HK1146111B - Game system and jack-pot lottery device constituting the game system - Google Patents

Description

Game system and jackpot drawing apparatus constituting the same

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a game system including a jackpot drawing apparatus for determining a winner of a jackpot prize or determining a loser from players who play a game using 4 or more game apparatuses, and a jackpot drawing apparatus constituting the game system.

Background

Conventionally, as such a drawing machine for jackpot game, for example, a drawing machine for jackpot game used in a game system including a plurality of token-operated game machines (game apparatuses) installed in a game arcade or the like is known (for example, patent document 1). In general, a token-operated game machine controls the progress of a game on the condition that tokens (bet objects) are received from a player, and pays out a predetermined number of tokens (payout objects) to the player according to the game result. In the description of an example of the slot machine using the jackpot drawing apparatus, the number of tokens (bet targets) corresponding to a part of the number of tokens received from the player is added up and stored as payout amount data in the storage unit of the jackpot drawing apparatus. When a predetermined drawing start condition is satisfied, a drawing is performed by the jackpot drawing apparatus, and it is determined whether the jackpot award is won or won. When the jackpot award is won by the drawing, the number of tokens corresponding to at least a part of the payout amount data is paid out to the player who satisfies the predetermined drawing start condition, and the payout amount data is restored to the initial value.

In general, a jackpot drawing apparatus is often used in a game system including a plurality of game apparatuses each including a game progress control unit that independently plays a game. The reason for this is as follows. That is, the number of tokens that can be paid out to a player by each game device at a time is limited to some extent in relation to a payout rate set in advance for each game device. Therefore, when the jackpot drawing apparatus is used in a single game apparatus, the upper limit of the number of tokens in the jackpot award is largely limited by the payout rate set for the game apparatus. In contrast, when a jackpot drawing apparatus is used in a game system including a plurality of game apparatuses, the upper limit of the number of tokens paid out when the jackpot award is won can be determined based on the relationship with the payout rates of the plurality of game apparatuses. In this case, the number of tokens paid out when the jackpot award is won can be increased as compared with a case where the jackpot drawing apparatus is used in a single game apparatus. As a result, the player can be expected to obtain a large number of medals at a time by the jackpot award, and the player's interest can be attracted. Because of such advantages, the drawing machine for jackpot game is often used in a game system including a plurality of game apparatuses, not in a single game apparatus.

In particular, in recent years, there have been proposed a game system in which a plurality of types of game devices are mixed and a game system in which a plurality of game devices are installed in a plurality of gaming arcades (gaming places), respectively.

Patent document 1: japanese laid-open patent publication No. 2002-253842

In general, in a game system using a jackpot drawing apparatus, a jackpot drawing for determining a jackpot prize or a jackpot prize of a player who plays a game using each game apparatus is executed each time the player satisfies a predetermined start condition. With such a drawing method, even if the drawing probability is equal, as a result, for example, there may be a case where winners of the jackpot prize are concentrated among players who play a game using a specific model, or players who play a game in a specific area or a store. In this case, the player who plays the game using another model and the player who plays the game in another area or store have a poor expectation of winning the jackpot prize, and there is a problem that the interest of the players in the jackpot drawing is low.

Such a problem occurs similarly in the case of a jackpot drawing performed by a drawing method in which a player who wins a jackpot award among all players or a player who does not win any of the jackpot awards (winning) is determined each time a predetermined start condition is satisfied.

Further, the game system using the jackpot drawing apparatus can be used not only in a game system installed in a game arcade or the like but also in a pachinko machine, a slot machine or the like installed in a pachinko or the like. Such a game system also causes the same problems as those described above.

Disclosure of Invention

An object of the present invention is to provide a game system capable of suppressing a situation in which jackpot winners are concentrated in players who play a game using a part of game devices constituting the game system, and a jackpot drawing device constituting the game system.

A game system according to an aspect of the present invention is a game system including 4 or more game devices each including a game progress control unit that controls a game progress, the game system including a jackpot drawing apparatus including: a drawing unit that performs a jackpot drawing for determining winners of a medium jackpot award from among players who play a game using the 4 or more game apparatuses; a storage unit that stores payout amount data indicating an amount including a payout target amount to be paid out to a winning player when the winning of the jackpot prize is determined by the drawing unit; a payout processing unit configured to read the payout amount data from the storage unit and perform payout processing for paying out at least a part of the amount indicated by the read payout amount data to a winning player when the winning of the jackpot prize is determined by the drawing unit; and a payment amount increasing unit that cumulatively increases the amount indicated by the payment amount data stored in the storage unit when a predetermined payment amount increase condition is satisfied; the drawing section of the jackpot drawing apparatus performs a group drawing in which 1 winning group or no group is selected from a plurality of groups determined in advance, each of which is composed of 2 or more game apparatuses, according to a predetermined group drawing condition, and when a winning group is selected by the group drawing, a winner drawing is performed in which a player who is selecting a winning jackpot or a player who is not selecting any player is determined from players who play by 2 or more game apparatuses belonging to the winning group, and the jackpot drawing is performed.

In this game system, by appropriately setting the group drawing conditions at the time of the group drawing, the result of the group drawing can be managed so that winning groups are not concentrated in a part of the groups but are dispersed in each group. Therefore, according to the present game system, it is possible to avoid a situation where winners are concentrated on game devices belonging to the same group. For example, when it is not desired to concentrate winners of a jackpot award on game apparatuses installed in the same arcade, 4 or more game apparatuses constituting the present game system are grouped for each arcade. For example, when it is not desired that winners of the jackpot award be concentrated on game apparatuses of the same model, 4 or more game apparatuses constituting the present game system are grouped for each model. In this way, by appropriately grouping 4 or more game apparatuses constituting the present game system, specifically, by grouping game apparatuses in which winners of a jackpot award are not desired to be concentrated in advance so that the game apparatuses belong to the same group, it is possible to suppress a situation in which winners of the jackpot award are concentrated in such game apparatuses.

In the game system, the 4 or more game devices may be commercial game devices installed in a game place, and the predetermined plurality of groups may be groups grouped for each shop in which each game device is installed.

According to this game system, it is possible to suppress a situation in which a player who plays a game using a game device installed in a part of the arcade always wins a jackpot prize.

In the game system, the jackpot drawing apparatus includes a gaming arcade server of each gaming arcade communicably connected to 2 or more game apparatuses provided in the same gaming arcade, and a management server communicably connected to each gaming arcade server, the group drawing is performed by a drawing section provided in the management server, and the winner drawing is performed by a drawing section provided in a gaming arcade server of a gaming arcade related to a winning group determined by the group drawing.

In this game system, since the winner lottery in the jackpot drawing is performed by the store server of the store, part of the jackpot drawing process can be distributed. Thus, even when a large-scale game system including a plurality of game devices is constructed, it is possible to avoid a problem that the operation efficiency of the entire system is lowered due to the concentration of jackpot drawing processing.

In the game system, when the winning group is selected by the group drawing in the winner drawing, a player who decides a winning prize among players who play using 2 or more game devices belonging to the winning group may be configured not to decide not to select any player.

In this game system, when a winning group is selected by a group drawing, winners of a jackpot prize are surely determined from players who play a game using game devices belonging to the winning group. Therefore, by notifying a player who plays a game using a game device belonging to a winning group of the jackpot game who finds the jackpot prize, the player can feel a strong expectation that he or she may find the jackpot prize.

In the game system, when a winning group is selected by the group lottery, the payout processing unit of the jackpot drawing apparatus performs a small payout process for paying out a payout target smaller than a payout amount paid out when winning of the jackpot prize to a player who plays a game using 2 or more game apparatuses belonging to the winning group.

In this game system, even if a player who cannot be a jackpot winner among winning groups in which jackpot winners appear can obtain a predetermined amount of payout target payout.

In the game system, the drawing unit of the jackpot drawing apparatus performs a payout lottery in addition to the jackpot drawing, and specifies a winner of a payout prize to be paid out by an amount smaller than a payout amount paid out when the jackpot prize is won, from among players who play a game using 2 or more game apparatuses belonging to the winning group, when the winning group is selected by the group lottery, and the payout processing unit of the jackpot drawing apparatus performs the small payout processing on the winner, when the drawing unit determines a winner of the payout prize.

In this game system, even a player who cannot be a winner of the jackpot prize in the winning group in which the winner of the jackpot prize appears can obtain a predetermined amount of payout of the payout object if the payout prize is won.

Further, another aspect of the present invention provides a jackpot drawing apparatus including: a drawing unit that executes a jackpot drawing for determining winners of a medium jackpot award from among players who play with 4 or more game devices each including a game progress control unit that controls a game progress; a storage unit that stores payout amount data indicating an amount including a payout target amount to be paid out to a winning player when the winning of the jackpot prize is determined by the drawing unit; a payout processing unit configured to read the payout amount data from the storage unit and perform payout processing for paying out at least a part of the amount indicated by the read payout amount data to a winning player when the winning of the jackpot prize is determined by the drawing unit; and a payment amount increasing unit that cumulatively increases the amount indicated by the payment amount data stored in the storage unit when a predetermined payment amount increase condition is satisfied; in the jackpot drawing apparatus, the drawing section performs a group drawing in which 1 winning group or no group is selected from a plurality of groups determined in advance each consisting of 2 or more game apparatuses, in accordance with a predetermined group drawing condition, and when a winning group is selected by the group drawing, a winner drawing is performed in which a player who selected a winning jackpot or a winner who did not select any player is determined from players who played by the 2 or more game apparatuses belonging to the winning group, and the jackpot drawing is performed.

