JP2001224783A - Special symbol display method for game machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a game machine which can increase the speed of specific symbol variation without increasing the moving speed of a three-dimensional object. SOLUTION: In this game machine, a moving three-dimensional object 10 is imaged by plural camera view points and images served for displaying camera view points are orderly switched.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a special symbol display of a gaming machine in which a game is played by changing and displaying an image pattern (special symbol) such as a plurality of numbers on a display unit to open a winning opening of a variable winning device. About the method.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a game machine called a pachinko machine is provided with a display device arranged at the center of a game board and displaying a special symbol composed of a plurality of figures and figures while changing the pattern. There is. And of the image pattern,
For example, if the combination of multiple numbers is "8", "8",
When a predetermined combination such as "8" is reached, the variable winning device is opened for a certain period of time. A special prize state is set and a game value is given to the player. Further, the probability of the combination of the image patterns in the special prize state (hereinafter, referred to as fluctuation probability) is not fixed but is changed according to the game state.

[0003] The value of the variation probability is represented by, for example, a number, and is displayed on a display so that the player is notified of the value of the variation probability. Examples of gaming machines that perform three-dimensional display of special symbols include Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 11-70229 and Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No.
No. 81) has been proposed.

[0004]

However, in the above proposal, since the three-dimensional object is rotated, for example, the three-dimensional object must be constantly calculated for three-dimensional display. In order to increase the fluctuation speed of the three-dimensional object, the moving speed of the three-dimensional object must be increased, and the processing load on the CPU or the like that executes the rotational movement calculation increases.

In view of the above, it is an object of the present invention to provide a special symbol display method for a gaming machine which can increase the speed of changing a special symbol without increasing the moving speed of a three-dimensional object. Is to do.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 is directed to a three-dimensional object on which at least one or more special symbol images are mapped, or a three-dimensional object for a symbol. An aggregate in which each outer surface shape represents a symbol is relatively moved in a virtual space with respect to a plurality of camera viewpoints, and the plurality of camera viewpoints are sequentially switched to move to the field of view of the switched camera viewpoint. The special symbol is variably displayed by displaying an image of the special symbol mapped on the three-dimensional object on a display.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the method for displaying a special symbol of a gaming machine according to the first aspect, an image size of the special symbol displayed on the display by switching positions of the plurality of camera viewpoints. Is variable.

[0008]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a gaming machine, in this case,
1 shows an example of a front view of a pachinko machine. Since the mechanical structure of the pachinko machine can be the same as that of the conventional example as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-319252, the description will be limited to only the components related to the present invention.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 100 denotes a special symbol display device for variably displaying an image pattern.

[0010] Reference numeral 101 denotes a variable winning device that opens a winning opening when an image pattern is a combination of predetermined specific numbers, that is, when a special winning state is established. 102 is a specific area, and when a game ball wins during the special prize state, the special prize state is continued.

Reference numeral 103 denotes a symbol display device. When a game ball wins a specific winning opening, different numbers are displayed while changing.

FIG. 2 shows a circuit configuration of a control system of the gaming machine.
The same parts as those in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description will be omitted.

In FIG. 2, reference numeral 200 denotes a CPU functioning as a main control unit. The CPU 200 uses a CPU chip including a ROM 201 and a RAM 202,
The ROM and the RAM may be connected by a bus.

A program for controlling the gaming machine is stored in the ROM 201. The program includes a program for setting a change probability and designating a display pattern corresponding to the change probability. The ROM 201 further stores various parameter values for controlling the gaming machine.

The RAM 202 stores input / output data for the CPU 200, data for arithmetic processing, and the like. 20
Reference numeral 3 denotes an input port for inputting a signal from each circuit described later and transferring the signal to the CPU 200. Reference numeral 204 denotes a special symbol start switch, which is installed at a specific winning opening. When the number of the special symbol displayed on the special symbol display device 100 is a combination of specific numbers, and when the game ball wins the specific winning opening, the special symbol start switch 204 is operated, and the CPU is activated.
In accordance with the instruction of 301, the winning opening of the variable winning device 101 is opened.

Reference numeral 205 denotes a normal symbol operation switch. When a game ball wins a specific winning opening, the normal symbol operation switch 205 is operated, and a winning device, for example, a tulip is opened by an instruction from the CPU 200. Reference numeral 206 denotes a specific area switch, which is provided in the specific area 102 shown in FIG.

Reference numeral 207 denotes a group of other well-known switches for operating various parts of the gaming machine according to the gaming state.

