JP2004049340A - Game machine - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a game machine provided with performance reels which give no burden on the eyes of a player. <P>SOLUTION: The game machine is provided with a plurality of rotary reels displaying patterns on their peripheries, and at least one performance reels which perform lottery at each game to decide either of losing and winning bonus points, stop a string of symbols on a rotary reels corresponding to the winning bonus point at a prize-winning effective line to win a prize, and are adjacent to side parts of the respective rotary reels. These performance reels are constituted so as to make performance to a rotary reel right or left to it. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a gaming machine provided with an effect reel.
[0002]
[Prior art]
A general configuration of a conventional gaming machine will be described with reference to a front view of FIG. The slot machine 10 has a box-shaped housing 11. At the center and upper part of the housing 11, a square window-shaped display window 14 facing the player side is formed. In the center of the display window 14 at the center, each of three left rotating reels 43, a middle rotating reel 44, and a right rotating reel 45 (hereinafter, the three rotating reels are collectively referred to as a rotating reel 41). The symbol display window 13 is formed so that the symbol 61 and the symbol on the effect reel 46 can be seen. The rotating reel 41 and the effect reel 43 form a reel unit 60. Each of the rotating reels 41 is provided with a rotating drum made of synthetic resin, and a plurality of symbols (for example, 21 pieces) are displayed on the outer peripheral surface of the tape-shaped reel tape attached around the rotating drum. Have been.
[0003]
The bet switch 16 is a switch located below the rotating reel 41, and reduces the number of stored medals to substitute for inserting medals. The settlement switch 17 is a switch located diagonally below the rotating reel, and pays out the stored inserted medals. The start switch 30 is a lever positioned diagonally below the rotating reel 41 and drives the reel unit 60 on condition that a game medal is inserted into the medal insertion slot 100 or the bet switch 16 is operated. Let it start. The stop switch 50 is for stopping the driving of the reel unit 60.
[0004]
When the player operates the start switch 30 after inserting one to three medals, each rotating reel 41 rotates. The front panel is provided with a maximum of five pay-in effective lines (not shown) that are effective according to the number of inserted medals. When the start switch 30 is operated, a lottery using random numbers is performed inside the gaming machine. As a result of the lottery, if any winning combination is won, and the symbol corresponding to the winning combination can be stopped by operating the stop switch 50 on the winning line, the winning is generated. As a result, a profit according to the winning mode, for example, a predetermined number of medals is paid out to the player.
[0005]
The effect reel 46 is provided separately from the rotating reel 41 described above. The effect reel 46 uses a display medium such as a liquid crystal or a light emitting diode, and displays the symbol of the rotating reel 41 so that the player stops at the state inside the gaming machine, for example, the symbol corresponding to the winning combination. It is used for effects such as assisting a player's stop operation by displaying the information in accordance with the rotation, or notifying the player of a winning mode after the game is over. As shown in FIG. 5, the effect reel 46 is provided outside three rotating reels 43, 44, 45 which are usually arranged in parallel.
[0006]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
The conventional effect reel is located at a position distant from the three rotating reels arranged in parallel, in particular, the first rotating reel (left rotating reel). Therefore, when the symbol corresponding to the above-mentioned winning combination is displayed (produced), for example, when the player makes a so-called forward push, that is, a single rotation reel, a production reel, a second rotation reel (medium rotation reel), a production It is necessary to move the player's eyes greatly left and right in the order of the reel and the third spinning reel (right spinning reel), which places a burden on the player's eyes, and in particular, stops at a specific symbol. It is difficult for beginners and elderly people to use so-called eye assist.
[0007]
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a gaming machine that can use a production reel without imposing a burden on a player's eyes.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The gaming machine according to claim 1 of the present invention, wherein a plurality of spinning reels around which symbols are displayed, a lottery is performed for each game to determine a loss or a winning combination, and the rotation corresponding to the winning combination is determined. A symbol row on a reel is stopped at a pay line, and a winning is achieved. At least one effect reel is provided adjacent to a side of each rotating reel.
[0009]
A gaming machine according to a second aspect of the present invention is the gaming machine according to the first aspect, wherein the effect reel is configured to perform an effect on one of the left and right rotating reels. .
[0010]
As described above, since the effect reel is provided between the rotating reels, the effect reel can be used without the player moving the line of sight greatly left and right.
[0011]
A gaming machine according to a third aspect of the present invention is the gaming machine according to the first aspect, wherein the effect reel performs an effect on the other rotating reel when one of the left and right rotating reels stops. It is characterized by comprising.
[0012]
As described above, since the effect reel is provided between the rotating reels, the player can enjoy the game without greatly moving his / her eyes left and right.
