JPH1133232A - Game system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To enhance the possibility that a game player can play a desired game by a game machine in a desired place in a game center at any time and also to easily set game kinds in the game center. CONSTITUTION: The plural game machines 10 which are provided with a picture display means so as to display the game screen of the game selected by the game player in the picture display means based on a game program which is specified by the selection of the player and to enable playing the game and a centralized controller 20 for setting the game programs which are selected by the respective game machines 10 based on the operation of a game center manager are provided.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a game system such as a pachinko machine.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a game hall such as a pachinko game hall, only one specific type of game can be played for each game machine.

[0003]

For this reason, there has been a problem that it is difficult for a customer to play a desired game at a favorite place in a game arcade. For example, a customer enters the game hall trying to play one type of pachinko, but the model is popular and unfortunately not available, and he has to search for another type of pachinko machine and has a bad place to play the game I wasn't bothered, so I often went home or lost on a slot machine I had no choice but felt more uncomfortable than just losing.

[0004] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, it is assumed that each game machine is capable of executing various game programs, such as a so-called family computer game machine, and that a plurality of game programs are simply installed in a game place. However, in this case, there is a problem that management in the game hall becomes troublesome and inconvenient.

[0005] This is a management problem of the game hall.
Depending on the situation at that time, there is always a demand that only a limited number of games can be played on a game machine at a specific place, but if a plurality of game machines with variable game programs are simply installed as described above, The above requirements cannot be satisfied unless a troublesome operation such as setting a possible game program by a store clerk of a game place or the like is performed at each game machine.

The present invention has been made in view of such a conventional situation, and it is highly possible that a player can play a desired game at a game machine in a place where he or she likes the game at any time. It is an object of the present invention to provide a game system that facilitates management of game type settings in a game hall.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to achieve the above object, the gist of the present invention is: (1) an image display means (11) having an image display based on a game program specified by a player's selection; Displaying a game screen of the game selected by the player on the display means (11), the plurality of game machines (1
0), and a centralized controller (20) for setting the game program selectable in each of the game machines (10) based on an input operation of a game arcade manager.

[0008] The centralized controller (20) changes parameters and the like of the game program based on an input operation of a game arcade manager, thereby controlling the game machine (10).
Item 3. The game system according to Item 1, further comprising a function of setting a difficulty level of a game performed in each of the game systems.

[0009] The centralized controller (20) is configured to control the game machine (10) based on an input operation of a game arcade manager.
Item 3 has a function of displaying a predetermined message on the image display means (11).

[0010]

In the game system of the present invention, each game machine (1
In 0), a game screen corresponding to the type of game selected by the player is displayed on the image display means (11), and the selected game is executed based on a predetermined game program. The types of games that can be selected in each of the game machines (10) can be collectively set by an input operation of the game arcade manager to the centralized controller (20).

The difficulty level of the game played on each game machine (10) can be set collectively by an input operation of the game arcade manager to the centralized controller (20).

Each game machine (10) is operated by an input operation of the game arcade manager on the centralized controller (20).
Various messages can be displayed on the image display means (11).

[0013]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The game system according to the present embodiment includes a plurality of game machines 10 and a centralized controller 20, as shown in FIG.

The game machine 10, as shown in FIG.
It has an image display means 11 such as T or LCD on the front, and displays a game screen of the game selected by the player on the image display means 11 based on a game program specified by the player's selection. It enables the game. As shown in FIG. 2, the game machine 10 has an IC memory such as a ROM or a flash memory, an IC card, an optical disk, a magnetic disk, etc. IC memory, such as ROM, as a memory for variable game software having a device and rewriting a registered game at any time;
It has a flash memory, an IC card, and the like.