In this drawing machine for jackpot game, by grouping 4 or more game apparatuses in advance so that game apparatuses in which jackpot winners are not desired to appear collectively belong to the same group, it is possible to suppress a situation in which jackpot winners appear collectively in such game apparatuses.

According to the present invention, it is possible to suppress a situation in which winners of a jackpot award are concentrated on a player who plays a game using a part of game devices constituting a game system.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of the entire game system according to the embodiment.

Fig. 2 is an external view showing an example of a horse racing game machine constituting the game system.

Fig. 3 is a control block diagram showing a main control unit for collectively controlling the overall operation of the horse racing game machine.

Fig. 4 is a control block diagram showing a game board control unit provided for each game board of the horse racing game machine.

Fig. 5 is an explanatory diagram for explaining a configuration of a table portion in the pusher game machine constituting the game system.

Fig. 6 is a block diagram showing a main configuration of a game control system of the pusher game machine.

Fig. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a game screen for a color game displayed on the display unit of the pusher game machine.

Fig. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a bingo game screen displayed on the display unit of the pusher game machine.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view showing an external appearance of an automatic lottery machine constituting the game system.

Fig. 10 is a front view showing a part of the front panel of the automatic lottery machine in detail.

Fig. 11 is a control block diagram relating to the main structure of the automatic lottery machine.

Fig. 12 is a control block diagram of the management server.

Fig. 13 is an external view of the store server.

Fig. 14 is a sequence flowchart showing the flow of the overall jackpot drawing.

Fig. 15 is a sequence flowchart for explaining the overall jackpot performance timing determination process.

Fig. 16 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a jackpot game start screen displayed on a display unit of each game station or the like to be a drawing target.

Fig. 17 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a lottery screen displayed on a display unit of each game station or the like to be a lottery target.

In the figure: 1000-horse racing game machine; 1010-a game table; 1011-a display; 1101-a master control device; 1108. 2625, 3107, 4003, 5003-external communication device; 1201-a game station control device; 2000-pusher game machine; 2001-satellite decimation means; 2002-center decimation device; 2500-game pool; 2601. 2611, 2621-control device; 2700-a display part; 3000-automatic lottery machine; 3011-show panel; 3101-a control device; 4000-a management server; 4001-a control device; 5000-store server; 5001-control means.

Detailed Description

Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in which the present invention is applied to a game system including 3 types of slot machines (arcade game machines (commercial game machines) having different game contents, and a arcade server and a management server which are connected to the slot machines and are communicably connected to the slot machines and the management server.

[ 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.

The 3 types of slot machines 1000, 2000, and 3000 constituting the game system are different types of game machines having different hardware. In the present embodiment, the slot machines 1000, 2000, and 3000 are installed in a gaming place such as the same arcade, and are connected to the store server 5000 of the store via a lan (local Area network) as a high-speed communication network. The management server 4000 is connected to the store server of each store via a wan (wide Area network) which is a low-speed communication network. The management server 4000 performs data communication with the respective token-operated game machines 1000, 2000, and 3000 to perform system management of the entire store, and thereby performs management of the entire game system. In addition, although the description is given of the game system that spans a plurality of shops in the present embodiment, the same applies to a game system in a single shop.

Next, the structure and operation of each of the token-operated game machines 1000, 2000, and 3000 will be described.

[ horse racing Game machine 1000]

The slot machine 1000 is a horse racing machine.

In the horse racing game machine 1000, the order of arrival of the end points of the horse racing game to be performed in the present horse racing game machine is predicted by 1 or 2 or more players, and when guessing the predicted result, the payout of medals corresponding to the predicted payout rate can be obtained.

Fig. 2 is an external view showing an example of the horse racing game machine 1000.

The horse racing game machine 1000 includes: a game pool portion 1002 provided at the center, and a plurality of game tables 1010 as game devices provided so as to surround the game pool portion 1002. The pool portion 1002 is provided with a pool surface 1004 which is a moving surface imitating a horse course of a horse race, a dummy gate 1003 is provided in the horse race, and a plurality of dummy horses, not shown, are moved in the pool surface 1004 to thereby play a horse race game. A plurality of speakers 1005 for playing a live horse race, a cheer, and the like are arranged around the game pool portion 1002. Above the game pool unit 1002, a display unit 1006 for displaying the total accumulated token count or the like indicating the number of payout of the total jackpot drawing described later, an illumination device 1007 for illuminating the game pool 1002, and an image pickup unit, i.e., a camera 1009, functioning as image pickup means for picking up an image of the game pool unit 1002 are arranged. These display portion 1006, illumination device 1007, and camera 1009 are supported by a support column 1008. The speaker 1005 and the lighting device 1007 serving as a rendering unit function as rendering means of the horse racing game machine 1000.

The game table 1010 is provided with a display 1011 which displays a game screen corresponding to the progress of the game, and a touch panel 1012 which 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 the instruction of the game screen, the position is detected by the touch panel 1012, and the operation content of the player is recognized in the horse racing game machine 1000. The game table 1010 is provided with a medal insertion unit 1013 through which a player inserts medals, a medal payout port 1014 through which medals are paid out to the player, and a medal insertion port 1015 through which a medal that records data necessary for resuming the game is inserted.

In the horse racing game machine 1000, horse racing with the same name as that of the actual center horse is sequentially performed at a predetermined cycle. As a horse racing game for 1 year, about 60 races are prepared in advance, and for each race, a time for betting a medal, that is, a time for purchasing a ticket, a time for performing a race by a model horse, and a time for displaying a race result are secured. The player can freely purchase the ticket by predicting the arrival order for each match. If the purchase of the ticket is performed by betting the medals and the purchased ticket matches the result of the race, the medals of the number corresponding to the number of bets and the odds of the medals are paid out as the award.

In the horse racing game machine 1000 of the present embodiment, the pool portion 1002 forms a pool surface 1004, a model imitating an artificial lawn of an actual horse race, a house 1003, or the like is provided on the pool surface 1004, and a model horse as a moving body moves on the pool surface 1004.

Fig. 3 is a control block diagram showing a main control unit for collectively controlling the overall operation of the horse racing game machine 1000.

Fig. 4 is a control block diagram showing a game table control unit provided for each game table 1010.

As shown in fig. 3, the main control unit 1100 disposed on the side of the game pool includes: a main control device 1101, a movement control device 1102 for controlling movement of a model horse in the game pool portion 1002, an illumination control device 1103 for controlling the illumination device 1007, an audio control device 1104 for controlling cheering and live action played by the speaker 1005, an SRAM1105 and a flash memory 1106 for temporarily recording data processed by the main control device 1101, a ROM1107 in which programs and various databases necessary for a game are stored, and an external communication device 1108 for performing data communication with an external device such as the shop server 5000 via a LAN. The main control device 1101 is connected to a mobile control device 1102, a lighting control device 1103, an audio control device 1104, an SRAM1105, a flash memory 1106, a ROM1107, an external communication device 1108, and a camera 1009, respectively. The ROM1107 stores: a movement control program as movement control information of each model horse, and a database of various data and a competition schedule related to each horse used in a competition.

As shown in fig. 4, the table control unit 1200 provided in each table 1010 includes: a game station control device 1201, a game medal management device 1202 that manages payout of game medals, a RAM1203 that temporarily records various data of a player, a magnetic information reading device 1204 that reads magnetic information of a magnetic card inserted into a magnetic card insertion slot 1015, and a magnetic information writing device 1205 that writes various information such as an ID code into the magnetic card. The station control device 1201 is connected to the medal management device 1202, the RAM1203, the magnetic information reading device 1204, and the magnetic information writing device 1205, respectively. The table control device 1201 is also connected to the display 1011 and the touch panel 1012 shown in fig. 2 provided on the table 1010, a medal insertion sensor, not shown, for detecting medals inserted through the medal insertion unit 1013, and a magnetic card drive device, not shown, for driving a magnetic card inserted into the magnetic card insertion slot 1015.

As shown in fig. 3 and 4, a table control device 1201 of each table 1010 is connected to a main control device 1101 on the game machine main body side, and necessary data communication can be performed between them.

The main control device 1101 of the main control unit 1100 changes the movement control content of each model horse for each race based on various data such as parameters of each horse in order to reproduce an actual race for horses in real time when the race is held. The movement control content is determined before the start of the race, and the model horse is controlled to move according to the movement control content. Specifically, the main control device 1101 of the main control unit 1100 reads out various parameters of the horse present in the race, the state of the horse field, and the like from the ROM1107 before the race starts, and determines the arrival order of the race. Since only the 1 st and 2 nd arrival are the arrival orders for paying out medals to the player, it is not necessary to determine the arrival order of all outgoing horses, and it is only necessary to determine at least the 1 st and 2 nd arrival horses. In this case, the other horses are controlled not to have the 1 st bit arrival and the 2 nd bit arrival, based on various parameters. The arrival order data determined by the main control device 1101, the parameters of each horse, and the like are sent to the movement control device 1102.

