JPH11146936A - Game machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a game machine of low cost and high variety which has a low-cost symbol display part. SOLUTION: A compact liquid crystal display 1 to compose an electric symbol display unit is provided at a center of a front surface panel of a game machine main body 2. To surround the liquid crystal display 1, symbol display windows 3a-3h, three on each of a first row and a third row, and two on a second row at a center, to compose a mechanical reel type symbol display unit are provided. A three-row and three-column symbol display part 30 composed of the electric and the mechanical reel type symbol display units, and disposed in a matrix form, is thus formed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a gaming machine, and more particularly, to a gaming machine constituting a symbol display section of a slot machine or a pachinko machine.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a symbol display section of a slot machine or a pachinko machine has a mechanical reel type symbol display,
An electric symbol device is known. The mechanical reel type symbol display rotates a ring-shaped reel on which a plurality of symbols are arranged by a motor or the like, and displays one or some of the arranged symbols from the outside. The symbol of the stopped reel is displayed.

On the other hand, an electric symbol display is, for example,
Using a liquid crystal display, a cathode ray tube display, a light emitting diode display, or the like, pattern data of a symbol to be displayed is extracted from symbol pattern data recorded in advance in a ROM or the like, and displayed on these displays. In this case, in many cases, a plurality of symbol pattern data are read out and sequentially displayed so as to flow on a display to simulate a mechanical reel type symbol display, and then the determined symbol pattern is displayed. .

It is well known that such a symbol display section has, for example, three rows of symbol sections arranged side by side and a winning is determined by a combination of three symbols arranged in a line. Also, for example, according to Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H8-10383, a 9-reel type in which symbol display windows are arranged in a matrix of 3 rows and 3 columns, and a reel on which symbols are arranged behind each display window is rotated. Are well known. When all reels stop, nine symbols are observed through each display window. For these symbols, the combination of the symbols referred to at the time of winning determination is generally set in advance by a total of eight winning lines of three horizontal, three vertical, and two oblique.

[0005]

The mechanical reel type symbol display device described above uses a simple structure and inexpensive components such as a motor and a symbol reel as constituent members.
The symbol display can be configured at low cost.
Further, since the symbol reels are actually rotated behind the display window, there is more reality than an electric symbol display which displays the symbols in a pseudo manner on the display. However, the mechanical symbol display is limited to those in which the displayed symbols are printed on the reels, and it is not possible to give movements to the symbols after the reels are stopped or to give variations to the display form. There is a problem that the game tends to be monotonous and lacks in excitement.

On the other hand, an electric symbol display electrically displays a symbol using a liquid crystal display, a cathode ray tube display, or the like on a display portion, so that the symbol is moved, a display form is varied, or It is also possible to develop a game other than the combination of symbols. However, the electric symbol display requires a display such as a liquid crystal, a cathode ray tube, a light emitting diode, and the like, and an electronic circuit including a CPU, a ROM, and the like as constituent members, and is expensive. In particular, a large-screen electric symbol display capable of displaying symbols in three rows and three columns has a high manufacturing cost, and slot machines and pachinko machines incorporating such an electric symbol display are expensive and problematic. .

The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and has as its object to provide an amusement machine which is inexpensive, has a variety of changes, and has an inexpensive symbol display section.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, a plurality of symbol displays for variably displaying a plurality of types of symbols are arranged adjacent to each other, and these symbol displays are variably displayed. In a gaming machine in which a hit is determined by a combination of symbols that appear when the game is stopped, a loss is determined. At least one of the symbol displays is an electric symbol display in which variable display and stop display of symbols are performed by an electric signal, In the remaining symbol display, the symbols are arranged on the outer periphery of the rotating reel, and the symbols are variably displayed by rotating the reel,
This is a mechanical reel type symbol display for displaying a symbol stop by stopping the reel.

