Patent Application
20070060266
The present application is based upon and claims priority from prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2005-252307, filed on Aug. 31, 2005, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
The present invention relates to a gaming machine for enabling a player to play a variable display game according to variable display and stop display of a plurality of symbols.
Hitherto, various gaming machines such as a slot machine have been known as a gaming machine for paying out game medium used with a game, such as medals or coins, (which will be hereinafter simply referred to as “coins”).
For example, some slot machines are designed for allowing a player to play a variable display game (also called slot game) by variably displaying a plurality of symbols on a plurality of rows using mechanical reels each with a plurality of symbols drawn on the outer peripheral surface thereof or displaying reel images on display unit such as a liquid crystal display for producing variable display and stop display. With any of the slot machines, if the player performs predetermined operation, the reels rotate or scroll and when the reels stop, whether or not the player wins the variable display game and the winning state if the player wins the game are determined according to the combination of the symbols on the reels on a predetermined activated pay line (pay line) (hereinafter, the combination of the symbols will be referred to as the symbol combination). An exemplary configuration of the above-described slot machine is disclosed in JP-A-2005-073829. An exemplary pachinko gaming machine that is applicable to the above-described slot machine is disclosed in JP-A-7-096072.
The slot machine in the related art described above has a dispersed arrangement configuration where high award symbols indicating the highest award among the symbols on the reels (for example, “7,” etc.; as the symbols are complete on the pay line, a large profit (award) is given to the player) are dispersed appropriately in the rotation direction of each reel (different symbols are arranged between the high award symbols). This is intended mainly for distributing the expectation of the player on award gain over the reels as a win and a loss are made to appear in a mixed manner and a high award symbol indicating that the player gains a large award occurs properly.
However, if each reels has the dispersed arrangement configuration, as a high award symbol is displayed only a little deviating from the activated pay line, another symbol is displayed and the player recognizes that a high award is impossible. If this is repeated, later it is made impossible for the player to play a game with a wish to gain a high award.
In this regard, it is also possible to enlarge a win symbol as with the gaming machine in the document JP-7-096072, for example. However, although the player considers that seemingly it becomes easy to win the game as the win symbol is displayed largely, since the win symbols are arranged in a dispersed manner, the situation in which the player cannot gain the expected high award when the win symbol is displayed deviating from the activated pay line remains unchanged, and the problem is not solved.
On the other hand, the symbols displayed on the reel include a symbol called blank symbol (a symbol implemented as a blank display part with no displayed symbol, meaning a lose (blank), and giving no profit). This blank symbol generally has no special role except that it gives the player an at-a-glance picture of a lose (blank). In this regard, the document JP-2005-073829 discloses a gaming machine for assigning the blank symbol a role as a trigger to make a transition to a bonus game. If the blank symbol thus has the role as a trigger to make a transition to a bonus game, the player can have an indirect expectation on award gain such that the player may gain an award if a transition is made to a bonus game. Nevertheless, the player cannot always gain his or her expected high award.
One of objects of the present invention to provide a gaming machine that enables a player to play a variable display game with a continuous wish to gain a high award and enhance the amusement of the variable display game.
According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a gaming machine including: an image display device that has a symbol display area; an operation unit that allows a player to input operations including a start command to start a game; and a processor that performs a game process for providing the player the game by controlling the image display device to display a progress of the game. The processor performs the game process including: controlling the image display device to perform variable display for variably displaying a plurality of symbols in a predetermined sequence in the symbol display area when the start command is input through the operation unit; determining a stop state of the symbol by determining a symbol from among the plurality of symbols to be displayed stopped on a pay line that is configured for determining a win of the game; controlling the image display device to perform stop display of the determined symbol on the pay line in the stop state; and performing a payout of an award to the player in accordance with the stop state. The predetermined sequence includes a three-symbols-continuous arrangement in which a first highest award symbol indicating a most highest award among the plurality of symbols, and a second highest award symbol indicating a second highest award among the plurality of symbols, are arranged adjacent to a blank symbol implemented as a blank display part with no symbol displayed thereon.