The movement control device 1102, which has received the 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 executing the movement control program calculates the movement pattern of each of the horses based on the parameters of each of the horses, and transmits a control command to each of the control chips 1022 so that each of the model horses 1060 moves in accordance with the movement pattern. Specifically, in order to generate a magnetic field for moving each model horse 1060 in accordance with the moving pattern of each horse, a control command is transmitted to the control chip of each magnetic field generation substrate. The respective control chips 1022, which have received the control command, control the currents flowing through the respective coils to sequentially generate magnetic forces that attract the south poles of the permanent magnets of the respective model motors 1060 along the predetermined paths of movement of the respective model motors 1060. This enables each model horse 1060 to move along the predetermined movement path. As a result, each model horse 1060, which is movement-controlled by the movement control device 1102, develops a race in the game pool.

[ coin pushing Game machine 2000]

Next, the slot machine 2000 will be explained.

The slot machine 2000 is a pusher game machine.

Fig. 5 is an explanatory diagram for explaining a configuration of the table section ST in the present pusher game machine 2000.

The slot pusher game machine 2000 is provided with 4 satellite units SA so as to surround a center drawing device not shown. Each satellite unit SA has 4 station units ST as game devices, and each player plays a game using each station unit ST. Each satellite unit SA has 1 satellite lottery device 2001, and each of the station units ST is arranged around the satellite lottery device 2001.

The station unit ST mainly includes: a medal insertion mechanism (insertion unit) 2100, a game pool 2500, a not-shown table control unit, 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 serving as a display unit functioning as display means is disposed on the upper rear side, and a play field 2500 is disposed at the upper center. Here, "front side" refers to a side on which a player plays a game, "rear side" refers to a side opposite to the side on which the player plays a game, "center" refers to a region between the aforementioned "front side" and "rear side".

The medal insertion mechanism 2100 is a mechanism for allowing a player to insert medals M into the pusher game machine 2000 during a game. The medal M inserted into the medal insertion mechanism 2100 is conveyed to the elevator bucket through a medal conveyance path, not shown, inside the housing of the table section ST, and temporarily stays in the elevator bucket. The lift bucket has: the medal ejecting device includes a medal storage section for storing medals M, a lifting section for lifting the medals M to a predetermined height, and a medal ejecting section for ejecting the lifted medals M at a predetermined timing. A medal discharge path 2400 for guiding the discharged medals M to the play field 2500 is provided in the discharge port of the medal discharge portion so as to be swingable in the left and right directions. The upper end of the lift portion is disposed higher than the game pool 2500. Thus, the medal discharge unit provided at the upper end of the lift unit is also disposed higher than the play field 2500. Therefore, the medals M temporarily accumulated in the medal accumulating portion provided below the game pool 2500 are lifted above the game pool 2500 by the lifted portion, and then ejected from the medal ejecting portion to the game pool 2500 through the medal ejecting path 2400.

The game pool 2500 is mainly provided with: a main table 2501 as a medal placing table for storing medals M, and a pusher 2510 as a medal pusher placed on the main table 2501. The pusher 2501 includes: an upper surface on which the medal M is stored (referred to as a sub-table), an inclined table on which the medal M dropped from the sub-table slides, and a pushing wall for pushing the medal M stored on the main table 2510. The pusher 2510 is slidably provided on the main table 2501 in the game pool 2500, and slides back and forth at a constant cycle or an arbitrary cycle. A part (rear side) of the pusher 2510 is stored in a storage section described later provided below the display section 2700. The pusher 2510 reciprocates back and forth by sliding in and out of the storage.

The frame member of the display portion 2700 slidably abuts the sub-mount. Therefore, when the pusher 2510 moves in the direction of being stored in the storage, the medal M on the sub-table is pushed by the frame member. By this pushing, a part of the medal M on the sub-table falls down to the inclined table. A part of the medal M dropped from the sub-table enters an opening (referred to as a "leak") provided in the inclined table as a medal passing opening. The remaining medals M directly drop on 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 2510, similarly to the medal M on the sub table. That is, since the pusher 2510 is placed on the main table 2501 without a gap, when the pusher 2510 moves in the direction of being carried out from the storage, the pusher M on the main table 2501 is pushed by the pushing wall on the front surface of the pusher 2510. By this advance, a part of the medal M on the main table 2501 falls. Among the dropped medals M, the medal M dropped from one end (referred to as "tip end") on the player side toward the medal dropping groove is paid out to the player, and the other medals M, for example, the medals M dropped from both sides (referred to as "side ends") of the main table 2501 are stored in a predetermined storage portion in the table portion ST.

As shown in fig. 5, the table unit ST includes a ball drop mechanism 2800 on at least one side. The ball drop mechanism 2800 is a mechanism for dropping spherical object balls B1 and B2, which are different shapes described later, into the game pool 2500, and includes a ball drop ramp 2801 and a ball drop position drawing mechanism 2810. The balls B1 and B2 are drawing objects for performing a bingo game described later.

The ball drop ramp 2801 is configured to guide balls B1, B2 dropped from a ball holder 2520 described later to a ball drop position drawing mechanism 2810 by gravity. Thus, it is a descending ramp. The ball drop position lottery mechanism 2810 is a mechanism for lottery positions on the play field 2500 where balls B1 and B2 are dropped. Thus, the balls B1, B2 thrown from the ball holder 2520 to be described later on the table unit ST are thrown into the game pool 2500 via the ball throwing ramp 2801 and the ball throwing position drawing mechanism 2810.

As shown in fig. 5, the table unit ST includes a ball conveyance mechanism 2900 on at least one side. The ball transfer mechanism 2900 is configured to transfer balls B1 and B2 to the satellite lottery device 2001 when the balls B1 and B2 are dropped from the main table 2501 in the game pool 2500 to the medal dropping grooves provided on the near side thereof, and includes a ball transfer path, a ball transfer unit 2910, and a ball transfer unit travel ramp 2901, which are not shown. The ball conveying 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 conveying unit 2910. The ball carrying unit 2910 is configured to carry the balls B1 and B2 received through the ball carrying path to the satellite lottery device 2001, and travels on the ball carrying unit travel slope 2901 under the control of the control unit of the game console unit ST. The balls B1 and B2 conveyed to the satellite lottery device 2001 are transferred to the ball tray 2520.

The station unit ST includes a medal paying-out mechanism 2030, and by driving the medal paying-out mechanism, the same number of medals M as the number of medals M dropped from the front end of the main table 2501 into the medal dropping groove are discharged to the storage unit 2101 of the medal inserting mechanism 2100.

Next, a control system of the pusher game machine 2000 will be explained.

Fig. 6 is a block diagram showing a main configuration of a game control system of the pusher game machine 2000. For convenience of explanation, the block diagram omits illustration of a drive control system for driving each unit in accordance with the progress of the game.

The control system in the pusher game machine 2000 is mainly configured by the control unit 2600 of the station unit ST, the control unit 2610 of the satellite lottery device 2001, and the control unit 2620 of the center lottery device 2002. The control unit 2600 of the station unit ST mainly controls the overall operation of the game of chance and the bingo game, which will be described later, the control unit 2610 of the satellite drawing device 2001 mainly controls the physical drawing of the bingo game and the conveyance of the balls B1 and B2, and the control unit 2620 of the center drawing device 2002 mainly controls the single jackpot drawing, which will be described later, and the overall control of the present pusher game machine 2000.

The control unit 2600 of the console unit ST is mainly composed of a control device 2601, a ROM2602, a RAM2603, and a communication device 2604. The control device 2601 executes various programs stored in the ROM2602 to perform various controls. The ROM2602 stores execution programs of various controls to be performed by the control unit 2600 of the station unit ST. The RAM1603 is used to temporarily store various data or information. The communication device 2604 is used for data communication with the control unit 2610 of the satellite lottery device 2001. Although not shown, the station unit ST is provided with rendering units such as speakers and lighting devices for various kinds of rendering, and the control device 2601 controls these rendering units to perform various kinds of rendering.

The control unit 2610 of the satellite lottery device 2001 mainly includes a control device 2611, a ROM2612, a RAM2613, a game station-side communication device 2614, and a center-side communication device 2615. The control device 2611 executes various programs stored in the ROM2612 to perform various kinds of control. The ROM2612 stores programs for executing various controls to be performed by the control unit 2610 of the satellite lottery device 2001. The RAM2613 is used for temporarily storing various data or information. The station-side communication device 2614 is used for 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 used for data communication with the control unit 2620 of the center drawing device 2002. Although not shown, the satellite unit SA is provided with rendering units such as speakers and lighting devices for various kinds of rendering, and the control device 2611 controls these rendering units to perform various kinds of rendering.

