of the first displacement member 730 and prevented from being seen by the player. As a result, it is possible to prevent the connecting member from being exposed and damaging the appearance.

Here, in this embodiment, the second displacement member 740 is equipped with an illuminant (not shown), and an electrical connection line W for supplying power to the illuminant is wired to the back surface of the first displacement member 730 (see FIG. 45). In this case, the connection line W is introduced from an opening formed in the back surface of the flange member 744 of the second displacement member 740 and connected to the illuminant. Therefore, the connection line W is wired to the back surface of the first displacement member 730 along the longitudinal direction of the first displacement member 730. Therefore, when the connecting member is displaced on the back surface of the first displacement member 730, there is a risk that such a connecting member will interfere and damage the connection line W.

In this case, as described above, the connecting member (connecting second member 770) is disposed on the first displacement member 730 in a form that allows linear movement (sliding displacement) along the longitudinal direction of the first displacement member 730, so that the connecting second member 770 can be prevented from interfering with the connection line W. Therefore, even if a large space for wiring the connection line W (i.e., the width dimension of the first displacement member 730) is not secured, interference with the connecting second member 770 can be avoided, so the space for arranging the connection line W can be reduced, and the front view shape (particularly the width dimension) of the first displacement member 730 can be made smaller accordingly.

Here, if the above-mentioned connecting members (first connecting member 760 and second connecting member 770) are provided, even if the driving force of the drive motor 750 is applied to the first displacement member 730 (i.e., a drive groove is provided in the first displacement member 730 and the drive pin 754b of the transmission member 754 is connected to the drive groove), the first displacement member 730 and the second displacement member 740 can be caused to perform the same operation as in the above-mentioned case.

However, this configuration leads to an increase in the size of the front view shape of the first displacement member 730. That is, the connecting member needs to displaceably connect the connecting portion between the other ends of the first connection member 760 and the second connection member 770 to the sliding groove 733 of the first displacement member 730, and therefore is disposed between the opposing surfaces of the first displacement member 730 and the front base 720. Therefore, when a drive groove is provided in the first displacement member 730 and the drive pin 754b of the transmission member 754 is connected to the drive groove, it is necessary to provide the drive groove in the first displacement member 730 at a position that does not overlap with the displacement trajectory of the connection member in order to avoid interference between the transmission member 754 and the connection member (the first connection member 760 and the second connection member 770). Therefore, the front view shape of the first displacement member 730 needs to be a size (area) that includes both the displacement trajectory of the connection member and the drive groove, and the front view shape of the first displacement member 730 becomes large accordingly.

In contrast, in this embodiment, a drive groove 762 is provided in the first connecting member 760, and the drive pin 754b of the transmission member 754 is connected to the drive groove 762 of the first connecting member 760, so that the driving force of the drive motor 750 is imparted to the first connecting member 760, thereby making it possible to reduce the size of the first displacement member 730 when viewed from the front.

In other words, there is no need to avoid interference between the transmission member 754 and the connecting members (first connecting member 760 and second connecting member 770), and the shape of the first displacement member 730 in front view only needs to be a size (area) that corresponds to the displacement trajectory of the connecting members, and there is no need to have a size (area) that includes the drive groove, so the shape of the first displacement member 730 in front view can be made smaller accordingly.

Next, the engagement action of the base side engagement member 726 and the displacement side engagement member 742 will be described with reference to Figures 47 and 48.

Figure 47 is a cross-sectional view of the left rotation unit 700 to explain the engagement action of the base side engagement member 726 and the displacement side engagement member 742, and corresponds to the cross section taken along line XLVIIa-XLVIIa in Figure 45(a).

Note that Fig. 47(a) illustrates the state immediately before the first displacement member 730 and the second displacement member 740 are disposed in the retracted position, and Fig. 47(b) illustrates the state in which the first displacement member 730 and the second displacement member 740 are disposed in the retracted position. Fig. 47(c) illustrates the state in Fig. 47(b) in which the first displacement member 730 and the second displacement member 740 have been displaced in a direction approaching the front base 720.

As described above, the base side engaging member 726 protrudes from the front of the front base 720, and the displacement side engaging member 742 protrudes from the back of the second displacement member 740, and these base side engaging member 726 and displacement side engaging member 742 are arranged with their open sides (tip sides of the bent portion 726b) facing each other (see Figures 41 to 43).

As shown in FIG. 47(a), when the first displacement member 730 and the second displacement member 740 are displaced in the retraction direction (upper side of FIG. 47) relative to the front base 720, the bent portions 726b, 742b of each other can be inserted into the inner surfaces of the other bent portions 726b, 742b, and as shown in FIG. 47(b), when the first displacement member 730 and the second displacement member 740 are disposed in the retracted position, the inner surfaces (engagement surfaces) of the bent portions 726b, 742b of each other can be engaged with each other.

Here, in a conventional product in which a connecting member is installed between the front base 720 and the second displacement member 740, the front base 720 and the second displacement member 740 are connected by the connecting member at a position relatively distant from the rotation axis 731 of the first displacement member 730. Therefore, even if the first displacement member 730 attempts to tilt the tip portion opposite the rotation axis 731 (i.e., the second displacement member 740) in a direction away from the front base 720 (forward) in the retracted position, the tilt can be suppressed by the action of the connecting member interposed between the front base 720 and the second displacement member 740.

However, in this embodiment, one end of the second connecting member 770 in the longitudinal direction is connected to the second displacement member 740, while one end of the first connecting member 760 in the longitudinal direction is connected to the front base 720 at a position relatively close to the rotation axis 731 of the first displacement member 730. Therefore, in the retracted position, the rotation axis 731 of the first displacement member 730 becomes the base end (fulcrum), and the first displacement member 730 and the second displacement member 740 are in an upright posture in a cantilever state in which the tip end side (the side opposite the rotation axis 731 of the first displacement member 730, i.e., the second displacement member 740 side) that is the free end is easily tilted in a direction (forward, right side in FIG. 47(b)) away from the front base 720 due to its own weight and the weight of the second displacement member 740.

In contrast, when the first displacement member 730 and the second displacement member 740 are positioned in the retracted position, as shown in FIG. 47(b), the displacement side engagement member 742 of the second displacement member 740 can be engaged with the base side engagement member 726 of the front base 720, so that the tip portion (second displacement member 740) opposite the rotation axis 731 of the first displacement member 730 can be prevented from tilting in the direction away from the front base 720 (forward, to the right in FIG. 47(b)).

The displacement side engaging member 742 may be provided protruding from the back surface of the first displacement member 730, but in this embodiment, the displacement side engaging member 742 is provided protruding from the back surface of the second displacement member 740. Therefore, the engagement position between the base side engaging member 726 and the displacement side engaging member 742 can be set at a position away from the rotation shaft 731 of the first displacement member 730. This effectively prevents the tip portion (second displacement member 740) on the opposite side of the rotation shaft 731 of the first displacement member 730 from tilting in a direction away from the front base 720 (forward, right side in FIG. 47(b)).

On the other hand, when the displacement side engaging member 742 is formed on the second displacement member 740, the displacement side engaging member 742 is located away from the rotation axis 731 of the first displacement member 730, and is therefore susceptible to the influence of the swinging of the first displacement member 730 in the front-to-rear direction (left-to-right direction in FIG. 47), making the positional relationship between the base side engaging member 726 and the displacement side engaging member 742 unstable. Therefore, when the first displacement member 730 and the second displacement member 740 are displaced toward the retracted position, it becomes difficult to engage the base side engaging member 726 with the displacement side engaging member 742.

In contrast, in this embodiment, the displacement side engaging member 742 is formed such that the engaging surface on the inner surface of the bent portion 742b is inclined in a direction approaching the back surface of the second displacement member 740 as it moves from the tip side of the bent portion 742b to the base end side (base portion 742a side) of the bent portion 742b. This makes it possible to widen the gap between the engaging surface and the back surface of the second displacement member 740 on the receiving side of the displacement side engaging member 742 (the tip side of the bent portion 742b, the upper side of FIG. 47(a)), so that even if shaking occurs when the first displacement member 730 and the second displacement member 740 are displaced toward the retracted position, the base side engaging member 726 and the displacement side engaging member 742 can be easily engaged.

In this way, the base side engaging member 726 and the displacement side engaging member 742 can be easily engaged, and when the engagement between them is initiated, as the first displacement member 730 and the second displacement member 740 are displaced toward the retracted position, the second displacement member 740 can be moved closer to the front base 720 side (left side in Figure 47 (b)) due to the inclination of the engagement surface of the base side engaging member 742 (bent portion 742b).

As a result, in the retracted position, not only can the first displacement member 730 and the second displacement member 740 be prevented from tilting their tip portions (the second displacement member 740 side) in a direction away from the front base 720 (forward, to the right in FIG. 47(b)) with the rotation axis 731 of the first displacement member 730 as a fulcrum, but also the protruding dimension of the second displacement member 740 from the front base 720 can be reduced. In addition, the first displacement member 730 and the second displacement member 740 as a whole undergo slight elastic deformation due to the approach to the front base 720 caused by the above-mentioned tilt, and the elastic recovery force can be used to reduce the rattling of the first displacement member 730 and the second displacement member 740 relative to the front base 720, and the posture can be stably maintained in a stopped state.

On the other hand, the first displacement member 730 and the second displacement member 740 are allowed to tilt their tip portions (the second displacement member 740 side) in a direction approaching the front base 720 (forward, left side in FIG. 47(b)) with the rotation axis 731 of the first displacement member 730 as a fulcrum. In this case, the base side engagement member 726 and the displacement side engagement member 742 are plate-shaped bodies bent in a roughly dogleg shape in cross section, and if they collide with the back surface of the second displacement member 740 or the front surface of the front base 720 during the above-mentioned tilting, they are deformed in a bending direction, so there is a high possibility of them breaking.

In contrast, according to this embodiment, as described above, the front surface of the front base 720 and the back surface of the second displacement member 740 are recessed (openings) with receiving recesses 727, 743 for receiving the opposing bent portions 726b, 742b. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 47(c), when the first displacement member 730 and the second displacement member 740 are tilted in a direction approaching the front base 720 (forward, left side in FIG. 47(b)), the opposing bent portions 726b, 742b can be received in the receiving recesses 727, 743. This makes it possible to prevent the base side engagement member 726 and the displacement side engagement member 742 from colliding and breaking.

During the tilting, the front surface of the front base 720 is struck by the rear surface of the second connecting member 770, which faces parallel to the front surface of the front base 720, so that the surface pressure during the collision can be reduced (dispersed). This makes it possible to prevent damage.

Figure 48(a) is a partially enlarged view of the first displacement member 730 and the second displacement member 740 in part XLVIIIa of Figure 45(c), and Figure 48(b) is a side view of the first displacement member 730 and the second displacement member 740 as viewed in the direction of the arrow XLVIIIb of Figure 48(a).

As described above, when the left rotation unit 700 is moved from the retracted position to the extended position, the first displacement member 730 is extended, and the second displacement member 740 is displaced (rotated) relative to the first displacement member 730 with the rotation axis 741 as the center of rotation (see Figures 45(a) to 45(c)).

As shown in Figures 48(a) and 48(b), according to this embodiment, when the first displacement member 730 and the second displacement member 740 are disposed in the extended position (see Figure 45(c)), the engagement surface of the displacement side engagement member 742 (bent portion 742b) engages with the engaged portion 735 of the first displacement member 730, thereby connecting the first displacement member 730 and the second displacement member 740. Therefore, in the extended position, rattling of the second displacement member 740 relative to the first displacement member 730 can be suppressed.

In particular, because the engagement surface of the displacement side engagement member 742 is inclined as described above, the first displacement member 730 and the second displacement member 740 can be displaced toward each other with slight elastic deformation due to the inclination. Therefore, in the retracted position, rattling between the first displacement member 730 and the second displacement member 740 can be suppressed, and the posture can be stably maintained in a stopped state.

In addition, the displacement side engaging member 742 can engage with the base side engaging member 726 of the front base 720 in the retracted position to connect the second displacement member 740 to the front base 720, and also engage with the engaged portion 735 of the first displacement member 730 in the extended position to connect the second displacement member 740 to the first displacement member 730. This eliminates the need to provide separate parts for both of these roles, simplifying the structure accordingly. As a result, parts costs can be reduced.

Next, the prize-winning device 65 will be described with reference to Figures 49 to 55. Figure 49 is an exploded front perspective view of the prize-winning device 65, and Figure 50 is an exploded rear perspective view of the prize-winning device 65. Figure 51(a) is a front view of the prize-winning device 65, Figure 51(b) is a rear view of the prize-winning device 65, and Figure 51(c) is a top view of the prize-winning device 65.

Furthermore, Figures 52(a) and 52(b) are cross-sectional views of the winning device 65 taken along line LIIa-LIIa in Figure 51, and Figures 53(a) and 53(b) are schematic cross-sectional views of the winning device 65 taken along lines LIIIa-LIIIa and LIIIb-LIIIb in Figures 52(a) and 52(b).

In addition, the opening and closing plate 860 is omitted in FIG. 51, and the guide rib 813a is omitted in FIG. 53. Also, FIG. 52(a) shows the state in which the seesaw member 840 forms the first state, and FIG. 52(b) shows the state in which the seesaw member 840 forms the second state.

As shown in Figures 49 to 51, the winning device 65 is mainly formed by a front base 810, an intermediate base 820 superimposed on the rear side of the front base 810, a rear base 830 superimposed on the rear side of the intermediate base 820, a seesaw member 840 and a driven member 850 disposed between the opposing surfaces of the front base 810 and the intermediate base 820, and an opening/closing plate 860 that opens and closes the winning opening 65a.

The winning device 65 is formed into a box shape with an internal space by the front base 810, the front base 820, and the rear base 830, and in the internal space, a guide passage is formed through which the winning ball is guided from the winning opening 65a, and is formed so that the weight of the game ball acts on the seesaw member 840 as the game ball passes through the guide passage.

When the weight of the game ball is not acting on the seesaw member 840, the seesaw member 840 forms a first state in which one end side (one end decorative part 853) is lowered and the other end side (other end decorative part 843) is raised (see FIG. 52(a)). When the weight of the game ball is acting on the other end side, the seesaw member 840 forms a second state in which the one end side is raised and the other end side is lowered (see FIG. 52(b)).

In other words, the winning device 65 is configured to utilize the weight of the game ball passing through the guide passage to alternately cause the seesaw member 840 to appear in a first state and a second state, and to be able to perform a performance in which one end side (one end decorative body 853) and the other end side (other end decorative body 843) of the seesaw member 840 are displaced up and down.

Here, as described below, the seesaw member 840 has a length dimension of the inclined surface 845 and the discharge surface 846 greater than the length dimension of the receiving surface 844 in the direction connecting one end side and the other end side. Therefore, when multiple balls pass continuously, the game balls tend to remain on the inclined surface 845 and the discharge surface 846, and the second state is likely to be maintained. In contrast, in this embodiment, even when multiple game balls pass continuously, the weight of the game balls prevents the seesaw member 840 from remaining in the second state, and the configuration is such that the performance of alternately appearing the first state and the second state can be reliably executed. The configuration of the winning device 65 for performing such a performance will be described below.

The front base 810 mainly comprises a front substrate 811 that forms its front surface, and a front first side wall 812, a front second side wall 813, a front first bottom wall 814, and a front second bottom wall 815 that protrude from the rear surface of the front substrate 811.

The front base 810 has recesses 811a and 811b formed by cutting out the lower edge of the base, which are arranged side by side at a specified interval in the width direction, and parts of the seesaw member 840 and the driven member 850 (the one end decorative part 853 and the other end decorative part 843) are exposed and visible to the player through these recesses 811a and 811b.

The front first side wall 812 and the front second side wall 813 form the side walls of the guide passage that guides the game ball, and are disposed opposite each other at a predetermined distance. The front first bottom wall 814 and the front second bottom wall 815 form the bottom walls of the guide passage, and are connected to the lower end sides of the front first side wall 812 and the front second side wall 813, respectively.

Between the opposing front first side wall 812 and front second side wall 813, the open portion at the upper end is the winning opening 65a, and the game ball flows into the guide passage from this open portion (winning opening 65a). In this case, the front second side wall 813 is formed approximately vertically, while the front first side wall 812 and the front first bottom wall 814 are inclined downward toward the front second bottom wall 815, and the front second bottom wall 815 is positioned lower than the front first bottom wall 814. Therefore, the game ball flowing into the guide passage from the winning opening 65a can be guided to the front second bottom wall 815 by the downward inclination of the front first side wall 812 and the front first bottom wall 814.

A guide bottom surface 815a is formed on the front second bottom wall 815, which slopes downward toward the side away from the front substrate 811 (i.e., toward the intermediate base 830). Therefore, the game ball guided to the front second bottom wall 815 rolls along the downward slope of the guide bottom surface 815a and is guided to the guide passage (receiving opening 821b) of the intermediate base 830.

In addition, guide ribs 813a are erected at multiple locations (three locations in this embodiment) on the front second side wall 813. The guide ribs 813a are formed in a shape that lowers the erect height from the front second side wall 813 as they move away from the front base 811, so that the erected tip surface is an inclined surface. As a result, even if a game ball flows (falls) from the winning opening 65a into the guide passage and is bounced off the front first side wall 812, and proceeds toward the front second side wall 813 at a relatively high speed, the game ball can be smoothly guided toward the guide passage of the intermediate base 830 by the inclined surface of the erected tip of the guide rib 813a.

The intermediate base 820 mainly comprises an intermediate substrate 821 that faces the front substrate 811 of the front base 810 at a predetermined distance, and an intermediate first side wall 822, an intermediate second side wall 823, and an intermediate bottom wall 824 that protrude from the rear surface of the intermediate substrate 821.

The intermediate substrate 821 has an opening for the opening and closing plate 821a, an inlet 821b, an outlet 821c, and an outlet 821d, and a support shaft 821e, a bearing 821f, and stoppers 821g and 821h protruding from the front of the intermediate substrate 821.

The opening/closing plate advancement/retraction opening 821a of the intermediate substrate 821 is an opening for allowing the opening/closing plate 860 to advance/retract, and when the opening/closing plate 860 advances (protrudes) from the opening/closing plate advancement/retraction opening 821a toward the front base 810, the winning opening 65a is closed, and when the opening/closing plate 860 retreats (retreats) to the opening/closing plate advancement/retraction opening 821a, the winning opening 65a is opened.

The receiving port 821b of the intermediate base plate 821 is an opening for receiving the game ball guided from the front second bottom wall 815 (guide bottom surface 815a) of the front base 810 into the guide passage on the intermediate base 820 side, and the bottom surface of the opening (receiving bottom surface 821b1) is formed to be continuous with the guide bottom surface 815a of the front second bottom wall 815.

The outlet 821c of the intermediate substrate 821 is an opening for sending game balls from the guide passage on the intermediate base 820 side to the receiving surface 844 of the seesaw member 840, and the bottom surface of the opening is formed by the guide bottom surface 824a (described later) of the intermediate bottom wall 824. That is, the game ball that passes through the guide passage on the intermediate base 820 side rolls on the guide bottom surface 824a of the intermediate bottom wall 824, and is sent from the outlet 821c to the receiving surface 844 of the seesaw member 840.

The discharge port 821d of the intermediate substrate 821 is an opening for receiving game balls discharged from the discharge surface 846 of the seesaw member 840, and the bottom surface of the opening is formed by the discharge bottom wall 825. The game balls discharged from the discharge surface 846 of the seesaw member 840 and received by the discharge port 821d roll on the discharge bottom wall 825 and are sent out to a discharge passage (not shown) connected to the rear side of the rear base 830.

The support shaft 821e of the intermediate substrate 821 is a shaft-shaped body for rotatably supporting the seesaw member 840, and is inserted into the bearing 841 of the seesaw member 840. The bearing 821f of the intermediate substrate 821 is a shaft hole for rotatably supporting the driven member 850, and the rotating shaft 851 of the driven member 850 is inserted into it.

The stopper portions 821g and 821h of the intermediate substrate 821 are portions for contacting the underside of the seesaw member 840 to regulate the rotation of the seesaw member 840. The stopper portion 821g is formed so as to be able to contact the underside of the other longitudinal end of the seesaw member 840 (the surface opposite the discharge surface 846), and the stopper portion 821h is formed so as to be able to contact the underside of one longitudinal end of the seesaw member 840 (the surface opposite the receiving surface 844).

The first state of the seesaw member 840 is formed by restricting the rotation of the seesaw member 840 by the stopper portion 821h (see FIG. 52(a)), and the second state is formed by restricting the rotation of the seesaw member 840 by the stopper portion 821g (see FIG. 52(b)).

Here, as described above, the stopper portion 821g is formed at a position where it can abut against the underside of the seesaw member 840 opposite the discharge surface 846, so that the discharge of the game ball can be stabilized. That is, when a game ball is placed on the discharge surface 846 of the seesaw member 840 and the second state is formed by its weight, the stopper portion 821g supports the underside opposite the discharge surface 846, so that the shaking of the discharge surface 846 side of the seesaw member 840 can be suppressed compared to, for example, a case where the stopper portion 821g supports a position close to the support shaft 821e (for example, the underside opposite the inclined surface 845) like the stopper portion 821h. As a result, the discharge of the game ball from the discharge surface 846 can be stabilized.

The intermediate first side wall 822 and the intermediate second side wall 823 are parts that form the side walls of the guide passage on the intermediate base 820 side (a passage that guides game balls received from the receiving port 821b to the sending port 821c), and are arranged facing each other with a specified distance between them. In other words, the intermediate first side wall 822 and the intermediate second side wall 823 receive game balls sent out from the guide passage on the front base 810 side in the horizontal direction (left-right direction in Figure 52 (a)) from the receiving port 821b, and guide the received game balls in a substantially vertical direction (up-down direction in Figure 52 (a)) toward the intermediate bottom wall 824.

The intermediate bottom wall 824 is a portion that forms the bottom wall of the guide passage on the intermediate base 820 side, and is connected to the lower end sides of the intermediate first side wall 822 and the intermediate second side wall 823. The intermediate bottom wall 824 is formed with a guide bottom surface 824a that slopes downward toward the delivery opening 821c side (i.e., the receiving surface 844 of the seesaw member 840). The game ball guided through the guide passage on the intermediate base 820 side rolls on the guide bottom surface 824a of the intermediate bottom wall 824, and is sent out along a substantially horizontal direction (left-right direction in FIG. 52(a)) to the receiving surface 844 of the seesaw member 840 via the delivery opening 821c.

In this way, the guide passage on the intermediate base 820 side is provided with an intermediate bottom wall 824 (guide bottom surface 824a), and the game balls that roll on the guide bottom surface 824a are guided from the side in a substantially horizontal direction to the receiving surface 844 of the seesaw member 840, so that the game balls can be guided one by one to the receiving surface 844 in sequence, and it is possible to prevent multiple game balls from piling up on the receiving surface 844, as in the case of a form in which game balls are dropped from above the receiving surface 844. This makes it easier to alternate between the first and second states of the seesaw member 840, even when multiple game balls pass through the guide passage in succession, as will be described later.

The extension length of the guide passage on the intermediate base 820 side that guides the game ball along a substantially horizontal direction toward the receiving surface 844 of the seesaw member 840 is preferably set to no more than twice the diameter of the game ball. In this embodiment, the horizontal distance dimension L (see FIG. 52(a)) from the extension tip of the guide bottom surface 824a to the rear wall 831 of the rear base 830 (described later) is set to 1.5 times the diameter of the game ball. As a result, even when multiple game balls pass through the guide passage in succession, as described later, the game balls can be guided one by one to the receiving surface 844 of the seesaw member 840 with a space between them.

The distance between the first intermediate side wall 822 and the second intermediate side wall 823 is set to a dimension equal to the diameter of the game ball. Therefore, the position of the game ball can be determined between the opposing surfaces of the first intermediate side wall 822 and the second intermediate side wall 823, so that the game ball that rolls on the guide bottom surface 824a and is sent out from the delivery port 821c can always be received by the receiving surface 844 of the seesaw member 840 (guided to the same position on the receiving surface 844).

In this case, the guide bottom surface 824a of the intermediate bottom wall 824 is formed so that in the first state, the height position of the downward inclination end is higher than the height position of the receiving surface 844 of the seesaw member 840 (see FIG. 53(a)). This allows the game ball to be smoothly guided from the guide bottom surface 824a to the receiving surface 844 of the seesaw member 840, as described below, and allows for a quick transition to the second state.

On the other hand, in the second state, the height position of the downward inclination end is formed to be lower than the height position of the receiving surface 844 of the seesaw member 840 (see FIG. 53(b)). As a result, as described below, the step formed between the guide bottom surface 824a and the receiving surface 844 of the seesaw member 840 can be used to easily lower the receiving surface 844 of the seesaw member 840, making it easier to form the first state.

The rear base 830 mainly comprises a rear wall 831, a discharge side wall 832, and a discharge ceiling wall 833. The rear wall 831 is a part that abuts against the rear end faces of the intermediate first side wall 822, the intermediate second side wall 823, and the intermediate bottom wall 824 of the intermediate base body 820 (i.e., it is covered by the open portion on the rear side), and forms the rear wall (rear wall) of the guide passage.

The discharge side wall 832 and the discharge ceiling wall 833 are portions that form the side walls and ceiling walls of the guide passage for guiding the game balls from the discharge opening 821d of the intermediate base 820 to the discharge passage (not shown), and are extended along the outer edge of the discharge opening 821d. That is, the cross-sectional shape of the guide passage taken in by the discharge bottom wall 825 of the intermediate base 820 and the discharge side wall 832 and discharge ceiling wall 833 of the rear base 830 is made to be substantially the same shape as the shape of the discharge opening 821d of the intermediate base 820. This ensures the width of the guide passage, so that multiple game balls can be guided smoothly. Also, even if a subsequent game ball collides with a previous game ball on the discharge surface 846 of the seesaw member 840 and is bounced up, the subsequent game ball can be guided smoothly. Details will be described later.

The seesaw member 840 mainly comprises a bearing 841 formed in approximately the center of its length, a connecting pin 842 formed at one end in the length direction, an other end decorative part 843 formed at the other end in the length direction, a receiving surface 844, an inclined surface 845 and a discharge surface 846 formed on the top surface, and a claw part 847 erected on the discharge surface 846.

As described above, the bearing 841 is a hole with a circular cross section through which the support shaft 821e protruding from the intermediate substrate 821 of the intermediate base 820 is rotatably inserted, and the seesaw member 840 is rotatably supported between the opposing surfaces of the front base 810 and the intermediate base 820 via the support shaft 821e and the bearing 841.

The connecting pin 842 is a shaft-shaped body with a circular cross section, and is slidably inserted into a connecting groove 852 (described later) of the driven member 850. This allows the rotation of the seesaw member 840 to be transmitted to the driven member 850. In other words, when the seesaw member 840 rotates around the support shaft 821e as the center of rotation, the connecting pin 842 acts on the connecting groove 852, thereby forming rotation around the rotation shaft 851 of the driven member 850 as the center of rotation.

The other end decorative portion 843 is a portion on the front surface that is decorated with a pattern or the like, and as described above, is exposed and visible to the player through the recess 811b in the front base 810.

The receiving surface 844 is a flat surface portion in the guide passage of the intermediate base 820 that receives the game balls that roll along the guide bottom surface 824a and are sent out from the delivery port 821c, and the inclined surface 845 is a flat surface portion for rolling the game balls received by the receiving surface 844 to the discharge surface 846.

The receiving surface 844 and the inclined surface 845 are formed in a shape that slopes downward toward the discharge surface 846, regardless of the rotational position of the seesaw member 840, that is, even in an unloaded state where no game ball is placed on the seesaw member 840 (i.e., the first state, see FIG. 52(a)). Therefore, in either the first state or the second state, the game ball received by the receiving surface 644 can be rolled from the receiving surface 644 and the inclined surface 643 toward the discharge surface 646.

In this embodiment, the receiving surface 844 is located on one end side of the longitudinal direction of the seesaw member 840 (left side in FIG. 52(a)) rather than the axis of the bearing 841, so that when the receiving surface 844 receives a game ball in the second state (a state in which the other end side is lowered and one end side is raised, see FIG. 52(b)), the weight of the received game ball can cause the one end side of the longitudinal direction (the receiving surface 844 side) to lower. As a result, as described below, even when multiple game balls are dropped in succession, it is easy to alternate between the first state and the second state.

The discharge surface 846 is a flat surface for sending (discharging) the game ball from the seesaw member 840 to the discharge port 821d of the intermediate base 820, and is formed with a downward incline from the front base 810 side to the intermediate base 820 side (from the front side to the back side of the paper in Figure 52 (b)). Therefore, when the game ball rolls up to the discharge surface 846, the downward incline of the discharge surface 846 allows the game ball to roll toward the discharge port 821d of the intermediate base 820.

The claw portion 847 is a portion for switching the rolling direction of the game ball toward the discharge port 821d of the intermediate base 820 when the game ball rolls on the discharge surface 846 along the longitudinal direction of the seesaw member 840, and is provided with a guide surface 847a formed as an inclined surface that guides the abutted game ball toward the discharge port 821d. This makes it easier for the game ball rolling on the discharge surface 846 to flow quickly into the discharge port 821d. Therefore, as described below, the time that the game ball is placed on the discharge surface 846 of the seesaw member 840 (i.e., the time that the second state is formed) can be shortened, and the first state and the second state can be smoothly switched alternately.

In this case, the claw portion 847 is formed on the other longitudinal end side of the seesaw member 840, and is arranged biased in the width direction of the seesaw member 840 toward the side closer to the front base 810 (the side opposite the discharge port 821d). As a result, as described below, when the position of the game ball rolling on the discharge surface 846 varies in the width direction of the seesaw member 840, the time during which the game ball is placed on the discharge surface 846 of the seesaw member 840 (i.e., the time during which the second state is formed) can be made constant, and as a result, alternating switching between the first state and the second state can be performed smoothly.

The driven member 850 mainly comprises a rotating shaft 851 protruding from the rear surface of the other longitudinal end of the driven member 850, a connecting groove 852 arranged in parallel below the rotating shaft 851 and recessed as a long hole-shaped groove in front view into the rear surface of the driven member 850, and a one-end decorative part 853 formed on the front surface of the driven member 850 and exposed so as to be visible to the player through the recessed part 811b of the front base 810.

As described above, the rotating shaft 851 is a shaft-shaped body that is rotatably inserted into the bearing 821f that protrudes from the intermediate substrate 821 of the intermediate base 820, and the driven member 850 is rotatably supported between the opposing surfaces of the front base 810 and the intermediate base 820 via the rotating shaft 851 and the bearing 821f.

As described above, the connecting groove 852 is a recessed groove through which the connecting pin 842 of the seesaw member 840 is slidably inserted. When the connecting pin 842 slides along the extension direction of the connecting groove 852, the driven member 850 rotates in conjunction with the rotation of the seesaw member 840.

When the seesaw member 840 transitions from the first state to the second state, the inner wall surface of the connecting groove 852 is pushed up by the connecting pin 842 of the seesaw member 840, and the driven member 850 is rotated clockwise around the rotation axis 851 as the center of rotation in FIG. 52(a), so that the linked driven member 850 (one end decorative part 853) is raised (see FIG. 52(b)). On the other hand, when the seesaw member 840 transitions from the second state to the first state, the inner wall surface of the connecting groove 852 is pushed down by the connecting pin 842 of the seesaw member 840, and the driven member 850 is rotated clockwise around the rotation axis 851 as the center of rotation in FIG. 52(a), so that the linked driven member 850 (one end decorative part 853) is lowered (see FIG. 52(a)).

In this embodiment, the connecting pin 842 of the seesaw member 840 is connected to the connecting groove 852 of the driven member 850 to form a link mechanism that rotates the driven member 850 in conjunction with the rotation of the seesaw member 840, and the link ratio of this link mechanism is set to a ratio that amplifies the rotation angle of the driven member 850 relative to the rotation angle of the seesaw member 840. This expands the range of motion of the driven member 850 (one-end decorative portion 853), enhancing the dramatic effect associated with its displacement.

The transition from the first state to the second state can be performed in a relatively short time because the weight of the game balls can be used to rotate the seesaw member 840. In contrast, the transition from the second state to the first state requires the seesaw member 840 to be rotated by its own weight alone, so the transition is slow and takes time. When multiple game balls pass through the guide passage in succession, in order to reliably switch the seesaw member 840 between the first state and the second state, it is necessary to quickly transition from the second state to the first state.

In this case, according to the present embodiment, the driven member 850 is connected to one longitudinal end of the seesaw member 840, so that the weight of the driven member 850 can be used as an external force that lowers the one longitudinal end of the seesaw member 840 (i.e., an auxiliary force for transitioning from the second state to the first state). This can shorten the time required for transition from the second state to the first state, and as a result, it can be made easier to alternate between the first state and the second state of the seesaw member 840 even when multiple game balls pass through the guide passage in succession.

Next, the operation of the winning device 65 will be described. When a game ball flows into the guide passage on the front base 810 side from the winning opening 65a, the game ball is collected on the front second bottom wall 815, and is guided in a substantially horizontal direction (to the right in Figures 53(a) and 53(b)) by rolling on the guide bottom surface 815a of the front second bottom wall 815, and flows into the guide passage on the intermediate base 820 side from the receiving opening 821b of the intermediate base 820.

The game ball that flows into the guide passage on the intermediate base 820 side is guided between the opposing surfaces of the intermediate first side wall 822 and the intermediate second side wall 823 in a substantially vertical direction (downward in Figs. 53(a) and 53(b)) until it reaches the intermediate bottom wall 824. The guide direction of the game ball that reaches the intermediate bottom wall 824 is switched. That is, the game ball is guided in a substantially horizontal direction (leftward in Figs. 53(a) and 53(b)) by rolling on the guide bottom surface 824a of the intermediate bottom wall 824, and is sent out from the delivery port 821c of the intermediate base 820 to the receiving surface 844 of the seesaw member 840.

As shown in FIG. 52(a), when the seesaw member 840 forming the first state receives a game ball on its receiving surface 844, the game ball rolls along the receiving surface 844 and the inclined surface 845 toward the discharge surface 846, and the weight of the game ball rotates the seesaw member 840 clockwise (FIG. 52(a)) around the rotation axis 841 (the other longitudinal end side (the other end decorative part 843 side) is lowered), forming the second state as shown in FIG. 52(b). However, the game ball is not shown in FIG. 52(b).

When the game ball is discharged from the discharge surface 846 to the discharge port 821d of the intermediate base 820 and an unloaded state is created in which the weight of the game ball is not acting on the seesaw member 840, the seesaw member 840 rotates counterclockwise around the rotation axis 841 due to its own weight (the other end side in the longitudinal direction (the other end decorative part 843 side) is raised), and the first state is created (the seesaw member 840 returns to the first state) as shown in FIG. 52(a).

In this case, when multiple game balls are guided successively to the seesaw member 840, the weight of the game balls may cause the seesaw member 840 to be maintained in the second state (a state in which the other longitudinal end side (the other end decorative part 843 side) is lowered), and there is a risk that it may not be possible to alternate between the first state and the second state.

In contrast, according to this embodiment, the receiving surface 844 of the seesaw member 840 is positioned closer to the one end in the longitudinal direction (left side in FIG. 52(b)) than the rotating shaft 841. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 52(b), even if the seesaw member 840 forming the second state receives a game ball on its receiving surface 844, the weight of the game ball supported by the receiving surface 844 can cause the one end in the longitudinal direction to lower. That is, the seesaw member 840 can be rotated counterclockwise in FIG. 52(b) around the rotating shaft 841 as the center of rotation (raising the other end in the longitudinal direction (the other end decorative part 843 side)), and the second state shown in FIG. 52(b) can be formed (made easier to form). As a result, even when multiple game balls are guided in succession, it is possible to easily alternate between the first state and the second state.

As described above, in this embodiment, a guide passage for guiding game balls is formed in the internal space of the front base 810, the middle base 820, and the rear base 830. Therefore, even if multiple game balls flow in succession from the winning opening 65a, the guide passage can be used to store the multiple game balls and guide the multiple game balls sequentially to the receiving surface 844 of the seesaw member 840.

However, even in this case where a guide passage is used to store multiple game balls and guide the game balls sequentially to the guide surface 844 of the seesaw member 840, if the game balls are guided to the receiving surface 844 of the seesaw member 840 by dropping from above, the multiple game balls tend to pile up on the receiving surface 844, preventing the game balls from rolling from the receiving surface 844 to the inclined surface 845, and therefore it is not possible to alternate between the first and second states of the seesaw member 840.

In contrast, in this embodiment, a horizontal passage (middle bottom wall 824) is formed at the end of the guide passage (the delivery port 821b side) that extends in a substantially horizontal direction and has a guide bottom surface 824a on which the game balls roll, and the game balls that roll on the guide bottom surface 824a of the horizontal passage can be guided from a substantially horizontal direction (left and right directions in FIG. 53(a) and FIG. 5(b)) to the receiving surface 844 of the seesaw member 840. This allows the game balls to be guided one by one from the horizontal passage to the receiving surface 844 of the seesaw member 840 (i.e., the receiving surface 844 can receive the game balls one by one from the horizontal passage), and it is possible to prevent multiple game balls from being piled up vertically on the receiving surface 844. This makes it easier to alternate between the first state and the second state of the seesaw member 840.

In this case, as described above, the guide passage on the intermediate base 820 side has a passage (upstream passage) that guides the game ball in a substantially vertical direction (up and down direction in FIG. 52(a)) between the opposing surfaces of the intermediate first side wall 822 and the intermediate second side wall 823, and a horizontal passage (intermediate bottom wall 824) is connected to the downstream side of the passage, and the extension length of the horizontal passage is shorter than twice the diameter of the game ball. As a result, even when multiple game balls are stored in the guide passage, the game balls can be guided one by one to the receiving surface 844 of the seesaw member 840 while being spaced apart.

In other words, by setting the extension length of the horizontal passage (middle bottom wall 824) to a dimension less than twice the diameter of the game ball (note that in this embodiment, the horizontal distance dimension L from the extension tip of the guide bottom surface 824a to the rear wall 831 of the rear base 830 described later is set to approximately 1.5 times the diameter of the game ball), it is possible for only one game ball to be present in the horizontal passage, and since the extension direction of the horizontal passage and the extension direction of the upstream passage are different directions, when a ball flows from the upstream passage into the horizontal passage, it becomes necessary to change the flow direction, and the time required for the ball to flow into the horizontal passage can be increased by the amount of the change in direction.

Therefore, when a leading game ball in the horizontal passage (middle bottom wall 824) is guided to the receiving surface 844 of the seesaw member 840, the trailing game ball (next game ball) in the upstream passage flows into the horizontal passage while taking time to change direction, and this trailing game ball is guided from the horizontal passage to the receiving surface 844 of the seesaw member 840. In other words, the trailing game ball creates a gap between itself and the leading game ball. As a result, the game balls can be guided one by one to the receiving surface 844 of the seesaw member 840 while being spaced apart from each other.

As shown in Figures 52(b) and 53(b), in the second state, the receiving surface 844 of the seesaw member 840 is located above the downward inclined end of the guide bottom surface 824a of the horizontal passage (intermediate bottom wall 824), so that a step in the height direction (vertical direction in Figure 53(b)) can be formed between the receiving surface 844 and the guide bottom surface 824a. As a result, in the second state, when the guide bottom surface 824a of the horizontal passage is rolled to guide the game ball to the receiving surface 844 of the seesaw member 840, the game ball can be made to ride up on the receiving surface 844 (collide with the step), and this riding action (collision) can be used to make it easier to move the receiving surface 844 of the seesaw member 840 downward (moving downward in Figure 53(b)). That is, it is possible to easily lower one end of the seesaw member 840 in the longitudinal direction, making it easier to form the first state, and as a result, even when multiple game balls are guided in succession, it is easy to alternate between the first state and the second state.

On the other hand, when the seesaw member 840 forms the first state (see Figures 52(a) and 53(a)), the seesaw member 840 is in an unloaded state, and the game ball that is guided from the guiding bottom surface 824a of the horizontal passage (intermediate bottom wall 824) and received by the receiving surface 844 is required to be quickly rolled toward the inclined surface 845 and the discharge surface 846, and the weight of the game ball is used to lower the other longitudinal end of the seesaw member 840 (to form the second state).

In this case, as shown in Figures 52(a) and 53(a), in the first state, the receiving surface 844 of the seesaw member 840 is located below the downwardly inclined end of the guide bottom surface 824a of the horizontal passage (middle bottom wall 824), so there is no need for the game ball to climb up onto the receiving surface 844 (collide with a step) as in the second state described above, and it is possible to avoid the time lag that would occur in such an action. Therefore, it is possible to quickly roll the game ball from the receiving surface 844 toward the inclined surface 845 and the discharge surface 846, making it easier to form the second state.

In addition, in this first state, it is preferable to form the receiving surface 844 of the seesaw member 840 so that it is at the same height (flush) as the downward inclined end of the guide bottom surface 824a of the horizontal passage (middle bottom wall 824). If the receiving surface 844 of the seesaw member 840 is located below the guide bottom surface 824a of the horizontal passage, the game ball falls from the guide bottom surface 824a to the receiving surface 844, causing the game ball to bounce, resulting in a time lag and increasing the load on the rotation axis 841 of the seesaw member 840 due to the impact of the fall; however, if they are at the same height, these problems can be eliminated.

Next, the claw portion 847 of the seesaw member 840 will be described with reference to Figure 54. Figure 54 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of the winning device 65 taken along line LIV-LIV in Figure 52(b).

As shown in FIG. 54, the seesaw member 840 has a claw portion 847 erected from its discharge surface 846. The claw portion 847 has a guide surface 847a formed at an incline so as to approach the discharge port 821d as it moves from the inclined surface 825 side to the other end decorative portion 843 side. As a result, when the game ball rolls on the discharge surface 846 toward the other end decorative portion 843 side (right side in FIG. 54) along the longitudinal direction (left-right direction in FIG. 54) of the seesaw member 840, the game ball can be brought into contact with the guide surface 847a of the claw portion 847, and the rolling direction can be changed to the direction toward the discharge port 821d of the intermediate base 820 (upward in FIG. 54). The time during which the game ball is placed on the discharge surface 846 of the seesaw member 840 (i.e., the time during which the second state is formed) can be shortened, and as a result, the first state and the second state can be smoothly switched alternately.

In this case, as described above, the claw portion 847 is disposed on the discharge surface 846 at the other end of the seesaw member 840 in the longitudinal direction (the other end decorative portion 843 side, right side in FIG. 54), biased toward the side closer to the front base 810 in the width direction (vertical direction in FIG. 54) of the seesaw member 840 (opposite the discharge port 821d, lower side in FIG. 54). This makes it easier to keep constant the time that the game ball is placed on the discharge surface 846 of the seesaw member 840 (i.e., the time that the second state is formed), even if the position of the game ball rolling on the discharge surface 846 varies in the width direction of the seesaw member 840, and as a result, it is possible to smoothly switch between the first state and the second state.

In other words, in the width direction of the seesaw member 840 (vertical direction in Figure 54), a game ball rolling on the discharge surface 846 on the side closer to the front base 810 (opposite the discharge outlet 821d, lower side in Figure 54) has a longer distance to the discharge outlet 821d, and a game ball rolling on the discharge surface 846 on the side closer to the intermediate base 820 (side closer to the discharge outlet 821d, upper side in Figure 54) has a shorter distance to the discharge outlet 821d.

Therefore, by disposing the claw portion 847 biased toward the side closer to the front base 810 in the width direction of the seesaw member 840 (opposite the discharge port 821d, lower side in FIG. 54), the former game ball rolling on the discharge surface 846 on the side closer to the front base 810 (lower side in FIG. 54) can be made to collide with the guide surface 847a of the claw portion 847 at an early stage and discharged from the discharge surface 846 to the discharge port 821d, while the latter game ball rolling on the discharge surface 846 on the side closer to the intermediate base 820 (upper side in FIG. 54) can be made to collide with the guide surface 847a of the claw portion 847 late or not at all. This allows the total time that the game ball rolls on the discharge surface 846 to be close to the same in both the former and latter cases. As a result, even if the rolling position of the game ball varies across the width of the seesaw member 840, the time during which the weight of the game ball acts on the discharge surface 846 can be made more consistent.

Next, the discharge port 821d of the intermediate base 820 will be described with reference to FIG. 55. FIG. 55 is a schematic rear view of the winning device 65, with FIG. 55(a) corresponding to the first state shown in FIG. 52(a) and FIG. 55(b) corresponding to the second state shown in FIG. 52(b).

As shown in Figures 55(a) and 55(b), the width dimension of the outlet 821d (left-right dimension in Figures 55(a) and 55(b)) is set to a dimension that is more than twice the diameter of the game ball (approximately 2.5 times in this embodiment). This allows each of the game balls to flow smoothly into the outlet 821d even when the previous game ball is present at the other longitudinal end of the seesaw member 840 (left side in Figures 55(a) and 55(b)) and the next game ball is further rolled toward the other longitudinal end.

For example, even if a subsequent game ball collides with a previous game ball rolling on the discharge surface 846 and the subsequent game ball is bounced off in the opposite direction to the rolling direction (i.e., the distance between the two game balls (the left-right distance in Figures 55(a) and 55(b)) increases in the width direction of the discharge outlet 821d), the width dimension of the discharge outlet 821 is sufficiently secured to allow each ball to flow in smoothly.

The height dimension of the discharge port 821d (the vertical dimension in Figs. 55(a) and 55(b)) is set so that the height dimension on the inclined surface 845 side is greater than the height dimension on the discharge surface 846 side of the seesaw member 840. This also makes it possible for each of these game balls to flow smoothly into the discharge port 821d, even when a previous game ball is present on the other longitudinal end side of the seesaw member 840 (the left side in Figs. 55(a) and 55(b)) and the next game ball is further rolled toward the other longitudinal end side.

That is, even if a subsequent game ball collides with a previous game ball rolling on the discharge surface 846 and the subsequent game ball is bounced upward, or is bounced in the opposite direction to the rolling direction and bounced upward by the inclined surface 845, the height dimension of the discharge port 821d on the inclined surface 845 side can be used to allow the subsequent game ball to flow smoothly into the discharge port 821. On the other hand, since the previous game ball is less likely to be bounced up even if it collides with the subsequent game ball, by keeping the height dimension of the discharge port 821d on the discharge surface 846 side low, the space required for the discharge port 821d can be reduced, and space for arranging other components can be secured accordingly.

Next, the game area will be described with reference to Figures 56 to 60. Figures 56 and 57 are partial enlarged views of the game board 13, partially enlarging the LVI portion of Figure 2. Note that Figure 57 shows the state in which the center frame 86 has been removed.

As shown in Figures 56 and 57, the game board 13 is formed by assembling nails, a windmill, an inner rail 61, an outer rail 62, various winning holes (see Figure 2), a center frame 86, etc. to a wooden base plate 60, and as described above, the area in front of the game board 13, partitioned by the inner rail 12, is the game area (the area where the nails, winning holes, etc. are arranged and where the shot ball flows down).

An opening is formed in the center of the game board 13, through which the third pattern display device 81, which is a display device, can be seen. In this case, it has been customary to make the opening of the game board 13 larger than the outer shape of the third pattern display device 81, thereby ensuring an area in which the presentation device, which is displaceably arranged on the back side of the game board 13 (base plate 60), can be seen. However, since it is necessary to ensure an area for the balls to flow down, there is a limit to how large the opening of the game board 13 can be made.

In contrast, in this embodiment, the center frame 86 fitted inside the opening of the game board 13 (opening 60a of the base plate 60) is made of a light-transmitting material, and a part of the center frame 86 (hereinafter referred to as the "area forming portion R") forms part of the game area. This makes it possible to see the performance device (in this embodiment, the left rotation unit 700) through (through) the area forming portion R of the center frame 86. This makes it possible to enlarge the area in which the left rotation unit 700 is visible while still ensuring an area for the balls to flow down. However, in FIG. 56, in order to simplify the drawing, the illustration of the left rotation unit 700 visible through the area forming portion R is omitted.

In this case, in this embodiment, the opening of the game board 13 (opening 60a of the base plate 60) is formed so that its inner edge reaches the outer edge of the game area (i.e., the inner rail 61), so that the area in which the performance device (left rotation unit 700) can be viewed through the area forming portion R of the center frame 86 can be maximized.

On the other hand, the width dimension of the area forming portion R of the center frame 86 is set to a size that allows only one game ball to pass through, so that the area in which the performance device (left rotation unit 700) can be directly viewed through the opening of the center frame 86 (i.e., without passing through the area forming portion R) can be maximized.

The detailed configuration of the area forming portion R in the center frame 86 will be described below with reference to Figs. 58 to 60. Fig. 58 is a front perspective view of the center frame 86, and Fig. 59 is a front view of the area forming portion R. Also, Fig. 60 is a cross-sectional view of the area forming portion R taken along line LX-LX in Fig. 59. Note that Fig. 60 shows a schematic diagram of the left rotation unit 700.

As shown in FIG. 58, the center frame 86 mainly comprises a frame plate base 910 formed in a frame shape when viewed from the front, an inner fitting wall 920 erected from the back surface of the frame plate base 910 and fitted into the opening 60a of the base plate 60, and an inner edge defining wall 930 erected from the front surface of the frame base 910 opposite the inner fitting wall 920 and defining the inner edge of the play area.

The frame plate base 910 is a portion that is overlapped on the front surface of the base plate 60, and its front surface is the area through which the game balls flow down. The frame plate base 910 has multiple insertion holes 911 drilled therein for inserting tapping screws that fasten the center frame 86 to the base plate 60. In addition, the outer edge of the frame plate base 910 is formed with a downward slope so as to smoothly connect to the front surface of the base plate 60. This slope allows the game balls to roll smoothly.

As shown in Figures 59 and 60, in the area forming portion R of the center frame 86, a columnar portion 940, a side wall portion 950, and a downstream wall portion 960 are erected from the front surface of the frame plate base portion 910.

The columnar portion 940 is formed as a columnar body with a generally diamond-shaped cross section, and is disposed at a midpoint between the inner rail 61 and the inner edge defining wall portion 930 (see FIG. 56). As a result, in the upstream portion of the region forming portion R, a first path M1 is defined between the columnar body 940 and the inner rail 61, and a second path M2 is defined between the columnar body 940 and the inner edge defining wall portion 930.

The side wall portion 950 is formed as a wall portion that is arranged in parallel with the inner rail 61 downstream of the columnar body 940, and defines a third path M3 between the side wall portion 950 and the inner edge defining wall portion 930. In this case, the portion of the inner edge defining wall portion 930 that faces the side wall portion 950 is closer to the inner rail 61 side than the portion that faces the columnar body 940.

As a result, the downstream side of the second path M2 is formed to bend toward the inner rail 61 (side wall portion 450). On the other hand, the first path M1 and the third path M3 are formed along the inner rail 61, and therefore are connected to each other in a substantially straight line. In addition, the first path M1 and the third path M3 are formed as straight paths that cause the balls to flow downward in an inclined direction when viewed from the front.

A groove 971 is recessed into the front surface of the frame plate base 910. The groove 971 is a portion for suppressing the flow speed of the game ball, and is formed as a recess with an inverted triangular cross section, and extends along the path directions of the first path M1 and the third path M3 while repeatedly bending left and right in a sawtooth shape when viewed from the front.

Protrusions 972 are provided on the opposing surfaces of the side wall portion 950 and the inner edge regulating wall portion 930. The protrusions 972 are intended to suppress the flow speed of the game ball, and are formed in a roughly semicircular cross section and extend along the erection direction of both wall portions 930, 950. Each of these protrusions 972 is disposed at a position that is out of phase with the bent portion of the recessed groove 971 along the path direction of the third path M3.

The downstream wall portion 960 is formed as a wall portion connected to the downstream end portion of the side wall portion 950, and faces the downstream side of the third path M3. More specifically, it is formed as a wall portion that is approximately perpendicular to the downstream direction of the third path M3. In this case, the portion of the inner edge defining wall portion 930 that corresponds to the downstream wall portion 940 is formed along the downstream wall portion 960, thereby defining the fourth path M4 between the inner edge defining wall portion 930 and the downstream wall portion 940.

The width dimension of the first path M1 (the distance between the inner rail 61 and the columnar body 640), the width dimension of the second path M2 (the distance between the columnar body 640 and the inner edge regulating wall portion 930), the width dimension of the third path M3 (the distance between the side wall portion 950 and the inner edge regulating wall portion 930), and the width dimension of the fourth path M4 (the distance between the downstream wall portion 960 and the inner edge regulating wall portion 930) are each set to a width dimension that allows only one game ball to pass through. In this embodiment, they are set to approximately 1.2 times the diameter of the game ball.

Next, the effect of the area forming portion R thus formed on the game balls flowing down will be explained. The game balls that are guided by the inner rail 61 and the outer rail 62 and flow down from the upper area of the game area are bounced off the nails or rolled along the inner edge regulating wall portion 930, and then flow into the area forming portion R from either the first path M1 or the second path M2. The game balls that pass through the first path M1 or the second path M2 and flow down the third path M3 collide with the downstream wall portion 960 and flow down via the fourth path M4 to the lower area of the game area.

The area forming portion R is part of the center frame 86 and is made of a resin material, so nails cannot be planted into it. This means that the speed at which the game ball flows down cannot be reduced, and there is a risk that it may become difficult for the player to see the game ball flowing down.

In contrast, in this embodiment, a downstream wall portion 960 is erected on the downstream side of the third path M3 (the junction of the third path M3 and the fourth path M4) in the area forming portion R, so that the flow speed of the game ball is reduced by collision with the downstream wall portion 960, making it easier for the player to see the game ball flowing down.

In this case, the downstream wall portion 960 is erected from the frame plate base plate 910, i.e., is formed integrally with the center frame 86, so it can be easily molded by resin molding using a mold, and there is no need to perform the complicated work of forming the downstream wall portion 960 as a separate part and fastening it to the frame plate base plate 910. Therefore, the manufacturing cost can be reduced accordingly.

On the other hand, the third path M3 is formed in a straight line, and the speed at which the game balls flow down is relatively fast. If the downstream wall 960 made of a resin material were to bear the portion against which the game balls repeatedly collide, there would be a risk of damage. In contrast, the downstream wall 960 is connected to the downstream side of the side wall 950, and therefore the rigidity of the downstream wall 960 can be increased, and damage to the downstream wall 960 can be suppressed.

In this case, an inclined surface 961 that slopes toward the fourth path M4 is formed at the connecting portion between the side wall portion 950 and the downstream wall portion 960. This allows the connecting portion between the side wall portion 950 and the downstream wall portion 960 to have a triangular shape when viewed from the front as shown in FIG. 59, thereby increasing the rigidity of the downstream wall portion 960.

In addition, when a game ball that has flowed down the third path M3 collides with the downstream wall portion 960 after colliding with the inclined surface 961, the game ball can be prevented from bouncing in the direction of flowing backwards along the third path M3, and the flow speed can be reduced while the game ball flows down toward the exit of the third path M3. This allows the game ball to be smoothly guided to the fourth path M4, and the burden on the downstream wall portion 960 can be reduced. Therefore, damage to the downstream wall portion 960 can be suppressed from this point of view as well.

The side wall portion 950 is also a part formed integrally with the center frame 86 and can be easily molded by resin molding using a mold, so as with the downstream wall portion 960, there is no need to perform the complicated work of forming it as a separate part and fastening it to the frame plate substrate 910, thereby reducing manufacturing costs. In addition, the side wall portion 950, which serves to define the third path M3, can also serve to increase the rigidity of the downstream wall portion 960, simplifying the structure and reducing parts costs.

In conventional gaming machines, the manner in which a gaming ball flowing down the playing area collides with the inner rail 61 is that the ball collides with a nail, bounces off it, and then collides with the inner rail 61. This is because the speed is relatively slow, and the collision is unlikely to cause damage to the inner rail 61.

In contrast, in this embodiment, as described above, in order to maximize the area in which the performance device (left rotation unit 700) can be directly viewed through the opening of the center frame 86 (i.e., not through the area forming portion R), the width of the area forming portion R is set to a narrow dimension (in this embodiment, the width dimension of the third path M3 allows only game balls with a value of 1 to pass through). That is, the width of the game area is narrowed by the area forming portion R. Therefore, it becomes necessary to significantly change the flow direction of the game ball that has flowed down the game area on the upstream side of the area forming portion R (in this embodiment, it becomes necessary to form the second path M2). In this form, some of the game balls (game balls flowing down the second path M2) collide with the inner rail 61 at a relatively high speed, which may cause damage to the inner rail 61 (bending due to the collision).

In contrast, according to this embodiment, the side wall portion 750 is arranged in parallel with the inner rail 61, so that the game ball that flows down the second path M2 can be received by the side wall portion 950 and prevented from colliding with the inner rail 61. As a result, damage (bending due to collision) to the inner rail 61 can be suppressed.

In other words, it is possible to not form the side wall portion 750 and have the inner rail 61 also serve to define the third path M3. However, in this case, since it is necessary to prevent the game ball from colliding with the inner rail 61, the width cannot be narrowed upstream of the area forming portion R, and the opening of the center frame 86 (inner edge defining wall portion 930) must be arranged in a direction away from the inner rail 61. This reduces the area in which the performance device (left rotation unit 700) is directly visible. Therefore, this embodiment in which the side wall portion 750 is juxtaposed to the inner rail 61 ultimately maximizes the area in which the performance device (left rotation unit 700) is directly visible.

As described above, the side wall 750 is integrally formed as part of the center frame 86 made of a light-transmitting material, and therefore can function as a light guide that guides the light P emitted from the light emitter on the back side of the center frame 86 (side wall 950, groove 971, etc.) to the play area. For example, the light P emitted from the back side and introduced into the side wall 950 can be guided to the erect end face (the upper surface in FIG. 60) of the side wall 950 and irradiated from the erect end face, thereby not only providing a dramatic effect due to the guided light P, but also allowing the light P guided to the side surface of the side wall 950 (the surface facing the inner edge regulating wall 930) to be irradiated from the side surface of the side wall 950. This allows the light to be guided to the front of the frame plate base 910 (upper surface in FIG. 60) and the side of the inner edge regulating wall 930 (the surface facing the side wall 950), and together with the light P irradiated from the top or side, it is possible to create a dramatic effect by the light P illuminating the area in which the game ball rolls (the game ball when it rolls).

In particular, in this embodiment, since the side wall portion 950 is arranged in parallel with the inner rail 61, the inner rail 61 can reduce leakage of light P emitted from the rear side of the center frame 86 and introduced into the side wall portion 750 from the side surface on the inner rail 61 side (the side opposite the inner edge defining wall portion 930) to the outside. That is, the inner rail 61 can reflect the light P toward the erect end face or side surface (the side surface facing the inner edge defining wall portion 930). Therefore, the amount of light that can be irradiated from the erect end face or side surface of the side wall portion 950 can be increased, and as a result, the presentation effect of the guided light P can be enhanced.

The light emitter is disposed in the left rotation unit 700 (not shown), and the retracted position of the left rotation unit 700 is the rear surface of the area forming portion R. Thus, when the left rotation unit 700 is disposed in the retracted position, the left rotation unit 700 can be viewed through the area forming portion R, while the light P emitted from the light emitter is guided through the side wall portion 950 and can be viewed by the player. In other words, the shape of the left rotation unit 700 viewed through the area forming portion R can be associated with the light P irradiated from the erect end surface of the side wall portion 950, allowing the player to view it, and as a result, the presentation effect of the light P can be enhanced.

As described above, protrusions 972 are provided on the opposing surfaces of the side wall portion 950 and the inner edge regulating wall portion 930. Therefore, the game ball flowing down the third path M3 can be caused to collide with the protrusions 972, thereby hindering its flow. This slows down the flow speed of the game ball in the area forming portion R where nails cannot be planted, making it easier for the player to see the game ball flowing down.

In this case, the protrusions 972 protruding from the side wall portion 950 and the protrusions 972 protruding from the inner edge regulating wall portion 930 are arranged out of phase with each other along the path direction of the third path M3. That is, they are arranged in a staggered pattern on the left and right opposing surfaces. Therefore, when a game ball flows down the third path M3, the game ball can be made to collide alternately with the left and right protrusions 972, causing the game ball to meander left and right. This makes it easier to slow down the flow speed of the game ball, and also gives the game ball a displacement component in a direction perpendicular to the flow direction (path direction of the third path M3), thereby changing the movement of the game ball.

Furthermore, as described above, a groove 971 formed in a sawtooth shape when viewed from the front is recessed into the front surface of the frame plate base 910. Therefore, when the game ball flows down the third path M3, the game ball can be guided along the inner surface of the groove 971 and made to snake left and right. This also makes it easier to slow down the flow speed of the game ball, and also gives the game ball a displacement component in a direction perpendicular to the flow direction (path direction of the third path M3), thereby changing the movement of the game ball.

In addition, when light emitted from the rear side of the area forming portion R is guided toward the front of the play area, the groove 971 recessed into the front surface of the frame plate base 910 can be used as a lens to diffuse or focus the light, thereby enhancing the presentation effect of the guided light.

In this case, the bent portion of the groove 971 is arranged out of phase with the protrusions 972 protruding from the side wall portion 950 and the protrusions 972 protruding from the inner edge regulating wall portion 930 along the path direction of the third path M3. Therefore, when the game ball flows down the third path M3, the game ball, which is guided by the inner surface of the groove 971 and meanders left and right, can be made to collide alternately with the left and right protrusions 972, and a synergistic effect can be obtained by utilizing both the action of the groove 971 and the action of the protrusions 972. As a result, the flow speed of the game ball can be made slower and the change in the movement of the game ball can be made greater.

The protrusions 972 and grooves 971 slow down the speed at which the game ball flows down the third path M3, thereby helping to prevent damage to the downstream wall portion 960 and to smoothly guide the game ball from the third path M3 to the fourth path M4.

In addition, the terminal end of the groove 971 (the portion arranged parallel to the inclined surface 961) overlaps with the downstream wall portion 960 in the extension direction and points toward the exit of the third path M3. This allows the game ball guided to the terminal end of the groove 971 to collide with the downstream wall portion 960 from an oblique direction. This prevents the game ball from bouncing in the direction of flowing backwards along the third path M3, and allows the game ball to flow down toward the exit of the third path M3 while reducing its flow speed. This allows the game ball to be smoothly guided to the fourth path M4 and reduces the burden on the downstream wall portion 960.

Second Embodiment
Next, the second embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 61. Fig. 61 is a front view of a game board 2013 in the second embodiment. Note that the same parts as those in the first embodiment are given the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 61, in the game board 2013 of the second embodiment, the formation range of the area forming portion R is expanded to almost the top of the game area compared to the game board 13 of the first embodiment. As a result, the area in which the performance devices (in this embodiment, the central rotation unit 400, central rotation unit 500, and left rotation unit 700) are directly visible through the opening of the center frame 2086 (i.e., not through the area forming portion R) can be further expanded than in the first embodiment.

The region forming member R does not include the columnar body 940 (see FIG. 59), and the inner edge defining wall portion 2930 extends along the outer rail 62. As a result, in the region above the return ball prevention member 68, a fifth path M5 and a sixth path M6 are defined between the outer rail 62 and the inner edge defining wall portion 2930.

The distance between the outer rail 62 and the inner edge regulating wall portion 2930 is set to a dimension that is greater than twice the diameter of the game ball and less than three times the diameter. In this embodiment, it is set to approximately 2.5 times the diameter of the game ball. This allows a passage (fifth path M5 and sixth path M6) to be formed between the opposing outer rail 62 and inner edge regulating wall portion 2930, allowing game balls to pass each other without colliding, while maximizing the above-mentioned area in which the performance device can be directly viewed through the opening in the center frame 2086.

The windmill WM has its axis of rotation disposed approximately in the center between the opposing outer rail 62 and the inner edge regulating wall portion 2930. This allows the game ball to pass between the outer rail 62 and the axis of rotation of the windmill WM, and between the axis of rotation of the windmill WM and the inner edge regulating wall portion 2930.

According to the area forming portion R formed in this way, the game ball launched from the ball launching unit and guided to the upper area of the game area by the inner rail 61 and the outer rail 62 is guided along the outer rail 62, passes the windmill WM, and then moves along the fifth path M5. In this case, by setting the launch strength to a value greater than the reference value, the game ball can be made to flow down the right side area beyond the upper top of the game area, while by setting the launch strength to a value less than the reference value, the game ball can be made to flow down along the inner edge regulating wall portion 2930 without going beyond the upper top of the game area (moving along the sixth path M6). After moving along the sixth path M6, the game ball passes the windmill WM and then flows down the third path M3.

Third Embodiment
Next, a third embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 62 to Fig. 67. In the right rotation unit 600 of the first embodiment, the two members, the first displacement member 630 and the second displacement member 640 (the connecting displacement member 642), are displaceable in accordance with the displacement of the transmission member 654. In the right rotation unit 3600 of the third embodiment, the three members, the first displacement member 3630, the second displacement member 3640 (the connecting displacement member 642), and the third displacement member 3660, are displaceable in accordance with the displacement of the transmission member 654. Note that the same parts as those of the above embodiments are denoted by the same reference numerals, and their description will be omitted.

Figure 62 is an exploded front perspective view of the right rotation unit 3600 in the third embodiment, and Figure 63 is an exploded rear perspective view of the right rotation unit 3600. Note that Figures 62 and 63 show a state in which a part of the right rotation unit 3600 (the rear base 610 and the front base 620) is assembled.

62 and 63, the right rotation unit 3600 in the third embodiment includes a third displacement member 3660 that is slidably disposed on the front of one end side (upper side in FIG. 62) of the first displacement member 3630. As described below, the tip of the connecting pin 3641d of the second displacement member 3640 (driven member 3641) is inserted into the sliding groove 3661 of the third displacement member 3660 via a through groove 3636 formed in the first displacement member 3630, and the driven member 3641 is rotated relative to the first displacement member 3630, so that the third displacement member 3660 can be displaced (slidably displaced) relative to the first displacement member 3630.

The through groove 3636 is a groove-like opening formed by curving in an arc around the support shaft 632, and the groove width is set to a dimension slightly larger than the diameter of the connecting pin 3641d of the driven member 3641. Therefore, by displacing the connecting pin 3641d along the extension direction of the through groove 3636, rotation of the driven member 3641 around the support shaft 632 of the first displacement member 3630 is permitted.

The connecting pin 3641d is a shaft-shaped body with a circular cross section that is inserted into the through groove 3636, and its protruding height is set to a dimension that allows it to protrude from the front surface of the first displacement member 3630. In other words, in the assembled state, the tip side of the connecting pin 3641d can be inserted into the sliding groove 3661 (described later) of the third displacement member 3660 via the through groove 3636 of the first displacement member 3630.

A sliding groove 3661 is recessed in the back surface of the third displacement member 3660, and a slide rail 3662 is disposed above the sliding groove 3661. As described above, the sliding groove 3661 is a recessed groove through which the connecting pin 3641d of the driven member 3641 is slidably inserted, and is formed linearly with a constant groove width, and the groove width is set to a dimension slightly larger than the diameter of the connecting pin 3641d of the driven member 3641.

The slide rail 3662 is an expandable linear guide mechanism interposed between the first displacement member 3630 and the third displacement member 3660, and is composed of a rear rail fixed to the first displacement member 3630 and a front rail connected to the front side of the rear rail so as to enable relative longitudinal displacement. The slide rail 3662 expands and contracts due to the relative longitudinal displacement of the rear rail and the front rail, allowing the third displacement member 3660 to slide relative to the first displacement member 3630.

When the third displacement member 3660 is disposed on the front side of the first displacement member 3630, only a portion of the sliding groove 3661 overlaps with the through groove 3636 of the first displacement member 3630 (the sliding groove 3661 and the through groove 3636 intersect). Therefore, by rotating the driven member 3641 around the support shaft 632 of the first displacement member 3630 and displacing the connecting pin 3641d along the extension direction of the through groove 3636, the connecting pin 3641d acts on the inner wall surface of the sliding groove 3661 of the third displacement member 3660 (the connecting pin 3641d presses the inner wall surface of the sliding groove 3661), and the third displacement member 3660 can be slid and displaced relative to the first displacement member 3630.

Next, the operation of the right rotation unit 3600 will be described with reference to Figures 64 to 67. Figures 64 and 65 are front views of the right rotation unit 3600 in each state when it operates between the retracted position and the extended position, and Figures 66 and 67 are schematic rear views of the right rotation unit 3600 in each state when it operates between the retracted position and the extended position.

Note that Figs. 64(a) to 64(c) are the same as Figs. 66(a) to 66(c), and Figs. 65(a) to 65(c) are the same as Figs. 67(a) to 67(c), respectively. In this case, Fig. 64(c) is the same as Fig. 65(a), and Fig. 66(c) is the same as Fig. 67(a), respectively.

In the third embodiment, the drive pin 654b of the transmission member 654 slides in the first groove 635 of the first displacement member 3630, thereby displacing the first displacement member 3630, the second displacement member 3640, and the third displacement member 3660, respectively. The manner in which the first displacement member 3630 and the second displacement member 3640 are displaced is the same as in the first embodiment described above, so a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

As shown in Figures 64(a) and 66(a), in the retracted position, the slide rail 3662 of the third displacement member 3660 is in a shortened state, and the connecting pin 3641d of the driven member 3641 in the second displacement member 3640 is positioned at one end side of the sliding groove 3661 of the third displacement member 3660 (the end farther from the support shaft 632 and the shaft support hole 641a, the right side in Figure 66(a)). In this case, the length from the base end of the first displacement member 3630 to the tip of the third displacement member 3660 is dimension h1.

When the transmission member 654 is rotated in the forward direction (clockwise in FIG. 66(a)) from this state, the first displacement member 3630 is rotated in the protruding direction around the rotation axis 631 as the rotation axis, as shown in FIG. 64(c) and FIG. 66(c), via the states shown in FIG. 64(b) and FIG. 66(b). In this case, as described above, the second displacement member 3640 is not displaced relative to the first displacement member 3630, but is displaced integrally with the first displacement member 3630.

Therefore, the second displacement member 3640 does not displace relative to the third displacement member 3660. Therefore, the connecting pin 3641d of the driven member 3641 in the second displacement member 3640 does not slide in the sliding groove 3661 of the third displacement member 3660, so the third displacement member 3660 is also displaced integrally with the first displacement member 3630. That is, in the sections shown in Figures 64(a) to 64(c) and 66(a) to 66(c), the length from the base end of the first displacement member 3630 to the tip of the third displacement member 3660 remains at dimension h1.

When the transmission member 654 is rotated in the forward direction (clockwise in FIG. 67(a)) from the state shown in FIG. 65(a) and FIG. 67(a), the first displacement member 3630 is maintained in the state (position) shown in FIG. 67(a) while the second displacement member 3640 (connecting displacement member 642) is displaced relative to the first displacement member 3630, and after passing through the state shown in FIG. 65(b) and FIG. 67(b), it is positioned in the extended position shown in FIG. 65(c) and FIG. 67(c).

In this case, the driven member 3641 rotates around the support shaft 632 in a direction (counterclockwise in FIG. 67(a)) that causes the connecting pin 3641d to slide toward the other end of the sliding groove 3661 in the third displacement member 3660 (the end closer to the support shaft 632 and the shaft support hole 641a, the left side in FIG. 67(a)).

Therefore, the inner wall surface of the sliding groove 3661 in the third displacement member 3660 (the inner wall surface on the side farther from the support shaft 632 and the shaft support hole 641a, the upper side in FIG. 67(a)) is pushed up by the connecting pin 3641d of the driven member 3641 in the direction of extending the slide rail 3662 (see FIG. 63). As a result, the third displacement member 3660 is slidably displaced relative to the first displacement member 3630, and in the sections shown in FIG. 65(a) to FIG. 65(c) and FIG. 67(a) to FIG. 67(c), the length from the base end of the first displacement member 3630 to the tip of the third displacement member 3660 changes (increases) from dimension h1 to dimension h2 to dimension h3 (h1<h2<h3).

Contrary to the above-mentioned case, when the transmission member 654 is rotated in the opposite direction (counterclockwise in FIG. 67(c)) from the state shown in FIG. 65(c) and FIG. 67(c), the first displacement member 3630 is maintained in the state (position) shown in FIG. 67(c), while the second displacement member 3640 (connecting displacement member 642) is displaced in the opposite direction relative to the first displacement member 3630, and after passing through the state shown in FIG. 65(b) and FIG. 67(b), it is positioned in the state shown in FIG. 65(a) and FIG. 67(a).

In this case, the rotation of the driven member 3641 around the support shaft 632 is in a direction (clockwise in FIG. 67(c)) that slides the connecting pin 3641d toward one end of the sliding groove 3661 in the third displacement member 3660 (the end farther from the support shaft 632 and the shaft support hole 641a, the right side in FIG. 67(c)).

As a result, the inner wall surface of the sliding groove 3661 in the third displacement member 3660 (the inner wall surface closer to the support shaft 632 and the shaft support hole 641a, the lower side in Figure 67 (c)) is pushed down by the connecting pin 3641d of the driven member 3641 in a direction that shortens the slide rail 3662 (see Figure 63), so that the third displacement member 3660 is slidably displaced relative to the first displacement member 3630, and the length from the base end of the first displacement member 3630 to the tip of the third displacement member 3660 is shortened to dimension h1.

When the transmission member 654 is further rotated in the opposite direction (counterclockwise in FIG. 66(c)) from the state shown in FIG. 64(c) and FIG. 66(c), the first displacement member 3630 is rotated in the upright direction around the rotation axis 631 as the rotation axis, and is disposed in the retracted position shown in FIG. 64(a) and FIG. 66(a). In this case, as described above, the second displacement member 3640 is not displaced relative to the first displacement member 3630, and therefore the connecting pin 3641d of the driven member 3641 does not slide in the sliding groove 3661 of the third displacement member 3660, so that the second displacement member 3640 and the third displacement member 3660 are displaced together with the first displacement member 3630.

In this way, according to this embodiment, it is possible to form a configuration in which the second displacement member 3640 and the third displacement member 3660 are not displaced relative to the first displacement member 3630, and the first displacement member 3630, the second displacement member 3640, and the third displacement member 3660 are displaced together (see Figures 64 and 66), and a configuration in which the second displacement member 3640 and the third displacement member 3660 are each individually displaced relative to the first displacement member 3630 while the first displacement member 3630 is maintained in a stopped state (see Figures 65 and 67).

Fourth Embodiment
Next, a fourth embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 68 to Fig. 73. In the third embodiment, the right rotation unit 3600 is formed so that the third displacement member 3660 can slide and be displaced relative to the first displacement member 3630. However, in the right rotation unit 4600 in the fourth embodiment, the third displacement member 4660 can rotate relative to the first displacement member 4630. Note that the same parts as those in the above embodiments are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted.

Figure 68 is an exploded front perspective view of the right rotation unit 4600 in the fourth embodiment, and Figure 69 is an exploded rear perspective view of the right rotation unit 4600. Note that Figures 68 and 69 show a state in which a part of the right rotation unit 4600 (the rear base 610 and the front base 620) is assembled.

68 and 69, the right rotation unit 4600 in the fourth embodiment includes a third displacement member 4660 that is rotatably supported on the front of one end side (upper side of FIG. 68) of the first displacement member 4630. As described below, the tip of the connecting pin 3641d of the second displacement member 3640 (driven member 3641) is inserted into the sliding groove 4661 of the third displacement member 4660 via the through groove 3636 formed in the first displacement member 4630, and the driven member 3641 is rotated relative to the first displacement member 4630, so that the third displacement member 4660 can be displaced (rotated) relative to the first displacement member 4630.

A sliding groove 4661 is recessed into the back surface of the third displacement member 4660, and a rotating shaft 4662 is protruded above the sliding groove 4661. As described above, the sliding groove 4661 is a recessed groove through which the connecting pin 3641d of the driven member 3641 is slidably inserted, and is formed linearly with a constant groove width, and the groove width is set to a dimension slightly larger than the diameter of the connecting pin 3641d of the driven member 3641.

The rotating shaft 4662 is an axial body that is inserted into a shaft support hole 4637 drilled in one end side (upper side in FIG. 68) of the first displacement member 4630, and the third displacement member 4660 is rotatably supported by the first displacement member 4630 via the rotating shaft 4662 and the shaft support hole 4637. A retaining body C having a diameter larger than the inner diameter of the shaft support hole 4637 is fastened and fixed to the axial end face of the rotating shaft 4662, thereby restricting the rotating shaft 4662 from coming out of the shaft support hole 4637.

When the third displacement member 4660 is disposed (axially supported) on the front side of the first displacement member 4630, only a portion of the sliding groove 4661 overlaps with the through groove 3636 of the first displacement member 4630 (the sliding groove 4661 and the through groove 3636 intersect). Therefore, by rotating the driven member 3641 around the support shaft 632 of the first displacement member 4630 and displacing the connecting pin 3641d along the extension direction of the through groove 3636, the connecting pin 3641d acts on the inner wall surface of the sliding groove 4661 of the third displacement member 4660 (the connecting pin 3641d presses the inner wall surface of the sliding groove 4661), and the third displacement member 4660 can be rotated relative to the first displacement member 4630.

Next, the operation of the right rotation unit 4600 will be described with reference to Figures 70 to 73. Figures 70 and 71 are front views of the right rotation unit 4600 in each state when it operates between the retracted position and the extended position, and Figures 72 and 73 are schematic rear views of the right rotation unit 4600 in each state when it operates between the retracted position and the extended position.

Note that Figs. 70(a) to 70(c) are the same as Figs. 72(a) to 72(c), and Figs. 71(a) to 71(c) are the same as Figs. 73(a) to 73(c), respectively. In this case, Fig. 70(c) is the same as Fig. 71(a), and Fig. 72(c) is the same as Fig. 73(a), respectively.

In the fourth embodiment, the drive pin 654b of the transmission member 654 slides in the first groove 635 of the first displacement member 4630, thereby displacing the first displacement member 4630, the second displacement member 3640, and the third displacement member 4660, respectively. The manner in which the first displacement member 4630 and the second displacement member 3640 are displaced is the same as in the first embodiment described above, so a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

As shown in Figures 70(a) and 72(a), in the retracted position, the angle between an imaginary line L1 that passes through the axis of the shaft support hole 4637 (rotation shaft 4662) and runs along the longitudinal direction of the first displacement member 4630 and an imaginary line L2 that passes through the axis of the shaft support hole 4637 (rotation shaft 4662) and runs along the longitudinal direction of the third displacement member 4660 is the intersection angle θ1.

When the transmission member 654 is rotated in the forward direction (clockwise in FIG. 72(a)) from this state, the first displacement member 4630 is rotated in the protruding direction around the rotation axis 631 as the rotation axis, as shown in FIG. 70(c) and FIG. 72(c), via the states shown in FIG. 70(b) and FIG. 72(b). In this case, as described above, the second displacement member 3640 is not displaced relative to the first displacement member 4630, but is displaced integrally with the first displacement member 4630.

Therefore, the second displacement member 3640 does not displace relative to the third displacement member 4660, and the connecting pin 3641d of the driven member 3641 in the second displacement member 3640 does not slide in the sliding groove 4661 of the third displacement member 4660, so the third displacement member 4660 is also displaced integrally with the first displacement member 4630. That is, in the sections shown in Figures 70(a) to 70(c) and 72(a) to 72(c), the angle between the first displacement member 4630 (virtual line L1) and the third displacement member 4660 (virtual line L2) remains at the crossing angle θ1.

When the transmission member 654 is rotated in the forward direction (clockwise in FIG. 73(a)) from the state shown in FIG. 71(a) and FIG. 73(a), the first displacement member 4630 is maintained in the state (position) shown in FIG. 73(a) while the second displacement member 3640 (connecting displacement member 642) is displaced relative to the first displacement member 4630, and after passing through the state shown in FIG. 71(b) and FIG. 73(b), it is positioned in the extended position shown in FIG. 71(c) and FIG. 73(c).

In this case, when the driven member 3641 rotates around the support shaft 632, the rotation of the driven member 3641 is in a direction in which the inner wall surface of the sliding groove 4661 in the third displacement member 4660 (the inner wall surface on the side in the direction of travel of the connecting pin 3641d, the upper side in Figure 73 (a)) is pushed up by the connecting pin 3641d of the driven member 3641.

As a result, the third displacement member 4660 rotates relative to the first displacement member 4630, and in the sections shown in Figures 71(a) to 71(c) and 73(a) to 73(c), the angle between the first displacement member 4630 (virtual line L1) and the third displacement member 4660 (virtual line L2) changes (decreases) from cross angle θ1 to cross angle θ2, and then to cross angle θ3 (θ3<θ2<θ1).

Contrary to the above-mentioned case, when the transmission member 654 is rotationally driven in the opposite direction (counterclockwise in FIG. 73(c)) from the state shown in FIG. 71(c) and FIG. 73(c), the first displacement member 4630 is maintained in the state (position) shown in FIG. 73(c), while the second displacement member 3640 (connecting displacement member 642) is displaced in the opposite direction relative to the first displacement member 4630, and after passing through the state shown in FIG. 71(b) and FIG. 73(b), it is positioned in the state shown in FIG. 71(a) and FIG. 73(a).

In this case, the rotation of the driven member 3641 around the support shaft 632 is in a direction in which the inner wall surface of the sliding groove 4661 in the third displacement member 4660 (the inner wall surface on the traveling direction side of the connecting pin 3641d, the lower side in FIG. 73(c)) is pushed down by the connecting pin 3641d of the driven member 3641. Therefore, the third displacement member 4660 is rotated relative to the first displacement member 4630, and the angle between the first displacement member 4630 (virtual line L1) and the third displacement member 4660 (virtual line L2) is increased to the cross angle θ1.

When the transmission member 654 is further rotated in the opposite direction (counterclockwise in FIG. 72(c)) from the state shown in FIG. 70(c) and FIG. 72(c), the first displacement member 4630 is rotated in the upright direction around the rotation axis 631 as the rotation axis, and is disposed in the retracted position shown in FIG. 70(a) and FIG. 72(a). In this case, as described above, the second displacement member 3640 is not displaced relative to the first displacement member 4630, and therefore the connecting pin 3641d of the driven member 3641 does not slide in the sliding groove 4661 of the third displacement member 4660, so that the second displacement member 3640 and the third displacement member 4660 are displaced together with the first displacement member 4630.

In this way, according to this embodiment, it is possible to form a configuration in which the second displacement member 3640 and the third displacement member 4660 are not displaced relative to the first displacement member 4630, and the first displacement member 4630, the second displacement member 3640, and the third displacement member 4660 are displaced together (see Figures 70 and 71), and a configuration in which the second displacement member 3640 and the third displacement member 4660 are each individually displaced relative to the first displacement member 4630 while the first displacement member 4630 is maintained in a stopped state (see Figures 71 and 73).

Fifth Embodiment
Next, a fifth embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 74 to 81. In the third embodiment, the right rotation unit 3600 is formed so that the third displacement member 3660 can slide and displace relative to the first displacement member 3630. However, in the right rotation unit 5600 in the fifth embodiment, the third displacement member 5660 can appear and disappear in the front-rear direction relative to the first displacement member 5630. Note that the same parts as those in the above embodiments are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted.

Figure 74 is an exploded front perspective view of the right rotation unit 5600 in the fifth embodiment, and Figure 75 is an exploded rear perspective view of the right rotation unit 5600. Note that Figures 74 and 75 show a state in which a part of the right rotation unit 5600 (the rear base 610 and the front base 620) is assembled.

As shown in Figures 74 and 75, in the right rotation unit 5600 in the fifth embodiment, the third displacement member 5660 is disposed in front of one end side (upper side of Figure 74) of the first displacement member 5630 so as to be able to protrude and retract in the front-rear direction (for example, the direction perpendicular to the paper surface of Figure 76 (a)). As described later, the tip of the connecting pin 5641d of the second displacement member 5640 (driven member 5641) is abutted against the back surface of the sliding inclined portion 5663 of the third displacement member 5660 through the through groove 3636 formed in the first displacement member 5630, and the driven member 5641 is rotated relative to the first displacement member 5630, so that the third displacement member 5660 can be displaced relative to the first displacement member 5630 (protruding and retracting in the front-rear direction).

A pair of sliding holes 5638 are drilled in the first displacement member 5630. The sliding holes 5638 are holes with a circular cross section through which the sliding guide rod 5664 of the third displacement member 5660 described later is inserted, and the inner diameter of the sliding hole 5638 is set to a dimension slightly larger than the outer diameter of the sliding guide rod 5664. In other words, the sliding guide rod 5664 is supported so as to be slidable along the drilling direction of the sliding holes 5638, and this supports the third displacement member 5660 so as to be able to protrude and retract in the front-to-rear direction relative to the first displacement member 5630.

The connecting pin 5641d is a shaft-shaped body with a circular cross section that is inserted into the through groove 3636, and is set to a protruding height such that the tip is located within the through groove 3636. That is, in the assembled state, the tip of the connecting pin 5641d abuts against the sliding inclined portion 5663 of the third displacement member 5660 within the through groove 3636 of the first displacement member 5630.

The sliding inclined portion 5663 and the sliding guide rod 5664 are protruding from the back surface of the third displacement member 5660. As described above, the sliding inclined portion 5663 is a plate-shaped portion on which the connecting pin 5641d of the driven member 5641 slides, and the back surface on which the connecting pin 5641d slides is formed as an inclined surface that slopes upward from one end (right side of FIG. 75) to the other end (left side of FIG. 75). That is, the protruding height of the sliding inclined portion 5663 from the third displacement member 5660 is gradually increased from one end to the other end. Therefore, when the connecting pin 5641d slides on the back surface of the sliding inclined portion 5663 from one end to the other end (or in the opposite direction) as the driven member 5641 rotates, the gap between the driven member 5641 and the third displacement member 5660 is expanded (reduced).

Here, the thickness of the sliding inclined portion 5663 is set to a dimension slightly smaller than the groove width of the through groove 3636, and the rear view shape is formed into a curved shape corresponding to the through groove 3636. That is, in the assembled state, the protruding tip side of the sliding inclined portion 5663 is inserted into the through groove 3636 in a state in which it can slide in the front-rear direction. Therefore, when the third displacement member 5660 is extended and retracted in the front-rear direction relative to the first displacement member 5630, the sliding of the third displacement member 5660 can be supported (i.e., supported at three points) not only by the sliding guide rod 5664 but also by the sliding inclined portion 5663, so that the third displacement member 5660 is prevented from tilting forward, and its extending and retracting movement can be stabilized.

As described above, the sliding guide rod 5664 is a shaft-shaped body with a circular cross section that is slidably supported in the sliding hole 5638 of the first displacement member 5630, and a retaining body C with a diameter larger than the inner diameter of the sliding hole 5638 is fastened and fixed to its axial end face, thereby restricting the sliding guide rod 5664 from slipping out of the sliding hole 5638.

In this case, a biasing member S formed as a coil spring is interposed between the retainer C and the first displacement member 5630 in an elastically compressed state (a state in which the overall length is shortened), and the elastic recovery force of the biasing member S acts in a direction that moves the retainer C away from the back surface of the first displacement member 5630. As a result, the third displacement member 5660 is biased in a direction approaching the first displacement member 5630, and the sliding inclined portion 5663 is inserted into the through groove 3636.

Therefore, by rotating the driven member 5641 around the support shaft 632 of the first displacement member 5630 and displacing the connecting pin 5641d along the extension direction of the through groove 3636, the tip of the connecting pin 5641d can be caused to act on the back surface of the sliding inclined portion 5663 of the third displacement member 5660 (the connecting pin 5641d can be caused to slide along the back surface of the sliding inclined portion 5663), causing the third displacement member 5660 to appear and disappear in the forward and backward directions relative to the first displacement member 5630.

Next, the operation of the right rotation unit 5600 will be described with reference to Figures 76 to 80. Figures 76 and 77 are front views of the right rotation unit 5600 in each state when it operates between the retracted position and the extended position, and Figures 78 and 79 are schematic rear views of the right rotation unit 5600 in each state when it operates between the retracted position and the extended position. Also, Figures 80 and 81 are top views of the right rotation unit 5600 in each state when it operates between the retracted position and the extended position.

Note that Figs. 76(a) to 76(c) are the same as Figs. 78(a) to 78(c) and Figs. 80(a) to 80(c), Figs. 77(a) to 77(c) are the same as Figs. 79(a) to 79(c) and Figs. 81(a) to 81(c), respectively. In this case, Fig. 76(c) is the same as Fig. 77(a), Fig. 78(c) is the same as Fig. 79(a), and Fig. 80(c) is the same as Fig. 81(a).

In the fifth embodiment, the drive pin 654b of the transmission member 654 slides in the first groove 635 of the first displacement member 5630, thereby displacing the first displacement member 5630, the second displacement member 5640, and the third displacement member 5660, respectively. The manner in which the first displacement member 5630 and the second displacement member 5640 are displaced is the same as in the first embodiment described above, so a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

As shown in Figures 76(a), 78(a) and 80(a), in the retracted position, the third displacement member 5660 is in a state in which it is close to the first displacement member 5630, and the connecting pin 5641d of the driven member 5641 in the second displacement member 5640 is positioned on one end side of the sliding inclined portion 5663 of the third displacement member 5660 (the end on the side protruding lower from the rear surface of the third displacement member 5660, the right side in Figures 78(a) and 80(a)). In this case, the amount of protrusion from the front surface of the first displacement member 5630 to the front surface of the third displacement member 5660 is dimension J1.

When the transmission member 654 is rotated in the forward direction (clockwise in FIG. 78(a)) from this state, the first displacement member 5630 is rotated in the protruding direction around the rotation axis 631 as the rotation axis, as shown in FIG. 76(c), FIG. 78(c) and FIG. 80(c), via the states shown in FIG. 76(b), FIG. 78(b) and FIG. 80(b). In this case, as described above, the second displacement member 5640 is not displaced relative to the first displacement member 5630, but is displaced integrally with the first displacement member 5630.

Therefore, the second displacement member 5640 is not displaced relative to the third displacement member 5660. Therefore, the connecting pin 5641d of the driven member 5641 in the second displacement member 5640 does not slide on the back surface of the sliding inclined portion 5663 of the third displacement member 5660, so the third displacement member 5660 is also displaced integrally with the first displacement member 5630. That is, in the sections shown in Figures 76(a) to 76(c), 78(a) to 78(c), and 80(a) to 80(c), the third displacement member 5660 is maintained in a state closest to the first displacement member 5630 (a state in which the protrusion amount is dimension J1).

When the transmission member 654 is rotated in the forward direction (clockwise in FIG. 67(a)) from the state shown in FIG. 77(a), FIG. 79(a), and FIG. 81(a), the first displacement member 5630 is maintained in the state (position) shown in FIG. 79(a), while the second displacement member 5640 (connecting displacement member 642) is displaced relative to the first displacement member 5630, and after passing through the states shown in FIG. 77(b), FIG. 79(b), and FIG. 81(b), it is positioned in the extended position shown in FIG. 77(c), FIG. 79(c), and FIG. 81(c).

In this case, the driven member 5641 rotates around the support shaft 632 in a direction (counterclockwise in FIG. 79(a)) that causes the tip of the connecting pin 5641d to slide toward the other end of the back surface of the sliding inclined portion 5663 of the third displacement member 5660 (the end protruding higher from the back surface of the third displacement member 5660, the upper left side in FIG. 79(a), the left side in FIG. 81(a)).

The rear surface of the sliding inclined portion 5663 of the third displacement member 5660 is pushed forward (upper side in FIG. 81(a)) by the connecting pin 5641d of the driven member 5641. As a result, the third displacement member 5660 protrudes forward relative to the first displacement member 5630, and in the sections shown in FIGS. 77(a) to 77(c), 79(a) to 79(c), and 81(a) to 81(c), the protrusion amount from the front surface of the first displacement member 5630 to the front surface of the third displacement member 5660 changes (increases) from dimension J1 to dimension J2 to dimension J3 (J1<J2<J3).

Contrary to the above-mentioned case, when the transmission member 654 is rotated in the opposite direction (counterclockwise in FIG. 79(c)) from the state shown in FIG. 77(c), FIG. 79(c), and FIG. 81(c), the first displacement member 5630 is maintained in the state (position) shown in FIG. 79(c), while the second displacement member 5640 (connecting displacement member 642) is displaced in the opposite direction relative to the first displacement member 5630, and after passing through the states shown in FIG. 77(b), FIG. 79(b), and FIG. 81(b), it is positioned in the state shown in FIG. 77(a), FIG. 79(a), and FIG. 81(a).

In this case, the rotation of the driven member 5641 around the support shaft 632 is in a direction (clockwise in FIG. 79(c)) that slides the connecting pin 5641d toward one end of the back surface of the sliding inclined portion 5663 of the third displacement member 5660 (the end portion protruding lower from the back surface of the third displacement member 5660, the lower right side in FIG. 79(c) and the right side in FIG. 81(c)).

Therefore, by moving the connecting pin 5641d to one end side of the back surface of the sliding inclined portion 5663 of the third displacement member 5660, the sliding inclined portion 5663 is allowed to retreat (sink) rearward (toward the back surface) accordingly, and the elastic recovery force of the biasing member S brings the third displacement member 5660 closer to the first displacement member 5630, and the protrusion amount from the front surface of the first displacement member 5630 to the front surface of the third displacement member 5660 is shortened to dimension J1.

When the transmission member 654 is further rotated in the reverse direction (counterclockwise in FIG. 78(c)) from the state shown in FIG. 76(c), FIG. 78(c), and FIG. 80(c), the first displacement member 5630 is rotated in the upright direction around the rotation axis 631 as the rotation axis, and is disposed in the retracted position shown in FIG. 76(a), FIG. 78(a), and FIG. 80(a). In this case, as described above, the second displacement member 5640 is not displaced relative to the first displacement member 5630, and therefore the connecting pin 5641d of the driven member 5641 does not slide on the back surface of the sliding inclined portion 5663 of the third displacement member 5660, so that the second displacement member 5640 and the third displacement member 5660 are displaced together with the first displacement member 5630.

In this way, according to this embodiment, it is possible to form a form in which the second displacement member 5640 and the third displacement member 5660 are not displaced relative to the first displacement member 5630, but the first displacement member 5630, the second displacement member 5640, and the third displacement member 5660 are displaced together (see Figures 76, 78, and 81), and a form in which the second displacement member 5640 and the third displacement member 5660 are displaced individually relative to the first displacement member 5630 while maintaining the first displacement member 5630 in a stopped state (see Figures 77, 79, and 81). In particular, according to the fifth embodiment, since the displacement direction of the third displacement member 5660 is the front-rear direction, interference with the displacement of other adjacent units can be avoided, and the movable range of the other units can be secured. In addition, the third displacement member 5660 can be brought closer to the player by protruding forward, and a powerful performance can be performed.

Sixth Embodiment
Next, a sixth embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 82 to Fig. 88. In the third embodiment, the right rotation unit 3600 is formed so that the period during which the second displacement member 3640 is displaced coincides with the period during which the third displacement member 3660 is displaced. However, in the right rotation unit 6600 in the sixth embodiment, the period during which the second displacement member 6640 is displaced differs from the period during which the third displacement member 4660 is displaced. Note that the same parts as those in the above embodiments are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted.

Figure 82 is an exploded front perspective view of the right rotation unit 6600 in the sixth embodiment, and Figure 83 is an exploded rear perspective view of the right rotation unit 6600. Note that Figures 82 and 83 show a state in which a part of the right rotation unit 6600 (the rear base 610 and the front base 620) is assembled.

As shown in Figures 82 and 83, in the right rotation unit 6600 in the sixth embodiment, similar to the fourth embodiment, the third displacement member 4660 is rotatably supported on the front of one end side (upper side in Figure 82) of the first displacement member 4630, and the driven member 6641 is rotated relative to the first displacement member 4630, so that the second displacement member 6640 (connecting displacement member 642) and the third displacement member 4660 are displaced (rotated) relative to the first displacement member 4630.

In this case, in the fourth embodiment, the connecting groove 641c of the driven member 3641 is formed in a straight line, whereas in the sixth embodiment, the connecting groove 6641c of the driven member 6641 is formed in a generally V-shaped bend in front view from the action section 6641c1 and the non-interference section 6641c2, as described below.

As a result, while the connecting pin 643 passes through the action section 6641c1, both the second displacement member 6640 (connecting displacement member 642) and the third displacement member 4660 are rotated relative to the first displacement member 4630, while while the connecting pin 643 passes through the non-interference section 6641c2, only the third displacement member 4660 can be rotated relative to the first displacement member 4630 while the second displacement member 6640 is stopped.

The connecting groove 6641c is a groove-like opening through which the connecting pin 643 of the connecting displacement member 642 is slidably inserted, and includes an action section 6641c1 extending linearly along the longitudinal direction of the driven member 6641, and a non-interference section 6641c2 extending along the width direction of the driven member 6641 while curving in an arc with the shaft support hole 641a (support shaft 632) side concave (i.e., formed into a shape that divides a circular ring shape concentric with the rotating shaft 631).

As described below, the action section 6641c1 is a section that acts on the connecting pin 643 of the connecting displacement member 642, and the non-interference section 6641c2 is a section that does not interfere with the connecting pin 643 of the connecting displacement member 642.

Next, the operation of the right rotation unit 6600 will be described with reference to Figures 84 to 87. Figures 84 and 85 are front views of the right rotation unit 6600 in each state when it operates between the retracted position and the extended position, and Figures 86 and 87 are schematic rear views of the right rotation unit 6600 in each state when it operates between the retracted position and the extended position.

Note that Figs. 84(a) to 84(c) are the same as Figs. 86(a) to 86(c), and Figs. 85(a) to 85(c) are the same as Figs. 87(a) to 87(c), respectively. In this case, Fig. 84(c) is the same as Fig. 85(a), and Fig. 86(c) is the same as Fig. 87(a), respectively.

The right rotation unit 6600 in the sixth embodiment is substantially identical to the right rotation unit 4600 in the fourth embodiment, except for the shape of the connecting groove 6641c of the driven member 6641, and therefore a description of the identical parts will be omitted.

As shown in Figures 84 and 86, when the transmission member 654 is rotated in the forward direction (clockwise in Figure 86(a)) from the retracted position shown in Figures 84(a) and 86(a), as described above, while the drive pin 654b of the transmission member 654 passes through the action section 635a of the first groove 635, no relative displacement of the second displacement member 6640 (driven member 6641) with respect to the first displacement member 4630 is formed, so the second displacement member 6640 and the third displacement member 4660 are displaced together with the first displacement member 4630.

In other words, in the sections shown in Figures 84(a) to 84(c) and Figures 86(a) to 86(c), the angle between the first displacement member 4630 (virtual line L1) and the third displacement member 4660 (virtual line L2) is maintained at the crossing angle θ1, as in the case of the fourth embodiment described above.

In the state shown in Figures 85(a) and 87(a), the connecting pin 643 of the connecting displacement member 642 is located at the start of the action section 6641c1 in the connecting groove 6641c of the driven member 6641 (the end opposite the connection part of the action section 6641c and the non-interference section 6641c2, the right side of Figure 87(a)). In this case, the drive pin 654b of the transmission member 654 is located at the connection part of the action section 635a and the non-interference section 635b of the first groove 635.

When the transmission member 654 is rotated in the forward direction (clockwise in FIG. 87(a)) from the state shown in FIG. 85(a) and FIG. 87(a), the first displacement member 4630 is maintained in the state (position) shown in FIG. 87(a), and the driven member 6641, whose inner wall surface of the second groove 641b is pushed downward (downward in FIG. 87(a)) by the drive pin 654b of the transmission member 654, rotates in a direction that raises the connecting groove 6641c around the support shaft 632 (counterclockwise in FIG. 87(b)).

By this rotation of the driven member 6641, the connecting pin 643 of the connecting displacement member 642 is pushed upward by the inner wall surface of the acting section 6641c1 while sliding on the acting section 6641c1 of the connecting groove 6641c of the driven member 6641. As a result, the connecting displacement member 642 rotates in a direction lifting the decorative part 642b (clockwise in FIG. 87(a)) with the support shaft 633 as the center of rotation. As a result, the connecting pin 643 reaches the connection part of the acting section 6641c1 and the non-interference section 6641c2 of the connecting groove 6641c, and the state shown in FIG. 85(b) and FIG. 87(b) (decorative part 642b is lifted to the top) is formed.

In this case, the connecting pin 643 of the connecting displacement member 642 is disposed on the same side (left side in FIG. 87(b)) as the decorative part 642b (i.e., the center of gravity of the connecting displacement member 642) with respect to the shaft support hole 642a, and the connecting groove 6641c of the driven member 6641 is formed so that the inner wall surface of the non-interference section 6641c2 can support the connecting pin 643 from below. In other words, the inner wall surface of the non-interference section 6641c2 is formed as a surface that intersects at a predetermined angle with the moving direction of the connecting pin 643 when the connecting displacement member 642 rotates around the shaft support hole 642a under its own weight.

Therefore, in the state shown in FIG. 85(b) and FIG. 87(b), the inner wall surface of the non-interference section 6641c2 supports the connecting pin 643 from below (restricting the movement of the connecting pin 643), thereby restricting the connecting displacement member 642 from rotating around the shaft support hole 642a due to its own weight. In other words, the connecting displacement member 642 can be maintained in a stopped state relative to the first displacement member 4630.

In the state shown in FIG. 85(b) and FIG. 87(b), as described above, the inner wall surface of the sliding groove 4661 of the third displacement member 4660 is pushed up by the connecting pin 3641d of the driven member 6641, so that the third displacement member 4660 rotates relative to the first displacement member 4630, and the angle between the first displacement member 4630 (virtual line L1) and the third displacement member 4660 (virtual line L2) is changed (decreased) to the intersection angle θ2 (θ2<θ1).

When the transmission member 654 is rotated in the positive direction (clockwise in FIG. 87(b)) from the state shown in FIG. 85(b) and FIG. 87(b), the inner wall surface of the sliding groove 4661 in the third displacement member 4660 is pushed up by the connecting pin 3641d of the driven member 6641, and the angle between the first displacement member 4630 (virtual line L1) and the third displacement member 4660 (virtual line L2) is changed (reduced) to a cross angle θ3 (θ3<θ2<θ1) as shown in FIG. 85(c) and FIG. 87(c).

In this case, the non-interference section 6641c2 of the connecting groove 6641c is curved in an arc shape centered on the support shaft 632 (shaft support hole 641a), so even if the driven member 6641 rotates counterclockwise in FIG. 87(b) around the support shaft 632 (shaft support hole 641a), the inner wall surface of the non-interference section 6641c2 supports the connecting pin 643 of the connecting displacement member 642 from below, restricting the connecting displacement member 642 from rotating around the shaft support hole 642a due to its own weight, but does not push the connecting pin 643 upward, and therefore the connecting displacement member 642 is not rotated in a direction that lifts the decorative part 642b around the support shaft 633 as the rotation center. In other words, the connecting displacement member 642 can be maintained in an approximately stopped state and the rotation of the third displacement member 4660 can be continued.

Contrary to the above, when the transmission member 654 is rotated in the opposite direction (counterclockwise in FIG. 87(c)) from the state shown in FIG. 85(c) and FIG. 87(c), while the connecting pin 643 of the connecting displacement member 642 passes through the non-interference section 6641c2, the connecting displacement member 642 is maintained in the state (position) shown in FIG. 85(c) and FIG. 87(c) (see FIG. 85(b) and FIG. 87(b)), while the connecting pin 643 of the connecting displacement member 642 passes through the action section 6641c1, the connecting pin 643 is pushed down by the inner wall surface of the action section 6641c1, and the connecting displacement member 642 rotates around the support shaft 633 in the direction of lowering the decorative part 642b.

The operation of the right rotation unit 6600 in the sixth embodiment formed in this manner will be described with reference to FIG. 88 in comparison with the operation of the right rotation unit 4600 in the fourth embodiment.

Figures 88(a) to 88(c) are schematic front views of the right rotation unit 4600 in the fourth embodiment, and Figures 88(d) to 88(g) are schematic front views of the right rotation unit 6600 in the sixth embodiment, each illustrating a different state when operating between the retracted position and the extended position.

As described above, in the right rotation unit 4600 in the fourth embodiment, the second displacement member 3640 and the third displacement member 4660 are not displaced relative to the first displacement member 4630, and the first displacement member 4630, the second displacement member 3640, and the third displacement member 4660 are displaced together (a configuration between FIG. 88(a) and FIG. 88(b)), and the second displacement member 3640 and the third displacement member 4660 are displaced relative to the first displacement member 4630 while the first displacement member 4630 is maintained in a stopped state (a configuration between FIG. 88(b) and FIG. 88(c)). In this case, in the latter configuration, the period (start and end) of the displacement of the second displacement member 3640 is approximately the same as the period (start and end) of the displacement of the third displacement member 4660.

In contrast, the right rotation unit 6600 in the sixth embodiment can be formed in a form in which the first displacement member 4630, the second displacement member 6640, and the third displacement member 4660 are displaced together (a form between FIG. 88(d) and FIG. 88(e)), a form in which the second displacement member 6640 and the third displacement member 4660 are displaced relative to the first displacement member 4630 while the first displacement member 4630 is maintained in a stopped state (a form between FIG. 88(e) and FIG. 88(f)), and a form in which the third displacement member 4660 is displaced relative to the first displacement member 4630 and the second displacement member 6640 while the first displacement member 4630 and the second displacement member 6640 are maintained in a stopped state (a form between FIG. 88(f) and FIG. 88(g)).

That is, in the sixth embodiment, the period (start and end) of the displacement of the second displacement member 6640 can be made different from the period (start and end) of the displacement of the third displacement member 4660. More specifically, the displacement of the second displacement member 6640 and the third displacement member 4660 can be started simultaneously, while the timing for stopping the displacement of the second displacement member 6640 and the third displacement member 4660 can be shifted (the displacement of the second displacement member 6640 can be stopped first, and then the displacement of the third displacement member 4660 can be stopped).

Seventh Embodiment
Next, the seventh embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 89 to 94. In the third embodiment, the right rotation unit 3600 is formed by displacing the connecting displacement member 642 and the third displacement member 3660 on the first displacement member 3630, but in the right rotation unit 7600 of the seventh embodiment, the third displacement member 7660 is displaceably disposed on the first displacement member 7630, and the connecting displacement member 642 is displaceably disposed on the third displacement member 7660. Note that the same parts as those in the above embodiments are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted.

Figure 89 is an exploded front perspective view of the right rotation unit 7600 in the seventh embodiment, and Figure 90 is an exploded rear perspective view of the right rotation unit 7600. Note that Figures 89 and 90 show a state in which a part of the right rotation unit 7600 (the rear base 610 and the front base 620) is assembled.

89 and 90, in the right rotation unit 7600 in the seventh embodiment, a third displacement member 7660 is rotatably supported on the front of one end side (upper side of FIG. 89) of a first displacement member 7630, and a connecting displacement member 642 is rotatably supported on the third displacement member 7660. As described below, when the driven member 7641 is rotated relative to the first displacement member 7630 and the third displacement member 7660 is rotated relative to the first displacement member 7630, the connecting displacement member 642 rotates while changing the position of its rotation center in a curved trajectory in accordance with the rotation of the third displacement member 7660.

The first displacement member 7630 has a notch 7639 cut out at the edge of one end (upper side in FIG. 90), and the space created by the notch 7639 is used as an arrangement space for the support shaft 7665 of the third displacement member 7660 described below. A connecting groove 7641c is drilled in the driven member 7641 of the second displacement member 7640. The connecting groove 7641c is a groove-shaped opening that extends linearly along the longitudinal direction of the driven member 7641, and the connecting pin 643 of the connecting displacement member 642 is slidably inserted through it.

The groove width of the connecting groove 7641c is set to a dimension slightly larger than the diameter of the connecting pin 643. The overall length (groove length) of the connecting groove 7641c is also made longer than the connecting groove 641c in the fourth embodiment. This ensures the relative displacement amount (relative rotation angle) of the connecting displacement member 642 with respect to the driven member 7641.

A support shaft 7665 protrudes from the back surface of the third displacement member 7660. The support shaft 7665 is a shaft-shaped body with a circular cross section that is inserted into the shaft support hole 642a of the connecting displacement member 642, and the connecting displacement member 642 is rotatably supported on the back surface of the third displacement member 7660 via the support shaft 7665 and the shaft support hole 642a.

A retainer C having a diameter larger than the inner diameter of the shaft support hole 642a is fastened to the axial end face of the support shaft 7665, thereby restricting the support shaft 7665 from slipping out of the shaft support hole 642a. The support shaft 7665 has a large diameter portion on the base side and a small diameter portion on the tip side that is smaller than the large diameter portion, and the small diameter portion is inserted into the shaft support hole 642a. That is, the large diameter portion is a portion for raising the connecting displacement member 642 from the back surface of the third displacement member 7660, and by raising this large diameter portion, the positional relationship of the connecting displacement member 642 to the driven member 7641 in the front-rear direction (for example, the direction perpendicular to the paper surface of FIG. 91(a)) is set to the same as in the fourth embodiment.

Next, the operation of the right rotation unit 7600 will be described with reference to Figures 91 to 94. Figures 91 and 92 are front views of the right rotation unit 7600 in each state when it operates between the retracted position and the extended position, and Figures 93 and 94 are schematic rear views of the right rotation unit 7600 in each state when it operates between the retracted position and the extended position.

Note that Figs. 91(a) to 91(c) are the same as Figs. 93(a) to 93(c), and Figs. 92(a) to 92(c) are the same as Figs. 94(a) to 94(c), respectively. In this case, Fig. 91(c) is the same as Fig. 92(a), and Fig. 93(c) is the same as Fig. 94(a), respectively.

In the seventh embodiment, the drive pin 654b of the transmission member 654 slides in the first groove 635 of the first displacement member 7630, thereby displacing the first displacement member 7630, the second displacement member 7640, and the third displacement member 7660, respectively. The manner in which the first displacement member 7630 and the third displacement member 7660 are displaced is the same as in the fourth embodiment described above, so a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

As shown in Figures 91 and 93, when the transmission member 654 is rotated in the forward direction (clockwise in Figure 93(a)) from the retracted position shown in Figures 91(a) and 93(a), as described above, while the drive pin 654b of the transmission member 654 passes through the action section 635a of the first groove 635, no relative displacement of the second displacement member 7640 (driven member 7641) with respect to the first displacement member 7630 is formed, so the second displacement member 7640 and the third displacement member 7660 are displaced together with the first displacement member 7630.

In other words, in the sections shown in Figures 91(a) to 91(c) and Figures 93(a) to 93(c), the angle between the first displacement member 7630 (virtual line L1) and the third displacement member 7660 (virtual line L2) is maintained at the crossing angle θ1, as in the case of the fourth embodiment described above.

When the transmission member 654 is rotated in the forward direction (clockwise in FIG. 94(a)) from the state shown in FIG. 92(a) and FIG. 94(a), the drive pin 654b of the transmission member 654 passes through the non-interference section 635b of the first groove 635, and while the first displacement member 7630 is maintained in the state (position) shown in FIG. 94(a), the driven member 7641 rotates in a direction (counterclockwise in FIG. 94(a)) that lifts the connecting groove 7641c and the connecting pin 3641d with the support shaft 632 (shaft support hole 641a) as the center of rotation.

As a result, the inner wall surface of the sliding groove 4661 in the third displacement member 7660 is pushed upward (upper side in Figure 94 (a)) by the connecting pin 3641d of the driven member 7641, and the connecting pin 643 of the connecting displacement member 642 is pushed upward by the inner wall surface of the connecting groove 7641c of the driven member 7641.

As a result, as shown in Figures 92 and 94, the third displacement member 7660 rotates relative to the first displacement member 7630, and the angle between the first displacement member 7630 (virtual line L1) and the third displacement member 7660 (virtual line L2) changes (decreases) from cross angle θ1 to cross angle θ2, then to cross angle θ3 (θ3<θ2<θ1), and the connecting displacement member 642 rotates clockwise in Figure 94(a) around the support shaft 7665 (shaft support hole 642a) as the center of rotation, lifting the decorative portion 642b upward.

In this case, the third displacement member 7660 is rotated around the rotation shaft 4662 in a direction that lifts the support shaft 7665 upward, so that the rotation of the third displacement member 7660 can be used to lift the connecting displacement member 642 itself, which is supported by the support shaft 7665 of the third displacement member 7660, upward.

That is, according to the seventh embodiment, the connecting displacement member 642 can be displaced (lifted) upward in an arc-shaped trajectory relative to the first displacement member 7630 while rotating with respect to the third displacement member 7660 around the support shaft 7665 as the center of rotation. As a result, the displacement of the connecting displacement member 642 (decorative part 642b) can be linked with the displacement of the third displacement member 7660 to form a more complex configuration, and the amount of upward projection of the decorative part 642b (the crossing angle θ4, which is the angle between the first displacement member 4630 (virtual line L1) and the virtual line L3 that passes through the axis of the shaft support hole 642a (support shaft 7665) and runs along the longitudinal direction of the connecting displacement member 64) can be enlarged to form a posture in which it protrudes further upward.

Eighth Embodiment
Next, an eighth embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 95 to Fig. 105. In the first embodiment, a case was described in which the left rotation unit 700 is formed so that the manner of relative displacement of the second displacement member 740 with respect to the first displacement member 730 is the same on the outward path from the retracted position to the extended position and on the return path from the extended position to the retracted position. However, in the left rotation unit 8700 in the eighth embodiment, the manner of relative displacement of the second displacement member 740 with respect to the first displacement member 730 is different on the outward path and on the return path. Note that the same reference numerals are used for the same parts as in the above embodiments, and their description will be omitted.

Figure 95 is an exploded front perspective view of the left rotation unit 8700 in the eighth embodiment, and Figure 96 is an exploded rear perspective view of the left rotation unit 8700. Also, Figure 97 is a front view of the guide portion 8773. Note that Figures 95 and 96 show a state in which a part of the left rotation unit 8700 (the rear base 710 and the front base 720) is assembled.

As shown in Figures 95 to 97, in the left rotation unit 8700 in the eighth embodiment, a guide portion 8773 is recessed in the front surface of one longitudinal end side (upper side in Figure 95) of the second connecting member 8770. As described below, the guide portion 8773 is formed as a circular path, and the connecting pin 8744a of the flange member 8744 is guided along the guide portion 8773, so that the form of relative displacement of the second displacing member 740 with respect to the first displacing member 730 can be made different between the outward path and the return path.

The connecting pin 8744a is a shaft-shaped body with a circular cross section that protrudes from the back surface of the flange member 8744 and is arranged eccentrically from the axis of the rotating shaft 741. Its diameter is set to a dimension slightly smaller than the groove width of the guide portion 8773, so that it can move along the guide portion 8773. An elastic body (not shown) made of a coil spring is stored in an elastically compressed state in the second connecting member 8770, and the elastic recovery force of the elastic body acts in a direction that causes the connecting pin 8744a to protrude from the back surface of the second connecting member 8770. Therefore, when the connecting pin 8744a moves along the guide portion 8773, the tip of the connecting pin 8744a is maintained in contact with the bottom surface of the guide portion 8773.

The guide portion 8773 is a groove with a roughly U-shaped cross section for guiding the connecting pin 8744a, and is formed as a circular path, with multiple steps (first to third steps 8773h to 8773j) formed in a directional manner within the path (see FIG. 97).

In detail, the guide portion 8773 is formed of a first groove 8773a that starts at position P1 and extends in a substantially straight line in a front view along the width direction (direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, left-right direction in FIG. 97) of the second connecting member 8770, a second groove 8773b that is connected to the end of the first groove 8773a and starts at position P2 and extends in a substantially straight line in a front view along the longitudinal direction (up-down direction in FIG. 97) of the second connecting member 8770, and a third groove 8773c that is connected to the end of the second groove 8773b and extends while curving in an arc shape (in this embodiment, an arc shape that is convex in the direction away from position P2) starting at position P3, the end of which is connected to the start of the first groove 8773a.

A first step 8773h is formed at the connection between the first groove 8773a and the second groove 8773b. The first step 8773h is a vertical surface that connects the bottom surfaces of the second groove 8773b by making the bottom surface of the starting end side (position P2) lower than the bottom surface of the terminal end side of the first groove 8773a (positioned toward the back of the paper in Figure 97). This allows the movement of the connecting pin 8744a from the terminal end of the first groove 8773a to the starting end of the second groove 8773b, while the movement of the connecting pin 8744a from the starting end of the second groove 8773b to the terminal end of the first groove 8773a can be restricted by the first step 8773h.

Similarly, a second step 8773i and a third step 8773j are formed at the connection between the second groove 8773b and the third groove 8773c, and at the connection between the third groove 8773c and the first groove 8773a. The second step 8773i is formed by making the bottom surface of the starting end side (position P3) of the third groove 8773c lower than the bottom surface of the terminal end side of the second groove 8773b, and the third step 8773j is formed by making the bottom surface of the starting end side (position P1) of the first groove 8773a lower than the bottom surface of the terminal end side of the third groove 8773c.

This allows the movement of the connecting pin 8744a from the end of the second groove 8773b (third groove 8773c) to the start of the third groove 8773c (first groove 8773a), while the movement of the connecting pin 8744a from the start of the third groove 8773c (first groove 8773a) to the end of the second groove 8773b (third groove 8773c) is restricted by the second step 8773i (third step 8773j).

That is, the connecting pin 8744a is only allowed to move circularly through the guide portion 8773 in the directions of the arrows L1, L2, and L3, moving sequentially through the first groove 8773a, the second groove 8773b, and the third groove 8773c.

Next, the operation of the left rotation unit 8700 will be explained with reference to Figures 98 to 105.

In the eighth embodiment, the drive pin 754b of the transmission member 754 slides in the drive groove 762 of the first connecting member 760 (presses the inner wall surface), thereby displacing the first connecting member 760 and the second connecting member 8770 and the first displacement member 730 and the second displacement member 740, respectively. Since the manner in which the first connecting member 760 and the second connecting member 8770 and the first displacement member 730 are displaced is the same as in the first embodiment described above, a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

First, referring to Figures 98 to 101, the operation of the left rotation unit 8700 when moving forward from the retracted position to the extended position will be described.

Figures 98 and 99 are front views of the left rotation unit 8700 in each state when moving from the retracted position to the extended position, and Figures 100 and 101 are schematic rear views of the left rotation unit 8700 in each state when moving from the retracted position to the extended position.

As shown in Figures 98(a) and 100(a), in the retracted position, the first displacement member 730 and the second displacement member 740 are in an upright state and are disposed in front of the front base 720.

In this case, the angle between an imaginary line M1 that passes through the axis of the shaft support hole 732 (rotation shaft 741) and runs along the longitudinal direction of the first displacement member 730 and an imaginary line M2 that passes through the axis of the shaft support hole 732 (rotation shaft 741) and runs along the longitudinal direction of the second displacement member 740 is the intersection angle α1. In addition, the connecting pin 8744a of the flange member 8744 is positioned at position P1 (the beginning of the first groove 8773a) of the guide portion 8773 (see FIG. 97), and the connecting second member 8770 is pushed up to the uppermost position (upper side of FIG. 100(a)).

When the transmission member 754 is rotated in the forward direction (clockwise in FIG. 100(a)) from this state, the first connecting member 760 is rotated in the protruding direction (counterclockwise in FIG. 100(a)) around the rotation shaft 761, and the first displacement member 730 is rotated in the protruding direction (counterclockwise in FIG. 100(a)) around the rotation shaft 731. As a result, the first displacement member 730 is tilted in the protruding direction as shown in FIG. 98(b) and FIG. 100(b).

When the first connecting member 760 is rotated in the protruding direction, the second connecting member 8770 is pulled downward (lower side in FIG. 101(a)), and the inner wall surface of the guide portion 8773 (first groove 8773a) of the second connecting member 8770 presses downward the connecting pin 8744a in the flange member 8744 of the second displacement member 740, so that the connecting pin 8744a positioned at position P1 is guided along the first groove 8773a in the direction of arrow L1 (see FIG. 97).

As a result, as shown in Figures 98(b) and 100(b), the second displacement member 740 is displaced (rotated) relative to the first displacement member 730 in the first direction (clockwise in Figure 100(a)) with the rotation axis 741 as the center of rotation, and the angle between the first displacement member 730 (virtual line M1) and the second displacement member 740 (virtual line M2) changes (increases) from cross angle α1 to cross angle α2 (α1<α2).

When the transmission member 754 is further rotated in the forward direction (clockwise in FIG. 100(b)) from the state shown in FIG. 98(b) and FIG. 100(b), as in the above-mentioned case, the first connecting member 760 is rotated in the protruding direction (counterclockwise in FIG. 100(b)) around the rotation shaft 761 as the center of rotation, and the first displacement member 730 is rotated in the protruding direction (counterclockwise in FIG. 100(b)) around the rotation shaft 731 as the center of rotation, and is further tilted in the protruding direction as shown in FIG. 99(a) and FIG. 101(a).

In addition, when the first connecting member 760 is rotated in the protruding direction, the second connecting member 8770 is pulled further downward (to the lower right side of FIG. 101(b)), and the inner wall surface of the guide portion 8773 (first groove 8773a) of the second connecting member 8770 presses downward the connecting pin 8744a in the flange member 8744 of the second displacement member 740, so that the connecting pin 8744a is further guided along the first groove 8773a along the guide portion 8773 in the direction of arrow L1 (see FIG. 97).

As a result, as shown in Figures 99(a) and 101(a), the second displacement member 740 is further displaced (rotated) relative to the first displacement member 730 in the first direction (clockwise in Figure 100(b)) with the rotation axis 741 as the center of rotation, and the angle between the first displacement member 730 (virtual line M1) and the second displacement member 740 (virtual line M2) changes (increases) from cross angle α2 to cross angle α3 (α1<α2<α3).

Then, when the transmission member 754 reaches the end of its movable range, as shown in FIG. 99(b) and FIG. 101(b), the first displacement member 730 is tilted to the maximum, and the second displacement member 740 is displaced (rotated) relative to the first displacement member 730 to the maximum. In other words, the first displacement member 730 and the second displacement member 740 are positioned in the extended position.

In this case, the connecting pin 8744a is guided along the first groove 8773a in the direction of the arrow L1, passes through (jumps down) the first step 8773h, and then hits the inner wall surface of the second groove 8773b, thereby being positioned at position P2 (see FIG. 97). As a result, the angle between the first displacement member 730 (virtual line M1) and the second displacement member 740 (virtual line M2) changes (increases) from the cross angle α3 to the cross angle α4 (α1<α2<α3<α4).

Next, with reference to Figures 102 to 105, the operation of the left rotation unit 8700 when moving back from the extended position to the retracted position will be described.

Figures 102 and 103 are front views of the left rotation unit 8700 in each state when it moves back from the extended position to the retracted position, and Figures 104 and 105 are schematic rear views of the left rotation unit 8700 in each state when it moves back from the extended position to the retracted position. Note that Figure 98(a) is the same as Figure 103(b), and Figure 99(b) is the same as Figure 102(a).

Here, the rotational position of the first displacement member 730 shown in Figures 102(b) and 104(b) is the same as the rotational position of the first displacement member 730 shown in Figures 99(a) and 101(a), and the rotational position of the first displacement member 730 shown in Figures 103(a) and 105(a) is the same as the rotational position of the first displacement member 730 shown in Figures 98(b) and 100(b).

Also, as shown in Figures 102(a) and 104(a), in the extended position, the connecting pin 8744a of the flange member 8744 is positioned at position P2 (the beginning of the second groove 8773b) of the guide portion 8773 (see Figure 97), and the second connecting member 8770 is pulled all the way downward (to the lower right side of Figure 104(a)).

Contrary to the above-mentioned case (the forward path shown in Fig. 98 to Fig. 101), when the transmission member 754 is rotated in the reverse direction (counterclockwise in Fig. 104(a)) from the extended position shown in Fig. 102(a) and Fig. 104(a), the first connecting member 760 is rotated in the retraction direction (clockwise in Fig. 104(a)) around the rotation shaft 761, and the first displacement member 730 is rotated in the retraction direction (clockwise in Fig. 104(a)) around the rotation shaft 731. As a result, the first displacement member 730 is rotated (standing up) in the retraction direction as shown in Fig. 102(b) and Fig. 104(b).

When the first connecting member 760 is rotated in the retracting direction, the second connecting member 8770 is pushed upward (upper left side of FIG. 104(a)), and the connecting pin 8744a located at position P2 is guided in the direction of arrow L2 along the second groove 8773b of the guide portion 8773 (see FIG. 97). In this case, as described above, the second groove 8773b extends along the longitudinal direction of the second connecting member 8770, and the relative displacement of the second connecting member 8770 with respect to the first displacement member 730 is a linear movement (sliding displacement) along the longitudinal direction of each other.

As a result, as shown in Figures 102(b) and 104(b), in the section where the connecting pin 8744a is guided along the second groove 8773b (see Figure 97), no relative displacement (relative rotation) is formed around the rotation axis 741 of the second displacement member 740 relative to the first displacement member 730. As a result, the angle between the first displacement member 730 (virtual line M1) and the second displacement member 740 (virtual line M2) is maintained at the cross angle α4.

When the transmission member 754 is further rotated in the reverse direction (counterclockwise in FIG. 104(b)) from the state shown in FIG. 102(b) and FIG. 104(b), as in the above-mentioned case, the first connecting member 760 is rotated in the retraction direction (clockwise in FIG. 104(b)) around the rotation shaft 761, and the first displacement member 730 is rotated in the retraction direction (clockwise in FIG. 104(b)) around the rotation shaft 731, and is further rotated (standing up) in the retraction direction as shown in FIG. 103(a) and FIG. 105(a).

When the first connecting member 760 is rotated in the retracting direction, the second connecting member 8770 is pushed further upward (upper left side in FIG. 104(b)), and the connecting pin 8744a is further guided in the direction of arrow L2 along the second groove 8773b in the guide portion 8773, passes through (jumps down) the second step 8773i, and then hits the inner wall surface of the third groove 8773c, thereby being positioned at position P3 (see FIG. 97).

As described above, in the section where the connecting pin 8744a is guided along the second groove 8773b, no relative displacement (relative rotation) is formed around the rotation axis 741 of the second displacement member 740 relative to the first displacement member 730. Therefore, as shown in Figures 103(a) and 105(a), the angle between the first displacement member 730 (virtual line M1) and the second displacement member 740 (virtual line M2) is maintained at the intersection angle α4.

Then, when the transmission member 754 reaches the end of its movable range, as shown in Figures 103(b) and 105(b), the first displacement member 730 is raised to its maximum and the relative displacement (relative rotation) of the second displacement member 740 with respect to the first displacement member 730 is minimized. In other words, the first displacement member 730 and the second displacement member 740 are disposed in the retracted position.

In this case, by pushing the second connecting member 8770 to the top, the connecting pin 8744a is guided along the third groove 8773c in the direction of the arrow L3, passes through (jumps down) the third step 8773j, and then hits the inner wall surface of the first groove 8773a, returning to position P1 (see FIG. 97). As a result, the angle between the first displacement member 730 (virtual line M1) and the second displacement member 740 (virtual line M2) returns (decreases) from the cross angle α4 to the cross angle α1.

In this way, according to this embodiment, the manner of displacement (rotation) of the first displacement member 730 relative to the rear base 710 and the front base 720 can be made the same on the outward path from the retracted position to the extended position and on the return path from the extended position to the retracted position, while the manner of relative displacement of the second displacement member 740 relative to the first displacement member 730 can be made different.

In detail, on the outward path, the angle between the first displacement member 730 (virtual line M1) and the second displacement member 740 (virtual line M2) is gradually increased in proportion to the amount of displacement (amount of rotation) of the first displacement member 730 relative to the rear base 710 and the front base 720, while on the return path, the angle between the first displacement member 730 (virtual line M1) and the second displacement member 740 (virtual line M2) is displaced toward the retracted position while maintaining the crossing angle α4, and is reduced from the crossing angle α4 to the crossing angle α1 in a short time just before being placed in the retracted position.

In addition, because the connecting pin 8744a is guided along the grooves 8773a to 8773c of the guide portion 8773, rattling of the second displacement member 740 relative to the first displacement member 730 can be suppressed even when the transmission member 754 (first displacement member 730) is rotationally driven (displaced) at a relatively high speed.

Ninth embodiment
Next, the ninth embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 106 to 115. In the eighth embodiment, the guide portion 8773 is formed as a circular path in which a U-shaped groove is endlessly connected, but the guide portion 9773 in the ninth embodiment is formed as an opening into which the connecting pin 744a is loosely fitted. The same parts as those in the above embodiments are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted.

Figure 106 is an exploded front perspective view of the left rotation unit 9700 in the ninth embodiment, and Figure 107 is an exploded rear perspective view of the left rotation unit 9700. Note that Figures 106 and 107 show a state in which a part of the left rotation unit 9700 (the rear base 710 and the front base 720) is assembled.

As shown in Figures 106 and 107, the left rotation unit 9700 in the ninth embodiment has a guide portion 9773 formed as an opening at one longitudinal end side (upper side in Figure 106) of the second connecting member 9770. As described below, the connecting pin 744a of the flange member 744 is displaced within the guide portion 9773, so that the form of relative displacement of the second displacement member 740 with respect to the first displacement member 730 can be made different between the forward and backward directions.

The guide portion 9773 is formed as an opening having inner wall surfaces of a first inner wall 9773a extending in a substantially straight line in a front view along the width direction (direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction) of the second connecting member 9770, a second inner wall 9773b connected to an end of the first inner wall 9773a and extending in a substantially straight line in a front view along the longitudinal direction (vertical direction in FIG. 106) of the second connecting member 9770, and a third inner wall 9773c connected to an end of the second inner wall 9773b and extending while curving in an arc shape (in this embodiment, an arc shape that convex in a direction away from the connection portion of the first inner wall 9773a and the second inner wall 9773b), the end of which is connected to the beginning end of the first inner wall 9773a.

Next, the operation of the left rotation unit 9700 will be explained with reference to Figures 108 to 115.

In the ninth embodiment, the drive pin 754b of the transmission member 754 slides in the drive groove 762 of the first connecting member 760 (presses the inner wall surface), thereby displacing the first connecting member 760 and the second connecting member 9770 and the first displacement member 730 and the second displacement member 740, respectively. Since the manner in which the first connecting member 760 and the second connecting member 9770 and the first displacement member 730 are displaced is the same as in the first embodiment described above, a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

First, referring to Figures 108 to 111, the operation of the left rotation unit 9700 when moving forward from the retracted position to the extended position will be described.

Figures 108 and 109 are front views of the left rotation unit 9700 in each state when moving from the retracted position to the extended position, and Figures 110 and 111 are schematic rear views of the left rotation unit 9700 in each state when moving from the retracted position to the extended position.

As shown in Figures 108(a) and 110(a), in the retracted position, the first displacement member 730 and the second displacement member 740 are in an upright state and are disposed in front of the front base 720.

In this case, the angle between an imaginary line M1 that passes through the axis of the shaft support hole 732 (rotation shaft 741) and runs along the longitudinal direction of the first displacement member 730 and an imaginary line M2 that passes through the axis of the shaft support hole 732 (rotation shaft 741) and runs along the longitudinal direction of the second displacement member 740 is the intersection angle β1. In addition, the connecting pin 744a of the flange member 744 is positioned at the connection portion (the beginning end of the first inner wall 9773a) of the first inner wall 9773a and the third inner wall 9773c of the guide portion 9773, and the connecting second member 9770 is pushed up to the uppermost position (upper side of FIG. 110(a)).

The center of gravity G, which is the center of mass of the second displacement member 740 (the point of action of the resultant force of gravity acting on the second displacement member 740), is located on the opposite side to the connecting pin 744a (left side in FIG. 110(a)) across a vertical line Z that passes through the axis of the rotation shaft 741 (axis support hole 732) and is parallel to the direction of gravity when viewed in the axial direction of the rotation shaft 741 (axis support hole 732) (i.e., the state in FIG. 110(a)).

The second displacement member 740 is therefore rotated by its own weight around the rotation shaft 741 in a direction that lifts the connecting pin 744a upward (counterclockwise in FIG. 110(a)). As the second displacement member 740 rotates by its own weight, the connecting pin 744a comes into contact with (is pressed against) the first inner wall 9773a of the guide portion 9773.

When the transmission member 754 is rotated in the forward direction (clockwise in FIG. 110(a)) from this state, the first connecting member 760 is rotated in the protruding direction (counterclockwise in FIG. 110(a)) around the rotation shaft 761, and the first displacement member 730 is rotated in the protruding direction (counterclockwise in FIG. 110(a)) around the rotation shaft 731. As a result, the first displacement member 730 is tilted in the protruding direction as shown in FIG. 108(b) and FIG. 110(b).

In addition, when the first connecting member 760 is rotated in the protruding direction, the second connecting member 9770 is pulled downward (lower side in FIG. 110(a)), and the inner wall surface (first inner wall 9773a) of the guide portion 9773 of the second connecting member 9770 presses downward the connecting pin 744a of the flange member 744 of the second displacement member 740, so that the connecting pin 744a is guided along the first inner wall 9773a along the guide portion 9773 toward the second inner wall 9773b.

As a result, as shown in Figures 108(b) and 110(b), the second displacement member 740 is displaced (rotated) relative to the first displacement member 730 in the first direction (clockwise in Figure 110(a)) with the rotation axis 741 as the center of rotation, and the angle between the first displacement member 730 (virtual line M1) and the second displacement member 740 (virtual line M2) changes (increases) from cross angle β1 to cross angle β2 (β1 < β2).

When the transmission member 754 is further rotated in the forward direction (clockwise in FIG. 110(b)) from the state shown in FIG. 108(b) and FIG. 110(b), as in the above-mentioned case, the first connecting member 760 is rotated in the protruding direction (counterclockwise in FIG. 110(b)) around the rotation shaft 761 as the center of rotation, and the first displacement member 730 is rotated in the protruding direction (counterclockwise in FIG. 110(b)) around the rotation shaft 731 as the center of rotation, and is further tilted in the protruding direction as shown in FIG. 109(a) and FIG. 111(a).

In addition, when the first connecting member 760 is rotated in the protruding direction, the second connecting member 9770 is pulled further downward (to the lower right side of FIG. 110(b)), and the inner wall surface (first inner wall 9773a) of the guide portion 9773 of the second connecting member 9770 presses downward the connecting pin 744a of the flange member 744 of the second displacement member 740, so that the connecting pin 744a is further guided along the first inner wall 9773a along the guide portion 9773 in the direction toward the second inner wall 9773b.

As a result, as shown in Figures 109(a) and 111(a), the second displacement member 740 is further displaced (rotated) relative to the first displacement member 730 in the first direction (clockwise in Figure 110(b)) with the rotation axis 741 as the center of rotation, and the angle between the first displacement member 730 (virtual line M1) and the second displacement member 740 (virtual line M2) changes (increases) from cross angle β2 to cross angle β3 (β1<β2<β3).

Then, when the transmission member 754 reaches the end of its movable range, as shown in FIG. 109(b) and FIG. 111(b), the first displacement member 730 is tilted to the maximum, and the second displacement member 740 is displaced (rotated) relative to the first displacement member 730 to the maximum. In other words, the first displacement member 730 and the second displacement member 740 are positioned in the extended position.

In this case, the connecting pin 744a is guided along the guide portion 9773 along the first inner wall 9773a and hits the inner wall surface of the second inner wall 9773b, thereby being positioned at the connection portion (starting end of the second inner wall 9773b) between the first inner wall 9773a and the second inner wall 9773b. As a result, the angle between the first displacement member 730 (virtual line M1) and the second displacement member 740 (virtual line M2) changes (increases) from the cross angle β3 to the cross angle β4 (β1<β2<β3<β4).

Next, referring to Figures 112 to 115, the operation of the left rotation unit 9700 when moving back from the extended position to the retracted position will be described.

Figures 112 and 113 are front views of the left rotation unit 9700 in each state when it moves back from the extended position to the retracted position, and Figures 114 and 115 are schematic rear views of the left rotation unit 9700 in each state when it moves back from the extended position to the retracted position. Note that Figure 112(a) is the same as Figure 109(b), and Figure 113(b) is the same as Figure 108(a).

Here, the rotational position of the first displacement member 730 shown in Figures 112(b) and 114(b) is the same as the rotational position of the first displacement member 730 shown in Figures 109(a) and 111(a), and the rotational position of the first displacement member 730 shown in Figures 113(a) and 115(a) is the same as the rotational position of the first displacement member 730 shown in Figures 108(b) and 110(b).

Also, as shown in Figures 112(a) and 114(a), in the extended position, the connecting pin 744a of the flange member 744 is positioned at the connection portion of the first inner wall 9773a and the second inner wall 9773b of the guide portion 9773 (the beginning end of the second inner wall 9773b), and the second connecting member 9770 is pulled all the way downward (to the lower right side of Figure 114(a)).

The center of gravity G of the second displacement member 740 is located on the same side (right side in FIG. 114(a)) as the connecting pin 744a with respect to the vertical line Z when viewed in the axial direction of the rotating shaft 741 (shaft support hole 732) (i.e., the state in FIG. 114(a)). Therefore, the second displacement member 740 rotates by its own weight around the rotating shaft 741 in a direction that pushes the connecting pin 744a downward (clockwise in FIG. 114(a)). As the second displacement member 740 rotates by its own weight, the connecting pin 744a abuts (is pressed against) the second inner wall 9773b of the guide portion 9773.

When the transmission member 754 is rotated in the opposite direction (counterclockwise in FIG. 114(a)) from the extended position shown in FIG. 112(a) and FIG. 114(a) in contrast to the above-mentioned case (the forward path shown in FIG. 108 to FIG. 111), the first connecting member 760 is rotated in the retraction direction (clockwise in FIG. 114(a)) around the rotation shaft 761, and the first displacement member 730 is rotated in the retraction direction (clockwise in FIG. 114(a)) around the rotation shaft 731. As a result, the first displacement member 730 is rotated (standing up) in the retraction direction as shown in FIG. 112(b) and FIG. 114(b).

When the first connecting member 760 is rotated in the retracting direction, the second connecting member 9770 is pushed upward (upper left side in FIG. 114(a)). As described above, the connecting pin 744a is in contact (pressed against) the second inner wall 9773b of the guide portion 9773 as the second displacement member 740 rotates due to its own weight, so the guide portion 9773 is guided along the second inner wall 9773b in a direction toward the third inner wall 9773c.

In this case, as described above, the second inner wall 9773b extends along the longitudinal direction of the second connecting member 9770, and the relative displacement of the second connecting member 9770 with respect to the first displacement member 730 is a linear movement (sliding displacement) along the longitudinal direction of each other.

As a result, as shown in FIG. 112(b) and FIG. 114(b), in the section where the connecting pin 744a is guided along the second inner wall 9773b, no relative displacement (relative rotation) is formed around the rotation axis 741 of the second displacement member 740 relative to the first displacement member 730. As a result, the angle between the first displacement member 730 (virtual line M1) and the second displacement member 740 (virtual line M2) is maintained at the cross angle β4.

When the transmission member 754 is further rotated in the reverse direction (counterclockwise in FIG. 114(b)) from the state shown in FIG. 112(b) and FIG. 114(b), as in the above-mentioned case, the first connecting member 760 is rotated in the retraction direction (clockwise in FIG. 114(b)) around the rotation shaft 761, and the first displacement member 730 is rotated in the retraction direction (clockwise in FIG. 114(b)) around the rotation shaft 731, and is further rotated (upright) in the retraction direction as shown in FIG. 113(a) and FIG. 115(a).

When the first connecting member 760 is rotated in the retracting direction, the second connecting member 9770 is pushed further upward (toward the upper left side of FIG. 114(b)), and the connecting pin 744a is further guided along the guide portion 9773 toward the third inner wall 9773c along the second inner wall 9773b, until it hits the inner wall surface of the third inner wall 9773c and is positioned at the connection portion between the second inner wall 9773b and the third inner wall 9773c (the beginning of the third inner wall 9773c).

As described above, in the section where the connecting pin 744a is guided along the second inner wall 9773b, no relative displacement (relative rotation) is formed around the rotation axis 741 of the second displacement member 740 relative to the first displacement member 730. Therefore, as shown in Figures 113(a) and 115(a), the angle between the first displacement member 730 (virtual line M1) and the second displacement member 740 (virtual line M2) is maintained at the cross angle β4.

Then, when the transmission member 754 reaches the end of its movable range, as shown in Figures 113(b) and 115(b), the first displacement member 730 is raised to its maximum and the relative displacement (relative rotation) of the second displacement member 740 with respect to the first displacement member 730 is minimized. In other words, the first displacement member 730 and the second displacement member 740 are disposed in the retracted position.

In this case, the second connecting member 9770 is pushed up to the top, and the connecting pin 744a is guided along the guide portion 9773 in a direction toward the first inner wall 9773a along the third inner wall 9773c, and hits the inner wall surface of the first inner wall 9773a, thereby being positioned (returned) to the connection portion (starting end of the first inner wall 9773a) of the first inner wall 9773a and the third inner wall 9773c. As a result, the angle between the first displacement member 730 (virtual line M1) and the second displacement member 740 (virtual line M2) is returned (reduced) from the cross angle β4 to the cross angle β1.

In this embodiment, when transitioning from the state shown in FIG. 115(a) to the state shown in FIG. 115(b), the center of gravity G of the second displacement member 740 crosses the vertical line Z, so that the second displacement member 740 can be rotated prior to being pushed up by the connecting second member 9770.