According to the present invention, a plurality of symbol displays are arranged adjacent to each other on a straight winning line,
In a gaming machine in which symbols are variably displayed by these symbol displays, and a hit is determined by a combination of symbols stopped on the pay line when these variable displays are stopped, a loss is determined. At least one is an electric symbol display in which symbols are variably displayed and stopped by an electric signal, and the remaining symbol displays are symbols arranged on the outer periphery of a rotating reel, and the symbols are variably displayed by rotation of the reel. And a symbol display of a mechanical reel type that performs a stop display of the symbol by stopping the reel.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, symbol indicators are arranged in three rows and three columns, and the symbols are variably displayed by the symbol indicators, and the symbols stopped and displayed when the variable displays are stopped. In a gaming machine in which a combination is hit and a loss is determined, at least one of the symbol displays is an electric symbol display in which variable display and stop display of symbols are performed by an electric signal, and the remaining symbol displays are: Symbols are arranged on the outer periphery of a rotating reel, the symbols are variably displayed by the rotation of the reels, and a mechanical reel type symbol display is provided to stop and display the symbols by stopping the reels. According to a fourth aspect, the electric symbol display is arranged at the center of three rows and three columns.

[0011]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS As an example of an embodiment of a gaming machine of the present invention, an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a well-known slot machine will be described. FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 show an outline front view and an electrical configuration of the slot machine of the present invention. In the center of the front panel of the game machine main body 2, a small liquid crystal display 1 constituting an electric symbol display is provided. A symbol display window 3a forming a mechanical reel-type symbol display, in which three first and third rows are provided and only the second row at the center is two so as to surround the periphery of the liquid crystal display 1. To 3h. As a result, a symbol display section 30 of three rows and three columns arranged in a matrix and formed by combining electric and mechanical symbol indicators is formed.

Behind each of the display windows 3a to 3h, reels 5a to 5h on which a plurality of types of symbols are arranged at a constant pitch are provided on the outer periphery, and a symbol row which is moved and displayed behind each of the display windows 3 is provided. Is composed. These reels 5
a to 5h can be individually rotated by stepping motors 6a to 6h. As shown in FIG. 1, a liquid crystal display 1 and the liquid crystal display 1
The symbol display section 30 having three first and third rows and two symbol display windows 3a to 3h only in the center second row has three horizontal, three vertical, and two oblique lines. Are combined by the winning line. At the time of winning determination, the presence or absence and type of winning are determined based on whether or not the symbols of the same pattern are aligned on these winning lines.

An arrow-shaped line indicator 7 is provided at one end of each of the winning lines, and an LE incorporated therein is provided.
The activated pay line is displayed by lighting D. The number of activated pay lines is determined by the number of medals inserted before the start of the game. In addition to the linear winning line, it is also possible to further provide, for example, a winning line having four display windows at four corners or a diamond-shaped combination of four display windows.

Prior to the start of the game, when a medal is inserted through the medal insertion slot 8, the medal sensor 9 detects this and inputs a medal detection signal to the CPU 10. CPU10
Counts the number of inserted medals based on the medal detection signal, and sends a display signal to the display driver 11 accordingly. The display driver 11 selectively drives one LED 7 a installed at the back of each line display 7 based on a display signal from the CPU 10.

When one medal is inserted from the medal insertion slot 8, only one central horizontal pay line is activated, and every time two or three coins are inserted, the activated pay line becomes two horizontal lines. The number of books and three are increasing. Similarly, when four to six cards are inserted, the vertical ones are increased by one in addition to the three horizontal ones, and all the pay lines are activated by the insertion of eight. In response to the increase in the number of activated lines, the line indicators 7 are sequentially turned on.

After detecting the insertion of a medal, the start lever 1
2 is operated, the start signal generator 13
A start signal is input to 0. The CPU 10 activates the motor driver 15 and the LCD driver 31 by inputting a start signal. As a result, the nine reels 5a-
A drive pulse is supplied to the stepping motors 6a to 6i provided for every 5i, and image data of the symbols is sent to the liquid crystal display 1. However, the start signal is ignored when no medals are inserted.