[0013]
A gaming machine according to a fourth aspect of the present invention is the gaming machine according to the first aspect, wherein the effect reel is configured to perform an effect related to a winning mode after all the spinning reels stop. It is characterized by.
[0014]
A gaming machine according to a fifth aspect of the present invention is the gaming machine according to any one of the first to third aspects, wherein the effect of the effect reel displays a shape of a symbol on a rotating reel. It is characterized by the following.
[0015]
A gaming machine according to a sixth aspect of the present invention is the gaming machine according to the fifth aspect, wherein the symbol produced by the effect reel is displayed following the operation of the rotating reel corresponding to the effect reel. It is characterized by that.
[0016]
As described above, the effect reel performs the same operation as the rotating reel, so that the interest of the player can be enhanced.
[0017]
A gaming machine according to a seventh aspect of the present invention is the gaming machine according to any one of the first to sixth aspects, wherein the effect medium of the effect reel is a plurality of light emitting diodes.
[0018]
By using a plurality of light emitting diodes in this manner, more detailed effects can be produced.
[0019]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
An embodiment of a gaming machine according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a front view of a slot machine provided with a reel unit including a production reel of the present embodiment, and FIGS. 2A and 2B are perspective views showing only the reel unit according to the present embodiment. 3 and FIG. 4 are block diagrams according to the present embodiment.
[0020]
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2A, the reel unit 60 of the present embodiment includes a cylindrical rotating reel drum main body 12, a first rotating reel 43, a second rotating reel 44, and a third rotating reel. 45, a first effect reel 46a provided between the first rotating reel and the second rotating reel, and a second effect reel 46b provided between the second rotating reel 44 and the third rotating reel 45. And The first rotating reel 43, the second rotating reel 44, and the third rotating reel 45 are formed to have the same diameter, and can be independently rotated around the outer periphery of the rotating reel drum body 12, similarly to the conventional rotating reel. It is configured.
[0021]
The first effect reel 46a and the second effect reel 46b are constituted by a plurality of light emitters, for example, LEDs (light emitting diodes) 460 provided along the outer peripheral surface of the rotating reel drum body 12, and the first rotation is performed. It has the same diameter as the reel 43 and the like. The first effect reel 46a and the second effect reel 46b are connected to a light emission control unit 221 (described later) in the effect control unit 22 for controlling the effect (light emission state) of the LED 460 provided on the outer peripheral surface thereof. ing.
[0022]
As shown in FIG. 2B, the effect reels may be installed adjacent to the left and right outer ends of the left and right rotating reels. That is, as shown in the drawing, the effect reel 46c may be installed on the left side of the first rotating reel 43, and as the effecting reel 46d on the right side of the third rotating reel 45.
[0023]
FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the slot machine, which comprises an input unit, a control unit 20, and an output unit.
[0024]
The input unit includes the above-described input switch 15, bet switch 16, settlement switch 17, start switch 30, and stop switch 50, and a signal input through each switch is sent to the control unit 20. Note that the configuration of the input unit is not limited to these switches.
[0025]
The output unit includes a reel unit 60 including an effect reel to be described later, a hopper unit, and the like. The parts connected to the output unit are not limited to these parts.
[0026]
The control unit 20 is installed inside the slot machine 10 and has a role of controlling the overall operation of the slot machine 10. The control unit 20 is mainly configured by a central processing unit (CPU), and includes a read only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), an input / output (I / O) port, and the like. Then, the CPU controls the operation in the control unit by reading the program stored in the ROM.
[0027]
The control unit 20 includes a game control unit 21 and an effect control unit 22. The game control unit 21 is a device that controls the rotation and stop of the rotating reel 41 based on the operation of the start switch 30 and the stop switch 50, and the production control unit 22 is a production device such as a lamp and a speaker (not shown). Control). Further, a light emission control unit 221 of this embodiment is included. The number of CPUs that perform these controls is not limited to one, and these devices may be controlled by two or more CPUs.
[0028]
The game control unit 21 includes a normal game control unit 70, a special game control unit 80, a lottery unit 105, and an AT game control unit 160. The normal game control unit 70 controls the normal game in order to perform the normal game, and the special game control unit 80 controls the special game in order to perform the special game. The winning lottery section 110 of the lottery section 105 performs a lottery of a winning combination.
[0029]
Further, an AT (assist time) game control section 160 performs control when the player enters an AT game that gives the player a greater benefit than when a normal winning combination is won.