According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a gaming machine for allowing a player to play a variable display game based on a variable display and a stop display of a plurality of symbols and paying out an award responsive to the stopped symbol. The gaming machine includes: a variable display means for variably displaying a plurality of symbols; a symbol determination means for determining a stop symbol from among the plurality of symbols to be displayed stopped on an activated pay line to determine a win; and a symbol display control means for stop-displaying the stop symbols determined by the symbol determination means on the activated pay line. The variable display means has a three-symbols-continuous arrangement configuration wherein a first highest award symbol indicating the highest award among the plurality of symbols, and a second highest award symbol indicating a high award next to the first highest award symbol, the first and second highest award symbols being different in pattern, are arranged adjacent to a blank symbol implemented as a blank display part with no displayed pattern.
According to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a gaming machine for allowing a player to play a variable display game based on a variable display and a stop display of a plurality of symbols and paying out an award responsive to the stopped symbol. The gaming machine includes: an image display means having a plurality of variable display sections each for displaying a variable display image of a plurality of symbols; a symbol determination means for determining the symbols of the plurality of symbols to be displayed stopped on an activated pay line to determine a win on the variable display sections of the image display means; and a symbol display control means for stop-displaying the stop symbols determined by the symbol determination means on the activated pay line. The image display means produces three-symbols-continuous arrangement display as a first highest award symbol indicating the highest award among the plurality of symbols and a second highest award symbol indicating a high award next to the first highest award symbol, the first and second highest award symbols being different in pattern, are arranged adjacent to a blank symbol implemented as a blank display part with no displayed pattern.
In the accompanying drawings:
Embodiments of the invention will be discussed with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description, the identical elements or the elements having the identical functions are denoted by the same reference numerals and will not be discussed again.
First Embodiment
In the description of a first embodiment, a slot machine 1 is taken as an example as the case where the invention is applied to a gaming machine having a reel unit 5 as a variable display means (image display device) in the invention for variably displaying a plurality of symbols by mechanical reels. The slot machine 1 requires that the play input a coin to start a game.
General configuration of slot machine
To begin with, the general configuration of the slot machine 1 according to a first embodiment will be discussed with reference to
The slot machine 1 has a subsidiary display 3 and a main display 4 from the top on the front of a cabinet 2. The main display 4 is arranged almost at the center of the top and bottom of the cabinet 2 and has the reel unit 5 with three mechanical reels 5L, 5C, and 5R arranged in one horizontal row for rotation in the cabinet 2 so as to correspond to the main display 4.
The reels 5L, 5C, and 5R can be visually recognized from the outside through symbol display areas 21L, 21C, and 21R (described later) of the main display 4. The reels 5L, 5C, and 5R have each an outer peripheral surface on which a symbol row having different types of symbols is drawn, can be rotated so as to variably display the symbols, and rotate at a constant speed (for example, 80 revolutions/min) although described later in detail.
One pay line L1 extended horizontally is provided in the symbol display areas 21L, 21C, and 21R corresponding to the reels 5L, 5C, and 5R, as shown in
The slot machine 1 is provided with a roughly horizontal operation panel 6 below the main display 4. The operation panel 6 is provided with the coin insertion slot 7, a bill insertion slot 8, a spin switch 9, the 1BET switch 10, and the maximum BET switch 11.
The coin insertion slot 7 is provided for the player to input a coin to be bet on a game and has an input coin sensor 7a for outputting a signal indicating coin input (see
Further, the slot machine 1 is provided with speakers 12L and 12R, a coin payout opening 13 positioned so as to be sandwiched between the speakers 12L and 12R, and a coin receiving tray 14 at the bottom of the cabinet 2.
