JPH11319320A - Game device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a highly enjoyable game device which issues premiums with reference not only to the offering rate of a player's own game device but to the offering rate set for another player's game device as well. SOLUTION: Plural game devices are connected by means of communication cables, and each game device has a first game means for implementing ordinary games, an offering rate setting means (operation part 49), a premium issuing means for issuing premiums according to the offering rate when a hit is made in an ordinary game, a second game means for implementing a bonus game when a hit is made in an ordinary game, and a communication part 51 for communicating with other game devices by a time dividing communication method based on a format consisting of plural channels. And, the game device has also a bonus setting means for setting a bonus according to the offering rate of each game device or at random when the offering rates of game devices are collected by the communication part 51, and a bonus issuing means for issuing the set bonus when a hit is made in a bonus game.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a game apparatus for playing a game by collecting data such as the number of pieces mutually between a plurality of game apparatuses connected via a communication cable.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, various game machines have been installed in game centers and the like, and are used by many customers. Such a conventional game device can start a game by inserting a predetermined number of coins or medals, and when a hit occurs, a predetermined prize, for example, a certain number of medals or coins is paid out. Has become. Further, a conventional game device has been developed in which the number of pieces can be set, and in the event of a hit, a prize according to the number of pieces is paid out.

[0003]

However, in the conventional game apparatus, the customer and the game apparatus play one-on-one, and the number of times set by another customer or another game apparatus is set. Irrespective of the above, the prize is paid out only depending on the number set by the game device of the user, so that the user is tired of the game.

[0004] The present invention has been devised in view of the above, and pays out prizes by referring not only to the own game machine but also to the number of pieces set by the game device used by another customer. It is an object of the present invention to provide a highly interesting game device.

[0005]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a game apparatus having the following requirements in order to achieve the above object. (A) A plurality of game devices are connected via a communication cable. (B) Each game device has first game means for executing a normal game. (C) Each game device has a setting means for setting the number of games. (D) Each game device has a prize payout means for paying out a prize according to the number of wins when a normal game is hit. (E) Each game device has a second game means for executing a bonus game when a normal game is hit. (F) Each game device has communication means for communicating with another game device by a time-division communication method according to a format including a plurality of channels. (G) The communication means of each game device has transmission means for transmitting transmission data such as a multiplier to a channel assigned to itself from among a plurality of channels. (H) The communication means of each game device has a receiving means for receiving data of another game device present on a channel other than its own channel. (I) Each game device has a collecting means for collecting the number of each game device based on the data received by the receiving means. (G) Each game device has a setting means for setting a bonus according to the number of each game device or randomly. (G) Each game device has a bonus payout means for paying out the bonus when the bonus game is hit.

A game device according to claim 2 provided by the present invention is characterized by adding the following requirements to claim 1. That is, (a) each of the game devices has a storage unit that reserves and accumulates the payout of the bonus when the bonus game is missed. (B) When a bonus game is won in any of the game devices, the corresponding bonus payout means pays out the accumulated bonus. (C) If a bonus game is hit on any of the game devices, the bonus is paid out by the corresponding bonus payout means, and then the bonus accumulated for each game device is set to an initial value. Have value setting means.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of a game device according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 2, the invention according to claim 1 includes a plurality of game devices 1a, 1b,
, 1h are communication cables 3a, 3b, 3c, ...,
3g are sequentially connected. Each of the game devices 1a, 1b, 1c,..., 1h has an address set in advance. For example, the game device 1a has the No. 0 is set, and the game device 1b sets No. The address of No. 1 is set, and the game device 1c displays No. 2 are set, and similarly, a unique address is set for each game device. Each game device 1a, 1b, 1c,... 1h communicates with each other by a time-division communication method described in detail later, and collects data from other game devices. In the above description, the case where eight game devices are connected to each other has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and an arbitrary number of game devices can be connected to each other.