The control unit 2620 of the center drawing device 2002 is mainly configured by a control device 2621, a ROM2622, a RAM2623, a communication device 2624, and an external communication device 2625. The control device 2621 executes various programs stored in the ROM2622 to perform various controls. The ROM2622 stores programs and the like for executing various controls to be performed by the control unit 2620 of the center drawing device 2002. The RAM2623 is used for temporarily storing various data and information. The communication device 2624 is used for data communication with the control unit 2610 of each satellite unit SA. The external communication device 2625 performs data communication with an external device such as the store server 5000 via a LAN. Although not shown, the center drawing device 2002 is provided with rendering units such as speakers and lighting devices for various renderings, and the control device 2621 controls these rendering units to perform various renderings.

In the above-described configuration, in the token-operated game machine 2000, in addition to the token-operated game, the color-operated game screen shown in fig. 7 is displayed on the display unit 2700, and the bingo game screen shown in fig. 8 is displayed on the display unit 2700, and the bingo game is executed. In the pusher game machine 2000, a single jackpot drawing using the center drawing device 2002 is also performed. The display unit 2700 also displays the individual cumulative token number indicating the payout number in the individual jackpot drawing described later and the total cumulative token number indicating the payout number in the total jackpot drawing described later.

The sub game is mainly a digital lottery game in which the control unit 2600 in the station unit ST performs lottery in a digital manner. The starting condition of this color sub game is that the medal M enters any leak hole provided in the inclined table of the pusher 2510. While the bingo game described later is not being played, the display unit 2700 displays a game screen for color sub as shown in fig. 7, and when the medal M enters any leak and the color sub drawing start condition is satisfied, the control unit 2600 performs display control for rotating the 3 color sub-shaped blocks DS. In the number lottery of the color sub game, the control section executes a predetermined lottery program, compares the generated random number with a predetermined winning table, and determines whether or not any prize is won. Then, when the winning prize is determined, the control unit 2600 performs display control for stopping the rotation of the 3 color sub-shaped blocks DS, and the display unit 2700 displays the combination of the patterns corresponding to the winning prize in a stationary manner.

In the present embodiment, as the awards of the digital lottery, there are provided a jackpot prize a in which 3 coins are supplied to the game pool 2500, a jackpot prize B in which 8 coins are supplied to the game pool 2500, a ball supply prize in which a ball B1 is supplied to the game pool 2500, a normal bonus prize in which 30 coins are supplied to the game pool 2500, a change probability prize in which 30 coins are supplied to the game pool 2500 and a winning table in which a winning probability is set high is used in the subsequent digital lottery, a direct satellite prize in which a ball B1 is directly supplied to the satellite lottery device 2001, a direct center prize in which a ball B1 is directly supplied to the center lottery device 2002, and the like. The winning probability of each prize is set to decrease stepwise in the above order. In addition, any prize may be set, and any winning probability may be set for each prize. For example, the player may be directly paid with the medal M or the like to give various benefits to the player. When these awards are won, the control device 2601 of the table unit ST controls speakers, lighting devices, and the like to perform a special performance for setting off the winning atmosphere.

The bingo game is a physical lottery game performed by a physical lottery using the 2 balls B1, B2 and the satellite lottery device 2001, and is performed under the control of the control unit 2610 of the satellite lottery device 2001 and the control unit 2600 of the station unit ST. In the bingo game, the control unit 2610 of the satellite lottery device 2001 mainly controls the drawing for determining the winning bingo number of the bingo game, and the control unit 2600 belonging to each station unit ST including the satellite unit SA of the satellite lottery device 2001 mainly performs control such as the performance of the bingo game and the determination of the establishment of bingo. In the present embodiment, a physical lottery for selecting 1 winning bingo number (winning object) from a plurality of different bingo numbers (winning objects) is performed by moving the balls B1, B2 in the satellite lottery device 2001. In the physical lottery of the present embodiment, 1 winning bingo number is selected from bingo numbers of "1" to "9". Then, for example, the controller 2600, which is an arrangement information generating unit functioning as arrangement information generating means in the station unit ST, generates arrangement information of the bingo cards in which the bingo numbers of "1" to "9" are arranged in a matrix for each station unit ST. Subsequently, as shown in fig. 8, a bingo card image BC in which images of bingo numbers "1" to "9" (images to be lottery) are arranged in accordance with the arrangement information is displayed on the display portion 2700 of each station portion ST. 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 speakers, the lighting devices, and the like to perform special performances for creating an atmosphere in which bingo is established.

In the single jackpot drawing, when the physical drawing by the satellite drawing machine 2001 in the bingo game described above is satisfied, the balls B1, B2 enter the winning hole to which the right to start the single jackpot drawing by the center drawing machine 2002 is assigned; alternatively, when the conditions for starting any one of the single jackpot drawings of the direct jackpot game are satisfied in the above-described game, the control device 2621 of the control unit 2620 in the jackpot game apparatus 2002 executes the single jackpot execution program stored in the ROM2622 to start the single jackpot drawing. Then, in the center drawing device 2002, a physical drawing is performed to determine whether or not the single jackpot award is won (including a case where a prize other than the single jackpot award is won) by moving the ball B1. When the single jackpot award is won, the control device 2621 of the center drawing device 2002 controls the speaker, the lighting device, and the like to perform special performance for raising the single jackpot award.

When the jackpot award is won, the control device 2621 reads out the data of the number of reserve JP singles as payout amount data from the RAM2623, and performs a process of supplying the tokens M of the number indicated by the count value of the data to the play pool 2500 of the station unit ST satisfying the start condition of the jackpot drawing. At this time, a medal supply command may be 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 may be supplied to the pool 2500 by the control of the control device 2601 in the same manner as in the normal medal supply process. However, the number of tokens to be supplied when the single jackpot award is won is a large number because the number of tokens (for example, 0.03 tokens) corresponding to a part of the number of tokens thrown into all the station portions ST is added in an accumulated manner from the time when the single JP stored number data is reset to the initial value (for example, 500 tokens). Therefore, a process of using a separate medal supply mechanism may be used as a process different from the normal medal supply process. In this case, it is preferable to perform a performance in winning a single jackpot award. When the individual jackpot award is won, the control device 2621 resets the individual JP storage count data stored in the RAM2623 to an initial value.

[ automatic lottery machine 3000]

Next, the slot machine 3000 will be described.

The slot machine 3000 is an automatic gaming machine as a game device.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view showing an external appearance of the automatic lottery machine 3000 according to the present embodiment.

The automatic lottery machine 3000 includes: a box-shaped housing 3002, and a front panel 3003 openably and closably attached to the front side of the housing 3002. On the front panel 3003, there are provided: a display window 3004 for displaying a part of a fluctuation display means described later, a medal insertion slot 3005, a start button 3006 as a start operation device, a color sub display window 3007, a reserve settlement button 3008, a speaker 3009, a medal tray 3010 having a medal payout port 3010a, a performance panel 3011, a count display unit 3014, a BET operation unit 3015, and the like. The speaker 3009 and the rendering panel 3011 as rendering units function as rendering units of the automatic lottery machine 3000. In addition, various information such as the total accumulated token count indicating the number of payout pieces in the total jackpot drawing described later is displayed on the play panel 3011.

Inside the housing 3002, 3 wheels (reel) as a variation display unit having a plurality of patterns printed on the outer peripheral surface thereof are assembled. The 3 rotation wheels (hereinafter referred to as "left wheel", "middle wheel", and "right wheel" in this order) are each rotationally driven by a not-shown wheel drive motor constituted by a stepping motor. On these reels, various patterns such as "white 7", "blue 7", "green 7", "red 7", "cherry", "blank" and the like are printed in a predetermined order. In the present embodiment, the "blank" pattern is a pattern that does not constitute any prize. In addition, a main control circuit board having an electronic circuit formed of various electronic components such as a CPU and a ROM, a token payout device having a token basket capable of storing a plurality of tokens, an internal speaker, and the like are incorporated.

Fig. 10 is a detailed front view showing a part of the front panel 3003.

The player can view a pattern of about 3 frames at a predetermined rotation position of each rotation wheel through the display window 3004. On the display window 3004, 5 winning lines IL are drawn across all the reels. When all the combinations of the patterns associated with the awards corresponding to the predetermined award groups are superimposed on these paylines IL (hereinafter, referred to as "award superimposition"), the player is given a play value of paying out the medals to the medal tray 3010 or shifting to a special game period in which a special game can be played. Further, the automatic lottery machine 3000 according to the present embodiment is provided with 5 paylines IL, but more or fewer paylines may be provided. The winning line may be a line that cannot be seen by the player and can be recognized by the CPU17a described later that controls the stop of the automatic lottery machine.

The count display unit 3014 includes a reserve display 3014a, a bonus count display unit 3014b, a token payout number display unit 3014c, and the like.

The BET operation unit 3015 includes 2 BET buttons, i.e., a 1BET button 3015a and a maximum BET button 3015 b.

Fig. 11 is a control block diagram relating to the main structure of the automatic lottery machine 3000.

The main control section 3100 of the automatic lottery machine 3000 includes: a control device 3101, a rotor control device 3102 that controls the driving of 3 rotors, a storage device 3103 that stores various programs and various databases necessary for a game, a display control device 3104 that controls the display of the count display unit 3014, an illumination control device 3105 that controls the illumination of the entertainment panel 3011 and the like, an audio control device 3106 that controls the audio output from the speaker 3009, and an external communication device 3107 that performs data communication with an external device such as the shop server 5000 via a LAN. The main control device 1101 is connected to these devices, and is also 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 automatic lottery machine 3000 will be described.