Description of displays
The main display 4 has the symbol display areas 21L, 21C, and 21R, window frame display areas 22L, 22C, and 22R, and an effect display area 4a, as shown in
The symbol display areas 21L, 21C, and 21R are areas provided corresponding to the reels 5L, 5C, and 5R respectively for displaying the symbols drawn on the reels 5L, 5C, and 5R to allow the player to visually recognize the drawn symbols. Transparent display for enabling the player to visually recognize the reels 5L, 5C, and 5R being scrolled and the symbols drawn thereon when the reels 5L, 5C, and 5R are rotating and stop is produced in the symbol display areas 21L, 21C, and 21R.
The window frame display areas 22L, 22C, and 22R are provided so as to surround the corresponding symbol display areas 21L, 21C, and 21R and function as display windows of the symbols drawn on the reels 5L, 5C, and 5R.
Effects to increase player's interest and information for the player to advantageously advance a game are displayed in the effect display area 4a.
The display of the subsidiary display 3 changes in response to the operation of the slot machine 1.
Configuration of reels
Next, the configuration of the reels 5L, 5C, and 5R will be discussed with reference to
The reels 5L, 5C, and 5R are arranged in one horizontal row as shown in
On the reel sheet, symbol rows R1 to R3 with a plurality of symbols corresponding to a stop table 90 shown in
The high award symbol W1 is a symbol containing a digit of “7” as a pattern and a flame pattern W1 drawn behind the digit and is drawn largely with a size of about three times the size of any other symbol. In the high award symbol W1, the upper end and the lower end of the flame pattern W1 are drawn so as to a little project to the adjacent blank symbols W3. The high award symbol W2 is a symbol with a digit of “7” drawn as a pattern. Further, the blank symbol W3 is a symbol implemented as a blank display part with nothing displayed as a pattern. When the high award symbol W1 is stop-displayed on the pay line L1, the high award symbol W1 is larger than any other symbol and thus only the high award symbol W1 is displayed as shown in
Description of liquid crystal display
Next, a liquid crystal display 31 implementing the main display 4 will be discussed with reference to
The liquid crystal display 31 is provided in front of the reels 5L, 5C, and 5R with a predetermined spacing from the reels 5L, 5C, and 5R across the reels 5L, 5C, and 5R. The liquid crystal display 31 has protective glass 32 and a display plate 33 having a translucent property, a liquid crystal panel 34, a light guide plate 35, a reflecting film 36, fluorescent lamps 37a, 37b, 38a, and 38b as white light sources, and a flexible board (not shown) connected to a terminal section of the liquid crystal panel 34 and made of a table carrier package (TCP) on which a drive IC of the liquid crystal panel 34 is installed.
The liquid crystal panel 34 is formed with the symbol display areas 21L, 21C, and 21R. The liquid crystal panel 34 enables the player to visually recognize the symbols drawn on the reels 5L, 5C, and 5R through the symbol display areas 21L, 21C, and 21R and play a variable display game by visually recognizing variable display and stop display of the reels 5L, 5C, and 5R. The light guide plate 35 has transparency and is placed on the rear of the liquid crystal panel 34 for guiding light from the fluorescent lamps 37a and 37b to the liquid crystal panel 34.
The reflecting film 36 is provided for reflecting light guided to the light guide plate 35 toward the surface of the light guide plate 35. The reflecting film 36 has reflecting area 36A and non-reflecting areas 36BL, 36BC, and 36BR. The reflecting area 36A reflects incident light and operates as illumination means mainly for the areas corresponding to the window frame display areas 22L, 22C, and 22R and the effect display area 4a of the liquid crystal panel 34. The non-reflecting areas 36BL, 36BC, and 36BR are formed corresponding to the symbol display areas 21L, 21C, and 21R and are placed ahead of stop symbols stop-displayed when the reels 5L, 5C, and 5R stop rotation.
The fluorescent lamps 37a and 37b generate light guided to the light guide plate 35 and operates as illumination means mainly for the areas corresponding to the window frame display areas 22L, 22C, and 22R and the effect display area 4a of the liquid crystal panel 34. The fluorescent lamps 38a and 38b operate as illumination means for the symbols arranged on the reels 5L, 5C, and 5R and illumination means for the areas of the reflecting film 36 corresponding to the symbol display areas 21L, 21C, and 21R.