The game machine 10 also has, as shown in FIG.
Cash (banknotes or coins) insertion port 12 and cash discriminator (not shown), payout insertion slot 13 of prepaid card and read / write device (not shown), and amount selection switch 1
4, a small display 15 for displaying a balance, a game name or a score, a clearing switch 16, a switch Q17 for moving a cursor on the screen, a setting switch 18 for selecting a game, or a game progress. And a cancel switch 19a for canceling the selected game, reading the amount of cash inserted or the remaining amount of the received prepaid card, displaying this amount on the remaining amount display means, and displaying this amount. The game corresponding to the usage amount designated by the amount selection switch 14 can be performed within the range of. Then, for example, when a prepaid card is inserted and the usage amount is specified,
The display unit 15 updates the remaining amount display on the display 15 by subtracting the specified usage amount from the remaining amount, and displays the image display unit 1 on the front.
1 displays a game selection screen as shown in FIG. 4 or FIG. Next, when the cursor is moved to a predetermined position by operating the switch Q17 and the setting switch 18 is pressed by a variety of methods described later, a specific game is designated, and the program of the game is called into the main memory. If the point is obtained (the number of balls in the case of a pachinko machine) as a result of executing the game, it is registered in the inserted prepaid card, and the card data is updated to a new remaining amount by operating the settlement switch 16. A series of processes such as registration and paying out the prepaid card are performed.

In this case, the standard game software 1
2, 3 and 4 are classified into genres, for example, 1 is a pachinko game machine, 2 is a slot game machine, 3 is a video game machine, 4 is others, and cards (cards), roulette, and other games. You can also choose. In other words, regardless of whether it is a pachinko game, a slot game, or a video game, there are several types available,
Customers can freely choose it and proceed with the game.
As the switch Q17, for example, a stick handle or a roller ball can be used.

Each of the game machines 10 is provided with information (money information) including a distinction between a cash and a prepaid card, an amount of cash or a prepaid card inserted, a specified amount of money used, and a designated and executed game. Type, number of executions,
It also has a function of outputting to the centralized controller 20 information (game information) such as the progress status and the points obtained by the player as a result of the game. For example, in the case of a pachinko game, the number of shots in which safe hole, the number of occurrences of fever, and the number of points paid out in each fever, the time from what time to what time, and how much Hit
It has a function of detecting even a small hit and transmitting it to the centralized controller 20 as the game information.

The centralized controller 20 includes a CPU 21, R
A main body including an OM 22 and a RAM 23, an image display means 24 such as a CRT, a printer 25, and a keyboard 26 as an input device are provided. The centralized controller 20 has a function of setting a selectable game program in each of the game machines 10 by erasing program data or the like based on an input operation from a keyboard 26 of a game arcade manager (a game clerk or the like). Have. For example, today, it is possible to restrict the selection of a game on the game machine 10 by performing an operation such as prohibiting the number of pachinko machines and the number of pachinko machines.

The centralized controller 20 stores various game program data by itself. Based on an input operation from the keyboard 26, the centralized controller 20 deletes fixed-form software or special game software erased from each game machine 10 in each game. It also has a function of transmitting the program to the fixed-format software memory or the variable game software memory of the machine 10 to make it executable. Here, the special game registered in the variable game software memory is
For example, the level of the difficulty level changes drastically, and the difficulty level is set so that a pachinko machine may be stupid or not at all.

The centralized controller 20 has a function of setting the difficulty level of each game executed in the game machine 10 by changing parameters of the game program based on an input operation from the keyboard 26, The so-called slump adjustment of each game machine 10 can be performed. The adjustment process of the difficulty may be manually performed by inputting each time from the keyboard 26,
RAM 2 as processing in the operation program of CPU 21
3 or the like may be registered in advance and automatically changed. It should be noted that in the case of a method of automatically changing the value, it is possible to cope with this by using a random number table internally.

The centralized controller 20 has a function of displaying a predetermined message on the image display means of each game machine 10 based on an input operation from the keyboard 26 by the game arcade manager. For example, if the player is about to be stopped, "I'll stop it soon, do my best!" Please ", when the store closes, a message such as" The store is about to close ... I'm waiting for you tomorrow. "Or an advertisement from a nearby store will not interfere with the game. And so on. This message display process is performed by the keyboard 26
May be entered manually each time, or manually
It is also possible to adopt a method of registering in advance in the RAM 23 or the like as processing in the operation program 21 and automatically executing the processing.

The centralized controller 20 stores the monetary information and the game information output from each game machine 10, and performs arithmetic processing and formats as necessary according to a call command from the keyboard 26. It also has a function of displaying a screen or printing out with the printer 25.

Next, the operation will be described. With the above-mentioned game system, within the range set by the centralized controller 20, the player can freely designate any one of various games and freely play the desired game in any of the game machines 10. .

