JP4515522B1 - Game system and jackpot lottery device constituting the same - Google Patents

Abstract

A game apparatus that participates in a jackpot lottery is divided into a plurality of groups, and an unfair feeling of a player that may occur when each group performs a jackpot lottery independent of each other is reduced.
A jackpot lottery device performs a grouping process in which each of four or more game devices is associated with at least one of a plurality of groups according to a predetermined grouping condition, and each of the plurality of groups is a game device belonging to the group. A group-specific jackpot lottery process for determining a winning game device to win a jackpot award is performed. In this lottery process, a game device having a larger number of accumulated medals by group paid out at the time of jackpot winning has a higher winning frequency. The grouping process is performed every time a predetermined group change condition is satisfied.
[Selection] Figure 20

Description

  The present invention relates to a game system including a jackpot lottery device for executing a jackpot lottery for a plurality of game devices, and a jackpot lottery device constituting the game system.

  Conventionally, as this type of jackpot lottery device, for example, a device used for a game system including a plurality of medal game machines (game devices) installed in a game center or the like is known (for example, Patent Documents). 1). Generally, the medal game machine controls the progress of the game on condition that a medal (betting object) is received from the player, and pays out a predetermined number of medals (paying object) to the player according to the game result. An example of a medal game machine using a jackpot lottery apparatus will be described. The number corresponding to a part of the number of medals (betting targets) received from a player is accumulated and added, and this is used as a payout amount data for jackpot lottery. It is held in the payout amount storage means of the apparatus. Each time one of the game devices satisfies a predetermined lottery start condition, the jackpot lottery device draws a lot, and the game device or a player who plays on the game device wins the jackpot prize or does not win (losing) ) When the jackpot prize is won in this lottery, the number of medals corresponding to at least a part of the above-mentioned payout amount data is paid out to the player of the game device that satisfies the predetermined lottery start condition, and the payout amount data is Return to the initial value.

Here, the jackpot lottery device is generally often used in a game system composed of a plurality of game devices each having a game progress control means for independently progressing a game. This is due to the following reason. That is, the number of medals that each game device can pay out to the player at one time is limited to some extent by each game device. Therefore, when the jackpot lottery device is used for a single game device, the upper limit of the number of medals to be paid out when the jackpot prize is won is limited by the maximum payout amount set for the game device. In contrast, when a jackpot lottery device is used in a game system composed of a plurality of game devices, the upper limit of the number of medals to be paid out when winning the jackpot prize is determined by the sum of the maximum payout amounts of the plurality of game devices. be able to. In this case, it is possible to increase the number of medals paid out when the jackpot prize is won, compared to the case where the jackpot lottery device is used for a single game device. As a result, by winning the jackpot award, it is possible to give the player the expectation that a large number of medals will be paid out at once, and to attract the player's interest. Because of such advantages, the jackpot lottery device is often used in a game system including a plurality of game devices instead of a single game device.
In particular, in recent years, a game system including game devices installed in a plurality of stores (game facilities) is also known, and a jackpot lottery device can be used for such game systems. .

In such a game system, as the number of game devices participating in the jackpot lottery increases, the amount of medals to be paid out when winning the jackpot award can be increased. It seems that the player's expectation for is increased.
However, if the amount of medals to be paid out when winning the jackpot award is too large, if the person who pays the medals for winning the jackpot award is the store operator of the winning game device, This temporarily imposes an excessive financial burden on the store operator. As a result, it becomes difficult for each store to perform stable store operation, and as a result, it may be difficult to operate the jackpot lottery system itself.
In addition, for the purpose of suppressing a decline in the player's expectation for winning the jackpot prize, each game device participating in the jackpot lottery has an appropriate frequency (for example, about once a day for each store). The winning probability may be adjusted so that the jackpot prize is won at a frequency of, for example, a frequency of about once every two or two game devices. In this case, if the number of game devices participating in the jackpot lottery becomes too large, the jackpot prize winning frequency in the entire game system becomes too high. When such a situation occurs, the preciousness of the jackpot prize is lost, and the attractiveness that the player feels for the winning (the attractiveness of winning the prize with few winners) decreases. There may be a problem that the player's expectation for winning the prize may be diminished.

  As a method for solving such a problem, a method in which game devices participating in the jackpot lottery are divided into a plurality of groups and each group performs a jackpot lottery independent of each other. In this method, the number of game devices belonging to each group is divided into groups so that the number of game devices does not exceed a specified number, so that the number of game devices participating in the jackpot lottery executed for each group is adjusted not to be too large can do.

However, even when grouping in this way, the following problems may occur.
In the jackpot lottery, a game device having a larger amount (hereinafter referred to as “pool amount”) indicated by an amount indicated by the jackpot payout amount data (hereinafter referred to as “jackpot storage number”) is usually greater. The winning frequency of the jackpot prize is set to be high. Specifically, as a jackpot lottery system, all game devices are subject to lottery in one jackpot lottery, which game device wins according to the winning probability assigned to each game device, There is a method for determining whether or not the game device is lost, and a method for determining whether one game device is a lottery in a single jackpot lottery and determining whether the game device is a winner or lost according to a predetermined winning probability. is there. In the former method, the winning probability of each game device is usually set so that the game device with a larger pool amount becomes higher, so that the game device with a larger pool amount has a higher jackpot prize winning frequency. In the latter method, the jackpot lottery start condition is usually set so that the game device having a larger pool amount has a higher frequency of satisfying the jackpot lottery start condition. In this case as well, the game device with a larger pool amount has a higher jackpot prize winning frequency.

Under such a setting, if there is a game device having an extremely large pool amount in the same group, the winning frequency of the jackpot prize in the game device becomes extremely higher than other game devices. Therefore, there is a possibility that a player playing with the other game device may feel unfairness by feeling that the game device having a large pool amount is winning the jackpot prize.
Conversely, if there is a game device with an extremely large pool amount in the same group, the rate of increase in the number of jackpots stored will be greatly increased by the pool amount of the game device. Therefore, it is welcomed that players who play on other game devices have game devices with a large pool in the same group that will increase the amount of medals that can be earned when they win the jackpot prize. Some people. Therefore, when a game device with a large pool amount does not exist in the group to which the game device to be played belongs, but exists in another group, some players feel that it is unfair.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above background, and the object of the present invention is to divide the game devices participating in the jackpot lottery into a plurality of groups and perform independent jackpot lottery in each group. It is an object to provide a game system capable of reducing a feeling of unfairness of a player, and a jackpot lottery device constituting the game system.

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the invention of claim 1 includes four or more game devices having game progress control means for controlling the progress of a game, and a plurality of groups to which at least two game devices respectively belong. a game system comprising a jackpot game apparatus for executing a group-specific jackpot drawing in which the game device in the group lottery target, the drawing machine for jackpot game according to a predetermined grouping condition, the plurality of groups such that at least two game devices belonging to each, each of the four or more gaming devices, a grouping processing means for performing grouping processing for associating at least one of said plurality of groups, for each of the plurality of groups, the group Winning the jackpot award from game devices belonging to A lottery means for performing a jackpot lottery process for each group for determining a game device, and a payout target amount to be paid out to a player of the selected game device when the lottery means determines a winning game device A payout amount storage means for storing payout amount data indicating the amount for each of the plurality of groups, and when the lottery means determines a winning game device, the payout amount data corresponding to the group to which the corresponding game device belongs Jackpot payout processing means for performing jackpot payout processing for paying out a payout target of at least a part of the amount indicated by the read payout amount data to the player of the corresponding game device, Each time a predetermined payout increase condition is satisfied on each game device, payout amount data corresponding to the group to which the game device belongs A payout amount increasing means for cumulatively increasing the indicated amount, wherein the lottery means has a large amount in which the payout amount increasing means increases the amount indicated by the payout amount data within a predetermined period. The group-specific jackpot lottery is executed so that the jackpot prize winning frequency is increased, and the grouping processing means is configured to perform the above-described processing of four or more game devices when a predetermined group change condition is satisfied. The grouping process is performed so that a group associated with at least one game device is changed to another group of the plurality of groups .
In this game system, four or more game devices participating in the jackpot lottery are divided into a plurality of groups, and each group performs a jackpot lottery independent of each other. According to this game system, when a predetermined group change condition is satisfied, a group associated with at least one game device of four or more game devices participating in the jackpot lottery is changed. Therefore, when a predetermined group change condition is satisfied, the game device may be removed from the group in which the game device having an extremely large pool amount exists. Therefore, it is possible to remove the feeling of unfairness in a player who felt unfairly that only game devices having an extremely large pool amount have won the jackpot prize. On the other hand, in this case, the game apparatus having an extremely large pool amount belongs to another group, and a player who has a new feeling of unfairness may appear in the group. However, when the predetermined group change condition is again satisfied after that, the game apparatus having an extremely large pool amount may move to another group again. If a game device with an extremely large pool amount always belongs to the same group, the unfairness of the player cannot be eliminated all the time, but a game device with an extremely large pool amount such as this game system is in another group. By adopting a configuration that can be moved to, there is no player who keeps feeling unfair for a long time, and the game system as a whole can reduce the feeling of unfairness of the player.
There is also a sense of unfairness of players who feel unfairly that game devices with an extremely large pool amount do not exist in the group to which the game device they play belongs but exist in other groups. Can be reduced as well.

Further, in the game system according to claim 1, when the lottery means determines a winning game device in the game system according to claim 1, a plurality of game devices including a corresponding game device belonging to the same group as the corresponding game device are included. On the other hand, a winning notice effect means for performing a winning notice effect indicating that one of the plurality of game devices has won the jackpot prize, and the winning result of the jackpot prize is notified after the winning notice effect is performed. It has a winning result notification means.
In this game system, when the winning game device of the jackpot prize is determined, the winning notice device is also given to the game device of the losing that is not actually won, so that not only the player of the winning game device but also the losing of the losing It also gives the game device players a sense of expectation that they may have won the Jackpot Award.
Here, as described above, when the winning frequency is adjusted so that each game device participating in the jackpot lottery wins the jackpot prize at an appropriate frequency, if there are too many game devices participating in the jackpot lottery, The frequency with which the notice effect is performed becomes very high. Since the winning announcement effect is also performed for the player of the game device that has lost, as described above, the player who makes such a loss feels that the frequent winning announcement effect is troublesome.
In this game system, the grouping process described above can be adjusted so that the number of game devices participating in the jackpot lottery does not become too large. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the annoyance of the winning notice effect that is felt by the player who has lost the winning notice effect.

Further, the invention of claim 3 is the game system of claim 1 or 2, wherein the specific information for notifying the player of each game device of information for specifying another game device belonging to the same group as the game device. It has a reporting means.
In this game system, the player can specify information for identifying other game devices belonging to the same group as the game device to be played, specifically, for example, the model name of the game device, the location of the game device (region) Information such as name and store name). Therefore, when a game device belonging to the same group as the game device to be played is changed, the player can know what kind of game device the changed game device is. As a result, it is possible to prevent rutting when a jackpot lottery is always performed together with the same game device.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the game system according to any one of the first to third aspects, the jackpot lottery device interrupts the group-specific jackpot lottery when a predetermined interruption condition is satisfied. The predetermined group change condition is that the predetermined interruption condition is satisfied.
If the game device belonging to the group is suddenly changed while the jackpot lottery device continues the jackpot lottery, problems such as giving the player a sense of incongruity may occur. Therefore, in the present game system, a time when the jackpot lottery is interrupted due to maintenance or the like is used, and the game devices belonging to the group are changed before and after the interruption. As a result, an interruption period such as a maintenance period is interposed before and after the change, so that it is possible to reduce problems such as giving the player a sense of incongruity.