Internal configuration of slot machine
The microcomputer 42 has a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 47, RAM (Random Access Memory) 48, and ROM (Read-Only Memory) 49. The CPU 47 operates as symbol determination means and symbol display control means in the invention in accordance with programs stored in the ROM 49 and also inputs/outputs signals from/to other components through an I/O port 50 and controls the whole operation of the slot machine 1. The RAM 48 stores data and programs used when the CPU 47 operates. That is, for example, the RAM 48 temporarily holds the random number sampled by the sampling circuit 44 described later after a game is started and also stores the code numbers of the reels 5L, 5C, and 5R, etc. The ROM 49 stores the programs executed by the CPU 47 and permanent data.
The random number generator 43 operates in accordance with a command of the CPU 47 and generates random numbers in a given range. The sampling circuit 44 extracts an arbitrary random number from among the random numbers generated by the random number generator 43 in accordance with a command of the CPU 47 and inputs the extracted random number to the CPU 47. The clock pulse generation circuit 45 generate a reference clock to operate the CPU 47, and the frequency divider 46 inputs a signal provided by dividing the reference clock in a given period to the CPU 47.
The control board 41 has a hopper drive circuit 51, a payout completion signal circuit 52, a sound control circuit 53, and an image control circuit 54.
The hopper drive circuit 51 drives a hopper 55 under the control of the CPU 47. The hopper 55 performs the operation to pay out coins and pays out coins through the coin payout opening 13.
The payout completion signal circuit 52 inputs number-of-coins data from a connected coin detection section 56 and when the number of coins reaches the setup value of the number of coins, the payout completion signal circuit 52 inputs a notification signal of coin payout completion to the CPU 47. The coin detection section 56 measures the number of coins paid out by the hopper 55 and inputs the measured number-of-coins data to the payout completion signal circuit 52.
The sound control circuit 53 inputs a command from the CPU 47 and controls a sound signal to output a sound from the speakers 12L and 12R for causing the speakers 12L and 12R to output a sound. Accordingly, for example, a sound for augmenting a game at an appropriate timing after the game starts is output from the speakers 12L and 12R.
The image control circuit 54 controls image display of the subsidiary display 3 and the main display 4. The image control circuit 54 has an image control CPU 54a, work RAM 54b, program ROM 54c, image ROM 54d, video RAM 54e, and a VDP (Video Display Processor) 54f as shown in
The image control CPU 54a determines the images to be displayed on the subsidiary display 3 and the main display 4 in accordance with an image control program (concerning display on the subsidiary display 3 and the main display 4) previously stored in the program ROM 54c based on a parameter set in the microcomputer 42. The work RAM 54b is implemented as temporary storage means when the image control CPU 54a executes the image control program. The program ROM 54c stores the image control program, various selection tables, etc. The image ROM 54d stores dot data for forming images. The video RAM 54e is implemented as temporary storage means when an image is formed by the VDP 54f. The VDP 54f has control RAM 54g and forms images responsive to the display of the subsidiary display 3 and the main display 4 determined by the image control CPU 54a and outputs the formed images to the subsidiary display 3 and the main display 4 for display.
A reel drive unit 57 has a reel position detection circuit 59 for detecting the positions of the reels 5L, 5C, and 5R and a motor drive circuit 60 for inputting a drive signal to motors M1, M2, and M3 for rotating the reels 5L, 5C, and 5R. The drive signal is input from the motor drive circuit 60, whereby the motors M1, M2, and M3 are operated for rotating the reels 5L, 5C, and 5R.
The input coin sensor 7a, the bill insertion slot 8, the spin switch 9, the 1BET switch 10, and the maximum BET switch 11 are connected to the control board 41, so that signals are input from the components to the control board 41.
Operation of slot machine
Next, the operation of the described slot machine 1 will be discussed with reference to flowcharts of FIGS. 9 to 11.