Before playing a game, first, as a preparation for the game, a player is required to insert medals into the medal insertion slot 3005. When the player inserts medals into the medal insertion port 3005, the medals fall into the medal basket through a path not shown. In the passage are provided: a drop port for dropping a medal smaller than a predetermined value and returning it to the medal payout port 3010 a; a medal blocking solenoid valve for blocking passage of medals back to the medal paying-out port 3010a, or the medals may pass; and a medal insertion sensor 3022 configured by a photoelectric sensor or the like for detecting medals passing one by one. The medal detection signal output from the medal insertion sensor 3022 that has detected the medals is sent to the control device 3101 of the main control unit 3100. Upon receiving the signal, the control device 3101 performs control for the reserve display 3104a to increment the display count value by 1, and also increments the reserve count data stored in the storage device 3103 by 1, by the display control device 3104. Generally, a plurality of tokens are inserted at a time, and the number of reserved tokens is set to a certain number. When the player operates the BET operation unit 3015 to perform a betting operation, the control device 3101 performs control of subtracting the number of betting pieces from the reserve number data stored in the storage device 3103, and subtracting the number of betting pieces from the display count value of the reserve display 3014 a. Then, the control device 3101 recognizes the winning line IL that is valid according to the number of bet. In addition, if the prize is not superimposed on the valid winning line IL, the prize is not formed even if the prize is stopped on the invalid winning line IL.

When the player operates the start key 3006, the control device 3101, which is a start instruction receiving unit, functions as start instruction receiving means by executing the start instruction receiving program stored in the storage device 3103, and receives a variation display start instruction from the start key 3006. The control device 3101 that has received the fluctuation display start command first starts the rotational driving of all the rotors by the rotor control device 3102. Then, the control device 3101, which has received the fluctuation display start command, executes the prize group drawing program stored in the storage device 3103, and functions as means for performing an internal drawing, thereby performing an internal drawing for determining a winning or losing of a selected prize group or a non-selected prize group from among a plurality of prize groups. The 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. The prize group drawing table is a table indicating that each random number is associated with an arbitrary prize group or a prize miss. By establishing the association in this way, an arbitrary prize group wins with a predetermined probability or a prize wins with a predetermined probability, respectively.

The rotational position of the rotor at which the rotational driving is started is detected by a rotor position sensor, not shown. The rotor control device 3102 calculates the rotation speed of the rotor based on the output signals from the rotor position sensors. After the rotational speed of the rotor is stabilized, the rotor control apparatus 3102 can recognize the positions of the patterns on the respective rotors based on the output signals from the respective rotor position sensors. Then, the control device 3101 executes a stop control program stored in the storage device 3103, and based on the result of the drawing of the internal lottery, the rotor wheel control device 3102 controls the stop of the rotor wheel so that the combination of the predetermined pattern is displayed on the winning line in a stationary state. Specifically, when an arbitrary prize group is selected by the internal lottery, stop control is performed to stop the display of the combination of the patterns associated with the prize corresponding to the prize group on the winning line IL. On the other hand, when any prize group is not selected by the internal lottery and a prize is won, stop control is performed to stop and display a combination of patterns not corresponding to any prize group on the winning line IL.

In a normal game, an internal drawing is performed using a prize-group drawing table corresponding to the normal game. Among the prize groups that can be won by the internal lottery of the normal game, there are a cherry prize corresponding to the cherry prize formed by "cherry-ANY (arbitrary pattern)", an ANY7 prize corresponding to the ANY7 prize formed by "ANY 7 (" color of 7 ") -ANY" ANY "ANY" ANY7 ("color of 7") -ANY7 ("color of 7" ANY "), and a white 7 prize corresponding to the white 7 prize formed by" white 7-white 7 ", a token payout prize such as a blue 7 prize corresponding to the blue 7 prize formed of "blue 7-blue 7", a green 7 prize corresponding to the green 7 prize formed of "green 7-green 7", and a red 7 prize corresponding to the red 7 prize formed of "red 7-red 7". When an arbitrary token payout award is selected by internal lottery and the corresponding award is stopped on the winning line IL, the control device 3101 causes the token payout number display 3014c of the count display unit 3014 to display the token payout number corresponding to the winning award. Then, the control device 3101 performs token payout processing for the number of tokens corresponding to the winning award. Specifically, the control device 3101 performs control to increase the reserved number of tokens stored in the storage device 3103 by the number of token payout amounts, and to increase the reserved number of tokens in the reserved display 3014a by the number of token payout amounts. When the upper limit value of the medal stock is exceeded, the medal is paid out to the medal tray 3010 from the medal paying-out port 3010a by the medal paying-out device 3018 for the exceeded portion. The number of paid-out tokens is gradually increased in accordance with the order of description of the prize group.

[ jackpot system ]

Next, the overall jackpot drawing performed in the entire system will be described.

Fig. 12 is a control block diagram of a management server 4000 that performs process control of the total jackpot drawing together with each of the store servers 5000.

The management server 4000 is mainly composed of a control device 4001, a storage device 4002, and an external communication device 4003. The memory device 4002 stores various control programs and also stores total accumulated token count data, which is payout amount data of the entire system. The external communication device 4003 is used for data communication with external devices such as the store servers 5000 of the stores via the WAN.

Fig. 13 is a control block diagram of a store server 5000 for managing the systems in each store and performing data communication between the management server 4000 and each slot machine in the store.

The store server 5000 is mainly configured by 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, and the storage device 5002 stores the number of intra-store accumulated tokens that are a part of the tokens consumed by the token-operated game machines 1000, 2000, and 3000 in the local store constituting the system, and also stores the total accumulated token count data transmitted from the management server 4000. The external communication device 5003 is used for data communication with an external device such as the management server 4000 via a WAN. The external communication device 5003 is used for data communication with each of the slot machines 1000, 2000, 3000 and the like through the LAN.

Fig. 14 is a flowchart showing the flow of the overall jackpot drawing according to the present embodiment. For convenience of explanation, fig. 14 shows 1 slot machine and a store server, respectively.

In the present game system, when a player consumes a medal in each of the slot machines 1000, 2000, and 3000, data indicating the consumption amount is transmitted to the store server 5000 of the store. The control device 5001 of the store server 5000 accumulatively stores a part (for example, 0.01 medals) of the medals consumed by the player in the in-store slot machine 1000, 2000, 3000 connected to the store server 5000 as the in-store accumulated number of medals in the storage device 5002, based on the data transmitted from each of the slot machine 1000, 2000, 3000. Then, the control device 5001 transmits the in-store accumulated token count data in the storage device 5002 to the management server 4000 at a predetermined timing. The intra-store cumulative token count data transmitted here is an amount cumulatively stored from the last transmission time to the present transmission time.

Each time the in-store accumulated token count data transmitted from each of the store servers 5000 is received, the management server 4000 accumulatively adds the total accumulated token count data in the storage device 4002 to the number of tokens of the amount indicated by the data. Thus, a part (for example, 0.01 token pieces) of the number of tokens consumed in all the token-operated game machines constituting the present game system is counted as the total accumulated token count data. In the present embodiment, the initial value of the total accumulated token count data is set to 1000 tokens, for example, and a part of the number of tokens consumed by the player is accumulated for the initial value.

In the present embodiment, even if the single jackpot drawing is performed in the pusher game machine 2000 described above, the accumulated token count data of the single jackpot drawing can be calculated from only the number of tokens consumed in the pusher game machine 2000. On the other hand, the management server 4000 manages the accumulated token count data of the operated total jackpot drawing, and can calculate the accumulated token count data from the number of tokens consumed in all the token-operated game machines constituting the present game system. Thus, when a prize is won by a jackpot drawing, the number of tokens paid out to the winner can be increased.

To describe a specific process flow, the control device 4001 of the management server 4000 receives the intra-store cumulative token count data transmitted from each of the store servers 5000 at a predetermined timing (for example, every 10 minutes), and first performs a process of accumulating the total cumulative token count data in the storage device 4002 as shown in fig. 14. Then, the total accumulated token count data stored in the time storage device 4002 is transmitted to the arcade server 5000 that is the sender of the in-arcade accumulated token count data received up to that time. The arcade server 5000 that has received the data transmits the total accumulated token count data to each of the token-operated game machines 1000, 2000, and 3000. Then, in each of the token-operated game machines 1000, 2000, and 3000 that have received the data, the total accumulated token count data is updated based on the received total accumulated token count data. In the present embodiment, the total accumulated token count data is displayed independently in each token-operated game machine, but a configuration may be adopted in which a display device for displaying the total accumulated token count data is provided in the store, and independent display is not performed in each token-operated game machine.

The conditions for starting the total jackpot drawing in the present embodiment are that the management server 4000 receives the in-store accumulated token count data from the store server 5000.