The invention according to claim 5 is the game system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the predetermined grouping condition is that the number of game devices belonging to one group does not exceed a prescribed number. It is characterized by including.
In this game system, since the number of game devices belonging to one group does not exceed the prescribed number, the unfairness of the player can be effectively reduced by appropriately setting the prescribed number.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the game system according to any one of the first to fifth aspects, the predetermined grouping condition is that a minimum number of game devices belonging to one group is determined in advance. It is characterized by including the condition that it is not less than.
In this game system, since the number of game devices belonging to one group does not fall below a predetermined minimum number, the number of game devices participating in the group-specific jackpot lottery can be determined by appropriately setting the minimum number. It is possible to avoid a situation where the player's expectation for a large number of medals is reduced due to too little.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the game system according to any one of the first to sixth aspects, in the grouping process, each of the four or more game devices is randomly assigned to at least one of the plurality of groups. It is characterized by associating with.
In this game system, it is possible to give diversity to combinations of game devices belonging to the same group by imparting randomness to game devices belonging to the same group.

Further, the invention of claim 8 is a jackpot lottery device that executes a jackpot lottery by group for each of a plurality of groups to which at least two game devices belong, and for which a game device belonging to the group is a lottery object. according to a predetermined grouping condition, such that at least two game devices belonging to each of the plurality of groups, each of 4 or more gaming devices, a grouping processing means for performing at least one associate grouping process of said plurality of groups, For each of the plurality of groups, a lottery means for performing a jackpot lottery process for each group to determine a winning game device to win a jackpot award from among the game devices belonging to the group, and the lottery means determines the winning game device. When a decision is made, A payout amount storage means for storing payout amount data indicating an amount including a payout amount to be paid out for each of the plurality of groups, and when the lottery means determines a winning game device, the corresponding game device A jack for reading out the payout amount data corresponding to the group to which the game belongs, and paying out the payout target of at least a part of the amount indicated by the read out payout amount data to the player of the corresponding game device Jackpot payout processing means for performing pot payout processing, and payout that cumulatively increases the amount indicated by the payout amount data corresponding to the group to which the game device belongs each time a predetermined payout amount increase condition is satisfied in each game device The lottery means has a large amount that the payout amount increasing means increases the amount indicated by the payout amount data within a predetermined period. The group jackpot lottery is executed such that the winning frequency of the jackpot award is higher for the game device, and the grouping processing means is configured to perform the above four or more when a predetermined group change condition is satisfied. The grouping process is performed so that a group associated with at least one game device of the game devices is changed to another group of the plurality of groups .
In this jackpot lottery device, it is possible to reduce the unfairness of the player as a whole game system.

  According to the present invention, the game devices participating in the jackpot lottery are divided into a plurality of groups, and it is possible to reduce the unfairness of the player that may occur when each group performs a jackpot lottery independent of each other. An effect is produced.

It is a schematic structure figure of the whole game system concerning an embodiment. It is an external view which shows an example of the horse racing game machine which comprises the game system. It is a control block diagram which shows the main control part for controlling the whole operation | movement of the horse racing game machine integratedly. It is a control block diagram which shows the station control part provided for every station of the horse racing game machine. It is explanatory drawing for demonstrating the structure of the station part in the pusher game machine which comprises the same game system. It is a block diagram which shows the main structures of the game control system of the pusher game machine. It is explanatory drawing which shows the example of the game screen for slots displayed on the display part of the same pusher game machine. It is explanatory drawing which shows the example of the game screen for bingo displayed on the display part of the same pusher game machine. It is a perspective view which shows the external appearance of the slot machine which comprises the game system. It is a detailed front view which shows a part of front panel of the slot machine. FIG. 3 is a control block diagram related to the main configuration of the slot machine. It is a control block diagram of a management server. It is a control block diagram of a store server. It is a sequence flow figure showing a flow of jackpot lottery classified by group. It is explanatory drawing which shows the example of the slot screen for a store lottery displayed on the large sized display connected to the store server in the game system. It is explanatory drawing which shows the example of the slot screen for the said store lotteries in the state stopped and displayed. It is a sequence flowchart for demonstrating the determination process of the jackpot production time according to group. It is explanatory drawing which shows the example of the jackpot start screen displayed on display means, such as each station used as a lottery object. It is explanatory drawing which shows the example of the slot screen displayed on display means, such as each station used as a lottery object. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of the grouping process in embodiment.

  Hereinafter, as an embodiment of the present invention, three types of medal game machines, which are arcade game machines (business game machines) having different game contents, a store server as a jackpot lottery device connected to be communicable with these, A game system composed of a management server will be described.

[System overview]
First, the overall configuration of the game system according to the present embodiment will be described.
FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of the entire game system according to the present embodiment.
Three types of medal game machines 1000, 2000, and 3000 constituting this game system are different types of game machines having different hardware. These medal game machines 1000, 2000, and 3000 are installed in a game facility such as the same game center in this embodiment, and are connected to the store server 5000 of the store via a LAN (Local Area Network) as a high-speed communication network. It is connected. The management server 4000 is connected to the store server of each store via a WAN (Wide Area Network) as a low-speed communication network. The management server 4000 performs data communication with each medal game machine 1000, 2000, 3000 and performs data communication with a store server that performs system management of the entire store, and manages the entire game system. In addition, although this embodiment demonstrates the game system over multiple stores, it is the same also in the game system in a single store.

  Next, the configuration and operation of each medal game machine 1000, 2000, 3000 will be described.

[Horse racing game machine 1000]
The medal game machine 1000 is a horse racing game machine.
In this horse racing game machine 1000, one or two or more players predict the order of arrival of a horse racing race to be performed on this horse racing game machine, and when the prediction is hit, pay out medals according to odds of the order of arrival. Can receive.
FIG. 2 is an external view showing an example of the horse racing game machine 1000.
The horse racing game machine 1000 includes a field unit 1002 provided at a central portion, and a plurality of stations 1010 as game devices provided so as to surround the field unit 1002. The field portion 1002 is provided with a field surface 1004 that is a moving surface simulating a racetrack on which a horse race gate 1003 that is a model is placed, and a plurality of model horses (not shown) move within the field surface 1004. The race is developed. Around the field portion 1002, a plurality of speakers 1005 for delivering the actual race and cheering are arranged. Also, above the field portion 1002, a display portion 1006 for displaying a group-by-group cumulative medal number indicating the number of payouts in group jackpot lottery described later, an illumination device 1007 for illuminating the field portion 1002, a field portion A camera 1009 is arranged as an imaging unit for imaging 1002. The display unit 1006, the illumination device 1007, and the camera 1009 are supported by a support column 1008. The speaker 1005 and the lighting device 1007 function as rendering means of the horse racing game machine 1000.

  The station 1010 is provided with a display 1011 that displays a game screen according to the progress of the game, and a touch panel 1012 that is superimposed on the display surface of the display 1011. When the player touches a predetermined position on the game screen displayed on the display 1011 in accordance with an instruction on the game screen, the position is detected by the touch panel 1012, and the operation content of the player is recognized by the horse racing game machine 1000. Further, in the station 1010, a medal insertion unit 1013 into which medals are inserted by the player, a medal payout exit 1014 through which medals are paid out to the player, and a magnetic card for recording data necessary for resuming the game are inserted. The magnetic card insertion slot 1015 is provided.

  In the horse racing game machine 1000, races having the same name as the actual central horse race are sequentially held according to a predetermined cycle. About 60 races are prepared as one year's race, and for each race, the time for betting medals, that is, the time for purchasing a betting ticket, the time for which a model horse is raced, and the race result are displayed. Time is secured. Players can predict the order of arrival for each race and freely purchase betting tickets. The betting ticket is purchased by betting medals, and if the purchased betting ticket matches the result of the race, the number of medals according to the number of bets and odds are paid out as a dividend.

  In the horse racing game machine 1000 according to the present embodiment, the field unit 1002 forms a field surface 1004, and the field surface 1004 is provided with a model such as an artificial turf imitating an actual dressing place, a horse race gate 1003, and the like. A model horse as a moving body moves on the field surface 1004.

FIG. 3 is a control block diagram showing a main control unit for controlling the overall operation of the horse racing game machine 1000 in an integrated manner.
FIG. 4 is a control block diagram showing a station control unit provided for each station 1010.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the main control unit 1100 arranged on the field unit side controls the main control device 1101, a movement control device 1102 for controlling the movement of the model horse in the field unit 1002, and the illumination device 1007. Necessary for the game, the lighting control device 1103 for controlling the sound, the sound control device 1104 for controlling the cheering and the actual situation, etc., the SRAM 1105 and the flash memory 1106 for temporarily recording the data processed by the main control device 1101 ROM 1107 storing various programs and various databases, and an external communication device 1108 for performing data communication with an external device such as the store server 5000 via the LAN. The main control device 1101 is connected to a movement control device 1102, an illumination control device 1103, an acoustic control device 1104, an SRAM 1105, a flash memory 1106, a ROM 1107, an external communication device 1108, and a camera 1009, respectively. The ROM 1107 stores a movement control program, which is movement control information for each model horse, a database of various data relating to each horse used in the race, a race schedule, and the like.

  As shown in FIG. 4, a station control unit 1200 provided in each station 1010 temporarily records a station control device 1201, a medal management device 1202 that manages the payout of medals, and various data of players. RAM 1203, magnetic information reader 1204 as identification information reading means for reading magnetic information such as an ID code which is player identification information of the magnetic card inserted into the magnetic card slot 1015, and for writing various information to the magnetic card Magnetic information writing device 1205. The station control device 1201 is connected to the medal management device 1202, the RAM 1203, the magnetic information reading device 1204, and the magnetic information writing device 1205, respectively. Various types of information read from the magnetic information reader 1204 are stored in the RAM 1203 that functions as individual information storage means. Credit data corresponding to the number of medals inserted into the medal insertion unit 1013 is also stored in the RAM 1203. The exchange of medals with the player is performed by increasing or decreasing the credit data. Further, the station control device 1201 includes a medal insertion sensor (not shown) that detects a medal inserted through the display 1011 and the touch panel 1012 and the medal insertion unit 1013 shown in FIG. It is also connected to each part such as a magnetic card driving device (not shown) for driving the magnetic card inserted into the port 1015.

  Further, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the station control device 1201 of each station 1010 is connected to the main control device 1101 on the game machine body side, and necessary data communication can be performed between them. Yes.

  The main controller 1101 of the main controller 1100 controls the movement of each model horse for each race according to various data such as parameters of each horse in order to realistically reproduce the actual horse racing race when the race is held. The contents are changed. The content of the movement control is determined before the start of the race, and the model horse is controlled to move according to the content of the movement control. Specifically, the main control unit 1101 of the main control unit 1100 reads various parameters of horses running in the race, data such as the state of the horse from the ROM 1107 before the start of the race, and determines the arrival order of the race. . Since only the first and second finishes are related to the payout of medals to the player, it is not necessary to determine all the finish order of the horses to run, if at least only the first and second finish horses are determined. Good. In this case, the other horses are controlled to move to the first and second places according to various parameters. Arrival order data determined by the main control device 1101, parameters of each horse, and the like are sent to the movement control device 1102.