In detail, when the center of gravity G of the second displacement member 740 is located on the same side of the vertical line Z as the connecting pin 744a (the right side in FIG. 115(a)), the second displacement member 740 presses the connecting pin 744a against the third inner wall 9773c by rotating under its own weight, so that it gradually rotates counterclockwise in FIG. 115(a) as the connecting second member 9770 is pushed upward (synchronized). On the other hand, when the center of gravity G of the second displacement member 740 crosses the vertical line Z and is positioned on the opposite side of the connecting pin 744a (the left side in FIG. 115(a)) due to this rotation, the second displacement member 740 rotates under its own weight in a direction that lifts the connecting pin 744a upward. In other words, it rotates prior to being pushed up by the connecting second member 9770.

Therefore, according to this embodiment, the manner of displacement (rotation) of the first displacement member 730 relative to the rear base 710 and the front base 720 can be made the same on the outward path from the retracted position to the extended position and on the return path from the extended position to the retracted position, while the manner of relative displacement of the second displacement member 740 relative to the first displacement member 730 can be made different. In addition, on the return path, the angle between the first displacement member 730 (virtual line M1) and the second displacement member 740 (virtual line M2) is displaced toward the retracted position while maintaining the cross angle β4, and is rapidly (in a short time) reduced from the cross angle β4 to the cross angle β1 just before being placed in the retracted position.

Tenth Embodiment
Next, a tenth embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 116 and 117. Note that the same parts as those in the above embodiments are given the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted.

The left rotation unit 10700 in the tenth embodiment differs from the left rotation unit 9700 in the ninth embodiment only in that it is provided with a retainer 10746, and the rest of the configuration is the same, so a description of it will be omitted.

Figure 116 is a schematic diagram of the rear of the left rotation unit 10700 in the tenth embodiment, illustrating a state in which the center of gravity G of the second displacement member 740 is located on the vertical line Z. As shown in Figure 116, in the left rotation unit 10700 in the tenth embodiment, a retainer 10746 is disposed on the rear of the second displacement member 740. Here, the retainer 10746 will be described with reference to Figure 117.

Figure 117(a) is a front view of the retainer 10746, Figure 117(b) is a cross-sectional view of the retainer 10746 taken along line CXVIIb-CXVIIb in Figure 117(a), and Figure 117(c) is a cross-sectional view of the retainer 10746 taken along line CXVIIc-CXVIIc in Figure 117(a).

As shown in FIG. 117, the holder 10746 is formed in a cylindrical shape with an internal space with a circular cross section, and a predetermined weight is displaceably stored in the internal space. In this embodiment, the predetermined weight is liquid LQ, and approximately 1/3 of the volume of the internal space is filled with liquid LQ. Therefore, according to the inclination of the holder 10746, the liquid LQ can be displaced to one end or the other end in the longitudinal direction of the holder 10746 (to the right or left in FIG. 117(c)) (see FIG. 118 to FIG. 121).

Referring back to Figure 116, the retainer 10746 is disposed on the back surface of the second displacement member 740 in such a position that its longitudinal direction (left-right direction in Figure 116) is perpendicular to the vertical line Z (horizontal position) when viewed in the axial direction of the rotating shaft 741 (shaft support hole 732) (i.e., the state in Figure 116), and its longitudinal center coincides with the center of gravity G of the second displacement member 740.

Therefore, when the second displacement member 740 rotates to one side or the other with the rotation shaft 741 as the center of rotation, the holder 10746, which is in a horizontal position, is inclined so that one or the other side in the longitudinal direction is positioned downward, and the contained weight (liquid LQ) is displaced to one or the other side in the longitudinal direction (i.e., the same side as the movement direction of the center of gravity G).

As a result, when the second displacement member 740 rotates around the rotation axis 741, the amount of change in the position of the center of mass (center of gravity G') when the second displacement member 740 and the retainer 10746 are considered to be an integrated member can be made greater than when the retainer 10746 is not provided.

Next, the operation of the left rotation unit 10700 will be described with reference to Figures 118 to 121. Figures 118 and 119 are schematic rear views of the left rotation unit 10700 in each state when moving forward from the retracted position to the extended position, and Figures 120 and 121 are schematic rear views of the left rotation unit 10700 in each state when moving backward from the extended position to the retracted position.

As shown in Figures 118 to 121, when the transmission member 754 is driven to rotate in the forward or reverse direction, the first displacement member 730 is rotated relative to the rear base 710 and the front base 720, and the second displacement member 740 is displaced (rotated) relative to the first displacement member 730, the holder 10746 is tilted depending on the rotational position of the second displacement member 740, and the liquid LQ filled in the internal space can be displaced to one or the other longitudinal end of the holder 10746.

This allows the position of the center of gravity G' of the second displacement member 740 and the retainer 10746 to be positioned farther from the vertical line Z than if the retainer 10746 were not provided.

Therefore, in the section where the connecting pin 744a is displaced along the first to third inner walls 9773a to 9773c of the guide portion 9773, the rotation of the second displacement member 740 due to its own weight using the center of gravity G' is ensured, making it easier to maintain the state in which the connecting pin 744a is in contact with the first to third inner walls 9773a to 9773c. As a result, rattling of the second displacement member 740 relative to the first displacement member 730 can be suppressed, and the relative displacement (rotation) can be stabilized.

On the other hand, in the section where the second displacement member 740 rotates under its own weight prior to being pushed up by the second connecting member 9770, the center of gravity G' can be used to ensure that the second displacement member 740 moves ahead. As a result, the second displacement member 740 can rotate from the crossing angle β4 to the crossing angle β1 at a higher speed (in a shorter time) immediately before being placed in the retracted position.

Eleventh Embodiment
Next, an eleventh embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 122 to 130. In the first embodiment, a case was described in which the relative displacement of the second displacement member 740 with respect to the first displacement member 730 was formed in both the outward path from the retracted position to the extended position and the return path from the extended position to the retracted position, but in the left rotation unit 11700 in the eleventh embodiment, the relative displacement of the second displacement member 740 with respect to the first displacement member 730 is formed only in the outward path and is not formed in the return path. Note that the same parts as those in the above embodiments are given the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted.

Figure 122 is an exploded rear perspective view of the left rotation unit 11700 in the eleventh embodiment. Note that Figure 122 illustrates a state in which a part of the left rotation unit 11700 (the rear base 710 and the front base 720) is assembled.

As shown in FIG. 122, in the left rotation unit 11700 in the eleventh embodiment, the second displacement member 740 and the second connecting member 11770 are connected by a rack-pinion mechanism consisting of a pinion gear 11747 and a rack gear 11774. In this case, as described later, the pinion gear 11747 is configured as a one-way clutch, so that in the forward path, the linear motion of the second connecting member 11770 is converted into the rotational motion of the second displacement member 740, while in the return path, the linear motion of the second connecting member 11770 is restricted from being converted into the rotational motion of the second displacement member 740, so that the relative displacement of the second displacement member 740 with respect to the first displacement member 730 can be formed only in the forward path.

The pinion gear 11747 is formed as a cam-type one-way clutch with a roller and a spring between the inner and outer rings, and the rotating shaft 741 of the second displacement member 740 is fastened and fixed to the inner ring, and a gear that meshes with the rack gear 11774 is engraved on the outer periphery of the outer ring. In this case, when the outer ring rotates clockwise in a rear view of the second displacement member 740, the pinion gear 11747 transmits the rotation to the inner ring (second displacement member 740), while when the outer ring rotates counterclockwise, it cuts off the transmission of the rotation to the inner ring (second displacement member 740).

The rack gear 11774 is a gear engraved on the side of the second connecting member 11770, and is engaged with the pinion gear 11747. The engraved range of the rack gear 11774 is set to a range in which the engagement with the pinion gear 11747 is released when the second connecting member 11770 is pulled downward to the maximum extent (see Figures 126(b) and 129).

Between the first displacement member 730 and the second displacement member 740, a biasing spring SP formed as a metal torsion spring is interposed. In the biasing spring SP, when the coil portion is fitted onto the rotating shaft 741 and elastically torsionally deformed, an arm extending from one end of the coil portion is engaged with the first displacement member 730 and an arm extending from the other end of the coil portion is engaged with the second displacement member 740, and the elastic recovery force acts in a direction that maintains the angle between the first displacement member 730 (virtual line M1) and the second displacement member 740 (virtual line M2) at the crossing angle γ1.

Next, the operation of the left rotation unit 11700 will be explained with reference to Figures 123 to 130.

In the eleventh embodiment, the drive pin 754b of the transmission member 754 slides in the drive groove 762 of the first connecting member 760 (presses the inner wall surface), thereby displacing the first connecting member 760 and the second connecting member 11770 and the first displacement member 730 and the second displacement member 740, respectively. Since the manner in which the first connecting member 760 and the second connecting member 11770 and the first displacement member 730 are displaced is the same as in the first embodiment described above, a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

First, referring to Figures 123 to 126, the operation of the left rotation unit 11700 when moving forward from the retracted position to the extended position will be described.

Figures 123 and 124 are front views of the left rotation unit 11700 in each state when moving from the retracted position to the extended position, and Figures 125 and 126 are schematic rear views of the left rotation unit 11700 in each state when moving from the retracted position to the extended position.

As shown in Figures 123(a) and 125(a), in the retracted position, the angle between the first displacement member 730 (virtual line M1) and the second displacement member 740 (virtual line M2) is the intersection angle γ1. In this case, the second connecting member 11770 is pushed all the way up (upper side in Figure 125(a)).

When the transmission member 754 is rotated in the forward direction (clockwise in FIG. 125(a)) from this state, the first connecting member 760 is rotated in the protruding direction (counterclockwise in FIG. 125(a)) around the rotation shaft 761, and the first displacement member 730 is rotated in the protruding direction (counterclockwise in FIG. 110(a)) around the rotation shaft 731. As a result, the first displacement member 730 passes through the states shown in FIG. 123(b) and FIG. 125(b), and is tilted in the protruding direction as shown in FIG. 124(a) and FIG. 126(a).

When the first connecting member 760 is rotated in the protruding direction, the second connecting member 11770 is pulled downward (lower side in FIG. 125(a)), causing the rack gear 11774 of the second connecting member 11770 to rotate the pinion gear 11747 (outer ring) clockwise in FIG. 125(a). The rotation of the outer ring in this direction is considered to be a rotation in a direction that transmits the rotation to the inner ring (second displacement member 740).

Therefore, after passing through the state shown in FIG. 123(b) and FIG. 125(b), as shown in FIG. 124(a) and FIG. 126(a), the second displacement member 740 rotates relative to the first displacement member 730 while further elastically deforming the biasing spring SP (see FIG. 122) in the torsional direction, and the angle between the first displacement member 730 (virtual line M1) and the second displacement member 740 (virtual line M2) changes (increases) from cross angle γ1 to cross angle γ2, and then to cross angle γ3 (γ1<γ2<γ3).

Then, when the transmission member 754 reaches the end of its movable range, the first displacement member 730 is extended to its maximum extent, and the first displacement member 730 and the second displacement member 740 are positioned in the extended position, as shown in Figures 124(b) and 126(b).

In this case, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 124(b) and FIG. 126(b), when the second connecting member 11770 is pulled to the bottom, the meshing of the rack gear 11774 and the pinion gear 11747 is released. As a result, the second displacement member 740 receives the elastic recovery force of the biasing spring SP (see FIG. 122) and returns to its initial position. In other words, the angle between the first displacement member 730 (virtual line M1) and the second displacement member 740 (virtual line M2) returns (decreases) from the crossing angle γ3 to the crossing angle γ1.

Next, referring to Figures 127 to 130, the operation of the left rotation unit 11700 when moving back from the extended position to the retracted position will be described.

Figures 127 and 128 are front views of the left rotation unit 11700 in each state when it moves back from the extended position to the retracted position, and Figures 129 and 130 are schematic rear views of the left rotation unit 11700 in each state when it moves back from the extended position to the retracted position. Note that Figure 127(a) is the same as Figure 124(b), and Figure 128(b) is the same as Figure 123(a).

Here, the rotational position of the first displacement member 730 shown in Figures 127(b) and 129(b) is the same as the rotational position of the first displacement member 730 shown in Figures 124(a) and 126(a), and the rotational position of the first displacement member 730 shown in Figures 128(a) and 130(a) is the same as the rotational position of the first displacement member 730 shown in Figures 123(b) and 125(b).

Contrary to the above-mentioned case (the forward path shown in Fig. 123 to Fig. 126), when the transmission member 754 is rotated in the reverse direction (counterclockwise in Fig. 129(a)) from the extended position shown in Fig. 127(a) and Fig. 129(a), the first connecting member 760 is rotated in the retraction direction (clockwise in Fig. 129(a)) around the rotation shaft 761 as the rotation center, and the first displacement member 730 is rotated in the retraction direction (clockwise in Fig. 129(a)) around the rotation shaft 731 as the rotation center. As a result, the first displacement member 730 is disposed (standing) in the retracted position as shown in Fig. 128(b) and Fig. 130(b) through the states shown in Fig. 127(b) and Fig. 128(a) and Fig. 129(b) and Fig. 130(a).

When the first connecting member 760 is rotated in the retracting direction, the second connecting member 11770 is pushed upward (upper left side of FIG. 129(a)), and as shown in FIG. 127(b) and FIG. 129(b), the rack gear 11774 meshes with the pinion gear 11747, and as the second connecting member 11770 is pushed further upward, the rack gear 11774 rotates the pinion gear 11747 (outer ring) counterclockwise in FIG. 129(b). Rotation of the outer ring in this direction is considered to be rotation in a direction that cuts off the transmission of that rotation to the inner ring (second displacement member 740).

Therefore, in the section from the state shown in FIG. 127(b) and FIG. 129(b) through the state shown in FIG. 128(a) and FIG. 130(a) to the retracted position shown in FIG. 128(b) and FIG. 130(b), the second displacement member 740 does not rotate relative to the first displacement member 730, and the angle between the first displacement member 730 (virtual line M1) and the second displacement member 740 (virtual line M2) is maintained at the crossing angle γ1.

Thus, according to this embodiment, in the outward movement, the second displacement member 740 is gradually displaced relative to the first displacement member 730 as the first displacement member 730 rotates (tilts) in the protruding direction relative to the back base 710 and the front base 720, and the angle between the first displacement member 730 (virtual line M1) and the second displacement member 740 (virtual line M2) is increased from the crossing angle γ1 to the crossing angle γ3, and a displacement mode is formed in which the crossing angle is changed to γ1 at the protruding position. On the other hand, in the return movement, the second displacement member 740 is not displaced relative to the first displacement member 730 (i.e., the angle between the first displacement member 730 (virtual line M1) and the second displacement member 740 (virtual line M2) is maintained at the crossing angle γ1), and a displacement mode in which the first displacement member 730 rotates (stands up) in the retracting direction relative to the back base 710 and the front base 720 can be formed.

<Twelfth embodiment>
Next, a twelfth embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 131 to 133. In the first embodiment, the base-side engaging member 726 is fixed in a state of protruding from the front of the front base 720, but in the twelfth embodiment, the base-side engaging member 12726 is disposed so as to be able to appear and disappear from the front of the front base 12720. Note that the same parts as those in the above embodiments are given the same reference numerals, and their description will be omitted.

Figure 131 is a partially exploded perspective view of the left rotation unit 12700 in the twelfth embodiment. Figure 132(a) is a partially enlarged front view of the front base 12720, and Figure 132(b) is a cross-sectional view of the front base 12720 taken along line CXXXIIb-CXXXIIb in Figure 132(a).

As shown in Figures 131 and 132, in the left rotation unit 12700 of the 12th embodiment, the base side engagement member 12726 and the transmission member 12728 are stored in the internal space of the front base 12720, and an insertion member 12745 is disposed on the back surface of the second displacement member 12740.

The base side engagement member 12726 has a slide portion 12726c that is arranged to be slidably displaceable in the front-rear direction (perpendicular to the paper in FIG. 132(a) and up-down in FIG. 132(b)) along a guide groove (not shown) in the front base 12720, and a base portion 726a and a bent portion 726b are formed on the front surface of the slide portion 12726c (the surface on the near side of the paper in FIG. 132(a) and the lower surface in FIG. 132(b)).

When the slide portion 12726c is slid toward the front along a guide groove (not shown), the base side engagement member 12726 causes the base portion 726a and the bent portion 726b to protrude from the receiving recess 727 to the front side (the front side of the paper in FIG. 132(a) and the bottom side of FIG. 132(b)), and when the slide portion 12726c is slid toward the back side (the back side of the paper in FIG. 132(a) and the top side of FIG. 132(b)) along a guide groove (not shown), the base portion 726a and the bent portion 726b can be recessed into the receiving recess 727.

In this case, a spring SP1 made of a coil spring is disposed between the front of the sliding portion 12726c and the rear surface of the front base 12720 in an elastically compressed and deformed state, and the elastic recovery force of the spring SP1 maintains the base-side engagement member 12726 in a immersed state (the state shown in FIG. 132(b)). In this immersed state, the front of the bent portion 726b and the front of the front base 12720 are flush with each other, making it difficult for the player to recognize the presence of the base-side engagement member 12726.

The side surface of the slide portion 12726c (left side in FIG. 132(b)) is formed as an inclined surface that is inclined in a direction away from the transmission member 12728 as it approaches the rear side, and the inclined surface of the transmission member 12728 abuts against the inclined surface.

The transmission member 12728 is disposed so as to be slidably displaceable in the left-right direction (left-right direction in FIG. 132(a) and left-right direction in FIG. 132(b)) along a guide groove (not shown) of the front base 12720, and one end side (right side in FIG. 132(b)) is exposed from an insertion opening 12720a formed in the side of the front base 12720. In addition, an inclined surface is formed on the other end side (left side in FIG. 132(b)) of the transmission member 12728, which is inclined in a direction away from the base side engagement member 12726 as it approaches the front side, and the inclined surface of the base side engagement member 12726 abuts against the inclined surface.

Therefore, by sliding the transmission member 12728 in a direction approaching the base side engaging member 12726 due to the action of the inclined surfaces of the base side engaging member 12726 and the transmission member 12728, the base side engaging member 12726 can be slid (protruded) toward the front side, and by sliding the transmission member 12728 in a direction away from the base side engaging member 12726, the base side engaging member 12726 can be slid (sunk) toward the rear side (into the receiving recess 727).

A spring SP2 made of a coil spring is disposed between the transmission member 12728 and the front base 12720 in an elastically tensile deformed state, and the elastic recovery force of the spring SP2 maintains the transmission member 12728 in a position spaced apart from the base-side engagement member 12726 (the position shown in FIG. 132(b), i.e., the position in which the base-side engagement member 12726 is recessed).

The pressing member 12745 includes a base 12745a that stands upright from the back surface of the second displacement member 12740, and an insertion portion 12745b that is formed by bending the tip of the base 12745a. The pressing member 12745 has a base 12745a that stands upright higher than the base of the displacement side engagement member 742 so that the insertion portion 12745b can be inserted into the insertion opening 12720a of the front base 12720, and the extension direction of the insertion portion 12745b is the same direction (parallel) as the extension direction of the bent portion 742b of the displacement side engagement member 742.

Next, the engagement action of the base side engagement member 12726 and the displacement side engagement member 742 will be described with reference to FIG. 133.

Figure 133 is a partial cross-sectional schematic diagram of the left rotation unit 12700 to explain the engagement action of the base side engagement member 12726 and the displacement side engagement member 742, and shows a schematic diagram of the transition state when the second displacement member 12740 is displaced toward the retracted position. Note that as the state shown in Figure 133(a) moves toward the state shown in Figure 133(c), the second displacement member 12740 approaches the retracted position, and the state shown in Figure 133(d) corresponds to the state in which the second displacement member 12740 is disposed in the retracted position.

As shown in FIG. 133(a), when the second displacement member 12740 is displaced in the retraction direction (left side of FIG. 133(a)) relative to the front base 12720, first, the tip of the insertion portion 12745b of the pressing member 12745 abuts against one end side of the transmission member 12728 through the insertion port 12720a of the front base 12720.

When the second displacement member 12740 is further displaced from the state shown in FIG. 133(a) in the retraction direction (left side of FIG. 133(a)) relative to the front base 12720, the insertion portion 12745b of the pressing member 12745 is inserted into the front base 12720 from the insertion port 12720a against the biasing force of the biasing springs SP1 and SP2, and the transmission member 12728 is pushed (slid and displaced) in a direction approaching the base side engagement member 12726.

As a result, as shown in FIG. 133(b) and FIG. 133(c), the base side engaging member 12726 gradually protrudes toward the front of the front base 12720, and the displacement side engaging member 742 approaches the base side engaging member 12726, and each of the bent portions 726b, 742b advances into the inner surface of the other bent portion 726b, 742b. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 133(d), when the second displacement member 12740 is disposed in the retracted position, the inner surfaces (engagement surfaces) of each of the bent portions 726b, 742b can be engaged with each other. As a result, the first displacement member 730 and the second displacement member 12740 can be prevented from tilting in a direction away from the front base 12720.

In particular, in this embodiment, when the first displacement member 730 and the second displacement member 12740 are extended to the extended position, the elastic recovery force of the biasing springs SP1, SP2 allows the base-side engagement member 12726 to be recessed into the receiving recess 727. That is, in this recessed state, the front of the bent portion 726b of the base-side engagement member 12726 can be positioned flush with the front of the front base 12720. This makes it difficult for the player to see the base-side engagement member 12726, improving the appearance, even when the front of the front base 12720 is exposed.

Thirteenth Embodiment
Next, a thirteenth embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 134 to 136. In the first embodiment, a case was described in which the displacement side engaging member 742 of the second displacement member 740 engages with the base side engaging member 726 protruding from the front surface of the front base 720, but in the thirteenth embodiment, the displacement side engaging member 13742 of the second displacement member 13740 engages with the wall surface on the front side of the front base 13720. Note that the same parts as those in the above embodiments are given the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted.

Figure 134 is a partially exploded perspective view of the left rotation unit 13700 in the thirteenth embodiment. Figure 135(a) is a partially enlarged front view of the front base 13720, and Figure 135(b) is a cross-sectional view of the front base 13720 taken along line CXXXVb-CXXXVb in Figure 135(a).

As shown in Figures 134 and 135, the left rotation unit 13700 in the thirteenth embodiment has an opening 13720a formed in the front base 13720, which is connected to the front side (the front side of the page in Figure 135(a) and the bottom side in Figure 135(b)) and the side side (the right side in Figures 135(a) and 135(b)), and a rotating member 13726 is rotatably disposed in the space formed by the opening 13720a.

The rotating member 13726 is formed in a V-shape in cross section with a side portion 13726a that covers the side surface of the front base 13720 of the opening 13720a and a front portion 13726b that covers the front surface of the front base 13720, and one side of the side portion 13726a (the side opposite the front portion 13726b) is supported rotatably.

That is, the rotating member 13726 is rotated to one side about the pivot portion of the side portion 13726a, so that it is positioned in the initial position (the position shown in Figures 134 and 135) that blocks the opening 13720a, and is rotated to the other side about the pivot portion of the side portion 13726a, so that it is recessed into the front base 13720.

In this case, a biasing spring SP3 made of a torsion spring is disposed between the front base 13720 and the rotating member 13726 in an elastically twisted state, and the elastic recovery force of the biasing spring SP3 maintains the rotating member 13726 in its initial position. Note that in this initial position, the front of the front portion 13726b and the side of the side portion 13726a are flush with the front and side of the front base 13720, respectively, making it difficult for the player to recognize the presence of the rotating member 13726.

The displacement side engagement member 13742 includes a base 13742a that stands upright from the back surface of the second displacement member 13740, and a bent portion 742b that is formed by bending the tip of the base 13742a and has an inner surface that serves as an engagement surface. The erected height of the base 13742a is set to a height that allows the bent portion 742b to abut against the side portion 13726a of the rotating member 13726. As a result, when the second displacement member 13740 is displaced in the retracting direction, the bent portion 742b can rotate the rotating member 13726 in the retracting direction in response to the displacement (see FIG. 136).

Next, the engagement action of the front base 13720 and the displacement side engagement member 13742 will be described with reference to FIG. 136.

Figure 136 is a partial cross-sectional schematic diagram of the left rotation unit 13700 to explain the engagement action of the front base 13720 and the displacement side engagement member 13742, and shows a schematic diagram of the transition state when the second displacement member 13740 is displaced toward the retracted position. Note that as the state shown in Figure 136(a) moves toward the state shown in Figure 136(b), the second displacement member 13740 approaches the retracted position, and the state shown in Figure 136(c) corresponds to the state in which the second displacement member 13740 is disposed in the retracted position.

As shown in FIG. 136(a), when the second displacement member 13740 is displaced in the retraction direction (left side in FIG. 136(a)) relative to the front base 13720, the tip of the bent portion 742b of the displacement side engagement member 13742 abuts against the side portion 13726a of the pivot member 13726.

When the second displacement member 13740 is further displaced in the retraction direction (left side of FIG. 136(a)) relative to the front base 13720 from the state shown in FIG. 136(a), the bent portion 742b of the displacement side engagement member 13742 pushes (rotates) the rotating member 13726 in the retraction direction against the biasing force of the biasing spring SP3.

As a result, as shown in FIG. 136(b), the bent portion 742b of the displacement side engaging member 13742 gradually enters the internal space of the front base 13720 through the opening 13720a, and as shown in FIG. 136(c), when the second displacement member 13740 is placed in the retracted position, the inner surface of the bent portion 742b of the displacement side engaging member 13742 can be made to engageably face the rear surface of the front base 13720. As a result, the first displacement member 730 and the second displacement member 13740 can be prevented from tilting in a direction away from the front base 13720.

In particular, in this embodiment, when the first displacement member 730 and the second displacement member 13740 are extended to the extended position, the elastic recovery force of the biasing spring SP3 can position (return) the rotating member 13726 to its initial position. That is, in the initial position, the front surface of the front portion 13726b and the side surface of the side portion 13726a can be positioned flush with the front surface and side surface of the front base 13720, respectively. This makes it difficult for the player to see the opening 13720a and the rotating member 13726, improving the appearance, even when the front surface and side surface of the front base 13720 are exposed.

<Fourteenth embodiment>
Next, a fourteenth embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 137 to 139. In the first embodiment, the base-side engaging member 726 is fixed in a state of protruding from the front of the front base 720, but the base-side engaging member 14726 in the fourteenth embodiment is disposed so as to be able to appear and disappear from the front of the front base 14720. Note that the same parts as those in the above embodiments are given the same reference numerals, and their description will be omitted.

Figure 137 is a partially exploded perspective view of the left rotation unit 14700 in the fourteenth embodiment. Figure 138(a) is a partially enlarged front view of the left rotation unit 14700 in a state in which the second displacement member 740 is disposed in the retracted position, and Figure 138(b) is a partially enlarged schematic cross-sectional view of the left rotation unit 14700 taken along line CXXXVIIIb-CXXXVIIIb in Figure 138(a). Figure 139(a) is a partially enlarged front view of the left rotation unit 14700 in a state in which the second displacement member 740 is disposed in the extended position, and Figure 139(b) is a partially enlarged schematic cross-sectional view of the left rotation unit 14700 taken along line CXXXIXb-CXXXIXb in Figure 139(a).

As shown in Figures 137 to 139, in the left rotation unit 14700 of the 14th embodiment, the base side engagement member 14726 is stored in the internal space of the front base 14720, and the transmission part 14752b is formed on the front side of one longitudinal end side (upper side in Figure 137) of the rack member 14752.

The base side engagement member 14726 has a slide portion 14726c that is arranged to be slidably displaceable in the front-rear direction (left-right direction in Figs. 138(b) and 139(b)) along a guide groove (not shown) of the front base 14720, and a base portion 726a and a bent portion 726b are formed on the front surface of the slide portion 14726c (the surface on the left side in Figs. 138(b) and 139(b)).

When the slide portion 14726c slides toward the front along a guide groove (not shown), the base side engagement member 14726 causes the base portion 726a and the bent portion 726b to protrude from the receiving recess 727 toward the front side (left side of FIG. 138(b)) (see FIG. 138), and when the slide portion 14726c slides toward the rear side (right side of FIG. 139(b)) along a guide groove (not shown), the base portion 726a and the bent portion 726b can be recessed into the receiving recess 727 (see FIG. 139).

In this case, a spring SP4 made of a coil spring is disposed between the rear surface of the sliding portion 14726c and the front surface of the rear base 710 in an elastically tensile deformed state, and the elastic recovery force of the spring SP4 maintains the base-side engagement member 14726 in a immersed state (the state shown in FIG. 139(b)). In this immersed state, the front surface of the bent portion 726b and the front surface of the front base 14720 are flush with each other, making it difficult for the player to recognize the presence of the base-side engagement member 14726.

The back surface of the slide portion 14726c (right side in Figs. 138(b) and 139(b)) is formed as an inclined surface that is inclined in a direction away from the rack member 14752 as it goes upward (upper side in Figs. 138(b) and 139(b)), and the inclined surface (front surface) of the transmission portion 14752b of the rack member 14752 abuts against the inclined surface.

The front surface of the transmission part 14752b (left side of Fig. 138(b) and Fig. 139(b)) is formed with an inclined surface that is inclined in a direction away from the base side engagement member 14726 (slide part 14726c) as it goes downward (lower side of Fig. 138(b) and Fig. 139(b)), and the inclined surface of the slide part 14726c abuts against this inclined surface.

Therefore, by the action of the inclined surfaces of the base side engaging member 14726 and the transmission part 14752b, as the rack member 14752 is displaced downward, the base side engaging member 14726 can be slid toward the front side (in the direction protruding from the receiving recess 727), and as the rack member 14752 is displaced upward, the base side engaging member 14726 can be slid toward the rear side (in the direction sinking into the receiving recess 727).

As a result, as shown in FIG. 138, when the rack member 14752 is displaced downward to the lowest position and the second displacement member 740 is placed in the retracted position, the inner surfaces (engagement surfaces) of the bent portions 726b, 742b can be engaged with each other, and the first displacement member 730 and the second displacement member 740 can be prevented from tilting in a direction away from the front base 14720.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 139, when the rack member 14752 is displaced upward and the second displacement member 740 is positioned in the extended position, the elastic recovery force of the biasing spring SP4 can cause the base-side engagement member 14726 to sink into the receiving recess 727. That is, in this sunk state, the front of the bent portion 726b of the base-side engagement member 14726 can be positioned flush with the front of the front base 14720. This makes it difficult for the player to see the base-side engagement member 14726, improving the appearance, even when the front of the front base 14720 is exposed.

<Fifteenth embodiment>
Next, a fifteenth embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 140 to 142. In the first embodiment, the base-side engaging member 726 is fixed in a state of protruding from the front surface of the front base 720, but in the fifteenth embodiment, the base-side engaging member 15726 is disposed slidably on the front surface of the front base 15720. Note that the same parts as those in the above embodiments are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted.

Figure 140 is a partially exploded perspective view of the left rotation unit 15700 in the fifteenth embodiment. Figure 141 (a) is a partially enlarged front view of the front base 15720, and Figure 134 (b) is a cross-sectional view of the front base 15720 taken along line CXLIb-CXLIb in Figure 141 (a).

As shown in Figures 140 and 141, in the left rotation unit 15700 of the fifteenth embodiment, an opening 15720a is formed in the front base 15720, which is connected to its front side (the front side of the page in Figure 141 (a) and the bottom side in Figure 141 (b)) and side side (the right side in Figures 141 (a) and 141 (b)), and a base side engagement member 15726 is slidably disposed on the front side (bottom side in Figure 141 (b)) of the front base 15720 in the space formed by the opening 15720a.

The base side engagement member 15726 is formed in a flat plate shape that is approximately the same shape as the front side of the front base 15720 of the opening 15720a (i.e., a shape that closes the opening 15720a when viewed from the front), and is arranged so as to be slidably displaceable in the left-right direction (left-right direction in Figures 141 (a) and 141 (b)) along the first guide groove 15720b1 and the second guide groove 15720b2 formed in the front base 15720.

The first guide groove 15720b1 is formed with a first inclination angle with respect to the left-right direction of the front base 15720 (left-right direction in FIG. 141(b)) in the top view shown in FIG. 141(b), and the second guide groove 15720b2 is formed with an inclination angle (second inclination angle) smaller than the inclination angle of the first guide groove 15720b1 with respect to the left-right direction of the front base 15720 (left-right direction in FIG. 141(b)). In this embodiment, the second inclination angle is set to 0°. That is, the second guide groove 15720b2 is formed parallel to the left-right direction of the front base 15720.

Therefore, the base side engagement member 15726 is guided from the initial position shown in FIG. 141(b) along the first guide groove 15720b1, sliding toward the rear side diagonally rearward of the front base 15720 (upper left side in FIG. 141(b)), and then is guided along the second guide groove 15720b2, sliding toward the side of the front base 15720 (left side in FIG. 141(b)), and is immersed inside the front base 15720.

In this case, a spring (not shown) made of a coil spring is disposed between the front base 15720 and the base-side engagement member 15726 in an elastically tensile deformed state, and the elastic recovery force of the spring maintains the base-side engagement member 15726 in its initial position. In this initial position, the front of the base-side engagement member 15726 (the surface on the near side of the page in FIG. 141(a) and the lower surface in FIG. 141(b)) is flush with the front of the front base 15720, making it difficult for the player to recognize the presence of the base-side engagement member 15726.

Next, the engagement action of the base side engagement member 15726 and the displacement side engagement member 742 will be described with reference to FIG. 142.

Figure 142 is a partial cross-sectional schematic diagram of the left rotation unit 15700 to explain the engagement action of the base side engagement member 15726 and the displacement side engagement member 742, and shows a schematic diagram of the transition state when the second displacement member 740 is displaced toward the retracted position. Note that as the state shown in Figure 142(a) moves toward the state shown in Figure 142(c), the second displacement member 740 approaches the retracted position, and the state shown in Figure 142(d) corresponds to the state in which the second displacement member 740 is disposed in the retracted position.

As shown in Figures 142(a) and 142(b), when the second displacement member 740 is displaced in the retraction direction (left side of Figure 142(a)) relative to the front base 15720, the tip of the bent portion 742b of the displacement side engagement member 742 is inserted into the inside of the front base 15720 through the opening 15720a, and the base portion 742a of the displacement side engagement member 742 abuts against the side of the base side engagement member 15726.

When the second displacement member 740 is further displaced in the retraction direction (left side of FIG. 142(b)) relative to the front base 15720 from the state shown in FIG. 142(b), as shown in FIG. 142(c), the base 742a of the displacement side engagement member 742 pushes (slides) the base side engagement member 15726 in the retraction direction along the first guide groove 15720b1 against the biasing force of the biasing spring. When the second displacement member 740 is further displaced in the retraction direction from the state shown in FIG. 142(c), the base side engagement member 15726 is pushed (slides) in the retraction direction along the second guide groove 15720b2.

As a result, as shown in FIG. 142(d), when the second displacement member 740 is placed in the retracted position, the inner surface of the bent portion 742b of the displacement side engagement member 742 can be engaged with and faced to the rear surface of the base side engagement member 15726. As a result, the first displacement member 730 and the second displacement member 740 can be prevented from tilting in a direction away from the front base 15720 (downward in FIG. 142(c)).

In particular, in this embodiment, when the first displacement member 730 and the second displacement member 740 are extended to the extended position, the elastic recovery force of the biasing spring can position (return) the base-side engagement member 15726 to the initial position. That is, in the initial position, the front of the base-side engagement member 15726 can be positioned flush with the front of the front base 15720. This makes it difficult for the player to see the opening 15720a and the base-side engagement member 15726, even if the front of the front base 15720 is exposed, thereby improving the appearance.

<16th embodiment>
Next, a sixteenth embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 143 to 145. In the first embodiment, the displacement side engaging member 742 of the second displacement member 740 is engaged with the base side engaging member 726 protruding from the front surface of the front base 720, but in the sixteenth embodiment, the displacement side engaging member 16742 of the second displacement member 16740 is engaged with the inner edge of the opening 16720a of the front base 16720. Note that the same parts as those in the above embodiments are given the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted.

Figure 143 is a partially exploded perspective view of the left rotation unit 16700 in the sixteenth embodiment. Figure 144(a) is a partially enlarged front view of the front base 16720, and Figure 144(b) is a cross-sectional view of the front base 16720 taken along line CXLIVb-CXLIVb in Figure 144(a).

Figure 145 is a partial cross-sectional schematic diagram of the left rotation unit 16700 for explaining the engagement action of the front base 16720 (opening 16720a) and the displacement side engagement member 16742, and shows a schematic diagram of the transition state when the second displacement member 16740 is displaced toward the retracted position. Note that as the state shown in Figure 145(a) moves toward the state shown in Figure 145(b), the second displacement member 16740 approaches the retracted position, and the state shown in Figure 145(c) corresponds to the state in which the second displacement member 16740 is disposed in the retracted position.

As shown in Figures 143 to 145, the left rotation unit 16700 in the 16th embodiment has an opening 16720a formed on the side surface of the front base 16720 (the surface on the right side in Figures 135(a) and 135(b)).

The displacement side engagement member 16742 includes a base 16742a that stands upright from the back surface of the second displacement member 16740, and a bent portion 742b that is formed by bending the tip of the base 16742a and has an inner surface that serves as an engagement surface. The erected height of the base 16742a is set to a height that allows the bent portion 742b to be inserted into the opening 16720a of the front base 16720.

Therefore, according to this embodiment, when the second displacement member 16740 is displaced in the retracting direction, the bent portion 742b of the displacement side engaging member 16742 gradually advances into the internal space of the front base 16720 through the opening 16720a in accordance with the displacement, and when the second displacement member 16740 is disposed in the retracted position, the inner surface of the bent portion 742b of the displacement side engaging member 16742 can be engagedly faced with the inner edge of the opening 16720a of the front base 16720. As a result, the first displacement member 730 and the second displacement member 16740 can be prevented from tilting in a direction away from the front base 16720.

In particular, in this embodiment, it is sufficient to open the opening 16720a in the front base 16720, and there is no need to provide a base-side engagement member, so the structure can be simplified and product costs can be reduced. In addition, since the opening 16720a is disposed on the side of the front base 16720, when the second displacement member 16740 is displaced in the protruding direction and the front surface of the front base 16720 is exposed, the opening 16720a is made less visible to the player, improving the appearance.

Seventeenth Embodiment
Next, a seventeenth embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 146 and 147. In the first embodiment, a case was described in which the displacement side engaging member 742 of the second displacement member 740 engages with the base side engaging member 726 protruding from the front surface of the front base 720, but in the seventeenth embodiment, the displacement side engaging member 17742 of the second displacement member 17740 engages with the rear surface of the rear surface base 710. Note that the same parts as those in the above embodiments are given the same reference numerals, and their description will be omitted.

Figure 146 is a partially exploded perspective view of the left rotation unit 17700 in the seventeenth embodiment. Also, Figure 147 is a schematic top view of the left rotation unit 17700 for explaining the engagement action of the rear base 710 and the displacement side engagement member 17742, and shows a schematic diagram of the transition state when the second displacement member 17740 is displaced toward the retracted position.

Note that as the state shown in FIG. 147(a) moves toward the state shown in FIG. 147(b), the second displacement member 17740 approaches the retracted position, and the state shown in FIG. 147(c) corresponds to the state in which the second displacement member 17740 is disposed in the retracted position.

As shown in Figures 146 and 147, in the left rotation unit 17700 in the seventeenth embodiment, the entire front and side surfaces of one longitudinal end side (upper side in Figure 146) of the front base 17720 are formed as decorative surfaces. In other words, the front base 17720 is formed in a shape in which the base side engagement member 726 and the receiving recess 727 are omitted, compared to the front base 720 in the first embodiment.

The displacement side engagement member 17742 comprises a base 17742a erected from the back surface of the second displacement member 17740, and a bent portion 742b formed by bending the tip of the base 17742a, the inner surface of which serves as the engagement surface. The erect height of the base 17742a is set to a height that allows the inner surface of the bent portion 742b to face the back surface of the back base 710 at a predetermined distance.

Therefore, according to this embodiment, when the second displacement member 17740 is displaced in the retracting direction, the bent portion 742b of the displacement side engaging member 17742 gradually advances toward the rear side of the rear base 710 in accordance with the displacement, and when the second displacement member 17740 is disposed in the retracted position, the inner surface of the bent portion 742b of the displacement side engaging member 17742 can be made to face the rear side of the rear base 710 in an engageable manner. As a result, the first displacement member 730 and the second displacement member 17740 can be prevented from tilting in a direction away from the front base 17720.

In particular, in this embodiment, there is no need to provide a base-side engagement member on the front base 17720, which simplifies the structure and reduces product costs.

Furthermore, since there is no need to form an opening on the side of the front base 17720, functional parts unrelated to the decoration are prevented from being seen by the player, improving the appearance of the front base 17720. In other words, since there is no need to make the side of the front base 17720 difficult for the player to see by the second displacement member 17740 arranged in a protruding position, the protruding amount of the second displacement member 17740 can be increased to enhance the presentation effect.

<Eighteenth embodiment>
Next, an 18th embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 148 to 151. In the right rotation unit 600 of the first embodiment, the operation of displacing (standing up) the first displacement member 630 tilted in the projection direction toward the retracted position (standing up operation of the first displacement member 630) has been described as being performed only by the rotational driving force of the drive motor 650, but the standing up operation of the first displacement member 630 in the right rotation unit 18600 of the 18th embodiment is performed by utilizing the action of inertia force in addition to the rotational driving force of the drive motor 650. Note that the same parts as those in the above embodiments are denoted by the same reference numerals, and their description will be omitted.

Figure 148 is an exploded perspective view of the right rotation unit 18600 in the 18th embodiment. Figure 149 is a front view of the right rotation unit 18600 in each state in the first half section when moving from the extended position to the retracted position, and Figure 150 is a rear view of the right rotation unit 18600 in each state in the first half section when moving from the extended position to the retracted position.

Note that Figures 149(a) and 150(a) correspond to the state in which the first displacement member 630 and the second displacement member 18640 are disposed in the extended position (i.e., Figures 34(c) and 36(c)). Figures 149(b) and 150(b) correspond to Figures 34(b) and 36(b), and Figures 149(c) and 150(c) correspond to Figures 34(a) and 36(a).

Figure 151 is a schematic rear view of the right rotation unit 18600 in each state in the first half section when moving from the extended position to the retracted position, and Figures 151(a), 151(b), and 151(c) correspond to Figures 150(a), 150(b), and 150(c), respectively.

As shown in FIG. 148, in the right rotation unit 18600 of the 18th embodiment, a substantially rectangular parallelepiped abutment portion 18629 protrudes from the front of the front base 18620, and a substantially cylindrical abutment portion 18644 protrudes from the back of the decorative portion 642b of the connecting displacement member 18642 of the second displacement member 18640. The abutment portion 18644 is disposed at the end of the connecting displacement member 18642 opposite the shaft support hole 642a (support shaft 633) in the longitudinal direction.

As shown in Figures 149 to 151, the abutment portion 18629 and the abutment portion 18644 are formed so that the outer peripheral surface of the abutment portion 18644 can abut against the upper surface of the abutment portion 18629 (the upper surface in Figure 148) during a predetermined section along the way when the first displacement member 630 and the second displacement member 18640 are displaced from the extended position toward the retracted position.

In detail, from the extended position shown in FIG. 149(a), FIG. 150(a), and FIG. 151(a), as shown in FIG. 149(b), FIG. 150(b), and FIG. 151(b), the connecting displacement member 18642 is rotated in a direction retracted to the rear surface of the first displacement member 630 with the support shaft 633 (shaft support hole 642a) as the center of rotation, and as shown in FIG. 149(c), FIG. 150(c), and FIG. 151(c), when the connecting displacement member 18642 is rotated to the maximum with the support shaft 633 (shaft support hole 642a) as the center of rotation, the abutting portion 18644 abuts against the upper surface of the abutted portion 18629.

When the first displacement member 630 starts to rotate (stand up) from the state shown in Figures 149(c), 150(c), and 151(c) toward the retracted position with the rotation axis 631 as the center of rotation (see Figures 33(b), 35(b), and 37(b)), the abutment portion 18644 moves away from the upper surface of the abutment portion 18629, and the abutment between the abutment portion 18629 and the abutment portion 18644 is released.

In this case, in the section until the abutting portion 18644 abuts against the abutted portion 18629 (i.e., the section shown in Figures 149, 150, and 151), the drive motor 650 only needs to drive the second displacement member 18640 to rotate, and the drive load is relatively small. That is, in this section, the drive pin 654b of the transmission member 654 passes through the non-interference section 635b in the first groove 635 of the first displacement member 630, and therefore only the weight of the second displacement member 18640 is the load for the rotational drive. In addition, since the displacement direction of the connecting displacement member 18642 is a downward direction in the direction of gravity, the load on the drive motor 650 is also reduced from that point of view.

On the other hand, when the abutting portion 18644 is in contact with the abutted portion 18629, the drive pin 654b of the transmission member 654 reaches the action section 635a in the first groove 635 of the first displacement member 630. Therefore, from this state, not only the weight of the second displacement member 18640 but also the weight of the first displacement member 630 is added as the load on the rotational drive of the drive motor 650. In particular, from this state, the operation is to raise the first displacement member 630 against gravity, so the load on the drive motor 650 is suddenly increased.

In contrast, according to this embodiment, an abutment portion 18644 is provided at the end of the connecting displacement member 18642 opposite the shaft support hole 642a (support shaft 633), and when the connecting displacement member 18642 rotates around the support shaft 633 as the center of rotation, the abutment portion 18644 abuts against the abutted portion 18629 of the front base 18620 (see FIG. 151(c)).

In other words, the rotation of the connecting displacement member 18642 around the support shaft 633 can be restricted by the abutment of the abutted portion 18629 and the abutting portion 18644, so that the rotation of the connecting displacement member 18642 can be suddenly stopped, and the inertial force of the connecting displacement member 18642 generated by the sudden stop can be applied to the first displacement member 630 as a force (arrow F in FIG. 151(c)) in a direction that displaces the first displacement member 630 in the retracting direction around the rotation shaft 631 (i.e., stands up).

As a result, when the drive pin 654b of the transmission member 654 reaches the action section 635a in the first groove 635 of the first displacement member 630, and not only the weight of the second displacement member 18640 but also the weight of the first displacement member 630 is added as the load of the rotational drive of the drive motor 650, the above-mentioned inertial force can be used as a force to assist the rotational drive force of the drive motor 650. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the load of the drive motor 650 from suddenly changing (increasing), and it is possible to stabilize the displacement of each displacement member 630, 18640 from the extension position toward the retracted position, and to improve the durability of the drive motor 650.

<Nineteenth embodiment>
Next, a nineteenth embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 152 to Fig. 160. In the right rotation unit 18600 of the eighteenth embodiment, the contact portion 18644 of the connecting displacement member 18642 contacts the contacted portion 18629 of the front base 18620, but in the nineteenth embodiment, the contact portion 19644 of the connecting displacement member 19642 contacts the contacted portion 19639 provided on the first displacement member 19630. The same parts as those in the above embodiments are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted.

Figure 152 is an exploded front perspective view of the right rotation unit 19600 in the 19th embodiment, and Figure 153 is an exploded rear perspective view of the right rotation unit 19600.

As shown in Figures 152 and 153, in the right rotation unit 19600 in the 19th embodiment, the connection portion (connection groove 641c and connection pin 643) between the driven member 19641 of the second displacement member 19640 and the connection displacement member 19642 is set in a position different from that in the first embodiment (see Figures 29 and 30).

In detail, one end side of the driven member 19641 in the longitudinal direction (the side opposite the second groove 641b across the shaft support hole 641a, the upper side in Figs. 152 and 153) is extended while being curved in an arc shape, and the connecting groove 641c is disposed at the extended tip side of the curved portion. This curved portion prevents interference between the driven member 19641 and the shaft support hole 642a of the connecting displacement member 19642. The connecting displacement member 19642 is formed with a plate-shaped protruding portion 19642c protruding outward from the shaft support hole 642a, and the connecting pin 643 is protruded from the front side of the protruding portion 19642c.

In this case, in the first embodiment described above, the connecting portion (connecting groove 641c and connecting pin 643) of the driven member 641 and the connecting displacement member 642 is positioned inside (toward the center) of an imaginary circle that is centered on the axis of the shaft support hole 641a (support shaft 632) of the driven member 641 and passes through the axis of the shaft support hole 642a (support shaft 633) of the connecting displacement member 19642.

In contrast, in this embodiment, the connecting portion (connecting groove 641c and connecting pin 643) of the driven member 19641 and the connecting displacement member 19642 is positioned outside an imaginary circle that is centered on the axis of the shaft support hole 641a (support shaft 632) of the driven member 19641 and passes through the axis of the shaft support hole 642a (support shaft 633) of the connecting displacement member 19642.

Therefore, the direction of relative rotation of the connecting displacement member 19642 with respect to the first displacement member 19630 is the opposite to that in the first embodiment. Here, such relative rotation in the opposite direction will be described with reference to Figures 154 to 157.

Figures 154 and 155 are front views of the right rotation unit 19600 in each state when it operates between the retracted position and the extended position, and Figures 156 and 157 are schematic rear views of the right rotation unit 19600 in each state when it operates between the retracted position and the extended position.

Note that Figs. 154(a), 154(b) and 154(c) are the same as Figs. 156(a), 156(b) and 156(c), respectively, and Figs. 155(a), 155(b) and 155(c) are the same as Figs. 157(a), 157(b) and 157(c), respectively. Also, Fig. 154(c) is the same as Fig. 155(a), and Fig. 156(c) is the same as Fig. 157(a).

The right rotation unit 19600 in the 19th embodiment is formed in substantially the same manner except that the direction of relative rotation of the connecting displacement member 19642 with respect to the first displacement member 19630 is opposite to that in the first embodiment due to the difference in the position of the connecting parts (connecting groove 641c and connecting pin 643) described above. Therefore, a description of the same parts will be omitted.

As shown in Figures 154 and 156, in the retracted position, the transmission member 654 is driven to rotate in the positive direction (clockwise in Figure 156 (a)), and the drive pin 654b of the transmission member 654 presses down the inner wall surfaces of the first groove 635 (action section 635a) and the second groove 641b in the protruding direction, causing the first displacement member 19630 to rotate (tilt) in the protruding direction integrally with the second displacement member 19640.

When the transmission member 654 is further rotated in the positive direction (clockwise in FIG. 157(a)) from the state shown in FIG. 155(a) and FIG. 157(a), the drive pin 654b passes through the non-interference section 635b in the first groove 635 of the first displacement member 19630 and presses the inner wall surface of the second groove 641b of the driven member 19641 downward (downward in FIG. 157(a)).

As a result, as shown in Figures 155(b) and 157(b), the driven member 19641 rotates around the support shaft 632 in a direction that raises the connecting groove 641c (counterclockwise in Figure 157(b)), and this rotation of the driven member 19641 is transmitted to the connecting displacement member 19642 via the connection between the connecting groove 641c and the connecting pin 643, and this connecting displacement member 19642 rotates around the support shaft 633 in a direction that lowers the decorative part 642b (counterclockwise in Figure 108(b)).

That is, while the first displacement member 19630 is stopped, the connecting displacement portion 19642 is displaced (rotated) relative to the first displacement member 19630 in the opposite direction to that in the first embodiment. Then, as shown in FIG. 155(c) and FIG. 157(c), the drive pin 654b of the transmission member 654 reaches the non-interference section 635b in the first groove 635 of the first displacement member 19630 and the end of the second groove 641b of the second displacement member 19640, so that the first displacement member 19630 and the second displacement member 19640 are positioned in the extended position.

Referring back to Figures 152 and 153, in this embodiment, a substantially rectangular parallelepiped abutment portion 19639 protrudes from the back surface of the first displacement member 19630, and a substantially cylindrical abutment portion 19644 protrudes from the front surface of the decorative portion 642b of the connecting displacement member 19642. The abutment portion 19639 is disposed between the rotating shaft 631 and the support shaft 632 in the longitudinal direction of the first displacement member 19630.

The contact portion 19639 and the contact portion 19644 are formed so that the outer peripheral surface of the contact portion 19644 can contact the side surface of the contact portion 19639 (the surface on the right side in FIG. 153) during a predetermined section along the way when the first displacement member 19630 and the second displacement member 19640 are displaced from the extended position toward the retracted position. Here, the action of the contact portion 19639 and the contact portion 19644 due to the contact will be described with reference to FIG. 158 to FIG. 160.

Figure 158 is a front view of the right rotation unit 19600 in each state in the first half section when moving from the extended position to the retracted position, and Figure 159 is a rear view of the right rotation unit 19600 in each state in the first half section when moving from the extended position to the retracted position.

Note that Figures 158(a) and 159(a) correspond to the state in which the first displacement member 19630 and the second displacement member 19640 are disposed in the extended position (i.e., Figures 155(c) and 157(c)). Figures 158(b) and 159(b) correspond to Figures 155(b) and 157(b), and Figures 158(c) and 159(c) correspond to Figures 155(a) and 157(a).

Figure 160 is a schematic rear view of the right rotation unit 19600 in each state in the first half section when moving from the extended position to the retracted position, and Figures 160(a), 160(b), and 160(c) correspond to Figures 159(a), 159(b), and 159(c), respectively.

From the extended position shown in FIG. 158(a), FIG. 159(a), and FIG. 160(a), as shown in FIG. 158(b), FIG. 159(b), and FIG. 160(b), the connecting displacement member 19642 is rotated in a direction retracted to the rear surface of the first displacement member 19630 with the support shaft 633 (shaft support hole 642a) as the center of rotation, and as shown in FIG. 158(c), FIG. 159(c), and FIG. 160(c), when the connecting displacement member 19642 is rotated to the maximum with the support shaft 633 (shaft support hole 642a) as the center of rotation, the abutting portion 19644 abuts against the lower surface of the abutted portion 19639.

In this case, in the section until the abutting portion 19644 abuts against the abutted portion 19639 (i.e., the section shown in Figures 158, 159, and 160), the drive motor 650 only needs to drive the second displacement member 19640 to rotate, and the drive load is relatively small. In other words, this section is the section where the drive pin 654b of the transmission member 654 passes through the non-interference section 635b in the first groove 635 of the first displacement member 19630, so only the weight of the second displacement member 19640 is considered as the load for the rotational drive.

On the other hand, when the abutting portion 19644 is in contact with the abutted portion 19639, the drive pin 654b of the transmission member 654 reaches the action section 635a in the first groove 635 of the first displacement member 19630. Therefore, from this state, not only the weight of the second displacement member 19640 but also the weight of the first displacement member 19630 is added as the load on the rotational drive of the drive motor 650. In particular, from this state, the load on the drive motor 650 is suddenly increased because the operation is to stand the first displacement member 19630 up against gravity.

In contrast, according to this embodiment, an abutment portion 19644 is provided on the decorative portion 642b of the connecting displacement member 19642, and the connecting displacement member 19642 is rotated around the support shaft 633 as the center of rotation. The abutment portion 19644 is lifted upward as the connecting displacement member 19642 rotates, and abuts against the underside of the abutted portion 19639 of the first displacement member 19630 (see FIG. 160(c)).

In other words, the rotation of the connecting displacement member 19642 around the support shaft 633 can be restricted by the abutment of the abutted portion 19639 and the abutting portion 19644, so that the rotation of the connecting displacement member 19642 can be suddenly stopped, and the inertial force of the connecting displacement member 19642 generated by the sudden stop can be applied to the first displacement member 19630 as a force (arrow F in FIG. 160(c)) in a direction that displaces the first displacement member 19630 in the retracting direction around the rotation shaft 631 (i.e., stands up).

As a result, when the drive pin 654b of the transmission member 654 reaches the action section 635a in the first groove 635 of the first displacement member 19630 and the weight of the first displacement member 19630 as well as the weight of the second displacement member 19640 are added as the load of the rotational drive of the drive motor 650, the above-mentioned inertial force can be used as a force to assist the rotational drive force of the drive motor 650. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the load of the drive motor 650 from suddenly changing (increasing), and it is possible to stabilize the displacement of each of the displacement members 19630, 19640 from the extended position toward the retracted position, and to improve the durability of the drive motor 650.

<Twentieth embodiment>
Next, the twentieth embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 161 and Fig. 162. In the winning device 65 of the first embodiment, the sending of the game ball from the sending port 821c to the seesaw member 840 (receiving surface 844) is permitted regardless of the state of the seesaw member 840 (i.e., in either the first state or the second state), but in the winning device 20065 of the twentieth embodiment, the sending of the game ball from the sending port 821c to the seesaw member 20840 (receiving surface 844) is restricted at least in the second state. Note that the same parts as those of the above embodiments are given the same reference numerals, and their description will be omitted.

Figure 161 is an exploded front perspective view of the winning device 20065 in the twentieth embodiment. Also, Figure 162(a) is a cross-sectional view of the winning device 20065 when the seesaw member 20840 forms the first state, and Figure 162(b) is a cross-sectional view of the winning device 20065 when the seesaw member 20840 forms the second state. Note that Figures 162(a) and 162(b) correspond to Figures 52(a) and 52(b), respectively.

As shown in FIG. 161, in the winning device 20065 of the twentieth embodiment, a regulating portion 20848 is formed on the seesaw member 20840. The regulating portion 20848 is formed as a generally triangular portion in front view that stands upward (upper side of FIG. 161) from the edge of the receiving surface 844, which is opposite the inclined surface 845.

As shown in FIG. 162(a), when the seesaw member 20840 is in the first state, the restricting portion 20848 is positioned outside the opening area of the outlet 821c, thereby maintaining the opening width of the outlet 821c (the left-right dimension in FIG. 162(a)) at dimension W1, which is larger than the diameter of the game ball. This allows the game ball to be sent from the outlet 821c to the receiving surface 844.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 162(b), when the seesaw member 20840 forms the second state, the restricting portion 20848 approaches the outlet 821c as the seesaw member 20840 rotates, and a portion of the restricting portion 20848 is positioned inside the opening area of the outlet 821c (i.e., a portion of the restricting portion 20848 overlaps with the opening area of the outlet 821c). This reduces the opening width of the outlet 821c to dimension W2, which is smaller than the diameter of the game ball (W2<W1). Therefore, the sending of the game ball from the outlet 821c to the receiving surface 844 is restricted (prohibited).

In this way, according to this embodiment, the sending of game balls from the guide passage (sending port 821c) of the intermediate base 820 to the receiving surface 844 of the seesaw member 20840 can be controlled (permitted or restricted) depending on the state of the seesaw member 20840.

In other words, in the first state, the game ball is sent out from the delivery port 821c to the receiving surface 844, and the game ball is rolled from the receiving surface 844 toward the inclined surface 845 and the discharge surface 846, thereby rotating the seesaw member 20840 and quickly forming the second state.

Here, even after the seesaw member 20840 has started to rotate toward the second state, if more game balls are sent out in succession from the delivery port 821c to the receiving surface 844, a state is created in which the game balls sent out earlier (received by the receiving surface 844) are still rolling on the inclined surface 845 and the discharge surface 846, making it easier for the seesaw member 20840 to be maintained in the second state.

In contrast, in this embodiment, when the seesaw member 20840 starts to rotate toward the second state, the regulating portion 20848 narrows the opening width of the delivery port 821c to dimension W2, thereby regulating (prohibiting) the delivery of the game ball from the delivery port 821c to the receiving surface 844, and ensuring time for the game ball rolling on the inclined surface 845 and the discharge surface 846 to be discharged to the discharge port 821d.

In other words, the sending of game balls from the delivery port 821c to the receiving surface 844 can be made to wait until the discharge of game balls from the inclined surface 845 and the discharge surface 846 to the discharge port 821d is complete and there are no game balls on the seesaw member 20840. As a result, even when multiple game balls are guided in succession, it is possible to easily alternate between the first state and the second state.

The dimension W2 may be larger than the diameter of the game ball, so long as it is smaller than the dimension W1. In other words, the dimension W2 may be a dimension that allows the game ball to be sent from the outlet 821c to the receiving surface 844. Even in this case, the restricting portion 20848 narrows the opening width of the outlet 821c, making it more difficult for the game ball to pass through, and accordingly increases the time required for the game ball to be sent from the outlet 821c to the receiving surface 844 (delaying the passage of the game ball). As a result, even when multiple game balls are guided in succession, it is possible to easily alternate between the first state and the second state.

<Twenty-first embodiment>
Next, the 21st embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 163. In the winning device 65 of the first embodiment, the game ball is discharged to the discharge port 821d by rolling along the downward slope of the inclined surface 845 and the discharge surface 846 of the seesaw member 840, but the winning device 21065 in the 21st embodiment includes a rotating member 21870 for pushing out the game ball and discharging it to the discharge port 821d. Note that the same parts as those in the above embodiments are given the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted.

Figures 163(a) and 163(b) are partially enlarged cross-sectional views of the prize-winning device 21065 in the 21st embodiment, and correspond to Figure 54.

As shown in FIG. 163, the winning device 21065 in the 21st embodiment includes a rotating member 21870 above the seesaw member 840. The rotating member 21870 is positioned at a height position that does not interfere with the seesaw member 840 regardless of whether the seesaw member 840 is in the first state or the second state, and can come into contact with the game ball on the seesaw member 840.

The rotating member 21870 includes a support part 21871 that is rotatably supported on the rear surface of the front base 810 by inserting a support pin (not shown), a plate-shaped receiving plate 21872 that projects from the support part 21871 to one side and faces the delivery port 821c, and a plate-shaped receiving plate 21872 and push-out plate 21873 that project from the support part 21871 to the other side opposite the receiving plate 21872 and face the discharge port 821d.

The pivot support 21871 is disposed with its axis aligned along the direction of gravity (perpendicular to the plane of the paper in FIG. 163(a)) (i.e., perpendicular to the rotation axis (support shaft 821e) of the seesaw member 840). The receiving plate 21872 and the pushing plate 21873 are connected at a predetermined intersection angle with the pivot support 21871 as the intersection center. Therefore, the rotating member 21870 is bent in an approximately dogleg shape when viewed in the direction of the pivot support 21871 (gravity).

In this case, when the rotating member 21870 is in a rotational position in which the pusher plate 21873 is aligned along the longitudinal direction of the seesaw member 840 (left-right direction in FIG. 163(a)), the receiving plate 21872 is in a position protruding above the receiving surface 844 of the seesaw member 840 (toward the front of the page in FIG. 163(a)) as shown in FIG. 163(a), and when the receiving plate 21872 is in a rotational position in which the receive plate 21872 is aligned along the longitudinal direction of the seesaw member 840, the pushing plate 21873 is in a position protruding above the inclined surface 845 and/or the ejection surface 846 of the seesaw member 840 as shown in FIG. 163(b).

That is, when the rotating member 21870 is in a rotational position where the pusher plate 21873 is retracted to the side opposite the discharge port 821d (lower side in FIG. 163(a)), the receiving plate 21872 is advanced to the side closer to the discharge port 821c as shown in FIG. 163(a), and when the receiving plate 21872 is retracted to the side opposite the discharge port 821c (lower side in FIG. 163(b)), the pushing plate 21873 is advanced to the side closer to the discharge port 821d as shown in FIG. 163(b).

Therefore, according to this embodiment, for example, as shown in FIG. 163(a), when a game ball is sent from the sending port 821c to the receiving surface 844 of the seesaw member 840 while the game ball is still rolling on the inclined surface 845 or the discharge surface 846 of the seesaw member 840, the game ball sent from the sending port 821c to the receiving surface 844 is received by the receiving plate 21872 of the rotating member 21870, and the rotating member 21870 is rotated in a direction that causes its pushing plate 21873 to protrude above the inclined surface 845 and the discharge surface 846. By this rotation, as shown in FIG. 163(b), the game ball rolling on the inclined surface 845 or the discharge surface 846 can be pushed out by the pushing plate 21873 and discharged to the discharge port 821d.

As a result, it is possible to facilitate the rapid discharge of the game ball rolling on the inclined surface 845 or the discharge surface 846 to the discharge port 821d. This shortens the time that the game ball is placed on the inclined surface 845 or the discharge surface 846 of the seesaw member 840 (i.e., the time that the second state is formed), allowing smooth switching between the first state and the second state.

In addition, even if the game ball sent out from the delivery port 821c is received by the receiving plate 21872 of the rotating member 21870 and the rotating member 21870 is placed in a position in which the push plate 21873 protrudes above the inclined surface 845 and the discharge surface 846 (i.e., the position shown in FIG. 163(b)), the game ball received by the receiving plate 21872 (the game ball shown on the left side of FIG. 163(b)) rolls along the inclined surface 845 and the discharge surface 846 while retracting the push plate 21873, so that the rotating member 21870 can be returned to the position in which the receiving plate 21872 protrudes above the receiving surface 844 (i.e., the position shown in FIG. 163(a)).

In this way, the rotating member 21870 can use the rolling of the game ball to return to its initial position (where the game ball can be received by the receiving plate 21872 and pushed out by the pushing plate 21873, i.e., the position shown in FIG. 163(a)). This eliminates the need for driving by a driving means or detection by a sensor device, which can reduce product costs.

<Twenty-second embodiment>
Next, a 22nd embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 164 and 165. Note that the same parts as those in the above embodiments are given the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted.

Figures 164(a) and 164(b) are partially enlarged cross-sectional views of the winning device 22065 in the 22nd embodiment, and correspond to Figure 54. Also, Figures 165(a) and 165(b) are partially enlarged cross-sectional views of the winning device 22065, and correspond to Figure 52.

The winning device 22065 in the 22nd embodiment differs from the winning device 21065 in the 21st embodiment only in that it further comprises an opening 22849 formed in the seesaw member 22840 and a protruding piece 22874 protruding from the rotating member 22870; the rest of the configuration is the same, so a description of it will be omitted.

As shown in Figures 164 and 165, the rotating member 22870 has a plurality of (three in this embodiment) protruding pieces 22874 protruding from the side surface of the lower side (the seesaw member 22840 side, the lower side in Figure 165) of the pushing plate 21873. Meanwhile, a plurality of (three in this embodiment) openings 22849 for receiving the protruding pieces 22874 are formed in the plate-shaped portion where the inclined surface 845 and the discharge surface 846 of the seesaw member 22840 are formed.

When viewed from the front (when viewed in the direction of the rotation axis (support shaft 821e) of the seesaw member 22840, i.e., the state shown in FIG. 165), the protrusion 22874 is curved in an arc about the rotation axis of the seesaw member 22840. On the other hand, when viewed from the front (when viewed in the direction of the rotation axis (support part 21871) of the rotating member 22870, i.e., the state shown in FIG. 164), the opening 22849 is curved in an arc about the rotation axis of the rotating member 22870.

Therefore, when the seesaw member 22840 rotates between the first state and the second state around the support shaft 821e (bearing 841) as the center of rotation, and the rotating member 22870 rotates within its movable range around the pivot portion 21871 as the center of rotation, it is possible to prevent the protruding piece 22874 from interfering with the inner edge of the opening 22849 in either state. As a result, the seesaw member 22840 and the rotating member 22870 can be rotated smoothly as if they are independent of each other.

Here, as in the case of the 21st embodiment described above, if the push plate 21873 of the rotating member 21870 does not have a protrusion, when the seesaw member 840 is in the second state (or a state close to it), and the game ball rolling on the inclined surface 845 or the discharge surface 846 of the seesaw member 840 is pushed out to the discharge port 821d by the push plate 21873, the lower part of the push plate 21873 comes into contact with the upper part of the game ball (the part on the front side of the page in Figure 163 (a)) because the gap between the push plate 21873 and the inclined surface 845 or the discharge surface 846 is large. Therefore, it takes a long time for the push plate 21873 to come into contact with the upper part of the game ball, and it becomes difficult to quickly discharge the game ball to the discharge port 821d. In addition, it becomes difficult to sufficiently impart the rotational energy of the rotating member 21870, which is generated by receiving the game ball on the receiving plate 21872, to the game ball via the pushing plate 21873.

In contrast, according to this embodiment, the push plate 21873 of the rotating member 22870 has a protrusion 22874 protruding downward (toward the seesaw member 22840). Therefore, for example, as shown in FIG. 165(b), when the seesaw member 22840 is in the second state, the game ball rolling on the inclined surface 845 or the discharge surface 846 of the seesaw member 22840 can be pushed out to the discharge port 821d by the protrusion 22874.

In this case, the protrusion 22874 can be brought into contact with the side portion of the game ball (the lower portion in FIG. 164(a)). This shortens the time it takes for the protrusion 22874 to come into contact with the side portion of the game ball, allowing the game ball to be discharged (pushed out) promptly to the discharge port 821d. In addition, the rotational energy of the rotating member 22870, which is formed by receiving the game ball on the receiving plate 21872, can be sufficiently imparted to the game ball via the protrusion 22874.

As a result, it is possible to facilitate the rapid discharge of the game ball rolling on the inclined surface 845 or the discharge surface 846 to the discharge port 821d. This shortens the time that the game ball is placed on the inclined surface 845 or the discharge surface 846 of the seesaw member 840 (i.e., the time that the second state is formed), allowing smooth switching between the first state and the second state.

<Twenty-third embodiment>
Next, a 23rd embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 166 and 167. In the 21st embodiment, the rotating member 21870 is disposed (rotatably supported) on the front base 810, but in the 23rd embodiment, the rotating member 23870 is disposed (rotatably supported) on the seesaw member 840. Note that the same parts as those in the above embodiments are given the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted.

Figure 166 is an exploded rear perspective view of the winning device 23065 in the 23rd embodiment. Figures 167(a) and 167(b) are partially enlarged cross-sectional views of the winning device 23065, corresponding to Figure 54. Figures 168(a) and 168(b) are partially enlarged cross-sectional views of the winning device 23065, corresponding to Figure 52.

The prize-winning device 23065 in the 23rd embodiment differs from the prize-winning device 21065 in the 21st embodiment in the position where the rotating member 23870 is disposed and in the presence or absence of a stopper portion 23875. Since the other configurations are the same, the description thereof will be omitted.

As shown in Figures 166 to 168, the rotating member 23870 in the 23rd embodiment is rotatably supported on the upper surface of the seesaw member 840 by a pivot pin 23876 inserted into the pivot portion 21871. In this case, in this embodiment, the rotating member 23870 is disposed in such a position that the axial direction of the pivot portion 21871 is perpendicular to the rotation axis (support shaft 821e) of the seesaw member 840, and the lower side surface of the push plate 21873 faces the inclined surface 845 and the discharge surface 846 of the seesaw member 840 approximately parallel to each other.

In this manner, according to this embodiment, the rotating member 23870 is disposed on the seesaw member 840, so that as shown in Figures 168(a) and 168(b), regardless of whether the seesaw member 840 is in the first state or the second state, the push plate 21873 can be made to face the game ball rolling on the inclined surface 845 or the discharge surface 846 of the seesaw member 840.

Therefore, unlike the case of the 21st embodiment described above (i.e., the form in which the lower part of the push plate 21873 abuts against the upper part of the game ball (the part on the front side of the page in Fig. 163(a))), the push plate 21873 can be abutted against the side part of the game ball (the lower part in Fig. 167(a)). This shortens the time it takes for the push plate 21873 to abut against the side part of the game ball, and therefore the game ball can be quickly discharged (pushed out) to the discharge port 821d. In addition, the rotational energy of the rotating member 23870 formed by receiving the game ball with the receiving plate 21872 can be sufficiently imparted to the game ball via the push plate 21873.

As a result, it is possible to facilitate the rapid discharge of the game ball rolling on the inclined surface 845 or the discharge surface 846 to the discharge port 821d. This shortens the time that the game ball is placed on the inclined surface 845 or the discharge surface 846 of the seesaw member 840 (i.e., the time that the second state is formed), allowing smooth switching between the first state and the second state.

Here, in the present embodiment, the rotating member 23870 has a stopper portion 23875 protruding from the rear surface (the surface opposite the side that pushes out the game ball) of the pushing plate 21873, and the stopper portion 23875 can abut against the rear surface of the front base 810. When the stopper portion 23875 is in abutment against the rear surface of the front base 810 (see FIG. 167(a)), the rotating member 23870 is disposed in a rotational position in which the pushing plate 21873 is aligned with the longitudinal direction of the seesaw member 840 (left-right direction in FIG. 167(a)).

Therefore, compared to a case where the stopper portion 23875 is omitted and the push plate 21873 is retracted to a position where it abuts against the rear surface of the front base 810, the push plate 21873 can be made to wait near the game ball rolling on the inclined surface 845 or the discharge surface 846, and the time until the push plate 21873 abuts against the game ball can be shortened. As a result, the game ball can be quickly discharged (pushed out) to the discharge port 821d.

As described above, even if the rotating member 23870 is positioned in a position in which its push plate 21873 protrudes above the inclined surface 845 and the discharge surface 846 (i.e., the position shown in FIG. 167(b)), the game ball received by the receiving plate 21872 (the game ball shown on the left side of FIG. 167(b)) rolls along the inclined surface 845 and the discharge surface 846 while retracting the push plate 21873, thereby returning the rotating member 23870 to a position in which the receiving plate 21872 protrudes above the receiving surface 844 (i.e., the position shown in FIG. 167(a)).

In this case, in this embodiment, since the rotating member 23870 is disposed on the seesaw member 840, a predetermined gap is formed between the push plate 21873 and the front base 810. Therefore, when the push plate 21873 is retracted to a position where it abuts against the rear surface of the front base 810, the game ball rolls in a direction away from the discharge port 821d, and the rolling trajectory of the game ball increases, delaying discharge to the discharge port 821d.

In response to this, by providing a stopper portion 23875 protruding from the back surface of the push plate 21873, it is possible to prevent the push plate 21873 from being pushed back too far toward the back surface of the front base 810 when the game ball received by the receiving plate 21872 (the game ball shown on the left side of FIG. 167(b)) rolls along the inclined surface 845 and the discharge surface 846 (see FIG. 167(a)). In other words, it is possible to prevent the game ball from rolling unnecessarily in a direction away from the discharge port 821d, making it easier to quickly discharge the game ball into the discharge port 821d.

On the other hand, in this embodiment, since no stopper portion is formed on the back surface of the receiving plate 21872, the receiving plate 21872 can be retracted to a position where it abuts against the back surface of the front base 810 (see FIG. 167(b)). In other words, by utilizing the gap between the front base 810 and the rotating member 23870 formed by disposing the rotating member 23870 on the seesaw member 840, the rotation angle of the rotating member 23870 when the receiving plate 21872 receives a game ball and the rotating member 23870 rotates (the rotation angle from the rotation position shown in FIG. 167(a) to the rotation position shown in FIG. 167(b)) can be increased.

As a result, the time that the game ball sent out from the delivery port 821c is in contact with the receiving plate 21872 can be lengthened (i.e., the impulse that the rotating member 23870 receives from the game ball can be increased). Therefore, the rotational energy of the rotating member 23870 formed by receiving the game ball with the receiving plate 21872 can be increased, and even if multiple game balls roll on the inclined surface 845 or the discharge surface 846, the multiple game balls can be easily discharged to the discharge port 821d by pushing out the pushing plate 21873. Therefore, the time that the game ball is placed on the inclined surface 845 or the discharge surface 846 of the seesaw member 840 (i.e., the time that the second state is formed) can be shortened, and the first state and the second state can be smoothly switched back and forth.

<Twenty-fourth embodiment>
Next, a 24th embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 169 to 173. In the first embodiment, the seesaw member 840 is rotated while its rotation axis is maintained in a horizontal position, but in the 24th embodiment, the position of the rotation axis of the seesaw member 840 is tilted as the seesaw member 840 rotates. Note that the same parts as those in the above embodiments are given the same reference numerals, and their description will be omitted.

Figure 169 is an exploded front perspective view of the winning device 24065 in the 24th embodiment, and Figure 170 is an exploded rear perspective view of the winning device 24065.

As shown in Figures 169 and 170, the winning device 24065 in the 24th embodiment has bearings 24816, 24826 protruding from the back surface of the front base 24810 and the front surface of the intermediate base 24820. The bearings 24816, 24826 are parts that rotatably support both ends of the rotating shaft 24877 on their inner circumferential surfaces, and are formed as protrusions that are roughly U-shaped when viewed from the front and open upward (upper side of Figures 169 and 170).

In this embodiment, the bearing portion 24816 of the front base 24810 has a larger inner circumferential radius than the bearing portion 24826 of the intermediate base 24820. This allows rotation of one axial end of the rotating shaft 24877 (the end on the side where the cam portion 24877b is formed), as described below.

The rotating shaft 24877 is a shaft-shaped body for rotatably supporting the seesaw member 840 relative to the front base 24810 and the intermediate base 24820. Here, the rotating shaft 24877 will be described with reference to FIG. 171.

Figure 171(a) is a front view of the rotating shaft 24877, and Figure 171(b) is a side view of the rotating shaft 24877 as viewed in the direction of the arrow CLXXIb in Figure 171(a).

As shown in FIG. 171, the rotating shaft 24877 includes a main body 24877a formed as a shaft-shaped body with a circular cross section, and a cam portion 24877b formed at the axial end of the main body 24877a. The cam portion 24877b is formed to protrude radially outward from the outer circumferential surface of the main body 24877a (i.e., the distance from the axis of the main body 24877a to the outer circumferential surface of the cam portion 24877b changes depending on the rotation angle) and is formed as a so-called disc cam.

Returning to Figures 170 and 171, the explanation will be given. The axial length of the main body 24877a of the rotating shaft 24877 is set to a dimension greater than the axial length of the bearing 841 of the seesaw member 840. Therefore, the main body 24877a of the rotating shaft 24877 is fitted into the bearing 841 of the seesaw member 840, and the cam portion 24877b and the main body 24877a protruding from both axial ends of the bearing 841 are supported by the bearing 24816 of the front base 24810 and the bearing 24826 of the intermediate base 24820, respectively (see Figure 173). The rotating shaft 24877 is fixed to the bearing 841 of the seesaw member 840 after being positioned at a predetermined phase (rotational position).

Next, we will explain the action of the cam portion 24877b on the rotation shaft 24877 when the seesaw member 840 is rotated.

Figure 172(a) is a cross-sectional view of the winning device 24065 when the seesaw member 840 forms the first state, and Figure 172(b) is a cross-sectional view of the winning device 24065 when the seesaw member 840 forms the second state. Also, Figure 173(a) is a cross-sectional view of the winning device 24065 taken along line CLXXIIIa-CLXXIIIa in Figure 172(a), and Figure 173(b) is a cross-sectional view of the winning device 24065 taken along line CLXXIIIb-CLXXIIIb in Figure 172(b). Note that Figures 172(a) and 172(b) correspond to Figures 52(a) and 52(b), respectively.

As shown in Fig. 172(a) and Fig. 173(a), in the first state, the axis of the rotating shaft 24877 is parallel to the horizontal direction (left-right direction in Fig. 173(a)), and both axial ends of the rotating shaft 24877 are supported by the bearing portion 24816 of the front cover 24810 and the bearing portion 24826 of the intermediate cover 24820, respectively. In this case, the discharge surface 846 of the seesaw member 840 is inclined downward at a first inclination angle toward the discharge port 821d of the intermediate base 24820.

When the seesaw member 840 is rotated from the first state shown in FIG. 172(a) and FIG. 173(a) toward the second state, as the rotation angle increases, the cam portion 24877b at one axial end of the rotating shaft 24877 gradually acts on the inner peripheral surface of the bearing portion 24816 of the front cover 24810, gradually increasing the height position of the one axial end side of the rotating shaft 24877 (the side where the cam portion 24877b is formed).

As shown in FIG. 172(b) and FIG. 173(b), when the seesaw member 840 reaches the second state, the height position of the axial end side (the side where the cam portion 24877b is formed) of the rotating shaft 24877 is maximized, and the axis of the rotating shaft 24877 is tilted downward from the front base 24810 toward the intermediate base 24820. As a result, the inclination angle of the discharge surface 846 of the seesaw member 840, which is tilted downward toward the discharge port 821d of the intermediate base 24820, is increased to a second inclination angle greater than the first inclination angle described above.

In this manner, according to this embodiment, the angle of the downward inclination of the discharge surface 846 can be increased as the seesaw member 840 rotates from the first state to the second state.

Here, as in the first embodiment described above, when the seesaw member 840 rotates while maintaining its axis of rotation in a horizontal position (i.e., when the inclination angle of the downward inclination of the discharge surface 846 is maintained at a predetermined angle), if the inclination angle of the downward inclination of the discharge surface 846 is strong (large), the game ball is discharged from the discharge surface 846 too quickly, and the second state cannot be reliably formed, whereas if the inclination angle of the downward inclination of the discharge surface 846 is gentle (small), the game ball is discharged from the discharge surface 846 too slowly, and the retention time becomes long, so that alternating switching between the first state and the second state cannot be performed smoothly.

In contrast, according to this embodiment, when the seesaw member 840 is rotated from the first state to the second state, the downward slope of the discharge surface 846 can be kept relatively gentle (small) in the initial stage, so that the game balls are prevented from being discharged prematurely from the discharge surface 846 (i.e., the game balls are allowed to remain on the discharge surface 846), making it easier to reliably form the second state.

On the other hand, in the final stage, the angle of the downward inclination of the discharge surface 846 is made relatively strong (large), so that the game ball can be quickly discharged from the discharge surface 846 to the discharge port 821d, thereby shortening the time that the game ball is placed on the discharge surface 846 (i.e., the time that the second state is formed), and allowing smooth alternating switching between the first state and the second state.

<Twenty-fifth embodiment>
Next, a 25th embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 174 to 177. In the first embodiment, the seesaw member 840 is rotated while its rotation axis is maintained in a horizontal position, but in the 25th embodiment, the position of the rotation axis of the seesaw member 840 is tilted as the seesaw member 840 rotates. Note that the same parts as those in the above embodiments are given the same reference numerals, and their description will be omitted.

Figure 174 is an exploded front perspective view of the winning device 25065 in the 25th embodiment, and Figure 175 is an exploded rear perspective view of the winning device 25065.

As shown in Figures 174 and 175, the winning device 25065 in the 25th embodiment has bearings 25816 and 24826 protruding from the back surface of the front base 25810 and the front surface of the intermediate base 24820. These bearings 25816 and 24826 are parts that rotatably support both ends of the rotating shaft 25877 on their inner circumferential surfaces, and are formed to be identical in shape to each other.

The rotating shaft 25877 is a shaft-shaped body with a circular cross section for rotatably supporting the seesaw member 840 relative to the front base 25810 and the intermediate base 24820, and its axial length is set to a dimension greater than the axial length of the bearing 841 of the seesaw member 840. Thus, the rotating shaft 25877 is fitted into the bearing 841 of the seesaw member 840, and the portions protruding from both axial ends of the bearing 841 are supported by the bearing portion 25816 of the front base 25810 and the bearing portion 24826 of the intermediate base 25820, respectively (see FIG. 177).

In addition, a push-up portion 25817 is provided on the rear surface of the front base 25810 so as to protrude to the side of the bearing portion 25816. The push-up portion 25817 is positioned on the movement trajectory of the portion forming the discharge surface 846 when the seesaw member 840 rotates from the first state to the second state, and abuts against the lower surface of the portion forming the discharge surface 846 when the seesaw member 840 approaches the second state. Due to this abutment, one side of the seesaw member 840 is pushed up by the push-up portion 25817, as described below, and the angle of the downward inclination of the discharge surface 846 is increased.

Next, we will explain the action of the push-up portion 25817 when the seesaw member 840 is rotated.

Figure 176 (a) is a cross-sectional view of the winning device 25065 when the seesaw member 840 forms the first state, and Figure 176 (b) is a cross-sectional view of the winning device 25065 when the seesaw member 840 forms the second state.

Furthermore, FIG. 177(a) is a cross-sectional view of the winning device 25065 taken along line CLXXVIIa-CLXXVIIa in FIG. 176(a), FIG. 177(b) is a cross-sectional view of the winning device 25065 taken along line CLXXVIIb-CLXXVIIb in FIG. 176(a), FIG. 177(c) is a cross-sectional view of the winning device 25065 taken along line CLXXVIIc-CLXXVIIc in FIG. 176(b), and FIG. 177(d) is a cross-sectional view of the winning device 25065 taken along line CLXXVIId-CLXXVIId in FIG. 176(b). Note that FIG. 176(a) and FIG. 176(b) correspond to FIG. 52(a) and FIG. 52(b), respectively.

As shown in Fig. 176(a), Fig. 177(a) and Fig. 177(b), in the first state, there is a gap between the seesaw member 840 and the push-up portion 25817, so that the axis of the rotating shaft 25877 is parallel to the horizontal direction (left-right direction in Fig. 177(a)), and both axial ends of the rotating shaft 25877 are supported by the bearing portion 25816 of the front cover 25810 and the bearing portion 24826 of the intermediate cover 24820, respectively. In this case, the discharge surface 846 of the seesaw member 840 is inclined downward at a first inclination angle toward the discharge port 821d of the intermediate base 24820.

When the seesaw member 840 is rotated from the first state shown in Figures 176(a), 177(a) and 177(b) towards the second state and the portion of the seesaw member 840 forming the discharge surface 846 is lowered, the lower surface of the portion forming the discharge surface 846 comes into contact with the upper surface of the push-up portion 25817 (not shown).

When the seesaw member 840 is further rotated from this state toward the second state, the lower surface of the portion forming the discharge surface 846 abuts against the upper surface of the push-up portion 25817, so the seesaw member 840 rotates while lifting one axial end side of the rotating shaft 25877 (the front left side of FIG. 174, the left side of FIG. 177(a)), and the portion forming the discharge surface 846 lowers the side that is not abutting against the upper surface of the push-up portion 25817 (the rear right side of FIG. 174, the right side of FIG. 177(b)).

As a result, as shown in FIG. 176(b), FIG. 27(c), and FIG. 177(d), when the seesaw member 840 reaches the second state, one axial end side of the rotating shaft 25877 is lifted from the inner bottom surface of the bearing portion 25816, and the axis of the rotating shaft 25877 is tilted downward from the front base 25810 toward the intermediate base 24820. As a result, the inclination angle at which the discharge surface 846 of the seesaw member 840 is tilted downward toward the discharge port 821d of the intermediate base 24820 is increased to a second inclination angle that is greater than the first inclination angle described above.

Thus, according to this embodiment, when the seesaw member 840 is rotated from the first state to the second state, in the initial stage (the section until the lower surface of the portion forming the discharge surface 846 abuts against the push-up portion 25817), the inclination angle of the downward slope of the discharge surface 846 is maintained at the first inclination angle (i.e., the inclination angle of the downward slope of the discharge surface 846 is not changed), while in the final stage (the section after the lower surface of the portion forming the discharge surface 846 abuts against the push-up portion 25817), the inclination angle of the downward slope of the discharge surface 846 can be suddenly increased to the second inclination angle.

As a result, in the initial stage, it is easier to prevent the game ball from being discharged from the discharge surface 846 too quickly (i.e., it is easier to keep the game ball on the discharge surface 846), so the second state can be more reliably formed. On the other hand, in the final stage, it is easier to quickly discharge the game ball from the discharge surface 846 to the discharge port 821d, so the time that the game ball is placed on the discharge surface 846 (i.e., the time that the second state is formed) can be shortened, and alternating switching between the first state and the second state can be performed more smoothly.

The present invention has been described above based on the above embodiment, but the present invention is in no way limited to the above embodiment, and it can be easily imagined that various modifications and improvements are possible within the scope of the present invention.

In each of the above embodiments, a gaming machine may be constructed by replacing or combining part or all of one embodiment with part or all of one or more other embodiments.

In the above embodiments, a case has been described in which a groove 971 is recessed into the front surface of the frame plate substrate 910 in the third path M3, but this is not necessarily limited to this, and a convex ridge may be provided that protrudes from the front surface of the frame plate substrate 910 and extends in a roughly sawtooth shape when viewed from the front. In this case, as in the case of the groove 971, the game ball flowing down the third path M3 can be guided along the outer surface of the convex ridge to meander left and right. This makes it possible to slow down the flow speed of the game ball and to change the movement of the game ball. The convex ridge can also be used as a lens that diffuses or focuses light.

In each of the above embodiments, a case has been described in which in the second state, the receiving surface 844 of the seesaw member 840 is located above the downwardly inclined end of the guide bottom surface 824a of the intermediate bottom wall 824, but this is not necessarily limited to this. In the second state, the receiving surface 844 of the seesaw member 840 may be formed so that it coincides in height with the downwardly inclined end of the guide bottom surface 824a of the intermediate bottom wall 824 or is located below the downwardly inclined end of the guide bottom surface 824a.

In the third embodiment, the third displacement member 3660 is slidably displaced relative to the first displacement member 3630 by utilizing the extension and contraction action of the slide rail 3662. However, this is not necessarily limited to this. Alternatively, a groove may be provided on one of the first displacement member 3630 or the third displacement member 3660, and a pin that slides along the groove may be provided on the other of the first displacement member 3630 or the third displacement member 3660, and the third displacement member 3660 may be slidably displaced relative to the first displacement member 3630 by utilizing the sliding of the pin against the groove.

In the eighth embodiment, the relative rotation of the second displacement member 740 with respect to the first displacement member 730 is performed by the weight of the second displacement member 740 (the action of gravity), but this is not necessarily limited to this. The second displacement member 740 may be biased in one direction or the other with respect to the first displacement member 730 by using the elastic force of an elastic spring such as a coil spring or a torsion spring, or an elastic body such as rubber or urethane. This makes it possible to stabilize the relative rotation of the second displacement member 740 with respect to the first displacement member 730.

In the above tenth embodiment, the case where liquid LQ is used as the specified weight has been described, but this is not necessarily limited to this. The other weight may be anything that can be displaced (e.g., rolled or slid) along the longitudinal direction in the internal space of the retainer 10746 in response to a change in the attitude of the retainer 10746, and examples of such weight include a sphere or cylinder made of iron or lead. In this case, the internal space of the retainer 10746 does not need to be sealed.

In the above tenth embodiment, a case has been described in which a predetermined weight is held in the internal space of the holder 10746, but this is not necessarily limited to this, and the predetermined weight may be hung from the second displacement member 740 via a string or link from any position on the vertical line Z passing through the center of gravity G. This also makes it possible to displace the predetermined weight to the same side as the movement direction of the center of gravity G when the second displacement member 740 is rotated to one side or the other with the rotation shaft 741 as the center of rotation.

In the above tenth embodiment, the retainer 10746 is disposed at a position where its longitudinal center coincides with the center of gravity G of the second displacement member 740, but this is not necessarily limited to this. However, it is preferable to position the longitudinal center of the retainer 10746 on a vertical line Z that passes through the center of gravity G.

In the above eleventh embodiment, the return operation of the second displacement member 740 to the crossing angle γ1 relative to the first displacement member 730 is performed by utilizing the elastic recovery force of the biasing spring SP, but this is not necessarily limited to this, and the biasing spring SP may be omitted and the return operation may be performed by the weight of the second displacement member 740 (the action of gravity).

In the above 24th and 25th embodiments, the case where the rotating shaft 24877 is supported in a position where its axis is parallel to the horizontal direction (left-right direction in FIG. 173(a)) in the first state has been described, but this is not necessarily limited to this, and in the first state, the height position of one axial end (the side where the cam portion 24877b is formed) of the rotating shaft 24877 may be set to a height position higher (or lower) than the other axial end side. That is, it is sufficient that the above-mentioned first tilt angle (the tilt angle at which the discharge surface 846 of the seesaw member 840 in the first state is tilted downward toward the discharge port 821d of the intermediate base 24820) is formed so as to be able to be increased to a tilt angle larger than the above-mentioned second tilt angle (the tilt angle at which the discharge surface 846 of the seesaw member 840 in the second state is tilted downward toward the discharge port 821d of the intermediate base 24820).

In the above 21st and 22nd embodiments, a case where a sufficient gap is not formed between the rotating members 21870, 22870 and the front base 810 has been described, but this is not necessarily limited to this. A predetermined gap may be provided between the receiving plate 21872 and the pushing plate 21873 and the front base 810. In this case, it is preferable to provide a predetermined gap only on the receiving plate 21872 side. This provides the same effect as in the 23rd embodiment.

<First control example>
Next, a first control example of the pachinko machine 10 in each of the above-mentioned embodiments will be described with reference to Figs. 178 to 257. In this first control example, three game states are provided: a normal state (low probability state of special symbols and normal state of normal symbols), a probability state (high probability state of special symbols and time-saving state of normal symbols), and a potential state (high probability state of special symbols and normal state of normal symbols). The potential state is configured to be the most advantageous game state for the player. More specifically, in the potential state, the variable time of the variable display executed based on the ball entering the second ball entrance 1640 is configured to be shorter than other game states (600 seconds → 0.5 seconds). In addition, the normal state (low probability state) of the normal pattern and the time-saving state (high probability state) of the normal pattern are configured so that the probability of winning the normal pattern is almost the same (231/240 → 232/240), and the opening period of the electric role 1640a when the normal pattern wins is common (1 second x 2 times). As a result, in the potential state in which the normal state of the normal pattern is set, the lottery for the special pattern can be more efficiently executed by shooting a ball aiming at the second ball entrance 1640 (so-called right shot) rather than shooting a ball aiming at the first ball entrance 64 (so-called left shot). Hereinafter, the lottery for the special pattern executed based on the ball entering the first ball entrance 64 will be referred to as the lottery for the first special pattern, and the lottery for the special pattern executed based on the ball entering the second ball entrance 1640 will be referred to as the lottery for the second special pattern.

In this first control example, the lottery for the second special symbol is more advantageous to the player than the lottery for the first special symbol. Specifically, in the lottery for the second special symbol, the specific winning port 65a is opened for a certain period of time (1.648 seconds x 1 time, 0.06 seconds x 6 times, or 0.06 seconds x 8 times) in some of the losing lottery results. Therefore, even if the lottery for the second special symbol does not result in a big win, there are many opportunities to get the ball into the specific winning port 65a and win prize balls, making it more advantageous than the lottery for the first special symbol. Hereinafter, for the sake of simplicity, the losing lottery result in which the specific winning port 65a is opened will be referred to as a "small win."

By configuring the specific winning port 65a to be opened when the second special symbol is drawn as a small win in addition to a big win, the number of prize balls can be increased in the potential state where the time for the second special symbol to change is short. Therefore, the player can play in the hope of entering the potential state. In addition, as will be described in detail later, in the normal state or the probability change state, the time for the second special symbol to change is extremely long, so the frequency with which the specific winning port 65a is opened when a big win or small win occurs is significantly lower than in the potential state. Therefore, in the normal state or the probability change state, even if a right hit is made, there will be more balls used for play than prize balls. Therefore, in the normal state or the probability change state, it is more advantageous to hit left. In a general gaming machine, the probability change state is the most advantageous game state, but in this control example, the potential state is more advantageous than the probability change state, so a novel gameplay can be provided.

In this first control example, the display of the first special symbol based on the lottery and the display of the second special symbol based on the lottery are configured to be executed simultaneously (in parallel) (so-called simultaneous change method is adopted). As a result, even if the display of one special symbol is being executed, the display of the other special symbol can be executed without waiting for the end of the display of the other special symbol, so that the lottery of the special symbols can be executed more efficiently. Also, when the first special symbol and the second special symbol are fluctuating simultaneously, if one of them stops fluctuating with a stop pattern of a big win or small win, the other fluctuating display is stopped and displayed with a stop pattern of a miss regardless of the remaining fluctuating time or the lottery result. As a result, it is possible to prevent a malfunction in which the other fluctuating display is confirmed as a win or small win while a big win or small win is being executed, and a big win or small win is started in duplicate.

First, referring to Fig. 178 to Fig. 180, the details of the variable winning device 65 in this control example will be described. Fig. 178 is a front view of the center frame 86 of the pachinko machine 10 in this control example. As shown in Fig. 178, the second through gate 67 is disposed on the right side of the center frame 86, and the variable winning device 65 is disposed on the lower left side of the second through gate 67. The ball may reach the second through gate 67 and the variable winning device 65 when the player hits the ball to the right. Note that in Fig. 178, in order to make it easier to understand the structure of the variable winning device 65, the cover body provided on the front side of the variable winning device 65 when viewed from the front has been removed except for the outer periphery (CLXXIX part in Fig. 178).

Now, with reference to Figures 179(a) and (b), the configuration of the variable winning device 65 will be described in detail. Figure 179 is an enlarged view of the CLXXIX portion in Figure 178. As shown in Figures 179(a) and (b), the variable winning device 65 is formed with a specific winning port 65a, which is an opening through which a game ball can enter. Below the specific winning port 65a, a detection port 65a1 is disposed, which is composed of a magnetic sensor for detecting the winning of a game ball. Game balls that pass through this detection port 65a1 are distributed to either the normal discharge flow path 65e1 or the special discharge flow path 65e2, which are provided downstream of the detection port 65a1.

As shown in Figures 179(a) and (b), the opening of the specific winning hole 65a can be changed by the opening/closing plate 65f1 between an open state where game balls can enter and a closed state where balls cannot enter (it is difficult to enter). In the closed state, the opening is covered by the opening/closing plate 65f1, and the balls can flow down the right side of the opening/closing plate 65f1. In the open state, the opening of the specific winning hole 65a can be opened by tilting the opening/closing plate 65f1 to the right when viewed from the front.

By configuring it in this way, when the opening of the variable winning device 65 is closed, the game ball flows down the flow path on the right side of the variable winning device 65 when viewed from the front, and is guided toward the second ball entrance 1640. Therefore, in the most advantageous potential state, it is possible to make the game ball enter the second ball entrance 1640 to draw the second special pattern, and in the event of a small win or a big win, to make the ball enter the specific winning opening 65a to win a prize ball, simply by continuing to hit to the right. Therefore, in the potential state, the player can play more easily.

Next, referring to Figures 179(a) and (b), we will explain the configuration in which the opening and closing plate 65f1 is opened and the game ball that entered the specific winning port 65a is distributed to the normal discharge flow path 65e1 and the special discharge flow path 65e2, which will be described later.

First, referring to FIG. 179(a), a case where a game ball is guided to the normal discharge flow path 65e1 will be described. FIG. 179(a) shows a state where the flow path solenoid 65k is not activated and the switching member 65h is protruding to the left side when viewed from the front (the flow path side where the ball flows down), blocking the opening surface at the entrance of the special discharge flow path 65e2.

When the opening and closing plate 65f1 is opened, the game ball that entered the specific winning port 65a flows down the detection port 65a1. The game ball that is guided from the detection port 65a1 to the distribution flow path is guided to the upper surface of the switching member 65h, and as a result of being prevented from flowing down the special discharge flow path 65e2 by the switching member 65h, it is guided to the normal discharge flow path 65e1. At the end of this normal discharge flow path 65e1, a discharge confirmation switch 65e4 consisting of a magnetic sensor that can detect the passage of the game ball is provided. This discharge confirmation switch 65e4 makes it possible to accurately detect the number of out balls that are discharged from the normal discharge flow path 65e1 to the outside of the pachinko machine 10 as out balls.

Next, referring to FIG. 179(b), a case where the game ball is guided to the special discharge flow path 65e2 will be described. FIG. 179(b) shows a state where the flow path solenoid 65k is activated and the switching member 65h is retracted to the right as viewed from the front, thereby opening the opening surface of the entrance of the special discharge flow path 65e2.

As shown in FIG. 179(b), the game balls that pass through the detection port 65a1 flow down along the outer wall and are guided to the special discharge flow path 65e2. The game balls guided to the special discharge flow path 65e2 are detected by the V-pass switch 65e3, which is provided in the special discharge flow path 65e2 and is composed of a magnetic sensor that can detect the passage of the game balls, and are discharged to the outside of the pachinko machine 10 as out balls. This makes it possible to determine whether all of the game balls that entered the variable winning device 65 have been discharged based on the total number of out balls detected by the V-pass switch 65e3 and the out balls detected by the discharge confirmation switch 65e4. Therefore, if a malfunction such as ball clogging occurs in the variable winning device 65, the malfunction can be discovered early.

Here, details will be described later, but in the pachinko machine 10 in this control example, when the game ball passes through the V-pass switch 65e3 described above during a jackpot game, the game state after the jackpot is set to a special symbol probability state (probability state or potential probability state). In other words, the V-pass switch 65e3 is configured as a winning hole for granting the special symbol probability state. In addition, the switching member 65h is configured to allocate the game state after the jackpot to either the special symbol low probability state or the probability state.

In this way, the game state set after the jackpot game is changed depending on the flow route of the game ball that entered the specific winning port 65a during the jackpot game, so the player's interest can be improved even during the jackpot game. The time required for the ball to pass from the opening of the variable winning device 65 to the entrance of the special discharge flow path 65e2 (the opening surface closed by the switching member 65h) is configured to be at most 1 second. The operation timing and operation time of the switching member 65h are set in accordance with the elapsed time from the start of the jackpot. Details will be described later with reference to Figure 180, but in this control example, the switching member 65h operates for 4 seconds after the start of the first round of the jackpot, and the game ball is allowed to pass through the special discharge flow path 65e2 leading to the V-passing switch 65e3.

In this way, based on the fact that a game ball that has entered a specific winning port 65a in the variable winning device 65 is detected by the detection port 65a1, prize balls (15 prize balls for one winning ball in this control example) can be paid out as a bonus to the player. In addition, by using the game ball after detection by the detection port 65a1 and configuring it so that it can be allocated whether or not it passes through the V-pass switch 65e3, a lottery can be held to determine whether or not to grant a special pattern probability variable state. Therefore, there is no need to provide a dedicated winning port for granting a special pattern probability variable state separately from the variable winning device 65, and the space on the game board 13 can be used effectively.

Next, referring to FIG. 180, the correspondence between the operation of the flow path solenoid 65k and the opening and closing operation of the opening and closing plate 65f1 in one jackpot will be described. In this control example, the opening and closing pattern of the opening and closing plate 65f1 in the first round of a jackpot is varied according to the type of jackpot, thereby varying the ease with which balls flow down the special discharge flow path 65e2. In this control example, two types of opening and closing patterns of the opening and closing plate 65f1 are provided (a pattern that makes it difficult for the ball to enter the specific winning hole 65a, and a pattern that makes it easy for the ball to enter).

Figure 180 is a diagram showing the time-based change in the operation of the flow path solenoid 65k and the time-based change in the opening and closing timing of the opening and closing plate 65f1 for each type of jackpot. As shown in Figure 180 (a), the flow path solenoid 65k is kept in the off state before the start of one round of the jackpot. That is, before the start of one round, the balls are allowed to flow down to the normal discharge flow path 65e1 (see Figure 179 (a)). This off state continues until the start of one round. Then, when the first round starts, the flow path solenoid 65k is set to the on state for only four seconds. That is, the balls are allowed to flow down to the special discharge flow path 65e2 (see Figure 179 (a)). When the four-second on period ends, the flow path solenoid 65k is set to the off state again (set to a state where balls can flow down to the normal discharge flow path 65e1), and is kept in the off state thereafter until the end of the jackpot.

Also, as shown in FIG. 180(b), in the case of a jackpot C, the closed opening/closing plate 65f1 is opened when the first round starts. The opening of the opening/closing plate 65f1 allows balls to enter the inside of the variable winning device 65. This open state continues for only 0.2 seconds. After 0.2 seconds have elapsed since the opening of the opening/closing plate 65f1, the opening/closing plate 65f1 is kept in a closed state until 2.9 seconds have elapsed since the start of the first round. Then, when 2.9 seconds have elapsed since the start of the first round, the opening/closing plate 65f1 is set in an open state again. This open state continues for only 0.1 seconds, and thereafter the opening/closing plate 65f1 is kept in a closed state until the first round ends and the second round starts after a 5-second interval period. In this control example, one round ends when 10 balls enter the specific winning hole 65a or when 3 seconds have elapsed since the start of the first round. Since it is very difficult to make the ball enter the specific winning hole 65a during the 0.2 second opening period and the 0.1 second opening period, in the case of a jackpot C, the ball cannot be made to flow down the special discharge flow path 65e2 and the jackpot ends. In other words, since the ball cannot pass through the V-passing switch 65e3 during the jackpot, the special symbol probability state is not given after the jackpot ends. Therefore, when the jackpot C occurs, the game state after the jackpot is disadvantageous to the player compared to other jackpot types. Note that, although the probability is low, if the ball enters the specific winning hole 65a during the 0.2 second or 0.1 second when the opening/closing plate 65f1 is opened and the ball passes through the V-passing switch 65e3, the special symbol probability state can be transitioned to after the jackpot ends. Therefore, even if the jackpot type is a jackpot C, the player can play in the hope that the special symbol probability state will be set after the jackpot ends.

Also, as shown in FIG. 180(c), if any of the jackpots A, B, D to G occurs, the opening and closing plate 65f1 is opened for three seconds after the first round of the jackpot starts. That is, an opening and closing pattern is set that makes it easy to get the ball into the specific winning hole 65a in the first round. Therefore, by getting the ball into the specific winning hole 65a during the three-second opening period, which is longer than the jackpot C, the ball can easily pass through the V-passing switch 65e3. Therefore, if any of the jackpots A, B, E to G occurs, the ball can easily pass through the V-passing switch 65e3 during the jackpot, so that if the ball is shot toward the variable winning device 65 in the first round, it is possible to transition to a special pattern probability state after the jackpot.

The reason why the on period of the flow path solenoid 65k is one second longer than the open period of the opening/closing plate 65f1 is because it takes up to one second for the ball to reach the special discharge flow path 65e2 after entering the specific winning port 65a. In other words, this is to ensure that the ball can pass through the V-pass switch 65e3 even if it enters the specific winning port 65a just before the end of the first round of the jackpot and flows down for the maximum flow time. As a result, if a ball enters the specific winning port 65a in the first round of the jackpot, a special pattern probability state can be granted after the jackpot, regardless of the timing of the ball entry.

In this way, in this control example, the ease of transitioning to the probability variable state is varied depending on the type of jackpot. This allows players to play in the hope that an opening and closing pattern that makes it easy to transition to the probability variable state will be set.

Next, referring to FIG. 181, the transition of game states of the pachinko machine 10 in this first control example will be described. FIG. 181 is a schematic diagram showing a method of transitioning from one game state to another game state for three types of game states set in the pachinko machine 10 in this control example.

First, a method of transitioning the game state when staying in the normal state will be described. As described above, in the normal state, the frequency of drawing special symbols is higher when playing with a left hand shot than when playing with a right hand shot, so it is more advantageous for the player to play with a left hand shot. This is because the ball is more likely to enter the first ball entrance 64 when playing with a left hand shot. As described above, in the drawing of the first special symbol that is executed based on the ball entering the first ball entrance 64, a small win is not drawn, so unless a jackpot is won, the player is in a disadvantageous state in which the number of balls he has continues to decrease. In this normal state, there is a possibility of transitioning to another game state only when a jackpot is won. There are four types of jackpots, A to D, that can be won in the drawing of the first special symbol. Details of these jackpot types will be described later with reference to FIG. 192(a).

As shown on the left side of Fig. 181, if the player wins jackpot A, which is determined with a probability of 32% when the first special symbol is selected in the normal game state ST1 (normal state), after the jackpot ends, the game will transition to the high probability game state ST2 (high probability game state) shown in the center of Fig. 181. Also, if the player wins jackpot B or D, which are determined with a total probability of 58% when the first special symbol is selected in the normal game state ST1 (normal state), after the jackpot ends, the game will transition to the latent high probability game state ST3 (latent high probability game state) shown on the right side of Fig. 181. On the other hand, if the player wins jackpot C, which is determined with a probability of 10% when the first special symbol is selected, the game will be set back to the normal state as the game state after the jackpot ends (looping back to the normal state).

As mentioned above, in the potential state, the time it takes for the second special symbol to change is shorter, and the gaming efficiency increases when hitting to the right, which is advantageous for the player. On the other hand, in the normal state or the probability change state, the time it takes for the second special symbol to change is longer, and the gaming efficiency drops drastically when hitting to the right, resulting in a gaming state that is less favorable than the potential state. Therefore, in the normal state, the player can play in the hope of hitting jackpot B or D, which will trigger a transition to the advantageous potential state.

In addition, in the normal state, the game is usually played by hitting the ball from the left and aiming at the first ball entrance 64, but if the player intentionally hits the ball from the right and the ball enters the second ball entrance 1640, or if some of the balls hit from the left enter the second ball entrance 1640, it is possible that the player will win the jackpot by drawing the second special symbol. In this case, all jackpot types (jackpots E to G) will transition to a guaranteed variable game state ST2 (guaranteed variable state) after the jackpot ends. If the jackpot is won by drawing the first special symbol in the normal state, there is a 58% chance (jackpots B and D) of transitioning to a favorable potential state, while if the jackpot is won by drawing the second special symbol in the normal state, there is no chance of transitioning to a favorable potential state. Therefore, the disadvantage of playing an irregular game by hitting the ball from the right in the normal state to draw the second special symbol can be increased, so that irregular play can be suppressed.

As mentioned above, even if the jackpot is A, B, D, or G, if the ball is not shot out during the jackpot and the ball cannot pass through the V-passing switch 65e3 during the jackpot, the game state after the jackpot ends is set to the most unfavorable normal state (the normal state is looped). On the other hand, even if the most unfavorable jackpot is C, if the ball passes through the V-passing switch 65e3 during the jackpot, the game state after the jackpot ends is set to the most favorable potential state.

Next, we will explain how to change game states when in the special probability state. As mentioned above, in the special probability state, the frequency of drawing special symbols is higher when playing with the left hand than when playing with the right hand as in the normal state, so it is more advantageous for the player to play with the left hand. Note that in the special probability state, the probability of winning a jackpot for special symbols is higher than in the normal state, making it more advantageous compared to the normal state but less advantageous compared to the potential probability state. In the special probability state ST2 (special probability state), the game state will transition to another game state if a jackpot is obtained or if the special symbols are drawn a specified number of times (120 times) in succession after entering the special probability state and the player fails.

Specifically, as shown in the center of FIG. 181, if the first special symbol is selected as the jackpot C, which is determined with a 10% probability, the game will transition to the normal game state ST1 (normal state) shown on the left side of FIG. 181 after the jackpot ends. On the other hand, if the first special symbol is selected as the jackpot B or D, which is determined with a total probability of 58% after the jackpot ends, the game will transition to the latent probability game state ST3 (latent probability state) shown on the right side of FIG. 181 after the jackpot ends. In contrast, if the first special symbol is selected as the jackpot A, which is determined with a 32% probability after the jackpot ends, the probability game state will be set again after the jackpot ends (the probability game state will loop). Also, if the special symbol is selected a specified number of times (120 times) in a row and the player misses the game, the game will transition to the normal game state ST1 (normal state) after the specified number of times has elapsed.

In the special probability state, the player usually plays by hitting the ball from the left, aiming at the first ball entrance 64, as in the normal state, but there is also a possibility that the ball will enter the second ball entrance 1640 and the second special symbol will be drawn, resulting in a jackpot. In this case, the special probability state ST2 (special probability state) is looped after the jackpot ends, which is common to all jackpot types (jackpots E to G). If the jackpot is won by drawing the first special symbol in the special probability state, there is a 58% chance (jackpots B and D) of transitioning to a favorable potential state, as in the normal state, whereas if the jackpot is won by drawing the second special symbol in the special probability state, there is no chance of transitioning to a favorable potential state. Therefore, the disadvantage of playing an irregular game by hitting the ball from the right in the special probability state and drawing the second special symbol can be increased, which can suppress irregular play.

Next, we will explain how to change the game state when in the potential probability state. As mentioned above, in the potential probability change state, unlike the normal state and the probability change state, the time it takes for the second special symbol to change is shorter, so the second special symbol can be drawn more efficiently by playing with a right-handed hit. Therefore, hitting with the right is more advantageous for the player than hitting with the left. In the potential probability change game state ST3 (potential probability state), the game state transitions to another game state mainly when the player fails to draw the special symbol a set number of times (120 times) in succession since entering the potential probability state.

Specifically, as shown on the right side of FIG. 181, if the special symbol is drawn a specified number of times (120 times) without successively winning after the potential state is set, the game will transition to the normal game state ST1 (normal state) after the specified number of times have elapsed. On the other hand, if the second special symbol is drawn and a jackpot is won in the potential state played by hitting the right hand side (where the second special symbol is more likely to be drawn), the potential state ST3 (potential state) will be set again after the jackpot ends (if the ball is shot aiming at the specific winning hole 65a during the jackpot). Therefore, in the potential state, if the player continues to win the jackpot before losing 120 times in a row, the advantageous potential state and the jackpot that can win a large amount of prize balls will be repeated, making it an extremely advantageous game state for the player. Details will be described later, but when the special symbol is drawn in the potential state (high probability state of the special symbol), the probability of winning the jackpot is 1/80. Since the probability of missing 120 consecutive times in a 1/80 jackpot lottery is about 22% (79/80 to the power of 120), the probability of winning within 120 tries in a potential jackpot state is about 78%. Therefore, once a potential jackpot state is reached, a loop between a potential jackpot and the potential jackpot state occurs with a probability of about 78%, making it an extremely favorable state.

In the potential winning state, since the game is usually played by hitting from the right, the ball will not enter the first ball entrance 64 and the lottery for the first special symbol will not be executed. However, if the player shoots in the wrong direction, or if the game transitions to the potential winning state in the normal state while a reserved ball with the first special symbol remains, the lottery for the first special symbol may be executed even in the potential winning state. In this case, if a jackpot is won, the game may transition to another game state. Specifically, if the lottery for the first special symbol in the potential winning state results in jackpot C (allocation 10%), the game will transition to the normal state after the jackpot. On the other hand, if the lottery for the first special symbol results in jackpot A, B, or D, the potential winning state will be set again even after the jackpot.

The reason why the potential state is set even after the end of the jackpot A, unlike the normal state and the probability state, is to reduce the possibility of transitioning to an unfavorable probability state when the lottery for the first special symbol is executed after the transition to the potential state and a jackpot is obtained by the reserved balls of the first special symbol that were accumulated before the transition to the potential state. If the lottery for the reserved first special symbol is executed immediately after the transition to the potential state and a jackpot is obtained, and the player transitions to the probability state, the player will fall into an unfavorable state without receiving the benefit of the potential state, which may reduce the player's motivation to play. In contrast, in this first control example, when a jackpot is obtained by the lottery for the first special symbol in a favorable potential state, the rate at which the potential state loops after the jackpot is set to be higher than in the normal state and the probability state. As a result, even if a jackpot is obtained by the lottery for the first special symbol immediately after the transition to the favorable potential state, the potential state is set again at a high rate (90%). This prevents (suppresses) the player's motivation to play from decreasing.

Next, the display contents of the third pattern display device 81 will be explained with reference to Figs. 182 to 189. Fig. 182 is a drawing for explaining the display screen of the third pattern display device 81, Fig. 182(a) is a diagram showing the area division settings and the effective line settings of the display screen, and Fig. 182(b) is a diagram showing an example of the actual display screen.

The third design is made up of nine main designs numbered "1" to "9." Each main design is made up of a rear design imitating various animals with a number from "1" to "9" placed on top. Specifically, for example, the rear design imitating an elephant is numbered "1," and the rear design imitating a lion is numbered "2."

In addition, in the pachinko machine 10 of this control example, if the result of the lottery for the special symbols performed by the main control device 110 is a jackpot, a variable display in which the same main symbols line up is performed, and the jackpot occurs after the variable display has ended. On the other hand, if the result of the lottery for the special symbols is a miss, a variable display in which the same main symbols do not line up is performed.

As shown in FIG. 182(a), the display screen of the third pattern display device 81 is roughly divided into two parts, top and bottom, with approximately 3/4 of the top being the main display area Dm which displays the changing third pattern, and the remaining approximately 1/4 of the bottom being the secondary display area Ds which displays preview effects, characters, number of reserved balls, etc.

The main display area Dm displays three pattern columns L1, L2, and L3: top, middle, and bottom. In each of the pattern columns L1 to L3, the third pattern described above is displayed in a specified order. That is, in each of the pattern columns L1 to L3, the main patterns are arranged in ascending or descending numerical order, and the display changes by scrolling left and right with periodicity for each of the pattern columns L1 to L3. In particular, in the top pattern column L1, the numbers of the main patterns are arranged in descending order, and in the middle pattern column L2 and the bottom pattern column L3, the numbers of the main patterns are arranged in ascending order.

In addition, in the main display area Dm, the third pattern is displayed in three rows, left, center, and right, for each pattern row L1 to L3. The vertical line on the left side of the main display area Dm, the vertical line in the middle row, and the vertical line on the right side are set as the valid lines V1 to V3, respectively. In addition, the diagonal line that slopes downward to the right and the diagonal line that slopes upward to the right in the main display area Dm are set as the valid lines V4 and V5, respectively. In each game, the third pattern is displayed on the valid lines V1 to V5 in the order of the upper pattern row L1 → the lower pattern row L3 → the middle pattern row L2. This stopped display state is maintained for at least one second. In this way, by displaying the stopped third pattern for a certain period (one second or more), it is possible to suppress the player from overlooking whether or not the combination of third patterns corresponds to a jackpot (whether or not the lottery result of the special pattern is a jackpot). In addition, if a combination of jackpot symbols (a combination of the same main symbols in this control example) is lined up on the pay lines V1 to V5 when the third symbol stops, a jackpot video (opening effect) is displayed as a jackpot.

In addition, if the combination of the third symbols displayed in a stopped state corresponds to a miss and there is a reserved ball, after the stopped display for one second, a variable display corresponding to a lottery based on the reserved ball will start. Note that if there are multiple reserved balls, the lottery will be performed based on the reserved ball corresponding to the oldest ball.

On the other hand, when there are no reserved balls and the third symbol of the combination corresponding to the special symbol is displayed as a stopped symbol for one second, the third symbol continues to be displayed as a stopped symbol. This state continues until a predetermined time (e.g., 30 seconds) has passed or a new ball enters either the first ball entrance 64 or the second ball entrance 1640. If a predetermined time (e.g., 30 seconds) has passed since the third symbol was displayed as a stopped symbol, a demo effect (a customer waiting demo screen) indicating that the game is not being played is displayed (see FIG. 186). It is rare for a player to shoot balls continuously for a predetermined time (e.g., 30 seconds) without any balls entering the first ball entrance 64 or the second ball entrance 1640, and in most cases where the third symbol continues to be displayed as a stopped symbol for a predetermined time (e.g., 30 seconds), this is due to the player quitting the game and not playing the pachinko machine 10 at all. Therefore, in the pachinko machine 10 of this control example, when a predetermined time (e.g., 30 seconds) has elapsed since the third symbol was stopped and displayed, it is determined that the player is not playing, and a demo performance is started. This allows a player who is about to select a pachinko machine 10 to start playing to easily determine whether or not a game is being played based on whether or not a demo performance is being displayed. On the other hand, if a new ball enters the first ball entrance 64 and the second ball entrance 1640 before the predetermined time (e.g., 30 seconds) has elapsed, a variable display of the third symbol corresponding to the new ball is executed.

The sub-display area Ds is provided horizontally below the main display area Dm. This sub-display area Ds is an area that displays the number of reserved balls, which is the number of balls (reserved balls) that have not yet been changed among the balls that have entered the first ball entrance 64. In this control example, when a ball enters the first ball entrance 64 while the third pattern display device 81 (first pattern display device 37) is displaying a change based on a lottery of the first special pattern, the number of times the ball has entered is reserved up to four times, and the number of reserved balls is displayed by the first pattern display device 37 and also in the small area Ds1 of the sub-display area Ds. The number of reserved patterns displayed in this sub-display area Ds allows the player to clearly recognize the number of reserved balls whose change display is currently reserved. Note that in this control example, only the change display of the first special pattern is configured to be reserved, and the change display of the second special pattern is configured not to be reserved and stored. Therefore, only the reserved patterns corresponding to the number of reserved balls of the first special pattern are displayed in the sub-display area Ds.

Next, referring to FIG. 182(b), an example of the display contents actually displayed on the third symbol display device 81 will be described. On the actual display screen, as shown in FIG. 182(b), a total of nine main and sub symbols of the third symbol are displayed in the main display area Dm. In addition, three parts of the main and sub symbols are displayed on the right and left sides of the display area Dm. These indicate the lottery results of the first special symbol in the normal state and the probability change state. Furthermore, in the upper center part of the main display area Dm, a small area Dm1 for displaying the third symbol indicating the lottery result of the second special symbol is displayed. In this small area Dm1, a variable display of three simple third symbols consisting of only any one of the numbers "1" to "9" is executed. In this small area Dm1, three third symbols consisting of the same number are stopped and displayed, and a big win is started. The reason why the third symbol showing the result of the lottery for the second special symbol is displayed in a simpler manner than the third symbol showing the result of the lottery for the first special symbol is that the lottery for the first special symbol is basically executed in the normal state and the high probability state, and the lottery for the second special symbol is rarely executed. Therefore, the game result is displayed more clearly by displaying the variable display of the first special symbol, which is executed mainly, in a larger display area. In the following explanation, the variable display of the special symbol that is executed mainly in each game state (in the normal state and the high probability state, the variable display of the first special symbol corresponds to this) is called the main variable, and the variable display of the special symbol that is rarely executed when playing in the regular game method in each game state (in the normal state and the high probability state, the variable display of the second special symbol corresponds to this) is called the secondary variable.

In small area Ds1 of the sub-display area Ds, reserved symbols modeled after bird faces are displayed in the same number as the number of reserved balls of the first symbol. When the variable display based on the corresponding reserved ball begins, these reserved symbols are displayed in an effect in which they enter the interior of the house displayed on the right of small area Ds1. This allows the player to easily understand that the variable display corresponding to the reserved ball has begun. Also, in small area Ds1, preview effects are sometimes performed, such as the reserved symbols performing special actions or another character appearing.

In this control example, the balls entering the first ball entrance 64 are configured to be reserved up to four times, but the maximum number of reserved balls is not limited to four times, and may be set to three or less, or five or more times (e.g., eight times). Also, the balls entering the second ball entrance 1640 may be configured to be reserved. Also, instead of displaying the reserved ball number pattern in the small area Ds1, the reserved ball number may be displayed as numbers in a part of the third pattern display device 81, or the four divided areas may be displayed in different forms (e.g., colors or lighting patterns) according to the number of reserved balls. Also, since the number of reserved balls is indicated by the first pattern display device 37, the third pattern display device 81 may not display the number of reserved balls. Furthermore, the variable display device unit 80 may be provided with four reserved lamps indicating the number of reserved balls, the number being the maximum number of reserved balls, and the number of reserved balls may be displayed according to the number of reserved lamps that are lit.

Next, referring to Figs. 183(a) and (b), the third symbol variable display performance (variable pattern performance) in this control example will be described. Fig. 183(a) is a diagram showing an example of the display content when all the upper, middle, and lower symbol rows are variable in the variable display performance. When each symbol row is variable, it is scrolled (variable display) from the right side of the screen to the left side. By executing the variable display, the player can easily recognize that a new lottery for a special symbol has been executed. Therefore, the player can play in the hope that the stopped symbol for the jackpot will be achieved after the variable display performance ends (main symbols with the same number will be aligned on one of the pay lines V1 to V5).

Figure 183 (b) shows an example of the display content when a reach effect occurs during the variable display effect of the third symbol, which indicates to the player that there is a high possibility that the jackpot symbol will be displayed as a stopped symbol.

Here, the word "reach" refers to a state in which the upper and lower pattern rows L1 and L3 are displayed as stopped symbols in the variable display, and only the middle pattern row L2 is displayed as a moving symbol, and main symbols with the same number are displayed as stopped symbols on any of the active lines V1 to V5, suggesting a chance that the main symbols with the same number will line up on the active line L1. In the example shown in FIG. 183(b), two main symbols with the number "1" are displayed as stopped symbols on the active line V4, and two main symbols with the number "2" are displayed as stopped symbols on the active line V5. In this case, the main symbols with the numbers "1" and "2" are displayed as stopped symbols for a jackpot in the middle row of the middle pattern row L2, so the player can expect a jackpot.

When the upper pattern L1 and the lower pattern row L3 are displayed in a stopped state and a reach occurs, the word "Reach!" is displayed above the middle pattern row L2 that is changing, as shown in FIG. 183(b). By displaying this word, the player can be made to more reliably recognize that a reach has occurred. This allows the player to anticipate that the stopped pattern for the jackpot will be displayed in a stopped state at the end of the change presentation in which the reach has occurred.

Next, referring to Figures 184 and 185, a special reach effect, which is one type of reach effect executed in the pachinko machine 10 in this first control example, will be described. This special reach effect is a special type of reach effect in which, after an effect (provisional stop effect) is executed in which all of the symbol rows L1 to L3 are displayed as if they were stopped with a combination of stop symbols corresponding to a miss, a new symbol row different from the symbol rows L1 to L3 is displayed, and a reach occurs between the newly displayed symbol row and some (two) of the symbol rows L1 to L3 that are stopped and displayed. This special reach effect is selected as part of the reach effect, and is set so that it has a higher expectation of a jackpot than a normal reach effect (it is less likely to be selected if the special symbol lottery result is a miss).

As shown in FIG. 184(a), when a special reach performance is executed, first, each symbol row is stopped (temporarily stopped) with a missing stop pattern without a reach. In this case, if there is another symbol row further above the upper symbol row L1, the missing stop pattern is a combination of the upper symbol row L1 and the middle symbol row L2 that is a reach. In the example of FIG. 184(a), main symbols with the number "1" are displayed in the middle of the upper symbol row L1 and on the left side of the middle symbol row L2. In other words, if there is a symbol row further above the upper symbol row L1, and a main symbol with the number "1" is displayed on the right side of that symbol row, the main symbols with the same number "1" are displayed in a straight line. In addition, as a temporary stop mode in the special reach performance, there are multiple modes other than the mode in which main patterns with the same number are lined up on the left side of the upper pattern column L1 and the middle row of the middle pattern column L2, slanting upwards to the right. For example, there is also a mode in which main patterns with the same number are lined up vertically on the left, middle, or right side of the upper pattern column L1 and the middle pattern column L2, and a mode in which main patterns with the same number are lined up upwards to the right on the middle row of the upper pattern column L1 and the right side of the middle pattern column L2.

In the special reach performance, after the third symbols in each of the symbol rows L1 to L3 are temporarily stopped, as shown in FIG. 184(b), the main symbols among the third symbols displayed in the upper symbol row L1 and the middle symbol row L2 change to a state in which they look upward. This change in state allows the player to easily recognize that the current variable display performance has not ended.

After each main symbol has been changed to a state in which it looks up, as shown in FIG. 185(a), an effect is executed in which the screen angle (camera angle) is shifted in the direction in which each main symbol looks up (upward). When this effect of shifting the screen angle is executed, the new pattern row L4 that is currently changing is displayed at the destination of the shift (the new pattern row L4 frames in). As a result, the lower pattern row L4 frames out of the screen.

As shown in FIG. 185(b), the appearance (frame-in) of the new symbol row L4 creates a reach state with the new symbol row L4, the main symbol with the number "1" displayed in the middle of the upper symbol row L1, and the main symbol with the number "1" displayed on the left side of the middle symbol row L2. As a result, the reach state is created by the main symbol (the main symbol with the number "1") that is in reach, and the word "Reach!" is displayed above the new symbol row L4. As a result, if the main symbol with the number "1" on the right side is stopped and displayed when the new symbol row L4 stops changing, three main symbols with the same number will line up on the new active line V6 (they will become the stop symbols for the jackpot), so it is possible to clearly indicate to the player that there is a chance of a jackpot.

In this way, in this first control example, as a type of reach effect, a special reach is provided in which after the third symbol is stopped and displayed in a losing combination, a new pattern row is displayed and a reach occurs. This allows the player to check the combination of stopped symbols in the hope that it will develop into a special reach effect, even when a losing combination is stopped and displayed. In other words, the player can check the combination of stopped symbols while paying attention to whether it is a combination of stopped symbols that can develop into a special reach effect (a combination that will become a reach if a new pattern row L4 is displayed). Therefore, every time a losing combination is stopped and displayed in the variable display, the player can be made to hope that it will develop into a special reach effect, which can increase the player's interest in the game.

In the first control example, when a special reach effect is executed, the new pattern row L4 is displayed above the upper pattern row L1, but this is not limited to the above. For example, the new pattern row L4 may be displayed below the lower pattern row L3, and a reach may be formed by the middle pattern row L2, the lower pattern row L3, and the new pattern row L4. Also, for example, the new pattern row L4 may be displayed between each pattern row. That is, the new pattern row L4 may appear between the upper pattern row L1 and the middle pattern row L2, and a reach may be formed by the upper pattern row L1, the middle pattern row L2, and the new pattern row L4. In addition, in this first control example, when a new pattern row L4 is displayed, the lower pattern row L3 is erased, changing the type of pattern row displayed without changing the number of pattern rows displayed on the third pattern display device 81. This makes it possible to unify the size of each pattern displayed during the special reach performance and the size of each pattern displayed before the special reach performance, but without being limited to this, a new pattern row L4 may be displayed so as to increase the number of pattern rows displayed on the third pattern display device 81.

Next, referring to FIG. 186, the demo performance (customer waiting demo screen) in this first control example will be described. FIG. 186(a) is a diagram showing a state in which the result of the variable display of the first special symbol is a miss in the normal state or the probability variable state. When there is no reservation of the first special symbol (when the number of reserved balls is 0), the combination of the third symbol at the time of the variable stop will continue to be displayed for 30 seconds unless a ball enters the first ball entrance 64. Then, after 30 seconds have passed, it switches to the customer waiting demo screen shown in FIG. 186(b). In the example of FIG. 186(b), a movie of the sun setting behind the mountain is displayed as the customer waiting demo screen. In this movie, the display content changes over time, and for example, depending on the elapsed time, the display content becomes three birds passing in front of the mountain as shown in FIG. 186(c). By switching to this customer waiting demo screen, players who are not playing can easily determine whether the machine is vacant or not. When the screen switches to the customer waiting demo screen, the stopped pattern for the first special pattern is displayed in a simplified form (as numbers only) in the upper left corner of the display screen of the third pattern display device 81.

Also, as shown in FIG. 186(c), in the normal state or the probability change state, the customer waiting demo screen is displayed when the third symbol corresponding to the lottery result of the second special symbol starts to change (secondary change), or when the third symbol corresponding to the lottery result of the first special symbol is stopped and 30 seconds have passed while only the secondary change is being executed. As described above, in the normal state or the probability change state, the second special symbol change time is set extremely long (600 seconds), so that the game efficiency is improved by hitting left rather than right. Therefore, if the player accidentally hits right in the normal state or the probability change state and stops playing immediately after the second special symbol change display (secondary change) starts, the secondary change will continue to be executed for about 600 seconds. In this situation, if the customer waiting demo screen were not displayed while the secondary fluctuation was being performed, there is a risk that the display content of the third symbol display device 81 would appear as if the player was playing, even though no one was playing for a maximum of approximately 600 seconds. Therefore, other players may hesitate to start playing on the pachinko machine 10 until the secondary fluctuation ends, which could result in a decrease in the operating rate of the pachinko machine 10.

In contrast, in the first control example, after 30 seconds have elapsed since the end of the main variation, the screen is switched to the customer waiting demo screen regardless of whether the secondary variation is being executed or not. This customer waiting demo screen is configured to continue to be displayed until the next lottery for the first special pattern is executed (until the main variation is started) regardless of whether the secondary variation is being executed or not. By configuring in this way, even if a player puts a ball into the second ball entrance 1640 and quits playing immediately after the 600-second variation display starts, the customer waiting demo screen can be displayed about 30 seconds later. Therefore, other players who have checked the customer waiting demo screen can easily understand that the pachinko machine 10 is vacant, and can start playing on the pachinko machine 10. Therefore, it is possible to prevent (suppress) a decrease in the operating rate of the pachinko machine 10. In this first control example, as shown in FIG. 186(b), in the demo display screen when the first special symbol and the second special symbol are stopped, the stop symbol corresponding to the first special symbol and the stop symbol corresponding to the second special symbol are displayed in approximately the same size, but for example, the size of the special symbol on the main fluctuation side may be displayed larger than the size of the special symbol on the secondary fluctuation side. Also, in the display screen shown in FIG. 186(b), the first special symbol is stopped and displayed in the upper left, and the second special symbol is stopped and displayed in the upper center, but for example, the special symbol on the main fluctuation side in that game state may be stopped and displayed in the upper left of the display screen, and the special symbol on the secondary fluctuation side may be stopped and displayed in the upper center of the display screen. This makes it easy to grasp the fluctuation status of the main fluctuation just by checking a specific part of the display screen regardless of the game state.

Next, the display mode in the potential state will be described with reference to FIG. 187. As described above, in this first control example, the potential state is the most advantageous state. In this potential state, a different display mode (a rabbit-like character 811 sprinting) is performed in the main display area Dm1 from the normal variable display.

As shown in FIG. 187(a), in the potential winning state, a rabbit-like character 811 is displayed in the center of the main display area Dm. A change display (secondary change in the potential winning state) corresponding to the lottery result of the first special symbol is displayed in the upper center of the screen of the third symbol display device 81, and a change display (main change in the potential winning state) corresponding to the lottery result of the second special symbol is displayed in the upper right corner of the screen. As described above, in the potential winning state, the regular game method is to play by hitting to the right and aiming at the second ball entrance 1640, so the change display (main change) corresponding to the lottery result of the second special symbol is displayed in a larger display area than the change display (secondary change) corresponding to the lottery result of the first special symbol. In other words, even if the special symbol that is the main variation changes from the first special symbol to the second special symbol and the special symbol that is the secondary variation changes from the second special symbol to the first special symbol based on the transition of the game state from the normal state to the potential state, the area in which the secondary variation is displayed is configured not to change from the top center of the screen of the third pattern display device 81. This allows at least a portion of the data that executes the display related to the secondary variation (variation display or demo display) to be shared and used.

In addition, the word "right hit" is displayed below the area that displays the variation display (main variation) corresponding to the lottery result of the second special symbol. By displaying this word, the player can easily recognize that right hit is the correct way to play.

Furthermore, the remaining number of times display area D1 displayed in the upper left of the main display area Dm displays an estimate of the number of times remaining in the potential state (an estimate of the number of draws until transition to the normal state). In the example of FIG. 187(a), "40 times remaining" is displayed, suggesting to the player that if the special symbol is not drawn 40 times in a row, there is a possibility of transitioning to the normal state. The remaining number of times displayed in this remaining number display area D1 is 120, which is the number of times the potential state will continue, when the game first transitions from another game state (normal state or probability change state), and the value is decremented by one as the variable display showing the result of the drawing for the first special symbol or the second special symbol begins.

In this control example, even if a jackpot is won by the lottery of the special symbol, the remaining number of times displayed in the remaining number of times display area D1 is not reset, and the number of times before the jackpot is displayed even after the jackpot ends (i.e., when a jackpot is won, the displayed number of times and the actual remaining number of times differ). If the player continues to hit right according to the displayed instructions (the characters "hit right"), the ball can be passed through the V-pass switch 65e3 when a jackpot is won by the lottery of the second special symbol, so that a new potential state of 120 times is set after the jackpot ends. Therefore, if a jackpot is won during a potential state, the actual number of times the potential state will continue will be greater than the remaining number of times displayed in the remaining number of times display area D1. Details will be described later, but the difference between the remaining number of times in the potential state displayed on the screen and the actual remaining number of times in the potential state is added (topped up) to the remaining number of times displayed when the remaining number of times displayed becomes 0 (see FIG. 189). This allows the player to play the game even if the remaining number of times displayed approaches 0, in the hope that more times will be added when the remaining number of times displayed reaches 0.

As described above, since the second special symbol is more likely to win a small prize in the lottery, even if the opening and closing plate 65f1 is moved (varied) to the open state, it is difficult for the player to determine whether it was moved due to winning a big prize or a small prize. In addition, in this control example, the display mode of the third symbol display device 81 is configured to be the same whether it is a big prize or a small prize. Specifically, even if it is a big prize or a small prize, the display mode of the character 811 running is left as it is during the big prize or small prize, so that it is difficult to determine whether it is a big prize or a small prize from the appearance of the third symbol display device 81. Therefore, in the potential state, it is difficult for the player to recognize whether there is a difference between the remaining number of times displayed and the actual remaining number of times, so that it is difficult to predict whether the remaining number of times will be added when the remaining number of times displayed becomes 0. Therefore, when the remaining number of times displayed becomes 0, the player can play with a stronger expectation that the remaining number of times will be displayed, thereby increasing the player's interest in the game.

As mentioned above, the variable winning device 65 and the second ball entrance 1640 are both positioned so that the ball can easily enter by hitting from the right, so even if the display mode during a big win or small win is the same as when the third pattern is fluctuating or when the third pattern is stopped and displayed, it is possible to prevent (suppress) the player from missing out on winning the big win or small win prize ball. Therefore, it is possible to make the player more likely to expect that the remaining number of times will be increased when the remaining number of times displayed becomes 0, without causing any loss to the player.

Figure 187 (b) is a diagram showing an example of the display contents of the third symbol display device 81 in the case where within 30 seconds after the variable display corresponding to the lottery result of the second special symbol has ended. In this case, the same display mode as during the variable display (display mode in which the rabbit-like character 811 runs) is displayed, except that the symbol corresponding to the lottery result of the second special symbol is displayed frozen. Here, in this first control example, there is no function to reserve the variable display of the second special symbol, and in the latent state, the variable time of the second special symbol becomes extremely short (0.5 seconds), so the variable stop state occurs very frequently. Under this situation, if the display mode is configured to be different (switched) between when the symbol is variable and when the variable is stopped, the display mode may switch frequently, which may confuse the player. In addition, if the display mode is switched frequently, the processing load of the pachinko machine 10 may also increase.

Therefore, in this first control example, the display mode of the main display area Dm is made common during both the varying display of the patterns and the stationary display. This makes it possible to prevent the display mode from switching frequently, thereby preventing (suppressing) confusion on the part of the player. It also makes it possible to reduce the processing load on the pachinko machine 10.

In addition, if 30 seconds have passed in the potential probability state while the variation has been stopped, the display mode is switched to a state in which the rabbit-like character 811 stands still (a potential probability demo display). By switching the display mode, it is possible to easily recognize that the variation stop state has continued for a long time (more than 30 seconds). In addition, if 30 seconds have passed since the potential probability state became a variation stop state, a screen (potential probability demo display) different from the customer waiting demo screen (see FIG. 186 (b)) is displayed, which makes it easy to recognize that the current game state is in the potential probability state. Therefore, for example, if a player playing in the potential probability state temporarily leaves the pachinko machine 10 for a break or the like, it is possible to prevent (suppress) a problem in which another player starts playing on the pachinko machine 10. The potential probability state is the most advantageous state in this pachinko machine 10, and since it is difficult to imagine that a player will stop playing during the potential probability state, it is possible to make other players recognize that the player who was playing is merely temporarily away from his/her seat.

Furthermore, in the latent state in this first control example, the time for the second special symbol to change becomes extremely short, so if the customer waiting demo screen (see FIG. 187(b)) is displayed, when a ball subsequently enters the second ball entrance 1640, if the screen switching process takes time, there is a risk that the change time will end before the performance associated with the ball entering is displayed. Therefore, even though the ball has entered the second ball entrance 1640, the performance is not executed, and the player may feel distrustful. In contrast, in this control example, instead of the customer waiting demo screen (see FIG. 187(b)), a latent demo display (see FIG. 187(c)) is displayed in which the same character 811 as during the change continues to be displayed in the latent state, so that when a ball enters the second ball entrance 1640, the display mode (performance mode) can be smoothly switched. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the player from feeling distrustful.

Next, referring to FIG. 188(a), we will explain the potential state end screen that is displayed when the potential state ends. FIG. 188(a) is a diagram showing this potential state end screen. This potential state end screen is displayed when the number of remaining lottery draws in the potential state becomes 0.

As shown in FIG. 188(a), when the screen for the end of the potential state is displayed, the rabbit-like character 811 is switched to a state of falling to the ground, and a display area 812 is displayed above the character 811 with the words "End! Return to left hand!". This allows the player to easily recognize that the advantageous potential state has ended. In addition, the words "Return to left hand" are displayed on the right side of the character 811. This display allows the player to more reliably return to left hand. This screen for the end of the potential state continues to be displayed until a ball is detected entering the first ball entrance 64 and the variable display starts, or until 30 seconds have passed since the potential state ended and the first special symbol remains in a variable stop state. Then, when either of these two conditions is met, a result screen is displayed showing the prize balls acquired during the potential state and the total number of times the potential state continued. Details of this result screen will be explained with reference to FIG. 188(b).

188(b) is a diagram showing an example of a result screen displayed after the potential state ends. As shown in FIG. 188(b), when the potential state ends and the first ball is detected entering the first ball entrance 64 and the variable display of the first special symbol starts, a result screen showing the result of the potential state is displayed using the variable time. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 188(b), the characters "456 GAMES" are displayed as the number of times the potential state continued (the number of times the special symbol was drawn during the potential state), and below the characters showing the number of times it continued, the characters "10030 points acquired!" are displayed, showing the total number of prize balls paid out during the potential state. By displaying these characters, the player can clearly understand how many times the potential state continued and how many prize balls were acquired. Therefore, the player can play in the normal state without having any doubts about the potential state that has ended. In addition, by displaying a result screen after each potential win state ends, the player can play the game with the aim of achieving a better result in the next potential win state. This can increase the player's interest in the game.