In the present embodiment, the control device 4001 of the management server 4000 executes the total jackpot drawing program upon receiving the in-store accumulated token count data from each of the store servers 5000, and first performs a store drawing as a group drawing. In this store lottery, the generated random number is compared with a predetermined winning table, and a lottery for determining winning or losing of the data is performed for the store of the data transmission side. When winning is determined by the gaming arcade drawing, the control device 4001 transmits winning data indicating winning in the gaming arcade drawing to the gaming arcade server 5000 that transmits the intra-gaming arcade accumulated token count data that becomes the starting condition of the drawing.

As another method, for example, the following method can be mentioned. That is, upon receiving the in-store accumulated token count data from any of the store servers 5000, the control device 4001 of the management server 4000 executes the whole jackpot drawing program, compares the generated random number with a predetermined winning table, and executes a store drawing for determining whether any of the stores wins or whether any of the stores wins. In this shop selection, the selected shop does not necessarily have to be determined. Therefore, there is a case where any store is loser in the store lottery. When a winning prize of an arbitrary store is determined at the store lottery, the control device 4001 transmits winning data indicating a winning prize at the store lottery to the store server 5000 of the store related to the winning prize.

The conditions for starting the overall jackpot drawing are not limited to the above conditions, and may be any conditions as long as they are generated at appropriate time intervals. For example, a condition that a predetermined fixed time has elapsed may be set as a starting condition of the total jackpot drawing.

Here, it is desirable that the conditions for the drawing in the store drawing (group drawing) performed by the control device 4001 of the management server 4000 be appropriately set so that the stores selected by the drawing are distributed in various stores without being concentrated in some stores as much as possible. Examples of such a sampling condition include: a condition of decreasing the winning probability of the winning store in the next drawing and a condition of increasing the winning probability of the less winning store. The drawing conditions adopted in the present embodiment are based on setting the winning probability of each store such that the winning probability of the drawing performed in a given period (for example, a period until the next winning store is determined, a period until a predetermined number of times of drawing has elapsed, or the like) is temporarily reduced for the winning store that is selected next and thereafter, in such a manner that the winning probability is increased as the winning probability increases for the store that has contributed to increase the total number of accumulated tokens.

The drawing conditions for the store drawing (group drawing conditions) are not limited to these.

For example, the lottery condition may be such that the winning probability of the lottery performed in a certain period of time after the next time is temporarily lowered for the winning store, similarly to the above, based on the fact that the winning probabilities of the respective stores are equal.

For example, the drawing condition may be such that the winning probability of the next and subsequent times of the arcade server 5000 in which the accumulated value of the in-arcade accumulated token count data transmitted to the management server 4000 from the time of the last winning is equal to the predetermined amount is increased.

The arcade server 5000 that has received the winning data performs processing for determining which player to play with the slot machine 1000, 2000, 3000 in the arcade connected thereto is the winner of the overall jackpot prize. In this process, a notification is given of the appearance of the winner of the total jackpot drawing from the inside of the store, and a performance for advance notice (hereinafter referred to as "total jackpot performance") for attracting the attention of the players, the audience, and the like in the entire store is performed, thereby inducing a sense of expectation that the player may be the winner of the store by himself or an interest in who the winner is. The total jackpot performance needs to be performed simultaneously in all the token-operated game machines 1000, 2000, and 3000 in the store, but the timing of performing the performance (total jackpot performance timing) needs to be adjusted depending on the game progress in each of the token-operated game machines 1000, 2000, and 3000. This is because each of the token-operated game machines 1000, 2000, and 3000 plays a game independently, and depending on the progress status, the overall jackpot performance may hinder the game from being played, which may result in an undesirable situation in which the enjoyment of the player is greatly reduced.

For example, in the horse racing game machine 1000, if the total jackpot performance is suddenly started during the play reproduction using the pool portion 1002, the game climax inherent in the horse racing game machine is significantly reduced, which is not desirable. Further, for example, in the pusher game machine 2000, if the total jackpot performance is suddenly started in a drawing in which payment of a large number of medals can be expected, such as a physical drawing of a bingo game and a single jackpot drawing, the surprise of the game originally provided by the pusher game machine is remarkably reduced, which is not desirable. Further, for example, in the automatic lottery machine 3000, if the entire jackpot performance is suddenly started in the winning performance when a large number of medals such as the green 7 prize and the red 7 prize are determined, the pleasure of the player is significantly lowered, which is not desirable.

On the other hand, in each of the token-operated game machines 1000, 2000, and 3000, even if the progress of the respective game is hindered by the overall jackpot performance, there is a time period in which the adverse effect of reducing the original enjoyment of the token-operated game machine is small. For example, in the horse racing game machine 1000, if the player is in a time for betting a medal, that is, in a time for purchasing a horse ticket, the adverse effect is small, and it is suitable for starting the whole jackpot performance. Further, for example, in the pusher game machine 2000, if a drawing which can expect a large amount of medals to be paid out is being performed and a timing other than the time when the winning performance is being performed, the adverse effect is small, and it is suitable for starting the whole jackpot performance. In the automatic lottery machine 3000, for example, if the period from the end of the 1-time lottery game to the start of the next lottery game, specifically, the period from the time when the winning is determined in the previous lottery game to the time when the winning start button 3006 of the next lottery game is operated after the end of the winning play, the adverse effect is small, and the whole jackpot play is preferably started.

In each of the token-operated game machines 1000, 2000, and 3000 of the present embodiment, the game progress status exemplified here is set in advance to a status in which the total jackpot performance can be performed.

Fig. 15 is a flowchart for explaining the overall jackpot performance timing determination process.

The arcade server 5000 that has received the winning data first inquires of all of the slot machines 1000, 2000, 3000, via the LAN, a timing at which the game progress status becomes a status in which the total jackpot performance can be performed. In response to this inquiry, the control devices 1101, 2621, and 3101 of the respective token-operated game machines 1000, 2000, and 3000 constitute a time prediction processing unit as a single unit or in cooperation with the other control devices 1201, 2601, and 2611, and function as time prediction processing means, and execute a time prediction program to perform processing for predicting a time at which the progress status of the respective games becomes the predetermined set status. Then, the control devices 1101, 2621, and 3101 of the respective slot machines 1000, 2000, and 3000 transmit the total performance possible time information indicating the predicted time to the arcade server 5000 from the external communication devices 1108, 2625, and 3107. The control device 5001 of the store server 5000 as the total performance time determination unit functions as a total performance time determination means for determining a total performance time for performing the total jackpot performance based on the total performance possible time information transmitted from each of the token-operated game machines 1000, 2000, and 3000. Specifically, the earliest possible total-play timings of all of the slot machines 1000, 2000, and 3000 are determined based on the total-play possible timing information, and are determined as the total-play timings. Then, the information of the determined overall performance time is transmitted to each of the slot machines 1000, 2000, and 3000. The progress of the game is controlled in each slot machine that has received the information so that the progress status of the game itself becomes the predetermined setting status that enables the performance of the total jackpot performance at the determined total performance time. Further, a specific control method is to store the above setting conditions in advance in each of the slot machines 1000, 2000, 3000 and read information of the stored setting conditions to perform progress control of the game, or to combine the above setting conditions in advance in a program for controlling the progress of the game and perform progress control of the game in accordance with the contents of the program.

In order to set the total rendering timing determined by the control device 5001 of the arcade server 5000 to the above-described setting state, it is necessary to finely adjust the progress of the game in each of the slot machines 1000, 2000, and 3000.

As a method of fine adjustment, in the horse racing game machine 1000, for example, a method of shortening or lengthening the reproduction time of the race reproduction video in the reproduction process of the race reproduction video executed after each race is finished is cited. Specifically, by setting the reproduction start time of the game reproduction video to the middle disc or the end disc of the game, the reproduction time can be shortened or lengthened.

In the pusher game machine 2000, for example, a method of performing fine adjustment by display control for extending or shortening the time from the start of rotation to the stop of the 3 color sub-shaped squares DS in the color sub game played in each station ST is exemplified. Specifically, for example, the reproduction speed of the image from the start rotation to the stop of the 3 color sub-shaped squares DS may be increased or decreased. In this case, since editing of the video itself is not necessary, the display processing is easily performed.

In the automatic lottery machine 3000, for example, a method of performing fine adjustment by drive control in which the time from the start of rotation of 3 reels to the stop of the rotation is extended or shortened is cited.

The fine adjustment method is not limited to the above-described method, and may be appropriately determined according to the game contents of the respective token-operated game machines 1000, 2000, and 3000.

In particular, in the case of a game machine that performs a digital lottery, it is effective to lengthen or shorten the time for displaying the image for drawing performance as in the pusher game machine 2000.

The method of determining the total rendering timing is not limited to this.

For example, the control device 5001 of the store server 5000, which is the performance timing determination unit, functions as performance timing determination means, and determines the overall performance timing based on predetermined overall performance timing determination conditions without performing an operation to inquire about the timing at which the overall performance is possible with respect to each of the token-operated game machines 1000, 2000, and 3000. Then, the determined total performance timing is transmitted to each of the slot machines 1000, 2000, and 3000, and the respective slot machines can control the progress of the game so that the game progress state thereof becomes the predetermined setting state in which the total jackpot performance can be performed at the determined total performance timing. This method is particularly effective when the slot machine constituting the present game system has a high degree of freedom in controlling the progress of the game.