  The movement control device 1102 that has received data from the main control device 1101 executes a movement control program recorded in a ROM (not shown), and performs movement control for each horse. The movement control device 1102 that executes the movement control program calculates the movement pattern of each horse from the parameters of each horse and transmits a control command to each control chip 1022 so that each model horse 1060 moves according to the movement pattern. To do. Specifically, a control command is transmitted to each control chip of each magnetic field generation substrate in order to generate a magnetic field that causes each model horse 1060 to move according to the movement pattern of each horse. Upon receiving the control command, each control chip 1022 controls the current flowing through each coil so as to sequentially generate a magnetic force that pulls the south pole of the permanent magnet of each model horse 1060 along the planned movement path of each model horse 1060. Thereby, each model horse 1060 can be moved along a movement planned route. As a result, each model horse 1060 whose movement is controlled by the movement control device 1102 develops a race on the play field.

[Pusher game machine 2000]
Next, the medal game machine 2000 will be described.
The medal game machine 2000 is a pusher game machine.
FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the configuration of the station unit ST in the pusher game machine 2000.
The pusher game machine 2000 is provided with four satellite portions SA so as to surround a center lottery device (not shown). Each satellite unit SA includes four station units ST as game devices, and each player plays a game at each station unit ST. In addition, each satellite unit SA includes one satellite lottery device 2001, and each station unit ST is arranged around the satellite lottery device 2001.

  The station unit ST mainly includes a medal insertion mechanism (insertion unit) 2100, a play field 2500, a station control unit (not shown), and a display unit 2700. In the station unit ST, a medal insertion mechanism 2100 is disposed on the upper front side, a display unit 2700 as a display unit is disposed on the upper back side, and a play field 2500 is disposed on the upper center. Here, “front side” means the side located when the player plays the game, “back side” means the side opposite to the side where the player plays the game, and “center” means the above-mentioned side. It means the area between the “front side” and the “back side”.

  The medal insertion mechanism 2100 is a mechanism for inserting the medal M into the pusher game machine 2000 when the player plays a game. The medal M inserted into the medal insertion mechanism 2100 is transported to the lift-up hopper via a medal transport path (not shown) inside the casing of the station unit ST, and is temporarily stored in the lift-up hopper. The lift-up hopper includes a medal storage unit for accumulating medals M, a lift-up unit for lifting the medals M to a predetermined height, and a medal for discharging the lifted medals M at a predetermined timing. A discharge part (discharge part). In addition, a medal discharge path 2400 for guiding the discharged medal M to the play field 2500 is provided at the discharge port of the medal discharge unit so as to be swingable left and right. The upper end of the lift-up unit is disposed above the play field 2500. Along with this, the medal discharge unit provided at the upper end of the lift-up unit is also disposed above the play field 2500. Accordingly, the medal M temporarily accumulated in the medal storage unit provided below the play field 2500 is lifted above the play field 2500 by the lift-up unit, and then played from the medal discharge unit via the medal discharge path 2400. Injection into field 2500.

  In the play field 2500, there are mainly provided a main table 2501 as a medal placement table for storing medals M, and a pusher portion 2510 as a medal pushing member placed on the main table 2501. The pusher unit 2510 has an upper surface for storing medals M (referred to as a sub table), an inclined table on which the medals M dropped from the sub table slide, and a push for pushing the medals M stored in the main table 2501. And a wall. The pusher unit 2510 is slidably provided on the main table 2501 in the play field 2500, and slides back and forth at a constant cycle or an arbitrary cycle. A part (the back side) of the pusher unit 2510 is stored in a storage unit (described later) provided below the display unit 2700. The pusher portion 2510 reciprocates back and forth by sliding so as to enter and exit from the storage portion.

  The frame member of the display unit 2700 is slidably contacted with the sub table. Therefore, when the pusher portion 2510 moves in the direction in which the pusher portion 2510 is stored in the storage portion, the medal M on the sub table is pushed forward by the frame member. As a result of this pushing, some medals M on the sub-table drop onto the tilting table. A part of the medals M dropped from the sub table enters an opening (this is called “chucker”) as a medal passage provided in the tilt table. Further, the remaining medals M fall as they are to the main table 2501 and are stored in the main table 2501.

  The medal M on the main table 2501 is pushed forward by the sliding movement of the pusher portion 2510 in the same manner as the medal M on the sub table. That is, since the pusher portion 2510 is placed on the main table 2501 without a gap, when the pusher portion 2510 moves in the direction of unloading from the storage portion, the pusher wall on the front surface of the pusher portion 2510 causes the pusher portion 2510 to move on the main table 2501. The medal M is pushed forward. Due to this pushing, some medals M on the main table 2501 fall. Of the dropped medals M, the medals M that have dropped from the player side end (this is referred to as “front end”) to the medal drop groove are paid out to the player, and other medals M, for example, both sides of the main table 2501 (this) The medal M dropped from the “side end”) is stocked in a predetermined storage section in the station section ST.

  In addition, as shown in FIG. 5, the station unit ST includes a ball throwing mechanism 2800 on at least one side. The ball throwing mechanism 2800 has a configuration for throwing balls B1 and B2, which are spherical objects as irregular shapes described later, into the play field 2500, and includes a ball throwing slope 2801 and a ball throwing position lottery mechanism 2810. The balls B1 and B2 are lottery objects for executing a bingo game described later.

  The ball throwing slope 2801 is configured to guide balls B1 and B2 thrown from a ball carrier 2520, which will be described later, to the ball throwing position lottery mechanism 2810 by gravity. Therefore, it is a downward slope. The ball throwing position lottery mechanism 2810 is a structure for drawing lots on the play field 2500 where the balls B1 and B2 are thrown. In this way, the balls B1 and B2 thrown into the station unit ST from the ball carrier 2520 described later are thrown into the play field 2500 via the ball throwing slope 2801 and the ball throwing position lottery mechanism 2810.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 5, the station unit ST has a ball transport mechanism 2900 on at least one side. The ball transport mechanism 2900 is configured to transport the balls B1 and B2 to the satellite lottery apparatus 2001 when the balls B1 and B2 fall from the main table 2501 in the play field 2500 to the medal drop groove provided on the front side thereof. And has a ball conveyance path (not shown), a ball conveyance unit 2910, and a ball conveyance unit traveling slope 2901. The ball transport path is provided below the front end of the main table 2501 and guides the balls B1 and B2 dropped from the front end to the ball transport unit 2910. The ball transport unit 2910 is configured to transport the balls B1 and B2 received via the ball transport path to the satellite lottery apparatus 2001, and travels on the ball transport unit travel slope 2901 according to the control of the control unit of the station unit ST. . The balls B1 and B2 conveyed to the satellite lottery apparatus 2001 are delivered to the ball carrier 2520.

  In addition, the station unit ST includes a medal payout mechanism 2030. By driving this medal payout mechanism, the same number of medals M as the medals M dropped from the front end of the main table 2501 into the medal drop groove are medal insertion mechanisms 2100. The storage part 2101 is discharged.

Next, a control system of the pusher game machine 2000 will be described.
FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the main configuration of the game control system of the pusher game machine 2000. In the block diagram, for convenience of explanation, the configuration of a drive control system and the like for driving each unit according to the progress of the game is omitted.
The configuration of the game control system in the pusher game machine 2000 mainly includes a control unit 2600 of the station unit ST, a control unit 2610 of the satellite lottery device 2001, and a control unit 2620 of the center lottery device 2002. The control unit 2600 of the station unit ST is mainly responsible for overall progress control of a later-described slot game and bingo game. The control unit 2610 of the satellite lottery apparatus 2001 mainly controls the physical lottery of the bingo game and the ball B1, The control unit 2620 of the center lottery apparatus 2002 is mainly responsible for control of a single jackpot lottery, which will be described later, and overall control of the pusher game machine 2000.

  The control unit 2600 of the station unit ST mainly includes a control device 2601, a ROM 2602, a RAM 2603, and a communication device 2604. The control device 2601 executes various programs stored in the ROM 2602 and performs various controls. The ROM 2602 stores various control execution programs to be performed by the control unit 2600 of the station unit ST. The RAM 2603 temporarily stores various data or information. The communication device 2604 is for performing data communication with the control unit 2610 of the satellite lottery device 2001. Although not shown, the station unit ST is provided with presentation means such as speakers and lighting devices for various presentations, and the control device 2601 controls these presentation means to perform various presentations. Do.

  The control unit 2610 of the satellite lottery apparatus 2001 mainly includes a control device 2611, a ROM 2612, a RAM 2613, a station side communication device 2614, and a center side communication device 2615. The control device 2611 executes various programs stored in the ROM 2612 and performs various controls. The ROM 2612 stores various control execution programs to be performed by the control unit 2610 of the satellite lottery apparatus 2001. The RAM 2613 temporarily stores various data or information. The station side communication device 2614 is for performing data communication with the control unit 2600 of each station unit ST belonging to the satellite unit SA. The center side communication device 2615 is for performing data communication with the control unit 2620 of the center lottery device 2002. Although not shown, the satellite unit SA is provided with presentation means such as speakers and lighting devices for various presentations, and the control device 2611 controls these presentation means to perform various presentations. Do.

  The control unit 2620 of the center lottery device 2002 mainly includes a control device 2621, a ROM 2622, a RAM 2623, a communication device 2624, and an external communication device 2625. The control device 2621 executes various programs stored in the ROM 2622 and performs various controls. The ROM 2622 stores various control execution programs to be performed by the control unit 2620 of the center lottery apparatus 2002. The RAM 2623 temporarily stores various data or information. The communication device 2624 is for performing data communication with the control unit 2610 of each satellite unit SA. The external communication device 2625 is for performing data communication with an external device such as the store server 5000 via the LAN. Although not shown, the center lottery apparatus 2002 is provided with presentation means such as speakers and lighting devices for various presentations, and the control device 2621 controls these presentation means to perform various presentations. I do.

  In the above configuration, in the pusher game machine 2000, in addition to the pusher game, the slot game screen as shown in FIG. 7 is displayed on the display unit 2700 to execute the slot game, and for the bingo as shown in FIG. A game screen is displayed on the display unit 2700 to execute a bingo game. The pusher game machine 2000 also performs a single jackpot lottery using the center lottery device 2002. The display unit 2700 also displays a single cumulative medal number indicating the number of payouts in a single lottery described later, and a group-by-group cumulative medal number indicating a payout number in a group-specific jackpot lottery described below.

  The slot game is a digital lottery game in which the control unit 2600 in the station unit ST mainly draws digitally. The starting condition of this slot game is that the medal M enters any one of the chuckers provided on the tilting table of the pusher unit 2510. A slot game screen as shown in FIG. 7 is displayed on the display unit 2700 during a period in which a later-described bingo game is not progressing, and the medal M enters one of the chuckers and the slot lottery start condition is satisfied. Then, the control unit 2600 performs display control for rotating the three dice slots DS. In the digital lottery in the slot game, the control unit executes a predetermined lottery program, and determines whether the winning combination is lost or lost in light of the generated random number against a predetermined winning table. Thereafter, the control unit 2600 performs display control to stop the rotation of the three dice-shaped slots DS so that the combination of symbols related to the winning combination is stopped and displayed on the display unit 2700 when the winning combination is determined.