The reels 5a to 5h have a stepping motor 6
The stepping motors 6a to 6h can be identified by the number of driving pulses supplied to the stepping motors 6a to 6h. Therefore, the number of drive pulses supplied to each of the stepping motors 6a to 6h is counted by an individual counter provided in the winning determination unit 16, and each time the reels 5a to 5h pass the reference position, a sensor 17
If the count value of the corresponding counter is reset by the reset signals obtained from the steps a to 17h,
The rotational position within the rotation can be monitored sequentially.

The liquid crystal display 1 has an LCD driver 31
Driven by When a start signal is input to the CPU 10, each symbol image data read from the image ROM 32 is sequentially sent to the LCD driver 31, and the LCD driver 31 sequentially sends symbol images based on the symbol image data to the liquid crystal display 1. Display. The symbol image is displayed so that the symbol image flows on the liquid crystal display 1 in a predetermined order, like a reel of a mechanical symbol display, and the rotation of the reel is viewed from the symbol display window. The display is visually similar to the time. The symbol images displayed at each time on the liquid crystal display 1 are sequentially monitored by the winning determination unit 16.

The CPU 10 includes a motor driver 15 and L
When the CD driver 31 is activated, a random number value is sampled from a built-in random number generator, and what kind of winning is given to the currently started game is determined.
Therefore, the ROM 22 stores data in which a random number value and a combination of symbols are associated with each other in consideration of a payout rate of the slot machine. Then, the CPU 10 samples a random number value for each activated pay line, and determines a symbol for each reel combined on each of the activated pay lines and a symbol image to be displayed last on the liquid crystal display 1. .

On the other hand, for each of the reels 5a to 5h, it is known in advance how the symbols are arranged from the reference position, and the control data is also written in the ROM 22. By performing the stop control of the stepping motor while referring to the count value, it is possible to stop the reels so that the combination of symbols determined according to the random number value is aligned on a predetermined winning line. Therefore, the reel 5a
5 to 5h are controlled to be stopped by the CPU 10 so that a combination of symbols determined based on sampling of random numbers is obtained.

The winning determination unit 16 receives the activated winning line data from the CPU 10,
By referring to the data stored in No. 2, it is confirmed whether or not a win has been obtained for each activated pay line. When it is confirmed that there is a prize, a prize signal indicating the type of prize and a line signal indicating a prize line in which the prize is obtained among the activated prize lines are processed by the CPU.
10 and when a loss occurs, the loss signal is output to CP.
Input to U10. When a prize is simultaneously obtained on a plurality of prize lines, any of the prizes is valid, and the respective prize signals and line signals are input to the CPU 10.

When a winning occurs, the CPU 10 inputs a display signal for winning display to the display driver 11.
As a result, the display 7 corresponding to the winning line in which the winning has been achieved displays a winning display pattern, for example, a blinking pattern having a slow cycle of about 1 to 2 seconds. Also,
The CPU 10 reads out the image data at the time of winning from the image ROM 32, and displays the winning image on the liquid crystal display 1 via the LCD driver 31. In the winning image, for example, as shown in FIG. 3, the last displayed symbol image is erased, and a display such as "Congratulations!"

On the other hand, after winning, the medal payout unit 18 is driven by referring to the number data of payout medals stored in the ROM 22, and payout medals of the number corresponding to the obtained prize types are paid out to the receiving tray 20. The RAM 21 is used as a memory for temporarily storing various data obtained in the course of the game processing, such as the number of inserted medals.
2 stores a sequence program for normal game processing and a sequence program for sub game processing in addition to the data described above.

Each of the reels 5a to 5h comprises a reel body connected to the stepping motors 6a to 6h, and a symbol sheet affixed to the outer periphery thereof. On the symbol sheet, a plurality of types of symbols constituting a symbol row are written at a constant pitch. FIG. 4 shows an example of the developed symbol sheet. On the symbol sheet 25, for example, a total of 12 symbols are arranged at a constant pitch, thereby forming a symbol row.