The reason why the result of the potential state (result) is not displayed during the potential state, but during the time when the first special symbol is first executed after the potential state ends, is that the time when the second special symbol is first executed during the potential state is extremely short. Therefore, if the result of the potential state (result) were displayed during the last variable display executed in the potential state, the result would only be displayed for a very short time. In contrast, in this first control example, the result of the potential state (result) is displayed during the variable display of the first special symbol executed first after the potential state ends, so that the result of the potential state can be displayed for a sufficiently long time. The details will be described later, but in this first control example, in order to allow the player to confirm the result of the potential state more reliably, a fixed variable time (12 seconds) is set for the two special symbol lotteries after the potential state ends, regardless of the lottery result of the first special symbol. By configuring it this way, the results can be displayed each time within a fixed variable time, allowing players to check the results display more reliably.

If 30 seconds have passed since the end of the latent state and no ball has been detected entering the first ball entrance 64 (the display of the first special symbol variations has not started), the result display will be shown instead of the customer waiting demo screen. In this case, the result display will continue to be shown until the display of the first special symbol variations, which is executed when the first ball has been detected entering the first ball entrance 64, ends. This allows players who leave the pachinko machine 10 for a break or the like immediately after the latent state has ended to be able to reliably check the results of the latent state.

In this first control example, the result is not displayed until the display of the first special symbol begins, but this is not limited to this. For example, the result of the potential state may be displayed immediately after the potential state ends. This display may be continued until the display of the initial potential state ends. By displaying the result immediately after the potential state ends, the player can immediately know the result of the potential state that has ended. Therefore, even if it takes time for the ball to enter the first ball entrance 64 after the player switches back to left hitting, it is possible to prevent (suppress) the player from being stressed by not seeing the result of the potential state.

In addition, when displaying the result of the potential state immediately after the potential state ends, a measuring means may be provided to measure the period since the potential state ends, and the result may be displayed until a predetermined period (e.g., 12 seconds) has elapsed by the measuring means. In this case, if the first special symbol starts to change before the predetermined period has elapsed, the result may be displayed continuously until the change ends, and if the first special symbol starts to change after the predetermined period has elapsed, a normal display, not a result display, may be executed during the change.

Furthermore, if the variation of the first special symbol that displays the result of the potential state is a winning combination, the display mode of the result may be changed. For example, the normal result display screen shown in FIG. 188(b) may be displayed with "10,030 or more points obtained!!" as a suggestive display to indicate that a winning combination has been achieved. In this way, by displaying the result of the special symbol using the result content of the potential state, the player can be informed of the result display of the potential state and the result of the special symbol's winning combination without feeling out of place. Also, if a jackpot is won during the period when the result display of the potential state is being executed and the state transitions to the potential state again, the result content of the previous potential state may be configured to be inherited and updated. This may encourage the player to play with enthusiasm during the period when the result display of the potential state is being executed.

In addition, as an effect during the potential winning state, a period of one special symbol change or multiple special symbol changes may be used to display a display screen similar to the display screen of the potential winning state result that is displayed after the potential winning state ends (pseudo-end effect). This can provide a surprising effect to the player, and can make the player expect the potential winning state to continue even when the potential winning state actually ends and the potential winning state result is displayed.

Next, referring to FIG. 189, a revival effect, which is one type of effect executed during the potential state, will be described. This revival effect is an effect that may be displayed when the remaining number of draws in the potential state displayed in the remaining number display area D1 of the third pattern display device 81 becomes 0. More specifically, when the actual remaining number of draws in the potential state is 1 or more and the displayed remaining number of draws becomes 0, this is an effect that displays the actual remaining number in addition to the displayed remaining number.

When this revival effect is executed, first, the remaining number of times displayed in the remaining number of times display area D1 becomes 0, as in the case where the potential state end screen (see FIG. 188(a)) is displayed, and an effect is executed in which the rabbit-like character 811 falls to the ground. Then, as shown in FIG. 189, the character 811 that fell to the ground once stands up, and the word "revival" is displayed around the character 811. By executing this type of effect, the player can be made aware that the advantageous potential state will continue, which makes the player happy. In addition, as the effect of the character 811 standing up is executed, the actual remaining number of times in the potential state is added and displayed in the remaining number of times display area D1. FIG. 189 illustrates an example in which the actual remaining number of times in the potential state is 10, so the display in the remaining number of times display area D1 is updated to "10 times remaining."

In this way, in this first control example, when a jackpot is won in the lottery for the second special symbol during the potential state and the remaining number of times in the potential state (actual remaining number of times) is updated to 120 times, the remaining number of times (displayed remaining number of times) displayed in the remaining number of times display area D1 is not reset, and the display content of the jackpot is continued. Then, when a difference occurs between the actual remaining number of times and the displayed remaining number of times and the displayed remaining number of times becomes 0 times, a revival effect is executed to notify the difference with the actual remaining number of times. By configuring in this way, even when the displayed remaining number of times approaches 0 times, the player can play in the hope that the revival effect will be executed. This can increase the player's interest in playing during the potential state.

In this control example, the revival performance is configured to display the difference between the actual remaining number of times in the potential state and the remaining number on the display, but this is not limited to this. In the first revival performance executed, a value less than the difference may be added and displayed, and multiple revival performances may be executed whenever a revival performance is executed once. In this way, when a revival performance is executed for the first time in a potential state, even if the remaining number added in the revival performance is exhausted, it is confirmed that a revival performance will be executed again, so that the player can play with peace of mind until the next revival performance is executed. In addition, the player can play while looking forward to how many revival performances will be executed. In addition, when this revival performance is executed, it is preferable to execute the result display that is displayed when the potential state ends, and then execute the revival performance. This makes it possible to provide the player with an unexpected performance.

<Electrical configuration in the first control example>
Next, the electrical configuration of the pachinko machine 10 in the first control example will be described with reference to Figures 190 to 207. First, the main control device 110 (see Figure 4) provided in the pachinko machine 10 will be described in detail.

The main control device 110 executes the main processes of the pachinko machine 10, such as the jackpot lottery, the display settings of the first symbol display device 37 and the third symbol display device 81, and the lottery of the display results of the second symbol display device 83. The RAM 203 is provided with a counter buffer (see FIG. 190) that stores various counters for controlling these processes.

Now, referring to FIG. 190, we will explain the counters and the like provided in the RAM 203 of the main control device 110. These counters and the like are used by the MPU 201 of the main control device 110 to perform the jackpot lottery, set the display of the first pattern display device 37 and the third pattern display device 81, and draw the display results of the second pattern display device 83.

The first random number counter C1 used to draw the big win (and small win) and the display settings of the first symbol display device 37 and the third symbol display device 81 are used to draw the big win (and small win), the first type counter C2 used to select the type of big win (the big win symbol), the change type counter CS1 used to select the change pattern, and the first initial value random number counter CINI1 used to set the initial value of the first random number counter C1. The second random number counter C4 is used to draw the normal symbol (second symbol display device 83), and the second initial value random number counter CINI2 is used to set the initial value of the second random number counter C4. The small win type counter C5 is used to select the type of small win. Each of these counters is a loop counter that adds 1 to the previous value each time it is updated and returns to 0 after reaching the maximum value.

Each counter is updated, for example, at 2 millisecond intervals, which is the execution interval of the timer interrupt process (see FIG. 208), and some counters are updated irregularly during the main process (see FIG. 227), and the updated values are appropriately stored in a counter buffer set in a predetermined area of the RAM 203. Details will be described later, but the RAM 203 is provided with a first special symbol reserved ball storage area 203a in which each counter value for winning at the first ball entrance 64 is stored, and a second special symbol execution area 203b in which each counter value for winning at the second ball entrance 1640 is stored. In this control example, the first ball entrance 64 is provided with a maximum of four reserved balls. Therefore, when a ball enters the first ball entrance 64 during a period when a special pattern can be selected, such as when the special pattern is not being displayed or when a special pattern jackpot is not being played, each counter value is stored in the first special pattern reserved ball storage area 203a, and when a game ball enters the second ball entrance 1640, each counter value is stored in the second special pattern execution area 203b. After that, each counter value stored in the first special pattern reserved ball storage area 203a is moved to an execution area provided in the first special pattern reserved ball storage area 203a, and various settings and control processes for displaying the first special pattern in a variable manner (dynamic display) are executed. In addition, each counter value stored in the second special pattern execution area 203b is used as it is for various settings and control processes for displaying the second special pattern in a variable manner.

On the other hand, during a period when it is not possible to draw the first special pattern, such as during the variable display of the first special pattern or during a jackpot game of the first or second special pattern, if a ball enters the first ball entrance 64 and the number of reserved balls in the first ball entrance 64 is less than the upper limit (four in this control example), each counter value is acquired and stored in the first special pattern reserved ball storage area 203a. Also, if the number of reserved balls in the first ball entrance 64 is equal to or greater than the upper limit (four in this control example), each counter value is not acquired and only the prize balls (five prize balls in this embodiment) are treated as invalid balls to be paid out to the player. Furthermore, if a ball enters the second ball entrance 1640 during a period when it is not possible to draw the second special pattern, such as during the changing display of the second special pattern or during a jackpot game of the first or second special pattern, the ball is treated as an invalid ball and only the prize ball (in this embodiment, five prize balls) is paid out to the player without obtaining the counter values, etc.

In this control example, the upper limit on the number of reserved balls is set to four for the first ball entrance 64, but this is not limited to this and may be less than four (e.g., three) or more than four (e.g., eight). Also, a configuration without setting an upper limit is possible. Also, in this control example, a ball entering the second ball entrance 1640 (variable display based on the lottery of the second special pattern) is not reserved, but it may be configured to allow reserved memory in the same way as the first ball entrance 64.

Each counter will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 190. The first hit random number counter C1 is configured to increment by one within a predetermined range (e.g., 0 to 479) and return to 0 after reaching a maximum value (e.g., 479 for a counter that can take values from 0 to 479). In particular, when the first hit random number counter C1 goes around once, the value of the first initial value random number counter CINI1 at that time is read as the initial value of the first hit random number counter C1.

The first initial value random number counter CINI1 is configured as a loop counter that is updated within the same range as the first hit random number counter C1. That is, for example, if the first hit random number counter C1 is a loop counter that can take values from 0 to 479, the first initial value random number counter CINI1 is also a loop counter with a range of 0 to 479. This first initial value random number counter CINI1 is updated once each time the timer interrupt process (see FIG. 208) is executed, and is repeatedly updated within the remaining time of the main process (see FIG. 227).

The value of the first winning random number counter C1 is updated periodically (once for each timer interrupt process in this control example), for example, and is stored in the first special symbol reserved ball storage area 203a or the second special symbol execution area 203b of the RAM 203 at the timing when the ball enters the first ball entrance 64 or the second ball entrance 1640. The value of the random number that results in a big win for the special symbol is specified in the first winning random number table 202a (see FIG. 192(a)) stored in the ROM 202 of the main control device 110, and when the value of the first winning random number counter C1 matches the value of the random number that results in a big win specified in the first winning random number table 202a, a big win for the special symbol is determined. The value of the random number that results in a small win for the special symbol is specified in the small winning random number table 202b (see FIG. 192(b)) stored in the ROM 202 of the main control device 110.

Now, referring to FIG. 192(a), the first winning random number table 202a will be described. The first winning random number table 202a is a table in which a random number value (judgment value) that is judged as a winning in each game state in the drawing of the first special symbol or the second special symbol is set. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 192(a), when the game state is a low probability game state, in the drawing of the first special symbol or the second special symbol, it is judged whether the value of the acquired first winning random number counter C1 is either "7" or "8", and if it is either "7" or "8", it is judged as a big win. Also, when the game state is a high probability game state, in the drawing of the first special symbol or the second special symbol, it is judged whether the value of the acquired first winning random number counter C1 is within the range of "0 to 5", and if it is within the range of "0 to 5", it is judged as a big win.

Next, referring to FIG. 192(b), the small win random number table 202b will be described. The small win random number table 202b is a table in which a random number value (judgment value) that is judged as a small win in the drawing of a special symbol is set. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 192(b), in the drawing of a first special symbol, the random number value that results in a small win is not specified. In other words, the drawing of a first special symbol does not result in a small win. On the other hand, in the drawing of a second special symbol, regardless of the game state, it is judged whether the acquired value of the first win random number counter C1 is within the range of "212 to 432", and if it is within the range of "212 to 432", it is judged as a small win.

Here, if the value of the first winning random number counter C1 stored in the execution area of the first special pattern reserved ball storage area 203a or the second special pattern execution area 203b is a random number that results in a small win, the display mode corresponding to the stopped pattern displayed on the first pattern display device 37 will be that of a small win of the special pattern.

On the other hand, if the value of the first winning random number counter C1 stored in the execution area of the first special pattern reserved ball storage area 203a or the second special pattern execution area 203b is a random number that results in a jackpot of a special pattern, the display mode corresponding to the stopped pattern displayed on the first pattern display device 37 will be that of a jackpot of a special pattern. In this case, the specific display mode at the time of the jackpot will be the display mode indicated by the value of the first winning type counter C2 stored in the same execution area.

The first winning random number counter C1 in the pachinko machine 10 of this control example is configured as a 2-byte loop counter in the range of 0 to 479. As described above, in the low probability state of the special symbol, there are two values of the first winning random number counter C1 that result in a jackpot with the special symbol, and the random number values "7, 8" are stored in the first winning random number table 202a as described above. In this way, out of the total number of random number values of 480, the total number of random number values that result in a jackpot is 2, so the probability of a jackpot with the special symbol is "1/240". On the other hand, in the high probability state of the special symbol, there are four values of the first winning random number counter C1 that result in a jackpot with the special symbol, and the random number values "0 to 5" are stored in the first winning random number table 202a as described above. In this way, out of the total number of random number values of 480, the total number of random number values that result in a jackpot is 6, so the probability of a jackpot with the special symbol is "1/80".

Furthermore, as mentioned above, there are 221 possible values of the first win random number counter C1 that will result in a small win in the lottery for the second special symbol, and the random number values "212 to 432" are stored in the small win random number table 202b. As such, out of the total number of random numbers being 480, the total number of random numbers that will result in a small win is 221, so the probability of winning a small win with the special symbol is "221/480" (approximately 46%).

Returning to Figure 190, the explanation will continue. The value of the first winning type counter C2 is configured as a loop counter in the range of 0 to 99. If the result of the lottery for the special symbol is a jackpot, the type of jackpot will be selected based on the value of this first winning type counter C2 and the jackpot type selection table 202d (see Figure 193(a)). The specifics will be described later with reference to Figure 193(a).

The small win type counter C5 is configured as a loop counter with a range of 0 to 99. If the result of the special symbol lottery is a small win, a small win type (small win A to C) will be selected based on the value of this small win type counter and the small win type selection table 202e (see Figure 193 (b)). The specifics will be described later with reference to Figure 193 (b).

The variation type counter CS1 is configured to increment by 1 within the range of, for example, 0 to 198, and return to 0 after reaching the maximum value (i.e., 198). The variation type counter CS1 determines one variation pattern from the set variation pattern selection table. A variation time (dynamic display period) is set for this variation pattern, and the variation type counter CS1 is also a counter that determines the variation time. The value of the variation type counter CS1 is updated once each time the main processing (see FIG. 227) described later is executed once, and is repeatedly updated within the remaining time in the main processing. Note that a variation pattern selection table 202f (see FIG. 194 to FIG. 196) that stores a random number value that determines one variation time of the pattern variation from the value (random number value) of the variation type counter CS1 is provided in the ROM 202 of the main control device 110.

The variation pattern selection table 202f specifies multiple data tables for selecting a variation pattern (see Figures 194 to 196). This variation pattern selection table 202f has multiple variation pattern selection tables set according to the game state, and for each of these, a variation pattern selection table is set according to the win/lose judgment result. Details of each variation pattern selection table will be described later with reference to Figures 194 to 196.

The second winning random number counter C4 is configured as a loop counter that is incremented by one within the range of, for example, 0 to 239, and returns to 0 after it reaches a maximum value (i.e., 239). When the second winning random number counter C4 goes around once, the value of the second initial value random number counter CINI2 at that time is read as the initial value of the second winning random number counter C4. In this control example, the value of the second winning random number counter C4 is updated, for example, periodically, for each timer interrupt process (see FIG. 208), and is obtained when it is detected that the ball has passed through either the left or right normal start port (through gate) 67, and is stored in the second symbol reserved ball execution area of RAM 203.

The random number value that results in a winning normal symbol is specified in a second winning random number table 202c (see FIG. 192(c)) stored in the ROM 202 of the main control device, and when the value of the second winning random number counter C4 matches the winning random number value specified in the second winning random number table 202c, it is determined that the normal symbol (second symbol) has won. Details of this second winning random number table 202c will be described with reference to FIG. 192(c).

Figure 192 (c) is a schematic diagram showing the contents of the second winning random number table 202c. In this second winning random number table 202c, when the probability of a normal pattern is low (when the normal pattern is in the normal state), there are 231 random number values that will result in a winning normal pattern, and the range is "0 to 230". Of the total number of random number values that the second winning random number counter C4 can take, there are a total of 240, and as the total number of winning random number values is 231, the probability of a winning normal pattern is "231/240".

On the other hand, when the normal pattern has a high probability (during the time-saving state of the normal pattern), there are 232 random numbers that result in a winning normal pattern, and the range is "0 to 231". Since the total number of random numbers that the second winning random number counter C4 can take is 240, and the total number of winning random numbers is 232, the probability of winning a normal pattern is "232/240". In this way, in this control example, the random number value that results in a winning normal pattern differs by only one in the low probability state of the normal pattern and the high probability state of the normal pattern, so the winning probability is almost the same. In addition, the fluctuation time of the normal pattern and the opening time of the electric role 1640a associated with the second ball entrance 1640 when the normal pattern wins are also the same. Therefore, the ease of entering the second ball entrance 1640 is the same in the low probability state of the normal pattern and the high probability state of the normal pattern. However, in the pachinko machine 10 in this control example, as described above, the time for the second special symbol to change during normal and high probability states is extremely long (600 seconds) compared to the time for the change during the potential state. This makes it more difficult to draw the second special symbol during normal and high probability states than during the potential state, so that in normal and high probability states, the player can play by aiming at the first ball entrance 64.

When the ball passes through the normal starting hole 67, the value of the second winning random number counter C4 is acquired, and the variable display of the normal pattern is executed for three seconds on the second pattern display device 83. Then, in the low probability state of the normal pattern, if the acquired value of the second winning random number counter C4 is within the range of "0 to 230", it is determined to be a win, and after the variable display on the second pattern display device 83 ends, the "○" pattern is displayed as the stop pattern (second pattern), and the second ball entrance 1640 is opened for "1 second x 2 times". On the other hand, in the high probability state of the normal pattern, if the acquired value of the second winning random number counter C4 is within the range of "0 to 231", it is determined to be a win, and after the variable display on the second pattern display device 83 ends, the "○" pattern is displayed as the stop pattern (second pattern), and the second ball entrance 1640 is opened for "1 second x 2 times". In addition, in this control example, the time it takes for the normal symbols to change, and the time and number of times the normal electric device opens, may be changed as appropriate as long as it does not impair playability.

The normal symbol variation type counter CS2 is configured as a loop counter that is incremented by one in sequence from 0 to 198, and returns to 0 after it reaches a maximum value (i.e., 198). When the game ball passes through the first through gate 66 or the second through gate 67, a normal symbol variation pattern table 202g (see FIG. 197) for selecting a normal symbol variation pattern based on the value of this normal symbol variation type counter CS2 is defined in the ROM 202 of the main control device 110. Details of this normal symbol variation pattern table 202g will be described later with reference to FIG. 197.

The second initial value random number counter CINI2 is configured as a loop counter that is updated within the same range as the second hit random number counter C4 (value = 0 to 239), and is updated once for each timer interrupt processing (see Figure 208) and is repeatedly updated within the remaining time of the main processing (see Figure 227).

In this way, various counters and the like are provided in the RAM 203, and the main control unit 110 can execute the main processes of the pachinko machine 10, such as drawing jackpots, setting the display on the first pattern display device 37 and the third pattern display device 81, and drawing the display results on the second pattern display device 83, depending on the values of these counters and the like.

Next, the contents of ROM 202 of MPU 201 of main control device 110 in this control example will be described with reference to Figs. 191 to 197. Fig. 191 is a schematic diagram showing the contents of ROM 202 in MPU 201 of main control device 110 in this control example. In addition to the first win random number table 202a, small win random number table 202b, and second win random number table 202c already described above, ROM 202 is provided with at least big win type selection table 202d, small win type selection table 202e, fluctuation pattern selection table 202f, and normal fluctuation pattern selection table 202g.

First, referring to FIG. 193(a), the details of the jackpot type selection table 202d will be described. The jackpot type selection table 202d (see FIG. 193(a)) is a data table in which a judgment value for determining the jackpot type is stored for each type of special symbol, and the judgment value of the first jackpot type counter C2 is specified in correspondence with each jackpot type. In the pachinko machine 10 of this control example, when a jackpot with a special symbol is judged to be a jackpot, the value of the first jackpot type counter C2 obtained based on the start winning is compared with the jackpot type selection table 202d, and the jackpot type corresponding to the value of the first jackpot type counter C2 is selected.

As shown in FIG. 193(a), for the first special symbol, the range of the value of the first winning type counter C2 from 0 to 31 is set to correspond to "jackpot A". This "jackpot A" has 15 rounds, and the opening and closing pattern of the opening and closing plate 65f1 is set to an opening and closing pattern that allows (easy) passage of the V-pass switch 65e3 in the first round of the jackpot (see FIG. 180(c)). Of the 100 possible counter values of the first winning type counter C2, there are 32 counter values that are "jackpot A", so the probability that "jackpot A" will be determined when a jackpot is obtained by drawing the first special symbol is 32% (32/100).

In addition, whether or not the time-saving state of the normal pattern is granted when the "jackpot A" is obtained depends on the game state at the time when the "jackpot A" is obtained and whether or not the V-pass switch 65e3 is passed during the jackpot. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 193(a), if the "jackpot A" is obtained in the normal state and in the high probability state and the ball passes through the V-pass switch 65e3 during the jackpot, the number of time-saving times is set to 120 at the end of the jackpot. On the other hand, in other cases (when the V-pass switch e3 is not passed during the jackpot, or when the jackpot is obtained in the potential state and the V-pass switch 65e3 is passed during the jackpot), the number of time-saving times is not set (set to 0). Therefore, when the "jackpot A" is obtained in the normal state or the high probability state, in many cases, the ball passes through the V-pass switch 65e3 during the jackpot, and the number of high probability times and the number of time-saving times are set to 120, and the game state after the jackpot becomes the high probability state. On the other hand, if the "jackpot A" occurs in the potential state, the ball passes through the V-passing switch 65e3 during the jackpot, setting the number of chance wins to 120 (and the number of time-saving wins to 0), and the game state after the jackpot becomes a potential state. In contrast, if the ball does not pass through the V-passing switch 65e3 because the player does not shoot the ball during the jackpot, the game state after the jackpot is set to the normal state, which is the most disadvantageous to the player.

"Jackpot A" is one of the jackpot types with the most number of rounds, so it is advantageous in terms of the number of prize balls that can be won, but in normal and special probability states, the special probability state is basically set as the game state after the jackpot ends (the advantageous potential state is not given), so it is disadvantageous to the player in terms of the game state after the jackpot. On the other hand, if "Jackpot A" occurs in a potential state, the potential state basically loops even after the jackpot ends, so it is one of the most advantageous jackpot types for players in a potential state.

The range of the value of the first winning type counter C2 from 32 to 80 is set to correspond to the "jackpot B". The number of rounds of this "jackpot B" is 7, and the opening and closing pattern of the opening and closing plate 65f1 is set to an opening and closing pattern (see FIG. 180(c)) that allows (easy) passage of the V-pass switch 65e3 in the first round of the jackpot. In addition, after the end of the "jackpot B", the time-saving state is not granted (the number of time-saving times is set to 0). Therefore, after the end of the "jackpot B", a potential state (120 times of probability change, 0 times of time-saving) is basically set. Of the 100 possible counter values of the first winning type counter C2, 48 counter values are "jackpot B", so the percentage of "jackpot B" being determined when a jackpot is obtained by drawing the first special pattern is 48% (48/100).

"Jackpot B" is one of the jackpot types with the fewest number of rounds, so it is disadvantageous in terms of the number of prize balls that can be won, but if the ball is shot toward the variable winning device 65 during the jackpot (if the ball is shot to the right), it will transition to a potential winning state that is advantageous to the player regardless of the game state, so it is advantageous in terms of the game state. Note that if the ball does not pass through the V-pass switch 65e3 during the jackpot because the ball was not shot during the jackpot, the game state after the jackpot will be set to the normal state regardless of the game state at the time of winning.

The range of the value of the first winning type counter C2 from "81 to 90" is set to correspond to "jackpot C". This "jackpot C" has 7 rounds, and the opening and closing pattern of the opening and closing plate 65f1 is set to an opening and closing pattern that makes it difficult to pass the V-pass switch 65e3 in the first round of the jackpot (see FIG. 180(b)). In addition, after the end of the "jackpot C", the time-saving state is not given (the number of time-saving times is set to 0). Therefore, after the end of the "jackpot C", the normal state (both the number of chance bonuses and the number of time-saving times are 0) is basically set. Of the 100 counter values that the first winning type counter C2 can have, there are 10 counter values that become "jackpot C", so the probability that "jackpot C" will be determined when a jackpot is obtained by drawing the first special pattern is 10% (10/100).

"Jackpot C" is the most unfavorable jackpot type for the player, since it has the fewest number of rounds and, regardless of the game state at the time of winning, the most unfavorable normal state is set after the jackpot ends. Although it is unlikely, if the ball can be made to enter the specific winning port 65a in the short time that the specific winning port 65a is open, the ball will pass through the V-pass switch 65e3. In this case, the most favorable potential state is set after the jackpot.

The range of the value of the first winning type counter C2 from "80 to 99" is associated with "jackpot D". This "jackpot D" has 15 rounds, and the opening and closing pattern of the opening and closing plate 65f1 is set to an opening and closing pattern (see FIG. 180(c)) that allows (easy) passage of the V-pass switch 65e3 in the first round of the jackpot. In addition, after the end of the "jackpot D", the time-saving state is not granted (the number of time-saving times is set to 0). Therefore, after the end of the "jackpot D", a potential state (120 times of probability change, 0 times of time-saving times) is basically set. Of the 100 counter values that the first winning type counter C2 can have, there are 10 counter values that become "jackpot D", so the probability that "jackpot D" will be determined when a jackpot is obtained by drawing the first special pattern is 10% (10/100).

"Jackpot D" is one of the most advantageous jackpot types for players, as it has the most number of rounds and basically sets the most advantageous potential state after the jackpot ends, regardless of the game state at the time of winning. Note that if the ball does not pass through the V-pass switch 65e3 during the jackpot, for example because the ball was not shot during the jackpot, the game state after the jackpot is set to the normal state, regardless of the game state at the time of winning.

On the other hand, as the type of jackpot by the lottery of the second special symbol, the value of the first winning type counter C2 in the range of "0 to 79" is associated with "jackpot E" and is stipulated. This "jackpot E" has 7 rounds, and the opening and closing pattern of the opening and closing plate 65f1 is set to an opening and closing pattern (see FIG. 180(c)) that allows (easy) passing through the V-passing switch 65e3 in the first round of the jackpot. Also, the number of time-saving times is set under the same conditions as "jackpot A". In other words, if "jackpot E" occurs in the normal state or in the probability change state, and the ball passes through the V-passing switch 65e3 during the jackpot, the number of time-saving times is set to 120, and the game state after the jackpot becomes the probability change state. Also, if "jackpot E" is won in the potential state and the ball passes through the V-passing switch 65e3 during the jackpot, the number of time-saving times is set to 0, so that the game state after the jackpot becomes the potential state (looping the potential state). Also, if the ball does not pass through the V-pass switch 65e3 during a jackpot, the number of time-saving times is set to 0 regardless of the game state at the time of the jackpot win, so the game state after the jackpot wins becomes normal. Of the 100 possible counter values of the first jackpot type counter C2, 80 counter values are "jackpot E", so the probability that "jackpot E" will be determined when a jackpot is won by drawing the first special symbol is 80% (80/100).

This "jackpot E" has the fewest number of rounds out of the six types of jackpots, so it is at a disadvantage in terms of the number of winning balls. On the other hand, the lottery for the second special symbol is basically done in a potential state, and if a "jackpot E" occurs in a potential state, the potential state basically loops even after the jackpot, so the game state after the jackpot is advantageous to the player.

The reason why the system is configured to transition to the special probability state when the ball passes through the V-pass switch 65e3 after the "special probability E" occurs in the normal state or the special probability state is to suppress the irregular game method of constantly hitting the right even in the normal state or the special probability state. In other words, if the system is configured to set the potential probability state after the special probability state even if the "special probability E" occurs in the normal state or the special probability state, the player may play an irregular game method of drawing the second special symbol (hitting the right) even in the normal state or the special probability state in the hope of transitioning to the advantageous potential probability state. Therefore, in this control example, the system is configured to set the special probability state as the game state after the special probability state after the special probability state when the special probability E occurs in the normal state or the special probability state and the ball passes through the V-pass switch 65e3 during the special probability state. This eliminates the advantage of drawing the second special symbol in the normal state or the special probability state, and prevents (suppresses) the irregular game method of constantly hitting the right.

The range of the value of the first winning type counter C2 from "80 to 95" is set to correspond to "jackpot F". This "jackpot F" has 15 rounds, and the opening and closing pattern of the opening and closing plate 65f1 is set to an opening and closing pattern that allows (easy) passing through the V-passing switch 65e3 in the first round of the jackpot (see FIG. 180(c)). The number of time-saving times is set under the same conditions as "jackpot A" and "jackpot E". That is, if "jackpot F" is won in the normal state or the probability change state and the ball passes through the V-passing switch 65e3 during the jackpot, the number of time-saving times is set to 120. On the other hand, the number of time-saving times is not set (set to 0) in other cases. Of the 100 counter values that the first winning type counter C2 can take, there are 15 counter values that are "jackpot F", so the probability that "jackpot F" will be determined when a jackpot is won by drawing the first special pattern is 15% (15/100).

Although this "Big Win F" has many rounds, the opening and closing pattern of the opening and closing plate 65f1 in each round other than the first round is different from other big win types. More specifically, in rounds 2 to 15 of "Big Win F", an opening and closing pattern (special opening and closing pattern) is set in which the opening and closing plate 65f1 is opened for a maximum of 0.06 seconds. Since it is difficult to make the ball enter the specific winning hole 65a within 0.06 seconds, it is difficult to win a prize ball in rounds 2 to 15 of "Big Win F". In this way, the special opening and closing pattern is set in the case of "Big Win F" in order to make it unclear whether it is a small win or a "Big Win F" when the opening and closing plate 65f1 is opened in a potential state. Details will be described later, but the small win in this control example is provided with small win A in which the opening and closing plate 65f1 is opened only once for a relatively long time (1.648 seconds), and small wins B and C in which the opening operation is repeated multiple times for a short time (0.06 seconds). Therefore, by setting a special opening and closing pattern when a "big win F" occurs, the operation of the opening and closing plate 65f1 can be made similar to that when a small win A is followed by a small win B or a small win C. This makes it difficult to distinguish whether a "big win F" occurs during a potential state and the potential state is reset to 120 times, or whether a small win is won consecutively and the number of times is subtracted. Therefore, since it is difficult to visually determine whether the number of remaining potential states on the display matches the actual remaining number (whether the potential state ends when the remaining number on the display becomes 0), when the remaining number on the display approaches 0, the player can play in the hope that a revival performance (see FIG. 189) will be performed and the remaining number on the display will be displayed in an increased manner. This can improve the player's interest in playing during the potential state.

The range of the value of the first winning type counter C2 from 95 to 99 is associated with the "jackpot G". This "jackpot G" has 15 rounds, and the opening and closing pattern of the opening and closing plate 65f1 is set to an opening and closing pattern that allows (easy) passing through the V-passing switch 65e3 in the first round of the jackpot (see FIG. 180(c)). The number of time-saving times is set under the same conditions as for the "jackpot A", "jackpot E", and "jackpot F". That is, if the "jackpot G" is won in the normal state or the probability change state and the ball passes through the V-passing switch 65e3 during the jackpot, the number of time-saving times is set to 120. On the other hand, the number of time-saving times is not set (set to 0) in other cases. Of the 100 possible counter values of the first winning type counter C2, there are 5 counter values that are "jackpot G", so the probability that the "jackpot G" will be determined when the lottery for the first special pattern results in a jackpot is 5% (5/100).

This "jackpot G" has the most rounds out of the six types of jackpots, so it has an advantage in terms of the number of winning balls. Also, the lottery for the second special symbol is basically done in a potential state, and if the "jackpot G" occurs in a potential state, the potential state basically loops even after the jackpot, so the game state after the jackpot is also advantageous to the player.

In this way, in this control example, if a left hit is made in the normal state or the probability of winning state, and a jackpot is obtained by drawing the first special symbol, there is a 58% chance of transitioning to a favorable potential state (jackpot B, D). Then, if a right hit is made in the potential state, and a jackpot is obtained by drawing the second special symbol, there is a 100% chance of looping through the potential state (jackpot E to G). Therefore, once a potential state (probability of winning a special symbol and normal state of normal symbols) is set, a right hit is made to enter the second ball entrance 1640, which makes it easier to draw the second special symbol, and makes it easier to repeat a state with a high probability of winning and a jackpot with the second special symbol. Therefore, the player can play with the goal of transitioning to the potential state, which can increase the player's interest in the game.

Next, the details of the small win type selection table 202e will be described with reference to FIG. 193(b). This small win type selection table 202e is a data table that is referenced to determine the type of small win when a small win occurs in the drawing of the first special pattern. This small win type selection table 202e specifies the corresponding small win type for each range of values of the small win type counter C5.

As shown in FIG. 193(b), the range of the value of the small prize type counter C5 from 0 to 93 is associated with a "small prize A". This "small prize A" is a type of small prize in which the opening and closing plate 65f1 of the variable winning device 65 is set to the open state only once for 1.648 seconds during a small prize game. Of the 100 possible random number values of the small prize type counter C5, there are 94 random number values that are "small prize A", so when a small prize is awarded in the drawing of the second special symbol, the probability that "small prize A" will be determined is 94% (94/100).

The value of the small win type counter C5 is in the range of "94 to 98" and is associated with "small win B". This "small win B" is a small win type in which the opening and closing plate 65f1 is set to an open state for 0.06 seconds x 6 times during a small win game. Of the 100 possible random number values of the small win type counter C5, there are 5 random number values that are "small win B", so when a small win is obtained by drawing the second special pattern, the probability that "small win B" will be determined is 5% (5/100).

Furthermore, the value "99" of the small win type counter C5 is associated with a "small win C". This "small win C" is a small win type in which the opening and closing plate 65f1 is set to an open state for 0.06 seconds x 8 times during a small win game. Of the 100 possible random number values of the small win type counter C5, there is one random number that is a "small win C", so when a small win is obtained by drawing a special pattern, the probability of it being a "small win C" is 1% (1/100).

In this control example, when a small win is obtained in the drawing of the special symbol, the opening and closing plate 65f1 opens and closes once or multiple times to play a small win game. This makes it difficult to determine whether the opening and closing action of the opening and closing plate 65f1 is due to winning a big win or a small win in the potential state when the opening and closing action is performed in the potential state. Therefore, even if a big win has never been obtained in the drawing of the second special symbol performed in the potential state, when the remaining number of times in the potential state on the display approaches 0, it is possible to expect that a revival performance will be performed. In this control example, the rate of a small win when the drawing of the second special symbol is performed is about 46%. Therefore, in the 120 times of drawing of the special symbol set as the potential state, a small win is won about 55 times. Therefore, since the opening and closing plate 65f1 is frequently opened and closed during the potential state, it is difficult for the player to determine whether a big win or a small win has occurred.

Next, the details of the variation pattern selection table 202f will be described with reference to Figures 194 to 196. As described above, this variation pattern selection table 202f specifies a random number value that determines the variation pattern (variation time) of the variation display from the value (random number value) of the variation type counter CS1.

As shown in FIG. 194, the fluctuation pattern selection table 202f includes at least a normal table A 202f1 and a normal table B 202f2 for determining a fluctuation pattern (fluctuation time) in a normal state, a high probability table 202f3 for determining a fluctuation pattern in a high probability state, and a potential probability table 202f4 for determining a fluctuation pattern in a potential probability state. The specific contents of these tables will be explained with reference to FIG. 195 and FIG. 196. Note that in each table shown in FIG. 195 and FIG. 196, the fluctuation time is expressed in milliseconds, but in the following explanation, the fluctuation time is expressed in seconds for ease of understanding.

First, normal table A202f1 will be described with reference to FIG. 195. This normal table A is a table that is referenced when the game state is normal and a lottery for a special symbol is executed other than twice immediately after the end of the latent probability change state. FIG. 195 is a schematic diagram showing the contents of this normal table A202f1. As shown in FIG. 195, normal table A202f1 specifies a random number value (counter value of the fluctuation type counter value CS1) for determining the type of fluctuation pattern (fluctuation time) for each type of special symbol and each stop type of special symbol.

Specifically, the fluctuation pattern that is determined when the first special symbol is selected as a jackpot is as follows: Normal Reach (20 seconds) corresponds to the value of the fluctuation type counter CS1 in the range of "0-50", Super Reach A (30 seconds) corresponds to the range of "51-100", Super Reach B (30 seconds) corresponds to the range of "101-150", and Super Reach C (30 seconds) corresponds to the range of "151-198".

On the other hand, when the first special symbol is drawn as a miss and this normal table A202f1 is referenced, the correspondence between the value of the variation type counter CS1 and the selected variation pattern changes according to the number of reserved balls. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 195, when the number of reserved balls is within the range of 0 or 1, the variation type counter CS1 value in the range of "0 to 70" corresponds to the long miss (10 seconds) variation pattern, and the range of "71 to 150" corresponds to the miss normal reach (20 seconds). Also, the variation type counter CS1 value in the range of "151 to 170" corresponds to the miss super reach A (30 seconds), and the range of "171 to 198" corresponds to the miss super reach B (30 seconds).

In contrast, when the number of reserved balls is two or three, the value of the variation type counter CS1 is associated with a short miss (8 seconds) variation pattern in the range of "0 to 70", a long miss (10 seconds) variation pattern in the range of "71 to 150", and a miss normal reach (20 seconds) in the range of "151 to 170". Also, the value of the variation type counter CS1 is associated with a miss super reach A (30 seconds) in the range of "171 to 185", and a miss super reach B (30 seconds) in the range of "185 to 198". Note that the process of selecting the variation pattern of the first special symbol by referring to this normal table A202f1 (see S307 in S210) is executed later than the process of subtracting the reserved balls of the first special symbol (see S303 in FIG. 210). Therefore, the normal table A202f is not referenced when there are four reserved balls.

In this way, when the number of reserved balls is small (0 or 1), a fluctuation pattern with a longer fluctuation time is more likely to be selected than when the number of reserved balls is large (2 or 3). By configuring it in this way, when the number of reserved balls is small, time to accumulate the reserved balls is ensured, and the fluctuation display is less likely to be interrupted. This makes it possible to prevent (suppress) the player from getting bored with the game. On the other hand, when the number of reserved balls is large, the shorter fluctuation time makes it difficult for reserved balls to accumulate, so it is possible to prevent (suppress) further balls from entering the first ball entrance 64 when the number of reserved balls reaches the upper limit (4). This makes it less likely that the player will feel that they have lost out.

In contrast, when the lottery for the second special symbol is executed and the normal table A202f1 is referenced, the fluctuation time is set to 600 seconds (10 minutes) regardless of the lottery result. That is, when the lottery result for the second special symbol is a big win, the winning long fluctuation A (600 seconds) is associated with the value of the entire range (0 to 198) of the value that the fluctuation type counter CS1 can take, when the lottery result for the second special symbol is a small win, the small winning long fluctuation A (600 seconds) is associated with the value of the entire range (0 to 198) of the value that the fluctuation type counter CS1 can take, and when the lottery result for the second special symbol is a miss, the miss long fluctuation A (600 seconds) is associated with the value of the entire range (0 to 198) of the value that the fluctuation type counter CS1 can take. As a result, when the right hit is performed in the normal state and the lottery for the second special symbol is executed, the fluctuation time of 600 seconds is set every time, so the game efficiency is significantly worse than when the left hit is performed. This configuration can prevent irregular play methods that involve hitting the right side during normal play.

Next, the details of the normal table B202f2 will be described with reference to FIG. 196(a). This normal table B202f2 is a table that is referenced only when the game state is normal and the number of times the special symbol has been drawn is two or less after the potential state has ended.

As shown in FIG. 196(a), when this normal table B202f2 is referred to, the same fluctuation time is set regardless of the lottery result of the first special symbol or the number of reserved balls. Specifically, when the lottery result of the first special symbol is a big win, the fluctuation after the winning ST (12 seconds) is associated with the entire range (0 to 198) of the possible values of the fluctuation type counter CS1. Also, when the lottery result of the first special symbol is a miss, the fluctuation after the missing ST (12 seconds) is associated with the entire range (0 to 198) of the possible values of the fluctuation type counter CS1. Therefore, when the first or second special symbol lottery after the end of the potential state is the lottery of the first special symbol, the fluctuation time is set to 12 seconds regardless of the lottery result. Note that the configuration is such that the result display of the potential state described above (see FIG. 188(b)) is performed during these 12 seconds. By configuring the selection of a fixed fluctuation time, it is possible to ensure sufficient time for the result display. This allows the player to fully confirm the results of the potential win.

As shown in FIG. 196(a), for the lottery of the second special symbol, a variable time of 600 seconds is set regardless of the lottery result, similar to the normal table A202f1. The contents are the same as the normal table A202f1 described above with reference to FIG. 195, so a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

After the end of the potential state, the 12-second variable time is set not only for the first special symbol drawing but also when the second special symbol drawing is the first special symbol drawing, because there is a possibility that a ball will enter the second ball entrance 1640 between the end of the potential state and the return to left hitting, and the second special symbol drawing will be executed first. As in this control example, if the 12-second variable time is set for the second special symbol drawing after the potential state ends, even if the second special symbol drawing starts first, the 12-second variable time can be set by drawing the first special symbol afterwards, so that the result display can be performed for the same amount of time after each potential state ends, regardless of whether the first special symbol drawing was executed first. In addition, in the potential state, it is also possible that the first special symbol drawing is not executed and the second special symbol drawing is executed twice in a row. However, as mentioned above, if the first special symbol stops changing for 30 seconds or more after the potential state ends (i.e., if the main change does not start for 30 seconds), the result display will be displayed. Therefore, even in this case, the result display can be displayed for a sufficiently long time.

The reason why the result of the potential state (result) is not displayed during the potential state, but during the time when the first special symbol is first executed after the potential state ends, is that the time when the second special symbol is first executed during the potential state is extremely short. Therefore, if the result of the potential state (result) were displayed during the last variable display executed in the potential state, the result would only be displayed for a very short time. In contrast, in this first control example, the result of the potential state (result) is displayed during the variable display of the first special symbol executed first after the potential state ends, so that the result of the potential state can be displayed for a sufficiently long time. The details will be described later, but in this first control example, in order to allow the player to confirm the result of the potential state more reliably, a fixed variable time (12 seconds) is set for the two special symbol lotteries after the potential state ends, regardless of the lottery result of the first special symbol. By configuring it this way, the results can be displayed each time within a fixed variable time, allowing players to check the results display more reliably.

In this control example, a fixed variation time (12 seconds) is set regardless of the lottery result of the first special symbol, but the display content of the result display executed may be set based on the lottery result of the first special symbol. For example, if the lottery result of the first special symbol is a win, a display suggesting a win may be executed in addition to the display content of the result display. In addition, if the lottery result of the second special symbol, which changes simultaneously (in parallel) with the variation of the first special symbol whose result display is executed based on the variation of the first special symbol, is a win, a display suggesting a win may be executed in addition to the display content of the result display executed based on the variation of the first special symbol. By configuring in this way, the game result in the potential state and the lottery result of the special symbol can be displayed in an easy-to-understand manner for the player.

In addition, in this control example, if the first special symbol changes twice in succession after the potential state ends, the result display is configured to be executed only for the first change, and for the second change, a change display based on the lottery result of the special symbol is executed. This makes it possible to prevent a situation in which the game results of the potential state are excessively displayed, resulting in a change display based on the lottery result of the special symbol not being executed.

The table 202f3 for the special chance game is configured almost the same as the table A202f1 for normal play, so it will be explained briefly. If the lottery for the first special symbol results in a big win, each variation pattern (normal win reach, super win reach A to C) is selected at the same selection ratio as the table A202f1 for normal play. If the lottery for the second special symbol is executed, the variation time is set to 600 seconds regardless of the lottery result, as in the normal state. On the other hand, if the lottery for the first special symbol results in a miss, a variation pattern with a shorter variation time is more likely to be selected compared to the normal state. This is because, since the probability of a big win increases in the special chance game, if a variation pattern with a long variation time occurs frequently despite a miss, it may cause discomfort to the player. Therefore, in this first control example, if the lottery for the first special symbol results in a miss during the special chance game, a variation pattern with a short variation time is more likely to be selected, so that the player has a stronger expectation of a big win if a variation pattern with a long variation time is selected.

Next, the details of the potential winning table 202f4 will be explained with reference to FIG. 196(b). This potential winning table 202f4 is a table that is referenced to select a variation pattern that corresponds to the lottery result when a lottery for a special symbol is executed in a potential winning state.

As shown in FIG. 196(b), for a big win with the first special symbol, a winning middle fluctuation (60 seconds) is associated with the entire range (0-198) of the possible values of the fluctuation type counter CS1. Also, for a miss with the first special symbol, a missing super short fluctuation A (0.5 seconds) is associated with the entire range (0-198) of the possible values of the fluctuation type counter CS1.

As shown in FIG. 196(b), a super short win fluctuation (0.5 seconds) is associated with the full range (0-198) of the value that the fluctuation type counter CS1 can take for a big win of the second special pattern, a super short small win fluctuation (0.5 seconds) is associated with the full range (0-198) of the value that the fluctuation type counter CS1 can take for a small win of the second special pattern, and a super short miss fluctuation (0.5 seconds) is associated with the full range (0-198) of the value that the fluctuation type counter CS1 can take for a miss of the second special pattern. In other words, when a lottery is held for the second special pattern in a potential state, a fluctuation time of 0.5 seconds is set regardless of the lottery result.

In the potential winning state, the second special symbol is basically drawn, so the change time is approximately 0.5 seconds. Therefore, in the advantageous potential winning state, the player can play efficiently (speedily) by hitting to the right. Also, even if the first special symbol is not drawn in the potential winning state, 0.5 seconds is selected as the change time, so that, for example, if the player enters the potential winning state with one or more reserved first special symbols, the reserved balls for the first special symbol can be quickly consumed. Therefore, the player can play by concentrating on the display of the change in the second special symbol, which is the main change in the potential winning state.

In addition, the reason why a relatively long fluctuation time (60 seconds) is set when a jackpot is obtained by drawing the first special symbol in the potential state is that if the jackpot is obtained by drawing the first special symbol in the potential state, the potential state may end. Specifically, when a jackpot C is obtained in the potential state, an opening and closing pattern (see FIG. 180(b)) is set for the opening and closing plate 65f1 that makes it difficult for the ball to pass through the V-passing switch 65e3, so that the game state after the jackpot ends is basically the normal state. If such a situation occurs, there is a risk that the player's motivation for playing will be reduced. Therefore, in this control example, a relatively long fluctuation time is set when a jackpot is obtained by drawing the first special symbol, so that the second special symbol can be drawn multiple times by hitting the right during the jackpot fluctuation of the first special symbol. As described above, in the drawing of the second special symbol, a small win is won about once in two times (about 46%), so that the small win variation of the second special symbol can be ended with a high probability before the big win variation of the first special symbol ends. As described above, in this control example, a simultaneous variation method is adopted in which the drawing of the first special symbol and the drawing of the second special symbol can be executed simultaneously in parallel. In addition, if the variation display of one special symbol is displayed as a big win or small win stop pattern during the simultaneous variation, the variation display of the other special symbol is forcibly stopped with a miss stop pattern regardless of the remaining variation time or the lottery result at the time of the variation start. Therefore, even during the big win variation of the first special symbol, the small win stop pattern is displayed as a small win stop pattern first due to the small win variation of the second special symbol, so that the big win of the first special symbol can be discarded. This makes it possible to prevent (suppress) the start of a big win of the first special symbol, which may end the latent state, with a high probability, so that the player can enjoy the latent state more reliably.

In this control example, 0.5 seconds is selected as the fluctuation time of the second special symbol set in response to the potential state, but a long fluctuation time (e.g., 12 seconds) may be selected with a small probability (e.g., 1/199). Furthermore, when a long fluctuation time is selected, a result display showing the game result of the potential state described above (actually, the game result during the potential state game) can be displayed on the display screen of the third symbol display device 81. This makes it possible to execute a performance that makes the player think that the potential state has ended during the potential state, making it possible to provide the player with a surprising performance, which has the effect of enhancing the performance effect.

Next, the details of the normal symbol fluctuation pattern table 202g will be described with reference to FIG. 197. As described above, the normal symbol fluctuation pattern table 202g is a table that is referenced to select a normal symbol fluctuation pattern when a lottery for a normal symbol is executed. As shown in FIG. 197, this normal symbol fluctuation pattern table 202g specifies the range of values of the normal symbol fluctuation type counter CS2 and the fluctuation pattern (fluctuation time) in correspondence with each game state at the time when the lottery for a normal symbol is executed.

More specifically, as shown in FIG. 197, when the game state is normal, a fluctuation pattern with a fluctuation time of 3 seconds is associated with the entire range (0 to 198) of the possible values of the normal fluctuation type counter CS2. Similarly, when the game state is in a high probability state, a fluctuation pattern with a fluctuation time of 3 seconds is associated with the entire range (0 to 198) of the possible values of the normal fluctuation type counter CS2.

On the other hand, when the game state is a potential winning state, a 3-second fluctuation pattern is associated with the value of the normal symbol fluctuation type counter CS2 in the range of "0 to 190", and a 1-second fluctuation pattern is associated with the value of the normal symbol fluctuation type counter CS2 in the range of "191 to 198". When a normal symbol is drawn in a potential winning state, the time from when the normal symbol is drawn to when the electric role 1640a is opened can be made difficult to predict by varying the normal symbol fluctuation time. Therefore, balls are shot one by one into the first through gate 66, the second first through gate 66, or the second through gate 67, and when a ball passes through any of the through gates, the timing at which the electric role 1640a is opened in the event of a winning normal symbol is predicted, suppressing an irregular game method of shooting balls, and allowing the player to hit the right in succession during the potential winning state.

In this first control example, multiple variations in the fluctuation pattern are provided only in the potential state, but this is not limited to the above. Variations in the fluctuation pattern (fluctuation time) of the normal symbol may also be provided in the normal state or the probability state.

In addition, in this control example, when a lottery for a normal symbol is executed in the potential winning state, the variable time is set to one of two types, 1 second or 3 seconds, but the variable time is not limited to two types, and more variable times may be selectable. The more variation there is in the variable time, the more difficult it is for the player to predict the variable time, so that the player can more reliably hit the right repeatedly during the potential winning state.

In addition, in this control example, the normal symbol fluctuation time is set based on the game state and the value of the normal symbol fluctuation type counter CS2 obtained, but other configurations may be used, such as changing the fluctuation time based on the number of reserved balls for the normal symbol, changing the fluctuation time based on the number of times the special symbol is drawn, or setting the normal symbol fluctuation time by a method combining the above-mentioned various configurations. Specifically, from when the game state transitions to the potential state until the special symbol is drawn a predetermined number of times (for example, 50 times), the normal symbol fluctuation time may be set to 1 second, and from there (51 times to 120 times), the normal symbol fluctuation time may be set to 3 seconds. Also, from when the game state transitions to the potential state, while the even number of special symbol drawings are being performed, the normal symbol fluctuation time may be set to 1 second, and otherwise (odd number of times), the normal symbol fluctuation time may be set to 3 seconds. In this way, by configuring the normal symbol fluctuation time to change based on the number of times the special symbol lottery is executed, it becomes difficult for the player to predict the fluctuation time, so that the player can hit the right side more reliably and continuously during the potential winning state. In this case, it is preferable to configure the normal symbol fluctuation time to be longer when the special symbol lottery is not being executed (longer than when the special symbol lottery is being executed), or to configure the normal symbol fluctuation time to be longer the fewer the number of reserved special symbol lotteries stored.

In addition, when setting the normal pattern variation time based on the number of reserved balls for the normal pattern, it is preferable to configure it so that the greater the number of reserved balls for the normal pattern, the more likely it is that a longer variation time will be selected. By configuring it in this way, it is possible to equalize the number of normal pattern lottery draws per unit time between a pachinko machine 10 that is adjusted so that the number of reserved balls for the normal pattern is less likely to accumulate and a pachinko machine 10 that is adjusted so that the number of reserved balls for the normal pattern is more likely to accumulate.

Next, details of RAM 203 will be described with reference to Fig. 198. Fig. 198 is a block diagram showing the configuration of RAM 203 of the main control unit 110. As shown in FIG. 198, the RAM 203 has at least a first special symbol reserved ball storage area 203a, a second special symbol execution area 203b, a normal symbol reserved ball storage area 203c, a first special symbol reserved ball number counter 203d, a normal symbol reserved ball number counter 203e, a V winning flag 203f, a time-saving counter 203g, a winning counter 203h, a special symbol 1 standby flag 203i, a special symbol 2 standby flag 203j, a probability variable counter 203k, a big win flag 203m, a winning status storage area 203n, a small win flag 203o, a special symbol 2 fluctuation stop flag 203p, a pre-reading reserved memory area 203r, a special symbol 1 fluctuation timer 203s, a special symbol 2 fluctuation timer 203t, a big win flag 203u, a small win flag 203v, and a miscellaneous memory area 203z.

The first special symbol reserved ball storage area 203a has one execution area (first special symbol execution area) and four reserved areas (reserved area 1 to reserved area 4), and each of these areas stores the values of the first win random number counter C1, the first win type counter C2, the small win type counter C5, and the variable type counter CS1.

More specifically, when a ball enters the first ball entry port 64 (initial entry), the values of each counter are obtained, and the obtained data is stored in the available areas of the four holding areas (first holding area to fourth holding area) in order of the area with the smallest area number (first to fourth). In other words, the smaller the area number, the more data corresponding to older winning events is stored, and the first holding area stores data corresponding to the oldest winning event. Note that if data is stored in all four holding areas, nothing new is stored.

After that, when the main control device 110 draws for special symbols, the values of the counters C1 to C3 stored in the first reserved area of the first special symbol reserved ball storage area 203a are shifted (moved) to the execution area, and a decision such as the drawing of the special symbols is made based on the values of the counters C1 to C3 stored in the execution area.

When data is shifted from reserved area 1 to the execution area, reserved area 1 becomes empty. Therefore, a shift process is performed to move the winning data stored in the other reserved areas (reserved area 2 to reserved area 4) to the reserved area with the area number one smaller (reserved area 1 to reserved area 3). In this control example, data is shifted only for the reserved areas in which winning data is stored in the first special pattern reserved ball storage area 203a (reserved area 2 to reserved area 4).

The second special symbol execution area 203b stores judgment values (counter values) for executing the lottery for special symbols, similar to the first special symbol execution area of the first special symbol reserved ball storage area 203a. In this second special symbol execution area 203b, each counter value obtained at the timing when the initial winning into the second ball entrance 1640 is detected is stored.

The normal symbol reserved ball storage area 203c, like the first special symbol reserved ball storage area 203a, has one execution area (normal symbol reserved ball execution area) and four reserved areas (reserved area 1 to reserved area 4). Each of these areas stores a second winning random number counter C4.

More specifically, when the ball passes through either the first through gate 66 or the second through gate 67, the value of the second winning random number counter C4 is obtained, and the obtained data is stored in the available areas of the four reserved areas (reserved area 1 to reserved area 4) in order of the area with the smallest area number (1 to 4). In other words, similar to the first special pattern reserved ball storage area 203a, the order in which the winning balls were won is maintained and data corresponding to the winning balls is stored. Note that if data is stored in all four reserved areas, nothing new is stored.

After that, when the main control device 110 performs a lottery for a winning normal symbol, the value of counter C4 stored in the first reserved area of the normal symbol reserved ball storage area 203c is shifted (moved) to the execution area, and a determination such as the lottery for a winning normal symbol is made based on the value of counter C4 stored in the execution area.

When data is shifted from the first reserved area to the execution area, the first reserved area becomes empty, and a shift process is performed to move the winning data stored in other reserved areas to a reserved area with an area number one smaller, just like in the case of the first special symbol reserved ball storage area 203a. Also, data shifting is only performed on the reserved area in which the winning data is stored.

The first special symbol reserved ball counter 203d is a counter that counts the number of reserved balls (waiting times) of the variable display of the special symbol (variable display performed by the first symbol display device 37 and the third symbol display device 81) performed by the first symbol display device 37 based on the entry of a ball into the first ball entrance 64 (initial winning), up to a maximum of four times. The initial value of this first special symbol reserved ball counter 203d is set to zero, and each time a ball enters the first ball entrance 64 and the number of reserved balls of the variable display increases, it is incremented by one up to a maximum value of four (see S1504 in FIG. 222). On the other hand, the first special symbol reserved ball counter 203d is decremented by one each time a new variable display of the special symbol is performed (see S303 in FIG. 210).

The value of the first special pattern reserved ball count counter 203d (the number of reserved ball counts N1 for the variable display of the first special pattern) is notified to the voice lamp control device 113 by a reserved ball count command (see S304 in FIG. 210 and S1505 in FIG. 222). The reserved ball count command is a command sent from the main control device 110 to the voice lamp control device 113 each time the value of the first special pattern reserved ball count counter 203d is changed.

The voice lamp control device 113 can obtain the actual number of reserved balls of the variable display reserved in the main control device 110 by the reserved ball number command sent from the main control device 110 each time the value of the first special pattern reserved ball number counter 203d is changed. As a result, even if the reserved ball number of the variable display managed by the first special pattern reserved ball number counter 223c of the voice lamp control device 113 deviates from the actual reserved ball number of the variable display reserved in the main control device 110 due to the influence of noise, etc., the deviation can be corrected by the next received reserved ball number command.

The voice lamp control device 113 manages the number of reserved balls based on the reserved ball number command, and sends a reserved ball number display command to the display control device 114 to notify the display control device 114 of the number of reserved balls each time the number of reserved balls changes. The display control device 114 displays a reserved ball number pattern on the third pattern display device 81 based on the number of reserved balls notified by this reserved ball number display command.

The normal symbol reserved ball number counter 203e is a counter that counts the number of reserved balls (waiting times) of the variable display of the normal symbol (second symbol) performed by the second symbol display device 83 based on the passage of the ball through the first through gate 66 or the second through gate 67 up to a maximum of four. The value of this normal symbol reserved ball number counter 203e (the number of reserved times M of variable display of the normal symbol) is initially set to zero, and is incremented by one up to a maximum value of four each time the ball passes through the first through gate 66 or the second through gate 67 and the number of reserved balls of the variable display increases (see S1704 in FIG. 224). On the other hand, the normal symbol reserved ball number counter 203e is decremented by one each time a new variable display of the normal symbol (second symbol) is executed (see S1605 in FIG. 223).

When a ball passes through the first through gate 66 or the second through gate 67, if the value of the normal symbol reserved ball counter 203e (the number of reserved variable display times M for normal symbols) is less than 4, the value of the second winning random number counter C4 is obtained, and the obtained data is stored in the normal symbol reserved ball storage area 203c (see S1705 in FIG. 224). On the other hand, when a ball passes through the first through gate 66 or the second through gate 67, if the value of the normal symbol reserved ball counter 203e is 4, nothing is newly stored in the normal symbol reserved ball storage area 203c (see S1703: No in FIG. 224).

The V winning flag 203f is a flag that indicates whether or not the game state after a jackpot game is to be changed to a high probability state. In this pachinko machine 10, whether or not the game state is set to a high probability state is determined by whether or not the ball passes through the V passing switch 65e3 (see FIG. 179(b)) during a jackpot game. Here, when the ball passes through this V passing switch 65e3, the V winning flag 203f is set to ON (see S2410 in FIG. 231). On the other hand, this V winning flag 203f is set to OFF when the jackpot ends (see S2307 in FIG. 230). Note that this V winning flag 203f is backed up when the power is turned off, and is set to the state immediately before the power is turned off when the power is restored (when the power is turned on). Also, it is set to OFF when the pachinko machine 10 is in an initialized state.

If the V winning flag 203f is set to ON when the power is turned on, it may be configured to determine whether the V passing switch 65e3 was passed before the power was turned off, and if it is determined that the V passing switch 65e3 was passed, the V winning flag 203f may be set to ON and restored. In this case, whether the V passing switch 65e3 was passed before the power was turned off can be determined by whether the probability change passing counter 203i described below has a value greater than 0. By configuring in this way, it is possible to determine fraud such as rewriting only the V winning flag 203f to ON and turning the power back on while the power is turned off, thereby reducing damage to the gaming establishment.

The time-saving counter 203g is a counter for counting the number of times the remaining special symbols change in the time-saving state. This time-saving counter 203g is set to 120 when one of the jackpots A, E to G is won in the normal state or the probability change state, and the V winning flag 203f is on at the end of the jackpot game. In addition, the time-saving counter 203g is decremented by one in the game state update process executed immediately after setting the start of the variable display of the first special symbol or the second special symbol (see S607 in FIG. 213). When a lottery for a normal symbol is performed, if the value of this time-saving counter 203g is 1 or more, it is determined that the time-saving state for the normal symbol is in effect, and a win/loss judgment for the normal symbol is performed by referring to the table for high probability (see S1610 in FIG. 223). On the other hand, if the value of the time-saving counter 203g is 0, it is determined to be in the normal state of the normal pattern, and a determination of whether the normal pattern is a hit or miss is made by referring to the table for low probability (see S1611 in FIG. 223).

The winning counter 203h is a counter that counts the number of balls that enter (slide into) the specific winning port 65a in each round of a jackpot. When the value of this winning counter 203h reaches its upper limit of 5, it is determined that the round end condition has been met and the round ends (see S2406 in FIG. 231). Note that even if the value of the winning counter 203h is less than 5 in each round of a jackpot, the round ends when the round period set for each round is reached. The value of this winning counter 203h is incremented by 1 each time a ball that enters the specific winning port 65a is detected during the valid period of the jackpot round. The value is also reset to 0 at the end of each round.

The special symbol 1 standby flag 203i is a flag that indicates whether the first special symbol is in a stopped state. If this special symbol 1 standby flag 203i is on, it indicates that the first special symbol is in a stopped state, and if it is off, it means that the first special symbol is changing or is about to start displaying the change based on the reserved balls of the first special symbol. This special symbol 1 standby flag 203i is set on when the first special symbol is not changing and the number of reserved balls is 0 (see S311 in FIG. 210). On the other hand, it is set off when the start of the change of the first special symbol is set (see S309 in FIG. 210).

The special symbol 2 standby flag 203j is a flag that indicates whether the second special symbol is in a stopped state. If this special symbol 1 standby flag 203j is on, it indicates that the second special symbol is in a stopped state, and if it is off, it means that the second special symbol is changing. This special symbol 2 standby flag 203j is set on when the second special symbol is not changing and no initial winning has been detected for the second ball entry port 1640 (see S809 in FIG. 215). On the other hand, it is set off when the start of the change of the second special symbol is set (see S807 in FIG. 215).

The probability bonus counter 203k is a counter that indicates whether the pachinko machine 10 is in a probability bonus state for a special symbol (high probability state for a special symbol). If the value of this probability bonus counter 203k is 1 or more, it indicates that the pachinko machine 10 is in a probability bonus state for a special symbol, and if the value of the probability bonus counter 203k is 0, it indicates that the pachinko machine 10 is in a normal state for a special symbol (low probability state for a special symbol).

The initial value of the probability change counter 203k is set to 0, and when the ball passes through the V-pass switch 65e3 during a jackpot, the counter is set to 120 at the end of the jackpot (see S2304 in FIG. 230). In addition, the value is decremented by 1 in the game state update process (see FIG. 213) executed immediately after the start of the variable display of the first special symbol or the variable display of the second special symbol is set (see S602 in FIG. 213). In addition, the probability change counter 203k is reset to 0 when a jackpot game starts (see S708 in FIG. 214 and S1309 in FIG. 220). This probability change counter 203k is referenced in the first special symbol jackpot determination process (see FIG. 211) and the second special symbol jackpot determination process (see FIG. 216) to determine whether or not the special symbol is in a probability change state (see S402 in FIG. 211 and S902 in FIG. 216).

The jackpot flag 203m is a flag that is set to ON when it is determined that the value of the first winning random number counter C1 obtained based on the ball entering the first ball entrance 64 or the second ball entrance 1640 matches the jackpot determination value at the start of the fluctuation (see S406 in FIG. 211 and S906 in FIG. 216). This jackpot flag 203m is set to OFF when setting the display of the stop pattern corresponding to the jackpot (see S708 in FIG. 214 and S1309 in FIG. 220). In addition, this jackpot flag 203m is assigned a 2-bit memory area, and the upper bit stores information corresponding to the first special pattern, and the lower bit stores information corresponding to the second special pattern. More specifically, if the jackpot flag 203m is "10B", it indicates that the lottery for the first special pattern results in a jackpot, and the fluctuation display showing the lottery result is in progress. On the other hand, if the jackpot flag 203m is "01B", it indicates that the jackpot was won by the drawing of the second special symbol, and that the variation display showing the result of the drawing is in progress. In contrast, if the jackpot flag 203m is "00B", it indicates that the jackpot variation has not been executed.

When this jackpot flag 203m is on and the time for changing the display of the corresponding special symbol ends, a process is executed to forcibly stop the other special symbol with a miss symbol (see S705 in FIG. 214 and S1306 in FIG. 220). This prevents a problem where the first special symbol and the second special symbol become a jackpot or small jackpot while the other is in the middle of a jackpot.

The winning status storage area 203n is a storage area for storing information indicating the game status at the time of winning the jackpot. Specifically, if the game status at the time of winning the jackpot is normal (if the values of the time-saving counter 203g and the probability-changing counter 203k are both 0), "00H" is stored in this winning status storage area 203n as information indicating the normal status. On the other hand, if the game status at the time of winning the jackpot is a probability-changing state (if the values of the time-saving counter 203g and the probability-changing counter 203k are both 1 or more), "01H" is stored in this winning status storage area 203n as information indicating the probability-changing state. Also, if the game status at the time of winning the jackpot is a potential probability state (if the value of the time-saving counter 203g is 0 and the value of the probability-changing counter 203k is 1 or more), "02H" is stored in this winning status storage area 203n as information indicating the potential probability state.

The information stored in this winning status storage area 203n is retained until the end of the jackpot, and is referenced when setting the time-saving game mode after the jackpot ends (see S2301 in FIG. 230). As described above, when a jackpot A, E to G occurs and the ball passes through the V-passing switch 65e3 during the jackpot, the game status after the jackpot differs depending on whether the game status at the time of the jackpot was a potential state or not. In this control example, information according to the game status at the time of the jackpot is stored in this winning status storage area 203n, and by referring to this information at the end of the jackpot, it is possible to set an appropriate game status according to the jackpot type and the game status at the time of the jackpot being won.

The small win flag 203o is a flag that is set to ON when it is determined that the value of the first win random number counter C1 obtained based on the ball entering the second ball entrance 1640 matches the small win determination value at the start of the fluctuation (see S1002 in FIG. 217). This small win flag 203o is set to OFF when setting the display of the stop pattern corresponding to the small win (see S1405 in FIG. 220). When the fluctuation time of the fluctuation display of the second special pattern ends with this small win flag 203o ON, a process is executed to forcibly stop the other special pattern with a miss pattern (see S1403 in FIG. 221). This makes it possible to prevent (suppress) the occurrence of a malfunction in which a big win occurs in the drawing of the first special pattern while a small win of the second special pattern is being executed, and a big win starts during a small win.

The special pattern 2 change stop flag 203p is a flag indicating the period between when the change of the first special pattern is stopped (confirmed) at the jackpot stop pattern and when the jackpot is started. When this special pattern 2 change stop flag 203p is set to on, even if a new ball is entered into the second ball entrance 1640, the execution of the change display of the second special pattern is avoided (see S801: Yes in FIG. 215). This special pattern 2 change stop flag 203p is set to on when the second special pattern is forcibly stopped at a miss pattern (see S703 in FIG. 214), and is set to off when the process for executing the change display of the second special pattern is avoided (S811 in FIG. 215).

The pre-reading reserved memory area 203r is a memory area for storing the predicted results of the lottery for the special symbol when the lottery result for the special symbol is predicted before the lottery for the original special symbol is performed. In the pachinko machine 10 of this control example, immediately after the ball enters the first ball entrance 64 (initial winning) and each counter value is acquired, various information that will be obtained when the original lottery is performed is predicted (estimated) from each acquired counter value, in addition to the lottery for the original special symbol. In this way, predicting various information that will be obtained when the original lottery is performed before the lottery for the original special symbol is performed is hereinafter referred to as "pre-reading". In the pre-reading reserved memory area 203r, at the timing when each counter value is acquired based on the initial winning to the first ball entrance 64, the pre-reading results based on the counter value (the result of the lottery for the special symbol, the jackpot type in the case of a jackpot, and the variation pattern) are stored. In addition, the pre-reading reserved memory area 203r can store the same number of pre-reading results as the number of reserved balls (i.e., a maximum of four).

The special pattern 1 change timer 203s and the special pattern 2 change timer 203t are timers for timing the change time of the first special pattern and the second special pattern, respectively. When the change pattern of the first special pattern and the second special pattern is selected, the change time corresponding to the selected change pattern is set. Whether or not the change time of each special pattern has ended is determined based on the timing results of the special pattern 1 change timer 203s and the special pattern 2 change timer 203t (see S701 in FIG. 214 and S1301 in FIG. 220).

The jackpot in progress flag 203u is a flag that indicates whether or not a jackpot is in progress. If this jackpot in progress flag 203u is on, it indicates that the pachinko machine 10 is in a jackpot, and if it is off, it indicates that the jackpot is not in progress. This jackpot in progress flag 203u is set on when the start of a jackpot is set (see S709 in FIG. 214 and S1310 in FIG. 220). On the other hand, it is set off during the jackpot end process that is executed at the end of the jackpot (see S2307 in FIG. 230).

The small win flag 203v is a flag that indicates whether or not a small win is in progress. If this small win flag 203v is on, it indicates that the pachinko machine 10 is in a small win, and if it is off, it indicates that a small win is not in progress. This small win flag 203v is set on when the start of a small win is set (see S1406 in FIG. 221). On the other hand, it is set off when the small win ends (see S2512 in FIG. 232).

The other memory area 203z is an area for temporarily storing other counter values, etc. used by the MPU 201 of the main control unit 110.

In this way, the pachinko machine 10 of this first control example is provided with various flags, counters, etc. Based on the various tables provided in the ROM 202 and the flags, counters, etc. provided in the RAM 203, the basic functions of the pachinko machine 10 and the novel state transitions shown in FIG. 181 can be realized.

Next, the electrical configuration of the voice lamp control device 113 will be described in detail with reference to Figs. 199 and 200. Fig. 199(a) is a schematic diagram showing the contents of the ROM 222 provided in the MPU 221 of the voice lamp control device 113. As shown in Fig. 199(a), the ROM 222 has at least a variation pattern selection table 222a and a screen display selection table 222b.

The variation pattern selection table 222a is used by the voice lamp control device 113 to determine the detailed variation display content to be displayed on the third pattern display device 81 from the rough variation content (variation time, variation type (reach, miss, etc.)) indicated by the variation pattern command output from the main control device 110 based on the variation pattern command. This allows even more diverse variation modes to be determined. Here, one of multiple types of variation modes is determined by lottery for the rough variation content instructed by the main control device 110. The above-mentioned special reach performance mode (see Figures 184 and 185) is also specified in this variation pattern selection table 222a, and is selected as part of the case where the variation content indicated by the variation pattern command is a winning super reach A or a missing super reach A.

The screen display selection table 222b is a table that specifies the display contents when 30 seconds have passed since the first special symbol or the second special symbol stopped changing. As described above, in this control example, a simultaneous change method is adopted, and even if one special symbol is stopped changing, the other special symbol is frequently changing. Also, depending on the game state, the change display of the first special symbol becomes the main change, or the change display of the second special symbol becomes the main change, and the special symbol that should be noticed by the player is switched. This screen display selection table 222b is referenced to set a demo display corresponding to the game state when the main change is stopped while appropriately displaying the change display of the main symbol in each game state. Details of this screen display selection table 222b will be described with reference to FIG. 200.

200 is a diagram showing the contents of the screen display selection table 222b. As shown in FIG. 200, the screen display selection table 222b specifies the display contents (screen display types) to be displayed on the third symbol display device 81 in correspondence with the combination of the game state, the state of the special symbol 1 waiting flag 223s, and the state of the special symbol 2 waiting flag 223t. The special symbol 1 waiting flag 223s and the special symbol 2 waiting flag 223t are flags that indicate whether a predetermined time (30 seconds) has passed since the first special symbol and the second special symbol, respectively, became in a variable stop state. When each flag is on, it indicates that the predetermined time has passed, and when it is off, it indicates that the corresponding special symbol is being displayed based on the lottery result, or that the predetermined time (30 seconds) has not passed since the variable stop state.

As shown in Figure 200, when the game state is normal or in a special chance state, normal display is specified as the display content (screen display type) for the combination of the special symbol 1 waiting flag 223s being off and the special symbol 2 waiting flag 223t being on. This normal display is a display content in which the third symbol indicating the lottery result of the first special symbol and the third symbol indicating the lottery result of the second special symbol are displayed in the normal manner in the normal state (see Figure 182 (b)). In the normal state, the variable display based on the lottery result of the first special symbol is the main variable, so by setting it to normal display, the main variable can be reliably displayed.

In the normal state or the probability change state, a demo display is associated with the combination of the special pattern 1 waiting flag 223s being on and the special pattern 2 waiting flag 223t being off. When this demo display is determined, a customer waiting demo screen (see FIG. 186 (b) and (c)) is set. After 30 seconds have passed since the end of the variation of the first special pattern, which is the main variation, regardless of whether the secondary variation is being performed or not, the demo display (customer waiting demo screen) is switched to. Even if the player puts a ball into the second ball entrance 1640 and quits playing immediately after the 600-second variation display begins, the customer waiting demo screen can be displayed after a predetermined time (30 seconds) has passed. Therefore, other players who have checked the customer waiting demo screen can easily understand that the pachinko machine 10 is vacant, and can start playing on the pachinko machine 10. Therefore, it is possible to prevent (suppress) a decrease in the operating rate of the pachinko machine 10.

In the normal state or the probability bonus state, a demo display is also associated with the combination in which the special chart 1 waiting flag 223s and the special chart 2 waiting flag 223t are both off. Therefore, in this case too, the customer waiting demo screen (see Figs. 186(b) and (c)) is set. This makes it easy for other players who check the customer waiting demo screen to understand that the pachinko machine 10 is vacant.

On the other hand, when the game state is a potential state, a special display is associated with the combination of the special symbol 1 standby flag 223s being off and the special symbol 2 standby flag 223t being on. This special display means the above-mentioned potential state demo display (see FIG. 187(c)), and a special mode demo display is set in which the same character 811 as during the change continues to be displayed. This allows smooth switching of the display mode (presentation mode) when a ball is subsequently detected entering the second ball entrance 1640. Note that a special display is also set in the combination in which the special symbol 1 standby flag 223s and the special symbol 2 standby flag 223t are both on. In other words, regardless of the status of the first special symbol corresponding to the secondary change in the potential state, if 30 seconds or more have passed since the second special symbol corresponding to the primary change became in a state of no change, a special display is set.

In the potential state, the normal display is associated with the combination of the special symbol 1 waiting flag 223s being on and the special symbol 2 waiting flag 223t being off. Therefore, in the potential state, even if more than 30 seconds have passed since the first special symbol entered a state of no fluctuation, the fluctuating display or stopped display corresponding to the lottery result of the second special symbol continues to be displayed as normal.

Next, referring to Figure 199, we will explain the RAM 223 in the MPU 221 of the voice lamp control device 113. Figure 199 is a block diagram showing the contents of the RAM 223. The RAM 223 includes at least a command memory area 223a, a winning information storage area 223b, a first special symbol reserved ball count counter 223c, a special symbol 1 fluctuation start flag 223d, a special symbol 2 fluctuation start flag 223e, a special symbol 1 stop type selection flag 223f, a special symbol 2 stop type selection flag 223g, a performance counter 223h, a status setting area 223i, a sub-special symbol 1 standby flag 223j, a special symbol 1 standby counter 223k, a sub-special symbol 2 standby flag 223m, a special symbol 2 standby counter 223n, a remaining probability change count area 223o, a performance probability change count area 223p, a remaining time reduction count area 223q, a special symbol 1 standby flag 223s, a special symbol 2 standby flag 223t, and a miscellaneous memory area 223z.

The command memory area 223a is an area where various commands output from the main control unit 110 to the voice lamp control unit 113 are temporarily stored until the processing for those commands is executed. In detail, it is composed of a ring buffer, and data is read and written using a FIFO (First In First Out) method. When the command determination process (see FIG. 238) of the voice lamp control unit 113 is executed, the first command stored in the command memory area 223a is read out from among the unprocessed commands stored therein, and the command determination process analyzes that command and performs processing according to that command.

The winning information storage area 223a has one execution area and four areas (first area to fourth area), and winning information is stored in each of these areas. In this pachinko machine 10, when the main control device 110 detects an initial winning at the first ball entrance 64, the main control device 110 predicts (estimates) various information (whether or not there is a win, the jackpot type in the case of a jackpot, and the fluctuation pattern) that will be obtained when a lottery for a special symbol corresponding to the initial winning is held from the values of the first winning random number counter C1, the first winning type counter C2, the small winning type counter C5, and the fluctuation type counter CS1 obtained in response to the initial winning, and the main control device 110 notifies the voice lamp control device 113 of the predicted various information by a winning information command.

When the audio lamp control device 113 receives a winning information command, the various information notified by the winning information command (win or lose, type of jackpot in case of jackpot, and variation pattern) is extracted as winning information, and the winning information is stored in the winning information storage area 223a. More specifically, the extracted winning information is stored in the available areas of the four areas (area 1 to area 4) in order starting from the area with the smallest area number (area 1 to area 4). In other words, the smaller the area number, the more data corresponding to older winnings are stored, and area 1 stores data corresponding to the oldest winnings.

The first special symbol reserved ball count counter 223c is a counter that counts the number of reserved balls (waiting times) of the first special symbol variable performance (variable display) held in the main control device 110 for each type of special symbol, up to a maximum of four times, for each type of special symbol, in the variable performance (variable display) of the first special symbol held in the main control device 110.

As described above, the voice lamp control device 113 cannot directly access the main control device 110 to obtain the value of the first special pattern reserved ball count counter 203d stored in the RAM 203 of the main control device 110. Therefore, the voice lamp control device 113 counts the number of reserved balls based on the reserved ball count command sent from the main control device 110, and manages the number of reserved balls for each type of special pattern in the first special pattern reserved ball count counter 223c.

Specifically, when the number of reserved balls in the variable display is increased by a ball entering the first ball entrance 64, or when the variable display of a special pattern is executed in the main control device 110 and the number of reserved balls is decreased, a reserved ball number command indicating the value of the first special pattern reserved ball number counter 203d after the increase or decrease is sent to the voice lamp control device 113.

When the voice lamp control device 113 receives the reserved ball count command sent from the main control device 110, it obtains the value of the first special pattern reserved ball count counter 203d of the main control device 110 from the reserved ball count command and stores it in the first special pattern reserved ball count counter 223c (see S4310 in FIG. 238). In this way, the voice lamp control device 113 updates the value of the first special pattern reserved ball count counter 223c according to the reserved ball count command sent from the main control device 110, so that it can update the value in synchronization with the value of the first special pattern reserved ball count counter 203d of the main control device 110.

The value of the first special pattern reserved ball count counter 223c is used to display the reserved ball count pattern on the third pattern display device 81. That is, in response to receiving a reserved ball count command, the voice lamp control device 113 stores the reserved ball count indicated by the command in the first special pattern reserved ball count counter 223c, and transmits a display reserved ball count command to the display control device 114 to notify the display control device 114 of the stored value of the first special pattern reserved ball count counter 223c.

When the display control device 114 receives this display reserved ball number command, it controls the drawing of the image so that the reserved ball number pattern corresponding to the reserved ball number value indicated by the command, i.e., the value of the first special pattern reserved ball number counter 223c of the sound lamp control device 113, is displayed in the secondary display area Ds of the third pattern display device 81. As described above, the value of the first special pattern reserved ball number counter 223c is changed in synchronization with the first special pattern reserved ball number counter 203d of the main control device 110. Therefore, the number of reserved ball number patterns displayed in the secondary display area Ds of the third pattern display device 81 can also be changed in synchronization with the value of the first special pattern reserved ball number counter 203d of the main control device 110. Therefore, the third pattern display device 81 can accurately display the number of reserved balls for which a variable display is pending.

The special pattern 1 variation start flag 223d and the special pattern 2 variation start flag 223e are turned on when the first special pattern variation pattern command and the second special pattern variation pattern command transmitted from the main control device 110 are received (see S4304, S4307 in FIG. 238), and are turned off when the variation display in the third pattern display device 81 is set (see S4702, S4706 in FIG. 243). When the special pattern 1 variation start flag 223d and the special pattern 2 variation start flag 223e are turned on, the display variation pattern command is set based on the variation pattern extracted from the received variation pattern command.

The display variation pattern command set here is stored in a ring buffer for sending commands provided in the RAM 223, and is sent to the display control device 114 during the command output process (S4102) of the main process (see FIG. 236) executed by the MPU 221. By receiving this display variation pattern command, the display control device 114 starts display control of the variation performance so that the third pattern is displayed in the third pattern display device 81 in the variation pattern indicated by this display variation pattern command.

The special symbol 1 stop type selection flag 223f and the special symbol 2 stop type selection flag 223g are turned on when the first special symbol stop type command and the second special symbol stop type command transmitted from the main control unit 110 are received (see S4401 in FIG. 239), and are turned off when the stop type is set in the third symbol display device 81 (see S4710 in FIG. 243). When the special symbol 1 stop type selection flag 223f or the special symbol 2 stop type selection flag 223g is turned on, the stop type is determined based on the stop type extracted from the received stop type command (the jackpot type in the case of a jackpot).

The effect counter 223h is a counter used to select a variation pattern and to select various effects. This effect counter 223h is composed of a 1-byte loop counter that is updated in the range of 0 to 198, and for example, the value is incremented by 1 each time the main process (see FIG. 236) is executed.

The state setting area 223i is a storage area in which information corresponding to the game state of the pachinko machine 10 is stored. Each time a state command output from the main control device 110 is received, the state setting area 223i is updated to information corresponding to the state of the pachinko machine 10 indicated by the state command (see S4011 in FIG. 235 and S4506 in FIG. 240). More specifically, the state setting area 223i is assigned a 2-bit storage area, and values indicating whether or not the special symbol is in a high-order probability state and whether or not the normal symbol is in a time-saving state are stored in order from the most significant bit. For example, if the value of the state setting area 223i is "11B", it means that the special symbol is in a high-order probability state and the normal symbol is in a time-saving state (i.e., a high-order probability state), and if it is "10B", it means that the special symbol is in a high-order probability state and the normal symbol is in a normal state (i.e., a potential probability state). On the other hand, if it is "00H", it means that it is in a normal state.

By updating the status setting area 223i in response to the status command output from the main control device 110, the voice lamp control device 113 can accurately grasp the status of the pachinko machine 10.

The sub special symbol 1 standby flag 223j and the sub special symbol 2 standby flag 223m are flags that indicate whether the first special symbol and the second special symbol are in a stopped state, respectively. If these flags are on, it means that the corresponding special symbol is in a stopped state, and if they are off, it means that the special symbol is changing. These are updated in synchronization with the state of the special symbol 1 standby flag 203i and the special symbol 2 standby flag 203j of the main control device 110.

The special symbol 1 standby counter 223k and the special symbol 2 standby counter 223n are counters for counting the time that has elapsed since the first special symbol and the second special symbol stopped fluctuating, respectively. When the count value of the special symbol 1 standby counter 223k and the special symbol 2 standby counter 223n corresponding to the special symbol that is the main fluctuating symbol in the current game state reaches a value corresponding to 30 seconds, a demo performance according to the game state is set (see S4211 in FIG. 237).

The remaining number of times of the special symbol in the special symbol state and the remaining number of times of the time-saving state of the normal symbol are stored in the memory area 223o and the remaining number of times of the special symbol state. The remaining number of times of the special symbol state and the remaining number of times of the time-saving state are updated to the number of times notified by the remaining number of times of the special symbol state command and the remaining number of times of the time-saving state command outputted in the main control device 110 each time the value of the special symbol state counter 203k and the time-saving state counter 203g are updated (see S4652 and S4662 in FIG. 242). This allows the values stored in the remaining number of times of the special symbol state and the remaining number of times of the time-saving state area 223o and the remaining number of times of the time-saving state area 223q to be updated in synchronization with the value of the special symbol state counter 203k and the time-saving state counter 203g of the main control device 110, so that the remaining number of times of the special symbol state and the time-saving state as understood by the voice lamp control device 113 can be made to match the actual number of times of the special symbol state and the time-saving state updated by the main control device 110.

The effect probability change count area 223p is a memory area for storing an indication of the remaining number of times in the potential state that is displayed in the remaining number display area D1 of the third pattern display device 81 in the potential state. This effect probability change count area 223p is set to 120 when a transition is made from another game state to the potential state (see S4505 in FIG. 240). In addition, the value is subtracted by 1 each time a special pattern change is executed in the potential state (see S4657 in FIG. 242).

The special symbol 1 standby flag 223s and the special symbol 2 standby flag 223t are flags that indicate whether the first special symbol and the second special symbol have been stopped for 30 seconds or more, respectively. If they are on, it indicates that the corresponding special symbol has been stopped for 30 seconds or more. On the other hand, if they are off, it indicates that the corresponding special symbol is changing or has been stopped for less than 3 seconds. These special symbol 1 standby flag 223s and special symbol 2 standby flag 223t are set to on when the count values of the special symbol 1 standby counter 223k and the special symbol 2 standby counter 223n, respectively, reach values corresponding to 30 seconds (see S4204 and S4208 in FIG. 237).

The standby setting flag 223u is a flag indicating whether a demo performance (see Figs. 186(b), (c), 187(c)) or other screen display has been set by referring to the screen display selection table 222b (see Fig. 200) after 30 seconds have passed since the first special symbol or the second special symbol stopped fluctuating. This standby setting flag 223u is set to on when a new screen display is set by referring to the screen display selection table 223b during the customer waiting performance process (see Fig. 237) (see S4212 in Fig. 237). In addition, when the special symbol 1 standby flag 223s or the special symbol 2 standby flag 223t is newly set to on (see S4204, S4208 in Fig. 237), or when the special symbol 1 standby flag 223s or the special symbol 2 standby flag 223t is newly set to off, this standby setting flag 223u is set to off.

The power-off flag 223y is a flag used to determine whether or not there has been a momentary power outage. This power-off flag 223y is set to on before a power-off command is received from the main control unit 110 and the power-off process is executed (see S4115 in FIG. 236). After that, since the RAM 223 is a volatile memory, all information in the RAM 223 is erased after a certain time (100 milliseconds) has elapsed. Therefore, in the startup process of the voice lamp control unit 113 (see FIG. 235), if the power-off flag 223y is on (see 1508: Yes in FIG. 42), the voice lamp control unit 113 is started up before a certain time (100 milliseconds) has elapsed since the power-off flag 223y was set to on, that is, there has been a momentary power outage. In this case, all the information in the RAM 223 has not been erased, and unnecessary information (or information that has become incomplete because only a portion of the information has been erased) may remain in the working area of the RAM 223, so the information in the working area of the RAM 223 is cleared (see S4009 in FIG. 235). This prevents processing from being performed based on unnecessary (or incomplete) information, allowing each process in the voice lamp control device 113 to operate normally.

The other memory area 223z is provided as an area for storing data other than the data mentioned above, and is an area for temporarily storing other counter values used by the MPU 221 of the voice lamp control device 113.

Next, the electrical configuration of the display control device 114 will be described with reference to FIG. 201. FIG. 201 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the display control device 114. The display control device 114 has an MPU 231, a work RAM 233, a character ROM 234, a resident video RAM 235, a normal video RAM 236, an image controller 237, an input port 238, an output port 239, and bus lines 240 and 241.

The input side of the input port 238 is connected to the output side of the voice lamp control device 113, and the output side of the input port 238 is connected to the MPU 231, work RAM 233, character ROM 234, and image controller 237 via bus line 240. The image controller 237 is connected to the resident video RAM 235 and normal video RAM 236, and is also connected to the output port 239 via bus line 241. The output side of the output port 239 is also connected to the third pattern display device 81.

Incidentally, even if the pachinko machine 10 is of a different model with different lottery probabilities for a special jackpot or different numbers of prize balls paid out for one special jackpot, there are models with the exact same specifications for the pattern configuration displayed on the third pattern display device 81, so the display control device 114 is made into a common component to reduce costs.

Below, we will first explain the MPU 231, character ROM 234, image controller 237, resident video RAM 235, and normal video RAM 236, and then explain the work RAM 233.

First, the MPU 231 controls the display contents of the third symbol display device 81 based on the display variation pattern command output from the voice lamp control device 113 based on the variation pattern command of the main control device 110. The MPU 231 has a built-in command pointer 231a, reads and fetches the command code stored at the address indicated by the command pointer 231a, and executes various processes according to the command code. The MPU 231 is configured to be reset by the power supply device 115 immediately after power is turned on (including power recovery from a power outage. The same applies below). When the system reset is released, the command pointer 231a is automatically set to "0000H" by the hardware of the MPU 231. Then, each time a command code is fetched, the value of the command pointer 231a is incremented by one. Also, when the MPU 231 executes a command to set the command pointer, the value of the pointer indicated by the command is set in the command pointer 231a.

In addition, although details will be described later, in this embodiment, the control program executed by the MPU 231 and the various fixed value data used in the control program are not stored in a dedicated program ROM as in conventional gaming machines, but are instead stored in a character ROM 234 provided for storing image data to be displayed on the third pattern display device 81.

Although details will be described later, the character ROM 234 is composed of a NAND type flash memory 234a, which allows for a large capacity in a small area. This allows sufficient storage of not only image data but also control programs, etc. Furthermore, if the control programs, etc. are stored in the character ROM 234, there is no need to provide a dedicated program ROM for storing the control programs, etc. This makes it possible to reduce the number of parts in the display control device 114, which not only reduces manufacturing costs but also suppresses an increase in the rate of failures due to an increase in the number of parts.

On the other hand, NAND flash memory generally has the problem of slow read speed, especially when performing random access. For example, when reading data arranged continuously on multiple pages, data from the second page onwards can be read at high speed, but when reading data from the first page, it takes a long time from when the address is specified until the data is output. Also, when reading non-contiguous data, it takes a long time each time the data is read. Thus, since the read speed of NAND flash memory is slow, if the MPU 231 is configured to directly read the control program from the character ROM 234 and execute various processes, it may take a long time to read the commands that make up the control program, and even if a high-performance processor is used as the MPU 231, this may deteriorate the processing performance of the display control device 114.

In this embodiment, when the system reset of the MPU 231 is released, the control program stored in the NAND type flash memory 234a of the character ROM 234 is first transferred to and stored in the work RAM 233 provided for temporary storage of various data. The MPU 231 then executes various processes according to the control program stored in the work RAM 233. As described below, the work RAM 233 is composed of DRAM (Dynamic RAM), and data can be read and written at high speed, so that the MPU 231 can read the commands that make up the control program without delay. This allows the display control device 114 to maintain high processing performance, and the third pattern display device 81 can be used to easily execute diversified and complicated presentations.

The character ROM 234 is a memory that stores the control program executed by the MPU 231 and the image data displayed on the third symbol display device 81, and is connected to the MPU 231 via a bus line 240. The MPU 231 directly accesses the character ROM 234 via the bus line 240 after the system reset is released, and transfers the control program stored in the second program memory area 234a1 of the character ROM 234, which will be described later, to the program storage area 233a of the work RAM 233. The image controller 237 is also connected to the bus line 240, and the image controller 237 transfers the image data stored in the character memory area 234a2 of the character ROM 234, which will be described later, to the resident video RAM 235 and the normal video RAM 236, which are connected to the image controller 237.

This character ROM 234 is constructed by modularizing a NAND flash memory 234a, a ROM controller 234b, a buffer RAM 234c, and a NOR ROM 234d.

The NAND type flash memory 234a is a non-volatile memory provided as the main storage unit in the character ROM 234, and has at least a second program memory area 234a1 that stores most of the control programs executed by the MPU 231 and fixed value data for driving the third pattern display device 81, and a character memory area 234a2 that stores data for images (characters, etc.) to be displayed on the third pattern display device 81.

The NAND flash memory has the characteristic of being able to obtain a large storage capacity in a small area, and the character ROM 234 can be easily increased in capacity. As a result, in this pachinko machine, by using a NAND flash memory 234a with a capacity of, for example, 2 gigabytes, many images can be stored in the character memory area 234a2 as images to be displayed on the third pattern display device 81. Therefore, in order to further increase the interest of the player, the images displayed on the third pattern display device 81 can be made more diverse and complex.

In addition, the NAND flash memory 234a can store a large amount of image data in the character storage area 234a2, and can also store control programs and fixed value data in the second program storage area 234a1. In this way, the control programs and fixed value data can be stored in the character ROM 234 provided for storing image data to be displayed on the third pattern display device 81, without having to provide a dedicated program ROM as in conventional gaming machines. This reduces the number of parts in the display control device 114, reducing manufacturing costs and preventing an increase in the rate of failures due to an increase in the number of parts.

The ROM controller 234b is a controller for controlling the operation of the character ROM 234. For example, based on an address transmitted from the MPU 231 or the image controller 237 via the bus line 240, the ROM controller 234b reads out the corresponding data from the NAND flash memory 234a, etc., and outputs the data to the MPU 231 or the image controller 237 via the bus line 240.

Due to its nature, the NAND flash memory 234a generates a relatively large number of error bits (bits to which erroneous data is written) when writing data, and generates defective data blocks to which data cannot be written. Therefore, the ROM controller 234b performs known error correction on the data read from the NAND flash memory 234a, and also performs known data address conversion so that data is read and written to the NAND flash memory 234a while avoiding the defective data blocks.

This ROM controller 234b performs error correction on data read from the NAND flash memory 234a, including error bits. Therefore, even if the NAND flash memory 234a is used as the character ROM 234, it is possible to prevent the MPU 231 from performing processing based on erroneous data and the image controller 237 from generating various images.

Furthermore, the ROM controller 234b analyzes the bad data blocks of the NAND flash memory 234a and avoids accessing the bad data blocks, so that the MPU 231 and the image controller 237 can easily access the character ROM 234 without having to consider the address positions of the bad data blocks, which differ in each NAND flash memory 234a. Therefore, even if the NAND flash memory 234a is used for the character ROM 234, it is possible to prevent access control to the character ROM 234 from becoming complicated.

The buffer RAM 234c is a memory used as a buffer for temporarily storing data read from the NAND flash memory 234a. When an address assigned to the character ROM 234 is specified from the MPU 231 or the image controller 237 via the bus line 240, the ROM controller 234b determines whether one page (e.g., 2 kilobytes) of data including the data corresponding to the specified address is set in the buffer RAM 234c. If the data is not set, the buffer RAM 234c reads one page (e.g., 2 kilobytes) of data including the data corresponding to the specified address from the NAND flash memory 234a (or the NOR ROM 234d) and temporarily sets it in the buffer RAM 234c. The ROM controller 234b then performs a known error correction process and outputs the data corresponding to the specified address to the MPU 231 or the image controller 237 via the bus line 240.

This buffer RAM 234c is made up of two banks, and one page's worth of data from the NAND flash memory 234a can be set per bank. This allows the ROM controller 234b to, for example, output data from the NAND flash memory 234a to the outside by using one bank while data is set in the other, or to perform parallel processing of transferring one page's worth of data, including data corresponding to an address specified by the MPU 231 or image controller 237, from the NAND flash memory 234a to one bank and setting it, and reading data corresponding to an address specified by the MPU 231 or image controller 237 from the other bank and outputting it to the MPU 231 or image controller 237. This improves the responsiveness of the character ROM 234 when reading it out.

The NOR ROM 234d is a non-volatile memory provided as a sub-storage unit in the character ROM 234, and is configured to have a much smaller capacity (e.g., 2 kilobytes) than the NAND flash memory 234a in order to complement the NAND flash memory 234a. This NOR ROM 234d is provided with at least a first program memory area 234d1 that stores, among the control programs stored in the character ROM 234, programs that are not stored in the second program memory area 234a1 of the NAND flash memory 234a, specifically, a part of the boot program that is executed first in the MPU 231 after the system reset is released.

The boot program is a control program for starting the display control device 114 so that various controls for the third pattern display device 81 can be executed, and the MPU 231 executes this boot program first after the system reset is released. This allows the display control device 114 to be in a state where various controls can be executed. The first program memory area 234d1 stores a predetermined number of instructions from the instruction to be first processed by the MPU 231 after the system reset is released (for example, if the capacity of one page is 2 kilobytes, then 1024 words (1 word = 2 bytes) of instructions) within the capacity of one bank of the buffer RAM 234c (i.e., one page of the NAND type flash memory 234a) of this boot program. Note that the number of instructions of the boot program stored in the first program memory area 234d1 only needs to be within the capacity of one bank of the buffer RAM 234c, and may be appropriately set according to the specifications of the display control device 114.

When the system reset is released, the MPU 231 is configured to set the value of the instruction pointer 231a to "0000H" by hardware and to specify the address "0000H" indicated by the instruction pointer 231a on the bus line 240. On the other hand, when the ROM controller 234b of the character ROM 234 detects that the address "0000H" has been specified on the bus line 240, it sets the boot program stored in the first program memory area 234d1 of the NOR type ROM 234d in one bank of the buffer RAM 234c and outputs the corresponding data (instruction code) to the MPU 231.

When the MPU 231 fetches an instruction code received from the character ROM 234, it executes various processes according to the fetched instruction code, increments the instruction pointer 231a by 1, and specifies the address indicated by the instruction pointer 231a to the bus line 240. Then, while the address specified by the bus line 240 is an address indicating a program stored in the NOR ROM 234d, the ROM controller 234b of the character ROM 234 reads out from the buffer RAM 234c the instruction code at the corresponding address from the program previously set in the buffer RAM 234c from the NOR ROM 234d, and outputs it to the MPU 231.

In this embodiment, the reason why not all the control programs are stored in the NAND flash memory 234a, but rather a predetermined number of commands from the boot program, starting with the command that should be processed first by the MPU 231 after the system reset is released, are stored in the NOR ROM 234d, is as follows. That is, as described above, the NAND flash memory 234a has a problem specific to NAND flash memories in that when reading data from the first page, it takes a long time from when an address is specified until the data is output.

If all the control programs are stored in such a NAND type flash memory 234a, when the address "0000H" is specified from the MPU 231 via the bus line 240 to fetch the command code that the MPU 231 should execute first after the system reset is released, the character ROM 234 must read one page of data including the data (command code) corresponding to the address "0000H" from the NAND type flash memory 234a and set it in the buffer RAM 234c. And, because of the nature of the NAND type flash memory 234a, it takes a long time from reading to setting in the buffer RAM 234c, so the MPU 231 consumes a lot of waiting time from specifying the address "0000H" to receiving the command code corresponding to the address "0000H". Therefore, it takes a long time to start up the MPU 231, and as a result, there is a problem that the control of the third pattern display device 81 in the display control device 114 may not start immediately.

On the other hand, since the NOR type ROM is a memory capable of reading data at high speed, by storing a predetermined number of commands from the command to be processed first by the MPU 231 after the system reset is released in the NOR type ROM 234d, when the address "0000H" is specified from the MPU 231 via the bus line 240 after the system reset is released, the character ROM 234 can immediately set the boot program stored in the first program storage area 234d1 of the NOR type ROM 234d in the buffer RAM 234c and output the corresponding data (command code) to the MPU 231. Therefore, the MPU 231 can receive the command code corresponding to the address "0000H" in a short time after specifying the address "0000H", and can start up the MPU 231 in a short time. Therefore, even if a control program is stored in the character ROM 234 composed of the NAND type flash memory 234a with a slow read speed, the control of the third pattern display device 81 in the display control device 114 can be immediately started.

Now, the boot program is programmed to transfer the control programs stored in the second program storage area 234a1 of the NAND flash memory 234a, i.e., the control programs excluding the boot program stored in the first program storage area 234d1 of the NOR ROM 234d, and the fixed value data used in the control programs (e.g., a display data table, a transfer data table, etc., which will be described later) to the program storage area 233a and the data table storage area 233b of the work RAM 233 in a predetermined amount (e.g., the capacity of one page of the NAND flash memory 234a). Then, the MPU 231 first transfers and stores the control programs stored in the second program storage area 234a1 to the program storage area 233a by a predetermined amount, using a bank different from the bank of the buffer RAM 234c in which the boot program of the first program storage area 234d1 is set, according to the boot program read from the first program storage area 234d1 after the system reset is released.

Here, as described above, the boot program stored in the first program storage area 234d1 is configured with a capacity equivalent to one bank of the buffer RAM 234c, so when the boot program in the first program storage area 234d1 is set in the buffer RAM 234c in response to the address of the internal bus being specified as "0000H", the boot program is set in only one bank of the buffer RAM 234c. Therefore, when the control program stored in the second program storage area 234a1 is transferred to the program storage area 233a according to the boot program in the first program storage area 234d1, the transfer process can be executed using the other bank while leaving the boot program in the first program storage area 234d1 set in one bank of the buffer RAM 234c. Therefore, since there is no need to set the boot program in the first program storage area 234d1 in the buffer RAM 234c again after the transfer process, the time required for the boot process can be shortened.

The boot program stored in the first program memory area 234d1 is programmed to set the instruction pointer 231a to a first predetermined location in the program storage area 233a when a predetermined amount of the control program stored in the second program memory area 234a1 is transferred to the program storage area 233a. As a result, after the system reset is released, when a predetermined amount of the control program stored in the second program memory area 234a1 is transferred to the program storage area 233a by the MPU 231, the instruction pointer 231a is set to a first predetermined location in the program storage area 233a.

Therefore, when a predetermined amount of the control programs stored in the second program storage area 234a1 are stored in the program storage area 233a, the MPU 231 can read out the control programs stored in the program storage area 233a and execute various processes. That is, the MPU 231 does not read out the control programs from the NAND flash memory 234a having the second program storage area 234a1 and fetch the instructions, but reads out the control programs transferred to the work RAM 233 having the program storage area 233a, fetches the instructions, and executes various processes. As will be described later, since the work RAM 233 is composed of DRAM, the read operation is performed at high speed. Therefore, even if most of the control programs are stored in the NAND flash memory 234a, which has a slow read speed, the MPU 231 can fetch the instructions at high speed and execute the process for the instructions.

The control program stored in the second program storage area 234a1 includes the remaining boot program that is not stored in the first program storage area 234d1. On the other hand, the boot program stored in the first program storage area 234d1 is programmed so that the remaining boot program is included in the control program transferred from the second program storage area 234a1 to the program storage area 233a of the work RAM 233 by a predetermined amount, and the instruction pointer 231a is programmed to set the top address of the remaining boot program stored in the program storage area 233a as a first predetermined address.

As a result, the MPU 231 transfers a predetermined amount of the control program stored in the second program memory area 234a1 to the program storage area 233a using the boot program stored in the first program memory area 234d1, and then executes the remaining boot program included in the transferred control program.

This remaining boot program executes a process of transferring all the remaining control programs not transferred to the program storage area 233a and fixed value data used in the control programs (for example, a display data table, a transfer data table, etc., described later) from the second program memory area 234a1 to the program storage area 233a or the data table storage area 233b in predetermined amounts. In addition, at the end of the boot program, the instruction pointer 231a is set to a second predetermined address in the program storage area 233a. Specifically, as this second predetermined address, the start address of the program stored in the program storage area 233a that corresponds to the initial setting process (see S6002 in FIG. 244) that is executed after the boot process by the boot program (see S6001 in FIG. 244) is completed is set.

The MPU 231 executes the remaining boot program, and all of the control programs and fixed value data stored in the second program storage area 234a1 are transferred to the program storage area 233a or the data table storage area 233b. When the boot program is executed to the end by the MPU 231, the instruction pointer 231a is set to the second predetermined address, and thereafter, the MPU 231 executes various processes using the control programs transferred to the program storage area 233a without referring to the NAND flash memory 234a.

Therefore, even if most of the control program is stored in the character ROM 234, which is composed of a NAND type flash memory 234a with a slow read speed, by transferring the control program to the program storage area 233a of the work RAM 233 after the system reset is released, the MPU 231 can read the control program from the work RAM, which is composed of a DRAM with a fast read speed, and perform various controls. Therefore, high processing performance can be maintained in the display control device 114, and diversified and complicated presentations can be easily executed using the third pattern display device 81.

As described above, instead of storing the entire boot program in NOR ROM 234d, a predetermined number of instructions are stored starting from the instructions to be processed first by MPU 231 after system reset is released, and the remaining boot program is stored in second program storage area 234a1 of NAND flash memory 234a, so that the control program stored in second program storage area 234a1 can be reliably transferred to program storage area 233a. Therefore, by simply adding an extremely small capacity NOR ROM 234d to character ROM 234, MPU 231 can be started up in a short time, and the increase in cost of character ROM 234 associated with the shortened time can be suppressed.

The image controller 237 is a digital signal processor (DSP) that draws an image and displays the drawn image on the third pattern display device 81 at a predetermined timing. The image controller 237 draws one frame of an image based on a drawing list (see FIG. 207) sent from the MPU 231, and displays the drawn image in one of the first and second frame buffers 236b and 236c, which will be described later, while outputting the image information for one frame previously displayed in the other frame buffer to the third pattern display device 81, thereby displaying the image on the third pattern display device 81. The image controller 237 performs the drawing process for this one frame of an image and the display process for this one frame of an image in parallel within the image display time for one frame on the third pattern display device 81 (20 milliseconds in this embodiment).

The image controller 237 transmits a vertical synchronization interrupt signal (hereinafter referred to as a "V interrupt signal") to the MPU 231 every 20 milliseconds when the drawing process of one frame of image is completed. Each time the MPU 231 detects this V interrupt signal, it executes V interrupt processing (see FIG. 246 (b)) and instructs the image controller 237 to draw the next frame of image. In response to this instruction, the image controller 237 executes drawing processing of the next frame of image and also executes processing to display the image previously developed by drawing on the third pattern display device 81.

In this way, MPU 231 executes V interrupt processing in response to a V interrupt signal from image controller 237 and issues drawing instructions to image controller 237, so that image controller 237 can receive image drawing instructions from MPU 231 at image drawing and display processing intervals (20 milliseconds). Therefore, image controller 237 will not receive a drawing instruction for the next image before the image drawing and display processing are completed, so it is possible to prevent starting drawing of a new image in the middle of drawing an image, or developing an image in response to a new drawing instruction in the frame buffer in which the image information currently being displayed is stored.

The image controller 237 also performs processing to transfer image data from the character ROM 234 to the resident video RAM 235 or the normal video RAM 236 based on transfer instructions from the MPU 231 or transfer data information included in the drawing list.

Images are drawn using image data stored in the resident video RAM 235 and the normal video RAM 236. That is, image data required for drawing is transferred from the character ROM 234 to the resident video RAM 235 or the normal video RAM 236 based on instructions from the MPU 231 before the drawing is performed.

Generally, NAND flash memory makes it easy to increase the capacity of ROM, but its read speed is slower than other ROMs (such as mask ROM and EEPROM). In contrast, in the display control device 114, the MPU 231 is configured to instruct the image controller 237 to transfer a portion of the image data stored in the character ROM 234 to the resident video RAM 235 after power is turned on. Then, as described below, the image data stored in the resident video RAM 235 is controlled to remain resident without being overwritten.

As a result, after the transfer of image data that should be resident in the resident video RAM 235 is completed after the power is turned on, the image controller 237 can perform image drawing processing while using the image data resident in the resident video RAM 235. Therefore, if the image data used for drawing processing is resident in the resident video RAM 235, there is no need to read the corresponding image data from the character ROM 234, which is composed of the NAND type flash memory 234a, which has a slow read speed, when drawing an image, so the time required for reading can be saved, and the image can be drawn immediately and displayed on the third pattern display device 81.

In particular, the resident video RAM 235 stores image data of frequently displayed images and image data of images that are to be displayed immediately after the display is determined by the main control unit 110 or the display control unit 114. Therefore, even if the character ROM 234 is configured from a NAND type flash memory 234a, high responsiveness can be maintained until an image is displayed on the third pattern display device 81.

When the display control device 114 uses image data that is non-resident in the resident video RAM 235 to draw an image, the MPU 231 is configured to instruct the image controller 237 to transfer the image data required for drawing from the character ROM 234 to the normal video RAM 236 before the drawing is performed. As described below, the image data transferred to the normal video RAM 236 may be deleted by overwriting after being used to draw the image. However, when drawing the image, there is no need to read the corresponding image data from the character ROM 234, which is made up of the NAND type flash memory 234a, which has a slow read speed, and the time required for reading can be saved, so that the image can be drawn immediately and the drawn image can be displayed on the third pattern display device 81.

In addition, by storing image data in the normal video RAM 236 as well, it is not necessary to keep all image data resident in the resident video RAM 235, and therefore it is not necessary to prepare a large-capacity resident video RAM 235. This makes it possible to suppress the increase in costs that would otherwise be caused by providing the resident video RAM 235.

The image controller 237 has a buffer RAM 237a consisting of 132 kilobytes of SRAM, which is the capacity of one block of the NAND flash memory 234a.

The image data transfer instruction issued by the MPU 231 to the image controller 237 by the transfer instruction or the transfer data information of the drawing list includes the start address (starting address of the source storage) and the end address (last address of the source storage) of the character ROM 234 where the image data to be transferred is stored, the transfer destination information (information indicating whether to transfer to the resident video RAM 235 or the normal video RAM 236), and the start address of the transfer destination (resident video RAM 235 or normal video RAM 236). Note that the data size of the image data to be transferred may be included instead of the last address of the source storage.

In accordance with the various information in the transfer instruction, the image controller 237 reads one block of data from a specified address in the character ROM 234, temporarily stores it in the buffer RAM 237a, and transfers the image data stored in the buffer RAM 237a to the resident RAM 235 or the normal video RAM 236 when the resident video RAM 235 or the normal video RAM 236 is not in use. This process is then repeated until all of the image data stored from the storage start address to the storage end address indicated by the transfer instruction has been transferred.

This allows image data that is read out from the character ROM 234 over a long period of time to be temporarily stored in the buffer RAM 237a, and then the image data can be transferred from the buffer RAM 237a to the resident video RAM 235 or the normal video RAM 236 in a short time. This prevents the resident video RAM 235 or the normal video RAM 236 from being occupied for a long time by the transfer of image data while the image data is being transferred from the character ROM 234 to the resident video RAM 235 or the normal video RAM 236. This prevents the resident video RAM 235 or the normal video RAM 236 from being occupied by the transfer of image data, which makes it impossible to use the video RAMs 235 and 236 for the image drawing process, and as a result, prevents the image from being drawn or displayed on the third pattern display device 81 in time for the required time.

In addition, since the transfer of image data from the buffer RAM 234c to the resident video RAM 235 or the normal video RAM 236 is performed by the image controller 237, it is possible to easily determine the period during which the resident video RAM 235 and the normal video RAM 236 are not being used for image drawing processing or display processing on the third pattern display device 81, thereby simplifying the processing.

The resident video RAM 235 is used to hold image data transferred from the character ROM 234 without being overwritten while the power is on, and is provided with a power-on main image area 235a, a back image area 235c, a character design area 235e, and an error message image area 235f, as well as a power-on variable image area 235b and a third design area 235d.

The power-on main image area 235a is an area for storing data corresponding to the power-on main image displayed on the third pattern display device 81 from when the power is turned on until all image data that should be resident in the resident video RAM 235 is stored. The power-on variable image area 235b is an area for storing image data corresponding to the power-on variable image that displays the lottery results performed in the main control device 110 by a variable presentation when the player starts playing while the power-on main image is displayed on the third pattern display device 81 and a ball is detected entering the first ball entrance 64 or the second ball entrance 1640.

When power supply from the power supply unit 251 begins, the MPU 231 sends a transfer instruction to the image controller 237 to transfer image data corresponding to the power-on main image and the power-on variable image from the character ROM 234 to the power-on main image area 235a (see S6003 and S6004 in FIG. 244).

Now, referring to Figure 202, the image that changes when the power is turned on will be explained. Figure 202 is an explanatory diagram that explains the image that is displayed on the third pattern display device 81 when the display control device 114 is transferring image data to be stored in the resident video RAM 235 from the character ROM 234 immediately after the power is turned on.

Immediately after power is turned on, the display control device 114 transfers image data corresponding to the power-on main image and the power-on variable image from the character ROM 234 to the power-on main image area 235a and the power-on variable image area 235b, and then transfers the remaining image data to be stored in the resident video RAM 235 from the character ROM 234 to the resident video RAM 235. While the remaining image data is being transferred, the display control device 114 causes the third pattern display device 81 to display the power-on main image shown in FIG. 202(a) using the image data previously stored in the power-on main image area 235a.

At this time, when the display control device 114 receives a display pattern command transmitted from the voice lamp control device 113 based on a pattern command from the main control device 110, which is a command to start the change, the display control device 114 alternately displays a power-on change image with a "○" pattern in the lower right position on the display screen of the power-on main image as shown in FIG. 202(b) and a power-on change image with a "×" pattern in the same position as the "○" pattern as shown in FIG. 202(c) during the change period. Then, the display control device 114 judges the result of the lottery performed by the main control device 110 from the display pattern command and stop type command transmitted from the voice lamp control device 113 based on the change pattern command and stop type command from the main control device 110, and if it is a "jackpot for special patterns", the image shown in FIG. 202(b) is displayed for a certain period after the change performance stops, and if it is a "miss for special patterns", the image shown in FIG. 202(c) is displayed for a certain period after the change performance stops.

The MPU 231 instructs the image controller 237 to draw the power-on main image using the image data stored in the power-on main image area 235a until all image data that should be resident in the resident video RAM 235 has been transferred to the resident video RAM 235. This allows players and hall staff to check the power-on main image displayed on the third pattern display device 81 while the remaining image data that should be resident is being transferred to the resident video RAM 235. Therefore, the display control device 114 can take the time to transfer the remaining image data that should be resident from the character ROM 234 to the resident video RAM 235 while the power-on main image is being displayed on the third pattern display device 81. Furthermore, since players can recognize that some processing is taking place while the main image is displayed on the third pattern display device 81 when the power is turned on, they can wait until the transfer of image data to the resident video RAM 235 is complete without worrying that operation may have stopped while the remaining image data that should be resident in the resident video RAM 235 is being transferred from the character ROM 234 to the resident video RAM 235.

In addition, during operational checks at the factory during manufacturing, the main image is immediately displayed on the third pattern display device 81 when the power is turned on, so that it is possible to immediately confirm that the third pattern display device 81 has started operating without any problems upon power-on. Furthermore, by using a NAND type flash memory 234a with a slow read speed for the character ROM 234, it is possible to prevent the efficiency of operational checks from deteriorating.

In addition, if a player starts playing while the power-on main image is being displayed on the third pattern display device 81, and a ball is detected entering the first ball entrance 64 or the second ball entrance 1640, the MPU 231 instructs the image controller 237 to draw a power-on variable image using image data corresponding to the power-on variable image that is always resident in the power-on variable image area 235b, and to alternately display the images shown in Figures 202 (b) and (c) on the third pattern display device 81. This allows a simple variable presentation to be performed using the power-on variable image. Therefore, the player can be sure that a lottery has been drawn by the simple variable presentation, even while the power-on main image is being displayed on the third pattern display device 81.

In addition, at the stage when the power-on main image is displayed on the third pattern display device 81, image data corresponding to the power-on variable performance image is already resident in the power-on variable image area 235b, so if a ball is detected in the first ball entry port 64 or the second ball entry port 1640 while the power-on main image is displayed on the third pattern display device 81, the corresponding variable performance can be instantly displayed on the third pattern display device 81.

Returning to FIG. 201, the explanation will continue. The rear image area 235c is an area for storing image data corresponding to the rear image displayed on the third pattern display device 81. Here, referring to FIG. 203, the rear image and the range of the rear image stored in the rear image area 235c among the rear images will be explained. FIG. 203 is an explanatory diagram for explaining four types of rear images and the range of the rear image stored in the rear image area 235c of the resident video RAM 235 for each rear image, where FIG. 203(a) shows rear A corresponding to the "town stage", and FIG. 203(b) shows rears B to D corresponding to the "forest stage", "river stage", and "sky stage". Also, FIG. 204 shows rear E corresponding to the "island stage".

As shown in FIG. 203, the back images corresponding to each of the backs A to D are prepared in the character ROM 234, and are all longer horizontally than the display area displayed on the third pattern display device 81. The image controller 237 draws the image so that the back image is displayed on the third pattern display device 81 while scrolling the image horizontally from left to right.

The images prepared for each back surface A to D (hereafter referred to as "scrolling images") are all configured so that the back surface images continue at positions a and c. The images between positions c and d and between positions a and a' are configured with images that cover the horizontal width of the display area, and after the images between positions c and d are displayed as the display area on the third pattern display device 81, when the images between positions a and a' are displayed as the display area on the third pattern display device 81, the back surface images are scrolled and displayed on the third pattern display device 81 with a smooth connection.

When the change of the back type is decided based on the back type selection table 222b and the stage is changed to "town stage", "forest stage", "river stage", or "sky stage", the MPU 231 first sets the corresponding back image between position a and position a' as the initial position of the display area, and controls the image controller 237 so that the image at the initial position is displayed on the third pattern display device 81. Then, over time, the display area is moved from left to right relative to the scrolling image, and the image controller 237 is controlled so that the display area is sequentially displayed on the third pattern display device 81. Furthermore, when the display area reaches the image between position c and position d, the image controller 237 is controlled so that the display area is again displayed on the third pattern display device 81 as the image from position a to position a'. Thus, the third pattern display device 81 can display the images between positions a and c by repeatedly scrolling them in a smooth connection as if they flow to the left.

On the other hand, the rear image on rear side E is displayed on the third pattern display device 81 over time in the order of (a) → (b) → (c) → (a) → ... in Fig. 204, as shown in Fig. 204. Specifically, on rear side E, an image of a mountain towering over an island, an image of a sandy beach at the foot of the mountain, and an image of the sea surrounding the island are displayed on the third pattern display device 81 with their positions fixed. On the other hand, the color tone of the image of the sky above the mountain changes over time.

When the stage is changed to the "island stage", the rear image shown in FIG. 204(a) is displayed as the initial rear image of the rear E. In the rear image shown in FIG. 204(a), an orange sky indicating a morning glow is displayed. Then, over time, the color tone of the sky gradually changes from orange to a vivid blue, and after a predetermined time has passed, the rear image shown in FIG. 204(b) is displayed. In the rear image shown in FIG. 204(b), a vivid blue sky indicating daytime is displayed. Next, over time, the color tone of the sky gradually changes from vivid blue to black, and after a predetermined time has passed, the rear image shown in FIG. 204(c) is displayed. In the rear image shown in FIG. 204(c), a black sky indicating night is displayed. After that, over time, the color tone of the sky gradually starts to turn white from black and then changes to orange. Then, after a predetermined time has passed, the rear image returns to that shown in FIG. 204(a), and the rear images of FIG. 204(a) to (c) are displayed on the third pattern display device 81 again.

Next, the range of the rear image stored in the rear image area 235c for each rear image will be described. As shown in FIG. 203(a), the entire range of rear image A corresponding to the city stage, which is the initial stage, i.e., all image data corresponding to positions a to d, is stored in the rear image area 235c of the resident video RAM 235. Usually, the game is played without changing the stage while the initial stage, the "city stage," is displayed, so by keeping all image data of rear image A corresponding to the frequently displayed "city stage" resident in the rear image area 235c, the number of data accesses to the character ROM 234 can be reduced. This reduces the processing load on the display control device 114.

On the other hand, for back side B, which corresponds to the "forest stage", back side C, which corresponds to the "river stage", and back side D, which corresponds to the "sky stage", only a portion of the back side, i.e., image data corresponding to the image between position a and position b, is stored in the back side image area 235c of the resident video RAM 235 as shown in FIG. 203(b). For back side E, which corresponds to the island stage, image data corresponding to the back side images between FIG. 204(a) and (b), including FIG. 204(a), excluding FIG. 204(b), is stored in the back side image area 235c of the resident video RAM 235 during the start-up process after the power is turned on, and remains resident.

To instantly change the rear image, it would be ideal to keep the entire range of image data for all rear images resident in the resident video RAM 235, but doing so would require a very large capacity RAM to be used for the resident video RAM 235, which could lead to increased costs.

In contrast, in this pachinko machine 10, the initial position of the back image that is displayed first when the stage is changed is fixed to the range from position a to position a' (or the range of Fig. 204 (a) to (b)), and image data corresponding to the image between position a and position b (or the image between Fig. 204 (a) to (b)) including the initial position is stored in the back image area 235c of the resident video RAM 235. Therefore, even if the character ROM 234 is configured with a NAND type flash memory 234a with a slow read speed, when a change of stage is decided by lottery at the start of the change, the initial position of the backs B to D can be displayed on the third pattern display device 81 immediately by using the image data resident in the back image area 235c of the resident video RAM 235, and the display can be made to scroll or change color over time. Also, since only image data corresponding to the image of a part of the range is stored for the backs B to D, the increase in the storage capacity of the resident video RAM 235 can be suppressed, and the increase in cost can be suppressed.

The range of positions a to b for the backs B to D is set so that, after the image at the initial position is displayed, while the range from position a to position b is being scrolled from left to right using image data resident in the back image area 235c of the resident video RAM 235, the image data corresponding to the image from position b' to position d can be transferred from the character ROM 234 to the normal RAM 236. This allows the image data from position b' to position d to be transferred to the normal video RAM 236 while the range from position a to position b is being scrolled, so that after the range from position a to position b is scrolled using the image data stored in the back image area 235c of the resident video RAM 235, the range from position b' to position d can be scrolled without delay using the image data corresponding to the back image stored in the normal video RAM 236 to display it on the third pattern display device 81.

Similarly, for rear surface E, the range of figures 204(a) to (b) is set so that after the image in the initial position is displayed, while the images of figures 204(a) to (b) are being displayed using image data resident in the rear surface image area 235c of the resident video RAM 235, the transfer of image data of images corresponding to figures 204(b) to (c) and figures 204(c) to (a) from character ROM 234 to normal RAM 236 can be completed. This allows image data corresponding to the images of Figures 204(b)-(c) and 204(c)-(a) to be transferred to the normal video RAM 236 while the images of Figures 204(a)-(b) are being displayed, so that after the images of Figures 204(a)-(b) are displayed using image data resident in the rear image area 235c of the resident video RAM 235, the images of Figures 204(b)-(c) and 204(c)-(a) can be displayed sequentially over time on the third pattern display device 81 using the image data corresponding to the rear image stored in the normal video RAM 236 without delay.

In addition, for rear sides B to E, the image data stored in the normal video RAM 236 is stored in a sub-area dedicated to rear images provided in the image storage area 236a (see FIG. 201) of the normal video RAM 236. This prevents the rear image data stored in the sub-area dedicated to rear images from being overwritten by other image data, so that the rear images can be displayed reliably.

In addition, in the rear sides B to D, the image data stored in the rear image area 235c of the resident video RAM 235 and the image data stored in the normal video RAM 236 overlap with each other, with the image data corresponding to the image between position b' and position b being stored. Then, under the control of the image controller 237 by the MPU 231, the image up to position b is displayed on the third pattern display device 81 using the image data stored in the rear image area 235c of the resident video RAM 235, and then the image from position b' is displayed on the third pattern display device 81 using the image data stored in the normal video RAM 236, so that the rear image is scrolled and displayed on the third pattern display device 81 with a smooth connection.

Furthermore, the MPU 231 uses image data from the normal video RAM 236 to control the image controller 237 so that the image between positions c and d is displayed as a display area on the third pattern display device 81. Next, the MPU 231 uses image data from the rear image area 235c of the resident video RAM 235 to control the image controller 237 so that the image between positions a and a' is displayed as a display area on the third pattern display device 81. This allows the third pattern display device 81 to display the image between positions a and c by repeatedly scrolling in a smooth connection, as if flowing to the left.

Returning to FIG. 201, the explanation will be continued. The third pattern area 235d is an area for storing the third pattern used in the variable performance displayed on the third pattern display device 81. That is, the third pattern area 235d stores image data corresponding to the above-mentioned 10 types of main patterns numbered "0" to "9" which are the third patterns. As a result, when performing a variable performance on the third pattern display device 81, it is not necessary to read image data from the character ROM 234 one by one, so that even if the NAND type flash memory 234a is used for the character ROM 234, the variable performance can be started quickly on the third pattern display device 81. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of a state in which the variable performance is not immediately started on the third pattern display device 81 after the ball has entered the first ball entrance 64 or the second ball entrance 1640, even though the variable performance has been started on the first pattern display device 37.

In addition, in the third pattern area 235d, image data corresponding to main patterns that are not numbered "0" to "9", such as main patterns consisting of a rear pattern such as a wooden box, and main patterns consisting of a rear pattern and additional patterns imitating characters such as a plane, a furoshiki, and a helmet, are also stored. These image data are used for a demo performance displayed on the third pattern display device 81 when the next variable performance associated with a start winning does not start even after a predetermined time has passed since one variable performance stopped. As a result, when a demo performance is displayed on the third pattern display device 81, a main pattern without a number is displayed as the third pattern in the demo performance. Therefore, a player can easily recognize that the pachinko machine 10 is in a demo state by visually recognizing the main pattern without a number from the display image of the third pattern display device 81.

The character design area 235e is an area for storing image data corresponding to the character designs used in various effects displayed on the third design display device 81. In this pachinko machine 10, various characters such as a "boy", an "old man", and a "girl" are displayed according to various effects, and the data corresponding to these are resident in the character design area 235e. When the display control device 114 changes the character design based on the contents of the command received from the sound lamp control device 113, the display control device 114 does not newly read the corresponding image data from the character ROM 234, but reads the image data that is resident in advance in the character design area 235e of the resident video RAM 235, so that the image controller 237 can draw a predetermined image. As a result, there is no need to read the corresponding image data from the character ROM 234, so that the character design can be changed instantly even if a NAND type flash memory 234a with a slow read speed is used for the character ROM 234.

The error message image area 235f is an area for storing image data corresponding to an error message that is displayed when an error occurs in the pachinko machine 10. In this pachinko machine 10, for example, when the sound lamp control device 113 detects vibration from the output of a vibration sensor (not shown) attached to the back of the game board 13, the sound lamp control device 113 notifies the display control device 114 of the occurrence of a vibration error by an error command. Also, when the sound lamp control device 113 detects the occurrence of another error, the sound lamp control device 113 notifies the display control device 114 of the occurrence of that error together with the type of error by an error command. When the display control device 114 receives the error command, it is configured to display an error message corresponding to the received error on the third pattern display device 81.

Here, from the viewpoint of preventing players from committing fraud and protecting players from errors, it is required that the error message be displayed almost simultaneously with the occurrence of the error. In this pachinko machine 10, image data corresponding to various error messages is pre-resident in the error message image area 235f, so that the display control device 114 can instantly draw each error message image in the image controller 237 by reading out the image data pre-resident in the error message image area 235f of the resident video RAM 235 based on the received error command. As a result, it is not necessary to sequentially read out image data corresponding to error messages from the character ROM 234, so that even if a NAND-type flash memory 234a with a slow read speed is used for the character ROM 234, the corresponding error message can be displayed immediately after the error command is received.

The normal video RAM 236 is used so that data is overwritten and updated as needed, and is provided with at least an image storage area 236a, a first frame buffer 236b, and a second frame buffer 236c.

The image storage area 236a is an area for storing image data that is not resident in the resident video RAM 235, among the image data required for drawing the image to be displayed on the third pattern display device 81. The image storage area 236a is divided into multiple sub-areas, and the type of image data to be stored in each sub-area is predetermined.

The MPU 231 instructs the image controller 237 to transfer image data that is not resident in the resident video RAM 235 and that is required for subsequent image drawing from the character ROM 234 to a specific sub-area in the image storage area 236a of the normal video RAM 236 in which the type of image data should be stored. This causes the image controller 237 to read the image data instructed by the MPU 231 from the character ROM 234, and transfer the read image data to the specified specific sub-area of the image storage area 236a via the buffer RAM 237a.

The instruction to transfer image data is given by including transfer data information in a drawing list (described later) in which the MPU 231 instructs the image controller 237 to draw an image. This allows the MPU 231 to issue an instruction to draw an image and an instruction to transfer image data simply by sending the drawing list to the image controller 237, thereby reducing the processing load.

The first frame buffer 236b and the second frame buffer 236c are buffers for displaying an image to be displayed on the third pattern display device 81. The image controller 237 writes one frame of an image drawn in accordance with instructions from the MPU 231 into either the first frame buffer 236b or the second frame buffer 236c, thereby displaying one frame of an image in that frame buffer, and while displaying an image in one of the frame buffers, reads out one frame of image information previously displayed from the other frame buffer and transmits the image information to the third pattern display device 81 together with a drive signal, thereby executing a process for displaying the one frame of an image on the third pattern display device 81.

In this way, by providing two frame buffers, the first frame buffer 236b and the second frame buffer 236c, the image controller 237 can display one frame of image drawn in one frame buffer while simultaneously reading out one frame of image previously displayed from the other frame buffer, and display the one frame of image that has been read out on the third pattern display device 81.

The frame buffer into which one frame's worth of image is displayed and the frame buffer from which one frame's worth of image information is read in order to display the image on the third pattern display device 81 are alternately designated by the MPU 231 as either the first frame buffer 236b or the second frame buffer 236c every 20 milliseconds when the drawing process for one frame's worth of image is completed.

That is, at a certain timing, the first frame buffer 236b is designated as the frame buffer that will display one frame's worth of image, and the second frame buffer 236c is designated as the frame buffer from which one frame's worth of image information is read, and image drawing and display processing is executed. 20 milliseconds after the drawing processing of one frame's worth of image is completed, the second frame buffer 236c is designated as the frame buffer that will display one frame's worth of image, and the first frame buffer 236b is designated as the frame buffer from which one frame's worth of image information is read. As a result, the image information of the image previously displayed in the first frame buffer 236b can be read out and displayed on the third pattern display device 81, and at the same time, a new image is displayed in the second frame buffer 236c.

Then, after another 20 milliseconds, the first frame buffer 236b is specified as the frame buffer in which one frame's worth of image is displayed, and the second frame buffer 236c is specified as the frame buffer from which one frame's worth of image information is read. This allows the image information of the image previously displayed in the second frame buffer 236c to be read and displayed on the third pattern display device 81, while at the same time a new image is displayed in the first frame buffer 236b. Thereafter, by alternately specifying the frame buffer in which one frame's worth of image is displayed and the frame buffer from which one frame's worth of image information is read, either the first frame buffer 236b or the second frame buffer 236c, every 20 milliseconds, it is possible to perform the display process of one frame's worth of image continuously in 20 millisecond units while performing the drawing process of one frame's worth of image.

The work RAM 233 is a memory for storing the control programs and fixed value data stored in the character ROM 234, and for temporarily storing work data and flags used when the MPU 231 executes various control programs, and is composed of DRAM. This work RAM 233 has at least a program storage area 233a, a data table storage area 233b, a simple image display flag 233c, a display data table buffer 233d, a transfer data table buffer 233e, a pointer 233f, a drawing list area 233g, a time counter 233h, a stored image data discrimination flag 233i, a drawing target buffer flag 233j, a rear image change flag 233w, a rear image discrimination flag 233x, a demo display flag 233y, and a final display flag 233z.

The program storage area 233a is an area for storing the control program executed by the MPU 231. When the system reset is released, the MPU 231 reads the control program from the character ROM 234, transfers it to the work RAM 233, and stores it in this program storage area 233a. Then, when all the control programs are stored in the program storage area 233a, the MPU 231 executes various controls using the control programs stored in the program storage area 233a. As described above, since the work RAM 233 is composed of DRAM, the read operation is performed at high speed. Therefore, even if the control program is stored in the character ROM 234 composed of the NAND type flash memory 234a, which has a slow read speed, the display control device 114 can maintain high processing performance, and the third pattern display device 81 can be used to easily execute diversified and complicated performances.

The data table storage area 233b is an area that stores a display data table that describes the display content to be displayed on the third pattern display device 81 over time for a performance that is displayed based on a command from the main control device 110, and a transfer data table that specifies the transfer data information and transfer timing for image data that is not resident in the resident video RAM 235 and is used in a performance that is displayed based on the display data table.

These data tables are usually stored as a type of fixed value data in the second program storage area 234a1 provided in the NAND type flash memory 234a of the character ROM 234, and according to the boot program executed by the MPU 231 after the system reset is released, these data tables are transferred from the character ROM 234 to the work RAM 233 and stored in this data table storage area 233b. Then, when all the data tables are stored in the data table storage area 233b, the MPU 231 controls the display of the third pattern display device 81 using the data tables stored in the data table storage area 233b. As described above, since the work RAM 233 is composed of DRAM, the read operation is performed at high speed. Therefore, even if various data tables are stored in the character ROM 234 composed of the NAND type flash memory 234a with a slow read speed, the display control device 114 can maintain high processing performance, and the third pattern display device 81 can be used to easily execute diversified and complicated performances.

Here, we will explain the details of the various data tables. First, a display data table is prepared for each performance mode displayed on the third pattern display device 81 based on commands from the main control device 110. For example, display data tables corresponding to variable performance, opening performance, round performance, ending performance, and demo performance are prepared.

The variable performance is an effect that is started in the third pattern display device 81 when a display variable pattern command is received from the sound lamp control device 113. When the display variable pattern command is received, a display stop type command that indicates the stop type of the variable performance is also received. For example, when the variable performance is started, if the stop type of the variable performance is a miss, the stop pattern indicating a miss is finally stopped and displayed, whereas if the stop type of the variable performance is either jackpot A or jackpot B, the stop pattern indicating the respective jackpot is finally stopped and displayed. The player can recognize the jackpot type by visually checking the stop pattern in this variable performance, and can easily determine the game value awarded according to the jackpot type.

The opening effect is intended to inform the player that the pachinko machine 10 will transition to a special game state and that the large opening, which is normally closed, will be repeatedly opened, and the round effect is intended to inform the player of the number of rounds that will be played. The ending effect is intended to inform the player that the special game state has ended.

As described above, the demo effect is an effect displayed on the third symbol display device 81 when a predetermined time has passed since the first variable effect stopped, but the next variable effect associated with a start winning does not start. The third symbol, consisting of the main symbols without the numbers "0" to "9", is displayed frozen, and only the back image changes. If the demo effect is displayed on the third symbol display device 81, players and hall personnel can recognize that no play is being performed on the pachinko machine 10.

The data table storage area 233b stores one display data table each corresponding to the opening performance, round performance, ending performance, and demo performance. In addition, if there are 32 variable performance patterns to be set, the variable display data table, which is the display data table for the variable performance, will have one table per variable performance pattern, for a total of 32 tables.

Now, with reference to Figure 205, the display data table will be described in detail. Figure 205 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a variable display data table among the display data tables. The display data table specifies in detail the contents (drawing contents) of one frame of image to be displayed at that time, corresponding to an address expressed as a unit of time (20 milliseconds in this embodiment) during which one frame of image is displayed on the third pattern display device 81.

The drawing contents specify the type of sprite for each sprite, which is a display object that constitutes one frame's worth of image, and also specify drawing information for causing the third pattern display device 81 to draw the sprite, such as display position coordinates, magnification ratio, rotation angle, semi-transparency value, alpha blending information, color information, and filter specification information, according to the sprite type.

The sprite type is information for specifying the sprite to be displayed. The display position coordinates are information for specifying the coordinates on the third pattern display device 81 where the sprite should be displayed. The magnification ratio is information for specifying the magnification ratio relative to a standard display size previously set for the sprite, and the size of the sprite to be displayed according to that magnification ratio is specified. Note that if the magnification ratio is greater than 100%, the sprite is displayed enlarged compared to the standard size, and if the magnification ratio is less than 100%, the sprite is displayed reduced compared to the standard size.

The rotation angle is information used to specify the angle of rotation when a sprite is rotated for display. The translucency value is used to specify the transparency of the entire sprite; the higher the translucency value, the more the image displayed behind the sprite is visible through it. The alpha blending information is information used to specify a known alpha blending coefficient used when overlaying other sprites. The color information is information used to specify the color tone of the sprite to be displayed. And the filter specification information is information used to specify the image filter to be applied to the specified sprite when drawing that sprite.

In the variable display data table, the drawing information for each sprite is specified for each address as the drawing content for one frame, which is specified for each address: one background image, nine third patterns (pattern 1, pattern 2, ...), effects that express the shining of light in the image, and characters used for various effects such as boy images and text. Information about effects and characters is specified as one or more pieces according to the content to be displayed in that frame.

Here, the display position of the rear image is fixed to the entire screen of the third pattern display device 81, and the magnification ratio, rotation angle, semi-transparency value, alpha blending information, color information, and filter specification information are constant over time, so the variable display data table specifies only the rear type, which is information for specifying the type of rear image. This rear type contains information specifying whether to display one of rears A to E corresponding to the stage selected by the player (either "town stage," "forest stage," "river stage," "sky stage," or "island stage"), or whether to display a rear image different from rears A to E. In addition, when specifying that a rear image different from rears A to E is to be displayed, the rear type also contains information specifying which rear image is to be displayed.

When the MPU 231 determines that one of the back faces A to E is to be displayed based on the back face type, it determines the back face image corresponding to the stage determined by lottery among back faces A to E as the drawing target, and also determines the range of back face images to be displayed for that frame in accordance with the passage of time. On the other hand, when it determines that a back face image different from back faces A to E is to be displayed, it determines the back face image to be displayed from the back face type.

In this embodiment, a case will be described in which only the rear surface type is specified as the drawing content of the rear surface image in the display data table. Alternatively, the rear surface type and position information indicating which range of the rear surface image corresponding to that rear surface type should be displayed may be specified. This position information may be, for example, information indicating the elapsed time since the rear surface image in the range corresponding to the initial position was displayed. In this case, the MPU 231 identifies the range of the rear surface image to be displayed for that frame based on the elapsed time since the rear surface image in the range corresponding to the initial position indicated by the position information was displayed.

The position information may also be information indicating the elapsed time since drawing of the image (or display of the third pattern display device 81) based on this display data table was started. In this case, the MPU 231 determines the range of the rear image to be displayed for that frame based on the position of the rear image that was displayed at the stage when drawing of the image (or display of the third pattern display device 81) was started based on the display database, and the elapsed time since drawing of the image (or display of the third pattern display device 81) was started, as indicated by the position information.

Furthermore, depending on the type of back surface, the position information may indicate either information indicating the elapsed time since the back surface image of the range corresponding to the initial position was displayed or information indicating the elapsed time since drawing of an image based on the display data table (or display of the third pattern display device 81) began, or, together with the back surface type and position information, type information of the position information (for example, information indicating whether it is information indicating the elapsed time since the back surface image of the range corresponding to the initial position was displayed or information indicating the elapsed time since drawing of an image based on the display database (or display of the third pattern display device 81) began) may be specified as the drawing content of the back surface image. In addition, the position information may be information indicating the address where the range of the back surface image to be displayed is stored, rather than information indicating the elapsed time.

For the third patterns (Pattern 1, Pattern 2, ...), pattern type offset information is recorded as pattern type information for specifying the third pattern to be displayed. This offset information is information that represents the difference between the numbers attached to each third pattern. The reason offset information is determined rather than the type of third pattern directly is that the display of the third pattern in the variable performance changes depending on the stopping pattern of the previous variable performance and the stopping pattern of the current variable performance, and the pattern offset information from the start of the fluctuation until a specified time has elapsed records the offset information from the stopping pattern of the previous variable performance. As a result, the variable performance starts from the stopping pattern of the previous variable performance.

On the other hand, after a predetermined time has elapsed since the fluctuation started, offset information from the stop pattern set according to the stop type command (display stop type command) received from the main control unit 110 via the voice lamp control unit 113 is recorded. This makes it possible to stop the fluctuation performance at the stop pattern according to the stop type specified by the main control unit 110.

In addition, since each third symbol is assigned a unique number, the variable symbol in the previous variable performance and the stop symbol corresponding to the stop type specified by the main control unit 110 are managed by the number assigned to the third symbol, and the offset information is represented by the difference between the numbers assigned to each third symbol, so that the third symbol to be displayed can be easily identified from the offset information.

In addition, the specified time during which the pattern offset information is switched from the offset information of the stopped pattern of the previous variable performance to the offset information of the stopped pattern of the currently variable performance is set to be the time during which the third pattern is rapidly variable displayed. While the third pattern is rapidly variable displayed, the third pattern is not visible to the player. Therefore, by switching the pattern offset information from the offset information of the stopped pattern of the previous variable performance to the offset information of the stopped pattern of the currently variable performance during that time, even if the continuity of the numbers of the third pattern is interrupted, the player cannot be aware of the interruption in the continuity of the numbers.