When the total performance time determined by the arcade server 5000 arrives, as shown in fig. 14, the control device 5001 of the arcade server 5000 performs player presence confirmation processing for identifying a player who is playing using each of the token-operated game machines 1000, 2000, and 3000. Specifically, all of the token-operated game machines 1000, 2000, and 3000 are asked for presence confirmation of the player through the LAN. The token-operated game machines 1000, 2000, and 3000 that have received the inquiry perform player presence confirmation processing corresponding to the respective game contents.

Specifically, in the horse racing game machine 1000, since the player can play the game on each of the plurality of game boards, the player performs a process of confirming whether or not the player who is playing the game is present on each of the game boards. As this confirmation method, for example, a method of determining that a player is present at a game table having a magnetic card inserted into the magnetic card insertion slot 1015 is given.

In the slot machine 2000, since the player can play the game by each of the plurality of station units, the player can check whether or not the player is playing for each station unit. As this confirmation method, for example, a method of determining that a player is present in a station unit having medals in the storage unit 2101 of the medal insertion mechanism 2100 is included.

In addition, since the automatic lottery machine 3000 is played by 1 player, a process of confirming whether or not there is a player who plays the game using the automatic lottery machine 3000 is performed. As this confirmation method, for example, when the data of the reserve number of 1 or more is stored in the storage device 3103, it is determined that there is a player.

The method of confirming the presence of the player is not limited to the above example, and other methods may be employed.

After the presence confirmation process of the player, the respective token-operated game machines 1000, 2000, and 3000 return the presence confirmation information as the process result to the arcade server 5000 from the external communication devices 1108, 2625, and 3107. The control device 5001 of the arcade server 5000 identifies a table, a table portion, or an automatic gaming machine (hereinafter referred to as "table or the like") on which a player is playing, which is identified based on presence confirmation information sent from each of the slot machines 1000, 2000, and 3000. Then, the control device 5001 executes a winner determination lottery program, and performs a winner determination lottery process for determining which lottery object is won by using each of the identified game boards or the like as a lottery object. Specifically, a winning table is generated in which winning probabilities of respective drawing objects are equal, drawing objects corresponding to generated random numbers are selected in accordance with the winning table, and the selected drawing objects are determined as winners. In the present embodiment, in addition to the total jackpot prize, a fixed number of jackpot prizes (major bonus prize), a fixed number of medium prizes (medium bonus prize), and a fixed number of mini prizes (small bonus prize) are prepared in the winner determination lottery process. Thus, the control device 5001 sequentially determines the drawing targets to be won for these prizes by the method described above.

Here, the winning probabilities of the respective drawing objects are set to be equal, but may be unequal. For example, in the arcade server 5000, since the token-consumption data is periodically received from the respective token-operated game machines 1000, 2000, and 3000, the contribution degree of each of the token-operated game machines 1000, 2000, and 3000 contributing to the increase of the total accumulated token count data of this time, and the ratio of the token-consumption data received from the respective token-operated game machines 1000, 2000, and 3000 to increase the total accumulated token count data of this time can be specified. The winning probability may be relatively increased for a drawing object corresponding to a slot machine with a high ratio, and the winning probability may be relatively decreased for a drawing object corresponding to a slot machine with a low ratio.

After the winner determination lottery processing is thus completed and the game boards for each winning are determined, the control device 5001 of the store server 5000, which is a control command transmitting unit, functions as control command transmitting means, and notifies the winning results to each of the token-operated game machines 1000, 2000, and 3000 and transmits a total performance control command to each of the token-operated game machines 1000, 2000, and 3000. This makes it possible to perform a total jackpot performance using the performance units of the respective token-operated game machines 1000, 2000, and 3000 connected to the shop server 5000.

Next, the overall jackpot performance will be described.

In each of the token-operated game machines 1000, 2000, and 3000 that have received the total play control command from the arcade server 5000, a jackpot drawing start screen indicating the start of the total jackpot drawing as shown in fig. 16 is displayed simultaneously on the display 1011, the display unit 2700, and the play panel 3011, which are display units such as the game boards related to the drawing targets. The jackpot-start screen is not displayed for a game table or the like that is not a drawing target, that is, a game table or the like that is determined that the player is not playing.

Here, in the present embodiment, even in the entire jackpot performance, the player can play the game of the slot machine with respect to the game table or the like which is not the drawing target. Therefore, during the whole jackpot performance, there is a possibility that an independent performance corresponding to the game progress of the game board or the like which is not the drawing target is performed. In the course of the overall jackpot performance, if an independent performance unrelated to the performance is performed, the independent performance obstructs the overall jackpot performance, and the effect of the overall jackpot performance is reduced. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the game board or the like that is not the drawing target is controlled so that the individual performance corresponding to the progress of the game is not performed or the volume, the light amount, or the like is reduced to an inconspicuous level in the whole jackpot performance.

The controllers 1101, 2621, and 3101 of the respective token-operated game machines 1000, 2000, and 3000 constitute a presentation control unit for announcement by itself or in cooperation with the other controllers 1201, 2601, and 2611, and function as an announcement presentation control means to execute a total presentation program to perform a total jackpot presentation process. Specifically, a single overall performance (overall jackpot performance) in which all of the token-operated game machines 1000, 2000, and 3000 connected to the shop server 5000 cooperate with each other is performed by causing performance units such as speakers and lighting devices of the respective token-operated game machines 1000, 2000, and 3000 to perform a performance that is a part of the overall jackpot performance. Specifically, for example, in all of the slot machines 1000, 2000, and 3000, blue and red lights are alternately emitted at the same time, or the same music or effect sound that notifies the player who played in any slot machine of the overall jackpot award is output at the same time.

However, in the present embodiment, since the presentation units of the respective token-operated game machines 1000, 2000, and 3000 are configured by different hardware, the same presentation cannot be performed. Therefore, by performing different performances in the respective token-operated game machines 1000, 2000, and 3000, a total jackpot performance having a sense of unity as a whole can be configured. For example, regarding music and effect tones, a bass section may be responsible for the horse racing game machine 1000, a midrange section may be responsible for the pusher game machine 2000, and a treble section may be responsible for the automatic lottery machine 3000.

In addition, as long as the performances performed by the performance units of the respective token-operated game machines 1000, 2000, and 3000 are synchronized with each other and have a sense of unity as a whole, various methods may be used as a specific method of the total jackpot performance.

By starting the total jackpot performance in this manner, the players and the audience members in the gaming arcades are notified of who the players who play the game using the token-operated game machines 1000, 2000, and 3000 in the gaming arcades won the total jackpot. This makes the player hold a strong expectation that he or she may find his or her jackpot prize, and wait for the notification of the drawing result.

After the start of the overall jackpot performance, a lottery screen as shown in fig. 17 is displayed on each of the display units 1011, 2700, and 3011, following the jackpot start screen shown in fig. 16. After the start of the variable display of the 3 reel images on the lottery screen, the 3 reel images are still displayed so that the symbols corresponding to the winning or losing prizes on the game boards or the like corresponding to the 3 reel images are still displayed on the display units 1011, 2700, and 3011. Specifically, in the present embodiment, as described above, there are 4 prizes, that is, the full jackpot prize, the large bonus prize as the payout prize, the medium bonus prize as the payout prize, and the small bonus prize as the payout prize, and the still display control is performed such that the combination of symbols corresponding to the respective prizes is displayed still on the lottery screen. More specifically, the display units 1011, 2700, and 3011 of the game boards and the like having the jackpot award in their entirety perform still display control for displaying 3 a symbols continuously in a still state. The display sections 1011, 2700, and 3011 of the game tables for which the jackpot prize is awarded perform still display control for displaying 3 consecutive B symbols in a still state. The display units 1011, 2700, and 3011 of the game tables etc. which have won the bonus award perform still display control for still displaying a symbol combination in which the a symbol and the B symbol are mixed. In the display units 1011, 2700, and 3011 of the game tables or the like for which the winning prize of small bonus is awarded, the static display control is performed in which the a symbol or the B symbol is displayed in a static state on both the left reel image and the middle reel image, and the combination of the a symbol and the B symbol (blank symbol is displayed in a static state) is not displayed in a static state on the right reel image.

The jackpot-starting screen and the lottery screen need not be identical screens in all of the slot machines 1000, 2000, and 3000, and may be appropriately changed according to hardware for displaying these screens, or may be adjusted according to the game contents of the respective slot machines 1000, 2000, and 3000, for example.

In the present embodiment, although the reel image on the lottery screen is displayed in a fluctuating manner all at once in all the slot machines 1000, 2000, and 3000 connected to the store server 5000, the end time of the still display of the 3 reel images differs for each prize. Specifically, the end time of the stationary display is gradually delayed in the order of the small bonus prize, the medium bonus prize, the large bonus prize, and the total jackpot prize after the game board or the like corresponding to the jackpot prize is the earliest.

In the present embodiment, the entire jackpot performance continues from the start of the variable display of the rotor image on the lottery screen to the end of the still display. For example, after the start of the change display of the reel image on the lottery screen, the illumination of the corresponding tables or the like to be lottery-targeted in each of the slot machines 1000, 2000, 3000 is turned on only in different periods, and the tables or the like whose illumination is turned on are sequentially switched. Then, at the time when the still display of the rotor image on each game board or the like is completed, a drawing performance is performed so that the illumination of the game board or the like is flickered.

