JPH11226245A - Game machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To avoid that a game is carelessly force-ended by warning th shortage of tokens before the tokens are completely used up. SOLUTION: This game machine is provided with a reader/writer 11 which is disposed on a game machine main body 9, and performs a reading of the number of tokens housed in a card 8, or a renewal, and a subtracting means 12 which subtracts a specified number of tokens in response to an advancing status of a game by the number of tokens which is housed in the card 8 during the game, and performs a renewal conforming to the result of he subtraction and when the remaining amount of the tokens has become a remaining amount value for warning output, being set in advance or lower as the result of the subtraction, the warning for the shortage of tokens is performed by a warning means 13.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a game machine capable of playing a game by inserting a token.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Game machines installed in game centers and the like include games that can be played using cash (coins) and games that use specific chips called tokens exchanged for cash. It is widely known that it is possible to perform. FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram showing such a conventional game machine, wherein 1 is a currency exchange machine for exchanging bills for coins 2, 3 is a token vending machine for selling tokens in cash,
Reference numeral 4 denotes a token, and reference numeral 5 denotes a game machine body having a coin 2 which is cash and a slot 6 for a token 4.

In such a conventional game machine, a player exchanges bills for coins 2 using a currency exchange machine 1 or puts cash (banknotes and coins) into a token vending machine 3 to receive a token 4. Then, the coin 2 or the token 4 is inserted into the slot 6 of the game machine 5. This coin 2 or token 4
The game machine body 5 starts operating for the first time by inserting the number of cards corresponding to the type of the game, and the player can play the game according to the rules.

[0004] In this way, when play is started,
As the game progresses, coins and tokens 4 are gradually consumed, and new coins and tokens 4 need to be replenished. Then, when a warning of running out of coins or tokens is issued from the game machine main body 5, the player confirms the warning and inserts the coins 2 or tokens 4 into the slot while continuing to play. As a result, play can be continued.
In this case, a plurality of coins 2 and tokens 4 can be simultaneously inserted. In addition, if the game lasts for a long time, a large number of coins and tokens will be required. The Rukoto.

[0005]

However, in such a conventional game machine, if the coins and tokens on hand run out, the game is forcibly terminated halfway, and the scores accumulated so far become useless. There was a problem that the players who enjoyed the game were deprived of their interest because they could not leave scores or scores.

[0006] The present invention solves the above-described problem. When a token is stored in a card and the number of tokens is reduced during game play using the card,
It is an object of the present invention to provide a game machine that can prevent a game from being inadvertently terminated by warning a token shortage before the token is completely exhausted.

[0007]

To achieve the above object, a game machine according to the present invention is provided in a game machine main body and reads or updates the number of tokens stored in a card. Subtracting a predetermined number of tokens according to the progress of the game from the number of tokens stored in the card during the game, and according to the result of the subtraction,
A subtraction unit for performing the updating, wherein when the remaining amount of the token becomes equal to or less than a preset warning output remaining amount value as a result of the subtraction, the warning unit is warned of a token shortage. It was done.

In the game machine according to a second aspect of the present invention, even after the warning of insufficient token, game play can be continued with the remaining amount of the token as a limit.

In the game machine according to a third aspect of the present invention, even after the warning of insufficient tokens, game play can be continued by using another card storing a sufficient number of tokens.

Further, in the game machine according to the invention of claim 4, the warning output remaining value can be arbitrarily set by a dip switch.

The game machine according to a fifth aspect of the present invention is the game machine, wherein the card is a card with a token pre-borrowing function that allows the reader / writer to write an insufficient number of tokens.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram showing a game machine according to the present invention. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 7 denotes a card vending machine, which issues a card 8 containing a token by inserting cash, or inserts a token 8 by inserting the card 8. Can be additionally charged (charged). The card 8 stores a predetermined number of the tokens. Reference numeral 9 denotes a game machine main body. The game machine main body 9 has a card insertion slot 10 for the card 8.

Reference numeral 11 denotes a reader / writer for reading or updating the number of tokens stored in the card 8 inserted from the card insertion slot 10, and 12 denotes a game based on the number of tokens stored in the card 8 during the start of the game. Subtraction means for subtracting a predetermined number of tokens according to the progress of the subtraction, and performing the update in accordance with the result of the subtraction. This is a warning unit that warns of token shortage when the output remaining amount becomes equal to or less than the remaining amount.

Next, the operation will be described. The card 8 stores a token. Player is a card vending machine 7
Purchases a card 8. At this time, the number of tokens to be stored in the card 8 is designated, and the amount corresponding to the number of tokens is paid. When the card 8 thus purchased is inserted into the card insertion slot 10 of the game machine body 9,
The game machine body 9 starts the game operation, and the number of tokens on the card 8 is sequentially reduced as the game play progresses.

On the other hand, when the game play progresses and the tokens in the card 8 are exhausted or run out,
The player can insert the card 8 into the card vending machine 7 and additionally charge the card 8 with a token. Also in this case, the number of tokens to be charged in the card 8 can be designated, and the payment according to the number of tokens is made. If the card 8 is a non-contact type card, the card insertion slot 1
0 is not always necessary, and the game can be executed by bringing the card 8 closer to the reader / writer 11.