In the slot machine 1, when the main processing shown in
To begin with, at step 1, start acceptance processing is performed. That is, the player inputs any desired number of coins into the coin insertion slot 7 and when credit remains, the player operates the 1BET switch 10 or the maximum BET switch 11. Subsequently, the player operates the spin switch 9 (hereinafter, the operation will be referred to as “start operation”). As the start operation is performed, a start signal is input from the spin switch 9 to the CPU 47.
Next, at step 2, lottery processing is performed. When the lottery processing is performed, the process goes to step 11 shown in
In the lottery processing, when the CPU 47 detects start operation of the player according to the start signal from the spin switch 9, upon reception of the detection (namely, with the start of a slot game as a trigger), the CPU 47 instructs the random number generator 43 to generate random numbers in a given range (in the embodiment, 0 to 254). The CPU 47 instructs the sampling circuit 44 to extract an arbitrary random number from among the random numbers generated by the random number generator 43. When a random number is extracted by the sampling circuit 44, the CPU 47 sets the random number as a search key, references a stop symbol determination table (a table storing symbol code numbers and random numbers in association with each other) 91 shown in
Next, the acquired code number is set as a search key, the stop table 90 shown in
In the slot machine 1, random number lottery and searching the stop symbol determination table 91 and the stop table 90 are executed three times in total for the reels 5L, 5C, and 5R. This means that the tables 90 and 91 are searched as many times as the number of the reels. When the stop symbols are determined relative to the reels 5L, 5C, and 5R, the reel stop positions to stop the symbols on the pay line L1 are determined.
When the reel stop positions are determined, the process goes to step 12 (winning combination determination processing) The CPU 47 references a winning combination determination table (not shown) (a table in which winning symbol combinations and non-winning symbol combinations are registered so that they can be distinguished from each other in association with each code number combination (which will be hereinafter referred to as “code number pattern”) stored in the ROM 49, and determines a winning combination or a non-winning combination using the code number pattern. Subsequently, the CPU 47 references a state table (not shown) stored in the ROM 49 and determines the winning state (also called “combination”) when a winning combination occurs. The state table is provided for determining the winning state and the award responsive to each winning state is registered in the state table.
Next, when base game processing is started at step 3, a slot game is executed. At this time, the process goes to step 21 shown in
As described above, in the embodiment, the symbol rows R1 to R3 containing the high award symbols W1 and W2 and the blank symbol W3 are drawn on the reel sheets put on the reels 5L, 5C, and 5R and have each the three-symbols-continuous arrangement configuration wherein the high award symbol W1 and the high award symbol W2 are arranged adjacent to the blank symbol W3. Thus, if either the high award symbol W1 or the high award symbol W2 deviates from the activated pay line, the other is easily stop-displayed on the activated pay line and if the symbol is not stop-displayed, either the high award symbol W1 or the high award symbol W2 is arranged near the activated pay line and is easily visually recognized, for example, as shown in
In the first embodiment, the high award symbol W1 is displayed larger than the high award symbol W2, so that the high award symbol W1 is highlighted. Thus, the player can be made to recognize that the largest profit is given when the high award symbols W1 are complete on the activated pay line.
Second Embodiment
Next, a slot machine 100 according to a second embodiment will be discussed based on
The slot machine 100 has a main display 4 as an image display means (image display device) and the main display 4 has the variable display sections 105L, 105C, and 105R for displaying variable display images of symbols. A scroll display image as if symbols moved from the top to the bottom in the order as the symbols are shown on R1 to R3 of the stop table 90 shown in
The slot machine 100 has components centering on a control board 41. The control board 41 has an image control circuit 54 as one of the components. The image control circuit 54 controls image display of the main display 4 for displaying various images such as variable display images of symbols on the main display 4.
