JP2891758B2 - Play equipment - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Application Field] In the present invention, a character combination that stops on a pay line is determined based on a winning table showing a winning combination of characters, and the presence or absence of a prize and the coin payout amount are determined. Related to a game device to be played.

[Conventional technology]

In an amusement device, for example, a slot machine game, coins and medals are inserted into a coin insertion portion provided in the slot machine main body, and several reels on which a plurality of types of symbols are drawn on the outer periphery by operating a start lever or the like. Start by rotating at the same time. These few reels have
The same number of symbols are arranged on the outer periphery.

FIG. 11 shows symbol arrays arranged on the outer periphery of a reel used in a conventional slot machine. Conventionally, a symbol row in which the same number of symbols are arranged on all reels is drawn on the outer periphery. These symbol arrays are composed of, for example, 16 symbols, and correspond to stop positions (16 locations) on the reel. Therefore, one point on the symbols arranged on the outer periphery of the reel is the stop position. For example, four types of symbols (7
B, 5B, 1B, and blanks (hereinafter referred to as "BL") are included, and the combinations related to the winning are 7B-7B-7B, 5B-
They are ranked in the order of 5B-5B, 1B-1B-1B. For example, in the case of 7B-7B-7B, 20 points, 5B-5B-5B
For 10 points, AB (symbols other than "BL")
In the case of -AB-AB, 5 points are set, and the amount of coin payment (P / O) is set in advance based on these points.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

However, conventional game machines are common in game development, and there is a demand for a novel and aggressive game development that is more entertaining and stimulates the player's willingness to play games.

The same applies to other amusement devices, such as a poker game, in which a predetermined character is selected based on a random number value to determine the presence or absence of a prize.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a game apparatus that can develop a novel and aggressive game that stimulates a player's willingness to play a game.

[Means for solving the problem]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention relates to a game device in which a character combination to be stopped on a pay line is determined based on a winning table showing a winning combination of characters, and the presence or absence of a winning and a coin payout amount are determined. It comprises an external reel, random number generation means, first storage means, second storage means, third storage means, fourth storage means and control means. Here, on the outer reel, a plurality of characters including a first character constituting a winning and a second character which independently inhibits the winning structure are arranged on the outer periphery, and the random number generating means generates a random number for each of these external reels. The first storage means stores, for each external reel, a first internal reel strip corresponding to a plurality of characters and a random number, and the second storage means stores a plurality of characters consisting of only the first character, and for each external reel. A second internal reel strip corresponding to the first character and the random number is stored. Further, the third storage means increases the probability that one character is included in the characters constituting the character combination (for example, a relatively large number of second characters are included only in the character string for one reel). ), A third internal reel strip corresponding to the plurality of characters and the random number is stored for each external reel, and the fourth storage means stores a prize table defining a type of prize for the character combination. Further, the control means determines the presence or absence of a winning for the reference character combination first determined by the random number generating means based on the winning table and the first internal reel strip. If all the characters constituting the combination are not the same, the second internal reel is used by using the random number generating means on condition that the coin payment amount of the first internal reel strip based on the reference character combination is not changed. One character combination is determined based on the strip, and if the second character is included in the reference character combination, the coin payment amount of the first internal reel strip based on the reference character combination is not changed. The above random number generation means Te determines one character combination on the basis of the third internal reel strip.

In addition, the present invention provides a first character constituting a prize and a second character which independently inhibits a prize configuration, instead of the external reel.
A video game device including a display device for displaying a plurality of character strings including a plurality of characters including characters, a character storage device for storing the plurality of characters, and a character control device for displaying the plurality of characters on the display device. Can be used.

[Action]

Since the present invention is configured as described above, if the reference character combination initially determined by the random number generating means is a winning combination in which only the first character is formed and all the characters match, the first internal reel strip is formed. If a winning combination is applied, the character combination is determined again by another random number based on the second internal reel strip.

On the other hand, if the character combination determined by the random number generation means includes the second character, the character combination is determined again by another random number based on the third internal reel strip.

As described above, since the amusement device according to the present invention includes the three internal reel strips, without changing the coin payout amount based on the reference character combination determined first, the winning combination close to the winning combination in which the characters match is achieved. It is possible to increase the appearance frequency of the loss combination near the combination or the winning combination.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, a game device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the description, the same elements will be denoted by the same reference symbols, without redundant description.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a basic configuration when a game machine according to the present invention is applied to a slot machine. This slot machine comprises a plurality of reels 1, 2, 3, random number generating means 4, first storing means 5, second storing means 6, third storing means 7, fourth storing means 8, and controlling means 9. ing.

