JP2024048808A - Amusement Park Systems - Google Patents

Abstract

To enable proper management of a game machine having a game property becoming advantageous upon start of business.SOLUTION: Initial information (for example, initial TS, initial TY and initial investment amount) in an initial special prize period corresponding to the first special prize occurring after start of business in a game house, is managed distinctively from other game information. Thus, a game machine having a game property becoming advantageous upon start of business can be managed properly.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to a system for amusement parks.

Gaming machines installed in game arcades, such as pachinko machines, are equipped with various functions, and in order to accommodate such functions, for example, Patent Document 1 proposes a gaming device that determines and manages the so-called ceiling time reduction. In recent years, gaming machines have been seen that not only have such ceiling time reduction, but also have a sudden time reduction function called a "thrust time" that occurs when a lottery similar to a jackpot lottery is performed and a lottery process similar to a jackpot lottery is performed. Furthermore, gaming machines that not only allocate the time reduction state between a first time reduction that is advantageous to the player and improves the winning rate of the starting hole compared to the normal state, and a second time reduction that is disadvantageous to the player and does not improve the winning rate of the starting hole compared to the first time reduction, but also do not hold a lottery for the thrust time during the time reduction are appearing.

JP 2021-145729 A

When such gaming machines are subject to management, it is expected that the normal state will be more advantageous than the second time-saving state in that the lottery will be held when the machine is stopped, but it is also possible to return the machine to the normal state by clearing the RAM while the store is closed. In other words, it is advantageous for players after the RAM is cleared and business resumes, and since this may affect the occurrence of jackpots after business resumes, there may be a need to understand such effects.

The present invention was made in consideration of the above circumstances, and its purpose is to provide an amusement center system that can properly manage gaming machines with gameplay that gives an advantage when opening for business.

The invention described in claim 1 is a system for an amusement facility that includes, as a managed item, a gaming machine that can generate a special state (e.g., a time-saving state) from a normal state without going through a jackpot and that may be more likely to generate the special state depending on the establishment of a preset initialization condition (e.g., RAM clearing), and is equipped with a gaming information identification means (e.g., management device 6) that can identify gaming information from a gaming signal output from the gaming machine, a special prize identification means (e.g., management device 6) that identifies the occurrence of a special prize when a jackpot or special state occurs from a normal state, and a gaming information management means (e.g., management device 6) that manages initial information (e.g., initial TS, initial TY, and initial investment amount) during the initial special prize period (e.g., the first special prize) corresponding to the first occurrence of the special prize after the opening of the amusement facility, separately from other gaming information.

With this configuration, the initial information during the initial special prize period is managed separately from other game information, making it possible to properly manage gaming machines with gameplay that gives an advantage at the start of business.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of an amusement park system according to an embodiment. Front view of the gaming machine and gaming device A diagram showing state transitions of a gaming machine. A diagram explaining the distribution when a jackpot occurs at the starting point A diagram showing the raw data list (model A) A diagram showing game information compilation (machine A) A chart showing the jackpot history Figure showing the report by unit R Figure showing the report by model unit R

An embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows the overall configuration of the system for an amusement facility. In the amusement facility, two gaming machines 1, two gaming devices 2, and two information display devices 3 are connected to a relay device 4, and the relay device 4 is connected to a management device 6 (corresponding to a gaming information identification means, a special prize identification means, a gaming information management means, an output means, an initialization condition determination means, a setting means, a history information identification means, and an initial information extraction means) via a LAN 5. The management device 6 receives gaming information indicating the gaming status of the gaming machine 1 and manages the gaming information for each gaming machine 1. The gaming information of the gaming machine 1 is received by the management device 6 from the gaming machine 1 side via the gaming device 2 and the relay device 4 in sequence. Meanwhile, various setting information managed by the management device 6 is received by the gaming device 2 from the management device 6 side via the relay device 4. A prize exchange terminal (hereafter referred to as POS) 7 and a payment machine (not shown) are also installed in the amusement center, and the POS 7 and the payment machine are also connected to the management device 6 via the LAN 5.

When an IC card 8 such as a membership card or general card issued by the gaming device 2 is inserted into the card insertion slot, the POS 7 accepts the inserted IC card 8 and performs a prize exchange process based on the game value of the balls held or saved balls specified by the IC card 8. When performing the prize exchange process, the POS 7 identifies the game value that can be exchanged for prizes by reading the balls or medals held by the player from the IC card 8, or by identifying the member who wishes to exchange for a prize and obtaining online from the management device 6 the saved value (saved balls, saved medals) that the member player has deposited in the gaming facility.

When an IC card 8 is inserted into the card insertion slot, the settlement machine accepts the inserted IC card 8, reads the deposit balance (monetary value, hereafter referred to as the "balance") specified by the IC card 8 using a card reader (not shown), and returns bills and coins corresponding to the read balance from the return slot. When bills are inserted into the bill insertion slot, the settlement machine is capable of adding the inserted amount to the balance recorded on the IC card 8. The membership card and general card as the IC card 8 are recording media capable of identifying a negotiable value that is at least one of a gaming value and a monetary value. The general card is a general recording medium issued to an unspecified number of general players, and the membership card is a membership recording medium issued to members who have registered in advance.