That is, when the player inserts cash or a prepaid card, the inserted amount is displayed on the display unit 15. Next, when the amount to be used for one game is designated by the amount selection switch 14, the display unit 15 is displayed. Is displayed on the display device as the game balance, and the image display means 11
A game selection screen appears, and a game can be selected by the switch Q17 and the setting switch 18.

At this time, the game name is simply displayed as a selection screen as shown in FIG. 4, and the cursor is moved on the display by the switch Q17 and set by the setting switch 18, and the game as shown in FIG. Instead of the name, a picture or illustration of the game machine is displayed, the cursor is moved on the display by the switch Q17 and specified by the setting switch 18, or the NES game type, the person and the hall appear on the screen, There is a method of starting from the moment when the player enters the hall, moving between islands in the hall, and selecting his / her favorite game machine. In addition, as games that can be selected, games that are registered in the memory of the game machine 10 in advance and games that correspond to programs transmitted from the centralized controller 20 may be displayed, but not all of them are necessarily displayed. Instead, only those for which the game is not prohibited by the setting from the centralized controller 20 are displayed.

When a game is selected, the screen of the selected game is displayed, and the game can be started with the difficulty set by the above-described setting by the centralized controller 20. At this point, if the cancel switch 19a is pressed, the display returns to the selection screen and returns to the selection screen. You can redo the selection. Before the game screen is displayed, an operation description of the game is displayed as needed.

Even if the amount of money selected during the game is used up, the game can be continued within the range of the remaining amount by pressing the amount selection switch again. As long as the game cannot be continued, the game ends. Also, even if the amount of money used remains, the game is forcibly terminated when the central controller 20 or the like detects a stop.

When the player presses the clearing switch 16 at the end of the game, the remaining amount and the points earned at that time are updated and registered in the prepaid card, and the payout slot 13 is
Will be paid out. When the game is started by inserting cash, the remaining amount and the acquired points are recorded on an internal card-shaped recording medium and issued from the payout slot 13 or the like. The player can go to the prize exchange counter with the paid-out prepaid card or issued card to receive a prize exchange and receive a refund of the remaining amount, or play the game again with another game machine 10. You can also start. At this point, the player can repeat the above operation again without playing the clearing switch 16 to play another game on the same game machine 10.

On the other hand, according to the above-mentioned game system, management of game types in a game arcade, management of difficulty levels, messages to players, and the like can be performed collectively from the centralized controller 20 and individually for each game machine 10. Therefore, the management work of the clerk or the like in the game hall becomes extremely convenient.

That is, a store clerk or the like operates the keyboard 26 to set a game executable in each game machine 10, set a difficulty level, and send a message while staying in the control room where the centralized controller 20 is installed. The display can be controlled freely. For this reason, it becomes possible to manage each game machine in an optimal situation every day in terms of management problems of the amusement arcade and services for the player.

[0031]

According to the game system of the present invention, a plurality of types of games can be operated by the player in any game machine, and the types of games that can be executed in each game machine can be controlled by the central controller. Since the settings can be made collectively, the possibility that the player can play the desired game at the place where he or she likes in the game hall at any time increases, and the management of the game type setting in the game hall becomes easy. Therefore, it is possible to save labor in the game arcade, and to contribute to the creation of an attractive game arcade that can be enjoyed by the player at any time, thereby increasing the demand for game equipment.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the overall configuration of a game system according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a game type setting example in the game system of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an example of a game machine in the game system of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a game selection screen of a game machine in the game system of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing another example of the game selection screen of the game machine in the game system of the present invention.

[Description of Signs] 10: Game machine 11: Image display means 20: Centralized controller

Claims (3)

[Claims] A plurality of image display means for displaying a game screen of a game selected by the player on the image display means based on a game program specified by the player's selection, thereby enabling the game; And a centralized controller for setting a game program selectable in each of the game machines based on an input operation of a game arcade manager. 2. The game machine according to claim 1, wherein the centralized controller has a function of setting a difficulty level of each game played on the game machine by changing a parameter or the like of the game program based on an input operation of a game arcade manager. The game system according to claim 1, wherein: 3. The game according to claim 1, wherein said centralized controller has a function of displaying a predetermined message on an image display means of said game machine based on an input operation of a game arcade manager. system.