A plurality of symbols are arranged on the outer circumference of the plurality of reels 1, 2, and 3, at least a first symbol (first character) constituting a winning in the game and a second symbol (first character) for preventing a winning. 2 characters). In the embodiment described below, “7” is used as the first symbol.
“B”, “5B”, “AB” (“7B” or “5B”), and “BL” (blank) as the second symbol.The stop positions of these reels 1, 2, and 3 are random numbers. It is determined by a plurality of random number values generated by the means 4. That is, the random number generating means 4 generates random numbers N _R1 , N _R2 , N _R3 for the reels 1, 2, 3 according to an instruction of the control means 9. And these random numbers are 1
One by one is assigned to each reel. Each random number corresponds to any one of the stop positions of each reel, and one symbol corresponds to the stop position. Therefore, one symbol on each reel is determined by each random number. For example, symbol combinations such as “7B-5B-BL” are determined by the random numbers N _R1 , N _R2 , and N _R3 .

In the present invention, the symbol combination determined by the first random number after coin insertion is referred to as “reference symbol combination”, and the reference symbol combination, the first internal reel strip stored in the first storage means 5 and the fourth storage means 8 Is determined with reference to the winning table stored in the. Therefore, the control means 9 determines the reference symbol combination by referring to the first internal reel strip based on the random numbers N _R1 , N _R2 , and N _R3 , and determines the presence or absence and type of the winning based on the winning table.

In this case, if all the symbols constituting the reference symbol combination are not the same (for example, 7B-7B-5B), a random number is generated again based on the second internal reel strip stored in the second storage means 6. Let it. When the symbol combination determined by the random number generated the second time matches the coin payment amount based on the first internal reel strip by the reference symbol, this symbol combination is displayed as a game result, that is, the output is displayed. The stop positions of the reels 1, 2, and 3 are controlled so that the eyes appear.

If the winning combination does not apply because the second symbol is included in the reference symbol combination, the control means 9 generates a random number again based on the third internal reel strip stored in the third storage means 7. . If the symbol combination determined by the random number generated for the second time matches the coin payment amount based on the first internal reel strip by the reference symbol, this symbol combination is displayed as a game result, that is, the output is displayed. The stop positions of the reels 1, 2, and 3 are controlled so that the eyes appear.

Next, a three-reel slot machine according to a first embodiment to which the basic configuration of the present invention is applied will be described with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 2 shows the appearance of the three-reel slot machine. A coin slot 11, a start lever 12, a number-of-coins display unit 13, and a game switch unit 14 are arranged at a lower front portion of the slot machine, and a first reel 1 is disposed at an upper portion thereof.
5, a second reel 16 and a third reel 17 are arranged via display windows 18, 19 and 20. Player inserts coin into coin slot
When inserted from 11, according to the number of coins inserted,
The winning lines A, B, and C activated in the game are determined, and the number of inserted coins is digitally displayed on the coin number display unit 13. When the start lever 12 of the game switch section 14 is pulled, the stepping motors for rotating the first reel 15, the sale reel 16 and the third reel 17 having the symbols arranged on the outer periphery are simultaneously driven. 1st reel 15,
When the second reel 16 and the third reel 17 rotate, the movement of the symbol row is observed through the display windows 18, 19, 20 provided for each reel, but it is almost impossible to identify individual symbols.

FIG. 3 shows an outline of a reel tape wound around the reel of the above-mentioned slot machine and a symbol combination thereof. This reel tape includes symbols of 7B, 5B, AB, and BL, and a stop position corresponds to each symbol. In this case, there are a total of six positions where the reels can be stopped, and symbols are arranged at odd numbers of the stop positions. The random numbers output from the random number generator 23 are one-to-one.
, And corresponds to the above stop position. For example, "7B-5B-
When a symbol combination of "BL" is output, the stop positions of the reels are 1, 3, and 6 (see FIG. 3A).