The management device 6 is a management means installed, for example, in an office in an amusement facility, and includes a keyboard 9, a monitor 10, a printer (not shown), etc., which are operated by the manager of the amusement facility. Although detailed illustration is omitted, the control unit of the management device 6 is mainly composed of a microcomputer having a CPU and memory units such as ROM and RAM.

In the management device 6, the control unit, which is the main controller, is connected to the above-mentioned keyboard 9, monitor 10, printer, etc., as well as to a transmission/reception unit that transmits and receives various signals to and from the gaming machine 1 side (gaming machine 1 and gaming device 2), etc. Although not shown in FIG. 1, in reality, for example, several hundred gaming machines 1 are managed by the management device 6. The management device 6 manages the operating status of the gaming machines 1, gaming devices 2, POS 7, settlement machines, etc. installed in the gaming facility.

The gaming machine 1 is an enclosed type pachinko machine that uses circulating gaming media (e.g. circulating pachinko balls) that are enclosed inside the machine beforehand. The gaming value (gaming media) used in the gaming machine 1 is virtual pachinko balls, but the gaming value is stored in a memory unit inside the machine, and unlike conventional payout type gaming machines, the balls shot onto the board circulate and are not paid out outside the gaming machine even if a prize is won, and the gaming balls, which are the gaming value in the memory unit, increase or decrease depending on the game.

The gaming machine 1 stores and manages the game balls (earned value) that are calculated by converting the player's balance, held balls (earned value), and saved balls (earned value), and, provided that there are remaining game balls (game value) stored in the memory unit within the machine, it supplies the circulating pachinko balls (also simply called "balls") inside to a launching device and launches them onto the board, and when a player wins a game ball, it adds the game ball to the data without paying out the game ball (winning awarding process), and manages the game status.

2, the gaming machine 1 has a face 11 from which pachinko balls are shot, an operating handle 12 constituting the shooting device, a loan button 13 for converting the balance into game balls, a return button 14 for issuing a membership card or a general card, a balance display section 15 for displaying the balance, a counting button 16 for converting game balls into held balls, and a game ball display section 17 for displaying the number of game balls. The face 11 is provided with a normal pattern display section 18, a first special pattern display section 19, a second special pattern display section 20, a special pattern reserve display section 21, a pattern display section (liquid crystal display device) 22, a passing gate 23, a first start port 24, a second start port (variable start winning device) 25, a first large winning port (first large winning device) 26, a second large winning port (second large winning device) 27, and a V winning port 28. In addition, a decorative panel 29 is provided below the counting button 16 and the game ball display unit 17.

The gaming machine 1 operates as follows.
(1) The first start hole 24 is a winning hole (so-called belly button) with a fixed winning rate and corresponds to the first special symbol display, and the second start hole 25 is a variable start winning device (so-called electric chute) with a variable winning rate and corresponds to the second special symbol display unit. A big win lottery is held depending on the winning (start winning) at the first start hole 24 or the second start hole 25, and the lottery result is also notified by the pattern change performed by the pattern display unit 22, and a big win or a small win is determined depending on the result of the change.

(2) If a start win occurs during a pattern change, the pattern changes are cumulatively reserved up to a predetermined reserved upper limit (for example, four each), and the reserved pattern changes will begin after the pattern changes have ended. Note that if a start win occurs when the number of reserved pattern changes (reserved number) is at the upper limit, the pattern changes will not be reserved.

(3) The probability of winning the jackpot lottery (jackpot probability) is 1/100 in the normal game state (normal state, normal), and does not transition to a so-called probability-changing state. However, when the time-saving state is entered in which the winning conditions of the second starting hole 25 improve, the probability of a small win that opens the second large winning hole 27 increases (for example, from 1/200 to 1/1), so that the second large winning hole 27 opens in response to a small win (opening period 2 seconds), and if the ball wins the V winning hole 28 (V winning), a jackpot is awarded. In other words, in the time-saving state, although there is a possibility that the ball will not win the second large winning hole 27, if the ball wins the starting hole, it is almost a jackpot, so the jackpot probability becomes close to 1/1, and the jackpot probability increases.

(4) When a jackpot occurs, the first big prize opening 26 is opened for the corresponding round (R). The upper limit for the number of winning prizes in one round is 10, and the upper limit opening period is 30 seconds. One round ends when either the upper limit for the number of winning prizes or the upper limit opening period is met. The corresponding round is also drawn in the same way as the jackpot drawing, but details will be described later. The priority for consuming the reserved pattern changes corresponding to winning prizes is set higher for the second start opening 25 than for the first start opening 24.

