JPH10146463A - Game machine for playing shop - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reproduce a mid-way game progress state later to resume the same game with the same game machine, even after suspending a game in progress. SOLUTION: This game machine is provided with a driver to read/write the information out of and into a freely-attachable/detachable recorder 10 so that the information to display an on-play game progress status can be written into the recorder 10, while those to display the game progress status recorded into the recorder 10 can be reproduced to resume the same game from the mid-way progress status.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a paid game machine (arcade game) installed in a playground such as a game center, and records information indicating the progress of a game being executed on a removable recording medium. , Which can be played back later and restarted from the middle of the game.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. Sho 62-68796 or Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. Hei 3-136682 discloses a technique in which a magnetic card is used as a ticket for a playground. In JP-A-64-28793,
A technique in which an IC card is used instead of a playground ticket is shown. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5-508947 discloses a technique in which a game usage fee in a playground can be settled with a credit card.

[0003]

Heretofore, the card-type recording media used in game machines in amusement arcades have been used only for the purpose of paying usage fees. On the other hand, in electronic game devices for personal use such as home video games, information indicating the progress of the game is recorded on a removable recording medium, so that even if the game is interrupted halfway, it can be resumed at any time. There is something. However, the size of a home game machine is much smaller than that of a game machine for a playground, and the sense of presence is poor. On the other hand, a game machine for a playground is rich in unique power and a sense of realism, and it is desirable to ensure the continuity of the game in such a game machine. The present invention has been made in view of the above points,
In a paid game device installed in the playground,
An object of the present invention is to provide a game device in which information indicating a progress state of a running game is recorded on a removable recording medium, and thereafter, the game progress state is reproduced so that the game can be restarted.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a pay-per-use game device installed in a playground, a read / write device for reading / writing information from / to a detachable recording medium, and a game device currently used in the game device. Control means for writing information indicating the progress of the game to the recording medium via the read / write device; reading information indicating the progress of the game recorded on the recording medium via the read / write device; Control means for restarting the game in the game device from the state. As a result, even in the amusement arcade game device, even if the game is interrupted during the game, the game can be restarted at any time. Therefore, in a game machine for a playground with a unique powerful and realistic feeling,
It is possible to secure both functions of the interruption and the persistence of the game, and it is possible to dramatically improve the functions. Further, a device for newly issuing the recording medium may be provided. As a result, a single game machine for a playground can have not only a game function but also a recording medium issuing function, which is efficient. The recording medium may further record financial information for using the game device. As a result, the information indicating the progress of the game and the monetary information can be managed by one recording medium.

[0005]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram schematically showing a hardware configuration of a game machine for a playground according to the present invention. The control unit 1 includes a CPU, a RAM, an RO
The computer has a function of mainly executing a required game program, and can be programmed to execute various other functions.
The input device 2 includes a joystick, various switches, and the like.
The input device 2 may include switches for instructing writing of information on a recording medium and reading of information from the recording medium. The output device includes a display device 3, an audio reproducing device 4, and other appropriate devices as necessary.

The money handling apparatus 5 accepts money inserted by a user, determines the authenticity of the money, adds and counts the amount of money inserted, subtracts and counts the amount of money used in the game, pays out change, sells money, , And various other money management processes. The read / write drive device 6 receives the removable recording medium 10 and writes and reads information to and from a recording area of the medium 10. As the recording medium 10, for example, a card-type medium such as an optical card, a magnetic card, or an IC card may be used, or an arbitrary medium such as a disk cartridge-type medium such as a flexible magnetic disk cartridge may be used. Good. The media issuing device 7
The media 10 is newly issued to the user.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart schematically showing a flow of program processing executed under the control of the control unit 1. First, it is checked whether or not a fee required for playing the game has been entered (step S1). If the fee has been entered, initialization for executing the required game is performed (step S2). In the next step S3, it is confirmed whether or not the medium 10 is set in the read / write drive device 6. If YES, the information stored in the set medium 10 is read (step S4), and the state of the game is set based on the read information (step S5). The media 10 can record information indicating the progress of the game.
In step S5, the program steps and various parameters of the game are set in accordance with the progress state during the game indicated by the information recorded on the medium 10.
If the setting of the medium 10 is not confirmed in step S3, steps S4 and S5 are jumped.