According to this embodiment, there are five types of winning combinations, and the coin amount paid by the symbol combination is 20, 10,
5 times. On the other hand, the loss combination includes BL,
There are five combinations. The coin payment amount (P / O) paid by the symbol combination is 0 (see FIG. 3B). In this embodiment, the BL functions as a symbol that independently inhibits the winning structure. Therefore, for example, "7B-7B-BL" or "5B-BL-7B" is a loss combination, but if BL is not a single (one) (for example, "BL-BL-BL"), a hit combination is made. You may.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a circuit configuration example applicable to the slot machine according to the embodiment described above. The MPU 26 is connected to the ROM 30 and the motor drive circuit 31 while being connected to the random number generator 23. A first reel 15, a second reel 16,
The third reel 17 is a motor drive circuit 3 controlled by the MPU 26
The reels 15, 16 and 17 are rotated by stepping motors 32, 33 and 34 driven by 1, and the stop positions of the reels 15, 16 and 17 are determined by random numbers generated by the random number generation unit 23. The random number generator 23 generates a random number equal to the number of reels according to an instruction from the MPU 26, and specifies a symbol on each reel based on the first internal reel strip stored in the ROM 30 from these random numbers. The ROM 30 stores a second internal reel strip 30b, a third internal reel strip 30c, a winning table 30d, and a game program 30e in addition to the first internal reel strip 30a.

As described above, since one symbol corresponds to the stop position of each reel (see FIG. 3 (a)), three random numbers are generated by comparing the generated random number with the first internal reel strip 30a. And a stop position for each reel are determined.

Further, by comparing the determined reference symbol combination with the winning table 30d stored in the ROM 30, the presence or absence of the winning and the type thereof are determined.

Next, the operation of this slot machine will be described based on FIG. 8 with reference to FIGS. 4 to 7.

5 to 7 show examples of the internal reel strip stored in the ROM 30 described above, and FIG. 8 shows a game method of the slot machine according to the present embodiment.
First, a random number corresponding to each of the reels 15, 16, 17 is selected by the random number generator 23 (step 101). in this case,
Since the number of reels is three, three random numbers are selected. Next, these random numbers are applied to the first internal reel strip (step 102) to identify the symbols on each reel.
For example, as a result of playing three games, 1-2-1
(First game), 1-5-1 (second game),
It is assumed that 1-5-10 (third game) random numbers are obtained.
In this case, the first game has obtained the reference symbol combination "7B-7B-7B", the second game has the reference symbol combination "7B-5B-7B", and the third game has the reference symbol combination "7B-5B-BL". Next, a reference symbol combination is set for each game in a winning table (see FIG. 3 (b)).
To determine if it is a hit or a loss (step 10
3). In this case, the first game and the second game correspond to a hit, but the third game corresponds to a loss. Next, it is determined whether or not all symbols are the same for the winning combination (step 104). If all the symbols are the same, the stop position of each reel is determined (step 10).
Five). In this case, since all symbols are the same in the first game, the first reel 15 is at the stop position 1, the second reel 16 is at the stop position 1, and the third reel 17 is at the stop position 1.

In the case of the second game in which all symbols do not match, a random number is again generated for each of the reels 15, 16, 17 by using the random number generation unit 23 (step 106). A new symbol is determined from these random numbers based on the second internal reel strip (see FIG. 6) (step 107), and it is determined whether or not these symbol combinations are the same as the previous coin payout rate (P / O). (Step 108). In the case of the second game, the reference symbol combination is "7B-5B-7B", and the coin payout rate is five times.
Therefore, it is determined whether or not the symbol combination determined by the second random number is five times, and the generation of the random number is repeated until the same coin payment rate is obtained. By performing such processing, the amount of coin payment determined by the first random number does not change, and only the display mode on the reels can be changed. When the same coin payout ratio is obtained, the stop position of each reel is determined (step 105).
By the way, the second internal reel strip does not include the symbol "BL" as shown. For that reason,
One different symbol combination is likely to appear.
For example, in the first inner reel strip, "7B-7B-5B"
Is 12/1000, but according to the second internal reel strip, it is 125/1000.

In addition, the third symbol in which the reference symbol combination is a loss combination
In the case of a game, a random number is generated again to determine a new symbol combination (step 109).
The initially determined amount of coin payment remains unchanged. In this case, since the coin payment rate is 0, even if the symbol combination by the second random number is "7B-7B-5B", these random numbers are not adopted. The random number is adopted only when the coin payment amount is the same as the previous time. Therefore, these random numbers are applied only when the symbol combination determined based on the third internal reel strip by the generated random numbers corresponds to the loss (steps 110 and 111). As shown in FIG. 7, the third internal reel strip has "BL" of 1
The appearance probability of one winning combination including only one is relatively higher than that of the first internal reel strip (see FIG. 5). Therefore, under the condition that the payment amount of the coin determined by the first random number does not change, many different winning combinations appear.

Finally, the stop positions of the reels are determined by applying the first internal reel strip, the second internal reel strip, or the third reel strip, and the first reel 15, the second reel 16, and the third reel 17 are stopped. Winning lines A, B, C
The first reel 15, the second reel 16,
The symbol on the third reel 17 is specified (see FIG. 2).