(5) The second starting port 25 opens with a high chance of winning if the normal pattern (normal pattern) that changes in response to the winning of the normal pattern winning port becomes a winning symbol. In this case, the period during which the normal pattern changes once is 30 seconds in the normal state, and 3 seconds in the time-saving state. Also, the opening period is normally 0.3 seconds, and 5 seconds in the time-saving state. In other words, in the time-saving state, the period during which the normal pattern changes is shorter than in the normal state, while the opening period is longer, which increases the chance of winning of the second starting port 25. The winning probability of the normal pattern may be improved during the time-saving state.

(6) There are two types of time-saving states: actual time-saving, which increases the winning rate as mentioned above, and minute time-saving, which does not increase the winning rate. Here, minute time-saving shortens the normal map fluctuation time just like actual time-saving, but the opening period of the second starting hole 25 does not improve as much as actual time-saving and is 0.3 seconds as usual, so the winning rate does not improve (if it does not improve as much as actual time-saving, it may improve a little, for example to 0.4 seconds). Also, after a jackpot, it is usually assigned to either actual time-saving or minute time-saving, but details will be given later.

(7) In the following explanation, when "time saving" is mentioned without distinction, it refers to actual time saving, and for convenience, since slight time saving does not improve the winning rate, it is referred to as the normal state.

(8) If the first starting hole 24 or the second starting hole 25 wins, a time-saving lottery (with a winning rate of 1/200) is held in addition to the big win lottery, and if it is won, a sudden time-saving lottery (sudden time) of 100 actual time-saving times can occur; however, this time-saving lottery is not held for actual time-saving or micro-time-saving. In other words, the micro-time-saving lottery is less favorable than normal because it not only does not improve the winning rate of the second starting hole 25, but also does not hold a time-saving lottery, so normal, which is not a micro-time-saving lottery, will be referred to as C-time below, and normal will be distinguished from micro-time-saving.

(9) C time continues until a jackpot or a sudden hit occurs, but it may continue until a predetermined number of pattern changes have occurred, for example, it may be a fixed number (e.g., 32 times), or it may be allocated as the number of pattern changes that the time reduction continues. In this case, the predetermined number of pattern changes may be a number that cannot be used up in one business day (e.g., 10,000 times), and it may continue until a jackpot or a sudden hit occurs.

(10) In this embodiment, the following three conditions are given as examples of conditions for C-time. That is, when a jackpot or time-saving ends and the game returns to normal, when the RAM of the gaming machine 1 is cleared (initialized), and when the sudden time, including the above-mentioned micro-time-saving, ends. In this case, for example, the number of symbol changes when a sudden time occurs in any of the cases may be different values as the number of times that are candidates for allocation, or one may be a fixed value and the others may be allocated as described above, or the probability of winning the time-saving lottery may be 1/30 in some cases and 1/100 in others, or at least some of the cases may be different or the same, but in this embodiment, the latter is given as an example to simplify the explanation. Of course, other conditions may be adopted as conditions for C-time.

The state transition of the gaming machine 1 will be explained with reference to FIG. 3. When the gaming machine 1 wins a jackpot in any state other than a jackpot (actual time reduction, C time, micro time reduction), the state ends and the machine enters a jackpot. After the jackpot, the machine enters C time, actual time reduction, or micro time reduction. When the specified number of symbol changes is consumed, the actual time reduction or micro time reduction ends and becomes C time. C time continues until either the actual time reduction or micro time reduction is won, and when either is won, the machine enters the corresponding state. Note that no sudden time selection is performed for the actual time reduction or micro time reduction, so there is no transition from the micro time reduction to the real time reduction or from the actual time reduction to the micro time reduction. In any state, if the RAM is cleared, the machine enters C time, so when business starts after the RAM is cleared, the machine enters C time.

The gaming machine 1 outputs the following data items as the game progresses, such as the player shooting balls and starting winning into each starting hole 24, 25.
"Out" = A data item that indicates the consumed (used, inserted) value (out) in units of one ball since the last time data was sent.
Safe: A data item indicating the winning award value (safe) awarded in accordance with winning since the previous data transmission, in units of one ball.
S Winning (Number of Times) = A data item that indicates the number of start winnings (S winnings) since the last time data was transmitted, one at a time.

Start (number of times) = A data item that indicates the start (number of pattern changes, number of times the device is activated, number of unit plays) of the device (pattern display section 22) that is activated (changed) by winning S since the last time data was sent. It is counted when it is confirmed, but it may also be counted when it starts.

Jackpot (number of times) = A data item that indicates the number of jackpots that have occurred since the previous data transmission in units of one. It is counted when it occurs, but it can also be counted when it ends.
Jackpot (state) = A data item that indicates ON if a jackpot state is occurring at the time of data transmission, and OFF if a jackpot state is not occurring. The period from when it turns ON to when it turns OFF is specified as the jackpot state.