  In this embodiment, as a combination of digital lottery, a small hitting combination A for supplying three medals to the play field 2500, a small winning combination B for supplying eight medals to the play field 2500, and a ball B1 to the play field 2500. The supplied ball supply combination, the normal bonus combination for supplying 30 medals to the play field 2500, the 30 supply medals to the play field 2500, and the winning table in which the winning probability is set higher in the subsequent digital lottery. Probability bonus combinations, a direct satellite combination that directly supplies the ball B1 to the satellite lottery apparatus 2001, a direct center combination that directly supplies the ball B1 to the center lottery apparatus 2002, and the like are prepared. The winning probability of each combination is set to be lower in this order. In addition, what kind of combination is prepared and what winning probability is set for each combination is arbitrary. For example, various benefits such as paying out the medal M directly to the player may be provided to the player. Then, when these winning combinations are won, the control device 2601 of the station unit ST controls a speaker, a lighting device, etc., and performs individual effects for exciting the winning.

  The bingo game is a physical lottery game that progresses by physical lottery using two types of balls B1 and B2 and the satellite lottery device 2001, and is advanced by the control unit 2610 of the satellite lottery device 2001 and the control unit 2600 of the station unit ST. To do. In the bingo game, the control unit 2610 of the satellite lottery apparatus 2001 mainly controls the lottery for determining the winning bingo numbers of the bingo game, and the control unit of each station unit ST belonging to the satellite unit SA including the satellite lottery apparatus 2001. 2600 is mainly in charge of control such as a bingo game production and a bingo establishment determination. In this embodiment, a physical lottery is performed in which one winning bingo number (winning object) is selected from a plurality of different bingo numbers (lottery objects) by moving the balls B1 and B2 with the satellite lottery apparatus 2001. . In the physical lottery of this embodiment, one winning bingo number is selected from among the bingo numbers “1” to “9”. Then, the bingo card arrangement information in which the bingo numbers “1” to “9” are arranged in a matrix is generated individually for each station unit ST by the control unit 2600 of the station unit ST, for example. Thereafter, a bingo card image BC in which images of bingo numbers “1” to “9” (lottery target images) are arranged according to the arrangement information is displayed on the display unit 2700 of each station unit ST as shown in FIG. . When bingo is established, the control device 2601 of the station unit ST and the control device 2611 of the satellite unit SA control the respective speakers, illumination devices, and the like, and perform individual effects for exciting the bingo establishment.

  In the single jackpot lottery, the balls B1 and B2 enter the winning spot to which the right to start the single jackpot lottery in the center lottery device 2002 is assigned in the physical lottery in the satellite lottery device 2001 in the bingo game described above. When the start condition of the single jackpot lottery for either winning the center role directly in the slot game is satisfied, the control device 2621 of the control unit 2620 in the center lottery device 2002 stores the single jackpot execution program stored in the ROM 2622. To start a single jackpot lottery. Then, in the center lottery apparatus 2002, a physical lottery is performed in which a ball B1 is moved to determine whether a single jackpot award or a loss (including a case where a prize other than a single jackpot award is won). When the single jackpot award is won, the control device 2621 of the center lottery apparatus 2002 controls the speaker, the lighting device, and the like, and performs individual effects for exciting the single jackpot award.

  When the single jackpot prize is won, the control device 2621 reads out the single JP storage number data as the payout amount data from the RAM 2623, and starts the jackpot lottery for the number of medals M indicated by the count value of the data. Processing for supplying to the play field 2500 of the station unit ST that satisfies the conditions is performed. At this time, a medal supply command is output from the control device 2621 to the control device 2601 of the control unit 2600 in the station unit ST, and the medal M is played in the play field 2500 under the control of the control device 2601 in the same manner as the normal medal supply process. You may make it supply to. However, the number of medals supplied when winning the single jackpot award is a part of the number of medals inserted into all station sections ST after the single JP stored number data is reset to the initial value (for example, 500). Since the number of sheets corresponding to (for example, 0.03 sheets) is cumulatively added, the number is large. Therefore, a process using an original medal supply mechanism may be performed separately from the normal medal supply process. In this case, it is also suitable as an effect when winning a single jackpot award. When the single jackpot prize is won, the control device 2621 resets the single JP stored number data stored in the RAM 2623 to the initial value.

[Slot Machine 3000]
Next, the medal game machine 3000 will be described.
The medal game machine 3000 is a slot machine as a game device.
FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing an appearance of the slot machine 3000 according to the present embodiment.
The slot machine 3000 includes a box-shaped casing 3002, a front panel 3003 attached to the front side of the casing 3002 so as to be freely opened and closed, and the like. The front panel 3003 has a display window 3004 for displaying a part of a variable display unit, which will be described later, a medal slot 3005, a start button 3006 as a start operation device, a dice display window 3007, a credit clearing button 3008, a speaker 3009, A medal tray 3010 having a medal payout box 3010a, an effect panel 3011, a count display unit 3014, a BET operation unit 3015, and the like are provided. The speaker 3009 and the effect panel 3011 function as effect means of the slot machine 3000. The effect panel 3011 displays various information such as a group-by-group accumulated medal number indicating the number of payouts in a group-by-group jackpot lottery described later.

  Inside the housing 3002, three reels are incorporated as variable display portions in which a plurality of types of symbols are printed on the outer peripheral surface. The three reels (hereinafter referred to as “left reel”, “middle reel”, and “right reel” in turn) are each driven to rotate by a reel drive motor (not shown) constituted by a stepping motor. Also, a plurality of types of symbols such as “white 7”, “blue 7”, “green 7”, “red 7”, “cherry”, “blank”, etc. are printed in a predetermined order. In the present embodiment, the “blank” symbol is a symbol that does not constitute any role. In addition, a main control circuit board on which an electronic circuit is formed by a CPU, a ROM, and other various electronic components, a medal payout device having a medal hopper capable of accommodating a large number of medals, an internal speaker, and the like are also incorporated.

FIG. 10 is a detailed front view showing a part of the front panel 3003.
The symbols for about three frames at a predetermined rotational position of each reel are visually recognized by the player through the display window 3004. In this display window 3004, five winning lines IL are drawn so as to extend over all reels. When a combination of symbols relating to a combination corresponding to a predetermined prize group is arranged on these winning lines IL (hereinafter simply referred to as “combining a combination”), a medal is paid out to the medal tray 3010 or a special combination. The player is given game value such as shifting to a special game period in which a game can be played. In the slot machine 3000 according to the present embodiment, five winning lines IL are provided, but the number of winning lines may be reduced or increased. The winning line may be any line that is not visible to the player but can be recognized by a CPU 17a (to be described later) that controls the stop of the slot machine.
The count display unit 3014 includes a credit display unit 3014a, a bonus count display unit 3014b, a medal payout number display unit 3014c, and the like.
The BET operation unit 3015 includes two buttons, a 1 BET button 3015a and a Max BET button 3015b.

FIG. 11 is a control block diagram relating to the main configuration of the slot machine 3000.
The main control unit 3100 of the slot machine 3000 includes a control device 3101, a reel control device 3102 that controls the driving of three reels, a storage device 3103 that stores various programs and various databases necessary for the game, and a count A display control device 3104 that performs display control of the display unit 3014, an illumination control device 3105 that controls illumination of the effect panel 3011, an acoustic control device 3106 that controls sound output from the speaker 3009, and a store server via the LAN And an external communication device 3107 for data communication with an external device such as 5000. In addition to these devices, the main control device 1101 is connected to a medal insertion sensor 3022, a BET operation unit 3015, a medal payout device 3018, and the like.

Next, the game flow of the slot machine 3000 will be described.
Before playing the game, first, the player needs to insert a medal into the medal slot 3005 as preparation. When the player inserts a medal into the medal insertion slot 3005, the medal passes through a passage (not shown) and falls to the medal hopper. In this passage, a drop opening for dropping a medal smaller than the standard and returning it to the medal payout rod 3010a, a medal block solenoid for preventing the medal from passing and returning to the medal payout rod 3010a, or passing through A medal insertion sensor 3022 configured with a photo sensor or the like for detecting medals one by one is provided. A medal detection signal output from the medal insertion sensor 3022 that has detected a medal is sent to the control device 3101 of the main control unit 3100. In response to this, the control device 3101 controls the credit display 3014a to increase the display count value by one by the display control device 3104 and increases the credit number data stored in the storage device 3103 by one. Let Usually, a plurality of medals are inserted at a time, and the number of credits is increased to some extent. When the player performs a bet operation by operating the BET operation unit 3015, the control device 3101 reduces the credit number data stored in the storage device 3103 by the bet number and also displays the display count value of the credit indicator 3014a. Control is performed to reduce by the number of bets. In addition, the control device 3101 recognizes the winning line IL that has become effective according to the number of bets. Note that if the winning combination is not aligned on the effective winning line IL, no winning is achieved even if the winning combination is aligned on the ineffective winning line IL.

  When the start button 3006 is operated by the player, the control device 3101 executes a start command receiving program stored in the storage device 3103, thereby functioning as a start command receiving means, and a variable display from the start button 3006. Accept start command. The control device 3101 that has received this change display start command first causes the reel control device 3102 to start rotational driving of all reels. In addition, the control device 3101 that has received the change display start command executes a prize group lottery program stored in the storage device 3103 to select one of the prize groups from among a plurality of prize groups. It functions as a means for performing an internal lottery to determine a loss in which no prize group is selected, and performs an internal lottery. This internal lottery is performed by comparing the random number data sent from the random number generation circuit with the prize group lottery table stored in the storage device 3103. This award group lottery table associates each random number with one of the award groups or a loss. By associating in this way, any prize group is won with a predetermined probability, or a loss occurs with a predetermined probability.

  The rotation position of the reel that has started to rotate is detected by a reel position sensor (not shown). Then, the reel control device 3102 calculates the reel rotation speed based on the output signal from each reel position sensor. When the reel rotation speed is stabilized, the reel control device 3102 can recognize the position of each symbol on each reel based on the output signal from each reel position sensor. Then, the control device 3101 executes a stop control program stored in the storage device 3103, and controls the reel so that a predetermined symbol combination is stopped and displayed on the winning line based on the lottery result of the internal lottery. The apparatus 3102 performs reel stop control. Specifically, when any prize group is won by the internal lottery, the stop control is performed so that the combination of symbols related to the winning combination corresponding to the selected prize group is stopped and displayed on the winning line IL. On the other hand, when the winning combination is lost without any prize group being selected by internal lottery, stop control is performed so that a combination of symbols not corresponding to any prize group is stopped and displayed on the winning line IL.