Next, a general operation of the slot machine will be described.
After the coin is inserted, when the start lever 12 of the game switch unit 14 is operated, the information is read by the MPU 26 via the input port 24, and the MPU 26 operates the motor drive circuit 31 to operate the stepping motors 32, 33, Rotate 34. At this time, the MPU 26 supplies a drive pulse to the motor drive circuit 26 based on the pulse generated by the pulse generator 28.
The drive shafts of these stepping motors 32, 33, 34 include
Since the first reel 15, the second reel 16, and the third reel 17 are integrally connected, the first reel 15, the second reel 16, and the third reel 17 rotate together with the stepping motors 32, 33, and. On each reel, a large number of disproportion type symbols having different circumferential lengths are arranged, and each symbol corresponds to one stop position. Symbols such as "7B" and "5B" are drawn on symbols having a long circumferential length, and symbols having a short circumferential length are blank ("BL"). The number of pulses supplied to the stepping motors 32, 33, 34 is
It is recorded from the MPU 26 to the RAM 29. Stepper motor 32,
Since the rotation angles of 33 and 34 change according to the number of pulses, the MPU 26 can uniquely know the rotation positions of the stepping motors 32, 33 and 34. Stepper motor 32,
First reel 15 and second reel fixed to drive shafts 33 and 34
On a part of the circumference of the third reel 17, projections 15a, 16a and 17a for obtaining a reset signal are protruded. These projections 15a, 16a, 17a are detected by the photo sensors 35, 36, 37 each time the reel rotates, and the MPU 26 uses the detection signal as a reference position of the reel. Therefore, the MPU 26 can know how many stepping motor drive pulses should be output up to the stop position of each reel. The symbol position on the pay line when the first reel 15, the second reel 16, and the third reel 17 are stopped matches the number of stepping motor drive pulses output by the MPU 26.

FIG. 9 is a functional block diagram in which the present invention is applied to a video type slot machine. In this video type slot machine, a CRT 47 is installed in a portion where reels are arranged. This CRT47 consists of a microcomputer 48 and a C
Driven via the RT drive unit 49, a total of nine symbols are displayed in a matrix on the display surface, similarly to the mechanical slot machine described above. As described above, the ROM 54 has the first internal reel strip 54a, the second internal reel strip 54b, and the third internal reel strip 54b.
c, a winning table 54d, and a game program 54e are stored. All the symbols stored in these internal reel strips are stored in the character ROM 56.

By inputting the random numbers output from the random number generation unit 58 to the delay circuits 60 and 61, three random numbers are created. These random numbers are stored in the first internal reel strip 5 stored in the ROM 54.
Compare with 4a to determine the reference symbol combination. Next, the reference symbol combination is compared with the winning table 54d, and it is determined whether or not there is a winning and the type of the winning. Thereafter, as described above, if all the symbols constituting the reference symbol combination are not the same, the second internal reel strip or the third internal reel strip is applied, and the symbol combination finally displayed on the CRT 47 is specified. . The CPU 53 controls the CRT controller 55 to display the specified symbol combination.

When the power switch is turned on, a clock pulse is automatically supplied from the pulse generator 51 to the CPU 53, and the microcomputer 48 operates. The microcomputer 48 has ROM5
Advance the game according to the game program stored in 4. By the operation of this microcomputer 48
The CRT controller 55 is activated and the character ROM 56
The character data of the symbol to be displayed in 7 is accessed in address order, and the symbol is displayed while being stroked. The symbol address data displayed in this manner is held while being sequentially rewritten in the RAM 57. The RAM 57 holds the address data of the symbol displayed on the CRT 47 and the data related to the display position.

FIG. 10 shows symbol combinations (for example, "7B-7B-5B", "7B-7B
−BL ″) is a comparison between the above embodiment and the conventional example. The hit combination is not much different between the embodiment and the conventional example, but the loss combination in the embodiment is one symbol combination different from the conventional example. Is significantly increased, and the player's willingness to continue the game can be sufficiently stimulated.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. For example, in the above embodiment, the slot machine has been described as an example, but the present invention is not limited to the slot machine.