Sweet state (state) = A data item that indicates that the state is on if a special state (sweet state) or a jackpot state is occurring at the time of data transmission, and off otherwise. The period from when it turns on to when it turns off is specified as sweet state or jackpot state. For example, if sweet state (state) is on, and jackpot (state) is on, it is specified as jackpot state, and if it is off, it is specified as sweet state. Also, sweet state corresponds to special states such as time reduction and probability change as mentioned above. It does not necessarily have to be on during a jackpot. Furthermore, if both jackpot (state) and sweet state (state) are off, it is specified as a normal state. A jackpot or sweet state state is considered to be in special prize state. Furthermore, it does not turn on during a small time reduction.

A data signal, such as a message that can identify the above data items, is sent from the gaming machine 1 to the gaming device at a predetermined interval (300 ms). The above only illustrates information related to this embodiment, but other information such as the number of game balls and fraud information can also be output. This embodiment illustrates a gaming machine 1 that does not output a status signal that can directly identify C mode or time reduction (is not included in the data items), but it is of course possible to identify the gaming status of such a gaming machine 1 using the status signal.

Next, the gameplay will be explained. (1) The allocation of R when a jackpot occurs will be explained. As shown in Fig. 4, the corresponding round is allocated according to the type of jackpot, such as which start hole 24, 25 (special chart) the jackpot occurred from, and the allocation rate is 100% for 3R and 0% for 9R for the first start hole 24, but 75% for 3R and 25% for 9R for the second start hole 25.

(2) After a jackpot, the game is divided into normal, actual time reduction, and minute time reduction depending on the type of jackpot and the game situation, such as whether the jackpot was actual time reduction, minute time reduction, or normal (C time) at the time of the jackpot. In other words, if the jackpot is normal when it occurs, if the jackpot is the first start hole 24, there is a 75% chance (No. 1, 3) of 100 times of actual time reduction, and a 25% chance (No. 2) of returning to normal, and if the jackpot is the second start hole 25, there is a 75% chance (No. 1, 2) of 100 times of actual time reduction, and a 25% chance (No. 3) of 100 times of minute time reduction. However, since it is difficult to open the second start hole 25 under normal circumstances and difficult to win, the game is played with the first start hole 24 in mind, so a jackpot through the second start hole 25 is unlikely.

(3) If the jackpot is an actual time reduction or a micro time reduction at the time of occurrence, if the jackpot is via the first starting hole 24, there is a 20% (No. 1) chance of 100 times of actual time reduction, and an 80% (No. 2, 3) chance of 50 times of micro time reduction. If the jackpot is via the second starting hole 25, after a 9R jackpot, there is a 25% chance (No. 1) of 100 times of actual time reduction, and after a 3R jackpot, there is a 75% chance (No. 2) of 50% of 100 times of actual time reduction, and an 25% (No. 3) chance of 100 times of micro time reduction. Here, as mentioned above, if the actual time is reduced, it will almost certainly result in a jackpot, so when the actual time is reduced, i.e. when the jackpot ends, the expected probability (continuation rate) of a consecutive jackpot that will result in the next jackpot is 75% (No. 1, 3) since the jackpot will usually be mainly from the first start hole 24, 75% (No. 1, 2) since the jackpot will mainly be from the second start hole 25 when the actual time is reduced, and 20% (No. 1) since the jackpot will mainly be from the first start hole 24 when the slight time is reduced.

(4) On the other hand, if the consecutive wins do not occur, the normal state returns to normal at 100% (all 25% of the times when the consecutive wins do not occur (No. 2)), while the actual time reduction state returns to the slight time reduction state at 100% (all 25% of the times when the consecutive wins do not occur (No. 3)), and the slight time reduction state returns to the slight time reduction state at 100% (all 80% of the times when the consecutive wins do not occur (No. 2, 3)). Also, the actual time reduction of 100 times as mentioned above, for example, indicates that the actual time reduction will continue until 100 pattern changes have been consumed and then the normal state is restored, but if a jackpot occurs, the actual time reduction state ends and a jackpot occurs. The same applies to the slight time reduction state.

(5) Additional explanation on gameplay. First, when the actual time reduction occurs, it is almost always a jackpot, so the probability of a jackpot during C time is 1/100, and the probability of a jackpot occurring due to a sudden lottery of 1/200, combined, is 3/200, or 1/66.6, and the successive win rate is also 75%, so successive wins can be expected. In other words, a jackpot that occurs during C time does not result in a successive win, and a single jackpot ends the special prize (the state from when a jackpot or actual time reduction occurs until the return to normal (C time or slight time reduction)), so it is easy for a jackpot or consecutive win to occur after the so-called single win.

(6) On the other hand, during the micro-time shortening, the sudden lottery is not conducted, so the probability of a jackpot remains at the original 1/100, and the consecutive win rate is also 20%, which is less favorable than during C-time. Also, during consecutive wins, the consecutive wins continue as long as the jackpots No. 1 and 2 of the second starting port 25 occur, but when the jackpot No. 3 occurs, which ends the consecutive win, the micro-time shortening starts, making it more difficult for a jackpot or consecutive wins to occur.