[0030]
The normal game control unit 70 is for causing a player to perform a normal game. That is, when the player operates the start switch 30 on the condition that a medal is inserted or the bet switch 16 is pressed, or when a predetermined time has elapsed since the previous game when the player wins the “Replay”, the reel unit The drive of 60 starts the rotation of the three rotating reels 41. Thereafter, when one of the three stop switches 50 is operated by the player, the rotation of the rotating reel 41 corresponding to the stop switch 50 is stopped.
[0031]
Then, when all three stop switches 50 are operated by the player, the rotation of all three rotating reels 41 is stopped. At this time, when the preset symbol 61 stops on the winning line in the symbol display window 13 at the center (this state is called winning), a predetermined number of medals are paid out via the hopper unit.
[0032]
The winning role includes a small role winning that gives a profit to the player (hereinafter referred to as a normal small role winning), a special winning role that gives the player a greater profit than the small role winning, and a payout of game medals. However, there is a replay winning combination (hereinafter referred to as replay winning) in which a player can play a game again without newly inserting a game medal. Then, when the lottery result is one of the winnings, a winning flag corresponding to the winning combination is established. When the lottery result is a special winning, a special winning flag is established. During the establishment of the special winning flag, the combination of symbols for stopping the rotating reel 41 of the reel unit 60 is changed to a predetermined special winning combination symbol (for example, one in which three “7” are aligned on the pay line). ), And a prize is notified to the player. The player can play a special game by winning.
[0033]
Whether any of the symbols corresponding to the winning combination can be aligned on the pay line while any one of the winning flags is established is determined by the stop switch 50 if the rotation speed of the rotating reel 41 is constant. Depends on the timing of the operation. Specifically, after the stop switch 50 is operated, the rotation reel 41 is set to stop within 190 ms. Therefore, after the stop switch 50 is operated, the rotation reel 41 can be stopped as it is or can be stopped within 190 ms. In the case where a corresponding symbol is included in the retractable symbol 61 on the circumference of the rotating reel 41, for example, three consecutive retractable symbols 61 from the stop symbol, the time until the stop is determined. After a delay, the rotating reel 41 draws the symbol 61 on the pay line and stops. On the other hand, when the corresponding symbol is not included in the three drawable symbols 61, the symbol cannot be drawn on the pay line and stopped.
[0034]
Further, there is a method of determining the stop position of the rotating reel 41 at a timing when the stop switch 50 is pressed according to a predetermined stop control table. Also in this case, when the winning flag is established, the stop position is previously determined on the table so that the symbols 61 corresponding to the winning flag are aligned on the pay line. This is also a kind of pull-in setting.
[0035]
The special game control unit 80 is for causing the player to perform an advantageous special game based on the lottery result of the lottery unit 105. Special games are generally broadly classified into specific introduction games (BB games), specific games (RB games), and specific winning games (JAC games).
[0036]
The specific game (RB game) is performed alone during the specific introduction game (BB game) or when it is not during the specific introduction game (BB game). The specific winning game (JAC game) is performed during a specific game (RB game). Note that the special game is not limited to the specific introduction game (BB game), the specific game (RB game), and the specific winning game (JAC game).
[0037]
In the normal game, although not shown, for example, when three symbols 61 such as “7” are aligned on the pay line, 15 medals are paid out via the hopper unit. At this time, the BB game is started.
[0038]
The special game control unit 80 is roughly divided into a specific introduction game control unit 90 and a specific game control unit 91.
[0039]
The specific introduction game control unit 90 is for controlling the BB game. Specifically, when the normal game is shifted to the BB game, the BB game is performed by inserting a maximum of three game medals as in the normal game. When the game is started and the rotation of each of the three spinning reels 41 is stopped by the stop button 50, the role of controlling the payout of the game medals depending on whether or not the winning symbols are aligned on the winning activated line. Have. During the BB game, a game with a small combination probability higher than that in the normal game is performed every time. However, if the specific winning symbols for shifting to the RB game during the BB game are aligned on the pay line, then the process shifts to the RB game.
[0040]
Normally, during the BB game, the transition to the RB game is performed at a predetermined maximum number of times, for example, a maximum of three times. After the first RB game is completed, the small role as described above is again performed. A game with a high probability is performed.
[0041]
Then, in the BB game, the RB game is completed a predetermined maximum number of times, for example, three times, or the normal game during the BB game is performed a predetermined maximum number of times, for example, a maximum of 30 times, whereby the BB game ends. .
[0042]
The specific game control unit 91 controls an RB game. Specifically, when the game shifts to the RB game, when one game medal is inserted and the predetermined symbol 61 of the spinning reel 41 is aligned on a predetermined pay line of the symbol display window 13, the winning is determined and the winning is determined. Become. Then, in the RB game, a specific winning game for determining whether or not to win can be performed up to 12 times, of which a maximum of 8 times can be won. In other words, the RB game ends when a maximum of eight wins are determined or when a maximum of 12 specific win games are completed.
