Patent Application
20220189239
The present invention relates to a game device, a game control method, and a recording medium.
Various game devices are developed. Patent Document 1 discloses a reel game (slot game) which allows a bonus game to be played in combination with a normal game to increase the interest of the game. In the bonus game, the probability that a privilege is obtained according to the result of play is greater than that in the normal game.
Patent Document 1: U.S. Pat. No. 7,520,809
It is desired to implement a reel game having interest higher than that of a conventional reel game.
The present invention has been made in view of the foregoing, and an object thereof is to provide a technique for implementing a reel game having higher interest.
A game device in an aspect of the present invention is a game device including: a control section; a storage section; and a display section, wherein the control section is configured to execute a program stored in the storage section to display an image of spin of a reel in a first display area of the display section, and update, in a case where a first symbol is displayed in the first display area when the spin of the reel is stopped, data stored in the storage section such that a privilege corresponding to a symbol displayed at a second position in a second display area of the display section which corresponds to a first position at which the first symbol is displayed in the first display area is awarded to a player.
A game control method in an aspect of the present invention is a method which is performed in a game device including a control section and a storage section, the method which includes: causing the control section to display an image of spin of a reel in a first display area of the display section; and causing the control section to update, in a case where a first symbol is displayed in the first display area when the spin of the reel is stopped, data stored in the storage section such that a privilege corresponding to a symbol displayed at a second position in a second display area of the display section which corresponds to a first position at which the first symbol is displayed in the first display area is awarded to a player.
A recording medium in an aspect of the present invention is a recording medium which stores a program for causing a game device including a control section, a storage section, and a display section to execute a game control method, the game control method including: causing the control section to display an image of spin of a reel in a first display area of the display section; and causing the control section to update, in a case where a first symbol is displayed in the first display area when the spin of the reel is stopped, data stored in the storage section such that a privilege corresponding to a symbol displayed at a second position in a second display area of the display section which corresponds to a first position at which the first symbol is displayed in the first display area is awarded to a player.
According to the present invention, it is possible to provide the technique for implementing the reel game having higher interest.
Hereinbelow, a description will be given of embodiments of the present invention with reference to the drawings. Note that the embodiments described below are only exemplary, and it is not intended to exclude application of various modifications and techniques which are not described explicitly below. That is, the present invention may be implemented by variously modifying the individual embodiments or combining the individual embodiments without departing from the gist thereof. In addition, in the following description of the drawings, the same or similar portions are designated by the same or similar reference numerals. The drawings are schematic, and do not necessarily match the actual dimensions or ratios. There are cases where portions with mutually different dimensional relationships or ratios are included in the drawings.
[Examples of Hardware Components of Game Device]
As shown in
The card which is read by the card reading device 104 is a medium, which stores play information of the player. For example, it is possible to add points obtained according to the play situation of the player to the card, or store information on consumption in the card. Although the player can receive various services according to the information stored in the card, the stored content of the card does not influence the result of play.
In addition, the game device 100 includes a computing device serving as a control device which collectively controls the game device 100 inside the game device 100.
A description will be given of examples of hardware components of a computing device 200 provided inside the game device 100 with reference to
The control section 201 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 202 and a memory 203. For example, the CPU 202 executes predetermined computer programs (e.g., programs of game software) stored in the memory 203 and the storage device 204, and the computing device 200 thereby controls the processes and operations of other hardware components to implement various functions. That is, the computing device 200 cooperates with other hardware to implement game functions by executing the predetermined computer programs under the control of the control section 201. Note that
The storage device 204 is constituted by a hard disk ora semiconductor storage device. In the storage device 204, read and write of data are performed by the control section 201. Data such as a computer program or the like required for processing in the computing device 200 is written in the storage device 204, and data on the processing result is further written therein. The sound processing section 205 performs various sound processing under the control of the control section 201, and outputs data on the processing result to the speaker 101. The image processing section 206 performs various graphics processing under the control of the control section 201, and outputs data on the processing result to the display device 102. The communication section 207 is an interface which allows communication with a server or other game devices. The peripheral device interface 208 is an interface which allows the computing device 200 to communicate with peripheral equipment such as the operation input device 103, the card reading device 104, the bill insertion device 105, and the ticket delivery device 106.
[Example of Content of Game]
Next, a description will be given of an example of the content of a game which the player can play with the game device 100 of the present embodiment. The game device 100 loads a computer program stored in the storage device 204 or the like into the memory 203 and executes the computer program under the control of the control section 201 to control the operations of various components of the game device 100, whereby this game is implemented.
First, in order to start the game, the player inserts the card of the player into the card reading device 104 of the game device 100, and inserts the bill or ticket into the bill insertion device 105. When the bill or ticket is inserted, the player can own credits corresponding to the inserted bill or ticket in the game. In the present embodiment, the credit is a virtual currency which can be used in the game or the like.