  In the normal game, an internal lottery is performed using a prize group lottery table corresponding to the normal game. The prize group that can be won in the internal lottery of the regular game includes a cherry award corresponding to a cherry role consisting of “cherry-ANY (regardless of design) -ANY (regardless of design)”, “ANY7 (“ 7 ”). ANY7 award corresponding to the ANY7 role consisting of “7” of multiple colors, “ANY7 (regardless of the color of“ 7 ”) — ANY7 (regardless of the color of“ 7 ”), White 7 award corresponding to white 7 role consisting of “white 7-white 7-white 7”, Blue 7 award corresponding to blue 7 role consisting of “blue 7-blue 7-blue 7”, “green 7- There are medal payout awards such as a green 7 award corresponding to a green 7 role consisting of “green 7-green 7” and a red 7 award corresponding to a red 7 role consisting of “red 7-red 7-red 7”. When any one of the medal payout prizes is won by the internal lottery and the corresponding role is arranged on the payline IL, the control device 3101 corresponds to the winning prize on the medal payout number display 3014c of the count display unit 3014. Display the number of medals to be paid. Then, the control device 3101 performs a medal payout process for the number of coins corresponding to the winning prize. Specifically, the control device 3101 increases the credit number data stored in the storage device 3103 by this medal payout number and increases the medal credit of the credit indicator 3014a by this medal payout number. I do. When the upper limit value of the medal credit is exceeded, the medal payout device 3018 pays out the medal from the medal payout tray 3010a to the medal tray 3010 for the excess amount. Note that the number of medals to be paid out is large according to the order in which the prize group is described.

[Jackpot system]
Next, the group-specific jackpot lottery executed in this game system will be described.
In the game system according to the present embodiment, all the medal game machines 1000, 2000, and 3000 are divided into a plurality of groups for each store, and independent jackpot lottery (group-specific jackpot lottery) is executed for each group. Since the group-specific jackpot lottery process performed in each group is the same in any group, only the jackpot lottery executed in one group will be described below, and description of other groups will be omitted. .
Details of the grouping process for dividing all the medal game machines 1000, 2000, and 3000 into a plurality of groups will be described later.

FIG. 12 is a control block diagram of the management server 4000 that controls the progress of the group-specific jackpot lottery together with the store servers 5000 of a plurality of stores belonging to this group.
The management server 4000 mainly includes a control device 4001, a storage device 4002, and an external communication device 4003. The storage device 4002 stores various control programs, and stores group-by-group cumulative medal number data that is payout amount data in this group. The storage device 4002 also stores in-store cumulative medal number data for each store belonging to this group. This in-store accumulated medal number data indicates a part of the number of medals consumed by the in-store medal game machines 1000, 2000, and 3000 (the same as the number accumulated as group-by-group accumulated medal number data). . The external communication device 4003 is for performing data communication with an external device such as the store server 5000 of each store via the WAN.

FIG. 13 is a control block diagram of the store server 5000 for managing the system in the store and performing data communication between the management server 4000 and each medal game machine of the store.
The store server 5000 mainly includes a control device 5001, a storage device 5002, an external communication device 5003, and an in-store communication device 5004. The storage device 5002 stores various control programs. The storage device 5002 stores in-store cumulative medal number data that is a part of medals consumed by the medal game machines 1000, 2000, and 3000 in the store, and is sent from the management server 4000. It also stores the cumulative medal count data by group. The external communication device 5003 is for performing data communication with an external device such as the management server 4000 via the WAN. The external communication device 5003 is for data communication with each medal game machine 1000, 2000, 3000, etc. via the LAN.

FIG. 14 is a sequence flow diagram showing the flow of jackpot lottery by group in the present embodiment. In FIG. 14, for explanation, one medal game machine and one store server are displayed.
When a player consumes a medal at each medal game machine 1000, 2000, 3000 at a store belonging to this group, data indicating the amount of consumption is stored in the game device (the station 1010 of the horse racing game machine 1000, a pusher game). The game machine ID as game device identification information for identifying the station unit ST of the machine 2000 and the slot machine 3000) is sent to the store server 5000 of the store. If each game device has a function for managing player identification information such as the horse racing game machine 1000, the player identification information may be used instead of the game machine ID.

  Based on the data sent from each medal game machine 1000, 2000, 3000, the control device 5001 of the store server 5000 consumes the player at the in-store medal game machine 1000, 2000, 3000 connected to the store server 5000. A part of the selected medals (for example, 0.01) is cumulatively stored in the storage device 5002 as in-store accumulated medal number data. Then, the control device 5001 transmits the in-store accumulated medal number data in the storage device 5002 to the management server 4000 at a predetermined timing (for example, every 10 minutes). Note that the in-store accumulated medal number data transmitted here is the amount stored cumulatively from the previous transmission time to the current transmission time.

Whenever the management server 4000 receives in-store accumulated medal number data sent from each store server 5000 of a store belonging to this group, the management server 4000 calculates the number of medals indicated by the data in the storage device 4002 by group. It is cumulatively added to the number data. Thereby, a part (for example, 0.01) of the number of medals consumed by all the medal game machines of the stores belonging to this group is aggregated as the group-by-group accumulated medal number data. In this embodiment, the initial value of the group-by-group cumulative medal number data is, for example, 1000, and a part of the medal number consumed by the player is cumulatively added to this initial value.
In addition, each time the management server 4000 receives in-store accumulated medal number data sent from each store server 5000 of a store belonging to this group, a part of the medal number indicated by the data (accumulated medal for each group). (The same as the number of sheets counted as the number data) is cumulatively added to the in-store accumulated medal number data for the corresponding store in the storage device 4002. Therefore, the in-store accumulated medal number data indicates the number of medals (pool amount) for each store accumulated in the group-by-group accumulated medal number data.

  In the present embodiment, the above-described pusher game machine 2000 also performs a single jackpot lottery, but the accumulated medal number data of this single jackpot lottery is calculated only from the number of medals consumed by the pusher game machine 2000. It is. On the other hand, the cumulative medal number data of the jackpot lottery by group managed and operated by the management server 4000 is calculated from the number of medals consumed by all medal game machines belonging to this group. Therefore, it is possible to increase the number of medals to be paid out to the winner when winning in the jackpot lottery.

  A specific processing flow will be described. The control device 4001 of the management server 4000 first receives the accumulated medal number data in the store transmitted from each store server 5000 at a predetermined timing (for example, every 10 minutes). The cumulative addition processing to the in-store cumulative medal number data of the corresponding store is performed, and the cumulative addition processing to the group-specific cumulative medal number data is performed. Thereafter, the group-by-group cumulative medal number data stored in the storage device 4002 at this time is transmitted to the store server 5000 that is the transmission source of the in-store cumulative medal number data received earlier. Receiving this, the store server 5000 transmits the group-by-group cumulative medal number data to each medal game machine 1000, 2000, 3000. The medal game machines 1000, 2000, and 3000 that have received the information update based on the received group-by-group medal number data. In the present embodiment, the group-by-group cumulative medal number is individually displayed on each medal game machine. However, a display device for displaying the group-by-group cumulative medal number is provided in the store so that it is not individually displayed on each medal game machine. You may comprise.

In the jackpot lottery by group in the present embodiment, every time one of the game devices 1010, ST, 3000 in the store belonging to the group satisfies a predetermined lottery start condition, the game device that satisfies the lottery start condition is a group. A process of determining whether or not to win another jackpot prize is performed. Here, in this embodiment, the start condition of the group-specific jackpot lottery is that a predetermined number (for example, 100) of medals bet, but not limited to this, other known lottery start conditions are widely used. Can be adopted. Specifically, for example, a bet operation is performed, a medal inserted by a medal insertion sensor is detected, a signal for starting a change in symbol display of the slot machine is turned ON, and the number of medals paid out is Exceeding a predetermined number (10) may be mentioned. Further, the start condition of the group-specific jackpot lottery and the winning probability of the group-specific jackpot prize may be different among game devices belonging to this group. Even when the start condition of the group-specific jackpot lottery varies among game devices, it is desirable to set the same type of game device to the same lottery start condition. When the winning probabilities of the jackpot awards by group are different among the game devices, the winning probabilities of the respective game devices may be made different according to the lottery start conditions set in the game devices.
In the present embodiment, independent jackpot lottery is executed for each group. Therefore, the start conditions for group-specific jackpot lottery and the winning probability of jackpot-specific prizes may be different among groups.

  The specific processing flow will be described. When the control device 5001 of the store server 5000 of the store belonging to this group receives the medal consumption data and the game machine ID from each game device 1010, ST, 3000, the control device 5001 uses the game machine ID. The number of medals as indicated by the medal consumption data is cumulatively added to the individual count data in the storage device 5002. When the number of medals indicated by the individual count data exceeds 100, the control device 5001 performs a process of subtracting the number of medals for 100 from the individual count data, and executes a jackpot lottery program for each group. To make a jackpot drawing by group. In this group-specific jackpot lottery, it is determined whether or not the group-specific jackpot prize is won by comparing the generated random numbers against a predetermined winning table.

  When winning of any of the game apparatuses 1010, ST, 3000 is determined in the group-by-group jackpot lottery of the present embodiment, first, a store from which a group-by-group jackpot prize is won is selected from a plurality of stores in the group. A store lottery effect is performed to produce an effect as if the store lottery for determination is being performed. In this embodiment, the winning game device for the group-specific jackpot award (or a winner who is a player playing on the game device. Hereinafter, sometimes referred to as a winner) has already been determined. In the production, the lottery process is not performed, but the production is merely performed as if the lottery is being performed. In other words, it can be said that this store lottery effect is an effect for notifying which store the winner of the jackpot award by group has been issued.

In the store lottery effect of the present embodiment, when winning of any of the game devices 1010, ST, 3000 is determined, first, the control device 5001 of the store server 5000 receives winning data indicating the winning of the winning game. The information is transmitted to the management server 4000 together with the game machine IDs of the devices 1010, ST, and 3000. The control device 4001 of the management server 4000 that has received the winning data executes store selection processing for selecting a store that performs store lottery effects. In the store selection process in this embodiment, the remaining stores in the group to which the store of the store server 5000 that transmitted the winning data belongs are selected.
Here, in this embodiment, all the stores constituting the game system are divided into a plurality of groups that perform independent jackpot lotteries (group-specific jackpot lotteries). This is much less than in the case where store lottery effects are performed at all stores constituting the game system. The event that if there are too many stores for which the store lottery effect is made, the apparent number of lotteries (the number of stores) will increase, so that no game devices in the store will win even though the store lottery effect is occurring Will increase, and the players at each store will realize that the probability that their store will win (apparent winning probability) will be low, and the expectation for winning will be reduced, resulting in excitement from the store lottery effect May be missing. Therefore, by performing the store lottery production only for stores in the same group as the store where the winner has come out as in the present embodiment, it is realized that the apparent winning probability that my store wins is high, The expectation for winning can be increased, and the store lottery effect can be excited. The store selection conditions and the number of stores to be selected in the store selection process can be set as appropriate. Therefore, in the store selection process, only a part of stores in the same group as the store from which the winner has come out may be selected. However, it is necessary to make sure that the store where the winner of the jackpot award by group is located is selected.

  When the control device 4001 of the management server 4000 selects a store for which the store lottery effect is performed by the store selection process, the control device 4001 issues a store effect command to the store servers 5000 of all the stores in the same group as the selected store, that is, the store where the winner has come out. Output. And the store server 5000 which received this store production instruction | indication performs a store lottery production process. In the store lottery effect process, a store lottery slot screen as shown in FIG. 15 is displayed on a large display (not shown) connected to the store server 5000. At the bottom of the store lottery slot screen, the number of medals to be paid out by winning the current jackpot award by group (cumulative medal number by group) is displayed. In addition, on the store lottery slot screen, an image is displayed in which a frame displaying the name and area of the store selected in the store selection process moves in a predetermined order from the top of the screen to the bottom of the screen. The That is, in the present embodiment, the large display is a store name that is information for identifying other game devices belonging to the same group as the game device to the player of each game device of the store belonging to the group. It functions as specific information notification means for reporting the area name. Finally, as shown in FIG. 16, the frame of the store (store A) where the winner of the jackpot award by group is present is stopped and displayed. Thereby, the player who saw the large display of the store where the store lottery effect was performed can know that the winner of the jackpot award by group from the players who are playing at the store A. As a result, the player who is playing in the store A will further increase his expectation if he may have won.