The first address of the display data table, "0000H", contains "Start" information indicating the beginning of the data table, and the last address of the display data table ("02F0H" in the example of FIG. 205) contains "End" information indicating the end of the data table. Then, for each address between the address "0000H" containing the "Start" information and the address containing the "End" information, drawing content corresponding to the presentation mode to be specified by that display data table is written.

The MPU 231 selects a display data table to be used in response to a command (e.g., a display variation pattern command) sent from the voice lamp control device 113 based on a command from the main control device 110, reads the selected display data table from the data table storage area 233b, stores it in the display data table buffer 233d, and initializes the pointer 233f. Then, each time the drawing process for one frame is completed, the pointer 233f is incremented by one, and in the display data table stored in the display data table buffer 233d, the image content to be drawn next is specified based on the drawing content specified at the address indicated by the pointer 233f, and a drawing list (see FIG. 207) is created, which will be described later. This drawing list is sent to the image controller 237 to instruct the drawing of the image. As a result, the drawing content is specified in the order specified in the display data table according to the update of the pointer 233f, and the image as specified in the display data table is displayed on the third pattern display device 81.

In this way, in this pachinko machine 10, the display control device 114 can change the performance image to be displayed on the third pattern display device 81 by simply replacing the display data table with the display data table buffer 233d as appropriate, rather than changing the program to be executed by the MPU 231 in response to commands (e.g., display variation pattern commands) sent from the audio lamp control device 113 based on commands from the main control device 110, etc.

If, as in conventional pachinko machines, a program executed by the MPU 231 is started each time the performance image to be displayed on the third pattern display device 81 is changed, a large load is placed on the processing of starting and executing the program, which becomes more complex and expansive as the variety of performance images increases, and this may limit the processing power of the display control device 114 and limit the diversification of the controllable performance images. In contrast, in this pachinko machine 10, the performance image to be displayed on the third pattern display device 81 can be changed simply by replacing the display data table with the display data table buffer 233d as appropriate, so a wide variety of performance images can be displayed on the third pattern display device 81 regardless of the processing power of the display control device 114.

The reason why the display data table is prepared in accordance with each performance mode, the display data table buffer is set according to the performance mode to be displayed, and the drawing list can be created frame by frame according to the set data table is because the performance to be displayed on the third symbol display device 81 is determined in advance based on the result of the lottery performed based on the start winning in the pachinko machine 10. In contrast, in game machines other than gaming machines such as pachinko machines, the display content changes on the spot based on the user's operation, so the display content cannot be predicted, and therefore it is not possible to have a display data table corresponding to each performance mode as described above. In this way, the configuration of preparing a display data table in accordance with each performance mode, setting a display data table buffer according to the performance mode to be displayed, and creating a drawing list frame by frame according to the set data table can only be realized based on the fact that the pachinko machine 10 is configured to determine in advance the performance mode to be displayed on the third symbol display device 81 based on the result of the lottery performed based on the start winning.

Next, the transfer data table will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 206. FIG. 206 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a transfer data table. The transfer data table is prepared in correspondence with the display data table prepared for each performance, and as described above, the transfer data information and transfer timing are specified for transferring image data of sprites used in the performance specified in the display data table that is not resident in the resident video RAM 235 from the character ROM 234 to the image storage area 236a of the normal video RAM 236.

If all image data for sprites used in the effects defined in the display data table is stored in the resident video RAM 235, then no transfer data table corresponding to that display data table is prepared. This makes it possible to prevent an increase in the capacity of the data table storage area 233b.

The transfer data table corresponds to an address specified in the display data table, and describes the transfer data information of the image data of the sprite (hereinafter referred to as the "image data to be transferred") that should start being transferred at the time indicated by that address (addresses "0001H" and "0097H" in Figure 206 correspond to this). Here, the transfer start timing of the image data to be transferred is set so that the image data corresponding to a specific sprite is stored in the image storage area 236a by the time drawing of the specific sprite starts according to the display data table, and the transfer data information of the image data to be transferred is specified in the transfer data table in correspondence with the address corresponding to that transfer start timing.

On the other hand, if there is no image data to be transferred at the time indicated by the address specified in the display data table, null data is specified, which means that there is no image data to be transferred at the time indicated by the address specified in the display data table (this corresponds to address "0002H" in Figure 206).

The transfer data information includes the start address (start address of the source) and the end address (end address of the source) of the character ROM 234 where the image data to be transferred is stored, and the start address of the transfer destination (normal video RAM 236).

The first address of the transfer data table, "0000H", contains "Start" information indicating the start of the data table, just like the display data table, and the last address of the transfer data table ("02F0H" in the example of FIG. 206) contains "End" information indicating the end of the data table. Then, for each address between the address "0000H" containing the "Start" information and the address containing the "End" information, the transfer data information of the image data to be transferred that should be specified in the transfer data table is contained.

The MPU 231 selects a display data table to be used in response to a command (e.g., a display variation pattern command) sent from the audio lamp control device 113 based on a command from the main control device 110, and if a transfer data table corresponding to that display data table exists, it reads the transfer data table from the data table storage area 233b and stores it in the transfer data table buffer 233e of the work RAM 233 described later. Then, each time the pointer 233f is updated, the drawing content specified at the address indicated by the pointer 233f is identified from the display data table stored in the display data table buffer 233d, and a drawing list (see FIG. 207) described later is created, and the transfer data information of the image data of a specified sprite that should start being transferred at that time is obtained from the transfer data table stored in the transfer data table buffer 233e, and the transfer data information is added to the created drawing list.

For example, in the example of FIG. 206, when pointer 233f is "0001H" or "0097H", MPU 231 adds the transfer data information specified at that address in the transfer data table to the drawing list created based on the display data table, and sends the drawing list after the addition to image controller 237. On the other hand, when pointer 233f is "0002H", Null data is specified at address "0002H" in the transfer data table, so it is determined that there is no image data to be transferred and transfer should begin thereafter, and the transfer data information is not added to the created drawing list, and the drawing list is sent to image controller 237.

Then, if transfer data information is included in the drawing list received from the MPU 231, the image controller 237 executes a process to transfer the image data to be transferred from the character ROM 234 to a specified sub-area of the image storage area 236a in accordance with the transfer data information.

As described above, the transfer data table specifies the transfer data information of the image data to be transferred for a specific address so that the image data corresponding to a specific sprite is stored in the image storage area 236a by the time drawing of the specific sprite begins in accordance with the display data table. By transferring image data from the character ROM 234 to the image storage area 236a in accordance with the transfer data information specified in this transfer data table, when drawing a specific sprite in accordance with the display data table, it is possible to ensure that image data not resident in the resident video RAM 235 and required for drawing the sprite is stored in the image storage area 236a. Then, the image data stored in the image storage area 236a can be used to draw the specific sprite based on the display data table.

As a result, even if the character ROM 234 is configured using a NAND type flash memory 234a with a slow read speed, the images required for display can be read out from the character ROM 234 in advance without delay and transferred to the normal video RAM 236, so that the corresponding effects can be displayed on the third pattern display device 81 while drawing the images of each sprite specified in the display data table. Also, by writing in the transfer data table, only the image data that is not resident in the resident video RAM 235 can be easily and reliably transferred from the character ROM 234 to the normal video RAM 236.

In addition, in this pachinko machine 10, the display control device 114 sets a display data table in the display data table buffer 233d in response to commands (e.g., display variation pattern commands) sent from the sound lamp control device 113 based on commands from the main control device 110, and at the same time, a transfer data table corresponding to that display data table is set in the transfer data table buffer 233e, so that the image data of the sprite used in that display data table can be reliably transferred from the character ROM 234 to the normal video RAM 236 at the desired timing.

The transfer data table also specifies the transfer data information so that image data is transferred from character ROM 234 to normal video RAM 236 for each image data corresponding to a sprite. This allows the transfer of image data to be managed and controlled for each sprite, making it easy to process the transfer. By controlling the transfer of image data from character ROM 234 to normal video RAM 236 on a sprite-by-sprite basis, the process can be made easier while controlling the transfer of image data in detail. This makes it possible to efficiently prevent an increase in the load on the transfer.

The transfer data table has a data structure similar to that of the display data table, and the transfer data information of the image data to be transferred, which should start being transferred at the time indicated by the address, is specified in correspondence with the address specified in the display data table. Therefore, the timing of the start of transfer can be specified so that the image data of a specified sprite is reliably stored in the normal video RAM 236 before that image data is used based on the display data table set in the display data table buffer 233d. Therefore, even if the character ROM 234 is constructed using a NAND type flash memory 234a with a slow read speed, a wide variety of performance images can be easily displayed on the third pattern display device 81.

The simple image display flag 233c is a flag indicating whether or not the third pattern display device 81 displays the power-on images (power-on main image and power-on variable image) shown in Figures 202 (a) to (c). This simple image display flag 233c is set to ON in the main processing (see Figure 244) executed by the MPU 231 after the image data corresponding to the power-on main image and power-on variable image are transferred to the power-on main image area 235a or power-on variable image area 235b of the resident video RAM (see S6005 in Figure 244). Then, when all resident target image data is stored in the resident video RAM 235 by the resident image transfer process of the image transfer process, it is set to OFF in order to display images other than the power-on image on the third pattern display device 81 (see S7605 in Figure 255 (b)).

This simple image display flag 233c is referenced in the V interrupt processing executed by the MPU 231 each time a V interrupt signal transmitted from the image controller 237 is detected (see S6301 in FIG. 246(b)). When the simple image display flag 233c is on, a simple command determination process (see S6308 in FIG. 246(b)) and a simple display setting process (see S6309 in FIG. 246(b)) are executed so that the power-on image is displayed on the third pattern display device 81. On the other hand, when the simple image display flag 233c is off, a command determination process (see FIGS. 247 to 251) and a display setting process (see FIGS. 252 to 254) are executed so that various images are displayed in response to commands transmitted from the voice lamp control device 113 based on commands from the main control device 110, etc.

The simple image display flag 233c is also referenced in the transfer setting process executed by the MPU 231 during V interrupt processing (see S7501 in FIG. 255(a)). If the simple image display flag 233c is on, resident target image data exists that is not stored in the resident video RAM 235, so a resident image transfer setting process (see FIG. 255(b)) is executed to transfer the resident target image data from the character ROM 234 to the resident video RAM 235. If the simple image display flag 233c is off, a normal image transfer setting process (see FIG. 256) is executed to transfer the image data required for the drawing process from the character ROM 234 to the normal video RAM 236.

The display data table buffer 233d is a buffer for storing a display data table corresponding to the performance mode to be displayed on the third pattern display device 81 in response to commands sent from the voice lamp control device 113 based on commands from the main control device 110. The MPU 231 determines the performance mode to be displayed on the third pattern display device 81 based on the commands sent from the voice lamp control device 113, selects a display data table corresponding to the performance mode from the data table storage area 233b, and stores the selected display data table in the display data table buffer 233d. Then, while incrementing the pointer 233f by 1, the MPU 231 generates a drawing list (see FIG. 207) that describes the image drawing instructions for the image controller 237 for each frame based on the drawing contents specified at the address indicated by the pointer 233f in the display data table stored in the display data table buffer 233d. As a result, the third pattern display device 81 displays the performance corresponding to the display data table stored in the display data table buffer 233d.

The MPU 231 increments the pointer 233f by one, and generates a drawing list (see FIG. 207) for each frame that describes image drawing instructions for the image controller 237 based on the drawing contents specified at the address indicated by the pointer 233f in the display data table stored in the display data table buffer 233d. As a result, the third pattern display device 81 displays the effect corresponding to the display data table.

The transfer data table buffer 233e is a buffer for storing a transfer data table corresponding to the display data table stored in the display data table buffer 233d in response to commands sent from the voice lamp control device 113 based on commands from the main control device 110. When storing a display data table in the display data table buffer 233d, the MPU 231 selects a transfer data table corresponding to the display data table from the data table storage area 233b and stores the selected transfer data table in the transfer data table buffer 233e. Note that if all the image data of the sprites used in the display data table stored in the display data table buffer 233d is stored in the resident video RAM 235, no transfer data table corresponding to that display data table is prepared, and the MPU 231 clears the contents of the transfer data table buffer 233e by writing Null data, which means that no image data to be transferred exists in the transfer data table buffer 233e.

Then, while incrementing the pointer 233f by one, if the transfer data information of the image data to be transferred specified at the address indicated by the pointer 233f in the transfer data table stored in the transfer data table buffer 233e is specified (i.e., if no null data is specified), the MPU 231 adds the transfer data information to a drawing list (see FIG. 207) that is described below and that contains the image drawing instructions for the image controller 237 that are generated for each frame.

When transfer data information is included in the drawing list received from the MPU 231, the image controller 237 executes a process of transferring the image data to be transferred from the character ROM 234 to a specified sub-area of the image storage area 236a in accordance with the transfer data information. As described above, the transfer data information of the image data to be transferred is specified for a specified address in the transfer data table so that the image data corresponding to a specified sprite is stored in the image storage area 236a by the time the drawing of the specified sprite begins in accordance with the display data table. Therefore, by transferring image data from the character ROM 234 to the image storage area 236a in accordance with the transfer data information specified in the transfer data table, when a specified sprite is drawn in accordance with the display data table, image data that is not resident in the resident video RAM 235 and is necessary for drawing the sprite can be stored in the image storage area 236a without fail.

As a result, even if the character ROM 234 is configured using a NAND type flash memory 234a with a slow read speed, the images required for display can be read out from the character ROM 234 in advance without delay and transferred to the normal video RAM 236, so that the corresponding effects can be displayed on the third pattern display device 81 while drawing the images of each sprite specified in the display data table. Also, by writing in the transfer data table, only the image data that is not resident in the resident video RAM 235 can be easily and reliably transferred from the character ROM 234 to the normal video RAM 236.

The pointer 233f is used to specify an address from which the corresponding drawing contents or transfer data information of the image data to be transferred should be obtained from the display data table and transfer data table stored in the display data table buffer 233d and transfer data table buffer 233e, respectively. The MPU 231 initializes the pointer 233f to 0 once when the display data table is stored in the display data table buffer 233d. Then, during the display setting process (see S6303 in FIG. 246(b)) of the V interrupt process executed by the MPU 231 based on the V interrupt signal transmitted from the image controller 237 every 20 milliseconds when the drawing process of one frame of image is completed, a pointer update process (see S7205 in FIG. 252) is executed, and the value of the pointer 233f is incremented by one.

Each time the pointer 233f is updated in this manner, the MPU 231 identifies the drawing content specified at the address indicated by the pointer 233f from the display data table stored in the display data table buffer 233d, creates a drawing list (see FIG. 207) described below, and also obtains transfer data information for the image data of a specified sprite that should start being transferred at that time from the transfer data table stored in the transfer data table buffer 233e, and adds the transfer data information to the created drawing list.

As a result, the effects corresponding to the display data table stored in the display data table buffer 233d are displayed on the third pattern display device 81. Therefore, by simply changing the display data table stored in the display data table buffer 233d, the effects displayed on the third pattern display device 81 can be easily changed. Therefore, regardless of the processing capacity of the display control device 341, a wide variety of effects can be displayed.

In addition, when a transfer data table is stored in the transfer data table buffer 233e, image data that is not resident in the resident video RAM 235 and is used to draw a sprite can be stored in the image storage area 236a based on the transfer data table until the drawing of the sprite is started by the corresponding display data table. This makes it possible to read images required for display from the character ROM 234 without delay in advance and transfer them to the normal video RAM 236, even if the character ROM 234 is configured using a NAND type flash memory 234a with a slow read speed, so that the corresponding effects can be displayed on the third pattern display device 81 while drawing the images of each sprite specified in the display data table. Also, by writing the transfer data table, only image data that is not resident in the resident video RAM 235 can be easily and reliably transferred from the character ROM 234 to the normal video RAM 236.

The drawing list area 233g is an area for storing a drawing list that instructs the image controller 237 to draw one frame of an image, which is generated based on the display data table stored in the display data table buffer 233d and the transfer data table stored in the transfer data table buffer 233e.

Now, referring to FIG. 207, the details of the drawing list will be described. FIG. 207 is a schematic diagram showing the contents of the drawing list. The drawing list is an instruction table that instructs the image controller 237 to draw one frame's worth of images, and as shown in FIG. 207, for each sprite, such as the back image used in one frame's image, the third pattern (pattern 1, pattern 2, ...), the effect (effect 1, effect 2, ...), the character (character 1, character 2, ..., reserved ball number pattern 1, reserved ball number pattern 2, ..., error pattern), detailed drawing information (detailed information) of that sprite is described. The drawing list also describes transfer data information for causing the image controller 237 to transfer specified image data from the character ROM 234 to the normal video RAM 236.

The detailed drawing information (detailed information) of each sprite includes information indicating the type of RAM (resident video RAM 235 or normal video RAM 236) in which the image data of the corresponding sprite (display object) is stored, and its address. The image controller 237 obtains the image data of the sprite from the memory area specified by the RAM type and address. The detailed drawing information (detailed information) also includes display position coordinates, magnification ratio, rotation angle, semi-transparency value, alpha blending information, color information, and filter specification information. The image controller 237 performs enlargement/reduction processing according to the magnification ratio, rotation processing according to the rotation angle, semi-transparency processing according to the semi-transparency value, composition processing with other sprites according to the alpha blending information, color correction processing according to the color information, filtering processing according to the filter specification information in a manner specified by the information, and then performs various processing on the standard image generated by the image data of the sprite read from the various video RAMs, and draws the image obtained by performing various processing at the display position indicated by the display position coordinates. The drawn image is then expanded by the image controller 237 into either the first frame buffer 236b or the second frame buffer 236c, as specified by the drawing target buffer flag 233j.

The MPU 231 generates detailed drawing information (detailed information) for all sprites used to draw one frame of image based on the drawing content specified at the address indicated by the pointer 233f in the display data table stored in the display data table buffer 233d and the content of other images to be drawn (for example, a reserved image displaying a reserved ball count pattern, a warning image notifying the occurrence of an error, etc.), and creates a drawing list by sorting the detailed information for each sprite.

Here, among the detailed information for each sprite, the storage RAM type and address for the sprite (display object) data are generated according to the sprite type specified in the display data table or the sprite type identified from the contents of other images. That is, since the area of the resident video RAM 235 in which the image data for that sprite is stored, or the sub-area of the image storage area 236a of the normal video RAM 236, is fixed for each sprite, the MPU 231 can instantly identify the storage RAM type and address in which the image data for that sprite is stored according to the sprite type, and easily include this information in the detailed information of the drawing list.

In addition, the MPU 231 copies other information (display position coordinates, magnification ratio, rotation angle, semi-transparency value, alpha blending information, color information, and filter specification information) from the detailed information of each sprite as is, as specified in the display data table.

When generating the drawing list, the MPU 231 rearranges the sprites in one frame's worth of images in order from the sprite that should be placed furthest back to the sprite that should be placed in the foreground, and describes detailed drawing information (detailed information) for each sprite. That is, in the drawing list, detailed information corresponding to the back image is described first, and then detailed information corresponding to each sprite is described in the following order: third pattern (pattern 1, pattern 2, ...), effect (effect 1, effect 2, ...), character (character 1, character 2, ..., reserved ball count pattern 1, reserved ball count pattern 2, ..., error pattern).

The image controller 237 executes the drawing process for each sprite in the order described in the drawing list, and expands the drawn sprites in the frame buffer by overwriting them. Therefore, in one frame's worth of image generated by the drawing list, the first sprite drawn can be placed at the backmost side, and the last sprite drawn can be placed at the frontmost side.

In addition, when transfer data information is written at the address indicated by pointer 233f in the transfer data table stored in transfer data table buffer 233e, MPU 231 adds the transfer data information (the source start address and source end address in character ROM 234 where the image data to be transferred is stored, and the destination start address of the sub-area provided in image storage area 236a where the image data to be transferred is to be stored) to the end of the drawing list. If the drawing list includes this transfer data information, image controller 237 reads image data from a specified area of character ROM 234 (area indicated by the source start address and source end address) based on the transfer data information, and transfers the image data to be transferred to a specified sub-area (destination address) provided in image storage area 236a of normal video RAM 236.

The timing counter 233h is a counter that counts the presentation time of the presentation displayed on the third pattern display device 81 based on the display data table stored in the display data table buffer 233d. When the MPU 231 stores a display data table in the display data table buffer 233d, it sets time data indicating the presentation time of the presentation displayed based on that display data table. This time data is the presentation time divided by the image display time for one frame on the third pattern display device 81 (20 milliseconds in this embodiment).

Then, based on the V interrupt signal sent from the image controller 237 every 20 milliseconds when the drawing process and display process for one frame of image are completed, each time the display setting process of the V interrupt process (see FIG. 246(b)) is executed by the MPU 231, the timing counter 233h is decremented by one (see S7207 in FIG. 252). As a result, when the value of the timing counter 233h becomes 0 or less, the MPU 231 determines that the presentation displayed by the display data table stored in the display data table buffer 233d has ended, and executes various processes that should be performed in conjunction with the end of the presentation.

The stored image data discrimination flag 233i is a flag indicating the storage status, for each sprite whose corresponding image data is not resident in the resident video RAM 235, of whether the image data corresponding to that sprite is stored in the image storage area 236a of the normal video RAM 236.

This stored image data discrimination flag 233i is generated by the initial setting process (see S6002 in FIG. 244) executed by the MPU 231 during the main process when the power is turned on. The stored image data discrimination flag 233i generated here is set to "off" for all sprites, indicating that they are not stored in the image storage area 236a.

The stored image data discrimination flag 233i is updated when a transfer instruction is set for image data to be transferred that corresponds to a sprite during the normal image transfer setting process (see FIG. 256) executed by the MPU 231. In this update, the storage status corresponding to the sprite for which a transfer instruction has been set is set to "on", indicating that the corresponding image data is stored in the image storage area 236a. In addition, image data for other sprites that are to be stored in the same sub-area of the image storage area 236a as the one sprite will necessarily be in an unstored state due to the storage of the image data of the one sprite, so the storage status corresponding to the other sprites is set to "off".

When transferring image data of a sprite whose image data is not resident in the resident video RAM 235 from the character ROM 234 to the normal video RAM 236, the MPU 231 refers to the stored image data discrimination flag 233i to determine whether the image data of the sprite to be transferred is already stored in the image storage area 236a of the normal video RAM 236 (see S7713 in FIG. 256). If the storage status corresponding to the sprite to be transferred is "off" and the corresponding image data is not stored in the image storage area 236a, it sets a transfer instruction for that image data (see S7714 in FIG. 256) and causes the image controller 237 to transfer that image data from the character ROM 234 to a specified sub-area of the image storage area 236a. On the other hand, if the storage status corresponding to the sprite to be transferred is "on", the corresponding image data is already stored in the image storage area 236a, so the transfer process of that image data is stopped. This prevents unnecessary data transfer from the character ROM 234 to the normal video RAM 236, reducing the processing load on each part of the display control device 114 and reducing traffic on the bus line 240.

The drawing target buffer flag 233j is a flag for specifying one of the two frame buffers (first frame buffer 236b and second frame buffer 236c) into which the image drawn by the image controller 237 is expanded (hereinafter referred to as the "drawing target buffer"); if the drawing target buffer flag 233j is 0, the first frame buffer 236b is specified as the drawing target buffer, and if it is 1, the second frame buffer 236c is specified. Information on this specified drawing target buffer is then sent to the image controller 237 together with the drawing list (see S7802 in FIG. 257).

As a result, the image controller 237 executes a drawing process in which the image drawn based on the drawing list is expanded onto the designated drawing target buffer. In addition, the image controller 237 executes a display process in which the image is displayed on the third pattern display device 81 by reading out previously expanded drawing image information from a frame buffer different from the drawing target buffer, simultaneously and in parallel with the drawing process, and transferring the image information to the third pattern display device 81 together with a drive signal.

The drawing target buffer flag 233j is updated in accordance with the drawing target buffer information being sent to the image controller 237 together with the drawing list. This update is performed by inverting the value of the drawing target buffer flag 233j, i.e., by setting the value to "1" if it was "0" and to "0" if it was "1". As a result, the drawing target buffer is alternately set between the first frame buffer 236b and the second frame buffer 236c each time a drawing list is sent. In addition, the drawing list is sent each time the drawing process of the V interrupt process (see S6306 in FIG. 246(b)) executed by the MPU 231 is executed based on the V interrupt signal sent from the image controller 237 every 20 milliseconds when the drawing process and display process of one frame of image is completed.

That is, at a certain timing, the first frame buffer 236b is designated as the frame buffer that will display one frame's worth of image, and the second frame buffer 236c is designated as the frame buffer from which one frame's worth of image information is read, and image drawing and display processing is executed. 20 milliseconds after the drawing processing of one frame's worth of image is completed, the second frame buffer 236c is designated as the frame buffer that will display one frame's worth of image, and the first frame buffer 236b is designated as the frame buffer from which one frame's worth of image information is read. As a result, the image information of the image previously displayed in the first frame buffer 236b can be read out and displayed on the third pattern display device 81, and at the same time, a new image is displayed in the second frame buffer 236c.

Then, after another 20 milliseconds, the first frame buffer 236b is specified as the frame buffer in which one frame's worth of image is displayed, and the second frame buffer 236c is specified as the frame buffer from which one frame's worth of image information is read. This allows the image information of the image previously displayed in the second frame buffer 236c to be read and displayed on the third pattern display device 81, while at the same time a new image is displayed in the first frame buffer 236b. Thereafter, by alternately specifying the frame buffer in which one frame's worth of image is displayed and the frame buffer from which one frame's worth of image information is read, either the first frame buffer 236b or the second frame buffer 236c, every 20 milliseconds, it is possible to perform the display process of one frame's worth of image continuously in 20 millisecond units while performing the drawing process of one frame's worth of image.

The rear image change flag 233w is a flag for determining whether or not to change the type of rear image displayed on the third pattern display device 81. If this rear image change flag 233w is on, it means that the type of rear image is changed, and if it is off, it means that no change is made. The rear image change flag 233w is set to on when a rear image change command transmitted from the voice lamp control device 113 is received (see S7001 in FIG. 251(a)). In addition, this rear image change flag 233w is referenced in the normal image transfer setting process (see S7709 in FIG. 256), and is set to off when the rear image change process is executed (see S7710 in FIG. 256). This makes it possible to display a rear image corresponding to the rear image change command or the performance mode change command received from the voice lamp control device 113.

The rear image discrimination flag 233x is a flag that indicates the rear image type that is set. This flag is, for example, composed of one byte, and each bit corresponds to each rear image type. If any bit of this rear image discrimination flag 233x is on, it means that the rear image type corresponding to the on bit is set as the current rear image type. For example, if the 0th bit of the rear image discrimination flag 233x is on, it means that rear image A is set. When a rear image change command transmitted from the voice lamp control device 113 is received, the bit of this rear image discrimination flag 233x that corresponds to the rear image notified by the command is set to on (see S7002 in FIG. 251(a)). At this time, all other bits are set to off. This rear image discrimination flag 233x makes it easy to identify the currently set rear image type.

The demo display flag 233y is a flag that indicates whether or not a demo is being performed. When the demo display flag 233y is on, it means that a demo is being performed, and when it is off, it means that a demo is not being performed. In the display setting process (see FIG. 252), the demo display flag 233y is set on when a demo display data table is set in the display data table buffer 233d (see S7221 in FIG. 252), and is set off when a display data table other than the demo display data table is set in the display data table buffer 233d (see S6505 in FIG. 248(a), S6705 in FIG. 249(a), S6805 in FIG. 249(b), and S6905 in FIG. 250). The demo display flag 233y makes it easy to determine whether or not a demo is currently being performed.

The confirmation display flag 233z is a flag indicating whether or not a confirmation display effect is being performed. Here, the confirmation display effect indicates an effect in which the stopped pattern is displayed (confirmed display) for a predetermined period (for example, 1 second) after the variable pattern. If this confirmation display flag 233z is on, it means that the confirmation display effect is being performed, and if it is off, it means that the confirmation display effect is not being performed. The confirmation display flag 233z is set on when the confirmation display data table is set in the display data table buffer 233d during the display setting process (see FIG. 252) (S7214 in FIG. 252), and is set off when a display data table other than the confirmation display data table is set in the display data table buffer 233d (see S6505 in FIG. 248(a), S6705 in FIG. 249(a), S6805 in FIG. 249(b), and S6905 in FIG. 250). This confirmation display flag 233z makes it easy to determine whether or not a confirmation display effect is currently being performed.

<Regarding control process of main control device in first control example>
Next, each control process executed by the MPU 201 in the main control device 110 will be described with reference to the flowcharts of Figures 208 to 234. The processes of the MPU 201 are roughly divided into start-up process which is started when the power is turned on, main process which is executed after the start-up process, timer interrupt process which is started periodically (at 2 ms intervals in this control example), and NMI interrupt process which is started by input of a power failure signal SG1 to the NMI terminal. For convenience of explanation, the timer interrupt process and NMI interrupt process will be described first, and then the start-up process and main process will be described.

Figure 208 is a flowchart showing the timer interrupt process executed by the MPU 201 in the main control unit 110. The timer interrupt process is a periodic process executed, for example, every 2 milliseconds. In the timer interrupt process, first, a process for reading various winning switches is executed (S101). That is, the state of various switches connected to the main control unit 110 is read, and the state of the switches is determined and detection information (winning detection information) is saved.

Next, the first initial value random number counter CINI1 and the second initial value random number counter CINI2 are updated (S102). Specifically, the first initial value random number counter CINI1 is incremented by 1, and when the counter value reaches the maximum value (479 in this control example), it is cleared to 0. The updated value of the first initial value random number counter CINI1 is then stored in the corresponding buffer area of RAM 203. Similarly, the second initial value random number counter CINI2 is incremented by 1, and when the counter value reaches the maximum value (232 in this control example), it is cleared to 0, and the updated value of the second initial value random number counter CINI2 is stored in the corresponding buffer area of RAM 203.

Furthermore, the first win random number counter C1, the first win type counter C2, the second win random number counter C4, and the small win type counter C5 are updated (S103). Specifically, the first win random number counter C1, the first win type counter C2, the second win random number counter C4, and the small win type counter C5 are each incremented by 1, and when their counter values reach their maximum values (479, 99, 232, and 99, respectively, in this control example), they are each cleared to 0. Then, the updated values of each counter C1, C2, C4, and C5 are stored in the corresponding buffer area of RAM 203.

Next, a special pattern change process is executed (S104), which is a process for displaying on the first pattern display device 37 and also sets the change pattern of the third pattern by the third pattern display device 81. After that, a start winning process is executed in response to a win (start winning) in the first ball entry port 64 (S105). Details of the special pattern change process and the start winning process will be described later with reference to Figures 209 to 222.

After the start winning process is executed, the normal symbol change process is executed (S106), which performs a process for displaying on the second symbol display device 83 and a process associated with the passage of the ball through the normal symbol start opening (through gate) 67. Details of the normal symbol change process (S106) will be described later with reference to FIG. 223. After the normal symbol change process is executed, the launch control process is executed (S108), and other processes that should be executed periodically are executed (S109), and the timer interrupt process is terminated. The launch control process is a process that determines whether the ball launch is on or off, on the condition that the touch sensor 51a detects that the player is touching the operation handle 51 and the stop switch 51b for stopping the launch is not operated. When the ball launch is on, the main control unit 110 instructs the launch control unit 112 to launch the ball.

Next, referring to FIG. 209, the special symbol variation process (S104), which is one process of the timer interrupt process executed by the MPU 201 in the main control device 110, will be described. FIG. 209 is a flowchart showing this special symbol variation process (S104). The special symbol variation process (FIG. 209, S104) performs various judgments and decisions based on the counter values obtained based on the entry of balls into the first ball entrance 64 and the second ball entrance 1640, and controls the first pattern display device 37 and the third pattern display device 81 to simultaneously display a variable display in the variable display mode determined by a predetermined control, or controls the display to stop in a display mode indicating the judgment result. The special symbol variation process (FIG. 209, S104) will be described below.

In the special symbol variation process (Fig. 209, S104), first, it is determined whether or not a jackpot is being played (whether or not the jackpot flag 203u is on) (S201). If it is determined that a jackpot is being played (the jackpot flag 203u is on) (S201: Yes), there is no need to set the lottery for the special symbol or the stop of the variation display, and this process is terminated as it is. On the other hand, if it is determined that a jackpot is not being played (the jackpot flag 203u is off) (S201: No), it is determined whether or not a small jackpot is being played (whether or not the small jackpot flag 203v is on) (S202). If it is determined that a small jackpot is being played (the small jackpot flag 203v is on) in the process of S202 (S202: Yes), this process is terminated as it is. On the other hand, when it is determined that the small win is not occurring (the small win flag 203v is off) (S202: No), it is determined whether or not the first special symbol is being displayed (S203). When it is determined that the first special symbol is being displayed (S203: Yes), in the first special symbol change stop process (S205), when the change time of the first special symbol being displayed has elapsed, the first special symbol change stop process for stopping and displaying the stop symbol indicating the lottery result of the first special symbol is executed (S205), and the process proceeds to S206. In addition, in this first special symbol change stop process (S205), when the stop symbol corresponding to the big win of the first special symbol is stopped and displayed, the process of forcibly stopping and displaying the second special symbol with the stop symbol corresponding to the miss is also executed. Details of this first special symbol change stop process (S205) will be described later with reference to FIG. 214.

On the other hand, if it is determined in the process of S203 that the first special symbol is not being displayed in a changing state (S203: No), then, on condition that at least one reserved data (various counter values) is stored in the first special symbol reserved ball storage area 203a, a first special symbol change start process is executed (S204) to execute a jackpot determination and a change pattern selection process based on the reserved data, and the process proceeds to S206. Details of this first special symbol change start process (S204) will be described later with reference to Figures 210 to 213.

In the process of S206, which is executed after the first special symbol change start process (S204) or the first special symbol change stop process (S205) is executed, it is determined whether or not the second special symbol is being changed (S206), and if the second special symbol is being changed (S206: Yes), the second special symbol change stop process (S208) is executed and this process is terminated. This second special symbol change stop process (S208), like the first special symbol change stop process (S205), is a process for setting the stop display of the stop pattern indicating the lottery result of the second special symbol when the specified change time of the second special symbol being changed has elapsed. Details of this second special symbol change stop process (S208) will be described later with reference to Figures 220 and 221.

On the other hand, in the process of S206, if it is determined that the second special symbol is not being changed (S206: No), on the condition that a new initial winning entry into the second ball entrance 1640 has been detected, a second special symbol change start process is executed to draw the second special symbol and set the start of a new changing display (S207), and this process is terminated. Details of this second special symbol change start process (S207) will be described later with reference to Figures 215 to 219.

Next, referring to FIG. 210, the first special symbol change start process (S204), which is one process of the special symbol change process (FIG. 209, S104), will be described. FIG. 210 is a flowchart showing this first special symbol change start process (S204).

In the first special symbol variation start process (Fig. 210, S204), first, the value (N1) of the first special symbol reserved ball counter 203d is obtained (S301), and it is determined whether the obtained value (N1) of the first special symbol reserved ball counter is greater than 0 (S302). In the process of S302, if it is determined that the value (N1) of the first special symbol reserved ball counter 203d is greater than 0 (S302: Yes), the value (N1) of the first special symbol reserved ball counter 203d is decremented by 1 (S303), and a reserved ball number command indicating the value of the first special symbol reserved ball counter 203d after the decrement is set to notify the voice lamp control device 113 (S304).

The reserved ball count command set here is stored in a ring buffer for command transmission provided in the RAM 203, and is transmitted to the voice lamp control device 113 in the external output process (S2001) of the main process (see FIG. 227) executed by the MPU 201, which will be described later. When the voice lamp control device 113 receives the reserved ball count command, it extracts the value of the first special pattern reserved ball count counter 203d from the reserved ball count command, and stores the extracted value in the first special pattern reserved ball count counter 223c in the RAM 223. In this way, the voice lamp control device 113 updates the value of the first special pattern reserved ball count counter 223c according to the reserved ball count command transmitted from the main control device 110, so that the value can be updated in synchronization with the value of the first special pattern reserved ball count counter 203d in the main control device 110.

When the process of S304 is completed, the data in the first special symbol reserved ball storage area 203a is shifted to the previous data (S305). More specifically, the data in each area is shifted in the following order: reserved area 1 → execution area, reserved area 2 → reserved area 1, reserved area 3 → reserved area 2, reserved area 4 → reserved area 3, and so on.

When the processing of S305 is completed, the first special symbol jackpot determination process is then executed (S306). This first special symbol jackpot determination process (Fig. 211, S306) will be described in detail later, but it is a process for executing a jackpot determination as to whether or not a jackpot has occurred based on the value of the first jackpot random number counter C1 that has been shifted to the execution area of the first special symbol reserved ball storage area 203a, and based on the set game state.

When the processing of S306 is completed, the first special symbol fluctuation pattern selection process is then executed (Fig. 212, S307). Details will be described later, but this first special symbol fluctuation pattern selection process (S307) is a process for selecting a fluctuation pattern based on the result of the hit/miss judgment of the first special symbol and the value of the fluctuation type counter CS1 stored in the execution area of the first special symbol reserved ball storage area 203a.

When the first special symbol variation pattern selection process (S307) is completed, the game status update process is then executed (S308). This game status update process (Fig. 213, S308), the details of which will be described later, is a process for updating the state of the pachinko machine 10 by updating the values of various counters (probability change counter 203k, time-saving counter 203g) that indicate the state of the pachinko machine 10. When the process of S308 is completed, the special symbol 1 standby flag 203i is set to OFF, and a special symbol 1 standby command indicating OFF is set (S309), and this process is terminated.

On the other hand, in the process of S302, if it is determined that the value (N1) of the first special symbol reserved ball count counter 203d is 0 (S302: No), it is determined whether the special symbol 1 standby flag 203i is on (S310), and if it is determined that it is on (S310: Yes), this process is terminated. In the process of S310, if it is determined that it is off (i.e., not on) (S310: No), the special symbol 1 standby flag 203i is set to on (S311), a special symbol 1 standby command indicating on is set (S312), and then this process is terminated.

Next, referring to FIG. 211, the first special symbol jackpot determination process (S306), which is one process of the first special symbol variation start process (FIG. 210, S204), will be described. FIG. 211 is a flowchart showing this first special symbol jackpot determination process (S306).

In the first special symbol jackpot determination process (Fig. 211, S306), first, each counter value stored in the execution area of the first special symbol reserved ball storage area 203a is obtained (S401). Next, it is determined whether the value of the probability change counter 203k is 1 or more (S402). In other words, it is determined whether it is in a high probability state (probability change state of the special symbol). If it is determined that the value of the probability change counter 203k is 1 or more (i.e., it is in a probability change state of the special symbol) (S402: Yes), it is determined whether the random number value that results in a jackpot specified in the first win random number table 202a for high probability matches the value of the first win random number counter C1 obtained from the counter buffer, and the determination result (lottery result) is obtained (S403). On the other hand, in the process of S402, if it is determined that the probability of winning counter 203k is 0 (i.e., the special pattern is in a low probability state) (S402: No), it is determined whether the random number value for a jackpot specified in the first win random number table 202a for low probability matches the value of the first win random number counter C1 obtained from the counter buffer, and the lottery result is obtained (S404).

Then, it is determined whether the lottery result obtained in S403 or S404 is a jackpot (S405), and if the lottery result is a jackpot (S405: Yes), the jackpot flag 203m for the first special symbol is set to ON (S406), and the lottery result for the first special symbol is set to a jackpot (S407). Then, based on the obtained value of the win type counter, the jackpot symbol for the first special symbol to be displayed on the first symbol display device 37 is set (S408), and a value corresponding to the current game state is stored in the win state storage area 203n (S409), and this process ends.

On the other hand, if the lottery result is determined to be a loss in the process of S405 (S405: No), the losing pattern of the first special pattern to be displayed on the first pattern display device 37 is set (S410), and then this process is terminated.

Next, referring to FIG. 212, the first special symbol change pattern selection process (S307), which is one process of the first special symbol change start process (FIG. 210, S204), will be described. FIG. 212 is a flowchart showing this first special symbol change pattern selection process (S307).

In the first special symbol variation pattern selection process (Fig. 212, S307), first, in the first special symbol jackpot determination process (Fig. 211, S306), it is determined whether the lottery result for the first special symbol has been determined to be a jackpot, i.e., whether a jackpot for the first special symbol has been set (S501). Here, the determination of whether or not there is a jackpot is made based on whether or not the jackpot flag 203m for the first special symbol is on. This jackpot flag 203m is set to on in the process of S406 in the first special symbol jackpot determination process (see Fig. 211) described above.

If it is determined in the process of S501 that a jackpot of the first special symbol has been set (S501: Yes), the jackpot type is determined from the jackpot type selection table 202d (see FIG. 193(a)) based on the value of the first jackpot type counter C2 obtained in the process of S401 in the first special symbol jackpot determination process described above (see FIG. 211) (S502), and the process proceeds to S503.

On the other hand, if it is determined in the process of S501 that the lottery result for the first special symbol is a miss (i.e., the jackpot flag 203m for the first special symbol is off) (S501: No), the process of S502 is skipped and the process proceeds to S503.

In the process of S503, the value of the variation type counter CS1 is obtained from the execution area of the first special symbol reserved ball storage area 203a (S503). Next, a variation pattern selection table (see Figs. 194-196) according to the game status is read (S504), and the process proceeds to S505. The game status is determined based on the value of the probability variation counter 203k and the value of the time-saving counter 203g. In the process of S505, a variation pattern corresponding to the value of the variation type counter CS1 is selected from the read variation pattern selection table (S505), and then a special symbol 1 variation pattern command is set based on the selected variation pattern (S506).

When the process of S506 is completed, a special symbol 1 stop type command indicating the stop symbol is set (S507). Next, the first symbol display device 37 is set to start changing the first special symbol (S508), and this process is terminated.

Next, referring to FIG. 213, we will explain the game status update process (S308), which is one process of the first special symbol variation start process (see FIG. 210). FIG. 213 is a flowchart showing this game status update process (S308).

When the game status update process (see FIG. 213) starts, first it is determined whether the value of the special chance counter 203k is greater than 0 (S601). If it is determined that the value of the special chance counter 203k is 0 (S601: No), the process skips S602 to S605 and proceeds to S606. On the other hand, if it is determined that the value of the special chance counter 203k is greater than 0 (S601: Yes), the value of the special chance counter is decremented by 1 (S602), and a remaining special chance count command indicating the value of the special chance counter is set (S603).

The remaining chance of winning command set here is stored in a ring buffer for sending commands provided in the RAM 203, and is sent to the voice lamp control device 113 in the external output process (S2001) of the main process (see FIG. 227) executed by the MPU 201, which will be described later. When the voice lamp control device 113 receives the remaining chance of winning command, it extracts the value of the chance of winning counter 203k from the remaining chance of winning command, and stores the extracted value in the remaining chance of winning area 223o of the RAM 223. In this way, the voice lamp control device 113 updates the value of the remaining chance of winning area 223o according to the reserved ball number command sent from the main control device 110, so that the value can be updated in synchronization with the value of the chance of winning counter 203k of the main control device 110. This allows the voice lamp control device 113 to accurately determine whether or not the game is in a potential winning state, and to execute the corresponding performance.

When the process of S603 is completed, it is determined whether the value of the special chance counter 203k after subtraction is 0 or not (S604), and if it is determined that the value after subtraction is not 0 (S604: No), the process of S605 is skipped and the process proceeds to S606. On the other hand, if it is determined that the value of the special chance counter 203k is 0 (S604: Yes), a state command indicating a normal state is set (S605), and the process proceeds to S606.

In the process of S606, it is determined whether the value of the time-saving counter 203g is greater than 0 (S606), and if the value of the time-saving counter 203g is 0 (S606: No), this process ends. On the other hand, if it is determined in the process of S606 that the time-saving counter 203g is greater than 0 (S606: Yes), the value of the time-saving counter 203g is decremented by 1 (S607), a remaining time-saving count command indicating the value of the time-saving counter is set (S608), and then this process ends.

The remaining time reduction count command set here is stored in a ring buffer for sending commands provided in the RAM 203, and is sent to the voice lamp control device 113 in the external output process (S2001) of the main process (see FIG. 227) executed by the MPU 201, which will be described later. When the voice lamp control device 113 receives the remaining time reduction count command, it extracts the value of the time reduction counter 203g from the remaining time reduction count command, and stores the extracted value in the remaining time reduction count area 223q of the RAM 223. In this way, the voice lamp control device 113 updates the value of the remaining time reduction count area 223q according to the reserved ball count command sent from the main control device 110, so that the value can be updated in synchronization with the value of the time reduction counter 203g of the main control device 110.

Next, referring to FIG. 214, we will explain the first special symbol change stop process (S205), which is one process of the special symbol change process (FIG. 209, S104). FIG. 214 is a flow chart showing this first special symbol change stop process (S205).

In the first special symbol variation stop process (Fig. 214, S205), first, it is determined whether or not it is time to end the variation display of the first special symbol (S701). If it is determined that it is time to end (S701: Yes), it is determined whether the jackpot flag 203m is set on for the first special symbol (special symbol 1) (S702). If it is determined that the jackpot flag 203m is set on for the first special symbol (special symbol 1), the special symbol 2 variation stop flag 203p is set on (S703), and a special symbol 2 variation stop command indicating that the special symbol 2 variation stop flag 203p has been turned on is set (S704). Next, the second special symbol of the first symbol display device 37 is displayed as a stop symbol (S705).

When the process of S705 is completed, the jackpot scenario corresponding to the selected jackpot type is set (S706), and the jackpot flag 203m, the probability change counter 203k, and the time-saving counter 203g are reset (S707). Next, the jackpot flag 203u is set to ON (S708), and the process proceeds to S709.

On the other hand, if in the process of S702, the jackpot flag 203m is set to OFF for the first special symbol (S702: No), the processes of S703 to S708 are skipped and the process proceeds to S709.

In the process of S709, a special pattern 1 confirmation command is set to notify the voice lamp control device 113 that the first special pattern has been confirmed and stopped (S709). After that, a process is executed to stop the variable display of the first special pattern displayed by the first special pattern display device 37 (S710), and this process is terminated.

On the other hand, if it is determined in the process of S701 that it is not time to end the ongoing variable display of the first special pattern (S701: No), the display of the first special pattern on the first pattern display device 37 is updated (S711), and this process is terminated.

In this way, in the first special symbol stopping process (S205), when the specified change time of the first special symbol being changed has elapsed (S701: Yes), a process (S703 to S710) is executed to stop the change display at the symbol that indicates the result of the first lottery game. Also, when the lottery result of the first special symbol is determined to be a jackpot (S702: Yes), a process (S703, S704) is executed to forcibly stop the second special symbol being changed.

In this first control example, when the first special symbol is stopped as a jackpot symbol, the second special symbol being displayed as a missing symbol is forcibly stopped as a missing symbol, but this is not limited to this. For example, the display of the second special symbol may be interrupted (temporarily stopped) when the jackpot symbol of the first special symbol is stopped. After the jackpot of the first special symbol ends, the display of the second special symbol may be resumed. This allows for a more natural presentation compared to the case where the display is forcibly stopped as a missing symbol. In this control example, the jackpot scenario is set in the process of S706 based on the game state stored in the winning state storage area 203n in the first special symbol jackpot determination process (see FIG. 211). However, the jackpot scenario may be set in the process of S706 based on the game state stored in the winning state storage area 203n in the first special symbol jackpot determination process (see FIG. 211) using the opening period of the jackpot game.

Next, referring to FIG. 215, the second special symbol change start process (S207), which is one process of the special symbol change process (FIG. 209, S104), will be described. FIG. 215 is a flowchart showing this second special symbol change start process (S207).

In the second special symbol variation start process (Fig. 215, S207), first, it is determined whether the special symbol 2 variation stop flag 203p is set to ON (S801). If it is determined that the special symbol 2 variation stop flag 203p is set to ON (S801: Yes), the special symbol 2 variation stop flag 203p is set to OFF and this process is terminated. As described above, the special symbol 2 variation stop flag 203p is a flag that is set to ON when the jackpot variation of the first special symbol ends, and causes the second special symbol to be displayed as a stop symbol corresponding to a miss. In other words, if the special symbol 2 variation stop flag 203p is ON, it means that a jackpot will start, so the start of variation of the second special symbol should not be set. For this reason, if the special symbol 2 variation stop flag 203p is ON in the process of S801, the process is terminated without executing each process of S802 to S810 for setting the variation start.

On the other hand, in the process of S801, if it is determined that the special symbol 2 variation stop flag 203p is set to off (i.e., not set to on) (S801: No), it is determined whether or not a winning entry into the second ball entrance 1640 has been detected (S802). If a winning entry into the second ball entrance 1640 has been detected (S802: Yes), the values of the first winning random number counter C1, the first winning type counter C2, the variation type counter CS1, and the small winning type counter C5 are then obtained and stored in the second special symbol execution area 203b (S803), and a second special symbol jackpot determination process is executed to perform a jackpot determination for the second special symbol based on the stored counter values (S804). Details of this second special symbol jackpot determination process will be described later with reference to FIG. 216.

When the process of S804 is completed, a second special symbol variation pattern selection process is then executed (S805) to select a variation pattern based on the lottery result of the second special symbol and the value of the variation type counter CS1 obtained in the process of S803. Details of this second special symbol variation pattern selection process (S805) will be described later with reference to FIG. 218. After the process of S805 is completed, the above-mentioned game status update process (see FIG. 213) is executed (S806), the special symbol 2 standby flag 203j is set to OFF, and a special symbol 2 standby command indicating OFF is set (S807), and this process is terminated.

On the other hand, if it is determined in the process of S801 that a winning combination has not been detected for the second ball entrance 1640 (S801: No), it is determined whether the special symbol 2 standby flag 203j is on (S808), and if it is on (S808: Yes), this process ends. On the other hand, if it is determined in the process of S808 that the special symbol 2 standby flag 203j is off, the special symbol 2 standby flag 203j is set on (S809), and a special symbol 2 standby command is set to notify the voice lamp control device 113 that the second special symbol has stopped fluctuating (S810), and this process ends.

Next, referring to FIG. 216, the second special symbol jackpot determination process (S804), which is one process of the second special symbol variation start process (FIG. 215, S207), will be described. FIG. 216 is a flowchart showing this second special symbol jackpot determination process (S804).

In this second special symbol jackpot determination process (Fig. 216, S804), the same process as the first special symbol jackpot determination process (see Fig. 211) described above is executed, so the following explanation will focus on the differences from the first special symbol jackpot determination process (see Fig. 211).

When the second special symbol jackpot determination process (S804) is executed, each counter value stored in the second special symbol reserved ball execution area 203b is obtained (S901). Then, the processes of S902 to S904 are executed to obtain the lottery result of whether or not there is a jackpot based on each obtained counter value and the value of the special probability counter 203k. In each of these processes, the only difference is that the counter value used in the lottery (determination) is obtained from the second special symbol execution area 203b, and otherwise the same control is executed as in the first special symbol jackpot determination process (see FIG. 211).

When the processing of S903 or S904 is completed, it is determined whether the obtained lottery result is a jackpot or not (S905), and if it is determined to be a jackpot (S905: Yes), the processing of S906 to S909 is executed to set the lottery result of the second special symbol to a jackpot, and this processing ends. In each of these processing of S906 to S909, the same processing as each of S406 to S409 for setting the lottery result of the first special symbol to a jackpot in the first special symbol jackpot determination processing (see FIG. 211) is executed.

On the other hand, if it is determined in the process of S905 that the lottery result of the acquired second special symbol is not a big win (S905: No), a special symbol 2 miss variation process is executed (S910) to set a stop symbol corresponding to a small win or miss of the second special symbol, and this process is terminated. Details of this special symbol 2 miss variation process are explained with reference to FIG. 217. FIG. 217 is a flowchart showing this special symbol 2 miss variation process (S909).

In the special symbol 2 miss variation process (S909), first, it is determined whether the lottery result obtained in the process of S903 or S904 in FIG. 216 is a small win for the second special symbol (S1001). If the lottery result is a small win (S1001: Yes), the small win flag 203o is set to ON (S1002), and the lottery result for the second special symbol is set to a small win (S1003). Then, the small win symbol indicating the small win type corresponding to the obtained value of the small win type counter C5 is set as the stop symbol to be displayed on the first symbol display device 37 (S1004), and this process ends.

On the other hand, if the lottery result is determined to be a loss in the process of S1001 (S1001: No), the losing pattern of the second special pattern to be displayed on the first pattern display device 37 is set (S1005), and then this process is terminated.

Next, referring to FIG. 218, the second special symbol variation pattern selection process (S805), which is one process of the second special symbol variation start process (FIG. 215, S805), will be described. FIG. 218 is a flowchart showing this second special symbol variation pattern selection process (S805).

In the first special symbol variation pattern selection process (Fig. 212, S307), first, the value of the variation type counter CS1 is obtained from the second special symbol execution area 203b (S1101). Next, in the first special symbol jackpot determination process (Fig. 216, S804), it is determined whether the lottery result of the second special symbol is a jackpot, that is, whether a jackpot for the second special symbol is set (S1102). Here, the determination of whether or not there is a jackpot is determined by whether or not the jackpot flag 203m for the second special symbol is on. This jackpot flag 203m is set to on in the process of S906 in the second special symbol jackpot determination process (see Fig. 216) described above.

If it is determined in the process of S1102 that a jackpot of the second special symbol is set (S1102: Yes), the variable pattern selection table (see Figs. 195 and 1196) corresponding to the current game state is read (S1103). Then, based on the value of the first jackpot type counter C2 obtained in the process of S901 in the second special symbol jackpot determination process (see Fig. 216) described above, the jackpot type is determined from the jackpot type selection table 202d (see Fig. 193(a)) (S1105).

When the process of S1105 is completed, a variation pattern corresponding to the value of the variation type counter CS1 is selected from the read variation pattern selection table (S1105), and then a special chart 2 variation pattern command is set based on the selected variation pattern (S1106). Then, the process proceeds to S1108.

On the other hand, if it is determined in the process of S1102 that the jackpot for the second special symbol is not set (S1102: No), the process executes the special symbol 2 miss variation pattern selection process (S1107) and proceeds to the process of S1108.

In the process of S1108, a special symbol 2 stop type command indicating the stop symbol is set (S1108). Next, the start of the variation of the second special symbol is set in the first symbol display device 37 (S1109), and then this process is terminated.

Next, the special chart 2 deviation variation pattern selection process (S1107) will be described with reference to FIG. 219. FIG. 219 is a flowchart showing the contents of the special chart 2 deviation variation pattern selection process (S1107).

In the special pattern 2 miss variation pattern selection process (Fig. 219, S1107), first, it is determined whether the lottery result of the second special pattern is a small win (S1201). Here, it is determined whether the small win flag 203o is set to ON (S1201). If it is determined that the small win flag 203o is ON (S1201: Yes), the value of the small win type counter C5 is obtained from the second special pattern execution area (S1202). Then, based on the obtained value of the small win type counter C5 and the small win type selection table 202e (see Fig. 192 (b)), a small win type is selected (S1203).

Next, the variation pattern selection table (see Fig. 195 and Fig. 1196) corresponding to the current game state is read (S1204), and the small win variation pattern corresponding to the value of the variation type counter CS1 is selected from the read variation pattern selection table (S1205). After that, the special chart 2 variation pattern command indicating the selected small win variation pattern is set (S1206), and this process is terminated.

On the other hand, in the process of S1201, if it is determined that the lottery result of the second special symbol is not a small win (i.e., a miss) (S1201: No), the variation pattern selection table (see Figures 195 and 1196) corresponding to the current game state is read (S1207), and a miss variation pattern corresponding to the value of the variation type counter CS1 is selected from the read variation pattern selection table (S1208). After that, based on the selected miss variation pattern, a special symbol 2 variation pattern command is set (S1209), and this process is terminated.

Next, referring to FIG. 220, the second special symbol change stop process (S208), which is one process of the special symbol change process (FIG. 209, S104), will be described. FIG. 220 is a flowchart showing this second special symbol change stop process (S208).

In the second special symbol change stop process (S208), first, it is determined whether or not it is the end timing of the change based on the second special symbol that is being executed (S1301). In the process of S1301, if it is determined that it is the end timing of the change based on the second special symbol that is being executed (S1301: Yes), it is determined whether the jackpot flag 203m is set on for the second special symbol (special symbol 2) (S1303). If it is determined that the jackpot flag 203m is set on for the second special symbol (special symbol 1), a special symbol 1 change stop command is set (S1305), which indicates the stop of the change of special symbol 1, and the process proceeds to S1306.

Next, the processing from S1306 onwards differs from the processing from S705 onwards of the first special symbol change stop processing (Fig. 214, S205) described above in the following respects. The first special symbol is changed to the second special symbol in the processing of S1306 and S1312, which correspond to the processing of S705 and S711, and the special symbol 1 confirmation command is changed to the special symbol 2 confirmation command in the processing of S1311, which corresponds to the processing of S710. Since all other points are the same, detailed explanations will be omitted.

On the other hand, in the process of S1301, if it is determined that the timing for the variation based on the second special symbol being executed has not ended (S1301: No), the display of the second special symbol on the first symbol display device 37 is updated (S1302), and this process ends. Also, in the process of S1303, if the jackpot flag 203m for the second special symbol is set to off (S1303: No), special symbol 2 miss stop process is executed (S1304), and this process ends.

Next, referring to FIG. 221, the special symbol 2 miss stop processing (S1304), which is one process of the second special symbol variation stop processing (FIG. 220, S208), will be described. FIG. 221 is a flowchart showing this special symbol 2 miss stop processing (S1304).

In the special pattern 2 miss stop process (Fig. 221, S1304), first, it is determined whether the small win flag 203o is set to on (S1401). If it is determined that the small win flag 203o is set to on (S1401: Yes), a special pattern 1 change stop command indicating the stop of the change of the special pattern 1 is set (S1402). Next, the first special pattern of the first pattern display device 37 is displayed as a missed pattern (S1403).

When the processing of S1403 is completed, a small win scenario is set based on the selected small win type (S1404). After that, the small win flag 203o is set to OFF (S140), and the small win middle flag 203v is set to ON (S1406).

When the process of S1406 is completed, a special symbol 2 confirmation command is set to instruct the voice lamp control device 113 to stop confirming the second special symbol (S1407). After that, the second special symbol displayed on the first special symbol display device 37 is stopped changing to a small win symbol (S1408), and this process is terminated.

On the other hand, in the process of S1401, if it is determined that the small win flag 203o is off (i.e., the lottery result for the second special symbol is a miss) (S1401: No), a special symbol 2 confirmation command is set to instruct the voice lamp control device 113 to stop the confirmation of the second special symbol (S1409). After that, the second special symbol displayed in a variable manner on the first special symbol display device 37 is stopped changing at the miss symbol (S1410), and this process ends.

As described above, the control of the variable display of the first special symbol and the second special symbol is configured to be able to be executed independently and in parallel, so that the first special symbol and the second special symbol can be displayed in a variable manner at the same time. This allows a lottery game with more special symbols to be executed within a specified time, and increases the probability that the player will be awarded a jackpot within the specified time. This allows the player to play efficiently.

In this control example, when either the first or second special symbol is displayed as a stopped big win or small win, the other special symbol is forcibly stopped. However, the other special symbol may be temporarily stopped or displayed while the measurement of the change time is interrupted. In such a case, the temporarily stopped special symbol is stopped in a display or notification manner that lets the player know that it is temporarily stopped, so the player can know that the lottery game that was in the middle of changing display has not disappeared, and can play the big win game with peace of mind.

Next, referring to FIG. 222, the start winning process (S105), which is one process of the timer interrupt process (FIG. 208) executed by the MPU 201 in the main control device 110, will be described. FIG. 222 is a flowchart showing this start winning process (S105). The start winning process (FIG. 222, S105) is a process that determines whether a game ball has won in the first start port (first ball entry port) 64, and if a game ball has won, stores each acquired counter value in the first special pattern reserved ball storage area 203a up to the reserved upper limit number (maximum of 4 in the first start port 64). In addition, when each counter value acquired based on the reserved ball is stored in the first special pattern reserved ball storage area 203a, a process is executed to predict the hit/miss judgment result and the selected variation pattern in advance based on each counter value stored in the first special pattern reserved ball storage area 203a. The start winning process (FIG. 222, S105) will be described below.

In the start winning process (Fig. 222, S105), first, it is determined whether or not the ball has won (start winning) in the first start port 64, which is the first start port (S1101). Here, winning in the first ball entry port 64 is detected. When it is determined that the ball has won in the first start port 64 (there has been a start winning) (S1501: Yes), the value (N1) of the first special pattern reserved ball number counter 203d is acquired (S1502). It is determined whether the acquired value (N1) is less than 4 (S1503). This is to determine whether it is less than 4, which is the upper limit of the number of reserved balls for the first start port 64 (i.e., whether the number of reserved balls has not been stored up to the upper limit). When it is determined that the acquired value (N1) is less than 4 (S1503: Yes), 1 is added to the value (N1) of the first special pattern reserved ball number counter 203d (1504). A reserved ball number command is set to notify the voice lamp control device 113 of the reserved ball number (S1505). The various counter values, the first winning random number counter C1, the first winning type counter C2, and the variable type counter CS1, are read (obtained) from the counter buffer and are reserved (stored) in the corresponding reserved ball number storage area of the first special pattern reserved ball storage area 203a of the RAM 203 (S1506).

Next, based on the stored counter values, the result of the hit/miss judgment of the first special symbol, the type of hit to be determined, and the fluctuation pattern are predicted (S1507). Then, a winning information command including the predicted hit/miss judgment result of the first special symbol, the type of hit, and the fluctuation pattern is set (S1508), and this process ends.

In this way, in this control example, when a game ball enters the first starting hole (first ball entry hole) 64 and is newly stored in reserve, the result of the win/loss judgment is determined based on the stored information before the change begins and notified to the voice lamp control device 113. This makes it possible to change the display mode of the reserved ball (for example, change the color of the reserved ball to a color different from normal) based on the stored win/loss judgment result, or to display a preview pattern or the like before the change begins to give the player an idea of the win/loss judgment result.

Next, referring to FIG. 223, we will explain the normal symbol change processing (S106), which is one process of the timer interrupt processing executed by the MPU 201 in the main control unit 110. FIG. 223 is a flowchart showing this normal symbol change processing (S106). The normal symbol change processing (S106) is a process for controlling the change display of the second symbol performed in the second symbol display unit 88, the opening time of the electric role object 1640a, etc.

In this normal symbol variation process (Fig. 223, S106), it is first determined whether or not the normal symbol (second symbol) is currently winning (S1601). The normal symbol (second symbol) winning period includes the period from when a win is displayed on the second symbol display device (not shown) to when the opening and closing control of the electric roler 1640a is being performed. If it is determined that the normal symbol (second symbol) is winning (S1601: Yes), this process ends.

On the other hand, if it is determined that the normal pattern (second pattern) is not winning (S1601: No), it is determined whether the normal pattern on the second pattern display device is being displayed in a changing manner (S1602). If it is determined that the normal pattern (second pattern) is being displayed in a changing manner (S1602: Yes), it is determined whether the normal pattern changing time being executed on the second pattern display device has elapsed (S1618). Note that the changing time here is the time that is preset by the processing of S1617, which will be described later, before the changing display is started on the second pattern display device (not shown).

In the process of S1011, if the change time has not elapsed (S1618: No), this process is terminated. On the other hand, in the process of S1618, if it is determined that the change time of the normal pattern being displayed has elapsed (S1618: Yes), the stop display of the second pattern display device is set (S1619). In the process of S1619, if the lottery for the normal pattern is a win and the display mode is set by the process of S1613, the second pattern display device (not shown) is set to display a "○" pattern as a stop (lighting display) as the second pattern. On the other hand, if the lottery for the normal pattern is a loss and the display mode for the loss is set by the process of S1615, the second pattern display device (not shown) is set to display a "X" pattern as a stop (lighting display) as the second pattern. When the stop display is set by processing S1619, the variable display on the second pattern display device ends, and the stop pattern (second pattern) is displayed as a stop (illuminated) on the second pattern display device in the display mode set by processing S1613 and S1615.

Next, it is determined whether the current lottery result for the normal symbol is a win (S1620). If it is determined that the current lottery result for the normal symbol is a win (S1620: Yes), the opening and closing control of the electric role 1640a is set to start (S1621). On the other hand, if it is determined that the current lottery result for the normal symbol is a loss (S1620: No), this process ends.

On the other hand, if it is determined in the processing of S1602 that the normal pattern is not being displayed in a variable manner (S1602: No), the value of the normal pattern reserved ball count counter 203e (the number of times M that the variable display of the normal pattern is reserved) is obtained (S1603).

Next, it is determined whether the value (M) of the normal pattern reserved ball count counter 203e is greater than 0 (S1604), and if it is determined that the value (M) of the normal pattern reserved ball count counter 203e is 0 (S1604: No), this process is terminated. On the other hand, if it is determined that the value (M) of the normal pattern reserved ball count counter 203e is not 0 (S1604: Yes), the value (M) of the normal pattern reserved ball count counter 203e is decremented by 1 (S1605).

Next, the data stored in the normal symbol reserved ball storage area 203c is shifted (S1606). In the process of S1606, the data stored in the normal symbol reserved areas 1 to 4 of the normal symbol reserved ball storage area 203c is shifted to the execution area side in order. More specifically, the data in each area is shifted in the following order: normal symbol reserved area 1 → execution area, normal symbol reserved area 2 → normal symbol reserved area 1, normal symbol reserved area 3 → normal symbol reserved area 2, and normal symbol reserved area 4 → normal symbol reserved area 3. After the data is shifted, the value of the second winning random number counter C4 stored in the normal symbol reserved ball storage area 203c is obtained (S1607).

Next, it is determined whether the game state is in the time-saving state (S1608). More specifically, if the value of the time-saving counter 203g is 1 or more, it is determined that the game state is in the time-saving state. In the process of S1608, if it is determined that the game is not in the time-saving state (S1608: No), a hit/miss determination result is obtained based on the hit determination value of the normal symbol hit random number table for low probability (see FIG. 192 (c)) (S1611). On the other hand, in the process of S1608, if it is determined that the game is in the time-saving state (S1608: Yes), it is determined whether the first special symbol or the second special symbol is in the big win (S1609). In the process of S1609, if it is determined that the first special symbol or the second special symbol is in the big win (S1609: Yes), the process of S1611 is executed. On the other hand, if it is determined that the first or second special symbol is not a jackpot (S1609: No), a win/loss determination result is obtained based on the win determination value in the high probability normal symbol win random number table (see FIG. 192(c)) (S1610).

Next, it is determined whether the lottery result for the second symbol (normal symbol) is a winning combination (S1612), and if it is determined that the lottery result for the second symbol (normal symbol) is not a winning combination (i.e., a losing combination) (S1612: No), the display mode for a losing combination is set to "X" (S1615), and processing proceeds to S1616. On the other hand, if it is determined in processing S1612 that the lottery result for the second symbol (normal symbol) is a winning combination (i.e., a winning combination) (S1612: Yes), the display mode for a winning combination is set to "O" (S1613).

Then, the opening period of the electric role 1640a is set to 1 second, and the number of times it is opened is set to 2 (S1614). Then, in the process of S1616, which is executed after the process of S1614 or S1615 is executed, the normal map fluctuation pattern table 202g (see FIG. 197) is read (S1616), and the fluctuation time corresponding to the value of the normal map fluctuation type counter CS2 is set from the read normal map fluctuation pattern table 202g (S1617), and this process is terminated.

Next, the through gate passing process (S107) executed by the MPU 201 in the main control device 110 will be described with reference to the flowchart in FIG. 224. FIG. 224 is a flowchart showing this through gate passing process (S107). This through gate passing process (S107) is executed within the timer interrupt process (see FIG. 208) and is a process for determining whether or not a gaming ball has passed through the normal ball entrance (through gate) 67, and, if a gaming ball has passed through, acquiring and reserving the value indicated by the second winning random number counter C4.

In the through gate passing process (FIG. 224, S107), first, it is determined whether the gaming ball has passed through the normal ball entrance (through gate) 67 (S1701). Here, the passage of the gaming ball through the normal ball entrance (through gate) 67 is detected over three timer interrupt processes. Then, when it is determined that the gaming ball has passed through the normal ball entrance (through gate) 67 (S1701: Yes), the value of the normal pattern reserved ball number counter 203e (the number of reserved normal pattern variable display M) is obtained (S1702). Then, it is determined whether the value (M) of the normal pattern reserved ball number counter 203e is less than the upper limit value (4 in this control example) (S1703).

If the game ball has not passed through the normal ball entrance (through gate) 67 (S1701: No), or if the game ball has passed through the normal ball entrance (through gate) 67 but the value (M) of the normal pattern reserved ball counter 203e is not less than 4 (S1703: No), this process ends. On the other hand, if the game ball has passed through the normal ball entrance (through gate) 67 (S1701: Yes) and the value (M) of the normal pattern reserved ball counter 203e is less than 4 (S1703: Yes), the value (M) of the normal pattern reserved ball counter 203e is incremented by 1 (S1704).

When the processing of S1704 is completed, the value of the second winning random number counter C4 updated in S103 of the timer interrupt processing (see FIG. 208) described above is stored in the first of the free reserved areas (reserved area 1 to reserved area 4) of the normal symbol reserved ball storage area 203c in RAM 203 (S1705), and this processing ends. Note that in the processing of S1705, the value of the normal symbol reserved ball counter 203e is referenced, and if the value is 1, the reserved area 1 is set as the first area. Similarly, if the value is 1, the reserved area 2 is set as the first area, if the value is 2, the reserved area 3 is set as the first area, and if the value is 3, the reserved area 4 is set as the first area.

Details will be given later, but in this control example, the lottery based on the second special symbol is set to be more advantageous to the player than the lottery based on the first special symbol. Therefore, the state in which a ball can enter the second ball entrance 1640, which is provided by the lottery result of the normal symbol (second symbol) being a winning one, is a more advantageous game state than the normal game state.

By showing the timing at which such a game state is provided based on the pre-determination result of the normal map, the player can play without missing a game state that is more advantageous than the normal game state. In addition, when using such a pre-determination result of the normal map to perform a performance, it is good to perform not only a performance based on the result of the normal map's hit/miss determination, but also a performance that suggests the timing at which the electric role 1640a will be opened when the normal map is determined to be a hit. By doing this, even if the normal game state is a game aimed at the game area on the left side of the game board 13, and the second ball entrance 1640 (the ball entrance accompanied by the electric role 1640a) is arranged on the right side of the game board 13, it is possible to switch to a game aimed at the right side of the game board 13 (so-called right hit) before the electric role 1640a performs the opening operation, and there is an effect that the possibility of the ball entering the second ball entrance 1640 can be increased even in the normal game state.

Figure 225 is a flowchart showing the NMI interrupt process executed by the MPU 201 in the main control unit 110. The NMI interrupt process is executed by the MPU 201 in the main control unit 110 when the power to the pachinko machine 10 is cut off due to a power outage or the like. This NMI interrupt process stores information about the power outage in the RAM 203. That is, when the power to the pachinko machine 10 is cut off due to a power outage or the like, a power outage signal SG1 is output from the power outage monitoring circuit 252 to the NMI terminal of the MPU 201 in the main control unit 110. The MPU 201 then interrupts the control being executed and starts the NMI interrupt process, stores the information about the power outage in the RAM 203 as the setting of the power outage information (S1801), and ends the NMI interrupt process.

The above-mentioned NMI interrupt processing is also executed in the payout control device 111, and this NMI interrupt processing causes information about the occurrence of a power outage to be stored in the RAM 213. In other words, when the power supply to the pachinko machine 10 is cut off due to a power outage or the like, a power outage signal SG1 is output from the power outage monitoring circuit 252 to the NMI terminal of the MPU 211 in the payout control device 111, and the MPU 211 interrupts the control currently being executed and starts the NMI interrupt processing.

Next, referring to FIG. 226, the start-up process executed by the MPU 201 in the main control unit 110 when the power is turned on to the main control unit 110 will be described. FIG. 226 is a flowchart showing this start-up process.

This startup process is initiated by a reset when the power is turned on. In the startup process (Fig. 226), first, the initial setting process associated with power-on is executed (S1901). For example, a predetermined value is set in the stack pointer. Next, a wait process (1 second in this control example) is executed to wait for the sub-side control devices (peripheral control devices such as the voice lamp control device 113 and the dispensing control device 111) to become operable (S1902). Then, access to the RAM 203 is permitted (S1903).

Then, it is determined whether or not the RAM erase switch (Fig. 3132) provided on the power supply device 115 is turned on (S1904), and if it is turned on (S1904: Yes), the process proceeds to S1910. On the other hand, if the RAM erase switch (Fig. 3132) is not turned on (S1904: No), it is further determined whether or not information on the occurrence of a power outage is stored in the RAM 203 (S1905), and if it is not stored (S1905: No), there is a possibility that the process at the time of the previous power outage did not end normally, so in this case too, the process proceeds to S1910.

If information about the occurrence of a power outage is stored in RAM 203 (S1905: Yes), a RAM judgment value is calculated (S1906). If the calculated RAM judgment value is not normal (S1907: No), that is, if the calculated RAM judgment value does not match the RAM judgment value saved at the time of power outage, the backed up data has been destroyed, and in such a case, the process also proceeds to S1910. Note that the RAM judgment value is, for example, a checksum value at the working area address of RAM 203. Instead of this RAM judgment value, the validity of the backup may be determined based on whether or not a keyword written in a specified area of RAM 203 is saved correctly.

In the process of S1910, a payout initialization command is sent to initialize the payout control device 111, which is the sub-side control device (peripheral control device) (S1910). When the payout control device 111 receives this payout initialization command, it clears the areas (working areas) other than the stack area of the RAM 213, sets initial values, and becomes ready to start controlling the payout of game balls. After sending the payout initialization command, the main control device 110 executes the initialization process of the RAM 203 (S1911, S1912).

As described above, in this pachinko machine 10, when the power is turned on to initialize the RAM data, for example when the hall opens for business, the power is turned on while pressing the RAM erase switch (Fig. 3132). Therefore, if the RAM erase switch (Fig. 3132) is pressed when the start-up process is executed, the initialization process of RAM 203 (S1911, S1912) is executed.

Similarly, if power failure occurrence information is not set or if a backup abnormality is confirmed by the RAM judgment value (checksum value, etc.), RAM 203 initialization processing (S1911, S1912) is executed. In the RAM initialization processing (S1911, S1912), the used area of RAM 203 is cleared to 0 (S1911), and then the initial value of RAM 203 is set (S1912). After execution of RAM 203 initialization processing, the process proceeds to S1913.

On the other hand, if the RAM clear switch (Fig. 3132) is not turned on (S1904: No), power outage information is stored (S1905: Yes), and the RAM judgment value (checksum value, etc.) is normal (S1907: Yes), the power outage information is cleared (S1908) while retaining the data backed up in RAM 203. Next, a payout return command upon power recovery is sent to return the sub-side control device (peripheral control device) to the game state when the drive power was cut off (S1909), and the process proceeds to S1910. When the payout control device 111 receives this payout return command, it becomes capable of starting payout control of game balls while retaining the data stored in RAM 213.

Next, a performance permission command that allows various performances to be executed is output to the audio lamp control device 113 (S1913). After that, the values of the probability change counter 203k and the time reduction counter 203g are read (S1914), and a state command is set based on the read counter values (S1915). When the processing of S1915 is completed, an interrupt is permitted (S1916), and the process proceeds to the main processing described below.

Next, referring to FIG. 227, the main processing (S2000) executed by the MPU 201 in the main control device 110 after the above-mentioned startup processing will be described. FIG. 227 is a flowchart showing this main processing (S2000). This main processing (S2000) is roughly divided into counter update processing and power-off processing.

In the main processing (Fig. 227, S2000), first, during the timer interrupt processing (see Fig. 208), external output processing is executed (S2001) to transmit output data such as commands stored in a ring buffer for command transmission provided in RAM 223 to each control device (peripheral control device) on the sub side.

Next, the value of the fluctuation type counter CS1 is updated (S2002). Specifically, the fluctuation type counter CS1 is incremented by 1, and when the counter value reaches its maximum value (198 in this control example), it is cleared to 0. The updated value of the fluctuation type counter CS1 is then stored in the counter buffer of RAM 203.

When the updating of the variable type counter CS1 is completed, the prize ball count signal and payout abnormality signal received from the payout control device 111 are read (S2003). The big win control process is executed (S2004). The details of this big win control process (S2004) will be described later with reference to FIG. 228, but a process is executed to set the operation of the variable winning device 65 in the big win game.

After the big win game process (S2004) is executed, the small win control process (S2005) is executed. This small win control process will be described later with reference to FIG. 232. Then, the electric role opening/closing process is executed (S2006). In this electric role opening/closing process (S2006), the opening/closing process of the electric role 1640a is executed. Then, the display control process of the first pattern display device 37 is executed (S2007).

Next, the display control process for the second symbol (for example, a "circle" or "x" symbol) is executed by the second symbol display device 83 (S2008). In simple terms, on the condition that the ball has passed through the normal ball entrance (through gate) 67, the value of the second winning random number counter C4 is acquired at the time of passing through, and the second symbol (normal symbol) is displayed variably on the second symbol display device 83. Then, a lottery for the second symbol (normal symbol) is carried out based on the value of the second winning random number counter C4, and when the second symbol (normal symbol) is in a winning state, the electric role device 1640a is opened for a predetermined time.

Then, it is determined whether or not information on the occurrence of a power outage is stored in RAM 203 (S2009). If information on the occurrence of a power outage is not stored in RAM 203 (S2009: No), the power outage signal SG1 is not output from the power outage monitoring circuit 252, and the power supply is not interrupted. In such a case, it is determined whether or not the timing for executing the next main process has arrived, that is, whether or not a predetermined time (4 ms in this control example) has passed since the start of the previous main process (S2010). If the predetermined time (4 ms) has already passed (S2010: Yes), the process proceeds to S2001, and each process from S2001 onwards described above is repeatedly executed.

On the other hand, if the specified time has not yet elapsed since the start of the current main process (S2010: No), the first initial value random number counter CINI1, the second initial value random number counter CINI2, and the fluctuation type counter CS1 are repeatedly updated until the specified time is reached, i.e., within the remaining time until the execution timing of the next main process (S2011).

First, the first initial value random number counter CINI1 and the second initial value random number counter CINI2 are updated (S2011). Specifically, the first initial value random number counter CINI1 and the second initial value random number counter CINI2 are incremented by 1, and when the counter values reach their maximum values (479 and 232 in this control example), they are cleared to 0. The updated values of the first initial value random number counter CINI1 and the second initial value random number counter CINI2 are then stored in the counter buffers of RAM 203, respectively. Next, the fluctuation type counter CS1 is updated using the same method as the processing of S2002 (S2012).

Here, the execution time of each process from S2001 to S2008 changes depending on the game state, so the remaining time until the next main process is executed is not constant but is displayed as a variable. Therefore, by repeatedly updating the first initial value random number counter CINI1 and the second initial value random number counter CINI2 using this remaining time, the first initial value random number counter CINI1 and the second initial value random number counter CINI2 (i.e., the initial value of the first hit random number counter C1 and the initial value of the second hit random number counter C4) can be randomly updated, and similarly, the variation type counter CS1 can also be randomly updated.

In addition, if the power interruption information is stored in the RAM 203 in the process of S2009 (S2009: Yes), the power is interrupted due to a power outage or power off, and the power outage monitoring circuit 252 outputs the power outage signal SG1, which means that the NMI interruption process in FIG. 225 is executed, so the process at the time of power interruption from S2013 onwards is executed. First, the occurrence of each interruption process is prohibited (S2013), and a power off command indicating that the power has been interrupted is sent to other control devices (peripheral control devices such as the dispensing control device 111 and the voice lamp control device 113) (S2014). Then, a RAM judgment value is calculated and the value is saved (S2015), and access to the RAM 203 is prohibited (S2016), and an infinite loop is continued until the power is completely cut off and the process cannot be executed. Here, the RAM judgment value is, for example, a checksum value in the stack area and working area backed up in the RAM 203.

The processing of S2009 is executed at the end of a series of processing corresponding to the change in the game state performed in S2001 to S2008, or at the end of one cycle of the processing of S2011 and S2012 performed within the remaining time. Therefore, in the main processing of the main control unit 110, the power interruption occurrence information is confirmed at the timing when each setting is completed, so when returning from the power interruption state, the processing can be started from the processing of S2001 after the start-up processing is completed. That is, the processing can be started from the processing of S2001, just as in the case of initialization in the start-up processing. Therefore, in the processing at the time of power interruption, even if the contents of each register used by the MPU 201 are not saved to the stack area or the value of the stack pointer is not saved, the stack pointer is set to a predetermined value (initial value) in the initial setting processing (FIG. 226, S1901), so that the processing of S2001 can be started. Therefore, the control burden on the main control unit 110 can be reduced, and accurate control can be performed without the main control unit 110 malfunctioning or running out of control.

Next, the jackpot control process (S2004) executed by the MPU 201 in the main control device 110 will be described with reference to the flowchart in FIG. 228. FIG. 228 is a flowchart showing this jackpot control process (S2004). This jackpot control process (S2004) is executed during the main interrupt process (see FIG. 227), and is a process for executing various effects according to the jackpot and opening or closing the specific winning port (large opening port) 65a when the pachinko machine 10 is in a jackpot state with a special symbol.

In the jackpot control process (FIG. 228, S2004), it is first determined whether a jackpot scenario is set (S2101). If it is determined that a jackpot scenario is not set (S2101: No), this process ends. On the other hand, if it is determined in the process of S2101 that a jackpot scenario is set (S2101: Yes), the jackpot scenario is updated (S2102), and it is determined whether it is time to start the opening of the jackpot scenario (S2103). More specifically, in the process of S2102, 1 is added to the counter value of a jackpot scenario counter (not shown), and in the process of S2103, it is determined whether the counter value of the jackpot scenario counter (not shown) is a value that corresponds to the start of the opening of the jackpot scenario.

If it is determined in the process of S2103 that it is time to start the opening of the jackpot scenario (S2103: Yes), a jackpot opening command is set (S2104) and this process ends. On the other hand, if it is determined that it is not time to start the opening of the jackpot scenario (S2103: No), it is then determined whether it is time to start a new round of the jackpot scenario (S2105).

If it is determined in the process of S2105 that it is time to start a new round of the jackpot scenario (S2105: Yes), the jackpot operation setting process is executed (S2106) and this process ends. Details of this jackpot operation setting process (S2106) will be described later with reference to FIG. 229.

On the other hand, if it is determined in the process of S2105 that it is not the start timing of a new round of the jackpot scenario (S2105: No), then it is determined whether the round end condition of the currently executed round has been met (S2107). Here, in this control example, if a total of a predetermined number of balls (e.g., 5 balls) enter while the specific winning hole 65a is open, or if the opening period of the specific winning hole 65a has elapsed for a predetermined time, it is determined that the round end condition has been met. If it is determined that the round end condition of the specific winning hole 65a has been met (S2107: Yes), the specific winning hole 65a is set to be closed in the process of S2108 (the solenoid is set to off so that the opening and closing plate 65f1 of the first specific winning hole 65a is in a closed state), and this process is terminated. Note that the above-mentioned determination process from S2105 to S2107 is repeatedly executed for the number of jackpot rounds set in the jackpot scenario.

On the other hand, if it is determined in the process of S2107 that the round end condition of the currently executed round has not been met (S2107: No), it is determined whether it is the timing to start the ending performance (S2109), and if it is the timing to start the ending performance (S2109: Yes), an ending command for the big win is set (S2110), and this process ends. The ending command set here is stored in a ring buffer for command transmission provided in RAM 203, and is transmitted to the voice lamp control device 113 during the external output process (S2001) of the main process (see FIG. 227) executed by MPU 201. When the voice lamp control device 113 receives the ending command, it transmits a display ending command to the display control device 114. When the display control device 114 receives the display ending command, an ending performance indicating the end of the big win is started in the third pattern display device 81.

On the other hand, if it is determined in the process of S2109 that it is not the timing to start the ending presentation (S2109: No), it is determined whether it is the timing to end the jackpot (S2111). Here, the timing to end the jackpot refers to when the execution period of the ending presentation has elapsed. If it is determined in the process of S2111 that it is the timing to end the jackpot (S2111: Yes), a jackpot end process is executed to set the game state after the jackpot ends (S2112), and this process ends. Details of this jackpot end process (S2112) will be described later with reference to FIG. 230.

On the other hand, if it is not time for the big win to end (S2111: No), the first prize process is executed (S2113) and the process ends. Details of this first prize process (S2113) will be described later with reference to FIG. 231.

Next, referring to FIG. 229, the jackpot operation setting process (S2106), which is one process in the jackpot control process (FIG. 228, S2004), will be described. FIG. 229 is a flowchart showing the contents of this jackpot operation setting process (S2106). In the jackpot operation setting process (FIG. 229, S2106), first, an opening scenario in which an opening operation corresponding to the number of rounds of the jackpot to be started is read (S2201). The opening operation of the flow path solenoid (probable change solenoid) 65k (see FIG. 179) is set based on the data read in S2201 (S2202). After that, the opening operation of the specific winning port 65a (the opening and closing plate 65f1 (see FIG. 179) associated with it) is set based on the data read in the process of S2201 (S2203), and this process ends.

In this way, each operation of the variable winning device 65 is set at the start of each round, so even if an unexpected power outage occurs during a jackpot game, it is possible to prevent a malfunction such as the jackpot game ending midway.

In this control example, in the case of a small win game, the operation of the special rate solenoid 65k is not set, and only the opening operation of the opening/closing plate 65f1 is set. A small win consists of two rounds, and in each round, the opening/closing plate 65f1 is opened for one second.

Next, referring to FIG. 230, we will explain the jackpot end process (S2112), which is one process within the jackpot control process (FIG. 228, S2004) executed by the MPU 201 of the main control device 110. As described above, this jackpot end process (S2112) is a process for setting the game state after the end of a jackpot. FIG. 230 is a flowchart showing the contents of this jackpot end process (S2112).

In the jackpot end process (Fig. 230, S2112), first, the game state at the time of winning is identified based on the winning state storage area 203n (S2301). Next, it is determined whether the game state at the time of winning was not a potential state (S2302). In the process of S2302, if it is determined that the game state at the time of winning was not a potential state (S2302: No), it is determined whether the V winning flag 203f is on (S2303). In the process of S2303, if it is determined that the V winning flag 203f is on (S2303: Yes), this means that the ball passed through the V passing switch 65e3 during this jackpot, so the value of the probability change counter 203k is set to 120 (S2304).

Next, it is determined whether the current jackpot type is jackpot B to D (S2305). If it is not jackpot B to D (S2305: No), the value of the time-saving counter 203g is set to 120 (S2306), and the process proceeds to S2307.

On the other hand, if it is determined in the process of S2302 that the game state at the time of winning is a potential state (S2302: Yes), or if it is determined in the process of S2303 that the V winning flag 203f is off (i.e., not on) (S2303: No), or if it is not a jackpot B to D in the process of S2305 (S2305: No), the process proceeds to S307. As a result, if the game state at the time of winning is not a potential state, and if the game ball does not pass through the V passing switch 65e3 during the jackpot, the game state after the jackpot is set to a normal state. Also, if the game ball passes through the V passing switch 65e3 and the winning type is a jackpot B to D, a 120-time probability state is set after the jackpot. On the other hand, if the game ball passes through the V passing switch 65e3 and the winning type is a jackpot A, a 120-time probability state and a 100-time time-saving state are set after the jackpot.

In the process of S2307, the jackpot flag 203u and the V prize flag 203f are both set to OFF, and the winning status storage area 203n is cleared (S2207). After that, a status command corresponding to the set game status is set (S2308), and this process ends.

In this way, in this control example, at the end of the jackpot game, it is determined whether the probability change setting flag 203h is on, and if it is on, the probability change flag 203g is set to on. Therefore, at the end of the jackpot game, it is possible to determine whether the game ball has passed through the V-passing switch 65e3 and set a high probability game state. Therefore, until the jackpot game ends, the player can continue to expect a transition to a high probability game state (latent probability change game state ST2 or probability change game state ST3). Furthermore, if the game ball can be made to pass through the V-passing switch 65e3 during the jackpot game, the high probability game state (latent probability change game state ST2 or probability change game state ST3) is granted after the jackpot game, so the player can play while being interested in whether the game ball will pass through the V-passing switch 65e3 even during the jackpot game.

Next, referring to FIG. 231, the details of the first winning process (S2113) executed by the MPU 201 in the main control device 110 will be described. FIG. 49 is a flowchart showing this first winning process (S2113). This first winning process (S2113) is executed within the big win control process (see FIG. 228), and as described above, is a process for carrying out control in response to a winning at the specific winning port (large opening) 65a.

In this first winning process (Fig. 231, S2113), it is first determined whether the current time is the valid round period (S2401). Here, the valid round period is the period during which a round of play is set, that is, the period from when the specific winning port (large open port) 65a is set to an open state until the interval period (5 seconds) ends. In the process of S2401, if the current time is not the valid round period (S2401: No), the winning counter 203h is reset (S2402), and the process is then terminated.

On the other hand, if it is determined in the process of S2401 that the current round valid period is in progress (S2401: Yes), it is then determined whether a win has been detected in the specific winning opening (large opening) 65a (S2403), and if a win has not been detected in the specific winning opening (large opening) 65a (S2403: No), the process ends.

On the other hand, if a win is detected at the specific winning opening (large opening) 65a in the process of S2403 (S2403: Yes), the value of the winning counter 203h is updated by adding 1 (S2404). Then, it is determined whether the value of the winning counter 203h is equal to or greater than the upper limit (5 in this control example) (S2405), and if the value of the winning counter 203h is equal to or less than the upper limit (5 in this control example) (S2405: No), this process ends.

On the other hand, if the value of the winning counter 203h is equal to or greater than the upper limit (5 in this control example) (S2405: Yes), the specific winning port (large open port) 65a (and the associated opening/closing plate 65f1) are set to be closed (S2406). Next, the big win scenario is updated to the end of the round (S2407), and it is determined whether the V winning flag 203f is on (S2408). If the V winning flag 203f is on (S2408: Yes), this process is terminated.

On the other hand, if the V winning flag 203f is off (i.e., not on) (S2408: No), it is determined whether the V passing switch 65e3 is on (S2409). In the process of S2409, if the V passing switch 65e3 is off (i.e., not on) (S2409: No), this process ends.

In the process of S2409, if the V pass switch 65e3 is on (S2409: Yes), the V winning flag is set to on. Then, the V winning command is set, and this process ends.

Next, referring to FIG. 232, we will explain the small win control process (S2005), which is one process within the main process (see FIG. 227) executed by the MPU 201 of the main control device 110. FIG. 227 is a flowchart showing the contents of this small win control process (S2005).

In the small win control process (Fig. 232, S2005), first, it is determined whether a small win scenario is set (S2501). Specifically, the process of S1404 of the special chart 2 miss stop process (see Fig. 221) is executed to determine whether a small win scenario is set. In the process of S2501, if a small win scenario is not set (S2501: No), this process is terminated.

On the other hand, if a small win scenario is set in the process of S2501 (S2501: Yes), the small win scenario is updated (S2502), and it is determined whether it is time to start the opening of the small win scenario (S2503). More specifically, in the process of S2502, 1 is added to the counter value of a small win scenario counter (not shown), and in the process of S2503, it is determined whether the counter value of the small win scenario counter (not shown) is a value that corresponds to the start of the opening of the small win scenario.

If it is determined in the process of S2503 that it is time to start the opening of the small win scenario (S2503: Yes), the opening command for the small win is set (S2504) and this process ends. On the other hand, if it is determined that it is not time to start the opening of the small win scenario (S2503: No), it is then determined whether it is time to start a round of the small win scenario (S2505).

If it is determined in the process of S2505 that it is the timing to start the round of the small win scenario (S2505: Yes), the small win operation setting process is executed (S2506) and this process ends. Details of the small win operation setting process (S2506) will be described later with reference to FIG. 233. On the other hand, if it is determined that it is not the timing to start the round of the small win scenario (S2505: No), then it is determined whether the round end condition of the currently executed round has been met (S2507). Here, in this control example, if a predetermined number of balls (e.g., 5 balls) have entered in total while the specific winning hole 65a is open, or if the opening period of the specific winning hole 65a has elapsed for a predetermined time, it is determined that the round end condition has been met.

If it is determined in the process of S2507 that the round end condition for the currently executed round has been met (S2507: Yes), the specific winning opening 65a is set to be closed in the process of S2108 (the solenoid is set to off so that the opening and closing plate 65f1 of the first specific winning opening 65a is in the closed state), and this process ends. On the other hand, if it is determined that the round end condition for the specific winning opening 65a has not been met (S2507: No), it is determined whether it is time to start the ending performance (S2509).

If it is determined in the processing of S2509 that it is time to start the ending performance (S2509: Yes), an ending command for a small win is set (S2510) and this processing ends. The ending command set here is stored in a ring buffer for sending commands provided in RAM 203, and is sent to the voice lamp control device 113 during the external output processing (S2001) of the main processing (see FIG. 227) executed by MPU 201. When the voice lamp control device 113 receives the ending command, it sends a display ending command to the display control device 114. When the display control device 114 receives the display ending command, an ending performance indicating the end of the big win is started in the third pattern display device 81.

On the other hand, if it is determined in the process of S2509 that it is not the start timing of the ending performance (S2509: No), it is determined whether it is the end timing of the small win (S2511). Here, the end timing of the small win refers to when the execution period of the ending performance has elapsed.

If it is determined in the process of S2511 that it is the end timing of the small win (S2511: Yes), the small win in progress flag 203v is set to OFF (S2512) and this process ends. On the other hand, if it is not the end timing of the small win (S2511: No), the second winning process is executed (S2513) and this process ends. Details of this second winning process (S2513) will be described later with reference to FIG. 234.

Next, referring to FIG. 233, the small win operation setting process (S2506), which is one process within the small win control process (FIG. 232, S2005), will be described. FIG. 233 is a flowchart showing the contents of this small win operation setting process (S2506). In the small win operation setting process (FIG. 233, S2506), first, an opening scenario in which an opening operation corresponding to the number of rounds of the small win to be started is read (S2601). The opening operation of the specific winning port 65a (the opening/closing plate 65f1 associated with it (see FIG. 179)) is set according to the data read in the process of S2601 (S2602), and this process ends.

In this way, each operation of the variable winning device 65 is set at the start of each round, so even if an unexpected power outage occurs during a jackpot game, it is possible to prevent a malfunction such as the jackpot game ending midway.

Next, referring to FIG. 234, the second winning process (S2513) executed by the MPU 201 in the main control device 110 will be described in detail. FIG. 234 is a flowchart showing this second winning process (S2513). This second winning process (S2513) is executed within the small win control process (see FIG. 232), and as described above, is a process for carrying out control in response to a win at a specific winning port 65a.

In this second winning process (Fig. 234, S2513), first, it is determined whether or not the current time is the valid round period (S2701). Here, the valid round period is the period during which a round of play is set, that is, the period from when the specific winning port 65a is set to an open state until the interval period (5 seconds) ends. In the process of S2401, if the current time is not the valid round period (S2701: No), the winning counter 203h is reset (S2702), and the process is then terminated.

On the other hand, if it is determined in the process of S2701 that the current time is the valid period for the round (S2701: Yes), it is then determined whether a win has been detected in the specific winning port 65a (S2703), and if a win has not been detected in the specific winning port 65a (S2703: No), this process is terminated.

On the other hand, if a win at a specific winning port 65a is detected in the process of S2703 (S2703: Yes), the value of the winning counter 203h is updated by adding 1 (S2704). Then, it is determined whether the value of the winning counter 203h is equal to or greater than the upper limit (5 in this control example) (S2705), and if the value of the winning counter 203h is equal to or less than the upper limit (5 in this control example) (S2705: No), this process ends.

On the other hand, if the value of the winning counter 203h is equal to or greater than the upper limit (5 in this control example) (S2705: Yes), the specific winning port 65a (the opening/closing plate 65f1 associated with it) is set to be closed (S2706). Next, the small winning scenario is updated to the end of the round (S2707), and this process ends.

<Regarding the control process of the voice lamp control device in the first control example>
Next, referring to Fig. 235 to Fig. 243, each control process executed by the MPU 221 in the voice lamp control device 113 will be described. The process of the MPU 221 is roughly divided into a start-up process that is started when the power is turned on, and a main process that is executed after the start-up process.

First, referring to FIG. 235, the start-up process executed by the MPU 221 in the voice lamp control device 113 will be described. FIG. 235 is a flowchart showing this start-up process. This start-up process is started when the power is turned on.

When the startup process is executed, first, the initial setting process associated with power-on is executed (S4001). Specifically, a predetermined value is set in the stack pointer. Then, depending on whether the power-off processing in progress flag is on, it is determined whether the current startup process was started during the execution of the power-off processing of S4116 (see FIG. 236) due to a momentary voltage drop (momentary power outage, so-called "instantaneous power outage") (S4002). As will be described later with reference to FIG. 236, when the voice lamp control device 113 receives information on the occurrence of a power outage from the main control device 110 (see FIG. 236, S4113), it executes the power-off processing of S4116. Before the execution of such a power-off processing, the power-off processing in progress flag is turned on, and after the power-off processing is completed, the power-off processing in progress flag is turned off. Therefore, whether the power-off processing of S4116 is in the middle of execution can be determined by the state of the power-off processing in progress flag.

If the power-off processing in progress flag is off (S4002: No), the current startup process was started after the power was completely cut off, or after a momentary power outage occurred and the power-off processing of S4116 was completed, or the process was started after only the MPU 221 of the voice lamp control device 113 was reset due to noise or the like (without receiving a power-off command from the main control device 110). Therefore, in these cases, it is checked whether the data in the RAM 223 has been corrupted (S4003).

The confirmation of data corruption in RAM 223 is performed as follows. That is, data as the keyword "55AAh" is written in a specific area of RAM 223 by the processing of S4006. Therefore, by checking the data stored in that specific area, if the data is "55AAh", there is no data corruption in RAM 223, and conversely, if the data is not "55AAh", data corruption in RAM 223 can be confirmed. If data corruption in RAM 223 is confirmed (S4003: Yes), the process proceeds to S2004, and initialization of RAM 223 begins. On the other hand, if data corruption in RAM 223 is not confirmed (S4003: No), the process proceeds to S4008.

If the current startup process is started after the power supply is completely cut off, the keyword "55AAh" is not stored in the specific area of RAM 223 (because the memory of RAM 223 is lost when the power supply is cut off), so it is determined that the data in RAM 223 has been destroyed (S4003: Yes) and the process proceeds to S4004. On the other hand, if the current startup process is started after a momentary power outage occurs and the power cut process of S4116 is completed, or if the startup process is started after only the MPU 221 of the voice lamp control device 113 is reset due to noise or the like, the keyword "55AAh" is stored in the specific area of RAM 223, so the data in RAM 223 is determined to be normal (S4003: No) and the process proceeds to S4008.

If the power-off processing in progress flag is on (S4002: Yes), this startup process was started after a momentary power outage occurred, and the MPU 221 of the voice lamp control device 113 was reset while the power-off processing of S4116 was in progress. In this case, the storage state of the RAM 223 is not necessarily correct, since the power-off processing is in progress. Therefore, in this case, control cannot continue, so the process proceeds to S4004 and initialization of the RAM 223 begins.

In the process of S4004, the entire storage area of RAM 223 is checked (S4004). The check method is to first write "0FFh" to each byte, then read each byte to check whether it is "0FFh", and if it is "0FFh", it is determined to be normal. This writing and checking for each byte is performed in the order of "0FFh", then "55h", "0AAh", and "00h". This read/write check of RAM 223 clears all storage areas of RAM 223 to 0.

If the read/write check is determined to be normal for all memory areas of the RAM 223 (S4005: Yes), the keyword "55AAh" is written in a specific area of the RAM 223 to set RAM destruction check data (S4006). By checking the keyword "55AAh" written in this specific area, it is checked whether data destruction has occurred in the RAM 223. On the other hand, if an abnormality in the read/write check is detected in any memory area of the RAM 223 (S4005: No), the abnormality in the RAM 223 is notified (S4007) and an infinite loop is performed until the power is cut off. The abnormality in the RAM 223 is notified by the display lamp 34. Note that the abnormality in the RAM 223 may be notified by outputting a sound from the audio output device 226, or an error command may be sent to the display control device 114 to display an error message on the third pattern display device 81.

In the process of S4008, it is determined whether the power-off flag is on (S4008). The power-off flag is turned on when the power-off process of S4116 is executed (see FIG. 236, S4115). In other words, the power-off flag is turned on before the power-off process of S4116 is executed, so the process of S4008 is reached with the power-off flag on if the current startup process is started after a momentary power outage occurs and the execution of the power-off process of S4116 is completed. Therefore, in such a case (S4008: Yes), the working area of the RAM is cleared (S4009) to initialize each process of the voice lamp control device 113, and after setting the initial value of the RAM 223 (S4010), the status setting area is updated based on the status command (S4011). Next, interrupt permission is set (S4011), and the process proceeds to the main process. Note that the working area of the RAM 223 refers to an area other than the area for storing commands received from the main control device 110.

On the other hand, when the power-off flag is off and S4008 is reached, the process goes from S4004 to S4006 and reaches S4008 because the current startup process was started after the power was completely cut off, or the process was started because only the MPU 221 of the voice lamp control device 113 was reset due to noise or the like (without receiving a power-off command from the main control device 110). Therefore, in such a case (S4008: No), S4009, which is the process of clearing the working area of RAM 223, is skipped, and the process proceeds to S4010, where the initial value of RAM 223 is set (S4010).

The reason for skipping the clearing process of S4009 is that when the process proceeds from S4004 to S4006 and then to S4008, all storage areas of RAM 223 have already been cleared by the process of S4004, and when only MPU 221 of voice lamp control device 113 is reset due to noise or the like and start-up processing is initiated, control of voice lamp control device 113 can be continued by storing the data in the working area of RAM 223 without clearing it.

Next, referring to FIG. 236, the main processing executed by the MPU 221 in the voice lamp control device 113 after the start-up processing of the voice lamp control device 113 will be described. FIG. 236 is a flowchart showing this main processing. When the main processing is executed, first, it is determined whether or not 1 millisecond or more has passed since the start of the main processing or since the processing of S4101 was executed last time (S4101). If 1 millisecond or more has not passed (S4101: No), the processing of S4102 to S4110 is not performed and the processing proceeds to S4111. The reason for determining whether or not 1 millisecond has passed in the processing of S4101 is that, while S4102 to S4110 are processing related to display (performance) and do not need to be edited in a short cycle (within 1 millisecond), it is preferable to execute the command determination processing of S4111 and the variable display setting processing of S4112 in a short cycle. By executing the processing of S4111 at short intervals, it is possible to prevent commands sent from the main control unit 110 from being missed, and by executing the processing of S4111 at short intervals, it is possible to set up the variable display performance without delay based on the commands received by the command determination processing.

If 1 millisecond or more has elapsed in the processing of S4101 (S4101: Yes), first, various commands for the display control device 114 set by the processing of S4103 to S4112 are sent to the display control device 114 (S4102). Next, the lighting mode of the display lamp 34 is set and the output of each lamp is set to the lighting mode of the lamp edited in the processing of S4108 described later (S4103), and then the power-on notification processing is executed (S4104). The power-on notification processing is a processing for notifying that the power has been turned on for a predetermined time (for example, 30 seconds) when the power is turned on, and the notification is performed by the audio output device 226 or the lamp display device 227. In addition, a command may be sent to the display control device 114 to notify that power has been supplied on the screen of the third pattern display device 81. Note that if the power is not turned on, the notification by the power-on notification processing is not performed and the processing proceeds to S4105.

In the process of S4105, a customer waiting effect is executed, and then a process for updating the display of the number of reserved balls is executed (S4106). In the customer waiting effect, when a predetermined time has elapsed during which the pachinko machine 10 is not played by a player, settings are made to switch the display of the third symbol display device 81 to the title screen, and the settings are sent as commands to the display control device 114.

After that, the frame button input monitoring/effect process is executed (S4107). This frame button input monitoring/effect process monitors input as to whether or not the frame button 22 operated by the player has been pressed in order to enhance the effect of the effect, and sets up a corresponding effect when input of the frame button 22 is confirmed. In this process, when operation of the frame button 22 by the player is detected, a frame button operation command is set to notify the display control device 114 that the frame button 22 has been operated.

When the frame button input monitoring and performance process is completed, then the lamp editing process is executed (S4108), and then the sound editing and output process is executed (S4109). In the lamp editing process, the lighting patterns of the illumination units 29 to 33 are set to correspond to the display performed by the third pattern display device 81. In the sound editing and output process, the output pattern of the sound output device 226 is set to correspond to the display performed by the third pattern display device 81, and sound is output from the sound output device 226 according to the settings.

After processing S4109, the LCD performance execution management process is executed (S4110). After this, the process moves to S4111. In the LCD performance execution management process, a time is set that is synchronized with the time required for the variable display performed by the third pattern display device 81 based on the variable pattern command sent from the main control device 110. The lamp editing process of S4108 is executed based on the time set in this LCD performance execution monitoring process. In addition, the sound editing/output process of S4109 is also executed at a time synchronized with the time required for the variable display performed by the third pattern display device 81.

After that, a command determination process (S4111) is executed to perform processing according to the command received from the main control unit 110, and the process proceeds to S4112. Details of this command determination process (S4111) will be described later with reference to FIG. 238.

In the processing of S4112, in order to display a variable display performance on the third pattern display device 81, a variable display setting process is executed, which is a process of generating a display variable pattern command based on the variable pattern command received from the main control device 110 and setting the command to be sent to the display control device 114. Details of this variable display setting process will be described later with reference to FIG. 243.

After the processing of S4112 is completed, it is determined whether or not information on the occurrence of a power outage is stored in the work RAM 233 (S4113). Information on the occurrence of a power outage is stored when a power outage command is received from the main control unit 110. If information on the occurrence of a power outage is stored in the processing of S4113 (S4113: Yes), both the power outage flag and the power outage processing in progress flag are turned on (S4115), and the power outage processing is executed (S4116). After the power outage processing is executed, the power outage processing in progress flag is turned off (S4117), and the processing is then looped infinitely. In the power outage processing, the occurrence of interrupt processing is prohibited, and each output port is turned off to turn off the output from the audio output device 226 and the lamp display device 227. The stored information on the occurrence of a power outage is also erased.

On the other hand, if the power failure occurrence information is not stored in the process of S4113 (S4113: No), it is determined whether or not the RAM 223 is destroyed based on the keyword stored in the RAM 223 (S4114). If the RAM 223 is not destroyed (S4114: No), the process returns to the process of S4101 and the main process is repeatedly executed. On the other hand, if the RAM 223 is destroyed (S4114: Yes), the process is infinitely looped to stop the execution of subsequent processes. Here, if it is determined that the RAM is destroyed and an infinite loop occurs, the main process is not executed, and thereafter, the display by the third symbol display device 81 does not change. Therefore, the player can know that an abnormality has occurred, and can call a store clerk or the like to repair the pachinko machine 10. In addition, if it is confirmed that the RAM 223 is destroyed, the sound output device 226 or the lamp display device 227 may be used to notify the player of the RAM destruction.

Next, referring to FIG. 237, the customer waiting performance processing (S4105) executed by the MPU 221 in the audio lamp control device 113 will be described. FIG. 237 is a flowchart showing the customer waiting performance processing (S4105). This customer waiting performance processing (S4105) executes processing to set the standby display screen based on the setting status of the sub-special chart 1 standby flag 223j and the sub-special chart 2 standby flag 223m, which are set to on when a special chart 1 standby command or a special chart 2 standby command output from the main control device 110 is received. The customer waiting performance processing (S4105) will be described in detail below.

In the customer waiting performance process (Fig. 237, S4105), first, it is determined whether the sub-special chart 1 standby flag 223j is set to on (S4201). If it is determined that the sub-special chart 1 standby flag 223j is set to on (S4201: Yes), the value of the special chart 1 standby counter 223k is updated (S4202). Then, it is determined whether the value of the special chart 1 standby counter 223k is the upper limit value (S4203). Here, in this control example, a value (30000) corresponding to 30 seconds is set as the upper limit value of the special chart 1 standby counter 223k. In other words, it is configured so that the special chart 1 standby flag is set to on when 30 seconds have passed since the fluctuation of the special chart 1 has stopped (when the value of the special chart 1 standby counter 223k has reached the upper limit value).

If the value of the special chart 1 standby counter 223k is less than the upper limit (S4203: No), the process proceeds to S4205.

On the other hand, in the process of S4203, if the value of the special chart 1 standby counter 223k is the upper limit value (S4203: Yes), the special chart 1 standby flag 223s is set to ON, the sub special chart 1 standby flag 223j and the standby setting flag 223u are set to OFF (S4204), and the process proceeds to S4205. By setting the standby setting flag 223u to OFF in the process of S4204, for example, when the special chart 1 standby flag 223s is set to ON in a state in which a display standby display command is set based on the special chart 2 standby flag 223t described later being set to ON, the standby display type can be determined again. Therefore, the standby display can be appropriately executed according to the fluctuation status (standby status) of each special chart (special chart 1, special chart 2).

In addition, if it is determined in the process of S4201 that the sub-special chart 1 standby flag 223j is set to off (i.e., not set to on) (S4201: No), the processes of S4202 to S4204 are skipped and the process proceeds to S4205.

In the process of S4205, it is determined whether or not the sub-special chart 2 standby flag 223m is set to on (S4205). If it is determined that the sub-special chart 2 standby flag 223m is set to on (S4205: Yes), the value of the special chart 2 standby counter 223n is updated (S4206). Then, it is determined whether or not the value of the special chart 2 standby counter 223n is the upper limit value (30,000) (S4207). If the value of the special chart 2 standby counter 223n is less than the upper limit value (S4207: No), the process proceeds to S4209.

On the other hand, in the process of S4207, if the value of the special chart 2 standby counter 223n is the upper limit value (S4207: Yes), the special chart 2 standby flag 223t is set to ON, the sub special chart 2 standby flag 223m and the standby setting flag 223u are set to OFF (S4208), and the process proceeds to S4209. By setting the standby setting flag 223u to OFF in the process of S4208, for example, when the special chart 2 standby flag 223t is set to ON in a state in which a display standby display command is set based on the special chart 1 standby flag 223s being set to ON, the standby display type can be determined again. Therefore, the standby display can be appropriately executed according to the change status (standby status) of each special chart (special chart 1, special chart 2).

In addition, if it is determined in the processing of S4205 that the sub-special chart 2 standby flag 223m is set to off (i.e., not set to on) (S4205: No), the processing of S4206 and S4207 is skipped and the processing proceeds to S4209.

In the process of S4209, it is determined whether the standby setting flag 223u is set to on (S4209). If it is determined that the standby setting flag 223u is set to on (S4209: Yes), the process of S4211 to S4214 for setting the standby display type is skipped and this process ends. In other words, the state in which the standby setting flag 223u is set to on is a state in which the fluctuation status of each special chart (the setting status of the standby flag) has not been changed from the state in which the standby display type has already been set. Therefore, by configuring so that the process for setting the standby display type is not executed when it is determined that such a state exists, the load of the process for setting the standby display type can be reduced.

In addition, although details will be described later with reference to FIG. 241, in this control example, even when a command indicating that a new special chart change has started (a special chart wait command indicating off) is received while the wait flag (special chart 1 wait flag 223s or special chart 2 wait flag 223t) is set to on, a process of setting the wait set flag 223u to off is executed. Therefore, since the wait display type can be reset every time the change status of special chart 1 or special chart 2 (waiting flag setting status) is changed, the wait display can be more appropriately executed according to the change status (waiting status) of each special chart (special chart 1, special chart 2).

On the other hand, if it is determined that the standby setting flag 223u is set to off (i.e., not set to on) (S4209: No), it is determined whether the special chart 1 standby flag 223s or the special chart 2 standby flag 223t is set to on (S4210).

In the process of S4210, if it is determined that the special chart 1 waiting flag 223s or the special chart 2 waiting flag 223t is set to off (i.e., not set to on) (S4210: No), this process is terminated. On the other hand, if it is determined that the special chart 1 waiting flag 223s or the special chart 2 waiting flag 223t is set to on (S4210: Yes), the game status set in the status setting area 223i is read (S4211). Then, based on the read game status and the setting status of the special chart 1 waiting flag 223s and the special chart 2 waiting flag 223t, the waiting display type is determined from the screen display selection table 222b (see FIG. 200) (S4212).

Next, based on the determined standby display type, a standby display command for display is set to notify the display control device 114 of the standby display type (S4213). After that, the standby setting completed flag 223u is set to ON (S4214), and this process ends.

Next, referring to FIG. 238, the command determination process (S4111) executed by the MPU 221 in the voice lamp control device 113 will be described. FIG. 238 is a flowchart showing this command determination process (S4111). This command determination process (S4111) is executed within the main process (see FIG. 236) executed by the MPU 221 in the voice lamp control device 113, and as described above, determines the command received from the main control device 110. The command determination process (S4111) will be described in detail below.

In the command determination process (S2111), first, the first command received from the main control unit 110 among the unprocessed commands is read from the command memory area 223a provided in the RAM 223, analyzed, and it is determined whether or not a special chart 1 stop type command or a special chart 2 stop type command has been received from the main control unit 110 (S4301). If it is determined that either a special chart 1 stop type command or a special chart 2 stop type command has been received (S4301: Yes), a stop type command reception process is executed (S4302), and this process is terminated. Details of this stop type command reception process will be described later with reference to FIG. 239.

On the other hand, in the process of S4301, if it is determined that neither the special symbol 1 stop type command nor the special symbol 2 stop type command has been received (S4301: No), it is determined whether or not the special symbol 1 change pattern command has been received (S4303). Here, the special symbol 1 change pattern command is a command for notifying the change pattern (change time) of the first special symbol.

In the process of S4303, if it is determined that the special pattern 1 variation command has been received (S4303: Yes), the special pattern 1 variation start flag 223d provided in the RAM 223 is set to ON (S4304), the variation pattern type is extracted from the received special pattern 1 variation pattern command (S4305), and this process is terminated. The variation pattern type extracted here is stored in the other memory area 223z of the RAM 223 in a format that can be identified as the variation pattern type of the first special pattern, and is used in the variation display setting process (see FIG. 243) described later when notifying the display control device 114 of the start of the variation display performance of the first special pattern and the display mode of the variation display performance of the first special pattern (when setting the display variation pattern command for the first special pattern).

On the other hand, if it is determined that the special symbol 1 variation pattern command has not been received (S4303: No), it is determined whether or not the special symbol 2 variation pattern command has been received from the main control unit 110 (S4306). The special symbol 2 variation pattern command is a command for notifying the variation pattern (variation time) of the second special symbol.

In the process of S4306, if it is determined that the special pattern 2 variation command has been received (S4306: Yes), the special pattern 2 variation start flag 223e provided in the RAM 223 is set to ON (S4307), the variation pattern type is extracted from the received special pattern 2 variation pattern command (S4308), and this process ends. The variation pattern type extracted here is stored in the other memory area 223z of the RAM 223 in a format that can be identified as the variation pattern type of the second special pattern, and is used in the variation display setting process (see FIG. 243) described later when notifying the display control device 114 of the start of the variation display performance of the second special pattern and the display mode of the variation display performance of the second special pattern (when setting the display variation pattern command for the second special pattern).

In the process of S4306, if it is determined that the special pattern 2 variation pattern command has not been received (S4306: No), it is determined whether the reserved ball number command has been received from the main control unit 110 (S4309). If it is determined that the reserved ball number command has been received (S4309: Yes), the value of the first special pattern reserved ball number counter 203d of the main control unit 110 contained in the received reserved ball number command (i.e., the reserved ball number of the first special pattern variation display) is extracted, and the value of the first special pattern reserved ball number counter 223c provided in the RAM 223 of the voice lamp control unit 113 is updated according to the extracted counter value (S4310), and this process is terminated. Note that this control example does not have a configuration for reserving and storing the lottery for the second special pattern (special pattern 2), so in the process of S4310, only the process of updating the value of the first special pattern (special pattern 1) reserved ball number counter 223c is executed.

Here, the reserved ball number command is transmitted from the main control device 110 when a ball enters the first ball entrance 64 (initial winning), so that each time there is an initial winning, the value of the first special pattern reserved ball number counter 223c of the voice lamp control device 113 can be adjusted to the value of the first special pattern reserved ball number counter 203d of the main control device 110 by the processing of S4310. Therefore, even if the value of the first special pattern reserved ball number counter 223c of the voice lamp control device 113 deviates from the value of the first special pattern reserved ball number counter 203d of the main control device 110 due to the influence of noise, etc., if a reserved ball number command is notified based on the initial winning, the value of the first special pattern reserved ball number counter 223c of the voice lamp control device 113 can be corrected to match the value of the first special pattern reserved ball number counter 203d of the main control device 110.

In addition, if it is determined in the process of S4309 that the reserved ball count command has not been received (S4309: No), it is determined whether a winning information command has been received from the main control unit 110 (S4311). If it is determined in the process of S4311 that a winning information command has been received (S4311: Yes), the information in the received winning information command (whether the special symbol lottery was won or not, the type of win, and the variation pattern) is set in the corresponding winning information storage area 223b (S4312), and this process is terminated.

On the other hand, if it is determined in the processing of S4311 that a winning information command has not been received (S4311: No), it is determined whether a status command has been received (S4313). If it is determined that a status command has been received (S4313: Yes), status command processing (S4314) is executed. Details of this status command processing (S4314) will be described with reference to FIG. 240, and processing is executed to set the game status of the pachinko machine 10 (normal status, special probability status, potential probability status) in the status setting area 223i based on the status command output from the main control device 110.

If it is determined in the process of S4313 that a status command has not been received (S4313: No), it is determined whether a special chart 1 waiting command or a special chart 2 waiting command has been received from the main control unit 110 (S4315). If it is determined in the process of S4315 that either a special chart 1 waiting command or a special chart 2 waiting command has been received (S4315: Yes), a customer waiting command process (S4316) is executed. Details of this customer waiting command process (S4316) will be described with reference to FIG. 241, and a process is executed to set the special chart 1 waiting flag 223s or the special chart 2 waiting flag 223t based on the special chart 1 waiting command or the special chart 2 waiting command output from the main control unit 110.

In the process of S4315, if it is determined that neither the special pattern 1 waiting command nor the special pattern 2 waiting command has been received (S4315: No), it is determined whether a remaining chance number command or a remaining time reduction number command has been received from the main control unit 110 (S4317). In the process of S4315, if it is determined that either a remaining chance number command or a remaining time reduction number command has been received (S4317: Yes), a remaining number update process (S4318) is executed. Details of this remaining number update process (S4318) will be described with reference to FIG. 242, but a process is executed to set the contents of the performance display to be displayed on the third pattern display device 81 based on the remaining chance number command or the remaining time reduction number command output from the main control unit 110.

If it is determined in the processing of S4317 that neither the remaining chance bonus number command nor the remaining time reduction number command has been received (S4317: No), processing according to the other command is executed (S4319), and this processing is terminated. In the processing of S4319, if the other command is a command to be used by the voice lamp control device 113, processing corresponding to that command is executed, and the processing result is stored in RAM 223, and if it is a command to be used by the display control device 114, the command is set so that the command is sent to the display control device 114.

Next, the stop type command reception process (S4302) executed by the MPU 221 in the voice lamp control device 113 will be described with reference to FIG. 239. FIG. 239 is a flowchart showing this stop type command reception process (S4302). This stop type command reception process (S4302) is executed within the command determination process (see FIG. 238) executed by the MPU 221 in the voice lamp control device 113. The stop type command reception process (S4302) will be described in detail below.

In the stop type command reception process (Fig. 239, S4302), first, in response to the received command, if a special chart 1 stop type command is received, the special chart 1 stop type selection flag 223f is set to on, and if a special chart 2 stop type command is received, the special chart 2 stop type selection flag 223g is set to on (S4401). Next, the stop type (big win A to big win G, small win A to small win C, miss, reach miss, etc.) is extracted from the received special chart 1 stop type command or special chart 2 stop type command (S4402), and this process ends.

The stop type extracted in S4402 is stored in the other memory area 223z of the RAM 223 of the MPU 221 of the voice lamp control device 113. The stop type extracted from the special symbol 1 stop type command is stored so that it can be identified as the stop type of the first special symbol, and the stop type extracted from the special symbol 2 stop type command is stored so that it can be identified as the stop type of the second special symbol. This makes it possible to manage the stop types separately even if the first special symbol (special symbol 1) and the second special symbol (special symbol 2) start to change at the same time, and makes it possible to execute appropriate change display.

Next, referring to FIG. 240, the status command processing (S4314) executed by the MPU 221 in the voice lamp control device 113 will be described. FIG. 240 is a flowchart showing this status command processing (S4314). This status command processing (S4314) is executed within the command determination processing (see FIG. 238) executed by the MPU 221 in the voice lamp control device 113. Details of the status command processing (S4314) will be described below.

In the state command process (Fig. 240, S4314), first, the game state before receiving the state command is determined from the value of the state setting area 223i provided in the RAM 223 (S4501). That is, it is determined in which game state the state command was received. Next, it is determined whether the game state before receiving the state command was a potential state (S4502). If it is determined that the game state before receiving the state command was not a potential state (S4502: No), it is determined whether the received command is a state command indicating a transition to a potential state (S4503). In the process of S4503, if the received command is a state command indicating a transition to a potential state (S4503: Yes), a potential state notification effect is set to notify the entry into the potential state (S4504). Then, 120 is set in the effect probability change count area 223p (S4505), and the process proceeds to S4506.

On the other hand, if it is determined in processing 4502 that the game state before receiving the state command was a potential state (S4502: Yes), or if in processing 4503 the received command is not a state command indicating a transition to a potential state (S4503: No), the process proceeds to processing S4506.

In the process of S4506, the value corresponding to the game status notified by the received status command is stored in the status setting area 223i (S4506), and this process ends.

As described above, the state command process (S4314) in this control example determines that a game state other than the potential state has been transitioned to the potential state based on the game state set in the state setting area 223i and the game state indicated by the state command output from the main control device 110, and when a game state other than the potential state has been transitioned to the potential state, a process is executed to control the remaining number of times display area D1 (see FIG. 187(a)) of the third symbol display device 81 to "120" as an initial value. On the other hand, if a jackpot is won during the potential state and the potential state is set again after the jackpot game ends, the process of S4502 determines that the potential state is set in the state setting area 223i (S4502: Yes), and the processes of S4504 and S4505 are skipped, so that the number of times of the performance potential change displayed in the remaining number of times display area D1 (see FIG. 187(a)) of the third symbol display device 81 is not added (reset). As a result, even if a jackpot is won during the potential probability state and the actual number of potential probability changes is reset (set to 120), the number of potential probability changes that will occur will continue to show the value that was displayed before the jackpot was won. Therefore, the actual remaining number of potential probability changes (remaining number of potential probability changes) can be made different from the remaining number of potential probability changes (remaining number of potential probability changes) displayed in the remaining number of times display area D1 (see FIG. 187(a)) of the third pattern display device 81, making it difficult for the player to understand when the potential probability state will end.

In the above-mentioned state command process (S4314 in FIG. 240), when a new potential state is entered, the same number of times (120 times) as the actual number of times of probability change (120 times) is displayed in the remaining number of times display area D1 of the third pattern display device 81, but other configurations are also possible, for example, a number less than the actual number of times of probability change may be displayed in the remaining number of times display area D1.

Next, referring to FIG. 241, the standby command processing (S4316) will be described. FIG. 241 is a flowchart showing this standby command processing (S4316). This status command processing (S4314) is executed in the command determination processing (see FIG. 238) executed by the MPU 221 in the voice lamp control device 113, and based on each standby command (special chart 1 standby command, special chart 2 standby command) output from the main control device 110, a process is executed to set the special chart 1 standby flag 223s and the special chart 2 standby flag 223t to on or off. The setting status of this special chart 1 standby flag 223s and special chart 2 standby flag 223t is referenced in the above-mentioned customer waiting performance processing (see S4105 in FIG. 237).

When the standby command process (S4316) is executed, first, it is determined whether the special chart 1 standby command has been received (S4601). If it is determined in the process of S4601 that the special chart 1 standby command has been received (S4601: Yes), the sub-special chart 1 standby flag 223j is set to on (S4602), and this process is terminated.

On the other hand, if it is determined in the processing of S4601 that the special chart 1 standby command has not been received (S4601: No), it is determined whether a special chart 1 standby command indicating that the special chart 1 standby flag 203i is off has been received (S4603). If it is determined in the processing of S4603 that a special chart 1 standby command indicating that the special chart 1 standby flag 203i is off has been received (S4603: Yes), the sub special chart 1 standby flag 223j is set to off (S4604), and the special chart 1 standby counter 223k is reset (S4605). Thereafter, it is determined whether the special chart 1 standby flag 223s is set to on (S4606).

If it is determined in the processing of S4606 that the special chart 1 waiting flag 223s is set to off (i.e., not set to on) (S4606: No), this processing is terminated. On the other hand, if it is determined in the processing of S4606 that the special chart 1 waiting flag 223s is set to on (S4606: Yes), the special chart 1 waiting flag 223s and the waiting set flag 223u are set to off (S4607), and this processing is terminated.

In other words, when the special chart 1 waiting flag 223s is set to on (30 seconds or more have passed without special chart 1 changing), if a special chart 1 waiting command is received indicating that the special chart 1 standby flag 203i has been set to off (a change in special chart 1 has been executed), the special chart 1 waiting flag 223s is set to off and the waiting set flag 223u is set to off, so that in the customer waiting performance processing (see S4105 in FIG. 237), a waiting display type corresponding to the case where the special chart 1 waiting flag 223s is set to off is set. Thus, the waiting display type can be appropriately set according to the change status of each special chart (the setting status of the waiting flag).

On the other hand, if it is determined in the process of S4603 that the special chart 1 standby command indicating that the special chart 1 standby flag 203i is off has not been received (S4603: No), it is determined whether the special chart 2 standby command has been received (S4608). If it is determined in the process of S4608 that the special chart 2 standby command has been received (S4608: Yes), the sub-special chart 2 standby flag 223m is set to on (S4609), and this process is terminated.

On the other hand, if it is determined in the processing of S4608 that the special chart 2 standby command has not been received (S4608: No), it is determined whether a special chart 2 standby command indicating that the special chart 2 standby flag 203j is off has been received (S4610). If it is determined in the processing of S4610 that a special chart 2 standby command indicating that the special chart 2 standby flag 203j is off has been received (S4610: Yes), the sub special chart 2 standby flag 223m is set to off (S4611), and the special chart 2 standby counter 223n is reset (S4612). Thereafter, it is determined whether the special chart 2 standby flag 223t is set to on (S4613).

If it is determined in the processing of S4613 that the special chart 2 waiting flag 223t is set to off (i.e., not set to on) (S4613: No), this processing is terminated. On the other hand, if it is determined in the processing of S4613 that the special chart 2 waiting flag 223t is set to on (S4613: Yes), the special chart 1 waiting flag 223s and the waiting set flag 223u are set to off (S4614), and this processing is terminated.

In other words, when the special chart 2 waiting flag 223t is set to on (30 seconds or more have passed without special chart 2 changing), if a special chart 2 waiting command is received indicating that the special chart 2 standby flag 203j has been set to off (a change in special chart 2 has been executed), the special chart 2 waiting flag 223t is set to off and the waiting set flag 223u is set to off, so that in the customer waiting performance processing (see S4105 in FIG. 237), a waiting display type corresponding to the case where the special chart 2 waiting flag 223t is set to off is set. Thus, it is possible to appropriately set a waiting display type according to the change status of each special chart (the setting status of the waiting flag).

On the other hand, if it is determined in the processing of S4610 that a special chart 2 standby command indicating that the special chart 2 standby flag 203j is off has not been received (S4610: No), this processing is terminated.

Next, the remaining number of times update process (S4318) will be described with reference to FIG. 242. FIG. 242 is a flowchart showing the contents of this remaining number of times update process (S4318). This remaining number of times update process (S4318) is executed within the command determination process (see FIG. 238) executed by the MPU 221 in the voice lamp control device 113, and is based on receiving a remaining number of times command for special chance play or a remaining number of times command for time reduction from the main control device 110. A process is executed to update the contents set in the remaining number of times special chance play area 223o, the number of stages of special chance play area 223p, and the number of stages of time reduction area 223q.

In the remaining number update process (S4318), first, it is determined whether a remaining chance of winning command has been received from the main control device 110 (S4651). In the process of S4651, if it is determined that a remaining chance of winning command has been received (S4651: Yes), a value corresponding to the received command is stored in the remaining chance of winning area 223o (S4652). Next, it is determined whether data indicating a potential state is stored in the state setting area 223i (S4653).

In other words, the process of S4653 determines whether the currently set game state is the potential probability state or the probability variable state, and if it is determined to be the potential probability state, a process is executed to execute a special effect display for the potential probability state, which will be described later. On the other hand, if it is determined to be the probability variable state, the pachinko machine 10 of this control example executes the same effect display for the probability variable state and the normal state, and therefore ends this process without executing a special effect display.

If it is determined in the process of S4653 that data indicating a potential state is stored (set) in the status setting area 223i (S4653: Yes), it is determined whether the number of remaining chances of winning notified (received) by the main control device 110 is 0 (S4654). If it is determined in the process of S4654 that the number of remaining chances of winning notified (received) by the main control device 110 is 0 (S4654: Yes), the end effect of the potential state to be displayed on the third pattern display device 81 is set (S4657). Then, data indicating a normal state is overwritten in the status setting area 223i, and the process proceeds to S4661.

On the other hand, in the process of S4654, if it is determined that the remaining number of times of probability change notified (received) by the main control device 110 is 1 or more (i.e., not 0) (S4654: No), the display count stored in the probability change number area 223p is decremented by 1 (S4657). Then, it is determined whether the number of times of probability change after the subtraction is 0 (S4658). In the process of S4658, if it is determined that the number of times of probability change after the subtraction is 0 (S4658: Yes), the number in the remaining probability change number area 223o is set to the probability change number area 223p (S4659). After that, a revival effect is set to notify the number of times set in the probability change number area 223p (S4660), and the process proceeds to S4661.

In other words, when the actual remaining number of chance changes (actual remaining number of chance changes) stored (set) in the remaining chance change number area is 1 or more, and the number of performance chance changes (remaining number of chance changes in performance) becomes 0, the value of the remaining number of chance changes in performance is updated to the value of the actual remaining number of chance changes, and a performance (revival performance) is executed in which this value is displayed in the remaining number display area D1 of the third pattern display device 81 to inform the player that the potential state will continue.

By implementing this type of effect, it is possible to make it difficult for the player to understand when the potential state will end, and by increasing the number of remaining potential changes again after the player believes that the potential state has ended, it is possible to provide the player with an unexpected effect.

In this control example, the timing for executing this revival effect is set to when the number of times the effect will have a chance of winning (the number of times the effect will have a chance of winning remaining) becomes 0, but other configurations may be used. For example, a lottery may be held to determine whether or not to execute the revival effect, on the condition that the number of times the effect will have a chance of winning (the number of times the effect will have a chance of winning remaining) is a predetermined number or less (for example, 5), and the revival effect may be executed based on the result of the lottery. This allows the player to play while predicting the timing (special chart change) at which the revival effect will occur, thereby improving the enjoyment of the game.

In addition, the revival effect may not be executed based on the special chart fluctuation, but may be executed using, for example, the ending period of the small win game. In this case, it is desirable to execute the revival effect on the condition that the number of times of the special chart fluctuation (number of times of the remaining special chart fluctuation) is 0 (or a state in which a display mode indicating that the potential state will not continue is displayed) is displayed. By configuring it in this way, it becomes unnecessary to set a long fluctuation time during which the revival effect can be executed as the special chart fluctuation time in the potential state, and it is possible to provide a smooth game in the potential state.

Also, the long fluctuation time during which the revival effect can be executed may be set as the special chart fluctuation time only in the final stages of the potential probability state (for example, when the actual number of remaining probability changes is 10 or less). This makes it unnecessary to set a long fluctuation time during which the revival effect can be executed in the early stages of the potential probability state, when the display state during which the revival effect can be executed (the number of probability changes in the effect (the number of remaining probability changes in the effect) is 0 (or a state in which a display mode indicating that the potential probability state will not continue is displayed)) is unlikely to be executed, and allows for smooth play in the potential probability state.

Next, referring to FIG. 243, the variable display setting process (S4112) executed by the MPU 221 in the voice lamp control device 113 will be described. FIG. 243 is a flowchart showing this variable display setting process (S4112). This variable display setting process (FIG. 243, S4112) is one process of the main process (see FIG. 236) executed by the MPU 221 in the voice lamp control device 113. As described above, the variable display setting process (FIG. 243, S4112) executes a process of setting a display variable pattern command for the first special pattern or the second special pattern based on the first or special pattern 2 variable pattern command received from the main control device 110 in order to display a variable display performance in the third pattern display device 81, and sending the command to the display control device 114. Also, based on the extracted stop type (jackpot A to jackpot G), a process of setting a display special pattern 1 or special pattern 2 stop type command for notifying the display control device 114 of the stop type is executed.

In the change display setting process (Fig. 243, S4112), first, it is determined whether the special chart 1 change start flag 223d provided in the RAM 223 is set to ON (S4701). Then, if it is determined that the special chart 1 change start flag 223d is OFF (S4701: No), since the special chart 1 change pattern command has not been received from the main control unit 110, the process proceeds to S4705. On the other hand, if it is determined that the special chart 1 change start flag 223d is ON (S4701: Yes), the special chart 1 change start flag 223d is set to OFF (S4702).

Next, in the process of S4703, the variation pattern in the variation display performance of the first special symbol extracted from the special symbol 1 variation pattern command in the process of S4303 of the command judgment process (Fig. 238, S4111) is obtained from the other memory area 223z of the RAM 223, and a display variation pattern command for the first special symbol is generated (S4703). The display variation pattern command for the first special symbol is configured to be identifiable as being a display variation pattern command corresponding to the first special symbol or a variation pattern command for the second special symbol. Specifically, if the upper two bits of the upper byte of the two-byte display variation pattern command are "10", it indicates that it corresponds to the first special symbol, and if they are "01", it indicates that it corresponds to the second special symbol.

The display variation pattern command for the first special symbol set in the process of S4703 is temporarily stored in a command transmission ring buffer provided in the RAM 223, and is then transmitted to the display control device 114 by the command output process (S4102) of the main process (see FIG. 236). By receiving this display variation pattern command for the first special symbol, the display control device 114 starts display control of the variation display performance so that the variation display of the special symbol corresponding to the third symbol display device 81 is performed in the variation pattern of the first special symbol indicated by this display variation pattern command.

When the display variable pattern command for the first special symbol is set, the reserved balls of the special symbol corresponding to the set display variable pattern command are consumed (i.e., the variable display corresponding to the reserved balls of the first special symbol is set), and the data corresponding to the first special symbol is shifted in the winning information storage area 223b (S4704).

Next, it is determined whether the special pattern 2 change start flag 223e provided in the RAM 223 is set to ON (S4705). If it is determined that the special pattern 2 change start flag 223e is not ON (i.e., OFF) (S4705: No), the special pattern 2 change pattern command has not been received from the main control device 110, so the process of S4709 is executed. On the other hand, if it is determined that the special pattern 2 change start flag 223e is ON (S4705: Yes), the special pattern 2 change start flag 223e is set to OFF (S4706). In the process of S4306 of the command determination process (Fig. 238, S4111), the change pattern in the change display performance of the second special pattern extracted from the special pattern 2 change pattern command is obtained from the other memory area 223z of the RAM 223, and the change pattern command for displaying the second special pattern is set (S4707).

The display variation pattern command for the second special symbol set in the process of S4707 is temporarily stored in a command transmission ring buffer provided in the RAM 223, and is then transmitted to the display control device 114 by the command output process (S4102) of the main process (see FIG. 236). By receiving this display variation pattern command for the second special symbol, the display control device 114 starts display control of the variation display performance so that the variation display of the special symbol corresponding to the third symbol display device 81 is performed in the variation pattern of the second special symbol indicated by this display variation pattern command. Then, data corresponding to the second special symbol is shifted from the winning information storage area 223b (S4708).

Next, it is determined whether the special chart 1 stop type selection flag 223f or the special chart 2 stop type selection flag 223g is set to on (S4709). If it is determined that the special chart 1 stop type selection flag 223f and the special chart 2 stop type selection flag 223g are not set to on (i.e., are off) (S4709: No), this process is terminated.

On the other hand, if it is determined that the special chart 1 stop type selection flag 223f or the special chart 2 stop type selection flag 223g is on (S2709: Yes), if the special chart 1 stop type selection flag 223f is on, the special chart 1 stop type selection flag 223f is set to off, and if the special chart 2 stop type selection flag 223g is on, the special chart 2 stop type selection flag 223g is set to off (S4710).

In the process of S4301 of the command judgment process (Fig. 238, S4111), the stop type extracted from the received special symbol 1 stop type command or special symbol 2 stop type command is set (S4711), and this process is terminated. If the extracted stop type is the stop type of the first special symbol, a display special symbol 1 stop type command for notifying the display control device 114 of the stop type is set based on that stop type. Also, if the extracted stop type is the stop type of the second special symbol, a display special symbol 2 stop type command for notifying the display control device 114 of the stop type is set based on that stop type. Note that the special symbol 1 or special symbol 2 stop type command notified from the main control device 110 notifies the jackpot type in the event of a jackpot, and is notified even if the judgment result is a miss. If the judgment result is a miss, the stop type is not referenced and a miss pattern is set.

<Regarding control process of the display control device in the first control example>
Next, each control executed by the MPU 231 of the display control device 114 will be described with reference to Figs. 244 to 257. The processing of the MPU 231 is roughly divided into a main processing which is repeatedly executed after power-on, a command interrupt processing which is executed when a command is received from the voice lamp control device 113, and a V interrupt processing which is executed when the MPU 231 detects a V interrupt signal transmitted from the image controller 237 every 20 milliseconds when the drawing processing of one frame of image is completed. The MPU 231 usually executes the main processing, and executes the command interrupt processing and the V interrupt processing in accordance with the reception of the command and the detection of the V interrupt signal. Note that when the reception of the command and the detection of the V interrupt signal are performed simultaneously, the command reception processing is executed with priority. This allows the contents of the command received from the voice lamp control device 113 to be quickly reflected and the V interrupt processing to be executed.

First, referring to FIG. 244, the main processing executed by the MPU 231 in the display control device 114 will be described. FIG. 244 is a flowchart showing this main processing. The main processing is to execute the initialization processing when the power is turned on.

Specifically, the main process is started according to the following flow. When the power is applied from the power supply circuit 115 to the display control device 114 and the system reset is released, the MPU 231, using its hardware configuration, sets the instruction pointer 231a provided in the MPU 231 to "0000H" and specifies the address "0000H" indicated by the instruction pointer 231a to the bus line 240. When the ROM controller 234b of the character ROM 234 detects that the address specified on the bus line 240 is "0000H", it sets the boot program stored in the first program storage area 234d1 of the NOR type ROM 234d in the buffer RAM 234c and outputs the corresponding data (instruction code) to the MPU 231. The MPU 231 then fetches the instruction code received from the character ROM 234 and starts the execution of the process according to the fetched instruction, thereby starting the main process.

If all the boot programs to be processed first by the MPU 231 after the system reset is released are stored in the NAND flash memory 234a, when the character ROM 234 detects that the address specified on the bus line 240 is "0000H", it must read one page of data including the data (instruction code) corresponding to the address "0000H" from the NAND flash memory 234a and set it in the buffer RAM 234c. Due to the nature of the NAND flash memory 234a, it takes a long time to read and set the data in the buffer RAM 234c, so the MPU 231 will consume a lot of waiting time from specifying the address "0000H" to receiving the instruction code corresponding to the address "0000H". This increases the time it takes to start up the MPU 231, resulting in a problem that the control of the third pattern display device 81 in the display control device 114 may not start immediately.

In contrast, in this control example, a predetermined number of commands from the boot program, starting with the command to be processed first by MPU 231 after system reset is released, are stored in NOR ROM 234d. Since NOR ROM is a memory capable of reading data at high speed, when address "0000H" is specified from MPU 231 via bus line 240 after system reset is released, character ROM 234 can immediately set the boot program stored in first program storage area 234d1 of NOR ROM 234d in buffer RAM 234c and output the corresponding data (command code) to MPU 231. Therefore, since MPU 231 can receive the command code corresponding to address "0000H" in a short time after specifying address "0000H", main processing can be started in MPU 231 in a short time. Therefore, even if the control program is stored in the character ROM 234, which is composed of a NAND type flash memory 234a with a slow read speed, the control of the third pattern display device 81 in the display control device 114 can be started immediately.

When the main processing is executed as described above, first, the boot processing executed by the boot program is executed (S6001), and the display control device 114 is started so that various controls for the third pattern display device 81 can be executed.

Now, the boot process (S6001) will be described with reference to FIG. 245. FIG. 245 is a flowchart showing the boot process (S6001) executed during the main process in the MPU 231 of the display control device 114.