(7) In other words, if the RAM is cleared while the store is closed, it will be C time, and the first special prize will be in a state where the expected payout rate is very high, making it likely to result in a jackpot or consecutive wins, just like after the single win mentioned above. On the other hand, the second special prize after the end of the special prize will be in a state where the expected payout rate is low, since it will be after the end of consecutive wins and there is a high expected value for a slight time reduction.

(8) The third special prize after the second special prize may occur during the micro-time saving period, and the expected value of the micro-time saving period ending and C time is higher than the second special prize, so the expected payout rate is expected to be higher than the second prize, although not as high as the first. For the fourth and subsequent special prizes, the effects of clearing the RAM in the first prize will converge, and the expected payout rate is also expected to converge.

(9) Although the above examples show so-called type 1/type 2 mixed machines, gaming machines equipped with a probability variable function that increases the probability of winning a jackpot, and machines equipped with a so-called ceiling time-saving function that generates actual time-saving when no jackpot has been generated even after the pattern has changed a set number of times or more, are also subject to management. In addition, if a probability variable function is provided, the probability of winning a jackpot during the special state, which is 1/1 in this embodiment, can be appropriately set and adjusted based on the probability of winning a jackpot during the probability variable.

The gaming device 2 has a status indicator lamp 30 that indicates the game status of the gaming machine 1 and the status of the gaming device 2 (error status, etc.), a coin slot 31 into which coins (e.g., paper money) are inserted, a touch panel type liquid crystal display unit 32 that accepts operation inputs from the player and displays various game data described below, a game button 33 for paying out held balls (including saved balls if the player is a member), a card insertion slot 34 into which a membership card or general card is inserted, and a remote control receiver 36 that receives signals from a remote control 35 (see FIG. 1) carried and operated by an employee. The gaming device 2 also has a camera (not shown) that photographs the upper body, including the face, of the player.

The gaming device 2 operates as follows.
(1) When currency is accepted (currency acceptance process), the amount of the deposit is added to the balance and displayed on both the gaming machine 1 and the gaming device 2, and when the loan button 13 on the gaming machine 1 is pressed (loan operation, grant operation) while there is a balance, one loan unit (e.g., 125 balls) is converted into game balls (value granted) as loaned balls (loan process, value grant process), and the value according to the gaming rate (hereinafter referred to as the rate) is deducted from the balance. Note that currency can be accepted in an amount corresponding to multiple value grant processes (e.g., up to 10,000 yen).

(2) The system manages the held balls, and although the held balls cannot be used directly for playing, a conversion process (value granting process) is performed to convert the held balls for one unit of payout into game balls in response to pressing of the game button 33 (replay operation, grant operation). In this case, a conversion rate may be set separately, but in this embodiment, it is set to 1:1 (the same applies to the counting process below).

(3) When the number of game balls in the gaming machine 1 increases in response to play, a counting process is performed to convert the game balls into held balls in response to pressing the counting button 16 of the gaming machine 1 (counting operation). In this case, one ball is converted per press, but if the button is continued, the conversion can be continuous and accelerated. In this way, the game balls and held balls are updated, and when an issuing operation is performed such as pressing the return button 14 of the gaming machine 1 while there is remaining balance or held balls in the gaming device 2, a general card that can identify the balance and held balls is issued (issuing process). It is also possible to issue a card in parts, with only a portion of the held balls or the balance being issued.

(4) The issuing process has an issuing condition according to the number of game balls in the gaming machine 1, and in this embodiment, when the number of game balls becomes a predetermined number "0" or less, the issuing condition is met and the issuing process becomes possible. Therefore, communication (including information such as out and safe) is performed with the gaming machine 1 at regular intervals (for example, every 300 ms), and when the number of game balls becomes "0" due to use in a game or counting process, the gaming device 2 is notified of this, and when the issuing condition is met, the issuing process is permitted. It is sufficient to update the game balls by receiving a game ball signal that can identify the number of game balls from the gaming machine 1 to identify that the issuing condition has been met, but other identification methods such as receiving a separate signal indicating that the number of game balls has become "0" may also be adopted.

(5) The balls held that can be identified by the issued general card can be exchanged for prizes at the POS, and the remaining balance can be settled into currency at the settlement machine. Incidentally, while the monetary value, including the currency accepted by the gaming device 2, can be exemplified by cash, monetary values other than cash, such as electronic money or credit card payments, can also be accepted or settled. Also, while an example has been given of an issuance process in which the balls held and the balance are associated with a general card, it is of course also possible to perform an issuance process in which they are associated with other recording media, such as a membership card or the player's mobile phone.