On the other hand, in the image ROM 32, symbol image data for displaying the same symbol image as the symbols arranged on the symbol sheet 25 on the liquid crystal display 1 is stored in the same order as the symbols arranged on the symbol sheet 25. Is remembered.

The operation of the slot machine having the above configuration will be described. First, a player inserts 1 to 8 medals into the medal insertion slot 8 of the game machine main body 2. At this time, the winning line increases according to the number of inserted medals, and the line indicator 7 of the activated line lights up.
As the number of winning lines increases, the probability of winning increases accordingly. For example, when one medal is inserted, only one horizontal pay line in the center is activated, and every time two or three coins are inserted, two activated pay lines and three horizontal pay lines are activated.
It increases with books. Further, when 4 to 6 cards are inserted, the vertical pay lines are increased one by one in addition to the three horizontal pay lines, and all the pay lines are activated by inserting eight cards.

When the start lever 12 is operated after detecting the insertion of an arbitrary number of medals, a start signal is input from the start signal generator 13 to the CPU 10, and the CPU 10 activates the motor driver 15 and the LCD driver 31. Further, the CPU 10 samples a random number value in consideration of a payout rate of the slot machine from a built-in random number generator, and determines what kind of prize will be given to the currently started game. Then, a random value is sampled for each activated winning line,
Reels 5a to 5h combined on each winning line
Each symbol and the symbol image of the liquid crystal display 1 are determined.

When the presence or absence of a prize and the type of the prize are determined, a drive pulse is supplied to the stepping motors 6a to 6h provided for the eight reels 5a to 5h, respectively. The reels 5a to 5h start rotating at the same time. Further, the symbol image data is read from the image ROM in the order of storage, and is sequentially displayed on the liquid crystal display 1. The display on the liquid crystal display 1 is displayed so that the symbol images flow in a predetermined order, like a reel of a mechanical symbol display.

After the reels 5a to 5h rotate by a predetermined amount, the CPU 10 controls the stop of the stepping motor while referring to the count value of the counter, so that the reels 5a to 5h stop at the combination of symbols determined according to the random number. I do.
Also, the liquid crystal display 1 remains in a state of displaying the symbol determined according to the random number value while slowly displaying the movement of the symbol image.

Then, the winning determination section 16 stores the data of the winning line activated by the CPU 10 and the ROM 22.
, It is determined whether or not a prize is obtained for each activated prize line. And
When it is confirmed that there is a prize, a prize signal indicating the type of prize and a line signal indicating a prize line in which a prize has been obtained among the activated prize lines are input to the CPU 10. Is input to the CPU 10.

When a prize is generated, the CPU 10 inputs a display signal for a prize display to the display driver 11, and the display 7 corresponding to the prize line where the prize is obtained displays the prize display pattern. In addition, the CPU 10
The image data at the time of winning is read out from the OM 32, and LC
Display of a winning image via the D driver 31 (for example,
"Congratulations!" Etc. are displayed on the liquid crystal display 1.

After winning, the medal payout unit 18 refers to the number data of payout medals stored in the ROM 22.
And pays out the number of payout medals corresponding to the obtained winning type to the receiving tray 20, and one game is completed.

As described above, the reels, which are mechanical symbol indicators, and the liquid crystal displays, which are electrical symbol indicators, are combined and arranged in a matrix.
By forming the symbol display section 30 in the row 3 column, it is possible to change the display which cannot be obtained only by the mechanical reel type symbol display.

On the other hand, by combining a mechanical reel type symbol display and a liquid crystal display which is an electric type symbol display, the slot machine is significantly larger than a symbol display section formed only by an expensive electric type symbol display. Cost reduction becomes possible.

It should be noted that the electric symbol display combined with the mechanical symbol display may be, for example, as shown in FIG. A box symbol 41 meaning a present is added to 40h, and an arrow symbol 43 is displayed on a display 42 of a central electric symbol display. When the box symbol 41 is displayed on a reel pointed to by the arrow, particularly a present is presented. , And the like.