Next, the game device 100 generates a betting screen for the player to bet in the reel game with the control section 201 and the image processing section 206, and causes the display device 102 to display the betting screen. The game device 100 starts the reel game in response to the betting by the player and the operation instruction to start the reel game. The reel game which is allowed to be played by inserting the bill or the like and paying in the above manner is referred to as a “normal game” in the following description. In contrast to this, the reel game which can be played free of charge without paying is referred to as a “free game” in the following description.
In the normal game, first, the game device 100 causes the display device 102 to display an image in which a plurality of virtual reels (e.g., five reels. Hereinafter, the virtual reel is also simply referred to as a “reel”) spin, and stops the spin of each of the reels at random timing in the display. After the spin is stopped, part of each reel is displayed in the display device 102.
The image 31 displays part of each of reels r11, r12, r13, r14, and r15. Each reel has a display of a plurality of symbols (pictures) on its surface, and the portion of each reel displayed in the main panel 102a shows three symbols.
In this manner, after the reel spin is stopped, the main panel 102a displays part of a plurality of symbols provided in the reel. Various privileges (or benefits) are rewarded to the player according to whether or not the arrangement of displayed symbols matches a preset (or selected) line (payline). That is, it is determined whether or not the player has won the game (win) according to the displayed symbols and, in the case where the player has won the game, a privilege corresponding to the content of the winning is awarded to the player.
The free game will be described. For example, when the placement or type of the symbols displayed in the display device 102 satisfies a predetermined condition when the spin of the reels is stopped in the normal game, the game device 100 establishes a state in which the free game can be played. For example, when the placement of the displayed symbols satisfies the predetermined condition, a right to play the free game is awarded to the player. Thereafter, the player can play the free game a predetermined number of times (e.g., five times) consecutively. Also in the free game, various privileges such as credits and the like are awarded to the player according to the arrangement of symbols after the reel spin is stopped, the placement of predetermined symbols, or whether or not a predetermined number of predetermined symbols or more are displayed.
For example, it is assumed that the state in which the free game can be played is established when a condition that three or more symbols of coins appear is satisfied. Further, it is assumed that the right to play the free game five times is awarded when a condition that three symbols of coins appear is satisfied, the right to play the free game seven times is awarded when a condition that four symbols of coins appear is satisfied, and the right to play the free game ten times is awarded when a condition that five symbols of coins appear is satisfied. In this case, symbols indicative of coins are displayed in the upper tier of the reel r12 and the middle tier and the lower tier of the reel r15 which are shown in the image 31 in
After the game transitions to the state in which the free game can be played, the game device 100 starts the reel game which is the free game in response to an operation instruction issued to the game device 100 by the player.
First, in the free game, similarly to the normal game, the game device 100 causes the display device 102 to display the image in which a plurality of reels spin, and stops the spin of each of the reels at predetermined timing in the display. After the spin is stopped, part of each reel is displayed in the display device 102.
As shown in
The image 42 displays columns c11, c12, c13, c14, and c15 which are rectangular areas. Each column has three areas in which symbols are displayed. As can be seen from
Herein, a symbol indicative of a volcano (special symbol) is displayed in each of the lower tier of the reel r11 and the lower tier of the reel r14 in the image 41. In this manner, in the case where the special symbol is displayed in the image 41 when the spin is stopped, the bonus (privilege) corresponding to the symbol displayed at the position (second position) in the image 42 which corresponds to the position (first position) at which the special symbol is displayed in the image 41 is awarded to the player. In
Thus, according to the present embodiment, in addition to the image displayed in the main panel 102a, the game device 100 causes the sub-panel 102b to display the image having the shape which is the same as or substantially similar to the shape of the above image during the game. When the special symbol is displayed at the first position in the main panel 102a, the privilege corresponding to the symbol displayed at the second position in the sub-panel 102b which corresponds to the first position is awarded to the player. The privilege is awarded based on the images displayed in the two panels, and hence it is possible to implement the game having higher interest.
A description will be given of an example of direction which is displayed in the display devices 102 by the control of the control section 201 when the bonus is awarded with reference to
Thereafter, as shown in
By the blow-up, the display of the symbol displayed at the second position is erased, and the symbol displayed in an area above the second position moves downward. That is, the display of the sub-panel 102b is updated such that the position where the symbol is erased is occupied by another symbol.
Thus, according to the present embodiment, the spin image of the reels is displayed in the main panel 102a (first display area) of the display devices 102 (display section) by the control of the control section 201 and, thereafter, the spin of the reels is stopped. In the case where the special symbol (first symbol) is displayed in the first display area when the spin is stopped, the privilege corresponding to the symbol displayed at the second position in the sub-panel 102b (second display area) which corresponds to the first position at which the first symbol is displayed in the first display area is awarded to the player. Data stored in the storage device 204 is updated such that data on the awarded privilege is stored in association with data which identifies the player.