(6) Through serial communication with the relay device 4, the management device 6 can identify various information such as currency acceptance processing, value granting processing, balance, balls held, number of lent balls, number of converted balls, amount of deposit, number of counted balls, number of lent balls, sales amount that is the value of lent balls, and acceptance and issuance processing of ball tickets (cards 8b). These may also be identified by pulse signals (for example, one pulse for every 1,000 yen deposited, one pulse for every 100 yen sold, etc.). Note that communication with the gaming machine 1 may be direct communication with the gaming machine 1 without going through the relay device 4, or communication with the gaming machine 1 may be via the relay device 4.

The management device 6, as in the conventional case, tabulates the raw data shown in Fig. 5 and the tabulated information (performance information) based on the raw data (performance information) for each gaming machine as shown in Fig. 6. The items in the raw data list shown in Fig. 5 are as follows. Note that "average" is the average for gaming machines of model A.
OUT=Indicates the gaming value consumed in gaming machine 1 as explained in the data item “OUT”.
Safe=As explained in the data item "Safe", this indicates the gaming value awarded in response to a win on gaming machine 1.

Start=As explained in the data item "Start", it indicates the number of times the role is activated in the gaming machine 1. Incidentally, including the following, "Sweet" indicates game information corresponding to a special state period such as time reduction.
Sales balls = gaming value (number of loaned balls, value of consideration) awarded in exchange for monetary value at the corresponding gaming device 2, which can be identified by the gaming signal transmitted from the corresponding gaming device 2.
Number of jackpots = The number of jackpots that are specified as explained in the data item "jackpot.""Specific" indicates the number of occurrences of specific jackpots that meet specific conditions (for example, T1Y within a reference range (for example, up to 500) set for T1Y). "Non-specific" is the number of jackpots other than "specific," and "Total" indicates the total number of jackpots.

T Out = Indicates an out during T (special prize) (during a jackpot or sweet prize).
T Safe = Indicates safety during T (special prize) (during jackpot and sweet prize).
T1 out = indicates an out during T1 (during a jackpot).
T1 Safe = Indicates safety during T1 (during jackpot).
Special T1 Out = Indicates an out during T1 that applies only to specific jackpots.
Special T1 Safe = Indicates safe during T1, only for specific jackpots.

For the sake of convenience, this embodiment is based on the premise that the arcade does not have a replay system based on saved balls. However, if the arcade does have a replay system, it is desirable to include replay balls in the sales balls in the calculation. Note that replay balls, which are used to pay back balls that players have won on that business day, do not need to be included in the sales balls.

The items in the gaming information summary (machine A) shown in Figure 6 are as follows. Note that "average" indicates the gaming machine average for machine A, and indicates the corresponding value for "total" in Figure 6.

Base = Shows the rate of play for each state (normal, sweet), and is usually determined by B Safe ÷ BO, and sweet is determined by B Safe A ÷ BOA. Including the following, BO, which indicates an out during normal play, is determined as out - T out, B Safe, which indicates a safe during normal play, is determined as safe - T safe, BOA, which indicates an out during sweet play, is determined as T out - T1 out, and B Safe A, which indicates a safe during sweet play, is determined as T safe - T1 safe, but BO, B Safe, BOA, and B Safe A can also be found as raw data. Note that below, the base during normal play will simply be referred to as the base, and the base during sweet play will be referred to as BA.

Average S = The ratio of the number of symbol changes to the number of outs by state. Average S is determined by normal (sweet) start ÷ BO (BOA). In the following, the average S during normal play is also called S, and the average S during sweet play is also called SA.
T1Y = the average number of balls dispensed during a jackpot, and is determined by (T1 Safe - T1 Out) divided by the total number of jackpots.
T1O = average out during jackpots, and is determined by T1 out divided by the total number of jackpots.
Special T1Y = T1Y targeted for a specific jackpot, and is determined by (Special T1 Safe - Special T1 Out) / number of specific jackpots.
Special T1O = T1O targeted at a specific jackpot, and is determined by Special T1 Out divided by the number of specific jackpots.
Payout rate = Payout rate indicates the ratio of safe to out (payout rate, award rate), and is determined by Safe / Out.
BSA = Indicates the difference in number of balls under normal circumstances, and is determined by BO-B Safe.
Customer retention rate = The ratio of B-Sa to sales, and is determined by B-Sa ÷ sales.

Gross profit = the operating profit of the amusement parlor according to the game, and is determined by the following formula: Sales amount - balls acquired x rental cost x cost rate. Note that acquired balls (acquired value) are determined by the number of balls sold + safe-out, and sales amount is determined by the number of balls sold x rental cost. The rental cost is 4 yen, and the cost rate is 90.9%.
Price per ball = Sales amount per one out, and is determined by the sales amount divided by the out.
Gross profit per ball = gross profit per out, determined by gross profit divided by out.
Sales ratio = The ratio of the arcade's profit and loss (ball loss) to the actual sales amount (balls sold), and is determined by the number of balls won divided by the number of balls sold.

The management device 6 can manage a jackpot history that creates history information in response to the occurrence of a jackpot or special state as shown in FIG. 7, and the items of the jackpot history are as follows. Note that the management device 6 may manage history information such as history information for each minute, history information for each update of game information, etc., instead of or in addition to the jackpot history shown in FIG. 7.