  Here, as the store lottery effect process, the process of displaying the store lottery slot screen on the large display connected to the store server 5000 has been described, but other processing methods may be adopted. For example, the processing method of displaying the store lottery slot screen as described above using the display means of each medal game machine 1000, 2000, 3000, the processing method of performing the store lottery effect by voice announcement, or the like may be used. .

  When the store lottery effect is completed in this way, the store server 5000 of the store (store A) where the winner of the jackpot award by group is located next, the medal game machines 1000, 2000, A group-specific jackpot effect process is performed to produce an effect as if a winner-determined lottery for determining a winner of a group-specific jackpot award from among the players playing at 3000 is performed. In the present embodiment, since the winner of the jackpot award for each group has already been determined, the jackpot effect processing for each group does not perform a lottery process, but simply produces an effect as if a lottery is being performed. Only. In other words, it can be said that the effect by the group-specific jackpot effect process is a winning notice effect for notifying which player (or which game device) has won the group-specific jackpot award. This group-specific jackpot production process informs that the winner of the group-specific jackpot lottery has been issued from within the store, raises the expectation that he may be the winner, and interests as to who won You can get the attention of players and galleries throughout the store.

  This group-specific jackpot production needs to be performed simultaneously on all the medal game machines 1000, 2000, and 3000 in the store, but the production is performed in relation to the game progress on each medal game machine 1000, 2000, and 3000. It is necessary to adjust the time (time for jackpot production by group). This is because each medal game machine 1000, 2000, 3000 progresses a game independently, and depending on the progress, it is preferable to prevent the game progress by a group-specific jackpot effect, greatly reducing the enjoyment of the player. Because there may be no.

  For example, in the horse racing game machine 1000, if the group-specific jackpot effect suddenly starts during the race reproduction using the field unit 1002, the excitement of the original game of the horse racing game machine is remarkably lowered, which is not preferable. Also, for example, in the pusher game machine 2000, when a jackpot effect by group starts suddenly during a lottery where a large amount of medals can be paid out, such as a physical lottery of a bingo game or a single jackpot lottery, The excitement of the original game of the pusher game machine is remarkably lowered, which is not preferable. Also, for example, in the slot machine 3000, if a group jackpot production suddenly starts during the winning production when a large amount of medals such as the Green 7 Award and the Red 7 Award are decided, the player's joy is remarkably increased. It is lowered and is not preferable.

On the other hand, each medal game machine 1000, 2000, 3000 has a period when there is little adverse effect such as reducing the original enjoyment of the medal game machine even if the progress of each game is blocked by grouped jackpot effects. To do. For example, in the horse racing game machine 1000, there is little adverse effect at a time for betting medals by a player, that is, a time for purchasing a betting ticket, and it is suitable for starting a group-specific jackpot effect. Further, for example, in the pusher game machine 2000, there is little adverse effect at the time except during the lottery where a large amount of medals can be paid out or during the winning production, and the jackpot production by group is started. Is suitable. In addition, for example, in the slot machine 3000, from the end of one slot game to the start of the next slot game, specifically, after the losing in the previous slot game is determined or the winning effect is ended. After that, until the start button 3006 of the next slot game is operated, there is little adverse effect and it is suitable for starting a group-specific jackpot effect.
In each medal game machine 1000, 2000, 3000 of this embodiment, the game progress situation illustrated here is preset as a situation where a group-specific jackpot effect can be performed.

FIG. 17 is a sequence flow diagram for explaining the determination processing of the jackpot effect time for each group.
The store server 5000 that has received the store effect command first inquires all the medal game machines 1000, 2000, and 3000 when the game progress status becomes a status in which the group-specific jackpot effect can be performed. In response to this inquiry, the control devices 1101, 2621, 3101 of each medal game machine 1000, 2000, 3000 execute the time prediction program alone or in cooperation with other control devices 1201, 2601, 2611. Then, a process for predicting a time when each game progress situation becomes a predetermined setting situation described above is performed. Then, the control devices 1101, 2621, 3101 of the respective medal game machines 1000, 2000, 3000 return the group-specific effectable time information indicating the predicted time from the external communication devices 1108, 2625, 3107 to the store server 5000. The control device 5001 of the store server 5000 functions as a group-specific performance time determination means, and performs group-specific jackpot effects based on group-specific performance time information sent from each medal game machine 1000, 2000, 3000. Decide another production time. Specifically, the earliest time in which the group-specific performance possible times of all the medal game machines 1000, 2000, and 3000 overlap each other is specified based on the group-specific performance time information, and this is determined as the group performance time. . And the information of the determined production time according to group is transmitted to each medal game machine 1000, 2000, 3000. In each medal game machine that has received this, the game progress is controlled so that the game progress status of the medal game machine becomes the above-described predetermined setting status that can perform the jackpot effect by group at the determined group-specific performance time. To do. Note that a specific control method is to store the above-described setting situation in each medal game machine 1000, 2000, 3000 and read out the stored setting situation information to perform game progress control. Alternatively, the setting status described above is incorporated in advance in a game progress control program, and the game progress control is performed according to the contents of the program.

It should be noted that in order to achieve the above-described setting situation at the group-specific production time determined by the control device 5001 of the store server 5000, it is necessary to make fine adjustments to the game progress on the individual medal game machines 1000, 2000, and 3000. May occur.
As the fine adjustment method, in the horse racing game machine 1000, for example, in the reproduction process of the race reproduction movie executed after the end of each race, there is a method of shortening or lengthening the reproduction time of the race reproduction movie. More specifically, the playback time can be shortened or lengthened depending on whether the start of the reproduction of the race reproduction movie is the middle or end of the race.
Further, in the pusher game machine 2000, for example, in the slot game performed in each station unit ST, by the display control that lengthens or shortens the time from the start to the stop of the rotation of the three dice-shaped slots DS. There is a method of performing fine adjustment. Specifically, for example, the playback speed of the video from the start to the stop of rotation of the three dice slots DS may be increased or decreased. In this case, since the video itself does not need to be edited, the display process is easy.
In the slot machine 3000, for example, there is a method of performing fine adjustment by drive control that lengthens or shortens the time from the start of rotation of three reels to the stop thereof.

Note that the fine adjustment method is not limited to the above-described method, and is appropriately determined according to the game contents of each medal game machine 1000, 2000, 3000.
In particular, in the case of a game machine that performs a digital lottery, a method of extending or shortening the time for displaying the lottery effect video as in the pusher game machine 2000 is effective.

In addition, the determination method of the production time according to group is not limited to this.
For example, the control device 5001 of the store server 5000 functions as an effect timing determination means, and the predetermined effect time for each group is determined without inquiring each medal game machine 1000, 2000, 3000 about the effect available time for each group. The production time for each group is determined according to the conditions. Then, the determined group-specific performance time is transmitted to each medal game machine 1000, 2000, 3000, and each medal game machine performs its own game progress in a group-specific jackpot effect at the determined group-specific performance time. You may make it perform control of a game progress so that it may become the above-mentioned predetermined setting situation to obtain. This method is particularly effective when the medal game machine constituting the game system has a high degree of freedom in controlling the game progress status.

  When the group production time determined by the store server 5000 is reached, as shown in FIG. 14, the control device 5001 of the store server 5000 is for recognizing a player playing on each medal game machine 1000, 2000, 3000. Perform player presence confirmation processing. Specifically, it inquires of all the medal game machines 1000, 2000, 3000 about the presence confirmation of the player through the LAN. In response to this inquiry, the medal game machines 1000, 2000, and 3000 perform player presence confirmation processing corresponding to the contents of each game.

Since the player can play at each of the plurality of stations, the horse racing game machine 1000 performs a process of confirming whether or not there is a player playing the game for each station. As this confirmation method, for example, there is a method of confirming whether or not a player exists in each station based on the time when the ID code which is the player identification information is read from the magnetic card inserted into the magnetic card insertion slot 1015. It is done.
Specifically, the station control device 1201 specifies the timing when the magnetic information reader 1204 reads the ID code from the magnetic card at a timing when the player inserts the magnetic card into the magnetic card slot 1015 or at a predetermined timing thereafter. The identification information read time information as determination information for this is stored in the RAM 1203. The identification information reading time information may be data (time data) itself indicating the time when the ID code is read, or may be flag information. When flag information is used, for example, flag information that disappears when a condition such as elapse of a predetermined time is satisfied can be used. After that, when receiving an inquiry about the presence confirmation of the player, the station control device 1201 functions as a determination information detection unit, and from the latest time when the ID code is read based on the identification information read time information stored in the RAM 1203. It is determined whether the elapsed time up to the present time has not passed a predetermined time (specified period). When the identification information read time information is data (time data) itself indicating the time when the ID code is read, it depends on whether or not the difference between the time indicated by the data and the current time is smaller than a predetermined time. Just judge. In addition, when the identification information reading time information is flag information, for example, the lifetime of the flag information is set to the predetermined time (specified period) described above, and the flag information is set ( It can be judged by confirming that it is alive. It should be noted that the elapsed time from the most recent time when the ID code is read to the present time and the survival time of the flag information may be updated to those from the time when the game operation is input. As described above, the confirmation method based on the identification information reading time information is used in a game device that controls the progress of the game according to the individual information corresponding to the player identification information read from the identification information storage medium storing the player identification information. be able to.

  Further, the pusher game machine 2000 also allows the player to play at each of the plurality of station units, and therefore performs a process of confirming whether or not there is a player playing the game for each station unit. As this confirmation method, for example, there is a method of determining that a player is present in a station unit where a medal is present on the storage unit 2101 of the medal insertion mechanism 2100. Specifically, a sensor is provided as a determination information detection unit that detects the presence of a medal on the storage unit 2101. If the sensor determines that there is a medal on the storage unit 2101, there is a player playing the game. Judge that. This confirmation method can be used in a game apparatus including a storage unit that stores medals used by a player for game play.

  Further, since the slot machine 3000 is played by one player, a process of confirming whether or not there is a player playing a game on the slot machine 3000 is performed. As this confirmation method, for example, when one or more pieces of credit number data are stored in the storage device 3103, there is a method of determining that a player exists. This confirmation method can be used in a game device that stores medals used by a player as credit data.

Note that the player presence confirmation method is not limited to the above example, and any other method can be employed.
For example, as in the above-described medal game machines 1000, 2000, and 3000, an amount corresponding to the amount of the betting object received based on the betting object receiving means for receiving the betting object and the result of the game controlled by the game progressing means. If the station control unit 1200, the control unit 2600 of the station unit ST, and the main control unit 3100 function as a payout processing unit for performing a payout process for paying out a payout target to the player, the following method is used. Can be adopted. That is, the reception time information for specifying the time when the betting object reception means received the betting object (medal etc.) is detected and stored, and the betting object is received based on this reception time information. It is determined whether the elapsed time up to the time when the player presence confirmation inquiry is received has not passed a predetermined time (specified period). In this determination, if it is determined that the player has not elapsed, it is highly likely that the player has played. Therefore, the determination result that the player has not elapsed is a powerful determination material for determining that the player is playing. It becomes. Note that the reception time information may be data indicating time (time data) itself or flag information as in the case of the identification information reading time information described above. Also in this case, it is possible to use flag information that disappears when conditions such as a certain time elapses are satisfied.