For example, as shown in FIG. 6, as a sub game of the slot machine, a bat and ball symbol 51 is provided on reels 50a to 50h of a mechanical symbol display.
Is displayed, a ball moving toward the batter is displayed on the display 52 of the central electric symbol display. When the player presses a predetermined switch at an appropriate timing and the ball hits the bat, a special bonus is displayed. Is given, and the like.

In the above-described embodiment, the symbol display section is constituted by eight mechanical symbol indicators and one electric symbol indicator, but other than this, for example, as shown in FIG. In addition, two mechanical symbol indicators 61a,
A symbol display unit is formed by combining an arbitrary number of mechanical symbol display units and an electric symbol display unit, such as a slot machine 60 in which a symbol display unit is formed by 61b and one electric symbol display unit 62. can do.

In the above-described embodiment, an LCD is used as the electric symbol display. However, any electric symbol display such as a cathode ray tube display or a light emitting diode display can be used.

In the above-described embodiment, a slot machine has been described as an example of the gaming machine of the present invention, but the present invention is equally applicable to a pachinko machine and the like.

[0040]

As described above, in the amusement machine of the present invention, a plurality of symbol displays for variably displaying a plurality of types of symbols are arranged adjacent to each other, and when the variable display of these symbol displays is stopped. In a gaming machine in which a loss is determined by a combination of appearing symbols, at least one of the symbol displays is an electric symbol display in which variable display and stop display of symbols are performed by an electric signal, and the remaining symbols are displayed. The display is a mechanical reel-type symbol display in which symbols are arranged around the rotating reel, the symbols are variably displayed by rotating the reels, and the symbols are stopped and displayed by stopping the reels. It is possible to provide a game machine having a rich and inexpensive symbol display section.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of a slot machine of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram schematically showing an electrical configuration of the slot machine shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a change in display on a liquid crystal display at the time of winning.

FIG. 4 is a development view showing an example of a symbol sheet.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a symbol display unit according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a symbol display unit according to a third embodiment.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing a fourth embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Liquid crystal display 3 Display window 5a-5i Reel 6a-6i Stepping motor 10 CPU 12 Start lever 16 Win determination part 22 ROM 25 Symbol sheet 30 Symbol display part 31 LCD driver 32 Image ROM

Claims (4)

[Claims] A plurality of symbol displays for variably displaying a plurality of types of symbols are arranged adjacent to each other, and a hit is determined by a combination of symbols that appear when the variable display of these symbol displays stops. In the gaming machine, at least one of the symbol displays is an electric symbol display in which a symbol is variably displayed and a stop display is performed by an electric signal, and the remaining symbol displays have symbols on the outer periphery of a rotating reel. A gaming machine characterized in that it is a mechanical reel type symbol display which is arranged, displays symbols variably by rotating reels, and displays symbols stopped by stopping reels. 2. A plurality of symbol indicators are arranged adjacent to each other on a straight winning line, symbols are variably displayed by these symbol indicators, and when these variable indicators are stopped, the symbols are displayed on the winning line. In a gaming machine in which a hit is determined by a combination of stopped symbols, at least one of the symbol displays is an electric symbol display in which variable display and stop display of symbols are performed by an electric signal, The remaining symbol display is a mechanical reel type symbol display in which symbols are arranged on the outer periphery of a rotating reel, the symbols are variably displayed by rotating the reels, and the symbols are stopped and displayed by stopping the reels. A gaming machine characterized by: 3. Symbol display devices are arranged in three rows and three columns. Each of these display devices performs variable display of a symbol. When the variable display is stopped, a combination of symbols stopped and displayed is used. In a gaming machine that determines a loss, at least one of the symbol displays is an electric symbol display in which symbols are variably displayed and stopped by an electric signal, and the remaining symbol displays are rotating reels. A gaming machine characterized by being a mechanical reel type symbol display in which symbols are arranged on the outer periphery of the reel, the symbols are variably displayed by rotating the reels, and the symbols are stopped and displayed by stopping the reels. 4. The gaming machine according to claim 3, wherein said electric symbol display is arranged at the center of three rows and three columns.