Reference numeral 208 denotes a power supply circuit for supplying power to the entire circuit of FIG. Reference numeral 209 denotes a variable input device, which is a CPU.
The winning opening is opened / closed by an instruction from 200. 210 is a device (including a circuit) installed in a conventionally well-known game.

Reference numeral 211 denotes a lamp display device related to a game, and selectively turns on / off a plurality of lamps according to an instruction from the CPU 200. A speaker 212 outputs sound related to the game.

FIG. 3 shows the internal structure of the special symbol display device 100.

In FIG. 3, reference numeral 301 denotes a CPU, which performs image processing and image display control according to a program stored in a program ROM 306.

Reference numeral 302 denotes a main control unit (CPU) 200
The display command signal receiving circuit receives a command signal relating to display, in this example, an identification code indicating a pattern of a symbol to be displayed.

Reference numeral 303 denotes a character ROM, which is data relating to a three-dimensional object for synthesizing an image (combination pattern) for displaying a special symbol, that is, shape data indicating the shape of the three-dimensional object (such as a wire frame or an object). ) And an image to be pasted (mapped) on the surface of the three-dimensional object (called a texture), and an identification code corresponding to the position on the three-dimensional object and the image. 304 is an LS for image processing
I (integrated circuit), LCD (liquid crystal) display 3
05 is synthesized on the video RAM 308, and the synthesized image is displayed on the video RAM 308.
LCD display 3 by reading from 308 at regular intervals
05 is output.

An LCD display 305 displays an image synthesized by the image processing LSI 304. Three
A program ROM 06 stores a program for image processing executed by the CPU 301. The program ROM 306 stores a display control program defining the contents of the display control performed by the CPU 301.

Reference numeral 307 denotes a RAM, which temporarily stores data used for arithmetic processing of the CPU 301. Reference numeral 308 denotes a video RAM for synthesizing an image to be displayed on the video RAM 308.

Next, a method for creating a special symbol image according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

In FIG. 4, reference numeral 10 denotes a three-dimensional object;
It has a band-like shape. An image of a special symbol is mapped on the surface of the three-dimensional object. The arrangement of the images of the special symbols is predetermined and fixed. 1 to 3 are camera viewpoints. The three-dimensional object 10 has camera viewpoints 1 to 3
Move relative to. In the present embodiment, the three-dimensional object 10 moves and the camera viewpoints 1 to 3 are fixed, but the reverse is true (the camera viewpoint moves and the three-dimensional object is fixed).
It can also be.

The camera viewpoint 1 has a field of view 11 on a three-dimensional object 10 (the current special symbol is "6"). The camera viewpoint 2 has a field of view (12) on the three-dimensional object 10 (the current special symbol is “7”). The camera viewpoint 3 has an area 13 (the current special symbol is “8”) on the three-dimensional object 10 as a visual field. The central position of these regions is fixed when viewed from the three-dimensional space, and the sizes of the regions 11 to 13 change according to the position of the camera viewpoint. Therefore, the size and position of the region can be represented by a function using the position of the camera viewpoint, more precisely, the position on an axis orthogonal to the three-dimensional object as a parameter.

In the present embodiment, while moving the three-dimensional object 10 in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 4 in the virtual space, the mapping images on the areas 11 to 13 on the three-dimensional object 10 are switched while changing the camera viewpoint. The first characteristic is that the display is varied on the display 305. The second feature is that the position of the camera viewpoint is moved to enlarge / reduce (zoom) the image of the special symbol displayed.

FIG. 5 shows a processing procedure for performing such display control. The processing procedure of FIG.
4 shows a processing procedure relating to a variable display of a special symbol in the processing procedure executed by the CPU 04.

The image processing LSI 304 repeatedly executes the processing procedure of FIG. 5 at a constant cycle.

It is assumed that a function for acquiring images of the regions 11 to 13 which shift to the fields of view of the camera viewpoints 1 to 3, that is, a macro program or a subroutine program is prepared in advance.

The CPU 301 determines the size of the special symbol for display according to the variation probability of the special prize lottery, and instructs the size to the image processing LSI 304. In response to this instruction, the position of the camera viewpoint is changed to the image processing LSI 304.
(Step S10).

Next, a process of moving the virtual object 10 in the virtual space is performed by calculating a new position obtained by moving the current position of the three-dimensional object 10 in the virtual space by a predetermined distance (step S20).