In the foregoing, the description has been given of the example in which the credits corresponding to the figure displayed on the symbol displayed in the sub-panel 102b are awarded as the bonus (privilege), but the type of the bonus is not limited thereto. A description will be given of another example with reference to
A description will be given of an example in which the right to play the bonus game is awarded as the bonus with reference to
In addition, a bonus having a value higher than that when the special symbol (first symbol) is displayed, which is shown in
[Process Flow]
Next, a description will be given of an example of a process flow during the play of the game executed in the game device 100 with reference to
The control section 201 loads a computer program stored in the storage device 204 or the like into the memory 203 and executes the computer program to control hardware of the game device 100, whereby the process is executed. Note that the individual process steps included in the process flow described below can be executed after the order of execution is arbitrarily changed, or in parallel in a range which does not cause a contradiction in the process content. In addition, another step may be additionally executed between the individual process steps in a range which does not cause a contradiction in the process content. Further, while a step described as one step for the sake of convenience can be executed after being divided into a plurality of steps, a step described as a plurality of steps for the sake of convenience can be grasped as one step. Note that the details of the process of each process step are already described, and hence the description thereof will be omitted.
The process is started when the placement or type of the symbols displayed in the display device 102 satisfies a predetermined condition when the spin of the reels is stopped in the normal game, and the state in which the free game can be played is established.
First, the control section 201 starts the free game (Step S11), and starts the spin of the reels (Step S12). Specifically, the control section 201 displays a image in which a plurality of reels having a plurality of symbols which are shown on their surfaces spin in the main panel 102a based on data read from the storage device 204. With this, the symbols are successively displayed in a plurality of areas provided in the main panel 102a, and the display of the symbols in the plurality of areas is changed.
Thereafter, the control section 201 stops the change of the display of the symbols by stopping the spin of the reels in the image displayed in the main panel 102a at predetermined timing (Step S13).
When the spin of the reels is stopped, the control section 201 determines whether or not the above-described special symbol is displayed in the main panel 102a (Step S14). The process proceeds to Step S15 in the case where the special symbol is displayed, and the process proceeds to Step S16 in the case where the special symbol is not displayed.
In Step S15, the control section 201 awards the player the privilege corresponding to the symbol displayed at the second position in the sub-panel 102b which corresponds to the first position at which the special symbol is displayed in the main panel 102a. For awarding of the privilege, the control section 201 updates data stored in the storage device 204 such that data on the awarded privilege is stored in association with data which identifies the player. An example of the process for awarding the privilege in Step S15 is as described with reference to
In Step S16, when the spin of the reels is stopped, the control section 201 determines whether or not, among the placements of the symbols displayed in the main panel 102a, the placement of the symbol display matching a payline is present. For example, it is determined whether or not the symbol display stopped on the payline is a winning symbol display. The process proceeds to Step S17 in the case where it is determined that the symbol display is the winning symbol display, and the process proceeds to Step S18 in the case where it is determined that the symbol display is not the winning symbol display.
In Step S17, the control section 201 awards the privilege to the player based on the placement of the symbol display which is determined to be the winning symbol display in Step S16 and data read from the storage device 204. For awarding of the privilege, the control section 201 updates the data stored in the storage device 204 such that data on the awarded privilege is stored.
In Step S18, the control section 201 displays the direction of the game and the game result (information on the awarded privilege or the like) in the display devices 102 according to the determination results in Steps S14 and S16. An example of the method for displaying the direction of the game and the game result in the display devices 102 is as described with reference to
Thus, according to the present embodiment, the game device 100 causes the sub-panel 102b to display the image during the game in addition to the image displayed in the main panel 102a. When the special symbol is displayed at the first position of the main panel 102a, the privilege corresponding to the symbol displayed at the second position in the sub-panel 102b which corresponds to the first position is awarded to the player. As a result, the privilege is awarded based on the images displayed in the two panels, and hence it is possible to implement the game having higher interest.
[Modification]
The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and may be variously modified and implemented without departing from the gist thereof. That is, the above embodiment is only exemplary in all respects and should not be interpreted as being restrictive, and various modifications may be adopted.
For example, in the above embodiment, the description has been given of the example in which the bonus is won when the crystal is obtained, but the player may be allowed to play the bonus game.
In addition, in the above embodiment, the description has been given of the process in which, in the free game, when the special symbol is displayed at the first position in the main panel 102a, the privilege corresponding to the symbol displayed at the second position in the sub-panel 102b which corresponds to the first position is awarded to the player. However, the above process in which the privilege is awarded to the player may be performed in the normal game.
Further, the program for implementing each embodiment of the present invention described above may be stored in a recording medium. When the recording medium is used, it is possible to install the above program in a computer. Herein, the recording medium which stores the above program may be a non-transitory recording medium. The non-transitory recording medium is not particularly limited and, for example, the non-transitory recording medium may be a recording medium such as a CD-ROM.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/JP2019/019925 | 5/20/2019 | WO | 00 |