In the game machine main body 9, at the start of the game or during the game play, the reader / writer 11 determines a predetermined number of tokens from the number of tokens recorded on the card 8 inserted into the card insertion slot 10. Command to subtract. Therefore, the subtraction means 12 performs the subtraction, and writes the subtraction result to the card 8 in place of the token number stored so far. Also, the reader / writer 11 checks the remaining amount of tokens when subtracting the number of tokens stored in the card 8, and if the remaining amount becomes equal to or less than the preset warning output remaining amount, the token writer runs out. Output a warning signal. For this reason, the main body of the game machine causes the warning means 13 to output the warning by an audible display or an audible sound.

The game machine body 9 automatically ejects the card 8 from the card insertion slot 10 in parallel with the warning process. Therefore, the double warning of the card 8 ejection operation and the warning can surely make the player recognize that the token is insufficient. In this case, at the stage where the warning is given, since some tokens remain, the play can be continued by the remaining amount. In this case, the card 8 ejected as described above may be inserted into the card insertion slot 10 again.

If the user has another card 8 in which a sufficient number of tokens are stored, the other card 8 is inserted into the card slot 10 in place of the card 8 having a shortage of tokens. By inserting, the play can be continued for a sufficient time. Note that the warning output remaining value varies depending on the type of the game machine main body 9,
A dip switch or the like provided on the game machine body 9 can be set arbitrarily so that the number of tokens can be played twice or twice.

FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram showing another embodiment of the game machine of the present invention. That is, in the game machine body 9 of this other embodiment, the card 8A with a token pre-borrowing function can be used as a card. In this case, the card 8A with the token borrowing function is purchased from the card vending machine 7,
By inserting this into the card insertion slot 10 of the game machine 9, the play can be performed as described above. Then, the tokens gradually decrease due to the play, and when the remaining amount of tokens becomes equal to or less than the remaining amount of warning output, a warning signal of insufficient token is output. For this reason, the warning means 13 gives the warning by voice or display.

However, since the card is a card 8A with a front-borrowing function, the main body 9 of the game machine does not eject the card 8 with a front-borrowing function. To write the data to the card 8A with the pre-borrowing function. That is,
The continuation of the game can be executed as it is. Therefore, by using such a card 8A with a pre-borrowing function, game play can be continued even if the token is already in shortage, and the number of used tokens is added to the number of used tokens, and the number of used tokens is added to the card. Written. And
Such a shortage of the number of tokens can be automatically settled using a card vending machine when leaving the game center. As described above, one embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to this embodiment, and even if there is a design change or the like without departing from the gist of the present invention, the present invention is not limited to this embodiment. Included in the invention. For example, the setting of the remaining warning output value may be set by a switch other than the dip switch, or may be set by software.

[0021]

As described above, according to the present invention, the reader / writer provided in the game machine main body for reading or updating the number of tokens stored in the card, and the reader / writer stored in the card during the game. A predetermined number of tokens corresponding to the progress of the game is subtracted from the number of tokens, and a subtraction means for performing the update is provided according to the result of the subtraction. As a result of the subtraction, the remaining amount of tokens is set in advance. When the warning output becomes less than the warning remaining amount, the warning means is warned of token shortage, so that a new card is inserted, tokens are refilled, or a sufficient amount of tokens remains. Can be used to avoid a situation in which game play is stopped when tokens are completely exhausted, and therefore, the operation of the game machine itself during game play To be a forced termination can be prevented. As a result, an effect is obtained that the player can continue to enjoy the game with peace of mind.

Further, by making it possible to arbitrarily set the remaining amount of the warning output by using the dip switch, it is possible to recognize the sufficient remaining amount of the token and to continue playing the game with confidence after the warning. Furthermore, by using the card with the token pre-borrowing function, it is possible to obtain the effect that the game play exceeding the remaining token amount can be continuously performed with confidence, provided that the payment is made later.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram showing a game machine according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram showing a game machine according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram showing a conventional game machine.

[Explanation of symbols]

 8 Card 8A Card with token borrowing function 9 Game console body 11 Reader / writer 12 Subtraction means 13 Warning means

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A reader / writer provided in a game machine main body for reading or updating the number of tokens stored in a card, and according to the progress of the game based on the number of tokens stored in the card during the game. A subtraction means for subtracting a predetermined number of tokens and performing the update in accordance with the result of the subtraction; and a token when the remaining amount of the token becomes equal to or less than a predetermined warning output remaining amount value as a result of the subtraction. A game machine comprising: warning means for warning of shortage. 2. The game machine according to claim 1, wherein even after the warning of insufficient tokens, game play can be continued with the remaining amount of tokens as a limit. 3. The game machine according to claim 1, wherein, even after the warning of insufficient tokens, game play can be continued by using another card storing a sufficient number of tokens. 4. The game machine according to claim 1, wherein said warning output remaining value can be arbitrarily set by a dip switch. 5. The game machine according to claim 1, wherein the card is a card with a token borrowing function in which the number of insufficient tokens can be written by the reader / writer.