Next, in step S6, a game program is started to start and execute the game. in this case,
If the steps S4 and S5 are jumped, the game starts from the first step.
When steps S4 and S5 are executed, the game is restarted from the halfway game progress state set in step S5. When the game execution operation is performed or when the required time has elapsed, such as when the required time has elapsed, or when the game execution is to be performed in a small amount or interrupted, the process exits from step S6 and proceeds to step S7. In step S7, the medium 10 is stored in the read / write drive device 6.
Check if is set. If YES, information indicating the progress of the game at the time of exiting step S6 is written to the set medium 10 (S8). Information written at this time includes, for example,
There are identification information indicating a game name, information indicating a progress step of the game, and various parameter information related thereto. The media 10 may be capable of storing not only the above information for one game but also the above information for a plurality of games. In this case, it goes without saying that the above information is written corresponding to the name of the game currently being executed. After that, the program ends. If the setting of the medium 10 is not confirmed in step S7, the process jumps to step S8 and ends the program.

The medium 10 is not limited to the information indicating the progress of the game, but may record other information. For example, financial information for using the game device may be further recorded on the medium 10. In this case, in step S1, not only the check of money insertion but also the read / write
It is also checked whether 0 is set, and if the medium 10 is set, it is determined whether the game can be used within the range of the financial information stored in the set medium 10. What is necessary is just to perform the process which judges. In this case, the financial information stored in the medium 10 may be information indicating a prepaid amount, or may be credit information such as a credit card has.

The media issuing device 7 may newly issue the media 10 for a fee or free of charge in response to a request from the user. Of course, if a type of storing prepaid amount information as monetary information to be stored in the medium 10 is adopted, a condition for issuing the required amount of money will be a condition for issuing the medium. In the middle of the processing routine of FIG. 2, the media publishing process may be appropriately performed. For example, in the route where step S7 branches to NO, as shown in FIG. 3, steps S9, S10,
S11 may be inserted.

In FIG. 3, in step S9, the user is inquired whether or not he / she wants to newly issue the medium 10, and if a YES answer is obtained from the user, the process proceeds to step S10. The process ends. In step S10, a required media issuing process is performed. At this time, if the media is to be issued for a fee, the medium is issued after confirming whether or not the required amount has been inserted. Waiting for a required time after the medium is issued (waiting for the time required for the user to insert the issued medium 10 into the drive device 6), step S1
Proceed to 1. In step S11, it is checked whether the medium 10 is set in the read / write drive device 6. If YES, the process in step S8 is performed. If NO, the game program process ends. Of course, when the medium issuing device 7 issues the medium 10, the medium issuing device 7 can be designed to automatically set the issued medium 10 in the read / write drive device 6,
In that case, step S11 may be omitted and the process may go directly to step S8.

[0012]

As described above, according to the present invention, even if the game is interrupted in the middle of the game, the game can be restarted from the middle of the game at any time. Therefore,
Expect an excellent effect that a game machine for an amusement park with a unique power and a sense of reality can secure both functions of game interruption and sustainability and dramatically improve the functions. be able to. Further, by providing a device for newly issuing a recording medium, one amusement arcade game device can have not only a game function but also a recording media issuing function, which is efficient. Further, by recording monetary information for using the game device on the recording medium, it is possible to manage the information indicating the progress of the game and the monetary information on one recording medium. It has an excellent effect.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram schematically showing a hardware configuration of a game machine for a playground according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart schematically showing a flow of a program process executed under the control of a control unit in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a modified example of FIG. 2;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Control part 2 Input device 3 Display device 4 Audio reproduction device 5 Money processing device 6 Read / write drive device 7 Media issuing device 10 Removable recording medium

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A paid game device installed in a playground, comprising: a read / write device for reading / writing information from / to a removable recording medium; and information indicating a progress state of a game being executed in the game device. Control means for writing to the recording medium via the read / write device; and information indicating a progress state of the game recorded on the recording medium, read via the read / write device, and a game in the game device is read from the read progress state. A game device for a playground, comprising: a control unit for restarting. 2. The game device for a playground according to claim 1, further comprising a device for newly issuing said recording medium. 3. The game device for a playground according to claim 1, wherein the recording medium further records monetary information for using the game device.