Next, a mapping image in the three-dimensional object 10 viewed from the camera viewpoint 1 when the three-dimensional object 10 is located at the set new position is obtained by a predetermined function, and written into the video RAM 308 (step S3).
0 → S40 → S50). This function uses the character ROM
An image to be displayed is acquired using the three-dimensional object shape data and the mapping image stored in 302. The process of extracting an image of a specific area on a three-dimensional object viewed from a specific viewpoint is well known, and a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

The image stored in the video RAM 308 is read out by the image processing LSI 304 and sent to the LCD display 305 at a very short cycle, so that the content stored in the video RAM 308 is displayed on the LCD display 305 as it is. In this example, the image of the special symbol “6” in the area 11 of FIG. 4 is displayed.

Thereafter, the image processing LSI 304 repeatedly executes the processing of steps S40 to S60, switches the camera viewpoint, acquires an image appearing in the field of view of the switched camera viewpoint, and writes it in the video RAM 308.
As a result, the image of the special symbol displayed on the LCD display 305 changes from “6” to “7” to “8” (see FIG. 4).
And fluctuate.

When it is desired to notify the player of some information by repeatedly executing the above-described processing procedure, that is, in response to an instruction from the main control unit 200 for determining the game state, the CPU
Numeral 301 designates the size of the special symbol larger than the current size to the image processing LSI 304.

The image processing LSI 304 receiving this instruction
Moves the camera viewpoints 1 to 3 in step S10, in this case, moves rightward in FIG. 4, and calculates the image of the field of view from the camera viewpoint at the moved position. Therefore, the special symbol on the display 305 is also enlarged and displayed. In the reduction of the special symbol, the moving directions of the camera viewpoints 1 to 3 are reversed.

The following embodiment can be carried out in addition to the above embodiment. 1) The shape of the three-dimensional object is ring-shaped in addition to the band-shaped plate.
It can be spherical or polyhedral. 2) In the above embodiment, one special symbol is variably displayed, but in order to display a plurality of special symbols, a plurality of three-dimensional objects and a plurality of camera viewpoints may be prepared. Display images obtained from each three-dimensional object are converted to video RA
Combine and display on M308. 3) When the viewpoint of the camera is rotated, the special symbol to be displayed is also rotated, so that various kinds of information can be reported at the rotation angle of the special symbol.

Various modifications other than the above-described embodiment are possible, but the modifications fall within the technical scope of the present invention as long as the modifications conform to the technical idea described in the claims.

[0042]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, a plurality of camera viewpoints are switched, and a mapping image of a special symbol shown in each camera viewpoint is displayed. Conventional 1
While one character is displayed during the unit distance movement of the three-dimensional object from one camera viewpoint, three characters can be displayed in the embodiment of FIG. 4 in the embodiment of FIG. It will be much faster. In addition, if the speed of movement of the conventional special symbol is set to be the same, the moving speed of the three-dimensional object can be reduced, so that the information processing processor can execute other processing for the reduced time.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, it is possible to easily perform enlargement / reduction display of a special symbol by moving the position of the viewpoint of the camera, and it is possible to notify various kinds of information by the zoom display.

[0044]

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing the appearance of the front of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a circuit configuration of a control system according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an internal configuration of a special symbol display device 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a special symbol creation process.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a display control procedure according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 100 Special symbol display device 101 Variable winning device 102 Specific area 103 Normal symbol display device 200, 301 CPU 304 Image processing LSI 305 LCD display

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Takeaki Sueoka 2-3014-8 Hirosawa-cho, Kiryu-shi, Gunma Heiwanai Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Hajime Tokushima 2-3014 Hirosawa-cho, Kiryu-shi, Gunma 8 shares Heiwanai Company (72) Inventor Mitsuo Nakajima 2-3014-8 Hirosawacho, Kiryu-shi, Gunma Heiwanai Co., Ltd. (72) Yuki Matsumoto Inventor 2-3014 Hirosawacho, Kiryu-shi, Gunma 8-8 Heiwanai, Inc. 72) Inventor Michiharu Akasaka 2-3014-8 Hirosawa-cho, Kiryu-shi, Gunma Heiwanai F-term (reference) 2C088 AA35 AA36 AA42 BC22 EB58

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A three-dimensional object on which at least one or more special symbol images are mapped, or an aggregate in which the outer surface shape of each of the symbol three-dimensional objects represents a symbol is displayed in a virtual space from a plurality of camera viewpoints. Relative to the camera viewpoint, sequentially switching the plurality of camera viewpoints, and displaying on the display an image of a special symbol mapped on the three-dimensional object that moves to the field of view of the switched camera viewpoint. A special symbol display method for a gaming machine, wherein symbols are displayed in a variable manner. 2. The method for displaying a special symbol of a gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein a size of an image of the special symbol displayed on the display is variable by switching positions of the plurality of camera viewpoints. Special symbol display method for gaming machines characterized by the following.