Next, the operation of the slot machine 100 will be discussed with reference to flowcharts of
When the base game processing at step 3 is started, the process goes to step 31 shown in
Although the preferred embodiment and its second embodiment of the invention have been described in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific embodiment or the second embodiment. For example, in the embodiment, each of the symbol rows R1 to R3 drawn on the reel sheets put on the reels 5L, 5C, and 5R has the three-symbols-continuous arrangement configuration wherein the high award symbol W1 and the high award symbol W2 are arranged adjacent to the blank symbol W3. However, at least the last stopped specific symbol row of the symbol rows R1 to R3 may have the three-symbols-continuous arrangement configuration. More preferably, at least the symbol row R3 (the right symbol row) put on the reel 5R arranged at the right toward the slot machine 1 has the three-symbols-continuous arrangement configuration and other symbol rows R1 and R2 may have no three-symbols-continuous arrangement configuration. In the slot machine 1, symbol stop display is last produced in the symbol row R3 put on the reel 5R and the player plays a variable display game while paying the most attention to the symbol stop-displayed in the right symbol row, so that the function of the three-symbols-continuous arrangement configuration can be demonstrated more effectively.
As for the slot machine 100 having the video reels in the second embodiment, three-symbols-continuous arrangement display may be produced as the high award symbol W1 and the high award symbol W2 are arranged adjacent to the blank symbol W3 on at least the last stop-displayed specific variable display section of the variable display sections 105L, 105C, and 105R. More preferably, three-symbols-continuous arrangement display is produced on at least the variable display sections 105R (the right variable display section) arranged at the right toward the slot machine 100 and no three-symbols-continuous arrangement display may be produced on the variable display section 105L or 105C.
In the embodiment, the slot machine 1 has the reel unit 5 with the reels 5L, 5C, and 5R arranged in one horizontal row, but may have a reel unit 205 with reels 205T, 205C, and 205B arranged in one vertical row as shown in
In the embodiment, when the high award symbols W1 are stop-displayed completely on the pay line L1, the largest award is given to the player, but the invention is not limited to the mode. In addition to giving the largest award when the high award symbols W1 are stop-displayed completely on the pay line L1, a transition may be made from the usual gaming state in which the player can play a usual slot game to a special gaming state such as a free game wherein the player can play free spin (operation of automatically rotating the reels 5L, 5C, and 5R without inputting any new coin, stopping the reels 5L, 5C, and 5R after the expiration of a given time, and paying out coins in response to the combination of the stopped symbols) a predetermined number of times involved in the game, for example. That is, the CPU 47 may determine whether or not a trigger of a free game is established by whether or not a code number pattern of stop display of the high award symbols W1 completely on the pay line L1 occurs after the base game processing at step 3 shown in
In the embodiments described in detail in the above, the reel unit 5 in the first embodiment and the main display 4 in the second embodiment serves as an image display device that has a symbol display area (the symbol display areas 21L, 21C, and 21R; and the variable display sections 105L, 105C, and 105R).
The spin switch 9, the 1BET switch 10, and the maximum BET switch 11 serves as an operation unit that allows a player to input operations including a start command to start a game.
The microcomputer 42 serves as a processor that performs a game process for providing the player the game by controlling the image display device to display a progress of the game. As described in the first and the second embodiments, the microcomputer 42 performs the game process including: controlling the image display device to perform variable display for variably displaying a plurality of symbols in a predetermined sequence in the symbol display area when the start command is input through the operation unit; determining a stop state of the symbol by determining a symbol from among the plurality of symbols to be displayed stopped on a pay line that is configured for determining a win of the game; controlling the image display device to perform stop display of the determined symbol on the pay line in the stop state; and performing a payout of an award to the player in accordance with the stop state.
As described in the first and the second embodiments, the predetermined sequence includes a three-symbols-continuous arrangement in which a first highest award symbol indicating a most highest award among the plurality of symbols, and a second highest award symbol indicating a second highest award among the plurality of symbols, are arranged adjacent to a blank symbol implemented as a blank display part with no symbol displayed thereon.
The foregoing description of the embodiment has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed, and modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings or may be acquired from practice of the invention. The embodiment was chosen and described in order to explain the principles of the invention and its practical application to enable those skilled in the art to utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the claims appended hereto, and their equivalents.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| P2005-252307 | Aug 2005 | JP | national |