For a special state such as special prize=time reduction, "A" indicating the easy mode is recorded, and the target record is displayed in red for example (the display is shown by hatching in FIG. 7).
Occurrence time = the time corresponding to the record, indicating the time when a jackpot or special state occurred.
BO = Indicates BO (out) in normal or special conditions.
B Sa = Indicates B Sa in normal or special conditions.
Start = Indicates a start in normal or special conditions.
T1Y, T1O = The number of balls dispensed during a jackpot (T1Y) and the number of balls out during a jackpot (T1O) are not recorded in the records, so no jackpot has occurred. Also, NO is recorded in the records where a jackpot has occurred.
MY indicates the number of balls acquired by the player, and is specified by T1Y-B, but since negative numbers are not counted, for example, B of No. 1 is excluded.
Special prize sales = sales amount.

The management device 6 extracts the first TS, first TY and first investment amount (all of which correspond to first information) from the jackpot history shown in FIG. 7 as game information for the period corresponding to the first special prize (the period including not only the time the special prize is generated but also before the special prize is generated, which corresponds to the first special prize period). The special prize indicates the state from when a jackpot or sudden time occurs in the normal state (C time or slight time reduction) until the state returns to normal again. For example, in the case of FIG. 7, the state returns to normal at No. 3, so No. 1 and No. 2 (including the third record) are targeted.

The initial TS will be the start of No. 1, "68". In other words, it will be the average start until the first special prize is generated, so it will be the average value extracted from such starts. Of course, if it is one business day and one gaming machine, it will be the extracted value itself. The same applies to the other initial information shown below.

The first TY is the difference ball during the special prize, so it is the integrated value of T1Y "460" of No. 1, T1Y "450" of No. 2, B-Sa "-320" of No. 2, and B-Sa "30" of No. 3, but since B-Sa is out-safe, it is subtracted to correspond to the TY that is safe-out. In other words, it becomes 460 + 450 - (-320 + 30) = 1200.
Since the initial investment amount is the special prize sales corresponding to No. 1 and No. 2, the special prize sales of No. 1 is "4000". As described above, the initial TS is "68", the initial TY is "1200", and the initial investment amount is "4000" can be extracted from the jackpot history shown in FIG. 7.

The management device 6 can determine whether or not the RAM has been cleared on a machine-by-machine basis by input such as a signal output from the gaming machine 1 or an operational input (the input may be one or more, or these may be configurable), and manages the gaming information by distinguishing whether or not the RAM has been cleared on a machine-by-machine basis as in FIG. 8, or by model-by-model basis as in FIG. 9, or by gaming parlor-by-parlor basis (all stores). That is, if the "R" column is "No", the RAM has not been cleared, if "R", the RAM has been cleared, and "Average" indicates the combined value of both (the average value is shown as an example, but other combined values such as the total value may also be used).

In both Figures 8 and 9, the target period is specified as 30 days, so the total number of machines is shown. For example, Figure 8 is in units of gaming machines, so the target business days are shown as the number of machines, while Figure 9 is in units of model, so a value corresponding to the target business days and the number of gaming machines is shown (for example, if there are none, then 26 machines, the total of 16 machines on machine 1 and 10 machines on machine 2 in Figure 8, are targeted).

Each item can be selected from the items shown in Figures 5 to 7, for example, and the initial information explained in the jackpot history in Figure 7 is also included in the selection candidates. It is also possible to set in advance whether to distinguish between game information depending on whether the RAM is cleared or not for each machine type. For example, in Figure 9, machine A is set to be managed with distinction, while machine B is set to be managed without distinction, so machine B is set to only "none" and not "R" or "average". It is also possible to set on a machine-by-machine basis so as to correspond to an operation in which the RAM is not cleared for a specific machine or machine type, or it is also possible to set it so that no distinction is made for machines that become C time due to RAM clearing.

According to the present embodiment described above, the following effects can be obtained.
Since the initial information corresponding to the initial special prize is managed separately from other game information, game machines having advantageous game characteristics at the start of business can be properly managed.
Since the initial information is output so as to be comparable with game information other than the initial information, it becomes possible to grasp to what extent the initial information is advantageous to the player.
Since the initial information is managed separately depending on whether the RAM is cleared or not, it is possible to know to what extent the initial information is advantageous to the player by clearing the RAM.

Game information other than the initial information is also managed separately depending on whether the RAM has been cleared, and whether or not to manage the game information separately depending on whether the RAM has been cleared is set on a per-game machine or per-model basis, which reduces the need to manage the game information in an unnecessarily complicated manner for game machines or models that do not clear the RAM, or for game machines or models that do not need to be managed separately depending on the RAM clear.