Further, the number of reels, the number of symbols, and the internal reel strip in the above embodiment are merely examples, and it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to these.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to display a character combination displayed to a player so as to stimulate the player's willingness to play the game without changing the coin payout determined by the first random number. it can. Therefore, it is possible to encourage the player to continue playing.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a basic configuration when the present invention is applied to a slot machine as one embodiment, and FIG.
FIG. 3 is a front view showing an example of the appearance of the slot machine shown in FIG. 3, FIG. 3 is a diagram showing reel tapes and symbol combinations usable in the slot machine shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 4 is used in the slot machine shown in FIG. Block diagram showing a possible circuit configuration,
FIG. 5 shows a first example of the slot machine usable in the slot machine shown in FIG.
FIG. 6 shows an example of an internal reel strip which can be used in the slot machine shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 7 shows a third example which can be used in the slot machine shown in FIG. The figure which shows the example of an internal reel strip, 8th
FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a gaming method of the slot machine shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing an example of a circuit configuration when the present invention is applied to a video slot machine, and FIG. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a comparison between the embodiment and the conventional example with respect to the appearance frequency of a symbol combination having one symbol difference to be stimulated, and FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a symbol row arranged on the outer periphery of a reel used in a conventional slot machine. is there. 1, 2, 3 ... reel, 4 ... random number generating means, 5 ... first storage means, 6 ... second storage means, 7 ... third storage means, 8 ... fourth storage means, 9 ... ... Control means, 11 ... Coin slot, 12 ... Start lever, 13 ... Coin number display section, 14 ... Game switch section, 15 ... First reel, 16
... second reel, 17 ... third reel, 18, 19, 20 ... display window, 23, 58 ... random number generator, 26 ... MPU, 28 ... pulse generator, 29, 57 ... RAM , 30,54 ROM, 31 motor drive circuit, 32,33,34 stepping motor, 3
5, 36, 37 Photo sensor, 47 CRT, 48 Microcomputer, 49 CRT drive unit, 51 Pulse generator, 53 CPU, 55 CRT controller, 56
Character ROM, 60, 61 ... delay circuit.

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] An amusement machine in which a character combination that stops on a pay line is determined based on a winning table indicating a winning combination of characters and whether or not a winning is made and a coin payout amount is determined. A plurality of external reels in which a plurality of characters including a character and a second character that independently inhibits a winning configuration are arranged on an outer periphery; a random number generating means for generating a random number for each of the external reels; First storage means for storing a first internal reel strip corresponding to a plurality of characters and the random number, wherein the plurality of characters are constituted only by the first character, and the first character and the random number are stored for each of the external reels; Second storage means for storing a corresponding second internal reel strip; and characters constituting the character combination And a third storage unit configured to store a third internal reel strip corresponding to the plurality of characters and the random number for each of the external reels. A fourth storage unit for storing a winning table that defines a type of winning for the character combination; and a reference character combination first determined by the random number generating unit based on the winning table and the first internal reel strip. It is determined whether or not there is a prize. If the reference character combination corresponds to a prize but not all the characters constituting the reference character are the same, the coin payout amount of the first internal reel strip based on the reference character combination is reduced. On the condition that it is not changed, the second One character combination is determined based on the set reel strip, and when the second character is included in the reference character combination, the coin payment amount of the first internal reel strip based on the reference character combination is reduced. And a control unit that determines one character combination based on the third internal reel strip using the random number generation unit, provided that the combination is not changed. 2. A game device in which a combination of characters stopped on a pay line is determined based on a winning table showing a winning combination of characters, and the presence or absence of a winning and the amount of coins to be paid are determined. A display device that displays a plurality of character strings including a plurality of characters including a character and a second character that independently inhibits a winning configuration; a character storage unit that stores the plurality of characters; and a display device that displays the plurality of characters on the display device. Character controlling means, a random number generating means for generating a random number for each character string, a first storing means for storing, for each character string, a first internal reel strip corresponding to the plurality of characters and the random number, The plurality of characters are composed of only the first character, and Second storage means for storing a second internal reel strip in which the first character and the random number correspond to each other, so that the probability that one of the second characters is included in the characters constituting the character combination is increased. And a third storage unit configured to store a third internal reel strip corresponding to the plurality of characters and the random numbers for each of the character strings, and to store a winning table defining a type of winning for the character combination. Determining whether or not a winning has occurred for the reference character combination first determined by the random number generating means based on the fourth storage means, the winning table and the first internal reel strip, and the reference character combination corresponds to a win. If not all characters constituting the reference character are the same, On the condition that the coin payment amount of the first internal reel strip based on the quasi-character combination is not changed, one character combination is determined based on the second internal reel strip using the random number generation means, and the reference character combination is determined. When the second character is included in the third character, the third random number generation means is used by using the random number generation means on condition that the coin payout amount of the first internal reel strip based on the reference character combination is not changed. A control device for determining one character combination based on the internal reel strip.