The plurality of game devices 1a, 1b, 1c,
, 1h, the game device 1a will be described as a representative. As shown in FIG. 3, the game device 1a includes a game device body 5
, An operation console 7 and a base 9. A display unit 11 is provided substantially at the center of the game apparatus main body 5. The display unit 11 includes numeric display units 11a, 11b, 11c.
And a picture display section 11d. The number display sections 11a, 11b and 11c are used for a so-called slot game, and each of the number display sections is independently rotated and displayed. The picture display section 11d displays a picture of an appropriate character. The display unit 11 displays a first game content which is a normal game.

A bonus roulette display section 13 and a bonus / big hit number display section 15 are provided above the display section 11, and indicators 17a and 17b are provided below the bonus / big hit number display section 15. ing. When the indicator 17a is lit, the display content of the bonus / big hit number display section 15 indicates the number of bonuses. When the indicator 17b is lit, the display content of the bonus / big hit number display section 15 is today. Indicates the number of jackpots. Below the display unit 11, an acquired number display unit 19, a number display unit 21, and an input number display unit 23 are provided. Acquisition number display section 19
Displays the number of obtained prizes, such as coins and medals, when there is a hit. The number display unit 21 displays the number set by the player. The inserted number display unit 23 displays the number of coins and medals inserted by the player to play the game.

The console 7 is provided with a slot 25, a return button 27, a payout button 29, and an auto play button 31. The insertion slot 25 is an insertion slot for inserting coins and medals to play a game.
The return button 27 is a return button for returning inserted coins and medals. The payout button 29 is a button switch for paying out prizes such as coins and medals obtained by winning. Auto play button 3
Reference numeral 1 denotes a button switch for automatically performing a series of operations from the start of the roulette game to the stop of the rotation display of the respective numeric display units 11a, 11b, and 11c.

The operation console 7 has a number setting button 33.
, A start lever 35 and a stop button 37. The number setting button 33 is a setting unit for setting the number, and the number increases each time the number setting button 33 is operated. The start lever 35 is an operation lever for starting the rotation display operation of the number display sections 11a, 11b, 11c. When the start lever 35 is operated, the number display sections 11a, 11b, 11c are respectively turned in a fixed order. Or in random order. The stop button 37 includes a stop button 37a,
It has a stop button 37b and a stop button 37c, and when the stop button 37a is operated, the numeric display 1
When 1a stops and the stop button 37b is operated, the number display section 11b stops, and when the stop button 37c is operated, the number display section 11c stops. The base 9 is provided with a prize payout port 39. A mechanism for paying out prizes is provided inside the base 9 in communication with the prize payout port 39. Premiums such as coins and medals are paid out from the premium payout exit 39. In the above description, coins, medals, and the like are used as prizes to be paid out, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and appropriate prizes such as toys and stuffed animals can be used. The configuration of the other game devices 1b, 1c,..., 1h is the same as that of the game device 1a.

Next, with reference to FIG. 1 and FIG. 4, a description will be given of a main part of an electric circuit unit incorporated in the game apparatus 1a. The electric circuit unit incorporated in the game device 1a includes a control board 41
And an audio / video substrate 43. In the control board 41,
The display unit 45, the illumination control unit 47, the operation unit 49, and the communication unit 51 are connected. The display unit 45 includes a bonus roulette display unit 13, a bonus / big hit number display unit 1.
5, indicators 17a, 17b, acquired number display unit 19,
It has a number display unit 21, an input number display unit 23, and the like. The illumination control unit 47 performs display control of the picture display unit 11d. The operation unit 49 includes a return button 27, a payout button 29, an auto play button 31, a number setting button 33, a start lever 35, a stop button 37, and the like.