Since it is possible to identify historical information and extract initial information from the historical information, if historical information is identified during business hours, it will be possible to identify initial information even after business hours have ended. Also, since many systems already have historical information, it is possible to reduce the development costs of new configurations and to derive initial information.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and may be modified or expanded as follows.
As the initial information, other information such as the player's income and expenditure (gross profit), T-out, T-safe, etc. may be used in addition to the examples shown. Similarly, game information other than the game information shown in Figures 5 to 9, such as the number of replay balls and the number of fraudulent plays, may be used.

Although a configuration has been exemplified that allows game information other than the initial information to be output so as to be compared with the initial information, it is of course also possible to manage and output information by targeting only the initial information. Also, while "sales amount" has been exemplified as an item that is the same for the initial information and other game information, it is of course also possible to output TS, TY, etc. and target game information items other than those exemplified.

Target gaming machines include, for example, pachinko gaming machines and slot machines that pay out gaming media other than the pachinko gaming machines exemplified above, which are of the so-called sealed type, where gaming media are managed only by data. Here, the gaming media will be expressed as gaming value as necessary, taking into account the so-called sealed type. Also, while different rounds have been exemplified as types of jackpots, the type of jackpot is determined by the number of balls paid out and the difference in balls during the jackpot, so even if the number of rounds is the same, the types may be differentiated by the upper limit number of winnings per round or the upper limit release period.

When managing slot machines, since there are many slot machine models that have a so-called ceiling function, it is useful to manage the initial information according to the ceiling function. Of course, pachinko game machines also have ceiling functions such as ceiling time reduction, so this embodiment, which distinguishes game information according to the initial information and the presence or absence of RAM clearing for machines other than those exemplified, such as when a sudden stop occurs, is useful.

Although an example of a configuration in which game information is differentiated based on whether or not the RAM has been cleared has been given, if initial information is to be managed, it is not necessarily necessary to differentiate game information based on whether or not the RAM has been cleared. Similarly, if game information is differentiated based on whether or not the RAM has been cleared, it is not necessarily necessary to manage initial information.

Although an example has been given of a configuration in which initial information is extracted from historical information, it is not necessarily necessary to extract the initial information from historical information, such as by directly identifying the initial information in response to a signal input at the start of business.

Each setting value may be set by the administrator through manual input, may be set in advance by the manufacturer of the management device 6, or may be set by downloading setting information from an external server (such as the headquarters of a chain store). In this case, too, the setting value is input through manual input on the server. Of course, past game information may also be set as a reference value.

All of the game information shown as examples may be determined directly by the input signal or indirectly by using an arithmetic expression. Also, while a data signal is shown as an example of the game signal, a pulse signal or other signal may also be input.

The numbers, digits, items, etc. are examples, and any numbers may be used. In addition, the identification output may be in any output form, such as adding symbols other than those shown in the examples, and output may be at least printed or displayed.

Either "above" or "exceeds" can be used, with expressions such as "reached" corresponding to either "above" or "exceeded." The same goes for "below" and "less than," with expressions such as "did not reach" corresponding to both.

A part or all of the processing performed by the management device 6 may be performed by the gaming device 2 or the relay device 4, etc., and may be configured in any manner. Furthermore, the exemplary configurations may be combined in any manner, including modified examples, and configurations may not be adopted as appropriate.

In the drawing, 1 is a gaming machine, and 6 is a management device (gaming information identification means, special prize identification means, gaming information management means, output means, initialization condition determination means, setting means, history information identification means, initial information extraction means).

Claims (5)

A system for an amusement facility includes, as a management target, a gaming machine capable of generating a special state from a normal state without going through a jackpot, and in which the special state may be easily generated depending on the establishment of a preset initialization condition,
a game information specifying means for specifying game information based on a game signal output from the gaming machine;
A special prize specification means for specifying the occurrence of a special prize when a jackpot or a special state occurs from a normal state;
The game arcade system is provided with a game information management means for managing initial information during an initial special prize period corresponding to the first special prize generated after the game arcade starts business, in a manner distinguishable from other game information. The gaming facility system described in claim 1 is provided with an output means for outputting gaming information for a gaming period other than the initial special prize period, the gaming information having at least one gaming information item that is the same as that included in the initial information, in a manner that allows comparison with the initial information. An initialization condition determination means for determining whether the initialization condition is satisfied in the gaming machine,
2. The game arcade system according to claim 1, wherein said game information management means manages said initial information by distinguishing it according to a result of the determination made by said initialization condition determination means. A setting means is provided,
the game information management means is capable of managing game information other than the initial information in a distinguished manner based on a determination result of the initialization condition determination means;
The amusement facility system of claim 3, wherein the setting means is capable of setting whether or not to distinguish and manage the game information based on the judgment result of the initialization condition judgment means, at least either on a gaming machine basis or a model basis. a history information specifying means for specifying the history information by classifying and specifying the game information when a predetermined history condition is satisfied;
and an initial information extraction means for extracting game information during the initial special prize period from the history information as initial information;
5. The game arcade system according to claim 1, wherein the game information management means manages the initial information extracted by the initial information extraction means.

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