As described above, in this control example, the control program and fixed value data executed by the MPU 231 are not stored in a dedicated program ROM as in conventional gaming machines, but are instead stored in the character ROM 234 provided to store image data to be displayed on the third symbol display device 81. The character ROM 234 is composed of a NAND type flash memory 234a, which allows for large capacity in a small area, so that not only image data but also control programs and the like can be sufficiently stored, while there is no need to provide a dedicated program ROM for storing control programs and the like. This makes it possible to reduce the number of parts in the display control device 114, which not only reduces manufacturing costs but also suppresses an increase in the rate of failures due to an increase in the number of parts.

However, since the read speed of NAND flash memory is slow, especially when performing random access, if the MPU 231 directly reads and processes the control program and fixed value data stored in the NAND flash memory 234a, there is a risk that the processing performance of the display control device 114 will deteriorate even if a high-performance processor is used as the MPU 231. Therefore, in this boot process, a process is executed in which the control program and fixed value data stored in the second program storage area 234a1 of the NAND flash memory 234a are transferred to and stored in the program storage area 233a and data table storage area 233b provided in the work RAM 233 composed of DRAM.

Specifically, first, based on the operation of the hardware of the MPU 231 and character ROM 234 described above, a predetermined amount of the control program stored in the second program memory area 234a1 is transferred to the program storage area 233a in accordance with the boot program read from the first program memory area 234d1 of the NOR ROM 234d after the system reset is released and set in the buffer RAM 234c (S6101). The predetermined amount of the control program transferred here includes the remaining boot program that is not stored in the first program memory area 234d1.

Then, the instruction pointer 231a is set to a first predetermined address in the program storage area 233a, i.e., the start address of the remaining boot program stored in the program storage area 233a (S6102). As a result, the MPU 231 starts executing the remaining boot program included in the control program transferred and stored in the program storage area 233a by the processing of S6101.

Also, by setting the instruction pointer 231a to a predetermined location in the program storage area 233a by the processing of S6102, the MPU 231 executes various processes while reading the control program stored in the program storage area 233a of the work RAM 233. That is, the MPU 231 does not read the control program from the NAND type flash memory 234a having the second program storage area 234a1 and fetches instructions, but reads the control program transferred to the work RAM 233 having the program storage area 233a, fetches instructions, and executes various processes. As described above, since the work RAM 233 is composed of DRAM, the read operation is performed at high speed. Therefore, even if the control program is stored in the character ROM 234 composed of the NAND type flash memory 234a, which has a slow read speed, the MPU 231 can fetch instructions at high speed and execute the process for the instructions.

When the instruction pointer 231a is set by the processing of S6102, the remaining control programs and fixed value data that have not yet been transferred to the program storage area 233a among the control programs stored in the second program storage area 234a1 of the NAND flash memory 234a are transferred in predetermined amounts to the program storage area 233a or the data table storage area 233b in accordance with the remaining boot programs whose execution is started by the set instruction pointer 231a (S6103). Specifically, the control programs and some of the fixed data are stored in the program storage area 233a of the work RAM 233, and the above-mentioned various data tables (display data table, transfer data table) among the fixed value data are transferred to the data table storage area 233b.

Then, after executing other processes necessary for the boot process (S6104), the instruction pointer 231a is set to a second predetermined address in the program storage area 233a, that is, the start address of the program corresponding to the initialization process (see S6002 in FIG. 244) that should be executed after the boot process (see S6001 in FIG. 244) is completed (S6105), thereby completing the execution of the boot program and terminating this boot process.

In this way, by executing the boot process (S6001), the control program and fixed value data stored in the second program storage area 234a1 of the NAND flash memory 234a are transferred to and stored in the program storage area 233a and data table storage area 233b of the work RAM 233, which are all composed of DRAM. Then, when the boot process ends, the instruction pointer 231a is set to the second predetermined address described above, and thereafter, the MPU 231 executes various processes using the control program transferred to the program storage area 233a without referring to the NAND flash memory 234a.

Therefore, even if the control program is stored in the character ROM 234, which is composed of a NAND type flash memory 234a with a slow read speed, the control program and fixed value data can be transferred to the program storage area 233a and data table storage area 233b of the work RAM 233 after the system reset is released, and the MPU 231 can read the control program and fixed value data from the work RAM, which is composed of a DRAM with a fast read speed, and perform various controls. This allows the display control device 114 to maintain high processing performance, and makes it easy to execute diversified and complex performances using the auxiliary performance unit.

On the other hand, instead of storing the entire boot program in the NOR ROM 234d, a predetermined number of instructions are stored starting from the instruction to be processed first by the MPU 231 after the system reset is released, and the remaining boot program is stored in the second program storage area 234a1 of the NAND flash memory 234a, so that the control program stored in the second program storage area 234a1 can be reliably transferred to the program storage area 233a. Therefore, by simply adding the extremely small capacity NOR ROM 234d to the character ROM 234, the MPU 231 can be started up in a short time, and the increase in cost of the character ROM 234 associated with this shortening of the time can be suppressed.

In the boot process shown in FIG. 245, the predetermined amount of control programs transferred to the program storage area 233a by the process of S6101 are configured to include all remaining boot programs that are not stored in the first program storage area 234d1, but this is not necessarily limited to this, and the predetermined amount of control programs transferred to the program storage area 233a by the process of S6101 may be part of the boot program that executes the boot process to be processed following the process of S6102. The boot program transferred here may transfer a predetermined amount of control programs including all remaining boot programs to the program storage area 233a, and further execute a process of setting the top address of the boot program stored in the program storage area 233a to the instruction pointer 231a. Then, the processes of S6103 to S6105 may be executed by all remaining boot programs stored in the program storage area 233a.

The boot program transferred by the process of S6101 may further transfer a predetermined amount of a portion of the remaining boot program to the program storage area 233a, and then execute a process of setting the start address of the boot program stored in the program storage area 233a to the instruction pointer 231a. The boot program stored in the program storage area 233a by this process may further transfer a predetermined amount of a portion of the remaining boot program to the program storage area 233a, and then execute a process of setting the start address of the boot program stored in the program storage area 233a to the instruction pointer 231a. Then, the process of transferring a predetermined amount of a portion of the remaining boot program to the program storage area 233a, and then setting the start address of the boot program stored in the program storage area 233a to the instruction pointer 231a may be repeated multiple times, including the processes of S6101 and S6102, and then the processes of S6103 to S6105 may be executed.

As a result, even if the program size of the boot program is large and the remaining boot program not stored in the first program memory area 234d1 cannot be transferred to the program storage area 233a all at once, the MPU 231 can use the boot program already stored in the program storage area 233a and transfer it to the program storage area 233a in a predetermined amount at a time.

In addition, in this control example, a case has been described in which a part of the boot program that is executed first by the MPU 231 when the system reset is released is stored in the first program storage area 234d1, but all of the boot program may be stored in the first program storage area 234d1. In this case, when the MPU 231 starts the boot process, it may execute the processes of S6103 to S6105 without executing the processes of S6101 and S6102. This eliminates the need to transfer the boot program to the program storage area 233a, and therefore reduces the number of times the program is transferred from the character ROM 234 to the program storage area 233a, thereby reducing the processing time of the boot process. This allows the MPU 231 to start controlling the auxiliary performance unit, which becomes possible after the boot process, more quickly.

Now, let us return to the explanation of FIG. 244. After the boot process is completed, the initial setting process is then executed in accordance with the control program transferred to and stored in the program storage area 233a of the work RAM 233 (S6002). Specifically, the value of the stack pointer is set in the MPU 231, and various settings are made for the registers in the MPU 231 and for the I/O devices, etc. Also, processes such as clearing the memory of the work RAM 233, the resident video RAM 235, and the normal video RAM 236 are performed. Furthermore, various flags are provided in the work RAM 233, and initial values are set for each flag. The initial value of each flag is set to "off" or "0" unless otherwise specified.

Furthermore, in the initial setting process, after initial setting of the image controller 237, the image controller 237 is instructed to execute image drawing and display processing so that an image of a specific color is displayed on the entire screen of the third pattern display device 81. As a result, immediately after power is turned on, an image of a specific color is first displayed on the entire screen of the third pattern display device 81. Here, the color of the image displayed on the entire screen of the third pattern display device 81 immediately after power is turned on is set to be a different color depending on the model of the pachinko machine. As a result, during an operation check at a factory or the like during manufacturing, by checking whether an image of a color corresponding to the model is displayed on the third pattern display device 81 immediately after power is turned on, it is possible to easily and immediately determine whether the pachinko machine 10 can start up normally.

Next, a transfer instruction is sent to the image controller 237 to transfer image data corresponding to the power-on main image to the power-on main image area 235a of the resident video RAM 235 (S6003). This transfer instruction includes the start address and end address of the character ROM 234 in which the image data corresponding to the power-on main image is stored, the transfer destination information (here, the resident video RAM 235), and the start address of the power-on main image area 235a, which is the transfer destination. In accordance with this transfer instruction, the image controller 237 transfers the image data corresponding to the power-on main image from the character ROM 234 to the power-on main image area 235a of the resident video RAM 235.

Then, when the transfer of all image data indicated by the transfer instruction is complete, image controller 237 transmits a transfer end signal to MPU 231 indicating the end of the transfer. By receiving this transfer end signal, MPU 231 can know that the transfer of the image data specified in the transfer instruction has ended. Note that when image controller 237 has completed the transfer of all image data indicated by the transfer instruction, it may write transfer end information indicating the end of the transfer to a register or a partial area of the built-in memory provided inside image controller 237. Then, MPU 231 may read information from this register or partial area of the built-in memory at any time, and detect the writing of the transfer end information by image controller 237, thereby knowing that the transfer of the image data specified in the transfer instruction has ended.

The image data transferred to the power-on main image area 235a is held so as not to be overwritten until the power is cut off. When the transfer of the image data corresponding to the power-on main image to the power-on main image area 235a is completed based on the transfer instruction sent to the image controller 237 by the processing of S6003, a transfer instruction is then sent to the image controller to transfer the image data corresponding to the power-on variable image to the power-on variable image area 235b of the resident video RAM 235 (S6004). This transfer instruction includes the top address of the character ROM 234 in which the image data corresponding to the power-on variable image is stored, the data size of the image data, information on the transfer destination (here, the resident video RAM 235), and the top address of the power-on variable image area 235b, which is the transfer destination, and the image controller transfers the image data corresponding to the power-on variable image from the character ROM 234 to the power-on variable image area 235b of the resident video RAM 235 in accordance with this transfer instruction. The image data transferred to the power-on variable image area 235b is then retained so that it is not overwritten until the power is turned off.

When the transfer of image data corresponding to the power-on variable image to the power-on variable image area 235b is completed based on the transfer instruction sent to the image controller 237 by the processing of S6004, the simple image display flag 233c is then turned on (S6005). As a result, while the simple image display flag 233c is on, a resident image transfer setting process is executed in which the image controller 237 is instructed to transfer all image data that should be resident in the resident video RAM 235 from the character ROM 234 to the resident video RAM 235 in the transfer setting process described below (see FIG. 255(a)) (see S7502 in FIG. 255(a)).

Furthermore, the simple image display flag 233c is maintained on until the transfer of all image data to be resident in the resident video RAM 235 from the character ROM 234 to the resident video RAM 235 is completed based on the transfer instruction to the image controller 237 by this resident image transfer setting process. As a result, during that time, the simple command determination process (see S6308 in FIG. 246(b)) and the simple display setting process (see S6309 in FIG. 246(b)) are executed so that the power-on image (power-on main image and power-on variable image) (not shown) is drawn in the V interrupt process (see FIG. 246(b)).

As described above, in this pachinko machine 10, since the NAND type flash memory 234a is used for the character ROM 234, due to its slow read speed, it takes a long time for all image data to be stored in the resident video RAM 235 to be transferred from the character ROM 234 to the resident video RAM 235. Therefore, as in this main process, after the power is turned on, the power-on main image and the power-on variable image are first transferred from the character ROM 234 to the resident video RAM 235, and the power-on main image is displayed on the third pattern display device 81, so that while the remaining image data to be resident is being transferred to the resident video RAM 235, players and hall personnel can check the power-on main image displayed on the third pattern display device 81. Therefore, while the display control device 114 is displaying the power-on main image on the third pattern display device 114, the display control device 114 can take time to transfer the remaining image data to be resident from the character ROM 234 to the resident video RAM 235. On the other hand, players can recognize that some kind of initialization process is taking place while the main image is displayed on the third pattern display device 81 when the power is turned on, so they can wait until the initialization is complete without worrying that operation may have stopped until the image data that should be resident in the remaining resident video RAM 235 is transferred from the character ROM 234 to the resident video RAM 235.

In addition, during operation checks at the factory during manufacturing, the main image is immediately displayed on the third pattern display device 81 when the power is turned on, making it possible to immediately confirm that the third pattern display device 81 has started operating without any problems upon power-on, and the use of a NAND-type flash memory 234a with a slow read speed for the character ROM 234 prevents the efficiency of operation checks from deteriorating.

In addition, the display control device 114 of the pachinko machine 10 transfers the power-on variable image from the character ROM 234 to the resident video RAM 235 together with the power-on main image after power is turned on. Therefore, if the player starts playing while the power-on main image is being displayed on the third pattern display device 81, and a ball enters the first ball entrance 64 or the second ball entrance 640 (initial winning), and an instruction to start the variable performance is given by the main control device 110 via the sound lamp control device 113, that is, when a display variable pattern command is received, the power-on variable image can be displayed immediately during the variable performance period, and a simple variable performance can be performed. Therefore, the player can be sure that the lottery has been drawn by the simple variable performance, even while the power-on main image is being displayed on the third pattern display device 81.

As described above, the power-on main image continues to be displayed on the third symbol display device 81 while the remaining image data to be resident is being transferred from the character ROM 234 to the resident video RAM 235. However, the character ROM 234 is composed of a NAND-type flash memory 234a, which has a slow read speed, and the transfer takes time, so the power-on main image continues to be displayed for a long time after power is turned on. However, in this pachinko machine 10, a simple variable performance can be performed using the power-on variable image transferred to the resident video RAM 235 after power is turned on, so that the player can play with peace of mind even while the power-on main image is being displayed immediately after power is turned on, for example, immediately after recovery from a power outage.

After the processing of S6005, interrupt permission is set (S6006), and thereafter, the main processing executes an infinite loop process until the power is turned off. As a result, after interrupt permission is set by the processing of S6006, command interrupt processing and V interrupt processing are executed according to the reception of a command and the detection of a V interrupt signal.

Next, referring to FIG. 246(a), the command interrupt processing executed by the MPU 231 of the display control device 114 will be described. FIG. 246(a) is a flowchart showing the command interrupt processing. As described above, when a command is received from the voice lamp control device 113, the command interrupt processing is executed by the MPU 231.

In this command interrupt process, the received command data is extracted, and the extracted command data is stored sequentially in a command buffer area provided in the work RAM 233 (S6201), and the process ends. The various commands stored in the command buffer area by this command interrupt process are read out by the command determination process or simple command determination process of the V interrupt process described below, and processing according to the command is carried out.

Next, referring to FIG. 246(b), the V interrupt processing executed by the MPU 231 of the display control device 114 will be described. FIG. 246(b) is a flowchart showing the V interrupt processing. In this V interrupt processing, various processes corresponding to the commands stored in the command buffer area by the command interrupt processing are executed, and the image to be displayed on the third pattern display device 81 is identified, a drawing list of the image is created, and the drawing list is sent to the image controller 237, thereby instructing the image controller 237 to execute the drawing process and display process of the image.

As described above, this V interrupt process is started when a V interrupt signal from the image controller 237 is detected. This V interrupt signal is generated in the image controller 237 every 20 milliseconds when the drawing process of one frame of an image is completed, and is transmitted to the MPU 231. Therefore, by executing the V interrupt process in synchronization with this V interrupt signal, a drawing instruction is sent to the image controller 237 every 20 milliseconds when the drawing process of one frame of an image is completed. Therefore, the image controller 237 does not receive a drawing instruction for the next image before the drawing process or display process of the image is completed, so it is possible to prevent starting drawing of a new image in the middle of drawing an image, or developing an image in response to a new drawing instruction in the frame buffer in which the image information currently being displayed is stored.

Here, we will first explain the outline of the flow of the V interrupt processing, and then explain the details of each process with reference to other drawings. In this V interrupt processing, as shown in FIG. 246(b), first, it is determined whether the simple image display flag 233c is on or not (S6301). If the simple image display flag 233c is not on, that is, it is off (S6301: No), this means that the transfer of all image data that should be resident in the resident video RAM 235 has been completed, so in order to display a normal performance image on the third pattern display device 81 instead of the power-on image, a command determination process (S6302) is executed, and then a display setting process (S6303) is executed.

In the command determination process (S6302), the contents of the command from the voice lamp control device 113 stored in the command buffer area by the command interrupt process are analyzed, and processing according to the command is executed. If a display demo command or a display variation pattern command is stored, a demo display data table or a variation display data table according to the variation pattern type is set in the display data table buffer 233d, and a transfer data table corresponding to the set display data table is set in the transfer data table buffer 233e.

In this command determination process, all commands stored in the command buffer area at that time are analyzed and processed. This is because the command determination process is performed at 20 millisecond intervals when the V interrupt process is executed, and it is highly likely that multiple commands are stored in the command buffer area during those 20 milliseconds. In particular, when the main control device 110 decides to start a variable performance, it is highly likely that a display variable pattern command and a display stop type command are simultaneously stored in the command buffer area. Therefore, by analyzing and executing these commands at once, it is possible to quickly grasp the state and stop type of the variable performance selected by the main control device 110 and the voice lamp control device 113, and control the drawing of the image so that the performance image corresponding to that state is displayed on the third pattern display device 81. Details of this command determination process will be described later with reference to Figures 247 to 251.

In the display setting process (S6303), the contents of one frame of image to be displayed next on the third pattern display device 81 are specifically identified based on the contents of the display data table set in the display data table buffer 233d by the command determination process (S6302) or the like. In addition, depending on the processing status, etc., the presentation mode to be displayed on the third pattern display device 81 is determined, and the display data table corresponding to the determined presentation mode is set in the display data table buffer 233d. Details of this display setting process will be described later with reference to Figures 252 to 254.

After the display setting process is executed, task processing is then executed (S6304). In this task processing, based on the content of the next frame of image to be displayed on the third pattern display device 81, which was specified by the display setting process (S6303) or the simplified display setting process (S6309), the type of sprite (display object) that constitutes the image is identified, and various parameters required for drawing, such as the display coordinate position, magnification rate, and rotation angle, are determined for each sprite.

Next, a transfer setting process is executed (S6305). In this transfer setting process, while the simple image display flag 233c is on, a transfer instruction is set for the image controller 237 to transfer image data to be resident in the resident video RAM 235 from the character ROM 234 to a predetermined area of the resident video RAM 235. Also, while the simple image display flag 233c is off, a transfer instruction is set for the image controller 237 to transfer predetermined image data from the character ROM 234 to a predetermined sub-area of the image storage area 236a of the normal video RAM 236 based on the transfer data information of the transfer data table set in the transfer data table buffer 233e, and even when a continuous preview command or a back image change command is received from the voice lamp control device 113, a transfer instruction is set for the image controller 237 to transfer image data of the continuous preview image used in the continuous preview performance and image data of the changed back image from the character ROM 234 to a predetermined sub-area of the image storage area 236a of the normal video RAM 236. Details of the forwarding setting process will be described later with reference to Figures 255 and 256.

Next, the drawing process is executed (S6306). In this drawing process, a drawing list as shown in FIG. 207 is generated from the types of sprites constituting one frame and the parameters required for drawing each sprite, which were determined in the task process (S6304), and the transfer instructions set in the transfer setting process (S6305), and this drawing list is sent to the image controller 237 together with the drawing target buffer information. As a result, the image controller 237 executes the image drawing process in accordance with the drawing list (S6306). Details of the drawing process will be described later with reference to FIG. 257.

Next, the display control device 114 executes an update process for various counters (S6307). Then, the V interrupt process is terminated. An example of a counter updated by the process of S6307 is a stop pattern counter (not shown) for determining the stop pattern. The value of this stop pattern counter is stored in the work RAM 233, and an update process is performed each time the V interrupt process is executed. Then, in the command determination process, when the reception of a display stop type command is detected, the stop type table corresponding to the stop type indicated by the display stop type command (jackpot A, jackpot B, front and rear miss reach, reach other than front and rear miss, complete miss) is compared with the stop type counter, and the stop pattern after the variable performance displayed on the third pattern display device 81 is finally set.

On the other hand, if it is determined in the processing of S6301 that the simple image display flag 233c is on (S6301: Yes), this means that the transfer of all image data that should be resident in the resident video RAM 235 has not been completed, so a simple command determination process (S6308) is executed to cause the power-on image to be displayed on the third pattern display device 81, and then a simple display setting process (S6309) is executed, and the processing proceeds to S6304.

Next, the details of the above-mentioned command determination process (S6302), which is one process of the V interrupt process executed by the MPU 231 of the display control device 114, will be described with reference to Figs. 247 to 251. First, Fig. 247 is a flowchart showing this command determination process.

As shown in FIG. 247, in this command determination process, first, it is determined whether there is an unprocessed new command in the command buffer area (S6401), and if there is no unprocessed new command (S6401: No), the command determination process ends and the process returns to V interrupt processing. On the other hand, if there is an unprocessed new command (S6401: Yes), a new command flag is set to ON (S6402) to notify the display setting process (S6303) that a new command has been processed in the ON state, and then the type of each command stored in the command buffer area is analyzed (S6403).

Then, it is determined whether or not there is a display variation pattern command among the unprocessed commands (S6404). If there is a display variation pattern command (S6404: Yes), variation pattern command processing is executed (S6405), and the process returns to S6401.

Here, the variation pattern command processing (S6405) will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 248(a). FIG. 248(a) is a flowchart showing the variation pattern command processing (S6405). This variation pattern command processing (S6405) executes processing corresponding to the display variation pattern command received from the voice lamp control device 114.

In the variation pattern command processing, first, a variation display data table corresponding to the variation performance pattern indicated by the display variation pattern command is determined, and the determined variation display data table is read from the data table storage area 233b and set in the display data table buffer 233d (S6501).

In this case, the main control unit 110 always judges the start of the fluctuation at least several seconds apart, so two or more display fluctuation pattern commands are not received within 20 milliseconds. Therefore, when executing the command judgment process, it is impossible for two or more display fluctuation pattern commands to be stored in the command buffer area. However, there is a possibility that part of the command may change due to the influence of noise, etc., and another command may be erroneously interpreted as a display fluctuation pattern command. In the process of S6501, in preparation for such a case, if it is judged that two or more display fluctuation pattern commands are stored in the command buffer area, the fluctuation display data table corresponding to the fluctuation pattern with the shortest fluctuation time is set in the display data table buffer 233d.

If a change display data table corresponding to a change pattern with a long change time is set in the display data table buffer 233d, and a change presentation having a shorter change time than the set display data table is actually instructed by the main control device 110, the next display change pattern command will be received from the main control device 110 while a change presentation according to the set change display data table is being displayed on the third pattern display device 81, and a different change display will suddenly begin, which may cause the player to feel uncomfortable.

In contrast, by setting the change display data table corresponding to the change pattern with the shortest change time in the display data table buffer 233d as in this control example, even if the main control unit 110 has actually instructed a change presentation with a longer change time than the set display data table, as described below, the display of the third pattern display device 81 is controlled by the display setting process so that a demo presentation is displayed after the change presentation according to the display data table buffer 233d has ended and until the next display pattern command is received from the main control unit 110, so that the player can continue to watch the change of the third pattern on the third pattern display device 81 without feeling any discomfort.

Then, the transfer data table corresponding to the display data table set in S6501 is determined and read from the data table storage area 233b, and set in the transfer data table buffer 233e (S6502). Then, based on the fluctuation time of the fluctuation pattern corresponding to the fluctuation display data table set in the display data table buffer 233d by the processing of S6501, time data representing that fluctuation time is set in the timing counter 233h (S6503), and the pointer 233f is initialized to 0 (S6504). Then, the demo display flag and the final display flag are both set to off (S6505), the fluctuation pattern command is terminated, and the process returns to the command determination process.

When this variable pattern command processing is executed, the display setting processing updates the pointer 233f initialized by the processing of S6505, extracts the drawing contents specified by the address indicated by the pointer 233f from the variable display data table set in the display data table buffer 233d by the processing of S6501, and specifies the contents of one frame's worth of image to be displayed next on the third pattern display device 81. At the same time, the processing of S6502 extracts the transfer data information specified by the address indicated by the pointer 233f from the transfer data table set in the transfer data table buffer 233e, and controls the image controller 237 so that the image data of the sprite required in the set variable display data table is transferred in advance from the character ROM 234 to the image storage area 236a of the normal video RAM 236.

In addition, in the display setting process, the timing counter 233h, in which the time data is set by the process of S6503, is used to time the time of the variable performance specified in the variable display data table, and when it is determined that the variable performance in the variable display data table has ended, the setting of the stop display is controlled so that the stop pattern corresponding to the display stop type command from the main control unit 110 is displayed on the third pattern display device 81.

Now, let us return to the explanation of FIG. 247. If it is determined in the processing of S6404 that there is no variation pattern command for display (S6404: No), then it is determined whether or not there is a stop type command for display among the unprocessed commands (S6406), and if there is a stop type command for display (S6406: Yes), stop type command processing is executed (S6407), and processing returns to S6401.

Here, the details of the stop type command processing (S6407) will be described with reference to FIG. 248(b). FIG. 248(b) is a flowchart showing the stop type command processing. This stop type command processing executes processing corresponding to the display variable type command received from the voice lamp control device 114.

In the stop type command process (S6407), first, a stop type table corresponding to the stop type information indicated by the stop type command for display (one of big win A-G, small win A-C, reach miss, or complete miss) is determined (S6601), and the stop type table is compared with the value of the stop type counter that is updated each time the V interrupt process (see FIG. 246(b)) is executed, and the stop pattern after the variable performance displayed on the third pattern display device 81 is finally set (S6602).

Then, among the stop pattern discrimination flags provided for each stop pattern, the stop pattern discrimination flag corresponding to the stop pattern set by the processing of S6602 is turned on, and the stop pattern discrimination flags corresponding to the other stop patterns are set on (S6603), and the process returns to the command determination process.

Here, as described above, in the variable display data table, after a predetermined time has elapsed since the start of the variation based on the data table, offset information (pattern offset information) from the stop pattern set by the processing of S6602 is described as type information for identifying the third pattern to be displayed on the third pattern display device 81. In the above-mentioned task processing (S6304), after a predetermined time has elapsed since the start of the variation, the stop pattern set by the processing of S6602 is identified from the stop pattern discrimination flag set by S6603, and the pattern offset information acquired by the display setting processing is added to the identified stop pattern to identify the third pattern to be actually displayed. Then, the address where the image data corresponding to this identified third pattern is stored is identified. The image data corresponding to the third pattern is stored in the third pattern area 235d of the resident video RAM 235, as described above.

Note that the main control device 110 always judges the start of fluctuations at least a few seconds apart, so it never receives two or more display stop type commands within 20 milliseconds. Therefore, when executing the command judgment process, it is impossible for two or more display stop type commands to be stored in the command buffer area. However, there is a possibility that part of the command may change due to the influence of noise, etc., and another command may be erroneously interpreted as a display stop type command. In the process of S6601, in preparation for such a case, if it is judged that two or more display stop type commands are stored in the command buffer area, the stop type is assumed to be a complete miss, and the stop type table is determined. As a result, the stop pattern corresponding to a complete miss is set by the process of S6602.

If a stopping pattern corresponding to a "special pattern jackpot" were set, the third pattern display device 81 would display a stopping pattern corresponding to a "special pattern jackpot" even if the actual result was a "special pattern miss," which could lead the player to mistakenly believe that the pachinko machine 10 had a "special pattern jackpot," thereby reducing the reliability of the pachinko machine 10. In contrast, by setting a stopping pattern corresponding to a complete miss as in this control example, if the actual result was a "special pattern jackpot," the pachinko machine 10 would be a "special pattern jackpot" even if the third pattern display device 81 displayed a stopping pattern that was a complete miss, which would delight the player.

Returning to FIG. 247, the explanation will continue. In the processing of S6406, if it is determined that there is no display stop type command (S6406: No), it is then determined whether or not there is an opening command for display among the unprocessed commands (S6408). If there is an opening command for display (S6408: Yes), the opening command processing is executed (S6409) and the processing returns to S6401.

Here, the details of the opening command processing (S6409) will be described with reference to FIG. 249(a). FIG. 249(a) is a flowchart showing the opening command processing. This opening command processing executes processing corresponding to the opening command received from the voice lamp control device 114.

In the opening command process, first, an opening display data table is set in the display data table buffer 233d (S6701). Then, a transfer data table corresponding to the opening display data table is set in the transfer data table buffer 233e (S6702), and time data is set in the timing counter 233h based on the set opening display data table (S6703). Then, the pointer 233f is initialized to 0 (S6704). Then, the demo display flag 233y and the final display flag 233z are both set to off (S6705), the opening command is terminated, and the process returns to the command determination process.

Returning to FIG. 247, the explanation will continue. In the processing of S6408, if it is determined that there is no opening command for display (S6408: No), it is then determined whether or not there is a round number command for display among the unprocessed commands (S6410), and if there is a round number command for display (S6410: Yes), round number command processing is executed (S6411), and the processing returns to S6401.

Now, the details of the number of rounds command processing (S6411) will be described with reference to FIG. 249(b). FIG. 249(b) is a flowchart showing the number of rounds command processing. This number of rounds command processing executes processing corresponding to the number of rounds command for display received from the voice lamp control device 114.

In the round number command processing, first, the round number display data table corresponding to the round number indicated by the display round number command is determined, and the determined round number display data table is read from the data table storage area 233b and set in the display data table buffer 233d (S6801). Next, Null data is written to the transfer data table buffer 233e to clear its contents (S6802).

Then, based on the number of rounds display data table set in the display data table buffer 233d by the processing of S6801, time data representing the presentation time is set in the timing counter 233h (S6803), and the pointer 233f is initialized to 0 (S6804). Then, the demo display flag 233y and the final display flag 233z are both set to off (S6805), the number of rounds command processing is terminated, and the processing returns to the command determination processing.

Returning to FIG. 247 for further explanation, if it is determined in the processing of S6410 that there is no round number command for display (S6410: No), then it is determined whether or not there is an ending command for display among the unprocessed commands (S6412), and if there is an ending command for display (S6412: Yes), ending command processing is executed (S6413), and processing returns to S6401.

Now, with reference to FIG. 250, the details of the ending command processing (S6413) will be described. FIG. 250 is a flowchart showing the ending command processing. This ending command processing executes processing corresponding to the display ending command received from the voice lamp control device 114.

In the ending command process, first, an ending display data table corresponding to the display mode of the ending performance indicated by the display ending command is determined, and the determined ending display data table is read from the data table storage area 233b and set in the display data table buffer 233d (S6901). Next, Null data is written to the transfer data table buffer 233e to clear its contents (S6902).

Next, based on the ending display data table set in the display data table buffer 233d by the processing of S6901, time data representing the presentation time is set in the timing counter 233h (S6903), and the pointer 233f is initialized to 0 (S6904). Then, the demo display flag 233y and the final display flag 233z are both set to off (S6905), ending command processing is terminated, and processing returns to command determination processing.

Returning to FIG. 247, the explanation will continue. In the processing of S6412, if it is determined that there is no display ending command (S6412: No), it is then determined whether or not there is a background image change command among the unprocessed commands (S6414). If there is a background image change command (S6414: Yes), background image change command processing is executed (S6415), and the processing returns to S6401.

Here, the rear image change command processing (S6415) will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 251. FIG. 251 is a flowchart showing the rear image change command processing. This rear image change command processing executes processing corresponding to the rear image change command received from the voice lamp control device 114.

In the rear image change command process, first, the rear image change flag 233w, which notifies the normal image transfer setting process (S7503) of the rear image change resulting from receiving a rear image change command in the on state, is set to on (S7001). Then, of the bits of the rear image discrimination flag 233x provided for each rear image type (back A, B), the bit corresponding to the rear image type indicated by the rear image change command is set to on, and the bits corresponding to the other rear image types are set to off (S7002), after which the rear image change command process is terminated and the process returns to the command determination process.

In the normal image transfer setting process, when it is detected that the rear image change flag 233w set by the process of S7001 is on, the changed rear image type is identified from the rear image discrimination flag 233x set by the process of S7002.

In addition, in the task processing, if it is specified in the display data table that either back surface A or B is to be displayed based on the back surface type of the back surface image specified in the display data table, the type of back surface image to be displayed at that time is identified from the back surface image discrimination flag 233x set by S7002, and further, the range of the back surface image to be displayed is identified over time, and the type of RAM in which image data corresponding to that range of the back surface image is stored (resident video RAM 235 or normal video RAM 236) and the address of that RAM are identified.

Note that since the player does not operate the frame button 22 continuously within 20 milliseconds, two or more rear image change commands are not received within 20 milliseconds. Therefore, when executing the command determination process, there should be no cases where two or more rear image change commands are stored in the command buffer area. However, there is a possibility that a part of the command may change due to the influence of noise, etc., and another command may be erroneously interpreted as a rear image change command. In the process of S7002, if it is determined that two or more rear image commands are stored in the command buffer area, the rear image discrimination flag 233x corresponding to the rear image type indicated by the rear image command received first may be turned on, or the rear image discrimination flag 233x corresponding to the rear image type indicated by the rear image command received later may be turned on. In addition, any one rear image change command may be extracted, and the rear image discrimination flag 233x corresponding to the rear image type indicated by that command may be turned on. This change in the rear image does not directly affect the game value of the pachinko machine 10, so it is preferable to set it appropriately according to the characteristics and operability of the pachinko machine 10.

Now, we return to the explanation of FIG. 247. If it is determined in the processing of S6414 that there is no rear image change command (S6414: No), then it is determined whether or not there is an error command among the unprocessed commands (S6416), and if there is an error command (S6416: Yes), error command processing is executed (S6417), and the processing returns to S6401.

Now, with reference to FIG. 251(b), the error command processing (S6417) will be described in detail. FIG. 251(b) is a flowchart showing the error command processing. This error command processing executes processing corresponding to the error command received from the voice lamp control device 114.

In error command processing, first, an error occurrence flag is set to ON, which indicates that an error has occurred when in the ON state (S7101). Then, among the error discrimination flags provided for each error type, the error discrimination flag corresponding to the error type indicated by the error command is set to ON, and the other error discrimination flags are set to OFF (S7102), the error command processing is terminated, and the process returns to command judgment processing.

In the display setting process, when an error is detected based on the error occurrence flag set by the process of S7101, the type of error that has occurred is determined from the error discrimination flag set by the process of S7102, and a process is executed to display a warning image corresponding to that error type on the third pattern display device 81.

If it is determined that two or more error commands are stored in the command buffer area, the process in S7102 sets the error discrimination flags corresponding to all error types indicated by the respective error commands to ON. As a result, warning images corresponding to all error types are displayed on the third symbol display device 81, allowing players and hall staff to correctly understand the error occurrence status.

Now, let us return to the explanation of FIG. 247. If it is determined in the processing of S6416 that there is no error command (S6416: No), then processing corresponding to other unprocessed commands is executed (S6418), and the process returns to the processing of S6401.

In the process of S6401, which is executed again after the processing of each command has been executed, it is again determined whether or not there is an unprocessed new command in the command buffer area, and if there is an unprocessed new command (S6401: Yes), the processes of S6402 to S6418 are executed again. Then, the processes of S6401 to S6418 are repeatedly executed until there are no unprocessed new commands in the command buffer area, and when it is determined in the process of S6401 that there is no unprocessed new command in the command buffer area, this command determination process ends.

The simple command determination process (S6308), which is executed when the simple image display flag 233c is on in the V interrupt process (see FIG. 246(b)), is similar to the command determination process. However, in the simple command determination process, only the commands necessary to display the power-on image, i.e., the display variation pattern command and the display stop type command, are extracted from the unprocessed commands stored in the command buffer area, and the variation pattern command process (see FIG. 248(a)) and the stop type command process (see FIG. 248(b)), which are the processes corresponding to each command, are executed, while other commands are discarded without executing the processes corresponding to those commands.

In the variation pattern command processing (see FIG. 248(a)) executed in this case, the display data table buffer corresponding to the display of the power-on variation image is set in the display data table buffer 233d in the processing of S6501, and since the image data of the power-on main image and the power-on variation image required in this case are stored in the power-on main image area 235a and the power-on variation image area 235b of the resident video RAM 235, in the processing of S6502, Null data is written to the transfer data table buffer 233b and its contents are cleared.

Next, with reference to Figs. 252 to 254, the above-mentioned display setting process (S6303), which is one process of the V interrupt process executed by the MPU 231 of the display control device 114, will be described in detail. Fig. 252 is a flowchart showing this display setting process.

As shown in FIG. 252, in this display setting process, first it is determined whether the new command flag is on or not (S7201). If the new command flag is not on, i.e., it is off (S7201: No), it is determined that a new command has not been processed in the command determination process executed first, and the processes of S7202 to S7204 are skipped and the process moves to S7205. On the other hand, if the new command flag is on (S7201: Yes), it is determined that a new command has been processed in the command determination process executed first, and after setting the new command flag to off (S7202), the process corresponding to the new command is executed by the processes of S7203 to S7204.

In the process of S7203, it is determined whether the error occurrence flag is on (S7203). If the error occurrence flag is on (S7203: Yes), the warning image setting process is executed (S7204).

Now, with reference to FIG. 253, the warning image setting process will be described in detail. FIG. 253 is a flowchart showing the warning image setting process. This process is for expanding image data for displaying a warning image corresponding to an error that has occurred on the third pattern display device 81. First, the error discrimination flags are referenced, and warning image data for displaying warning images of errors corresponding to all error discrimination flags that are set to on on the third pattern display device 81 is expanded (S7301).

In the task processing (S6304), the type of sprite (display object) that constitutes the warning image is identified based on this expanded warning image data, and various parameters required for drawing, such as the display coordinate position, magnification rate, and rotation angle, are determined for each sprite.

Then, in the warning image setting process, after processing S7301, the error occurrence flag is set to off (S7302) and the process returns to the display setting process.

Now, let us return to the explanation of FIG. 252. After the warning image setting process (S7204), or in the process of S7203, if it is determined that the error occurrence flag is not on, i.e., is off (S7203: No), then the process proceeds to S7205.

In S7205, pointer update processing is executed (S7205). Details of the pointer update processing will now be described with reference to FIG. 254. FIG. 254 is a flowchart showing the pointer update processing. This pointer update processing is processing for updating the pointer 233f that specifies the address from which the corresponding drawing content or transfer data information of the image data to be transferred should be obtained from the display data table and transfer data table stored in the display data table buffer 233d and transfer data table buffer 233e, respectively.

In this pointer update process, first, 1 is added to the pointer 233f (S7401). That is, in principle, the update process is performed so that the pointer 233f is incremented by 1 each time the V interrupt process is executed. Also, as described above, in various data tables, Start information is written at address "0000H" and the actual data of each table is specified from address "0001H" onwards. If the value of the pointer 233f is initialized to 0 as the display data table is stored in the display data table buffer 233d, the value is updated to 1 by this pointer update process, so that the actual data can be read from each data table in order starting from address "0001H".

After the value of pointer 233f is updated by the process of S7401, it is then determined whether the data at the address indicated by the updated pointer 233f in the display data table set in display data table buffer 233d is End information (S7402). If the data is End information (S7402: Yes), this means that the pointer 233f has been updated past the address where the entity data is written in the display data table set in display data table buffer 233d.

Then, it is determined whether the display data table stored in the display data table buffer 233d is a demo display data table (S7403), and if it is a demo display data table (S7403: Yes), time data corresponding to the performance time of the demo display data table set in the display data table buffer 233d is set in the timing counter 233h (S7404), the pointer 233f is set to 1 for initialization (S7405), this process is terminated, and the process returns to the display setting process. As a result, in the display setting process, the drawing contents can be expanded in order from the top of the demo display data table, so that the third pattern display device 81 can be made to repeatedly display demo performances.

On the other hand, if it is determined in the process of S7403 that the display data table stored in the display data table buffer 233d is not a demo display data table (S7403: No), the value of the pointer 233f is decremented by 1 (S7406), this process is terminated, and the process returns to the display setting process. As a result, in the display setting process, if a display data table other than the demo display data table, for example, a variable display data table, is set in the display data table buffer 233d, the drawing contents of the previous address in which the End information is written are always expanded, so that the third pattern display device 81 can display the last image specified in the display data table in a stopped state. On the other hand, in the process of S7402, if the data of the address indicated by the updated pointer 233f is not End information (S7402: No), this process is terminated, and the process returns to the display setting process.

Now, returning to FIG. 252, the explanation will continue. After the pointer update process, the drawing contents of the address indicated by the pointer 233f updated by the pointer update process are obtained from the display data table set in the display data table buffer 233d (S7206). In the task process (S6304), based on the drawing contents expanded in the process of S7206 together with the warning image expanded earlier, the type of sprites (display objects) that make up the image is identified, and various parameters required for drawing, such as the display coordinate position, magnification rate, and rotation angle, are determined for each sprite.

Then, the value of the timing counter 233h is decremented by 1 (S7207), and it is determined whether the value of the timing counter 233h after decrement is 0 or less (S7208). If the value of the timing counter 233h is 1 or more (S7208: No), the display setting process is terminated and the process returns to the V interrupt process. On the other hand, if the value of the timing counter 233h is 0 or less (S7208: Yes), this means that the performance time for the performance corresponding to the display data table set in the display data table buffer 233d has elapsed. At this time, if a variable display data table is set in the display data table buffer 233d, it is time to end the variable display and perform a stop display, so it is checked whether the fixed display flag is on (S7209).

As a result, if the confirmation display flag is off (S7209: No), the confirmation display has not yet been performed and it is time to perform the confirmation display, so first, the confirmation display data table is set in the display data table buffer 233d (S7210), and then null data is written to the transfer data table buffer 233e to clear its contents (S7211). Then, time data corresponding to the performance time of the confirmation display data table is set in the timing counter 233h (S7212), and further, the value of the pointer 233f is initialized to 0 (S7213). Then, after the confirmation display flag, which indicates that the confirmation display is being performed in the on state, is set on (S7214), the contents of the stop symbol discrimination flag are copied directly to the previous stop symbol discrimination flag provided in the work RAM 233 (S7215), and the process returns to the V interrupt process.

In this way, when a variable display data table is set in the display data table buffer 233d, the drawing contents can be set so that the final display performance of the stopped patterns in the variable performance is displayed on the third pattern display device 81 in accordance with the end of the performance. Also, by simply changing the display data table set in the display data table buffer 233d to the final display data table, the performance displayed on the third pattern display device 81 can be easily changed to the final display performance. And compared to the conventional case where the display contents are changed by starting a separate program, the program does not become complicated and bloated, and therefore the MPU 231 is not subjected to a large load, so a wide variety of performance images can be displayed on the third pattern display 81 regardless of the processing capacity of the display control device 114.

The previous stop pattern discrimination flag set by the processing of S7215 is used to identify the third pattern to be displayed on the third pattern display device 81 in the next variable performance. That is, as described above, the display of the third pattern in the variable performance changes depending on the stop pattern of the previous variable performance, and in the variable display data table, pattern offset information from the stop pattern of the previous variable performance is recorded until a predetermined time has passed since the start of the fluctuation based on the data table. In the task processing (S6304), the stop pattern of the previous variable performance is identified from the previous stop pattern discrimination flag set by S7215 until a predetermined time has passed since the start of the fluctuation, and the pattern offset information obtained by the display setting processing is added to the identified stop pattern to identify the third pattern to be actually displayed. As a result, the variable performance starts from the stop pattern in the previous variable performance.

On the other hand, in the process of S7209, if the confirmation display flag is on (S7209: Yes), it is determined whether or not the demo display flag is on (S7216). Then, if the demo display flag is off (S7216: No), this means that the value of the timing counter 233h has become 0 or less as the confirmation display performance ends, and therefore, after a certain period of time has elapsed since the end of the confirmation display performance, processing is performed to cause the third pattern display device 81 to display a demo performance.

First, the demo display data table is obtained and set in the display data table buffer 233d (S7217), and the contents are cleared by writing Null data to the transfer data table buffer 233e (S7218). Then, time data corresponding to the performance time of the demo display data table is set in the timing counter 233h (S7219). Then, the pointer 233f is initialized to 0 (S7220), and the demo display flag, which indicates that a demo performance is being performed when it is on, is set to on (S7221), this process ends, and the process returns to the V interrupt process.

As a result, if a display variable pattern command indicating the start of the next variable performance is not received after the final display performance has ended, the drawing content can be set so that a demo performance is automatically displayed on the third pattern display device 81.

In the processing of S7216, if the demo display flag is on (S7216: Yes), this means that the demo performance is performed after the final display performance has ended, and that the demo performance has ended, so the display setting processing is terminated and the process returns to the V interrupt processing. In this case, various settings are made so that the demo performance will start again as described above by the pointer update processing executed in the next V interrupt processing, so that the demo performance can be repeatedly displayed on the third pattern display device 81 until a new display variation pattern command is received from the voice lamp control device 113.

The same processing as the display setting processing is also performed in the simple display setting processing (S6309) executed when the simple image display flag 233c is on in the V interrupt processing (see FIG. 246 (b)). However, in the simple display setting processing, after the performance time of the power-on variable image has ended, a process is performed to set in the display data table buffer 233d a display data table that specifies that one of the images of the power-on variable image corresponding to the stop pattern set based on the display stop type command is stopped and displayed for a predetermined time.

Next, with reference to Figs. 255 and 256, the above-mentioned transfer setting process (S6305), which is one process of the V interrupt process executed by the MPU 231 of the display control device 114, will be described in detail. First, Fig. 255(a) is a flowchart showing this transfer setting process.

In this transfer setting process, first, it is determined whether the simple image display flag 233c is on or not (S7501). Then, if the simple image display flag 233c is on (S7501: Yes), all image data that should be resident in the resident video RAM 235 has not been transferred from the character ROM 234 to the resident video RAM 235, so the resident image transfer setting process is executed (S7502), the transfer setting process is terminated, and the process returns to the V interrupt process. As a result, a transfer instruction is set to the image controller 237 to transfer the image data that should be resident in the resident video RAM 235 from the character ROM 234 to the resident video RAM 235. Details of the resident image transfer setting process will be described later with reference to FIG. 255(b).

On the other hand, if the result of the processing of S7501 is that the simple image display flag 233c is not on, i.e., it is off (S7501: No), all image data that should be resident in the resident video RAM 235 has been transferred from the character ROM 234 to the resident video RAM 235. In this case, the normal image transfer setting process is executed (S7503), the transfer setting process is terminated, and the process returns to the V interrupt process. As a result, a transfer instruction is set so that future transfers of image data from the character ROM 234 are to the normal video RAM 236. Details of the normal image transfer setting process will be described later with reference to FIG. 256.

Next, referring to FIG. 255(b), we will explain the resident image transfer setting process (S7502), which is one process of the transfer setting process (S6305) executed by the MPU 231 of the display control device 114. FIG. 255(b) is a flowchart showing this resident image transfer setting process (S7502).

In this resident image transfer setting process, first, it is determined whether or not an instruction to transfer untransferred image data has been sent to the image controller 237 (S7601). If a transfer instruction has been sent (S7601: Yes), it is further determined whether or not the image data transfer process performed by the image controller 237 based on the transfer instruction has been completed (S7602). In this process of S7602, after an instruction to transfer image data has been sent to the image controller 237, if a transfer end signal indicating the end of the transfer process is received from the image controller 237, it is determined that the transfer process has been completed. Then, if it is determined by the process of S7602 that the transfer process has not been completed (S7602: No), the image transfer process is still being performed in the image controller 237, and therefore the resident image transfer setting process is terminated. On the other hand, if it is determined that the transfer process has been completed (S7602: Yes), the process proceeds to the process of S7603. Also, if the result of processing in S7601 indicates that a transfer instruction for untransferred image data has not been sent to the image controller 237 (S7601: No), the process proceeds to S7603.

In the processing of S7603, it is determined whether all resident target image data that should be resident in the resident video RAM 235 has been transferred (S7603), and if there is untransferred resident target image data (S7603: No), a transfer instruction is set for the image controller 237 to transfer the untransferred resident target image data from the character ROM 234 to the resident video RAM 235 (S7604), and this processing ends.

As a result, the drawing list sent to the image controller 237 in the drawing process includes transfer data information on the resident target image data that has not yet been transferred, and the image controller 237 can transfer the resident target image data from the character ROM 234 to the resident video RAM 235 based on the transfer data information written in the drawing list. The transfer data information includes the start address and end address of the character ROM 234 where the resident target image data is stored, the transfer destination information (in this case, the resident video RAM 235), and the start address of the transfer destination (an area provided in the resident video RAM 235 where the resident target image data to be transferred here should be stored). The image controller 237 executes the image transfer process based on this transfer data information, reads out the image data specified in the transfer process from the character ROM 234 and temporarily stores it in the buffer RAM 237a, and then transfers it to the specified address of the resident video RAM 235 while the resident video RAM 235 is not in use. When the transfer is completed, a transfer end signal is sent to the MPU 231.

If all resident target image data has been transferred as a result of the processing of S7603 (S7603: Yes), the simple image display flag 233c is set to OFF (S7605), and this processing is terminated. As a result, in the V interrupt processing (see FIG. 246(b)), instead of the simple command determination processing (see S6308 in FIG. 246(b)) and the simple display setting processing (see S6309 in FIG. 246(b)), the command determination processing (see FIG. 247 to FIG. 251) and the display setting processing (see FIG. 252 to FIG. 254) are executed, so that the drawing of the normal image is set, and the normal image is displayed on the third symbol display device 81. In addition, the transfer of image data from the character ROM 234 thereafter is performed to the normal video RAM 236 by the normal image transfer setting processing (see FIG. 256) (see S7501: No in FIG. 255(a)).

By executing this resident image transfer setting process, the MPU 231 can transfer all resident target image data that should be resident in the resident video RAM 235 from the character ROM 234 to the resident video RAM 235, except for the power-on main image and power-on variable image that have already been transferred during the main process. The MPU 231 then controls the image data transferred to the resident video RAM 235 so that it continues to be retained without being overwritten while the power is on. As a result, the image data transferred to the resident video RAM 235 by the resident image transfer setting process remains resident in the resident video RAM 235 while the power is on.

Therefore, after all image data that should be resident in the resident video RAM 235 has been transferred to the resident video RAM 235, the display control device 114 can perform image drawing processing in the image controller 237 while using the image data resident in the resident video RAM 235. As a result, if the image data used for drawing processing is resident in the resident video RAM 235, there is no need to read out the corresponding image data from the character ROM 234, which is made up of the NAND type flash memory 234a, which has a slow readout speed, when drawing an image, so the time required for reading can be saved, and the image can be drawn immediately and displayed on the third pattern display device 81.

In particular, the resident video RAM 235 stores image data of frequently displayed images such as the back image, the third pattern, the character pattern, and error messages, as well as image data of images that should be displayed immediately after their display is determined by the main control unit 110, the audio lamp control unit 113, the display control unit 114, etc. Therefore, even if the character ROM 234 is configured from a NAND type flash memory 234a, high responsiveness can be maintained from various operations performed by the player at any time until some image is displayed on the third pattern display device 81.

Next, with reference to FIG. 256, we will explain the normal image transfer setting process (S7503), which is one process of the transfer setting process (S6305) executed by the MPU 231 of the display control device 114. FIG. 256 is a flowchart showing this normal image transfer setting process (S7503).

In this normal image transfer setting process, first, the information written at the address indicated by the pointer 233f updated by the pointer update process (S7205) of the previously executed display setting process (S6303) is obtained from the transfer data table set in the transfer data table buffer 233e (S7701). Then, it is determined whether the obtained information is transfer data information (S7702), and if it is transfer data information (S7702: Yes), the start address (source start address) and end address (source end address) of the character ROM 234 in which the transfer target image data is stored, and the start address of the transfer destination (normal video RAM 236) are extracted from the transfer data information and stored in the transfer data buffer provided in the work RAM 233 (S7703), and further, a transfer start flag provided in the work RAM 233, which indicates that image data to be transferred is present in the ON state, is set to ON (S7704), and the process proceeds to S7705.

In addition, in the processing of S7702, if the acquired information is not transfer data information but is Null data (S7702: No), the processing of S7703 and S7704 is skipped and the processing proceeds to S7705. In the processing of S7705, it is determined whether a new image data transfer instruction has been set for the image controller 237 after the previous image data transfer has ended (S7705), and if a transfer instruction has been set (S7705: Yes), it is further determined whether the image data transfer performed by the image controller 237 based on the transfer instruction has ended (S7706).

In the processing of S7706, after setting an image data transfer instruction to the image controller 237, if a transfer end signal indicating the end of the transfer processing is received from the image controller 237, it is determined that the transfer processing has ended. Then, if it is determined by the processing of S7706 that the transfer processing has not ended (S7706: No), image transfer processing is still being performed in the image controller 237, so this normal image transfer setting processing ends. On the other hand, if it is determined that the transfer processing has ended (S7706: Yes), the processing proceeds to S7707. Also, if the result of the processing of S7705 shows that an image data transfer instruction has not been set to the image controller 237 after the end of the previous transfer processing (S7705: No), the processing proceeds to S7707.

In the processing of S7707, it is determined whether the transfer start flag is on or not (S7707). If the transfer start flag is on (S7707: Yes), image data that should be transferred is present, so the transfer start flag is turned off (S7708), and the image data of the sprite indicated by the various information stored in the transfer data buffer by the processing of S7703 is set as the image data to be transferred, and the processing proceeds to S7713. On the other hand, if the transfer start flag is not on but off (S7707: No), it is then determined whether the background image change flag 233w is on or not (S7709). Then, if the background image change flag 233w is not on but off (S7709: No), image data that should be transferred is not present, so the normal image transfer setting processing ends.

On the other hand, if the rear image change flag 233w is on (S7709: Yes), this means that the rear image has been changed, so the rear image change flag 233w is set to off (S7710), and then, of the rear image discrimination flags 233x provided for each rear image type, the image data of the rear image corresponding to the rear image discrimination flag 233x that is on is identified, and this image data is set as the image data to be transferred (S7711). Furthermore, the start address (source start address) and end address (source end address) of the character ROM 234 in which the image data of the rear image corresponding to the rear image discrimination flag 233x that is on is stored, and the start address of the transfer destination (normal video RAM 236) are obtained (S7712), and the process proceeds to S7713.

In the process of S7713, it is determined whether the image data to be transferred is already stored in the normal video RAM 236 (S7713). This determination in the process of S7713 is made by referencing the stored image data determination flag 233i. That is, the storage status corresponding to the sprite that is the image data to be transferred is read from the stored image data determination flag 233i, and if the storage status is "on", it is determined that the image data of the sprite to be transferred is stored in the normal video RAM 236, and if the storage status is "off", it is determined that the image data of the sprite to be transferred is not stored in the normal video RAM 236.

If the result of the processing of S7713 is that the image data to be transferred is stored in the normal video RAM 236 (S7713: Yes), there is no need to transfer the image data from the character ROM 234 to the normal video RAM 236, and the normal image transfer setting process is terminated. This makes it possible to prevent image data from being transferred unnecessarily from the character ROM 234 to the normal video RAM 236, thereby reducing the processing burden on each part of the display control device 114 and reducing traffic on the bus line 240.

On the other hand, if the result of the processing of S7713 is that the image data to be transferred is not stored in the normal video RAM 236 (S7713: No), a transfer instruction for the image data to be transferred is set (S7714). As a result, the transfer data information for the image data to be transferred is included in the drawing list sent to the image controller 237 in the drawing process, and the image controller 237 can transfer the image data of the image to be transferred from the character ROM 234 to the normal video RAM 236 based on the transfer data information written in the drawing list. The transfer data information includes the start address and the end address of the character ROM 234 where the image data of the image to be transferred is stored, the information of the transfer destination (in this case, the normal video RAM 236), and the start address of the transfer destination (a sub-area provided in the image storage area 236a of the normal video RAM 236 where the image data of the image to be transferred here should be stored). The image controller 237 executes the image transfer process based on this transfer data information, reads the image data specified in the transfer process from the character ROM 234, and transfers it to the specified address of the specified video RAM (here, the normal video RAM 236). Then, when the transfer is complete, it sends a transfer end signal to the MPU 231.

After processing S7714, the stored image data discrimination flag 233i is updated (S7715), and this normal transfer setting process is terminated. As described above, the stored image data discrimination flag 233i is updated by setting the storage state corresponding to the sprite that is the image data to be transferred to "on," and by setting the storage state corresponding to other sprites that are to be stored in the same sub-area of the image storage area 236a as the one sprite to "off."

In this way, by executing this normal image transfer process, a process corresponding to the display stop type command is executed in the previously executed command determination process, and as a result, if it is determined that the stop type information indicated by the display stop type command is a jackpot stop type, image data used in the fanfare performance can be transferred without delay from character ROM 234 to normal video RAM 236. Also, if the rear image is changed based on receipt of a rear image change command in the previously executed command determination process, image data used for that rear image that is not stored in the rear image area 235c of the resident video RAM 235 can be transferred without delay from character ROM 234 to normal video RAM 236.

In addition, in this control example, in response to a command (e.g., a display variation pattern command) sent from the voice lamp control device 113 based on a command from the main control device 110, a display data table is set in the display data table buffer 233d, and at the same time, a transfer data table corresponding to the display data table is set in the transfer data table buffer 233e. Then, by executing the normal image transfer setting process, the MPU 231 sets a transfer instruction for the image controller 237 for the image data to be transferred according to the transfer data information written in the area indicated by the pointer 233f of the transfer data table set in the transfer data table buffer 233e, so that the image data of the sprite used in the display data table set in the display data table buffer 233d can be reliably transferred from the character ROM 234 to the normal video RAM 236 at the desired timing.

The transfer data table specifies the transfer data information of the image data to be transferred for a specific address so that the image data corresponding to a specific sprite is stored in the image storage area 236a by the time drawing of the specific sprite begins in accordance with the display data table. By transferring image data from the character ROM 234 to the image storage area 236a in accordance with the transfer data information specified in this transfer data table, when drawing a specific sprite in accordance with the display data table, image data that is not resident in the resident video RAM 235 and is necessary for drawing the sprite can be ensured to be stored in the image storage area 236a.

As a result, even if the character ROM 234 is configured using a NAND type flash memory 234a with a slow read speed, the images required for display can be read out from the character ROM 234 in advance without delay and transferred to the normal video RAM 236, so that the corresponding effects can be displayed on the third pattern display device 81 while drawing the images of each sprite specified in the display data table. Also, by writing in the transfer data table, only the image data that is not resident in the resident video RAM 235 can be easily and reliably transferred from the character ROM 234 to the normal video RAM 236.

The transfer data table also specifies the transfer data information so that image data is transferred from character ROM 234 to normal video RAM 236 for each image data corresponding to a sprite. This allows the transfer of image data to be managed and controlled for each sprite, making it easy to process the transfer. By controlling the transfer of image data from character ROM 234 to normal video RAM 236 on a sprite-by-sprite basis, the process can be made easier while controlling the transfer of image data in detail. This makes it possible to efficiently prevent an increase in the load on the transfer.

Next, referring to FIG. 257, the details of the above-mentioned drawing process (S6306), which is one process of the V interrupt process executed by the MPU 231 of the display control device 114, will be described. FIG. 257 is a flowchart showing this drawing process.

In the drawing process, a drawing list (Fig. 207) is generated (S7801) from the types of various sprites that make up one frame determined in the task process (S6304), the parameters required for drawing each sprite (display position coordinates, magnification ratio, rotation angle, semi-transparency value, alpha blending information, color information, filter specification information), and the transfer instructions set in the transfer setting process (S6305). That is, in the process of S7801, from the types of various sprites that make up one frame determined in the task process (S6304), the storage RAM type and address in which the image data of that sprite is stored are identified for each sprite, and the parameters required for that sprite determined in the task process are associated with the identified storage RAM type and address. Then, the sprites are rearranged in the order of the sprites that should be placed furthest behind the sprites that should be placed in the foreground in one frame of image, and a drawing list is generated by describing, in the rearranged sprite order, the type and address of the storage RAM in which the image data of the sprites are stored and the parameters required for drawing the sprites as detailed drawing information (detailed information) for each sprite. Also, if a transfer instruction is set by the transfer setting process (S6305), the start address (start address of the storage source) and the end address (end address of the storage source) of the character ROM 234 in which the image data to be transferred is stored, and the start address of the transfer destination (normal video RAM 236) are added as transfer data information to the end of the drawing list.

As described above, the area of the resident video RAM 235 in which the image data of the sprite is stored, or the sub-area of the image storage area 236a of the normal video RAM 236, is fixed for each sprite, so the MPU 231 can instantly identify the storage RAM type and address in which the image data of the sprite is stored according to the sprite type, and easily include this information in the detailed information of the drawing list.

When the drawing list is generated, the generated drawing list and the drawing target buffer information specified by the drawing target buffer flag 233j are sent to the image controller (S7802). Here, if the drawing target buffer flag 233j is 0, the drawing target buffer information includes information instructing the first frame buffer 236b to expand the image drawn, and if the drawing target buffer flag 233j is 1, the drawing target buffer information includes information instructing the second frame buffer 236c to expand the image drawn.

Based on the drawing list received from the MPU 231, the image controller 237 draws images starting from the sprite described at the top of the drawing list, and expands them by overwriting them in the frame buffer specified by the drawing target buffer information. This allows the first sprite drawn to be positioned at the backmost position, and the last sprite drawn to be positioned at the foremost position, in one frame's worth of image generated by the drawing list.

If the drawing list contains transfer data information, the start address (source start address) and end address (source end address) of character ROM 234 where the image data to be transferred is stored, and the start address of the transfer destination (normal video RAM 236) are extracted from the transfer data information, and the image data stored from the source start address to the source end address are read out of character ROM 234 in order and temporarily stored in buffer RAM 237a, and then, when the normal video RAM 236 is in an unused state, the image data stored in buffer RAM 237a is transferred sequentially to the area of normal video RAM 236 indicated by the destination start address. The image data stored in this normal video RAM 236 is then used based on the drawing list sent by MPU 231, and an image is drawn according to the drawing list.

The image controller 237 reads image information of the previously displayed image from a frame buffer different from the frame buffer specified by the drawing target buffer information, and transmits the image information to the third pattern display device 81 together with a drive signal. This allows the third pattern display device 81 to display the image displayed in the frame buffer. Also, while an image drawn in one frame buffer is being displayed, an image displayed from the other frame buffer can be displayed on the third pattern display 81, allowing the drawing process and the display process to be processed simultaneously in parallel.

After the processing of S7802, the drawing process updates the drawing target buffer flag 233j (S7803). Then, the drawing process ends and returns to the V interrupt processing. The drawing target buffer flag 233j is updated by inverting its value, i.e., by setting the value to "1" if it was "0" and to "0" if it was "1". As a result, the drawing target buffer is alternately set between the first frame buffer 236b and the second frame buffer 236c each time a drawing list is transmitted.

Here, the drawing list is transmitted each time the drawing process of the V interrupt process (see FIG. 246(b)) executed by the MPU 231 is executed based on the V interrupt signal transmitted from the image controller 237 every 20 milliseconds when the drawing process and display process of one frame of image are completed. As a result, when the first frame buffer 236b is designated as the frame buffer that displays one frame of image at a certain timing, and the second frame buffer 236c is designated as the frame buffer from which the image information of one frame is read, and the image drawing process and display process are executed, 20 milliseconds after the drawing process of one frame of image is completed, the second frame buffer 236c is designated as the frame buffer that displays one frame of image, and the first frame buffer 236b is designated as the frame buffer from which the image information of one frame is read. Therefore, the image information of the image previously displayed in the first frame buffer 236b can be read and displayed on the third pattern display device 81, and at the same time, a new image is displayed in the second frame buffer 236c.

Then, after another 20 milliseconds, the first frame buffer 236b is specified as the frame buffer in which one frame's worth of image is displayed, and the second frame buffer 236c is specified as the frame buffer from which one frame's worth of image information is read. Thus, the image information of the image previously displayed in the second frame buffer 236c is read out and displayed on the third pattern display device 81, and at the same time, a new image is displayed in the first frame buffer 236b. Thereafter, by alternately specifying the first frame buffer 236b and the second frame buffer 236c as the frame buffer in which one frame's worth of image is displayed and the frame buffer from which one frame's worth of image information is read, each time every 20 milliseconds, it is possible to perform the display process of one frame's worth of image continuously in 20 millisecond units while performing the drawing process of one frame's worth of image.

As explained above, the pachinko machine 10 in this first control example is configured to switch between three game states, the normal state, the probability change state, and the potential state, triggered by a jackpot or the like. The potential state is set as the most advantageous game state. Specifically, the rate of a small win in the drawing of the second special symbol is increased (0% to about 46%) compared to the drawing of the first special symbol, and the potential state is configured to make it easier to draw the second special symbol than in other game states. As a result, in the potential state, if the drawing of the second special symbol is performed, there is a high probability of a small win, and the probability of a jackpot is also increased, so that the opportunity to win a prize ball by making the ball enter the specific winning hole 65a can be increased compared to other game states. Therefore, it is possible to play in the hope of transitioning to the potential state.

In addition, in this first control example, the type of special symbol that is likely to be drawn is switched (switched between main and sub-variations) according to the game state. Specifically, in the normal state and the probability variation state, the display of the first special symbol is the main variation, and in the potential variation state, the display of the second special symbol is the main variation. In each game state, if the elapsed time since the main variation stopped is equal to or longer than a predetermined time (30 seconds), even if the potential variation is being performed, a demo display (a customer waiting demo screen, a potential variation demo display) according to the game state is displayed. Here, some gaming machines such as pachinko machines determine that the player is not playing when a certain time has passed since the variation stop state and display a demo. In such conventional gaming machines, whether or not a game is being played can be easily recognized by the presence or absence of a demo display, so that a player looking for an empty machine can start playing on a gaming machine with a demo display. This can improve the operating rate of the gaming machine.

However, in such conventional gaming machines, when applied to gaming machines with specifications that allow multiple symbols to change simultaneously, even if some symbols have stopped changing, the demo display cannot be executed as long as other symbols are changing. Therefore, players searching for an available machine may have difficulty determining whether or not the machine is available from the display content.

In contrast, in the first control example, in the normal state or the probability change state, it is determined whether or not to display the customer waiting demo screen depending only on the state of the main fluctuation (regardless of the state of the secondary fluctuation). As a result, even if a player stops playing immediately after inserting a ball into the second ball entrance 1640 and the 600-second fluctuation display begins, the customer waiting demo screen can be displayed after a predetermined time (30 seconds) has elapsed. Therefore, other players who check the customer waiting demo screen can easily understand that the pachinko machine 10 is vacant, and can start playing on the pachinko machine 10. Therefore, it is possible to prevent (suppress) a decrease in the operating rate of the pachinko machine 10.

In addition, in this control example, if 30 seconds or more have passed since the main fluctuation stopped in the latent state, a special demo display (special display) is set in which the same character 811 as during the fluctuation continues to be displayed. In other words, the display content is the same during normal display and demo display. As a result, if a ball is subsequently detected entering the second ball entrance 1640, the display mode (presentation mode) can be switched smoothly, thereby reducing the processing load on the pachinko machine 10.

In addition, in this first control example, as a type of reach effect, a special reach is provided in which a new row of symbols is displayed and a reach occurs after the third symbol is temporarily stopped and displayed in a losing combination. Here, in some gaming machines such as pachinko machines, multiple symbols are displayed in a variable manner, and when each symbol is stopped and displayed in a predetermined combination, a winning state that is advantageous to the player is granted. In such gaming machines, while one symbol is changing and other symbols are stopped and displayed, a reach state is generated in which the stopped and displayed symbols form part of a predetermined combination, making the player hopeful of a win, thereby increasing the interest.

However, in such conventional gaming machines, if a reach state does not occur, even if all the symbols are not displayed, there is no possibility of a winning state at that point, and there is a risk that the player's interest in the game will be lost. In contrast, in this control example, a special reach effect is provided in which a new pattern row frames in and develops into a reach effect after the third symbol is once displayed as a losing combination. This allows the player to expect the development into a special reach effect even if the third symbol is once displayed as a losing combination. In other words, the player can check the combination of stopped symbols by focusing on whether it is a combination of stopped symbols that can develop into a special reach effect (a combination that will become a reach if a new pattern row L4 is displayed). Therefore, every time a losing combination is displayed in the variable display, the player can expect the development into a special reach effect, which can increase the player's interest in the game.

In this first control example, the variable display of the first special symbol and the second special symbol can be executed simultaneously in parallel, but this is not limited to this. For example, regardless of whether it is the first special symbol or the second special symbol, when one variable display is being executed, other variable displays may be made impossible to execute. And, when there are reserved balls, the variable displays may be executed in order starting from the reserved ball with the oldest initial winning. By configuring in this way, the control can be simplified, and the processing load can be reduced.

In this first control example, the potential state is set as the most advantageous state, but this is not limited to this. For example, the potential state may be set as the most advantageous state. That is, in the potential state, the ball may be configured to enter the second ball entrance 1640 more easily, and in the normal state or potential state, the ball may be configured to enter the first ball entrance 64 more easily than the second ball entrance 1640. Specifically, for example, in the normal state or potential state, when the lottery for the second special pattern is executed, a variation pattern with a variation time of 600 seconds may be selected as the variation pattern, and in the potential state, a variation pattern with an extremely short variation time (0.5 seconds) may be selected. That is, the prescribed contents of the potential table 202f3 and the potential table 202f4 in the first control example may be interchanged. Also, if the second special symbol is hit during the probability variable state (jackpot E-F) and the ball passes through the V-pass switch 65e3 during the jackpot, the time-saving count can be set to 120, and in the normal state or the potential probability state, the time-saving count can be set to 0. This makes it easier for the game state after the jackpot to be set to the probability variable state again when the second special symbol is hit during the probability variable state (making it easier to loop the probability variable state), thereby increasing the advantage of the probability variable state.

Also, the most advantageous state may be set to the normal state, rather than the potential or probability state. Specifically, for example, the provisions of the normal table A202f1 and the potential table 202f4 in the first control example above may be swapped, and a configuration may be made in which a jackpot type that is likely to loop through the normal state (where it is difficult for the ball to pass through the V-pass switch 65e3) is more likely to be won in a jackpot in the normal state, and in which a jackpot type with an opening and closing pattern where it is easy for the ball to pass through the V-pass switch 65e3 is more likely to be won in a potential or probability state.

In this first control example, among the opening and closing patterns set for the opening and closing plate 65f1, an opening and closing pattern is set in which the opening and closing plate 65f1 is set to an open state for 0.2 seconds after the start of one round, as a pattern that makes it difficult for balls to pass through the V-pass switch 65e3. However, the period in which the opening and closing plate 65f1 is in an open state may be made shorter to reliably prevent balls from entering the specific winning hole 65.

In this first control example, when the special reach performance is executed and each of the pattern rows L1 to L3 is temporarily stopped, all the main patterns temporarily stopped in the upper pattern row L1 and the middle pattern row L2 are configured to face the direction of the new pattern row L4, but this is not limited to this. For example, it may be configured so that only the main pattern that is in reach due to the appearance (frame-in) of the new pattern row L4 (in the example of FIG. 185(a) ) looks up in the direction of the new pattern row L4. Also, for example, it may be configured so that the number of main patterns that look up in the new pattern row L4 among the main patterns other than the main patterns that are in reach suggests the expectation of a jackpot. In other words, it may be configured so that the more main patterns that look up in the direction of the new pattern row L4, the higher the expectation of a jackpot in the special reach performance. In this case, when all the main patterns look up in the new pattern row L4, a jackpot is confirmed (for example, selected only in the case of a winning super reach). By configuring it this way, when the changing patterns are stopped and displayed in a losing combination, the appearance of each main pattern can draw the player's attention, increasing the player's interest in the game.

In this first control example, when the special reach performance is executed, all the main symbols temporarily stopped in the upper symbol row L1 and the middle symbol row L2 are configured to face the direction of the new symbol row L4, but this is not limited to this. Not only the main symbols but also the reserved symbols may be configured to face the direction of the new symbol row L4. In this case, the number of reserved symbols facing the direction of the new symbol row L4 may be configured to suggest the expectation of a jackpot in the special reach performance. In other words, the more reserved symbols facing the direction of the new symbol row L4, the higher the expectation of a jackpot. Also, instead of suggesting the expectation of a jackpot in the special reach performance with the number of reserved symbols, the reserved ball corresponding to the reserved symbol may be configured to suggest the expectation of a jackpot. For example, the winning information stored in the winning information storage area 223a may be used to predict the movement pattern of each reserved ball, and if it is determined that the reserved balls include a movement pattern that develops into a super reach performance (missed super reach or winning super reach), a performance may be executed in which the reserved symbol corresponding to the reserved ball that develops into the super reach performance faces the direction of the new symbol row L4 when the ball temporarily stops in the special reach performance. This allows the player to play while paying attention to the reserved symbols when the ball temporarily stops in the special super reach performance, thereby increasing the player's interest in the game.

In this first control example, the new symbol row L4 displayed when the special reach performance is executed is configured to be scrolled in parallel with each of the symbol rows L1 to L3, but the new symbol row L4 does not necessarily have to be scrolled in parallel with each of the symbol rows L1 to L3. For example, the new symbol row L4 may be displayed on the right or left side of each of the symbol rows L1 to L3 and scrolled in the vertical direction (perpendicular to each of the symbol rows L1 to L3). This can further increase the freedom of the performance when the special reach performance is selected. In addition, the number of new symbol rows is not limited to one, and multiple symbol rows may be newly displayed when the special reach performance is executed. By configuring multiple symbol rows to be displayed, it is possible to increase the combination of main symbols at the time of provisional stop that can develop into a special reach. Therefore, when a stop pattern corresponding to a miss is stopped, the possibility of it becoming a stop pattern that has the potential to develop into a special reach can be increased, so that the player can expect the development into a special reach performance more frequently. This can increase the player's interest in the game.

In this first control example, the result display (see FIG. 188(b)) showing the result of the potential state is not performed until the display of the first special symbol changes, basically, after the potential state ends, but this is not limited to the above. For example, the result of the potential state may be displayed immediately after the potential state ends. This display may be continued until the display of the first special symbol changes ends. By displaying the result immediately after the potential state ends, the player can immediately know the result of the potential state that has ended. Therefore, even if it takes time for the ball to enter the first ball entrance 64 after the player switches back to left hitting, it is possible to prevent (suppress) the player from being stressed by not seeing the result of the potential state.

In this first control example, after the potential state ends, the time for the first special symbol to change is fixed at 12 seconds across the two special symbol lotteries, but this is not limited to 12 seconds and may be set to any length (e.g., 10 or 20 seconds) as long as the result display can be adequately confirmed by the player.

In the first control example, when either the first special symbol or the second special symbol is displayed as a jackpot or a small jackpot, the other special symbol is forcibly displayed as a jackpot. However, the other special symbol may be displayed as a jackpot or a small jackpot with the measurement of the variable time suspended. In addition, when either the first special symbol or the second special symbol is displayed as a jackpot or a small jackpot, a forced lottery may be executed in which the other special symbol does not win a jackpot or a small jackpot until the jackpot or the small jackpot is displayed as a jackpot or a small jackpot, and the lottery result may be a miss. This can prevent a situation in which both the first special symbol and the second special symbol win a jackpot or a small jackpot. In this case, it is preferable to configure the remaining number of times of the variable lottery or the remaining number of times of the time reduction is not subtracted based on the number of times the forced lottery is executed. This can provide a fair game to the players.

<Second control example>
Next, the pachinko machine 10 in the second control example will be described with reference to Fig. 258 to Fig. 289. In the above-mentioned first control example, a first ball entrance 64 into which a ball is likely to enter by a left hit and a second ball entrance 1640 into which a ball is likely to enter by a right hit are provided, and in the normal state and the probability change state in which a left hit game is performed, a game (special pattern 1 actual variable game) in which a lottery for a first special pattern (hereinafter referred to as special pattern 1) based on a ball entering the first ball entrance 64 is mainly performed, and in the potential state in which a right hit game is performed, a game (special pattern 2 actual variable game) in which a lottery for a second special pattern (hereinafter referred to as special pattern 2) based on a ball entering the second ball entrance 1640 is mainly performed is performed. In the potential state where right-hand play is performed, the lottery for special chart 2, which is executed based on the ball entering the second ball entrance 1640, is set to have a small win in which the variable winning device 65 is in an open state for a predetermined period of time (for example, about 1.65 seconds) (the probability of winning is about 1/2), and the system is configured so that winning balls through the small win can be expected.

In contrast, the pachinko machine 10 in the second control example is configured so that both the drawing of special chart 1 and the drawing of special chart 2 can be executed by hitting from the right, and the change time of each special chart in the potential probability state is set to be shorter for special chart 2 than for special chart 1, so that the drawing of special chart 2 is easier to execute in the potential probability state than for special chart 1. In addition, the number of time-saving times granted in the potential probability state (high probability state of special symbols and time-saving state of normal symbols) is set to a number (e.g., 100 times) shorter than the number of times (e.g., 120 times) that the high probability state of the special symbols is set, and when the number of times the special symbols are drawn (number of times the special symbols change) in the potential probability state exceeds 100 times, the potential probability state is switched to the potential probability state.

Furthermore, the variation time of the second special symbol in the probability variation state is set to long variation (180 seconds) and short variation (3 seconds), and the occurrence degree of the small win in the potential probability state is made different according to the variation state of the second special symbol at the timing of transition from the probability variation state to the potential probability state. Specifically, if the second special symbol transitions to the potential probability state immediately after the start of the long variation (180 seconds), the variation by the first special symbol is executed until the next time the second special symbol starts to vary, so that the number of times the second special symbol is drawn during the potential probability state is reduced, and as a result, the occurrence degree of the small win can be reduced. On the other hand, if the second special symbol transitions to the potential probability state during the short variation (3 seconds) or near the end of the long variation (180 seconds), the variation of the second special symbol starts immediately after the transition to the potential probability state, and as a result, the occurrence degree of the small win can be increased. In addition, as will be described in more detail below, the area where the ball is launched by hitting it with the right hand (right-hand hitting area) is provided with a mechanism that alternates between the right first ball entry port 64b and the second ball entry port 1640b, and is configured so that it is not possible (to make it difficult) to have the ball enter only one of the ball entry ports (for example, the second ball entry port 1640a).

By configuring in this way, as in the first control example described above, it is possible to increase the chances of transitioning to the potential state, which is the most advantageous game state for the player, and improve the player's motivation to play. Furthermore, since the degree of advantage (the degree of small win occurrence) when transitioning from the probability state to the potential state can be made different depending on the timing of the state transition, it is possible to provide the player with more complex gameplay and prevent them from becoming bored with the game early. In addition, since a configuration is provided in the right hitting area in which balls enter alternately into the right first ball entrance 64b, which executes the lottery for the first special pattern when the ball enters, and the second ball entrance 1640b, which executes the lottery for the second special pattern when the ball enters, it is possible to prevent only the lottery for the second special pattern, which is advantageous to the player, from being executed, and it is possible to prevent the player from being given an excessively advantageous state.

Furthermore, in the first control example, the first special symbol and the second special symbol are configured to simultaneously execute a lottery (execute a variation), and when the lottery result for one of the special symbols (e.g., the second special symbol) is a winning symbol (a big win or a small win), and the symbol showing the winning lottery result is stopped and displayed (when the winning symbol is confirmed), the variation of the other special symbol (e.g., the first special symbol) is forcibly stopped by the losing symbol.

In contrast, in the pachinko machine 10 in the second control example, when the lottery result for one of the special symbols (e.g., the second special symbol) is a winning (big win or small win) and the symbol indicating the winning lottery result is displayed stationary (the winning result is confirmed), the measurement (count) of the fluctuation time for the fluctuation of the other special symbol (e.g., the first special symbol) is suspended, and when the winning game based on the lottery result for one of the special symbols ends (the special symbol can be changed), the measurement (count) of the fluctuation time for the fluctuation of the other special symbol that was suspended is resumed.

As a result, when the first special symbol and the second special symbol are drawn (varied) at the same time, it is possible to reliably provide the player with the results of the draw for each special symbol, preventing the player from feeling dissatisfied with the game.

The pachinko machine 10 in this second control example differs in configuration from the pachinko machine 10 in the first control example in that the position of the variable winning device 65 on the game board 13 has been moved from the right-hand hitting area to the lower central area where balls hit to the left and right can enter, a distribution unit 660 has been provided in place of the second ball entrance 1640, an electric device 660f that regulates the entry of balls into the distribution unit 660 has been provided in place of the electric device 1640a that regulates the entry of balls into the second ball entrance 1640, and the contents of the ROM 202 provided in the main control device 110 are the same. The following are the changes in the main control device 110: the contents of the RAM 203 provided in the main control device 110 have been partially changed; some processing executed by the MPU 201 of the main control device 110 has been changed from that of the pachinko machine 10 in the first control example; the contents of the ROM 222 provided in the voice lamp control device 113 have been partially changed; the contents of the RAM 223 provided in the voice lamp control device 113 have been partially changed; and some processing executed by the MPU 221 of the voice lamp control device 113 has been changed from that of the pachinko machine 10 in the first control example. The other configurations, other processing executed by the MPU 201 of the main control device 110, other processing executed by the MPU 221 of the voice lamp control device 113, and various processing executed by the MPU 231 of the display control device 114 are the same as those of the pachinko machine 10 in the first control example. Hereinafter, the same elements as those in the first control example are given the same reference numerals, and illustrations and explanations thereof are omitted.

First, referring to FIG. 258, the game board 13 of the pachinko machine 10 in the second control example will be described. FIG. 258 is a front view of the board surface 13 in the second control example. As shown in FIG. 258, in this second control example, the distribution unit 660 is disposed at the position where the variable winning device 65 was disposed in the first control example (to the right of the variable display unit 80 (right hitting area)), the electric role 660f is disposed above the distribution unit 660, the second ball entrance 1640 disposed downstream of the right hitting area (lower right side of the board surface 13) in the first control example is deleted, and the variable winning device 65 is disposed below the central area of the board surface (below the first ball entrance 64). Details will be described later, but this distribution unit 660 is configured so that balls can enter through a passage hole provided at its upper part. Inside the sorting unit 660, there is a right first ball entrance 64b through which a lottery for a first special symbol is executed when a ball enters, and a second ball entrance 1640b through which a lottery for a second special symbol is executed when a ball enters, and a ball that enters the inside of the sorting unit 660 through the passage opening is sorted to one of these ball entrances. Therefore, by hitting a ball with the right hand, aiming at the sorting unit 660, the lottery for the first special symbol and the lottery for the second special symbol can be executed.

Furthermore, an electric device 660f is arranged above the sorting unit 660, which can be moved between an allowable position that allows the ball to flow into the passage opening provided at the top of the sorting unit 660 and a restrictive position that restricts the ball. This electric device 660f is controlled to be moved to the allowable position for a predetermined period (1 second x 2 times) when the result of the lottery for the normal pattern executed based on the ball passing through the through gate 67 is a winning result, just like the electric device 640a of the first control example described above. This allows the first special pattern to be changed more efficiently by aiming at the first ball entrance 64 with a game in which the left hand is hit in a normal state (hereinafter referred to as a left hand game) than by aiming at the right first ball entrance 64b with a game in which the right hand is hit (hereinafter referred to as a right hand game).

Now, with reference to Figure 259, the configuration of sorting unit 660 will be described. Figures 259(a) and (b) are diagrams showing the internal structure of sorting unit 660. In reality, a cover body is placed on the front side of this, and this cover body is made of a material whose interior is visible, and the surface of the spiral pattern is colored in a way that makes it difficult or impossible to see inside, making it difficult to see inside.

As shown in Figures 259(a) and (b), the upper part of the sorting unit 660 is provided with a passage opening through which balls can enter, and a transparent ball entry sensor 660a is arranged to detect when a ball has passed through the passage opening. Below the passage opening, a sorting member 900 is provided to sort the balls to the right first ball entry opening 64b or the second ball entry opening 1640b. The right first ball entry opening 64b is arranged to the lower left of the sorting member 900 when viewed from the front, and the second ball entry opening 1640b is arranged to the lower right of the sorting member 900 when viewed from the front. The balls that pass through the passage opening are sorted alternately by the sorting member 900 to the right first ball entry opening 64b and the second ball entry opening 1640b.

The sorting member 900 is configured to be able to receive balls that enter the sorting unit 660 by using the storage section 900a or 900c. When a ball is received by the storage section 900a, the weight of the ball causes the entire sorting member 900 to rotate counterclockwise when viewed from the front. This causes the storage section 900a to tilt downward to the left (see FIG. 89(b)), and the ball falls toward the right first ball inlet 64b, which is disposed toward the lower left of the sorting member 900 when viewed from the front (the ball is guided to the right first ball inlet 64b).

The sorting member 900 is configured to be rotatable approximately 15 degrees both clockwise and counterclockwise when viewed from the front, and a magnet 900b is provided on the boundary wall between the storage sections 900a and 900b. On the other hand, a base body provided on the rear side of the sorting unit 660 has a base-side magnet 901 disposed on the rear side (on the center line of the passage opening) of the position where the magnet 900b is disposed when the sorting member 900 is not rotated clockwise or counterclockwise (when the bottom surfaces constituting the storage sections 900a and 900c are horizontal).

The magnet 900b of the sorting member 900 and the base-side magnet 901 are configured to have mutually repelling polarities. In detail, the base-side magnet 901 is configured as a rod-shaped magnet fixed to the base body, and is configured so that a magnetic pole (S pole or N pole) is generated at the tip. The base-side magnet 901 is arranged and fixed so that its tip faces the sorting member 900 side. The magnet 900b is also configured as a rod-shaped magnet like the base-side magnet 901, and is fixed to the sorting member 900 so that its tip faces the base-side magnet 901 side. When the sorting member 900 rotates and the boundary wall between the storage section 900a and the storage section 900c is directly above (on the center line of the gap that allows about one game ball to enter the passage opening), the base-side magnet 901 and the magnet 900b of the sorting member 900 are closest to each other (their tips face each other). Here, the magnets are arranged so that they have the same polarity (for example, north and north poles), so they repel each other, and the boundary wall of the sorting member 900 does not stop in a position facing straight up, but is instead maintained in a position rotated to the left or right.

As a result, when the magnet 900b is positioned on the center line of the passing port (upper position), the magnet 900b and the base side magnet 901 repel each other, causing the sorting member 900 to rotate to the left or right, and either the storage section 900a or the storage section 900c faces the side that receives the balls entering the sorting unit 660 (the passing port side of the sorting unit 660). Therefore, balls that enter the sorting unit 660 can be reliably sorted between the right first ball inlet 64b and the second ball inlet 1640b.

In addition, the repulsion between the magnet 900b and the base-side magnet 901 prevents, for example, the storage section 900a from receiving the ball, rotating about 30 degrees to the left, and guiding the ball to the right first ball inlet 64b, and then the sorting member 900 from rotating to the right (the storage section 900a facing upward). As a result, after guiding the ball to the right first ball inlet 64b, the storage section 900c faces upward, and the storage section 900c receives the ball that entered the sorting unit 660, and the weight of the received ball causes the sorting member 900 to rotate about 30 degrees clockwise, and the storage section 900c becomes inclined in a direction inclined toward the lower right when viewed from the front, so that the ball falls from the storage section 900c and enters the second ball inlet 1640b (the ball is guided to the second ball inlet 1640b). In this way, the distribution member 900 can guide the balls entering the distribution unit 660 alternately to the right first ball entrance 64b and the second ball entrance 1640b, so that the balls can be evenly distributed to the right first ball entrance 64b and the second ball entrance 1640b to win. This allows the drawing of the first special symbol and the drawing of the second special symbol to be performed simultaneously in parallel.

In addition, a guide plate 900z1 is provided between the sorting member 900 and the right first ball inlet 64b to guide the balls stored in the storage section 900a to the right first ball inlet 64b, and a guide plate 900Z2 is provided between the sorting member 900 and the second ball inlet 1640b to guide the balls stored in the storage section 900a to the second ball inlet 1640b. This allows the balls sorted by the sorting member 900 to be smoothly guided to each ball inlet.

Furthermore, a restricting member (not shown) that restricts the rotation range of the sorting member 900 is provided on the upper end side (sorting member 900 side) of each guide plate 900z1, 900z2, and the rotation range is restricted by the sorting member 900 abutting against the restricting member. This makes it possible to prevent the sorting member 900 from rotating excessively (rotating further counterclockwise than the state shown in FIG. 259(b)) due to the weight of the balls contained in the container 900a, so that the balls sorted by the sorting member 900 can be smoothly guided to each ball entrance.

<Explanation of the game in the second control example>
Next, the content of the game in this second control example will be described with reference to Fig. 260 to Fig. 268. The second control example differs from the first control example in that the transition ratio to each game state (normal state, probability change state, potential probability state) is changed, the number of time reductions granted in the probability change state is changed, the variation time of each special symbol in the probability change state and potential probability state is changed, and when the first special symbol and the second special symbol are simultaneously varying, at the timing when one special symbol is stopped and displayed as a winning symbol (the timing when the winning is confirmed), the measurement of the variation time for the variation of the other special symbol is interrupted (temporarily stopped), and after the winning game based on the lottery result of one special symbol is completed, the measurement of the interrupted variation time is resumed.

First, the flow of game state transitions in this second control example will be described with reference to FIG. 260. FIG. 260 is a schematic diagram showing the flow of game state transitions in the second control example. As shown in FIG. 260, the pachinko machine 10 of this second control example is configured to transition between three game states (normal state, guaranteed bonus state, potential bonus state) in the same way as the pachinko machine 10 of the first control example described above.

Of the three game states described above, in the normal state (normal game state), the change pattern (change time) of each special symbol (first special symbol and second special symbol) is set in the same way as in the first control example described above. Therefore, the normal state is a game state in which the lottery for the first special symbol (special symbol 1) is the main event (effectively special symbol 1 change). Also, in this control example, a small win is not set in the lottery result for the first special symbol (special symbol 1), so a small win game is not executed.

Next, in the probability change state (probability change game state), the change time of the second special symbol is set shorter than that of the first control example described above, and a game (hereinafter referred to as a right-hand hit game) is executed in which the ball is directed to the right area of the board 13 (the area to the right of the variable display unit 80) and the first special symbol and the second special symbol are changed simultaneously by flowing the ball into the distribution unit 660. Details of the change time of the second special symbol will be described later with reference to FIG. 270(b), but in this control example, the change time of the second special symbol (special symbol 2) in the probability change state is set to a short-time change (3 seconds) shorter than the change time of the first special symbol (special symbol 1) and a long-time change (180 seconds) longer than the change time of special symbol 1, and the ratio of the lottery (change) executed in the probability change state is set to be different depending on the change time selected.

Furthermore, in this control example, the number of time-saving times during the high probability state is set to a number (100 times) that is less than the number of times (120 times) at which the high probability state is set. Therefore, in the high probability state, if the special pattern changes more than 100 times without winning a jackpot with a special pattern, the game state is configured to transition from the high probability state to a potential high probability state (20 times). As a result, for example, even if the game transitions to the high probability state rather than the potential high probability state that is most advantageous to the player after the end of a jackpot game in which a jackpot is won in the normal state, it is possible to transition to the potential high probability state without going through a jackpot with a special pattern, so that the player can continue to have a sense of expectation.

As described above, in this control example, the time for the second special symbol to change during the probability change state is set to a short time change (3 seconds) and a long time change (180 seconds). Therefore, when the number of times the special symbol changes during the probability change state exceeds 100 times and the game state transitions from the probability change state to the potential state (20 times), the number of times the small win is won during the potential state (20 times) can be made to differ depending on the change situation of the second special symbol. Specifically, for example, when the time-saving state ends with the start of the long time change (180 seconds) of the second special symbol and the game state transitions from the probability change state to the potential state, the timing for the next change of the second special symbol to be executed is 180 seconds later. On the other hand, the change time of the first special symbol is set to 10 seconds in the probability change state (see FIG. 270(b)) and 5 seconds in the potential state (see FIG. 271), so the first special symbol is set to be able to change 20 times before 180 seconds have elapsed until the next change of the second special symbol is executed.

Furthermore, in this control example, when a right-hand hit game is executed, the ball flows into the sorting unit 660 and enters the right first ball entrance 64b and the second ball entrance 1640b alternately, so it is impossible (difficult) to keep only the second special symbol fluctuating. Therefore, it is easy to create differences by the number of times each special symbol (first special symbol and second special symbol) changes during the potential state (20 times).

In the potential state (potential game state), the time for the first special symbol to change is set shorter than in the first control example described above, and the drawing (changing) of the first special symbol and the drawing (changing) of the second special symbol are both executed (actual change of special symbol 1 and special symbol 2). All other elements are the same as in the first control example described above, so a detailed explanation will be omitted.

As explained above, in this second control example, an opportunity is provided to transition to the potential state, which is the most advantageous gaming state for the player, without winning a jackpot with a special symbol, which has the effect of continuously increasing the player's motivation to play. Furthermore, when a transition to the potential state occurs without winning a jackpot with a special symbol, it is possible to vary the degree of advantage in the potential state depending on the timing of the transition and the fluctuation status of the second special symbol, which has the effect of providing the player with a variety of gameplay possibilities and preventing them from becoming bored with the game too early.

In addition, in the potential state, the configuration is such that the variation (lottery) of the second special symbol, which has a small win set in the lottery results, and the variation (lottery) of the first special symbol, which has no small win set in the lottery results, are executed, which has the effect of preventing excessive small win games from occurring.

In addition, in the game state where right-hand play is executed (probable win state, potential win state), the rate of change between the first special symbol change (lottery) and the second special symbol change (lottery) is set to differ depending on the change time set for each special symbol change. Therefore, even in the same game state, the degree of advantage differs depending on the change time set for each special symbol, so that the effect is that the player can play while expecting the advantageous second special symbol to change more frequently.

In this control example, a small win is not set for the lottery result of the first special symbol, but it is sufficient that the lottery result of the second special symbol is more advantageous to the player than the lottery result of the first special symbol. For example, the lottery result of the first special symbol may be set so that the small win is won with a lower probability than the small win probability of the second special symbol. Also, the small win probability may be set to be the same for the first special symbol and the second special symbol, and a small win game that is executed when a small win is won may be provided in which it is easier to get the ball into the variable winning device 65 during the small win game if the small win is won with the second special symbol than if the small win is won with the first special symbol. In this case, multiple small prize games with different opening periods and patterns of the variable prize device 65 can be set, and the variable prize device 65 can be configured to have a longer opening period when the small prize is won with the second special symbol than when the small prize is won with the first special symbol, or to select an opening pattern that makes it easier for the ball to enter the game.

Next, referring to FIG. 261, the flow of each special chart change and the performance display (performance display displayed by the third pattern display device 81) when either one (special chart 2) becomes a hit (big hit or small hit) in a state in which special chart 1 and special chart 2 are changing simultaneously in the pachinko machine 10 of this second control example will be explained. FIG. 261 is a timing chart showing an example of the flow of each special chart change, and shows the flow when special chart 1 changes (10 seconds) and special chart 2 changes (3 seconds) simultaneously in a probability bonus state in which a performance display based on the change of special chart 1 is executed by the third pattern display device 81 (performance display using the third pattern), and among them, special chart 2 wins a small hit.

Here, in a gaming machine in which special chart 1 and special chart 2 can be changed (drawn) simultaneously, such as the pachinko machine 10 of this second control example, the third pattern display device 81 executes a performance display corresponding to the change in each special chart. In this control example, of each special chart (special chart 1 or special chart 2), a change display (main change) corresponding to the change in one of the special charts (special chart 1 or special chart 2) and a change display (secondary change) corresponding to the change in the other special chart are executed by the third pattern display device 81 (see FIG. 182).

The main and secondary variations are configured so that the corresponding special pattern variation switches depending on the game state; for example, in the normal state, the variation display corresponding to special pattern 1, which is the actual variation, is set to be the main variation, and the variation display corresponding to special pattern 2 is set to be the secondary variation. In this way, by displaying the special pattern variation that is actually executed in the set game state, out of the special pattern 1 variation and the special pattern 2 variation, as the main variation, the player can easily see the game results displayed on the third pattern display device 81.

In the second control example, the change display of each special symbol (special symbol 1 or special symbol 2) is switched between main and sub-changes depending on the game state. However, the invention is not limited to this and may be configured so that the change display corresponding to special symbol 1 change and the change display corresponding to special symbol 2 change randomly switch between main and sub-changes, or switch according to a predetermined rule (e.g., alternately). It may also be configured so that the player can select. Even with such a configuration, the same problem will occur if a winning combination is achieved with a special symbol change that does not correspond to the main change executed by the third symbol display device 81.

Returning to FIG. 261, the explanation will be continued. First, the fluctuation of the special chart 1 and the special chart 2 is started at the same time, and the special chart 1 performance display (10 seconds) is executed in the third pattern display device 81 in accordance with the start timing of the fluctuation of the special chart 1. Then, 3 seconds after the fluctuation of each special chart starts (after the fluctuation time of the special chart 2 has elapsed), the special chart 2 is stopped and displayed with a pattern indicating that it has won a small prize, and the measurement of the fluctuation time for the fluctuation of the special chart 1 is interrupted. Details will be described later with reference to FIG. 275, but during the period when the measurement of the fluctuation time for the fluctuation of the special chart 1 is interrupted (the interruption period of FIG. 261), the measurement of the fluctuation time is interrupted, but the first pattern display device 37 is configured to continue the fluctuation of the special chart 1. By configuring in this way, it is possible to inform the player that the fluctuation of the special chart 1 has not been forcibly stopped when a small prize game is executed.

On the other hand, in this second control example, the same processing as the variable display setting processing (see S4112 in FIG. 243) of the first control example described above is executed, so that the variable display (or performance display) of the third pattern executed by the third pattern display device 81 is configured to continue to be executed for a predetermined period (8 seconds corresponding to the variable time of the special pattern change) even if the special pattern change is interrupted (measurement of the special pattern change time is interrupted). This prevents a situation in which, when the special pattern change is interrupted (measurement of the special pattern change time is interrupted), the variable display (or performance display) of the third pattern executed by the third pattern display device 81 is interrupted in accordance with the interruption of the special pattern change, causing a sense of discomfort to the player.

As described above, when the special pattern change is interrupted (measurement of the special pattern change time is interrupted), if the third pattern change display (or performance display) executed by the third pattern display device 81 is continued, there is a problem that an error of a predetermined period (interruption period of the special pattern change) occurs between the timing when the interrupted special pattern change is resumed and the timing when the resumed special pattern change ends and the timing when the third pattern change display (or performance display) executed by the third pattern display device 81 ends.

In the pachinko machine 10 of the second control example, as in the pachinko machine 10 of the first control example described above, from the time when the execution of the change pattern (change display or performance display of the third pattern) set by the change display setting process (see S412 in FIG. 243) is completed until the pattern determination command output from the main control device 110 is received, the third pattern displayed on the third pattern display device 81 is not completely stopped, and a shaking performance is executed to slightly shake each pattern. Therefore, during the error period of a predetermined period (interruption period of the special pattern change) that occurs between the timing when the special pattern change described above ends and the timing when the change display (or performance display) of the third pattern executed by the third pattern display device 81 ends, the shaking performance of the third pattern continues on the third pattern display device 81, which causes the player to think that a malfunction has occurred in the pachinko machine 10, reducing the player's motivation to play.

In contrast, in the second control example, the above-mentioned problem is solved by configuring the additional performance to be executable using the above-mentioned error period. In other words, as shown in FIG. 261, in the pachinko machine 10 of the second control example, if the small win game state has not ended at the timing when the normal performance of 8 seconds as the special symbol 1 performance display executed by the third symbol display device 81 ends, a shaking performance that causes the third symbol corresponding to the special symbol 1 to swing is executed in the third symbol display device 81 for the period (1 second) until the small win game state ends, and then, when the small win game state ends and the special symbol 1 variation is resumed, an additional performance corresponding to the special symbol 1 variation period after the restart is executed. By configuring in this way, it is possible to suppress a situation in which the third symbol continues to be displayed swinging during the error period (6 seconds in FIG. 261) that occurs between the timing when the interrupted special symbol variation is resumed and the timing when the resumed special symbol variation ends and the timing when the variation display (or performance display) of the third symbol executed by the third symbol display device 81 ends, and therefore it is possible to suppress a situation in which the player's motivation to play decreases.

The details will be described later, but in this second control example, the length of the error period described above is calculated, and the content of the additional effect executed is changed depending on the error period. This makes it possible to execute an effect display that is more suitable for the player.

Next, the content of the additional effect executed by the third pattern display device 81 will be explained with reference to Figures 262 to 264. Details will be described later with reference to Figure 273 (b), but in this control example, the type of additional effect executed is configured to be different based on the length of the period during which the additional effect is executed. This makes it possible to prevent the player from feeling uncomfortable about the effect display (additional effect display) executed in the remaining period that occurs when the effect display corresponding to the main variation is continuously executed regardless of the lottery result of the secondary variation.

Figure 262 (a) is a schematic diagram showing the display screen when no additional performance is executed in the remaining period. Details will be described later with reference to Figure 273 (b), but in this control example, in some cases where the remaining period is less than a predetermined period (less than 2 seconds), the additional performance is not executed. This is because if the additional performance is executed when the remaining period is so short that it is difficult for the player to grasp the content of the additional performance, it would give the player a strange feeling, so the additional performance is intentionally not executed. In this case, as shown in Figure 262 (a), the shaking is stopped and the performance corresponding to the main fluctuation is displayed with the end of the performance until a stop command is received from the main control device 110 (see points D to E in Figure 261).

Next, FIG. 262(b) is a schematic diagram showing the display screen when additional effect A is executed as a type of additional effect during the remaining period. Details will be described later with reference to FIG. 273(b), but in this control example, additional effect A is executed in some cases where the remaining period is less than a predetermined period (less than 2 seconds). As shown in FIG. 262(b), in this additional effect A, when the effect corresponding to the main variation has ended, the numbers (identification information) displayed on each pattern are changed to "?" and the symbols are displayed in a stopped shaking state. This makes it possible to prevent the player from understanding the results of the main variation before the remaining period has elapsed.

In this control example, a display mode that hides only the numbers attached to each symbol is used, but for example, a display mode that also hides the characters of each symbol (such as "animals") may also be used. In this way, it is possible to further prevent the player from understanding the results of the main fluctuation before the remaining period has elapsed. Also, since this additional effect A is an effect that simply changes the display mode of a portion of the effect corresponding to the executed main fluctuation (the display mode of the symbols), it is possible to prevent the player from feeling uncomfortable even if it is executed when the remaining period is short.

Figure 263 (a) is a schematic diagram showing the display screen when additional effect B is executed as a type of additional effect during the remaining period. Details will be described later with reference to Figure 273 (b), but in this control example, additional effect B is configured to be executed in some cases where the remaining period is a predetermined period (2 seconds to 6 seconds). As shown in Figure 263 (a), this additional effect B is displayed in the main display area Dm in the same way as in Figure 262 (a), and in the sub-display area Ds, a caption is displayed in a small area Ds5 to inform the player that a change is being executed. This makes it easy for the player to understand that a change is occurring even when the main change is still displayed as stopped.

In this control example, as additional effect B, the display of the main display area Dm is configured to be the same as that of FIG. 262(a), in other words, no effect is added to the display of the main display area Dm, thereby reducing the control load when executing the additional effect, but without being limited to this, for example, as additional effect B, the display of the main display area Dm may be configured to be the same as that of FIG. 262(b). This makes it possible to execute the additional effect using the entire area of the third pattern display device 81, which has the effect of allowing the player to easily understand that an additional effect is being executed.

Next, FIG. 263(b) is a schematic diagram showing a display screen in the case where additional performance C is executed as a type of additional performance during the remaining period. Details will be described later with reference to FIG. 273(b), but in this control example, additional performance C is configured to be executed in some cases where the remaining period is a predetermined period (2 seconds to 6 seconds). As shown in FIG. 263(b), this additional performance C is displayed in a reduced form in the small area Dm5 in the upper right corner of the main display area Dm when viewed from the front, and a game explanation of the pachinko machine 10 is displayed in the center of the main display area Dm. In this way, by configuring the player to be provided with information other than information suggesting the lottery result of the main variation during the remaining period after the main variation performance has ended, the remaining period of the main variation can be consumed without giving the player a sense of incongruity. In addition, in the sub-display area Ds, a telop is displayed in the small area Ds5 to inform the player that a variation is being executed, as in FIG. 263(a). This allows the player to easily understand that a variation is being executed.

Figure 264 is a schematic diagram showing a display screen when additional performance D is executed as a type of additional performance during the remaining period. Details will be described later with reference to Figure 273 (b), but in this control example, additional performance D is configured to be executed when the remaining period is a predetermined period or more (6 seconds or more). As shown in Figure 264, this additional performance D is displayed in a reduced form in a small area Dm5 in the upper right corner of the main display area Dm when viewed from the front, similar to the additional performance C shown in Figure 263 (b), and the main variation performance is displayed again (replay display) in the center of the main display area Dm. In this way, if the period (residual period) in which the additional performance is executed is a predetermined period or more (6 seconds or more), a performance dedicated to the additional performance (replay display performance) can be executed without giving a sense of discomfort to the player, thereby enhancing the performance effect using the remaining period.

As explained above, in this second control example, in a configuration in which the fluctuations of each special chart (Special Chart 1, Special Chart 2) are executed simultaneously, when one of the special charts is stopped and displayed with a pattern indicating a win, the measurement of the fluctuation time of the other special chart is stopped, and the measurement of the fluctuation time of the special chart is resumed after the winning game ends. Therefore, as in the first control example described above, it is possible to play the game without forcibly stopping the fluctuation of the special chart, and it is possible to prevent the player from feeling uncomfortable about the game content.

Furthermore, the change display (e.g., main change) corresponding to the special pattern change executed by the third pattern display device 81 continues to be executed for a preset period (a period corresponding to the special pattern change time) even when the measurement of the special pattern change time is stopped, so it is possible to prevent the change display corresponding to one special pattern change from being interrupted due to the lottery result of the other special pattern. As a result, for example, when a story-like presentation is being executed as the change display corresponding to the other special pattern change, even if a winning game is started with one special pattern change and a winning game is started, it is possible to execute the story-like presentation corresponding to the other special pattern change without interruption. This has the effect of enhancing the presentation effect of the game.

Furthermore, when the measurement of the change time of the other special pattern is stopped, the period until the change of the other special pattern is completed will differ from the period until the change display corresponding to the change of the other special pattern executed by the third pattern display device 81 is completed. However, since the configuration is such that the different period (remainder period) is used to execute additional performance, it is possible to prevent the player from feeling uncomfortable due to the difference between the change period of the special pattern and the change display period corresponding to the special pattern change.

In addition, in this second control example, the additional performance that is executed when the period of change of the special chart differs from the period of the change display corresponding to the special chart change is configured to be changed according to the length of the different period (remainder period), which further reduces the sense of discomfort felt by the player.

Specifically, if the remaining period is less than a predetermined period (e.g., less than 2 seconds), the additional performance is intentionally prevented from being executed so as not to give the player a sense of incongruity with the additional performance being executed, or an additional performance (short-term additional performance) is executed in which only a part of the display content indicating that the variable display corresponding to the special chart change has ended is changed. This makes it possible to prevent the player from feeling uncomfortable even when a remaining period occurs in which it is difficult to provide the additional performance to the player. In addition, in this second control example, as an additional performance in which only a part of the display content indicating that the variable display corresponding to the special chart change has ended is changed, an additional performance is executed in which the display mode indicating the lottery result of the special chart is changed among the variable displays corresponding to the special chart change. This makes it possible to prevent a situation in which the player learns the lottery result of the special chart change from the variable display corresponding to the special chart change before the special chart change period ends.

In addition, if the remaining period is a predetermined period (for example, 2 to 6 seconds), a new special pattern change is not performed during the period in which the additional performance is being performed (the period in which the display of the special pattern change has ended but the special pattern change has not been completed), so the player may suspect that the pachinko machine 10 is broken. Therefore, in this control example, if the remaining period is a predetermined period, a display ("changing display") is made on the third pattern display device 81 to inform the player that the special pattern is changing. This makes it easy for the player to understand that the state in which a new special pattern change is not being performed is normal. In the second control example, the above-mentioned "changing display" is displayed at the same time as the additional performance that is performed when the remaining period is a predetermined period is started, but for example, the "changing display" may be configured to be executed after a predetermined period (for example, 2 seconds) has passed since the additional performance was executed. By configuring in this way, a performance similar to the short-term additional performance described above is executed immediately after the additional performance is executed (for example, 2 seconds from the start), so it is possible to prevent the player from understanding the execution period of the additional performance.

In addition, in this second control example, when a predetermined period (2 to 6 seconds) of the remaining period is set, an additional effect is also executed in which information unrelated to the result of the special drawing (for example, information explaining the game content, etc.) is displayed on the third pattern display device 81. By configuring in this way, the period in which a new special drawing change is not started on the display on the third pattern display device 81 can be effectively used to inform the player of information regarding the game. Furthermore, by displaying information unrelated to the result of the special drawing, it is possible to suppress the player from feeling uncomfortable due to the occurrence of the remaining period. Note that, in this second control example, information explaining the game content is displayed as information unrelated to the result of the special drawing, but other information may be displayed. For example, past game history may be displayed, or information unrelated to the game itself (fortune telling, games, etc.) may be displayed.

In addition, in this second control example, of the special chart 1 variation and special chart 2 variation that are executed simultaneously, the special chart variation that the player is more likely to expect in the lottery results is set as the main variation, and the others are set as secondary variations, and in order for the player to easily grasp the contents of the main variation, the area in which the main variation is executed on the third pattern display device 81 is configured to be larger than the area in which the secondary variation is executed. This allows the player to easily grasp the contents of the main variation.

Furthermore, in this second control example, the special pattern that the player expects to obtain from the lottery (the special pattern that is actually subject to change) is configured to change depending on the game status, but since the special pattern that is actually subject to change is executed as the main change, the game content can be displayed (notified) to the player in an easy-to-understand manner.

Next, referring to FIG. 265, the flow of the change of each special symbol (special symbol 1 or special symbol 2) when the game state in this second control example transitions from the potential state to the normal state will be explained. FIG. 265(a) is a timing chart showing the flow when the special symbol change on the first spin after the potential state ends (the 121st spin after the previous jackpot ends) is special symbol 2, and FIG. 265(b) is a timing chart showing the flow when the special symbol change on the first spin after the potential state ends (the 121st spin after the previous jackpot ends) is special symbol 1.

As shown in Figs. 265(a) and (b), in a pachinko machine 10 in which special chart 1 and special chart 2 can change simultaneously, if the advantageous state (latent state) in which the player is advantageous is set to a limited number of times (e.g., 120 times), the number of times the advantageous state is set (i.e., the number of times of probability change) is subtracted when a special chart change (special chart 1 change or special chart 2 change) is executed during the advantageous state. In this case, the special chart change executed on the first spin (change number "121" in Fig. 265) after the end of the advantageous state may be a special chart 1 change (see Fig. 265(b)) or a special chart 2 change (see Fig. 265(a)).

Furthermore, in the pachinko machine 10 of this second control example, in order to efficiently play (execute) during the potential winning state, a short fluctuation time is set as the special chart fluctuation time during the potential winning state (see FIG. 270(b)), and the game result (see FIG. 188(b)) that is displayed when the potential winning state ends is displayed during the special chart fluctuation that is executed after the potential winning state ends. Specifically, the fluctuation time of the special chart 1 fluctuation (main fluctuation in the normal state) that is executed first after the transition from the potential winning state to the normal state is set to be a sufficient time (12 seconds in this control example) to allow the player to understand the game result (FIG. 188(b)).

However, as described above, in the pachinko machine 10 of this second control example, whether the special chart 1 variation that is executed first after the transition from the potential state to the normal state is the special chart variation of the first spin or the second spin after the potential state ends varies depending on the game situation during the potential state, so there is a problem in that simply setting the special chart variation time of the first spin after the potential state ends to 12 seconds does not allow the player to understand the game results of the potential state.

Therefore, in this second control example, the change time of two rotations after the end of the potential state is set to a time (12 seconds in this control example) that is sufficient to allow the player to understand the game result (Fig. 188 (b)), and when a change to special chart 1 is executed in any of the special chart changes, that change time is used to notify the game result. This makes it possible to reliably notify the player of the game result in the potential state.

In other words, in the case shown in FIG. 265(a), the special chart change on the second spin (change number "122") after the end of the latent state becomes a special chart 1 change, and the game result is reported using that change time, and in the case shown in FIG. 265(b), the special chart change on the first spin (change number "121") after the end of the latent state becomes a special chart 1 change, and the game result is reported using that change time.

In the case shown in FIG. 265(a), the game result may be notified using the period from when the potential state transitions to the normal state until the start of the special chart 1 fluctuation, which is the main fluctuation in the normal state.

Next, referring to Fig. 266 and Fig. 267, the screen display contents that are set based on the setting status of the special chart 1 waiting flag 223s and the special chart 2 waiting flag 223t will be explained. Fig. 266(a) is a schematic diagram showing the contents of demo display A, Fig. 266(b) is a schematic diagram showing the contents of demo display B, Fig. 267(a) is a schematic diagram showing the contents of special display A, and Fig. 267(b) is a schematic diagram showing the contents of special display B.

<Electrical configuration in the second control example>
Next, referring to Fig. 268 to Fig. 271, the configuration of the ROM 202 and RAM 203 provided in the main control device 110 in this second control example will be described. The ROM 202 in this second control example differs from the configuration of the ROM 202 in the above-mentioned first control example in that the contents of the big win type selection table 202d are partially changed and the contents of the variation pattern selection table 202f are partially changed.

First, the contents of the jackpot type selection table 202d in this second control example will be explained with reference to FIG. 268(a). FIG. 268(a) is a schematic diagram showing the contents of the jackpot type selection table 202d.

The jackpot type selection table 202d used in this second control example differs from the jackpot type selection table 202d (see FIG. 193) used in the first control example described above in that the value of the first jackpot type counter C2, which specifies each jackpot type, has been changed, a jackpot H has been specified instead of a jackpot G, which is the jackpot type selected when the pattern type is special pattern 2, and the number of time-saving times granted when a V is won with some jackpot types has been specified as 100 times instead of 120 times. Other than that, it is the same as the first control example described above, and detailed explanations of the same elements will be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 268(a), when the pattern type is special pattern 1 and the value of the first winning type counter C2 is "0-29", the jackpot type is selected as jackpot type A, when the value of the first winning type counter C2 is "30-79", the jackpot type is selected as jackpot type B, when the value of the first winning type counter C2 is "80-89", the jackpot type is selected as jackpot type C, and when the value of the first winning type counter C2 is "90-99", the jackpot type is selected as jackpot type D.

In addition, if the symbol type is special symbol 2 and the value of the first winning type counter C2 is "0 to 44", the jackpot type is selected as the jackpot type, if the value of the first winning type counter C2 is "45 to 49", the jackpot type is selected as the jackpot type, and if the value of the first winning type counter C2 is "50 to 99", the jackpot type is selected as the jackpot type.

Now, we will explain the jackpot H, which is the jackpot type defined in the jackpot type selection table 202d of this second control example. This jackpot H is a jackpot in which two rounds (R) of jackpot play are executed, and the same opening pattern as the small jackpot game is set as the opening pattern of the variable winning device 65 executed during the jackpot game. This makes it possible to execute a jackpot game and a small jackpot game with the same opening pattern of the variable winning device 65, and makes it difficult to identify the type of winning game (jackpot game or small jackpot game) by knowing the opening pattern of the variable winning device 65.

Therefore, for example, when a winning game is executed during a potential probability state, it is possible to make it difficult for the player to distinguish whether the winning game is a winning game in which the actual remaining number of times of probability change is reset to the initial value (120 times) (i.e., a big win game H) or a winning game in which the actual remaining number of times of probability change is not changed (i.e., a small win game), making it difficult for the player to grasp the period during which the potential probability state, which is an advantageous gaming state for the player, will continue, and allowing the player to play while predicting the period during which the potential probability state will continue.

In addition, in this second control example, the number of time-saving times set when transitioning to the probability variable state (high probability/time-saving state) is set to 100 times, which is less than the number of times the probability variable state continues (120 times), so if the special pattern changes more than 100 times in the probability variable state without winning a jackpot, the game state transitions from the probability variable state to the potential probability state. By configuring it in this way, it is possible to set an opportunity other than winning a jackpot on the special pattern as an opportunity to transition to the potential probability state, which is a game state that is advantageous to the player, and it is possible to increase the excitement of the game.

Next, the contents of the fluctuation pattern table 202f of this second control example will be described with reference to Figure 268(b). Figure 268(b) is a schematic diagram showing the contents defined in the fluctuation pattern table 202f. As shown in FIG. 268(b), this second control example differs from the fluctuation pattern table 202f (see FIG. 194) of the first control example described above in that the period during which the normal table A202f1 is referenced is changed from the third spin after the end of the potential state to the ninth spin after the end of the potential state, normal table Bb202fb2 is provided instead of normal table B202f2, probability variable table b202fb3 is provided instead of probability variable table 202f3, probability variable table b202fb4 is provided instead of probability variable table 202f4, and normal table Cb202fb5 is provided, which is referenced in the period from the third spin to the eighth spin after the end of the potential state.

Here, we will explain the characteristic variation pattern that is set for the characteristic gameplay of this second control example (gameplay different from the first control example described above). As described above, this second control example is configured to be able to reserve and store up to four drawings of special chart 2. Therefore, for example, if right-hit play is performed during a potential state, and four drawings of special chart 2 are reserved and stored, and the game state transitions from the potential state to the normal state, the reserved drawing of special chart 2 will be performed in a state where the normal state is set as the game state.

In addition, in this second control example, as in the first control example described above, in order to prevent the lottery for special chart 2 from being frequently executed in the normal state, a fluctuation pattern with a long fluctuation time (for example, a fluctuation pattern with a fluctuation time of 10 minutes) is selected in the normal state, so there was a problem that the lottery for special chart 2 that was reserved and stored during the latent state was executed in the normal state.

Therefore, in this second control example, in order to prevent a special chart fluctuation of a long fluctuation time from being executed even if the drawing of special chart 2 that was reserved and stored during the latent state is executed during the normal state, the fluctuation time for the drawing of special chart 2 is set to be short for a predetermined period after the game state transitions from the latent state to the normal state (the period until the special chart drawing is executed 8 times). This makes it possible to prevent a situation in which special chart 2 fluctuates for a long time even when the player is playing appropriately.

Furthermore, as described above, in this second control example, when one of the special symbols stops on a symbol indicating a win (a big win or a small win), the variation of the other special symbol is temporarily stopped (the subtraction of the special symbol variation time is temporarily stopped) until the winning game based on that win ends (until the winning game ends and the special symbol variation can be executed). Therefore, if a long-term variation of special symbol 2 is executed, even if a big win is won in the lottery of special symbol 1 and the game state transitions from the normal state to the potential state, the lottery of special symbol 2 is not executed during the period until the long-term variation ends, and there is a risk that it will not be possible to provide an advantageous game state to the player.

To address this issue, the game can be configured so that a fluctuation pattern with a shorter fluctuation time is selected for a predetermined period after the game state transitions from the potential state to the normal state (the period until the special drawing has been performed eight times) compared to the subsequent period in the normal state (the period after the special drawing has been performed eight times).

Now, with reference to FIG. 269(a), we will explain normal table Bb202fb2. FIG. 269(a) is a schematic diagram showing the contents defined in normal table Bb202fb2. This normal table Bb202fb2 differs from normal table B202f2 in the first control example described above in that the fluctuation times defined in some fluctuation patterns have been changed, but is otherwise the same. Detailed descriptions of the same elements will be omitted.

To explain the differences from the first control example described above in detail, in the normal table Bb202fb2, a fluctuation time of "12000 milliseconds (12 seconds)" is stipulated for any fluctuation pattern selected when the symbol type is special symbol 2. In other words, from the time when the game state transitions from the potential state to the normal state until the special symbol lottery is executed twice, the fluctuation time of "12000 milliseconds (12 seconds)" is set regardless of the symbol type and the result of the win/lose judgment.

By configuring it in this way, one of the two changes that occur after the game state transitions from the potential state to the normal state can be the change in special chart 1. Therefore, for example, when reporting the game result during the potential state in response to the change in special chart 1, it is possible to reliably secure the period during which the game result is reported.

In this second control example, the normal table Bb202fb2, which is referenced only for a predetermined period after the game state transitions from the potential state to the normal state (the period until the special pattern change is executed twice), is specified to set the same change time (12 seconds) regardless of the pattern type or the result of the win/lose judgment, but it is not necessary to set all the change times to the same, and it may be configured to set other change times. In this case, it is recommended to set the change time of special pattern 2 longer than the change time of special pattern 1 (for example, 15 seconds). This makes it possible to prevent a situation in which the change of special pattern 2 that has won the jackpot is stopped and a jackpot game is started during the change of special pattern 1 that is executed after the game state transitions from the potential state to the normal state, and makes it easier to display the performance display executed in response to the change of special pattern 1 for a predetermined period (12 seconds).

In this second control example, in a pachinko machine 10 in which special chart 1 and special chart 2 can change simultaneously, in order to execute a display effect (for example, a result display showing the game result during the potential state) executed in response to the change of special chart 1 for a predetermined period (for example, 12 seconds), the change time of each special chart (special chart 1 or special chart 2) is configured to be a predetermined period (for example, 12 seconds) during the period of two special chart changes after the game state transitions from the potential state to the normal state, so that special chart 1 can be changed for 12 seconds regardless of the timing at which the change between special chart 1 and special chart 2 begins, and a predetermined display effect (for example, a result display showing the game result during the potential state) is executed for 12 seconds in response to the change of special chart 1. However, for example, if special chart 1 changes consecutively after the game state transitions from the potential state to the normal state, a predetermined display effect (for example, a result display showing the game result during the potential state) is executed in response to the first special chart 1 change, and a normal display effect is executed for the second special chart 1 change to suggest the corresponding lottery result to the player.

Next, the normal table Cb202fb5 will be explained with reference to FIG. 269(b). FIG. 269(b) is a schematic diagram showing the contents of the normal table Cb202fb5. This normal table Cb202fb5 is a table that is referenced when selecting a fluctuation pattern from the third to eighth spins after the end of the potential state.

This normal table Cb202fb5 is set to have a shorter fluctuation time set for the fluctuation pattern selected when the symbol type is special symbol 2 compared to the normal table Bb202fb2 described above. Specifically, the fluctuation time selected when the symbol type is special symbol 2 is set to 0.5 seconds (500 milliseconds) regardless of the win/loss judgment result. By configuring it in this way, it is possible to consume all of the lottery for special symbol 2 that is reserved and stored during the potential state within a specified period (within 8 rotations of special symbol fluctuation) after the game state transitions to the normal state. This makes it possible to prevent a long fluctuation from being executed when the game state transitions despite the player being playing properly, which would lower the player's motivation.

In this control example, in order to prevent the drawing of the reserved special chart 2 during the latent state from being executed over a long period of time (about 10 minutes), the special variation pattern is configured to be selected during the period in which the drawing of the 8 special charts, which is the sum of the maximum reserved number of special charts 1 (4) and the maximum reserved number of special charts 2 (4), is executed. However, it is sufficient to prevent the drawing of the reserved special chart 2 during the latent state from being executed over a long period of time (about 10 minutes). For example, by configuring the shortest variation time corresponding to the special chart 1 specified in the normal table Bb202fb2 to be four or more times longer than the longest variation time corresponding to the special chart 2 specified in the normal table Bb202fb2, the drawing of the reserved special chart 2 may be executed by the time the variation (drawing) of the special chart 1, for which the variation pattern is set by referring to the normal table Bb202fb2, is completed. In this way, the drawing of the reserved special chart 2 can be completed in a shorter period of time.

In addition, the period from when the game state changes from the potential state to the normal state until all reserved and stored lotteries for special chart 2 are consumed (lotteries are executed) may be set as a special effect period in which the results of the potential state are displayed, and a dedicated effect may be executed by the third symbol display device 81. As a result, even if, for example, a lottery for special chart 2 in which the lottery result is a jackpot is reserved and stored during the potential state, and that lottery is executed in the normal state, the jackpot will be displayed as a stopped jackpot during the special effect period, making it possible to enhance the effect of the presentation.

Furthermore, by configuring the display to display the normal state after the special effect period has ended (after all reserved memory for special symbol 2 has been consumed), it is possible to prevent the drawing (variation) of special symbol 2 from being performed while the display display of the normal state is being performed. This allows the hall staff to easily distinguish a state in which special symbol 2 is displayed in a variable manner while the display display of the normal state is being performed by the third pattern display device 81 from a state in which proper play is not being performed. This allows the hall staff to take appropriate action against the player.

Next, the contents of the variable probability table b202fb3 in this second control example will be explained with reference to FIG. 270(a). FIG. 270(a) is a schematic diagram showing the contents of the variable probability table b202fb3. This variable probability table b202fb3 is a table that is referenced when the game state is a variable probability state.

As shown in FIG. 270(a), the pachinko machine 10 of this control example is configured so that the fluctuation time of the special chart 1 in the high probability state is set to the same fluctuation time regardless of the number of reserved balls and the hit/miss judgment result. Specifically, if the hit/miss judgment result of the special chart 1 is a hit (jackpot), a hit high probability fluctuation (fluctuation time 10 seconds) is specified, and if the hit/miss judgment result of the special chart 1 is a miss, a miss high probability fluctuation (fluctuation time 10 seconds) is specified.

The variation time of special chart 2 is configured to be set for each hit/miss judgment result as a long variation longer than that of special chart 1, and a short variation shorter than that of special chart 1. Specifically, when the hit/miss judgment result of special chart 2 is a hit (big hit), the value of the variation type counter CS1 is set to the range of "0 to 159" to correspond to a long variation with probability (variation time 180 seconds (3 minutes)), and the value of the variation type counter CS1 is set to the range of "160 to 198" to correspond to a short variation with probability (variation time 3 seconds).

When the result of the hit/miss judgment of the special chart 2 is a small hit, the value of the fluctuation type counter CS1 is associated with a small hit long fluctuation (fluctuation time 180 seconds (3 minutes)) in the range of "0 to 159", and a small hit short fluctuation (fluctuation time 3 seconds) in the range of "160 to 198". Furthermore, when the result of the hit/miss judgment of the special chart 2 is a miss, the value of the fluctuation type counter CS1 is associated with a miss long fluctuation (fluctuation time 180 seconds (3 minutes)) in the range of "0 to 159", and a miss short fluctuation (fluctuation time 3 seconds) in the range of "160 to 198".

Here, the relationship between the game content in the high probability state in this second control example and the variable time set for each special chart (special chart 1 or special chart 2) described above will be explained. As described above with reference to FIG. 260, this second control example is configured such that a high probability state in which time reduction is granted is set for the first 100 of the high probability states (120 times), and a latent probability state in which time reduction is not granted is set if the number of special chart draws exceeds 100 without winning a jackpot in the high probability state.

Furthermore, in this second control example, a distribution unit 660 is provided in the right-hand hitting area, and it is configured so that by executing a right-hand hitting game, the balls enter the right first ball entrance 64b and the second ball entrance 1640b alternately (see FIG. 258). And, in the pachinko machine 10 of this second control example, as described above, the variable time is set so that the lottery for both special chart 1 and special chart 2 can be executed during the high probability state, so that right-hand hitting game can be executed during the high probability state, unlike the first control example described above.

In other words, in this second control example, a right-hand hit game is executed during the special bonus state, and a game is executed in which the ball is alternately inserted into the right first ball entrance 64b and the right second ball entrance 1640b, and the selection between special chart 1 and special chart 2 is executed based on the set fluctuation time. For example, by continuously setting a fluctuation pattern with a fluctuation time of 3 seconds as the fluctuation pattern for special chart 2, it becomes possible to execute more selections (fluctuations) based on special chart 2 than special chart 1, while on the other hand, by setting a fluctuation pattern with a fluctuation time of 3 minutes as the fluctuation pattern for special chart 2, more selections (fluctuations) based on special chart 1 will be executed than special chart 2.

In this way, by varying the rate at which special chart fluctuations (special chart 2 fluctuations) advantageous to the player are executed depending on the set fluctuation time, it is possible to execute a game that gives the player a sense of tension. Note that this control example is configured with one type of fluctuation time for special chart 1 (10 seconds) and two types of fluctuation times for special chart 2 (3 seconds, 3 minutes), but it is sufficient that the shortest fluctuation time for special chart fluctuations (special chart 2 fluctuations) advantageous to the player is shorter than the shortest fluctuation time for special chart fluctuations (special chart 1 fluctuations) disadvantageous to the player, and the longest fluctuation time for special chart fluctuations (special chart 2 fluctuations) advantageous to the player is longer than the longest fluctuation time for special chart fluctuations (special chart 1 fluctuations) disadvantageous to the player, and multiple types of fluctuation times may be set for each special chart (special chart 1 and special chart 2).

Furthermore, the variation time of the special pattern variation (special pattern 1 variation) that is disadvantageous to the player may be set with a low probability (for example, only within the range of "1" as the value of the variation type counter CS1) to a variation time longer (for example, 5 minutes) than the longest variation time of the special pattern variation (special pattern 2 variation) that is advantageous to the player. By configuring in this way, it is possible to provide a high probability variation state in which special pattern variations (special pattern 2 variation) that are advantageous to the player are frequently executed, which can increase the interest of the game.

In addition, in this second control example, the change time of each special symbol in the probability change state is set regardless of the number of reserved balls, but the change time may be configured to differ depending on the number of reserved balls. For example, the change time of special symbol 2, which is advantageous to the player, may be made longer as the number of reserved balls decreases. This makes it possible to play continuously (right-hand play) so that the number of reserved balls is always at the upper limit in order to perform more lotteries for special symbol 2.

In addition, the value of the variation type counter CS1 corresponding to the lottery of the reserved special chart may be determined, and a notification (pre-reading variation time notification) may be executed to suggest the variation time corresponding to the value of the variation type counter CS1 in the reserved state. In this case, for example, as a variation pattern corresponding to a specific variation type counter CS1 value (e.g., "10 to 30"), when the number of reserved balls is small (e.g., when the number of reserved balls is 0 or 1), a long variation time (e.g., 3 minutes) is selected, and when the number of reserved balls is large (e.g., when the number of reserved balls is 2 or more), a short variation time (e.g., 3 seconds) is set, and the player may be notified by the pre-reading variation time notification that the variation pattern corresponding to the value of the variation type counter CS1 "0 to 30" has been reserved and stored. This allows the player to play more aggressively (right-hand play) to prevent the special chart 2 from fluctuating for a long time.

The above explanation is for special pattern changes that are advantageous to the player (special pattern 2 changes), but the same technical idea may also be configured to be executed for special pattern changes that are disadvantageous to the player (special pattern 1 changes). In addition, the number of reserved memories referenced when changing the change time according to the number of reserved memories may refer to the combined value of the number of reserved memories for special pattern 1 and special pattern 2, or it may refer only to the number of reserved memories corresponding to the pattern type (special pattern 1 or special pattern 2) for which the change is executed.

In addition, in the probability variable state, if the total number of times that Special Chart 1 is drawn (number of variations) and the number of times that Special Chart 2 is drawn (number of variations) exceeds 100 without winning the jackpot, the game state will transition from the probability variable state to the potential probability state. The advantage in the potential probability state can be varied depending on the variation status of Special Chart 2 at the time when the game state transitions to the potential probability state.

Next, the contents of the potential confirmation table b202fb4 will be explained with reference to FIG. 270(b). FIG. 270(b) is a schematic diagram showing the contents of the potential confirmation table b202fb4. This potential confirmation table b202fb4 differs from the potential confirmation table 202f4 of the first control example described above in that the fluctuation time of special chart 1 is set to be short, the fluctuation time of special chart 2 is changed depending on the number of reserved balls, and the fluctuation time of special chart 2 is changed.

Specifically, if the result of the hit/miss judgment on Special Chart 1 is a hit (jackpot), a hit short fluctuation (fluctuation time 5 seconds) is prescribed, and if the result of the hit/miss judgment on Special Chart 1 is a miss, a miss short fluctuation (fluctuation time 5 seconds) is prescribed.

In addition, as for the fluctuation time of the special chart 2, when the result of the hit/miss judgment of the special chart 2 is a hit (big hit), the number of reserved balls is 1 and the value of the fluctuation type counter CS1 is in the range of "0 to 198", and short fluctuation A (fluctuation time 1 second) is associated with it, and when the number of reserved balls is 0, 2, or 3 and the range of "0 to 198", short fluctuation B (fluctuation time 5 seconds) is associated with it. In addition, when the result of the hit/miss judgment of the special chart 2 is a small hit, the number of reserved balls is 1 and the value of the fluctuation type counter CS1 is in the range of "0 to 198", and small hit short fluctuation A (fluctuation time 1 second) is associated with it, and when the number of reserved balls is 0, 2, or 3 and the range of "0 to 198", small hit short fluctuation B (fluctuation time 5 seconds) is associated with it. In addition, when the result of the hit/miss judgment of the special chart 2 is a miss, regardless of the number of reserved balls, the value of the fluctuation type counter CS1 is in the range of "0 to 198", and short fluctuation A (fluctuation time 1 second) is associated with it.

In this way, by setting multiple types of fluctuation times for special chart 2 when the hit/miss determination result is a small hit in the potential hit table b202fb4 that is referenced during the potential hit state, it is possible to suppress a game in which the ball is fired aiming for the timing at which a small hit is executed (so-called stop shot).

Furthermore, the system is configured so that the set fluctuation time is longer when there are many reserved balls (reserved balls 2, 3) than when there are few reserved balls (reserved balls 1). This is because when there are many reserved balls, many balls enter the right first ball entrance 64b and the second ball entrance 1640b, and sufficient prize balls are paid out to the player as the balls enter each entrance. On the other hand, when there are few reserved balls (reserved balls 1), few balls enter the right first ball entrance 64b and the second ball entrance 1640b, and therefore sufficient prize balls are not paid out to the player.

Therefore, by configuring the variable time to be set longer when there are many reserved balls (reserved balls 2, 3) than when there are few reserved balls (reserved balls 1), it is possible to equalize the total number of prize balls, which is the sum of the number of prize balls paid out when balls enter each ball entrance and the number of prize balls paid out for small prize games. This makes it easier to win prize balls for small prizes, even if adjustments are made to the pachinko machine 10 that are disadvantageous to players (adjustments that make it difficult for balls to enter each ball entrance), and therefore it is possible to prevent a decrease in motivation of players.

In addition, in this control example, when the number of reserved balls in Special Chart 2 is 0, the same fluctuation time is set as when there are many reserved balls (reserved balls 2, 3). This is to suppress games in which players shoot balls at intervals, aiming for a short fluctuation time. This makes it possible to provide a game in which it is difficult for players who perform malicious games to win prize balls through small wins.

Furthermore, in this control example, by playing right-hand, the ball is alternately admitted into the second ball entry port 1640b, where the lottery for special chart 2, which is advantageous to the player, is performed, and into the right first ball entry port 64b, where the lottery for special chart 1, which is unfavorable to the player, is performed, so that it is possible to further prevent the playing of a game that intentionally aims only for the lottery for special chart 2, which has a short fluctuation time, from being performed.

In this second control example, two types of variable times can be set for the variable time of the special chart 2 according to the number of reserved balls, but multiple types of variable times may be set under various conditions. For example, a different variable time may be set for each number of reserved balls, or the range of the variable type counter CS1 may be divided so that different variable times are set even for the same number of reserved balls. Also, a different variable time may be set only for a predetermined number of special chart drawings performed after the end of a small prize game. For example, until the special chart drawing is performed three times after the end of a small prize game, the variable time set in the case of a small prize may be longer. This makes it possible to prevent excessive prize balls from being paid out when the drawing for the small prize is biased.

Alternatively, a short variable time (e.g., 0.5 seconds) can be set only during a predetermined period after the end of the small prize game (e.g., the period until the special prize lottery has been performed three times) when the number of reserved balls in special prize 2 is equal to or greater than a predetermined number (e.g., 2 or more). This configuration allows the player to continue playing the game. Furthermore, the variable time set in this case can be set to the same time as the interval between rounds in the big prize game. This makes it possible to change the variable prize winning device 65 as if the big prize had been won when small prizes are won consecutively, improving the excitement of the game.

As explained above, in this second control example, the frequency at which the small prize game is executed during the potential state is set based on the number of reserved balls in the special drawing 2, thereby making the number of prize balls paid out during the potential state (the number of prize balls based on balls entering each ball entry port and the number of prize balls based on the small prize game) uniform. However, as another configuration, the variation time of the normal drawing lottery may be set based on the number of reserved memories in the normal drawing lottery. For example, when the number of reserved memories in the normal drawing lottery is large, balls are likely to enter the allocation unit 660 (because balls are likely to enter each ball entry port), so the variation time of the normal drawing lottery is set to be long, and when the number of reserved memories in the normal drawing lottery is small, it is better to set the variation time of the normal drawing lottery to be shorter than when there are many. This makes it possible to uniformize the degree to which balls enter the allocation unit 660, and as a result, it is possible to uniformize the number of prize balls paid out during the potential state (the number of prize balls based on balls entering each ball entry port and the number of prize balls based on the small prize game).

Next, referring to FIG. 271, details of the RAM 203 provided in the main control device 110 in this second control example will be described. FIG. 271 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the RAM 203 in this second control example.

As shown in FIG. 271, the RAM 203 in this second control example has the configuration of the RAM 203 in the first control example (see FIG. 198) with the second special symbol execution area 203b and the special symbol 2 variable stop flag 203p deleted, and with the addition of the second special symbol reserved ball count counter 203ba, the second special symbol reserved ball storage area 203bb, the special symbol 1 temporary stop flag 203bc, and the special symbol 2 temporary stop flag 203bd.

The second special symbol reserved ball number counter 203ba is a counter that counts the number of reserved balls (waiting times) of the variable display (variable display performed by the third symbol display device 81) of the special symbol (first symbol) performed by the first symbol display device 37 based on the ball entering the second ball entrance 1640b (initial winning), up to a maximum of four times. The initial value of this second special symbol reserved ball number counter 203ba is set to zero, and each time a ball enters the second ball entrance 640 and the number of reserved balls of the variable display increases, it is incremented by one up to the maximum value of four. On the other hand, the second special symbol reserved ball number counter 203ba is decremented by one each time a new variable display of the special symbol is executed. The value of this second special symbol reserved ball number counter 203ba is also notified to the voice lamp control device 113 by the reserved ball number command, just like the value of the first special symbol reserved ball number counter 203d.

The second special pattern reserved ball storage area 203bb has one execution area and four reserved areas, similar to the first special pattern reserved ball storage area 203a. This second special pattern reserved ball storage area 203bb stores each counter value obtained based on the ball entering the second ball entrance 1640b (initial winning). The method of storing the counter values is the same as that of the first special pattern reserved ball storage area 203a, so a detailed explanation will be omitted.

The special chart 1 temporary stop flag 203bc is a flag that indicates the period during which the update (subtraction) of the variable time of the special chart 1 is stopped. When the flag is set to on, the update (subtraction) of the variable time is stopped, and when the flag is set from on to off, the update (subtraction) of the variable time that was stopped is resumed.

This special pattern 1 temporary stop flag 203bc is set to ON when the variation of the second special pattern (special pattern 2) whose lottery result is a jackpot is stopped (S1332 in FIG. 281), and is referred to in the special pattern variation process 2 (see FIG. 275) (S232 in FIG. 275). If the result of the reference is that it is set to ON, a process is executed to update the display of the first pattern display device corresponding to the special pattern 1 in the same manner as during the variation (S233 in FIG. 275). In other words, while the special pattern 1 temporary stop flag 203bc is set to ON, the update (subtraction) of the variation time is stopped, but the first pattern display device is in a state in which the variation display is continuously executed. As a result, it is possible to notify that the variation of the special pattern 1 has not been forcibly stopped by setting the special pattern 1 temporary stop flag 203bc to ON. Then, if it is determined that the flag is set to ON during the first special symbol change execution process (see FIG. 277) (S2801 in FIG. 277: Yes), the flag is set to OFF (S2803 in FIG. 277). Although detailed explanations and illustrations are omitted, the special symbol 1 temporary stop flag 203bc is set to ON by executing the same process as in the case of a big win even when the lottery result of the second special symbol (special symbol 2) is a small win.

The special chart 2 temporary stop flag 203bd is a flag that indicates the period during which the update (subtraction) of the variable time of the special chart 2 is stopped. When the flag is set to on, the update (subtraction) of the variable time is stopped, and when the flag is set from on to off, the update (subtraction) of the variable time that was stopped is resumed.

This special symbol 2 temporary stop flag 203bd is set to ON when the variation of the first special symbol (special symbol 1) that is the winning lottery result is stopped (S732 in FIG. 278), and is referenced in special symbol variation process 2 (see FIG. 275) (S232 in FIG. 275). Note that the contents referenced in this process are the same as the special symbol 1 temporary stop flag 203bc described above, so the explanation is omitted. Then, if it is determined that it is set to ON in the second special symbol variation execution process (see FIG. 280) (S2901 in FIG. 280: Yes), it is set to OFF (S2903 in FIG. 280).

Next, referring to FIG. 272(a), the details of the ROM 222 provided in the voice lamp control device 113 in this second control example will be described. FIG. 272(a) is a block diagram showing the configuration of the ROM 222 in this second control example.