  Further, for example, as in the horse racing game machine 1000 and the slot machine 3000 described above, a RAM 1203 and a storage device 3103 as credit data storage means for storing credit data, a bet object reception means for receiving a bet object, and an accepted bet The credit data corresponding to the amount of the object is reduced from the credit data stored in the credit data storage means, and corresponds to the amount according to the amount of the betting object accepted by the betting object accepting means based on the game result As long as the station control unit 1200 and the main control unit 3100 function as a credit processing unit that performs credit processing for increasing the credit data corresponding to the credit data, the following method can be adopted. That is, the credit change time information for identifying the time when the credit data fluctuates is detected and stored, and based on the credit change time information, the player presence confirmation is performed from the most recent time when the credit data fluctuates. It is determined whether the elapsed time up to the time of receiving the inquiry has not passed a predetermined time (specified period). In this determination, if it is determined that the player has not elapsed, it is highly likely that the player has played. Therefore, the determination result that the player has not elapsed is a powerful determination material for determining that the player is playing. It becomes. Note that the credit change time information may be data indicating time (time data) itself or flag information as in the case of the identification information read time information described above. Also in this case, it is possible to use flag information that disappears when conditions such as a certain time elapses are satisfied.

Further, for example, as in the horse racing game machine 1000 and the slot machine 3000 described above, a touch panel 1012, a start button 3006, a BET operation unit 3015, and the like functioning as a game operation receiving unit that receives a game operation of a player are provided. If the game progress control is performed accordingly, the following method can be adopted. That is, the game operation reception means detects and stores game operation time information for specifying the time when the game operation is received, and based on the game operation time information, from the most recent time when the game operation is received, It is determined whether the elapsed time up to the time when the player presence confirmation inquiry is received has not passed a predetermined time (specified period). In this determination, if it is determined that the player has not elapsed, it is highly likely that the player has played. Therefore, the determination result that the player has not elapsed is a powerful determination material for determining that the player is playing. It becomes. Note that the game operation time information may be data indicating time (time data) itself or flag information, as in the case of the identification information read time information described above. Also in this case, it is possible to use flag information that disappears when conditions such as a certain time elapses are satisfied.
As another example, the right to operate a slot or other mini lottery device in a pusher game machine or the like can be obtained by entering a predetermined winning slot, and it is accumulated until the right is consumed. There are game machines of stock (stock) type. In these game machines, it may be determined that the player is playing when the stock remains.

  Further, for example, in the above-described medal game machines 1000, 2000, and 3000, the place where the player is positioned when the player plays the game is substantially fixed. With such a game device, the following method can be employed. That is, presence detection means such as an infrared sensor or a touch sensor for detecting whether or not a player is present at the location is provided, and when the presence confirmation means is received, the presence detection means is present when the player is present. It is determined whether or not it is detected. In this determination, if it is determined that it is detected, the player is likely to be playing, so the determination result that it is within the period is a powerful determination material for determining that the player is playing It becomes.

  Note that the above-mentioned player presence confirmation methods are combined with each other, and it is effective in improving the accuracy of the judgment to finally determine whether or not the player is playing by combining the judgment results of each method. is there. The final determination may be performed on each game device side, and the final determination result may be transmitted to the store server 5000. However, the final determination is performed by the store server 5000 or the management server 4000. It may be. In the present embodiment, a case will be described in which a final determination is made on each game device side and the final determination result is transmitted to the store server 5000.

  When each medal game machine 1000, 2000, 3000 performs the presence confirmation process of the player, the presence confirmation information as a result of the determination is returned from the external communication device 1108, 2625, 3107 to the store server 5000. The control device 5001 of the store server 5000 specifies a station or a station unit or a slot machine (hereinafter referred to as “the player”) that is specified based on the presence confirmation information sent from each medal game machine 1000, 2000, 3000. Station etc.)). The control device 5001 functions as a player number specifying unit, and specifies the number of players who are playing on the medal game machines 1000, 2000, and 3000 that are the targets of the winning notice effect.

  At this time, if the number of players is less than a prescribed number (for example, 10 players), the control device 5001 performs processing for discarding the right to win the jackpot prize of the current winner. As a result, the group-specific jackpot effects described later are not performed, the jackpot prize winning notification is not performed, and the jackpot payout process is not performed. That is, it is handled as if the jackpot prize was not won.

  On the other hand, when the number of players has reached a specified number (for example, 10 players), the control device 5001 of the store server 5000 notifies each medal game machine 1000, 2000, 3000 of the winning result of the jackpot prize, An effect control command is transmitted to each medal game machine 1000, 2000, 3000. As a result, a group-specific jackpot effect using the effect means of each medal game machine 1000, 2000, 3000 connected to the store server 5000 is performed. However, in the present embodiment, the result of the presence confirmation process of the player is used, and the jackpot effect for each group is performed only for the station where the player is playing. Of course, you may make it perform a jackpot production according to a group in all the stations etc., regardless of whether the player is playing.

  In this embodiment, after winning the jackpot prize, the winners of the fixed number of big wins (Big Bonus Award), the fixed number of middle prizes (Middle Bonus Award), and the fixed number of small prizes (Small Bonus Award) are selected. You may make it perform the process for determining. In this case, after the winning of the jackpot lottery is determined and before the jackpot production by group is performed, the game is played on the medal game machines 1000, 2000, and 3000 of the store where the winner of the jackpot prize is present. A lottery process is performed to determine the winners of each award from the players (excluding winners of the jackpot award).

Next, the jackpot production by group will be described.
In each medal game machine 1000, 2000, 3000 that has received a group-specific effect control command from the store server 5000, the display 1011, the display unit 2700, and the effect panel 3011, which are display means such as stations related to the lottery object, A jackpot start screen for starting the jackpot lottery by group as shown in FIG. 18 is displayed at the same time. In this embodiment, the jackpot start screen is not displayed for stations that are not subject to group-specific jackpot lottery, i.e., stations that are determined not to be played by the player. If the jackpot start screen is displayed at the station, etc., the effect that the player who sees it will immediately come in front of the game machine or insert a medal to participate in the jackpot lottery is expected Can do.

  Here, in this embodiment, the player can play the game of the medal game machine with respect to the stations that are not the target of the group-specific jackpot lottery even during the group-specific jackpot production. Therefore, during the jackpot production by group, there is a possibility that an individual production corresponding to the progress of the game at a station or the like that is not the target of the jackpot lottery by group may be performed. If an individual effect unrelated to the effect is performed during the jackpot effect by group, the individual jackpot effect may be hindered by the individual effect, and the goodness of the jackpot effect by group may be reduced. Therefore, in this embodiment, for stations that are not subject to group jackpot lottery, during group jackpot production, individual production according to the progress of the game is not performed, or volume, light quantity, etc. are not conspicuous Is controlled to produce a discreet effect.

  In addition, the control devices 1101, 2621, 3101 of each medal game machine 1000, 2000, 3000 constitute a winning announcement effect means by themselves or in cooperation with other control devices 1201, 2601, 2611, and by group. By executing the production program, the group-specific jackpot production process is performed. Specifically, all the medal games connected to the store server 5000 are caused by causing the production means such as speakers and lighting devices of the respective medal game machines 1000, 2000, and 3000 to produce an effect that plays a part of the group-specific jackpot production. The machines 1000, 2000, and 3000 perform a single group-based production in cooperation with each other. Specifically, for example, in all the medal game machines 1000, 2000, and 3000, blue and red illuminations are alternately emitted at the same timing by the synchronization signal or the start signal emitted from the store server 5000, or at the same timing. And the same music and sound effects that indicate that a player playing on any medal game machine has won the jackpot award by group.

In the present embodiment, the rendering means of each medal game machine 1000, 2000, 3000 are configured by different hardware, and thus cannot perform the same rendering. Therefore, the medal game machines 1000, 2000, and 3000 may be made to produce different effects so as to produce a unified feeling as a whole. For example, with respect to music and sound effects, the horse racing game machine 1000 may be in charge of the bass part, the pusher game machine 2000 may be in charge of the medium sound part, and the slot machine 3000 may be in charge of the high sound part.
In addition, as long as the production performed by the production means of each medal game machine 1000, 2000, 3000 synchronizes with each other to produce a unified production as a whole, there are various specific methods for group-specific jackpot production. Various directing methods can be considered.

  When the group-specific jackpot production is started in this manner, a player or gallery in the store can receive a jackpot award by a player who plays on the medal game machines 1000, 2000, 3000 in the store. Know that you won. Thereby, the player holds a great expectation that he may have won the jackpot award, and waits for notification of the lottery result.

  After the jackpot effect for each group is started, a slot screen as shown in FIG. 19 is displayed on each display means 1011, 2700, 3011 following the jackpot start screen shown in FIG. Then, after the three reel images on the slot screen start to be displayed in a variable manner, the display means 1011, 2700 and 3011 stop and display a symbol corresponding to the winning or losing win for each corresponding station. Stop display control of three reel images is performed. Specifically, in this embodiment, as described above, the display means 1011, 2700, 3011 such as a station that has won the jackpot award include a combination of symbols corresponding to the jackpot awards by group. Stop display control is performed so as to stop display on the screen.

  Note that the jackpot start screen and the slot screen do not have to be exactly the same on all the medal game machines 1000, 2000, and 3000. For example, these screens are appropriately modified according to the hardware on which these screens are displayed. Or may be arranged according to the game content of each medal game machine 1000, 2000, 3000.

  In this embodiment, the reel image variation display on the slot screen is started simultaneously on all the medal game machines 1000, 2000, and 3000 connected to the store server 5000, but the stop display of the three reel images is completed. The timings are different from each other. Specifically, it is preferable to delay the completion timing of the stop display of the game machine that has won the jackpot award by group.

  Further, in the present embodiment, the group-specific jackpot effect (winning notice effect) is continued from the start of the change display of the reel image on the slot screen until the stop display is completed. For example, after the reel image variation display on the slot screen is started, the illumination of the corresponding station or the like that is the target of the jackpot effect for each group of the medal game machines 1000, 2000, and 3000 is turned on only for different periods. In this way, the station is illuminated so that the lighting stations are sequentially switched. Then, at the timing when the stop display of the reel image at each station or the like is completed, a lottery effect is performed so that the illumination of the station or the like is turned on.

  When the group-specific jackpot production is completed as described above, a medal payout process corresponding to the jackpot award is performed for a player who plays at a station or the like that has won the jackpot award. For the medal payout, the medal payout means of the medal game machine 1000, 2000, 3000 may be used, or an attendant payout made by a store employee may be used.