After the total jackpot performance is ended as described above, a process of paying out tokens by the number corresponding to the number of the awards to a player who plays a game table or the like using each award is performed. The payout of medals may be made by the medal payout unit of the token-operated game machine 1000, 2000, 3000, or may be made by the sales clerk of the store paying out the game fee.

In the present embodiment, the total accumulated token count data indicates the total number of tokens paid out to the player who has won the total jackpot award and the total number of tokens paid out to the player who has won the payout award (the big bonus award, the middle bonus award, or the small bonus award). That is, when the winning of the total jackpot prize is determined, a predetermined number of tokens, which is a part of the total accumulated token count data, is paid out to the player who has won the payout prize, and the remaining number of tokens is paid out to the player who has won the total jackpot prize. In this case, the total accumulated token count displayed independently in each token-operated game machine may be displayed not only as the token count itself indicated by the total accumulated token count data but also as the number of tokens paid out when the total jackpot award is won.

The total accumulated token count data may be only the number of tokens paid out to the player who has won the total jackpot award, and the number of tokens for the payout award (the major bonus award, the middle bonus award, or the minor bonus award) may be stored in advance as data different from the total accumulated token count data.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the conditions for the drawing at the time of the store drawing are set to the conditions under which the winning stores are dispersed in various stores without being concentrated in some stores as described above. This can suppress the occurrence of a situation in which a winner of a jackpot prize always appears in a slot machine provided in a part of the gaming arcades. In this way, by adjusting the appearance of the jackpot winner in each of the gaming arcades, more gaming arcades can be prompted to participate in the jackpot drawing system provided by the present game system, and a large-scale game system can be configured.

In the game system of the present embodiment, all the slot machines constituting the system are grouped for each of the gaming arcade servers 5000 (each gaming arcade), first, a gaming arcade drawing (group drawing) for determining a winning prize, which is selected from 1 gaming arcade server 5000 related to a winning prize or is not selected at all, from among all the gaming arcade servers 5000 is executed in the management server 4000, and then, a winner drawing for determining a winner of a jackpot prize is executed in the gaming arcade server related to a winning prize. This reduces the processing load on the management server 4000, and enables a large-scale game system to be handled at low cost.

In the present embodiment, the advance notice notifying that the player who plays the game by the slot machines 1000, 2000, and 3000 wins the total jackpot prize is executed by using the performance for advance notice performed by the performance units provided in the respective slot machines 1000, 2000, and 3000 connected to the selected arcade server 4000, but the advance notice is not limited to this.

For example, the player who plays the game using the token-operated game machines 1000, 2000, and 3000 may be notified of the fact that the jackpot award is being won by the performance or information notification of a dedicated device independent of the token-operated game machines 1000, 2000, and 3000.

In the present embodiment, the description has been given of the case where grouping is performed for each shop in order to prevent winners of the jackpot prize from concentrating on the same shop, but grouping may be performed for achieving another purpose. For example, the game devices may be grouped into game device-setting areas within a store. In addition, for example, in the present game system, although the same model (for example, the horse racing game machine 1000) is installed in each of a plurality of shops, if a winner of the jackpot award is always concentrated on the model, a player who plays using another model (for example, the pusher game machine 2000 or the automatic lottery machine 3000) may lose interest in the jackpot drawing. In such a case, the game devices constituting the present game system are grouped for each model. This can suppress the occurrence of a situation in which a jackpot award occurs among players who always play a game using a specific model (for example, the horse racing game machine 1000).

In the present embodiment, among players who play a game using each of the game devices belonging to the gaming arcades selected by the arcade drawing, there are cases where a player who cannot obtain a payout of medals due to a miss payout award (a large bonus award, a medium bonus award, a small bonus award), but a process (small payout process) of paying out a predetermined amount of medals may be performed for all players who play a game using each of the game devices belonging to the gaming arcades selected by the arcade drawing. Further, in the case where the game devices are not grouped for each store, but grouped for each machine type, for example, in a store for each game machine installation area, a process (small payout process) of paying out a predetermined amount of medals may be executed for a player who plays with each game device belonging to the group.

The slot machine applied to the game system of the present embodiment is not limited to the above-described type, and can be applied to a wide range.

The store server 5000 of the present embodiment is a device dedicated to the present game system to which only the token-operated game machines 1000, 2000, and 3000 participating in the present jackpot system are connected, but may be a general store server connected to another game machine not participating in the present jackpot system.

In the above-described embodiments, the means implemented by software such as a computer program may be implemented by hardware such as a circuit or a chip, or the means implemented by hardware such as a circuit or a chip may be implemented by software such as a computer program.

Claims (9)

1. A game system having 4 or more game devices each having a game progress control unit for controlling a game progress, characterized by comprising a jackpot drawing apparatus,

the drawing device for jackpot game includes:

a drawing unit that performs a jackpot drawing for determining winners of a medium jackpot award from among players who play a game using the 4 or more game apparatuses;

a storage unit that stores payout amount data indicating an amount including a payout target amount to be paid out to a winning player when the winning of the jackpot prize is determined by the drawing unit;

a payout processing unit configured to read the payout amount data from the storage unit and perform payout processing for paying out at least a part of the amount indicated by the read payout amount data to a winning player when the winning of the jackpot prize is determined by the drawing unit; and

a payment amount increasing unit that cumulatively increases the amount indicated by the payment amount data stored in the storage unit when a predetermined payment amount increase condition is satisfied,

the drawing section of the jackpot drawing apparatus performs a group drawing in which 1 winning group or no group is selected from a plurality of groups determined in advance, each of which is composed of 2 or more game apparatuses, according to a predetermined group drawing condition, and when a winning group is selected by the group drawing, a winner drawing is performed in which a player who is selecting a winning jackpot or a player who is not selecting any player is determined from players who play by 2 or more game apparatuses belonging to the winning group, and the jackpot drawing is performed.

2. The gaming system of claim 1,

the above-mentioned 4 or more game apparatuses are commercial game apparatuses provided in a game place,

the predetermined plurality of groups are groups grouped for each shop in which each game machine is installed.

3. The gaming system of claim 2,

the jackpot drawing apparatus includes a store server of each store communicably connected to 2 or more game apparatuses installed in the same store, and a management server communicably connected to each store server,

the group drawing is performed by a drawing unit provided in the management server,

the winner lottery is performed by a lottery section provided in a gaming arcade server of a gaming arcade related to a winning group determined by the group lottery.

4. The gaming system of claim 1,

in the winner lottery, when a winning group is selected by the group lottery, a player who wins a middle jackpot prize is determined among players who play using 2 or more game apparatuses belonging to the winning group, and a determination that no player is selected is not performed.

5. The gaming system of claim 2,

in the winner lottery, when a winning group is selected by the group lottery, a player who wins a middle jackpot prize is determined among players who play using 2 or more game apparatuses belonging to the winning group, and a determination that no player is selected is not performed.

6. The gaming system of claim 3,

in the winner lottery, when a winning group is selected by the group lottery, a player who wins a middle jackpot prize is determined among players who play using 2 or more game apparatuses belonging to the winning group, and a determination that no player is selected is not performed.

7. The gaming system of claim 1,

when a winning group is selected by the group lottery, the payout processing unit of the jackpot lottery apparatus performs a small payout process for paying out a payout target smaller than a payout amount paid out when winning of the jackpot prize to a player who plays a game using 2 or more game apparatuses belonging to the winning group.

8. The gaming system of claim 7,

a drawing section of the jackpot drawing apparatus performs a payout prize drawing for identifying a winner who receives a payout award for a payout object smaller than a payout amount paid out when the jackpot prize is won, from among players who play a game using 2 or more game apparatuses belonging to a winning group when the winning group is selected by the group drawing, in addition to the jackpot prize drawing,

the payout processing unit of the jackpot drawing apparatus performs the small payout processing on the winner when the drawing unit determines the winner of the payout award.

9. A drawing machine for jackpot game, comprising:

a drawing unit that executes a jackpot drawing for determining winners of a medium jackpot award from among players who play with 4 or more game devices each including a game progress control unit that controls a game progress;

a storage unit that stores payout amount data indicating an amount including a payout target amount to be paid out to a winning player when the winning of the jackpot prize is determined by the drawing unit;

a payout processing unit configured to read the payout amount data from the storage unit and perform payout processing for paying out at least a part of the amount indicated by the read payout amount data to a winning player when the winning of the jackpot prize is determined by the drawing unit; and

a payment amount increasing unit that cumulatively increases the amount indicated by the payment amount data stored in the storage unit when a predetermined payment amount increase condition is satisfied;

in the jackpot drawing apparatus, the drawing section performs a group drawing in which 1 winning group or no group is selected from a plurality of groups determined in advance each consisting of 2 or more game apparatuses, in accordance with a predetermined group drawing condition, and when a winning group is selected by the group drawing, a winner drawing is performed in which a player who selected a winning jackpot or a winner who did not select any player is determined from players who played by the 2 or more game apparatuses belonging to the winning group, and the jackpot drawing is performed.