As shown in FIG. 272(a), the ROM 222 in this second control example differs from the configuration of the ROM 222 in the first control example (see FIG. 199(a)) in that the contents of the screen display selection 2 table 222b have been partially changed and an additional performance selection table 222ba has been added.

Now, with reference to FIG. 272(b), the screen display selection 2 table 222b in this control example will be described. FIG. 272(b) is a schematic diagram showing the contents of the screen display selection 2 table 222b. This screen display selection 2 table 222b differs from the screen display selection table 222b in the first control example described above in that it is configured so that different screen display types are selected depending on whether the game state is normal or high probability, and in that the display content (screen display type) to be displayed on the third pattern display device 81 has been changed. All other elements are the same, and detailed descriptions of the same elements will be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 272(b), when the game state is normal, normal display is specified as the display content (screen display type) for the combination of the special symbol 1 waiting flag 223s being off and the special symbol 2 waiting flag 223t being on. This normal display is a display content in which the third symbol indicating the lottery result of the first special symbol and the third symbol indicating the lottery result of the second special symbol are displayed in the normal manner in the normal state (see FIG. 182(b)). In the normal state, the variable display based on the lottery result of the first special symbol is the main variable, so by setting it to normal display, the main variable can be reliably displayed.

In the normal state, the demo display A is associated with the combination of the special chart 1 waiting flag 223s being on and the special chart 2 waiting flag 223t being off. When this demo display A is determined, the demo display A screen (see FIG. 266 (a)) is set. After 30 seconds have elapsed since the end of the variation of the special chart 1, which is the main variation, regardless of whether the secondary variation is being executed or not, the demo display A screen (customer waiting demo screen) is switched to, so that even if the player puts a ball into the second ball entrance 1640b and quits playing immediately after the long-term variation display begins, the customer waiting demo screen can be displayed after a predetermined time (30 seconds) has elapsed. Therefore, it is possible to easily make other players who have confirmed the customer waiting demo screen understand that the pachinko machine 10 is an empty machine, and therefore it is possible to start playing on the pachinko machine 10. Therefore, it is possible to prevent (suppress) the operating rate of the pachinko machine 10 from decreasing. Furthermore, since the demo display A screen is actually displaying a moving special chart 2, the words "Playable" are displayed in the small area Ds5 of the sub-display area Ds to make it easy for the player to understand that the machine is vacant. This allows the player to start playing with more peace of mind.

In the normal state, when the special chart 1 waiting flag 223s and the special chart 2 waiting flag 223t are both off, demo display B (see FIG. 266(b)) is associated with them. This allows other players who check the customer waiting demo screen to easily understand that the pachinko machine 10 is vacant.

Next, in the probability bonus state, a normal display is associated with the combination of the special chart 1 waiting flag 223s being on and the special chart 2 waiting flag 223t being off, or the combination of the special chart 1 waiting flag 223s being off and the special chart 2 waiting flag 223t being on. In the pachinko machine 10 in this control example, a game in which both special charts 1 and 2 can change in the probability bonus state is executed, so the customer waiting demo screen is not displayed when the special chart waiting flag (special chart 1 waiting flag 223s, special chart 2 waiting flag 223t) is set to off for either of the special charts. This makes it possible to provide the player with an easy-to-understand game.

In this way, by determining whether or not special chart 1 and special chart 2 are undergoing special chart change (whether a predetermined period of time has passed since the special chart change stopped) and setting the screen display type based on each of the determination results and the currently set game state as in this second control example, it is possible to easily notify whether or not a change (main change) of the pattern type (special chart 1, special chart 2) expected by the player is being executed in the current game state for a pachinko machine 10 having a game feature of changing the pattern type (special chart 1, special chart 2) for which the player expects a lottery result depending on the game state (a game feature of changing the pattern type (special chart 1, special chart 2) that actually changes depending on the game state).

In the probability bonus state, when the special chart 1 waiting flag 223s and the special chart 2 waiting flag 223t are both off, a special display A (see FIG. 267(a)) is associated with the combination. This makes it possible to indicate the current game situation to the player who has checked the customer waiting demo screen.

In the latent state, when the special chart 1 waiting flag 223s is off and the special chart 2 waiting flag 223t is on, or when both the special chart 1 waiting flag 223s and the special chart 2 waiting flag 223t are on, special display B (Fig. 267(b)) is specified as the display content (screen display type). This special display B is displayed when the special chart 2, which is the actual change in the latent state, has not changed (the special chart 2 waiting flag is set to on).

Next, referring to FIG. 273, the additional performance selection table 222ba in this control example will be described. FIG. 273 is a schematic diagram showing the contents of the additional performance selection table 222ba. This additional performance selection table 222ba is a table that is referenced when selecting the type of additional performance (additional performance type) to be executed during the additional performance period (see FIG. 261) that occurs when the special chart 1 temporary stop flag 203bc or the special chart 2 temporary stop flag 203bd is set on and the update (subtraction) of the special chart fluctuation time is stopped, and the additional performance type is selected based on the length of the period in which the additional performance can be executed (remaining fluctuation time) and the value of the acquired performance counter 223h.

Specifically, if the remaining change time (the period during which additional effects can be executed) is less than 2 seconds (period A) and the acquired value of the effect counter 223h is "0 to 99", "none" is selected as the additional effect type (see FIG. 262(a)), and if it is "100 to 198", "additional effect A" is selected as the additional effect type (see FIG. 262(b)).

If the remaining change time (period during which additional effects can be executed) is between 2 and 15 seconds (period B) and the acquired value of the effect counter 223h is between "0 and 99", "additional effect B" is selected as the additional effect type (see FIG. 263(a)), and if it is between "100 and 198", "additional effect C" is selected as the additional effect type (see FIG. 263(b)).

If the remaining change time (the period during which additional effects can be executed) is 15 seconds or more (period C) and the acquired value of the effect counter 223h is "0 to 99", "additional effect C" is selected as the additional effect type (see FIG. 263 (b)), and if it is "100 to 198", "additional effect D" is selected as the additional effect type (see FIG. 264).

As explained above, in this control example, the additional effect to be executed is selected based on the length of the period during which the additional effect can be executed (remaining change time). For example, when the remaining change time is short (when the player has difficulty understanding the content of the effect executed by the additional effect), an additional effect that is a partial modification of the normal effect (e.g., additional effect A) is executed so as not to give the player a sense of discomfort with the effect executed during the remaining change time, and when the remaining change time is long (when the player can fully understand the content of the effect executed by the additional effect), an additional effect (e.g., additional effect D) with content different from the normal effect is executed, thereby enhancing the effect of the effect.

Next, referring to FIG. 274, details of the RAM 223 provided in the voice lamp control device 113 in this second control example will be described. FIG. 274 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the RAM 223 in this second control example.

As shown in FIG. 274, the RAM 223 in this second control example has the same configuration as the RAM 223 in the first control example (see FIG. 199(b)), with the addition of a second special symbol reserved ball count counter 223ba, a remaining fluctuation time information storage area 223bb, and an additional performance information storage area 223bc.

The second special pattern reserved ball count counter 223ba is a counter that is updated based on a reserved ball count command for the second special pattern output from the main control unit 110, and differs from the first special pattern reserved ball count counter 223c described above in the first control example only in that the counter update target is the second special pattern reserved ball count counter 203ba instead of the first special pattern reserved ball count counter 203d. All other elements are the same, so detailed explanations are omitted.

The remaining variation time information storage area 223bb is an area for storing information regarding the remaining period (remaining variation time) of the currently set variation pattern that is calculated when a special chart 1 or special chart 2 temporary stop command is received from the main control unit 110, and the stored information is referenced when selecting additional effects to be executed after variation is resumed.

In the temporary stop related process (see FIG. 286), when a special chart 1 temporary stop command or a special chart 2 temporary stop command is received (S4901 in FIG. 286: Yes), the remaining change period of the change pattern is calculated (S4903 in FIG. 286), and the remaining change period information is set based on the length of the remaining change period (see S4907 to S4908 in FIG. 286). Then, in the change restart process (see FIG. 287), when a special chart 1 change restart command or a special chart 2 change restart command is received (S5001 in FIG. 287: Yes) and it is determined that the change pattern is not being executed (S5002 in FIG. 287: No), it is used to determine the additional performance type (S5003 in FIG. 287), and then the set remaining change period information is cleared (S5009 in FIG. 287).

The additional performance information storage area 223bc is an area for storing the determined additional performance type, and the additional performance is executed based on the stored additional performance type. This additional performance information storage area 223bc is set with the determined additional performance type during the change restart process (see FIG. 287) (S5005, S5006 in FIG. 287), is read out when setting the additional performance command for display (S5007 in FIG. 287), and is then cleared (S5009 in FIG. 287).

<Regarding control process of main control device in second control example>
Next, various control processes executed by the MPU 201 of the main control device 110 in the second control example will be described with reference to Figs. 275 to 283. The control process of the main control device 110 in this second control example differs from the control process of the main control device 110 in the first control example described above in that it executes special symbol change process 2 (see Fig. 275) instead of special symbol change process (see Fig. 209), game state update process 2 (see Fig. 276) instead of game state update process (see Fig. 213), start winning process 2 (see Fig. 282) instead of start winning process (see Fig. 222), and big win end process 2 (see Fig. 283) instead of big win end process (see Fig. 230), and the same processes are executed otherwise. Note that the same symbols are given to the same processes, and detailed explanations thereof will be omitted.

As described above, the second control example differs significantly from the first control example described above in that in addition to the first special symbol (hereinafter referred to as special symbol), the lottery for the second special symbol (hereinafter referred to as special symbol 2) can be reserved and stored, and in that when special symbols 1 and 2 are fluctuating simultaneously, if either special symbol is stopped and displayed with a symbol indicating a win, the deduction of the fluctuation time of the other special symbol is suspended, and the deduction of the fluctuation time is resumed after the winning game based on the winning of one special symbol ends.

The configuration for storing the lottery for special drawing 2 on hold and the control process based on this are the same as the configuration and control process for storing the lottery for special drawing 1 on hold described in the first control example above, so a description of these will be omitted.

First, referring to FIG. 275, the contents of the special pattern change process 2 (S104) in this second control example will be described. FIG. 275 is a flowchart showing the contents of the special pattern change process 2 (S104). When the special pattern change process 2 (S104) is executed, first, it is determined whether the current situation is a big win or a small win (S231). If it is determined that the current situation is a big win or a small win (S231: Yes), it is next determined whether the special pattern 1 temporary stop flag 203bc or the special pattern 2 temporary stop flag 203bd is set to on (S232). In this S232 process, it is determined whether the subtraction of the special pattern change time of the other special pattern that is changing is interrupted because one of the special patterns is stopped and displayed with a pattern indicating a win. In the process of S232, if it is determined that the special symbol 1 temporary stop flag 203bc or the special symbol 2 temporary stop flag 203bd is set to on (S232: Yes), the display of the first pattern display device 37 corresponding to the temporarily stopped special symbol is updated (S233), that is, a process is executed to continue the change display of the first pattern display device 37 for the special symbol for which the subtraction of the change time has been interrupted, and this process is terminated. This makes it possible to inform the player that the special symbol change has not been forcibly stopped.

On the other hand, in the process of S231, if it is determined that a big win or a small win is currently occurring (S231: No), it is determined whether the value of the special pattern 1 change time timer 203s is greater than 0 (i.e., whether special pattern 1 is changing) (S234), and if it is determined that the value of the special pattern 1 change time timer 203s is not greater than 0 (is 0) (S234: No), the same process as the first special pattern change start process (S204) in the first control example described above is executed, and then it proceeds to S238, which executes change processing for special pattern 2.

If it is determined in the process of S234 that the value of the special symbol 1 change time timer 203s is greater than 0 (S234: Yes), the first special symbol change in progress process (S235) is executed. This first special symbol change in progress process (S235) executes the process during the special symbol 1 change, and a detailed explanation of this will be given later with reference to FIG. 277.

When the first special symbol change in progress process (S235) is completed, it is next determined whether it is the end of the change time (whether the special symbol 1 change time timer 203s is 0) (S236). If it is determined that it is the end of the change time (S236: Yes), the first special symbol change stop process 2 (S237) is executed, and then the process proceeds to S238. On the other hand, if it is determined in the process of S236 that it is not the end of the change time (S236: No), the process of S237 is skipped and the process proceeds to S238.

In the processing of S238 to S242, the same processing as S234 to S237 executed for special symbol 1 is executed. When the processing of S238 is executed, first, it is determined whether the value of the special symbol 2 change time timer 203t is greater than 0 (i.e., whether special symbol 2 is changing) (S238), and if it is determined that the value of the special symbol 2 change time timer 203t is not greater than 0 (is 0) (S238: No), the second special symbol change start processing 2 (S239) is executed, and then this processing is terminated. This second special symbol change start processing 2 (S239) is the above-mentioned second special symbol change start processing 2 (see S217 in FIG. 215) to which a subtraction processing of the reserved memory number is added, and details will be described later with reference to FIG. 279.

On the other hand, in the process of S238, if it is determined that the value of the special symbol 2 change time timer 203t is greater than 0 (S238: Yes), the second special symbol change in progress process (S240) is executed. This second special symbol change in progress process (S240) executes the process during the special symbol 2 change, and a detailed explanation of this will be given later with reference to FIG. 280.

When the second special symbol change in progress process (S240) is completed, it is next determined whether it is the end of the change time (whether the special symbol 2 change time timer 203t is 0) (S241). If it is determined that it is the end of the change time (S241: Yes), the second special symbol change stop process 2 (S242) is executed and this process is terminated. On the other hand, if it is determined in the process of S241 that it is not the end of the change time (S241: No), the process of S242 is skipped and this process is terminated.

Next, the contents of the game state update process 2 (S307) will be described with reference to FIG. 276. FIG. 276 is a flowchart showing the contents of the game state update process 2 (S307). This game state update process 2 (S307) differs from the game state update process of the first control example described above (see FIG. 213) in that a configuration is added to set a state command indicating a potential state when the value of the time-saving counter 203g is 0 and the value of the probability-changing counter 203k is not 0. This is because, in this second control example, the number of time-saving times (100 times) set in the probability-changing state is less than the number of times the probability-changing state is set (120 times), and the number of times the special chart lottery (variation) is performed in the probability-changing state exceeds 100 times, so that the game state can be transitioned from the probability-changing state to the potential state without winning a jackpot.

When the game status update process 2 (S307) is executed, first, the same processes as S601 to S608 of the game status update process described above (see FIG. 213) are executed. After the process of S608 is completed, it is next determined whether the value of the time-saving counter 203g is 0 (S631). If it is determined that the value is 0 (S631: Yes), it is then determined whether the value of the special probability counter 203k is 0 (S632). If it is determined that the value of the special probability counter 203k is not 0 (1 or more) (S632: No), the game is in a special probability state where no time-saving gameplay is granted (i.e., a potential probability state), so a state command indicating the potential probability state is set (S633), and this process is terminated.

On the other hand, if it is determined in the process of S631 that the value of the time-saving counter 203g is not 0 (S631: No), or if it is determined in the process of S632 that the value of the special bonus counter 203k is 0 (S632: Yes), the process of S633 is skipped and the process ends.

Next, referring to FIG. 277, the contents of the first special pattern change in progress process (S235) executed in the special pattern change process 2 (see S104 in FIG. 275) will be described. FIG. 277 is a flowchart showing the contents of the first special pattern change in progress process (S235). In this first special pattern change in progress process (S235), a process for resuming deduction of the change time of special pattern 1 if the deduction has been suspended, and a process for deducting the change time are executed.

When the first special symbol change execution process (S235) is executed, first, it is determined whether the special symbol 1 temporary stop flag 203bc is set to on (S2801). Here, a brief explanation will be given of the case where this process is executed with the special symbol 1 temporary stop flag 203bc set to on. As described above, the special symbol 1 temporary stop flag 203bc is set to on when the special symbol 1 is changing and the special symbol 2 is stopped and displayed with a pattern indicating a win (big win or small win). Then, when the special symbol 1 temporary stop flag 203bc is set to on, the big win flag 203u is set to on in that process, so that the timer interrupt process executed every 2 milliseconds by the main control device 110 loops, and when the special symbol change process 2 (Fig. 275) is executed next time (2 milliseconds after the special symbol 1 temporary stop flag 203bc is set to on), it is determined that a big win is occurring in the process of S231, so the first special symbol change execution process (S235) is not executed. Then, when the big win game (or small win game) ends and it is determined in the process of S231 that the big win (or small win) is not in progress, the first special symbol change execution process (S235) is executed. By configuring it in this way, the state in which the first special symbol change execution process (S235) is executed with the special symbol 1 temporary stop flag 203bc set to on is configured to be the timing when the big win (or small win) game ends and the subtraction of the special symbol change time that was suspended is resumed.

Returning to FIG. 277, the explanation will continue. In the process of S2801, if it is determined that the special chart 1 temporary stop flag 203bc is set to on (S2801: Yes), then the special chart 1 fluctuation resume command is set (S2802), the special chart 1 temporary stop flag 203bc is set to off (S2803), and the process proceeds to S2804. On the other hand, in the process of S2801, if it is determined that the special chart 1 temporary stop flag 203bc is not set to on (is set to off) (S2801: No), the processes of S2802 and S2803 are skipped and the process proceeds to S2804.

In the process of S2804, the special pattern 1 change time timer (special pattern 1 change timer) 203s is updated by subtracting 1 (S2804), the display of the first pattern display device 37 is updated (S2805), and this process is terminated.

Next, referring to FIG. 278, the contents of the first special symbol change stop process 2 (S237) executed in the special symbol change process 2 (see S104 in FIG. 275) will be described. FIG. 278 is a flowchart showing the contents of the first special symbol change stop process 2 (S237). This first special symbol change stop process 2 (S237) executes processing when stopping the change of special symbol 1, and differs from the first special symbol change stop process (FIG. 214) of the first control example described above in that when the lottery result of special symbol 1 is a jackpot, instead of a configuration that forcibly stops the change of special symbol 2, a configuration is provided that interrupts the change of special symbol 2 (interrupts the subtraction of the change time).

When the first special symbol variation stop process 2 (S237) is executed, first, it is determined whether the lottery result for the first special symbol (special symbol 1) is a jackpot (S731), and if it is determined that it is not a jackpot (a miss) (S731: No), the same processes as S709 and S710 of the first special symbol variation stop process (Fig. 214) of the first control example described above are executed, and this process is terminated.

On the other hand, if it is determined in the process of S731 that it is a jackpot (S731: Yes), then the special symbol 2 temporary stop flag 203bd is set to on (S732), and a special symbol 2 temporary stop command indicating that the special symbol 2 temporary stop flag 203bd has been set to on is set (S733). Then, the same processes as S706 and S708 of the first special symbol variation stop process (FIG. 214) of the first control example described above are executed, and this process ends.

Next, referring to FIG. 279, the contents of the second special pattern change start process 2 (S239) executed in the special pattern change process 2 (see S104 in FIG. 275) will be explained. FIG. 279 is a flowchart showing the contents of the second special pattern change start process 2 (S239). In this second special pattern change start process 2 (S239), a process for starting the change of the special pattern 2 is executed.

In the second special symbol change start process 2 (S239), first, it is determined whether the special symbol 2 temporary stop flag 203bd is set to on (S831). If it is determined that it is set to on (S831: Yes), that is, if the second special symbol change start process 2 (S239 in FIG. 279) is executed within the same process as the process in which the special symbol 2 temporary stop flag 203bd is set to on in the first special symbol change stop process 2 (S237 in FIG. 278), all the various processes executed in the second special symbol change start process 2 (S239 in FIG. 279) are skipped and this process is terminated. This makes it possible to prevent the change of the special symbol 2 from starting at the same time (within the same process) as the timing when the special symbol 1 is stopped and displayed with a pattern indicating a win.

In the process of S831, if it is determined that the special pattern 2 temporary stop flag 203bd is not set on (set to off) (S831: No), then the value (N2) of the second special pattern reserved ball counter 203ba is obtained (S832), and it is determined whether the obtained value (N2) of the second special pattern reserved ball counter is greater than 0 (S833). In the process of S833, if it is determined that the value (N2) of the second special pattern reserved ball counter 203ba is greater than 0 (S833: Yes), the value (N2) of the second special pattern reserved ball counter 203ba is decremented by 1 (S834), and a reserved ball number command indicating the value (N2) of the second special pattern reserved ball counter 203ba after the decrement is set to notify the voice lamp control device 113 of the reserved ball number command (S835).

The reserved ball count command set here is sent to the voice lamp control device 113 in the external output process (S2001) of the main process (see FIG. 227) in the same manner as in the first control example described above. When the voice lamp control device 113 receives the reserved ball count command, it extracts the value of the second special pattern reserved ball count counter 203ba from the reserved ball count command and stores the extracted value in the second special pattern reserved ball count counter 223ba in the RAM 223. In this way, the voice lamp control device 113 updates the value of the second special pattern reserved ball count counter 223ba according to the reserved ball count command sent from the main control device 110, so that the value can be updated in synchronization with the value of the second special pattern reserved ball count counter 203ba in the main control device 110.

When the processing of S835 is completed, the data in the second special symbol reserved ball storage area 203bb is then shifted to the previous data (S836). More specifically, the data in each area is shifted in the following order: reserved area 1 -> execution area, reserved area 2 -> reserved area 1, reserved area 3 -> reserved area 2, reserved area 4 -> reserved area 3, etc.

When the processing of S836 is completed, the same processing as S804 to S807 of the second special symbol variation start processing (see S207 in FIG. 215) of the first control example described above is then executed, and this processing is terminated. Also, in the processing of S833, even if it is determined that the value (N2) of the second special symbol reserved ball count counter 203ba is 0 (S833: No), the same processing as S808 to S810 of the second special symbol variation start processing (see S207 in FIG. 215) of the first control example described above is executed, and this processing is terminated.

Next, referring to FIG. 280, the contents of the second special pattern change in progress process (S240) executed in the special pattern change process 2 (see S104 in FIG. 275) will be explained. FIG. 280 is a flowchart showing the contents of the second special pattern change in progress process (S240). In this second special pattern change in progress process (S240), a process for resuming the subtraction of the change time of the special pattern 2 if the subtraction has been suspended, and a process for subtracting the change time are executed.

When the second special symbol change execution process (S240) is executed, first, it is determined whether the special symbol 2 temporary stop flag 203bd is set to on (S2901). Here, a brief explanation will be given of the case where this process is executed with the special symbol 2 temporary stop flag 203bd set to on. As described above, the special symbol 2 temporary stop flag 203bd is set to on when the special symbol 1 is stopped and displayed with a pattern indicating a win (jackpot) while the special symbol 2 is changing. When the special symbol 2 temporary stop flag 203bd is set to on, the jackpot in progress flag 203u is set to on during the process, so that the timer interrupt process executed every 2 milliseconds by the main control device 110 loops, and when the special symbol change process 2 (Fig. 275) is executed next time (2 milliseconds after the special symbol 2 temporary stop flag 203bd is set to on), it is determined that the jackpot is being won in the process of S231, so the second special symbol change execution process (S240) is not executed. Then, when the jackpot game ends and it is determined in the process of S231 that the jackpot is not in progress, the second special symbol variation execution process (S240) is executed. By configuring it in this way, the state in which the second special symbol variation execution process (S240) is executed with the special symbol 2 temporary stop flag 203bd set to on is configured to be the timing when the jackpot game ends and the subtraction of the special symbol variation time that was suspended is resumed.

Returning to FIG. 280, the explanation will continue. In the process of S2901, if it is determined that the special chart 2 temporary stop flag 203bd is set to on (S2901: Yes), then the special chart 2 fluctuation resume command is set (S2902), the special chart 2 temporary stop flag 203bd is set to off (S2903), and the process proceeds to S2904. On the other hand, in the process of S2901, if it is determined that the special chart 2 temporary stop flag 203bd is not set to on (is set to off) (S2901: No), the processes of S2902 and S2903 are skipped and the process proceeds to S2904.

In the process of S2904, the special pattern 2 change time timer (special pattern 2 change timer) 203t is updated by subtracting 1 (S2904), the display of the first pattern display device 37 is updated (S2805), and this process is terminated.

Next, the contents of the second special symbol change stop process 2 (S242) will be described with reference to FIG. 281. FIG. 281 is a flowchart showing the contents of the second special symbol change stop process 2 (S242). This second special symbol change stop process 2 (S242) executes processing when stopping the change of special symbol 2, and differs from the second special symbol change stop process (see FIG. 220) of the first control example described above in that, when the lottery result of special symbol 2 is a big win, instead of a configuration that forcibly stops the change of special symbol 1, a configuration is provided that interrupts the change of special symbol 1 (interrupts the subtraction of the change time), and in that a process that is executed when the lottery result of special symbol 2 is a small win is added.

When the second special symbol variation stop process 2 (S242) is executed, first, it is determined whether the lottery result of the second special symbol (special symbol 2) is a big win (S1331), and if it is determined that it is not a big win (a miss) (S1331: No), it is then determined whether the lottery result of the special symbol 2 is a small win (S1334). If it is determined that it is not a small win in the process of S1334 (S1334: No), the same processes as S1310 and S1311 of the second special symbol variation stop process (Fig. 220) of the first control example described above are executed, and this process ends.

On the other hand, if it is determined in the process of S1334 that it is a small win (S1334: Yes), then the small win stop process is executed (S1335). In this small win stop process, the same process as S1402 to S1406 of the special symbol 2 miss stop process (see S1304 in FIG. 221) in the first control example described above is executed. When this small win stop process (S1335) is completed, the same process as S1310 and S1311 of the second special symbol variation stop process (FIG. 220) in the first control example described above is executed, and this process ends.

If it is determined in the process of S1331 that it is a jackpot (S1331: Yes), the special symbol 1 temporary stop flag 203bc is set to on (S1332), and a special symbol 1 temporary stop command indicating that the special symbol 1 temporary stop flag 203bc has been set to on is set (S1333). Then, the same processes as S1307 to S1311 of the second special symbol variation stop process (Fig. 220) of the first control example described above are executed, and this process ends.

Next, the contents of the start winning process 2 (S105) will be explained with reference to FIG. 282. FIG. 282 is a flow chart showing the contents of the start winning process 2 (S105). This start winning process 2 (S105) differs from the start winning process (see FIG. 222) of the first control example described above in that the process when a ball wins (enters) the second ball entrance 1640b has been changed. Specifically, since this second control example is configured to reserve and store the lottery for special pattern 2, when a ball wins (enters) the second ball entrance 1640b, a process is executed to increment the value (N2) of the second special pattern reserved ball counter 203ba.

The processing performed when a ball enters the second ball entry port 1640b differs from the processing performed when a ball enters (enters) the first ball entry port in the start entry processing (see FIG. 222) of the first control example described above in that the target of processing is changed from special chart 1 to special chart 2, and therefore a detailed explanation of this will be omitted.

Next, referring to FIG. 283, the contents of the jackpot end process 2 (S2112) will be explained. FIG. 283 is a flowchart showing the contents of the jackpot end process 2 (S2112). This jackpot end process 2 (S2112) differs from the jackpot end process of the first control example described above (see FIG. 230) only in that the value set in the time-saving counter 203g is changed from 120 to 100, and other processes are the same, so detailed explanations are omitted. As a result, in this second control example, the number of time-saving times (100 times) set when the game state becomes a high probability state is less than the number of times the high probability state is set (120 times), so that when the special chart is drawn (changed) more than 100 times in the high probability state, it is possible to transition the game state to a potential high probability state.

<Regarding the control process of the voice lamp control device in the second control example>
Next, various control processes executed by the MPU 221 of the voice lamp control device 113 in the second control example will be described with reference to Fig. 284 to Fig. 287. The control process of the voice lamp control device 113 in this second control example differs from the control process of the voice lamp control device 113 in the first control example described above in that the command determination process 2 (S4111 in Fig. 284) is executed instead of the command determination process (see Fig. 238), and the other processes are the same. Specifically, a process is added that is executed when various commands output by changing the control contents executed by the main control device 110 from the first control example are received.

Now, referring to FIG. 284, the contents of command determination process 2 (S4111) will be described. FIG. 284 is a flowchart showing the contents of command determination process 2 (S4111). This command determination process 2 (S4111) is the same as the command determination process of the first control example described above (FIG. 238), except that a process is added that is executed when a remaining chance bonus count command or a remaining time reduction count command is received, and a process is added that is executed when a temporary stop-related command is received.

When command determination process 2 (S4111) is executed, first, the same processes as S4301 to S4317 of the command determination process (Fig. 238) of the first control example described above are executed. Then, if it is determined in the process of S4317 that a remaining number of chance bonuses command or a remaining number of time-saving commands has been received (S4317: Yes), then remaining number of times update process 2 (S4318) is executed.

Here, referring to FIG. 285, the contents of the remaining number update process 2 (S4318) will be described. FIG. 285 is a flowchart showing the contents of the remaining number update process 2 (S4318). When this remaining number update process 2 (S4318) is executed, the same processes as S4651 and S4652 of the remaining number update process (see FIG. 242) of the first control example described above are executed, and when the process of S4652 is completed, the same processes as S4661 and S4662 of the remaining number update process (see FIG. 242) of the first control example described above are executed. That is, only the process of updating the information of the remaining number of chance changes area 223o and the performance chance change number area 223q to information corresponding to the value of the remaining number of chance changes command or the remaining time reduction number command output from the main control device 110 is executed. Note that in this second control example, the remaining number update process (see FIG. 242) similar to that of the first control example described above may also be executed.

Returning to FIG. 284, the explanation will continue. In the process of S4317, if it is determined that the remaining number of times of the probability change or the remaining number of times of the time reduction has not been received (S4317: No), it is next determined whether a temporary stop related command has been received (S4331). Here, the temporary stop related commands include the special chart 1 temporary stop command output when the special chart 1 temporary stop flag 203bc is set on, the special chart 2 temporary stop command output when the special chart 2 temporary stop flag 203bd is set on, the special chart 1 fluctuation resume command output when the special chart 1 temporary stop flag 203bc is set off, and the special chart 2 fluctuation resume command output when the special chart 2 temporary stop flag 203bd is set off.

If it is determined in the processing of S4331 that a temporary stop-related command has been received (S4331: Yes), then temporary stop-related processing is executed (S4332) and this processing is terminated. On the other hand, if it is determined in the processing of S4331 that a temporary stop-related command has not been received (S4331: No), the same processing as S4319 in the command determination processing (see FIG. 238) of the first control example described above is executed and this processing is terminated.

Next, the contents of the temporary stop related process (S4332) will be explained with reference to FIG. 286. FIG. 286 is a flowchart showing the contents of the temporary stop related process (S4332). In this temporary stop related process (S4332), a process is executed to determine the remaining time of the special pattern change time when a special pattern 1 temporary stop command or a special pattern 2 temporary stop command is received, and a process is executed to set the effect (additional effect) to be executed by the third pattern display device 81 when a special pattern 1 change resume command or a special pattern 2 change resume command is received.

When the temporary stop related process (S4332) is executed, first, it is determined whether the special chart 1 temporary stop command or the special chart 2 temporary stop command has been received (S4901), and if it is determined that it has not been received (S4901: No), it proceeds to S4902 and executes the fluctuation resumption process. On the other hand, if it is determined in the process of S4901 that the special chart 1 temporary stop command or the special chart 2 temporary stop command has been received (S4901: Yes), the remaining fluctuation period of the currently set fluctuation pattern is calculated (S4903). Then, it is determined whether the remaining fluctuation period calculated in the process of S4903 is less than 2 seconds (S4904), and if it is determined that it is less than 2 seconds (S4904: Yes), a period A indicating that the remaining fluctuation period is short is set in the remaining fluctuation time information storage area 223bb (S4905), and it proceeds to the process of S4902.

On the other hand, if it is determined in the processing of S4904 that the remaining variation period is not less than 2 seconds (2 seconds or more) (S4904: No), then it is determined whether the remaining variation period is less than 15 seconds (S4906), and if it is determined that it is less than 15 seconds (S4906: Yes), period B indicating that it is a normal remaining variation period is set in the remaining variation time information storage area 223bb (S4907), and processing proceeds to S4902.

If it is determined in the processing of S4906 that the remaining change period is not less than 15 seconds (15 seconds or more) (S4906: No), a period C indicating that the remaining change period is long is set in the remaining change time information storage area 223bb (S4908), and processing proceeds to S4902. In this way, by calculating the change time (remaining change period) to be executed when the special chart change is resumed at the timing when the special chart change was interrupted (when the subtraction of the special chart change time was interrupted) and setting information corresponding to that period, it is possible to execute a performance (additional performance) appropriate for the remaining change period without delay when the special chart change is resumed.

Next, the contents of the fluctuation restart process (S4902) will be explained with reference to FIG. 287. FIG. 287 is a flowchart showing the contents of the fluctuation restart process (S4902). This fluctuation restart process (S4902) executes a process to set the additional performance to be executed when a special chart 1 fluctuation restart command or a special chart 2 fluctuation restart command is received.

When the fluctuation restart process (S4902) is executed, it is first determined whether the special chart 1 fluctuation restart command or the special chart 2 fluctuation restart command has been received (S5001), and if it is determined that it has not been received (S5001: No), this process is terminated. On the other hand, if it is determined in the process of S5001 that the special chart 1 fluctuation restart command or the special chart 2 fluctuation restart command has been received (S5001), it is next determined whether a fluctuation performance is currently being executed (S5002). This process of S5002 determines whether the fluctuation performance, which is executed for the fluctuation time of the special chart fluctuation (for example, 30 seconds) in conjunction with the execution of the special chart fluctuation, is in an incomplete state when the special chart fluctuation is interrupted (the subtraction of the special chart fluctuation time is interrupted) and the special chart fluctuation is resumed after the end of the winning game.

If it is determined in the processing of S5002 that a variable performance is being executed (S5002: Yes), additional performance A is set in the additional performance information storage area (S5006), and the process proceeds to S5007. On the other hand, if it is determined in the processing of S5002 that a variable performance is not being executed (S5002: No), the remaining change time information stored in the remaining change time information storage area 223bb is read (S5003), an additional performance type is determined from the additional performance selection table 222ba based on the read remaining change time information and the performance counter 223h (S5004), and the determined additional performance type is set (stored) in the additional performance information storage area 223bc (S5005).

Then, when the processing of S5005 or S5006 is completed, the additional performance type stored (set) in the additional performance information storage area 223bc is read (S5007), the additional performance command for display corresponding to the read additional performance week is set (S5008), the information set in the remaining change time information storage area 223bb and the additional performance information storage area 223bc is cleared (S5009), and this processing ends.

As explained above, in this second control example, when the special pattern change is interrupted, a shaking effect is executed in which the third pattern is displayed in a shaking manner during the period from when the normal effect (the effect display executed when the special pattern change is started) ends until the special pattern change is resumed, and when the special pattern change is resumed, an additional effect corresponding to the special pattern change period (remaining change period) after the special pattern change is resumed is executed, but other configurations may also be used.

For example, a display period discrimination means may be provided to discriminate the normal display period during which the normal display is executed, and an additional display may be executed when the display period discrimination means discriminates that the normal display period has ended. This configuration allows the normal display and the additional display to be executed consecutively, providing a display display that is more suitable for the player. In this case, an error may occur between the end timing of the additional display period during which the additional display is executed and the special symbol variation period after resumption, but the additional display may be continued to be executed during the error period, or a shaking display in which the third symbol is displayed in a shaking manner may be executed. Furthermore, an error period discrimination means may be provided to discriminate the length of the error period, and an additional display may be executed again when the error period discrimination means discriminates that the error period is a predetermined period (e.g., 5 seconds) or more.

In addition, in the second control example described above, a case was explained in which one special pattern change (e.g., special pattern 2) stops displaying a pattern indicating a win, causing the other special pattern change (e.g., special pattern 1) to be interrupted (the deduction of the special pattern change time is interrupted), and the normal presentation corresponding to the other special pattern change has already ended at the time the other special pattern change is resumed (see FIG. 261). However, for example, a case in which the normal presentation corresponding to the other special pattern change has not ended at the time the other special pattern change is resumed will be described with reference to FIG. 288.

Figure 288 is a timing chart showing an example of the flow of each special symbol change, and in a sure-win state in which the third symbol display device 81 executes a performance display based on the change of special symbol 1 (performance display using the third symbol), the change of special symbol 1 (10 seconds) and the change of special symbol 2 (3 seconds) are executed simultaneously, and the flow is shown when special symbol 2 wins a small prize.

The example shown in FIG. 288 shows a case where the normal effect (normal effect period 10 seconds) executed by the third symbol display device 81 has not been completed at the time when the special symbol 1 change is resumed. In such a case, if the additional effect is executed at the timing when the special symbol 1 change is resumed, the additional effect will be executed before the normal effect is completed, resulting in a problem of an effect being executed that gives the player a sense of discomfort. In order to solve this problem, the example shown in FIG. 288 is configured so that the additional effect is not executed at the timing when the special symbol 1 change is resumed, but is executed after the normal effect is completed. In this way, by setting the timing for executing the additional effect to be the end of the normal effect rather than the resumption of the special symbol 1 change, the normal effect and the additional effect can be executed without any sense of discomfort, and a situation in which the player's motivation to play is reduced can be prevented.

In this case, it is preferable to provide a remaining period discrimination means for discriminating the time of change (remaining period of change) after resuming the special chart 1 change when it is interrupted, an interruption period discrimination means for discriminating the period during which the special chart 1 change is interrupted, a resumption discrimination means for discriminating that the special chart 1 change has been resumed, and a performance status discrimination means for discriminating whether or not a normal performance is being performed when the resumption discrimination means discriminates that it is the timing for the special chart 1 change to be resumed, and an additional performance execution means for executing an additional performance corresponding to the remaining period discriminated by the remaining period discrimination means when it is discriminated that the normal performance is not being performed (already ended) by the performance status discrimination means, and an additional performance execution waiting means for waiting the execution of the additional performance until it is discriminated that the normal performance has ended by the performance status discrimination means when it is discriminated that the normal performance is being performed. By configuring in this way, it is possible to set an appropriate timing for executing the additional performance (when the special chart 1 change is resumed or when the normal performance ends) based on the timing when the special chart 1 change is resumed and the timing when the normal performance of the special chart 1 change ends, and it is possible to provide a performance that does not give a sense of incongruity to the player.

In addition, in this second control example, a distribution unit 660 is provided in the right-hand hitting area of the game board 13, so that special chart 1 variation and special chart 2 variation are executed during right-hand hitting. However, other configurations may also be used as the board configuration of the game board 13 in which special chart 1 variation and special chart 2 variation are executed during right-hand hitting, for example, a configuration such as that shown in FIG. 289 may also be used.

Now, referring to FIG. 289, we will explain another example of the board configuration of the pachinko machine 10 in this second control example. FIG. 289 is a schematic diagram showing the board configuration of the pachinko machine 10 in this second control example. This second control example differs from the board configuration of the pachinko machine 10 in the above-mentioned second control example (see FIG. 258) in that instead of the distribution unit 660, a second ball entrance 1640 and an electric device 1640a associated with the second ball entrance are provided, and the variable winning device 65 has been moved from the area below the center of the game board to the bottom of the right-hand hitting area, but the rest of the configuration is the same. The same components are given the same symbols and their detailed description will be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 289, in the pachinko machine 10 of this example, the first ball entrance 64 or the second ball entrance 1640 is provided so that the balls shot by right-hand play can enter. By configuring in this way, in the game state (probable change state or potential change state) in which the right-hand play is executed, the special chart 1 variation and the special chart 2 variation are executed. In addition, since there is no mechanism for distributing the balls so that they alternate between the ball entrance (right first ball entrance 64b) where the lottery (variation) of the special chart 1 is executed and the ball entrance (second ball entrance 1640b) where the lottery (variation) of the special chart 2 is executed, as in the distribution unit 660 of the second control example described above, the ratio of balls entering the first ball entrance 64 or the second ball entrance 1640 can be made random. As described above, in the second control example, the degree of advantage to the player is different between the drawing of special chart 1 and the drawing of special chart 2, so in this other example, the player can pay attention to whether the ball shot by right-hand play will enter the first ball entrance 64 or the second ball entrance 1640, which can increase the player's motivation to play. In addition, the ratio of balls shot by right-hand play that flow (roll) toward the first ball entrance 64 or the second ball entrance 1640 can be changed by adjusting the nails planted in the game board 13, for example, so that the ratio of special chart 1 variation and special chart 2 variation in the special chart variation executed during right-hand play can be easily adjusted.

As explained above, in this second control example, the number of times (100) the time-saving state is set is fewer than the number of times (120) the high probability state of the special pattern is set as the probability change state, so that it is possible to increase the opportunities for transitioning to the potential state, which is advantageous for the player, and to increase the player's motivation to play. Also, since it is possible to execute a lottery based on special chart 1 and a lottery based on special chart 2 in the potential state, it is possible to suppress a state in which the player is overly advantageous in the potential state.

In this second control example, when the lottery result for one of the special symbols (e.g., the second special symbol) is a winning (big win or small win) and the symbol showing the winning lottery result is displayed stationary (when the winning is confirmed), the measurement (count) of the fluctuation time for the fluctuation of the other special symbol (e.g., the first special symbol) is suspended, and when the winning game based on the lottery result for one of the special symbols ends (when the special symbol can be changed), the measurement (count) of the fluctuation time for the fluctuation of the other special symbol that was suspended is resumed.

Here, if the special pattern change is interrupted (measurement of the special pattern change time is interrupted), and the third pattern change display (or performance display) executed by the third pattern display device 81 is continued, there is a problem that an error of a predetermined period (interruption period of the special pattern change) occurs between the timing when the interrupted special pattern change is resumed and the timing when the resumed special pattern change ends and the timing when the third pattern change display (or performance display) executed by the third pattern display device 81 ends.

In contrast to this, in the second control example, if there is an error of a predetermined period (interruption period of the special pattern change) between the timing at which the resumed special pattern change ends and the timing at which the third pattern change display (or performance display) executed by the third pattern display device 81 ends, an additional performance (specific performance) can be executed using that error period. This makes it possible to execute a performance that does not give the player a sense of discomfort.

<Third control example>
Next, the pachinko machine 10 in the third control example will be described with reference to Fig. 290 to Fig. 303. This control example differs from the first control example described above in that the content of the performance display executed by the third symbol display device 81 during the potential winning state is changed. Specifically, the difference is that the display control of the remaining number of performances displayed in the remaining number display area D1 of the main area Dm of the third symbol display device 81 has been changed, a performance display executed when a winning (big win or small win) is won during the potential winning state has been added, and other performance displays have been changed to correspond to the above two points.

In the first control example described above, when the potential probability state is entered (the potential probability state is set), the same number as the internally set number of chance changes (120 times) is displayed in the remaining number display area D1, and the remaining number of chance changes (hereinafter referred to as the actual remaining number of chance changes) that is internally set each time the special chart change is executed and the remaining number for the performance display displayed in the remaining number display area D1 (hereinafter referred to as the performance remaining number of chance changes) are updated (subtracted). In addition, in order to prevent the player from easily figuring out whether he has won a big win in which the actual remaining number of chance changes is set again or a small win in which the actual remaining number of chance changes is not set during the potential probability state, if a win (big win or small win) is won during the potential probability state, a performance in which the performance remaining number of chance changes is returned to the initial value (120 times) and a performance in which it is not returned are configured to be executed, and the actual remaining number of chance changes and the performance remaining number of chance changes are made different, so that the player has a sense of expectation until the end. Then, when the actual remaining number of chance changes and the effect remaining number of chance changes are different and the effect remaining number of chance changes becomes "0" (for example, when the effect remaining number of chance changes is "0" and the actual remaining number of chance changes is "10"), a revival effect (see FIG. 189) is executed and the number corresponding to the actual remaining number of chance changes ("10 times") is displayed in the remaining number of times display area D1. This allows the player to expect the potential state to continue even if the number of times displayed in the remaining number of times display area D1 becomes "0".

In contrast, in the pachinko machine 10 in the third control example, when the potential probability state is entered (the potential probability state is set), a number of times (for example, "100 times") less than the number of times of probability change internally set (120 times) is displayed in the remaining number display area D1. This makes it possible to make the actual remaining number of probability changes and the number of remaining probability changes in the performance different at the time when the potential probability state is set (displaying the number of remaining probability changes in the performance less than the actual remaining number of probability changes), making it easier to execute a performance that adds to the number of remaining probability changes in the performance during the potential probability state. Note that, in this control example, as in the first control example described above, the remaining number of probability changes in the performance displayed in the remaining number display area D1 is subtracted each time a change is executed for each special chart (special chart 1 and special chart 2) (each time the actual remaining number of probability changes is subtracted), but for example, when a change is executed for the special chart (special chart 1) that is not advantageous to the player in the potential probability state, the remaining number of probability changes in the performance may not be subtracted. In this case, as in this control example, by displaying the number of remaining chance changes displayed in the remaining number display area D1 at the timing when the potential probability state begins (the timing when the potential probability state is set) as less than the actual remaining chance change number, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of a situation in which the number of remaining chance changes for the performance is greater than the actual remaining chance change number, even if the number of remaining chance changes for the performance is not subtracted for fluctuations in the special chart (special chart 1) that is not advantageous to the player.

In addition, in this third control example, an additional effect is executed to add a predetermined number of times (e.g., 5 to 40 times) to the remaining number of times of the special chance change during a jackpot game in the case where a jackpot in which the actual remaining number of times of the special chance change is set to the initial value (120 times) as a result of the drawing of the special chart, and during a small jackpot game in the case where a small jackpot in which the actual remaining number of times of the special chance change is not set to the initial value (120 times) as a result of the drawing of the special chart is won. This makes it possible to further prevent the player from easily knowing whether the actual number of times of the special chance change has been reset to the initial value (120 times) (whether or not the special chart jackpot was won during the latent state) when a winning game (a game in which the variable winning device 65 opens and closes) is played during the latent state.

In addition, in this third control example, in order to fill the difference between the timing at which the potential state begins (the timing at which the potential state is set) and the actual number of times that occurs when a special jackpot is won during the potential state, and the remaining number of times that the effect will change, an additional effect is executed to add the remaining number of times that the effect will change, which is displayed in the remaining number of times display area D1, as a special jackpot change effect during the potential state. This allows the remaining number of times that the effect will change to be added at various times during the potential state, which further prevents the player from easily knowing whether the actual number of times that the effect has been reset to the initial value (120 times) during the potential state (whether or not a special jackpot has been won during the potential state).

Furthermore, in this third control example, the value of the number of additions (the number of times added to the number of remaining chances displayed in the remaining number display area D1) displayed in the addition effect executed at each timing (timing of special chart change, timing during execution of winning game) is configured to be changed based on the difference between the actual number of chances and the number of remaining chances (see FIG. 290). As a result, when the number of remaining chances is greatly added by the addition effect, it is possible to make the player believe that he or she has won a special chart jackpot during the potential probability state, where the actual number of chances is the initial number (120 times), and it is possible to prevent the number of remaining chances from becoming "0 times" when there is a large discrepancy between the actual number of chances and the number of remaining chances.

In addition, in the first control example described above, in order to prevent the player from knowing that he or she has won a jackpot (jackpot or small jackpot) during the potential probability state, the third pattern display device 81 is configured not to display a performance indicating a winning game even if a winning game (for example, a jackpot game or a small jackpot game with fewer balls among jackpot games) is executed during the potential probability state, making it difficult to identify at what point during the potential probability state the jackpot that sets the actual number of chance changes to the initial value (120 times) was won.

In contrast, in the third control example, the third symbol display device 81 is configured to display a display based on the ball entering the variable winning device 65 as a winning effect that is executed during a winning game (a big win game or a small win game) that is executed when a winning game (for example, a big win game or a small win game with a small number of balls among big win games) is won during a potential winning state (see FIG. 293). This makes it possible for the player to easily understand that a winning game is being executed during a potential winning state. And, as a winning effect that is executed during this winning game, the display mode displayed on the third symbol display device 81 (for example, a display mode that displays the number of winning balls to be paid out when a ball enters the variable winning device 65) is configured to be displayed at a different rate on the third symbol display device 81 depending on whether a big win game is being executed or a small win game is being executed, as will be described in detail later. This makes it possible to make the display mode displayed on the third symbol display device 81 the same as the winning performance corresponding to the small win game, even when a big win is won in which more balls enter the variable winning device 65 in one winning game than in a small win game. Therefore, it is possible to inform (display) the player in an easy-to-understand manner that a winning game will be executed during the potential win state, while informing (displaying) the player in a difficult-to-understand manner whether the winning game is a big win game or a small win game, and the player can play the potential win state with high hopes until the very end.

The pachinko machine 10 in this third control example differs in configuration from the pachinko machine 10 in the first control example in that the contents of the ROM 222 provided in the sound lamp control device 113 have been partially changed, that the contents of the RAM 223 provided in the sound lamp control device 113 have been partially changed, and that some of the processing executed by the MPU 221 of the sound lamp control device 113 has been changed from that in the pachinko machine 10 in the first control example. The other configurations, other processing executed by the MPU 201 of the main control device 110, other processing executed by the MPU 221 of the sound lamp control device 113, and various processing executed by the MPU 231 of the display control device 114 are the same as those of the pachinko machine 10 in the first control example. Hereinafter, the same elements as those in the first control example are given the same reference numerals, and illustrations and explanations thereof are omitted.

First, referring to FIG. 290, the actual remaining number of chances set when the pachinko machine 10 is in a potential probability state in this third control example and the transition of the remaining number of chances displayed in the remaining number display area D1 of the third symbol display device 81 will be explained. FIG. 290 is a timing chart showing the flow during the potential probability state in the third control example.

As shown in FIG. 290, when a jackpot game in which jackpot B or jackpot D is won is executed while the game state is in the normal state, the actual remaining number of times for the special jackpot is set to "120 times" at the end timing of the jackpot game (during the ending), and the third pattern display device 81 displays a message indicating a transition to a potential state, and the remaining number of times display area D1 displays "100 times" as the remaining number of times for the special jackpot (see FIG. 291).

When play begins in the potential probability state, the actual remaining number of chance changes and the number of remaining chance changes in the performance are deducted by "1" each time a special pattern change is executed. In this control example, as in the first control example, the actual remaining number of chance changes and the number of remaining chance changes in the performance are deducted at the timing when the special pattern change starts, so while the first special pattern change is being executed in the potential probability state, "99 times" is displayed in the remaining number display area D1 as the number of remaining chance changes in the performance.

After that, a special pattern change (lottery) is executed, and if a small win is won in the 14th special pattern change in the potential state (a special pattern change in which "86 times" is displayed as the number of times remaining for the effect), the small win game starts while the actual number of times remaining for the effect remains "106 times". If an additional effect A (an effect that adds (adds) "5 times" to the value of the number of times remaining for the effect) is executed as an effect display on the third pattern display device 81 during this small win game, the value of the number of times remaining for the effect displayed in the remaining number display area D1 is added from "86 times" to "91 times" (see FIG. 291 (b)). In this way, by executing an effect (addition effect) that adds the value of the number of times remaining for the effect during a winning game (small win game) that is executed when a winning game in which the actual number of times remaining for the effect is not changed (reset) is won (when a small win is won), the player can be made to expect that the actual number of times remaining for the effect has been reset by the current winning game.

Then, when the small win game ends, the special chart change in the potential state (the actual remaining number of chance changes corresponds to "105 times" and the remaining number of chance changes in the performance "90") continues. Next, if a jackpot is won with the special chart change where the actual remaining number of chance changes is "30 times" (the special chart change where the remaining number of chance changes in the performance is "15 times"), the actual remaining number of chance changes is set to "0 times" when the jackpot game starts. Note that the remaining number of chance changes in the performance displayed in the remaining number of times display area D1 is not set to "0 times" and is configured to continue to display "15 times". If the potential state is entered again after the end of this jackpot game, the actual remaining number of chance changes is reset to "120 times" when the jackpot game ends. In addition, during a big win, an additional effect is executed as an effect display of the third symbol display device 81, just like in a small win game. When an additional effect C (an effect that adds (adds) 20 times to the value of the number of times remaining in the special chance mode) is executed, the value of the number of times remaining in the special chance mode displayed in the remaining number display area D1 is added from 15 times to 35 times.

Although details will be described later, this control example is configured to determine the number of additions (number of additions) displayed in the addition effect based on the difference between the actual remaining number of chance changes and the remaining number of chance changes in the effect and the acquired value of the effect counter 223f, regardless of the type of win (jackpot or small win). Therefore, it is possible to prevent the player from knowing whether the current winning game was a small win game or a big win game based on the content of the addition effect executed during the winning game.

Next, when the jackpot game ends, the special chart changes in the potential state (the actual number of remaining chances of winning is "119"). During this special chart change, the additional performance D is executed, and the value of the remaining chances of winning displayed in the remaining number display area D1 is added from "34 times" to "74 times". In this way, in this third control example, a performance is executed that adds to the value of the remaining chances of winning displayed in the remaining number display area D1 even during the special chart change in the potential state, making it difficult for the player to predict the actual number of remaining chances of winning, and allowing the player to play while anticipating how long the potential state will continue.

Also, by making it possible to execute the additional performance during the special chart change, it becomes possible to add (add) to the value of the performance remaining probability change number displayed in the remaining number display area D1 during the winning game and during the special chart change during the potential probability state. Therefore, since the number of times the additional performance is executed can be increased, even if the value between the actual remaining probability change number and the performance remaining probability change number is greatly different (if the difference value is large), the value can be easily converged without giving the player a sense of incongruity. Furthermore, in this third control example, the number of additions (additions) displayed in the additional performance is determined based on the difference value between the actual remaining probability change number and the performance remaining probability change number, and the larger the difference value between the actual remaining probability change number and the performance remaining probability change number, the more the performance remaining probability change number is added (added), so the value can be easily converged without giving the player a sense of incongruity.

Then, after the additional performance D is executed and the value of the remaining number of chance changes displayed in the remaining number of chance changes area D1 becomes "74 times", the additional performance (additional performance B) is executed again in the next change, and the actual remaining number of chance changes becomes "118 times" and the remaining number of chance changes in the performance becomes "83 times". After that, when the change ends without a win and the remaining number of chance changes in the performance becomes "1 time", the remaining number of chance changes in the performance "???" is displayed in the remaining number of chance changes area D1 as the final display, and continues until the actual remaining number of chance changes becomes "0 times". By configuring it in this way, it is possible to play in a potential probability state without giving the player a sense of discomfort even if the actual remaining number of chance changes and the remaining number of chance changes in the performance do not ultimately match.

In addition, in this third control example, a configuration is used in which "???" is displayed in the remaining number of times display area D1 in the final performance display, but as in the first control example described above, the value of the actual remaining number of times of probability change may be displayed in the remaining number of times display area D1 when the value of the remaining number of times of probability change for the performance is "0 times" (in the example of Figure 290, "35 times" is displayed). Also, an additional performance may be forcibly executed based on the value of the actual remaining number of times of probability change when the value of the remaining number of times of probability change for the performance is "0 times". By configuring it in this way, it is possible to allow the player to play the potential state with peace of mind.

Next, referring to Figures 291 and 292, the display contents displayed on the third symbol display device 81 when the gaming state of the pachinko machine 10 in this third control example becomes a potential state will be described. Note that the same elements as those in the first control example described above are given the same reference numerals and detailed descriptions thereof will be omitted.

First, referring to FIG. 291(a), the jackpot end screen when the game state transitions to the potential state will be described. FIG. 291(a) is a schematic diagram showing an example of the jackpot end screen. As shown in FIG. 291(a), when it is determined that the game state will transition to the potential state after the jackpot ends (when a V is won in a jackpot that transitions to the potential state by winning a V during the jackpot game), a remaining number display area D1 is provided in the upper left area of the jackpot end screen, and "100 times" is displayed as the remaining number of times of the performance probability change (see point A in FIG. 290). Then, in the center of the main display area Dm, the word "RUSH ENTER" that notifies the transition to the potential state and the rabbit-like character 811 used for display during the potential state are displayed in a display mode that congratulates the transition to the potential state. This allows the player to easily understand that the game state will transition to the potential state after the jackpot game ends.

In this third control example, the above-mentioned display is executed on the jackpot end screen, but it may be configured to execute the above-mentioned display when it is determined that the game state will transition to a potential state after the jackpot ends. Also, instead of a configuration in which a probability variable state is granted after the jackpot end by winning a V during the jackpot game, as in the pachinko machine 10 used in this third control example, a configuration in which a probability variable state is granted after the jackpot end depending on the type of jackpot when a jackpot is won may be used.

Next, referring to FIG. 291(b), the display screen during a winning game (during a small winning game) in the potential state will be described. FIG. 291(b) is a schematic diagram showing an example of a display screen during a winning game. As shown in FIG. 291(b), even when a small winning game or a big winning game is executed during the potential state, the performance in which the character 811 moves from the left to the right of the screen is continuously executed as during the special chart change. Then, when the additional performance is executed, the character 811 runs through the side of the "treasure box" and at the same time the "treasure box" opens, and a display mode corresponding to the value that is added (added) to the value of the remaining number of times of the performance displayed in the remaining number of times display area D1 is displayed from within ("5 times" in FIG. 291(b)), and the value of the remaining number of times of the performance is added by "5 times" to display "95 times" (see point B in FIG. 290). Additionally, in display area D4 located below the main display area, the value of the remaining number of times the additional performance has been added ("5 times") is displayed in text.

In this way, in this third control example, the additional effect that is executed during the potential probability state is executed using a part of the effect that is always executed during the potential probability state (the effect that moves the character 811), so there is an effect that the value of the remaining number of times the effect has a probability of winning ("5 times") can be added on without causing the player to feel uncomfortable.

292(a) is a schematic diagram showing the content displayed when the additional performance D (see point D in FIG. 290) is executed during the special chart change in the potential state. As shown in FIG. 292(a), during the special chart change, a performance in which the character 811 moves from the left to the right of the screen is executed. When the additional performance is executed, the character 811 runs past the side of the "treasure box" and the "treasure box" opens at the same time, and a display mode corresponding to the value to be added to the value of the remaining number of times of the performance displayed in the remaining number of times display area D1 is displayed from inside ("40 times" in FIG. 292(a)), and the value of the remaining number of times of the performance is added by "40 times" to display "74 times" (see point D in FIG. 290). In addition, the value of the remaining number of times of the performance ("40 times") added by this additional performance is displayed in text in the display area D4 provided below the main display area.

As explained above in FIG. 291(b) and FIG. 292(a), during the potential probability state, an additional effect is executed that adds to the value of the remaining number of times for the effect displayed in the remaining number of times display area D1 during the winning game and the special chart change. And because the additional effect executed during the winning game and the additional effect executed during the special chart change are executed in the same presentation mode, it is possible to prevent the player from knowing whether the current time is the winning game or the special chart change due to the additional effect that is executed.

Also, because the display form of the value is different depending on the value of the remaining number of chance wins added by the added effect (see the display form of "+5" in FIG. 291(b) and the display form of "+40" in FIG. 292(a)), the effect of the added effect can be visually notified to the player. Note that a display indicating the value of the remaining number of chance wins added by the added effect may be executed, for example, the display form of a "treasure chest" in which the value of the remaining number of chance wins added by the added effect is stored may be changed depending on the value added.

Next, the final performance executed during the potential probability state will be described with reference to FIG. 292(b). FIG. 292(b) is a schematic diagram showing the content of the final performance during the potential probability state. This final performance is executed when the actual remaining number of times of probability change is greater than "0 times" and the value of the remaining number of times of probability change displayed in the remaining number of times display area D1 becomes "0 times", and is a performance in which "???" is displayed as the value of the remaining number of times of probability change until the remaining actual number of times of probability change is consumed. This makes it possible to execute the performance during the potential probability state without giving the player a sense of discomfort even if the values of the actual remaining number of times of probability change and the remaining number of times of probability change for the performance are different.

In addition, while the final performance is being executed, a performance is executed in the main display area Dm of the third pattern display device 81 in which the character 811 is chased by a rock 813, as a performance suggesting that the latent state will end. This makes it possible to visually suggest to the player that the latent state may end, and to provide the player with a performance that is easy to understand. Furthermore, the word "pinch" is displayed in the display area D4 as a message suggesting that the latent state will end.

Next, referring to FIG. 293, the display contents during a potential winning game in the pachinko machine 10 of this third control example will be described. FIG. 293 is a schematic diagram showing the contents of the winning performance during the potential winning state. As shown in FIG. 293, when a winning game is executed during the potential winning state and the ball wins in the variable winning device 65, a winning display mode 815 is displayed, indicating that the ball has won in the variable winning device 65. This winning display mode 815 moves from the lower right side (see 815c in FIG. 293) of the main display area Dm of the third pattern display device 81, passing through the upper center (see 815b in FIG. 293) to the left, and is displayed stopped in an enlarged state (see 815a in FIG. 293). The winning display mode 815 displays a value ("15" in this control example) corresponding to the number of winning balls that will be paid out if a ball enters the variable winning device 65, and is configured to notify the player that a ball has entered the variable winning device 65 and the number of winning balls that will be paid out as a result of the entry.

In addition, if multiple balls enter the variable winning device 65 in one winning game and the winning display mode 815 is executed multiple times, the multiple winning display modes 815 are configured to be displayed on the third pattern display device 81 until the end of one winning game. Note that other configurations may be used as a method for displaying the winning display mode 815, and for example, the winning display mode 815 may be displayed without being stopped and displayed on the third pattern display device 81.

Furthermore, in this control example, the display of the winning display mode 815 is not executed for all balls that have won in the variable winning device 65 during a winning game, but rather, it is determined whether or not to display the winning display mode 815 based on the type of winning game (big win game or small win game) and the number of winning balls during the winning game, and if it is determined that the winning display mode 815 is to be displayed, the winning display mode 815 is displayed. By configuring in this way, even if the ease of winning balls entering the variable winning device 65 is changed depending on the type of winning game (even if the period during which the variable winning device 65 is open is changed), it is possible to adjust the number of winning display modes 815 displayed on the third pattern display device 81, so that it is possible to prevent the player from understanding the type of winning game (big win game or small win game) based on the number of winning display modes 815 displayed on the third pattern display device 81.

In this control example, the winning display mode is configured to display a value corresponding to the number of prize balls paid out when a ball enters the variable winning device 65 ("15" in this control example), but for example, the value corresponding to the number of prize balls paid out when a ball enters the variable winning device 65 may be divided into multiple parts (for example, "10" and "5") and displayed. This makes it possible to set multiple patterns for the number of times the winning display mode 815 is displayed according to the number of balls that enter the variable winning device 65. Even if the player has a variable winning device that pays out different numbers of prize balls when winning, the player can be prevented from understanding the type of winning game (big win game or small win game) by dividing and displaying the value corresponding to the number of prize balls paid out. In addition, the period until the winning display mode 815 is displayed on the third pattern display device 81 may be different depending on the type of winning. Specifically, for a winning type where many winnings are expected (e.g., a 15R win), it is preferable to set the period until the winning display mode 815 is displayed on the third pattern display device 81 to be longer than for a winning type where fewer winnings are expected (e.g., a 7R win). This makes it possible to extend the period until the winning type is determined, even in the unlikely event that the winning display mode 815 displayed on the third pattern display device 81 is used. Even in this case, it is preferable to display the winning display mode 815 at the same timing for the first winning game ball.

<Electrical configuration in the third control example>
Next, the configuration of the ROM 222 and RAM 223 provided in the sound lamp control device 113 of the pachinko machine 10 in the third control example will be described with reference to Fig. 294. Fig. 294(a) is a block diagram showing the configuration of the ROM 222 of the pachinko machine 10 in this third control example.

As shown in FIG. 294(a), the ROM 222 in the third control example differs from the configuration of the ROM 222 in the first control example in that an additional performance table 222ca and a winning performance table 222cb are added.

First, referring to FIG. 295(a), the details of the additional performance table 222ca in this third control example will be described. FIG. 295(a) is a schematic diagram showing the contents of the additional performance table 222ca in this control example. This additional performance table 222ca is a table that is referenced when determining the type of additional performance to be executed during the potential probability state, and the type of additional performance is selected based on the difference value indicating the difference between the actual remaining probability change and the number of remaining probability changes in the performance and the acquired value of the performance counter 223f. This additional performance is a performance that adds (adds) the value of the remaining probability change number of the performance displayed in the remaining number display area D1 of the third pattern display area during the potential probability state, and a different value (value to be added (added)) is set for each type of additional performance.

This additional performance table 222ca is referenced when it is determined that the value of the number of remaining chances of a special bonus is less than the value of the actual number of remaining chances of a bonus during the special chart 2 variable setting process (see FIG. 299) during the potential state (S5103 in FIG. 299: Yes), and when a winning ending command is received during the potential state (see S5218 in FIG. 300).

As shown in FIG. 295(a), the added performance table 222ca in this control example is set so that the type of added performance selected varies depending on the difference between the actual remaining number of chance changes and the value of the remaining number of chance changes in the performance. Specifically, if the difference between the actual remaining number of chance changes and the value of the remaining number of chance changes in the performance is "1 to 40" and the value of the performance counter 223f is "0 to 99", the added performance is not executed, and if the value of the performance counter 223f is "100 to 179", the added performance is set as the added performance, which is added performance A (number of additions + 5). Also, if the value of the performance counter 223f is "180 to 198", the added performance is set as the added performance, which is added performance B (number of additions + 5).

If the difference between the actual remaining number of chance changes and the remaining number of chance changes is "41-80" and the value of the effect counter 223f is "0-49", the additional effect is not executed, and if the value of the effect counter 223f is "50-149", the additional effect A (number of additions + 5) is set as the additional effect. Also, if the value of the effect counter 223f is "150-198", the additional effect B (number of additions + 5) is set as the additional effect.

Furthermore, if the difference between the actual remaining number of chance changes and the value of the remaining number of chance changes in the effect is "81 or more" and the value of the effect counter 223f is "0 to 99", the additional effect is set as the additional effect C (number of additions + 20). Furthermore, if the value of the effect counter 223f is "100 to 198", the additional effect is set as the additional effect D (number of additions + 40).

As explained above, in this control example, the difference between the actual remaining number of chance changes and the value of the number of remaining chance changes in the effect is calculated, and the type of additional effect is selected based on the calculated difference, making it possible to execute an additional effect that is appropriate for the display situation of the number of remaining chance changes in the effect in the potential probability state. In addition, since the larger the difference between the actual remaining number of chance changes and the value of the number of remaining chance changes in the effect is, the easier it is to execute an additional effect, it is possible to make it easier to converge the difference when the value of the actual remaining number of chance changes and the value of the number of remaining chance changes in the effect diverge significantly (when the difference value becomes large). Therefore, it is possible to prevent the player from feeling uncomfortable about the display of the effect in the potential probability state, which would be caused by a large value remaining in the actual remaining number of chance changes even though the value of the number of remaining chance changes in the effect is "0".

Furthermore, in this control example, the larger the difference between the actual remaining number of chance changes and the value of the remaining number of chance changes in the effect, the larger the value added in one additional effect. This makes it easier to converge the difference when the actual remaining number of chance changes and the value of the remaining number of chance changes in the effect diverge significantly (when the difference becomes large). This prevents the player from feeling uncomfortable about the display of the effect in the potential state, which would occur if the actual remaining number of chance changes remains high even though the value of the remaining number of chance changes in the effect is "0".

Next, the winning presentation table 222cb will be described with reference to FIG. 295(b). FIG. 295(b) is a schematic diagram showing the contents of the winning presentation table 222cb. This winning presentation table 222cb is a table that is referenced when determining whether or not to display a winning display mode (winning presentation) when a ball wins the variable winning device 65 in a winning game executed during a potential winning state, and the presence or absence of a winning presentation is determined based on the result of the special symbol win/loss determination (winning type), the number of winning balls in the winning game, and the value of the presentation counter 223f. This winning presentation is a presentation in which the winning display mode 815 shown in FIG. 293 is displayed on the third symbol display device 81.

Specifically, if the win/loss determination result is a jackpot A to E or a jackpot G (i.e., a jackpot that is expected to produce balls) and the number of winning balls is one or two, regardless of the value of the performance counter 223f (if the acquired value of the performance counter 223f is "0 to 198"), the winning performance "Yes" is selected and the winning performance is executed (the winning display mode 815 is displayed). In other words, after a winning game is executed, the winning display mode 815 is always displayed on the third pattern display device 81 for the first and second winning balls. This makes it possible for the player to easily understand that a winning game is being executed.

If the winning ball count is the third, then if the acquired value of the effect counter 223f is "0-4", then "no winning effect" is selected, and if the acquired value of the effect counter 223f is "5-198", then "yes" is selected. In other words, the system is set so that there is an approximately 97.5% probability that the winning effect will be executed, and a 2.5% probability that the winning effect will not be executed.

If the winning ball count is four, then if the acquired value of the effect counter 223f is "0-119", then "no winning effect" is selected, and if the acquired value of the effect counter 223f is "120-198", then "yes" is selected. In other words, the system is set so that there is an approximately 40% probability that a winning effect will be executed, and an approximately 60% probability that a winning effect will not be executed.

If the winning ball count is the fifth, if the acquired value of the performance counter 223f is "0-189", the winning performance "no" is selected, and if the acquired value of the performance counter 223f is "5-198", the winning performance "yes" is selected. In other words, the winning performance is executed with a probability of about 5%, and the winning performance is not executed with a probability of about 95%. If the winning ball count is the sixth or more, if the acquired value of the performance counter 223f is "0-193", the winning performance "no" is selected, and if the acquired value of the performance counter 223f is "194-198", the winning performance "yes" is selected. In other words, the winning performance is executed with a probability of about 2.5%, and the winning performance is not executed with a probability of about 97.5%.

Next, if the result of the win/loss determination is a jackpot F (i.e., a jackpot where no balls are expected to be dispensed), the winning performance is executed regardless of the number of winning balls (the number of winning balls is one or more) and regardless of the value of the performance counter 223f (if the acquired value of the performance counter 223f is "0 to 198"). In other words, the display of the winning display mode 815 is always executed based on the fact that a ball has won the variable winning device 65. Also, if the result of the win/loss determination is a small win, like the above-mentioned jackpot F, the winning performance is executed regardless of the number of winning balls (the number of winning balls is one or more) and regardless of the value of the performance counter 223f (if the acquired value of the performance counter 223f is "0 to 198"). In other words, the display of the winning display mode 815 is always executed based on the fact that a ball has won the variable winning device 65.

As explained above, in this control example, it is possible to inform the player that a winning game (a big win game or a small win game) has been executed during the potential winning state by a winning presentation based on the ball entering the variable winning device 65. This makes it possible for the player to easily understand that a winning game has occurred during the potential winning state.

Furthermore, the occurrence of winning effects based on the ball entering the variable winning device 65 is varied depending on the type of winning game, making it possible to execute winning effects suited to each winning game.

In addition, in this control example, in order to prevent the player from easily identifying whether the winning game executed during the potential winning period is a jackpot game in which the actual remaining number of times of the winning period can be set to the initial value (120 times) after the game ends, or a small jackpot game in which the actual remaining number of times of the winning period does not change, in the jackpot game (jackpots A to E and G) in which it is easier for balls to enter the variable winning device 65 than in the small jackpot game, the more times the winning effect is executed, the more difficult it becomes to execute the winning effect. As a result, even if many balls actually enter the variable winning device 65 (even if more balls enter than the number of balls that will win in the small jackpot game), the number of times the winning effect is executed can be suppressed, and it is possible to prevent the player from identifying the type of winning game based on the number of winning effects executed by the third pattern display device 81.

A configuration may be used in which the cumulative value of the number of balls acquired during the potential state (the cumulative value of the number of prize balls paid out in each winning game executed while the potential state continues) is displayed on the third symbol display device 81. When such a configuration is used, the number of prize balls may be cumulatively displayed regardless of the presence or absence of a winning performance, or the cumulative value of the number of prize balls may be added according to the number of times the winning performance is executed. In this case, since the actual cumulative value and the displayed cumulative value will differ by the number of winning balls for which the winning performance was not executed, a means for storing the difference in the cumulative value may be provided, and, for example, when a small winning game is executed, a winning performance may be executed without being based on the entry of balls into the variable winning device 65, and a provisional winning performance that converges the difference in the cumulative value may be executed. This allows the display mode of the winning performance and the cumulative display mode of the number of prize balls to be displayed without any sense of incongruity. Furthermore, by executing the provisional winning effect, it is possible to display the winning display mode 815 for a number of balls greater than or equal to the number of balls that actually won in the variable winning device 65 during the small winning game, which further prevents the player from identifying the type of winning game based on the number of winning effects executed by the third pattern display device 81 (the number of times the winning display mode 815 is displayed).

Returning to FIG. 294(b), the contents of the RAM 223 of the pachinko machine 10 in this third control example will be explained. FIG. 294(b) is a block diagram showing the configuration of the RAM 223 of the pachinko machine 10 in this third control example.

As shown in FIG. 294(b), the RAM 223 in the third control example has the remaining chance of winning flag 223ca, the additional performance flag 223cb, and the additional performance type storage area 223cc added to the configuration of the RAM 223 in the first control example.

The remaining number of chances of a special chance being displayed flag 223ca is a flag for indicating the period during which the remaining number of chances of a special chance being displayed in the remaining number of chances display area D1 (see Figure 291 (a)) of the third pattern display device 81, and when it is set to on, the remaining number of chances of a special chance being displayed. This remaining chance of winning count display flag 223ca is determined to have received a winning ending command in the winning-related command processing 2 (see FIG. 301) (S5207: Yes in FIG. 301), and then it is determined that the current winning is a winning that will transition the game state to a potential winning state after the winning game ends (S5209: Yes in FIG. 301). If it is further determined that the remaining chance of winning count display flag 223ca is not set to on (S5210: Yes in FIG. 301), it is set to on (S5213 in FIG. 301), and is also referenced in the winning-related command processing (see FIG. 301) when determining whether the current winning game is a winning game in which an additional performance can be executed (S5210 in FIG. 301). Then, in state command processing 2 (see FIG. 300), if a state command is received indicating that the game state is transitioning from a potential state to a normal state (S4531 in FIG. 300: Yes), it is set to OFF (S4532 in FIG. 300).

The top-up effect flag 223cb is a flag for indicating that the third symbol display device 81 is in a state in which top-up effect based on the special symbol change is executed. When the change display setting process 2 (see FIG. 303) is executed in a state in which the top-up effect flag 223cb is set on, the top-up effect is set in the special symbol 2 change start process (S4736 in FIG. 304) executed in the change display setting process 2 (see FIG. 303) (S4813 in FIG. 304). When the top-up effect flag 223cb is selected in the special symbol 2 change setting process (see FIG. 299) (S5106: Yes in FIG. 299), it is set on (S5108 in FIG. 299), and is referenced in the special symbol 2 change start process (see FIG. 304) (S4809 in FIG. 304). When it is determined that the top-up effect flag 223cb is set on (S4809 in FIG. 304: Yes), it is set off (S4810 in FIG. 304), and the top-up effect is set.

The added performance type storage area 223cc is an area for setting the added performance type selected by referring to the added performance table 222ca, and is configured so that the added performance corresponding to the set added performance type is executed in the special chart 2 change start process (see FIG. 304). This added performance type storage area 223cc is set with the type of added performance selected in the special chart 2 change setting process (see FIG. 299) (S5107 in FIG. 299), and when it is determined that the added performance flag 223cb is set to on in the special chart 2 change start process (see FIG. 304) (S4809: Yes in FIG. 304), an added performance based on the type of added performance that has been set is set (S4812 in FIG. 304).

<Regarding control process of main control device in third control example>
Next, various control processes executed by the MPU 201 of the main control device 110 in the third control example will be described with reference to Fig. 296 and Fig. 297. The control process of the main control device 110 in this third control example differs from the control process of the main control device 110 in the first control example described above in that the first winning process 2 (see Fig. 296) is executed instead of the first winning process (see Fig. 231) executed in the big win control process (see Fig. 228), and the second winning process 2 (see Fig. 297) is executed instead of the second winning process (see Fig. 234) executed in the small win control process (see Fig. 232), and the same processes are executed otherwise. Note that the same symbols are attached to the same processes, and detailed descriptions thereof will be omitted.

First, the first winning process 2 (S2113) will be described with reference to FIG. 296. FIG. 296 is a flowchart showing the first winning process 2 (S2113). This first winning process 2 (S2113 in FIG. 296) is similar to the first winning process (see FIG. 231) in the first control example described above, in which processing is performed based on the ball that has won in the variable winning device 65 (specific winning port 65a) during a jackpot game in the pachinko machine 10.

When the first winning process 2 (S2113) is executed, the same processes as S2401 to S2404 of the first winning process (see FIG. 231) of the first control example described above are executed. Then, when the process of S2404 is completed, a winning command is set (S2431), and then the same processes as S2405 to S2411 of the first winning process (see FIG. 231) described above are executed, and this process ends. By setting the winning command in this first winning process 2 (S2113), information regarding the ball that won the variable winning device 65 (specific winning port 65a) during the big win game can be output from the main control device 110 to the audio lamp control device 113.

This winning command is accompanied by information regarding the number of balls that won during one round of the big win game, and when the sound lamp control device 113 receives the winning command, it executes the winning command process (see FIG. 302) described below and determines whether or not to execute the winning performance during the winning game (see FIG. 293).

Next, the second winning process 2 (S2513) will be described with reference to FIG. 297. FIG. 297 is a flowchart showing the second winning process 2 (S2513). In this second winning process 2 (S2513), similar to the second winning process (see FIG. 234) in the first control example described above, processing is executed based on the ball that has won the variable winning device 65 (specific winning port 65a) during a small win game in the pachinko machine 10.

When the second winning process (S2513) is executed, the same processes as S2701 to S2704 of the second winning process described above (see FIG. 234) are executed. Then, when the process of S2704 is completed, a winning command is set (S2731), and then the same processes as S2705 to S2711 of the second winning process described above (see FIG. 234) are executed, and this process ends. By setting a winning command in this second winning process 2 (S2513), information regarding the ball that won the variable winning device 65 (specific winning port 65a) during the small winning game can be output from the main control device 110 to the voice lamp control device 113.

This winning command is accompanied by information regarding the number of balls that won during the small winning game, and when the sound lamp control device 113 receives the winning command, it executes the winning command process (see FIG. 302) described below and determines whether or not to execute the winning performance during the winning game (see FIG. 293).

<Regarding the control process of the voice lamp control device in the third control example>
Next, various control processes executed by the MPU 221 of the voice lamp control device 113 in the third control example will be described with reference to Fig. 298 to Fig. 304. The control process of the voice lamp control device 113 in this third control example differs from the control process of the voice lamp control device 113 in the first control example described above in that the command determination process 3 (S4111 in Fig. 298) is executed instead of the command determination process (see Fig. 238), and the variable display setting process 2 (S4112 in Fig. 303) is executed instead of the variable display setting process (see Fig. 243), and the same processes are executed otherwise.

First, command determination process 3 (S4111) will be described with reference to FIG. 298. FIG. 298 is a flowchart showing the contents of command determination process 3 (S4111). This command determination process 3 is a process in which various processes are executed when various commands output from the main control unit 110 are received, similar to the command determination process (see FIG. 238) in the first control example described above.

The command determination process 3 (S4111) differs from the command determination process (Fig. 238) of the first control example described above in that when a special pattern 2 variation pattern command is received (S4306 in Fig. 298: Yes), a special pattern 2 variation setting process (S4351 in Fig. 299) is executed, when a status command is received (S4313 in Fig. 298: Yes), status command process 2 (see Fig. 300) is executed instead of status command process (see Fig. 240), and a process for determining that a hit-related command has been received (S4352 in Fig. 298), and when a hit-related command is received (S4352 in Fig. 298: Yes), a hit-related command process (see Fig. 301) is executed. The other processes are the same. Note that the same processes are denoted by the same symbols, and detailed explanations thereof will be omitted.

When command determination process 3 (S4111) is executed, first, processes S4301 to S4306 are executed in the same manner as the command determination process of the first control example described above (see FIG. 238). Then, in the process of S4306, if it is determined that a special pattern 2 variation pattern command has been received (S4306: Yes), a special pattern 2 variation setting process is executed (S4351).

Now, referring to FIG. 299, the special chart change setting process 2 (S4351) will be described. FIG. 299 is a flowchart showing the contents of the special chart 2 change setting process 2 (S4351). In this special chart 2 change setting process 2 (S4351), a process for setting the special chart 2 change start flag 223e to on (S5101) and a process for extracting a change pattern command from the received command (S5102) are executed, similar to the command determination process (see FIG. 238) of the first control example described above, and a process for determining whether or not to execute an added performance (see FIG. 292(a)) (S5103 to S5108) are executed.

First, when the special chart 2 variation setting process 2 (S4351) is executed, the special chart 2 variation start flag 223e is set to on (S5101), and then the variation pattern command is extracted from the received command (S5102). Note that the above-mentioned S5101 process is the same as the S4307 process of the command determination process (see FIG. 238) of the first control example described above, and the S5102 process is the same as the S4308 process of the command determination process (see FIG. 238) of the first control example described above, so detailed explanations are omitted.

Next, the remaining number of chances of a chance change set in the remaining chance change number area 223o (hereinafter referred to as the actual remaining number of chance changes) is compared with the remaining number of chances of a chance change set in the performance chance change number area (hereinafter referred to as the performance remaining number of chance changes) (S5103). In the process of S5103, if it is determined that the value of the remaining number of times of probability change for the effect is less than the value of the actual remaining number of times of probability change, that is, if it is determined that the value of the remaining number of times of probability change for the effect displayed in the remaining number of times display area D1 of the third pattern display device 81 is less than the remaining number of times of probability change that is actually set (the remaining number of times of probability change updated in the game status update process of the main control device 110 (see FIG. 213)), and it is in a state where an additional effect can be executed (S5103: Yes), the value of the effect counter 223h is obtained (S5104), and then the additional effect table 222cb is referenced, and an additional effect type is selected based on the difference between the value of the actual remaining number of times of probability change and the value of the remaining number of times of probability change for the effect and the value of the effect counter 223h obtained in the process of S5104 (S5105).

On the other hand, if it is determined in the processing of S5103 that the value of the remaining number of times of special chance for the effect is not less than (the same as or more than) the value of the actual remaining number of times of special chance for the effect, i.e., if it is determined that the value of the remaining number of times of special chance for the effect cannot be increased by the additional performance (S5103: No), this processing is set as is.

After completing the process of S5105, it is determined whether an additional effect has been selected (S5106). If no additional effect has been selected in the process of S5106, that is, if in the process of S5105 the difference between the actual remaining number of chance changes and the value of the remaining number of chance changes in the effect is "1 to 40" and the acquired value of the effect counter 223h is "0 to 99", or if the difference between the actual remaining number of chance changes and the value of the remaining number of chance changes in the effect is "41 to 80" and the acquired value of the effect counter 223h is "0 to 49" (S5106: No), this process ends.

On the other hand, if it is determined in the processing of S5106 that an added effect has been selected (S5106: Yes), the type of the selected added effect is set in the added effect type storage area 223cc (S5107), the added effect flag 223cb is set to on (S5108), and this processing ends.

Returning to FIG. 298, the explanation will continue. If it is determined in the processing of S4306 that the special chart 2 variation pattern command has not been received (S4306), then the same processing as S4309 to S4318 of the command determination processing of the first control example described above (see FIG. 238) is executed. Then, if it is determined in the processing of S4317 that the remaining number of times of special chance play or the remaining number of times of time reduction has not been received (S4317: No), it is determined whether a win-related command has been received (S4352).

If it is determined in the processing of S4352 that a win-related command has not been received (S4352: No), various processes corresponding to other commands are executed (S4319) in the same manner as the command determination process of the first control example described above (see FIG. 238), and this processing ends.

On the other hand, if it is determined that a win-related command has been received (S4352: Yes), a win-related command process is executed (S4353). This win-related command process (S4353) is executed when each command related to a win is output from the main control device 110, and specifically, it is executed when it is determined that the following has been output (received) from the main control device 110: an opening command output when a win game (big win game or small win game) starts, a round start command output when a new round game starts in a big win game, a win winning command output based on a ball winning into a specific winning hole 65a while a win game (big win game or small win game) is being played, an ending command output when an ending period starts in a win game (big win game or small win game), or other win-related command (such as a V winning command) has been output (received) from the main control device 110.

When the win-related command process (S4353) is executed, first, it is determined whether or not an opening command has been received (S5201), and if it is determined that an opening command has been received (S5201: Yes), then an opening command for display is set (S5202). On the other hand, if it is determined in the process of S5201 that an opening command has not been received (S5201: No), then it is determined whether or not a round start command has been received (S5203).

If it is determined in the process of S5203 that a round start command has been received (S5203), a display round command is set (S5204), and this process is terminated. On the other hand, if it is determined in the process of S5203 that a round start command has not been received (S5203: No), it is then determined whether a winning command has been received (S5205). This winning command is a command set in the first winning process 2 (see S2113 in FIG. 296) and the second winning process 2 (see S2513 in FIG. 297) executed by the main control device 110, and is a command output based on a ball entering the variable winning device 65 (specific winning port 65a) during a big win game or a small win game. This winning command includes information on the number of winning balls and information that can be used to identify the type of winning game being executed (big win type or small win type).

Here, the winning command processing (S5206) will be explained with reference to FIG. 302. FIG. 302 is a flowchart showing the contents of the winning command processing (S5206).

When this winning command process (S5206) is executed, first, the game state at the time of winning is identified based on the state setting area (S5301), and then it is determined whether the game state at the time of winning is a potential winning state (S5302). If it is determined that it is not a potential winning state (S5302: No), a winning presentation is selected (S5305), and processing proceeds to S5306. On the other hand, if it is determined that it is a potential winning state in the processing of S5302 (S5302: Yes), the value of the presentation counter 223h used when selecting a winning presentation to be executed in a winning game (a big win game or a small win game) during the potential winning state is obtained (S5303), and a winning presentation is selected based on the obtained value of the presentation counter 223h and the winning presentation table 222cb (S5304).

After completing the processing of S5304 or S5305, it is next determined whether a winning effect has been selected (S5306). If it is determined that a winning effect has been selected (S5306: Yes), a winning effect command for display indicating the selected winning effect is set (S5307), and this processing ends. On the other hand, if it is determined in the processing of S5306 that a winning effect has not been selected (S5306: No), this processing ends as is.

Next, referring to FIG. 303, the variable display setting process 2 (S4112) will be explained. FIG. 303 is a flowchart showing the contents of the variable display setting process 2 (S4112). This variable display setting process 2 (S4112) adds a process for updating the display contents of the remaining number of chance changes in the performance, and a process for executing an additional performance when the additional performance flag 223cb is set to on, to the variable display setting process of the first control example described above (see FIG. 243). Note that other identical elements are given the same reference numerals and detailed explanations are omitted.

First, in the variable display setting process 2 (S4112), the same processes as S4701 to S4704 in the variable display setting process of the first control example (Fig. 243) are executed, and when the process of S4704 is completed, it is determined whether the current state is a potential state based on the information set in the state setting area 223i (S4731).

In the process of S4731, if it is determined that the current state is not a potential probability state (S4731: No), the process of updating the number of remaining probability changes displayed on the third symbol display device 81 during the potential probability state (S4732 to S4736) is skipped and the process proceeds to S4705. On the other hand, if it is determined that the current game state is a potential probability state (S4731: Yes), next, the number of remaining probability changes set in the number of probability changes area 223p is decremented by 1 (S4732), and it is determined whether the value of the decremented number of remaining probability changes is greater than 0 (S4733). In the process of S4733, if it is determined that the value of the remaining number of times for a special chance of winning is greater than 0, that is, if the remaining number of times for a special chance of winning is displayed as "1 time" or more in the remaining number of times for a special chance of winning displayed in the remaining number of times display area D1 (see FIG. 291(a)) of the third pattern display device 81 (S4733: Yes), a remaining number of times for a special chance of winning displayed command is set based on the value of the remaining number of times for a special chance of winning set in the number of times for a special chance of winning displayed area 223p (S4734).

On the other hand, if it is determined in the processing of S4733 that the value of the remaining number of chance changes for the effect is not greater than 0 (is 0) (S4733: No), then it is determined whether the value of the actual remaining number of chance changes set in the remaining number of chance changes area 223o is greater than 0 (S4735). In other words, it is determined whether the value of the remaining number of chance changes for the effect is 0, but the value of the actual remaining number of chance changes is not 0 (1 or more).

If it is determined in the process of S4735 that the value of the actual remaining number of chance wins is not greater than 0 (is 0) (S4735: No), the process proceeds to the process of S4734 described above, and a remaining number of chance wins command for display (i.e., a command for showing "0 times" in the remaining number display area D1 of the third pattern display device 81) is set based on the value of the remaining number of chance wins for the performance (S4734). Then, the process proceeds to S4705.

On the other hand, if it is determined in the process of S4735 that the actual remaining number of times of probability change is greater than 0 (S4735: Yes), a display command for the number of remaining probability changes indicating the number of times of the effect remaining probability change "???" is set (S4736), and the process proceeds to S4705. In this way, when the actual remaining number of times of probability change is not 0, if the remaining number of times of the effect remaining probability change displayed in the remaining number display area D1 of the third pattern display device 81 is "0 times", "???" can be displayed instead of "0 times" (see FIG. 292 (b)). Therefore, it is possible to prevent a situation in which the potential state continues even after "0 times" is displayed as the remaining number of times of the effect remaining probability change. In addition, by setting the remaining number of times of the effect remaining probability change to "???", the player can play while predicting how long the potential state will continue, thereby enhancing the presentation effect.

If it is determined in the processing of S4701 that the special chart 1 variation start flag is not set on (is set off) (S4701: No), if it is determined in the processing of S4731 that it is not in a latent state (S4731: No), and after the processing of S4734 or S4736 is completed, the same processing as S4705 in the variation display setting processing (see FIG. 243) of the first control example described above is then executed.

If it is determined in the process of S4705 that the special chart 2 variation start flag 223e is set to on (S4705: Yes), then the special chart 2 variation start process is executed (S4737). The details of this special chart 2 variation start process (S4737) will be described later with reference to FIG. 304.

On the other hand, if it is determined that the special chart 2 change start flag 223e is not set on (is set off) (S4705: No), the special chart 2 change start process (S4737) is skipped and the process proceeds to S4709, where the same processes as S4709 to S4711 of the change display setting process (see FIG. 243) of the first control example described above are executed, and this process is terminated.

As explained above, in this third control example, when the potential state is entered (the potential state is set), the remaining number of times (for example, "100 times") is displayed in the remaining number of times display area D1, which is less than the number of times of the internally set probability change (120 times). This makes it possible to make the actual remaining number of times of probability change and the number of times of the performance remaining probability change different at the time when the potential state is set (displaying the number of the performance remaining probability change less than the actual remaining number of times of probability change), so that it is easier to execute a performance that adds to the number of times of the performance remaining probability change during the potential state. Note that, in this control example, as in the first control example described above, the remaining number of times of the performance remaining probability change displayed in the remaining number of times display area D1 is subtracted each time a change is executed for each special chart (special chart 1 and special chart 2) (each time the actual remaining number of times of probability change is subtracted), but for example, when a change is executed for the special chart (special chart 1) that is not advantageous to the player in the potential state, the remaining number of times of the performance remaining probability change may not be subtracted. In this case, as in this control example, by displaying the number of remaining chance changes displayed in the remaining number display area D1 at the timing when the potential probability state begins (the timing when the potential probability state is set) as less than the actual remaining chance change number, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of a situation in which the number of remaining chance changes for the performance is greater than the actual remaining chance change number, even if the number of remaining chance changes for the performance is not subtracted for fluctuations in the special chart (special chart 1) that is not advantageous to the player.

In addition, in this third control example, an additional effect is executed to add a predetermined number of times (e.g., 5 to 40 times) to the remaining number of times of the special chance change during a jackpot game in the case where a jackpot in which the actual remaining number of times of the special chance change is set to the initial value (120 times) as a result of the drawing of the special chart, and during a small jackpot game in the case where a small jackpot in which the actual remaining number of times of the special chance change is not set to the initial value (120 times) as a result of the drawing of the special chart is won. This makes it possible to further prevent the player from easily knowing whether the actual number of times of the special chance change has been reset to the initial value (120 times) (whether or not the special chart jackpot was won during the latent state) when a winning game (a game in which the variable winning device 65 opens and closes) is played during the latent state.

In addition, in this third control example, in order to fill the difference between the timing at which the potential state begins (the timing at which the potential state is set) and the actual number of times that occurs when a special jackpot is won during the potential state, and the remaining number of times that the effect will change, an additional effect is executed to add the remaining number of times that the effect will change, which is displayed in the remaining number of times display area D1, as a special jackpot change effect during the potential state. This allows the remaining number of times that the effect will change to be added at various times during the potential state, which further prevents the player from easily knowing whether the actual number of times that the effect will change has been reset to the initial value (120 times) during the potential state (whether or not a special jackpot was won during the potential state).

Furthermore, in this third control example, the value of the number of additions (the number of times added to the number of remaining chances displayed in the remaining number display area D1) displayed in the addition effect executed at each timing (timing of special chart change, timing during execution of winning game) is configured to be changed based on the difference between the actual number of chances and the number of remaining chances (see FIG. 290). As a result, when the number of remaining chances is greatly added by the addition effect, it is possible to make the player believe that he or she has won a special chart jackpot during the potential probability state, where the actual number of chances is the initial number (120 times), and it is possible to prevent the number of remaining chances from becoming "0 times" when there is a large discrepancy between the actual number of chances and the number of remaining chances.

In the third control example, the third symbol display device 81 is configured to display a display based on a ball entering the variable winning device 65 as a winning performance executed during a winning game (a big win game or a small win game) executed when a winning game (for example, a big win game or a small win game with a small number of balls out of the big win games) is won during a potential winning state (see FIG. 293). This makes it possible for the player to easily understand that a winning game is being executed during a potential winning state. Then, as a winning performance executed during this winning game, the display mode displayed on the third symbol display device 81 (for example, a display mode that displays the number of winning balls to be paid out when a ball enters the variable winning device 65) is configured to be displayed at a different rate on the third symbol display device 81 when a big win game is being executed and when a small win game is being executed. This makes it possible to make the display mode displayed on the third symbol display device 81 the same as the winning performance corresponding to a small win game, even if a big win in which a larger number of balls enter the variable winning device 65 in one winning game is won than in a small win game. Therefore, while the player is informed (displayed) in an easy-to-understand manner that a winning game will be executed during the potential winning state, the player is informed (displayed) in a difficult-to-understand manner as to whether the winning game is a big winning game or a small winning game, allowing the player to play the potential winning state with high hopes until the very end.

<Fourth control example>
Next, the pachinko machine 10 in the fourth control example will be described with reference to Figs. 305 to 325. In the above-mentioned first control example, when a jackpot occurs during a potential state and a new potential state of 120 times is set (the value of the probability change counter 203k is overwritten to 120), the remaining number of times in the potential state on the display continues to display the number of times before the jackpot. Then, when a difference occurs between the remaining number of times in the potential state on the display and the actual remaining number of times in the potential state, and the remaining number of times on the display becomes 0, a revival performance is executed in which the actual remaining number is added and displayed. In other words, the timing at which the remaining number on the display is added and displayed is limited to the timing at which the remaining number becomes 0.

In contrast to this, in the fourth control example, when there is a difference between the actual remaining number of times in the potential state and the remaining number of times displayed, multiple opportunities are provided to add to the remaining number of times displayed. More specifically, when there is a difference, a lottery is held at the start of the fluctuation to determine whether or not to execute an add-on effect, and if the lottery is won, an add-on effect is executed that suggests that the remaining number of times displayed may be added. In this add-on effect, the number of times displayed as an add-on effect is changed depending on the timing of the operation of the frame button 22. This aims to increase the player's motivation to participate in the add-on effect. Hereinafter, an add-on effect that adds to the remaining number of times displayed by operating (pressing) the frame button 22 is referred to as a press-down add-on effect.

In addition, in this fourth control example, when the remaining number of times displayed becomes 0 and the actual remaining number of times is not 0 (1 or more), a non-display mode is set in which the remaining number of times is not displayed (hidden). This makes it difficult for the player to determine when the potential state will end, providing a tense gameplay in the potential state. Furthermore, when the non-display mode is set, if the actual remaining number of times in the potential state (the value of the potential state counter 203k) is within a predetermined number (5 times) and a jackpot for the second special pattern is obtained (i.e., the remaining number of times in the potential state is updated to 120 just before the potential state ends), a special jackpot effect (special jackpot effect) that is different from the normal jackpot effect is executed. This allows the player who has confirmed the special jackpot effect to recognize that the jackpot has been won just before the actual remaining number of times becomes 0 and that the potential state has been newly set, giving the player even greater joy.

In addition to the topping-up effect, the fourth control example also has an effect in which the effect mode is variable depending on the operation of the frame button 22. Specifically, in the normal state or the probability change state, a reserved notice effect is provided in which the state of the reserved pattern is changed depending on the operation of the frame button 22. In this reserved notice effect, the range of reserved patterns for which the notice effect is executed is determined based on the operation of the frame button 22 by the player (the player's selection), and a notice effect using the reserved pattern is executed based on the result of the foresight for the reserved balls in the range selected by the player. This makes it possible to increase the player's expectations for a big win when a high-expectation effect is executed as a notice effect for the selected range. Also, even if a low-expectation effect is executed as a notice effect for the selected range, it is possible to make the player think that a high-expectation notice effect may have been executed if a reserved ball different from the selected range had been selected. Therefore, it is possible to provide a novel effect that makes the player expect a big win for reserved balls corresponding to reserved patterns outside the selected range.

The pachinko machine 10 in this fourth control example differs in configuration from the pachinko machine 10 in the first control example in that the configuration of the RAM 222 and RAM 223 provided in the sound lamp control device 113 has been partially changed, and some of the processing executed by the MPU 221 of the sound lamp control device 113 has been changed. The other configurations, the various processing executed by the MPU 201 of the main control device 110, other processing executed by the MPU 221 of the sound lamp control device 113, and the various processing executed by the MPU 231 of the display control device 114 are the same as those of the pachinko machine 10 in the first control example. Hereinafter, the same elements as those in the first control example are given the same reference numerals, and illustrations and explanations thereof will be omitted.

First, referring to Fig. 305 to Fig. 310, the display modes of the various characteristic effects executed in the pachinko machine 10 in the fourth control example will be described. Fig. 304 and Fig. 306 are diagrams showing the display modes when the reserved notice effect is executed in this fourth control example, Fig. 307 and Fig. 308 are diagrams showing the display modes when the press-add effect is executed in this fourth control example, and Fig. 309 and Fig. 310 are diagrams showing the display modes when a non-display mode is set in which the remaining number of times is not displayed in the potential state.

Figure 304(a) is a diagram showing the display contents of the third symbol display device 81 when the reserved ball advance notice performance in this control example is started. As shown in Figure 305(a), when the reserved ball advance notice performance is started, a display area Ds1a is formed in the upper left of the sub-display area Ds1, displaying the text "Use a push to decide who to feed." This text can encourage the player to press the frame button 22. In addition, a tray Ds1b is displayed below the reserved balls Dh1 to Dh4, on which a number of pieces of bone-in meat, which is less than the number of reserved balls, is placed. The example in Figure 305(a) illustrates a case in which there are four reserved balls and three pieces of bone-in meat. This tray Ds1b is displayed in a manner that moves back and forth in the left and right directions.

When the player presses the frame button 22 in accordance with the characters displayed in the display area Ds1a, the reciprocating movement of the tray Ds1b is stopped at the timing of the press. Figure 305(b) illustrates an example in which the frame button 22 is pressed at the timing when the tray Ds1b is placed below the reserved patterns Dh2 to Dh4. In this case, the tray Ds1b is stopped below the reserved patterns Dh2 to Dh4, and the appearance of the reserved patterns Dh2 to Dh4 displayed above the stopped tray Ds1b is changed to a smiling and happy appearance. This allows the player to recognize that the reserved patterns Dh2 to Dh4 whose appearance has been changed are the subject of the current reserved notice.

If the player does not press the frame button 22 while the display area Ds1a is being formed, the reciprocating movement of the tray Ds1b will stop once the display time of the display area Ds1a (e.g., 2 seconds) has elapsed.

Next, as shown in FIG. 305(c), the reserved symbols in the range selected by the player's operation (the tray is stopped at the bottom) are used to execute an effect of eating the bone-in meat placed on the tray, and after each reserved symbol has eaten the bone-in meat, an effect is executed in which some or all of the reserved symbols that have eaten the bone-in meat lay eggs. In FIG. 305(c), the reserved symbols Dh2 and Dh4 are illustrated as examples of laying eggs Dh2a and Dh4a, respectively. The reserved symbols that laid eggs are displayed to suggest to the player that they are reserved symbols based on reserved balls with high expectations. More specifically, if the reserved balls indicated by the reserved symbols in the selected range include a reserved ball that will generate a reach, an effect is executed in which the reserved symbol corresponding to that reserved ball eats up the bone-in meat and then lays an egg. Note that if the selected range does not include a reserved symbol corresponding to a reserved ball that will generate a reach, the effect of laying an egg is not executed. This allows the player to know that a reach effect will occur before the lottery for the first special symbol is drawn based on the reserved balls, so the player can enjoy the reach effect while playing the game. This can increase the player's interest in the game.

The reserved notice performance is configured to be more likely to be determined when there is a reserved ball that will generate a reach performance. Therefore, if the egg-laying performance is not executed after the bone-in meat-eating performance, there is a high possibility that the reserved patterns outside the range of reserved patterns selected by the player by operating the frame button 22 contain the reserved pattern corresponding to the reserved ball that will generate the reach performance. Therefore, if the egg-laying performance is executed with the reserved patterns within the range selected by the player, it is possible to expect a jackpot for the reserved ball corresponding to the reserved pattern that laid the egg, and if the egg-laying performance is not executed, it is possible to provide a novel performance in which a jackpot can be expected for the reserved ball corresponding to the reserved pattern outside the range selected by the player. This can increase the player's interest in the game.

After the effect of the reserved symbol laying an egg is executed, an image encouraging the player to repeatedly press the frame button 22 is displayed inside the display area Ds1a, as shown in FIG. 306(a). This image makes the player aware that the effect will develop by repeatedly pressing the frame button 22, and thus makes the player press the frame button 22 continuously. This can increase the player's motivation to participate in the reserved preview effect.

When the player taps the frame button 22 repeatedly according to the instructions of the image displayed in the display area Ds1a and reaches the prescribed number of taps set at the time of the performance, a performance is executed in which an egg moves inside the house Ds1c displayed to the right of the reserved patterns Dh1 to Dh4. The eggs move in order from the oldest reserved pattern to the oldest reserved pattern. Figure 306 (b) illustrates a case in which only the egg Dh2a displayed at the top of the reserved pattern Dh2 moves inside the house Ds1c. The movement to the house Ds1c suggests that there is a possibility of developing into a super reach in the variable display based on the reserved ball. The super reach is likely to be selected when the lottery result of the special pattern is a big win, and is unlikely to be selected when it is a miss, so the expectation of a big win is high. This makes it possible for the player to tap the frame button 22 repeatedly more seriously. Please note that simply moving to house Ds1c does not determine whether or not a Super Reach will occur. As shown in Figure 306(c), a Super Reach is confirmed when egg Dh2a breaks and the words "Super Reach Confirmed" appear from within.

In this way, in this fourth control example, when a reserved notice performance is executed, the range of reserved symbols that will cause a notice is determined by the player's selection. This makes it possible to create a sense of anticipation for reserved balls within the range selected by the player, or for reserved balls outside the range selected by the player, depending on the content of the reserved notice performance. This makes it possible to provide an unprecedented and innovative reserved notice performance.

In this fourth control example, the system is configured to notify whether or not the egg symbol will move to the house Ds1c by repeatedly pressing the frame button 22, but this is not limited to this. For example, the effect of moving to the house Ds1c may be omitted, and an effect may be executed in which a super reach is confirmed if an egg is broken by repeated pressing. In other words, a configuration may be used in which a single successive press by the player notifies all egg symbols at once whether or not a super reach will develop. This configuration allows for a more easily understandable effect.

Next, referring to Figures 307 and 308, the press-add effect executed during the potential state will be described. This press-add effect is an effect that indicates that the remaining number of times in the potential state displayed may be added by pressing (operating) the frame button 22. This press-add effect has a normal mode in which the number of times added when the player operates the frame button 22 is relatively small (or 0), and a special mode in which the number of times added is relatively large. The special mode is a mode that is likely to be selected when the difference between the number of times remaining in the potential state displayed and the actual number of times remaining in the potential state is 30 or more, or when the lottery result for the second special pattern is a jackpot. On the other hand, the normal mode is a mode that is likely to be selected when the difference between the number of times remaining in the potential state displayed and the actual number of times remaining is less than 30.

First, the normal mode will be described with reference to FIG. 307 and FIG. 308(a). FIG. 307(a) is a diagram showing an example of the display contents of the third symbol display device 81 at the start of the execution of the push-add performance in the normal mode. As shown in FIG. 307(a), when the push-add performance starts, a button D2 with the word "push" written on it is displayed near the center of the main display area Dm, and the word "add-on chance" is displayed above it. Furthermore, a display area D3 with a horizontally elongated rectangular shape is displayed below the button D2, and a display area D4 with the word "Push the button at the right time!!" is displayed below the display area D3. The display area D3 is composed of small areas D3b and D3f with the word "?", small areas D3c and D3e with the word "Chance!", a small area D3d with the word "Super Hot!!!", and a scroll bar D3a that scrolls from the left side to the right side when viewed from the front on each small area. These display contents allow the player to easily recognize that there is a possibility that the displayed number of chance wins will increase by operating the frame button 22 at the right time. The number of added wins will be the highest when the frame button 22 is pressed when the scroll bar D3a is placed on the small area D3d, and the lowest when the frame button 22 is pressed when the scroll bar D3a is placed on the small areas D3b and D3f.

307(b) is a diagram showing the display contents when the frame button 22 is pressed at the timing when the scroll bar D3a is placed on the small area D3d. As shown in FIG. 307(b), when the player operates (presses) the frame button 22 at the timing when the scroll bar D3a is placed on the small area D3d with the characters "Super Hot!!!", the added number display area D5 with the characters "+5" is displayed, and the character "GET" is displayed above the added number display area D5. In addition, 5 times are added to the remaining number displayed in the remaining number display area D1. Furthermore, the character "GET 5 times added!!" is displayed in the display area D4. These display contents allow the player to easily understand the remaining number of times on the display that has been added in this press-add performance. The correspondence between the timing of pressing the scroll bar D3a and the remaining number of times on the display to be added is specified in the ROM 222 of the voice lamp control device 113.

Figure 308(a) shows the display contents when the player presses the frame button 22 at the timing when the scroll bar D3a is placed on the small area D3f with the character "?", which indicates a low expectation of an addition. In this case, as shown in Figure 308(a), the button D2 splits in two, and the character "Sorry..." is displayed above the button D2. In addition, the character "Addition failed..." is displayed in the display area D4. These display contents allow the player to easily recognize that the timing of the operation of the frame button 22 was poor. Therefore, the next time a press-add performance is executed, the player can be made to think about pressing the frame button 22 at a better timing, which can increase the player's motivation to participate in the press-add performance.

Next, the press-on-addition effect of the special mode will be described with reference to FIG. 308(b). When the press-on-addition effect of the special mode is executed, a button D2 larger than that displayed in the normal mode is displayed near the center of the screen in the main display area Dm, and the words "Super Add-on Chance" are displayed above the button D2. This allows the player to understand that a special effect that is clearly different from the normal mode has started just from the appearance.

In addition, each of the small areas D3b to D3h of the display area D3 is set to display the number of times (5 to 30 times) that will be added if the frame button 22 is pressed at the timing when the scroll bar D3a is positioned, and the words "Decide the number of times to be added by your own power!!" are displayed in the display area D4. This allows the player to recognize that the timing at which he or she operates the frame button 22 affects the number of times to be added (so it is not a fixed race). This allows the player to press the frame button 22 more proactively, which increases the player's motivation to participate in the press-to-add performance.

Next, the non-display mode during the potential win state will be described with reference to Figures 309 and 310. As mentioned above, this non-display mode can be set when the remaining number of times in the potential win state as displayed becomes 0, and is a presentation intended to create tension for the player by making it unclear when the potential win state will end.

As shown in FIG. 309(a), when the remaining number of times in the potential state displayed in the remaining number display area D1 becomes 0, the rabbit-like character 811 is set to fall to the ground, as in the first control example. Also, in this control example, the word "End...?" is displayed in the display area 812 displayed above the character 811. In other words, the display content is set as if it is still unclear whether the potential state will end or not.

If the actual number of times remaining in the potential state is not 0, the game will transition to the non-display mode shown in FIG. 309(b). Specifically, as shown in FIG. 309(b), an effect is executed in which a rock 813 approaches from behind a rabbit-like character 811, and a display area with the word "PINCH!!" displayed multiple times appears below the main display area Dm. Furthermore, inside the remaining number display area D1, the word "???" is displayed instead of an indication of the number of times remaining in the potential state. These displays allow the player to recognize that the potential state has not yet ended, but that it is not clear when it will end. This makes the player feel anxious that the potential state may be about to end, which can create a sense of tension in the game.

Figure 310(a) shows the display content when the actual remaining number of times in the potential state becomes 0 in the non-display mode and the potential state ends. As shown in Figure 310(a), when the potential state ends with the non-display mode set (when the value of the potential state counter 203k becomes 0), an effect is shown in which the character 811 is crushed by a rock 813. The word "END!!" is displayed in the display area 812 above the crushed character 811. These displays allow the player to clearly understand that the potential state has ended.

Figure 310(b) shows a display mode (pinch escape performance) when the hidden mode is set and a jackpot occurs when the remaining number of times in the potential state is 5 or less. If a jackpot occurs with the second special pattern just before the end of the potential state, the potential state is basically set to 120 times after the jackpot, which is advantageous for the player. In this case, as shown in Figure 310(b), a performance is executed in which the character 811 jumps over the rock 813 approaching from behind. Also, the word "Pinch escape!!" is displayed to the left of the rock 813, and the display in the remaining number display area D1 is updated to "100 times remaining". This pinch escape performance is only performed when a jackpot occurs just before the end of the potential state (within 5 times of the potential state), so that a player who has confirmed this pinch escape performance can be made to recognize that a jackpot occurs just before the potential state ends and that a new potential state has been granted. This allows players to be happy that they have hit the jackpot at the right time, which increases the player's interest in the game.

<Electrical configuration in the fourth control example>
Next, the electrical configuration of the pachinko machine 10 in this fourth control example will be described with reference to Fig. 311 to Fig. 315. First, Fig. 311(a) is a block diagram showing the configuration of the ROM 222 of the voice lamp control device 113 in this fourth control example. As shown in Fig. 311(a), in addition to the configuration of the ROM 222 in the first control example, the ROM 222 in this fourth control example is provided with an additional performance selection table 222da, a press period table 222db, and a hold notice determination table 222dc.

The add-on effect selection table 222da is a data table that is referenced to determine whether or not to execute a press-on add-on effect in a potential state, and the type of press-on add-on effect to be executed (either normal or special). Details of this add-on effect selection table 222da will be explained with reference to Figures 312 and 313.

Figure 312 (a) is a block diagram showing the configuration of the additional performance selection table 222da. As shown in Figure 312 (a), the additional performance selection table 222da includes a normal participation degree table 222da1 that is referenced when the lottery result of the special symbol is a small win and the player's participation degree in the press additional performance is normal (the player has operated the frame button 22 in the past five or less additional performances), a low participation degree table 222da2 that is referenced when the lottery result of the special symbol is a small win and the player's participation degree in the press additional performance is low (the player has not operated the frame button 22 in the past five or more additional performances), and a big win table 222da3 that is referenced when the lottery result of the special symbol is a big win.

First, the details of the normal participation level table 222da1 will be described with reference to FIG. 312(b). FIG. 312(b) is a diagram showing the contents of the normal participation level table 222da1. As shown in FIG. 312(b), the normal participation level table 222da1 specifies the range of the effect counter 223h value and the type (mode) of the press-add effect for each difference between the remaining number of times in the displayed potential state and the remaining number of times in the actual potential state.

As shown in FIG. 312(b), when the difference between the remaining number of times in the displayed potential state and the remaining number of times in the actual potential state is within the range of 5 times to 29 times, the value of the performance counter 223h is set to the range of "0 to 95" and "no additional performance" is associated with it. On the other hand, the value of the performance counter 223h is set to the range of "96 to 99" and "normal mode" is associated with it. Therefore, when a small win occurs in the lottery for the special symbol and the participation degree normal table 222da1 is referenced, there is a 96% (96/100) chance that "no additional performance" is selected, and the push additional performance is not executed. In addition, there is a 4% (4/100) chance that the push additional performance of the normal mode is executed. Note that the reason why the special mode is not selected when the difference between the remaining number of times in the displayed potential state and the remaining number of times in the actual potential state is within the range of 5 times to 29 times is to prevent the execution of an additional display that exceeds the difference between the remaining number of times in the displayed potential state and the remaining number of times in the actual potential state.

In addition, when the difference between the number of times remaining in the displayed potential state and the number of times remaining in the actual potential state is 30 times or more, the value of the performance counter 223h is specified to correspond to the range of "0 to 90" and "no additional performance". On the other hand, the value of the performance counter 223h is specified to correspond to the range of "91 to 97", and the value of the performance counter 223h is specified to correspond to the range of "98, 99". Therefore, when a small win is obtained in the lottery for the special symbol and the participation degree normal table 222da1 is referenced, there is a 91% (91/100) chance that "no additional performance" is selected, and the push additional performance is not executed. In addition, there is a 7% (7/100) chance that the push additional performance of the normal mode is executed, and a 2% (2/100) chance that the push additional performance of the special mode is executed.

In this way, if the difference between the displayed remaining number of times and the actual remaining number of times is large (30 or more), the probability of the press-addition effect occurring increases, so it is possible to prevent the difference from becoming too large.

Next, the details of the low participation table 222da2 will be described with reference to FIG. 313(a). FIG. 313(a) is a diagram showing the contents of the low participation table 222da2. As shown in FIG. 313(a), when the difference between the remaining number of times in the displayed potential state and the remaining number of times in the actual potential state is within the range of 5 times to 29 times, the value of the performance counter 223h is specified to correspond to the range of "0 to 90" with "no additional performance". On the other hand, the value of the performance counter 223h is specified to correspond to the range of "91 to 99" with "normal mode". For this reason, when a small win is obtained in the lottery of the special pattern and the participation normal table 222da1 is referred to, "no additional performance" is selected at a rate of 91% (91/100), so the push-down additional performance is not executed. Also, the push-down additional performance of the normal mode is executed at a rate of 9% (9/100). In other words, if a player's participation in the press-add effects is low, the frequency of the press-add effects is increased (4% to 9%). This can increase the player's willingness to participate in the press-add effects.

In addition, when the difference between the number of times remaining in the displayed potential state and the number of times remaining in the actual potential state is 30 times or more, the value of the performance counter 223h is specified to correspond to the range of "0 to 80" and "no additional performance". On the other hand, the value of the performance counter 223h is specified to correspond to the range of "81 to 94" and the value of the performance counter 223h is specified to correspond to the "normal mode", and the value of the performance counter 223h is specified to correspond to the range of "95 to 99". Therefore, when a small win is obtained in the lottery for the special symbol and the participation degree normal table 222da1 is referenced, there is an 81% (81/100) chance that "no additional performance" is selected, and the push-up additional performance is not executed. In addition, there is a 14% (14/100) chance that the push-up additional performance of the normal mode is executed, and a 5% (5/100) chance that the push-up additional performance of the special mode is executed. In other words, even if the difference between the displayed number of times remaining in the potential state and the actual number of times remaining in the potential state is 30 or more, the frequency of the press-up bonus effect is increased (9% to 19%). This can increase the player's motivation to participate in the press-up bonus effect.

Next, referring to FIG. 313(b), the jackpot table 222da3 will be described. As described above, the jackpot table 222da3 is a table that is referenced when a jackpot is obtained by drawing a special symbol during a potential state. As shown in FIG. 313(b), when the difference between the number of times remaining in the potential state as displayed and the number of times remaining in the actual potential state is within the range of 5 to 29, the value of the performance counter 223h is set to the range of "0 to 99" and a "normal mode" is associated with it. In other words, the push-add performance of the normal mode is always executed.

In addition, when the difference between the remaining number of times in the displayed potential state and the actual remaining number of times in the potential state is 30 times or more, the "normal mode" is defined in correspondence with the value of the performance counter 223h in the range of "0 to 49", and the "special mode" is defined in correspondence with the value of the performance counter 223h in the range of "50 to 99". In other words, the push-up additional performance of the normal mode or the special mode is always executed. In this way, in the potential state, when the difference between the remaining number of times displayed and the actual remaining number of times is 5 or more and a jackpot occurs, the push-up additional performance is always executed. By configuring in this way, when the push-up additional performance occurs, it is possible to expect a jackpot. In particular, the selection rate of the special mode additional performance is significantly increased compared to the normal expectation table 222da1 and the low expectation table 222da2. Therefore, when the push-up additional performance of the special mode occurs, it is possible to expect a jackpot more strongly. Therefore, since the player can play the game while paying attention to the mode of the push-up additional performance, it is possible to improve the player's interest in the game.

In the fourth control example, the push-add effect is always set when the difference between the displayed remaining number of times and the actual remaining number of times is 5 or more and a jackpot occurs with the second special pattern, but this is not limited to the configuration. For example, the percentage at which the push-add effect is set may be lowered to set the push-add effect at an 80% rate. By configuring it in this way, it is easier to create a difference between the displayed remaining number of times and the actual remaining number of times, so the push-add effect can be executed more effectively.

Returning to FIG. 311, the explanation will continue. The press period table 222db is a data table that specifies the number of times the additional display is performed according to the timing at which the frame button 22 is pressed while the press additional performance is being executed. Details of this press period table 222db will be explained with reference to FIG. 313(c) and FIG. 314.

First, FIG. 313(c) is a block diagram showing the configuration of the press period table 222db. As shown in FIG. 313(c), the press period table 222db includes a normal table 222db1 that is referenced when a normal press-addition performance is set, and a special table 222db2 that is referenced when a special press-addition performance is set. When it is decided to execute a press-addition performance, a table corresponding to the decided press-addition performance is read out and stored in a press period storage area 223da of the RAM 223 described later. When a press of the frame button 22 is detected during the execution of a press-addition performance, the table stored in this press period storage area 223da is referenced to determine the number of times to be added.

First, the details of the normal table 222db1 will be described with reference to FIG. 314(a). FIG. 314(a) is a diagram showing the contents of the normal table 222db1. As shown in FIG. 314(a), the normal table 222db1 specifies the number of times (addition value) to be added to the remaining number of times display area D1 in correspondence with the elapsed time since the press-addition performance started. The elapsed time since the performance started is counted by the press period timer 223db of the RAM 223.

As shown in FIG. 314(a), the elapsed time range of 0 to 699 milliseconds is associated with an added value of "0". During this period (0 to 699 milliseconds from the start of the push-down added performance), the display mode of the third pattern display device 81 is a mode in which the scroll bar D3a moves over a small area D3b marked with the character "?". During this period of time (700 to 999 milliseconds from the start of the push-down added performance), the display mode of the third pattern display device 81 is a mode in which the scroll bar D3a moves over a small area D3c marked with the character "Chance!" ...1000 to 1499 milliseconds), the display mode of the third pattern display device 81 is a mode in which the scroll bar D3a moves over a small area D3c marked with the character "Chance!". During this period of time (1000 to 1499 milliseconds), the display mode of the third pattern display device 81 is a mode in which the scroll bar D3a moves over a small area D3c marked with the character "Chance!". During this period of time (1000 to 1499 milliseconds), the display mode of the third pattern display device 81 is a mode in which the scroll bar D3a moves over a small area D3c marked with the character "Chance!". During this time (a range of 1000 to 1499 milliseconds from the start of the press-add effect), the display mode of the third pattern display device 81 will be a mode in which the scroll bar D3a moves over a small area D3d labeled with the words "Super Hot!!!"

Similarly, an additional value of "2" is associated with an elapsed time range of 1500 to 1799 milliseconds (the period during which the scroll bar D3a overlaps the small area D3e), and an additional value of "0" is associated with an elapsed time range of 1800 to 2500 milliseconds (the period during which the scroll bar D3a overlaps the small area D3f).

In this way, the normal table 222db1 specifies the correspondence between the elapsed time according to the presentation mode of the normal press-add presentation (time-based change in the position of the scroll bar D3a) and the added value. This makes it possible to display the number of times that corresponds to the display mode (position of the scroll bar D3a) at the time the player presses the frame button 22.

Next, the details of the special table 222db2 will be described with reference to FIG. 314(b). FIG. 314(b) shows the contents of the normal table 222db2.

As shown in FIG. 314(b), an additional value of "5" is associated with an elapsed time range of 0 to 799 milliseconds (period during which scroll bar D3a overlaps small area D3b), an additional value of "10" is associated with an elapsed time range of 800 to 999 milliseconds (period during which scroll bar D3a overlaps small area D3c), an additional value of "20" is associated with an elapsed time range of 1000 to 1099 milliseconds (period during which scroll bar D3a overlaps small area D3d), and an additional value of "30" is associated with an elapsed time range of 1100 to 1299 milliseconds (period during which scroll bar D3a overlaps small area D3c). An additional value of "10" is associated with an elapsed time range of 1300 to 1999 milliseconds (period when scroll bar D3a overlaps small area D3f), an additional value of "5" is associated with an elapsed time range of 2000 to 2049 milliseconds (period when scroll bar D3a overlaps small area D3g), and an additional value of "30" is associated with an elapsed time range of 2050 to 2500 milliseconds (period when scroll bar D3a overlaps small area D3h).

This special table 222db2 allows the number of added times displayed in the small area through which the scroll bar D3a passes at the time the frame button 22 is pressed to be accurately displayed in the remaining times display area D1.

Returning to FIG. 311(a), we continue the explanation. The reserved notice judgment table 222dc is a table that is referenced to determine whether or not to execute a reserved notice effect. As described above, the reserved notice effect may be executed when the number of reserved balls of the first special pattern increases in a normal game state or a special probability state, and is an effect that is executed to suggest that there is a highly anticipated lottery result among the reserved balls. Details of this reserved notice judgment table 222dc will be explained with reference to FIG. 315.

Figure 315 is a diagram showing the contents of the reserved notice judgment table 222dc. As shown in Figure 315, the reserved notice judgment table 222dc is composed of a reach table that is referenced when there is a reserved ball that will cause a reach effect among the reserved balls, and a no-reach table that is referenced when there is no reserved ball that will cause a reach effect among the reserved balls. Each table is associated with the value of the effect counter 223h that determines the execution of the reserved notice effect for each number of reserved balls.

As shown in FIG. 315, in the table for when there is a reach, the value of the effect counter 223h is not specified for the number of reserved balls in the range of 0 to 2. In other words, if the number of reserved balls is 2 or less, the reserved notice effect is not set. On the other hand, if the number of reserved balls is 3, the value range of the effect counter 223h corresponds to "0 to 9", and if the number of reserved balls is 4, the value range of the effect counter 223h corresponds to "0 to 15". In other words, the more reserved balls there are, the more likely the reserved notice effect is to be executed. This makes it possible to encourage the player to actively fire balls in an attempt to accumulate more reserved balls, thereby increasing the player's motivation to participate.

As shown in FIG. 315, even in the table for when there is no reach, the value of the effect counter 223h is not specified for the range of 0 to 2 reserved balls. On the other hand, when there are three reserved balls, the value of the effect counter 223h is associated with "0", and when there are four reserved balls, the value range of the effect counter 223h is associated with "0, 1". In other words, the table for when there is no reach has fewer random numbers (counter values) that determine the execution of the reserved notice effect compared to the table for when there is a reach. Therefore, the reserved notice effect is more likely to be executed when there is a reserved ball that will perform a reach effect among the reserved balls, so the player can have a strong expectation that it will develop into a reach effect when the reserved notice effect starts.

Next, the configuration of the RAM 223 provided in the voice lamp control device 113 in this fourth control example will be described with reference to FIG. 311(b). FIG. 311(b) is a block diagram showing the configuration of the RAM 223. The RAM 223 in this fourth control example differs from the configuration of the RAM 223 in the first control example in that a pressing period storage area 223da, a pressing period timer 223db, and a repeated tap counter 223dc are added.

The press period storage area 223da is a memory area for storing the press period corresponding to the type of press-added effect determined when the execution of the press-added effect is determined. That is, when the start of the press-added effect is determined, the table (normal table 222db1 or special table 222db2) read from the press period table 222db is stored (see S4392 in FIG. 321). If a press of the frame button 22 is detected during the execution of the press-added effect, the add-on value is determined based on the table stored in the press period storage area 223da and the timer value of the press period timer 223db described later, and the remaining number of times displayed in the remaining number of times display area D1 is updated.

The press period timer 223db is a timer that measures the time that has elapsed since the start of the press-added effect. The add-on value in the press-added effect is determined based on the timer value of the press period timer 223db and the table stored in the press period storage area 223da.

The hit counter 223dc is a counter that is set to a predetermined upper limit value for each effect when an effect encouraging the player to hit the frame button 22 repeatedly (see FIG. 306(a)) occurs during a hold preview effect, and the value is decremented by one each time the player operates the frame button 22 during the effect (see S5703 in FIG. 318). When the value of this hit counter 223dc becomes 0 during the execution of an effect encouraging the player to hit the frame button 22 repeatedly, the effect progresses to the next stage (the egg symbol moves inside the house Ds1c).

The pressed flag 223dd is a flag indicating whether or not the operation (pressing) of the frame button 22 has been performed by the player in the press-addition performance of 1. If the pressed flag 223dd is on, it means that the operation (pressing) of the frame button 22 has been detected in the press-addition performance of 1, and if it is off, it means that the operation (pressing) of the frame button 22 has not been detected. If the operation (pressing) of the frame button 22 is detected during the execution of the press-addition performance, the pressed flag 223dd is referenced, and only if the state is off, the added value corresponding to the pressing period stored in the pressing period table storage area 223da is read out and displayed as an added value in the remaining number display area D1 (see S5605 in FIG. 317). In other words, even if the player operates (presses) the frame button 22 multiple times in the add-on performance of 1, only the addition for the first operation (pressing) is executed. Furthermore, if the press-added effect ends with the press-added flag 223dd in the OFF state, the participation counter 223df, which will be described later, is incremented by 1. In other words, the participation counter 223df counts the number of times the player does not participate in the press-added effect (presses the frame button 22). In this control example, the frequency with which the press-added effect is executed is varied according to the count value of the participation counter 223df.

The on-hold notice flag 223de is a flag that indicates whether or not a hold notice performance (see Figs. 305 and 306) is being executed; if it is on, it indicates that the hold notice performance is being executed, and if it is off, it indicates that the hold notice performance is not being executed. This on-hold notice flag 223de is set on when it is decided that a hold notice performance is to be executed (see S5808 in Fig. 322), and is set off when the hold notice performance ends (see S5835 in Fig. 325). While this on-hold notice flag 223de is on, execution of a new hold notice performance is avoided. This makes it possible to prevent (suppress) duplicate execution of hold notices, which could confuse the player.

The participation counter 223df is a counter that indicates the degree of participation of the player in the press-addition performance. When the press-addition performance ends without detecting the operation of the frame button 22, the participation counter 223df is incremented by one (see S5509 in FIG. 316), and when the operation of the frame button 22 is detected during the press-addition performance, the value is reset to 0 (see S5609 in FIG. 317). That is, the value of the participation counter 223df counts the number of consecutive times that the player did not press the frame button 22 (did not participate) in the press-addition performance. In this control example, the frequency of execution of the press-addition performance is changed according to the count value of the participation counter 223df. That is, if the count value of the participation counter 223df is greater than 5 (if the player has not participated in the press-addition performance six or more times in a row), the determination ratio of the press-addition performance is increased. This increases the opportunities for players to operate (press) the frame button 22, thereby increasing the player's willingness to participate in the press-add performance.

The non-display setting flag 223dg is a flag indicating whether or not the non-display mode (see FIG. 309(b)) is set as the display mode during the potential state. When this non-display setting flag 223dg is on, it indicates that the non-display mode is set, and when it is off, it indicates that the non-display mode is not set. This non-display setting flag 223dg is set on when the non-display mode is set (see S5896 in FIG. 324), and is set off when an added effect (push added effect, special added effect) is set (see S4395 in FIG. 321, S5860 in FIG. 323) or when the potential state ends during the non-display mode (see S5858 in FIG. 323).

<Regarding the control process of the voice lamp control device in the fourth control example>
Next, various control processes executed by the MPU 221 of the voice lamp control device 113 in the fourth control example will be described with reference to Fig. 316 to Fig. 325. First, the frame button input monitoring and performance process (S4107) executed in the main process (see Fig. 236) of the voice lamp control device 113 will be described with reference to Fig. 316. Fig. 316 is a flowchart showing this frame button input monitoring and performance process (S4107).

When this frame button input monitoring/performance process (see FIG. 316) is started, first it is determined whether or not a press of the frame button 22 has been detected (S5501). If it is determined that a press of the frame button 22 has been detected (S5501: Yes), it is then determined whether or not a press-up performance is being executed (S5502).

If it is determined in the process of S5502 that the press-add effect is being executed (S5502: Yes), a press-add effect process is executed (S5503) to display the added value corresponding to the operation timing of the frame button 22 in the press-add effect in the remaining number display area D1, and this process is terminated. Details of this press-add effect process (S5503) will be described later with reference to FIG. 317.

On the other hand, in the process of S5502, if it is determined that the press-up effect is not being executed (S5502: No), then it is determined whether or not the hold notice effect is being executed (S5504). In the process of S5504, if it is determined that the hold notice effect is being executed (S5504: Yes), a hold notice press process for executing an effect corresponding to the operation of the frame button 22 in the hold notice effect is executed (S5505), and this process is terminated. Details of this hold notice press process (S5505) will be described later with reference to FIG. 318. Also, in the process of S5504, if it is determined that the hold notice effect is not being executed (S5504: No), a process according to other press timing is executed (S5506), and this process is terminated. Note that other press timing is, for example, a timing at which the back image can be changed. In this fourth control example, as described above, multiple back images are specified, and the back type is switched every time the player operates the frame button 22 in the variable stop state. This helps prevent (suppress) the game from becoming monotonous.

In addition, in the process of S5501, if it is determined that the press of the frame button 22 has not been detected (S5501: No), it is next determined whether or not it is the timing for the press-addition performance to end (S5507). If it is determined that it is the timing for the press-addition performance to end (S5507: Yes), it is then determined whether or not the pressed flag 223dd is on (S5508). If it is determined that the pressed flag 223dd is off (S5508: No), this means that the press-addition performance has ended without the player operating (pressing) the frame button 22 in the press-addition performance (the player has not participated in this press-addition performance), so the value of the participation degree counter 223df is updated by adding 1 (S5509), and this process is terminated. On the other hand, if the process of S5507 determines that it is not time to end the press-addition effect (S5507: No), or if the process of S5508 determines that the pressed flag 223dd is on (S5508: Yes), the process ends without executing the process of S5509.

By executing the processes of S5507 to S5509, the player's degree of participation in the press-on add-on effects can be accumulated across multiple add-on effects. Therefore, the press-on add-on effects can be set appropriately according to the player's degree of participation.

Next, the details of the press during the add-on effect process (S5503) will be explained with reference to FIG. 317. As described above, this press during the add-on effect process (S5503) is a process for displaying an add-on value corresponding to the operation timing of the frame button 22 in the remaining number display area D1.

When this press-during-addition performance process (S5503) is started, first it is determined whether the pressed flag 223dd is on or not (S5601). If it is determined that it is on (S5601: Yes), the process ends as the added value has already been displayed in the remaining number display area D1 during the press-addition performance and there is no need to perform a new addition.

On the other hand, if it is determined in the processing of S5601 that the pressed flag 223dd is off (S5601: Yes), then the pressing period set in the pressing period table storage area is read (S5602), and from the pressing period read, the added value corresponding to the value of the pressing period timer 223db is read (S5603). Next, it is determined whether the read added value is 0 (S5604), and if it is not 0 (S5604), an effect is set in which the read added value is added and displayed in the remaining number display area D1 (S5605).

After processing S5605, the added value read in processing S5603 is added to the number stored in the effect probability change count area 223p to update it (S5606), and processing proceeds to S5608. On the other hand, if it is determined in processing S5604 that the added value read is 0 (S5604: Yes), a failed added effect (see FIG. 308(a)) is set to notify that the added has failed (S5607), and processing proceeds to S5608.

In the process of S5608, which is executed after the process of S5606 or S5607 is completed, the pressed flag 223dd is set to ON (S5608), the value of the participation degree counter 223df is reset to 0 (S5609), and this process ends. By executing this press during additional performance process (see FIG. 317), when a press additional performance occurs, the additional value of the number of times according to the position where the scroll bar D3a is displayed can be added to the number of times displayed in the remaining number display area D1 and displayed. This makes it possible to provide a performance that does not feel unnatural.

Next, the details of the press during hold notice process (S5505) will be described with reference to FIG. 318. As described above, this press during hold notice process (S5505) is a process for executing a presentation corresponding to the operation of the frame button 22 in the hold notice presentation. In this press during hold notice process (S5505), it is first determined whether or not it is the press period in the hold notice presentation (see FIG. 305(a)) (S5701), and if it is not the press period (S5701: No), it is then determined whether or not it is the repeated tap period (see FIG. 306(a)) (S5702).

In the process of S5702, if it is determined that the game is not in a continuous hitting period (S5702: No), this process ends. On the other hand, if it is determined that the game is in a continuous hitting period (S5702: Yes), the value of the continuous hitting counter 223dc is updated by subtracting 1 (S5703), and it is determined whether the updated counter value is 0 (S5704). Then, if it is determined that the updated counter value is 0 (S5704: Yes), a development effect (see FIG. 306(b)) in which the egg symbol moves to the house Ds1c is set (S5705), and this process ends. On the other hand, in the process of S5704, if it is determined that the updated value of the continuous hitting counter 223dc is 1 or more (S5704: No), the process of S5705 is skipped, and this process ends.

In addition, in the process of S5701, if it is determined that the current period is a press period (S5701), first, the winning information corresponding to the reserved pattern designated in the third pattern display device 81 (tray Ds1b is displayed directly below) at the timing when the frame button 22 is pressed is read from the winning information storage area 223a (S5706). Next, it is determined whether the winning information within the range designated by pressing the frame button 22 includes winning information that will generate a reach effect (S5707). Note that a reach effect refers to any of the following: a miss normal reach, a miss super reach A or B, a win normal reach, and a win super reach A to C.

If it is determined in the process of S5707 that the winning information that will result in a reach effect is included within the specified range (S5707: Yes), then an effect is set in which an egg pattern is displayed for the reserved pattern corresponding to the winning information that will result in a reach (the reserved pattern lays an egg) (S5708). Then, a successive hit period for executing a successive hit effect that encourages successive hits of the frame button 22 is set (S5709), a value corresponding to the value of the successive hit counter 223dc is set (S5710), and this process ends.

If it is determined in the processing of S5707 that the specified range does not contain any winning information that would result in a reach effect (S5707: No), the pending notice flag 223de is set to OFF to indicate the end of the pending notice effect (S5711), and this processing is terminated.

By executing this hold notice press process (see FIG. 318), when a press of the frame button 22 is detected during the hold notice performance, an appropriate performance mode can be set according to the press timing. Also, as described above, in this control example, the range of reserved symbols for which the hold notice performance is executed can be selected by the player's operation. This allows the player to hope that if a notice (display of an egg symbol) is not made for reserved symbols within the selection range, there is a reserved symbol with a high expectation among the reserved symbols outside the player's selection range. Therefore, it is possible to provide a novel performance that allows the player to hope for a jackpot for the reserved balls even when the hold notice performance does not occur.

Next, referring to Fig. 319, details of command determination process 4 that is executed in place of the command determination process (see Fig. 238) in the first control example will be described. In command determination process 4 (see Fig. 319) in this fourth control example, steps S4301 to S4306, S4309 to S4311, S4313 to S4315, and S4319 are the same as steps S4301 to S4306, S4309 to S4311 to S4315, and S4319 in the command determination process (see Fig. 238) in the first control example.

In addition, in the command determination process 4 (see FIG. 319) in this fourth control example, if it is determined in the process of S4306 that a special symbol 2 variation pattern command has been received (S4303: Yes), a special symbol 2 variation start process for setting the start of variation of the second special symbol is executed (S4361), and this process is terminated. Details of this special symbol 2 variation start process (S4361) will be described later with reference to FIG. 320. In addition, in the command determination process 4 (see FIG. 319) in this fourth control example, if it is determined in the process of S4311 that a winning command has been received (S4311: Yes), a reserved notice setting process is executed (S4362) to determine whether or not to execute a reserved notice based on the winning information notified by the winning command, and this process is terminated. Details of this reserved notice setting process (S4362) will be described later with reference to FIG. 322.

In addition, in the process of S4315, if it is determined that neither the special chart 1 waiting command nor the special chart 2 waiting command has been received (S4315: No), it is determined whether a remaining chance of winning command has been received (S4363), and if a remaining chance of winning command has been received (S4363), a remaining chance of winning command process is executed to execute a process according to the number of times notified by the remaining chance of winning command (S4364), and this process is terminated. Details of this remaining chance of winning command process (S4364) will be described later with reference to FIG. 324.

Furthermore, in the process of S4363, if it is determined that the remaining chance number command has not been received (S4363: No), it is then determined whether or not at least one of the special pattern 1 confirmation command or the special pattern 2 confirmation command has been received (S4364), and if at least one of the special pattern 1 confirmation command or the special pattern 2 confirmation command has been received (S4364: Yes), a confirmation command process is executed to set the confirmation display of the third pattern corresponding to the special pattern according to the command (S4364), and this process is terminated. Details of this confirmation command process will be described later with reference to FIG. 325.

Next, the details of the special chart 2 variation start process (S4361) will be described with reference to FIG. 320. FIG. 320 is a flowchart showing the details of the special chart 2 variation start process. When this special chart 2 variation start process (see FIG. 320) is started, first, the special chart 2 variation start flag 223e is set to on (S4371), and then the variation pattern notified by the received special chart 2 variation pattern command is extracted (S4372).

When the processing of S4372 is completed, it is next determined whether the current game state is a potential state (S4373), and if it is a potential state (S4373: Yes), an additional effect setting process (S4374) is executed to determine whether or not to set a push additional effect (S4374), and the process proceeds to S4376. On the other hand, if it is determined in the processing of S4373 that the current game state is not a potential state (S4373: No), the display mode corresponding to the variation pattern extracted in the processing of S4372 is identified from the variation pattern selection table 222a, and the process proceeds to S4376. In the processing of S4376, a display variation pattern command is set to notify the display control device 114 of the selected variation pattern (S4376), and the process ends.

Next, the details of the add-on effect setting process (S4374) will be described with reference to FIG. 321. As described above, this press-on add-on effect setting process (S4374) is a process for determining whether to execute the press-on add-on effect during the potential state.

When the additional performance setting process (see FIG. 321) starts, first it is determined whether the current drawing of the second special symbol resulted in a small win stop type (S4381). If it is determined that the stop type is not a small win (S4381: No), it is then determined whether the non-display mode (see FIG. 309(b)) is being set and the number of remaining chance turns is 5 or less (S4382). In the process of S4382, if the non-display mode is not being set or the number of remaining chance turns is 6 or more (S4382: No), the process proceeds to S4391.

On the other hand, in the process of S4382, if it is determined that the non-display mode is set and the remaining number of chance changes is 5 or less (S4382: Yes), then it is determined whether the current lottery result of the second special pattern is a lottery result that will be a stop type of a big win E to G (S4383), and if it is determined that it is not any of the big wins E to G (S4383: No), the process proceeds to S4391. In contrast, in the process of S4383, if it is determined that it is any of the big wins E to G (S4383: Yes), the big win table 222da3 is read from the add-on effect selection table 222da as a table for determining the setting of the push-down add-on effect (S4384). Next, the difference between 120, which is the potential number of chance changes granted after a big win, and the number stored in the effect chance change number storage area 223p is calculated (S4385), and the process proceeds to S4391.

In addition, in the process of S4381, if it is determined that the current stop type is a small win (S4381: Yes), it is then determined whether the value of the participation counter 223df is greater than 5 (S4386), and if the value of the participation counter 223df is greater than 5 (S4386: Yes), the normal participation table 222da1 is read from the add-on performance selection table 222da as a table for determining the setting of the press-on add-on performance (S4387). Next, the difference between the actual remaining number of times in the potential state stored in the remaining probability change number area 223o and the remaining number of times in the potential state displayed in the probability change number area 223p is calculated, and the process proceeds to S4391.

On the other hand, if it is determined in the process of S4386 that the value of the participation counter 223df is less than 5 (S4386: No), the low participation table 222da1 is read from the added performance selection table 222da (S4387). Next, the difference between the actual remaining number of times in the potential state stored in the remaining probability change count area 223o and the remaining number of times in the potential state displayed as stored in the performance probability change count area 223p is calculated, and the process proceeds to S4391.

In the process of S4391, which is executed after any of S4385, S4388, and S4391 is completed, the mode of the press-addition effect (either no additional effect, normal mode, or special mode) is identified based on the difference calculated in any of S4385, S4388, and S4391 and the table read in any of S4384, S4387, and S4388 (S4391), and the process proceeds to S4392.