The communication section 51 is a communication means for communicating with another game device by a time-division communication method according to a format including a plurality of channels as shown in FIG. The channel Ch0 shown in FIG. 7 is assigned to the game device 1a, the channel Ch1 is assigned to the game device 1b,
The channel Ch2 is allocated to the game device 1c, and similarly, each channel is allocated to a specific game device. The communication unit 51 transmits transmission data such as a multiplier to a channel assigned to itself from a plurality of channels, and transmits data of another game apparatus existing in a channel other than the own channel. Receiving means for receiving the information.

The control board 41 includes a control device 61 and a ROM
63, a CPU 65, and a ROM 67. The control device 61 has a microprocessor, a shared memory, and the like, and executes various control processes. The ROM 63 has the first
, A game program such as a slot game as a second game, a bonus game as a second game, and various control programs. The ROM 67 stores control programs and the like relating to image processing and sound. C
The PU 65 executes various control processes based on the program read from the ROM 63. Therefore, the CPU 65
Is a first game that executes a slot game which is a normal game.
Game means. In addition, when a normal game is hit, the CPU 65 executes a second game for executing a bonus game.
Of game means. Further, the control board 41 has a prize payout means for paying out prizes according to the number of wins when a normal game is hit. Prizes such as coins and medals are paid out from the prize payout exit 39 in accordance with a command from the prize payout means. The control board 41 includes a collection unit that collects the number of each game device based on the data received by the reception unit, and a setting that sets the bonus according to the number of each game device or randomly. Means, and a bonus payout means for paying out a bonus when the bonus game is hit. A prize such as a coin or a medal is paid out as a bonus from the prize payout exit 39 in accordance with a command from the bonus payout means.

The audio / video substrate 43 is composed of RGB (Red, G
(blue, blue) conversion unit 53, and is connected to the display unit 11 and to the speaker 55. The sound image substrate 43 displays a color image on the display unit 11 and also outputs a sound or a melody or a sound effect to the speaker 55.
Output from. The audio / video substrate 43 is a CP
U71, an audio processing unit 75, and an image processing unit 77. The CPU 71 executes various control processes in cooperation with the CPU 65. The voice processing unit 75 processes the voice or the melody or the sound effect according to the control of the CPU 71 and
Output to 5 The image processing unit 77 processes the image under the control of the CPU 71, and outputs the processed image information to the display unit 11 via the RGB conversion unit 53. In the above description, the normal game and the bonus game are configured using the slot game, but the present invention is not limited to this, and may be configured using another appropriate game. The configuration of the circuit unit incorporated in the other game devices 1b, 1c,..., 1h is the same as that of the game device 1a.

[0016] The game device 1 according to claim 2 provides the game device 1 according to claim 1.
And the following requirements have been added. That is,
When the bonus game is out of control, the control board 41
There is accumulating means which reserves and accumulates the payout of the bonus, and the accumulated bonus is thereafter paid out when a hit occurs in a bonus game. In addition, the control board 41
When any of the game devices wins the bonus game, the game device has an initial value setting means for setting the bonus accumulated for each game device to an initial value.

Next, the operation will be described with reference to FIGS. In step S1, initialization at power-on is performed. Here, the so-called multi-microprocessor system in which the CPU 65 on the control board 41 side and the CPU 71 on the audio / video board 43 side cooperate to execute various processes is employed, so the following power-on sequence is executed. First,
Immediately after the power of the game apparatus 1a is turned on, only the control board 41 is initialized with the power supply to the audio / video board 43 turned off. After the initialization of the control board 41 is completed, power is supplied to the audio / video board 43. Hereafter, C
A shared RAM area shared by the PU 65 and the CPU 71 is set on a memory in the control device 61,
5 and the CPU 71 can exchange data via this shared RAM area.

The player inserts a coin or a medal into the slot 25.
, The number of inserted sheets is displayed on the input number display section 23. After that, when the player operates the number setting button 33, the number is set according to the number of times the number is operated, and the set number is displayed on the number display section 21. Then, the initial value of the number of bonuses, for example, 100, is displayed on the bonus / big hit number display section 15 (step S3). The value of the initial value 100 of the bonus number is determined by operating a switch (not shown) provided on the control board 41.
It can be changed to an appropriate value such as 0, 30, 50 or the like.