[0043]
Here, the operations of the light emission control unit 221 of the effect control unit 22 and the two effect reels 46a and 46b included in the reel unit 60 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to the block diagram of FIG.
[0044]
As one embodiment, the above-mentioned AT game (the type of the AT game at this time is such that the symbol of the winning combination which has been won inside the gaming machine is notified to the player in some form in advance, and the symbols are aligned on the pay line. It is assumed that a symbol corresponding to the special winning combination, for example, symbol “7”, is won by the lottery unit 105 in a certain game during a period in which a so-called eye-pressing assist function that assists the player to stop the game easily). .
[0045]
At this time, the light emission control unit 221 displays the shape of the symbol “7” corresponding to the winning combination by using the blinking of the LED 460 on the first effect reel 46a and the second effect reel 46b. Also, the shape of the symbol "7" is displayed (moved) at the same position as the symbol "7" on each of the rotating reels 43 to 45 using the blinking of the LED 460. For example, after the player stops the first spinning reel 43, an effect (display) for the second spinning reel 44 is performed on the first spinning reel 46a, and similarly on the second spinning reel 46b. , An effect for the third rotating reel 45 is performed.
[0046]
This allows the player to know the winning combination before operating the stop switch. In addition, the player can perform a stop operation aiming at the symbol corresponding to the winning combination while watching the effect reels 46a and 46b “immediately next to” each of the rotating reels 43 to 45, so that so-called pushing is easy. become.
[0047]
As still another embodiment, even during a normal game, the indication of the LED 460 on the effect reels 46a and 46b is performed in accordance with the pattern shape on each of the rotating reels 43 to 45, and the rotating operation of each of the rotating reels 43 to 45 is performed. In this case, it is possible to produce an effect as if five rotating reels are rotating, thereby increasing the taste.
[0048]
Further, the effect reels 46a and 46b can be used as a device for general notification such as winning notification, for example, which is performed after one game is completed.
[0049]
In these embodiments, the description has been made using the effect reels 46a and 46b provided between the rotating reels 43 to 45. However, as shown in FIG. The effect reels 46c and 46d may be used. Further, some of the effect reels 46a to 46d may be arbitrarily combined, or all effect reels 46a to 46d may be used.
[0050]
In the present embodiment, the effect medium on the effect reel is not limited to the LED, but may be any liquid crystal or 7-segment that can simulate the shape of the symbol on the rotating reel and its rotating operation.
[0051]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the rotating reel drum of the slot machine of the present invention, the effect reel is provided between the rotating reels, and the effect can be produced without the player moving his / her line of sight left and right. Therefore, it is possible to provide a gaming machine equipped with effect reels that do not burden the eyes of the player.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a front view showing one embodiment of a gaming machine according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is two perspective views of the reel unit according to the embodiment.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the gaming machine according to the embodiment.
FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the gaming machine according to the embodiment.
FIG. 5 is a front view of a conventional slot machine.
[Explanation of symbols]
Reference Signs List 10 slot machine 11 housings 12a, 12b display window 13 symbol display window 15 insertion switch 16 bet switch 17 settlement switch 20 control unit 21 game control unit 22 effect control unit 25 medal insertion slot 30 start switch 41, 43 to 45 rotating reel 46a , 46b, 46c, 46d Production reel 50 Stop switch 60 Reel unit 61 Symbol 62 Medal payout slot 70 Normal game control section 80 Special game control section 90 Specific introduction game control section 91 Specific game control section 105 Lottery section 110 Winning lottery section 160 AT game control unit 221 Light emission control unit 460 LED

Claims (7)

A plurality of spinning reels around which symbols are displayed, and a lottery is performed for each game to determine either a loss or a winning combination, and the symbol row on the rotating reel corresponding to the winning combination is stopped at a winning line. In gaming machines that will be awarded,
A gaming machine comprising at least one effect reel adjacent to a side of each of the rotating reels. The gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein the effect reel is configured to perform an effect on one of the left and right rotating reels. The gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein the effect reel is configured to perform an effect on the other rotating reel when one of the left and right rotating reels stops. 2. The gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein the effect reel is configured to perform an effect relating to the winning mode after all the spinning reels have stopped. 4. The gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein the effect of the effect reel displays a shape of a symbol on the rotating reel. 5. 6. The gaming machine according to claim 5, wherein the symbol produced by the production reel is displayed following the operation of a rotating reel corresponding to the production reel. The gaming machine according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the effect medium of the effect reel is a plurality of light emitting diodes.

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