In the process of S4392, it is determined whether or not the execution of the press-addition effect has been decided (S4392), and if the execution of the press-addition effect has been decided (S4392: Yes), the press period corresponding to the mode of the press-addition effect decided this time is read from the press period table 222db (see Fig. 314 (a) and (b)) and set in the press period storage area 223da (S4393). The press period set here is referenced when the operation (press) of the frame button 22 by the player is detected during the execution of the press-addition effect decided this time, and the added value corresponding to the operation (press) timing is displayed in the remaining number display area D1. This makes it possible to make the player actively operate (press) the frame button 22 in the hope that the number of remaining potential states on the display will be added, thereby improving the player's motivation to participate in the press-addition effect. After the process of S4393, the non-display setting flag 223dg is set to OFF (S4394), and this process ends.

On the other hand, if it is determined in the process of S4392 that the execution of the push-add effect has not been decided (S4392: No), the effect mode corresponding to the fluctuation pattern extracted from the fluctuation pattern command is identified from the fluctuation pattern selection table 222a (S4395), and this process is terminated. By executing this add-on effect setting process, it is possible to select an appropriate type of push-add effect depending on the player's past participation in push-add effects, the lottery results for the second special pattern, etc.

In this control example, in the potential state, the push-add effect is set only when the lottery result for the second special symbol is a small win or a big win E to G, but this is not limited to the above. For example, the push-add effect may be set even if the lottery result for the special symbol is a miss. This allows for greater freedom in the effects.

Next, the details of the reserved notice setting process (S4362) will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 322. As described above, this reserved notice setting process (S4362) is a process for determining whether or not to execute a reserved notice based on the winning information notified by the winning command. When this reserved notice setting process (S4362) is executed, first, it is determined whether or not the game state is a potential state (S5801), and if it is determined that it is in a potential state (S5801), each process of S5802 to S5809 for setting the reserved notice performance is skipped and this process is terminated as it is. The reason why the reserved notice performance is not executed in the potential state is because the main variation in the potential state is the variation display of the two special symbols that cannot be reserved and stored. For this reason, in the potential state, the reserved balls of the first special symbol are almost always 0, and there is no need to execute a judgment of whether or not to execute a reserved notice. Therefore, by skipping the execution judgment of the reserved notice itself, the processing load of the MPU 221 of the voice lamp control device 113 in the potential state can be reduced.

On the other hand, if it is determined in the process of S5801 that the current game state is not a potential state (normal state or a probability state) (S5801: No), then it is determined whether the pending notice flag 223de is on (whether the pending notice performance is already being performed) (S5802), and if it is determined that the pending notice flag 223de is on (the pending notice performance is already being performed) (S5802: Yes), then this process is terminated. On the other hand, if it is determined in the process of S5802 that the pending notice flag 223de is off (S5802: No), then it is read out the winning information of the first special pattern from the winning information storage area 223a (S5803), and it is determined whether the winning information read out includes winning information corresponding to the variation pattern that will cause the reach performance (S5804).

If it is determined in the processing of S5804 that winning information corresponding to the fluctuation pattern in which a reach effect occurs is included (S5804: Yes), a table for when there is a reach is read from the hold notice determination table 222dc (see FIG. 315) as a table for determining whether to execute the hold notice effect, the execution of the hold notice is determined, and the processing proceeds to S5807. On the other hand, if it is determined in the processing of S5804 that winning information corresponding to the fluctuation pattern in which a reach effect occurs is not included (S5804: No), a table for when there is no reach is read from the hold notice determination table 222dc as a table for determining whether to execute the hold notice effect, the execution of the hold notice is determined, and the processing proceeds to S5807.

In the process of S5807, which is executed after the process of S5805 or S5806, it is determined whether or not a decision to execute a hold notice performance has been made in the process of S5805 or S5806 (S5807), and if it is determined that a decision to execute a hold notice performance has been made (S5807: Yes), the hold notice flag 223de is set to ON (S5808). Next, a performance that prompts the user to press the frame button 22 (see FIG. 305(a)) is set (S5809), and this process ends.

By executing this reserved ball notification setting process, the reserved ball notification effect can be set at an appropriate ratio according to the number of reserved balls and the contents of each reserved ball.

Next, referring to FIG. 323, the details of the remaining chance of winning command processing (S4364) will be explained. As described above, this remaining chance of winning command processing (S4364) is processing for executing control according to the number of chance of winning notified by the remaining chance of winning command. When this remaining chance of winning command processing (S4364) is started, first, the remaining chance of winning notified by the remaining chance of winning command is stored in the remaining chance of winning area 223o (S5851), and then it is determined whether the current game state is a potential chance state (S5852).

If it is determined in the processing of S5852 that the game state is not a potential state (S5852: No), this processing ends as it is. On the other hand, if it is determined in the processing of S5852 that the game state is a potential state (S5852: Yes), it is then determined whether or not the non-display setting flag 223dg is on (whether or not the non-display mode is set) (S5853), and if the non-display setting flag 223dg is off (S5853), a non-display setting process is executed to determine whether or not to set the non-display mode (S5861), and this processing ends. Details of this non-display setting process (S5861) will be described later with reference to FIG. 324.

On the other hand, if it is determined in the process of S5853 that the non-display setting flag 223dg is on (S5854), this means that the non-display mode (see FIG. 309(b)) is set, so first, it is determined whether the number of remaining chances of a chance change stored in the remaining chance change number area 223o in the process of S5851 is 5 or less (S5854). If it is determined in the process of S5854 that the number of remaining chance changes is 6 or more (S5854: No), this process is terminated as it is. On the other hand, if it is determined that the number of remaining chance changes is 5 or less (S5854: Yes), it is next determined whether the current lottery result is one of the jackpots E to G (S5855), and if it is determined that the result is not one of the jackpots E to G (S5855: No), it is next determined whether the number of remaining chance changes is 0 (whether the number stored in the remaining chance change number area 223o is 0) (S5856).

In the process of S5856, if it is determined that the remaining number of times of the probability change is not 0 (S5856: No), this process is terminated as it is in order to continue the non-display mode. On the other hand, in the process of S5856, if it is determined that the remaining number of times of the probability change is 0 (S5856: Yes), this means that the latent state in which the non-display mode is set has ended, so the end effect of the non-display mode (see FIG. 310(a)) is set, the non-display setting flag 223dg is set to OFF (S5858), and this process is terminated. In contrast, in the process of S5855, if it is determined that the current lottery result is one of the jackpots E to G (S5855: Yes), a latent state of 120 times is set after the jackpot, so first, the execution of the special additional effect (see FIG. 310(b)) is set (S5859), then 100 times is overwritten in the effect probability change count area 223p, the non-display setting flag 223dg is set to OFF (S5860), and this process is terminated.

In this way, in this fourth control example, when the non-display mode is set, if the actual remaining number of times in the potential state (the value of the potential state counter 203k) is within a predetermined number (5 times) and a jackpot with the second special pattern is hit (i.e., the remaining number of times in the potential state is updated to 120 just before the potential state ends), a special add-on effect (special add-on effect) that is different from the normal push-down add-on effect is executed. This allows a player who has confirmed the special add-on effect to recognize that he or she has won a jackpot just before the actual remaining number of times reaches 0 and that a new potential state has been set, giving the player even greater joy.

Next, the details of the non-display setting process (S5861) will be described with reference to FIG. 324. As described above, this non-display setting process (S5861) is a process for executing the determination of whether or not to set the non-display mode. As shown in FIG. 324, when the non-display setting process is executed, it is first determined whether or not the remaining number of times stored in the performance probability change count area 223p is 0 (S5891), and if it is determined that it is 1 or more (S5891: No), the remaining number of times stored in the performance probability change count area 223p is subtracted by 1 (S5892), and the display number displayed in the remaining number display area D1 is updated according to the value stored in the performance probability change count area 223p after subtraction (S5893), and this process is terminated.

On the other hand, in the process of S5891, if it is determined that the remaining number of times stored in the effect probability change count area 223p is 0 (S5891: Yes), it is determined whether or not the actual remaining number of times stored in the remaining probability change count area 223o is 0 (S5894), and if the actual remaining number of times is not 0 (S5894: No), the non-display mode (see FIG. 309(b)) is set (S5895), the non-display setting flag 223dg is set to on (S5896), and this process ends. By setting the non-display mode, it is possible to make it unclear when the potential state will end, which can create a sense of tension for the player playing in the remaining potential state.

On the other hand, if it is determined in the processing of S5894 that the actual remaining number of times in the potential change state stored in the remaining probability change count area 223o is 0 (S5894: Yes), this means that the remaining number displayed was also updated to 0 at the timing when the potential change state ended, so the normal ending presentation (see FIG. 188(a)) is set (S5897), and this processing ends.

In this way, the non-display setting process in this fourth control example is configured to set the non-display mode if the potential state does not end when the remaining number of times displayed reaches 0. This makes it possible to create a state in which it is unclear how long the potential state will last. Therefore, while the non-display mode is set, the player can play with a sense of tension.

Next, referring to FIG. 325, the details of the confirmation command process (S4366) will be described. As described above, this confirmation command process (S4366) is a process for setting the confirmation display of the third symbol. When this confirmation command process (see FIG. 325) is started, first, it is determined whether or not what has been received is a special symbol 1 confirmation command (S5831), and if it is determined that it is a special symbol 1 confirmation command (S5831), the confirmation display of the first special symbol is set (S5832). Next, it is determined whether or not the pending notice flag 223de is on (S5833), and if it is determined that it is on (S5833: Yes), it is determined whether or not the pending notice performance has ended during the variable display in which the confirmation display was set this time (S5834). In the process of S5834, if it is determined that the pending notice performance has ended (S5834: Yes), the pending notice flag 223de is set to off (S5835), and this process is terminated.

On the other hand, if it is determined in the process of S5833 that the pending notice flag 223de is off (S5833: No), or if it is determined in the process of S5834 that the pending notice performance is continuing (S5834: No), this process ends. Also, if it is determined in the process of S5831 that the received confirmation command is a special symbol 2 confirmation command (S5831: No), a confirmation display of the second special symbol is set (S5836), and this process ends.

As explained above, the pachinko machine 10 in this fourth control example is configured to be able to execute a reserved notice effect as an entertainment effect in the normal state or the special probability state. In this reserved notice effect, the reserved symbol that executes the notice can be selected by the player by operating the frame button 22.

Here, there are known gaming machines such as pachinko machines that can execute a reserved preview effect that shows the expectation of a reserved variable display. In such conventional gaming machines, the color and shape of the reserved symbol are changed to suggest the expectation of a jackpot in the variable display corresponding to the reserved symbol, thereby making it possible to increase the player's sense of expectation before the variable display begins.

However, in such conventional gaming machines, when a reserved ball advance notice effect occurs, there is a risk that it may be difficult for the player to feel a sense of anticipation for reserved balls that are not the subject of the reserved ball advance notice. This is because the reserved ball advance notice effect is usually set for reserved balls that correspond to reserved balls with high anticipation.

In contrast, in the fourth control example, the range of reserved symbols for which the reserved notice performance is executed can be specified. Also, the proportion of reserved notice performance executed is higher when the reserved ball with a high expectation of a jackpot is included. This allows the player to have hope that the reserved ball corresponding to the reserved symbol outside the specified range will be a jackpot when the reserved notice performance is not set for the reserved symbol in the specified range or when a reserved notice performance with a low expectation is executed. Therefore, when a reserved notice performance with a high expectation occurs in the selection range, the player has hope that the reserved ball corresponding to the reserved symbol for which the reserved notice has occurred will be a jackpot, and when a reserved notice with a low expectation does not occur or a reserved notice with a low expectation occurs, the player has hope that the reserved ball outside the selection range will be a jackpot. This is an innovative performance that can be provided.

In addition, in this fourth control example, as one type of press-add effect that is executed in the potential state, an effect is provided that adds to the remaining number of times in the potential state that is displayed in the remaining number of times display area D1 depending on the timing at which the player presses the frame button 22.

Some gaming machines, such as pachinko machines, have operating means such as operating buttons that can be operated by the player, and can execute operation effects that encourage the player to operate the operating means as a type of entertainment effect. In these conventional gaming machines, the player's interest is increased by operating the operation buttons to generate special effects that are different from normal effects or to notify the player of a win.

However, in such conventional gaming machines, the operation presentation is executed as part of the presentation that notifies the result of a predetermined winning lottery, so the result of the player's operation on the frame button is unrelated to the result of the presentation (whether or not a winning lottery is notified). This poses the problem that it is difficult to increase the player's motivation to participate in the operation presentation.

In contrast to this, the fourth control example provides for cases where a difference occurs between the actual remaining number in the potential state and the remaining number on display. When the press-add effect is executed, a different add-on value is displayed depending on the timing at which the player presses the frame button 22, so long as the remaining number on display does not exceed the actual remaining number. This allows the remaining number of add-ons displayed to be varied depending on the timing of the player's operation, making it possible to encourage the player to participate more actively in the add-on effect (by pressing the frame button 22 at the right time). This can increase the player's motivation to participate in the game.

Furthermore, in this fourth control example, a case is provided in which the remaining number of times in the potential state is set to a non-display mode in which the number of times the potential state remains is not displayed, and if the actual remaining number of times in the potential state is within a predetermined number (5 times) and a jackpot is won with the second special symbol (the potential state is newly set to 120 times), a special additional performance that differs from the normal additional performance can be executed.

Here, some gaming machines such as pachinko machines set an advantageous state that is more advantageous than the normal state for a predetermined number of draws based on a predetermined trigger such as a win. In such conventional gaming machines, when a player enters an advantageous state, the machine executes a presentation that makes it difficult to know how long the advantageous state will continue, thereby creating anticipation that the advantageous state will continue for a longer period, thereby increasing interest.

However, in such conventional gaming machines, when a certain trigger such as a win occurs during an advantageous state and the advantageous state is reset (overwritten), it may be unclear at what stage of the advantageous state the advantageous state was reset, which may cause discomfort to the player.

In contrast to this, in this fourth control example, a special additional effect is provided that is executed only when the remaining number of potential hits is within 5 and a jackpot is reached, so that a player who sees the special additional effect can be made to clearly recognize that the potential hit state has been added just before the end of the potential hit state. This allows a player who realizes that they have won a jackpot at the right time to feel even greater joy. Also, because the remaining number of potential hits at the time of the jackpot is made clear, it is possible to prevent players from feeling uncomfortable.

In the fourth control example, the special add-on effect is executed only when the non-display mode is set, but this is not limited to the above. Even if the remaining number of times is displayed in the remaining number of times display area D1, if the actual remaining number of times in the potential state (the value stored in the remaining number of times of the potential change area 223o) is 5 times or less, a configuration may be used in which a special add-on effect different from the normal one is executed. As described above, in the fourth control example, there may be a difference between the remaining number of times in the potential state displayed and the actual remaining number of times in the potential state. In other words, even if the remaining number of times displayed is 5 times or less, it is difficult for the player to determine whether the actual remaining number of times is 5 times or less. Therefore, even if a jackpot is hit in a situation where the remaining number of times displayed is 5 times or less and the remaining number of times displayed is added, it is unclear whether the actual remaining number of times was also 5 times or less (i.e., the potential state is about to end) or whether the actual remaining number of times was sufficient, which may cause discomfort to the player. In contrast, if the actual remaining number of times is within 5 times, the special additional effect is executed regardless of whether the non-display mode is set, so that if a jackpot is won just before the end of the potential state, the player can be made to recognize that fact. This makes it possible to more reliably prevent (suppress) the player from feeling uncomfortable. The special additional effect may be configured to have a different effect depending on whether the non-display mode is set. That is, if the non-display mode is not set, for example, an effect may be executed in which the sprinting character 811 becomes giant and 100 times is added to the remaining number of times displayed in the remaining number display area D1. By executing different special additional effects depending on whether the non-display mode is set, it is possible to execute an effect with a more natural flow in each display mode. In addition, the effect mode can be diversified.

In this fourth control example, the hold preview performance is configured to notify whether the egg symbol will move to house Ds1c by encouraging the player to repeatedly tap the frame button 22, but this is not limited to the above. For example, the performance of moving to house Ds1c may be omitted, and a performance in which a super reach is confirmed if an egg is broken by repeated taps may be executed. In other words, a single successive tap by the player may be configured to notify all egg symbols at once whether or not they will progress to a super reach. This configuration allows for a more easily understandable performance.

In the fourth control example, when the reserved notice performance occurs and the player does not operate (press) the frame button 22, the range of reserved symbols for the reserved notice is automatically determined, but this is not limited to the above. For example, if the player does not operate (press) the frame button 22 within a predetermined period (for example, within 2 seconds) from the occurrence of the reserved notice performance, the reserved notice performance itself may be terminated. By configuring in this way, it is possible to meet the needs of players who do not want to see the reserved notice performance (who simply want to enjoy the variable display). In other words, if the reserved notice performance suggests the expectation of a jackpot, there is a risk that the player will not be able to enjoy the variable display corresponding to the reserved ball with a low expectation. Therefore, by configuring the player to be able to select not only the range of reserved symbols for which the reserved notice performance is executed, but also whether or not the reserved notice performance itself is executed, it is possible to create a sense of expectation in the variable display corresponding to each reserved symbol. Therefore, it is possible to widely meet the needs of each player.

In the fourth control example, the expected degree of each reserved pattern is suggested by whether the reserved pattern lays an egg and whether the egg breaks, but the manner of the reserved notice performance is not limited to this. It is sufficient that the reserved pattern can be changed to a different manner according to the expected degree of the corresponding reserved ball, and for example, the color of the reserved pattern in the range selected by the player may be changed according to the expected degree. More specifically, for example, the expected degree increases in the order of white → blue → yellow → green → red → rainbow. Then, when the player selects a reserved pattern that causes the reserved notice performance, the reserved pattern in the selected range is changed to white. Then, when the player hits the frame button 22 repeatedly, the color of each reserved pattern may be changed. In this case, the extent to which the color changes according to the number of hits for each reserved pattern may be determined in advance at the start of the reserved notice or when the player selects the reserved pattern. Specifically, for example, when reserved symbols corresponding to reserved balls with a variation pattern of short miss, normal miss, and super reach A are selected, the reserved symbols corresponding to short miss may be set not to change from white to other colors, the reserved symbols corresponding to normal miss may be set to change up to yellow depending on the number of consecutive hits (changing in the order white → blue → yellow), and the reserved symbols corresponding to super reach A may be set to change up to rainbow colors depending on the number of consecutive hits (changing in the order white → blue → yellow → green → red → rainbow). By configuring in this way, it is possible to make the player actively hit the buttons repeatedly in anticipation of how far each reserved symbol will change. This can increase the player's motivation to participate.

<First Modification of First Control Example>
Next, a pachinko machine 10 in a first modified example of the first control example will be described with reference to Figures 326 to 331. In the above-mentioned first control example, when a lottery for the second special symbol is executed in the potential winning state, the same variable time (0.5 seconds) is set regardless of the lottery result for the second special symbol. This is a configuration for improving the efficiency of play in the potential winning state.

In contrast to this, in this first modified example, the variation time of the second special symbol is varied depending on the number of remaining occurrences of the potential state. In the first half of the potential state, a relatively short variation time is likely to be set, and in the second half, a relatively long variation time is likely to be set. As a result, in the first half of the potential state, the interval between small wins or big wins is short, making it possible to increase the number of prize balls in a relatively short time, while in the second half of the potential state, the interval between small wins or big wins is long, making it possible to increase the amount of prize balls relatively gradually. This allows for fluctuations in the way the prize balls increase, which in turn allows for more variation in the balls dispensed. This makes it possible to prevent (suppress) play in the potential state from becoming monotonous.

The first modified example of the first control example differs in configuration from the first control example described above in that the configuration of RAM 202 and RAM 203 provided in the main control device 110 has been partially changed, and some of the processing executed by MPU 201 of the main control device 110 has been changed. The other configurations, other processing executed by MPU 201 of the main control device 110, various processing executed by MPU 221 of the audio lamp control device 113, and various processing executed by MPU 231 of the display control device 114 are the same as those of the pachinko machine 10 in the first control example. Hereinafter, elements that are the same as those in the first control example are given the same reference numerals, and illustrations and explanations thereof will be omitted.

<Regarding the electrical configuration in the first modified example of the first control example>
First, the electrical configuration in the first modified example of the first control example will be described with reference to Figures 326 to 328. Figure 327(a) is a block diagram showing the configuration of the ROM 202 of the main control device 110 in the first modified example of the first control example. As shown in Figure 326(a), the ROM 202 of the main control device 110 in this first modified example is different from the configuration of the ROM 202 in the first control example (see Figure 191) in that a fluctuation pattern scenario table 202ea is added. In addition, in this modified example, the contents of the fluctuation pattern selection table 202f are partially changed.

First, referring to FIG. 326(b), the variation pattern selection table 202f in this first modified example will be described. FIG. 326(b) is a diagram showing the configuration of the variation pattern selection table 202f in this control example. As shown in FIG. 326(b), the variation pattern selection table 202f in this first modified example is provided with a table 202f4a for potential confirmation (first half) and a table 202f4b for potential confirmation (second half) instead of the table 202f4 for potential confirmation provided in the variation pattern selection table 202f in the first control example (see FIG. 194).

The potential winning (first half) table 202f4a is a table referenced to select a variation pattern in the potential winning state (when the 1st to 50th special symbol drawings have been performed), and the potential winning (second half) table 202f4b is a table referenced in the potential winning state (when the 51st to 120th special symbol drawings have been performed). The potential winning (second half) table 202f4b will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 327(a). Note that the contents of the potential winning (first half) table 202f4a are the same as those of the potential winning table 202f4 in the first control example (see FIG. 196(b)), and a variation time of 0.5 seconds is selected regardless of the result of the drawing of the second special symbol. For this reason, a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

Figure 327 (b) is a diagram showing the stipulated contents of the latent confirmation table 202f4b. Of these, the stipulated contents for the drawing of the first special symbol are the same as those for the latent confirmation table 202f4a (and the latent confirmation table 202f4 in the first control example), so detailed explanations are omitted. In addition, for the drawing of the second special symbol, a 2-second fluctuation time is selected regardless of the drawing result. That is, if the drawing of the second special symbol results in a big win, a winning short fluctuation (2 seconds) is selected in the entire range (0 to 198) of the values that the fluctuation type counter CS1 can take, if the drawing of the second special symbol results in a small win, a small winning short fluctuation (2 seconds) is selected in the entire range (0 to 198) of the values that the fluctuation type counter CS1 can take, and if the drawing of the second special symbol results in a loss, a losing short fluctuation (2 seconds) is selected in the entire range (0 to 198) of the values that the fluctuation type counter CS1 can take.

In this way, when the potential probability (second half) table 202f4b is referenced, the fluctuation time is longer (0.5 seconds → 2 seconds) than when the potential probability (first half) table 202f4a is referenced, and the interval between small wins and big wins can be lengthened in the second half of the potential probability state (51st to 120th times). Therefore, in the first half of the potential probability state, the number of balls held is more likely to increase, and in the second half, the increase in the number of balls held becomes more gradual, so that the increase in the number of balls held can be made more variable, and it is possible to prevent (suppress) the game from becoming monotonous.

Next, the details of the variation pattern scenario table 202ea will be described with reference to FIG. 327(b). This variation pattern scenario table 202ea is a table that specifies the number of times a special symbol will be drawn after the end of a big win, in association with a table for selecting a variation pattern. When selecting a variation pattern, the table for selecting the variation pattern is identified from this variation pattern scenario table 202ea.

As shown in FIG. 327(b), when the normal state is set as the game state after a jackpot, the normal table A202f1 is associated as the variation pattern selection table, regardless of the number of times the special symbol is drawn after the jackpot in which the normal state is set ends. Therefore, when the normal state is set after a jackpot, the normal table A202f1 is always referenced to determine the variation pattern.

As shown in FIG. 327(b), when the high probability state is set as the game state after the jackpot, the high probability table 202f3 is associated with the number of times the special symbol is drawn after the jackpot ends, which is in the range of 1 to 120, and the normal table A202f1 is associated with the number of times the special symbol is drawn after 121 or more. Therefore, when the number of times the special symbol is drawn is 120 or less, the high probability table 202f3 is referenced as a table for selecting the variation pattern selection table, and when it is 121 or more, the normal table A202f1 is referenced.

As shown in FIG. 327(b), when the potential state is set as the game state after the jackpot, the potential (first half) table 202f4a is defined in association with the number of draws after the jackpot ranging from 1 to 50, the potential (second half) table 202f4b is defined in association with the number of draws for the special symbol ranging from 51 to 120, the normal table B 202f2 is defined in association with the range of 121 and 122, and the normal table A 202f1 is defined in association with 123 and onward.

As a result, in the first half of the potential state, the fluctuation pattern can be determined by referring to the potential (first half) table 202f4a, in which a short fluctuation time is likely to be determined, and the interval between small wins and big wins can be shortened. Therefore, the speed at which the number of prize balls increases can be improved in the first half of the potential state. On the other hand, in the second half of the potential state, the fluctuation pattern can be determined by referring to the potential (second half) table 202f4b, in which a long fluctuation time is unlikely to be determined, and the interval between small wins and big wins becomes longer. Therefore, the speed at which the number of prize balls increases can be slowed down in the second half of the potential state, and the degree to which the number of prize balls increases can be varied. Therefore, it is possible to prevent (suppress) the game from becoming monotonous during the potential state.

In addition, after the potential state ends, in the two special symbol lotteries, the variation pattern can be selected by referring to the normal table B202f2, so as with the first control example, sufficient presentation time can be secured to display the results of the potential state. Furthermore, if the number of times the special symbol has been lottery-drawn exceeds 123 times, the normal table A202f1 is referenced.

Next, the configuration of the RAM 203 of the main control device 110 in this first modified example will be described with reference to FIG. 328. FIG. 328 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the RAM 203. As shown in FIG. 328, the RAM 203 in this first modified example differs from the configuration of the RAM 203 in the first control example (see FIG. 198) in that a scenario storage area 203ea and a lottery number counter 203eb have been added.

The scenario storage area 203ea is a memory area for storing a scenario corresponding to the game state after a jackpot, among the various scenarios defined in the variation pattern scenario table 202ea. This scenario storage area 203ea stores a variation pattern scenario corresponding to the game state after a jackpot at the end of the jackpot (see S2351 in FIG. 331). At the start of variation, a variation pattern selection table for selecting a variation pattern is determined by referring to the scenario stored in this scenario storage area 203ea.

The lottery count counter 203eb is a counter for counting the number of times a special symbol has been drawn after the big win has ended. When selecting a variation pattern selection table from the scenario storage area 203ea, the number of times the special symbol has been drawn is determined by the value of this lottery count counter 203eb, and a variation pattern selection table is selected.

<Regarding control process of main control device in first modified example of first control example>
Next, various control processes executed by the MPU 201 of the main control device 110 in the first modified example of the first control example will be described with reference to Fig. 329 to Fig. 331. First, the first special symbol variation pattern selection process 5 (see Fig. 329) executed in this first modified example instead of the first special symbol variation pattern selection process (see Fig. 212) in the first control example will be described with reference to Fig. 329.

In the first special symbol variation pattern selection process 5 (see FIG. 330) in this first modified example, the same processes as those in S501 to S503 and S505 to S508 in the first special symbol variation pattern selection process (see FIG. 212) in the first control example are executed in steps S501 to S503 and S505 to S508, respectively. In the first special symbol variation pattern selection process 5 (see FIG. 329) in this modified example, when the process of S503 is completed, the variation pattern selection table corresponding to the value of the lottery count counter 203eb is read from the scenario storage area 203ea (S551), and the process proceeds to S505. The variation pattern selection table read here is used to select a variation pattern in the process of S505. Although not shown in the figure, the same process as S551 is executed in the second special symbol variation pattern selection process when the variation pattern selection table is read, and the table is determined.

Next, referring to FIG. 330, game status update process 5 (see FIG. 330) executed in this first modified example in place of the game status update process (see FIG. 213) in the first control example will be described. In game status update process 5 (see FIG. 330) in the first modified example of this first control example, each of the processes S601 to S608 is the same as each of the processes S601 to S608 in the game status update process (see FIG. 213) in the first control example.

In addition, in game status update process 5 (see FIG. 330) in this first modified example, after processing of S608, the value of the lottery count counter 203eb is updated by adding 1 to it (S651), and this process is terminated. In game status update process 5 (see FIG. 330), by updating the value of the lottery count counter 203eb every time, it is possible to make the value of the lottery count counter 203eb always match the number of times a special symbol has been drawn after a jackpot.

Next, referring to FIG. 331, we will explain jackpot end process 5 (see FIG. 331) that is executed in this first modified example instead of the jackpot end process (see FIG. 230) in the first control example. In this jackpot end process 5 (see FIG. 331), each of the processes S2301 to S2308 is the same as each of the processes S2301 to S2308 in the jackpot control process (see FIG. 230) in the first control example.

In addition, in the jackpot control process 5 (see FIG. 331) in this first modified example, when the process of S2308 is completed, the variation pattern scenario corresponding to the game state set in the processes of S2302 to S2306 is read from the variation pattern scenario table 202ea and set in the scenario storage area 203ea (S2351). Next, the value of the lottery number counter 203eb is reset to 0 (S2352), and this process is terminated. This jackpot end process 5 (see FIG. 331) makes it possible to set an appropriate variation pattern scenario according to the game state after the jackpot ends.

As described above, in the pachinko machine 10 in the modified example of the first control example, the variation pattern selection table referenced to select the variation pattern is switched depending on whether it is the first half of the potential state (the number of lotteries after the big win is 1 to 50) or the second half (the number of lotteries after the big win is 51 to 120). The variation pattern with a longer variation time is more likely to be selected in the second half of the potential state than in the first half of the potential state. This makes it possible to make the intervals at which a small win or a big win occurs different between the first half and the second half of the potential state, and to increase the possibility of a small win or a big win occurring at a shorter interval in the first half. That is, in the first half of the potential state, the increase speed of the prize balls can be increased, and in the second half, the increase speed of the prize balls can be made relatively slow. Therefore, since the increase speed of the prize balls can be varied, it is possible to add fluctuations to the increase in the prize balls. Therefore, it is possible to prevent (suppress) the game during the potential state from becoming monotonous. In addition, since the increase speed of the prize balls is faster in the first half of the potential state, it is possible to increase the player's expectations for the first half of the potential state. This allows the player to win a jackpot in the first half of the potential winning state (before entering the second half), making the player want to play in the first half of the potential winning state again. This increases the player's motivation to play.

In the first modified example, a 0.5 second variable time is always set when the second special symbol is drawn in the first half of the potential state, and a 2 second variable time is always set when the second special symbol is drawn in the second half of the potential state, but this is not limited to the above. For example, a 2 second variable time may be set at a predetermined rate (e.g., 20%) even in the first half of the potential state. Similarly, a 0.5 second variable time may be set at a predetermined rate (e.g., 20%) even in the trial of the potential state. This makes it difficult to tell from the variable time whether it is the first half or second half of the potential state, so even if a 2 second variable time is set, the player can play in the hope that it is the first half.

<Second Modification of First Control Example>
Next, the pachinko machine 10 in the second modified example of the first control example will be described with reference to Fig. 332 and Fig. 333. In the above-mentioned first control example, the display contents (screen display type) to be displayed on the third pattern display device 81 are set based on the fluctuation status of the first special pattern and the second special pattern (setting status of each waiting flag) with reference to the screen display selection table 222b (see Fig. 200), and in the normal state, regardless of the fluctuation status of the second special pattern, which is a secondary fluctuation (setting status of the special pattern 2 waiting flag 223t), the demo display is executed only when the special pattern 1 waiting flag 223s, which indicates that a predetermined period has passed since the fluctuation of the first special pattern, which is the main fluctuation, stopped, is set to on, thereby ensuring the display of the main fluctuation.

Here, in the first control example described above, during the normal state, i.e., when left-handed play is being performed, the pattern indicating the result of the lottery for the second special pattern, which is a secondary variation, is displayed in a stopped state in the small area Dm1. This is because the second ball entrance 1640, where the lottery for the second special pattern is performed, is provided in the right-handed play area.

As described above, if the pattern showing the result of the lottery for the second special pattern was displayed in a stationary state in small area Dm1, when a ball entered first ball entrance 64 where the lottery for the first special pattern was carried out, there was a risk that the user would see the pattern displayed in small area Dm1, which does not start to change, and feel that the pachinko machine 10 was broken.

In response to this, the second modified example is configured to execute a sub-variation demo display (special symbol 2 demo display) in the small area Dm1 when the special symbol 2 standby flag 223t, which indicates that a predetermined period of time has passed since the variation of the second special symbol, which is a sub-variation, stopped during normal operation, is set to on. This makes it possible to prevent a situation in which the symbol indicating the lottery result of the special symbol (second special symbol) on the sub-variation side continues to be displayed in a stopped state in a pachinko machine 10 in which simultaneous variation is executed, and prevents the player from feeling uncomfortable about the content of the game.

The second modified example of the first control example differs in configuration from the first control example in that the configuration of the RAM 222 provided in the voice lamp control device 113 has been partially changed. The other configurations, the various processes executed by the MPU 201 of the main control device 110, the various processes executed by the MPU 221 of the voice lamp control device 113, and the various processes executed by the MPU 231 of the display control device 114 are the same as those of the pachinko machine 10 in the first control example. Hereinafter, the same elements as those in the first control example are given the same reference numerals, and illustrations and explanations thereof will be omitted.

First, the contents of the demo display for secondary fluctuation (demo display for second special symbol) displayed by this second modified example will be explained with reference to FIG. 332. FIG. 332 is a diagram showing an example of the demo display for secondary fluctuation (demo display for second special symbol) displayed in the small area Dm1 in the normal state (or the probability variable state).

As shown in FIG. 332, in the normal state (or the probability change state), when the first special symbol is changing and the second special symbol has not changed for a predetermined period (30 seconds in this modified example), instead of the stop display (see FIG. 182) showing the lottery result of the second special symbol in the small area Dm1, the word "playing" is displayed as a secondary change demo display indicating that the first special symbol is changing. In this way, by displaying a symbol other than the symbol showing the lottery result of the second special symbol in the small area Dm1 as a secondary change demo display, it is possible to prevent the player from feeling uncomfortable due to the continuous display of a symbol that is not changing (the second special symbol) even though the game is being played (even though a left-handed play is being played and the ball has entered the first ball entrance 64).

Furthermore, the content of the demo display for the secondary variation (demo display for the second special symbol) is configured to be configurable based on the variation status of the first special symbol (setting status of the special symbol 1 waiting flag 223s). As shown in FIG. 332, when the first special symbol is varying (when the special symbol 1 waiting flag 223s is set to off), the content is displayed to the effect that the first special symbol, which is the primary variation, is varying, so that a display mode that is easy for the player to understand can be provided.

<Regarding the electrical configuration in the second modified example of the first control example>
With reference to FIG. 333, the electrical configuration in the second modified example of the first control example will be described. FIG. 333 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the screen display selection 3 table 222b in the second modified example of the first control example. As shown in FIG. 333, the screen display selection 3 table 222b in this second modified example is different from the screen display selection table 222b (see FIG. 200) in the first control example in that the game state is normal or variable, the special chart 1 waiting flag 223s is set to off, and the special chart 2 waiting flag 223t is set to on, and the screen display type is changed. The other configurations are the same as those of the first control example described above, so detailed description thereof will be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 333, when the game state is normal or high probability, the special symbol 1 waiting flag 223s is set to off, and the special symbol 2 waiting flag 223t is set to on, a "special symbol 2 demo display" is defined as the screen display type. This "special symbol 2 demo display" is a screen display type in which the "playing" display (see FIG. 332) is executed with the small area Dm of the third symbol display device 81 as the demo display area for the second special symbol.

As explained above, in the second modified example, in a pachinko machine 10 in which two types of special symbols are changed at the same time, one of the two types of special symbols (a special symbol that is advantageous to the player) is changed and displayed as a main change using most of the third symbol display device 81, and the other special symbol (a special symbol that is less advantageous to the player than the main change) is changed and displayed as a secondary change using a part of the third symbol display device 81 (an area smaller than the display area in which the change display of the main change is executed). Since the configuration is such that a demo display corresponding to the secondary change can be executed in the area in which the change display of the secondary change is executed (secondary change display area), it is possible to prevent a situation in which the symbol indicating the lottery result of the secondary change is displayed stationary for a long period of time (30 seconds or more), and it is possible to suppress a feeling of discomfort to the player. In addition, it is possible to make the player focus on the change display (presentation display) corresponding to the main change displayed on the third symbol display device 81. It is possible to provide the player with an easy-to-understand presentation.

Furthermore, by setting the content of the demo display executed for the secondary change (second special symbol) based on the change status of the main change (first special symbol), it is possible to inform the player of the change status of the main change (first special symbol) using the area (secondary change display area) where the secondary change (second special symbol) is displayed. Therefore, when the demo display is executed in the secondary change area, it is possible to execute a display related to the main change using all (almost all) of the third pattern display device 81, and to provide the player with an easy-to-understand presentation.

In addition, in this second modified example, a demo display for the second special pattern is executed in place of the stopping pattern that indicates the lottery result of the second special pattern, which is the secondary variation, but other configurations may be used. For example, the stopping pattern that indicates the lottery result of the second special pattern may be displayed in a reduced size, and the demo display for the second special pattern may be executed in the empty space in the secondary variation display area, or a configuration may be used in which the demo display for the second special pattern is executed in an area different from the secondary variation display area.

In addition, in this second modified example, the configuration of the demo display for the second special symbol (secondary change demo display) in the normal state or the probability change state in which the first special symbol is the main change and the second special symbol is the secondary change is explained, but for example, a similar configuration can be used in the potential change state in which the second special symbol is the main change and the first special symbol is the secondary change. In this case, by setting the small area Dm1 of the third symbol display area 81 as the change display area for the first special symbol and making the small area Dm1 the secondary change display area regardless of the game state, it becomes possible to standardize the display data and display control of the secondary change demo display, which has the effect of reducing the processing load of the display control on the third symbol display device 81.

<First Modification of Fourth Control Example>
Next, the first modified example in the fourth control example described above will be described with reference to Fig. 334 to Fig. 350. In the fourth control example described above, when there is a difference between the remaining number of times in the actual potential state and the remaining number of times on display, a push-up addition effect is executed in accordance with the variation effect of the special pattern as a configuration for adding and displaying the remaining number of times on display, and when the remaining number of times on display becomes 0 and the actual remaining number of times is not 0 (is 1 or more), a non-display mode (see Fig. 309 (b)) is set, and when the non-display mode is set, a jackpot occurs when the remaining number of times in the actual potential state is within a predetermined number of times (5 times), and a special addition effect is executed, and the effect of adding the remaining number of times on display is executed at various times during the potential state.

In some gaming machines, such as pachinko machines, a specific gaming state (latent state) in which the player has an advantage is executed a predetermined number of times (120 times), and there is a difference between the actual remaining number of times, which is updated and managed by the main control device 110, and the displayed remaining number of times displayed on the third pattern display device 81, making it difficult for the player to know how long the specific gaming state will continue. In such gaming machines, a performance is executed in which the displayed remaining number of times is added, and the difference between the actual remaining number of times and the displayed remaining number is converged, so that the player can play the specific gaming state without feeling uncomfortable.

In this case, possible effects that add to the remaining number of times displayed include an add-on effect (push-on add-on effect) that is executed based on the fluctuation of the special symbol as described in the fourth control example above, and an add-on effect (special add-on effect) that is executed when the remaining number of times displayed falls within a predetermined number of times. By executing various add-on effects in this way, it is possible to make it more difficult to understand the remaining number of times that a specific game state (latent state) will be executed, allowing the player to continue playing in a state of tension, and furthermore, a sense of security can be given when a large number of times are added by the add-on effect.

However, preferences for effects (add-on effects) to converge the difference between the actual remaining number and the displayed remaining number vary from player to player, and there was a risk that implementing various patterns of add-on effects would lower the motivation of players. Specifically, for players who prefer an effect in which the actual remaining number is not known until the displayed remaining number becomes low, and the actual remaining number is added when the displayed remaining number becomes low, if an add-on effect is implemented before the displayed remaining number becomes low, the difference between the displayed remaining number and the actual remaining number is reduced by the number of times added by the add-on effect, and therefore the number of times added in the effect that adds the actual remaining number when the displayed remaining number becomes low is reduced, and there was a risk that the motivation of players for the effect would decrease.

In contrast to this, in this first modified example, the player can select between a presentation mode in which a variable additional performance can be expected (additional chance mode) as the additional performance executed during the potential state, and a presentation mode in which an additional performance is executed when the remaining number of times displayed falls below a predetermined number (post-notification mode), so the player can freely set the additional performance mode he or she desires. This makes it possible to prevent a situation in which the player's motivation for the performance decreases.

Furthermore, in a gaming machine that allows the selection of the presentation mode of the added effect as described above, for example, if a first presentation mode is set in which an added effect can be executed each time a special pattern variation is executed, and the remaining number of times displayed is 3, and the second presentation mode in which the added effect is executed when the remaining number of times displayed becomes a predetermined number (e.g. 5 spins), there is a problem that the timing for executing the added effect will be missed, resulting in a reduced presentation effect.

In contrast to this, in this modified example, the presentation mode of the added effect can be selected during the jackpot game in which the actual remaining number of times is reset to 120, and further, based on the selection of the second presentation mode in which the added effect is executed when the remaining number of times displayed reaches a predetermined number (e.g. 5 spins), the remaining number of times displayed during the jackpot is set to 100.

This allows a gaming machine that allows a player to freely select the presentation mode of the added performance to execute a performance corresponding to the selected presentation mode, regardless of the timing and the presentation mode selected.

The first modified example of the fourth control example differs in configuration from the fourth control example in that the configuration of the ROM 222 and RAM 223 provided in the voice lamp control device 113 has been partially changed, the content of some of the processes executed by the MPU 221 of the voice lamp control device 113 has been changed, and the content of some of the processes executed by the MPU 231 of the display control device 114 has been changed. The other configurations, the various processes executed by the MPU 201 of the main control device 110, the other processes executed by the MPU 221 of the voice lamp control device 113, and the other processes executed by the MPU 231 of the display control device 114 are the same as those of the pachinko machine 10 in the fourth control example. Hereinafter, the same elements as those in the fourth control example are given the same reference numerals, and illustrations and explanations thereof will be omitted.

Here, the content of the effect display executed by this first modified example will be explained with reference to Figures 334 to 337. In this first modified example, the effect display executed by the third pattern display device 81 is set to a variation pattern (scroll change effect) in which some of the patterns move vertically after the horizontally moving pattern variation display stops (temporarily stops) (after a missed reach) (see Figures 334 and 335). Furthermore, if a jackpot G is won during the potential state, multiple effect modes in which different additional effect patterns are executed during the jackpot game can be selected (see Figures 336 and 337).

First, the contents of the scroll change performance will be described with reference to Fig. 334 and Fig. 335. Fig. 334(a) is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the reach (first reach mode) in which the pattern moves horizontally has stopped (temporarily stopped) due to a miss, Fig. 334(b) is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the first reach mode has stopped (temporarily stopped) due to a miss and is displayed in a suggestive mode suggesting that some of the patterns will move vertically, Fig. 335(a) is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the reach (second reach mode) in which the pattern moves vertically is executed, and Fig. 335(b) is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the second reach mode has stopped with a winning pattern. Note that the reach (first reach mode) in which the pattern moves horizontally is the same as the fourth control example described above, so a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 334(a), in this first modified example, the display area of the third pattern display device 81 is divided into a left display area Dz1 and a right display area Dz2 and is configured to be controllable. During normal pattern change display (horizontal pattern change display), the display control of the left display area Dz1 and the right display area Dz2 is executed collectively to execute a change display for the entire display area of the third pattern display device 81. When a special pattern change display (vertical pattern change display) different from the normal one is executed, control is executed to update only the display data of the area that is subject to the vertical pattern change (left display area Dz1 and right display area Dz2). This allows the appropriate pattern display performance to be executed simply by updating the display data of the area suitable for the pattern change display, thereby reducing the processing load of the control related to the pattern change processing.

In this Figure 334(a), the symbol strings L1 and L3 are first displayed as stopped symbols (first reach mode), and as a result, the symbol string L2 is displayed as stopped symbols one frame away (one frame away in the positive direction) from the symbol combination that is displayed as stopped symbols when the result of the special symbol lottery is a winning combination (a symbol combination in which symbols showing the same number are displayed as stopped symbols in a straight line).

After that, among the symbols (symbol row L1 is a symbol imitating a "lion", symbol row L2 is a secondary symbol, and symbol row L3 is a symbol imitating a "snake") stopped and displayed in the left display area Dz1, the symbol imitating a character is displayed in a movement direction suggestive manner indicating an action suggesting a vertical (downward) movement, and a vertical (downward) symbol row is displayed in the left display area Dz1. Specifically, the secondary symbol is displayed above the symbol row L1 displayed in the left display area Dz1, and the secondary symbol is displayed below the symbol row L3 displayed in the left display area Dz1, thereby displaying a vertical symbol row (a symbol row displayed in the order of the secondary symbol, the symbol imitating a "lion", the secondary symbol, the symbol imitating a "snake", and the secondary symbol from the top) in the left display area Dz1 (see FIG. 334(b)).

This makes it possible to suggest that each symbol displayed in the left display area Dz1 will fluctuate vertically, and to execute an effect that gives the player a sense of anticipation. Furthermore, in this first modified example, simply by executing the process of changing the display content in the left display area Dz1 (i.e., changing the display mode of each symbol displayed in a stopped state in the left display area Dz1, and adding new symbols to the left display area Dz1 to additionally display a vertical row of symbols), it is possible to suggest that a reach in which symbols fluctuate vertically (second reach mode) will be executed in the future, thereby reducing the processing load of the control related to the symbol fluctuating process.

In addition, instead of using the configuration of this first modified example, a configuration may be used in which the display mode of the symbols displayed as stopped (provisionally stopped) in the right display area Dz2 is changed to suggest that the second reach mode will be executed. This makes it possible to execute a suggestive performance using the entire third symbol display device 81, thereby making it possible to provide an easy-to-understand notification to the player.

When the second reach mode (a reach where the pattern changes vertically) is executed, as shown in FIG. 335(a), the pattern row L5 formed in the left display area Dz1 changes vertically (downward), and a special double reach mode is executed in which the main pattern (main pattern imitating an elephant) with the number "1" attached to the active line V5 or active line V6 is displayed as a stopped pattern indicating a jackpot, as the second reach mode. In this way, by combining the normal horizontal reach mode (first reach mode) and the vertical reach mode (second reach mode), it is possible to easily execute a pattern change display that is more complex than the change display of the pattern row (L1 to L3) in a single direction. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 335(a), it is possible to set multiple stop positions where a specific main pattern (main pattern with the number "1" attached) indicates a jackpot, and it is possible to execute an effect that enhances the expectation of a jackpot.

Then, when the execution of the second reach mode is completed and the result of the current special symbol lottery is a jackpot, a main symbol (main symbol resembling an elephant) with the number "1" is displayed stopped in a line on either the activated line V5 or V6 (see FIG. 335(b)). After that, the jackpot game is executed.

In the above display example, the display data in areas other than the left display area Dz1 is not changed from the state in which the first reach mode has stopped (temporarily stopped) (see FIG. 334(a)) to the state in which the second reach mode has stopped (temporarily stopped). However, it may be configured so that the display data corresponding to each symbol (main symbol and sub-symbol) stopped and displayed in the right display area Dz2 is not updated, and other display data (for example, the "reach" display displayed in the right display area Dz2) is updated. In this way, when the special double reach mode shown in FIG. 334(a) is executed, it is possible to update the "reach" display to a "multi-reach" display, which indicates a higher expectation of a jackpot than in the normal reach mode, thereby enhancing the presentation effect.

In addition, a display area showing the current pattern change status (the area showing "Reach" in Figure 334 (a)) may be provided within the left display area Dz1, and the content displayed may be changed appropriately depending on the pattern change status. As a result, by simply executing a process to update the display data of only a specific display area (left display area Dz1) among the display areas of the third pattern display device 81, it is possible to execute the second reach mode and execute a display according to the pattern change status, thereby reducing the processing load of the control related to the pattern change processing and executing an effect that heightens the expectation of a jackpot.

Next, referring to Fig. 336 and Fig. 337, the contents of the add-on mode selection effect for selecting the add-on effect to be executed during the potential probability state in the first modified example of the fourth control example will be described. This add-on mode selection effect is an effect for selecting the effect mode (add-on mode) of the add-on effect that adds (adds) the remaining number of times displayed in order to converge the difference between the actual remaining number of times during the potential probability state (the value of the remaining number of times of probability change area 223o) and the remaining number of times displayed (the value of the effect probability change counter 223p), and is an effect in which the player can select any effect mode (add-on mode) from an effect mode (add-on chance mode) in which it is determined whether or not to execute the add-on effect each time the variation of the special pattern starts, and an effect mode (post-notification mode) in which the add-on effect is executed when the remaining number of times displayed becomes a predetermined number.

This allows players to select the presentation mode that will execute the added effects that suit their preferences, preventing players from losing motivation due to unintended added effects being executed.

First, the display contents of the added mode selection effect in this first modified example will be described with reference to FIG. 336(a). FIG. 336(a) is a schematic diagram showing an example of the display contents of the added mode selection effect. As shown in FIG. 336(a), in this first modified example, the added mode selection effect is executed during jackpot play when a jackpot G is won during the potential state.

When the top-up mode selection effect is executed, the remaining number of times (remaining number of times of the effect) displayed when the jackpot G is won is continuously displayed in the remaining number of times display area D1 of the main display area Dm of the third pattern display area 81. This allows the remaining number of times displayed to be easily confirmed even during the jackpot game. Note that the main control device 110 clears (sets to 0) the value of the special chance counter 203k when the jackpot game is executed, but by storing (setting) the remaining number of times displayed (remaining number of times of the effect special chance) in the special chance number area 223p of the sound lamp control device 113, it is possible to continuously display the remaining number of times displayed even during the jackpot game.

Then, in the central area of the main display area Dm, a button D6a with the word "push" written on it is displayed, which encourages the player to operate (press) the frame button 22, and on either side of it, a first selectable display D6b with "add-on chance mode" written on it and a second selectable display D6c with "post-notification mode" written on it are displayed, and a selection display D6d is displayed that moves at a predetermined interval between a first selection position for selecting the first selectable display D6b and a second selection position for selecting the second selectable display D6c. In the display area D4, a display explaining the content of the add-on mode selection performance is displayed as a caption, and in FIG. 336(a), the description "Please select your favorite mode with the button" is displayed. In addition, on the left side of the sub-display area Ds, the add-on performance mode (add-on mode) that was selected when the jackpot was won is displayed, so that the player can easily understand which add-on performance mode was selected.

During this add-on mode selection presentation, the specified add-on mode is set by operating (pressing) the frame button 22 while the selection display D6d specifies the desired add-on mode.

In FIG. 336(a), when the add-on chance mode (first selected display D6b) is selected, the words "RUSH CONTINUED" are displayed to inform the player that the potential winning state will continue, as shown in FIG. 336(b), and a character 811 is displayed in a display mode that congratulates the player on the continuation of the potential winning state. In this case, since the add-on performance mode is not changed in the add-on mode selection performance (because the mode is "add-on chance mode" when the jackpot is won, and then "add-on chance mode" after the add-on mode selection performance), the remaining number of times display area D1 continues to display "3 times remaining," the same as when the jackpot was won. This allows the potential winning state to be resumed in the same situation (remaining number of times displayed) as when the jackpot was won, so the player can play during the potential winning state without feeling uncomfortable.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 336(b), the add-on mode selected in the add-on mode selection display is displayed on the right side of the secondary display area Ds. This allows the user to easily understand both the add-on mode during a jackpot and the add-on mode after the add-on mode selection display by looking at the display contents of the secondary display area Ds.

On the other hand, in FIG. 336(a), when the post-notification mode (second selected display D6c) is selected, as shown in FIG. 337, an additional display of "+97" is executed so that the remaining number of times display area D1 indicates 100 times. Apart from that, the same content as that described in FIG. 336(b) is displayed. Note that the same symbols are used for the same parts and detailed explanations are omitted. In this way, when the additional mode at the time of winning the jackpot and the additional mode selected in the additional mode selection presentation are different, by making the remaining number of times display area D1 100 times, it is possible to execute the additional presentation smoothly and without discomfort in the newly executed additional mode, thereby enhancing the presentation effect.

Specifically, as shown in FIG. 336(a), when a jackpot game based on a jackpot G is executed with the remaining number of times display area D1 showing "3 times", if the add-on mode is changed from the add-on chance mode to the post-notification mode in the add-on mode selection performance during the jackpot game, if the number of times displayed in the remaining number of times display area D1 is left as "3 times", there is a risk that the opportunity to execute the add-on performance in the post-notification mode (the number of times displayed in the remaining number of times display area D1 is within "5 times") will be lost, and there is a problem that the player cannot be provided with a suitable performance. However, as in this first modified example, by making the number of times displayed in the remaining number of times display area D1 100 times when the add-on mode is changed, it is possible to reliably secure the opportunity to execute the add-on performance in the post-notification mode (the number of times displayed in the remaining number of times display area D1 is within "5 times").

In addition, in this first modified example, since it is configured so that whether or not a potential state will be granted after the end of the jackpot game is determined in the seventh round of the jackpot game (since it is configured so that a potential state will be granted if the ball passes through the V-passing switch 65e3 (see FIG. 179) in the seventh round), the above-mentioned additional performance mode selection performance is configured to be executed from the eighth round during the jackpot game. As a result, since it is possible to execute the performance to select the additional mode in a state where it is confirmed that the actual remaining number of times will be reset to 120 times, if the ball does not pass through the V-passing switch 65e3 during the jackpot and a potential state is not granted after the end of the jackpot, the jackpot game can be ended without executing the additional performance mode selection performance.

<Electrical configuration in the first modified example of the fourth control example>
Next, the electrical configuration of the pachinko machine 10 in the first modified example of the fourth control example will be described with reference to Fig. 338 and Fig. 339. First, Fig. 338 is a schematic diagram showing the contents of the second normal table A202ff1 provided in the ROM 202 of the main control device 110 in the first modified example of the fourth control example. As shown in Fig. 338, the second normal table A202ff1 is different from the normal table 202f1 (see Fig. 195) used in the above-mentioned fourth control example in that a part of the prescribed variation pattern is changed. Since the other configurations are the same, detailed description thereof will be omitted.

Here, among the variation patterns defined in the second normal table A202ff1, the variation patterns changed from the normal table A202f1 will be explained. In the first modified example of this fourth control example, a scroll variation effect (see Figures 334 and 335) is executed as the variation pattern of the special symbol. Specifically, when the lottery for the first special symbol results in a jackpot, the value of the variation type counter CS1 falls in the range of "101 to 150" and corresponds to Super Reach D (30 seconds), and when it falls in the range of "151 to 198", corresponds to Super Reach E (30 seconds).

Furthermore, if the lottery for the first special symbol is a miss and the number of reserved balls is 0 or 1, the value of the fluctuation type counter CS1 falls outside the range of "71 to 150" and is associated with normal reach B (20 seconds), and if it falls outside the range of "171 to 198" and is associated with super reach C (30 seconds). Furthermore, if the lottery for the first special symbol is a miss and the number of reserved balls is 2 or 3, the value of the fluctuation type counter CS1 falls outside the range of "131 to 170" and is associated with normal reach B (20 seconds), and if it falls outside the range of "186 to 198" and is associated with super reach C (30 seconds).

When the winning super reach D (30 seconds) is set as the variation pattern, a reach effect (first reach mode) (see FIG. 183(b)) in which the third symbol moves horizontally is executed for the first 17 seconds, and a mode indicating a miss of the first reach mode (a mode in which the symbol row L2 is shifted by plus one frame) is displayed as a stopped display (provisional stopped display) (see FIG. 334(a)). After that, a suggestive effect suggesting a scroll change effect is executed for the suggested performance period of three seconds (FIG. 334(b)), and after the suggested performance period has passed, a reach effect (second reach mode) in which the third symbol moves vertically is executed for 10 seconds (see FIG. 335(a)). Then, the third symbol is displayed as a stopped combination indicating a win (see FIG. 335(b)).

When the winning super reach E (30 seconds) is set as the variation pattern, a reach effect (first reach mode) (see FIG. 183(b)) in which the third symbol moves horizontally is executed for the first 17 seconds, and the first reach mode is displayed as a stop (temporary stop) in a mode indicating a miss (a mode in which the symbol row L2 is shifted by plus one frame) (see FIG. 334(a)). After that, a suggestive effect suggesting a scroll change effect is executed for the suggestive effect period of three seconds (FIG. 334(b)), and after the suggestive effect period has passed, a reach effect (third reach mode) in which the third symbol moves horizontally is executed for 10 seconds. The third symbol is then displayed as a stop in a combination indicating a win.

When the variation pattern is set to Miss Normal Reach B (20 seconds), a reach effect (first reach mode) (see FIG. 183(b)) in which the third symbol moves horizontally is executed for the first 17 seconds, and the first reach mode is displayed as a stop (provisional stop) in a mode indicating a miss (a mode in which the symbol row L2 is shifted by plus one frame) (see FIG. 334(a)). After that, a suggestive effect suggesting a scroll change effect is executed for the suggestive effect period of three seconds (FIG. 334(b)), after which the third symbol is displayed as a stop in a combination indicating a miss.

When Miss Super Reach C (30 seconds) is set as the variation pattern, a reach effect (first reach mode) (see FIG. 183(b)) in which the third symbol moves horizontally is executed for the first 17 seconds, and the first reach mode is displayed as a stop (temporary stop) in a mode indicating a miss (a mode in which the symbol row L2 is shifted by plus one frame) (see FIG. 334(a)), after which a suggestive effect suggesting a scroll change effect is executed for the suggestive effect period of three seconds (FIG. 334(b)), and after the suggestive effect period has passed, a reach effect (third reach mode) in which the third symbol moves horizontally is executed for 10 seconds. The third symbol is then displayed as a stop in a combination indicating a miss.

As explained above, in the first modified example of the fourth control example, the scroll change presentation is configured so that, out of the 30-second change time, the first reach mode (17 seconds) and suggestion presentation (3 seconds) are executed in the first 20 seconds, and the second reach mode (10 seconds) is executed in the remaining 10 seconds. This makes it possible to execute presentations that make the player expect a win at various times during the pattern change, by combining a miss variation with a change time of 20 seconds (miss normal reach B) in which the third symbol is displayed as a missing combination after the suggestion presentation ends, or a variation in which the third reach mode (10 seconds) different from the second reach mode is executed with 10 seconds remaining (win super reach E, miss super reach C).

Specifically, while the suggestive effect is being executed, the player can play the game while hoping that the temporarily stopped third symbol will restart. In addition, in this first modified example, the expected probability of winning differs depending on the direction in which the third symbol restarts, so the player can play the game while also hoping in which direction the third symbol will restart. Note that, during the execution of this suggestive effect, as shown in FIG. 334(b), the third symbol display device 81 executes an effect (suggestive effect) that suggests whether or not the third symbol will restart, or the direction in which the third symbol will restart, so the player can play the game while predicting whether or not the third symbol will restart, or the direction in which the third symbol will restart, by checking the content of the effect executed as the suggestive effect.

In FIG. 334(b), a suggestion effect is executed in which the display form of the third pattern is changed to a display form (movement direction suggestion display form) that suggests a movement direction (downward); other suggestion effects include, for example, a display form in which the character of the third pattern faces left (direction of travel) to suggest that the third pattern will restart horizontally (to the left) (second movement direction suggestion display form), a suggestion effect in which the reserved pattern displayed on the third pattern display device 81 changes to a display form that suggests the restart direction of the third pattern, and a suggestion effect that suggests the restart direction of the third pattern using other displays displayed on the third pattern display device 81.

Furthermore, rather than suggesting the restart direction of the third symbol, a suggestive effect may be executed that simply suggests that the third symbol will restart. In this case, during the suggestive effect period, a suggestive effect that suggests that the third symbol will restart (restart suggestive effect) may be executed first, and then a suggestive effect that suggests the direction in which the third symbol will move when restarted (restart direction suggestive effect) may be executed. This makes it possible to gradually notify the player of the probability of a win, and to have the player continue to pay attention to the effect.

In addition, in this first modified example, when the third symbol restarts, it is configured to change vertically (downward) or horizontally (to the left), but the third symbol may restart in other directions. For example, a change pattern in which the third symbol restarts upwards in addition to the downward direction described above may be provided as a vertical restart. In this case, the winning expectation of the change pattern in which the third symbol restarts vertically (upward, downward) is set to be different, and a suggestion effect is provided that suggests the third symbol will restart vertically, a suggestion effect that suggests the third symbol will restart upwards, and a suggestion effect that suggests the third symbol will restart downwards, so that the player can be notified of the winning expectation in stages.

Next, the electrical configuration of the voice lamp control device 113 in the first modified example of this fourth control example will be described with reference to FIG. 339. FIG. 339(a) is a block diagram showing the configuration of the ROM 222 of the voice lamp control device 113 in this first modified example. As shown in FIG. 399(a), the ROM 222 in this first modified example is provided with an overlay mode selection table 222fa in addition to the configuration of the ROM 222 in the first control example.

This add-on mode selection table 222fa stores the contents of each add-on effect that is executed in the add-on mode (add-on chance mode, post-announcement mode) that the player can select during the potential win state, and the effect corresponding to the add-on mode effect selected in the add-on mode effect selection process is read out and executed.

Figure 223 (b) is a schematic diagram showing the electrical configuration of the voice lamp control device 113 in this first modified example. In this first modified example, a pressed a flag 223fa, a pressed b flag 223fb, a scroll change flag 223fc, a mode change flag 223d, a mode addition flag 223fd, and an addition mode setting area 223fe are added to the fourth control example described above.

The pressed a flag 223fa is a flag for indicating that the frame button 22 has been operated during a period (reach press period) that is set during a reach during the period (operation valid period) during which the operation (press) of the frame button 22 is judged to be valid, and is set to ON based on the frame button 22 being operated (pressed) during the reach press period. This pressed a flag 223fa is set to ON (see S8002 in FIG. 341) when the reach press process (see S5332 in FIG. 341) of the frame button input monitoring/performance process 2 (see FIG. 340) is executed, is referenced (see S8201 in FIG. 343) in the press end process (see S5537 in FIG. 343), and is then set to OFF (S8204 in FIG. 343).

The pressed b flag 223fb is a flag for indicating that the frame button 22 has been operated during a period (pressing period during a jackpot) set during a jackpot game among the periods (valid operation periods) during which operation (pressing) of the frame button 22 is judged to be valid, and is set to ON based on the frame button 22 being operated (pressed) during the press period during a jackpot. This pressed b flag 223fb is set to ON (see S8102 in FIG. 342) when the press during jackpot process (see S5334 in FIG. 341) of the frame button input monitoring/performance process 2 (see FIG. 340) is executed, is referenced (see S8207 in FIG. 343) in the press end process (see S5537 in FIG. 343), and is then set to OFF (S8212 in FIG. 343).

The scroll change flag 223fc is a flag that is set to ON when the condition for changing the scroll is met in the scroll change performance (see Figs. 334 and 335) in which the direction of the third symbol changes midway. When the frame button 22 is operated (pressed) during the reach pressing period (suggested performance period) of the change pattern (win super reach D) in which the direction of the third symbol can be switched midway, the scroll change flag 223fc is determined to be met and set to ON (see S8005 in Fig. 341). Then, it is referenced (S8202 in Fig. 343) in the pressing end processing (see S5537 in Fig. 343), and when it is determined to be ON (see S8202: Yes in Fig. 343), it is set to OFF (see S8203 in Fig. 343). In this pressing end process (see S5537 in FIG. 343), the scroll change effect can be executed by varying the display command output to the display control device 114 depending on the setting status of the scroll change flag 223fc.

The mode change flag 223fd is a flag indicating that the currently set add-on mode has been changed in the add-on mode selection performance executed during a jackpot game, and is set to ON when the add-on mode is changed by the add-on mode selection performance. This mode change flag 223fd is set to ON (S8104: Yes in FIG. 342) when it is determined that a mode change has been made in the jackpot press processing (see S5534 in FIG. 342), and is referenced (S8208 in FIG. 343) in the press end processing (see S5537 in FIG. 343), and when it is determined that it is set to ON (S8208 in FIG. 343: Yes), it is set to OFF (S8209 in FIG. 343). In this pressing end process (S5537 in FIG. 343), the value of the performance probability change number area 223p is configured to be variable depending on the setting status of the mode change flag 223fd, and when the mode change flag 223fd is set to on, the value of the performance probability change number area 223p is set to 100 (S8210 in FIG. 343). As a result, when the added mode is changed by the added mode selection performance, it becomes possible to execute a game in a potential probability state from a state in which the value of the performance probability change number area 223p is set to 100, that is, a state in which the remaining number of times (remaining performance probability change number of times) displayed on the remaining number of times display area D1 of the third pattern display device 81 is set to 100, and the added performance executed in the changed added mode can be preferably provided.

The add-on mode setting area 223fe is an area for setting (storing) at least the currently set add-on mode and the previously set add-on mode, and the selected add-on mode is set in the press end process (S5537 process in FIG. 343) (S8211 in FIG. 343). Note that this add-on mode setting area 223fe is configured to set information indicating that the add-on chance presentation mode is set in the initial setting (S4001 in FIG. 235) of the start-up process (see FIG. 235) executed when the power is turned on, and is configured to execute the add-on chance mode during the potential state when the player has not selected the add-on mode. The information set (stored) in this add-on mode setting area 223fe (the currently set add-on mode) is referenced (see S4391 in FIG. 344) in special chart 2 variation start processing 6 (see S4361 in FIG. 344), and is also referenced (see S5871 in FIG. 345) in remaining number command processing 6 (see S4364 in FIG. 345), so that an add-on performance corresponding to the currently set add-on mode is executed.

<Regarding the control process of the voice lamp control device in the first modified example of the fourth control example>
Next, various control processes executed by the MPU 221 of the voice lamp control device 113 in the first modified example of the fourth control example will be described with reference to Fig. 340 to Fig. 345. First, the frame button input monitoring and performance process 2 (see Fig. 340) of the voice lamp control device 113 will be described with reference to Fig. 340. Fig. 340 is a flowchart showing this frame button input monitoring and performance process 2 (S4107).

When this frame button input monitoring/performance process 2 (see FIG. 340) is started, first it is determined whether or not pressing of a frame button 22 has been detected (S5501), and if it is determined that pressing of a frame button 22 has been detected (S5501: Yes), it is then determined whether or not a reach press period is in progress (S5531).

If it is determined in the process of S5531 that the game is currently in the reach press period (S5531: Yes), a reach press process is executed to change the direction of movement (scroll direction) of the third symbol during the reach (S5532), and the process ends. Details of this reach press process (S5532) will be described later with reference to FIG. 341.

On the other hand, if it is determined in the process of S5531 that the reach press period is not in progress (S5531: No), then it is determined whether or not the jackpot press period is in progress (S5533). If it is determined in the process of S5533 that the jackpot press period is in progress (S5533: Yes), then a jackpot press process is executed to select one of a number of add-on modes with different types of add-on effects to be executed (S5534), and this process ends. Details of this jackpot press process (S5534) will be described later with reference to FIG. 342.

In addition, if it is determined in the process of S5533 that the button is not being pressed during a jackpot (S5533: No), processing according to other pressing timings is executed (S5535), and this process is terminated. Note that other pressing timings include the processing of S5507 in the fourth control example described above, as well as the pressing during an additional performance (S5503 in FIG. 316) and the pressing during a hold notice (S5505 in FIG. 316) executed in the frame button input monitoring/performance processing (S4107 in FIG. 316) in the fourth control example described above.

If the process of S5501 does not detect operation (pressing) of the frame button 22 (S5501: No), it is then determined whether it is the end timing of the pressing period (S5536), and if it is determined that it is the end timing of the pressing period (S5536: Yes), the pressing end processing (see FIG. 343) is executed (S5537) and this process ends. On the other hand, if the process of S5501 determines that the frame button 22 has not been operated (pressed), the pressing end processing (see FIG. 340) is skipped and this process ends.

Next, referring to FIG. 341, the contents of the reach-in-press processing (S5532) executed in the frame button input monitoring/performance processing 2 (see FIG. 340) will be described. FIG. 341 is a flowchart showing the contents of the reach-in-press processing (S5532). This reach-in-press processing (S5532) executes processing when the frame button 22 is operated (pressed) during the reach-in-press period. Specifically, processing is executed to determine whether the conditions for changing the direction of movement (scroll direction) of the third pattern in the scroll change performance (see FIG. 334, 335) have been met.

When the reach-in press process (S5532) is executed, first, it is determined whether the pressed a flag 223fa is set to on (S8001). If it is determined that it is not set to on (S8001: No), the pressed a flag 223fa is set to on (S8002), and then a reach-in press command for display is set (S8003). By setting this reach-in press command for display, a pressed display mode indicating that the frame button 22 was pressed within the reach-in press period is notified (displayed) on the third pattern display device 81. Note that this pressed display mode is displayed continuously during the reach-in press period (suggested performance period), and although not shown, is displayed in a manner that suggests the expectation of whether or not the third pattern will restart in the scroll change performance, or the direction in which it will restart.

After completing the processing of S8003, it is next determined whether the variation pattern being executed is a winning super reach D (see FIG. 338) (i.e., whether it is a variation pattern that corresponds to a scroll change presentation) (S8004). In the processing of S8004, if it is determined that the variation pattern is a winning super reach D (S8004: Yes), the scroll change flag 223fc is set to on (S8005) and this processing ends. On the other hand, if it is determined that the variation pattern is not a winning super reach D (S8004: No), this processing ends as it is.

In addition, when it is determined in the process of S8001 that the pressed a flag 223fa is set to ON (S8001: Yes), the frame button 22 has already been operated during the reach pressing period (a state in which the frame button operation has been performed for the second or subsequent times), so all processes are skipped and this process is terminated. Note that in the first modified example of this fourth control example, the reach pressing process (S5532) is executed when the frame button 22 is operated (pressed) for the first time during the reach pressing period, but for example, the reach pressing process (S5532) may be executed when the frame button 22 is operated (pressed) a predetermined number of times, or a lottery is executed each time the frame button 22 is operated (pressed), and the reach pressing process (S5532) may be executed when the lottery result is a win. By configuring in this way, the content of the performance to be executed can be made more complex, and the performance effect can be enhanced.

Next, referring to FIG. 342, the contents of the press during jackpot process (S5534) executed in the frame button input monitoring/effect process 2 (see FIG. 340) will be explained. FIG. 342 is a flowchart showing the contents of the press during jackpot process (S5534). This press during jackpot process (S5534) executes processing when the frame button 22 is operated (pressed) during the press period during jackpot (add-on mode selection effect period). Specifically, based on the contents of the operation (press) of the frame button 22 in the add-on mode selection effect (see FIG. 336), processing is executed to set the add-on mode during the potential state that is executed after the jackpot ends.

When the jackpot pressing process (S5534) is executed, first, it is determined whether the pressed b flag 223fb is set to on (S8101). If it is determined that it is not set to on (S8101: No), the pressed b flag 223fb is set to on (S8102), and then a display jackpot pressing command is set (S8103). By setting this display jackpot pressing command, a pressed display mode indicating that the frame button 22 was pressed during the jackpot pressing period is notified (displayed) on the third pattern display device 81. Note that this pressed display mode is not shown, but is displayed in a pressed mode as shown in FIG. 336(a), the selection display D6d is stopped and displayed at the position that specifies the selected top-up mode, and the selected display (D6b or D6c) on the specified side is displayed in a mode indicating that it has been selected.

After completing the processing of S8103, it is next determined whether the added mode has been changed (S8104). Here, the added mode that was set before the big win game was executed is read from the added mode setting area 223fe, and compared with the added mode selected in the current added mode selection presentation to determine whether the added mode has been changed. If it is determined in the processing of S8104 that the added mode has been changed (S8104: Yes), the mode change flag 223fd is set to on (S8105), and this processing ends. On the other hand, if it is determined that the added mode has not been changed (S8104: No), this processing ends as it is.

In addition, if it is determined in the process of S8101 that the pressed b flag 223fb is set to on (S8101: Yes), the frame button 22 has already been operated during the press-down period during a jackpot (the frame button operation has been performed for the second or subsequent time), so all processes are skipped and this process ends. Note that in the first modified example of this fourth control example, the press-down process during a jackpot (S5532) is executed when the frame button 22 is operated (pressed) for the first time during the press-down period during a jackpot, and the add-on mode is determined, but for example, it may be configured so that the add-on mode can be set again if it is within the press-down period during a jackpot.

Next, referring to FIG. 343, the contents of the press end process (S5537) executed in the frame button input monitoring/effect process 2 (see FIG. 340) will be described. FIG. 343 is a flowchart showing the contents of the press end process (S5537). This press end process (S5537) is a process executed at the timing when the press period (press period during reach, press period during jackpot) that effectively determines the operation of the frame button 22 ends, and is for setting the effect content to be executed after the press period ends, based on the status of the flag set during each press period.

When the pressing end process (S5537) is executed, first, it is determined whether the pressed a flag 223fa is set to ON (S8201). Here, if it is determined that the pressed a flag 223fa is not set to ON (set to OFF) (S8201: No), this means that the frame button 22 was not operated (pressed) within the reach pressing period, so the process skips the process based on the frame button operation within the reach pressing period (S8202 to S8205) and proceeds to the process of S8207.

On the other hand, if it is determined in the processing of S8201 that the pressed a flag 223fa is set to on (S8201: Yes), it is then determined whether the scroll change flag 223fc is set to on (S8202), and if it is determined that it is set to on (S8202: Yes), the scroll change flag 223fc is set to off (S8203), a scroll change command for display is set (S8204), and the processing proceeds to S8206.

If it is determined in the processing of S8202 that the scroll change flag 223fc is not set to on (is set to off), a display scroll no change command is set (S8205) and processing proceeds to S8206. In the processing of S8206, the pressed a flag 223fa is set to off (S8206).

After completing the process of S8206, it is next determined whether the pressed b flag 223fb is set to ON (S8207). If it is determined that the pressed b flag 223fb is not set to ON (set to OFF) (S8207: No), this is a case where the frame button 22 was not operated (pressed) during the jackpot pressing period, so the process based on the frame button operation during the jackpot pressing period (S8208 to S8212) is skipped and this process is terminated. In other words, if the frame button 22 was not operated during the jackpot pressing period (during the added-on mode selection performance), the value of the performance probability change count area 223p and the setting contents of the added-on mode setting area 223fe are not changed, and the latent state after the jackpot game is executed in a manner that continues the state at the time of the jackpot winning (the added-on mode and the remaining number of times displayed in the remaining number display area D1). Therefore, if the player does not intentionally operate (press) the frame button 22 during the addition mode selection presentation because he or she does not want to change the addition mode during the potential state, it is possible to prevent the addition mode and the remaining number of times displayed in the remaining number of times display area D1 from being changed after the big win game ends.

On the other hand, in the process of S8207, if it is determined that the pressed b flag 223fb is set to on (S8207: Yes), it is then determined whether the mode change flag 223fd is set to on (S8208), and if it is determined that it is set to on (S8208: Yes), the mode change flag 223fd is set to off (S8209), the value of the performance probability change count area is set to 100 (S8210), and the selected added mode is set to the added mode setting area 223fe (S8211). Then, the pressed b flag 223fb is set to off, and this process ends.

On the other hand, in the process of S8208, if it is determined that the mode change flag 223fd is not set to on (is set to off) (S8208: No), the process skips the processes of S8209 and S8210 and proceeds to the process of S8211. In this way, when the add-on mode is changed during the add-on mode selection performance, the value of the performance probability change count area 223p is set to 100, so that the add-on performance using the changed add-on mode can be suitably executed in the potential state executed after the end of the jackpot game. Also, if the add-on mode is selected so that the add-on mode is not changed during the add-on mode selection performance (see S8208), the process (S8210) for setting the value of the performance probability change count area 223p is skipped, so that when the player intentionally selects the same add-on mode as the currently set add-on mode during the add-on mode selection performance in order to not change the add-on mode during the potential state, it is possible to prevent the add-on mode and the remaining number of times displayed in the remaining number of times display area D1 from being changed after the end of the jackpot game.

Next, the details of special chart 2 change start process 6 (S4361) will be explained with reference to FIG. 344. FIG. 344 is a flowchart showing the contents of special chart 2 change start process 6. This special chart 2 change start process 6 (S4361) differs from special chart 2 change start process 4 (see FIG. 319) of the fourth control example described above in that a process is added to determine whether or not to execute the add-on performance process based on the type of add-on mode currently set. All other elements are the same, and the same elements are given the same reference numerals, and detailed explanations thereof will be omitted.

When special chart 2 fluctuation start process 6 (S4361) is executed, first, the same processes as S4371 to S4373 and S4375 of special chart 2 fluctuation start process 4 (see FIG. 320) of the fourth control example described above are executed. If the game state is determined to be a potential state in the process of S4373 (S4373: Yes), it is then determined whether the currently set add-on mode is an add-on chance mode (S4391). In the process of S4391, the information set in the add-on mode setting area 223fe (add-on mode information) is read, and a determination is made based on the add-on mode information.

In the process of S4391, if it is determined that the currently set add-on mode is the add-on chance mode (S4391: Yes), the same process as S4374 and S4376 of the special chart 2 fluctuation start process 4 (see FIG. 320) of the fourth control example described above is executed, and this process ends. On the other hand, if it is determined that the currently set add-on mode is not the add-on chance mode (it is the post-notification mode) (S4391: No), the process of S4374 is skipped and this process ends.

By configuring it in this way, when special symbol 2 variation start process 6 (S4361) is executed (when the variation of the second special symbol is executed), if the currently set add-on mode is the add-on chance mode, the add-on performance setting process is executed, making it possible to provide an add-on mode in which there is hope for an add-on performance with every variation, and if the currently set add-on mode is the post-notification mode, the add-on performance setting process is not executed, and by preventing the difference between the actual remaining number and the displayed remaining number from converging, the number of add-ons displayed at the time of the post-notification (the add-on performance executed when the displayed remaining number reaches a predetermined number) can be increased. Thus, a performance that is unexpected for the player can be executed.

Next, referring to FIG. 345, the details of Remaining chance of winning command processing 6 (S4364) will be explained. FIG. 345 is a flowchart showing the contents of Remaining chance of winning command processing 6 (S4364). This Remaining chance of winning command processing 6 (S4364) differs from the Remaining chance of winning command processing of the fourth control example described above (see FIG. 323) in that a process is added to determine whether or not to execute a process related to the added performance based on the type of added mode currently set. All other elements are the same, and the same elements are given the same reference numerals and their detailed explanations are omitted.

When the remaining chance of winning command process 6 (S4364) is executed, first, the same processes as S5851 and S5852 of the remaining chance of winning command process (see FIG. 323) of the fourth control example described above are executed, and if the game state is determined to be a potential chance state in the process of S5851 (S5852: Yes), it is then determined whether the currently set added-on mode is a post-notification mode (S5871). In the process of S5871, the information set in the added-on mode setting area 223fe (added-on mode information) is read, and a determination is made based on the added-on mode information.

If it is determined in the processing of S5871 that the post-notification mode is set (S5871: Yes), the same processing as S5853 to S5861 in the remaining chance bonus count command processing (see FIG. 323) of the fourth control example described above is executed, and this processing ends. On the other hand, if it is determined in the processing of S5871 that the post-notification mode is not set (the extra chance mode is set) (S5871: No), the processing of S5853 to S5861 is skipped and this processing ends.

By configuring it in this way, when the remaining chance change number command process 6 (S4364) is executed (when the second special pattern is changed), if the currently set added-on mode is the added-on chance mode, the added-on performance setting process is executed, making it possible to provide an added-on mode in which there is hope for an added-on performance with every change, and if the currently set added-on mode is the post-notification mode, the added-on performance setting process is not executed, and by preventing the difference between the actual remaining number and the displayed remaining number from converging, the added-on number displayed at the time of the post-notification (the added-on performance executed when the displayed remaining number reaches a specified number) can be increased. This makes it possible to enhance the performance effect desired by the player.

<Regarding control process executed by the display control device in the first modified example of the fourth control example>
Next, each control process executed by the MPU 231 of the display control device 114 in the first modified example of the fourth control example will be described with reference to Fig. 346 to Fig. 350. This modified example differs from the fourth control example described above in that a press-related command process is added to the command determination process 6 (see Fig. 346), but the other points are the same. The same parts are given the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

First, command determination process 6 executed by the MPU 221 in the display control device 114 in this control example will be described with reference to the flowchart in FIG. 346. In command determination process 6, steps S6401 to S6417 are executed in the same manner as the command determination process in the fourth control example described above (see FIG. 247).

If it is determined in the processing of S6416 that an error command has not been received (S6416: No), it is then determined whether or not a display press-related command has been received (S6431).

If it is determined in the processing of S6431 that a display press-related command has been received (S6431: Yes), press-related command processing is executed (S6432), and the process returns to S6401. Details of the press-related command processing (S6432) will be described later with reference to Figures 347 to 350.

On the other hand, if it is determined in the processing of S6431 that a press-related command has not been received (S6431: No), then other command processing is executed as in the first control example (S6418), and processing returns to S6401.

Next, the details of the press-related command processing (S6432) will be described with reference to Figs. 347 to 350. The press-related command processing (S6432) is processing for performing processing corresponding to various commands for displaying (executing) press-related effects.

In the press-related command process (S6432), first, it is determined whether or not a display reach press command has been received (S8301). If it is determined in the process of S8301 that a display reach press command has been received (S8301: Yes), reach press command process is executed (S8302) and the process proceeds to S8303.

Now, referring to FIG. 348, the details of the reach-on-press command processing (S8302) will be described. FIG. 348 is a flowchart showing the reach-on-press command processing. This reach-on-press command processing executes processing corresponding to the reach-on-press command for display received from the voice lamp control device 113.

In the reach-while-press command processing, first, the reach-while-press display data table corresponding to the timing type indicated by the reach-while-press command for display is determined, and the determined press display data table is read from the data table storage area 233b and set in the display data table buffer 233d (S8401). Next, Null data is written to the transfer data table buffer 233e to clear its contents (S8402).

Then, based on the reach-in-press display data table set in the display data table buffer 233d by the processing of S8401, time data representing the presentation time is set in the timing counter 233h (S8403), and the pointer 233f is initialized to 0 (S8404). Then, the demo display flag 233y and the final display flag 233z are both set to off (S8405), the reach-in-press command processing ends, and the processing returns to the press-related command processing.

Returning to FIG. 347, the explanation will continue. If it is determined in the processing of S8301 that a display reach press command has not been received (S8301: No), it is then determined whether a display scroll change command has been received (S8303).

If it is determined in the processing of S8303 that a display scroll change command has been received (S8303: Yes), the scroll change command processing is executed (S8304) and the processing proceeds to S8305.

Here, the scroll change command processing (S8304) will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 349. FIG. 349 is a flowchart showing the scroll change command processing. This scroll change command processing executes processing corresponding to the display scroll change command received from the voice lamp control device 113.

In the scroll change command process, first, a pattern array for vertical scrolling is set based on the display content displayed in the display area Dm1 and the win/lose related information, and set in the display data table buffer 233d (S8501). Next, a vertical scroll effect display data table corresponding to the display content of the display area Dm1 is determined, and the determined vertical scroll effect display data table is read from the data table storage area 233b and set in the display data table buffer 233d (S8502). After that, Null data is written to the transfer data table buffer 233e to clear its contents (S8503).

Then, based on the vertical scroll effect display data table set in the display data table buffer 233d by the processing of S8502, time data representing the effect time is set in the timing counter 233h (S8506), and the pointer 233f is initialized to 0 (S8507). Then, the demo display flag 233y and the final display flag 233z are both set to off (S8508), the scroll change command processing ends, and the process returns to the press-related command processing.

Returning to FIG. 347, the explanation will continue. If it is determined in the processing of S8303 that a display scroll change command has not been received (S8303: No), it is then determined whether or not a display scroll non-change command has been received (S8305).

If it is determined in the processing of S8305 that a display scroll no-change command has been received (S8305: Yes), the scroll no-change command processing is executed (S8306) and the processing proceeds to S8307.

Here, the details of the scroll no-change command processing (S8306) will be described with reference to FIG. 350(a). FIG. 350(a) is a flowchart showing the scroll no-change command processing. This scroll no-change command processing executes processing corresponding to the display auto-press start command received from the voice lamp control device 113.

In the scroll no-change command processing, first, the scroll no-change display data table corresponding to the timing type indicated by the display scroll no-change command is determined, and the determined auto press start display data table is read from the data table storage area 233b and set in the display data table buffer 233d (S8601). Next, Null data is written to the transfer data table buffer 233e to clear its contents (S8602).

Then, based on the scroll-unchangeable display data table set in the display data table buffer 233d by the processing of S8601, time data representing the presentation time is set in the timing counter 233h (S8603), and the pointer 233f is initialized to 0 (S8604). Then, the demo display flag 233y and the final display flag 233z are both set to off (S8605), the scroll-unchangeable command processing ends, and the process returns to the press-related command processing.

Returning to FIG. 347, the explanation will continue. If it is determined in the processing of S8305 that the display scroll no change command has not been received (S8305: No), it is then determined whether or not the display jackpot press command has been received (S8307).

If it is determined in the processing of S8307 that a display jackpot press command has been received (S8307: Yes), jackpot press command processing is executed (S8308), and this processing ends.

Here, the details of the jackpot press command processing (S8308) will be described with reference to FIG. 350(b). FIG. 350(b) is a flowchart showing the jackpot press command processing. This jackpot press command processing executes processing corresponding to the jackpot press command for display received from the audio lamp control device 113.

In the jackpot press command processing, first, the jackpot press display data table corresponding to the timing type indicated by the display jackpot press command is determined, and the determined jackpot press display data table is read from the data table storage area 233b and set in the display data table buffer 233d (S8701). Next, the contents of the transfer data table buffer 233e are cleared by writing Null data to the transfer data table buffer 233e (S8702).

Then, based on the jackpot press display data table set in the display data table buffer 233d by the processing of S8701, time data representing the presentation time is set in the timing counter 233h (S8703), and the pointer 233f is initialized to 0 (S8704). Then, the demo display flag 233y and the final display flag 233z are both set to off (S8705), the jackpot press command processing ends, and the processing returns to the press-related command processing.

Returning to FIG. 347, the explanation will continue. If it is determined in the processing of S8307 that the display jackpot press command has not been received (S8307: No), this processing ends.

<Another example of the first modified example of the fourth control example>
Next, another example of the first modified example of the fourth control example described above will be described with reference to Figures 351 to 354. In this example, a composite reach effect is made executable by combining the scroll change effect (see Figures 334 and 335) executed in the first modified example of the fourth control example described above with the special reach effect (see Figures 184 and 185) executed in the first control example described above. This allows complex reach effects to be executed, improving the interest of the game.

This example differs from the above-mentioned control examples in that the character memory area 234a2 set in the character ROM 234 of the display control device 114 has been partially modified, and in that some processing executed by the MPU 231 of the display control device 114 has been modified. The rest of the configuration is the same as the configurations and various control processes used in the above-mentioned control examples. The same parts are given the same reference numerals, and detailed explanations thereof will be omitted.

First, referring to FIG. 351(a), the display contents of the third pattern display device 81 used in this example will be described. FIG. 351(a) is a schematic diagram showing the display screen (display area) of the third pattern display device 81. As shown in FIG. 351(a), this example differs from the above-mentioned control examples in that a pattern row L4, which is scrolled left and right and displayed variably, is added to the top of pattern row L1, and a pattern row L8, which is scrolled left and right and displayed variably, is added to the bottom of pattern row L3.

Furthermore, in this example, the main display area Dm of the third pattern display device 81 in which the patterns are displayed in a variable manner is configured so that, of the five (five rows) of pattern rows (L1 to L4, and L8) that are displayed in a variable manner by scrolling left and right, three (three rows) of pattern rows can be displayed simultaneously in the display area, and by switching the display area displayed by the main display area Dm up and down, the pattern rows displayed in the main display area Dm can be changed out of the five (five rows) of pattern rows (L1 to L4, and L8) that are displayed in a variable manner by scrolling left and right.

Then, for the variable area Dz3, which is an area larger than the display area that the main display area Dm can display, variable control of five (five) pattern rows (L1 to L4, and L8) is executed, and display control is executed for the pattern row displayed in the main display area Dm. As a result, when changing the pattern row displayed in the main display area Dmm, the changed pattern row can be displayed simply by executing display control based on the variable control content that has been executed in advance, so that the variable display of the pattern row can be executed without delay for the player.

In addition, this example differs in that the symbol rows L5 to L7 corresponding to the up-down (vertical) scroll display used when the scroll change effect is executed are preset. In other words, when the scroll change effect is executed, a symbol combination pattern that is displayed as a stopped display (provisional stopped display) in the first reach mode is preset, and a symbol row corresponding to the second reach mode is set so that the second reach mode is executed from the display mode that corresponds to that symbol combination pattern.

Specifically, when a scroll change effect is executed, the display is controlled so that the third symbol is displayed stopped (temporarily stopped) at a plus one frame miss as the first reach mode, and in the stopped (temporarily stopped) display state of the first reach mode, a second reach mode is executed in which the display area in the up-down direction, in which the symbols indicating the reach combination (reach symbols) and the symbols displayed stopped (temporarily stopped) at a plus one frame miss (miss symbols) are not displayed, are displayed fluctuatingly in the up-down direction (vertical direction). In this way, by setting the stopped (temporary stop) display pattern of the first reach mode to a predetermined pattern (reach plus one frame miss stopped (temporary stop) display pattern), it is possible to pattern the initial symbol arrangement when the second reach mode is executed.

In this example, a symbol arrangement corresponding to the stop (provisional stop) display pattern of the first reach mode is pre-stored for each of the symbol arrangements L5 to L7 as a symbol arrangement corresponding to the second reach mode, and the second reach mode is configured to be executable in response to the stop (provisional stop) display pattern of the first reach mode. This makes it possible to execute the performance without delay when executing the second reach mode using a part of the third symbol that has stopped (provisionally stopped) in the first reach mode.

Next, the contents of the composite reach performance in another example of the first modified example of the fourth control example will be described with reference to Fig. 351(b) to Fig. 352(b). Fig. 351(b) is a schematic diagram showing an example of a state in which a pattern change in the left-right direction is being executed in the composite reach performance, Fig. 352(a) is a schematic diagram showing an example of a state in which the area displayed in the main display area Dm is changed in the composite reach performance, and Fig. 352(b) is a schematic diagram showing an example of a state in which a pattern change in the up-down direction is being executed in the composite reach performance. This composite reach effect involves 10 seconds of left-right pattern change (normal pattern change) using pattern rows L1 to L3 (see FIG. 351(b)), followed by 10 seconds of a reach effect (first reach mode) in which the pattern rows displayed in the main display area Dm are changed to an upward or downward direction (see FIG. 352(a)), and then a 10-second reach effect (second reach mode) in which the direction of pattern change (scroll direction) is changed from left-right to up-down (see FIG. 352(b)).

Specifically, as shown in FIG. 351(b), normal pattern variation is performed, and the third pattern is displayed stopped (temporarily stopped) in a combination indicating a miss in the pattern rows L1 to L3 displayed in the main display area Dm. At this point, variation control (updating variation data according to the progression (elapsed time) of the variation time) is performed for the pattern rows (L4, L8) that are not displayed in the main display area Dm. In other words, when a composite reach performance is performed, first, variation control is started for all pattern rows (L1 to L4, L8) that correspond to the pattern variation in the left and right directions, and of these, variation control and display control are performed for 10 seconds for the pattern rows (L1 to L3) displayed in the main display area Dm, and variation control is performed for 20 seconds (the period until the first reach mode (see FIG. 352(a)) is stopped (temporarily stopped)) for the pattern rows (L4, L8) set outside the main display area Dm. In this way, by executing variable control for pattern rows that are not displayed in the main display area Dm in synchronization with the elapsed time of the reach performance, it is possible to change the pattern row displayed in the main display area Dm and display a new pattern row (for example, pattern row L4 or L8) without delay.

In the example shown in FIG. 351(b), the third pattern with the number 1 (the third pattern with a character resembling an elephant) is temporarily stopped (temporarily stopped) in a loss display mode (first temporary stop mode) in which it is stopped at the center position of pattern row L1 and at the right side position of pattern row L2. When a loss variation pattern with a variation time of 10 seconds is executed, the third pattern is stopped and displayed in the loss display mode shown in FIG. 351(b), and the pattern variation ends.

Then, with the third symbol stopped (temporarily stopped) in the first temporary stop mode, a suggestion effect is executed to suggest that the symbol row displayed in the main display area Dm will change (for example, an effect in which the display form of the character attached to the third symbol is changed to suggest that the display area will change, as shown in FIG. 184(b), or an effect in which a display is executed on the third symbol display device 81 to suggest that the display area will change), and then the symbol row displayed in the main display area Dm is changed (see FIG. 352(a)).

In the example shown in Fig. 352(a), the display area is moved upward (upward moving area) so that the pattern rows L1, L2, and L4 are displayed in the main display area Dm, and the pattern row L3 that was displayed in the main display area Dm in the first provisional stop mode (see Fig. 351(b)) is moved outside the main display area Dm. As a result, from the first provisional stop mode, which was a stop (provisional stop) display mode indicating a miss, the third pattern with the number 1 (the third pattern with a character imitating an "elephant") is displayed in a reach display mode (first reach mode) in which the third pattern is stopped (provisionally stopped) in the center position of the pattern row L1 and in the right position of the pattern row L2. This allows the process of changing the display area (symbol row) displayed by the main display area Dm to be changed from the stopped display state (first tentative stopped state) that initially makes the player think that he or she has lost to a reach display state (first reach state) in which he or she can expect a win, so that the player can continue to have hope for a win even after the third symbol, which indicates a loss, is stopped and displayed, thereby maintaining the player's motivation to play.

In this example, the display area of the main display area Dm is moved upward because the third symbols in the first temporary stop mode (each of the third symbols displayed in FIG. 351(b)) are displayed stopped (temporarily stopped) in a combination that allows a reach effect (first reach mode) to be executed by moving the display area displayed by the main display area Dm upward. However, if the third symbols are displayed stopped (temporarily stopped) in a combination that allows a reach effect (first reach mode) to be executed by moving the display area displayed by the main display area Dm downward, a process is executed to move the display area of the main display area Dm downward. In this way, by configuring the display area of the main display area Dm to be movable in two different directions (upward or downward), the number of combinations of third symbols that can be displayed stopped (temporarily stopped) in the first temporary stop mode can be increased.

In other words, if the display area of the main display area Dm is configured to be movable in only one direction, it was necessary to display the same third pattern in a row in the pattern row displayed on the upper side and center of the main display area Dm before the movement in order to execute a reach effect (first reach mode) in the display area after the movement. However, if the display area of the main display area Dm is configured to be movable in two different directions (upward or downward), the reach effect (first reach mode) can be executed in the display area after the movement by displaying the same third pattern in a row in either the pattern row displayed on the upper side and center of the main display area Dm before the movement or the pattern row displayed on the lower side and center of the main display area Dm before the movement. This increases the number of combinations of third patterns that can be displayed as stopped (provisional stop) in the first tentative stop mode, and prevents the player from easily predicting whether the pattern change will develop into the first reach mode, i.e., the pattern change effect to be executed in the future, thereby enhancing the performance effect.

In the reach effect (first reach mode) shown in FIG. 352(a), when the third pattern (third pattern with the number 1 (third pattern with a character resembling an elephant)) that is the target of the reach effect is displayed stopped (temporarily stopped) on the right side of the pattern row L4, that is, when the same third pattern (third pattern with the number 1 in FIG. 352(b)) is displayed stopped (temporarily stopped) (displayed stopped (temporarily stopped) in the second temporary stop display mode) on the right side of the upper pattern row (pattern row L4) and the lower pattern row (pattern row L2) and the middle pattern row (pattern row L1) among the pattern rows displayed in the main display area Dm, the patterns displayed stopped (temporarily stopped) on the left side of the pattern rows L1, L2, and L4 are displayed vertically as pattern row L5, as shown in FIG. 352(b).

This results in the same reach effect as the second reach mode (see FIG. 335(a)) described in the first modified example of the fourth control example above. Note that the content of the second reach mode is the same as that of the first modified example of the fourth control example above, so a description of it will be omitted.

As explained above, in another example of the first modified example of the fourth control example, as a composite reach effect, after the normal pattern fluctuation is temporarily stopped and displayed in a first temporary stop display mode, the display area is changed so that a new pattern arrangement is displayed, making it possible to execute the first reach mode, and after the first reach mode is temporarily stopped and displayed in a second temporary stop display mode, it is possible to execute a second reach mode in which the direction of the pattern fluctuation is changed. This makes it possible to execute a reach effect that has a high presentation effect for the player.

In addition, since the system is configured to temporarily stop multiple times in the temporary stop display mode during the composite reach performance, by matching the timing of the temporary stop with the stop display timing of the miss fluctuation pattern, it is possible to execute a similar performance when the miss fluctuation pattern is executed and when the composite reach performance is temporarily stopped (at least a portion of the display data can be reused), which reduces the amount of display data used for the performance and makes the player believe that a composite reach performance is being executed even when a miss fluctuation pattern is executed, thereby improving the enjoyment of the game.

Next, referring to FIG. 353, the electrical configuration of another example of the first modified example of this fourth control example will be described. This other example differs from the electrical configuration used in any of the above-mentioned control examples in that the contents of the character memory area 234a2 set in the character ROM 234 of the display control device 114 have been partially changed, but the other elements are the same. The same elements are given the same reference numerals and their detailed description will be omitted.

First, referring to FIG. 353(a), the contents of the character memory area 234a2 in another example of the first modified example of the fourth control example will be described. FIG. 353(a) is a schematic diagram showing the contents of the character memory area 234a2. As shown in FIG. 353(a), the character memory area 234a2 includes a display area memory area 234a2a in which a display area corresponding to a command (display area change information included in a variation pattern command output from the voice lamp control device 113) that specifies the display area of the third pattern display device 81 is stored, a pattern arrangement memory area 234a2b in which a pattern arrangement used when executing a pattern variation display executed in the main display area Dm of the third pattern display device 81 is stored, and other memory areas 234a2c in which other display data to be displayed on the third pattern display device 81 is stored.

Here, the contents of the display area memory area 234a2a will be described with reference to FIG. 353(b). FIG. 353(b) is a schematic diagram showing the contents of the display area memory area 234a2a. In this display area memory area 234a2a, the following display area types are set: display area 1 (reference area) in which the pattern arrays L1 to L3 are displayed in the main display area Dm, display area 2 (upward movement area) in which the pattern arrays L1, L2, and L4 are displayed in the main display area Dm, and display area 3 (downward movement area) in which the pattern arrays L2, L3, and L8 are displayed in the main display area Dm. The display area displayed in the main display area Dm is set based on a command (display area change information included in the variation pattern command output from the voice lamp control device 113) that specifies the display area of the third pattern display device 81.

Although detailed explanation is omitted, the variation pattern command output from the voice lamp control device 113 includes information for executing the pattern variation for all of the pattern arrays L1 to L4, L8, and the display control device 114 is configured to execute processing so that the display contents are updated for all of the pattern arrays L1 to L4, L8. Specifically, the variation pattern command processing (see FIG. 248) executed by the MPU 231 of the display control device 114 is executed for all of the pattern arrays L1 to L4, L8 based on the received display variation pattern command. Then, in the drawing processing (see FIG. 257), a drawing list is created for the pattern row corresponding to the currently set display area, and the drawing list and drawing target buffer information are sent to the image controller. This allows all display information for the pattern arrays L1 to L4, L8 to be updated in accordance with the time data, and display processing is executed only for the pattern row to be displayed. In this case, it is advisable to provide a flag (storage area) for determining the currently set display area type from among the display area types stored in the display area storage area 234a2a, and perform the determination by referring to the flag.

Next, the contents of the symbol arrangement memory area 234a2b will be described with reference to FIG. 353(c). FIG. 353(c) is a schematic diagram showing the contents of the symbol arrangement memory area 234a2b. In this symbol arrangement memory area 234a2b, a normal symbol arrangement (for horizontal scrolling) used when normal variation is performed and a symbol arrangement for vertical scrolling used when the second reach mode is performed are stored. The symbol arrangement for vertical scrolling includes a symbol arrangement (for vertical scrolling 1) corresponding to the symbol row L5 (see FIG. 351(a)), a symbol arrangement (for vertical scrolling 2) corresponding to the symbol row L6 (see FIG. 351(a)), and a symbol arrangement (for vertical scrolling 3) corresponding to the symbol row L7 (see FIG. 351(a)), and for each of them, a symbol arrangement corresponding to the third symbol that is stopped and displayed when the second reach mode is performed is stored.

Specifically, as the pattern arrangement for vertical scrolling 1 (pattern row L5), nine types are set, from "Pattern arrangement 1" which is set when the third pattern with the number 1 is displayed stopped (temporarily stopped) in the reach-miss display mode when the second reach mode is executed (see FIG. 334) to "Pattern arrangement 9" which is set when the third pattern with the number 9 is displayed stopped (temporarily stopped) in the reach-miss display mode when the second reach mode is executed. Note that in this example, the display mode (first temporary stop mode) of the third pattern displayed stopped (temporarily stopped) when the second reach mode is executed is set to be a predetermined stop mode, so that the number of pattern arrangement types for vertical scrolling stored in this pattern arrangement memory area 234a2b can be reduced.

Similar to the pattern arrangements 1 to 9 stored corresponding to vertical scroll 1 (pattern row L5), nine types of pattern arrangements are also set for vertical scroll 2 (pattern row L6) and vertical scroll 3 (pattern row L7). Note that when the third pattern displayed stopped (temporarily stopped) in the center position of the main display area Dm of the third pattern display device 81 is displayed moving up and down (vertical scroll display), this is the case where the third pattern is displayed stopped (temporarily stopped) in a combination indicating a miss when two types of third patterns are in a reach state (so-called double reach state) as the first temporary stop mode.

In this way, by storing in advance the pattern arrangement used in the second reach mode (the reach mode executed after the direction of movement (scroll direction) of the third pattern is changed), the second reach mode can be executed without delay. Also, by predetermining the combination of the third patterns that are displayed stopped (temporarily stopped) in the first tentative stop mode, the number of types of pattern arrangements used when executing the second reach mode can be reduced.

<Regarding control processing executed by the display control device in another example of the first modified example of the fourth control example>
Next, referring to Fig. 354, the pointer update process 2 executed in another example of the first modified example of the fourth control example will be described. This pointer update process 2 differs from the above-mentioned pointer update process (S7205 in Fig. 254) in that a process for changing the display area displayed in the main display area Dm is added. The other elements are the same, and the same elements are assigned the same reference numerals and their detailed description will be omitted.

Figure 354 is a flowchart showing the contents of pointer update process 2 (S7205). When pointer update process 2 (S7205) is executed, first the same process as S7401 of the pointer update process described above (see Figure 254) is executed, and then it is determined whether it is time to change the display area (S7431). In the process of S7431, if it is determined that it is time to change the display area (S7431: Yes), then the display area corresponding to the command is set by referring to the display area memory area 234a2a (S7432), and the determined display area data is overwritten in the display data table buffer (S7433). Then, the process proceeds to S7402.

On the other hand, if it is determined in the processing of S7431 that it is not the timing for the display area to be changed, the processing skips the processing of S7432 and S7433 and proceeds to S7402. In S7402 to S7406, the same processing as S7402 to S7406 of the pointer update processing described above (see FIG. 254) is executed, and this processing ends.

As explained above, in another example of the first modified example of the fourth control example, as a composite reach effect, after the normal pattern change is temporarily displayed as a temporary stop in the first temporary stop display mode, the display area is changed so that a new pattern arrangement is displayed, making the first reach mode executable, and after the first reach mode is temporarily displayed as a temporary stop in the second temporary stop display mode, a second reach mode in which the direction of the pattern change is changed can be executed. This makes it possible to execute a reach effect that has a high performance effect on the player. Note that in this another example, two directions are set for the pattern row change, left/right and up/down, but the pattern row may be configured to change in other directions.

In addition, since the system is configured to temporarily stop multiple times in the temporary stop display mode during the composite reach performance, by matching the timing of the temporary stop with the stop display timing of the miss fluctuation pattern, it is possible to execute a similar performance when the miss fluctuation pattern is executed and when the composite reach performance is temporarily stopped (at least a portion of the display data can be reused), which reduces the amount of display data used for the performance and makes the player believe that a composite reach performance is being executed even when a miss fluctuation pattern is executed, thereby improving the enjoyment of the game.

Furthermore, the data for the symbol string used when executing the first reach mode and the data for the symbol string used when executing the second reach mode are stored differently, so that by combining the data for each symbol string, a variety of effects can be executed. Also, the stop (temporary stop) display mode of the first reach mode is set so that the combination of symbols displayed when the first reach mode is stopped (temporary stop) matches the combination of symbols set in the symbol string used in the second reach mode, so that it is possible to prevent the player from feeling uncomfortable when switching the presentation mode from the first reach mode to the second reach mode.

In addition, while the display control of each symbol sequence (L1-L4, L8) executed in the first reach state is being executed, the display control of each symbol sequence (L5-L7) executed in the second reach state may be executed in advance. In this case, a layer in which the display of the first reach state is executed and a layer in which the display of the second reach state is executed may be provided separately, and the display of the second reach state may be controlled so that the player cannot see it when the first reach state is executed, and when the second reach state is executed, the display control of each layer may be switched so that the player can see the second reach state.

In each of the control examples described above, a gaming machine is used in which the first special symbol (special symbol 1) and the second special symbol (special symbol 2) are displayed simultaneously. However, for example, the third symbol display device 81 may be configured to simultaneously display the fluctuations of the special symbol (special symbol 1 or special symbol 2) and the normal symbol, and the technology described in each of the control examples described above may be applied. In this case, a more effective effect can be achieved by making the bonus executed when the normal symbol is selected as a winning symbol to be the same as the bonus executed when the special symbol is selected as a winning symbol.

The present invention may be implemented in a type of pachinko machine or the like different from the above-mentioned embodiments. For example, it may be implemented as a pachinko machine (commonly called a two-time right machine or a three-time right machine) in which the expected value of a jackpot is increased until a jackpot state occurs multiple times (for example, two or three times) including the first jackpot. It may also be implemented as a pachinko machine that generates a special game in which the player is given a predetermined game value after the jackpot pattern is displayed, with the necessary condition being that the ball enters a predetermined area. It may also be implemented as a pachinko machine that has a winning device with a special area such as a V zone, and the special game state is entered with the necessary condition being that the ball enters the special area. Furthermore, in addition to pachinko machines, it may be implemented as various gaming machines such as arepachi, mahjong ball, slot machines, and gaming machines that are a combination of a pachinko machine and a slot machine.

Slot machines are well known in that, for example, after inserting a coin and determining the effective line of symbols, a lever is operated to change the symbols, and a stop button is operated to stop and finalize the symbols. Therefore, the basic concept of a slot machine is "a slot machine that has a display device that displays a variable display of a string of identification information consisting of multiple identification information, and then displays the determined identification information, and that starts the variable display of the identification information due to the operation of a start operation means (e.g., a lever), stops the variable display of the identification information due to the operation of a stop operation means (e.g., a stop button) or after a predetermined time has passed, and generates a special game that awards a predetermined game value to the player, provided that the combination of identification information at the time of the stop is a specific one." In this case, typical examples of the game medium include coins, medals, etc.

An example of a gaming machine that combines a pachinko machine and a slot machine is one that has a display device that displays a pattern sequence consisting of multiple patterns in a variable manner and then displays the pattern in a fixed manner, but does not have a handle for shooting balls. In this case, after a specified amount of balls are inserted based on a specified operation (button operation), the pattern starts to change due to, for example, the operation of an operating lever, and the pattern change is stopped due to, for example, the operation of a stop button or after a specified time has passed, and a special game is generated in which a specified gaming value is awarded to the player, provided that the fixed pattern at the time of the stop is a so-called jackpot pattern, and a large number of balls are paid out to the player in a receiving tray at the bottom. If such a gaming machine is used instead of a slot machine, the gaming hall can handle only the balls as the gaming value, which can eliminate problems seen in current gaming halls where pachinko machines and slot machines are mixed, such as the burden on facilities due to the separate handling of medals and balls as the gaming value, and the restrictions on the location of gaming machines.

Below, we will explain the gaming machine of the present invention as well as the various invention concepts included in the above-mentioned embodiments.

<Concept of the invention using right rotation unit 600 as an example>
A gaming machine A1 comprising a base member, a first displacement member and a second displacement member formed to be displaceable relative to the base member, a transmission member that transmits a driving force to the first displacement member and the second displacement member, and a driving means that imparts a driving force to the transmission member, wherein the transmission member comprises a drive pin, the first displacement member and the second displacement member respectively comprise a first groove and a second groove, the first groove comprises an action section that is acted upon by the drive pin and a non-interference section in which the drive pin does not interfere, the second groove comprises at least an action section that is acted upon by the drive pin, and the first displacement member and the second displacement member are arranged on the base member in a position in which the first groove and the second groove are overlapped and the drive pin is inserted into the first groove and the second groove.

Here, there is a gaming machine such as a pachinko machine that is equipped with a base member, a first displacement member and a second displacement member that are displaceably arranged on the base member, a transmission member that transmits a driving force to the first displacement member and the second displacement member, and a performance member that has a driving means that imparts a driving force to the transmission member, and the first displacement member and the second displacement member are connected to the transmission member via a first groove and a second groove provided in the transmission member (for example, JP 2009-100994 A).

According to this gaming machine, when the driving force of the drive means is applied to the transmission member, the driving force is transmitted from the transmission member to the first displacement member and the second displacement member via the first groove and the second groove, and the first displacement member and the second displacement member are displaced relative to the base member.

However, in the conventional gaming machines described above, the first and second grooves are arranged side by side, which increases the space required for arranging the first and second grooves, resulting in a problem that the external dimensions of the performance component when viewed from the front become larger. In particular, in recent years, there has been a demand for larger liquid crystal display devices, and the external dimensions of the performance component when viewed from the front become larger, which is undesirable because it hinders the liquid crystal display device from becoming larger.

In contrast, according to gaming machine A1, the first and second displacement members are arranged on the base member with the first and second grooves overlapping (superimposed) so that the space required for arranging the first and second grooves can be reduced compared to conventional products in which the first and second grooves are arranged side by side. As a result, the external shape can be made smaller when viewed from the front. In this case, even when a larger liquid crystal display device is required, there is relatively ample space in the thickness direction (front-to-back direction). With a configuration in which the first and second grooves are overlapped, as in gaming machine A1, the relatively ample space in the thickness direction can be used to make the external shape smaller when viewed from the front, which is particularly effective for larger liquid crystal display devices.

In addition, according to the gaming machine A1, a drive pin is inserted into the overlapping first and second grooves, so that a single drive pin can transmit the drive force from the transmission member to the first and second displacement members, making it unnecessary to provide a drive pin for each of the first and second grooves. In other words, parts can be shared, which reduces part costs.

In addition, according to the gaming machine A1, when the driving force of the drive means is applied to the transmission member, the driving force is transmitted from the transmission member to the first displacement member and the second displacement member, and the first displacement member and the second displacement member are displaced relative to the base member. In this case, when the action sections of the first groove and the second groove are acted upon by the transmission member, the first displacement member and the second displacement member are each displaced, while when only the action section of the second groove is acted upon by the transmission member (the transmission member does not interfere with the first groove due to the non-interference section), the first displacement member is stopped and the second displacement member is displaced.

A game machine A2 is characterized in that the second displacement member in the game machine A1 comprises a driven member that is displaceably disposed on the back surface of the first displacement member and in which the second groove is formed, and a connecting displacement member that is connected to the driven part, is displaceably disposed on the back surface of the first displacement member, and has a decorative part.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine A1, gaming machine A2 has a second displacement member that is provided with a driven member that is displaceably disposed on the back surface of the first displacement member and in which a second groove is formed, and a connecting displacement member that is connected to the driven portion and is displaceably disposed on the back surface of the first displacement member, so that a link structure can be formed by the driven member and the connecting displacement member. As a result, when the driven member is driven by the transmission member, the decorative portion of the connecting displacement member can be largely displaced relative to the first displacement member.

A gaming machine A3 is characterized in that in the gaming machine A2, the second displacement member is capable of forming a posture in which the driven member and the connecting displacement member are overlapped.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine A2, gaming machine A3 allows the second displacement member to assume a position in which the driven member and the connecting displacement member are overlapped, and this overlapping reduces the external size of the second displacement member when viewed from the front.

A gaming machine A4 is characterized in that the first displacement member in the gaming machine A3 is formed so as to be displaceable between a retracted position and an extended position, and the second displacement member is formed so as to be positionable on the back surface of the first displacement member in the retracted position with the driven member and the connecting displacement member overlapping each other.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine A3, gaming machine A4 has the advantage that the second displacement member is formed so that it can be positioned behind the first displacement member in the retracted position with the driven member and the connecting displacement member overlapping, and therefore the overlapping portion reduces the external dimensions of the first displacement member and the second displacement member when viewed from the front when they are in the retracted position.

A gaming machine A5 is one of the gaming machines A2 to A4, characterized in that the connecting displacement member has a protruding portion formed to protrude on the opposite side to the decorative portion, sandwiching a portion that is displaceably arranged on the first displacement member.

In game machine A5, in addition to the effects of any of game machines A2 to A4, the connecting displacement member has a protruding portion formed to extend to the opposite side of the decorative portion, sandwiching the portion that is displaceably arranged on the first displacement member, so that the protruding portion can act as a weight.

For example, when the driven portion is driven to lift the decorative portion of the connecting displacement member upward, the weight of the protruding portion formed on the opposite side of the decorative portion can be used to easily lift the decorative portion upward. This allows the protruding portion to be lifted quickly and reduces the driving force required to lift it. Furthermore, after the decorative portion is lifted, the weight of the decorative portion and the weight of the protruding portion can be balanced, so compared to a cantilever state in which only the decorative portion is formed, the lifted position of the decorative portion can be stabilized and the driving force required to maintain that position can be reduced.

A gaming machine A6 is characterized in that the protruding portion of the connecting displacement member in the gaming machine A5 is formed so as to be able to abut against the back surface of the first displacement member.

According to gaming machine A6, in addition to the effects of gaming machine A5, the protruding portion of the connecting displacement member is formed so that it can abut against the back surface of the first displacement member. Therefore, when the driven portion is driven to displace the connecting displacement member, the protruding portion abuts against the back surface of the first displacement member, thereby suppressing rattling of the connecting displacement member (decorative portion). Furthermore, the protruding portion that acts as a weight can also abut against the first displacement member to suppress rattling, simplifying the structure and reducing parts costs.

A gaming machine A7 is characterized in that the protruding portion of the connecting displacement member in the gaming machine A6 is formed in a roughly box-like shape.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine A6, gaming machine A7 has an approximately box-shaped protruding portion of the connecting displacement member, so that the weight and rigidity can be secured while keeping the external shape small. Therefore, with the protruding portion hidden behind the back surface of the first displacement member (i.e., not visible from the front), the connecting displacement member can be displaced, and it can reliably perform its function as a weight and its function of suppressing rattling by abutting against the back surface of the first displacement member.

A gaming machine A8, in any one of the gaming machines A1 to A7, is characterized in that the base member has a bearing portion that rotatably supports the first displacement member and a protrusion that protrudes from the outer circumferential surface of the bearing portion, the first displacement member has an abutment portion that is formed so as to be able to abut against the protrusion, the bearing portion supports the first displacement member in a raised state from the base member, and the abutment portion abuts against the protrusion, thereby restricting the relative rotation of the first displacement member to the base member within a predetermined range.

According to gaming machine A8, in the gaming machine described in any one of gaming machines A1 to A7, the base member has a bearing portion that rotatably supports the first displacement member, and the bearing portion supports the first displacement member in a state where it is elevated from the base member, so that this elevation can form a space between the base member and the first displacement member in which the second displacement member can be disposed. Therefore, the first displacement member and the second displacement member can be disposed in a position where they are overlapped.

In this case, according to the gaming machine A8, the base member further includes a protrusion formed to protrude from the outer peripheral surface of the bearing portion, and the first displacement member includes an abutment portion formed to be able to abut against the protrusion portion, and the abutment portion abuts against the protrusion portion, thereby restricting the relative rotation of the first displacement member with respect to the base member within a predetermined range. That is, in order to arrange the first displacement member and the second displacement member in an overlapping posture, the bearing portion that raises the first displacement member from the base member is made relatively rigid and dead space is formed on its outer peripheral side. However, by providing a protrusion from the outer peripheral surface of the bearing portion and abutting the abutment portion against the protrusion, the rigidity of the portion that restricts the relative rotation of the first displacement member with respect to the base member can be secured, and durability can be improved, and the dead space can be effectively utilized, thereby enabling a corresponding reduction in size.

A gaming machine A9 is characterized in that, in the gaming machine A8, the protruding portion of the base member is formed so as to be able to abut against the rear surface of the first displacement member.

According to gaming machine A9, in addition to the effects of gaming machine A8, the protrusion of the base member is formed so that it can abut against the back surface of the first displacement member, so that when the first displacement member is displaced, the protrusion of the base member abuts against the back surface of the first displacement member, thereby suppressing rattling of the first displacement member. Also, the protrusion that serves to regulate the relative displacement of the first displacement member with respect to the base member can also serve to abut against the first displacement member to suppress rattling, so that the structure can be simplified and parts costs can be reduced accordingly.

In particular, in gaming machine A9, which is subordinate to gaming machine A2, a second displacement member (driven member and connecting displacement member) is disposed on the first displacement member, so the first displacement member must rotate relative to the base member while supporting the weight of the second displacement member, which is likely to cause rattling. Therefore, a configuration in which the protruding portion of the base member abuts against the back surface of the first displacement member to suppress rattling of the first displacement member is effective.

A gaming machine A10 is characterized in that the first displacement member in the gaming machine A9 is supported at one longitudinal end by a bearing portion of the base member, and the protruding portion of the base member is formed so as to be able to abut against the back surface of the edge portion of the one longitudinal end side of the first displacement member.

According to gaming machine A10, in addition to the effects of gaming machine A9, one longitudinal end of the first displacement member is journaled on a bearing portion of the base member, and the protruding portion of the base member is formed so as to be able to abut against the back surface of the edge portion of one longitudinal end of the first displacement member, so that if the first displacement member tilts under its own weight, the protruding portion can be positioned at a position that can suppress the tilt. As a result, rattling of the first displacement member can be effectively suppressed.

A gaming machine A11 is characterized in that in the gaming machine A10, the protrusion protrudes from the outer circumferential surface of the bearing portion and is connected to the front surface of the base member.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine A10, gaming machine A11 has an increased rigidity of the protrusion, which protrudes from the outer peripheral surface of the bearing and is connected to the front surface of the base member. In particular, when the first displacement member tilts due to its own weight, the rigidity can be increased in the direction that supports the tilt (i.e., the direction in which the protrusion is pressed against the front surface of the base member), thereby effectively suppressing rattling of the first displacement member.

A gaming machine A12 is any one of gaming machines A2 to A11, characterized in that the base member has an inclined surface formed by chamfering the ridges of its side and front surfaces.

According to gaming machine A12, in addition to the effects of any of gaming machines A2 to A11, the base member has an inclined surface formed by chamfering the ridges of its side and front surfaces, so that it is possible to prevent the second displacement member from being locked to the side of the base member and becoming unable to be displaced. In this case, in the present invention, the connecting displacement member of the second displacement member is disposed in a cantilevered state so as to be displaceable on the back surface of the first displacement member, so that when the first displacement member and/or the second displacement member are displaced, the connecting displacement member of the second displacement member is likely to swing in a direction approaching or moving away from the base member, and such connecting displacement member is likely to be locked to the side of the base member. Therefore, a configuration in which an inclined surface is provided on the base member is particularly effective.

A gaming machine A13 is characterized in that the second displacement member in the gaming machine A12 is formed of a light-transmitting material, and the base member has a protrusion protruding from its front surface and extending along the displacement direction of the second displacement member.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine A12, gaming machine A13 has a protrusion that protrudes from its front surface and extends along the displacement direction of the second displacement member, so that the tip of the protrusion can be brought into contact with the second displacement member. This reduces the contact area and suppresses sliding resistance compared to when the entire front surface of the base member comes into face-to-face contact with the second displacement member.

Here, since the second displacement member is a connecting displacement member formed from a light-transmitting material, when the connecting displacement member is displaced to be visually recognized by the player, the irradiated light can be transmitted to enhance the presentation effect. In this case, if the entire front surface of the base member comes into face-to-face contact with the connecting displacement member when the second displacement member is displaced, the connecting displacement member becomes cloudy due to friction with the front surface of the base member, and the presentation effect of transmitting light of the connecting displacement member is lost. In contrast, according to the gaming machine A12, a convex rib is formed on the front surface of the base member, and only the tip of the convex rib can be made to abut against the connecting displacement member, so that the clouding due to friction of the connecting displacement member can be made partial. As a result, a presentation effect can be achieved by transmitting light to the connecting displacement portion.

A gaming machine A14 is characterized in that in the gaming machine A13, the second displacement member includes a connecting pin that connects the driven member and the connecting displacement member and is made of a metal material, and the protrusion of the base member extends along the trajectory of the connecting pin when the second displacement member is displaced.

According to gaming machine A14, in addition to the effects of gaming machine A13, the second displacement member is provided with a connecting pin that connects the driven member and the connecting displacement member and is made of a metal material, and the convex strip of the base member extends along the trajectory of the connecting pin when the second displacement member is displaced, so that the connecting pin can be brought into contact with the protruding tip of the convex strip. This prevents the part of the connecting displacement member made of a light-transmitting material from becoming cloudy due to friction with the convex strip, and allows light to pass through the connecting displacement member, providing a dramatic effect.

A gaming machine A15 is characterized in that, in the gaming machine A13 or A14, a gear is provided between the drive means and the transmission member, the base member has a gear receiving portion for supporting the gear in its internal space, the gear receiving portion protrudes from the front surface of the base member, and the protrusion extends to a position corresponding to the gear receiving portion.

According to the gaming machine A15, in addition to the effects of the gaming machines A13 and A14, the convex strip extends to a position corresponding to the gear receiving portion protruding from the front surface of the base member, so that the second displacement member is prevented from being locked by the gear receiving portion protruding from the side surface of the base member and from being unable to be displaced or from being hindered from being displaced. In other words, by providing a convex strip on the front surface of the base member and adopting a configuration in which the convex strip is extended to a position corresponding to the gear receiving portion, it is possible to make the gear receiving portion protrude from the front surface of the base member. This allows the gear to be stored in the internal space of the base member in a rotatable state while reducing the thickness dimension of the base member. As a result, for example, it is not necessary to fix the drive shaft of the drive means to the gear (i.e., since the gear is held by the gear receiving portion of the base member, it is sufficient for the drive shaft of the drive means to only be inserted into the gear), which reduces the manufacturing cost.

A gaming machine A16 is characterized in that, in any one of the gaming machines A1 to A15, the first displacement member and the transmission member are rotatably supported on the base member, the first displacement member is formed to be displaceable between a retracted position located in front of the base member and an extended position extending away from the base member, and the rotation axis of the first displacement member is disposed on the extended position side of the rotation axis of the transmission member.

In addition to the effects of any of gaming machines A1 to A15, gaming machine A16 has the following advantages: the first displacement member and the transmission member are rotatably supported on a base member, and the rotation axis of the first displacement member is disposed closer to the protruding position than the rotation axis of the transmission member. This allows the area of the first displacement member that protrudes to the protruding position to be larger, while the transmission member can be disposed on the back of the first displacement member, making it easier to make it invisible to the player when the first displacement member is between the retracted position and the protruding position.

A gaming machine A17 is characterized in that in the gaming machine A16, the base member includes a bearing portion that rotatably supports the first displacement member, and the transmission member is formed so as to be able to abut against the bearing portion when the second displacement member is extended to the extended position.

According to gaming machine A17, in addition to the effects of gaming machine A16, the base member is provided with a bearing portion that rotatably supports the first displacement member, and the transmission member is formed so that it can abut against the bearing portion of the base member when the second displacement member is extended to the extended position, so that the relative rotation of the second displacement member with respect to the first displacement member can be restricted within a predetermined range. In other words, the transmission member that transmits the driving force of the drive means can also serve as a stopper that restricts the relative rotation of the second displacement member with respect to the first displacement member within a predetermined range, so that the structure can be simplified and parts costs can be reduced accordingly.

The bearing portion is a portion for raising the first displacement member above the base member and arranging the first displacement member and the second displacement member in an overlapping position, and is relatively rigid, while dead space is formed on its outer periphery. By configuring the transmission member to abut against the bearing portion, the rigidity of the portion that restricts the relative rotation of the second displacement member with respect to the first displacement member is ensured, improving durability, and the dead space can be effectively utilized, thereby enabling a reduction in size.

A gaming machine A18 is characterized in that the transmission member in the gaming machine A17 has a recess corresponding to the outer shape of the bearing portion, and when the second displacement member is extended to the extended position, the bearing portion is formed so as to be receivable in the recess.

According to the gaming machine A18, in addition to the effect of the gaming machine A17, the transmission member has a recess corresponding to the outer shape of the bearing portion, and when the second displacement member is extended to the protruding position, the bearing portion is formed to be able to be received in the recess, so that the movable range of the transmission member can be increased accordingly. Therefore, the displacement amount of the first displacement member and the second displacement member can be secured. In other words, since the position of the rotation axis of the transmission member can be brought close to the bearing portion while securing the movable range of the transmission member, it is possible to easily form a state in which the transmission member is hidden behind the first displacement member (i.e., a state in which it is not visible from the front) while the first displacement member is displaced between the retracted position and the protruding position while suppressing the outer shape of the first displacement member.

In any of the gaming machines A1 to A18, when the transmission member is driven in the forward direction, the action sections of the first and second grooves are acted upon by the transmission member, and the first and second displacement members are each displaced in the first direction, and then the action section of the second groove is acted upon by the transmission member, and the non-interference section prevents the transmission member from interfering with the first groove, the first displacement member is stopped, and the second displacement member is displaced in the second direction, and the first and second directions are opposite to each other. Gaming machine A19.

According to gaming machine A19, in addition to the effects of gaming machines A1 to A18, when the transmission member is driven in the forward direction, the first displacement member and the second displacement member are each displaced in the first direction, and then the first displacement member is stopped and the second displacement member is displaced in the second direction. In this case, since the first direction and the second direction are opposite directions, in addition to the effects of any of gaming machines A1 to A18, the inertial force caused by the stop of the first displacement member displaced in the first direction can be canceled out by the inertial force generated when the second displacement member is displaced in the second direction. As a result, the load on the parts caused by the action of the inertial force can be reduced, and durability can be improved.

A gaming machine A20 is characterized in that, in the gaming machine A19, one or more gears are provided between the drive means and the transmission member to transmit the driving force, and the weight of the first displacement member is made heavier than the weight of the second displacement member.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine A19, gaming machine A20 makes the weight of the first displacement member heavier than the weight of the second displacement member, so that when the transmission member is driven in the forward direction, the first displacement member, which is heavier, can be stopped first, and the second displacement member, which is lighter, can be stopped last. This reduces the burden on the gears.

That is, the transition from a state in which the transmission member is driven in the forward direction and the first and second displacement members are each displaced in the first direction to a state in which the first displacement member is stopped and the second displacement member is displaced in the second direction is achieved by the transmission member moving from the transmission section of the first groove to the non-interference section, so the rotation of the drive means and gears continues. Therefore, even if the first displacement member is stopped, no burden is placed on the gears. On the other hand, the transition from a state in which the first displacement member is stopped and the second displacement member is displaced in the second direction to a state in which the second displacement member is also stopped is achieved by stopping the rotation of the drive means and gears, but in this case, the only member that is stopped is the second displacement member, which is light in weight, so the burden on the gears can be reduced accordingly.

A gaming machine A21 is any one of the gaming machines A1 to A20, and is provided with a third displacement member that is displaceably disposed on the first displacement member, and the third displacement member is displaced by the action of the second displacement member.

In addition to the effects of any of gaming machines A1 to A20, gaming machine A21 is provided with a third displacement member that is displaceably disposed on the first displacement member, and the third displacement member is displaced by the action of the second displacement member, so that the third displacement member can also be displaced in conjunction with the displacement of the second displacement member relative to the first displacement member.

In the gaming machine A21, one of the second displacement member or the third displacement member has a drive pin, and the other of the second displacement member or the third displacement member has a third groove, and the third groove has an action section that receives the action from the drive pin and a non-interference section where the drive pin does not interfere. Gaming machine A22.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine A21, gaming machine A22 has either the second or third displacement member equipped with a drive pin, and the other of the second or third displacement member equipped with a third groove, and the third groove has an action section that receives the action of the drive pin and a non-interference section where the drive pin does not interfere, so that it is possible to form a mode in which both the second and third displacement members are displaced relative to the first displacement member, and a mode in which only the second or third displacement member is displaced relative to the first displacement member.

A gaming machine A23 is characterized in that, in the gaming machine A21, the second displacement member is arranged so as to be displaceable relative to the third displacement member.

According to gaming machine A23, the second displacement member is disposed so as to be displaceable relative to the third displacement member. Therefore, when the third displacement member displaces relative to the first displacement member, the second displacement member displaces relative to the third displacement member. This allows the relative displacement of the second displacement member relative to the third displacement member to be superimposed on the relative displacement of the third displacement member relative to the first displacement member, thereby increasing the amount of relative displacement of the second displacement member relative to the first displacement member.

<Concept of the invention using the left rotation unit 700 as an example>
A gaming machine comprising a base member, a first displacement member displaceably arranged on the base member, a second displacement member displaceably arranged on the first displacement member, a driving means for generating a driving force for displacing the first displacement member and the second displacement member, and a connecting member connecting the base member and the second displacement member, wherein the second displacement member is displaced relative to the first displacement member as the first displacement member is displaced, the connecting member comprising a first connecting member having one end connected to the base member, and a second connecting member having the other end connected to the other end of the first connecting member and one end connected to the second displacement member, and wherein the connecting portion between the other ends of the first connecting member and the second connecting member is displaceably connected to the first displacement member.

Here, in a gaming machine such as a pachinko machine, there is a gaming machine that includes a base member, a first displacement member displaceably disposed on the base member, a second displacement member displaceably disposed on the first displacement member, a driving means that generates a driving force for displacing the first displacement member and the second displacement member, and a connecting member that connects the base member and the second displacement member (JP Patent Publication 2013-17886).

According to this gaming machine, when the first displacement member is displaced by the driving force of the drive means, the connecting member acts between the base member and the second displacement member, so that the second displacement member can be displaced relative to the first displacement member in conjunction with the displacement of the first displacement member. However, in the conventional gaming machine described above, when the first displacement member is displaced in a direction away from the base member, the connecting member connecting the base member and the second displacement member becomes exposed, making it visible to the player and impairing the appearance.

In contrast, according to gaming machine B1, the connecting member comprises a first connecting member having one end connected to the base member, and a second connecting member having the other end connected to the other end of the first connecting member and one end connected to the second displacement member, and the connecting portion between the other ends of the first connecting member and the second connecting member is displaceably connected to the first displacement member, so that even if the first displacement member is displaced in a direction away from the base member, the connecting members (the first connecting member and the second connecting member) can be disposed on the back surface of the first displacement member, making them difficult for the player to see. As a result, it is possible to prevent the connecting members from being exposed and damaging the appearance.

A gaming machine B2 is characterized in that in the gaming machine B1, the first displacement member is rotatably arranged on the base member, and the second connecting member of the connecting member is slidably arranged on the first displacement member.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine B1, gaming machine B2 has the following advantages: the first displacement member is rotatably arranged on the base member, and the second connecting member of the connecting member is slidably arranged on the first displacement member; therefore, when the first displacement member is rotated relative to the base member, even if the amount of rotation is large (i.e., the amount of displacement of the first connecting member and the second connecting member needs to be large), the second connecting member of the connecting member remains arranged on the back surface of the first displacement member, and is prevented from being seen by the player. As a result, the second connecting member of the connecting member is prevented from being exposed and damaging the appearance.

In addition, even when an electrical connection line is wired to the first displacement member, the second connecting member of the connecting member is disposed so as to be slidably displaceable on the first displacement member, making it easier to suppress interference between the connection line and the second connecting member. Therefore, there is no need to secure a large space for wiring the connection line in order to avoid interference, and the shape of the first displacement member viewed from the front can be made smaller accordingly.

Gaming machine B3 is characterized in that, in gaming machine B1 or B2, it has a driver driven by the driving means, the driver is connected to the first connecting member of the connecting member, and the driving force of the driving means is transmitted from the driver to the first connecting member, thereby driving the first displacement member and the second displacement member.

Gaming machine B3 has the same effects as gaming machines B1 and B2, but also includes a driver driven by a drive means, which is connected to the first connecting member of the connecting member. The driving force of the drive means is transmitted from the driver to the first connecting member, thereby driving the first displacement member and the second displacement member, thereby making it possible to reduce the size of the first displacement member when viewed from the front.

That is, the connecting member is located between the first displacement member and the base member because the connecting portion between the other ends of the first and second connecting members is displaceably connected to the first displacement member. When connecting the driver to the first displacement member, there is a risk of interference between the driver and the connecting member, so the driver must be connected to the first displacement member at a position that does not overlap with the displacement trajectory of the connecting member. Therefore, the front view shape of the first displacement member must be a size that includes the displacement trajectory of the connecting member and the connecting portion to which the driver is connected, and the front view shape of the first displacement member becomes larger accordingly. In contrast, according to the gaming machine B3, there is no need to avoid interference between the driver and the connecting member, and the front view shape of the first displacement member only needs to be a size that corresponds to the displacement trajectory of the connecting member, and there is no need to include the connecting portion to which the driver is connected, so the front view shape of the first displacement member can be made smaller accordingly.

In gaming machines B1 to B3, the first displacement member is rotatably disposed on the base member and is formed to be displaceable between a retracted position and an extended position, the base member is provided with a base-side engaging member, and one of the first displacement member and the second displacement member is provided with a displacement-side engaging member formed to be engageable with the base-side engaging member when the first displacement member is displaced to the retracted position. Gaming machine B4.

In the conventional gaming machine described above, a connecting member connects the base member and the second displacement member in an erected state, and in the retracted position, the base member and the second displacement member are connected by the connecting member at a position relatively distant from the rotation axis of the first displacement member. Therefore, even if the first displacement member attempts to tilt the portion opposite the rotation axis (i.e., the second displacement member side) in a direction away from the base member, the tilting can be suppressed by the action of the connecting member interposed between the base member and the second displacement member.

However, in gaming machine B4, the connecting member is displaceably connected to the first displacement member at the connecting portion between the other ends of the first and second connecting members, so that in the retracted position, the portion opposite the rotation axis of the first displacement member (i.e., the second displacement member side) becomes the free end, with the rotation axis of the first displacement member being the base end. Therefore, due to its own weight and the weight of the second displacement member, the portion opposite the rotation axis of the first displacement member (the second displacement member side) is likely to tilt in a direction away from the base member.

In this case, according to gaming machine B4, in addition to the effects of gaming machines B1 to B3, the base member is provided with a base-side engaging member, and either the first displacement member or the second displacement member is provided with a displacement-side engaging member, and when the first displacement member is displaced to the retracted position, the base-side engaging member and the displacement-side engaging member are formed to be engageable, so that the portion of the first displacement member opposite the rotation axis (the second displacement member side) can be prevented from tilting in a direction away from the base member.

Gaming machine B5 is characterized in that the second displacement member is equipped with the displacement side engagement member in gaming machine B4.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine B4, gaming machine B5 has a displacement side engaging member in which the second displacement member is provided, so that the engagement position between the base side engaging member and the displacement side engaging member can be set at a position relatively far from the rotation axis of the first displacement member. Therefore, by utilizing the engagement between the base side engaging member and the displacement side engaging member, it is possible to effectively prevent the portion of the first displacement member opposite the rotation axis (the second displacement member side) from tilting in a direction away from the base member.

In gaming machine B5, the base-side engaging member and the displacement-side engaging member each have a base that stands from the front surface of the base member or the back surface of the second displacement member, and a bent portion formed by bending the tip of the base, the inner surface of which serves as an engaging surface, and the engaging surfaces of the bent portions engage with each other when the first displacement member is displaced from the extended position to the retracted position, and the engaging surface of the bent portion of the base-side engaging member is inclined in a direction away from the front surface of the base member toward its engaging tip side, and/or the engaging surface of the bent portion of the displacement-side engaging member is inclined in a direction away from the back surface of the second displacement member toward its engaging tip side. In gaming machine B6,

Here, when the second displacement member is equipped with a displacement side engaging member, as in gaming machine B5, the engagement position between the base side engaging member and the displacement side engaging member is relatively far from the rotation axis of the first displacement member, and therefore, due to the swinging of the first displacement member, it becomes difficult for the base side engaging member and the displacement side engaging member to engage with each other.

In contrast, according to gaming machine B6, the engagement surface of the bent portion of the base-side engagement member is inclined in a direction away from the front surface of the base member as it approaches the engagement tip, and/or the engagement surface of the bent portion of the displacement-side engagement member is inclined in a direction away from the back surface of the second displacement member as it approaches the engagement tip. In other words, the distance between the engagement surface of the bent portion and the front surface of the base member or the back surface of the second displacement member is wider as it approaches the engagement tip. This not only achieves the effect of gaming machine B5, but also makes it easier to engage the base-side engagement member with the displacement-side engagement member even if the first displacement member sways.

Furthermore, according to gaming machine B6, the engagement surface of the bent portion of at least one of the base-side engagement member or the displacement-side engagement member is inclined as described above, so that when the first displacement member is displaced toward the retracted position, the inclination of the engagement surface of the bent portion allows the second displacement member to approach toward the base member. This makes it possible to reduce the protruding dimension of the second displacement member from the base member in the retracted position, and absorb any rattling of the second displacement member to maintain its posture.

In gaming machine B5 or B6, the base side engaging member and the displacement side engaging member each have a base part that stands from the front surface of the base member or the back surface of the second displacement member, and a bent part that is formed by bending the tip of the base part and has an inner surface that serves as an engaging surface, and the engaging surfaces of the bent parts engage with each other when the first displacement member is displaced from the extended position to the retracted position, and gaming machine B7 is characterized in that the front surface of the base member and the back surface of the second displacement member have receiving parts for receiving the opposing bent parts.

According to gaming machine B7, in addition to the effects of gaming machines B5 and B6, receiving portions for receiving the bent portion of the other are formed on the front surface of the base member and the back surface of the second displacement member, so that when the first displacement member is disposed in the retracted position (when the base-side engaging member and the displacement-side engaging member are engaged), the bent portion is received in the receiving portion, and the second displacement member can be allowed to displace in a direction approaching the base member. Therefore, by increasing the erection dimensions of the bases of the base-side engaging member and the displacement-side engaging member, it is easier to engage the base-side engaging member and the displacement-side engaging member, while in the retracted position, the second displacement member is allowed to displace in a direction approaching the base member, preventing damage due to a collision.

Gaming machine B8 is any one of gaming machines B3 to B7, characterized in that when the first displacement member is disposed in the extended position, the displacement side engagement member engages with the first displacement member.

According to gaming machine B8, in addition to the effects of any of gaming machines B3 to B7, when the first displacement member is disposed in the extended position, the displacement side engaging member is engaged with the first displacement member, i.e., the first displacement member and the second displacement member can be connected via the displacement side engaging member. This makes it possible to prevent the second displacement member from rattling relative to the first displacement member in the extended position. In addition, the displacement side engaging member, which engages with the base side engaging member in the retracted position to connect the second displacement member to the base member, can also engage with the first displacement member in the extended position to connect the second displacement member to the first displacement member, thereby simplifying the structure and reducing parts costs.

A gaming machine B9 is characterized in that, in any one of the gaming machines B1 to B8, it is provided with an interposition means interposed between the second displacement member and one end of the connecting second member, and the interposition means makes the mode of action occurring between the second displacement member and one end of the connecting second member different when the first displacement member is displaced in a first direction relative to the base member and when the first displacement member is displaced in a second direction.

Gaming machine B9 has the same effect as any of gaming machines B1 to B8, but also includes an interposition means interposed between the second displacement member and one end of the connecting second member, and the interposition means changes the manner of action between the second displacement member and one end of the connecting second member when the first displacement member is displaced in a first direction relative to the base member and when the first displacement member is displaced in a second direction relative to the base member, so that the manner of displacement of the second displacement member relative to the first displacement member can be changed when the first displacement member is displaced in a first direction relative to the base member and when the first displacement member is displaced in a second direction relative to the base member.

In the gaming machine B9, the interposing means includes a guided portion disposed at one end of the first displacement member or the second connecting member, and a guide portion disposed at the other end of the first displacement member or the second connecting member for guiding the guided portion, and the gaming machine B10 is characterized in that the mode of action occurring between the second displacement member and the one end of the second connecting member is changed by guiding the guide portion along a different path of the guide portion when the first displacement member is displaced in a first direction relative to the base member and when the first displacement member is displaced in a second direction.