In step S5, data is collected and exchanged from another game device by the time-division communication method. When one of the game devices 1a, 1b, 1c,..., 1h transmits a sync pattern, a transmission format having a plurality of channels as shown in FIG. Is set. That is, based on the sync pattern, the first channel Ch0 is assigned to the game device 1a, the next channel Ch1 is assigned to the game device 1b, the next channel Ch2 is assigned to the game device 1c, and so on. Channels are assigned to specific gaming devices. The communication unit 51 transmits transmission data such as a multiplier to a channel assigned to itself from among a plurality of channels. Similarly, when any one of the game devices 1a, 1b, 1c,..., 1h transmits the sync pattern shown in FIG. 7B, the game device shown in FIG. Such a reception format having a plurality of channels is set. That is, based on the sync pattern, the first channel Ch0 is assigned to the game device 1a, the next channel Ch1 is assigned to the game device 1b, the next channel Ch2 is assigned to the game device 1c, and so on. Channels are assigned to specific gaming devices. The communication unit 51 receives data from another game device existing on a channel other than its own channel.

In step S7, the number of each game device is determined based on the data collected by the time-division communication method. Then, in step S9, the number of bonuses is added according to the number of each game device. For example, each time a multiplier of 10 is set in another game device, +1 is added to the number of bonuses of the player itself. In step S11, the bonus / big hit count display unit 1 displays the initial value of the bonus number 100 or the value obtained by adding the above-mentioned addition number to the bonus number accumulated up to the previous time.
5 is displayed. The process proceeds to step S13 in FIG. 6 via step S11. In the above description, the number of bonuses is calculated in accordance with the number of games of each game device, and the calculated value is added to the initial value or the accumulated value up to the previous time and set as the own bonus. The present invention is not limited to this, and may be configured to set a random number of bonuses as its own bonus. Further, the initial value of the bonus number is not limited to 100, and another appropriate value can be set as the initial value.

In step S13, the start lever 35
To start the slot game.
As a result, the respective numeric display units 11 of the display unit 11
a, 11b, and 11c start rotating display, and a picture of an appropriate character is displayed on the picture display section 11d. The player can use the stop button 3
7a, the stop button 37b, and the stop button 37c are sequentially operated to respectively display the number display portions 11a,
The number display section 11b and the number display section 11c can be sequentially stopped. In step S15, it is determined whether or not it is a hit, that is, the number display unit 11a, the number display unit 11b,
It is determined whether or not the numbers displayed on the number display section 11c are the same. If it is determined in step S15 that the item is off, the prizes (coins, medals, etc.) corresponding to the number of pieces are forfeited, and the number display section 21
Is set to 0, and the process returns to step S5 again from step S15.

If it is determined in step S15 that the winning has occurred, coins or medals corresponding to the number of coins can be obtained. After the acquired number is once displayed on the acquired number display section 19, the display of the inserted number display section 23 is counted up in synchronization with the countdown of this number. The player can confirm the present total number of coins or medals by displaying the number-of-insertions display section 23.
Subsequently, in step S17, the bonus game is automatically executed, the rotation display of the bonus roulette display section 13 starts, and stops after a predetermined time has elapsed. Step S
At 19, it is determined whether or not a win is made, that is, whether or not the number displayed on the bonus roulette display section 13 is, for example, 7. If it is determined in step S19 that the game device is out of the game, the bonus addition number set according to the number of each game device is accumulated. And
The process returns to step S5 again from step S19.