Next, the grouping process which is a characteristic part of the present invention will be described.
FIG. 20 is a flowchart showing the flow of grouping processing in the present embodiment.
The game system according to the present embodiment is provided with a maintenance period of the management server 4000 or the like of about 2 hours once a day. During this maintenance period, processing in the management server 4000 related to jackpot lottery by group and data communication with the management server 4000 are prohibited. Specifically, the control device 4001 of the management server 4000 functions as a processing interruption unit together with the control device 5001 of each store server 5000 every time a predetermined interruption condition that, for example, 3 am arrives every day is satisfied. As a result, the control device 4001 first outputs a process interruption command to each store server 5000, switches its own operation to the maintenance mode, and starts maintenance work. The control device 5001 of each store server 5000 that has received the process interruption command displays a screen informing that a maintenance period is in progress on a large display (not shown) connected thereto, and interrupts the process related to the group-specific jackpot lottery. Process. During this maintenance period, the control device 5001 of each store server 5000 does not perform at least the group-specific jackpot lottery, so that the jackpot prize is not determined during the maintenance period.

  When the maintenance work is completed without abnormality and 5 am arrives, the maintenance period ends (S1). Thereby, the control device 4001 of the management server 4000 functions as a grouping processing unit, and first executes a grouping process (S2). This grouping process is a process in which all the medal game machines 1000, 2000, and 3000 constituting this game system are divided into a plurality of groups in units of stores. In the present embodiment, the grouping process is performed in accordance with a grouping condition that the number of stores (number of game devices) belonging to one group does not exceed, for example, 10 stores (specified number). Note that the number of stores (number of game devices) belonging to one group is determined in advance as a grouping condition so that the cumulative medal count data for each group in each group jackpot lottery executed for each group does not become too low. You may add the conditions that it is not less than the minimum number (for example, 3 stores) given.

  More specifically, the storage device 4002 of the management server 4000 stores management data for jackpot lottery by group. In this management data, a store ID for specifying each store server is stored in a state associated with the in-store accumulated medal number data stored in the storage device 5002 of each store server 5000. The control device 4001 that executes the grouping process first performs a process of randomly assigning any of a plurality of group IDs to each store ID in the management data. Each group ID is used to identify each group that performs independent group-specific jackpot lotteries. That is, in this game system, as described above, all the medal game machines 1000, 2000, and 3000 are divided into a plurality of groups for each store, and a group-specific jackpot lottery is performed for each group.

  After completing the grouping process in this way, the control device 4001 of the management server 4000 generates group-by-group cumulative medal number data used in each group jackpot lottery executed for each group. Specifically, the control device 4001 first reads the in-store cumulative medal number data associated with the first group ID from the storage device 4002 (S3), and based on these data, all stores belonging to the group. Is calculated, and group-by-group cumulative medal number data indicating the calculated value is generated (S4). The generated group-by-group cumulative medal number data is stored in the storage device 4002 in a state associated with the group ID. In this way, the group-by-group cumulative medal number data for all the groups is generated and stored in the storage device 4002 in a state in which it is associated with each group ID.

  Thereafter, the control device 4001 of the management server 4000 starts a process for accepting participation in the group-specific jackpot lottery from each store server 5000 constituting the game system (S5). Then, when a participation application request is transmitted from each store server 5000 (S6), as a response, a group ID to which the store of the store server 5000 of the transmission source belongs, and a cumulative medal classified by group associated with the group ID. The number data is transmitted (S7). Accordingly, the store server 5000 that has received this response starts the group-specific jackpot lottery described above.

  Here, when the winning of the jackpot prize is determined by the jackpot lottery by group and the medal medal payout process is performed, the medal payout completion notification is transmitted from the store server 5000 of the store where the winner has come to the management server 4000. . Upon receiving this notification, the control device 4001 of the management server 4000 resets the in-store accumulated medal number data associated with the group ID of this group to a predetermined number (for example, zero). Thereafter, the group-by-group accumulated medal number is recalculated based on the in-store accumulated medal number data after the reset to generate group-by-group accumulated medal number data. Thereby, the group-by-group cumulative medal number data of the group is returned to the initial value (for example, 1000). Thereafter, when medals are consumed at stores belonging to the group, a part of the medals is cumulatively added to the initial value, and the group-by-group cumulative medal number data increases.

In the present embodiment, participation is accepted until the next maintenance period arrives (S8), and maintenance work is performed when the next maintenance period comes. Then, after the maintenance period ends, the grouping process (S2) is performed again, and the stores are switched between the groups. In this way, the following effects can be expected when the stores are switched between the groups.
For example, in a group to which a store having an extremely large number of accumulated medals (pool amount) in the store (here, referred to as store A) belongs, the game device of store A is a group compared to other stores belonging to the group. The frequency of satisfying another jackpot lottery start condition (betting a predetermined number of medals) is extremely high. Therefore, the rate at which the winner of the jackpot prize is also relatively higher in store A than in other stores. Such a situation becomes known to players who play in other stores belonging to the same group as the store A by performing only the effects that the store A wins in the store lottery effect. As a result, the player who plays in the other store may have an unfair feeling in relation to the player who plays in the store A, which may be a factor of reducing the game performance of the group-specific jackpot lottery. Such unfairness cannot be eliminated without any change of stores between groups. However, in this embodiment, other stores that belong to the group together with store A are regularly grouped. Since it becomes fluid by processing, there is theoretically no store that is always in the same group as store A. As a result, in this game system, there will be no players who will always have an unfair feeling, and the entire game system will reduce the unfairness of the players and avoid a decline in the game characteristics of the group-specific jackpot drawing. be able to.
On the other hand, for example, in a group to which the store A having an extremely large number of accumulated medals (pool amount) in the store belongs, the player of the other store belongs to the same group, so that he / she can Some people think that this is welcomed because the number of medals when winning a lottery increases. For such a player, it feels unfair to the fact that there is no store with a very large cumulative medal number (pool amount) in the store, such as store A, in the group to which the store where the player plays is located. It can happen. If this unfairness is not resolved, the game performance of the group-specific jackpot lottery will deteriorate for the player. When there is no exchange of stores between groups, such unfairness cannot be resolved all the time, but in this embodiment, as described above, the group to which the store A belongs is fluidized by periodic grouping processing. Therefore, there is theoretically no store that will not be in the same group as store A indefinitely. As a result, in this game system, there will be no players who will always have an unfair feeling, and the entire game system will reduce the unfairness of the players and avoid a decline in the game characteristics of the group-specific jackpot drawing. be able to.

In the present embodiment, various conditions can be added as grouping conditions. For example, if a condition that the medal unit price difference between stores is within a predetermined range is added as a grouping condition, stores that may cause a medal unit price difference exceeding the predetermined range do not belong to the same group. .
Further, the medal game machine applicable to the game system of the present embodiment is not limited to the type described above, and it is not necessary to be a medal game machine.
The store server 5000 of this embodiment is a device dedicated to the game system to which only the medal game machines 1000, 2000, and 3000 participating in the jackpot system are connected. It may be a general store server to which other game machines that are not connected are also connected.

1000 Horse Racing Game Machine 1010 Station 1011 Display 1101 Main Control Device 1108, 2625, 3107, 4003, 5003 External Communication Device 1201 Station Control Device 2000 Pusher Game Machine 2001 Satellite Lottery Device 2002 Center Lottery Device 2500 Play Field 2601, 2161, 2621 Control Device 2700 Display unit 3000 Slot machine 3011 Production panel 3101 Control device 4000 Management server 4001 Control device 5000 Store server 5001 Control device

JP 2007-215653 A

Claims (8)

Four or more game devices provided with game progress control means for controlling the progress of the game;
A game system comprising a jackpot lottery device for executing a group-specific jackpot lottery for each of a plurality of groups to which at least two game devices belong respectively,
The jackpot lottery device
According to a predetermined grouping condition, such that at least two game devices belonging to each of the plurality of groups, each of the four or more gaming devices, a grouping processing means for performing grouping processing for associating at least one of said plurality of groups ,
Lottery means for performing group-specific jackpot lottery processing for determining a winning game device to win a jackpot award from the game devices belonging to the group for each of the plurality of groups;
A payout amount storage that stores payout amount data indicating an amount including a payout amount to be paid out to a player of the selected game device when the lottery means determines a winning game device for each of the plurality of groups. Means,
When the lottery means determines the winning game device, the payout amount data corresponding to the group to which the selected game device belongs is read from the payout amount storage means, and a payout of at least a part of the amount indicated by the read payout amount data Jackpot payout processing means for performing jackpot payout processing for paying out a target to a player of the corresponding game device;
A payout amount increasing means for cumulatively increasing the amount indicated by the payout amount data corresponding to the group to which the game device belongs each time a predetermined payout amount increase condition is satisfied in each game device;
The lottery means determines the jackpot lottery for each group so that the game device having a larger amount of the amount indicated by the payout amount data within a predetermined period increases the winning frequency of the jackpot prize. Is to execute
The grouping processing unit may change a group associated with at least one game device of the four or more game devices to another group of the plurality of groups when a predetermined group change condition is satisfied. A game system that performs the grouping process. The game system according to claim 1,
When the lottery means determines a winning game device, one of the plurality of game devices wins the jackpot prize for a plurality of game devices including the corresponding selected game device belonging to the same group as the corresponding selected game device. Winning notice directing means for performing the winning notice directing effect,
A game system comprising: a winning result notifying means for notifying a winning result of the jackpot prize after the winning notice effect is performed. The game system according to claim 1 or 2,
A game system, comprising: a specific information notification means for notifying a player of each game device of information for specifying another game device belonging to the same group as the game device. The game system according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The jackpot lottery device has a process interruption means for interrupting the group-specific jackpot lottery when a predetermined interruption condition is satisfied,
The game system according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined group change condition is that the predetermined interruption condition is satisfied. The game system according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
The game system according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined grouping condition includes a condition that the number of game devices belonging to one group does not exceed a prescribed number. The game system according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
The predetermined grouping condition includes a condition that the number of game devices belonging to one group does not fall below a predetermined minimum number. The game system according to any one of claims 1 to 6,
In the grouping process, a game system characterized in that each of the four or more game devices is randomly associated with at least one of the plurality of groups. A jackpot lottery device for executing a group-specific jackpot lottery for a plurality of groups to which at least two game devices belong respectively,
According to a predetermined grouping condition, such that at least two game devices belonging to each of the plurality of groups, each of 4 or more gaming devices, a grouping processing means for performing at least one associate grouping process of said plurality of groups,
Lottery means for performing group-specific jackpot lottery processing for determining a winning game device to win a jackpot award from the game devices belonging to the group for each of the plurality of groups;
A payout amount storage that stores payout amount data indicating an amount including a payout amount to be paid out to a player of the selected game device when the lottery means determines a winning game device for each of the plurality of groups. Means,
When the lottery means determines the winning game device, the payout amount data corresponding to the group to which the selected game device belongs is read from the payout amount storage means, and a payout of at least a part of the amount indicated by the read payout amount data Jackpot payout processing means for performing jackpot payout processing for paying out a target to a player of the corresponding game device;
A payout amount increasing means for cumulatively increasing the amount indicated by the payout amount data corresponding to the group to which the game device belongs each time a predetermined payout amount increase condition is satisfied in each game device;
The lottery means determines the jackpot lottery for each group so that the game device having a larger amount of the amount indicated by the payout amount data within a predetermined period increases the winning frequency of the jackpot prize. Is to execute
The grouping processing unit may change a group associated with at least one game device of the four or more game devices to another group of the plurality of groups when a predetermined group change condition is satisfied. A jackpot lottery apparatus for performing the grouping process.