According to gaming machine B10, in addition to the effects of gaming machine B9, the interposing means guides the guiding portion along different paths in the guided portion when the first displacement member is displaced in a first direction relative to the base member and when it is displaced in a second direction, thereby differing the manner of action occurring between the second displacement member and one end of the connecting second member. This makes it easier to change the manner of displacement of the second displacement member relative to the first displacement member depending on the shape of the guided portion. In other words, the degree of freedom in design can be increased.

In the gaming machine B9, the interposing means creates an action between the second displacement member and one end of the connecting second member when the first displacement member is displaced in a first direction relative to the base member, and releases the action between the second displacement member and one end of the connecting second member when the first displacement member is displaced in a second direction relative to the base member. A gaming machine B11.

According to gaming machine B11, the interposition means creates an action between the second displacement member and one end of the connecting second member when the first displacement member is displaced in a first direction relative to the base member, while releasing the action between the second displacement member and one end of the connecting second member when the first displacement member is displaced in a second direction relative to the base member, making it easier to greatly differ the manner in which the second displacement member is displaced relative to the first displacement member when the first displacement member is displaced in the first direction and when the first displacement member is displaced in the second direction relative to the base member.

<Concept of the invention using the center frame 86 as an example>
Gaming machine C1 is characterized in that it has a gaming board having a playing area on the front side and an opening formed in the center, and a displacement member formed so as to be displaceable between a retracted position on the rear side of the gaming board and an extended position which is visible through the opening, the gaming machine having a center frame formed from a light-transmitting material and fitted into the opening of the gaming board, the center frame having an area forming portion which forms part of the playing area.

Here, there is a gaming machine such as a pachinko machine that has a gaming board with a playing area on the front and an opening in the center, and a displacement member that is formed so as to be displaceable between a retracted position on the rear side of the gaming board and an extended position that is visible through the opening (JP Patent Publication No. 2014-176580).

According to this gaming machine, the opening of the game board is made larger than the outer dimensions of the liquid crystal display device, thereby ensuring an area in which the displacement member can be viewed. However, in the conventional gaming machines described above, since it is necessary to ensure an area in the game area for the balls to flow down, there is a limit to how large the opening of the game board can be made, and there is a problem in that it is not possible to ensure a sufficient area in which the displacement member can be viewed.

In contrast, gaming machine C1 has a center frame that is made of a light-transmitting material and is fitted into the opening of the gaming board, and the center frame has an area forming portion that forms part of the gaming area, so the displacement member can be seen through this area forming portion. Therefore, it is possible to ensure an area in the gaming area for the balls to flow down while also ensuring a sufficient area in which the displacement member can be seen.

Gaming machine C2 is characterized in that in gaming machine C1, the area forming portion of the center frame forms a continuous area from the inner edge of the opening of the gaming board to the outer edge of the gaming area as part of the gaming area.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine C1, gaming machine C2 has an area forming portion of the center frame that forms a continuous area from the inner edge of the opening of the gaming board to the outer edge of the gaming area as part of the gaming area, thereby maximizing the area in which the displacement member is visible.

Gaming machine C3 is characterized in that the area forming portion of the center frame in gaming machine C2 is set to a width that allows only one gaming ball to pass through.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine C2, gaming machine C3 has an area-forming portion of the center frame that is set to a width that allows only one gaming ball to pass through, ensuring a maximum area in which the displacement member can be seen through the opening in the gaming board (i.e., without passing through the center frame).

Gaming machine C4 is characterized in that the area forming portion of the center frame in gaming machine C2 or C3 has a downstream wall portion that is erected on the downstream side of the area and is formed integrally with the center frame.

Here, if the center frame is made of a resin material and nails cannot be planted into it, the speed at which the game balls flow down will increase, making it difficult for players to see the game balls as they flow down.

In contrast, with gaming machine C4, the area forming portion of the center frame has a downstream wall portion erected on the downstream side of the area, so that gaming balls flowing down the area forming portion can abut against the downstream wall portion. Thus, in addition to the effects of gaming machines C2 and C3, the flow speed of the gaming balls can be reduced, making them easier for players to see. Also, since the downstream wall portion is formed integrally with the center frame, it can be easily molded by molding, and there is no need to fasten separate parts, so manufacturing costs can be reduced accordingly.

In gaming machine C4, the area forming portion of the center frame is provided with a side wall portion that is erected within the area, defines a passage through which gaming balls flow down, and is integrally formed with the center frame, and the side wall portion is connected to the downstream wall portion. Gaming machine C5 is characterized in that.

According to gaming machine C5, in addition to the effects of gaming machine C4, the area forming portion of the center frame has a side wall portion that is erected within the area and defines the passage through which the game balls flow, and since the side wall portion is connected to the downstream wall portion, the rigidity of the downstream wall portion that receives the game balls flowing downstream can be increased. This makes it possible to prevent damage to the downstream wall portion. Also, since the connecting wall portion is formed integrally with the center frame, it can be easily molded by molding, and there is no need to fasten and fix separate parts, so that the manufacturing costs can be reduced accordingly. Furthermore, since the side wall portion that serves to define the passage through which the game balls flow can also serve to increase the rigidity of the downstream wall portion, the structure can be simplified and the parts costs can be reduced accordingly.

Gaming machine C6 is characterized in that, in gaming machine C5, it has an inner rail that is erected from the front of the gaming board and guides the launched gaming balls to the gaming area, and the side wall portion is arranged in parallel with the inner rail.

In conventional gaming machines, the manner in which a game ball flowing down the play area collides with the inner rail is by colliding with a nail, bouncing off it, and then colliding at a relatively slow speed, which does not cause problems such as damage to the inner rail. In contrast, in the present invention, in order to maximize the area in which the displacement member can be viewed, the width of the area forming section that forms part of the play area is set to be narrow (for example, a width that allows only one game ball to pass through). In other words, the width of the play area is narrowed by the area forming section. Therefore, upstream of the area forming section, it becomes necessary to guide the game ball that has flowed down the play area toward the area forming section, and as a result of this guidance, some of the game balls collide with the inner rail at a relatively high speed, which may cause the inner rail to bend.

In contrast, with gaming machine C6, the side wall portion is arranged alongside the inner rail, so that even if a gaming ball that has flowed down the gaming area is guided towards the area forming portion and flows down towards the inner rail, the gaming ball can be received by the side wall portion and prevented from colliding with the inner rail. As a result, in addition to the effect achieved by gaming machine C5, bending of the inner rail can be suppressed.

Gaming machine C7 is characterized in that, in gaming machine C5 or C6, it is provided with a light-emitting means disposed on the rear side of the area forming portion of the center frame and formed to be capable of emitting light, and the side wall portion is formed to be capable of functioning as a light guide that guides the light emitted from the light-emitting means to the front side of the gaming area.

In addition to the effects of gaming machines C5 and C6, gaming machine C7 can provide a dramatic effect using light because the side wall is formed to function as a light guide that guides light emitted from the light emitting means to the front side of the play area. In particular, gaming machine C7, which is subordinate to gaming machine C6, has a side wall that is juxtaposed to the inner rail, so that the inner rail can reduce light leakage, thereby increasing the amount of light that can be guided. As a result, the dramatic effect using light can be enhanced.

Gaming machine C8 is characterized in that in gaming machine C7, the light emitting means is disposed on the displacement member, and the retracted position of the displacement member is the rear surface of the area forming portion of the center frame.

According to gaming machine C8, in addition to the effects of gaming machine C7, a light emitting means is disposed on the displacement member, and the retracted position of the displacement member is the rear of the area forming portion of the center frame. Therefore, when the displacement member is disposed in the retracted position, the displacement member can be seen through the area forming portion of the center frame, and the light emitted from the light emitting means of the displacement member can be guided through the side wall portion and then seen. This enhances the light presentation effect.

A gaming machine C9 is characterized in that, in any one of gaming machines C1 to C8, the area forming portion of the center frame is provided with a pair of side walls that are erected within the area to define a passage through which gaming balls flow down and are formed integrally with the center frame, and one or more protrusions are provided on the opposing surfaces of the pair of side walls.

Here, if the center frame is made of a resin material and nails cannot be planted in the area forming portion, the speed at which the game ball flows down the passage partitioned by the pair of side walls increases, making it difficult for the player to see the game ball flowing down.

In contrast, according to gaming machine C9, one or more protrusions are provided on each of the opposing surfaces of a pair of side walls, so that when a gaming ball flows down a passage partitioned by the pair of side walls, the gaming ball can be caused to collide with the protrusions and be blocked from flowing down. This provides the same effects as gaming machines C1 to C8, and also slows down the flow of the gaming ball, making it easier for the player to see the flowing gaming ball.

A gaming machine C10 is characterized in that, in the gaming machine C9, the protrusions on one of the opposing surfaces of the pair of side walls and the protrusions on the other opposing surface are arranged in a staggered pattern.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine C9, gaming machine C10 has a staggered arrangement of protrusions on one opposing surface of a pair of side walls and protrusions on the other opposing surface, so that when a gaming ball flows down a passage partitioned by a pair of side walls, the gaming ball collides alternately with the left and right protrusions, causing the flowing gaming ball to meander. This, in addition to the effects of gaming machine C9, slows down the flowing speed of the gaming ball, making it easier for the player to see the flowing gaming ball, and displaces the flowing gaming ball in a direction perpendicular to the flowing direction, changing the movement of the gaming ball.

Gaming machine C11 is characterized in that the area forming portion of the center frame in gaming machine C10 has a recessed groove on its front surface that extends in a roughly sawtooth shape.

According to gaming machine C11, in addition to the effects of gaming machine C10, the area forming portion of the center frame has a groove recessed into its front surface and extending in a roughly sawtooth shape, so that when a gaming ball flows down the area forming portion, the gaming ball can be guided by the inner surface of the groove to meander. This slows down the flow speed of the gaming ball, making it easier for the player to see the flowing gaming ball. Also, according to gaming machine C11, which is subordinate to gaming machine C7, the groove can be used as a lens to guide light emitted from the light emitting means to the front surface of the gaming area, thereby providing a dramatic effect using light.

Gaming machine C12 is characterized in that the bent portion of the groove in the gaming machine C11 is positioned offset from the protrusion in the direction in which the gaming ball flows downward.

According to gaming machine C12, in addition to the effects of gaming machine C11, the bent portion of the groove is positioned offset in the direction in which the gaming ball flows downward relative to the protrusions, so that when the gaming ball flows downward through the area forming portion, the meandering gaming ball, guided by the inner surface of the groove, is more likely to collide alternately with the protrusions. Thus, a synergistic effect can be obtained by utilizing both the action of the groove and the action of the protrusions. As a result, the flow speed of the gaming ball can be slowed down, making it easier for the player to see the flowing gaming ball. Also, the change in the movement of the gaming ball can be made greater.

A gaming machine C13 is characterized in that the area forming portion of the center frame in the gaming machine C10 has a protruding ridge that protrudes from the front surface and extends in a roughly sawtooth shape.

According to gaming machine C13, in addition to the effects of gaming machine C10, the area forming portion of the center frame has a ridge that protrudes from its front surface and extends in a roughly sawtooth shape, so that when a gaming ball flows down the area forming portion, the gaming ball can be guided by the outer surface of the ridge to meander. This slows down the flow speed of the gaming ball, making it easier for the player to see the flowing gaming ball. Also, according to gaming machine C13, which is subordinate to gaming machine C7, the ridge can be used as a lens to guide light emitted from the light emitting means to the front of the gaming area, and a light-based dramatic effect can be achieved.

Gaming machine C14 is characterized in that the bent portion of the convex strip is positioned in line with the flow direction of the gaming ball relative to the protrusion in gaming machine C13.

According to gaming machine C14, in addition to the effects of gaming machine C13, the bent portion of the convex rib is positioned so that it coincides with the flow direction of the gaming ball relative to the protrusion, so that when the gaming ball flows down the area forming portion, the meandering gaming ball, guided by the outer surface of the convex rib, can easily collide with the protrusions alternately. Therefore, a synergistic effect can be obtained by utilizing both the action of the convex rib and the action of the protrusion. As a result, the flow speed of the gaming ball can be slowed down, making it easier for the player to see the flowing gaming ball. Also, the change in the movement of the gaming ball can be made greater.

A gaming machine C15 is any one of gaming machines C11 to C14, characterized in that the terminal end of the groove or ridge overlaps with the downstream wall in the extension direction and faces the exit of the passage partitioned by the pair of side walls.

According to gaming machine C15, in addition to the effects of any of gaming machines C11 to C14, the terminal end of the groove or ridge overlaps with the downstream wall portion in the extension direction and is directed toward the exit of the passage partitioned by a pair of side walls, so that a gaming ball guided to the terminal end of the groove or ridge can collide with the downstream wall portion from an oblique direction, thereby suppressing the bouncing of the gaming ball and reducing its flow speed, while allowing the gaming ball to flow down toward the exit of the passage. As a result, the gaming ball can flow out smoothly from the exit of the passage.

<Concept of the invention using the prize-winning device 65 as an example>
A gaming machine having a seesaw member rotatably supported between one end and the other end by a rotating shaft, which, in an unloaded state, forms a first state in which one end is lowered and the other end is raised, and which forms a second state in which one end is raised and the other end is lowered when a gaming ball is placed on the other end side of the rotating shaft, the gaming machine having a guide means for guiding a gaming ball to the seesaw member, the seesaw member having a receiving surface for receiving the gaming ball guided by the guide means, and the receiving surface being located on the one end side of the rotating shaft.

Here, there are gaming machines such as pachinko machines that have a seesaw member that is rotatably supported between one end and the other end by a rotating shaft, and in an unloaded state, the seesaw member forms a first state in which one end is lowered and the other end is raised, and when a gaming ball is placed on the other end side of the rotating shaft, the seesaw member forms a second state in which one end is raised and the other end is lowered (for example, JP 2007-283136 A).

With this gaming machine, when a gaming ball is dropped onto a seesaw member in a first state and placed between the rotation axis and the other end, the weight of the gaming ball causes the other end to descend and one end to rise, forming a second state. On the other hand, when the gaming ball that was placed between the rotation axis and the other end is discharged, the other end is raised and the one end is lowered, returning to the first state. In other words, the weight of the dropped gaming ball can be used to alternate between the first state and the second state, and an effect can be created by the movement of one end and the other end of the seesaw member being displaced up and down.

However, in the conventional gaming machines described above, when multiple gaming balls are dropped in succession, the other end is lowered while the other end is raised, maintaining the second state, and there is a problem in that it is not possible to alternate between the first state and the second state.

In contrast, according to gaming machine D1, the seesaw member has a receiving surface that receives the gaming ball guided from the guiding means, which is located on the one end side of the rotation axis. Therefore, even in the second state where the other end side is lowered and the one end side is raised, the weight of the gaming ball received on the receiving surface can cause the one end side to lower. In other words, it is possible to create the first state where the one end side is lowered and the other end side is raised. As a result, even when multiple gaming balls are dropped in succession, it is possible to easily alternate between the first state and the second state.

Gaming machine D2 is characterized in that, in gaming machine D1, the receiving surface is formed so that when it receives a gaming ball guided by the guiding means in the first state, it can send the gaming ball to the other end side.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine D1, gaming machine D2 has a receiving surface that is formed so that when it receives a gaming ball guided by the guiding means in the first state, it can send the gaming ball to the other end, so that it is possible to reliably switch from the first state to the second state.

Examples of configurations that allow the game ball to be sent to the other end include a configuration in which the receiving surface is inclined downward from one end to the other end even in the first state, and a configuration in which a protrusion is formed on the receiving surface and the protrusion is shaped to bounce the game ball guided by the guiding means to the other end.

Amusement machine D3 is characterized in that it is equipped with a decorative member that is rotatably supported on a shaft in amusement machine D1 or D2, one end of the seesaw member is connected to the decorative member, and the decorative member is displaced as the seesaw member rotates around the rotation axis.

Amusement machine D3, in addition to the effects of amusement machines D1 and D2, is equipped with a decorative member that is rotatably supported on a shaft, and one end of the seesaw member is connected to the decorative member, forming a link mechanism in which the decorative member is displaced as the seesaw member rotates around the axis of rotation. The link ratio allows the range of movement of the decorative member to be expanded, enhancing the presentation effect.

Here, in order to reliably switch the seesaw member between the first and second states, it is preferable that the seesaw member can be quickly returned to the first state in which one end is lowered and the other end is raised when the load is removed. In this case, according to gaming machine D3, a decorative member is connected to one end of the seesaw member, so that the weight of the decorative member can be applied to one end of the seesaw member to lower the one end. Therefore, when the load is removed, the seesaw member can be easily quickly returned to the first state in which one end is lowered and the other end is raised, and as a result, the seesaw member can be easily switched between the first and second states.

The weight of the decorative member prevents one end of the seesaw member from being raised (creating the second state), but the weight of the game ball is heavy enough that by placing the game ball on the other end side of the axis of rotation of the seesaw member, one end side is raised and the other end side is lowered, creating the second state.

In any of the gaming machines D1 to D3, the guide means has a passage through which the gaming ball passes, and at the end of the passage, a horizontal passage is formed that extends in a substantially horizontal direction and has a rolling guide surface along which the gaming ball rolls, and the gaming ball that rolls on the rolling guide surface of the horizontal passage is guided from a substantially horizontal direction to the receiving surface of the seesaw member. Gaming machine D4.

In addition to the effects of gaming machines D1 to D3, gaming machine D4 has a guide means that has a passage through which gaming balls pass, and thus can use this passage to store multiple gaming balls and sequentially guide the multiple gaming balls from the passage to the receiving surface of the seesaw member.

However, even in this case, in a configuration in which the game balls are guided onto the receiving surface of the seesaw member by dropping them from above, when multiple game balls are guided in succession, these multiple game balls pile up on the receiving surface, making it impossible to alternate between the first and second states of the seesaw member.

In contrast, according to gaming machine D4, a horizontal passage is formed at the end of the passage, extending in a substantially horizontal direction and having a rolling guide surface along which the game balls roll, and the game balls that roll along the rolling guide surface of the horizontal passage are guided from a substantially horizontal direction to the receiving surface of the seesaw member, so that balls can be guided one by one in sequence from the horizontal passage to the receiving surface of the seesaw member (i.e., the receiving surface can receive balls one by one in sequence from the horizontal passage), preventing multiple game balls from piling up on the receiving surface. This makes it easier to alternate between the first and second states of the seesaw member.

Gaming machine D5 is characterized in that in gaming machine D4, the guide means is provided with an upstream passage that is connected to the upstream side of the horizontal passage and extends in a direction different from the extension direction of the horizontal passage, and the extension length of the horizontal passage is set to a dimension smaller than twice the diameter of the gaming ball.

According to gaming machine D5, in addition to the effects of gaming machine D4, the guide means is provided with an upstream passage that is connected to the upstream side of the horizontal passage and extends in a direction different from the extension direction of the horizontal passage, and the extension length of the horizontal passage is set to a dimension smaller than twice the diameter of the gaming ball. Therefore, even if multiple gaming balls are stored in the passage, the gaming balls can be guided one by one at intervals to the receiving surface of the seesaw member.

That is, since the extension length of the horizontal passage is set to a dimension smaller than twice the diameter of the game ball, it is possible for only one game ball to be present in the horizontal passage, and since the extension direction of the horizontal passage and the extension direction of the upstream passage are different directions, when a ball flows from the upstream passage into the horizontal passage, the inflow direction needs to be changed, and the time required for the ball to flow into the horizontal passage can be increased by the amount of the change in direction. Therefore, when a leading game ball in the horizontal passage is guided to the receiving surface of the seesaw member, the following game ball in the upstream passage flows into the horizontal passage while taking time to change direction, and this following game ball is guided from the horizontal passage to the receiving surface of the seesaw member. That is, the following game ball is spaced apart from the leading game ball. As a result, the game balls can be guided one by one to the receiving surface of the seesaw member while being spaced apart.

Amusement machine D6 is characterized in that, in gaming machine D4 or D5, at least in the second state, the receiving surface of the seesaw member is located above the rolling guide surface of the horizontal passage.

According to gaming machine D6, in addition to the effects of gaming machines D4 and D5, at least in the second state (where one end is raised and the other end is lowered), the receiving surface of the seesaw member is located above the rolling guide surface of the horizontal passage, i.e., a step is formed between the receiving surface and the rolling guide surface. Therefore, when a gaming ball that has rolled on the rolling guide surface of the horizontal passage is guided to the receiving surface of the seesaw member, the gaming ball can be made to ride up onto the receiving surface (collide against the step), and this riding up action (collision) can be used to make it easier to lower the receiving surface of the seesaw member. As a result, it is easier to create the first state in which one end is lowered and the other end is raised.

A gaming machine D7 is characterized in that, in the gaming machine D6, at least in the first state, the receiving surface of the seesaw member is located flush with the rolling guide surface of the horizontal passage or is located below the rolling guide surface of the horizontal passage.

Here, when the seesaw member is in the first state, this means that the seesaw member is in an unloaded state, and the game ball that is guided from the horizontal passage and received at the receiving surface is sent quickly to the other end, causing the weight of the game ball to act on the other end side of the rotation axis, causing the other end side to descend (forming the second state).

In this case, according to gaming machine D7, in addition to the effect of gaming machine D6, at least in the first state, the receiving surface of the seesaw member is located flush with the rolling guide surface of the horizontal passage or is located lower than the rolling guide surface of the horizontal passage, so the gaming ball can be smoothly guided from the rolling guide surface of the horizontal passage to the receiving surface of the seesaw member. In other words, there is no need for the gaming ball to climb onto the receiving surface (collide with a step) as in the second state, and the time lag that occurs in such an action can be avoided. Therefore, the gaming ball can be sent out quickly to the other end side, and as a result, it is easier to create the second state in which one end side is raised and the other end side is lowered.

In the first state, it is preferable that the receiving surface of the seesaw member is flush with the rolling guide surface of the horizontal passage. If the receiving surface of the seesaw member is located below the rolling guide surface of the horizontal passage, the game ball guided from the rolling guide surface of the horizontal passage falls onto the receiving surface of the seesaw member, causing the game ball to bounce, resulting in a time lag and increasing the load on the rotation axis of the seesaw member due to the impact of the fall.

Among any of the gaming machines D1 to D7, gaming machine D8 is characterized in that the other end of the seesaw member is bent upward in a roughly L-shape when viewed in the axial direction of the rotation shaft.

In addition to the effects of any of the gaming machines D1 to D7, the seesaw member is formed with the other end bent upward in a roughly dogleg shape when viewed in the axial direction of its rotation axis, so that the space required for arranging the seesaw member is reduced and the seesaw member can be easily switched between the first state and the second state.

In other words, if the downward inclination of the seesaw member on the other end side of the rotation axis is insufficient, the time during which the game ball is placed on said other end side (i.e., the time during which the other end side is lowered and the second state is formed) becomes longer, and the alternation between the first state and the second state is hindered. However, if the entire area on the other end side of the rotation axis is downwardly inclined, the other end side will protrude from the space allowed for the arrangement of the seesaw member (i.e., the space required for the arrangement of the seesaw member will become larger). On the other hand, if the length from the rotation axis to the other end side is shortened so that it fits into the space allowed for the arrangement of the seesaw member, the time during which the game ball is placed on the other end side (i.e., the time during which the other end side is lowered and the second state is formed) becomes shorter, and the formation of the second state becomes uncertain, and the alternation between the first state and the second state is hindered. Furthermore, in order to ensure that the length from the rotation axis to the other end is maintained and that the seesaw member fits into the space allowed for its placement, the downward slope on the other end side of the rotation axis is insufficient.

In response to this, the other end of the seesaw member can be formed in a shape that is bent upward in a roughly L-shape when viewed in the axial direction of the rotating shaft, thereby eliminating the above-mentioned problems, and as a result, it is possible to reduce the space required to arrange the seesaw member while making it easier to alternate between the first and second states of the seesaw member.

Among any of the gaming machines D1 to D8, gaming machine D9 is characterized in that it is provided with an inlet through which the gaming ball that has been rolled from the rotation axis of the seesaw member toward the other end flows in, and on the other end of the seesaw member, a claw portion is protruding that is formed so that the rolling direction of the gaming ball that has been rolled from the rotation axis toward the other end can be changed to a direction toward the inlet.

According to gaming machine D9, in any of gaming machines D1 to D8, a claw portion is protruded from the other end of the seesaw member, which is formed so that the rolling direction of the gaming ball that rolls from the rotation axis toward the other end side can be changed to the direction toward the inlet, so that the gaming ball can be made to flow quickly into the inlet. This prevents the time during which the gaming ball is placed on the other end side of the seesaw member (i.e., the time during which the other end side is lowered and the second state is formed) from becoming too long, which would hinder the alternating switching between the first state and the second state.

Gaming machine D10 is characterized in that the claw portion of gaming machine D9 is biased toward the opposite side of the inlet in the width direction of the seesaw member.

According to gaming machine D10, in addition to the effects of gaming machine D9, the claw portion is arranged on the opposite side of the inlet in the width direction of the seesaw member, so that even if the rolling position of the gaming ball varies in the width direction of the seesaw member, the time during which the gaming ball is placed on the other end side of the rotation axis of the seesaw member (i.e., the time during which the other end side is lowered and the second state is formed) can be made constant.

In other words, by arranging the claw portion on the opposite side of the inlet in the width direction of the seesaw member, a game ball rolling on the rear side of the seesaw member in the width direction (opposite the inlet) has a long distance to the inlet in the width direction of the seesaw member, so it collides with the claw portion at an early stage and rolls toward the inlet, whereas a game ball rolling on the front side of the seesaw member in the width direction (closer to the inlet) has a short distance to the inlet in the width direction of the seesaw member, so it is possible to delay the collision with the claw portion. This makes it possible to make the time that the game ball is placed on the other end side of the axis of rotation of the seesaw member similar in both the former and latter cases.

As a result, even if the rolling position of the game ball varies in the width direction of the seesaw member, the time during which the game ball is placed on the other end side of the rotation axis of the seesaw member (i.e., the time during which the other end side is lowered and the second state is formed) can be made more consistent.

Among any of the gaming machines D1 to D10, gaming machine D11 is characterized in that it has an inlet through which the gaming ball that has been rolled from the rotation axis of the seesaw member toward the other end flows in, and the width of the inlet is set to a dimension greater than twice the diameter of the gaming ball.

According to gaming machine D11, any of gaming machines D1 to D10 is provided with an inlet through which a gaming ball that has been rolled from the rotation axis of the seesaw member toward the other end flows in, and the width of the inlet is set to a dimension greater than twice the diameter of the gaming ball, so that when a previous gaming ball is present at the other end of the seesaw member and a next gaming ball is rolled further toward the other end, each of these gaming balls can flow smoothly into the inlet. For example, even if a subsequent gaming ball collides with the previous gaming ball and both of these gaming balls roll into the inlet at the same time, each of them can flow smoothly in.

A gaming machine D12 is characterized in that the inlet in the gaming machine D11 is set to have a height dimension on the rotating shaft side that is greater than the height dimension on the other end side of the seesaw member.

In addition to the effects of the gaming machine D11, the inlet is set so that the height dimension on the rotating shaft side is greater than the height dimension on the other end side of the seesaw member. Therefore, even if a previous game ball is present on the other end side of the seesaw member and a next game ball rolls toward the other end side and collides with it, each of these game balls can smoothly flow into the inlet. In other words, even if a game ball that collides with the previous game ball bounces up, the inlet has a high height dimension on the rotating shaft side, so that the height can be used to smoothly discharge the subsequent game ball. On the other hand, since the previous game ball is less likely to bounce up even if it collides with the subsequent game ball, the height dimension on the other end side is reduced, so that the previous game ball can smoothly flow into the inlet while reducing the space required for the inlet, thereby securing space for arranging other components.

A gaming machine D13 is any one of the gaming machines D1 to D12, and is characterized by having a suppression means for suppressing the guidance of the gaming ball from the guiding means to the seesaw member when the seesaw member is placed at least in the second state.

According to gaming machine D13, in any of gaming machines D1 to D12, when the seesaw member is placed at least in the second state, a suppression means is provided that suppresses the guidance of the gaming ball from the guiding means to the seesaw member, so that time is secured for the gaming ball on the other end side of the seesaw member to be thrown. As a result, even when multiple gaming balls are dropped in succession, it is easy to alternate between the first state and the second state.

In the gaming machine D13, the guiding means has a sending outlet for sending the gaming ball to the seesaw member, and the suppressing means has a regulating part disposed on one end side of the seesaw member relative to the rotation axis, and when the seesaw member is rotated at least to the second state, at least a part of the regulating part is protruded into the sending outlet, thereby suppressing the sending of the gaming ball from the sending outlet to the seesaw member. Gaming machine D14.

According to gaming machine D14, in addition to the effects of gaming machine D13, the suppression means includes a regulating portion disposed on one end side of the seesaw member relative to the axis of rotation, and when the seesaw member is rotated at least to the second state, at least a portion of the regulating portion is protruded into the outlet, thereby suppressing the sending out of game balls from the outlet to the seesaw member, thereby simplifying the structure and reducing product costs. In other words, the mechanism for protruding the regulating portion into the outlet can be used for the seesaw member, eliminating the need for a drive mechanism for displacing the regulating portion or a control means for controlling the timing of the displacement.

The state in which the restricting portion protrudes into the outlet and the ejection of game balls is inhibited includes both cases in which the gaming machine is unable to pass through the outlet and cases in which game balls are able to pass through the outlet. Even in the latter case (passage possible), the restricting portion protrudes into the outlet and narrows the passage width of the outlet, so that the game balls are ejected from the outlet while colliding with the inner wall of the outlet and the outer wall of the restricting portion, thereby inhibiting the ejection of the game balls. In other words, game balls that are strung together can be separated.

<Concept of the invention using the prize-winning device 65 as an example>
A gaming machine E1 is provided with a seesaw member rotatably supported between one end and the other end by a rotating shaft, and in an unloaded state, the seesaw member forms a first state in which one end is lowered and the other end is raised, and when a gaming ball is placed on the other end side of the rotating shaft, it forms a second state in which one end is raised and the other end is lowered, characterized in that the gaming machine is provided with an ejection means that makes it easy to eject a gaming ball placed on the other end side of the rotating shaft.

Here, there are gaming machines such as pachinko machines that have a seesaw member that is rotatably supported between one end and the other end by a rotating shaft, and in an unloaded state, the seesaw member forms a first state in which one end is lowered and the other end is raised, and when a gaming ball is placed on the other end side of the rotating shaft, the seesaw member forms a second state in which one end is raised and the other end is lowered (for example, JP 2007-283136 A).

With this gaming machine, when a gaming ball is dropped onto a seesaw member in a first state and placed between the rotation axis and the other end, the weight of the gaming ball causes the other end to descend and one end to rise, forming a second state. On the other hand, when the gaming ball that was placed between the rotation axis and the other end is discharged, the other end is raised and the one end is lowered, returning to the first state. In other words, the weight of the dropped gaming ball can be used to alternate between the first state and the second state, and an effect can be created by the movement of one end and the other end of the seesaw member being displaced up and down.

However, in the conventional gaming machines described above, when multiple gaming balls are dropped in succession, the other end is lowered while the other end is raised, maintaining the second state, and there is a problem in that it is not possible to alternate between the first state and the second state.

In contrast, according to gaming machine E1, the seesaw member is equipped with an ejection means that makes it easier to eject game balls placed on the other end side, so that even in the second state in which the other end side is lowered and the one end side is raised, the ejection means can eject the game balls from the other end side, removing the weight of the game balls on the other end side and making it easier to lower the one end side. In other words, the state in which the game balls are placed on the other end side of the rotation axis (i.e., the state in which the second state is formed) can be ended early, and the first state in which the one end side is lowered and the other end side is raised can be formed. As a result, even when multiple game balls are dropped in succession, it is easy to alternate between the first state and the second state.

In the gaming machine E1, the ejection means includes a rotatably supported pivotal portion, a receiving portion disposed on one side of the pivotal portion and configured to receive the gaming ball guided from the guiding means, and a pushing portion disposed on either side of the pivotal portion with respect to the receiving portion, and when the receiving portion receives the gaming ball guided from the guiding means, the pushing portion is pushed out to the other end of the seesaw member by rotation about the pivotal portion. Gaming machine E2.

According to gaming machine E2, in addition to the effects of gaming machine E1, when the receiving part receives the game ball guided from the guiding part, the ejection means rotates around the pivot part, causing the pushing part to protrude to the other end side of the seesaw member, so that the game ball placed on the other end side of the seesaw member can be pushed out by the pushing part and ejected from the seesaw member. As a result, the other end side of the seesaw member is raised by the ejection of the game ball by the pushing part, and one end side of the seesaw member can be lowered by the weight of the game ball received by the receiving part, so that the second state can be ended early and it is easy to alternate between the first state and the second state. Also, since the ejection means is rotated (the pushing part is protruded) by utilizing the action of the receiving part receiving the game ball, a drive mechanism for such rotation and a control means for controlling the rotation timing can be eliminated.

A gaming machine E3 is characterized in that the ejection means in the gaming machine E2 is such that the support portion is rotatably supported on the seesaw member.

According to gaming machine E3, in addition to the effects of gaming machine E2, the ejection means has a pivot portion rotatably supported on the seesaw member, so that the relative position of the ejection means with respect to the seesaw member can be constant. This makes it easier for the receiving portion to receive the game ball guided from the guiding means, and ensures that rotation is formed around the pivot portion, while also making it easier for the pushing portion protruding from the other end of the seesaw member to come into contact with the game ball, so that the game ball can be reliably pushed out (ejected) from the seesaw member. As a result, it is easier to alternate between the first state and the second state.

Gaming machine E4 is characterized in that, in gaming machine E2 or E3, the ejection means has a receiving portion that can be retracted a greater amount than the pushing portion with respect to a virtual plane perpendicular to the rotation axis of the seesaw member and the shaft support portion of the ejection means.

According to gaming machine E4, in addition to the effects of gaming machines E2 and E3, the discharge means has a receiving portion that can be retracted a greater amount than the pushing portion, so that the rotation angle of the discharge means when the game ball is received by the receiving portion can be secured, and the energy received from the received game ball can be increased accordingly. As a result, the pushing force of the game ball by the pushing portion as the receiving portion retracts can be secured. In other words, it becomes easier to quickly discharge the game ball.

On the other hand, by making the pusher section retreat smaller than the receiving section, when the game ball rolling toward the other end of the seesaw member causes the pusher section to retreat, the rolling trajectory of the game ball can be prevented from becoming too large, making it easier to quickly eject the game ball.

Among any of the gaming machines E1 to E4, the ejection means is characterized in that it makes it easier to eject gaming balls placed on the other end side of the rotating shaft by raising one axial direction of the rotating shaft of the seesaw member relative to the other axial direction. Gaming machine E5.

According to gaming machine E5, in addition to the effects of any of gaming machines E1 to E4, the ejection means raises one axial direction of the rotation axis of the seesaw member relative to the other axial direction, thereby increasing the angle of the downward inclination of the seesaw member from one axial direction of the rotation axis to the other axial direction, and the gaming ball placed on the other end side of the rotation axis can be ejected from the seesaw member. This makes it easier to alternate between the first state and the second state.

Note that when one side of the rotating shaft is raised relative to the other side of the rotating shaft in the axial direction, it is sufficient that the amount of rise in one side of the axial direction is greater than the amount of rise in the other side of the axial direction. Therefore, after being raised, one side of the axial direction may be positioned lower than the other side of the axial direction.

In gaming machine E5, the ejection means does not raise one axial direction of the rotation axis of the seesaw member relative to the other axial direction in a first section when the seesaw member rotates from the first state to the second state, and raises one axial direction of the rotation axis of the seesaw member relative to the other axial direction in a second section that is closer to the second state than the first section. Gaming machine E6.

According to gaming machine E6, in addition to the effects of gaming machine E5, when the seesaw member rotates from the first state to the second state, the ejection means does not raise one axial direction of the rotation axis of the seesaw member relative to the other axial direction in the first section, and raises one axial direction of the rotation axis of the seesaw member relative to the other axial direction in the second section, which is closer to the second state than the first section, so that the second state can be reliably formed while smooth alternating switching between the first state and the second state can be performed.

In other words, if the operation of raising one axial direction of the rotation axis of the seesaw member relative to the other axial direction is performed from the first section, the game balls will be discharged early and the second state cannot be reliably formed. On the other hand, if the operation of raising one axial direction of the rotation axis of the seesaw member relative to the other axial direction is not performed, the game balls will be discharged late (their retention time will be longer), making it easier to maintain the second state.

In contrast, according to gaming machine E5, when the seesaw member rotates from the first state to the second state, in the first section, one axial direction of the rotation axis of the seesaw member is not raised relative to the other axial direction, so that the game ball is prevented from being discharged prematurely (i.e., the game ball is allowed to remain), and the second state can be easily and reliably formed. On the other hand, in the second section, one axial direction of the rotation axis of the seesaw member is raised relative to the other axial direction, so that the game ball can be discharged quickly and the time during which the game ball is placed on it (i.e., the time during which the second state is formed) can be shortened. As a result, the second state can be reliably formed while smoothly switching between the first state and the second state.

Amusement machine E7, which is a gaming machine E5 or E6, is characterized in that the seesaw member has a cam formed on at least one axial direction of the rotation shaft, and as the rotation shaft rotates, the distance from the axis of the rotation shaft to the outer circumferential surface of the cam increases, thereby raising one axial direction of the rotation shaft of the seesaw member relative to the other axial direction.

According to gaming machine E7, in addition to the effects of gaming machines E5 and E6, a cam is formed on at least one axial direction of the rotating shaft, and as the rotating shaft rotates, the distance from the axis of the rotating shaft to the outer peripheral surface of the cam increases, so that one axial direction of the rotating shaft of the seesaw member is raised relative to the other axial direction, making it possible to eliminate the need for a drive mechanism for operating the rotating shaft and a control means for controlling the drive timing. Also, the first and second sections can be reliably formed, and the freedom of design of the ratio between the first and second sections can be increased.

Amusement machine E8 is any one of gaming machines E5 to E7, and is characterized in that it has a push-up part that is arranged on the movement trajectory when the seesaw member is rotated from the first state to the second state, and when the push-up part comes into contact with the seesaw member, one axial direction of the rotation axis of the seesaw member is raised relative to the other axial direction.

Gaming machine E8 has the same effects as any of gaming machines E5 to E7, but also includes a push-up section disposed on the path of movement of the seesaw member when it is rotated from the first state to the second state, and when the push-up section comes into contact with the seesaw member, it raises one axial direction of the rotation shaft of the seesaw member relative to the other axial direction, eliminating the need for a drive mechanism for operating the rotation shaft or a control means for controlling the drive timing. It also ensures that the first and second sections can be formed, while increasing the freedom of design for the ratio of each section.

<Concept of the invention using the base side engaging member 12726 as an example>
A gaming machine F1 includes a base member and a displacement member whose base end is rotatably arranged on the base member and which rotates between a retracted position and an extended position, wherein the base member is provided with a base side engagement member, and the displacement member is provided with a displacement side engagement member which is formed to be able to engage with the base side engagement member in the retracted position, and when the first displacement member is positioned in the extended position, the base side engagement member is formed so as to be difficult for a player to see when viewed from the front of the base member.

Here, there is a gaming machine such as a pachinko machine that is equipped with a base member, a first displacement member and a second displacement member that are displaceably arranged on the base member, a transmission member that transmits a driving force to the first displacement member and the second displacement member, and a performance member that has a driving means that imparts a driving force to the transmission member, and the first displacement member and the second displacement member are connected to the transmission member via a first groove and a second groove provided in the transmission member (for example, JP 2009-100994 A).

In this conventional gaming machine, a connecting member connects the base member and the second displacement member in an erected state, and in the retracted position, the base member and the second displacement member are connected by the connecting member at a position relatively distant from the rotation axis of the first displacement member. Therefore, even if the first displacement member attempts to tilt the portion opposite the rotation axis (i.e., the second displacement member side) in a direction away from the base member, the action of the connecting member interposed between the base member and the second displacement member can suppress such tilting.

However, in the gaming machine F1, the base end of the displacement member is rotatably supported, while the side opposite the base end (the tip side) is the free end. Therefore, in the retracted position, the weight of the displacement member itself and the weight of the decorative part arranged on the front side tend to cause the side opposite the base end (the tip side) to tilt (fall forward) in a direction away from the base member.

In this case, according to the gaming machine F1, the base member has a base-side engaging member, and the displacement member has a displacement-side engaging member, and when the displacement member is displaced to the retracted position, the base-side engaging member and the displacement-side engaging member are formed to be engageable, so that the side opposite the base end side of the displacement member (the tip side) can be prevented from tilting in a direction away from the base member.

On the other hand, when a base-side engaging member is provided on the base member and a displacement-side engaging member is provided on the displacement member in this way, when the displacement member is extended to the extended position, the front of the base member is exposed, making the base-side engaging member visible to the player and marring the appearance. In contrast, with gaming machine F1, the base-side engaging member is formed so that it is difficult for the player to see when viewed from the front of the base member, preventing marring of the appearance.

A gaming machine F2, in which the base-side engagement member is disposed so as to be able to appear and disappear from the front of the base member in the gaming machine F1, and when the displacement member is rotated to the retracted position, the base-side engagement member protrudes from the front of the base member, and when the displacement member is rotated to the extended position, the base-side engagement member retracts toward the rear side of the base member.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine F1, gaming machine F2 has a base-side engagement member that is arranged so that it can appear and disappear in front of the base member, and when the displacement member is rotated to the extended position, the base-side engagement member is retracted toward the rear side of the base member, making it difficult for the player to see the base-side engagement member when viewed from the front of the base member, and preventing damage to the appearance.

In addition, when the displacement member is rotated to the retracted position, the base-side engaging member protrudes from the front surface of the base member, and the protruding height of the displacement-side engaging member from the rear surface of the displacement member can be reduced accordingly. This makes it possible to prevent the displacement-side engaging member from interfering with other members when the displacement member is rotated. In other words, the protruding height of the displacement-side engaging member can be reduced, thereby ensuring space for other members to be displaced.

A gaming machine F3 is characterized in that, in the gaming machine F2, a driving means is provided for rotating the displacement member relative to the base member, and the base-side engagement member is protruded from the front surface of the base member by the action of the driving force of the driving means.

Gaming machine F3 has the same effects as gaming machine F2, but is also provided with a drive means for rotating the displacement member relative to the base member, and the base-side engagement member is protruded from the front of the base member by the action of the driving force of the drive means, so that the drive means can be used for both purposes, thereby reducing product costs. In other words, the drive force for rotating the displacement member can also be used as the drive force for protruding the base-side engagement member, making it unnecessary to provide a separate drive means for such protrusion.

Examples of the manner in which the base-side engaging member is protruded by the action of the driving force of the driving means include a manner in which the base-side engaging member is displaced directly or indirectly in the protruding direction by the displacement member when the displacement member is rotated by the driving force of the driving means, and a manner in which the base-side engaging member is displaced directly or indirectly in the protruding direction by the displacement member when a transmission member that transmits the driving force of the driving means to the displacement member is displaced.

A gaming machine F4 is characterized in that, in the gaming machine F3, it has a biasing means for biasing the base-side engagement member in the retracted direction, and when the driving force of the driving means is released, the biasing force of the biasing means returns the base-side engagement member to the retracted position.

Gaming machine F4 has the same effect as gaming machine F3, but is also provided with a biasing means for biasing the base-side engagement member in the retracted direction. When the driving force of the drive means is released, the base-side engagement member is returned to the retracted position by the biasing force of the biasing means. This means that there is no need to link both the protruding direction and the retracting direction to the driving force of the drive means, and only the protruding direction needs to be linked, simplifying the structure accordingly.

In the gaming machine F1, the base-side engagement member is arranged so as to be retractable from the front of the base member, and when the displacement member is rotated to the retracted position, the base-side engagement member is retracted from the front of the base member, and when the displacement member is rotated to the extended position, the base-side engagement member is advanced toward the front side of the base member. In the gaming machine F5,

According to gaming machine F5, in addition to the effects of gaming machine F1, when the displacement member is rotated to the retracted position, the base-side engagement member is retracted from the front of the base member, so that the engagement between the base-side engagement member and the displacement-side engagement member not only prevents the base end side and the opposite side (tip side) of the displacement member from tilting in a direction away from the base member, but also narrows the gap between the engagement surfaces (inner surfaces) of the base-side engagement member and the displacement-side engagement member, thereby preventing rattling in the front-to-rear direction at the tip side of the displacement member.

In addition, when the displacement member is rotated to the extended position, the base-side engagement member is advanced toward the front of the base member, making it difficult for the player to see the base-side engagement member when viewed from the front of the base member, thereby preventing damage to the appearance.

<Concept of the invention using right rotation unit 18600 as an example>
A gaming machine G1 includes a base member, a first displacement member displaceably arranged on the base member, a second displacement member displaceably arranged on the first displacement member, and a driving means for driving the first and second displacement members, wherein the first displacement member is formed so as to be displaceable in at least a first direction, the second displacement member is formed so as to be able to abut against the first displacement member or the base member, and an inertial force generated by the abutment between the second displacement member and the first displacement member or the base member acts as a force in a direction to displace the first displacement member in the first direction.

Here, there is a gaming machine such as a pachinko machine that includes a base member, a first displacement member and a second displacement member that are displaceably arranged on the base member, and a driving means that applies a driving force to the first displacement member and the second displacement member (for example, JP 2009-100994 A). With this gaming machine, it is possible to create a mode in which both the first displacement member and the second displacement member are displaced, and a mode in which only the first displacement member or the second displacement member is displaced.

However, in the conventional gaming machines described above, for example, in a mode in which only the second displacement member is displaced, the load on the drive means is relatively small, whereas in a mode in which both the first and second displacement members are displaced, the load on the drive means is relatively large, so that when such modes are switched, the load on the drive means changes (increases) suddenly. This leads to a decrease in the durability of the drive means, and there are problems such as a decrease in the displacement speed when the mode is switched, making it difficult to achieve a stable (constant) displacement.

In contrast, according to the gaming machine G1, the second displacement member is formed so as to be able to come into contact with the first displacement member or the base member, and the inertial force generated by the contact between the second displacement member and the first displacement member or the base member acts as a force in a direction displacing the first displacement member in the first direction. Therefore, when switching from the first mode in which the second displacement member is displaced to the second mode in which the first displacement member is displaced, the action of the inertial force can be used as an auxiliary force, and a sudden change (increase) in the load on the drive means can be suppressed. As a result, the durability of the drive means can be improved, and a decrease in the displacement speed when switching from the first mode to the second mode can be suppressed, making it easier to perform a stable (constant) displacement.

The first and second modes may be exemplified by a mode in which the first mode displaces only the second displacement member and the second mode displaces both the first and second displacement members, or a mode in which the first mode displaces only the second displacement member and the second mode displaces only the first displacement member. The latter mode is particularly effective when the load required to displace the first displacement member is sufficiently greater than the load required to displace the second displacement member (for example, when the weight of the first displacement member is sufficiently heavy compared to the second displacement member).

A gaming machine G2 is characterized in that in the gaming machine G1, the first displacement member is rotatably supported on the base member, and the second displacement member is rotatably supported on the first displacement member, and the rotation axes of the first displacement member and the second displacement member are oriented parallel to each other.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine G1, gaming machine G2 has the following advantages: the first displacement member is rotatably supported on the base member, and the second displacement member is rotatably supported on the first displacement member; the rotation axes of the first displacement member and the second displacement member are parallel to each other; therefore, the inertial force generated when the second displacement member abuts against the first displacement member or the base member can be efficiently applied to the first displacement member as a force that displaces the first displacement member in the first direction.

A gaming machine G3, which is characterized in that the direction of displacement of the second displacement member when the second displacement member abuts against the first displacement member or the base member in the gaming machine G1 or G2 includes a component directed downward in the direction of gravity.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine G1 or G2, gaming machine G3 has the advantage that the direction of displacement of the second displacement member when it comes into contact with the first displacement member or the base member includes a component directed downward in the direction of gravity, making it easier to ensure the inertial force generated by the contact between the second displacement member and the first displacement member or the base member.

A gaming machine G4 is any one of gaming machines G1 to G3, characterized in that the first direction is a direction that includes a component directed upward in the direction of gravity.

In addition to the effects of any of the gaming machines G1 to G3, the gaming machine G4 has the advantage that the first direction includes an upward component in the direction of gravity, making it particularly effective to use the inertial force generated by the contact between the second displacement member and the first displacement member or the base member as an auxiliary force in the direction of displacing the first displacement member in the first direction.

In any one of gaming machines G1 to G4, the first displacement member has one end rotatably supported by the base member, and the second displacement member has one end rotatably supported by the other end of the first displacement member, and when the other end of the second displacement member approaches the one end of the first displacement member from the direction opposite to the first direction, the other end of the second displacement member abuts against the base member. Gaming machine G5.

According to the gaming machine G5, in addition to the effects of any of the gaming machines G1 to G4, one end side of the first displacement member is rotatably supported on the base member, and one end side of the second displacement member is rotatably supported on the other end side of the first displacement member. When the other end side of the second displacement member is brought close to the one end side of the first displacement member from the direction opposite to the first direction, the other end side of the second displacement member abuts against the base member, so that the inertial force generated by the abutment between the second displacement member and the base member can be efficiently used as a force in a direction displacing the first displacement member in the first direction. In other words, when switching from the first mode for displacing the second displacement member to the second mode for displacing the first displacement member, the action of the inertial force can be efficiently used as an auxiliary force for displacing the first displacement member in the first direction.

As a result, it is possible to prevent the load on the driving means from changing (increasing) suddenly, improving the durability of the driving means, and also to prevent a decrease in the displacement speed when switching from the first mode to the second mode, making it easier to perform a stable (constant) displacement.

In any one of gaming machines G1 to G4, the first displacement member has one end rotatably supported by the base member, and the second displacement member has one end rotatably supported by the other end of the first displacement member, and when the other end of the second displacement member approaches the one end of the first displacement member from the same direction as the first direction, the other end of the second displacement member abuts against the first displacement member. Gaming machine G6.

According to the gaming machine G6, in addition to the effects of any of the gaming machines G1 to G4, one end side of the first displacement member is rotatably supported on the base member, and one end side of the second displacement member is rotatably supported on the other end side of the first displacement member. When the other end side of the second displacement member approaches the one end side of the first displacement member from the same direction as the first direction, the other end side of the second displacement member abuts against the first displacement member, so that the inertial force generated by the abutment between the second displacement member and the first displacement member can be efficiently used as a force in a direction to displace the first displacement member in the first direction. In other words, when switching from the first mode for displacing the second displacement member to the second mode for displacing the first displacement member, the action of the inertial force can be efficiently used as an auxiliary force for displacing the first displacement member in the first direction.

As a result, it is possible to prevent the load on the driving means from changing (increasing) suddenly, improving the durability of the driving means, and also to prevent a decrease in the displacement speed when switching from the first mode to the second mode, making it easier to perform a stable (constant) displacement.

A gaming machine G8, which is any one of the gaming machines G1 to G7, is provided with a transmission member having a drive pin for transmitting the driving force of the drive means to a first displacement member and a second displacement member, the first displacement member has a first groove having an action section acting on the drive pin and a non-interference section connected to the action section and where the drive pin does not interfere, the second displacement member has a second groove having at least an action section acting on the drive pin, and the first displacement member and the second displacement member are displaced by displacing the drive pin through the overlapping first and second grooves.

According to gaming machine G8, in addition to the effects of gaming machines G1 to G7, the first groove of the first displacement member has an action section that receives the action from the drive pin and a non-interference section that is connected to the action section and does not interfere with the drive pin, and the second groove of the second displacement member has at least an action section that receives the action from the drive pin. Therefore, it is possible to form a first mode in which the first displacement member is maintained in a stopped state while the second displacement member is displaced by displacing the drive pin through the non-interference section of the first groove and the action section of the second groove, and a second mode in which both the first displacement member and the second displacement member are displaced by displacing the drive pin through the action section of the first groove and the action section of the second groove, and it is also possible to smoothly transition from the first mode to the second mode.

<Feature H Group> (AT type demo control when special chart 1 is on standby)
a first acquisition means for acquiring first information based on establishment of a first acquisition condition, a first judgment means for executing a first judgment based on the first information acquired by the first acquisition means, a first performance execution means for executing a first performance based on a result of the first judgment by the first judgment means in a first performance period, a second acquisition means for acquiring second information based on establishment of a second acquisition condition different from the first acquisition condition, a second judgment means for executing a second performance based on the result of the second judgment by the second judgment means in a second performance period, and a bonus game execution means for executing a bonus game that is advantageous to the player when the first information is not acquired by the first acquisition means, a first timing means for starting a first time when the execution of the first performance is completed and the first information has not been acquired by the first acquisition means, a second timing means for starting a second time when the execution of the second performance is completed and the second information has not been acquired by the second acquisition means, a notification execution means for starting the execution of a first notification mode based on the first timing reaching a first set value, and starting the execution of a second notification mode based on the second timing reaching a second set value, and a setting means for switching between a first period for ending the first notification mode being executed when the second acquisition condition is satisfied and a second period for continuing the first notification mode.

Some gaming machines, such as pachinko machines, change the display of symbols based on the entry of a gaming ball into a start winning slot, and notify the player of the lottery results after the display of the changes has finished (for example, JP 2006-000392 A). These gaming machines are configured to display a specific screen (demo screen) when the symbols are not changing (play is not in progress), allowing the player to easily find an available machine.

Furthermore, among the conventional gaming machines mentioned above, there are some that have a first symbol whose variable display is triggered based on the entry of a gaming ball into a first start winning slot, and a second symbol whose variable display is triggered based on the entry of a gaming ball into a second start winning slot, and that allow both symbols to change simultaneously (for example, JP 2005-319221 A). Some of these gaming machines are configured so that the variable periods of the first and second symbols are different, and one of the symbols has a long variable period (for example, 10 minutes).

In such conventional gaming machines, if a specific screen (demo screen) is displayed when the variable display of both symbols is completed, there is a problem that if a player finishes playing immediately after a long period of variable display has been executed, the next player will have difficulty playing on the gaming machine (but the screen will remain), resulting in a decrease in game operation. The purpose of this invention is to solve the problems exemplified above.

According to the gaming machine H1, the first determination is executed by the first determination means based on the first information acquired by the first acquisition means based on the establishment of the first acquisition condition, and the first performance is executed for the first performance period by the first performance execution means based on the result of the first determination. Also, the second determination is executed by the second determination means based on the establishment of a second acquisition condition different from the first acquisition condition based on the second information acquired by the second acquisition means, and the second performance is executed for the second performance period based on the result of the second determination. Then, when a specific first performance based on the result of the first determination being a specific first judgment result or a specific second performance based on the result of the second determination being a specific second judgment result is executed, a bonus game advantageous to the player is executed by the bonus game execution means, and when the execution of the first performance ends and the first information has not been acquired by the first acquisition means, the first time counting is started by the first clocking means, and when the execution of the second performance ends and the second information has not been acquired by the second acquisition means, the second time counting is started by the second clocking means. The notification execution means starts the execution of the first notification mode when the first time reaches a first set value, and starts the execution of the second notification mode when the second time reaches a second set value. In addition, when the second acquisition condition is satisfied, the setting means switches between a first period for ending the first notification mode being executed and a second period for continuing the first notification mode.

This makes it possible to continue the first notification mode, which indicates that the first presentation is not being executed, even when the second presentation is being executed. This has the effect of allowing the player to easily grasp the status of the gaming machine, and preventing a decrease in game operation. Furthermore, when the second presentation is being executed, the setting means can switch between a first period in which the first notification mode, which indicates that the first presentation is not being executed, ends and a second period in which it continues, so that an appropriate presentation can be executed according to the game status. This has the effect of providing the player with a game that is easy to understand.

The configuration of the gaming machine H1 may be used, for example, in a gaming machine configured to be able to execute the first and second effects simultaneously, and having a period during which the second effect is not actually executed and a period during which the second effect is actually executed depending on the game state. In this case, during the period during which the second effect is not actually executed, the first notification mode being executed is continued even if the second acquisition condition is met, and during the period during which the second effect is actually executed, the first notification mode being executed can be terminated if the second acquisition condition is met.

A gaming machine H2 is characterized in that, in the gaming machine H1, it has a gaming state setting means capable of setting a first gaming state in which the first judgment is easily made and a second gaming state in which the second judgment is easily made.

In addition to the effects of the gaming machine H1, the gaming machine H2 has the following effect. That is, a first gaming state that makes it easier to make a first judgment and a second gaming state that makes it easier to make a second judgment are set by the gaming state setting means.

This makes it possible to set the first period or the second period according to the game state set by the game state setting means. Therefore, it is possible to execute an appropriate presentation according to the game state. This has the effect of providing the player with a game that is easy to understand.

In the gaming machine H2, the setting means sets the second period when the first gaming state is set by the gaming state setting means, and sets the first period when the second gaming state is set by the gaming state setting means. Gaming machine H3.

Gaming machine H3 provides the following effect in addition to the effect provided by gaming machine H2. That is, the setting means sets the second period when the first gaming state is set by the gaming state setting means, and sets the first period when the second gaming state is set.

As a result, in a game state in which the first judgment is likely to be executed, the first notification mode being executed is continued even if the second acquisition condition is met, and in a game state in which the second judgment is likely to be executed, the first notification mode being executed can be ended if the second acquisition condition is met. This has the effect of making it possible to provide an appropriate presentation according to the game state, and providing the player with a game that is easy to understand.

Gaming machine H4 is any one of gaming machines H1 to H3, characterized in that the notification execution means terminates the second notification mode being executed based on the second acquisition condition being met.

In addition to the effects of gaming machines H1 to H3, gaming machine H4 has the effect of ending the second notification mode being executed by the notification execution means when the second acquisition condition is met, so that a presentation corresponding to the execution state of the second presentation can be executed. This has the effect of providing the player with a game that is easy to understand.

Gaming machine H5 is characterized in that, in any one of gaming machines H1 to H4, the notification execution means executes the second notification mode while suppressing interference with the first presentation even when the first presentation is being performed.

Gaming machine H5 achieves the following effect in addition to the effects achieved by gaming machines H1 to H4. That is, the notification execution means executes the second notification mode while the first presentation is being executed, without interfering with the first presentation.

This makes it possible to notify the player that the second performance is not being executed while the first performance is being executed without interfering with the first performance. This has the effect of providing the player with a game in which the game situation is easy to understand.

Gaming machine H6 is any one of gaming machines H1 to H5, characterized in that the first effect execution means and the second effect execution means are capable of simultaneously executing the first effect and the second effect.

In addition to the effects of gaming machines H1 to H5, gaming machine H6 has the effect of being able to easily inform the player of the status of the first and second effects being executed simultaneously, since the first and second effects can be executed simultaneously using the first and second effect execution means.

Gaming machine H7 is any one of gaming machines H1 to H6, characterized in that the notification execution means is capable of simultaneously executing the first notification mode and the second notification mode.

In addition to the effects of any of the gaming machines H1 to H6, the gaming machine H7 is configured to execute the first and second notification modes simultaneously by the notification execution means, which has the effect of notifying the player of the status of the first and second presentations in an easy-to-understand manner.

Gaming machine H8 is characterized in that, in any one of gaming machines H1 to H7, the notification execution means executes a predetermined notification mode that notifies predetermined information other than information showing the result of the second presentation as the second notification mode when the first presentation is being performed.

Gaming machine H8 has the following effect in addition to the effect of any one of gaming machines H1 to H7. That is, when the first performance is being executed, a predetermined notification mode is executed by the notification execution means as the second notification mode, which notifies predetermined information other than information showing the result of the second performance.

This prevents information indicating the result of a previously executed second performance from being announced when the first performance is being executed. This has the effect of preventing the player from confusing the results of the first performance with the results of the second performance, providing the player with an easy-to-understand gameplay.

Gaming machine H9 is characterized in that, in any one of gaming machines H1 to H8, the notification execution means executes a first performance execution notification mode, which indicates that the first performance is being executed, as the second notification mode when the first performance is being executed.

Gaming machine H9 has the following effect in addition to the effect of any one of gaming machines H1 to H8. That is, when the first performance is being executed, the notification execution means executes a notification mode indicating that the first performance is being executed as the second notification mode.

This allows players to easily understand the effects being performed, and has the effect of providing players with an easy-to-understand gaming situation.

Furthermore, when the configuration of gaming machine H6 is used, of the first and second effects that can be executed simultaneously, information about the first effect that is actually being executed can be displayed as the second notification mode, which has the effect of providing the player with a more easily understandable understanding of the game situation.

A gaming machine H10, which is any one of the gaming machines H1 to H9, has a display means having at least a first display area that displays either the first notification mode or the second notification mode executed by the notification execution means, and a second display area that displays the other, and a display control means that controls the display content of the first display area and the second display area of the display means, and the display control means controls the display content of the display means so that when a first period is set by the setting means, the first notification mode is displayed in the first display area, and when the second period is set, the second notification mode is displayed in the first display area.

Gaming machine H10 achieves the following effect in addition to the effect achieved by any one of gaming machines H1 to H10. That is, the display means has a first display area in which either the first notification mode or the second notification mode executed by the notification execution means is displayed, and a second display area in which the other is displayed, and the display content of the display means is controlled by the display control means so that when a first period is set by the setting means, the first notification mode is displayed in the first display area, and when a second period is set, the second notification mode is displayed in the first display area.

This allows the notification mode displayed in the first display area to be changed depending on the game status. This makes it possible to display a notification mode that is easy to understand depending on the game status, which has the effect of providing the player with a gaming machine that is easy to understand.

<Feature I Group> (Demonstration control when game state is variable)
a first acquisition means for acquiring first information based on establishment of a first acquisition condition, a first judgment means for executing a first judgment based on the first information acquired by the first acquisition means, a first performance execution means for executing a first performance based on a result of the first judgment by the first judgment means, in a first performance period, a second acquisition means for acquiring second information based on establishment of a second acquisition condition different from the first acquisition condition, a second judgment means for executing a second performance based on the result of the second judgment by the second judgment means, in a second performance period, and a bonus game execution means for executing a bonus game advantageous to a player when a specific first performance based on the result of the first judgment being a specific first judgment result or a specific second performance based on the result of the second judgment being a specific second judgment result is executed, a variable control means for making the second judgment more likely to be executed than the first judgment when the advantageous state is set by the advantageous state setting means, and making the first judgment more likely to be executed than the second judgment when the advantageous state has ended; a setting means for setting a first setting when the first presentation is not executed for a predetermined first period, and for setting a second setting when the second presentation is not executed for a predetermined second period; and a display setting means for setting a first display setting to the display means based on the first setting being set when the advantageous state is set, and for setting a second display setting to the display means based on the second setting being set when the advantageous state is set, wherein the display setting means sets a specific display setting different from the second display setting when the advantageous state has ended with the second display setting set.

Some gaming machines, such as pachinko machines, change the display of symbols based on the entry of a gaming ball into a start winning slot, and notify the player of the lottery results after the display of the changes has finished (for example, JP 2006-000392 A). These gaming machines are configured to display a specific screen (demo screen) when the symbols are not changing (play is not in progress), allowing the player to easily find an available machine.

Furthermore, among the conventional gaming machines mentioned above, there are some that have a first symbol whose variable display is triggered based on the entry of a gaming ball into a first start winning port, and a second symbol whose variable display is triggered based on the entry of a gaming ball into a second start winning port, and that allow both symbols to change simultaneously (for example, JP 2005-319221 A). Furthermore, some are configured to set a gaming state in which the first symbol is likely to be displayed variably and a gaming state in which the second symbol is likely to be displayed variably depending on the gaming state, thereby increasing the interest of the game.

In such conventional gaming machines, if the game state shifts while a specific screen (demo screen) indicating that the display of one of the symbols has ended is displayed, there is a problem in that it becomes difficult for the player to understand the displayed content.

For example, if, in a given game state, the display area for symbols that are likely to be displayed in a variable manner is set larger than the display area for symbols that are unlikely to be displayed in a variable manner, the displayed content will differ significantly as the game state changes, resulting in a game that is difficult for the player to understand. The objective of this invention is to solve the problems exemplified above.

According to the gaming machine I1, the first acquisition means acquires the first information based on the establishment of the first acquisition condition, the first judgment means executes the first judgment based on the first information, and the first performance based on the result of the first judgment is executed by the first performance execution means during the first performance period. Also, the second acquisition means acquires the second information based on the establishment of a second acquisition condition different from the first acquisition condition, the second judgment means executes the second judgment based on the second information, and the second performance based on the result of the second judgment is executed by the second performance execution means during the second performance period. When a specific first performance based on the result of the first judgment being a specific first judgment result or a specific second performance based on the result of the second judgment being a specific second judgment result is executed, a bonus game that is advantageous to the player is executed by the bonus game execution means. Then, when the specific condition is established, an advantageous state that is advantageous to the player is set by the advantageous state setting means until the first performance and the second performance are executed a predetermined number of times. When the advantageous state is set, the variable control means makes it easier to execute the second judgment than the first judgment, and when the advantageous state ends, makes it easier to execute the first judgment than the second judgment. The setting means sets the first setting when the first performance is not executed for a predetermined first period, and sets the second setting when the second performance is not executed for a predetermined second period. Furthermore, the display setting means sets the first display setting on the display means based on the first setting being set when the advantageous state is set, and sets the second display setting on the display means based on the second setting being set when the advantageous state is set. In addition, when the advantageous state ends with the second display setting set, the display setting means sets a specific display setting different from the second display setting.

As a result, when the advantageous state ends while the second display setting is in effect, the display setting means sets a specific display setting different from the second display setting, so that the player can easily understand that the advantageous state has ended even while the second display setting is in effect. This has the effect of providing the player with a game that is easy to understand.

Gaming machine I2 is characterized in that in gaming machine I1, the first display setting is set so that a predetermined first display mode is displayed on the display means, and the second display setting is set so that a predetermined second display mode is displayed on the display means.

Gaming machine I2 provides the following effect in addition to the effect provided by gaming machine I1. That is, when the first display setting is set, a predetermined first display mode is displayed on the display means, and when the second display setting is set, a predetermined second display mode is displayed on the display means.

This allows the player to easily understand the execution status of the first judgment by the first judgment means and the second judgment by the second judgment means. This has the effect of providing the player with a game that is easy to understand.

Gaming machine I3 is characterized in that, in gaming machine I1 or I2, when the second presentation is executed during the period in which the second display setting is being executed, a presentation mode corresponding to the second presentation is displayed on the display means while the second display setting is maintained.

Gaming machine I3 provides the following effect in addition to the effect provided by gaming machine I1 or I2. That is, when the second performance is executed while the second display setting is being executed, the performance mode corresponding to the second performance is displayed on the display means while the second display setting is maintained.

As a result, when the second presentation is executed while the second display setting is being executed, the second presentation can be executed without causing the player to feel uncomfortable. This has the effect of enhancing the presentation effect.

Here, it is preferable to provide the configuration of gaming machine I3 in a gaming machine in which the second performance period during which the second performance is executed is set to be short, for example. In this case, when the second performance is executed during the period in which the second display setting is executed, the second performance with a short second performance period can be executed in a manner that is easy for the player to understand.

Gaming machine I4 is characterized in that, in any one of gaming machines I1 to I3, the second display setting is set to display on the display means a suggestive display mode that indicates that the advantageous state is set during that period.

Gaming machine I4 has the following effect in addition to the effect of any of gaming machines I1 to I3. That is, by setting the second display setting, a suggestive display mode that suggests that a period during which an advantageous state is set is displayed on the display means.

This makes it possible to display information about the game status to the player by utilizing the period when the second performance is not being executed. This has the effect of making effective use of the period when the second performance is not being executed to provide the player with an easy-to-understand gameplay.

Gaming machine I5 is characterized in that it has a determination means for determining whether a specific condition is met based on information based on the execution of the first and second presentations when the advantageous state is set in any of gaming machines I1 to I4, and a restriction means for restricting the setting of the second display setting when the determination means determines that the specific condition is met.

Gaming machine I5 has the following effect in addition to the effect of any of gaming machines I1 to I4. That is, when an advantageous state is set, the determination means determines whether a specific condition is met based on information based on the execution of the first and second performances, and when it is determined that the specific condition is met, the restriction means restricts the setting of the second display setting.

As a result, by not setting the second display setting, it is possible to notify the player that a specific condition has been met. This has the effect of providing the player with a game that is easy to understand.

Gaming machine I6 is characterized in that it has a second presentation period determination means for determining the second presentation period from a plurality of second presentation periods when the second judgment is executed in any one of gaming machines I1 to I5, and a probability varying means for increasing the probability that a longer period will be selected as the second presentation period determined by the second presentation period determination means when one normal game state other than the advantageous state is set, than when the advantageous state is set.

Gaming machine I6 produces the following effect in addition to the effect produced by any one of gaming machines I1 to I5. That is, when the second judgment is executed, the second production period is determined from a plurality of second production periods by the second production period determination means. Then, when one normal game state other than the advantageous state is set by the probability varying means, the probability that a longer period will be selected as the second production period determined by the second production period determination means is set to be higher than when the advantageous state is set.

As a result, when an advantageous state is set, it becomes possible to execute the second judgment more frequently than when one of the normal game states other than the advantageous state is set. This has the effect of encouraging the player to play with enthusiasm, aiming for an advantageous state in which the second judgment is executed more frequently.

Gaming machine I7 is any one of gaming machines I1 to I6, characterized in that the first and second effects can be executed simultaneously.

With gaming machine I7, in addition to the effect of any of gaming machines I1 to I6, the first and second effects are executed simultaneously, allowing the player to play the game efficiently.

<Feature J Group> (Ensuring result effects in AT type)
a first acquisition means for acquiring first information based on establishment of a first acquisition condition, a first judgment means for executing a first judgment based on the first information acquired by the first acquisition means, a first performance execution means for executing a first performance based on a result of the first judgment by the first judgment means during a first performance period, a second judgment means for executing a second judgment based on the result of the second judgment by the second judgment means during a second performance period, and a specific first performance based on the result of the first judgment being a specific first judgment result or a specific second performance based on the result of the second judgment being a specific second judgment result. a bonus game execution means for executing a bonus game advantageous to the player when the first performance and the second performance are executed a predetermined number of times, a game state setting means for setting an advantageous game state advantageous to the player from a plurality of game states until the first performance and the second performance are executed a predetermined number of times, a second performance period setting means for making it easier to set the second performance period to a short period when the advantageous game state is set by the game state setting means, and a first performance period determination means for setting a specific first performance period as the first performance period when the advantageous game state ends, until the first performance and the second performance have been executed a predetermined number of times.

Some gaming machines, such as pachinko machines, change the display of symbols based on the entry of a gaming ball into a starting winning slot, and notify the player of the result of the lottery after the change display has ended. In this way, some gaming machines set advantageous states that are advantageous to the player by increasing the probability of winning or making the lottery easier to execute, and display on the display screen the game result, such as the number of wins that have occurred and the number of winning balls acquired during the period in which the advantageous state continues (for example, JP 2010-35664 A). In such gaming machines, the game result display is displayed on the display screen after the advantageous state ends.

Furthermore, among the conventional gaming machines mentioned above, there are some that have a first symbol whose variable display is triggered based on the entry of a gaming ball into a first start winning slot, and a second symbol whose variable display is triggered based on the entry of a gaming ball into a second start winning slot, and that allow both symbols to change simultaneously (for example, JP 2005-319221 A).

In such conventional gaming machines, because both symbols are configured to change at the same time, whether the first symbol or the second symbol is the one that is executed first after the advantageous state ends may differ depending on the game situation. In such gaming machines, if only the first change time after the advantageous state ends is set as the change period during which the game result can be displayed, depending on the first symbol that changes after the advantageous state ends, the game result display may not be displayed for a sufficient period of time, which could result in a decrease in player motivation. The purpose is to solve the problems exemplified above.

According to the gaming machine J1, based on the establishment of a first acquisition condition, a first judgment is executed by a first judgment means based on the first information acquired by a first acquisition means, and a first performance is executed for a first performance period by a first performance execution means based on the result of the first judgment. Also, based on the establishment of a second acquisition condition different from the first acquisition condition, a second judgment is executed by a second judgment means based on the second information acquired by a second acquisition means, and a second performance is executed for a second performance period by a second performance execution means based on the result of the second judgment. Then, when a specific first performance based on the result of the first judgment being a specific first judgment result or a specific second performance based on the result of the second judgment being a specific second judgment result is executed, a bonus game advantageous to the player is executed by the bonus game execution means, and an advantageous game state advantageous to the player until the first performance and the second performance are executed a predetermined number of times from a plurality of game states can be set by the game state setting means, and when the advantageous game state is set by the game state setting means, the second performance period is easily set to a short period by the second performance period setting means, and when the advantageous game state ends, a specific first performance period is determined by the first performance period determination means as the first performance period until the first performance and the second performance are executed a predetermined number of times.

This makes it possible to set a specific period as the first presentation period when the advantageous gaming state ends, allowing the player to understand the content of the presentation that will be executed when the advantageous gaming state ends, and has the effect of preventing a decrease in the motivation of the player due to not being able to understand the content of the presentation.

When the advantageous game state ends, it is advisable to execute a presentation that shows the game results during the advantageous game state (for example, the number of jackpots or the total number of winning balls executed during the advantageous game state). In this case, there is an effect that the player can easily understand the game results during the advantageous game state after the advantageous game state ends.

Also, as in gaming machine J1, by setting the first presentation period executed after the end of the advantageous gaming state to a specific first presentation period, the first presentation executed using the specific first presentation period can be executed after the end of the advantageous gaming state. This has the effect of allowing the player to smoothly execute the advantageous gaming state, for example, since it is no longer necessary to set the first presentation period executed at the end (endgame) of the advantageous gaming state as the first presentation period.

Gaming machine J2 is characterized in that the predetermined number of times in gaming machine J1 is two or more times.

In addition to the effect of gaming machine J1, gaming machine J2 has the effect of making the predetermined number of times two or more, so that even if the first and second effects are executed simultaneously, the first effect can be executed using a specific first effect period, and the player can understand the content of the effect that will be executed when the advantageous gaming state ends, thereby preventing a decrease in the motivation of the player due to not being able to understand the content of the effect.

Gaming machine J3 is characterized in that, in gaming machine J1 or J2, the first presentation period determination means has a high probability of selecting a shortened first presentation period that is shorter than the specific first presentation period when a gaming state different from the advantageous gaming state is set.

Gaming machine J3 has the following effect in addition to the effect of gaming machine J1 or J2. That is, when a gaming state different from the advantageous gaming state is set, the first presentation period determination means increases the probability of selecting a shortened first presentation period that is shorter than a specific first presentation period.

This makes it possible to set a longer period than other first presentation periods only for a specific first presentation period that is set for a predetermined number of times after the advantageous game state has ended, so that by setting the first presentation period during which the first presentation is executed longer overall, it has the effect of preventing the game from progressing slowly and the motivation of the player from decreasing.

Gaming machine J4, characterized in that in any one of gaming machines J1 to J3, the probability of determining the specific first judgment result in the first judgment and the probability of determining the specific second judgment result in the second judgment are set to be the same, the second judgment means determines a special second judgment result different from the specific second judgment result with a predetermined probability when the second judgment does not determine the specific second judgment result, and the bonus game execution means executes a special bonus game in which a bonus equal to or less than the bonus game is awarded when the second presentation based on the special second judgment result is executed.

Gaming machine J4 produces the following effect in addition to the effect produced by any of gaming machines J1 to J3. That is, the probability that a specific first judgment result is determined in the first judgment and the probability that a specific second judgment result is determined in the second judgment are set to be the same, and if the specific second judgment result is not determined in the second judgment, a special second judgment result different from the specific second judgment result is determined by the second judgment means with a predetermined probability. Then, if a second presentation based on the special second judgment result is executed, a special bonus game in which a bonus equal to or less than the bonus game is awarded is executed by the bonus game execution means.

This makes it possible to make the second judgment, in which the second performance is executed, more advantageous to the player than the first judgment, in which the first performance is executed. Therefore, it is possible to ensure that the advantageous gaming state, in which the second performance period in which the second performance is executed is set to be short, is favorable to the player, which has the effect of increasing the player's motivation to play.

In addition, according to gaming machine J4, a special bonus game is executed based on the judgment result of the second judgment means being a special second judgment result, thereby creating an advantageous gaming state for the player. However, it is sufficient that the gaming state in which the second presentation period is set to be short is configured to be an advantageous gaming state for the player. For example, the special bonus game may be configured to be executed with a lower probability based on the judgment result of the first judgment means than the second judgment means, or the special bonus game (first special bonus game) executed based on the judgment result of the first judgment means may be configured to be a bonus game with a lower value than the special bonus game (second special bonus game) executed based on the judgment result of the second judgment means.

Gaming machine J5 is characterized in that it has a variable control means for varying a state in which the second judgment is more likely to be executed than the first judgment when the advantageous gaming state is set, and a state in which the first judgment is more likely to be executed than the second judgment when the advantageous gaming state ends, in any of gaming machines J1 to J4.

Gaming machine J5 has the following effect in addition to the effect of any one of gaming machines J1 to J4. That is, when a favorable gaming state is set, a state in which the second judgment is more likely to be executed than the first judgment, and a state in which the first judgment is more likely to be executed than the second judgment when the favorable gaming state ends are variable by the variable control means.

This makes it easier to execute the second judgment when the game is in an advantageous game state compared to game states other than the advantageous game state. This has the effect of making the advantageous game state a more advantageous game state for the player, thereby increasing the motivation of the player to play in an advantageous game state.

In addition, examples of the variable control means of the gaming machine J4 include a configuration that varies the length of the first and second presentation periods, and a configuration that varies the ease with which the second acquisition condition is satisfied.

Gaming machine J6 is characterized in that in gaming machine J5, the variable control means variably sets the selection ratio so as to vary the length of the first presentation period and the second presentation period.

Gaming machine J6 has the following effect in addition to the effect of gaming machine J5. That is, the selection ratio is variably set by the variable control means so as to vary the length of the first and second presentation periods.

This has the effect of making it easy to vary the ease of performing the first and second judgments.

<Feature K group> (AT type, even if one side hits a small hit, the other side's fluctuation performance continues, and a fluctuation performance that balances the balance after the small hit is executed)
a first acquisition means for acquiring first information based on the establishment of a first acquisition condition, a first judgment means for executing a first judgment based on the first information acquired by the first acquisition means, a first performance execution means for executing a first performance based on a result of the first judgment by the first judgment means in a first performance period, a first performance period determination means for determining the first performance period of the first performance executed by the first performance execution means from a plurality of performance periods, a second judgment means for executing a second judgment based on the establishment of a second acquisition condition different from the first acquisition condition, a second performance execution means for executing a second performance based on the result of the second judgment by the second judgment means in a second performance period, a second performance period determination means for determining the second performance period of the second performance executed by the second performance execution means from a plurality of performance periods, and a special effect execution means for executing a special effect advantageous to a player when a special second effect based on a result of a special second judgment is executed, the special effect being characterized in that the gaming machine further comprises: a temporary stop means for temporarily stopping timekeeping of the first effect period of the first effect or the second effect period of the second effect when the special effect is executed by the special effect execution means; a release means for releasing the temporary stop by the temporary stop means based on the end of the special effect; a continuing means for causing the first effect execution means or the second effect execution means to execute the first effect or the second effect even when timekeeping is temporarily stopped by the temporary stop means; and a special effect execution means for executing a special effect for the remaining period of the first effect period or the second effect period when the first effect or the second effect has ended, if there is any remaining period of the first effect period or the second effect period.

Some gaming machines, such as pachinko machines, have a first symbol whose variable display is executed for a predetermined period based on the entry of a gaming ball into a first start winning slot, and a second symbol whose variable display is executed for a predetermined period based on the entry of a gaming ball into a second start winning slot, and each symbol can be changed simultaneously (for example, JP 2005-319221 A). Some such gaming machines are configured so that when one of the first and second symbols is stopped and displayed in a manner indicating a winning combination, the measurement of the variable period of the other symbol being displayed is suspended, and when the winning combination ends, the measurement of the suspended variable period is resumed.

In such conventional gaming machines, if the variable display based on a symbol for which the measurement of the variable period was interrupted during the variable display is stopped because the measurement of the variable period was interrupted, the variable display that the player was looking forward to is suddenly stopped, causing a problem of losing interest in the game. In addition, if the variable display is continued to be displayed even when the measurement of the variable period is interrupted, an error (i.e., an error for the interruption period) occurs between the end timing of the variable period and the end timing of the variable display, resulting in the execution of an effect that gives the player a sense of discomfort, causing a problem of losing interest in the game. The purpose is to solve the problems exemplified above.

According to the gaming machine K1, based on the establishment of the first acquisition condition, the first judgment means executes a first judgment based on the first information acquired by the first acquisition means, and based on the result of the first judgment, the first performance execution means executes the first performance for a first performance period determined by the first performance period determination means from a plurality of performance periods. Also, based on the establishment of a second acquisition condition different from the first acquisition condition, the second judgment means executes a second judgment based on the second information acquired by the second acquisition means, and based on the result of the second judgment, the second performance execution means executes the second performance for a second performance period determined by the second performance period determination means from a plurality of performance periods. When a specific first effect based on the result of the first judgment being a specific first judgment result or a specific second effect based on the result of the second judgment being a specific second judgment result is executed, a bonus game advantageous to the player is executed by the bonus game execution means, and when the bonus game is executed by the bonus game execution means, the timing of the first effect period of the first effect or the second effect period of the second effect being executed is temporarily stopped by the temporary stop means, and the temporary stop by the temporary stop means is released by the release means based on the end of the bonus game. Even when the timing is temporarily stopped by the temporary stop means, the continuation means causes the first effect execution means or the second effect execution means to execute the first effect or the second effect, and even when the first effect or the second effect has ended, if there is a remaining period of the first effect period or the second effect period, the specific effect execution means executes the specific effect for the remaining period.

As a result, even if the timing of the first performance period of the first performance or the second performance period of the second performance being executed by the temporary stopping means is temporarily stopped, the first performance or the second performance can be continued. This makes it possible to continue executing the performance that the player was looking forward to, which has the effect of increasing the player's interest in the game.

Furthermore, even when the first or second performance ends, if there is remaining time in the first or second performance period, the specific performance execution means executes the specific performance during that remaining time. Therefore, even if there is an error between the timing at which the first or second performance ends and the timing at which the first or second performance period ends, it is possible to prevent a situation in which the player feels uncomfortable, and it is possible to enhance the performance effect.

A gaming machine K2 is characterized in that in the gaming machine K1, the first performance is preset with a performance period corresponding to the multiple first performance periods determined by the first performance period determination means, and the second performance is preset with a performance period corresponding to the multiple second performance periods determined by the second performance period determination means.

Gaming machine K2 provides the following effect in addition to the effect provided by gaming machine K1. That is, the first effect is preset with a performance period corresponding to a plurality of first performance periods determined by a first performance period determination means, and the second effect is preset with a performance period corresponding to a plurality of second performance periods determined by a second performance period determination means.

This allows the performance period during which the first performance is executed and the performance period during which the second performance is executed to be determined in advance, and makes it possible to execute a specific performance if an error occurs between the timing at which the first or second performance ends and the timing at which the first or second performance period ends. Therefore, since the period during which the first or second performance is executed can be set in advance regardless of the temporary stop of the timing by the temporary stop means, there is an effect that the processing load for setting the performance period can be reduced.

A gaming machine K3 is characterized in that the first and second effects are set to have a definitive effect that indicates the result of the first or second judgment during a predetermined period until the first or second effect period has elapsed, respectively, in the gaming machine K1 or K2.

Gaming machine K3 produces the following effect in addition to the effect produced by gaming machine K1 or K2. That is, the first and second effects are set with a confirmed performance mode that indicates the result of the first or second judgment for a predetermined period until the first or second performance period, respectively, has elapsed.

As a result, even if the temporary stop means does not temporarily stop the timekeeping, the first or second performance can be executed to show the result of the first or second judgment. This has the effect of enabling the execution of a performance that is easy for the player to understand.

A gaming machine K4 is characterized in that the specific performance in the gaming machine K3 is composed of at least a part of the final performance mode.

In addition to the effect of gaming machine K3, gaming machine K4 has the effect that the specific effect is composed of at least a part of the final effect mode, so that even if the specific effect is executed after the first or second effect has ended, the effect can be executed without giving the player a sense of incongruity.

Gaming machine K5 is characterized in that in any one of gaming machines K1 to K4, the bonus game execution means executes a special game that is more advantageous to the player than the bonus game when a special first performance is executed based on the first determination means determining a special first determination result that is different from the specific first determination result, or when a special second performance is executed based on the second determination means determining a special second determination result that is different from the specific second determination result.

Gaming machine K5 has the following effect in addition to the effect of any of gaming machines K1 to K4. That is, when a special first performance is executed based on the first judgment means determining that a special first judgment result is different from the specific first judgment result, or when a special second performance is executed based on the second judgment means determining that a special second judgment result is different from the specific second judgment result, a special game that is more advantageous to the player than the bonus game is executed by the bonus game execution means.

This allows the player to play the game while having high expectations for both the game in which the first judgment means is executed and the game in which the second judgment means is executed. This has the effect of increasing the player's interest in the game.

Gaming machine K6 is characterized in that, in any one of gaming machines K1 to K5, the specific effect execution means executes a special effect different from the specific effect for at least the remaining period if the first effect or the second effect ends during the period in which the bonus game is being played.

Gaming machine K6 produces the following effect in addition to the effect produced by any of gaming machines K1 to K5. That is, if the first or second effect ends during the period in which the special effect is being executed by the special effect execution means, a special effect different from the special effect is executed for at least the remaining period.

As a result, when the first or second performance ends, if there is a remaining period longer than the remaining period of the first or second performance period, a special performance different from the specific performance can be executed. This has the effect of preventing the player from feeling uncomfortable even if an error occurs to the extent that the specific performance alone is insufficient.

The special effects used in gaming machine K6 may be configured to execute an effect different from the specific effect during the period from when the first or second effect ends until the end of the first or second effect period, or may be configured to execute a new effect during the period from when the first or second effect ends until the end of the bonus game during the period from when the first or second effect ends until the end of the first or second effect period, and execute a specific effect during the period from when the bonus game ends until the end of the first or second effect period. In this case, the latter configuration has the effect of reducing the capacity of the effect data.

A gaming machine K7 is characterized in that it is any one of gaming machines K1 to K6, and has a remaining period determination means for determining the length of the remaining period from the end of the first or second performance until the end of the first or second performance period, and a specific performance mode determination means for determining the performance mode of the specific performance based on the result of the determination by the remaining period determination means.

According to gaming machine K7, in addition to the effect produced by any of gaming machines K1 to K6, the following effect is produced; that is, the length of the remaining period from the end of the first or second performance until the end of the first or second performance period is determined by the remaining period determination means, and the performance mode of the specific performance is determined by the specific performance mode determination means based on the result of the determination.

This allows the presentation style of a specific presentation to be determined based on the length of the remaining period, resulting in the effect of being able to execute a presentation that is suitable for the player and enhancing the presentation effect.

Here, as for the specific effect determined based on the length of the remaining period, for example, if it is determined that the remaining period is so short that it is difficult for the player to grasp the content of the specific effect to be executed during the remaining period, the effect mode of the specific effect is set to a mode using all or part of the first or second effect. This makes it possible to execute the specific effect as if the first or second effect is being extended, and the specific effect can be executed without giving the player a sense of incongruity. In this case, it is preferable to execute the specific effect including a mode of notifying that the first or second effect is being extended. This has the effect of suppressing the misunderstanding that the first or second effect will not end due to a malfunction of the gaming machine by executing the specific effect as if the first or second effect is being extended for players who cannot grasp the content of the specific effect, and notifying players who can grasp the content of the specific effect that the performance mode of the first or second effect is being extended.

In addition, if it is determined that the remaining period is long enough for the player to fully understand the content of the specific effect that will be executed during the remaining period, it is preferable to set the specific effect to a presentation mode that allows information other than the information indicated by the first or second effect (information indicating the determination result of the determination means) to be displayed. This has the effect of being able to use the remaining period to provide new information to the player, and preventing a decrease in motivation to play.

In the gaming machine K7, the bonus performance mode determination means determines a specific performance mode that is composed of at least a part of the fixed performance mode as the performance mode of the specific performance when the remaining period determination means determines that the remaining period is shorter than a predetermined period. A gaming machine K8.

Gaming machine K8 has the following effect in addition to the effect of gaming machine K7. That is, when the remaining period determination means determines that the remaining period is shorter than the predetermined period, the special performance mode determination means determines a specific performance mode that is composed of at least a part of the fixed performance mode as the performance mode of the specific performance.

This makes it possible to execute a specific effect as if the first or second effect were extended, allowing the specific effect to be executed without causing the player to feel uncomfortable.

In gaming machine K7 or K8, the bonus performance mode determination means determines a specific performance mode including information different from the information included in the first performance or the second performance as the performance mode of the specific performance when the remaining period determination means determines that the remaining period is longer than a predetermined period. Gaming machine K9.

Gaming machine K9 has the following effect in addition to the effect of gaming machine K7 or K8. That is, when the remaining period determination means determines that the remaining period is longer than a predetermined period, the bonus performance mode determination means determines a specific performance mode that includes information different from the information included in the first or second performance as the performance mode of the specific performance.

This has the effect of allowing the remaining time to be used to provide new information to players, preventing a decline in their desire to play.

<Feature L group> (ST count display control)
A gaming machine L1 comprising: a specific game execution means capable of executing a specific game advantageous to a player a specific number of times when a specified condition is satisfied; a number update means for updating the number of times the specific game has been executed by the specific game execution means; a remaining number determination means for determining the remaining number of the specific number of times; a number notification means for notifying a number of times equal to or less than the remaining number determined by the remaining number determination means; a bonus notification execution means for executing a bonus notification to increase the number of times notified by the number notification means based on a specified rule; and a rule switching means for switching the specified rule.

Some gaming machines, such as pachinko machines, change the display of symbols based on the entry of a gaming ball into a start winning slot, and notify the player of the result of the lottery after the change display has ended. In this way, some gaming machines are configured to allow a specific game that is advantageous to the player to be played a specific number of times by increasing the probability of winning or making the lottery easier to play, and display the remaining number of times that the specific game can be played on the display screen (for example, JP 2015-6562 A).

In such conventional gaming machines, the remaining number of times a specific game can be played is displayed on the display screen, and as the number of times remaining for which an advantageous state is set becomes fewer, there is a problem in that the motivation of the player decreases. The objective of this invention is to solve the problems exemplified above.

According to gaming machine L1, when a predetermined condition is met, a specific game advantageous to the player is executed a specific number of times by the specific game execution means, and the number of times the specific game is executed by the specific game execution means is updated by the number of times update means. The remaining number of the specific number of times is determined by the remaining number determination means, and a number of times equal to or less than the remaining number determined by the remaining number determination means is notified by the number of times notification means. A bonus notification that increases the number of times notified by the number of times notification means is executed by the bonus notification execution means based on a predetermined rule, and the predetermined rule is switched by the rule switching means.

This makes it possible to notify the player of the number of times that the specific game will be played that is less than the remaining number of times. Therefore, even if the number of times that has been notified becomes small, the player can continue playing the game in the hope that the specific game will continue to be played, which has the effect of preventing the player's motivation from decreasing.

Furthermore, by implementing a bonus notification that increases the number of times notified by the number notification means, it is possible to increase the number of times that a specific game is confirmed to be performed for the player. This allows the player to continue playing the game while maintaining a moderate sense of security.

In addition, because the rules for executing the bonus notification can be switched, it is possible to increase the number of times the bonus notification means notifies in various patterns. This makes it possible to prevent players from becoming bored with the game too quickly.

Gaming machine L2 is characterized in that it has an operation means that can be operated by a player in gaming machine L1, and the rule switching means switches the predetermined rule based on an operation on the operation means.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine L1, gaming machine L2 provides the following effect. That is, a predetermined rule is switched by the rule switching means based on the operation of the operation means that can be operated by the player.

This allows players to change the rules to suit their preferences, which has the effect of increasing the enjoyment of the game.

Gaming machine L3 is characterized in that the rule switching means in gaming machine L1 or L2 is configured to be switchable between a first rule that executes a lottery to decide whether or not to execute the bonus notification each time the number of plays is updated, and executes the bonus notification based on the result of the lottery, and a second rule that decides whether or not to execute the bonus notification based on the number of times notified by the number of times notifying means becoming equal to or less than a predetermined number.

Gaming machine L3 provides the following effect in addition to the effect provided by gaming machines L1 and L2. That is, the rule switching means determines whether or not to issue a bonus notification each time the number of plays is updated, and is configured to be switchable between a first rule in which the bonus notification is issued based on the result of that determination, and a second rule in which it is determined whether or not to issue a bonus notification based on the number of plays notified by the number of plays notifying means falling below a predetermined number.

This allows bonus notifications to be made with different rules, which has the effect of increasing the interest of the game.

Gaming machine L4 is characterized in that in any one of gaming machines L1 to L3, the bonus notification execution means executes the bonus notification if the remaining number of times is equal to or greater than a predetermined number of times when the predetermined rule is switched by the rule switching means.

Gaming machine L4 has the following effect in addition to the effect of any of gaming machines L1 to L3. That is, when a predetermined rule is switched by the rule switching means, if the remaining number of times is equal to or greater than a predetermined number of times, a bonus notification is executed by the bonus notification execution means.

This allows a bonus notification to be executed at the timing when the predetermined rules are switched. This allows the player to play the game while hoping that the predetermined rules will be switched by the rule switching means, which has the effect of enhancing the presentation effect.

Gaming machine L5 is characterized in that in gaming machine L4, the bonus notification execution means executes the bonus notification indicating that the possible number of times will be increased within the range of the remaining number of times out of the preset upper limit number of times.

Gaming machine L5 has the following effect in addition to the effect of gaming machine L4. That is, the bonus notification indicating that the possible number of times within the remaining number of times out of the preset upper limit number of times is to be increased is executed by the bonus notification execution means.

This makes it possible to complicate the way bonus notifications are given, which has the effect of preventing players from becoming bored with the game too quickly.

<Feature M Group> (The performance when Attacca wins will be decided by lottery)
a variable ball entry means for varying a state in which a game ball is difficult to enter from a first state in which the game ball is difficult to enter to a second state in which the game ball is easier to enter than the first state until a predetermined condition is satisfied when the bonus game is executed by the bonus game execution means; a condition determination means for determining whether an execution condition is satisfied based on the game ball entering the variable ball entry means; an effect execution means for executing an effect when the condition determination means determines that the execution condition is satisfied; and a rate change means for varying and setting a rate at which the execution condition is satisfied based on the type of the bonus game executed by the bonus game execution means.

Here, some gaming machines, such as pachinko machines, change the display of a pattern based on the entry of a gaming ball into a start winning hole, and notify the player of the result of the lottery after the change display has ended. In this way, some gaming machines open a specific winning hole when a winning game is played, and notify the player that a gaming ball has won into that specific winning hole (for example, JP 2014-138735 A). Some gaming machines are configured to set multiple winning games with different opening patterns of the specific winning hole, and to vary the number of gaming balls that can win into the specific winning hole depending on the winning game played. Some gaming machines make it difficult for the player to tell which winning game is being played, allowing the player to predict the game and increasing the fun of the game.

In such conventional gaming machines, an announcement is made every time a gaming ball enters a specific winning port, allowing the player to easily understand that a winning game is being played. However, because an announcement is made every time a gaming ball enters a specific winning port, there is a problem in that the player can easily understand the type of winning game being played just by understanding the content of the announcement made every time a gaming ball enters a specific winning port.

Furthermore, in gaming machines that transition the game state after the end of a winning game to one advantageous to the player depending on the type of winning game executed, the type of winning game executed is made difficult to understand, thereby increasing the interest of the game. However, when using such a gaming machine, if an announcement is made every time a gaming ball enters a specific winning slot, the player will not be able to play the winning game while looking forward to the game state that will be transitioned to after the winning game ends, which reduces the player's motivation to play. The purpose is to solve the problems exemplified above.

According to the gaming machine M1, a discrimination means discriminates based on the establishment of a discrimination condition, and based on the discrimination result being a specific discrimination result, one of a plurality of different bonus games is executed by a bonus game execution means. When a bonus game is executed by the bonus game execution means, the variable ball entry means changes the state from a first state in which it is difficult for the game ball to enter to a second state in which it is easier to enter than the first state, until a predetermined condition is established. The condition discrimination means discriminates whether the execution condition is established based on the game ball entering the variable ball entry means, and when the condition discrimination means discriminates that the execution condition is established, an effect is executed by an effect execution means. Then, the rate at which the execution condition is established is variably set by a rate variable means based on the type of bonus game executed by the bonus game execution means.

This makes it possible to vary the rate at which the effect is executed based on the game ball entering the variable ball entry means, based on the type of bonus game. This has the effect of preventing the player from becoming aware of the type of bonus game through the effect executed by the effect execution means, which would reduce the player's motivation to play.

A gaming machine M2 is characterized in that, in the gaming machine M1, a payout means is provided that pays out a predetermined number of gaming balls to a player as prize balls based on a gaming ball entering the variable ball entry means, and the presentation is set based on the number of prize balls paid out by the payout means.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine M1, gaming machine M2 provides the following effects. That is, when a gaming ball enters the variable ball entry means, a predetermined number of gaming balls are paid out to the player as prize balls by the payout means, and the presentation is set based on the number of prize balls paid out by the payout means.

As a result, by having the effect executed by the effect execution means, it becomes possible for the player to easily understand that a bonus game is being played. This has the effect of preventing the occurrence of a situation in which the player does not realize that a bonus game that is advantageous to the player has been played, and of being able to execute an effect that is easy for the player to understand.

Gaming machine M3, in which the bonus game execution means of gaming machine M1 or M2 is capable of executing at least a first bonus game in which it is easier for a gaming ball to enter the variable ball entry means, and a second bonus game in which it is more difficult for a gaming ball to enter the variable ball entry means than the first bonus game, and the ratio variable means sets the ratio lower when the first bonus game is executed than when the second bonus game is executed.

According to gaming machine M3, the bonus game execution means executes at least one of a first bonus game in which it is easier for the gaming ball to enter the ball entry means and a second bonus game in which it is more difficult for the gaming ball to enter than the first bonus game. The rate varying means sets the rate at which the execution condition is met lower when the first bonus game is executed than when the second bonus game is executed.

This makes it possible to approximate the number of times the effects executed by the effect execution means are executed when a first bonus game and a second bonus game, which differ in the ease of scoring a ball into the scoring means, are executed. This has the effect of preventing the player from understanding the type of bonus game through the effects executed by the effect execution means, which reduces the player's motivation to play.

When using the configuration of gaming machine M2, it is advisable to ensure (with a high probability) that an effect is executed by the effect execution means for the first gaming ball that enters the ball entry means, regardless of the type of bonus game execution means. This allows the player to easily understand that a bonus game has been executed, and furthermore, it is possible to provide an effect that does not allow the player to easily understand the type of bonus game being executed.

Among any of the gaming machines M1 to M3, the gaming machine M4 is characterized in that the presentation is a presentation mode displayed on the display means as at least one of the presentation modes.

In addition to the effect of any of gaming machines M1 to M3, gaming machine M4 displays a display mode on the display means as at least one of the presentation modes, which has the effect of allowing the player to easily understand that a bonus game has been executed based on the content displayed on the display means.

Gaming machine M5 is characterized in that in gaming machine M3 or M4, the first bonus game is set to have a longer period from when the variable ball entry means is changed to the second state until the specified condition is met than in the second bonus game.

Gaming machine M5 has the following effect in addition to the effect of gaming machines M3 and M4. That is, the period from when the variable ball entry means is changed to the second state by the first bonus game until the predetermined condition is met is set longer than that of the second bonus game.

This has the effect of ensuring that the first bonus game can be played as a bonus game in which it is easier to score a ball than the second bonus game.

Gaming machine M6 is characterized in that the first bonus game is set to change to the second state more times than the second bonus game in gaming machines M3 and M5.

Gaming machine M6 has the following effect in addition to the effect of gaming machines M3 and M4. That is, the number of times the game is changed to the second state by the first bonus game is set to be greater than the number of times the game is changed to the second state by the second bonus game.

This has the effect of ensuring that the first bonus game can be played as a bonus game in which it is easier to score a ball than the second bonus game.

A gaming machine M7 according to any one of claims M1 to M6, characterized in that it has a second rate variable means for variably setting the rate at which the execution condition is met based on the number of gaming balls that enter the variable ball entry means.

Gaming machine M7 has the following effect in addition to the effect of any of gaming machines M1 to M6. That is, the second rate variable means variably sets the rate at which the execution condition is met based on the number of gaming balls that enter the variable ball entry means.

This makes it possible to change the ratio at which effects are executed based on the number of game balls that enter the variable ball entry means. This makes it possible to set the execution ratio of effects in a more complex way.

In gaming machine M7, the bonus game execution means can execute at least a first bonus game in which it is easier for gaming balls to enter the ball entry means, and a second bonus game in which it is more difficult for gaming balls to enter the ball entry means than the first bonus game, and the second rate varying means makes it more difficult for the execution condition to be met as the number of gaming balls that enter the varying means increases. Gaming machine M8.

Gaming machine M8 provides the following effects in addition to those provided by gaming machine M7. That is, the bonus game execution means executes at least one of a first bonus game in which it is easier for gaming balls to enter the ball entry means, and a second bonus game in which it is more difficult for gaming balls to enter than the first bonus game. Then, the second rate varying means makes it more difficult for the execution condition to be met as the number of gaming balls that enter the variable means increases.

This makes it possible to approximate the number of effects executed by the effect execution means when the first bonus game is played and when the second bonus game is played. This has the effect of preventing the player from understanding the type of bonus game through the effects executed by the effect execution means, which reduces the player's motivation to play.

Gaming machine M9 is characterized in that in any one of gaming machines M2 to M8, the performance execution means sets the split display mode, which indicates the number of prize balls paid out by the payout means as the performance, into multiple parts, to correspond to the number of prize balls paid out by the payout means.

Gaming machine M9 provides the following effect in addition to the effect provided by any of gaming machines M2 to M8. That is, the effect execution means sets the divided display mode, which indicates the number of prize balls paid out by the payout means as an effect, into a number divided into multiple parts, to correspond to the number of prize balls paid out by the payout means.

This makes it possible to display multiple split display modes in a single performance. This has the effect of preventing the player from becoming aware of the type of bonus game through the performance executed by the performance execution means, which would result in a decrease in motivation to play. In addition, even in gaming machines that have bonus games with different numbers of winning balls, it is possible to achieve a similar effect by executing the performance using the split display mode.

<Feature N Group> (The number of times added can be changed with the PUSH effect)
a display means for displaying identification information based on bonus information less than the bonus information stored in the storage means; a determination means for determining the bonus information to be displayed on the display means to be an upper limit of the bonus information stored in the storage means; an operation means operable by a player; a setting means for variably setting the bonus information corresponding to a timing of operation of the operation means when the operation means is operated; a variable setting means for varying the bonus information set by the setting means based on a specific condition; and a display update means for acquiring the bonus information set by the setting means based on the operation of the operation means, and updating the bonus information corresponding to the identification information displayed on the display means to the corresponding identification information.

Some gaming machines, such as pachinko machines, have operating means such as operating buttons that can be operated by the player, and can execute operation effects that encourage the player to operate the operating means as a type of entertainment effect (for example, JP 2006-263523 A). In these conventional gaming machines, by operating the operation buttons in the operation effect, a special effect different from the usual one is generated, or a winning notification is issued, thereby increasing the interest of the player.

However, in such conventional gaming machines, the operation presentation is executed as part of a presentation that notifies the result of a predetermined winning lottery, so the results of the player's operation of the frame buttons are unrelated to the result of the presentation (whether or not a winning lottery is announced). This poses the problem that it is difficult to increase the player's motivation to participate in the operation presentation. The objective of this invention is to solve the problems exemplified above.

According to the gaming machine N1, the bonus information advantageous to the player is determined by the bonus information determination means. The bonus information determined by the bonus information determination means is stored in the storage means, and the bonus that is advantageous to the player corresponding to at least a part of the stored bonus information is granted by the bonus granting means. When the bonus is granted by the bonus granting means, the bonus information update means updates the bonus to bonus information that is reduced from the bonus corresponding to the bonus information stored in the storage means. Identification information based on bonus information that is less than the bonus information stored in the storage means is displayed on the display means. The bonus information to be displayed on the display means is determined by the determination means to be the bonus information stored in the storage means up to the upper limit. When the player operates the operation means, the bonus information corresponding to the operation timing is variably set by the setting means. The bonus information set by the setting means is variably set based on specific conditions by the variable setting means. The bonus information set by the setting means is acquired based on the operation of the operation means, and the bonus information corresponding to the identification information displayed on the display means is updated to the corresponding identification information by the display update means.

This makes it possible to update the bonus information based on the operation of the operating means, which has the effect of increasing the player's motivation to participate in the operational presentation.

Gaming machine N2 has a determination means for making a determination based on the establishment of a determination condition, and a bonus game execution means for executing a bonus game advantageous to the player based on the result of the determination by the determination means being a specific determination result, and the bonus granting means continues to set a high probability state, which increases the probability that the determination means will determine the specific determination result, as the bonus each time the determination is made a predetermined number of times, until the determination by the determination means is made.

Gaming machine N2 provides the following effects in addition to those provided by gaming machine N1. That is, a judgment is made by the judgment means based on the establishment of a judgment condition. A bonus game that is advantageous to the player is executed by the bonus game execution means based on the judgment result by the judgment means being a specific judgment result. Then, a high probability state that increases the probability that the judgment means will judge a specific judgment result is continuously set as a bonus by the bonus granting means each time a judgment is executed until the judgment means has executed a predetermined number of judgments.

As a result, the special privilege is set to continue in a high probability state that increases the probability that the determination means will determine a specific determination result until the determination means executes a predetermined number of determinations, so the player can easily understand that the high probability state has been set. This has the effect of allowing the player to play with peace of mind.

Gaming machine N3 is characterized in that in gaming machine N2, the identification information is information indicating the number of times that the high probability state will be confirmed to continue and notified.

According to gaming machine N3, in addition to the effect of gaming machine N2, the identification information indicates the number of times that the high probability state will be confirmed and notified.

This allows the player to easily grasp the number of times that the high probability state is confirmed to continue. This has the effect of allowing the player to play with peace of mind.

Gaming machine N4 is characterized in that it is any one of gaming machines N1 to N3, and has a suggestion display control means for displaying on the display means a suggestion display mode that suggests the timing of operating the operating means, and a suggestion display mode determination means for determining the suggestion display mode displayed on the suggestion display control means based on the timing of the bonus information set in the setting means.

Gaming machine N4 achieves the following effect in addition to the effect achieved by any of gaming machines N1 to N3. That is, a suggestion display mode suggesting the timing to operate the operating means is displayed on the display means by the suggestion display control means. The suggestion display mode displayed on the suggestion display control means is determined based on the timing of the bonus information set in the setting means by the suggestion display mode determination means.

This has the effect of providing the player with an easy-to-understand presentation, since bonus information is granted by operating the operating means based on the suggested display mode displayed on the display means.

Gaming machine N5 is characterized in that the suggested display mode in gaming machine N4 is at least a variable display mode that changes based on the passage of time and a distinguishable mode that allows the bonus information set in the setting means to be distinguished by the variable display mode.

Gaming machine N5 has the following effect in addition to the effect of gaming machine N4. That is, as a suggestive display mode, a variable display mode is displayed that changes based on the passage of time, and a distinguishing mode that can distinguish the bonus information set in the setting means is displayed by the variable display mode.

This makes it possible to determine the bonus information to be granted based on the display content displayed in the variable display mode, making it possible to target the timing at which the player should operate the operating means. This has the effect of encouraging the player to play with enthusiasm.

<Feature O group> (Reduces the frequency of small wins)
A gaming machine O1 comprising: a discrimination means for making a discrimination based on the satisfaction of a discrimination condition; a bonus granting means for granting a bonus to a player based on the result of the discrimination by the discrimination means being a specific discrimination result; a discrimination condition storage means capable of storing multiple cases where the discrimination condition is satisfied; and a suppression means for suppressing the frequency with which the discrimination is made by the discrimination means, wherein the suppression means is more likely to suppress the frequency with which the discrimination is made when the number of the discrimination conditions stored in the discrimination condition storage means is equal to or greater than a predetermined number than when the number is less than a predetermined number.

Here, some gaming machines, such as pachinko machines, pay out a predetermined number of gaming balls based on the entry of a gaming ball into a start winning slot, and display a varying number of symbols, and notify the player of the result of the lottery after the varying display has ended. Some such gaming machines are configured to reserve and store the lottery that is executed based on the entry of a gaming ball into a start winning slot multiple times (for example, JP 2010-35664 A).

In such conventional gaming machines, when the frequency of game balls entering the starting winning port is high, more game balls are paid out and more lotteries are held than when the frequency of game balls entering the starting winning port is low. This means that the benefits received by the player vary greatly depending on the frequency of game balls entering the starting winning port, resulting in a problem of reduced operation of gaming machines with a low frequency of game balls entering the starting winning port. Also, in order for a player to determine whether the frequency of game balls entering the starting winning port is appropriate, it is necessary to play many games, and there is a problem that a fair gaming machine cannot be provided to players who play. The purpose is to solve the problems exemplified above.

According to the gaming machine O1, a discrimination is made by the discrimination means based on the fact that a discrimination condition is satisfied, and a bonus is given to a player by the bonus granting means based on the fact that the result of the discrimination by the discrimination means is a specific discrimination result. A plurality of satisfied discrimination conditions are stored by the discrimination condition storage means. The frequency with which the discrimination is made by the discrimination means is suppressed by the suppression means. In addition, the suppression means is more likely to suppress the frequency with which discrimination is made when the number of discrimination conditions stored in the discrimination condition storage means is equal to or greater than a predetermined number than when it is less than the predetermined number.

This makes it possible to reduce the frequency with which discrimination is performed when the number of discrimination conditions stored in the discrimination condition storage means is equal to or greater than a predetermined number, compared to when the number is less than the predetermined number. This has the effect of providing a fair gaming machine to players who play the game.

A gaming machine O2 having a display means for displaying identification information indicating the result of the determination made by the determination means in the gaming machine O1, a dynamic display execution means for executing dynamic display of the identification information in the display means, and a dynamic display period setting means for setting a dynamic display period for the dynamic display of the identification information executed by the dynamic display execution means, and the suppression means suppresses the frequency with which the determination is executed by setting a long dynamic display period in the dynamic display period setting means.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine O1, gaming machine O2 provides the following effects. That is, identification information indicating the result of the determination made by the determination means is displayed on the display means, and the dynamic display of the identification information on the display means is executed by the dynamic display execution means. The dynamic display period for the dynamic display of the identification information executed by the dynamic display execution means is set by the dynamic display period setting means. By setting a long dynamic display period by the dynamic display period setting means, the frequency with which the determination is executed by the suppression means is suppressed.

By setting a long dynamic display period, the frequency with which the determination is made is reduced, which has the effect of reliably reducing the frequency with which the determination is made and increasing the accuracy with which a fair gaming machine can be provided to players who play the game.

A gaming machine O2, characterized in that it has a second discrimination means for executing discrimination based on the establishment of a second discrimination condition, a second display means for displaying second identification information showing the result of the discrimination by the second discrimination means, a second dynamic display execution means for executing dynamic display of the second identification information on the second display means, a second dynamic display period setting means for setting a second dynamic display period in the dynamic display of the second identification information executed by the second dynamic display execution means, and a second benefit granting means for granting a second benefit to a player based on the result of the discrimination by the second discrimination means being a specific second discrimination result, and that the second discrimination condition is more likely to be established by the benefit being granted by the benefit granting means.

Gaming machine O3 provides the following effects in addition to the effects provided by gaming machine O2. That is, a determination is made by the second determination means based on the establishment of the second determination condition, and second identification information indicating the result of the determination by the second determination means is displayed on the second display means. A dynamic display of the second identification information on the second display means is executed by the second dynamic display execution means, and a second dynamic display period for the dynamic display of the second identification information executed by the second dynamic display execution means is set by the second dynamic display period setting means. A second benefit is granted to the player by the second benefit granting means based on the result of the determination by the second determination means being a specific second determination result. Then, the benefit is granted by the benefit granting means, making it easier for the second determination condition to be established.

This allows the suppression means to suppress the awarding of a bonus that makes it easier for the second discrimination condition to be met. This has the effect of providing a fair gaming machine to players who play the game.

A gaming machine O2, characterized in that it has a second discrimination means for executing discrimination based on the establishment of a second discrimination condition, a second display means for displaying second identification information showing the result of the discrimination by the second discrimination means, a second dynamic display execution means for executing dynamic display of the second identification information on the second display means, a second dynamic display period setting means for setting a second dynamic display period in the dynamic display of the second identification information executed by the second dynamic display execution means, and a second benefit granting means for granting a second benefit to a player based on the result of the discrimination by the second discrimination means being a specific second discrimination result, and that the discrimination condition is more likely to be established by the second benefit granting means.

Gaming machine O4 provides the following effects in addition to the effects provided by gaming machine O2. That is, a determination is made by the second determination means based on the establishment of the second determination condition, and second identification information indicating the result of the determination by the second determination means is displayed on the second display means. A dynamic display of the second identification information on the second display means is executed by the second dynamic display execution means, and a second dynamic display period for the dynamic display of the second identification information executed by the second dynamic display execution means is set by the second dynamic display period setting means. A second benefit is granted to the player by the second benefit granting means based on the result of the determination by the second determination means being a specific second determination result. Then, the determination condition is more likely to be established by granting the second benefit by the second benefit granting means.

This makes it possible to prevent the suppression means from granting the second benefit that makes it easier for the discrimination condition to be met. This has the effect of providing a fair gaming machine to players who play the game.

A gaming machine O5, which is any one of the gaming machines O1 to O4, is characterized in that the suppression means makes it easier to suppress the frequency with which the judgment is performed when the result of the judgment by the judgment means is the specific judgment result.

In addition to the effects of any of the gaming machines O1 to O4, the gaming machine O5 has the following effect. That is, when the result of the determination by the determination means is a specific determination result, the suppression means tends to suppress the frequency with which the determination is performed.

This makes it possible to reduce the frequency with which the determination is made when a bonus is awarded by the bonus awarding means. This has the effect of preventing a situation in which many bonuses are awarded in a short period of time.

A gaming machine O6, in any one of the gaming machines O2 to O5, is characterized in that the suppression means makes it easier to suppress the frequency with which the judgment is performed when the number of the judgment conditions stored in the judgment condition storage means is a second predetermined number less than the first predetermined number, rather than a first predetermined number less than the first predetermined number.

Gaming machine O6 has the following effect in addition to the effect of any one of gaming machines O2 to O4. That is, the frequency with which the suppression means performs the discrimination is more likely to be suppressed when the number of discrimination conditions stored in the discrimination condition storage means is a second predetermined number less than the first predetermined number than when the number of discrimination conditions stored in the discrimination condition storage means is a first predetermined number less than the first predetermined number.

As a result, when the number of discrimination conditions stored in the discrimination condition storage means is less than a predetermined number, and the second predetermined number is less than the first predetermined number, the frequency with which discrimination is performed is likely to be suppressed. Therefore, when a player intentionally plays a game while continuing to have a low number of stored discrimination conditions, the frequency with which discrimination is performed can be suppressed, and a fair gaming machine can be provided to players who play the game.

<Feature P group> (variable range of reserved notice)
a game machine including: information acquisition means for acquiring information based on the establishment of an acquisition condition; information storage means for storing the information acquired by the information acquisition means up to a predetermined upper limit; a discrimination means for making a discrimination based on the information stored in the information storage means when a discrimination condition is established; and a bonus game execution means for executing a bonus game advantageous to a player based on a specific discrimination result obtained by the discrimination means. The game machine P1 is characterized in that it has: advance discrimination means for making a advance discrimination based on the information stored in the information storage means before the discrimination condition is established; an identification pattern display control means for displaying on a display means an identification pattern corresponding to each piece of information stored in the information storage means, the number of pieces of information being stored in the information storage means being one; a variable means for varying the identification pattern based on the result of the advance discrimination by the advance discrimination means for the information before it is determined by the discrimination means; and a determination means for determining a combination of the identification patterns to be varied by the variable means from among the plurality of identification patterns displayed on the identification pattern display control means.

Some gaming machines, such as pachinko machines, change the display of symbols based on the entry of a gaming ball into a start winning slot, and notify the player of the result of the lottery after the change display has ended. Furthermore, some machines are configured to be able to hold and store the lottery that is executed based on the entry of a gaming ball into a start winning slot multiple times, display the reserved symbols corresponding to the number of reserved memories, and are configured to be able to execute a reserved advance notice performance that can notify the player of information regarding the corresponding lottery in advance using the displayed reserved symbols (for example, JP 2009-297071 A).

In such conventional gaming machines, the color and shape of the reserved symbols are changed, and the variable display corresponding to the reserved symbols indicates the likelihood of a jackpot, making it possible to heighten the player's sense of anticipation before the variable display begins.

However, with such conventional gaming machines, when a reserved notice effect occurs, it is difficult for the player to feel a sense of anticipation for reserved symbols that are not the subject of the reserved notice, which reduces the player's motivation to play. The objective of this product is to solve the problems exemplified above.

According to the gaming machine P1, information is acquired by the information acquisition means based on the establishment of the acquisition condition, and the information acquired by the information acquisition means is stored by the information storage means up to a predetermined upper limit. Based on the information stored in the information storage means, the discrimination means executes discrimination when the discrimination condition is established, and based on the discrimination by the discrimination means resulting in a specific discrimination result, the bonus game advantageous to the player is executed by the bonus game execution means. Then, based on the information stored in the information storage means, the advance discrimination means executes advance discrimination before the discrimination condition is established. The discrimination pattern corresponding to the number of pieces of information stored in the information storage means for each piece of information is displayed on the display means by the discrimination pattern display control means. The discrimination pattern is changed by the variable means based on the result of advance discrimination by the advance discrimination means for the information before it is discriminated by the discrimination means. The combination of discrimination patterns to be changed by the variable means is determined by the determination means from among the multiple discrimination patterns displayed on the discrimination pattern display control means.

This makes it possible to determine the combination of identification patterns that are to be changed by the changing means among the multiple identification patterns displayed on the identification pattern display control means. This makes it possible to prevent the changing means from being executed for all identification patterns displayed on the display means, thereby preventing a decrease in the player's motivation to play.

A gaming machine P2, characterized in that in the gaming machine P1, the variable means changes to a mode in which information based on the result of the pre-discrimination for the information corresponding to the displayed identification pattern is displayed when a predetermined condition is satisfied during the period until the discrimination condition for the information corresponding to the displayed identification pattern is satisfied.

Gaming machine P2 has the following effect in addition to the effect of gaming machine P1. That is, when a predetermined condition is satisfied during the period until the determination condition of the information corresponding to the displayed identification pattern is satisfied, the variable means changes the display mode to one in which information based on the result of the pre-determination of the information corresponding to the identification pattern is displayed.

This allows the player to focus on the variable content of the identification pattern, which has the effect of enhancing the presentation effect.

Gaming machine P3 is characterized in that it has a specific display control means for causing the display means to display a specific display mode corresponding to the identification pattern changed by the changing means for a specific period of time, in gaming machine P1 or P2.

In addition to the effects of gaming machines P1 and P2, gaming machine P3 provides the following effect. That is, by utilizing the identification pattern that is changed by the changing means, a specific display mode that corresponds to the identification pattern is displayed on the display means by the specific display control means for a specific period of time.

This makes it possible to execute a specific presentation mode that utilizes the identification pattern that has been changed by the changing means, and has the effect of executing a presentation that is advantageous to the player.

A gaming machine P4 is any one of the gaming machines P1 to P3, characterized in that it has an operation means operable by a player, and a specific effect execution means that executes the setting of a specific effect based on the operation of the operation means when the identification pattern is changed by the changing means.

Gaming machine P4 provides the following effect in addition to the effect provided by any of gaming machines P1 to P3. That is, when the identification symbol is changed by the changing means, the setting of a specific effect is executed by the specific effect execution means based on the operation of the operation means by the player.

This has the effect of allowing a specific presentation mode to be executed for a specific period of time using the identification pattern that has been changed by the changing means.

A gaming machine P5 is characterized in that, in the gaming machine P4, it has a variable number setting means for setting the number of the identification symbols changed by the variable means to be greater when the advance discrimination means discriminates that the specific discrimination result is obtained than when the discrimination result is determined to be other than the specific discrimination result.

In addition to the effects of the gaming machine P5, the gaming machine P5 has the following effect. That is, when the advance discrimination means discriminates that a specific discrimination result has been obtained, the number of identification symbols that are changed by the variable means is set by the variable number setting means to be greater than when the discrimination means discriminates that a result other than the specific discrimination result has been obtained.

This has the effect of allowing the frequency at which identification patterns are displayed to be changed depending on the game state, enhancing the presentation effect.

<Feature Q group> (When the remaining number of STs is less than a certain number and a jackpot occurs, a specific performance is executed)
a determining means for determining whether a determining condition is satisfied; a bonus game executing means for executing a bonus game advantageous to a player based on a specific determination result obtained by the determining means; a game state setting means for setting one of a plurality of game states including a first game state and a second game state more advantageous to a player than the first game state as a game state after the bonus game executed by the bonus game executing means is completed; a specific condition determining means for determining whether a specific condition that is more likely to be satisfied the more the determination by the determining means is executed, when the second game state is set by the game state setting means, has been satisfied; a game state changing means for changing the game state from the second game state to the first game state based on the determination that the specific condition has been established by a game state setting means; a suggestive effect execution means for executing a suggestive effect suggesting the likelihood of the specific condition being established when the second game state is set by the game state setting means; a comparison means for comparing the likelihood of the specific condition being established suggested by the suggestive effect with the actual likelihood of the specific condition being established; and a specific effect execution means for executing a specific effect corresponding to the specific comparison result based on the establishment of a predetermined condition when the comparison result by the comparison means is a specific comparison result.

Some gaming machines, such as pachinko machines, change the display of symbols based on the entry of a gaming ball into a start winning slot, and notify the player of the result of the lottery after the change display has ended. In this way, some gaming machines are configured to allow a specific game that is advantageous to the player to be played a specific number of times by increasing the probability of winning or making the lottery easier to play, and do not notify the player of the number of times that the specific game will be played (for example, JP 2015-6562 A).

In such conventional gaming machines, the number of times a specific game has been played is not notified to the player, so if the player wins while playing a specific game, the player is unable to ascertain the number of times the specific game remains, and the player is unable to fully feel satisfied with the game results. The objective of this invention is to solve the problems exemplified above.

According to the gaming machine Q1, a discrimination is performed by a discrimination means based on the establishment of a discrimination condition, and a bonus game advantageous to the player is executed by a bonus game execution means based on the fact that the discrimination by the discrimination means results in a specific discrimination result. As a gaming state after the bonus game executed by the bonus game execution means is ended, one gaming state is set by a gaming state setting means from among a plurality of gaming states including a first gaming state and a second gaming state that is more advantageous to the player than the first gaming state. When the second gaming state is set by the gaming state setting means, the specific condition discrimination means discriminates whether or not a specific condition that is more likely to be established the more the discrimination by the discrimination means is executed. Based on the fact that the specific condition discrimination means discriminates that the specific condition is established, the gaming state is changed from the second gaming state to the first gaming state by a gaming state change means. When the second gaming state is set by the gaming state setting means, a suggestive effect suggesting the ease of establishment of the specific condition is executed by a suggestive effect execution means. The ease of achieving the specific condition suggested by the suggestive performance is compared with the ease of achieving the actual specific condition by the comparison means, and if the comparison result by the comparison means is a specific comparison result, a specific performance corresponding to the specific comparison result is executed by the specific performance execution means based on the establishment of the predetermined condition.

As a result, when the likelihood of the specific condition suggested by the suggestion effect being met and the likelihood of the actual specific condition being met result in a specific comparison, the specific effect corresponding to the specific comparison result is executed by the specific effect execution means based on the fulfillment of the predetermined condition. Therefore, by executing the specific effect, it is possible to allow the player to understand the current situation of the second game state, and this has the effect of enhancing the presentation effect.

Here, by configuring the system so that a predetermined condition is met when the discrimination means produces a specific discrimination result, the player can grasp the situation of the second gaming state when the bonus game is executed. This has the effect of providing the player with a sense of satisfaction when the bonus game is executed just before the end of the second gaming state.

A gaming machine Q2 is characterized in that, in the gaming machine Q1, it has a specific condition setting means for setting a predetermined number of executions by the discrimination means that will result in the specific condition being established when the second gaming state is set by the gaming state setting means.

Gaming machine Q2 has the following effect in addition to the effect of gaming machine Q1. That is, when the second gaming state is set by the gaming state setting means, the specific condition setting means sets the predetermined number of executions by the determination means that will result in the specific condition being satisfied.

As a result, the specific condition can be set based on the number of times the discrimination means is executed, and the number of times the second game state is set can be set in advance. This has the effect of making the player aware of the remaining number of times the second game state is set while playing, thereby increasing motivation for playing.

Gaming machine Q3 is characterized in that, in gaming machine Q1 or Q2, when the suggested performance is being executed by the suggested performance execution means, the suggested performance being executed is changed to a suggested performance that is closer to the likelihood of the actual specific performance being executed based on the establishment of a performance condition, and the suggestive performance being executed is changed to a suggested performance that is closer to the likelihood of the actual specific performance being executed.

Gaming machine Q3 has the following effect in addition to the effect of gaming machine Q1 or Q2. That is, when a suggested performance is being executed by the suggested performance execution means, the suggested performance being executed is changed by the variable performance means to a suggested performance that is closer to the likelihood of an actual specific performance being executed, based on the establishment of the performance conditions.

This has the effect of increasing the number of times the second game state is indicated to be set, allowing the player to play with peace of mind.

In gaming machine Q3, the suggestive effect is an effect that suggests the number of remaining determinations by the determination means until the specific condition is met, and the variable effect means is variable to a suggestive effect that shows a number of determinations close to the remaining number of determinations. Gaming machine Q4.

Gaming machine Q4 has the following effect in addition to the effect of gaming machine Q3. That is, the remaining number of judgments is suggested by the judgment means until a specific condition is met by the suggestive performance, and the suggestive performance is changed by the variable performance means to show a number of judgments close to the remaining number of judgments.

This has the effect of creating a sense of tension for the player by suggesting a number of judgments that is close to the number of judgments remaining.

Gaming machine Q5 is characterized in that, in any of gaming machines Q1 to Q4, when the bonus game is executed in a case where the result of the comparison is other than the specific comparison result, the gaming machine Q5 has a means for executing an effect different from the specific effect.

Gaming machine Q5 produces the following effect in addition to the effect produced by any of gaming machines Q1 to Q4. That is, when a bonus game is executed in a case other than the specific comparison result, an effect different from the specific effect is executed.

As a result, a different effect from the specific effect is executed, and the player can understand that the second bonus game has been executed when the comparison result is other than the specific comparison result. This has the effect of enhancing the presentation effect.

<Feature R Group> (After a temporary stop, a new pattern sequence is used to form a reach)
a game machine including a display means for displaying identification information, a dynamic display execution means for executing, on the display means, a dynamic display of a plurality of identification information strings composed of a plurality of identification information arranged in a predetermined order, and a bonus game execution means for executing a bonus game advantageous to a player based on a predetermined combination of identification information being statically displayed in the dynamic display of the identification information strings by the dynamic display execution means, said game machine further comprising: an identification information string display means for dynamically displaying a new identification information string while keeping at least a part of the statically displayed combination of identification information statically displayed, based on a combination of identification information different from the predetermined combination of identification information being statically displayed in the dynamic display of the identification information strings when a predetermined condition is established; and an execution means for causing the bonus game execution means to execute the bonus game when the predetermined combination of identification information is statically displayed using at least a part of the statically displayed combination of identification information and the new identification information string, based on the display of the new identification information string by the identification information string display means.

Some gaming machines, such as pachinko machines, display multiple symbols in a variable manner, and when the symbols are displayed stationary in a predetermined combination, a winning state that is advantageous to the player is awarded (for example, JP 10-265 A). In such gaming machines, when one symbol is varying and other symbols are displayed stationary, a reach state is generated in which the symbols displayed stationary form part of a predetermined combination, and the player is made to anticipate a winning combination, thereby increasing the player's interest.

However, in such conventional gaming machines, if a reach state does not occur, even if all the symbols are not displayed, there is no possibility of a winning state at that point, which causes the player to lose interest in the game. The purpose of this product is to solve the problems exemplified above.

According to the gaming machine R1, the display means dynamically displays a plurality of identification information strings composed of a plurality of identification information arranged in a predetermined order by the dynamic display execution means. Based on the predetermined combination of identification information being statically displayed in the dynamic display of the identification information string by the dynamic display execution means, the bonus game execution means executes a bonus game advantageous to the player. Then, when a predetermined condition is met, based on the combination of identification information different from the predetermined combination of identification information being statically displayed in the dynamic display of the identification information string, a new identification information string is dynamically displayed by the identification information string display means while at least a part of the combination of identification information that was statically displayed is kept statically displayed. Based on the display of the new identification information string by the identification information string display means, when a predetermined combination of identification information is statically displayed using at least a part of the combination of identification information that was statically displayed and the new identification information string, the execution means executes a bonus game by the bonus game execution means.

As a result, a new identification information string is dynamically displayed by the identification information string display means while at least a portion of the combination of identification information that has been once displayed is still displayed, providing the player with an unexpected presentation. This has the effect of increasing the interest of the game.

A gaming machine R2, characterized in that in the gaming machine R1, the identification information string display means dynamically displays a special identification pattern string, which is a combination of the identification information displayed in the identification information strings, in a direction different from the direction dynamically displayed by the dynamic display execution means.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine R1, gaming machine R2 provides the following effect. That is, the special identification symbol string, which is a combination of multiple identification information displayed in multiple identification information strings, is dynamically displayed by the identification information string display means in a direction different from the direction dynamically displayed by the dynamic display execution means.

This allows the dynamic display direction of the symbol row to be changed to a different direction, providing players with a surprising presentation. This has the effect of increasing the interest of the game.

A gaming machine R3, characterized in that in the gaming machine R2, the identification information string display means dynamically displays the special identification string in a direction perpendicular to the direction of the identification string dynamically displayed by the dynamic display execution means.

Gaming machine R3 has the following effect in addition to the effect of gaming machine R2. That is, the special identification pattern row is dynamically displayed by the identification information row display means in a direction perpendicular to the direction of the identification pattern row dynamically displayed by the dynamic display execution means.

This allows the player to easily notice that the dynamically displayed direction has changed, enhancing the presentation effect.

A gaming machine R4 is characterized in that in the gaming machine R1, the identification information string display means dynamically displays a new identification information string different from the identification information string dynamically displayed by the dynamic display execution means, and when the new identification information string is displayed by the identification information string display means, the gaming machine R4 has a non-display setting means for setting at least one of the multiple identification information strings dynamically displayed by the dynamic display execution means to not be displayed.

Gaming machine R4 provides the following effect in addition to the effect provided by gaming machine R1. That is, the identification information string display means dynamically displays a new identification information string different from the identification information string dynamically displayed by the dynamic display execution means, and when the identification information string display means displays the new identification information string, the non-display setting means sets at least one of the multiple identification information strings dynamically displayed by the dynamic display execution means to be non-displayed.

This makes it possible to dynamically display a new identification information string without changing the area in which the identification information string is displayed. This has the effect of reducing the control load of dynamic display.

In the gaming machine R1 or R4, the display data for displaying the new identification information string dynamically displayed by the identification information string display means and the display data for displaying the identification information string dynamically displayed by the dynamic display execution means are set at the same time, and the gaming machine R5 is characterized in that it has a determination means for determining which display data to display from among the set display data as an area set in the display area of the display means.

Gaming machine R5 has the following effect in addition to the effect of gaming machines R1 or R4. That is, display data for displaying a new identification information string dynamically displayed by the identification information string display means and display data for displaying an identification information string dynamically displayed by the dynamic display execution means are set at the same time, and the display data to be displayed is determined by the determination means from among the display data set as an area set in the display area of the display means.

This has the effect of reducing the control load of dynamic display.

The gaming machines are characterized in that they are slot machines, namely gaming machine Z1. Among them, the basic configuration of a slot machine is "a gaming machine equipped with a variable display means for dynamically displaying a string of identification information consisting of a plurality of identification information and then definitively displaying the identification information, and equipped with a special gaming state generating means for generating a special gaming state advantageous to the player, the dynamic display of the identification information being started due to the operation of a start operating means (e.g., an operating lever), the dynamic display of the identification information being stopped due to the operation of a stop operating means (a stop button) or after a predetermined time has elapsed, and the necessary condition being that the definitive identification information at the time of stopping is a specific identification information." In this case, typical examples of gaming media include coins, medals, etc.

The gaming machines are characterized in that they are pachinko gaming machines, such as gaming machine Z2. Among them, the basic configuration of a pachinko gaming machine includes a control handle, which is used to launch a ball into a predetermined gaming area in response to the operation of the control handle, and the identification information dynamically displayed on the display means is fixed and stopped after a predetermined time, with the necessary condition that the ball enters (or passes through) an operating port located at a predetermined position in the gaming area. In addition, when a special gaming state occurs, a variable winning device (specific winning port) located at a predetermined position in the gaming area is opened in a predetermined manner, allowing the ball to win, and a value (including not only prize balls but also data written to a magnetic card, etc.) according to the number of winning balls is awarded.

Each of the gaming machines is a gaming machine Z3 characterized by being a fusion of a pachinko gaming machine and a slot machine. Among them, the basic configuration of the fusion gaming machine is "a gaming machine equipped with a variable display means for dynamically displaying a sequence of identification information consisting of a plurality of identification information and then definitively displaying the identification information, a gaming machine equipped with a special gaming state generating means for generating a special gaming state advantageous to a player, the dynamic display of the identification information being stopped due to the operation of a start operating means (e.g., an operating lever), the dynamic display of the identification information being stopped due to the operation of a stop operating means (e.g., a stop button) or after a predetermined time has elapsed, and the definitive identification information at the time of the stop being a specific identification information as a necessary condition, the gaming machine using balls as gaming media, the gaming machine requiring a predetermined number of balls to start the dynamic display of the identification information, and the gaming machine being configured to pay out a large number of balls when the special gaming state is generated."
＜Other＞
Some gaming machines, such as pachinko machines, transition to a winning state when a lottery based on the entry of a gaming ball into a starting winning slot results in a winning. Some of these gaming machines are set to either a normal state in which a winning state is drawn with a normal probability or a probability-variable state in which a winning state is drawn with a higher probability than in the normal state when the winning state ends (for example, Patent Document 1: JP 2006-000392 A).
However, there is a demand for a gaming machine that can provide even greater entertainment value.
This technical idea has been made to solve the problems exemplified above, and aims to provide a gaming machine that can increase a player's interest in the game.
<Means>
In order to achieve this object, the gaming machine of technical idea 1 has a discrimination means which executes a discrimination based on the establishment of a discrimination condition, a bonus game execution means which executes one of a plurality of different bonus games based on a specific discrimination result obtained by the discrimination means, a game state setting means which can set a first game state in which the result of the discrimination by the discrimination means is more likely to result in a specific discrimination result and a second game state which is less likely to result in a specific discrimination result than the first game state, and a storage means which stores the game state set by the game state setting means when a discrimination is made by the discrimination means, and the bonus game execution means sets the mode of the bonus game based on the game state stored in the storage means.
The gaming machine of technical idea 2 is a gaming machine described in technical idea 1, which has a variable ball entry means that, when the bonus game is executed by the bonus game execution means, changes the state from a first state in which it is difficult for the game ball to enter the ball to a second state in which it is easier to enter the ball than the first state until a specified condition is met, a condition determination means that determines whether the execution condition is met based on the game ball entering the variable ball entry means, an effect execution means that can execute an effect when the condition determination means determines that the execution condition is met, and a ratio variable means that varies and sets the ratio at which the execution condition is met based on the type of bonus game executed by the bonus game execution means.
The gaming machine of technical idea 3 is the gaming machine described in technical idea 2, which has a payout means for paying out a predetermined number of gaming balls to a player as prize balls based on a gaming ball entering the variable ball entry means, and the presentation is set based on the number of prize balls paid out by the payout means.
A gaming machine of technical idea 4 is a gaming machine described in technical idea 2 or 3, wherein the bonus game execution means is capable of executing at least a first bonus game in which it is easier for a gaming ball to enter the variable ball entry means, and a second bonus game in which it is more difficult for a gaming ball to enter the variable ball entry means than the first bonus game, and the ratio variable means sets the ratio lower when the first bonus game is executed than when the second bonus game is executed.
A gaming machine according to technical concept 5 is a gaming machine according to any one of technical concepts 2 to 4, in which the presentation is displayed on a display means as at least one of the presentation modes.
＜Effects＞
According to the gaming machine described in technical idea 1, the gaming machine has a discrimination means which executes a discrimination based on the establishment of a discrimination condition, a bonus game execution means which executes one of a plurality of different bonus games based on a specific discrimination result obtained by the discrimination means, a game state setting means which can set a first game state in which the result of the discrimination by the discrimination means is more likely to result in a specific discrimination result and a second game state which is less likely to result in a specific discrimination result than the first game state, and a storage means which stores the game state set by the game state setting means when a discrimination is made by the discrimination means, and the bonus game execution means sets the mode of the bonus game based on the game state stored in the storage means.
This has the effect of increasing the player's interest in the game.
The gaming machine according to Technical Concept 2 achieves the following effects in addition to the effects achieved by the gaming machine according to Technical Concept 1. That is, the gaming machine has a variable ball entry means which changes a state from a first state in which it is difficult for a gaming ball to enter to a second state in which it is easier to enter than the first state until a predetermined condition is met when the bonus game is executed by the bonus game execution means, a condition determination means which determines whether the execution condition is met based on the entry of a gaming ball into the variable ball entry means, an effect execution means which can execute an effect when the condition determination means determines that the execution condition is met, and a rate change means which variably sets the rate at which the execution condition is met based on the type of the bonus game executed by the bonus game execution means.
This has the effect of increasing the player's interest in the game.
The gaming machine described in Technical Concept 3 achieves the following effect in addition to the effect achieved by the gaming machine described in Technical Concept 2. That is, the gaming machine has a payout means for paying out a predetermined number of gaming balls as prize balls to a player based on the entry of a gaming ball into the variable ball entry means, and the presentation is set based on the number of prize balls paid out by the payout means.
This has the effect of increasing the player's interest in the game.
The gaming machine according to Technical Concept 4 achieves the following effect in addition to the effects achieved by the gaming machine according to Technical Concept 2 or 3. That is, the bonus game execution means is capable of executing at least a first bonus game in which it is easier for a gaming ball to enter the variable ball entry means and a second bonus game in which it is more difficult for a gaming ball to enter the variable ball entry means than the first bonus game, and the rate variable means sets the rate lower when the first bonus game is executed than when the second bonus game is executed.
This has the effect of increasing the player's interest in the game.
According to the gaming machine described in Technical Concept 5, in addition to the effects of the gaming machine described in any one of Technical Concepts 2 to 4, the following effect is achieved: That is, the performance displays a display mode on the display means as at least one of the performance modes.
This has the effect of increasing the player's interest in the game.

10. Pachinko machines (amusement machines)
81 Third pattern display device (display means)
114 Display control device (pattern display means)
203a First special symbol reserved ball storage area (storage means)
S405 Discrimination means
S505: Part of dynamic display mode determination means
S506: Part of dynamic display mode determination means
S1506 Acquisition means
S1507 Advance discrimination means
S2004 Big win control process (special game execution means)
S4703 Dynamic display means
S5505 Hold notice pressing process (selection means)
S5708 Part of variable display means

Claims (1)

An acquisition means for acquiring information based on the establishment of an acquisition condition;
a storage means for storing the information acquired by the acquisition means;
A determination means capable of determining the information stored in the storage means based on the establishment of a determination condition;
a display means for dynamically displaying identification information for indicating the result of the determination by the determination means;
a dynamic display means for dynamically displaying the identification information displayed on the display means;
a dynamic display mode determining means for determining a type of dynamic display mode of the identification information to be dynamically displayed by the dynamic display means;
a bonus game execution means for executing a bonus game advantageous to a player when the identification information for indicating a specific determination result is displayed on the display means;
a pattern display means for displaying on the display means a pattern corresponding to each of the pieces of information stored in the storage means before the determination condition is satisfied;
a pre-determination means for executing a pre-determination based on the information stored in the storage means before the determination condition for the information is satisfied;
A game machine having a variable display means for varying a display mode of the symbol displayed by the symbol display means,
the gaming machine has a selection means for selecting a symbol, the display mode of which is to be changed by the variable display means, from among the symbols displayed by the symbol display means;
The variable display means is
After changing the display mode of the symbol selected by the selection means to a first mode that is visible to a player , the symbol can be dynamically displayed in a predetermined mode;
When a specific condition that can be satisfied based on the fact that the information corresponding to the pattern changed to the first mode is the information for which a specific dynamic display mode is determined by the dynamic display mode determination means is satisfied, the display mode of the pattern after the dynamic display is made can be changed to a second mode,
When the information corresponding to the selected pattern is not determined in advance to be the information for which the specific dynamic display mode is determined by the dynamic display mode determination means, the display mode of the selected pattern and the display mode of the non-selected pattern are configured to be displayed in the same mode;
A gaming machine characterized in that the specific dynamic display mode is configured to have a higher probability of being selected when the discrimination result is the specific discrimination result than when the discrimination result is other than the specific discrimination result.

Images