If it is determined in step S19 that the number of hits is 7, the process proceeds to step S21, and the number of bonuses displayed on the bonus / big hit number display section 15 can be obtained. That is, only the game device that has given the number 7 in the bonus game can acquire all the bonuses including the bonus added number accumulated up to that time. In the above description, when the number 7 is displayed on the bonus roulette display unit 13, only the game device having the number 7 per hit obtains all bonuses including the bonus added number accumulated so far. Although configured as described above, the present invention is not limited to this, and may be configured to obtain a bonus at an appropriate distribution rate. For example, number 5 per hit
In the event of a failure, only half of all bonuses may be obtained by the game device having the number 5 per hit, and the other half may be equally distributed to other game devices. Also,
If the number of hits is three, all the bonuses may be evenly distributed to all the game devices. Subsequently, in step S23, the bonus number of each game device is reset to an initial value, and the value displayed on the bonus / big hit number display unit 15 is reset to, for example, 100. The process returns to step S5 again from step S23.

[0024]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, a plurality of game devices are connected via a communication cable, and each game device includes a first game means for executing a normal game; Setting means for setting the number of prizes, prize payout means for paying out a prize according to the number of prizes when a normal game is hit, and a second game for executing a bonus game when a hit is made to a normal game Game means. Also,
Each game device has communication means for communicating with other game devices by a time-division communication method according to a format composed of a plurality of channels, and according to the number of each game device collected by this communication means, or A bonus is set at random, and a bonus payout means for paying out a bonus when a bonus game is hit is configured. Therefore, the bonus is set not only on the own game machine but also on a game device used by another customer. The prize can be paid out also by referring to the number of pieces performed, and an effect of providing a highly entertaining game device can be provided.

The invention according to a second aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, when the bonus game is missed, there is provided a storage means for retaining and storing the payout of the bonus.
When a bonus game is hit, the accumulated bonus is paid out and the accumulated bonus for each game device is set to an initial value. In the case of a hit, the bonuses accumulated up to that time are paid out at one time, so that a jackpot situation can be created, and there is an effect that a highly entertaining game device can be provided.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a main part of a circuit board incorporated in a game device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which game devices according to the present invention are connected.

FIG. 3 is a front view of the game device according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the circuit board of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an operation of the game device according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an operation of the game device according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing a communication format of the game device according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1a Game device 1b Game device 1c Game device 3a Communication cable 3b Communication cable 3c Communication cable 5 Game device main body 7 Operating console 9 Base 11 Display unit 13 Bonus roulette display unit 21 Multiplier display unit 41 Control board 43 Audio image board 45 Display Unit 49 operation unit 51 communication unit 61 control device 63 ROM 65 CPU 67 ROM 71 CPU 75 audio processing unit 77 image processing unit

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification code FI A63F 9/00 512 A63F 9/00 512C

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A game device having the following requirements. (B) A plurality of game devices are connected via a communication cable. (B) Each game device has first game means for executing a normal game. (C) Each game device has a setting means for setting the number of games. (D) Each game device has a prize payout means for paying out a prize according to the number of wins when a normal game is hit. (E) Each game device has a second game means for executing a bonus game when a normal game is hit. (F) Each game device has communication means for communicating with another game device by a time-division communication method according to a format including a plurality of channels. (G) The communication means of each game device has transmission means for transmitting transmission data such as a multiplier to a channel assigned to itself from among a plurality of channels. (H) The communication means of each game device has a receiving means for receiving data of another game device present on a channel other than its own channel. (I) Each game device has a collecting means for collecting the number of each game device based on the data received by the receiving means. (G) Each game device has a setting means for setting a bonus according to the number of each game device or randomly. (G) Each game device has a bonus payout means for paying out the bonus when the bonus game is hit. 2. The game device according to claim 1, wherein the game device has the following requirements. (B) Each game device has a storage unit that reserves and stores the payout of the bonus when the bonus game is missed. (B) When a bonus game is won in any of the game devices, the corresponding bonus payout means pays out the accumulated bonus. (C) If a bonus game is hit on any of the game devices, the bonus is paid out by the corresponding bonus payout means, and then the bonus accumulated for each game device is set to an initial value. Have value setting means.